Artificial Intelligence, Book Review, Exercise, Science, Trail Running

MUSINGS FOR SUNDAY 24TH, MARCH 2019

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With artificial intelligence, we are summoning the demon. In all those stories where there’s the guy with the pentagram and the holy water, it’s like, yeah, he’s sure he can control the demon. Didn’t work out. – Elon Musk

Everything that civilization has to offer is a product of human intelligence; we cannot predict what we might achieve when this intelligence is magnified by the tools that AI may provide, but the eradication of war, disease, and poverty would be high on anyone’s list. Success in creating AI would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might also be the last. – Steven Hawking

With the increasingly important role of intelligent machines in all phases of our lives–military, medical, economic and financial, political–it is odd to keep reading articles with titles such as Whatever Happened to Artificial Intelligence? This is a phenomenon that Turing had predicted: that machine intelligence would become so pervasive, so comfortable, and so well integrated into our information-based economy that people would fail even to notice it. – Ray Kurzweil

This picture was taken on Tuesday 12th, March 2019. Here I am at the top or close to the top of Horsetooth Mt. park looking West. In the background you can just make out Meeker and Longs Peak. Longs sits at 14,000 feet. The day was very warm, as an approaching storm was moving into the state.

Well it has been a good 2 weeks. I was under the weather a little bit for the start of it but I am feeling better now. I divide my workout/running sections into 3 week intervals and the last interval I finished with about 138 miles ( 46 miles/week). Which might not sound like a lot to those of you that are running gods. For me, I might have pushed it just a little bit. To add to this, I missed my usual amount of sleep and being older it does not take much to create illness. My wife Janet reminds me of this a lot and it is probably a good thing that she does!! Lol

This picture was taken the very next day, Wednesday 13th, March 2019, and again not to hit an old cliche’ too much, “What a difference a day makes!!” Dang, I cannot imagine what it must have been like for the early settlers on the plains. You have this fantastic weather for a day or two and get lulled into a false sense of security. Then Kaboom! Snow and wind with no modern day warning. We were lucky in Fort Collins, we did not get the high winds and drifts that the Eastern Plains did. This view is from our front door.

I am between books at the moment, so no new book review this week. But I would like to reiterate my thoughts on AI. I really do think this is coming, rather sooner than later. I am pretty sure it will be the “General AI” that everyone is hoping for or fearing depending on your point of view. And by general I mean, something that thinks and reacts, for good or bad, as a human would. The current AI we have now is something a little less dramatic and world changing. Such as your smart phone, semi-autonomous cars and trucks, social media feeds like FB, personal data assistants like Siri and Alexa, entertainment such as video games and Netflix. The list could go on and on. It is already used in thousands of applications everyday and most of the time we are not even aware of it. I guess in some sense this technology has been world changing. But the difference to me is that you could decide to not use a lot of it and it would not make that much difference in your life. At least not at this time. So I don’t worry about it too much. Another name for this kind of AI is machine learning. The type of AI that I am concerned with is true “General AI.” Or if it helps to understand it better, something that is conscious or sentient AI. This would be a game changer and will make everything else seem like child’s play. Will it happen? Good question. I think yes. It will happen and sooner rather than later.

This picture was taken the next day after the storm, Thursday 14th, March 2019. And it shows again what I think is the best thing about the Front Range of Colorado. Even though the temp was in the high 20s, a lot of snow had already melted. This picture is looking West towards the mountains and the lake is Lake Sherwood in our neighbor.

I draw this conclusion from recent material that I have read, and from an old video on an AI conference from a few years ago, around 2015. It was taking place in Taiwan or it might have been Hong Kong. It was a round table discussion of some of the movers and shakers in AI at the time from around the world. I cannot remember their names, but they were from the tech industry and different universities. The one I remember best was a guy from Carnegie Mellon University. The talk was pretty lively around the table about when general AI might arise or even if it would. There was a lot of disagreement, some saying its way off in the future and some saying in the next 10 to 20 years and some saying no, it would never come to be. This guy interrupts everyone and says: “What you all have to remember is that there are “100s of thousands” of young people in the U.S. alone working on this very problem.” That single statement stopped everyone in their tracks for a moment. It just hung there in the air. Incredible. All I could think was, this is like the “Manhattan Project.”

This picture was taken on Sunday 17th, March 2019, looking West, across a local golf course, next to the Power-line Trail in Fort Collins. Just another beautiful Colorado Sunset.

Remember that the Manhattan Project was a secret research and development program to create the first atomic bomb. And it employed a 100,000 plus individuals to pull it off. It was a race with Germany at the time. They were ahead of us in R&D prior to the start of the project in 1939. Lucky for us and the rest of the world. We came in first. I believe that we are in another race. And this time it is to build the first “General AI.” At this point, my guess is that the USA, European Union, China and Russia are all neck and neck at the moment, with hundreds and hundreds of thousands of individuals all working on it from multi different countries.

This picture was taken Thursday 21st, March 2019. What a beautiful day it was in Fort Collins. Sixty degrees, very mild wind and clean air. Wow!! You don’t get too many of these with all three ingredients like this. Air quality being the number one reason why. Just beautiful. This picture was taken on the East side of Horsetooth reservoir looking North. The lake is low at this time of year, in another month or two there will be about 20 to 30 feet of water where I am standing.

This gives me pause and it should you too. It took fewer individuals to build the first atomic bomb than is currently working on AI. We are not in a world war like we were in 1940, but I do believe the stakes are just as high. Ask yourself: “How do you want this to happen?” Do you want a benevolent AI, that helps humanity to the next level of existence or one that is used to wipe out a countries neighbor, or one that is the all watching eye of a totalitarian state? In a worst case scenario it see us as inconsequential and decides to eliminate humanity altogether. I know you are probably like me wondering what you can you do about it? Another good question. The first thing is to educate yourself. And a good place to start is with one of the books that I last reviewed. It is well worth the read and Tegmark elegantly and convincingly puts into words why we should be concerned and what we can do to help make a difference. You can find the book on Amazon: h

Well that is enough of my soapbox for this blog post. I could go on and on for a while longer, but I think you get the zest. Please if you get the change to read the above book and I usually don’t recommend a book twice, read it. You don’t have to be an Astrophysicists to understand it.

This picture was taken last week on or around Wednesday, March 20th. Five weeks old and getting bigger!! Just waiting to meet the parents of this pup to make the final decision.

What an interesting two weeks with weather on the Front Range of Colorado, from beautiful warm days and cold nights, to a full blow blizzard. Spring is here in Colorado!! Lol. I hope that this blog post finds all of you in the best of health. Maybe I will see you out there on the trails or ski slope!! Adios my friends.

Colorado, Dogs, Exercise, Fort Collins, Quad Rock 50, Run Rabbit Run, Trail Running

MUSINGS FOR SUNDAY 10TH, MARCH 2019

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“Running isn’t a sport for pretty boys…It’s about the sweat in your hair and the blisters on your feet. Its the frozen spit on your chin and the nausea in your gut. It’s about throbbing calves and cramps at midnight that are strong enough to wake the dead. It’s about getting out the door and running when the rest of the world is only dreaming about having the passion that you need to live each and every day with. It’s about being on a lonely road and running like a champion even when there’s not a single soul in sight to cheer you on. Running is all about having the desire to train and persevere until every fiber in your legs, mind, and heart is turned to steel. And when you’ve finally forged hard enough, you will have become the best runner you can be. And that’s all that you can ask for.”
― Paul Maurer, The Gift – A Runner’s Story

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.”
― haruki murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

“Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.”
― Dean Karnazes

“The pessimist is not guaranteed a tomorrow.  And, if tomorrow does come, the pessimist does not expect to feel better at the same point in the race…. indeed, it might feel even worse.  So, the pessimist plugs on and accomplishes their goals today.  And today is the only day that counts.” – Gary Cantrell

This picture was taken Wednesday 27th, February 2019. It was a couple of days before the weather really changed to a much more wintry mix. Still looks pretty cold out, but I think that the temps were in the 30s that afternoon. So not too bad for running. The photo is of Horsetooth Reservoir looking South towards Loveland. In this picture I am at the North end of the lake.

