random_moonwalk

1,018 karma · joined July 20, 2015

random_moonwalkon A conversation with Gilbert Strang [video]

Not an online course, but Linear Algebra by Serge Lang is nice little book that is in this spirit (good to look at if you’re familiar with LA basics).

random_moonwalkon Ask HN: How can I avoid just making rich people richer?

This story about George Soros is False.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/george-soros-ss-nazi-germa...

random_moonwalkon How work kills us

Classical liberals were pro-free-market.

random_moonwalkon Ask HN: What is the most technically interesting thing you've learned recently?

The fundamentals of Information Theory via (the late) David Mackay's lectures and textbook (homepage with links to the videos and free online textbook here: http://www.inference.org.uk/itprnn/).

random_moonwalkon US cell carriers are selling access to real-time phone location data

What would stop the government from just getting this stuff from a third-party who has purchased it?

random_moonwalkon Ask HN: Are Bitbucket and JIRA down?

Even though those response times are off the charts

random_moonwalkon Show HN: A fish plugin for when you're stuck on an error. perfect for newbies

  function imstuck -d "for when you're stuck on an error"
    set err (eval $argv 2>&1) 
    open "https://google.com/search?q="$err 
  end

random_moonwalkon Stats without Tears (2016)

Regarding All of Statistics, the author states that the 'reader is assumed to know calculus and a little linear algebra'. It's a good book, though think you'd have a tough time with only 'a bit of algebra'.

random_moonwalkon Ask HN: How much could some one make if he makes a traditional mobile mouse app?

Accurately inferring the position of the mouse from its acceleration is a difficult problem (the integration involved will result in rather large errors that compound over time when calculating the velocity and position). I doubt that the return on a 'traditional mouse' app would reward the effort required to make this work.

random_moonwalkon Ask HN: Best resources to to understand BTC/Blockchain and its implications?

Check out the readings for Stanford's Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies course (https://crypto.stanford.edu/cs251/syllabus.html). There's a draft of the textbook for the course that's a great place to start imo.

random_moonwalkon Ask HN: What are your favorite browser extensions?

Disclaimer: Currently working at Canary Haz

Canary Haz - One-click access to research papers https://canaryhaz.com

random_moonwalkon Problems Found at Theranos Lab

It is troubling if this is the mantra of a manufacturer of medical equipment, however.

random_moonwalkon Show HN: Siphon – Build and Publish React Native Apps Without Xcode

Hi, one of the creators of Siphon here. Happy to answer any questions if you have any.

random_moonwalkon Spooked: What do we learn about science from a controversy in physics?

I'm with you. Choice nugget from the description of entangled particles: 'Like Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, no matter how far they spread apart they would still be helplessly conjoined.'

random_moonwalkon You are much more likely to be killed by mundane things than terrorism (2013)

We pay a lot of attention to those https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_Planet_Center. Their paths are also predictable. Anyway, my point wasn't to do with the attention we should give terrorist attacks, rather that in this case in particular, past events are a poor predictor of future ones.

random_moonwalkon You are much more likely to be killed by mundane things than terrorism (2013)

Surely this is a sketchy way of inferring future likelihood of being killed in a terrorist attack? The number of lives claimed by a single biological weapon could be gigantic, while the number killed by a single car accident, say, is limited to a relatively small number.