The Lion's Share

It's Friday on the ACBN, friends. Let's raise one to the Leos.

How many people do you think have the same astrological sign and hometown?

This isn’t a completely out-of-the-blue question, even though it might seem like it. You see, tomorrow is my wife’s birthday, and I’ve always been just a little bit impressed by the way these things sync up for her—she’s a Leo, and she hails from Leo (a small town north of Fort Wayne, Indiana.)

That can’t be easy to achieve!

I briefly thought about actually researching how many places in the United States share their names with astrological signs, but then I realized that might take more work than I’m willing to put in. I mean, I’d have to search as many as twelve things!

No, I’d take the easy way out.

I asked ChatGPT, the most prominent example of the artificial intelligence that’s promising to take all of our jobs soon.

ME: how many cities in the United States have the same name as an astrological sign, and what are they?

CHATGPT: As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, there were four cities in the United States with names that match astrological signs. These cities are:

Aries, Iowa

Taurus, New Mexico

Gemini, Georgia

Cancer, Virginia

Hmm. Interesting. But also… that doesn’t sound entirely right?

ME: is Cancer, Virginia a real place, though?

CHATGPT: I apologize for the error in my previous response. You are right, "Cancer, Virginia" is not a real place. There is no city or town with that name in Virginia or any other state in the United States. The correct list of cities with names that match astrological signs in the United States, as of my last knowledge update in September 2021, is as follows:

Aries, Iowa

Taurus, New Mexico

Gemini, Georgia

I see. But also:

ME: Is Aries, Iowa a real place, though?

CHATGPT: I apologize once again for the error in my previous responses. As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, there is no city or town named "Aries" in Iowa or any other state in the United States.

Right.

I subsequently followed up and confirmed that Taurus, New Mexico and Gemini, Georgia were both also electric sheep and not real places. (I asked it the original question again later, and it also made up “Virgo, Mississippi”.)

So, anyways, I guess I’m not gonna sweat AI taking my job just yet.

Friends, it’s Friday, and it’s not just the robots that are making things up as they go.

As with every Friday on The Action Cookbook Newsletter, I’ve got Seven Good Things queued up today, things that I think will make your weekend better. It’s been a busy finish to the month around here, and with the heat index soaring well over 100 the last few days, I’m just trying my best to take things easy.

I’m gonna make a little weeknight picnic with an easy, homespun summer meal, a pleasant beverage, some great picks in music, books and movies, and more!

Won’t you join me?