Well it has been another good two weeks!! Winter has made a comeback to the Front Range of Colorado and the mountains have gotten a lot more snow. That is always a good thing, both from a skiing perspective and from a water/moisture perspective. In Colorado we are considered a “head-water state”, meaning that the water we get only comes in the form of rain or snow from the sky. Nothing flows into the state. So the more rain and snow we get the better. It can be really dry here on the Front Range, but as long as the mountains get a significant amount of snow and rain, everything else can be irrigated. This snow/rain scenario also plays a role in fire season. I am hoping that this year will be better than the last. But you never know. Until long term weather prediction gets a lot better it is always a kind of guessing game.

This picture was taken Friday 1st, March 2019. Again this is Horsetooth Reservoir, but at the shoreline. In this picture I am looking West. The sun was just starting to set and the reflection off of the water was beautiful. Maybe it was the combination of light, clouds and silence. No lapping of waves due to the ice and to get to the shoreline you have to drop down off the trail and go down a little bit. Just beautiful. It was the quite before the storm. The next day the weather was very different as seen in the picture below. Lots of Mountain Bikers on the trail this day. Getting that last ride in before the ice and snow. Temperatures were in the 30s.

Running has been coming along nicely this year so far. No injuries and I do seem to be getting a little faster. I have three main ultras planned this year. First is the Quad Rock 50 in May. This is a hard run I think. I have done the 25 mile version multi times with the intent to do the 50, but I have either chosen to stop at the 25 mile mark or timed out. The location of the run is very nice for me because it is where I live and run. Just behind Fort Collins. It takes place in Lory State Park and Horsetooth Mountain Park. Very convenient. It is put on by the http://Gnarrunners.com. They always seem to do an excellent job every time I have competed. Weather can be a little iffy this time of year on the Front Range. Which in my opinion always makes the race a little more interesting. You can have mild temps with clear skies, heat and sun, cold and rain, or you can have snow. The best part, you can have all four in one day! Lololololol. Some might complain about this but I just see it as an added challenge. You make the 50 mile mark by doing two 25 mile laps. I am hoping that everything will come together just right so I can make the 50 this year!!

This picture was taken Saturday 2nd, March 2019. Wow, what a difference a day makes. I think we had 5 to 8 inches of snow and the temps were down in the single digits when I took this picture. Cold!! Oh well you make the best of it and as a instructor in a survival school once told me “It’s a character builder.” Lol This picture is of the Poudre River looking Northwest. You can see the bike trail on the left hand side of the picture. There were not a lot of people out on this day, but that came with the added benefit of solitude.

The second ultra planned this year is also put on by Gnar running. It is the Never Summer 100k. This one is located about 80 miles from where I live and is in the Cameron Pass area and the Colorado State Forest. I have signed up for this one a couple of times but due to other issues, injuries, work commitments, logistics, etc… I have not been able to even attempt it. Again I am hoping that this year will be different. The trails in the area are beautiful. Not a lot of development in the vicinity. Which has its own appeal. The race description from the web site says it best: “This is a mountain race in the truest sense of the term, with extended periods of high alpine ridge running, two alpine peaks, and five alpine lakes visited along the way. When above timberline, you will enjoy huge views of the northern Never Summer Mountains to the south, the stunning peaks of RMNP to the southeast, expansive vistas across North Park to the Park Range above Steamboat Springs to the west, and even north out to Wyoming’s Snowy Range.” If you want to check out more here is the link to the web site: http://gnarrunners.com/never-summer-100k/

This picture was taken Monday 4th, March 2019. It highlights what it is I love about Colorado. Two days later from the prior picture and the sun is out and shining. It is cold, in the teens, but the sun is out and trail is pretty much clear. I love this tree shot. Just the size and the shape with the sun shining on it. Beautiful. Lot of bikes out today even with the cold temperature. And of course a few brave souls out running.

The final ultra I plan for this season is again the Run Rabbit Run 100. I attempted the 100 mile distance last year but timed out at the 50 mile mark. It was a really good experience and I learned a lot. Up until last September (2018) I had only competed in one other 100 mile race. The Leadville 100. All my other races have ended at the 50 mile mark. In the Leadville, I did make it to Hope Pass but was short of the cutoff by 12 minutes and by the time I got back down to Twin Lakes, the distance was again 50 miles. In all, I think that I have done the 50 mile distance, on purpose or inadvertently, 6 times now over the last 7 years. I turned 57 this year and I am not getting any younger. So I want to get that 100 miler done. Lol. The people that put on the RRR in Steamboat Springs do a really good job each time I have competed. And I am guessing that it will be the same this year. Here is the link to the web site: http://runrabbitrunsteamboat.com/ The 100 miler is filled but I hear there are some spots open for the 50!

Well, the search continues for a new dog. We are now looking at King Shepherds out of Boulder. They seem to be a cross between Great Pyrenees, Alaskan Malamute and German Shepherds. Which makes for a fairly large dog with not as many genetic issues as the typical GSDs. This is a picture of one of the pups from the current litter at 3 weeks old. Big already!! Lol

Well this is going to be about it for me this week. I hope everyone has had a great weekend. These last few days I have felt a little bit under the weather and decided to take a few days off from running. But hope to be back in full form by Monday. Take care my friends and maybe I will see you out there on the trails or the ski slope!!

Artificial Intelligence, Book Review, Colorado, Dogs, Exercise, Fort Collins, Genetics, Science, Trail Running

MUSINGS FOR SUNDAY 24TH, FEBRUARY 2019

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“If an AI possessed any one of these skills—social abilities, technological development, economic ability—at a superhuman level, it is quite likely that it would quickly come to dominate our world in one way or another. And as we’ve seen, if it ever developed these abilities to the human level, then it would likely soon develop them to a superhuman level. So we can assume that if even one of these skills gets programmed into a computer, then our world will come to be dominated by AIs or AI-empowered humans.”
― Stuart Armstrong, Smarter Than Us: The Rise of Machine Intelligence

“A powerful AI system tasked with ensuring your safety might imprison you at home. If you asked for happiness, it might hook you up to a life support and ceaselessly stimulate your brain’s pleasure centers. If you don’t provide the AI with a very big library of preferred behaviors or an ironclad means for it to deduce what behavior you prefer, you’ll be stuck with whatever it comes up with. And since it’s a highly complex system, you may never understand it well enough to make sure you’ve got it right.”
― James Barrat, Our Final Invention: Artificial Intelligence and the End of the Human Era

“Why give a robot an order to obey orders—why aren’t the original orders enough? Why command a robot not to do harm—wouldn’t it be easier never to command it to do harm in the first place? Does the universe contain a mysterious force pulling entities toward malevolence, so that a positronic brain must be programmed to withstand it? Do intelligent beings inevitably develop an attitude problem? Now that computers really have become smarter and more powerful, the anxiety has waned. Today’s ubiquitous, networked computers have an unprecedented ability to do mischief should they ever go to the bad. But the only mayhem comes from unpredictable chaos or from human malice in the form of viruses. We no longer worry about electronic serial killers or subversive silicon cabals because we are beginning to appreciate that malevolence—like vision, motor coordination, and common sense—does not come free with computation but has to be programmed in. Aggression, like every other part of human behavior we take for granted, is a challenging engineering problem!”
― Steven Pinker, How the Mind Works

This picture was taken on Sunday the 10th of February, looking North. It was a cold evening and air quality was just on the edge of the acceptable range. Not much air movement due to no wind. You can just make out some of the brown cloud that plagues the Front Range of Colorado. It does make for a beautiful sunset. LOL. Still a nice run during the afternoon. Saw a couple of healthy looking Coyotes on this trail run. I am guessing that they have been feeding on the plethora of rabbits in the area.

