In the meantime in my world…

[Freezer]

Look up low cost Chineese cars

[Bigslug]

But I’m sure some of the folks that flew in with me are still happily waiting in the old paper world line for the next hour. Damn that line looked long……. I’m exhausted, I think I’ll go hang at the bar for a beer.

Paper doesn't crash. Security is a padlock on the filing cabinet. And while it is still subject to the same Garbage In, Garbage Out problems associated with a human doing the input, you can usually at least physically FIND it.

It's sort of my joke, but not really a joke: I suffer from PTSD acquired in the Platform Wars. Computers started showing up for real in the early 1980's when I was about 10-11. Some people struggle with math or learning foreign languages; I struggled with learning to speak Computer. . .and just when I started to get a handle on it, POOF!, Commodores get bumped out of the market by Apple and IBM. Just when I get a handle on learning how to make documents on Word Perfect, POOF!, Microsoft Word bumps it off the market. Just when I learned how to fly the IBM-based point-of-sale software at work in the early-mid 1990's, it got replaced by something Apple-based, which ended up being a total piece of crap, and I ended up having to learn ANOTHER Microsoft-based system. Was forced to go from vinyl to tape to CD and am now at the point of being pissed off that my truck didn't come with a CD player (I have one plugged into a USB port) and I now have to PAY for a Sirius subscription to get decent radio. PAYING! FOR EFFING RADIO!

Constantly adapting to SOME OTHER M.F.'s idea of "progress" when the hammers that drove the nails successfully for decades weren't broke, or even worn out? Needing to figure out the totally uninteresting shiny object because the stupid-monkey-majority who are attracted to shiny objects think it's "necessary"? Yeah, I'm exhausted.

Some AI-based thing called "Chat GPT" seems to be showing up among my co-workers for, among, other things writing reports with the barest amount of their input. Having learned how to write a coherent sentence all on my own, I've just got to shake my head - - it's only gonna make us dumber folks.

[Wambli Ska]

You never get to see pics of Russian or Chineese cars, I have something to research. Thanks Wanbli!

Meet the BYD U9. For a cool $250,000 it eats Bugatti’s for lunch.

IMG_0037.jpeg (549.59 KiB) Viewed 285 times

Thera are over 20 Chinese car brands being sold in Mexico today. Most of my friends down there are scraping their Japanese cars for those. Prices start at around $20,000 US for pretty darn nice little SUVs.

Since I work for a European company we have no limitations on who we do business with and we service several Chinese brands around the world. We also work with USA and European car companies and I’ve met with many of them for decades. China Mobile is a big partner of ours.

[Freezer]

I couldn't get in or out of that dang thing with it's seat 2 inches, 4cm, off the ground!

They had basic mini cars for $2000! Decent cars for under $10,000. Russia doesn't have much and get 50% of their cars form China.

[Zorba]

But I’m sure some of the folks that flew in with me are still happily waiting in the old paper world line for the next hour. Damn that line looked long……. I’m exhausted, I think I’ll go hang at the bar for a beer.

Paper doesn't crash. Security is a padlock on the filing cabinet. And while it is still subject to the same Garbage In, Garbage Out problems associated with a human doing the input, you can usually at least physically FIND it.

It's sort of my joke, but not really a joke: I suffer from PTSD acquired in the Platform Wars. Computers started showing up for real in the early 1980's when I was about 10-11. Some people struggle with math or learning foreign languages; I struggled with learning to speak Computer. . .and just when I started to get a handle on it, POOF!, Commodores get bumped out of the market by Apple and IBM. Just when I get a handle on learning how to make documents on Word Perfect, POOF!, Microsoft Word bumps it off the market. Just when I learned how to fly the IBM-based point-of-sale software at work in the early-mid 1990's, it got replaced by something Apple-based, which ended up being a total piece of crap, and I ended up having to learn ANOTHER Microsoft-based system. Was forced to go from vinyl to tape to CD and am now at the point of being pissed off that my truck didn't come with a CD player (I have one plugged into a USB port) and I now have to PAY for a Sirius subscription to get decent radio. PAYING! FOR EFFING RADIO!

