robot

Louis Shalako, in his poem “Mr. Robot,” included the verse. “I, robot/Don’t have the capacity/To dream about tomorrow/But I never spell a word wrong.” I find that funny and also thought provoking. 

MechanicalRobot says—I, robot/never mess up (i.e. never spell a word wrong)/but can’t love/in fact I can’t show any emotions/but am always accurate based on how I was programed. Recently, a golf buddy said to me—“That guy” is rude and obnoxious to me all the time.  He basically hangs around with his buddy who is the same way; they’re pretty much robots.  Soooo how does he treat you”—I have known him for years and he treats me about the same way (i.e. I basically ignore both of them).  Sooooo if my golf buddy and I think that, then probably others do tooooo.  We ain’t that smart.  I hope their kids are more like their mothers!!!!

I had a very interesting conversation with a freshman in college recently.  I asked this person what college they are attending and why.  Their response was pretty exciting to me.  They said (i.e. if I have it correct) it was because this highly selective, elite liberal arts college does things differently.  They produce the facts and let the students make their own decisions.  Wow!  That was interesting to me.  I goggled the college and they said this about themselves—We are a highly selective private liberal-arts college that produces critical thinkers using a core set of tenets-to be decisive, useful, curious and unafraid to take risk (i.e. not scripted robots of the philosophy of the university or the professors like some higher education schools seem to produce—my opinion). Here students are encouraged to be actively engaged with the wider world and challenged to think differently and act boldly.  That sounds interesting to me. 

Scheme it up! I was told this story by friends. It’s a story of their son of how you need to answer the questions like a robot to get the good grade (i.e. maybe to get world success—my opinion).  Their son, a law student, was found out by a law professor that he was a conservative.  The law professor picked on him like he had a target on his back all the time as the professor was very liberal.  He disliked this student big time.  He took the test which his grade would be determined for the class.  Test papers are identified by a number, not by name.  The professor gave two As. He went to the professor who looked up his grade and shuck his head—there must be a mistake, there must be a mistake, no way!  He got one of the As. What he did was write his test the way the professor wanted to hear it and not what he believed (i.e. manipulated him—beat the system).  Sooooo what does that tell you? GeorgeTheCrook says—It tells me that you got to play the game if you want to get the gold.  And gold rules. That’s the golden rule as far as the world is concerned.

Have any of you ever wondered if you have been indoctrinated (i.e. defined as:  teach (a person or group) to accept a set of beliefs uncritically)? I might have but I didn’t even know it.  Could be.  Soooo who could do that to ervie or you?  I don’t know but maybe parents, media, teachers, religious leaders, bosses, spouses, friends, golf buddies, military leaders, mentors, card girls, social pressure ladies, movie stars, political parties, etc.  LuckieEddie, who seems to give folks good vibes, says--We have to believe and copy someone, don’t we?

Take it easy big fella! I am really impressed with folks who are poised.  They really intrigue me.  Patrick Mahomes has been described as being comfortable in chaotic situations a.k.a. poised.  It is said that this quality helps make him to be the successful qb that he is.  Some of you are very poised and some of you not soooo much.  Why is that.  My opinion is that poised folks have such an advantage (i.e. they don’t overreact or get all bent out of shape—they are calm, cool and collective—seem to see the big picture—have class and finesse and do things with confidence—not worried all the time—don’t seem to try to impress others all the time).  A robot doesn’t know any better, it does just what it is programed to do (i.e. can handle tremendous pressure; doesn’t even know what pressure is) without any emotions.  Saturday question—Can a human become more poised or are we who we are and cannot change? I asked a golf buddy/friend recently what book is he reading now?  I was surprised as he was reading a thriller.  He usually reads more heady stuff.  ANYWAY, he gave me the book, Back Lash, to read.  The main character is a past Special Forces SEAL.  Man, to be one of those, a person would really have to be poised and then be trained even more to be disciplined.  I have two friends and a son-in-law who could have been one; I think they could still do it today.  I can’t believe how tough those special force folks are and how much they need to know (i.e. that is why they are called special forces). And I had a hard time figuring out how to put the shade back up on the bathroom window! But I was poised in not getting excited.  I actually laughed at myself.

A person gave me some advice that I think is really good about being poised.  They suggested that when trying to change a person’s mind, ask them why they feel that way, listen and then change the subject (i.e. talk about something they have an interest in).  Wait for another time to continue that discussion. Maybe even another time after that; be patient.  And another time and then again maybe another time. If you don’t have a relationship with that person, you can’t have discussion. If battle sides are made and folks dig in, there will never be a discussion.  Sooooo be patient.  Be poised.

The Honorable Chuck Grassley, who is currently serving as the president pro tempore of the United States Senate and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee (i.e. I think third in line to the Presidency, lives here deep in Butler Co. just down the road a bit in their moderate farm house.  It appears he has to be a poised person to put up with all the crap he hears (i.e. or toooo old toooo care haha).  For being an average guy from Butler Co., he seems to do pretty good. When I see him at the grocery store, he seems the same as you or I.  He used to know me by name as I did business with him but doesn’t anymore probably.  He must know thousands of important folks which I would not be one of.  Why would he remember me anymore? I don’t even think some of my neighbors know me by name!

