Arlington National Cemetery

Posted on May 26, 2023 by Allen Mesch

Arlington National Cemetery, the most famous cemetery in the country, is the final resting place for many of our nation’s greatest heroes, including more than 300,000 veterans of every American conflict, from the Revolutionary War to Iraq and Afghanistan.  Since its founding in 1866, Arlington National Cemetery has provided a solemn place to reflect upon the sacrifices made by the men and women of the United States Armed Forces in the name of our country.

The following pictures were taken in April 2023 during a visit to the cemetery. Unfortunately, I was unable to share my videos of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Please see Arlington National Cemetery for more information.

There are several memorials on the grounds of the cemetery. However, due to the lack of space for burials and the large amount of space that memorials take up, the U.S. Army now requires a joint or concurrent resolution from Congress before it will place new memorials at Arlington.

The USS Maine Memorial

Near the Tomb of the Unknowns stands the USS Maine Mast Memorial, which commemorates the 266 men who died aboard the USS Maine. The memorial is built around a mast salvaged from the ship’s wreckage.

The Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial

The Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial was dedicated on May 20, 1986, in memory of the crew of flight STS-51-L, who died during launch on January 28, 1986. Transcribed on the back of the stone is the text of the John Gillespie Magee, Jr. poem High Flight, which was quoted by then President Ronald Reagan when he addressed the disaster. Although many remains were identified and returned to the families for a private burial, some were not and were laid to rest under the marker. Two crew members, Dick Scobee, and Michael Smith, are buried in Arlington.

Shuttle Columbia Memorial

On February 1, 2004, NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe dedicated a similar memorial to those who died when the Shuttle Columbia broke apart during reentry on February 1, 2003. Astronauts Laurel Clark, David Brown, and Michael Anderson, who were killed in the Columbia disaster, are also buried in Arlington.

In section 64, a memorial to the 184 victims of the September 11 attacks on the Pentagon was dedicated on September 11, 2002. The memorial takes the shape of a pentagon and lists the names of all the victims that were killed. Unidentified remains from the victims are buried beneath it.

Eternal Flame Memorial to President John F. Kennedy

Other Notable Gravesites and Memorials

Thurgood Marshall
Ruth Bader Ginsberg
Earl Warren
USS Monitor

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier stands atop a hill overlooking Washington, D.C. One of the more well-attended sites at the cemetery, the tomb is made from Yule marble quarried in Colorado. It consists of seven pieces, with a total weight of 79 tons. The tomb was completed and opened to the public on April 9, 1932, for $48,000.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in 1922
Honor Guards (2005)

Other unknown servicemen were later placed in crypts there, and it also became known as the Tomb of the Unknowns, though it has never been officially named. The soldiers entombed there are:

  • Unknown Soldier of World War I, entombed November 11, 1921.
  • Unknown Soldier of World War II, interred May 30, 1958.
  • Unknown Soldier of the Korean War was also interred on May 30, 1958.
  • Unknown Soldier of the Vietnam War, interred May 28, 1984. The remains of the Vietnam Unknown were disinterred, under the authority of President Bill Clinton, on May 14, 1998, and were identified as those of Air Force First Lieutenant Michael J. Blassie, whose family had them reinterred near their home in St. Louis, Missouri. It has been determined that the crypt at the Tomb of the Unknowns that contained the remains of the Vietnam Unknown will remain empty.

Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier video.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has been perpetually guarded since July 2, 1937, by the U.S. Army. The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (“The Old Guard”) began guarding the Tomb on April 6, 1948. The guard follows a meticulous routine when watching over the graves. The Tomb Guard:

  1. Marches 21 steps southward down the black mat behind the Tomb
  2. Turns left, facing east for 21 seconds
  3. Turns left, facing north for 21 seconds
  4. Takes 21 steps down the mat
  5. Repeats the routine until the soldier is relieved of duty at the changing of the guard

After each turn, the Guard executes a sharp “shoulder-arms” movement to place the weapon on the shoulder closest to the visitors to signify that the Guard stands between the Tomb and any possible threat.

Twenty-one was chosen because it symbolizes the highest military honor that can be bestowed – the 21-gun salute.

At each turn, the guard makes precise movements followed by a loud click of the heels as the soldier snaps them together. The guard is changed every half-hour during daylight in the summer, and every hour during daylight in the winter, and every two hours at night (when the cemetery is closed to the public), regardless of weather conditions.

Freedman’s Village

Beginning in 1863, the federal government used the southern portion of the land now occupied by the cemetery as a settlement for freed slaves, giving the name “Freedman’s Village” to the ground. The government constructed rental houses that 1,100 to 3,000 freed slaves eventually occupied while farming 1,100 acres of the estate and receiving schooling and occupational training during the Civil War and after the War’s end.

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Using Grammarly Can Be Helpful

Posted on May 14, 2023 by Allen Mesch

Writing without the help of a computer is hard, but with the right desktop software, it can be made easier. Grammarly is one such tool that helps you write better and faster. It has a range of features to aid in your writing process and gives you an edge when you’re working on important projects. Grammarly is available for both Windows and Mac operating systems.

Grammarly Features

Grammarly for Windows is a desktop software application that helps you with your grammar. It checks for grammar mistakes and gives you suggestions on how to improve your writing. The software is available in both free and paid versions. The free version offers basic features, while the paid version provides more advanced features.

