Data Science articles from March 2022

“The commercial applications for geospatial data seem endless” which is why “the volume of commercial contracts is edging out the defense, intelligence, and civil contracts”

Why geospatial data and cloud storage are inseparable in modern tech

Information Theory basics for machine learning & deep learning

The 13 best online data analytics certifications for 2022

Why renewed solar storms threaten to destroy more satellites

Elon Musk's low orbit Starlink satellite system allowing Ukrainian drones to pound Putin's tanks

China develops laser weapon that could destroy satellites in space

The US government is warning of “possible threats” to satellite communication networks following recent attacks on satellite networks in Europe sparked by the war in Ukraine

What is overfitting in machine learning & how can it be prevented?

The benefits of AI are concentrated in areas where data is available. Synthetic data promises to fill the gaps

Future of Space: Propelled by Data, Driven by Demand

Machine learning technique help researchers predict state violence in Africa

While current state-of-the-art large language models are not publicly available a new open-source AI code generator is said to be is “very good” at writing in C

The Russia-Ukraine conflict is the first major war in which commercially available satellite imagery may play a big role. If a US commercial entity provides actionable intelligence to a foreign government—would Russia be justified in attacking the satellite?

Private companies are releasing images that once were seen only by intelligence agencies— how commercial satellites are affecting the Russia-Ukraine conflict

A work-around for a machine learning limitation: adding more entanglement to quantum machine learning can lead to exponential scale-up

The diff betw a business intelligence analyst and a real data scientist

The NRO’s challenge of folding in commercial technology into existing systems including risks for

Both government systems & private sector innovation

The next two to four years could finally see the start of broad-scale deployment of lasers to communicate data from satellites in military and commercial constellations

The complete collection of data science cheat sheets

North Korea says it tested cameras for spy satellite

Puzzles and Positive Moods

Puzzle-solving is such an ancient, universal practice, scholars say, precisely because it depends on creative insight, on the primitive spark that ignited the first campfires.

And now, modern neuroscientists are beginning to tap its source. 

Researchers at Northwestern University found that people were more likely to solve word puzzles with sudden insight when they were amused, having just seen a short comedy routine. 

“What we think is happening,” said Mark Beeman, a neuroscientist who conducted the study with Karuna Subramaniam, a graduate student, “is that the humor, this positive mood, is lowering the brain’s threshold for detecting weaker or more remote connections” to solve puzzles. 

Marcel Danesi, a professor of anthropology at the University of Toronto (says) “It’s all about you, using your own mind, without any method or schema, to restore order from chaos. And once you have, you can sit back and say, ‘Hey, the rest of my life may be a disaster, but at least I have a solution.’ ” 

Researchers at the University of Toronto found that the visual areas in people in positive moods picked up more background detail, even when they were instructed to block out distracting information during a computer task.

The findings fit with dozens of experiments linking positive moods to better creative problem-solving. “The implication is that positive mood engages this broad, diffuse attentional state that is both perceptual and visual,” said Dr. Anderson. “You’re not only thinking more broadly, you’re literally seeing more. The two systems are working in parallel.”

Benedict Carey writing in the New York Times

4 Ways to tell if your Relationship will Survive

John Gottman runs Seattle’s Love Lab. He believes he can accurately predict which couples stay together based on his lab studies, and his guesses largely revolves around supportive/destructive comments.  So destructive is the effect of certain behaviors on marital happiness, in fact, that he calls these behaviors The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  The first horseman is criticism: "attacking someone's personality or character" rather than making some specific complaint about his or her behavior. The difference between saying, say, "I wish you had taken care of that bill" (a healthy and specific complaint) and "You never get the bills paid on time!" (a generalizing and blaming attack) is very significant to the listener. Criticism often engenders criticism in return and sets the stage for the second horseman: contempt. 

"What separates contempt from criticism," explains Gottman, "is the intention to insult and psychologically abuse your partner." Negative thoughts about the other come out in subtle put-downs, hostile jokes, mocking facial expressions, and name-calling ("You are such an idiot around money"). By now the positive qualities that attracted you to this person seem long ago and far away, and instead of trying to build intimacy, you're ushering in the third horseman. 

Defensiveness comes on the heels of contempt as a seemingly reasonable response to attack -- but it only makes things worse. By denying responsibility, making excuses, whining, tossing back counter-attacks, and other strategies ("How come I'm the one who always pays the bills?!"), you just accelerate your speed down river. 

