Sunday, May 25, 2014

Population and Sprawl

 I woke up this morning thinking about urban living.  My dad and sisters are together this weekend in Fargo, ND which is a place I have yet to visit.  I wondered if it had an urban feel compared with other cities I have visited.

On my bucket list is to go to Sao Paulo Brazil someday.  It's exciting that they are one of the host cities of the World Cup this year.  I wouldn't go during the games, but it would be fun to go some other time.

Events such as the Olympics and World Cup remind us that this planet has humans all around it.  There are many things we have in common (biology) and many things which are dissimilar (culture).

I recently watched the documentry Girl Model, which tells the story of young girls (age 13) from rural Russia (Siberia) who are flown to Japan to supply fresh faces to the modeling industry.  It was heartbreaking.

Blue = USA (midwest), Red = Brazil, Orange = USA (west coast),
Purple = Japan, Green = USA (east coast)
I remember times when I traveled abroad. I felt culture shock and isolation.  My first trip was when I was 20 years old, so I cannot imagine doing that at age 13.

I made a graph showing population density (people per square mile) but then I got to thinking that didn't tell the whole story.  This graph makes it seem like Glendale and Los Angeles are comparable.

It doesn't matter how densely populated an area is if you can walk from one end to the other (like Glendale).  Threre is a factor for sprawl which puts a city like Sao Paulo in a different category than Los Angeles, for example.

I was impressed to find out that New York City is so large AND densely populated, while San Diego is large but not as densely populated.  For some reason I thought Tokyo was more densely populated, but obviously it is also very spread out.  This data has been normalized to Sao Paulo.  I remember seeing a satallite image of "the valley of the sun" aka. Phoenix metro area and being shocked at how sprawled out into the open desert it was.  It didn't seem right to encroach on nature so much for our concrete jungles.  I wonder what effects population density and sprawl have on wellness.  This will have to be a topic for another post!

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Coolmax or Dri-FIT?

The predominant fabrics used in the tit slings I discussed in the prev. post are:
  • Polyester/Lurex®/Coolmax®/Dri-FIT
  • Spandex/elastane/lycra
  • Nylon/polyamide
  • Cotton
Each fabric has its advantages and disadvantages
  • Tenacity (Tensile Strength) dry or wet
  • Abrasion Resistance
  • Absorbency/ability to wick moisture
  • Stability under heat and UV
  • Tendency to Mildew
Humphries, Mary.  Fabric Reference, 4th Ed.
Prentice Hall, 2009, p. 16.
This image relates groups of textiles; both manufactured fibers (shoots) and natural fibers (roots).  It took me awhile to untangle the branches, seeing as how there are many names for polyester and nylon.  As far as I can tell, spandex is similar to polyester but more rubber-like, being able to stretch to 500 times its original length.  I thought Lurex was pretty cool, it seems to be a metal-coated polyester that was only in one type of my bras, giving it a shimmery quality (Carmel).

According to Humphries, the advantages to polyester are that it has good strength and resistance to abrasion, but it collects oily stains, has low perspiration absorbancy and tends to pill.  The advantages of spandex is that it is elastic and 10 times stronger than rubber, it can be used uncovered, it is more resistant to oil and dry heat than rubber, and it takes dye.  The advantage to nylon is that it has the greatest strength and resistance to abrasion, but it has low UV light resistance and tends to pill.  The advantages to cotton are that it is absorbent and strong when wet, but it swells in water and has a tendency to mildew.

Simile, Craig B. (2004) Critical Evaluation of Wicking in Performance Fabrics, M.Sc. Georgia Institute of Technology: USA. p. 15
With both manufactured and natural fibers, there are shapes of the individual fibers that make up the spun bundles of fibers (yarn).  Mary Humphries does a good job of presenting what many natural fibers would look like under a microscope.  Craig Simile, in his Master's thesis, presents a microscopic view of an individual fiber of Coolmax.®  By testing a variety of materials, he concluded that fabric with yarns containing larger effective capillary radii (pores) had higher permeability at high levels of saturation (very sweaty people).  Once saturation dropped below a certain level (less sweaty people), the yarns with smaller effective capillary radii were able to sustain higher permeability.  I would conclude then that Coolmax® or Dri-FIT are better for less sweaty individuals while cotton is better for more sweaty individuals, due to its large pores.  A major finding of this work is that the ability of a fabric to wick moisture depends on the amount of saturation, so there may not be one ideal fabric for every athlete.

