Bill Francavilla : Women outlive men, so there are more older woman. Studies have found that men fall for investment scams and women fall for lottery (you just won a XYZ car and you just have to pay for title and shipping) scams.
Who would have guessed? A 24 year old Indian dude made $300m by running the IRS scam. Phew.. The Americans know him as Shaggy btw..
Simon Lovell - the British con man who later became a stage magician said : "I love it when someone says they can't be scammed." If you've read Joe Weil's autobiography, you know that even con men are not immune!
Monday, December 31, 2018
Sunday, December 30, 2018
An Authoritative Python Cheat Sheet (WIP)
All plagiarized of course, credits at bottom..
Make the script both a module and an executable :
if __name__ == '__main__'
The __whatever__ is a "dunder" - double-underscore. There are some useful ones you'll pick up - like __init__ , __repr__ , __eq__ (that goes along with decorators), etc.
Enumerate :
for i, var in enumerate( list_name ) :
some_useful_code using i and var
List comprehension (build a list on the fly ) :
[ x * 3 for x in data if x > 10 ]
Build a dict out of two lists :
d = dict( zip( key_list, val_list ) )
Flatten a list of lists :
>>> l_of_lists = [list(range(10)), list(range(20,30)), list(range(50,60))]
[[0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9], [20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29], [50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59]]
>>> l = [y for x in l_of_lists for y in x]
>>> l
[0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59]
Count number of elements in your list greater than a certain value :
sum(i > 5 for i in j)
Reverse a list :
list_name[::-1]
Parse JSON data :
import json
import requests
response = requests.get( url, params=paramDict)
parsed_json = response.json() # then do a pprint (pretty print) to see how to use..
Pandas :
import pandas as pd
df = pd.read_csv( 'somefile.csv')
matching_list = df['field1'][df['fieldN' == 'something_specific']
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib import style
style.use('classic')
df['some field'].plot()
plt.show()
To convert from JSON to dataframe :
from pandas.io.json import json_normalize
df = json_normalize( parsed_json['key name'] )
Fill out a matrix using a list or dict ( while you count from 0 to 8 generate (0,0),(0,1),(0,2),(1,0)..(2,2) )
Actually, more pythonically (maybe) :
QEI
http://safehammad.com/downloads/python-idioms-2014-01-16.pdf
https://coderwall.com/p/rcmaea/flatten-a-list-of-lists-in-one-line-in-python
Make the script both a module and an executable :
if __name__ == '__main__'
The __whatever__ is a "dunder" - double-underscore. There are some useful ones you'll pick up - like __init__ , __repr__ , __eq__ (that goes along with decorators), etc.
Enumerate :
for i, var in enumerate( list_name ) :
some_useful_code using i and var
List comprehension (build a list on the fly ) :
[ x * 3 for x in data if x > 10 ]
Build a dict out of two lists :
d = dict( zip( key_list, val_list ) )
Flatten a list of lists :
>>> l_of_lists = [list(range(10)), list(range(20,30)), list(range(50,60))]
[[0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9], [20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29], [50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59]]
>>> l = [y for x in l_of_lists for y in x]
>>> l
[0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59]
Count number of elements in your list greater than a certain value :
sum(i > 5 for i in j)
Reverse a list :
list_name[::-1]
Parse JSON data :
import json
import requests
response = requests.get( url, params=paramDict)
parsed_json = response.json() # then do a pprint (pretty print) to see how to use..
