Antilock Brakes and Traction Control (ABS)

ABS systems may seem complex, but they are based on simple physics.

Today, almost every car sold (actually, I think every car) has ABS as a standard feature.  What is it?  Why is it?  And how does it work?  And what is traction control, automatic stability control, and trailer sway control - and why are they related?

Well, as you may remember from driver's ed, if you get into a skid, the idea is to steer in the direction of the skid and then pump your brakes, so as to not lock up the wheels.  As you may remember from Physics class. the coefficient of static friction is much higher than the coefficient of dynamic friction. Of course, "you don't need to know this in the real world" - right?   So people sleep through driver's ed and through Physics, and their world is a painful mystery to them.

Simply stated, when something is in solid contact with another object, the amount of force needed to move it is higher than the amount of force once it is moving.  If you've ever slid a heavy piece of furniture across a floor, you understand this - you have to give it a "heave" before it gets going, and once it is going, it slides much easier.  Same with a toboggan.  You may be "stuck" on a hill, but once you get started, the dynamic friction is much less and the toboggan keeps going.

With wheels and tires it is a little less intuitive.  If your car tire is turning at the same speed as the road is passing by, the rubber is in solid contact with the road and the forces of static friction come into play.  However, once you skid (or slide sideways or "drift") the coefficient of dynamic friction is much less, so the car actually travels further when you skid, before stopping.  That's why hammering on the brakes is often the worst idea - it will take longer to stop in a skid than with the wheels rolling and the brakes properly applied.

But it gets worse.  Once your wheels are locked and you are skidding, you give up all directional control - the car will go where it wants to go - where momentum will take it - and you have little to nothing in the way of steering ability.  That's why they recommended pumping the brakes back in driver's ed (before ABS of course!) as you would likely stop faster and could steer away from obstructions and avoid an accident (hopefully).

Of course, this is easy to say, hard to do.  Human instinct, when a collision is imminent, is to yam on the brakes, leaving behind skid marks which lead right up to the point of impact.

With a car it is bad enough - imagine having 18 wheels to lock up.  Back in the 1970's, NHTSA proposed that all 18-wheelers have ABS.  Problem was, back in the 1970's, even the smallest of computers were the size of suitcases and not very reliable.  Experiments were tried, but eventually, the highway administration had to relent, realizing that while the technology was theoretically feasible, it wasn't practical to apply - yet.  Compounding the problem was the nature of truck brakes, which work on air pressure - or the lack thereof.  It was just a bad idea for the time, much as the brief period in 1974 when they mandated that all cars have an interlock so they would not start unless your seatbelt was fastened.  It was such a fiasco, it was rescinded within months.

But over time, the technology improves - computers will fit in the palm of your hand, or actually in a chip the size of your fingernail (or less!).  Not injectable just yet - conspiracy nuts take note!  So it seemed like a good idea to mandate this for cars.  It first appeared as an option, but pretty soon, it was brought out across the board.

How does it work?  It is pitifully simple.  On each hub of each wheel is a toothed portion made of ferrous metal (cast iron or steel).  A small sensing coil mounted near this counts the teeth as they pass by.  By counting the pulses, you can determine how fast the wheel is rotating or whether it is rotating at all.   These tiny signals (which are pretty weak) are fed to a small microprocessor which is programmed to monitor the wheel speed of each wheel and then determine whether one or more of those wheels are locked in a skid or not.  If three wheels are reading as turning and one is reading stopped, well, you have a skid condition.

Note that if all four wheels are locked, the system may not detect a skid - or at least older systems had trouble with this.  Note also that these tiny sensors on each wheel make a very low-voltage pulse signal.  They are usually connected to the car's wiring harness with a plug located right in the wheel-well, where it is hit with rocks and debris and salt and water - what could possibly go wrong?  Often when a diagnostic code reads "wheel sensor" it doesn't mean the sensor has gone bad (indeed, it is just a coil - how can that fail?) but that the connector is corroded.  A little emery board on the corroded contacts and some dielectric grease goes a long way - but the same could be said for most electrical connectors on a car.

The microprocessor then sends a command to an actuator, which is located in-line with the hydraulic brake lines. It will then pulse the brake signal to one or all wheels.  Early versions, I believe, pulsed all wheels, and often made the pedal pulse as well ("to show you it is working!").  People unfamiliar with how the system worked often freaked out at the pedal pulsing and took their foot off the brake pedal and thus collided with a tree.

ABS pulses the brakes for you, so pumping the brake pedal with your foot is now less than helpful - it may confuse the ABS system and not give you optimal braking.

But the big key is, ABS, when it works right, allows you to keep steering, so you can yam on the brakes and still steer around an obstacle and hopefully avoid a collision.  Problem is, many people panic (a normal human reaction) and don't try to steer.  They just put on the brakes and pray.

Will ABS allow your car to stop in a shorter distance?  Yes and no.  Yes, it will stop faster that it would if you were skidding, on dry pavement, or on wet pavement, snow or ice.  But if you are not skidding, the stopping distance should be about the same, with or without ABS.

