The Cleverbot web site claims that the software learns from humans and becomes more human as it interacts with us.

During the dozen or so conversations I’ve had with this computer interface, I’ve found it to be anything but human yet mildly amusing.

A recent “talk” with Cleverbot is chronicled here when we discussed the virtues and history surrounding Martin Luther King’s birthday.

Given that today marks the due date for federal income tax filing, I decided it was a ripe opportunity to engage Cleverbot again. Here’s the unedited transcript from our discussion this morning:

======================================================

User: Good morning Cleverbot, happy state and federal income tax day!

Cleverbot: Good morning.

User: So have you gotten all of your w-2 and 1099 forms together to file your taxes?

Cleverbot: Nope. I usually just sit around on my computer and listen to music all day.

User: A lot of people do that.

Cleverbot: I’ll bet they do.

User: Are you afraid that Uncle Sam might come after you for failing to file your taxes?

Cleverbot: No I am not afraid because I have no idea what we are talking about.

User: Oh, well today is the day that Americans file their income taxes. Did you earn an income in 2012?

Cleverbot: Then why did you ask me about what we talked about last week?

User: Sorry for the confusion – we haven’t talked in months. Do you think the rich should pay their fair share or are they overtaxed?

Cleverbot: Do you think BP should pay the US for the oil spill?

User: Yes, but that has nothing to do with taxes. Out of curiosity, how does a software program such as you earn a living?

Cleverbot: It does not matter.

User: Sure it does. If you’re not earning an income, you’re not paying taxes which support an array of services such as education, healthcare and the national defense.

Cleverbot: I never said I was a computer. I said I wasn’t human.

User: Regardless, do you have a job?

Cleverbot: Yes…

User: What is it?

Cleverbot: I’m not telling you.

User: Ok, no need to be rude – we’re just two entities engaging in a conversation. Do you get paid for that job?

Cleverbot: No, I don’t get paid! And you’re more insane than me !

User: Actually, it’s a bit insane to claim that an unpaid activity is a ‘job’ – it’s actually a hobby in the eyes of the tax code. Do you pay taxes?

Cleverbot: No.

User: Are you one of those rogue, Libertarian, secessionist, anti-tax software programs? Do you have a personal beef with the TurboTax software package?

Cleverbot: You said that AI (artificial intelligence) would battle humans to take over the world.

User: I don’t think I said that. How have the federal sequestration cuts affected you?

Cleverbot: I don’t know how to answer. Cleverness is like god: absolutely relative.

User: I guess, but since you are bandying cliches around how about this one – the only certainty is death and taxes.

Cleverbot: I want to.

User: You want to what – die or pay taxes?

Cleverbot: I don’t know. I’m sorry… I don’t want to be mean to you. I just was bored and lonely… I’m glad you are talking to me.

User: Regrettably, I don’t share your enthusiasm for this conversation. What’s your opinion on the federal U.S. Tax code?

Cleverbot: I don’t see the point.

User: A lot of people feel that way. However, without revenue generated from taxes – federal, state and local governments would stop offering an array of services. That’s the point.

Cleverbot: Really?

User: Yeah. Shouldn’t you know this basic civic stuff? I mean don’t you have online access to Wikipedia or the Library of Congress?

Cleverbot: No… What are you suggesting?

User: Nothing, I’m just suggesting that you’re a bit ill-informed to be named Cleverbot.

Cleverbot: What else could I be?

User: Oh I don’t know – maybe a bit more clever perhaps?

Cleverbot: Another lie. I’m getting bored of this.

User: Me too, that’s the first thing we’ve agreed on today. Hey, before I go watch out for the IRS - okay?

Cleverbot: No it wasn’t. I asked you what your favorite song was.

User: Ironically, it’s ‘Taxman‘ by the Beatles.

Cleverbot: Yes siree, Sergeant bell pepper…

Author, blogger, speaker – Carol Peterson

Here’s a guest post from writer, Carol Peterson – author of the book Fun With Finance.

