When times were different: Steve Reed mentioned Space Odyssey 2001 and I remember going to see it. When I looked it up it had been released in May 1968. Must have been pregnant then because I gave birth to my daughter in August. As a film it just blew me away. The black monolith turning in space, yet no answer for its being there. The renegade computer called Hal, cutting the lifeline of one of the aeronauts as he works in space, the killing of the cryonic people frozen in time for the settling on a new planet. But before that, I must have seen as a child Robbie the Robot in 'Forbidden Planet'. All those years back and yet Musk still has not cracked the nut of space travel to other planets...hmm
The first AI computers were born and HAL proved that things can go awry easily enough as he rebels against the humans. As a note of comfort, a human person did manage to disable him/it/HAL (I'm not sexing a computer;) and HAL pleads for its presence/life. I have lived through the coming of the dawn of computers, as a young child who became obsessed with H.G.Wells and his sci-fi stories. The space age was definitely an opening story to life, shame it fizzled down to little robotic hoovers trailing around on the carpet with often the cat sitting on it.
And talking of cats Mollie is no longer constipated thank goodness. How do you cure a cat and administer some magical potion of medicine? You swaddle them in a towel and as they open their mouths to complain you squirt the medicine in with the pipit you are holding in the other hand.
There was a programme in the night discussing a washing the dishes robot but surely the dishwasher fulfils that role. Slightly disappointed! If you look at the Americans who land on Robbie's planet, you will see a version of America we all thought of them then, clean shaven and noble. How did Trump arrive on the scene of history? by what paths did he waddle towards the ways of a fascist and authoritanism state. A different state of which was defeated in the year I was born.
Slightly disorientated this morning, the clocks have gone back an hour, once I had worked that out my day proceeds normally.
I'm wary of AI as it seems to be messing with fact and fiction too often.
ReplyDeleteWe don't set the clocks back until November 2nd.
I liked the photos of your family in the last post. Such a lovely group, Thelma!
The thing about life Ellen is to go your own sweet way.
DeleteThere is so much provably untrue stuff on social media that it has been rendered useless for anything other than keeping up with friends and relatives. I think AI might serve a purpose, but for right now, it seems to be used primarily as a tool to deceive.
ReplyDeleteI just love the history side of it Debby and the fact that we are so enamoured with our phones that we believe anything on it.
DeleteOh, dear! Squeezing a pipit till it squirts. Poor birdie. Christine Germany
ReplyDelete;} :} I knew I had got the word wrong, but you know what I mean, no animals or birds were intentionally harmed through the process though....
DeleteWhy don't we have robots capable of administering medicine to cats? Now THAT would be an innovation!
ReplyDeleteWrapping her in a towel seemed to make her quite happy about it. The medicine has 6 probiotics in it as well probably more than the human kefir in the fridge!
ReplyDeleteIt's still a great film.
ReplyDeleteAmazing film. I went to see 2001 in the of the big cinemas in Leicester Square with Pete but it must have later than 1968 as I would have only been 12. I saw A Clockwork Orange (with a different boyfriend) before it was banned. A powerful film too if a bit disturbing.
ReplyDeleteArthur C Clarke's book gives more insight into 2001.
ReplyDelete