#non linear regression

[art-of-mathematics]

Title: "Non-linear regression in a blurry cloud of (un-) certainty"

Date: 2023/06/12 - Size: DIN A4

Collage made with torn pieces of paper, printed background paper (top is rather dark night sky, bottom is mererly clouds in pastel-colors)

I resized and printed the non-linear regression visualisation/illustration and put it on top of the watercolour background paper.

I included a scrap piece of paper with the title of the picture and have torn it with a spiral-shaped jag at the bottom, which I bent around the top part of the non-linear regression illustration.

[demiboy-dean-winchester]

why is statistical analysis so boringggg

R studio explode challenge

[hd-erised]

H/D Erised Fic: In a Year's Turning

Author: @hoko-onchi-writes Recipient: @maraudersaffair Pairing(s): Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter Rating: Explicit Word Count: ~89,000 Tags: exes-to-lovers, non-linear narrative, getting back together, mutual pining, parenthood, kid fic, Harry Potter raises Teddy Lupin, age regression/de-aging, single parent Harry Potter, bisexual disaster Harry Potter, gay Draco Malfoy, unusual jobs, Christmas fluff, domestic fluff, they’re very soft, angst, grief/mourning, parenting difficulties, magically powerful Harry Potter, magically powerful Teddy Lupin, gardens & gardening, Magical Theory (Harry Potter), accidental magic (Harry Potter), ghosts, house magic, sentient magical houses (Harry Potter), cooking as a metaphor for love, bonding magic, cooperative magic, wandless magic (Harry Potter), past minor Charlie Weasley/Harry Potter, past minor Justin Finch-Fletchley/Harry Potter, there are two beds but they’re sharing one, amateur falconry, previous breakup, drinking, smoking, explicit sexual content, dom/sub undertones, rough sex, dirty talk, begging, mpreg, pregnancy kink, medium burn, switching, anal sex, blow jobs, rimming, first time, intercrural sex, hand jobs, frottage

Summary: With Andromeda gone, Harry is suddenly a single parent and struggling with a grieving kid.  When Draco offers help, Harry accepts.  It’s been nine years. Surely, Harry can handle Draco being back—for Teddy’s sake.   

Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of JK Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended. 

In a Year's Turning

[endlesslyhyperfixating]

Richie Jeromovich might just have the best character arc in The Bear, and I’ll die on that hill. Like, season one Richie? That man was a mess. Loud, defensive, constantly posturing like he had everything figured out when, in reality, he was barely holding it together. And the thing is, you can tell he’s not a bad guy—he’s just stuck. Stuck in the past, stuck in his grief over Mikey, stuck in his idea of who he’s supposed to be. Stuck in his "Delicate fuckin' ecosystem"

It’s frustrating because you see the potential, but he’s his own worst enemy at first. All the way up until the season one finale, and even into season two he's slow to his journey of self actualization. He's slow to growth.

Then we get Forks. Oh my god. Watching Richie get thrown into that fine-dining hellscape and, instead of fighting it like you’d expect and like he initially does, actually leaning in? That’s growth. That’s what self-improvement actually looks like—getting uncomfortable, learning from people who know more than you, and deciding to take yourself seriously.

He thought- and somehow still while being there in that environment - that Carmen sent him there to fuck him over, but eventually he realized that wow, this place actually made him. And it can make Richie too

Him clocking how much care and pride those chefs put into every single task? Watching him learn how to be of service rather than just taking up space? And let’s be real, he looked good as hell in that suit.

But what really kills me about Richie’s arc is how he doesn’t just grow—he actively seeks out ways to keep growing. He starts throwing out words like actionable when he’s writing down his non-negotiables in season three because this man is not just thinking about what he wants—he’s thinking about how to make it happen. Even if it's bothersome to Carmy, but let's be for real, Carmen had his regression all of season three (but that's a rant for another time.)

Richie, of all people, talking about actionable goals? The same dude who used to spend his days ranting about kids not respecting Al Capone? That’s insane growth.

And peep how he STAYS calling Carmen out on his toxicity too? Although they both said shitty things in their season two finale fight in the fridge, Richie knows Carmen's on edge and even being indirectly aware of Carmen's repeating trauma and abusive cycles.

And then there’s the way he handles Carmy. He could have gone back to their usual screaming matches(which hey, they still kinda do because they still be "fuck you"-ing each other) , but no—Richie actually calls him out. He tells Carmy the truth, tells him he’s hurting people, tells him to stop acting like he’s alone in everything. And that’s the Richie we saw glimpses of all along—the one who gives a shit. He doesn’t just want to be better for himself; he wants to be better for the people around him.

