It’s not to everyone’s taste, but a substantial group of humans who are free to roam the earth like to collect stuff. Some focus their collections — stamps, coins — but others of us are not prejudiced. We collect anything that is interesting.
AI has infused itself into every part of our lives. Nearly everyone can feel it nipping at some aspect of their jobs. Pastors like myself are not immune. As we see uses and misuses throughout society, should AI be allowed to take over the sermon?
There’s been a lot of news lately, as you might have noticed. You might, too, have noticed that getting actual, accurate news coverage seems all but impossible.
I’ll just illustrate something I’m on about, and maybe someone will get it. Bearing in mind that my opposition to Trump and all his insanity is loud, consistent, and well-known. I saw a commercial in the summer of 2024 by Trump — and I hoped I was wrong — but that’s when I knew the presidential election was over. The commercial said, “Kamala Harris cares about ‘they/them’; Donald Trump cares about you.” That’s when it ended.
One of the things I find most appealing about the Japanese anime art form is that you often hear characters encourage others by saying “Do your best!” Or characters who have been worried recover their courage and with renewed resolve lift a fist into the air and declare, “I’ll do my best!” Some of us remember when you didn’t need to watch a cartoon from overseas to find that sentiment expressed. In fact, it wasn’t all that long ago when it was expected of each of us, all the time. No longer.
We need to define terms. Our culture is always ready to debate and toss accusations, but we fail to stop and see if we even mean the same things by the words we hurl. No wonder we never settled anything.
There is so much we could discuss, practically all of it obvious and troubling.
I’m exhausted. Worn down from dealing with the medical system that is supposed to heal us. It shouldn’t be this way and we have the technological means to fix at least some of it right now.
When I walked into the newsroom of The Athens News, nearly 19 years ago, the first thing I noticed was the clocks.
The other day, I was talking with a friend between jobs who was thinking about how to prepare for the next step. It took me back to a time I had to take the GRE — and that painful reminder of the need for preparation.