April 2023 - H5N1, Practical usage of Generative AI, Sadhguru and The Present
Welcome back to 'Monthly Musings: A Curated Reading List'
Excited to share my reading passion through this newsletter, offering curated content under various categories monthly. Published on the first of each month, it includes links to my previous month's readings, accompanied by brief descriptions for your convenience.
“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope” - MLK Jr.
World / Humanity
Experts fear a new global disease outbreak worse than Covid-19 could start any day from H5N1, a form of bird flu, with a few mutations giving it the ability to spread from human to human.
Commercial poultry farms are a major cause of the spread of virulent influenzas to humans and wild birds. Are we ready for another man-made pandemic?
Why Dead Birds Are Falling From the Sky ( pdf version ) - The New York Times
Technology
The conversation surrounding Generative Artificial Intelligence has rapidly evolved, moving from initial astonishment to perplexity, then on to skepticism, and finally acceptance. With this in mind, I'm sharing a selection of articles below that offer valuable guidance on effectively utilizing ChatGPT and its counterparts.
Some incredible ways people are using ChatGPT for daily usage
35 Ways Real People Are Using A.I. Right Now ( pdf version) - The New York Times
But before you start, there are some best practices for using ChatGPT, this article has some good tips.
ChatGPT Can Give Great Answers. But Only If You Know How to Ask the Right Question. ( pdf version ) - The Wall Street Journal
Also, it is good to know what content has been fed to the tools like ChatGPT
Inside the secret list of websites that make AI like ChatGPT sound smart
( pdf version ) - The Washington Post
Finally, I would recommend you download a Chrome extension that allows your ChatGPT account to access the most up-to-date web search results (please note that ChatGPT's training data only goes up until October 2021).
Culture, History & Politics
In our fast-paced modern lives, it's easy to lose sight of the meaning and purpose of our existence. With little time to reflect on the timeless wisdom of our religious or spiritual traditions, we may find ourselves susceptible to being exploited by people like Sadhguru, who take advantage of our busy schedules and lack of spiritual guidance. Fascinating and funny read below.
Inside the temple of Sadhguru, the internet's favourite mystic - GQ
Health
Many people equate fitness with weight, but this article debunks that notion, offering alternative, reliable metrics to gauge overall fitness.
3 Ways to Measure How Fit You Are, Without Focusing on Weight ( pdf version )
- The New York Times
Life
I don't know about you, but lately, I've been feeling as though my memory is slipping away. Remembering people's names, recalling specific objects, and even finding the right word during a conversation have all become increasingly difficult. I often joke that Google has devoured my memory! That's why I was eager to listen when Shankar Vedantam interviewed cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham on his podcast, Hidden Brain.
Remember More, Forget Less - NPR
Entertainment
The Present is a beautiful short movie I recently watched. The film is about a father and daughter in the Palestinian enclaves of the Israeli-occupied West Bank trying to buy a wedding anniversary gift. It is such a beautiful story of helplessness and hope.
Unfortunately, you need a Netflix subscription to watch it or on Facebook. You can watch the official trailer here. The Present (Trailer) - YouTube
Please feel free to add your favorite readings of the month in the comments so others can benefit as well. Let me know your thoughts including what was interesting/useful for you.