Once stonewalling (the fourth horseman) shows up, things are looking bleak. Stonewallers simply stop communicating, refusing to respond even in self-defense. Of course, all these "horsemen" drop in on couples once in a while. But when a partner habitually shuts down and withdraws, the final rapids of negativity can quickly propel the marriage through whirlpools of hopelessness, isolation, and loneliness.

The bottom line is that flooding is physically uncomfortable, and stonewalling becomes an attempt to escape that discomfort. When flooding becomes chronic, stonewalling can become chronic, too. Eighty-five percent of the time the stonewaller (among heterosexual couples) is the man.  Though flooding happens to both men and women, it affects men more quickly, more intensely, and for a longer period of time.

Repair attempts are a way of talking about how you're communicating with each other. "Can we please stay on the subject?" "That was a rude thing to say." "We're not talking about your father!" "I don't think you're listening to me." Such statements, even when delivered in a grouchy or complaining tone, are efforts to interrupt the cycle of criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling and to bring the conversation back on track. 

"In stable relationships," explains Gottman, "the other person will respond favorably: 'Alright, alright. Finish.' The agreement isn't made very nicely. But it does stop the person. They listen, they accept the repair attempt, and they actually change" the way they're relating. Repair attempts are "really critical," says Gottman, because "everybody screws up. Everybody gets irritated, defensive, contemptuous. People insult one another," especially their spouses. Repair attempts are a way of saying "we've got to fix this before it slides any deeper into the morass." Even people in bad marriages make repair attempts; the problem is, they get ignored. 

Training people to receive repair attempts favorably -- even in the middle of a heated argument -- is one of the new frontiers in relationship therapy. According to Gottman, "Even when things are going badly, you've got to focus not on the negativity but on the repair attempt. That's what couples do in happy marriages."  

Alan Atkisson writing in the New Age Journal (Sept/Oct 1994 issue)

Love is judicious

Love is not simply giving; it is judicious giving and judicious withholding as well. It is judicious praising and judicious criticizing. It is judicious arguing, struggling, confronting, urging, pushing and pulling in addition to comforting. It is leadership. The word “judicious” means requiring judgment, and judgment requires more than instinct; it requires thoughtful and often painful decision-making.

M Scott Peck, The Road Less Traveled

The last of the human freedoms

We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way. –Viktor Frankl (born March 26, 1905)

It was so much fun!

When Albert A. Michelson, the first person in the United States to win a Nobel prize in science, was asked at the end of his life why he had devoted so much of his time to measuring the velocity of light, he is said to have replied, “It was so much fun.’ And lest we forget, Einstein wrote his most influential papers while working as a clerk in the Swiss Patent Office. These and the many other great scientists one could easily mention were not handicapped in their thinking because they were not “professionals” in their field, recognized figures with sources of legitimate support. They simply did what they enjoyed doing.

Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, Flow

Helping Others Develop

The purposes of the group are best served when the leader helps followers to develop their own initiative, strengthens them and the use of their own judgment, enables them to grow, and to become better contributors. -John W. Gardner

The secret to happy workplaces

The secret to happy workplaces isn’t spending more money. It’s about creating the conditions that allow employees to do their best work. -Ron Friedman

Tuesday Tech Tools: 91 Audio tools for podcasts, recording, editing, etc.

Below are 33 standout tools. See all 91 here.

Anchor*
An app for recording and editing. Originally intended to be a platform for short-form audio snippets ("Snapchat" for audio) with content disappearing after 24 hours. But the podcasts published from your phone to Apple, Spotify, or Google will remain available. Record up to four guests on a single call, trim and edit tracks, and add music, all within the app. Owned by Spotify. Free.

Audacity*
Audio editing software. Free and open source.

Audio Hijack*
Record video conferences on your Mac with this long-time favorite. It can record from designated applications, or simply record any system sound coming through your computer. Total Recorder does the same thing for Windows.

AudioNote*
Searching for a section of audio corresponding to a note is easy to find.  The recording time is insertedat the beginning of each line oftext. $9.99.

Adobe Audition*
Audio editing program.  Formerly Cool Edit Pro.  $349 but it can be purchased as part of Creative Suite.

Avid Pro Tools*
An industry-standard, studio-grade audio editing tool. $699 for the base version.

Cogi*
Mobile app to record meetings, interviews. Records and sincs audio (from news conferences, for instance) with typing so you can find quotes easier. Allows for tags and annotations. Always recording so picks up the 15 secs before you turn on recording.  Enables recording calls, highlighting key parts of the conversation, and transcription.  Free. $5 for more features.

