This old GoPro (somehow attached to my head) had a small sensor (pixelates) so I futzed with the image, sort of smeared it, to make it look more like a painting. I dunno if this is any good. is it obvious that that’s a surfboard in the b.g.?
My reason for posting this one is how much I’ve missed surfing, both lately and going way back to when I left on this road trip. The two mistakes that led to my land-bound circumstances (I’m repeating myself again): The first being the biggie, selling my farm and leaving Pavones, the other the simple error of not towing a trailer back from Mexico in 2007, which meant that Mexico thinks my old truck is still in-country and won’t let me enter with another vehicle. (Yes, I tried the usual mordida multiple times, pero no sirvio).
Jesus, what a disaster that was. When I hit the road in 2014 I was actually headed for Saladita, Mexico. Here’s an old video of the place. Loved that left; a perfect longboard wave. Anyway, this ‘selfie’ was from around that time, maybe 2008, something like that, done with an old GoPro. (I think I mentioned that Nick Woodman, who invented GoPro and is now a billionaire, has given me innumerable GoPros, ever since the beginning, when he was working out of his garage. Just because he liked Zero. (He sent me six new ones in 2014 for this trip; I’ve lost or broken all of them.)
Last night I came across a movie I’d seen years ago and watched it again. It’s called AlphaGo The Movie; it’s the story of how a team of young geniuses with very little money developed an algorithm that beat the best Go player maybe that ever lived. Talk about a quandary! I mean about how to feel about what happens. You have to understand that Go is not like chess, wherein a computer can use brute computing power (force) to predict every possible scenario and so forth, and thereby beat any human. Go is different and really needs creativity…
Might as well throw in another selfie. As Ive aged I learned to move the camera as far away as possible (plus sunglasses). This one is via my drone.
Addendum: The ‘t’ key on my f-ing MacBook sometimes doesn’t work unless I type it in bold, so please keep this in mind.
There’s a moment in the movie that is (or should be) outright chilling, when the creators of the algorithm think AlphaGo has made an inexcusable amateur mistake and would surely lose the game (it was best out of 5) and all the ‘experts’ were horrified as well. (I don’t really understand the game but I do trust their judgement on this.) Turned out to be a truly ‘creative’ move, way beyond human capability. Truly creative. Intuitive. You gotta really think about that. Does it mean computers are on the verge of sentience?
Keep in mind this was years ago and with Moore’s Law (the exponential rise in computing power, etc.), the implications are… I dunno what they are, but we should probably be as worried about this as we should be about the coming solar micro-nova.
So, if you haven’t seen this one, make some time and do so, is my advice today.
Allan
I’ve gotten three new contributors ($3.25 a month) in the last few days, plus a one-timer of $20 (Click here if you are in the mood to do this). Very encouraging. I may be on the verge of sentience.
If you want to send something via snail mail (doesn’t have to be money), here is my address: 41 West Highway 14, #253, Spearfish, SD 57783. Let me know via email if you send something.
Woops, just saw your thing about the wave ride word that begins wt S.
My bad. I get it.
Went through a similar thing last year wt a passion of mine. Worked through it & good now but I totally get it
When & if you decide your gonna do it, nothing will stop you though.
Life’s weird like that
Oh & Alpha Go I really like.
I’ve tried to get my daughter to watch Alpha Go like 10x because I know she’d dig it but nope. She’ll eventually watch it but her teenage mind is in the nope Dad phase.
I get it.
it is good to see this video and honey dog again. hopefully you will get back there allan. i was there last year, around this time….3rd or 4th time. it was crowded, but what place isn’t these days. i think part of the crowd was because people were traveling again for the first time.
Love the painting!!
As a native Minnesotan, I spent many summers on Lake Superior. So I looked into what land locked folks do, to surf. Found this article.
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/we-have-the-best-waves-on-the-great-lakes-california-surfer-now-hangs-10-on-frosty-lake-superior/
I appreciate the thought but the idea of driving east to surf cold junk waves… I don’t think so. Best if no mention of surfing at all. Please.
Thanks for another awesome post Allan! – and these photo’s are tremendous! – LOVE especially your selfie in the surf picture at the top.
Your posts & pics always bring me much joy 🙂 (except the heat pics so far Lol!).
Thank you for the very handy donation lever to pull, I could scratch up $25NZ straight away, and it should be with you within a day or 2.
My income has been dashed on the rocks (nearly down to half usual) – caused by the fake rona lockdown damage, AND shockingly bad weather – rain, rain, rain all the time lately.
And thanks for your address too Allan!.
Keep these donation levers handy on ALL your posts IMO, I want to look after you Mr! (as I stumble on some $ here & there).
Beautiful ‘Surfing Saladita Point, Mexico’ video – especially from 4:44 (with more great photography tricks!).