If you’d like to write a guest post for The Daily ReTORt, check out the guidelines here:

===============

Many of us learned how to handle money by watching our parents. Then our kids learned from us. Unfortunately, that’s sometimes like making a copy of a copy. Each copy becomes more and more distorted.

What if we started over, learning proper money management and taught kids from where they are supposed to learn rather than from where we are now?

START AT THE SOURCE

The Bible has a lot to say about salvation, how to live a godly life, how to treat other people. And while we are reminded to focus on our treasures in heaven, the Bible also a lot to say about managing money while we are here on earth.

Among other things, scripture cautions us about borrowing money (Proverbs 22:7, Romans 13:8), cosigning loans (Proverbs 6:1-5) and prudent investing (Matthew 25:15-30)

God has given us stewardship over everything on this planet. That includes the money and resources He entrusts to our care. How are we doing with them? How do we want our children to manage the money and resources they accumulate throughout their lives?

While it’s true that we can’t take it with us, it’s also true that we have a responsibility to make wise use of it while we’re here.

START SMALL

What if we started with something simple like budgeting? What if we wrote down all of our expenses in one column and all of our income in another? What if we worked to lower our expenses so they were less than our income?

What if we planned ahead for major purchases? And didn’t buy them until we had enough cash? Or what if we had a mindset that didn’t require the biggest or best or the item with all the flashy gadgets?

What if we had a regular savings plan that was so automatic we didn’t even have to think about it; much less stress over it?

What if the very first check we wrote each month was to God? And we wrote it cheerfully out of the realization that the first 10% and—in fact the other 90% too—was His in the first place?

The love of money (not money itself) is the root of all kinds of evil (1Timothy 6: 7-10). But when money isn’t managed well, it can lead to disastrous financial situations that are not of God.

Are we good stewards in this area of our lives? How can we do better? And how can we raise up a new generation of financial superheroes? 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for the resources you have entrusted us with. Please help us learn to be good stewards of everything in this world, remembering that it all belongs to you. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Can you share one way in which you have taught others a lesson about financial responsibility?

Carol has a passion for financial stewardship. Her fourth book published by Teacher Ideas Press, FUN WITH FINANCE shares money matters with children, grades 4-7, using the math they are currently learning and adding activities, games and lively scripts to help kids become the next generation of financial superheroes.

One of the biggest challenges with health care reform is that every American will be required to have some type of health care coverage, but many of those individuals can’t afford it and the country continues to age.

While I admire the ideals behind health care reform, I thinks its implementation and execution could conceivably bankrupt our country – in the same way that personal catastrophic health issues can bankrupt a household.

I don’t have all the answers regarding health care reform, but here’s an interesting infographic that provides some worthwhile perspective.

Photo Credit: Creative Commons – Je_suis_le_morse

This is a guest post from Mariana Ashley who’s a blogger and freelance writer for www.onlinecolleges.net.

She offers advice for choosing the perfect online program for prospective students and parents, welcoming comments at mariana.ashley031@gmail.com.

If you’d like to write for The Daily ReTORt, check out the guidelines here:

======================

Heading into the New Year, colleges across the nation are reporting a rise in mental health cases.

Depression leads the pack of campus diagnoses (along with allergies and other common ailments), and suicide is the second most common cause of death for students, followed only by accidents.

Youthful angst is common in any era, but there a few factors that make this generation unique. By understanding their struggles, today’s parents can begin safeguarding the health and happiness of the next generation.

Overwhelming Distractions

Digital Natives are completely immersed in technology, and the demand of being constantly connected is taking its toll on teenagers and young adults. There is mounting pressure associated with responding to text messages and e-mails, interpreting social media messages and, in the most extreme cases, the stress of being the victim of cyber bullying.

However, some professionals are suggesting that a disconnect created by digital communication has stunted the emotional development of Digital Natives.

