abqtommy
abqtommy's JournalFrom The CBC*: AI** has a racism problem, but fixing it is complicated, say experts
*Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
** Artificial Intelligence
'Online retail giant Amazon recently deleted the N-word from a product description of a black-coloured action figure and admitted to CBC News its safeguards failed to screen out the racist term.
The multibillion-dollar firm's gatekeeping also failed to stop the same word from appearing in the product descriptions for a do-rag and a shower curtain.
The China-based company selling the merchandise likely had no idea what the English description said, experts tell CBC News, as an artificial intelligence (AI) language program produced the content.
Experts in the field of AI say it's part of a growing list of examples where real-world applications of AI programs spit out racist and biased results.'
It's never gonna end, it seems.
much more text, video link and pics at link:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/artificial-intelligence-racism-bias-1.6027150
From The BBC: Brighton: The birthplace of the first modern film
This is interesting. I saw my first movie around age 6 and I've been a fan ever since.
From article: It's 125 years since many landmarks of early cinema were invented – and a British seaside town was the unlikely setting, writes Norman Miller.
While Hollywood was still an anonymous LA suburb, one British seaside city was busy inventing the "language" of cinema, during a glorious decade from the late years of Queen Victoria's reign into the start of the 20th Century. That place was Brighton and Hove on England's south coast, and its role in helping found cinema as an art form has the colour, invention and striking characters of any big-screen tale.
When, for example, George Albert Smith realised that reversing the direction of the film in the camera could create unexpected visions to dazzle new audiences, he introduced cinema to the wonder of special effects – as in his 1900 film The House That Jack Built, where a toy house destroyed by a boy magically appears to rebuild itself.
Other cinematic landmarks followed by the Victorian British seaside: the first close-up; first editing for narrative; first cutaways and dissolves; first screen kiss; first movie chase. Smith also developed the first commercial colour film system between 1903 and 1908. Living up to its louche reputation, the city could even have produced the first "blue movie" – the 1897 Woman Undressing is sometimes credited to Arthur Albert "Esmé" Collings, marketed as only suitable for viewing in "gentleman's smoking rooms".
more text and photos at link:
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20210514-brighton-the-birthplace-of-the-first-modern-film
Out and about here in Albuquerque 5-15-21 Since going out to dine-in was such a hit
with us this last Thursday I decided to continue by getting a haircut today.
First time visiting my local Salon in over a year. This is a place owned and operated by Vietnamese people who provide a number of services besides haircuts. Sometimes a pretty lady cuts my hair and sometimes it's a gentleman and today it was the guy.
When I went in the door I made the Buddhist/Hindu gesture of Namaste to show my
good intentions and nobody bothered me. I asked my barber if they'd had any trouble
and he said no and I said that's good. Their prices have gone up since I was there in
February of 2020 but I don't mind. And I got good service.
Then it was on to the Post Office where my son and I both had letters dated May 5 that
told us that President Joe was sending us an additional 1400 bucks each. I'd vote
for you again anyway, Joe, but thanks!
Finally I got the grocery shopping done. Almost everybody is still masked and distancing and that's good to see, as far as I'm concerned.
And how is your day going?
From The BBC: Your pictures of Scotland 7 - 14 May
I always enjoy the latest edition of this series. And the punster who writes the captions is
in full form, as usual.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-57021974
So tonight my Sonny and I ventured out for our first dining-in experience in a year and
three months. It was great. Sonny had his favorite Chicken Fettucine Alfredo and I did
alright with a French Dip Sammich with Fries. Plus we sprung for the Italian Appetizer
Plate and brought food home too.
The Italian Ristorante, Marios, has long been a favorite with us and we weren't disappointed. It's been open for dine-in for some time now. There's a "masks required"
notice on the door, table distancing and sanitizing are being practiced and wait staff go
masked always. Diners, not so much! Sonny and I split a lavish tip for our server.
As soon as we got in the car we sanitized our hands, just 'cause, and declared the
evening a resounding success. Now to go get haircuts, see the dentist and so on.
Oh yeah, I took our vax cards along and nobody even mentioned that!
My Sunday At The Movies Pick: For many years my go-to Italian Family Movie has
been Moonstruck*. I'll watch it anytime it shows up in my cable TV lineup. But today I'm
enjoying another Italian Family Movie titled Love Is All There Is**. It's on my Comcast
ScreenPix channel 1786 and is an entirely different and enjoyable perspective. So enjoy it
if you can.
Here's a link to many ethnic Italian movies, just for fun. Enjoy! And yes, I take my TV
movies seriously!
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=italian+family+movies&ia=web
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonstruck
** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Is_All_There_Is
From The BBC: Your pictures of Scotland 30 April - 7 May
There's good trouble and bad trouble. There are good distractions and bad distractions.
This is a good distraction!
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-56944433
From Al Jazeera: Bill Gates' company transfers $1.8bn of equities to Melinda Gates
I was surprised to hear that Bill and Melinda Gates were divorcing. Since this is a process I have personal experience in I wondered just what kind of settlement was involved. Now we all know.
from article: By Sophie Alexander, Bloomberg
Cascade Investment, a holding company Bill Gates created with the proceeds of Microsoft Corp. stock sales and dividends, transferred securities worth more than $1.8 billion to Melinda French Gates, a day after the pair announced their divorce after 27 years of marriage.
Melinda Gates is now the beneficial owner of 14.1 million shares of Canadian National Railway Co. worth about $1.5 billion, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing dated May 3. The investment firm also transferred 2.94 million shares in AutoNation Inc., worth $309 million.
https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/5/4/bill-gates-company-transfers-1-8bn-of-equities-to-melinda-gates
There's a photo and a little more info at the link. Given Bill Gates' net worth it sounds
like he's getting out of this marriage with most of his wealth still under his control. It's
really difficult for me to understand amounts of money given in billions of dollars.
From The Guardian: 'GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2021(.)
A look at the winning entries in the German Society for Nature Photography’s member competition'(.)
As an acronym I'm very dissatisfied with GDT since it refers to the German Society
for Nature Photography. It's just not logical! But there's no denying that these photos
are wonderful and the German language translations are included at no extra charge.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2021/may/01/gdt-nature-photographer-of-the-year-2021
My favorite word used in the news lately is STENCH. Here are a few references:
"STENCH of racism" was used by Rev. Al Sharpton. I first read this here on DU.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142733264
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=stench+of+racism+by+rev+al+sharpton&ia=web
"STENCH of sleaze" is a term I've seen frequently on The Guardian Political News site
and refers to all things Boris Johnson and the Tories
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/audio/2021/apr/21/stench-of-sleaze-over-johnsons-government-politics-weekly-podcast
STENCH definitions: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/stench
This opens up unlimited opportunities to apply the word STENCH in interesting and
useful ways. Enjoy!
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