Richard V. Rupp

May 22, 2021

Yes, today's post is a confused mixture or a "mishmash."

 

I love words and the fact that stories are comprised of them. I write the first draft of a story and then edit it numerous times. Looking at the words and moving them around so that they better relate to the story I'm telling.

 

I was reminded of this process by an article in SCRIP MAGAZINE about storytelling. The article indicates that "our brains actually crave story. . . To the brain, story is a survival mechanism.  . . .Stores are the most powerful way for the brain to learn. . . From our ancestors who first developed speech and told stories about avoiding poisonous berries, dangerous animals, and rival tribes, our brains take information and make meaning out of it . . . Our brains can be activated by your word."

 

Sometimes you really have to think about the words. For instance, here is a quote in the Economist from Fyodor Dostoyevsky – "The more I love humanity in general, the less I love man in particular."

 

That quote reminded me about my plot for my upcoming novel SKYWARD. It's why a group of millennials want to start humanity over again away from our Earth. Particularly what we are seeing on our Earth these days.

 

One of my last projects in my old insurance research days was to analyze the impact of autonomous vehicles on society and how that would impact the insurance industry. My conclusions included that they would revolutionize transportation and totally change the structure of the insurance industry. They would provide safer, faster, efficient movement of people and significantly reduce the cost of transporting goods. But, they would also devastate the insurance industry as we know it. The liability for the fewer accidents would move from the individual driver to the vehicle's manufacture. Personal lines insurers such as State Farm, Allstate, and GEICO would lose most of their income stream, and business insurers such as AIG, Hartford, and Travelers would benefit. But, a significant amount of income would be lost by the insurance industry. 

 

The study mentioned above was done twelve years ago. Today the use of autonomous vehicles is getting closer. The UK Government Department of Transport just announced that motorists will see self-driving vehicles on British roads for the first time later this year. Here is part of the UK Governments press release –

 

* * *

 

The government has set out how vehicles fitted with Automated Lane-Keeping System (ALKS) technology could legally be defined as self-driving, as long as they receive GB type approval and that there is no evidence to challenge the vehicle's ability to self-drive.

 

Designed for use on a motorway in slow traffic, ALKS enables a vehicle to drive itself in a single lane while maintaining the ability to easily and safely return control to the driver when required.

 

The technology could improve road safety by reducing human error, contributing to over 85% of accidents. The driver will be able to hand control over to the vehicle, which will constantly monitor speed and keep a safe distance from other cars.

 

Technologies such as Automated Lane Keeping Systems will pave the way for higher levels of automation in the future – and these advances will unleash Britain's potential to be a world leader in the development and use of these technologies, creating essential jobs while ensuring our roads remain among the safest on the planet.

 

The UK is already a world leader in connected and self-driving vehicle innovation. British companies are working on and developing the next generations of automated vehicles.

 

* * *

 

Many years ago, I studied my family surname, – RUPP, and found that the family crest was associated with bees. I had a plaque of the crest made (this post picture). I always liked the saying, "busy as a bee." My research indicated that – "The surname Rupp was first found in Hamburg, where the family gained a significant reputation for its contributions to the emerging medieval society." Nice to know. I bring this up because May 20th was World Bee Day. This international day aims to acknowledge the role of bees and other pollinators in the ecosystem. I like to think of myself as a pollinator of worthwhile words.

 

Lastly, in this mishmash, my manuscript for SKYWARD includes the Bowman Moon Colony growing grapes to produce wine for the Colony. I was reminded of this by an article in THE WEEK about a particular bottle of wine. "A bottle of French wine that was 'matured in a unique environment' – outer space – is expected to sell for as much as $1 million. The auction house Christie's is asking for bids on one of 12 bottles of Petrus 2000 that were sent into orbit for a year aboard the International Space Station, as part of a project to learn how plants respond to space conditions." Really? They don't mention what happened to the other 11 bottles. Did they all come back full?

 

Cheers,

 

Richard V. Rupp, Author

Website – www.richardvrupp.com

Email – rupprisk@gmail.com

Copyright©2021 by Richard V. Rupp