Empire of AI
“Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI” by Karen Hao is an exhaustively researched look into one of the most important AI companies in Silicon Valley. Here's what I learned by reading it.
Read MoreWhy You Can't Pay Attention
You've felt it. That mental itch...to pick up the smart phone, check the news feed, check your social media performance, check something. Sometimes you think you should be able to resist it, but...nah, I want to look. I can quit any time I want! You know though, that you don't have nearly as much control as you’d like. It's not just you, it's everybody. The book “Stolen Focus” by Johann Hari is about that and why it's so hard to escape.
Read MoreExperimental Drawing
While scanning the upcoming class offerings at the School for Visual Design a couple of months ago, I came across an entry that looked promising: Experimental Drawing. It looked like a great way to break free from the rigid “same old” of some of my art-making patterns. Problem was, it was only being offered on campus during work hours. Bummer. Then, a month later, it became available as a condensed one-night class. A one night crash course, being better than nothing at all, I signed up.
Read MoreWhat we got wrong about the Internet
The whole issue summarized in a brief exchange:
Art Wisdom from Steve Brodner
Steve Brodner was one of my first illustration heroes. I just loved his work and his unique fluid style. While the creation of the Internet has generally been regarded as a bad move, it does have its upsides—one of which is that it connects people who in the Old Days would never have met. In this way, I discovered that I could take classes from Steve because he taught at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. During those classes, I would jot down things he said as we students scribbled away in our sketchbooks. I’ve collected some of that wisdom here.
Read MoreWhy is there something rather than nothing?
Most people, either alone in quiet contemplation or engaged in alcohol-fueled conversations with friends at a bar, have at one time or another considered the question "why should there be something rather than nothing at all?" After all, it seems just as likely that the universe could consist of nothingness rather than be filled with planets, galaxies, cosmic dust and iPads. In “Why Does the World Exist” author Jim Holt sets out to tackle these grand musings...with very mixed results.
Read MoreThe 2024 North American Eclipse
The wonderful thing about celestial mechanics is that they’re mathematically precise; there’s no doubt as to when things are going to happen. Heavenly events can’t be stopped or delayed by events on Earth, bad weather, or a collective lack of interest. They’re coming whether you’re ready or not. I first became aware of an impending solar eclipse several months before it happened from people who pay closer attention to these things than I do. Eclipses happen all the time around the world, but this one would be different: it would take place in my backyard. Not only would there be an eclipse in a place easily accessible to me, but it would also be a total eclipse, the most spectacular sky show of all.
Read MoreEffective Color Combinations
I have a tough time with choosing colors when making my own artwork. I often fall back into the same comfortable pairings. So, when I find a good reference like this, I want to tuck it away somewhere for safekeeping.
Read MoreThe Philosopher of Palo Alto
This is a strange little book that covers the life of Mark Weiser, a man who the author seems to believe occupies a pivotal role in the history of personal computing. Whether the author’s belief is warranted—or if indeed the entire book is warranted—is something I couldn’t quite decide by the time I reached the end of it.
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