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Finnish kids recognize fake news

AI manipulation

On CBS Sunday Morning, which continues to be one of my favorite programs, there was a September 30 segment about how Finnish kids recognize fake news. “Being able to identify hoaxes, avoid scams, and debunk propaganda is a civic skill required in today’s information society. That’s why the curriculum of students in Finland includes media literacy lessons, aimed at safeguarding a precious resource: the truth.”

There’s a similar story on CNA. Finland’s war against fake news starts at a young age. “With an ever-growing number of people getting their news online, being able to work out what’s true – and what’s not – has never been more important. In a world of digital disinformation, one country is often held up as the benchmark for having a media-literate population. Finland has topped the Media Literacy Index for the seven years the ranking system has been in existence.”

In 2019, CNN reported on the topic. “Finland is winning the war on fake news. What it’s learned may be crucial to Western democracy.”

I will state the obvious here: we need this in the United States, and not just for children. As a citizen and a librarian, misinformation, and especially disinformation, distresses me.

I posted on Facebook a visual about the myth when people say, “Do your own research!” This post is credited to Linda Gamble Spadaro, a licensed medical mental health counselor in Florida. “You didn’t research anything. You read or watched a video, most likely with little or no objectivity. You came across something in your algorithm-manipulated feed, something that jived with your implicit biases and served your confirmation bias, and subconsciously applied your emotional filters and called it proof.”

My buddy J. Eric Smith wrote about this topic 14 years ago, and it’s still dead on.

Looking for nonsense

I pulled out my phone on October 2 to check my Facebook feed.

Rock Music World: “Ringo Starr turns 84 today!” No, he didn’t. He is 84, but his birthday is July 7. At least 78 people shared the post. Various feeds list the birthdays of actors and musicians, but they are often incorrect. You may think of this as inconsequential, but I guess I’m old-school enough to think that FACTS MATTER, especially easily verifiable ones. (Ssh: I’ve been known to use books.) A Google search would get you to Ringo’s website, but every other source in the search, such as Modern Drummer, confirms the real date.

Some guy from New Jersey is sharing something I’ve seen before: [SIC] “I’m no mathematician, but I’m not bad at math. Can someone please explain? AOC went into office broke and in five years she’s worth $29 million. on a $155K salary??? When does her investigation begin?” Never. Check out FactCheck, Politifact, USA Today, and other sources.

Then there was the photo showing djt in a lifejacket helping storm victims in floodwaters after Hurricane Helene. One Facebook user posted of the picture, “I think we should all repost it!!!!” Another person added, “‘He lives and cares for people, all people!” And “I don’t think Facebook wants this picture on Facebook. They have been deleting it.” The post received more than 150,000 shares in just 16 hours.” And it’s FALSE. “Odd-looking hands and fingers are one sign of AI manipulation in photos.”

Some folks need to make a minimum of effort to verify before they share.

The worst

Unfortunately, the biggest purveyor of falsehood, particularly in light of the Hurricane Helene disaster, is the 45th president. He lies about how money has been funneled from potential hurricane victims to immigrants. Not only does he harm the people who could use the help, but he also foments despair and immigrant phobia.

Extracted from Heather Cox Richardson, “Letters From an American,” 9/27/2024:

“Republican governor of Virginia Glenn Youngkin told reporters that he was ‘incredibly appreciative of the rapid response and cooperation from the federal team at FEMA.’ Asheville, North Carolina, mayor Esther Manheimer told CNBC, ‘We have support from outside organizations, other fire departments sending us resources, the federal government as well. So it’s all-hands-on-deck, and it is a well-coordinated effort, but it is so enormous….’”

And the lies persist.

But my favorite bit of nonsense, because it’s so obvious, was in my email, with an attachment I did not open. “Good morning. When there are ambiguous conditions around a contract, Agreement-Number… can be used in the event that it is difficult to determine whether it was created, expired without being resolved, or is no longer valid as a result of the contract having expired. so long”

National Museum of African American History and Culture

A Fool’s Errand

On Tuesday, August 5, we took the DC Metro from Alexandria, VA, to the primary goal of the trip, the National Museum of African American History and Culture. I had supported the museum financially since before it opened, but neither my wife nor I had been there. Conversely, our daughter had been there twice before. We ordered tickets online about a month earlier. They were free but scheduled for a specific time of entry.