Well it has been a great two weeks I think. The weather has been cold and snowy, off and on here on the Front Range, but not enough to really make much of a difference with running. The snow in the mountains has been wonderful and the best part, it has continued to come down. I have gotten in a couple of days of skiing and both of those days were great. Excellent conditions compared to last year.

This picture was taken on Thursday 14th, February 2019 while walking with Janet. We have heard owls in this area quit a bit, but had not seen one this close up. It was pretty cool to say the least to see the bird hooting. The whole body was involved in producing the hoot. It was easy to identify the species on this one. A Great Horned Owl. LOL. Looking at this picture now, I can see why the Native Americans and early settlers made up stories about these birds. It does look a little creepy. Again, a cold afternoon walk but the bike path was clear of ice and snow and with some wind, the air quality levels were much better.

As some may know we lost our white German Shepherd Neige, back last August. She had Degenerative Myelopathy. A genetically inherited malady that is a progressive, incurable disease of the spinal cord in dogs. Similar to ALS in humans. To say that we were heart broken would be an understatement. But as they say, time heals all wounds. So we have started to look again for a dog. I think that we are going to stick with the German Shepherd breed. But it has been hard to say the least. We have owned four Shepherds in the last 30 years and they have all suffered some form of the most common genetic aliments of the breed. Neige lived to be 12 years old and was definitely enough dog for two people. Meaning that we had not really looked at what is out there in the market place for a while.

Neige in better times. Doing what she loved to do. This picture was taken about a year ago, last March 2018. Thinking back, wondering if I was in a hurry that day? Could I have thrown her the stick a few more times knowing what I know now…. Time is a lot shorter than you ever realize…. Always loved and never forgotten….

So I have been doing a little bit of “dog” research and my conclusions, “It is all about genetic testing.” First if you buy from a breeder – then you need genetic testing of the parents to rule out some of the common genetic ailments. Otherwise it is just a game of roulette, no matter what the breeder tells you. And if you decided to get one from the humane society or shelter of your choice – then you need to do some, you guessed it, genetic testing. A little more difficult to do when the dog is from the shelter. But possible, just not convenient. I found it interesting that some of the shelters are now starting to do this on their own. They have found that it makes some dogs much more adoptable to know the breed mixes in the dog and (for an added cost) if they are susceptible to certain common genetic diseases. If you think about how much time, effort, and money you put into a family pet. Not to mention, they truly become part of your family. And in some cases a very significant part of your life. I think it makes sense to go a step further in the selection process and do the genetic testing. Especially now that the technology to do this is available and has come down significantly in price. For me, it just makes sense to do it. I know that this will be a little controversial with a few people and that is OK. I hope it generates some good discussion and consideration the next time you look for a dog. A good recent article on this subject is from WIRED magazine: https://www.wired.com/story/dog-dna-kits-reviewed/?mbid=email_onsiteshare

This picture was taken Saturday 16th, February 2019, looking North West in the late afternoon. I have to say it was a beautiful sunset. Cold, in the teens, with a little wind. In Colorado we get what is know as “standing wave clouds” and this is an example. They can make for great sunset pictures. The colors do not last for long but can be quit intense for a few minutes.

Now on a totally different note, I have started to listen to a new audio book called “Life 3.0 – Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” by Max Tegmark. I am not very far into it yet but it really has gotten me thinking about A.I. and what that means for the future of humanity. Tegmark is a is a Swedish-American physicist and cosmologist. He is a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the scientific director of the Foundational Questions Institute. I have read a previous book from him called “Our Mathematical Universe.” I am only a few chapters into the new book but I am already feeling that the true game changer for Humanity, good or bad, may be the development of an Advanced A.I. It might not even need to be “sentient” as in human terms to be this game changer.

You can find the book on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Life-3-0-Being-Artificial-Intelligence/dp/B0742JQF31/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550651814&sr=8-1&keywords=life+3.0+being+human+in+the+age+of+artificial+intelligence

We are becoming so complex as a society, billions and billions of people on the planet. There are some estimates that we will reach the 10 billion mark by 2030. With this many people we will have become, a true global community on a scale never known in human history, with all our usual human wants and needs. Resource allocation will not be something that can be left to chance. Housing, work, travel, food, medical care, security, energy, clean air/water, education, news, entertainment, social media, solitude, etc… will all have to be coordinated to a degree that we have never seen as a species. Second and Third world countries will continue to want to move up the ladder of prosperity and have all the things that you and I now take for granted. Just thinking about that, gives me chills. It will be a daunting task….. How will all this “complexity” be managed and coordinated? What “algorithm” will be sophisticated enough to help us deal with it all? My belief and others is that this increasing complexity of a burgeoning human population will give rise to a super intelligent A.I. Not a matter of if, but when. The big question that comes with this, is how do we want it to occur and who to manage it. Do we want society to become an Orwellian/Kafkaesque Dystopia? Big brother always watching, judging, today’s freedoms severely curtailed? Or the filling out of forms, after forms, after forms, after forms, in order to just buy a car, get married, go on a simple vacation, or even just traveling across state lines? Is there a better way?

Personally I don’t think this will take 100 years. I would not be surprised if it happened in the next 20.

A.I. or more importantly,the people that control A.I. will have the ability to push society to change, but will it be in the right directions. To give us more freedoms, to give us better and/or cheaper housing, work, travel, food, medical care, security, energy, clean air/water, education, news, etc… and advances in technology that makes today’s tech seem like rubbing two sticks together to make fire. This is what Tegmark talks about in his new book with the hope that he can get people from all walks of life involved in the discussion of A.I. His belief is that this will be one of, if not the “Monumental” question of the 21st century. I have not totally finished reading it yet but from what I have read so far, I felt it was important to put a partial review out. I highly recommend the book.

This picture was taken Saturday 23rd, February 2019. What a beautiful Colorado day! Sunny, cold but not too cold. Temp about 32 degrees F in the parking lot, and best of all there was some wind. So most of the brown cloud was gone. This picture was taken in Horsetooth Mountain Park looking South to South East. That horizon is at least 50 miles from where I am standing. Someday as we move away from fossil fuels, this might be the norm again and not just the exception.

Well I think that I am about done for this Blog post. I hope the last two weeks have been great for you dear reader. Remember your comments are always welcome. Take care and maybe I will see you out there on the trail or the ski slope. Adios amigos!!

Book Review, Colorado, Exercise, Fort Collins, Psychology, Religion, Science, Skiing, Sociology, Trail Running

MUSINGS FOR SUNDAY 10TH, FEBRUARY 2019

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“When complexity makes knowledge difficult to attain, we are organisms that substitutes knowledge with beliefs.”

“The uneven rate of change between biology and complexity causes a gap to occur.”

“We become susceptible to manipulation and ideology and follow false prophets.”

“Public policy becomes shaped by irrational beliefs, rather than knowledge of fact.”

Rebecca Costa

This picture was taken on Monday 28th of January 2019, the open space in question is between Fort Collins and Loveland. It is called Coyote Ridge Open Space. A very nice trail with few visitors for a Monday. On the weekend it can get pretty busy due to the fact that it is a connector trail for longer distances. The afternoon in question was beautiful with temps right at 30 degrees and a slight breeze.

Well it has been another two weeks and I am going to say here that life is pretty good at the moment. Got some skiing in and that is a very good thing. I think it had been over a month since I last went. Not sure what that was about but it happens. The trail running the last couple of weeks has been fantastic here in Fort Collins. It has been cold but not like Midwest Cold. Wow! We have not seen temperatures like that in a very long time. There is some thought that this is related to Global Warming. I know that it does not seem that way but when you start looking at the science, some of the dots start to connect. I guess in the end, time will tell as the research continues. One of the things to remember is that weather and climate are two different things even though they are related.

