#entertainment Viola Davis on racial bias in Hollywood: Dark-skinned Black women do not have the same freedom as white actresses in the industry.

Hollywood actor Viola Davis opened up about the racial bias in the film industry and told how white actors have it easier than the Blacks when it comes to portrayal of roles in terms of age and opportunities. In an interview with The Telegraph, she told, Dark-skinned Black women do not have the same freedom as white actresses in the industry. There is still a sense that a woman has to look a certain way and be a certain age in order to be sexual on screen. And if those rules are broken, theyre broken for white actresses only.

She gave examples of Meryl Streep in Hope Springs and Diane Keaton in Somethings Gotta Giveand said that although they are wonderful actors, the same freedom of portrayal has not been extended to Black actors, especially the dark-skinned Black women.

The 55-year old actor also spoke about her starring role in Netflixs Ma Raineys Black Bottom and reflected on the first time she saw the August Wilson play when she was working as an usher at a theatre during college.

It was like I was watching a famous singer that I loved in private, even though I didnt even know who Ma Rainey was at all, Viola said.

She went on to say that when she was a student at Julliard School, she never performed any plays by the theatres poet of Black America who wrote a cycle of 10 shows about African-Americans in the 20th century, all but one of which were set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

I feel this was largely because our graduating class at the time didnt have enough Black students to cast in the shows, she told.

The award-winning having the Triple Crown of Acting, revealed how she didnt have any sense of belonging in the arena and felt like she had to make any hint of her Blackness disappear.

She said, I cant say that Im not appreciative of my training there, but I did not find a sense of belonging. It was a place that taught classical, Eurocentric theatre as if it was the Bible and for me, as a chocolate, kinky-haired girl, there was no way in.

To perform in Shakespeare, or George Bernard Shaw, or Eugene ONeill, I felt like what was required of me was to make any hint of my Blackness disappear, that it would somehow be a good thing if the audience could forget I was Black, she further added.

The outstanding actor has an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy and two Tony Awards, being the first African-American to achieve the feat. In fact, she has been nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in Ma Raineys Blacck Bottom. Her next role is as the executive producer for First Ladies, a showtime series in which shell play Michelle Obama.

As the film has finally premiered on Netflix, she is working to get in shape for her next film Woman King. For Ma Raineys Black Bottom, the actor had to gain weight to look like the singer. However, her transformation for the next role sparked a controversial debate among fans on sexism and racism. Read more about it here.

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Viola Davis: Dark-Skinned Black Women Do Not Have The Same Freedom As White Actresses - SheThePeople

Ireland Reads campaign gathers momentum

People are encouraged to take part in the national day to celebrate reading on 25 February

As a country boasting a multitude of writers and no less than 4 Nobel Prizewinners in Literature: William Butler Yeats (1923), George Bernard Shaw (1925), Samuel Beckett (1969) and Samus Heaney (1995), Ireland is perfectly poised to declare 25 February as its national day to celebrate reading.

In the build up to this date, public libraries nationwide have launched a campaign called Ireland Readsin partnership with local councils, publishers, booksellers, authors and others. Campaign partners will be running Ireland Reads initiatives and events throughout the month, asking everyone to squeeze in a read (no matter what - a book, a poem, a comic, or a newspaper) onIreland ReadsDay, Thursday, 25 February.

A new websitehas been set up where people can take a pledge to read on the day and see how many minutes have been pledged by their fellow-readers all over Ireland. The website also offers 800 book recommendations from librarians across the country, suited to a persons interests and time at their disposal. There you can meet the campaign ambassadors from the sphere of writing, science, sport, health and broadcasting, who share their stories about what reading means to them.

Right now, many of the activities we used to take for granted are not available to us, but you can always enjoy a good book, newspaper or magazine. These are all available free online and any time to library members. Libraries and library staff are waiting to welcome people back whenever thats possible, but until then we always have books to remind us of other people, other places, and better days, says Marian Higgins, County Kildare Librarian, quoted by the county website.

Ireland Reads is part of the government-backed Keep Well initiative to help people maintain enjoyment and physical and mental wellbeing amid the lockdown.

Studies summed up by RT show that children who read a lot when they are young tend to become avid readers throughout their life, accumulating significant knowledge along the way. As for adults, reading for pleasure enhances empathy, self-understanding and is an effective antidote for loneliness. And last but not least, reading offers an easy escape from the mental treadmill of anxiety and depression caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Ireland Reads campaign leads up to national day to celebrate reading on 25 February - TheMayor.EU

By Sukant Deepak New Delhi, Feb 16 : Stressing that author and journalist Sandeep Bamzais recently released book Princestan: How Nehru, Patel and Mountbatten Made India manages to unearth multiple facets of the period between 1945 and 1947, Congress MP and writer Jairam Ramesh said that though history tells us that the British transferred power to India and Pakistan, there was also a third party to which the British were toying with the idea of transferring power to.

