AI Companies Are Getting the Culture War They Deserve
Google Gemini is a rebranded and upgraded group of AI products receiving positive reviews for its capabilities, comparable to OpenAI's advanced models.
Critics have raised concerns about Google Gemini's racial interventions in user requests, reminiscent of past controversies with AI tools attempting to diversify image outputs. [ more ]
Race-based appraisal gaps have narrowed in recent years: FHFA
Appraisal gaps between white, Hispanic/Latino, and Black households decreased post-Interagency Task Force action plan, signaling progress in addressing racial bias in home valuations. [ more ]
The captain tasked with overseeing the troubled East Los Angeles sheriff's station has been reassigned amid a probe into accusations of racial bias and whistleblower retaliation.Last weekend, The Times reported on a memo claiming that Capt.Pilar Chavez allegedly schemed to give valued detective bureau positions to Latino sergeants to avoid promoting an "angry black" sergeant who had testified about the presence of deputy gangs at the station.
Prosecutors put men on death row. This California D.A. wants to take them off
California has practically ended capital punishment despite it being in law, but some inmates remain on death row.
Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen is preparing to request a change in penalties for 14 inmates due to concerns over racial bias. [ more ]
How Feds Can Help End Racially Biased Policing on the Roads - Streetsblog USA
Disincentivize pretextual stops for minor infractions to reduce police violence against people of color on American roads.
Federal transportation policies encourage troubling practices that lead to deadly stops with devastating consequences for marginalized communities. [ more ]
US school marks Black History Month with fried chicken and watermelon
Officials at a New York middle school have apologized after serving students fried chicken, watermelon and waffles on the first day of Black History Month.In a letter to parents, officials at Nyack middle school, an hour outside New York City, apologized for the inexcusably insensitive meal, which played off historically racist stereotypes.
California governor signs bill to restrict use of rap lyrics in court
Rappers Killer Mike, Meek Mill and Tyga were all present for the signing of a new bill that restricts the use of rap lyrics as evidence in court in California.
Cineworld pulls film about daughter of Prophet Muhammad after protests
Cineworld cinemas have pulled screenings of a film that documents the life of the daughter of the founder of Islam after it was dubbed "blasphemous" by protesters.
A school seeks to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Michelle Obama's brother and his wife
The University School of Milwaukee says they have filed a motion in court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Craig and Kelly Robinson, the brother and sister-in-law of former first lady Michelle Obama.
How far can a city go to keep Black spring break crowds out? Miami Beach tests limits | Opinion
The Miami Beach City Commission raised public parking fees to discourage spring break crowds on two weekends in March.
The actions taken by Miami Beach city officials to deter spring break crowds were criticized as discriminatory and evoking a history of racial bias. [ more ]
White Starbucks Manager Fired Amid Furor Over Racism Wins $25 Million
The episode plunged one of America's most ubiquitous brands into crisis.In April 2018, two Black men entered a Starbucks shop in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood of Philadelphia for a business meeting with a white man who had not yet arrived.While they waited, and before ordering, one of the two asked to use the bathroom.
AI expert Meredith Broussard: Racism, sexism and ableism are systemic problems'
Meredith Broussard is a data journalist and academic whose research focuses on bias in artificial intelligence (AI).She has been in the vanguard of raising awareness and sounding the alarm about unchecked AI.Her previous book, Artificial Unintelligence (2018), coined the term technochauvinism to describe the blind belief in the superiority of tech solutions to solve our problems.
New or perfect later: Improving the appraisal process
Have you heard this phrase before - "perfect is the enemy of good"?Or "perfect is the enemy of done"?I hear these phrases quite often when it comes to product and software development, but I think they apply very well to solving complex problems like transforming the property appraisal process to work better for every stakeholder.
Diversity in kids' books is not a woke agenda'. And there certainly isn't too much of it | Alice Pung
The authors have been giving readings and illustration workshops at Robinson's Bookshop in Glen Waverley for two years.
The book Millie Mak the Maker stocked at Robinson's Bookshop sold well, despite the owner's comments about wanting more traditional white family stories. [ more ]
Senators ask DOJ to investigate whether facial recognition tech violates Civil Rights Act
A group of senators has raised concerns about the Department of Justice's funding and oversight of facial recognition software.
