Jack Flacco

AI

Posted on June 22, 2015June 22, 2015 by Jack Flacco

Artificial intelligence is always a hot topic among science fiction fans. Can anyone argue that although 2001: A Space Odyssey’s Hal has good intensions, he no less presents an interesting story albeit that of a sociopathic nightmare? Additionally, a discussion centered on machines with humanlike attributes could not be complete without Sonny, I, Robot’s anthropomorphic servant droid who proves a heart within a machine is worth saving.

How close has humanity come to creating a true representation of itself within a computer system?

Take Apple’s Siri. As creepy as it sounds, Siri is the digital equivalent to a best friend. Ask it a typical question such as “How are you?” and it will respond, “I’m fine. Thanks for asking.” Should a user of the device choose a male voice to represent the virtual assistant, things begin to sound eerie and familiar. Hal would be proud.

With Apple’s iOS 9 coming out this September, Siri will be able to predict what a user will ask next. For instance, if a user would like directions to a particular address, Siri will also suggest places to dine and a place to lodge, should a user be so inclined to do so.

The logic behind Google Maps is already there. It takes it a step further by providing alternate routes, the ability to avoid toll roads and traffic conditions.

Artificial intelligence couldn’t be better. But what is the cost of all this AI?

Years prior to the year 2000, computer experts warned of an upcoming digital apocalypse where computers would choke and destroy humanity. Obviously, that didn’t happen. The Y2K bug was to usher in a second dark age where electricity would be scarce and hospitals would be full. Again, it didn’t happen. However, what it did prove was just how fragile computer networks were at the time and what precautions governments and companies took to prevent an utter catastrophe from occurring.

Could it happen again, only this time for real?

Given the world’s reliance on electricity, would it be hard to imagine a world hit by a global scale blackout? It happened in 2003 on the northeastern seaboard. In August of that year, the lights went out for several days leaving 50 million people without power. The “glitch” started with a tree branch in Ohio spreading power surges through the grid all the way up across the border to Ontario. With all the safeguards in place, the incident still brought two nations to a halt.

How difficult would it be to think of a time when a routine event couldn’t cause the downfall of the entire global infrastructure? Looking at it a different way. What’s to say that in an effort to protect the grid, artificial intelligence wouldn’t attempt to circumvent safeguards to preserve life on this planet?

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Is artificial intelligence too much intelligence to control our lives? Should we allow it?

Random Thoughts

Posted on June 19, 2015May 9, 2017 by Jack Flacco

I haven’t written one of these random posts where I talk about nothing for a while now. I guess I could do it today. What do you think? I’ll write it and if anything comes from it, I’ll keep it. If not, you’ll never know I had written it for Freedom Friday.

The first thing on my mind is the Apple EarPods I’ve been using for the past year. I’ve had the older model where the sound just didn’t quite make the cut in quality. The music sounded like it was playing through a tin can. I had wished a redesign of them since they came out with the first iPod I had purchased in the early 2000’s. Well, to say the least, these new ones are impressive. I love the warm sound they give, and I enjoy listening to things in the music I never heard before. Equally as great is the comfortable feel in my ears. I wish I had these years ago before I went out to buy expensive headphones that don’t nearly give the same awesome sound. Am I the only one who feels this way?

Next on my list of random things I’ve wanted to mention for a while is 3D in movies. I’m not sure, but is anyone else feeling 3D has had its day in the theater? For instance in Jurassic World, don’t worry I won’t spoil the movie, a few of the flyby scenes showing landscapes seem too clean and precise. Helicopters, especially, look like models. I’m not knocking the movie. I thought it was intense and I got my money’s worth. The thing about it though, 3D didn’t do justice to this film. That’s my opinion, of course. Avengers: Age of Ultron is the same. I saw it in 3D, but there really wasn’t a wow factor associated with the film. I suppose if the film is great, then the 3D is great, but that’s neither here or there. However, Furious 7, which I didn’t see in 3D, was awesome. It proves to me that story is everything, regardless how much studios would like to convince its audience 3D is better.

Movie trailers are on my list, too. When did all of a sudden movie trailers become mini movies? Even more so, why do trailers have to give away vital plot elements to lure the audience into seeing the film? Take the original trailer for Jurassic Park from 1993. Watching it, you’d declare an oath you saw all the dinosaurs featured in the film. If you think that, you are wrong. What you see is a foot, a paw, an eye. You don’t see the entire dinosaur in all its glory. That’s because trailers back then were cool. They didn’t reveal the film, but they did know how to entice an audience with sights and sounds much like Alfred Hitchcock did with his movies. He didn’t show the murder, but you knew it took place because you heard the screams, you saw the knife, and you saw the terror on the victim’s face. Trailers nowadays, reveal too much.

