Latest Activity > middleearth
Sites
All the latest Neocities site news!
Neocities allows anyone to create a free web site to express themselves. Want to create your own awesome site? Join us!
Here's another little epilogue to the AI problem. Robin Hobb (AKA Meghan Lindholm) has discovered that she and other authors' work have been used by Meta in a data set to train AI without their consent. Here's a couple of links to the Author's Guild about the issue... https://authorsguild.org/news/meta-libgen-ai-training-book-heist-what-authors-need-to-know/
1 like
Everyone thinks that AI is going to destroy the world in the same manner that you see in Terminator, I, Robot or Humans, but in actuality it's going to be through spreading mis-information through over consumption of power/water contributing to climate change, AI generated content, copyright infringement, bogus crafting patterns that don't work and fake art.
In other news, Harper-Colins is once again having a 50% off sale, so I managed to snag four Raymond E. Feist books, and a Meghan Lindholm...
Stuff like this really pisses me off, and it's an insult to my grandmother's generation... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clynxz2ypv8o
I was hoping to have an afternoon on LOTRO, but it looks like it's their maintenance day. Always seems to happen...
One thing that cracks me up is when you're cleaning, reorganizing, packing up to move home/unpacking after you've moved home, you always find a random object that you didn't know how you came to possess it, what is actually is or what it's used for, all you know is that you have no use for it or that it's trash...
bright-eyes
9 months ago
Random metal objects that seem to come from something mechanical/DIY seem to be the most common, plastic second.
I thought that you might be interested in doing a piece about this on the blog portion of the Reading Project. I've noticed over the past year or so that there are a lot of low quality e-books showing up on Amazon in particular - you can usually tell them because the author doesn't have a fantastic fiction page about them and their books, and they usually have
1 like
bright-eyes
9 months ago
a series of books which have a lot of books in them in an inconceivably short period of time. https://www.404media.co/ai-generated-slop-is-already-in-your-public-library-3/
1 like
readingproject
9 months ago
I've been noticing ads pop up on my feed promoting 'AI' programs that will get your novel written in the afternoon so you can have it published and selling by dinner, sort-of-thing. I made comment about this sort of thing in the sidebar for a recent review on Richard Osman's We Solve Murders. It's a depressing situation
readingproject
9 months ago
I've just finished reading the article. It's really terrible. I hadn't thought about the issue librarians face, of trying to curate their collections and the problems of paying to use low-quality AI-produced material that is not clearly labelled as AI generated. I was speaking to several authors last year who were also depressed about how this is changing their industry
bright-eyes
9 months ago
It is. I first came across the problem with Kindle e-books because I looked up some that looked interesting and then when I opened the page, they were badly written. There are several apps that e-mail kindle book suggestions to you which you can download for free, or low cost and I suspect that most of those are AI generated, or at least poorly written and edited. I now only buy/download kindle books from authors I
1 like
bright-eyes
9 months ago
recognize. It is frustrating as a reader and it's probably equally as frustrating for authors, especially new ones because people will be reluctant to buy/read their work. In some ways, I wished I'd bought a different e-reader because I don't see the same problem associated with other e-readers, and kindle unlimited isn't that useful.
1 like
readingproject
9 months ago
I had an ereader many years ago but didn't enjoy the experience. Reading old fashioned books mitigates this problem to a large degree. But I can see scenarios, long-term, where even that could be affected.
There's a nazi bloke on dreamwidth moaning about people with disabilities and chronic illnesses like it's some kind of spiritual and moral failing. Should I tell the guy that it could happen to anyone, including him? My partner was diagnosed with a heart condition last year, his son in law almost died from a brain hemorrhage in the summer and has only now gone back to work (I hope he stays ok), countless people -
1 like
bright-eyes
9 months ago
we've known have become ill and died with cancer, one friend witnessed a bloke getting shot in the head while he was at work and getting severe ptsd from it, folks in the military can at any time, get permanently injured during their day's work, a person can get injured while crossing the road, a baby can be born with genetic condition...
1 like
We have a normal winter, relatively speaking, compared to what we've had for yonks... OK, it could be because we are further north than we have lived before, but still... So we have a normal winter, and the BBC posts this rubbish... What do you want? We have a normal winter and you try to say that it is abnormal, but ignore years of warm winters because it's more -
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn938ze4yyeo
bright-eyes
9 months ago
There you have it, folks. A normal winter is more abnormal than an abnormal one...
