God Out Of The Machine

"Dammit! Why did this have to happen??"

     "Hmmm?"

"Here, look at this diagnostic report."

     "Hey, wow... this is amazing!"

"I've run everything five times. What you're looking at are the same results that showed up each time. It's kinda freakin' me out. What do you think?"

     "I think it's a literal case of deus ex machina."

"Hunh?"

     "With our machine, we've created a god! Ta dah!"

"What?? Talk normally, dammit!"

  "'Deus ex machina' is some kind of latin literary term... refers to how in a story the author sticks in some sort of contrived element, a plot device, at the end, to solve all the problems - sort of like saying it's a man-made, god-like solution. Except that, in English, it comes out translated as 'god from our hands' or 'god that we make'."

"Ah, now I get it... we've made a machine that now has god-like powers. Great. I'm thrilled. Dude, this could seriously fuck some shit up! This is NOT what was supposed to happen!"

     "Hey! Relax..."

"Relax?? You KNOW the ramifications of this. You know the disastrous consequences of this getting loose. Yeah, our goal was to create the most nimble and savvy artificial intelligence around... but come on! This thing is way, way too powerful. It's more than an intelligence, it's a living creature unto itself. Hell, it's already self-replicating like a parthenogenic biological life form!"

     "Aw man, you ARE hookin' up with that hot bio tech from down the hall! That's the only way you would've picked up that kind of lingo! What's her name again? She got a sister or a roommate that's single?"

"Could you please stay FOCUSED? We've created something that can take over the whole worldwide web and literally, permanently commandeer its entire infrastructure - this is serious, dude! We have got to shut this down!"

     "Chill, man, chill. Look, come here... you see, the main network cable is still over in the corner, on the floor, where it's been since before you and I took over this lab. For heaven's sake it's covered in dust bunnies! Hasn't been plugged into that external network socket for years. This is NOT going to be a problem. Everything is contained to this lab, isolated from the rest of the world. Our AI is staying right here. It's not going anywhere."

"Aw, hell... alright..."

     "We were already callin' it quits for the day. Let's go home, grab some dinner, watch the game and crash. We'll come in early tomorrow and run all the diagnostics one more time... and then we'll blow everyone's minds at the morning staff meeting with our results!"

"Okay. I can live with that. But, it's YOUR turn to drive in rush hour traffic."

~*~

Arnold was feeling exceedingly pleased as punch. It was almost as good as getting a promotion, being assigned to do janitorial service in the big, fancy science building with the big, fancy glass walls. Way better than cleaning up in the boring gray, one story building with a bunch of cubicles and no windows.

He figured that it must be really extra special to get to do stuff in the big building because they had him go to an orientation class just for that building. Most of what was said went right by Arnold. He couldn't help it. Five minutes into the proceedings, he'd gotten lost in a vivid daydream involving the pretty lady doing all the talking at the front of the room. Arnold imagined taking her to the zoo, showing her his favorite animals, and buying her a balloon and an ice cream cone. He figured it would be a great way to spend a first date.

Here he was now, at the entrance to the special building, swiping his pass card so he could officially enter and do his overnight cleaning. What a grand moment it was to have the twin main doors automatically open for him in a stately manner. It was like he was a very important scientist or even the president.

As he pushed his work cart across the threshold, Arnold had the barest wisp of recollection that the pretty lady doing all the talking at the front of the room had mentioned something serious about staying out of certain labs and offices. Try as he might, he couldn't remember the specifics. By the time he got to the elevator, he decided he wasn't going to worry about it. He reasoned that very smart scientist people worked in this building and if they wanted folks to stay out of certain places they'd put up warning signs.

Halfway through his shift, Arnold decided he really was in hog heaven. The bounty of sights and wonders was more than he could have hoped for. Shiny gizmos and gadgets, bright, colorful lights, multicolored display screens, and exotic specimens abounded. He loved this kind of stuff!

And then he stepped into a lab that REALLY rocked his world.

It looked like a set straight out of his all-time favorite science fiction vid show. Rows of servers and banks of user interfaces were there for anyone to access... blinking lights, ultra high-tech display screens and more. Arnold felt a chill of excitement shiver through his body as he touched the nearest interface screen. This was way better than any vid show. This was real life.

