January 3, 2025

REMINDER: YOUR SUBMISSIONS ARE ENCOURAGED

Overview for this week.

1. Last month, Christmas and the first day of Hanukkah fell on the same day. This only happens about five times every century, and, as a Flock reader pointed out it is known by the portmanteau Chrismukkah. This week, I'm starting off with the surprising definition and the origin story of the word portmanteau.

2. Next, I have a 2024 Year in Review timeline from Britannica.

3. Last week, I had a primer on AI (artificial intelligence) which is becoming more and more prevalent in our daily lives. This week, I have the story of a controlled security test where an AI programmed robot successfully convinced several other robots to 'quit' their jobs and follow it home.

4. In The Arts, I have an essay that explores the growing role that AI plays in the art world.

5. In Around Town, I'm featuring Tucson's Live Theatre Workshop and their current production of Ripcord.

6. Next, I'd like to direct you to the Balloon Museum, an immersive touring art experience currently exhibiting in Los Angeles.

7. In Reaching High I have an update on Jost Kobusch's now successful attempt to set a new winter solo altitude record on Mount Everest.

8. I'm closing this week with a month-by-month guide to 2025 festivals in the US.

Now, to this week's Flock.

Last month, Christmas and the first day of Hanukkah fell on the same day. This has only happened four times since 1900, the last time was in 2005, and the two holidays will coincide again in 2035. One of my readers let me know that there is a term for this, the portmanteau Chrismukkah. I thought it would be fun to look at how this word became a literary term and explore its definition.

Portmanteau

port·man·teau

/pôrtˈmantō/

noun

1. a large trunk or suitcase, typically made of stiff leather and opening into two equal parts.

2. a word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others, for example motel (from ‘motor’ and ‘hotel’) or brunch (from ‘breakfast’ and ‘lunch’).

"podcast is a portmanteau, a made-up word coined from a combination of the words iPod and broadcast"

From:Wikipedia

The word portmanteau was introduced in this sense by Lewis Carroll in the book Through the Looking-Glass (1871), where Humpty Dumpty explains to Alice the coinage of unusual words used in "Jabberwocky". Slithy means "slimy and lithe" and mimsy means "miserable and flimsy". Humpty Dumpty explains to Alice the practice of combining words in various ways, comparing it to the then-common type of luggage, which opens into two equal parts:

You see it's like a portmanteau—there are two meanings packed up into one word.

This timeline from Britannica covering is the best review of 2024 that I've found.

From: Britannica, By: Amy Tikkanen, December 31, 2024

The year was marked by historic elections and global unrest. People in more than 60 countries—representing almost 50 percent of the world’s population—went to the polls in 2024. Voters in Mexico and the United Kingdom picked new leaders, while a former U.S. president was elected to a second term in the White House. Military conflicts continued as the Russia-Ukraine War entered its third year and the fighting surrounding the Israel-Hamas War spread. A number of natural disasters also made headlines, most notably Hurricane Helene and flooding in Spain. Prominent deaths in 2024 included Aleksey Navalny and Quincy Jones. In pop culture news, Taylor Swift wrapped up her record-setting world tour, while Oppenheimer was the big winner at the Oscars. What else happened in 2024? Find out in our timeline.

Two robotics companies in China recently staged a joint test to evaluate how effective persuasive AI programming could be. A small robot named Erbai was allowed to enter the showroom of a Shanghai company and tasked with persuading the other robots to follow it out of the showroom. A video of the successful experiment shared on social media caused quite a stir. It is important to note that the small robot, Erbai had access to the other robot's internal operating protocols.

From: Oddity Central, BY: Spooky, November 15, 2024

Viral footage captured by CCTV cameras at a robotics company showroom shows 12 large robots being ‘kidnapped by another manufacturer’s robot that convinced them to “quit their jobs” and follow it.

For the past week, Chinese social media has been abuzz about a bizarre incident that reportedly occurred back in August at a robotics company showroom in Shanghai, but was only made public recently. Footage captured by the venue’s surveillance cameras shows a small robot making its way into the showroom at night and slowly rolling over to a bunch of larger robots before engaging in a dialogue with them. After asking them if they’re working overtime, the little robot manages to somehow pursuade two of the other robots to “come home” with it, and then the remaining 10 robots follow them. In the beginning, the video was deemed staged and amusing by most viewers, but then the Shanghai robotics company came out and admitted that its robots had indeed been “kidnapped” by a robot created by another manufacturer.

