We have been going through so much tumult in our own national discourse; not to mention the fluctuating world order we are witnessing. And outside of the political sphere , we’ve seen turbulence afoot in most of the financial markets in the past months. Therefore, it’s good to be able to reflect a bit on what has been some of the more positive developments that we’ve seen in recent years. A recovery from COVID, and some scientific breakthroughs that are remarkable achievements.
The technological advancements of AI are both concerning and encouraging. That seems to be the way we look at most things now…For the Blurb Blog, one of the reasons that it is so named is that the average time people spend reading has been reduced from about 7 to around 4 seconds to glance at something in print before moving on!…So the blurbs are becoming more important than ever…
Blurbs that catch our eye are often things that we just glance at. For instance, some of the things that have been breaking through for a younger generation deal with: What’s old is new again. Vinyl records are in, Art Deco is in…all things that I have long loved! Some of the older film noir movie classics are popular,too.
A staple of our Flipboard magazines is the notion that Science and with it, the science of Climate Change–matter!….A look at the past posts give us some hope that the ideas of a changing climate are breaking through.
The Blurbs: 6 Degrees of Science!
Here are some recent articles about the Planet Earth we live on-from 6 Degrees of Science & Climate Change…
- Fossil Fuels were used in only one-half of all electricity generated this March
- An International Agreement to protect the High Seas, (our Oceans!) has been reached!
- A Question to ask: What is “The Great Dying” ?
- The Climate Data that’s disappearing…what we need to know about the new Climate Data Tracker…
Lately, one of the things that I have been obsessed with is the ability for us, as humans, to think critically. And one of the things that has been worrying some of us, those who write and those who work in content media, is that perhaps with the advent of Artificial Intelligence, we are going to encourage: “Brain Rot!” That’s one of the questions asked this month in our Favorite Reads:
Well, the good news is, we’ve accompanied that article with a solution! Here are 5 Things to do to keep your brain sharp as you age!
The Blurbs: Favorite Reads about AI
Here are some Favorite Reads that expand upon the topic that seems to be on everyone’s mind these days: Artificial Intelligence or “AI.”
- Human Level AI: What is it & how will it affect our lives…?
- Can we prove AI is really ….dumb?!
- What AI really does= Reducing your Critical Thinking Skills!
The Blurbs: 6 Degrees of History!
And from the history files this month, we have heard some talk lately about a return of a second “Gilded Age’ in America. Well, there’s a piece that looks at what actually happened during the first one! Also, as we seem to be moving away from the world order that was created after the second World War in the framework of FDR and those who shaped the post-war order, there’s a thoughtful piece talking about what it means to move on from that orderly state.
And as we begin to think about celebrating the 250th anniversary of our founding in 2026, there’s a look back on the fateful midnight ride of Paul Revere!...Here’s some articles from 6 Degrees of History that help us understand our current world!
- A Deeper Dive into the world Franklin D Roosevelt created and how we’re moving away from it….
- A look at the Gilded Age reveals…not wealth but Corruption!
- What a Historian might say in 100 years about this era in America
- The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, revisited…
- 10 Ways Shakespeare Changed the Way you Talk
The Blurbs: Recommended Reading!
And finally, some recommended reads from our Favorite Reads section on Flipboard. They include some ‘escapist’ literature to help us unwind as we face the afore-mentioned turbulent waters that seem to define our current national mood & vibe. For me, an especially interesting piece is on “The Great Gatsby’ as the classic novel turns 100. Not only did it capture the mood of a bygone “Gilded Age’ in America, but the novel’s iconic cover also inspired my very own “6 Degrees of Film’ book cover! And there’s a great recommended reading list of nonfiction books that cover the past 30 years of modern literary life!
- Five Escapist Books…
- Three Books to read in age of Modern Spiritual Culture
- Books to read if you love Stephen King Novels
- 30 Best Nonfiction books in past 30 years!
- The Great Gatsby turns 100: A Look at the Dark Side….
One more thing to know…”Secrets of Adulthood!”
One more thing…this past week, I’ve been sharing on social media some of the great pictures and the atmosphere found from the talk given by one our Growing Group mentors: Gretchen Rubin! She was in Tampa at The Oxford Exchange to promote her new book, “Secrets of Adulthood!” I loved seeing the great turnout for her and the enthusiasm of the audience in asking her questions about her book and her life’s work!
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