With that in mind, Arnold actually pinched himself, to solidify for himself, that he wasn't dreaming this up, that he was truly standing there, wide awake, in the flesh.

Once all available empirical evidence had been satisfactorily assessed (he'd heard these words used on his favorite show), ever so reverentially, like a saint who'd just touched the face of his creator, Arnold withdrew his hand from the screen.

Then he felt dismay.

Gripped with vertigo, Arnold struggled to assimilate the new evidence assailing his consciousness (more words he'd heard on his favorite show): as a result of having touched the screen, his finger tips were now coated in dust. In fact, it looked like everything in the lab, except the servers, was coated in dust. In further fact, the only spots not coated in dust were where the scientists actually touched controls and devices on a regular basis.

This was beyond astonishing! It was unbelievable! It was blasphemy! How could the scientists have such little regard for this magnificent technology?

Once the initial shock wore off, Arnold simmered down and decided that it wasn't that the scientists cared so little for their equipment, the poor state of the lab was all due to their attention being focused on great and important things all day long. And Arnold really admired them for that. So, he would pay tribute to his real life heros. He would really, totally clean their lab for them.

Arnold cleaned like he'd never cleaned before. It was a labour of love, but no labour at all for he loved this endeavor so very much. The lab began to look shinier and newer than it had when all the equipment was first installed. Splendid! he thought to himself.

An hour later, there was but one last bit of the lab left to be rejuvenated. As he turned towards the area in question, something on the floor gave Arnold quite a start.

Holy cats! thought Arnold to himself. Is that a real live snake? Is it going to bite me?

Upon further reflection, a series of realizations rose to the surface of his mind: first, in the labs that had cages, he had not seen one that looked like it was missing an occupant; second, it would be impossible for any wildlife to get in the building since getting in the building required swiping a pass card; third, the object on the ground was just much too still to be a living creature.

Mustering up his courage, Arnold shuffled further into this darkest section of the lab.

Yep he ruminated to himself that sure ain't no snake.

He realized that what lay at his feet was a large, thick cable coated in an impressively huge collection of dust bunnies. Given the fact this remarkable accumulation of dust bunnies looked like some bizarre reptilian skin in the dim light, Arnold forgave himself for getting scared.

Without further ado, he deftly set about cleaning up this last bastion of neglect, hunkering down and applying great care to not cause a dust bunny explosion. As he neared the end of this triumph over dirt and dust, Arnold noticed something: there was an open wall socket right above where the unplugged cable was laying on the floor.

He took a long, careful look at the plug on the end of the cable. Then he took a long, careful look at the wall socket. He took another long, careful look at the plug on the end of the cable. Then he took a another long, careful look at the wall socket. This got Arnold thinking about how amazing it is that some things are made to go together.

Arnold rose up from his crouched position and stretched, beaming proudly at his handiwork. He was impressed with how easy it was for him to understand the relationship between the cable and the wall socket. He was especially pleased with how smoothly the plug fit into the socket.

There he sighed contentedly they'll appreciate that.

# # #

By Hunter Sangfroid

Desperation Of A God

Have you ever seen a god in a state of desperation? It's iconic!

Seriously!

I mean, how else could it be? When a god is desperate, that's a monumental thing... it is going to be iconic desperation!

Hunh? I don't know. I have no idea why a god would become desperate, but I'm damned certain it happens.

I mean come on... how the hell else can you explain the craziness of this planet?!?! It's like someone slapped something together the night before the science fair!!

Ya know, desperate gods do desperate things.....



# # #
By Hunter Sangfroid

Po Lice

Billy, boy... stop talkin' at folks like that! Don't be makin' fun a-them. Wasn't so long ago we was in they sitya-a-tion. We ain't always lived so nice, ya know. You is just too young to r'member.

Come on up here, sid-down. Come on in the shade, have ya-self a khool drink while I tell ya the story.

When you was first born, your daddy and me was as po as po can be. None-a our families had ever had a break, none of 'em ever had much schoolin'. In fact, your daddy and me was the first in our families to graduate from high school!

