“America The Beautiful” broadcast from Washington DC on 4th of July. Nothing wrong with that. Even makes me misty-eyed sometimes. But for a more thought provoking auditory emanation of the American Dream, moreover the real lives and loves of the real America, of the last 100 years, maybe these few songs can dig a little deeper.
This Land Is Your Land
The ultimate people’s anthem. Endlessly influential, from Bob Dylan to Springsteen all the way to the present day. Not to be forgotten. Ever.
The Star-Spangled Banner (Jimi Hendrix)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKAwPA14Ni4
Misunderstood, yet insightful to the nth degree. Performed at Woodstock (50 year anniversary happening now) at the height of unrest during the Vietnam War. For many, perhaps the peak and final moments of the 60s. Has taken on mythic status and while the controversy has faded, the insight and bittersweet love for the country shines through, to this day. Hendrix was a veteran and knew exactly what “rockets red glare” really sounded and felt like.
Born In The USA
In the parade of the misunderstood “Born In The USA” may stand as the most misinterpreted song ever. Pride at being born in the USA? Absolutely. Look at the rest of the lyrics to get the more nuanced take on what it means.
America, West Side Story
What can you say? Classic all the way.
Living In America
Anything by James Brown is an American Treasure.
America The Beautiful (Ray Charles)
Ditto
A bit more from The Boss and some lesser known gems to round out the tour:
In “the most challenging mission to date“, SpaceX and Elon Musk successfully launched the Falcon Heavy into orbit with 24 satellites onboard. Below we have embedded the SpaceX livestream link, which went live at 2:30am EDT, June 25th.
There are quite a few unique facts that make this launch special. It is the third flight for the Falcon Heavy, the first ever to take place at night, which creates a more dramatic viewing experience, and it is the first time that previously used side boosters will be redeployed. The two side boosters being used were flown previously, in April 2019, on the Arabsat-6A mission. And on top of all that, as if it was not enough, the 24 payloads are significant as well.
For example: the Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 will be onboard. A prototype of a popular sci-fi concept – a solar sail to be used for propulsion in space, this is the second iteration of the LightSail to be launched, both created by the Planetary Society.
“It’s really a romantic notion that has tremendous practical applications”
― Bill Nye, CEO of Planetary Society
This version, with a span of approximately 344 square feet and which had a pricetag of seven million dollars to build, will attempt to demonstrate that, using a LightSail, a spacecraft can accelerate and increase it’s distance from earth while in orbit. A successful test of the LightSail would begin to prove or discourage the possibility of using sails for interstellar travel.
Center core engine shutdown and stage separation confirmed. Second stage engine burn underway pic.twitter.com/wrn5uMmG0L
In addition to this “Romantic” aspect of the mission, primarily this is a huge challenge for SpaceX, Musk and the Falcon Heavy,indeed, Musk, in a tweet, referred to it as …“our most difficult launch ever“. The STP-2 mission will launch 24 various spacecraft (satellites) into orbit, including the LightSail. It will be, assuming successful, more importantly, a step towards proving the Falcon Heavy’s ability to employ and reuse the side boosters described above, a first, and to observe the performance of it’s multi-burn profile for the rocket’s upper stage. In a quote from the dedicated STP-2 website: “In addition, SMC will use this mission as a pathfinder for the development of mission assurance policies and procedures related to the reuse of launch vehicle boosters.”
Teeth or not in Inquiry? Jawboning or action for Targeted Tech?…
Commenting on the antitrust review announced by the Justice Department on Tuesday, in an interview on CNBC, Mnuchin said that “it is good that the attorney general is going to look into this”.
Also saying that Amazon has “limited competition”, “hurt small businesses”, and that it was “absolutely right” for the Attorney General to look into “these issues”.
Amazon "has destroyed the retail industry across the United States," says Treasury Secretary Mnuchin. "It's absolutely right the Attorney General is looking into" anti-trust issues. pic.twitter.com/z5Mhc96xMa
On Tuesday, the Justice Department announced via press release that it would initiate a review to determine if major online platforms had “reduced competition, stifled innovation or otherwise harmed consumers”.
”The Department of Justice announced today that the Department’s Antitrust Division is reviewing whether and how market-leading online platforms have achieved market power and are engaging in practices that have reduced competition, stifled innovation, or otherwise harmed consumers.”
Department of Justice Release from Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Interestingly, the idea of some kind of antitrust action against Amazon, Google or Facebook is one that is gaining traction among Republicans and Democrats alike. Senator Elizabeth Warren in particular has often spoken of the need for intervention.
Each of the “market-leading online platforms” have built-in defenses against traditional antitrust actions, which have traditionally looked for dominant companies where consumer prices were directly impacted by use of monopoly profits (such as in United States v. AT&T and later, v. Microsoft).
In the case of Facebook and Google, profits are hidden behind “free” products and services which allow the companies to claim that no harm comes to consumers as a result of their power. Naturally, the idea that the products and services come without cost is losing credibility in light of the many scandals and instances of harm, monetary or otherwise.
Kindergarten Colors and “Consumer Obsession” while Evil Lurks Beneath…
In the case of Amazon, it is even more complex, since, as a company famous for enormous losses rather than profit, all while using various loss leader strategies to prove that it is “consumer obsessed” and not a monopoly at all.
Indeed, Amazon’s response to the Justice Department’s press release was, through a spokesman, that Amazon accounts for “less than 4% of US retail sales” and that “small and medium-sized businesses are thriving with Amazon”. Not mentioned was the dominant 50% share of the online sales market.
By comparison the second largest online sales channel, eBay, for 2019 is estimated to reach 6.1%, while Walmart’s online platform has an approximate 4.6% share.
Rarely has the media been able (or willing) to unravel the deeply complex history of Amazon’s strategies – which can be traced all the way back to the incredibly favorable pricing of it’s stock during the dot.com bubble boom and it’s “stealth” transformation from “The World’s Largest Bookstore” into “The Everything Store” over a ten year period.
The closest definition for its business behavior is as a “monopsony”, which can be defined as holding a monopoly over suppliers or labor, not consumers.
And this is where the “hurt small businesses” comes in. Any small retailer wishing to survive, let alone make a profit, must have online sales in some form (ask Walmart if you doubt that online sales are a necessary requirement for a brick and mortar retail business in 2019) and the domination in that area – that is to say the control of the customers, by Amazon is so extreme that joining the Amazon Marketplace is the only option (other than trying to survive with 90% fewer online sales).
And the Marketplace is controlled with an iron fist by Amazon. For example, since around 2006 all communication between Amazon Marketplace sellers and their buyers is handled by an encrypted, anonymous messaging system designed to prevent sellers from obtaining any direct email addresses from buyers.
This amazingly elaborate system is a glaring indicator, hiding in plain sight, that Amazon views its “selling partners” as anything but.
Although third-party sellers accounted, for example, for 50% of paid units sold on Amazon in 2016, every customer was considered to belong 100% to Amazon and zero percent to the seller.
With fees that can total up to 50% (they use a complex exponential sliding scale which makes it impossible to quote any exact figure) the seller is doomed to have no brand value and no “good will” value as long as it agrees to cooperate on the platform. Not selling on Amazon, unless extremely well capitalized (such as a start-up with hundreds of millions of dollars), is a death sentence.
Naturally, the waters remain muddy, since examples of the precise opposite can be pointed to – if you are a manufacturer and your products are extremely cheap (you are probably in China) and you like to offer your margin to Jeff Bezos as “his opportunity” and, particularly if your products will harm an Amazon competitor that refuses to sell on Amazon, the red carpet will be laid at your feet.
3 Brands Take Over Earth, Almost No-one Notices
It’s odd, as an observer, to note that there is not a single “brand success story” that can be pointed to as having built their brand through the Amazon third-party Marketplace. Could this be more than a coincidence?
”What I am glad we never did and that we’ve avoided so far is being on Amazon”
Jen Rubio, co-founder and chief brand officer of Away
Take, for example, Away Luggage, who went from being a “direct to consumer” start-up founded in 2015 to recently reaching a valuation of over one billion dollars and who made it a point NEVER to sell on Amazon;
She added that a “deal breaker” was that Amazon does not share customer data with vendors.
”Just sticking to our guns and not going on the [Amazon] platform was important for us”
Jen Rubio, Away
In our own recent interview with a long time Amazon Marketplace seller, who insisted on not being named, “or my children’s lives would be in danger”, he stated that many more behaviors towards seller “partners” are anything but collegial.
One of many examples is the “co-mingling” policy. As with much of what goes on behind the scenes at Amazon, this is an opaque, complex concept where all products that reside in any Amazon warehouse (supplied by various sellers participating in the “Fulfillment by Amazon” program) are considered to be “co-mingled” once they arrive.
When an item is purchased from a particular seller any item from any supplier is “picked” and shipped to the buyer. If that item is somehow inferior or even counterfeit, the seller whose name is on the order is automatically blamed although there is no way to trace the item’s true origin.