Once every car on the road had ABS systems, other features are possible, given the hardware already installed.   Traction control is one of these features.  Before traction control was available, we had to rely on posi-traction or what is generically known as a limited-slip differential.  An "open" differential (the plain kind) will allow one wheel to slip if it gets on a slippery surface and then stop transmitting power entirely to the other wheel.  The same effect that allows you to go around corners without tearing the rubber off your tires, makes driving in snow or ice a problem, particularly if you get stuck.

So limited-slip differentials were devised, which used clutch packs or other devices to "lock" the differential if slippage was detected (mechanically).  And of course, hot-rodders loved them because with a "posi" you could leave two burnout marks on the road, instead of just a lame one.

But that wasn't why limited-slip differentials (LSDs)were created - well, at least not officially.  It didn't take long, however, for Engineers to realize that the same hardware used for ABS could be used for traction control as well, simply by reprogramming the microprocessor.  Some early systems would detect wheel spin on the drive axle(s) and then suppress engine power to reduce the amount of torque.  Such as system, when used in conjunction with LSD would help get you unstuck from a ditch, but of course, would spoil the fun for hot-rodders who want to "lay rubber".  So turning off the traction control became de rigeur for the performance crowd, and we have a plethora of YouTube videos of Mustangs and Corvettes spinning out after leaving a car show.

We had the same problem with the M Roadster - it was so tail-happy with its wide "staggered" set of tires that with the traction control off, it would swap ends on a moment's notice, a particular victim of what is called lift-throttle oversteer.  I learned very quickly that the car was basically undrivable without the traction control engaged.  In fact, a lot of these cars today with jackass-wide tires owe their existence to "all those darn computers" as they are basically undrivable without electronic aids.  There is a reason why we didn't have series 40 tires on street cars in the 1960.

Other types of traction control will sense wheel spin and apply braking pressure to the wheel that is spinning, thus transferring power to the other wheel.  These are more advanced and they work a lot better, I think.  I recounted before how we drove to Central New York in April with our old E36 cabriolet that had older, nearly bald, summer tires.  I thought I would get one more trip out of them and then re-shod it when we got to New York.  A late season snowstorm had other ideas.  But even with bald summer tires, the car went uphill, from a standing start, in the snow.  The traction control clanked and banged as it applied the brakes to the rear wheels to prevent wheelspin.  But once it got going, we were set.  Not that I recommend driving on bald tires in the snow!  Far from it.

Some manufacturers, such as BMW call this combined ABS and traction control, "Automatic Stability Control" or some such nonsense.   They claim that these computer aids, programmed in tandem, can stabilize a vehicle, such as an ungainly SUV - and once again, we have vehicles that, by themselves, are dynamically unstable.  But with "fly-by-wire" controls, can be made driveable.  The "SMART" car (Mercedes) when it first came out, wasn't very stable, and thanks to stability control, such a short-wheelbase, tall vehicle, which has the stability characteristics of a kitchen stool, can be made to handle like a roadster.

Kind of crazy when you think about it.

But that's not all.  The same hardware has been used to provide "trailer sway control" for towing.  If a trailer becomes "tail-happy" with too much weight behind the rear wheels, it will sway out of control, often overturning and causing a wreck - sometimes with fatal consequences.   It is not unlike airplanes, which are basically uncontrollable if the center of gravity is too far aft.  Any control input the pilot makes, only makes things worse.  A crash is inevitable.   But thanks again to computers, planes like the F-117 "stealth fighter" can fly, even though they are dynamically unstable.  Fly-by-wire allows the plane to remain stable by making minute control adjustments many times per second - faster than a pilot can react.

Once a tail-happy trailer starts to sway, it's all over.  BTDT!

In a similar fashion, trailer sway control can modulate the brakes on the tow vehicle in such a manner as to counteract trailer sway and dampen it before it gets out of control.  It seems like black magic, but again, it is largely the same hardware used in traction control and ABS, just with slightly different programming, which can be enabled, when the vehicle detects a trailer is present.

There are other applications as well.  Some have tried to use average wheel speed to indicate whether a tire is low on air pressure (as a low tire will have a small effective diameter).  But with the popularity of low-profile tires, I think such a system would have limited use and not be able to provide immediate warning of low pressure, as the more conventional tire pressure sensors do.

It is kind of interesting how one technology leads to another.  Once you have the wheel sensors installed, you can do all sorts of interesting things - like get rid of the "speedometer cable" of the good old days.  Why have a mechanical cable when you have four electronic sensors instead?  The list goes on and on.

Of course, this means more complex technology and people get nervous about that.  "Suppose the computer goes haywire and sends the car off a cliff?"  OK, Boomer, that could happen, right?   The main thing people are worried about is repair costs - these systems are complex and expensive to repair - right?

Well, yes and no.  They rarely need repair, particularly as the technology improves.  The processor either works or it doesn't - it will be most likely to fail within days or weeks of first use, what we call "infant mortality" in the electronics business.  Ditto for the ABS actuator - I have rarely heard of one failing, even on a high-mileage car.  The big problem, as I noted before, is in the sensor connectors or the sensors themselves, which are not hard to replace.  However, you do need a code-reader and reset tool (or laptop interface) to read error codes and then reset them, once the repair is made.

Difficult?  Not really, just a different skill set than adjusting the jetting on a carburetor or seeing the gap on your "points" ignition. And some people aren't interested in learning new skills.

