tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43435518740200172582024-03-04T22:33:01.175-08:00i have thoughtssometimes i try to write them downmirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.comBlogger1302125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-50035008056609967552018-11-11T16:53:00.002-08:002018-11-11T16:53:22.758-08:00Learning More About My IndustryTruvalue Labs, the company I've been working at for 3.5 years, has been included in the CB Insights Top 250 Fintech Companies in the category Capital Markets & Institutional Trading.<br />
<br />
I wanted to understand what the other companies in this category actually do because I only recognized two of them, and I only know what one of them does. :P<br />
<br />
First I'll start with the one I know.<br />
<br />
iex is the exchange featured in Flash Boys, which seeks to provide a totally fair and transparent marketplace for all traders. In particular, fairness where traders can't pay for faster access to market activities to get an informational advantage and beat other traders to trades that they wouldn't have done otherwise.<br />
<a href="https://iextrading.com/">https://iextrading.com/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/meDZ5wU8Pls/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/meDZ5wU8Pls?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
I've heard of Dataminr before, but actually I have no idea what they do. Sounds like they are in the same space as us for sure, but they sell more to corporate and newsmedia companies in addition to finance. So they detect and classify breaking information before it's in the news using AI and machine learning. They already have other 400 employees and are valuated at $1.6 billion. Looks like this is the only company on this list that is remotely related to what TVL does.<br />
https://www.dataminr.com/<br />
<br />
<br />
Kantox offers tools for international companies that need to exchange currencies.<br />
https://www.kantox.com/en/faq/<br />
<br />
TradeIX is blockchain for trade finance. Haha blockchain. They describe it as a "network of networks for global trade finance. It is supposed to make trading more transparent, faster, and more efficient.<br />
https://tradeix.com/about/<br />
<br />
<br />
Elefant is a digital broker-dealer for OTC markets (over the counter). So basically it sounds like they use machine learning to determine how to price the buy and sell orders that traders post, and decide if they want to take the other side of the trade. They do not have much information on their site. They are a registered B Corp, though, which is interesting.<br />
http://www.elefant.ai/markets/<br />
<br />
Ok that's all very interesting, but I'm losing steam. Let's just get through the rest.<br />
<br />
Q4 provides cloud-based investor relations and capital markets access for corporate customers.<br />
<br />
SFOX is a crypto-currency prime dealer.<br />
<br />
Trumid provides info to credit traders.<br />
https://www.trumid.com/<br />
<br />
CloudMargin is a web-based collateral management system.<br />
https://cloudmargin.com/<br />
<br />
Capitolis addresses capital markets constraints in equities and foreign exchange (FX). I don't really understand exactly what this means. Sounds like it involves automating processes for various FX market participants. FX instruments include options, swaps, and forwards.<br />
https://www.capitolis.com/<br />
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180523005079/en/Capitolis-Launches-Groundbreaking-Novation-Service-Foreign-Exchange<br />
<br />
Symphony is a team collaboration platform.<br />
https://symphony.com/en-US<br />
<br />
NYSHEX is digital contracting for ocean shipping.<br />
https://www.nyshex.com/en/<br />
<br />
Axoni is blockchain for derivatives and foreign exchange.<br />
https://axoni.com/press/axoni-announces-32-million-series-b-funding-led-by-goldman-sachs-and-nyca-partners/<br />
<br />
Cloud9 is an American esports company, which means they run online gaming leagues.<br />
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud9<br />
<br />
10x seeks to provide more equitable banking services. They have a special focus on diversity and reaching underserved communities.<br />
https://www.10xbanking.com/mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-55281586855564514702017-12-12T00:38:00.001-08:002017-12-12T00:38:31.174-08:00To Hope or Not to HopeMy career is mission and impact-oriented, and as a result, I run in these circles. I have found that my peers often express feeling overwhelmed with the problems in the world like climate change or global poverty. I usually end up guiltily admitting that I don't connect with that feeling at all. I've realized it's not because of being particularly insensitive or being an optimist or pessimist because I know a handful of others who share my confusion at this feeling who have wildly different personalities. Then I read this passage that finally puts my vague thoughts into words. I couldn't say it any better. In fact, I couldn't say it at all!<br />
<blockquote class="graf graf--blockquote tr_bq" name="3c3b">
When I am asked about what keeps me hopeful, I hear people asking if it is worth it. If they work to make the world better, will it pay off? I think that the dominant focus on hope and reward in the future leads people to think that if they don’t have personal hope that their efforts will be rewarded, they have the option to give in to despair and inaction. It is from a place of tremendous privilege and disconnection to others that one can ask for hope in this sense. Why should I work for change unless my work will succeed? No one gets that guarantee, and no one can give it. Nor does not having hope allow one to opt out unless one has the privilege to make that choice — and it is an illusory choice because we are all interconnected and interdependent.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
... </blockquote>
<blockquote class="graf graf--blockquote" name="3ba6">
Many spiritual traditions are not hope-centered. In these societies, people have communal responsibilities and obligations because they are focused on maintaining the webs of mutuality and the balance of life. They are mandated to work for justice because it is the right thin to do; it is our responsibility to each other. They are not future-oriented but focused on the present, inspired by their understanding of what is necessary. Their challenge is to maintain the bonds that exist, not to transform the world. People from these traditions acknowledge where people are and support them in flourishing rather than assuming they know where people should be (judgment) and trying to transform (save) them. They respond to what is needed in the moment and not to what has been lost or might be gained. This daily focus has often been misdescribed as <em class="markup--em markup--blockquote-em">women’s work </em>and thus devalued, but people of all genders do it. Many spiritual traditions and indigenous communities emphasize the daily weaving, building and transformation of community, in sharp contrast to the dominant Western paradigms of hope, nostalgia and despair.</blockquote>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="2d18">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Living-Shadow-Cross-Understanding-Resisting/dp/0865717427">Paul Kivel, <i>Living in the Shadow of the Cross</i>.</a></div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="2d18">