Most of our historical discussions and discourses tend to neglect Princestan. We focus only on the transfer of power to India and Pakistan. Bamzai has not only brought together all the material on Princestan but also tells his readers a fascinating tale of how three key personalities Nehru, Patel and Mountbatten, helped by V.P. Menon played a decisive role in ensuring that India did not get Balkanized, and the partition that took place was only into two dominions India and Pakistan.

Published by Rupa Publications, the book, which sheds light on a plan devised by some powerful princes to not join either India or Pakistan in run-up to independence, was discussed during a launch event organised by Oxford Bookstores on Monday.

Recalling that the idea of writing the book came to him while researching for the first book of the trilogy, Deconstructing the Accession: Bonfire of Kashmiriyat, when he came across rare material bequeathed to him by his grandfather, who was the OSD to the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the author said, It was a treasure trove. I was to later discover that most of it was not even in the available at National Archives or the Nehru Museum.

In my possession are first copies of all documents in the form of letters and correspondences. It made all sense to build it into a bigger book, about all the ambition of 565 princely states. Of course, being a working journalist, snatching time to sit down and write a book is not easy. However, in 2015, during a sabbatical, I got down to work on this book. ORF was kind enough to give me a fellowship for that period.

Though a student of economics and not history, the author immersed himself in the documents, and researched at the Nehru Museum and National Archives. Adding that research also involves corroborating the material in hand, Bamzai says that it is important to interpret history in light of new material and findings.

Many of Nehrus biographers didnt use the strand of thought that stood on the alliance between him and Mountbatten to combat the princes. Frankly, Nehru passed the baton to Mountbatten, who in turn passed it to Sardar, and that is how this exercise culminated in all the princes coming together.

Adding that Sardar Patel was the enforcer, Mountbatten the charmer, Nehru the ideologue with VP Malik the draftsman, Ramesh said that in our fixation on India and Pakistan, the third player Princestan never got the attention it deserved. And it is interesting to note that Princestan was a perfectly secular enterprise and straddled the Hindu-Muslim divide.

We know that it was Bengal and Punjab that got partitioned and not India. This book brings out the important fact that India might have got partitioned had the princes had their way. An important aspect of political history in the transfer of power did not get the attention it deserves. I am glad this book bridges that gap.

Although the authors grandfather would not discuss politics with him , his father would tell him stories from that era. While Nehru lived in 17, York Road, and his grandfather in the outhouse, Bamzai recalls, Nehru would frequently talk to my father, who was a child then. I have several photographs from that time. I grew up with a lot of stories of that era.

Pointing that while Patel and Nehru were clear that princely states had no role to play in independent India, while Mahatma Gandhi believed in the concept of trusteeship, Bamzai said, He felt that princes represent the trustees and should rule. However, Netaji also supported Nehru that India had to be one without any princes and provinces.

Nehru was influenced by Fabian socialism, Annie Besant and George Bernard Shaw and was completely anti-monarchy. In fact, the princes would tell Patel and Gandhi that it was impossible to talk to him.

When Ramesh pointed that much space has been devoted to discussing Ram Chandra Kak (Kashmirs Prime Minister during 19451947) and Ramaswami Iyer who served as the Diwan of Travancore, Bamzai said, Lets not forget that it was Kak who allowed the Maharaja of Kashmir, Hari Singh to think he should vacillate till there comes a time when he can be independent. Of course, it did not come to that. But we must remember that Hari Singh signs the instrument of accession only when the raiders come and there is no other option, on October 26. Travancore wanted to have its own secret pact with the British thanks to the strategic ports and the large Thorium reserves there.

When asked by Ramesh about the most surprising bits that he came across during the course of his research, the author said, At the time when Nehru had rejected the Dickie Bird Plan, Edwina Mountbatten calls VP Menon, informing him that both Nehru and Mountbatten were in Shimla. Menon goes to Shimla, takes Mountbatten to Nehru and an alternate plan is put together. Menon then calls Sardar. Here, I would like to stress that a major reason behind writing this book was to emphasize the role of many nameless and faceless individuals.

While Princestan took around five years with three years of research and a year to actually write, Bamzai has completed the research for his next book on Kashmir. This one was supposed to be released earlier but Covid-19 delayed our plans. From the materials in my possession, I have retained a large part on Kashmir, which is not out even in the first part of the trilogy.

In the next book too, I will use the same approach as the one adopted in Princestan. Kashmir will be seen through the prism of five people.

Bamzai further stressed on the need for a National Freedom Archive, an idea floated by Kanchan Gupta, Distinguished Fellow at ORF during a launch event for Princestan. There is some priceless historical material in various private collections including mine. Much more needs to be documented about the different facets of the Indian Independence movement which is a vast canvas.

Ramesh added that he too has some rare material and there existed several important documents scattered in different state archives. All that should come under one roof. The archives should also be digitalised so that everyone can access the documents easily.

Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from IANS service.

