April 16, 2026  Conversation with ChatGPT – President Trump’s Approval Ratings

In view of recent events ChatGPT has provided an unbiased assessment of President Trump's current approval ratings across major voter blocs.  Click here to see President Trump's Approval Ratings  based on ChatGPT's criteria applied to my prompt.  Government and Politics (PDF file, 802 words, 6 pages).

April 15, 2026  Happy IRS Day !

April 11, 2026  Conversation with ChatGPT:  Immigrant Assimilation – Essay, Commentary, and Legislative Proposal 

Today's post focuses on immigration along with a proposal of how small-town America may provide a solution that  is beneficial to both immigrants and to many communities that are in decline.

My initial essay was hastily written; however, ChatGPT provided a critique and a rewrite as well as an offer to provide something of greater value--a Legislative proposal. 

Here is the link to my Conversation with ChatGPT:  Immigrant Assimilation  (PDF file, 3,373 words, 19 pages).

ThoughtsOfThomasNotNostradamus
Representing Inquiry, Not Opinion

April 14, 2026  Conversation with AI Overview -- The Good Old Days -- Computer Education.

The following prompt developed into some interesting dialog that covers approximately the last 30 years of my teaching career.

Prompt:

“When I first began providing computer training to high school students, personal computers and the technology were so new that what I taught students was based on what I had freshly learned a day or two before. Other than attending a few teacher workshops that introduced personal computers (TRS 80, Commodore, and Apple II), there was a lack of educational materials that focused on these specific models. Therefore, I created a variety of Units of Instruction as the year progressed. Additionally, equipment changed quickly and teaching materials required major revision every year.  Your comments please.”

At our school, prior to the personal computer era, classroom computer instruction was limited to Practice Sets including punch cards that were intended to be coded using a pencil or to be manually collated, sorted, or filed. 

Other activities included designing computer programming flow charts using a plastic stencil that helped draw neat little rectangles, triangles, ovals, lines, and circles, etc. to represent input, output, goto, decision, and end instructions, etc. This did not provide much experience for what was about to happen in the classroom when the first personal computer was introduced.

ThoughtsOfThomasNotNostradamus
Representing Inquiry, Not Opinion

AI Overview kept the discussion going by asking pertinent questions.  Read the complete Conversation here:  The Good Old Days -- Computer Education from an instructors point of view (PDF file, 3,101 words, 11 pages).

April 10, 2026  Conversation with AI Overview -- AI's Effects on the Crytocurrency Industry

I asked:

"Has AI revolutionized the crytocurrency industry regarding data mining?"

ThoughtsOfThomasNotNostradamus
Representing Inquiry, Not Opinion

AI Overview said:

Yes, AI has revolutionized the cryptocurrency industry, particularly in its industrial application—mining and infrastructure optimization. The integration of AI has moved from speculative testing to a core operational strategy, enhancing efficiency in Bitcoin mining, securing networks through threat detection, and enabling a major strategic pivot where mining infrastructure is repurposed for high-performance computing (HPC) and AI model training. 

Time Magazine +4

Key Revolutionary Impacts of AI on Crypto Mining

• Operational Efficiency (Data Mining Optimization): AI algorithms are used to optimize energy consumption in real-time, adjusting ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) settings to maximize performance while reducing power waste. This is vital for lowering costs, as AI can automatically balance electricity loads and minimize downtime through predictive maintenance of hardware.

• The "Pivot" to AI Data Centers: Due to declining mining profitability (hashprice) and rising AI demand, numerous industrial miners are transitioning into AI infrastructure providers. By 2027, an estimated 20% of global Bitcoin mining capacity is projected to shift to AI workloads. Major miners like Core Scientific, TeraWulf, and Riot Platforms are pivoting to host GPU servers for AI, offering more stable, multi-year, contract-based revenue.

• Predictive Analytics and Trading: AI trading bots analyze large volumes of on-chain data (transaction volumes, wallet activity) and off-chain data (sentiment analysis) to help miners time the market for selling mined coins to maximize profit, reducing risk from high volatility.

