Las Vegas

The Chool Bus (ch26)

CHAPTER 26: The Forks go separate ways in Vegas. Jack Dean crashes out in a New Media information session addressing the Artificial Intelligence sector, where Chinese models were achieving major progress on the cheap.

The Forks agreed to meet for breakfast early. They would explore the Vegas strip in pairs, then rendezvous for dinner at Javier’s for margaritas to report on the sights and sounds of what used to be called Sin City, now more like Disneyland for adults. Professor T and Jack had business at the MGM Convention Center but Buck and Billie were free to explore the spectacle as civilians. 

Jack was looking forward to getting some insight on how his contemporaries in higher-ed were coping with the introduction and mainstreaming of “generative” and “agentic” artificial intelligence tools. At first it was easy for instructors to recognize the hallmarks of work generated by AI, but as the tools evolved and students were getting better at weeding out hallucinations and outright fabrications cooked up in those red-hot, insatiably thirsty, noise blasting, money pits better known as AI “Data Centers.” For Jack, the bottom line was this: Evaluating the quality of student work was growing exponentially more difficult.

The irony was the fact that he supported the nation’s investment in this paradigm changing technology but he was also apprehensive about the headlong pace of corporate adoption. He was a true fifth-estate evangelist…”move fast and break things” was a favored mantra. But in this case he favored a more analytic approach. Move slow, try things, learn from mistakes, keep what works, and try again seemed a more pragmatic way forward.

Unfortunately, the high-tech world moves at its own pace and with the anti-regulatory zealots in charge of all branches of Federal Government calling the shots, the AI bandwagon was more like a runaway nuclear-powered locomotive. In this era its either grab a handle or get left behind.

So Jack explained it to his students thusly: “AI is here…and just getting started,” he said. “Please do your own ethics inventory…don’t go into this era frivolously. If you land in the anti-AI camp, at least your position will be sufficiently scrutinized.” When students asked Jack what they can do to address a movement they cannot support, Jack’s response was stark. “You may be right…there may be a burst of the bubble, but if you want a career in knowledge work of any kind, really, you need to have learned how to use these tools. At the very least your interlocutours will respect you as someone who understands their world. But more importantly, if the bubble doesn’t burst and you hope to keep up in the marketplace, you really need those skills. Why? Because your competition will surely have figured out how to get ahead leaving very little chance for you to catch up.”

The “New Media” convention Jack and Professor T attended had a “content” track and a “technology” track. The “tech” session Jack absolutely didn’t want to miss concerned international competition in the development of back-end technology driving AI. Jack knew this was a point of vulnerability to the USA. Hardware and software behind the infrastructure of a handful of organizations leading the charge hoovered up billions of dollars. Jack heard other nations were charging head-first and achieving similar results on far smaller investments. Jack worried the USA was heading for an economic correction comparable to the “Dot-Bomb” debacle of the early 2000s and was determined to let the thought leaders gathered at the convention hear his Jeremiah-like barbaric yawp.

He lauded the Chinese for their cost-efficiency and open-source models. He fervently believed this innovation was too big to allow proprietary tech and knowledge-hoarding that comes part and parcel with a capitalist economic model. “This technology leverages all available information and knowledge. In other words, the intellectual output of the entire human race is hoovered up into these large language models. It’s only right to have the collective brain power of the entire connected planet working on the problems and reaping the benefits of increased productivity, quicker problem solving, intelligent resource allocation, and the evolution of sentient life on this planet,” said Jack.

“To allow an elite few to monopolize risk/reward calculations is a crime against humanity,” Jack was on fire. “China is doing it right, and we are setting ourselves up for epic failure,” Jack wasn’t the only attendee with this mindset, but he was the only one crashing out in this session. Professor T listened intently hoping Jack might take the temperature down a couple notches before concluding his diatribe. But…just in case…he chose a seat near the door.

