[Pdx-pm] March topic: VoteFair ranking: Math-based voting power for the 99%

[Richard Fobes]

# from Eric Wilhelm
> From our discussion thus far, I have tentatively added the following:
>  March2012Meeting - Richard on Voting::VoteFairRanking
> ...
> We'll need Richard to confirm availability ...

Yes, I'm available -- Thursday March 8 (right?) -- and I look forward to 
giving this presentation.  FYI, two Perl Mongers besides Eric privately 
expressed interest in this presentation.  Here are the presentation details:

Title: VoteFair ranking: Math-based voting power for the 99%

Description:

"Just-released open-source software that implements VoteFair ranking is 
now available to help us reach higher levels of voting fairness.  You do 
voting when you click on Google results, and you use voting results when 
you view the star rating of an Amazon product.  Now learn how voting 
really works, how it is usually miscalculated -- intentionally in the 
case of elections -- and how it can be done to fully extract the wisdom 
in a group.  Learn the math behind the puppet strings that connect 
politicians to the biggest campaign contributors.  (Partial spoiler: The 
biggest unfairness is hidden in primary elections.)  Also learn the math 
that eventually will cut those puppet strings.  Along the way you will 
learn that there are different kinds of popularity."

Planned duration: 40-45 minutes plus(!) discussion time
(If that's too long, I can leave out some material -- somehow.)
Requirement: projector

Last Thursday I gave this presentation to the (language-agnostic) 
Westside Proggers group and it was clearly appreciated, and the 
interactions were fun and insightful (for me as well as them).

BTW, I attended a PDX Perl Mongers meeting a few years ago, so I'm not a 
complete stranger.  And I've been programming in Perl since shortly 
after the transition from version 4 to version 5.

Richard Fobes
Author of "Ending The Hidden Unfairness In U.S. Elections"
and "The Creative Problem Solver's Toolbox"
Creator of the Dashrep programming language (the Dashrep engine is in 
the CPAN archives at: Language::Dashrep)