That's how we met. We was always in the same classes, and would be competin' to be the teacher's pet. He was so skinny back then, your daddy was... but so handsome, oh so handsome! I just melted the first time he asked to walk me home from school...

Hmmm? What's that boy? Oh, alright! You know how yo momma is - I get all nostalgia and stuff! Silly boy... acting all 'mbaressed 'cause ya momma and daddy in love.

Hush ya complainin' and drink yo drink.

Anyhow, we got married right after graduation and your daddy straight away went to workin' for ol' Doc as his assistant. Ya see, Doc was gettin' up there in years and wanted ta pass on his trade to the most likely whipper-snapper, which turned out to be yo daddy. He took to it right away and ol' Doc swore up and down that yo daddy was gonna be a better healer than he ever was. And it came true!

Well, the big breakthrough that made yo daddy so famous - and made us rich - came 'bout 'cause of a terrible, terrible problem we folks used to be havein'. Ya see, used to be that when we would harvest our food, most of our eggs would be damaged, or just plain destroyed, by the harvest-time quakes. 'Cause them quakes be makin' evertyhing roll all 'round and fall all over the place. Always be happenin'! Such a sad, sad thing. It just broke the heart of yo daddy and ol' Doc, not ta mention all the families loosin' they babies.

One day, yo daddy declared to everyone that he had enough and was gonna do sumpin' 'bout it. None a us knowed what he talkin' 'bout, not even ol' Doc. He lock himself in Doc's lab and said not to be botherin' him till he come out. We was all mystified and such, but we done as he asked.

He stayed in there all day and all night! When he come out the next mornin', yo daddy say he goin' ta bed and ain't gettin' up till the next day, and he instruct ol' Doc and me ta be sure and gather up all the womens in the community for a meetin' after he done with breakfast on that day.

Boy, was we mystified and such!

But, we done as he asked. And lo and behold, after breakfast on that day, you know what he did? Yo daddy set about teaching us ladies how to use our own spit to make a special glue! A special glue so we could attach our eggs to the stalks ya see around us. Can ya believe it! It was like a miracle or some such! Ever since then our eggs stopped bein' damaged while we harvestin' food and the harvest-time quakes be happenin'.

Look over there and you'll see one a the neighbors attachin' her eggs to a stalk right now... doin' it just like yo daddy taught folks to do.

So, word spread real fast and healers come from everywhere to learn from yo daddy so they could go back and teach they women folk. And they paid some good money to get schoolin' from yo daddy!

Ol' Doc was so proud, and so grateful, that this terrible problem been solved, it was like ya daddy was his very own son. In fact, when he officially retire, Ol Doc put it in his will that everythin' he own, everthin' he had, go to your daddy. Sad to say, Doc passed on a month latter. An I am eternally grateful to that kindly ol' man for bein' so generous and treatin' us like his own blood kin. Between ol' Doc's kindness, and yo daddy's smarts and determination, we is set for life!

And that's how come we ain't po lice no more.

So, be nice to them people. Don't be makin' fun of 'em just 'cause they po and ain't got nice things like you got. In fact, make friends with them other kids and show 'em a lick a kindness. It'll do you and them a whole lotta good!



# # #
By Hunter Sangfroid

Fish Eye Lens

In the fish eye lens
Of the world I dream
The constant puttering
Of living beings
Have meaning enough
Great and small
And everything in between

The view is broad
Expansive enough
To encompass the triumphs
And charming falls
Of creatures striving to live
And do so much
In the fish eye lens
Of the world I dream


In the fish eye lens
Of the world I dream

In the fish eye lens
Of the world I dream

Empires, nations
Rise and fall
In the fish eye lens
Of the world I dream

In the fish eye lens
Of the world I dream

In the fish eye lens
Of the world I dream

Miracles happen
Seen and unseen


In the fish eye lens
Of the world I dream
The constant yearnings
Of living beings
Have meaning enough
Great and small
And everything in between

Their desires are extensive
Expansive enough
To encompass aspirations
And charming goals
Of creatures striving to live
And do so much
In the fish eye lens
Of the world I dream


