A Windstorm and a Journey to the Past and Future

The old saying is that March winds bring April showers, but not this year in Colorado.

The old saying goes, “March winds bring April showers; bring May flowers. This year, it’s different here in Boulder and Denver, Colorado. April has brought fiery winds along with drought conditions. While the rest of the nation is fascinated by the impending solar eclipse, many of us who live in Boulder County have no electricity or Internet. Although I have electricity, I cannot access the Internet. The result is that I have lost television, radio, and news updates.

Everything we take for granted is unavailable. For example, I cannot order food delivery via several apps, and text messages are challenging because some get through and others do not. I need Grammarly to correct my mistakes as I write. In addition, I cannot post messages or articles on any of the platforms I typically use among millions of other people around the world.

I can't correspond with people in England, Africa, or Israel. When I go outside, I wear my heavy winter coat because I lack news about weather reports. And I cannot ask Alexa for information because it is not connected to the Internet. I need more connectivity to stay informed and communicate effectively. It also hinders my access to essential services and resources that are readily available online.

So, how do I spend my time? I can call family members such as my daughters and good friends, and I read. It seems like reading books is becoming a lost art. I am grateful for the ability to escape into a different world through the pages of a book. Reading not only entertains me but also helps me expand my knowledge and imagination. It allows me to explore different perspectives and experiences that I may not encounter in my daily life. Overall, reading has become a valuable source of comfort and enrichment for me during this time of limited connectivity.

One book I plan on reading is “Coming Wave,” which is a dire warning about the threat of the combination of ever-developing artificial intelligence and biotechnology. The danger is that these things will take over human life. Well, this experience with the outage we are suffering here in Colorado is causing me to think all we will need to do to stop any robotic threat is “pull the plug.” I'm not a tech expert so I could be wrong. Still, it seems like cutting off the energy supply will eliminate any threat that a highly developed AI might pose.

However, the idea of a complete shutdown of technology as a solution to potential threats is intriguing. It definitely gives me a new perspective on the power dynamics between humans and artificial intelligence. Ultimately, it's important to stay informed and aware of the potential consequences of advancing technology. Still, it seems like cutting off the energy supply will eliminate any threat that a highly developed AI might pose.

It’s extraordinary to realize the degree to which we are all dependent on technology. As children, we gathered around the radio to listen to programs such as “Inner Sanctum,” “Roy Rogers,” “The Shadow,” and a variety of others. During the early 1950s, television was introduced, and so began the entire revolution in communication and beyond. Our reliance on technology has only increased since then, with smartphones, computers, and the Internet now essential to daily life. Seeing how far we've come in such a short time is fascinating and sometimes overwhelming.

It's important to consider the potential consequences of advancing technology, both positive and negative, as we continue to integrate it into our lives. With the rapid advancements in AI technology, a highly developed AI might pose concerns about job displacement and privacy issues. It’s extraordinary to realize the degree to which we depend on technology, from radios and televisions of the past to smartphones and computers of today.

As we move forward, it will be crucial to both embrace innovation and safeguard against potential risks. Ultimately, our ability to adapt to and navigate the complexities of technology will determine its impact on society.

The Internet and television have been restored. Therefore, I have reached the end of this essay but will continue to ponder these issues. I hope to explore further the implications of technology on society in the future.