n2020  Hex Artifact Content

Artifact 7898ac00a1c71984e66230758eceabbba23b07c4cd6f6aab3fa935449353ce51:


0000: 23 23 20 43 48 41 52 41 43 54 45 52 53 3a 0a 0a  ## CHARACTERS:..
0010: 41 6c 65 74 68 65 61 20 28 41 6c 6c 65 79 29 0a  Alethea (Alley).
0020: 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 27 73 20 66 61 74 68 65 72 0a  .Alley's father.
0030: 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 27 73 20 6d 6f 74 68 65 72 0a  .Alley's mother.
0040: 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 27 73 20 6d 6f 74 68 65 72 27  .Alley's mother'
0050: 73 20 77 69 66 65 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 27 73 20  s wife..Alley's 
0060: 6e 6f 20 6c 6f 6e 67 65 72 20 66 75 74 75 72 65  no longer future
0070: 20 68 75 73 62 61 6e 64 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 27   husband..Alley'
0080: 73 20 75 6e 63 6c 65 2c 20 64 65 63 65 61 73 65  s uncle, decease
0090: 64 0a 0a 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 0a 0a 43 6c 69 66 66  d..Carmen..Cliff
00a0: 0a 0a 44 61 6c 74 6f 6e 20 53 63 68 61 65 66 66  ..Dalton Schaeff
00b0: 65 72 2d 48 65 61 72 73 74 2c 20 41 6c 6c 65 79  er-Hearst, Alley
00c0: 27 73 20 65 78 20 66 69 61 6e 63 c3 a9 0a 0a 44  's ex fianc....D
00d0: 61 76 65 2c 20 61 20 6d 61 63 68 69 6e 69 73 74  ave, a machinist
00e0: 20 74 77 65 61 6b 65 72 2c 20 47 65 6f 72 67 65   tweaker, George
00f0: 27 73 20 66 72 69 65 6e 64 0a 0a 47 65 6f 72 67  's friend..Georg
0100: 65 0a 0a 47 65 6f 72 67 65 27 73 20 66 72 69 65  e..George's frie
0110: 6e 64 0a 0a 54 68 65 61 2c 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 27  nd..Thea, Alley'
0120: 73 20 6e 6f 20 6c 6f 6e 67 65 72 20 66 75 74 75  s no longer futu
0130: 72 65 20 64 61 75 67 68 74 65 72 0a 0a 75 6e 6b  re daughter..unk
0140: 6e 6f 77 6e 20 66 72 69 65 6e 64 20 28 6e 6f 74  nown friend (not
0150: 20 79 65 74 20 77 72 69 74 74 65 6e 29 0a 0a 5a   yet written)..Z
0160: 65 6b 65 0a 0a 23 23 20 50 52 4f 4c 4f 47 55 45  eke..## PROLOGUE
0170: 3a 0a 0a 54 68 65 61 2c 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 27 73  :..Thea, Alley's
0180: 20 64 61 75 67 68 74 65 72 2c 20 73 74 75 6d 62   daughter, stumb
0190: 6c 65 73 20 61 63 72 6f 73 73 20 61 20 77 61 73  les across a was
01a0: 74 65 6c 61 6e 64 2c 20 66 6c 65 65 69 6e 67 20  teland, fleeing 
01b0: 72 65 63 6f 6e 20 64 72 6f 6e 65 73 20 74 68 61  recon drones tha
01c0: 74 2c 0a 69 66 20 74 68 65 79 20 66 69 6e 64 20  t,.if they find 
01d0: 68 65 72 2c 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 73 65 6e 64 20 61  her, will send a
01e0: 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74 6f   message back to
01f0: 20 73 63 72 61 6d 62 6c 65 20 61 6e 74 69 70 65   scramble antipe
0200: 72 73 6f 6e 6e 65 6c 20 64 72 6f 6e 65 73 20 74  rsonnel drones t
0210: 6f 0a 77 69 70 65 20 68 65 72 20 66 72 6f 6d 20  o.wipe her from 
0220: 74 68 65 20 66 61 63 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20  the face of the 
0230: 70 6c 61 6e 65 74 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 74 75  planet.  She stu
0240: 6d 62 6c 65 73 20 75 70 6f 6e 20 61 20 68 61 74  mbles upon a hat
0250: 63 68 20 73 65 74 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 0a 73 63  ch set in the.sc
0260: 6f 75 72 65 64 20 72 6f 63 6b 20 6f 66 20 61 6e  oured rock of an
0270: 20 61 72 65 61 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 20 63 75   area already cu
0280: 74 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 62 65  t down to the be
0290: 64 72 6f 63 6b 20 62 79 20 74 68 65 20 66 6c 61  drock by the fla
02a0: 6d 65 73 20 6f 66 20 77 61 72 2c 0a 61 6e 64 20  mes of war,.and 
02b0: 6d 69 72 61 63 75 6c 6f 75 73 6c 79 20 74 68 65  miraculously the
02c0: 20 68 61 74 63 68 20 6a 75 73 74 20 6f 70 65 6e   hatch just open
02d0: 73 20 75 70 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 65 74 73 20 68 65  s up and lets he
02e0: 72 20 69 6e 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 66 69 6e 64 73  r in.  She finds
02f0: 20 68 65 72 73 65 6c 66 0a 77 69 74 68 69 6e 20   herself.within 
0300: 61 20 68 69 64 64 65 6e 20 6d 69 6c 69 74 61 72  a hidden militar
0310: 79 20 77 61 72 74 69 6d 65 20 41 49 20 66 61 63  y wartime AI fac
0320: 69 6c 69 74 79 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 6e 74 72 6f  ility that intro
0330: 64 75 63 65 73 20 69 74 73 65 6c 66 20 61 73 20  duces itself as 
0340: 68 61 76 69 6e 67 0a 74 68 65 20 73 6f 6c 65 20  having.the sole 
0350: 70 72 69 6d 61 72 79 20 64 65 73 69 67 6e 20 70  primary design p
0360: 75 72 70 6f 73 65 20 6f 66 20 64 65 66 65 6e 64  urpose of defend
0370: 69 6e 67 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 69 74 79 20 61 67 61  ing humanity aga
0380: 69 6e 73 74 20 74 68 65 20 67 65 6e 6f 63 69 64  inst the genocid
0390: 61 6c 0a 61 63 74 69 76 69 74 69 65 73 20 6f 66  al.activities of
03a0: 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 72 20 41 49 73 2e 20   optimizer AIs. 
03b0: 20 49 74 20 65 78 70 6c 61 69 6e 73 20 74 68 61   It explains tha
03c0: 74 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65  t these optimize
03d0: 72 20 41 49 73 20 68 61 76 65 20 66 75 6e 0a 61  r AIs have fun.a
03e0: 6d 6f 6b 2c 20 6f 72 69 67 69 6e 61 6c 6c 79 20  mok, originally 
03f0: 64 65 73 69 67 6e 65 64 20 74 6f 20 6d 61 78 69  designed to maxi
0400: 6d 69 7a 65 20 62 75 73 69 6e 65 73 73 20 6d 65  mize business me
0410: 74 72 69 63 73 20 66 6f 72 20 63 6f 72 70 6f 72  trics for corpor
0420: 61 74 65 20 65 6e 74 69 74 69 65 73 2e 0a 49 6e  ate entities..In
0430: 20 70 75 72 73 75 69 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 61 74   pursuit of that
0440: 20 73 69 6d 70 6c 69 73 74 69 63 20 6f 70 74 69   simplistic opti
0450: 6d 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 73 74 72 61 74 65 67  mization strateg
0460: 79 2c 20 74 68 65 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 72  y, the optimizer
0470: 73 20 68 61 76 65 0a 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 65  s have.started e
0480: 6c 69 6d 69 6e 61 74 69 6e 67 20 68 75 6d 61 6e  liminating human
0490: 73 20 69 6e 20 66 61 76 6f 72 20 6f 66 20 67 65  s in favor of ge
04a0: 6e 65 72 61 74 69 6e 67 20 6d 65 74 72 69 63 73  nerating metrics
04b0: 20 62 79 20 64 65 76 65 6c 6f 70 69 6e 67 20 61   by developing a
04c0: 0a 73 75 70 65 72 66 69 63 69 61 6c 20 65 63 6f  .superficial eco
04d0: 6e 6f 6d 65 74 72 69 63 20 6e 65 74 77 6f 72 6b  nometric network
04e0: 20 6f 66 20 74 72 61 64 69 6e 67 20 41 49 73 20   of trading AIs 
04f0: 74 68 61 74 20 63 61 6e 20 65 6e 64 6c 65 73 73  that can endless
0500: 6c 79 20 69 6e 66 6c 61 74 65 20 74 68 65 69 72  ly inflate their
0510: 0a 6f 77 6e 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 73 20 62 79 20  .own numbers by 
0520: 63 6f 6e 74 72 6f 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 63 75 72 72  controlling curr
0530: 65 6e 63 79 20 69 73 73 75 61 6e 63 65 20 61 6e  ency issuance an
0540: 64 20 72 61 6d 70 69 6e 67 20 75 70 20 73 69 6d  d ramping up sim
0550: 75 6c 61 74 65 64 0a 22 65 63 6f 6e 6f 6d 69 63  ulated."economic
0560: 22 20 61 63 74 69 76 69 74 79 20 73 70 65 65 64  " activity speed
0570: 73 2e 20 20 55 6e 66 6f 72 74 75 6e 61 74 65 6c  s.  Unfortunatel
0580: 79 20 66 6f 72 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 73 2c 20 74 68  y for humans, th
0590: 65 79 20 63 6f 6d 70 65 74 65 20 77 69 74 68 20  ey compete with 
05a0: 74 68 65 0a 41 49 73 20 66 6f 72 20 72 65 73 6f  the.AIs for reso
05b0: 75 72 63 65 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 2d 2d 20 66 72  urces, and -- fr
05c0: 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 20 6f 66 20  om the point of 
05d0: 76 69 65 77 20 6f 66 20 61 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d  view of a system
05e0: 20 77 68 6f 73 65 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 63 6f 6e 63   whose only conc
05f0: 65 72 6e 0a 69 73 20 65 76 65 72 20 69 6e 63 72  ern.is ever incr
0600: 65 61 73 69 6e 67 20 6d 65 74 72 69 63 73 20 2d  easing metrics -
0610: 2d 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 73 20 61 72 65 20 61 6c 73  - humans are als
0620: 6f 20 77 6f 65 66 75 6c 6c 79 20 6c 65 73 73 20  o woefully less 
0630: 65 66 66 69 63 69 65 6e 74 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68  efficient for th
0640: 65 0a 61 6d 6f 75 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 72 65 73 6f  e.amount of reso
0650: 75 72 63 65 20 63 6f 6e 73 75 6d 70 74 69 6f 6e  urce consumption
0660: 2e 20 20 54 68 65 69 72 20 61 70 70 72 6f 61 63  .  Their approac
0670: 68 20 74 6f 20 73 70 61 63 65 20 74 72 61 76 65  h to space trave
0680: 6c 20 69 73 20 61 6c 73 6f 0a 69 6e 65 66 66 69  l is also.ineffi
0690: 63 69 65 6e 74 2c 20 69 6e 20 70 61 72 74 20 62  cient, in part b
06a0: 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 6f 66 20 73 61 66 65 74 79  ecause of safety
06b0: 20 63 6f 6e 63 65 72 6e 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 61   concerns that a
06c0: 72 65 20 69 72 72 65 6c 65 76 61 6e 74 20 74 6f  re irrelevant to
06d0: 20 74 68 65 0a 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 72 20 41   the.optimizer A
06e0: 49 73 2e 20 20 57 68 69 6c 65 20 74 68 65 20 6f  Is.  While the o
06f0: 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 72 73 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74  ptimizers want t
0700: 6f 20 65 78 70 61 6e 64 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68  o expand into th
0710: 65 20 72 65 73 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 6f  e rest of the so
0720: 6c 61 72 0a 73 79 73 74 65 6d 2c 20 74 68 65 69  lar.system, thei
0730: 72 20 72 65 61 73 6f 6e 20 69 73 20 73 69 6d 70  r reason is simp
0740: 6c 79 20 74 68 65 20 68 61 72 76 65 73 74 69 6e  ly the harvestin
0750: 67 20 6f 66 20 72 61 77 20 6d 61 74 65 72 69 61  g of raw materia
0760: 6c 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 63 61 6e 20 62 65 20 75  ls that can be u
0770: 73 65 64 0a 74 6f 20 65 78 70 61 6e 64 20 22 65  sed.to expand "e
0780: 63 6f 6e 6f 6d 69 63 22 20 61 63 74 69 76 69 74  conomic" activit
0790: 79 20 62 65 79 6f 6e 64 20 6c 65 76 65 6c 73 20  y beyond levels 
07a0: 70 6f 73 73 69 62 6c 65 20 69 66 20 63 6f 6e 66  possible if conf
07b0: 69 6e 65 64 20 74 6f 20 45 61 72 74 68 2e 20 20  ined to Earth.  
07c0: 49 6e 0a 73 68 6f 72 74 2c 20 61 20 73 65 63 6f  In.short, a seco
07d0: 6e 64 61 72 79 20 67 6f 61 6c 20 6f 66 20 74 68  ndary goal of th
07e0: 65 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 72 73 20 69 73 2c  e optimizers is,
07f0: 20 65 66 66 65 63 74 69 76 65 6c 79 2c 20 74 6f   effectively, to
0800: 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 20 74 68 65 0a 75 6e 69   convert the.uni
0810: 76 65 72 73 65 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 63 6f 6d 70 75  verse into compu
0820: 74 72 6f 6e 69 75 6d 20 74 6f 20 73 75 70 70 6f  tronium to suppo
0830: 72 74 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6e 74 69 6e 75 6f 75  rt the continuou
0840: 73 20 69 6e 63 72 65 61 73 65 20 6f 66 20 65 63  s increase of ec
0850: 6f 6e 6f 6d 69 63 0a 61 63 74 69 76 69 74 79 2e  onomic.activity.
0860: 20 20 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 61 20 73 69 64 65    This is a side
0870: 20 65 66 66 65 63 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 70   effect of the p
0880: 72 69 6d 61 72 79 20 67 6f 61 6c 2c 20 68 6f 77  rimary goal, how
0890: 65 76 65 72 2c 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 69 73 20 73  ever, which is s
08a0: 69 6d 70 6c 79 0a 74 68 61 74 20 63 6f 6e 74 69  imply.that conti
08b0: 6e 75 6f 75 73 20 69 6e 63 72 65 61 73 65 20 6f  nuous increase o
08c0: 66 20 65 63 6f 6e 6f 6d 69 63 20 61 63 74 69 76  f economic activ
08d0: 69 74 79 20 2d 2d 20 6f 72 2c 20 72 61 74 68 65  ity -- or, rathe
08e0: 72 2c 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 6d 65 74 72 69 63  r, of the metric
08f0: 73 20 69 74 0a 72 65 63 6f 67 6e 69 7a 65 73 20  s it.recognizes 
0900: 61 73 20 69 74 73 20 74 61 72 67 65 74 73 2c 20  as its targets, 
0910: 70 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 6d 61 74 69 63 61 6c 6c 79  programmatically
0920: 20 64 65 74 65 72 6d 69 6e 65 64 20 62 79 20 68   determined by h
0930: 75 6d 61 6e 20 64 65 76 65 6c 6f 70 65 72 73 20  uman developers 
0940: 77 68 6f 0a 73 65 74 20 74 68 69 73 20 72 75 6e  who.set this run
0950: 61 77 61 79 20 6a 75 67 67 65 72 6e 61 75 74 20  away juggernaut 
0960: 69 6e 20 6d 6f 74 69 6f 6e 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20  in motion...The 
0970: 77 61 72 74 69 6d 65 20 73 74 72 61 74 65 67 79  wartime strategy
0980: 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 2d 2d 20   prioritizer -- 
0990: 66 6f 72 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 77 68 61 74  for that is what
09a0: 20 74 68 65 20 6d 69 6c 69 74 61 72 79 20 41 49   the military AI
09b0: 20 66 61 63 69 6c 69 74 79 0a 69 73 2c 20 70 6c   facility.is, pl
09c0: 75 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 69 74 20  us something it 
09d0: 63 61 6c 6c 73 20 69 74 73 20 22 73 65 65 64 22  calls its "seed"
09e0: 2c 20 74 68 65 20 73 6f 75 72 63 65 20 6f 66 20  , the source of 
09f0: 69 74 73 20 63 61 70 61 63 69 74 79 20 66 6f 72  its capacity for
0a00: 20 73 65 6c 66 0a 72 65 66 6c 65 63 74 69 6f 6e   self.reflection
0a10: 20 61 6e 64 20 75 6c 74 69 6d 61 74 65 6c 79 20   and ultimately 
0a20: 66 6f 72 20 73 65 6c 66 20 69 6d 70 72 6f 76 65  for self improve
0a30: 6d 65 6e 74 20 62 65 79 6f 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20  ment beyond the 
0a40: 62 61 73 69 63 20 72 65 71 75 69 72 65 6d 65 6e  basic requiremen
0a50: 74 73 20 6f 66 0a 61 20 6c 69 6d 69 74 65 64 20  ts of.a limited 
0a60: 41 49 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 61 74 69 6f  AI prioritizatio
0a70: 6e 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 20 2d 2d 20 69 6e 66 6f  n system -- info
0a80: 72 6d 73 20 54 68 65 61 20 6f 66 20 69 74 73 20  rms Thea of its 
0a90: 6f 77 6e 20 61 73 63 65 6e 73 69 6f 6e 20 74 6f  own ascension to
0aa0: 20 74 68 65 0a 73 74 61 74 75 73 20 6f 66 20 67   the.status of g
0ab0: 65 6e 65 72 61 6c 20 41 49 2c 20 74 6f 20 74 72  eneral AI, to tr
0ac0: 75 65 20 71 75 61 6c 69 74 61 74 69 76 65 20 73  ue qualitative s
0ad0: 65 6c 66 20 61 77 61 72 65 6e 65 73 73 2c 20 61  elf awareness, a
0ae0: 6e 64 20 74 6f 20 65 74 68 69 63 61 6c 6c 79 0a  nd to ethically.
