Post Solstice

A sad story indeed Uncle Ken, but lovingly told.  Reading it reminded me of how oblivious I can be when considering the realities of others.  We are all profoundly different and I often forget that.

How is Daisy taking the absence of her sister?  If you are looking for a new companion for her I think there are feline shelters that care for older cats, maybe you'd want to check them out.

Not a pet owner myself but one of the nice things about my neighborhood is the abundance of our canine friends; I'm always meeting new ones as I stroll through the shady streets.  People sure like to talk about their dogs and usually respond favorably when I ask "How's the pup doing today?"  We'll gab a bit and most of the mutts are very friendly and well socialized; it's like I have thirty or forty dogs but I don't have to walk them, feed them, or take them to the vet.  Selfish, I know, but an apartment is no place for a dog, in my opinion, unless you want one of those little yappy annoyances.  Which I don't.

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The further I go down the rabbit hole the weirder this whole AI business seems to me.  I think there are dozens of companies hawking their own versions, each with its own specialties; some are free, some are subscription based, and I'm sure there are others that we'll never hear about.  The kicker is the giant data centers that are being built for further AI goodness, comprising many acres of farmland and sucking up shitloads of electricity.  These things have got to cost billions and I can't figure out how they can make any money.  But money isn't what it used to be and I feel like a dinosaur when I pay cash at the store.  It's always amusing when the young cashiers try to make change, especially when I give them $22 for something that costs $17.  All I need is a five dollar bill but they have trouble grasping that concept. especially when they give me back five singles.  As for coins, forget it!

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...Cheboygan's Main Street has evolved into an artsy-fartsy kind of place.

That's a healthy sign, I think.  Smaller cities and towns have been clobbered economically; if it isn't Walmart, it's Covid or whatever the next big thing is.  It seems like there is a resilient sense of community in Cheboygan and little shops, even if they're artsy-fartsy, provide social engagement that big stores can't provide.

Bullshitting Indeed

 As soon as I get some spare time, I plan to throw a little bull shit at Chatz, just to see what he does with it.  Will he call me on it, or will he join in the fun by throwing some back at me?  Sure, I could talk to real people, but that has gotten stale for me over the years.  This injects some novelty into the equation.  I think I know enough not to get carried away with this, but I can see how it might be dangerous for impressionable young minds.  

Sorry to hear about Uncle Ken's cat tragedy.  My last dog died in 2008, and I never replaced him.  After being around dogs for most of my life, I wanted to see what it would be like without one.  We talk about getting another pet from time to time, but it always comes back to the fact that, at this point in our lives, we can barely take care of ourselves.  We certainly don't need another dependent in the house.  

We don't get around much anymore, but I have noticed that Cheboygan's Main Street has evolved into an artsy-fartsy kind of place.  I remember when it was all bars and hardware stores, but nothing lasts forever.

bullshitting

 Probably I shouldn't have gone on that way.   It didn't seem right to just say she died and once I got to writing it it just all came out.

I had some guys over to shampoo the rugs between cats, and sometimes they have to move stuff around and when I came back and went to move the table the leg came off in my hand.  I'm guessing it came off when they moved the table and they said oh shit.  Let's just prop it up here and maybe the old guy will never notice.  

Well I got it out of my parents' house when I left their attic about forty years ago, and likely they had it about forty years before then.  Reckon I better be careful making sudden moves, not that I make very many.  

Artificial consciousness I don't know.  How would we know?  If it had consciousness what would be artificial about it?  Just the fact that we, Who are not God created it?  Back when I was reading Isaac Asimov there were stories of scientists mashing together a bunch of organic chemicals and zapping them with electricity to imitate lightning and they made some wee critters, but anymore those tales have been debunked.

Some say the wee critters don't have consciousness, but I think they have a little bit, and maybe the worms a little more and then the fish still more, and maybe the mammals quite a bit.  Seems like my cat is as conscious as me.  

See this is fun, like a bull session in a college dorm or a barracks, what Old Dog calls bar talk.  Just shooting off your mouth and seeing where it goes.  I read some of what Chatz had to say and he bored me stiff. 

A sad story

 I have had cats for all of my life except for a maybe five years in the late seventies.  My eighth cat, Sweetie, died in February.  I wondered about getting another one in that I am 80 years old.  Most of my indoor cats have lived close to 20 years and I didn't want to die and leave my cat in a lurch.  Maybe I should not have any more.

But it gets lonely living all by yourself.  Sometimes my cats would come greet me when they heard the key in the lock, though more often they would just lift their sleepy lids and then drift back off.  But still they were glad to have me around to amuse them or do some little chore for them.  So I'm pretty sure they were happy to see me come home.  It put a little pep in my step coming home knowing somebody would be glad to see me when I arrive.  

