The Porcupine

I feel you deserve a brief introduction.

I have been writing all my life. I can still recall first grade in Cherokee Elementary in Muskogee, Oklahoma. I began to take paper and cut them into quarters and attach them together into a small book. I would then create stories, none of which I can remember, but my teacher, whose name also escapes me, did a glorious thing. She praised me, which this little monkey loved, and I can remember being at recess and she told another teacher of these crafty books I created and she suggested I retrieve one to show the teacher. I ran as fast as I could from the playground to the classroom. I was empowered. Around the corner, down the hallways, into the classroom, and high tailing it back to show off my work. Such was born a love of writing and reading; to being a thinker, a doer, a creative.

Through travels, education, wins, losses, and basic life, it is words that are always with me. With this newsletter, I want to try and focus on a few topics at a time, to quibble a bit on books, movies, history, politics, nature, current issues, and happiness. I hope you’ll be stimulated enough to continue this journey with me. If you read something you like, let me know. If anything seems out of kilter, that would be equally important. After all…

This is the first issue. Thank you for being here.

No, this is not the time of Terminator 2, but Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming integrated into our daily lives much more quickly than many of us realized. We are already familiar with products like Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant that can understand voice commands and provide information instantly. We already use it to make calls, play music, set reminders, and more with just our voice.

This next phase will be game changing.

Artificial Intelligence uses algorithms (high math formulas too much for my brain) to suggest personalized content to users based on their viewing history and interests. Now AI has evolved enough to learn and adapt with the information it has access to. Health care has been a real proving ground for the use of AI, where instead of having a couple of doctors reviewing your scans, AI will be able to view your scans and compare it to millions it already has access to. This would be similar to a million doctors looking over your scans at once. Check out this article from Forbes on several ways AI will change healthcare, and here’s a great video by the Guardian with one of the main creators of ChatGPT.

Special note: the biggest demographic bubble in the U.S. are older folks like me. The more AI makes it easier for patients to monitor themselves, to not have to move to caregiving facilities, to not have to drive to various locations for consultations, we should see both a reduction in healthcare costs and an extension of productive life. We will live longer! And you know what? I think the old-fashion doctor home visits will make a bit of a comeback.

So, what does this all mean to you?

Start getting familiar with AI now. Pick a product and ask it questions (known as queries). Whether ChatGPT, Bard, Poe, Claude, Khanmigo, or CoPilot, get on it and poke around. This is the initial phase of many AI based products to come. I think you’ll be surprised at what AI can do, but you won’t be scared. Here’s an article from earlier this year comparing Claude, ChatGPT, and Bard. I’ve been using all three. Start by using any of these model’s free versions and testing them.

And remember, we have been here before. Just like computers, the internet, and smartphones, we have adapted these products into our lives. The same will happen with AI based applications. This is progress. Get started now, and get extra bonus points by impressing your kids.

With the movie now out, I highly recommend reading the book first. I was completely engrossed in its captivating narrative, devouring its pages in a mere two days. It's a rare occurrence for me to finish a book so swiftly, but when the writing is exceptional and the story flows effortlessly, time seems to slip away. This particular book, with its intriguing blend of history, shocking revelations, and insatiable greed, is truly an outstanding read.

One aspect that struck me was the lack of attention given to this specific era in education. The tumultuous period of World War I and the roaring 1920s is often overshadowed by other historical events. However, delving into true accounts like this one sheds light on a recurring theme in life - the concept of moral equivalencies. As you immerse yourself in these pages, you'll begin to notice the profound choices individuals face and the various covers they hide under to engage in nefarious activities. Whether it be their upbringing, religious beliefs, societal norms, or even their genetic predispositions, these factors play a significant role in shaping their actions. I write that not to make an excuse for any of the outcomes. If there is one thing that advances in society teach us, it is for reasonable and good people to be cognizant of how and why things happen, in order to keep them from happening again.

Now, if you're considering watching the movie adaptation, I must warn you to make a quick pit stop before pressing play, as it boasts a lengthy runtime of three hours. Nevertheless, the film does not disappoint and stands as a remarkable piece of historical cinema, akin to the brilliance of Oppenheimer. However, despite its cinematic achievements, I must admit that the book still reigns supreme. Its depth and intricacies simply cannot be fully captured on the silver screen, making it a must-read for any avid reader or history enthusiast.