Mr. Robot really doesn’t care if you are liberal or conservative, pretty of ugly, rich or poor, black or white, smart or not soooo smart, a believer in God or not, etc. as Mr. Robot has no emotions and doesn’t really care (i.e. just has artificial intelligence that has been programed—surely doesn’t know my name).  I saw an advertisement by Coors lite which said—The beer for folks who really don’t care if it’s football. I think sometimes I might hurt the feelings of my computer by not using its suggestion (i.e. I override it). Now ain’t that dumb.  I know that my computer is mechanical and has no feelings, but I still have that feeling (i.e. like I think of it as a human).  I’m toooooo tender as a friend says.  Just maybe.  I just laugh at myself. Crazy for sure.

I read this in the paper soooo it must be right—To stay positive (i.e. like nutrients for the body) we should listen to stuff that feeds our minds. Stay away from folks with low energy, don’t listen to the news and don’t read social media.  They are like junk food.  Do you think folks with low energy like to be around folks with high energy?  I think not.  They make them feel bad, discouraged and rotten, maybe.  Sooooo maybe neither group really wants to be around each other.  A friend said to me recently—If I want to learn how to make money, I don’t want to talk to a person who is broke!  This all sounds rather harsh doesn’t it.  I do think that a lot of good folks really do what to help others to gain in whatever they have a desire.  I see it.  BUT not all have a desire to accept suggestions to gain.  It’s a lot of work to gain.  It’s easier to just be the same, maybe (i.e. programed like a robot and don’t change the program).

I grew up in the Roseland Reformed Church and said the Apostles’ Creed many many times and have all my life (i.e. I personally like this creed).  I never did understand what the phrase meant—He descended into hell.  I don’t think I still do.  I have never heard a pastor preach on that.  Why not if we say it all the time in one the lasting creeds used by many Christian churches and denominations which was written about 230 AD? Maybe I have been on auto pilot, just a routine, robotic, or just babbling! I read this while eating my oatmeal written by David Bast—"The Eastern Orthodox Church commemorates the moment when Christ triumphed over the powers of hell as the anastasis, which literally means “resurrection.” The idea is that sometime during the period between his death on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday, Jesus went to hell—or at least to Hades, the realm of the dead—to release the souls of the Old Testament saints who had been imprisoned there. This is why we still say, “he descended into hell” in the Apostles’ Creed.”  The same day a friend told me that it is good to learn something new every day.  It’s about time I learn what this means.  You smart folks, please help me here. Or should I just keep saying it like a robot.  Maybe you have been doing the same, RobotJohn (i.e. anybody can be a John), and don’t want to admit it. haha Saturday question—Soooo don’t folks go to heaven right after death?

CadillacJack, who makes folks blink, said--I went to my golf buddy’s funeral last week and the pastor said JoeDead is in heaven with Jesus.  I thought he was talking about a different JoeDead than who I know (i.e. the pastor probably never did business with him).  Maybe that is a universal robotic statement they say to make everyone feel good (i.e. warm and fuzzy).  I always thought that God made that decision!  Don’t ask me CadillacJack, I’m just a little ol’ farm boy from a mile and south of Roseland, MN.  You better ask that pastor; he said it.  In the Apostles Creed it says, He will come to judge the quick and the dead.  Your golf buddy is dead but was he quick? haha  I think quick means living in Arabic or it could mean a quick linebacker in new modern American!

Billionaire Bill Gates told the Wall Street Journal, “Technology is a boom-or-bust business, but it’s mostly busts. I’ve always assumed that 10% of my technology investments will succeed—and succeed wildly. The other 90% I expect to fail.

I talked to two teenage girls in church recently about how girls treat each other (i.e. girls can really be not soooo nice at times).  They told me stories.  ANYWAY, one told me that she just gets away from those type of girls and finds others.  She found it fun to go and be around kids in her class who don’t have friends.  One such person befriended her and calls her his rock.  She told him that she prays for him.  Later, he told her that he appreciates her friendship but asked her if she would quite praying for him as it makes him feel funny inside.  Teenagers are not robots folks!!!!

Coach Arians of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers says—The barking gets a lot more attention than the patting on the back!  TheMI-Engingeer says—One thing about a robot, you don’t have to bark at them or pat them on the back; they always perform the same.  But if it makes you feel better you can call them every name in the book. It won’t bother them (i.e. they won’t get angry or cry or sue).  But I think TheMI-Engineer would just tinker with them (i.e. tighten up their screws) and make them perform better.  Engineers have a tenancy to do that.  haha  SusieQ, who is a special sauce, says—I would like to tighten up the screws in a few folks!

I saw this on the rear window the the car I parked next to while playing pickleball at the FIT Friday morning.  It made me smile. ANYWAY, Isaac Asimov’s first law of robotics is: “A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.”  Isaac, I don’t know if everyone follows your first law.  It appears that the future of robotics is huge and massive, a part of the artificial intelligence future.  It is really going be interesting to see what happens.  It’s moving pretty fast, for sure.  Many folks might not like the new ways (i.e. part of the new ways anyway), but they are here and changing our world very fast.  If we like it or not! It appears that the virus had sped up the process. Yes, it appears some folks will get hurt but it will also provide opportunities for others (i.e. it has always been that way, it ain’t nuttin new).

Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans. (-:

erv

MyFriendJean says—A mistake means at least that somebody tried to do something.