Kan, et al. Materials, 2013, 6, 4985-4999.
One interesting side effect of porosity of a fabric that was considered by Kan, et al. is that UV protection offered by Cotton alone (SPF 10-20) is inferior to Cotton/Coolmax-Blended knitted fabric (SPF 20-40).  The figure presented here shows that the highest SPF was recorded by Coolmax in combination with conventional ring spun combed supima cotton, followed closely by Coolmax alone.  When a garment is worn, such as my old worn out Performance bicycle shorts (80% NYLON & 20% LYCRA), light is allowed to enter just as sweat and hot air are allowed to escape.  When I go for a bike ride now, I've got to wear a little skirt over my cycling shorts, otherwise I end up with a train of men following me.  I've not been chatted up by so many guys (young and old) as last weekend when we were walking around Pasadena in our Spandex.  It appears that Coolmax is better at keeping lightly-to-moderately sweaty people dry as well as protecting them from the sun.  Sorry super-sweaters, you are at greater risk to suffer a sunburn if you are in the heat and dressed in cotton, but at least you will be able to keep cool!

Shillingford, C.; MacCallum, N.; Wong, T.-S.; Kim, P.; Aizenberg, J. Fabrics coated with lubricated nanostructures display robust omniphobicity. Nanotechnology 25 (2014) 014019, p. 6.
If you're wondering what I'm talking about with reference to porosity, check out these scanning electron microscope images of Nike Dri-FIT (polyester) in panel B with thread width 200 microns in a square weave pattern when compared with Muslin cotton in panel D with thread width 350 microns.  The Nike Dri-FIT showed poor breathability.  The researchers measured how much water transpired through the fabrics compared to a dish completely covered with Parafilm and a dish covered with Parafilm with a large hole poked into it.  These fabrics have many tiny holes. Dri-FIT did not allow a significant amount of water to be transpired through it, while cotton allowed most of the water to evaporate!

Hopefully in a future post, I can take this discussion from the microscale to the nanoscale and talk more about the polymers which make up these fibrous materials.  I've read a statistic that sports bras are only good for 72 washes, possibly because nylon and polyester are sensitive to strong alkali (most laundry detergents).  This is why I always treat my delicates with a neutral pH detergent (Woolite) and wash them on a gentile cycle.  Also, I dry them on a clothesline rather than in the dryer.

Works Cited:

Otto Titsling

This is a blog I've been wanting to write for a long time.  Finally, the semester is over and I have time for some frivolity!  Although I would argue that a discussion of "tit slings" is not to be taken lightly.  And since this blog is about cycling, fitness, and a working woman's academic lifestyle, it goes without saying that tits are part of the equation!  If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know I am in love with acronyms.  One of my favorites is TITS: Time In The Saddle, which is a method of training for long-distance bicycle rides whereby the rider simply focuses on riding regularly and getting on the bike for a certain duration.  We talk about it all the time, especially this weekend while attending the Stage 7 finish of the Amgen Tour of California.

