I have been “chatting” with this AI for the last several months.  Anyone else?

ChatGPT has a massive database.   But, it is not adding new data or databases.  It doesn’t learn.   It doesn’t have access to the newest studies or data.  It doesn’t retain your conversations…so it isn’t building its own database.

So with that limitation in mind…..

I have learned the biggest issue is knowing how to phase your questions….and to even know the way to enter into the “chat” with the outcome in mind.     It will generate for you the result.   So, you can get it to write a computer program in the language of your choice…but, you need to understand what you really want because it cannot second guess you.

I am mostly using it to solve technical questions, and get diagrams drawn for me.    I asked it to drawn a diagram for connecting to usb-c and explain to me each connector for data transfer. It was able to draw for me the wiring harness for my old 1989 Ford E350. Helped me run down an issue that the local mechanics just don’t know.
Early on I asked it to present to me “flash card”  in Latin.   It was just like having a real person helping me to memorize nouns and verbs.    I do not know the limits of what it can help me do…or do for me.

I encourage every kid I know to get into this.   This is the way of the future.
Back in the mid 1960s I was fortunate enough to enter the computer field at its infancy.   There was no computer degree at any college.  The corporations at the time were taking math majors and sending to IBM, Control Data, etc to learn.     Corporations are now realizing the huge potential of AI.

Well…this is the infancy of AI.   This is an opportunity to be in at the start.   Learn to use this tool, learn how to get from it what you really want.   Just like the early computers…..I had to learn how to make it do what I (my company) wanted.    This will be the most in demand field in the coming years.

I have heard all about how AI is the end of civilization…just like the claims back in the 70s…computers will destroy the world.    It is just a tool, just one that can extrapolate freely.    I can hardly wait for a true generative AI to be commonly available.

So what do you do with the old rig when you get a replacement ? 
Or Maybe it's just time to hang up the keys ?

Use it for a shed ?
Maybe fix it up and sell it ?

This might be the Easy Button.
These people use them to house first responders and those displaced in natural disasters.
https://www.emergencyrv.org/

With a storm surge Forecast to be 10-15 feet in my area, I was a bit freaked out.

Our house is at 13.66 feet if the USGS chart is to be believed
Siesta Key is to our west

With the Category 5 storm headed right at us, riding right atop the swell was sending this way, I thought that 15' of surge was perhaps too conservative.

if the storm slowed and went through a tide cycle, i thought it could easily flood over Siesta key and make it another half mile and start flooding the neighborhood.

We are in a mandatory evacuation zone at that level of surge, and My Dad said he was taking my Mom 5 miles inland to his recently passed brother's house.

I was gonna stay put.  I figured no roof and thigh deep water is not going to kill me, but I wanted to be able to split, and get the Van and select possessions to safety .

I stayed up all night, running saws and other powertools to make a brace for the South facing garage doors, and got everything off the floor, and buttoned everything up as much as possible, thinking If we lose the roof, an it floods, where in the house might still be standing and intact, and I placed the valueable stuff up above waist high in a tight closet, covered in in tarps.

First light and we were already seeing heavy rain, and strong gusts.

Demento mom was all freaked out and shaking, and dad took her inland.

I kept prepping, but started getting delirious with fatigue.

My cousin called me and said my mom was freaking out, being ultra annoying, asking for Me and Fiona, and they would really like it if I were there with them.

I wheeled the Honda 3000 watt inverter  generator to my Van, and lifted it into my cargo carrier, rachet strapped it secure, Said f goodbye to the house and drove out of the Floodzone, and 45 to 60mph gusts were really pushing me all over the road.

I got there and tried to calm mom down to no avail, and then went back in the Van to try and catch some sleep, but it was pretty damn loud with heavy rain and huge gusts shaking it, and being way over caffeinated, I couldn't sleep  I did have 40 tv stations to watch the live updates.

The rain kept getting harder and the wind and wind gusts stronger till about 8:30 at night.  My younger cousins and I were venturing outside during the gusts.

They were saying it was definitely stronger than Hurricane Ian from 2 years earlier, but overall It was not nearly as severe as I expected.

Even when the easterly Eyewall was atop us, it was really not all that intense.  Not all that much rain as the High end Cat3  storm had been ingesting dry air from the cold front to its north.

I'd been venturing outside regularly, checking on the van and getting more beer from within it, and was surprised how cold it was, and then it got calm, and super Hot and steamy humid.

Saw the neighbors has lost a tree and their pool cage had partially collapsed, but not much other local tree damage.

Went inside to check the  radar and make some last minute preparations as that strong East wind was gonna turn west.

Went back outside and that hot humid air was still there, but there was a rumbling to the west.