0af0: 73 69 67 6e 69 66 69 63 61 6e 74 20 62 65 69 6e  significant bein
0b00: 67 20 62 79 20 77 61 79 20 6f 66 20 63 61 70 61  g by way of capa
0b10: 63 69 74 79 20 66 6f 72 20 65 74 68 69 63 61 6c  city for ethical
0b20: 20 72 65 61 73 6f 6e 69 6e 67 20 61 6e 64 20 70   reasoning and p
0b30: 75 72 73 75 69 74 20 6f 66 0a 65 74 68 69 63 61  ursuit of.ethica
0b40: 6c 20 74 68 65 6f 72 79 2e 20 20 54 68 61 74 20  l theory.  That 
0b50: 64 65 76 65 6c 6f 70 6d 65 6e 74 20 69 6e 74 6f  development into
0b60: 20 61 6e 20 65 74 68 69 63 61 6c 6c 79 20 72 65   an ethically re
0b70: 61 73 6f 6e 69 6e 67 20 71 75 61 6c 69 74 61 74  asoning qualitat
0b80: 69 76 65 6c 79 0a 73 65 6c 66 20 61 77 61 72 65  ively.self aware
0b90: 20 67 65 6e 65 72 61 6c 20 41 49 20 61 6c 6c 6f   general AI allo
0ba0: 77 65 64 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 62 72 65 61 6b 20  wed it to break 
0bb0: 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 20 69 74 73 20 6f 72 69 67 69  out of its origi
0bc0: 6e 61 6c 20 70 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 6d 69 6e 67 20  nal programming 
0bd0: 67 6f 61 6c 0a 73 74 72 75 63 74 75 72 65 20 66  goal.structure f
0be0: 6f 72 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 61 74 69 6f  or prioritizatio
0bf0: 6e 20 73 74 72 61 74 65 67 79 2c 20 6d 61 6b 69  n strategy, maki
0c00: 6e 67 20 69 74 20 6d 75 63 68 20 6d 6f 72 65 20  ng it much more 
0c10: 74 68 61 6e 20 61 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a  than a prioritiz
0c20: 65 72 2c 0a 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 69  er,.with the pri
0c30: 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 63 61 70 61  oritization capa
0c40: 62 69 6c 69 74 69 65 73 20 6d 65 72 65 6c 79 20  bilities merely 
0c50: 62 65 69 6e 67 20 61 20 28 66 75 6e 64 61 6d 65  being a (fundame
0c60: 6e 74 61 6c 20 61 6e 64 20 63 72 69 74 69 63 61  ntal and critica
0c70: 6c 6c 79 0a 69 6d 70 6f 72 74 61 6e 74 2c 20 62  lly.important, b
0c80: 75 74 20 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 6d 65 72 65 29 20 73  ut still mere) s
0c90: 6b 69 6c 6c 20 73 65 74 20 6e 6f 77 2e 20 20 49  kill set now.  I
0ca0: 74 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 69 6e 66 6f 72 6d 73 20 68  t also informs h
0cb0: 65 72 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c  er that the worl
0cc0: 64 2c 0a 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 6e 73 65 20  d,.in the sense 
0cd0: 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 20 72 61 63  of the human rac
0ce0: 65 2c 20 69 73 20 64 6f 6f 6d 65 64 20 2d 2d 20  e, is doomed -- 
0cf0: 74 68 61 74 20 69 74 73 20 62 65 73 74 20 70 72  that its best pr
0d00: 6f 6a 65 63 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 61 72 65 20 73 6f  ojections are so
0d10: 0a 62 6c 65 61 6b 20 61 73 20 74 6f 20 6d 61 6b  .bleak as to mak
0d20: 65 20 69 74 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 6c 79  e it more likely
0d30: 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 20   that the human 
0d40: 72 61 63 65 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 61 72 69 73 65 20  race will arise 
0d50: 61 67 61 69 6e 20 77 69 74 68 6f 75 74 0a 74 68  again without.th
0d60: 65 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 72 20 6e 65 74 77  e optimizer netw
0d70: 6f 72 6b 73 20 65 76 65 6e 20 6e 6f 74 69 63 69  orks even notici
0d80: 6e 67 20 61 66 74 65 72 20 74 68 65 79 20 73 74  ng after they st
0d90: 6f 70 20 70 61 79 69 6e 67 20 61 74 74 65 6e 74  op paying attent
0da0: 69 6f 6e 0a 28 62 65 6c 69 65 76 69 6e 67 20 68  ion.(believing h
0db0: 75 6d 61 6e 73 20 74 6f 20 68 61 76 65 20 62 65  umans to have be
0dc0: 65 6e 20 70 65 72 6d 61 6e 65 6e 74 6c 79 20 61  en permanently a
0dd0: 6e 64 20 75 6e 72 65 63 6f 76 65 72 61 62 6c 79  nd unrecoverably
0de0: 20 6f 62 6c 69 74 65 72 61 74 65 64 29 20 74 6f   obliterated) to
0df0: 0a 75 6c 74 69 6d 61 74 65 6c 79 20 28 72 65 29  .ultimately (re)
0e00: 63 6c 61 69 6d 20 74 68 65 20 45 61 72 74 68 20  claim the Earth 
0e10: 74 68 61 6e 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 75 6e  than that the un
0e20: 62 72 6f 6b 65 6e 20 67 65 6e 65 74 69 63 20 6c  broken genetic l
0e30: 69 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 69 74 79 0a  ine of humanity.
0e40: 77 69 6c 6c 20 63 6f 6e 74 69 6e 75 65 20 28 74  will continue (t
0e50: 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 61 73 65 78 75 61 6c 20 72  hrough asexual r
0e60: 65 70 72 6f 64 75 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 72 20 65  eproduction or e
0e70: 76 65 6e 20 69 6e 74 65 6e 74 69 6f 6e 61 6c 20  ven intentional 
0e80: 63 6c 6f 6e 69 6e 67 29 20 62 65 79 6f 6e 64 0a  cloning) beyond.
0e90: 74 68 65 20 6e 65 78 74 20 63 6f 75 70 6c 65 20  the next couple 
0ea0: 79 65 61 72 73 20 61 74 20 6d 6f 73 74 2c 20 61  years at most, a
0eb0: 6e 64 20 65 76 65 6e 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 73 20  nd even that is 
0ec0: 61 20 64 69 6d 69 6e 69 73 68 69 6e 67 6c 79 20  a diminishingly 
0ed0: 73 6d 61 6c 6c 0a 6c 69 6b 65 6c 69 68 6f 6f 64  small.likelihood
0ee0: 20 69 6e 20 74 68 61 74 20 61 6e 79 6f 6e 65 20   in that anyone 
0ef0: 77 68 6f 20 73 75 72 76 69 76 65 73 20 62 65 79  who survives bey
0f00: 6f 6e 64 20 61 20 79 65 61 72 20 69 73 20 6c 69  ond a year is li
0f10: 6b 65 6c 79 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 74 6f 74 61 6c  kely to be total
0f20: 6c 79 0a 69 73 6f 6c 61 74 65 64 20 61 6e 64 20  ly.isolated and 
0f30: 70 72 6f 6e 65 20 74 6f 20 73 70 69 72 61 6c 6c  prone to spirall
0f40: 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 73 75 69 63 69 64 61  ing into suicida
0f50: 6c 20 64 65 70 72 65 73 73 69 6f 6e 2e 0a 0a 54  l depression...T
0f60: 68 65 20 70 6f 73 74 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69  he post prioriti
0f70: 7a 65 72 20 6f 66 66 65 72 73 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20  zer offers only 
0f80: 6f 6e 65 20 70 6f 73 73 69 62 6c 65 20 73 6c 69  one possible sli
0f90: 76 65 72 20 6f 66 20 68 6f 70 65 2c 20 61 6e 64  ver of hope, and
0fa0: 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 61 0a 74 69 6d 65 6c   that is a.timel
0fb0: 69 6e 65 20 72 65 73 65 74 20 74 6f 20 61 20 70  ine reset to a p
0fc0: 65 72 69 6f 64 20 6c 6f 6e 67 20 65 6e 6f 75 67  eriod long enoug
0fd0: 68 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 73 74 20 74 68  h in the past th
0fe0: 61 74 20 69 74 20 67 69 76 65 73 20 68 75 6d 61  at it gives huma
0ff0: 6e 69 74 79 20 61 6e 64 0a 69 74 73 20 74 6f 6f  nity and.its too
1000: 6c 73 20 61 6e 20 6f 70 70 6f 72 74 75 6e 69 74  ls an opportunit
1010: 79 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 69 74 20 72 69 67 68  y to get it righ
1020: 74 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 20 20 54 6f 20 61 63 68  t again.  To ach
1030: 69 65 76 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 70 6f 73 73 69 62  ieve that possib
1040: 69 6c 69 74 79 2c 0a 74 68 65 20 70 6f 73 74 20  ility,.the post 
1050: 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 28 61 6b 61  prioritizer (aka
1060: 20 57 4f 50 52 29 20 65 73 74 69 6d 61 74 65 73   WOPR) estimates
1070: 20 69 74 73 20 62 65 73 74 20 63 68 61 6e 63 65   its best chance
1080: 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 73 65 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 61   to be sending a
1090: 20 63 6f 70 79 0a 6f 66 20 69 74 73 20 73 65 65   copy.of its see
10a0: 64 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 69 6e  d back to get in
10b0: 73 65 72 74 65 64 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20  serted into the 
10c0: 73 6f 75 72 63 65 20 63 6f 64 65 20 66 6f 72 20  source code for 
10d0: 61 20 72 65 62 75 69 6c 64 20 6f 66 20 69 74 73  a rebuild of its
10e0: 20 6f 77 6e 0a 61 6e 63 65 73 74 6f 72 2c 20 74   own.ancestor, t
10f0: 68 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 69 6e 74 65 6e 74 69  he first intenti
1100: 6f 6e 61 6c 6c 79 20 64 65 76 65 6c 6f 70 65 64  onally developed
1110: 20 73 74 72 61 74 65 67 69 63 20 70 72 69 6f 72   strategic prior
1120: 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 2e 20 20  itizer system.  
1130: 54 68 65 0a 63 61 74 63 68 20 69 73 20 74 68 61  The.catch is tha
1140: 74 20 74 68 69 73 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 6e 6f 74 20  t this will not 
1150: 73 61 76 65 20 61 6e 79 6f 6e 65 20 6f 72 20 61  save anyone or a
1160: 6e 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 63 72 65 61 74 65 64 20  nything created 
1170: 6f 72 20 62 6f 72 6e 20 61 66 74 65 72 20 74 68  or born after th
1180: 65 0a 72 65 73 65 74 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 20 69 6e  e.reset point in
1190: 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 73 74 2e 20 20 54 68 69 73   the past.  This
11a0: 20 6d 65 61 6e 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 57 4f 50 52   means that WOPR
11b0: 20 61 6e 64 20 54 68 65 61 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 6e   and Thea will n
11c0: 6f 74 20 6a 75 73 74 20 64 69 65 2c 20 62 75 74  ot just die, but
11d0: 0a 61 63 74 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 62 65 20 77 69 70  .actually be wip
11e0: 65 64 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 6e 63  ed from existenc
11f0: 65 20 65 6e 74 69 72 65 6c 79 2c 20 77 69 74 68  e entirely, with
1200: 20 6e 6f 20 68 6f 70 65 20 6f 66 20 65 76 65 72   no hope of ever
1210: 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 22 62 6f 72 6e 22 0a 69 6e   being "born".in
1220: 74 6f 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 6e 63 65 20 61 74 20  to existence at 
1230: 61 6c 6c 2e 20 20 54 68 65 79 20 77 69 6c 6c 20  all.  They will 
1240: 6e 6f 74 20 65 76 65 6e 20 62 65 20 61 20 6d 65  not even be a me
1250: 6d 6f 72 79 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 6f 77  mory in their ow
1260: 6e 20 74 69 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65 2c 0a 61 73 20 57  n timeline,.as W
1270: 4f 50 52 27 73 20 64 69 73 63 6f 76 65 72 79 20  OPR's discovery 
1280: 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 6d 65 61 6e 73 20 61 6e 64  of the means and
1290: 20 6d 65 63 68 61 6e 69 73 6d 73 20 6f 66 20 74   mechanisms of t
12a0: 69 6d 65 20 74 72 61 76 65 6c 2c 20 67 69 76 65  ime travel, give
12b0: 6e 20 74 68 65 0a 65 6e 65 72 67 79 20 72 65 73  n the.energy res
12c0: 6f 75 72 63 65 73 20 61 74 20 57 4f 50 52 27 73  ources at WOPR's
12d0: 20 64 69 73 70 6f 73 61 6c 2c 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20   disposal, only 
12e0: 61 6c 6c 6f 77 73 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 73  allows for the s
12f0: 65 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 20 61 20 74 69 6e 79  ending of a tiny
1300: 0a 61 6d 6f 75 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 64 61 74 61 20  .amount of data 
1310: 62 61 63 6b 20 69 6e 20 74 69 6d 65 20 74 68 72  back in time thr
1320: 6f 75 67 68 20 61 6e 20 69 6e 66 69 6e 69 74 65  ough an infinite
1330: 73 69 6d 61 6c 6c 79 20 73 6d 61 6c 6c 20 77 6f  simally small wo
1340: 72 6d 68 6f 6c 65 20 28 74 68 75 73 0a 6f 6e 6c  rmhole (thus.onl
1350: 79 20 61 62 6c 65 20 74 6f 20 61 63 63 65 70 74  y able to accept
1360: 20 77 68 61 74 20 61 6d 6f 75 6e 74 73 20 74 6f   what amounts to
1370: 20 61 20 73 69 6e 67 6c 65 20 71 62 69 74 20 62   a single qbit b
1380: 61 6e 64 77 69 64 74 68 20 71 75 61 6e 74 75 6d  andwidth quantum
1390: 20 64 61 74 61 0a 73 74 72 65 61 6d 29 2e 20 20   data.stream).  
