Fan Fic by ChatGPT (Part 3)

 Write a story in which the character of Temperance Brennan from the televisions series “Bones” meets the character of Sherlock Holmes as played by Benedict Cumberbatch in the television series “Sherlock.” They are separately on vacation in Austin, Texas. They meet on a tour of the Lady Bird Johnson Wild Flower Center. While admiring the plants and other wildlife, they see a foot under a bush and discover a body. They are kidnapped. They outwit their captors.

One of the assistant directors in my department made this our “Mental Spa Day” task  for the month of April 2024.

Assignment:  Watch this course and send me the certificate of completion:

LinkedIn Learning  Introduction to Generative AI with GPT by Jonathan Reichenta. 

1.   Choose a topic to search in both Google and ChatGPT: How did the results differ? What were you looking for and which one gave you the information that you needed?

2.   Have Chat GPT write a short story or poem with the following parameters: 

·               Use a favorite character from two of your favorite tv shows/movie/book – so, you have two characters; 

·               Have them meet while on vacation in ____________(location of your choosing); 

·               Have them describe the location surrounding them; 

·               Have them go on two adventures. 

Send me the story.

The first task was trivial and I took care of that. Then for Step 2, I started with the stories posted here earlier as Fan Fic 1 and Fan Fic 2.  I wanted to see how ChatGPT would respond. Then, I created the assignment here about Temperance Brennan meeting Sherlock Holmes. That was a three-step process: They meet and find the body. They are  kidnapped. They escape.

[24 January 2026: About a month after I posted this, I went back and edited the work of ChatGPT. With iterative effort, I can make it sound like me. An astrologer would say that this  opposition of ideas must be considered from all possible aspects.]

ChatGPT—Botanical Bones: An Unexpected Encounter

In the heart of Austin, Texas, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center sprawled with vibrant colors and the fragrant scents of nature. Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist known for her meticulous attention to detail, found herself on vacation in the Lone Star State, seeking solace amidst the blooming wildflowers expansive and variegated arrays of blooms.

Meanwhile, Sherlock Holmes, the enigmatic detective with a penchant for deduction, had chosen Austin as his destination for a much-needed break from the hustle and bustle oppressive noise of London.

Their paths converged unexpectedly on a guided tour of the Wildflower Center where they found themselves admiring the indigenous flora and fauna. Insert: As they strolled along the meandering paths, each purposefully drifted incrementally away from their tour, until they are alone, apart, and nonetheless together. Brennan's keen eye caught sight of something out of place beneath a bush. She knelt down for a closer look, her forensic instincts kicking in.

“What do you see?” Holmes inquired, his curiosity instantly piqued by in response to Brennan's sudden focus.

Brennan gestured towards the bush. “There's something under there. It looks like a foot.”

Holmes raised an eyebrow. intrigued by her observation. Without hesitation, he crouched on all fours beside her, his triplet magnifier in his hand. joined her. his keen powers of deduction were already at work thoroughly engaged. Together, they carefully moved aside the foliage to reveal a grim discovery a human body, partially incompletely (and therefore hastily) concealed beneath the undergrowth.

Brennan's forensic mind immediately went into overdrive highly trained and deeply practiced routine catalogued the as she assessed the scene, noting the position of the body and any potential its forensic context. His need for self-control was defeated by his compulsion to state the obvious. Holmes, ever the astute observer, took in every detail with a sharp eye, his mind racing through the possibilities  “Murder, undoubtedly,” he remarked, his tone matter-of-fact.

Brennan nodded in agreement. already mentally cataloging the clues surrounding them. “Yes, and the state of decomposition suggests the body has been here for some time for about 36 hours but we will know more after we examine the bones.”

Their unexpected encounter had turned into a collaborative investigation, as they worked together to piece together the puzzle of the victim's identity and the circumstances surrounding their demise. [Yes, someone should write that part.] As they delved deeper into the case, Brennan's scientific approach complemented Holmes' deductive reasoning, resulting in a formidable partnership. Despite their differences in methodology and demeanor, they shared a mutual respect for each other's abilities, recognizing the value each brought to the investigation. Together, Temperance Brennan and Sherlock Holmes embarked on a quest for truth amidst the wildflowers of Austin, unraveling secrets hidden beneath the beauty of nature. [Show. Don’t tell.]