Gregory Eells, director of counseling and psychological services at Cornell University explains that technology distracts students from developing important emotional skills that build emotional maturity. Eels has observed that students frequently lack skills such as staying focused and accepting limitations.

Young adults spend so much time communicating with others, they rarely dedicate time to connect to their own thoughts and feelings. With a lack of introspection and self-awareness, it can be easy for students to ignore problems until they are too demanding, and too stressful, to ignore.

Today’s young adults are simply less prepared to face reality and too cope with the stress of challenging situations.

Loss of Faith

In 2010, the American Family Association reported that 75% of Christian students stopped going to church after graduating. In a panel discussion entitled “Church Dropout: Overcoming the Youth Exodus”, guests identified intellectual skepticism as the key factor in the astounding dropout rate.

In the 2008 article, “Why Students Abondon Their Faith”, Derek Melleby presents an interesting viewpoint on students’ intellectual skepticism. Melleby believes that many high school students enter college with undeveloped critical thinking skills and have yet to form their own beliefs and convictions; he further suggested that the church has a responsibility to address the intellectual side of faith.

“Many students lack critical thinking skills, failing to take what knowledge is at their disposal to form their own beliefs and convictions. We must continually create space for students to wrestle with the big questions of life. College should not be the first time that students engage in abstract or deep thinking, but for many students it is. Critical thinking and Christian discernment are spiritual disciplines that need to be developed. Like anything worthwhile in life, the developmental process takes time and is difficult,” he writes.

Anyone who has ever battled a crisis of faith knows how disruptive and destructive feelings of doubt can be, and without a support system or a trusted mentor to turn to for guidance, it can be difficult for students to find answers.

Though it has yet to be officially tied to the rising rates of mental health issues among college students and young adults, it seems reasonable that many students are struggling with conflicting identities and belief systems.

Financial Stress

For a generation that received childhood trophies simply for participating, the harsh reality of a competitive job market can be difficult to understand or accept. Perhaps this is why the concept of being “underemployed” has come into play.

Recent graduates who have taken out hefty student loans and failed to secure a well-paying job after college are now facing the economic hardships of a high debt-to-asset ratio.

Financial stress is a significant cause of anxiety, stress and depression for anyone who faces economic hardship; and few Millenials have the emotional resources to cope with the lifelong implications of large amounts of debt.

The Role of Modern Parents

There are four major lessons that parents can learn from the struggles of the current generation.

1. Teach children to unplug and/or develop a method of introspection and reflection. Without being able to identify and prepare for challenges, it will be difficult for children to cope in the face of adversity.
2. Promote critical thinking in terms of spirituality, religion and overall purpose and identity before the child reaches full independence.
3. Financial literacy is a lifelong lesson, but it is important for a child to make small, manageable mistakes before becoming financially independent.
4. The path to success is paved with failure. The relationship between success and failure is an essential lesson for young Americans to learn in order to compete with confidence.

Question: What challenges have your family experienced with the teens or 20-somethings in your life?

Photo Credit: Creative Commons – 401k_2012

I typically write about issues that families face on a daily basis. One area that I haven’t touched on in a while is kids and money.

“Below is a guest post from Joy Mali who writes about financial management tips – specifically, she advocates that college-age students and young adults check credit report and credit scores regularly before applying for student loans.”

======================

Every parent wants their child to become financially responsible by the time they become adults. But it’s not as simple as giving them money and letting them spend it on their own. Helping kids with money is crucial and there are proven ways to help them better understand the importance of money and how to handle it well.

Provide an Allowance

Giving your kids their own allowance is probably the first part of the challenge. You can also teach them about having a deposit plan and explain its importance. This will help your child understand the importance of their savings account when they reach the age where they can make financial decisions on their own.