Pandas :
import pandas as pd
df = pd.read_csv( 'somefile.csv')
matching_list = df['field1'][df['fieldN' == 'something_specific']
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib import style
style.use('classic')
df['some field'].plot()
plt.show()
To convert from JSON to dataframe :
from pandas.io.json import json_normalize
df = json_normalize( parsed_json['key name'] )
Fill out a matrix using a list or dict ( while you count from 0 to 8 generate (0,0),(0,1),(0,2),(1,0)..(2,2) )
from itertools import product
i=0
for t1, t2 in product( sorted_tags, sorted_tags ) :
row = i // num_tags
col = i % num_tags
i += 1
t_mx[row][col] = transition_counts[ (t1,t2) ]Actually, more pythonically (maybe) :
from itertools import product
for i,j in product( range( num_tags), range(num_tags) ) :
t_mx[i,j] = transition_counts[ (sorted_tags[i], sorted_tags[j] ) ]QEI
http://safehammad.com/downloads/python-idioms-2014-01-16.pdf
https://coderwall.com/p/rcmaea/flatten-a-list-of-lists-in-one-line-in-python
Saturday, December 29, 2018
Installing Your Own Personal Python Module
That is, when you do
import myModule
Python shouldn't barf.
Put your .py file in a reasonable place (i.e., a directory named meaningfully :)
In the same directory, have a setup.py file that looks like
from setuptools import setup
setup (
name='myModule',
version='1.0',
description='A useful personal module',
author='me',
author_email='me@memail.com',
url='me.com',
py_modules=['myModule'],
)
Then, run :
$ python setup.py sdist
You will see a warning that there is no README file.
Now, to install :
$ pip install /path/to/myModule-1.0.tar.gz
Easy enough?
import myModule
Python shouldn't barf.
Put your .py file in a reasonable place (i.e., a directory named meaningfully :)
In the same directory, have a setup.py file that looks like
from setuptools import setup
setup (
name='myModule',
version='1.0',
description='A useful personal module',
author='me',
author_email='me@memail.com',
url='me.com',
py_modules=['myModule'],
)
Then, run :
$ python setup.py sdist
You will see a warning that there is no README file.
Now, to install :
$ pip install /path/to/myModule-1.0.tar.gz
Easy enough?
Spyder++
What *would* be nice is to incorporate some 20+ year old technology such as what NEdit already has - that is, let users record interaction with the GUI and create custom macros that they can then bind keyboard shortcuts to.
For example, based on my mood, I'd like to toggle between the light and dark theme. You listening Pierre Raybaut? Please …
Google "spyder keyboard shortcut toggle between light and dark theme" and see what you get..
For example, based on my mood, I'd like to toggle between the light and dark theme. You listening Pierre Raybaut? Please …
Google "spyder keyboard shortcut toggle between light and dark theme" and see what you get..
Friday, December 28, 2018
Hans Fangohr++ aka A Better Spyder Tutorial
Why not anticipate users' problems - especially when you give them advanced tips?
He says, set IPython Console to do symbolic math (Tools > Preferences) and then you'll see cuter stuff.
He doesn't say :
Start a new console.
What happens if you run into ..
These commands were executed:
from __future__ import division
from sympy import *
x, y, z, t = symbols('x y z t')
k, m, n = symbols('k m n', integer=True)
f, g, h = symbols('f g h', cls=Function)
Warning: pylab (numpy and matplotlib) and symbolic math (sympy) are both
enabled at the same time. Some pylab functions are going to be overrided by
the sympy module (e.g. plot)
expr = (x + y) ** 3
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<ipython-input-1-530ade24fb9f>", line 1, in <module>
expr = (x + y) ** 3
NameError: name 'x' is not defined
In short, what an ass!
Fortunately, we have some online angels :
https://github.com/spyder-ide/spyder/issues/3255
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/43915513/how-to-get-latex-style-output-from-sympy-in-spyder-ipython-console
https://github.com/nteract/hydrogen/issues/1119
I go to Start > Anaconda > Anaconda Prompt and then do
> conda install -c conda-forge miktex
Dat fix it? No!!
What did?
The commands that *IT* (see above) says *were* executed apparently weren't! So, you have to manually do :
x, y, z, t = symbols( 'x y z t')
only to find that
NameError: name 'symbols' is not defined
And then,
from sympy import symbols
That gets
expr = (x + y)**3
To NOT complain.
Now, when you do expr, you get the Unicode formatted pretty thing with the 3 really looking like a superscript. Not what you want obviously :)
So, what does work :
from sympy import init_printing
init_printing()
Now, when you do
expr
You get
He says, set IPython Console to do symbolic math (Tools > Preferences) and then you'll see cuter stuff.
