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Trying to preserve humanity amid AI revolution

Editorials

Artificial intelligence seems to have found its way into almost everything. Schools are trying to balance using it in some areas while weeding it out in others. Some universities are returning to handwritten blue book exams to ensure original thought. Others are using artificial intelligence to screen assignments for signs they were generated by artificial intelligence. Employers face similar questions about where technology should assist workers and where it should replace them. For Catholic colleges in Western Pennsylvania, however, the debate recently gained another voice. Pope ...

Privatizing postal service a bad idea

Editorials

As we Americans celebrate the 250th birthday of our country this year, we ought to take a minute to appreciate an often maligned organization that has helped tie the nation together throughout its history. That organization is the United States Postal Service. Even in the age of email, the Postal Service has a key role in helping Americans communicate and do business. We ought to keep it that way. Privatizing the Postal Service would be a mistake that would result in less service and higher costs for citizens. Unfortunately, the concept of privatizing it has come up a couple of times ...

Wide open spaces and wild adventures: The Grand Tetons

Local Columns

(Editor’s note: This column is part one of a two-part series.) I had two songs playing in my head throughout this past week, and soon you’ll understand why. The first was the song made famous by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash entitled “Jackson.” The second was “Wide Open Spaces” by The Chicks. Together, those songs perfectly sum up my latest adventure. In our quest to visit as many national parks as possible, my husband, Blain, and I recently packed our bags and headed to the airport, bound for Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. I wasn’t quite sure what to ...

Government shouldn’t work in the dark

Editorials

When government acts on behalf of the people, it is supposed to be clear. That’s why meetings are open. It’s why records are searchable. It’s why the Sixth Amendment guarantees a public trial. So why is Armstrong County conducting business in the dark? Niki’s Quick Six in Parks Township closed suddenly on May 15, about three weeks after a fatal shooting. The sheriff arrived, papers were served and the bar closed, all while TribLive staff was on the scene for an interview. Documents being served and a law enforcement presence in the wake of a violent incident is not unusual. ...

Natural gas still piece of puzzle

Editorials

As often as we’ve editorialized about the interconnectedness between affordable energy and the successes and opportunities American families may enjoy, world events unfortunately can bring that interconnectedness into sharper focus. “Global instability is a stark reminder that energy security is national security,” Pat Henderson, vice president of communications and government affairs at the Marcellus Shale Coalition, said. “America, and Pennsylvania in particular, is uniquely positioned to lead with abundant, responsibly produced natural gas that keeps energy reliable and ...

School start times a local decision — and needs parents’ input

Editorials

Rep. Jill Cooper, R-Export, is pushing pretty hard to get high schools to start their day later in the morning. It’s a topic that has been researched for decades, with experts at two virtual Rested and Ready forums convened by Cooper recently speaking about the possible benefits of a later start time for schools and how Cooper’s House Bill 2152 could help schools begin to move their start times. Cooper proposes state grants to schools that move their start times later into the day. There are several studies that show too many adolescents aren’t getting enough sleep, with that ...