Ty Watches "Snowpiercer" Series Premier

Last week either TNT or TBS, pretty sure it is TNT, premiered the television series "Snowpiercer". I am an avid fan of the movie. I loved it in fact. It is definitely in my top five movies of all time. I love the story, the acting, the look and the direction. It is one of those rare perfect movies.

So when a TV series was announced, I was excited, but also a little skeptical. I mean, sometimes you just need one. Sometimes there doesn't need to be a sequel, prequel or TV series. Some shows have pulled this off, "Fargo" comes to mind, but in more cases than not, it just doesn't work. It waters down the original thing we loved so much in the first place.

I went into the premiere episode with some hesitation, but also willingness to see how they try to pull it off. The best I can say for the premiere, it was interesting. I'm not in a place where I feel like I can say it is good or bad in my opinion yet. It needs some more time. But, the premiere had me interested. It kept my attention. I noticed that I wasn't checking my phone, that it had my full attention. To me those are all good signs. Those are signs of a show that I am willing to give more than one chance. I also liked how much they didn't really stray from the material from the movie. They have a similar story line. The world starts to get bad, there is a worldwide freeze, a bunch of people bored a humongous train and as time goes on, the train starts to develop a class system. The upper class people are closer to the front, their kids get to go to school, they can procreate, they have access to the best food and comforts of modern society. They are all good. Even the middle of the train has some of the same elements, just not to degree that the rich people have. They also have an area dedicated to rave type people. They have a working class section. And then they have the people in the tail. This is the bottom class. This car is filled with people that have lost loved ones, their entire family didn't make it on the train in the beginning, they are shunned, they cannot procreate, they have to eat protein bars made from scraps. Basically, they have it the worst of all. This was where Chris Evans was in the movie, and this is where we meet Daveed Diggs in a similar role. I like Daveed Diggs, but I have only seen him in less dark material. I have to get over that hump myself, but I will say, he was really good in the premiere. I believed him, and I am actively rooting for him. Also, the scene where he gets taken away, and then fed a hot bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese, he played that very, very well. I'm sure I will grow to like him even more, I just have to start buying him in the role. Jennifer Connelly, who is an amazing actress, is very calm in her role, almost too calm. She has a certain charm that definitely has me thinking she may not be the sweet hospitality lady she is portraying herself. And the ending of the premiere, and I will not spoil anything here, kind of proves what I was thinking. I also want to point out that I thought the initial battle scene was done very well, for a TV show. They can't go as big as the movie, but they did a very solid job. I also liked how they broke down the classes very quickly in the premiere.

As I said, I still need some time, but the pilot kept me in. The pilot makes me want to watch more and more. I have tried to stay away from apocalyptic stuff since the pandemic started, but "Snowpiercer", at least for one episode, doesn't make me think about the bleakness we currently live in. I'll be tuning in this weekend for the next episode, and if you liked the movie, I suggest you should to. I have my hesitations, but for one episode, they have me. Hopefully that will continue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.  

Best of 2019: Best of Everything Else

Super writer/critic extraordinaire Ty has already covered the best albums, the best movies, the best television shows, the best podcasts, and the best sports moments of 2019. Today I am going to give the rest of the stuff of 2019 some love. We will cover books, tech, video games, and a few other corners of society not given the top five/ten treatment by our publications. Let’s get started.

Best Video Game of 2019

Untitled Goose Game is the game we needed in our lives at this very moment in history. It appeals to young and old alike, and for very different reasons. I talked with a nine year old about the game, and then spun the game as an allegory for President Trump.

As for the game itself? You are a goose, and you are here to terrify a small village. You get from place to place by solving puzzles that involve your goose stealing things, scaring kids, and causing general mayhem.

It is awesome.

Best Movie Trailer for a Movie Released in 2019

This should have been the first trailer for Joker, but then Cats came along. A movie trailer needs to be memorable, and oh boy was the Cats trailer memorable for all the wrong reasons. The movie looked horrifying and stupid at the same time. I spent most of my time watching and rewatching the trailer asking myslef why would such an such actor be in this thing. My answers never came. Cats shows us that the best of us need to be told every now and then. The trailer was our first warning.

Best Movie trailer for a Movie Released after 2019

In 2019, the DC movie Universe started to catch up with Marvel. Aquaman came out in late 2018, but was the top movie in the early months of 2019. Shazam was a modest hit, and well like by the critics and the audience. Joker was a megahit and the most talked about movie of the year. Then around Thanksgiving we were given our first look at Wonder Woman 1984. The setting was spot on, the music was incredible, and the movie itself looks amazing. June 5th, 2020 cannot get here soon enough.

Best Book of 2019

Great new books come out every year. What is truly the best is usually left up to a person’s personal preference. Many times the best book we read in a given year came out in a previous year. The best book for 2019, or the most important to read book, is George Orwell’s 1948 novel 1984.

In 1948, George Orwell understood the dangers of screaming fake news and blind loyalty to a government that has an agenda counter to the benefit of the people they serve. In 2019 we live in 1984’s world, and we do not care. It could never happen to us is what we said when we first read Orwell’s dystopic story. In 2019 we need to read 1984 to acknowledge the fact we live in this society.

Best Tech of 2019

It is hard to judge new technology until we have seen it in action for a year or more. All the big tech sites with praise anything Apple, and then quietly say how bad the tech was years later, see the Apple Pencil and Macbook keyboard.

Apple is not alone in the blind praises bestowed by the tech media on the companies and personalities the writers so desperately want to have access to. That is why the Tesla Cybertruck is the best tech of the year.

The cybertruck look stupid, it will be grotesquely overpriced, and it will be bested by a real car company in the not so distant future, but the Cybertruck will be considered the first heavy duty pickup to normalize the idea of an all electric truck for the masses. In the not so distant future when Tesla is gone, the tech media will continue to remind us that the Cybertruck was “first”. They will not be totally wrong.

Best Written Thing on the Internet

In 2019 the website Deadspin.com entered a death spiral. The owners decided to lay down the law on the creators, and the creators revolted. The end of one of the most important internet sites had dawned. Before the true endgame, former editor Megan Greenwell wrote an insightful and scathing piece about the current state of internet journalism. We live in a world where traditional journalism, i.e. newspapers, radio, and televsion, has been sacrificed on the alter of capitalism. The internet was where real journalism was still breathing it’s survival breaths. Then the corporate raiders came for the internet. Clicks, likes, and trash were valued more than the talents of creators. Megan Greenwell saw this, was fired, and then left the last parting shot. Forget about all the “traditional” media think pieces on the world around us. Megan Greenwell gave us a true look into the future we are moving towards. Read her words and be wary.

Best Visual Thing on the Internet

The Peloton is stupid. Exercise is good, but the cult like, false view of wealth, that the Peloton sells is poisonous. The company/cult’s newest ad reflects the toxic image the overpriced spin bike is selling.

Enter a hero. Ryan Reynold’s owns a gin called Aviator and he sought out the woman in the Peloton ad. Together they made the greatest ad of the year. Who knew that gin was more progressive, and respectful, than an exercise device. Now we know.

These are just a few of the things I saw in 2019 that made an impact. While companies like Peloton and any trust fund idiot that owns a website tried to push society backwards, we had heroes like Megan Greenwell, Ryan Reynolds, and an untitled goose to give us the catharsis we need. In 2019 we were also gifted with the reminder of what was warned in 1948, and we were able to observe pop culture’s hubris with Cats. All in all there were scares and hope in the year 2019 of the common era.

Bring on the 20’s.

RD

RD Kulik is the Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Netflix is Cancelling All of Our Favorite Shows

I don't know what it going on at Netflix right now, in so many different ways. They have some crazy, inexplicable things going on right now. Some are good, but most are bad.

The thing that confuses me most is the massive cancellation of shows. I know that most of these shows have been cancelled due to bad reviews, low viewership and who actually owns the rights. For example, "Iron Fist" is a Marvel/Disney owned show, so I get it. It was also supposedly not very good. I didn't watch, but I saw some of the bad reviews. Same goes for "Luke Cage", except it got good reviews. It got cancelled because it is a Marvel/Disney owned show. I loved the first season of the show, and I started the second season, but didn't finish it. I feel like we are over saturated with super hero stuff right now, be it movies, comic books or TV shows. I did like "Luke Cage" though, and so did the critics. But, like I said, I get why they cancelled those.

I'm not so sure why they cancelled a show like "Sense 8", or "The Get Down". Both of those shows scored high with fans and critics. Both shows had massive amounts of fans that showed their displeasure at the cancellation with petitions and letters sent to Netflix. I even believe that "Sense 8" got a final season after cancellation.

The news that they cancelled "American Vandal" was the only one that made me have a visceral response. I was upset. I yelled into my phone screen when I saw the news. I was complaining to my wife about it the night it was announced. I have complained to friends who haven't even watched it yet. I am upset at this news. I'm hopeful that some other network will pick it up, but Netflix had a gold mine in this show. I mean, it won a god damn Peabody award. It was, and I am not just saying this because I love it so much, the best show they had on their service. Nothing has held my attention as much as "American Vandal". I have not clamored for a new season more since I first started watching "The Simpsons". "American Vandal" perfectly skewered our new fascination with these true crime stories. I watch "Making A Murderer", I know people who have watched "The Jinx", my dad watches, and I have watched with him, other true crime shows on cable and none of them compare to the greatness that is "American Vandal". I mean, after the first episode of season one, I ran through the rest because I needed to know "who drew the dicks". Then, in season 2, I had to know who the "turd burglar" was. And the way they slowly, and perfectly, revealed the culprits was exquisite. The writing on this show was top notch. The actors were tremendous. Even though the crimes were fake, they felt real because of the way the show was shot and released. The way each episode unfolded just made me crave more and more.

"American Vandal" was the perfect show in my opinion. It deserved so much more than a Peabody Award, but dammit, a Peabody is prestigious. I don't think Netflix has another original show that will reach that status. Shows like "Orange is the New Black" or "The Ranch" or, even other stuff I watch and like, like "Big Mouth", will achieve that level of status. I will greatly miss this show.

Netflix is making a big time mistake. I don't know the full details, as to why they cancelled it, or if they were forced to cancel it, or if they couldn't afford to keep it. But, they should have done all they could to keep it. This is a real bummer as far a TV shows go. "American Vandal" was unique, funny, smart and just overall brilliant. This bums me out. This makes me upset with Netflix. Everything that is going on over there right now seems really messed up. As I stated earlier, I hope a network like Hulu or Funny or Die or some premium cable channel, be it HBO or Showtime or Cinemax, or whatever, picks it up. That would be nice. But, for the time being, this stinks and makes me mad at Netflix.