Last thing on my list is mowing the lawn. I agree, it is a weird topic. Hear me out, though. Doing the lawn is fun again. Last year, I bought one of these fancy schmancy lawn mowers that propels itself. Actually, that’s not true. I have to hold it, but I don’t have to push it to where I want it to go. I point the way and it travels on its own. It’s a marvel of technology. Considering my backyard is hill country, this lawn mower beats dragging my tail to get the lawn done. I’m telling you, it’s the next best thing since the invention of the fridge.

Okay, that’s all I had on my mind.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale now.
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RANGER MARTIN AND THE SEARCH FOR PARADISE, on sale October 20.

What’s on your mind? Anything new and exciting you’d like to chat about?

Wednesday Warriors

Chuck Noland

Posted on June 17, 2015June 16, 2015 by Jack Flacco

If there ever was a time when being stranded on a desert island was a good thing, this was not one of those times. After lightning blows one of its engines, a FedEx cargo plane plummets into the South Pacific brightening the night sky with flames. The lone survivor manages to inflate one of the sinking plane’s rubber rafts to save him. He doesn’t know it, but his life has changed forever.

Cast Away‘s Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks), an employee on the clock, loses his sense of time in today’s Wednesday Warriors highlight.

When Chuck awakens the next morning, he drags his stomach along the white sandy beach to lie in peace while the sound of the waves entertains his ears. The sweater he wore on his ill-fated flight suddenly becomes much too hot to bear. He sheds whatever semblance he held of his former life and begins a journey into self-discovery.

The first thing on Chuck’s agenda is realizing he doesn’t have an agenda. The pocket watch, given to him by his wife, no longer works. He will never surrender it though. It contains a photo of his beloved, the only thing that reminds him of how things used to be.

There is no electricity. There is no civilization. Chuck quickly learns he’s alone on the island. His steady diet of coconuts and fish provides for a fraction of the nutrients he needs to survive, but not enough to prevent losing a tooth along the way.

Having trekked through the island multiple times, he comes to know his surroundings, the borders and his own limitations. He understands he can’t go beyond the tide without an adequate floatation device. His understanding also grows regarding time. In his former life, time is what made Chuck’s life complete. Without time, it’s a disorganized life. He keeps time in a cave by etching notches on a wall, presumably trying to make sense of it all.

As part of his survival, he learns how to build a fire, make shoes and work on a plan of action to get off the island.

Chuck’s biggest enemy, however, is much more than he could have ever imagined. His enemy is his loneliness. To be the only living and breathing person stuck hundreds, maybe even thousands, of miles in the middle of nowhere, makes him desire companionship with the least likely of objects.

He calls it Wilson.

And as Wilson soon becomes Chuck most treasured friend, his outlook changes to a more positive direction.

If anything is true about Chuck it’s that, he’s a survivor. He could sling a noose around his neck and end his turmoil, but he doesn’t. He overcomes all obstacles and lives each day with the hope the next will bring him the freedom he desires.

Not all things are easy for those willing to endure until the end.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE ALIEN INVASION, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE SEARCH FOR PARADISE, on sale October 20.

Have you seen Cast Away? If so, what do you think of the movie? What do you think of Chuck Nolan?

Monday Mayhem

What Is Our Fate?

Posted on June 15, 2015June 9, 2015 by Jack Flacco

Not much of a difference exists between zombies and aliens. Zombies want to take over the world by either consuming or assimilating humans into their fold. The typical alien, not the friendly, cuddly type, wants to utilize humans as a resource or change them to become more like them.

Pristine mountains somewhere in the world.

Today’s Monday Mayhem question is this: What if we’re all products of an alien experiment gone wrong? What’s to say our future is our own?

Let’s have a look at this world we call Earth and decide for ourselves if this truly is Paradise, or a template for a world beyond ours set in motion in the heavens to populate other planets.

Our Water—How’s our water situation? Over seventy-one percent of Earth is covered by water. Over ninety-six percent of it rests in the world’s oceans. Much of it is salt water. Heavy desalinization can convert seawater into drinking water, but at what cost? Given water makes up more than sixty percent of the human body, water is the single most important resource on this earth. Great empires have conquered the world by controlling the use of water. Our food, hygiene and stability as a nation are dependent on water. Simply put, without water—we will all die.

Yet, humans have gone on a binge to pollute the oceans, sanitize the drinking water with chemicals and bottle that which is free. Is it a surprise humans haven’t all grown a third arm by now? Putting it another way, without water we’ll all become zombies, seeking the wet stuff any way we can.

Our Air—Making a mess of our water supply is one thing, but breathing clean air is a miracle. Even the air in Antarctica is seeing a chemical shift that is currently precipitating a breakdown in the precious ozone layer that keeps humans from charring to a cinder. Big industry spews tons of toxins into the sky, destroying migrating bird patterns, and leaving some humans gasping for oxygen.

