Love seeks
/Love seeks not only to fight for the good, but constantly to be reconciled with the ones we have had to oppose as we struggle for the good. -C. Stephen Evans
ideas that challenge / comfort / inspire
33 Articles from April about Data Science & AI
/A starter guide to data structures for AI and machine learning
Understanding neuro-symbolic AI
Denoising Radar Satellite Images with Python Has Never Been So Easy
Transform Neural Networks are “revolutionizing natural language processing”
Generative AI in Content Creation for data science, data engineering, & machine learning
Vector databases in AI and LLM use cases
14 Articles about AI & the US Military
The Pentagon wants to build thousands of easily replaceable, AI-enabled drones
Embedding AI to escalate geospatial
Geospatial Data Analysis using a Python library called Geemap for creating interactive maps
Researchers have seen neural networks discover novel solutions to problems by grokking them
Six examples of AI for parsing geospatial data
AI Definitions: Small Language Models
Applying the 6 steps of the INSPIRe framework to accelerate your code generation for LLMs
Why small language models are the next big thing in AI
The Math Behind Fine-Tuning Deep Neural Networks
Large language models are capable of feigning lower intelligence than they possess
10 top use cases for vector databases that generate organizational value
‘Lavender’: The AI machine directing Israel’s bombing in Gaza
The resurgence of vector databases has led to a challenge to graph and relational approaches
The math behind neural networks
Deep dive into Sora’s diffusion transformer by hand
Here are ten algorithms that are a great introduction to machine learning for any beginner
The Available Evidence
/People are inclined to make decisions based on how readily available information is to them. If you can easily recall something, you are likely to rely more on this information than other facts or observations. This means judgements tend to be heavily weighted on the most recent piece of information received or the simplest thing to recall.
In practice, research has shown that shoppers who can recall a few low-price products—perhaps because of a prominent ads or promotions—tend to think that a store offers low prices across the board, regardless of other evidence. And in a particularly devious experiment, a psychology professor (naturally) got his students to evaluate his teaching, with one group asked to list two things he could improve and another asked to list 10. Since it’s harder to think of 10 bad things than just two, the students asked to make a longer list gave the professor better ratings—seemingly concluding that if they couldn’t come up with enough critical things to fill out the form, then the course must be good.
Eshe Nelson writing in Quartz
Every great cause
/Every great cause begins as a moment, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket. -Charles Sykes
20 Webinars in the next 2 weeks about AI, Journalism, Climate, Health & More
/Tue, April 30 - What to Know About Treatment-Resistant Depression
What: Treatment-resistant depression and learn how to cover this complex medical condition with depth and nuance.
Who: Dr. Maurizio Fava Chair, Department of Psychiatry/Psychiatrist-in-Chief, Massachusetts General Hospital; Dr. Lisa Harding Board Certified Psychiatrist & Depression Expert; Courtenay Harris Bond Staff Writer, Philly Voice; Dr. John Tumeh Chief of Psychiatry, Foundation Psychiatry.
When: 12 noon, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: National Press Foundation, Johnson & Johnson
Tue, April 30 - Storytelling for Impact
What: Tips, techniques and tools to help the modern marketer tell better and more impactful stories to activate their audiences around ideas and actions.
Who: Kiersten Hill Director of Nonprofit Solutions
When: 2 pm, Central
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: FireSpring
Tue, April 30 - Investigating the Israel-Hamas Conflict
What: Three senior investigative journalists will share tips and tools on how to work in such a perilous reporting environment, and techniques for digging into war atrocities.
Who: Sarah El-Deeb has been an Associated Press (AP) journalist since 2000, with extensive experience reporting in the Middle East. Peter Polack is a research-based designer and software developer with Forensic Architecture (FA), a research agency based at Goldsmiths, University of London, which develops, employs, and disseminates new techniques, methods, and concepts for investigating state and corporate violence. Phil Rees is the Director of Investigative Journalism at Al Jazeera. The moderator is Rachel Oldroyd, Deputy Investigations Editor of the Guardian.
When: 9 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Global Investigative Journalism Network
Tue, April 30 - AI while avoiding the cloud: running local models
(also offered May 2)
What: What the open-source, locally-run ecosystem looks like for chatbots and large language models. We'll look at performance compared to the closed-off options, setup and hardware requirements, "uncensored" models and common technical adaptations like quantization that trades off ability for those of us without cutting-edge desktops.