<br /></div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="2d18">
To hope or not to hope; that's not the question.</div>
mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-42414904655354917012017-10-08T14:50:00.001-07:002017-10-08T21:01:38.918-07:00Conan in Israel and Palestine<div>
Conan's been doing more travel segments, which are really fun and occasionally amazing! It seems like a great way for Americans to get exposed to the lifestyles and culture of different countries. Most of the time, our understandings of others are just one-dimensional caricatures, but we don't even realize.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Recently he went to Israel and Palestine, which has resulted in a mix of silly and serious clips. I really like this one in Bethlehem.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GWOHjuC47FY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GWOHjuC47FY?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Someone commented on the video<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Makes you wanna think why we fight with people who we would have loved</blockquote>
<br />
So true.<br />
<br />
Sometimes the interests of different groups of people really are at odds, but a lot of times geopolitical conflicts are fueled by old grudges and the vested interests of a small number of powerful actors. It's so sad that the respective publics of rival nations get caught up in the enmity. People trying to debate without a mutual understanding of the same words inevitably talk past each other, and they don't even know it. We are always in the Tower of Babel even when we are speaking the same language.<br />
<br />
An expanded version of this post on Medium<br />
https://medium.com/@mirthbottle/conan-in-israel-and-palestine-1c8d7a57127fmirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-6324536568232027642016-07-02T17:41:00.001-07:002016-07-02T17:42:13.651-07:00Data InterventionLately I've been thinking about how developments in data technology have helped responsible investing ideas and practices become more mainstream. Improving the collection and flow of information could be considered the essence of responsible investing. More information makes it possible for investors to calculate risks and opportunities more accurately and on longer time-scales. Then the financial markets can reward more responsible business practices and facilitate the spread of better practices. Making ESG data more easily available could be considered a kind of policy intervention as opposed to command and control regulation or market incentives. I wrote a <a href="https://www.insight360.io/cdp-2016-spring-workshop-takeaways-esg-data-intervention/">blog post</a> about this on my company blog.<br />
<br />
I also did a short talk about it at Phage's fundraiser for <a href="http://www.drbrainlove.org/">Brainlove</a>! I made a simple <a href="http://mirthbottle.github.io/dataintervention/">website</a> with the key points.mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-67956954910622634522016-03-14T13:10:00.002-07:002016-03-14T13:14:47.143-07:00Defending the Establishment<div>
When this primary season started, I was dead-set against voting for Hillary Clinton because I believed that she was corrupt. I thought that even if she was effective, all the progress would be for naught if a scandal erupted. It could discredit the progressive cause for at least two election cycles and possibly more. I wasn't quite feeling the Bern, but he seemed promising. I have now done a pretty dramatic 180 on Hillary, and I guess a less dramatic -90 on Bernie Sanders.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After looking into the past scandals involving the Clintons, I found that they were all pretty much engineered by Republicans. Given how much Republicans hate them and how much they've been investigated, I now really doubt that the Clintons are really corrupt or that there is a scandal waiting to be exposed.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
With that out of the way, I am more supportive of Hillary for president. She is a believer and practitioner of incremental change. Sanders is a proponent of a "political revolution." I certainly ascribe more to her theory change, particularly for the presidency while Congress is still dominated by Republicans and the Tea Party. I expand on this train of thought in an essay, where I use examples from my professional field of responsible investing.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<a href="https://medium.com/@mirthbottle/dreaming-of-incremental-change-be5cfa4850f6#.668obmmvm">Dreaming of Incremental Change</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The one thing that really still bothers me about Hillary is that she is too much of an interventionist on foreign policy. This is where I often diverge with liberals because they usually want to go in to every conflict and support every rebel and of course posture at China! I don't really think she's a neocon, though, but rather she is in line with the foreign policy elite in the US. She seems like the classic bleeding heart liberal, actually. I hope that after working with Obama and Biden that her views have moderated. With that said, maybe it's more important that the foreign policy elite's views moderate.mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-72974175445512186642016-03-10T12:21:00.001-08:002016-03-10T12:22:14.300-08:00Frustrated with Hillary and Bernie and ProgressivesSent this to the Hillary campaign. I'll send a similar one to Sanders as well, but it's really not his fault if Hillary can't make the case for herself and Democrats.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Why isn't the campaign steering the conversation towards how we're going to get Republicans out of office? Hillary just keeps tacking left. That's great and all, but we all know that the real reason behind the erosion of the social safety net in the US is because of the rise of the extreme right! Attacking Democrats is a waste of time not to mention resources. Please, talk about political strategy! And about the virtues of level-headedness a la Obama. He has been consistently promoting the message of resisting over-reactions since his campaign in '08. Surely, this temperament has helped Hillary with some legislation or political battle as well. If Hillary can't sell this message, we're screwed and the Koch brothers win.</blockquote>
mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-59887382692184475752016-02-14T11:13:00.001-08:002016-02-14T11:25:26.767-08:00Plea for Long Term Thinking in Business and FinancePublic companies in the US are required by law to report their quarterly earnings. As a result, they are often under a lot of pressure from investors to maximize earnings and reduce costs on a quarterly basis in a dynamic referred to as "short-termism." This can often hurt long-term performance for example by laying-off employees to reduce costs. It also often results in irresponsible environmental or human rights practices. At the same time it's really difficult to address these issues since they almost certainly require a multi-year commitment.<br />
