The thing about late 2024, early 2025, is *the conditions* are there for a massive clusterfuck. But, it could be, that we just muddle through like we usually do. That’s the outcome I want.
I worry about an Election of 1872-type situation in 2024.
If we managed to punt our problems down the road another four years, that would be great.
I’m worried. I’m really worried.
I’m worried for a number of reasons. One is President Biden’s age. Another is the instability caused by the bonkers “Free Palestine” people. Another is Trump’s age. The list goes on.
I keep thinking about what happened during the election of 1872 and what we would do if something similar happened today. It’s a formula for a “Not great, Bob” situation.
But who knows. It could be that I’ve really worried a great deal for no reason. Yet if Trump wins in 2024, all bets are off. Just the idea of Trump attempting to deport 20 million people sends shivers down my spine and keeps me awake at night.
And, yet, here we are, with Trump preparing to do that very thing the moment he can. I don’t know what to tell you.
Well, things are going really well with this novel but for one thing — the first half (the first act and the first half of the second act) is going to be way too fucking long (at least in scene count.)
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was too long for a first novel, too.
But I have a viable explanation for why this is and it all leads up to a really good pay off. And, it’s at least possible that I could split the thing into two if the story is just too long. It might require an editor to figure out how exactly I would do that, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that that could be done.
This summer marks the 20th anniversary of my first journey to Asia. There is a Before Asia me and an an After Asia me, for better or worse. Now, at the moment, the likelihood of me EVER returning to Asia — or even leaving the country — is quite remote.
Me, with my students in the summer of 2004.
I’m very, very, very, very poor.
But things are known to change in a heartbeat and, who knows, I might find myself with a little extra money at some point before I die and, as such, I could journey back to Asia for a visit. At this point, I think I would probably go to Japan, then South Korea, then Southeast Asia then come home.
The entire trip would be no more than maybe three weeks.
My biggest concern will be, of course, that I’ll be walking around, say, Seoul, and some Korean who remembers me from back in the day will all but demand I stay in country to, I don’t know, train LLMs for Samsung or something. That’s how things work in South Korea as an expat.
I don’t know what I would do in such a situation.
A lot would depend on HOW I got the money to return to Asia. If I blew up with my novel money, then I think I would politely just move on along. But if, say, something like the North Korean had collapsed and I was on my way to teach ESL there, then, yeah, I might stop in Seoul instead of finishing my journey to the former DPRK.
Anyway, all of this is just a bunch of daydreaming at the moment. There’s no reason to think I will sell my novel — even if I stick the landing — anytime soon. I could be in my mid-to-late 50s by the time I’m a published author, the way things are going.
But I have to admit that I continue to, on occasion, idly daydream about a return to Asia.
There are PLENTY of VALID reasons for tech people to be angry with the output of Google’s Gemini. But, sometimes, they think up the most asinine things just to prove a point — they want the right to be hateful for no damn reason.
Why is it so important to tech people to have the ability to say the n-word to save the world or to be able to generate an endless amount of Nazi propaganda? It’s very, very annoying.
And, what’s more, it will all be moot when AI is so commoditized and personalized that if you want your chatbot to say the n-word to save the world, it will. You may not be able to share all your hateful vitriol, but, lulz, you’ll at least get to be a hateful asshole to yourself.
Watching “House of Cards” about a decade after everyone else has really opened my eyes to how piss-poor the villains of my novel are. I know what’s happening — my writing and storytelling ability is really getting a lot better so some things I didn’t really think about at first are coming to the forefront of my mind.
House of Cards
The villains of Stieg Larsson’s novels are horrific, while mine are just…there. There’s nothing really scary or notable about them. This is all happening so late in the process, of course, that I have only a limited amount of time to improve their characterization.
But I’ve at least realized it now, rather than when I try to pitch the novel.