Who: Jonathan Soma, Knight Chair in Data Journalism at Columbia's Journalism School and director of both the year-long Data Journalism MS and ten-week Lede Program summer bootcamp.
When: 9 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Columbia Journalism School
Wed, May 1 - Disinformation, Elections & Democracy: How journalists can spot and disarm current tactics to influence voters
What: A practical look at current tactics used by disinformation specialists to disrupt the 2024 election and what journalists can do to counter them.
Who: Tina Barton, senior elections expert, Committee for Safe and Secure Elections; Yael Eisenstat, senior fellow at Cybersecurity for Democracy and PEN America consultant; Christine Fernando, democracy reporter, Associated Press; Sheera Frenkel, technology reporter for the New York Times
When: 11:30, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: National Press Club Journalism Institute
Wed, May 1 - Choosing Words During War: Covering the Israel-Gaza Conflict
What: How do newsrooms decide what words to use in covering a complex conflict? In a quick-moving story, how should journalists decide if and when information is solid enough to publish? Has the current war presented new challenges, and what policies have changed or grown out of it?
Who: John Daniszewski, Vice President and Editor at Large for Standards, The Associated Press; David Folkenflik, Media Correspondent, NPR News; Steven Holmes, Former Executive Director, Standards & Practices, CNN; Pulitzer Prize winner for New York Times, "How Race Is Lived in America"; New York-based journalist Jane Eisner, former Director of Academic Affairs, Columbia Journalism School, and former Editor-in-Chief, The Forward.
When: 12 noon, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Columbia Journalism School, The Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies at Columbia University
Wed, May 1 - Environmental Journalists on the Frontlines of Democracy
What: A celebration of the important role of environmental journalism and a highlighting of the need to protect journalists around the world from surveillance, censorship, oppression, and violence.
Who: Jon Sawyer, Pulitzer Center Leadership; Meaghan Parker, of the Society of Environmental Journalists; Jeje Mohammed, of PEN America; Clayton Weimers, of Reporters Without Borders USA; and independent journalist Sandhya Ravishanka.
When: 10 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program (ECSP), in partnership with the Society of Environmental Journalists.
Wed, May 1 - Why Press Freedom Matters: Exploring Evan Gershkovich’s Case
What: We’ll look at a high-profile example of the denial of press freedoms: the case of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was wrongfully detained in Russia last year on bogus charges of spying.
Who: Wall Street Journal Assistant Editor Paul Beckett, who leads the Journal’s efforts at securing Gershkovich’s release, will discuss the case with New Literacy Project’s Brittney Smith.
When: 5 pm, Central
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: News Literacy Project
Thu, May 2 - AI while avoiding the cloud: running local models
(a second offering of an April 30 event)
What: What the open-source, locally-run ecosystem looks like for chatbots and large language models. We'll look at performance compared to the closed-off options, setup and hardware requirements, "uncensored" models and common technical adaptations like quantization that trades off ability for those of us without cutting-edge desktops.
Who: Jonathan Soma, Knight Chair in Data Journalism at Columbia's Journalism School and director of both the year-long Data Journalism MS and ten-week Lede Program summer bootcamp.
When: 9 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Columbia Journalism School
Thu, May 2 - Universities + public media + Election 2024 = an amazing opportunity
What: Election 2024 is an incredible opportunity for college students and public media stations to work together. How can student-led journalism reach new audiences and approach political coverage in a fresh way? We’ll learn what’s happening all across the U.S. from America Amplified, and on the ground in one mid-sized Midwestern community.
Who: Chelsea Nebeker-Naughton Digital Engagement Manager America Amplified; Jenna Dooley News Director Northern Public Radio; Katelynn McIlwain Managing Editor KBIA/University of Missouri.
When: 12 noon, Central
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: The University of Vermont and University Station Alliance
Thu, May 2 - AI Driven Content Creation: Crafting Compelling Blogs
What: Explore how artificial intelligence can revolutionize content creation, particularly for blogs. Dive into the world of AI and learn how to leverage these technologies to produce compelling, engaging, and effective blog content that resonates with your audience.
Who: Casey Remolde, Chief Social Media Strategy Specialist at Kutztown Small Business Development Center; Nicole Stabile, Web Design Specialist at Kutztown Small Business Development Center.
