The Androids Are Coming! Kissinger, The Statesman And Villain. Have We Actually Planned For EVs? “You’ll Never Walk Alone”
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” – James Baldwin
- When the word android comes up in conversation, it usually describes a device (phone or computer) that uses the Android operating system. For this take, I am discussing the other android, the one that Hollywood exemplified via movies like RoboCop, Terminator, Ex Machina, and Alien. The android, by definition, is a robot designed to look or behave like a human being. All the movies I listed, plus many more, used some semblance of an android as an antagonist, or in some cases a hero. Whether we gave credence to the use of androids in movies or not, the forefront of artificial intelligence is allowing the android to become part of the thread of our existence.
Scientists somehow have developed tiny robots made of human cells. These scientists, after years of research and laboratory testing, have discovered these tiny robots, a.k.a. ‘anthrobots’, are capable of reproducing characteristics of man, imitating distinctive features such as appearance and movements. The initial objective of this research and development is focused on healthcare, investigating how anthrobots can provide therapeutic potential using human tissue grown in the laboratory. Have I lost you yet?
To be a bit more clear, here is the net result of the laboratory testing and experiments: To test the anthrobots’ therapeutic potential, the developmental biologists placed several anthrobots into a small dish (think Biology 101). There, the anthrobots fused together to form a ‘superbot’, which the researchers placed on a layer of neural tissue that had been scratched. Within three days, the sheet of neurons had completely healed under the superbot. This was surprising because “the anthrobot cells were able to perform this repair function without requiring any genetic modification.”
Going forward, developmental biologists think anthrobots made from a person’s own tissue could be used to clear arteries, break up mucus, or deliver drugs, with or without genetic engineering. By combining several cell types and exploring other stimuli, it might also be possible to develop biobots — robots made from biological material — with potential applications in sustainable construction and outer-space exploration. I know this reads a bit wonky, but the use of anthrobots and biobots are clearly going to change the way we live…not now, but in the very near future. This short video explains some of the applications of biobots:
- He was a veteran, serving with the U.S. Army’s 84th Infantry Division, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973, and was the only politician who served as the Secretary of State and National Security Advisor at the same time. He advised both Republican and Democratic presidents, pioneered a policy of detente with the Soviet Union, was instrumental in diplomatically ending the Yom Kippur middle east conflict, and opened up relations with China.
Born Heinz Alfred Kissinger in Furth, Germany, his family was bullied by anti-Semites, forcing them to move to New York in 1938. He soon became an American citizen and was awarded a Bronze Star for his work as a translator in intelligence operations which led to the capture of Gestapo members. The accolades are numerous for Henry Kissinger, who passed away last week at the age of one hundred.
Many called Kissinger an enemy of the state as his negotiations around the world led to the deaths of thousands, with many pointing to him as the reason so many U.S. military personnel lost their lives in the Vietnam War. He was called the master of ‘proxy regimes’ often sabotaging chances to end wars and conflicts with his never-ending level of extending compromise. I remember my father, who fought in the Korean War, was not a supporter of Henry Kissinger. Upon review, my father’s negative take on Kissinger is supported by millions of others.
After reading about Kissinger, I came across this quote from Benazir Bhutto, who was a Pakistani politician and stateswoman who served as the 11th and 13th prime minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 1996. She was the first woman elected to head a democratic government in a Muslim-majority country: “To make peace, one must be an uncompromising leader. To make peace, one must also embody compromise.”
Was Henry Kissinger all about compromise or manipulation, or in his case are these two words interchangeable?
- I have written, to a point of ad nauseum, my concern with the push from the federal government with electric vehicle (EV) mandates. Whether it stems from our electrical grid infrastructure or the lack of charging stations, it is obvious to me that the EV mandates are premature. The continued development of EV batteries, allowing for greater miles per charge, and the installation of EV charging stations around the country may help satisfy some of my concerns, but the Biden administration’s regulation that would require that two-thirds of new vehicles sold in the U.S. be electric by 2032 is basically ridiculous and unwarranted.
I assume that these mandates were generated by eco-phobic politicians, who used Tesla’s early-stage vehicle demand to support their EV theories. The reality has now set in as automobile dealers across the U.S. are pushing back on the administration’s EV mandates, with a clear message that electric vehicle demand today is not keeping up with the large influx of EVs arriving dealerships prompted by the current regulations.
Last week, 3,882 dealerships across all 50 states have sent a letter to President Biden urging him and his administration to hold off on EV mandates. That is a strong message from a very important sector of the U.S. economy – clearly stating that the majority of customers, for many reasons, are not ready to switch to electric vehicles.
Ironic or not, at the same time these dealers are pushing back on EV mandates, the City of Detroit is adopting a wider acceptance of EVs with the installation of a quarter mile “charging” road, similar to the technology for charging cellphones and other devices. The City of Detroit states that large copper coils are installed under the road to create a magnetic field inducing electric current in a receiver in the car. While these “charged” roads may increase the range EVs can drive between charges, does anyone way smarter than me see issues with a magnetic fields on our highways that induce electric current?
Talent is talent. The operatic voice of Cristina Ramos is amazing enough, and then as Gomer Pyle said so eloquently, “Surprise, Surprise, Surprise.” Wow!!!
This Thursday is December 7. If that date is not significant to you, I would strongly suggest you Google December 7. It was only eighty-two years ago. Please fly your flag.