😒Will You Get Amazoned, Create AI Art, and Subscribe to Coke

Dreaming of Vending Machines

Apr 5, 2021

Why helllllo everyone! I hope you had a lovely week and a Happy Easter!

We made a Easter basket for our daughter and hid it for her to find in our apartment. So cute!

Speaking of kids, this is the month that we expect our second child to be born. We’re so excited to meet him in just a few short weeks.

Pretty awesome that the Suez Canal got unblocked right? 12% of the world’s trade is flowing again haha.

Heck - they were going around the cape old school style for a week or two there.

Anddd don’t get me started on how cool that Godzilla Vs. Kong movie was. I need to go back and watch the rest of the “Monsterverse.”

I’ve got another little project cooking . . . and I only have one hint for you . . . It has something to do with “vibes” or vybes. haha.

Here’s some musical vibes for ya too!

Let’s get started shall we?

🙅‍♀️🙅‍♂️Will You Get Amazoned?

The whole Suez Canal fiasco got me thinking about the flow of goods this week during my internet browsing.

Ok, so you’re scrolling on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. and you see a cool gadget.

You JUST HAVE TO HAVE it.

The only thing is - it’s unbranded.

For example - just today I saw this cool Ufo YoYo

Basically, it’s a Ufo shaped device you toss in the air and it flys back to you. It’s pretty neat!

For a moment - I considered clicking on the website link listed in the TikTok bio - but I wasn’t about to fall for some Dropshipping scheme.

I first headed to aliexpress - and found it for around 5 bucks -no surprise!

Between 5 - 10 bucks, and if you spend enough time - you can find dozens of examples of them for cheap. Like this one

Now - what about Amazon?

well - head over to Amazon and type in “Ufo Yoyo” - You can find the same thing for usually over $20.

Here’s an example.

Unfortunately, the Aliexpress one may or may not get to you, it may or may not work, and it will probably take a month to deliver. Of course, you can do research, read reviews, and have a good chance of getting it.

But - the siren call of Amazon is always there. It’s easy, there’s usually at least one option with Prime delivery, and refunds for broken merchandise are practically guaranteed.

What do you choose? the cheaper one that may get to you - or the more expensive one that will get to you.

Many people choose the path of convenience - and hit that Amazon one click buy button.

I call that “getting Amazoned.” It’s easy and fast - even if it costs more. I often choose it too, i’ll be honest.

but - the call of the cheappp Aliexpress is always there . . .

Heck - if you want to get real crazy you can start finding manufacturers and ordering products from them directly.

Yeah - you can find them at Import Yeti. I honestly can’t believe this site is free.

Import Yeti

🎨Create AI Art

Have you ever wanted to create some AWESOME AI art?

Well, now you can - FOR FREE.

I really wish I had an example to show you that I made - but for the life of me - I don’t know how to do this.

Here’s my cry for help

thelandofrandom 🐙 @land_ofrandom

🔔 Coders 🔔 I need your help. how the HECK do I get this to run? github.com/lucidrains/dee… signed. One who struggles with code other than basic HTML

github.comlucidrains/deep-dazeSimple command line tool for text to image generation using OpenAI’s CLIP and Siren (Implicit neural representation network) - lucidrains/deep-daze

Basically - this command line tool taps into Open AI’s CLIP and SIren code to allow you to create images via text.

Basically - you ask an AI to make an image, and it just does it.

Yeah. That’s just absolutely wild.

For example, here’s what was generated when the request “life during the plague” was put in

That is one wacky image, but it appears to be on the right track in terms of medieval aesthetic.

Personally - I can’t wait to figure this out. It sounds SO cool. I’ll be sure to update once I learn how.

In the meantime, if you know how - please reach out - I really want to try this.

If you’re in the same boat as me - I will figure this out and share my learnings.

Check it out at the link!

Deep Daze AI

🥤Subscribe To Coke

Ever wish you could subscribe to Coke? You know - get a fresh coke every day?

Well, in Japan Coca-Cola has launched a vending machine subscription where you can get one coke a day to keep the dentist away. Haha - I’m just joking.

For 2,700 yen ($25) a month, subscribers get one Coca-Cola from any of Japan’s 340,000 vending machines per day. That would save about 900 to 1,000 yen ($8-$10) a month on a Coke a day at the regular price.
The new service is called “Coke On Pass,” the subscription an addition to the Coca-Cola Japan’s Coke On app. (Source)

Now - when you figure that a coke usually costs over a dollar - it’s a pretty good deal honestly. I’m a huge fan of these kinds of subscription programs.

As long as this deal included more coke products (like tea and others) I’d honestly be tempted to do it if there was a US version. I pay for the Panera coffee subscription and it’s actually a pretty good deal.

Here in the USA, vending machines have seen better days. You usually have two options - the old one by your local grocery store orrrrr the rare awesome cool one with fresh salads inside.

However - over in Japan, vending machines are a part of daily life. Japan has only just reached the point where hot vending machines are shutting down.

Before we depart this wonderful subject of vending machines, here’s one of my favorite videos on the internet. It’s a Vending Machine restaurant in Japan.

🐙The Land of Random

Fun links from around the net for your interest

Microsoft Coffee

A hilarious stunt by Microsoft employees back in 1996. NOT by Microsoft itself.

Microsoft Coffee

E-Ink Newspaper

I love a great wall E-Ink Newspaper don’t you? Check this one out.

E-Ink Newspaper

Abandoned Chi-Chis

This auncient blog has been abandoned since 2014. In its heyday, it explored old abandoned Chi-Chis. An Abandoned Blog about Abandoned Chi-Chis! Haha.

Abandoned Blog