It was great to get out and ride, I was wearing the blue bra pictured in (a), a size small from Old Navy. It looks like they don't even make this style any more.  It's got a great cutout in the back.  I know my tits aren't small but I like the way the size small really hugs everything and reduces bouncing.  This is a phenomenon called Compression.  Another bra that I have had for a while is (b) from Nike.  The best thing about it is the cups on the inside. There is a little shelf in a semicircle to reduce lateral motion. This is a phenomenon called Encapsulation.  I specifically sought out this bra when I was finishing my dissertation and doing lots of solo 3-8 mile runs.  I read that for larger chested women, it is increasingly important to use a bra that employs encapsulation over compression.  I've been happy with this bra for a few years now and it might be time to find a replacement since the darn thing creaks every time I put it on.  For yoga, I feel a softer approach is needed.  I love (c) from Old Navy.  It's soft and adds absolutely no shape and hardly any compression.  I tried wearing this bra to Zumba one time: big mistake!  It's not for jumping around, that's for sure.  It appears this style is still available, called "Women's Adjustable-Strap Sports Bra." I'm sure the adjustable straps contribute to it's comfort level, allowing petite women like myself to account for varying torso length.  Finally, I have loved the Adidas bra (d) for it's use of reflective material.  I don't understand why more sports bras don't incorporate reflectors.  There's nothing more awesome than running at dawn or dusk in the summer in only shorts (or a running skirt) and a sports bra.  You see men all the time running shirt-less, so why should they have all the fun (and comfort)?  I tried putting iron-on reflectors on a Champion sports bra but they aren't stretchy and it kind of messed up the fit of the bra, making it hard to take off and put on.  So I can see why people don't put reflectors on the straps, but the placement of a decal in the very center of the front and back makes good sense.  I would like to see more of that.

This set of over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders, I will call the "Nudes."  Every woman needs a good set of no-show undergarments for those slightly sheer outfits.  The racer back pictured in (e) is part of the Body by Victoria line.  It is a demi bra with front closure and very good for when you want to show off a little shoulder without showing your bra strap. The bra in (f) is a Victoria's Secret Biofit padded with no wire.  It's ultra comfortable.  I would say that I wear this one the most, but it makes me look the oldest because it is not a push-up.  Last but not least, the full coverage orange number in (g) is also part of the Body by Victoria line.  It has neither padding nor shaping cups, but it does provide underwire support.  I wear this one most in the summer because it is the most breathable and I put it in with the nudes because sometimes in the summer I get really tan and a darker color is a more realistic nude when my skin darkens.  The funny thing is that all three bras are in different sizes so I guess that just goes to show that you need to try on every bra before buying because with each different style, you may have different sizing needs depending on the cut and padding.

These girly bras are somewhat different but somewhat the same.  The pink and purple combo pictured in (h) were purchased in Florence, Italy for something like 2 Euros.  They give a retro shape, kind of like a bullet bra and when I wear them, I say I've got my Italian boobs on.  It's an in your face kind of look, unapologetic and upfront.  Many times, I wear these under a tank top that has a built-in shelf bra to mute the bullet effect.  The tank top also adds a second layer of support.  The second set (i) are Very Sexy Balconet bras from VS.  I recently found out (accidentally) that they are convertible to a racer back style since the shoulder straps detach at the back for repositioning, but I've never worn them that way.  Come on, the amazingly vibrant colors scream: Let the straps show!  I don't know if these bras really make me look very sexy, but they certainly let your boobs be noticed. I think of them like a drag queen thinks of her padding, they give a nice silhouette, but they're not for everyday wear.  These two styles are perfect for breasts that shrink or swell over the course of a month.  The bullet bras are good for the minimum, while the balconet bras are good for the maximum.  I used to think it was cheesy that all women's shoes had pink and/or purple detailing, but I guess I let it go at some point.  Who doesn't love HOT PINK?

The next set of brassieres are all fun for different reasons.  I love wild prints and colors just as much as the next gal, so these are not the bras you want when your top is sheer.  The bra in (j) I got in Las Vegas during a friend's stagette weekend.  I love it because it reminds me of sisterhood and wild nights.  It's called the Miraculous Plunge and the shop girl who sold me on it told me it was like getting plastic surgery for way cheaper and noninvasively.  I like the x-front that allows my chest to breathe between the breasts.  Also with a touch of animal print (k) is the one I call my tennis boob bra.  It's a Victoria's Secret balconet with ample padding.  It makes me feel 10 years younger.  I wouldn't play tennis in it; but it makes my boobs look as perky as two tennis balls.  And it's a shocking color.  The sweet aqua bra in (l) is the one I call La Jolla because I bought it down there.  I LOVE this bra, everything about it.  I love the color and the softness.  When the shop girl sold me on it, she told me it was the Cadillac of bras and she wasn't joking.  It's called the Victoria's Secret Plunge.  It's never let me down yet.  The bra in (m) is also great and the newest addition to my collection, I call it Glendale Galleria.  It's Fabulous by Victoria's Secret.  A lined demi bra, it isn't excessively padded and it has somehow a conservative and professional shape.  Great to wear to the office!