Another picture from Monday the 28th of January 2019. The sun was out and just starting to set. It was in full force on this rock ridge. It really brought out the colors in the rock. Totally different from the picture above. Same area but a different open space called Rim Rock Ridge. Both are right next to each other.

I am reading a new book that is called the Watchman’s Rattle by Rebecca Costa. I became interested in her when I watched a TED talk by her. It has to do with Societal Collapse. It actually came out in 2012 and I believe that this is her first book. A more recent book by Rebecca is called On the Verge. I did not get this one because it is not on Audio book and I am way behind on regular reading. But I plan to in the future. In her first book, she comes up with some interesting ideas about what happens to a society when technology out paces the ability of the residents to keep up. I think the book is much more relevant now than it was back in 2012. In particular this last election with the Evangelical Christians, Flat Earthers, Anti-Vaccination people, Anti – global Warming individuals, the lets “Bring dirty coal” back people, and the list could go on and on. She makes the case that as complexity makes knowledge more difficult to attain, or as my wife likes to say “Overwhelming”, we as humans start to substitute knowledge with beliefs. And she makes the argument that this is what has happened to ancient societies that collapsed like the Mayans, the Romans, etc…

This book can be found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Watchmans-Rattle-Radical-Theory-Collapse/dp/1593156863/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=VMGYGGUY98ZQ&keywords=watchmans+rattle&qid=1549827324&s=gateway&sprefix=watchmans+r%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

Costa is a Sociology-biologist. She based a lot of her research on Dr. Richard Dawkins 1976 book “The Selfish Gene.” In her book she uses the term Super-memes which are any widely accepted information, thoughts, feelings or behaviors. And she feels that they have the capacity to compete with each other just like genes do in Darwin’s theory of natural selection. Another words they compete in a sense to become accepted in our minds and our society whether they are true or not. There is an actually study of memes, called Memetics. Check it out on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memetics

I had no idea. Costa calls them “super-memes” when they get to a point that they block us from the very solutions we seek to all the complexity we see in the world. Another name that she uses for this blocking is “Gridlock.” It occurs or you can know that it is occurring when there is opposition across the board to any meaningful solution to a major problem. Thinking about this, the first thing that comes to my mind is “Gun Control.” It is a complex issue and you see a lot of “irrational opposition” to any attempt at fixing the system. It is as if people are more comfortable rejecting remedies rather than advocating solutions.

This picture was taken on Thursday, January 31st. I just loved the shape of this huge cottonwood tree. The weather was warm enough for me to ride my bike on Thursday, above 50 degrees for me. This picture was take on the Boyd Lake Trail.

Another example of this blocking, I think, is in Health Care. Again, before the attempted and partial repeal of what has become known as “Obama Care,” I heard from individuals on both sides of the fence. Some that hated it, because their premiums went up and others that loved it because they could now actually get insurance on their preexisting conditions. But with the current congress and president, it has become gridlocked. It will be interesting to see after the next elections if anything is concretely done or just a kind of band-aid fix. Again nothing really going anywhere. One size that fits some but not others, back to a mish-mash of plans that really don’t address the issues or cover people adequately.

This picture was taken on Thursday, February 7th. It was at the Loveland Ski Area which sits right at the Eisenhower Tunnel off of Interstate 70. It was a beautiful, sunny day. Much warmer (25 degrees) than when I left Fort Collins (12 degrees) that morning. There was a little bit of wind but that did not really show up in force until later in the afternoon. Most of the terrain for the ski area sits at around 11,000 feet.

I could go on about her book but I think I will leave it for now. I do recommend it. Remember it was written in 2012 and some predictions in the book she got right and a few she got wrong; somethings did get fixed and some are still broken. I think if I had read the book back in 2012, I would not have appreciated it as much as I do now. Interesting to say the least.

On a similar note, I had a interesting, short FB exchange with a family relative on whether something she was posting on FB was true or not. When another friend of hers called her out on it and showed her where a fact checking service said it was false. She went off about how the “fact checking service” was wrong. And that the “fact checking service” was infiltrated by “liberals” and that was why she could not trust them. I was kind of dumbfounded for a moment. This is an educated woman that used to teach school to kids. I could see it…., if it had come from one of my uneducated or partially educated “hillbilly like” relatives. But no this was from an educated one. Oh well what can you say to that… Obviously I won’t be spending the holidays with her…. Lololololol.

This picture was taken taken Wednesday 30th, January 2019. It was at the trail head to Reservoir Ridge Natural Area in Fort Collins. I had just finished a trail run and the sunset was just stunning to say the least. This is my favorite picture of the last two weeks.

Before I finish here, I would like to pass on a quote by the author Neil Gaiman. I came across it several years ago and I wrote it down just because it seemed a little strange to me at the time. This was a few years before the 2016 election. I did not really understand it then, but I think I do now. So it is important to share it with you, especially if you decide to read Costa’s book or you are like me trying to make sense of the “craziness” that has griped our country.

“Things need not have happened to be true. Tales and adventures are shadow truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes and forgotten.” Neil Gaiman

Well that its for this couple of weeks. Take care, be safe out there fellow trail runners. Always be looking for that “Special Cat.”

Adios amigos!!

Colorado, Exercise, Exercise, Fort Collins, Sociology, Trail Running

MUSINGS FOR SUNDAY 27TH, JANUARY 2019

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“Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you  should set up a life you don’t need to escape from.” – Seth Godin

This picture was taken Thursday, January 17th. Not a lot of snow this year. This is a great trail run / road called Tower Road in Horsetooth Mountain Park. If you start at the bottom it gains about 1700 feet in just over three miles. So it is a good cardiovascular workout.

Life is good and I really cannot complain too much at the moment. Damn I turned 57 this January and I have to ask myself where did the time go?? I mean were did it go?? LOL! It seems just like yesterday when I was turning 25 and moving to Colorado.

This picture was taken Friday, January 18th, it is in an area called Prospect Ponds. They are old gravel quarry sites. After the quarry is closed, the states requires you to only fill in part of the open pit mine, but the rest can be filled with water to create wildlife habitat. There are a lot of these types of ponds in the open spaces around Fort Collins. The Poudre River and the bike trail is just on the other side of the picture. The photograph was taken looking west.  

I ended up here in – a – round about way. Even before I got out of High School I was pushed and I mean that quite literally, pushed into applying and going to nursing school. At the time I really had no idea what I wanted to do. But my dear mother, felt that the best way to get me out of the house (this is what I have come to believe) was not to give me an option to procrastinate. Oh no – no lollygagging for you young man. Get your nose to the grindstone. And I have to give her a little leeway on this because High School academically was a complete waste of time for me. And I am not sure if that was the High School at the time or just where I was socially and emotionally. When I got to college, I took to it like a fish takes to water. And I did extremely well in College and Nursing School. But of course when you are pushed into something, I have found you come to tolerate it, but you don’t really find a passion for it. And that was my case from day one. As soon as I finished nursing school, I started working on a 2nd degree in Wildlife Biology. Which led me to thinking about a masters in Forestry. Which eventually led me to Fort Collins and Colorado State University.

This picture was taken Saturday, January 19th, this is a shot of the Poudre river looking South East. During spring run off the river would be full from bank to bank and flowing fast. This might look like a lot of water but in reality, at this time of year, the river is barely flowing.

Funny thing, once I got to Colorado and really had access to the outdoors and open spaces around Fort Collins. School did not have quite the same importance as it did before. Plus it did not help that the wife wanted kids and anytime you add that time commitment in, well school really does drop to the back burner. The nursing job paid the bills and it allowed me to have what is called perpetual “Peter Pan Syndrome.” I highly recommend it. I think that J.M. Barrie might have been on to something.

