Why AI Makes Me Uneasy

My Thoughts On Artificial Intelligence

Hearing Elon Musk discussing AI in his Rishi Sunak interview, I was taken aback by some of his subtle warnings. The accelerated growth of artificial intelligence in recent months has startled me and now I worry that Elon knows more than he is letting on.

The idea of unknown entities being able to access personal data doesn’t sit well with me.

In this brief piece, I want to consider a few uncertain points that alarm me now.

What’s Making Me Nervous?

Elon mentioned that in future there may be no need for jobs. People will have no need to go to work as AI will be able to do everything for us.

Let me get that straight. Nobody will need to go to work? Sounds great but also scary.

If that is the case, how do we know these robots won’t just take over the planet? Surely we will all end up obese and with little purpose. Depressed humans with nothing to do.

As well as this, who is to say that these robots won’t spread lies and turn us against each other? Much like what fake news does these days.

I cannot perceive the range of possible ways that this AI revolution could implode. So yes, Rishi and Elon, we do need to be one step in front of it. Safeguards should be put into place to make sure the whole thing cannot just steamroll us.

In A Nutshell

This subject is so massive and very current. I could go on about it all day. But these ideas of employment becoming extinct and information getting into the wrong hands are unsettling as far as I am concerned.

What are your thoughts on this controversial topic?

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my AI article. For some book, TV and podcast recommendations, take a look at my Read, Watch and Listen November post.

Why Business Sim Games Are Fun To Play

Collaborative post about money-related online Sim games.

I have mentioned before how much I love playing online games. They can be very entertaining and useful, especially when filling time, waiting for meetings or travelling from one place to another. If these games can reflect the real world, then that is even better. You may even learn something while playing them.

Money-related games

Imagine being able to play Sim games that are based on real life. Games that simulate financial things such as making investments and making decisions about trading. For me, these kinds of games are more interesting and relevant than racing games or wrestling simulations. My best friend would disagree. For him, you can’t beat an hour of Wrestlemania.

This article is my way of saying that business simulations can be just as fun, but while also being educational.

A Few Examples

I have become fond of a game which relates to trading stocks and shares (something which I do regularly, but not always well). Stocks is a game where you have to click to buy and sell your stocks as they rise and fall in value. It is quite fast and you have to be a rapid clicker to stand any chance of making money (not real money obviously – this is a game after all).

A screenshot from the Stocks game.

Housing Market Game

Real Estate Tycoon is also a lot of fun. I have been trying to get my head around this one which involves buying and selling houses as they increase and decrease in value. As each property is built, a green speech bubble appears showing the value go up or down. You have to make quick decisions about when to sell and the resulting profit or loss shows up in the top score bar.

A screenshot from Real Estate Tycoon

Entertaining but cost-free

There are so many games to choose from which are related to money and finance. If you enjoy activities which make you really think and make quick decisions, then these particular games will easily satisfy your needs. For me, they scratch an itch. The best thing about them is that they are free and you don’t lose any real money if you make the wrong decisions.

A lot of computer games do cost money these days. Even if they are free to begin with, you soon end up buying credits to progress further through modern online games. That is why I happily recommend free business Sim games, as they are easily accessible and you won’t be persuaded to pay for credits later on.

Final Thoughts

The idea of playing online games to pass time may be commonplace these days. However, having the chance to practise life skills while playing Sim games may be new to you. I learned about these types of games through blogging and previously wrote about them but this time I have focused on ones which I find most fun and relevant (especially for me, as a person obsessed with stocks and shares).

Thank you for reading my article about online games. Which do you prefer to play? If you are also looking for TV suggestions, check out Two TV Shows Worth Watching. Please drop a comment and consider following my blog for future similar content.

Magnifying Glasses For Reading Books

As an Amazon affiliate, occasionally I link to products that I recommend. If you buy one of these products I get a small kickback which is at no extra charge to yourself.

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As a book blogger, I come across a lot of people who lose their reading mojo for one reason or another. My mum was even saying to me that reading is tricky without a good lamp nearby or a sunlit window over your shoulder. However, one of the things that causes the most hurdles for us readers as we get a little bit older (I am 45 by the way) is eye strain caused by having to focus on small print. So, in this article I am going to discuss using magnifying glasses for reading books.

Things That Make Reading A Struggle

In a previous article I wrote Why is reading so important? which sums up just how valuable regular reading can be. The trouble is that some of the hurdles to reading are physical ones. For example, not being able to read the text because it is too small or blurry.

Here are a few things that make enjoying a good book harder:

– a scratched kindle reader or iPad/ phone screen

– poor print quality or crinkled pages

– insufficient lighting of the room

– time of day (some are night owls but others find it hard to stay awake and read at night)

– eye strain (sometimes because of eye condition and also because many people use visual display equipment all day so when they come to read their eyes are already tired)

– disruptive or noisy environments (either at home, work or on public transport)

A Possible Solution

If reading itself is becoming a strain and you have already checked your vision and looked into wearing glasses, then consider this. A magnifying glass for reading is the perfect solution for people with eye strain.

I have only come across these devices recently but my friend tells me they are brilliant. Instead of little circular magnifiers, as pictured below, they are large rectangular glass structures which can also have additional features.

I know this is what springs to mind when I say magnifying glasses for reading.

The magnifier linked here is an example of one which includes built in LED lights. As a result it helps with lighting the book as well as expanding the size of the visible print.

Another such example of a book magnifier is linked below. This time it is more like a traditional handheld one. It is affordable and easy to transport as it bends into a key ring holder type cover. You can use this to follow the text line for line, if you prefer.

In A Nutshell

There are many ways to deal with reading barriers. Some of them are easy changes to the environment in which you open your books. Others require making the printed text more visible. It is here that weary eyes can be defeated by using magnifying glasses. They are especially useful if you do a lot of reading at work and your eyes would benefit from a little support when reading as a hobby.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article about improving the reading process. Please share your own thoughts on this in the comments section and consider following my little blog.