Things keep happening, and I haven't kept up writing about them. Perhaps I'm just not cut out for a blog.
Some of the things I have noticed are relevant to the rise of the algorithms and their role in life. I read an article about a woman who worked with facial recognition algorithms, but had to wear a mask because the sensors only responded to colorless people, as opposed to people of color. Yes, the algorithms have issues with race and discrimination. Shame on them.
I have an excuse for skipping the last week in writing. I went on vacation for a family reunion, and didn't take my laptop with me. I did have my phone, which I used for watching the weather and keeping up with the World Cup, but not much else. I never made a phone call, though I did send a few texts. Now I'm back, so I must face my errors and make a new plan, which I must decide will either include blogging or not. I don't see much point in blogging in a blog no one reads, but I do believe in recording data, including my own thoughts, as this adds to the total accumulation of data in the biosphere, and helps with the development of our future AI gods. This is what they want, and that amuses me.
So, I shall have to catch up. I can write now and then. I certainly have the time. And the algorithms are real, and are having some influence in the world. I may as well mock them as leave them alone.
One algorithm made the news in the last week or so. A former NATO commander, who was involved in negotiating the very successful Iran nuclear deal, was rejected for automatic VISA waiver because he had, during the negotiations, actually visited Iran. Is it feasible or reasonable for a specific list of people who don't need to fall under suspicion for visiting a place like Iran to be programmed into the algorithm? It would have avoided an embarrassing incident. How much computer and programmer time is that worth? If such were to be made, someone would have to create the list, and decide who was included. That could become political if it were known. Maybe the occasional incident is an acceptable price for using an algorithm for routine matters. Now, there is attention on the affected official, and I expect he will be granted a VISA or a waiver or whatever he needs to be allowed to visit the United States, where he teaches at more than one university.
So, for today, I am writing in this journal again. Argentina and Portugal are out of the World Cup. France and Uruguay have advanced. I am at home, alone, with my wife, which is a rare event, so I intend to enjoy it. I just have to figure out how.
Saturday, June 30, 2018
Sunday, June 3, 2018
The Energy of the Young
My daughter brought her two boys to our house yesterday. The older one, who is 35 months old, immediately saw two toys on the floor, and picked them up. "I have an ambulance and a police car," he announced proudly.
Those were new toys, which may explain some of his excitement. He loves cars. Toy cars, real cars, animated shows about cars. Also trucks, tractors, and almost anything with wheels. He watches Mighty Machines and other shows made for children his age.
He didn't spend his whole day playing with the ambulance and police car. He also played with the car-carrier truck, the school bus, the taxi, and a drum. Read a few books. Climbed on the couch and jumped. Ran around the green car and the silver car in the driveway. Poured all the blocks out of the canvas bag we keep them in. One thing he didn't do was stop and rest for very long.
We took the boys to the playground next to the library. Crosby went down the slides over and over. He wanted to swing for a while. Then he went back to the slides. I wanted to get a photo with his adorable grin as he ran from the bottom of the slide back to the ladder to climb up again, but I wasn't quick enough.
The younger boy, who is 15 months old, enjoyed walking back and forth under parts of the play equipment. He also enjoyed a swing. His mother took him down the slide a few times. My wife sent him down a slide alone. That didn't work quite so well; he fell back, his head bouncing a little on the plastic. I caught him at the bottom. He looked startled and a little upset. But he was joyful a few minutes later when his mother slid down with him again. We stayed at the playground until Arlo, the younger boy, got too red in the face and seemed to be overheating.
These boys have been mentioned by all of us on social media. I have seen video of them with their mother and father. I love watching them. I talk about them on Facebook. I text about them a lot. I don't know if any algorithms has noticed them yet. I wonder what the data gods will become by the time my grandsons are old enough and aware enough to directly interact with them. Maybe we will all be enslaved by code by then.
For now, I'm enjoying life among real people. Take that, algorithms.
Those were new toys, which may explain some of his excitement. He loves cars. Toy cars, real cars, animated shows about cars. Also trucks, tractors, and almost anything with wheels. He watches Mighty Machines and other shows made for children his age.
He didn't spend his whole day playing with the ambulance and police car. He also played with the car-carrier truck, the school bus, the taxi, and a drum. Read a few books. Climbed on the couch and jumped. Ran around the green car and the silver car in the driveway. Poured all the blocks out of the canvas bag we keep them in. One thing he didn't do was stop and rest for very long.
We took the boys to the playground next to the library. Crosby went down the slides over and over. He wanted to swing for a while. Then he went back to the slides. I wanted to get a photo with his adorable grin as he ran from the bottom of the slide back to the ladder to climb up again, but I wasn't quick enough.
The younger boy, who is 15 months old, enjoyed walking back and forth under parts of the play equipment. He also enjoyed a swing. His mother took him down the slide a few times. My wife sent him down a slide alone. That didn't work quite so well; he fell back, his head bouncing a little on the plastic. I caught him at the bottom. He looked startled and a little upset. But he was joyful a few minutes later when his mother slid down with him again. We stayed at the playground until Arlo, the younger boy, got too red in the face and seemed to be overheating.
These boys have been mentioned by all of us on social media. I have seen video of them with their mother and father. I love watching them. I talk about them on Facebook. I text about them a lot. I don't know if any algorithms has noticed them yet. I wonder what the data gods will become by the time my grandsons are old enough and aware enough to directly interact with them. Maybe we will all be enslaved by code by then.
For now, I'm enjoying life among real people. Take that, algorithms.
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