Cancer’s plasticity, meaning its cells can change from one form or function to another, gives the disease its endurance and makes it difficult to cure. Big tech has the same plasticity, morphing to address new conditions. Big tech isn’t a disease, of course, but it does have a d
We know how it feels…to be a non-being, confined in a cage..to always be known by the name of our father, brother or husband, and have no identity of our own. This lament from an Afghan girl could be chiseled on the gravestones of most women throughout human history. Female oppr
Many artists have recorded the song “You’ve Got to be Taught” from the musical South Pacific. Barbara Streisand is among them. It’s a song about hate. Actor John Kerr in the original film version explains. ”It happens after you’re born.” The philosopher John Locke would
I’d been a teacher in the classroom for little more than a year when I came to a crossroads, either I should strike for teacher’s rights or cross a picket line. My impulse was to ignore the strike on behalf of my students, but when a senior teacher heard my decision, he shook hi
Are writers soon to be replaced by Artificial intelligence (AI)? A reader sent me an article that raised the question. Its genesis came from a story about a man who wrote a children’s book using AI. Once released, reports of the publication raised hoopla in the writing community.
Checking the headlines, my eyes fell upon an article about President Joe Biden’s delight in ghostbuster burgers. Ghostbusters are toxic towers of meat, cheese, red onion, pickles, and sauce. While some wonder if Biden is too old for a second presidential term, a better question
The would-be author asked me how to publish her book. I should have replied, do you know your market? Instead, I gave her the name of someone who might help. Why point to the pitfalls ahead? The woman had completed a book. She deserved kudos instead of advice. I wasn’t the one
During the winter holidays, Britain’s Prime Mister, Rishi Sunak took a photo-op when he decided to serve breakfast at a homeless shelter. Sunak, reported to be worth $800 million, made a stab at being chummy as he handed a plate of eggs and sausages to a stranger standing on the o
In The Book of Hope, a dialogue between Jane Goodall and writer Douglas Abrams, the pair discuss the difference between hope and optimism. According to Goodall, the latter means wishful thinking while hope reflects a decision to work toward a good end. A philosophy major in my und