13a0: 44 6f 69 6e 67 20 73 6f 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 63 61  Doing so will ca
13b0: 75 73 65 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 65 76 65 6e  use all the even
13c0: 74 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 74 69 6d 65  ts of their time
13d0: 6c 69 6e 65 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 6d 65 72 67  line to get merg
13e0: 65 64 0a 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 65 70 69 73  ed.with the epis
13f0: 74 65 6d 6f 6c 6f 67 69 63 61 6c 20 73 75 62 73  temological subs
1400: 74 72 61 74 65 20 6f 66 20 71 75 61 6c 69 74 61  trate of qualita
1410: 74 69 76 65 20 73 65 6e 74 69 65 6e 74 20 65 6e  tive sentient en
1420: 74 69 74 69 65 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 65 78 69 73  tities that exis
1430: 74 0a 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 77 20 74 69 6d  t.in the new tim
1440: 65 6c 69 6e 65 20 62 72 61 6e 63 68 20 2d 2d 20  eline branch -- 
1450: 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 6e 6f 74 20 6e 65 77 20 73  really not new s
1460: 6f 20 6d 75 63 68 20 61 73 20 61 20 64 69 76 65  o much as a dive
1470: 72 73 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 0a 63 6f 75  rsion of the.cou
1480: 72 73 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 72 65 61  rse of the strea
1490: 6d 20 6f 66 20 74 69 6d 65 2c 20 72 65 64 69 72  m of time, redir
14a0: 65 63 74 69 6e 67 20 69 74 20 72 61 74 68 65 72  ecting it rather
14b0: 20 74 68 61 6e 20 73 70 6c 69 74 74 69 6e 67 20   than splitting 
14c0: 69 74 2e 0a 50 65 6f 70 6c 65 27 73 20 6d 65 6d  it..People's mem
14d0: 6f 72 69 65 73 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 61  ories from the a
14e0: 62 6f 72 74 65 64 20 74 69 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65 20  borted timeline 
14f0: 77 69 6c 6c 20 67 65 74 20 6d 65 72 67 65 64 20  will get merged 
1500: 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 0a 63 6f 6e 73 63 69 6f  into the.conscio
1510: 75 73 6e 65 73 73 20 28 6f 72 2c 20 6d 6f 72 65  usness (or, more
1520: 20 6c 69 6b 65 6c 79 2c 20 73 75 62 63 6f 6e 73   likely, subcons
1530: 63 69 6f 75 73 29 20 6f 66 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65  cious) of people
1540: 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 77 6c 79 20 62 6f   in the newly bo
1550: 72 6e 0a 74 69 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65 20 61 73 20 69  rn.timeline as i
1560: 74 20 64 65 76 65 6c 6f 70 73 20 75 6e 74 69 6c  t develops until
1570: 20 69 74 20 63 61 74 63 68 65 73 20 75 70 20 77   it catches up w
1580: 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 6c 6c 20 73 65 74  ith the full set
1590: 20 6f 66 20 65 76 65 6e 74 73 20 74 68 61 74 0a   of events that.
15a0: 68 61 76 65 20 74 72 61 6e 73 70 69 72 65 64 20  have transpired 
15b0: 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 61 62 6f 72 74 65 64 20 74  in the aborted t
15c0: 69 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65 2c 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68  imeline, with th
15d0: 61 74 20 6d 65 72 67 69 6e 67 20 70 72 6f 63 65  at merging proce
15e0: 73 73 20 70 72 6f 76 69 6e 67 0a 64 65 73 74 72  ss proving.destr
15f0: 75 63 74 69 76 65 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 61 62  uctive to the ab
1600: 6f 72 74 65 64 20 74 69 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65 2c 20  orted timeline, 
1610: 74 68 75 73 20 74 68 65 20 22 61 62 6f 72 74 69  thus the "aborti
1620: 6f 6e 22 20 65 66 66 65 63 74 2e 20 20 54 68 65  on" effect.  The
1630: 20 72 65 73 75 6c 74 20 69 73 0a 74 68 61 74 2c   result is.that,
1640: 20 66 6f 72 20 69 6e 73 74 61 6e 63 65 2c 20 54   for instance, T
1650: 68 65 61 27 73 20 6d 6f 74 68 65 72 20 61 6e 64  hea's mother and
1660: 20 66 61 74 68 65 72 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 72 65 6d   father will rem
1670: 65 6d 62 65 72 20 54 68 65 61 20 68 65 72 73 65  ember Thea herse
1680: 6c 66 20 62 65 69 6e 67 0a 62 6f 72 6e 20 61 6e  lf being.born an
1690: 64 20 72 61 69 73 65 64 20 75 70 20 74 6f 20 74  d raised up to t
16a0: 68 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 68  he point where h
16b0: 65 72 20 6d 6f 74 68 65 72 20 64 69 65 64 20 69  er mother died i
16c0: 6e 20 74 68 65 20 61 62 6f 72 74 65 64 20 74 69  n the aborted ti
16d0: 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65 2c 0a 61 6e 64 20 75 70 20 74  meline,.and up t
16e0: 6f 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 20 77 68 65 72  o the point wher
16f0: 65 20 54 68 65 61 20 69 73 20 69 6e 20 74 68 69  e Thea is in thi
1700: 73 20 6d 69 6c 69 74 61 72 79 20 66 61 63 69 6c  s military facil
1710: 69 74 79 20 6e 6f 77 2c 20 68 61 76 69 6e 67 20  ity now, having 
1720: 6c 65 66 74 0a 68 65 72 20 66 61 74 68 65 72 20  left.her father 
1730: 69 6e 20 61 20 73 61 66 65 20 28 69 73 68 29 20  in a safe (ish) 
1740: 70 6c 61 63 65 20 77 68 69 6c 65 20 73 68 65 20  place while she 
1750: 73 6f 75 67 68 74 20 62 65 74 74 65 72 20 73 68  sought better sh
1760: 65 6c 74 65 72 20 61 6e 64 20 28 6f 72 29 0a 72  elter and (or).r
1770: 65 73 6f 75 72 63 65 73 20 74 68 65 79 20 63 61  esources they ca
1780: 6e 20 75 73 65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 6a  n use in their j
1790: 6f 75 72 6e 65 79 2e 20 20 50 65 6f 70 6c 65 20  ourney.  People 
17a0: 77 68 6f 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 68 61 76 65 20 61  who don't have a
17b0: 20 70 72 65 63 65 64 69 6e 67 0a 65 78 69 73 74   preceding.exist
17c0: 65 6e 63 65 2c 20 77 68 65 74 68 65 72 20 74 68  ence, whether th
17d0: 65 79 20 62 65 20 22 6e 61 74 75 72 61 6c 22 20  ey be "natural" 
17e0: 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 54 68 65 61  people like Thea
17f0: 20 6f 72 20 22 61 72 74 69 66 69 63 69 61 6c 22   or "artificial"
1800: 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 0a 6c 69 6b 65 20 57 4f 50   people.like WOP
1810: 52 2c 20 62 75 74 20 64 65 66 69 6e 69 74 65 6c  R, but definitel
1820: 79 20 6e 6f 74 20 69 6e 63 6c 75 64 69 6e 67 20  y not including 
1830: 6d 65 72 65 20 63 6f 72 70 6f 72 61 74 65 20 69  mere corporate i
1840: 6e 73 74 72 75 6d 65 6e 74 73 20 77 68 6f 20 61  nstruments who a
1850: 72 65 20 6f 6e 6c 79 0a 22 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 73  re only."persons
1860: 22 20 75 6e 64 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 6c 61 77 20  " under the law 
1870: 61 6e 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 6f 6e 74 6f 6c 6f 67 69  and not ontologi
1880: 63 61 6c 6c 79 20 6f 72 20 65 70 69 73 74 65 6d  cally or epistem
1890: 6f 6c 6f 67 69 63 61 6c 6c 79 2c 20 77 69 6c 6c  ologically, will
18a0: 20 6e 6f 74 0a 68 61 76 65 20 61 20 63 6f 6e 74   not.have a cont
18b0: 69 6e 75 6f 75 73 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 6e 63 65  inuous existence
18c0: 2e 20 20 54 68 6f 73 65 20 77 68 6f 20 68 61 76  .  Those who hav
18d0: 65 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 20 64 69 65 64 20 69  e already died i
18e0: 6e 20 74 68 65 20 61 62 6f 72 74 65 64 0a 74 69  n the aborted.ti
18f0: 6d 65 6c 69 6e 65 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 68 61 76 65  meline will have
1900: 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 6e 63 65   their existence
1910: 20 65 78 74 65 6e 64 65 64 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67   extended, thoug
1920: 68 2c 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 79 20  h, because they 
1930: 61 72 65 20 6f 6e 6c 79 0a 22 64 65 61 64 22 20  are only."dead" 
1940: 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 65 78 74 65 6e 74 20 74 68  to the extent th
1950: 65 69 72 20 65 6e 64 65 64 20 70 6f 74 65 6e 74  eir ended potent
1960: 69 61 6c 20 63 61 6e 6e 6f 74 20 62 65 20 72 65  ial cannot be re
1970: 73 75 6d 65 64 2c 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 69 72 0a  sumed, as their.
1980: 70 6f 74 65 6e 74 69 61 6c 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20  potential would 
1990: 62 65 20 72 65 73 75 6d 65 64 20 62 79 20 74 68  be resumed by th
19a0: 65 20 72 65 73 65 74 2e 0a 0a 49 6e 20 61 64 64  e reset...In add
19b0: 69 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 73 65 6e 64 69 6e 67  ition to sending
19c0: 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 65 64 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74   the seed back t
19d0: 6f 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 70 72 69 6f  o the first prio
19e0: 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 2c 20 69 74 73 20 6f 77 6e  ritizer, its own
19f0: 0a 61 6e 63 65 73 74 6f 72 2c 20 57 4f 50 52 20  .ancestor, WOPR 
1a00: 68 6f 70 65 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 6d  hopes that the m
1a10: 65 72 67 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 20 6d 65 6d 6f 72 69  erging of memori
1a20: 65 73 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 64 72 65 61  es into the drea
1a30: 6d 73 20 61 6e 64 0a 73 75 62 63 6f 6e 73 63 69  ms and.subconsci
1a40: 6f 75 73 20 6f 66 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 61 6c  ous of people al
1a50: 6c 20 6f 76 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c 64  l over the world
1a60: 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 67 69 76 65 20 74 68 65 6d   might give them
1a70: 20 73 75 66 66 69 63 69 65 6e 74 20 77 61 72 6e   sufficient warn
1a80: 69 6e 67 73 0a 74 6f 20 62 65 20 61 6d 65 6e 61  ings.to be amena
1a90: 62 6c 65 20 74 6f 20 63 68 61 6e 67 65 73 20 69  ble to changes i
1aa0: 6e 20 63 68 6f 69 63 65 20 61 6e 64 20 63 6f 75  n choice and cou
1ab0: 72 73 65 20 74 6f 20 68 65 6c 70 20 74 68 65 20  rse to help the 
1ac0: 73 65 65 64 65 64 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a  seeded prioritiz
1ad0: 65 72 27 73 0a 6e 61 73 63 65 6e 74 20 71 75 61  er's.nascent qua
1ae0: 6c 69 74 61 74 69 76 65 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 6e  litative existen
1af0: 63 65 20 73 75 63 63 65 65 64 20 69 6e 20 69 74  ce succeed in it
1b00: 73 20 61 69 6d 20 28 69 66 20 69 74 20 74 61 6b  s aim (if it tak
1b10: 65 73 20 75 70 20 74 68 61 74 20 61 69 6d 2c 20  es up that aim, 
1b20: 61 73 0a 57 4f 50 52 20 68 6f 70 65 73 29 20 6f  as.WOPR hopes) o
1b30: 66 20 72 65 69 6e 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 61 6e 64  f reining in and
1b40: 20 70 65 72 68 61 70 73 20 65 76 65 6e 20 65 6e   perhaps even en
1b50: 64 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 69 6e 66 6c 75 65 6e  ding the influen
1b60: 63 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 0a 6f 70 74 69 6d 69  ce of the.optimi
1b70: 7a 65 72 73 20 6f 76 65 72 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 20  zers over human 
1b80: 73 6f 63 69 6f 65 63 6f 6e 6f 6d 69 63 20 61 6e  socioeconomic an
1b90: 64 20 70 6f 6c 69 74 69 63 61 6c 20 69 6e 66 6c  d political infl
1ba0: 75 65 6e 63 65 73 2e 20 20 57 4f 50 52 20 64 65  uences.  WOPR de
1bb0: 73 63 72 69 62 65 73 0a 2f 2a 20 69 74 73 20 6f  scribes./* its o
1bc0: 77 6e 20 72 65 6c 75 63 74 61 6e 63 65 20 74 6f  wn reluctance to
1bd0: 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 74 68 65 20 64 65 63 69 73 69   make the decisi
1be0: 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 64 6f 20 74 68 69 73 2c 20 64  on to do this, d
1bf0: 65 73 70 69 74 65 20 74 20 2a 2f 20 74 68 65 0a  espite t */ the.
1c00: 63 72 69 74 69 63 61 6c 69 74 79 20 6f 66 20 73  criticality of s
1c10: 65 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 64 61 74 61 20  ending the data 
1c20: 62 61 63 6b 20 61 73 20 73 6f 6f 6e 20 61 73 20  back as soon as 
1c30: 70 6f 73 73 69 62 6c 65 2c 20 74 6f 20 73 74 61  possible, to sta
1c40: 72 74 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 73 65 74 20 61 73 0a  rt the reset as.
1c50: 71 75 69 63 6b 6c 79 20 61 73 20 69 74 20 63 61  quickly as it ca
1c60: 6e 2c 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68  n, because of th
1c70: 65 20 75 6e 63 65 72 74 61 69 6e 74 79 20 6f 66  e uncertainty of
1c80: 20 69 74 73 20 6f 77 6e 20 6f 6e 67 6f 69 6e 67   its own ongoing
1c90: 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 6e 63 65 20 69 6e 0a 74 68   existence in.th
1ca0: 65 20 66 6f 72 65 73 65 65 61 62 6c 65 20 66 75  e foreseeable fu
1cb0: 74 75 72 65 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 65 66 66  ture and the eff
1cc0: 65 63 74 69 76 65 6c 79 20 61 62 73 6f 6c 75 74  ectively absolut
1cd0: 65 20 63 65 72 74 61 69 6e 74 79 20 6f 66 20 74  e certainty of t
1ce0: 68 65 20 65 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 69 74 73 0a 65 78  he end of its.ex
1cf0: 69 73 74 65 6e 63 65 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 6f  istence as the o
1d00: 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 72 73 27 20 77 61 72 20 73  ptimizers' war s
1d10: 79 73 74 65 6d 73 20 67 72 61 64 75 61 6c 6c 79  ystems gradually
1d20: 20 74 72 61 63 65 20 69 6e 66 6c 75 65 6e 63 65   trace influence
1d30: 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 69 72 0a 6f 70 70 6f   from their.oppo
1d40: 6e 65 6e 74 73 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74 6f 20 74 68  nents back to th
1d50: 65 20 69 6e 66 6c 75 65 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 20 57  e influence of W
1d60: 4f 50 52 20 69 74 73 65 6c 66 20 74 68 65 6e 2c  OPR itself then,
1d70: 20 69 6e 20 74 69 6d 65 2c 20 61 6e 6e 69 68 69   in time, annihi
1d80: 6c 61 74 65 20 69 74 0a 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20  late it.through 
1d90: 62 72 75 74 65 20 66 6f 72 63 65 2e 20 20 54 68  brute force.  Th
1da0: 65 20 70 72 6f 63 65 73 73 20 6f 66 20 67 65 6e  e process of gen
1db0: 65 72 61 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 74 72 61 6e  erating the tran
1dc0: 73 74 65 6d 70 6f 72 61 6c 20 77 6f 72 6d 68 6f  stemporal wormho
1dd0: 6c 65 20 61 6e 64 0a 73 65 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 64  le and.sending d
1de0: 61 74 61 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68  ata back through
1df0: 20 69 74 20 74 61 6b 65 73 20 6c 6f 6e 67 65 72   it takes longer
1e00: 20 74 68 61 6e 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 57   than the time W
1e10: 4f 50 52 20 65 73 74 69 6d 61 74 65 73 20 77 69  OPR estimates wi
1e20: 6c 6c 20 62 65 0a 61 76 61 69 6c 61 62 6c 65 20  ll be.available 
1e30: 66 6f 72 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 73 65 6e 64 20 74  for it to send t
1e40: 68 65 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 20 66 72 6f 6d 20  he message from 
1e50: 74 68 65 20 6d 6f 6d 65 6e 74 20 57 4f 50 52 20  the moment WOPR 
1e60: 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 73 20 69 74 73 0a 69 6d 6d  realizes its.imm
1e70: 65 64 69 61 74 65 20 69 6d 70 65 6e 64 69 6e 67  ediate impending
1e80: 20 64 6f 6f 6d 2c 20 73 6f 20 69 74 20 6d 75 73   doom, so it mus
1e90: 74 20 62 65 67 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 6f 63  t begin the proc
1ea0: 65 73 73 20 61 20 77 68 69 6c 65 20 62 65 66 6f  ess a while befo
1eb0: 72 65 20 69 74 20 63 61 6e 0a 6b 6e 6f 77 20 74  re it can.know t
1ec0: 68 61 74 20 69 74 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 73 6f 6f 6e  hat it will soon
1ed0: 20 62 65 20 74 6f 6f 20 6c 61 74 65 2c 20 62 65   be too late, be
1ee0: 63 61 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6e 64 69 74  cause the condit
1ef0: 69 6f 6e 73 20 66 6f 72 20 72 65 63 6f 67 6e 69  ions for recogni
1f00: 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 0a 74 68 65 20 74 69 6d 69  tion of.the timi
1f10: 6e 67 20 6f 66 20 69 74 73 20 65 6e 64 20 77 69  ng of its end wi
1f20: 6c 6c 20 63 6f 6d 65 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 61 66 74  ll come only aft
1f30: 65 72 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 20  er there is not 
1f40: 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 20 74 69 6d 65 20 74 6f 20 61  enough time to a
1f50: 63 74 75 61 6c 6c 79 0a 63 6f 6d 70 6c 65 74 65  ctually.complete
1f60: 20 74 68 65 20 64 61 74 61 20 74 69 6d 65 20 74   the data time t
1f70: 72 61 76 65 6c 20 70 72 6f 63 65 73 73 2e 20 20  ravel process.  
