Letters: Keep neighborhoods | BART money | Artificial intelligence | ‘Harnessing’ misuse | GOP should move on

East Bay Times for June 11, 2023

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Pleasant Hill must keepneighborhoods together

I’m worried about Pleasant Hill. Councilmembers are drafting an ordinance that would allow for the adoption of a map that divides neighborhoods.

In addition, a 4-district map on the ballot would cost approximately $100,000. Mayor Tim Flaherty wants a four-district map that divides College Park, Gregory Gardens and Poet’s Corner. Residents want a five-district map that keeps neighborhoods together. It is in the best interest of the mayor to have an ordinance for a four-district map to remain on the City Council.

Councilmembers should work for the best interest of our city. Dividing neighborhoods is not in our best interest.

I hope Pleasant Hill residents voice their opposition by emailing the City Council and attending the next City Council meeting on June 26. Please tell the city not to adopt an ordinance that includes language that can divide our neighborhoods and move forward with the community five-district map.

Michelle SimonePleasant Hill

BART must better usethe money they have

Re: “Public bailout of BART is sensible” (Page A6, June 8).

BART has enjoyed the support of riders and taxpayers for decades. But despite lower ridership and reduced revenue, BART management wants to spend more.

Instead of devising a way to stop toll-jumpers, so the millions lost are regained, or adding law enforcement, so riders like me aren’t subjected to trashy trains and panhandlers who sleep across two seats night and day, BART is asking for more money.

The issue isn’t cutting costs, but managing their millions more efficiently. We need to fix BART. Making paying riders feel safe and appreciated would be a good start.

Sampson Van ZandtWalnut Creek

It is we who makeAI frightening

Allowing machines to learn — this thing we call AI — is a new, scary specter. But why? What is scary about it?

It is the integration of this exponentially improving digital intelligence, combined with our self-centered quest for control that is a horrible manifestation.

Allowing greedy psychopaths among us to harness this new amalgam is the real danger of AI. The existential threat is us. We are the Moloch in the machine.

We see the fires in Canada now. We see wars with pipelines, dams and cities destroyed. We see surveillance and censorship in our “social” media.

Our technology now allows for a global society, with global problems and with the reality of world-ending outcomes. The global village has arrived.

The part of the new digital Frankenstein that makes it so scary is that it is made of us.

Jeff TaylorOakland

One cannot ‘harness’threats and misuse

Re: “Generative AI shouldn’t have liability shield” (Page A6, June 6).

I would like to point out a word usage issue contained in this editorial about AI chatbots.

The sentence in question reads: “The challenge now is how to reap the benefits of AI while harnessing its threats and misuse”.

The problem I see is with the word “harnessing.” I don’t believe there is any way to “harness” threats or misuse. To “harness,” of course, means to utilize, leverage for a positive purpose. Harness misuse? Doesn’t make sense.

I think the most appropriate word for this context would be “mitigate.” Thank you for providing me with an opportunity to express my opinion on the wording of your otherwise commendable editorial.

Bruce MendenhallNewark

GOP should move onfrom indicted Trump

Whether Republicans like Donald Trump or not, it’s time to move on from a dangerous character.

I am among the many that say we believed in his ideologies and many of his first-term accomplishments.

But he is a different man today, vindictive and paranoid, so focused on destroying his enemies rather than putting any vision forward.

He may win primaries and even the GOP ticket, but there is zero chance he could win the national election. The progressives know this and that’s why they are staying with Joe Biden.

Wake up GOP, don’t allow the obvious to happen. The survival of the Republican Party is at stake.

Neil BonkeLos Altos