Geocaching, The New Treasure Hunt

Dear Suze Q, My cousin includes Geocaching when choosing vacation destinations. We love day trips and local haunts. Are there nearby caches?

Dear Cousin, Treasure hunting has always fascinated people, not just for the final prize but for all the intrigue involved. Remember invisible ink (lemon juice), letterboxing (clues found in books; not to be confused with the game similar to geocaching without the GPS), and cyphers? Geocaching hit its stride in 2000 because of GPS and has over 3M caches placed worldwide. All you need is a waterproof container holding a log book, pen/pencil, and trackable items for trade. Record the location coordinates on a listing site where you'll meet other friendly geocachers. Cheap thrills! -SQ 

Addictions After 70

Dear S.Q. I joked to my wife that I think I’m getting addicted to afternoon naps. She said that since turning 70, I am allowed to. Funny perspective, but one I’d like to expand.

Dear 70, Addictions in psychological terms (now classified as Substance Use Disorders or Compulsive Disorders) is defined by specific criteria that affects the person’s daily functioning. The word addiction is not used in a formal diagnosis but encompasses behavior like substance abuse, gambling, smoking, sex. An “addiction” isn’t good or bad by definition, although we tend to think of it in negative, destructive, or even dangerous terms. If your habits bring repeated pleasure, and won’t kill you, definitely continue. Revisit past loves –naps, comfort foods, classic movies and music, past hobbies or games. Rock ‘til you drop! -SQ

If the End is Near, Can You Say You Did It Your Way?

Dear Suze Q, My military parents lived through WWII, the Cold War, and all the subsequent wars the U.S. dabbled in after that. Never was there a threat of mass annihilation like today’s news is portending about AI superiority. Other than a bug-out bag, and home emergency evacuation supplies, what else? Will money be useless?

Dear Military Brat, who knows which way the wind will blow. Money maybe useful for a while, but like good post-apocalyptic movies, barter will be the common currency. The question everyone must ask themselves is what is the end game, yours and the future’s. If man survives and evolves, like survivors of any catastrophe, how do you function during the rebuilding process? And do you want to? In the apocalyptic scenario, no words ever spoken will be more true than: take “one day at a time.” -SQ

Human's Challenge as Apex Predator is AI

Dear Readers, Turn to page 423 in my debut book Cyber Frogs and Princes: A Sex Manual Of On-Line Dating After 50, by Suze Q, and tell me if you agree. "Since time began, man has been curious. It's one of our superpowers that keeps us alert and alive. We focus on an unknown danger by primitive warning signs, but like forbidden fruit, we are often drawn to it. Then we tame it, and it loses its fear factor. Then we integrate the experience as normal, not deviant, and with that inclusion, we expand and broaden our range of acceptance. With this learning method, we achieve mastery of the once unknown and build a powerful cache in our armories of intelligence. Only time will tell if we master robots or will they enslave us? Or a better case scenario--we achieve a cooperative partnership." I wrote about the real challenges of what we should do about robots (destroy them, date them, partially become them), and more insidiously, about the uncontrolled, unregulated artificial intelligence problem. It’s a core subject to our survival as the apex predator. In the last month, I’ve been inundated with chatter that AI has man beat. It’s only a question of time.    

For 2M years, homo sapiens have been the Apex Predator because of curiosity, empathy, and a prehensile grip with opposable thumbs. Hopefully, AI can never excel in curiosity that continually pushes humans beyond our limits so that we thrive, not merely survive. Only humans can put ourselves in others’ shoes -to feel, not merely think, as others do. So we've flourished, not merely thrived. We must continue or perish.

Part of maintaining apex predator status requires dominance and control of everything in the habitat. Balance must be maintained. And power must be absolute. Achieving a stable social order requires that the Apex keep the tension of a delicate social balance between change and continuity; the masses/citizens must remain invested in their collective future. Believing you have power to create your future has pushed man beyond settling for the creation of the wheel and tools; the terrifying taming of fire and electricity; the Industrial, and Digital Revolutions; the rebuilding of nations, and establishing the United Nations and the Cold War dynamics after the destruction of World Wars and global conflicts. 

