The use of big data to discriminate against those who don’t have a “good credit score” in public—for example, an insurance company might charge someone a higher premium because they live in a crime-infested area, or in a region with a high percentage of loan defaulters or smokers.
Big data and social media companies, which collect data on people’s profiles and purchasing behaviors and credit-worthiness, are unethically selling these sensitive information to banks and insurance companies, which in turn apply data discrimination against potential clients.
by MathPlus September 05, 2018
Get the Data Discriminationmug. A cute sounding phrase, which is 99.99% bullshit, that is used to justify the high royalties demanded by half-baked math authors in academia, or the high fees charged by most overrated textbook math consultants or general editors (who are notorious in giving cosmetic feedback to a manuscript).
Educational publishers in Singapore reluctantly give in to trickle down mathematics, hoping to increase the odds of their approved textbooks to be adopted by more local schools, by displaying as many PhDs on their book covers.
by MathPlus November 17, 2021
Get the Trickle Down Mathematicsmug. The Chinese equivalent of “Who wants a Covaxin jab?” When China is aggressively involved in vaccine diplomacy, by donating millions of its home-made partially trialed and 50⁺% effective vaccines to poor or emerging countries, whose populations have mixed feelings about these WHO-unapproved shots—is China trying to redeem itself or to make up for its earlier lies and cover-ups for failing to alert the world of the pandemic?
When beggars can’t be choosers, even if the vaccines have got zero WHO approval, how dare millions of recipients worldwide cynically or skeptically ask: “Who wants a Sinovac shot?”
by MathPlus March 23, 2021
Get the Who Wants a Sinovac Shot?mug. The hypothesis that a large proportion of the people in the developed world would lack the critical thinking and quantitative skills required of a 21st-century citizen, because the politics of nativism, populism, and racism plaguing their societies have directly or indirectly brainwashed or radicalized them.
Thanks to Trumpism or right-wing politics, clothed under white supremacism or white Christian nationalism, millions of adults and children have fallen victims to the gospel of doom-and-gloom math, who blame millions of immigrants and refugees for stealing their blue-and white-collar jobs and for invading the promised land of their forefathers (who did the same thing to Native Americans).
by MathPlus April 28, 2023
Get the Doom-and-Gloom Mathmug. The latest notorious title conferred on Donald J. Trump for the deadly insurrection at the US Capitol, when his diehard supporters-turned-terrorists stormed the building, and threatened to kill the Vice President and endanger the lives of lawmakers.
Liar-in-Chief, Pinocchio-in-Chief, Divider-in-Chief, Faker-in-Chief, …, Pharisee-in-Chief, Hoaxer-in-Chief, Conspiracist-in-Chief, White Terrorist-in-Chief, it’s hard to imagine another rogue or fake leader collecting so many ignoble titles while in office, except perhaps for Kim Jong Un who has been honored with dozens of laughably flattery titles.
by MathPlus January 25, 2021
Get the White Terrorist-in-Chiefmug. Read as “Covid-Lambda.” A Covid-19 “variant of interest” according to WHO, which was first identified in Peru in December 2020—it is believed to be more transmissible than the original strain of the coronavirus, but less deadlier than the delta variant.
To protect against variants like Covid-⍺, Covid-𝛿, and Covid-λ, getting vaccinated, avoiding international travel, mask wearing, physical distancing from others, and not attending large social gatherings would minimize the odds of infection and reinfection.
by MathPlus August 08, 2021
Get the COVID-λmug. A “tuition nation” where your grade six exam score more or less determines your future—the fear of failing and not getting into a school of choice reduces your chances of a decent or quality education, because the top or popular schools have “better teachers” and more resources.
Because of its high-stakes exams, Singapore is probably the world’s most stressful country for a child to experience a normal childhood—and she will be at a disadvantage if her parents can’t afford to send her for private tuition.
by MathPlus July 11, 2018
Get the Singaporemug.