He doesn't say :
Start a new console.
What happens if you run into ..
These commands were executed:
from __future__ import division
from sympy import *
x, y, z, t = symbols('x y z t')
k, m, n = symbols('k m n', integer=True)
f, g, h = symbols('f g h', cls=Function)
Warning: pylab (numpy and matplotlib) and symbolic math (sympy) are both
enabled at the same time. Some pylab functions are going to be overrided by
the sympy module (e.g. plot)
expr = (x + y) ** 3
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<ipython-input-1-530ade24fb9f>", line 1, in <module>
expr = (x + y) ** 3
NameError: name 'x' is not defined
In short, what an ass!
Fortunately, we have some online angels :
https://github.com/spyder-ide/spyder/issues/3255
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/43915513/how-to-get-latex-style-output-from-sympy-in-spyder-ipython-console
https://github.com/nteract/hydrogen/issues/1119
I go to Start > Anaconda > Anaconda Prompt and then do
> conda install -c conda-forge miktex
Dat fix it? No!!
What did?
The commands that *IT* (see above) says *were* executed apparently weren't! So, you have to manually do :
x, y, z, t = symbols( 'x y z t')
only to find that
NameError: name 'symbols' is not defined
And then,
from sympy import symbols
That gets
expr = (x + y)**3
To NOT complain.
Now, when you do expr, you get the Unicode formatted pretty thing with the 3 really looking like a superscript. Not what you want obviously :)
So, what does work :
from sympy import init_printing
init_printing()
Now, when you do
expr
You get
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Where We Need Alex Skorkin and Stephen Jungels to Deliver
Do a version of ALT-LEFT and ALT-BKSPCE (for bash) that will treat underscore as a word delimiter..
How do you do this?
There are times when I want to treat whole_word as one word and some times, as two.
Yes, I have OCD :)
How do you do this?
There are times when I want to treat whole_word as one word and some times, as two.
Yes, I have OCD :)
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Eugen Sandow : Strength and How to Get It
The man was ahead of his time. He knew that really was about mind over matter :
HUNDREDS of letters reach me daily, asking "Can I become strong?" Yes; you can all become strong if you have the will and use it in the right direction. But, in the first place, you must learn to exercise your mind. This, first of all lessons in physical training is of the utmost importance. For on it the whole of my system depends. If physical exercise alone and unaided could achieve the desired end, then would every one who, like the breaker of stones, has to use his muscles to earn his daily bread, become, in a popular acceptation of the term, "a strong man." The breaker of stones, however, never uses his mind. He has to get through a given amount of work, and his method is purely mechanical. Though he may use his muscles in hard work every day of the year it is unlikely that his strength will ever materially increase.
So charming, the last word :
The reader will probably ask if special means were adopted during this and succeeding engagements to maintain my strength. The answer is very simple : The performance itself provides the necessary amount of daily training. I eat, drink, smoke and sleep quite in the ordinary way, taking care to observe in all things that guiding rule of moderation to which reference is made in the preceding chapter. I only practice, in order that grace and perfection may be attained, when some new feat is introduced. Personally, it may be added, I find that the best time for a performance is about three hours after a meal.
