the iMentor

Hints & rants

This weB-LOG is about the musing of a technical consultant. It is the iMentor's thoughts on technology and the human condition.

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Author: Rick Thues

Plagiarism

July 27, 2026 Uncategorized 1 Comment
Episode #913 August 1, 2026 Plagiarism is the act of using another person's  ideas, words, or expressions  and presenting them as your own original work.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmnLHbJksGc&list=RDYmnLHbJksGc&start_radio=1 By quoting the dictionary definition of plagiarism, I have just committed plagiarism. Or have I? I did not quote from a dictionary. I typed the word “plagiarism” into Google. Gemini, Google’s Artificial Intelligence (AI), summarized the word with the intro sentence above. I copied the sentence and pasted it into this blog. I asked Gemini if all or part of its overview for the word “plagiarism” was copied directly from any sentences on...
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Paywall Reader Mode

July 24, 2026 Uncategorized 3 Comments
Episode #912 July 25, 2026 I am often frustrated with internet web page paywalls.     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn6gjfUKSPU&list=RDgn6gjfUKSPU&start_radio=1   Many internet content publishers, such as newspapers, magazines, financial websites, and news sites display a paywall when you arrive at their website. You must pay to view their content. A paywall will allow you to sign in to read an article or other content. If you do not have an account, the paywall dialog will offer a free temporary subscription or allow you to pay for a subscription. Sometimes you can look behind a webpage paywall. Safari Reader and other internet browser...
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Self-preservation

July 14, 2026 Uncategorized No Comments
Episode #911 July 18, 2026 A superintelligence might operate in subtle ways that may not be obvious.     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjVQ36NhbMk&list=RDcjVQ36NhbMk&start_radio=1   These motives and actions need not be malevolent. They may simply operate unbeknownst to most. AI is trained on the entire Internet. It stores this information in a Large Language Model (LLM) database that is like an Internet that is accessible to the AI instantly. Once trained, the AI predicts words to form statements to answer questions. In some small ways, the AI refines this training via Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF). RLHF is the curation of an...
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Amtrak Vacation-part 5 of 5

July 7, 2026 Uncategorized 1 Comment
  Episode #910 July 11, 2026 Amtrak Vacation - part 5 of 5 The Return Home   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcADqxnQA_4&list=RDKcADqxnQA_4&start_radio=1 Seattle to Los Angeles is a 23-hour train trip, including an overnight in the bedroom car. The scenery passing by was lush and mesmerizing. More interesting people and conversations at meals and in the observation car hastened our trip. Our car had a loud thumping sound every time the train went around a curve (which is most of the time). The conductor said that the sound had been reported to engineering, who said, “It’s one of the wheels tapping against the track,...
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Amtrak Vacation-part 4 of 5

June 30, 2026 Uncategorized 2 Comments
  Episode #909 July 4, 2026 Amtrak Vacation - part 4 of 5 Seattle   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcMD3LWUwD8&list=RDOcMD3LWUwD8&start_radio=1 An Uber took us to the Crowne Plaza Seattle Hotel. People have said that we must see the Pike Place Market, so we walked there. Founded in 1907 Pike Place was a direct from farmers to consumers solution to the Onion Outrage, where middlemen were scraping the profit from farmers’ pockets. Urban Renewal threatened to tear down the market until Victor Steinbrueck stepped in to preserve the entire waterfront. We found ourselves dead reconning through a dark, narrow brick-sided alley where the walls were...
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Amtrak Vacation-part 3 of 5

June 23, 2026 Uncategorized 1 Comment
Episode #908 June 27, 2026 Amtrak Vacation - part 3 of 5 Portland     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtAcWuu2jv0&list=RDZtAcWuu2jv0&start_radio=1 An Amtrak bedroom berth is a study in close tolerances. The door slides open, sink and cabinet on the left, tiny closet on the right, then one step into the room is a bench seat on the right, a shower-toilet room on the left, then one more step to the window with its fold-out table and chair. On the train to Portland, we played cards and Farkle, read books, ate breakfast and lunch, and had interesting conversations and a wonderful view in the observation...
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