Students using ChatGPT for their essays.

This philosophy professor has been told by her daughter that students en masse are using chatGPT for their essays.

That is not good for specifically philosophy since it's going to result in completely crap essays that don't really argue but regurgitate the standard hackneyed spiel on the topic in question.  Essays that are insipid, banal, characterless, bland and boring.  Essays that have a soporific effect.  The precise diametric opposite to my essays in my philosophy blog. 😉

A Review of the Lenovo D32-45 PC Monitor

I bought the Lenovo D32-45 PC Monitor 10 days ago (it's not available on Amazon). It cost £169.00 which I believe is about the cheapest you can buy a 32-inch monitor. My assessment thus far is that I'm happy with it. Nice and big, and the text is clear. And it goes to 75Hz, although it had 60Hz in Windows as a default. Checked on a "UFO test" site, and it's now giving me 75Hz (although not sure if this is giving me much real world difference, I should try some games).  Reflections are fine i.e I can still see the pic in bright sunshine.

Anyway, I have no complaints. Very similar to my old monitor except bigger. This new panel is VA and old panel in old monitor is ips, but just seem more or less the same to me.  People were saying in a monitor forum that with a 32-inch monitor I would need a higher resolution i.e 2k or 4k.  But HD (1900 by 1080) seems to me to be absolutely fine.

I'm relieved I have now found a 32-inch monitor that is satisfactory. I'd bought two previous 32-inch monitors, but they were both unsatisfactory and I sent both back.  The ViewSonic VX3211-MH 32 Inch, but the screen was too reflective.  And the BenQ EW3270U 32-inch Monitor. I say why I sent that monitor back here. 

18/4/23 Edited to add: I tried to submit this review on Curry's site. I eventually found out I had to email another company called "reevoo" with proof of purchase attached.  They sent me a link to a questionnaire. Mostly irrelevant questions, but did allow me to paste in this review. However, they emailed me back saying they can't accept my review since:

"References to an exact price can be confusing for other people, as prices can change over time and between different companies".

I replied back saying: "Yes, I'm well aware that prices continually cycle up and down in price. I'm specifically saying it's good value at £170. How can anyone be confused by that? I'm conveying vital information that prospective purchasers need to be aware of in order to make an informed decision".

But I'm getting nowhere, so...

Time Slips

Someone here on youtube being interviewed about time slips.

A fascinating and baffling phenomenon where people appear to briefly travel back in time for a few minutes.

So someone, or a couple of people walking together, might be walking down a street, and noticing that people seem to be dressed in an old-fashioned way. Likewise, these people in old-fashioned clothes might be giving them curious looks in turn. Then they turn a corner or whatever, and it looks like the modern world again.

Not only that, but people sometimes interact with these people in the past. There's even been reports of them entering a building that no longer exists and bringing out physical objects from there back to the future (if I'm understanding what she said correctly).

I doubt this personally, and I doubt these people can really be travelling back in time, but I don't know what to make of it. Not likely to be a hallucination as often they're with someone else who also sees the same old-fashioned street.

But, if it really does happen, then presumably people in the present should sometimes see people from the future! (but the video doesn't mention that, although it does mention time slips of present day people seeing the future briefly).

During these experiences the light and sounds seem to dim, make of that what you will.

Far Cry 1 vs Far Cry 3

 Someone compares all the Far Cry games.  

Regarding Far Cry 1, he says: "Unless you are already a fan, do not bother with Far Cry 1". Regarding Far Cry 3 he says: "Ah, finally. We have arrived at what most fans consider to be the crown jewel of the franchise".

This couldn't be more different to my experience of these two games. I entirely disagree about Far Cry 1. It's one of the best games I've ever played.  I've never played any other Far Cry game to completion, but I did complete maybe about a quarter (third? half?) or so of Far Cry 3.  However, I just found it boring.  In the first Far Cry the game play is exhilarating with plenty of heart-pumping action.  And you just pick up weapons and ammo and health as you go along.


In stark contrast, with Far Cry 3 you have to find money, then go to shops or whatever to buy weapons and ammo.  And go around searching for plants for crying out loud!  Then crafting them to get health.  And killing animals for their skins to make bags to carry more stuff, which I found a bit distasteful. Then there's the confusing skills screens or whatever it is.  I just find it dull, and eventually I just didn't have the enthusiasm to play it any more.  In fact, to label it a first-person shooter kind of seems to be a bit of a misnomer to me.  This is all in stark contrast to the first Far Cry, which I've now played about 5 times.

I also tried Far Cry 2, Far Cry 4, Far Cry 5, but never really played much of any of these games before getting bored.

Regardless of whether we're talking about games, films, novels and even music, for some reason I always like the first of the series, but mostly never the sequels. Perhaps because the first of a series tends to be a product of a labour of love.  But when it proves to be successful, their creators like to cash in and produce sequels, which mostly I do not like.  Just consider something like the matrix compared to the sequels.  Or the very first (1996) Tomb Raider compared to all the countless sequels etc.  But that leaves it wholly mystifying why, for example, most people much prefer Far Cry 3 to Far Cry 1.  What are they getting out of it that I'm not?