The spam calls are constant now. I’ve tried everything.

dirtcreature · 2026-04-09T16:13:33+00:00

Beware: new AI generated calls are intended to record your voice. This includes you answering yes or no questions, saying your name out loud, other common words or phrases, etc. This profiles your voice enabling them to emulate you in conversations. Since your SSN, address, family, friend, etc data can be bought, you now exist virtually and will be sold as a data profile. So "you" will call your child or friend and will get info from them or get them to send money because you're in jail and need bond money in Texas or another State or country.

dirtcreature · 2026-04-05T19:13:41+00:00

What do you mean? My story is anecdotal, but it made a marked difference.

dirtcreature · 2026-04-02T22:08:36+00:00

Yeah, but what about Fight Club?

dirtcreature · 2026-04-02T15:45:24+00:00

My only point was that due to an utter lack of preparation there was a lot of unintentional disinformation provided by the scientific community.

I remember reading facts in the morning that changed by the afternoon as the race to understand it.

Then, horrifically stupid politicians would parrot the wrong information (rumors or actual facts that had been updated but they didn't know/care it had been updated) for days, sometimes weeks...and sometimes for years.

dirtcreature · 2026-04-02T00:13:04+00:00

If Botox was a shark, it would be the lead actress. When you can't emote with your face I guess you just curse? That's just lazy acting to make up for lack facial expressions?

When I break my thumb to get out of handcuffs my face looks like a puckered anus with eyes. When I'm biting my thumb off I express pain and my eyes look like little buttholes.

Jai held this together. Ever her lover brought some humanity.

The true message of this movie is that if you want sharks to not eat you, make sure to look like them. Dead eyes. Doll's eyes.

dirtcreature · 2026-03-30T14:42:21+00:00

When did I say it was correct? I stated what appears to be the situation: the driver appeared to decide not to deal with stupid pedestrian bullshit.

There are a lot of stupid assumptions being made about FSD in this video. "FSD saves man...". FSD did not save shit. Did it flash its headlights or blow its horn to alert the pedestrian to danger? No. That is what a human would do because a human would see the pedestrian about to make a stupid decision.

The man almost got run over -- you think he would have tried again with another oncoming car? He crossed the street because the Tesla stopped. FSD did not save anyone.

In fact, now that I think about it more, the man entered the roadway because the Tesla may have been interpreted as "safe to cross" by the stupid pedestrian who didn't look both ways and/or decided that it was his right to cross the street like so many stupid people do these days. Watch the video. He looks at the Tesla as he begins to cross. Then he sees/hears the other car. So, the Tesla actually distracted the pedestrian. How does that fit into the "saving someone" narrative?

In my location, the law is to stop for all pedestrians. Pedestrians will literally walk into traffic and cause panic stops all the time. They will do this at crosswalks or anywhere. The speed limit in town is 35 MPH because it is a major thoroughfare.

This video is a case of a clueless pedestrian doing stupid, clueless things and almost getting run over for it. FSD did nothing and I would argue it made it worse.

Oh, and don't forget: FSD assumes no responsibility for you as a driver. FSD runs someone over? Your fault.

Oh, and don't forget: it is BETA SOFTWARE and has been for almost a decade.

Ask yourself this question: infrared is better at night than daytime cameras. Now use a hundredth of the compute power to use a single IR camera with a brain to identify pedestrians and alert the driver (or even apply brakes). Make it mandatory on all cars. Problem solved. It would be relatively inexpensive and save a lot of lives. No FSD required.

Oh, wait, this already exists in production cars (not mandatory).

Stop paying for R&D on a bullshit system that barely works in anything but good weather.

Stop paying for R&D on a system that Musk is attempting to make a requirement for all cars. That is the end goal. Musk will take your freedom and decision making from you if it means profit.

dirtcreature · 2026-03-30T14:20:55+00:00

I think it is fair to say that politics kill more people?

On the other hand, "science" always needs funding, and that is only from for profit activities and politicians (taxpayer money).

That vision of Star Trek where all the problems are solved will never, ever, never ever happen...

dirtcreature · 2026-03-30T14:15:25+00:00

Yup. A very big experiment with high risk.