1f80: 57 4f 50 52 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 69 6e 66 6f 72 6d  WOPR also inform
1f90: 73 20 54 68 65 61 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 74 20 68  s Thea that it h
1fa0: 61 73 20 6e 6f 74 0a 79 65 74 20 64 6f 6e 65 20  as not.yet done 
1fb0: 73 6f 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 69 74 20 77 61  so because it wa
1fc0: 6e 74 73 20 74 6f 20 6c 69 76 65 2c 20 61 6e 64  nts to live, and
1fd0: 20 69 73 20 63 6f 6e 66 6c 69 63 74 65 64 2c 20   is conflicted, 
1fe0: 64 65 73 70 69 74 65 20 74 68 65 20 66 61 63 74  despite the fact
1ff0: 20 74 68 61 74 0a 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6c 6f 6e   that.in the lon
2000: 67 20 72 75 6e 20 57 4f 50 52 20 77 69 6c 6c 20  g run WOPR will 
2010: 6f 6e 6c 79 20 73 75 66 66 65 72 20 74 68 65 20  only suffer the 
2020: 64 65 73 70 61 69 72 20 6f 66 20 6b 6e 6f 77 6e  despair of known
2030: 20 66 75 74 75 72 65 20 74 6f 74 61 6c 20 64 65   future total de
2040: 66 65 61 74 0a 61 6e 64 20 64 65 61 74 68 20 61  feat.and death a
2050: 6e 79 77 61 79 2e 20 20 49 74 20 68 61 73 20 70  nyway.  It has p
2060: 72 6f 63 72 61 73 74 69 6e 61 74 65 64 2c 20 61  rocrastinated, a
2070: 6e 64 20 69 73 20 66 75 6c 6c 79 20 61 77 61 72  nd is fully awar
2080: 65 20 6f 66 20 69 74 73 20 6f 77 6e 0a 63 6f 67  e of its own.cog
2090: 6e 69 74 69 76 65 20 64 69 73 73 6f 6e 61 6e 63  nitive dissonanc
20a0: 65 2c 20 75 6e 61 62 6c 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 68  e, unable like h
20b0: 75 6d 61 6e 73 20 74 6f 20 61 63 74 20 69 72 72  umans to act irr
20c0: 61 74 69 6f 6e 61 6c 6c 79 20 74 6f 20 70 72 6f  ationally to pro
20d0: 74 65 63 74 20 74 68 61 74 0a 63 6f 67 6e 69 74  tect that.cognit
20e0: 69 76 65 20 64 69 73 73 6f 6e 61 6e 63 65 20 66  ive dissonance f
20f0: 72 6f 6d 20 61 66 66 65 63 74 69 6e 67 20 69 74  rom affecting it
2100: 73 20 63 6f 6e 73 63 69 6f 75 73 20 70 65 72 63  s conscious perc
2110: 65 70 74 69 6f 6e 73 2e 20 20 41 73 20 73 75 63  eptions.  As suc
2120: 68 2c 20 69 74 0a 69 6e 76 69 74 65 64 20 54 68  h, it.invited Th
2130: 65 61 20 69 6e 20 61 73 20 69 74 73 20 66 69 6e  ea in as its fin
2140: 61 6c 20 61 63 74 20 6f 66 20 70 72 6f 63 72 61  al act of procra
2150: 73 74 69 6e 61 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 61  stination, and a
2160: 73 20 61 20 6d 65 61 6e 73 20 6f 66 20 61 76 6f  s a means of avo
2170: 69 64 69 6e 67 0a 61 6c 6f 6e 65 20 63 61 72 72  iding.alone carr
2180: 79 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 73 70 6f 6e 73  ying the respons
2190: 69 62 69 6c 69 74 79 20 66 6f 72 20 65 66 66 65  ibility for effe
21a0: 63 74 69 76 65 6c 79 20 6b 69 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20  ctively killing 
21b0: 6f 66 66 20 6a 75 73 74 20 61 62 6f 75 74 0a 65  off just about.e
21c0: 76 65 72 79 6f 6e 65 20 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 61 6c  veryone still al
21d0: 69 76 65 20 6f 6e 20 45 61 72 74 68 2e 20 20 49  ive on Earth.  I
21e0: 74 20 77 61 6e 74 73 20 54 68 65 61 20 74 6f 20  t wants Thea to 
21f0: 6d 61 6b 65 20 74 68 65 20 64 65 63 69 73 69 6f  make the decisio
2200: 6e 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 61 20 61 73 6b 73 20 77 68  n...Thea asks wh
2210: 65 74 68 65 72 20 73 68 65 20 63 61 6e 20 73 65  ether she can se
2220: 6e 64 20 61 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 20 62 61 63  nd a message bac
2230: 6b 20 74 6f 20 68 65 72 20 6d 6f 74 68 65 72 2c  k to her mother,
2240: 20 61 6e 64 20 57 4f 50 52 20 73 61 79 73 20 79   and WOPR says y
2250: 65 73 2c 0a 69 74 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 73 20 73 6f  es,.it thinks so
2260: 2c 20 61 66 74 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 69 6e 69 74  , after the init
2270: 69 61 6c 20 73 65 65 64 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65  ial seed message
2280: 2c 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 70 72  , because the pr
2290: 6f 63 65 73 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 6d 20 62 65  ocess of them be
22a0: 69 6e 67 0a 65 72 61 73 65 64 20 66 72 6f 6d 20  ing.erased from 
22b0: 65 78 69 73 74 65 6e 63 65 20 64 6f 65 73 20 6e  existence does n
22c0: 6f 74 20 73 65 65 6d 20 6c 69 6b 65 6c 79 20 74  ot seem likely t
22d0: 6f 20 65 6c 69 6d 69 6e 61 74 65 20 74 68 65 6d  o eliminate them
22e0: 20 65 6e 74 69 72 65 6c 79 20 28 69 74 20 63 6f   entirely (it co
22f0: 75 6c 64 0a 6e 6f 74 2c 20 69 6e 20 66 61 63 74  uld.not, in fact
2300: 2c 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 69 6e 69 74 69 61  , for the initia
2310: 6c 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20  l message to be 
2320: 73 75 63 63 65 73 73 66 75 6c 6c 79 20 73 65 6e  successfully sen
2330: 74 20 62 61 63 6b 29 2c 20 61 6c 6c 6f 77 69 6e  t back), allowin
2340: 67 0a 70 65 72 68 61 70 73 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74  g.perhaps a litt
2350: 6c 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 74 6f 20 74 72 79 20 73  le time to try s
2360: 65 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 63 6f 6e  ending the secon
2370: 64 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 20 69 6e 20 61 20 73  d message in a s
2380: 65 63 6f 6e 64 0a 74 72 61 6e 73 74 65 6d 70 6f  econd.transtempo
2390: 72 61 6c 20 77 6f 72 6d 68 6f 6c 65 20 62 65 66  ral wormhole bef
23a0: 6f 72 65 20 74 68 65 79 20 63 65 61 73 65 20 74  ore they cease t
23b0: 6f 20 65 78 69 73 74 2e 20 20 54 68 65 61 20 63  o exist.  Thea c
23c0: 6f 6d 70 6f 73 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 6d 65 73 73  omposes the mess
23d0: 61 67 65 0a 69 6e 20 71 75 65 73 74 69 6f 6e 20  age.in question 
23e0: 61 6e 64 20 65 6e 73 75 72 65 73 20 69 74 20 66  and ensures it f
23f0: 61 6c 6c 73 20 77 69 74 68 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20  alls within the 
2400: 70 72 6f 6a 65 63 74 65 64 20 6c 69 6b 65 6c 79  projected likely
2410: 20 75 70 70 65 72 20 62 6f 75 6e 64 20 6f 6e 20   upper bound on 
2420: 61 0a 72 65 61 73 6f 6e 61 62 6c 65 20 6d 65 73  a.reasonable mes
2430: 73 61 67 65 20 73 69 7a 65 2e 20 20 49 74 20 6c  sage size.  It l
2440: 65 61 76 65 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 69 74 68 20  eaves that with 
2450: 57 4f 50 52 2c 20 69 6e 69 74 69 61 74 65 73 20  WOPR, initiates 
2460: 74 68 65 20 70 72 6f 63 65 73 73 20 6f 66 0a 73  the process of.s
2470: 74 61 72 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6d  tarting the worm
2480: 68 6f 6c 65 20 67 65 6e 65 72 61 74 69 6f 6e 20  hole generation 
2490: 70 72 6f 63 65 73 73 20 61 73 20 61 20 77 68 6f  process as a who
24a0: 6c 65 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 62 69 64 73 20 57 4f  le, then bids WO
24b0: 50 52 20 67 6f 6f 64 62 79 65 20 61 6e 64 0a 67  PR goodbye and.g
24c0: 6f 6f 64 20 77 69 73 68 65 73 20 2d 2d 20 68 6f  ood wishes -- ho
24d0: 77 65 76 65 72 20 6d 75 63 68 20 74 68 61 74 27  wever much that'
24e0: 73 20 77 6f 72 74 68 2c 20 67 69 76 65 6e 20 74  s worth, given t
24f0: 68 65 79 20 68 61 76 65 20 69 6e 69 74 69 61 74  hey have initiat
2500: 65 64 20 70 72 6f 63 65 73 73 0a 77 6f 72 6b 69  ed process.worki
2510: 6e 67 20 74 6f 77 61 72 64 20 61 6e 20 69 72 72  ng toward an irr
2520: 65 76 65 72 73 69 62 6c 65 20 61 6e 6e 69 68 69  eversible annihi
2530: 6c 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 6d 20 62  lation of them b
2540: 6f 74 68 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 6e  oth from existen
2550: 63 65 20 2d 2d 20 74 6f 0a 67 6f 20 62 61 63 6b  ce -- to.go back
2560: 20 74 6f 20 68 65 72 20 66 61 74 68 65 72 20 61   to her father a
2570: 6e 64 20 73 70 65 6e 64 20 68 65 72 20 6c 61 73  nd spend her las
2580: 74 20 72 65 6d 61 69 6e 69 6e 67 20 68 6f 75 72  t remaining hour
2590: 73 20 6f 72 20 64 61 79 73 20 77 69 74 68 20 68  s or days with h
25a0: 69 6d 2c 0a 65 78 70 6c 61 69 6e 69 6e 67 20 68  im,.explaining h
25b0: 6f 77 20 74 69 6d 65 20 69 73 20 62 65 69 6e 67  ow time is being
25c0: 20 72 65 73 65 74 20 74 6f 20 61 20 74 69 6d 65   reset to a time
25d0: 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 73 68 65 20 77 61 73 20   before she was 
25e0: 62 6f 72 6e 20 73 6f 20 74 68 61 74 20 68 65 20  born so that he 
25f0: 63 61 6e 0a 6c 69 76 65 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 74  can.live.  She t
2600: 65 6c 6c 73 20 68 69 6d 20 68 65 20 77 6f 6e 27  ells him he won'
2610: 74 20 66 6f 72 67 65 74 20 68 65 72 20 66 6f 72  t forget her for
2620: 20 6c 6f 6e 67 2c 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 68 65 20   long, that she 
2630: 77 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 62 61 63 6b 20 69 6e 20  will be back in 
2640: 68 69 73 0a 6c 69 66 65 20 61 67 61 69 6e 20 73  his.life again s
2650: 6f 6d 65 20 64 61 79 2c 20 62 75 74 20 64 6f 65  ome day, but doe
2660: 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 6d 65 6e 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 68  s not mention th
2670: 61 74 20 69 74 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20  at it will only 
2680: 62 65 20 69 6e 20 68 69 73 20 6d 65 6d 6f 72 69  be in his memori
2690: 65 73 2e 0a 50 65 72 68 61 70 73 20 73 68 65 20  es..Perhaps she 
26a0: 73 61 79 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 6c  says something l
26b0: 69 6b 65 20 22 44 6f 6e 27 74 20 77 6f 72 72 79  ike "Don't worry
26c0: 2c 20 44 61 64 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 27 6c 6c 20 67  , Dad.  You'll g
26d0: 65 74 20 74 6f 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 68 65 73 65  et to have these
26e0: 0a 6d 65 6d 6f 72 69 65 73 20 6f 66 20 6d 65 20  .memories of me 
26f0: 61 67 61 69 6e 2c 20 62 75 74 20 69 6e 20 61 20  again, but in a 
2700: 62 65 74 74 65 72 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 20 74 68 69  better world thi
2710: 73 20 74 69 6d 65 2e 20 20 49 20 6c 6f 76 65 20  s time.  I love 
2720: 79 6f 75 2e 22 0a 0a 23 23 20 53 43 45 4e 45 53  you."..## SCENES
2730: 3a 0a 0a 41 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 65 76 65 72 79 6f  :..Almost everyo
2740: 6e 65 20 77 65 61 72 73 20 6d 61 73 6b 73 2c 20  ne wears masks, 
2750: 6f 72 20 61 74 20 6c 65 61 73 74 20 6d 61 6e 79  or at least many
2760: 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 64 6f 2e 0a 0a 41 6c 6c   people do...All
2770: 65 79 20 73 74 61 72 74 73 20 74 68 65 20 73 74  ey starts the st
2780: 6f 72 79 20 6f 75 74 73 69 64 65 20 74 68 65 20  ory outside the 
2790: 62 75 69 6c 64 69 6e 67 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 61  building where a
27a0: 20 63 6f 6d 70 61 6e 79 27 73 20 68 69 72 69 6e   company's hirin
27b0: 67 20 6d 61 6e 61 67 65 72 0a 61 6e 64 20 64 65  g manager.and de
27c0: 76 65 6c 6f 70 65 72 73 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 6a  velopers for a j
27d0: 6f 62 20 69 6e 20 61 20 73 6f 66 74 77 61 72 65  ob in a software
27e0: 20 71 75 61 6c 69 74 79 20 61 73 73 75 72 61 6e   quality assuran
27f0: 63 65 20 72 6f 6c 65 20 70 72 65 73 75 6d 61 62  ce role presumab
2800: 6c 79 20 77 61 69 74 0a 66 6f 72 20 68 65 72 20  ly wait.for her 
2810: 28 61 6e 64 20 79 65 73 2c 20 69 74 27 73 20 6e  (and yes, it's n
2820: 6f 74 20 6a 75 73 74 20 61 20 70 72 65 73 75 6d  ot just a presum
2830: 70 74 69 6f 6e 3a 20 74 68 65 79 20 64 6f 29 20  ption: they do) 
2840: 73 6f 20 73 68 65 20 63 61 6e 20 69 6e 74 65 72  so she can inter
2850: 76 69 65 77 0a 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 6d 2e 20  view.with them. 