I won’t describe the first display now because it requires a longer discussion. After I read a book I bought about it, maybe I’ll have a better handle on it.

I spent a lot of time looking at the sports section. It showed how complex the arena was. For instance, world heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson fought former champ James F. Jeffries, the “Great White Hope,” in 1910 in “The Fight Of The Century.” After Johnson won, several dozen black people in various communities were killed because white people were rioting in America.

Conversely, Joe Louis needed to give champ James Braddock ten percent of his earnings for a decade to fight Braddock for the championship in 1937, a fight which Louis won.

Reckoning: Protest. Defiance. Resilience. was very powerful. To no surprise, I was intrigued by Musical Crossroads.

How did this get built?

Other aspects of that museum were interesting, including the story of its very existence.

Not coincidentally, just before our trip to DC, a friend gave us a copy of A Fool’s Errand: Building the National Museum of African American History and Culture in the Age of Bush, Obama, and Trump by Lonnie Bunch, the founding director of the facility and now the 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian. After visiting the place, she appreciated the detailed narrative in the book more.

I saw Lonnie Bunch interviewed by Gayle King at the Apollo Theater in NYC in 2019.

Day two

The daughter returned to Albany on Wednesday, but my wife returned to the museum and started literally at the bottom. It is a powerful and occasionally overwhelming history of African Americans in the United States. See how many people were enslaved by European countries.

The year 1808 was significant. ” “Act Prohibiting the Importation of Slaves” took effect in 1808. However, a domestic or ‘coastwise’ trade in slaves persisted between ports within the United States, as demonstrated by slave manifests and court records.” Breaking up families was even more likely.

We ate at the museum both days. Much of the food is quite good, though a bit pricey. To avoid the lines, get there as close as possible to the 11:30 dining opening.

The one minor disappointment was that the signs suggested a centennial celebration of James Baldwin, though the author was well-represented in this and other Smithsonian facilities.

The neighborhood and other questions

webslinger

Mary, who I know from two different churches, asks, in response to Ask Roger Anything:

What do you like about the neighborhood where you live? What do you not like? Ever think about living elsewhere?

One very snowy winter’s evening, probably in 1997, the power was out in parts of the city. I visited my then-ex-girlfriend, now my wife, on that stretch of row houses on Manning Blvd., about six blocks from where we live now. We found a nice restaurant to eat at—they had power!

When we bought this house in the Pine Hills section of the city, I recalled how much I liked the last block of Madison Avenue, filled with restaurants. Some have gone (Bruegger’s bagels), but others have replaced them (Kismet, the Mediterranean place).

I like that my bank, a branch of the Albany Public Library, and a Price Chopper grocery store are all within walking distance. At the junction of Madison, Allen, and Western, one can catch many buses going uptown and downtown. I can get to church, the uptown or downtown SUNY campus, the bus and train stations, two hospitals, the Capital Rep theater, and several other places with one bus, and many more with two buses.

When we moved into this house, we figured my daughter would go to the elementary school that was very close by, but they tore down the 99-year-old School 16 and built the Pine Hills Elementary School in its place. My daughter had a very, very short commute. She would get up 20 minutes before school started and still get to school on time.

However

But the bad thing about the neighborhood is that it’s changed, which neighborhoods do. The big two changes are the closures of the College of Saint Rose, where we attended concerts, and the Madison Avenue CVS. I hope the Madison Theatre really reopens.

When we first moved in, I knew my neighbors better. A few doors down were the Ellenbogans; I particularly liked Mrs. Ellenbogen, but they died tragically.

As you know, Harry and his family lived right next door, and I liked them. Then Harry died, and the family moved away. Now, that house is owned by an absentee landlord who is quite terrible. He picked some really bad tenants early on, some of whom I’ve written about. But he also pumped poop from his basement down our common walkway, which ended up on our sidewalk.

My wife is bugged by the fact that he hit her car while it was parked. He denies it, of course, even though there are a couple of witnesses. He’s not a pleasant person. I do not like him; the good thing is that I think he’s slightly afraid of me.

If we were to move somewhere else, it would almost have to be near the Delaware, Madison, or Central Avenue bus routes. My mother-in-law is living at the adult residence Beverwyck; I hate the idea of living there. The bus that goes near there runs extremely infrequently and stops a mile away. I lived off of Lark Street a lot when I first lived in Albany, at five different places, and I liked it. It’s not that far from church or downtown.