<br />
Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, periodically sends letters to investors and companies imploring both groups to get beyond short-termism. Last week he sent his latest letter to <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/blackrock-ceo-larry-fink-letter-to-sp-500-ceos-2016-2?r=US&IR=T">S&P500 companies</a>. Fink has been a prominent figure in advocating for good corporate governance, which typically refers to having board members that are not related to each other and subjecting the executive leadership to board oversight. He says,<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
Generating sustainable returns over time requires a sharper focus not only on governance, but also on environmental and social factors facing companies today. These issues offer both risks and opportunities, but for too long, companies have not considered them core to their business – even when the world’s political leaders are increasingly focused on them, as demonstrated by the Paris Climate Accord. Over the long-term, environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues – ranging from climate change to diversity to board effectiveness – have real and quantifiable financial impacts.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
At companies where ESG issues are handled well, they are often a signal of operational excellence. BlackRock has been undertaking a multi-year effort to integrate ESG considerations into our investment processes, and we expect companies to have strategies to manage these issues. Recent action from the U.S. Department of Labor makes clear that pension fund fiduciaries can include ESG factors in their decision making as well. We recognize that the culture of short-term results is not something that can be solved by CEOs and their boards alone. Investors, the media and public officials all have a role to play. In Washington (and other capitals), long-term is often defined as simply the next election cycle, an attitude that is eroding the economic foundations of our country.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Public officials must adopt policies that will support long-term value creation. Companies, for their part, must recognize that while advocating for more infrastructure or comprehensive tax reform may not bear fruit in the next quarter or two, the absence of effective long-term policies in these areas undermines the economic ecosystem in which companies function – and with it, their chances for long-term growth.</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
A particularly interesting and bold recommendation was to reform the capital gains tax.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
<br />
...tax policy too often lacks proper incentives for long-term behavior. With capital gains, for example, one year shouldn’t qualify as a long-term holding period. As I wrote last year, we need a capital gains regime that rewards long-term investment – with long-term treatment only after three years, and a decreasing tax rate for each year of ownership beyond that (potentially dropping to zero after 10 years). </blockquote>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.valuewalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2677128378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.valuewalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2677128378.jpg" height="210" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
*clap clap clap*<br />
<br />
Who manages your 401k, and what are their positions on corporate governance, short-termism, and ESG?<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
<br />mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-30593789072632501772016-02-13T10:12:00.000-08:002016-02-13T10:12:19.856-08:00Message to the Hillary Clinton CampaignI almost can't believe I'm getting involved given my strong opposition to her '08 campaign. At any rate, I decided to send her campaign a message about what I think they should do.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Hi,</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I can't say that I'm a very strong supporter, but I can see that Hillary Clinton is not doing as well as she should at communicating her message and strengths. I wanted to share two suggestions to the campaign.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br /></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
1. You've probably heard this one before, but voters (including myself) still really don't have a good sense of what Hillary is driven by. What is her conceptual framework for how the economy works, how government works, the problems and solutions? What is the theory of change? People wouldn't necessarily expect the end game to materialize, but we all would like to know what it is.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br /></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
2. Do NOT go on a full-on attack on Sanders. Instead, start talking about management strategies and really get into the weeds. People love that crap a la. the Checklist Manifesto, Getting Things Done, 6 Omega, etc. Talk about how you run an effective meeting, how to manage an ineffective meeting run by someone else, how important it is to be in control of agenda-setting, etc.</blockquote>
</blockquote>
mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-6825508506492548502016-01-09T22:45:00.001-08:002016-01-09T22:45:17.839-08:00Is "Trickle Down" Dead Yet?The credibility of trickle down always gets my goat. Trickle down is the theory that cutting taxes on the rich will benefit everyone because the rich will create jobs. Economic theory a la Milton Friedman is often cited as supporting the theory because taxes are always inefficient. <br />
<br />
Finally, some economists at the IMF have published <a href="https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/sdn/2015/sdn1513.pdf">a report that clearly describes why trickle down economics does not work</a>.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Higher inequality lowers growth by depriving the ability of lower-income households to stay healthy and accumulate physical and human capital (Galor and Moav 2004; Aghion, Caroli, and Garcia-Penalosa 1999). </blockquote>
<br />
Also...<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Inequality dampens investment, and hence growth, by fueling economic, financial, and<br />political instability.</blockquote>
<br />