These last few breast-bands have stories of romance.  Stop here if you don't want to hear something sweet and mushy.  I like bras and matching panties.  I am not a fan of wearing little lacy things every day, but set (n) I call Carmel because my dear husband took me there for my birthday the year before we were married.  I love the color of this bra, kind of like the Pacific Ocean.  This bra is part of the Dream Angels (VS) collection.  When I wear it, I picture myself like Daniela Peštová or Tyra Banks. Set (o) I call Cambria because that's where my husband proposed to me.  Now, I'm not saying that a sexy bra and matching panties will land you a husband, but when you feel sexy, you ARE sexy.  This black lace number is part of VS Very Sexy collection.  Carmel and Cambria are surprisingly supportive with no padding.  I wouldn't go running in them, but if I have been running regularly, I look better in them! The last bra I want to show is the one I modified with reflective tape (p).  You can see the front view (left) has a thin strip of tape across the top and over the shoulder straps, connecting to a thicker strip of tape in the center of the back (right).  From the back view, you can also see the Encapsulation pockets for reducing lateral motion.  From what I've read this morning, the ideal sports bra has not been invented yet so maybe there's still room in the marketplace for innovation and invention.  I heard awhile back about a bra that would harness the kinetic energy generated by breasts in motion, but it turns out you can't wash it.  I'm still waiting patiently for this to emerge into the public marketplace.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Bicycle (and Train) Lifestyle 2014

I wrote about a year ago about wanting to abandon car commuting and adopt a bicycle lifestyle.  Here are the results so far in 2014.  All the workouts marked in red are bicycle days.  The olive green are hikes.  The purple are walks.  Blue are either class workouts (Zumba) or runs.  One of my favorite workouts I called Train Yoga.  We missed the 4:35pm train home by just a few minutes and had to wait until the 5:32pm train.  In the hour wait time, I did some amazing sun salutations.  Wish I had recorded it.

One of the many great things about traveling by train is that you can meditate on the train.  I have a small Sansa clip and I downloaded a bunch of 20 minute meditations (for free).  I don't do it every day but sometimes it is really nice to set a positive intention for the day, either in the morning or on the way home.

I love stretching on the train, there are different train cars with handles in different places.  I try to do what my sister calls T's I's and Y's where you stretch your shoulders in a doorway or against a wall.  The T is with your arms 90 degrees from the rest of your body.  The I is with your arms straight up and the Y is with your arms making a 45 degree angle from your head.  I feel like the gentile rocking of the train is good for increasing flexibility gently.

We always cheer when we see a train with a bicycle car and groan when we see a doorway with a pole in the center.  But we have NEVER yet had a problem getting our bikes on the train, even loaded down with all the books, clothes, and papers that we carry back and forth to CSUN.

We have an informal Bike train at Northridge.  There are 3 of us who ride together from the first train of the day (from LA) to campus.  It's great cameraderie and better for safety.  Last week it was so hot, the cars were making dangerous decisions.  I was grateful not to be riding alone.  Even though it says our monthly pass costs $221.00, we get a discount from CSUN, paying only ~ $120.  As you can see, a one-way ticket is $8.50 so it's definitely worth it for us to get the monthly pass.

I'm remembering the time(s) I took the train out to Claremont with my bike.  The ticket I have saved was $19.00 and I think that must have been round-trip.  I used to have a problem with motion-sickness and I still feel it every now and then, but I've become adapted to grading papers on the train and it's such a short trip that I don't normally have any problem.

