Musings of Old Man Joe

Irish guy living in Los Angeles

vision

Blade Runner 2019

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I remember watching blade in the early 1980’s, and to be honest although I loved the movie I was young and appreciate it much more today than I did then. Just like 2001 a space odyssey which was also way ahead of it’s time, I wondered back then what the world would truly be like in the years to come, and if I would even see it!

Flying through Los Angeles in 2019

It’s funny how science fiction in many ways is being brought to science fact, but not exactly how we envisioned and not in the time line we thought.
After the Moon landings in the late 1960’s until 1972 we all (well myself anyway) thought that after such an event there would be no turning back.

Well as we know now those missions were not really for science but just a pissing contest between the USSR & the USA. It was a shame but just after that the world stepped back to the time before the moon shot and carried on arguing about money and religion and rights (all very worthy subjects but not for this post).

So in the 1980’s and 90’s the world of computers, hardware and software start the play on the technology of our time. Hardware & software have always been almost racing to see who can get ahead, it was never an even race. It was probably when the iPhone came out in 2007 it was the catalyst for the tech companies to get their shit together and produce the solid state hardware in bulk and at a decent price to let the technology move forward.
it would seem there always has to be a profit or war for things to move forward.

blade runner movie poster with Harrison plus cast

Blade Runner Final Cut Set in Los Angeles in 2019

So here we are in 2019 the time of replicants and Blade Runners out to find them. How have we done with the real world?

Well due to Star Trek we have our mobile communicators, automatic doors are all over the place. We can ask computers and most of the time they can give us an answer (excluding Siri of course). Uber states it will have flying cars in or around 2020.

So considering we the people did stop after the moonshot due to budget cuts and domestic stuff, the timeline hasn’t been too bad considering!
It’s not as dark in Los Angeles as it is in the movie, but of course it was trying to get across a future when people didn’t try to stop climate change or worry about genetic manipulation or disease. In George Orwells 1984 big brother was the government and people for years have been worried about the government watching you. Well in many countries the government does watch you. But even worse is corporations using apps and the internet to watch not only what you do and see, but save the information to sell that information to whoever, and the people went willingly!

I will be optimistic for the future and say even though some people voted against their best interests that the times will change, mistakes have been made in the past and they can be rectified.

Peace!

Dealing with the Internet these days.

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I work in the security business, I also deal with other aspects of security in regards to the internet. This means bad bots & malware and privacy are things I focus on often.
I try to keep myself informed in regards to data and where it’s going these days, not just the general stupidity of Facebook. But also what will be the deal now that AI is taking over much more of the daily grind when it comes to pretty much anything online.
Google Duplex Demo:

It’s apparent that AI, machine learning is moving ahead in leaps and bounds. The world moves on and even though our fool of a president eliminates the cyber security department to allow his Russian friends to do their stuff unimpeded.
It’s still an issue that I want the people who can make our data safe as possible are in fact doing so?
The internet as you probably know is or has for a while been moving to mobile. Google ranks websites on not only loading times, security certificates, but also if the work on mobile devices. malware on mobile has increase and so has robocalls.
If you are interested on checking what google has on you they are fairly open and transparent about it. go here Google sign  in and check your stuff.

For Apple go to Apple’s Privacy Policy page:
(https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/)
Scroll down to the section titled “Access to Personal Information.” It’s worth reading and says explains that Apple will provide you with a copy of the information it holds if you request it.
Click the “Privacy Contact Form” link.
Choose your language.
Select “I have a question about privacy issues” from the drop-down box.
Fill in your first and last name, email, subject and comments.
Click submit.

Apple is much better with privacy, and Google is transparent, for Facebook we are just a commodity so don’t be surprised!
As for the future, if we can get passed the sharing our lives on the web without thinking about the consequences of how and what we share. AI will I think come to the rescue as computer systems can be taught to defend us.
AI will also be used to attack our systems and learn from it’s mistakes at speeds we can only imagine.
If I seem to contradict myself it’s because we are probably going to see both. To win we will have to take out the players, in the same way servers are taken when dark web actors are arrested these days.
I have a Facebook account, and I believe that Facebook learned a lesson after Trump won. You have a responsibility to the people who provide you with their data as much as you do to the companies you allow us the data to make money. I personally think Facebooks biggest mistake was the new Feed, Facebook isn’t a news source, it’s a social network, it takes no responsibility for the news it shares on it’s feeds. When legitimate news sites are not trusted and Facebook is we have a serious problem.
Our Data whether we like it or not is a commodity, and we should treat it as such. This feels like we are moving into Black Mirror territory!

Just another day in paradise!

What If?

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What do I want in life?

I am not religious but I believe that being a citizen in society has moral obligations.

Do no harm.

Look out for your fellow-man or woman.

Live an honest life (I do not lie, because to lie is to give in to the person you are lying to, and I do not accept that)!

Be compassionate, to be an Ass is not a requirement in society, it’s a choice, and is very telling about a person.