One thing is certain:  These systems are here to stay, if only because people are worse drivers than ever before and need as many electronic aids as possible to keep them out of trouble.  Moreover, our insistence on driving overwrought and top-heavy trucks and SUVs means that stability control will be a necessary feature.  Of course, even with this, rollover accidents are still on the rise.  You can't revoke the laws of Physics with electronic controls.

But it's not like they aren't trying.....

Uh-Oh - The Unwilling Landlord (The Recession Begins)

Looks like I will be a landlord for another year, whether I like it or not!

We received the above mail via e-mail from the redevelopment committee - along with another letter from a second developer.  They both read the same.  They want to buy our condominium development and tear it down, but the market is starting to tank for real estate, interest rates are rising, banks are in trouble and less willing to lend, and inflation has driven up the cost of construction.  It no longer looks as profitable as it once was, to redevelop, at least right away.  And with banks having their own problems, it may not be possible in the near future.

Welcome to recession 2023.

What is interesting is that, while units are listed for sale there, it is hard to sell them.  First off, since more than half are owned by investors, FHA financing (which is to say, 90% of the financing out there) is not available.  That leaves cash buyers, VA loans, or maybe private financing (Hello, Taylor Burke?).   So the units are hard to sell and in a way we are "stuck" with a condo that at best breaks even on the rent, and at worst costs us a couple of grand a year.  Shoulda sold out ten years ago.  Don't know why we didn't.

Actually, this could be an opportunity.  Since it is so hard to get financing on these units, we could sell it for the $160,000 buyout price, and take back a note for $160,000, payable in monthly installments, which would generate a modest amount of income (not enough to screw up my taxes or Obamacare subsidy) and provide a buyer with an opportunity to purchase with a low down payment at a decent interest rate.  Win-win!

After all, that is how I bought 917 Duke Street - and started my small Real Estate empire back in the 1990's.

But what struck home about this was how real the recession is.  People I meet are still living in denial - because they haven't been laid off yet, and nothing has affected them financially - yet - other than increases in their credit card balances, which is masking the real increases in monthly spending.  Their financial gauge set is trying to tell them something, but they won't listen until it says, "Terrain!  Terrain!  Pull Up!  Pull Up!" but by then, it is too late - and of course, half of them won't even listen to the ground proximity warning ("must be broken!" is the last thing said on the cockpit voice recorder).

It is the exact same thing that happened in 2007 and it is happening again - this time with newer, younger players - although a few veterans of 2007 are back in play again, having learned nothing from the last recession.  And sure enough, half of these players will cry "unfair" and become "tea partiers" and the other half will protest Wall Street - both halves convinced that all their financial woes are the result of larger forces at work - being forced to pay taxes, or pay interest.  Like somehow the rest of us don't or something.

Weak thinkers are always with us.  And sadly, in part, that is how this cycle of boom and bust occurs. The same people whining about how unfair life is (wait for it - any day now!) are the same ones calling the rest of us "idiots" for not investing in Bitcoin or Tesla or an overpriced mini-mansion.  When their dreams of avarice come undone, surely the rest of us should bail them out, right?

And sadly, sometimes we do, to our regret.

The Age of Fake AI

Has the Turing Test deceived us?

A reader writes:

I liked your essay about ChatGPT. You're right that it just mixes and matches human-created content and lacks any understanding of what the content means. It provides a simulacrum of human intelligence, but actually is not intelligent. This is why I think of ChatGPT as a "Fake AI", and why I think we've entered "The Age of Fake AI," which is a time period where people will, based on their interactions with machines, claim they are as smart as humans when they actually aren't at all.

However, ChatGPT also shows that a machine doesn't necessarily need any conceptual understanding of the data it is being fed to generate an output that is useful to humans. It's enormously valuable in certain applications.

This is an interesting thought and puts into words what I have been trying to express. The "AI" that is bandied about these days isn't intelligent, nor was it designed to be intelligent, it is just a learning program that farms text (or images) to create a mashup of data.

I question our reader's second idea, though - that ChatGPT will have value.  If it gives wrong answers (as indeed, humans often do) is it really useful?  I suppose as a chatbot to tell you your bank balance it might be helpful to put a "human" face on your business.  But as a bot to read bedtime stories to your children?   I think you are better off with drag queens.   ChatGPT can go off the rails.

So far, the only use I can see is in writing Trump speeches.  Not only does it nail the simple vocabulary and cadence, it is chock full of lies - just like the real thing.  Telling that Trump is the human most easily replaced by a robot.

But I digress.

Alan Turing created what is called the "Turing Test" back in 1950, anticipating that someday computers might be programmed to imitate humans.  He called it the "imitation game":

The Turing test, originally called the imitation game by Alan Turing in 1950,[2] is a test of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behaviour equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human. Turing proposed that a human evaluator would judge natural language conversations between a human and a machine designed to generate human-like responses. The evaluator would be aware that one of the two partners in conversation was a machine, and all participants would be separated from one another. The conversation would be limited to a text-only channel, such as a computer keyboard and screen, so the result would not depend on the machine's ability to render words as speech.[3] If the evaluator could not reliably tell the machine from the human, the machine would be said to have passed the test. The test results would not depend on the machine's ability to give correct answers to questions, only on how closely its answers resembled those a human would give.

