An Ode to January and Those Born in it What Is AI

By Carley Carmean

Happy Birth-Month to all of you January Capricorn and Aquarius people as I am sure you’ll be celebrating all month long. Here are some other things that are specific to you as January babies.

Your birthstone is Garnet. The word garnet is derived from the Latin word for seed, as the color of garnets often resembles the deep red of a pomegranate seed.

Your Birth flowers are carnations and snowdrops. Both are flowers that thrive during the cold months of winter and stand as symbols of devotion and rebirth.

The Celtic symbol of January is Birch. After a fire, birch trees are some of the first vegetation to start growing back making it the perfect symbol of rebirth and strength.

What to celebrate in January

• Hot Tea Month

• National Soup Month

• National Blood Donor Month

• The 18th is Winnie the Pooh Day – in celebration of the author, A.A Mines birthday

• The 1st is Betsy Ross’s Birthday

• The 8th is Elvis Presley’s Birthday

• The 31st is Jackie Robinson’s Birthday

In January of 1789, the first U.S presidential election was held

The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Abraham Lincoln in January 1863

New Mexico and Utah became states in January

Two Shakespeare play reference the month: A Winter’s Tale and Much Ado About Nothing

Winifred Marshall published the following poem titled January:

Little January

Tapped at my door today

And said, “Put on your winter wraps, And come outdoors to play.”

Little January

Is always full of fun;

Today we coasted down the hill, Until the set of sun

Little January

Will stay a month with me

And we will have such jolly times-Just come along and see.

--Winifred C. Marshall

From: Sing a Song of Seasons by Fiona Waters & Frann Preston-Gannon

By Carley Carmean

AI is an acronym for Artificial Intelligence, the type of software that is in Alexa, Siri, and plays chess against us. The way this software is built relies on a person who inputs loads of data into the program. Using the example of chess, a person would input all possible maneuvers, all rules, the roles of all pieces, and the goals of the game. The software would take this information and then when playing chess, rely on all the stored knowledge to play the game.

One of the latest AI-related headlines is about Shudu, a stunning AI-created model that first made the news in 2017. The AI modeling agency responsible for her, Digitals, has since created more AI models, even one that looks extra-terrestrial. These faces and bodies are made by CGI software and 3d modeling, meaning that they have no physical forms, but still interact as real people through the internet. Though that fact hasn’t stopped Shudu from being hired by BMW, Oscar de la Renta, Louis Vuitton, and Hyundai. The building of these digital supermodels has sparked a controversy, much of which pertains to the legalities of likenesses, the ethics of creating people whose race differs from that of their creator, and also them taking jobs from physical people.

The controversy is only being heightened as a surge of online apps that upon uploading a couple of photos of yourself will show you what you would look like in different time periods, art styles, and historic periods. This feature is incredibly entertaining, but many are considering it to be infringing on copy write laws, as the app’s stored knowledge is millions of pictures of art that already exist. Therefore, begging the question, how much of the stored art is being used with permission? Is taking art that exists and morphing it with other pieces creating new art or just plagiarizing?

In conclusion, AI, just like every other new technological development has a learning and legal curve. The production of AI creates jobs, degrees, and advancements as well as kills some of those in its opposition. Every advancement has its disadvantages, whether they are worth it or not is unknown until it isn’t. The most we can do is be informed and try to educate ourselves as new information surges and keep an open mind.

By Bob Bennett

As human beings, we enjoy eating. Why? Because we find it not only a good source of nourishment but also enjoyment. It can give our hands something to do while our brains are busy watching TV or fretting over 9 Across on last Sunday’s crossword puzzle. It’s also a great stress reliever. I think I’ll win, let’s eat. I think I’ll lose, let’s eat. We love eating so much that we even plan for it. It’s only a month until my birthday, let’s eat! As an obese adult male, it’s my observation that this obsession with food is not a good thing. But it’s not our fault!

How many reminders do you think we encounter during the day? For example, if you go for a walk, you might be reminded that you are bowlegged, which prompts the desire for a bowl of chili. Or you look down and notice that you are pigeon-toed. I hear it tastes just like chicken! And then you get home, take off your shoes and socks, only to discover that you have corns on some toes and jam on others!

The next day it’s time for lunch and you decide to have chicken fingers and then wash that down with a king-size Butterfinger. That makes your hands clammy, so you decide to have a bowl of chowder. And of course, nothing goes better with chowder than an ear of corn! And then, even though you don’t drink, you are constantly reminded of your beer gut.

Looking in the mirror, you can’t help but notice your muffin top, so you head for the bakery. If you turn around while looking in the mirror, you might notice that your buns are rising. We’re going to need a bigger bakery!

While chatting with friends and neighbors, you might suddenly become aware of your coffee breath as they pull back. There are some delightful mints that help with that so why not pop a few? You head for the sink to wash your face, and while the water’s warming up you look in the mirror. That’s when you see crow’s feet near your eyes and a turkey neck below your chin. That makes you wonder if KFC is still open. Your cauliflower ear reminds you of your boxing days and your flabby arms remind you of chicken wings. That puts you in the mood for some spectator sports such as eating hot dogs, salty chips, and calorie-laden dips like guacamole.

So, I rest my case. It’s not our fault! We are simply fodder for highly skilled Madison Avenue advertising executives. Do you really think that you are a match against the raw corporate power of McDonald’s? How long can you hide from Frito Lay, Kraft, General Foods, Hershey, Mars, and a host of others eager to fill your belly for profit? You can’t.

But you can enjoy all things in moderation, right? So, I’m heading down to 5 Guys right now to enjoy a moderate double bacon cheeseburger with a moderate number of French fries. While they are fixing that, I’ll enjoy a moderate number of peanuts in the shell. Monday I’ll weigh myself and the whole process starts all over again. Happy New Year!