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Final Exam

WELCOME TO YOUR FINAL EXAM. THE EXAM IS NOW OVER. I'M AFRAID ALL OF YOU FAILED. YOUR GRADES HAVE BEEN STORED ON OUR DEPARTMENT SERVER AND WILL BE SUBMITTED TOMORROW. CLASS DISMISSED. CYBERSECURITY FINAL EXAMS
WELCOME TO YOUR FINAL EXAM. THE EXAM IS NOW OVER. I'M AFRAID ALL OF YOU FAILED. YOUR GRADES HAVE BEEN STORED ON OUR DEPARTMENT SERVER AND WILL BE SUBMITTED TOMORROW. CLASS DISMISSED. CYBERSECURITY FINAL EXAMS

xkcd
grades cybersecurity hacking

Questioning Xkcd comic

IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT ANYONE ELSE HAS TO LISTEN TO YOUR B-------, PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH MEANS THE GOVERNMENT CANT ARREST YOU FOR WHAT YOU SAY. THE 1ST AMENDMENT DOESN'T SHIELD YOU FROM CRITICISM OR CONSEQUENCES. OR HOST YOU WHILE YOU SHARE IT. IF YOU'RE YELLED AT, BOYCOTTED, HAVE YOUR SHOW CANCELED, OR GET BANNED FROM AN INTERNET COMMUNITY, YOUR FREE SPEECH| A------, RIGHTS AREN'T BEING VIOLATED. IT'S JUST THAT THE PEOPLE LISTENING THINK YOU'RE AN AND THEY'RE SHOWING YOU THE DOOR. What Randall's trying to do here is put an end to people claiming that their First Amendment rights are being violated when in fact, they're not. And the comic does a good job at that. My problem with the comic is that it doesn't address the difference between the two kinds of intellectual cultures we've discussed-and as such, it serves as perfect justification for both the Idea Lab and the Echo Chamber. For me, the critical word in the comic is "a------." Both kinds of intellectual culture agree with the comic-what they disagree on is the definition of a------. Communities that define a------ as "someone who in arguments attacks people, not ideas," or "someone who expresses conviction on viewpoints where they don't actually know very much," or "someone who never admits when they're wrong" are Idea Labs. They eject from the club those who turn arguments into fights and hinder the community's ability to search for truth. On the other hand, communities that define a------ as "someone who disagrees with what the community believes," or "someone who holds views that we find offensive," or "someone who criticizes the community or defends our rival community" are Echo Chambers. By "showing the door" to anyone who doesn't say their baby is cute, they purge their community of dissent and ensure that things remain intellectually pure. The xkcd comic is a comic about intolerance-but the key question it leaves open is: intolerance of what? When you consider your own judgments and those within your communities, think about the criteria for intolerance. Ask yourself: How exactly is "a------" being defined?
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT ANYONE ELSE HAS TO LISTEN TO YOUR B-------, PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH MEANS THE GOVERNMENT CANT ARREST YOU FOR WHAT YOU SAY. THE 1ST AMENDMENT DOESN'T SHIELD YOU FROM CRITICISM OR CONSEQUENCES. OR HOST YOU WHILE YOU SHARE IT. IF YOU'RE YELLED AT, BOYCOTTED, HAVE YOUR SHOW CANCELED, OR GET BANNED FROM AN INTERNET COMMUNITY, YOUR FREE SPEECH| A------, RIGHTS AREN'T BEING VIOLATED. IT'S JUST THAT THE PEOPLE LISTENING THINK YOU'RE AN AND THEY'RE SHOWING YOU THE DOOR. What Randall's trying to do here is put an end to people claiming that their First Amendment rights are being violated when in fact, they're not. And the comic does a good job at that. My problem with the comic is that it doesn't address the difference between the two kinds of intellectual cultures we've discussed-and as such, it serves as perfect justification for both the Idea Lab and the Echo Chamber. For me, the critical word in the comic is "a------." Both kinds of intellectual culture agree with the comic-what they disagree on is the definition of a------. Communities that define a------ as "someone who in arguments attacks people, not ideas," or "someone who expresses conviction on viewpoints where they don't actually know very much," or "someone who never admits when they're wrong" are Idea Labs. They eject from the club those who turn arguments into fights and hinder the community's ability to search for truth. On the other hand, communities that define a------ as "someone who disagrees with what the community believes," or "someone who holds views that we find offensive," or "someone who criticizes the community or defends our rival community" are Echo Chambers. By "showing the door" to anyone who doesn't say their baby is cute, they purge their community of dissent and ensure that things remain intellectually pure. The xkcd comic is a comic about intolerance-but the key question it leaves open is: intolerance of what? When you consider your own judgments and those within your communities, think about the criteria for intolerance. Ask yourself: How exactly is "a------" being defined?

