Plagiarism

• Tagged ethics, honesty, musings, and plagiarism

I could care less about the politics, but it’s interesting to see that a congresswoman was caught “plagiarizing” (“borrowing” or “incorporating” if you want to play the pronoun game) in a newspaper column via “a program that monitors high school and college student papers for acts of copying and forgery”. (via ThinkProgress.org)

I didn’t realize that people were using things like Turn It In for non-schoolwork.

Not that I’d want to cite Johnny 10th Grader, but I wonder if their algorithm/database would work for looking for references (which then you could *properly* cite).

Toe straighteners

• Tagged advertisement and weird

With our single, double or triple Toe Straighteners, you can align overlapping, crooked or hammertoes with gentle, constant pressure. From Colonial Medical (via a gmail contextual ad for probably “step on any toes” in an email)

Thesaurus computations

• Tagged thesaurus

Today I just started computing the relations between groups. It’s been chugging along on my local machine for about 8 hours now, I’m 1% complete and have a table with 5 million entries (at 210mb).

If a word is shared between two groups, it forms an edge between those two groups. I’m storing that edge as the two group ids and the “overlap” value (the number of words shared between those two groups).

My algorithm is iterating through every word, finding the groups that the word is a part of, and creating an edge between them—computing overlap as it goes. I expect the rate to fall off as duplicate edges are thrown out…. but we’ll see.

Tee

• Tagged help, programming, and unix

tee is a Unix command that displays the output of a program and copies it into a file. lint program.c | tee program.lint

Pasta dough recipe

• Tagged cooking, flour, and recipe

1 cup flour (I’ve been using white whole wheat)

1 egg

~2tbps cool water

  1. Mix flour and egg, adding water until flour is just moistened and sticks together

  2. Let rest for 5 minutes

  3. Knead the dough for 2 minutes. Or you can do it for 10 minutes; more kneading means better developed gluten and a “smoother” noodle.

  4. Let rest 10 minutes

  5. Roll out or whatever

(adapted from a cooks.com recipe

Hemp milk

• Tagged alternative, food, milk, and vegetarian

Info on Hemp Milk.

I just bought some of this (Manitoba Harvest brand, the chocolate kind) at Whole Foods. It’s not soy milk, but I’m not sure if it’s any better. I kind’ve got a bit of a choke in the back of my throat on the first sip, though after that it was pretty smooth.

Fears of death

• Tagged mortality, musings, and research

Thoughts of mortality make people entrench their beliefs. (via boingboing). It also makes people act in ways that boost their self-esteem, which, importantly, affects their consumer behavior (via google).

These seem to both be domestic studies. I wonder how the US compares internationally in “mortality awareness”. (I’m guessing pretty low).

Verb to do

• Tagged meaning, word usage, and writing

A great list of functional verbs for writing resumes or their reverse situational equivalent: job descriptions. (via Google)

ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION VERBS

advise Offer an informed opinion or give specialized information to others.
adapt Modify or change to fit specific or new situations.
administer Manage or direct. (Generally requires some additional explanation to show specific detail.) See manage.
appoint To set officially, arrange.
approve Exercise final and decisive authority, causing action to use money, manpower, materials, or equipment.
arrange To make preparations for, to plan.
authorize Approve or commit an act implying subsequent action by others.
consult Consider, asking advice or requesting opinion of.
control Direct, regulate, or guide the use of money, methods, equipment, and materials. Also, the process of monitoring activities to ensure conformance with planned results.
coordinate Regulate, adjust or direct the related actions of others in order to attain desired results.
decide To select a course of action.
delegate Entrust to another person tasks or duties which require exercise of some of the authority of the person originally responsible, as “To delegate an administrative assistant to represent the department at conferences.”
determine To fix conclusively, regulate. To decide by choice of alternatives.
direct Govern or control work operations by establishing the implementing objectives, practices and methods.
enforce To effect or gain by force. To carry out effectively.
establish To institute permanently by enactment or agreement.
execute Put into effect or carry out methods, plans, etc.
initiate Set going or introduce.
manage Plan, organize, direct, control, and evaluate operation of an organizational unit, with responsibility for the output.
order Arrange or command to come to a specified place or decision.
organize To set up an administrative structure for. To arrange by systematic planning and united effort.
plan To design or plot a scheme or project by means or method devised for doing something to achieve an end.
reject To refuse to accept, consider or submit to.
require To ask for by right and authority, request.
review Consider or examine facts or results for accuracy, completeness and suitability.
supervise Personally oversee or control work performance and conduct of others, where there is opportunity for control or inspection of work performed.
train Teach, demonstrate, or guide others in the performance of assigned work.
   

PUSH ALONG VERBS

activate Set up or formally introduce with necessary personnel or equipment.
encourage Give help, inspire or pay patronage to.
expediate Accelerate the process or progress of a plan, idea.
further Promote or advance.
implement Carry out or fulfill by taking action.
maintain Keep in satisfactory condition.
motivate Provide incentive or drive.
   

STOP VERBS

check To proof or review for errors.
delete Eliminate or wipe out.
prevent Keep from happening or holding back.
return Go back in thought or action. Give an official account to a superior.
stop Keep from carrying out a proposed action.
   

HELPER VERBS

advise Offer an informed opinion or give specialized information to others.
aid Provide with what is useful or necessary for achieving an end.
cooperate Act jointly with others. Act or work with others to obtain a mutual benefit.
counsel Advise or consult.
explain Make plain or understandable.
guide Direct, supervise, influence or superintend the training of people.
instruct Teach, demonstrate, or by other methods impart knowledge to others. Direct that a specific activity be performed, may include directing how it is to be performed.
participate To take part or have a share in a project, group.
protect Maintain status or integrity of project, idea.
serve Comply with the commands and demands of a boss, group.
show Propose or mention an idea as workable or desirable.
suggest ?
   

