Puffs

In the past few years, and especially in recent months I’ve been reading and hearing more and more about “A I.”

“A I” = “Artificial Intelligence.

I think we all are aware of it, even if we don’t call it by that name. It’s in our computers and when the computer corrects our bad English spelling and usage . . . that’s A I. When a farmer uses any of multiple programs to operate tractors, irrigation systems, fertilizer applications . . . that’s A I.

A lot of people are getting worried that A I might just be able to control us humans more than we might be able to control it. They may have a point, but I’m not familiar enough with the whole system to make an opinion.

I’ve been using it all this time, but just never connected it with the name “A I.” However, last week it was brought home to me.

I was sending a picture to someone and in the note on the email I wrote I was attaching a picture, along with other messages.

I clicked the “send” button and all I got was a message that said: “You said in your email message you were attaching a picture, but no picture is attached.”

I went back and checked and sure enough, I failed to attach the picture.

I attached the picture and sent it again. It all worked OK.

The growth and maturity of computers have been the primary emphasis in the growth of A I. I guess it’s not all bad, but just as with any other innovation we’ve lived with, care has to be taken before we jump headlong into the mix.

A O

The alignment of numbers has always interested me. It happens often in sports. As an example: “No. 14 scores the 14th point in the game for his team with 14 minutes left in the game of football.”

Many other examples abound, but the Red Cross visit to Lawrence last week had seven people make a “gallon mark” with their donation. There were two people who also hit their seven gallon mark at the Bloodmobile visit.

Duane Brockman and Margene Eitzman each hit the seven gallon mark.

No earth shaking news, but just an interesting event to me.

A O

My comment about the approaching elections this fall concerns the policy of the Democratic Party with the southern U. S. Border.

For three and one-half years now, we, (the United States of America) did not have a southern border. People from all across the world have found their way into the United States. Most of the time without any trouble from the authorities, mostly (I surmise) because the Democratic Political party (who was in control of the U. S. government) made no attempt to stop any of them.

The major news organizations have pretty well ignored this event over these three years. Within minutes of the assassination attempt of former president Trump, we all knew about it. However, the same cannot be said of the swelling numbers of immigrants coming into America. Included within the blackout of news is the story of the unaccompanied minors who are trafficked each year across the southern border.

The Heritage Foundation put together the numbers concerning minor children coming across the border. The Foundation is known for its honesty and accuracy in reporting and I pass these numbers on from them.

Since Joe Biden took office, more than 460,000 unaccompanied minors have been released to unrelated or distantly related sponsors in the United States. As of 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services was unable to locate more than 85,000 of these children.

The article included many examples that amounted to “child abuse.” Too many to include here.

In general, the article had three major points:

• These situations point to poorly concealed child trafficking schemes.

• Less than 10 percent of children apprehended crossing border are being released to their parent.

• Instead of providing safeguards and safety checks at our border, the United States is encouraging child labor and sexual exploitation.

The Democratic Party claims to be empathic wanting to improve the living conditions and lives of many from around the world. What they give us is false empathy.

Why the media is not reporting on this huge news happening is beyond me.

Why the U. S. citizens would ever want to vote any state or national Democratic politician into office is beyond me.

At the national level, the Democrats often appeal to your empathy to promote their programs. So often the answers they have for your empathic response is false.

For example, Joe Biden is being held up as an example of being altruistic and looking out only for the good of America when he said he would not attempt another presidential run. We should be sorry for him and consider his replacement with empathy as she accepted the tough task of stepping in to do the job.

Empathy . . . the replacement is reportedly more liberal than Joe Biden is. Jump out of the frying pan right into the fire.

Please don’t get caught up in the minute by minute news flashes. The Democratic Party looks after itself, not you and me.

A O

Instead, consider the following: In Dublin, Ireland, there is a Matt Talbot Shrine and Father Hugh O’Donnell, who served at the Shrine for 20 years, gave us the following quote that might be a good thought for us to follow during these last days leading up to the November election: “Prayer was like breathing for him. It wasn’t an effort. It was what he loved to do. He was able to do his work, but every time there was a lull in his work . . . he’d be either reading or praying.”

A O