Thursday, July 17, 2014

Really good burger


Did I tell you about the delicious burger I had last week? Zesty pickles and cheddar cheese curds from Milburn Orchards. In fact those two ingredients were why I wanted a burger. It was delicious.

Monday, July 14, 2014

Nothing nefarious in anonymous Norwegian government Wikipedia edits.

There was a post on BoingBoing referencing a list of anonymous Wikipedia edits from Norwegian government IP addresses.  Cory Doctorow wanted the anonymous editors and the Norwegian Givernment to go public and involve the Norwegian wikipedia community in their editing and left a touch of a suspicious tone to the request.  Subsequent commenters tried to figure out whether there was an issue by randomly exploring some of the data.  The original supplier of the data merely plots edits as a function of time, but didn't show more work to describe the data and see if there is a story worth telling.  Plugging that data into Tableau lets us look at many variables vs. time and to look at the articles that were edited as well as the times and IP address from which they were edited.  What follows is my analysis in the BoingBoing comments.

Without the appropriate data set I can only speculate, but this number of edits may even be the average number of edits for an organization of the Norwegian government's size. Also might be interesting to see the total number of edits on these titles vs. the Norwegian government edits. The poster did say that it was only the anonymous edits. The view below suggests that rather than posting at lunchtime, there are peaks at first thing in the morning and 1pm (maybe lunch is at 1?) and that editing seems to occur throughout the workday, though there are variations between years (not shown). 


 As to the topics, the top few that I see that possibly could be more open are the edit for Jan Egeland, and Karin Yrvin, both Labour party politicians. What is the etiquette over editing (or having staff edit) your own wikipedia article again? But then the second highest edit over these years is a template for football club odds. Other non government related edits are a quiz show QuizDan, and some organ enthusiast editing the Vox Humana topic 7 times in 2009. Titles with more than 4 edits are shown below, these 40 titles with 271 edits represent less than 20% of the 1437 total edits for all 919 titles. 

 There are only 35 total IP addresses, 29 from government and 6 from Parliament. On the chart below thin are Parliament and thick are government offices IPs.

I agree there is nothing nefarious going on here, but a few charts more than a plot of total edits can help to show that.

Just a few plots of variables vs. other variables to find relationships and tabulate some quantities shows more than a boring plot of amount vs. time.  One could go further and classify the articles and perhaps include the total edits.  It really depends on the questions you are trying to answer or the hypothesis you are investigating.


Sunday, July 13, 2014

Discovery (from a dream)

You cannot shirk your duty. You are a Wright of the Ancient Calling, and because you have discovered or created a new technological threat to Humanity's existence you must undergo Preparation and submit to the Proctors for Examination and Assessment. They will make the final Judgement of your discovery and decide for Integration or Supression.

This is the way it must be and this is what your Heart and Intellect and your Duty to the Oath must be telling you.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Putting the Steeple Back


Crane putting the steeple back on Immaculate Heart of Mary church this morning.

Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Crazy Lego vehicle


This is some sort of crazy ninja vehicle with spiky wheels and treads and a device that shoots things.

It survived less than 24 hours intact, but the pieces are being recycled into even more interesting concoctions.

Monday, July 07, 2014

Lego Laboratory


There is a lot going on in this laboratory. One figure climbs the ladder to fix the time machine. The scientist lady operates the device while mini-fig Linus works at another set of controls. There are lots of storage and work areas.

Sandcastle's of the Ancients


All of the conspiracy theories were right. The Egyptians, Aztec, Greeks and Medieval Europeans were all in the New World on the Outer Banks building temples.


Photographic evidence.


A Temple cluster.

Friday, July 04, 2014

Sand from Hurricane Arthur


Sand stuck to the car from Hurricane Arthur last night.


This sand is really built up underneath the windshield wipers.

If that is the worst damage from the storm then that is okay.

Sand everywhere in the aftermath of a Hurricane Arthur

Our balcony is covered with sand and even a tiny seashell.

Weather data showing Hurricane Arthur passing over the Outer Banks

Plots of wind speed, and air pressure as Hurricane Arthur passed over Nags ahead where we are staying on the Outer Banks. The dip in the pressure is its closest approach.

Thursday, July 03, 2014

Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse in Manteo


We could go in the building but not climb to the top of the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse on Roanoke Island in Manteo.


This is the place flying the hurricane warning.

Bodie Island Lighthouse


Bodie Island Lighthouse grounds were open but there were no
park rangers and the
lighthouse keepers house and lighthouse were locked. We couldn't go up to the top but I am counting it as a visit.


I am assuming the hurricane is the cause for no staffing.

Hurricane a-comin'


Two red flags with black squares means hurricane at Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse in Manteo on Roanoke island.


I have never seen these flags flying for real.


It reaches us at Nags Head around midnight tonight.

Wednesday, July 02, 2014

Sand by Hugh Howey


Appropriately reading Sand by Hugh Howey after being covered by sand at the beach and at the dunes at Jockey Ridge on the Outer Banks today.

I had loved his Wool series do I am looking forward to this one.

Jockey Ridge Panorama


A Jockey Ridge panorama with kites and kite flyers.

Cynic


A Cynic, or a CYNICK? Does this mean that CYNICK without the 1 was already taken?

IMAWEEKS North Caroline License plate


I guess this person is a Weeks.

Tuesday, July 01, 2014

Today's Sandcastle


Almost got a picture before Linus started to destroy it.

Ships and cars at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.


A ship travels out if the bay through the south channel.


Car travelling under the south channel.


Panorama of the side facing out of the bay with lots of ships.

People fishing from the pier of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel


We stopped at the pier of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel yesterday and lots of people were fishing. Some had multiple poles set up.


These folks caught a shark and then released it.


These people caught two at once, a flounder which actually blends pretty nicely with the wood and a croaker. They expected to have to put them back because they were too small.