The Chicago Journal

The Chicago Journal
The Chicago Journal

Red Roof® Chicago Your Windy City Insider

The Chicago Journal Staff on May 21, 2024

Embarking on an adventure to Chicago? Let Red Roof® in Chicago be your guide, not just as your ideal hotel choice but also as your insider to the city’s treasures. With Red Roof’s curated Chicago Travel Guides, you’ll unlock the best of the Windy City, from its iconic skyline along Lake Michigan to the hidden gems tucked in its bustling streets. As you plan to explore, dine, and discover, trust Red Roof in Chicago to provide a comfortable, value-packed stay, perfectly positioned to experience everything Chicago offers.

Discover the Best of Chicago with Red Roof

As you set your sights on Chicago, let Red Roof, an award-winning leader in the lodging industry, be your gateway to an unparalleled city adventure. Celebrating over 50 years of hospitality excellence, Red Roof offers the perfect blend of comfort, value, and convenient locations across Chicago. Immerse yourself in the Windy City’s rich culture, history, and entertainment while enjoying the comfortable experience and great value only Red Roof can provide. Dive into the curated Chicago Travel Guides and make your next visit to Chicago exceptional. Whether business or leisure, short trips or extended stays, in cities or on the road, Red Roof has a property for every traveler, delivering the best experience and value in the lodging industry. 

Must-Do Activities in Chicago

Red Roof’s Chicago Travel Guides are your ticket to the city’s top experiences. Whether you’re craving world-class dining, vibrant nightlife, or family-friendly fun, our guides have curated essential activities that capture the spirit of Chicago, ensuring your itinerary is packed with must-see destinations. Explore Red Roof’s Best of Chicago guide for more.

Outdoor Adventures in Chicago

Chicago’s beauty isn’t confined to its urban landscape. Our guides highlight the top outdoor activities that let you breathe in the fresh air of the city’s parks and trails. Adventure awaits at every corner, whether it’s a leisurely hike or a scenic exploration. Read our full list of outdoor adventures.

Chicago’s Top Dog Parks

Are you traveling with a furry friend? Red Roof in Chicago makes it easy with our guide to the city’s best dog parks. Embrace Chicago’s pet-friendly side and let your companion enjoy off-leash fun in safe, welcoming environments across the city. Check out the guide here for the best spots to play and relax with your furry friend.

Culinary Delights: Best Restaurants in Chicago

Dive into Chicago’s renowned culinary scene with our guide to the best restaurants. From deep-dish pizza to gourmet dining, taste your way through the city’s diverse flavors, all recommended by locals to promise you an authentic dining experience. Savor Red Roof’s recommendations in the Culinary Delights guide.

Why Choose Red Roof in Chicago

Embrace the warmth and hospitality of Red Roof in Chicago, where every stay is a blend of comfort and value. From the welcoming atmosphere of Red Roof Inn® to the elevated experiences at Red Roof PLUS+®, including the convenience of extended stays at HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof® and the unique vibes of The Red Collection®, there’s a perfect spot for every traveler. Discover Chicago’s treasures with hotel amenities that promise a visit and an experience filled with genuine warmth, making Red Roof in Chicago your cozy gateway to the city’s heart.

Published by: Holy Minoza

MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD a Potential Reality in America

The Chicago Journal Staff on May 21, 2024

By: Maria Williams

Payton Nyquvest, CEO and founder of Numinus, explains the prospects and benefits of MDMA-Assisted Therapy, after two decades of research by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies.

Payton Nyquvest is no ordinary CEO. His trailblazing company, Numinus, is leading the industry in field research and clinical results of psychedelic-assisted therapies. Far from being a hands-off executive, Nyquvest has journeyed deep into the practitioner side of things and founded Numinus from a desire to share the impact this therapy had on his own life.

“I suffered severe chronic pain from birth,” Nyquvest says. “I was at rock bottom, in the emergency room in Vancouver, when I resorted to a last-ditch attempt to save my life. I booked myself on to 4 ayahuasca ceremonies and they successfully treated decades of pain within a week. It’s not a panacea for everyone and the structure that held the pain was still within me, but the results were truly life-changing.”

Once home, Nyquvest wanted to help others access these experiences. Collaborating closely with Rick Doblin, Founder & President of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), Nyquvest became aware of the billions of dollars of research that had no infrastructure to channel its results. “I worked to build a container that can hold these options for people in a safe, secure environment with purpose-built spaces and supportive practices.” 

