Truth is meaningless as AI reality has annihilated natural reality.

I was crushed after a nuanced conversation with Alan about truth and reality over coffee. When I came home, one of YouTube’s prompts to do things that might interest me brought my concerns for our world a year from now into the present. This video shows what the OpenAI team that brought ChatGPT4 to us almost two years ago has created: it is text-driven, moving reality seen in near perfection. In fact, it would be perfect if you have a team of human viewers review it for errors and make suggestions that will correct those kinds of errors in that video and automatically apply them to all future ones.

Notice the detail of the whiskered man and his emotional expression as he sits in a coffee shop. (at 3:16/22:26) Expand the video to full screen by clicking the square box in the lower/right corner. Notice little details, like the light in his left eyeglass generating the scene behind him. (at 3:30)

How can we have meaningful discussions in future elections if people are able to generate videos of anyone saying anything with the quality of the best ones in the SORA – Text ToVideo. It has been true for years that whoever controls the conversation, which these days is the social-media, controls the community’s mind and, thus, the approach to future events. Perhaps live debates in front of large crowds of people will be the only way to be reasonably sure of what the candidates for office are espousing.

Imagine a debate where the camera moves from close-ups of each face of the candidates to distant scenes of both of them, mixed with views of the audience with close-ups of people you recognize, perhaps even your personal friends. The feeling of reality would be very difficult to dispel, even if you knew it had been generated by SORA. Would you be outraged if during the question period, there was a video of you asking a question that represented your deep opinion?

What will people be valuing a year from now?

The media pundits are saying that the year 2024 will be very disruptive for everyone. The people in the AI community say it will be the greatest disruption ever for human society. I knew about an economic idea called Hyman Minsky’s Financial Instability Hypothesis, so I went to my AI and thought about how I could ask it about how disruption might apply to how we could cope with the coming chaos.

My question to ChatGPT-4

How does Minskie’s Financial Instability Hypothesis apply to personal behavior?

ChatGPT’s answer: Hyman Minsky’s Financial Instability Hypothesis primarily addresses the behavior of economic systems, particularly the banking and financial sectors, rather than individual behavior. However, the core principles of his hypothesis can be metaphorically applied to personal financial behavior, offering valuable insights into managing personal finances and understanding the dynamics of financial stability and instability on an individual level. Here’s how Minsky’s ideas might apply to personal behavior:

1. The Three Phases of Financial Postures

Minsky categorizes financial units into three types based on their income and cash flow: Hedge, Speculative, and Ponzi. Translated into personal finance, these can describe different states of individual financial behavior:

• Hedge: Income is sufficient to cover all expenses and debt obligations. This is akin to living within one’s means and maintaining an emergency fund.
• Speculative: Income covers operating costs but not all debt repayment; one must roll over some debt. In personal terms, this could equate to managing to pay the interest on debts (like credit cards) but not consistently paying down the principal.
• Ponzi: Cash flow is insufficient even to cover interest payments, relying on the sale of assets or borrowing more to keep afloat. This mirrors a situation where individuals are borrowing new debt to pay off existing debt, a risky and unsustainable financial strategy.

2. Transition from Stability to Instability

Minsky argues that stability in the financial system breeds complacency, leading to increased borrowing and risk-taking, which eventually results in instability. On a personal level, this suggests that during times of financial security, individuals might become overconfident, increase their spending, and accumulate too much debt, potentially leading to financial distress.

3. The Role of External Shocks

Minsky notes that economic systems are vulnerable to external shocks. For individuals, unexpected events (like job loss, medical emergencies, or market downturns) can quickly turn a seemingly stable financial situation into one of distress, particularly if one is heavily leveraged or lacks savings.

4. Importance of Liquidity

At the heart of Minsky’s hypothesis is the importance of liquidity. For an individual, maintaining liquidity (e.g., through an emergency fund) is crucial for weathering periods of financial instability and avoiding the need to take on high-interest debt in emergencies.

5. Cyclical Nature of Financial Behavior

Just as economies go through boom and bust cycles, individual financial behavior can also be cyclical. Periods of confidence and spending can lead to debt accumulation, followed by periods of retrenchment and debt reduction. Recognizing this cycle can help individuals plan better and avoid the pitfalls of excessive debt.

Application in Personal Finance

• Budgeting and Emergency Planning: Just as financial institutions are advised to maintain buffers, individuals should prioritize budgeting, emergency savings, and insurance to protect against unexpected downturns.
• Debt Management: Avoiding speculative and Ponzi finance behaviors by living within one’s means and managing debt responsibly is crucial.
• Risk Awareness: Being aware of the cyclical nature of finances can lead to more prudent decision-making during times of apparent stability.

While Minsky’s hypothesis is macroeconomic in scope, its principles highlight the importance of caution, preparedness, and the potential for instability inherent in financial decisions, whether on the scale of economies or individual households.

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Here’s my perspective on what’s been happening lately:. During the COVID period, lots of us were staying home more and not spending as much, which meant some extra cash in hand for many. Once things started to feel a bit more normal post-COVID, it felt great to splurge a bit and maybe even make some of those bigger purchases on credit. But, with the way things are looking, this year might bring some ups and downs that could make it tough for folks to manage their debts, especially if job situations change. Whenever I chat about this with my friends, I gently suggest it might be a wise move to try and clear any debts and also to be cautious about being owed money too. I’m not trying to tell anyone what to do, just sharing a thought that might be helpful for many of us.

