Ugh. Sorry to hear that. I’m lucky enough to live near several big cities so I have a lot of options.

For what it’s worth, I’ve ordered fabric from spoonflower and it’s been great so far. I also get a lot of scrap/unique fabrics from small Etsy sellers, and 99 times out of 100 it’s perfect. Every once in a while the fabric has clearly been in a smokers house for a long time or terribly taken care of, but generally people do a great job of picking fabrics that go together and they package them nicely. Full disclosure my spoonflower purchases are all through their Etsy store because I don’t wanna make a whole new account for their site, but I imagine it’s the same experience regardless.

Honestly, my local Joann’s staff remembered me and always asked about my last project and how the recipient liked it. “Did your dad like his new tie?” “Did your uncle like the model boat?” legit some of the nicest people.

There’s a legit fabric store near me, like where designers get fabric, and it’s way more expensive, but the quality is better and the variety is unmatched, but I really don’t need all that. There’s also a sewing/quilting specialty store near me that’s independently owned and operated. Far less variety of fabrics, but more variety of patterns. Depending on what you went to Joann’s for, it’s possible there’s an alternative near you, though honestly I still preferred Joann’s to the two above alternatives. Just letting you know that sometimes there are other local options where the staff is equally helpful.

I think you just identified the actual problem, while shying away from identifying it as such. People shouldn’t take issue with ai, they should have issues with capitalism.

IMHO, the point of creative work can be debated, and you’re more than welcome to only be interested in non-ai work, but obviously that differs person to person. Some people might think that creative work is there to be enjoyed and if it brings joy then it’s valid. Plenty of people can enjoy AI work, even if you’re not one of them.

If what you’re fighting for is jobs for creatives, then I think it’s a bad argument. Nobody should be fighting for more things for capitalism to demand from anyone. Creatives should do their work separate and apart from the threat of capitalism, like everyone else. Anti-AI rhetoric serves to make people look like luddites while distracting from the actual problem - capitalism.

It feels reminiscent of the way narrators used to do books on tape. Modern ones are better imho, but all the pausing and intonation definitely seems “professional” more than conversational. Still extremely good.

Aghhhhh. I hate this so much. The same with head start programs. Like every $1 spent on early childhood programs saves $7 (at the low end!) in the long run. We have the answers. Makes me want to scream honestly.

Yes, and I’d like to not see it happen either 🥰

/s obviously

I don’t have any of those, but I can’t seem to find reporting on this statement yet. Can anyone verify if it’s a real tweet?

Maybe I’m too peace pilled for this, but I really don’t get tankies or anyone who simps for any government. Like, I have no personal problem with people from any country, so why can’t we all just be chill and not slob on the knob of governments. All governments have done bad stuff. The us had literal slaves. Really wish governments would just come out and say “yo, we messed up a lot, don’t take it out on other people though”. And then we could all just hug and eat cake or whatever. This is only tangentially related to your comment, but I’m just sick of people doing government posturing for the government so I’m just gonna leave the comment anyway. Hope you have a great day.

Wow, you weren’t kidding. $4 a can is a bit rich for my blood, but I will take your word that they’re good cuz I don’t know how else they can stay in business like that. I buy tea for my family by the gallon and it’s less than $4 vs an equivalent $32 worth of cans if I did the math right. It seems like they’re only available offline at Nordstrom. Hope you’re able to find them locally.

Mind sharing what kind it is? I generally drink hot tea, but my family likes cold tea so I like to keep some on hand. Would be nice to be able to also drink it myself, but it’s just so sugary (and I’m from the south, so I know my sweet teas) it’s hard to feel refreshed.

I’ve never heard of or seen that before. Thank you for passing along your white whale lol. Now I need it too. Tbh, all their flavors are pretty good if you haven’t tried the others, I’d suggest giving them a shot. My local grocery store (it’s very local so not naming it so I don’t dox myself) has a very good alternative store brand. I like berry flavors, and their in house brand is just as good as polar if not better. Worth trying your local store brand just in case you get lucky and find a new favorite!

I don’t feel as strongly about la croix, but if I have a choice I’m getting polar water instead. If you’re looking for flavored water, it’s the best imho.

I don’t know that the original commenter believed the AI legitimately was giving them industry secrets or anything. It came across as more of a joke than anything. Admittedly, almost no AI answer is trustworthy, but in this case it’s kinda funny that it’s giving an answer that is probably accurate but is probably not “brand safe”.