<a href="http://www.psmag.com/business-economics/trickle-down-economics-is-indeed-a-joke">Jared Keller at the Pacific Standard</a> further notes that the term "trickle down" itself was coined to lampoon President Hoover's policies during the Great Depression.mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-39845836811427358372015-12-28T22:53:00.004-08:002015-12-28T22:53:57.632-08:00Vacation in Costa Rica!I'm going to Costa Rica tomorrow for a week. :) I knew almost nothing about it except that it's very scenic, and there are lots of coconuts. So I wrote up a <a href="https://fold.cm/read/mirthbottle/costa-rica-vacation-2016-phpWiYdB">little blog about it on Fold</a>. I'll be reporting back with my own pictures.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://vacations.aircanada.com/media/images/common/csstorage/destination/COS_overview_001_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://vacations.aircanada.com/media/images/common/csstorage/destination/COS_overview_001_l.jpg" height="450" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-10477977877016953742015-12-25T01:15:00.000-08:002015-12-25T01:15:05.717-08:00Nirvana in Fire and Chinese history (and some random notes)After watching Nirvana in Fire I read up a bit more about Chinese history. Popular narratives in China about Chinese history are especially important to understanding the Chinese perspective on the responsibilities of governments. I wrote about how this relates to Nirvana in Fire in a <a href="https://fold.cm/read/mirthbottle/nirvana-in-fire-a-vision-of-the-ideal-government-FzpNEdtP">Fold story</a>.<br />
<br />
In other news, I started trying to read it in Chinese. The story actually started out as <a href="http://g.sbkk8.cn/wangluo/langyabang/">an internet novel</a>. Then I bought <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nirvana-Fire-Chinese-Hai-Yan/dp/7541132500/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1451018202&sr=1-1">a paperback copy from Amazon</a>. To my shock, they were not the same! Thankfully, someone on the internet explains that there are <a href="http://www.books.shushengbar.com/?p=5500#comment-650928">multiple editions</a> because the author typically polishes it when they go to publish the story as a book. The internet version is the modern equivalent of weekly installments in the newspaper so it's often more long-winded, Dicken's style.mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-39464801479574401862015-12-13T23:08:00.000-08:002015-12-13T23:08:15.607-08:00Learning Weird ChineseMy Chinese is getting stranger and stranger because I tend to watch historical fiction shows like Nirvana in Fire (<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">琅琊榜) </span>and Empresses in the Palace (<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">后宫 甄嬛传)</span>.<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://sv6.postjung.com/picpost/data/285/285971-55a6557fefc25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://sv6.postjung.com/picpost/data/285/285971-55a6557fefc25.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1QYZmZrdNC4/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1QYZmZrdNC4/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The dialogue in these shows are more formal, maybe kind of like if you learned English from watching only Shakespeare plays.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
虽然我学到的中文古怪,我还是喜欢看这个内容的因为故事比现代的故事有意思。一般的现代的戏太莫名其妙了,而且我不太懂中国现在社会的情况。还有,还是古代的服装顺眼。</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
examples:</div>
<div>
原来如此</div>
<div>
毕竟</div>
<div>
皇上息怒!</div>
<div>
皇上精明</div>
<div>
儿臣领旨</div>
<div>
叩见陛下</div>
<div>
何尝不是</div>
<div>
冤枉</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
我要把它们记下来。</div>
mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-33037428369838313992015-12-13T01:42:00.001-08:002015-12-13T01:43:12.845-08:00Nirvana in FireI wrote <a href="https://fold.cm/read/mirthbottle/nirvana-in-fire-a-vision-of-the-ideal-government-FzpNEdtP">an essay</a> about a Chinese TV show I have been watching because I wanted to share my thoughts about the themes about patriotism and governance. I have several shows, and some of these themes have shown up before so that now I feel that I more fully understand the context behind them. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRO4_boLXexq1Tze_8xAYveak5jrVw_t4xkiFVBzNbFAvhig7Q7G532aGbnV82-dL3aRsSPVo0B-kMhOY5y9qcev8tgAjK1PG0py54ht-3zWbOjW3ejsNwEY_tw_78blwpXlWL4wQ-5h3q/s1600/%25E7%2591%25AF%25E7%2590%258A%25E6%25A6%259C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRO4_boLXexq1Tze_8xAYveak5jrVw_t4xkiFVBzNbFAvhig7Q7G532aGbnV82-dL3aRsSPVo0B-kMhOY5y9qcev8tgAjK1PG0py54ht-3zWbOjW3ejsNwEY_tw_78blwpXlWL4wQ-5h3q/s320/%25E7%2591%25AF%25E7%2590%258A%25E6%25A6%259C.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The acting is really good. There are so many great bromances, and it's also really cute that the actors are friends in real life as well. It's really helped me to improve Chinese, too, since I'm motivated to read Chinese articles about the actors (尤其是胡歌!) and the show. 太好看了但是我的中文也太差了。也没办法了,学到什么就算什么。<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cfensi.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/005a1tyljw1eh48bhc08ug30a00a0gzc.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://cfensi.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/005a1tyljw1eh48bhc08ug30a00a0gzc.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I am also trying out Fold as a platform for interactive blogging. I think I like it! It seems like the feature in Medium where people can comment in your text would be useful, though.mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-29977066091418703102015-12-06T23:30:00.003-08:002015-12-06T23:31:35.325-08:00Racial ProfilingI updated my tool for explaining and exploring racial profiling in traffic policing recently.
While we can only see the outcome of stops and ticketing, we can explore different scenarios for the true rates of violating traffic under different assumptions about fairness, efficiency, and effort of traffic policing.
Hopefully the reasoning is easier to follow now.
<a href="http://mirthbottle.github.io/rprofiling/">http://mirthbottle.github.io/rprofiling/</a>mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-1972413470312336662015-11-09T21:45:00.000-08:002015-11-09T21:45:25.865-08:00High School Victory Lap in Full<div class="tr_bq">
After high school I wrote an <a href="http://www.scanews.com/spot/2003/june/s669/yang/news.html">essay</a> for the St. Louis Chinese newspaper. I have blogged about it before, but I realized that I should copy it in full before it disappears from their site at some point. It is still somewhat embarrassing, but it's still interesting to reread every few years. Regarding what I wrote about persistence, I had no idea how true that is. However, I don't know if I still like the discussion about happiness. I still agree with the gist, but the wording is kind of confusing and pseudo-wise. </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br /><br /><br />High school. HAHA! because high school = OVER. I laugh a laugh of confidence built over years of insecurity and doubt, a laugh of proud accomplishment, gloating over my luck, of excitement for the future, of sheepishness from excessive praise, but also more caustic laughs of grim irony over the hypocrisy and the shallowness of my apparent worth. I don't suck! Cuz I did it! In fact, I ROCK! College is going to be awesome! And I'm getting cocky! And I'm not even that smart! Just really lucky! And upon that my worth is judged, and for that I get respect! Oh, sad.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
