Posts Tagged ‘Weather’
Wednesday, April 19th, 2023
Yesterday, I had a rather disturbing experience while playing with one of the sundry AI bots. It confirmed a concern I had the minute I started hearing about all those sundry technological “marvels.”
Google’s BARD, recently featured on 60 Minutes, was the one I was experimenting with yesterday. (I’d previously spent a little bit of time with ChatGPT and found (much to my relief) that it was terrible at creating limericks.
Anyway, yesterday I asked BARD to “write a limerick in the style of Edward Lear.” Almost immediately, it responded with an excellent and very famous limerick generally attributed to this fellow: Arthur Henry Reginald Buller.
Here’s the limerick, which many of you are likely to recognize:
“There once was a lady named Bright,
Whose speed was far faster than light;
She set out one day
In a relative way,
And returned on the previous night.”
(The bot did NOT credit any author.)
I gave this response a negative review and, when asked why, I explained that the limerick was completely plagiarized.
I then asked BARD to write a limerick about Donald Trump, wondering if it would steal another limerick. Instead, it responded “I’m a text-based AI and can’t assist with that.”
Finally, I asked BARD for a limerick about the weather. It churned out three limericks that were lousy, but not nearly as bad as the ones produced by CHATGPT. In both cases, a quick Google search didn’t yield any evidence of theft. On the other hand, if they were stolen, they were stolen from very bad and (hopefully) obscure limerick writers.
UPDATE: A friend suggested I try the same query again, but add the word “original.” So just now I posted this request to BARD: “Write an original limerick in the style of Edward Lear.” Alas, it churned out the same famous limerick that it “wrote” yesterday. So not only did the word “original” make no difference, but the bot failed to learn from yesterday’s negative comment.
Tags: 60 Minutes, AI, Arthur Henry Reginald Buller, Bard, Bots, ChatGPT, Computers, Donald Trump, Edward Lear, Google, Limericks, Plagiarism, Technology, Weather
Posted in Computer Humor, Limericks, Technology Humor, Writing & Publishing Humor | 2 Comments »
Friday, November 18th, 2022
In New York, winter’s hit prematurely.
(That’s a long way of saying it’s early.)
I’ve already grown weary
Of weather this dreary.
(I’m sorry for sounding so surly.)
Tags: Cold Weather, New York, Seasonal Humor, Seasonal Poems, Seasonal Verse, Weather, Weather Limerick, Winter, Winter Humor
Posted in Limericks, New York Limericks & Haiku, Seasons Humor, Weather Humor | Comments Off on Cold Weather Blues (Limerick)
Saturday, December 7th, 2019
It’s Limerick-Off time, once again. And that means I write a limerick, and you write your own, using the same rhyme word. Then you post your limerick(s) as a comment to this post and, if you’re a Facebook user, on Facebook too.
I hope you’ll join me in writing limericks using VEER or SEVERE or REVERE or PERSEVERE at the end of any one line. (Homonyms or homophones are fine.)
The best submission will be crowned Limerick-Off Award Winner. (Here’s last week’s Limerick-Off Award Winner.)
Additionally, you may write themed limericks related to SNOW, using any rhyme word. And of course I’ll present an extra award — one for the best snow-related limerick.
How will your poems be judged? By meter, rhyme, cleverness, and humor. (If you’re feeling a bit fuzzy about limerick writing rules, here’s my How To Write A Limerick article.)
I’ll announce the winners on January 5, 2020, right before I post the next Limerick-Off. So that gives you four full weeks to submit your clever, polished verse. Your submission deadline is Saturday, January 4, 2020 at 10:00 p.m. (Eastern Time.)
Here’s my VEER-rhyme limerick:
When you’re driving your car, please don’t veer;
Sudden moves tend to fill me with fear.
Steer carefully, please.
Ouch my elbow! My knees!
We’ve arrived? I’m still living? Hear, hear!
And here’s my SNOW-themed limerick:
The weatherman’s acting excited:
New York City’s about to be smited
With a snow storm real big,
Which I really don’t dig.
