Mammon category archive
The Privatization Scam 0
At the Inky, Joshua M. Cowen debunks the school voucher bunk. A snippet:
As I testified to Pennsylvania lawmakers last fall, however, vouchers are the education equivalent of predatory lending.
Follow the link for his reasoning.
It’s All about the Algorithm 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Christine Louise Hohlbaum discusses David Donnelly’s documentary, The Cost of Convenience, which explores the extent to which corporate digital surveillance has been woven into our society and economy. Here’s an excerpt:
She ends the article with some suggestions as to how to fight back.
Me, I’m going to keep an eye out for the film.
Twits Own Twitter X Offenders
0
San Francisco judge dismisses Elon Musk’s empty suit.
Some of the judge’s comments, as quoted in the news story, delight the soul.
Misdirection Play: Hot Air about Windmills 0
Rebecca Burns, author and journalist based in Georgia, to discuss her recent piece in The American Prospect entitled “Against The Wind.”
Aside:
I think that this story, which appeared in my local rag yesterday, may be an example of the misdirection play discussed in this clip.
Most of the valid reports I’ve seen of harm to whales involve collisions with boats, not with stationary objects.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
Also, not your friend despite what they want you to think, as sociologist Joseph E. Davis points out at Psychology Today Blogs, where he points out that
Follow the link for the evidence.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
Security maven Bruce Schneier thinks that the devolution of “social” media can help us understand the potentia–and the potential dangers–of artificial “intelligence.” Here’s a bit from the beginning of his article:
The five items he discusses are:
- Advertising.
- Surveillance
- Virality (as in “going viral,” not as in “strong”)
- Lock-in (of
yourdata about you)- Monopolization (or, alternatively, monetization)
Follow the link for his detailed exploration of each.
The Plane Truth 0
Thom discusses how Donald Trump’s actions led directly to Boeing’s broken planes.
You Can Bet on It 0
Sportswriter extraordinaire Bob Molinaro:
Afterthought:
I don’t know about you, but I spell “gamble” L-O-S-E.
All the News that Fits 0
Thom points out that mongering fear boosts ratings for television stations sells.
Suffer the Children 0
Marie Antoinette (allegedly) said, “Let them eat cake.”
Republican governors and attorneys-general definitely say, “Let them drink lead.”
Afterthought:
I think it not an exaggeration to suggest that today’s Republican Party has abandoned the concept of the “common good.”
The Open Doorbell Fallacy 0
Consumer Reports has an appalling report on how insecure video “security” doorbells are.
Here’s how it starts; follow the link for the appalling part.
If the message came from a complete stranger, it would have been alarming. Instead, it was sent by Steve Blair, a CR privacy and security test engineer who had hacked into the doorbell from 2,923 miles away.
Blair had pulled similar images from connected doorbells at other CR employees’ homes and from a device in our Yonkers, N.Y., testing lab. While we expected him to gain access to these devices, it was still a bit shocking to see photos of the journalist’s deck and backyard. After all, video doorbells are supposed to help you keep an eye on strangers at the door, not let other people watch you.
H/T Bruce Schneier.
Market Farces 0
Sam and the crew talk with Vanderbilt law professor Ganesh Sitaraman about the fallacious reasoning behind deregulating public utilities and services, such as airlines (the main focus of the discussion), and how it made the skies so fiendly as they have become.
Afterthought:
If you die and go to Hell on Delta, you will change in Atlanta.
I’ve changed in Atlanta. It was indeed–er–less than desirable.
The Art of the Con 0
At NJ.com, Kevin Manahan reports on how Trumpish hucksters gulled the gullible with “Trump Bucks.”
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
Writing at Psychology Today Blogs, Mary McNaughton-Cassill recounts two experiences she had recently when health insurance “AI” bots turned down her claims because, well, they thought they were smarter than her doctors.
Here’s a tiny bit:
It is a distressing read, but methinks a worthwhile one. Go decide for yourself.
Afterthought:
Automating greed does not make it less greedy.
Birds of a Feather 0
Gene Collier, writing at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, sees parallels between two rather dissimilar figures: Donald Trump and Wayne LaPierre, long-time head of the National Rifle Makers Association.
A snippet:
Follow the link for his reasoning.
