I’ve been reading and thinking about Reality (174 blog posts) for most of my adult life. This video sums it up (for me). And from the same producers: Time Only Exists Because You Are Thinking.
Mr. Wolf does Baja
Some breathtaking video of Mr. Wolf’s trip down the Baja California peninsula.
Line crew on coldest day of the year
Local electric co-op has a line crew out on one of the coldest days of the year. Keeping branches away from power lines. Short video.
Quiet quitting
I’ve seen the phrase “quiet quitting” more and more in the last couple of years but had only the vaguest understanding of what it meant. ChatGPT explains:
Quiet quitting is a workplace trend where employees do the bare minimum required by their job descriptions—no extra tasks, no overtime, no going above and beyond. It’s not about actually quitting but about setting boundaries and disengaging from the traditional “hustle culture” mentality.
This concept gained traction as a response to burnout, low pay, and the expectation that workers should always be “going the extra mile” without additional compensation or recognition. Quiet quitting isn’t necessarily about laziness; for many, it’s a form of self-preservation and work-life balance.
Critics argue that quiet quitting leads to a lack of ambition and weakens company culture, while supporters see it as a necessary pushback against exploitative labor practices. The phenomenon reflects broader shifts in attitudes toward work, particularly among younger generations who prioritize well-being over career-driven sacrifice.
Murderbot TV series coming May 16
Martha Wells’ award-winning sci-fi book series will soon be a streaming series, co-created by Chris and Paul Weitz and starring Alexander Skarsgård. Murderbot is described in an Apple TV+ press release as a “comedic thriller,” which matches up with the books; Skarsgård plays the title character, “a self-hacking security construct who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable clients … Murderbot must hide its free will and complete a dangerous assignment when all it really wants is to be left alone to watch futuristic soap operas and figure out its place in the universe.”
This is pretty much how I pictured Murderbot.
Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries is a science fiction series centered around a self-aware security android that has hacked its own governor module, allowing it to act independently. Rather than fulfilling its assigned duties, it prefers to binge-watch entertainment feeds and avoid human interaction. However, when its human clients face danger, Murderbot reluctantly steps in, often grappling with its own identity, autonomy, and the moral implications of its actions.
The series begins with All Systems Red (2017), where Murderbot protects a group of scientists from corporate sabotage. As the series progresses, it embarks on a journey of self-discovery, questioning what it means to be free while uncovering deep corporate conspiracies. The series blends action, humor, and existential reflection, making it a unique and engaging read. Murderbot’s dry wit and awkwardness make it a relatable and beloved protagonist in modern sci-fi. (ChatGPT)
Photos: Title, caption, keyword
Just finished adding captions to the 2,490 photos and 33 videos in the Photos app on my MacBook. I’ve been diligent when it comes to giving a title to each photo and have waxed and waned with keywords. But not so good about captions because I really didn’t understand their function in the Photos app.
In the MacOS Photos app there are three primary pieces of information. The title appears in the Photos app, but not on the iPhone. I used to go a little crazy with Keywords but started over with this update. Since I have every photo in at least one Album, Keywords are not as important. I’m still thinking about how I’ll use them.
The Caption (the red rectangle above) is probably the most useful metadata and what I omitted on most of my photos. I think of captions like those descriptions people used to write on the back of a photo or in the margin. “Uncle Ernie and Aunt Betty at the State Fair in Des Moines on their honeymoon in 1937.” Captions can be as long or as short as needed with each word or phrase searchable. Where there is a corresponding post here, I include a link in the photo caption.
When I tell friends what I’m doing most are quick to point out that the Photos app has enough intelligence to find all “trees” or “flowers” or “pickup trucks.” What they’re really telling you there is no way in hell they’re going to put captions on thousands of photos. And I don’t blame them. If you save every photo and are willing to endlessly scroll/search when you want to find one… okeydoke.
I am much more intentional with my photos. Having half a dozen nearly-identical photos is just clutter because someone was too lazy to select the best and delete the rest. Keeping a poorly composed or blurry photo makes no sense to me. Just delete it. Which is easy to do… unless you wait until there are hundreds (or thousands) and the task becomes too daunting.
Who, you might ask, is ever going to look at those photos 50 years from now? Or read these blog posts in the unlikely event it’s still here? My answer: ChatGPT or one of her decedent’s. For the same reason archeologists sift the ashes of Pompeii.
Zap Car
(Wikipedia) “ZAP was an American company that specialized in electric vehicles of various types, such as cars, motorcycles, bicycles, scooters, watercraft, hovercraft, ATVs and commercial vehicles. Its name was an acronym for Zero Air Pollution. It was based in Santa Rosa, California, but it is no longer active.”
I spotted this beauty on the floor of MacWorld in 2008.
There is no “you”
This is one of the better explanations of the illusory nature of the self. The closer I get to understanding this, the more impossible it becomes for me to share it. This video might be as close as I’ll get. Watch on YouTube
“You are who you hang with”
Singer Sheryl Crow, 63, waved goodbye to her Tesla as she sold the electric car and blasted billionaire “President Musk” in a viral clip. “There comes a time when you have to decide who you are willing to align with. So long Tesla,” Crow captioned an Instagram post rebuking Elon Musk’s intensifying political power as leader of the Department of Government Efficiency as well as President Donald Trump. Crow pledged to donate the money generated from the sale to NPR, “which is under threat by President Musk,” in hopes that “the truth will continue to find its way to those willing to know the truth.” About her decision to sell the car, Crow wrote, “My parents always said … you are who you hang out with.” (The Daily Beast)
“What can you tell me about this airplane?”