This picture was taken Sunday, January 20th. A very beautiful, but cool, afternoon in Fort Collins. This pond I believe was an old irrigation pond, but is now part of Pine Ridge open space. The small lake or pond is know as Dixon Reservoir. Horsetooth Lake sits on the other side of the ridge on the right.

Now, 31 years later and still living in Colorado and Fort Collins. I find that I enjoy the outdoors even more. I still work at the day job to pay the bills but only about 2 days per week or less. The rest of the work week, I am writing, drawing, painting, occasional sculpture, reading, exercising, and doing a little meditation. And Life is pretty good. But if I had to do it all over again with what I know now? I would change one thing. I would have practiced becoming a writer from day one. The only job that all you need is a word processor and an internet connection. How cool is that. Oh well, I get to write now and I try to practice each and everyday to get better.

This picture was taken on Friday, January 25th. In this photograph I am looking east, the lake is Horsetooth Reservoir, and you can just make out the North end of Fort Collins. Here I am trail running at Horsetooth Mountain Park.

One thing I have learned over the years but did not realize it until much more recently is the quote by Seth Godin. And I will repeat it here: “Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from.” And that is so true. Now don’t get me wrong, there is nothing mistaken with traveling to see new places, people and things. Exploration of our wonderful world is a fantastic thing to do. But heading towards the “beach” or the “bar,” each year or weekend so that you can “escape” from work and your usual life….. Never seemed quite right to me in hindsight. Always thought I was a little weird when friends told me about their beach or bar adventures of drinking and partying, it never seemed appealing. About a year ago, I came across Seth’s quote and it just clicked. It was a true A’Ha moment. Sometimes it is hard to put into words what you are feeling or thinking, but then someone comes along and does it for you. And it just clicks into place.

This picture was also taken Friday, January 25th, and what a difference a week can make. The first picture in the blog post was in the same area and no snow. A week later the road was snow packed all the way to the top. It got me to thinking that if we got a really good snow in Fort Collins this road would be a great skimo work out. You could skin all the way to the top and the road is wide enough to ski it all the way back down. That would be pretty cool.

Well I think this is going to be about it for me. I hope you have had a great January. I know that I did, even turning 57. My wife tells me to just be happy with making it that far! LOL!

Maybe I will see you out there on the trails or the ski slope. Take care my friends. Adios!!

Colorado, Environment, Exercise, Fort Collins, Science

MUSINGS FOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 13th, 2019

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“Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.” Cree Indian Proverb

“Earth provides enough to satisy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.” Mahatma Gandi

“It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment.” Ansel Adams

Well it has been a great last two to three weeks here for me on the Front Range. Just got to love Colorado. I don’t do a lot of skiing over the Holidays and the first week or two of January. For me the crowd size is just a little too large. But living here in Fort Collins you usually get some sunny days and while it can be cold, it is not so cold usually, that you can’t get out.

Bald Eagle in an area that I frequently run or walk. This area is home to many, many hawks and owls. This is the first year I have actually seen a Bald Eagle in this open space. The next day there were two, so maybe they will become a nesting pair and will frequent the area for many more seasons!? This photo was take December 29th, 2019.

I started the first Blog Post of the year on an environmental note. One of my degrees from College is in Environmental Science and Wildlife Biology. One of the comments I have heard over the years when I tell people this, “Oh your an environmentalist.” I have always found this statement interesting. The idea that because I have a degree in said field makes me an environmentalist and you not? When I have questioned people about this they seem a little supprised until I explain further. The truth of the matter we are all environmentalist. We breath the same air, we all drink the same water, eat the same food so to speak. We all currently live on planet earth. And because of this we are all environmentalist. We all have a vested interest in what happens on earth and to future generations.

Beautiful sunset in Fort Collins are common. Lots of color. I don’t think the photograph does it justice. On the surface this seems like a good thing but not always so. Some of the color is due to smog and particulate matter in the atmosphere. So while you might get this incredible sunset it is a sign of problem that the Front Range has been dealing with for over 50 years. It has gotten to the point that I check air quality everyday before doing an outdoor activity. And it is year round. Most of the pollution problems we have in Colorado are due to oil and gas extraction and vechicle polution. Metro Denver was ranked 8th in the nation for worst air quality and Fort Collins was ranked in at 10th. This was by the American Lung Association in 2016. This photo was take December 30th, 2018.

My personnel opinion is that we all have to take a vested interests in the environment. Even if you are working two jobs, trying to feed the kids, pay the rent, etc… There is always something you can do, even on a small scale, something as simple as not using that plastic straw, recycling as much as you can whenever possible, paying attention to how you use water, using your own cloth bags at the grocery store, turning off lights when not in use (one that I am terrible at), decreasing the number of trips that you drive, etc… And a really big one and some would say, easy – How You Vote. We are lucky here in Fort Collins with the mail in ballots, extremely convenient.

I used to hate riding my bike in the wind but I have come to love it. As long as it is not too windy. The wind helps to circulate the atmosphere here on the Front Range, which translates into much cleaner air to breath. This picture show a good example. The day before, that “blue sky” you see was not so blue, there was a yellow haze to it. On the day that I took the picture, there was a light breeze pushing the smog out. The picture was taken Thursday, January 3rd.

Of course the big oil and gas people will spend millions of dollars to spread misleading information about how dangerous oil and gas emissions actually are. And of course they talk about the loss of jobs if more environmental rules are put into place. The reality is that most of the oil and gas job are temporary in the area that they are being done. Once the drilling has been done, the lines caped, the pipes laid, the tanks installed, etc… you either move to the next energy boom or you find a different job. So I have to ask myself, at what cost do we expose thousands of individuals to cancer causing chemicals for a temporary job? Not to mention that this does not help stop the warming of the climate and all the associated problems this will bring. Its hard when change comes. None of us really like change, but it comes anyways. At some point, there will be no oil and gas jobs? Then what? When you have drilled the earth dry, then what? When some smart individual or team of individuals invents a better alternative that is more environmental friendly and the demand of fossil fuel drops? Then what? Because it will happen, just like it did to the horse and buggy people, telephone operators, gas station attendants, mall operators, big box stores, etc…. Technology marches forward. Science marches forward. So why destroy the environment, expose people to known carcinogens, for really what amounts to short term profits at best?

This picture was taken from Horsetooth Mountain Park on a windy day. If it had been the day before, the view would not have been as clear as it was this day. This was the first true trail run for me this new year. Here in Fort Collins we are lucky to have two great trail running areas behind Fort Collins, Lory State Park and Horsetooth Mountain Park. Between the two parks, which butt up to each other, you can easily get in a 10 to 20 mile run or mountain bike ride if you wish. This picture was taken Monday January 7th.

Another area of the environment that I would like to touch on is about what we eat, especially in first world countries. This really does touch on the environment and the health of the individual. It has been known for a while now that a diet high in animal protein and processed foods can lead to a higher incidence of cancer and heart disease in the general population. There are multi books out there written by MD’s and food researchers that talk about this very thing. But there is also a link to the environment with cows. They require a lot of resources compared to other forms of meat production. Some estimates put this at 10 times the number that other sources of protein require, such as chickens and pigs. So there are good health reasons not to eat as much beef and animal protein in general and a great environmental reason not to eat as much beef. I call my self the 95% vegan, I still like a really good Cheese Berger every once in a while. For me that might mean once per month as opposed to several times per week. I still like a nice piece of Salmon every once in a great while and a little ice cream/yogurt every now and then. The rest of my diet is all plant based. No processed food as much as possible. There are some researchers that believe if we could get America’s population to switch to a healthier way of eating that in a 10 to 20 year span we would eliminate most of our health care cost, not to mention what this might mean for the environment.

Another beautiful Colorado Sunset in Fort Collins. I was looking across one of the ponds off the Poudre Bike trail. Still frozen. This picture was taken on Tuesday, January 8th.