Hey Netflix, you guys just cancelled your best, most unique and funniest show since your inception. That should bum you out too.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is willing to let season three of “American Vandal” find a new home at SeedSing. They will have to bring the cameras, actors, writers, editing equipment, and give us the power to stream out episodes. Bring all that and SeedSing will be happy to have you.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Apple Just Quietly Announced One of their Best Products, and Loudly Announced One of their Worst

The regular apple peaked with the pie innovation

The 2017 Apple WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference for those of you not in the know) is currently in full swing. The estimated 5000 attendees packed in on day one to hear the Apple brass talk new software, and some new hardware, to loyal Apple fans worldwide. The WWDC is not the place for new iPhone launches, except for the 3GS and 4 models, but is a place for the Cupertino company to show off new software and sometimes for them to show off their next wave of home computers. Previous WWDC saw the reveal of macOS, the App Store, and Safari. The pressure is usually not as high for the company as it is for an iPhone launch, but plenty of people still pay attention. No matter what Apple does, when they take the stage, people listen.

The 2017 edition of the WWDC was heavy on new software upgrades. Apple's latest operating system, named High Sierra, was put on display. iOS 11 received some new updates including enhanced augmented reality abilities. The voice assistant Siri is getting some much-needed updating. These reveals and updates are par for the course at WWDC.

Lost in all the hoopla of the software advances, Apple announced one of their most mind-blowing products ever. The new iMac Pro is one of the most beautiful, and insanely powerful, computers ever packaged for the consumer market. The specs on this machine, and the price to own one, is off the charts. Much like the light bulb for General Electric, Apple seems to keep its computer business around to show respect to their past. This part of the business is usually neglected. This WWDC is different. With the incredibly iMac Pro, Apple just released the best home computer a whole lot of money could buy.

The iMac Pro was not the big reveal at the 2017 WWDC. That honor was reserved for Apple's entry into the marketplace of smart speakers. The new HomePod joins the Amazon Echo, Google Home, and whatever Microsoft says is coming as the big kids on the personal assistant speaker market. The Siri in a speaker will tell you the news, play music, and do other not described things like all the smart speakers that came before. Apple is confident that their loyal fanbase will give up their Echos, Google Homes, or newly jump into the smart speaker market with their branded offering. The HomePod goes on sale at the end of 2017 for $350.

The Apple HomePod is the dumbest product Apple has ever been happy to sell to their customers. Most of the time Apple will see a market where no one has found the true potential, and then they take over that market with a well thought out product. Apple's offerings are never the best, they never do everything the customer wants, but they do the simple things extremely well. And they look good doing it. The HomePod is nothing like the successful products of Apple's past.

The HomePod is entering a marketplace where the Cupertino company's competitors have been adapting to the customers wants for over a year, and they are all doing it for far less money than what a HomePod will cost. Apple knows they are behind on the smart speaker market. The only way the presenters at the WWDC could differentiate the HomePod is to talk about how good it sounds. That has been proven to not be important for the smart speaker market. The original Amazon Echo was hailed by many in the tech media as a "premium" speaker with the benefits of Alexa. Once Amazon released the affordable Echo Dot, the one without a good speaker, sales skyrocketed. Amazon learned that people want a smart speaker for the smarts, not how the music sounds out of it. If someone wanted a great Bluetooth speaker, they would buy something from a company known for good speakers. Bose, Harmon Kardon, Sonos, they all offered great speakers for less than $300, and they all connect wirelessly to the Echo. Amazon and Google have already used Apple's model of introducing hardware, and now they will swat away the HomePod like all the other failures before.

Apple's claim of making the HomePod a great speaker shows how lost they are with the product. The tech press has predictably been there to hold the water for Apple's bad decisions. Once the HomePod is availbale for purchase, tech media sites like CNET and Gizmodo will no doubt praise Apple for having the best sounding smart speaker on the market. Check out this comically idiotic defense of the HomePod from the Cupertino bootlickers at Engadget. The author wants everyone to forget about the smart applications of the HomePod, and just focus on how awesome the speaker is. This is a speaker allegedly built by the scam artists who built the Beats Audio headphones and speakers. The same people who ruin good sound quality by overemphasizing bass and put unnecessary metal into their products so the headphones / speakers would feel heavy and therefore the consumer would think the product is high end. The HomePod was made by a group of people concerned more about marketing than they are concerned about actual audio quality. That should say all there is to say about the sound quality of the HomePod. 

Many of the Apple faithful will fall for the reviews from a subservient tech media, and they will trust their favorite company and buy the HomePod. These early adopters will then brag to everyone in their social media circles about the superior sound quality. These HomePoders will then have to deal with the smarts of Siri. Here is where they will lose. 

Siri is widely considered far and away the worst of the popular smart assistants, and the HomePod buyers will have only Apple's voice helper. No Spotify, limited use of smart home devices like thermostats and light bulbs, and spotty comprehension. Apple says Siri will be smarter, but they have said that before. In the HomePod reveal, the presenter spent almost no time on the smart assistant features that Echo and Home owners enjoy, and spent a bunch of time having Siri play music from the Apple Music app. On the biggest stage, Apple decided to not show the flaws of their new smart speaker by showing how dumb the HomePod really is.

All these early missteps of the HomePod makes the $350 price tag look even more ridiculous. For the same price people could buy any of these smart home combinations:

2 Amazon Echos (one for the main floor and one for the bedroom)

3 Google Homes (one for the kitchen, living room, and bedroom)

9 Echo Dots (One for every damn room you have, note: you can purchase six Dots for the price of five)

An Echo Dot and a Bose Soundlink Revolve + (this is listed as CNET's best Bluetooth speaker.)

An Echo Dot, Nest Thermostat, and two TP-Link Dimmable Smart Light-bulbs that work with Alexa

An Echo Dot, a Bose Sound Base, and a Harmony Hub (control the television with your voice, and connect to a high-end speaker with Alexa)

An Echo, Echo Dot(s), Google Home, and numerous smart bulbs, locks, streaming devices, whatever, because Amazon and Google have thousands of skills (apps) to properly connect your home. Talk to your house like you live on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise.

Therefore the $350 price tag for a bass heavy, not very smart speaker, is kind of dumb.

The HomePod will not end Apple. The software updates, the new iMac Pro, and the anticipated tenth anniversary iPhone will keep the small Cupertino company in business for a long time. On the backs of the useless Apple Pencil, the HomePod is just a little bit worrisome. Has Apple given up on innovation? Are they relying solely on the ability to separate idiots from their money? Let's hope not. We need the Apple that goes all out and shows off the new iMac Pro, not the one who tries to sell you an overbuilt, lacking usefulness, speaker. Let the HomePod die a Newton like death. Apple should know better.

RD

RD is the Founder and Head Editor for SeedSing. He created his MySpace profile on an original iMac. It had a red shell.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Top 12 Best Gadgets For Business

We have come a long way from the top business gadget of the 19th century

SeedSing is proud to offer voices from all over the globe. Today we present a guest post from freelance tech journalist Matthew Young. Get your ideas heard by writing for SeedSing

You may think that because you now have the latest laptop or the most advanced smartphone and the tablet that you don’t need anything else. You will be surprised to know that there is always something that could be used to enhance your life, whether during your leisure time or in the business field. 

These new 12 executive gadgets that range from USB ports to drawing tools are bound to enhance your business operations and make your daily life a lot more enjoyable.

1. Skiva’s OctoFire 8 Port USB 3.0 Hub
This may be the only USB hub you are ever going to need. Besides syncing data at speeds of 5 Gbps, it delivers more charging power compared to any other wall charger available today on the market. It's completely compatible with iPad Air, iPad Mini, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Apple iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus—just to mention a few. When not linked to your PC or laptop, it will also act as a standalone charger. Skiva’s OctoFire 8 Port USB 3.0 Hub has built-in over-charge, over-heat, and over-voltage plus over-current protection. The Early Bird edition is available at Kickstarter priced at $66.

2. ZUtA – The First Mini Robotic Printer
This is the premier mini robotic printer. The ZUta comes with a rechargeable battery as well as an on/off switch and you can connect it directly to PCs or smartphones. It allows printing on any size of paper. More appealing is the fact that it can easily be packed into your bag for printing on the go. Using an omni-wheel system, it accurately moves around the page being printed at a speed of 1.2 pages every minute. ZUta runs for 60 minutes on a full charge. This amazing portable robotic printer has accrued a total of $511,662 of its $400,000 Kickstarter target for production. $200 is sufficient to secure you an early bird white version. The ZUta is expected to become available on May 2016.

3. Pencil by FiftyThree
This popular smart stylus is going be sold through Amazon online outlets and some selected Apple stores at prices starting at $69.99. The FiftyThree is a perfect gift for one who cherishes creativity. The rectangular shaped Pencil stands at 5.45 by 0.6 by 0.25 inches (HWD). The Walnut model is lighter at only 0.8 ounces while Graphite model is slightly heavier weighing at 1.12 ounces. The Pencil from FiftyThree is compatible with the 3rd generation iPad and the later makes plus, the Retina as well as non-Retina iPad Mini.

4. Spracht The Conference Mate
Available in black or white color options, the Conference Mate from Spracht is compact in size. The speaker top is black and has all the system touch controls for answer/end calls, volume, mute and play/pause functions for music. At the unit top is where you get the main speaker together with the controls. This NFC enabled gadget is easy when it comes to setting up. This fine little bluetooth speaker sounds good and performs well. It is ideal for the home desk, your office or any place where audio is needed. It is available at around $80 via Amazon. 

5. Vivitek Qumi Q5 LED Pocket Projector
This stylish and innovative Vivitek LED pocket projector has 500 lumens brightness. It’s a very light device too at about 499g. It is the premier 3D-ready projector whose HD pixel resolution stands at 800 x 1,380. It can be used with numerous devices such as laptops, netbooks, smartphones, tablets, video and digital cameras and is ideal for digital content sharing. The real winner is the thick, ultra-glossy top sheet, available in not less than 5 different options: white, black, red, blue and yellow. All these remarkable features perhaps justify the high price tag of $600.

6. IronKey Personal S250 Secure Drive 16GB
The IronKey S250 is fully compatible with all major operating systems such as Linux, Windows and Mac. If what you desire is the best kind of security currently available in the market to secure thieves, hackers, and the elements, the Fort Knox you need is the IronKey Personal S250. It keeps your data secure, although due to its rugged construction and security it comes at a rather steep price of $329 for 16GB.

7. Sony Smartwatch 3 Stainless Steel
This is not just the first Android Wear device that comes with GPS skills, it also comes with built in connectivity (NFC and Wi-Fi)—perhaps this is its biggest selling point. The SmartWatch 3 comes with 4GB of storage space and its power comes from a quad-core 1.2GHz Arm A7 processor, something that appeared like overkill during the early Android's ecosystem days. Inside the SmartWatch 3 you will get a 420mAh battery. This latest Sony product charges through Micro USB saving you the need of carrying a separate accessory for charging. The SW3 takes the game a notch higher in terms of waterproofing. You can control this gadget that is priced at $300 with touch, voice and your finger gestures.