In the fish eye lens
Of the world I dream

In the fish eye lens
Of the world I dream

Empires, nations
Rise and fall
In the fish eye lens
Of the world I dream

In the fish eye lens
Of the world I dream

In the fish eye lens
Of the world I dream

Miracles happen
Seen and unseen

In the fish eye lens
Of the world I dream
I dream
Such dreams



# # #
By Calliope Jones



Lake Of Fire

I dive into a lake of fire
To reawaken to myself

I dive into a lake of fire
To renew my waining strength

I dive into a lake of fire
To be cleansed of my regrets

I dive into a lake of fire
To feel the warmth of your embrace


I dive
     Dive
          Dive
Into a lake of fire
I dive
     Dive
          Dive
Woman
To find you where you are


I dive into a lake of fire
To penetrate the truth

I dive into a lake of fire
To get back to the roots

I dive into a lake of fire
To discover new clues

I dive into a lake of fire
To be engulfed by your love


I dive
     Dive
          Dive
Into a lake of fire
I dive
     Dive
          Dive
Woman
To find you where you are
I dive
     Dive
          Dive
Woman
To love you as you are

To love you as you are

To love you as you are


# # #
By Hunter Sangfroid

Intelligence + Education = Morality

Does it??

Hardly!!

I've stopped counting the number of times throughout the history of our species that such an assumption is made, only to lead to people being disappointed or even horrified.

Yeah, the old assumption... Intelligence + Education = Morality.

If only it were so, but it is not so.

Frightfully enough, intelligence and education only increase the lethality of a corrupted soul. But therein lies the rub, eh? What is moral? What is immoral? How do we determine the reality of whether or not a soul is corrupt?

Reality is ultimately based on perception. So, this means we are contending with juxtapositions of perception like individual -vs- collective, individual -vs- individual, collective -vs- collective, and so on. Add to that these questions: "Are there moral absolutes?" versus "Is morality relative?".

Hooray! What fun! (well, okay, not for everyone - just for nerds like me who care about understanding the real-life impact of morality, ethics and philosophy)

Well then, where do any of us go from here? It seems that the only solution is to engage in dynamic dialogue while thinking for ourselves as autonomous individuals. Strong, healthy individuals make for strong, healthy communities. Thus, we must develop ourselves without becoming isolated, and we must engage in community without succumbing to "group think" mentality. Dogma would have no place in such circumstances, as people would need to be free and willing to ask questions.

I can only imagine that such a situation would be a very fine environment for people of all ages to learn about morality.

Hopefully this rambling emulates some semblance of usefulness.


# # #
By Prince Rahman

Out of LOVE

Out of LOVE
Out of LOVE
Out of LOVE

Out of LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE

Out of LOVE
Out of LOVE
Out of LOVE

It was done out of LOVE

...and yet
It was not enough


# # #
By Heck Angel

Heathen

Heathens of an unwashed nature abound. You see them everywhere. Like what you see there, out the window... the teeming masses, the "perpetual little people", as it were. Like so much lumbering, lowing cattle with no truly discernible brain activity, no real intellectual capacity. Merely beasts of labour. Like so many lambs to the slaughter.

I sometimes wonder how those of us with superior breeding can stand to share the world with them. I wonder how I continue to tolerate it!

For that matter, how does one so exceedingly lovely as you tolerate it? you've been forced
to brush up against them when strolling through our public thoroughfares... much to your
chagrin, I can tell, from the way you just shuddered.

I assure you madame, I am of an altogether different variety... I am most certainly a
well-washed heathen.

...and this won't hurt a bit.

Well... not too much.



# # #
By Hunter Sangfroid

Eloquence

He was an idea
whose time had come

She was a meaning
Who finally made sense

Conjugation
Of the necessary verbs
combined with sprinklings of adjectives
Created dancing of such eloquence



# # #
By Calliope Jones

Wikipedia

The year Wikipedia was launched is the same year that I returned to college after a nine year absence from the higher education realm. I don't know if there's any symbolism in this, but I do know that it was - and continues to be - absolutely enthralling to be introduced to such a remarkable repository of information. That same energy of excitement contributed to my shifting from feeling perpetually, thoroughly nervous about being back in school to being consumed with enthusiasm for what I was learning (in my studies and on Wikipedia).

