Right now using AI is being marketed as this flashy futuristic technology that can be used for EVERYTHING.

In reality it’s like using a helicopter to cross the street. Sure it will move quickly. But really it’s incredibly expensive, wasteful and unecessary for many ordinary things, and it may not even end up where you wanted it to go. And now the street below has more wind, dust, noise, dangers and chaos than ever before. But invest! Helicopters are the future! Why even learn to walk?

AI has uses, but for most it is seen as an immature technology that never met the marketing hype. Precious resources are going into data centers few want to live with, to power AI that few want to pay to use, to abuse and pollute and likely ruin things they use and care about.

I think it’s a lack of consequences. If you stood in your town center and said something dumb, people would call you out and shame you for it. It would change your reputation too, at least for a while. If it was really that off the rails you could get arrested or beat up, and you may never want to show your face there again.

Having a global communication system is amazing. Some guy I never met can show me how to fix my house or see things from a different point of view.

BUT there are way more people that are willing to say something dumb, not only in their local chats and posts, but everyone else’s. There can be public ridicule, but there is little chance that someone will find you and kick your ass. Not only that there isn’t really a way for victims to walk away either, which makes cyberbullying so unrelenting.

It’s nice to have an option that isn’t one of the corporate overlords. I want it to be successful, but I also don’t want it to be mainstream, because that brings mainstream level problems too.

it’s not a real quote

It’s okay! It’s a small thing but I appreciate you

Did you forget the community you’re on? You’re right but relax, nobody is expecting crazy levels of nuance here

If you are a woman in a heavily Muslim country I think the last thing you’d want to do is draw public attention to yourself

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudud

Same, my coping mechanism is a small dji and working on getting drone certs. Charging a small battery is a lot cheaper than aviation fuel

Magic the Gathering. Seems fun but I can’t justify new video game prices for individual cards

When you make it better? Look you can’t control the economy, or who runs a big company or country or whatever. But you can control you. How you talk to people, how you spend your time. It doesn’t mean trying to be happy all the time. Feelings have very little to do with it actually. Just try to make things a little better, even if it’s just your bedroom or trash can.

You might think nobody sees what you do or cares but I promise you’d be wrong.

Never hurts to have extra food and water…and toilet paper

People can have lives AND care about you at the same time

I heard somewhere that an easy way to try is with cashiers or other staff. You got 30 seconds to chat and if you mess it up you’ve already got an out and can walk away. Just read the room and make sure they aren’t crazy busy of course

To look out for incoming golf balls

Just like when you feel like not doing anything else, you just get going and sometimes just starting anyway pays off and you get into a good flow

Yes! There one locally owned station in particular that seems to be thriving. It has no blocks of ads and real DJs. They always seem to be playing new stuff, and they even host small concerts for local artists and guests. They also stream at their site, thesummit.fm

Between them and The Alternation, which is another locally owned station that plays alternative rock, everything else in the area is iHeart Radio blandness. You know the type. Constant ads, playing the same songs over and over, morning shows etc

It sucks because trains are great, but money and regulations are the general answer. Air travel gets tons of kickbacks from the government, and most airlines don’t even pay taxes on fuel. Also planes fly on the air but trains need rails, land to put it on and maintenance to keep it running.

I agree! To keep with the athlete analogy that was used earlier, a teacher is like a coach.

You don’t need them really, you could put in all the work yourself and get results. But a good teacher/coach can help you set priorities, avoid common setbacks and keep you on track so you’re getting the most from your time.

Learning something new is never easy enough to not require some effort, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it way less difficult and enjoyable with the right kind of help.

My apologies, in that case I should note this tale is a different Dylan that found themselves in a similar predicament.

Once there was a man named Dylan.

Dylan wanted to become a writer. Oh, the tales he wished to weave! The worlds he could build! But there was a problem. He didn’t quite know how to write. Now, though he was no dummy. He could use a pen and paper or type on a keyboard just like you and me, if not better! But the problem was stories don’t write themselves. That takes practice and effort.

“How dreadful!” He thought. “But I have an idea! I’ll ask friend Chad to write for me. He’s a clever lad! He’s read everything ever put to into writing so he’ll know just what I’d like to do.”

So the next time they met, he asked him. “Chad, I’m trying to write a story…” And he went on to describe the tale he sought. The world that seemed so vibrant in his head. Chad set to work and finally handed him a page. “Like this?”

It wasn’t quite what he wanted. Not at all. It was rather bland, to be honest. Chad was smart all right, but he was no mind reader and maybe he was more inclined for cubicle work after all.

Chad apologized “I’m sorry Dylan, but if you ever find the type of story you’re looking for I’d love to read it!”

So Dylan set off for home, dismayed. “How…” he thought. “How can I get these stories out? I still have never written a story in my days!” he wished for an easier way. Some way to unleash his thoughts…but there was only one.

He set to it. He sat down with a pad of paper and a keyboard and his favorite drink and he dared himself. “20 minutes. That’s a start. I’ll sit here and write for 20 minutes and we’ll see.”

The minutes goaned by and his brain seemed to creak and sputter. Like the dust of ages wearing off and tiny sprouts of beauty taking their place, but not blooming. Soon there it was.

And it was horrendous. It was like a stick figure. No, not even. A rough sketch of a stick figure. But it was his. And from then on, he wrote when he could or when inspiration struck. Sometimes when he thought inspiration would never be seen again but he sat down anyway out of spite.

He took notes when ideas did eventually sprang up, like that brilliant one on lunch break! He made characters and gave them life. One page turned to a few. Revisions were made, how foolish he was at first! He formed and shaped his world. Add a little, take some away. Again, again!

In time, his good time, he had it at last. A complete tale in full bloom! And it was beautiful, not because it was new or revolutionary or witty. But because it was his.