Time marches on... But what I think is worrying in conjunction with all of this, is the rise of the far-right all over the world, not just in the US (for obvious reasons), but also elsewhere. I've been following the Bulletin for a number of years now (heck, it always surprises me that the seconds countdown was only announced a couple of years back - it seems longer to me!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqifSCvzaFI
1 like
bright-eyes
9 months ago
Moving it on one second only seems a little bit optimistic - I would have moved it on further. I wonder if Starmer and the rest of the politicians will grow up and start making sensible moves to make things better? Probably not, because we wouldn't be in this mess if they had.
If tech companies can rip off creators with AI, then fan ficers, fan artists, musicians, etc, should be able to make money of work that isn't their own too. (I don't believe that, but changes in law to allow tech companies to use AI to generate money like this is a farce.) https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8xqv9g8442o
2 likes
Is Channel 5 feeling alright? An actual, traditional, sci-fi space show? I didn't know that those were made now adays...
Storm Eowyn is wrecking havoc with our internet connection and has blown down a panel of the rickety fence... Just about what I would expect from a storm named after the slayer of the Witch-King.
Popular Tags
art music videogames programming anime games food personal writing cats blog movies books gaming fashion photography comics design animation horror game drawing coding manga furry portfolio technology poetry ocs cute reading arte kpop education programacion history animals musica film sports fun roblox literature html philosophy nature programing science tech travel web videogame politics minecraft gamedev retro school youtube computers cartoons pokemon videojuegos life 2000s love video blogging illustration fantasy diary dogs pink random comic memes gardening internet videos idk test linux webcomic queer oc nostalgia kawaii cooking y2k tv ai arg news fandom aesthetic fanfiction emo business journal worldbuilding cars health learning silly vocaloid crafts stuff media math space films fiction 90s stories website scifi cutecore css football cat culture graphics arts painting etc homestuck software marketing lgbt goth punk baking sanrio 3d commissions journaling sport pixelart crochet archive artist digitalart cinema psychology me diy program dance characters funny dnd religion metal comida trans lgbtq shows makeup javascript graphicdesign cool entertainment fanart streaming code development sonic aboutme scene editing series rpg clothes creativity friends indie webcomics lifestyle story roleplay plants comedy guitar webcore weird languages hacking gay zines rock electronics webdesign everything ttrpg educacion cyberpunk community reviews informatica aesthetics study sewing engineering basketball computer soccer beauty it originalcharacters oldweb fnaf social weirdcore spirituality vintage vtuber discord pets vaporwave project photos shop about information movie architecture clothing storytelling coffee language nintendo blogs flowers html5 testing deltarune japan undertale shopping mlp magic biology cosplay money thoughts crypto digital fitness radio hobbies creative lore blinkies book nothing ttrpgs experimental chat tecnologia physics info cybersecurity furries alternative astronomy bugs japanese site websites singing birds other resume occult fandoms witchcraft autism wip juegos finance futbol lain anything research profile band dolls sleeping television sleep gamedevelopment vr theatre events projects tvshows system ghchs apps crafting work genshin linguistics photo webdevelopment personalwebsite splatoon vampires fish carrd python dreams all transgender knitting free interests meme rap astrology toys developer fanfic pixels mentalhealth puzzle windows yaoi aliens wiki fortnite robots deportes app drawings collecting moda dog animations touhou coquette a family cartoon dancing romance poems bio security english stamps gothic skateboarding tarot visualnovels marvel pizza links fnf online intro modding medicine mathematics humor data adventure osc hiking gatos interactive essays lol teaching frutigeraero characterdesign roleplaying journalism no mystery gamedesign fansite dragons gallery gyaru animes gym twitch rp chess zine creepypasta zonelets objectshows hobby pixel gifs resources jfashion breakcore ffxiv home scenecore meow tf2 mythology privacy ocean noise twine puzzles death dreamcore law hiphop vkei traveling popculture musicals graphic birthday piano novels podcast myself introduction android blender audio progamming danganronpa recipes rpgs yuri swag ecommerce communism dark bfdi robotics car plushies stars hellokitty socialmedia shrine indiegames awesome style activism pictures pjsk none paranormal omori deporte production jogos studying boardgames foods educational running lolita girls student misc electronic utau bunnies christianity jewelry things feminism