u/brandideer

My four-year-old just confessed that he pocketed a few loose keys at the Soapbox Derby today. There's no keychain. If you're missing some keys, let me know! 🫠

Who do you like and why?

We don't do community votes often (or ever, really), because if we make a rule, it's generally common sense or safety-related.

HOWEVER. I'd like community input this time.

Most of us hate the AI ads that are rampant across the marketing field right now. They have the same look, same vibe, same slop images to a degree that makes it difficult to even differentiate between businesses in the same genre; there was a request just today to post a flyer that looked so much like another AI-using business's flyers that I thought the business in question must be selling the other business's wares. Yikes.

Personally, I don't want to see AI-generated versions of a product only to be disappointed again and again by the real life versions, or even simply surprised by the vast difference. While we can't control other people's marketing strategies, we do have the power as a community in a free (ish) market economy to move the needle a little by demanding some higher standards.

TO THAT END (and tl;dr):

How does everyone feel about a ban on AI-generated ads and flyers on this forum?

Post your opinions below, I pinky promise to honor community consensus and moderate accordingly beginning on Friday.

Just purchased some house plants from them, and they were so incredibly kind, knowledgeable, and insanely kid-friendly. Can't recommend enough, and their new (ish) location is so much better. If you're in the market for a monstera or ficus etc, definitely check them out!

HELENA — A proposed roundabout at one of Helena’s busiest intersections could soon change the way drivers get through ‘Mini Malfunction Junction’.

As roundabouts continue to be a hot topic in the community, here is a project update.

“We put in for a grant for Safe Streets for All for the Mini Malfunction roundabout and the Custer and Henderson roundabout,” David Knoepke, the City of Helena transportation systems director, said.

The city will not set a construction timeline until it learns whether it received the around $8 million grant. They should have that answer by the end of the year.

Changing Mini Malfunction Junction into a roundabout has been in the works for a while. A 2012 study identified a roundabout as the best option for the five-way intersection, then in 2014, a long-range transportation plan also recommended a roundabout for the intersection. Again, the city’s 2021 five-point intersection study found Mini Malfunction Junction should be turned into a roundabout.

“Studies have shown that coming into roundabouts slows people down,” Knoepke added.

That will improve traffic flow and safety for drivers and pedestrians.

“In the roundabout case, you are only needing to look one way because traffic is only coming from one direction,” Knoepke said. “You are only having to cross one lane of traffic before you get to the splitter island, and then you look to make sure there is no traffic coming.”

Additionally, some people are curious how the roundabout would impact street sweeper and snow plow operations.

“Operations really don’t change. We would start at the center, just like we work at the center line for plowing. We plow from the center to the edge with the roundabout,” Knoepke said.

So why a roundabout? Well, they require less maintenance than signalized intersections, and they keep traffic flowing more smoothly.

“Roundabouts are an efficient way to move all modes of transportation and I think if built that we would have that we would have a public education campaign to help folks understand,” Knoepke said.

Just stopped by there with the teens, really good quality stuff.

*Sole. Damn it.

Arms are stuck down, just a heads up!