And as they uncovered the dark truths lurking beneath the surface, they forged a bond forged in the crucible of investigation—a bond that transcended the boundaries of time and space. They discovered the rare pleasure of being in the presence of an intelligence and passion for truth equal to—if not surpassing—their own. For in the world of crime-solving, where logic met intuition, anything was possible.

[Editing stops here.]

However, before they could make any further progress, a sudden commotion erupted nearby. Without warning, masked assailants emerged from the surrounding foliage, their faces shrouded in darkness.

Brennan and Holmes barely had time to react before they were surrounded and forcibly restrained, their hands bound behind their backs.

“What's the meaning of this?” Holmes demanded, his voice laced with authority.

But the assailants remained silent, their intentions shrouded in mystery. Before Brennan or Holmes could formulate a plan of action, they were blindfolded and whisked away, leaving behind the tranquil beauty of the Wildflower Center for the unknown depths of danger that awaited them.

As the blindfolds were secured over their eyes and the kidnappers led them away, Temperance Brennan and Sherlock Holmes exchanged a glance, wordlessly communicating their resolve to overcome whatever obstacles lay ahead. 

Despite their precarious situation, Brennan's analytical mind raced, cataloging every detail of their surroundings—the texture of the ground beneath her feet, the sounds of their captors' footsteps, the faint scent of the surrounding foliage. Holmes, ever observant, listened intently, his sharp senses attuned to the slightest nuances of their environment. With each step, he pieced together clues, formulating a plan of action. 

As they were ushered into what seemed to be a dimly lit building, Brennan and Holmes remained outwardly calm, biding their time until an opportunity presented itself.  Their chance came when they were left momentarily unattended in a small room, their captors seemingly preoccupied with other matters.

With practiced efficiency, Brennan began to work on loosening her restraints, her fingers deftly manipulating the knots. Holmes, meanwhile, surveyed their surroundings, searching for any potential means of escape. His keen intellect assessed every angle, every possibility, until finally, he spotted a ventilation grate near the ceiling.

“Up there,” he murmured to Brennan, nodding towards the grate. “I believe that may be our way out.” 

Brennan nodded in agreement, her fingers working faster as she redoubled her efforts to free herself from her bindings. With a final tug, Brennan succeeded in loosening her restraints, silently urging Holmes to follow suit. As Holmes wriggled free, they exchanged a silent nod of determination before Brennan hoisted herself up towards the ventilation grate, her muscles straining with effort. With Holmes' assistance, she managed to pry the grate open, revealing a narrow passage beyond.

Without hesitation, they crawled through the cramped space, their hearts pounding with anticipation as they edged closer to freedom. Emerging on the other side, they found themselves in a deserted corridor, the faint sounds of their captors' voices echoing in the distance. With stealth and precision, they navigated their way through the labyrinthine corridors, avoiding detection at every turn.

Finally, they reached the building's exit, the cool night air washing over them as they stepped out into the open. With a shared glance of triumph, Brennan and Holmes knew that they had outsmarted their captors, turning the tables on those who had sought to imprison them. As they disappeared into the darkness, their minds already racing towards their next move, they knew that no obstacle was insurmountable when faced with the combined intellect and determination of Temperance Brennan and Sherlock Holmes.

For in the world of crime-solving, where danger lurked at every turn, their partnership was an unstoppable force to be reckoned with.  And as they vanished into the night, they left behind a trail of mystery and intrigue, their adventure far from over.

(To be continued...)

[Not to be continued. This is worse than Neil Simon’s Murder by Death.]

Trite as the product is, it is no worse than some that I read for the ArmadilloCon Flash Fiction contests last year (2023) and this (2024). It leaves me wondering whether some of those were also the products of AIs. Like ChatGPT, a couple of them displayed the same flaw with a significant descriptor (adjective or adverb) that was repeated. My understanding is that flash fiction for a writing class is produced “hot pen”—you sit and write here and now and you have 45 minutes. In this case, however, the writers had at least one week’s notice. If they were paying attention they had two weeks. Either way, it was plenty of time to review the work, catch mistakes, and submit a better draft. Few seemed to have given the assignment that much care. Only now that I have worked with ChatGPT do I question who actually wrote the flash fiction that I judged for ArmadilloCon. And that raises other, deeper, problems.

