Roundup: “Evolve and Adapt”

Tuesday Aug 13, 2024
From the less messy desk of Amanda Eichstaedt…

Evolve and Adapt

The ancient Games were staged in Olympia, Greece from 776 BC through 393 AD. That was a long time ago. Then they took a 1503 year break before the modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. 

Think about how much technology has changed since 776 BC, and how people overall, have not changed that much. Technology has leaped and bounded, like so many of the olympians, but we still have eight fingers, two thumbs and ten toes.

I was discussing gymnastics with someone and we realized that the maneuvers that Simone Biles executes in her many events, including jumping 12 feet in the air as a person under 5 feet tall, would suggest that people have evolved. Some of the things that gymnasts of today are doing were not integrated into the sport even 20 years ago. But they still have that insane balance bean. Ouch.

The training and preparation that goes into the Olympic competitions is intense. Understanding diet, sleep, and training intensity to be ready for the competition does take advantage of advancement in technology to better understand how the human body works. Then there is just the raw talent that some humans are gifted with, and discover that they have, to rise to the level of being an Olympic athlete.

Photo by Brett Wharton on Unsplash

I don’t think that I was gifted with any Olympic caliber talent that accidentally was not discovered. It does make me think about privilege and the number of supremely naturally talented athletes where that may be the case. And even for people with ample means and opportunities, their supreme talents may be missed.

And what about the people who may be gifted with such talents, but they don’t enjoy running, jumping, swimming or throwing things?

It was really fun to be able to watch so many of the events and see highlights of the many sports that are available via streaming technology that were rarely if ever televised on network television. There just was not time in the broadcast day to even begin to include the 32 different sports with all the qualifiers, etc. 

Congratulations to West Marin local Savilia Blunk for her participation in the 2024 Summer Olympics in the Mountain Biking event. Savilia placed 12th in the event. I have seen her zipping down the roads of West Marin when she is home visiting her family and continuing her training. We are glad she realized her talent for bicycling.

Here at KWMR we are using our human forms to muddle along with advancing technology. Richard Dillman is diving deep on a new VOIP phone system that will ultimately save KWMR money on our monthly phone bills. Ian McMurray is equipping the station with computers that can rise to the level of the next PC operating system with grant funds provided by Marin County. Alyssa Tanner, Mia Johnson-Martinez, and I are watching videos that prep us for our new database and donation system (coming soon)! 

I have been pondering the benefits of collaboration lately. Bringing together people with expertise and skill who can help each other realize their overall goals and discover new supreme goals that they might not have come up with on their own. Not to win, but to make systems work better for everyone involved. This is a great example of technology and humans working together.

I hope that your supreme skills are appreciated and can be put to good use. And that you stick the landing.

Thanks for reading!

Amanda Eichstaedt
Station Manager and Executive Director 

No AI was used in writing this column.