Sholeh Patrick
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Reining in AI, top-down
Technology is always a mixed blessing. Develop it unchecked by a sense of ethics, and we’ve learned it costs too m…
AI comes with ethics questions
Artificial Intelligence presents opportunities — and serious challenges.
Library books: Who should decide?
What to know before you vote May 16
Your food is on drugs
Studies show fish and other edible creatures are consuming our drugs and plastic.
Pithy tax sayings
It’s here — the last day to send a check to Uncle Sam. When Your Mrs. Language Person is tempted to begrudge governments their share of her meager income, she …
Pets are positively pamper-worthy
Celebrate National Pet Day with your best furry friends!
A Fool’s tale
Making fun of others isn't always funny, but making fun together is very tempting. Fan or foe of April Fool’s Day (the snickering prankster probably enjoys it …
MLP: Picking on pronouns
Mrs. Language Person, that maniacally obsessed word nerd, has been known to make mistakes; but, thanks to beloved Mrs. Rhineheimer of ninth grade English class…
Sick of culture wars? Drop your weapons
Never mind the old sticks and stones adage. Words can do more than hurt. They also transform human interaction by creating stereotypes. The worst part is that …
Why child care matters
Red or blue, old or young, parent or childless, kids matter to everyone.
Rural maternity wards closing
If you’re a woman past childbearing age, in a way, you’re lucky. Those of us past that stage of life living outside of the big city had an advantage: Not long …
School levy FAQs
March 14 is a big day for North Idaho school districts.
Rihanna, pentagrams and other nonsense
No, Rihanna wasn’t wearing a belt with a Satanic pentagram during the Super Bowl halftime show (it was just a safety harness). No, President Biden’s claim t…
Why do we need a Black History Month?
In what increasingly feels like the decade of pushback culture, Americans are putting everything on the table. Why do we have this? Why do we need it? Why shou…
What’s up with spy balloons?
Spy “balloons” (which can look like ordinary weather balloons, easy to hide in plain sight) are one of the worst kept secrets in the spy business. While China …
Who was Valentine, anyway?
Love it or dread it, Valentine’s Day is hard to pin down. Never mind candy and inflated expectations. Resist temptation to feel jubilant or depressed about you…