More can happen by way of regulation, but how far will that go? Some nations could set the controls in place while other nations would scoff at them.

Our Soil—At its current state, Earth is one big garbage dump. The day after every Christmas, city streets become a shrine to non-recyclable wrap and packaging. Every ballgame produces enough trash to fill truckloads of waste that will have no home other than Earth’s ocean floor. Landfills have become as common as gulf courses. How soon will it be before a major environmental catastrophe hits humanity? Will it change those who have decided the earth is a temporary abode resting between celestial bodies only to fulfill humanity’s inclination to self-destruct?

The zombie need to replenish outweighs the needs of the few. Without water, air and soil, is it a wonder a zombie apocalypse will be inevitable?

More to the point, with all that humanity has done to improve that which it has under its domain, why aren’t aliens knocking on our door to adopt us as a future generation for planets of which they have ownership?

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE ALIEN INVASION, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE SEARCH FOR PARADISE, on sale October 20.

What do you think about aliens, zombies and the fate of our stars?

Freedom Friday, Other Things

What Is Success?

Posted on June 12, 2015May 9, 2017 by Jack Flacco

Think of something you really, really want. Now, close your eyes and imagine having it. Wait, did you just close your eyes? I meant for you to close them for a second or two, not indefinitely. Go ahead and close them for a few seconds. I’m hoping you opened them again. Okay, forget about closing your eyes. Gosh. This is getting complicated. Let’s start over.

Think of something you really, really want. Now, imagine having it. Can you see it? If it’s an object, can you feel it? What’s the texture like under the pads of your fingers? Try to imagine the sensation. If it’s something you’ve wanted to do like, take that vacation you’ve been thinking about, imagine the spot. Are you feeling the water splashing over your skin while you’re lying on the beach? Can you feel the sun beat down on your head? Okay, so maybe a sunny spot is not for everyone. How about a refreshing Alaskan Vacation? You can’t beat six months of sunshine or six months of darkness.

The thing about the imagination is the brain can’t tell what is real and what is make-believe. To the mind, it’s all the same. Have you ever seen a movie where you’re on the edge of your chair wondering what will happen next? The brain is telling you that it’s firing its synapses in order for you to feel the thrill the movie is providing. The brain thinks it’s real.

Studies have proven the brain is a resilient organ. It remembers things beyond what we think it remembers. When we think about the past, it’s as if we’re reliving the experiences all over again.

Let’s go back to thinking about stuff. Are you ready? Imagine the first time you fell in love. Do you have the thought yet? If you’ve never fallen in love, then imagine your first crush. Better still, do you remember your first kiss? Really, take a moment and think about it. Remember how your heart flipped inside of you, how the center of your being burned with the pangs of wanting this person in your life. Do you feel your palms sweaty, your lips tingly and your breath speeding up? Remember how you couldn’t sleep without thinking about them? How you couldn’t eat because your stomach had a knot the size of a baseball twirling about, never leaving you alone?

If you’ve really stopped to think about it, and felt all those emotions all over again, then that’s your mind at work. It can’t tell the difference if those thoughts you’re having are real.

That’s why it’s important to think of your goals as if you have already achieved them. I’m not talking about that self-hypnosis/self-enlightenment movement going around in the entertainment industry these days. We have enough of that in the gossip columns when we read about stars who have lost touch with reality because they think they are better than everyone else.

What I’m referring to is about work and reward. Training the mind with the feeling of having attained a reward. The best way to do this is to write things down in a list and crossing the items off as you complete them. Instant reward. The other way is thinking about having already won the fight. The mind doesn’t know better, so the mind will release the same chemicals into the brain to provide that satisfaction a person would receive when achieving a goal.

When this happens, the mind will press you to want to achieve that goal.

Simple, right?

Only, you’ll have to follow through. It’s not enough to think about what you want. The mind will reward you, but that feeling in the pit of your stomach, when you see things haven’t really changed, will want you to change.

You can only go so far with the mind. Eventually, you’ll have to take steps to achieve the goal in reality in order to receive the reward in reality.

Make a list. Follow through. Win.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE ALIEN INVASION, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE SEARCH FOR PARADISE, on sale October 20.

What’s on your list? Does anyone know the goals you want to achieve?

Wednesday Warriors

Memento’s Leonard

Posted on June 10, 2015June 2, 2015 by Jack Flacco

I wake up in the mornings not knowing who I am. I keep photos in my pocket as reminders of who people are. I even have gone as far as tattoo important clues to my identity all over my body. Like I said, when I wake up tomorrow morning, I won’t remember any of it. I will however have the photos and tattoos.