8. HP Multi Jet Fusion
As of now, conventional 3D printing employ a sluggish process in creating layers of material gradually forming the output you desire. The time needed for printing large objects also places a limitation on the feasibility and scalability of 3D printing technology. The first machines using Multi Jet Fusion Technology that are going to be released by HP will be focused on creating high-quality 3D prints that are thermoplastic-based. The goal is to target businesses that are small and medium-sized, or the numerous “service bureaus” which are serving the printing needs of 3rd-party businesses.

9. Bitdefender Box
The Bitdefender Box concept is very smart. It works in a similar manner to a hardware firewall in preventing unauthorized access without inhibiting your outbound traffic. It also provides anti-malware and antivirus protection via the cloud. You can install the app on your tablets, laptops, and smartphones giving them protection even when connected to the shadiest Wi-Fi hotspots. The admission price is $199 plus $99 an annual subscription (applicable after one year).

10. SMART kapp Whiteboard
The Kapp IQ allows the user to draw on it—although what has set the device apart from the standard whiteboard is the ability of saving a snapshot of your drawing for further review. The device measures 33.675-50.75-4.75 inches and weighs at 107 pounds. Both 75 and 84-inch model are in the works. More significantly, anybody can interact with this device and it can connect up with 250 users simultaneously, using an Android device or NFC-enabled iOS. The Kapp IQ is retailing at $4000 while the enterprise version is available for $5000 in a 65-inch model.

11. SenseHUD
The gadget sits on your vehicle dashboard, projecting the screen of your smartphone onto its own electrochromic glass pane. SenseHUD glass will pick up the messaging, route guidance, and the speedometer making it visible to you as you drive. A major strength of the device is the price. Maker SenseDriver recently launched its limited preorder initiative, giving the device at $99. The final price will be determined later.

12. Vysk QS1
Manufactured by Vysk, the case enhances your privacy through a hardware solution inbuilt design. It is available for use with Samsung Galaxy S4 or S5, iPhone 5 or 5S. The Vysk QS1case enables you to encrypt photos and texts, and make your private VoIP calls via microphones that are inbuilt and a proprietary Vysk encryption processor. The QS1 can be ordered from Vysk since May 2015 at $229.

Conclusion
Creative people have a strong affinity to their trade tools. As you can see from the above 12 leading devices, when it comes to the latest technology, there is an abundance of new and innovative new office gadgets on the market which are definitely guaranteed to make you as a professional happy and more productive. You are indeed spoiled for choice. It’s up to you to decide what device best suits your specific office requirements. 

Matthew Young

About the Author:  Matthew Young is a freelance tech journalist and blogger hailing from Boston. He is passionate about new, emerging tech in the industry. When Matthew is not busy writing about awesome new technology, he usually spends time fiddling with his camera and learning a thing or two about photography. You can reach Matthew on Twitter @mattbeardyoung!

The Shuttle Challenger and Confronting My Mortality

We will return

Ed Note: Today is the 31st Anniversary of the Shuttle Challenger disaster. This article originally appeared on January 28th, 2016.

Thirty years ago today was the first time I had to confront my own eventual death. I was only ten at the time, and I was on my way to the hospital. There was something going on with my health, and not a single doctor had been able to figure out the problem. My legs were feeling heavy and tired, there was blood in my urine, and in addition to the physical symptoms there were visible red dots showing up on my legs. Every day I would get a few new red dots, and my parents would take me to see a new specialist. Having doctors not know what was happening to my body started me on path to thinking I was going to die, soon. On January 28th, 1986 I was visiting a dermatologist in order to see if the red dots had any explanation. The doctor quickly diagnosed me with having a little known, at the time, illness called Henoch-Scholein purpura. I was immediately sent to the hospital and spent the next few months being released and readmitted as they treated the illness. I was going to be ok, I did not die.

January 28th, 1986 marked the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger. This launch was going to be extra special because a civilian, a school teacher, was going to be on the ship. The Challenger was the work horse of the U.S. space program, and this launch was going to reignite the public excitement for manned space missions. Christa McAuliffe's journey to being an astronaut was presented to the entire nation. Many school aged children, myself included, were given lesson plans revolving around the civilian school teacher turned astronaut. McAuliffe's journey into space was going to be the first step to regular civilian space travel. I was convinced that getting off planet earth was going to be as routine and safe as it was to get from my house to school. Seventy-three seconds after the launch of mission STS-51-L the entire planet was reminded of the extreme danger space exploration holds.

The Challenger disaster was the harsh beginning to the end of serious US space exploration. We would not send another person into space for nearly two years. Politicians would use the disaster to dry up most of NASA's federal funding. The public quickly lost interest in all things related to exploration beyond our planet. The country was relating to Christa McAuliffe because she was going to be the first non-astronaut to go into space. The truth is that Christa McAuliffe was put through an immense training and safety program to make her competent to go on the shuttle, she was not like one of us. When the Challenger broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean, the regular persons dream of going into space ended. The thought of death was greater than our willingness to take the risk.

What happened off the coast of Florida on that chilly January morning was not a mere random accident.  Politicians, news people, and businessmen demanded the launch of the Challenger, although many people in the scientific community warned of a looming catastrophe.  NASA administrators were being pressured by people in Washington DC to make the launch date. Many of the engineers at NASA, and around the world, knew that the cold weather could cause issues with vital parts of the shuttle. A failure would definitely lead to disaster. Anti-science hubris caused the death of those seven astronauts, and crippled the US Space program. Many in the scientific community tried to speak out. Mechanical engineer Roger Boisjoly tried to get the launch scrapped in the days leading up to the disaster. Mr Boisjoly was not listened to, was not commended for his ethics, he was shunned by people in his own company and had to resign. Speaking out for astronaut safety was damaging to his career. By letting people who are good at politics make safety judgement calls over the advice of the scientific community was going to eventual lead to disaster. January 28th, 1986 saw that disaster.

When I got settled into my hospital room that night, my mother turned on the news so she could see what had happened in Florida that morning. We had heard from people in the emergency room about the disaster. It was heartbreaking to watch. I felt personally guilty because I was so worried about my own mortality, and just that very morning seven of our best citizens were killed by political hubris. I was still very afraid for my own well being, but I was sad for the families of the Challenger astronauts. They had to deal with unexpected death that day. In the weeks that followed, my ten year old mind was consumed with all the news surrounding the Challenger disaster. I was a child surrounded by sick people, and I was constantly thinking about those seven astronauts. I was constantly thinking about death.

The last thirty years have not quenched my thirst for knowledge concerning the Challenger disaster. As an adult I visit the Challenger memorial every time I make it out to Arlington National Cemetery. I am married to a mechanical engineer who learned scientific ethics from Roger Boisjoly. I work every single day to expose the arrogance and folly of those in the government who care more about fundraising than they do for the safety of their own constituents. Janurary 28th, 1986 was the first day I had to deal with death. It was also the first day that I decided to do something about it. One day I hope to go into outer space.

Rest in piece Gregory Jarvis, Judith A. Resnik, Francis (Dick) Scobee, Ronald McNair, Mike Smith, Ellison Onizuka, and Christa McAuliffe.

RD Kulik

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing.

Our future source for meat will not be the animals

The cattle farm of tomorrow

What if we could enjoy the taste and nutritional benefits of meat without subjecting the animals from whom the meat comes to the suffering that we currently put them through? In vitro meat is an attempt to fulfill this ideal. Also known as synthetic meat, test-tube meat, and victimless meat; in vitro meat is an animal-flesh product that has never been part of an animal that has been alive.

Winston Churchill said in an article that was written in 1931, “We shall escape the absurdity of growing a whole chicken in order to eat the breast or wing, by growing these parts separately under a suitable medium.” Thus, the idea of in vitro meat has been around for a long time. Only recently have we actually developed the technology to try it.

The first lab grown burger was cooked and eaten in 2013 at a news conference in London. This was accomplished by taking stem cells from a cow and growing them into strips of muscle. It was tasted by two critics, one of whom stated: “There is really a bite to it, there is quite some flavour with the browning. I know there is no fat in it so I didn't really know how juicy it would be, but there is quite some intense taste; it's close to meat, it's not that juicy, but the consistency is perfect. This is meat to me... It's really something to bite on and I think the look is quite similar.”

There is, of course, a world of difference between lab tested and consumer ready. Some challenges exist before we will find this option at our local grocery stores. One challenge is the cost. In 2008 a piece of in vitro beef weighing only 250 grams cost about $1 million. The burger that was created in 2013 had about $275,000 in funding to develop it. The professor leading the team estimated that it would be about 10 years before it would be cost competitive to traditional beef.

Another challenge, which is related to cost, is scale. Producing this stuff in a large enough scale to be useful to consumers is going to have to be considered. How do we culture these cells in a way that provides a well-balanced mixture of ingredients and growth factors? One possible solution is using a plant-based medium to keep costs down. In that case allergenic factors might need to be considered.

In vitro meat would not only reduce the suffering of animals, there are possible benefits for those who eat it over traditional meat too. Artificial growth hormones may not be required for production of in vitro meat. Omega-3 fatty acid could be added to it as well. It would also be produced in a much more sterile environment leading to reduced exposure to things like pesticides and fungicides.

On the environmental front, an Oxford study found in vitro meat to be much more friendly and efficient. According to the study, cultured meat would generate up to 96% lower greenhouse gas emissions than traditionally produced meat. They also estimated that it would require 7-45% less energy to achieve equal volumes of pork, sheep, or beef. Another major benefit would be 99% lower land use.

As far as ethical and religious concerns, thoughts vary among interested individuals. Though many animal welfare organizations are tend to favor in vitro meat since it does not have a nervous system, some who enjoy a vegetarian diet argue that using fetal calf serum as a growth medium negates the ethical consideration. Those identifying as Jewish disagree on whether in vitro is kosher. Scholars of the Muslim population state that in vitro meat would be allowed by Islamic law if the original cells and growth medium were halal.

I personally have been on vegetarian and vegan diets in the past. Currently meat does not sit well with me from the standpoint of suffering that it causes, therefore I have not been eating it. I would eat this “test-tube meat” were it to be available to me inexpensively. I am going to keep an eye on the progression of in vitro meat and am a candidate to be an early adopter once it is ready for consumers.

What do you think? Would you rather eat traditionally grown meat or meat produced in vitro given a choice if the end product was almost indistinguishable? Comment to let me know.

Kirk Aug

Kirk cultivates the Idea Farm here at SeedSing. He is always on the look out for the next great sociological invention. If you have an interest in the future, make sure to follow Kirk on twitter @kirkaug.