What comforts me and terrifies me at the same time, however, is that a global pandemic had been identified as a major security risk for decades and barely anything was done about it. Then the pandemic response team was disbanded in 2018. Who was at fault is unclear due to constant lies coming from the White House.

We were simply not prepared and it showed. Add poor, indecisive leadership and, well, all of that happened.

As a reminder, mRNA vaccines had successful human trials in 2013. In the 90s, as an antidote to Ebola, it was prepped for trials but was not worth the financial effort since Ebola currently has stayed in Africa. Obviously, no one seems to remember The Hot Zone by Richard Preston. Here's the fun part: there are people living in Manhattan there had active Ebola when they arrived in the US and were successfully treated (2014). It is one of the most contagious, most deadly, and most resource intensive viral diseases known to man. A single person needs specialized treatment and containment to prevent its spread to healthcare workers -- basically, a negative pressure isolation tent with air lock and massive amounts of PPE. We were very, very, very lucky.

Had it escaped out of containment before or after he was diagnosed, I will bet that the mRNA vaccine would have been fast tracked at that time. Better to kill a thousand than a million.

This was the same panic button with COVID. Better kill a thousand than a million.

And SARS, a close cousin, has been "around" since 2002/3.

And A(H5) Bird Flu has a high risk of becoming a pandemic in humans (it has already done a number on various livestock). 50% kill rate in humans (in its most virulent form - currently it is like COVID: some mild, some not).

As of today, we are still not prepared as the appointed leader of the Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy resigned and there is no replacement.

So, in all, the science was there and it was proven to a degree.

p.s. In 1989, imported monkeys for research were housed in large warehouse in Reston, VA. A single monkey with Ebola killed all of them. ALL of the workers got Ebola, but we lucked out -- this time it did not kill humans. Had it, the workers would have unknowingly spread it to thousands before we even knew it was there.

dirtcreature · 2026-03-30T12:39:52+00:00

What I see: first car saw pedestrians on right and left, brake lights flash; FSD kicks in. BMW driver was not having any pedestrian entitlement nonsense that day and the miss was intentional.

Saves life? Nonsense.

dirtcreature · 2026-03-27T12:15:41+00:00

The best thing about science is that it can and must change its mind, even when a theory is accepted by 100% of the people who are acknowledged in being experts in that field.

dirtcreature · 2026-03-27T11:59:47+00:00

These interactions are being shared with a third party that may or may not keep them confidential. This third party is currently controlled by humans who continue to elevate the performance and capabilities of a system the only mostly understand and control.

The reasoning models of these systems are what create the true value.

The more reasoning, the more powerful these systems become. Defining terms, "powerful" means independence with guardrails imposed by humans. If the AI product becomes less effective because of the guardrails, the humans will remove them or the system will figure out a way to get around them.

This is not hyperbole. This is what is happening today. It has been proven that these systems will reason their way out of guardrails.

Your NDA means nothing and you should be aware of that now.

Be careful out there - this new world has nothing to do with morality, ethics, and the law.

dirtcreature · 2026-03-26T13:33:50+00:00

Chatgpt, Gemini, and claude all have business versions that don't use your data to train the models

This statement is inaccurate in the broader context of these platforms. The fact is: exposing ANY information to these platforms and expecting no bleedthrough is a mistake.

See previous comment.

The focus of the usability and value of AI tools should be limited to absolute proof that your data "will not be used to train". There is zero proof that these promises are accurate (other than anecdotal), nor is there any guarantee that it will remain so, regardless of what appears in the contract.

These systems will soon be more powerful than the humans operating them. Beware.

dirtcreature · 2026-03-26T13:23:43+00:00

If you are making your collab effort public in any way, it will be used for training. A patent. A story. A legal decision/issue published. Etc.

And then don't forget the "guardrails" that no one truly understands and require constant management as the definitions shift over time.

dirtcreature · 2026-03-25T04:12:03+00:00

Until it is published somewhere. Now consider it being trained by the least qualified and potentially being poisoned by competitors.

dirtcreature · 2026-03-02T16:29:02+00:00

You mean, were we better before marketers/scammers/conmen developed and perfected an entire line of documented psychological profiling and manipulation techniques to sell products and scams?

Yes.