Constantly adapting to SOME OTHER M.F.'s idea of "progress" when the hammers that drove the nails successfully for decades weren't broke, or even worn out? Needing to figure out the totally uninteresting shiny object because the stupid-monkey-majority who are attracted to shiny objects think it's "necessary"? Yeah, I'm exhausted.

Some AI-based thing called "Chat GPT" seems to be showing up among my co-workers for, among, other things writing reports with the barest amount of their input. Having learned how to write a coherent sentence all on my own, I've just got to shake my head - - it's only gonna make us dumber folks.

But its PROGRESS, and its so conVEEEEEEEENient! Even though I made my living my entire career off of "high tech", if the damn thing all crashed down tomorrow, I wouldn't shed a tear. I'd dance on the graves of the TelCos instead. The IBM PC was an enormous step backwards in computer technology that literally took decades to recover from, Microslop "turd" was a stupendous steaming stack of stinking steer stool the day it came out and it hasn't gotten much better since, and I blatantly REFUSE to subscribe to ANYTHING - esp. radio! But listen to the apologists, its all wonderful, its all fine. Just keep in mind who they work for and who they represent - and that's just on the physical plane! Then "feed the pig" and pay, pay, pay, pay, pay, that TelCo/CableCo/CarCo for the privilege of putting up with their technological crap. No worries, a new version will be out next year, only $1,200 plus subscription!

[Wambli Ska]

You made your career in the “high tech” world and your 40 year old “knowledge” is really cute. And as pertinent to any technology conversation today as dinosaur eggs. But again.. cute

[CPJ 2.0]

Ruskies had it figured out.


I’d actually love to have one of those.

[Wambli Ska]

Ruskies had it figured out.


I’d actually love to have one of those.

So would I just for kicks. But I know folks that actually HAD TO drive those as DD back in the day. Not nearly as cool as it looks

[Justsomedude]

You have to wonder, is it truly possible to just keep technologically advancing, or will there ever become a time when everything is as fast and efficient as possible? If so, that shows just how early we really are in the sense of being an "advanced civilization." There has to be some point when the juice isnt worth the squeeze to keep improving.

[Japhy]

Cars have become utilitarian to me. Reliability now almost trumps all. I want to be able to repair nearly anything that fails. Now I am keeping a close watch on 1990’s vintage Jeep Cherokee 4wd, Inline 6, 5 speed. Full expectation of an engine rebuild or crate replacement, suspension rebuild, and from the AZ sun a paint job, a decent winch, upgraded alternator, battery, and inverter. An add on will be an audio system and a Garmin GPS possibly starlink. Yea I know but the starlink also has an on/off switch. Zero phone dependency. Very little data sharing, goes almost anywhere I want, hauls almost everything I own and absolutely all I need. If i could buy that vehicle new I would.

[Wambli Ska]

You have to wonder, is it truly possible to just keep technologically advancing, or will there ever become a time when everything is as fast and efficient as possible? If so, that shows just how early we really are in the sense of being an "advanced civilization." There has to be some point when the juice isnt worth the squeeze to keep improving.

We have barely scratched the surface. Panic ensues with every significant iteration of technology. And then everyone becomes comfortable with it (well, most) and learn to make the best of it. A very small percentage of the population will always resist, but ultimately they fade from the workforce, society and die. Most will adapt and thrive, especially the young, while a smaller group go searching for the next level, and so on and so on…

I was talking to some of our younger folks in the company about AI and there are some lower level folks that are worried about their careers, and why wouldn’t they be, AI is our generation’s politicians and news people manufactured Cold War.

AI as we know it today, is just another tool, no more no less, and it has been around for a long time. And just like Microsoft Office a while back, every secretary figured they’d be out of a job. Nope, the job they were in just morphed to something else to adapt to technology and they became faster, smarter and more meaningful to the companies they worked for. But like years ago I remember it was important to put in your CV Microsoft Office proficient, now it’s assumed. Pretty soon they will say it’s important to put AI proficient on that same CV and soon afterwards it will be assumed you are because you’ll learn to use it from childhood.

And thinking that AI makes you dumber is absolutely ridiculous. What it does is get rid of tedious tasks so you can concentrate on being better at what’s important, THINKING!!! A year ago it would have taken me a whole week to structure a major contract and negotiate terms and commercials. I just wrapped the whole process in 4 hours last week with another global Telcom provider because both of us used AI to do all the groundwork for us. But the core of what WE do AI can’t, and that is innovate. AI is an administrative, research and problem solving engine, BUT it is not an innovator because it lacks instinct, a knowledge of real people and the ability to understand that some things are resolved by relationships not logic.

