ChatGPT As Coder

 I have been trying to use ChatGPT to write me a VBA macro to extract every citation to a law in a swarm of declarations and rebuttal DOCX files under a particular directory on my PC.  At first, it seemed like it might be useful.  I am about to give up.  It does not seem to have a VBA compiler.  It often gives me code that fails the compile phase.  Even when it does compile, it runs into errors caused by failure to handle error conditions involving corrupt files.  It is very accommodating on revising this monstrous macro each time, but fails to learn from previous similar failures.

ChatGPT is no substitute for a skilled VBA programmer.

UPDATE: There are tasks it does well: for example, debugging a defective Makefile.  Yes, I am embarrassed how much I have forgotten.

This Should Surprise No One

Latest Gallup Poll asking how proud Americans of our nation. 

I am disappointed but not surprised at how many Americans are not extremely proud of America.   There is much of which to be ashamed: children being sex trafficked.   Doctors and influencers persuading confused children and their parents that genital mutilation is "medical care"; serious addiction problems; a large homeless problem (although there are many causes, at least some can be fixed); inner cities where bad schools and bad examples encourage self-destructive behavior.  

But there is much here of which to be proud: an extraordinary standard of living for most Americans; an excellent health care system; opportunities for advancement from poverty (in my experience,  you can go as far and as fast as your wits and ambition will carry you); leading the world in scientific and technology development. 

Notice the enormous disparity by party.  And notice that even when Americans elected an African-American as President whose only apparent skills were showing that he had no idea how to pronounce "corpsman" and thinking that people in Austria speak Austrian, Democrats still had less pride in America.   Even in a presidency that prioritized genital mutilation and grossly bizarre luggage thieves in important positions

Democrats were not proud of America.   Hey: Gays for Palestine and Feminists for Gaza, you can fix this quickly enough.  Gays who take this offer, tell us how their flying lessons go. 

Illuminated Reticle Rifle Scopes

Do any of you have an opinion as to utility?  My understanding is that when the tsrget is in low light conditions,  illuminated reticle simplifies getting on target and using whatever information is provided by the reticle.   I suspect a few of you have made tactical use of such.

Naked Gun Cleaning?

I cleaned my AR-15 today.  This was the first in many months.   I was often having to remember to sequence.   Fortunately,  it is all very obvious if you think about it a little.

Oh, the title.  My wife gets frustrated thar I almost always get some CLP on my clothes.   Lately. I have started wearing an apron.  This still does not quite do the job.  Do you have similar issues?  Because I clean in summer on the back porch the subject line is not a very practical solution. 

Can We Just Abandon the Pretense That Affirmative Action and DEI Are to Pick Equally Qualified Applicants of Victim Groups?

6/27/25 College Fix has links to emails leaked by whistleblowers at Cornell:

"In the first whistleblower email, dated Dec. 2020, the STEM department chair begins with explaining their conversations with a DEI dean and “our hoped-for diversity hire” and how they want to do something “a little out of the ordinary.”

"It goes on to state “the best is to invite just one person” and “…not have that person in competition with others.”"

Essentially an admission that victim group members cannot handle competition with other applicants who are not designated victims.

The medical school was even worse:

"“A snapshot archived on August 27, 2024, shows that: ‘[d]epartments are eligible for up to $50,000 in subsidies for the hiring of faculty from groups that are underrepresented in medicine (URiM),’ with additional funds for hiring two URiM candidates.”"

Imagine if white racists ever became dominant voices in academia (right after the pigs fly over campus) and they adopted an internal policy of disregarding applicants unable to write an adequately white supremacist manifesto. 

The only way to stop discrimination is to stop discriminating.

Check Caliber Before Going to Range

My staple gun ran dry.  I thought I had another box of staples in my range bag.  I did but 3/8".  I needed 9/16".  The 3/8" chamber okay but never clear the muzzle.

Baird v. Bonta Oral Arguments

I finally watched all the way through.   While Judge Smith seemed to gave poked our attorney pretty hard about the open carry license application being available, all three judges did a serious number on the California Deputy A-G.

Judge Smith pointed out that the antebellum decisions upholding concealed bans and the pre-Bruen Peruta decision held that as long as one form of carry was available,  the other could be restrictively licensed or prohibited.

Judge Lee (who some speculate may have been one of Koreatown Rooftop Defenders) pointed out the Rumford Act which banned carrying of loaded firearms in cities was aimed at the Black Panthers.  California's attorney argued that it was hard to know if there was a racial motive.  Judge Van Dyke continued show his skepticism of just about every part of the law.

Tighten Screws

I took another friend from church ahooting today.  (He is slso thrilled with Home Gun Club and going to join.)  The AR-15 was reliably hitting the 200 yard plate last time.   This time always missing.   Why?  As I became discouraged and starting packing up, I removed the scope mount and discovered the screw was very loose.  The mount was quite freely up and down.  You do not need to be a shooter to immediately recognize why this would affect accuracy. 

There Must be a Comedy With a Line for This Story

6/27/25 BBC:

"People who own ninja swords are being urged to hand them into police stations across West Yorkshire as part of month-long amnesty.

"Running from 1 to 31 July, the scheme aims to help take the deadly weapons off the streets before new legislation banning them comes into force.

"People who legally own a ninja sword can surrender them at one of five police stations in the county and in some cases may be able to claim compensation."

I do not doubt the article's claim that ninja swords are used in criminal attacks.  Odd they did not list any, however.  

For Americans, are these protected by the Second Amendment?  Under the self-defense understanding articulated in Heller, yes.  But under the Insurrection understanding articulated by the Framers?  Probably not. Knives make sense for self-defense: I am not persuaded they have a value for overthrowing a tyrannical government,  unless it is also limited to contact weapons.  Feel free to construct your alternate reality world where the American government relies on swordsmen to impose its will on us.

Black Walnuts

I really  like black walnut ice cream.  I was thrilled when my wife discovered a couple native black walnut trees on our property. 

It may be some work to harvest them.