Data Analysis in the Public Sector

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/24/nyregion/mayor-bloombergs-geek-squad.html?hp&_r=0

NYC mayor's geek squad uses Bayesian statistics for policymaking and enforcing existing policies.  I think it would be the kind of job I might want to do after I graduate, or at least the kind of role I'd like to play.

Actually I'm taking a class right now on Decision Analysis, where the data analysis described in the article is only one step of a decision analysis process.  I think it can provide a lot of good guidance on how to approach problems, although I don't think it has been used very much in the public sector.

I Don't Always Get Smashed...

but when I do I drink gin!  (yeah it only takes a shot...but then i can sober up in an hr!)

new fav gin is the Botanivore from St. George's Distillery.  actually my roommate laureli introduced us to St. George's Distillery in Alameda.  we went on a distillery tour, and they had us try this.  it's really really good to drink straight.  my friend says that the Terroir is even better if you like the aromatic botanicals, which i DO.

Party Invite

Alicia and I are throwing a dinner party next Wed, and I just made a little poster for it!  We used to be roommates, and we named it Fly House Fly.

Starting the Air Plant Collection

I first found out about airplants last year, and I thought that they were pretty cool, but I didn't think much of them.  Lately I've been seeing them around a lot, and I'm inspired to get more of them and stuff them into random containers.  It's just nice to have plants around the house, and plants that don't even need dirt seem like they could be easy enough for me...

Portrait of the Air Plant as a Young Plant

New Shoes!!!

From a consignment store near my house.
http://www.jamesrowlandshop.com/

Yippie Sensibilities

GG Boutique sells fancy plant things.  Before I could figure out what the name was, I called it "the terrarium place."  It's like mid-upscale hippie design, which is like yuppie + hippie = yippie!  Very Berkeley (or maybe NorCal in general).

I got some laminated flower petal earrings there.  They're by this person.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/IMPRESSEDbynature

http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/shopping/2012/featured-artist-kyla-impressed-by-nature/

I like 'em.

I just watched "The Breakfast Club" today.  In it, Alice says "When you grow up, your heart dies" because they all thought adults were heartless and apathetic.  I thought it was funny because I remember that sentiment, but now I feel that we were all so hormonal.  Now when I see kids I just think they're being insane.  Furthermore, I usually think that a lot of adults are insane and overly sensitive.  In high school we might have considered those same people "robotic" and "heartless."

I enjoyed it.  The movie shows that each person is really a good person at heart, and they would really all get along if the societal barriers (of high school) could be broken down.  It's just all a misunderstanding!  I don't know about all that, but it's true everyone is so focused on their own problems in high school, it's hard to imagine that other people might think you have it easy and that they just don't want to be friends because they think you couldn't relate to their problems.  Even when people accuse each other of being insecure, it doesn't come out of a place of understanding or empathy.  It's more like glee that someone else is insecure.  And actually...adults probably don't act that different, either.  We're just larger, uglier, more stubborn, and more apathetic about what other people think than we used to be.  

Whooo new layout!  I hope to resurrect this blog with updates on work, graduate school, art projects, and of course rants.

helpless but ANGRYY!!!

new drawing I did last night.  marker and pen

Discussion on Hazing

A recent Rolling Stones article on hazing has triggered a long discussion over old dorm lists about hazing and fraternities. This was my two cents.

The Stanford prison study shows how this behavior is motivated by
humans' primal nature and response to power. That doesn't explain,
though, why it gets perpetuated in fraternities.

In some sense, hazing activities are like extreme (X-TREME) ice
breakers, which gets people to form a bond based on seeing each other
do and say ridiculous things. All relationship building activities
work because of humans' primal nature, and most of the time there is
nothing wrong with that since we're social animals and we like to hang
out and be part of a group.

Perhaps hazing makes the bond even stronger, and the upside of a
strong bond for the individuals is that there are people out there who
are absolutely loyal to them personally, perhaps even die for them.
The benefits are clear in a military setting. But in general, when
you are in a bind, financial or otherwise, only your family is really
obligated to help you even if you haven't been that nice to them.
Fraternities increase the number of family you have. This is also why
people often start businesses with fraternity people, really close
friends, or family. Since you need to people who will stick with it
even when things seem like they will never get better, it's usually
best to work with people who are extremely loyal to you personally.
In this sense, there is a role for nepotism. I have found that your
personal trustworthiness is your most valuable commodity in the
workplace. Although it can seem extremely stupid to keep incompetent
but loyal people around, there are situations where a stupid person
who will really try their best can be more helpful than a smart person
who is trying to figure out how to get the most credit from the least
amount of work. Obviously you are most valuable as a trustworthy
competent person. I would say that the closer you get to
entrepreneurship, the more primal things get and the more important
relationship dynamics are. In large companies, they have had time and
resources to standardize things and create processes, like for hiring.
That's what human resources are for. Hiring is a time consuming
process so all companies prefer to hire a more known entity. While it
would be great to only hire competent people, honestly it's really
hard to figure out who is really competent and who is good at talking
without working with them for a bit.

Anyway, I think that the primal nature of the professional world,
especially in high risk high reward situations perpetuates things like
hazing. What can we do about it? Find other ways to teach more
valuable skills for those situations without hazing maybe? Increase
the profile of professional networks of living groups to compete?
Make hiring easier for small companies? Get more colleges to require
freshmen to live the first year on campus so people forms bonds
outside their fraternities?