Grammarly for Windows has a user-friendly interface and is easy to use. It also integrates with Microsoft Word, so you can check your grammar as you type. The software includes a grammar checker, spell checker, punctuation checker, and plagiarism detector. It also offers a thesaurus, dictionary, and style guide. The paid version of Grammarly for Windows includes additional features, such as a sentence “rephraser,” vocabulary builder, and advanced proofreading tools.

The main difference between Grammarly Chrome Extension and Grammarly for Windows (When I used Grammarly it cited “with” and wanted me to change it to “between.” Good catch Grammarly. – Mesch)

If you’re a fan of the Grammarly Chrome Extension, you might wonder what the difference is between that and the Grammarly for Windows desktop software. Here’s a quick rundown of the main differences:

First, the most obvious difference is that Grammarly for Windows is a standalone program that you install on your computer, while the Grammarly Chrome Extension is just an extension that you add to your Google Chrome browser.

Second, Grammarly for Windows has many more features than the Chrome Extension. (When I used Grammarly it cited “the Chrome” and wanted me to change it to “Chrome.” – Mesch) For example, it can check for more than 250 types of grammar errors, whereas the Chrome Extension only checks for about 150. Additionally, Grammarly for Windows can checks for plagiarism and provides more detailed explanations of errors than the Chrome Extension. (When I used Grammarly it cited “checks” and wanted me to change it to “check.” Good catch Grammarly. – Mesch)

Third, because Grammarly for Windows is a standalone program, it can work offline whereas the Chrome Extension requires an internet connection to work. This means that you can use Grammarly for Windows even when you’re not connected to the internet.

Fourth, Grammarly for Windows integrates with Microsoft Word, so you can check your grammar as you type in Word documents. The Chrome Extension does not have this feature.

Finally, Grammarly for Windows costs $11.66 per month (or $139 per year), while the Chrome Extension is free to use. So if you’re looking for a more comprehensive grammar-checking tool and don’t mind paying a monthly fee, then Grammarly for Windows might be a good choice.

Tips for Using Grammarly Windows Version.

If you’re a fan of the Grammarly app but haven’t yet made the switch to the desktop version, now is the time! The Grammarly for Windows app is every bit as good as the web-based version, and it offers some additional features that can come in handy. Here are a few tips for getting the most out of Grammarly for Windows:

1. Use the app offline. One of the best things about Grammarly for Windows is that you can use it even when you’re not connected to the internet. This means you can continue working on your writing even if you’re on an airplane or in a remote location with spotty internet service. Simply enable offline mode in the settings and you’ll be all set.

2. Take advantage of keyboard shortcuts. If you’re someone who likes to work quickly, you’ll be happy to know that Grammarly for Windows supports keyboard shortcuts. For example, pressing Ctrl+Shift+1 will open up a new document, Ctrl+Shift+2 will open up a saved document, and so on. Check out the full list of shortcuts in the help menu so you can start using them right away.

3. Customize your settings. Not everyone needs or wants the same things from their grammar checker, which is why Grammarly for Windows lets you customize your settings to suit your needs.

Pros & Cons

When it comes to grammar checking tools, Grammarly is one of the most popular choices out there. (When I used Grammarly it cited “grammar checking” and wanted me to change it to “grammar-checking.” Good catch Grammarly. – Mesch). Grammarly is mostly accurate, user-friendly, and affordable. But like any software, it has its pros and cons. Here’s a detailed look at Grammarly for Windows desktop software so you can decide if it’s the right fit for you.

Pros:

1. Accuracy: Grammarly uses artificial intelligence to identify errors in your writing and suggest corrections. This means that it can catch errors that other grammar checkers would miss, making it one of the most accurate options on the market.

2. User-friendly interface: The Grammarly for Windows interface is clean and easy to use. It’s intuitive and straightforward, so you won’t waste time trying to figure out how to use the software.

3. Affordable: Grammarly offers a variety of pricing plans to fit different budgets. (When I used Grammarly it cited “fit” and wanted me to change it to “suit.” Good catch Grammarly. – Mesch)

And if you sign up for a yearly plan, you’ll get a significant discount. This makes Grammarly an affordable option for both individuals and businesses.

Cons:

1. Limited features on the free plan: If you want to take advantage of all that Grammarly offers, you’ll need to sign up for a paid plan. The free plan only gives you basic grammar checking and doesn’t include features.[1]

What are the Disadvantages of Grammarly?

Writers ask lots of questions about Grammarly, including the following: How does Grammarly fix human writing? What are the disadvantages of automated editing? Is Grammarly worth it? Is Grammarly legit? These are especially important questions.

As you proofread and edit your documents, know that there are several disadvantages of Grammarly. So, when weighing pros and cons of Grammarly, make a wise decision. (When I used Grammarly it cited “pros” and wanted me to change it to “the pros.” Good catch Grammarly. – Mesch)

Before using Grammarly for your documents, let’s consider a handful of the disadvantages. (When I used Grammarly it cited “the” and wanted me to change it to “its.” Good catch Grammarly. – Mesch)

Disadvantage 1: Automation

Let’s start with the obvious: Grammarly is automated. You do not get help from a human being, and if you want full service, which means paying more money.

This is problematic because computers have limitations. While computers have advanced, and continue to advance, they will never “be human.”

Despite advances in AI, computers cannot write as well as human beings. This means you are “limiting your writing quality, according to the limitations of the automation.”

