Republican Thought Police 0
Via SFgate, a federal judge has ruled in favor of a coalition of groups suing to stop the Trump maladministration’s attempt to erase those portions of American history that it doesn’t like. Here’s a bit from the ruling:
The story goes on the report that (no surprises here) the Trump maladministration is consdiering an appeal.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Yet another “responsible gun owner” discharges his responsibility.
Decatur Police Department officials said that they made contact with a man who said that his gun accidentally discharged while it was in his pocket when he stood up. . . .
And we are again reminded that “responsible gun owner” is an oxymoron.
Stray Thought 0
As it’s Flag Day, I would normally display my American flag from our deck, which faces the street.
I usually do so on national (as opposed to religious) holidays.
However, because of Donald Trump’s desecration of Flag Day with his narcissistic commercialized cage match, I just cannot bring myself to do so.
A Tune for the Times 0
Warning: Mild language.
The Elephant in the Room 0
Sometimes, justice can indeed be poetic.
Fight Night, Emoluments Dept. 0
Mary Trump follows the money.
It’s All about the Algorithm 0
Via The Charlotte Observer, Northwestern University professors William J. Brady and Eli J. Finkel remind us that artificial “intelligence” is not intelligent. It’s engineered, and it’s engineered by humans to benefit the companies that they work for.
After looking at the damage that “social” media algorithms have done to dis coarse discourse (and that section alone makes their article worth reading), they explain why they fear that AI will have similar effects, especially now that AI designers are turning to advertising as a source of revenue. Here’s a tiny bit:
We are not opposed to AI – far from it. The evidence we’ve cited suggests it can be a powerful tool for improving reasoning and reducing prejudice. But those benefits depend on what the chatbots are optimized for.
The argument that AI is fundamentally different from social media, that it will elevate expertise rather than amplify outrage and moderate views rather than entrench them, is seductive precisely because we want it to be true. But that argument deserves scrutiny, not credulity. If anything, the case for skepticism is stronger here than it was for social media.
Stray Thought 0
Nethinks one clear warning sign of a rule of lawless is “a secretive police.”
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
A competent legal researcher? Maybe you should check with these lawyers.
A Tune for the Times 0
From the Youtube page:
“Yankee Doodle” was a traditional song (Roud 4501) that predated the American Revolution and was adapted by both British and Americans to mock one another in the eighteenth century. So we felt it was a fitting tune to repurpose on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the birth of the United States, and the No Kings musical protests occurring this weekend which happens to be the 80th birthday of Donald Trump.
Gutting Out the Vote 0
Steve M. takes a deep dive into the Trump maladministration’s bare-faced lies about attempts to discredit the voting process in California.
American Stasi, Republican Family Values Dept. 0
Thom discusses the Trump maladministration’s “concentration camps for children.”
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much 0
A competent ER doctor? You may be headed for a quack-up.