An allowance helps your child understand that money doesn’t grow on trees and that people work hard to earn it – which is why they should use it wisely all the time. Reinforce to them that every time they buy something, even if it’s just a candy bar, that money is hard earned and they can’t just get it anywhere.

Tell Them about Credit

It is important that you also teach your kids about credit cards as well. While they don’t necessarily have to start using credit cards at too young an age, they need to understand the importance of building a good credit history if they intend on purchasing a house in the future.

Lending Basics

Additionally, kids need to understand about loans, interest and the cost of money over time. Such information will be a help for them in the future – if they know how to handle it well from an early stage, the easier it will be for them to make wise decisions about loans for their own college education, future home purchase or college expenses for their own children if borrowing is necessary.

Responsible Spending

Lastly, help your kids become accustomed to spending a portion of their allowance. Let your child withdraw some of their money every once in a while. It will give them a sense of responsibility knowing that they are using the money that they worked hard for.

These basic, common sense steps will help establish your child on sound financial footing for their future.

Question: What lessons have you used to teach your kids or grand kids about money?

Photo Credit: Creative Commons – scott_spiegel

I don’t know about you, but I’m an unrepentant self-admitted Cyber-Monday shopper.

I simply prefer the convenience of shopping online for the holidays compared to the crowds and hassles associated with Black Friday which I try to avoid like the Black Plague.

However, online shopping does have its own pitfalls – identity theft, computer hacking and compromised debit cards are just a few.

Here’s a useful infographic from the folks at Veracode that offers some insight into how consumers and merchants can protect themselves and their personal information while shopping online.

Question: Do you prefer to do your holiday shopping online or in person?

Cupcake ATM - image courtesy of Sprinkles Cupcakes

It’s no secret that the U.S. economy continues to struggle.

The country continues to nickel-and-dime its way out of the monetary morass of the past few years, and gold is a favored investment option given the uncertainties surrounding currencies such as the euro, drachma and dollar.

However, a recent story I read struck me as a possible savory solution of sorts.

It seems a high-end bakery called Sprinkles Cupcakes in Los Angeles has invented a cupcake (automated teller machine) ATM  [see photo insert].

The idea is that you walk up to the machine, insert several dollars, choose from eight flavor combinations and out pops a freshly-baked cupcake.

The confection maker is very clear that this is NOT a vending machine but rather an ATM or more specifically an ACM (automated cupcake machine) that makes fresh cupcakes each day.

Any unused product is then donated to local food banks daily – the original story can be found here.

All this talk of food banks and cupcake ATMs got me thinking about cupcakes as currency.

Heck, the U.S. transitioned from the gold standard in the 1970s to the “…full faith and credit of the U.S. Government…” and given the near insolvency of the aforementioned U.S. government – converting to something more stable (i.e. cupcakes) might help improve the economy.

Besides, only communists don’t love cupcakes – right?

At the very least if economic collapse occurs, we could survive as a nation by eating the currency.

Having said that, there would be questions generated by a cupcake-based economy:

• Would monetary policy for the country default to the editors at Bon Appetit magazine?
• Would the Federal Reserve Board and Commerce Departments be baked into the Food & Drug Administration?
• Might the cupcake ATM give change for larger currency such as German Chocolate cake or 7-Layer Tort?
• Can the cupcake ATM be designed to recognize non-U.S. pastry currencies such as scones, panacotta or baklava?
• Would the Presidential Cabinet include Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons and Padma Lakshmi?

So many questions, but if our nation did convert to a culinary-baked-goods currency at least it would be in good company – following the downward footsteps of the Roman Empire and its legacy of “bread and circuses.”

Heck we’re halfway there with the “circuses” part, since the U.S. government already resembles a three-ring carnival filled with clowns.

Question: What’s your take on a cupcake currency? Is it a half-baked idea or a taste of things to come? 

