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AI writing tools are the future; educators must adapt or their students will fall behind
BY PHILL BARNETTMOUNTAIN CITIZEN Artificially intelligent writing tools like ChatGPT, based on the latest language models developed by OpenAI, are taking the world of writing by storm. Professionals and amateurs alike can generate pages of written content in seconds. And it’s really good. Scary good. I asked one such tool, Perplexity.ai to write a summary…
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COVID-19 is mutating and apparently winning, so we need to take preventive measures well beyond vaccinations
BY KEVIN KAVANAGH There is no such thing as “herd immunity” for COVID-19. In this context it is a concept as antiquated as “the Earth is flat.” The theory was based upon the work of William Farr in 1840 who proposed a bell-shaped curve which illustrated the body’s ability to mount a lasting response to…
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KYGA bill would give you new charges for medical records
HB 51 would end the practice of hospitals having to give patients one set of records at no cost BY AMYE BENSENHAVER Move along, folks. Nothing to see here. Just another attempt by Kentucky lawmakers to take from the poor and give to the rich. The pretext for this most recent money grab is the…
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Yes, government is a business. No, you’re not the customer.
BY THOMAS L. KNAPP On Dec. 15, the U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report on the Internal Revenue Service’s failings in “providing customer service to taxpayers.” Are taxpayers “customers?” Let’s have a look at that idea. “For years, George Ochenski writes at CounterPunch, “we’ve all heard politicians claim they should ‘run government like a…
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U of L Health should repay all its state loan, not just half
BY JIM WATERSBLUEGRASS INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY SOLUTIONS The University of Louisville Cardinals men’s basketball squad gave its fans a timely stocking stuffer Dec. 14 with the team’s first win of the season, beating the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at the KFC Yum Center. U of L’s health-care system should follow suit and offer taxpayers some…
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A look back at 2022
The year 2022 was one of triumph, tragedy and change. Before we close the book, let’s take a look back. Perhaps the most popular story of the year was when Louisa construction worker Noah Thompson captured the heart of America and was voted the 2022 “American Idol” winner. In February, Thompson’s best friend Arthur forced him…
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Keep that Christmas spirit
BY NINA MCCOY I would like to address the county about a very important and tough subject, but first I feel a need to express my deep appreciation for the people who worked so hard for the past few weeks (and months) to make our community shine. The recent Christmas celebrations in Warfield and Inez…
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We must invest in civics to inform and reengage an increasingly isolated America
BY MICHAEL G. ADAMS KENTUCKY SECRETARY OF STATE For many Americans, the first image that comes to mind when they hear the term “civics” is not the White House or a voting booth, but rather an animated piece of paper singing on the steps of the Capitol Building. This initial introduction to civic learning –…
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Without herd immunity, we need masking, ventilation, germicidal lighting, clearer messaging to prevent COVID-19
BY KEVIN KAVANAGH We all need to recognize the dangers of COVID-19 and the risks it imposes to our long-term health and our country’s workforce. Long COVID occurs in about 30% to 35% of cases. It commonly occurs with even mild disease and with reinfections. The severity is additive, with each exposure, and the symptoms…
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Happy name week to the Mountain Citizen
The Mountain Citizen is celebrating the 32nd year of its name this week, even though the publication derived from two newspapers – The Martin Countian, which began publishing in August 1975 and The Mercury, which was published first in 1970. The Martin Countian and The Mercury became The Martin Countian and Mercury near the end…
Category: Editorial