And just why must he look so delighted?
Please feel free to enter my Limerick-Off by posting your limerick(s) in my comments. And if you’re on Facebook, I hope you’ll join my friends in that same activity on my Facebook Limerick-Off post.
To receive an email alert whenever I post a new Limerick-Off, please email Madkane@MadKane.com Subject: MadKane’s Newsletter. Thanks!
Tags: Automobile Humor, Car & Driving Humor, Competition Limerick, Driving, Limerick Challenge, Limerick Contest, Poetry & Prompts, Shoveling Snow, Snow, Weather, Weathermen, Winter Humor, Winter Limerick, Writing Prompts
Posted in Behavior & Personality, Car & Driving Humor, Contests, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limerick Competition, Limerick Contest, Limerick Writing Contest, Limerick-Offs, Limericks, Poetry & Prompts, Poetry Contest, Weather Humor | 230 Comments »
Friday, January 5th, 2018
I’m bracing to walk out the door
And face up to my shoveling chore.
How I’d love to ignore it,
Stay warm and ‘offshore’ it.
But it’s war; time to even the score.
Update: Last June, when I was bleeding all over the street and staring in horror at my exposed ulna, I couldn’t have imagined ever managing to shovel snow again. But I just did it. Yay!
Tags: Blizzard Humor, Broken Wrist, Seasonal Humor, Seasonal Verse, Shoveling Snow, Snow, Weather, Winter Humor, Winter Limerick
Posted in Chores Humor, Limericks, Seasons Humor, Weather Humor | Comments Off on Blizzard 2018 (Limerick)
Monday, October 23rd, 2017
It’s summer. It’s winter. It’s fall;
In the course of one week we’ve had all
Of those seasons and more.
What’s a calendar for?
I once knew, but no longer recall.
Tags: Autumn Poems, Calendar Humor, Fall Limerick, Global Warming, Seasonal Humor, Seasonal Poems, Seasonal Verse, Summer Humor, Weather, Weather Humor, Winter Limerick, Winter Poetry
Posted in Seasons Humor, Weather Humor | Comments Off on Seasonal Gripe (Limerick)
Monday, March 28th, 2016
Though it’s springtime, the temp’rature’s low.
It’s damp, and the wind’s all a-blow.
And I swear that I heard
These words chirped by a bird:
“For THIS I flew north? I hate snow!”
Tags: Animal & Pet Humor, Bird Humor, Birds, Seasonal Humor, Seasonal Poems, Seasonal Verse, Spring Humor, Spring Limerick, Weather, Weather Humor, Weather Poem
Posted in Animal & Pet Humor, Limericks, Seasons Humor, Weather Humor | Comments Off on This Weather’s For The Birds! (Limerick)
Monday, January 26th, 2015
Shoveling Duty (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
It’s snowing, alas and alack,
And I just finished shov’ling — can’t slack
During storms this severe.
But I did it. Oh dear!
All the snow I removed has come back.
*****
Blizzard in progress.
I resent New York City
resembling Fargo.
*****
Oboe-playing years
armed my shoulders for shov’ling,
but failed to prep mind.
Tags: blizzard, Haiku & Senryu, Seasonal Humor, Shoveling Snow, Snow, Snow Limerick, Weather, Weather Humor, Winter Humor, Winter Limerick
Posted in Haiku & Senryu, Limericks, Seasons Humor, Weather Humor | Comments Off on Shoveling Duty (Limerick)
Thursday, February 13th, 2014
In a recent Washington Post Style Invitational contest, we were challenged to invent and define weather-related terms. You can read the excellent winning entries here.
And here are my losing entries:
Snow-Brawl: Two arctic storms battle it out.
Frizzly: Just damp enough to frizz your hair.
Withering Heights: Too miserably hot out to leave the house.
Itticane: Gender neutral term for hurricane, favored by most feminists. (Some feminists prefer Himmicane.)
Bellweather: Sunny forecast.