Rhetoric is a key example of Grammarly’s limitations. Computers can analyze grammar and sometimes even tone. However, they cannot always match words to the proper context. Being nimble rather than programmed, a human is much more able to adjust and consider real-life situations.

Grammarly and ChatGPT have some similar downsides because automation has limits. While AI has a place, we strongly recommend going beyond that and asking a human editor to help. That way, you’ll receive personalized assistance from a real person.

Even if you like the idea of automation, you should use both – that is, start with automation but then ask a professional editing service to check your document. That way, you still benefit from a human reviewer. We have a number of clients who come to us after automation has failed them, and we welcome them, too!

Disadvantage 2: Price

Grammarly charges a hidden price for extra, premium service. This means the free service is limited. In other words, for full service, you need to pay money. In that case, you are better off going with a professional editing company in the first place – since you will save time as well.

As you consider the disadvantages of Grammarly, know that price can be a problem. When you need more advanced help, it is better to use human editing rather than automated editing. You’ll end up saving money in the long run since professionals will increase the overall quality – which can then lead to more sales, job promotions, higher pay, and much more.

Your words deserve investment. Paying for editing can be very beneficial. However, if you’re going to pay, you might as well pay for real editing rather than automated editing.

Disadvantage 3: Speed

Sure, Grammarly seems to be quick, as it offers “real time” feedback. However, “real time” does not mean “no time.” (When I used Grammarly it cited “real time” twice and wanted me to change it to “real-time.” Good catch Grammarly. – Mesch). This distinction is significant.

After Grammarly provides corrections and feedback, the writer still need to review, assess, and apply all the “errors” some of which may be unclear or incorrect. This can be a very time consuming process. (When I used Grammarly it cited “time consuming” and wanted me to change it to “time-consuming.” Good catch Grammarly. – Mesch)

Contrast that with PaperBlazer, for example, which applies all necessary changes for you, only leaving “author only” decisions. (When I used Grammarly it cited “author only” and wanted me to change it to “author-only.” Good catch Grammarly. – Mesch). The remaining choices will be far less than Grammarly, so you end up saving time. (When I used Grammarly it cited “less” and wanted me to change it to “fewer.” Good catch Grammarly. – Mesch)

Disadvantage 4: Vagueness

Another disadvantage of Grammarly is vagueness. (When I used Grammarly it cited “vagueness” and wanted me to change it to “its vagueness.” Good catch Grammarly. – Mesch) You must make most changes yourself. (When I used Grammarly it cited “most” and wanted me to change it to “the most.” I would rewrite the sentence as “most of the.”- Mesch) If you’re asking Grammarly for help, then some choices might be too complex. Vague suggestions are not very helpful.

In other words, Grammarly makes suggestions, but you need to implement them yourself. However, if you are overwhelmed and limited on time? (When I used Grammarly it cited “on” and wanted me to change it to “in.” – Mesch)

“What if you don’t want to read all the explanations? Grammarly requires some knowledge on the writer’s part. If you’re confused by grammar, automation does not always help. You end up doing additional work yourself.”

“In contrast, a service like PaperBlazer does most of the edits for you. Our human editors can “know” what you mean and then implements for you. (When I used Grammarly it cited “for” and wanted me to change it to “it for.” Good catch Grammarly. – Mesch) Of course, some review might be required, but in comparison, PaperBlazer saves you time. (When I used Grammarly it cited “review” and wanted me to change it to “reviews.” – Mesch)”

According to the PaperBlazerweb page

We simplify proofreading and editing.Upload your document, and our professional editors will correct, change, and commenton your document. Just upload your document, and you’re good to go.

Best of all, we offer world-class support and avoid technical jargon (no “dangling participles” here!), so anyone can use our services. With PaperBlazer, there’s also no need to mess with AI or proprietary software. In short, we make editing easier for you.

We do the hard work required for the best-quality editing. Unlike automated services, PaperBlazer provides help from a real editorfor personalized service. We are considered the “best online editor” because we make better edits and answer unlimited follow-up questions.

However, PaperBlazer comes with a cost. The cheapest plan with a 72-hour turnaround is $0.025 per word. That translates to $2,500 for a 100,000-word book. If the price of your book is $20 and you have a 30% royalty, you would need to sell 417 books to pay for the service. Most self-published authors will likely sell around 250 books or less.[2]

Disadvantage 5: Mistakes

Grammarly makes mistakes. Computers err and “have a mind of their own.” Don’t take our word for it. As one writer explained: (When I used Grammarly it cited “err and” and wanted me to change it to “errand” – Mesch)

It sometimes gets simple things wrong. On several occasions, for instance, I’ve written a grammatically correct phrase which Grammarly then wants to “correct” into nonsense. (When I used Grammarly it cited “which” and wanted me to change it to “that.” Good catch Grammarly. – Mesch)

Take this sentence:

This was, I decided, my house. I couldn’t trust this to anyone else: I searched its every nook and cranny by myself.

Stilted? No doubt. Incorrect? Well, you tell me. If you run it by Grammarly now, the software will suggest a revision to “I searched it is every nook and cranny […].”

So don’t just take our word for it. Consider the problems that other writers have noticed. The errors can be very problematic.

Rather than struggling with the disadvantages of Grammarly, try another way. Use a professional editing service with professional editors who can help you.[3]

I use Grammarly and will continue to use the free version. It helps me from committing dumb mistakes in everything I write. I don’t always agree with their suggestions and use my judgment. That’s why God gave me a brain. I try to exercise it as often as possible. My biggest peeve with the software is how it treats quoted material. It corrects errors in the quoted text, despite the requirement to maintain grammatical errors and misspellings in the material. This causes a problem for authors of non-fiction books.