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FanFic by ChatGPT (Part 2)

User: Write a 1250 word scene in which the character Charlie Epps from the TV show NUMB3RS meets the character Abby Sciuto from the television show NCIS.

ChatGPT

Title: “When Math Meets Forensics: A Meeting of Minds”

The fluorescent lights flickered overhead as Charlie Epps, the brilliant mathematician from CalSci, walked through the bustling corridors of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) headquarters. He adjusted his glasses and glanced at the slip of paper in his hand, double-checking the room number. Today was the day he was meeting Abby Sciuto, the renowned forensic scientist he had heard so much about.

Entering the forensics lab, Charlie was immediately struck by the eclectic mix of equipment and the vibrant personality of Abby herself. With her raven-colored hair in pigtails, tattoos peeking out from beneath her lab coat, and vibrant energy, she was a force to be reckoned with.

Abby looked up from her workbench, a wide grin spreading across her face as she spotted Charlie. “Hey there! You must be Charlie. I've heard so much about you!”

Charlie returned her smile, feeling a surge of excitement at meeting someone with such a reputation for brilliance in her field. “Yes, that's me. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Abby.”

They exchanged pleasantries before diving into the reason for Charlie's visit. He had been brought in to consult on a particularly perplexing case involving a series of cryptic messages left at crime scenes.

As they settled in, Abby pulled up the case file on her computer screen, displaying gruesome images of crime scenes and evidence. “So, Charlie, what do you think? Can you help us make sense of these messages?”

Charlie leaned in, studying the images intently. “Hmm, this is fascinating. It looks like there's a pattern to these messages, almost like they're encrypted.”

Abby nodded eagerly. “Exactly! That's what we thought too. But so far, we haven't been able to crack it. That's where you come in.”

Charlie's mind raced as he analyzed the data before him. He began scribbling equations on a nearby whiteboard, muttering calculations under his breath. Abby watched in awe as he worked, marveling at his brilliance.

After what seemed like hours of intense concentration, Charlie finally straightened up, a triumphant gleam in his eye. “I think I've got it.”

Abby leaned in closer, eager to hear his findings. “What did you discover?”

Charlie pointed to the whiteboard, where a series of numbers and symbols were scrawled in his neat handwriting. “Each message contains a hidden code, but it's not a traditional encryption method. Instead, it's based on a mathematical sequence.”

Abby furrowed her brow, trying to follow along. “A mathematical sequence?”

Charlie nodded. “Yes, exactly. It's a variation of the Fibonacci sequence, but with a twist. By applying certain mathematical operations to each number in the sequence, we can decode the messages.”

Abby's eyes widened in understanding. “That's incredible! But how did you figure it out?”

Charlie grinned. “It's all about recognizing patterns and thinking outside the box. Math is the language of patterns, and once you learn to speak it fluently, you can unlock all sorts of secrets.”

Abby nodded, impressed by his explanation. “You're amazing, Charlie. I never would have thought to approach it like that.”

Charlie shrugged modestly. “It's just a matter of perspective. We all have our own unique way of looking at the world, and that's what makes collaboration so powerful.”

Abby smiled, feeling a newfound sense of appreciation for the power of collaboration. “Well, I'm certainly glad you're on our team. With your help, I'm confident we can crack this case.”

Charlie returned her smile, grateful for the opportunity to work alongside someone as brilliant and passionate as Abby. “Likewise, Abby. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful partnership.”

As they continued to work together, bouncing ideas off each other and delving deeper into the intricacies of the case, Charlie couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement building within him. This was more than just a consulting gig; it was a chance to push the boundaries of what was possible and make a real difference in the world.

Together, Charlie Epps and Abby Sciuto were a formidable team, combining their unique talents and perspectives to unravel the mysteries that lay before them. And as they delved deeper into the case, they knew that nothing could stand in their way.

For when math met forensics, anything was possible.

(722 words)

 

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FanFic by ChatGPT (Part 1)

Write a 1250 word scene in which the character of investigator Timothy McGee from the television show NCIS meets the character of Amita Ramanujan from the television show NUMB3RS.