Richie’s growth isn’t linear, and that’s what makes it so damn good. He backslides, he gets in his own way sometimes, but he keeps pushing forward. He keeps choosing to be better. And that? That’s everything.

Season one Richie would look at season three Richie in pure shock. N' probably make fun of his suit too.

Point is, Richie is a character I really can't wait to see in his continued growth.

[classpectanon]

Understanding Skaia's Omniscience

What Exactly Does Omniscience Mean in This Context?

In the context of Homestuck, omniscience refers to the ability to know everything within the universe, including all possible events and outcomes. Skaia, as an omniscient entity, possesses complete knowledge of all timelines, potential actions, and their consequences. This knowledge is not acquired through sequential thought processes but exists as a unified, simultaneous understanding of the entire scope of the universe.

Unlike typical human understanding, which processes information linearly (one event leading to another), Skaia's omniscience encompasses all possible realities at once. This means Skaia knows every possible outcome of every possible action, including those that never come to pass. However, it is important to note that while Skaia is omniscient, it is not omnipotent. It cannot directly alter events but can influence them indirectly by changing the spatiotemporal coordinates of meteors it redirects.

Skaia's intelligence is nonhuman, meaning it does not process information or make decisions in a way that humans do. This non-linearity in thought means Skaia doesn't "think" sequentially. Instead, it possesses all knowledge simultaneously, akin to a field—a pervasive presence of potential knowledge.

Skaia can be seen as the singularity form of Paradox Space, a field encompassing all potential events and outcomes. While Paradox Space represents the broader field, Skaia is the concentrated point of omniscience within this field. Or they're indistinguishable, it doesn't matter that much.

Thought Experiments Related to Omniscience

To further explore the implications of omniscience, let's consider some common thought experiments and how they relate to Skaia:

The Omniscient Observer Paradox

If Skaia knows everything, does it include the thoughts and actions of every character? Does this negate free will? In Homestuck, characters operate under a deterministic framework until the narrative's conclusion. Skaia's knowledge encompasses all possible actions and outcomes, suggesting that characters' choices are part of a larger predetermined system.

The Infinite Regression Problem

Can Skaia simulate its own reality infinitely? Skaia's nature transcends typical computational analogies. It doesn't simulate events sequentially but exists as a field of infinite knowledge. This sidesteps the problem of infinite regression, where a system would need to simulate itself endlessly.

The Limits of Omniscience

Is there anything Skaia doesn't know? By definition, Skaia's omniscience means it knows everything within its universe. However, its lack of omnipotence introduces a limitation: it cannot change everything it knows. It can only act through meteor redirection, highlighting a boundary between knowledge and power.

Q&A on Skaia's Omniscience

Q: What does it mean for Skaia to be omniscient but not omnipotent?

A: Omniscience refers to the ability to know everything, including all possible events and outcomes. Omnipotence, on the other hand, is the ability to do anything. Skaia's omniscience allows it to understand every potential event and its consequences, but it can only act by adjusting the trajectories of meteors, thus influencing events indirectly.

Q: How does Skaia's nonhuman intelligence differ from human intelligence?

A: Human intelligence typically involves linear thought processes, where ideas and decisions follow a sequential order. Skaia, however, exists outside of this linear framework. Its intelligence is more like a field, akin to gravity, where all knowledge and outcomes are known simultaneously without a sequential thought process.

Q: How do Skaia and Paradox Space relate to each other?

A: Paradox Space can be understood as the overarching field of all possible timelines and events. Skaia, within this context, acts as the singularity (like a black hole)—a concentrated point where all this knowledge converges. Together, they form a comprehensive system of omniscience in the Homestuck universe.

Q: How does Skaia's omniscience affect the narrative structure of Homestuck?

A: Skaia's omniscience ensures that only significant timelines persist, preventing paradoxes and maintaining narrative coherence.

Q: Can Skaia's omniscience be considered a form of predestination?

A: Yes, Skaia's omniscience can be seen as a form of predestination. Since it knows all possible outcomes and prunes timelines to prevent paradoxes, the events that occur are part of a predetermined structure that Skaia maintains.

Q: Does Skaia's omniscience extend beyond the universe of Homestuck?