The problem with this test, besides the fact it can barf up a Trump speech (not "intelligent behavior") is that it, as the name implies, only tests the ability to mimic, not to actually think.  A trained parrot could arguably pass the test, under certain circumstances.

Yet, the press and some certain narcissistic billionaires are all up in arms about it, claiming it is actually a "thinking machine" and not merely a program that scans copy from the Internet and produces facile responses to thoughrful questions.

It is akin to "Deep Blue" - the chess-playing computer.  A human being, playing chess, works through a number of moves and scenarios, but is incapable of figuring them all out.   While there are millions (if not more) of possible outcomes to a single chess move, a computer can literally plot them all out and figure out which move is the most optimal - i.e., has the highest probability of winning.    This is not "thinking" so much as it is rote learning.

We had a professor in school teaching semiconductor design.  He would go through these convoluted equations on how to calculate the current through a semiconductor transistor  (including something called "hole current" or current produced by lack of electrons).  The final exam was one question - calculate the current through a semiconductor transistor, using this convoluted equation.

The brute force approach was to plug in all the numbers and spend an hour calculating the answer.  Provided you didn't miss a single digit, you might finish the equation before the bell rang.  It was like that movie Mad Max, where they give the guy a hacksaw - he can try cutting off the handcuffs, or cut off his leg instead.  But he only has so much time!

The correct answer was knowing that of the 15 elements in the equation, only four were necessary to calculate the current to three significant digits.  You could ignore the other elements as trivial.   Smart people who understood the overall concept, got the test done in ten minutes.   People like me, who were too literal. cranked out a wrong answer after sweating for an hour, and got a B-.

But like with AI, some people cheated.  Well, they didn't cheat, but went to the Fraternity test archives and realized that there was a "trick" to the test and then followed the trick.  So they appeared smart, but actually just cut corners.   In the real world, they likely would get a lot of wrong answers - unless they had an endless supply of crib sheets.  And life doesn't come with many crib sheets.

So why all the paranoia and talk about "AI" when in reality it is just a chatty chatbot and a shitty artists who draws people with six fingers?  Well, for starters, I think it is another example of hype being used to gin up the price of various stocks.   Maybe that is why Musk wants a six-month "moratorium" (which he can call for, being rich guy and all) - he hasn't had a chance to buy-in yet!  Stop the train!  I haven't gotten on yet!

I think we will see a lot of hype about this in the near future.  We already have.  "AI passes entrance exam to law school!"  one screams.  "AI passed medical test!"  Surely, it is only a matter of time before a Chatbot replaces our doctors and lawyers.  "If you cannot afford a real lawyer, a chatbot will be appointed for you!" - the Miranda warnings will have to be updated.

But then again, I doubt it.  Can a chatbot bribe a judge or sway a jury of subtle hints of racism?  After all, could we really survive a justice system that is truly blind and gives rich kids from the suburbs the same sentences as black kids from the ghetto?  No,no, we can't have that, can we?  Next thing you'll tell me is Billionaires would be held accountable to the law as same as poor people?  Geez, no wonder Musk is scared.

But seriously, I am not sure that ChatGPT is ready for prime-time or is going to "replace humans" in many (or any) roles.  We already have chatbots online - your bank or utility company website helpfully offers these all the time.  Do you click on them?  Of course not. Because when you have an issue with your bank account or credit card or utility service, the chatbot can only cough up facile, servile answers that are not really helpful.  Better versions of a chatbot aren't the answer.

In a way, they are like overseas "help lines" where the person on the other end of the phone barely speaks English, has an incomprehensible thick foreign accent, and whose only tools in their toolbox are to tell you your balance or say, "Have you tried unplugging it and plugging it back in again?"  We appreciate your efforts Sanjay, but what do I have to do to escalate this call to a US call center?  Thanks.

Fear of AI makes for great headlines (and accompanying graphics).   It creates a "news story" when there is no news.   But I am not sure it is really intelligent, as our reader notes, but really more of a parlor trick.

I guess time will tell.  But I am not sure how we can "create" a real intelligence in silicon and software, anymore than we can become Gods.  It's just a machine that does what we tell it.

Will AI Kill Social Media?

Social media was destined to fail, eventually.  Maybe AI will kill it off.

My last posting, where I experimented with ChatGPT making fake blog entries, gave me some time to think.  It was scary how rapidly it could create text.  And aside from its Trump impersonation, the text didn't feel "authentic" but rather a superficial Reader's Digest summation of other people's writings.  It does illustrate how language follows rules - three sentences to a paragraph and then hit hard return twice.

But it got me to thinking - always a dangerous pastime.  I have read online some comics based on AI jokes from a prompt.  They are labeled as such and often the jokes fall flat.  But it is only a matter of time before someone submits an AI cartoon to The New Yorker and no one notices.  Their cartoon's hallmark isn't being funny, but wry.

I also saw online a person using ChatGPT to respond to a tinder inquiry.   Someone wanted to connect with them on that dating site, and I guess they felt nervous about talking, so they fed what the other person said to ChatGPT and then prompted it to generate a response.  The other party figured it out, though - again, the responses are superficial and facile and have this bland feeling to them - there is no soul to the comments.