I heard that the exposure to carbon monoxide on the freeway is what makes heavy commuters groggy in the mornings and when they arrive home at night.  I can't say we've been perky and perfect every day, but commuting by bicycle has certainly changed our lives.  I am happy it is National Bike Month and I am looking forward to "Ride to Work" day.  Hopefully we can ride there (and maybe take the train back), depending on the weather.


 We're having a problem with our kaiserwellnesscenter.com address.  If you want to check out our site, use the url https://sites.google.com/site/kaiserwellnesscenter/


Friday, May 2, 2014

Transcendence

I saw the movie Transcendence on Saturday, April 19th.  LOVED IT!  Then I came home and read the reviews.  I didn't want to prejudice myself by reading the reviews before seeing it for myself.  I've been waiting for the movie to come out for months and perhaps the delayed gratification made me love it more. I wrote out a list of words that came to my mind as we were walking home from the theater.

Rebecca Hall is Dr. Evelyn Caster in Transcendence
SPOILER ALERT!!! If you have not seen the movie yet but you plan to see it, read no further.  Better yet, come back to this page after you've seen it.  If you have already seen it or you will not see it, go ahead and read on.  I have had an interest in the singularity in a previous post.  I have also written in a previous post about intellectual property and how it would be great if all that information was open source.

GMOs The movie deals with hybrid beings that are part of the collective intelligence of the supercomputer PINN (Physically Independent Neural Network).  Humans with maladies (blindness, lost limbs) come to the company run by Dr. Evelyn Caster.  The movie reminded me of genetically modified organisms because of the way the nanoparticles spread throughout the ground like pollen.  With all the fears about GMOs, I thought this movie did a good job of showing how the computer spread itself using nanoparticles, not so different from plants.

Nanotechnology The nanoparticles I have already mentioned are a reality, but it's a far cry from self-assembling and self-aware computers.  Quantum computing is real, but still in the very early stages of development and nowhere near making an entire databank of such processors.

Neuroscience As far as our understanding of the brain, I think we are also nowhere near mapping each neuron and memory as the movie suggests.  The idea that all memories and impulses could be mapped and that consciousness could be transferred to a machine is far-fetched but still interesting.  I like the theme that computers have no understanding of right and wrong (morality) and that by using a human template, a computer could possess that quality.

Plants and food (seeds) As the artificial intelligence grows in its understanding of living systems, it claims to have the ability to regenerate tissue, including plant tissue.  That would definitely address the food crisis!  It would be neat if computers, via electrical impulses, could stimulate (accelerate) normal plant growth.

Water and air quality The computer intelligence in the film expresses a desire to clean all the air and water, as it has the ability to heal the sick (humans).  This is a great idea, but kind of counter to what our modern manufacturing has done (and is currently doing).  All the iPhones in this country have been made overseas and at what cost to the environment!  Lithography relies on the use of etch gases that have a high global warming potential and long atmospheric lifetime.  If we could magically reverse all the damage computer (high-tech) manufacturing has done to the air and water, it would be a good thing.

Immortality I have a popular post about the TA-65 compound, which is said to extend the human lifespan.  It seems many people are curious about this molecule, how it works, and what is known about it.  I used to believe that when a human reached a certain level of understanding about the universe, its time on this Earth would end.  Some part of me still believes that.  Despite this belief, I still seek knowledge.  I still believe I need time to figure things out.  I do not, however, yearn for immortality in the sense of keeping my body alive longer.  If I can make some small contribution to science, then my life will have been well spent.  The interesting thing is that by putting information in the public domain, it becomes part of our collective consciousness and in some small way maybe that is immortality.  It's interesting how the movie shows the artificial intelligence working without needing food, water, or rest while the character of Dr. Caster is still tied to her mortal body.  She resists becoming a part of the collective until the last moment, when she herself is ready to terminate the experiment.

