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Vice President Vance Defends Human Exceptionalism at Munich

Vice President JD Vance made news in Munich by accusing the European political elite of not really believing in democracy. But another line stood out for me that I think is also worth noting. Vance defended the unique dignity of human life. It's just one sentence in a 20-minute speech. But I think it is important and urge the vice president to expand upon that thought because human exceptionalism is under increasing attack by some of society's most powerful political and cultural forces. Read More ›
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Agentic AI-Models are NOT All You Need

Matt McIlwain reflects on the history, significance, and evolving focus of the COSM Technology Summit. He discusses the rapid advancements in applied AI, its transformative potential, and its impact on businesses and capital markets. He raises questions about how AI influences life and investment decisions, emphasizing optimism and adaptability in embracing new models. Matt McIlwain is Managing Director of Madrona Read More ›

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Side view portrait of bearded gentleman lying in bed. Young woman in white lab coat on blurred background

Washington Bill to Allow Non-MD-Prescribed Assisted Suicide and to Shorten Waiting Period

I previously wrote about pending Oregon and Vermont legislation to do away with the requirement that only doctors be allowed to legally assist suicides. Now, it's Washington's turn, with a proposal to allow "qualified medical providers" to prescribe poison, defined as a licensed physician, physician's assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse. Read More ›
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Airplane Flying Over Colorful Cargo Containers

A New Era of Economic Nationalism

The United States was founded on Free Trade. And, high tariffs. Domestically, the United States had exceptional economic policy. There were hardly any taxes, and the currency was reliably fixed to gold. Trade was Free between States. With what I've called "The Magic Formula" (Low Taxes and Stable Money), the US got richer — even with high tariffs with the rest of the world. Read More ›
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people praying to god at home on black background with people stock photo

Springs Rescue Mission: Spiritual Recovery Through Love, Not Force

A Springs Rescue Mission (SRM) document declares, "Our faith is why we do what we do, but faith is never required of others to receive basic relief services.…We believe it is God's job to change people, not ours." Old-style missions often thought they could change people by requiring attendance at chapel services. SRM does not have a campus church or any required service. Read More ›
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Will We Be Haunted by a Non-Hallucinatory AI?

Lloyd Watts discusses the significant challenge posed by hallucinations in large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT. While these models often generate fluent and useful responses, they occasionally produce incorrect or misleading information, referred to as “hallucinations.” Watts highlights that this problem, acknowledged by major tech companies like Google, remains unsolved despite their advanced efforts. He argues that hallucinations are Read More ›