Almost like someone lowered a Giant vaccuum cleaner, that hot air was evacuated, and a 45mph  cold gust out of the WSW hit us, but then faded, but there was the sound of a freight train coming at us from the west.
Boom! Felt like 60 degrees, and 100+ mph winds slammed us, the wind whistling and screaming  through the pool cage screens, and I shown my 3600 lumen headlamp at neighbor's partially collapsed  pool cage as it lifted off the patio and started slamming the roof and shredding itself.

Then the gusts got even stronger and I was turning sideways to lessen the resistance and could barely stand up, and would nearly fall over when they'd abruptly let off, ,then nearly get blown backwards off my feet when theyd instantly return..  There was a small pond to our west, and some leaves. palm fronds  and random debris started surrounding us and we scurried back inside.

The big sliding glass doors started flexing inwards and whistling, and  we closed the heavy curtains.  So much air was getting past the door seals, the curtains were acting like the doors were open and there was a 20 mph wind blowing them inwards.

The wind  gusts kept getting stronger, for easily 2 hours.

No power but we still had mobile data and started getting reports of the surge flooding downtown to the second level of garage parking lots, and supposed collapsed bridges and all sorts of Misinformation was lighting up their social media accounts.  But the wind was so freaking strong out of the west, i assumed that 15 foot of surge was going to be realized, and my House was gonna be flooded 2 feet deep, and likely tons of wind damage.

The eyewall passed us the second time about 10Pm or so and the wind did not even begin to ease until about 2:30.

It was nerve racking after a while, even inside a solid structure, and as someone who loves to experience nature's Fury, I was like Milton Fuck off already you son of a bitch.

Come daybreak the winds had lowered to steady 25, a few bigger gusts, but no rain.

No power of course, but text messages were not going through and no or very little mobile data.

We couldnt figure out how bad it was.

I set up generator and we made coffee and breakfast.  My cousins drove to check on their other grandparents and said the raods were mostly passable.

I took the generator, and drove home.  My dad had arrived before me and declared the home free of any major damage. 
No flooding.  Just lots of clean up required as there was tree branches everywhere.

I set up the generator and put a window shaker AC in parents bedroom and was relieved.

Not having grid power is of no concern short term, and we can power the router, but there was no connection to the internet, so No TV, and that is the only way to placate dememto mom, so she proceeded to try to drive My dad, Fiona and I absolutely nuts for the next two days.

Fiona and I were sleeping in the Van as it was relatively cool, and I had 40 TV stations, and would pretend I didnt hear the knocks every 5 minutes at the door, and Fiona is 95% deaf and cant hear it anyway.

Overall we were very fortunate.  Those with property on the barrier Islands, not so much.

Even with all the time I had top prepare, it was not enough time, and If the roof lifted off and the house flooded with 2 feet of water, I doubt my efforts would have been very effective at mitigation.

There's another month and a half of Hurricane season, and some energy brewing out there.  Could be something threatening the east coast in 8 to 10 days.
  Here's hoping None consolidate and  decide to put another bulls eye on us.

I have a degree in this stuff (a few decades ago), and I've been reading and interested in the electronics side of things for several years now.  I know how things work.  However, I'm finding that things that I know what they do now go by different names.  I have come to the (possibly incorrect) conclusion that a dc to dc 'charger' is what I know as a battery isolator that is put between two batteries to keep either one from drawing the other down past a set voltage, but sharing voltage above that point.  Am I right or wrong?  This term seemed to take over discussions a couple of years ago, and I never hear the term isolator now.

Hi there, just a quick question on how your RV solar panels are holding up during the winter.  I've been reading online how they continue to work during the winter months.  Albeit at a reduced capacity.  Is it true the continue to generate power if the daylight is permanently overcast?  And how has your electrical performance been affected?  Do you have to cut back on an appliance or two during winter months??

FB

How often do you guys get your van routine serviced.  I have been dropping mine into a local mechanic every 12 months more or less.  But he syas it should be dropped in twice a year, depending on the mileage being put onto it.  Is this true, or is he just looking for some extra business??

Thanks

Very interesting development....Invitations sent to current users for invite only add on for $599 and $30/month for 50GB mobile data.(in addition to the residential base service plan coverage in USA only.   12volts

Anybody get the invite and popping for one ?

Video w/ more info.

This next week will be not quite as cool as I would like it to be.   But the temperatures in the 90s is better than temperatures in the triple digit range. 

I really want to go outside and do a few things but my body is not cooperating. Getting old ain’t fun 

What is it like where you are?

I was going through self-check this morning.

Helper asks if she can take my basket.. then kinda backs away
“Oo your dog just gave me the stink-eye”

Me: “no, she just has resting bitch face.”

Or just convenient hands-free dog walking..

I am in the process of starting a small homemade modular service dog style leash business.

A few of you know already …

As soon as there is an actual store-front website up and running— I will let y’all know.



(and, mods, if this is not where this post belongs.. feel free to move it)