Thursday, April 27, 2023

Rail Spike


A rail spike (also known as a cut spike or crampon) is a large nail with an offset head that is used to secure rails and base plates to railroad ties (sleepers) in the track. Robert Livingston Stevens is credited with the invention of the rail spike, the first recorded use of which was in 1832. Wikipedia: Rail fastening system

These old rusted spikes are not that uncommon along any of the railroads in America.  

Saturday, April 15, 2023

Paris, France Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with comments about ChatGPT


 Paris, France Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  (this is my photo).

I have been investigating ChatGPT for a while now. Here is a modified quote from ChatGPT. Note, I am finding that using ChatGPT for "research" meaning looking up stuff and ending up using Wikipedia most of the time, is a resource as long as you spend the time to edit the response. I have marked the parts of the response in red that I would delete and included any additions or changes in blue. 

The Paris, France Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly referred to as the Paris Temple, is a religious edifice [The statement is redundant] located in the suburb of Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt, near Paris, France. It is one of the temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is a global Christian denomination that is often informally referred to as the Mormon Church. The use of the term "Mormon" as applied to the Church or its members is not appropriate. The Paris Temple serves as a sacred place of worship and is considered to be a significant symbol of the Church's presence and growth in France and Europe.

The history of the Paris Temple dates back to the mid-19th century when the first missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints arrived in France in 1849. However, it was not until much later, in the early 20th 21st century, that the idea of constructing a temple in France was seriously considered. The Church announced its plans to build a temple in Paris on July 15, 1982,  in July of 2011. The announcement was met with excitement and anticipation among the French Latter-day Saint community.

The construction of the Paris Temple began on August 7, 1987 24 24 August 2012, with a groundbreaking ceremony presided over by church leaders. The temple was designed in a modern style with classical elements, featuring a white granite exterior and a striking spire that reaches a height of 146 feet [There is no spire]. The temple was built on a 5.5 2.26-acre plot of land and has a total floor area of approximately 46,000 44,175 square feet.

The Paris Temple was dedicated on May 21, 1994, by Gordon B. Hinckley, who was the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at that time. The dedication ceremony was attended by thousands of church members and invited guests, and it marked the temple as a consecrated place of worship for Latter-day Saints in France and surrounding countries. The Temple was dedicated on 21 May 2017 by Henry B. Eyring. 

Since its dedication, the Paris Temple has been an important center of worship and spiritual activity for the Church's members in France and neighboring countries. It is used for various religious ceremonies, including baptism for the dead, endowments, and sealings, which are considered sacred ordinances in the Latter-day Saint faith. The temple is also a place where members can find peace, solace, and inspiration through prayer, meditation, and reflection.

The construction and dedication of the Paris Temple have been seen as significant milestones in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in France and Europe. It has become a symbol of the Church's growth and progress in the region, and it stands as a testament to the faith and dedication of its members. Today, the Paris Temple continues to serve as a spiritual anchor for Latter-day Saints in France and neighboring countries, as they strive to live according to their religious beliefs and principles.

Here are some comments about the accuracy of the ChatGPT response. 

Superficially, the response looks impressive. It just happens to have some glaring errors and inappropriate comments. I proof-read the ChatGPT response and made some significant corrections. My corrections included deletions. The most obvious error from ChatGPT was a reference to a spire on the temple. The information about the size of the site and the size of the temple was totally inaccurate. The whole discussion about the dedication was entirely wrong and inaccurate. 

When you have something that is being used as much as ChatGPT that is this inaccurate, you have to think more than twice about using it. 

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Our Spring Outdoors with Snow

 

Our plans for a nice dinner out on the patio were cancelled due to a strong snowstorm that lasted more than four days and dropped over a foot of snow. All this on the first four days of April.