Tag: idaho

  • AI is our idol, and we are eating its fruit.

    As AI creeps into schools, businesses, and the daily lives of citizens, the consequences of this idolatry are imminent. Right now, AI just looks like silly Facebook cat videos and essays written in 10 seconds, but it is deeper and more corrosive than that. 

    AI is taking more than it gives:

    AI is actively taking jobs away from Americans. It is stripping us of agricultural land and land that could be used for housing or for protecting/preserving wildlife. Our casual use of generative AI like ChatGPT, Sora, and Gemini is depriving us of our perfectly good drinking water for communities, farmland, and cattle. Communities are already being affected by low water pressure and damaged water quality in towns where data centers are located. Idaho depends on farms and cattle to function and provide for our country. We are already seeing a decline in farms and farmers in recent decades due to money, regulations, and droughts. AI data centers are ONLY adding to this problem. Data centers are currently being built and designed to sit above ground on good land, and large amounts of it. Currently, there is a data center approved for construction in Utah that would be 40,000 acres of private land. The entire community recently held a meeting in Box Elder County and voted to oppose the data center by a majority. Despite massive backlash, the commission voted to approve the project. This also drives up costs in the local community at a time where inflation and the cost of living couldn’t be worse.

    Land ownership has been the backbone of this country since its beginning of its inception. Owning land in America is the American dream. Data centers are being weaponised on this property under the guise that people can do whatever they want on their property, completely neglecting the consequences it has on the surrounding area. The dramatic scene in Box Elder County on May 4th paints a broader picture of the state of the country. When the voters no longer have a voice, we no longer have a democracy. This data center will be about 300 miles away from Boise, Idaho. The data center will affect more than just the residents, but people from states all around it. The water rights purchased for this project could provide for around 20,000 Utah residents. Instead, it is feeding the ever-growing need for funny cat videos and cartoon profile pictures. 

    AI is making us unintelligent and powerless:

    Using AI tools for simple things like a Google search, fun questions, or extra opinions are avenues to slowly losing critical thinking skills that educators and parents have worked tirelessly to nurture. When we stop asking ourselves critical questions and solely rely on fast technology, we are stunting the growth of minds that are far more capable than the current AI technology we have. Recent studies suggest that AI is smoothing our brains and lowering our ability to remember information quickly. When we don’t have to reach further into the mind to retrieve information, we are losing the neuropathways our brains have worked hard to create. This also stunts neuroplasticity in the brain. A research Scientist at Harvard explains that 

    “I aim to help students consider the wealth of research on how human minds work so that they can make the best use of their particular mind (with its normative and non-normative characteristics). Then I ask them to compare to AI to think carefully about when and how they decide to use each. I hope it leads them to a fuller appreciation for their incredible minds and abilities!” Tina Grotzer, Staff Researcher at Harvard University

    Senior Lecturer Fawwaz Habbal at Harvard University states:

    “While AI excels in data processing and statistics, it lacks the ability to create truly innovative and creative solutions; machines calculate and they do not have human experiences.” 

    Dan Levy at Harvard said this,

    “If a student uses AI to do the work for them, rather than to do the work with them, there’s not going to be much learning. No learning occurs unless the brain is actively engaged in making meaning and sense of what you’re trying to learn, and this is not going to occur if you just ask ChatGPT, “Give me the answer to the question that the instructor is asking.””

    These experts all had reasons they support the use of some AI tools, especially for advanced algebraic equations, high-powered computing, and reasonable questions that are not easily answered. If AI is being used, it needs to be for something good, purposeful, and world-changing. The problem is, big AI innovators are not focusing on ways AI can make the world better, but on the profit it can make them. Money has been dividing the AI advancement community, further proving the corruption in its system.

    We cannot fully fathom the result of creating such high-performing AI programs and huge data centers. We have not done it before, and we cannot say for sure what will and won’t happen. The more we mess with this technology expansion, the riskier it gets for everyone. Right now, we are welcoming an unknown intelligent technology that one day we will lose control of. We are quite literally handing our autonomy and power over to AI, all for the spirit of advancement and possible innovation. And we are letting it drain us of good drinking water.

    AI is unbiblical:

    Building this technology and designing it from the human brain, in my opinion, is unbiblical. From my perspective, it only seems like humans want to have the power of God by making their own version of “life”. It is the first sin of humankind- doubting God and taking things into our own hands. Just like in the Garden of Eden when Eve and Adam ate the fruit God commanded against, we are biting into a fruit God never intended for us to have. Our reliance on AI is gross and spiritually lazy.

    It makes me cringe when I learn about the origin of AI. The creators started by making it specifically to generate outcomes based on how the human brain computes information. The Turing Machine that every computer has been created from was made paralleling the way our neurotransmitters pass information across the brain. This has now morphed into new AI technology capabilities. We are not God; we do not get to create life as He does. We cannot properly replicate the human brain without huge consequences. We get to play a part in creating children, but AI takes it to a level I would compare to the Tower of Babel. They have created an intelligent being in their own image.

