Alexander Saint Croix

September 09, 2008

Masters program in Computer Science

This semester I'm taking 4 courses at the University of Minnesota: Advanced Algorithms & Data Structures, Introduction to Computer Security, Data Visualization and Artificial Intelligence I.

The cross-pollenation from Data Visualization and Intro to Computer Security is potentially very interesting. We're studying channel capacity for various human perceptions. There are many references to different aspects of neuroscience, but I'm interested in the channel capacity concept as it pertains to perceptions of trust.

I wonder what the human univariate channel capacity is for judgments of trust?

I think that notions of "integrated assessments" as we view these puzzles and illusions are thought provoking to say the least.

Posted by Alexander Saint Croix on 9 September 2008 at 09:48 AM | | Comments (0)

August 29, 2008

Daily Life of a Network and Telecommunication Analyst

The daily life of a network and telecommunication analyst looks a lot like this: 
SELECT COMMAND => acd;u;m;12345,1;crs;;;doy;?;9/1,11/27,11/28,12/26;r,9/3,11/22,11/23,12/24;;;;
    
    ?
     9/1,11/27,11/28,12/26;R,9/3,11/
    2,11/23,12/24;;;;         STE          $?    H;
 
**  VERIFY DISPLAY
** DAY OF YEAR SCHEDULING               18:05:26     08/29/08
PILOT NUMBER 37900                                   USER GROUP 1
                      1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------
JAN-H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . . . . . . .-JAN
FEB-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    -FEB
MAR-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . . . . . . .-MAR
APR-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -APR
MAY-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . .-MAY
JUN-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -JUN
JUL-. . . H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-JUL
AUG-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-AUG
SEP-H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -SEP
OCT-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-OCT
NOV-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H H . .  -NOV
DEC-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H H . . . . .-DEC
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                      1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------
**KEY INFORMATION:     H = HOLIDAY        E = EXCEPTION      . = NON-HOLIDAY
                   
RETURN CONTINUES DISPLAY..... => 
                   
DAY OF YEAR     TYPE                 TOD ENTRY     CG  NUMBER
-------------------------------------------------------------
   HOLIDAY      NIGHT SERVICE            -              -
   NON-HOL      DOW                      -              -
DOES UPDATE VERIFY ? => Y
TABLE CHANGE PERFORMED
CRS TRANSLATION:TOD,DOW,DOY; ? or Return=END. => @
 
SELECT COMMAND => acd;u;m;19998,1;crs;;;doy;?;9/1,11/27,11/28,12/26;r,9/3,11/22,11/23,12/24;;;;
    
    ?
     9/1,11/27,11/28,12/26;R,9/3,11/
    2,11/23,12/24;;;;         STE          $?    H;
 
**  VERIFY DISPLAY
** DAY OF YEAR SCHEDULING               18:07:22     08/29/08
PILOT NUMBER 49998                                   USER GROUP 1
                      1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------
JAN-H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . . . . . . .-JAN
FEB-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    -FEB
MAR-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . . . . . . .-MAR
APR-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -APR
MAY-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . .-MAY
JUN-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -JUN
JUL-. . . H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-JUL
AUG-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-AUG
SEP-H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -SEP
OCT-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-OCT
NOV-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H H . .  -NOV
DEC-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H H . . . . .-DEC
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                      1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------
**KEY INFORMATION:     H = HOLIDAY        E = EXCEPTION      . = NON-HOLIDAY
                   
RETURN CONTINUES DISPLAY..... => 
                   
DAY OF YEAR     TYPE                 TOD ENTRY     CG  NUMBER
-------------------------------------------------------------
   HOLIDAY      NIGHT SERVICE            -              -
   NON-HOL      DOW                      -              -
DOES UPDATE VERIFY ? => Y
TABLE CHANGE PERFORMED
CRS TRANSLATION:TOD,DOW,DOY; ? or Return=END. => @
 
SELECT COMMAND => 
** MMP ERROR: UNDEFINED COMMAND
** MMP ERROR: PLEASE REPEAT RESPONSE
 
SELECT COMMAND => acd;u;m;19938,1;crs;;;doy;?;9/1,11/27,11/28,12/26;r,9/3,11/22,11/23,12/24;;;;
    