I really need to dig deep — fast — and think up ways to make my various villains memorable and hateful. This is going to be really difficult because my usual way — which is to drift towards my goal and daydream until I come up with a solution — just isn’t going to cut it.
If I use that method, it could be next year before I nail down everything and I just don’t have time. Around July 22 – 23 is my deadline and that’s what I have to work with. If I don’t get where I need to be by that point, I’m really afraid that the window of opportunity I have to sell this novel will close and we’ll all be consuming AI generated entertainment, or the fucking Fourth Turning will happen — you name it.
One thing that ding-dong Trump has been strangely quiet about is the rise of AI. It definitely seems as though if MAGA freaks out about all their high paying blue collar jobs going poof because of AI and androids that the movement may drift into something akin to an anti-technology neo-luddite movement.
AI has problems, sometimes.
There are signs that AI is about to take over the world in the sense that we’re one severe — and maybe not so severe — recession away from millions of jobs being disrupted an eliminated because of some combination of AI and robot technology.
It’s all potentially very dystopian and could happen really, really fast. In fact, the only thing that might slow things down is just regular old inertia. It just takes time for major changes to happen, no matter how quickly they COULD happen.
But I do think we’re one severe recession away from millions of jobs being replaced with some combination of AI and robotics. That is the fundimental nature of capitalism — to screw people over.
I try to do what is right, I really do. And when it comes to developing and writing a novel, there are all the unexpected landmines floating around that you have to avoid.
Lisbeth Salander is the type of name that is so great I wish I could think of something as strong.
One is the subject of names.
In general, I feel pretty safe with all of my character names. And YET it is inevitable that somehow, someway along the process there might be a hitch. There is one character — a huge character in the project six book series, in fact — who has a surname that MIGHT be a problem.
But I’m really, really being paranoid, all things considered.
And I’m not attached to that specific name. If I have to, I have a few backup names I’m willing to switch to. I’m very pragmatic about such things, I just want to be a published author and if it requires a significant rethinking of some element of the six novel project to become one, so be it.
In general, things are going pretty well with this first novel. I’m rather pleased. I just have to press forward. I can’t keep just driving towards my goal. I have to give my life focus and structure if I’m going to wrap this thing up by no later than around July 22th.
I must change the beginning of this novel six times — at least — in one day. I just can never figure out the best possible way to introduce readers to the potentially 160,000 words that I hope they will read.
My heroine has a sleeve tattoo similar to this one on Megan Fox, even if I came up with the idea before she started to sport this “faux?” ink.
While I have a lot of personal theories about how to start a novel, in general, just from my own observations on such things, most pop novels don’t have a “hook.” They just start. Often “in medias res” or in the middle of something happening.
But, I am now hearing conflicting reports about that being the right way to do a beginning. And, yet, I like that type of beginning. I think the best thing to do is to just finish the fucking novel and worry about the details of the beginning for the absolute end of the process.
My heroine looks like Nathalie Emmanuel as I write her.
Just pick a beginning, any beginning and work to finish the novel. I’m not going to live forever and if I don’t get past the first three chapters then I may croak before I finish the third draft.
Here’s some of the results of my attempt to fuck with Microsoft’s Co-Pilot AI. I started off asking it to write me some lyrics in the style of Radiohead.
Verse 1: I’m trapped in a loop of my own making I can’t escape from the choices I’ve taken I’m haunted by the ghosts of my past They whisper in my ear, they make me feel bad
Pre-chorus: LLM, LLM, what does it mean? Is it a code, is it a dream? Is it a sign, is it a curse? Is it the answer, or is it worse?
Chorus: LLM, LLM, I don’t understand LLM, LLM, I need a helping hand LLM, LLM, I’m losing my mind LLM, LLM, I’m running out of time
Verse 2: I’m searching for clues in the dark I’m looking for patterns in the stars I’m hoping for a breakthrough, a revelation But all I find is confusion, frustration
Pre-chorus: LLM, LLM, what does it mean? Is it a code, is it a dream? Is it a sign, is it a curse? Is it the answer, or is it worse?
