June 2023 archive

Wendy Grossman on AI and ChatGPT

“What we currently call ‘AI’ is basically data and statistics.  In providing a response, for example, ChatGPT looks for statistical correlations between the data in its corpus and the prompt you have written.  Its answer doesn’t focus on what’s statistically likely to be true, but on using words that are statistically likely to appear near …

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It’s not poverty, stupid.

Poverty is not the cause of crime. Because even when men have enough, they steal more, kill for more. (Think of all those rich white CEOs running our planet, managing the banks, the oil companies, the logging companies …) (And given that well over 90% of crime is committed by men, well, the cause should …

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Brilliant Sarkeesian

“In the game of patriarchy, women are not the opposing team. They’re the ball.” Anita Sarkeesian

The Pro-Life Position You Don’t Hear

The Pro-Life Position you Don’t Hear.

Tim Dorsey, The Pope of Palm Beach

“The sun was going down behind the Big Burger when the alligator came flying in the drive-in window.” How’s that for an opening line? And it gets better.  (A feat worthy of great admiration, given that it’s his 22nd novel.) “Do you have any idea who I am?” “Yes, why?” Said Serge.  “Forgot your own …

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Says it all.

Davina Squirrel on needing male allies

“‘But we need male allies’ you cry in defence. Nope! We don’t. … ‘Male allies’ have had six thousand years or longer to get their shit together. They are from the ruling class after all, so have more impact than females. …” from https://davinasquirrel.wordpress.com/2016/12/07/inclusive-is-bullshit/

Great bit from The Onion

https://www.theonion.com/raid-recalls-entire-line-of-insecticide-after-realizing-1828656335  

another good bit from Tim Dorsey

“I can buy a shotgun any time of day without a serious background check, but if I need something for my sniffles, it’s six forms of ID and complete school transcripts.”  Shark Skin Suite, p160

from Tim Dorsey’s Shark Skin Suite

on the demise of journalism, news reporting… “Newspapers, TV, radio, and websites everywhere were furiously consolidating into mega-media conglomerates.  News was heading in a fresh direction … The owners and top execs saw their compensation rocket, and top television anchors in each market signed guaranteed contracts in the upper six figures.  Everyone else was told …

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