I think that it is probably time to get off of my environmental soap box. I hope that it has given you some food for thought. I believe the only way to fix the current issues and head future ones off before they become a problem is for each of us to do our parts. Stay informed. Learn about the current scientific thinking on the issues from reliable sources. Not Fox News or the church. In the next elections don’t be swayed by big oil and gas or whatever “industry” trying to decrease its environmental regulations. Vote. If I had a dime, as the old saying goes, for every time I have heard the saying: “If you don’t have your health, you have nothing.” So true. Remember genetics loads the gun and only you or the environment can pull the trigger…..

Beautiful bike ride on a warmer January afternoon in Fort Collins. The temp was about 50 degrees at this point in the ride. The picture was take at the northern end of the Poudre River Trail. I have always loved the bridge work over the river in this section. I think that it has a very sculptural feel to it. The picture was taken Thursday, January 10th.

Well, that is about it for me with this post. May you have a happy and healthier 2019. Hope to see you out there on the trails or ski slopes. Take care my friends!! Adios!!

Colorado, Exercise, Fort Collins, Religion

MUSINGS FOR SUNDAY 30TH, DECEMBER 2018

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Well I hope that everyone had a Happy Holiday!!  Or a Merry X-mass!!  Or in the original, a Happy Saturnalia!!  How every you want to say it or celebrate it, I hope it was a good one!! 

THE snow has been great. Wow, let me just say it again.  This has been a great ski season so far.  I am at 14 for the number of snow days now.  And it continues to be good.  I haven’t been out skiing this much… well, I guess since my kids were younger and they were in ski and snowboard programs.  I am truly hoping that the snow continues in the mountains.  Funny, I say mountains because here on the Front Range of Colorado we are still in what is considered a drought.  Where I live in Fort Collins, we only average about 15 inches of moisture per year and as of this date we are still about 6 inches behind, a little more than 1/3 of our total moisture.  Crazy.  But and there is always a but, as an old farmer told me once, “Most things out here are irrigated, so as long as it snows in the mountains, we should be good.”  And so that is what I am hoping!!

Cathy Fromme Prairie Trail in Fort Collins, Monday, December 17th, temperature was close to 60 degrees!
Riverbend Ponds in Fort Collins, December 29th, 2018
Riverbend Ponds in Fort Collins, December 29th, 2018 – Wow!!  You never know what you might see!!

Trying to get in a little bit of last-minute walking, biking and running for 2018.  Again, that is what is pretty cool about Fort Collins and the Front Range of Colorado is that you can ski in the mountains and then you can come down and do some fair-weather activities too.  It can still be cold but no ice or snow on the ground and as long as the sun is on you… not too bad.


???????????WHAT WILL RELIGION DO???????????

  • “You don’t need religion to have morals.  If you can’t determine right from wrong, then you lack empathy, not religion.” Anonymous
  • “This is my simple religion.  There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophy.  Our own brain, our own heart is our temple.  The philosophy is kindness.” – Dali Lama
  • “If your religion requires you to hate or hurt someone.  You need a new type of religion.” – Unknown
  • “Religion was invented when the first con man met the first fool.” – Mark Twain
  • “When you call yourself an Indian or a Muslim or a Christian or a European, or anything else, you are being violent.  Do you see why it is violent?  Because you are separating yourself from the rest of mankind.  When you separate yourself by belief, by nationality, by tradition, it breeds violence.  So, a man who is seeking to understand violence does not belong to any country, to any religion, to any political party or partial system; he is concerned with the total understand of mankind.” J. Krishnamurti
  • “We shouldn’t even need the word “atheism”.  If people didn’t invent ridiculous imaginary gods.  Rational people wouldn’t have to deny them.” – Ricky Gervais
  • “Your ignorance of scientific knowledge is not evidence that god exists.” – Unknown

The last couple of weeks I have been doing a little bit of contemplating of how religion will change over the next 10 to 20 years.  And change it must.  As we continue down the path of better understanding of the laws of nature and our place in the universe, religion will have mounting pressure to adapt.  Or maybe I should say that those who use religion as power, a way to exert control on the masses, will have to adapt.  New discovers are being made every day in science, in all fields of science, around the world.  If you want to see how fast things are coming out, check out the website called: 
https://phys.org/   Most the articles are a synopsis of the topic, usually one or two pages long, and have a link to the original article at the bottom. On each article heading at the bottom there is a clock showing how long ago the article came out. If you follow the web page for a week or two, it become readily apparent that things are moving along at a good clip.  Ray Kurzweil the American inventor, author and futurist talks about the “Coming Singularity.  Where things change so fast that it seems like magic so to speak.  One day something is not possible then tomorrow it is.  The web site covers all aspect of science.  From hard Astrophysics to Biology and Medicine. 

Not really sure how religion will eventual deal with it all?  Take the example of exoplanet discovery.  When the first discoveries were made over 20 years ago, the science and scientist involved did not get much attention other than a little ridicule from their peers.  Now the number of exoplanet discoveries are staggering.  There are over 3000 known exoplanets as of June of 2018?!  Just think of that for a moment.

And then realize that we are only looking at a very, very small fraction of the known universe.  I read somewhere that it was like “Looking at a glass of seawater sitting beside the ocean.”  We are not even scratching the surface yet and there are already 1000s of discovered exoplanets.  Unreal.  We are not the center of the Universe.  How does religion cope with that?  And what happens when life is inevitable discovered on one of these exoplanets or moons of exoplanets? How does that fit into any “Earth Religion”?  Maybe it will be time to write a new “divinely inspired” section to the Bible, to the Koran, to the Buddhist text, etc.…. to help explain exoplanets!!  Do a quick web search and you will find that the “exoplanet discoveries” have already been analyzed by “creationist” and they have come to some interesting rationalizations.  My favorite is when they twist words from the bible to mean whatever they want or need for explanation.  I think that they are going to have to do better than this!  We are but a small speck in our galaxy.  What hubris to think that our planet is the only planet with life.

Genetics and Synthetic Biology is another huge game change in my opinion.  Recent advances in this field have given us the ability to change the human genome forever.  We now have the capability to manipulate genes at the sperm and egg level without “controlled” breeding.  The potential, good or bad for Eugenics is a real possibility.  To create plants, animals and humans that have never been seen before on planet earth.  What if you designed telomers that never shortened?  Lifespans could become a moot point.  Live as long as you want, no need for the Buddhist idea of rebirth, or Christian and Muslim heaven, or hell.  How would religion cope with that?? There have already been advances with Synthetic Biology that are just mind blowing when you think about the potential possibilities.  DNA is made up of four building blocks, Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine and Guanine – all life, as we know it, is made up this way.  But now researchers have living microbes that have 6 building blocks.  A totally, never before seen organism on this earth, semi-synthetic and most important making proteins….  Check out this clip on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H1tUMRJoeo  

The implications of rapid advances in genetics and how it will affect synthetic biology are incalculable, for a better understanding check out this Wiki page on Synthetic Biology:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_biology   Or do what I did and re-watch the short TED talk on YouTube that I posted above and then try to imagine all the possibilities!!

AI is another one that gives me pause when it come to religious thinking.  While we have not created a “sentient” AI yet (that I know of), I believe that the day will come when we do.  This will be another game changer.  I think that just creating very, very smart Algorithms or what I would call “Super Smart Calculators”, will get us closer, but not “sentient”, the true break through could be some kind of semi-synthetic modified organism or animal or human mated to hardware…  Wow the ethics involved in that?!  Crazy?!

When I think about some of the advances in the above topics, it is not too hard to imagine these scenarios or something similar happening.  How does religion handle that?  How much twisting of the “holy word” will that take to explain the above advances in science?  If we colonize Mars or the Moon, do we take the same old religions and their associated dogmas with us?!  Do we want to create the same old hatreds, bigotries, intolerance’s, prejudices, racism’s that exist on earth today because of religion? Do we recreate them on Mars or the Moon?  And if we don’t, what do we replace it with?