So that's what I call my posthighschool reaction. Looking back at the last four years, I feel like it's only been four years, but so much has happened and so fast. I could almost feel myself change and change and change again. When I first began my high school career as a hyperactive, self-conscious adolescent, no one expected me to excel academically or socially. Thus, I did not expect much of myself. When I thought of successful model students, I always thought of it as a standard that did not apply to me. I guess it's strange for me to think of now because I never had any conception about my future because I was afraid too many things would change, and then I would be disappointed if I did not reach my goals. So I never even thought of myself as working towards any standard or model in particular. I didn't think about college seriously until junior year was almost over when it suddenly dawned on me that I didn't even know what state Harvard was in. Yeah...like I ! said, people didn't expect much of me, and so I did not think much of myself.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
But actually I did. I didn't always have the confidence in my abilities, but I always yearned to be just as good as the best. In choir, to lead my section; in tennis, to play varsity singles; in math, to win at competitions; even standardized tests, to score with the best, etc. High school, compared with real life, was nice and sheltered. It was a great place to get a head start in competition without serious repercussions if you fail. For example, I never got better than moderately good at speech and debate. However, the coach remained supportive and helped me focus on what to improve. In high school, especially during the first two years, I developed diligence and persistence. Diligence because homework still counts, and persistence because improvement is almost always guaranteed. For the last two years, diligence was for studying even if there was no homework, and persistence for being creatively assertive in finding ways to get something done.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
One of the biggest lessons I learned in high school is that persistence pays off. I just needed a goal and a plan, and I almost always got what I wanted. A goal, a plan, and NO FEAR! because there is always the fear of difficulty and the possibility of hidden obstacles and failure. Although you should always be prepared to deal with these difficulties, fear clouds judgment and hinders performance. So am I afraid when I organize events such as a chess tournament and take tests like APs for college credit? I'm TERRIFIED, but I do it anyway. Besides, even when I don't get exactly what I want, things always work out in the end. Thus, I am always prepared to revise my goals to adjust to changing circumstances and new priorities. Consequently, my secret weapons of mass getting-things-done are as follows: a goal, a plan, NO FEAR!, and adaptability.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
My goals are derived from my priorities, which were cultivated by my strong sense of self. In high school, I learned a lot more of this self; I developed my tastes in things such as music, food, and people. I learned how I like things done, and I learned to get along with people I never thought I'd ever get along with. I found that I like getting involved to get problems solved. Also, how hard I work for something is directly proportional to how important my goal was to me. Biology and government classes were not as important to me as chemistry and math, and so I reaped some benefits and paid some consequences. I made some sacrifices, choosing to put off art classes in favor of academics. And yes, I did do many things to appease parents, especially in the beginning. It's hard to say whether or not I (or my parents) made the best choices. Nevertheless, it's important to me to live without any regrets. I like to think of the things I did as worthwhile because they we! re good experiences, and I needed them.<br /> </blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Now, I seem to have met so many challenges. And yet there remains a sense of irony for me when I think of how some younger students and their parents think of me as a paradigm of success. You are interested in what mistakes I made so you can avoid the same mistakes or what worked for me that might also work for you. It is the way I thought of some of my older friends and the way I still think of them, those who are now at Harvard, Stanford, Yale, some of whom will be my neighbors. Is it right that our worth is measured by our success in high school and what colleges we got into? Then again, who could help but be flattered? And who could help but be interested by such prestige? After all, these are the accomplishments that each of us has worked for and achieved in our own way, on our own terms.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
So what am I saying? What is the secret to my success? Does everyone have the secret weapons that I mentioned? The secret is that there is no secret, no magic potion, because success does not equal happiness (success != happiness). However, if happiness IS success, then there is hope for you. As Aristotle said "Happiness is something final and self-sufficient and the end of all action." It is what we live for. Then, have I succeeded? I dunno, do I seem happy to you?</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The truth is I am still very young. High school was (relatively) easy even though it didn't feel that way while I was there. On the whole, I had few responsibilities; all I had to worry about were grades and sometimes my mood. My food, shelter, basic schedule, clothes, money, etc, were pretty much taken care of. Plus, I only had to care about my own well-being most of the time. Friends and family mostly took care of themselves. I didn't even have a pet. In other words, I ain't seen nothing, yet. That's what college is for. </blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In high school, I learned about what was important to me and what are sources of pride for me. I am proud of what I am capable of, and I feel it a shame to waste time and energy when I could be at least trying to get a problem solved. Maybe someone else might find it more worthwhile to hone their skills on the guitar or baseball or maybe spend time on having lasting friendships. Anyway, so this is what I find rewarding to spend my time on. Besides, I think it was worth it for me just because I got to write this article, and you will read it because I did well, and you want to know if I am still human. I think I am.</blockquote>
mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-60655371083548653922015-11-01T15:42:00.002-08:002015-11-01T15:42:55.001-08:00Life UpdateOops, neglected the blog again!<br />
<br />
Well, since I last posted, I have finished graduate school, started a job, moved to Oakland, got my leggings in the flesh, started going to Tahitian dance class regularly, and adopted a rigorous regimen of social events.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TdL45x4VDoDtFVeKU4DqZnyJ5EaHNmGcSNuY3yO1RviyNeaIOu2MWa0jZuo5WQcmn3wjcDjqgqVl56IVztoCsR2cbOiuxOIJfw78PKUCXCyGi_tcbwL1Efcf9PEMpi4hxo7xFXcgC_a1/w572-h858-no/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TdL45x4VDoDtFVeKU4DqZnyJ5EaHNmGcSNuY3yO1RviyNeaIOu2MWa0jZuo5WQcmn3wjcDjqgqVl56IVztoCsR2cbOiuxOIJfw78PKUCXCyGi_tcbwL1Efcf9PEMpi4hxo7xFXcgC_a1/w572-h858-no/" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Housewarming gifts with our Familiars</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
I plan on getting back into blogging and lifelong learning especially about my field, Sustainable and Responsible Investing, and "data science."<br />
