Seemed to Be A Good Idea (Maybe)

One of the things that I am guilty of doing - perhaps way too much - is letting my mind explore topics that might be better left unexplored.  But this is simply part of my nature and I am not entirely sure I want to abandon this trait altogether.  

This is exactly why I was attracted to a sidewalk that appeared to go nowhere in particular next to a parking area that served a combination gas station/convenience store/sub shop.  We had driven far enough south that there was some greenery and even flowering ajuga (Creeping Charlie).  

This particular place was just off of an exit ramp from a four-lane road.  A tall sign advertising the business stood to the left of this area.  Otherwise, it felt like the purpose for this small piece of land had been lost somewhere between "let's make a minipark out of it" and "let's just pave it all over."

As I walked the sidewalk, I came to a octagonal walkway that looked like it might have been intended to house...  um... something at some point in time.  At the moment I was there, it included some bare soil and decaying wood that had once lined the center of the walk.  

It was like so many of my "good ideas" I come up with over time.  I have a revelation, but I have no way to write it down.  I tell myself that I'll remember - but all I remember later on is that I had this GREAT idea that I shouldn't forget.  

Of course, sometimes it is worse than that.  Sometimes I get started on my great idea, but have to leave it.  When I finally come back to it, the train of thought has left the station - taking the inspiration and motivation along with it.  All I am left with are regrets and an unfulfilled feeling because the only person that could tell me where this was destined is me.

Still, as I explored this walkway, an Eastern Meadowlark sang to me, making itself heard over the whine of automobiles and trucks going by on the highway at 65 (or more) miles per hour.  A Northern Mockingbird sang in one of the bushes next to the store and a couple of hawks soared over head.  It was enough for me to get many good ideas about this small patch of land - and none of them had to do with paving it over.

During our time in Birmingham, Alabama we found ourselves in a room that had a refrigerator - which was something we like.  It allows us to bring some fruit, veggies, hard-boiled eggs and other things so we can take charge of some of our meals and not eat out all of the time.

Of course, this seems like a good idea until you realize that the refrigerator they provided was too small to put much of anything into it.  Let's just say that if this is the size of cooling device they are going to provide it might be better to not provide one at all.  There's no way it is energy efficient - and it certainly wasn't utilitarian.

In any event, we made do with the cooler we brought with us and restocking it with ice from the ice machine.  Even so, we still found ourselves exploring some nearby eating establishments.  That's where Tammy noted the hours for this particular restaurant.  

You tell me.  Are they open for one hour on Fridays and Saturdays or thirteen hours?  The long-standing convention is that 12 AM is midnight because that's when the new day starts.  Noon, on the other hand is 12 PM.  So, technically they are open for one hour according to the sign.  But, it was clear to use that they were open after midday, so....

Maybe it seemed like a good idea at the time to put 12pm on there.  But, maybe it would have been better to just go with 11 pm just to avoid any possible misunderstandings?

 

 

And then there is this.

My social media feed has been pushing a particular artificial intelligence product on me so I can write blog posts faster "with just a few clicks."

As a Computer Scientist who has studied AI and as a person who writes frequently, I can tell you that this might seem like a good idea to some.  Especially if all you want is more content to increase exposure.  

Hey, the vast majority of material I have seen for blogs has declined in quality over the past ten years significantly, which makes it a low hurdle for AI to leap over - if that's what you really want.

I also heard a story on the radio about AI being developed to help people who do not have eyesight navigate in a seeing world.  That's great.  But, then there was a quote from an AI developer (or salesperson - not sure which) who used two examples of how great AI could be:

1. with more and more user manuals for electronics accessible online, AI could tell you how to set up your stereo or video equipment.  

2. you could take a picture of the contents of your refrigerator and AI could tell you what to make with the ingredients that are there by searching recipes accessible online.

Yep, sounds great doesn't it?  Seems like a good idea.

Maybe.

And maybe not.  This implies a staggering level of helplessness on the part of the human beings in this equation.  But, maybe it would help restaurants be consistent with the use of 12 PM and perhaps it would help design an appropriate use for octagonal sidewalks that humans could appreciate it - as long as AI told us what to do once we got there.