3D Printing and the New Manufacturing Revolution

3D print your own keys for the typewriter

Star Trek has driven my desire for a lot of technological advance. Much of it is already here. For example, Personal Access Display Devices (aka PADD) have come in the form of the many iPads, Surfaces, and other tablets that are ubiquitous today. Some functionality of the tricorder is already available in the pocket sized tablets which (for some reason) we refer to as phones. While I would love to go anywhere on Earth relatively instantly using a matter transporter, what I think we are much closer to today are the replicators that the ships on Star Trek have installed pretty much everywhere.

For the non-trekker, a replicator on the show is a machine capable of creating (and recycling) objects. Replicators were originally seen used to synthesize meals on demand, but in later series they took on many other uses. In the show the replicator works by rearranging subatomic particles to form the object. Here in the 21st century however, we actually have to be able to recreate the object using raw materials. What I am talking about here is 3D printing.

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, was developed in the 1980s. But it was not until some patents expired more recently that we started seeing the open-source community develop both commercial and do it yourself printers that brought costs down enough to be accessible to the average joe.

The manufacturing applications of 3D printers are many. Companies can make use of mass customization to allow customers to create a unique version of their product using a simplified interface. Companies looking to prototype their product before having it manufactured in mass can now do that easily. If you as a consumer do not have access to a 3D printer, there are online companies where you can upload your design and have it shipped to you.

In the world of Star Trek we were first introduced to the replicator as a way to be fed. Therefore, I was more interested in 3D printing as a way to indulge my hunger. My interest was peaked when I saw pancakebot, a printer specifically for making pancakes, and a NASA 3D printer making a pizza. Crackers, candy, and pasta are apparently already good candidates for 3D printing as well.

Other applications for 3D printing have so far included a car known as Urbee which has had all of it’s paneling and glass printed using additive manufacturing. Apparel makers and fashion designers of products such as shoes, bikinis, and dresses are using the technology for prototyping. Eyewear frames can be customized for the customer right in the shop. Architects no longer have to create their models by hand. There has even been plans for a 3D printed gun released online leaving many to question the efficacy of gun control in the world of today.

As with all technology it can be used for the betterment of society or its destruction as the firearm example arguably represents. On the other side of the coin medicine has been benefiting from patient specific implants and prosthetics. 3D bio-printing technology has been studied for possible use in tissue engineering applications. Layers of living cells are deposited onto a gel medium or sugar matrix and slowly built up to form three-dimensional structures. 3D printed pills are also on the horizon. Spritam, a drug that treats epilepsy, has already been FDA approved and uses a specialized 3D printing process to enable high doses of the drug in a single pill which quickly dissolves.

The big question is how these printers, once fully accepted and sufficiently advanced will start to affect things like our basic economy. Here again we have technology that replaces labor. How will we adjust as more jobs are taken away by home manufacturing machines? It is certain that we need to readjust our models of employment and distribution. The value of human labor is set to change dramatically. I am anxious to see how that all unfolds.

Kirk Aug

Kirk is looking forward to the day he use a computer to print out a computer and then submit an article with his new computer. Follow Kirk on twitter @kirkaug.

Flying is Still Pretty Awesome

Waiting can be the most unpleasant part.

I just finished a marathon of flying.  In the last couple months, I’ve gone to Philadelphia, Ft. Lauderdale, Phoenix, Anaheim, and Moline for work.  In addition, just a couple days after my latest west coast business trip, we hauled my entire family to Hawaii for vacation.  During this time, I’ve had long layovers at HNL, ORD, MSP, ATL, LAX, SLC, and LGA.  And for the most part, I actually enjoyed it.

Most of you now think I’m insane.  It’s fashionable to bitch and moan about airlines, airports, and the TSA.  And most of this is well deserved.

Domestic airlines are terrible.  Their idea of customer service has sunk ever lower into the blue liquid of airplane toilets.  Gate agents are often crabby and unhelpful (mostly due to problems created by their employers), and flight crews are frighteningly underpaid.  Domestic airports are also terrible, for the most part.  Due to TSA rules we can’t bring water in, so there’s a new cottage industry charging $5 for 16 oz of bottled water.  The wifi never works and the chairs are uncomfortable.  And then there’s security.  The TSA’s absurd attempts at security theatre are well documented, so I won’t go into them here. 

And yet, I still get a little excited as I drive up to the airport.  Bear with me here.

Part of it is that I think planes are, for lack of a better word, “neat.”  We lowly primates have actually figured out how to fly regular people, including the very young and very old, safely around the planet at Mach 0.8.  See?  Neat.

I’ll let you in on a secret.  My business travel profile says I prefer an aisle seat, but that’s a little white lie.  I feel like it’s a “grown up” thing to request an aisle, but secretly, the kid in me wants the window.   Once the plane pushes back from the gate I perk up a little, and crane my neck to look outside.  One of my favorite parts of the taxi is the turn toward the runway where I can see the queue of planes waiting for takeoff.  I always smile a little when I see the variety, sometimes a tiny ERJ-135 lined up in front of a massive A330, or if you’re lucky, a majestic 747.  When we make the final turn, and the engines spool up for takeoff, and we start hurtling down the runway, my inner six year old comes out.  As the nose comes up, and we ascend into the sky, I look down and watch the “toy” cars and the streetscape recede into the distance, and I feel as though I’m off on an adventure.  Even if that adventure is probably going to take place in Moline.

I also spend a lot of time looking out the window once I’m in the air.  I’ve seen some pretty amazing things from 35,000 feet.  Once, on an overnight flight to London, we flew above a thunderstorm over the North Atlantic.  Watching the lightning crackle between the purple clouds below you is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen.  On a trip from London to Paris, the sky was totally cloudless, and over the English Channel I could see the southern coast of England and the northern coast of France, and it looked exactly like a map outline.  (And Normandy from the air looks just like central Illinois.)  I’ve never seen the Grand Canyon from the ground, but it’s pretty grand from the air!  The Rockies are, literally, awesome.  On my recent trip to Hawaii, flying from Kauai to Honolulu I saw the remote Kaena Point, where my husband and I had hiked just a few days prior.  Flying into New York, I like seeing how the Pennsylvania farmland gradually gives way to the snarl of north Jersey traffic and the concrete jungle.  Even when it’s an overcast day, I love breaking through to the bright sunshine, and seeing an ocean of fluffy white clouds beneath me.

Kaena Point is no Moline

Granted, some of my enthusiasm is just nostalgia.  I had a lot of fun on planes as a kid.  I remember having playing cards with the Eastern Airlines logo, back when airlines still gave out playing cards (and Eastern Airlines still existed).  My older sister taught me to play Crazy 8’s with those cards.  When the beverage cart came, for some reason, I always ordered ginger ale.  I still associate ginger ale with airplanes.  The first time I had Diet Coke was a sip from my mother on a plane, right after it came out in the early 1980’s.  I remember not liking it.  Back then, going to India to see relatives was a bit of a project.  (I guess it still is, somewhat.)  Since there were no non-stops, we always had to stop in Europe, and then fly from Europe to India.  Before modern improvements in technology, you needed a big plane like a DC-10 to make a LHR-BOM trip, but there weren’t all that many people on them.  So as kids, we could run around the mostly empty back of the plane (in the smoking section!) and not feel so confined.  You could also push up all the armrests in a center row, and take a little nap. 

So yeah, I kind of like being in the air.  But airports, they don’t have any redeeming qualities, do they?  Well, domestic terminals, not so much.  The intercoms are so fuzzy they sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher.  And I don’t care how many airport restaurants Wolfgang Puck opens, the food is always uninspiring.  Plus, the armrests don’t go up on the seats, which is an extra thumb in the eye of a stranded passenger hoping to get some rest.

But, in a nice big busy airport like ATL or LAX or even ORD, there is fun to be had.  I like to wander over to the international terminals and watch people and planes.  It’s fun to see the big jumbo jets lined up, each with the paint of a different national carrier.  Aer Lingus, Air India, JAL, Qantas, Emirates, and so forth.  They all show national pride in their carefully designed liveries, and they remind me that 12 hours in the air can get me almost anywhere in the world.  That is mind boggling.  In my car, 12 hours would get me to Minneapolis.  (Not that there’s anything wrong with Minneapolis.)

It’s also fun to people watch, in both domestic and international terminals.  Everyone is coming from somewhere, or going to somewhere.  Business travelers, looking blasé or harried, whiz by on their way to some conference in Vegas, or maybe a sales call to Anytown, USA.  Little kids experience a moving sidewalk for the first time, and run in circles laughing their butts off (mine did).  Some brave women zip through the terminal on 6 inch spike heels.  I assume they’re all fashion executives, just back from Milan.  Sometimes you see happy young couples heading off for their honeymoons, and then, like a ten-year flash-forward, you spot a bedraggled Mom and Dad, hauling a stroller, 2 car seats, and 3 rugrats home from Florida.  Some people are happy to be going wherever they’re going, some are just glad to be home, and some are upset for whatever reason, but everyone has a story.  It’s a reminder that life is full of possibility, and that the world is smaller than it has ever been.

So yes, it’s a damn shame that various economic and geopolitical forces have conspired to make air travel far less glamorous and fun than it was in the past.  But if you go in with the right attitude and outlook, you too might catch a thunderstorm out the window from 6 miles up, on your way to Bangkok, or possibly Moline.

Tina S

Tina is a sometime contributor to SeedSing and occasional guest on the X Millennial Man Podcast. She is currently working on a photo series of the best food courts in all of the world's airports. There is not a lot of variety. We made a twitter for Tina, go follow her @TinaSeedsing. 

We Must Halt the Dumbening of Our Society

The most accurate thing in this photo is the uniform

So we now live in a world where a high school freshman is arrested for making a clock.  Although it impressed the science teacher, it scared the English teacher (apparently not enough to evacuate the classroom, but let’s not let logic interfere).  According to the police, said clock looked like a “movie bomb,” because their training came from Die Hard.  And then, with no understanding themselves, the left starts throwing around a word like “genius” as if any bright, curious kid who likes to play with technology is automatically Einstein.  (Apologies to Ahmed Mohamed, who may be a genius, but who might just be a talented future engineer.)  This whole pile of stupid is what happens when lay-people have no functional understanding of science and technology.

How many times have you heard a supposedly educated and thinking person say to you “Oh, I can’t do algebra” or “chemistry is so boring” without a hint of embarrassment?  These same people would never proudly declare “Oh, I can’t read at a 7th grade level,” or “Shakespeare is so confusing” because people would assume they’re uneducated rubes.  But to my ear, these are one and the same.

When did this happen?  Was it when we divided the world into jocks and nerds?   When we decided all science-types had some form of autism spectrum disorder?  (For the record, I know many socially well-adjusted science-types.)  Five hundred years ago, the model of the educated man was someone like Rene Descartes, who was a philosopher (Cogito ergo sum) but also developed an entire branch of mathematics.  Ben Franklin is as famous for being an inventor as he is for political theory.  But now, top caliber universities offer humanities and social science degrees without any lab science requirements, instead granting credit for “Biology for Poets” and other nonsense.

