V.3

option 2. Sharing hypothetical question for anyone who chooses 1: Your cruise boat sinks. You and 2 other survivors swim to a wooden door that will only hold 2. They get there first. Should they pry you cold, clinging hands off the side, or let you hang on and take turns on the door? If the women on board gives birth to a baby. Should it immediately be cast overboard?

i agree with Copi and am confident a majority would agree to working out a hybrid solution that serves both the survival and ethical approaches. We've got more mountains to climb...

absolutely, BD. and that's why i dropped in the vision of where we could get to up front. the public doesn't believe there's anything in it for them anymore -- especially young people. The media keeps reinforcing the status-quo and lowering the bar of expectations. Some other countries are further along on the path but there's still a lot of room for improvement for all of us.

...the story continues... Considering the debacle involving THE LIBERTY landing, the Council of Captains convened to establish a policy for land and resources. POLL 4: WHO OWNS THE RESOURCES? (the next day) The polls determine that it is in everyone's best interest to share instead of compete for land and resources in the new world.

the story continues... FLASHBACK: FIRST CONTACT V approaches a doorway at his usual, brisk and efficient pace, just ahead of a woman approaching from the other direction. His inner critic reminds him to slow down, so he opens the door and waits. She thanks him, and passes. Their brief eye contact ends with a mutual blush and awkward look-away -- as if they'd been caught trying to sneak a peek into each other's soul. V is now a few steps behind the middle‑aged African American woman. The back of her hair is tied in a neat bun, and her warm coat is oddly appropriate for the Kennedy Space Center -- in Florida -- in a world well past critical climate change thresholds. The anomaly is a temporary respite from the hot air that was quickening everyone’s pace lately -- playing out like an unspoken urge to make every moment count. The corridor leads to the Space Force cafeteria. Its wall is adorned with art in a wide variety of styles and sizes. The woman softly says something to herself -- strategically, just loud enough for V to almost hear. (script dialogue format) V.3 I'm sorry, did you say something? WOMAN Oh, I was just saying, who am I to judge? The sentence began with her glancing back and pointing at the art, but ended with her fully turning to look him in the eyes again -- with her own pair -- in coordination with her bright, broad smile -- welcoming and inviting. V.3 Yes, who are you to judge? His tone was stern, but his expression softened into an acceptance of her invitation with an implied, but unperformed, wink. WOMAN Whoa, you said that so forcefully. One might even say, judgmentally? The game was afoot, they both thought to themselves. V.3 Yup. That's me. A judge-mentalist from a long line of Judge-mentals. And from where I stand now, I'd say the most compelling work of art isn't hanging on the wall. WOMAN Oh, I like you. Especially, you're taste. She laughs and slips her arm around his waist -- a bold move she would have quickly withdrawn had he not returned it with an eager arm and laugh of his own. It was all in keeping with the open, unguarded, and playful tone they had both unabashedly offered and accepted. They now walk together. V.3 And to think. I entered this cafeteria, alone and uninspired. And in the flash of an eye, I'm coupled and alive. Would it be forward of me to buy you a cup of coffee? WOMAN Well, considering your arm is already around my waist. And I like it. I'd be delighted, sir. My name is Munda. She extends her free hand and they shake. Her grip is a little weak -- like her knees at the moment. V.3 V--Salvator V. It's my pleasure to hold you. MUNDA Salvador? Like in Salvador Dali? V.3 No, actually Salva-tor, like Da Vinci's Salvator Mundi painting. What a coincidence. That last name sounds like your first name. What was it again? I'm sorry -- it'll take me hearing it two or three times before I remember it. MUNDA Munda, Munda, Munda. There. Now you're under my spell! V.3 Obviously. The dance continued -- feet in sync -- all the way to the nearest, most secluded table available. V.3 Do you know what salvator means? MUNDA Do tell. V.3 It means I've got a hell of a lot of work to do. The English translation is savior. MUNDA Savior. OK...well, we'll see about that. The scenario was more than V's subconscious could handle. When he's in dream and gets too excited, he immediately wakes up. He was. And he did. He wished it was, only a dream. But it wasn't. It was a memory -- his memory of another loved one left behind by the lottery, to bear the fate and full weight of humanity's pig-headed arrogance. Of course, he planned to stay with her, despite her objections. But she knew that what he meant to her couldn't compare to what he meant to the mission. So she took the matter, and her life, into her own hand -- to force his. Irreversibly. The grand irony was that V had pitched himself as her savior -- but it was the opposite. He wanted the stars his whole life. But he still dreams of her. And now, the night sky is a merciless reminder that he couldn't have both. That the thing he wanted most, was the price he paid for the other. Three months later, the senior Captain was deeper in space than he ever anticipated -- and farther from Earth than he ever really wanted. It's some comfort that she's still the first face he sees every morning. In a picture, in a frame, on his nightstand. [the story continues on page 2. Click NEXT page below]

