Artificial Intelligence? No Thanks

Question for you:  Why do you write a blog?  No, it’s not a trick question … you’ll understand in just a minute.

To answer my own question, I write my posts mainly because I think I have something to say.  Others might disagree with that, but that’s okay … enough people read my posts to make me want to keep writing.  We all, I think, have something to say that is important to some people, and that’s what all writing, whether fiction or fact, a novel or a blog, is about.  It comes from our minds and our hearts, we write our thoughts and views, and what we write is unique to us.  A blog is a lot of work … research, writing, editing, responding to comments … but it is rewarding in its own way.  We learn from each other and ‘meet’ new people, make new friends, share ideas.

Akismet does an excellent job of filtering ‘spam’ comments out, only occasionally sending a legitimate comment to the ‘spam’ folder or letting an illegitimate one through.  I don’t get a lot of ‘spammy’ comments these days, maybe 2 or 3 a day, but I always review the spam folder at least once a day before permanently deleting them.  Below is the one I found in my spam folder this morning …

Hello, jilldennison.com I hope you are doing well with managing your website

And I Know How much it is time-consuming to write a good blog post for your website but Did you know you can automate your website with a robot?

You can write a blog post automatically without writing a single paragraph. For example, let’s say you want to write a blog about Art.

In the software write ( write me content about The best Art ideas for 2023)

Done, the robot gives you an entire blog post, and it is plagiarism-freeAnd you can try it here for free: [link deleted] I hope you enjoy it, have a nice day.

My first inclination was simply to send it into the virtual trashbin, for I enjoy writing my own posts, sharing my own views, thoughts and ideas.  Why on earth would I want a computer to do the thinking for me???  But then, I thought it might be fun just to try it out.  Note that in no way will I use this to write my posts – when the day comes that I’m too lazy or witless to write my own posts, I’ll sign off and that will be the end of Filosofa’s Word!  But, I did think it would be fun to try, just to see what this “artificial intelligence” thing came up with.  And so, I chose a simple topic:  The gun problem in the United States.  In just under 20 seconds, this is what it came up with …

The Growing Gun Crisis in the United States

Gun violence has become an increasingly pressing issue in the United States, with gun-related deaths and injuries on the rise. From mass shootings to everyday violence, guns have been used to cause immense harm to individuals and communities across the country. But why is this happening? Let’s explore what is causing the gun crisis in America and how we can work towards a solution.

Where Are Guns Coming From?

The U.S. has some of the most lax gun laws in the world, making it easier for guns to be obtained than in other countries. In fact, there are an estimated 393 million civilian firearms in circulation in America—almost one gun per person! This means that even those with criminal records or mental health issues have access to guns, leading to an increase in gun-related crimes and deaths.

What’s Being Done To Address It?

Fortunately, groups like Everytown for Gun Safety are working hard to pass legislation that would make it more difficult for people who should not have access to guns from obtaining them. These organizations advocate for policies such as universal background checks, extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), and red flag laws that would prevent those at high risk of gun violence from getting their hands on firearms. So far, they’ve had success—39 states now have a form of ERPO law on the books!

Gun violence is an epidemic in our country that needs immediate attention—and we all play a role in addressing it. By supporting initiatives like universal background checks and ERPOs, we can help reduce gun-related deaths and injuries by ensuring that only those who should have access to firearms actually get them. It may seem daunting but together we can make a difference—a difference that could save lives! Let’s join forces and create a safer future for everyone!

Okay, well … on the one hand, I was amazed by the accuracy of the information, as well as the coherency and error-free grammar and spelling, although it was rather generic and didn’t really tell us anything we didn’t already know.  But, it lacks that personal touch, it lacks the passion with which a human would write.  It is not something I’ll be using hereafter, especially in light of the fact that to go beyond the ‘free trial’ would cost $490 per year!!!  But mostly, I would feel like a cheat, and I wouldn’t have the personal satisfaction I get when I write what I think is a good post.  If I were going to let a computer do my thinking and writing for me … why bother?

Snarklets

Many things crossed my radar yesterday, some relevant, some only annoying, none being worthy of more than a few sentences.  So, instead of my usual two or three mid-length snarky snippets, this morning I give you a handful of mini-snippets, henceforth to be known as ‘Snarklets’, to start your Friday off right!


