September 2023 - Native Plants, Cash & Jail and Xanax
Welcome back to 'Monthly Musings: A Curated Reading List'
“Do not feel lonely, the entire universe is inside you.
Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion.
Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.” ― Rumi
Native Plants
I was introduced to native plants at the peak of the pandemic by Jean Persely, who is a good friend now. For some reason, I always had this intuition that this idea of the ideal American lawn is wasteful and also harmful to our environment. Once Jean introduced me to the concept of planting Native Plants in my yard, I learned a lot about this topic and in that process have grown a couple of Native Plant beds in my yard. And I’ve become pretty passionate about this topic.
Now is a great time to start thinking about next year’s plan for your backyard. If you are curious, please check out this very comprehensive resource here.
By going native, not only you will save a lot of work/money in maintaining your yard but you will also help the environment.
I read these two very beautifully written articles about this topic, please see below.
A Viable Alternative to Conventional Lawn? Cornell May Have Found One. (pdf version) - The New York Times
Don’t you dare rake your leaves this fall (pdf version) - The Washington Post
Technology
Generative AI has been the only thing the technology world has been talking about for the last several months. In September, there were lots of announcements about the new features in different GAI solutions like ChatGPT, Bing Chat, Bard, and Claude — now you can talk to ChatGPT and it will talk back, create images, etc. The one-upmanship is at its peak. Here are a few articles I found to be most useful in understanding what’s going on and where are we headed.
This is one of the most beautifully articulated articles I have read so far on GAI.
You hate AI for all the right reasons. Now reconsider. (pdf version) - The Washington Post
Whether we like it or not, GAI is here. You cannot avoid it.
Why You Soon Won’t Be Able to Avoid AI—At Work or At Home (pdf version) - The Wall Street Journal
AI is just not for our personal use, it can also solve some big problems we face (as long as we are aware that it can also cause some big problems :-)
AI Hurricane Predictions Are Storming the World of Weather Forecasting (pdf version) - WIRED
Culture, History & Politics
I believe September 18, 2023, was a historical day in the United States. On this day the state of Illinois eliminated cash bail with the Pre-Trial Fairness Act, part of Safe-T Act.
Data shows more than 60% of defendants were detained prior to trial because they couldn’t afford to post bail, and that nearly 74% of the 631,000 people jailed daily in the United States are awaiting trial. These are not just numbers. These are lives that in many cases are ruined by an unfair cash bail system.
My company WIT has done analysis on Jail data for Wayne County in Michigan and I have also toured a couple of Jails. I was aghast to see so many young men in jail, who knows how many were there because they (and their families) simply could not afford the cash bail. I admire the courage of the Illinois legislature to pass this act and make their justice system fairer. I hope that the state of Michigan does the same.
Illinois to abolish cash bail, addressing disproportionate impact on communities of color - PBS
Illinois is now the first state to eliminate cash bail - NPR
A top reason people go to jail is a technicality. Here’s how to fix it. - Big Think
Health
One of the first things that hit me as I turned 50 a few years back was lower back pain. I struggled with it quite a bit. I became pretty despondent as I was/am a pretty active and outdoors person and have taken care of my health. I had to make a few tweaks to my routines and add a few stretches to reduce the pain and keep it under control. This article below does a pretty good job of explaining how our lower back works and how to avoid the pain.
How Simple Exercises May Save Your Lower Back (pdf version) - The New York Times
Entertainment/Education
Mental health is increasingly recognized as crucial, especially in the US where Big Pharma's influence is evident. Surprisingly, 1 in 8 adults rely on Xanax, an anti-anxiety medication. The film "Take Your Pills" delves into America's relationship with such drugs, focusing on individuals' experiences with Xanax. Over its 90-minute duration, it uncovers what triggers their anxiety and their coping mechanisms.
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.