In the 18th century, the Industrial Revolution was one of several revolutions that overturned society. Mechanical creatures intruded into farms and homes, but still this invasion had no name. Finally, in 1802, Johann Beckmann, an economics professor at Gottingen University gave this ascending force its name [technology] . . . He hoped his outline [a textbook titled Guide to Technology] would become the first course in the subject. It did that and more. It also gave a name to what we do. Once named, we could now see it. Having seen it, we wondered how anyone could not have seen it.
Source: Kevin Kelly, What Technology Wants
Posted: 2025 Oct 18
Or check out this TEDxSF by Kelly.
Nice of the little guy to sit still long enough for you to get your shot.
Jim – Yes, he was very obliging. Here in Myrtle Beach I’m chasing warblers that won’t sit still long enough for me to get even an “identification quality” shot – never mind a nice picture.
You have a bird app? Is it like some of the music apps — so that you show it a picture of the bird you’ve just taken, and it tells you what you just took? Or is it more like Peterson’s guides, where you have to have a fairly clear idea of what genus/species/lookalike group you’re hunting for? I mean, with Peterson, you’d better know that this is in the sparrow or finch family and not the eagle/hawk family if you expect to find it on a page somewhere.
Jim T
Jim – Yes, my bird app for my phone is Merlin. I recommend it highly. I can take a picture on my phone and Merlin will, with amazingly good reliability, tell me what it is or what it might be. It can work with pretty fuzzy, long distance shots, and knows all about time of year and the male versus female/juvenile distinctions. I wish they had a version for laptops because I’m usually taking photos with my camera, so have to mess about getting it to my phone. Life is so hard . . .