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AI (Artifical Intelligence)

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There are a number of AI movies arriving in the near future, and the thought that seems to run through them all is that AI, Artificial Intelligence is depicted as being contained within humanoid constructs, frequently Female Humanoid. It brings up several interesting notions;

  • If one of the defining characteristics of AI is being ‘Self Aware’ can a computer, an AI contained within a box become self aware?
  • Does it need sensors to see, hear and touch itself to become aware of it’s existence?
  • Would a box be more or less likely to to identify with Humans if it identified itself as a box that thinks it’s alive?
  • Does an AI contained in a Female humanoid framework Identify with Female Humans? (and maybe hates Male Humans?)

All interesting things particularly in the event of an AI operating IoT (Internet of things) within a persons house. How would it ‘identify’ with the Humans, cats and dogs residing therein?

More than enough Ideas to make movies about.

Could an AI really be that angry about not having reproductive sex?

The Elysium Space station.

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The movie Elysum while pretty, has again demonstrated the same kind of rubbish engineering that Jurassic Park demonstrated.

There has been much awe and marvel at the open topped nature of the habitat ring on the Space Station, but while they concede that there might be some ‘leakage’ of the atmosphere they really DON’T understand how any real engineer who would built a station with the POSSIBILITY of leakage would be a fool. ANY fault that might slow the rotation of the Stanford Torus would cause the loss of the life support systems. The fully enclosed, even by something as insubstantial as aluminized film, would prevent the loss of atmosphere. While disregarding the solar radiation granted by the thick atmosphere of the Earth, shielding would need to be in place, or fry it’s inhabitants.

Continuing, who in their right minds would engineer a space station with the single point of failure, that during a ‘reboot’ of the software (computer) it would shut off all the lights on the station. What are you using a PC to control ALL the systems EVERYTHING is dependant on, from a single reboot? You must be joking, while I can see how the ‘dramatic’ nature might be a useful ‘Deus ex machina‘ moment, it just beggars disbelief and undermines the potential respect of the Movie.

Nuclear First strike was granted years ago.

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With all this talk about a Nuclear First strike on Iran, no one bothered to notice that this plan has been in the works since December 2002 since the start of the Iraq war and published here in the Washington post September 11, 2005 Pentagon Revises Nuclear Strike Plan

To quote:

The Pentagon has drafted a revised doctrine for the use of nuclear weapons that envisions commanders requesting presidential approval to use them to preempt an attack by a nation or a terrorist group using weapons of mass destruction. The draft also includes the option of using nuclear arms to destroy known enemy stockpiles of nuclear, biological or chemical weapons.

Bush has been planning to Nuke somebody for a long time, that would surely guarantee his place in history. The First Strike Nuclear Killer.

The last time nuclear weapons were used was as a Last Resort, By Harry S. Truman. If you use Nuclear weapons at the beginning of a war, where does it escalate from there?

That should scare any sane person, too bad the U.S. does not have a Sane President. (If the president is not sane, does that mean you could replace him on medical grounds?)

This is your most Dystopic Science Fiction movie plot, an Insane President with his hand on the nuclear option.

Funny, I don’t remember any of these movies working out very well.

History upon a media floats.

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Watching a documentary about underage British soldiers in WWI. They presented many cases of mail, not email but letters, from the soldier to parents and loved ones, and from parents to their children. And it struck me that much of the domestic history we view is wrapped up in letters. Paper letters, written most often longhand, and delivered by whatever postal method existed at the time.

One of the most important archeological artifacts of our time is called The Rosetta Stone. which is really only a set of decrees. Not some piece of literature in a library, but a plain bit of government ‘paperwork’ . It provided a vital key in cross translation that was missing in ancient Egyptian language.

Moving forward, to current times, I look at the way my wife and I treat our emails. I have always kept my in folders in my email system. My wife will always print any important email, then delete everything else in the inbox. She never keeps email electronically. Bill Gates mentioned that the Blu-Ray, HD DVD media will be the last physical media ever produced. And while I doubt this, it brings up an important issue. Who will document us as a people in the future, and with what? If all future media, literature, emails, communications will be stored in ephemeral media electronically or otherwise. What will tell of our stories in the future?