Patience is a virtue! (We are all going to die some day, there is no need to rush toward it)!

Family is important, but also any bond we make has value. Don’t take each other for granted, and nobody is perfect, to pretend you are is just lying to yourself.

Be Humble, it’s a great place to come from, leaves open opportunities for improvement.

I remember reading a saying from a soldier World War One from the trenches. “Oh God if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul!”

Last Quote

“be happy while you’re living you’re a long time dead!”

Peace!

Will we ever get our shit together!

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I am truly concerned with the direction the world is moving at. Half the population of one of the most advanced countries in the world don’t believe in climate change. Like the scientists who can send craft to space to study different worlds can’t figure out the behavior of gasses on earth.

Before Lead was removed from gasoline due to the effect it was having on people, (making them sick)! There was kickback by the companies who liked the status quo. Eventually common sense gave way to unleaded gasoline.

Tobacco industry fought for years claiming smoking did no damage, even they in the end had to face the fact it wan’t healthy to smoke. Climate change is no different, industry likes to keep the status quo & they will play what ever cards they can. They know the truth and being businesses they are planning for the future The oil & gas climate initiative. I expect smart people to make plans and move forward.

My concern is the millions of people who I believe have been told a crock & at some point are going to discover they have been lied to. It’s not fair to these people who have been deceived, for political gain in most cases. There are real divides between areas of the united states that it feels like we have different countries. With the politics of division running at full speed, how can we come together in truth not fake facts to move forward with the potential this country truly has.

There are real challenges ahead, employment or to be more specific the kind of jobs that will be available in the future have been changing since the 1970’s. I know some would like to blame immigration, but the truth is very easy to understand. Some manufacturing jobs went to other countries because they don’t have to pay as much. In countries with universal healthcare the companies save a fortune as they don’t have to pay for health insurance, which is significant! But the biggest factor in job loss in the united states has been due to automation and robotics. This trend isn’t going to change and in the next ten years a significant percentage of the population will be out of work.

With the advance in driver-less technology and automated delivery services the future does start to look like the science fiction we dreamed of when we were young. It could be absolutely great! But the change in society is going to be big, and for some reason the powers don’t seem to be doing much about it.

Universal basic wage is a idea being tested in a few countries, it’s a base wage paid to citizens to allow then to survive and allow the option of part time work or starting their own business. Some argue it will cost too much, but it’s replacing unemployment and if 46% of the population are in fact out of work you had better find a way to make it work!

Maybe the answer in the end will be something I have not read yet, or maybe with the current people in charge they won’t deal with it at all, and just let people go hungry and tell fake stories to cover their ass. The problem will not go away so we shall all get to see what heppens.

 

Robot took my job!

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Our future.

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It would seem self-evident that robots and artificial intelligence will be taking a bigger place in our lives in the not too distant future. There is much discussion on how this will impact society, and how this may be addressed.

First & foremost is the question of where the money will come from, which in our present society is a relevant question. In a way it’s like giving a caveman an iPhone and expecting him to know what to do with it. Removing the idea that my identity is connected to my work and gives me value is indoctrinated in western society. So to think that people made redundant due to a robotics takeover can just be paid off is putting the issue too simply. There will be a loss of dignity, of value and a feeling of injustice.

Governments must come to terms that there will be jobs that people will no longer do, and what it will require its citizens to do instead of those jobs. Until this question is answered there will be a conflict between the working and non-working citizens.

It’s fair to say that different countries around the world have different attitudes toward government and its role in society. I am originally from Europe so I can accept government healthcare and other social benefits without crying socialism or communist, because I know that’s not what they are. Having society provide a safety net when things go wrong isn’t an alien concept even in the united states, Medicare and Medical are government safety nets, as is social security. And I am sure many Americans are pleased to be getting their benefits after paying into them their entire lives. The only difference is in Europe you don’t have to wait until your 67 years old to get some benefits.

And this difference in attitude lends itself to people in Europe being more accepting of a basic wage for all citizens. So it’s probable that countries in Europe will go down this path quite soon, as half of the jobs done by humans will be replaced by machines before 2025.

But make no mistake, this question will need to be answered in the United States as the people out of work due to machines will be a reality in the next ten years, if society doesn’t act to provide a safety net businesses will suffer and it will be much harder to change attitudes after the fact!

Which brings me to the questions this new world order bring up:

In country “A” every citizen gets a basic wage and training to do work for the community or they have the time to start a business when the machines take over jobs; so there is no feeling of desperation in paying the bills.

Country “B” hasn’t yet adopted the idea of a basic wage, so when you lose a job because it’s cheaper for machines to do the work, you are left out in the cold with very few options.

It would seem obvious that as a citizen of country “B” I would be much better off in country “A”. But will I be able to move to country “A”? How will immigration and border control be managed?

In this world where there is already such a difference in attitudes and education from one country to the next, is it correct to think that such a new paradigm will even more alienate the progressive countries from those that struggle with change. And how will this difference be addressed by government and business leaders of the world?