• Increased Security and Threat Detection: AI tools, such as Graph Neural Networks (GNNs), are used to monitor blockchain transactions in real time to detect fraudulent activities, phishing scams, and suspicious patterns, strengthening the overall security of the ecosystem. 

MDPI +6

• The "Paradox of Efficiency" and Strategic Shifts

By early 2026, the industry is undergoing a "radical transformation," often described as "infrastructure cannibalization," where miners sell accumulated Bitcoin reserves to fund the conversion of mining facilities into AI factories, often sacrificing hashrate to achieve higher-margin, more predictable revenues. While this pivot lowers the energy used for crypto mining, it reallocates that capacity to AI data centers, which have surpassed Bitcoin mining in total energy consumption. 

WIRED +2

AI's Role in Future Crypto Operations

AI is evolving into an indispensable tool that makes mining more sustainable and accessible. It is enabling new models, such as NFT-backed digital mining (e.g., GoMining), which use AI-powered optimizations to allow smaller users to participate without owning physical hardware.

____________________________

More about Crypto

I asked:  

"What is more cost efficient and safe to use, U.S. Currency or Cryptocurrency?"

AI Overview said:

U.S. currency is generally safer and more stable, while cryptocurrency is often more cost-efficient, particularly for large or international transactions. The choice between them depends on whether you prioritize protection against theft and loss or speed and reduced fees. 

Fidelity +4

Cost Efficiency

• Cryptocurrency: Often cheaper, especially for international transfers, as it eliminates intermediaries. Fees are typically flat (e.g., $1–$5 for Bitcoin) regardless of amount, whereas banks may charge high percentage-based fees.

• U.S. Currency: While cash is free to exchange personally, bank transactions and wire transfers often come with high processing fees (2%–7% for international).

• Verdict: Crypto is often more cost-efficient for cross-border and large transactions, while small daily transactions may have negligible cost differences depending on blockchain gas fees. 

• Pay With Flash +4

Safety and Security

• U.S. Currency: Generally considered safer for the average user. Deposits are FDIC-insured up to $250,000, and traditional banking offers fraud protection and dispute resolution (chargebacks).

• Cryptocurrency: Security is high in terms of technology (blockchain is hard to fake), but it is "user-responsible." If you lose your private keys or get hacked, there is rarely any recourse or insurance to recover funds.

• Verdict: U.S. currency is safer for the average person due to institutional backing and consumer protection, while cryptocurrency offers "sovereignty" that can be highly secure but carries higher risk of permanent loss due to user error or exchange hacks. 

• Fidelity +2

Other Key Comparisons

• Volatility: U.S. currency is stable. Cryptocurrency is notoriously volatile, with significant price changes possible within hours.

• Acceptance: Cash is universally accepted; cryptocurrency is not.

• Speed: Crypto is typically faster for cross-border transfers (minutes vs. days). 

Consumer Advice | Federal Trade Commission (.gov) +4

Summary Table

Feature U.S. Currency Cryptocurrency

Safety High (FDIC Insured, Stable) High Tech, Low Recourse (User Responsibility)

Costs Higher for International Lower (No Intermediaries)

Volatility Low (Stable) High (Speculative)

Speed Slow (Bank Business Days) Fast (24/7, Minutes)

Usage Retail, Taxes, Bills Digital Asset, Investment, International

Tom's Tidbits for Today -- 04-01-2026

• As of early 2026, the total daily AI-related FLOPs (Floating Point Operations) performed in the United States are exceptionally high, driven by a surge in "agentic AI" traffic—which grew by over 7,800% in 2025—and widespread adoption across U.S. data centers with processing processing estimated to be 10^23 -- 10^24 FLOPS requiring approximately 4.4% of the nation's electrical power consumption 176 TWh of electricity annually or .482 TWh daily as of early 2026.  AI-driven racks frequently exceed 50 kW per rack, leading to immense power density. 