A: Theoretically, yes. While it can be assumed that Skaia is only capable of understanding information within its own schema, this does not preclude the possibility of Skaia being able to simulate the concept of observers. After all, omniscience means OMNIscience. It knows everything. It's unintuitive in many of the ways that other forms of infinity are.

thx 4 reading

[covid-safer-hotties]

Long COVID symptom severity varies widely by age, gender, and socioeconomic status - Published Sept 2, 2024

By Dr. Sushama R. Chaphalkar, PhD.

In a recent study published in the journal JRSM Open, researchers analyze self-reported symptoms of long coronavirus disease 2019 (LC) from individuals using a healthcare app to examine the potential impact of demographic factors on the severity of symptoms. The researchers found that LC symptom severity varied significantly by age, gender, race, education, and socioeconomic status.

Research highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions as age, gender, and social factors play a crucial role in the intensity of long COVID symptoms. What factors increase the risk of long COVID? Several months after recovering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), patients with LC may continue to suffer from numerous symptoms, some of which include fatigue, brain fog, and chest pain. The prevalence of LC varies, with estimates ranging from 10-30% in non-hospitalized cases to 50-70% in hospitalized patients.

Although several digital health interventions (DHIs) and applications have been developed to monitor acute symptoms of COVID-19, few have been designed to track long-term symptoms of the disease. One DHI called "Living With COVID Recovery" (LWCR) was initiated to help individuals manage LC by self-reporting symptoms and tracking their intensity. However, there remains a lack of evidence on the risk factors, characteristics, and predictors of LC, thereby limiting the accurate identification of high-risk patients to target preventive strategies.

About the study In the present study, researchers investigate the prevalence and intensity of self-reported LC symptoms to analyze their potential relationship with demographic factors to inform targeted interventions and management strategies. To this end, LWCR was used to monitor and analyze self-reported LC symptoms from individuals in 31 LC clinics throughout England and Wales.

The study included 1,008 participants who reported 1,604 unique symptoms. All patients provided informed consent for the use of their anonymized data for research.

Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between symptom intensity and factors such as time since registration, age, ethnicity, education, gender, and socioeconomic status through indices of multiple deprivation (IMD) on a scale of one to 10.

Education was classified into four levels denoted as NVQ 1-2, NVQ 3, NVQ 4, and NVQ 5, which reflected those who were least educated at A level, degree level, and postgraduate level, respectively. The intensity of symptoms was measured on a scale from zero to 10, with zero being the lowest and 10 the highest intensity. Descriptive statistics identified variations in symptom intensity across different demographic groups.

Study findings Although 23% of patients experienced symptoms only once, 77% experienced symptoms multiple times. Corroborating with existing literature, the most prevalent symptoms included pain, neuropsychological issues, fatigue, and dyspnea, which affected 26.5%, 18.4%, 14.3%, and 7.4% of the cohort, respectively. Symptoms such as palpitations, light-headedness, insomnia, cough, diarrhea, and tinnitus were less prevalent.

Fifteen most prevalent LC symptoms. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that symptom intensity was significantly associated with age, gender, ethnicity, education, and IMD decile. More specifically, individuals 68 years of age and older reported higher symptom intensity by 32.5% and 86%, respectively. These findings align with existing literature that highlights the increased risk of LC symptoms with age, which may be due to weakened immunity or the presence of comorbidities. Thus, they emphasize the need for targeted interventions for this population.

Females also reported higher symptom intensity than males, by 9.2%. Non-White individuals experienced higher symptom intensity by 23.5% as compared to White individuals.

Individuals with higher education levels reported up to 47% reduced symptom intensity as compared to those with lower education levels. Higher IMD deciles, which reflect less deprived areas, were associated with lower symptom intensity; however, no significant association was observed between the number of symptoms reported and the IMD decile.

Regression results with 95% confidence interval. Note: For age, the base group is people in the age category 18–27. For IMD, the base group is people from IMD decile 1. For education, the base group is people who left school before A-level (NVQ 1–2). A significant positive association was observed between symptom intensity and the duration between registration on the app and initial symptom reporting. This finding suggests individuals may become more aware of their symptoms or that worsening symptoms prompt reporting.

Some limitations of the current study include the lack of data on comorbidities, hospitalization, and vaccine status. There is also a potential for bias against individuals lacking technological proficiency or access, which may affect the sample's representativeness, particularly for older, socioeconomically disadvantaged, or non-English-speaking individuals. Excluding patients with severe symptoms or those who were ineligible for the app may also skew the findings.