    ?
     9/1,11/27,11/28,12/26;R,9/3,11/
    2,11/23,12/24;;;;         STE          $?    H;
 
**  VERIFY DISPLAY
** DAY OF YEAR SCHEDULING               18:10:28     08/29/08
PILOT NUMBER 49998                                   USER GROUP 1
                      1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------
JAN-H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . . . . . . .-JAN
FEB-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    -FEB
MAR-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . . . . . . .-MAR
APR-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -APR
MAY-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . .-MAY
JUN-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -JUN
JUL-. . . H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-JUL
AUG-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-AUG
SEP-H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -SEP
OCT-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-OCT
NOV-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H H . .  -NOV
DEC-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H H . . . . .-DEC
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                      1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------
**KEY INFORMATION:     H = HOLIDAY        E = EXCEPTION      . = NON-HOLIDAY
                   
RETURN CONTINUES DISPLAY..... => 
                   
DAY OF YEAR     TYPE                 TOD ENTRY     CG  NUMBER
-------------------------------------------------------------
   HOLIDAY      NIGHT SERVICE            -              -
   NON-HOL      DOW                      -              -
DOES UPDATE VERIFY ? => Y
TABLE CHANGE PERFORMED
CRS TRANSLATION:TOD,DOW,DOY; ? or Return=END. => @
 
SELECT COMMAND => acd;u;m;18855,1;crs;;;doy;?;9/1,11/27,11/28,12/26;r,9/3,11/22,11/23,12/24;;;;
    
    ?
     9/1,11/27,11/28,12/26;R,9/3,11/
    2,11/23,12/24;;;;         STE          $?    H;
 
**  VERIFY DISPLAY
** DAY OF YEAR SCHEDULING               18:11:03     08/29/08
PILOT NUMBER 38855                                   USER GROUP 1
                      1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------
JAN-H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . . . . . . .-JAN
FEB-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    -FEB
MAR-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . . . . . . .-MAR
APR-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -APR
MAY-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . .-MAY
JUN-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -JUN
JUL-. . . H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-JUL
AUG-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-AUG
SEP-H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -SEP
OCT-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-OCT
NOV-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H H . .  -NOV
DEC-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H H . . . . .-DEC
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                      1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------
**KEY INFORMATION:     H = HOLIDAY        E = EXCEPTION      . = NON-HOLIDAY
                   
RETURN CONTINUES DISPLAY..... => 
                   
DAY OF YEAR     TYPE                 TOD ENTRY     CG  NUMBER
-------------------------------------------------------------
   HOLIDAY      NIGHT SERVICE            -              -
   NON-HOL      DOW                      -              -
DOES UPDATE VERIFY ? => Y
TABLE CHANGE PERFORMED
CRS TRANSLATION:TOD,DOW,DOY; ? or Return=END. => @
 
SELECT COMMAND => acd;u;m;17980,1;crs;;;doy;?;9/1,11/27,11/28,12/26;r,9/3,11/22,11/23,12/24;;;;
    
    ?
     9/1,11/27,11/28,12/26;R,9/3,11/
    2,11/23,12/24;;;;         STE          $?    H;
 
**  VERIFY DISPLAY
** DAY OF YEAR SCHEDULING               18:12:07     08/29/08
PILOT NUMBER 57980                                   USER GROUP 1
                      1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------
JAN-H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . . . . . . .-JAN
FEB-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    -FEB
MAR-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . . . . . . .-MAR
APR-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -APR
MAY-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . .-MAY
JUN-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -JUN
JUL-. . . H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-JUL
AUG-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-AUG
SEP-H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -SEP
OCT-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-OCT
NOV-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H H . .  -NOV
DEC-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H H . . . . .-DEC
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                      1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------
**KEY INFORMATION:     H = HOLIDAY        E = EXCEPTION      . = NON-HOLIDAY
                   
RETURN CONTINUES DISPLAY..... => 
                   
DAY OF YEAR     TYPE                 TOD ENTRY     CG  NUMBER
-------------------------------------------------------------
   HOLIDAY      NIGHT SERVICE            -              -
   NON-HOL      DOW                      -              -
DOES UPDATE VERIFY ? => Y
TABLE CHANGE PERFORMED
CRS TRANSLATION:TOD,DOW,DOY; ? or Return=END. => @
 