When: 5 pm
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Kutztown University
Thu, May 2 - The Intersections of Press Freedom and the Environment
What: This panel discussion will address obstacles U.S. journalists face when reporting urgent climate change and environmental issues for their communities — whether violence or arrest when covering environmental protests or denials of access and legal obstructions when investigating centers of political and corporate power.
Who: Carlos Berríos Polanco, writer and photojournalist from Caguas, Puerto Rico, specializing in climate and conflict topics; Halle Parker, journalist and Society of Environmental Journalists board member, who covers the environment for WWNO's Coastal Desk and Sea Change podcast; Caitlin Vogus, deputy director of advocacy at Freedom of the Press Foundation; Adam Glenn, deputy editor at Freedom of the Press Foundation.
When: 11 am, Central
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Freedom of the Press Foundation and the Society of Environmental Journalists
Sat, May 4 - Next Gen Reporting for a Climate in Crisis
What: A conversation that focuses on empowering young journalists in the climate movement, and exploring their pivotal role in addressing pressing environmental challenges.
Who: Oleksii Otkydach (Ukraine), Political Analyst, La Sexta; Meghana Guntur (India), Corporate Interface Team Member, Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication; Sisanda Nkoala (South Africa), Associate Professor in the Linguistics Department at the University of the Western Cape; Sarah Swetlik, Climate Change and Environmental Reporter, The Greenville News; Pratika Katiyar, Board of Directors Student Member, Student Press Law Center; Peris Tushabe (Uganda), Program Coordinator for Free Expression and Education, PEN America;
When: 9 am, Central
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Pen America, Student Press Law Center
Mon, May 6 - Sciline Crash Course: Science Essentials for Local Reporters
What: Among the topics covered: Knowing whether and how science can enhance your story; Different kinds of studies and what each can—and cannot—reveal; Practical tips for identifying credible scientist-sources and interviewing them; and How to get the essentials from scientific reports, studies, and press releases.
Who: Former longtime Washington Post science reporter Rick Weiss and Ph.D. neuroscientist Dr. Tori Fosheim.
When: 2 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Society of Environmental journalists
Tue, May 7 - Mini Lab: AI Tools for Research
What: AI tools you can use now to augment your research
Who: Newsroom Robots podcast host Nikita Roy
When: 3 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free for members, $25 for nonmembers
Sponsor: Online News Association
Wed, May 8 - Leveraging AI in your Audience Engagement Strategy
What: Employing AI as part of your audience engagement strategy. We’ll explore how AI can help you identify communities and partnership opportunities, streamline workflows and craft messaging. We’ll also cover what only good old AE (Actual Experience) can do when it comes to Audience Engagement.
Who: Mike Reilley, Senior Lecturer, University of Illinois-Chicago; Jennifer Brandel CEO & Co-Founder, Hearken.
When: 2 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free for members, $25 for nonmembers
Sponsor: Online News Association
Wed, May 8 - Local News: Why It Matters and How It's Changing
What: Media leaders discuss key issues and innovations in journalism including the changes and challenges, the new technology and tools for gathering and sharing the news — and answer all your questions during the Q & A.
Who: Beryl Love, Executive Editor and Vice President of News for the Cincinnati Enquirer; Jennifer Merritt, Deputy Editor/ Digital Editor for WVXU; Ann Thompson, Digital Media Producer for CET
When: 6 pm, Central
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Woman's City Club of Greater Cincinnati
Wed, May 8 - How health journalists think about their roles amid current challenges
What: Our analyses identify role conceptions that are specific to the work of health journalists in the current political climate.
Who: Dr. Amanda Hinnant is an associate professor at the University of Missouri, School of journalism, where she holds the Wallace Turner Memorial Faculty Fellowship; Dr. Rachel Young is an associate professor and director of undergraduate studies in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Iowa.
When: 8 am, Central
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Bournemouth University Centre for Science, Health & Data Comm Research
Thu, May 9 - What is service journalism and how do I do it right?
What: A wide-ranging discussion on all things service journalism.
Who: Tim Herrera, former editor of NYT's service desk Smarter Living.
When: 3 pm, Central
Where: Zoom
Cost: $20
Sponsor: Freelancing With Tim
Fri, May 10 - Covering trans and LGBTQ+ issues during 2024
What: Trans people and DEIB programs are in the crosshairs of state leaders, legislatures, policymakers, and school boards. Journalists must be prepared to report and share the impact of these efforts, as well as how political candidates are using them to influence voters.
