Call It Like I See It

With Levi’s announcing that it will begin using AI generated models on its website and app, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider whether using artificial intelligence to replace people is the kind of “progress” we can expect moving forward and discuss how the rapid growth and implementation of AI has some tech leaders calling for a 6 month pause on the training of AI systems (01:30).  The guys also react to the recent EPA survey which found more than 9 million lead pipes are being used to supply drinking water in the US (36:39).

Levi's Will “Supplement Human Models” With AI Generated Ones (HypeBeast.com)

Computer-generated inclusivity: fashion turns to ‘diverse’ AI models (The Guardian)

Deep Agency shows the perils of applying AI to the fashion industry (Tech Crunch)

The Aliens Have Landed, and We Created Them (Bloomberg)

The peril and promise of artificial intelligence (The Globe and Mail) (Apple Link)

EPA finds more than 9 million lead pipes supplying drinking water throughout the U.S. (CBS News)

Following the history making indictment of former President Donald Trump, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the historic nature of the indictment and compare the situation to what has been happening in Israel following the indictment of its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (01:30).  The guys also take a look at Utah’s move to ban minors from accessing social media without parental consent (37:27).

Highlights: Trump expected to turn himself in Tuesday after indictment by NY grand jury (NBC News)

Trump's indictment is sending shockwaves across the political landscape (BBC)

Why did a grand jury vote to indict Trump and what does it mean for him? (The Guardian)

Trump faces 4 investigations. Here’s where they stand (PBS)

Israeli protests over judicial overhaul continue despite Netanyahu's pause (Reuters)

A threat to democracy or much-needed reform? Israel’s judicial overhaul explained (CNN)

Trial of Benjamin Netanyahu (Wikipedia)

Former AG: Netanyahu seeking to use judicial reform to bring trial to improper end (The Times of Israel)

Utah bans under-18s from using social media unless parents consent (The Guardian)

Following the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank earlier this month, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the nature of what apparently went wrong and the role the government has and should play in both managing and preventing these types of situations (01:30).  The guys also consider a popular technique many having been using to prevent burnout and be happier (41:11).

Why almost everyone failed to predict Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse (CNN)

Column: Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse may be a blessing in disguise (LA Times)

A Big Question for the Fed: What Went Wrong With Bank Oversight? (NY Times)

Silicon Valley’s Favorite Bank Was Its Single Point of Failure (Bloomberg)

Why First Citizens got a $16.5 billion discount for taking over Silicon Valley Bank (Yahoo! Finance)

Psychologist shares the No. 1 exercise highly successful people use to be happier (CNBC)

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at back at the Iraq War, which began 20 years ago this month with the invasion Iraq by the US and its allies and with all that has followed, consider whether it was one of the most consequential geopolitical moves in the 21st century (01:23).  The guys also discuss the disconnect many experience between their actual age and how old they think of themselves as (34:18).

On the 20th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, these photos tell the story of the war (USA Today)

A bloody delusion: how Iraq war led to catastrophic aftermath in Middle East (Guardian)

The Lessons Not Learned From Iraq (foreignpolicy.com)

The Architects Of The Iraq War: Where Are They Now? (The Intercept)

The Puzzling Gap Between How Old You Are and How Old You Think You Are (The Atlantic)(Apple News Link)

Seeing the revelations that have come out so far in Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit against Fox News, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the most concerning aspects and what the state of mind of the major players reveals about the market for fake news (01:24).  The guys also take a look at Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, in observance of Women’s History Month (46:01).

Fox Chairman Rupert Murdoch rejected election conspiracy theories, Dominion lawsuit documents show (CNN)

Ex-Trump aide at Fox wrestled with election lies, network’s interests (WaPo)

Tucker Carlson said in private messages that he actually hates Trump 'passionately:' 'I can't handle much more of this' (Business Insider)

As Fox News panicked in 2020, leaders warned of featuring Buttigieg, Coons (WaPo)

Trump 2020 lawyer admits misrepresenting stolen election claims (Politico)

Why Fox News was created (The Week)

Trump, McCarthy and Fox run out a new truth-defying playbook (CNN)

Harriet Beecher Stowe (Britannica)

Harriet Beecher Stowe (Wikipedia)

Harriet Beecher Stowe Center

Following a couple of U.S. agencies coming out with at least lukewarm support of Covid-19 originating from a lab leak, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the ongoing debate/investigation/analysis into the origin of Covid-19 and the certainty many express despite how much remains unknown (01:58).  The guys also discuss the emerging debate in the nutrition field over whether processed foods, independent of their nutritional profile, drive negative health outcomes (40:05).

