From the “How-In-The-Hell-Did-We-Miss-This?” file:
Eric Savitz blogged for Barron’s tech Trader Daily on July 28th, “The very last speaker on the last day of the AlwaysOn conference at Stanford on Thursday was noneother than Steve Wozniak, the legendary Woz. (And seriously, he really is a legendary figure: for instance, do you have a street named after you?)”
Savitz reports, “The Woz said he plans to drive to the South Pole in a Hummer in 2007. He said that in passing, and it seemed so absurd that I had to find out more. So after his talk, I went up and asked. Woz explained that he was participating in an expedition planned for December 2007 in which a group will drive Hummers running on hydrogen powered fuel cells from McMurdo Station to the South Pole. Woz said his particular vehicle would be co-piloted by Buzz Aldrin, who walked on the moon in 1969. The expedition is to be filmed in 3D for the director James Cameorn. Woz said that the group has received important advice on the project from the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authroity, which has been running some hydrogen fuel-cell powered buses.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Listen, we know at least one of you read this last Friday. Why didn’t you email us?! This is as “Classic Woz” as “Classic Woz” gets! If you ever read a story even remotely near the caliber of “Woz plans 2007 Hummer ride to South Pole with Buzz Aldrin, James Cameron to film in 3D” and you don’t see it on MacDailyNews, please click contact and pop us the link, okay? Thanks in advance. Oh yeah, GO, WOZ, GO!!!
Related MacDailyNews article:
Video: Woz playing Segway polo (and bonking pedestrian on head) – July 08, 2006
Is Buzz Aldrin really going? Or is he just going to phone it in from the Nevada desert like he did last time?
Modern day adventurists aren’t half the men of previous centuries.
Agreed. What happened to real exploration and adventure? The edge-of-the-world, death-literally-around-the-corner kind of adventure?
If Woz & team really had guts, they’d go down in the middle of the Antarctic winter. 24-hour darkness, -50F (-75F?) temps, no chance for rescue if anything goes wrong. Oh and leave the GPS at home too. Now THAT’s adventure!
By the way, whatever happened to that technology Woz was developing a few years back (that was supposed to be available now) to create a way to keep track of kids and animals based on tiny GPS receivers and a new type of smart network???
Bizzarro Ballmer
exactly! WTF for?
Can you send that money to hospitals in war-torn countries or something usefull? Jeezz dude. Nothing more embarrassing than a nouveau riche-geek. He’s turned out to be Apple’s half-wit brother. And the thought that he has a following in this board is a worry
“I doubt that this elite team of brave hearts will rely on their honed skills of wilderness survival to make their trek using only their own brawn and brains. Modern day adventurists aren’t half the men of previous centuries. The 21st century self-described supermen wouldn’t venture without a satellite phone, GPS, e-mail, and daily contact with base camp and a host of airborne rescuers on 24-hour stand-by. This “event” is nothing less than walk in the park for pathetic people starved of public adoration pretending to endure the peril of wilderness exploration. The only “endurance” these assholes will experience is the wait for someone else to prepare their pre-packaged meals.”
Yeah, you’re right. If Lewis & Clark had access to GPS and other wonderful tech that we have today, surely they would have shunned it, because they were “real men”, right? Sheeesh! What a stupid attitude. You know damn good and well (I hope, otherwise you’re an idiot) that if the explorers of the past had the opportunity to use today’s technology, they would have.
I highly doubt that Woz is interested in showing off what a tough guy he was. He’s a gear head, so yeah, I imagine it’s going to be a very tech laden trip.
ndelc:
The simple fact you that can’t seem to comprehend is that men of yesteryear challenged the foreign territories and themselves without the 21st century accouterments of GPS, satellite phones, and 24-hour rescue service. People with both physical skills and intellectual acumen still choose to do the same today. These same people; however, lack cooperate sponsorship and generally shun the publicity of the pseudo-adventurer like Woz et al. Woz et al are nothing more than self-indulgent tourists, pure and simple.
if the explorers of the past had the opportunity to use today’s technology, they would have.
Of course they would have.
However, there’s a bit more fortitude in living as survivalists & trekking by foot across continents, than there is in looking up a region in Google Earth.
Even Antarctica is relatively safe; your biggest enemy is the climate. You don’t have wild animals, hostile natives, enemy scout parties, unknown terrain, etc. all trying to kill you along with the weather.
Mike K : “whatever happened to that technology… to keep track of kids and animals…“
Uhm, the little tykes wouldn’t stop screaming when they tried to bolt the satellite dishes to their skulls?
or
Michael Jackson bought the patent?