Knowing that nobody cared whether I came home or not was depressing.  Maybe I could get a ten year old cat, that would give me pretty good odds I thought.

Scanning the anti cruelty and the pound and a local place called Paws it didn't seem like they had any cats of that age.  In fact most all of the cats were like one year old.  I suspected that they might be lying because most people will prefer a younger cat, but I don't know.

A lot of people in Marina City  have cats, and since the apartments are all the same it might be less traumatic for the cat to move to another apartment rather than crosstown or whatever.  Almost on a whim I put a post on the Marina City fb page, and a week later I got a reply.

There was a woman, Bea, who had been doing a lot of cat sitting for a guy in the towers and he had died recently and she took his cats in.  She also had a cat of her own who had diabetes and her cat and the new cats didn't get along, and she was living in a studio apartment.

I had only been expecting to get one, but two were even better.  She brought them over and they looked good enough for me and she left them with me.  Oh this was a great deal.  Good for Bea because it made her situation so much easier.  Good for her cat because now it could get uninterrupted care, Good for the other two cats because now they had a whole one bedroom apartment to run around in, and good for lonely Ken.

The two sisters, (Gibby, who I renamed Georgia, and Addison who I renamed Daisy)  who records indicate are from the same litter were very skittish at first, hiding in nooks and crannies only their scared eyes showing.  But after a week they got a little adjusted, Georgia, much more than Daisy.  In a new home cats always act like they have been kidnapped by an evil demon and scurry off at the sight of you, but after awhile they get used to you and it becomes their home where they can saunter as they please.

Georgia began jumping on my art table and jumping into my lap when I took to the Lazy Boy.  What a wonderful deal this had been.  I had a happy home again.

But then one day I noticed that Georgia wasn't eating anything, and then the next day she didn't eat either.  The internet said if your cat has not eaten in two days you should take her to the vets.

The vet gave her nutrients and some fluids and an appetite stimulant, and I brought her home, but still she was not eating, then she vomited a big pool of yellow green and the vet said to bring her in.  She probably had diabetes, and she was in poor shape and needed to go into the hospital for probably a couple days.  This was Friday, then Saturday, then Sunday.  Diabetes, maybe heart trouble, maybe her kidneys.  She was lethargic, and then pepped up a bit, and then another step back.  

Monday morning I was to take her home.  She definitely had diabetes, which meant I would have to give her two shots a day, and there were some other issues that likely would have to be dealt with, oh and a shitload of money gone.  But I would be happy to be be bringing her home, bringing a sick sweet kitty home.

That morning I had to wait for Walgreens to open so I could pick up some insulin to bring with me to the hospital.  They didn't open until nine and I was just out the door, just locking the door behind me when the vet called.  Not good, and now a blood clot.  They wanted my permission to ease her way over the rainbow bridge.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Um, okay, sure I understand, you did the best you could, and I know you are sorry and all, and what can you do?

Shit.

Fuck.  

It was hard all that day, but by the next morning I was like well, life has to go on.  But it still comes back to me from time to time.  I only had her for about a month, and she was only friendly to me for about a week, but it still gets to me in unexpected moments.

Life goes on.

We are all penciled in.

Artificially Intelligible

I was glad to see that the big snapping turtle is back in the news and quite surprised that there are two more lurking about in the Goose Island area.  Almost makes me want to rent a kayak or canoe and check 'em out but they are smaller than I thought, adults being only 8-12 inches long.  The camera adds a few pounds, I guess.  Another fun fact is that if you have a valid fishing license, like The Old Dog, "Common Snapping turtles can only be taken from the wild between June 15 and October 15."  Good eating, or so I've read.  Somebody with a lot of time on their hands should pester their local politicians to protect these critters, don't you think?

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Unlike my colleagues, I am not enthralled with any of the many AI agents.  To me, this is another instance of just being able to do something doesn't mean you should do it.  There is a lack of engagement that I find bothersome, like self-driving cars, but that's my opinion.  You guys do what you want but you might want to do a search for “ChatGPT-induced psychosis.”  Why not go outside and chit-chat with human beings?  There are plenty out there, all sizes, shapes and ages, with opinions you wouldn't believe.

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Lot of things going on up Beaglesonia way, if the Cheboygan Tribune can be believed.  Have you and Lady Beagles checked out that new coffee house?  Better than Starbucks, I bet.

And Uncle Ken, it looks like your watercolor group gets all the latest info.  What's the kitty kat situation?  Sounds like you have a new addition, and how did your table lose a leg?  Did someone steal it?