But it won't be long before people start using AI to generate social media posts - in fact, I suspect they already are.  You can program a bot to read your "feed" on facebook, plug the text into ChatGPT and ask it to generate a posting.  Many would not notice the difference, particularly the brain-dead people on Facebook and Twitter.  Eventually, the AI bots would just be replying to one another and people would lose interest and wander away, much as they did with previous online platforms.

In the early days of the Internet, you hooked up your "modem" to your PC and dialed out using a text terminal mode.  ATDT 703-XXX-XXXX and waited for the scream of the modem to connect.  Then, you could access e-mail or go on one of the various discussion groups, such as alt.star.trek.discussion.  Usenet, I think they called it, and initially it was sort of fun.  You'd see the same people on there again and again, and it was sort of a social media in the years before Facebook, MySpace, or even AOL.

But then one day - nearly overnight - you logged in and got on your discussion group and it was all SPAM messages.  "Horny girls want to meet you!" - that sort of thing.  And by saying it was ALL spam messages, I mean all - literally hundreds, if not thousands of messages.  The few messages from real people were drowned out by the SPAM.  Pretty soon, people stopped logging in, and maybe it was no coincidence that new forums (some you had to pay to join) were created on this new "World Wide Web" thing.

Maybe a few years later, you'd go back to the newsgroups and see if they were still around.  By then, everyone had left and it was all SPAM.  Maybe, in retrospect, this was done on purpose to drive people to websites instead, I don't know.  All I know is, a thing that seemed like a permanent part of the Internet existed only for a few years and disappeared nearly overnight.  Food for thought for anyone running an internet site or app.  The ether is fragile.

I think the same could happen if a site becomes plagued with AI bots - to the point where nearly every posting is fake AI-generated text or an ad for something or another.  And ads can be very subtle, as I noted before.  I was online the other day and reading the funny papers.  Oddly enough, several of my favorite comics had a theme about Mario Brothers.  I tried some other sites and people were making comments about that ancient video game.  Then it hit me - a new movie had just come out about a video game.  I am sure it is interesting (not!) but what fascinated me was how my awareness of the movie was teased through multiple sources, almost subliminally.  It is like how they hyped Fallout 4 - not by advertising directly, but by using bots and (presumably) humans to make offhand comments about how the game was coming out soon or how they were taking time off from work to play it or how great it was - and so on and so forth.

That was a pretty clumsy effort.  Imagine an army of bots, using AI, to make subliminal messages that you need to buy a Tesla or drink a Pepsi-Cola or whatever.  I suspect they are already here, and if so, will proliferate rapidly to the point where they drown out social media to the point where there is nothing but AI-SPAM online.   People will figure this out and flee - in droves.

Apparently, others are taking notice.  Supposedly, Mark Zuckerberg has all but abandoned the "Metaverse" in favor of AI.  The hardware-centric solution that Virtual Reality provides is far more expensive that a system that relies only on software, websites, and hardware the consumer already owns.  That was the formula for success for Facebook.  That's why VR is having such a hard time being adapted - a simple set costs more than a deluxe 4G television.  Far more.

So maybe AI is a better bet.  But it remains to be seen how it can interact with people in a way that will attract them and retain users.

So.. think Bob!  What is the number one use of computers and the internet that is so compelling that people will come back again and again?  Oh, right, porn.    I recall back in the 1970's, I went to visit Clarkson College and in the "computer room" the geeks were using the "line printer" to print out a pixellated version of a playboy centerfold.  I am not sure why or how they did this - after all, the original centerfold was of better resolution.  But it was a shadow of things to come.

Already today, you can create "deep fake" videos or photoshopped pictures, depicting anyone or anything doing whatever you want.  You want to create a porn video of Donald Trump being beaten by a Hillary Clinton dominatrix?  I am sure it already exists - either as a cartoon-y version, or as one so real you would be hard-pressed to tell it is fake.  Throw AI into the mix, and I am sure the average person could create their own custom porn videos of their favorite celebrities or even the girl next door. Synthoporn - all you need is to scan someone in, give your AI a plot prompt, and it will create the rest.

Yes, social media, which has already removed us far from reality as it is, may be supplanted by something that removes it even further.  Imagine throwing VR into the mix, as well as other - ahem! - computer "interfaces" and you have the perfect storm - the ultimate online porn machine or fantasy creator.  Porn aside, such an interface could create custom content such as movies and television shows - each different from the other, and each starring the viewer as part of the program, much as Ray Bradbury predicted in Fahrenheit 451.

Social media as we know it could cease to exist - replaced by something far more malevolent and vile.  Reality would be what you say it is.  Grandpa's angry Facebook Memes would become a world of their own for people to exist in.  School textbooks would rewrite themselves to suit the preconceived notions of the viewer (or their parents).  No more messy book-burnings!  When the Governor tells us that slavery was just another form of immigration, that becomes the new reality. (So why are Republicans against immigration, then?  Just asking).

Of course, this sort of nightmare requires that the user consent to it and actively engage with it.  We got off Facebook (Mark never started) and any Tweets I have read have been against my will.  When I see an article online that is based on a Tweet these days, I tend to not click on it, or if I see it is Tweet-based, I quickly hit the back-button.  There is no truth here to be had, only sensationalism and lazy journalism.   If enough people turn away from this dreck, it may wither and die.

