This is an archival post from 7/31/2017-8/7/2017
We’re branching out this week by combining two bits into one and dipping into politics.
0-1: TOLD YOU SO
Just a year ago, I was touted as a paranoid conspiracy theorist for my fear of Ukrainian infrastructure hacking. Now, I am a vindicated paranoid conspiracy theorist. For the unacquainted, the Ukraine is the testing ground for hackers. As a quick recap, the Ukrainian national bank, power company, and other government computer systems were all hit with a strain of the Wannacry virus.The Ukraine also faced the first successful hack of an electrical grid back in 2015, and another in 2016. While the Ukraine may feel like decades, velour track suits, and several bottles of homemade vodka away from the US, their infrastructure is not far off from ours. This past month, there was a breech at several US nuclear power facilities. While the breach caused no interrupt in normal operations, experts believe it was most likely a probing virus, meaning something bigger and badder is yet to come. Other experts say the hack is NBD. Both sides agree on one thing: the hack is probably Russian.
2: Speaking of Red scares...
For awhile now, tech nerds have been eagerly awaiting the entry of camera company RED to the smartphone market. Finally, we got our first hands on look at Hydrogen, which should be hitting the market in early 2018. The phone boasts one hell of a camera and a holographic display, and will have modular attachments for better filming. At $1600, my heart says yes; my bank account says nothing, but gives me a silent, desperate, pleading look.
3: AI for your A/C
Panasonic has entered the artificial intelligence game with some pretty cool tech- air conditioning to keep you awake. A sensory array monitors a driver’s face and thermal indicators to make sure you’re not snoozing in your Hyundai Sonata. The device will be made available auto manufacturers come fall. My prediction: the sensors will be sold not only to prevent drowsy driving, but to detect people and pups locked in hot cars.
4: GoT Gets Got
WARNING- Game of Thrones, so spoilers (but I know y’all have already watched, analyzed, and started a podcast about the episode last night...nerds).
Apparently, the greatest threat to the Iron Throne is not the alliance of Tyrion, Daenerys, and Jon Snow (RIP Olenna, Sand Snakes, etc.), but hackers. This past week, HBO was breached, resulting in a leaked script. If you recall, a similar hack happened a few months back with Orange is the New Black. However, the HBO breach was more extensive, and includes company financial data, emails, and a litany of other potentially sensitive information. The group dropped a ransom note, a new GoT script, and a clear message- we have more where that came from.
5-7: Fine, that Google Manifesto
Most of the time, we keep things pretty chill here on the Byte. Even with nuclear missiles, Russian hacks, and the imminent robot takeover, I keep it fun and flirty. However, nothing grinds my gears more than the near constant parade of articles about some faceless fedora who says women don’t belong in science, technology, engineering, or math. If you don’t know what I am talking about, you can read a Google employees manifesto about gender disparity in tech here, a Nobel prize winner’s speech against women in the lab here, or literally any Reddit thread. The arguments usually follow two founding principles - women in tech take jobs from better qualified men and women are predisposed to softer professions. Before getting outraged, let’s talk about it for the next two bits.
I’ll give credit where credit is due; the anonymous Google employee gave a pretty thorough analysis of diversity programs at the tech giant, and we do need to discuss how these programs are run. His viewpoint is not baseless and he certainly doesn’t deserve to be fired/hated/beheaded for having an opinion. However, his opinion is built on poorly aggregated data and a mess of flawed pseudo-science. To clear things up, I am not taking your job. In fact,diversity makes your company stronger. Start-Ups founded by women perform better in first rounds. Oh, also better in the S&P 500. Women have higher GPAs. Blind interviews favor women.I don’t plan on stealing your job. I am earning my own.
Look- the genetic argument makes you seem like a real Francis Crick. My genes are not without their flaws. I have weak ankles, constant migraines, and frizzy hair, but my genes are just fine for polynomial interpolation and calculus, and I am not special or unique. There is no clear link between gender and ability. Our brains, unlike the machines we build to emulate them, are not binary. Women and men are far more complex than wheels or heels/ staches or lashes/ any other cringey gender reveal rhymes you’ll find on Pinterest. For the record, our anonymous friend seems to support the idea that both men and women face implicit bias, and that those biases need to be addressed. But the manifesto makes sweeping statements, not specific instances or statistics. Not to mention, research in gender performance is often muddied and contradictory. So to the fedoras of the world, let’s talk nuance and numbers, not nonsense.