A-Town Magazine
Tech is turning increasingly to religion in a quest to create ethical AI
LOS ANGELES | As concerns mount over artificial intelligence and its rapid integration into society, tech companies are increasingly turning to faith leaders for guidance on how to shape the technology — a surprising about-face on Silicon Valley’s longstanding skepticism of organized religion. Leaders from various religious groups met last week with representatives from companies […]
Daniel Dae Kim explores booming South Korean pop, film, cosmetics and food influences for CNN series
NEW YORK | Not too long ago, Daniel Dae Kim had an unusual encounter with a salmon. It had nothing to do with dinner. The actor, director and producer lay down in a doctor’s office in Seoul and underwent microinjections into his face of DNA from salmon sperm. The hope was to reduce inflammation and […]
Movie Review: In ‘The Sheep Detectives,’ the private eyes have wool over their eyes
Maybe out of fear of putting filmgoers to sleep, the sheep has not been much of a mainstay at the movies. There’s Charles Burnett’s lyrical classic “Killer of Sheep.” You could get creative and cite Chris Farley’s “Black Sheep.” But, really, this is the domain of “Shaun the Sheep,” the uber-charming Aardman Animation about the […]
Disappearing before our eyes: One photographer’s passion project of capturing local newsrooms
NEW YORK | If you think the life of a journalist is glamorous, take a look at Ann Hermes’ photograph of Tom Haley from a winter day in Rutland, Vermont. He scribbles in a notebook, leaning back in an office chair while dressed in ill-fitting khakis and a baseball cap. His left foot rests on […]
Here’s how to grow your own food with less water, even in a drought
DENVER | A few raindrops fell as Heather Grady gingerly transplanted beet seedlings into the earth, but the sky refused to release enough moisture to ease her worries about a dry winter that’s left reservoirs low. With most of Colorado in drought, Grady and her husband Terrance began discussing how they could conserve more water […]
Amputee football players in Rwanda find healing and a sense of community
KIGALI, Rwanda | The players struck their crutches against each other as they chased a soccer ball, as well as a larger dream of competing at the global level. Children shrieked in joy as they watched a goalie dive to block an attempt with her remaining hand. Amputee football, a seven-a-side version of the game […]
Cosmetic interventions are booming. Many say ethical conversations are lagging
LOS ANGELES | Shula Jassell is insecure about the size of her chin and has periodically considered getting filler to make it bigger. But when the 25-year-old from Southern California gives serious thought to the idea of repeatedly having to get the cosmetic procedure — it only lasts about a year — she wonders if […]
In a low period for comedy films, these were the best of the last decade
NEW YORK | The last decade has not been good for big-screen comedies. Hollywood studios nearly stopped making them. Horror became the in vogue genre. Laughs were out. Good comedies have kept being made, of course — it’s just taken a little more effort to find them. This month marks the 10th anniversary of “The […]
Chicken and Waffles add a sweet-salty twist to Mother’s Day
If you are a brunch person, then you may have noticed a new dish in town, sitting comfortably in recent years alongside longtime favorites like Eggs Benedict and French Toast. It’s Chicken and Waffles, current darling of the brunch crowd. If you are on the hunt for a Mother’s Day dish that will dazzle, put […]
One Tech Tip: Why digital devices and online accounts need spring cleaning
If the spring season has brought an urge to scrub your living space from top to bottom, why not clear out the digital detritus cluttering your electronic devices and online accounts at the same time? Carrying out the digital equivalent of spring cleaning a home isn’t just an opportunity to tidy up our online lives. […]