Our anonymous interviewee stated that, in one case, he was put out of business and even sued as having sold a counterfeit item, even though all his inventory was purchased from the original authorized manufacturer, and he could prove it.
Why didn’t he fight the false and obviously bogus accusation? $50,000 to $100,000 in Legal fees and no chance of any remedy other than, perhaps, re-instatement with no guarantee that the same thing wouldn’t happen again 2 days later.
One could get the impression, surveying the various accounts from sellers, across many walks of life, that Amazon’s perspective is not only that it is unimportant what happens to a particular seller that runs into problems on its platform, but that the demise of any seller is a “win” and that harm to any seller is harm to a competitor, even if that entity is technically a “Marketplace Partner”.
If true, this is as disturbing as any “consumer harm” effected through higher prices, as the sellers, who are also consumers let’s not forget, are just as trapped in the platform’s private “hell” as any consumer who is forced to pay higher prices as a result of monopolistic behavior.
Stories like the one above are “out-there” by the thousands but, strangely, hard to find online. A search on Google (oh yes, one of the other companies being scrutinized by the Justice Department) for “Amazon harms sellers” would often, in the recent past, bring up nothing but links to Amazon itself and how it is harmed by “counterfeit sellers” as if all the problems on the platform are created by the “other guy”.
Interestingly, even that is beginning to change, and there are more and more articles by reputable outlets such as Forbes , The Verge and INC who are daring to take information publicly gathered, as in our case, often from anonymous sources fearing retribution, and report on it without fearing similar retribution to its own organization. It seems likely more such stories will be published in the coming days and months. And perhaps, as they say, one day, the chickens will come home to roost.
In the second biggest initial release totals so far this year, China’s early release of the superhero appears headed skyward. At 46% above “Spider-man: Homecoming” this could be a strong sign for the Stateside release. However, “Homecoming” was released a week after the US, in contrast to “Far From Home’s” advance release in Asia’s largest market.
Spider-Man: Far From Home is the latest installment in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). It will presumably have box-office juice coming hot on the heels of Avengers: End Game (currently, the second highest grossing film of all time, recently surpassing Titanic and only behind James Cameron’s Avatar at 2.8 billion).
Peter Parker takes a little sabbatical from his Queens, NYC Spidey-life and embarks on a European trip with his friends. Somewhere along the way, Nick Fury commissions Spider-Man to uncover mysterious elemental creatures creating havoc across the continent. But, it looks like Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) is on the case!
As an unassuming tourist in Italy. – Photo / Sony Pictures
Spider-Man: Far From Home preview hints at a travelogue format: Europe and the Marvel Universe
Poster showing Venice, Italy – Photo / Sony Pictures
Spider-Man fans will also rejoice in the fun little ‘easter eggs’ planted within the film. For example, Parker is seen wearing shades and an upgraded Spidey suit designed by fellow Marvel superhero, Tony Stark.
Stark Designed Stealth-Black Outfit. – Photo / Sony Pictures
New York’s best-known superhero is seen scaling a European wall, in a black makeshift costume. Not quite the black “symbiote” outfit that hatched Venom, but we’ll take it.
In front of the “Brandenburg Gate” in Berlin. – Photo / Sony Pictures
Spider-Man: Far From Home: directed by Jon Watts (Spider-Man: Homecoming) and stars Tom Holland, Jake Gyllenhaal, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, and Samuel L. Jackson.
Jon Favreau reprises his role as Parker’s mentor, Stark’s bodyguard and chauffeur, Harold “Happy” Hogan.
Long before Spas and health retreats popularized sensory deprivation as “Floating Therapy”, an early pioneer in the study of human consciousness, Dr. John C. Lilly, was pivotal in the exploration of the effects of sensory deprivation on the mind. These experiments where considered radical at the time, as was his use of himself as research subject and his parallel research into LSD and it’s effects on human consciousness, together with other famous names from the sixties such as Timothy Leary and Allen Ginsberg.
Lilly is best known for his intra-species communication studies, particularly with Dolphins, and even built a lab for humans and Dolphins to live together in order to attempt to communicate. These radical ideas and studies, chronicled in his two books: Programming and Metaprogramming in the Human Biocomputer: Theory and Experiments and The Center of the Cyclone, whose first publication in 1972, ultimately led to both the acknowledgement of high intelligence in Dolphin, as well as health and mental health benefits, to what is now commonly called “Floatation Therapy”, an apparently less negative name than “sensory deprivation”.
Fast forward to 2019 and we find ourselves in a world where over-stimulation of our senses, particularly our excessive visual and mental focus on “screen-time” is not only the norm, but a problem of epidemic proportions. Apple’s “ScreenTime” feature, designed to limit the use of its own products, is a testament to how all pervasive this issue has become.
With all the outside noise, commotion and our daily “endless” tasks to do, the mind and body can often feel the weight of life’s stressors. Popping up all across the country, spas are now offering services with float tanks as one of the ways to take a pause and detach for a little while from all of life’s distractions and relax.
At these centers, users enter a flotation tank, also known as an isolation or sensory deprivation chamber. The enclosure is sound and light proof and filled with salt water, usually heated at around 93 or 94 degrees Fahrenheit, to best match skin temperature. The tanks are usually filled with water 12 inches deep and approximately 800-1000 pounds of magnesium sulfate (medical grade epsom salt) are added. The combination of warm water and salt create a higher water density and allows for optimal buoyancy that any body type can float upon.
Depending on your location, prices for a session can range from $40 to $100, yet owning your own isolation tank can cost upwards of $10,000!
Image of a man floating inside of a sensory deprivation isolation tank, also known as a salt water floatation tank, often used in meditation, therapy and alternative medicine. Photo / Adobe Stock
Floatation Therapy was first developed in the 1950’s from the work of John Lilly’s research on sensory deprivation and the effects on the brain. Sensory deprivation involves significantly reducing or eliminating outside stimuli like light and sound. Other research studies refer to the phenomena as REST – restricted environmental stimulation technique.
Athletes are among one of the types of people that utilize the therapy, NBA star Stephen Curry floats to help relax, recharge mentally, and to create a clearer focus and relief from body aches. A pilot study in 2016, published in the Journal “Performance Enhancement & Health”, found that athletes that floated after exercise training showed some improvement in physical condition (muscle soreness) and mood.
The popularity of the therapy is growing fast, partially due to the benefits found by top level athletic performers such as Stephen Curry, mentioned above, and a host of celebrities, athletes and historical figures, such as Carl Lewis, Joe Rogan, John Lennon, Elle Macpherson, Rachel Hunter, Jeff Bridges, Kristin Wiig, Russel Brand and even Navy Seals.
Dr. Justin Feinstein, a Director at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR), studies the clinical impact floating has on people that have anxiety, and he is breaking new ground as one of the few researchers to study this phenomena. In the 2018 study, Feinstein sampled fifty participants that had anxiety disorders and found that, post-float, the experience reduced self-reported anxiety amongst all the participants and showed mood improvements in subjects, compared to pre-float condition.
https://youtu.be/VMxW8dKzG1s
Mental and Physical Benefits
Floating was created to artificially promote relaxation, engage meditative thoughts, and ultimately quiet one’s thoughts. However, while being in a relaxed state, additional benefits including reduced body tension, pain relief, positive changes in mood, decreased stress, better sleep and even increased creativity has been reported.
Brainwaves have been known to shift while in the water from Beta to Theta – taking the floater into the relaxed state both of body and mind. Our normal Beta stage occurs when we are awake and are utilizing our cognitive functions (e.g. communication and problem solving); compared to the Theta stage, a more unconscious state that occurs during light to REM sleep and has been linked to increased creativity.
Spas offer float experiences that commonly last for thirty to sixty minutes, however, more experienced floaters can have longer sessions.
Floaters have the option, based on personal preference, to go nude or wear a bathing suit. Most centers require that you shower before the session to remove any grooming products from your body, as well as showering after to remove the epsom salt.
To achieve the optimal relaxation, it’s best to close the door or lid completely, which will vary on the type of tank. Upon entering and lying down in the water you will immediately become buoyant, this, coupled with the dark will take a few minutes of adjustment, so do not worry if it initially feels awkward or uncomfortable.
For first time floaters, we would recommend that you do the following:
Insert waterproof ear plugs to avoid prolonged water exposure to the eardrum.
Apply petroleum jelly to any cuts or scrapes (since exposure of salt to open wounds will create a painful stinging sensation)
Do not shave prior to the flotation session
Whether you are an athlete, someone with anxiety, or busy and stressed, floating is a way to force yourself to literally do nothing. The wonders of what a little bit of nothingness can do has the potential to unlock many benefits to your mind and body. Learning to relax does take practice and trying out floating is just one way to learn!
**If you are a person that cannot handle enclosed spaces, (although the lid/door can be open) floating may not be a treatment to try.
