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  • AI Slop Invades Stoppage List?

    From Martin Nicholas@reply-2025@mgn.org.uk to uk.rec.waterways on Sat May 24 11:49:10 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.rec.waterways

    Recently the e-mail "Subject:" has deteriorated into occasional garbage.

    Highlights from the last few days:
    "Navigation Closure Alert: Bridge 163" - Which waterway?
    "Navigation Closure Completed: Anchor Lock, Lock 33" - Where?

    There is no fixed format for "Subject:", yet one is much needed like:
    "Closure - Oxford Canal - Bridge 163, Marsh Bridge"
    "Now open - Oxford Canal - Bridge 163, Marsh Bridge"
    Not difficult.
    --
    Regards,

    Martin Nicholas.

    E-mail: reply-202505@mgn.org.uk (Address will be valid throughout May).

    The free and open internet - use it or lose it.

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Steve@don'tspam@tty.org.uk to uk.rec.waterways on Tue May 27 20:00:43 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.rec.waterways

    On 24/05/2025 11:49, Martin Nicholas wrote:
    Recently the e-mail "Subject:" has deteriorated into occasional garbage.

    Highlights from the last few days:
    "Navigation Closure Alert: Bridge 163" - Which waterway?
    "Navigation Closure Completed: Anchor Lock, Lock 33" - Where?

    There is no fixed format for "Subject:", yet one is much needed like: "Closure - Oxford Canal - Bridge 163, Marsh Bridge"
    "Now open - Oxford Canal - Bridge 163, Marsh Bridge"
    Not difficult.



    It's not AI slop - it's just very badly programmed. All the data is
    there, its just not in the right places
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  • From Martin Nicholas@reply-2025@mgn.org.uk to uk.rec.waterways on Wed May 28 10:28:34 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.rec.waterways

    On Tue, 27 May 2025 20:00:43 +0100
    Steve <don'tspam@tty.org.uk> wrote:

    On 24/05/2025 11:49, Martin Nicholas wrote:
    Recently the e-mail "Subject:" has deteriorated into occasional
    garbage.

    Highlights from the last few days:
    "Navigation Closure Alert: Bridge 163" - Which waterway?
    "Navigation Closure Completed: Anchor Lock, Lock 33" - Where?

    There is no fixed format for "Subject:", yet one is much needed
    like: "Closure - Oxford Canal - Bridge 163, Marsh Bridge"
    "Now open - Oxford Canal - Bridge 163, Marsh Bridge"
    Not difficult.



    It's not AI slop - it's just very badly programmed. All the data is
    there, its just not in the right places

    There's something random going on, sometimes the waterway is in the
    subject, sometimes it's not. Not even a meaningful location:
    "Navigation Restriction Alert: Birkwood Lock"
    You are supposed to know that "Birkwood Lock" is on the Aire & Calder.
    There may even be other Birkwood Lock's on the system for all I know.
    Granted the waterway is in the body text.

    Interestingly, the plaintext version has a non-tracking enabled link.
    This one: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/0197122d-7225-7cf1-8600-93e4bb93a867
    The HTML version has: https://mandrillapp.com/track/click/10513099/canalrivertrust.org.uk?p=random_tracking_crap

    I'm convinced the Subject Header are being written by Mailchimp/Mandrill/Intuit, based on the content.

    Prior to the 5th May everything was just about what's wanted:
    "Navigation closure notice: Rochdale Canal, Navigation: Closed, Towpath:
    Open"
    Even the plaintext link was somewhat meaningful: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/31441-lock-45-rochdale-canal

    Note: These are two different stoppages.
    --
    Regards,

    Martin Nicholas.

    E-mail: reply-202505@mgn.org.uk (Address will be valid throughout May).

    The Usenet: Social media since 1980. 26 years earlier than you might
    think.

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