Month: March 2023

My 14th painting. Gargoyle on the Salisbury Cathedral (formally Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, built 1220–1320)

While Google’s Bard is somewhat dull compared to GPT-4, I asked who was the Vice President of the USA in 1946.

GPT-4 initially answered Barkley but contradicted itself during the response and eventually, after I requested proof, corrected itself. But it’s great that it provided proofs with links.

What actually happened. In 1945, Vice President Truman became the President of the USA, as Roosevelt passed away while still in office. And who was to be Truman’s back-up was not specified by the constitution. Theoretically, he could have nominated a new vice-president, but in fact, everyone was waiting for the 1948 elections.

Google’s Bard, on the other hand, initially gave a wrong answer and did not correct itself. It answered with Wallace. Henry Wallace had left the vice-presidency of the USA a year earlier and had been appointed secretary of commerce. But when I asked the same question again, it answered correctly. When asked for proof, it simply made assertions. Not very Google-like.

But overall, it’s great that the number of intelligent assistants is growing.

One case broke, the other hasn’t arrived yet. How on earth do you carry these bare iPhones in your hands!

The thirteenth attempt at oil painting.

(It’s better to view the entire album, there are already about 170 photos)

Little flowers. If I haven’t lost count, this is the twelfth attempt at oil painting

And here we are with Yuki, playing with clocks

Switching to daylight saving time

❤️+🥔=🥔❤️

ChatGPT periodically reminds me of this fragment

In front of me is driving the “goose police”. These folks train border collies to mimic danger for geese, causing them to relocate and find a home somewhere else.

The website claims that regular visits are required, and the dogs are brave, yet cautious; they don’t break the geese’s necks, but do make an impression. It is claimed that the goose population in this undesirable area decreases by 90% after employing collies. Apparently, 10% are aware of what to expect and mount an effective resistance.

Interestingly, specialized training is required for the dogs to produce the “impression of a predator”. Border collies have a somewhat wolf-like stare. To the geese, a merely barking dog seems like entertainment.

It is claimed that Canadian geese are dangerous at their nests for both dogs and people, hence the necessity for this police force.

The average adult giant Canadian goose weighs 6-7 kg and in the face of a threat can accelerate to 100 km/h, delivering a blow strong enough to knock an adult human to the ground. There are known cases of goose attacks leading to bone fractures, lacerations that required stitches and staples, head injuries, car accidents, emotional trauma, and much more.

P.S. As rightly pointed out, the Canada goose is not technically a goose, but rather a type of cackling goose. Cackling geese can’t honk and are related to the geese as swans are to them.