Saturday, December 22, 2018
Productivity Manifesto
| Commandment | What it Really Means |
| Plan your day the night before | Begin with the end in mind :) |
| Get the big rocks in | Don't sweat the small stuff - make a start on the big! |
| Do the hardest task first | If you have three similar blocks to design, design the most complicated one and you've done all three. If you go in ascending order of complexity, you'll be doing three blocks :) |
| Single-task: For high level work | Focus - with talmudic intensity! |
| Multi-task: For low level work | Fold clothes and talk on the phone - that's ok :) |
| Ditch the unimportant | Don't sweat the small stuff. Watch your portfolio |
| Use a to-list | Mental accounting is the bane of modern existence |
| Use a do-later list: For unimportant tasks | Excel helps to not-lose them |
| Create your productivity system | Know what works for you |
| First be effective, then be efficient | Getting it done more important than how you do it - just ask your boss :) |
| Quit procrastinating | Applies to getting out of bed as well :) |
| Use productivity tools | Know what works for you |
| Meditate: Clears your mind, increases focus | And can improve other functions as well |
| Get a headstart | Move the worry curve in - there's always some bad news lurking out there :) |
| Practice 80/20 rule | Watch your portfolio of goals and targets |
| Clear your mind: Do a brain dump | Mental accounting is the bane of modern existence |
| Be organized | Losing time searching for things is sin :) |
| Delegate where needed | Leverage the network of helpers |
| Outsource work better done by others | Leverage the network of helpers |
| Eliminate time wasters | Don't sweat the small stuff - is it important? |
| Master your skills | Plan / Excecute / Debrief to become the best |
| Tap into your productivity periods | Know when you're at your best. A shower can help :) |
| Go with the path of peak enjoyment | wha? |
| Just do it | Make a start. Editing will follow naturally |
| Be well rested | Know when you're at your best. A shower can help :) |
| Learn from the best | Heredity can only do so much - seek mentors/coaches out |
| Search and reapply | Make it easy to find your own tools |
| lmprovise on your performance | Incremental advances add up |
| Read productivity materials | Know what works for you |
| Create your life handbook | But you have to remember to use the checklist :) |
| Batch similar tasks | Plans are useless but planning is indispensible |
| Use the best tools | You *can* program in assembly language if you want |
| Reward yourself | But practise healthy habits |
| Learn to say No | Watch your portfolio of goals and targets |
| Quit to win | Keep your eye on the ROI - is it important? |
| Create a conducive environment | Know what works for you |
| Improve your posture | Get the adjustable desk unless you're a luddite |
| Delete limiting thoughts | Self awareness is your friend |
| Cut down on commuting time | If you're reading this, you like being in control. When you're commuting, you're NOT! |
| Time box: Set a fixed amount of time | Move on and let the brain process it |
| Set a target | Begin with the end in mind :) |
| Set a deadline | Work always expands to fill the time available for it |
| Keep your emails in check | Check email just a couple times a day - or try to :) |
| Plan your task | And debrief - what? Right? Wrong? Why? Learning? |
| Be on time | Bloomberg - 80% of success if show up - early |
| Visualization | Leave no stone unturned |
| Practice makes perfect | No! Perfect practice makes perfect. Practice makes permanent |
| Use overwhelming force | Leave nothing to chance |
| Get a coach | How? |
| Time out (Have a vacation/break) | Recharge and sharpen them saws |
Bill Crawford : Excecution != Excellence
Being stuck in execution is like being the hamster on the treadmill.
Plan, Execute, Debrief, Repeat... if you want to be the best at what you do.
Debrief :
Plan, Execute, Debrief, Repeat... if you want to be the best at what you do.
Debrief :
- What happened?
- Why?
- What went right?
- What went wrong?
- Why?
- What can we learn?
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
The Moscow Rules
- Assume nothing
- Never go against your gut
- Everyone is potentially under opposition control (except Iniesta)
- Don't look back. You are never completely alone
- Go with the flow. Blend in!
- Vary your pattern and stay within your cover
- Lull them into a sense of complacency
- Don't harass the opposition
- Pick the time and place for action
- Keep your options open
About building rapport :
- Don't come across as judgy. Avoid statements like, "I don't get why you would do or think that."
- Avoid giving advice. What people want is approval. You want to say something along the lines of, "That was a smart move," rather than, "You should do it this way."
- Don't be the person who has to win the argument - let the target win.
- Don't be a one-upper. If the target tells you about his biggest sales coup, don't top it with a story about how you actually sold more.
- Avoid interrupting the target when they're speaking.
- Never downgrade their status or profession.
- Never finish their sentences for them.
After Jason Hanson, What?
Survive Like a Spy is Ok. Cute - Like Clint Emerson's work.
