Anything Wrong With a 48″ TV In Your Car? Yes, An Oscar Nomination. Comments/Questions? The Council on Foreign Relations. Billy Powell is Pure Talent.
- Quote of the Week: It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. – Albert Einstein
Let’s see…. because drivers on America’s highways and interstates are not distracted enough? Ford’s designers and engineers, at a minimum, are tasked with delivering discernible differences with the design and performance of their line of vehicles. Competitive pressure dictates that Ford reinvent how drivers get information and their new Lincoln Nautilus will be Ford’s first offering of the Lincoln Digital Experience. The platform: a 48-inch-wide screen that runs the full width of the windshield, and of course the screen has 4K resolution to match today’s high-end TV screens. Ford touts the ability of the driver to read weather, trip computer, and entertainment information from behind the wheel of a 4,500 lb. automobile/SUV. Do not get me wrong, I really like new technology, especially anything to do with audio and video, but has Ford carried in-vehicle technology a bit too far?
- Friends of mine frown upon my admiration for Godzilla. Totally unprovoked, they question my sanity with what I consider one of the best examples of a dynamic character. Godzilla is a force of nature, a villain, a hero, and at the same time an antihero. I have written about Godzilla and have explained to naysayers, amongst other comparisons, there is no comparison between Godzilla and King Kong. I will not bore you with the details, but there is no comparison.
So, to my dear friends, keep giving me grief about Godzilla as what goes around, comes around. Godzilla, the legendary ‘monster,’ has landed his historic first Oscar nomination. A well-deserved one at that. Who would not want to see the epic, Godzilla Minus One? :)
The first month of 2024 is already done. Here are some thoughts and questions as we head into February.
- I caught some flack over last week’s post, specifically my statement about Nikki Haley’s quote. One reader suggested (called me) a racist. It is possible the context of what I wrote read wrong or maybe some people took the statement the wrong way. To all: I write this blog to get comments, feedback, and questions…but if you refer to me as a racist, check yourself. 110% wrong.
- She was a mom, a businessperson, a gatherer, tough, loving, and empathetic all at the same time. Carol, rest in peace.
- Later today is my favorite day of the NFL season. To me, the NFC and AFC championship games are so great to watch. Not that I am not looking forward to Super Bowl LVIII but starting today at 3pm EST is usually seven hours of great fun.
- How long does the U.S. and Great Britain abstain from a ground war in Yemen to eradicate the Houthi rebels? The Houthis attacked another commercial ship on Friday and slowly but surely, supply chain issues are starting to bubble up. Enough said.
- Anyone familiar with ‘loud budgeting?’ As much as I can tell, it is a Gen Z mantra complaining about their financial circumstances and how expensive things are. I have an answer, but I am not sure many Gen Zers want to hear it.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol is seriously wrong. Arrested and charged with DUI in the state of Florida usually results in a big fine, license suspension, vehicle impoundment, and sometimes being jailed. Above and beyond those consequences, your father being Hulk Hogan cannot be good. Good luck, ‘Bubba.’
- As described on their website: The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries. Founded in 1921, CFR takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.
I have heard about the CFR in the past but never really dug into what they do. As a think tank the CFR provides a massive amount of unbiased information about foreign relations and to dumb it down, what is actually going on with countries around the world. One bit of information they provide is called the Global Conflict Tracker, an interactive guide to ongoing conflicts around the world, and how those conflicts concern the United States. The Global Conflict Tracker map displays close to thirty conflicts with background information and resources on each conflict.
When you listen to people complain about the United States, have them look at this map and the list below. At whatever level, we should be thankful. https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/
Americas
Criminal Violence in Mexico
Instability in Haiti
Venezuela Crisis
Asia
Instability in Afghanistan
Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea
North Korea Crisis
Instability in Pakistan
Conflict Between India and Pakistan
Confrontation Over Taiwan
Civil War in Myanmar
Europe and Eurasia
War in Ukraine
Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
Middle East and North Africa
Conflict in Syria
Instability in Iraq
Instability in Lebanon
Conflict Between Turkey and Armed Kurdish Groups
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Civil Conflict in Libya
War in Yemen
Violent Extremism in the Sahel
Confrontation With Iran
Sub-Saharan Africa
Conflict in the Central African Republic
Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Instability in South Sudan
Conflict With Al-Shabaab in Somalia
Conflict in Ethiopia
- BEST IRISH TEXT MESSAGE OF ALL TIME: “Mary, I am just having one more pint with the lads. If I am not home in twenty minutes, read this message again.”
- I often discuss what I refer to as ‘pure talent.’ The discussion can relate to different types of artists, scientists, and athletes, but for me it always comes back to music. I am all good with many people not being fans of Lynyrd Skynyrd, a Jacksonville, Florida-based band, named after one of their high school teachers. Southern rock and blues are not always fan favorites, but if you spent any time in the southeastern United States in 70s, 80s, and 90s, you listened to Lynyrd Skynyrd. The band, like many of that era, had many eye-opening stories, but one that still sticks with me to this day is about one of their band members, Billy Powell.
As Gary Rossington explains in the first video below, it was only a heavy rainstorm that allowed the band to discover Billy Powell’s amazing keyboard skills. The second video, an ancient one at that, gives us a brief glance at Billy Powell’s opening to the song Freebird. Do not even tell me that you did not like the song Freebird…do not.
Yes, I am envious of really talented people. Billy Powell was pure talent.