All posts tagged: realized

I built a home NAS and realized most people don’t actually need one

I built a home NAS and realized most people don’t actually need one

Before building my home NAS, I spent weeks convincing myself it was needed. However, several YouTube videos and Reddit threads in which people talked about RAID arrays, Plex libraries, and data ownership were all the motivation I needed. The ideas of no subscriptions and no dependence on Big Tech were appealing. My NAS actually delivered on most of the promises, and this was exactly why my realization felt somewhat uncomfortable. With months of a well-run system, beautifully set up Plex, and healthy backups, I still found myself reaching for an external SSD and using Netflix more than the media library I had built. My NAS was great, but it was a solution to a problem I might have invented. Setting up the NAS felt like leveling up Owning it felt strangely ordinary I enjoyed sliding the drives into bays, creating storage pools, and every other aspect of the setup. I was achieving something big in ways my external drives don’t typically permit. And it was amazing to stare at the software dashboard. I had finally …

The deepest fears of San Diego’s religious communities were realized in Islamic Center shooting

The deepest fears of San Diego’s religious communities were realized in Islamic Center shooting

SAN DIEGO — As an elementary school student at the Islamic Center of San Diego in the early aughts, Sarah Youssef said she doesn’t remember there being guards on patrol or gates keeping out danger. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. But Youssef, now a college freshman who leads a local gun violence prevention group, said she remembers when the center hired Amin Abdullah to guard the facility. Many were comforted by his presence but also concerned about what it signified. Years later, community members’ — and Abdullah’s — deepest fears came to pass. Two shooters attempted to storm the Islamic Center earlier this week. Along with Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha, who managed the center’s store, and community member Nadir Awad thwarted their attack but sacrificed themselves. Their quick actions on Monday were praised as sheer heroism that may have saved dozens of lives, with about 140 children and teachers within the center’s walls. Two women cry as they leave a reunification center following the shooting at …

The Mandalorian’s Jon Favreau recalls moment he realized Grogu was a ‘phenomenon’

The Mandalorian’s Jon Favreau recalls moment he realized Grogu was a ‘phenomenon’

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Jon Favreau wasn’t always sure that Grogu would be a hit among fans. The little green character, affectionately referred to as Baby Yoda, was introduced in the first scene of the Favreau-directed 2019 Disney TV series, The Mandalorian. Now, Favreau is bringing the character to the big screen with The Mandalorian and Grogu, his latest directorial endeavor which will be released in theaters May 22. Speaking to CBS News, Favreau, 59, knew that introducing Grogu would be “exciting,” but remembered the moment he knew Baby Yoda had captured the hearts of fans. ”We didn’t realize quite what a phenomenon it would be. And then when we saw the balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, that’s when it kind of – as a New Yorker – it really hit me. Like, ‘Wow! This has really hit another level.’ The whole thing’s …

I spent hours customizing Android to feel like Pixel and realized I should have just bought one

I spent hours customizing Android to feel like Pixel and realized I should have just bought one

I have used Google phones in the past (before they were called Pixel). Out of the lot, I loved my Google Nexus 5, which LG developed. However, in recent years, Samsung has taken over my primary phone charging, with an iPhone as my secondary phone. Right now, although I own a Galaxy S26 Ultra, I use the Galaxy S24 Ultra, because, in my opinion, it is the best-looking Ultra phone from Samsung for now, and is a hardware beast even today. But the One UI interface is a bit too colorful for me, and I wanted the clean, minimalist vibe of the Google Pixel. What followed were hours of UI tweaks, third-party app installations, and de-bloating of unnecessary stuff from my phone. But after the dust settled, I realized that faking the Google experience wasn’t worth it, and I should’ve bought a Pixel instead. Related I Will Switch to Pixel If Google Copies This Samsung Feature It’s hard to beat a good routine. The illusion of “Stock Android” customization A process of grinding Credit: Sagar Naresh/MUO …

I used Claude and NotebookLM together for research and realized they’re solving completely different problems

I used Claude and NotebookLM together for research and realized they’re solving completely different problems

Research assistance is one area where I rely on LLM-based AI platforms more frequently. Compared to other uses of generative AI, using AI chatbots to help you structure your research and identify connections in your notes creates less tension, especially in academia. These days, however, I don’t use as wide a variety of AI tools for research. Instead, the workflow mainly depends on two solutions: Claude and NotebookLM. I’ll level with you: I didn’t know this optimal combination from the beginning. It actually took me a while to understand that Claude is way better than ChatGPT. Even when I started with the duo, using both tools strategically proved a bigger challenge and required more trial and error than I expected. During this process, I also realized that Claude and NotebookLM are made to solve completely different problems in different ways. Related 6 Reasons I Use Claude Instead of ChatGPT ChatGPT is great; don’t get me wrong. But Claude is so much better. I thought Claude could do it all Why I expected one AI to …

As I Got Older, I Realized There’s A Lingering Kind Of Loneliness No One Prepares You For

As I Got Older, I Realized There’s A Lingering Kind Of Loneliness No One Prepares You For