Key details regarding the current state of AI racks include:

• Deployment Velocity: Hyperscale cloud providers (such as AWS, Microsoft, and Google) were deploying an estimated 1,000 NVL72 racks per week in 2025, a pace expected to continue into 2026.

• Total Estimates: Estimates for 2025/2026 suggest a range of 50,000 to 60,000+ specialized AI racks across the US industry.

• Power Density & Shift: Modern AI racks are highly dense, with some new deployments, such as NVIDIA NVL72 racks, capable of delivering power densities of 100 kilowatts (kW) to 120 kW per rack, with future designs aiming for 1 MW.

• Capacity Growth: In 2026, the US is expected to have 2,528 active data centers, with active AI-dedicated capacity reaching 8.2 GW.

• Market Growth: The US AI server market is expanding rapidly, with hardware spending poised to grow at a 30.56% CAGR through 2031. 

The shift from training to inference workloads is accelerating the deployment of these racks, as companies move from testing to full production, with inference expected to represent two-thirds of AI compute by 2026.

More Tid Bits

• For a modern, large-scale AI application (like a GPT-4 class model) to respond to a 10-word question, it requires roughly 100 billion to 1 trillion computer operations (FLOPs - Floating Point Operations). 

• Let it be known.  Many AI models—specifically large language models (LLMs)—frequently provide answers without first checking, validating, or authenticating the facts they provide. These models are designed to generate the most probable next string of words based on patterns in their training data, rather than to serve as verified knowledge bases.

Typical error rates (hallucinations) for Large Language Models (LLMs) regarding factual accuracy are high, with studies and industry benchmarks often showing error rates between 5% and 50%. While top-tier models can achieve 85–90% accuracy on complex tasks, production-level reliability in specialized or complex scenarios often falls significantly, with some reports citing unreliability rates as high as 40%.

• When asked:  The "collective weight" of all digital data (the bits and bytes themselves, separate from the storage device) is a matter of ongoing scientific discussion, but it is virtually zero for all practical purposes.  The estimated total mass of all data stored globally is likely on the order of a small fraction of a gram or less, far too small to be measured with current standard equipment. 

• Lunar pits and shadowed caves--particularly in the Mare Tranquillitatis region offer stable, "shirt-sleeve" temperatures, around 63 degrees F. / 17 degrees C., ideal for human habitation.  In the future solar power could be used to extract oxygen and hydrogen from the moon's surface minerals for breatheable air and water.  Robotics could be uttilized to construct infracture for future human settlement, manufacturing, and food production.

Source:  Google Labs | AI Overview

Most Importantly

• If you want to see what Mrs. Butterworth's face really looks like on a Syrup Bottle.  Hold a flashlight behind the back of her head and project her image onto a white  paper plate held approximately 10 inches away--you will need to adjust the focus and angle.  Show your kids and your friends, too.  You will be the life of the party!

ThoughtsOfThomasNotNostradamus
Reprensenting Inquiry, Not Opinion

March 31, 2026  February and March AI Assisted Writing Projects

To save space on this page, the following directory has been moved to a PDF file.

Essays and Other Writings -- 2026
ThoughtsOfThomasNotNostradamus -- Representing Inquiry, Not Opinion
Full Directory and Links Part I and II (PDF file 1,170 words, 64 links, 3 pages).

***
Essays and Other Writings -- 2026
Metadata for Virtual Assistant

February, 2026

| Climate Change | environment | Changing Attitudes and Perspectives | Sociology | Smellmaxxers | culture |  Speed Talkers | Writing Coach -- Hyperbolic Restraint | composition |  Self Analysis | Psychology | Double Standard for the Fed  | Economics | Wage Slavery in America | Newswire Pay Walls | internet | Ski Jumps -- Perceived Danger | Sports Psychology | Mending Patching Darning | research | Tiered Streaming TV Services  | technology | Fire Horse--Custom Emoji for Crawler | Scripting | Platform and Political Alignment | politics | Hate Groups in America | Sociology | Aging U.S. Senate |  Word War III, The New Regime Scenario | Political Science | Modern Day Phobias | Democracy or Dictatorship |