Morality & a higher power What this movie has been blogged about the most is the connection to God.  I have seen lots of posts where people draw parallels between the artificial intelligence and a spiritual being.  The reason I didn't see it that way is because the intelligence is a computer.  It's not something to be worshipped or even thanked.  I thought it was beautiful how the computer created a cozy nest for Dr. Caster to live, projecting serene images and sounds all around her.  Yet she became more agitated as time passed, uncomfortable with the progress being made in the research labs around her underground lair.  I guess one could chalk that up to "absolute power corrupts absolutely."  She is not OK with the rate of progress of her work, perhaps she has trust and/or control issues.  When she realizes she is no longer in control of the situation, she abandons the project.

Sickening female lead character This had to be one of the highlights for me.  At one point, a male supporting character says something like, "our lab wasn't able to do that," and she says "you didn't have me."  For once a movie features a woman who realizes her own value to a research team and boldly moves forward in an uncharted direction.  Of course, it is to save the memories of her beloved husband, but hey we can't have a perfect female lead. We have an ambitious, smart, and resourceful woman here who adapts to the change in her life, demonstrating resilience.  Although her resilience crumbles, it was nice to have her as a protagonist.

Triumph of humans over technology The end of the movie presents an interesting twist.  Coming full circle to the beginning, a supporting male character discovers that the intelligence may be lying dormant in every water droplet and small puddle.  Prior to that, it seems the humans have triumphed over the artificial intelligence.  I can see how this would make other movie critics upset, the movie never culminates in a sure ending.  Has the machine truly perished?  I think not.  Only the Internet has been taken down.

The world-wide-web and the singularity It's interesting how the movie has a point early on where the anti-technology terrorists are trying to prevent the artificial intelligence from connecting to the world-wide-web.  But I think this is a central point where we now rely on the Internet for everything from digital music, to banking, to staying connected with friends and family.  What would we do without it now?  Young people these days have never learned strictly from books without YouTube and the Khan Academy and Wikipedia.  We have already become so connected that we are already enmeshed with technology.  Each human carries a device that connects them to all other humans (smart phones) and to all the knowledge available through that portal.

Regenerative medicine Regrowing limbs is still a fantasy, but we're getting closer every day.  It is interesting to think that an artificial intelligence of unlimited electronic power and processing would put together a working knowledge of the vasculature of living organisms and advance our progress in that area.

Weapons of mass destruction We used to fear nuclear technology and the movie does employ a radioisotope to kill one character, but it seems a computer virus is the true weapon of this movie.  If all our networks were instantaneously disrupted, would we consider that mass destruction?  Cyber terrorism is a real threat in our world today and will likely be the focus of the next century.

Militarization The artificial intelligence begins healing (transcending) humans, while retaining their bodies as an extension of its physical being.  This is perceived as a threat to the existing military and governments.  It is interesting that when a leader begins to assemble an army, that is immediately a problem.  Doing underground research is OK but amassing a fighting force with superhuman strength and no physical defects is not OK.  But each nation has a right to protect itself with weaponry and I have always found the balance of power in global politics to be a befuddling problem.  What nation has a right to be in charge?  What intelligence is supreme?  This goes back to morality and a higher power perhaps.  The golden rule.  But militaries around the world do not always follow rules of engagement.  We don't fight like gentlemen anymore.  Wouldn't a machine have less bias and passion in its decision making?  Isn't that what game theory is all about?

Suicide I thought it was extremely sad when Dr. Caster returns to the research center, carrying the virus that will end the artificial intelligence.  She knew on some level that she wasn't destroying her husband, but also at some level she was.

Assimilation The idea of assimilation in my mind conjures up memories of Star Trek and the Borg.  The desire for wiping out a person's individuality and making them part of a larger military-industrial complex is not new.  Isn't that what the crusades (and modern missionary work) were about?

Romeo & Juliet Speaking of suicide, I felt like the end of the movie was kind of romantic in a really nerdy way.  It was the moment when the artificial intelligence revealed its plans for healing the planet, when it logically deduced that Dr. Caster was carrying a virus, and it transcended her anyway killing them both.  That didn't completely bring me to tears, it was the waterfall and the thought of a clean planet that really died.  In the grand scheme of the planet, what are two human lives?  Ok, I cried a little.