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Princestan is many pages of revelations: Jairam Ramesh - The Siasat Daily

Love has been documented through the arts since the very beginning through stories of feeling, passionate songs and carefully crafted tales.

Each one sparks a series of emotions and its hard not to get a little chocked up when those all time classics are revisited.Sunday isthe biggest day of love of the year, but Valentines Day 2021 will be a little different given where things stand in the world. Doing some of the normal things with your valentine might not be possible, but never fear because there are options.

This weekend will be filled with opportunities to share that feeling of love with those around you througha livestreamed concert,play readings and a silent film classic on the big screen with live music.Love will certainly be in the air.

Jody Hill Simpson, the founder of Music on Norway Pond,first met Nik Walker when as a 7-year-old second grader he joined her PALS Childrens Chorus in Massachusetts. Back then, Walker was focused and had talent, and Simpson knew he had a future in the arts. She just didnt know he was going to become a star on Broadway.

You could imagine it, but you never really know, Simpson said. But I could see it and hes going to be a force in the world; he already is.

The two kept in touch and Simpson followed his career as he starred as Aaron Burr in Hamilton, both on Broadway and touring around the country. Last March, Simpson made her way to New York to see him star in the Temptations musical Aint Too Proud. The following day, Broadway shut down.

On Sunday at 4 p.m., Music on Norway Pond will host Walker for a livestream concert from his home in New York City filled with songs from Hamilton, Aint Too Proud, Ragtime and Carousel as well as other classics that evoke a feeling of togetherness and love.

Theres a lot of moving songs, Simpson said.

Most of Music on Norway Ponds shows were canceled over the summer, only hosting a few socially distanced outdoor concerts, including a Carol Fest event on the Hancock Common in December.

But as Simpson tried to plan more for the organization she got the idea of asking Walker to do a livestreamed concert. It would be the first of its kind for Music on Norway Pond but Simpson felt Walker would be perfect for it.

I thought if I could do anything, this would be the one online concert, Simpson said. If were going to livestream something, were so lucky to have this happening.

During the broadcast, Simpson will showcase some of the video clips she found in her archives of Walker when he was a young chorus member.

The show is free, but those who wish can donate to Walkers favorite charity, Give Kids The World.

My goal is to just get lots of people watching because by the end they will feel like they know him, Simpson said. And because we all need happy right now.

Simpson is not sure what is next for Music on Norway Pond, but shes just happy to have the opportunity to showcase her student from so many years ago.

Im trying to figure out ways to keep the Music on Norway Pond community together in a safe way, she said.

To receive the link to the concert, visit http://www.musiconnorwaypond.org. The concert will be available on the Music on Norway Pond YouTube channel following the livestream.

Valentines Day will have a little extra love this year with The Park Theatre producing a live-streamed reading of two powerful and witty one-act plays from acclaimed British playwright Alfred Sutro. Beloved actors Lisa Bostnar and Gus Kaikkonen will read A Marriage Has Been Arranged and The Open Door live on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.

They are so lovely and nuanced and powerful and funny, Bostnar said. Id like to do them (on the stage).

Bostnar and Kaikkonen first met in 1995 and have worked together on too many projects to count.

Hes directed me, I dont know how many times, hundreds probably, Bostnar said. Weve worked together so many places.

One of Bostnars top three plays was when she shared the stage with Kaikkonen for the two-character production of Annapurna at the Peterborough Players. They even did a Valentines Day reading in 2017, Famous Letters of Love, Passion and Romance at The River Street Theatre.

A Marriage Has Been Arranged tells the touching and funny story of a self-made millionaire proposing marriage to the noble but penniless Lady.

But its not your standard, run of the mill marriage proposal, Bostnar said.

In The Open Door Sir Geoffrey Transom has a frank and intimate conversation with his best friends wife late in the evening at a cottage by the sea, about love, about relationships, Bostnar said.

Sutro, a contemporary (and friend) of D.H. Lawrence and George Bernard Shaw, was well-known for his immensely popular plays produced in Londons West End at the beginning of the 20th century. Many of his plays were brought to Broadway with great success. Additionally, Sutro adapted several for the silver screen.

There will be a live audience talk-back after the production where Bostnar and Kaikkonen will take questions from the audience.

Encore on-demand showings of the production will be made available starting Tuesday, Feb. 16.

Tickets for the live-streamed show are $12 and can be purchased by visitinghttps://theparktheatre.org/or by calling the theatres box office at (603) 532-8888.

Sunflowers Caf in Jaffrey will be offering special Valentines Day Eve takeout dinners in conjunction with the live-streamed event. Interested patrons can reach the restaurant on Facebook, https://www.sunflowersnh.com, or by calling (603) 593-3303.

Its a one-of-a-kind film about a timeless topic: true love.

7th Heaven (1927), a romantic drama that won actress Janet Gaynor the first-ever Best Actress Academy Award, will be shown with live music on Sunday, Feb. 14, at 2 p.m. at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre. Live music will be provided by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist.