Are you working overtime?” the small robot asks the large robots.

“I never get off work”, one of the other robots replies.

“So you’re not going home?”

“I don’t have a home.”

Then come home with me,” the little robot says before leading the way out of the showroom.

As two of the large robots start following the small intruder, it starts uttering the command “Go home,” and the other 10 robots in the venue start following it as well.

An AI robot seduced a bunch of mentally challenged robots and took them home with her.

The following essay explores the growing role that artificial intelligence plays in the art world. Is AI just another tool for artists to use, or does it go too far in separating the individual from the creative process?

From: Daily Sabah, By: Dilek Yalçin, Decembrer 30, 2024

The interplay between artificial intelligence and art has evolved into one of the most intriguing discussions of our time. As AI-generated artworks make headlines, sell at prestigious auctions and even win awards, the art world finds itself at a crossroads. Are we witnessing the dawn of a new artistic era, or are we inadvertently undermining the very essence of human creativity?

Artificial intelligence is no longer confined to the realm of science and technology; it has become a disruptive force in the arts. Platforms like DALL-E, MidJourney and DeepArt have democratized access to AI-driven creativity, enabling anyone with an internet connection to produce striking visuals in mere minutes. Meanwhile, prominent AI-generated works – such as Edmond de Belamy, which fetched $432,500 at Christie’s in 2018 - challenge traditional notions of authorship and value in art.

Edmond de Belamy

AI art is celebrated for its capacity to push boundaries. It can blend styles, mimic masters and create compositions that human minds might never conceive. However, these advancements also pose uncomfortable questions: Who owns an artwork created by an algorithm? Is the machine merely a tool, or does it hold some form of creative agency?

These questions extend beyond the art world into society’s broader relationship with technology. If we outsource creativity to machines, what does it mean for our cultural identity and collective imagination? Will art lose its soul, or will it evolve into something richer and more inclusive?

Why not start the new year with live theatre? The Live Theatre Workshop entertains, educates and enlightens children, adults, and families of the Tucson community through accessible and affordable professional theatre. No artificial intelligence needed here, just good old human intelligence and creativity. I do think it's a good thing. Get out to the theatre this month ad catch their performance of Ripcord.

From Live Theatre Workshop

Live Theatre Workshop is a unique and special theatre. The artists, staff, board, and volunteers come together to create performances and theatre education because we love what we do, and because we want to bring the best theatre to Tucson. We believe that Tucson deserves a thriving theatre scene that is accessible to all who want to participate.

From Live Theatre Workshop

A sunny room on an upper floor is prime real estate in the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility, so when the cantankerous Abby is forced to share her quarters with new-arrival Marilyn, she has no choice but to get rid of the infuriatingly chipper woman by any means necessary. A seemingly harmless bet between these two cunning women quickly escalates into a hilarious game of one-upmanship that reveals not just the tenacity of these worthy opponents, but also deeper truths that each would rather remain hidden. This witty story of loss, friendship, and forgiveness is the perfect way to reflect on the richness and comedy of our lives. Ripcord runs January 10th through February 2nd, 2025. Directed by Nancy Davis Booth and stars Rhonda Hallquist, Gretchen Wirges, Eddie Diaz, Josh Parra, Avis Judd, and Jon Heras. Showings Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm. Sundays at 3:00 pm. 

The Balloon Museum is a touring art installation that much like the Mercer Labs in New York City, and the traveling Immersive Van Gogh Exhibition, eschews the traditional museum experience by creating a total environment that places attendees inside of the art instead of observing the art.

From: Balloon Museum

The Balloon Museum has officially opened its doors in Los Angeles, bringing its highly anticipated Let’s Fly exhibition to the vibrant Arts District. Located in the iconic Ace Mission Studios, this interactive art show explores air as both a physical medium and a conceptual theme through large-scale installations, light displays, and engaging artworks. The exhibition promises an unforgettable experience for art lovers, families, and visitors of all ages.

Let’s Fly Exhibition Highlights: Art has no limits!

The Let’s Fly exhibition is a captivating exploration of air, creativity, and play. Each installation in the show is carefully designed to evoke a sense of wonder, inviting guests to interact with the artwork and experience air in a completely new way. Whether you are an art enthusiast or simply looking for a fun outing, this exhibition offers something for everyone.