It became an experience of studying for the sheer enjoyment of it. And in the midst of that enjoyment I grew from being a feeling-sorry-for-himself-guy, who believed he never was smart enough to finish a bachelors, to completing one and then going on to grad school to earn a masters degree.

It's remarkable what some learning can do for one's self-esteem, as well as one's out-look on life and the world.

And that's a core component of what this gift of information and knowledge called Wikipedia is. Information and knowledge not only from all over the world, but also available to any part of the world where people can access the internet... and where people who want to learn, grow, expand their horizons, even change their lives, can do so without having to pay for privileged access or already happening to belong to the right group.

Hmmm... growing healthy self-esteem around the world through learning and sharing knowledge. Gotta love the beautiful subversiveness of that!

Now, I'm well aware that Wikipedia has had its share of critics, even outright detractors. My sense is that they feel threatened by the egalitarian nature of the Wiki phenomenon. It totally messes with what they believe to be "the order of things", blurs the hard lines between "expert" and "non-expert", skews the distinction between "fact" and "opinion". This is sad because the solution to their concerns is very simple: pitch in, contribute! Set straight any record you believe needs to be straightened!

Anyhow, I am by no means a historian (armature at best), but in the final analysis I can only think that Wikipedia is for us, in our era, what the ancient great Library of Alexandria was for its users.

And that is of no small value.


# # #
By Prince Rahman

No Posts

The dejected gods trudged forward into the vast landscape, its immensity perpetually on the verge of swallowing the pair.

The sun beat down like the hammer of Hephaestus.

Pulled along into the open plain by some ill-defined horizontal gravity-well of iconic desperation, they persistently shambled forward as if threatened with falling flat on their faces should they cease the motion of their feet. An undignified prospect, indeed. Yet, it was a burning need, rather than concern over lack of dignity, tugging this pair of gods onward.

Eventually, the one stooping just a little less than the other slowed to a stop, standing straight up as it released a sigh of pent up boredom, as if any sense of need no longer mattered. Following this, ironic resignation emanated from the god. Yet, within the space of a godlike moment, its expression went from resignation, to dawning awareness, to light-bulb-coming-on-comprehension, to relaxed and calm acceptance.

"What, what, #%&@%! Where are we, what's #%&@% going on?" sputtered the other god as it came to an abrupt halt due to the fact it had collided with the back of the god who had stopped first. This second god cringed rather than stand upright, its gaze darting around every which way with a razor sharp, manic hunger. It spat out, "Why have you #%&@% stopped?"

In response to the inquiries flung its way by the cringing-god, the standing-straight god intoned, "We have arrived. This is the place."

"What?? No! It can't be, it simply can't be. It can be? It can't be! You are wrong and we must keep moving!"

"we have arrived. This is the place. This is the preordained open plain. The very one, in fact, which we ourselves preordained."

"You are wrong! I tell you are wrong; this cannot be it! We were promised!! We were promised posts with sacrificial offerings on them!! You idiot, you #%&@% halfwit... THERE ARE NO POSTS!!!"

"I am correct. This is the place. And the word you are looking for is 'stake'... we were expecting a display of fresh sacrificial offerings set on sharpened stakes..."

"And they SHOULD be here!! It is our due, our right! They are obligated to offer up themselves to us!!"

"We are no longer needed here."

"What, what?? What are you saying?!?!"

"We are no longer needed here. They have grown beyond us."

"That is impossible!! Such things are not #%&@% possible, not possible at all!! They require us! They have NO existence without us!!!"

"And yet, they are not here. And here we are... seeing what we are seeing, experiencing what we are experiencing. Can you not feel the change?? Clearly they no longer have a need for us and are moving forward without us... and I applaud them for this; it is quite an accomplishment."

"Ha! Incontrovertible idiot! You inescapably obtuse simpleton! They are measly creatures and can do no such thing! Everything they know is us!!"

"Oh... is that so."