Who: Katie Barnes, digital feature writer; ESPN Lex McMenamin, news and politics editor, Teen Vogue; Phoebe Petrovic, investigative reporter, Wisconsin Watch; Moderator: Gina Chua, executive editor, Semafor.
When: 11:30 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: National Press Club Journalism Institute
Every decision
/Every decision I make is also a decision about what kind of person I want to be. -C. Stephen Evans
Projecting Ourselves onto Others
/Large numbers of American soldier had idyllic marriages to German, Italian or Japanese “war brides” (after World War II) with whom they could not verbally communicate. But when their brides learned English, the marriages began to fall apart. The servicemen could then no longer project upon their wives their own thoughts, feelings, desires and goals and feel the same sense of closeness one feels with a pet. Instead, as their wives learned English, the men began to realize that these women had ideas, opinions and aims different from their own. As this happened, love began to grow for some; for most, perhaps, it ceased.
The liberated woman is right to beware of the man who affectionately calls her his “pet.” He many indeed be an individual whose affection is dependent upon her being a pet, who lacks the capacity to respect her strength, independence and individuality.
Probably the most saddening example of this phenomenon is the very large number of women who are capable of “loving” their children only as infants.
As soon as a child begins to assert its own will- to disobey, to whine, to refuse to play, to occasionally reject being cuddled, to attach itself to other people, to move out into the world a little bit on its own – the mother’s love cease… At the same time, she will often feel an almost overpowering need to be pregnant again, to have another infant, another pet. Usually she will succeed, and the cycle is repeated.
The point is that nurturing can be and usually should be much more than simple feeding, and that nurturing spiritual growth is an infinitely more complicated process than can be directed by any instinct.
M Scott Peck, The Road Less Traveled
16 Recent Articles about AI-generated Fakes
/Henry Cavill James Bond Trailer Gets 2.3M Views Despite Being an AI Fake – Hollywood Reporter
23 of the best deepfake examples that terrified and amused the internet – CreativeBloq
How to spot AI-generated deepfake images – Associated Press
AI-generated audio deepfakes are increasing. We tested four tools designed to detect them. - PolitiFact
Spotting LLMs With Binoculars: Zero-Shot Detection of Machine-Generated Text - arXiv
Wait, Can Turnitin Actually Detect If You Use ChatGPT For A Paper? – Her Campus
How to Spot AI-Generated Images – Every Pixel
A machine-learning tool can easily spot when chemistry papers are written using the chatbot ChatGPT – Nature
AI bots are everywhere now. These telltale words give them away. - Washington Post
Disinformation poses an unprecedented threat in 2024 — and the U.S. is less ready than ever – NBC News
AI washing explained: Everything you need to know – Tech Target
How to Spot AI Fakes (For Now) – McGill University
The telltale signs of AI-generated images, video and audio, according to experts – News Nation
Spot the deepfake: The AI tools undermining our own eyes and ears – Politico
Hijacked Facebook Pages are pushing fake AI services to steal your data – ZDNet
Teen Girls Confront an Epidemic of Deepfake Nudes in Schools – New York Times
The messy process of creativity
/Many case studies read to me like school homework: they knew what the answer and the process were “supposed to be” according to the textbook, so made up the story to fit. In reality, it’s never smooth and linear. It’s messy and loopish. If you’re doing a good job, you rarely end up with anything remotely like you anticipated when you started out.
-Matej Latin
AI Definitions: Deep Learning
/Deep Learning – Training computers to use neural networks and solve problems. It involves a particular kind of mathematical model. The word “deep” means that the composition has many “blocks” of neural networks stacked on top of each other, and the trick is adjusting the blocks that are far from the output, since a small change there can have very indirect effects on the output. It is the dominant way to help machines sense and perceive the world around them. It powers the image-processing operations of firms like Facebook and Google, self-driving cars, and Google’s on-the-fly language translations.
More AI definitions here.
One particular act of love
/Every day should be distinguished by one particular act of love.