I was wondering the exact same thing as you. I honestly don’t remember if he claimed he was gonna do some way cool stuff after leaving Apple or if that was just my expectation, but I don’t think too much came to fruition. He did something with universal remotes (no better nor special than anyone else’s) but that’s all I remember (and, yes, I know he’s an altruist and works with children. That’s great. Better him than me.) There are a few companies that do track child people. A pretty cool one was featured on The Discovery Channel a while back but I don’t remember the name. Brick House Security is always my 1st stop for cool stuff like that. It’s also the 1st hit in Google so it’s convenient to get to.
I hope I did the HTML code & italics & stuff correctly… if not, sorry in advance.
I love how many people don’t realize that the south pole is located on ANTARCTICA… which we have known since 1840 is a continent, you fools. No worries about falling through the ice into the ocean. Even better yet is the moron who didn’t read any of the article and just started going off on Woz for driving an SUV without reading that its powered by a hydrogen fuel cell… dumbass.
@shorttrip
McMurdo Base is by the coast of Antartica. Pretty much due south of New Zealand. The South Pole is another couple of thousand kilometres south from McMurdo. Typically people who fly to Antartica leave from the USAF base located at Christchurch (NZ) airport and make the 7 hour flight south in a C4 transporter to arrive at McMurdo Base.
maczealot,
Brave men of yesteryear did not have GPS. They did have sextants. If you know how to use one and you have an accurate timepiece you can find out exactly where you are during daylight with sun shots. In the northern hemisphere, at night, you use the North Star. Lewis & Clark did have GPS. The had a sextant and a pocket watch.
They also had a gun to shoot food and glass beads and whiskey to pay the laborers.
Maczealot,
“The simple fact you that can’t seem to comprehend is that men of yesteryear challenged the foreign territories and themselves without the 21st century accouterments of GPS, satellite phones, and 24-hour rescue service.”
I understand that point just fine, my friend. Last week my wife and I drove from New Mexico to Colorado and had a long discussion about what that six hour drive would have been like a hundred and fifty years ago, on horseback or a covered wagon, or on foot! It’s mind boggling to think of how difficult and dangerous that would have been.
“People with both physical skills and intellectual acumen still choose to do the same today. These same people; however, lack cooperate sponsorship and generally shun the publicity of the pseudo-adventurer like Woz et al.”
Good for them! I’m sure it’s quite a thrill. At what point did Woz say he was an adventurer? You were the one who started comparing him to explorers of the past. It’s not like he’s setting out in uncharted land or anything. He’s doing it for fun, with the aid of lots of cool toys. The tech is half the fun of something like this. You seem to be missing that point. Regardless, let’s just get one thing straight, if the explorers of the past had the equipment we have today, they’d use it, because they weren’t doing it to prove that they were tough guys. They either did it for a living, or just because they had no other choice. Those who choose to do it that way today are doing it for sport, and, in many cases, I’d wager, because they have something to prove. That’s not Woz. This is just pure fun, and gadgets are a big part of that.
“Woz et al are nothing more than self-indulgent tourists, pure and simple.”
Yeah, exactly! I wish I could join them. It sounds like a blast!
Athabascan natives traversed interior Alaska without a compass, sextant, or pocket watch.
Polynesian seafarers sailed the Pacific Ocean without a compass, sextant, or pocket watch.
The Chuckchi people of Siberia lived successfully without fleece, Gore-Tex, or polypropylene.
The point, Big Al, is that only remnants of humanity exist with the knowledge and skills to persevere in the wilderness or on the sea without any of the modern implements, tools, and devices common today. 19th century explorers had what could be described as modern weapons and instruments for wilderness exploring for their specific period of existence, but they also had no satellite telephone, internet access, or Air Force rescuers on 24-hour stand-by. Trekking into the wilderness years ago meant no guarantee of a safe return. Today, the eco-tourist on his or her “wilderness expedition” will likely only risk unpredictable food service, extremes of weather, and impertinent government employees. It is one thing to experience the wilderness tangentially and temporally, it is totally another thing to live within it, on it, and by it most of your earthly life.
“Good for them! I’m sure it’s quite a thrill. At what point did Woz say he was an adventurer? You were the one who started comparing him to explorers of the past. It’s not like he’s setting out in uncharted land or anything. He’s doing it for fun, with the aid of lots of cool toys. The tech is half the fun of something like this. You seem to be missing that point. Regardless, let’s just get one thing straight, if the explorers of the past had the equipment we have today, they’d use it, because they weren’t doing it to prove that they were tough guys. They either did it for a living, or just because they had no other choice. Those who choose to do it that way today are doing it for sport, and, in many cases, I’d wager, because they have something to prove. That’s not Woz. This is just pure fun, and gadgets are a big part of that.”
ndelc:
You and your ilk have exploited native populations, trashed the wilderness with the refuse of modernity, and have bored your family and neighbors with the incessant accounts of your frivolous eco-adventures. I’d rather spend a day with my true Inupiat friends cleaning fish and dressing caribou than a single minute with the likes of you.