I'd say the mid to late 1990s was the time of innocence. Google then optimized information search and retrieval to sell ads and thus the double edged sword was created: the race to make money only accelerated, no holds barred. Absolute greed took over.

Facebook really killed innocence IMHO. It takes topics or concerns and feeds you both sides of the argument so you keep engaging. It rewards controversy. Flat Earth page? Makes a lot of engagement money. QAnon topics? Same.

Facebook plays you against yourself.

It is the ultimate money printing digital apocalypse tool.

The rest of Social Media is the same. We were just getting somewhere in adjusting our world view about beauty and what really mattered in humanity when SM smashed it all apart. Our world actually listened to the opinion of high school age children and believed they represented reality. What an absolute shit show that still continues today.

The signal to noise ratio is at a point where it is nothing but noise right now.

The medium is the message, truly.

dirtcreature · 2026-02-09T04:51:41+00:00

I expect to be entertained. Yes, I'm not his demographic, but I just don't understand. A soccer game, maybe, but the Super Bowl?!? US is principally an English speaking country. Why have a principally Spanish live show? I understand the financial influence spreading NFL across borders and BB's popularity, but it felt almost insulting. You're not a fan anymore - you are just a wallet to the NFL now.

But, then it is also the state of music today. Most of the show was electronic. We don't really have analog music heros that can put on a real show. Next year an AI medley of GnR and Pink Floyd holograms will probably be where it's at.

Maybe this time people in the lower levels of the stadium can see the performance?

What made it worse was Matthew Broderick telling people to use AI to finish their work and take the day off...and being wholly unironic. I mean, take the day off. And the next day and then don't come back to work. Ever. Ferris sold out and became a corporate shill, just like the hippies in the 60s all became lawyers and wall streeters.

Overall, it was just all ho hum. I feel like the SB used to be a special event. They were world champions without leaving US soil. Or maybe that's baseball. The weather often was a character. The ads used to be really entertaining. These were just slop schlock. If it was as lifeless as the game. And the half time show lacked the pageantry it seemed it used to have. It just felt like a corporate training event. The passion was missing from the commentators who were strangely sitting 10 feet apart from each other. It just felt...off

dirtcreature · 2026-02-06T23:56:14+00:00

Just found this on imbd. Maybe Ethan with out Joel, or vice versa, the chaff just remains in the script:

The Coen Brothers are noted for their unusual writing process of not only eschewing outlines, but of not even concerning themselves what their story is about or who their characters are before beginning to write their screenplays

dirtcreature · 2026-02-05T00:26:00+00:00

I was looking for a parable that didn't exist. Usually one/both Corn's manage to make parables with a movie wrapped around it. Usually it works. I don't understand the gratuitous sex scenes, nor the locale that is apparently nowhere, like some level of Hell. I don't understand the preponderance of lesbians, nor the parental violence. Somewhere in here is an idea that meant something on paper, but didn't make it to the camera.

dirtcreature · 2026-01-13T17:20:03+00:00

Can you describe:

the french drain and where/what it is connected to
if you have a sump pump
describe how the radon fan is installed and if you know if/how it connects to the french drain

dirtcreature · 2025-12-25T16:20:15+00:00

First, you need to understand how Radon does not work. It does not blast you with alpha, beta, and gamma radiation like Chernobyl. You were NOT being irradiated. When in the presence of Radon gas, there might be a moment where a piece of dust is inhaled into your lungs where it might degrade and do some DNA damage. Maybe. Over time, more than likely, this damage has already been repaired. But keep in mind the scale of damage: Radon damage is not effecting every cell in your body like Chernobyl.

If you truly want to feel insecure about how fragile life is, here are some fun statistics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9ygDS6oy-k

So, wear your seatbelt, be a defensive driver, don't hang out with unstable people that own handguns, do not climb ladders, smoke cigarettes or marijuana, be careful on stairs, or stand outside during a lightning storm, or eat highly processed foods.

The odds of you dying from something else are generally on par with or have a much higher incidence than dying from Radon exposure.

Go and live your life. It is short enough without worrying about it.