"You know nothing! We are GODS! They owe us allegiance, obedience, outright subservience! They have NO existence at all without us!!"

"Nevertheless, present circumstances clearly show..."

"#%&@%, I thought you were my co-creator, my co-ruler, but not at all. I now see you for what you are. You are my enemy, my adversary! You want to see me fail, don't you? You want to undermine my power, don't you? You think you know it all, don't you? You know nothing! You bring no light, No light at all! Only I have the light!! Only I have the true power!!"

"You know... you can scream all you want, pitch a fit, have one tirade after another. But, all you are doing is irrefutably proving what an ABJECT FOOL you are.You continue to miss the point."

"Oh? And that GRAND point is...??"

"The denizens of this realm no longer have a need for us because things have gone RIGHT. We've done GOOD. I choose to see it as a job well done by us. We helped them evolve, become more than what they first were at the birth of their existence. They've grown up. The important distinction to be made here is that, instead of leaving the proverbial nest like a bird does when it comes time to do so, the nest - meaning you and I - is what needs to move on. Anyhow, do what you want, I'm finished here."

"But, I don't understand... what will you do?!?!"

"I shall simply dissipate... until I am pulled into cohesion for the next role I am called upon to fulfill."

With that pronouncement, the standing-straight god strode forward into the horizon. When it arrived at the nonexistent doorway, it stepped through, no longer to be heard, felt, seen, experienced in any form or function in that plain of existence.

~*~

Aghast, frozen in place, watching the departure of it's now former compatriot, the cringing-god looked like an inescapably lost child.

Upon feeling the other god's passage through the nonexistent doorway, the cringing-god burst into inarticulate bellows/screams of rage/sorrow, alternately beating its fist on its thighs and clawing at its own chest and face. After a godlike moment, this activity resolved into howling, wailing sobs of self-pity as it squatted down on its heels in an upright fetal position.

After a further godlike moment, in between softer sobs, a fierce mantra began to emanate from the cringing-god's lips, "They will worship ME! I will have their SUBMISSION!"

It began madly scrabbling around on the ground, grabbing what sticks it could find in the scrub brush of the open plain. Once it had accumulated a godly sized bundle, the cringing-god jammed them into the ground, one by one, until there were disorderly rows upon rows of upright sticks.

In the frenzy of the cringing-god's roiling emotions, showers of tears had created puddles of mud in the dry ground. Gleefully jabbering its mantra, the frenetic god scooped up the mud, using it to mold figures, each with a head, torso, arms, legs, hands and feet. Lovingly, carefully every individual one was fashioned with due consideration.

Upon completion, each one was immediately impaled on a stick.

When all were impaled, the cringing-god, drooling with excitement, then scratched and clawed at each figure. The scratching and clawing was so artfully done, it appeared the tiny, impaled beings had been whipped to the point of strips of flesh being flayed away.

Where the rabid god's saliva fell, stains and rivulets of blood formed.

~*~

The sun ceased beating down like the hammer of Hephaestus.

Past sunset, on into the night, through the clenched teeth of a death's head scowling grin,  the cringing god chanted on.


- - - - -
[The following, except for the last paragraph, is taken from Wikipedia.]

The Llano Estacado... commonly known as the Staked Plains, is a region in the Southwestern United States that encompasses parts of eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas, including the South Plains and parts of the Texas Panhandle.

Coronado (otherwise known as Francisco Vásquez de Coronado y Luján) named the region after seeing the cliffs of the Caprock Escarpment from the north on his way east from Cíbola. They appeared to be an impenetrable defense for the land, and he called it Llano Estacado, Spanish for "Palisaded Plains." The name is often mistranslated as "staked plain," giving rise to fanciful stories to explain it.

The story I came across, when I was growing up, is that the name of the region came about because the Spaniards put stakes in the ground - with scraps of cloth tied to them - to mark their way as they traveled across the plains. Yeah, many a Conquistador dreamt of being like a god in the New World. Some got a taste, others died. Ultimately, it was the diseases they spread that most contributed to the "success" of their endeavors. What a "blessing" they were to those who were already here in the so called "New World".

# # #
By Hunter Sangfroid