xkcd
wait but why xkcd echo chamber idea lab rebuttal text

Polls vs the Street

POLLS SAY MOST POLLS ARE JUST NUMBERS. POLLS CLAIM MOST PEOPLE DON'T LIVE IN MY TOWN AND ACCORDING TO POLLS, MOST PEOPLE DON'T LIKE PLAYING IN TRAFFIC. PEOPLE SUPPORT YOU HAVE TO <CANDIDATE X. HAVE NEVER BEEN HERE. ΒUT THE PΕOPLE IMEET ON THE STREET TELL A SO WHY DO I NEVER SEEM TO MEET THESE TALK TO PEOPLE BUT THE PEOPLE ON THE STREET. I TALK TO ON THE STREET SUPPORT VERY DIFFERENT STORY. PEOPLE ON THE STREET? <CANDIDATE Y>
POLLS SAY MOST POLLS ARE JUST NUMBERS. POLLS CLAIM MOST PEOPLE DON'T LIVE IN MY TOWN AND ACCORDING TO POLLS, MOST PEOPLE DON'T LIKE PLAYING IN TRAFFIC. PEOPLE SUPPORT YOU HAVE TO <CANDIDATE X. HAVE NEVER BEEN HERE. ΒUT THE PΕOPLE IMEET ON THE STREET TELL A SO WHY DO I NEVER SEEM TO MEET THESE TALK TO PEOPLE BUT THE PEOPLE ON THE STREET. I TALK TO ON THE STREET SUPPORT VERY DIFFERENT STORY. PEOPLE ON THE STREET? <CANDIDATE Y>

xkcd
xkcd polls street politics statistics confirmation bias survey

beauty

THE PROBLEM WITH SCIENTISTS MY PLASMOIDAL SUME MOLOS IT LOOKS LIKE DOG BARF, IS THAT YOU TAKE THE WONOER HAVE HEIGHTENED PIGMENT AND BEAUTY OUT OF EVERYTHING PRODUCTION! CHECK OUT THAT BY TRYING TO ANALYZE IT. HAH, YEAH! F. SEPTICA IS NICKNAMED "DOG VOMIT SUME MOLD." COOL, HUH? CHECK OUT MY SUDES! OKAY, NEVER MIND: WHATS WRONG WITH SCIENTISTS I5 THAT YOU DO SEE WONDER AND BEAUTY IN EVERYIH ING. YELLOW COLOR! THAT ACTUALLY MAKES THEM ZINC-RESISTANT, AMAZING, HUH? DUDE! OH GOD, ITS MONG! IT WANTS TO HUG YOU! SO CUTE!
THE PROBLEM WITH SCIENTISTS MY PLASMOIDAL SUME MOLOS IT LOOKS LIKE DOG BARF, IS THAT YOU TAKE THE WONOER HAVE HEIGHTENED PIGMENT AND BEAUTY OUT OF EVERYTHING PRODUCTION! CHECK OUT THAT BY TRYING TO ANALYZE IT. HAH, YEAH! F. SEPTICA IS NICKNAMED "DOG VOMIT SUME MOLD." COOL, HUH? CHECK OUT MY SUDES! OKAY, NEVER MIND: WHATS WRONG WITH SCIENTISTS I5 THAT YOU DO SEE WONDER AND BEAUTY IN EVERYIH ING. YELLOW COLOR! THAT ACTUALLY MAKES THEM ZINC-RESISTANT, AMAZING, HUH? DUDE! OH GOD, ITS MONG! IT WANTS TO HUG YOU! SO CUTE!

xkcd
beauty webcomic stick figures

RIP John Conway


xkcd
the game of life john conway conway's game of life game of life tribute animation