In “the most challenging mission to date“, SpaceX and Elon Musk are scheduled to launch the Falcon Heavy again tonight. Since there are some payloads on board from NASA they will be livestreaming the launch starting at 2am EDT. Below we have embedded the SpaceX livestream link, which goes live at 2:30am EDT, June 25th.
As of this writing, there is a 70% chance the conditions will be favorable for the attempt; if the launch does not take place today, the next window is scheduled for 11:30pm EDT, Tuesday, June 25th
There are quite a few unique facts that make this launch special. It is the third flight for the Falcon Heavy, the first ever to take place at night, which creates a more dramatic viewing experience, and it is the first time that previously used side boosters will be redeployed. The two side boosters being used were flown previously, in April 2019, on the Arabsat-6A mission. And on top of all that, as if it was not enough, the 24 payloads are significant as well.
For example: the Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 will be onboard. A prototype of a popular sci-fi concept – a solar sail to be used for propulsion in space, this is the second iteration of the LightSail to be launched, both created by the Planetary Society.
“It’s really a romantic notion that has tremendous practical applications”
― Bill Nye, CEO of Planetary Society
This version, with a span of approximately 344 square feet and which had a pricetag of seven million dollars to build, will attempt to demonstrate that, using a LightSail, a spacecraft can accelerate and increase it’s distance from earth while in orbit. A successful test of the LightSail would begin to prove or discourage the possibility of using sails for interstellar travel.
Targeting T-0 of 2:30 a.m. EDT for Falcon Heavy launch of STP-2; team completed additional ground system checkouts. Vehicle and payload continue to look good
In addition to this “Romantic” aspect of the mission, primarily this is a huge challenge for SpaceX, Musk and the Falcon Heavy,indeed, Musk, in a tweet, referred to it as …“our most difficult launch ever“. The STP-2 mission will launch 24 various spacecraft (satellites) into orbit, including the LightSail. It will be, assuming successful, more importantly, a step towards proving the Falcon Heavy’s ability to employ and reuse the side boosters described above, a first, and to observe the performance of it’s multi-burn profile for the rocket’s upper stage. In a quote from the dedicated STP-2 website: “In addition, SMC will use this mission as a pathfinder for the development of mission assurance policies and procedures related to the reuse of launch vehicle boosters.”
Isn’t it odd that everyone on the internet either seems to hate or love Elon Musk and Tesla? One theory behind why this may be the case, was put forth in a recent article by John Mayo-Smith published on Medium.com called Elon vs. The Alligators. In a nutshell, the article is a list, with a nice graphic in part II, of vested interests that would stand to lose from Tesla’s success and, conversely, benefit from its demise.
This Is Not A New Development and Elon is Not Alone
Fans of the 2006 documentary, “Who Killed The Electric Car” would be well aware of the “conspiracy” against the proliferation of electric cars. The rise of Tesla, by definition, signals the failure of those entrenched interests that previously banded together to try and stop the emergence of this essential technology in the transition away from deadly fossil fuels.
Musk and Tesla represent an initial sign that these kinds of cabals to suppress technological development may be losing their strangle-hold on our world. Meanwhile, overwhelmingly obvious facts, once seen as “conspiracy theories”, are beginning to be recognized for what they are: simple facts of history.
Take, for example, the video below “Why The US Has No High Speed Rail”, released on May 7th, 2019, by none other than that “underground, subversive organization” CNBC. This short documentary clip has already garnered more than 4.5 million views.
The video shows the highly evolved, generally safe, and amazingly comfortable high speed rail systems across the globe: China, Japan, France, Germany, India, Saudi Arabia and so on. And while more countries develop low emission, luxurious, high speed transport, the US still has no high speed rail.
Meanwhile, overwhelmingly obvious facts, once seen as “conspiracy theories”, are beginning to be recognized for what they are: simple facts of history.
The clip goes on to trace the history of the transportation infrastructure and show how it was dominated and controlled in the US by Big Oil, government road building subsidies and the Auto Industry. It follows the clear path of these forces, and how they systematically prevented any rise of non-automotive transportation.
As the Media Slowly Comes Around, the Dollars Still Twist the Story
Perhaps, even ten years ago, this video would have likely been systematically attacked, in the same way as previous stories, for daring to sing the virtues of highly efficient, low pollution transportation, and for the very same reasons.
Today, after a Sea change, it appears that it is not so easy to squelch access to information that lays out plain truths about the past. Information is no longer so easy to suppress. While we, as a species, face possible extinction from climate change / global warming, brought about at least partially by the precise “conspiracy” of corruption that is the reason the US still has no rail infrastructure, the need to face these kinds of facts is undeniable.
Could the large viewership, unchallenged, indicate that it is no longer possible to bully the citizenry into silence, simply by disparaging the source of information, be it journalistic or otherwise?
It doesn’t take an eagle eye to notice, that when it comes to auto fatalities, Tesla and Musk are held to a very different standard than any other car company. Doing any search of a general grouping of news reports pertaining to fatal auto collisions, instantly, a stark pattern emerges. Ford is not mentioned. Chevy? Nope. Neither is Toyota, or Nissan nor Chrysler or Subaru. Mercedes Benz? Never. This list could go on and on, but any casual observer can see the pattern.
Although there are almost 40,000 auto accident fatalities per year in the US, and a very tiny fraction of those involve any electric car, nevertheless, the name Tesla comes up again and again, as the headline of stories about car crashes, with or without fatalities.
Titles like: “5 killed on way to Funeral” or “His 6th DUI Proved Fatal” are common. But it appears that any crash, of any kind, that involves a Tesla is “news”. This is but one of endless examples that could be cited, and corroborated, showing a pattern of negative stories aimed at one car company above all others. Coincidence?
The Story of Suppression of Design Innovation, Particularly when that Innovation Threatens the Status Quo is, Unfortunately, a Long One
A little known episode in this long history is that of Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxion car. Featured prominently at the 1933-34 World’s Fair in Chicago, it had an amazing fuel efficiency, with approximately 30 mpg, and at 20ft in length, could transport 8-11 passengers at up to 70 mph.
However, after a local Chicago politician (Chicago South Park Commissioner) ran his own vehicle into the first prototype, killing the driver of the Dymaxion, the whole episode was used, in bogus press reports, to bury not only public interest in the car itself, but any chance of the advances in gas milage and overall efficiency that it represented. Gas mileage in the 30 mpg range would then be delayed for decades.
Photo Credit / Medium.com
Headlines in New York and Chicago read: “Freak car rolls over – killing famous driver – injuring international passengers“. In a subsequent investigation the Dymaxion was cleared of any fault, and the politician and his car were found to have been illegally removed from the scene before any reporters arrived. To this day, the average fuel economy in the US is less than 30 MPG. Even after over 80 years, articles can still be found that smear the history of the car with lies and baseless inferences, the same ones propagated in 1933.
A Trillion Gallons of Gasoline Wasted by Intentionally Inefficient Cars
If suppression of inventions that could have reduced carbon emissions, the same polluting substances that, eventually, could destroy the earth, is not pure evil, it’s hard to say what is. And yet, those same forces and corrupt powers remain with us today. “Tump Loves Coal“.
It would be interesting to speculate why 4.5 million would want to know the answer to the question: “Why the US Has No High Speed Rail”. And what about the “Alligators” that are out to get Tesla and Elon Musk? Are they going to succeed? Or will 400 million decide that the alligator’s time, like the dinosaurs they resemble, is finally over.
(editor’s note: this is the opening salvo in our new :]FuturePast[: series: a look at the past through the eyes of future generations, re-immersion in events and feelings of other times and other worlds.)
George Orwell, author of “1984” – Montage / Lynxotic / Medium
Setting the Stage: 1983
It’s 1983. Cable TV is in it’s infancy. The Macintosh is still barely a glint in Steve Jobs’ eye. MTV is one-and-a-half years into it’s lifespan. FM Radio is the well established “4k of audio” and signals are received on home stereo systems (and in cars)…
Video of the original MTV countdown to launch from 1981. NASA public domain footage was used, partially for budgetary considerations…
A music video is in heavy rotation on the known but not yet omnipresent 24 hour “video jukebox”. Four odd scruffy characters buried under overcoats ride on horseback through a barren winter landscape as if on some 19th century scouting mission in a Scandinavian war. This is U2 1983, still not well known in the USA. That will change, as will so much else in the next 18 Months.
https://youtu.be/_LpIuPbUKvM
The clip played heavily on MTV in January, 1983 – U2: New Year’s Day
MTV began, in essence, as a way to produce low budget content, “promo videos clips”, paid for by record labels, and broadcast them to create the first ever TV-Radio fusion station.
In keeping with the FM Radio vibe, VJ’s like Nina Blackwell, Mark Goodman and Martha Quinn would introduce each clip, radio style, and each came mainly with a Radio-DJ background and experience.
Although the station was primarily oriented towards Hard Rock initially, which was also an FM Radio staple, things began to change drastically in 1983. For example, the video for Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean”, already a radio hit since its release in January, was also added into heavy rotation in late March 1983 on MTV.