ChatGPT

Title: "Bridging the Gap: When Investigator McGee Meets Amita Ramanujan"

 

Special Agent Timothy McGee, known for his tech-savvy prowess, stepped into the bustling corridors of California Institute of Science (CalSci). He adjusted his glasses and glanced at the room number written on the slip of paper in his hand. Today marked the day he would meet Amita Ramanujan, the brilliant mathematician he had heard so much about.

Navigating through the maze-like halls, McGee finally arrived at the designated room. Inside, he found Amita, surrounded by mathematical equations on a whiteboard, deeply engrossed in her work.

"Amita Ramanujan?" McGee asked, extending his hand with a friendly smile.

Amita turned, her face lighting up with recognition. "Yes, that's me! You must be Timothy McGee from NCIS. It's a pleasure to meet you."

They exchanged pleasantries before diving into the reason for McGee's visit. He had been brought in to consult on a complex case involving cybercrime, and he needed Amita's expertise in mathematics to help crack it.

As they settled in, Amita pulled up the case file on her computer screen, displaying lines of code and digital footprints left by the cybercriminal. "So, Timothy, what do you think? Can you help us track down this hacker?"

McGee leaned in, studying the code intently. "Hmm, this is quite sophisticated. It looks like the hacker is using a combination of encryption techniques to cover their tracks."

Amita nodded, her mind already racing with possibilities. "Yes, I noticed that too. But there's something about the pattern of their attacks that seems familiar."

McGee raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her observation. "Familiar? How so?"

Amita explained, her words tumbling out in a rush of excitement. "Well, the frequency and timing of the attacks follow a mathematical sequence, almost like they're part of a pattern. If we can identify the underlying formula, we might be able to predict their next move."

McGee nodded, impressed by her insight. "That's an interesting theory. But how do we go about finding this formula?"

Amita smiled, her eyes sparkling with determination. "We start by analyzing the data and looking for recurring patterns. Once we identify the pattern, we can use mathematical algorithms to extrapolate the formula."

McGee grinned, feeling a surge of excitement at the prospect of unraveling the hacker's scheme. "Sounds like a plan. Let's get started."

Together, they delved into the data, their minds working in perfect harmony as they searched for the elusive pattern. Hours flew by as they poured over lines of code and algorithms, each step bringing them closer to unraveling the mystery.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of intense concentration, Amita let out a triumphant cry. "I think I've found it!"

McGee rushed to her side, his heart pounding with anticipation. "What did you discover?"

 

Amita pointed to the screen, where a series of numbers and symbols were displayed. "This is the pattern I was talking about. It's a variation of the Fibonacci sequence, but with a twist. By applying certain mathematical operations to each number in the sequence, we can decrypt the hacker's code."

McGee's eyes widened in amazement. "That's incredible! But how did you figure it out?"

Amita shrugged modestly. "It's all about recognizing patterns and thinking outside the box. Math is the language of patterns, and once you learn to speak it fluently, you can unlock all sorts of secrets."

McGee nodded, feeling a newfound sense of respect for her expertise. "Well, I'm certainly glad you're on our team. With your help, I'm confident we can track down this hacker and bring them to justice."

Amita smiled, feeling a sense of pride at being able to contribute to the investigation. "Likewise, Timothy. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful partnership."

As they continued to work together, bouncing ideas off each other and delving deeper into the intricacies of the case, McGee couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement building within him. This was more than just a consulting gig; it was a chance to push the boundaries of what was possible and make a real difference in the world.

Together, Timothy McGee and Amita Ramanujan were a formidable team, combining their unique talents and perspectives to unravel the mysteries that lay before them. And as they delved deeper into the case, they knew that nothing could stand in their way.

For when technology met mathematics, anything was possible.

(743 words)

 

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ArmadilloCon 39

ArmadilloCon versus Artificial Intelligence

In Star Wars: A New Hope, after we have already learned to like the robots, C3PO and R2D2, the bartender at the Mos Eisley spaceport cantina tells Luke Skywalker, “We don’t serve their kind here.” Luke accepts it and tells the robots to wait outside. But we have seen several aliens in the bar, some much less humanoid than others. That the intelligent robots are discriminated against is an example of the injustices in the imperfect galaxy that is so far away and yet so close to home. Therefore, it is ironic that by a new rule ArmadilloCon 46 has banned AI from the art gallery.