I’m not on this hobby-horse just because it’s a personal pet peeve.  This is important because it informs our public debate. 

Part of the problem is that lay-people do not understand the process and language of science.    I’m sure we were all taught the scientific method as children.  First, you formulate a hypothesis.  Then, you design an experiment to attempt to DISPROVE this hypothesis.  Once that hypothesis survives enough reasoned attempts at disproving it, it becomes established science.  Sometimes, new data or research methods yield contradictions to established science, and we develop a new testable hypothesis and go from there.

The words “theory,” and “law” mean something different in science than in the vernacular.  A scientific theory is not just a harebrained idea that hasn’t become scientific law.  It’s not a science bill awaiting Stephen Hawking’s signature or something.  They’re distinct concepts.  Laws are models that describe HOW things work, whereas a theory is a broader explanation for a set of phenomena.  (For instance, Newton’s laws of motion describe an object’s behavior at sub-light speeds.  On the other hand, a workable theory of gravity must pull together all prior work on the subject, from Galileo to Hawking.)

Prudent scientists are never 100% certain about anything.  But a dishonest media uses that 0.001% uncertainty as a cudgel in public debate to claim that the scientific jury is still out.  Thus, because of prudence on the part of science, we “debate” whether or not man-made climate change is real.  (It is.)  We “teach the controversy” about whether or not the earth is only 6000 years old.  (It’s not.)  Dr. Trump warns that vaccines cause autism.  (They don’t).  And we talk about whether or not these are “differences of opinion.”  (They’re not.)  These are as “proven” as science ever gets.  There is most certainly a debate to be had about policy approaches, but not about the data itself. To paraphrase the late Pat Moynihan, you are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own science.

The other factor that allows liars, charlatans, and know-nothings to manipulate the public debate is lack of mathematical literacy.  I remember years ago watching Dennis Miller discuss climate change on Jon Stewart’s show.  He mentioned that the earth’s temperature had risen 1 degree Fahrenheit over the past century, and then dismissed such a small change as insignificant to the future.  Miller made the mistake of assuming that all relationships are linear.  They are not.  A 1 degree change over the past century does not necessarily predict a 1 degree change over the next century.  More likely, this change is exponential:     

With only two data points, Miller has no reason to assume that the trend looks like the chart on top as opposed to the second chart (or some other relationship altogether).  But he doesn’t even seem to understand that he made that assumption to begin with!   It requires a functional understanding of analytic geometry to see that (thanks Descartes!).  I’m not suggesting that comedians are considered authorities on climate change.  But they and other lay people influence the debate, and as a society, we need tools to critically evaluate their claims.  And we don’t have them.

We don’t have them because we think that math and science are only done by geniuses, so “regular” people can’t possibly learn them.  Or we think that science is informed by “opinion” and that anyone’s opinion matters.  Neither is true.  For the future of our democracy (baseball, apple pie, the American way of life, etc.), we must teach our kids that science isn’t “scary” and “hard.”  Props to Carl Sagan, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Bill Nye, and a host of others for trying.   The next step might be expecting educators to not immediately be scared of an engineering project.  

Science is as easily accessible as history.  We used to teach history as a rote collection of names and dates, but we don’t anymore, because context lends the subject relevance.  Scientific context and relevance should be even easier since you see it around you every day.  But you need reading comprehension to learn history, and you need math comprehension to learn science.  All are essential for an engaged public and a vibrant civic debate.  We know that we can’t leave history in the past.  We must learn that we can’t leave science in the lab.

Fight the dumbening of society.  (Is that how you spell dumbening?)

Tina S

Tina hangs out around the virtual cube farm of SeedSing and throws out world changing ideas. We assume those are home made clocks she leaves around the office. Show off your smarts by writing for SeedSing.

Green Cars: Is it Enough?

Electric vehicles have grown up quite a bit.

SeedSing is proud to offer voices from all over the globe. Today we present a guest post from professional mechanic Giles Kirkland. Get your ideas heard by writing for SeedSing

Electric vehicles are, without a doubt, one of the greenest options drivers have when it comes to their choice of car. These vehicles - known as EVs for short - don’t emit any emissions, helping to reduce your carbon output. Yet there is much more to the automotive industry than just fuel emissions, so are today’s green cars enough?

Adoption Rates

First of all, it’s worth noting that, no matter how good EVs may be, the benefits are somewhat diminished if the adoption rate is so slow. No matter where you are, a quick glance at the road will reveal more petrol or diesel based vehicles compared to electric options. As such, there’s clearly some barrier to entry that needs to be readdressed.

One of the more obvious problems is the cost. EVs are relatively new cars, with upcoming models like the Tesla 3 costing around $35,000. Compared to a second hand, petrol based car, there’s a big margin in affordability.

In time, this will go down as the technology becomes more widely available and a second hand market emerges. Even now, however, it's estimated that hybrid cars have a higher cost - up to 20% more - compared to fully petrol based vehicles. That’s still a big margin, especially for budget buyers.

Energy Sources

While cutting on a reliance of fossil fuels is certainly green, the energy used to charge a car from is also just as vital. If such an electric car is powered via coal-generated electricity, can it truly be green? For any car to be environmentally friendly with electricity, owners must ensure they only use renewable power.

It’s also worth noting that some drivers have the option to use a greener fuel source without upgrading their car. Many diesel vehicles are able to use biodiesels, which is much more sustainable. You can even make biofuel at home and it is legal in many countries across the world, including America and the United Kingdom. Just make sure your diesel particulate filter is in the exhaust system cylinder, rather than the exhaust pipe.

Construction Materials

Furthermore, while the likes of Tesla are busy creating lithium-ion powered vehicles and driverless cars, there’s little talk about the actual materials used in their construction. These vehicles still use metal and other natural elements, which may or may not be acquired through sustainable means.

Of course, many manufacturers (although not all) are actively recycling materials where possible. Car bodies, for instance, are typically made from aluminium or steel. Ford alone recycles enough aluminium to produce 30,000 trucks per month, which is certainly a very green effort.

Similarly, more and more car parts can be recycled, provided owners dispose of them responsibly. Glass, of course, can be melted down and re-made, while car tyres can be recycled for their rubber.

Yet this need to recycle is more important in the very green areas. Catalyst converters use three rare earth metals - platinum, rhodium and palladium - while even EVs use lithium-ion for their batteries. This battery source doesn’t have an indefinite lifetime, so recycling efforts will be needed to curb lithium mining as much as possible.

Other Forms Of Transport

As good as green cars can be, they are not the only forms of transport available. When it comes to adopting sustainable travel, there are many more obstacles to be tackled. While electric trains and buses have been in production for some time now, there’s a much greater difficulty in getting the power requirements to replace aircraft and ships.

Even when it comes to electric cars, there are numerous gaps in the market. 4x4 cars, vans and trucks all have big markets - contributing significant emissions in their own rights - yet have little in the way of green alternatives.

Cultural Perceptions

Finally, there are still many people out there who are afraid or unsure of EVs. Part of this is down to a fear of new things, as studies have shown people greatly come around to the idea after being inside an electric vehicle.

Similarly, one can also look at automotive media for a prime example. Motor shows, magazines and other media prioritise the power and performance of combustion engines, rather than the efficiency of EVs. Even when it comes to power, there are a number of plug-in hypercars in production, showcasing the capabilities of EV, but these seldom get mentioned.

Ultimately, it is up to drivers, as people and as consumers, to encourage a greener driving reality. An increased uptake in EVs, certainly, will encourage a wider availability. Yet even people without this financial option can undertake more eco-friendly methods. Whether that’s using biofuels or adopting green driving methods, such as a better fuel economy or car pooling, there are many areas where people could do more, but often don’t.

So, are green cars enough? While they are good, they don’t achieve everything that a truly sustainable, green option should. That being said, they are a large step in the right direction and this should not be underestimated.

Giles Kirkland

Giles Kirkland is a professional mechanic with a passion for greener living and sustainable developments. Have an idea? Tell SeedSing all about it.

Drones: The Good, the Bad, and the Unsettling

Your newest delivery man

A few evenings ago, as the library was closing, I was sitting in my car in the parking lot catching up on some things on my phone. Suddenly I heard a tap at the window. There was a woman outside and she was pointing toward the sky. I got out to find out what she was so excited about.

There were some red and green blinky lights hovering in the air above the street a half of a block away from where we were standing. It was too dark to be sure what the lights might have been attached to. “What do you think that is?” she asked. I told her that it seemed like it might be a drone. Once it started moving I was certain it was a drone. I saw a light occasionally come on which I think must have been to facilitate a camera controlled remotely somewhere.

Her theory was that it might be a UFO. I stopped myself from explaining that since UFO stands for “unidentified flying object” and we have not definitively identified the flying object it technically was a UFO. Nonetheless, I could tell that she was very creeped out by what was happening. I reassured her that, since it hovers like a drone and moves like a drone, it was most likely a drone and not a visitor from somewhere else in the universe. We parted ways and I started thinking about the future.

We are not too many years away from wide scale drone delivery. Last year Amazon, the country’s largest online retailer, sent a letter to the FAA regarding the development of their Amazon Prime Air service. When I first heard about this I was pretty excited. Same day delivery via drone sounds pretty nice. But the applications go far beyond my consumer fancy of same day toilet paper or flying fast food. I started thinking about natural disasters and getting medical supplies out to where they are needed much faster than we can now.

Currently there are not that many drones which have the kind of range required to master drone delivery, but you can be sure that there are many companies working on perfecting it. Of course technology companies like Amazon and Google are working on it. But so are parcel delivery services such as FedEx and UPS. The first FAA approved drone delivery has actually already taken place. Although aided by an airplane modified by NASA to work remotely like a drone, this pioneer delivery dispatched medical supplies. Domino’s and a company called Tacocopter are already delivering food now as well.

These delivery applications are all very provocative, but what about those creeper drones that I started with? Even more scary, to me, are the drones being used by our military to attack unsuspecting weddings. Well, those things are already here. It is true that a peeping tom could use a drone to look into your window and there is nothing that you can do about it. In fact, because that it is considered an aircraft, it is a felony to shoot it down. As far as this scenario goes though, I think that the legal situation will change and that drones that are hovering within a certain height on private property will start to face some sort of legal consequence if it has not been invited.

As far as military use of drones goes, I guess the question to ask is whether our technology has outpaced our sense of compassion for humanity. I would argue that perhaps it has, but it certainly is not just because we use drones. For that matter it is not even remotely recent. Ever since humans have been making tools, there were always some made or used as weapons. This is just a modern version of that human foible.

What do you think? Are drones appealing or chilling? Let me know your views in the comments.

