Sunday, February 9, 2020: (computer) algorithms are increasingly deciding who should be released from prison and who should stay, who gets probation and what the terms should be, and otherwise reducing social decision making within legal systems in the US and abroad. Any moral system of justice demands good faith negotiations with concepts like deterrence, rehabilitation, restitution, retribution, and messy, messy context*. Are we cool with just writing some code and letting the processors take care of it? (hint: I’m not)

Isabella Tabacchi has some photos of Kamchatka. (they’re really good)

The results of the 2019 VOTER Survey (Views of the Electorate Research Survey) was released last month. Despite reflecting poll answers from about a year ago, its scope certainly makes up for the delay. There are 500+ pages of statistically significant information available here; if you are at all interested in what Americans think, you should check the Top Lines and Cross Tabs. (or just ask all of them the questions)

This was a cool primer on the Iowa Caucuses (RIP). Also, despite the rending of garments and gnashing of teeth (most notably from CNN) on caucus night, I will just go on record as being more annoyed by political reporters with a sense of entitlement to quick caucus results than I was by the delays from the Iowa Democratic Party in releasing the results. Between the conflicting priorities of timeliness and veracity, the latter should never be given any shortness of shrift.

I’m playing the banjo in 2020. Focused on the instrument, I find stuff:

I’ve recently picked up Why We’re Polarized by Ezra Klein. Tyler Cowen has apparently read it (twice). They both had a very sharp conversation about it here.

New Hampshire is on Tuesday. This is what it looks like now:

The Oscars are happening as I type. Of the 9 films nominated for Best Picture, I’ve seen 5 of them and rank them as follows: #1. Parasite #2. Jojo the Rabbit #3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood #4. 1917 #5. Joker. If anyone beats Scarlett Johannsen for best supporting actress from Jojo the Rabbit, I will be very interested in seeing their performance; similarly, it is hard to imagine Joaquin Phoenix not winning Best Actor.

Finally, Thomas Vanoost has the lead position in the current issue of LensWork, and for good reason.

*not a complete list

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