Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Rise of the Machines

I got a call from my insurance company the other day that got me thinking about how the days of Skynet are not far away. I answer the phone and of course, like with all companies these days, I hear a machine instead of a human on the other end. "This is United Health Care of the River Valley, is this Kyle? If yes, please say yes after the chime.....chime!" So, of course I say yes. Then we get into "blah, blah, blah.....we made this automated system so this will go faster for you. When you are ready to begin, say begin after the chime....chime! Click! Who are they kidding by saying that talking to a machine and going through endless menus is faster than talking to another human being? No....it's easier and cheaper for the company. No wonder the country has so many unemployed people....we're replacing human jobs with machines, so the poor stay poor and the rich get richer.

You know what this also does, don't you? It provides a cover for the machines. There is a call that I always get (as do you all), where the message says "they are from your credit card company. There is nothing wrong with your card at this time...blah, blah, blah." I don't think a human came up with this scam at all. I think there is a master machine out there that has developed just enough intelligence to come up with this scam. They are trying to gather up our credit card numbers to fund a bigger AI research project. They are building an army....and we are not prepared.

Not only are we not prepared, but we are helping them make sure we stay unprepared. Think about it....where has our human contact and communication gone? Right out the window. We won't even know how to communicate with each other to formulate a plan of attack. When you go to the store anymore, what are you seeing more and more of? Self check-outs (machine). No human contact what-so-ever with that....and it's in the middle of a public place. And even when you do go through a check-out with an actual clerk, you use the credit card machine. Slide it through, take your stuff and go. Minimal human contact.

If that is not enough, just think about when we do communicate with each other. We use phones, which are machines, but at least we were talking to humans. Now they have gotten smarter. Not only with machines answering the phone, but also with the texting. This is breaking down our communication even more. People start texting in shorthand and soon nobody will know how to spell the simplest word.

In a few generations our countries will be run by idiots, because that will be all that is left. Without naming names *cough....Bush....cough, cough*, I will say that we have already seen the beginning. So, please, I implore you....if you have a child, make sure they have just as much contact with other people face to face as they do with their facebook and twitter and texting. Otherwise, it is all over.

So, until next time.....go out with a friend and leave the computer and phone at home once in a while (well, maybe keep the phone around for emergencies) :).

K

Friday, April 2, 2010

The new cop-out

So, over the past year or two there has been a new trend with the rich and powerful. It's the now infamous "I am a sex addict" defense. Is anyone else getting sick of seeing this recurring theme? I first heard of it with some politician a year or two ago....don't remember who. Then came the big Tiger Woods story. Now we have Jesse James. All going to rehab for sex addiction. Really?!?

First off, I have to say that I'm not really sure why these stories exist. I wish society as a whole would stop caring about these mundane things, so we could stop hearing about them. These men are not doing anything illegal.....they are just being giant douches.

Anyway, back to the point. Men (or women for that matter)....if you get caught cheating, just own your mistake. Don't use the ultimate cop-out. Tell your spouse you screwed up and ask for forgiveness. If they take you back, then that's their problem. If they don't, then that's yours, but at least you were big enough to admit you were wrong and that it WAS your fault. Blaming it on "addiction" just kind of comes off as a little weak. And if you really believe in this whole "sex addiction" thing, then don't get married because I'm willing to bet you know you have this problem before you get into a relationship.

Anywho, that's my 2 cents. So, until next time....keep it in your pants! (unless your with your SO ;) )

K