Blog Archives
Seinfeld’s Comedy is Never in the Gutter (Because of Practice)
What’s the difference between the 20th century and the 21st century?
One of the distinctions has been the significant bump in protection. But what kind of protection?
Let’s ask the brilliantly astute Jerry Seinfeld on this “Throwback Thursday” to re-discover a form of parenthood through an unforgiving style of bowling from the past. Plus, Jerry Seinfeld delivers a 100% battery life-rated synopsis of humans and their real relationships with their smartphones.
It’s something great when you can laugh at a joke and react with the expression, “no joke.” The notion of truth in comedy (book title by Charna Halpern) is expertly proven by Jerry Seinfeld in the video clip above, particularly regarding his supreme punchline for the smartphone battery life.
I bet you’re wondering where your charger is right now…
The legendary stand-up comic has a reputation for talking about nothing; turns out he knows a lot about everything.
And that’s the truth.
iPhone: Episode VIII
Which beloved entity has the more influential following in modern culture:
Apple or Star Wars?
Apparently, to those closest to both, it’s a virtual tie of sorts?
Apple’s earbuds were inspired by the dark side, or more specifically, the stormtroopers from Star Wars, according to an interview with Apple’s chief designer Jony Ive in The Wall Street Journal. Ive reportedly told Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams he had the “look of the original Stormtroopers in mind when he designed Apple’s earbuds.”
It’s also interesting to note that the costume designer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Michael Kaplan, told Vanity Fair in 2015 that Apple itself inspired the new stormtroopers of the First Order. “With the Stormtroopers it was more of a simplification, almost like, ‘What would Apple do?’” Kaplan said at the time.
–Thuy Ong, The Verge, “Apple’s earbuds were inspired by the dark side, says chief designer Jony Ive”
As a reference, here’s a stormtrooper in The Force Awakens.
With iPhone 8 on the horizon for release later this year, Apple will likely begin to slowly work its way back towards the top of our news feeds. And particularly since the iPhone 8 will be the 10th anniversary iPhone, the speculation (never-ending with Apple products) concerning this forthcoming version of the globally popular mobile device is focused on a wide variety of game-changing features for an Apple phone. This includes rumors of a borderless screen, wireless charging and the potential removal of the physical home button (not the home button feature, but just the actual button).
Interestingly enough, those rumors almost pale in comparison to what’s been revealed in the quotes above from brilliant designer Jony Ive and the costume designer for The Force Awakens.
As a newspaper editor would say, “That’s the lead.”
Even more is the fact that Apple is great at storytelling, specifically the customized story of each of its consumers by providing them the opportunity to define a phone, tablet or computer through countless apps and user photos, music, videos, etc. The surprisingly awesome news that key figures from both Apple and Star Wars influenced each other in profoundly cool ways makes an Apple-Star Wars crossover promotion seem like a pop-culture slam dunk.
So, The Last Jedi is the eighth Star Wars major motion picture set for release this Christmas and Apple is set to sell its eighth iPhone at the end of this year.
Hmmm…
(Please re-read the headline of this blog post).
Since Artificial GRASS is a Problem…
Elon Musk, the face defining and promoting Tesla Motors and its impressively intriguing product line, gave surprising remarks recently to a gathering of American governors.
For the CEO of Tesla, Inc., which designs and builds cars that are arguably more supercomputers than automobiles, to speak about the far-reaching dangers of artificial intelligence going forward involving unrestrained technological variations in this arena is newsworthy. Fascinating, in the very least. Moreover, Mr. Musk has the unique perspective and influence to affect the mindset of large communities of people and innovators with his recent warning revealed in the video above.
But will people listen?
The challenge is that innovation, in its purest form, presents the eternally intoxicating allure of “the future” that every generation has imagined and pursued with purpose to varying degrees. The primary concerns of building a world heavily influenced and dictated by artificial intelligence seems more reckless than wise, yet Westworld (at least to Michael Crichton fans and HBO viewers) was built with great intrigue.
Aren’t you curious to visit Westworld?
Answer honestly.
Jimmy’s Daily Planet maintains its consistent position that innovation, in all of its varieties, should be viewed with excitement and caution in equal measure. What are the costs and the benefits? More often than not, the costs and the benefits of a particular innovation are on a sliding scale nowhere close to a conclusive 100-0 result. Artificial intelligence is a very slippery slope because, in the initial stages, the benefits may appear to make our lives easier, more efficient and, above all, better. It’s usually at this point, however, when the investment into something (in this case, AI) is too grand and, consequently, becomes too interwoven into societal expectations to turn the digital clock back.
It just seems like humans, in too many situations, are far too eager to not only “big brother” themselves, but to also make themselves less relevant and necessary through ill-advised inventions. Impressive? Typically yes. The best idea? Hmmm…
A Google search defines the word “artificial” as, “made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally, typically as a copy of something natural.”
How would (will?) Google define a product consciously created and then made or produced by something artificial?
Hmmm…
P.S. In the video above, Elon Musk spoke about the need for increased regulations to combat the threat of AI in the future. While a sensible regulation here and there may help, do you want to know what the better solution would be to deal with AI?
Intelligent people leading by example, like Elon Musk.
Bachman’s Exit is…Insanity?
Jian-Yang! T.J. Miller!
For any fan of the pitch-perfect comedy on HBO about Silicon Valley, which is aptly titled Silicon Valley, the adapted shout above is pitch-perfect.
What’s not perfect for any fan of Silicon Valley was the shocking news that one of its endlessly hilarious ensemble stars, T.J. Miller (Erlich Bachman, founder of Aviato), announced with HBO that he would not be returning for the forthcoming fifth season next year. The aforementioned hit show features brilliant writing, deft insight into the happenings and quirky (to put it lightly) characteristics of northern California’s tech culture and a cast of actors and actresses that make up one of the best casts on television.
So, that begs THE question: Why leave now?
For an actor who thrives on a life as an off-the-wall entertainer, the following excerpt from a recent interview was a sobering applause break for a rare glimpse into the man T.J. Miller.
Erlich Bachman T.J. Miller will be missed.
Not as much as the spoons designed perfectly for enjoying yogurt at snack time, but close.
Erlich Bachman knows what I’m talking about. Jian-Yang also knows, but he doesn’t care…plus, he’s is busy setting the garbage on fire.
Jian-Yang!
Jimmy's Daily Planet 