March, 2026

| F.D. Roosevelt, H.S. Truman, D.D. Eisenhower | History | AI and Copyright Infringement | Copyright Law |  Joke Telling with AI | Composition | College Life--Greeks and Independents | Sociology |  The Gospel Retold  | Political Satire | Is The United States an Oligarchy?  | Government | Can Renters Chew and Spit? | Legal | Global Control by the Ultra Rich | World Affairs | High Cost of Healthcare Supplies | Consumer Affairs | English Sentences--Forms and Styles | Language | Teacher’s Retirement Funds In Peril  | Education | Human Evolution | Science | Fiction | Sowing Seeds of Mistrust | Artifical Intelligence | AI | Fear Chefs | Culture | Cooking | Food | Earth's Polar Regions | Science | Good and Evil | Philosophy | Telecommunications and Eco-system | Environment | Technology | Big Brother May Be Watching | Government | AI Dream Car Revival | Automotive | Suspicion - Paranoia - Inquiry and Opinion | Psychology | The Mind -- Inwardly and Outwardly | Bitcoin Seizure | Law Enforcement |  Working Class American 2026-27  | Economics | Free VPN | Internet | English -- Spanish Vocabulary | Learning Tools | Spanish Memorization Drill  | Linguistics |  Introduction for an Introduction | Composition | Learning Foreign Languages | Family Dynamics' Inluence on Inflation | Economics | Non-infringing Mouse Character | Law |  Seventy Years of Inflation | The Superintendent's Library | Education | Snowbirding in Florida  | Economics/History | Applesoft BASIC File Recognition  | Computers |  Jim Crow of the North | History | Cynic or Pragmatist -- Drug Legalization | Law | Concentrated Capitalism & Big Tech | Existential | Organic vs. Synthetic Food | Biology | AI Applied to Gregg Shorthand Transcription? | writing | Trust Buster Days Ahead | Economics/Political |  Wars and Religion | History | AI and Data Centers Control Humanity? | Technology | Space Invaders | Satirical | ChatGPT | Gemini | AI Overview |

March 27, 2026 Conversation with Gemini -- Magnificent Banquet Hall

Prompts for Gemini:

Gemini Image #1 – Banquet Hall

Create a lavish banquet table within an extravagant dining hall. No people are in the view. The image is pictured from a diagonal vantage point in order to show a table capable of seating twenty-two people (one person on each end with ten people per side).  The ornate banquet/Dining table is covered with a white table cloth. The chairs are also ornate and upholstered with light blue fabric on the seats and back rests.

The dinnerware is blue and white china with silverware and napkins. crystal water glasses are at each place setting. There are numerous centerpieces of polished silver, also ornate and filled with various fruits. Three bright crystal vases containing colorful but tasteful flowers are interspersed among the other centerpieces. The room is brightly illuminated with crystal chandeliers and numerous sconces. Landscape paintings adorn the walls with guilded moldings everywhere.

Gemini Image #2 – Guests Have Arrived

Populate the previous image with formally dressed dinner guests—middle-age and elderly men and women. Everyone is enjoying their first course that has been served by four attendants who can be seen standing near the walls in the background. They are also dressed in formal attire befitting servants and house staff for such an occasion.

Gemini Image #3 - Ensuing Food Fight

Near the end of the multi-course feast, a food fight breaks out.  Even the staff gets in on the action.  Some of the dinner guests are even standing up hurling food, while others are seated doing the same.  Things get very messy!  It is no longer a dignified event.  Most people are laughing, others are not.

March 26, 2026 Conversation with Gemini -- Ornate Pocket Watch

Prompt for Gemini:

Please create an image of an ornate gold pocket watch with the watch case cover open.  Through the watch crystal can be seen the dial with the hands set at 1:00.  All the detailed minute and second marks are clearly shown along with a tiny dial that shows the seconds sweep hand.  Near the center is the name of the Watchmaker whose name is written using calligraphy: "Bolton".  Attached to the stem is a fancy gold fob (chain).  The outer casing has intricate engravings.  The watch is positioned inside an equally ornate wooden jewelry box lined with maroon velvet.