Rain Cower: Hide from a storm, usually under storefront awnings.
Tags: Neologisms, Seasonal Humor, Washington Post Limerick Contest, Weather
Posted in Contests, Limericks, Neologism Humor, Seasons Humor, Weather Humor | 1 Comment »
Saturday, September 18th, 2010
Thursday night’s weather was certainly interesting here in Queens, New York. Hubby Mark and I were on the Long Island Railroad on route to an Off-Broadway play, when what turned out to be a tornado hit.
After some delays, our train did manage to make it to Penn Station, after which the railroad completely shut down, stranding hordes of rush hour commuters. (As we later learned, the tracks were littered with uprooted trees, and the storm had wreaked havoc throughout much of New York City.)
But we went off to see the play, figuring that by the time we were finished with theater and dinner, everything would be back to normal. Ha!
As it turned out, more than 24 hours would elapse before the LIRR would fully recover. So our path home to Bayside, Queens was a challenge, involving an unfamiliar combo of train, subway, and bus.
Relieved to finally be home, we were greeted by an unwelcome discovery — the tallest tree in our backyard had relocated to our neighbor’s yard.
Well, at least the play wasn’t bad — It Must Be Him, starring Peter Scolari and Liz Torres. Not great mind you — not even close. But everything’s relative.
Tags: Backyard, Commuters, LIRR, Liz Torres, New York City, Off-Broadway, Outdoors, Peter Scolari, Railroad, Theater Review, Tornado, Trains, Transportation, Trees, Weather
Posted in House & Home Humor, Movie & Play Humor, Night On The Town, Outdoors Humor, Queens Verse & Humor, Theater Reviews, Weather Humor | 3 Comments »
Monday, June 22nd, 2009
June in New York’s been a wash-out this year. So I’ve written both a limerick and a haiku about our rainy weather. And I welcome you to write some weather verse too:
First my limerick:
June Down The Drain
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Oh, when will the rain ever wane?
Our weather this June’s been insane.
We are having a bout
With the inverse of drought.
So whoever’s in charge, please refrain!
And now my haiku:
Rainy New York June
Has identity crisis:
It thinks it’s April.
Feel free to write your own weather-related limerick (using my first line, if you’d like) and/or weather haiku and post it in my comments. And if you’re on Facebook, please join my FB friends in a limerick-off and haiku-off.
Tags: April, Drought, Haiku & Senryu, Identity Crisis, June, Limerick, New York, Rain, Showers, Verse, Weather, Writing Prompts
Posted in Haiku & Senryu, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limerick-Offs, Limericks, New York Limericks & Haiku, Outdoors Humor, Poetry & Prompts, Seasons Humor, Weather Humor | 17 Comments »
Friday, April 10th, 2009
We’re back from a wonderful vacation in Las Vegas. So I thought I’d celebrate our thirteen hour return-flight delay with a limerick:
Ode To JetBlue
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear JetBlue, you’re just great when you fly.
But your canceling rate — my oh my!
Fully half of my flights
Never tried to reach heights.
A mere drizzle? Your schedule’s awry.
Tags: Airlines, JetBlue, Las Vegas, Travel, Vacation, Weather
Posted in Leisure Time Humor, Limericks, Travel Humor, Vacation Humor, Weather Humor | 5 Comments »
Wednesday, October 31st, 2007
There’s nothing quite like a tough mental challenge. And I sure had a good time with this one, prompting me to write something (in my case, a limerick) using these three words: phone, stumbled and windy.
The Joys Of Winter
By Madeleine Begun Kane
It was windy and snowy. I stumbled.
Then I fell and my keys and phone tumbled
And slid down the ice.
I yelled words not so nice.
“How rude!” an old passerby grumbled.
And speaking of winter, it’s almost time to start worrying about your office Christmas party.
Tags: Bad Manners, Poetry & Prompts, Seasonal Humor, Snow Poetry, Weather, Winter Humor
Posted in Limericks, Poetry & Prompts, Seasons Humor, Weather Humor | 19 Comments »
