I hate that we're forced to trade the progress of technology for the invasion of privacy. It's a known outcome of capitalism, and was described to some degree long ago, but I too dream of the day when I'm in my little place kinda out in the middle of nowhere, behind my own managed firewall with absolutely no cell phone, using only a PC I can manage and maintain as my comms to the world.

I also work in tech, the actual flow of data and information, and I've said many times, what we can do today remains incredible to me.

I think at this point, it's really just up to the user to create and curate a reasonable way to continue to interact with each other. I wouldn't trade this or the other couple of places like it for just about anything.

My two college roommates remain some of the smartest people I ever met. One started an AI company in 2011, and the other got into tech privacy.

Was at the Deep Tunnel Project show in Cudahy on Saturday night and while discussing what we were drinking, some jokes about enshittification came up, and we came to a pleasing realization:

The world is a tire fire where everything is getting worse, but shit beer is eternal. You can't enshittify Hamm's.

There was a night out in the 90's when we lived in Boulder and could only afford PBR on draft by the pitcher that I just set my glass down and said, nah. Not worth it. This shit is gross.

Obv's I wasn't in the throes of my full alcoholism at that point because by about 2007 or so I would not have had the same reaction, but I remember thinking I'd rather not drink than drink that.

It was at the Sundown, for anyone familiar. If you're not, it's the best shit bar in all of Boulder. Go.

I've since been back a few times, and it remains a complete dive. I mean, I was in BOULDER COLORADO and when I asked for N/A beers he said "coke, tea, or club soda bud."

Frankie99 wrote: Mon Aug 18, 2025 3:04 pm I've since been back a few times, and it remains a complete dive. I mean, I was in BOULDER COLORADO and when I asked for N/A beers he said "coke, tea, or club soda bud."

The Sundown and The Sink are still kicking. Pitchers of PBR are still under $10 at the Sundown.

It doesn't solve the awful problems of misinformation and monetizing of personal data being discussed here, but I do want to note that search, how we buy things, and especially social media are still "opt in" to a significant extent. You don't have to be personally enshittified, or at least you have some control over the scale. I was never able to use social in a way where the slop didn't quickly overwhelm anything positive, and I also couldn't shake the nagging feeling that sharing personal information with lots of people you barely know comes from a negative self-centered place, even if seemingly done with good intentions. So, nope. I probably miss stuff by not being more engaged online, but oh well. It is beautiful outside.

Yes I can appreciate the hypocrisy of saying this on a discussion forum.

Tree wrote: Mon Aug 18, 2025 4:21 pm

Frankie99 wrote: Mon Aug 18, 2025 3:04 pm I've since been back a few times, and it remains a complete dive. I mean, I was in BOULDER COLORADO and when I asked for N/A beers he said "coke, tea, or club soda bud."

The Sundown and The Sink are still kicking. Pitchers of PBR are still under $10 at the Sundown.

What about Half Fast subs on the hill? I remember they used to sell pitchers of Long Island Iced Tea for evidence that college life is designed to sniff out any potential alcoholics.

Tree wrote: Mon Aug 18, 2025 4:21 pm

Frankie99 wrote: Mon Aug 18, 2025 3:04 pm I've since been back a few times, and it remains a complete dive. I mean, I was in BOULDER COLORADO and when I asked for N/A beers he said "coke, tea, or club soda bud."

The Sundown and The Sink are still kicking. Pitchers of PBR are still under $10 at the Sundown.

Which is exactly why our poor asses were drinking it.

DrAwkward wrote: Mon Aug 18, 2025 2:46 pm You can't enshittify Hamm's.

Man, don't tempt Molson/Coors. Those tallboys will acquire scoliosis.