Very superstitious

Automatic trading algorithms are important elements of the financial industry. Their very existence raises issues. In addition, there are issues of robustness and the empirical support for the data they use to make decisions.

Shing Tat Chung created an automatic trading algorithm that makes its decisions based on a variety of superstitions: Continue reading “Very superstitious”

Why can’t I have nice things?

When my dad was a young man, he had Star Trek. His generation grew up, got jobs, got wealth, power. The entertainment industry said, “We would like some of your wealth, your power. In exchange, we shall give you Star Trek: The Next Generation and a pretty decent JJ Abrams reboot.”

When I was a young man, I had Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Knight Rider. My generation grew up, got jobs, got wealth, power. The entertainment industry said, “We would like some of your wealth, your power. Because we know it is about the franchise name, not quality, we shall, in exchange, give you The Phantom Menace, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and Ford Mustang advertisement masquerading as a new Knight Rider series.”
It is true. For the first time in decades, we have a generation that is worse off than their parents.
Let’s finish ruining my childhood memories and reboot Airwolf (#rebootAirwolf). Pretty please?

xkcd: Clinically Studied Ingredient

xkcd by Randall Munroe

Hitting the bottle

After listening to Chris Hardwick, Jonah Rey, and Matt Mira interview Thomas Jane and his cat on The Nerdist Podcast, I felt like checking out the short Punisher red band fan flick made by Jane, who played the Punisher in 2004.

DO NOT WATCH if you are squeamish, at work, in the company of impressionable children, or have a wide variety of medical conditions.

Continue reading “Hitting the bottle”

Luke says, “Of course, Han shot first”

So says Mark Hamill. I was a huge fan of the original Star Wars trilogy (The Empire Strikes Back, thanks for asking). I am not a huge fan of the prequel trilogy* nor have I been happy with any of the tweaks George Lucas has made to the original films**. Neither is Mark Hamill. Continue reading “Luke says, “Of course, Han shot first””