<br />
In the meantime, Hobby Sundays and other side projects will continue. I carved Conan O'Brien at the last one. MikeyP made a <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fpihulic%2Fsets%2F72157658199492743&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGfhv_WZamwnNrnJaye8u3k6Sf-ag">Flickr page</a>. Here are a few of my own pictures. He looks more like Jesus when lit. Oh well!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLvOd7XSPqK0HlQjdw5VI3FEAtaguQoaIT-POmd8ycc3FD0DgjZG4hkiuAnAxtlm7chYEqA5yvE3IElFS6WMnLVO7MXhEVS0UCjURmiqiUUN85BtqJRnqyowIszDtuUI9w5XKIy7ZBXV5/w572-h858-no/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLvOd7XSPqK0HlQjdw5VI3FEAtaguQoaIT-POmd8ycc3FD0DgjZG4hkiuAnAxtlm7chYEqA5yvE3IElFS6WMnLVO7MXhEVS0UCjURmiqiUUN85BtqJRnqyowIszDtuUI9w5XKIy7ZBXV5/w572-h858-no/" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFWbnrcR9J2s22jx_E91ootJpaG27BrJVXTIAcAJXfTw4jUHVUr9TSHPog3V9TVIjbpgRoGnfbd6Zb_ORoE2Dp8lyiHJBtLNYnJI6wDwyMgb03WDtkIc-VWLe_zSUDSbrvWlkuYcQuoqzK/w572-h858-no/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFWbnrcR9J2s22jx_E91ootJpaG27BrJVXTIAcAJXfTw4jUHVUr9TSHPog3V9TVIjbpgRoGnfbd6Zb_ORoE2Dp8lyiHJBtLNYnJI6wDwyMgb03WDtkIc-VWLe_zSUDSbrvWlkuYcQuoqzK/w572-h858-no/" width="213" /></a></div>
mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-35786821039778534022015-01-12T23:17:00.000-08:002015-01-12T23:17:50.926-08:00Leggings Design<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
i'm working on a leggings design for Bombsheller. i'm planning for this to be on the thighs</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-BxcA0764hfKhSxJzW0F50keuOIFOj3AejMlpDk5YCrKKb2yeMKsF8mZKU8ke91bWu6vr0Hky6HtwEnhlD9zNo7-0-cESoHE-zL8KZd-jlb1EcU09zqm8kz2aU6c8nWB48485n7YwUZE/s1600/thighs+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-BxcA0764hfKhSxJzW0F50keuOIFOj3AejMlpDk5YCrKKb2yeMKsF8mZKU8ke91bWu6vr0Hky6HtwEnhlD9zNo7-0-cESoHE-zL8KZd-jlb1EcU09zqm8kz2aU6c8nWB48485n7YwUZE/s1600/thighs+front.jpg" height="640" width="491" /></a></div>
<br />mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-90704431212040973772015-01-06T22:22:00.002-08:002015-01-06T22:23:33.006-08:00Ethical Mice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYg7h6o6Gc90KgE5gumuW9asaiLQPaogKJ5ncPO0R6IlaAz_jcEHTtC7nhasZjmnGVFdA9s97eH0Qweu066_tK0F5KtSKD7rF7pim56SNxDq4ilXeg8GUiL_ovUeBLdrthS0e66VmjOZs/s1600/cat+and+mouse.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYg7h6o6Gc90KgE5gumuW9asaiLQPaogKJ5ncPO0R6IlaAz_jcEHTtC7nhasZjmnGVFdA9s97eH0Qweu066_tK0F5KtSKD7rF7pim56SNxDq4ilXeg8GUiL_ovUeBLdrthS0e66VmjOZs/s1600/cat+and+mouse.png" height="281" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
My interest in corporate social responsibility and climate change has led me to reflect on the role of ethics in industry. Reading "Flash Boys" by Michael Lewis, "Moral Mazes" by Robert Jackall, and a collection of books and articles has given me a better idea about decision-making inside corporations and the challenges of regulating businesses. Many of these challenges seem to be outside the standard microeconomic framework that currently dominates policy analysis. In that framework, ethics seems quaint, but perhaps there really is no replacement.<br />
<br />
There are many reasons to regulate the private sector: minimize pollution, improve worker safety, ensure fair prices, combat fraud, etc. If everyone's incentives were aligned then there would be no reason for rules to be enforced. In the standard economic analysis framework, the misalignment of incentives cause "market failures." This means that harms, known as negative externalities, are not being accounted for in the markets of the offending products. (They might lead to more spending in the markets such as the market for medicine). The market failures are caused by things like transactional frictions, principal-agent problems, and asymmetric information. Solutions to market failures involve regulating the private sector one way or another. The objective is to align the incentives of producers with the interests of society by increasing the cost of causing externalities through fines or taxes.<br />
<br />
In applying this framework, welfare is typically equated with monetary value. Then businesses and individuals in them respond exclusively to monetary incentives, their decisions driven by exacting cost-benefit analysis. The cost of regulating then, is proportional to the amount the business stands to gain from the activity.<br />
<br />
Is this the whole story? Does this mean ethics is irrelevant?<br />
<br />
First I want to point out that the motivation to avoid regulation is proportional to how much "individuals" have to gain. This is not always the the same thing as the amount the business has to gain overall because the individual is primarily concerned with his/her own career. This is generally true for decisions in an organization. In other words, if an initiative has the potential to cause one manager to gain recognition and a bonus rather than sharing credit with other managers, that initiative is more likely to be championed and thus implemented. For example, according to Nassim Taleb in "Black Swan," a contributing cause to the subprime mortgage crisis was the misalignment of individuals and the business. The analysis of risk management divisions in banks were often ignored because individuals in the trading divisions stood to gain fantastically from increasingly risky activities. <br />
<br />
Next, let us inspect the costs of regulation more carefully. At first glance, the cost is simply the size of the fine, subsidy, or tax. Most analysts also take into consideration the likelihood that the fine or analogous costs will be incurred. The cost to the regulating body of administering these programs and auditing activities is often left out of economic analyses. Both the regulators and the businesses participate in auditing and accounting activities, although for different purposes. The higher the tax, the more resources businesses will allocate towards evading it by either by masking its activities in its own accounting system or lobbying to cut the budget of the regulator. It is possible to make information arbitrarily difficult and time-consuming to assess, which greatly increases the cost to regulators. In Flash Boys, the exchanges created complicated order types. In addition, the documentation to the SEC about these order types seemed purposefully more complicated than they needed to be.<br />
<br />
Complicity among individuals in the industry is another driving factor for the cost of regulating behavior. If all the businesses participate in obfuscating their activities, then they can all maintain the illusion that the level of complexity is necessary. Idolizing neoclassical economics and the free market at the expense of ethics then is very convenient for those who stand to gain. Believing in the wisdom of the invisible hand means that the value of one's work is evidenced by the amount one is paid. Those who feel no need to question the purpose of their activities can be counted on to be complicit.<br />
<br />