If you like this post, please follow me at http://www.allenmesch.com.

[1] “Grammarly for Desktop,” APPCONNER, https://www.appconner.com/windows/grammarly-desktop?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=407_grammarly_cpc&utm_term=app%20grammarly&utm_content=10110_grammarly_windows, retrieved May 2, 2023.

[2] “How Many Books Can You Expect to Sell? The Truth About Book Sales and the Keys to Generating Income from Publishing,” Non-fiction Authors Association, https://nonfictionauthorsassociation.com/how-many-books-can-you-expect-to-sell-the-truth-about-book-sales-and-the-keys-to-generating-income-from-publishing/, retrieved May 3, 2023.

[3] “Four Disadvantages of Grammarly,” PaperBlazer, https://paperblazer.com/four-disadvantages-of-grammarly/, retrieved May 2, 2023.

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Words Cannot Describe the Murders at Allen Premium Outlets

Posted on May 9, 2023 by Allen Mesch

The tragic events in Allen, Texas incited me to explore words that were used in reports and comments about the murderous attack. My daughter-in-law was at Allen Premium Outlets and escaped harm. It was a terrifying experience that will take days, if not weeks, for all of us touched by this terrible violence.

Neutralize

This word was used by police about the killing of the shooter.

Merriam-Webster says “neutralize” is to counteract the activity or effect of or make ineffective; kill; or destroy.

Neutralize can mean captured, wounded, surrounded, as well as killed. Plain language would have helped here.

Condolences

Political figures used condolences to describe their response to the shooting.

Merriam-Webster says “condolence and condolences” means sympathy with another in sorrow or an expression of sympathy.

Senator John Cornyn: “I am grieving with the Allen community tonight, and I send my gratitude to the brave officers, Collin County first responders, and all of those involved in responding to this afternoon’s horrific incident.” The senator’s comments focus on the “first responders” (25 words) and not “grieving with the community (8 words).

Senator Ted Cruz: “Heidi and I are praying for the families of the victims of the horrific mall shooting in Allen, Texas. We pray also for the broader Collin County community that’s in shock from this tragedy.” Senator Cruz’s comments are more specific. He categorizes the shooting as “horrific” and tragic.

President Joe Biden said the Allen shooting is “too shocking to be so familiar.” Biden urges an assault weapon ban. President Joe Biden on Sunday urged Congress to send him a bill that bans assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Biden said in a statement that the gunman who killed eight people at the Allen Premium Outlets used an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle.

Keith Self, the United States representative for Texas’ third congressional district, made a statement shortly after the tragic shooting. The third congressional district encompasses areas north and northeast of Dallas, including Allen.

We are devastated by the tragic news of the shootings that took place at the Allen Premium Outlets today. Our prayers are with the victims and their families and all law enforcement on the scene. This is an ongoing situation, but Allen PD has full control of the scene. A shooter is down and there are multiple casualties. They are continuing to work to ensure the scene is safe. The public is being asked to stay away from that area while this investigation continues.

Representative Self’s comments focus on “law enforcement” (56 words) and not “tragic news” and “prayers” (28 words).

State Rep. Jeff Leach (R-McKinney) said, “There are many, many people in our community tonight who are hurting, whose lives have been shattered and who need and deserve our collected prayers.”

State Sen. Angela Paxton, who also represents the city of Allen, tweeted a statement that said in part, “We will never get over something like this, but we will get through it by being there for each other.”

Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statement saying, “I have been in contact with Mayor Fulk and DPS Director McCraw as well as other state and local leaders and offered the full support of the State of Texas to local officials.”

Our hearts are with the people of Allen, Texas tonight during this unspeakable tragedy. I have been in contact with Mayor Fulk and DPS Director McCraw as well as other state and local leaders and offered the full support of the State of Texas to local officials to ensure all needed assistance and resources are swiftly deployed, including DPS officers, Texas Rangers, and investigative resources.

Governor Abbott’s comments focus on law enforcement (51 words) and not “unspeakable tragedy” (14 words).

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick said in a statement, “Please join me in mourning the victims of the unspeakable tragedy in Allen. We are grateful for our brave first responders who were deployed to stop the shooter.”

Please join Jan and me in mourning the victims of the unspeakable tragedy in Allen. Please also join us in prayer for the victims’ families and friends along with the residents of Allen. We are grateful for our brave first responders who were deployed to stop the shooter and investigate this hideous crime. We are thankful for their bravery and courage.

Lt. Governor Patrick’s comments are more balanced.

State Rep. Rhetta Bowers (D-Garland), issued a statement that said in part, “It must be said that these tragedies will continue to occur so long as Texas fails to enact common sense gun safety reforms and invests in mental healthcare and the social safety net.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom urged Congress to pass gun control legislation, writing, “We have become a nation that is more focused on the right to kill than the right to live.”

Texas state Senator Roland Gutierrez, whose district includes the site of the Robb Elementary School Shooting, also called for more gun control, writing, “There is a special place in hell for people who watch all this happen and choose to do nothing.”

Representative

Merriam-Webster defines representative as serving to represent, standing, or acting for another, especially through delegated authority, and of, based on, or constituting a government in which the many are represented by persons chosen from among them usually by election.