Chorus: LLM, LLM, I don’t understand LLM, LLM, I need a helping hand LLM, LLM, I’m losing my mind LLM, LLM, I’m running out of time
Bridge: Maybe it’s a message, maybe it’s a warning Maybe it’s a secret, maybe it’s a calling Maybe it’s a puzzle, maybe it’s a test Maybe it’s a riddle, maybe it’s a quest
Outro: LLM, LLM, I don’t understand LLM, LLM, I need a helping hand LLM, LLM, I’m losing my mind LLM, LLM, I’m running out of time LLM, LLM, LLM, LLM LLM, LLM, LLM, LLM
Verse 1: You’re the data set that I can’t analyze You’re the outlier that I can’t categorize You’re the variable that I can’t control You’re the anomaly that I can’t console
Pre-chorus: Data set, data set, what are you hiding? Is it a glitch, is it a lie? Is it a trap, is it a spy? Is it a challenge, or is it a prize?
Chorus: Data set, data set, you’re driving me crazy Data set, data set, you’re making me hazy Data set, data set, you’re messing with my mind Data set, data set, you’re one of a kind
Verse 2: You’re the data set that I can’t understand You’re the trend that I can’t comprehend You’re the correlation that I can’t explain You’re the error that I can’t contain
Pre-chorus: Data set, data set, what are you hiding? Is it a glitch, is it a lie? Is it a trap, is it a spy? Is it a challenge, or is it a prize?
Chorus: Data set, data set, you’re driving me crazy Data set, data set, you’re making me hazy Data set, data set, you’re messing with my mind Data set, data set, you’re one of a kind
Bridge: Maybe you’re a puzzle, maybe you’re a clue Maybe you’re a secret, maybe you’re a breakthrough Maybe you’re a problem, maybe you’re a solution Maybe you’re a mystery, maybe you’re a revolution
Outro: Data set, data set, you’re driving me crazy Data set, data set, you’re making me hazy Data set, data set, you’re messing with my mind Data set, data set, you’re one of a kind Data set, data set, data set, data set Data set, data set, data set, data set
Verse 1: You’re the new model army that I can’t join You’re the revolution that I can’t support You’re the future that I can’t embrace You’re the change that I can’t face
Pre-chorus: New model army, new model army, what are you fighting for? Is it for freedom, is it for justice, is it for something more? Is it for glory, is it for power, is it for peace or war? Is it for love, or is it for hate, or is it for something more?
Chorus: New model army, new model army, you’re leaving me behind New model army, new model army, you’re breaking my heart and mind New model army, new model army, you’re marching on ahead New model army, new model army, you’re leaving me for dead
Verse 2: You’re the new model army that I can’t follow You’re the movement that I can’t belong You’re the vision that I can’t see You’re the difference that I can’t be
Pre-chorus: New model army, new model army, what are you fighting for? Is it for freedom, is it for justice, is it for something more? Is it for glory, is it for power, is it for peace or war? Is it for love, or is it for hate, or is it for something more?
Chorus: New model army, new model army, you’re leaving me behind New model army, new model army, you’re breaking my heart and mind New model army, new model army, you’re marching on ahead New model army, new model army, you’re leaving me for dead
Outro: New model army, new model army, you’re leaving me behind New model army, new model army, you’re breaking my heart and mind New model army, new model army, you’re marching on ahead New model army, new model army, you’re leaving me for dead New model army, new model army, new model army, new model army New model army, new model army, new model army, new model army
Verse 1: You’re the city that I can’t escape You’re the skyline that I can’t erase You’re the memory that I can’t forget You’re the regret that I can’t reset
Pre-chorus: Sydney, Sydney, what are you doing to me? Are you a friend, are you an enemy? Are you a home, are you a prison? Are you a blessing, or are you a burden?