Tom's Tidbit for Today -- 03-01-2026

• The Big Dance!  Who is the best team in College Basketball?  Ask AI.

Source:  Google Labs | AI Overview

Tom's Tidbits for Today -- 02-01-2026

• The shortcut key to open the "Clear browsing data" menu in Chrome on Windows is Ctrl + Shift + Delete. This instantly opens the dialog box to clear history, cookies, and cache.  

• The shortcut to open the "Clear browsing data" menu in Chrome on macOS is Command (\⌘) + Shift + Delete. This instantly brings up the settings menu to clear your history, cookies, and cache. 

• "Six Degrees of Separation" (1929) suggests that all people are six or fewer social connections away from each other. As a result, a chain of "a friend of a friend" statements can connect any two people in a maximum of six steps.  However, since social media has evolved, the number of degrees may now average about 3.5 -- 4 degrees of separation.   Facebook (2016): Research on their massive user base showed the average distance had dropped to 3.57.

• Based on sociological models of network size in America, each individual in a group of 10 acquaintances would likely have an estimated 500 to 600 unique acquaintances. 

Source:  Google Labs | AI Overview

January 14, 2026  Conversation with Gemini -- Moth Identification (Science, Biology, Entomology, Taxonomy, and Photography)

The photos of a  large moth were originally posted July 13, 2022 (see 2022 Archive Link on Home Page).  They were recently included in the January 11 Image gallery posted further down the page.  No attempt to identify the moth had been made until today.

Instead of going directly to an online field guide or insect identification book, Gemini was first asked to identify the moth based on my photos and a description.   I would later verify the moth based on Gemini's analysis.  Gemini narrowed the search considerably, but it would take a few prompt modifications before Gemini correctly identified the species.  Using Gemini eliminated having to browse hundreds of moth images; however, it was still a time consuming process.  Having photos for final verification is more humane than having specimens that are needlessly killed or captured.

After modifying my description a half dozen times, Gemini was able to zero in on the moth's true identity.  Earlier descriptions identified the Genus based on its size and location and other features, but it wasn't until I described the serrated appearance of its wings did it determine it was a "Waved Sphinx Moth," Ceratomia undulosa.  I had noticed that Gemini's other suggested sphinx species of moths had smooth edges on their wings.  The most precise description is shown below:

You asked:

“I have provided a front and top view of a large moth photographed in our back yard in North Dakota.  It is estimated to be 2 ½ inches in length with a wingspan in flight of approximately 3 inches.  Notably, this moth has serrated wings when folded and resting.  It also has  two  eye-like spots on its forewings and has a very frightening appearance when viewed from the front with a nearly pointed head rather than being rounded or blunt. Can you match the images with known species and provide its common name as well as its Genus and species?  Our yard has a variety of trees including Ash, Elm, Flowering Crab Apple, Lilac, Pine and Poplar. There are also various hedges that yield non-edible, ornamental berries.” 

Gemini said: 

Based on the detailed photos and your description of the location and host trees, you have found a Waved Sphinx Moth.

Specifically, this is likely Ceratomia undulosa.

See remarks below.

Click Here or on the image at the right to view the large-format PDF file.  (Note:  Horizontal Scroll Bar in Chrome appears across the bottom when the Magnification setting reaches 175% or 200% depending on Full View or Thumbnail  View  mode of the PDF file.  Shift-Scroll Up or Down will also move horizontally at these magnifications. Lastly, Ctrl-Scroll zooms In and Out of everything--not recommended.

Tom's Tidbits for Today -- 01-01-2026

☠️    ☠️   ☠️     

• AI systems can be poisoned, fed malicious data, and, according to recent research, infected with self-propagating, destructive "AI worms". Attackers can inject poisoned data to create backdoors, such as causing autonomous vehicles to ignore stop signs or manipulating AI into stealing sensitive personal information. 

Source:  Google Labs | AI Overview

    English and Spanish Vocabulary

(Scripts Created with Gemini)