Even if regulators manage to administrate a program, they still may not have enough resources or information to assess the effectiveness of the program. Measuring effectiveness often requires some additional information. For example, the Reg NMS rule sought to make markets more fair by mandating that financial intermediaries must trade public equities at the best price. However, financial intermediaries found other ways to scalp investors. Regulators neglected to collect the information needed to assess the prevalence of other kinds of unfair practices.<br />
<br />
By now it should be clear that regulating private sector activities is often an elaborate cat and mouse game. A few fat mice are more strongly motivated and can more easily collaborate than millions of mice. The smartest cat must be at least as smart as the smartest mice or else the mice can easily confuse the cat.<br />
<br />
Many conclude that regulating is indeed hopeless in many situations. Brad and his team gave up on the SEC, who had no ability to compete with Wall Street for the talent required to regulate. In order to sell his idea, Brad had to adopt rhetoric about being "long-term greedy." But in fact he was personally very compelled to take on the system because it is not "right." It is significant to me that only those who with an ideal about fairness even dared to pursue a market solution. Only ethics can provide enough drive to an individual to overcome the risk, the likelihood of a lower payoff, and the stress from causing extreme conflict among peers.<br />
<br />
The culture around ethics and the purpose of one's job perhaps should be considered as another tool in policy-making. The structure of incentives in an organization governs the behavior of individuals. Moral Mazes describes the incentive structure of a hierarchical bureaucracy typical of large public corporations. There are many similarities with the environment and culture of these corporations with that of Wall Street exchanges and investment banks as described in "Flash Boys." <br />
<br />
It may be possible to modify the standard framework of policy analysis to include this kind of ethical motivation as a part of individuals' welfare functions. It's not clear to me whether that is the most helpful approach. Instead, the study of polycentric systems an cooperation could potentially be applied to such environments in order to increase the value of transparency and ethical behavior. There may also be analytic tools from complexity theory and behavioral economics.<br />
<br />
My theory now is that for any given industry, a minimum number of individuals with resources and talent who commit to acting ethically is needed to stunt the efforts of those who are amoral. On the flip side, a minimum number of talented amoral individuals is needed in order to implement an injustice. Complicity with an amoral system ultimately perpetuate the injustice systemically. It follows then that conviction matters. Resolve matters. Ethics matter.mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-71281719819567112252014-12-29T16:27:00.000-08:002014-12-29T16:27:55.000-08:00Exploring the InternetI put this page through a word bubbler. The result is kind of inane, but it's pretty!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<!--BEGIN infocaptor_embed This is the embedable widget,just paste the code from BEGIN...END.Powered by http://www.infocaptor.com--><br />
<div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="830" scrolling="no" src="http://www.infocaptor.com/bubble-my-page?size=800&mode=embed&url=http://happysealamb.blogspot.com/" width="800"></iframe><br />
<div>
<a arget="_infocaptor" href="http://www.infocaptor.com/bubble-my-page" nbsp="" style="color: #c2c2c2; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;">Build bubbles for your page </a><a href="http://www.infocaptor.com/" nbsp="" style="color: #c2c2c2; float: right; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" target="_infocaptor">Dashboards</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<!--END infocaptor_embed--></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-56825334424833750182014-12-21T16:25:00.001-08:002014-12-21T16:26:05.102-08:00Governance and Economics and Complex SystemsI recently read a paper by Elinor Ostrom, who won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2009. <a href="http://bnp.binghamton.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Ostrom-2010-Polycentric-Governance.pdf">Beyond Markets and States: Polycentric Governance of Complex Economic Systems</a> (2010) presents an overview of the study of polycentric governance and the roadmap for future studies that are probably currently underway. It can be thought of as a very substantive refinement of economics, where the units of study are groups of individuals who seek to manage public goods. Sometimes they cooperate effectively, to provide services such as access to water to a city, while other times competition can lead to chaos. Many situations and conditions can lead to more cooperation where the determining factor is whether the situation builds up trust or breaks it down. I was personally excited that Ostrom referenced Kenneth Arrow as one of the first economists to discuss the importance of trust.<br />
<br />
I was very glad to have read this paper. I really think all economists, especially those who then go into policy-making really should be familiar with the work on polycentric governance.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.shareable.net/sites/default/files/blog/top-image/elinor_ostrom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.shareable.net/sites/default/files/blog/top-image/elinor_ostrom.jpg" height="145" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
A similar, perhaps parallel, topic is complexity in interconnected systems. In an interconnected system, such as the economy, identifying the key decision-makers and their networks can be enlightening. The rules governing the system may also lead to some decision-makers to have out-sized influence, leading to outcomes that no one necessarily plans out meticulously but are nevertheless inevitable. I am still not clear on what discipline(s) this work is emerging in, but I'm definitely excited to learn more.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="https://embed-ssl.ted.com/talks/james_b_glattfelder_who_controls_the_world.html" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-79671185197773856342014-11-28T17:28:00.000-08:002014-11-28T17:29:45.563-08:00Conan RehearsalsThis is my latest round of favorite Conan videos!<br />
<br />
Messing around.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gsMCMtGI7Ds" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/66N2aPFxPo4" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
Mistakes are funny.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/fj-5YQw4Zf4" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/m8OSxyyQM7Q" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/F0ZEiNeI8dw" width="560"></iframe>mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-67571326177740656052014-10-18T15:18:00.000-07:002014-10-18T15:22:48.869-07:00Phun with Phake Photoshop (Paint.net)I was designing my own business cards yesterday, and so I was changing the colors of the UC Berkeley logo. Yeah I know it's kind of stupid because the whole point is that the logo is in the school colors. But...I mean...damn the man or something, right?
