Blog Archives
Michael Crichton’s Other Chaos Theory Returns
As Chris Webber would say this time of year: Timeout!
With my tickets safely guarded for tomorrow night’s primetime showing of Ready Player One, a new trailer dropped for one of the best shows on television. With that being said, he’s a brief deviation from this week’s Ready Player One-themed blog posts.
HBO’s Westworld has been adapted by superstar screenwriting husband and wife Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy from the 1973 film written and directed by the late Michael Crichton. The show’s themes, characters, writing, sets–and virtually everything found in this imaginatively pleasing, yet tragically gritty and violently-designed world–enlightens, entertains and challenges its viewers with delightfully surgical precision. And it’s this complex dynamic that is refreshing in the ever-evolving television medium. Add into this the support from the groundbreaking creative services at HBO and saying they’ve got a winner would be a dramatic understatement.
Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves for–in a word–chaos.
(Warning: This is not a PG-rated trailer or show)
Westworld returns to HBO on Sunday, April 22 at 9 p.m. ET.
In a few more words, season 2 of Westworld looks primed to surpass the revised welcome to Michael Crichton’s other park defined by his other chaos theory in this show’s debut season.
Dr. Ian Malcolm would have a field day…and a shot of whiskey in the saloon with a beautiful host while wearing a black hat.
Happy Monday!
If Steven Spielberg doesn’t get you motivated on a Monday, then I don’t know who can…
Ready Player One premieres in movie theaters later this week (Tickets: Check). And if there’s another book that’s more perfectly written for Steven Spielberg to direct–I’m actually not sure that alternative book exists.
Bottom line: Ready Player One looks uniquely special for Steven Spielberg.
Have a Better Week Than Last Week.
Virtual Reality’s Impending Prize
We’re one day closer to March 29, 2018, with a brand new trailer…
Ready Player One has the challenge of following a highly-acclaimed book, but with one minor advantage:
Its director is Steven Spielberg.
The VR-centric story set in a dystopian future in Columbus, OH-IO splits time between the real world and an imaginative pop culture-rich virtual reality. The latter is filled with familiar throwbacks to iconic video games, music, and cinematic masterpieces in their own rights (ie-Back to the Future and Jurassic Park, to name just a couple). While this virtual reality purposely appears surreal, VR’s increasing role in modern society seems inevitable once a few codes are cracked for taking this experience mainstream in the coming years and decades.
Is this good? Bad? Somewhere in between? Time will ultimately tell with our ever-evolving relationship and fluid connectivity with deeply personal customizable technology. Regardless, a monstrous, life-altering prize awaits in the third act of Ready Player One.
However, will virtual reality lead society to an equally grand and illustrious prize down the road? Will currently living in Columbus, Ohio offer an exclusive key to this future?
There are just so many real questions to ponder…
maybe this is where virtual answers come into play?
Electric Cars Are Barely Making Noise on the Road
In the US, electric cars still make up less than 1 percent of new car sales. The path to 100 percent will be a long one, and the engine won’t cede such ground without a fight.
–As Electric Cars Surge, the Gas Engine Keeps Getting Better, Jack Stewart, WIRED Online
More people today likely know the name Elon Musk than Nikolaus August Otto. While Mr. Musk is believed by some to be the tech and pop-culture heir of sorts to the late Steve Jobs, Mr. Otto paved the way for what is known today as the internal combustion engine way back in the 19th century.
As Tesla’s are being bought and seen on the road, Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s journey of an electric future is still in the crawling phase in many ways. Admittedly, that “1% of new car sales” statistic is surprising. Arguably, Tesla’s car line is evolving as the leader in the promising development of electric cars. Make no mistake that the pursuit of an emissions-free transportation future is admirable and intriguing. Combining a positive environmental impact with a dynamic and exciting product in the free market is a win-win scenario. The all-electric car is an impressive invention that should and will improve in the coming years and decades, along with its necessary and developing infrastructure. And yet, let’s not ignore the realities of society-altering innovations as technology continues to expand into every aspect of our lives, both professionally and personally.
As strange as it may read, we are facing a sophisticated, consequential dilemma with Tesla and its part in an electric transportation future. Will it be as promising and as beneficial as we want it to be? Wherever there’s electricity, there’s a grid that’s inevitably accompanied by a power struggle. Remember that. And in every situation, there are costs and benefits to seriously consider. With that in mind, as Tesla continues to sell and improve its various models one-by-one, let’s take the time to reflect on what the future would be if and when that 99%-1% statistic is one day flipped.
Random question: What are your thoughts on dealing with tech support?
Riding in a Tesla, according to reports, is a smooth and mostly noiseless ride. This is one of the bonuses of an electric engine that doesn’t roar like a Mustang. That is until you hit bumps in the road because there are always bumps in the road. But if we take the time to plan, we can avoid the greatest damage before it’s too late.
We should be equally excited and cautious concerning innovation. Moreover, we should be ready to not just ask when something new will happen, but what happens when it does.
Innovation has a long arc, so we best prepare for that long ride when that new road finally arrives and is here for the long, quiet haul.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 