Numinus has been an invaluable resource for MAPS as they conduct revolutionary decades-long research into how MDMA-Assisted Therapy can improve the lives of people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). MAPS has been using the Numinus clinics across Canada and Utah, along with clients being participants in the trials.

The research project of over 20 years has now been successfully submitted to the FDA in the form of a new drug application. Midomafetamine capsules (a form of MDMA) combined with psychological intervention heralds an exciting new era in the treatment and healing of symptoms for sufferers of PTSD. 

The application has been granted a priority review so results should be available by 11th August 2024. MAPS predicts 30,000 – 50,000 specially trained therapists will be needed to meet the demand as there are over 14 million sufferers across America. Numinus is leading the charge in offering drug-assisted experiences in a therapeutic setting, so their training programs will be an important resource to meet this need.

Offering certification in the specific field of drug-assisted therapies, Numinus has a variety of multi-course training options that allows practitioners to choose the right path for them, in order to become Certified Psychedelic-Assisted Therapists. With a focus on healing rather than managing symptoms, MDMA-Assisted Therapy has the potential to transform millions of lives for the better.

Nyquvest says, “Federal approval means we don’t have to wait for state by state approval, the results of these trials will open things up significantly for expansion of clinics. Once FDA approved, clients can claim the treatment on their medical insurance which is really important. At the moment, 80% of our ketamine-assisted services are covered under US insurance.”

Having worked with Indigenous groups to understand the process of psychedelics, Nyquvest is passionate about sharing the incredible benefits of these therapies. “It should not just be the drug alone,” he says. “The support framework around it is vitally important. Numinus has different ways that our therapists help integrate the experiences for our clients.”

Numinus offers therapists to be present during the drug experience as well as before and after. “They can help guide you,” explains Nyquvest. “Especially if you have worked with that person previous to the session, they know what type of spots to guide people towards within the experience to get the most out of it.”

“We talk a lot about integration and that is really just looking at your life moving forward. How do you want to live your life moving forward? Do you want to make meaningful changes? Sustain the benefits from this incredible experience? This isn’t a thing that ever finishes, we are all works in progress. But when the drug experience is still fresh in your mind and you have this period of neuroplasticity, it can be transformative to work with a therapist to understand the benefits you can take from it and what changes you might make to have the life you want.”

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To find out more about this groundbreaking therapy service from Numinus, check out their website.

To access training programs, explore this page.
You can find out more about the MAPS application to the FDA here. 

Published by: Holy Minoza

The AI Era: Transforming the Workforce and Creating Opportunities

The Chicago Journal Staff on May 21, 2024

By: Dr. Henna Karna

A recent report by Goldman Sachs predicts that artificial intelligence (AI) will likely replace approximately 300 million full-time jobs. The scale of this potential workforce disruption is undoubtedly alarming. However, it is essential that we don’t just see this disruption as a one-sided coin and jump to conclusions. A thorough analysis of the pending situation and understanding AI technology’s possibilities are equally important.

The buzz surrounding AI replacing human employees has taken the internet by storm. The introduction of GPT-4 technology and Google’s competitive response with Gemini have become hot topics at meetings and conferences. While the average individual may have concerns about their position in the workplace, those who embrace constant learning and believe in upgrading their skill set can find hope for the future.

From 25 years of experience in the tech industry, I have realized the positive and negative effects of artificial intelligence. We’ve moved from the internet era, mobile era, social era, and AI era—where all these four tech shifts have compounded. Living in today’s tech-advanced era, we need to better equip ourselves with the knowledge necessary to address any potential challenges it may bring.

Stressed Implications:

1. Wages: Talent is always important, and wages don’t have to go down. The key is to segregate mundane tasks with manual tasks. Our talented resources probably didn’t appreciate doing mundane tasks and oftentimes our error rate in these tasks were generally high. AI is going to help us reduce these mundane tasks. We will still need some manual tasks (they will look super different than they do today as they will be more of the Human-in-the-loop (HITL) AI tasks). Candidly, there is a lot of discussion on AI having the capability to automate repetitive tasks and lower-level jobs. So much of our conversations seem to be indicating that the market is saturated with an overwhelming amount of data and the demand for human employees will decrease significantly. 

We have to acknowledge that a widening demand and supply gap could lead to lower wages, causing financial distress for millions of individuals. However, that does not need to be the case if our individuals repurpose themselves to the more necessary manual work coming our way. Predictions indicate that a quarter of jobs in the USA and Europe may be replaced by AI, resulting in a staggering 300 million job replacements globally. We must also recognize that in this prediction, implementing AI is going to create net-new jobs and requirements for AI management, HITL, etc.! We have plenty of work to do for our talent, as long as we evolve their skills appropriately. 