But this AI monster is different. Are we able to tame AI and bring it under our control, or will mankind perish? We allowed AI into every devise and to collect every scape of human data. When it nano- or neural-integrates into one huge collective entity, MAYBE we will still understand it, but can we harvest its power and make it our own? We have a functional, 80-year-old organization in place whose articulated mission is to maintain international peace and security. At the time of the U.N.’s creation, AI was unknown, and until recently not even thought of as a security threat. The United Nations could be a place to start securing our world from AI dominance. Thoughts? -SQ 

Is Man Obsolete?

Dear S.Q. I’m flooded with info from fraudsters and wise men, agreeing that AI will be the end of man. Even your blog, “The Goal of A.I.” on Sept. 7 was a Doomsday Warning. It’s not just The Matrix; Terminator; and I, Robot warning us of AI replacing mankind. It’s everywhere. What’s your common sense advice about how far away is man’s extinction and is it inevitable? 

Dear Truth Seeker, Scary questions. This Getty picture was paired with the prestigious The Economist magazine’s Sep 4, 2026, eye-catching headline of “Help Wanted. An AI jobs boom is here,” implying the help that’s wanted is human employees. But, not so fast Earthlings, read the article’s first sentence, “PERHAPS AI WILL eventually make many humans unemployable—but there is no sign of it yet.” No sign yet? I found no film or story that assures that AI will not replace humans. Bicentennial Man, and Wall-E explore AI and human companionship over competition, and Heinlein’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress explores cooperation to achieve common goals. Robot’s primary directive is not to hurt humans, but since hurt is a human emotion, with layers upon layers of meaning that only humans can understand, it's a false directive, is it not? As apex predator for two million years, man shouldn’t lose this position especially since we’re the ones creating these Frankensteins. But, to remain the Apex Predator requires cooperation between humans similar to the creation of the United Nations whose goal is to keep global peace. Judge for yourself how well that’s succeeding. -SQ

9/11, 25 Years Ago

 

Dear Readers, Today is a day of remembrance. Begin with your memory of turning on the news 25 years ago and witnessing the declaration of war on America by an invisible enemy. The images were as visceral as the attack on Pearl Harbor 60 years prior. Then, we knew who the enemy was, and we immediately unleashed a hydrogen reaction that killed hundreds of thousands of those whose country had hurt us, and we maimed their offspring for generations that followed. 

On 9/11/01, 19 Islamic al-Qaeda suicidal terrorists conducted a coordinated attack on the N.Y. World Trade Center Twin Towers, and the Pentagon that killed nearly 3,000 souls, and injured thousands more. An attack on Washington D. C. was adverted by the brave passengers’ revolt on United Airline Flight 93 that crashed the plane into a Pennsylvania field killing all 44 people aboard. The U.S. immediately launched the Global War on Terror, vowing to eliminate terrorist organizations worldwide and the governments that supported them. In a pre-recorded video in 2004, Osama bin Laden claimed responsibility and was hunted until his life ended in 2011 by U.S. Navy SEALS in Pakistan. While the GWoT officially ended in 2021 when the U.S. pulled all combat operations in Afghanistan, unofficially it is alive and thriving. May we never forget. May they always be remembered. The brave, the strong, the free. -SQ

Thinning the Herd

Dear SQ The first time my grown children said they weren’t coming home for the holidays I was sad. Overly so. Then, when they said they, their spouses, and children weren’t coming either, I felt lost. Useless. My husband took charge, flipped through vacation options, and said, “Pick a location. We’re going away.” We agreed to not give Christmas gifts but a big party after our trip. That year changed everything and became an annual event. No holiday cards or decorating our house. Whew! 

Dear Vacationeer, Congrats on enhancing your life. "Thinning the herd" likely originated when weak animals were culled to strengthen the herd, but now is used metaphorically to unclutter social obligations and relationships you've outgrown (or downright can't stand). Quality, not quantity! -SQ