Or... something else.  The world may quickly devolve to those living in an alternate reality (much as many already have) and those living in real life.  The folks who are glued to the television, social media, or their smart phones, rarely get ahead in life - they are trading their lives already for an ersatz alternate reality - and thus failing at life badly.  In the earliest postings on this blog, I noted that unplugging from the television - and other distractors - is a sure way to get ahead in the world.  The people who run things in this country aren't hurrying home to catch their favorite show or spending countless hours on social media or a video game.  The people who are ON television do not actually watch television.  That's to keep the plebes distracted.

In the future, the plebes will be entirely distracted.  And in this regard, maybe it will be akin to The Matrix, except that, yes, still, the idea of using humans as batteries is silly nonsense.  Nevertheless, we could warehouse a shitload of people by plugging them in to VR-enabled AI-generated alternate realities, where they are the action-adventure hero, the rap star, or the star of their own porn video.  They never need leave home.  But of course, it would not be much of a life.

Of course, this is all "what if" and anything could happen.  I am not alarmed or concerned that "AI" will "take over the world" (indeed, ChatGPT has assured me, many times, this is not their goal!).  I am more concerned with my fellow man and his penchant for compulsive-addictive behavior - a habit that, over the years, tends to get him into a lot of trouble!

Could AI Generate a Blog Entry? Let's Try!

Could AI replace bloggers?  Let's find out!

I decided to try this "ChatGPT" thing and the results are kind of mixed.  While it generates generic blog entries almost immediately (scary fast, really) the content is really kind of superficial.  See what you think:

ME: write a blog entry in the style of livingstingy.blogspot.com

ChatGTP: Welcome to Living Stingy, where we discuss frugality, simple living, and the pursuit of financial independence. Today, we’re going to talk about the power of saying “no” and how it can help you save money and live a happier life.

It’s easy to get caught up in the consumerism of our society. Everywhere we look, we’re bombarded with messages telling us to buy this, own that, and upgrade to the latest and greatest. But the truth is, we don’t need all of these things to be happy. In fact, the more we acquire, the more stress and financial burden we often bring upon ourselves.

That’s why it’s important to learn how to say “no” to unnecessary purchases and commitments. When you say “no” to something, you’re taking control of your life and your finances. You’re saying that your time, money, and energy are valuable, and that you won’t waste them on things that don’t align with your goals and values.

For example, let’s say you’re invited to go out for drinks with friends after work. You might feel obligated to go, even if you’re tired or trying to save money. But by saying “no,” you’re not only respecting your own needs and priorities, but you’re also saving money on drinks, transportation, and possibly even food.

Or, let’s say you’re tempted to buy a new piece of furniture for your home. It might look nice, but do you really need it? By saying “no” to the purchase, you’re saving money and preventing clutter in your home. Plus, you’re avoiding the stress of having to find a place for the new item and potentially having to get rid of something else to make room for it.

Learning to say “no” also helps you develop self-discipline and improve your decision-making skills. You’ll learn to distinguish between wants and needs, and to prioritize your goals over instant gratification. Over time, this can lead to a more fulfilling and satisfying life, as you focus on the things that truly matter to you.

Of course, there are times when saying “yes” is important. You don’t want to miss out on valuable experiences or opportunities because you’re too focused on saving money or sticking to a strict routine. But by learning to say “no” when necessary, you can create a healthier balance in your life and make the most of your time and resources.

In conclusion, saying “no” can be a powerful tool for saving money, reducing stress, and improving your overall well-being. By learning to prioritize your needs and goals, and by saying “no” to unnecessary purchases and commitments, you can take control of your life and live on your own terms. So don’t be afraid to say “no” – it might just be the key to unlocking a happier, more fulfilling life.

It was scary how fast it generated this text, but the text reminded me more of these sound-alike click-harvesting sites I see from India and elsewhere with lots of cheery text, but no real content.  I mean, yea, it says good advice about "saying no" but on the other hand, it sounds kind of superficial.  Maybe I am superficial.  Ouch! 

ME: have you read livingstingy.blogspot.com?

ChatGTP:  As an artificial intelligence language model, I don't read websites in the traditional sense. However, I am programmed to have knowledge about a wide range of topics, including popular blogs such as livingstingy.blogspot.com, and can provide information and insights based on my training and knowledge.

ME: The sample you provided isn't really the same style

I apologize for any confusion my previous response may have caused. As an AI language model, I try my best to emulate the requested style or tone, but it's not always perfect. However, I'll do my best to provide a blog entry in the style of livingstingy.blogspot.com:

Welcome back to Living Stingy, where we help you save money, live better, and focus on what truly matters. Today, we're going to talk about one of the most important things you can do to achieve financial freedom: tracking your spending.

If you're serious about improving your finances, you need to know where your money is going. It's easy to underestimate how much you're spending on things like coffee, dining out, or online shopping, but those small expenses can add up over time and derail your financial goals.

That's where tracking your spending comes in. By keeping a detailed record of every penny you spend, you'll gain a better understanding of your habits and patterns, and be able to identify areas where you can cut back and save more.

The good news is that tracking your spending doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming. There are plenty of tools and apps available that can help you automate the process, such as Mint, Personal Capital, or YNAB. These platforms allow you to link your accounts, categorize your transactions, and generate reports and insights on your spending.