Fruit pie

Favorite desserts?

I like carrot cake and strawberry shortcake, though I haven’t had them in a while. My general go-to is fruit pie—apple, cherry, or blueberry—with vanilla ice cream.

Absolute top favorite superhero?

From fairly early in college, when I first started reading comic books again, it was Spider-Man. I related to Peter Parker or whatever iteration of Spider-Man was behind the mask. I managed to see all of the Spider-Man movies I had not seen before during the pandemic. I’ve seen the animated Spider-verse movies. Spider-Man is probably the only Marvel movie line I’ve managed to keep watching after The Avengers Endgame was over.

2025?

Your assessment of candidates for Albany’s next mayor?

I haven’t given great thought to the campaign, being more focused on the 2024 presidential elections, Congress, et al. There’s no info yet on Ballotopedia for the Albany mayoral contest.

In June 2025, there will be the Democratic primary for mayor. For those who don’t know, Albany has been a Democratic city for over a century. It hasn’t had a Republican mayor since 1921. I don’t think this is good, but there it is.

So, the primary will, in all likelihood, determine who will be the mayor in November 2025. The incumbent, Kathy Sheehan, is not running for a fourth four-year term.

Albany’s chief city Auditor, Dorcey Applyrs. was the first candidate to announce.

Dan Cerruti is a political newcomer who one of our mutual friends is very fond of.

Carolyn McLaughlin, a county legislator and former city council member, recently announced.

I’m vaguely surprised that I haven’t seen Corey Ellis, Albany City Common Council President, hasn’t announced. He’s raised a good amount of money already. Does he not want to challenge Applyrs and/or McLaughlin?

Andrew Joyce, who failed in his attempt to take the Assembly seat, or others might enter the race.

I have no strong political feelings yet about most of them. However, I didn’t warm up to one of them personally. So ask me again in March of 2025, and I’ll give you a better answer than this, especially after the lawn signs go up.

Sunday Stealing 200.05: Beetle Beat

Innocence Project

This week’s Sunday Stealing continues to purloin queries from 200 Questions, so I dubbed it 200.05. The last question is about the Beetle Beat.

1. What gets you fired up?

Lots of things, but injustice is high on the list. There are lots of stories of folks spending dozens of years incarcerated for crimes they did not commit. When they are finally exonerated, they’ve already missed out on so much of their lives. When the state of Missouri decided to execute a person on death row, despite pleas from the prosecution and the victim’s family concerning his likely innocence, I was utterly outraged. So, I support the Innocence Project periodically.

2. What makes a good life?

I could overthink this, but I’ll go with FDR’s Four Freedoms speech: the freedom of speech, the freedom of worship, the freedom from want, and the freedom from fear.

3. What risks are worth taking?

Saving a life, starting a business, and getting arrested for a good cause. Life is filled with risk and whether that risk is worth taking is quite individualistic.

4. Who inspires you to be better?

There are lots and lots of people—folks doing great things in the world. People are also doing really bad things, and I say, “We are better than that.” A recent Vlogbrothers post from John Green points out that we humans have done great things, but we need to do far greater ones.

I doubt it

5. What do you have doubts about?

This blog is filled with things that make me doubt whether we can survive as a species without destroying our planet, whether democracy will survive in the United States and other parts of the world, and whether we can find an equitable distribution of food worldwide. Oh, the list goes on and on and on and on and on…

6. What fact are you resigned to?

I’m never going to win the Super Bowl, the World Series, or Wimbledon.

7. What book impacted you the most?

The Closing Circle: Nature, Man, and Technology by Barry Commoner (1971). David Wineberg wrote in Good Reads: “The insane argument over the environment seems to stem from the thought this is somehow a new fad and not established science. The timely reissue of [the book] puts the lie to that nonsense. Reading it today is stunning. Commoner carefully proves his cases in meticulous scientific fashion. He researches for facts, working around obstacles. His analyses are prescient. His worries have borne fruit. Very little has changed in the intervening 50 years. Mostly, he was right and it has gotten far worse.”

8. What irrational fear do you have?

That I’m not doing “enough.”

9. What is the hardest lesson you’ve learned?

That I can’t do everything I believe needs to be done.

Hmm…

10. What is something you’re self-conscious about?

I’m not particularly fond of, uh, speaking extemporaneously because people will be parsing every bloody, er, break that you take in the conversation. I noticed this because I was interviewed for a book once, and the author used my quotes, including every break and interruption I put in my interview with him; he had recorded it on a cassette tape. I was mortified even though nobody knew who I was in the book; I was also somewhat irritated by it.