Followed by “Beat It” which conveniently (for MTV audiences) featured a guitar solo from Eddie Van Halen, and the crossover into a broader music mix began.
“Every Breath You Take” from The Police was also in heavy rotation in 1983 leading the commercial wing of the post punk “New Wave”.
Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” along with videos from Eddy Grant (“Electric Avenue”), Donna Summer (“She Works Hard For The Money”) and Herbie Hancock (“Rock-it”) solidified the initial transition to a more inclusive music / video mix:
1984
By the beginning of 1984 MTV had already achieved a status of major music industry influence toward making and breaking the hits. Among the general public the station’s output was consumed almost as a first “National Radio Station” for the USA. A radio station that just happened to broadcast from your cable TV and included video clips along with the tracks.
More often than not, going to a party at that time meant MTV blasting at high volume from a stereo system (cleverly attached to the cable box’s output) with the videos unwatched somewhere on a connected TV. Although flat screens were still a distant future dream, projection TV could increase the screen size (though not the resolution) of the signal.
FM Radio playlists mirrored that of MTV and vice versa. From the peak in 1984 MTV maintained a video clip heavy playlist until 1995 when videos were gradually pushed out by “reality shows” and other programming.
After the success, in both unit sales and radio / MTV airplay, of Prince’s LP “1999”, released on October 27, 1982, his next project would fully integrate video and film with his songs and performances.
Price was about to explode onto the world stage in 1984. In collaboration with Albert Magnoli (director for the feature film “Purple Rain”), and even taking directing credits himself for his “When Doves Cry” video, a barrage of both traditional radio hits, a feature film and multiple music video promos were released in well timed succession.
At the peak in the summer of 1984, price had the #1 Movie (“Purple Rain”), #1 Single, (“When Doves Cry”) and #1 LP, (“Purple Rain”), simultaneously. A feat that no one has replicated before or since. His income that year was rumored to be in the fifty million dollar range.
By the end of 1984 three twenty-six year olds, Madonna, Prince and Michael Jackson had established themselves at the top of pop, in large part due to MTV exposure and hit videos.
Coming in the next :]FuturePast[: installment: On January 22nd, 1984 this little TV commercial was shown at Super Bowl XVIII, announcing an odd little machine with big ambitions:
Ace Time-lapse Photographer Capturing a Beautiful World
Here at Lynxotic we have been following Michael Shainblum and continue to be astounded at his incredible prowess in capturing beauty all around the world. Time-lapses like these are our favorites but he also has world-class stills that can be viewed (and purchased) at http://www.shainblumphoto.com
Above: Another example of amazing location shots by M.S.
ABOVE: Logic Pro X 10.4.5 shown onstage at WWDC 2019 running 2,000 audio and software instrument tracks on the new Mac Pro.
Logic Pro X, Apple’s high end music production software, now has more under the hood, particularly when used with the new Mac Pro, which will be available in the Fall. Announced at WWDC 2019, this update is all that was promised and shown in the demo (see video above).
Particularly interesting for future Mac Pro users, the new Logic Pro X supports up to fifty-six processing threads. Up to five times the number of real-time plug-ins will be supported when using the new mac pro with this new Logic Pro version, as compared with the previous Mac Pro (trash can) version. This will enable smooth operation even within the most challenging production situations.
With support for up to one thousand audio tracks and one thousand software instrument tracks, which adds up to more than four times the number of tracks available, as needed.
Additionally, the new version supports one thousand Aux channel strips, one thousand external midi tracks and up to twelve sends per strip.
“As someone who uses Logic for everything I create musically, I got a huge kick seeing all the performance tweaks coming in Logic Pro X 10.4.5. And the expandability of the new Mac Pro will give it longevity and a home in my studio for a long time to come.”
— Oak Felder, producer for Demi Lovato, Drake, Alicia Keys and Rihanna
While many music and sound producers until now have opted to use the Apple’s free GarageBand app, essentially a stripped down version of Logic Pro X, with these new features ( a free upgrade for current Logic Pro X users) the relatively low price tag may begin to entice a larger percentage to go for the upper tier software.
Naturally, for the top pro clientele for whom cost is less relevant, the combination of the new Mac Pro and this upgraded version of Logic Pro X may be more competitive in a market where other similar products such as Avid Pro Tools and Abelton Live remain very popular.
A t WWDC, alongside updates to Logic Pro X, Apple announced macOS Catalina, iOS13 and iPadOS all expected to be released in time for the availability of the Mac Pro in the Fall.
Other Apple software, such as Final Cut Pro should see big updates by that time as well.
Also announced at WWDC, large creative software companies such as Adobe, BlackMagic and others pledged their support for the Mac Pro and detailed plans for major updates intended to take full advantage of the additional power and possibilities.
“Logic is my primary creative tool for composing music, playing a key role in creating the scores for ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ and ‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’… I’m really excited to see the increased performance of Logic Pro X 10.4.5 along with the power, expandability and configurability of the new Mac Pro — together they will help me work even faster and let me focus more on being creative.”
— Daniel Pemberton, composer for “Black Mirror,” “Yesterday” and “Ocean’s 8”
Logic Pro X 10.4.5 is available now in the Mac App Store as a free update for all current users. For new users, the price remains a modest $199.99, which should be an enticement for many.
Additional new features in Logic Pro X 10.4.5, include:
The loop browser can filter by loop type and allows drag and drop of multiple loops into your project simultaneously.
The redesigned DeEsser 2 plug-in provides more options to reduce sibilance on audio tracks.
MIDI beat clocks can be sent to individual ports, each with unique settings like timing offset and plug-in delay compensation.
At the end of the day, regardless of whether it’s on a MacBook Pro, a Mac Pro or even an iMac, the improvements to Logix Pro X represent a welcome sight, showing that Apple is truly committed to pushing forward the tools, both hardware and software, that will enable creators across all classes and styles to do more than ever with less effort and cost.
Image of a man floating inside of a sensory deprivation isolation tank, also known as a salt water floatation tank, often used in meditation, therapy and alternative medicine. Photo / Adobe Stock
With all the outside noise, commotion and our daily “endless” tasks to do, the mind and body can often feel the weight of life’s stressors. Popping up all across the country, spas are now offering services with float tanks as one of the ways to take a pause and detach for a little while from all of life’s distractions and relax.
At these centers, users enter a flotation tank, also known as an isolation or sensory deprivation chamber. The enclosure is sound and light proof and filled with salt water, usually heated at around 93 or 94 degrees Fahrenheit, to best match skin temperature. The tanks are usually filled with water 12 inches deep and approximately 800-1000 pounds of magnesium sulfate are added (medical grade epsom salt). The combination of warm water and salt create a higher water density and allows for optimal buoyancy that any body type can float upon.
Depending on your location, prices for a session can range from $40 to $100, yet owning your own isolation tank can cost upwards of $10,000!
Floatation Therapy was first developed in the 1950’s from the work of John Lilly’s research on sensory deprivation and the effects on the brain. Sensory deprivation involves significantly reducing or eliminating outside stimuli like light and sound. Other research studies refer to the phenomena as REST – restricted environmental stimulation technique.
Athletes are among one of the types of people that utilize the therapy, NBA star Stephen Curry floats to help relax, recharge mentally, and to create a clearer focus and relief from body aches. A pilot study in 2016, published in the Journal “Performance Enhancement & Health”, found that athletes that floated after exercise training showed some improvement in physical condition (muscle soreness) and mood.
The popularity of the therapy is growing fast, partially due to the benefits found by top level athletic performers such as Stephen Curry, mentioned above, and a host of celebrities, athletes and historical figures, such as Carl Lewis, Joe Rogan, John Lennon, Elle Macpherson, Rachel Hunter, Jeff Bridges, Kristin Wiig, Russel Brand and even Navy Seals.
Dr. Justin Feinstein, a Director at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR), studies the clinical impact floating has on people that have anxiety, and he is breaking new ground as one of the few researchers to study this phenomena. In the 2018 study, Feinstein sampled fifty participants that had anxiety disorders and found that, post-float, the experience reduced self-reported anxiety amongst all the participants and showed improvement in a subject’s mood, compared to pre-float condition.
Floating was created to artificially promote relaxation, engage meditative thoughts, and ultimately quiet one’s thoughts. However, while being in a relaxed state, additional benefits including reduced body tension, pain relief, positive changes in mood, decreased stress, better sleep and even increased creativity has been reported.
Brainwaves have been known to shift while in the water from Beta to Theta – taking the floater into the relaxed state both of body and mind. Our normal Beta stage occurs when we are awake and are utilizing our cognitive functions (e.g. communication and problem solving); compared to the Theta stage, a more unconscious state that occurs during light to REM sleep and has been linked to increased creativity.
— Behavioral Associates (@BehavioralAssoc) June 20, 2019
The “How-To’s” to Floating
Spas offer float experiences that commonly last for thirty to sixty minutes, however, more experienced floaters can have longer sessions.
