Havilah Tower

🌎Communications & social media leader🍲 organic foodie + 🎤 singer-songwriter w/ an acoustic trio @HavilahTower

[Havilah Tower @HavilahTower]

“Open Wide”” Releases June 2!

[Havilah Tower @Havilah]

News on the Vesuvius Challenge | #AI & #machinelearnjng help decipher new understanding of the ancient world : “The revealed text discusses sources of pleasure including music, the taste of capers and the colour purple.”

[Nat Friedman @natfriedman]

Ten months ago, we launched the Vesuvius Challenge to solve the ancient problem of the Herculaneum Papyri, a library of scrolls that were flash-fried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Today we are overjoyed to announce that our crazy project has succeeded. After 2000 years, we can finally read the scrolls:
This image was produced by @Youssef_M_Nader, @LukeFarritor, and @JuliSchillij, who have now won the Vesuvius Challenge Grand Prize of $700,000. Congratulations!!

These fifteen columns come from the very end of the first scroll we have been able to read and contain new text from the ancient world that has never been seen before. The author – probably Epicurean philosopher Philodemus – writes here about music, food, and how to enjoy life's pleasures. In the closing section, he throws shade at unnamed ideological adversaries – perhaps the stoics? – who "have nothing to say about pleasure, either in general or in particular."

This year, the Vesuvius Challenge continues. The text that we revealed so far represents just 5% of one scroll.

In 2024, our goal is to from reading a few passages of text to entire scrolls, and we're announcing a new $100,000 grand prize for the first team that is able to read at least 90% of all four scrolls that we have scanned.

The scrolls stored in Naples that remain to be read represent more than 16 megabytes of ancient text. But the villa where the scrolls were found was only partially excavated, and scholars tell us that there may be thousands more scrolls underground. Our hope is that the success of the Vesuvius Challenge catalyzes the excavation of the villa, that the main library is discovered, and that whatever we find there rewrites history and inspires all of us.

It's been a great joy to work on this strange and amazing project. Thanks to Brent Seales for laying the foundation for this work over so many years, thanks to the friends and Twitter users whose donations powered our effort, and thanks to the many contestants whose contributions have made the Vesuvius Challenge successful!

Read more in our announcement: https://t.co/rUlrdGXBMs

[Havilah Tower @Havilah]

Tracy Chapman gave an amazing performance of Fast Car at the #GRAMMYs. Was moved by her voice & presence — ⭐️

[Rolling Stone @RollingStone]

Tracy Chapman made a rare appearance at the 2024 #GRAMMYs to sing her 1988 hit “Fast Car” with Luke Combs, the country star who turned a new audience onto Chapman’s song with his cover version and earned a Grammy nomination in the process.

Watch: https://t.co/bVCUwyLWBI

[Havilah Tower @Havilah]

If you’re a leader who works to cultivate a connected & engaged team culture, curiosity will be one of your superpowers. I invite you to read my latest article, “Stay Curious” https://t.co/7dP49t3pOE via @LinkedIn #Leadership #Communications

[Havilah Tower @Havilah]

Act 4 speaks volumes on the importance of employees’ sentiment about their leaders (it matters). See Act 5 in case you missed it given holiday travel!

[Jeremiah Owyang @jowyang]

OpenAI Drama in Five Acts:

1 -On Friday evening, Nov 17, 2023, Sam Altman was abruptly fired as CEO of OpenAI by the board.

2- On Sun afternoon, Sam thought he was returning as CEO; surprisingly, no, the board placed another.

3- Sun midnnight, Sam goes to Microsoft with key exec, Greg, backed by Satya to lead new AI team.

4- On Mon, over 95% of OpenAI employees revolt: they will leave OpenAI if the board is not removed and Sam reinstated.

5- Six days later, on Tue evening, Sam & Greg would be returning to OpenAI as CEO with a mostly new board, similar structure, and Microsoft support.

Three Takeaways:
-Regardless of advanced tech, humans are fallible.
-Friction between non-profit (purpose) and commercial (profit) highlights company misalignment.
-Human leadership unified a fragmented organization.

[Havilah Tower @Havilah]

Well said @FitFounder. Embracing boring can be powerful.. which is not said enough.

[Dan Go @CoachDanGo]

Want clean teeth? Brush twice a day.

Want a fit body? Hit the gym 3-4 days a week.

Wanna lose weight? Eat a whole food nutrient dense diet & hydrate.

To get the things you want you gotta be okay with doing boring things.

[Havilah Tower @Havilah]

@mattwbaker Truly a force with captivating vocals. Her early songs like Drink Before the War & Troy continue to inspire me.

[Havilah Tower @Havilah]

🥤 Good reminder: Stay hydrated & aware of how much time you’re spending in the heat today.🌞

[TODAY @TODAYshow]

The record-shattering heat wave in the U.S. is spreading to major cities across the Midwest and Northeast while millions face the risk of severe storms and possible tornadoes. @Maggie_Vespa reports and @alroker tracks the latest forecast.

[Havilah Tower @Havilah]

What a force she was, and always will be! R.I.P Tina Turner.

[BET @BET]

Simply the best 🕊️🤍 #BETRemembers #TinaTurner

[Havilah Tower @Havilah]

First, I'm a fan of @hubermanlab's knowledge-share (rec a follow)! 2nd, interesting info on keeping the neck strong. Sharing b/c most people look down at phones daily. Of course, factor your own health in to determine if it's good for you. #HealthyLiving Thx @tferriss for posting

[Tim Ferriss @tferriss]

How to Have a Strong Neck

cc: @hubermanlab

[Havilah Tower @Havilah]

R.I.P. Gordon Lightfoot. 🎶 “If you could read my mind, love, what a tale my thoughts could tell…” https://t.co/bJeoAudapk

[Latest in space @latestinspace]

Two days ago on Mars https://t.co/d2ActqODOd

[Buitengebieden @buitengebieden]

“What’s up doc?” 😅 https://t.co/yTSv8LfZSA

[Havilah Tower @Havilah]

I’m excited to perform at @BluebirdCafeTN this Sun at ‘Writers Night with Grammy Award-winning #singersongwriter Suzy Bogguss’ along with a select group of talented #songwriters from all over. It’s going to be a magical night! https://t.co/JltfJOCpff

[Havilah Tower @Havilah]

Kindred soul! 🐼 😂

[Buitengebieden @buitengebieden]

Still wondering how they can survive in the wild..

🎥 Smithsonian National Zoo https://t.co/VZxgvZPvE6

[Latest in space @latestinspace]

The stunning ‘Butterfly Nebula’ by Hubble space telescope 🦋

[TechCrunch @TechCrunch]

Report: Meta wins ruling against FTC to move forward with purchase of VR startup Within https://t.co/MRwLHs3R0G by @asilbwrites

[Havilah Tower @Havilah]

If you enjoy learning about #healthyliving, this is a good read from @LaMotteSandee “Live longer with these dishes from ‘blue zones’ in America” #healthyliving https://t.co/HkBS8xVVU8

[NASA @NASA]

Snoopy has gone where no beagle has gone before.

Following the successful conclusion of the #Artemis I Moon mission, @NASAGroundSys teams have begun unloading the payloads aboard, including the zero-gravity indicator #AstronautSnoopy. https://t.co/4133rM7suf

[Havilah Tower @Havilah]

Barbara Walters was & will always be an inspiration. She had such an amazing gift to get to the heart of the matter in her interviews.

[ABC News @ABC]

"The fact that I ended up on television — never ever thought that would happen."

How Barbara Walters broke through the glass ceiling — and became the most important woman pioneer in the history of TV news. https://t.co/G4PmqDe611