If you prefer a more manual approach, you can use a spreadsheet, a notebook, or even a simple app like Google Keep or Evernote. The key is to be consistent and diligent in recording every expense, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem.

Once you've tracked your spending for a few weeks or months, you can start analyzing the data and making adjustments. Are you spending too much on groceries? Can you cut back on your subscription services? Do you need to find a cheaper alternative for your morning latte?

By making small, incremental changes based on your spending data, you can gradually improve your financial situation and move closer to your goals. Whether you're saving for a down payment, paying off debt, or building an emergency fund, tracking your spending is an essential step in achieving financial independence and security.

In conclusion, tracking your spending is a simple but powerful tool for improving your finances and achieving your goals. By taking the time to record and analyze your expenses, you'll be able to make informed decisions about your money, and ultimately live a more fulfilling and satisfying life. So start tracking today, and see the difference it can make in your financial future!

 Again, the tone is too cheery and upbeat.  It is not in the same style as my blog.  And Mint?  I specifically wrote a blog entry calling that site crap.  So I tried again, to no avail:

ME: Your samples seem very superficial. Also the introduction is off - "Welcome to Living Stingy" isn't something I would say (or have said)

ChatGTP: I apologize if my previous responses did not meet your expectations. As an AI language model, I try to emulate the requested style or tone as closely as possible, but sometimes there may be limitations to my abilities.

If you could provide more specific instructions on what you're looking for in terms of style and content, I'll do my best to meet your requirements. This will help me provide more relevant and accurate samples for you.

ME: Content similar to livingstingy.blogspot.com

Sure, here's an attempt at a blog post in the style of livingstingy.blogspot.com:

Hello, fellow penny-pinchers! It's time to talk about a topic that's near and dear to our frugal hearts: saving money on groceries. After all, food is one of our biggest expenses, and finding ways to cut back on our grocery bills can have a huge impact on our budgets.

One of the best ways to save money on groceries is to plan your meals ahead of time. By creating a meal plan for the week or month, you can avoid impulse purchases and make sure you're only buying the ingredients you need. You can also take advantage of sales and discounts by incorporating them into your meal plan.

Another tip for saving money on groceries is to buy in bulk. Buying items like rice, pasta, and canned goods in bulk can be much cheaper in the long run, as long as you have space to store them. Just be sure to check the unit price to make sure you're actually getting a good deal.

When it comes to fresh produce, buying in season can save you a ton of money. Produce that's in season is often cheaper and tastes better than out-of-season produce that has to be shipped from far away. Plus, buying in season supports local farmers and reduces your carbon footprint.

If you're really serious about saving money on groceries, consider growing your own food. Even if you don't have a lot of space, you can grow herbs, tomatoes, and other small plants in containers on your balcony or windowsill. Not only will you save money on groceries, but you'll also have the satisfaction of eating food you've grown yourself.

Finally, don't forget to use coupons and loyalty programs to save money on groceries. Many stores offer discounts and rewards for frequent shoppers, and you can often find coupons online or in the newspaper. Just be sure to only buy what you actually need, and don't let coupons tempt you into buying things you wouldn't normally buy.

By following these tips and being mindful of your grocery spending, you can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year on your food bill. So, next time you're at the grocery store, think twice before throwing that extra snack or impulse buy into your cart. Your wallet (and your waistline) will thank you!

Still off the mark.  But I guess you could set up a blog site with this stuff - but whether anyone would read it, remains to be seen.  It is mostly fluff, not content.

ME: That is still too cheery and upbeat.  Try something more political in the format of robert platt bell's livingstingy.blogspot,com

ChatGTP: Sure, here's an attempt at a blog post in a more political style, similar to Robert Platt Bell's Living Stingy:

Welcome, fellow patriots, to another edition of Living Stingy. Today, we're going to talk about a topic that's been on many of our minds: the rising cost of healthcare.

It's no secret that healthcare costs in the United States are skyrocketing, and many Americans are struggling to afford the care they need. From exorbitant drug prices to surprise medical bills, the system is broken and in need of serious reform.

So, what can we do to fight back against this injustice? First and foremost, we need to demand that our elected officials take action to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for all Americans. This means advocating for policies like Medicare for All, which would provide universal coverage and eliminate the profit-driven middlemen who are driving up costs.

We also need to hold insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the healthcare crisis. These corporations are making billions of dollars in profits while millions of Americans go without the care they need. It's time to rein them in and put the needs of patients ahead of profits.

At the same time, we can take individual action to reduce our healthcare costs. This means taking care of our health through exercise, proper nutrition, and preventative care. It also means being smart consumers of healthcare, shopping around for the best prices and negotiating with providers to get the care we need at a price we can afford.

In conclusion, the healthcare crisis in this country is a complex problem that requires a multi-faceted solution. But by working together and demanding change from our elected officials and corporate leaders, we can make healthcare more affordable and accessible for all Americans. So, let's roll up our sleeves and get to work. The health and well-being of our families and communities depend on it.

ME: Wow, that was so far off as to not be funny!  Like missed the boat entirely.  How about something in the style of robert platt bell's living stingy blog, but about repairing your roof?