***

In a different sector of Adult Disneyland, Billie and Buck were having a banging good time trolling sex-hustlers flicking their player cards in the faces of passers by. “Is this all that’s left of “Sin City?” Billie was mildly amused.

“I’m sure there’s still and underground economy of gamblers, pimps, and mafioso-types out there, just not apparent on the streets.” Buck was trying to reconcile images gleaned from popular movies about Vegas with the apparently mundane vacation resort feel of the Vegas they were experiencing in real-time. “Hell, they even have a magic medieval castle here with kid-friendly attractions and costumed character actors.” 

“Come on,” said Billie. “We gotta experience the Pirate raid at Treasure Island!”

“I’m afraid you’re out of luck with that one,” a friendly bystander answered Billie’s wish with some cold, hard, post-pandemic news. “There was a rumor the original pirate stunt show would be fully restored, but according to the real pirates running the casino, it was just that…a rumor. For now, the lagoon stays dry and the show doesn’t go on. Maybe a limited return in a few months, but for now, nada.”

Billie and Buck really weren’t all that disappointed. They had a grand ol’ time strolling from casino to casino, people watching mainly. So many reminders of the excesses their fellow humans love to indulge here in one of the driest deserts in the world…it’s a marvel of civil engineering, this oasis in the desert. Billie and Buck wandered around in a constant state of awe.

***

At the end of the day, the Forks met for dinner at Javier’s as planned for a few margaritas and to trade war stories. Jack was still somewhat agitated by what he felt was another case of “irrational exuberance” destined to correct itself in a much bigger way than the dot-bomb of the early 2000s. He worried about the effects a crash would have on his 401k investments, but mostly got the bile out of his system at the convention. 

The suppertime conversation was dominated mostly by Billie and Buck’s Las Vegas first impressions. The strip had so many interesting attractions…there really wasn’t enough time to see it all. But duty calls, and the Forks prepared to conduct the next round of focus-group interviews at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) first thing in the morning.

NEXT WEEK:
Focus-group interviews at UNLV complete, the Forks take a detour to Lake Tahoe for a guided boat cruise on Emerald Bay.

GO BACK => Preface and Chapter Links

The Chool Bus (ch25)

CHAPTER 25: After a hair-raising taste of narco-political street chaos, the Forks finally make it to Vegas. But none of them survived the day unfazed.

Decompressing that first night in Las Vegas, Billie opened her laptop for some virtual sightseeing and to give her father an update on her adventures with the Forks. But that wasn’t the full story as she had this nagging growth gaining in size and pressure in her bosom with each passing day. 

TO: Daryl (Dad) Schmidt
FROM: Billie Schmidt
SUBJECT: Mayhem South of the Border

Hey, Pops…

By now you’ve probably heard the news from Mexico. I want you to know we were never in any real danger, but gunplay did get a bit close for comfort. We were enjoying some small world conversations with a bunch of New Zealanders enjoying a port-of-call visit. You should have seen the look on their faces when the sounds of gun play wafted into the cantina. By then, our waiter had translated the general “shelter in place” order. It seems no one warned them (the Kiwi tourists) this kind of thing could happen so close to the US border, but here we were. Talk about a buzz kill… 😉

Truthfully, i wasn’t scared. You know me…i’m a troubleshooter. But the new guy, Buck…he impressed me as someone who never walks into a strange situation without scoping escape routes or items that might make effective self-defense weapons. He reminds me of…me in many ways, and frankly that scares me a bit. Sometimes i get kinda choked up when he snaps into guardian mode. And now, for God’s sake, when i hear certain music. You know, that high lonesome sound, it reminds me of that big Texas lug and i go all a flutter, feeling kinda empty and babbling. You know that’s not like me. I guess this all means something, not sure what, but don’t be surprised if i end up bringing him around for your inspection. 