Voting Software

ASKING AIRCRAFT DESIGNERS ABOUT AIRPLANE SAFETY: ASKING BUILDING ENGINEERS ABOUT ELEVATOR SAFETY: ASKING SOFTWARE ENGINEERS ABOUT COMPUTERIZED VOTING: NOTHING IS EVER FOOLPROOF, BUT MODERN AIRLINERS ARE INCREDIBLY RESILIENT. FLYING IS THE SAFEST WAY TO TRAVEL. ELEVATORS ARE PROTECTED BY MULTIPLE TRIED-AND-TESTED FAILSAFE MECHANISMS. THEY'RE NEARLY INCAPABLE OF FALLING. THAT'S TERRIFYING. WAIT, REALLY? THEY SAY THEY'VE FIXED IT WITH SOMETHING CALLED "BLOCKCHAIN." DON'T TRUST VOTING SOFTWARE. AND DON'T LISTEN TO ANYONE WHO TELLS YOU IT'S SAFE. AAAAA!!! WHY? WHATEVER THEY SOLD YOU, DON'T TOUCH IT. BURY IT IN THE DESERT.) I DON'T QUITE KNOW HOW TO PUT THIS, BUT OUR ENTIRE FIELD IS BAD AT WHAT WE DO, AND IF YOU RELY ON US, EVERYONE WILL DIE. WEAR GLOVES.
ASKING AIRCRAFT DESIGNERS ABOUT AIRPLANE SAFETY: ASKING BUILDING ENGINEERS ABOUT ELEVATOR SAFETY: ASKING SOFTWARE ENGINEERS ABOUT COMPUTERIZED VOTING: NOTHING IS EVER FOOLPROOF, BUT MODERN AIRLINERS ARE INCREDIBLY RESILIENT. FLYING IS THE SAFEST WAY TO TRAVEL. ELEVATORS ARE PROTECTED BY MULTIPLE TRIED-AND-TESTED FAILSAFE MECHANISMS. THEY'RE NEARLY INCAPABLE OF FALLING. THAT'S TERRIFYING. WAIT, REALLY? THEY SAY THEY'VE FIXED IT WITH SOMETHING CALLED "BLOCKCHAIN." DON'T TRUST VOTING SOFTWARE. AND DON'T LISTEN TO ANYONE WHO TELLS YOU IT'S SAFE. AAAAA!!! WHY? WHATEVER THEY SOLD YOU, DON'T TOUCH IT. BURY IT IN THE DESERT.) I DON'T QUITE KNOW HOW TO PUT THIS, BUT OUR ENTIRE FIELD IS BAD AT WHAT WE DO, AND IF YOU RELY ON US, EVERYONE WILL DIE. WEAR GLOVES.

xkcd
iowa

Comments

BACKLASH: INTERNET USERS ARE OUTRAGED OVER NEWS STORIES USING A HANDFUL OF RANDOM COMMENTS TO SUPPORT ARBITRARY NARRATVES! I CAN'T BEUEVE HOW EASY IT IS TO CREATE AN IMPRESSION OF PEER CONSENSUS. THIS DYNAMIC IS SO EASILY MANIPULATED AND IT FREAKS ME OUT XKCDCOM/1019 A O EVERY TIME I SHARE SOMETHING AND A FRIEND RESPONDS "HAHA, DID YOU SEE THE TOP COMMENTS.. IT JUST REMINDS ME HOU INFLUENTIAL THESE THINGS ARE IN SHAPING THE IMPRESSIONS OF EVEN RELATIVELY INTERNET-SAWWY READERS O A NPR GOT RID OF COMMENTS IN 2016 WHEN THEY REALIZED THEY AL CAME FROM A HANDFUL OF VISITORS POSTING HUNDREDS OF TIMES A MONTH O A EVENTUALLY S0CIAL NORMS WILL ADAPT TO THIS STUFF BUT IT NEEDS TO HURRY UP I HAVE NINE FOLLOWERS AND CREATED MY ACCOUNT LAST MONTH; HOU AMI BEING QUOTED IN THIS NEWS ARTICLE?? O A O
BACKLASH: INTERNET USERS ARE OUTRAGED OVER NEWS STORIES USING A HANDFUL OF RANDOM COMMENTS TO SUPPORT ARBITRARY NARRATVES! I CAN'T BEUEVE HOW EASY IT IS TO CREATE AN IMPRESSION OF PEER CONSENSUS. THIS DYNAMIC IS SO EASILY MANIPULATED AND IT FREAKS ME OUT XKCDCOM/1019 A O EVERY TIME I SHARE SOMETHING AND A FRIEND RESPONDS "HAHA, DID YOU SEE THE TOP COMMENTS.. IT JUST REMINDS ME HOU INFLUENTIAL THESE THINGS ARE IN SHAPING THE IMPRESSIONS OF EVEN RELATIVELY INTERNET-SAWWY READERS O A NPR GOT RID OF COMMENTS IN 2016 WHEN THEY REALIZED THEY AL CAME FROM A HANDFUL OF VISITORS POSTING HUNDREDS OF TIMES A MONTH O A EVENTUALLY S0CIAL NORMS WILL ADAPT TO THIS STUFF BUT IT NEEDS TO HURRY UP I HAVE NINE FOLLOWERS AND CREATED MY ACCOUNT LAST MONTH; HOU AMI BEING QUOTED IN THIS NEWS ARTICLE?? O A O