 I think there is a solution.  All religions, MINUS THE GODS, have some great pieces of psychology and sociology incorporated into them.  These thoughts and writings have been refined over time to help explain and guide human nature and morality.  They are as true today in some cases as they were 10 thousand years ago.   Why not create a true Universal Moral Code that incorporates the best from all religions.  But no belief in any “magical beings.”  Something similar to what Dr. Kent Keith came up with in 2003 when he was writing about morality and ethics.    

The advantages to be able to do this would be immeasurable to the human race.  Can you imagine, if we gave up the belief in the supernatural (i.e. Gods) and moved to some kind of “Universal Moral Code.”  No more wars, death and destruction based on religion or the excuse of religion.   Something that could be applied to all aspects of life, that we all agree upon, that treated ever one equally and fairly.  That could be applied to a person and a business.  That could curb the excesses and greed of capitalism and Corporations.  That did not see Science as the enemy?  Isn’t it about time the human race left the trappings of the belief in a Godhead and moved into a modern age of enlightenment? This could be the first step….  The question becomes will we do it willingly or will it be forced upon us by continuing advances in science??

Search for Enlightenment by Simon Gudgeon.

That is about it for me on this blog post.  Hope I have given you dear reader something to think about.  Damn, where did the time go!?  It’s almost a new year.  What will 2019 bring?  Oh well I guess we will have to wait and see.  There is an old saying that “Reality is stranger than Fiction” and I truly believe that to be true.  I do not think that 2019 will be any different.  So, take care my friends.  Set those New Year’s resolutions and get healthier!!  I will see you next year!!

X-mass Dinner with some of the family 2018
Exercise, genetics, Science, Skiing

MUSINGS FOR FRIDAY 14th, DECEMBER 2018

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I hope that it has been a good week for everyone!!  The thing I would like to talk about in this blog is one that I really think will be a game changer in current and ongoing human evolution.  It starts with  the news out of China a few weeks ago.  A researcher there has genetically modified two human babies prior to fertilization to prevent both from becoming HIV positive because one parent has HIV. This sounds like a rather simple issue but it is huge….  Sounds great on the surface, but what does it really mean?  The researcher modified the germ-line, another words, before conception, at the sperm and egg level.   And the way that I understand it, these two babies will carry this modification for the rest of their lives and will be able to pass it along to their offspring, who will pass it along to their offspring, who will….  So, the picture becomes a true, possible permanent change in the human genome. These two kids will look like us, but have never existed in the history of humans.  Let me say this again, their genomes, have never existed in the history of humans, until now.  That in and of itself is pretty amazing but it gets better.

Could an x-men scenario become a reality!!

CRISPR (clustered regularly inter spaced short palindromic repeats)– the gene editing technique that allowed the “precision” to do this can be applied to all kinds of conditions and diseases caused by your genetics.  Now imagine you are planning a family and you want a child to be stronger, have denser bones, or to run faster, for example.  Well…. The genes to edit for this are all known.  See the You Tube video link for an explanation:    https://youtu.be/uaNHUTIbqdo

If you have the money and political clout, who is going to stop you?  Who is going to stop you from permanently altering the human genome for your own child’s benefit or your countries benefit?  And when your child grows up and has kids, what will these passed along alterations, potentially change in the next child, etc.….  If you are wondering like I was about this, take a look at some Science Fiction on the subject.  You might have seen a few of these already but here is a short list of some of my favorites.  Remember that every technological change that has occurred in our world was once just Science Fiction.

Great movie about the manipulation of genetics and how it creates the haves and the have nots.  Well worth the rental!  
Fantastic TV series on genetics and the potentials for good or bad with Cloning.  A five-season series that is well worth the rental!
A book series (three books) created by Nancy Kress about what can happen for good or bad, when you mess with the human Genome. One of my favorites.

There are many,many more examples in popular culture (movies, TV, books, magazines) of stories about the good and bad of genetic modification. My point in writing to you dear reader about this is that sometimes the things that truly change the world are what seem on the surface small.  They make little waves and are soon pushed aside in the noise of everyday life.  I believe the events that happened in China about 9 months ago, present today as twin new born girls, are one of those things. Life on this planet as we know it has changed, it might not be readily apparent yet, but it has. I used to think that the next big evolution inhumanity would be a machine interface of some kind, but now I am not so sure.  It might still be part of the picture but “genetics” will play an immense role.  And of course, this could be looked at as good or bad.  It will really depend on other forces that have the potential to drive it.  As a recent example, there is a push by the Religious Right to end research on fetal stem cells.  Some of this research has to do with curing HIV. If you limit this area of research, then a real-life example is what I just talked about.  Since the Chinese Genetics researcher has shown that he can prevent the transmission of HIV, how many others will take this approach, because fetal Stem Cells are out of reach?  What will be the consequences??  Are we ready for the changes coming to our world??   

Could a “Super Solider” be part of our future. A new/old idea – rebirth of the “Warrior Cast.”
Back Country Skiing at Cameron Pass!!

Well I have to say that the last couple of weeks have been good!!  The skiing has been great and I really cannot complain. I guess if I did though, the only fly in the ointment is that I have to work a little bit and take a class or two?! What is that about??  Oh well, I do have to work at the day job in order to pay the bills and keep doing what I want and love to do.  And let me say it again the skiing has been great!!  I love Colorado, where else can you get in skiing at two or three different resorts and disciplines in the same day?!  Really there are not too many places on earth that would allow that kind of access just due to the logistic of time and travel.  And if that was not enough, to come home, back to Fort Collins, and the next day do a fantastic bike ride or trail run?!  So cool. Now of course it does not always happen that way due to weather or having to work but these past few weeks it has been…. Just fantastic!!

A question that I get a lot, is why don’t I play golf?  And the answer I give is “I don’t have time.” Between all the other outdoor activities that I like to do, the problem becomes one of just not having enough time. I feel this is a good problem to have. One of the best decisions I ever made was to leave Texas and move to Colorado.  There are a lot of good people down there in Texas, but just not the opportunity.  Especially for the outdoors.  Teddy Roosevelt became president a little too late to help with land preservation in the state of Texas. 

A-Basin early in the AM on Tuesday, November 27th, getting ready for a Randonee Race!!  11F degrees in the parking lot!!

Loveland ski area at the Eisenhower Tunnel looking North, same day as the above picture, but in the afternoon.  You can just make out I70 at the bottom!!
Riding on the Spring Creek trail in Fort Collins Wednesday afternoon, November 28th.  Love riding this bike!!  Trek Cross Country 29er with lockable shocks so that you can ride bike trail or dirt!!
Contemplating a long bike or trail run, beautiful afternoon weather, Saturday 8th,December 2018. I went with the run!
Snowshoe trip at Montgomery Pass, Monday December 10th, lots and lots of snow!!

Well that is going to be about it for me this week.  Need to get back out there and do some more skiing. Hope your weekend is a great one. Remember your commits and questions are always welcome.  Take care my friends and see you “Out There!!”

Book Review, Exercise, Science, Skiing

MUSINGS FOR SATURDAY 24TH, NOVEMBER 2018

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Damn it has been a fantastic week!!  And that is the truth of the matter.  Hope everyone had a great Turkey Day.  I had to work but that was OK.  Someone has got to do it?  Right?  Oh well sometimes you are off and sometimes you have to work.  And this Turkey Day it was my turn to work.

