I’m not American.

Well I’ve actually been to China. Worked there for a bit, tho TBF it was a long time ago. I’ve spent time in a bunch of SE Asia countries. Sometimes travelling, usually working my way round and staying in one place long enough to get to know the town, the locals, learn a bit of the language, form friendships, the occasional relationship. Probably only 5 years total in Asia tho, which I’ll admit isn’t enough to be an expert. Did the same in some European countries - mostly Spain and France, tho a brief bit of Italy too. I don’t really have any contacts left in China but I’ve got mates in Thailand I hope to see again, and Vietnam. Also Cambodia, tho that can be a bit sketchy. Mind you, anywhere can be sketchy if you’re more curious than careful. And just to head you off - no, I’m not rich. In fact I’m borderline homeless. All you really need to do is raise the price of the flight, organise visas, try to find a job or a place to stay before you set off. It’s very doable for anyone who wants to try. So, no, I’m not paying for your ticket. Pay your own fuckin way and stop letting your opinions be governed by your lack of experience. You can do this if you put your mind to it, I did, and I’m not the smartest or strongest or whatever. You just have to do it.

Edit - thanks for the meme, that means a lot.

Where did I say that? I absolutely have a problem with it, this is why the American political system is so fucked. Shouldn’t have to choose between shit and shittier. The fuck happened to ‘the will of the people’?

I guess we have different definitions of ‘liberal’. IMO a right wing liberal is an oxymoron.

Yeah okay tell that to the Uyghurs, the poor bastards need a laugh.

Which war was that? And are you sure they were ‘libs’? Because the American democrat party sure ain’t. They’re conservatives.

If only my doctors felt the same way.

Yes, this is a happy consequence of my having been assiduously toxifying myself with drugs for several decades. Woe unto the fucker who tries to take my organs. At this point, I imagine they’d poison a hungry dog, stone fuckin dead.

Yeah, like China is so cozy and welcoming towards its minority groups. It’s okay to criticise both sides.

Nah, libs are more about calling out evil, greater and lesser both. And minorities aren’t inherently pure, they get called out too if they do heinous shit. It’s not so much about taking a side, more about trying to be a decent human being and encouraging others to do the same. It’s just that the American electoral system requires people to choose between a turd burger or a salad with a shit on the side.

It is less reliable than a conventional search engine. It’s lied to me before. It’s just quicker and easier than chasing down links and reading through stuff to get the info you need.

The divide is growing, too. If this continues, we will be crouched naked in a puddle of piss and broken glass, weeping and eating worms, while the rich fly high above us in their private jets. Their only interactions with the poor will be when they molest our children or harvest our organs.

I was an early adopter for mobile phones, and I was so fuckin excited to get one! Bought one of those things that would be a brick today, had a mouthpiece you had to flip down, and an aerial you had to pull up. Back then it seemed like sleek star trek tech. Took it back to the shop because the signal infrastructure just wasn’t there. Stuck with my pager for another couple of years lol

I kinda have a feeling that when they get this folding tech working properly and affordably, it’s going to start replacing gaming consoles for the younger generation. Most people have a phone, and many people can’t afford >£1k for a console. It’s sad, IMO, but kinda predictable.

Thanks, when I find some time I’ll give it a try!

Thanks. Saving this comment. Don’t understand it all but can research. Might give it a try. Cheers

I’ve never even considered buying my own domain. Would you - or anyone - mind explaining how that works for email? I’m kinda half tech literate. I’m at the level of someone who has Linux on their laptop but has to look up stuff every time they use the console!

But yeah, I’ve been meaning to migrate for years now. Your idea of one account a day makes it seem doable, thanks.

I don’t think consciousness necessarily has to be biological, but LLMs certainly aren’t. If a model says “Fuck Doom, I wanna play cyberpunk!” I’d be more inclined to believe it has some consciousness and agency.

I dunno tho, I read blindsight not so long ago and it got me thinking about the possibility of intelligence without consciousness.

I know I should be. It’s a time issue. My gmail address is linked with my entire fuckin life. I guess that’s how they trap you…

Yeah, back in my day the games came on a cassette tape. Sometimes the tapes got tangled up or broke, but when you bought it, you owned it.

Oh, and you’d get those magazines with pages of code for a game - you’d spend a day typing it in and never be able to figure out the tiny error you’d made.

Actually, games are so much better these days. It’s just unfortunate that capitalism.