Conclusions There remains an urgent need to develop targeted interventions to address the severity of LC in relation to age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic factors. LC treatment should prioritize prevalent symptoms like pain, neuropsychological issues, fatigue, and dyspnea while also considering other possible symptoms. Furthermore, sustained support for LC clinics is essential to effectively manage the wide range of symptoms and complexities associated with LC and improve public health outcomes in the post-pandemic era.

Journal reference:

Sunkersing, D., Goodfellow, H., Mu, Y., et al. (2024). Long COVID symptoms and demographic associations: A retrospective case series study using healthcare application data. JRSM Open 15(7). doi:10.1177/20542704241274292.

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20542704241274292

[bengiyo]

Theory of Love Romcom Rewatch Episode 6: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Once again I am watching Theory of Love because @lurkingshan gets specific pleasure out of making me change my mind about this show. This week we’re continuing with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), a new film to me, but probably my favorite we’ve watched so far. @lurkingshan wrote about how this film felt like it was something Khai would like more than Third. @neuroticbookworm connected the sci-fi ethics of the film’s memory wiping technology to the drama between Third and Khai. @solitaryandwandering wrote about how the film unpacks what’s needed for mature, sustainable relationships.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless MInd (2004)

In this film, a man named Joel (Jim Carrey), an average-seeming guy, is in a pretty down state after the breakup with his girlfriend Naomi. On a train ride back from Montouk, he meets blue-haired Clementine (Kate Winslet), a prototypical manic pixie dream girl who successfully seduces him. They begin a relationship and, after facing some challenges, Joel is blind-sided by Clementine choosing to go through a medical procedure to erase the memory of him from her mind. Joel, spiraling, decides to do the same. 

What unfolds is a non-linear story in which we realize the train meeting was at least their second meeting after being erased before. Joel panics during the procedure, and struggles to hold on to the memory of Clementine. Meanwhile, the people performing the procedure are defiling Joel’s home, stealing his things, having sex on his bed (with him on it), and eating off his sleeping body. One of the techs, Patrick (Elijah Wood) had already stolen some of Clementine’s underwear, and was using the recordings of Joel’s memories to instigate a new romance with recently-wiped Clementine. 

Eventually, Mary (Kirsten Dunst), realizes that the doctor (Tom Wilkinson), had previously erased her after they had an illicit affair, and she can’t help but think that her new boyfriend Stan (Mark Ruffalo) had to know (and likely performed the procedure). She sends all of the former patients their recordings, leaving Joel and Clementine to pick up the pieces of their broken relationship again. 

Honestly, I really loved the experience of this film (especially confirmation that Mark Ruffalo is packing). Finally getting a sci-fi film in this watch rotation was such a relief, and I was so glad to finally get a properly melancholic film after being so frustrated with Dear Dakanda (2005). After all these films about aspirational romance, I really loved a film unpacking the ugliness of trying to stay with someone and finding that maybe they weren’t exactly a good fit for you. I genuinely want to watch this film again to see what else I explore in it. 

Theory of Love Episode 6

Finally, I can properly regress to my Khai Hater era. Everyone else has already done a great job of detailing why Khai sucks so hard. I’m also less sympathetic to Third than I was last time, but I am still furious at Khai. Doing this to your friend that you now know harbors gay feelings for you is cruel to the extreme.

Last time I watched this show, I wasn’t grappling as hard with what it means to tell a story like this in the bubble. I think I was more forgiving because it was 2019 and we were still fairly early in the modern BL era. Now, in 2025, I can say more assuredly that Gun having a nonspecific queer experience makes this all deeply unsettling, and it’s likely a major contributing factor to why I hated Khai so much in my first watch. 

From within the bubble, this is just a huge romance foul. Khai is being a fucking idiot who thinks that some sort of major romantic disappointment can snap Third out of his crush and reset their relationship. He’s then disappointed when he realizes that he only succeeded in placing a huge barrier between him and his friend, and finds himself lonely when Third finally makes a healthy choice to work with other people. 

Now, heading into episode 7, I am not at all enthused or excited about Khai finding out he actually likes Third this late in the game. From outside of the bubble, it’s kind of interesting to see a straight guy realize how imporant his gay friend was after losing them, but the dissonance I’m feeling doesn’t leave me feeling in a great place. It also doesn’t help that the Bone and Two shit fucking sucks, and feels like it was there just to fill time this week. 

[art-of-mathematics]

Non-linear thoughts about non-linear regression and the Poincare-Recurrence Theorem... what a foggy and dusty mind looping into itself... idk I indulge in nonsense again... #nonsensespiral

[xyymath]

📊 The Mathematics of Understanding Society: Statistics in Social Sciences

1. Reliability: Quantifying Consistency

Reliability ensures that statistical results are consistent across time and methods. It is measured through techniques like:

Test-Retest Reliability: Same participants, repeated measures.