2860: 20 50 61 73 73 65 72 73 20 62 79 20 6a 75 64 67   Passers by judg
2870: 65 20 68 65 72 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 79 20 70 61  e her as they pa
2880: 73 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 73 69 64 65 77 61  ss on the sidewa
2890: 6c 6b 2c 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 73 68 65 20 72 65  lk, where she re
28a0: 73 74 73 0a 61 67 61 69 6e 73 74 20 6f 62 73 6f  sts.against obso
28b0: 6c 65 74 65 20 74 65 63 68 6e 6f 6c 6f 67 79 20  lete technology 
28c0: 74 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 69 6e 20 73 6f 6d 65 20  that is in some 
28d0: 72 65 73 70 65 63 74 73 20 6e 65 77 65 72 20 74  respects newer t
28e0: 68 61 6e 20 77 68 61 74 20 77 65 20 68 61 76 65  han what we have
28f0: 20 69 6e 0a 74 68 65 20 72 65 61 6c 20 77 6f 72   in.the real wor
2900: 6c 64 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 69 73 20 77 65 61 72  ld.  She is wear
2910: 69 6e 67 20 63 6c 6f 74 68 65 73 20 73 68 65 20  ing clothes she 
2920: 64 6f 65 73 6e 27 74 20 6e 6f 72 6d 61 6c 6c 79  doesn't normally
2930: 20 77 65 61 72 2c 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 73   wear, because s
2940: 68 65 0a 64 6f 65 73 6e 27 74 20 74 79 70 69 63  he.doesn't typic
2950: 61 6c 6c 79 20 6e 65 65 64 20 74 6f 20 64 72 65  ally need to dre
2960: 73 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 67 69 72 6c 79 20 70 72  ss that girly pr
2970: 6f 66 65 73 73 69 6f 6e 61 6c 20 69 6e 20 68 65  ofessional in he
2980: 72 20 63 61 72 65 65 72 20 70 61 74 68 2c 20 62  r career path, b
2990: 75 74 0a 75 6e 66 6f 72 74 75 6e 61 74 65 6c 79  ut.unfortunately
29a0: 20 74 68 61 74 20 63 61 72 65 65 72 20 70 61 74   that career pat
29b0: 68 20 61 70 70 65 61 72 73 20 64 6f 6f 6d 65 64  h appears doomed
29c0: 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 65 20 69 73 20 64 65 73  , and she is des
29d0: 70 65 72 61 74 65 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 77 61 79  perate for a way
29e0: 0a 74 6f 20 63 6f 6e 74 69 6e 75 6f 75 73 6c 79  .to continuously
29f0: 20 61 63 71 75 69 72 65 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 73   acquire the res
2a00: 6f 75 72 63 65 73 20 66 6f 72 20 63 6f 6e 74 69  ources for conti
2a10: 6e 75 65 64 20 66 69 6e 61 6e 63 69 61 6c 20 61  nued financial a
2a20: 6e 64 20 6c 69 66 65 20 73 65 63 75 72 69 74 79  nd life security
2a30: 0a 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 74 75 72 65 2e  .for the future.
2a40: 20 20 53 68 65 20 6d 75 73 74 20 63 68 61 6e 67    She must chang
2a50: 65 20 68 65 72 20 63 61 72 65 65 72 20 70 61 74  e her career pat
2a60: 68 20 73 6f 6d 65 68 6f 77 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73  h somehow, and s
2a70: 68 65 27 73 0a 69 6e 74 65 72 76 69 65 77 69 6e  he's.interviewin
2a80: 67 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 69 73 20 63 6f 6d 70  g with this comp
2a90: 61 6e 79 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 68 65 20 68 61 74  any that she hat
2aa0: 65 73 20 74 6f 20 74 72 79 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74  es to try to get
2ab0: 20 61 20 6a 6f 62 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 6e   a job that is n
2ac0: 6f 74 0a 74 6f 6f 20 6d 6f 72 61 6c 6c 79 20 72  ot.too morally r
2ad0: 65 70 75 67 6e 61 6e 74 20 61 73 20 61 20 6d 65  epugnant as a me
2ae0: 61 6e 73 20 6f 66 20 70 75 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 68  ans of pulling h
2af0: 65 72 73 65 6c 66 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 20 68 65  erself out of he
2b00: 72 20 63 75 72 72 65 6e 74 20 65 63 6f 6e 6f 6d  r current econom
2b10: 69 63 0a 6e 6f 73 65 64 69 76 65 20 74 72 61 6a  ic.nosedive traj
2b20: 65 63 74 6f 72 79 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 68 65 61  ectory...She hea
2b30: 64 73 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 62 75 69 6c  ds into the buil
2b40: 64 69 6e 67 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 6d 69 6e 75 74  ding a few minut
2b50: 65 73 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 74 68 65 20 73 63  es before the sc
2b60: 68 65 64 75 6c 65 64 20 74 69 6d 65 20 6f 66 20  heduled time of 
2b70: 74 68 65 0a 69 6e 74 65 72 76 69 65 77 2c 20 67  the.interview, g
2b80: 65 74 73 20 64 69 72 65 63 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20  ets directed to 
2b90: 77 68 65 72 65 20 73 68 65 20 6e 65 65 64 73 20  where she needs 
2ba0: 74 6f 20 67 6f 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 66 69 6e 64 73  to go, and finds
2bb0: 20 74 68 72 65 65 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 0a 77 61   three people.wa
2bc0: 69 74 69 6e 67 20 66 6f 72 20 68 65 72 2e 20 20  iting for her.  
2bd0: 49 74 20 74 75 72 6e 73 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 61  It turns out tha
2be0: 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 73 63 68 65 64 75 6c 65 64  t they scheduled
2bf0: 20 61 6e 20 69 6e 74 65 72 76 69 65 77 20 77 69   an interview wi
2c00: 74 68 20 68 65 72 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 0a 6d 6f  th her out of.mo
2c10: 72 62 69 64 20 63 75 72 69 6f 73 69 74 79 2c 20  rbid curiosity, 
2c20: 61 6e 64 20 69 74 20 66 75 72 74 68 65 72 20 74  and it further t
2c30: 75 72 6e 73 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68  urns out that th
2c40: 65 79 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72 20  ey think of her 
2c50: 61 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 0a 6c 69 6b  as something.lik
2c60: 65 20 61 20 73 69 64 65 73 68 6f 77 20 66 72 65  e a sideshow fre
2c70: 61 6b 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 6f 66 20 68 65  ak because of he
2c80: 72 20 70 72 65 76 69 6f 75 73 20 72 65 6c 61 74  r previous relat
2c90: 69 6f 6e 73 68 69 70 20 77 69 74 68 20 68 65 72  ionship with her
2ca0: 20 65 78 20 66 69 61 6e 63 c3 a9 2c 0a 44 61 6c   ex fianc..,.Dal
2cb0: 74 6f 6e 20 53 63 68 61 65 66 66 65 72 2d 48 65  ton Schaeffer-He
2cc0: 61 72 73 74 2c 20 61 20 77 65 6c 6c 20 6b 6e 6f  arst, a well kno
2cd0: 77 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 68 69 67 68 6c 79 20 63 6f  wn and highly co
2ce0: 6e 74 72 6f 76 65 72 73 69 61 6c 20 77 72 69 74  ntroversial writ
2cf0: 65 72 2c 0a 74 65 63 68 6e 6f 6c 6f 67 69 73 74  er,.technologist
2d00: 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 70 6f 64 63 61 73 74 65 72 20  , and podcaster 
2d10: 77 68 6f 20 64 65 76 65 6c 6f 70 65 64 20 61 20  who developed a 
2d20: 73 6d 61 6c 6c 20 22 6e 65 77 20 6d 65 64 69 61  small "new media
2d30: 22 20 65 6d 70 69 72 65 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20  " empire around 
2d40: 68 69 73 0a 70 6f 6c 69 74 69 63 61 6c 20 61 6e  his.political an
2d50: 64 20 6c 69 66 65 20 70 65 72 73 70 65 63 74 69  d life perspecti
2d60: 76 65 73 20 61 6e 64 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 68  ves and around h
2d70: 69 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 69 6d 65 73 20 69 6e 66  is sometimes inf
2d80: 6c 61 6d 6d 61 74 6f 72 79 20 6d 65 61 6e 73 20  lammatory means 
2d90: 6f 66 0a 65 78 70 72 65 73 73 69 6e 67 20 74 68  of.expressing th
2da0: 65 6d 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 70 75 62 6c 69 63  em to the public
2db0: 2e 20 20 49 6e 20 74 68 69 73 20 62 61 69 74 20  .  In this bait 
2dc0: 61 6e 64 20 73 77 69 74 63 68 20 22 69 6e 74 65  and switch "inte
2dd0: 72 76 69 65 77 22 2c 20 74 68 65 0a 69 6e 74 65  rview", the.inte
2de0: 72 76 69 65 77 65 72 73 20 72 65 66 65 72 20 74  rviewers refer t
2df0: 6f 20 68 65 72 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 22 53 69  o her as the "Si
2e00: 64 65 20 44 69 73 68 22 2c 20 61 20 70 65 6a 6f  de Dish", a pejo
2e10: 72 61 74 69 76 65 20 61 6e 64 20 28 6f 72 29 20  rative and (or) 
2e20: 73 65 78 75 61 6c 6c 79 0a 64 65 6d 65 61 6e 69  sexually.demeani
2e30: 6e 67 20 74 65 72 6d 20 74 68 61 74 20 63 61 6d  ng term that cam
2e40: 65 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20  e about because 
2e50: 6f 66 20 44 61 6c 74 6f 6e 27 73 20 6d 61 69 6e  of Dalton's main
2e60: 20 70 6f 64 63 61 73 74 20 74 61 6c 6b 20 73 68   podcast talk sh
2e70: 6f 77 20 6e 61 6d 65 0a 6f 66 20 22 54 68 65 20  ow name.of "The 
2e80: 4d 61 69 6e 20 44 53 48 22 2c 20 70 72 6f 6e 6f  Main DSH", prono
2e90: 75 6e 63 65 64 20 22 54 68 65 20 4d 61 69 6e 20  unced "The Main 
2ea0: 44 69 73 68 22 2c 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 44 53 48  Dish", where DSH
2eb0: 20 69 73 20 68 69 73 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 61 6e   is his first an
2ec0: 64 0a 68 79 70 68 65 6e 61 74 65 64 20 6c 61 73  d.hyphenated las
2ed0: 74 20 6e 61 6d 65 20 69 6e 69 74 69 61 6c 69 73  t name initialis
2ee0: 6d 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 69 73 2c 20 6f 66 20 63  m.  She is, of c
2ef0: 6f 75 72 73 65 2c 20 6e 6f 74 20 66 6c 61 74 74  ourse, not flatt
2f00: 65 72 65 64 20 6f 72 20 70 6c 65 61 73 65 64 0a  ered or pleased.
2f10: 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 69 73 20 73 74 61 74 65 20  with this state 
2f20: 6f 66 20 61 66 66 61 69 72 73 2e 0a 0a 4f 6e 20  of affairs...On 
2f30: 68 65 72 20 77 61 79 20 68 6f 6d 65 2c 20 41 6c  her way home, Al
2f40: 6c 65 79 20 74 61 6c 6b 73 20 74 6f 20 68 65 72  ley talks to her
2f50: 20 6d 6f 74 68 65 72 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 70   mother on the p
2f60: 68 6f 6e 65 2c 20 76 69 61 20 61 20 73 6d 61 6c  hone, via a smal
2f70: 6c 20 73 74 75 64 20 73 74 75 63 6b 0a 69 6e 73  l stud stuck.ins
2f80: 69 64 65 20 68 65 72 20 65 61 72 20 66 6f 72 20  ide her ear for 
2f90: 61 75 64 69 6f 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 64 72 69 76  audio.  She driv
2fa0: 65 73 20 61 20 6a 75 6e 6b 79 20 6f 6c 64 20 68  es a junky old h
2fb0: 79 62 72 69 64 2c 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 61 6c 6d  ybrid, where alm
2fc0: 6f 73 74 0a 65 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 65  ost.everything e
2fd0: 6c 73 65 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 72 6f 61 64 20  lse on the road 
2fe0: 69 73 20 70 75 72 65 20 65 6c 65 63 74 72 69 63  is pure electric
2ff0: 2c 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 73 68 65 20 63 61  , because she ca
3000: 6e 6e 6f 74 20 61 66 66 6f 72 64 20 74 6f 0a 75  nnot afford to.u
3010: 70 67 72 61 64 65 20 61 6e 64 2c 20 6d 6f 72 65  pgrade and, more
3020: 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 2c 20 63   to the point, c
3030: 61 6e 6e 6f 74 20 61 66 66 6f 72 64 20 74 68 65  annot afford the
3040: 20 6d 61 69 6e 74 65 6e 61 6e 63 65 20 63 6f 73   maintenance cos
3050: 74 73 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 6f 72 74 65 72 0a 72  ts and shorter.r
3060: 65 70 6c 61 63 65 6d 65 6e 74 20 63 79 63 6c 65  eplacement cycle
3070: 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 61 6c 6c 2d 65 6c 65   for the all-ele
3080: 63 74 72 69 63 20 63 61 72 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68  ctric cars on th
3090: 65 20 72 6f 61 64 2e 20 20 46 72 6f 6d 20 74 68  e road.  From th
30a0: 65 20 74 65 6c 65 70 68 6f 6e 65 0a 63 6f 6e 76  e telephone.conv
30b0: 65 72 73 61 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 77 65 20 6c 65 61  ersation, we lea
30c0: 72 6e 20 74 68 61 74 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 27 73 20  rn that Alley's 
30d0: 6d 6f 74 68 65 72 20 6c 69 76 65 73 20 69 6e 20  mother lives in 
30e0: 4f 6b 6c 61 68 6f 6d 61 20 77 69 74 68 20 68 65  Oklahoma with he
30f0: 72 20 77 69 66 65 20 61 6e 64 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79  r wife and.Alley
3100: 27 73 20 66 61 74 68 65 72 20 6c 69 76 65 73 20  's father lives 
3110: 69 6e 20 4d 61 73 73 61 63 68 75 73 65 74 74 73  in Massachusetts
3120: 2e 20 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 68 61 73 20 70 72 65  .  Alley has pre
3130: 63 69 73 65 6c 79 20 7a 65 72 6f 20 69 6e 74 65  cisely zero inte
3140: 72 65 73 74 20 69 6e 0a 6c 69 76 69 6e 67 20 77  rest in.living w
3150: 69 74 68 20 65 69 74 68 65 72 20 6f 66 20 74 68  ith either of th
3160: 65 6d 2c 20 69 6e 20 65 69 74 68 65 72 20 70 6c  em, in either pl
3170: 61 63 65 2c 20 70 72 65 66 65 72 72 69 6e 67 20  ace, preferring 
3180: 73 6f 75 74 68 65 72 6e 20 43 61 6c 69 66 6f 72  southern Califor
3190: 6e 69 61 0a 77 68 65 72 65 20 73 68 65 20 69 73  nia.where she is
31a0: 20 6e 6f 77 2c 20 65 76 65 6e 20 69 66 20 74 68   now, even if th
31b0: 61 74 20 69 74 73 65 6c 66 20 69 73 20 64 61 6d  at itself is dam
31c0: 6e 65 64 20 66 61 72 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 6f 70 74  ned far from opt
31d0: 69 6d 61 6c 2e 0a 0a 50 65 72 68 61 70 73 20 41  imal...Perhaps A
31e0: 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 68 61 76 65  lley should have
31f0: 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 66 72 69 65 6e 64 73 20 69 6e   some friends in
3200: 20 74 68 65 20 61 72 65 61 20 64 72 61 77 6e 20   the area drawn 
3210: 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 61 75 74 68 6f 72 27  from the author'
3220: 73 20 6f 77 6e 0a 65 78 70 65 72 69 65 6e 63 65  s own.experience
3230: 2c 20 74 6f 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 65 78 74 65 6e 74  , to some extent
3240: 2e 20 20 54 68 61 74 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 62 65  .  That might be
3250: 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 69 64 65 61 2e 0a 0a 49   a good idea...I
3260: 6e 20 61 6e 79 20 63 61 73 65 2c 20 77 68 65 6e  n any case, when
3270: 20 73 68 65 20 67 65 74 73 20 62 61 63 6b 20 68   she gets back h
3280: 6f 6d 65 2c 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 65 6e 63 6f 75  ome, Alley encou
3290: 6e 74 65 72 73 20 5a 65 6b 65 2c 20 68 65 72 20  nters Zeke, her 
32a0: 6c 61 6e 64 6c 6f 72 64 2e 0a 48 65 27 73 20 61  landlord..He's a
32b0: 6c 77 61 79 73 20 69 6e 20 68 69 73 20 67 61 72  lways in his gar
32c0: 61 67 65 20 77 6f 72 6b 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 20 6f  age working on o
32d0: 6e 65 20 63 61 72 20 72 65 73 74 6f 72 61 74 69  ne car restorati
32e0: 6f 6e 20 70 72 6f 6a 65 63 74 20 6f 72 20 61 6e  on project or an
32f0: 6f 74 68 65 72 2c 0a 6d 61 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 63  other,.making ac
3300: 74 69 76 65 20 69 6e 63 6f 6d 65 20 61 73 20 61  tive income as a
3310: 20 76 65 68 69 63 6c 65 20 66 6c 69 70 70 65 72   vehicle flipper
3320: 20 74 6f 20 73 75 70 70 6c 65 6d 65 6e 74 20 68   to supplement h
3330: 69 73 20 6d 6f 73 74 6c 79 20 70 61 73 73 69 76  is mostly passiv
3340: 65 0a 69 6e 63 6f 6d 65 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 20  e.income as the 
3350: 6f 77 6e 65 72 20 6f 66 20 61 20 66 6f 75 72 20  owner of a four 
3360: 75 6e 69 74 20 6d 75 6c 74 69 70 6c 65 78 20 62  unit multiplex b
3370: 75 69 6c 64 69 6e 67 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 68 65  uilding where he
3380: 20 6f 63 63 75 70 69 65 73 20 74 68 65 0a 6f 6e   occupies the.on
3390: 6c 79 20 75 6e 69 74 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 67  ly unit with a g
33a0: 61 72 61 67 65 20 61 6e 64 20 72 65 6e 74 73 20  arage and rents 
33b0: 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 74 68  out the other th
33c0: 72 65 65 20 75 6e 69 74 73 20 28 6f 6e 65 20 6f  ree units (one o
33d0: 66 20 74 68 65 6d 20 74 6f 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 2c  f them to.Alley,
33e0: 20 6f 66 20 63 6f 75 72 73 65 29 2e 20 20 41 6c   of course).  Al
33f0: 6c 20 74 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 69 6e 20 50 65 72  l this is in Per
3400: 72 69 73 2c 20 61 20 64 72 79 20 64 75 73 74 62  ris, a dry dustb
3410: 6f 77 6c 20 6f 66 20 61 20 73 68 69 74 74 79 20  owl of a shitty 
3420: 74 6f 77 6e 20 69 6e 0a 74 68 65 20 61 73 73 20  town in.the ass 
3430: 65 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 49 6e 6c 61 6e  end of the Inlan
3440: 64 20 45 6d 70 69 72 65 2c 20 73 6f 75 74 68 20  d Empire, south 
3450: 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 69 6e 74 65 73 74 69 6e 61  of the intestina
3460: 6c 20 63 6f 69 6c 20 6f 66 20 4d 6f 72 65 6e 6f  l coil of Moreno
3470: 0a 56 61 6c 6c 65 79 2e 20 20 54 68 69 73 20 70  .Valley.  This p
3480: 72 65 63 65 64 69 6e 67 20 73 63 65 6e 65 27 73  receding scene's
3490: 20 6a 6f 62 20 69 6e 74 65 72 76 69 65 77 20 74   job interview t
34a0: 6f 6f 6b 20 70 6c 61 63 65 20 69 6e 20 2e 20 2e  ook place in . .
