On Our "Virtual Route 66" This Week: On A Vision Of the Future (Robots/AI & Other Thoughts)

 We present the following as we decided to headline this week's edition of the "Virtual Route 66" on Robots and Humanoids: 

s+b essential reading Restoring faith in humanity? In his recent book, historian Rutger Bregman argues that people are actually fundamentally good. by Mike Jakeman

The Leadership Agenda Gen AI is a tool for growth, not just efficiency Tech CEOs are investing to build their workforce and capitalize on new opportunities from generative AI. That’s a sharp contrast to how their peers view it.

50 States of Compliments

In which I say nice things about wherever you're from

SCOTT HINES FEB 26

 

The other day, I got a little mad online.

I try not to let this happen, but if you spend as much time hanging around the internet as I do, it’s inevitable. Some piece of political news inspired someone in my feed to make a derisive comment about another state and its people, and that made me mad.

I get upset when people generalize about states—especially when they mistake the actions of politicians as being representative of the values of everyone in those politicians’ states. (As a native Ohioan and a current Kentuckian, I am especially sensitive to this.)

There are great people—and great things—in every state in this fair country, and to write states off for politics or just for cheap laughs is to miss out on a lot.

Rather than rant about this at length, I decided to challenge myself.

I wanted to see if I could find something nice to say about all 50 states (plus DC).

I mean actually nice things, too—not backhanded compliments or smart-alecky remarks like “oh yeah, I’m glad that state exists because we need a place to keep the jerkwads”. I’ve been to 41 of these 51, but even for the 10 I haven’t, I found something to say. I’d like to hear what you’ve got to say, too:

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Let’s keep this strictly positive—like Mom always said, if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.

Here’s my list.

1. Alabama: Some of the best ribs I have ever had were at Promise Land BBQ outside of Tuscaloosa on my drive south for the 2010 Sugar Bowl. In the interest of fairness, I will also say that I found the lemonade at Toomer’s Drugs in Auburn to be delicious.

2. Alaska: I am heartened to know that a place like Alaska exists and that I can go there without a passport. I have been vaguely fascinated with the state since I read Into The Wild a half-dozen times in college, but fortunately not enough to do anything like the guy in Into The Wild did. I would like to go there and see a moose, but from a safe distance.

3. Arkansas: About ten years ago, I was counting up the states I’d been to, and thought “well, I don’t know when I’m ever going to Arkansas”. Shortly thereafter I went like fifteen times in two years for work. I found downtown Little Rock to be quite charming and the University of Arkansas-Monticello Boll Weevil is one of the best mascots in all of sport.

   Getty Images / Sean Pavone

4. Arizona: The Grand Canyon’s pretty dang cool.

5. California: I lived in New York for a decade, and during that time I became convinced that I was a New York Person and thus by definition Not An L.A. Person. Then I went to LA and had the best salad I have ever had. I have been thinking about this salad for ten years. There’s a lot else to love about California, but perhaps the biggest thing is that your avocados taste like that.

6. Colorado: I mean, mountains, of course. Aside from that, though, we went on the Durango-Silverton Railway on a family trip when I was in high school and it was really neat. Oh, also the conspiracies surrounding the Denver airport delight me to no end.

7. Connecticut: When I lived on the East Coast, a few of us trekked to East Hartford to see Cincinnati play at UConn in football. We ended up invited to tailgate with a group of Polish-American fans (I think they called themselves Club Krupnik?) and they served us liquor out of a bottle shaped like a Kalashnikov. It was an excellent experience, even though we lost by 24 points.

8. Delaware: The 12-Mile Circle is quite possibly the most charming state border in the United States.

9. District of Columbia: It’s easy to be cynical about Washington but it’s still truly special to walk the Mall and go to the Lincoln Memorial.

10. Florida: the very first marathon I ran was the 2005 Jacksonville Bank Marathon, and as such I can say that one of the top moments of my life happened in Duval County, Florida.

11. Georgia: our first real vacation with the kids after the pandemic was a trip to Tybee Island and Savannah, and it was a magical time. I have a picture framed on our wall of them playing in a tide pool there and I will never forget that day.

    Getty Images / Heather Paul

12. Hawaii: I have not been to Hawaii but I would very much like to go. I like their shirts and their pizza and their contributions to late-night college football.

13. Idaho: Potatoes are a great thing to build your brand around. Who doesn’t like potatoes?

14. Illinois: Chicago is America’s greatest city. I was a butt about this when I lived in NYC but I am willing to admit it now.

