YouTube's "Recommended for You" is Horribly Flawed

Recently, YouTube has introduced a prominent "Recommended for You" section on their homepage. They explain:

The "Recommended for You" module picks videos based on your viewing history. To see your viewing history, click on the History link at the top right of the page; if you want to clear your history and recommendations, click the "Clear Viewing History" button on that page.

Remember, you will get better, more specific, and more consistent recommendations by logging in (or signing up for a YouTube account, if you don't already have one).

That is all well and good, except for one major flaw. They seem to assume that you enjoy the recent video you watched. Being open to opposing viewpoints, I recently clicked on a video link from a blog that ostensibly supported a claim against Joseph Ratzinger. While slightly unflattering, it wasn't in any manner scandalous.

However, some of the videos that YouTube then started recommending to me were vile. Just "Because You Watched..." a video, it does not follow logically that you enjoyed it or desire exposure to similar videos.

Why ought I be compelled to shield myself from these bigots by clearing my history as YouTube requires? Perhaps YouTube and her parent Google should back off on this aggressive personalization by default.

I'm in the Hayek Posse

I can't pretend to be a smarty when it comes to collecting the Benjamins, but this is dope. (The boom plants the seeds for its future destruction.)

Dragnet Meets Obama

This is a bit of brilliant editing. Seems like we have passed this way before and we may pass this way again.

H/T The Anchoress

Go Captains! Play Ball!

The family went to see the Lake County Captains tonight. It was a great night at the ball park. A warm, muggy night, but some swirling breezes kept it bearable.

Before the game, the field announcer, Grover, asked the boys if they wanted to call "Play Ball" after the National Anthem. They did not have to think twice. They are big fans and a chance to get on the field was fun.

Later in the game we visited Mr Deas and Brother Drew in the booth. We must have brought a little luck with us. The Captains won 19-2!

Stars and Stripes Forever - Muppet Style

Wow. The Muppets celebrate Independence Day in the manner they are accustomed.

(Hat tip to Deacon Greg)

Flag Day and Baseball

I spent a good part of Flag Day at a ballpark today (Go Captains!), so it seems appropriate to post this.



(H/T Jonah Goldberg at NRO)

Reagan's speech on the 40th Anniversary of D-Day

"[T]here is a profound moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer..."