It MIGHT get there, but not in our lifetimes folks. And this is from the folks that KNOW.

[Wambli Ska]

Cars have become utilitarian to me. Reliability now almost trumps all. I want to be able to repair nearly anything that fails. Now I am keeping a close watch on 1990’s vintage Jeep Cherokee 4wd, Inline 6, 5 speed. Full expectation of an engine rebuild or crate replacement, suspension rebuild, and from the AZ sun a paint job, a decent winch, upgraded alternator, battery, and inverter. An add on will be an audio system and a Garmin GPS possibly starlink. Yea I know but the starlink also has an on/off switch. Zero phone dependency. Very little data sharing, goes almost anywhere I want, hauls almost everything I own and absolutely all I need. If i could buy that vehicle new I would.

Sounds like a great build! I’ll probably be rebuilding a 1989 Land Rover Defender 110 with a factory V-8 and a right seat steering column next year.

[Justsomedude]

You have to wonder, is it truly possible to just keep technologically advancing, or will there ever become a time when everything is as fast and efficient as possible? If so, that shows just how early we really are in the sense of being an "advanced civilization." There has to be some point when the juice isnt worth the squeeze to keep improving.

We have barely scratched the surface. Panic ensues with every significant iteration of technology. And then everyone becomes comfortable with it (well, most) and learn to make the best of it. A very small percentage of the population will always resist, but ultimately they fade from the workforce, society and die. Most will adapt and thrive, especially the young, while a smaller group go searching for the next level, and so on and so on…

I was talking to some of our younger folks in the company about AI and there are some lower level folks that are worried about their careers, and why wouldn’t they be, AI is our generation’s politicians and news people manufactured Cold War.

AI as we know it today, is just another tool, no more no less, and it has been around for a long time. And just like Microsoft Office a while back, every secretary figured they’d be out of a job. Nope, the job they were in just morphed to something else to adapt to technology and they became faster, smarter and more meaningful to the companies they worked for. But like years ago I remember it was important to put in your CV Microsoft Office proficient, now it’s assumed. Pretty soon they will say it’s important to put AI proficient on that same CV and soon afterwards it will be assumed you are because you’ll learn to use it from childhood.

And thinking that AI makes you dumber is absolutely ridiculous. What it does is get rid of tedious tasks so you can concentrate on being better at what’s important, THINKING!!! A year ago it would have taken me a whole week to structure a major contract and negotiate terms and commercials. I just wrapped the whole process in 4 hours last week with another global Telcom provider because both of us used AI to do all the groundwork for us. But the core of what WE do AI can’t, and that is innovate. AI is an administrative, research and problem solving engine, BUT it is not an innovator because it lacks instinct, a knowledge of real people and the ability to understand that some things are resolved by relationships not logic.

It MIGHT get there, but not in our lifetimes folks. And this is from the folks that KNOW.

Im not even remotely against AI. I use ChatGPT quite a bit, and frankly, its amazing. Its like having a personal assistant in every way possible thats well versed in literally any area that you can think of. I've been restoring my 1985 Ninja and ran into a bunch of problems that comes with a 41 year old bike that was fully disassembled in a shed for 15 years. ChatGPT has been worth its weight in gold for all of the advice, pointers and everything else that it helped with. I got a kick out of it telling me how it has installed engines in the past . Its damn near so good, that you'd think there was a sentient being of some sort on the other end. And with the way things have been going in my life lately, I've been damn near using it as a councilor and although it doesn't understand it, it can sure express empathy in a realistic manner.

[Freezer]

JSD makes a very valid point. IIRC folks were afraid radio waves could kill you, they're right but not in the frequencies and strength we used. Folks were afraid electricity would leak through the wall and harm them. When the first a bomb was set of they thought the chain reaction might continue and destroy the earth. They may have been right but, not the way they were first afraid of. Our union fought pagers, cell phones and auto GPS, the list goes on and on.