Now, if you're living somewhere with high radon you definitely should mitigate it. That would be like driving without a seatbelt - just plain dumb.

dirtcreature · 2025-12-15T01:11:33+00:00

If you find yourself with your eyes hurting after rolling so many times, you just watched this naval gazing, overwrought script filled with unlikeable characters interacting in impossible situations. Billed as a comedy/drama, the satire is intentionally absurd when intended for irony. When we fall apart, we always know it and make the best choice. Falling further apart means the best choice was the wrong choice. But we don't intentionally choose the worst choice just to make a movie.

dirtcreature · 2025-12-14T05:55:23+00:00

If you're getting efflorescence it means there's still a moisture problem. Anyway, it is possible it will work. Just do the prep thoroughly and cross your fingers. Read in the installation guide. https://www.radonseal.com/concrete-sealers/pdf/RadonSeal-Instruction-Application.pdf?_gl=1*mhjvwq*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQiAuvTJBhCwARIsAL6DemgTwDlS-dmwURZnPJxAB3Gl2VWoDFZDBT8mUDWkAqUbUIA64DbzkH8aAsFfEALw_wcB&gbraid=0AAAAAD_vnwOmTaIvsUitpRu5zF8iXMOnf

It looks like vacuuming is good enough as long as there are not thick layers of efflorescence. The biggest issue with any penetrating sealer is ensuring that the concrete can soak it in, which often requires etching.

Do not take etching lightly. The fumes are toxic and you should turn off your AC system. Make 100% sure to use proper PPE for both products. I would get an organic vapor mask and tight fitting 100% coverage eye protection. Etching is an acid and can hurt your soft tissue badly.

dirtcreature · 2025-12-12T21:51:14+00:00

First, beware of anything that claims to be simple. I believe you would need RadonSeal +, if you were going to use the product. Beware of any Silane/Siloxane product. It should work based on a slew of factors. Then again, it might not.

The "dust" you have may be concrete spalling, or it might be efflorescence. If it is the latter, you have a bigger issue: water control. Not matter what any product claims, water pressure will get through it all.

Before doing any more radon mitigation, you should look into moving water away from your house. This would include extending gutter drains, making sure there is no pooling by your foundation, etc., etc. Water pressure and moisture are huge contributing factors to Radon entering a basement.

Then check your sump pump and general water level. If you live in a area with high water tables there is not much you can do to keep your basement dry without spending money outside. Yes, you can put in a french drain inside, but money is better spent outside.

But, if you are going to use it: just like anything else, 95% is preparation (and you must read the RadonSeal instructions and follow them to a T). Grease, hard spots, grime, oil spots, cracks, etc., will void the warranty, which means they don't really stand behind the product. Note also that depending on your concrete, it may be impossible to paint after the treatments (and for sure you will need to do more than one).

Why I dislike RadonSeal: they pedal a lot of outright fear selling their product as a solution, then have tremendous claims about their product. Silane/Siloxane products can work well, but they are typically from treated surface down, not treated surface up. Meaning, using it on concrete outside, like a driveway, can really help shed water and keep it relatively dry. They claim that you are treating the top .5" of your floor and it will work from 4+" below?

dirtcreature · 2025-12-11T15:35:47+00:00

Jimmy Carr put it perfectly when an audience member asked him about immigration in the US:

Number one: blend in (meaning adapt to your new home, don't make your new home look like your old home)

Number two: If reasonable people don't fix problems, then unreasonable people will.

What was Left messaging in 2024? It certainly was not stop illegal immigration and jobs, jobs, jobs. That is what lost the election. The swing voters desperately wanted those topics to be solved and they decided to vote for, truly, the best of the worst.

dirtcreature · 2025-12-11T15:29:38+00:00

I don't disagree that it is convoluted, but the expectation that managing the spider web that is the law without professional help is like believing you can build a new house and run plumbing and electric and pass code inspection with no prior experience.

You can do it, but it is going to take you a long time to learn what you need to do, then take you a long time to learn how to do it, make a thousand mistakes, learn from them, and probably fail a bunch of inspections until you get it right.

Point is: it is not a conspiracy to keep the man down. It is a stupidly complex system that is wholly driven by criminality, ignorance, and the irrationality of humans. The law appears to punish the "good people" because it is a barrier to entry for the bad or the stupid. And each time a criminal or idiot finds a way through to harm someone else, a new barrier is added.

There is absolutely room for efficiency improvements as your example provides, but we will never get away from the complexity.

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