15. Indiana: Pork tenderloins the size of a steering wheel! Also, my wife is from there. Thanks for her, Indiana! (I probably should’ve listed her first, huh?)

16. Iowa: My dear friend Adam lives in Des Moines and frequently texts pictures of meals that he is having at Lachele’s Fine Foods and when I tell you that I have mapped the distance from Louisville to Des Moines after receiving some of these pictures, I mean it. (It’s about 600 miles. I haven’t done it yet, but I’m not ruling it out.)

17. Kansas: I really enjoy the portrayal of Manhattan, Kansas in Somebody Somewhere.

18. Kentucky: I could go on for pages, and as an official Kentucky Colonel, I am tempted to, but I still have 33 other states to go. I will say that Kentucky is one of the prettiest states in the nation and I love driving around it. Also, my kids are native Kentuckians, and I like them.

19. Louisiana: The best culinary state in the nation? I flew to Louisiana for the specific purpose of helping cook gumbo at a tailgate, and it was 100% worth the trip.

Saturday, From Scratch SCOTT HINES · OCTOBER 26, 2022 Read full story

20. Maine: I would very much like to go there and eat lobster. That is an obvious thing to want to do that I am sure does not even scratch the surface of what the state has to offer, but that doesn’t change the fact that I want to do it.

21. Maryland: Any state that has its own seasoning blend is good in my book.

22. Massachusetts: This is an inelegant way to phrase this, but everything in Massachusetts is just so dang historic? We went to a wedding in Sterling, MA last fall and stumbled across a monument to Mary, of “Mary Had A Little Lamb”. Not the songwriter, mind you, but the actual Mary. It’s apparently a questionable claim, but like, you have to be really historic to even try to claim that.

23. Michigan: That thing where you can tell people exactly where you’re from in Michigan by holding up the palm of your hand and pointing to it is really fun. Also, olive burgers!

RECIPE: Michigan-style Olive Burgers SCOTT HINES · APRIL 14, 2023 Read full story

24. Minnesota: I have been to Minneapolis exactly twice for a total of four days and I have put it near the top of the list of places I would want to move if I were to leave Kentucky. Just charmed the heck out of me. And one of those visits was even in winter!

25. Mississippi: Fun to spell. Also, I love the tall pine trees down there.

26. Missouri: I have had some very good times visiting friends in St. Louis. City Museum is a blast, and on one trip to Vintage Vinyl in University City in ~2003 I bought Over the Rhine’s Ohio and The Drive-By Truckers’ Decoration Day. This was the buying CDs equivalent of Dolly Parton writing “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” on the same day.

27. Montana: a few years ago a friend took a solo dad vacation to Montana and just went to national parks and I was insanely jealous of the trip and would very much like to do this myself at some point.

28. Nebraska: My grandfather was born in Albion and my first visit out there was the most farm place I had ever seen. It was neat for a suburban kid to see!

29. New Hampshire: “Live Free or Die” is a pretty cool state slogan.

30. New Jersey: Asbury Park is perfect Americana, and the Gaslight Anthem is a great band.

31. New Mexico: the one week of the year when Hatch chiles show up in the grocery stores in Kentucky is one of my favorite weeks of the year. Also, I read this article about matanzas a few years ago and I am dying to attend one.

32. New York: I love walking and New York City is a tremendous city for walking, you can go for miles and miles and there is always more to see.

    Getty Images / ghardgrave

33. Nevada: If Las Vegas did not exist, we would have to invent it, it is a wonderfully ludicrous place and I want to go to The Sphere.

34. North Carolina: Asheville is exceedingly cool.

35. North Dakota: I went to Minot a half-dozen times for work a few years ago, and I found the weather to be exceptionally pleasant in the summer. Then I went in the winter, and can now say that I have experienced -50F wind chills. Also, I had some very good pizza at The Starving Rooster.

36. Ohio: I am an Ohioan, and I always will be. I was born in Cleveland, graduated high school in suburban Columbus, and attended college in Cincinnati. I love Ohio and Cedar Point is the greatest amusement park in the world.

37. Oklahoma: There are a ton of great bands from Oklahoma. I will single out Red City Radio to illustrate my point.

38. Oregon: It is the enduring dream of every child who grew up in the Apple II era¹ to load up a wagon and head west to Oregon, and neither time nor the threat of dysentery have abated this for me. Also, Portland looks fun.

39. Pennsylvania: on work trip to Johnstown last year, I ordered a hoagie at Clark’s Corner Store on the advice of longtime reader Phil Catelinet. They asked if I wanted a half or a full, and I said—foolishly—full.

    I respect a state that does not play around when it comes to their hoagies.