Try getting your hands on Spy Combatives. It's good to know how to be able deescalate situations. You know how annoying some immature coworkers can be :) The co-author trained with Chuck Norris for 36 years!
SOE Close Combat Syllabus taught by badass Brits :) : http://www.gunthorp.com/Close%20Combat%20Syllabus.pdf
Get Tough by W. E. Fairbairn
The best of Jason Hanson :
You can use an LLC or a Trust to buy your house. (And have the LLC address be your P.O. Box or UPS store address).”
What John and Hector (code name for the Korean professor who know the Hungarians) accomplished :
https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a064354.pdf : Army Missile Research and Development Command : Holographic Optics for Missile Guidance Systems. B Guether and C Leonard. Who are these geniuses? The tech material reads like Walter Scott for me! Poetry! On page 1, they misspell the former Duke Professor's name … it is Guenther.. I don't recall watching anything before on YT with an awe-inspired jaw-gape.
Try getting your hands on Spy Combatives. It's good to know how to be able deescalate situations. You know how annoying some immature coworkers can be :) The co-author trained with Chuck Norris for 36 years!
SOE Close Combat Syllabus taught by badass Brits :) : http://www.gunthorp.com/Close%20Combat%20Syllabus.pdf
Get Tough by W. E. Fairbairn
The best of Jason Hanson :
How do you keep your identity private?
Did you use TOR in relation to your work? How can you assure your identity will not be discovered when navigating an open web or deep website using Tor/Tails (say, by an ISP, man in the middle, or an attack from the server designed to reveal your identity)?
Hanson: “I do use a VPN on my computer. I stay out of any places where I’m worried I will be discovered. Truthfully, I’m much more worried about my physical safety and making sure people can’t find me, which is why I have nothing delivered to my house (I use a UPS store as my address) and why my driver’s license and my car registration, etc. all have the UPS store address.You can use an LLC or a Trust to buy your house. (And have the LLC address be your P.O. Box or UPS store address).”
What John and Hector (code name for the Korean professor who know the Hungarians) accomplished :
https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a064354.pdf : Army Missile Research and Development Command : Holographic Optics for Missile Guidance Systems. B Guether and C Leonard. Who are these geniuses? The tech material reads like Walter Scott for me! Poetry! On page 1, they misspell the former Duke Professor's name … it is Guenther.. I don't recall watching anything before on YT with an awe-inspired jaw-gape.
BTW, what does spymaster (well, with six kids, how do you choose to be a spy in the first place - don't you want to be there for your kids and NOT put your life on the line?) keep in his bugout bag :
- A tomahawk (ensure the bag, fully loaded, is less than 25 lbs he says)
- A kukri (dagger)
- Collapsible backback (nice, a bag within a bag)
- Survival blaze - firestarter ($5)
- Survfilter - world's best water filter unless you go look at what the Israelis have ($99)
- Tourniquet
- First-aid kit
- Tube tent
- Bic lighters
- Paper map
- Food (survival food - just add water)
- Pancho (deal with rain)
- Knives - NOC
- Mess kit (pots,pans, silverware) for food prep
- Water purification kit (Chlor-flocc)
- Versa knife
- Multi-tool
- Matches (multiple ways to start a fire)
- Gun oil
- Scalpel.
- Flashlight
- Dryer lint
- Bandana
- Emergency drinking water pouch.
- Emergency blanket
- Medical tape
Monday, December 17, 2018
Coursera and U. of Rochester : Audio and Music Engineering
Engineering Acoustics
WikiBooks
Designing, Building, and Testing Your Own Speaker System with Projects
by David B. Weems
Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms
by Floyd Toole
Loudspeaker Design Cookbook
by Vanc Dickason
Sunday, December 16, 2018
Stephen Jungels is Cool, But..