With all my heart,
                        Billie

P.S. You know, New Zealanders love to mess with tourists. For example, one of them tried to tell us there was a secret underwater tunnel connecting New Zealand to Australia, another tried to tell us native Kiwi birds are ground up for meat in fast-food burgers…duh…everyone knows Kiwi birds are a protected species. And so…the clueless tourist jokes were on them when the dookie hit the rotating air displacement blades…it would have been funnier if the locals didn’t seem so uncertain of the outcome.

Billie’s father was relieved to hear from her. He had seen news reports of unrest south of the border, but he had hoped the gang would stay away from the worst of it. And they did, but some of the minor skirmishes had occurred too close to the tourist centers for comfort. And Billie’s mention of having feelings for the new guy gave him a strange sensation. Almost as if his soul was exhaling after all those years of holding his breath for her. Ever since she came out to him, he worried she would never find the kind of love he had been lucky enough to experience with her mother. He had seen Billie’s lovers come and go but he never sensed there might be a future with any of them, but her email gave him hope.

TO: Billie (Pumpkin) Schmidt
FROM: Daryl Schmidt
RE: Mayhem South of the Border

My Dearest Daughter…

Thank you for taking some time to put our minds at ease. We saw the news reports, and though most of the really bad news was coming from areas further south, i know there is a thriving arms trade at the border. I know those guns are going to cartels and their rivals, so quite frankly, i wished you and your bat-shit crazy friends would just leave the border uncrossed. That said, i also agree with Mark Twain, you know, that stuff about travel being the best cure for bigotry.

Holy Hell! What’s a worried father to do?

Anyway, it sounds like you’ve found a kindred spirit in that Buck Wellstone fella. I would love to meet him, even if these feelings don’t progress into something more serious. He sounds like a stand-up guy. The story of how you met him, really stands out in my memory. The way he was able to deescalate that dust up with your professor friend really impressed me. So yeah, bring him around at your earliest opportunity. In the meantime, we’ll just keep on keepin’ on here at the dealership. Things are slowing down a little with all the inflation and volatility aggravated by the Orange Casino Slayer. 

You know, i’ve always respected the Iranians. Their society is thousands of years old, and that’s nothing to sneeze at. Yes, nuclear weaponry is a potential species killer, but if Iran’s enemies have the bomb, why the hell do we think it’s important one of the oldest still-functioning societies should be prevented from having that particular method of self-defense? It’s only fair. Of course, i won’t be able to develop any hope for the human species until such time as we are able to work together WITHOUT those ultimate doomsday devices, mutual deterrence notwithstanding…but i digress.

Thank you for the update… 

Love from home…
            Papa Schmidt

NEXT WEEK:
The Forks go separate ways in Vegas. Jack Dean crashes out in a New Media information session addressing the Artificial Intelligence sector, where Chinese models were achieving major progress on the cheap.

GO BACK => Preface and Chapter Links

The Chool Bus (ch23)

CHAPTER 23: The Forks take a few days detour South to San Diego, then across the border to Ensenada before the next round of focus group interviews in Las Vegas.

“La Holla?” Buck Wellstone mispronounced the words.

“No… say it like this,” said Jack. “La HOY-uh… it’s based on a Spanish phrase la joya, which means ‘the jewel’. This might, of course, be fake news as another Spanish term, la hoya, refers to a geographic hollow. Or… ‘the holes,’” Jack burst into a juvenile fit of laughter, then composing himself after wiping away tears and blowing his nose. “Sorry, i get a kick out of the way people tend to jazz up the mundane. I mean, the neighborhood around UC San Diego is straight-up gorgeous…pristine beaches, perfect weather, marine life out the wazoo…but it’s really nothing more than a neighborhood of San Diego. Some refer to La Jolla as a State of Mind. And no one really knows why anyone would literally call it ‘the holes,’ perhaps they’re referring to the sea-level caves that can be seen from La Jolla Shores.”

With that, Jack closed his US road atlas, Billie punched the address into Siri’s Drunk Sister maps app, Professor T was engrossed in a book, earbuds on blast, and with that the Chool Bus was underway. Roughly four hours…straight south. They would arrive in time for supper in La Jolla, get a good night’s sleep then up and at ‘em early for the first round of focus group interviews at the university.

