Sunday Solutions – July 9, 2023
It’s not quite a takeover, but it’s close. The summer staffers are feeling the heat, so we asked them for advice on reads that keep them focused. They’ll be back next week as they take over this Sunday missive for the day. Beware.
Using AI power for good
From Jabari Gibbs: When I think about how much artificial intelligence is being integrated into our daily lives, it both fascinates and concerns me. It’s almost like watching a scene from a sci-fi movie unfold before our eyes. However, one area that I would not have expected AI to assist in is therapy. As we all know, therapy relies heavily on human interaction and feedback, which would make it seem like a gray area for chatbots. However, this Bloomberg article highlights the impact that robot-assisted therapy has already had on people’s lives, but it also sheds light on the limitations of AI therapy, which makes things just a bit less concerning. Nonetheless, it is fascinating to consider where else we will see AI have an impact. Will we see AI-powered doctors and nurses? AI-powered teachers?
Explore a cooler climate
From Audrey Gibbs: If the sun is blazing outside and the pool and beach don’t seem to cool you down—staying inside may be the only option. But, dodging the sun doesn’t mean you can’t be transported outdoors. Three of my favorite nonfiction books about individuals exploring the outdoors are Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, Wild by Cheryl Strayed and Silence: In the Age of Noise by Erling Kagge. Each true story provides insight into how to immerse oneself in the wilderness, showing both the safe and reckless practices each author highlights. One book brings you to the Alaskan Bush, another to the Pacific Crest Trail spanning the West Coast, and the last goes all the way to the South Pole. Perhaps the best way to escape the Georgia heat is to curl up inside and read about the snow — that evens out, right?
Finding detail inside
From Sarah Harwell: On days when it’s just too hot to go out, being glued to a book can make it feel like it’s going by much quicker. A genre I think lends itself to cover to cover reading is mystery, keeping you guessing all the way to the end. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides tells the story of a popular artist named Alicia who kills her husband then completely stops speaking and a criminal psychotherapist that is tasked with getting her to talk again years after the incident. This was the kind of story that makes you want to go back and make sure you got every detail while reading and convinces you that you know the ending multiple times before you actually get there. Parallels between the two main characters make you question how different the two, a therapist and their patient, really are.
Nature: We’re at its mercy
From Caelen McQuilkin: When I first stepped out of my car into the Savannah heat four weeks ago, I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t surprised. The heat and humidity felt like they were pressing down on everything around me, and while I’ve gotten more used to this feeling — and almost started appreciating it in the recent weeks — it’s still a shocker compared to where I was standing months ago, surrounded by multiple feet of snow in my hometown in eastern California. Now, the landscape of California is literally changing in the wake of this record-breaking precipitation. This Los Angeles Times article explores all kinds of stories from Tulare Lake Basin, California. Tulare Lake used to be the biggest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi until it was drained for agricultural purposes, and now it’s refilling due to the huge amount of precipitation that’s fallen on California in recent months. As you take shelter from this Savannah heat, these stories that weave together the human and the environmental will definitely draw you in!
Quiz time!
Thanks to those who’ve been faithfully playing. More coming soon!
Here’s your link to test your timely knowledge from the week’s news.
Your second cup: Doing the work
Careful readers will know The Current believes in doing the work and showing the work. Artificial intelligence tools may change that for lots of jobs, but not soon for news gathering. Jabari’s questions above, along with this episode of the podcast This American Life, will make you think about what we want technology to do for us — or not do for us. The link above takes you to the podcast for listening or a transcript.
Enjoy.
CDC to reduce funding for states’ child vaccination programs
The budget cut comes as the number of children getting vaccinated dropped amid the covid pandemic. Children who are not vaccinated are more likely to get diseases like measles and whooping cough, the CDC points out on its website. Outbreaks of these diseases have occurred recently, especially in communities with low vaccination rates.
For years, Republican states wouldn’t pass diaper laws. The end of abortion protections changed that.
2023 will likely be a banner year in diaper legislation. The issue, which has long gone unaddressed, is getting renewed attention from states looking to pass “pro-family” policy following the reversal of Roe v. Wade.
What did a big new study of charter schools really find?
Research, released in June, concluded that charter schools outperform district schools on both reading and math exams. The results have drawn significant attention.
Georgia lawmakers poised to study real and imagined threats from artificial intelligence
Some experts predict that artificial intelligence and machine learning could be like the next printing press, radio or internet, devices that caused major disruptions in the way people live and work.
Study shows sharp increases in maternal deaths over two decades
The study, published in the Journal for the American Medical Association on Monday, showed five states with a 93% increase in Black maternal mortality rates: Louisiana, New Jersey, Georgia, Arkansas and Texas.
Environment, budget offices get new chiefs; interim takes over at DNR
The natural resources board also named Walter Rabon, currently deputy commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), to move up into the commissioner’s post. Current DNR Commissioner Mark Williams is about to become executive director of the Jekyll Island Authority.
Support independent, solutions-based investigative journalism without bias, fear or favor on issues affecting Savannah and Coastal Georgia.
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