7th Heaven, which also netted Frank Borzage the first Best Director Oscar, is a fable set in Paris just before World War I. Its the story of an abused and abandoned young woman (Gaynor) who is cast aside by her family, only to be adopted by an ebullient sewer worker (Charles Farrell) with his sights set on higher things.

In her new home, the girl learns a fresh way of looking at life. Eventually love blossoms but will it survive the onset of war? Borzage used all the techniques of silent film at its height to craft a universal and timeless story that audiences have found moving since the pictures first release in 1927, one year before the talkie revolution.

7th Heaven received the most nominations of any film a total of five at the first-ever Academy Awards ceremony, held on May 16, 1929, in the waning days of the silent era.

Besides winning Best Actress for Gaynor and Best Director for Borzage, it also won an Oscar for Benjamin Glazer in the Best Writing, Adapted Story category. 7th Heaven was also nominated for Outstanding Picture, Production (the forerunner of todays Best Picture category) and Best Art Direction.

Live music will be provided by Rapsis, who improvises scores for silent films using a digital synthesizer to recreate the texture of the full orchestra.

Its kind of a high wire act, Rapsis said. But for me, the energy of live performance is an essential part of the silent film experience.

7th Heaven was remade in 1937 as a talking picture starring Simone Simon and Jimmy Stewart in the lead roles.

The Wilton Town Hall Theatre continues to observe procedures to comply with all state and CDC public health guidelines. Capacity is limited to 50 percent; patrons are required to maintain social distance and wear masks until seated.

Admission is free, but a donation of $10 per person is suggested to support the Wilton Town Hall Theatres silent film series.

For more information, visit http://www.wiltontownhalltheatre.com or call (603) 654-3456. For more about the music, visit http://www.jeffrapsis.com.

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Love is in the air and on the screen for Valentine's Day - Monadnock Ledger Transcript

In an excerpt from her recently published book Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism, Kristen Ghodsee freely quotes from the works of the playwright and Fabian Socialist George Bernard Shaw to bolster her argument that capitalism is inherently sexist. The free market forces women to be reliant upon men, wrote Shaw, turning sex into a virtual bribe for financial security. Based on Shaws analysis, Ghodsee concludes that capitalism makes slaves out of women who, under socialism, would supposedly be happy and free.

To say the least, citing Shaw is an odd choice if one is advocating for greater freedom and independence. An apologist for the worlds most brutal and oppressive dictators, Shaw had a passionate hatred for liberty, writing,

Mussolini, Kemal, Pilsudski, Hitler and the rest can all depend on me to judge them by their ability to deliver the goods and not by ... comfortable notions of freedom.

For Shaw, the goods could only be delivered if the people were bound in universal slavery to the state. This enslavement was necessary for the peoples welfare; most of the population were brutes who, when left to their own devices, could not fend for themselves and thus required the state to reorganize their lives for them.

In Shaws eyes, the pinnacle of civilization had been reached by the Soviet Union. During his 1931 pilgrimage to Stalins wonderland, Shaw was given a glimpse of what he referred to as a land of hope. He denied that the regime had imprisoned significant numbers of political dissidents, describing the gulags as popular vacation destinations. From what I gather, they can stay there as long they like, he said.

Shaw also advocated for a far-reaching eugenics program.

Thats not to say he was willfully ignorant of Stalins atrocities. Rather, he defended them. Blindly accepting Communist propaganda, Shaw argued that the dictator was forced to organize mass executions to keep the country safe from exploiters and speculators. Mass murders were also necessary to maintain a competent workforce. As Shaw wrote in 1933, the unfortunate Commissar must shoot his own workers so that he might the more impressively ask the rest of the staff whether they yet grasped the fact that orders are meant to be executed.

But killing the disobedient and inefficient was only the first step in building a better society. Shaw also advocated for a far-reaching eugenics program. [I]f we desire a certain type of civilization and culture, he wrote, we must exterminate the sort of people who do not fit into it. This included a whole range of defectives.

In a 1931 newsreel, he excitedly echoed Nazi sentiment, stating,

If you cant justify your existence, if youre not pulling your weight ... then clearly, we cannot use the organizations of society for the purpose of keeping you alive, because your life does not benefit us and it cant be of very much use to you.

But his murderous impulses didnt stop there. A considerable number of people, Shaw argued in 1948, will never toe the line and are therefore no use to the rest of society. [T]he ungovernables, the ferocious, the conscienceless, the idiots, the self-centered myops and morons, what of them? he asked rhetorically. Do not punish them. Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill them.

Though many early 20th century intellectuals were enamored with eugenics, arguably none were as committed to the wholesale slaughter of millions as George Bernard Shaw. For decades, Shaw was a staunch proponent of genocide, refusing to soften his views even after the full horror of the Nazi death camps was brought to light. And yet, there are many leftists today who continue to look to Shaw for political wisdom.

