Science and Technology Archives - Page 3 of 9

National Planning is Like Hiking on a Rough Trail

By Bill Clontz July 18, 2022 July 18, 2022 Leave a Comment

It’s the Half-Hidden Roots and Rocks that Will Trip You Up

Three Key Elements Most of Us Seldom Think About

The global economic, production, and transport disruptions caused by COVID and the war started by Russia have brought to the front some important elements of life and security that are often overlooked until they become a crisis.

To their credit, the Biden administration saw these as concerns early on, and have moved early and aggressively in the face of these recent escalations.

But we are in no way out of the woods on any of them.

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Ruminations at Large

By Bill Clontz May 26, 2022 May 27, 2022 2 Comments

A Few Quick Notes on Assorted Items in the News

Trump’s Waning Influence

As the primaries conclude, one can take some encouragement from the results in terms of Trump’s impact. When he backed the best known candidate in a crowded field, he had some luck. But in a number of places, on both candidates and issues, he came up short.

This is not an end-state Happy Days just yet, and lots of infected people are asserting themselves and running for office across the country, but there are some hopeful signs. It is important to remember that these were Republican and conservative Independents in many places who said with their votes that they were tired of Trump,

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An Homage to Our Senses

By Bill Clontz May 8, 2022 May 13, 2022 2 Comments

We May Overlook the Gifts of Our Senses. Today, We Recognize Them

A Change of Pace for Agents of Reason

More times than not, this blog talks about our lack of sense – as in Common Sense. National and international news has been so intense of late (and will get more so over the next 6 months), I thought we could use a little change in focus for today. About those other senses, not about common sense.

I have mentioned from time to time how important our senses are, but only in passing.

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Four Great Reasons to Quit Carbon Energy

By Bill Clontz April 24, 2022 April 26, 2022 Leave a Comment

No Matter Your Politics or Economics, Now is the Time

Energy Remains a Defining Element of Human Life

The ability to harness energy has been a defining qualify of human existence for a very long time. So much of what we know, do, and assume is based on harnessing energy. That is not going to change any time soon. More likely is that it will never change.

While I admire, and to at least some degree support, calls to minimize energy usage, it is most unlikely that we will economize our way out of the problems this posting highlights.

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Short Observations on a Busy, Weird Week

By Bill Clontz March 31, 2022 April 1, 2022 Leave a Comment

The Last Few Days Have Been Long on the Sublime and the Ridiculous

Starting with the Easy Stuff

The Academy Awards

I have long found it increasingly harder to care at all about the Academy Awards. It seems a party of self-congratulation among people whose lives have zero relevance or connection to the rest of the world. But, hey, I have my favorite movies, too and and sometimes the outcomes are interesting. The Big News this time, of course was Will Smith slapping Chris Rock. Four VERY short observations:

Way too much has been written and discussed on this little dustup already.

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Big & Little Things Noted Lately

By Bill Clontz March 13, 2022 March 15, 2022 3 Comments

Funny How Things Catch Your Attention. Here are a Few That Caught My Eye Today

TV Interviews at Home

One thing the pandemic made routine was people on tv being interviewed in their homes. We have been doing this for two years now, and some people are on tv regularly being seen from their homes.

For these repeaters, I am really surprised that we see that we are in their bedrooms, or kitchen, or some other space that looks unprofessional. By now, one would think they would put up a background screen or use one of the electronic backgrounds readily available,

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Relooking and Rethinking the Arts

By Bill Clontz March 3, 2022 March 4, 2022 1 Comment

New Technologies and Approaches Lead to New Perspectives

The van Gogh Effect

Many of you are probably aware that something of a phenomenon launched last year with some high-tech based shows around Vincent van Gogh and his work. One such exhibit opened, finding much commercial success and attention. As such things go, several more variations opened all around the country. There must be at least a half-dozen of them now, with spin offs coming along built around other artists.

We were curious enough to sign up for one a few months ago in a city not too far away from us,

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Tantalizing Tidbits of Technology

By Bill Clontz January 25, 2022 January 25, 2022 4 Comments

A Half-Dozen Technology Good News Stories

Checking Back in on Some Old Friends, and Some New Ones

From politics to climate to pandemics, we have no shortage of discouraging or downright scary reading. As I do from time to time, I thought we might all enjoy a little change of pace today. As regular readers know, this site has regularly dedicated space to hopeful advances in science and technology.

Often, I have cited promising new advances that are in the “we hope so, but too early to tell” category.

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