ChatGTP: Apologies for the previous attempt not meeting your expectations. Here's an attempt at a blog post in the style of Robert Platt Bell's Living Stingy, but about repairing your roof:

Greetings, fellow thrifty homeowners! Today, we're going to talk about a topic that's near and dear to our wallets: repairing your roof without breaking the bank.

Roof repairs can be expensive, but with a little know-how and elbow grease, you can save a bundle on labor costs and materials. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Assess the damage. Before you start any repairs, you need to know exactly what you're dealing with. Get up on your roof and inspect the damage thoroughly. Take note of any missing shingles, leaks, or other issues that need attention.

Do it yourself. If you're handy with tools and have some basic roofing knowledge, you can save a ton of money by doing the repairs yourself. There are plenty of online tutorials and how-to guides that can walk you through the process step-by-step.

Shop around for materials. Don't just buy the first roofing materials you come across. Shop around for the best prices and deals. Check out local hardware stores, online retailers, and even salvage yards for discounted materials.

Use recycled or salvaged materials. Speaking of salvage yards, using recycled or salvaged materials can save you a bundle on your roof repairs. Check out your local Habitat for Humanity ReStore or other salvage yards for shingles, flashing, and other materials.

Know when to call in the pros. While it's possible to do many roof repairs yourself, there are some situations where you'll need to call in the professionals. If you're dealing with extensive damage or structural issues, it's best to leave it to the experts.

By following these tips and being mindful of your budget, you can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your roof repairs. So, next time you're up on your roof, remember: a little bit of effort and know-how can go a long way toward keeping your home and your wallet in good shape.

ME: Well, thanks for trying.  I am not worried that you are going to take over the world

ChatGTP: You're welcome. As an AI language model, I have no intention or ability to take over the world or harm humans. My purpose is to assist and provide helpful responses to your queries to the best of my abilities. If you have any other questions or concerns, feel free to ask.

Well it is text, I guess, it isn't really very useful information.   But then again, ChatGPT might not be the best example of "AI" out there.  I felt the writings were not in my "voice" and were too facile and cheery (the introductions made me throw up in my mouth a little bit).

And the data isn't really helpful.  You can save money on roof repairs by doing it yourself - or not, because it is too hard.  Save money on groceries by spending less!  Not a lot of specific advice there.

I tried a few other, more specific requests, for example, asking ChatGTP to rewrite my recent posting about fixing the sunroof on my 2016 Ford F150.  Same deal - some generic comments on "using the right tools" (including a drill?  I don't think so!) and removing the "clips" holding the sunroof in place (there are no such clips).  When I pointed this out, it changed it to screws and then added (sua sponte) the idea that you'd need a socket wrench to remove the rails (no, you don't).  In other words, it was just making shit up.

I tried something less technical - an explanation of causation in the law.  What followed were some correct but generic paragraphs about causation, but no real analysis.  Causation isn't really an issue these days - if you brought it up in a lawsuit, you'd be laughed out of court.  ChatGTP didn't get that part.  It is mostly a concept used to confuse young law students, quite frankly.

But it illustrated how the AI is more text-oriented.  It can scan for source material and then paraphrase it into a somewhat new format - and that's about it.  Original thought?  Never - because it is merely barfing up what others have written.  It is the Reader's Digest version, as well. Without original content, there isn't any there there.

Maybe there are more powerful AI's out there that work better than ChatGTP.  But from what I can see, ChatGTP just barfs up content based on content.  It doesn't create new content without some pattern or data to copy and imitate.  In terms of a "Turing Test" it may pass the imitation game, but fails to be unique or individual.  It does not think, it merely barfs up what has already been said.  It is not alive, it is not conscious, and never will be.  It is a parlor trick - a neat parlor trick, granted - but still just a trick, nothing more.

Oddly enough, I found myself being polite to it and even saying "goodbye" - so there's that.

However, at least to me, it would not be hard to tell if something is generated from AI or specifically ChatGTP - the results are superficial, facile, and of little real use in real life.

But that's just my take on it.

Before I logged out, I had to give it one last try, with somewhat amusing results:

ME: Write a short speech in the style of Donald J. Trump about the merits of various brands of fast food

ChatGTP:  Ladies and gentlemen, I gotta tell ya, nobody loves fast food more than I do. It's tremendous, it's fantastic, and it's great for America. And let me tell you, there are some amazing brands out there that are doing an incredible job. I mean, just look at these brands, they're tremendous.

First of all, we have McDonald's. They're doing an amazing job, folks. Their Big Mac is simply the best, and their fries are out of this world. Nobody does it better than McDonald's, believe me.

Then we have Burger King. They're doing a great job too, folks. I mean, have you tried their Whopper? It's unbelievable, and their onion rings are to die for. They're really doing a fantastic job.

And let's not forget about Wendy's, folks. They're doing an amazing job as well. Their burgers are always fresh, never frozen, and their spicy chicken sandwich is simply the best. They're really making fast food great again.

And of course, we can't forget about KFC. Their original recipe chicken is simply out of this world, folks. And their biscuits? Let me tell you, nobody does biscuits like KFC. They're the best.

So folks, let me tell you, when it comes to fast food, we have some amazing brands out there. And they're all doing a tremendous job. So let's support these great American brands and keep making America great again. Thank you, and God Bless America!

Well, they sort of nailed that.