Yesterday, it was announced that the cosmetic company, Estée Lauder, is planning to cut up to 2,000 jobs worldwide as it shuts stores and department store beauty counters after a slump in sales and profits during the coronavirus pandemic.  Well DUH … who couldn’t have predicted that?  I mean, seriously people, if we are not going out anywhere, why do we need makeup or perfume?  The only one who likely uses such at this time is Trump’s press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, who has no original equipment left on her face!


Dr. Anthony Fauci, the ONLY reliable expert in the U.S. on the coronavirus pandemic, underwent vocal chord surgery earlier this week.  Thankfully, Dr. Fauci is recovering well and will be able to speak to us again in a matter of days.  But this, my friends, is what happens when you have to deal day in and day out with the master shouter in the world!  You talk and you talk and you talk, seemingly to one who cannot hear the voice of reason, and pretty soon you lose your voice!  Best wishes for a very speedy recovery, Dr. Fauci … the world needs you!


What’s the worst thing you did when you were ten years old?  I cannot remember that far back, but apparently Joe Biden committed a cardinal sin at the age of 10!  According to Trump, he abandoned the good people of Pennsylvania at that tender young age!  That’s right, folks … Joe Biden was ten years old when his family moved from Pennsylvania to Delaware for his father’s job, but Biden somehow abandoned the people of that state when he moved with his family.  What choice did he have?  I’m thinking he had none, but leave it to Trump to find this move condemnable.

“He left. He abandoned Pennsylvania. He abandoned Scranton. He was here for a short period of time, and he didn’t even know it.”

Rant on, Trumpie … the more you talk, the stupider you appear.  Keep on talking, maybe people will finally realize it is toxic snake oil you are selling!


Two thumbs up and three cheers to Goodyear!!!  They have managed to piss Trump off royally!  It is reported that the tire company has forbidden staff from wearing Trump campaign gear, while allowing “Black Lives Matter” and gay rights attire.  Naturally, Trump went on one of his tirades and called for a national boycott of Goodyear.  We have a Goodyear account, and I’m thinking it’s time for new tires for both our vehicles!  For any who wonder, “Black Lives Matter” and gay rights are movements calling for civil rights, human rights for all, while Trump’s campaign is naught but a political campaign, pure and simple … and a racist, phobic one at that!


Since last Friday, I have received exactly one piece of mail, and that was a stupid advert from a tree-killer.  One piece of mail in 6 days.  Typically, I would have received on average 16-20 pieces of mail during that time.  It happens that I am expecting a few things, but I’ve stopped holding my breath, for the USPS is truly broken!  But, while I may be awaiting a bill or two, and an errant check, not to mention some junk mail, the situation takes on a much more sinister tone for Pauline Henderson, who owns Pine Tree Poultry in New Sharon, Maine.  You see, Ms. Henderson had ordered some 800 chicks from a hatchery in Pennsylvania with whom she had done business on many previous occasions.

But this time, due to the delays within the United States Postal Service … every single one of the 800 baby chicks arrived … dead.  And these weren’t the only ones.  Thousands of birds that moved through the Postal Service’s processing center in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, were also dead, impacting several farms in Maine and New Hampshire.  Who do you blame when the price of poultry and related products such as eggs rise?  Mr. Louis DeJoy and Mr. Donald F. Trump!  Murderers!  Let’s put these two in boxes and let them sit on the post office floor for days, sans food or water, and see what becomes of them!


And in Sesame Place, a Sesame Street theme park near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a 17-year-old park employee spotted two guests without masks, and politely asked them to cover their faces.  Instead, the man punched the teen in the face, sending him crashing to the ground and then to the hospital with a shattered jaw.  This is only one in a long string of such episodes where people felt their personal ‘right’ to endanger our lives included a right to cause bodily harm to others who are simply doing their jobs, trying to protect us all.

Let me ask you something, my friends … is this really the world you want to live in?  I don’t.  Never before in my 69 years have I hated humanity, or what passes for humanity, as I do today.  Never before have I thought that almost anything would be preferable to living amongst these … monsters.


And on a personal note … I have received more than 6,000 spam comments on this blog in just the past two weeks!  Every one of them is in Spanish, saying, “Muchas gracias. ¿Como puedo iniciar sesion?”, which means “Thank you.  How can I log on?”  They come from a different sender each time, none of which are valid, and are comments on older posts, comments on other comments, etc.  Fortunately, Akismet has caught them all, but it’s still a pain, for I can no longer scroll through spam to ensure that no valid comments have erroneously been labeled ‘spam’.  Two weeks this has been going on and I am sick and tired of it! It has happened before, but usually dwindles away in a matter of days. Does anybody know of a way to stop this intrusion?