11. What are one or two of your favorite smells?

Lilacs. Steak on a grill.

12. Have you given to charities?

Many, and often. But I am very suspicious of any entity that suddenly appears after a disaster, whether 9/11 or the flooding from former Hurricane Helene. I’m unlikely to give money to any GoFundMe or a new charity.

13. What is the best compliment you have received?

I believe it was the fact that I had been working on this blog for almost 19 1/2 years. Someone said, “How do you come up with stuff?” and I said, “I just look around.”

14. What chance encounter changed your life forever?

As I’ve noted, my mother worked outside the home when I was a child in the bookkeeping department of McLeans department store in Binghamton NY. I went to Daniel S Dickinson School in kindergarten rather than Oak Street School. We would go to my grandmother’s house at lunch and after school. If I hadn’t gone to Dickinson in kindergarten, I wouldn’t have met Carol, Karen, Bill, Lois then, and, subsequently, people like Ray and Jim until 7th grade. It has had a huge impact on my life.

Finally

15. What was the most memorable gift you’ve received?

I was likely this Beetle Beat album my father bought us, an ersatz Beatles record. Subsequently, I got a paper route, joined the Capitol Record Club, and bought my own albums. I can remember the first Beatles album I purchased that I did not get from the CRC, Yesterday and Today, which I purchased at the Rexall drug store for $2.97. Since then, I’ve bought a lot of LPs, CDs, and even a few cassettes.

Kris Kristofferson (1936-2004)

singer/songwriter

The music of Kris Kristofferson seemed to have bookended my adult life until now. During my first marriage, we had an album the record company had just reissued as Me and Bobby McGee, previously called Kristofferson. It had many songs that other people were making famous, such as Help Me Make It Through The Night and For The Good Times. After the Rhodes scholar, working as a janitor, landed a helicopter on Johnny Cash’s lawn, the Man In Black covered Kris’ Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down.

But I particularly enjoyed a couple of other songs on that premiere album. The first track, Blame It On The Stones, features a chorus swiped from Bringing In The Sheaves and lyrics telling us to “blame it on those Rolling Stones.”

Another great song was The Law Is For Protection Of The People. “A rule’s a rule, as any fool can see.” We don’t need certain people “scaring decent folk like you and me. No, siree.” I love that album, and I might still have it on vinyl.

I also had the next album, Silver Tongued Devil and I. It featured The Pilgrim, Chapter 33. I used to quote the line, “He’s a walking contradiction; partly truth and partly fiction,” inordinately frequently. It seems particularly apt to describe many people I’ve known.

A find

While going through my father-in-law’s music collection after he died in 2020, I discovered a two-CD set of Kristofferson’s music titled Singer/Songwriter. One disc features him singing his songs and the other features about a dozen and a half artists covering Kris. It’s quite a fine album. He doesn’t have the prettiest voice, but it has a certain amount of character.

Speaking of character, on “Oct. 16, 1992, Columbia Records threw its longtime artist Bob Dylan an event at Madison Square Garden to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his first album with the label.” Sinead O’Connor, who had made a controversial appearance on Saturday Night Live, was booed by the MSG audience, but Kris supported her onstage.

Kris Kristofferson did his final live performance at Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday party concert in April 2023. With Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Kris gone, Willie’s the surviving Highwayman.

Oh yeah. He was in the movies, too, but I only saw a few, all at the cinema. In the early 1970s, he appeared in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. The only reason I saw Rollover (1981), also starring Jane Fonda, was that part of it was shot at the UAlbany campus. My family saw the two Dolphin Tale (20111, 2014) films.

More songs

Jody and the Kid – Kris

Help Me Make It Through The Night – Kris

For The Good Times – Ray Price

Me and Bobby McGee – Roger Miller

Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down – Johnny Cash

To Beat The Devil – Waylon Jennings

Lovin’ Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again) – Waylon Jennings

Why Me – Kris

I’d Rather Be Sorry – Kris and Rita Coolidge

Nobody Wins – Rita Coolidge

Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends – Ronnie Milsap

The Hawk – Tom Verlaine

Highwayman – The Highwaymen (a Jimmy Webb song)

Paperback Writer – Kris (Lennon/McCartney)