LavaCon 2026 and the future.

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LavaCon is a conference now going on 25 years. Its always fun at conferences where folks collaborate on what the future holds. This year I drove to Charlotte NC from Duluth GA to attend. I used the Tesla in Full Self Drive. I went park-to-park without touching the wheel for over 200 miles. It's crazy. I don't think most people understand how well it works. Lots of nay-sayers still, but it really does work. Be on guard, but enjoy. I spent some of my time "driving" while conversing with Grok as part of my daydreaming. I was discussing with Grok an idea I have of building a West system (cold molded) old style barrel-back runabout maybe 20 feet long- all varnished Mahogony. Of course this boat would have an exotic 12-cylinder engine under a transparent engine hatch between the twin cockpits. We discussed the designs, available actual study plans and pre-lofted design documents for the hull. We also discussed the best engine (perhaps a BMW N73) coupled with a Velvet Dri...
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I volunteered in the galley this morning for 4 hours. Time went fast. I cut and arranged fruit for the weekly monster brunch we have here at McMurdo every Sunday. Since I have professional cooking experience I was not relegated to the dish tank, although that would have been fine. I will do it again. The experience reminded me that there is so much for people to explore if they just step off their normal course just a little bit (anywhere on the planet they may be). I am now an insider in the galley. I really need to be conscience about my job since I get to travel and go on mountain tops and so on. Most folks on station are pretty much experiencing the station. They do not get the trips that I do. Greatness starts with gratitude. Gratitude starts with goodness. You can't fake it.

I am working on a great presentation when I return. I have music. I have images. I have video. I have the public speaking skills. The combination is working out well.

In the following satellite image of the Ross Sea area you can see the sea ice is breaking up (if you had seen this before). The island in the lower left is my home, Ross Island. Mt. Terror is an old volcano on Ross Island (one of the three points you can see on the island). I am planning to be on the summit Tuesday. The dry valleys are off to the left, primarily at the nine o'clock position. It takes about 40 minutes to fly to the dry valleys in a helo. That will give you some scale.

The other little guy below is getting a lot of attention form some scientists this year. I had lunch with them (the scientists) a while back.

Comments

Anonymous said…
So, what is your little white friend?
9:38 AM
Charles said…
The little white guy as a sea slug. I do not know the scientific name. There is a warm water variety and they are trying to determine how much of the adaptation is genetic versus environmental.
12:22 PM
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