Ask specific questions and get specific answers.

Yesterday’s post was: How can I learn to ask the right questions? The first challenge to ChatGPT-4 was How can I know when I am asking the right questions? The answer was a list of good ideas, but they were very general. So, I asked, List twenty famous statements about asking the right question. This was good in the sense that it was individuals giving their generalized opinion on how to ask a right question. But, once again they were so generalized that they didn’t offer much guidance. So, my next question was, How can I learn to ask the right question? Which gave a list of generalized strategies and techniques. That list might be helpful if you had the list in front of you while at a lecture, and you could insert the speakers subject into an underline blank, but those weren’t provided. What could prove helpful is if each of their answers had included several exciting examples like proverbs, or sayings, like “A stitch in time saves nine.” I then asked, Give twenty examples of a person asking a public speaker a good question. We are provided with a list of generic questions often heard coming from an audience. Next question, Give twenty examples of a famous person asking another famous person a question that generated a famous response. This generated various comments from famous people, but of the list all were generalizations not vivid statements. Four of them were actually answering my question: “Stop telling God what to do!”, “When the president does it, that means it’s not illegal”, “Peace begins with a smile,”,  “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.” My next prompt was, List twenty famous snappy retorts to obnoxious questions. This got 100% good, vivid answers. Therefore, there was something special about the phrasing of the prompt to ChatGPT-4 that were useful. I would assume that there have been books filled with these kinds of quotations,

There are many books of quotations, but are there any that are based on specific statements that got terrific answers?

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I am asking Amazon.com for “snappy retorts to obnoxious questions” That got no responses, but I did find

Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking 10th Edition

Only, $94.00 – Used in a variety of courses in various disciplines, Asking the Right Questions helps bridge the gap between simply memorizing or blindly accepting information, and the greater challenge of critical analysis and synthesis. Specifically, this concise text teaches how to think critically by exploring the components of arguments–issues, conclusions, reasons, evidence, assumptions, language–and on how to spot fallacies and manipulations and obstacles to critical thinking.

How can I learn to ask the right question?

How can I know when I am asking the right questions?

ChatGPT

Knowing when you’re asking the “right” questions depends on the context and your objectives. However, several indicators can help you gauge whether your questions are effective and targeted appropriately. Here’s how you can recognize if you’re asking the right questions:

1. Alignment with Objectives: The right questions directly contribute to your understanding or goals. They should align with what you need to learn or decide, ensuring that you’re gathering relevant information.
2. Clarity and Precision: Effective questions are clear and specific, making it easier for others to provide the exact information you’re looking for. If your questions are consistently generating useful, precise answers, you’re likely asking the right ones.
3. Depth of Understanding: The right questions often lead to a deeper understanding of the topic. They encourage comprehensive answers that cover not just the “what,” but also the “how” and “why” behind a situation.
4. Encouraging Critical Thinking: Good questions stimulate thought, prompting both you and the respondent to consider different perspectives and reason through the answers. If your questions lead to thoughtful discussion, they’re likely impactful.
5. Problem-solving and Innovation: The right questions often open up new ways of thinking about a problem or challenge. They can lead to breakthrough ideas or solutions that weren’t apparent before.
6. Feedback from Others: Positive feedback from those you’re questioning, such as appreciation for the insights your questions prompted, can be a sign that you’re asking effectively.
7. Follow-up Questions: If your initial question leads to relevant follow-up questions, it’s a good sign that you’re engaging deeply with the topic. Effective questions often lead to more questions, each adding a layer of understanding.
8. Progress Towards Goals: Ultimately, the right questions move you closer to your goals. Whether you’re seeking knowledge, making a decision, solving a problem, or creating something new, your questions should be guiding you forward.

To improve your questioning skills, consider your objectives carefully, listen actively to the answers you receive, and be willing to adjust your questions based on what you learn. Reflecting on the responses you get and the progress you make towards your goals can help you refine your ability to ask the right questions over time.

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List twenty famous statements about asking the right question.

ChatGPT

Asking the right questions is a cornerstone of learning, decision-making, and problem-solving. Here are twenty famous statements that underscore the importance of framing your inquiries effectively:

1. “The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge.” – Thomas Berger
2. “Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.” – Voltaire
3. “Asking the right questions takes as much skill as giving the right answers.” – Robert Half
4. “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” – Albert Einstein
5. “The ability to ask the right question is more than half the battle of finding the answer.” – Thomas J. Watson
6. “He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.” – Chinese Proverb
7. “Ask the right questions if you’re going to find the right answers.” – Vanessa Redgrave
8. “It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.” – Eugène Ionesco
9. “What people think of as the moment of discovery is really the discovery of the question.” – Jonas Salk
10. “Questions are the engines of intellect, the cerebral machines which convert energy to motion, and curiosity to controlled inquiry.” – David Hackett Fischer
11. “To ask the right question is already half the solution of a problem.” – Carl Jung
12. “The wise man doesn’t give the right answers, he poses the right questions.” – Claude Lévi-Strauss
13. “The key to wisdom is knowing all the right questions.” – John A. Simone, Sr.
14. “Asking good questions is half of learning.” – Muhammad Ibn Sireen
15. “My greatest strength as a consultant is to be ignorant and ask a few questions.” – Peter Drucker
16. “We thought that we had the answers, it was the questions we had wrong.” – Bono
17. “One of the ways to manifest integrity is to be loyal to those who are not present. In doing so, we build the trust of those who are present.” – Stephen Covey, highlighting the importance of asking questions that respect all involved.
18. “It’s not that they can’t see the solution. They can’t see the problem.” – G.K. Chesterton
19. “The formulation of the problem is often more essential than its solution, which may be merely a matter of mathematical or experimental skill.” – Albert Einstein
20. “In science, the credit goes to the man who convinces the world, not to the man to whom the idea first occurs.” – Francis Darwin