Kirk Aug

Kirk is the technology trend watcher at SeedSing. He is always looking to the sky in order to help fellow citizens identify the UFOs. Follow Kirk on twitter @kirkaug.

Have Some Courage and Stop Complaining about the iPhone 7 EarPod Evolution

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye.

Being an Apple user, I have an iPhone, so does my wife, and I have an iPod, I was not surprised that they were putting out a newer version of their phone, the iPhone 7. They do this all the time. It will be bigger, yet sleeker, new and improved, and it will be the best phone that they will have ever assembled, until the next one comes out. Look, I like Apple products. I think that they work really well and are very useful. But, I do not like the fact that they are putting out something new seemingly every 6 to 8 months. I just got an iPhone 6, which is a great phone, but I am three phones behind their newest model now.

That is not the reason for the blog today. My biggest problem from the new release of the iPhone 7 is the complaints coming from people that the earbuds are now wireless. Talk about your first world problems. Yeesh, for people to get mad about something as trivial as that, we clearly have a problem as a country. Anyone anywhere will find something to complain about, even when the product is the most advanced thing that has ever been created in its field. I mean, had you told me 15 years ago, when I was listening to CD's in my Walkman, that I would be able to buy headphones that have no wires, my head would have exploded. We live in a very cool time, as far as advances in technology go.

But, like I said, people will find even the smallest thing to complain about. I hear people complaining, saying things like, why is there no jack for head phones, or what if I lose my earbuds, or how will I listen to music in my car, what am I going to do now when I exercise. Think about what you are complaining about. I don't want to get all preachy and sound stuck up or anything, but do you think people living in huts in underdeveloped parts of the globe, or living in igloos near the northern most part of the world, or people living in houses with dirt floors in third world countries really want to hear us lazy Americans complain about some damn headphones? No way.

That is the problem with the US. We are lazy and complain about everything. Now, I'm not saying I don't do that. Hell, I complain about a lot of stuff on this website and on our podcast , but I know it is all in good fun, and when I get it off my chest, I let it go. Just like I will do today after I write this. But, I ask again, why is this such a big deal? Why is it front page news on websites? Why are so many people, mainly entitled millennials, moaning and groaning about this new era of earbuds? I don't know the answer, and that kind if bugs me.

I mean, first of all, who really cares. We will adapt to this, just like we did when VHS went to DVD and DVD went to Blu Ray. Or, just like when 8 tracks went to cassette and cassette went to CD and now, CD's have been replaced by MP3's or iTunes. Things change and we find ways to change with them. Sure, it will be weird at first, trying to listen to something in my car, I have not set up my bluetooth, but I will figure it out, and I am near being a technology illiterate. And yeah, it may be a bit different when I go for a run and put in wireless earbuds, but, what if I love it? What if it makes running so much easier? I tend to knock the earbuds out of my ears if I am running hard because I hit the cord that attaches them. Maybe this new invention will stop me from doing that. I don't know, but I know that I will adapt. As will all the people complaining about it right now. It is really such a minuscule thing that really has no effect or impact on our lives. We will get through these "trying" times. I just wish we weren't so entitled and lazy as a country.

I have dedicated an entire blog to those that are complaining about some headphones for gods sake. It's sad if you think about it, and it mainly comes from my generation. We think that everything should be easy, because if it's not, we will not do it, and let thousands of people know about our dislike. We need to get over it, and I'm talking mainly to all millennials. We live in a great time, but all we do, for the most part, is bitch and moan when something isn't the way we think it should be. I hope when my kids get older they don't have to deal with nonsense like this. Hopefully they will be more grateful for all the cool shit that they are going to have when they are my age. But, one can only hope.

Anyway, seriously millennials, it's some damn headphones. Get over it and just enjoy your new iPhone because there will be a new one before we know it, and the iPhone 7, with its wireless headphones and all, will soon be an afterthought.

ed note: The original title incorrectly called the headphones earbuds. They are called earpods. The internet is filled with helpful people.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Hear Ty talk about how he listens to music has changed in the last 30 years on a classic edition of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Ty is also on twitter, go follow him @tykulik. 

How the Internet has Changed Pop Culture

Popular culture is a complicated beast. Like the Hydra, it has many heads, and when you think you've figured it out, two more heads pop out of the last. I'd like to thank SeedSing.com for helping expand the conversation on so many topics, including this one. If you have time, check out their article about why the book is always better than the movie—argued from the perspective of someone who doesn't actually agree!

For its relatively short lifespan, pop culture has undergone many changes. Within the past century, it has developed alongside different forms of media, including radio, movies, television, and finally the internet. Of these forms of media, none has been more transformational than the internet.

While radio might at first seem like the first big mover of pop culture, the vast majority of pop culture has been a one-way street for nearly a century. Entertainers delivered material, and consumers absorbed it, transmitting it to other consumers in the process and growing the market. The internet has massively altered the way information is transmitted and, as a result, turned the entire pop culture scene on its side.

The Two-Way Street

In some ways, there's always been some level of interaction between fans of pop culture and perpetrators of pop culture. Music concerts, fashion shows, and other spectacles allow fans and enthusiasts to attend and see the latest—that much hasn't changed. But with the internet, people can also provide meaningful feedback instantly.

It has replaced the thousands of fan letters that are never read and go unanswered. Services such as Twitter and Facebook allow everyday people to interface with real celebrities, artists, and content creators on a very personal level. Rather than wait days or weeks for a response to hear from these famous figures, the public may see a response in mere minutes.

The leaders of pop culture haven’t let this change go unnoticed either. More than ever, social media pages are advertised on television, over the radio, and even within products. “Visit our website to learn more,” they say. “Text (something) to 321” will get you added to a list for any number of different things.

Even a person like Dr. Phil has gotten in on the act, with his show sometimes weighing the opinions of the public by broadcasting their responses to his questions live. As this trend continues, entertainment shifts more and more away from being a mostly passive to sincerely welcoming interaction.

The Death of Cable

Another amazing phenomenon we’ve begun to experience is the slow demise of cable. While there is still a hefty subscriber base to standard television, the numbers are beginning to dip. Consumers are seeking their entertainment elsewhere, mostly through streaming services over the internet.

As a result, the movers and shakers of pop culture are no longer just the late-night TV hosts or the faces of prime-time television. A new demand for quality entertainment that directly answers the wants and needs of the consumer has created an incredible lineup of original shows that can be seen any time so long as you have a subscription to the right service (typically Netflix).

That brings us to the heart of our next point: The change in audience has created a new type of consumer.

On Demand

The instant nature of the internet has, in many ways, altered the patience of consumers. As progressively more content becomes available on demand, it changes audience expectations. Pop culture becomes something the audience doesn’t want to wait to read about in the tabloids tomorrow—why bother when they can visit TMZ’s website right now?

In some ways, this has also created a conflict between the previous generation and the new. The older generation is used to waiting; what choice did they have? "Snail mail" got its name precisely because it was so slow. But the new generation wasn't raised on that.

The new generation has been exposed to an entirely different upbringing that is reshaping everything we know about pop culture. Deemed “millennials,” these new consumers are used to things being available instantly. They grew up with cell phones, email, and instant streaming movies.

Naturally, pop culture has developed to answer these needs. Vendors of popular items sell their goods online with fast-paced shipping. Virtually every major bill can be paid online with a few taps. And since the newer generation spends so much time online (typically on a phone or laptop), much of advertising has moved there as well.

Copy That

In many ways, the internet is solely responsible for the most freely produced content since the dawn of history. Because all online entertainment is stored as data, it can be (largely) freely copied. Unlike physical media, there are no limits to how many times data can be reproduced.

Internet users first figured it out on a large scale when Napster became big over a decade ago. A single user could post a song they had on CD, and thousands of other users could download it and share it themselves. Because there was no physical limitation on the number of copies, it meant millions of people could get music for free.

With time (and faster internet), file sharing expanded to videos and larger programs. So too did the record companies’ fight against what they deemed internet piracy. Today it still continues unabated, but new efforts have been made to fight against file sharing.

The Fight Against Piracy

This brings us right back to today’s on-demand culture. Piracy has been combated in two different ways. The first is through censorship and monitoring. The FBI has taken down several pirating websites, and Hollywood has sued the owners of select IP addresses that pirated movies. Well, except the people using VPNs, since they’ve been able to hide their IP addresses.

The second way has been just to make content more accessible. Instead of having to visit the video store, you can load a show up without leaving home. Music can be purchased one song at a time instead of having to buy an entire album. Little tweaks to the market have dissuaded quite a few pirates by making the legal way just as easy.

Other entertainers have embraced the idea of free content by literally making their stuff free but stuffing it with ads or add-ons that can be purchased for cold, hard cash. Video games have changed quite a bit as well. Many games can be bought before they’re even finished, allowing users early access to the still developing product.

Where most games usually shipped finished, now we see games sell with only a limited amount of content and the rest purchasable at a later date. This is made possible only by a fully connected population that can go online at any time to buy the new content.

What Tomorrow Holds

If present trends continue, we’ll only see more digital media come to replace physical media. The internet can’t quite replace live conventions or concerts, but it has afforded many more access to these events than ever before.

While print struggles to stay alive, online versions of popular magazines and TV shows flourish. Independent content also continues to grow in popularity, with YouTube and Twitch providing platforms for individuals to create content for other users.

We won’t know what tomorrow holds until it happens; my bets are in for something fast, convenient, and accessible anytime, anywhere.

If you have thoughts to share about pop culture and the internet, post a comment below.

Isa

About the Author: Isa is an internet security specialist and entertainment blogger. If you enjoyed her work, check out some more of her writing on Culture Coverage. Follow Isa on twitter @ Go like Culture Coverage on Facebook. 

There are a Number of Reason to not Live Off the Grid

Until this gets better, we need to stay on the good old grid.

Many parts of the US are getting destroyed by bad, windy storms recently. I know that they hit the North very hard a few weeks back, and yesterday, at least in the Midwest, we got crushed. I live in Saint Louis, and we were absolutely hammered by a very bad storm yesterday. It got very, very dark during the late afternoon, and then the wind started. At first, I thought, this will be a quick, passing storm, boy was I wrong. This storm lasted for a good 2 to 3 hours and it was brutal. The rain was pouring. The wind was intense. The sky stayed dark.

The absolute worst part about this storm, the power went out in our home. I have not been in a storm when the power has gone out in almost a decade. Usually when it rains hard, the power stays on and the rain passes. That was not the case yesterday. Our power went out at about 3:15pm central time, and it did not come back on until 9:30pm. We didn't even have it the worst. I know people that live in neighboring towns that power went out the same time ours did, but they didn't get their power back until 2 or 3 in the morning.