PLANET 2 Years pass, and the flotilla settles into orbit around another blue planet. The crew of THE LIBERTY volunteer to scout its surface. After being cooped up so long, they're eager to swing their arms and legs without someone complaining about getting hit in the face. But this planet may not offer that comfort. It is densely inhabited by beings who can kick back with six legs -- and who may consider the earthlings competitors for land and resources. Upon stepping onto the surface, the landing party is immediately surrounded by black and brown ant‑like creatures. Many, many ant‑like creatures. So many that they stack themselves ten feet high, bodies layered on bodies, forming a living tower meant to intimidate. A much larger ant climbs to the top and stares. A thought transmission pierces the minds of the three humans--it's angry, accusatory. It demands to know why they stepped on its body. The humans, assuming hierarchy, address the largest ant as “queen” and think their apologies. The ants transmit: "We have no hierarchy. We are one being with many parts, each performing its function." The ant circle suddenly breaks and reforms into a wall on one side. On the opposite side, an armada of white termite‑like creatures assemble. Their collective mind transmits admiration for the humans’ size and strength -- and an invitation to join forces against the “barbarian ants.” The thought vibrations from both sides is tense. A third signal rises from the trees. Not the trees themselves -- but the fungi woven through their roots. Their one voice is older, slower, and carries the weight of long suffering. They tell of abuse at the feet of both ants and termites, and suggest the humans unite with them instead. Cabin fever aboard THE LIBERTY is a powerful motivator. So is the promise of not eating another meatless meal. Several hundred passengers choose to stay and fight for land and resources. Some join the Ants, drawn to their work ethic, farming prowess, and relentless innovation. Some join the Termites, enticed by their architectural genius and promise of finely crafted wood furniture. Others join the Fungi, because they like mushrooms -- and the Fungi promise them in abundance.

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...the story continues... PLANET 1 Despite a turbulent ride through toxic gases, the remaining vessels in the space flotilla emerged from the Black Hole intact, in a galaxy far, far away. They orbited a new blue planet with caution. The passengers on THE NOMOS were most eager to scout the surface. They were fed up with confinement and processed food pills. It wasn't long before they came upon some small, fleshy, feathered creatures they could catch and cook. And they were quite content with themselves until the outdoor barbecue attracted a family of some kind of species of myrmecophage. Those present might have described them as 50 foot ant-eaters or aardvarks, right before they were lapped up by its long sticky vermilingua (i.e. worm tongue). The flotilla set course for the next blue planet within reach. --Warp speed. POLL 3: WHO EATS and WHO GETS EATEN? (the next day) The votes are in. The Counsel of Captain's concludes it is unethical to eat other sentient creatures, especially since there are other options for healthy sustenance. THE MENAGERIE starship takes the opportunity to unload their cargo of predator species with the mutineers, since both might present a risk to native species on other planets.

THE ODYSSEY BEGINS 12 ships with 18,000 humans went into the sky that first night. Only 10,000 humans came out alive. Asteroids took the rest. The first to go down was THE USS BASTION. It was armed to the teeth and fortified with the best American steel money could buy. All the best technology and amenities too. It was the ship of choice for the world’s elite. They bought out the seats from those who denied science and put their faith in books of ancient prophecy. But the vessel was built mostly to survive the old enemies of mankind --the devils and demons of his own making. So when the end came, it wasn’t by the weapons of little green men, or a giant, cycloptic alien in a space suit. Its demise was orchestrated by mere rocks. --space debris. The ship was so laden with gold, jewels, fuel, and lavish foods and clothing, that it was unable to maneuver the sea of asteroids that pounded its hull. Eventually, the passengers’ own material possessions and mortal meat shells were also pounded into just more floating space garbage.