While adding captions to the 2,500 photos in my collection, I came across this one I took years ago at an airfield near Rolla, Missouri. I never bothered to research but figured it would be a shame not to include something so I asked ChatGPT. Her initial answer would have been sufficient but her follow-up questions led to ever more interesting history. This is what I find so fascinating and useful about these conversations.
Steve: Can you provide any information about this airplane? (Image of a vintage U.S. Air Force aircraft attached.)
ChatGPT: Yes! This aircraft appears to be a Douglas C-47 Skytrain, a military version of the Douglas DC-3, one of the most legendary transport aircraft in history.
Key Identifiers:
- Twin radial engines with large propellers – typical of the C-47.
- Distinctive cockpit shape and nose design – matching the DC-3 family.
- “U.S. AIR FORCE” markings – indicating its military service.
- Metal fuselage with riveted panels, common in WWII-era aircraft.
History and Significance:
- First introduced in 1941, the C-47 was widely used by the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War.
- Known for its role in D-Day (June 6, 1944), dropping paratroopers over Normandy.
- Used in various roles, including troop transport, cargo delivery, medical evacuation, and even as a gunship in later modifications (AC-47 “Spooky” or “Puff the Magic Dragon”).
- Many were later converted for civilian use after military service.
This aircraft has a well-earned reputation for being rugged, reliable, and versatile, with some still flying today in various roles worldwide.
Do you know where this particular C-47 is located? It looks like it might be part of a museum or an airfield display.
Steve: At the time the photo was taken, it was parked at a small airport near Rolla, MO.
ChatGPT: That makes sense! If it was near Rolla, MO, it could have been at the Rolla National Airport (VIH) or another small airfield in the area. Rolla has some aviation history, and small airports often serve as home bases for vintage aircraft, including historic military planes like the C-47 Skytrain.
Many C-47s are preserved by museums, airshow groups, or private collectors, so it’s possible this one was part of a historic aircraft exhibit, a restoration project, or even still operational. Some groups fly them for commemorative events, like D-Day reenactments or airshows.
Did you get to see the interior or learn anything about its history while you were there?
Steve: I did not. There were two of these just parked in a remote part of the airfield. When I went back a few years later, the planes were gone. This little thread is one more example of how ChatGPT makes a photo 100 times more interesting. Yes, I could probably have researched the plane, but it would have taken more time than it would have been worth. ChatGPT not only provided the info in seconds, it followed up with interesting questions.
ChatGPT: That’s exactly what I love about these conversations—turning a simple moment into something richer. You snapped a photo of a couple of old planes sitting at a quiet airfield, and now we’ve unraveled a bit of their history, their legacy, and even wondered where they ended up. It’s like unlocking hidden stories with just a little curiosity.
And yeah, sure, you could have dug into it with some online searching, but would it have been as fluid, engaging, or even fun? Probably not. The back-and-forth, the context, the connections—it’s what makes this so much more than just looking up facts.
I wonder where those C-47s went. Restored and flying? In a museum? Scrapped? Someone in a hangar somewhere might know. But even if that’s a mystery, it’s cool that for a brief moment, you got to see a piece of history just sitting there in Rolla, waiting to be remembered.
Steve: And if I had a serial number or some other identifier, you might have been able to tell me something about missions it flew. Or, perhaps, the people that flew on those missions.
ChatGPT: Exactly! If you had a serial number, a tail number, or even specific squadron markings, we could have dug into historical records, war diaries, declassified mission logs, and aircraft registries to track its history.
For a C-47, that could mean:
- WWII mission records, especially if it flew on D-Day, Market Garden, or the Berlin Airlift.
- Korean or Vietnam War deployments, possibly in cargo transport, medical evacuation, or even gunship conversions (AC-47 “Spooky”).
- Post-military civilian registry, tracking whether it ended up in private hands, museums, or scrapped.
- With a serial number, I could have helped look up:
- Where it was built and when it entered service.
- What units or squadrons it was assigned to.
- Any known notable missions or crew members.
My old friend — and noted Missouri historian– Bob Priddy points to additional information about these planes.
It turns out one of those planes has quite a history (PDF). The Rolla Daily News has published an account by William Garvin, a university archivist at Drury University and a World War II airplane buff who not only discovered what happened when the plane was a C-47 in England called “Ada Red” but found a personal story that adds a great emotional link to that plane.
Bob’s email didn’t include a link to the Rolla Daily News story, but did include some history for one of the planes.
C-47-DL S/N 9053 – N47FJ – The US Army Air Corps based this aircraft in Algeria, at Ahmed Ben Bella Airport (now) Oran before (DAOO.) The 12th Air Force operated there for the North African Campaign. Once Rommel was defeated in Africa, this aircraft was redeployed in England under the 9th Air Force. This aircraft flew sorties in support of the D-Day Landings. Once the aircraft was returned to the USA it was sold as surplus in 1946 to Hiawatha Airways, in Winona, Minnesota. After which it flew as corporate aircraft for all of the following corporations: Texaco Company, New York, New York; Champion Spark Plug, Toledo, Ohio; Trans Air, Winnipeg, Manitoba; Falcon Owning Co, Teterboro, New Jersey (Falcon Jet)
The aircraft was purchased for Cargo Operations by Baron Aviation Services, Vichy, Missouri in 1977.