    I can also see how easily AI could be used as a distraction and deception during the end times. Jesus will come on the clouds (Revelation 1:7). I worry that the use of AI will become so advanced that an antichrist spirit could use the technology to sway millions of people into believing a false god as Jesus appears. Scripture says that even the elect will be deceived if possible (Matthew 24:24). When many Christians already rely on AI to guide them, generate images, and answer prompts for them, I am concerned that they will not have the spiritual eyes to see the truth when it is in front of them. AI becomes more advanced every day as we get smarter and feed it new data to advance its technologies. 

    Alternate Data Centers:

    What saddens me the most is that above-ground, fresh-water-cooling data centers are not the only option. Microsoft had successfully created a data center below the ocean, but found that underwater noise actually disrupted the data center more aggressively than originally thought. These centers pose possible threats to marine life and are difficult to maintain. Recently, new developments have been made in this technology, specifically by the company Panthalassa. Panthalassa is working on developing floating nodes that will use ocean waves to generate electricity and the cold ocean temperatures to cool the systems when in use. Right now, I don’t support the creation of any AI data centers, but I would prefer that the ones being created are done in a way that does not harm nature, wildlife, water, and our local communities.

    CEO’s and AI innovators are doing just about anything to get these data centers made. That dedication is something I would compare to worship. Spending tens of billions of dollars for thousand-acre data centers is something I never could have fathomed five years ago. What is scary about this is that the people with the money are less likely to be stopped, even with loud public backlash. Our world relies on systems of greed and envy that even AI cannot suffice, and voices may not stop. People who do not rely on the love and forgiveness of Jesus do not have the moral compass needed to care enough about the outcome of worshipping this new technology. 

    If billionaires are willing to spend their money on data centers, my question is, why hasn’t that money gone towards ending world hunger instead? Why has this money been made available for something so incredibly unnecessary when we have problems being added to our plates from the very thing they are trying to fund? I am afraid we all know the answer to that question. Greed. 

    Conclusion:

    We are giving too much power to an unknown technology and wasting our resources and brainpower while we use it. AI uses up our water, land, and money. It is being programmed to replace working people at their jobs. It takes more than it gives; it was made with unclear intentions beyond creating false intelligence in the image of mankind. It makes us more mentally dull and allows us to be lazier every time we use it, rather than using our own creativity. It is currently being made for profit instead of people, and it spreads misinformation. Its advanced techniques are being used for hacking sensitive personal data, leaving us more at risk than ever before. It takes up massive amounts of space, which strips us of land that could be used for housing, livestock, farmland, preservation, recreation, or, quite literally, anything more useful than AI prompts. AI needs to be heavily regulated and, in many cases, banned. The use of AI has consequences beyond our comprehension and needs to be treated as such.

     If we continue to worship the creation and use of AI, it will destroy us, our land, and our mental capacity. If we refuse to fight it, we must be aware that the consequences might be irreversible. 

    If you want AI data centers out of Idaho, sign this petition here:

    https://www.change.org/ai-less-idaho

    Sources Cited 

    “AI data centers, already harmful, appear to be creating their own microclimates”. Client Challenge, www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/ai-data-center-microclimates-22236756.php. Accessed 14 May 2026.

    “AI Data Centers May Soon Ride Ocean Waves”. Cyberguy, cyberguy.com/ai/ai-data-centers-ride-ocean-waves/. Accessed 14 May 2026.

    Leiainthefield. “Hundreds of Utahns File to Block Kevin O’Leary’s Proposed Massive Data Center Campus over Water Concerns.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 May 2026, www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2026/05/01/utahns-send-state-deluge-concerns/. Accessed 14 May 2026.

    Mineo, Liz. “Is AI Dulling Our Minds?” Harvard Gazette, 13 Nov. 2025, news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/11/is-ai-dulling-our-minds/. Accessed 14 May 2026.

  • Firewood

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  • A Girl in the Mountains

    Living secluded is a tricky thing. In Idaho, it can be more common than not.

    I live where there are mountains and valleys with no neighbors for miles. There is an easy entry into manipulation and abuse when isolated. For example, in the wild, many predators lure their prey where no one else can see it. I know what that’s like.

    I loved the mountain at my childhood home—plenty of pine trees for forts and rocks for jumping on. I had a whole pretend life on that mountain; its steep sides made it a challenge for little me. Juneberries blossomed and ripened around every corner, making the perfect snack in the summer. I had a kitchen, dining room, garden, and workshop in those trees. The large black rock I would climb on to read and write was a landmark to that hill. Often, I was driven outside in tears over my Dad’s yelling or parents’ arguing and outbursts, and my dog would meet me on that big rock. He was always there for me in the worst times, he knew when I was not okay. 