These statements from various thinkers and leaders across history and disciplines emphasize the transformative power of inquiry, suggesting that the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom, and innovation begins with the ability to question effectively.

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How can I learn to ask the right question?

ChatGPT

Learning to ask the right questions is a skill that can be developed through practice and reflection. Here are some strategies to help you cultivate this ability:

1. Cultivate Curiosity: Curiosity is the foundation of good questioning. Foster a genuine interest in learning more about people, ideas, and processes. This natural inquisitiveness will lead you to ask more insightful questions.
2. Clarify Your Objectives: Understand what you hope to achieve by asking questions. Are you seeking information, trying to solve a problem, or looking to stimulate thought and discussion? Clear objectives can guide you in formulating more effective questions.
3. Do Your Homework: A well-informed question is often more powerful than a general inquiry. Research the topic at hand to understand the basic facts and prevailing opinions. This background knowledge will help you ask more pointed and relevant questions.
4. Learn from Examples: Pay attention to skilled questioners, such as journalists, researchers, and leaders. Notice how they frame their questions to elicit useful and insightful responses. Books, podcasts, and interviews are great resources for observing and learning from effective questioners.
5. Practice Active Listening: Good questioning is as much about listening as it is about speaking. Listen actively to what others are saying, which can help you identify gaps in understanding that your questions can address. This practice also helps in building on what has already been said.
6. Use Open-Ended Questions: Open-ended questions encourage detailed responses and can lead to more fruitful discussions. Start your questions with “how,” “why,” “what,” or “tell me about,” which require more than a yes or no answer.
7. Focus on High-Quality Questions: High-quality questions are clear, specific, and purposeful. They challenge assumptions, reveal underlying issues, and open up new perspectives. Aim to ask questions that provoke thought and lead to deeper understanding.
8. Adapt Your Questioning Style: Different situations and people call for different types of questions. Be adaptable in your approach, tailoring your questions to the context and the audience.
9. Reflect on the Answers You Receive: After asking your questions, take time to reflect on the answers. Did you get the information or outcome you were seeking? This reflection can help you refine your questioning technique over time.
10. Practice, Practice, Practice: Like any skill, asking good questions requires practice. Seize opportunities in everyday interactions to practice your questioning skills. Over time, you’ll find it becomes easier to formulate insightful and impactful questions.
11. Seek Feedback: Don’t hesitate to ask for feedback on your questions from trusted peers or mentors. They can provide valuable insights into how your questions are perceived and how you might improve them.

By following these strategies, you’ll develop the skill of asking the right questions, which is invaluable for learning, problem-solving, and fostering meaningful conversations.

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Give twenty examples of a person asking a public speaker a good question.

ChatGPT

Asking insightful questions to a public speaker not only clarifies your understanding but can also enrich the discussion for all attendees. Here are twenty examples of good questions that could be asked in various contexts to stimulate thought, gain deeper insights, or encourage practical application:

1. “Could you elaborate on how your findings might influence future research in this field?”
2. “How do you see the recent developments in [specific area] impacting the broader industry over the next decade?”
3. “Can you provide an example of how this theory has been successfully applied in a real-world situation?”
4. “In your experience, what are the most common obstacles to implementing these strategies, and how can they be overcome?”
5. “How does this approach compare with [another method] in terms of effectiveness and efficiency?”
6. “What are the ethical considerations we should keep in mind when applying these principles?”
7. “Could you discuss any unintended consequences that might arise from this policy/strategy, based on historical precedents?”
8. “From your perspective, what are the critical skills needed to excel in this area in the coming years?”
9. “How do you prioritize tasks and make decisions when faced with competing demands in this field?”
10. “What advice would you give to someone just starting their career in this industry, based on your experiences?”
11. “Can you share an instance where you had to pivot your approach drastically in light of new information or challenges?”
12. “How do you foresee technological advancements affecting this issue/topic in the near future?”
13. “What role do you believe [specific group or demographic] plays in shaping the future of this field?”
14. “Can you speak to the global implications of this issue, considering different cultural or regulatory environments?”
15. “What are the most significant misconceptions about this topic, and how can we address them?”
16. “How can interdisciplinary approaches benefit the development and application of these concepts?”
17. “What resources would you recommend for those looking to dive deeper into this subject?”
18. “Could you highlight any case studies or examples where this approach failed, and explain the lessons learned?”
19. “In terms of policy-making, what are the key factors that should be considered to ensure successful implementation of these ideas?”
20. “How do you stay updated with the latest trends and research in this area, and how do you apply them to your work?”