SELECT COMMAND => AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
** MMP ERROR: INVALID ANSWER
** MMP ERROR: PLEASE REPEAT RESPONSE
SELECT COMMAND =>

Posted by Alexander Saint Croix on 29 August 2008 at 06:13 PM | | Comments (0)

July 27, 2008

Debate over "black personal responsibility" grows

I'm shocked at the callousness displayed in many of the comments for this Reuters article on black personal responsibility. As an educated middle-aged male white guy who abhors every form of drug use, I want to remind the others reading this article that the national policies for mandatory prison sentencing on non-violent, drug-related crimes have literally devastated the African American community, torn apart millions of families, and have done so in ways that are clearly discriminatory against African Americans.

What's the difference between possession of one ounce of pure cocaine and one ounce of crack cocaine? The latter is cut with baking soda to make it affordable. So why does crack possession guarantee prison time and cocaine doesn't? This sort of arbitrary policy favors the wealthy (white) and incarcerates people who should instead be in hospitals.

This is only the beginning.

Tens of millions of suburban white teenagers around the nation are pumping billions of dollars into an entertainment industry that paints African Americans in the worst light possible, as thugs and illiterate criminals, because it permits these white teenagers to live out their adolescent fantasies about black identity. But it also chokes out recognition of real black achievement and leaves inner city youth whose fathers are in prison for non-violent crimes, without solid role models.

We have a collective duty to carve these institutional cancers from our nation and to take responsibility for the role of the majority in creating this soul-crushing trap for nearly a quarter of our population. Electing Obama is not a "get out of guilt free" card.

Posted by Alexander Saint Croix on 27 July 2008 at 02:32 PM | | Comments (0)

June 12, 2008

Beijing Olympics Video Travel Book

My friend David just assembled a very useful Beijing Olympics Video Travel Guide at his website videotravelbook.com. It has a set of wonderful professionally produced training videos for your iPhone, so that you can give written or spoken directions to your taxi driver (for example). He's worked very hard on it during his many trips to Beijing to visit family in the last couple of years. Check it out!

UPDATE: On July 1st, David renamed his website to http://www.kangernova.com, to help build his brand identity and pull away from the pack a bit. I'm warming up to the new name, I'll admit!

Posted by Alexander Saint Croix on 12 June 2008 at 09:42 PM | | Comments (0)

May 15, 2008

Majority rule

Reading No Treason by Lysander Spooner. One salient comment:

"The principle that the majority have a right to rule the minority, practically resolves all government into a mere contest between two bodies of men, as to which of them shall be masters, and which of them slaves; a contest, that --- however bloody --- can, in the nature of things, never be finally closed, so long as man refuses to be a slave."

Sage advice, especially given the current rime-locked national discourse. I submit that the "two party" system is actually not two parties, but a binary tree of counterweighted factions.

Posted by Alexander Saint Croix on 15 May 2008 at 07:20 PM | | Comments (0)

May 13, 2008

Google Maps doesn't play well with itself embedded.

Please forgive the headline. I just used two embedded google maps on the same page, and the second one overrides the first one. I could pry apart the iframe code and fix it, but I think it nicely documents the error, so I'll leave it as is. If you want to see my actual evening route down Franklin, select the "permalink" at the bottom of that entry.

Posted by Alexander Saint Croix on 13 May 2008 at 04:43 PM | | Comments (0)

My evening commute down Franklin

This is my evening commute down Franklin. It's only 3.5 miles, and takes me about 15 minutes after 10PM. The most difficult part is in-between I94 and Franklin, at the Cedar Avenue intersection. That entire intersection is messed up something fierce. I can usually jam down Franklin at traffic speed and make the lights--from the University it isn't a bad route at all, but the reverse course is awful due to extensive road damage on the south side of the street. The shoulder is more like a crater field on the moon's far side. Not a pleasant ride at all, which is part of why I skip it in the morning.


View Larger Map

Posted by Alexander Saint Croix on 13 May 2008 at 04:34 PM | | Comments (0)

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