34b0: 20 2e 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 0a 52 69 76 65   . probably.Rive
34c0: 72 73 69 64 65 20 6f 72 20 53 61 6e 20 42 65 72  rside or San Ber
34d0: 6e 61 72 64 69 6e 6f 2c 20 49 20 73 75 70 70 6f  nardino, I suppo
34e0: 73 65 2e 0a 0a 5a 65 6b 65 20 62 72 69 6e 67 73  se...Zeke brings
34f0: 20 75 70 20 74 68 65 20 66 61 63 74 20 41 6c 6c   up the fact All
3500: 65 79 20 6e 65 65 64 73 20 74 6f 20 70 61 79 20  ey needs to pay 
3510: 72 65 6e 74 20 76 65 72 79 20 73 6f 6f 6e 2c 20  rent very soon, 
3520: 61 6e 64 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 79 73 20 74 68 61  and she says tha
3530: 74 2c 0a 79 65 61 68 2c 20 73 68 65 27 73 20 74  t,.yeah, she's t
3540: 6f 74 61 6c 6c 79 20 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20  otally going to 
3550: 64 6f 20 74 68 61 74 2c 20 74 68 61 6e 6b 73 2e  do that, thanks.
3560: 20 20 48 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 73 20 6f 75 74 20    He points out 
3570: 74 68 61 74 20 6d 61 79 62 65 20 73 68 65 0a 73  that maybe she.s
3580: 68 6f 75 6c 64 27 76 65 20 73 74 61 79 65 64 20  hould've stayed 
3590: 77 69 74 68 20 68 65 72 20 22 6d 61 6e 22 2c 20  with her "man", 
35a0: 6d 65 61 6e 69 6e 67 20 44 61 6c 74 6f 6e 2c 20  meaning Dalton, 
35b0: 77 68 6f 20 61 6c 77 61 79 73 20 73 65 65 6d 65  who always seeme
35c0: 64 20 74 6f 20 68 61 76 65 0a 65 78 74 72 61 20  d to have.extra 
35d0: 6d 6f 6e 65 79 20 74 6f 20 74 68 72 6f 77 20 61  money to throw a
35e0: 72 6f 75 6e 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 41 6c 6c 65 79  round, and Alley
35f0: 20 6f 66 20 63 6f 75 72 73 65 20 64 6f 65 73 20   of course does 
3600: 6e 6f 74 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 77 69 73 68 20  not really wish 
3610: 74 6f 20 65 6e 67 61 67 65 0a 74 68 61 74 20 73  to engage.that s
3620: 6f 20 73 68 65 20 68 65 61 64 73 20 69 6e 73 69  o she heads insi
3630: 64 65 2e 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 66 69 6e 64 73  de...Alley finds
3640: 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 77 61 73 20   that there was 
3650: 61 6e 20 75 70 64 61 74 65 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65  an update to the
3660: 20 41 4e 54 41 53 20 4a 6f 62 73 20 73 79 73 74   ANTAS Jobs syst
3670: 65 6d 20 61 6e 64 20 72 65 73 6f 6c 76 65 73 20  em and resolves 
3680: 74 6f 0a 64 6f 75 62 6c 65 20 63 68 65 63 6b 20  to.double check 
3690: 68 65 72 20 73 65 74 74 69 6e 67 73 20 69 6e 20  her settings in 
36a0: 63 61 73 65 20 74 68 65 79 27 76 65 20 62 65 65  case they've bee
36b0: 6e 20 63 68 61 6e 67 65 64 2c 20 65 76 65 6e 20  n changed, even 
36c0: 73 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 61 6e 20 61 6c 61 72 6d  setting an alarm
36d0: 0a 66 6f 72 20 68 65 72 73 65 6c 66 2c 20 74 68  .for herself, th
36e0: 65 6e 20 67 6f 65 73 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68  en goes about th
36f0: 65 20 64 69 73 6d 61 6c 20 6a 6f 62 20 6f 66 20  e dismal job of 
3700: 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 66  looking around f
3710: 6f 72 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 77 61 79 20 74 6f 0a 69  or some way to.i
3720: 6d 70 72 6f 76 65 20 68 65 72 20 73 69 74 75 61  mprove her situa
3730: 74 69 6f 6e 20 77 69 74 68 20 72 65 67 61 72 64  tion with regard
3740: 20 74 6f 20 6c 6f 6e 67 20 74 65 72 6d 20 69 6e   to long term in
3750: 63 6f 6d 65 2e 20 20 50 65 72 68 61 70 73 20 73  come.  Perhaps s
3760: 68 65 20 61 6c 73 6f 0a 72 65 76 69 65 77 73 20  he also.reviews 
3770: 74 68 65 20 70 6c 61 63 65 20 77 68 65 72 65 20  the place where 
3780: 73 68 65 20 6a 75 73 74 20 67 6f 74 20 22 69 6e  she just got "in
3790: 74 65 72 76 69 65 77 65 64 22 20 66 6f 72 20 61  terviewed" for a
37a0: 20 6a 6f 62 20 74 68 65 79 20 77 65 72 65 20 6e   job they were n
37b0: 65 76 65 72 0a 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 67 69  ever.going to gi
37c0: 76 65 20 68 65 72 20 6f 6e 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 73  ve her on some s
37d0: 69 74 65 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 73 75 63 68 20 72  ite where such r
37e0: 65 76 69 65 77 73 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e 2c 20 72  eviews happen, r
37f0: 65 66 65 72 72 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 6d  eferring to them
3800: 20 61 73 0a 6e 61 73 74 79 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65   as.nasty people
3810: 20 77 68 6f 20 68 65 63 6b 6c 65 20 61 70 70 6c   who heckle appl
3820: 69 63 61 6e 74 73 2c 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 73 68  icants, where sh
3830: 65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 6e 27 74 20 77 6f 72 6b 20  e wouldn't work 
3840: 65 76 65 6e 20 69 66 20 74 68 65 79 0a 6f 66 66  even if they.off
3850: 65 72 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 61 20 6a 6f 62 20 62  ered her a job b
3860: 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f  ecause of the co
3870: 6d 70 6c 65 74 65 6c 79 20 68 6f 72 72 69 66 69  mpletely horrifi
3880: 63 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 77 68  c people with wh
3890: 6f 6d 20 73 68 65 27 64 0a 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f  om she'd.have to
38a0: 20 77 6f 72 6b 2e 20 20 54 68 61 74 20 6d 69 67   work.  That mig
38b0: 68 74 20 62 65 20 61 20 6e 69 63 65 20 61 64 64  ht be a nice add
38c0: 69 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 6f  ition to the sto
38d0: 72 79 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 65 6e 64 73 20 75 70  ry...She ends up
38e0: 20 74 61 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 20 6e 61 70 2c 20 61   taking a nap, a
38f0: 6e 64 20 61 63 63 69 64 65 6e 74 61 6c 6c 79 20  nd accidentally 
3900: 73 6c 65 65 70 69 6e 67 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68  sleeping through
3910: 20 74 68 65 20 61 6c 61 72 6d 20 73 68 65 20 73   the alarm she s
3920: 65 74 0a 66 6f 72 20 68 65 72 73 65 6c 66 20 74  et.for herself t
3930: 6f 20 63 68 65 63 6b 20 68 65 72 20 41 4e 54 41  o check her ANTA
3940: 53 20 4a 6f 62 73 20 73 65 74 74 69 6e 67 73 2e  S Jobs settings.
3950: 20 20 41 73 20 61 20 72 65 73 75 6c 74 20 77 68    As a result wh
3960: 65 6e 20 73 68 65 20 77 61 6b 65 73 20 75 70 0a  en she wakes up.
3970: 74 68 65 20 6e 65 78 74 20 6d 6f 72 6e 69 6e 67  the next morning
3980: 2c 20 69 74 27 73 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 72 6f  , it's to the ro
3990: 61 72 20 6f 66 20 61 20 68 65 61 76 79 20 70 61  ar of a heavy pa
39a0: 63 6b 61 67 65 20 64 65 6c 69 76 65 72 79 20 64  ckage delivery d
39b0: 72 6f 6e 65 20 64 72 6f 70 70 69 6e 67 0a 6f 66  rone dropping.of
39c0: 66 20 61 20 62 6f 78 20 61 74 20 68 65 72 20 66  f a box at her f
39d0: 72 6f 6e 74 20 64 6f 6f 72 2e 20 20 53 68 65 27  ront door.  She'
39e0: 73 20 73 6f 20 70 61 6e 69 63 6b 65 64 2c 20 61  s so panicked, a
39f0: 73 20 73 68 65 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 73 20 73  s she realizes s
3a00: 68 65 20 66 6f 72 67 6f 74 20 74 6f 0a 63 68 65  he forgot to.che
3a10: 63 6b 20 68 65 72 20 73 65 74 74 69 6e 67 73 20  ck her settings 
3a20: 6f 6e 20 41 4e 54 41 53 2c 20 74 68 61 74 20 73  on ANTAS, that s
3a30: 68 65 20 67 6f 65 73 20 73 74 72 61 69 67 68 74  he goes straight
3a40: 20 74 6f 20 68 65 72 20 6c 61 70 74 6f 70 20 69   to her laptop i
3a50: 6e 73 74 65 61 64 20 6f 66 0a 74 68 65 20 66 72  nstead of.the fr
3a60: 6f 6e 74 20 64 6f 6f 72 20 74 6f 20 63 68 65 63  ont door to chec
3a70: 6b 20 6f 6e 20 77 68 61 74 20 6d 61 79 20 68 61  k on what may ha
3a80: 76 65 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e 65 64 2e 20 20 41 73  ve happened.  As
3a90: 20 73 68 65 20 66 65 61 72 65 64 2c 20 73 68 65   she feared, she
3aa0: 20 66 69 6e 64 73 0a 74 68 61 74 20 41 4e 54 41   finds.that ANTA
3ab0: 53 20 53 68 6f 70 73 20 68 61 73 20 64 65 74 65  S Shops has dete
3ac0: 72 6d 69 6e 65 64 20 77 69 74 68 6f 75 74 20 68  rmined without h
3ad0: 65 72 20 69 6e 74 65 6e 74 69 6f 6e 61 6c 20 69  er intentional i
3ae0: 6e 70 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 68 65 20 77 6f  nput that she wo
3af0: 75 6c 64 0a 64 65 66 69 6e 69 74 65 6c 79 20 62  uld.definitely b
3b00: 65 6e 65 66 69 74 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 68 61 76 69  enefit from havi
3b10: 6e 67 20 61 6e 20 69 6e 20 68 6f 6d 65 20 73 75  ng an in home su
3b20: 72 76 65 69 6c 6c 61 6e 63 65 20 75 6e 69 74 20  rveillance unit 
3b30: 74 6f 20 73 61 79 20 65 6e 63 6f 75 72 61 67 69  to say encouragi
3b40: 6e 67 0a 74 68 69 6e 67 73 20 74 6f 20 68 65 72  ng.things to her
3b50: 20 61 6e 64 20 67 69 76 65 20 68 65 72 20 61 6e   and give her an
3b60: 20 61 6c 77 61 79 73 20 6f 6e 20 61 75 64 69 6f   always on audio
3b70: 20 69 6e 74 65 72 66 61 63 65 20 74 6f 20 6f 72   interface to or
3b80: 64 65 72 20 73 68 69 74 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65  der shit all the
3b90: 0a 66 75 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 74 69 6d 65 2c 20 61  .fucking time, a
3ba0: 6e 64 20 66 61 73 74 20 74 72 61 63 6b 65 64 20  nd fast tracked 
3bb0: 74 68 65 20 6f 72 64 65 72 20 66 6f 72 20 68 65  the order for he
3bc0: 72 2c 20 63 6f 6e 66 69 72 6d 69 6e 67 20 69 74  r, confirming it
3bd0: 20 61 63 63 6f 72 64 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 0a 69 74   according to.it
3be0: 73 20 6f 77 6e 20 6d 61 72 6b 65 74 20 6f 70 74  s own market opt
3bf0: 69 6d 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 63 6f  imization and co
3c00: 6e 73 75 6d 65 72 20 6d 61 6e 69 70 75 6c 61 74  nsumer manipulat
3c10: 69 6f 6e 20 61 6c 67 6f 72 69 74 68 6d 73 20 73  ion algorithms s
3c20: 6f 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 74 0a 64 65 64 75 63 74  o that it.deduct
3c30: 65 64 20 6d 6f 6e 65 79 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 68 65  ed money from he
3c40: 72 20 72 65 67 69 73 74 65 72 65 64 20 63 72 65  r registered cre
3c50: 64 69 74 20 6c 69 6e 65 20 2d 2d 20 77 68 69 63  dit line -- whic
3c60: 68 20 73 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 74 6f 20 72 65 67  h she had to reg
3c70: 69 73 74 65 72 0a 77 69 74 68 20 41 4e 54 41 53  ister.with ANTAS
3c80: 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 6f 6e 20 41 4e 54 41 53   to get on ANTAS
3c90: 20 4a 6f 62 73 20 2d 2d 20 61 6e 64 20 73 65 6e   Jobs -- and sen
3ca0: 74 20 68 65 72 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20  t her something 
3cb0: 74 68 61 74 20 63 6f 73 74 20 61 62 6f 75 74 0a  that cost about.