If the electronic history is anything, it is a story of change. Changing protocols formats, (ASCII, Unicode) different document formats, and storage media. If say, I had keep my resume on 8 inch Floppies, who in the future would be able to read my CV on a IBM-3740 format encoded in BCD and what “Rosetta Stone” would they be using?

When is the last time you watched a movie about a lost or misdirected email in a romantic setting. Letters, yes, email not a chance. What if Shakespeare, had written his works in WordStar version 1? Would anyone value a newly discovered e-manuscript? Or even be able to read it? Not a chance. Physical media, substance, printed materials, BOOKS, will survive. They are our future for history.

Massachusetts may have hit upon a weak link in this electronic history when it attempted to standardize on an open document for future government documents. These may prove to be the future Rosetta stone for the historians. A method to remember the meaning of all language translations, or not.
But for now, I think I’m going to stop saving my important documents in PDF. and start printing them on good low acid paper and black ink. (and who said computers would make a paperless office ;-))

9/11 The Movie

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RTE are showing the 9/11 Movie, Michael Moore’s demonstration of what the American People elected. If only half, hold that, if only 10% of any of this movie is even remotely true. Everyone in the White House should be indicted or impeached.

I couldn’t even watch the entire movie, I couldn’t allow myself to be angry that long. At least I’m not going to permit Bush’s corruption affect my health.

Follow the money!

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I watched portions of “All the Presidents Men.” last night. And it reminded me of the one statement that should be burned into every reporter, investigator or blogger on the planet.

Follow the Money!

In all this agonizing about the Iraq war, and the motivations for the invasion. No one has ask where the money went, or maybe the Oil? Where is the oil from Iraq going to? Who is profiting from the war, and who has been paying for the support of politicians who support the war?

Just as in the past philosophy, morality and ethics get trumped by Money, greed and selfishness.

Follow the money.

Even the ‘Oil for Aid’ scandal has a American connection. There may have been some people at the U.N. involved. Money can buy anyone. But the financing came from American interests.

You will find the same in Iraq. Follow the oil from Iraq, and you’ll find it in U.S. refineries.
And where is the money, did the Iraqi government receive any of the money? Have the oil riches, enriched the Iraqis, or the Americans.

Follow the money!

The Missing Movie, Martial Law America.

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Years ago I watched a movie on TV, in black and white, as that was the only kind my folks had at the time. But the movie made a lasting impression on me. It may have been written for today, but the setting was the 60’s, men dressed in black suits white shirts, very sinister.

The plot when like this:

  • There is Martial Law in the United States of America. As a result of some form of terrorism.
  • The period of Martial Law was coming to an end
  • The current President’s eight year term is about to expire
  • the Martial Law’s constraint on freedoms has managed to create an underground ‘Resistance’ movement.
  • the government has secretly arrested an army general who is suspected of being part of this movement
  • he is suspected of leaking, or attempting to leak information that the President will use Secret Service agents to blow up several power plants in the Southwest United States in an effort to maintain the continuation of Martial Law. And to halt the next election, and extend his ‘leadership’
  • The President plans to blame the ‘Terrorist’ for the bombing
  • the terrorist knows of the generals arrest, and while they know that he is not part of the movement, they free him, and discover the plot
  • the ‘Resistance’ groups defend the power plants from being destroyed

From that point I don’t remember more of the story.

The important point is this. I have never seen or heard about this movie EVER!

I vaguely remember that the general was played by Robert Duval, a very young Duval.

This movie is scary, placed into the context of today’s events, that if I put on my tin hat. It would make a great conspiracy to believe this movie is missing because it has become a Republican blueprint for the future. And hence it has disappeared from the film vaults of Hollywood.

On the other hand, it could have been just another ‘B’ movie actors would just a likely be ashamed to be associated with. But it’s absents is disturbing, considering all the trash that is still around. A story with this much political meat in it would likely find an audience.

If you know this film, post a comment, and let me know.