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Calling All Data Do-Gooders
theodp writes: We're entering a new era of data-for-good, writes SAS CEO Jim Goodnight, who explains how SAS and the International Organization for Migration are using analytics and data for disaster relief efforts, but issues a broader call-to-action: "These projects just scratch the surface of what's possible when new data, and those that know how to use it, are applied to humanitarian needs. Organizations such as DataKind and INFORMS, through its new Pro Bono Analytics program, are rallying data scientists to lend their time and expertise to helping people around the world. And there are many more data sets out there that could help with relief and other humanitarian efforts. It's an exciting time to be in the world of big data and analytics. We're just beginning to understand how technology can tackle society's grand challenges." Please share your ideas on what unlikely data sources might help with disaster relief. And, how can we bring the world's analytics talent to bear on these challenges.
If we supposedly live in a time when data is supposed to be so freely shared, why do we see so much censorship going on? I mean, just look at what happened recently at Reddit. Entire communities have been destroyed because their beliefs didn't correspond exactly to those of some ivory tower sociologists fighting for "justice". Even Slashdot isn't immune. We see all kinds of censorship here, with good comments being downmodded just because they don't toe the right line.
How the fuck can we talk about "data-for-good" when so much good data (aka conversation and expression) is destroyed by the rampant online censorship we see happening so frequently today?
This is just my thoughts(I could be wrong), but I think if you want more money for disaster relief: Document the change your nonprofit did. Show videos of before and after of housing built. Show happy faces getting food. Talk about how many people your doctors helped.
People who donate like two things. #1 They like to see you have a track record so their money will be used for good. #2 They like to meditate, dwell, and think about your charity daily if it is a positive attitude instead of a defeatist attitude.
Play up donators as people who are heroes, rather than defenders of the Alamo.
God spoke to me
English, motherfucker.
Just a PR campaign for the evils perpetuated in the name of analytics.
From DataKind: A Justice League for Geeks: "By day they work for the Man. But on weekends, these computer whizzes volunteer their services to analyze big data and help nonprofits foster social change. What if a group of data scientists, computer wizards, coding geniuses and statistical savants were able to come together and combine their talents to solve some of the nation's thorniest problems? The result would be a kind of Justice League for geeks, an organization dedicated to assisting nonprofits by crunching the complex data they collect and using the results to help foster environmental, social and economic change." Join 'em, and you could be this century's John Snow!
While I think the subjects mentioned are important, there are some national issues as well. Let's not allow for the tyranny of the urgent over the important.
There should be better data on lyme - what works against it, what doesn't, how bad it is, how best to test for it, etc. . . This is most likely an issue that will affect a huge number of readers on slashdot, or at least a close friend, spouse or family member. If you don't know how bad things are, consider that doctors are being put in front of the medial board and losing their licenses for helping patients. The testimony of extremely appreciative patients does not matter, much like it did not matter to the medical board when Burzynski was also put in front of it. Please watch "Under Our Skin" if you are in need of a background on this. Obviously there are HIPAA barriers to sharing such data, but this is simply a problem in search of a solution.
Also, health information of dead murderers should not be protected via HIPAA. Their complete medical histories should be disclosed to the public and a thorough blood test should be done as well, also disclosed to the public for open public and professional review. I suspect there would be some patterns found.
There are many such topics that could benefit from more transparency and analysis, most of them controversial due to a battle over data and its interpretation. Such data is mostly locked away, out of reach of the public. We saw this with the "flu epidemic". When asked for the details, the CDC did not respond. Even when served with an FOIA, they did not respond. All the while they maintained that it was an epidemic in the making, despite the flu season being less virulent than average. There was a severe disconnect between the hype and reality. If you suspected otherwise I urge you to please look into it. You won't be disappointed.
There is indeed a war on science. But it's not quite what people have been conditioned to think. The worst perpetrators of pseudoscience, it seems, are the government, agra, pharma and the medical industry. Bloggers and journalists that advocate for scientific rigor seem to be fighting for the wrong side. If only they had better data.
Sure, for example, SAS can use much longer cables than SATA. There are a few advantages in the data storage industry for serial attached SCSI. I still don't quite understand how this relates to humanitarian issues.
Just because I give money to your cause, doesn't mean I want to give money to dozens of other organizations.
I could supply combustible materials for a village to cook over, with the unsolicited mail that is stuffed into my mailbox on a weekly basis.
Google "charity ratings" before you give, to make sure your donation is going toward the cause, and not to pay for marketing...
This issue is a bit more complicated than you think.
are trying to block all of these efforts.
Go home Mr. Dolezal, your 15 minutes are up.
There are fat cats running some of these charities, especially the name brands that people have heard of. Maybe Mr. Goodnight should raise his voice about that - that alone could make an enormous difference.
Is this why people become CEO's of charities - so they can enrich themselves and fly private jets to exclusive country clubs, while millions are starving? There's a basic disconnect of values here. A charity CEO should be making $125,000/yr.
Mr. Dolezal is so lucky. Even though he and his wife are white, they somehow managed to produce a beautiful black baby girl named Rachel.
Like when two Africans produce an albino.
God must truly love them. :) I hope they produce many more black children, because that is the only way this nation will heal. By producing only black babies, soon the tyranny of the white devils will end.
Since so much of the food and other aid gets siphoned off long before it actually helps the people it was aimed at, how about a cheap, hard-to-detect, hard-to-destroy, hard-to-forge, harmless if eaten/smashed aid tracking device, like a rice-grain sized sensor in each bag of rice. Or fitbit-style biometric-tied glucose monitors to track which people are actually getting food.
I came for economics, mapping, and statistical analysis of disaster-related data. I found a graveyard of petty political bickering. What happened here?
If there's an electronic marketplace flexible enough to offer immediate price-sensitivity to demand... something like Craig's List on steroids... local price gradients can be used to determine demand for goods.
We need women data scientists because only the nurturing embrace of a mother can provide the leadership an effective humanitarian aid organization requires.
And a code of conduct.
...is a moron.
Instead of waiting for a disaster and throwing money at it after the fact, how about also throwing their money and energy at trying to avoid disasters in the first place. Kicking the can down the road by helping people cross the Mediterranean doesn't solve the real problems of political instability, overpopulation, and poor infrastructure.
And your tyranny is more, benevolent?
It's great if the threshold can be lowered for those who are interested to help on humanitarian projects. Specifically if this involves highly specific skills. On the other hand, if I'm the big data analyst, why should I work for free, while many, many others in the relief sector are paid for their work? A locally sourced driver should be paid for his work. An expat WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) specialist should be paid for his work. A monitoring and evaluation expert should be paid for his work. Shouldn't a big data analyst then not be paid for his work?