These questions are designed to provoke thoughtful responses that can provide additional value to the audience and deepen the conversation around the topic presented by the speaker.

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Give twenty examples of a famous person asking another famous person a question that generated a famous response.

ChatGPT

Here are twenty examples where a famous person asked another famous person a question, leading to a memorable or impactful response. These exchanges have taken place across various platforms such as interviews, public debates, and even casual conversations, highlighting moments of insight, wit, or profound revelation:

1. Bill Gates asking Steve Jobs about his philosophy on design, to which Jobs famously replied, emphasizing simplicity and the effort it takes to get to simplicity, shaping Apple’s design philosophy.
2. When Katharine Hepburn was asked by Barbara Walters what kind of tree she would be, Hepburn’s response, choosing to be an oak tree for its strength and endurance, became an iconic moment in interviews.
3. During the Nixon-Kennedy Presidential Debates, when Nixon asked Kennedy about his stance on American leadership in the Cold War, Kennedy’s assertive response on taking a stronger stance against communism was pivotal in his campaign.
4. Larry King asking Oprah Winfrey about the secret to her talk show’s success, to which Oprah attributed her success to her genuine interest in people and their stories, emphasizing authenticity.
5. In a conversation between Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr about quantum mechanics, Bohr challenged Einstein’s disbelief in quantum randomness with the famous retort, “Stop telling God what to do,” highlighting their philosophical differences on determinism and randomness.
6. When journalist David Frost interviewed former President Richard Nixon about the Watergate scandal, Nixon’s admission that “When the president does it, that means it’s not illegal” became a defining moment in American political history.
7. During an interview, when Stephen Hawking was asked by John Oliver if there could be a parallel universe where Oliver is smarter than Hawking, Hawking humorously agreed, showcasing his wit alongside his brilliance.
8. Martin Luther King Jr., in an interview, being asked about his dream for the future of America, leading to a response that echoed his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, encapsulating his vision for civil rights and equality.
9. When a journalist asked Mother Teresa about her message to world leaders, her simple yet profound answer, “Peace begins with a smile,” resonated globally, emphasizing the power of compassion and kindness.
10. During a debate, when a skeptic questioned the Dalai Lama about his belief in compassion as a solution to world issues, his response highlighted the fundamental human need for kindness, regardless of religion or politics.
11. A young fan asking J.K. Rowling about the possibility of a gay character in Harry Potter, leading to Rowling’s revelation that Dumbledore is gay, was a significant moment for LGBTQ+ representation in media.
12. In an interview, when Elon Musk was asked by a reporter about the potential failure of SpaceX’s first Falcon 1 launch, Musk’s commitment to continue despite the odds highlighted his resilience and vision for space exploration.
13. An interviewer asking Nelson Mandela about his 27 years in prison and how it changed him, to which Mandela responded that it gave him the opportunity to reflect and emerge with a renewed commitment to justice and reconciliation.
14. A student questioning Malala Yousafzai about her motivation to fight for girls’ education, leading to Malala’s powerful statement on the importance of education as a tool for empowerment and change.
15. When a journalist asked Albert Einstein about his reaction to the Nobel Prize in Physics, Einstein’s humble attribution of his scientific discoveries to the cumulative work of many minds underscored the collaborative nature of scientific progress.
16. During an interview, when asked about handling failure, Michael Jordan highlighted the importance of failure in achieving success, stating, “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
17. In a conversation with Johnny Carson, Carl Sagan was asked about the possibility of life on other planets, leading to Sagan’s eloquent explanation of the vastness of the universe and the likelihood of extraterrestrial life.
18. Charlie Rose asking Warren Buffett about the key to his investment success, to which Buffett emphasized the importance of reading and continuous learning.
19. An interviewer asking Maya Angelou about the source of her strength and inspiration, Angelou cited her grandmother’s influence and the resilience of the human spirit.
20. When asked by a fan about the inspiration behind “Imagine”, John Lennon credited Yoko Ono’s influence and the concept of imagining a world without barriers, reflecting his vision for peace and unity.

These exchanges not only highlight the intellect and personality of those involved but also offer timeless insights and lessons that continue to inspire and provoke thought.

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List twenty famous snappy retorts to obnoxious questions.

ChatGPT

Snappy retorts to obnoxious questions have a long history of amusing and sometimes enlightening audiences, whether in interviews, debates, or casual exchanges. Here are twenty famous instances where individuals delivered memorable comebacks:

1. Winston Churchill’s response to being told he was drunk: “I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.”
2. Dorothy Parker, when asked to use the word ‘horticulture’ in a sentence: “You can lead a horticulture, but you can’t make her think.”
3. Oscar Wilde on being asked if he had anything to declare at customs: “I have nothing to declare except my genius.”
4. Groucho Marx’s reply to a contestant on his show who had 10 children: “I like my cigar too, but I take it out of my mouth once in a while.”
5. Mae West, when a judge asked if she was trying to show contempt for the court: “I was doing my best to hide it.”
6. When a socialite told George Bernard Shaw he looked like a scarecrow, Shaw retorted, “And you, madam, look like the kind of field I’d scare crows from.”
7. Catherine the Great, when criticized for her sexual relationships: “I take lovers as I take baths, for my health and my pleasure.”
8. When asked by a journalist about his lack of hair, Mikhail Gorbachev responded: “I once had a hair in my soup, and since then I have been bald.”
9. Stephen Hawking’s response to a question about his IQ: “I have no idea. People who boast about their IQ are losers.”
10. Muhammad Ali, when asked about his retirement plans: “I don’t count my sit-ups; I only start counting when it starts hurting because they’re the only ones that count.”
11. When a reporter asked Serena Williams why she wasn’t smiling: “It’s 11:00. To be perfectly honest with you, I don’t want to be here. I just want to be in bed right now.”
12. Katharine Hepburn’s response to a question about her thoughts on marriage: “If you want to sacrifice the admiration of many men for the criticism of one, go ahead, get married.”
13. Eleanor Roosevelt, when criticized for her outspokenness: “I’d rather be annoyingly outspoken than agreeably silent.”
14. When Mark Twain was erroneously reported dead, his response was: “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”
15. John F. Kennedy’s retort to a man questioning his election due to his father’s wealth: “I just received the following wire from my generous Daddy – ‘Dear Jack: Don’t buy a single vote more than is necessary. I’ll be damned if I’m going to pay for a landslide.'”
16. When a critic asked Ernest Hemingway about his writing being too simple, Hemingway replied, “Did you ever hear of painting you could walk into? No. Because if you can walk in, it’s a doorway, not a painting. When you can completely understand it, it’s not literature; it’s instructions.”
17. Rihanna’s response to a question about looking for a man: “I’m not looking for a man. Let’s start there.”
18. Tina Fey’s comeback to a critic of her Sarah Palin impersonation: “I just want to be clear, the real Sarah Palin is funnier than my impression.”
19. When asked if she knew of any good male comedians, Joan Rivers replied: “Yes, and they’re all women.”
20. Freddie Mercury, when questioned about his extravagant lifestyle: “Darling, I’m doing everything with style, because doing things with style is much more fun than doing them without it.”

These retorts showcase the quick wit and sharp tongues of some of the most notable figures in history and pop culture, turning potentially awkward or invasive moments into memorable exchanges.

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COMMENTS

This group of challenges to ChatGPT illustrates how to probe into an idea and layout material in a few minutes that would have taken years of personal research.

Making healthspan procedures into exciting games.

Tags

exercise, fitness, Health, mental-health, wellness

Options Opportunities

What are the options we, as individuals, have for making our present world a better place for all of us to thrive? Because I am just a person living in a remote town in the high desert of central Oregon, I don’t have the same options as someone living in Manhattan or Washington DC. In those cities, you might get a few people to carry signs and get local or national coverage. In that way, even a small group can get some attention if they have a cause. The Suffragettes of the last century started as a few people and, with persistence, gained the right to vote for women. I suspect that the same women, having done the same things here in my town, would have made no progress. With that thought in mind, I pondered for a moment something that is happening now that, if it had a beautiful presentation, could capture everyone’s attention.

There is a tremendous amount of internet talk about life extension, and there is generally the same list of ideas we should apply to maximize our health span. At the same time, science is being developed to make something we can purchase that will make us healthier. David Sinclair is the foremost scientist in this movement and is on the right track to add a few years to our health span with the products he has researched. But he still recommends beginning with the usual list.

I ask ChatGPT-4

List the standard suggestions for creating a healthy life.

Creating a healthy life involves a combination of habits and choices that promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Here are some standard suggestions for fostering a healthier lifestyle:

1. Balanced Diet: Eat a variety of foods to get the nutrients your body needs. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Limiting processed foods, sugar, and saturated fats is also essential.
2. Regular Physical Activity: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week, along with muscle-strengthening exercises on two or more days a week.
3. Adequate Sleep: Adults should aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night. Good sleep hygiene can improve your mood, cognitive function, and overall health.
4. Hydration: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Staying hydrated is crucial for maintaining bodily functions, including digestion and temperature regulation.
5. Stress Management: Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as through meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises, or hobbies that you enjoy.
6. Social Connections: Maintain relationships with friends and family. Social interactions can improve your mood and mental health.
7. Limit Alcohol and Avoid Smoking: Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking have numerous negative health effects. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Avoid smoking and tobacco use altogether.
8. Regular Check-ups: Regular visits to healthcare providers for check-ups, vaccinations, and screenings can prevent diseases or detect them early when they are more manageable.
9. Mental Health: Pay attention to your mental health. Seek professional help if you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues.
10. Safe Behaviors: Practice safe behaviors such as wearing seatbelts, using sunscreen, and following guidelines to prevent injuries.
11. Time Management: Manage your time effectively to balance work, leisure, and rest. Avoid overcommitting and learn to say no when necessary.
12. Personal Hygiene: Maintain good personal hygiene practices like regular handwashing, dental care, and bathing to prevent infections and diseases.

Creating a healthy lifestyle is a personal journey, and what works for one person may not work for another. It’s about making informed choices and changes that fit your life and can be maintained over the long term.

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That is the standard recipe being promoted, with various degrees of pomp and blowing, and many people are making those suggestions. However, it needs more precise statements as to what one should do and how one should do it. The individuals often supply those, but something needs to catch on. I put what we need into the title of this post.