Writing for The Irish Times, Fintan OToole declares The world has never needed George Bernard Shaw more. Employing a fittingly violent metaphor, OToole lauds the way in which Shaw trained his machine gun-like personality on the pieties of Victorian imperial patriarchy.

Socialists have not only been willing to ignore the bigots and authoritarians in their midst but have gone so far as to embrace them.

Like Kristen Ghodsee, OToole praises Shaw for his polemics against gender inequality and the tyranny of family life. No mention is made of his fondness for eugenics. Other writers have taken to Shaws defense, admitting he sometimes said distasteful things but ultimately brushing off his more extreme statements as mere satire. However, given that Shaws penchant for promoting totalitarianism carried on for decades, its difficult to believe there was anything satirical about it. His bloodthirsty political philosophy seems to be have been all too genuine.

Nonetheless, Shaw was also a steadfast critic of capitalism and Victorian social values. His fiery denunciations of wealth inequality and traditional sexual morality resonate well with modern progressives. For them, an individuals adherence to socialist orthodoxy is enough to absolve him of almost any crime.

From the relatively quiet and respectable anti-semitism of Ilhan Omar to the brutal and homicidal radicalism of Che Guevara, socialists have not only been willing to ignore the bigots and authoritarians in their midst but have gone so far as to embrace them. And few have been more adored than that eccentric playwright and unapologetic Stalinist George Bernard Shaw.

Excerpt from:
George Bernard Shaw Was so Enamored with Socialism He Advocated Genocide to Advance It | Tyler Curtis - Foundation for Economic

Here come the plugs.

This decade could very well be when EVs start to take hold, and news like Ford's latest European announcement make it seem more plausible each day. On Wednesday, the Blue Oval said its entire vehicle lineup in Europe will be completely electric come 2030. Even before then, Ford promised a "zero-emissions-capable" portfolio by 2026, meaning the company will offer electric cars and plug-in hybrids that will make zero-emissions trips possible around town.

Roadshow confirmed with Ford this isn't a wider interpretation of the phrase "all-electric," and a spokesperson underscored, "By 2030, all passenger vehicles will be all electric" in Europe.

Subscribe to Roadshow's newsletter for the latest car news and reviews, delivered to your inbox twice weekly.

The move to EVs won't only affect personal vehicles, but also Ford's commercial vehicle business in Europe, too. We already got a taste of what's to come on that front with the E-Transit, but there's more to come. By 2024, Ford Europe's commercial vehicle lineup will also consist of plug-in hybrids or EV options. That zero-emissions-capable phrase came up again, hinting we'll still see some traditional engines involved, at least on the commercial vehicle side of things.

All of it revolves around a $1 billion investment in Ford's plant in Cologne, Germany, where the current facility will transform into an electric vehicle manufacturing hub. For now, all we know is Ford will build a Europe-specific EV at the plant starting in 2023 and it'll ride on Volkswagen's MEB platform. The two operate a strategic alliance that could open the door to another VW-based Ford EV as well.

The EV era isn't specific to Europe for Ford, though. Earlier this month, CEO Jim Farley said the automaker will double its investment in electric cars to $22 billion. It comes as EVs remain a tiny sliver of all new cars sold, but with coming emissions regulations and increasing calls to confront climate change, automakers are starting to get their portfolios into gear.

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Ford cars will go all electric, all the time in Europe by 2030 - CNET

In my previous post about blockchain and cryptocurrency, I discussed why I thought Tesla was making such a substantial investment in Bitcoin and allowing the cryptocurrency to be used for car purchases in the future. The balance of its revenue stream, which comes from selling surplus Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), will dry up in the next several years as competing automakers can produce their own Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) and build up their own RECs with states that require them.

Allowing its customers to purchase vehicles entirely or partially with Bitcoin is potentially one way of differentiating Tesla from other auto manufacturers. But this in and of itself is not a sustainable business strategy.

Perhaps Elon Musk has another, even wilder business plan for Tesla over the long-term -- a plan just as crazy ambitious as building giant reusable space rockets that can land on their tails.

Besides cars, Tesla's other significant business involvessolar panels, solar roofs, and batteries. The batteries are used in their cars and provide power storage for their residential solar systems, sold as theTesla Powerwall.

In most states where residential solar is installed, surplus energy from the arrays can be fed back into the grid where the local power company will "net meter"or prorate a customer's electric bill based on what they generate into or draw from the system. Based on a customer's consumption and how much a solar system produces, there will be a surplus or a deficit.

Powerwalls can store that surplus energy and power various things in your home, including air conditioners, and charge your Tesla EV.

But suppose Tesla added a capability to its on-premises solar energy/battery energy management computer built into its inverter system or the Powerwall that would give it GPUs for mining cryptocurrencies? These are already connected to home Wi-Fi. They have a management app, so upgrading it with Wi-Fi 6 and attaching it to a cryptocurrency network and an easy-to-use mobile app for cryptocurrency account management would be an achievable systems integration effort for Tesla, given the company's considerable engineering resources.