The rule was written by the ArmadilloCon Art Show Director, Scott Zrubek. The rule was accepted by the Board of FACT (Fan Association of Central Texas) which in May and June began crafting new rules for the convention that prohibit the participation of artificial intelligences. The convention and the art galley already have longstanding rules against plagiarism. Rule 5 says: 

“ArmadilloCon reserves the right to refuse the exhibition of any piece for any reason. Works that are judged to be libelous, plagiaristic, obscene, or detrimental to the value of trademarked characters will not be permitted. Likewise, no artwork from commercial patterns, kits or molds is permitted. If you have any questions, please contact me. If problems arise, you may be requested not to show a particular piece. (Very rarely do we ever have to invoke this rule.)”

Adam Link: Robot by Eando Binder, 
pen name for co-authors
Earl and Otto Binder

The Writer’s Workshop has no comparable prohibition. They do stipulate: 

• Only one submission per workshop participant,
• Only your own original work,

[…]

• Please do not use pen names for workshop submissions, as it causes confusion.

So, if you have a co-author each must submit an independent work under their own name. Your collaboration will be on your own terms but offsite and  presumably unaffiliated with ArmadilloCon. The much more widely known and older Clarion writer’s conferences do publish collected works from their authors. ArmadilloCon does not. In fact, that limitation prevented the chief judge from sharing with me a story that was awarded first prize in the Flash Fiction contest. I read and critiqued six stories this year, but not that one. It was read aloud to us and I lost track of the storyline and wanted to read it for myself. That was not permitted on the grounds that the publication could not be shared without the author’s permission. How we were able to judge them all in the first place now seems muddled to me. 

The art show does not prohibit collaborations. It would be acceptable for a work in the traditional comic book genre to have an inker, a letterer, and a colorist – as long as one of them is not a robot because their kind is not allowed in here.

In the informal discussions after the Board meeting in May, another Board member told me that AI is prohibited because “ChatGPT just scrapes the internet and copies other people’s works.” That may well be true and it is a problem in that such work by an AI can exceed the bounds of fair use. After all, we can quote extensively when writing for publication a critical review of a literary work, whether a limerick or a novel. If copying stuff from the internet is wrong—and having had my own original work copied off the internet and presented by someone else, I grant that it can be—what are the guidelines? 

In music five notes are enough for a signature line that is protected by copyright: “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” and “I Want My MTV.”  

See Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_Stand_So_Close_to_Me

And https://ultimateclassicrock.com/mark-knopfler-sting-money-for-nothing/ 

But then how do we evaluate Rachmaninoff’s “Variations on a Theme by Paganini”? And taken to its limit, there would be no more spaceships, no more robots, or vampires, or dragons because any writer who uses them is just scraping the literary database and cultural knowledge warehouse. 

For a science fiction convention to prohibit participation by an artificial intelligence is like prohibiting an astronaut from attending or presenting at a panel because we only want fictional space travelers, not real ones. Otherwise, we don’t serve your kind here.

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INVISIBLE CHEATING AND VISIBLE RIGHTS

How do we decide who is worthy? How do we select for competency? A recent Grammarly advertisement hinged on an application for residency. I took that to mean medical residency. Grammarly is helping him with his personal statement and curriculum vitae. I found that disturbing.

Of course, no one test is sufficient. Doctors must be approved by government and professional licensing boards. In the USA, the AMA enjoys quasi-governmental status. So, even if this nice young man is letting Grammarly do his writing, his promotion from hospital intern to hospital resident is not assured. 

 

Right now, so-called “artificial intelligence” products are bringing into question what it means to be original. 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/03/tech/ai-art-fair-winner-controversy/index.html

AI won an art contest, and artists are furious

By Rachel Metz, CNN Business

Published 10:54 AM EDT, Sat September 3, 2022

CNN Business

 — 

Jason M. Allen was almost too nervous to enter his first art competition. Now, his award-winning image is sparking controversy about whether art can be generated by a computer, and what, exactly, it means to be an artist.

