Astonishing Things

Not sure what caused it, but this week just seemed to fly by. Now the big question, why is it then that this morning our coffee brewing seems to take forever?

As Philip Roth once stated: “All that we don’t know is astonishing. Even more astonishing is what passes for knowing.”

Intersession – The two-week period Vai & Vili’s school has immediately before spring break; kids can choose from a list of offerings for a ‘deep immersion’ study. Vai chose ‘ceramics’ at Queen City Clay. Last evening was the conclusion, an event titled – “Ode to Evolution.” Some amazing art was on display. Vai’s main piece was a ‘Whale-Shark’ and hers was selected as one of a few to be sent out for further display.

Appetizers served at the event were nice, but it wasn’t dinner. Not certain how [:)], but afterwards we all ended up at Cancun Mexican Restaurant. It was the first time Marcia had been out for a whole evening thing – and she LOVED it.

Neuralink – We love to look back on great innovation, great art, great breakthrough and almost revere those who spearheaded those events. Currently our generation has just such an individual among us – Elon Musk. Think of SpaceX, Starlink, Tesla-cars, Tesla-Truck, the self-landing Falcon spaceships, the Big Bore. Taking a failing ‘Twitter’ and restructuring it into a non-biased social media format renamed ‘X’. And now Neuralink.

As an aside, with all Musk’s innovations, breakthroughs, and massive employment I find it inconceivable and fail to understand why government continues its overt badgering of Musk.

August 29, 2020 Elon Musk released this little video on his vision of the possibilities offered when intersecting computing with the human brain. Below is that short video:

Now move forward a short 4 years later, March 20, 2024 featuring Noland Arbaugh, a 29-year-old quadriplegic learning to use his newly implanted Neuralink.

What makes it even more stunning is the fact that alongside the Neuralink they’ve developed a robot to perform the surgery. The procedure, done with the robot, can be managed without anesthesia and almost as an outpatient event.

Truly, what was seen as a futuristic dream is now reality and something transformative in no more than a handful of years. (the latter is my guess).

Here, let Mr. Arbaugh himself describe just how transformative Neuralink is for him. Then remember, what we’re seeing is merely the ‘Model-T’ equivalent to any vehicle we’re currently driving. Or, something Orvile and Wilber Wright ‘flew’ to what we all fly in each and every day. Such change is only accelerating on a multiple of fronts.

Names? – This week about 300 million people in countries along the old Persian Silk Route are holding the annual 13-day celebration of Nowruz; a celebratory renewal expressing harmony with nature.

To me it seems that not all about ‘Nowruz’ is in sync. It appears that the festival can be written about as; Nauruz, Nauryz, Navruz, Nevruz, Nooruz, Norooz, Norouz, or Novruz. Seems to me that step one expressing ‘harmony’ could be the coordination of just how to refer to the festival. Just thinking.

Government out of Control – As many of you know, I LOVE the sound of Bagpipes. Turns out that 17-year-old Campbell Webster and Eryk Bean, of Concord and Londonderry, New Hampshire also really love Bagpipes. Difference being that they actually play them. They decided to attend a Bagpipe event a bit north in Quebec.

Don’t know why, as a reigning in of so many things we assumed would be free in a ‘freedom’ loving nation. But, somehow we actually require a CITES certificate (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) approval for bring a bagpipe across the border, this by the US Fish & Wildlife, but we do.

Just one of the myriad of lost ‘freedoms which continue to tie us down, tighter and tighter.

Returning through the Vermont border crossing the lad’s Bagpipes were quickly confiscated. Sure, their CITES certificate was valid, but is only recognized at 28 entry points and Vermont wasn’t one of the 28. The closest recognized entry port to their crossing point was Logan Airport in Boston.

Now just realize that, say 500 or so, honorable illegals tromp through any southern border point, each carrying a Bagpipe, then they’d be welcomed in. They’d be requested to play their pipe, and be asked to please march in with style.

And, if you think that the southern border is ‘guarded’ by a different Border Patrol from the one in Vermont, then you’d be wrong.

As we quickly march towards the abyss and into the dustbin of past empires.

PS. There was enough of a hub-bub where politicians got pressured and the fine young lads finally got their instruments returned.

May Peace prevail! Shalom. Health, comfort, and joy for all this coming week.

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:
Over the years certain behaviors were accepted which we would frown on. Similarly, some events would be punished severely, for which we’d hand out a slap on the hand. Which during earlier times would be punished severely.

1) Slicing and taking Peat blocks
2) Theft of Pineapple
3) Taking a Sugar Beet
4) Netting Eels
5) Picking flowers
6) Digging up Turnips