This is the October 2014 edition of the Gwern.net newsletter; previously, September.
This is a collation of links and summary of major changes, overlapping with Changelog. Thanks to my donors on Gratipay.
Writings
QS:
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Redshift self-experiment: screen-reddening software shifts bedtime forward by 20 minutes
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LLLT re-analysis: no change in sleep as hypothesized by another LLLT user
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analysis of sceaduwe’s spirulina/allergies self-experiment (no reduction in allergies)
Media
Links
Genetics:
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Everything Is Heritable:
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Engineering:
- ["Growth, efficiency, and yield of commercial broilers from 1957, 1978, and 2005"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4988556/), Zuidhof et al 2014 ([media](https://www.vox.com/xpress/2014/10/2/6875031/chickens-breeding-farming-boilers-giant "Chickens have gotten ridiculously large since the 1950s")) - ["Korea's Sooam Biotech Is the World's First Animal Cloning Factory"](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-10-22/koreas-sooam-biotech-is-the-worlds-first-animal-cloning-factory)
Politics/religion:
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“The Hollow Men II: Some reflections on Westminster and Whitehall dysfunction”, Dominic Cummings
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“In Front of Your Nose”, 1946
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“Nothing in Moderation” (Worth remembering in discussions of the Middle East that even in the USA, the masses are deeply illiberal, pro-statist, against rights, and extremist.)
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“An Examination of Stereotype Threat Effects on Girls’ Mathematics Performance”, et al 2013
Statistics/AI/meta-science:
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“In half of the [placebo-controlled] studies, the results provide evidence against continued use of the investigated surgical procedures.” (media)
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“Intelligence Explosion Microeconomics”, Yudkowsky 201311ya (discussion)
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“How often does it happen that the oldest person alive dies?”
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“Is long-term calorie restriction in humans worth it?” (preliminary CALERIE results)
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“learnfun & playfun: A general technique for automating NES games” (paper)
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How often does correlation=causality?
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“Randomized versus historical controls for clinical trials”, et al 1982
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“The Adequacy of Comparison Group Designs for Evaluations of Employment-Related Programs”, 1987
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“Choosing between randomized and non-randomised studies: a systematic review”, et al 1998
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“A systematic review of comparisons of effect sizes derived from randomized and non-randomised studies”, Macet al 2000
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“Randomisation to protect against selection bias in healthcare trials (Cochrane Methodology Review)”, Odgaard-et al 2011
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“A weight of evidence approach to causal inference”, Swaen & van Amelsvoort 200915ya (circular reasoning & how not to do causal inference)
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Psychology/biology:
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“Deliberate practice: Is that all it takes to become an expert?”, et al 2014
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“Decision Making Following a Prenatal Diagnosis of Down Syndrome: An Integrative Review”, Choi et al 201212ya (connection to embryo selection)
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“The Acquired Immune System: A Vantage from Beneath”, Hedrick 200420ya (immune systems as parasites)
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The Pursuit of Noninvasive Glucose Blood Tests: “Hunting the Deceitful Turkey”, John Smith
Technology:
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“Spacewar: Fanatic Life and Symbolic Death Among the Computer Bums”
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“Why Johnny Can’t Encrypt: A Usability Evaluation of PGP 5.0”
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“Carding Forums, Ponzi Schemes and Law Enforcement: A background on Evolution Marketplace”, by the_avid
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“Fusion Power by Magnetic Confinement Program Plan”, Dean 197648ya/1998
Economics:
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“The Industrial Revolution: Past and Future” (Lucas on the Great Divergence, economic growth, the Asian miracles, and redistributionism.)
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“Of Frightened Horses and Autonomous Vehicles: Tort Law and its Assimilation of Innovations”, 2012
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“Beware the Middleman: Empirical Analysis of Bitcoin-Exchange Risk”, Moore & Christin 201311ya (see also the followup et al 2016 )
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“Love, luck and destiny: the world according to a Mumbai matriarch”
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“Nowhere is safe in EVE Online as Goonswarm suicide-bombs galactic trade hub” (shades of Eurisko)
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“Google’s Lost Social Network” (exit, voice, and loyalty)
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Obsolete occupations: breaker boy, crossing sweeper, dog whipper
Philosophy:
Books
Nonfiction:
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Double Entry: How the Merchants of Venice Created Modern Finance, Gleeson-White 201212ya (review)
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Fascinating Mathematical People, ed Albers 201113ya (review)
Fiction:
Film/TV
Anime:
Music
Touhou:
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“恋色マスタースパーク (Love-Colored Master Spark)” (霧雨 魔理沙; Charisma Lash Type-M {C86}) [orchestral]
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“感情の摩天楼 ~ Cosmic Mind” (聖 白蓮; Charisma Lash Type-M {C86}) [orchestral]
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“少女さとり ~3rd eye” (古明地 さとり; Charisma Lash Type-M {C86}) [orchestral]
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“百鬼夏祭” (狐の工作室; 夏風の音 {C86}) [acoustic/jazz?]
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“天空を駆ける風の都” (狐の工作室; 夏風の音 {C86}) [acoustic]
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“Skydiver” (Babbe feat. kuroTenshi; SUNSHINE EP {2014-08-16}) [house]
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“Beat of Summer” (Babbe feat. Kasuka; SUNSHINE EP {2014-08-16}) [house]
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“月光跡” (柊秀雪 feat. Atori; MT22 {C86}) [Rock]
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“An cailin ar an tine” (Escarmew; MT22 {C86}) [Celtic]
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“Fires of Hokkai” (Jun.A; Cradle2 {C77}) [electronic]
Doujin:
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“The Strong Peanuts” (Takahiro Eguchi + Tomohiko Togashi; ‘AD:HOUSE 3’ {C86}) [instrumental]
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“Sajou” (doriko feat. Hanatan; PRIMROSE FLOWER VOICE {201311ya}) [rock]
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“ロリババアに恋をした” (HoneyWorks feat. Sana; Suki na Hito. {C86}) [Jpop]
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“清恋 ~ベルティネの夜の夢~” (Drop feat. 葉月ゆら; Eclipse Parade {C86}) [Jpop]
Vocaloid:
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“NICE MATCHING!” (miki; M@SATOSHI; 銀杏色D-i-s-k {VM23}) [electronic]
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“shallow moon” (Rin; 曼荼羅P; selbstmord {2014}) [vocal]
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“チョコレートサンデー” (Miku; 空海月; MIKUHOP LP {2014}) [Hip-hop]
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“Yokkora sex” (96Neko; memoReal {201212ya}) [rock]