Monthly Archives: February 2018

Data & Discrimination

Just heard, partly, a program on KERA’s Think that was talking about Search Engines and how they are discriminating or segragating. This is just making a note of it so that I can come back and look more closely at the program and the issues it is touching.

The guest was University of Southern California assistant professor Safiya Umoja Noble . She wrote the book “Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism”

While I wait to go back and catch up with the whole program more closely, I do acknowledge that search results have a huge influence on how we relate to information and the authenticity that we associate with them. Not to mention that our search result to a great extent is dependent on our biases. We are usually shown search results that tend to match our existing preferences. We “see” things that our friends & family see or comment on. Companies behind the searches are trying to be helpful in this case.

– manzoor

Will Smith on “Happiness“ and “Responsibility”

Recently I saw a couple of video posts of Will Smith. I was not really searching or anything but I believe they showed up on my FB and / or Twitter feeds.

The first of these posts had to do with his confession to his wife that he could not be responsible for her happiness, nor she for his.

I am not simply writing this post to re-share or talk about Will Smith’s beautiful posts but more as a reminder that I have written on these specific topics and hoping that I will revisit those and maybe edit  enhance the.

– manzoor

Reductio ad Absurdum

Hear the term on Big Bang Theory a while back and it, like many many other terms I’ve heard on BBT, have stuck on my mind and have always meant to go back.

I do like the term as a interesting way of arguing. Often we are passive of our views / opinions because the counter argument is not drastic enough. But if we confronted with the extremes, even the absurd extremes, then we will stand up to support our views.

– manzoor

Reductio ad absurdum

My News Source

Someone asked me the other day what my news source were. My response was – none specifically. While I do listen to NPR and will watch CNN from time to time, I don’t really do either to get my “news”.

I think we have blurred the line between “news” and “opinion” to the point that we no longer know the difference. Most, if not all, of the 24 hour news channels that are in existence today are mostly spewing opinion shows – not actual news programs. To be fair, the channels don’t even claim to be News Programs / Shows.

Also, we don’t value real investigative reporting. I remember when 20/20 and 60 Minutes were shows everyone followed and spoke of.

– manzoor

Philosophy for a Happy Life

I am fairly certain we all at some point or another, maybe even many times, have had thought what it was that made / make us happy.

This afternoon, I stumbled on a TED Talk by Sam Berns entitled “My philosophy for a happy life“.

At the age of 2 Sam, as you will have learned if you watch the talk I have embedded above, was diagnosed with Progeria, a rare, rapid aging disease.

  1. Be OK with what you ultimately can’t do, because there is so much you CAN do.
  2. Surround yourself with people you want to be around.
  3. Keep moving forward
  4. Never miss a party if you can help it

– manzoor