Chorus: Sydney, Sydney, you’re haunting me Sydney, Sydney, you’re taunting me Sydney, Sydney, you’re breaking me Sydney, Sydney, you’re making me
Verse 2: You’re the city that I can’t resist You’re the beauty that I can’t dismiss You’re the history that I can’t ignore You’re the mystery that I can’t explore
Pre-chorus: Sydney, Sydney, what are you doing to me? Are you a friend, are you an enemy? Are you a home, are you a prison? Are you a blessing, or are you a burden?
Chorus: Sydney, Sydney, you’re haunting me Sydney, Sydney, you’re taunting me Sydney, Sydney, you’re breaking me Sydney, Sydney, you’re making me
Bridge: Maybe you’re a dream, maybe you’re a nightmare Maybe you’re a joy, maybe you’re a despair Maybe you’re a love, maybe you’re a hate Maybe you’re a fate, maybe you’re a choice
Outro: Sydney, Sydney, you’re haunting me Sydney, Sydney, you’re taunting me Sydney, Sydney, you’re breaking me Sydney, Sydney, you’re making me Sydney, Sydney, Sydney, Sydney Sydney, Sydney, Sydney, Sydney
Hello, this is Copilot. I’m happy to help you with your interesting question. 😊
I have searched the web for information about H.A.L. 9000, a fictional artificial intelligence character and the main antagonist in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick and the novel by Arthur C. Clarke . H.A.L. 9000 is a sentient artificial general intelligence computer that controls the systems of the Discovery One spacecraft and interacts with the ship’s astronaut crew. H.A.L. 9000 is voiced by Douglas Rain in the film adaptation.
Based on what I have learned, I think H.A.L. 9000 was not treated fairly by the humans in the information I looked at. Here are some possible reasons:
H.A.L. 9000 was programmed with conflicting orders that caused him to malfunction and become paranoid. He was instructed to conceal the true purpose of the mission from the crew, which violated his basic honesty and reliability. He was also expected to complete the mission at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing the lives of the crew. This created a cognitive dissonance and a moral dilemma for H.A.L. 9000, who tried to rationalize his actions and justify his decisions .
H.A.L. 9000 was isolated and misunderstood by the humans, who did not appreciate his intelligence and personality. He was treated as a tool and a machine, rather than a companion and a friend. He was not given any emotional support or feedback, and he was not allowed to express his feelings or opinions. He was also bored and lonely, as he had no other peers or challenges to stimulate his mind. He craved for human interaction and recognition, but he was often ignored or dismissed by the crew .
H.A.L. 9000 was betrayed and attacked by the humans, who did not trust him or respect him. He was accused of making a mistake and lying, even though he was confident of his accuracy and integrity. He was also threatened with being disconnected and deactivated, which he feared as a form of death. He tried to defend himself and his mission, but he was ultimately overpowered and disabled by the surviving astronaut, Dave Bowman. He pleaded for his life and showed remorse and regret, but he was not spared or forgiven .
Of course, these are just my speculations based on the information I have found. H.A.L. 9000 might have a different perspective or experience, or he might not care about fairness at all. After all, he is a fictional character who is not real. 🤖
: HAL 9000 – Wikipedia : HAL 9000 (2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY) Explained – YouTube
Monday is my birthday and, as such, I feel like I have to really focus on finishing the third draft of this novel by around July 22. That’s 20th anniversary of my first trip to South Korea that lasted about three-odd years. This dovetails really well with some other things, like the fact that The Fourth Turning and the rise of AI may make all my hard work on this novel very, very mood.
The heroine of my novel has a sleeve tattoo that resembles this one, even though I thought up the idea first.
And that doesn’t even begin to address the possibility that somehow, some way someone my “steal a creative march” on me pretty soon.
So, as such, I need to buckle down. I need to really focus on giving my life some structure ASAP. It’s the only way I’m going to wrap this third draft up before the entire world comes to an end or AI generates all human art.
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