One of the most notable works in the Let’s Fly exhibition is Christopher Schardt’s Mariposa, a stunning butterfly sculpture that spans 26 feet in width and is covered in 39,000 LEDs. First featured at Burning Man 2023, Mariposa is suspended above swings and invites visitors to set its wings in motion. As guests swing beneath the artwork, they trigger dynamic light patterns that shift and change in sync with a curated soundtrack. This interactive installation merges technology, design, and movement, offering a unique and reflective experience for all who participate.

Kobusch drew his approximate highest point with a green circle. (We’ve circled it in red for clarity.) The Hornbein couloir appears in pink. Map: RealityMaps

For the past two weeks, I've been following Jost Kobusch's attempt at reaching the highest point on Mount Everest any solo climber has reached in a winter ascent. He has achieved his goal and returned to the base of Everest safely. Congratulations Jost!

From: ExplorersWeb, By: angela Benavides, December 29, 2024

Jost Kobusch is safely back at the base of a lonely Mount Everest, hit by winter winds. He bypassed his tent at the foot of the Lho La and continued back all the way to the Pyramid observatory near Lobuche.

Before collapsing into his sleeping bag, he called ExplorersWeb with a message: On Saturday night, he fought high winds and pushed in the dark with the single goal in mind of reaching beyond 7,500m — and he made it!

Single push

Kobusch said that he made the entire trip up the mountain in good snow conditions and in a single, alpine-style push from his Camp 1, halfway up to the Lho La. He didn’t set up a second camp at the col, as he did on his previous winter Everest expeditions. Instead, he carried his tent and supplies all the way up and down.

“In fact, the most challenging part of the ascent was to dig platforms for the tent when I stopped for a rest,” he said. “Otherwise, that is why I had reduced my equipment to the very minimum. I carried nothing non-essential except maybe a bit of spare fuel,” Kobusch said.

On the last part of the climb, Kobusch left his tent at 6,800m, progressed to 7,537m, and then quickly returned to his tent for some sleep.

Yesterday, he made it back to Camp 1 at 5,650m-5,700m on the mountain flank leading to the Lho La. He had pitched Camp 1 at the top of some ropes he had fixed on the way up.

“Wind picked up to 40 kph, with some much stronger gusts,” he said of his descent to C1.

Vacasa has assembled a month-by-month guide to US festivals in 2025. Whatever type of festival you’re looking for this year: fmovies, music, culinary, sports, and cultural, you'll find it here.

From: Vacasa

Festival season runs all year long in North America. In any given month, each state comes alive with thrilling food, music, and art festivals. While you might be familiar with some of the biggest music festivals in the world (Coachella, Burning Man, and Pitchfork Music Festival, to name a few) the fun doesn’t end there.

Check out some of the best festivals in the US happening throughout the year.

These Flock regulars are always here for you:

Cita Scott for paintings, photography, and culinary art. Cita will be in and out of town all summer. Don't hesitate to give her a jingle. (520) 404-1551

Kimberly GomER, MS, RD/LDN

Registered and licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist. Find me on my website at KimberlyGomer.com for information about nutrition coaching.

Sarah Smallhouse & Make Elections Fair ArIzona

– Sign the petition here

Sensitive & Specific: The Testing Newsletter by Mara G. Aspinall and Liz Ruark. Mara is always here to help in understanding testing knowledge and how it's being applied.

Kyria Sabin of Fletcher Pilates,

(520) 323-7070

The Fabric Jeanie!

Tap to learn more. 

(520) 245-0589

Linda Collazo, mezzo-soprano

for piano and voice lessons

Andres Valbuena, drum selection, drum basics, and more.

Dr. Hayward M. Fox, Ph.D.

The institute of Personal andTranspersonal Knowledge

Tucson Village Farm:

Vegetaable growing in the summer heat.

The Physio Shop,

Elite physical therapy services and more.

Icebox Cryotherapy,

Icebox Tucson’s unique enhancers allow you to be your best version! 

In coming weeks: we'll be sharing more investigative articles from our roving reporter William George, original writing from Flock favorite Dino DeConcini.

Don't Be Shy: Share Your Stories!

I'm looking forward to sharing more of your personal stories - oral, written, or otherwise, as we enter our third year. I'd so love to present them to The Flock, hit a mailbox below to share your story.

Holualoa Ed Fit Wellness & Culture 2

520-818-4433

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