Floaters have the option, based on personal preference, to go nude or wear a bathing suit. Most centers require that you shower before the session to remove any grooming products from your body, as well as showering after to remove the epsom salt.
To achieve the optimal relaxation, it’s best to close the door or lid completely, which will vary on the type of tank. Upon entering and lying down in the water you will immediately become buoyant, this, coupled with the dark will take a few minutes of adjustment, so do not worry if it initially feels awkward or uncomfortable.
For first time floaters we would recommend that you do the following:
Insert waterproof ear plugs to avoid prolonged water exposure to the eardrum.
Apply petroleum jelly to any cuts or scrapes (since exposure of salt to open wounds will create a painful stinging sensation)
Do not shave prior to the flotation session
Whether you are an athlete, someone with anxiety, or busy and stressed, floating is a way to force yourself to literally do nothing. The wonders of what a little bit of nothingness can do has the potential to unlock many benefits to your mind and body. Learning to relax does take practice and trying out floating is just one way to learn!
**If you are a person that cannot handle enclosed spaces, (although the lid/door can be open) floating may not be a treatment to try.
Oddly fitting, it seems, to be writing this on the 75th anniversary of D-Day, and imagining a very different, yet strangely similar, world outcome at stake. As pundits and trolls debate prices and feature sets, something larger is happening just beyond the threshold of perception.
The superior ecosystem of integrated elements, conceived as a whole, is beginning to emerge after 35 years. And, as if rising from a fog, the outline of the way we will create and communicate via digital networks in the future, is getting clearer.
Beginning with a new Mac Pro featuring up to a 28-core, Xeon processor, and a new Pro Display XDR, a 32in, 6k Retina with a million to one contrast ratio and a billion colors, both announced along with macOS Catalina and iOS13, all due out in the Fall, there appears to be a pattern emerging.
“With overall improvements in connectivity coming with 5g, not to mention all the satellite systems being built, the trinity of hardware muscle, accelerated software evolution, and hi-speed networking will be the “one more thing” of the era to come”.
The real story is about the improvements in the creative and computational power coming together on three fronts:
“If you want to teach people a new way of thinking, don’t bother trying to teach them. Instead, give them a tool, the use of which will lead to new ways of thinking.”
― R. Buckminster Fuller
Powerful fast hardware (nobody is complaining about the speed and power of the new Mac Pro), extended functionality of software – whether embedded within macOS Catalina, or from third parties, and then, finally, the-up-and coming speed and low latency of 5G and satellite networks.
However, a fourth, and very important force, not to be forgotten, is user sophistication. Seldom mentioned, it is barely a ‘thing’, yet without this essential component, the adoption of new technologies and communication methods could not move forward.
The gradual evolution of user adoption and skill will always gradually follow where the tools lead. For example, the ‘Digital Hub‘ of 2001 was a mystery, at the time, to a public that had barely begun to adopt the digital camera, and yet is completely obvious in hindisght.There’s a battle here, but it’s not for the stock price, revenue targets or market share. It’s for hearts, minds and the fulfillment of a sacred vision of a young Steve Jobs. To build a set of tools, overtake the Condor and soar above the mundane.
This combination, the rapidly emerging four pillars, will be nothing short of a revelation for the ages, all at a time when Moore’s Law is said to be dead or at least dying. And I didn’t even mention AI or machine learning.
“What a computer is to me is, it’s the most remarkable tool that we’ve ever come up with, and it’s the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds.”
– Steve Jobs
“I think one of the things that really separates us from the high primates is that we’re tool builders. I read a study that measured the efficiency of locomotion for various species on the planet. The condor used the least energy to move a kilometer.
The rest of the quote above from Steve Jobs:
And, humans came in with a rather unimpressive showing, about a third of the way down the list. It was not too proud a showing for the crown of creation. So, that didn’t look so good. But, then somebody at Scientific American had the insight to test the efficiency of locomotion for a man on a bicycle.
And, a man on a bicycle, a human on a bicycle, blew the condor away, completely off the top of the charts.”
Mac Pro IMAGES:
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photos by Apple
THE SECOND WAVE STARTS WHEN THE FOUR PILLARS ARE COMPLETE
What shines through is the path that Apple has kept all throughout the years and into today. Steve’s continuing, guiding hand prevented the core value propositions and and underlying goals from changing. And hallelujah to that.
My understanding is that a great part, if not the greatest part, of that ethos, was that human creativity and communication are paramount. And that building tools, to enhance and engender those, are a scared quest, worthy of noble men and women.
Now, here we stand, in a world that cries out for, and is even in danger of perishing without, a new higher level of communication and creativity.
And the tools are arriving, hopefully in-time, so let us be thankful to Steve’s great legacy, to Apple’s perseverance, and now pull together – and get to work…
Pro Display XDR IMAGES
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photos by Apple
FROM WHENCE ALL WEALTH?
Much has been made of the high prices and perceived ‘lack of innovation‘ in this, most recent, stream of new products from Apple. One ‘Fair and Balanced’ news organization’s headline screamed that Apple was considered ‘criminal’ for charging $999 for a monitor stand.
Sometimes, information comes at us all so fast, our brains need some time to catch up to reality. T his year’s WWDC was a bit like that, an avalanche of updates and features, exploding from 90 foot screens.
“And whence will come the wealth with which we may undertake to lead world-man into his new and validly hopeful life? From the wealth of the minds of world-man — whence comes all wealth.”
– R. Buckminster Fuller
A thousand dollar stand? Horrors. 50k for the maxed out system, boo hoo. ‘You can buy a gaming PC for around the same as the stand’. So what?. Next we’ll see an article calculating that if you buy 10 Pro Display XDRs and 10 stands that’ll be over $60,000! And somebody groaned! Quel Scandale! Apple haters are still hating and if it bleeds, it leads. And missing the story like it was the the broad side of a barn.
As a species, Buckmintser Fuller probably also said, we have been on training wheels. Well, now they are coming off, and we will need every ounce of power we can get our hands on if we are going to innovate and communicate ourselves out the messes we’ve created in this world.
Are these the tools meant to help content creators contribute to Apple’s shift from primarily hardware profits to income from subscriptions and services? Yes.
They are also the tools to help creators, communicators and scientists to innovate and ideate our way out of a road to possible self-inflicted extinction. Oh, yea, there’s that.
So let’s stand up and cheer for the company that is trying, like Steve wanted, to give us the best tools. ‘Cause heroes are hard to find, these days. Hero companies? There’s only one, or maybe two.
Apple is leading the way with serious simultaneous improvements in 2 of the 3 pillars of the golden triangle: more muscular hardware such as the new Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR, shown here, and a new galaxy of capabilities that will grow out of iOS13 and macOS Catalina, both announced and showcased this week at WWDC.
Hiding behind the search for earth-shattering hardware improvements, the whole apple ecosystem, using a combination of incremental speed and power increases, coupled with major system software improvements, is the real emerging story to watch from this year’s WWDC
Before Mojave, the macOS version that began, in earnest, the process of integration with iOS apps and features, a simultaneous upgrade to iOS 13 and macOS 10.15 Catalina would have perhaps yielded a yawn.
With a new MacBook Pro featuring an 8-core, 9th generation chip, and a new iPod Touch with the Apple A10 processor and With a new Mac Pro likely to be announced this week, there appears to be a pattern emerging.
With iMacs upgraded in March and the Mac mini already last October, it seems the entire Apple inventory will be refreshed by the end of 2019.
The one missing piece to the puzzle could be software. And, as if on cue, WWDC this week is expected to drop news on a variety of projects, but perhaps the best will be the two system software upgrades for iOS and macOS.
‘ONE MORE THING’ SYNDROME?
Doesn’t it seem, at times, as if the magic of hardware advances and even inventions of previously non-existent technology were expected to be a “given”? Suddenly, the absence of astoundingly new devices, created from thin air, is treated almost as a failure.
Anyone who attended CES 2019 would have noticed that we are in an era of gradual, incremental change. Many decry the lack of “innovation” yet seem to miss where the real action is and, even more, where it likely will be.
Based on the various updates alluded to above, Apple has set the stage for a year of incremental hardware improvements.
The Mac Pro is expected to be a complete re-design, iPhones are always a mixed bag or upgraded with some new features. But what all of these share, is the dependence on, and ability to benefit from, improvements in system software and apps, both free from apple and at various cost from third parties.
THERE’S A REASON SYSTEM IS IN ECOSYSTEM
Quietly, almost imperceptibly, macOS has been improving in leaps and bounds. Mojave was the first version of macOS where many long evolving technologies began to ripen. One need only look at the iCloud saga to see an example. Born as “Mobile Me” almost 20 years ago (!!) only with the Mojave / iOS 12 partnership did it really begin to show its potential.
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photos by Apple
Naturally, the more machines and devices connected to the same iCloud account the more useful it is. But, in a small business setting, with a few computers, iPhones, and iPads, it really begins to shine and becomes more useful with each (free) upgrade.
