https://i.imgur.com/YI1XwCk.mp4

Where's the money, Lebowski!

Catholic AI "priest" defrocked

QuoteArtificial intelligence shook up a corner of the Catholic community after Catholic Answers—a San Diego, Calif.-based publisher of church resources—introduced "Father Justin," an AI chatbot on Monday. The virtual priest was defrocked by the end of the week, but its creators will still allow the chatbot to operate as simply "Justin."

QuoteOther users shared examples of Father Justin's priestly counsel, including telling one user they can use Gatorade instead of holy water in a baptism and explaining how a brother and sister can prepare for marriage to each other. Father Justin also accepted a user's confession and then told her all of her sins had been absolved.

I mean, is that really so different?  On the plus side, at least there's no rap sheet.

Among the many missteps is just the presentation of what is essentially a chat bot as a sort of digital priest, but without any of the - dare I say it? - soul of a human being.  I don't think anyone would object to a chat bot presented to them as a chat bot.  Humanizing this thing was a big mistake.

QuoteIn a separate speech in December, Francis called for the ethical development of artificial intelligence to serve humanity and promote peace.

I broadly agree with him there.  Check out the full speech, it's pretty good.

I obviously have a different focus when it comes to international politics and can only stomach so much carnage per day, so I apologize for being largely ignorant about the specifics of this conflict.

Hamas was/is a terrorist organization that carried out a barbaric mass attack on civilians resulting in a large loss of life.  There are certainly parallels between that and my main focus.  No country on Earth would just accept that lying down.  Israel has attempted to root out and destroy the terrorist organization that attacked them, as just about any country would.

Where things go off the rails is the disturbing pattern of civilian deaths among the Palestinians.  Journalists, doctors, aid workers, etc.  I can't say that Israeli civilian deaths are bad and Palestinian civilian deaths are good, obviously.  What sort of morality would that be?  Add to that the thorny problem of Israel seizing land indefinitely.  This is obviously not okay and follows a abused-to-abuser psychological dynamic that is extremely disturbing and doesn't bode well for the region.

As for the protests, I wouldn't say that I hold water for either side, but I think that American citizens should be allowed to protest.  We do have a right to assemble, to peacefully protest.  Or did, it's hard to tell sometimes.  It certainly appears that police are being extra physical in these protests, as they normally are to protests against the status quo.  Purely coincidental, I'm sure.  Yet another thing that doesn't bode well for the future, I suppose.

Ah, yes.  The unfulfilled urges to political activism pipeline.

Quote from: Cassia on April 29, 2024, 03:18:10 PMClowns to the left, jokers to the right. Or is it the jokers to the left of us and clowns on the right?

In this particular case, If I had to choose, I'd take even a very conservative secular democracy over a Jihadist/Iranian-proxy funded theocracy...

This brings it home. It's hard to look at both sides with an attitude of "all things being equal" because they are not equal. Brutality is as you say, "War." Both sides are brutal. Israel is an expansionist country that wants to expand it's borders. Islam wants to drive Israel into the sea, but all of that being "equal", I cannot accept any Islamic Jihadist movement that wants to crush the rest of the world under it's thumb.

They evolved from funnel cakes. The great God Typo is to blame.

I wouldn't know. I've never tunneled a snake.

Quote from: Hydra009 on April 28, 2024, 06:06:36 PMBoth male and female raiders shave their heads to some extent.  Don't ask me why.  Logically, you'd think a raider would want to blend in, but nope, they typically go for a sort of punk aesthetic.  All I can say for certain is that the Tunnel Snakes rule.

We're the Tunnel Snakes. That's us, and we rule!

The GOP doesn't care about governing, they only want to rule.