Saturday, May 31, 2025

What a Card

 This is the weekly dispatch from Bizarro Studios North, where I have been writing and drawing the Monday through Saturday Bizarro comics since 2018. My partner and friend Dan Piraro created Bizarro in the late twentieth century and continues to do the Sunday comic from Rancho Bizarro in Mexico.

Wayno 



AI agents... are largely bad to use, especially now, and in most all contexts. Their dangers are environmental, economic, and existential. As a "tool" they are far too destructive.
~Frank Elavsky


Last week in this space, I argued against AI "art" and advocated for works created by human effort. Not long after that, my BlueSky feed displayed an essay titled Stop Saying That AI Is Just a Tool and It Only Matters How It Is Used.

The epigraph above summarizes Frank's premise, but I recommend reading the whole treatise. It's more than convincingly damning and makes a solid case for humanity.

Mr. Elavsky is not only a brilliant researcher but also a creative and kind person, which I know firsthand because he's one of my neighbors.

I hope you enjoy Frank's post and consider all that he has to say.


This week's pipe pic is an elegant shot of music critic Ralph J. Gleason, looking rather Sherlockian.



Bizarro field correspondent Nate D. brought this one to my attention in January, writing:

I’m reading a fantastic book called Three Shades of Blue: Miles Davis John Coltrane Bill Evans and the Lost Empire of Cool. Ralph J. Gleason came up so I went to his wiki and saw this photo.
Thanks to Nate for the image and for recommending the fascinating book on three important musicians.



As always, this week's Bizarro gags were created without the use of artificial intelligence.


Monday's panel adds to the familiar phrase, "Check your ego at the door."

Tuesday's gag featured sour, surly streamers.

Moving from "id" to "ID" in two days, we peek in at some joker trying to buy alcohol.

The character's outfit was based on a vintage playing card design.

Later, these two closed down the Diminutive Distillery.

We once looked at a home on a nearby one-way street, across from a schoolyard, but we decided there was too much traffic noise. We were relieved to have walked away from it when, a few years later, a bunch of tennis courts were retrofitted for pickleball.

Every occupation has its hazards.


That's a wrap on another week of words & pictures from Bizarro Studios North. Drop by next Saturday to see what shenanigans we come up with.


Bonus Track

Bob Dylan: "Jokerman"
Live on Late Night With David Letterman
CBS-TV, March 22, 1984


Dylan delivers an energetic performance backed by Los Angeles punk trio The Plugz (who later became The Cruzados).
Trivia note: Plugz guitarist Tito Larriva was also an actor whose first role was in the 1981 Pee-wee Herman Show, playing a smart-aleck kid named Hammy.



Bushels of Bizarro Bric-a-Brac

If you like what we do and appreciate that it's free, we encourage you to explore the following links.


  

12 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:47 AM

    From 2015 and still relevant / valid:

    https://waitbutwhy.com/2015/01/artificial-intelligence-revolution-1.html

    Long but worth it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Is that Stephen Colbert interviewing God?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think it is!

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    2. It wasn't meant to be Colbert, but it does look like a Colbert type!

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  3. I have a friend who writes copious amounts of music. He has started using AI to help him write it. He has programmed the AI using only his own music. He was recently tagged by YouTube for using copyrighted music. It's his own music. Here is the whole story; https://everything.membrane.com/when-ai-attacks-itself-the-strange-new-world-of-automated-copyright-warfare/?fbclid=IwY2xjawKoM0xleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETEzNmFaM2VOVEVJNFZ3eFhrAR6ouRWvXXQ2l3hDbRqeBfaRV5FR_XlNfZ7mbvvyxd9dHCwUsysnFV8tqcZTIg_aem_KbM9O1cktCwqUaU6IpbqYw

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He released 160 albums in a year and a half. Wow.

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  4. Anonymous9:28 PM

    I approve of all the books you drew into in the little free library, . But then again I approve of all books.
    There’s a right wing move toward banning some books in school libraries where I live.
    I live half a block from a school, and am considering turning my little free library into a “little library of banned books” and stocking it with copies of ones the government bans so the young minds still have access.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:31 PM

      Brilliant idea! Do it for the sake of the children!

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    2. Anonymous12:50 PM

      You could do a lot worse than the selections Wayno has provided, particularly the Arcade & Hey Look! by Harvey Kurtzman collections.

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    3. What a great idea for a little censorship-free library. Well done!

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  5. Anonymous7:58 PM

    I'm delighted to see you included Keef Knight in your library! We have a number of pieces of his art and have supported his mission for years! "Life's Little Victories" are great as was his sadly short-lived Hulu comedy "Woke." Thank you, as always, Wayno!

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    Replies
    1. Agreed! Keef is a great cartoonist, and a true gent. "Woke" was a terrific show.

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