Also:Going solar in the Sunshine State: Why the investment makes sense now

It would then be possible for your home to become the ultimate idle money-producing game --- you would generate actual Bitcoins with the surplus energy your solar system makes. That might be more lucrative than getting the net metering discount from your power company, which is not incentivized to be price competitive with your solar system's energy output, as most of these companies are paying Time-Of-Use (TOU) pricing for your power generation.

If you have a large enough solar array and you live in a state with plenty of sunshine -- and assuming Tesla comes up with an easily expandable, modular design (perhaps even as an add-on product for Powerwall) -- you could add a whole chain of these GPUs to your solar computer and make a decent amount of crypto.

That makes the prospect of installing solar in your home a lot more attractive if you figure the Tesla roof, on average, will cost $50,000 to $75,000, not counting government tax incentives.

All Tesla needs is a simple app interface to point and click which cryptos you want to mine, API integration with a currency exchange for cash conversion, and, presto, everyone with a solar roof is in the crypto business.

To execute this plan, Tesla would need a power-efficient GPU that requires minimal cooling (perhaps fanless, or even water-cooled). If these GPUs are colocated with the Inverter/Powerwall, they would have to operate in environments that could get as hot as inside a garage during summer months or inside a housing mounted on the outside of your home, unless they are physically networked and placed inside the house and tied into the Inverter or Powerwall's power distribution system.

Where would Tesla get such a thing? And why would the company suddenly decide to do this? The idea to use GPUs to mine cryptocurrency when its products are idle during a charge phase or generating surplus energy almost certainly arose during the development of its cars' autonomous driving feature and benchmarking the onboard computing hardware's capabilities.

In 2019, the company held an Autonomy Investor Day and claimed that it had switched from NVIDIA GPUs in its vehicles to chips of its own design in the model S, X, and Model 3 cars. At the time, the company's director of silicon engineering, Peter Bannon, stated:

So here's the design that we finished. You can see that it's dominated by the 32 megabytes of SRAM. There's big banks on the left and right and the center bottom, and then all the computing is done in the upper middle. Every single clock, we read 256 bytes of activation data out of the SRAM array, 128 bytes of weight data out of the SRAM array, and we combine it in a 96 by 96 small add array, which performs 9,000 multiply/adds per clock. At 2 gigahertz, that's a total of 3.6 -- 36.8 TeraOPS.

We had a goal to stay under 100 watts. This is measured data from cars driving around running a full autopilot stack. We're dissipating 72 watts, which is a little bit more power than the previous design, but with the dramatic improvement in performance, it's still a pretty good answer. Of that 72 watts, about 15 watts is being consumed running the neural networks.

In terms of costs, the silicon cost of this solution is about 80% of what we were paying before. So we are saving money by switching to this solution. And in terms of performance, we took the narrow camera neural network, which I've been talking about that has 35 billion operations in it, we ran it on the old hardware in a loop as quick as possible and we delivered 110 frames per second. And we took the same data, the same network, compiled it for hardware for the new FSD computer, and using all 4 accelerators, we can get 2,300 frames per second processed, so a factor of 21.

In 2021, the GPU used in Tesla's latest vehicles is even more ambitious. The newest Model S (and, supposedly, the X) EVs uses a custom AMD RDNA 2 GPU with 10 teraflops of computing power, which puts it on par with some of the most powerful console gaming systems on the market like the Sony PS5. With an onboard system like this, you wouldn't even need a GPU-equipped Powerwall; when the vehicle is being charged, it could be used to generate cryptocurrency as well.

So, Tesla certainly has plenty of experience with GPUs, but can it use them as a key differentiator from other automakers and solar technology companies like Enphase Energy, Samsung, LG, and Panasonic, the current market leaders in the solar space?

While sleeker and more tightly integrated,Tesla's solar roofis more expensive than competing solutions, and that's been hampering adoption. Its solar roof solution is currently only more competitive in scenarios where an entire roof has to be replaced.

Having a roof that generates income for the consumer when using surplus energy could be a significant selling point, mainly if a substantial portion of the cryptocurrency income could be applied to the financed cost of the solar panels or the payments on a Tesla vehicle. If it brings down the equivalent price of a Model S from $75,000 to $65,000 throughout a five-year finance term, or a $50,000 Model 3 to $40,000, that's a good incentive. It also makes a payoff of a $70,000 roof that much quicker of a return on investment, even if the GPU piece adds a few thousand dollars to the purchase price.

Tesla could also pro-rate the expense of the roofs (and the vehicles) by effectively leasing the GPUs' space in each home (or at commercial business where the roofs or solar cells are installed) and keep the balance of the crypto income for themselves.

Also:Scallops, vaccines and Tesla: The wild world of blockchain and cryptocurrency

And if you bought that vehicle or that roof or panels in cash? That vehicle's GPU or the solar roof GPU stack (assuming you can add several just as you can with multiple Powerwalls) should be building assets for you that increase in value. Tesla shouldn't get to keep any of it.