I am not here to complain about rainstorms today. I actually want to take my time to talk about how, in this day and age, miserable it would be to be "off the grid". Many people know what this term means, but if you don't, a simple explanation of being "off the grid", you don't use TV, cell phones, computers, basically no electronic devices. It's almost like living Amish. In fact, I bet the Amish thrive in rain storms and being "off the grid". But, I always thought it would be interesting and kind of cool to see what it would be like to be "off the grid" myself for a few months. Well, I can say, with authority, after only 6 and a half hours, being off the grid would be the worst.

I always feel nervous when a bad storm hits, so add on the fact that my cell phone was about to die, and I had no way to charge it. That meant, if my phone died, I would have no way to contact my wife, my in laws or my folks. That was frightening.

Secondly, the storm hit when my kids where resting. My daughter, who is nine months old, slept through it all, but my son, who is 4, was very, very scared. So, not only was I frightened by the fact that I may have no way of communicating with my wife and family, but my son's fear added to mine. He did not care for the lights being out. He is kind of afraid of the dark to begin with, and with it being as dark as it was during the day, he was terrified. He snuggled like to me like he had never before, that's how scared he was, he never snuggles up with me.

Third, this is where it will start to get trivial, but it bears referencing, we had no television or radio to listen to. Having no TV, at that time of day, totally threw us off our routine. When my son gets out of "quiet time", he gets to watch a TV show. That is what we do everyday. But, with the power out, that was off the table. My son, much like my wife and myself, thrive on consistency. When he realized he would not be watching a show, he grew even more upset. Then, the radio thing, we don't have a boom box in our house anymore because it is 2016. We haven't had a stereo in the house for about 5 years now. It's pointless because we listen to everything on our phones or our iPods. And I wasn't going to get in the car to listen to the radio because it was so terrible outside. So, another lack of communication outside.

Fourth, the fridge and the freezer were shut down. We had ice cream and frozen pizza in the freezer that could have easily thawed and been rendered useless. In the fridge, we had meat, milk, cream and a bunch of other perishable items. I was very nervous that these would all go bad and that would be like throwing cash into the trash can. We have some good pork chops and chicken breast that could have very easily gone bad had our power not come back on. I was so looking forward to my pork chop last night, but that was a no go since our fridge and stove didn't work. Fifth, we had to go out for dinner, but a bunch of places closed or had an hour wait. We spent over an hour just trying to find a place to eat when my wife got home. That's just annoying.

We got home from dinner and the power was on, but only for about 5 minutes. That was a tease. They hadn't fully fixed the problem yet, and they shut us down again at about 8:15pm. I was about to give my son a shower, but now we had to do that by candlelight. That was tough and not fun. My son was scared. I couldn't see what was going on. I was frustrated. He was scared and started to cry. It was a disaster. I also had to shower myself by candlelight, and that is a pain. It's like taking a shower with a mini strobe light. It was not ideal.

My wife and I finally got the kids to sleep right around 9pm in our very warm house. That was another problem, it was steamy in the house. We had no relief, even with the windows open. It was hot and I was sweaty, another deal breaker. But, we got the kids asleep, I showered, was getting ready for bed, then the power came back on. I felt a relief like I had never before. It was so nice to hear the AC click on, the lights power up and turn the TV back on.

That little 6 and a half hour departure from the grid was more than enough for me to not want to do more than that ever again. It all sounds nice and peachy to say that you want to live "off the grid", but I think it is just that, just a nice thought. The people that actually do it, more power to you, but it is not for me and I think it is highly overrated and kind of gone the way of the "hipster".

"Hipsters" want to do everything old school, but the problem with old school, like vinyl records, unicycles, VHS tapes and being "off the grid", everything has been updated to make it better. We have CD's and MP3 players, we have mountain bikes, we have DVD's and Blu-Ray's and we have electronics that make our lives so much easier and better.

The storm from yesterday erased any thoughts I had of trying to be "off the grid" at some point, and I think being "off the grid" is an old fashioned idea that sounds good, but is pointless and worthless. People who live "off the grid" are just as lame as "hipsters". The grid is our friend.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. His views on hipsters are very, very, clear. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.

The SeedSing (half) Year in Idea Farming

We have a few ideas

Part of SeedSing's mission is to highlight the ideas and technology that will create a better future. We call this collection of essay's The Idea Farm. Contributors seek out and discuss these innovations on the pages of the website. What began as a few book reviews posted in the Politics/Society portion of SeedSing has grown into its own community. Join us as we highlight the (half) year in Idea Farming.

Kirk Aug started his posting career on SeedSing by taking a look at the unintentional benefits brought to us through piracy. He stayed in the world of computers and customization with a look at a future without an installed dedicated operating system on our computers. The use of one's electronic devices may one day allow us to communicate with anyone around the world. The pirates of yesterday have become the innovators of tomorrow.

How we conduct our day to day lives through technology is rapidly changing. Your car will soon not need your participation to get from point A to point B. The Microsoft Band and Android Wear watches started occupying space on our wrists long before Apple's offering. Even as we speak, unmanned drones are slowly filling our skies, confusing many of library patrons. The productivity of one's office is rapidly changing. Guest contributor Matthew Young highlighted many new technologies beneficial to the business world.  While there does not seem to be a lot of use for 3-D printing in the home, the technology is radically transforming the world of manufacturing. The technology innovations of today will be parts of our normal lives in the future.

The Idea Farm was not only about looking at future tech. Tina S asked us why we celebrate stupidity in our society. RD wanted to know if it is time we give up on the poisonous ideas of capitalism. Kirk wanted to give a proper name to the communicator he carries around to make calls and search the internet. The future is full of questions and uncertainty. Once we have worked our way through these questions, it is best to relax and mediate.

The Idea Farm was very interested in the food of the future. One of our most popular posts came from Kirk and asked us all what is real food. The rise of lab created nutrition may create a safe and guilt free hamburger. If the idea of eating something that looks and taste to natural turns you off, one could always take a sip of some Soylent. The farms of tomorrow are being cultivated in the lab.

The world we are creating is exciting and unknown. Electronics have moved away from the desktop and inhabited every aspect of our world. Hunger and global climate change can be reversed with some of the innovations surrounding nutrition. We have a lot to be hopeful for, and a lot to be anxious about. When the drones fill you with dread, go home and have a nice meditation session. It will all be ok.

RD Kulik (and the SeedSing contributors)

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. Come join the conversation of tomorrow by writing for SeedSing today.

The SeedSing (half) year in Politics and Society

What is the opposite of progress?

SeedSing was launched on May 1st (National Workers Day) so we could look at politics and pop culture from the common person. We are not interested in influence or telling stories that will protect the egos of the well connected. What started out as one man's personal political philosophy has grown into a discussion covering a variety of topics. Join us for a look back at the year in politics and society.

The first article posted on our Politics/Society section was about The Ohio Problem. Every presidential election states like Ohio become very important to the national Democratic Party. Out of state consultants are brought in to fund raise and create a massive voter outreach program for the presidential nominee. In their effort to secure the state, the Democratic Party forgets about the local candidates. The lack of voter turnout during non-presidential elections is a direct consequence of the Ohio problem. There was another election in November of 2015, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky saw the election of a Tea Party zealot for Governor, large in part because voter turnout was so low. This is directly related to the Republican Party taking over the majority of local offices in many blue states. We identified the The Ohio Problem, and then tried to find out how to solve this issue. Technology and an emphasis on local messaging are two solutions we put forward. In 2016 SeedSing is looking forward to many other solution oriented ideas on how to fix a problem like Ohio.

The how and why of the modern Republican Party was featured many times on SeedSing. The hypocrisy, lack of global leadership, the need to be hateful, the absence of vision, and the celebration of failure, were all on display for the Republican Party this year. The only glimmer of hope in their dreary future seems to be Senator Rand Paul, but the Republican Party does not seem to care about a candidate who can grow the parties voter base. The parties faithful base would rather rally behind a loudmouthed bigot idiot that has never heard of Muhammad Ali or Kareem Abdul Jabbar.

The traditional press and the original internet taste makers were beginning to show their incompetence in 2015. The rise of Donald Trump is upon us because the news people on television love to have a good story. It is time to ignore the press before they really bring disaster to our society. The old icons of the internet were not behaving any better than their television counterparts. Reddit and Gawker may be letting out their final breaths. At SeedSing we believe it is time for the old walled ways of the internet to die, and it is time to make way for a new open discussion.

How we live and the way we define people became a topic of discussion all over the internet. Tina S shared her views on what #ILookLikeAnEngineer really means. The saga of Rachel Dolezal briefly made us talk about how we identify race. Kirk Aug recommended books on  the failure that is the war on drugs, and the policy side of death. We took a look at the legalization of marijuana, and it's eventual failure at the Ohio ballot box.  Who we are and how we live will determine the type of society we will die in.

Gun violence became a larger problem with a solution falling farther away. Guns were used as tools of destruction for a racist. Guns were used to kill two people trying to do their jobs. Guns were used to cause terror at rural community college. Guns were used by crazy people to insight terror in Paris. Predictable we decided to fight this terror with more destruction. Each event was covered by the news, and as a society we tried to find meaning. The public was never able to discuss the gun as being part of the problem, and the violence continues. 

We had many challenging discussions at SeedSing about the state of our politics and our society. 2016 looks to be an even more exciting year. We have a Presidential election to look forward to. Will Hillary win it all (probably)? Have something to say about the state of politics and society? Come join our conversation.

Thank you for 2015. On to 2016

RD Kulik (and all the SeedSing contributors)

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. Do you love SeedSing, but do not want to write? Money is always welcome around here.

Soylent: The pet food for people?

Since we are not Soylent, sales have been challenging.

Being a house pet must really be nice, ya know? You never have to think about what to eat. It is just the same thing for every meal. You can rest assured that as long as you eat that one thing and only that one thing, you will get a balanced nutritional serving.

Us humans on the other hand have it tough. Options. Nothing but piles and piles of options. Always either fighting off an urge to eat more leftover Halloween candy or worrying about whether another bowl of pasta might make three too many. If only there were an option to fill my cupboards with a single product that would satisfy all of my nutritional needs and make it so that I do not have to put any more effort into my nutrition than to consume said product every so often.

Enter Soylent. “Soylent is a meal replacement beverage, advertised as a "staple meal", available in both liquid and powdered forms. Its creators state that Soylent meets all nutritional requirements for an average adult.” (via Wikipedia)

When I first heard about Soylent the first thing that came to my mind was, “is it made of people?” This as I had only been subjected to the 1973 film Soylent Green and not the earlier term reference in a 1966 science fiction novel Make Room! Make Room! which featured a product called Soylent made of soya and lentils. Soylent’s name apparently comes from the novel, but I am still suspicious.

Soylent has gone through several revisions since it was released as a product for consumers to utilize. The first versions came as a powder which needed to be mixed. The powder was shipped in bags that contain 3+ servings. They are available in various quantities and there is even a monthly subscription option for those who want to put this diet of nutritional ease on autopilot.

