Podcast 221

The Negative View of Technology. It seems as though the pessimistic view of the world takes precedence these days, especially when it comes to technology and the future. Autonomous machines, robotics, driverless cars, the Internet, smaller (and larger) personal devices are portrayed as the villain. What happened to the formerly optimistic view of the future as portrayed in ‘Star Trek’, the original TV Series? The Hollywood Lens of tech today makes ‘Blade Runner’ look like a romantic comedy! On a beautiful fall afternoon, The Bob Davis Podcasts escapes the bunker for coffee at a ‘joint’ full of hipsters, working on their wireless devices, and portable computers. As technology frees some, apparently it imprisons others. Or so some commentators would have us believe. Do we view the present, and future, too darkly? With technology on most factory floors of the late 90’s vintage, advancements in technology associated with data storage, energy, materials, 3D printing and the like, there’s plenty of room for growth just doing upgrades! It’s time for an optimistic view of what we can do with science, and technology to produce a better country and a better world. What kind of political system, economic policy and foreign policy do we need to unlock and promote innovation and economic growth, while maintaining security. How are we pushing toward the future, while some parts of the world push toward the past? Why do commentators and reporters have a tendency to take something terrible happening in one small part of the world, and turn it into a crisis everywhere? How can we change our thinking about tech and the future? Finally, when will we develop an intuitive and ‘smart’ ATM? One that won’t charge us 4 dollars to get a hundred? Sponsored by Baklund R&D. 

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Podcast 210

On The Road. A listener email sparks a discussion about the true nature of technology. “Tech” is nothing more than a tool. Tools can be used for good, or bad. Problems are never completely solved, but they are managed. The constant ‘dystopian’ predictions about the effects of tech on unemployment, and the impending obsolescence of Human Beings is becoming just another meme. It’s time to become a little more realistic about technology in our society and not attach only good, or only bad to it. “What will people do when machines do everything?”. Will we become fat and useless? Or, will we find other, new things to occupy our thoughts. The Bob Davis Podcasts emphatically votes for the positive version of the future. This podcast mixes a response to listener email with some bizarre observations about the continuing trip. This leg included Colorado, Utah and Arizona. Driving through the most impressive landscape America has to offer. Denver and the Rockies with their ski areas (Vail, Aspen et al), switchbacks, tunnels, racing Union Pacific Trains along side the highway, The Navaho Nation, Monument Valley, Arizona, and the final run to Phoenix on Route 89, to Interstate 17. All the weird towns, and the endless search for coffee. This podcast was recorded, mixed and produced in the big booth at Denny’s in Flagstaff, Arizona. The greatest experience of this ‘On The Road’ effort is the ability to produce podcasts and post then from anywhere. Using off the shelf technology, The Bob Davis Podcasts has been liberated from ‘The Man!’, to go anywhere, anytime, and still be able to record, produce and file podcasts. Moreover, as the travel ‘experience’ sinks in, there will be plenty of stories and lessons to share in future podcasts. Its easy to forget how diverse, massive and unique the United States is, especially the Western States. Sponsored by Baklund R&D. 

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Podcast 206

Boardwalk Empire and the 1920’s. A new guilty pleasure and obsession is HBO’s award winning ‘Boardwalk Empire’. 1920’s America was a time of great upheaval, social change and prosperity. Innovations like Radio, telephones, automobiles, commercial flight, electricity and mass production enabled some to make enormous sums, but also created a burgeoning middle class. As the nation’s wealth doubled, the Jazz Age began. Prohibition, depressed crop prices, waning unions and progressivism, the shift of population from small towns to cities gives this era real bite. What’s not to like about the 1920’s. ‘Boardwalk Empire’ is doing a great job showing the good – and the bad – from 1920’s America. If your image of the 1920’s is crowds milling around Wall Street in October of 1929, you’re really thinking about the 1930’s. In fact the 1920’s was an era throughly embraced by its young people, for its raw growth, music and opportunity. But it was also an America that had not been fully transformed by a national ‘image’, a time when cities were smaller (Chicago only could claim 2.5 million citizens), and every place still still claim some level of ‘uniqueness’. Even train travel as we know it today was still relatively new. Still ahead was the depression, the run up to World War II, and the post war world. Behind the 192o’s was World War I. It was a time of peace and prosperity. Generally speaking, good times. How does this era compare to the 1920’s? What kinds of discoveries, innovations and developments are on the horizon to explode, and transform our world – for the better – if and when prosperity returns? Sponsored by Autonomouscad.com. 

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