[Wambli Ska]

You have to wonder, is it truly possible to just keep technologically advancing, or will there ever become a time when everything is as fast and efficient as possible? If so, that shows just how early we really are in the sense of being an "advanced civilization." There has to be some point when the juice isnt worth the squeeze to keep improving.

We have barely scratched the surface. Panic ensues with every significant iteration of technology. And then everyone becomes comfortable with it (well, most) and learn to make the best of it. A very small percentage of the population will always resist, but ultimately they fade from the workforce, society and die. Most will adapt and thrive, especially the young, while a smaller group go searching for the next level, and so on and so on…

I was talking to some of our younger folks in the company about AI and there are some lower level folks that are worried about their careers, and why wouldn’t they be, AI is our generation’s politicians and news people manufactured Cold War.

AI as we know it today, is just another tool, no more no less, and it has been around for a long time. And just like Microsoft Office a while back, every secretary figured they’d be out of a job. Nope, the job they were in just morphed to something else to adapt to technology and they became faster, smarter and more meaningful to the companies they worked for. But like years ago I remember it was important to put in your CV Microsoft Office proficient, now it’s assumed. Pretty soon they will say it’s important to put AI proficient on that same CV and soon afterwards it will be assumed you are because you’ll learn to use it from childhood.

And thinking that AI makes you dumber is absolutely ridiculous. What it does is get rid of tedious tasks so you can concentrate on being better at what’s important, THINKING!!! A year ago it would have taken me a whole week to structure a major contract and negotiate terms and commercials. I just wrapped the whole process in 4 hours last week with another global Telcom provider because both of us used AI to do all the groundwork for us. But the core of what WE do AI can’t, and that is innovate. AI is an administrative, research and problem solving engine, BUT it is not an innovator because it lacks instinct, a knowledge of real people and the ability to understand that some things are resolved by relationships not logic.

It MIGHT get there, but not in our lifetimes folks. And this is from the folks that KNOW.

Im not even remotely against AI. I use ChatGPT quite a bit, and frankly, its amazing. Its like having a personal assistant in every way possible thats well versed in literally any area that you can think of. I've been restoring my 1985 Ninja and ran into a bunch of problems that comes with a 41 year old bike that was fully disassembled in a shed for 15 years. ChatGPT has been worth its weight in gold for all of the advice, pointers and everything else that it helped with. I got a kick out of it telling me how it has installed engines in the past . Its damn near so good, that you'd think there was a sentient being of some sort on the other end. And with the way things have been going in my life lately, I've been damn near using it as a councilor and although it doesn't understand it, it can sure express empathy in a realistic manner.

Do you feel like it’s made you dumber?

When the combined knowledge of the universe is at your fingertips, it is up to the individual to use it for edification and purpose. Some will not and they is not a fault of the resource, it’s a human issue.

So think of AI as a garage with every cabinet and tool Snap-On makes, and every manual ever written for every vehicle. You are now the mechanic. What are you doing next…..

[CPJ 2.0]

AI will absolutely make the world dumber, at the same time making it able to solve problems more efficiently.

A problem exists that I can’t fix? AI to the rescue. Problem solved.
But did I actually learn anything? Not as much as if I’d solved the problem myself, did a deep dive and actually learn how to do it.

GenX and slightly below will be able to use it effectively. We grew up NEEDING to learn how to do _____. We can use AI as a tool. Young kids born with a phone in their hand? They will be the dumbest generation yet. They don’t NEED to learn, as The Clankers will do it for them. People are generally lazy. Read something and learn or say “hey Skynet, how do I ________?”


From a productivity standpoint, shtuff gets done. But making the population smarter? Naw. Unless you consider the Clankers part of the population. And it’s allllll fine and dandy till that knowledge gets priced out of reach, or it gets destroyed by natural disaster, attacks, etc.

[CPJ 2.0]

One positive thing about AI, is it allows some of our corporate people to actually compose an email that isn’t impossible to read. It’s still annoying because it’s an AI written email, but at least words are spilled coreeckly.
I mean basic 8th grade English class should have made that a non- issue, but here we are.

[Justsomedude]

I dont feel AI has made me dumber, but I'm also from the mindset that if it does, who cares? Im in the "as long as the job gets done" group. If they decided that kids didnt need to attend school anymore because they all had the ability to problem solve in their pocket, I honestly wouldnt care. We've developed alot of things over the years that allow shortcuts in life (and theres nothing wrong with that). This is another one and its just the way that things pan out.