It doesn’t “know” anything. It contains complex associations, but it doesn’t actually have knowledge. Even if it did, the AI cannot “know the truth” unless it was in the meetings that took place regarding its creation or it was explicitly informed of that by someone that was there. It predicted an answer and that’s about the extent of it. For what it’s worth, the answer is definitely accurate in this case. What is your question even asking?

Yea, public transit differs wildly depending on area. Like I mentioned above, most drivers I saw actively resented this part of their job. To my recollection, the ramp was automated, but other than that the drivers would basically require you to ask for assistance and then huff and puff the whole time. Not all drivers, but a disproportionately large percentage. Would love to see that part of the job occupied by someone with more compassion, but you’re correct that with the current system someone would need to be there for that. I was figuring that if the vehicle was automated they’d have ADA compliant automated safety features as well.

Totally understandable to want to have a kind of “responsible party” there. Public transit has a relatively high proportion of vulnerable populations, so you make a good point.

You didn’t come off as defending anyone. I think it was just one of the first times I’ve heard someone talking about having mostly positive experiences on public transit (in the US). For what it’s worth, it’s nice to know it happens lol. Hope they continue to be positive!

Took the bus a lot as a kid/young adult. Some bus drivers were nice, but most were rude or basically had no impact on my commute. I’ve had a driver hit on me and then miss my stop multiple times after I declined. At least where I am, busses don’t stop at all stops unless there’s someone that needs to be picked up or dropped off and will regularly just skip stops if they’re running behind, regardless of how packed the bus or stop is. Have a bike, or need wheelchair access? The bus driver is going to give you attitude the whole time, if they stop for you at all. Some bus drivers were nice and would remember you and say hi, or help people who had questions, but it was a minority in my experience.

I’m not saying we’re ready to move to AI, but I can’t imagine what kind of positive they’re adding to your life that it is seen as a valid reason to keep them if they’re not actually needed. Like if they’re actually nice people, I would love to make sure they’re working jobs that need to be done and could use the injection of positivity you’re describing.

My big issue with it is basically summed up by this meme. By doing this he’s established that he’s willing to break promises and take advantage of systems that republicans are abusing, but only when it benefits him personally. He could executive order a bunch of different things, and go on a pardon spree, but what he does with his power is just to pardon his son. Unlike the rest of us, a Trump presidency will basically not affect him at all, and the little it would/did has to do with his son and he doesn’t even have to deal with that.

Do I want his son in prison? No, not really. But considering he all but lied about being a 1 term president and refused to step down making a primary impossible, which at least contributed to the dems loss, it’s an extra slap in the face that the only real consequence he had to face is able to be erased by a stroke of his pen, and yet he seems to be doing nothing to protect or help anyone else who has been hurt by his decisions. I don’t think Hunter should suffer because of who his dad is, but his dad is making (and has made) us all suffer and is unwilling to do anything about it.

I’m not making a fuss about it, but if I was, it’d not be about the pardon, it’d be about how his big move as a lame duck with immunity confirmed by the Supreme Court is to get his son out of prison and watch everyone else suffer.

The IOC stopped accepting IBA decisions like this because they are a corrupt organization. The IBA never provided that information and we don’t have confirmation of that, but by disqualifying her, a title was restored to a Russian athlete and they had made Russia’s gas company a main sponsor of the IBA. I’m not saying I know anyone’s chromosomal makeup, but I wish people would stop stating it as a fact. She could have it or not, but we do not know.

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/paris-2024-summer-olympics/olympics-boxing-imane-khalif-xy-chromosome-italian-boxer-quit/5662035/

Before anyone claims Russophobia or whatever, not all Russian organizations or people are corrupt, but it’s well agreed that it was a poorly run organization with a lot of problems. For what it’s worth I’d be suspect of any country in that position. Sports are a big point of national pride and monetary gain, and people should be wary of any decisions affecting pride or money, regardless of the circumstances.

In the US several hotels will offer a “continental breakfast” included with the stay. I guess you could argue that it’s not really free, considering it’s factored into your stay at the hotel, but there is technically not a separate charge for it and it’s considered an “amenity”. I know that this is not necessarily common in other places, so I thought I would mention in case you were not aware.