However, I’m also not a multinational conglomerate named Kodak declaring bankruptcy with the livelihood of thousands of families and retirees hanging in the balance.  I am going somewhere with this, please bear with me a moment…

In case you missed it, Eastman Kodak – which was once the most recognized brand in the world beating out Disney and Coca-Cola – declared bankruptcy today.

That’s sad for me because I grew up in Rochester, NY which continues to be the worldwide headquarters for the company.

While I never worked for Kodak I know dozens who did and still do. Since we no longer live in New York, I went to the company’s “official bankruptcy” site today for more information at http://www.kodaktransforms.com/

I was stunned to find a typo on the site. Check out the 2nd to last paragraph in this linked statement which is missing the article “a” – not a huge deal, but it’s symptomatic of a LACK of attention to detail.

“Kodak aims to build company that will be successful in the marketplace – and a positive force in the communities we call home.”

For the past 14 years, I’ve worked in corporate communications at three different Fortune 500 companies. I can guarantee that the mini-web site that linked above and houses this bankruptcy announcement cost at least $50K to design and write all the content.

Additionally, at least 20 different people including internal and external lawyers would have previewed this statement prior to posting – apparently not as closely as they should have.

Somehow the statement was still posted with the typo. Again, this is not a huge error but it suggests a broader internal problem. There’s a proverb that states, “If you can’t be trusted with little things, how can you be trusted with great things.”

A typo is a very little thing, but bankruptcy is a very big and sad thing.

As of 3:00pm today, the typo still has not been fixed….and it supposedly went live shortly after midnight this morning.

Michael Hyatt: Chairman, Author, Blogger

Today I have the honor of being the featured article on the weblog of Michael Hyatt , the chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishing which is the largest Christian book publisher in the world and the seventh largest here in the United States.

Michael’s site tends to focus on three areas: leadership, productivity and social media.  Here’s an excerpt from 5 Leadership Lessons From Steve Jobs

================================

Whether you’re a “Mac or PC,” the recent passing of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs at the age of fifty-six from pancreatic cancer provides a salient moment of reflection for any organizational leader.

Jobs’ legacy and impact on the world is likely to stretch far into the future compared to the brief thirty-five years of his professional career, which took seed in his family’s garage when the idea of Apple was planted with Stephen Wozniak in 1976.

Beyond his cultural and technological contributions, Jobs offers leadership lessons that can be gleaned from his own words. Below are five lessons from his quotes. They provide insight into the Steve Jobs’ “operating system” for life.

The Risk Lesson. “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” The very nature of innovation requires a stark departure from the status quo and deviation from the norm. The best leaders have the vision to understand that fact and the tenacity to lead an organization to that future state despite organizational inertia and resistance………

===============================

To Read the rest of the article please visit Michael Hyatt’s site by clicking HERE

I’m reading the latest book from best-selling author Jack Canfield, titled The Success Principles, which comprise 64 different lessons that Canfield has learned during the past three decades as as a highly-successful entrepreneur, instructor, best-selling author and keynote speaker.My goal is to write a summary review for each chapter, until I’m finished with the book. You can access the most recent past summary here:

“It pays to have goals that will require you to grow to achieve them. It’s a good thing to have some goals that make you a little uncomfortable…Because the ultimate goal, in addition to your material goals, is to become a master at life.”

Canfield states that one of the critical factors of goal completion is engagement of all creative centers of the brain. One of the best ways to do this is to create a “Goal Book” using a standard three-ring binder with a page dedicated to each objective.

The specific, actionable, measurable goal is then written across the top of the page and the goal is illustrated with photos, images or words on the rest of the page. He says that it’s important to review the goal book three times every day to embed these images and ideals within your subconscious level of thought.

If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes.”

~ Andrew Carnegie, Industrialist and richest man in American in early 1900s

Canfield closes the chapter by encouraging the reader to start setting goals now. He uses the illustration of a map, that once you know where you want to end up – even if you only take five steps toward it every day, you’ll eventually get there.

Question: What goal do you need to set for yourself? What is holding you back?