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photos by Apple
A few items from the list of functioning features already present in the Mojave / iOS 12 iCloud system:
Synchronized Desktop and iCloud folders, accessible also on iOS
Synchronized and shared notes with virtually any content
Synchronized photos and videos across all devices
Synchronized passwords and usernames when using Safari on any device
AirDrop also between devices and machines in or out of the account
Hand-off between nearby machines and devices
Various app Sync and hand off features: Apple News, Books, GarageBand, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Find Friends, and more
IS THAT ALL?
It’s not so much the length of the list but the way the depth of the functionality of each part of the software expands over time. Every function or app listed above was, admittedly, barely ready for prime-time when first released.
But, with each update, including the “minor” ones, the functionality increases and often new features are added. Sometimes one has to dig for them and other times they ‘just work’, only better.
The one caveat is that relatively ‘fast’ internet access on all devices at all times is mandatory. With overall improvements in connectivity coming with 5g, not to mention all the satellite systems being built, the triumvirate of hardware muscle, software sophistication and hi-speed networking will be the “one more thing” of the era to come.
Will it be sexy like the first photo-pinch on the first iPhone ? Perhaps not. But with layering software systems, S.a.a.S. for businesses and AI infusing more and more ‘everyday tasks’ (tasks that once required expansive hardware, software and a computer science degree) with a ‘wow’ factor as yet to be measured, the future might be sexier than you think.
HOW’S THAT FUTURE LOOKING AGAIN?
Apple is leading the way with serious simultaneous improvements in 2 of the 3 pillars of the golden triangle: more muscular hardware such as the new MacBook Pro and iPod Touch, shown here, and a new galaxy of capabilities that will grow out of iOS13 and macOS 10.15 Catalina, both announced and showcased this week at WWDC.
With all the amazing products and software updates unveiled at Apple’s WWDC 2019, you’d think the viral meme would be something related. You’d be wrong. The trending topic for the first several days was… the monitor stand.
More specifically, the price of the monitor stand. Before you get really confused, it’s more the fact that the price was quoted separately, not a usual thing in general for monitor pricing. But this is no usual monitor.
As the name implies: The Pro Display XDR is meant for professional use. Hence the fairly hefty 5k price tag. So far, no big deal, right? Had Apple just announced a professional monitor, comparable in specs to pro monitors costing upwards of forty thousand dollars for 6k$, we’d probably have seen articles lauding them for creating thirty-four thousand in “savings”.
Further, if they had announced that the $6,000 monitor could be purchased “sans stand” for only 5k$, again, it’s all good. Instead, it was accidentally implied that the average-joe (who wants to buy a professional stand) would have to pay 5k$ for the screen and then another 1k$ for the “optional” stand.
Once this was announced scribes and haters all across the land began to decry the injustice to the world that this “arrogant” company would have the nerve to charge “as much as an iPhone XS”for nothing but a chunk of metal.
The race was on to compile the most outrageous comparisons: “you can buy an entire gaming PC for the price!”, wrote one, “it’s everything wrong with Apple today“, screamed another. After many such articles, each more ridiculous than the last, the “grown ups” began to chime in.
Digital Deflation is a Tricky Business
Finally, it was pointed out that professional video or film editing businesses, the folks for whom this stand was designed and priced, tend to have studio edit bays custom built for the purpose of high end editing, processing and color correcting, among other professional activities.
These bays, generally designed by a high tech professional architect, who costs himself, many times the “outrageous” $999, and monitor screens (you know, those forty thousand dollar ones mentioned by apple in the presentation), are generally wall mounted or set up on proprietary house-owned stands that go for far more than $999. The bays also have professional lighting design (to prevent visual inaccuracies when evaluating high end content), and, more often than not, really cool (read: expensive), furniture.
The plot thickens…
So, wait, what was really announced is that those same pros described above could opt-out of a monitor stand they do not need and save the much whined about $999? You don’t say. How nice those Apple folks are. So thoughtful. Trying to help rich folks avoid paying $999 for a stand that will end up in a storage room.
Why so misunderstood then, if this is all so obvious? Digital Deflation. Yes, that nasty sounding trend that has changed the world around us for more than 25 years.
History of cost reduction to zero dollars
To make sense of this hilarious tale, it seems, we have to first go back. Waaaay Baaack. All the way to around 1996. At that time there was no 8k video to edit, let alone multiple streams of said 8k. Nevertheless, a professional workstation, absolutely necessary at the time to do any non-linear editing or EFX, would set you back around $100,000+. And those monitors? They’d likely be CRT and still cost 50k or some ungodly number.
Many of the processes that were routinely required in editing, color correcting and EFX generation could not be achieved on any computer or software alone. Everything had hardware add-ons, tally up another 50k here and 50k there.
So, once again, why the huge misunderstanding?
Fast forward to 2019. Your iPhone can shoot excellent 4k video anywhere, anytime, since it’s already in your pocket. Cost: zero additional dollars after owning the phone.
Add to that software, if you are on a budget you can forego the daunting challenge of coughing up a couple of hundred dollars to buy Final Cut Pro (there’s that pesky “Pro” again in the name), and go with Blackmagic Design’s “DaVinci Resolve” software, which happens to include excellent non-linear editing, EFX generation and management, color correction and much more. Price tag? For the functioning entry level version, zero dollars. For added professional functionality, a few hundred dollars.
Bottom line, if you already have an iPhone and some kind of Mac, zero dollars.
Tricky Business, Indeed
Here’s where it really gets crazy. Apple, and other tech companies, have, in essence, engendered this deflation by reducing the costs of everything needed for digital media creation, at a higher and higher level to, practically, zero$.
Great, right? Well, not entirely. It seems that when the cost of production nears zero, the monetization of the fruits of creation head south even faster. Translation? It’s damn hard to get paid if you are a freelancer producing and editing digital media products. Only the highest level creators (Hollywood Heavyweights, top of the charts, you get the idea) can garner much of anything, and, of course, they can afford many times that $999 for fruit toppings at breakfast.
Everyone else (a.k.a. “the rest of us”) live in side-hustle hell. Hence the moans, groans, and whining over the “dream” of having $999 to spare for a monitor stand.
So, to re-cap, the same people who were “gifted” by massive advances in technical capabilities spearheaded by apple, to the point where millions of dollars of production overhead for hardware was reduced to almost zero, were also victims of an unemployment epidemic, unleashed by the “barriers to entry” for their chosen profession being reduced to… wait for it… zero.
And, yea, by the way, all this applies double to writers working for digital media outlets. So let the angst flow freely next time an arrogant monolithic company has the audacity to release a pro product at a pro price. I feel ya, Dog, I really do.
The desire towards more natural and homeopathic alternatives vs. traditional medicines is a current and growing trend.
Interest in CBD in particular has increased after Congress passed The Farm Bill, making some cannabis plants legal (with restrictions). This growing demand in the, now legal, use of hemp and marijuana products is bringing many newcomers, tempted to try it out. At the same time, many are not quite sure what CBD is and how it is different from THC or Medical Marijuana.
More popularly known, THC is what most people associate with the active ingredient in Cannabis sativa plant a.k.a. hemp, when smoking marijuana comes to mind. Other street or informal names linked to THC use include: weed, grass, pot, ganga and reefer. Cannabidiol (CBD), an additional active ingredient in Cannabis, on the other hand, has had much less attention amongst the lay person or even recreational users up until recently.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) are two well-known chemical compounds referred to as cannabinoids. Both compounds are found within the cannabis plant and looking at their molecular makeup they appear almost exactly the same which could lead to the assumption they also act similarly. However, the compounds are very different and have opposite bodily effects to the user.
Our body has cannabinoid receptors called CB1 and CB2 that are found within our endocannabinoid system (ECS). The distinct difference that sets CBD apart from THC is that only THC binds with the CB1 receptor; the part of the brain responsible for mental and cognitive processes (memory, concentration, and coordination), thus resulting in the “high” or “stoned” feeling.
Since CBD does not bind to these receptors there is a lack of any psychoactive or mind-altering effects and instead interacts with other receptors that affect pain perception, body temperature and inflammation. People using CBD have reported feeling relaxed, a sense of calm, a relief from body pains or feeling a “body high” compared to the “head/brain high” from THC.
The Green Medicine
CBD has been associated with providing benefits, in some people, for a wide range of ailments from the moderate like anxiety, insomnia, inflammation, depression, tension, headaches, and chronic pain; to the more severe – diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancer, as well as neurological disorders.
Medical professionals have started implementing the drug into their practice, more and more. In a survey conducted by Chiropractic Economics (EC), doctors across the United States have reported 26% of clinics and offices now use and sell CBD products.
Even large chain pharmacies like CVS, for example, have recently announced they will begin to sell CBD products at 800 of their stores in Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland and Tennessee.