xkcd
comments xkcd comic news story outrage internet article nontrovercy

Peer Review

RE: ECONOMICS JOURNAL SUBMISSION WE HAVE RECEVED YOUR MANUSCRIPT "THE BIZARBE ECONOMICS OF ACADEMIC PUBLISHING: WHY VOLUNTEER PEER REVIEWERS SHOULD RISE UP AND DEMAND PAYMENT FROM FOR-PROFIT JOURNALS. UE HAVE ELECTED NOT TO SEND IT OUT FOR REVIEW.
RE: ECONOMICS JOURNAL SUBMISSION WE HAVE RECEVED YOUR MANUSCRIPT "THE BIZARBE ECONOMICS OF ACADEMIC PUBLISHING: WHY VOLUNTEER PEER REVIEWERS SHOULD RISE UP AND DEMAND PAYMENT FROM FOR-PROFIT JOURNALS. UE HAVE ELECTED NOT TO SEND IT OUT FOR REVIEW.

xkcd
peer review journal paper

Light Hacks

I DISCOVERED A COOLAND YOU CAN PUTA FREEMAN DYSON SUGGESTED WEL, THEY MIGHT. LIFE HACK-YOU CAN SHEET IN FRONT TO THAT ADVANCED CMUZATIONS INFRARED SURVEYS PUT A WHITE SHEET DIFFUSE THE LIGHT WOULD BUILD BEHIND A LIGHTBULBTO50 YOUVE INVENTED SHELLS THAT SURROUNDED REFLECT MORE LIGHT.THE LAMPSHADE. SPHERICAL ARE INCONCLUSIVE. YOU KNOW YOU CAN JUST CHECK THEIR WEBSITE. THEIR BULB5, REDIRECTING 100% OF THER ENERGY Th...NOT LIFEHACKS! SURE THATS AUFE HACK. YES, THEY HAVE GREAT THOSE AT IKEA. LIFE HACK! NO!
I DISCOVERED A COOLAND YOU CAN PUTA FREEMAN DYSON SUGGESTED WEL, THEY MIGHT. LIFE HACK-YOU CAN SHEET IN FRONT TO THAT ADVANCED CMUZATIONS INFRARED SURVEYS PUT A WHITE SHEET DIFFUSE THE LIGHT WOULD BUILD BEHIND A LIGHTBULBTO50 YOUVE INVENTED SHELLS THAT SURROUNDED REFLECT MORE LIGHT.THE LAMPSHADE. SPHERICAL ARE INCONCLUSIVE. YOU KNOW YOU CAN JUST CHECK THEIR WEBSITE. THEIR BULB5, REDIRECTING 100% OF THER ENERGY Th...NOT LIFEHACKS! SURE THATS AUFE HACK. YES, THEY HAVE GREAT THOSE AT IKEA. LIFE HACK! NO!

xkcd
light hacks life shade

Y-Axis

00% 50% PEOPLE HAVE WISED UP TO THE 'CAREFULY CHOSEN YAXIS RANGE' TRICK, S0 LE MISLEADING GRAPH MAKES HAVE HAD TO GET CREATIVE.
00% 50% PEOPLE HAVE WISED UP TO THE 'CAREFULY CHOSEN YAXIS RANGE' TRICK, S0 LE MISLEADING GRAPH MAKES HAVE HAD TO GET CREATIVE.

xkcd
y-axis graph trick creative