Au Cochonnet Marin

Writing is not for sissies. It is a complex, time-consuming process that requires hard work and perseverance. Due to its complexity, few people choose to make a career of it.

But spurred by Artificial Intelligence, new applications are emerging every day to make writing easier. Last weekend, I was told about a program that caught my interest. It is called ChatGPT and it is able to create any kind of document providing that you first feed it specific instructions or pertinent vocabulary.

The following document was entirely created with this program after it was supplied with about a dozen words.

Women standup comedians have made important contributions to the field of sex education. They use their platforms to discuss and address issues related to sexuality and relationships in a humorous and relatable way. They helped to destigmatize these topics and make them more approachable to audiences. In doing so, they can help to educate and inform people about important issues related to sexual health and relationships.

Women comedians often bring a unique perspective to these issues, as they may have personal experiences and insights that are different from those of their male counterparts. This can help to add diversity and depth to the conversation around sex education.

It’s also worth noting that sex education is not just about imparting information, but also about creating a safe and supportive environment for people to learn and ask questions. Women comedians played a vital role in creating this kind of atmosphere by making it okay to talk about these issues openly and without embarrassment.

Artificial Intelligence can be very helpful for writing and can save time by automating certain tasks or suggesting edits. However, it is important to carefully review and edit any text generated by ChatGPT or any other AI tool, as it may contain errors or inconsistencies.

Alexandre Dumas père (The Three Musketeers) who was a prolific writer (and even a greater spender), was known to use various collaborators to expedite the completion of his novels. He would have loved this application which would have kept his pesky creditors off his back.

Alain

In America, thieves prey on banks or jewelry stores, but in France, especially during the Holidays season, they have more important priorities.  They target foie gras, a delicacy without which the French could not decently enjoy their traditional reveillon.

“Resisting a beautiful chocolate cake or a wonderful foie gras is as difficult as (the idea of) saying no to Paul Newman.” Diane von Furstenberg

It has been so bad, that the police have been mandated to patrol the areas (especially Dordogne) where the foie gras is produced and sold. In the eyes of the French, stealing truffles, oysters, or foie gras is a capital sin equal superior to gluttony, sloth, envy, wrath, lust, pride, and greed all put together.

While Americans are most concerned about trivial matters such as the cost of health care, violent crime, gun violence, climate change, and illegal immigration, the French right now fret mainly about vacations (winter and summer) and foie gras. To each their own.

But is foie gras ethical? I think not and I could easily do without it. The gavage of geese is cruel and inhuman, and in many countries such as Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, and Poland, or following interpretation of general animal protection laws in Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom have banned its production.

Foie gras production has been outlawed in the state of California and New York City, but it remains legal all over the US.

Do all French crave foie gras? No, especially the younger generation more concerned with the environment and animal rights.

“Late in 2003, the French group Stopgavage (“Citizens’ Initiative for the banning of force-feeding”) published the Proclamation for the Abolition of Force Feeding, which asks justices to find foie gras production practices a violation of existing animal welfare laws. For this manifesto, Stopgavage claims the support of over eighty French animal rights and welfare associations, over a hundred such associations from 25 other countries, and over 20 thousand individual signatories.” Wikipedia

 Personally, I say the heck with the foie gras and the bûche de Noël. I love animals and I am plump enough. Instead of Fat Liver, I will celebrate with oysters and some other non-cruel delicacies. I have never heard oysters scream when I open them, and that’s good enough for me.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

Alain

Soccer, with over 3.5 billion fans around the globe is arguably the world’s most popular sport. More than 20 million people play it in more than 140 countries.

Fifty years ago, soccer was almost totally unknown in the US, but today it is more popular than baseball, and well ahead of American football. And as a welcome development, it has also been successfully adopted by women who demanded (and are receiving) equal pay for their achievements.

The sport’s growing popularity must have something to do with the fact that it has rather simple rules and that anybody can play. But it is also a sport that ignites passions to a degree seldom seen in other disciplines. As already witnessed in some games of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, individuals will unabashedly scream, cry, or even pray without any shade of embarrassment.

Next Sunday, Argentina will face France in the finals of the Soccer World Cup. “If the 2022 final does continue its expected surge in viewing figures, a total worldwide figure of 1.5bn does not seem unrealistic on December 18.”

It means that, if I am correct, almost 1/10 of the world’s population will stop whatever they were doing to watch the clash of the soccer titans. Do not expect anything major (even sex) to be accomplished anywhere while the game is on.

French President Emmanuel Macron was present for the semi-finals and will undoubtedly stay in Qatar to watch the finals. The French, generally speaking, are a bunch of rabble-rousers who seldom agree on anything, but this Sunday they will present a unity seldom seen in the land of Foie Gras and Champagne.

I will definitely watch this game, and despite the fact that I am a confirmed atheist, I will pray (in my own obscure way) for the victory of the French team. I just hope that a win for either group won’t be settled by an (unfair) and almost unstoppable penalty kick.

Who is going to win? Will the Argentinian Sun cofound the Gallic Rooster?

« Les prévisions sont difficiles surtout lorsqu’elles concernent l’avenir. » 

If with the inestimable help of Hugo Lloris, the French team succeeds, they will undoubtedly be feted in a glorious parade on Les Champs Élysées in Paris… and social strikes will be averted for at least a few weeks.

Allez les Bleus! Montjoie Saint Denis!

Alain