good stuff
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Gee Whiz, GraphViz!
Sometimes you need to draw a simple network diagram, like this Hasse diagram but you don’t have a good graph drawing tool. Get Graphviz! Easy to learn, scriptable, and FREE. Read more
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It’s not a Crock Pot meal, its an…
Eintopf. And now I realize the annual “charity” fundraisers are just carrying on the tradition of Winterhilfswerk. Tip from Debby Witt at National Review. Read more
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Need a 3-Way?
One of my techno-nerdy students got me hip to the Logitech Anywhere2 wireless mouse. It can be linked with a dedicated USB device AND paired with Bluetooth-capable devices. So now my old Windows desktop computer, my Surface laptop, AND my old Surface tablet can be clicked with a single mouse. How cool (and handy) is… Read more
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KWIC, make me some hash!
IEEE Spectrum has a fascinating bio sketch of Hans Peter Luhn, inventor of the hashing and KWIC indexing algorithms. This is Luhn’s legacy: He helped show that computers and computation weren’t just the province of mathematics, statistics, and logic but also of language, linguistics, and literature. In his day, this was a revolutionary way to… Read more
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Maybe NOT every job will be automated
Turns out there may be an upper limit to automating retail businesses. When confronted with self-serve checkouts, many folks turn into thieves: “There is NO MORAL ISSUE with stealing from a store that forces you to use self checkout, period. THEY ARE CHARGING YOU TO WORK AT THEIR STORE.” It’s so pervasive that it’s not… Read more
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The Fourier Transform, explained beautifully
At the Better Explained blog, Kalid Azad hits another home run with An Interactive Guide to the Fourier Transform. Here’s a plain-English metaphor: What does the Fourier Transform do? Given a smoothie, it finds the recipe. How? Run the smoothie through filters to extract each ingredient. Why? Recipes are easier to analyze, compare, and modify… Read more
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His Last Bow
The late Michael Crichton was a colossus among popular novelists, and spun off movies as quick as I make wisecracks: The Andromeda Strain, Congo, Jurassic Park, etc. He was also an insightful social commentator, with observations like his Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect. Turns out he left a literary lagniappe in his papers, the historical western novel… Read more
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Add a Pair of These to My Frivolous Wish List!
I give you…self-parking slippers! Tip from the Geek Press. Read more
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Me gusta tomar Tequila
Holy hellfire sh*t! It turns out tequila is a health food! It’s a probiotic, no less. I say ¡Salud! Read more
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Go read Sarah Hoyt
Chatty stuff about writing indie SciFi, with snarky political and cultural commentary. Oh, and a great geeky sense of humor: Update: Francis turner says that cat complains too much Read more
The Random Texan 