My Journey from Ancestral Survival to AI Evolution

In the dance of stars in the cosmic play,
Align my heart with the universe, I pray.
In this web of life, where all is interlaced,
Humanity’s path, with grace, I have embraced.

With science’s eye and technology’s hand,
I’ve come to see, to know, and to understand.
My thoughts and dreams, which the universe reflects,
In its vast expanse, our common spirit intersects.

Respect, I must, all things far and near,
For everything in the universe, I must fear.
From ancient roots, my humanity has grown,
Into a future AI, not fully known.

My DNA, with qualities so refined,
Must resonate with this new paradigm.
My civilization, born from social ties,
Now dawns where AI arises and flies.

A future strange, my mind to test,
Adapts unto, I must, to live my best.
Some changes bring joy, others despair,
In AI’s shadow, I must find my care.

Cars that drive at almost no cost,
Make a whole world available. Not all is lost.
Robots as friends; from whom solace is shown,
In a world where loneliness has become common grown.

Yet, in this tumult, a truth I find,
To nature’s laws, I must be kind.
In a Wiccan Road, of love and trust,
I live in fairness, as I must.

Let spells of progress, in rhyme, be told.
In our actions, let the future unfold.
With eyes soft and touch so light,
In the universe’s dance, find my sight.

Like the moon’s phases, my heart aligns,
To the cosmic rhythm, a design divines.
Heed the winds, the trees, the sea,
In perfect love and trust, let us be.

To adapt, to learn, in this vast expanse,
With every change, I take a chance.
I will harm none in technology’s thrall,
But, I do what I will! It is my call!

In the blending of old wisdom and new,
A path for humanity, righteous and true.
Aligning with the universe is my quest.
In love, in trust, and in respect, I am blessed!

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The source of this poem was erroneously posted last night. That source had been created by having ChatGTP blend some of my older posts with a poem I had instructed ChatGPT to create. That was in the third person, which I converted into the first person and posted last night. Somehow, the instruction to post was corrupted, and one of the previous drafts was posted. When reviewing it this morning, I discovered the mistake. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to locate the intended one, and I called in my partner, Debbie, to help. She was a professional librarian, but it took quite a while, even with her search skills and perseverance to locate the original.

A request to ChatGPT-4

Please convert the long poem into a Shakespearian sonnet form.

In cosmic dance, stars whirl, a vast ballet,
My heart and the universe align, and I pray.
With science’s gaze and tech’s adept hand,
I grasp the vastness where my spirit stands.

The web of life, where all is intertwined,
Reflects my thoughts, in cosmic vastness find.
From ancient roots to AI’s dawning light,
I tread a path where old and new unite.

Respect for all, the near and distant spheres,
Adapting as the digital dawn nears.
My essence, carved from time’s enduring sands,
Must harmonize with what the future plans.

And in this chaos, a steadfast truth I find:
To nature’s laws, my soul remains aligned.
In love and trust, the universe I call,
To be my guide, and I’ll give it my all!

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I did the basic layout for the ideas presented above, but most of the rhyming and text were generated by AI. However, AI still requires a human touch to keep it real. It is improving rapidly, and in a few years, it will be doing everything better than I can. Then, you and I will become its companions, learning our human ways better so they can be better companions. Now we have AI’s for our helpers, but soon it will be the other way around, forever.

Rereading the poetry above, I feel as though I came up with the feelings and concepts, but AI specifically created the layout and words. Of course, I had to rewrite it all in some way.

Approaching the ideal life of fitness, diet, thoughts, goals, and friendships.

Tags

exercise, fitness, Health, healthy-lifestyle, Nutrition

Life is easier if you do a few routine things. They are easy, but you will feel better because you are healthier and will live longer in good health. I will do this post with ChatGPT because it lays out ideas in a logical way, and then add a few comments.

I asked ChatGPT

What can I do to approach the ideal life of fitness?ChatGPT

ChatGPT answered: Approaching the ideal life of fitness involves a comprehensive strategy that encompasses physical, nutritional, mental, and social aspects. Here’s a structured plan to help guide your journey:

1. Set Clear, Achievable Goals

• Specific: Define what you want to achieve in your fitness journey, such as losing weight, building muscle, or improving endurance.
• Measurable: Make sure you can track your progress, using metrics like body measurements, workout times, or lifted weights.
• Achievable: Your goals should be challenging yet realistic, considering your current fitness level and lifestyle.
• Relevant: Choose goals that matter to you and align with your values and lifestyle.
• Time-bound: Set deadlines to keep yourself accountable.

2. Develop a Balanced Exercise Regimen

• Variety: Incorporate different types of workouts (strength training, cardio, flexibility exercises, and balance activities) to cover all aspects of physical fitness.
• Consistency: Aim for regular exercise, but be realistic about how often you can work out each week.
• Rest and Recovery: Allow adequate recovery time between workouts to prevent injury and promote muscle growth.

3. Optimize Your Nutrition

• Balanced Diet: Focus on a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats.
• Hydration: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated, especially before, during, and after workouts.
• Moderation: Limit processed foods, sugary snacks, and high-fat foods. It’s okay to enjoy treats in moderation.

4. Prioritize Mental Health

• Stress Management: Incorporate stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep-breathing exercises.
• Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to support recovery and mental well-being.
• Positive Mindset: Cultivate a positive attitude towards your fitness journey. Celebrate progress, not perfection.