Accessory

I believe that it is time to change the description of politicians as representatives of the people, but rather as accessories. Merriam-Webster defines accessory as a person not actually or constructively present but contributing as an assistant or instigator to the commission of an offense (also called accessory before the fact) and a person who knowing that a crime has been committed aids or shelters the offender with intent to defeat justice (also called accessory after the fact).

Condemning

The public has condemned the statements made by Texas politicians. This seems an appropriate response because Merriam-Webster defines condemning to declare to be reprehensible, wrong, or evil usually after weighing evidence and without reservation.

Please pray for the families affected and for all who have been touched by this monstrous killing.

I hope you will consider these words as you try to understand these murders and the failure of the accessories to take measures to decrease these tragic events.

If you like this post, please follow me at http://www.allenmesch.com

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Authors Relax – Artificial Intelligence is Not Ready to Replace You

Posted on May 1, 2023 by Allen Mesch

Artificial intelligence is used in many ways today. It is used to provide personalized recommendations to people based on their previous searches and purchases or other online behavior1. It is also used in web searches, digital personal assistants, machine translations, smart homes, cities and infrastructure, and fighting disinformation. AI is also used in facial recognition technology, spam detection, credit card fraud detection, and more.[1]

You can use CPT-3 to write books. The rise of widely available, easy-to-use artificial intelligence tools is creating a new genre of robot-generated literature. Amazon already offers over 200 books (and climbing) with GPT-3 listed as an author or co-author.

GPT-3 is a machine learning model and not a substitute for your own creativity and writing skills. GPT-3 can provide you with a lot of information and inspiration that you can use to write your book.[2]

If you’re supposed to write a summary for school or work on a body of text, AI chatbots like GPT-3 can be used to make summarizing long articles, research papers, and books an easier task.

It is not possible to cite your sources with GPT-3. You can create citations, but it isn’t designed for this task and it tends to make up sources that don’t exist or present information in the wrong format. GPT-3 also cannot add citations to direct quotes in your text. If you’re looking for a more reliable source for your research, I would recommend using a database or search engine that specializes in academic sources such as Google Scholar or JSTOR.[3]

Here are some tips on how to write effective GPT-3 prompts12:

  • Start with a clear goal of what you want the output to accomplish.
  • Keep it simple and concise.
  • Use keywords strategically.
  • Provide ample context.
  • Use examples when possible.

GPT-3 can be used to write blogs. However, it is important to note that GPT-3 is not at a point where you can click a button and magically have a great blog post. It is also important to keep in mind that the content generated by GPT-3 may not always be accurate or reliable.[4]

Historians can use GPT-3 to generate summaries of historical events or write articles about historical figures. However, it is important to keep in mind that the content generated by GPT-3 may not always be accurate or reliable.[5]

CPT-3 is an AI language model that can generate human-like text. It is designed to generate text that is similar to human writing. Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia that anyone can edit. It contains articles on almost every topic and is written by volunteers from around the world.

While CPT-3 can generate text on any topic, it may not always be accurate or reliable. Wikipedia articles are written by volunteers who may not be experts in the field, but they are usually reviewed by other editors and are often based on reliable sources.[6]

I wrote this blog using CPT-3 as offered by Microsoft Bing.  The questions I asked are shown below. One of the most used responses to my questions was CPT-3 “may not always be accurate or reliable.” That seems a very bad start for any non-fiction writing. I also didn’t like that “it is not possible to cite your sources with GPT-3.”

So for now, this author will not jump into the AI pool.

[1] How do we use artificial intelligence today?

[2] Can you use CPT-3 to write books?

[3] Can CPT-3 generate sources and citations?

[4] Can you use GPT-3 to write blogs?

[5] How can historians use CPT-3?

[6] How does CPT-3 compare with Wikipedia?

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One Hundred Books You Must Read Before You Die

Posted on April 23, 2023 by Allen Mesch

I watched The Enforcer recently and was intrigued by the hero’s goal of reading a hundred books you must read. In response, I obtained the following list of books you must read.

[CHILD] – 33 titles are suitable for children and adults.

[READ] – I have read 16 of the titles. I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me.

[BANNED] – 22 books are banned in Texas and other states.

1. 1984 by George Orwell [BANNED]

2. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain [CHILD] [READ] [BANNED]

3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

4. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

5. The Aleph and Other Stories by Jorge Luis Borges

6. Animal Farm by George Orwell [BANNED]

7. Aesop’s Fables by Aesop [CHILD] [READ]

8. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll [CHILD]

9. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

10. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

11. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner [BANNED]

12. Beloved by Toni Morrison [BANNED]

13. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak [CHILD]

14. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley [BANNED]

15. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky [READ]

16. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

17. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger [BANNED]

18. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl [CHILD]

19. Charlotte’s Web by E. B White [CHILD] [BANNED]

20. The Call of the Wild by Jack London [CHILD]

21. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess [BANNED]

22. The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse

23. The Collected of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe

24. The Color Purple: A Novel by Alice Walker [BANNED]

25. Coraline by Neil Gaiman [CHILD]

26. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas [CHILD]

27. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky [READ]

28. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon [CHILD]

29. The Death of Artemio Cruz by Carlos Fuentes

30. Diary of a Madman and Other Stories by Lu Xun

31. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank [CHILD] [BANNED]

32. The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

33. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra [READ]