I started reading a new book by Neil DeGrasse Tyson and Avis Lang called “Accessory to War.”  So far it seems like a pretty good book on the alliance between science and the military.  It is one of those things you don’t really think about to start, but when someone points it out, it is almost like an “aha moment.”  My first experience with this idea came in college years ago.  The book actually brings back memories of Art History when we studied about Leonardo Da Vinci.  Artists at the time needed people to employ them, a “patron” so to speak, and one of the ways to do that was to design and build “war machines”, “castle fortifications”, etc.… all for protection or conquest.  Leonardo was employed in 1487 for this very reason by the Duke of Milan.  At the time Italy was made up of a collection of City States that were constantly at war with each other and if you had the ability to design and build these types of implements, then you were very employable.  I am guessing that you could go back since time immortal and find evidence of alliances like this.  Again, I am not that far into the book but it seems pretty good for now.  I will let you know if I change my mind.  You can find the book at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Accessory-War-Unspoken-Alliance-Astrophysics/dp/0393064441/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542701177&sr=8-1&keywords=accessory+to+war

The afternoons the last few days have been beautiful here on the Front Range of Colorado.  Very nice weather for running and some beautiful sunsets to boot.  The four pictures below were all taken on the same afternoon/evening but at different times.  Looking at them again I am amazed how the light changed over the course of about 30 to 45 minutes.

FIRST PICTURE – LOOKING WEST.

SECOND PICTURE – LOOKING WEST.

THIRD PICTURE – LOOKING WEST.

FOURTH PICTURE – MOON RISE – LOOKING EAST.

Well… You might be wondering why I posted the quotes from different scientists?  The reason is I really believe that if we as a nation want to make “America Great Again” – this is where the focus needs to be.  As problems of our planet and society become more and more convoluted.  We need better solutions for all of us living together.  I would say that this is so important in the next 20 years that we need to make all College Level Scientific degrees free for anybody who wants one.  And if you get into one area of study and want to change then you can do it without any repercussions.  I believe America will be behind most of the developed world within the next few years if we don’t make this switch.  My personnel opinion is that all education needs to be high caliber with minimal cost.  So that even someone in a single parent household can go to school.  All schools should be merit based, not dependent on how much money you have or can pay.  Truly, putting all politics aside, if you want to help this country continue to be a world leader then you need to offer free college for Science Majors (all science majors, master’s programs, PhD programs) – pull the money you need out of the military budget.  I mean it is going to benefit them in the long run anyway.   Or tax all churches and religious organizations, put the money into science education.  Prayers do not cure you of your antibiotic resistance staph infection, only the next generation of antibiotics will.  We need to continue to move away from the comforting “make believe” of religion and put more effort into hard science.  Our future, our children’s future, humanities future depends upon it.

Science is the key to our future.  Especially if you want to avoid the massive problems that occur when major calamities strike, natural and man-made.  We are in a very interconnected world that is becoming more connected every day.  Whether we like it or not, we are a “global community.”  Let me say that again, we are a global community.  And to manage something as big as an entire global community takes a whole new understanding and level of science. As a nation we can continue to be a part of this or we can allow the world to pass us on and be eventually “told” by the rest of the world what to do and how to do it.  I believe it is in our best interest to be part of the later…..

Well that is going to be about it for me this week.  Cross country skiing is getting really good at the moment, much better than last year.  I was at Snow Mountain Ranch in Grand Country earlier in the week and the snow was great.  This time last year I could have been mountain biking on the same trails.  It is snowing in the mountains this weekend, so the skiing next week should be fantastic!!    I hope to see you out there on the trails or at the ski slope.  Take care my friends and may you have a great weekend!!

 

 

Book Review, Colorado, Exercise, Politics, Skiing

MUSINGS FOR WEDNESDAY 14TH, NOVEMBER 2018

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“You can choose courage or you can choose comfort, but you cannot have both.” – Brene Brown
“Don’t try to win over the haters.  You’re not a jackass whisper.”          – Brene Brown

 

Life is good and I cannot complain too much.  Wow what a start to ski season!! Some of the best early snow conditions for the Central and Northern Mountains of Colorado. I have already been up 5 times this year.  A few times to Loveland and a few times to A-basin.  Very nice indeed.  Now, only if the conditions can continue.  That is a big if and it remains to be seen how much moisture will fall in the next 60 days or so.  But for now, I am going to enjoy what is there and not worry too much about the future.

LOVELAND SKI AREA LOOKING WEST ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON NOVEMBER 7TH, 2018

FROM THE LAKE DILLON BIKE TRAIL LOOKING WEST ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON NOVEMBER 7TH, 2018

A-BASIN SKI AREA THURSDAY 8TH, NOVEMBER 2018

I spend a lot of my ski time in Summit County.  This is a great place in Colorado.  I like to think of it as an outdoor mecca but with all the conveniences of a modern city.  The major towns which are all somewhat close together are Dillon, Silverthorne, Frisco and Breckenridge.  The county is home to 4 major downhill ski resorts, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Keystone and A-Basin, not to mention a few cross-country areas.  Add in a little backcountry access and you truly have an outdoor playground.  If you like the outdoors it is a fun place to be anytime of the year.

Finished up another book this past week called “Democracy in Chains:  The deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America” by Nancy MacLean.  I found it an interesting book.  The book is about James McGill Buchanan, Charles Koch and the Libertarian Right.  Buchanan was a Nobel Prize Winner in economics.   He won the prize for what is known today as “Public Choice Theory” – the ideas on how people make or don’t make decisions in the political realm.  MacLean’s book does not really go into this too much.  She was more concerned with the idea that Buchanan saw a conflict between economic freedom and political liberty.  She paints a picture of Buchanan being secretly racist and wanting to suppressing economic freedoms and democracy for the poor to benefit the rich.  Charles Koch, a billionaire – 8th richest person in the world as of June 2018, comes into the picture when he discovers Buchanan’s work.  Koch is painted in the book as what I would call an advocate of the “Super Libertarian Right.”  The old story that less government, less corporate welfare, less government spending on social programs, health care, etc.… is the best way to improve things (but mainly for the rich).  MacLean feels that Koch saw his ideas overlapping with Buchanan’s work quite a bit and because of that, Koch and the “Libertarian Right” have been able to push their ideas forward in government based on that work.  As an example, she points out:  recently passed laws designed to cause problems with unions, the increase in privatization of schools (school vouchers), the defunding of universal health care, and threatening social security to just name a few.

The part of the book for me that I found most worrisome and disturbing is that the wealthy “Libertarian Right” does not seem to care who gets hurt in the process.  Can’t get health care for your Cancer, well too bad, better luck in the next life, need an education, well if you can’t pay for it then you don’t get it (even at the grade school level).   All this does not benefit the majority of people in the country.  Just the wealthy.  I have a few friends that persistently believe in the erroneous “Deep State” conspiracy theory ideas.  What they really need to do is read this book by MacLean.  Here is a true conspiracy that will only benefit the rich and not the majority of people in the country.  You can find the book on Amazon at:https://www.amazon.com/Democracy-Chains-History-Radical-Stealth/dp/B072J2MTWT/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542005455&sr=8-1&keywords=democracy+in+chains . I got the book as an Audio Book but I think it might have been better to do the kindle edition or paperback so that you can go back and easily reread sections.

Did my first Rando race of the season yesterday (Tuesday), at A-basin.  It is part of a five-part series called Rise and Shine.  It is an uphill challenge.  Yes, you ski uphill with skins and take them off at the top and race down.  Then repeat.  This race was timed for an hour to see how many runs you could get in.  I improved some and was able to get in 3.  Last year I was only able to do about 2 in that first hour.  A chilly start for this race – the temperature in the parking lot when I arrived was 4 degrees F.  But lucky in that there was no wind.

WARM UP BEFORE THE RACE.

A CHILLY START THIS AM – 4 DEGREES F IN THE PARKING LOT!! 

At the basin it is a very low key event and really you are mainly racing against yourself.  Especially at my age.   I think that it went pretty well.  I am happy that I am just able to do it at my young age of 56.

Well I am thinking that is probably about all for me this week.  I hope every one has a great rest of the week and weekend.  Take care and hope to see you out on the trails or the ski slope!!

 

Life is good, bad, beautiful and ugly – but it is all experience, so drink it up and guzzle it down my friend, for it is all that we are given!!