Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari

On By Rick McIn Artificial Intelligence AI, bad news, books, climate change, economics, education, ethics, GOP USA, government, happiness, health & fitness, human rights, internet, things getting worseLeave a comment

Any panel put together to save the world, would certainly include Professor Yuval Noah Harari. 

He’s a BIG thinker. 

Some feel he overstates the risks to mankind. I’d rather we err on the side of caution.

His 2024 book is …

Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI

I’m not smart enough to explain his thinking — but here’s a ChatGPT summary of the non-fiction tomb.

Main Focus: Nexus explores the intersection of technology, human evolution, and the future of societies, emphasizing the merging of biological and digital realms.

Technological Convergence: Harari examines how advancements in genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology are changing humanity’s relationship with itself and the world.

Human Enhancement: A central theme is the idea that humans may soon be able to enhance their biological and mental capacities through technology, leading to “post-human” forms of existence.

Ethical Implications: The book raises questions about the ethics of altering human biology, creating artificial life, and the consequences of tampering with the essence of what it means to be human.

Social and Economic Impact: Harari discusses how these technological advancements could lead to social divides, with some individuals or groups gaining access to powerful enhancements while others are left behind.

Surveillance and Control: A significant concern is the potential for increased surveillance and control over individuals’ minds and bodies, both by governments and corporations.

Evolution of Consciousness: Harari reflects on how human consciousness may evolve or change in response to these new technologies, as well as the philosophical questions surrounding free will and identity.

End of Homo Sapiens: The book suggests that humanity might be on the verge of an epochal shift, where Homo sapiens could be replaced by a new, technologically-enhanced species—either through natural evolution or deliberate engineering.

Uncertainty of the Future: Harari emphasizes the unpredictability of the future, acknowledging that the developments discussed could lead to both utopian and dystopian outcomes.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Other booksSapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (2011)
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2015)
21 Lessons for the 21st Century (2018)

Pink Floyd – Great Gig in the Sky

On By Rick McIn musicLeave a comment

One of the great, original vocals of all time in my opinion.

“The Great Gig in the Sky” is the 5th track on The Dark Side of the Moon, a 1973 album Pink Floyd.

The song features music by keyboard player Richard Wright and improvised, wordless vocals by session singer Clare Torry.

On the recommendation of Alan Parsons, the band brought in Clare for a 3 hour session and asked her to improvise. She was paid the session standard  £30.

In a 2005 out-of-court settlement, Clare was awarded more. 😀

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. This is not Clare Torry.

Here’s another LIVE version with different vocalists.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Top 100 Places To Visit in The World

On By Rick McIn travelLeave a comment

Ryan Shirley is one of the best travel vloggers.

From Provo, Utah, his travels started with a 2 year mission for the Church.

Ryan’s always looking for the most scenic and adventurous destinations. He loves to jump off cliffs, for example. His wife is into it, as well. 😀

Here are Ryan’s 100 top destinations, so far.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (70 min)

Viscount Bennett High School 50th Reunion

On By Rick McIn about Rick, education, friendsLeave a comment

Good news. There’s a concept of a plan for a 50th reunion.

Saturday, May 10, 2025

4.00 p.m. at Schanks Sports Grill, Calgary

I was one of the organizers of the VB High 25th anniversary in 2000. A lot of fun.

VB Reunion website

I was one of those kids who actually enjoyed High School. 😀

Viscount Bennett High School
Viscount Bennett High, Calgary

Viscount Bennett High School operated as a junior and high school from 1955 to 1985, closing due to low enrolment. 

In 1995, Chinook Learning Services operated out of the building until the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) closed it permanently in 2018.

We had buried a time capsule in 1975. Dug it up in 2000. Then reburied some items.

BUT it was dug up during a facility renovation, the junk dumped on the sidewalk. Brian Mason picked it up. I still have some things in my basement.

In 1975, we had something called the “Grad Notebook“.

Handmade. Something we could pass around for kids to sign as a remembrance.

Here’s mine. I took a photo of each page. Did a little editing.

The Westgate Motor Inn Bar was demolished 2004.

The CREW of the 1975 Grad Film were Ian Baird, Ron Shewchuk, Brian Mason, Richard Englehardt, Dean Cave and myself.

