Artificial intelligence, Creation, and the Tower Of Babel

Artificial Intelligence, commonly abbreviated as AI, is all the rage today. Emeritus Stanford Professor John McCarthy is credited with coining the term in 1955. He defined AI as “the science or engineering of making intelligent machines” . Merriam-Websters dictionary defines Artificial as “made, produced, or done by humans especially to seem like something natural.” Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines Intelligence as “the ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situations.”

Cousins: We were quick to get into mischief as well as to stand strong as a tribe to defend each other. There is a bond between cousins that is different than other friends. It’s hard to describe if you don’t already know, but for us, we always knew you were just one call away.

You may have heard it said, “Laughter is good for the soul,” which I believe is true. I want to add an element to that: So is fun art.

There is something soothing when you color or paint, especially when it’s just for fun. I think our brain needs time to unwind and relax. The colors trigger memories and moods, the movement releases the stress we hold on to. If we take the time to gather with friends and create, it’s about the experience. So have a good time. The thing with fun art is it’s not meant to be a masterpiece, it’s playful and should make you smile. Just add color, add diminish, try textures, it’s not finished until you say it is.

Summer is my least favorite season with all the bugs, heat and humidity. With winter when it’s cold you throw on another layer of clothes and your good, but with summer you can run around buck naked and still be miserably hot just standing around. And then there is all the sweating, a particular negative in public, with the B.O. and wet spots on your clothes. Summer season is sweaty season, something I do not like. However, some personal research has revealed that I need an attitude adjustment, for it turns out sweating does the body good.

Everyone knows that we sweat to keep our body temperature from spiking, a condition called hyperthermia. We sweat through glands located in our skin, the largest organ we have. These sweat glands make our skin essentially a third kidney. When we sweat all over while doing outdoor activities on a hot day, it not only cools us off, but the sweat also carries toxins out of our body, which in turn boosts our immune system. Here’s a rundown of the benefits of building up a good sweat.

Walk 4 Water Union County raised more than $33,000 during its third annual fundraiser in June. All funds raised will go toward the drilling of safe water boreholes for the villages of Sihubira, Panyandere and Agaruru B #1 Cell in the African village of Uganda.

Walk 4 Water Union County’s fundraising goal was $22,500, but the community showed up in a big way and went above and beyond. The event has raised enough to fund the drilling and installation of three wells.

Legislation has been enacted by the Tennessee legislature designating the month of July as “Celebration of Liberty” month. This is most appropriate, as Independence Day is celebrated every July 4.
Many things come to mind when thinking of liberty, everything from fireworks to commercials for insurance (“Liberty, Liberty, Liberty—Lib-er-ty”; “Liberty Bibbity”) to Scripture. Strangely, as my mind turns this year to thoughts of liberty, I have been thinking of my maternal grandfather.

The intention of this article is not political. I assure you that it does not lean toward Republican rhetoric or Democratic declarations. There is no attempt to sway you, the reader, into forming an opinion about the geopolitical chaos we see across the world today. Instead, I want to express a deeper truth that I encountered through a text message that went viral from former governor and current U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee to the president.

I like to think of myself as being rather rambunctious when I was a child. Even though I wasn’t hyperactive, I still didn’t like sitting still for more than a few minutes at a time. But for a short while, I didn’t feel like doing anything.

The Lenoir Museum opened on July 10, 1975. Join us on this date to celebrate 50 years of W.G. Lenoir’s collection being on display.

This event will have open booths covering different topics, craft tables, guest speakers (including local historian Barry Thacker at 4 p.m.), a tribute to the Lenoirs and a yummy cake cutting. Check back on our website and our Facebook page for updates and more information.

This event is free to attend.

By Shannon DeWitt, UT Extension Agent

While summer gardens are in full swing, now is the perfect time to start planning for fall. The Union County office of UT Extension is offering a free workshop, “Planning a Fall Garden,” on Wednesday, July 16, at 10 a.m., to help local gardeners make the most of the cooler seasons.