I’ve been experimenting with the Gen AI tools since the beginning, finding they give major value for some use cases and completely miss the mark in others. Bard can now access gmail. I had a busy week and didn’t get to my usual morning news scan. This prompt just let me clear a section of my inbox sans FOMO:
"summarize the items in my gmail inbox labeled "Daily News" and provide me excerpts of any noteworthy items I may have missed because not covered in other major news feeds"
The latest Human Freedom Index results are out. Published by the Cato Institute and the Fraser Institute, this index compares countries across dimensions of personal and economic freedom, now updated through 2021 based on the latest data. Those of us in the US often describe ourselves as the freest country in the world, but we’re not. We’re actually 17th, and down noticeably from a decade ago. We’re still a very free country, but for all our competitiveness, we’re no longer the leader. Based on recent laws and policies, the outlook isn’t positive once the latest two years of data are available.
I just loaded our Snowy Christmas playlist for the first time this season. And removed that Wham! song temporarily to stay in play for Whamageddon. In case you need a good playlist for background music, ours is curated for a mix of classics and modern, keeping Christ in Christmas, and saving the camp for other outlets: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/13KmUUKGX3H5KwQLI1qCbk?si=qw6TYS2HQ5u8xME5phD5qQ
Sunday Firesides: You Are Religious resonated with me immediately (if I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard someone declare they’re “not religious, but are spiritual). Most of us are religious about something. If you never miss DWTS or hanging your team’s banner on game day, those are as much personal practices as the liturgy. This article points out how we can use our bonds with others and combine modern elements with traditional religion to be intentional about our own form.
The Worst Predictions of 2020 provides a rare data-driven eval by fact checking of sensational predictions noteworthy people made, often outside their normal realm of expertise.
The Tricks UPS Drivers Use To Safely Deliver 21 Million Packages A Day will make you respect these hard-working delivery drivers even more.
This 4K Footage from 1895 of a Family Going on a Road Trip Is the Closest Thing to Time Travel is a short view and worth it.
45 Things You Never Realized Everybody Else Does Too, including me for most of these, including #5 “When someone in a movie is supposed to be dead, you intently watch their chest to see if you can catch the actor breathing.”
What the Hole Is Going On? The very real, totally bizarre bucatini shortage of 2020. – Way too much expense government involvement in controlling what has to get added to a pasta to allow import.
Archaeologists uncover ancient street food shop in Pompeii provides a realistic slice of Roman life, based on what pedestrians saw and consumed at a snack stand
Washington’s Secret to the Perfect Zoom Bookshelf? Buy It Wholesale. is about how political set designers and decorators order books by the foot for staging purposes. Maybe that talking head isn’t as well read as they appear. For the record, I don’t put a book upright on my shelf unless I’ve actually read it.
How to Be Bored gives perspectives about why we’re bored and the value of it. I can’t recall the last time I was truly bored. Maybe I should try it, but I’ve always lived by the mantra I read somewhere a long time ago: If you’re bored, it’s your own fault.
Best Ads of 2020 includes a curation of some truly creative and entertaining marketing
Why The Taste Of Bananas Will Change In A Few Years continues the recurring prophecy of the demise of bananas, though the article seems to equate zero taste as a change in taste. I’m ever hopeful that innovation and market forces will find a solution, perhaps improving the flavor in course.
They Went Out for a Bike Ride. They Never Came Home. Please share the road and drive with care for others.
Mesmerizing, yes, and also tense
Why Is Napoleon Bonaparte Always Depicted With His Hand In His Coat? is historically interesting, and reminds me of the big portrait of our town’s namesake that hung in the student commons of Napoleon High School
A Weapons Master Explains How Armor Takes On Character Traits, And Rates Famous Medieval Scenes. I tend to enjoy this series where experts rate what they see in movies.
