SCRAPINGS OF THE DAY – 06/30/23

Posted on by bobcabkings

This one reminds me of a quote from Paul Krugman: “We should try to create the society each of us would want if we didn’t know in advance who we’d be.”

https://www.psypost.org/2023/06/deepmind-scientists-demonstrate-the-value-of-using-the-veil-of-ignorance-to-craft-ethical-principles-for-ai-systems-166071

AI systems can fall victim to their own kind of noise, sort of like static on a phone call.

AI’s Invisible Foe: Confronting the Challenge of Digital “Dark Matter”

Ravens and humans like to eat a lot of the same kinds of things, and that can change the environment for both when the humans are hunter-gatherers.

Ravens in Prehistory: Scientists Unearth a 30,000-Year-Old Relationship With Humans

Animals and plants can change, evolve, to adapt to a changing environment, which can bring about change in other plants and animals and the environment. With a lot of environmental change happening, it may be important to pay attention to that.

The Flip Side of Evolution: How It Can Impact the Environment

Who is leading the world in clean energy? It isn’t us.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/29/china-wind-solar-power-global-renewable-energy-leader

Remembering Alan Arkin

Posted on by bobcabkings

It was the winter of 1961. I was fifteen and went with my parents to a performance by the Second City Players. Alan Arkin was in that cast. In the skit titled “Cultural FM”, a parody tribute to the Chicago radio station, WFMT, Alan played a folk singer who did a C&W song version of the poem, “The Tiger” by William Blake. They were selling an album of that edition of the show. I still have it. Some amazing talents came out of that cast, and Alan Arkin was one of them.

Confederate Descendants Spread Racism, Infect the Supreme Court, and Roll Back Civil Rights

Posted on by bobcabkings

Calico Jack is angry. History matters.

The Psy of Life

SUMMARY: There is a through line of white supremacy, racism, and pro-slavery views connecting the three-fifths compromise, the Civil War, Jim Crow, and Trump. This post uses the third episode of Rachel Maddow Presents and a study on the geography of culture to make the connections between past efforts to oppress Black and Hispanic Americans to our current installment of the ascendance of white supremacy.

Mad as Hell: Unmasking a Sixty-Year Scheme of Voter Suppression

Will voter suppression hurt GOP voters?

Election 2022: Can the GQP Voter Suppress its way to Victory or Can the Dems Stacey Abrams their way to Victory?

I am mad as hell right now.

Angry.

This anger has an interesting story to it, so I’ll tell it to you if you’ll let me.

Let me know in the comments if it makes you angry, too, okay?

Deep breath.

The Deja News Podcast and Operation Evil Eagle Eye

Maddow lays out the…

View original post 1,487 more words

SCRAPINGS OF THE DAY – 06/29/23

Posted on by bobcabkings

When SCOTUS threw out the “Independent State Legislature” theory, they made prosecuting those involved in the fake electors scheme much easier.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/6/29/2178304/-Supreme-Court-may-have-made-it-easier-to-charge-Trump-for-Jan-6

It seems that the cause of action in the wedding planner’s suit to avoid planning Gay weddings included a completely fictitious customer. SCOTUS will announce the decision tomorrow (Friday).

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/6/29/2178416/-The-apparent-big-lie-behind-the-pending-anti-LGBTQ-SCOTUS-case

Reading for pleasure is good for kids brains. Who would have guessed?

Childhood Reading Habits Boost Brain and Mental Health in Teens

And hate speech often repeated rewires the brain.

The Language of Lies: How Hate Speech Engages Our Neural Wiring to Foster Division

It’s Summer. Let’s go to the beach.

The Great Odyssey: Where Does Beach Sand Come From?