Why not tell people what to do when you don't have lynx on your Cygwin?
https://github.com/transcode-open/apt-cyg#quick-start
Ans :
$ wget rawgit.com/transcode-open/apt-cyg/master/apt-cyg > apt-cyg
$ install apt-cyg /bin
https://github.com/transcode-open/apt-cyg#quick-start
Ans :
$ wget rawgit.com/transcode-open/apt-cyg/master/apt-cyg > apt-cyg
$ install apt-cyg /bin
An NEdit Shortcut for Inserting the Date
You need to execute a unix command (depending of course on the format you want. This applies to 12/16/18 style date ) like
$ date +%m/%d/%y
So, what do YOU do? Do ALT-x, and enter this, and see that it works. Then, go into record macro mode and record this, and then do the Preferences > Default Settings > Customize Menus .. thing :)
$ date +%m/%d/%y
das große problem : NEdit interprets the "%" :(
So you have to tell it to send unix something that date can then use. That is, the
"%m/%d/%y" needs to magically appear before the date command is executed.
Enter command substitution and the answer :
$ date +`perl -e 'print "\045m/\045d/\045y";'`
You see how it arbeitet? First, the perl command is executed and the result is placed in the date command. The perl command uses octal codes to put the % in the print statement - so NEdit is clueless.
So, what do YOU do? Do ALT-x, and enter this, and see that it works. Then, go into record macro mode and record this, and then do the Preferences > Default Settings > Customize Menus .. thing :)
Enjoy!
Now, what if you want something like "Dec 16 2018" :
date "+%b %d %Y"
Phew - how little I know :) If you use backticks for command substitution, this new one will give you grief. Turns out, the professional way to do command substitution is $( )
So, start with (in NEdit ALT-x execute command dialog ) :
date "+$(perl -e 'print "\045b \045d \045Y";')"
And all is well :) Thanks to the maestros :)
Now, what if you want something like "Dec 16 2018" :
date "+%b %d %Y"
Phew - how little I know :) If you use backticks for command substitution, this new one will give you grief. Turns out, the professional way to do command substitution is $( )
So, start with (in NEdit ALT-x execute command dialog ) :
date "+$(perl -e 'print "\045b \045d \045Y";')"
And all is well :) Thanks to the maestros :)
Saturday, December 15, 2018
Tip : A Very Good Office Hiding Place
Put stuff in a trash can and then line it. Keep this thing empty so the janitors never need to change it.. and you're all set. Maybe someone makes a false bottom for these things - there's probably a market for em :)
Friday, December 14, 2018
Killer Excel Macro : A Button to Toggle Hide/Unhide of Rows
- Start with a file that's already named .xlsm . Save time later :)
- Know which rows? Say 10 to 12 (inclusive)
- Right click on the name of the Sheet on the bottom of the Excel window and choose "View Code"
- Now, paste :
If Rows("10").EntireRow.Hidden Then
'To unHide Rows 10 to 12
Rows("10:12").EntireRow.Hidden = False
Else
'To Hide Rows 10 to 12
Rows("10:12").EntireRow.Hidden = True
End If
End Sub
- And tweak it to be what you want. Then, do ALT-Q. If you go into Macros, you'll see this one..
- Then, to create the button, go to Insert (File, Home, Insert, Draw, on the top of the Excel window)
- Here, choose Shapes and put down something nice. Remember da Vinci : Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
- Edit the Text associated with this shape.
- Then, right-click on the shape and choose Assign Macro, pick the one you just created. And..
- You're in business..
Autodesk's Beginners PCB Design Tips
(Right click and choose Open in New Tab, and, there, your mouse pointer turns into a magnifying glass)
https://www.autodesk.com/products/eagle/blog/top-10-pcb-component-placement-tips-pcb-beginner/
Sunday, December 02, 2018
Using a File on Your PC as the Background Image in CSS
This one's hard to find online for some reason
body {
background-image : url("C:\path\to\file");
}
Seems right intuitively, except, it doesn't work. What does work? "file:///C:/path/to/image"
How should you know? Open the file in your browser first - and pay attention :)
body {
background-image : url("C:\path\to\file");
}
Seems right intuitively, except, it doesn't work. What does work? "file:///C:/path/to/image"
How should you know? Open the file in your browser first - and pay attention :)
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