Why This Color Doesn’t Actually Exist will make you think differently about what we can and can’t see, even when we do
‘Magic was buried here’: One family’s escape to rural Ohio – in pictures has great photography journaling how children discover and grow when left to their own curiosity in a natural space
Will Ferrell Is Let Loose On Unsuspecting New Yorkers In This Behind-The-Scenes Footage Of ‘Elf’ makes me like Elf even more (plus cool throwback to the Christmas specials of our childhood, the optical science of forced perspective and stop motion, and another proof point of John Favreau’s talent)
Hey, There’s a Second Brain in Your Gut could lead to new discoveries about nutrition and mental health
Like we needed another thing to worry about, but this really is disturbing: Report Points to Microwave ‘Attack’ as Likely Source of Mystery Illnesses That Hit Diplomats and Spies
The Mysterious Bronze Objects That Have Baffled Archaeologists for Centuries – every time I see a story about these, my curiosity really wants us to find the answer
Great news that Denver homeless advocates receive approval for second safe outdoor space. St. Andrew UMC, my local church, is supporting Safe Spaces for those experiencing homelessness through volunteering and an Amazon wishlist. One factor that has significantly changed my own views about the homeless is the growing body of research showing half suffer from the effects of brain injuries.
Have you intentionally altered your expectations and your routine to Pandemic-Proof Your Habits?
The Best Things About the Worst Year Ever exhibits good news that isn’t just feel good news.
Cool to see the Marsalis brothers still Keeping New York’s Jazz Scene Alive. I’ve been a fan of Wynton ever since his circular breathing in Trumpet Concerto in E-Flat and of Branford since Royal Garden Blues.
Fascinating immersion into life at the turn of the last century via rare colorized footage
The Deadly Temptation of the Oregon Trail Shortcut is one little piece of the westward expansion story – and also a moral lesson about the danger of taking shortcuts touted by people who haven’t walked the walk
Only a human would find this funny
There’s a lot about business travel I don’t miss.
Call it ego or a challenge, but I tend to post the puzzles I solve quickly: The Logic House
Our parents warned us the internet would break our brains. It broke theirs instead and What Facebook Fed the Baby Boomers – thoughtful perspective about how some of the most internet-vulnerable get caught in their own reality-warping echo chamber. “I do not think my older family members understand the extent to which the content they encounter is tailored by algorithms to set their lizard brains on fire.” (from first article)
How to Socialize in the Cold Without Being Miserable – useful as we plan for more socializing outdoors and consider the equipment needs of the homeless this winter. I still maintain Colorado has never been as cold as it was waiting for the school bus in the cold, fierce wind attacking from Lake Erie.
Former CIA Chief Of Disguise Reveals What Kinds Of Spy Gadgets Were Used During The Cold War, fascinating first-person review of Cold War-era spy gadgets
Wonder Why… Serve and Volley Went Out of Fashion in Tennis
Prisencolinensinainciusol, a song released in 1972 by singer Adriano Celentano, intended to sound to its Italian audience as if it is sung in English spoken with an American accent. It’s actually gibberish, but the song and the video both rock.
A few of the more interesting articles I encountered this past week…
Why Do Virtual Meetings Feel So Weird? made me think back to how many times during in-person meetings I’ve used eye contact with a colleague to gauge whether to move to the next slide. One tactic we can all use in virtual meetings is to ask more checking questions, such as “Is everyone familiar with the project he just referenced?” When we tried this on a call recently we learned that none of our audience was familiar with a project we assumed to be common knowledge.
The US ranks only at #25 in per-capita coffee consumption? Come on everyone, we can do better. I know I do my part.
I too have been noticing Google stacking more and more of their stuff at the top of search results. Monopoly concerns aside, it’s also annoying.
I’m 100% a dog person but for some reason can’t resist the #findthecat challenges on Twitter, including most recently this one. It’s not about the cats, but about the challenge, or perhaps some deeper evolutionary hunter and watcher instinct.
JP Snow 