Evernote*
Access notes on any computer, tablet or phone. Search function lets you find a note in either text or audio format. Free for iOS and Android. For more options there is Evernote Plus $2.99 a month, while Premium is $5.80 per month.

Google Docs Voice Typing*
This free Google Docs tool under the drop-down menu for 'tools', (the 'voice typing’ icon) will transcribe your dictation or the audio you are playing in real time.

Hindenburg Journalist*
A multitrack audio editor designed for podcasters, audio producers and radio journalists. The design and features are tailored spoken-word productions. Set markers and add notes as you record interviews with uncompressed sound to give you the best audio quality. Drag any audio file into Hindenburg and start editing. There are some great features. However, there are also some limitations (read more here) which makes other options more attractive. Overpriced at $95 and $375 for the pro version.

iRig Handheld Mic*
A handheld microphone with a built-in headphone socket allowing users to monitor audio and control levels when paired with the iRig Recorder app. $69.99.

iRig Mic Studio*
Professional studio mic that comes with many adaptors including a lightning port plug so it will work with the iPhone 7 (which is it smaller than). Includes gain control, level indicator, and headphone output (with its own level control).  Tripod stand included. $129.99.

iRig Pre*
A preamp which allows you to plug your quality mic into an your iOS device. It takes an XLR input and turns it into a 3.5mm jack. A built in headphone socket allowing users to monitor audio when paired with the iRig Recorder app, which also gives audio control levels. Very simple to use. Uses 9-volt battery. $39.99. If you want better sound quality, and control, try the iRig Pro or even better theiRig Pro Duo.

iRig Pro Duo*
User can plug two XLR microphones into an iPhone through the lightning port. You and the person you are interviewing can be mic’ed with separate gains. A headphone port allows you to monitor the audio. Uses two AA batteries so it does not draw power from your iPhone. $199.95.

Libsyn*
Podcast Hosting Services. Starting at $5 a month.

Mixlr*
Live internet audio app. Share in social media, text with listeners, embed player on your website. Free.

Otto.ai*
Automated transcription app. A favorite among journalists. Turns a couple hours of audio into a reasonable written transcript often in a matter of minutes. Free..

Rev Voice Recorder*
Quality voice recorder and editor for both iPhone and Android. Includes Dropbox and Evernote integration. Free but voice-to-text human transcriptions in 12-hours for $1 a minute.

Rode i-XLR*
A broadcast quality XLR adaptor that lets you connect it to the lightning port of the iPhone. The cable is about 10 feet long in order to reach an interview subject. You can adjust the headphone volume but there is no preamp or gain control. $149.

Shotgun Mic*
Popular RodeVMGO Video Mic GO Lightweight On-Camera Microphone SuperCardiod. Lightweight directional microphone. Adaptor and extension cord needed as well for it to work with a iPhone 7.  $99.

Send Anywhere*
A free file transfer app (iOS and Android) for images, video, audio and text. Share up to 10GB per transfer, Your recipient uses an URL to access and download the files from the cloud.

SlideShare*
Popular resentation tool owned by LinkedIn. Use documents, PDFs and video to create webinars, audio presentations, for online lectures etc. Solid analytics for free. Watch a slide show about SlideShare here.

SoundCloud*
Post your audio here and then link to it from your blog or embed it into your blog. Limited space free, more for a fee.

Steller*
Create photo and video stories on an iPhone with an emphasis on mobile design. Create collections and share on social networks. Free. Sample.

Shure Mic for iOS*
Shure MV88 Digital Stereo Condenser Microphone for iOS. Stereo and mono options. Small and portable, it plugs directly into the iPhone’s Lightning Port. A 90-degree hinge allows you to adjust it to different angles to capture the best sound. Comes with an app that controls the gain, EQ, and stereo width. $129.

TapeACall*
Record cell phone calls and export the audio for editing, to email or upload to Google Drive or Dropbox. IoS and Android. Dial the TapeACall line, then dial the person you want to talk to, and merge the two calls into a conference. The recording is saved on the app. $24.99 a year. Watch a video here.

Temi*
Speech to text transcription in 5 minutes Advanced speech recognition software. 10 cents a minute.

Transom*
All things audio. A performance space, editorial session, an audition stage, a library, and a hangout. How to guides for podcast beginners.

VoiceBase*
Transcribes audio to text.

VideoMic ME*
Compact and lightweight, directional microphone for smartphones. Adaptor and extension cord needed.