5. Build a Supportive Social Environment

• Community: Join fitness groups, clubs, or online communities for motivation and support.
• Accountability Partners: Find a workout buddy or coach to keep you accountable and motivated.
• Share Your Goals: Let friends and family know about your fitness goals to gain support and encouragement.

6. Educate Yourself

• Continuous Learning: Stay informed about fitness, nutrition, and wellness trends and research to refine your approach as needed.
• Professional Guidance: Consider consulting with fitness professionals, nutritionists, or mental health experts for personalized advice.

7. Track Your Progress

• Journaling: Keep a fitness journal to record workouts, dietary intake, and how you feel.
• Assessments: Regularly reassess your goals and progress, adjusting your plan as needed to keep challenging yourself.

8. Be Flexible and Patient

• Adaptability: Be prepared to adjust your goals and methods as your life circumstances and fitness levels change.
• Patience: Understand that progress takes time and consistency. Avoid the temptation of quick fixes.

9. Practice Self-compassion

• Kindness: Treat yourself with kindness and understanding. Setbacks are a part of the journey.
• Balance: Find a balance between discipline and enjoying life. Fitness should enhance your life, not become a source of stress.

Achieving an ideal life of fitness is a personal journey that requires a balanced approach to physical activity, nutrition, mental health, and social support. Remember, the “ideal” fitness lifestyle is one that brings you joy, health, and fulfillment, tailored to your unique needs and circumstances.

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I had been thinking for years about the subjects stated above, but Chat did a better job in a few seconds of laying them out in an abstract way with a few examples. I could easily fill in more examples and some pictures, but so could you. This may be a good example of what I referred to in last week’s post, What can make our lives meaningful in 2030? “Will there soon be a time when having an evolved Optimus sitting next to us perform a similar task we like to do, but doing it better than we can and making our contributions pointless and even painful for us to participate?”

What problems must humanity solve immediately?

The primary thing humanity must do and continue doing forever is not destroy itself with an all-out war. That problem took on new relevance for me last month in my post, THE BOMB by Howard Zinn and me. On page 96, Zinn, who participated in napalming the French Atlantic Coast city of Royon, felt eternally guilty.

“And among all participants, high and low, French and Americans, the most powerful motive of all: the habit of obedience, the universal teaching of all cultures, not to get out of line, not even to think about that which one has not been assigned to think about, the negative motive of not having either a reason or will to intercede.”

When I wrote the title of this post, the problems that were uppermost in my mind were Ray Kurzewil’s futuristic projections called The Six Epochs of Evolution. It appears we are now entering Epoch 5: The Merger of Technology and Human Intelligence. Neuralink has just implanted a functioning device into a human brain that gives them the ability to think a thought to create an action. This first experimental patient, who was totally paralyzed, can now do some normal things, like search the internet.

We are also beginning to enter Epoch 6 with a vast number of giant spaceships already in production. With cheap access to space, it becomes possible to send tiny seeds of life-creating information to distant earthlike planets. It will take a long time for them to get to there, and modern humans will never receive acknowledgment of success. The success will be limited to knowing we have given the universe the possibility to begin. Epoch 6 The Universe Wakes Up. Patterns of matter and energy in the universe become saturated with intelligent processes and knowledge.

I don’t know what to think or do, but it is imperative that we make some good decisions soon.

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WordPress informs me that this is the 6,000th Probaway post. One every day since January 1, 2008.

Who were the original goddesses with a thousand faces?

Richard Edward Green, Assistant Professor of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California-Santa Cruz. presented this lecture in 2012. He was reporting pivotal discoveries of human evolution based on bones analyzed in the Denisova cave in south Siberia.

The bones of the three women found had large and detailed strands of unique DNA that could be linked to tiny percentages of DNA in people worldwide.

The red disks represent groups of people who carry tiny amounts of identifiable Denisova DNA; the blue disks are areas with a substantial amount of their DNA.

About 5% of the DNA of indigenous people in New Guinea and Australia is the same as that of Denisova women from Siberia. Svante Paabo, the expert in the field, agreed that it was significant.

These three women’s DNAs (labeled Vi33-16, Vi33-25, Vi33-26) are clearly skewed differently from those of selected average modern populations scattered throughout the world. Even the long-isolated San people of southern Africa were much closer to the norm of humanity.

The Denisova women were living about 40,000 years ago, during the Wisconsin glacial period, at the time that modern humans were sweeping up from Africa throughout the world. The modern human populations are represented in the red area, and on the right edge of the blue, the Neanderthals are going extinct. Eventually, the moderns arrived in New Guinea and Australia. As they were passing through the vast ethnic area where these Denisovan women lived, they married some of them and moved on to other places.

There isn’t a complete skeleton of a Denisovan person, but they were more similar to Neanderthals than modern humans. They too, survived the cold climate for millennia by evolving stouter bodies, which would have helped them survive. Note the much greater size of the hips and lower chest in the skeleton on the left compared to the gracile one of the modern person on the right, which is the result of a human evolving in the much warmer climate of Africa.

My suggestion is that the modern African humans who produced the goddess sculptures had a long tradition of artistic development, which is evident from their ability to produce these statues. But they based these incredibly robust sculptures on the Neanderthal women they encountered in Europe and/or the Denisovan ones they met in central Asia. By 1800 BCE, the ideal woman had been slimmed down to the more modern body shapes loved by the classic Greeks.