34. Dracula by Bram Stoker

35. Emma by Jane Austen

36. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury [BANNED]

37. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

38. The Giver by Lois Lowry

39. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman [CHILD]

40. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown [CHILD]

41. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

42. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald [BANNED]

43. Grimm’s Fairy Tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm [CHILD] [READ]

44. Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift [CHILD] [READ]

45. Hamlet by William Shakespeare [READ]

46. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood [BANNED]

47. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling [CHILD] [BANNED]

48. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad [READ]

49. Here’s to You, Jesusa! by Elena Poniatowska

50. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

51. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien [CHILD]

52. Holes by Louis Sachar [CHILD]

53. Hopscotch by Julio Cortázar

54. The Iliad by Homer [READ]

55. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison [BANNED]

56. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

57. Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne [CHILD]

58. Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

59. Life of Pi by Yann Martel

60. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis [CHILD]

61. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry [CHILD]

62. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott [CHILD]

63. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov [BANNED]

64. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien [CHILD] [BANNED]

65. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

66. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

67. Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

68. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville [READ]

69. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

70. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

71. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck [BANNED]

72. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway [CHILD] [READ]

73. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens [CHILD]

74. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

75. One Thousand and One Nights by Unknown

76. A Passage to India by E.M. Forster

77. Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo

78. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster [CHILD]

79. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren [CHILD]

80. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

81. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

82. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare [READ]

83. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket [CHILD]

84. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

85. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

86. The Sound of the Mountain by Yasunari Kawabata

87. The Stranger by Albert Camus

88. The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu

89. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

90. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas [CHILD]

91. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee [CHILD] [READ] [BANNED]

92. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson [CHILD] [READ]

93. Ulysses by James Joyce

94. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy [READ]

95. Watership Down by Richard Adams [CHILD]

96. Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne [CHILD]

97. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

98. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum [CHILD]

99. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

100. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Of the 1,648 titles on the PENN AMERICA banned book list for the 2021-2022 school year:

41% explicitly address LGBTQ+ themes or have protagonists or prominent secondary characters who are LGBTQ+ (this includes a specific subset of titles for transgender characters or stories – 145 titles, or 9%)

40% contain protagonists or prominent secondary characters of color;

21% directly address issues of race and racism;

22% contain sexual content of varying kinds, including novels with some level of description of the sexual experiences of teenagers, stories about teen pregnancy, sexual assault, and abortion as well as informational books about puberty, sex, or relationships.

PEN AMERICA INDEX OF SCHOOL BOOK BANS – 2021-2022, https://pen.org/banned-book-list-2021-2022/, retrieved April 18, 2023.

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“My undertaking is not difficult, essentially… I should only have to be immortal to carry it out.”

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Allen Mesch

Jorge Luis Borges (August 24, 1899 – June 14, 1986) was an Argentine writer who is considered one of the foremost literary figures of the Twentieth Century. He is famous for his short stories and fictive essays, Borges was also a poet, critic, translator, and man of letters.

I became acquainted with Mr. Borges from a LinkedIn posting of one of his quotes.

Of all man’s instruments, the most wondrous, no doubt, is the book. The other instruments are extensions of his body. The microscope, the telescope, are extensions of his sight; the telephone is the extension of his voice; then we have the plow and the sword, extensions of the arm. But the book is something else altogether: the book is an extension of memory and imagination.



(Source: Jorge Luis Borges, Wikiquote, https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jorge_Luis_Borges, Retrieved April 10, 2023)

I have selected several of Mr. Borges quotes to contemplate and inspire my fellow authors.

On Writing

It is worth remembering that every writer begins with a naively [sic naïve] physical notion of what art is. A book for him or her is not an expression or a series of expressions, but literally a volume, a prism with six rectangular sides made of thin sheets of papers which should include a cover, an inside cover, an epigraph in italics, a preface, nine or ten parts with some verses at the beginning, a table of contents, an ex libris with an hourglass and a Latin phrase, a brief list of errata, some blank pages, a colophon and a publication notice: objects that are known to constitute the art of writing.

Writing is nothing more than a guided dream.

A writer — and, I believe, generally all persons — must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource. All things have been given to us for a purpose, and an artist must feel this more intensely. All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art.

The central problem of novel-writing is causality.

Writing long books is a laborious and impoverishing act of foolishness: expanding in [sic into] five hundred pages an idea that could be perfectly explained in a few minutes. A better procedure is to pretend that those books already exist and to offer a summary, a commentary.

Reading … is an activity subsequent to writing: more resigned, more civil, more intellectual.

Every novel is an ideal plane inserted into the realm of reality.

Imprecision is tolerable and verisimilar in literature, because we always tend towards it in life.

Ts’ui Pe must have said once: I am withdrawing to write a book. And another time: I am withdrawing to construct a labyrinth. Every one imagined two works; to no one did it occur that the book and the maze were one and the same thing.

Like every writer, he measured the virtues of other writers by their performance, and asked that they measure him by what he conjectured or planned.

(Source: Jorge Luis Borges, Wikiquote, https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jorge_Luis_Borges, Retrieved April 10, 2023)

On History

That history should have imitated history was already sufficiently marvellous; that history should imitate literature is inconceivable….

Perhaps universal history is the history of the diverse intonation of some metaphors.

It may be that universal history is the history of the different intonations given a handful of metaphors.

One literature differs from another, either before or after it, not so much because of the text as for the manner in which it is read.