bitcoin wrestling mario anarchism lesbian scratch spanish travelling god old clowns vent computing filmmaking webdev unblocked sharks geography outdoors designing store doom realestate 80s dev volleyball maths pc pinterest songs grunge flash java images vtubers jpop craft 3dmodeling help peliculas starwars environment college tools transformers brasil collage tumblr dinosaurs amor creepy cafe bts trains stickers jazz event epic computerscience services escuela baseball novel plurality warriorcats yoga chemistry translation blue bl collection pastel cyber acting programar js construction mcr lego southpark cine persona multimedia programas retrogaming tea jesus tabletop tcc libros podcasts monsters yes fotografia forum theater otherkin therian gamer weed horses whatever truecrime estudiante videoediting techno supernatural args shoes medical alt enstars trading weather miku programmer pop skating hardware vlog cozy search insects turismo homepage manhwa dc cricket videography angels freedom curso tiktok hi kirby people salud maps economics kidcore skincare opensource learn dj modeling socialism restaurant drama swimming bsd surrealism draw lgbtqia historia sound closedspecies digitalmarketing halloween ecology green kandi vhs f1 service petz world shitposting artwork ideas ropa text tattoos hockey depression tourism animanga fishing girly analysis edm furniture cv author cleaning nerd conspiracy bible egl animales literatura drugs blockchain rats did healthcare racing homework academia whimsy 3dprinting cultura mobile frogs trinkets chatting tennis kdrama women plural surreal bands scary academic friendship chill sculpture general cryptocurrency programa hair videogaming sciencefiction filmes hardcore tutorials networking library informacion wedding knowledge brazil sociology species christian truth alterhuman rpgmaker visualnovel eating thrifting mods water soft aviation analog genshinimpact programacao miriadax society foss ambient ghosts creation anarchy estudio practice glitch gacha server university colors jjba css3 conlang cryptids company erotica sites quotes retrogames google onepiece batman livros anthropology sustainability ux bot cycling live guns purple graffiti review sketching wellness artes class neocities programs twitter schoolproject noticias garden kids character writer medieval cs superheroes revival advertising blood crime theology instagram shitpost harrypotter startrek webseries lostmedia forsaken bikes magazine archives camping nails esoteric industrial vampire mangas animal tattoo cards writting articles theory play otaku analoghorror dating frontend talking rhythmgames rants evangelion disney 3dart church idols os performance meditation ceramics ultrakill house building future illustrations handmade training synthesizers interactivefiction spiderman unblockedgames liminal jobs prompts spooky apple yapping youtuber content decor shrines notes datascience tareas viajes tecnology concerts chaos finalfantasy french tarea party originalcharacter new selfship crocheting shoegaze zelda voiceacting designer communication doodles something silliness rambling exercise magick embroidery facts cult vrchat sims disability satire entretenimiento mylittlepony paganism neopets hack cheese visualkei desing repair folklore calculator animalcrossing musicproduction rainbow photoshop joke creating jokes geek sweets creatures download developing halflife tic desarrollo anthro overwatch terror black php kink marxism miscellaneous quiz tokipona shifting spiritual vtubing crk commission ar military vinyl trabajo club private scp bass conlangs webring vegan mtg hotel self musics beach projectsekai vlogs happy scrapbooking agriculture tips doctorwho adhd islam seals archival oldroblox pet arcane kdramas animating creativewriting secret beginner map more tokusatsu ranfren songwriting underground drinks yugioh mushrooms lolitafashion csgo generator zombies motorcycles mecha kin musician edits index hosting casino lofi gender sanat words 1 rave collections stem 4chan stupid randomstuff studies vibes products beer red ui time cities fanfics city mha tamagotchi retrocomputing electronica daily glitter productivity tutorial cottagecore digimon streamer
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/authors-guild-author-letters-to-ai-companies?source=direct_link&fbclid=IwY2xjawJQswBleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHZjfvr4Rcv1PM5lJzlBuxWyETzRhMZ6ZOOVylGc2Z7nSg3SgT3xRCbGbjw_aem_Oq2_P3YA-rmzjKpn5pCvBA
I did a search on this site to see which authors are in the Lib Gen database, and works from everyone I looked up came up in it, from authors like Tolkien to modern day writers like Marie Brennan.
It's pretty disgusting. You've obviously been following this. You suggested I do a blog post last month about it. I think I'll wait to the beginning of next month when the post will be active for longer. Think I will also include something in my next newsletter. If you want to write anything for either of those I'd be happy to include it in either of those. Thanks