LOOKING AHEAD THIS WEEK
Address climate change
Lee Constantine,
OK, folks, here’s the deal, you can’t have it both ways. Policymakers I’ve worked with always want environmental decisions based on science. Now, however, we have 99.3 percent of scientists warning us about the dangers of climate change, yet our administration uses every cockamamie excuse to ignore the findings. Let’s be truthful, you can disagree over what proportion is man-made but you cannot be intellectually honest and say climate change doesn’t exist. That’s only a justification for doing nothing and placing all of the financial and physical hardships on our children and grandchildren. We must reject the naysayers and do what we can NOW. Future generations deserve nothing less.
Virtual-reality worlds
Joel C. Hunter,
The story of the Orlando firm creating scents for a more complete experience in virtual-reality worlds is both intriguing and concerning. With increasing portions of our population spending more time dabbling in virtual reality, I wonder if their artificial lives will become preferable to their real ones. Will the resulting dopamine dump in their brains tempt them away from the more demanding tasks of real work, real love, real life? As a grandfather and a community problem solver, I am both impressed by this advancement in technology and cautious of the lure of more attractive alternative “realities.”
Bowl season always exciting
David Kay,
It’s college football bowl season again. When I was a kid, I was deeply offended that one of the annual games was blatantly named for a corporate sponsor: the Bluebonnet Bowl. As it turned out, it wasn’t — the now-defunct game was run by a municipal commission and named for a flower (not, as I thought, for Blue Bonnet margarine). Fast forward to today, when nearly all college bowls have corporate sponsors and include the company’s name in their titles. Orlando is hosting three, of course, and the Gators will be facing off against Michigan in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Times and tastes change -- but bowl season is still exciting, no matter who’s paying the bills.
Keep officers safe, healthy
A.J. Marsden,
At all levels of law enforcement, those in charge need to do whatever it takes to ensure that our police officers are safe and physically healthy. A recent study conducted by University of Wisconsin researchers found that police officers enjoy immediate health benefits if they switch to using a vest to carry their equipment instead of the utility belt. This simple switch distributes the weight of their equipment more evenly, easing the pain and tension in a police officer’s back and legs. Unfortunately, Orlando Police Department has no plans to make the switch due to the cost. Apparently you can put a price on a police officer’s physical health.
‘Soft power’ rising
Brendan O’Connor,
If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of “soft power,” you should familiarize yourself with it, because Orlando’s soft power is rising. With pop-cultural ambassadors like Ginger Minj (”RuPaul’s Drag Race”), eco-friendly Chris Castro (National Geographic’s “Paris to Pittsburgh”), and firefighter Gavin Schmidt (Netflix’s “Nailed It! Holiday Special”) our local cool factor is becoming one of our best exports. The key to Orlando’s future will be to support our soft-power icons as they go abroad, while encouraging them to remain in the City Beautiful.
Helpful ambassadors
Joanie Schirm,
It appears after three months of “ambassadors” patrolling downtown Orlando, the future looks brighter with an 11 percent reduction in crime and a 10 percent dip in violations of city ordinances. Adding this team of well-trained personnel extends the eyes and ears of others tasked with safety, such as OPD and OFD, giving directions to visitors, reporting suspicious activity and curbing aggressive panhandling. Block by Block, the contracted organization in more than 100 municipalities nationwide, is clearly employing lessons learned throughout the country to enhance resident and visitor experiences in Orlando’s downtown. Ambassadors know when to call in help, making our urban heart more attractive to all.
Facial recognition grows
Kannan Srinivasan,
Facialrecognition technology, which was used by law enforcement and border security, is beginning to enter shopping and dining spaces, helping companies use purchasing histories to customize customer-service experiences. Facial recognition can help speed up orders when customers who previously allowed their photos to be taken at an ordering kiosk make a return visit. In the future, retailers are expected to begin using this technology to stop criminals and shoplifters. This technology can scan faces of people in retail stores in real time and instantly compare them with archived photos of known shoplifters, violent criminals, sex offenders or even missing children.