(Source: Jorge Luis Borges, Wikiquote, https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jorge_Luis_Borges, Retrieved April 10, 2023)

On Books

A book is more than a verbal structure or series of verbal structures; it is the dialogue it establishes with its reader and the intonation it imposes upon his voice and the changing and durable images it leaves in his memory. A book is not an isolated being: it is a relationship, an axis of innumerable relationships.

A book is not an autonomous entity: it is a relation, an axis of innumerable relations. One literature differs from another, be it earlier or later, not because of the texts but because of the way they are read: if I could read any page from the present time — this one, for instance — as it will be read in the year 2000, I would know what the literature of the year 2000 would be like.

In the beginning of literature there is myth, as there is also in the end of it.

(Source: Jorge Luis Borges, Wikiquote, https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jorge_Luis_Borges, Retrieved April 10, 2023)

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Ebenezer Allen Living Historian at Allen Heritage Depot

Posted on March 26, 2023 by Allen Mesch

On March 25, 2023, I had the pleasure of appearing as Ebenezer Allen at the Allen Heritage Depot. I told the visitors about Allen’s life and his contributions as an entrepreneur and statesman.

Check out these pictures of me from November 2019 at the depot.

Other images of the depot and the Houston and Texas Central Railroad.

Here are a few pictures from the event.

Mr. Ed Byran of the Allen Historical Guild provided some additional photos.

Ebenezer Allen explains the
history to kids
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Speaking Events and Classes

Posted on March 18, 2023 by Allen Mesch

Beginning in March, I will speak at several events in north Texas.

Ebenezer Allen at Allen Depot Museum

From 1:00-3:00 pm on March 25, 2023, I will be at Allen Train Depot Museum to discuss my biography of Ebenezer Allen, The Forgotten Texas Statesman. I will be dressed in my living historian costume and sell copies of the first edition of my biography of Mr. Allen.

A Visit with Ebenezer Allen

From 10:30-11:30 am on June 22, 2023, I will be presenting a PowerPoint presentation on Ebenezer Allen. I will be dressed in my living historian costume. The presentation is being hosted by SAIL.

Contact SAIL for further information. SAIL members are invited to bring a guest.

Writing Class – Class One – Starting Writing

I will be conducting an introduction to writing class for the Plano Parks and Recreation Department in July 2023. The class will be presented at the Sam Johnson Senior Center in Plano.

Class One – Starting Writing

  • Session 1 – Reasons to Write
  • Session 2 – Structure, Plot, and Save the Cat
  • Session 3 – Observation and Research
  • Session 4 – Sloppy Writing

If this class is successful, I will conduct two other four session classes: From Writer to Author and Getting Published.

     

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Are Book Bans Un-American?

Posted on March 12, 2023 by Allen Mesch

Louis A. Bedford IV writes “Book bans are un-American” in an editorial in the March 5, 2023 edition of The Dallas Morning News. As in all things in Texas, book banning is the biggest in the Lone Star state. Texas leads the nation with 800 books. Dan Solomon’s article in the September issue of Texas Monthly reports that Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee accounted for more than 85% of the total book bans.

Mr. Bedford cites two Supreme Court cases that ruled against book banning as a violation of students’ right to books.

Bedford writes that book banning restricts “the free access of the most powerful tool at our disposal: information.” He adds that banning books because the “views they include … goes against the ideals of Americanism.”

“The banning of books and information paves a dangerous road toward tyranny.”

“By standing up for intellectual freedom and opposing book banning and other limits to information, we can help ensure that our society remains one that values knowledge, critical thinking, and individual autonomy – the true values of America.”[1]

Why Are Books Banned?

Banned books are books or other printed works such as essays or plays which are prohibited by law or to which free access is not permitted by other means. The practice of banning books is a form of censorship, for political, legal, religious, moral, or (less often) commercial motives. The Freedom to Read Website lists notable banned books and works with a brief explanation of why the books were prohibited. Banned books include fictional works such as novels, poems, and plays and non-fiction works such as biographies and dictionaries.

Historically, banning books or censoring texts are often seen when authoritarian regimes try to suppress certain messages it does not want to spread. Pre-World War II Germany saw mass book burnings and bans that tried to remove any statements which positively portrayed Jewish people. Banning and censoring texts is often portrayed as a restriction of First Amendment rights.[2]

The Freedom to Read Website provides “a selective timeline of book bannings, burnings, and other censorship activities.”

First Ammendment Protection

The First Amendment protects individuals against the government’s “abridging the freedom of speech.” However, government actions that are sometimes labeled as censorship may not be violations of these constitutional rights. Banning books by schools and libraries is not always classified as constitutional or unconstitutional, because “censorship” is a colloquial term, not a legal term.

Colloquialism which is also called colloquial language, everyday language, or general parlance, is the language style used for casual or informal communication. It is the most common functional style of speech. It is the language that is normally used in conversation and other informal contexts.[3]

Some principles can illuminate whether and when book banning is unconstitutional.

Censorship does not violate the Constitution unless the government does it.

For example, if the government tries to forbid certain types of protests solely because of the viewpoint of the protesters, that is an unconstitutional restriction on speech. The government cannot create laws or allow lawsuits that keep you from having particular books on your bookshelf unless the substance of those books fits into a narrowly defined unprotected category of speech such as obscenity or libel. Even these unprotected categories are defined in precise ways that are still very protective of speech.