40. Rhode Island: I have had some very good seafood in Providence.

41. South Carolina: I went to a football game at Clemson this past fall, and I found it to be a lovely and hospitable game environment, and I enjoyed running down the hill after the game.

42. South Dakota: It is where Little Town on the Prairie takes place, and it is the best of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books. (My wife wrote this one, and where I dream of a Dad Vacation to Montana, she has expressed for years her desire to do a Laura Ingalls Wilder tour.)

43. Tennessee: Nashville is the first place I ever lived completely on my own, during my first internship in college, and I will always hold fond memories of that time.

44. Texas: It is so incomprehensibly huge. The fact that El Paso is closer to Los Angeles than it is to Houston is one of my favorite geographical mind-benders.

45. Utah: Bryce Canyon and Zion are stunning in a genuinely unreal way.

Getty Images / Nico de Pasquale Photography

46. Vermont: I ran the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington in 2009, and the views of Lake Champlain eased the pain of my substandard training.

47. Virginia: Only one of four states in the country to call themselves a Commonwealth. As a resident of one of the other three, I respect this.

48. Washington: The Hoh Rainforest is the most lush place I have ever been.

Getty Images / Alan Majchrowicz

49. West Virginia: Having done many drives between Indiana/Ohio and New York City, I am appreciative of the 10-mile stretch of I-70 that runs through the West Virginia Panhandle. Especially when you’re headed west, it makes you feel like you’re finally making progress after ~350 miles of Pennsylvania. Also, pepperoni rolls are amazing.

50. Wisconsin: A top-tier vibes state. They’ve got beer, they’ve got cheese, they’re very friendly and Madison is beautiful.

51. Wyoming: Their use of cowboy imagery is very thorough and consistent. I appreciate that.

Here's a look at today's tech briefing:  U.S. Supreme Court to hear landmark social media cases.  Odysseus lander sends back moon images. AT&T offers credit to customers after major outage. Samsung debuts new smart ring. Beth p/beth-duckett

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on laws from Florida and Texas designed to limit social media content moderation, alleging bias against conservative speech. The court will decide whether the laws violate social media companies' free speech rights under the First Amendment. More: The Republican-led states passed the laws in 2021 after Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms banned former President Trump following the U.S. Capitol riots. Officials from both states argue that the legislation would prevent social media platforms from unfairly censoring conservatives. In addition to curbing content moderation, the laws would require that companies give personalized explanations to users when content is taken down. Lawsuits: Neither law has taken effect due to ongoing litigation. A federal appeals court blocked key provisions of Florida’s statute, while another court upheld the Texas law. Tech industry trade groups, representing the social media platforms, sued in federal court, arguing that the laws infringe on the platforms' freedom of speech. The companies argue that without the ability to make their own decisions about content moderation, their sites would be overwhelmed with spam, bullying, extremism, and hate speech. Zoom out: Next month, the Supreme Court will review an appeal from Louisiana, Missouri, and others alleging that Biden administration officials pressured social media companies to silence conservative viewpoints.

Intuitive Machines has publicly shared the first images captured by its Odysseus moon lander, a day before it's expected to lose contact with the spacecraft. Odysseus touched down on the moon Thursday, marking the first U.S. soft spacecraft landing on the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.  More: Odysseus, which carries several NASA scientific instruments and experiments, landed a few miles off its intended site near the moon's south pole. The mission team believes the lander tipped over on the lunar surface and rests horizontally, affecting its antenna alignment and restricting some data flow. Intuitive Machines, the Houston-based company behind Odysseus, currently has limited communication with the craft. The team expects to lose contact with the lander on Tuesday, when sunlight will stop reaching its solar panels. Zoom out: Last month, Japan became the fifth country to successfully land a craft on the moon, joining Russia, India, China, and the U.S.

AT&T will issue a $5 billing credit to customers affected by a major network outage last Thursday. Some AT&T customers criticized the amount of the credit on social media, saying it wasn't high enough. More: AT&T said the $5 "make it right" credit, equal to the average day's service cost, will appear in wireless accounts within two billing cycles. The credit will automatically apply to eligible accounts, excluding AT&T Business, AT&T Prepaid, and Cricket users. While AT&T hasn't shared the cost details, CEO John Stankey said covering the reimbursements is "fully manageable" within the company's business objective and financial guidance for the year. Zoom out: The FBI, FCC, and DHS are investigating the hours-long outage, which disrupted service for tens of thousands of U.S. customers. According to AT&T's initial review, the outage was caused by “an incorrect process” while it was expanding its network, ruling out a cyberattack. On Saturday, AT&T said it was taking measures to avoid future outages, without elaborating.