China scoffs at FBI claim that Wuhan lab leak likely caused COVID pandemic (Reuters)

WHO calls on US to share information on Covid-19 origins after China lab claims (The Guardian)

Nowhere is the lab-leak debate more personal than among the experts investigating the origins of COVID. (Intelligencer)

The Lab Leak Will Haunt Us Forever (The Atlantic)

The Seven Deadly Sins of Biomedical Research (Georgetown Journal of International Affairs)

Virologists Object To Any New Restrictions On Dangerous Gain-Of-Function Research (Forbes)

Congress Quietly Left The Door Open To Funneling More Tax Dollars To EcoHealth Research In China For ‘National Security’

Fat, Sugar, Salt … You’ve Been Thinking About Food All Wrong (Wired)

With the conflict between Russia and Ukraine passing the one year mark, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the back and forth on the battlefield and take a look at the efforts by differing parties to shape how the war is seen by their people and the people in other countries (01:29).  The guys also weigh in on the online backlash that has been seen over a Latina being crowned Miss Coppin State University in light of Coppin State’s status as a historically black university (43:48).

As Ukraine marks year of war, leader vows to secure victory (AP News)

Ukraine war: 'The resolve of people is incredible' (BBC)

Most G20 nations condemn Russia for war, China silent (Reuters)

Putin rages against West in speech decried as absurd propaganda (Al Jazeera)

Inside the Kremlin's Year of Ukraine Propaganda (Time)

A year later, China blames U.S. 'hegemony' - not Russia - for war in Ukraine (WaPo)

The first Latina queen at a historically Black university drew online backlash. But she didn't back down. (NBC News)

Following reporting on how many Taliban members in Afghanistan have come to miss the days of jihad, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the nature of this sentiment and consider how it is not uncommon dissatisfied groups because making something work is often harder than blowing it up (01:53).  The guys also take a look at some interesting facts about the participation of Black Americans in the first half of American’s history and consider why learning about American history from more angles benefits the nation (26:04).

Taliban Bureaucrats Hate Working Online All Day, ‘Miss the Days of Jihad’ (Vice)

African Americans in the Revolutionary War (National Park Service)

10 Facts: Black Patriots in the American Revolution (American Battlefield Trust)

Black Soldiers in the Revolutionary War (US Army)

Buffalo Soldiers (National Park Service)

Black Leaders During Reconstruction (History.com)

The Legacy of the Reconstruction Era’s Black Political Leaders (Time)

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to the still ongoing trend involving all of these high-altitude flying objects that are getting detected and shot down (01:38).  The guys also take a look at fascia, which despite being a tissue we have all over our bodies, is something that we know much less about compared to things like muscle and bone (43:21).

Here is what we know about the unidentified objects shot down over North America (CNN)

New unidentified 'cylindrical' object shot down over Canada (WaPo)

‘Significant’ debris from China spy balloon retrieved, says US military (The Guardian)

U.S. military says it recovers key sensors from downed Chinese spy balloon (Reuters)

China accuses U.S. of flying spy balloons into Chinese airspace more than 10 times (NPR)

Your Fascia Is The Most Important Part of the Body You're Ignoring (Prevention Magazine - Apple News Link)(Lite Mind Body Clinic Link)

10 Ways to Keep Your Fascia Healthy so Your Body Moves Pain-Free (Healthline)

Muscle Pain: It May Actually Be Your Fascia (Johns Hopkins Medicine)

With the start of February, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss Black History Month, whether its observation as a momentary point of emphasis is helpful to society or not, and how picking fights over what history is taught, and how it is taught, can be a potent political tool (01:34).  The guys also take a look at OpenAI’s artificial intelligence chatbot system ChatGPT and consider the implications of a system like this being able to communicate as well as humans in some respects (32:17).

Black History Month (History.com)

The Real Reason Florida Wants to Ban AP African-American Studies, According to an Architect of the Course (Time)

New rules are limiting how teachers can teach Black History Month (Axios)

Why the ChatGPT AI Chatbot Is Blowing Everyone's Mind (CNET)

Who Owns Your ChatGPT Output? (Hint: Probably Not You) (Intellectual Property Pulse)