2. Jobs: Mundane or rote jobs will reduce, but creative and “value-based” jobs will increase. Studies show that more jobs have been displaced since 1980 than created, despite 60% of current ones not even existing in 1940. If AI continues to evolve at its current pace, it is expected to replace a substantial number of mundane jobs but it will also enable a whole new set of jobs that we are just writing the Job Description for! 

3. Learning Curve: To stay relevant in this changing landscape, individuals will need to (unapologetically) prioritize making a conscious effort to upgrade their skills continually. The disruption caused by AI may be challenging for conservative employees to accept. However, learning the latest skills and staying adaptable is crucial to successfully navigate the evolving job market.

4. Ambiguity: Adapting to technology advancements is table stakes. As it always has been, lifelong learning is vital for staying ahead of the curve. However, it is equally important to identify which skills to acquire and how to develop them. Adapting to suitable technological advancements will significantly increase productivity and achievement. Conversely, using the wrong tools may impede progress and hinder the ability to produce impressive results.

Positive Implications:

1. Automation and Augmentation: AI-powered applications not only automate repetitive and mundane tasks but also augment job activities in all industries. The increased speed and efficiency provided by AI technology enhance customer fulfillment and trust. 

2. The Emergence of New Jobs: As AI begins to replace repetitive tasks, it will also generate new roles and employment opportunities. We can anticipate the rise of job roles that will require broad skills and focus on factors such as AI development, creating AI-powered applications and software, as well as managing and supervising AI tools and software. 

The advancement of artificial intelligence presents both challenges and opportunities for industries across the board. The most critical industry where AI has the potential to revolutionize is healthcare. AI can significantly enable the medical industry by enhancing patient care and outcomes by analyzing massive amounts of medical data and assisting in diagnostics. For example, AI-powered algorithms can detect patterns in medical imaging, enabling more accurate and early detection of diseases. It is already being leveraged to analyze variations in retinol images that are across decades. Sooner than later, AI can assist physicians in analyzing patient data and suggest personalized treatment plans, leading to improved precision medicine.

Another sector that stands to benefit from AI is mobility and transportation. Self-driving vehicles powered by AI have the potential to ensure road safety, making transportation more efficient. By eliminating human error, AI-driven vehicles can significantly reduce the number of accidents caused by factors such as fatigue or distraction. Moreover, AI enabled capabilities have potential to reduce congestion and optimize traffic flow, reducing congestion and improving fuel efficiency. This technology holds the potential of transforming public transportation systems, making them more accessible, reliable, and environmentally friendly.

While AI’s potential benefits are vast, addressing responsible AI and the ethical implications and ensuring that AI is developed and deployed responsibly is crucial. That includes considerations such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, and transparency in decision-making processes. Ethical frameworks and regulations are working their way forward to safeguard against the misuse of AI and protect individuals’ rights and well-being. 

Conclusion:

The rise of artificial intelligence has sparked debates about its impact on the workforce. While concerns about job displacement are common, it is essential to take a balanced view and recognize the potential positive outcomes that AI brings. With careful planning and reskilling efforts, individuals can adapt to the transforming landscape and find new opportunities in AI-driven industries. Ultimately, the successful integration of AI into our society depends on the literacy of AI in our companies by our talent resources, responsible development, ethical considerations, and a commitment to harness its potential for the betterment of humanity.

The AI Era Transforming Workforce Creating Opportunities

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Henna Karna

About the author:

Dr. Henna Karna is a globally recognized tech entrepreneur with a proven expertise in patented product design, development, and launch with profitable gains. Dr. Karna brings more than 25 years of experience leading innovation leveraging digital/data/analytics in High-Tech, CPG, Risk Management, and Regulated Industries, including Capital Markets, Payments, and Insurance. She has led businesses and advised Fortune 50 companies on digital innovation and disruption and has designed and developed patent-pending technology and applications in the field of genetic algorithms, behavioral analytics, deep neural nets, & digital-data technologies. Most recently, she led GOOGLE’s Global Industry Solutions for Insurance & RIsk and collaborated with over 600 companies worldwide. Dr. Karna is an MIT graduate and currently working on her Harvard Fellowship on AI & People impact on society and corporations.

Published by: Martin De Juan