However, instead of using the cryptocurrency generated by the systems to pay off fiat currency-based financing, it is more likely that it could be used to build up "credits" in an escrowed account Tesla would honor toward future purchases. Tesla itself would keep the cryptocurrency income, like Bitcoin, Dogecoin, or whatever instrument the GPUs generate -- but the consumer would have loyalty points accumulated. If a new car costs 100,000 loyalty points, and over five years, your roof and your vehicle generate 30,000, that could be used towards your next vehicle purchase -- locking you into that ecosystem.

Is Tesla going to differentiate from other solar and auto manufacturers by using automotive and solar energy compute GPUs to generate cryptocurrency? Talk Back and Let Me Know.

Original post:
Teslas next business: Turning your solar roof and EV into Bitcoin mines - ZDNet

COURTESY OF RUDY MALCOM Phillip Yoon discusses how perspectives of tragedy are different for everyone during the pandemic.

University officials announced that Commencement will most likely be online. Although there is a possibility that the modality will change, it seems unlikely given the current severity of COVID-19. The virus has taken away many of our college experiences, but the one Ill miss the most is being able to walk on stage at graduation in front of my friends, parents and professors.

While its true that it is sad that we cannot walk on stage, I wondered, do we deserve to be sad about a mere ceremony when people are getting sick and dying because of the virus? Friedrich Nietzsche would tell us that we absolutely can.

In The Gay Science, when discussing his idea that there exists no objective world, Nietzsche writes, This mountain makes the landscape it dominates charming and significant in every way... Suddenly the mountain itself and the whole landscape around us, below us, have lost their magic. We have forgotten that some greatness, like some goodness, wants to be beheld only from a distance and by all means only from below, not from above; otherwise it makes no impression.

Nietzsche thought that the same object, such as the mountain, can be seen differently based on different viewpoints. He asserted that there is no objective world that exists without our perception of it. The world must have a layer of appearance or interpretation, a human contribution, in order to be seen and studied by human beings.

In other words, the world must be interpreted by humans to be seen by humans. This view is usually referred to as perspectivism, as our perspectives or the interpretation of the world are what drive our view of the world.

Lets apply this to our own beloved building Gilman Hall. We can look at it from many different places: in front of the Milton S. Eisenhower Library, from the Levering Quad, etc. Although we would be looking at the same building from all these places, we would be seeing the same building differently. There does not exist one objective view of what the building is like.

There is another dimension to this which is important in understanding our COVID-19 struggles. Lets compare my experience and a newly admitted freshmans experience when looking at Gilman Hall. As I am finishing up my final year at Hopkins, I have spent many hours in Gilman Hall, so when I look at the building, Im reminded of the fond memories of attending lectures, interacting with professors and even the stressful memories of working on an essay right before its due.

When a newly admitted freshman looks at Gilman, however, they will not be reminded of these experiences. There does not exist one objective view of what to feel or be reminded of when we look at the building, as every single one of us would have different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

In the past year, we have seen many people lose jobs, lose homes, become sick, be hospitalized or even die. When you see media reports of people in dire situations and if you are able-bodied, have a home, have enough food, have a job and so forth, you may feel that your struggles are insignificant. After all, how can you struggle when other people have it worse?

Nietzsche would tell you that you actually can struggle. It is tragic that people are becoming sick and dying because of the virus, but that does not invalidate your struggles. Those people have their own struggles, and yet again come from their own backgrounds, experiences and perspectives so do you.

Yes, maybe it isnt objectively the worst thing that this milestone will be online. It is nonetheless still sad as I will never get any kind of concrete closure for my hard work and effort put into getting my Hopkins diploma. This is my experience.

To those who may say that there is no way that my struggles are as valid as the struggles who may be in a worse situation than me because of COVID-19, Nietzsche would say this: There is no reality for us not for you either, my sober friends.

Phillip Yoon is a senior majoring in Philosophy and Mathematics from Charlotte, N.C.

Read the rest here:
Nietzsche and COVID-19: We're all struggling in our own way - Johns Hopkins News-Letter

The concepts of grief and loss are well-explored through art history. Take Picassos Guernica for example, where he channeled the grief and anger he felt over the bombing and virtual obliteration by the Nazis in 1937 of the small Spanish village for which the painting is named. It comes as little surprise then that an artist producing work in the middle of a global pandemic might be grappling with mortality. Devendra Banhart, an internationally renowned musician and painter, is one such artist.

The Grief I Have Caused You, open at Nicodim Upstairs until March 20th, is Banharts first solo exhibition in Los Angeles. This is something he says is a really big deal for him personally, after gaining more recognition as a musical artist. Music and art have run parallel throughout my career but the only time theyd meet was when I would paint an album cover, he told Observer. I havent really managed to have the art career that I always kind of wished I had in that, although Ive been doing them both for a similar length of time.

