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Save Ferris (and This Moment)
Movie fans rejoice!
(See previous two blog posts)
The 2016 World Series will be The Cleveland Indians v. The Chicago Cubs.
The Cubbies blanked the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0 to win the National League Championship series 4-2 at Wrigley Field to advance to the World Series for the first time seven decades. Despite the fact that Aroldis Chapman was the winning relief pitcher, many of us watching pretended that the Cubs’ pitcher was 12-year-old Henry Rowengartner (1993’s Rookie of the Year).
We just had have to.
Now that the Chicago Cubs are through to the biggest stage in baseball, there are certain people who need to make a televised appearance at the first World Series game at Wrigley Field, sitting in their seats, wearing their same clothes, singing that same song…
Along with a Charlie Sheen/”Wild Thing” entrance and pitch, a recreated Ferris Bueller’s Day Off moment would go down in pop-culture history as one of the best ever.
Even more importantly, Back to the Future: Part II screenwriters Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale deserve tremendous credit for concocting a truly amazing (and admittedly shocking at the time) prediction for the way-off future of October 21, 2015.
Yes, the World Series still needs to be played, but Mr. Zemeckis and Mr. Gale were (potentially) one year away from being stunningly prescient about the Cubs from back in 1989 and the future existence of a Major League Baseball team in Miami, Florida (est. 1993).
And people say movies aren’t real life.
Our Heads Should Be Full of Dreams
Charlie Chaplin established himself as an actor during the Silent Film Era of the early 20th century, yet his speech from The Great Dictator (1940) should be anything but silenced.
Coldplay had the terrific insight to insert the aforementioned Chaplin speech over the opening minute sequence of the “A Head Full of Dreams” music video. While the music video premiered back in August (featured in a blog), that speech continues to overwhelm in its wisdom and inspiring charge.
In an election season covered by the media (“journalism”) on a relentless basis, we have certainly heard it all from all sides, haven’t we? Interestingly, the speech from The Great Dictator (irony at its highest when you hear the speech) provide us the only things we haven’t heard during this presidential election:
An inspirational, tactful vision for a bright future for everyone.
It may take a fantastical adventure for Mr. Chaplin’s words to reach today’s influential leaders, but it’s worth a shot. Embracing the ingenuity, resolve and promise of the people instead of centralizing control to the powerful few…
Imagine that.
A New Blue Hue for You to View
The digitization of Henry Ford’s Model T is seeing an illuminating next chapter.
And it’s quite a sight.
Cars are (as has been written about many times on Jimmy’s Daily Planet) increasingly being designed and built as supercomputers. Tesla is the best practical evidence in 2016 of this burgeoning reality with the Model S, Model 3 and Model X. No, the price point for these three car models have not dropped into mainstream affordability, but the availability is there nonetheless. That’s impressive, even if it’s an expensive alternative. An encouraging note is the Tesla Model 3 is trying to crack the Lexus and Mercedes consumer market with a tax credit/incentive in the thousands that makes people take a second glance at the electric automaker beyond its sleek lines and quiet, yet powerful engine.
For many of the major car makers, their giant leap from the engine and functionality from the 20th century to the computerized innovation in the 21st century won’t be comprehensive. That’s impractical and foolish. At some point, perhaps in half a century, but that’s still a ways off…
Thankfully, as is the natural consequence of innovation, engineers are constantly conceptualizing that manageable next step.
“Powerful batteries will give the SUV a driving range of over 300 miles.
It will be priced like a “reasonably equipped Mercedes GLC.” At today’s prices, that would be around $50,000.”
–Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN Money
Visitors of the 2016 Paris Motor Show were recently privileged to an exciting first glimpse of the Mercedes-Benz Generation EQ imagined for modern roads. While the cool blue design is a concept, there doesn’t appear to be too many far-fetched ideas in the video above. Yes, it’s a promo made by and for the German car giants, yet this engineering dream looks like a realistic ambition for a few years down the road. However, one small speed bump may be that, as clean and appealing as the white interior shows in HD, perhaps the final call should favor dark blue or black (from experience, bright white leather may not pair well with dark jeans or clothing with indigo or black dye).
That’s the only grilling the EQ warrants. Speaking of which, that new grill is hot.
Red Blue-hot.
Frank Sinatra Had the Right Idea
Fly me to the moon,
Let me play among the stars…
–Frank Sinatra, “Fly Me to the Moon”
Richard Branson and Elon Musk are planning to travel into space in the near future under the guise of private adventurism.
Add Naveen Jain to this growing list.
“The Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday that Moon Express, a firm co-founded by billionaire Naveen Jain, was approved to launch a suitcase-sized rover to the moon. Another company, Celestis, has reserved room for ashes and inert DNA samples.”
–Steven Nelson, U.S. News & World Report
Whether a rover, a commercial flight or the colonization of Mars, private citizens and their successful companies are revealing a paradigm shift that’s developing in extreme exploration.
Add movie director James Cameron to the list for oceanic exploration.
The dynamics of and success through globalization (increased customer base and, therefore, increased wealth potential and influence) is permitting a few of the craziest and most eccentric business leaders and firms to dream with their heads in the stars in a literal sense.
Given that many of the world’s most powerful economies are struggling and overwhelmed with more questions than answers, business leaders and ambitious innovators are taking advantage of their positive business ventures with inspired aspirations. Richard Branson (Virgin Galactic), Elon Musk (SpaceX) and Naveen Jain (Mon Express) are among the extreme explorers in the world today. Utilizing their winsome character, the reputations of the aforementioned dreamers attract followers nearly akin to Apple enthusiasts to the late Steve Jobs. There’s a sense that the world, in terms of space travel, is changing in a profound way and people want to be a part of this excitingly promising future.
The ingenuity, daring mentality and, perhaps most essential, the money is on the side of fun, personable billionaire private citizens.
Space travel in the 20th century was defined by the heroic crew of Apollo 11 (Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins) walking on the moon, courtesy of NASA, an integral part of the United States government. “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Space travel in the 21st century will be defined by —
The smart money is with “private citizens.”
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