(no subject)

[olivermoss]

* Nanowrimo has decided that condemning AI is classist and ableist. Source

I've never had a good experience with them despite repeated attempts, so not hard for me to dump these idiots forever. Still sucks to see, especially from what is supposed to be an event focused on creativity and not profit. There are several flaws in their reasoning and they clearly don't get the problems with AI, but also these idiots though that running a year-round all-ages forum with little oversight was a good idea.

* I think one of the local grocery worker strikes is over tomorrow? I loaded my freezer before leaving town just in case they went on longer than expected. Hopefully the companies cave, and hopefully the damn Kroger merger gets blocked.

Comments

[profiterole_reads]

I feel like they do not understand the extent of AI.

[olivermoss]

Or how it works or... anything. The basics things they need to know to be in charge of something like Nano, they don't know them

[shipperslist]

Nanowrimo has decided that condemning AI is classist and ableist.

[olivermoss]

Yup

[dine]

yeah, apparently the strike ends tomorrow, so it'd be ok to shop on Wednesday. glad you stocked up beforehand, to get yourself through it.

I sincerely hope the courts knock down the merger - that's just such a BAD idea

[olivermoss]

Yeah, I should be set. The merger would be a big problem if it happens, for both the workers and the customers

[muccamukk]

I can see saying stuff like Grammerly or the autocorrect in gdocs or libra office are okay, which are technically writing assistants. But why are they not drawing the line at generative AI like chat GPT? Those do none of the things they are claiming are classist or ableist to deny. What a trash site.

I hope the workers are able to get what they want and resolve the strike.

[olivermoss]

Yeah, they don't have a good grasp on anything. Gen AI seems very against the spirit of the event.

Me, too! And if the Kroger merger does go through I hope things don't fall apart.

[mistressofmuses]

The NaNo thing sucks. I've participated in a lot of the WriMo challenges over the years, plus the less-rigid "camp" events, plus even used it to track personal projects in between events. I even went to a couple young writers events when I was a kid, and while none of that really stuck at the time, it left me with fond feelings for the program.
I've never gotten a decent draft of a novel out of the challenge, but I *have* gotten 50k done on WIPs, or used it to spur me into making progress on things that have stagnated, or have gotten far enough into a project to discover WHY it isn't working.
So yeah, super disappointed in that shift, but won't be participating again. I may glom on to one of the "replacement" events some people are organizing, or just do my own thing.
But fuck 'em.

I *really* hope that fucking Kroger merger gets blocked. Our local Kroger subspecies and Safeway are the only grocery chains with any presence in our area (other than say, Walmart or Whole Foods, which aren't the same.) If they merge, I dread what that's going to turn into.

[olivermoss]

I hope a good replacement event pops up. Nano never worked for me, but I always felt like it should. That's where the serious writers were, etc. Maybe this is a good thing for my region because our local organizers are very, very weird individuals with boundary issues.

The price gouging if the Kroger thing goes through, not to mention decay in food quality because they'd 'optimize' their delivery stuff, it would be so bad

[mistressofmuses]

I've seen a few events, or people who are at least maybe interested in putting alternatives together.

NaNo worked best for me when I used it to spur progress on something, but not necessarily for the definite "complete novel in a month" goal. But it did push 50k words out of me in a month multiple times, and I found that really helpful.

You have mentioned how... yikes... a lot of your local organizers are, and how skeevy some of the in-person write-in events have been, with said boundary issues.

The merger would be so disastrous for both reasons: the price gouging worsening even more, plus yeah, food quality on a sharp decline. Ugh. There are more propaganda commercials coming out about it around here. The union that governs the Kroger workers here is one of the strongest in the state, and they've done a lot of successful striking and bargaining. Now there are a bunch of propaganda ads targeting more left-wing audiences who are more anti-monopoly, about how the merger would be *good* because it'll expand union access in the state and be just the bestest for the workers... I'm hopeful that those ads are them getting desperate because it's failing.

[olivermoss]

I'm hoping for me this leads to new/better groups.

Ugh, I don't really get exposed to direct advertising so I don't know about those ads. Must be infuriating. Acting like this is pro-union is so scummy

[mistressofmuses]

Same here. I know there are a few "alternative" events popping up, so hopefully something good comes out of it.

I loathe advertising, but Alex always has the TV on, and most of the streaming stuff is ad-supported. Super scummy way to try and spin this thing, though.