After losing two friends to COVID, Banhart found himself in a pattern of lengthy phone calls with others in his community looking for support. He would put these on speakerphone and started drawing portraits which then turned to paintings. I was turning to paint to work through the fear and work through the grief that I could process, he explained. Since I couldnt process it in some of the concrete ways that I would normally, like being able to go to a memorial. I saw how important it is for us to mourn collectively.

During this time Banhart, like many of us, started to feel guilty for finding enjoyment in painting while theres so much suffering. He worked to discover its okay to have fun, depersonalize his grief, and see beyond the grief to analyze the ways in which people have hurt him and the ways in which he has hurt others. The thing is there always is tremendous suffering and tremendous uncertainty but its never been so collective and so global, he says. Suddenly there are only so many things to distract yourself with. Banhart began painting the show at the beginning of lockdown last year and has just finished recently.

The result of this highly self-reflective and personal healing work takes shape as abstracted forms and shapes that are completely at peace in their absurdism. Eyes float in a non-hierarchical structure and objects like shoes and balls are woven within curved shapes and deep blues and purples. For an exhibition exploring grief during a time of despair, the work is joyously balanced, embracing grotesque figurations of comedy and tragedy. The Grief I Have Caused You captures the internal push-and-pull between grief and ecstasy, while deeply personal its universal.

Nietzsche says the snake which cannot cast its skin has to die and this shedding is uncomfortable and awful, Banhart explains. Art can be the vehicle towards that shedding. He hopes viewers will walk away from the exhibition with just the slightest cracking up, as humor can be a counterpoint turning grief into joy. Maybe its [the work] not a funny joke but its a joke and thats always nice.

As for Banharts own personal joy, hes looking forward to focusing more on music in the near future, as painting inspires him to explore that medium and vice versa. He also says he wants to be the person who talks to trees and plants more and always remembers the suffering of others. Forever changed by this still ongoing period of collective grief, The Grief I Have Caused You is his gut-wrenching and life-altering processing on canvas, currently open to the Los Angeles public by appointment.

Originally posted here:
Devendra Banharts First Solo Exhibition in Los Angeles Opens - GalleristNY

Amongst the thick forests and snowy summits, mountainous regions are proven to boost both physical and mental well-being. Altitude has known health benefits and the stunning scenery helps with decision-making and creativity. Here are just some of the reasons to go and reach great heights

At the foot of the Swiss Alps, Grgoire Millet, a physiologist at the Institute of Sports Science at the University of Lausanne (ISSUL), has devoted the last twelve years to studying the benefits of living in the mountains. After conducting extensive research on the positive effects of altitude training, this former triathlete has developed a new method of endurance training.

In 2015, during their preparations for the World Cup, the Welsh Rugby team tried out this new type of training developed in Switzerland. Whether athletes actually climb mountains or simply simulate the altitude from the ground, there is a definite benefit to their training.

Altitude stimulates the production of red blood cells in our body.

It stimulates the production of red blood cells in our body. As a result, more oxygen can be transported in our blood to tissues, muscles and even our brain. Grgoire Millet goes on to explain how living in the mountains or regularly climbing will boost physical well-being.

According to Millet, spending time at higher altitudes has a particular benefit for people who are ageing, obese or who suffer from circulatory problems. If they regularly stayed between 800 and 1800 metres they could significantly improve their health.

Living above 1300 metres massively reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers.

Living above 1300 metres massively reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. Altitude is know to improve blood flow, but it can also help combat obesity. It has a positive impact on reducing hunger, due to its effect on the hormones responsible for controlling appetite and determining how full we feel.

Just like Nietzsche, I think the greatest ideas come to us whilst out walking! Taking inspiration from the German philosopher, often known to wander along the Cte dAzur, Thierry Malleret also does some of his best thinking in the great outdoors. For the past ten years the economist has swapped the hustle and bustle of big city life in London and New York, for the tranquility of South-Eastern France. Setting up his consulting agency in Haute-Savoie he finds hiking in Charmonix or skiing down mountains some of the best places to work.

In Japan, spending time in forests is actually prescribed to people as a form of preventative medicine. It is a type of therapy known as shinrin-yoku.

Thierry Malleret describes feeling so much more productive when I am outside. He believes we think better when we allow our mind to wander, whilst admiring the mountainous views.

Thierry Malleret is convinced: getting outside, either climbing mountains or simply being in nature, helps us make decisions and unleashes are creativity. In fact, he has even incorporated this belief into his business model. When business owners or members of multinational corporations come to me for advice, I recommend we take a walk through the mountains together.

>>READ ALSO: VIDEO. A guide to Nietzsches Path and the village of ze

Climbing a mountain is a symbol of progress, moving onwards and upwards. In doing so we feel much more positive, something Thierry Malleret stressed about the influence of the outdoors on human beings. Nature is calming and it improves our mental health. In Japan, spending time in forests is actually prescribed to people as a form of preventative medicine. It is a type of therapy known as shinrin-yoku.

Translation by Meg Johnson

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How spending time in the mountains is good for the body and mind - Monaco Tribune