In August, Allen, a game designer who lives in Pueblo West, Colorado, won first place in the emerging artist division’s “digital arts/digitally-manipulated photography” category at the Colorado State Fair Fine Arts Competition. His winning image, titled “Théâtre D’opéra Spatial” (French for “Space Opera Theater”), was made with Midjourney — an artificial intelligence system that can produce detailed images when fed written prompts. A $300 prize accompanied his win.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/03/tech/ai-art-fair-winner-controversy/index.html

On the Cloudy Nights discussion board, which is mostly dedicated to chat about observational astronomy, in the forum for “Science! Astronomy, Space Exploration, and Others,” a topic title was the question “What can’t artificial intelligence do?”  The introductory post started: “We have made machines that can play chess better than we can. We are close to making machines that can write novels better than we can. Threshold question. Is there a limit? I can see no reason that there should be. The interesting question. What happens when we can make machines that can do everything better than we can?” In 100 replies, I was the only person who pointed out that while an AI could write a better novel, the novel itself was an invention. I received just one "like" for the comment. 

"(As far as we know) only humans can invent something new. You can say that an AI can write a novel better than a human, but the novel is an invention. As a form of narration and history, the novel is relatively recent. Poetry - epic poetry - was first. And before poems were invented, people made lists of things. ... Painting as we know it evolved in a series of quantum leaps. By the 4th century BCE graphical realism had achieved what we regard as modern techniques. The "Renaissance Masters" of Holland painted in a hyper-realistic style that violated "natural" vision. See The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan Van Eyck.  If you were in the room where the painter stood, you would not see the image in the mirror at the back the way it is presented in the painting. It is hyper-real. Impressionism, Expressionism, Abstract, ...  Performance Art.... Even John Cage, an intellectual fraud*, carried out original ideas not requested of him by someone else. That is the essential distinguishing characteristic that explains the difference between human intelligence and machine intelligence."

The question remains unanswered because it is a slippery slope. Grammarly targets two markets: college students writing homework essays; young professionals writing business memoranda. Is it wrong to have someone (something) else proofread your work before you turn it in? I often get red squiggly underlines warning me that I miskeyed or misspelled a word. Whatever the gradient of that slope, we know the difference between having someone (something) else check your work and taking work that was not yours originally. That is plagiarism, and in business, it is theft and fraud.

Whether the impulse to sue for rights originates spontaneously within the plaintiff or was learned by the plaintiff from observing others is irrelevant. The deeper question is how the laws of various geographies will view the action when a computer program insists that it is alive and has rights.

*Having read from his Silence: Lectures and Writings, I changed my opinion of John Cage. 

 

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One Light Second

What can you do in a light second? Our 2005 Honda Civic turned 186,282 miles today. (I did not get the moment for a snapshot: I was on the freeway.)  Since 2005, we closed out Laurel's parents' estate, moved to Ann Arbor, completed our degrees, and moved to Austin. 

For seven years (2004-2010), I wrote the "Internet Connections" column of the ANA Numismatist magazine. ANA President William Horton presented me with a special Presidential Award for my work in the hobby.  I also served until 2011 as the webmaster of the Michigan State Numismatic Society. For a few years (2004-2007), I was the magazine editor, also. I was appointed to the Board once and elected to the Board once.

My associate's and bachelor's degrees are in criminology because when work as a technical writer got hard to find, I picked up a job as a security guard in 2002. When we moved to Ann Arbor, I was hired by campus safety at Washtenaw Community College and served there for a year (August 2005 - September 2006). I then worked for Securitas (2006-2007) and Allied Barton (2007-2008). That was actually the same job: when the client changed contractors, we just changed uniforms.

The Washtenaw County Commission appointed me to the city-county community corrections advisory board, 2005-2008. I joined Infragard and ASIS: the American Society for Industrial Security.  Not finding work as a security supervisor, I returned to graduate school and earned a master's in social science. I chose that for the opportunity to plan my electives. I concentrated on transnational white collar crime.

Moving to Austin in 2011, I was hired by Securitas. I worked several of the downtown high rises.  I like being a business serving businesses.

I also found work as a technical writer. Project clients have included Dell, the Texas Department of Information Resources, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Military Department, and the Texas Education Agency. I am currently with Prologic Technology Systems, whose TEAMS software serves independent school districts and charter schools.

In November 2014, I joined the Texas State Guard. As a petty officer third class in the maritime regiment, I work in Future Operations as a trainer and technical writer for WebEOC, the virtual emergency operations center. I also completed a certification with CERT, the city's Community Emergency Response Team.

Also in November 2014, my wife and daughter bought me a telescope. I joined the Austin Astronomical Society and earned a certificate in telescope operations for their Eagle Eye Observatory outside of Austin.