The hardest part about moving from California to Nevada was springing the news on my elderly mother. I worried that it would be a tough sell. Mom liked her assisted living community, even though their services were getting expensive and her advanced Parkinson’s Disease would soon require a higher level of care. I had recently retired from my law enforcement career. My years as police chief meant that everyone in town knew me. As much as I loved the community, my true nature is introverted, and the thought of complete anonymity in a new town appealed to me. Also, my wife grew up in our small town and yearned for change and new experiences. I rehearsed in my mind all the reasons for the move. I explained to Mom that my son wanted to attend UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) to study computer science. And that several of our retired friends lived in Nevada, enjoying the endless amenities of Las Vegas and the financial benefit of no state income tax. “We’ve already found an …

Wikipedia Editors Tried and Tried to Work With AI Content, Eventually Realized It Was Total Trash and Banned It Entirely

Wikipedia Editors Tried and Tried to Work With AI Content, Eventually Realized It Was Total Trash and Banned It Entirely

Sign up to see the future, today Can’t-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales once described his creation as a “temple of the mind.” Now, a decade on, it’s taken on another role: a refuge against AI slop. Late this month, the English version of the online encyclopedia officially banned the use of AI to generate or rewrite articles, after years of piecemeal experimentation and heated internal debate among its volunteer editors, 404 Media reports. That debate finally came to a vote on March 20, which ended in an overwhelming 40-to-2 decision to place heavy restrictions on how large language models are used to maintain the site. “Text generated by large language models (LLMs) often violates several of Wikipedia’s core content policies,” the new policy states. “For this reason, the use of LLMs to generate or rewrite article content is prohibited, save for the exceptions given below.” As the exceptions stipulate, it’s not a wholesale ban on AI: “Editors are permitted to use LLMs to suggest basic copyedits …

Zara and Willy Chavarria Unveil a Fully Realized Menswear Fantasy

Zara and Willy Chavarria Unveil a Fully Realized Menswear Fantasy

Over the last few years, Zara has assembled a corps d’elite of design talent to bolster its fashion-world pedigree, collaborating with longtime industry heavyweights like Stefano Pilati and behind-the-scenes savants like Aaron Levine. As of today, that buzzy Rolodex also includes Willy Chavarria, the SoCal-raised, Mexican-American designer whose vision of Chicano-influenced menswear has never looked more urgent. VATÍSIMO, the designer’s first collaboration with the Spanish retail giant, is deeply rooted in perennial Chavarria influences—community and camaraderie are never far from his mind—including the singular style of some of the best-dressed men on the planet: his customers. The Willy Chavarria man, the designer tells GQ, is “someone who leads with humanity. He’s strong, but also vulnerable. He understands style as a form of expression, not status.” So what better way to promote the collaboration than with a telenovela? Directed by Glen Luchford in conjunction with Chavarria himself, the high-drama short film features supermodel Christy Turlington and actor Alberto Guerra quarreling their way through a thorny love quadrangle, decked out in head-to-toe Chavarria throughout, of course. That’s …

I’m 45 And Didn’t Understand Why I Felt So Lonely — Until I Realized I Was Missing A ‘Third Place’ In My Life

I’m 45 And Didn’t Understand Why I Felt So Lonely — Until I Realized I Was Missing A ‘Third Place’ In My Life

What is a third place? Not your house. Not your work. A third place where you can exist just for fun and bump into people you know. Sound unfamiliar? I’m not surprised.  Common third places like churches are emptying, and coffee chains fire you through like you’re being served by a pump-action shotgun filled with espresso. I’m 45 and didn’t understand why I felt so lonely, until I realized I was missing a third place in my life White Noiise / Pexels But a life without a third place is a life of loneliness and isolation. A life that exists only to work. Go home. Go to work. Go home. Go to work. Where does it end? It ends in third place. The days before cell phones Journalist Dan Kois regales us with tales of life before cell phones. Where you knew the three or four places after work, your friends would be. If you went there, you’d usually bump into someone you know. Think Central Perk from Friends. If Ross gets bored, he can head to Central …

I Couldn’t Figure Out Why I Felt So Lonely — Until I Realized Sometimes There Isn’t A Reason

I Couldn’t Figure Out Why I Felt So Lonely — Until I Realized Sometimes There Isn’t A Reason

I will be the first one to acknowledge that I know how blessed and fortunate I am for the life I have. I have great health. Moreover, I have a tight group of family and friends who love and value me. I have a career I’m proud of. I have character traits most would wish they could have. And I know I’m loved.  But having all of these things doesn’t stop me from feeling alone. I couldn’t figure out why I felt so lonely until I realized sometimes there isn’t a reason. I can’t always describe why I feel alone or what causes this sudden wave to crash over me. I could be having the best day ever, full of laughter and fulfillment, and then the moment I crawl into my dark bedroom, I feel instantly depressed and can’t control the weird feeling inside my chest. What’s more, I’ve learned that I need to leave my house at least once a day, just so I don’t feel depressed. Even when my anxiety has me confined to my bedroom, I know …