“You and your ilk have exploited native populations, trashed the wilderness with the refuse of modernity, and have bored your family and neighbors with the incessant accounts of your frivolous eco-adventures.”
Ummmmm, yeah. At no point did I claim to be an “eco-adventurer”, nor did I ever claim to be in favor of destroying nature in the name of modernity. I just like technology. Get off your high horse.
“I’d rather spend a day with my true Inupiat friends cleaning fish and dressing caribou than a single minute with the likes of you.”
Now that’s a point of view you don’t see often on a computer forum (just curious, how do you recharge your MacBook up there among the fish and caribou guts?), but hey, more power to you.
I’m a graphic designer. I guess in your view of the world, I’m not a true graphic designer unless I’m “keepin’ it real” by working with sticks and paints made with berries and poo, and creating my designs on cave walls or animal skins, huh? After all, that’s how it was once done, why use anything else?
@maczealot
The Polynesian navigators used the stars when they made their way island hopping from the island of Taiwan and down through the western south pacific island chain.
winmacguy:
…. and Polynesian sailors navigated WITHOUT sextants. I don’t know how I can make it <b>MORE/b> clear that these men were skilled enough to sail by the stars without modern tools or devices.
ndelc:
I’ll provide you one example what I mean. K2 and Everest have base camps are strewn with tons of garbage and human waste left over from hundreds of individuals who negligently polluted Nepal just to satisfy their cravings for notoriety and public acclaim. “Pack it in, pack it out.” or “Take memories, leave nothing.” don’t apply to the modern pesudo-adventurist who doesn’t care what harm he or she does to the environment as long as he or she gets the thrill that they want. Woz et al will likely leave evidence of their passage for years to come on Antarctica and the rest of the world will receive little or no scientific benefit from their trip. Some people want to preserve the wilderness, not contaminate it for some frivolous stunt.
Do you want a real vehicle for conquering the wild frontier, Woz? Do you really want to make a statement about your manliness and wilderness drive, stamina, and staying power? Do you want to get it up when you go outdoors? Huh, do ya?
A Jeep? Forget it, this is for little girls with curls and bows.
A Hummer? Nope, this is also for cute little girls.
A Unimog? Nah, this is only for tomboys.
Get a Cougar, guaranteed to intimidate any living land animal with the exception of a mature African bull elephant. The true modern adventurer accepts nothing less than a 16-ton smoke belching behemoth with a custom Caterpillar C-7 diesel engine. Yeah, that’s what we’re talking about! Make nature tremble at your presence, Woz.
Now, get serious or get the hell outta here!
http://www.forceprotectioninc.com/models/cougar/
“I’ll provide you one example what I mean. K2 and Everest have base camps are strewn with tons of garbage and human waste left over from hundreds of individuals who negligently polluted Nepal just to satisfy their cravings for notoriety and public acclaim. “Pack it in, pack it out.” or “Take memories, leave nothing.” don’t apply to the modern pesudo-adventurist who doesn’t care what harm he or she does to the environment as long as he or she gets the thrill that they want. Woz et al will likely leave evidence of their passage for years to come on Antarctica and the rest of the world will receive little or no scientific benefit from their trip. Some people want to preserve the wilderness, not contaminate it for some frivolous stunt.”
I agree with you, that sucks. But the fact that you intend to go on an adventure like that and use technology, doesn’t mean that you must leave waste behind. I’m sure there are many who feel that way, and make sure they leave nothing behind. The point is, you’re presuming that Woz and company will leave a big mess on their trek, and, seemingly, the only reason for this presumption is that they’re going to be using a lot of man made technology. I don’t see the connection.
I would be impressed if they used Smart cars.
http://www.thesmart.ca/index.cfm?ID=4720
maczealot,
Sorry, you can’t ‘navigate’ on the ocean, out of sight of land, in the southern hemisphere, without the help of an instrument at least as modern as a sextant.
You can set out, at a particular time of year, with the knowledge that you have a reasonable chance of reaching your goal, because you know someone else before you did it and got back and said it could be done. But you cannot navigate to that goal.
The populating of the Hawaiian Islands was pure happenstance. Polynesians did not ‘navigate’ there, they got lucky and found the islands when they were blown off course and were lost.
I have spent months in the wilderness with just a gun, compass, fishing gear, tent, canoe, sleeping bag, some freeze dried food and air photos. I was very well paid while doing it. So what. It doesn’t make me more of a man than a city dweller or less of a man than migrating natives, following the herd to their new home in North America.
Every human in the history of mankind has used the tools that the human technology of their time has given them to make a life and enjoy their leisure time.
North American natives adapted from buffalo jumps and spears to horses and rifles to GPS equiped Quads and rifles with scopes and baited hides.
You use the technology available to you or you die foolishly.