If you think that’s hard, try to remember your timeline moving backwards. Instead of learning as you go, you’re learning in reverse as you fall more and more into the sore spots of your memory. That’s what I have to deal with every day. It’s not easy. My life could have greater meaning, but how far can I get if I don’t remember from one day to the next who I am or who did me wrong?

Which brings me to my dilemma. Not only do I have to keep track of those who I’ve contacted, but I also have to maintain a system to keep me grounded. It’s a tough system but it works. I leave clues for myself all over my hotel room so when I wake up I can jumpstart the learning process again. The system covers everything. The dilemma is me not knowing who to trust. I have to write it down. Even the hotel manager of the room I’m staying has tried a few times to scam me. I caught him. From what I can tell, he’s a good guy though. He once asked if I could blame him for trying. I don’t blame him.

My only friend Teddy calls me Lenny, but that’s not my real name. Everyone thinks that if someone knows his or her own name it makes life easier. Not for me. I know my real name. It’s not Lenny. I’m still stumbling trying to figure me out.

I’ve learned something about myself recently. I’ve learned I don’t like people who say things because of what others expect. I’m fine with that. I have tattoos to prove what people do is the opposite of what they say. What I find disturbing is finding someone who is sincere but not remembering the person the next day. Do you know how hard it is to find someone honest only to forget about them after falling asleep?

I can go on by telling you about my tattoos, but the tats don’t make me who I am. I’m looking for someone. If I could define who I am, then I could say I’m the guy looking for someone. It’s the one thing that motivates me to live another day with this condition I have. It’s the only thing that compels me to move forward beyond the tall, thick walls within my mind.

I’m Leonard (Guy Pearce) from the movie Memento, today’s Wednesday Warriors‘ highlight.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE ALIEN INVASION, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE SEARCH FOR PARADISE, on sale October 20.

Have you seen Memento? What did you think of the mystery created by Christopher Nolan?

Monday Mayhem

Zombie Apocalypse: Two Theories

Posted on June 8, 2015June 7, 2015 by Jack Flacco

Everyone has theories about zombies. Everyone can speculate what would happen should a zombie birth take place. And, yes. I have my theories, too. But what everyone might not know is that a theory is just a theory. That is unless it becomes a reality. In a zombie apocalypse, if a theory turns into a reality then it would become a nightmare.

That’s why for today’s Monday Mayhem feature, I’d like to toss my audience a couple of theories in the form of stories as to how I think a zombie apocalypse would begin.

Hold tight. I’m not sure if you’ll like it.

Theory 1—On Friday night, as a matter of safety, a supermarket chain received word from head office to pull all pork loin products. A small sampling of the meat tested positive for trichinosis, and unless cooked properly, the meat would render humans ill. Unfortunately, in a mad rush to serve a hungry brood of kids for a weekend BBQ, Amy bought the meat not realizing the harm it would cause. That Saturday night, all was well. Amy had made burgers from the meat and the kids sucked it all back without so much as a complaint. If anything, the kids ran along having fun in the backyard while the grownups cleaned the tables. The Sunday morning, Amy’s son Matthew didn’t wake up to have breakfast. Nothing unusual with sleeping in for a kid hitting puberty. At least that’s what her mother thought. When she opened the door to his room, he wasn’t in his bed. In fact, when Amy walked inside the room, expecting perhaps to find him at his desk, Matthew appeared from behind the door and bit her on the neck. The door closed behind Amy and screams trailed into the home’s empty second floor corridor.

The roundworm Trichinella spiralis parasite had infested Matthew’s brain, hatching eggs and controlling his motor skills to cause him to drag his feet as would a zombie searching for victims.

Theory 2—Ryan went fishing with his brother and caught more than the salmon he hauled out of the water. His forearm had swollen to the size of a golf ball and when he arrived home, he was feeling tired. He told his brother he wasn’t feeling well and that his brother ought to take the salmon home himself and clean it there. Of course, he received the flak from his brother he deserved, but that was before his brother saw how Ryan’s arm had inflated to the size of a grapefruit. In the center of the swelling was a big red dot. A mosquito had bitten Ryan. His brother raced Ryan to the hospital believing his brother was going into anaphylactic shock, a severe reaction to the mosquito’s bite. Several minutes into the car ride, Ryan awoke from his slumber, foamed at the mouth, saw his brother and attacked him without provocation. They died in a car crash at the foot of the highway.

The mosquito was a carrier of a rare form of bovine spongiform encephalopathy it had acquired when feeding off a warm cattle carcass. Mad cow disease—it had mutated to drive Ryan crazy.

Your Turn—Can you think of other theories?

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE ALIEN INVASION, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE SEARCH FOR PARADISE, on sale October 20.

What plausible scientific explanation do you think would jumpstart a zombie apocalypse?

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