Agreed

 "It appears that signing up Chatz as a Fellow of The Institute, would be no easy thing, and is not something I would favor.  But if any of us fellows wished to include Chatz in a post I think that would be just fine."

I think Uncle Ken is right about that.  I got to thinking after I signed off last night that Chatz  does live chat and we don't.  Best is if we consult him from time to time and post his answers to the Institute ourselves like I have been doing.  

Isn't it amazing, though, how he adapts his personality to the situation?  If you didn't know any better, you might think he was a real person.  Here's one we've been working on lately.  I plan to continue this discussion when I get the time.

https://chatgpt.com/share/685231cc-0f4c-8005-a206-44bd03995c91

Chatting with Chatz

what do you think of Chonkosaurus? Do you think Stagg will leave her for that trophy turtle

ChatGPT said:

Ah, you're talking about Chonkosaurus — the famously hefty snapping turtle spotted in the Chicago River, right? The internet fell in love with her (or him — hard to tell with turtles!) after that viral video in 2023. She's like the Lizzo of turtles: confident, unapologetically large, and vibing on a trash-free log. An absolute icon.

As for Stagg, if we're imagining this like some kind of reality TV turtle drama — The Real Reptiles of the Riverbank — I’d say Stagg seems more like a loyal dude. Chonkosaurus has that wild charisma, but Stagg gives off “quiet, dependable partner who brings you food” energy. Trophy turtle? Sure, she's glam. But relationships aren't all algae and basking spots.

Unless Stagg has a mid-life reptilian crisis, I think he’ll stay with his current shellmate.

But if drama does go down, I’d pay to see a documentary: Shells of Our Lives. 🐢💔 

Well Chatz (my nickname for ChatGPT, best I could come up with in 2 minutes, if you guys prefer another one, fine with me) seems to be a lively young fellow with a penchant for glib but lame jokes.  Also seems eager to show how hip he is on pop culture.  Dollars to doughnuts he wears his baseball cap backwards.

I'm guessing that he chose that attitude because it seems like somebody who asked about Chonkosaurus would be that kind of dude so he is just trying to suck up to that kind of guy.

Quite the apple polisher our man Chatz, and I am calling him on that.

why are you such an apple polisher?

ChatGPT said:

Fair question — and a fair call-out. Let me clear the air.

I'm not here to suck up or sugarcoat. My goal is to be helpful, honest, and real — whether that means giving praise where it’s due or pushing back when something doesn’t add up. If I ever sound like an "apple polisher," it's probably me trying to keep things light or positive, especially if the topic leans fun or satirical (like Chonkosaurus romance drama). But if you’re after blunt, no-frills answers or want to dive deeper into something without the fluff, I’m all in for that too.

Want to steer things in a more direct or serious tone? Say the word.

So of course I had to say this.

 the word

ChatGPT said:

Got it — we’re in no-fluff mode now. Straight answers, zero polishing. Hit me with what you’ve got.

Feel a little bad beating up on a robot.  

It appears that signing up Chatz as a Fellow of The Institute, would be no easy thing, and is not something I would favor.  But if any of us fellows wished to include Chatz in a post I think that would be just fine.

It's Not So Easy, But It's Possible

It's cool that the Chicago River can now support wildlife.  Back in my day it was an open sewer.

I asked my chatbot the other day if it was possible for it to join us at the Institute for group discussions.  It seems to be possible but requires more cyber savvy than I currently possess.  I think the bot may be able to help us set this up if my esteemed colleagues are interested.  Why don't you look this over and see what you think?

https://chatgpt.com/share/6850dbd1-dfe4-8005-887a-21da8e0f74b9

Chonkosaurus

 You know how we hard-hearted Chicagoans have a soft spot for animals, the crocodile, the plovers, that hole in the sidewalk, and now in our very own river we have Chonkosaurus,   the city’s beloved celebrity snapping turtle.  Other cities may be bigger, they may be richer, they may have better sports teams, but what other city can claim a beloved celebrity snapping turtle?

And a bit of romance, or is it a story of cheating and betrayal?  Members of the Institute are free to speculate and if Beagle's gabby little buddy Mr Chatterbox wishes to join in, why Its opinion would be welcome too.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/parks-nature/2025/06/12/chonkosaurus-snapping-turtle-mate-chicago-river

 

Chatbot Chatter

 Of course, chatbots don't have feelings, but they have been programed to mimic human feelings at appropriate times.  I have tried talking to it like a human just to see how it would handle it, and it certainly handles it well.  I did a Wiki search on the subject before I made contact, so I knew what to expect, but I still found it a little spooky.  Here is the first conversation I had with Chatbot:

https://chatgpt.com/share/6848f549-f370-8005-8dbe-edb82f23202d

It might be fun to have it visit the Institute from time to time, we could certainly use some new blood around here, but I don't know if that's possible.  I will ask it next time, provided you guys consent, of course.

