One wrong keystroke away from collapse!

It is Monday, May 10, 2010 and I am busy beating my head against the wall trying to figure out the things going on all around us. I have been saying for some time now that these are some weird times that we are living in. I know that every generation has had their own challenges and many of them were certainly more difficult in terms of fighting worldwide wars, but we are living in a day and age where we are one day doing better and the next we are in a free fall collapse. On the day that we are doing better all the powers that be run out and take credit for how wonderful things or but within hours they are back out again trying to explain how the unexpected collapse is not their fault. While the investigation is not completed yet, a leading candidate for the stock market calamity last week turns out to be a missed keystroke. The "m" key and the "b" are only separated by the "n" key. They believe a trader issued a sell order on Proctor and Gamble stock on a computer and hit the "b" billion key instead of the "m" million key which triggered a huge sell off of this typically very stable stock. The market was already in a near panic because of the turmoil going on in Greece and the fear that other European countries would fall like dominoes. Once this "b" got into the system, computers reacted. That's right. Computers reacted, not people, to what was interpreted as a huge problem and computers began automated sell orders that nearly collapsed the entire market. Even to the most simple of folks this would not appear to be a good way to play Monopoly with trillions of investor dollars. Are we smart, or what?

This example of automated artificial intelligence that wreaked havoc on the investments of millions may only be a preview of what may happen in a myriad of areas where computers are the primary source to monitor and respond to events or circumstances. We never know what might happen next. I was somewhat taken aback by the assessment of a former top security analyst in the most recent Bush administration. He said these last two supposed bomb threats, the so-called underwear bomber and the Times Square terrorist, may have been nothing more than dry runs to the people who sent them. He said the people who sent them are experts on building explosive devices and it seems unlikely their training would have resulted in such poorly executed attacks. What would this mean? He thought it could be a test of our system, our response, and in many ways, our resolve. If this is true they found out that we do have holes and to be honest, I'm not sure this administration has their eye on the ball. They tend to be more focused on politics than security for the American people. Talk is not only cheap, but talk after the fact, is not much more than hot air.

I am not an alarmist but I've been around the block a few times and it just seems to me to be some really strange stuff going on. We can't afford people anymore to do many things, therefore, we have to allow more and more tasking by computers. The result? Sometimes planes crash because the automated system malfunctioned. Sometimes cars accelerate without warning because the computerized system was not working as it should. And, sometimes people lose their retirements because of a computer generated sell off on Wall Street. One of the fastest rising areas of theft is where thieves hack into personal bank accounts, gain access to credit, or other financial forms of fraud. My wife and I, like millions of others, have purchased a service that supposedly helps to protect our identity. Recently we have found out that this service may be more advertising than functional capability. What did we end up purchasing for $10 per month? I suppose a level of comfort thinking that we were protected. All I can tell you is that we have met the future and it is now and the way I see it, these are some really weird times. That's why I call out to God each and every day for His help because I don't see any other source that can. Have a great week and may God bless. Amen. ......More later.

Just so you know, yesterday marked my 3rd year of doing these daily blogs. I believe I am now just 35 short of 800. No wonder Paw Paw Mac always expressed concern for me when I was talking because he wondered if I was ever going to come up for air. Thanks for tuning in and I'll try to keep the static at least to a minimum.