"Everybody Lies" the book about data

"Everybody Lies" is the title of a recent book by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz. The subtitle is "Big Data, New Data and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are". It's a quick and easy read and I found the subject fascinating both for the voyeuristic content as well as the implications and uses for the future of data analysis.

Stephens-Davidowitz analyzes massive amounts of data that he pulls from internet usage, primarily what people search for, and compares it with other databases. For example, he looked at how many people report they use condoms with the number of condoms sold. (There are far fewer condoms sold than people reporting they use them) He has a lot of examples like that, hence the title of the book.

What was particularly interesting to me was the rise and fall of specific searches after events. After the shooting in San Bernardino in December, 2015 the number of searches related to Muslims and negative words (words indicating harm, hate or revenge, terrorists, extremists)spiked. And then President Obama spoke about the attack in what was a well regarded message reminding Americans that this event did not mean Muslims were bad and exhorting us to treat each other fairly. The negative searches about Muslims spiked again. A couple of months later Obama spoke again but this time talked about Muslim Americans who were firefighters, doctors, soldiers and teachers. This time there was no increase in searches for negative terms regarding Muslims and in fact there was a spike in positive or neutral searches regarding Muslims.

The author explains this, "When we lecture angry people, the search data implies that their fury can grow. But subtly provoking people's curiosity, giving new information, and offering new images of the group that is stoking their rage may turn their thoughts in different, more positive directions."

This is important, especially as we confront people with radically different ideas than ours. There is too much violence, in word and deed, already. This is a better way to bridge the divide.

Breeder????

My hearing is not the best, well actually, it's pretty lousy.

So, situations occur...like the other day, I was being introduced to a woman. She said, "Oh, I've heard about you, you're quite the breeder". I thought it was an odd thing to say but that is what I heard so I responded, with a bit of a laugh, "Well, we do have four children, but I'm not sure I qualify as much of a breeder." My husband and the friend making the introductions were saying "No, reader, reader--not breeder" while the lady was looking at me like I was nuts. And my daughter, who is ever so sensitive to social miscues, just walked away shaking her head.

Sometimes I have whole conversations with people and haven't heard anything they said. This can be construed as laziness on my part but you can only say, "what" or "I can't hear you" so many times. In some situations, I do get lazy about trying to listen. This especially happens if I'm at a public event and I can't hear the speaker. I just quit trying and go off into my own thoughts. I find I also do this when I'm in a group of people and there are a lot of cross conversations.

One of my concerns is that when that as hearing becomes more difficult, I retreat more into my own world because its easier. I don't ask people to speak up, I don't fight to be "heard", I tire of trying to hear.

None of this is written to elicit any pity---I don't feel bad about it except that it precludes working as a private investigator or spy--both of which I've thought would be fun. Its hard to get good intel when you can't hear what the bad guys are saying.

The Grammy's of 2017

The outfits were too skimpy, too sparkly, too revealing, too oddly colorful, too outlandish--
what happened to just looking nice, wearing your good dress up clothes and not simply going for the outrageous look.

I can't really comment on the music as that, for the most part, left me behind two decades ago. Certainly many of the performers are talented but I can't listen to the music they make without cringing. That even goes for the new country stars--it all sounds so whiny to me. And this from someone who likes country music.

Some of the songs went on and on and on and I couldn't decipher a single word being said. Apparently several were political in tone but you couldn't prove it by me. Beyonce's thing was overblown and heavy on theatrics, less on music but the critics apparently loved it. I didn't get it.

Sometimes I feel more like an old fuddy dud than usual. And truly, while watching the Grammy Awards, I exhibited every caricature of a stuffed shirt. I tsk'd, I harrumphed, I snorted my derision, and I crowed repeatedly to my son how much better music was in "my day". I lifted my ear horn and squinted at the screen for almost two of the four hours of the show and then had had enough. Off I went to put on my nightcap and soothe myself with a little Johnny Cash. How did I get so old?

Hope in these times

For some of us, it's been tough to stay hopeful in these political times.

The rancor of the long campaign, the fear of the continued inability of congress to work together, the ongoing stoking of fear of people who practice a different religion (or none) or who weren't born here or have a different color of skin--all these weigh us down. The maddening rantings of the political commentators on both sides tire us out. Even the people who are happy with the election results continue to be angry. It can make a person want to take a Rip Van Winkle length nap.

But, I think politics are inevitable and important. I think democracy (or a republic as we have) is a superior form of government. I think these tough times are a natural part of the cycle of all societies. Our fortune in the United States is that the cycles are relatively short--our good times come around more often and our bad times don't last for decades. Sometimes when things are dark, it can be helpful to take a longer view.

These words from Melville's Moby Dick are as relevant today as when written in 1856.

"Take shelter from the storm; stay not too long in the sun. Prayer is the shelter from despair; good work for others is the obligation of joy at home."

...this life

I like cookbooks. I have too many cookbooks. I hardly ever use any of them and have never used a couple of them. And yet, like a child drawn to brightly colored cereal boxes on the lower shelves at the grocery stores, I'm drawn to them at the bookstores and I keep buying them, and like the boxes of cereal that sit on the shelf, tried but left to get stale, so do my cookbooks.

What they are is a symbol of the life I imagine I want to be living.

In my real life, the dishes are mismatched, the napkins are the cheapest I can buy, and you might have to fill your plate in the kitchen and carry it to the dining room table yourself. Most likely the meal will be one I've made a hundred, if not thousand, times before. There's a high probability it will contain ground beef and/or cream of something soup. Its a good day when I remember vegetables and a really good day when they're fresh (not canned or frozen).

I want to be a better cook. I want to produce pretty as a picture meals. I want to make each get together with friends a culinary event to remember. The cookbooks are full of possibilities. They are a subtle form of self help book -- buy this, read this, do this and this beautiful, tastefully arranged life can be yours.

Like all self help books, reading the book is enough isn't it? You don't really have to do the work.