The Stranding of the MV Shokalskiy
https://idlewords.com/2019/07/the_stranding_of_the_mv_shokalskiy.htm [idlewords.com]
2019-07-30 16:06
tags:
article
essay
history
hoipolloi
travel
Mawson’s experience distills the Victorian age of Antarctic exploration to its essence, combining an unbelievable personal fortitude with the overall pointlessness of the endeavor. Even by Antarctic standards, George V Land was unexciting. The best thing you can say about it today is that sometimes a meteorite lands there.
But Mawson left behind a hut, and by the iron laws of Antarctic nostalgia that apply to any human structure below the 70th parallel, that hut is now an object of veneration, and must be visited.
In 2011, the Australian climate scientist Chris Turney heard the call of the Antarctic. As readers of this blog know, that can be an expensive call to hear. But the approaching centenary of Mawson’s expedition gave Turney a unique fundraising hook.
And then things went a bit sideways.
What I Learned Trying To Secure Congressional Campaigns
https://idlewords.com/2019/05/what_i_learned_trying_to_secure_congressional_campaigns.htm [idlewords.com]
2019-05-28 16:04
tags:
admin
auth
essay
opsec
security
I don’t believe I accomplished much, but I made so many friends along the way! And I learned a lot about the idiosyncratic world of Congressional campaigns; knowledge that I want to now hand over to you, the next person willing to take a swing at this piñata of futility.
The candidate was hardest person to secure. They were too busy to come to the training. They didn’t want to move off their Loudong SB250 phone because it had all their favorite Flash games from the Yahoo store on it. Three different antivirus programs competed for dominion over their Windows 7 laptop.
Ideally, there would be a billing model where the training is free, but the campaign gets charged thousands of dollars for ignoring it.
source: HN
Privacy Rights and Data Collection in a Digital Economy (Senate hearing)
https://idlewords.com/talks/senate_testimony.2019.5.htm [idlewords.com]
2019-05-12 20:16
tags:
essay
interview
policy
valley
web
As someone who earns his living through data collection, I am acutely aware of the power the tools we are building give us over our fellow citizens’ private lives, and the danger they pose to our liberty. I am grateful to Chairman Crapo, ranking member Brown, and the committee for the opportunity to testify on this vital matter.
source: HN
Gluten Free Antarctica
https://idlewords.com/2018/12/gluten_free_antarctica.htm [idlewords.com]
2018-12-23 04:58
tags:
essay
food
hoipolloi
travel
Far below the Antarctic circle, I watch a woman cry real tears because she can’t get gluten-free toast.
Mary is a plummy old English lady traveling alone, an Agatha Christie figure who I expected would spend her time solving mysteries on the ship. When people started disappearing in the Ross Sea, Mary would work the case and gather everyone in the ship’s saloon for the spectacular reveal.
Unfortunately, Mary turned out to be a bit of a shipboard bully, bad-talking the other passengers instead of helping to solve their murders. But I am still not ready to see her go to pieces over toast.
Anatomy of a Moral Panic
http://idlewords.com/2017/09/anatomy_of_a_moral_panic.htm [idlewords.com]
2017-09-23 04:09
tags:
ai
business
chemistry
factcheck
hoipolloi
media
web
The real story in this mess is not the threat that algorithms pose to Amazon shoppers, but the threat that algorithms pose to journalism.
Superintelligence - The Idea That Eats Smart People
http://idlewords.com/talks/superintelligence.htm [idlewords.com]
2016-12-23 02:59
tags:
ai
essay
future
hoipolloi
ideas
life
tech
If you think we’re living in a computer program, trying to segfault it is inconsiderate to everyone who lives in it with you. It is far more dangerous and irresponsible than the atomic scientists who risked blowing up the atmosphere.
Who Will Command The Robot Armies?
http://idlewords.com/talks/robot_armies.htm [idlewords.com]
2016-11-18 06:10
tags:
essay
ideas
ioshit
life
slides
tech
urban
valley
It’s a giant internet of shit sandwich, nicely arranged between killer drones and the gig economy.
Haunted By Data
http://idlewords.com/talks/haunted_by_data.htm [idlewords.com]
2016-11-14 02:14
tags:
best
business
essay
life
policy
slides
social
Who can forget the smooth, rich taste of radium cigarettes? Collecting data just sounds so damn cool, but what if it’s actually bad for us? Don’t collect it, don’t store it, don’t keep it.
Also: Deep Fried Data http://idlewords.com/talks/deep_fried_data.htm