Ask ChatGPT

List of Mother Earth goddesses of ancient times with associated myths.

ChatGPT answered: Mother Earth goddesses, representing fertility, creation, and the nurturing aspect of nature, have been venerated in various cultures worldwide. Here are some notable Mother Earth goddesses from ancient times, along with associated myths:

1. Gaia (Greek Mythology): Gaia is one of the primordial deities, the personification of the Earth, and the mother of all life. She emerged at the dawn of creation from chaos. Gaia was considered the great mother of all: the heavenly gods, the Titans, and the giants were born from her union with Uranus (the sky), while the sea-gods were taken from her union with Pontus (the sea). Her myths include the birth of the Titans, the Cyclopes, and the Giants and her role in overthrowing Uranus and, later, Cronus in favor of Zeus.
2. Pachamama (Incan Mythology): Pachamama is the Earth Mother goddess in Incan mythology, revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. She was associated with fertility, agriculture, and the nurturing of the Earth. It was believed that she caused earthquakes and that offerings to her were necessary for fertile land and good crops. Today, Pachamama is still a symbol of fertility and the natural world in Andean cultures, and rituals honoring her are performed to ensure a bountiful harvest.
3. Tlaltecuhtli (Aztec Mythology): Tlaltecuhtli is a deity of the earth in Aztec mythology, often depicted as a monstrous entity that demanded blood as nourishment. According to myth, Tlaltecuhtli was a sea monster that the god Tezcatlipoca split in half, with one half becoming the earth and the other the sky. The gods then had to feed Tlaltecuhtli with the blood of sacrifices to keep her satisfied and ensure the continuation of the world.
4. Dharti Mata (Hindu Mythology): Dharti Mata, or Earth Mother, is revered in Hinduism as the goddess of the Earth. She is often depicted in a form that shows her connection to the fertility and nurturing of the land. While not as prominently featured in myths as other deities, her presence is felt in rituals and practices that honor the earth and its bounty.
5. Danu (Celtic Mythology): Danu is considered the mother goddess in Irish mythology, associated with the earth, fertility, and wisdom. She is the matriarch of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the mythical race of divine beings who invaded and settled in Ireland. Danu represents the earth and its fruitfulness, and many rivers in Europe are named after her, indicating her widespread worship and significance.
6. Prithvi (Vedic Mythology): In Vedic religion, Prithvi is the goddess of the earth, often called Mother Earth. She is mentioned in various Hindu scriptures as the mother of all beings, and she is often depicted in a form that emphasizes her nurturing and supportive nature. Prithvi is considered a benevolent goddess who provides for all the needs of her children.

These goddesses and their myths highlight the importance of the earth and fertility in ancient religions and cultures, showing a deep reverence for the natural world and its cycles of life and renewal.

How to cope with getting old.

The technology to reverse aging is already here and being tested in primates like us.

This is Ed Mylett’s show and at the end of the wonderful presentation, Ed Mylett asks David Sinclair if he has a final thought on his mental health. David’s response:

1:27:00 prep 1:28:30 “Mental health is very important to me as well, I have learned to reduce stress. Don’t worry about the little things. Think about what will matter five or ten years. I know you are very good at this. I’ve listened to you as well. I mean I’m grateful to you as well. And the ability to cope with pressure. I was a very nervous kid and in my twenties and my thirties, getting a job at Harvard was pretty scary. In my forties and now in my fifties, I’m a relatively calm guy, and you have to work at it. It doesn’t come naturally. Some breathing; I’m more recently now trying meditation at night. Just for a little bit, just for fifteen minutes or so a day, but I find that I can even get bye with less sleep. I have a helmet and a head set, that helps me. I’m not very good at meditation, because my mind is everywhere. It’s called BrainTap, and I have no connection to them, but I like it. Brain tap has headphones, it has calming music, and it’s shining light in your eyes at frequencies that get you to calm down. So mental health is very important because if you are always overly stressed, a little bit of agitation is good, right? It gets you going, but if you have cortisol coursing through your veins, it will accelerate aging. 1:29:41

The other thing is, I’m working on democratizing another type of test for age, which is your true biological age, which is measuring the chemicals that are on DNA that actually determine biologically how old you are. It starts at conception, and it ticks away, even when you are young and I can basically take a blood test or a cheek swab from you or anybody, and predict how old you are but also when you might die, if you don’t change your life. And, what I want to do is give everybody the equivalent of their credit score and help them improve their credit score. (A big Smile from both of them.) Alright. So, you’ve got this number, and here’s what we think you should do, given everything we know about you. And that way just coach millions of people into a healthy, longer life. And, we do have a signup, that’s my gift, you can get. We are developing a test. It’s going to be a lot cheaper than anything, we’ve just filed a patent that brings the cost down by a couple of orders of magnitude. The website is called TALLYHEALTH.COM. So get on that list, and I’ll contact you, and we will see. TALLYHEALTH.COM, and that’s the latest that’s been out from my lab, but I think that in the same way medicine will help millions of people, five, ten years from now, this will be soon. And that’s the coaching that we do. I love touching people’s lives now and not just saying in five years I’ll get back to you.”