Beware: A Video Could Become Your Best Friend

Article by Rich Donnell, Editor-In-Chief

About 30 years ago Bob Dylan wrote and sang: “People are crazy and times are strange.”

The other day somebody was questioning the point of in-person trade shows, and whether the cost for an equipment company to exhibit or mills to send their people is really worth it. Meanwhile this same post was promoting the use of video technology to tell your story, or anybody’s story, and sening it out, well, to the world.

I guess now I’m showing my age, that our editors still value a hello and a handshake while looking into the other person’s eyes, as opposed to not having to stand near anybody while communicating with them on a computer screen or iPhone. Sure I know there’s merit in remote machinery troubleshooting for example, but I’m referring to the greater condition of mankind (that’s probably somebody’s quote, too, sorry).

Fortunately, many other people are worried about our society sprinting into a robotic state. Take data centers for instance.

We’ve all heard that data centers are on pace to rule the world, with their infinite computer systems for training AI models. And if we don’t get them in the U.S., we will be ruled by the rest of the world. I’m told a few thousand are already in operation or construction in the U.S. and a few thousand more are planned. The proponents say these create jobs and enhance local economics through property tax revenue and they invite related business activities (a new Dairy Queen?).

And we’ve all heard that within the past year many counties and communities, especially those of a rural nature (where the land is for a data center to be built) have been pushing back against these proposed data centers. (The ultimate in not-in-my-backyard opposition. Just think, NIMBY’s used to only worry about a little too much noise coming out of the nearby trucking operation. (“Hey, keep the clanking down over there will you?”)

Some of the opposition arguments include excessive water and electricity demands of a data center, and the corresponding increase in rates, not to mention the size of the thing (and frankly they’re not attractive either). And then there are the inevitable tax and financial breaks, otherwise known as gifts. And by the way, other than the construction phase, nobody is buying into the notion that a data center will create a bunch of longlasting jobs (unless two-dozen is a bunch).

But while these are all enticing reasons to be against the data center, I believe the underlying reason is that people simply believe they stand for the demise of humanity.

I don’t know enough about data centers to be for or against them. I do know that the wood products industry has implemented a fair share of AI throughout its manufacturing plants. I guess I’m waiting on that video from a drone camera flying through the interior of a data center.

Of course if you’ve seen one server, you’ve seen them all.

Meanwhile, speaking of humanity, you’ll notice in this issue some photos from the IWF show, the WMF event, and more coverage of PELICE, where real people gathered and had real conversations.