***

Buck Wellstone had grown accustomed to accompanying Billie in the passenger seat, keeping her company and exchanging music playlists. Now, Billie has never been a country music fan, but Buck was serving up the classics and where Billie was familiar with pop-country playing on radio stations, Buck was showing her, for the first time, deep Appalachian “old-timey” Mountain fare, and the open-range cowboy singing poets exemplified by the likes of the Carter Family, Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, etc. 

“Why, this sounds like the tunes they used for that Coen Brothers movie…the one critics said was loosely based on Homer’s Odyssey,” said Billie. The actual music was not all that exciting for her, but she didn’t let Buck in on that as she was starting to warm up to Buck himself. In fact, she was getting a bit worried she might be in danger of falling for the big fella. While first impressions lead folks to regard Mr Wellstone imposing and dangerous, he was actually quite gentle, compassionate, and somewhat vulnerable. Billie, in a word was starting to fall for him.

Now, Billie is very good at mental multi-tasking, and as she steered the Chool Bus southward through Pasadena then Irvine she was able to pay attention to Buck’s occasional commentary and his old-timey playlist while her non-binary nature was waging a vigorous debate over the relative merits of sparking up a conventional relationship with… a guy.

First, was she thinking about committing to a person or a type? She knew that dating Buck meant committing to a specific person, regardless of gender. Like, he was never going to understand her on the levels of her female lovers. Does she run the risk of growing tired of that, or can the relationship grow stronger over time like her favorite aunt and uncle…despite the annoying gender-specific quirks to which many hetero couples must grin and bear?

Does going hetero erase a part of me? Her thoughts were working overtime. After all, the common fear is that settling with someone of the opposite sex would make others perceive her as “straight.” She worried whether entering a monogamous relationship would alter how she, or the world, view her identity. So many questions: Did she explore enough? Does she need a more polyamorous arrangement? Would Buck be able to trust her? So many questions. It was getting harder to continue the illusion of full attentiveness and Buck was starting to notice from the broken dialog and self-interruptions. Billie was making more apologies for unfocused responses. She knew she was spreading her awareness too thin for safe driving…she would have to focus on the wheel in the urban traffic zones. When a feeling of tightness in her chest pushed her into a defiant mood, she said something rude to Buck and both went silent for a long moment.

Meanwhile Jack and Professor T were having a spirited debate about the nature of good and evil. Every once in a while one of their voices would cut through the bus’ engine and tire noise. It must have been a banger of a debate. By the time the four hour stretch was through they arrived on a logical equation, an accord, a compromise. This was it: The pursuit of self-interest PLUS aggression or violence MINUS basic human compassion EQUILS generic evil.

As Billie steered the bus into the RV park on the outskirts of Sandog SoCal, Billie apologized for the rude outburst and Buck assured her he was not even remotely offended, he wasn’t explicitly lying as her sudden inexplicable rudeness did hurt a bit.

He too was sliding down that slippery slope…he felt as if it were possible he could fall fairly hard for this contradictory bundle of gentle, fair, beautiful, tough-as-leather, one hundred percent bad-ass bitch.

He never thought he would meet, let alone get hung up on someone identifying themself among the rainbow LGBTQ coalition…but here we are.

Rolling into the UC Sandog Student Union parking lot, the Forks prepared to roll out the schtick. It was time for everyone to put on their most professional and focused masks. Time to gather some qualitative data from this affluent Southern California corner of our spiritually ailing nation. There would be a week break between San Diego and the next research destination, Las Vegas. In the meantime, the Forks would dip their toes in to the sands of Mexico… they gonna fuck around and find out.

NEXT WEEK:
The detour to Ensenada is ill timed as the Mexican Government cracks down on a notorious cartel kingpin and all hell breaks loose.

GO BACK => Preface and Chapter Links