I try my best to avoid ai. When it first became widely available I did experiment a little with images. One such program was so sensitive that when I requested a picture of a boy walking on the sidewalk, with no other qualifiers, I was warned that this violation could result in my being prosecuted, were I to persist. I had been writing a story about a poor boy who walked on a sidewalk looking for a piece of wire he could use to secure his flapping shoe sole.
@edgarblythe,
The same program cautioned me about requesting a pic of a titwillow bird.
My book got noticed. A customer in Canada ordered it in September. They kept giving bogus reasons why they couldn't ship it. In late October she told me. I went to Amazon chat, where they told me at first it was delivered already. When I pointed out the messages about delays they told me it's up to her to tell them. So after that they told her the book should arrive on such and such date. Mind, all this since September. Today they refunded her money. I told her Canadian censors must be blocking it. She replied "Exactly." She had just tried to re-order, but they told her it could not be mailed to her address. The book glorifies the 60s peace movement and it takes R Reagan to task for finding humor in the deaths of HIV patients. Among other things. I purposely avoided Israel and Russia hoping the censors would give me a pass. I'm not sure how long US citizens will be allowed to read it.
@edgarblythe,
The customer in question is more militant than me. It may be she alone is the target of this censorship.
Every new project has been stymied in various ways, but finally a new story is in the works. The central character was inspired by Charles Bukowski. This man lives with a dog that he fears and comes to entertain an unexpected guest. But I digress. I know my book is available because I know people who are receiving it. So far all to good reviews but one. The one failed to give a reason for not finishing, but I can understand that not everyone would be receptive. I don't finish a book if I can't enjoy it.
I often turn on the TV when I get up, more for the companionship of noise than to try to get any sensical communication out of it. The Today Show and the similar shows on other channels. I get tired of the jabbering after a bit and turn it off. I believe they talk fast and loud not so much to be understood as to fill the air space. If they were trying to communicate it seems they would study up on elocution.
Wikipedia: Elocution is the study of formal speaking in pronunciation, grammar, style, and tone as well as the idea and practice of effective speech and its forms. It stems from the idea that while communication is symbolic, sounds are final and compelling.
Oh well. As I said I do it for human noise because I am in my room alone in the early part of the day.
@edgarblythe,
They may be too busy with alloquy, colloquy, obloquy and ventriloquy to invent eloquy.
A person who once participated on a2k, along with her husband, told me she just got my book. She can't read it because she's legally blind. Her son has volunteered to read it to her. So that's like two readers. Fabuloso.
My oldest sister died today. She was 76. So, of twelve siblings (a mix of full and half) five are gone. Sometimes I feel like I'm on top of a mountain that's being raked by snowy gale-force wind. Who will be next? I never expected to be this old this soon and I hope I have at least a decade left. But the Great Decider ain't me.