They are concerned that facial recognition technology may reinforce racial bias in the criminal justice system and violate the Civil Rights Act. [ more ]
Democratic Senators Ask DOJ If Facial Recognition Tech Violates Civil Rights Act
Democratic senators demand DOJ review police use of facial recognition technology and other biometric tools for potential civil rights violations.
DOJ has awarded $3.2 million to local law enforcement for facial recognition software despite studies showing it is racist and leads to false arrests. [ more ]
Governor's Wife Denied Trooper a Room to Pump Breast Milk, Suit Charges
Tammy Murphy, the first lady of New Jersey, has made infant and maternal health her signature cause during her husband's tenure as governor.She led the push for free nurse visits for newborns and expanded access to doulas during labor, with a goal of improving New Jersey's abysmal pregnancy-related death rates.
Uche Blackstock, founder and CEO of Advancing Health Equity, has written a book chronicling her journey in medicine and the pervasive inequities within the U.S. healthcare system.
The book, titled Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine, explores Blackstock's growing awareness of health disparities faced by Black Americans and offers actionable steps for promoting health equity. [ more ]
Uche Blackstock, founder and CEO of Advancing Health Equity, has written a book chronicling her journey in medicine and the pervasive inequities within the U.S. healthcare system.
The book, titled Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine, explores Blackstock's growing awareness of health disparities faced by Black Americans and offers actionable steps for promoting health equity. [ more ]
Uche Blackstock, founder and CEO of Advancing Health Equity, has written a book chronicling her journey in medicine and the pervasive inequities within the U.S. healthcare system.
The book, titled Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine, explores Blackstock's growing awareness of health disparities faced by Black Americans and offers actionable steps for promoting health equity. [ more ]
Ivan Menezes, who as chief executive of the spirits corporation Diageo used his canny understanding of the drinking public to help the company grow into a global colossus, died on June 7 in London.He was 63.The cause was complications of emergency surgery for a stomach ulcer, a Diageo spokesman said.
YOUR SUNDAY READING LIST: Sexy Statues, Scary Fires, and a LOT of Great Reasons Why You Should "Say Nice Things About Portland"!
GOOD MORNING, SUNDAY!It's the perfect time to catch up on some of the great reporting and stories the Mercury churned out this week!(PRO TIP: If you despise being "the last to know," then be one of the first to know by signing up for Mercury newsletters!All the latest stories shipped directly to your email's in-box... and then... YOUR HEAD.) * SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT PORTLAND Let's celebrate: The Mercury has a print product again!
This Running Coach Wants You To Stop Caring About Weight Loss & Mile Times
In "The Level Up," changemakers in the fitness and wellness industries tell us how they're making an impact in their communities, from pushing for inclusivity to promoting body acceptance and so much more.Here, running coach and influencer Kelly Roberts discusses why running shouldn't be about body size, mileage, or pace.
Sheku Bayoh inquiry: ex-officer says he had 'superhuman strength'
A retired police officer who was allegedly punched in the head by Sheku Bayoh has told the inquiry into his death that she believed he exhibited "superhuman strength" by lifting three other officers off the ground as he struggled against their restraint.
Officer fired CS spray at Sheku Bayoh despite lack of direct threat, inquiry told
An officer involved in Sheku Bayoh's arrest has admitted that police fired CS spray and pepper spray at him without warning even though he made no direct threat and did not show any weapons.
Bob Evans Is Using AI To Eliminate Unconscious Bias From Its Ads
Stereotypes and racial tropes often make their way into ad creative regardless of intent.Around five years ago, Thyme Hill, SVP and CMO of sausage and sides manufacturer Bob Evans Farms, met with an agency that was presenting the talent selection for a light humor TV spot centered around a Black woman security guard character.
What is cognitive bias? The halo effect and horn effect
How often do you go on first impressions?Have you ever made a snap judgement about someone?You could be falling victim to cognitive bias You might have heard the expression, 'the first impression is the last impression', meaning it's hard to change an opinion of someone once it's formed.Sometimes, we make quick decisions about people and without realising we rely on biases to do this.
White House marks one year of PAVE appraisal bias action plan
Thursday, March 23 marks the one-year anniversary since the Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE) released its action plan to curb instances of bias in the housing appraisal process.Led by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge and White House Domestic Policy Advisor Ambassador Susan Rice, the PAVE task force revealed its action plan one year ago and claims that its efforts have amounted to "critical progress" in its efforts to make the homebuying process more equitable for people of color.