However, the government may enact reasonable regulations that restrict the “time, place or manner” of your speech. It must do so in ways that are content- and viewpoint-neutral. The government cannot restrict an individual’s ability to produce or listen to speech based on the topic of the speech or the ultimate opinions expressed.

If the government does try to restrict speech in these ways, it is probably unconstitutional censorship.

What is Not Unconstitutional

In contrast, when private individuals, companies, and organizations create policies or engage in activities that suppress people’s ability to speak, these private actions don’t violate the Constitution.

Private actions can have a major impact on a person’s ability to speak freely and the creation and distribution of ideas. Book burning or the actions of private universities in punishing faculty for sharing unpopular ideas prohibits free discussion and unrestrained development of ideas and knowledge.

When Schools Can Ban Books

It’s hard to definitively say whether the current incidents of book banning in schools are constitutional. This is because decisions made in public schools are analyzed by the courts differently from censorship in nongovernment contexts.

According to the Supreme Court, control over public education is for “the most part” given to “state and local authorities.” The government has the power to determine what is appropriate for students and thus the curriculum at their school.

However, students retain some First Amendment rights. Public schools may not censor students’ speech, either on or off campus, unless it is causing a “substantial disruption.”

Government and school officials may exert control over the school curriculum without violating students’ or educators’ free-speech rights.

There are exceptions to the government’s power over the school curriculum. The Supreme Court ruled that a state law banning a teacher from covering the topic of evolution was unconstitutional because it violated the establishment clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits the state from endorsing a particular religion.

School boards and state legislators usually have the final decision over what schools teach. State regulation of curriculum is generally constitutionally permissible unless they violate some other provision(s) of the Constitution.

Schools with limited resources have the discretion to determine which books to add to their libraries. However, several members of the Supreme Court have written that removal is constitutionally permitted only if it is done based on the educational appropriateness of the book, not because it was intended to deny students access to books with which school officials disagree.

The Next Step

Even though the government has the option to control what’s taught in school, the First Amendment ensures the right of free speech to those who want to protest what’s happening in schools.[4]

Parents have the right to prohibit their children from reading specific books or discussing certain topics. This authority has been in effect for many years. I object when a parent or group of parents enforces their wishes on all students. Parents have the right to complain about this because it denies their student(s) access to books. Students also have the right to read and discuss books outside of school.

I am also alarmed at the book-banning techniques used by groups to attack, slander, and threaten teachers, librarians, school board members, and other individuals who oppose their actions. These heavy-handed measures have no place in public discourse.  

Groups Fighting Book Bans

[1] Louis A. Bedford IV, “Book bans are un-American,” The Dallas Morning News, March 5, 2023.

[2] Bannings and Burnings in History, Freedom to Read Website,  retrieved March 5, 2023.

[3] Colloquialism, Wikipedia, retrieved March 5, 2023.

[4] “When are book bans unconstitutional? A First Amendment scholar explains,” The Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee University, retrieved March 5, 2023.

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Americans Agree on Teaching Our Achievements and Failures

Posted on March 6, 2023 by Allen Mesch

In an editorial in The Dallas Morning News on February 26, 2023, Dan Vallone writes “there is significant common ground in how Americans feel our history should be taught.”

Dan Vallone’s report by his organization, More in Common,  concludes “most Americans agree on the basic principles of how we learn about our nation’s past, including how to teach issues surrounding America’s history of racism.” Defusing the History Wars: Finding Common Ground in Teaching America’s National Story study also revealed: “Americans, irrespective of their demographic or ideological backgrounds, mistakenly believe the country is split into two hostile camps with irreconcilable beliefs on how to teach American history.”

Vallone says that there are perception gaps between what other Americans believe compared to what we think they believe. He believes: “Such perception gaps — the difference between what other Americans believe vs. what we think they believe — turn potential allies into enemies.”

The report provides the following examples:

Democrats believe that only 30% of Republicans feel we should teach both our shared national history as well as the history of specific groups of Americans such as Black, Hispanic, and Native Americans.  An overwhelming majority of Republicans, 72%, hold this view. Similarly, Republicans believe that only 42% of Democrats think that George Washington and Abraham Lincoln should be admired for their roles in American history when in fact, close to 90% of Democrats feel this way.

There are important areas where Americans diverge on the topic of history.

72% of Republicans believe the history of minority groups is prioritized over history that elevates a common identity while 72% of Democrats say this is not the case.

However, I wonder what is more critical in going forward: perceptions or reality? Political discussions seem to be void of facts or reality. The merits of elected officials are distorted to create the desired political perception. Was Donald Trump a good president? Is Joe Biden a bad president? The achievements and failures of both chief executives are riddled with lies. Another example is the 2020 Presidential Election. There are some who believe Donald Trump was reelected and his defeat was caused by election fraud. They are convinced, despite the evidence to the contrary, that Donald Trump was robbed. Clearly, for these believers, perception is more important than reality.

Mr. Vallone’s desire that “Civil society organizations, faith institutions, businesses, and veterans’ groups along with parents, students, and educators should collaborate to bring Americans of different backgrounds and views together to talk about how to teach history, reduce perception gaps and build solutions that have durable support across communities.” I am skeptical that this will happen because discussion and compromise appear to be absent in today’s society.

I hope that Mr. Vallone’s ideas may move forward to achieve a national dialogue on teaching history.

Dan Vallone, Sunday, February 26, 2023, p. 4P, The Dallas Morning News.

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