Started in 2015, Hops for Hope pairs 30 local corporate teams around town with a local brewery to create a one-of-a-kind beer benefiting Children’s Flight of Hope. After all, teamwork makes the dream work—especially when it’s for a good cause. Join us on July 13 from 5 to 8pm at Crank Arm to try out our custom brew and help us come up with a name for it (choose between Hope Rides Eternal, Bunny Hops for Hope and Wheels of Hope!). Plus, be sure to mark your cal for the main event at Midtown Park in North Hills on Sept. 16 feat. live music, food trucks, a kid’s zone, and beer tasting + judging. … We’re all about drinking for good!
New Netflix docu about the dangers of AI feats Raleigh company
“How would a robot know the difference between what’s legal and what’s right?” So asks the riveting new Netflix docu Unknown: Killer Robots. The documentary—which features Raleigh-based company Collaborations Pharmaceuticals Inc—started streaming July 10, and its chilling and timely investigation digs into the dangers of AI and the harmful consequences it can have when used in military application. Translation: Should a machine make a decision between a person’s life or death?
“In our case, we were not aware of how AI could be so easily used to design toxic molecules,” says Sean Ekins, CEO at Collaborations Pharmaceuticals Inc. “If we could misuse AI in our domain of expertise, I cannot imagine just how easy it would be to find other dual uses for the technology elsewhere. AI is a double-edged sword!”
After a talk on the subject at the 2021 Convergence conference, Ekins, along with Collaborations’ Associate Director Fabio Urbina and a few other experts, teamed up to publish a paper about how AI could be misused for the design of biochemical weapons. The most spine-chilling part? This isn’t a plotline from The Matrix… it’s real life.
The paper soon went viral and garnered media—and eventually Netflix’s—attention, leading to Collaboration filming with Netflix for the feature four times throughout the span of six months.
“As far as our role/representation in the documentary, we will find out along with everyone else when it is released,” says Aaron Oliver, Collaborations’ business development manager ahead of Unknown: Killer Robots’launch. Adds Ekins: “I can’t wait to see it.” Tune in to find out for yourself: Will “these nerds kill us all?” netflix.com
Sean Ekins, CEO at Collaborations Pharmaceuticals Inc.; photo courtesy of Collaborations Pharmaceuticals Inc
The Pour House presents the Triangle’s first vinyl record pressing plant.
“Girl, put your records on…” because we’ve got music news hot off the presses! If you’re into hanging Downtown and enjoying live jams, you’ve probably paid a visit or two to The Pour House Music Hall & Record Shop. This DTR staple is known for giving independent artists a platform—and the biz is pressing further into its brand via its latest project, Pour House Pressing, slated to open this summer as the first vinyl record pressing plant in the Triangle (!). To boot, Pour House Pressing boasts bragging rights as the second pressing plant in NC (you’ll find the other in Asheville).
For those new to the concept, creating a vinyl record is no easy feat. The pressing process begins by cutting the music in real time onto a lacquer disc; then coating the disc in liquid silver and soaking it in various nickel baths in order to build metal parts (i.e. stampers); and, finally, connecting the stampers to the record press so the vinyl puck can be squished… resulting in a playable vinyl record.
“The vinyl resurgence of the past 15+ years has driven a massive demand for new vinyl records, and there simply isn’t enough global capacity from existing pressing plants to meet demand,” says Adam Lindstaedt, who owns and operates the business with wife Lacie Lindstaedt. “We definitely plan to have bands perform at The Pour House Music Hall, have their records made with us and sell their records in our record shop.”
Ready to press play? The plant is now taking orders for manufacturing records for independent bands and record labels. Rock on! pourhousepressing.com
Seeking a surprise-filled saunter? Well, buckle up. If you’ve ever wanted to take an adventurous and off-the-beaten-path road trip without all the planning, Guess Where Trips has got you covered.
The brainchild of Jessica Off, what began as a creative Christmas present to her parents has since blossomed into a full-blown biz sending travelers to a slew of surprise scenic spots based on their trip style. The road trip venture touts starting points in cities in Canada and the Southern U.S.—with NC most recently making the list (!).
Guess Where Trips offers five ubercool and curated NC trip itineraries—with Raleigh and Charlotte-area launch pads—ranging from a leisurely travel day to overnight/weekend excursions. For our Raleigh roamers, a “Sandhills Sauntering” could be just the ticket for a low-maintenance warm weather foray (hey, picturesque drives, trail trekking, art explorations and one-of-a-kind photo ops!).
Each trip includes four planned stops and an explanation of what to know before you go—with just enough deets to keep you prepped without ruining the surprise. To wit, the creative travel company doesn’t send travelers out on expeditions they haven’t tried and tested themselves. The team’s boots-on-the-ground approach ensures your mystery adventure will be well planned—with delightful destinations sprinkled along the road less traveled, plus myriad choices to appeal to all types of interests.
“It was so interesting to research all the hidden gems around North Carolina,” says Off. “There are so many historic and quaint towns, fantastic restaurants, photo moments, and scenic roads that made it really easy to plan a road trip there.”
And amping up Raleigh’s road trip appeal, the City of Oaks is Guess Where Trips’ most popular sauntering select in the state—leading Off to consider creating another Raleigh-area trip based on the high demand.
“There’s still so much you can do in the state. I didn’t think I wanted to come home—it was beautiful in North Carolina and I was very in love with it,” laughs Sydney Schouten, trip producer. … Obviously, we have to agree.
As they look to the horizon, the wanderlust enterprise plans to expand excursion opps into the Baltimore and DC area in the near future. … Ready to guess where you’re going next? guesswheretrips.com
Fun Fact: Get wild! Almost 20% of the island is accounted for by waterways filled with sea turtles, dolphins and other sea creatures. And here’s another historical treasure: Pirates once inhabited the island back in the day (!).
Fun Fact: Wintergreen Resort, which comprises most of the town, spans 11,000 acres along the Blue Ridge Mountain slopes—and offers 45 holes of championship golf on two courses. Fore!
Fun Fact: The village was originally referred to as “Tuftstown” during its development phase after James Walker Tufts, a notable Boston philanthropist and soda fountain tycoon who bought the land in the 1890s.
