Technology has always been used to make heavy work feel lighter. Inventions like the wheel, the first washing machine, and the steam engine were designed to save us from backbreaking labor. The time saved during already long days left room for, well, more work.
But damn it, it was different work — another chore off the list. Of course, some tools put people out of work. But provided you were willing to turn your sweat toward something new, you’d likely be okay… or end up in a workhouse. The Poor Law is for another post, though. What I’m getting at is that new gadgets brought into the workplace often make things go more smoothly. Sometimes, however, folks wind up in the unemployment line or out on the street.
We’ve had centuries to figure this shit out — don’t let anyone innovate…
Technology has always been used to make heavy work feel lighter. Inventions like the wheel, the first washing machine, and the steam engine were designed to save us from backbreaking labor. The time saved during already long days left room for, well, more work.
But damn it, it was different work — another chore off the list. Of course, some tools put people out of work. But provided you were willing to turn your sweat toward something new, you’d likely be okay… or end up in a workhouse. The Poor Law is for another post, though. What I’m getting at is that new gadgets brought into the workplace often make things go more smoothly. Sometimes, however, folks wind up in the unemployment line or out on the street.
We’ve had centuries to figure this shit out — don’t let anyone innovate you out of a job. But here we are. Artificial Intelligence is scrambling our brains and turning every meeting into a summary that should have been an email. And then there are robots. They’re not in the news nearly as often unless we’re making fun of them. But the metal buggers are sneaking in the back door, getting ready to kick us to the curb.
This 20-minute video could be the most morale-destroying thing you watch this week. Given what a dumpster fire the world is right now, that’s saying something.
Teleoperated robot kicks controller in the nuts
In this footage, a humanoid robot replicating the motions of a human teleoperator kicks him in the nuts. Then, following him, it buckles over and grabs its robot crotch. The… READ THE REST
Tesla robot repeats human operator removing headset, then falls over
Elon Musk describes Tesla’s Optimus robot as a revolutionary AI-powered autonomous worker, able to perform a wide range of everyday tasks in and outside of the home. It’s a "huge… READ THE REST
Defunctland returns with an even deeper dive into Disney’s ill-fated animatronic ambitions
With deep apologies to Mr. Beast, Defunctland is easily one of the most fascinating channels on YouTube. Who doesn’t like multi-hour deep dives into the many mistakes of the weird,… READ THE REST
Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Windows is $35 for the apps you already know and love
TL;DR: Pay $34.97 (reg. $219.99) for Microsoft Office Pro 2021 on one Windows PC and skip the Microsoft 365 subscription route. Sometimes you don’t need "the future of productivity." Instead, you just… READ THE REST
Free your browsing with Surfshark VPN and save $360, too
TL;DR: Make web browsing fun and free from restriction again with a 3-year subscription to Surfshark’s torrent-friendly VPN for $67.19 with code SURF. It’s getting to be a real drag using the internet.… READ THE REST
New year, new laptop — Get a MacBook Air for $200
TL;DR: Save on the ultimate laptop with a refurbished Apple MacBook Air 13″ (2017) for just $199.97 (Reg. $999) — that’s the lowest price ever! Apple’s MacBook Air is one of the most popular and… READ THE REST