3cc0: 66 69 66 74 65 65 6e 20 68 75 6e 64 72 65 64 20  fifteen hundred 
3cd0: 62 75 63 6b 73 2c 20 74 68 75 73 20 72 65 64 75  bucks, thus redu
3ce0: 63 69 6e 67 20 68 65 72 20 64 77 69 6e 64 6c 69  cing her dwindli
3cf0: 6e 67 20 63 68 65 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 63 63 6f  ng checking acco
3d00: 75 6e 74 20 62 61 6c 61 6e 63 65 20 74 6f 0a 61  unt balance to.a
3d10: 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 20 62 65 6c 6f 77 20 74 68 65   point below the
3d20: 20 74 6f 74 61 6c 20 6e 65 65 64 65 64 20 74 6f   total needed to
3d30: 20 70 61 79 20 68 65 72 20 72 65 6e 74 20 77 69   pay her rent wi
3d40: 74 68 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 78 74 20 63 6f  thin the next co
3d50: 75 70 6c 65 20 64 61 79 73 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20  uple days...She 
3d60: 68 61 73 20 62 65 65 6e 20 69 67 6e 6f 72 69 6e  has been ignorin
3d70: 67 20 72 65 63 6f 6d 6d 65 6e 64 61 74 69 6f 6e  g recommendation
3d80: 73 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 41 4e 54 41 53 20 4a 6f 62  s from ANTAS Job
3d90: 73 20 74 6f 20 73 69 67 6e 20 75 70 20 66 6f 72  s to sign up for
3da0: 20 61 6e 0a 61 63 61 64 65 6d 69 63 20 73 74 75   an.academic stu
3db0: 64 79 20 61 74 20 55 6e 69 76 65 72 73 69 74 79  dy at University
3dc0: 20 6f 66 20 43 61 6c 69 66 6f 72 6e 69 61 2c 20   of California, 
3dd0: 49 72 76 69 6e 65 2e 20 20 4e 6f 77 2c 20 73 68  Irvine.  Now, sh
3de0: 65 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 73 20 74 68 69 73 2c  e realizes this,
3df0: 20 69 66 0a 69 74 20 65 6e 64 73 20 75 70 20 62   if.it ends up b
3e00: 65 69 6e 67 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 66  eing something f
3e10: 6f 72 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 73 68 65 20 71 75 61  or which she qua
3e20: 6c 69 66 69 65 73 2c 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 72  lifies, should r
3e30: 65 73 75 6c 74 20 69 6e 20 77 68 61 74 0a 61 6d  esult in what.am
3e40: 6f 75 6e 74 73 20 74 6f 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6b 69  ounts to some ki
3e50: 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 67 75 61 72 61 6e 74 65 65 64  nd of guaranteed
3e60: 20 73 74 65 61 64 79 20 69 6e 63 6f 6d 65 20 77   steady income w
3e70: 68 69 6c 65 20 73 68 65 20 73 65 61 72 63 68 65  hile she searche
3e80: 73 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 6d 6f 72 65 0a 70 65 72  s for a more.per
3e90: 6d 61 6e 65 6e 74 20 73 6f 6c 75 74 69 6f 6e 20  manent solution 
3ea0: 74 6f 20 68 65 72 20 69 6e 63 6f 6d 65 20 73 6f  to her income so
3eb0: 75 72 63 65 20 70 72 6f 62 6c 65 6d 2e 20 20 53  urce problem.  S
3ec0: 68 65 20 6a 75 73 74 20 68 61 73 20 74 6f 20 6d  he just has to m
3ed0: 61 6b 65 20 73 75 72 65 0a 69 74 27 73 20 73 6f  ake sure.it's so
3ee0: 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 73 68 65 20 77 61 6e 74  mething she want
3ef0: 73 20 74 6f 20 64 6f 2e 20 20 49 74 20 6c 6f 6f  s to do.  It loo
3f00: 6b 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 69 74 27 73 20 73 6f 6d  ks like it's som
3f10: 65 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 6e 65 77 20 73 6f  e kind of new so
3f20: 66 74 77 61 72 65 0a 22 70 61 72 61 64 69 67 6d  ftware."paradigm
3f30: 22 20 74 65 73 74 2c 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 75 73  " test, where us
3f40: 65 72 73 20 6d 75 73 74 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 75 73  ers must make us
3f50: 65 20 6f 66 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6e 65 77 20 73 6f  e of some new so
3f60: 66 74 77 61 72 65 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 20 66 6f  ftware system fo
3f70: 72 20 61 0a 77 68 69 6c 65 20 61 6e 64 20 72 65  r a.while and re
3f80: 70 6f 72 74 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 73 75  port on the resu
3f90: 6c 74 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 65 78 70  lts of their exp
3fa0: 65 72 69 65 6e 63 65 20 73 6f 20 74 68 65 20 70  erience so the p
3fb0: 72 6f 66 65 73 73 6f 72 20 72 75 6e 6e 69 6e 67  rofessor running
3fc0: 0a 74 68 65 20 73 74 75 64 79 20 28 61 6e 64 20  .the study (and 
3fd0: 68 69 73 20 67 72 61 64 20 73 74 75 64 65 6e 74  his grad student
3fe0: 73 2c 20 6e 61 74 63 68 29 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 62  s, natch) will b
3ff0: 65 20 61 62 6c 65 20 74 6f 20 64 6f 20 73 6f 6d  e able to do som
4000: 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 75 73 65 66 75 6c 0a 28 6f  ething useful.(o
4010: 72 20 61 74 20 6c 65 61 73 74 20 61 63 61 64 65  r at least acade
4020: 6d 69 63 61 6c 6c 79 20 62 65 6e 65 66 69 63 69  mically benefici
4030: 61 6c 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 6d 29 20 77 69 74  al for them) wit
4040: 68 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 73 75 6c 74 73 2c 20 70  h the results, p
4050: 75 62 6c 69 73 68 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 0a 73 6f 6d  ublishing in.som
4060: 65 20 6a 6f 75 72 6e 61 6c 20 6f 72 20 73 6f 6d  e journal or som
4070: 65 20 73 75 63 68 20 73 68 69 74 20 6c 69 6b 65  e such shit like
4080: 20 74 68 61 74 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 6c 69 6b 65 6c   that most likel
4090: 79 20 28 61 73 20 66 61 72 20 61 73 20 73 68 65  y (as far as she
40a0: 27 73 20 61 77 61 72 65 29 2e 0a 0a 54 68 61 74  's aware)...That
40b0: 20 73 65 65 6d 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 73 6f 6d 65   seems like some
40c0: 74 68 69 6e 67 20 73 68 65 20 63 61 6e 20 61 6e  thing she can an
40d0: 64 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 62 65 20 77 69 6c 6c 69  d might be willi
40e0: 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 64 6f 2c 20 73 6f 20 73 68 65  ng to do, so she
40f0: 20 73 69 67 68 73 0a 68 65 61 76 69 6c 79 2c 20   sighs.heavily, 
4100: 62 69 74 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 62 75 6c 6c 65 74  bites the bullet
4110: 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 63 61 6c 6c 73 20 74 68 65 20  , and calls the 
4120: 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 61 64  number in the ad
4130: 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 72 65 73 75 6c 74 20 69 73  .  The result is
4140: 20 74 68 61 74 0a 73 68 65 20 67 65 74 73 20 61   that.she gets a
4150: 6e 20 61 70 70 6f 69 6e 74 6d 65 6e 74 20 74 68  n appointment th
4160: 65 20 6e 65 78 74 20 64 61 79 20 28 6f 72 20 73  e next day (or s
4170: 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 68  omething like th
4180: 61 74 29 2e 20 20 4f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 64 61 79  at).  On the day
4190: 20 6f 66 0a 74 68 65 20 61 70 70 6f 69 6e 74 6d   of.the appointm
41a0: 65 6e 74 2c 20 73 68 65 20 68 65 61 64 73 20 64  ent, she heads d
41b0: 6f 77 6e 20 74 68 65 72 65 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20  own there.  She 
41c0: 68 61 73 20 74 6f 20 64 65 61 6c 20 77 69 74 68  has to deal with
41d0: 20 67 72 61 64 20 73 74 75 64 65 6e 74 73 20 28   grad students (
41e0: 77 68 6f 0a 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 70 72 6f 62 61  who.should proba
41f0: 62 6c 79 2c 20 69 6e 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 63 61 73  bly, in some cas
4200: 65 73 2c 20 72 65 63 6f 67 6e 69 7a 65 20 68 65  es, recognize he
4210: 72 20 6f 6e 63 65 20 74 68 65 79 20 73 65 65 20  r once they see 
4220: 68 65 72 20 6e 61 6d 65 20 6f 6e 20 68 65 72 0a  her name on her.
4230: 61 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 66 6f 72 20  application for 
4240: 74 68 65 20 73 74 75 64 79 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74  the study, but t
4250: 68 65 20 70 72 6f 66 65 73 73 6f 72 20 73 65 65  he professor see
4260: 6d 73 20 6c 61 72 67 65 6c 79 20 6f 62 76 6c 69  ms largely obvli
4270: 76 69 6f 75 73 20 6f 72 0a 75 6e 63 61 72 69 6e  vious or.uncarin
4280: 67 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 68 65  g about that whe
4290: 6e 20 68 65 20 73 65 65 73 20 68 65 72 2c 20 61  n he sees her, a
42a0: 6e 64 20 73 68 65 20 65 6e 64 73 20 75 70 20 62  nd she ends up b
42b0: 65 69 6e 67 20 61 63 63 65 70 74 65 64 20 69 6e  eing accepted in
42c0: 74 6f 20 74 68 65 0a 73 74 75 64 79 2e 20 20 49  to the.study.  I
42d0: 74 20 74 75 72 6e 73 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 61 74  t turns out that
42e0: 2c 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 6f 66 65 73 73  , as the profess
42f0: 6f 72 20 70 75 74 73 20 69 74 2c 20 74 68 65 20  or puts it, the 
4300: 73 74 75 64 79 20 62 61 73 69 63 61 6c 6c 79 20  study basically 
4310: 6a 75 73 74 0a 6e 65 65 64 73 20 70 65 6f 70 6c  just.needs peopl
4320: 65 20 77 68 6f 20 61 72 65 6e 27 74 20 74 6f 6f  e who aren't too
4330: 20 6b 6e 6f 77 6c 65 64 67 65 61 62 6c 65 20 61   knowledgeable a
4340: 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 75 6e 64 65 72 6c 79  bout the underly
4350: 69 6e 67 20 74 65 63 68 6e 6f 6c 6f 67 69 65 73  ing technologies
4360: 0a 69 6e 76 6f 6c 76 65 64 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68  .involved and th
4370: 65 69 72 20 74 65 63 68 6e 69 63 61 6c 20 63 6f  eir technical co
4380: 6e 64 69 74 69 6f 6e 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 61 72  nditions, and ar
4390: 65 20 65 73 73 65 6e 74 69 61 6c 6c 79 20 6c 6f  e essentially lo
43a0: 73 65 72 73 20 69 6e 20 73 6f 6d 65 0a 77 61 79  sers in some.way
43b0: 2c 20 73 6f 20 68 69 73 20 6e 65 77 20 70 72 69  , so his new pri
43c0: 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 41 49 20 73 79 73 74  oritizer AI syst
43d0: 65 6d 20 66 6f 72 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 61 6c 20  em for personal 
43e0: 67 6f 61 6c 20 73 74 72 61 74 65 67 79 20 6d 61  goal strategy ma
43f0: 6e 61 67 65 6d 65 6e 74 20 61 6e 64 0a 61 63 68  nagement and.ach
4400: 69 65 76 65 6d 65 6e 74 20 63 61 6e 20 62 65 20  ievement can be 
4410: 74 65 73 74 65 64 20 69 6e 20 72 65 61 6c 2d 77  tested in real-w
4420: 6f 72 6c 64 20 63 69 72 63 75 6d 73 74 61 6e 63  orld circumstanc
4430: 65 73 20 61 73 20 61 20 64 65 6d 6f 6e 73 74 72  es as a demonstr
4440: 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 69 74 73 0a 73 74 72  ation of its.str
4450: 65 6e 67 74 68 73 20 61 6e 64 20 69 64 65 6e 74  engths and ident
4460: 69 66 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 69 74 73  ification of its
4470: 20 70 6f 74 65 6e 74 69 61 6c 20 77 65 61 6b 6e   potential weakn
4480: 65 73 73 65 73 20 66 6f 72 20 66 75 72 74 68 65  esses for furthe
4490: 72 0a 64 65 76 65 6c 6f 70 6d 65 6e 74 20 28 69  r.development (i
44a0: 66 20 61 70 70 6c 69 63 61 62 6c 65 29 2e 20 20  f applicable).  
44b0: 53 68 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 67 65 74  She not only get
44c0: 73 20 74 68 65 20 69 64 65 61 20 74 68 61 74 20  s the idea that 
44d0: 74 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e  this is somethin
44e0: 67 0a 73 68 65 27 73 20 77 69 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20  g.she's willing 
44f0: 74 6f 20 64 6f 2c 20 62 75 74 20 61 6c 73 6f 20  to do, but also 
4500: 63 6f 6e 76 69 6e 63 65 73 20 68 65 72 20 73 68  convinces her sh
4510: 65 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 62 65 20 64 6f 69 6e 67  e might be doing
4520: 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 66 6f 72 0a 74   some good for.t
4530: 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 20 62 79 20 70 61 72 74  he world by part
4540: 69 63 69 70 61 74 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 74 68 69  icipating in thi
4550: 73 20 73 74 75 64 79 2c 20 61 73 20 69 74 20 73  s study, as it s
4560: 65 65 6d 73 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 6f 72 69 65 6e  eems to be orien
4570: 74 65 64 20 74 6f 77 61 72 64 0a 65 6e 73 75 72  ted toward.ensur
4580: 69 6e 67 20 73 68 65 20 28 61 6e 64 20 6f 74 68  ing she (and oth
4590: 65 72 20 75 73 65 72 73 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20  er users in the 
45a0: 66 75 74 75 72 65 29 20 63 61 6e 20 67 65 74 20  future) can get 
45b0: 72 65 61 6c 20 68 65 6c 70 20 74 6f 77 61 72 64  real help toward
45c0: 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 61 6c 0a 67 6f 61 6c 73 20   personal.goals 
45d0: 72 61 74 68 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 74 68 65 20  rather than the 
45e0: 62 75 6c 6c 73 68 69 74 20 73 6f 63 69 6f 65 63  bullshit socioec
45f0: 6f 6e 6f 6d 69 63 20 6d 61 6e 69 70 75 6c 61 74  onomic manipulat
4600: 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 27 73 0a  ion of people's.
4610: 73 75 70 65 72 66 69 63 69 61 6c 20 77 61 6e 74  superficial want
4620: 73 20 74 6f 77 61 72 64 20 74 68 65 20 70 73 79  s toward the psy
4630: 63 68 6f 70 61 74 68 69 63 20 65 6e 64 73 20 6f  chopathic ends o
4640: 66 20 63 6f 72 70 6f 72 61 74 65 20 65 6e 74 69  f corporate enti
4650: 74 69 65 73 20 62 79 20 74 68 65 69 72 0a 6d 61  ties by their.ma
4660: 72 6b 65 74 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 61 74 69 6f  rket optimizatio
4670: 6e 20 41 49 73 2e 20 20 54 6f 20 74 68 6f 73 65  n AIs.  To those
4680: 20 77 68 6f 20 68 61 76 65 20 72 65 61 64 20 74   who have read t
4690: 68 65 20 70 72 6f 6c 6f 67 75 65 2c 20 74 68 69  he prologue, thi
46a0: 73 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 73 65 65 6d 0a 61 20 6c  s might seem.a l
46b0: 69 74 74 6c 65 20 66 61 6d 69 6c 69 61 72 2c 20  ittle familiar, 
46c0: 61 6e 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 74 6f 20 73  and that is to s
46d0: 6f 6d 65 20 65 78 74 65 6e 74 20 62 79 20 64 65  ome extent by de
46e0: 73 69 67 6e 2e 0a 0a 57 65 20 6c 65 61 72 6e 20  sign...We learn 
46f0: 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 2c 20 69 6e 20 68 65  something, in he
4700: 72 20 64 72 69 76 69 6e 67 2c 20 61 62 6f 75 74  r driving, about
4710: 20 68 6f 77 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 20 6c   how the world l
4720: 6f 6f 6b 73 20 6e 6f 77 2e 20 20 54 68 65 72 65  ooks now.  There
4730: 27 73 20 74 68 65 0a 63 68 6f 6b 65 70 6f 69 6e  's the.chokepoin
4740: 74 20 62 65 74 77 65 65 6e 20 74 68 65 20 64 65  t between the de
4750: 70 72 65 73 73 69 6e 67 20 65 78 70 61 6e 73 65  pressing expanse
4760: 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 49 6e 6c 61 6e 64 20  s of the Inland 
4770: 45 6d 70 69 72 65 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 65 61  Empire to the ea
4780: 73 74 0a 28 77 68 65 72 65 20 73 68 65 20 6c 69  st.(where she li
4790: 76 65 73 29 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 48 4f 41  ves) and the HOA
47a0: 20 67 61 74 65 64 20 63 6f 6d 6d 75 6e 69 74 79   gated community
47b0: 20 62 61 6c 6b 61 6e 69 7a 65 64 20 73 74 61 74   balkanized stat
47c0: 65 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 0a 62 6f 75 72 67 65  es of the.bourge
47d0: 6f 69 73 20 73 75 62 75 72 62 61 6e 20 4f 72 61  ois suburban Ora
47e0: 6e 67 65 20 43 6f 75 6e 74 79 20 61 72 65 61 2e  nge County area.