14 Articles about AI & the US Military
/Why the Pentagon wants to build thousands of easily replaceable, AI-enabled drones – Vox
The U.S. Military’s Investments Into Artificial Intelligence Are Skyrocketing - TIME
U.S. military pits AI against human pilots in first ever dogfight test – Semafor
What War by A.I. Actually Looks Like – New York Times
Google will provide AI to the military for disaster response – Washington Post
How Ukraine is using AI to fight Russia – Economist
Artificial Intelligence Changing Way Military Health System Delivers Health Care – Dvidshub
Israel offers a glimpse into the terrifying world of military AI - Washington Post
OpenAI drops ban on military tools to partner with the Pentagon – Semafor
Tech Companies Turned Ukraine Into an AI War Lab - TIME
AI models consistently favor using nuclear weapons in war games – Wired
Pentagon explores military uses of large language models - Washington Post
Scale AI to set the Pentagon’s path for testing and evaluating large language models - Defense Scoop
Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries shows the growing threat AI drones pose to energy markets – NBC Connecticut
How to tell the good people from the bad
/Behavior can be good or bad. But people themselves aren't good or bad—though they have the capacity for doing either one. As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wrote in The Gulag Archipelago, “The line separating good and evil passes right through every human heart, and through all human hearts.”
Evil is not a thing you can point at and say, “There it goes!” or “Here it is!” Evil is a privation. A negation. It's not something in itself. It's like rot to a tree. Without the tree, the rot wouldn't exist. Without a context of good, evil doesn't exist. So, if you want to declare something evil, then you must first come to terms with what is good.
Stephen Goforth
A Happy Life
/Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word 'happy' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. –Carl Jung
6 Webinars this Week about AI, Journalism, Social Media & More
/May 16, 2024, thru 2026 - AI Spotlight Series Workshops & Webinars
What: This is a series of webinars & workshops being held over a two-year period designed to equip reporters and editors—whether on the tech beat or any other beat—with the knowledge and skills to cover and shape coverage of AI and its profound influence on society. Some of the questions that will guide the instruction include: Where is AI being used? Where is it working or breaking? Who is being harmed, and who stands to profit?
Who: Award-winning AI reporter Karen Hao, whose pioneering work in the field of AI accountability is regularly taught in universities and cited by governments. Some of the world’s leading technology reporters and editors have co-designed the AI Spotlight Series curriculum and will be instructors in the program. Most of the instruction will be interactive and online. The co-designers and instructors of the AI Spotlight Series are: Lam Thuy Vo (reporter at The Markup), Gabriel Geiger (investigative reporter at Lighthouse Reports), Gideon Lichfield (former editor in chief at MIT Technology Review and WIRED), and Tom Simonite (senior editor at WIRED).
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Pulitzer Center
Tue, April 23 - Social Media 101 for Nonprofits
What: This session includes practical tips and tools for extending your cause and mission via social media. We cover the basics of using social media for your nonprofit organization and give you handy tips for the most useful social media platforms for nonprofits.
Who: Kiersten Hill Director of Nonprofit Solutions
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: FireSpring
Tue, April 23 - Website Engagement Strategies: Elevate Your Online Presence
What: This session is designed for small business owners and entrepreneurs eager to enhance their online presence, attract more visitors, and convert those visits into tangible business outcomes. This webinar is perfect for anyone within the small business community looking to elevate and improve their website engagement. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to revamp your existing website, this webinar will provide valuable insights and actionable strategies.
Who: Chloe Grim, Photo Specialist; Web Designer at the Kutztown University Small Business Development Center Lien Nguyen, Digital Content Specialist at the Kutztown University Small Business Development Center.
When: 5 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Kutztown University Small Business Development Center
Wed, April 24 - Learning from the Media: A Conversation with Journalists
What: Panelists will discuss the constraints and incentives they face when reporting, including suggestions for building relationships with journalists and communicating effectively with and through them.
Who: M.R. O’Connor is a freelance journalist and author of the book Ignition: Lighting Fires in a Burning World; Roberto Rosales is a photojournalist who has covered wildland fire in the West and a photography professor at the University of New Mexico; April Ehrlich is a reporter covering lands and environmental policies in Oregon and Southwest Washington at Oregon Public Broadcasting.
When: 1 pm, Central
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Fire Learning Network
Wed, April 24 - AI Tools for Journalists Part II
What: This hands-on session builds on our Feb “Introduction to AI Tools” session. We’ll explore what these tools can do well (help with social media, headlines, writing tips, coding, photo illustrations) and what they do poorly (write stories, accuracy, etc.) and discuss legal and ethical ramifications of using them.
Who: Mike Reilley Senior Lecturer, University of Illinois-Chicago
When: 2 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free for members, $25 for nonmembers
Sponsor: Online News Association
Wed, April 24 - Disinformation & The Public: How journalists can champion news literacy and empower their communities
What: Participants will learn practices to reach some of the communities most vulnerable to mis- and disinformation campaigns, how to talk about disinformation in ways that instill trust among communities traditionally underserved by mainstream media, and tools to empower members of the public to champion their roles as information clearinghouses in their peer groups and communities.