    I felt alone a lot as a kid, even with a big family in a small town. I read many books, had crafting hobbies like weaving and crochet, and loved getting muddy outdoors. I was timid and afraid of getting hurt, and worse, I was terrified of getting in trouble. The eldest daughter has a lot on her shoulders, and I was determined to save the world somehow. But I was content with the idea of really helping at least one person. 

    At first, I enjoyed my alone time. There was no stress, freedom in the fresh air, and no one to yell at me. I would talk to God or my dog and write in my journal endlessly. I was creative and energetic, so I always had something to do. I can say I am generally about the same now. Just as I was then, I am a particularly emotional person. Not in a reactive way, but in a very internalized manner. I have had a habit since childhood of not speaking unless I had to. I just observed and took mental notes. I’m sure it comes from a fear of getting in trouble or being targeted, and especially a fear of being ignored. I had a sense that if no one wanted to listen, I then have nothing to say. I was worried I was a burden to my family, and if I had nothing good to say, then I wouldn’t say anything. Habits like that were so common for me to continue as I grew up. I wanted to be invisible, out of the way, and not a burden to anyone. I desired more than anything to make my parents’ lives easier and for them to love me. 

    I think God made mountains for such beautiful reasons. I know the mountains have healed things in me, even though they can’t talk. Living in multiple different states, I felt sick without the mountains. The thrill of climbing them, the way they grow out of the horizon in sunset lighting, the trees and animals that they home. I have always and will always love mountains. They are difficult too. They require tough treks, good shoes, stamina, and determination to get to the top (and even some bravery coming down). Moses took adventures to the tops of mountains to speak to God; the theme of spiritual journeys to mountains is common in the Bible. From Noah’s Ark to The Sermon on the Mount, mountains play a big role in the ways of humanity and our relationship with God. I am so thankful and blessed that God allowed me to be surrounded by them, for the ability to climb them and simply see them with my own eyes. 

    When I was 18 and moved out of the house, I started giving myself stick-and-poke tattoos. I started with a bee on my knee, which is now my business logo, and then a heart on my sleeve. I added mountains inside the heart because to me, that’s where the mountains will always be. I had a lot of fun in my childhood climbing up the rough ridges and hills along my family’s property. As an Idaho kid, scraping your knees on rocks and getting covered in dirt was normal. There’s a good reason I don’t wear a lot of white…

    God speaks to me on the mountains. Not loud and bright like in Moses’ story, but gently and kindly like a good Father does to his daughter. He would enter into my imaginary worlds and guide me to better choices. There were some rough days in the mountains. One particular day, I tried to take my life, but God had much better plans for me. I ate plants that weren’t edible in hopes I would slowly die, and my parents would finally pay attention to me. Thank God for his sovereignty and ways, that I was not even sick or close to dying. I just had every intention of letting go. I thought the world would be better off without me. 

    Turns out, you can’t help people by taking your own life. And then you’ll miss out on all the mountains God wants you to climb. I will ask you to do one thing for me since you’ve read this far. If you see or sense abuse, don’t keep quiet. Speak about it until something changes. Be there for the people you know have a lot going on, and especially those who seem to always be happy and have everything together. We don’t know the mountains of pain that can hide behind someone’s big smile. 

    I know from living in a small town that a lot of abuse gets overlooked. “Jimmy doesn’t get beat, so it can’t be that bad” type of mindsets are common. 78% of abuse is neglect, and studies have shown that if babies are left alone with no love and attention, they die. It is important to keep an eye out for different behaviors like drug use, isolation, and depression, because they can be signs of abuse. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. To show your support for the children being abused, please talk to your friends, family, and community members and educate each other on the dangers of abuse. Thank you for reading, and remember God is with you and loves you more than life itself. 

    CAP Month

  • Organic Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

    This autumn I knew it was time for a change. I found out this year I am allergic to dairy… like all dairy not just lactose. So all my favorite foods are getting a makeover. I have made many dinners, lunches and deserts all dairy free now, and am learning better ways to do it. I also made this recipe organic by using organic flour, and locally sourced organic pumpkin. I wanted to make something healthier but delicious for my grandparents and to remake my favorite cookie I usually buy at convenience stores. Sadly I have not found a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie in stores that is dairy free or organic, so I made it myself! I am fortunate that our house has dairy free chocolate chips, they are a lifesaver.

    I also want to mention if you do not have pumpkin spice at your house you can mix nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and ginger for your own pumpkin spice seasoning. These came out so tasty and I would make them again. I would even add more pumpkin because the organic pumkin was so delicious. Make this recipe your own and let me know how it turns out. If you do make it dairy free, you will notice the texture will be different than a cookie made with real butter, but the flavor is just as great! Tell me what you love and what you would change. This recipe makes about 16 cookies and takes about 45-50 minutes to make. Enjoy!

    Made by Vanessa at BusyVandCo

    http://www.HomesteadingHoney.blog