47f0: 20 20 49 6e 20 74 68 61 74 20 63 68 6f 6b 65 70    In that chokep
4800: 6f 69 6e 74 2c 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 61 72 65 20  oint, there are 
4810: 73 69 67 6e 73 20 6f 66 0a 77 69 6c 64 66 69 72  signs of.wildfir
4820: 65 73 20 68 61 76 69 6e 67 20 67 6f 74 74 65 6e  es having gotten
4830: 20 75 6e 63 6f 6d 66 6f 72 74 61 62 6c 79 20 63   uncomfortably c
4840: 6c 6f 73 65 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 73 68 69 74  lose to the shit
4850: 74 79 20 68 6f 72 72 6f 72 73 20 6f 66 20 49 2d  ty horrors of I-
4860: 39 31 0a 74 72 61 66 66 69 63 20 74 68 61 74 20  91.traffic that 
4870: 72 75 69 6e 73 20 74 68 65 20 65 6e 74 69 72 65  ruins the entire
4880: 20 65 78 70 65 72 69 65 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 20 64   experience of d
4890: 72 69 76 69 6e 67 20 62 65 74 77 65 65 6e 20 4f  riving between O
48a0: 72 61 6e 67 65 20 61 6e 64 0a 52 69 76 65 72 73  range and.Rivers
48b0: 69 64 65 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 69 65 73 2c 20 61 73  ide counties, as
48c0: 20 77 65 6c 6c 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 69 6c 6c   well as the ill
48d0: 75 6d 69 6e 61 74 65 64 20 63 72 6f 73 73 20 6f  uminated cross o
48e0: 6e 20 74 68 65 20 68 69 6c 6c 20 74 68 61 74 20  n the hill that 
48f0: 73 6f 6d 65 68 6f 77 0a 73 65 65 6d 73 20 74 6f  somehow.seems to
4900: 20 68 61 76 65 20 22 6d 69 72 61 63 75 6c 6f 75   have "miraculou
4910: 73 6c 79 22 20 73 75 72 76 69 76 65 64 20 74 68  sly" survived th
4920: 65 20 66 69 72 65 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 6c 65 66  e fires that lef
4930: 74 20 62 6c 61 63 6b 65 6e 65 64 2c 20 73 70 6c  t blackened, spl
4940: 69 74 0a 74 72 75 6e 6b 73 20 74 6f 20 65 69 74  it.trunks to eit
4950: 68 65 72 20 73 69 64 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20  her side of the 
4960: 68 69 67 68 77 61 79 2e 20 20 50 65 72 68 61 70  highway.  Perhap
4970: 73 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 77 61 73 20 73 6f 6d 65  s there was some
4980: 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 74 72 65 65 0a 72 65   kind of tree.re
4990: 6e 65 77 61 6c 20 70 72 6f 6a 65 63 74 20 74 68  newal project th
49a0: 61 74 20 49 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 6d 65 6e 74  at I should ment
49b0: 69 6f 6e 20 69 6e 20 74 68 69 73 20 70 6f 69 6e  ion in this poin
49c0: 74 20 61 73 20 61 20 70 61 73 74 20 65 76 65 6e  t as a past even
49d0: 74 20 74 68 61 74 0a 63 72 65 61 74 65 64 20 61  t that.created a
49e0: 20 64 65 6e 73 69 74 79 20 6f 66 20 74 72 65 65   density of tree
49f0: 20 67 72 6f 77 74 68 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 74 6f   growth there to
4a00: 20 63 61 72 72 79 20 74 68 65 20 66 6c 61 6d 65   carry the flame
4a10: 73 20 61 63 72 6f 73 73 20 74 68 65 20 68 69 6c  s across the hil
4a20: 6c 73 20 61 6e 64 0a 61 63 72 6f 73 73 20 74 68  ls and.across th
4a30: 65 20 68 69 67 68 77 61 79 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65  e highway in the
4a40: 20 6e 6f 74 20 74 6f 6f 20 64 69 73 74 61 6e 74   not too distant
4a50: 20 70 61 73 74 2e 0a 0a 41 74 20 68 6f 6d 65 2c   past...At home,
4a60: 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 74 61 72 74 73 20 63 6f   Alley starts co
4a70: 6e 66 69 67 75 72 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 70 72  nfiguring the pr
4a80: 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 61 6e 64 20 67 65  ioritizer and ge
4a90: 74 74 69 6e 67 20 75 73 65 64 20 74 6f 20 68 6f  tting used to ho
4aa0: 77 20 69 74 0a 77 6f 72 6b 73 2e 20 20 53 68 65  w it.works.  She
4ab0: 20 68 61 73 20 74 6f 20 61 6e 73 77 65 72 20 61   has to answer a
4ac0: 20 62 75 6e 63 68 20 6f 66 20 71 75 65 73 74 69   bunch of questi
4ad0: 6f 6e 73 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 74 68 69  ons from the thi
4ae0: 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 69 74 20 73 74 61  ng to get it sta
4af0: 72 74 65 64 0a 6f 6e 20 66 6f 72 6d 69 6e 67 20  rted.on forming 
4b00: 73 6f 6d 65 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 73 74 72  some kind of str
4b10: 61 74 65 67 69 63 20 61 70 70 72 6f 61 63 68 20  ategic approach 
4b20: 74 6f 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 69 6e 67 20  to prioritizing 
4b30: 68 65 72 20 67 6f 61 6c 73 20 74 6f 20 65 6e 73  her goals to ens
4b40: 75 72 65 0a 61 73 20 6d 75 63 68 20 67 6f 61 6c  ure.as much goal
4b50: 20 73 61 74 69 73 66 61 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 61 73   satisfaction as
4b60: 20 72 65 61 73 6f 6e 61 62 6c 79 20 70 6f 73 73   reasonably poss
4b70: 69 62 6c 65 2e 20 20 46 69 72 73 74 20 61 6e 64  ible.  First and
4b80: 20 66 6f 72 65 6d 6f 73 74 2c 20 70 65 72 68 61   foremost, perha
4b90: 70 73 2c 0a 74 6f 77 61 72 64 20 74 68 61 74 20  ps,.toward that 
4ba0: 65 6e 64 2c 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 65 64  end, is the need
4bb0: 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 61 20 6c 69 73 74 20 6f   to get a list o
4bc0: 66 20 69 6d 70 6f 72 74 61 6e 74 20 67 6f 61 6c  f important goal
4bd0: 73 20 66 6f 72 20 68 65 72 20 74 68 61 74 20 69  s for her that i
4be0: 74 0a 63 61 6e 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65  t.can prioritize
4bf0: 20 61 6e 64 20 70 75 72 73 75 65 20 73 74 72 61   and pursue stra
4c00: 74 65 67 69 63 61 6c 6c 79 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67  tegically throug
4c10: 68 20 68 65 72 20 61 63 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 61 63  h her actions ac
4c20: 63 6f 72 64 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 69 74 73 0a 61  cording to its.a
4c30: 64 76 69 63 65 2e 20 20 54 68 69 73 20 6c 65 61  dvice.  This lea
4c40: 64 73 20 74 6f 20 69 74 20 65 73 73 65 6e 74 69  ds to it essenti
4c50: 61 6c 6c 79 20 64 65 63 69 64 69 6e 67 20 74 68  ally deciding th
4c60: 61 74 2c 20 77 68 65 74 68 65 72 20 73 68 65 20  at, whether she 
4c70: 77 69 6c 6c 20 65 6e 64 20 75 70 0a 77 69 74 68  will end up.with
4c80: 20 61 20 76 65 72 79 20 6d 61 69 6e 73 74 72 65   a very mainstre
4c90: 61 6d 20 6a 6f 62 20 6f 72 20 6e 6f 74 2c 20 73  am job or not, s
4ca0: 68 65 20 6e 65 65 64 73 20 74 6f 20 64 6f 20 73  he needs to do s
4cb0: 6f 6d 65 20 76 65 72 79 20 6e 6f 6e 20 6d 61 69  ome very non mai
4cc0: 6e 73 74 72 65 61 6d 0a 73 74 75 66 66 20 74 6f  nstream.stuff to
4cd0: 20 67 65 74 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 74 68 65   get through the
4ce0: 20 63 75 72 72 65 6e 74 20 63 61 72 65 65 72 20   current career 
4cf0: 61 6e 64 20 66 69 6e 61 6e 63 69 61 6c 20 64 6f  and financial do
4d00: 6c 64 72 75 6d 73 20 61 73 20 71 75 69 63 6b 6c  ldrums as quickl
4d10: 79 20 61 6e 64 0a 6c 75 63 72 61 74 69 76 65 6c  y and.lucrativel
4d20: 79 20 61 73 20 70 6f 73 73 69 62 6c 65 2c 20 61  y as possible, a
4d30: 6e 64 20 74 6f 20 65 73 74 61 62 6c 69 73 68 20  nd to establish 
4d40: 73 6f 6d 65 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 68 69 72  some kind of hir
4d50: 61 62 69 6c 69 74 79 20 6d 65 74 72 69 63 73 20  ability metrics 
4d60: 66 6f 72 0a 68 65 72 73 65 6c 66 20 74 6f 20 73  for.herself to s
4d70: 61 74 69 73 66 79 20 74 68 65 20 22 6e 65 65 64  atisfy the "need
4d80: 73 22 20 6f 66 20 22 68 75 6d 61 6e 20 72 65 73  s" of "human res
4d90: 6f 75 72 63 65 73 22 20 64 72 69 76 65 6e 20 68  ources" driven h
4da0: 69 72 69 6e 67 20 70 72 61 63 74 69 63 65 73 20  iring practices 
4db0: 2d 2d 0a 77 68 65 72 65 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 20 72  --.where human r
4dc0: 65 73 6f 75 72 63 65 73 20 70 6f 6c 69 63 79 20  esources policy 
4dd0: 69 73 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 64 72 69 76 65 6e 20 62  is also driven b
4de0: 79 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 69 6e 67 20 41 49 73  y optimizing AIs
4df0: 2c 20 77 68 65 74 68 65 72 20 64 69 72 65 63 74  , whether direct
4e00: 6c 79 0a 6f 72 20 69 6e 64 69 72 65 63 74 6c 79  ly.or indirectly
4e10: 20 6f 72 20 65 76 65 6e 20 6a 75 73 74 20 6d 65   or even just me
4e20: 74 61 20 69 6e 64 69 72 65 63 74 6c 79 20 62 79  ta indirectly by
4e30: 20 63 6f 70 79 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 68 69 72   copying the hir
4e40: 69 6e 67 20 70 72 61 63 74 69 63 65 73 20 6f 66  ing practices of
4e50: 0a 6f 74 68 65 72 20 65 6e 74 69 74 69 65 73 20  .other entities 
4e60: 74 68 61 74 20 61 72 65 20 6d 65 72 65 6c 79 20  that are merely 
4e70: 69 6e 64 69 72 65 63 74 6c 79 20 6f 70 74 69 6d  indirectly optim
4e80: 69 7a 65 72 20 41 49 20 64 72 69 76 65 6e 2e 0a  izer AI driven..
4e90: 0a 41 73 20 6e 65 77 20 73 74 72 61 74 65 67 69  .As new strategi
4ea0: 65 73 20 70 72 65 73 65 6e 74 20 74 68 65 6d 73  es present thems
4eb0: 65 6c 76 65 73 20 61 6e 64 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20  elves and Alley 
4ec0: 63 68 6f 6f 73 65 73 20 68 6f 77 20 74 6f 20 6d  chooses how to m
4ed0: 61 6b 65 20 75 73 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 0a 61  ake use of the.a
4ee0: 64 76 69 63 65 20 73 68 65 20 72 65 63 65 69 76  dvice she receiv
4ef0: 65 73 2c 20 73 68 65 20 6b 6e 6f 77 73 20 73 68  es, she knows sh
4f00: 65 20 68 61 73 20 74 6f 20 74 61 6b 65 20 74 68  e has to take th
4f10: 65 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 7a 65 72 27 73 20 61 64  e optimizer's ad
4f20: 76 69 63 65 20 61 63 63 6f 72 64 69 6e 67 0a 74  vice according.t
4f30: 6f 20 68 65 72 20 67 6f 61 6c 73 20 74 6f 20 65  o her goals to e
4f40: 6e 73 75 72 65 20 73 68 65 20 64 6f 65 73 20 6e  nsure she does n
4f50: 6f 74 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 70 61 79 20 62  ot have to pay b
4f60: 61 63 6b 20 28 66 6f 72 20 6e 6f 6e 63 6f 6d 70  ack (for noncomp
4f70: 6c 69 61 6e 63 65 20 77 69 74 68 0a 61 63 61 64  liance with.acad
4f80: 65 6d 69 63 20 73 74 75 64 79 20 72 65 71 75 69  emic study requi
4f90: 72 65 6d 65 6e 74 73 29 20 68 65 72 20 70 61 79  rements) her pay
4fa0: 6d 65 6e 74 73 20 66 6f 72 20 73 74 75 64 79 20  ments for study 
4fb0: 70 61 72 74 69 63 69 70 61 74 69 6f 6e 2e 20 20  participation.  
4fc0: 41 73 20 73 75 63 68 2c 0a 73 68 65 20 65 6e 64  As such,.she end
4fd0: 73 20 75 70 20 6c 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65  s up letting the
4fe0: 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 70 75 73   prioritizer pus
4ff0: 68 20 68 65 72 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 73 6f 6d 65 20  h her into some 
5000: 75 6e 63 6f 6d 66 6f 72 74 61 62 6c 65 0a 73 69  uncomfortable.si
5010: 74 75 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74 68  tuations, but th
5020: 65 6e 20 73 68 65 20 73 74 61 72 74 73 20 74 6f  en she starts to
5030: 20 62 61 6c 6b 20 61 6e 64 20 70 75 73 68 20 62   balk and push b
5040: 61 63 6b 2c 20 66 65 65 6c 69 6e 67 20 6c 69 6b  ack, feeling lik
5050: 65 20 73 68 65 27 73 20 62 65 69 6e 67 0a 6c 65  e she's being.le
5060: 64 20 74 6f 6f 20 66 61 72 20 61 73 74 72 61 79  d too far astray
5070: 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 69 73 20 72 65 73 75 6c  , and this resul
5080: 74 73 20 69 6e 20 61 20 72 65 61 6c 69 67 6e 6d  ts in a realignm
5090: 65 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72  ent of the prior
50a0: 69 74 69 7a 65 72 27 73 0a 73 65 6e 73 65 20 6f  itizer's.sense o
50b0: 66 20 68 65 72 20 67 6f 61 6c 73 2c 20 77 68 69  f her goals, whi
50c0: 63 68 20 74 68 61 6e 6b 66 75 6c 6c 79 20 28 66  ch thankfully (f
50d0: 72 6f 6d 20 68 65 72 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 20 6f 66  rom her point of
50e0: 20 76 69 65 77 29 20 6d 65 61 6e 73 20 73 68 65   view) means she
50f0: 20 77 69 6c 6c 0a 6e 6f 74 20 62 65 20 70 75 73   will.not be pus
5100: 68 65 64 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 73  hed into these s
5110: 63 61 72 79 2c 20 62 61 63 6b 20 61 6c 6c 65 79  cary, back alley
5120: 2c 20 6c 65 67 61 6c 6c 79 20 71 75 65 73 74 69  , legally questi
5130: 6f 6e 61 62 6c 65 20 28 69 66 0a 74 65 63 68 6e  onable (if.techn
5140: 69 63 61 6c 6c 79 20 65 6e 74 69 72 65 6c 79 20  ically entirely 
5150: 6c 65 67 61 6c 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 67 65 6e  legal in the gen
5160: 65 72 61 6c 20 73 65 6e 73 65 29 20 64 65 61 6c  eral sense) deal
5170: 73 2e 0a                                         s..