Special Note: Try and find the book local first, in your homegrown bookstores. Here’s a link from The Painted Porch, Ryan Holiday’s bookstore in Texas. And if money is tight, visit your local library where I am sure they will have more than one copy. Don’t forget your little free libraries where I have picked up and left many a book.

On parenting: "My kid wanted to do chores to get an allowance. My first thought was 'Great!' Then I remembered, I don’t give out allowances for chores. I give out a roof and food for chores."

This is from the amazing Nate Bargatze, who has two hilarious comedy specials on Netflix called "The Standups" and "The Tennessee Kid". If you're into low-key and clever comedy, you should definitely give them a watch. Recently my wife, daughter, and I had the pleasure of seeing him perform live. I have to admit, I didn't know who he was before the show, but I'm a big fan of comedy. And let me tell you, this guy is top-notch. He had us laughing for an hour and a half with his jokes about life, marriage, family, work, and friends. It was absolutely fantastic. Trust me, you deserve to treat yourself to some laughter. Laughter is like the food of the gods, and it's often the only thing that can counter the absurdities of life.

The latest violence in Israel-Palestine poses an agonizing moral dilemma. How should Israel respond to attacks on its civilians without further devastating innocent Palestinians? Behind this immediate crisis lies a deeper malaise: the normalization of endless conflict.

For Israel’s and Palestine’s millennial generations, a state of belligerence has become tragically routine. The same is true for their American peers. When war becomes the norm, our moral compass wavers. Conflict blurs the line between just and unjust actions.

As an ally, Israel's response reflects on the US and other democracies. A measured, targeted reaction shows strength and wisdom. An indiscriminate offensive that causes unnecessary fatalities plays into opponents' hands, fueling extremism. The innocent must not pay for the guilty.

Most Palestinians seek peace and prosperity for their children, like parents everywhere. Yet desperation breeds radicalization. Militant groups exploit people's misery to incite violence and consolidate power. Breaking this cycle requires addressing root causes: oppression, deprivation, hopelessness.

Military force can temporarily suppress violence. But lasting security comes through justice, investment in people, and patient reconciliation. Otherwise, trauma festers. Youth grow up in the shadow of drones, primed for vengeance.

If we are to lead with peace, we must live our ideals. There are no easy answers here. War is nothing short of a sanction to kill, but we can steer by moral principle, with courage tempered by compassion. And though it seems absurd, there are rules of war to follow.

Progress lies in supporting the following:

• Basic human empathy - War zones numb us to suffering. But we must remember civilians trapped in conflict are human beings, regardless of politics. Their hardship and loss of life is regrettable. If America stands for anything, we cannot dehumanize groups of people like Palestinians as simply "them."

• Preventing radicalization - Harsh conditions and lack of hope breed extremism, as we've seen in Gaza and even parts of America. Desperation makes people vulnerable to demagogues tapping into hatred. This can lead to more violence that destabilizes the region and beyond. For every effort to make war, there must be an equal effort to make peace.

• Possible injustice - Given the severe impact on civilians, claims of excessive force by Israel deserve fair examination. Even wars considered just can turn unjust if civilian lives are disregarded. We know from own history in Vietnam and Iraq the damage done by unjust actions in war.

• Cycle of violence - The violence, fear and trauma endured by both Palestinians and Israelis are intertwined. Violence becomes tragically routine. But it can never be normalized in a civilized society. Martin Luther King, Jr., famously pointed out the problem with an eye for an eye, and that soon everyone would be blind.

• Upholding values - Advocating for Palestinian welfare upholds universal human rights and self-determination. We can care for people while firmly opposing and yes, eliminating extremist groups. We can care for the Israelis who were murdered by ensuring innocent Palestinians do not meet the same fate.

• Pragmatism - Unstable, impoverished regions create global problems. Helping improve conditions in Gaza benefits the wider world. Withdrawing from global engagement leaves space for dangerous forces. Our security is tied to understanding that we all live in one small place.

In short, we want an outcome that affirms the shared humanity of both Israelis and Palestinians, addresses the root causes of the conflict, puts a check on systemic abuses by corrupt governments, breaks the cycles of violence that is the motto of Hamas, allows us all to live with higher expectations and values, and recognizes our real interconnectedness. As Martin Luther King, Jr. told us, “Injustice anywhere, is injustice everywhere.”

And Now….

Your fatherly advice on the way out the door.

That’s what I did here. I was tired of thinking about it. Why not do it. I took action. I took a small step. Consider that the hardest step in doing anything in life is usually the first.

Hope to see you next time. Keep reading, and remember: Be a good human.