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July 2024

June 2024

May 2024

Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?
05/28/2024

Farewell from the 2023/24 Social Work Interns
05/28/2024

Gina on the Horizon
05/28/2024

Mark Your Calendars for the Healthy Aging Research California Virtual Summit
05/28/2024

Meet Our New Development Associate
05/28/2024

Putting the Strategic Plan into Practice
05/28/2024

Washington Park: Pasadena’s Rediscovered Gem
05/28/2024

Introducing Civil Rights Discussions
05/22/2024

Rumor of Humor #2416
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2418
05/14/2024

Springtime Visitors
05/07/2024

Freezing for a Good Cause – Credit, That Is
05/02/2024

No Discussion Meeting on May 3rd
05/02/2024

An Apparently Normal Person Author Presentation and Book-signing
05/01/2024

Flintridge Center: Pasadena Village’s Neighbor That Changes Lives
05/01/2024

Pasadena Celebrates Older Americans Month 2024
05/01/2024

The 2024 Pasadena Village Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
05/01/2024

Woman of the Year: Katy Townsend
05/01/2024

April 2024

March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

Current Views on Current Events

By Richard Myers
Posted: 03/20/2024
Tags: scotus, ai, tik tok

1619 Notes

Sharon Jarrett

 
There was no formal agenda for the meeting, although, participants were asked to review "The Barber of Little Rock" a documentary film nominated for the Golden Globe and Oscar.  The film introduces a barber in Little Rock, Arkansas.  In addition to his barbershop, he has founded a barber college designed to not only train students as barbers but to ensure they are successful business owners.  The school teaches finance, business management and barbering skills.  
 
In addition to the college, the owner has started a bank to serve the community.  Little Rock is a city that is divided by a freeway.  The two sides of the city are segregated.  It was noted that the historic African American side had no bank, supermarket or drug store.  The barber who is the focus of the film is trying to rectify this.
 
Participants who viewed the documentary found it engaging and inspiring.  One participant noting that the Mechanics and Farmers Bank of Durham (North Carolina) had a similar origin story.
 
Several participants noted this is one in a series of illustrations of the institutionalized racism that still exists.  It was noted by one participant that this also creates "The pressure of limited opportunities".
Another participant noted that "The Civil War is still being fought in some places".
 
The group next moved to a discussion on limiting "Tik Tok". A participant shared the distribution by age of users:  
 
               25%      10-19.   
               20%       20-29
               20%       30+
               10%       50+
 
The platform TIMU was also discussed.
 
The participants next discussed issues related to AI and voice replication.
 
Finally, a participant recommended the book "Poverty by America".  The author is Matthew Desmond.
 
The meeting adjourned at 1:20 PM PST.  The group will next meet on April 5th at 10:00 AM PST.
 
We are exploring opportunities for future presentations. Ifyou have suggestions for something thatwouldbe appropriate for our discussions we would apprecitatethem.  For thenext meeting  April 5th at 10AM PST, we might consider the question, " what is the racial enviroment in the country  like today, and how is it changing." 
 
In the meantime there will be things happening in the news that would be intersting to discuss.
 
 We look forward to seeing you in April 
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