Voice Record Pro*
Professional voice recorder that saves high quality WAV files. Available for both iOS and Android but more features in the iOS version including an automatic transcription tool. Record audio from events, voice memos and on-site sounds at unlimited length, add markers, share or upload. While it is not an audio editing app, you can trim the beginning and end of your recordings. Short tutorial here.An explanation for journalists here. Free though the paid version ($6.99) has no ads.

WeTransfer*
A file transfer service, Dropbox has more options for the price. WeTransfer is free for individual users, but $12 for companies needing more.

Zoom iQ7 Mic*
This compact condenser mic is portable. Can be set to record a source from the front with or without the surrounding ambiance from the sides. $99.

More audio tech tools here.

When Loyalty at Work Becomes Harmful

Numerous examples and research show that overly loyal people are more likely to participate in unethical acts to keep their jobs and are also more likely to be exploited by their employer. These could manifest as being asked to work unreasonable hours or on projects or assignments unrelated to your role, or keeping things under wraps because it is in the company’s (read: family) best interest. We’re all in this together, so you have to play your part, right?

Studies show that employees who operate within a “familial culture” often fail to report any wrongdoing when they feel closer ties to the perpetrator. Feelings of fear the damage might cause to the perpetrator keep fellow employees quiet and complicit.

Joshua A. Luna, writing in the Harvard Business Review

Going with your Gut

Your feelings are a very important tool in understanding the world. Your unconscious mind does a lot of mental calculations that are more complex than your conscious mind is able to do. It can handle more information. That’s what comes back to your brain in gut feelings, hunches and intuitions. Those aren’t from nowhere. They're the result of complex calculations your brain did on an unconscious level, in conjunction with emotion. 

Leonard Mlodinow, quoted in GQ

Someone else’s umbrella

Most of us want a dictator—albeit a benevolent one—so we can pass the buck, so we can say, "You made me do that. It’s not my fault." But we can’t spend our lives hanging out under someone else’s umbrella and then complain that we’re getting wet. 

Auschwitz survivor Edith Eva Eger in her book The Choice

The problem with the world

The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence. -Charles Bukowski

Productivity struggles

E.B. White once wrote: “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve (or save) the world and a desire to enjoy (or savor) the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” But in my research, I’ve found that productive people don’t agonize about which desire to pursue. They go after both simultaneously, gravitating toward projects that are personally interesting and socially meaningful.

Often our productivity struggles are caused not by a lack of efficiency, but a lack of motivation. Productivity isn’t a virtue. It’s a means to an end. It’s only virtuous if the end is worthy. If productivity is your goal, you have to rely on willpower to push yourself to get a task done. If you pay attention to why you’re excited about the project and who will benefit from it, you’ll be naturally pulled into it by intrinsic motivation.

Adam Grant, writing in the New York Times

Like Smoke

Anger is like smoke. You have to get at what’s feeding the fire. -Gail Cornwall 

Venting reinforces negative emotions

Think of our brain circuitry like hiking trails. The ones that get a lot of traffic get smoother and wider, with brush stomped down and pushed back. The neural pathways that sit fallow grow over, becoming less likely to be used. Kindergarten teachers are thus spot on when they say, “The thoughts you water are the ones that grow.” This is also true for emotions, like resentment, and the ways we respond to them, like venting. The more we vent, the more likely we are to vent in the future. 

Gail Cornwall & Juli Fraga writing in Slate

Success & Value

Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value. -Albert Einstein (born March 14, 1879)

The process of self-discovery

The process of self-discovery requires an undoing of the self-knowledge that you assume you already have. Becoming is the ongoing process of losing yourself and finding yourself. -John Kaag

Burnout

I know the signs of burnout. It’s not like one morning you wake up, and you’re burnt. You’re noticing more emotional exhaustion. You’re noticing what researchers call depersonalization. You get annoyed with people more quickly. You immediately assume someone’s intentions are bad. You start feeling ineffective. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t noticing those things in myself. I can’t be telling my students, “Oh, take time off if you’re overwhelmed” if I’m ignoring those signals. You can’t just power through and wish things weren’t happening. 

Yale cognitive scientist Laurie Santos, quoted in the New York Times

Lasting Happiness

Researchers have found that the happiness produced by acquiring material things such as cars, jewelry, and gadgets decreases over time. By contrast, the satisfaction associated with experiential purchases— like vacationing with a spouse or attending a sporting event with friends—increases as time moves forward, in part because we seldom do things alone. Elizabeth Dunn, a professor of who studies happiness says, “Going to a concert, taking a trip, any unique experience that is very special can make us feel more connected to people we love.” 

March, 2022, Atlantic Magazine