There has been an increase in clinical research to explore the medical benefits and uses for the drug. In June 2018, the U. S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized and approved Epidolex, as the first cannabis derived CBD pharmaceutical to be used as a form of medical treatment for a rare pediatric seizure disorder.
The Many Ways to Use
There are many different CBD products on the market nowadays, and the ways in which to consume them are both creative and ever growing. There are oils, vaporizers (vapes), dabs/waxes, capsules, edibles, topical skin creams and ointments, and even treats geared for pets.
#CBD Oil is a constructive, healthy dietary supplement, extremely flexible and can be used in a multitude of different edible products. pic.twitter.com/N8xYkT8sui
Figuring out the right dosage is unique and must be individually determined as there are many factors that influence the outcome (e.g. body weight, stress levels, overall health, diet and sleep, ect).
To further complicate matters, in deciding what is the right dose to best start with, most product strains usually include both THC and CBD. To recap THC gets you “high” and CBD does not.
It is very rare to find the two chemical compounds completely isolated in any given product, and therefore it is important to note how they vary in ratio (or percentage); the higher the ratio of THC the higher the level of psychoactive effects and vice versa.
Project CBD recommends to start slow and with a low dosage when beginning treatment, in order to test out how the chemicals interact with your body, and determining what dosage reaches the desired effects.
Due to the growing demand, there has been a rapid increase in CBD products that are largely going out to the public unregulated. The FDA has expressed concerns over the growing number of products and companies that market the therapeutic benefits without proper approval.
An upcoming public hearing (May 31, 2019) could potentially result in stricter regulations on CBD dosage contained within food and drink products.
“The FDA continues to be concerned about the proliferation of egregious medical claims being made about products asserting to contain CBD that haven’t been approved by the FDA.”
Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D
Some users have reported the following side effects: changes in appetite and mood, diarrhea, anxiety, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, dry mouth, and vomiting.
In addition, because CBD is relatively new to consumers, there is not enough data currently, nor longitudinal studies conducted over an extended period of years, to properly support or confirm the drug’s efficacy, safety, and long term results on the body.
Future research is necessary, however in the meantime with the CBD craze in full effect, it is recommended – if you are looking to try it out: do your own due diligence, as well as research into local laws, to ensure the drug is legal where you live.
***If you want to know what he actually said, and you are interested in the future of the country, please read the full text here:
“Two years ago, the Acting Attorney General asked me to serve as Special Counsel, and he created the Special Counsel’s Office. The appointment order directed the office to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. This included investigating any links or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump campaign.
I have not spoken publicly during our investigation. I am speaking today because our investigation is complete. The Attorney General has made the report on our investigation largely public. And we are formally closing the Special Counsel’s Office. As well, I am resigning from the Department of Justice and returning to private life.
I’ll make a few remarks about the results of our work. But beyond these few remarks, it is important that the office’s written work speak for itself.
Let me begin where the appointment order begins: and that is interference in the 2016 presidential election.
As alleged by the grand jury in an indictment, Russian intelligence officers who were part of the Russian military launched a concerted attack on our political system.
The indictment alleges that they used sophisticated cyber techniques to hack into computers and networks used by the Clinton campaign.
They stole private information, and then released that information through fake online identities and through the organization WikiLeaks. The releases were designed and timed to interfere with our election and to damage a presidential candidate.
And at the same time, as the grand jury alleged in a separate indictment, a private Russian entity engaged in a social media operation where Russian citizens posed as Americans in order to interfere in the election. These indictments contain allegations.
And we are not commenting on the guilt or innocence of any specific defendant. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
The indictments allege, and the other activities in our report describe, efforts to interfere in our political system. They needed to be investigated and understood.
That is among the reasons why the Department of Justice established our office. That is also a reason we investigated efforts to obstruct the investigation.
The matters we investigated were of paramount importance. It was critical for us to obtain full and accurate information from every person we questioned.
When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the government’s effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable.
Let me say a word about the report.
The report has two parts addressing the two main issues we were asked to investigate. The first volume of the report details numerous efforts emanating from Russia to influence the election.
This volume includes a discussion of the Trump campaign’s response to this activity, as well as our conclusion that there was insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy.
And in the second volume, the report describes the results and analysis of our obstruction of justice investigation involving the President.
The order appointing me Special Counsel authorized us to investigate actions that could obstruct the investigation. We conducted that investigation and we kept the office of the Acting Attorney General apprised of the progress of our work.
As set forth in our report, after that investigation, if we had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that.
We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the President did commit a crime.
The introduction to volume two of our report explains that decision. It explains that under long-standing Department policy, a President cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional.
Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view, that too is prohibited. The Special Counsel’s Office is part of the Department of Justice and, by regulation, it was bound by that Department policy.
Charging the President with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider.
The Department’s written opinion explaining the policy against charging a President makes several important points that further informed our handling of the obstruction investigation. Those points are summarized in our report.
And I will describe two of them:
First, the opinion explicitly permits the investigation of a sitting President because it is important to preserve evidence while memories are fresh and documents are available. Among other things, that evidence could be used if there were co-conspirators who could now be charged.
And second, the opinion says that the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting President of wrongdoing.
And beyond Department policy, we were guided by principles of fairness. It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of an actual charge.
So that was the Justice Department policy and those were the principles under which we operated. From them we concluded that we would not reach a determination – one way or the other – about whether the President committed a crime.
That is the office’s final position and we will not comment on any other conclusions or hypotheticals about the President. We conducted an independent criminal investigation and reported the results to the Attorney General – as required by Department regulations. The Attorney General then concluded that it was appropriate to provide our report to Congress and the American people.
At one point in time I requested that certain portions of the report be released. The Attorney General preferred to make the entire report public all at once. We appreciate that the Attorney General made the report largely public. I do not question the Attorney General’s good faith in that decision.
I hope and expect this to be the only time that I will speak about this matter. I am making that decision myself – no one has told me whether I can or should testify or speak further about this matter. There has been discussion about an appearance before Congress.
Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report. It contains our findings and analysis, and the reasons for the decisions we made. We chose those words carefully, and the work speaks for itself.
The report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress. In addition, access to our underlying work product is being decided in a process that does not involve our office.
So beyond what I have said here today and what is contained in our written work, I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress.
It is for that reason that I will not take questions here today.
Before I step away, I want to thank the attorneys, the FBI agents, the analysts, and the professional staff who helped us conduct this investigation in a fair and independent manner.
These individuals, who spent nearly two years with the Special Counsel’s Office, were of the highest integrity.
I will close by reiterating the central allegation of our indictments – that there were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election.
That allegation deserves the attention of every American. Thank you”
We have all experienced how, in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it can be very challenging to break away from convenience. When it comes to products and services, many large companies utilize fast, cheap, and easily disposable single-use containers made from plastic.
Sodas bottles are plastic, baristas serve coffee in plastic cups with plastic caps and straws, fast food restaurants prepare orders in single use wrappers with plastic containers for condiments, and the list can go on and on. These products are used and then discarded.
Single use plastic items, as the name indicates, are used only once, yet plastic breaks down extremely slow, with some forms taking hundreds of years to degrade as shown in the tweet below from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF):
Zero Waste as explained by Waste Management, is a philosophy that aims for resources to be reused, recycled or composted, in order to allow for very little to “zero” trash to be sent to landfills or spill into the ocean.
Clearly this issue is important, and getting more so, therefore should be considered a high priority – the reality is that huge amounts of plastic garbage does end up in the ocean and dumped in landfills. This dire state of affairs continues to jeopardize ocean and wildlife as well as our own health.
The organization Eco-Cycle Solutions urges the need for a complete change to our current system. With dwindling natural resources, a compromised ecosystem, and major changes in climate already evident today and with likely more on the way, there is no way the Earth can sustain for much longer and survive for future generations.
The obvious need for large-scale changes at the corporate level, regarding plastic usage, is clear, but we also need to ask ourselves: what can be done on an individual scale?
Here are a few products that can be swapped-out and used instead of single and disposable use options:
Bamboo Toothbrush – both brush and bristles can be composted when time to replace
Lunchbox – making meals at home instead of eating out eliminates containers and can also be an opportunity to eat healthier
Water and Coffee Bottles (aluminum, glass or BPA free bottle) – can be refilled endlessly
Metal or Glass Straws – sturdier than the plastic counterpart and can be used over and over
Shopping Bags (canvas or other fabric) – can be used to carry groceries or any purchases
Cloth Napkins – for drying hands or wiping up around the house
“Using more sustainable products offers many benefits: saving money, eating healthier, all while creating a smaller ecological footprint in the world. While all are positive steps, most importantly, these small individual acts can ultimately help in the fight for the survival of future generations.”
While it may be impossible to free us of all waste, with effort and change, not necessarily perfection (decades of waste cannot be eliminated by a short term solution), small steps can lead to a better tomorrow.