Who: Tamoa Calzaldilla, editor in chief of Factchequeado and creator of the bilingual Guide for Journalists Covering Latino and Spanish-Speaking Communities; Henry Hicks, manager, U.S. Free Expressions Programs for PEN America; Mollie Muchna, project manager for Trusting News and adjunct professor at the University of Arizona’s School of Journalism; Kate Starbird, co-founder of the Center for an Informed Public at the University of Washington and associate professor in the university’s Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering; Moderator: Delano Massey, managing editor of local at Axios and NPCJI board member.
When: 11:30 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: National Press Club Journalism Institute
Love Means Putting yourself out of business
/The proper aim of giving is to put the recipient in a state where he no longer needs our gift. We feed children in order that they soon be able to feed themselves; we teach them in order that they may soon not need our teaching. The hour when we can say “They need me no longer” should be our reward.
My own profession – that of a university teacher – is in this way dangerous. If we are any good we must always be working towards the moment at which our pupils are fit to become our critics and rivals. We should be delighted when it arrives, as the fencing master is delighted when his pupil can pink and disarm him. Any many are. But not all.
CS Lewis, The Four Loves
A Dozen Recent AI Prediction Articles
/Why small language models are the next big thing in AI – Venture Beat
What’s next for generative video – MIT Tech Review
Thanks to AI, people may no longer feel the need to learn a second language – The Atlantic
Natural language instructions induce compositional generalization in networks of neurons – The Journal Nature
AI Will Mean Cheaper Food – Wall Street Journal
The Year Ahead in AI: AI Predictions for 2024 – Expert AI
What an AI-powered future of data science looks like – Fast Company
A.I. Is Learning What It Means to Be Alive - New York Times
What’s next for generative AI: Household chores and more – MIT Management
Experts Concerned by Signs of AI Bubble - Futurism
AI Has Lost Its Magic That’s how you know it’s taking over - The Atlantic
How the A.I. That Drives ChatGPT Will Move Into the Physical World – New York Times
Advice from Conan O'Brien
/Nietzsche famously said, "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger." But what he failed to stress is that it almost kills you. Disappointment stings, and for driven, successful people like yourselves, it is disorienting.
There are few things more liberating in this life than having your worst fear realized. I went to college with many people who prided themselves on knowing exactly who they were and exactly where they were going.
My peers and I have all missed that mark in a thousand different ways. But the point is this: It is our failure to become our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique. It's not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, your perceived failure can become a catalyst for profound re-invention.
In 2000, I told (Harvard) graduates to not be afraid to fail, and I still believe that. But today, I tell you that whether you fear it or not, disappointment will come. The beauty is that through disappointment you can gain clarity, and with clarity comes conviction and true originality.
Many of you here today are getting your diploma at this Ivy League school because you have committed yourself to a dream and worked hard to achieve it. And there is no greater cliché in a commencement address than "follow your dream." Well, I am here to tell you that whatever you think your dream is now, it will probably change. And that's okay. Four years ago, many of you had a specific vision of what your college experience was going to be and who you were going to become. And I bet, today, most of you would admit that your time here was very different from what you imagined.
I have told you many things today, most of it foolish but some of it true. I'd like to end my address by breaking a taboo and quoting myself from 17 months ago. At the end of my final program with NBC, just before signing off, I said, "Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen." Today, receiving this honor and speaking to the Dartmouth Class of 2011 from behind a tree trunk, I have never believed that more.
Conan O'Brien, born April 18, 1963
From his commencement address to Dartmouth College (watch the entire speech here)
Love is not
/Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained. -CS Lewis
How to tell the good people from the bad
/Behavior can be good or bad. But people themselves aren't good or bad—though they have the capacity for doing either one. As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wrote in The Gulag Archipelago, “The line separating good and evil passes right through every human heart, and through all human hearts.”
Evil is not a thing you can point at and say, “There it goes!” or “Here it is!” Evil is a privation. A negation. It's not something in itself. It's like rot to a tree. Without the tree, the rot wouldn't exist. Without a context of good, evil doesn't exist. So, if you want to declare something evil, then you must first come to terms with what is good.
Stephen Goforth