Now in revision 2.0 there is a ready to drink bottle. You can subscribe to get 144 bottles a month for only $348. It apparently does not spoil, even unrefrigerated, for a year. What is claimed to be in it, if you are one of those who believe the claims that it is not people, is soy protein, algal oil, isomaltulose, vitamins, and minerals. Each 400 calorie serving contains 33% carbohydrates, 47% lipids, and 20% protein. The product is vegan and the bottle is recyclable.

Reports on the taste of the substance are highly variable. Some find it surprising, some find it disgusting, others have more of a neutral stance on the taste.

So I suppose I need not envy my dogs’ tightly simplified diet any longer. I too can have the option of no options. I am not sure if I really want to try this or not though. After all, my dogs are always begging for table scraps. What about you. Would you try a diet of Soylent for the benefit of making your dietary needs super simple? Let me know what you think.

Kirk Aug

Kirk cultivates the Idea Farm here at SeedSing. He is curious why they did not name Soylent Bachelor Chow. Follow Kirk on twitter @kirkaug.

Marty will be here soon. Do we have all the tech he needs?

Displayed at the 2015 Hill Valley retro auto show

I like writing about self-driving vehicles, drone deliveries, 3D printing, and other technology that has great potential to shape our future. Occasionally however, I like to look back at how today was conceptualized by generations before ours. One great example of this was released in the form of a film known as Back to the Future II. When Marty arrived in October 21st, 2015 the setting was quite a bit off from what we will really see on that day. Let us take a look at some of the predictions made by that film and how close they actually came.

Flying Cars

Doc, Marty, and Jennifer arrive in 2015 on a skyway. A skyway appears to be an interstate in the sky which flying cars can use to more efficiently travel longer distances. Flying cars were not conceptualized by the Back to the Future writers. In 1962 the animated series, The Jetsons, traveled by flying cars. Every kid growing up in that era knew that by the time they were adults, flying cars would be ubiquitous. Perhaps the culture that was started with The Jetsons is the main reason that many times when someone expresses disappointment of the present, they commonly utter the phrase, “Where’s my flying car?”

In 1940 Henry Ford, of Ford Motor Company fame, said, “Mark my word: a combination airplane and motorcar is coming. You may smile, but it will come.” Where are we on Ford’s promise?

Of note are the Moller Skycar M400 and the Xplorair PX200. Both of these are what is known as vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. The Xplorair is a single seat aircraft, while the Moller can accommodate up to four people. Moller states that the skycar is “an aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter, is able to fly at high speed, yet also able to travel at low speed on the ground and narrow enough to fit on urban streets.” The Moller uses rotary engines, unlike the Xplorair which takes advantage of the Coandă effect to propel itself into the air. The Xplorair has been funded by the Government of France and is scheduled for a drone flight in 2017 at the Paris Air Show and commercialization thereafter.

As you can see there are challenges to creating flying cars. Engineering something that is going to be practical takes time. But we haven’t given up yet and maybe by the time we get there we will even have flying cars that drive themselves!

Auto-Lacing Shoes

In 2015 Marty looks very out of place in his 1985 style. So Doc gets him some more current apparel including the Nike Air Mag shoes. So do we have Nike Air Mags today? Well, sort of. You can get a pair of officially licensed Nike Air Mags from an online costume shop for around $100. However you will be disappointed to find that there is no auto-lacing technology in these shoes. But, hey, they have functioning lights!

So what hope do we have for auto-lacing shoes? Well there is a company called Powerlace who have designed an auto-lacing shoe that works simply by pressing your heel down to tighten the auto-lacing. The problem is that their Kickstarter campaign never got fully funded and so it remains to be seen whether Powerlace will ever release a product.

The other, perhaps more promising, hope comes as a confirmation from Nike designer Tinker Hatfield who reportedly said that his team is working on delivering a Nike MAG with Power Laces sometime in 2015. The year is quickly slipping away, but maybe we will see them. I wonder if this would be more of a case of Back to the Future inspiring the future than predicting it, however.

Hoverboards

When Marty runs into Biff’s grandson, Griff, he manages to anger the violent psychopath and “borrows” a hoverboard to escape. Griff follows him on his own, more featured hoverboard which was jet powered. Not knowing that hoverboards would not work on water without jet power he was stuck and so to escape Griff he jumps off causing Griff and the gang to crash into the courthouse. Griff was arrested and Marty got away.

If you want something that looks more or less exactly like the board that Marty hovered around on in the movie, you are in luck. That product does exist today. When it was originally released, it cost a mere $120. That sounds like a pretty good deal for a hoverboard until you realize that it is a prop replica and is little more than a plastic board. It does not hover. Every once in awhile I see these things around. But then I am the type of person who hangs out at geek conventions where there are souped-up DeLoreans made to look like a Back to the Future time machine. I usually see the hoverboard sitting in the back seat next to the flux capacitor.

As far as an actually functioning hoverboard, there have been several attempts. As far back as the 1950s the Hiller Flying Platform was a hovercraft which was quite a bit more cumbersome than anything similar to a skateboard, but did accomplish the task of propelling a person in the air in a sort of hovering effect pretty early on. Jamie Hyneman built a makeshift hovercraft for MythBusters, dubbed the Hyneman Hoverboard. It was made using a surfboard and leafblower, but was still not very practical.

The closest that we have gotten is the Hendo Hoverboard created by a company called Arx Pax. The boards use magnetic field architecture technology to work. To the recreational hoverboarder all you need to know is that it requires a special surface to operate. According to Arx Pax: “Hoverboards have been in high demand since their launch in October 2014. Building Hoverparks and retro-fitting skateboard parks will soon be underway for this new sport to take flight.” There has also been a press release from the company just today that a next generation of their hoverboard will be unveiled on October 21st. This new version will supposedly feature a more skateboard-like design and feel and was collaborated on with famed skateboard guy, Tony Hawk.

So I guess we sort of have hoverboards now.

All of these advances are still far from commonplace though as depicted in the film. The challenges with these ideas are many and while we are forever trying to be inspired by our science fiction dreams of the future, reality always has laws that limit the extent to which we can reach them. But still we try and eventually we come up with some pretty interesting uses of technology. Some of which past fictional ideas never could have thought of.

Lastly, if you want to see a pretty funny fan-fiction comedy of Marty and Doc coming to the real October 21, 2015, I encourage you to check out College Humor’s: Back To The Future In ACTUAL 2015.

(ed note: Some non-tech predictions. Back to the Future predicted a Cubs World Series win. Is it going to happen? Universal also released a preview for Jaws 19, go check it out).

Kirk Aug

Kirk is waiting for his automatic drying jacket to turn on. He got all wet when his wheeled hoverboard ran him into a creek. Follow Kirk on twitter @kirkaug.

The Government is Keeping Us off of Mars

This is the only rocket NASA can afford.

Do you know who Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornieko are?

Do you know who Alan Shepard and Yuri Gagarin are? (I really hope you do.)

What about Neil Armstrong, does his name ring a bell?

How about Mark Watney, I am going to assume you have heard of him?

According to my basic internet / personal polling research most people know that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, Yuri Gagarin was the first person in space, Alan Shepard was the first American in space, and Mark Watney is a fictional character who is stranded on Mars. Most people have no idea who Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornieko are, and that is a huge shame. 

Astronaut Kelly and Cosmonaut Kornieko are just past the half way point of a year long mission on board the International Space Station. One of the goals of this mission is to determine what prolonged time in space does to the human body. Kelly and Kornieko volunteered to be human guinea pigs in our quest to travel farther into space, first stop Mars. Read all about their amazing mission here.

Andy Weir's sci-fi novel The Martian (and the recent Ridley Scott Film based on the book) tell the story of Mark Watney and how he survives on Mars when he is accidentally left behind (read this book, it is outstanding). The story is filled with real scientific scenarios based on the ideas we have about the hospitality of Mars.  The realism of the book help make it, and the movie, a huge hit. It is not out of the realm of possibility to think that we could make a manned mission to Mars in the near future. There are still some very large issues to figure out, like how are we going to stop our Mars explorers from being cooked alive by radiation. We are working to figure out these problems, and the first human steps on a different planet are forthcoming. Humanity is on the verge if interplanetary travel.

The biggest leap of faith in Weir's book is the idea that NASA is well funded enough to support the cost of manned Mars missions. Americans always seem excited about the possibility of space travel, yet our government never has the will to commit money to the endeavor. The budget to run all of NASA in 2015 was approximately $885 million. The US congress has spent $5 million (and counting) on their admitted politically motivated Benghazi committee.  The US house has spent northwards of $75 million trying to repeal Obamacare. The pointless never ending wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost at least $4 trillion, and that does not account for the medical care returning veterans will require. There have been billions of unaccounted for money the US has distributed all over Iraq and Afghanistan. A manned mission to Mars is estimated to cost around $100 billion. The point is that our government balks at the price tag for manned space exploration, yet they have no problem wasting money on politically motivated pet issues and other forms of fraud. The latest tea party hero, Jim Jordan of Ohio, costs the taxpayers around $120 million every year so his district can continue to manufacture tanks that the Army does not want. The fiscal conservatives halt NASA and our future, yet waste untold amounts of money on things that do not advance humanity.

Our government's lack of investment in space exploration contributes to the public's dismissive attitude about current space explorers. What Gagarin and Shepard did was dangerous and unknown. What Armstrong did was dangerous and inspiring. What Kelly, Kornieko, and all current space travelers do is dangerous and vital to our future. Mark Watney is more well known because The Martian is a great book, and the hero represents our hopes for what a future of interplanetary travel will look like. Weir's hero is dependent on what NASA has done, and will do. Our future on Mars has its genesis in what Kelly and Kornieko are doing on the International Space Station. We will get excited about Mars when we have heroes to root for. Our current astronauts are these heroes. They should be celebrated at least as much as a fictional character.

A manned mission to Mars is inspiring and necessary. People are flocking to read, and see, The Martian because it inspires hope and pride in humanity. The scientific discoveries made through the space programming are staggering. When President Kennedy told us we had ten years to land on the moon, the technology did not exist. Nine years later we landed on the moon and started a new computer revolution. We do not have the technology to walk on Mars, yet. When a strong leader emerges in our government, and we are challenged as a nation to rise up, we will see humans walk on Mars within our lifetimes. What great technical revolution will follow? Astronaut Mike Kelly and Cosmonaut Mikhail Kornieko are getting us ready to travel beyond the moon. Their work is paving the way for a future Mark Watney. We deserve to experience the awe and pride of interplanetary travel. We deserve a government that believes in the future.

Thanks to NASA.gov and Space.com for their help in my research. Seriously go read The Martian.

RD Kulik

RD is the Head editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man podcast. He is wondering if Valentine Micheal Smith is waiting for us on Mars. Join the conversation by writing for SeedSing.