Many in 1975 predicted recreational marijuana would be legal by 2000. BUT it wasn’t official until 2018.

Richard Englehardt and myself won the 1975 High School car rally when the REAL winners were disqualified for not wearing seatbelts.

Loraleigh Keashly was the smartest kid in school. She went on to finish multiple degrees and became a professor at Wayne State University. Certainly her comment was the most … accurate. 😀

Ron Shewchuk was already a writer and a bit of poet:

In ’00 we will meet

All older.

Some wiser

When I see this 25 years from

Now

I will probably realize

Au revoir.

Where to TRAVEL in 2025?

On By Rick McIn cycling, hiking, travelLeave a comment

Of course I have a half dozen different itineraries drafted. 😀

BUT which will end up happening?

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Highest priority destinations 2025:

  • Indonesia for World Gymnastics Championships October
  • Northern Australia
  • Nepal in November (Everest Base Camp)

Medium priority destinations 2025:

  • USA hiking part of the Pacific Crest Trail
  • Denmark for cycling
  • Germany for cycling

Low priority 2025:

  • Iceland and the Faroe Islands (again)
  • Madeira – Portuguese Islands
  • Canary Islands – Spain
  • East Africa
  • northern Vancouver Island cycling
  • Pakistan for hiking
  • India for hiking
  • Jordan for cycling
  • Oman for cycling
  • Taiwan for hiking
  • Mongolia
  • Greece
  • Scotland
  • Corsica
  • Montenegro & Balkans

Any other recommendations for me?

Hum by Helen Phillips

On By Rick McIn booksLeave a comment

I only got about 40% through this book.

GREAT plot. But the dysfunctional family was simply too depressing for me.

Hum (2024) is Helen Phillips 6th book.

It’s a dystopian novel set in the near future.

The air is polluted. World has heated up, requiring more air conditioning. Water supply questionable.

People spend a lot of time in ‘wooms’, something like a climate controlled capsule.

 “hums” – humanoid robots – are increasingly taking the jobs of humans.

Mary is out of work — and hears of an opportunity to earn several months’ salary by receiving an experimental facial injection, and takes it. The injection will render May’s face unrecognisable to the ubiquitous hums. She’s a guinea pig for a form of adversarial AI.

What could go wrong?

USA is a ‘Flawed Democracy’

On By Rick McIn economics, GOP USA, government, happiness, human rights, things getting worseLeave a comment

The American economy might never have been stronger relative to the rest of the world than in 2024.

BUT more and more of that money is going to the very rich. If that continues, you can project the States will be come some kind of oligarchy. Perhaps even a totalitarian state.

Government power in an oligarchy rests with a small number of people; nobility, fame, wealth, education, or corporate, religious, political, or military control. Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Iran are all oligarchies.

The Economist still ranks the USA as a ‘flawed democracy‘ in their annual Democracy Index. Only 29th on the list of democracies.

The full democracies 2023:

  1. Norway
  2. New Zealand
  3. Iceland
  4. Sweden
  5. Finland
  6. Denmark
  7. Ireland
  8. Switzerland
  9. Netherlands
  10. Taiwan
  11. Luxembourg
  12. Germany
  13. Canada
  14. Australia
  15. Uruguay
  16. Japan
  17. Costa Rica
  18. United Kingdom


I want to live in a full democracy where it’s easiest to get rid of leaders the majority don’t want. As Churchill said: “democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried.”

The full democracies tend to have a smaller gap between rich and poor.

Russians can’t get rid of Putin. Ali Hosseini Khamenei has been the leader of Iran since 1989. Iranians can’t get rid of him.

Americans should be wondering whether they can get rid of Musk or Trump.

It’s obvious that the top 1% buy American politicians who vote in their interest. This chart is from 2014. Things are much worse in 2024.


At its heart, this is a problem of corruption – caused by money in our political system. 

THE U.S. IS AN OLIGARCHY? THE RESEARCH, EXPLAINED

Thanks Tony.

Expedition Oregon Adventure Race

On By Rick McIn cycling, health & fitness, sport - amateurLeave a comment

Perhaps we should put together an Adventure Racing team for Expedition Oregon. 😀

Only 250 miles of mtn bike, trekking, climbing, packrafting, rafting, navigation.

America’s toughest A.R. race.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.