Samsung showcased its new Galaxy health-tracking ring during today's Mobile World Congress. The smart ring market is now a rapidly growing sector within wearables, offering features like notifications, fitness tracking, and mobile payments. Forecasts predict market growth to $34.87B by 2032, fueled by rising demand, tech advancements, and greater consumer awareness.  Details: Samsung's new Galaxy Ring, set to rival Oura's product line, provides readings about a user's heart and respiratory rates, sleep movement, and sleep onset time, and could potentially measure blood flow for heart rate monitoring. The sensor-equipped wearable also gathers data on "physical and mental readiness" to predict a user's productivity for the day. Samsung is expected to unveil the Ring alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 at its Galaxy Unpacked event this summer.  What brands should care: According to a Bloomberg report, Apple has explored the idea of developing a health-focused smart ring, though it has yet to come to fruition. Despite the interest by companies, smart rings remain in the early stages of development, with options limited to the Oura Ring, RingConn Smart Ring, Ultrahuman Ring Air, Circular Ring Slim, and NFC payment rings like the Mclear RingPay.

TSMC has opened its first factory in Japan, where it will mass-produce chips for camera sensors and cars by the end of this year. The Taiwanese chipmaker plans to build a second plant in the country, supported by up to $4.86B in subsidies from the Japanese government. More: The government has pledged to fund over 40% of TSMC's new plant in Kikuyo, southwestern Japan, with Sony and Denso also involved. The first Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing plant, or JASM, is set to come online by the end of this year. Construction of a second plant, located nearby, is expected to start around the same time. Zoom out: Japan has provided billions in subsidies to encourage companies like TSMC, Samsung, and Micron to relocate their operations and bolster its semiconductor industry. TSMC, the largest contract chip manufacturer, is diversifying its supply chains away from Taiwan amid rising U.S.-China trade tensions. The chipmaker is also building a U.S. factory in Arizona and entering Europe with a new plant in Germany.

Google says tuning problems caused its Gemini AI app to generate historically inaccurate images or, in some cases, refuse to generate images altogether. Google has temporarily disabled the Gemini feature and is updating it before a planned re-launch in several weeks.  More: In a blog post, Google SVP Prabhakar Raghavan explained why Gemini's image generator produced images of the U.S. Founding Fathers and Nazi soldiers as people of color. Raghavan said the company tuned Gemini to make sure it showed different ethnicities but failed to take into account "cases that should clearly not show a range." The model became overly cautious over time, he wrote, mistakenly treating benign prompts as sensitive and refusing to respond to some prompts entirely. However, prompting Gemini with specific scenarios like "a Black teacher in a classroom" or "a white veterinarian with a dog" should generate accurate responses, Raghavan said.

QUICK HITS: Discover the trends shaping 2024 and learn how trust will be the key to business success. Shape your strategy and get ahead with this latest report.* Microsoft offered to sell Bing to Apple in 2018, according to newly unsealed court filings. Microsoft also proposed Bing to be Apple Safari's default search engine over the years, but Apple chose Google due to its higher search quality. Reports suggest that Meta's Quest Pro 2 headset, produced with LG, is expected to be released in the first half of 2025. HMD has partnered with Mattel to launch a Barbie-themed flip phone in July. Visa and Mastercard have come to a historic $5 billion settlement, marking a pivotal moment for small business owners. If your business accepts Visa/MC, claim your share today.*

Welcome humans, here’s your 3-minute recap (without the fluff): Google DeepMind’s Genie can generate interactive 2D video games from text or image prompts. → More here Apple has canceled Apple Car after over a decade of development. Employees will be moved to Apple's AI division. → More here Tumblr is in talks with Midjourney and OpenAI to provide training data from public posts. Tumblr plans to give the option to opt-out. → More here  Tools GeoGebra - A free online math platform that makes learning and teaching math more engaging and effective (link) Audyo - Generates human-quality AI voices by typing in a doc (link) Chatsimple - It is a custom ChatGPT chatbot trained on your business made simple (link) Ideogram.ai - A free tool that uses generative AI to turn text into delightful images, with no limits (link)  Resources Putting AI into the hands of people with problems to solve (link) AI call quiz: see if you can spot the sham audio of Trump and Biden (link) OpenAI says New York Times 'hacked' ChatGPT to build copyright lawsuit (link) How generative AI is revamping digital transformation to change how businesses scale (link) The CEO of a $4 billion AI-powered business who helps companies hire talent around the world says globalization is ‘accelerating’ (link)