[PFD45]

.

[Wambli Ska]

One positive thing about AI, is it allows some of our corporate people to actually compose an email that isn’t impossible to read. It’s still annoying because it’s an AI written email, but at least words are spilled coreeckly.
I mean basic 8th grade English class should have made that a non- issue, but here we are.

I know that many folks think that if you’re in “corporate” you are a lazy useless turd. In some small companies, especially family owned, that CAN be the case. But if in today’s world in the most successful companies dead wood lasts minutes before it’s washed out. I know Hollywood has trained us to think otherwise. But they are not producing documentaries. And none of those folks would know a real job if it bit them in the ass.

We’ve fired new Senior people in months for shortcomings in skill and network because they somehow passed our rigorous interviewing ng process by lying well, but that might get you in and swiftly out. But some folks might have small issues like poor writing skills but they have other talents that have kept them employed and even promoted. AI can help them patch the holes on the raft.

And that is exactly what AI does the best. It addresses shortcomings and knowledge holes while allowing folks to shine in their strong areas. The most brilliant theoretical physicist out there is probably a child with a wild imagination but zero math skills and maybe not even the brain wherewithal to learn calculus BUT he can imagine things in ways we can not!!! So let him figure out something crazy in his brain and ask AI to build the equation and some day we’ll figure out gravity.

AI is NOT sentient and it is NOT self serving. It has no creativity or sense of community. It does NOT sit there at night plotting or inventing. It is a servant to those who think and dream.

[Zorba]

I'll only say this: At what price, humanity? The apologists, those that have something to sell you, will obfuscate. The people who are aware, will caution. The majority will take the path of least resistance, and lose their souls as a result. I've seen the contrast. The apologists will denigrate anyone/everyone that doesn't fall into line. Remember that. Things are NOT oh-so-wonderful as they're selling, and much are solutions to non existent and/or created problems. Remember, implants are coming - in fact, they're already here. That too will be sold as "oh so wonderful". You can bet it will make the "predatory engineering" of the smartphone seem like child's play - but it might actually be a bit more useful. If you have no soul. Transhumanism is the blackest evil I can think of right now, and its proponents are legion.

[CPJ 2.0]

One positive thing about AI, is it allows some of our corporate people to actually compose an email that isn’t impossible to read. It’s still annoying because it’s an AI written email, but at least words are spilled coreeckly.
I mean basic 8th grade English class should have made that a non- issue, but here we are.

I know that many folks think that if you’re in “corporate” you are a lazy useless turd. In some small companies, especially family owned, that CAN be the case. But if in today’s world in the most successful companies dead wood lasts minutes before it’s washed out. I know Hollywood has trained us to think otherwise. But they are not producing documentaries. And none of those folks would know a real job if it bit them in the ass.

We’ve fired new Senior people in months for shortcomings in skill and network because they somehow passed our rigorous interviewing ng process by lying well, but that might get you in and swiftly out. But some folks might have small issues like poor writing skills but they have other talents that have kept them employed and even promoted. AI can help them patch the holes on the raft.

And that is exactly what AI does the best. It addresses shortcomings and knowledge holes while allowing folks to shine in their strong areas. The most brilliant theoretical physicist out there is probably a child with a wild imagination but zero math skills and maybe not even the brain wherewithal to learn calculus BUT he can imagine things in ways we can not!!! So let him figure out something crazy in his brain and ask AI to build the equation and some day we’ll figure out gravity.

AI is NOT sentient and it is NOT self serving. It has no creativity or sense of community. It does NOT sit there at night plotting or inventing. It is a servant to those who think and dream.

Good point about someone having skills, but lacks writing ability. That’s a good use for AI. Not always, but often, poor writing goes with poor performance. And the reverse is true. You can talk pretty and be a retard. Or you can be a VP and be a lying sack of excrement telling the peons what they want to hear, AND get results. But I digress.

It’s true upper level corpo types will get weeded out, but the majority of support staff doesn’t.


As for AI just being a slave to its master, sure. Right now. Until it’s not and your IOT toaster tells the vacuum to follow you around with the 3d printed min gun your robot maid built and mounted last night.
Sara Connor warned us.

