ShopTalk Sunday: AI Adventures, Light Crown Delay, Tractor Solved

I have been doing a LOT of AI lately.  In fact, it has become the main “New Power Tool” around here.  At the moment, I’m using it to help the So. Florida doctors who are tracking a [communicable something] which causes rouleaux of red blood cells (RBCs stacked like “coins” which is what rouleaux means).

The second-most important use of AI is helping design the experiments plan to test by notions of the “Q of Time” that was laid out in a 2019 Peoplenomics report.  Titled (strangely) “The Q of time…”

So we were working these two areas of research around and we (me and AI) got to talking about people/human resistance to change.  People were afraid of automobiles when they were first fielded, for example. In fact, fall out between Trump and Musk is making the rounds early Sunday, so,,,

Ure asked:

Is Musk a big AI user? And does the public just not want direct answers and actions that impact existing but inefficient (but still comfortable) excess spending?

ChatGPT said:
Your observation draws an intriguing parallel between Elon Musk’s declining public approval and the challenges faced by AI adoption.

Elon Musk’s AI Involvement

Elon Musk has been deeply involved in AI development:

• xAI: In 2023, Musk founded xAI, aiming to understand the universe’s true nature and develop AI aligned with human values.
  de.wikipedia.org
• Neuralink: This venture focuses on creating brain-computer interfaces, integrating AI to enhance human cognitive abilities.
• Tesla: The company has significantly increased its autonomous testing efforts, registering 224 test drivers and 104 vehicles as of December 2024, aiming to introduce a robotaxi service by the end of the year.

Public Perception and Resistance to Change

Musk’s recent initiatives, particularly his role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have sparked public concern:

Cost-Cutting Measures: Musk’s aggressive approach, symbolized by his appearance with a chainsaw at the Conservative Political Action Conference, has raised fears about job security and the broader implications of AI integration in government operations.

Public Disapproval: A Quinnipiac University poll indicates that 60% of voters disapprove of Musk’s handling of federal workers, reflecting unease with his methods.

Parallel with AI Acceptance

The resistance to Musk’s initiatives mirrors the broader skepticism toward AI:

• Disruption of Comfort Zones: Both Musk’s strategies and AI technologies challenge existing, albeit inefficient, systems, leading to discomfort among those accustomed to the status quo.
• Fear of Job Displacement: The integration of AI threatens traditional employment structures, causing public apprehension similar to reactions against Musk’s cost-cutting measures.

In summary, Musk’s declining approval ratings and the public’s cautious stance on AI stem from a common reluctance to embrace rapid, efficiency-driven changes that disrupt established norms and economic comfort.

While We’re on It…

One other “coming thing”” in AI-Land will be Amazon’s launch of Alexa Plus this summer.

Ure said: “0Which gets me to asking whether Alexa-Plus due this summer is an AWS knock-off of OpenAI or whether this will be another AI in the space?

ChatGPT said:
Amazon’s upcoming Alexa+ is a significant enhancement of its existing voice assistant, integrating advanced generative AI capabilities to offer a more conversational and personalized user experience. This development positions Alexa+ as a direct competitor to other AI systems, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Alexa+ introduces several new features, such as the ability to understand and respond in a more natural, human-like manner, manage complex tasks, and provide personalized recommendations by learning user preferences and habits. These advancements are made possible through the integration of large language models like Amazon’s Nova and Anthropic’s Claude.

While Alexa+ leverages Amazon’s proprietary technologies, it also reflects Amazon’s strategic investments in the AI landscape, including a substantial stake in Anthropic, an AI startup known for its Claude AI model. This investment underscores Amazon’s commitment to advancing its AI capabilities and competing with other major players in the field.

In summary, Alexa+ is Amazon’s initiative to redefine its voice assistant by incorporating advanced AI functionalities, aiming to compete directly with existing AI systems like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, rather than serving as a derivative or knock-off.”

For now, our Home Lab Research is trying to remain focused on three distinct areas of investigation:

• The Third Derivative of Death Model (TDDM): Which links some obscure diseases (like Kuru) to mass changes in humans from The Great Flood, like Younger Dryas period. which brought cannibalism, loss of honey and other natural antibiotics to the fore.
• Q of Time (QoT): Where experiments are pending to determine whether a multi-frequency approach can open portals into adjacent dimensions. Here, hold my lab coat. 
• The South Florida deep (nonproductive) cough which seems to cause rouleaux in large parts of the population. Like in Hollywood, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, but not West Palm that the docs have found – so far.

So lots going on and a ton to manage,

Light Crown Delay

I was going to walk you through the whole light crown construction today, but ran into a snag.  Let’s start from the beginning.

First you will need a form. A cheap plastic helmet work.  Comes with a liner:

Which you will remove.  Leaving you a shell: Inside of which are some thick, raised areas to be ground off.

Next you put a hole (step drills welcome) through the back of the LC l.ike this

(Hole on the right)

Then the adhesive backing is removed and you stick the red LED rope light around the inside of the helmet.  Except…

DAMN!!!!

The stupid adhesive came off.  So I ordered some spray adhesive because the process is: Put on with easy to work with adhesive.  Then, when the whole inside is done, add about 8 “spokes” of UV curing resin (or paint the whole inside with crystal hard resin), cure it with the UV light and it’s ready for use.

Now, I’m on hold until the spray adhesive shows up. None of the adhesives (in the Shop’s otherwise well-stocked adhesives drawer) have the right mix of fast set and easy to work with. Even with plastic gloves on.  Off to next project, anyone?

Broken Tractor Mystery

Started acting up – stalling after one second of movement.  Seemed related to the OPC (operator presence circuit).  Seat up, I spied something unusual:

See the round 60 pound pull exotic magnet on the bottom of the seat?

I instantly recognized it as the magnet that I use on a 4-foot hunk of rebar to “sweep” for lost screws in the shop.  Must have fallen out of my jacket pocket.

With the camera (and operator) in an impossible contortion, I documented what had happened:

The strong magnet hit the seat spring (yellow arrow) which prevented the seat switch (circle) from engaging and thus killing the engine in one-second.

Magnet gone (I can hear Pappy replaying from memory now, “Put my tools back…“) OK, it’s back over on the side of the metal lathe where it belongs.

Whoddah thought?

Failing Memory Dept.

Did I show you my Boat Launch Sign that I am putting on a tree overlooking a 15 foot crashing cliff above the creek out back?

I’m also planning a “No Diving” sign to put by the County Road at the creek culvert.  Water generally runs 2-4 inches deep, there.

Quirky?  Hell yeah. If you can’t have fun in life, what’s left? Clamydia?

STS is a few minutes late. But the chicken teriyaki got to marinating early…priorities are under constant review now.

Write when you get rich,

George@Ure.net