Michael T. Starks

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  • Ayn Rand

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    The reason Ayn Rand is one of my heroes has nothing to do with her personal philosophy, Objectivism. While I agree that an objective reality exists, I do not think this implies that we should selfishly act exclusively in our self-interest. My life has taught me otherwise. I like Ayn Rand’s novels because she is…

  • Karilyn T. Starks

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    Tonight, I’m excited to see one of my heroes, and the love of my life, perform the role of Helen Bonfils in a one-woman show. Karilyn T. Starks has recently appeared in these two articles. It’s an understatement to say that I’m very proud of her and her amazing work. Doing theater together is how…

  • Adam Grant

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    Adam Grant is a fairly recent addition to my list of heroes. He’s written the following excellent books. I like that his books include ideas backed by research. I also like that he presents his ideas using fascinating stories written in a conversational tone. He makes the ideas approachable without stripping them of their significance.…

  • Death Today

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    For most of human history, there were constant reminders that death was coming. Many babies and mothers died during childbirth. Many warriors died during battles. Many people died of disease without much warning. Today, death appears less frequently in our lives. Our great grandparents die of old age. We can survive more diseases more often.…

  • One-Pixel Attack

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    As A.I. becomes more ubiquitous in our lives, it’s important to learn about its limitations and vulnerabilities. A.I. systems can be hacked. Today, I learned about a particularly devious attack. It’s possible to change just one pixel in an image in a way that is difficult for humans to detect; however, this one-pixel change can…

  • Online Courses

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    I love to learn! When I let myself play, I sometimes take online courses. I’ve even produced an online course, Create Your Acting Business. Here are three of my favorite platforms for taking online courses. So many online classes are available now that I think the market is saturated. It’s hard to stand out. Having…

  • Stephen Spielberg

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    I don’t think much needs to be said about Stephen Spielberg, given that his work is so well known. It should come as no surprise that he’s one of my heroes. The Indiana Jones movies impacted me most as I was growing up. While I’m not a huge fan of shark movies, Jaws remains a…

  • Math Animations

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    Today, I discovered a new YouTube channel that is absolutely amazing! Check out 3Blue1Brown, developed by Grant Sanderson. It features discussions about mathematical topics and uses visual animations to bring the material to life. Sometimes, math is difficult to grasp. By adding visual animations, Sanderson helps us understand what’s really happening. Consider his discussion of…

  • Richard Feynman

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    For a long time, Richard Feynman has been one of my heroes. I probably first learned about Richard Feynman when I read a couple of his wonderful books. What I love about these books is that you get to know the man. He shares wonderful stories, not just about physics, but also about his life.…

  • Esther Perel

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    I became aware of Esther Perel when I saw her first book in the Boulder Bookstore. In 2017 and 2018, I worked at the Galvanize offices on Walnut Street. I enjoyed walking up and down Pearl Street during my lunch hour. As an aside, the Boulder Bookstore is one of my favorites. It houses three…