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Written by: Rod Boyle

Category: Blog

Published: 17 January 2023

Hits: 607

Not in the mood for Nelson today, weather grey but warm, i headed out to Balfour to spend the day searching for flakes. 

Lots of flakes, not a lot of worthwhile other finds:

a flake in the sand, got me excited, it was big, but - on pulling it out - just a flake. 

The days take. Bottom left - a knife - flaked on one side only, above it a couple of worked flakes, a few of which may have been small arrowheads. In the center next column a worked bit of chert on both sides, but no sharp edges, presumably abandoned. The big pieces are "blanks", larger pieces of chert from which arrowheads & points would be knocked off as needed. And to the right, lots of flakes, many still razor sharp. Some show a bit of serrating along a particular edge, so were probably used for scraping, the rest, the natural detritus of tool creation. 

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Written by: Rod Boyle

Category: Blog

Published: 15 January 2023

Hits: 606

And, playing around with it more, it's "understanding" is not where you think it is initially, It fares well answering science based questions, but in the humanities it fails. 

Which is to be expected.

Still, a lot of good answers to a lot of questions and a heck of a lot quicker than Google. 

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Written by: Rod Boyle

Category: Blog

Published: 15 January 2023

Hits: 565

Meanwhile, a question a day taken to it's limit on Chat GPT. 

Hi! I'm thinking of hosting a dinner party and inviting the following historical & fictional personages: Montague Summers, Aleister Crowley, Manly P. Hall, Pythagoras, Shakespeare,  Jesus Christ, Marquise De Sade, Casanova, and Woland from "The Master and Margarita". Would you be able to recommend a few more guests to make it an even dozen people?  

Sure, here are a few more guests you could consider inviting to your dinner party:

H.P. Lovecraft: an American horror and science fiction writer who was a contemporary of Montague Summers and Aleister Crowley.

Oscar Wilde: a famous playwright, novelist, and poet who was known for his wit and flamboyant personality.

Leonardo da Vinci: a Renaissance artist and inventor who was a contemporary of Casanova and Pythagoras.

Marie Curie: a pioneering scientist and the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.

Cleopatra: the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, who was a contemporary of Shakespeare.

Oscar Pistorius: a South African sprinter who was known as "Blade Runner" due to his prosthetic legs, he is a convicted murderer and is serving a life sentence in South Africa.

How should I arrange them around the table? Assume a long table in the style of the Last Supper...

One way to arrange the guests around the table would be to seat them in a way that promotes interesting conversation and interaction. Here is one possible seating arrangement:

Jesus Christ at the head of the table

Woland to his right

Shakespeare to his left

Oscar Wilde across from Woland

Montague Summers across from Shakespeare

Aleister Crowley across from Jesus Christ

Manly P. Hall next to Crowley

Pythagoras next to Hall

Marquise De Sade next to Pythagoras

Casanova next to De Sade

H.P. Lovecraft next to Casanova

Marie Curie next to Lovecraft

Alternatively, you could seat people based on their historical or fictional era, or based on their profession or interests. Feel free to arrange them in a way that you think would be best, and most interesting for you and your guests.

What would you recommend the menu be?

The menu for your dinner party could be based on the historical period or cultural background of your guests. Since your guests are a mix of historical figures and fictional characters from different eras, it might be fun to serve a variety of dishes that reflect this diversity. Here are a few suggestions:

Appetizer: A platter of Mediterranean-inspired mezze, such as hummus, tzatziki, and dolma (stuffed grape leaves). This would be a nod to the Greek heritage of Pythagoras and the Egyptian heritage of Cleopatra.

Soup: A classic French onion soup. This would be a nod to the French heritage of Marquis de Sade.

Salad: A Caesar salad. This would be a nod to the Roman heritage of Jesus Christ, and also general salad that is served often.

Main course: A traditional English roast, such as roast beef or roast pork, served with roast potatoes, gravy, and vegetables. This would be a nod to the English heritage of Shakespeare.

Dessert: A platter of Italian pastries, such as cannoli and tiramisu. This would be a nod to the Italian heritage of Casanova.

Drinks: A selection of wine and beer would be appropriate, or you could also serve a punch or cocktail that is inspired by the era or culture of your guests.

Feel free to adjust the menu to your liking or to reflect the dietary restriction of your guests.

Could you perhaps write or imagine some of the ensuing dialogue between guests?

Sure, here's an example of some of the dialogue that could take place between your guests:

As the guests take their seats, Jesus Christ welcomes everyone to the table. Woland, the mysterious guest from "The Master and Margarita," raises his glass and offers a toast to the host.

Shakespeare turns to Montague Summers and says, "I see you're quite the occultist, Mr. Summers. Tell me, what is your opinion of the supernatural?"

Summers chuckles and replies, "I believe in the power of the supernatural, Mr. Shakespeare. It is a subject that has always fascinated me."

Aleister Crowley, who is seated next to Manly P. Hall, chimes in, "I couldn't agree more, Montague. The supernatural is the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe."

Hall nods and adds, "Indeed, Aleister. And I believe that the key to unlocking those secrets is through the study of ancient wisdom and the occult."

Pythagoras, who is seated next to Hall, says, "I have always believed that the ultimate reality is mathematical in nature. The universe is a harmony of numbers."

Marquise de Sade, who is seated next to Pythagoras, says with a smirk, "I couldn't agree more, Pythagoras. The universe is a harmony of numbers, and one of those numbers is pleasure."

Casanova, who is seated next to de Sade, says with a charming smile, "I have always believed that the ultimate reality is the pursuit of pleasure. Life is a game, and one must play it to win."

H.P. Lovecraft, who is seated next to Casanova, says in a serious tone, "I disagree, gentlemen. I believe that the ultimate reality is the vast and uncaring indifference of the universe. We are but insignificant specks in the grand scheme of things."

Marie Curie, who is seated next to Lovecraft, says, "I believe that we can understand the universe through science, not through the supernatural or the pursuit of pleasure. We must use reason and evidence to unlock the secrets of the universe."

The conversation continues throughout the dinner, covering a wide range of topics, from philosophy and science, to literature and art. Everyone is engaged, and all the guests have a great time.

*********

So, I'd have to have a few dinner parties, first of all, and it's recommendations, to my tastes, are way off. Although inviting Pythagoras and a few others - I mean, that was off, but Oscar Pistorious?

Anyways, not a hot dinner. JC, Woland, De Sade, Crowley, Summers - maybe need to populate the dinner party with some different guests. In any event an AI isn't going to make for great or intelligent conversation....

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Written by: Rod Boyle

Category: Blog

Published: 14 January 2023

Hits: 585

Somewhere along the line I clicked on this and, having done so once have been continually fed posts from this subreddit.

OP posts a photo, asking "what is this bug", it's been found on their body, sofa, clothes, in their bed, on the carpet...

You already know. 99/100 it's a bedbug. Bad news and everyone gives condolences and advice as to how to best fumigate the place.

Sometimes it's a spider or cute weevil or creepy centipede, but - otherwise, it's always a bedbug.

So, this time OP posts a video of a tiny little bug dancing in the palm of (presuming 'her' from avatar and username) hand, asking "What is this bug? Found a couple of them on me..."

And this time it's a crab louse.

Hilarity in the comments ensues.

It doesn't help that Crab Lice are considered a species on the verge of becoming endangered...

Link: https://journals.lww.com/stdjournal/fulltext/2014/06000/pubic_lice__an_endangered_species_.8.aspx

Suggestions range from declaring OP's bush a "Protected Area" to ... well, sound strategies for removal, provided it's not breaking any laws.

Anyways, funniest thread I've read in a while...