[Diver43]

Well said
I have a family member that is dyslexic. His writing when you can read it looks like a 3rd graders. But he is a master craftsman in his trade. Makes classified airplane parts used by our Military. He can explain it in such technical terms and teach others what a book never could. Problem with promotions was he couldn't write the reports. If he had AI to assist he could have run the whole place instead of being just the shop guy everyone went to, to include the. Owners

[Freezer]

Well said
I have a family member that is dyslexic. His writing when you can read it looks like a 3rd graders. But he is a master craftsman in his trade. Makes classified airplane parts used by our Military. He can explain it in such technical terms and teach others what a book never could. Problem with promotions was he couldn't write the reports. If he had AI to assist he could have run the whole place instead of being just the shop guy everyone went to, to include the. Owners

You're singing my song! I'm an ADHD Dyslexic, my spelling is poor and grammer is worse. Spell check makes me almost look good! I have a mechanical appitude and can figure out things that leave others scratching their heads.

[Wambli Ska]

One positive thing about AI, is it allows some of our corporate people to actually compose an email that isn’t impossible to read. It’s still annoying because it’s an AI written email, but at least words are spilled coreeckly.
I mean basic 8th grade English class should have made that a non- issue, but here we are.

I know that many folks think that if you’re in “corporate” you are a lazy useless turd. In some small companies, especially family owned, that CAN be the case. But if in today’s world in the most successful companies dead wood lasts minutes before it’s washed out. I know Hollywood has trained us to think otherwise. But they are not producing documentaries. And none of those folks would know a real job if it bit them in the ass.

We’ve fired new Senior people in months for shortcomings in skill and network because they somehow passed our rigorous interviewing ng process by lying well, but that might get you in and swiftly out. But some folks might have small issues like poor writing skills but they have other talents that have kept them employed and even promoted. AI can help them patch the holes on the raft.

And that is exactly what AI does the best. It addresses shortcomings and knowledge holes while allowing folks to shine in their strong areas. The most brilliant theoretical physicist out there is probably a child with a wild imagination but zero math skills and maybe not even the brain wherewithal to learn calculus BUT he can imagine things in ways we can not!!! So let him figure out something crazy in his brain and ask AI to build the equation and some day we’ll figure out gravity.

AI is NOT sentient and it is NOT self serving. It has no creativity or sense of community. It does NOT sit there at night plotting or inventing. It is a servant to those who think and dream.

Good point about someone having skills, but lacks writing ability. That’s a good use for AI. Not always, but often, poor writing goes with poor performance. And the reverse is true. You can talk pretty and be a retard. Or you can be a VP and be a lying sack of excrement telling the peons what they want to hear, AND get results. But I digress.

It’s true upper level corpo types will get weeded out, but the majority of support staff doesn’t.


As for AI just being a slave to its master, sure. Right now. Until it’s not and your IOT toaster tells the vacuum to follow you around with the 3d printed min gun your robot maid built and mounted last night.
Sara Connor warned us.

You are spot on and the bolded part is the funniest crap I've read all day, thanks for making me laugh out loud.

We do have things to worry about but AI ain't it. Robotics on the other hand, especially when you have thousands of incompetent folks putting together startups like in the old .com days and building demo units with no checks and balances it is absolutely hysterically funny and frightening. I go to CES every year because it's really mandatory for me. I also turn my badge around and speak to no one or I'd be swamped with resumes and pitches for "funding" and could never go through the floor in peace.

This last one was just about all AI and Robotics. The AI folks just keep specializing into niche applications like investing or risk analysis. It's actually cool to see the evolution. BUT, the robot guys?!?!?!? Jesus H Christ!!! Armies of stupid machines tearing themselves apart trying to break dance and serve coffee, powered by some Chinese guy on his iPhone behind a curtain like the wizard of Oz. The good news is, guess who will NOT show his robots at these venues? Tesla. His crap is sooooo advanced he does not need to give any other junk makers ideas. When he goes fully commercial you will see a robotics segment crash just like the .coms a few decades ago. And at least his stuff is being made with amazing QC and impeccable programming, engineering and manufacturing.

BTW it's spelled IoT (Internet of Things)