Category: Uncategorized

Generating Reports in R – Suggestions?

erichLeave a comment

I would like to programmatically generate a report using R.  The contents are mostly graphs and tables.  I have a working system, but it’s too many pieces.  When I hand this off to someone else, it become immediately fragile.

Isn’t there a better way? Here are my elements:

  • R script: collection of functions to manipulate the data interactively, and with the report
  • R script: wrapper to the above functions, and calls knit (from the knitr package) function to generate the report
  • R/LaTeX: report template
  • bash: script to tie it all together, and clean up leftovers

That’s four languages. Ugly.

How do you turn your phone into a tool?

erichLeave a comment

I picked up a Galaxy S III over the summer, and a few minutes every week making the phone do more work for me.  What are your Android tips?

  • Change application view to alphabetical list or grid
    • Apps – menu – view type – select
  • Make sure you set up a password on your phone.
  • Put contact info on your lock screen
  • Create one touch icons for most common calls. I have one that I hit and it calls my wife’s personal phone. You can find it under widgets.
  • Alternatively, you can use the ‘favorites’ list, and have that as a widget on one of your pages.
  • Change the keyboard: Purchase SwiftKey from Google Play
  • Arrange icons so that most used are on the bottom row that stays with every page.
    • Mine are: phone, contacts, Google search, apps, and a folder containing work mail, Gmail, and texts.
  • Put regularly used apps, or apps you need in a hurry, on the front page.
    • Mine include a lot of reading, but also TripIt, RSA token, maps, remember the milk (lists), camera, etc.
  • Epistle to edit and sync text files with my laptop (uses dropbox)
  • For Web stuff I want to read (news articles etc) on the go, I use instapaper (website) and sync with instafetch (app). So, I always have plenty to read on planes.
  • Find news with Zite or Flipboard apps.
  • Create a calendar widget so you can see the next few days without having to open the app
  • I have 2 Remember The Milk widgets: what I have to get done for the day, and what I am waiting on others to do.

Transnational Corporation Networks Affect the Market and Stability

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The structure of the control network of transnational corporations affects global market competition and financial stability. So far, only small national samples were studied and there was no appropriate methodology to assess control globally. We present the first investigation of the architecture of the international ownership network, along with the computation of the control held by each global player. We find that transnational corporations form a giant bow-tie structure and that a large portion of control flows to a small tightly-knit core of financial institutions. This core can be seen as an economic “super-entity” that raises new important issues both for researchers and policy makers.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0025995

Mahalo: Violating Network Trust for Fun and Profit?

erichLeave a comment

I occasionally get Twitter replies to random questions I put out there from people I’m not following, but this one had a surprise:

answersNot only did @answers respond, but also included more info. Intriguing. I followed the link. That’s when I furrowed my brow.

The page it took me to demonstrated what I perceive to be a grave violation of network trust: impersonation.

mahellno

The website has a post, in their forum, ostensibly from me — and not just in name only. They refer back to my post where I asked the question.

I don’t want anyone to act in my name without my permission. Creating an account with my name, and referring back to a legitimate source with the same name, sure sounds like impersonation to me. Am I over reacting?  Or is Mahalo violating network trust?

Astroturfing Censured by NY Attorney General

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While not networking exactly, this does touch on our predilection to believe others we do not know, if there are enough of them.

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has settled with a plastic surgery company, alleging the firm published phony positive testimonials and Web sites. Lifestyle Lift, associated with Michigan-based Scientific Image Center Management, agreed to pay $300,000 to New York State and stop posting false endorsements of its facial cosmetic surgery services.

[whole story]

I wonder how long until marketers create entire networks of fake people to promote products.  Anyone seen this on Facebook, Myspace, or anywhere?