GET & GIVE VERBS

accept Give admittance or approval to.
accumulate Increase gradually in quantity or number.
acquire Come into possession or control of an item or items.
arrange for To make preparations for, to plan.
buy Acquire possession, ownership or rights to the use of services, items.
collect Gather or exact information or materials from a number of persons or sources.
compile Put together information or assemble data in a new form.
deliver Send or bring a desired object.
distribute Deliver or hand out to several or many.
exchange Give and receive reciprocally.
forward Send goods or information onward.
furnish Provide or equip with what is needed.
gather Bring together or collect parts of a group.
get Obtain or receive.
give Grant or yield to another.
inform Communicate knowledge to others.
inquire Ask or search into.
issue Make available through distribution.
keep Preserve or maintain in a good and orderly condition.
mail To send by the postal service.
notify Give notice or a report on an occurrence or information.
obtain Gain or possess.
pick up ?
procure Get possession or obtain by particular care and effort.
provide To supply support to meet a need, make available.
pull Demand or obtain advantage by use of exertion or influence.
purchase Gain or acquire by labor, money.
recall Call back or cancel.
receive Come into possession of or acquire an item, idea.
recruit Increase numbers of a group or bring in new members.
render Deliver or hand down.
report Give an account or make a written summary or statement.
secure Put beyond hazard or receive lasting control.
sell Give up property in exchange for money.
send Deliver or dispatch as means of communication or delivery.
solicit To make a petition or request for services, money.
submit Yield or surrender to authority.
supply Make materials available for use.
take Get or seize into possession.
transfer Pass over from one person to another.
withdraw Back away or remove.
   

CREATIVE VERBS

create Produce through imaginative skill.
design Create or fashion a plan or idea.
develop Disclose, discover, perfect, or unfold a plan or idea, in detail, gradually. Implies study and/or experiment unless otherwise stated. When used as “to develop subordinates”, see train.
devise Form in the mind by combinations of ideas, new applications of principles, or new arrangement of parts.
establish To institute permanently by enactment or agreement.
estimate Forecast future quantities, values, sizes, extents, etc., either on the basis of judgment or calculations. Frequently, estimating is shared with others, in which case it is more precise to use “estimate” as a noun, and to state the job’s function in relation thereto, i.e., originates, analyzes, endorses, approves, etc., estimates of…
forecast Predict future events based on specified assumptions.
formulate Put into a systemized expression or statement.
iniyiate Set going or introduce.
install To set up for use.
originate Begin or initiate.
plan To design or plot a scheme or project by means or method devised for doing something to achieve an end.
project Plan, figure, or estimate for the future.
schedule Appoint a fixed time.
   

APPRAISE/STUDY VERBS

analyze Identify the elements of a whole and critically examine and relate these component parts separately and/or in relation to the whole.
appraise Judge as to quality; compare critically with established standards.
ascertain Find out or learn with certainty.
check To proof or review for errors.
compare To examine characteristics to discover similarities or differences.
consider To observe or think about with regard to taking some action.
criticize To evaluate and judge merits or faults.
develop Disclose, discover, perfect, or unfold a plan or idea, in detail, gradually. Implies study and/or experiment unless otherwise stated. When used as “to develop subordinates”, see train.
evaluate Appraise, to determine value, condition, significance or worth.
examine Investigate in order to determine progress, fitness or knowledge.
forecast Predict future events based on specified assumptions.
identify The act of proving identity.
inspect Examine materials, equipment, reports, work, etc., to determine quality, suitability for use, etc.
interpret Explain to others (orally or in writing) the meaning or significance of something.
interview Obtain information through questioning.
investigate Uncover facts by systematically finding them, conducting a search, and examining various sources.
measure Control or regulate by a standard or in measured amounts.
plan To design or plot a scheme or project by means or method devised for doing something to achieve an end.
rate Estimate or determine the relative value, rank, or amount of an item.
research Specific inquiry involving prolonged and critical investigation, having for its aim the study of new facts and their interpretation, the revision of accepted conclusions or theories that may be affected by newly discovered factors, or the practical application of such new or revised conclusions. Example: Technical research to develop new products for the company.
resolve Deal with a problem, dilemma successfully.
review Consider or examine facts or results for accuracy, completeness and suitability.
solve Find a solution, answer, or explanation for a question or problem.
study Apply thought to any subject of investigation in order to arrive at the most suitable conclusion.
summarize To tell and reduce a story, idea.
survey Examine a condition, situation or value.
test Assign a value or evaluate an item by a given test.
weigh Merit consideration as to importance.
   

CONTROL VERBS

allocate Assign or apportion for a specific purpose or to a particular person.
audit Perform a formal examination into a company’s formal accounts.
check To proof or review for errors.
conserve Slow or block the progress of something
control Direct, regulate, or guide the use of money, methods, equipment, and materials. Also, the process of monitoring activities to ensure conformance with planned results.
edit Alter, adapt or refine a written text, concept, or idea.
enforce To effect or gain by force. To carry out effectively.
ensure Make sure, certain, or safe.
guarantee Undertake to answer for debt and default or promise security.
inspect Examine materials, equipment, reports, work, etc., to determine quality, suitability for use, etc.
regulate Fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate.
restrict Place under restriction as to use or distribution.
review Consider or examine facts or results for accuracy, completeness and suitability.
verify Confirm or substantiate by oath, law, or other documentation.

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Trustworthiness

• Tagged algorithm, trust, and wikipedia

Just saw this demo of an algorithm that rates the trustworthiness of Wikipedia articles. It computes the “trust” of authors by how long their edits stick around, then applies that to articles. (via Slashdot)

I wonder how it works on entries that are intentionally misleading, like the entry on Discordianism.