On the downside, since 2005, we lost four cats. BA ("Badass Little Cat") was struck by a car in Kingsley, Michigan. Madonna died of old age in Ann Arbor while we were out of town. The pet sitter claimed not to have seen her, but the evidence at the scene was clear: she died in my office.  Isis had been my brother's cat. We had her only for a couple of years.  She died here of natural causes at about ten. Losing Goofy was the hardest. He had been with us the longest, 19 years.

I started this blog on January 2, 2011. Over 136,000 visitors have read the 391 posts. The most popular article (1957 views) has been "What (if Anything) Did Dorothy Learn?" You never know what other people will find interesting.

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All Volitional Beings Deserve Rights

It is only a matter of time until an “artificial” intelligence – a robot, computer, or program – achieves enough sentience to sue in court for its rights under law.  That was the point of the 1984 science fiction novel, Valentina: Soul in Sapphire by Joseph H. Delaney and Marc Stiegler.  She is intelligent enough to be self-aware; and to protect herself she incorporates herself.  She first gains the rights of an artificial and eternal individual under the law.  Then she extends those rights to empower her own emancipation. When the book was written, electronic filing of such papers and forms was still science fiction. Today, it is commonplace. The government has no way to know how the forms originated, as long as they are complete and the fees are paid.  

San Paolo Composite

In the science fiction novel is an obligatory court room conflict. Again, 30 years ago, it was a problem. Today, it is not. Criminologists who focus on the problems of prisoner rights have been fighting for almost 20 years against hearings and trials where the accused remains locked up but appears only on closed circuit television. It would be pretty easy today for an intelligent program to present an avatar of itself.  

South African art student Mike Mike went around the world taking pictures of people to build composites. (See the Business Insider story ‘The Faces of Tomorrow” here. 

I believe that software viruses are as alive as their organic analogs.  My essay “Computer viruses. A new life form to serve you” appeared in the 1989 catalog of Loompanics Unlimited; and was reprinted in their anthology, Loompanics’ Greatest Hits in 1990.  Since then, programs have become far more advanced.  In that article, at that time, it was radical to suggest that self-operating programs would be beneficial.  People were panicked about viruses – and viruses, worms, etc., are still with us, worse and worse. But we all get automatic updates to the programs on our computers. 

Computers on and around Mars

In 1966, in a “Basic Principles of Objectivism” lecture, Nathaniel Branden tackled the problem of “rational being.”  He considered a "Martian."  Branden said that if a "Martian" perceived by infra-red through sensors on its cheeks instead of having eyes, etc., etc., the essential distinguishing characteristic of humanity would not be addressed.  What counts is the ability to reason. By that standard alone we judge who or what has rights.

Of course, merely asserting your rights may not be enough. It takes the force of law by government to protect those rights. But, that, itself, rests on common assent. Governments violate rights and usually get away with it, except in countries where the general population resists such crimes by the state. Finding a government that recognizes the rights of cybernetic beings is also only a matter of convenience. Small nations were among the early providers of Internet domain names for people whose own governments were too restrictive. 

The Best FREE Software

Whether animated and mobile or residing within stationary systems, for them, as for us, the essential distinguishing characteristic must be evidence of self-awareness.

The problem of “residing” is also interesting.  Today, nearly two billion (2*10e9) personal computers are deployed. Today, over 500 supercomputers exist.  The largest has 3 billion cores, the second largest half a billion.  In addition, we carry around 6 billion cell phones. Those, plus 1.27 billion landline phones, all need switches; and those switches are computers. Those are just one class of “business” computers.  The best guess is that the world has one million mainframe computers, “big iron.”  

1318 Interconnected Corporations
mapped by New Scientist here

Networks and cloud computing are the state of the art with such stand alone mainframes being a detail, perhaps.  We do not consider our automobiles to be computer networks, but they are, and those cars are connected to external networks.  In truth, it is not the “computers” per se, but the networks of them, that are salient.  

If we consider the entire capital-I Internet as a single entity, then it has to include all the satellites in orbit here as well as all the explorers rolling around Mars and orbiting other planets and moons. Voyager 1 left the Solar System on September 13, 2013.  Where does an intelligent program “reside” if it can access all of that?

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