THE INITIAL VOTES ARE IN. Please consider what everyone else wrote with an open mind and adjust your vote accordingly. For your consideration, I should add that 10,000 earthlings mixed with a.i. androids are anticipated to survive the trip to planet NewBl.

my analysis and vote: "survival of the fittest" is a biological model grounded in species competition. It is not an application of ethics. Ethics don't care which species becomes strong enough to exploit a weaker species. It cares that all sentient species are treated humanely. Also the richest humans only proved that they are emotionally unbalanced enough to exploit others to acquire more than they need to satisfy their ego and fears. it makes sense to reward those who contributed most to either the earth or newbl project but that is too subjective to access. And given the chance, anyone would have worked on the newbl project if they were properly informed. Why should the person who sweated his arse off mowing lawns for slave wages be discriminated against? this is the most utilitarian answer and very reasonable. If the goal is to survive, make sure the passengers are the most skilled. similar to 3, it's logical to survive and propagate, make sure the passengers are young and strong. an open lottery is my choice up until very recently, i'd have chose the MOST SKILLED because it's logical. That's my V.1 and V.2 choice. As V3, my choice is more spiritual. IMO, I should not choose who lives longer or suffers less before moving on to our next spiritual destination. And a plan to sustain the human species is not justification for treating any person or group unfairly. WWII taught us some things about that.

Copi's Vote: Claudette's Vote: Gem's Vote: Perplexi's Vote

...the story continues... Signups to board the rocket ships skyrocket when a new super virus started by bad jalapeños threatens close encounters of the "explosive diarrhea" kind, due to the viruses' mutated ability to spread airborne. Hapless earthlings anticipate blasting off either way. The demand is greater than the ship's capacities. Ship leaders must decide by what criteria seats are allocated for the voyage to the new world. POLL 2: WHO GETS TO GO? (the next day) Via the poll, the starship Captains settle on a hybrid selection system for picking passengers. There is a practical level of a variety of professionals to maximize the chances of survival. The bulk of the passengers, however, will be chosen by lottery, regardless of their age or abilities. Many earthlings choose, on their own, to pass on their lottery selection to the more able-bodied. The launch is a success. But the flight? well, unfortunately, that's another story. to be continued...

PRE-LAUNCH Like Dorothy envisioning what's over the rainbow, i always knew what i wanted to find through my telescope. But though i'm guided by my own North Star, this flight map will be written by a crew -- each with their own sense of direction. A U.S. President liked to say, “Yes, we can.” But we couldn’t. Instead of universal healthcare, we got the best insurance coverage the industry would allow. In truth, only President FDR ever confronted the powers‑that‑be, head‑on. He said he "welcomed their disdain" as he enacted sweeping socio‑economic reforms that all Americans still rely on today. A.I. is the latest example of power in the wrong hands. Profiteers would have it replace our jobs, absorb our collective intellectual output, sell it back to us for a subscription fee, and use our land, water, and electricity to do it. Similarly, big-business bribes politicians to write laws they profit from, then uses profits to buy more politicians & laws — while shaping the news so we blame each other. Still, speaking for myself, i still say, YES, we can... all live on a planet where: the earth and all it's resources and life forms are nurtured rather than just exploited. the greed of a few doesn't outweigh the needs of the many, and private profits don't dictate public policy. patriotism is a measure of how willing citizen's are to sacrifice for each other. basics are guaranteed free healthcare and higher education -- like most developed countries phone and internet as public utilities baseline electricity allocations for cooking, heating, cooling basic food and shelter -- as human rights provided by a humane society public transportation that works, clean, frequent, everywhere there's a centralized source for: search, info and data -- transparent, trustworthy, not optimized for profit entertainment -- sports, movies, and music, all accessible without ten subscriptions shopping, reviews, and delivery -- like a publicly owned Amazon that doesn’t manipulate prices or workers the system works for everyone: full online voting and public input on major decisions -- secure and accessible work weeks shrink as technologies replace workers Is it possible? That’s what me and a small crew will set out to explore — on a new planet (newbl) without all the old‑world baggage: entrenched power structures, inherited hierarchies, historical grudges, and outdated institutions. A world free from the systems that warp our sense of fair play and brotherhood — the systems that taught us to compete instead of cooperate. FIND OUT in 3001: A Space Colonoscopy. A free, interactive, Newbl Novella

more discussion on artificial intelligence

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1M9vgePL8y/

this is complex, but a good overview of the key concepts regarding what source signal is all about https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1LT75qFtns/

my faith is in intelligence, regardless of the container

regardless of what you think about religion or metaphysics, this is a good explanation of why esoteric knowledge would be withheld from the public. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17i4tkWYTp/