I'm a transplant to Flint, MI. Where's Flint on this list? It's got to be the worst at something. Worst place to live? And by "live", I mean "stay alive". It's been a leader in murder rate for some years running. Or at least, several top 3 finishes or highest rate for it's size (pop.) has got to count for something. Job market recession? Emigration rate?
The one where the guy goes "up" the garbage and over the fence: I saw that on a cop show. Police were in pursuit of a "man in boxers". Seconds into the pursuit, cops in the alley did not encounter any such man, just a group of "guys in jeans". The suspect got away. Skilz, yo. ;-)
I read an article way back that brings to mind a name, Bayes. Wikipedia lists Thomas Bayes "(c. 1702 – April 17, 1761) a British mathematician and Presbyterian minister..."
The article (or commentary?) proposed that such judgments supposedly tested in the above experiment may not be racism but, instead, "Bayesian" judgments. To wit:
1. You are walking down a sidewalk and you see a 60 year-old black man coming your way. If you cross the street to the other sidewalk, you are a racist.
2. You are walking down a sidewalk and you see a 40 year-old black woman coming your way. If you cross the street to the other sidewalk, you are a racist.
3. You are walking down a sidewalk and you see a 20 year-old black man coming your way. If you cross the street to the other sidewalk, >>> it is possible that you are not displaying racism but Bayesian thinking.
The idea is that basing decisions on data of who are the predominant perpetrators of violent crime as opposed to basing them on the race of a person without concern for any further consideration of any data or critical thinking, marks the difference between racism and Bayesian thinking in this example.
It may well be that the racism has occurred much earlier in the process: is it a media slant, whether conscious or not?
>>> Yes, it's the oil -- but because we love it. <<<
We're all for community/urban design, but we'd like to keep our beautiful home in the hills/suburbs/wherever far from work, and we don't mind the commute.
We're all for public transpo, as long as we can keep our cars ...and use them.
We'll get that hybrid vehicle, when the cost comes down to the average price for the class of car.
We'll push for tougher automotive standards of efficiency, as soon as the referendum comes up in my town.
We're all for "solar"*, and we'll make our houses "solar" as soon as it becomes affordable. Now, what's on TV? (My big plasma one.) [* or other renewable energy source apparati.]
***
All our activity props up this Magnificent Economy, which provides us with a Glorious Military, with which to spread Democracy (is that all?); provides us with the means to pursue the Life of Success that we desire, with all its trappings.
***
To maintain the environment and kick the foreign-oil monkey off our backs (or even the domestic one, for that matter), WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN LIVING LIKE THE AMERICAN NATIVES...
..."But they didn't have TV." And what a boon that's been for us. Accurate transmission of information controlled by the people and thoughtful, intelligent entertainment aimed at enlightenment of the people. Oops. [and Movies, DVDs, CDs, etc.]
..."But they didn't have antibiotics etc." Yes, because Big Pharmaceutical gives us great meds and none that we don't need. Big Pharma has only our best interests in mind and never develop products simply to sell for profit. Oops.
..."And they were susceptible to the caprices of Nature and could die in large numbers because of drought, blight, disease." We are on the verge of cracking the DNA code and other mysteries of biochemistry to achieve 100+ year lifespans, nevermind what quality of life that may be and what perils of overpopulation that may bring. Just bring us Long Life.
***
We, when were Native Somethings, ate what we could hunt or gather; now we eat all that we can make, engineer, coerce into vigorous bloom. Now we are never satisfied with what we have, or even what we will have tomorrow. We buy and sell Futures, for goodness sake.
And now we're EATING IT, the Fruit of all our Labor. At increasing cost. Recall that the economists often define cost beyond price: social cost.
***
WE'VE THOUGHT THIS (chemistry, medicine, engineering and technology, economic policy...) ALL THE WAY THROUGH. We know what we're doing, for now and for generations to come.
Can U.S. sports fans even conceive of organizing, much less executing, such a display? Nah, let's just throw snowballs and beer cups/cans/bottles. Ever wonder why the Koreans have stormed the world consumer market (Samsung, LG, Hyundai)? Oh well, just let me see that LG Prada phone now.
The article (or commentary?) proposed that such judgments supposedly tested in the above experiment may not be racism but, instead, "Bayesian" judgments. To wit:
1. You are walking down a sidewalk and you see a 60 year-old black man coming your way. If you cross the street to the other sidewalk, you are a racist.
2. You are walking down a sidewalk and you see a 40 year-old black woman coming your way. If you cross the street to the other sidewalk, you are a racist.
3. You are walking down a sidewalk and you see a 20 year-old black man coming your way. If you cross the street to the other sidewalk, >>> it is possible that you are not displaying racism but Bayesian thinking.
The idea is that basing decisions on data of who are the predominant perpetrators of violent crime as opposed to basing them on the race of a person without concern for any further consideration of any data or critical thinking, marks the difference between racism and Bayesian thinking in this example.
It may well be that the racism has occurred much earlier in the process: is it a media slant, whether conscious or not?
>>> Yes, it's the oil -- but because we love it. <<<
We're all for community/urban design, but we'd like to keep our beautiful home in the hills/suburbs/wherever far from work, and we don't mind the commute.
We're all for public transpo, as long as we can keep our cars ...and use them.
We'll get that hybrid vehicle, when the cost comes down to the average price for the class of car.
We'll push for tougher automotive standards of efficiency, as soon as the referendum comes up in my town.
We're all for "solar"*, and we'll make our houses "solar" as soon as it becomes affordable. Now, what's on TV? (My big plasma one.) [* or other renewable energy source apparati.]
***
All our activity props up this Magnificent Economy, which provides us with a Glorious Military, with which to spread Democracy (is that all?); provides us with the means to pursue the Life of Success that we desire, with all its trappings.
***
To maintain the environment and kick the foreign-oil monkey off our backs (or even the domestic one, for that matter), WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN LIVING LIKE THE AMERICAN NATIVES...
..."But they didn't have TV." And what a boon that's been for us. Accurate transmission of information controlled by the people and thoughtful, intelligent entertainment aimed at enlightenment of the people. Oops. [and Movies, DVDs, CDs, etc.]
..."But they didn't have antibiotics etc." Yes, because Big Pharmaceutical gives us great meds and none that we don't need. Big Pharma has only our best interests in mind and never develop products simply to sell for profit. Oops.
..."And they were susceptible to the caprices of Nature and could die in large numbers because of drought, blight, disease." We are on the verge of cracking the DNA code and other mysteries of biochemistry to achieve 100+ year lifespans, nevermind what quality of life that may be and what perils of overpopulation that may bring. Just bring us Long Life.
***
We, when were Native Somethings, ate what we could hunt or gather; now we eat all that we can make, engineer, coerce into vigorous bloom. Now we are never satisfied with what we have, or even what we will have tomorrow. We buy and sell Futures, for goodness sake.
And now we're EATING IT, the Fruit of all our Labor. At increasing cost. Recall that the economists often define cost beyond price: social cost.
***
WE'VE THOUGHT THIS (chemistry, medicine, engineering and technology, economic policy...) ALL THE WAY THROUGH. We know what we're doing, for now and for generations to come.
Oops.
Subdivisions as far as the eye can see! All ready for development! Oh, the Glory!
"Pineview Estates"?