Mammon category archive
A Picture Is Worth, Facebook Frolics Dept. 0
Don’t believe me? See for yourself.
It’s All about the Algorithm 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Arthur Dobrin explains that algorithms are amoral. Here’ are his key point; follow the link for his reasoning.
- Machines making decisions has become commonplace.
- The choices machines make reflect the biases and values of the programmers.
- Morality is too complex to be solves by an algorithm.
- Machines can’t be any more moral than the people who program them.
Aside:
Methinks the last point goes a long way to explaining why “social” media isn’t.
Know Them by the Company They Keep 0
The Arizona Republic’s E. J. Montini points out that Arizona’s Governor does not shy away from shysters.
“What You Don’t Know Can’t Hurt Us” 0
Will Bunch explores Republicans’ war on public education. A snippet:
Follow the link for his reasoning.
The Disinformation Superhighway 0
I think I have noted before that I regularly turn off “autoplay” in Youtube because I don’t want Youtube’s algorithm making choices for me, and Youtube turns it back on when I’m not looking.
And around and around we go.
Equal Justice under the Law 0
The writer of a letter to the editor of the Las Vegas Sun reminds us that some people are more equal than others,
The Boulevard of Beta Testers 0
Alex Pareene talks with Sam and his crew about Elon Musk’s “self-driving” (sic) cars. Pareene offers a theory regarding Musk’s disregard of the public safety and the seductive appeal of anything labeled “tech.”
Supply Change 0
Thom and Professor Steve Keen explore the true causes of the recent inflation and find it is related to the long-term supply chain change.
Afterthought:
Remember, China did not “take” American jobs.
American businesses moved them there so as to avoid paying American wages to American workers.
The Galt and the Lamers 0
Sam and his crew skewer the glibertarian gibberish of Elon “Drivers Can Play Video Game on Their Touch Screens” Musk.
Words fail me.
Plenty of Phish in the Sea 0
Above the Law explores the successful phishing attack on Robinhood (the investment outfit, not the outlaw of legend) and discusses some of the methods used by the attackers. The article is oriented towards attacks on businesses, but, as spams and scams seem to be increasing against both businesses and individuals, the article is well worth your while.
Here’s a bit (the article’s business orientation in clear in this snippet):
Successful phishing subject lines included these in the top 10 for 2021:
a. Password Check Required Immediately
b. Vacation Policy Update
c. Important: Dress Code Changes
d. ACH Payment Receipt
e. Test of the (insert law firm name) Emergency Notification System
f. Scheduled Server Maintenance – No Internet Access
g. COVID-10 Remote Work Policy Update
h. Scanned Image from (insert domain name)
i. Security Alert
j. Failed Delivery
While on the subject of spams and scams, I will mention that some of our most frequent callers in recent weeks has been auto warranty scammers. And now they are using the U. S. mail.
In the past three days, I’ve gotten three official-looking letters telling me that my warranty is about to expire (it’s not; I checked just on general principles) and directing me to call a toll-free number (I didn’t). The three letters had one feature in common.
No return address.
There was official looking verbiage where the return address was supposed be, but nowhere in any of them was a mailing address for a place of business.
(Syntax error corrected.)