November, 2023 archive
The Privatization Scam 0
Eric Foster calls out the school voucher con for the underhanded fraud that it is: a violation of the public trust and of governments’ fiduciary duty to the citizenry. Here’s a bit (emphasis added):
I comment his entire piece to your attention.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. (Updated) 0
Gwynne Dyer doesn’t seem to believe they hype about AI. A bit from his piece about the recent “AI Safety Summit” at Bletchley Park:
There is plenty to worry about in how “smarter” computer programs will destroy jobs (now including highly skilled jobs), and also in how easy it has become to manipulate opinion with deep fakes and the like.
Addendum:
Bruce Schneier suggests “ten ways in which AI will change democracy.”
Future, Tense 0
Thom has a vision.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
The hunt for politeness claims another victim.
Establishmentarians 0
Chris Satullo challenges the establishmentarian impulse of the new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson. Two tiny excerpts:
1) Your idea that the Bible lays out a comprehensive, clearcut judicial code or policy program for a 21st century civil government does not survive five minutes sitting with the book open on your lap and your mind switched on.
(snip)
2) One thing that is clear as day is that Jesus was suspicious (even contemptuous) of both the temporal and the institutional religious powers of his day, of Rome and the Pharisees.
Follow the link for his reasoning.
And Now for a Change of Pace 0
Afterthought:
I’ll admit it.
I’ve had crush on Eydie Gorme since I was a young ‘un.
Patriot Gamers 0
Methinks John MacDonald, in his letter to the editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, pretty much nails the nefariousness of the nattering nabobs of nastiness.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Another child is sacrificed at the feet of the NRA’s leaden idol.
Geeking Out 0
Debian Sid with the Fluxbox window manager. (Sid is officially “Debian Unstable.” It’s more stable than most distros’ “stable.” Indeed, Ubuntu is based on Sid.) Firefox, KeepassXC, and Konsole are shaded. Xclock is in the upper right and GKrellM in the lower right. The wallpaper is from my collection.
Car Nation 0
Engadget reports on a recent study released by the Mozilla Foundation. It is somewhat disquieting; here’s how to report opens:
Racing Touts, Reprise 0
Field looks at recent news reports about polls and sees an ulterior motive suggests taking them a grain or two of salt.
Since broadcast news reporting is no longer considered a loss leader or a public service, but has come to be viewed by broadcast networks as a profit center, indeed, almost as a form of entertainment, rather than as a source of unbiased information, methinks he may have a point.
Here’s a bit from his post:
Aside:
I gave up on broadcast news years ago, except when there’s snow storm. I like pictures of snow storms. But we haven’t had a snow storm in these parts for quite a while.
Also, I didn’t used to be a cynical skeptic. People made me one.
For that matter, I didn’t used to be an avowed Democrat. Republicans made me one.