New iPod Touch Released: Increased Power, Performance and Features –
Finally, a new iPod Touch release from Apple. Available immediately online (at Apple.com) and hitting stores later this week, with features like a speed bump, provided by Apple’s A10 Fusion chip. The added oomph will enable better gaming, group FaceTime and AR capabilities and a general performance increase. Soon, of course, the power under the hood will also have iOS 13, expected to debut in June at WWDC, to extend software quality and features as well.
With a lowest price of $199 and a max storage up to 256GB available (for an additional $200), the sleek beautiful form factor will be on a higher functional level than ever. So thin and light, due to the intentional omission of iPhone elements for telephony, on a trip to Europe people will think you have an iPhone 12 and beg you for a closer look!
Sometimes Less is More
It has been a closely held secret that the thinner form factor, lower cost and full software functionality are all a huge plus for anyone who wants to enjoy an iPhone-like computing experience without the cost and size of the real thing.
Now with the improved power of the A10 fusion chip and additional storage available, it’s an improved alternative, even if you have an iPhone and just want a thin, light non-phone device to surf news aggregators or check emails and add to notes, etc. With iOS 13 and full iCloud synchronization across all your devices, the usefulness of this new iPod is increased even more.
The new iPod touch also provides fun and productive AR experiences across gaming, education and web browsing. AR is even more engaging and immersive with the new capabilities of shared AR, persistent AR, which is tied to a specific location, and image detection, making it possible for the new iPod touch to magically bring to life 3D objects like toys and sculptures.
It is very good news that Apple made the decision, after several years without an update, to continue with the iPod Touch line, like they did by resurrecting the Mac mini last October.
After new iMacs, iPads and iPad pro, as well as AirPods, were released in March, and with the Mac Pro promised before the end of 2019, this might just be the year of Apple’s ultimate upgrade redemption. Great news for lovers of these special products, somewhat neglected and needing updates for so long. In this case we can agree with Greg:
“The ultra-thin and lightweight design of iPod touch has always made it ideal for enjoying games, music and so much more wherever you go.”
– Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Product Marketing
With Apple Music, subscribers can gain access to a catalog of over fifty million songs, Beats 1 Radio, thousands of playlists and daily selections from the world’s best music experts. Apple is offering the new iPod touch in Pink, (PRODUCT)RED, Space Gray, Silver, Gold, and Blue.
Pricing and Availability
The new iPod touch starts at $199 (US) for the 32GB model, $299 (US) for the 128GB model and $399 (US) for the 256GB model from apple.com, in the Apple Store app and Apple Stores, and is also available through Apple Authorized Resellers and select carriers (prices may vary).
The new iPod touch models are available to order starting today from apple.com and in the Apple Store app in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the UAE, UK and US.
First Concrete Step Towards Transport Tunnel Proliferation
Despite receiving some pushback from two board members of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, The Boring Company has nevertheless secured a contract to build a transport tunnel under the Las Vegas Convention Center campus.
The project, which was approved following a vote by the board on Wednesday, will be comprised of two tunnels that are designed to transport passengers from the Convention Center’s New Exhibit Hall to the existing North/Central Hall. A third, pedestrian tunnel, may also be included in the project.
The Boring Company’s Las Vegas tunnel is expected to be completed in time for the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show, which will be held in January, as usual. Elon Musk has expressed his optimism at the project’s potential completion date, stating on Twitter that the transport tunnel could be operational by the end of 2019.
Looking forward to building a Boring Company tunnel in Vegas. Assuming to be operational by end of year! https://t.co/cSSO4SJ140
This is a very aggressive timetable, though the relatively short length of the tunnel, at less than one mile, could improve the Boring Company’s chances at completing the project within Musk’s target timeframe.
The Las Vegas transport tunnel will utilize a Loop System, which is comprised of autonomous electric vehicles (AEV) that can carry passengers from one point to another. The Boring Company notes that standard AEVs are Tesla Model X and Model 3 vehicles, though high-occupancy AEVs are also under development.
Photo / The Boring Company
The latter utilizes a modified Model X chassis that is capable of transporting up to 16 passengers with both sitting and standing room. Provided that The Boring Company could complete the transport tunnel without delays, test runs in the system could begin as early as November 2020, according to the project’s public contract.
Photo / The Boring Company
In its vote on Wednesday, the LVCA granted a $48.6 million contract to the tunneling startup, though the total project is estimated to cost around $52.5 million. Two-thirds of the total funding for the project will not be released to the tunneling startup until the transport tunnel is complete. Previous reports also hinted that if the Boring Company is unable to receive a certificate of occupancy for the transport tunnel, the LVCA will get back its entire investment.
“Future expansions to augment LVCC Loop can include service extensions to McCarran International Airport, hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, downtown Las Vegas, Las Vegas Stadium, and, in the long term, Los Angeles”
— The Boring Company (@boringcompany) May 24, 2019
While the Boring Company was able to secure the Las Vegas contract, the tunneling startup’s proposal still met some pushback from two board members of the LVCA. In recent weeks, board members Michele Fiore and Carolyn Goodman argued against the Boring Company’s proposal, citing the startup’s inexperience. The two board members suggested that the LVCA adopt the proposal of Austria-based Doppelmayr Garaventa Group instead, which would create an above-ground transit system that at a projected cost of around $215 million to complete.
Similar to the business acumen and negotiating prowess he exhibited while losing more than any other U.S. citizen during his “glory days” as a real-estate mogul, Trump is going for broke in the China trade war. Trump lost over a billion dollars between 1985 and 1994, even while writing a book on how to be a genius negotiator.
The latest phase in the Trump trade war started with a typical tweet-storm last Sunday. On the following Tuesday (May 7th) China responded, in Dirty Harry fashion, saying “Don’t even think about it” and “We will not back down”.
China slaps back with $60 Billion in Tariffs on U.S. products to begin on June 1
The list of products is set to contain 5-25% tariffs on approximately five thousand items that will likely include textiles, chemicals, agricultural products and metals. In a hint that this is only the beginning China added that they “will never surrender”, apparently, just for good measure.
In characteristic fashion, Trump tweeted various random comments interlaced with threats and simplistic advice on how U.S. consumers can avoid being affected by the tariffs, claiming that his war is “very good for USA!”.
There is no reason for the U.S. Consumer to pay the Tariffs, which take effect on China today. This has been proven recently when only 4 points were paid by the U.S., 21 points by China because China subsidizes product to such a large degree. Also, the Tariffs can be…..
..There will be nobody left in China to do business with. Very bad for China, very good for USA! But China has taken so advantage of the U.S. for so many years, that they are way ahead (Our Presidents did not do the job). Therefore, China should not retaliate-will only get worse!
As reported in Esquire there’s a distinct possibility that Trump is out to lunch on trade theory (see billion dollars lost in his personal business deals above for a hint).
We will be taking in Tens of Billions of Dollars in Tariffs from China. Buyers of product can make it themselves in the USA (ideal), or buy it from non-Tariffed countries.
– Trump in recent tweet
While this may sound peachy, his own advisor was forced to clarify:
“Yes, I don’t disagree with that,” said Larry Kudlow, the head of the president’s National Economic Council, when Chris Wallace, host of “Fox News Sunday,” asked him, “It’s U.S. businesses and U.S. consumers who pay, correct?” Kudlow added, “Both sides will pay”
– Lawrence Kudlow, head of the president’s National Economic Council, from a Fox News interview
Possible brinksmanship on display as Trump and Xi Jinping plan potential meet at Japan Summit
In a possible set up for both to appear to “rescue” their respective countries from this toddler-made crisis, a potential meeting at the G20 Japan summit, set to begin on June 28th, has been mentioned by the Trump administration.
A deal could be announced during the summit, or even before. However, it is unlikely that this will be much more than jawboning, at least initially, and meant to save face and calm markets while the war, and the Tariffs continue. In the meantime, watch for a possible European entrance into the fray to be next.
Blast off was about 10:30 p.m. EDT, and represents a huge step forward for Elon Musk’s space plans and the global satellite internet network SpaceX is building
After several previous attempts the mighty Falcon 9 achieved launch in spectacular fashion on Thursday night (EDT).
Falcon 9's first stage has landed on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship – the third launch and landing of a booster that’s flown for a third time! pic.twitter.com/CzEDao3tFa
Above: the link to the live streaming broadcast for tonight’s window, starting at 10:30PM EST
On Tuesday, May 14th, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket fulfilled its static fire test, a wet dress rehearsal launch, where the engines fire at full thrust. The test was successful and included all cargo (satellites) on board, which appears to indicate a full launch is now ready to go forward. Musk was initially planning for Wednesday May 15th and then Thursday, May 16th, but is now aiming for tonight starting at 10:30PM EST.
Musk predicts that it will take at least 6 launches (360 more satellites) for “minor coverage” and then another 6 (total of 720 satellites) for “moderate coverage”. Musk is a realist and does predict that things will inevitably go wrong during the process. Tuesday’s static fire success and soon, a successful launch, can be huge steps towards bigger things to come.