California bill would ban police dogs from arrests and crowd control, citing racial trauma
Two California lawmakers have introduced a bill that would ban the use of police canines for arrests, apprehensions and crowd control, saying officers have long targeted and brutalized Americans of color with police dogs.Assemblymembers Corey Jackson (D-Perris) and Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) introduced AB 742 to "end a deeply racialized and harmful practice that has been a mainstay in America's history of racial bias and violence against Black Americans and people of color," according to a news release.
City National Bank agrees to settle U.S. complaint of racial bias in L.A. home loans
City National Bank has agreed to pay $31 million to settle a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit alleging racial bias in its home mortgage lending in Los Angeles County.The government's complaint, filed Thursday in Los Angeles, accused the bank of violating federal housing and banking discrimination laws by avoiding loans to buyers of homes in neighborhoods that are majority Black or Latino.
New L.A. County undersheriff will be first woman to fill key position
Robert Luna has yet to be sworn in as Los Angeles County's 34th sheriff, but he's already making history.On Wednesday - 110 years after the department swore in the nation's first female deputy - Luna announced he will appoint sheriff's department veteran April Tardy as the first woman to serve as the agency's undersheriff once he officially assumes the office Monday.
Aramark apologizes for insensitivity of school lunch served on first day of Black History Month
(CNN)A middle school in New York and its food vendor, Aramark, apologized after students were served chicken and waffles, along with watermelon on the first day of Black History Month.The lunch menu offered on February 1 at Nyack Middle School in Rockland County was "inexcusably insensitive and reflected a lack of understanding of our district's vision to address racial bias," David A. Johnson, the school's principal, wrote in a letter to parents.
Labour hopes to ensure black-led firms access lucrative government contracts
Black-led businesses could be given more support to procure lucrative government contracts by a future Labour government as the party refines its offer to ethnic minority voters ahead of the next election.Labour's race equality task force, led by Baroness Doreen Lawrence, hopes to ensure that black-led groups get the chance to access a fair share of the billions of pounds paid out each year through government contracts, according to The Voice newspaper.
The conversation about racial bias taking place in America right now isn't really a conversation.It's more of a shouting match.And there's a reason for that: The idea of racial bias inflames long-standing social tensions and the insecurities of white people who'd prefer to believe that they're playing on a level field.
Green light for East Boston substation has environmental advocates up in arms. Here's why.
Environment "This decision ignores the advice of experts who have presented alternatives to this construction."Eversource will soon be able to begin construction of its controversial East Boston substation after a state board gave the project a green light over staunch opposition from community members and environmental advocates.
CDC Finds Huge Racial Disparities in Access to COVID Treatment Paxlovid
New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals deep racial disparities in access to Paxlovid, a drug commonly used to treat COVID-19 infections for higher-risk patients, raising longstanding concerns about racism within the health system as officials fear an explosion of COVID cases over the winter.
Far Right Supreme Court Justices Reject Appeal of Man Condemned by Racist Jurors
On Tuesday, the United States Supreme Court decided - along partisan lines - against hearing an appeal from a Black man on death row in Texas who was found guilty by an all-white jury with at least three members who espoused racist views.
Dangerously wrong oxygen readings in dark-skinned patients spur FDA scrutiny
For years, studies have found racial bias in common oxygen measuring devices called pulse oximeters, as well as alarming dangers from inaccurate blood oxygen measurements in dark-skinned patients.
Oregon is shutting down its controversial child welfare AI in June | Engadget
In 2018, Oregon's Department of Human Services implemented its Safety at Screening Tool, an algorithm that generates a "risk score" for abuse hotline workers, recommending whether a social worker needs to further investigate the contents of a call.
Sheku Bayoh officer says he heard rib break as he attempted resuscitation
A police officer involved in the arrest of Sheku Bayoh has told the inquiry into his death in custody that he heard one of Bayoh's ribs break as he attempted to resuscitate him.
AI models can be racist even if they're trained on fair data
AI algorithms can still come loaded with racial bias, even if they're trained on data more representative of different ethnic groups, according to new research.
Americans' support for admitting refugees is at a record high, Gallup finds.
The American public's support for admitting Ukrainian refugees is higher than Gallup has found in any refugee situation since 1939, the firm said on Monday.