AI will kill us all but make us stupid first

Microsoft and Google have admitted the environmental carnage resulting from AI use. I don't use Google for anything but youtube (which presumably is full of some weird computing, because all I had to do this morning was *think* of Stray Kids wishing us happy Chuseok and the video appeared on my phone screen). I don't let Edge use the Copilot thing. But I was next to the student intern this morning, who was using Canva to get images for the flyers the Blum PFLC uses to promote health education talks. Canva is a subscription service, to avoid copyright violations, I guess. Student intern asked me if Ehlers Danlos Syndrome was the same as Down Syndrome. No. I gave her a long-winded explanation, and then looked at her screen, agreeing that almost all the images the EDS search pulled up were of people with Down Syndrome. I suggested that she drop "syndrome" from the search. The two (really) resulting images: one of a person rubbing her wrist, the other of a chrysanthemum. She chose the sore wrist lady for the flyer illustration. For this we are emptying aquifers?

As one might gather, I went in to do my volunteer shift. It was an OK day. I walked a little slower than usual and took some breaks, but I did bus to subway, shift, subway to bus, bank errands in the center, walked home, and had a snack before I felt the need to lie down. So, yes, more improvement.