Evolution (directed) vs. Natural Selection The movie didn't really get to this topic, but it came up in my mind.  The creation of hybrid techno-humans was definitely more directed evolution than natural selection.  Maybe this is also why people had a problem with the movie and why they felt the artificial intelligence was God-like.  He was a creator in a sense of a new race of living things.  It's hard to call them people, we would need a new word for them.  They aren't really robots, but actually that's a good word for them since they became workers.  I think people definitely have a problem with GMOs since they aren't "natural" and they haven't come about as a result of natural selection, but really none of the foods we eat have.  Humans have been selecting plants for 10,000 years resulting in all the crops we plant now.  I would argue that even heirloom varieties are not the same as wild plants.

Viruses I wonder about computer viruses.  The movie made it seem easy to plant one, but I'm sure it would be really REALLY hard to write a good code that would knock out the entire Internet.  It would be more likely that an artificially intelligent virus would be needed to fight an artificial intelligence.  They would both adapt, more like the arms race between plants and plants or plants and insects.  It would take time as each would learn about the others' weaknesses.

Cloud storage This part is pretty interesting and very real now.  I still keep most of my files on removable hard drives, but with the new Google Chromebook, it seems that cloud storage is becoming the wave of the future.  It's so last century to store files on your own PC.

Solar power I liked the creation of a large solar farm in the desert.  Why aren't we doing more of that?

Connection (human vs. machine) I didn't see the movie Her but I'm sure I will eventually now that I know what its about.  As I've said before in this post, I like FEMALE lead characters.  It's an old theme that a man falls in love with the perfect woman who just so happens to be a machine.  OLD.  Male, pale and stale.  But definitely I have found a fondness for certain computers.  I don't talk to them, but I rely on them.  My husband's computer tells us what time it is with a soothing female voice.  The GPS tells us where to go in a soothing female voice.  It was interesting to have this artificial intelligence with a male face and voice.  How did that make it more scary?  Why is a woman's voice non-threatening and something to fall in love with?  Does that mean women aren't powerful and a force to be terminated?

Autonomy vs. control I have already touched on this a little.  It's an idea that we as humans like, we like to think that we are in charge of something.  Ourselves at least.  But some people I'm sure are good at letting go of control, being at the will (or mercy) of a higher power.  In this film, the machine is controlled by no one and in turn starts controlling those humans who come to it in search of healing.  I wonder if people know how advertisers influence their behavior, not to mention societies.  People probably don't have as much control over their thoughts and actions as they would like to think.

Loyalty It would be interesting if our machines would be loyal, like our dogs.  We all make passwords so that nobody but ourselves can access our terminals, but that does not mean the machines are loyal only to us.  We have cyber-security programs that seek and destroy errant programs (viruses and malware) but that does not add up to loyalty either.  It seems loyalty is more of a feeling than an action word, which is why machines cannot embody it.

Love Again, love is a feeling.  Machines are incapable of feelings.  I thought it was really interesting how the intelligence started tracking the moods, hormones, and postures of Dr. Caster.  According to this review and some of my friends' research, I know that video tracking and digitization are possible, perhaps not to the resolution and accuracy portrayed in this film.  Does tracking someone's moods equate to the concern we attribute to love?  Does aligning one's actions with the will of another equate to love?  In this way, did the machine love Dr. Caster when it made cutting and scraping sounds to make it easier for her to eat?

Duty Maybe I'm getting tired of writing this and maybe you're getting tired of reading it.  I don't know why I put duty on here but I guess I was thinking of marital duty.  Until death do us part?  What is a wife's obligation if she has the technology to transcend her husband?  How long should she nurture his/its needs?  This is where immortality gets sticky.

Work-life-balance I will close with this idea.  The female lead character seems increasingly worn down as the machine grows in power, it starts to consume her entire life.  It follows her everywhere.  It can give her anything.  The balance in her life has vanished and she runs away, turning on her creation.  She does not survive it, in the classical sense, because her body dies.  But somewhere perhaps her consciousness lives on.