Hot take: AI art generators are a real problem for working artists now

I was at a small gallery in Portland last month, and a guy was showing prints he made with Midjourney. He called himself an 'AI artist' and was selling them. A real painter I know was there, and she was so upset. It feels like a big fight between new tech and old skills. Has anyone else seen this happen where they live?

Can we talk about using a zip tie for a temporary ground on a 200 amp panel?

Had a service call in Portland where the main ground lug was stripped. Used a heavy duty zip tie to clamp the wire tight against the bus bar just to test the system. Would you ever do this or is it asking for trouble?

Showerthought: The number of false alarms in Phoenix is way higher than I thought

Honestly, I was reading a report from the Phoenix PD last night and it said over 90% of their alarm calls are false. Ngl, that's insane. Makes me double-check every single sensor calibration now. How do you guys handle that pressure knowing most of your calls might be for nothing?

Hit 10,000 bricks laid this week and my knees are screaming about it

I was just tracking for a tax thing and the number popped up, made me think about all the wear and tear. What's your go-to for joint support after a long day on the scaffold?

Showerthought: The Romans used a mortar mix that could last 2,000 years

Read it in an old library book about ancient building. Their recipe used volcanic ash, lime, and water. No modern cement. Some of those walls are still standing today. Makes you think about the stuff we use now. How many of our jobs will be around in a century? Anyone else ever look at old work and wonder what they knew that we forgot?

Visited the Museum of Flight in Seattle and saw a 1930s engine manual that basically said 'just hit it with a hammer'.

A client in Portland asked for a built-in with no visible fasteners at all

They wanted the entire piece to look like it grew from the wall. I had to get creative with sliding dovetails and some serious glue-up planning. Has anyone pulled off something similar without any hardware?

So I thought I could make my own reusable dryer sheets with vinegar and old cloths

I saw a video saying to soak cut up t shirts in a mix of white vinegar and water, then toss one in the dryer. I did it exactly, using a half cup of vinegar. The first load came out smelling like a salad dressing factory exploded, and the static was somehow worse than before! I think the vinegar smell just baked into the clothes instead of softening them. Has anyone else had a DIY laundry hack backfire this badly?

Spent a week trying to fix a weird crack in a blade I was making

I was working on a chef's knife from 1084 steel, and after the quench, a tiny hairline crack showed up near the spine. I figured I could just grind it out, but it kept chasing deeper. I ended up having to anneal the whole thing, cut the cracked section off, and reforge the tip. What should have been a one-day fix turned into seven days of rework. Has anyone else had a crack that just wouldn't stop?

My brother just reminded me about my grapefruit-only phase

He said, 'You were so mad you couldn't have toast with it, you threw a grapefruit at the wall.' I forgot how that diet ended with me cleaning pink pulp off the kitchen ceiling for an hour! Anyone else have a diet that ended in a food fight with yourself?