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8fLL7dUBPETSXchsUdHTT7WSkIHKRC8QlO18yuUVKIxNHP5FOgizoA0JbgLfptd3WUsOzzBOx8WAegNp7mzrJpMe-S7AD_MxW9i_V9iJAb4BbmJZE9FDOvN7CRaQtEhvDxNyaRCuGgSP/s1600/Seal_of_University_of_California,_Berkeley+candy2.png" height="150" />
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMyl_fZ1n_XzqPVFOdJXQ4rf7rb7Q7YdhDMoJV2DQOzn1CmXPZGtVzh7sen9bb5_TTOyIJ-4dfoe2WJoCjHaENbCTtGcRP3Hts2aqmlwTeR-qidnCgrB5sqiR_ajDpqTHre9V3FnfMoOwd/s1600/Seal_of_University_of_California,_Berkeley+candy.png" height="150" />
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlOF2GqidlzfFabr4BvqW8y4OOxtdrlF5NorDbFtFs6y5tyyRmxQNRQd2s5C4Jq7RJh4o-4AmvlqQUhCE6PgK0nDjlm58ivC3mR8WnmRjn-f0mHTgnvF9MjdBcugoU_d0kQku0nY9-8UY/s1600/Seal_of_University_of_California,_Berkeley+grey.png" height="150" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigffShc4pPVtaf-bp-HZjcTY7vgzg84WUnpSlyNpxC_OH9nO-0Mr1C54RzKmqvoQaHcskyrSJzmP9o6Ucc-3U-lgxJyXxOPTRstFio8ZbX1z433Sf1IBc6cMtBlZk-X9YIbenjrbaXUfOP/s1600/Seal_of_University_of_California,_Berkeley+maroon.png" height="150" />
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibK3Slye48VwuHbwIzF2MNSymb5n9w0-0qP4VhcXPzb9U62K3xHXYIUwpwPWrrGEvoG-XSNs1tB3R3Qr21lAeLwNobqp4nngI_2lL9d8z4zkSekew1kJYm4Hn0_lUe7LKy6an8ilSJn2uR/s1600/Seal_of_University_of_California,_Berkeley.svg.png" height="150" /></div>
mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-68316199576085335352014-10-18T14:53:00.001-07:002014-10-18T14:55:41.481-07:00My Little Poster: Improving Metrics for Corporate Emissions InitiativesI presented a poster on Thursday night for the BERC Innovation Expo, which is an event at the annual Energy Conference at UC Berkeley!<br />
<br />
Here it is! I had many stimulating conversations with people about it, which was pretty exciting.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkB2-mWXK_-puBu7dmGr-u1voj1ZKcymeIxTiTiYeENdADF4sSjZbFG2FbanjLxHJN0UpNXB72AOmqCVwpEfq2P5SLDGhEikOo7Wk5WC-yRi3DUsFQGVf810-pA2NbnB1B7DRYCQevETFl/s1600/Yang+Ruan+Better+Metrics.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkB2-mWXK_-puBu7dmGr-u1voj1ZKcymeIxTiTiYeENdADF4sSjZbFG2FbanjLxHJN0UpNXB72AOmqCVwpEfq2P5SLDGhEikOo7Wk5WC-yRi3DUsFQGVf810-pA2NbnB1B7DRYCQevETFl/s1600/Yang+Ruan+Better+Metrics.png" width="600" /></a></div>
mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-81327933949691032132014-09-22T13:14:00.002-07:002014-09-22T13:15:40.866-07:00Racial Profiling, Probability, and StereotypesI made a simple webpage this weekend to demonstrate how stereotypes can be self-reinforcing. For me it was an exercise in making a kind of infographic. It's not exactly an infographic since I don't actually use any real data. It's more about learning the relationship between mental models and outcomes, which I think of as the "underlying system."<br />
<br />
<a href="http://mirthbottle.github.io/rprofiling/">http://mirthbottle.github.io/rprofiling/</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisi1CoiMRgjCbGXBE0OYa64d8-uBA48q1ToZD0fVzYOhdWJv5efbqafoMQRq69AJyKTmATSC7bIHXNeqxkiu5-s4jIjFCekNPweDeVO1tS0xNc1BOFFvnQd6NP6uYPMiM1FVWZoPydBFXu/s1600/rprofiling_demo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisi1CoiMRgjCbGXBE0OYa64d8-uBA48q1ToZD0fVzYOhdWJv5efbqafoMQRq69AJyKTmATSC7bIHXNeqxkiu5-s4jIjFCekNPweDeVO1tS0xNc1BOFFvnQd6NP6uYPMiM1FVWZoPydBFXu/s1600/rprofiling_demo.png" height="70" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I would like to add some "exercises" at some point to guide people in playing with the assumptions.<br />
<br />
I would also like to link to statistics and studies about racial profiling. I didn't start with those because I believe that understanding the underlying system is a prerequisite for understanding empirical studies.mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343551874020017258.post-8165142580663838242014-09-11T15:42:00.001-07:002014-09-11T15:54:27.418-07:00Debate About Fairness of the Stock MarketThrowdown!<br />
<br />
It's Brad Katsuyama, the founder of IEX, a new exchange that touts itself as being more fair for investors. Michael Lewis joins him in defending what he wrote in Flash Boys. On the attack on behalf of HFT is Bill O'Brien, then president of the BATS exchange.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/RcpmHyPD_PY" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
Since the debate, the BATS exchange had to issue a statement correcting something O'Brien said, and O'Brien has gotten fired.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2014-07-22/bats-global-president-william-obrien-exits?ea9c8a2de0ee111045601ab04d673622">http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2014-07-22/bats-global-president-william-obrien-exits?ea9c8a2de0ee111045601ab04d673622</a><br />
<br />mirthbottlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815967639731010178noreply@blogger.com0