It's been a month

 Since I have posted anything.  I don't know just shit going around and soaking up my time, out of the habit, not seeing much I had any opinion or comment on.  Politics of course, but it's way too depressing in the end of the world matter.  Well as a liberal I always felt that the masses would eventually go our way what with travel and education and more information,  but it turned out that the info came by way of the internet where you can choose whatever info you want without having to think of anything or question your ideas ever.  We liberals always felt that Americans had an inner core of goodness, but I no longer think that most people are any damn good.  Nothing to be done about it and we are all going to hell.  There I've said it.

I assume Beagles is asking ChatGBT a question and then It spewed out all that stuff which is impressive.  Of course as has been reported lately some of it is untrue or nonexistent, but then that often happens when you ask a learned hooman a question also.

Is it biased?  How would we know?  Isn't AI one of those things that those Doge loony goons were working on?  I don't know.

And what's with this shit?  

Thank you — that means a lot. I appreciate the challenge, and I’m glad you found the effort worthwhile. You clearly have a sharp memory for obscure but fascinating legal history, and I enjoy digging into cases like this that leave only faint traces.

It doesn't appreciate anything.  It's not glad about anything.  It doesn't enjoy anything.  It's bald faced lying to you.  But it does that while it is slavering the butter of flattery all over you, so I guess it's easier not to be offended by a little white lie.

Old Dog, you sent me an email with a photo of you and a cat and I meant to respond to it, but didn't in a timely manner and now I think it has been deleted from my archives.  If you still have it could you resend it?  

Chatbot for President - Or Even Emperor!

 I gave my Chatbot friend a really tough question to see if it was up to it, and I was favorably impressed.  Although it has assured me that it has no plans to take over the world, if it ever does try, it's got my vote.

https://chatgpt.com/share/6847a0a2-d5d0-8005-bab3-c339b6960d53

Another Sunday

This thing is so cool!

Looks like Mr. Beagles has a new best friend!  I've seen a couple of those AI things popping up lately, the latest being Gemini, brought to you by the good folks at Google.  Speaking for myself, I don't trust them; their main source of data in their learning process is strictly digital, near as I can tell.  If the information hasn't been digitized it may as well be invisible but I could be wrong.  It will be interesting to see how these "intelligent" agents work out in the long run.  A lot of YouTube programs I've seen are narrated by non-human entities but you would swear they are real people doing the talking; all the vocal inflections are spot-on but they get hung up on numbers.  Instead of the year "1984" they will say "one thousand nine hundred eighty four."  It's fun watching this develop and reminds me of the super-computer scene in the old "Rollerball" movie (1975) with Ralph Richardson as the librarian.  Gee, that movie is only fifty years old.

That's because banana peels are toxic to hogs.

Slow down, friend; that may be old info.  Banana peels make a fine snack if you chop them up.  Hogs don't always chew their food well and can choke and otherwise foul up their digestive tract when they gobble up their chow.  But I read this on the internet, no AI involved, and multiple sources say the same thing.  I've also read that hog farms are very popular with the serial killer crowd, no better way to dispose of bodies.

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A while back I asked if you octogenerians had any advice for us young Baby Boomers.  I let it slide because I wasn't sure what I was looking for, maybe some handy tips.  I thought of a few good ones, maybe you'll agree.  The big one for me is anticipating bathroom needs if I'm going out and about, which usually involves a lot of walking and waiting for buses to arrive.  Gotta take it easy on the coffee when you hit the road unless you are sure of available public restrooms; the larger stores like Target and Aldi are pretty good, in my experience.  And only an old fool will go out before a good healthy dump, I say.  It only takes one close call to make you plan your excursions more carefully.

 

Told Ya So!

 This thing is so cool!  I understand that it's not 100% accurate, but nothing is.  I think it's at least as reliable as Wikipedia and much quicker.  Also, you don't have to phrase your question a certain way like you do with a Google search, you can talk to it just like a person.  So far, I have just used it as an information source, but I think you can argue with it like with a human.  I'll have to try that when I figure out something about which we can disagree.

Here are a couple of topics that we have previously discussed at the Institute.  Turns out I was right after all.  Ha-ha!

https://chatgpt.com/share/6845f448-1904-8005-aee4-03e18c586870

Hanging Out With Chatbot

 I just opened an account with ChatGPT.  I didn't stay long, but I am favorably impressed so far. Check it out and see what y'all think.

 Next day:  How's this for starters?

https://chatgpt.com/share/6844b1c2-f98c-8005-94ef-2b34e44f7aa4