Category: Uncategorized

Fun With AI

After reading a very eye opening article about AI I figured I had better hurry up and get to learning more about this massivly important invention that sounds like it will soon be sweeping over us all.

So I decided to ask it to write some poetry! Here it is, using Duck.ai:

ME: write some poetry using rugged American place names

DUCK.AI: Rugged American Landscapes in Verse

Lonesome Mountain

In the shadow of Pikes Peak, where the aspens sway,
Resides the echoes of a wild, spirited day.
Cascades of currents carve the granite rock,
At dusk, the sky ignites—time’s unyielding clock.

Heart of Appalachia

Where the Smokies whisper through the fogged embrace,
O’er valleys deep, a soft, haunting place.
Harlan County sings of struggle and pride,
Where ghostly trains rush; history’s tide.

High Desert Dreams

From the windswept plains of Albuquerque’s call,
To Santa Fe sunsets that ignite and enthrall.
The spirit of the Rio Grande flows strong and deep,
In the heart of the desert, where wild dreams leap.

Northern Exposure

Amidst the rugged peaks of Denali’s throne,
The chill of glaciers, nature’s ancient bone.
Juneau stands proud as the sea meets the stone,
In this northern expanse, the wild is alone.

Rust Belt Reverie

In the heart of Detroit, where engines would roar,
Ghosts of the factories, old dreams at the core.
Yet, life pushes forward, a resilient scene,
Where art meets the struggle—something evergreen.

These rugged names echo in hearts that roam free,
In landscapes profound, they craft history’s spree.
Let whispers of America linger and soar,
In the beauty of wildness, forever explore.

ME: did you write that?

DUCK.AI: Yes, I created that poetry with rugged American place names specifically for you. Each piece captures the essence of various landscapes and their unique stories. If you have any particular themes or places in mind, I’d be happy to craft something more tailored!

ME: I like those. Would you write the same type of poem specifically about the American State of Iowa?

Next: AI Iowa poetry

Vintage Ads and Ephemera

Last summer I bought a stack of old magazines from a local tag sale. I decided to scan the contents of whatever interested me and share. I will also include scans of some other stuff I have sitting around.

These ads were seemingly everywhere when one would pick up a magazine or comic book during the mid-20th century. I learned my lesson the one (and only) time I sent off for one of these catalogs. You received advice for your $1, such as “visit an army surplus store”, or “ask if the owners are willing to bargain.” I would imagine most people were too embarrassed at being so gullible to ask for a refund. I remember I was.

Alone

This poem by Mikhail Lermontov (1814-1841) has multiple translations. This is the one I like the most.

Alone, I come to the road.
The stony track gleams in the mist:
the calm night listens to God,
and star is speaking to star.

All’s marvelous, grave, in the sky!
Earth sleeps in the radiant blue…
Why such pain then, such weight on the heart?
Do I regret, wait for something new?

I expect no more from this life
and I’ve no regrets for the past.
I look for freedom and peace:
I want rest and oblivion at last…

But not the chill peace of the grave:
I’d like to sleep for all time
so life’s powers slept in my chest,
and it heaved with my gentle breath:

an enchanted voice in my ear
singing, day and night, of love:
and a dark oak to rustle over me,
and bend down from above.

Translated by A. S. Kline

In My Soldiers Heart

Union General Gouverneur Warren (1830-1882)

During the American Civil War the very men Confederates were trying to kill could not help honoring them. On hearing the news that Jackson had been killed at Chancellorsville, Union General Gouverneur Warren wrote, “I rejoice at Stonewall Jackson’s death as a gain to our cause, yet in my soldier’s heart I cannot but see him the best soldier of all this war, and grieve his untimely end.”

Movie Review: War Machine

I enjoy reviews that are short and to the point: Should I watch a movie or not? I lost count of how many films War Machine draws from. It starts with every military basic training movie you might have seen, followed by: Southern Comfort, Deliverance, Predator, War of The Worlds, Independence Day, Transformers, The Alien movies, Jurassic Park, and several others. If you are looking for a fun action/survivalist/sci-fi Saturday night popcorn movie, this one is for you. On Netflix.

The Roundup

Encounters: While sitting in a waiting room recently Shelly and I encountered a delightful lady who informed us she had multiple great, great-grandchildren. After visiting with her Shelly and I wondered how old the lady was to be able to enjoy great, greats and still get around as good as she did, as she also talked about still traveling around the country with her husband to visit all of those kids.

Read: I have been rereading my copy of The Tightwad Gazette By Amy Dacyczyn. If anyone is serious about living frugally, this book is a must-read. Click here for more information about Amy and her book.

Observed: We have seen more hawks and eagles around our general area lately. I think it is because, again this winter, the rivers and streams are frozen and the birds have taken to hunting the surrounding fields.

Website: I have been sorting through artwork lately and using the free TinEye site, which searches “80.8 billion images and find(s) where images appear online.” It has been somewhat useful, as has Google Images, but I am considering just paying for a more art-specific app to use for a few months. Any suggestions?

Recipe: My wife Shelly has been a representative for Tastefully Simple for enough years now that I have a few favorite meals using the company products. Marry Me Chicken, on Shellys TS website, is one of them. This slow cooked, one pot meal is juicy and creamy, the combination of garlic, pepper, Alfredo sauce, tomatoes and Parmesan cheese melting in your mouth. Check it out.