Inter-Rater Reliability: Agreement between multiple observers.

Internal Consistency: Correlation of test items, often measured using Cronbach’s Alpha.

Formula for internal consistency:

where N is the number of items, cbar is the average covariance between item pairs, and v is the total item variance.

2. Validity: Ensuring Relevance

Validity measures whether data reflects the intended concept. Types include:

Construct Validity: Evaluates how well a test aligns with theoretical concepts.

Criterion Validity: Measures correlation with related, independent outcomes.

Content Validity: Assesses if the test covers the full scope of the concept.

3. Sampling Theory: Representing Populations

In statistics, sampling bridges finite data and infinite populations. Randomized methods minimize bias, while stratified or cluster sampling improves efficiency. The Central Limit Theorem (CLT) guarantees that sampling distributions approximate normality for large sample sizes.

where SE is the standard error, sigma is the population standard deviation, and n is the sample size

4. Minimizing Bias

Bias skews results, reducing reliability and validity. Statistical techniques such as blind sampling, control groups, and adjustments for confounders mitigate these effects. Weighted averages or regression adjustments help correct sampling bias.

5. Significance Testing: Inference in Social Sciences

Statistical tests like t-tests and ANOVA assess relationships in data. P-values determine significance, while effect sizes (e.g., Cohen’s dbar) quantify practical importance.

Example: For comparing group means, the test statistic t is:

where Xbar is the sample mean, s^2 the variance, and n the sample size.

6. Predictive Modeling

Social scientists employ regression models for predictions, such as linear regression:

where β0 is the intercept, β1 the slope, and ϵ the error term.

7. Ethics and Transparency

Statistical transparency is non-negotiable. Misinterpretation or manipulation (e.g., p-hacking) compromises the integrity of findings. Open data and replication strengthen credibility.

"It's easy to lie with statistics. It's hard to tell the truth without statistics"  Darrell Huff

References : (and further reading material)

source one

source two

source three

[books-with-jules]

I NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSE GARDEN

by Joanne Greenberg

Psychology, Dark, Emotional, Slow-Paced

★★★★★(4.75)

i never promised you a rose garden is a slow-paced, semi autobiographical novel in which Greenberg gives her readers insight into the schizophrenic mind of teenage girl, Deborah Blau in approximately 1948 to 1951, written originally in 1964. Many describe the story as Deborah's three-year battle with schizophrenia, but it really is specifically the confrontation with her inner world, understanding its roots, and understanding that there is a world beyond that she can be a more present part of. She has battled for much longer than three years, but this book is watching her regressions and recoveries as she understands herself and her place.

The writing style and vocabulary used was eloquent and college-level, and painted a vast outer and inner setting, which was very important as the character's state of mind and mental space is an important part of understanding the plot. The plot is realistic in terms of the non-linear road to mental "unsick" and health. The story is character driven and, in tandem with the plot, of course, complex and rocky. I love the psychiatrist, Furii, and I thoroughly enjoyed Miss Carol's appearances throughout the story, and there are no characters who I feel could have been developed better. Everything felt well done and tied together very well. The ending was perfect; I only wish we got to see a little of Deborah's family relationship dynamics and how they change with her resolution.

Reading a novel about a teenage girl with schizophrenia and getting to see some of the inner workings from an author who has experience with the illness as someone who lives with it is unique to read because a lot of time the portrayal is based on second hand experience and, like autism, may reflect all of the negatively viewed traits, rather than show every aspect objectively. My own personal quarrel with the mental illness part is as an unlicensed, book-educated reader, it seems as if Deborah is actually suffering from a delusional disorder of sorts, not of schizophrenia specifically, but the book was written in 1964, and as I've said, I am not a licensed professional and cannot give official input.

The writing style gives a feel like the author learned or mostly communicated in English in college-level or professional settings and, likewise, used complex language that made reading a bit tricky to navigate and retain at first, but I learned many new words, so that's a plus. The writing flowed smoothly and the way Greenberg described everything felt prose-y in some places and poetic in others. Her descriptions made for intricate visualizations and much empathy with all the emotion with her language.

The plot is very much character-driven, being that we are following Deborah's road to mental stability. I appreciate her struggle to come to terms with many of her beliefs that she came to understand were characteristic of the inner reality she's lived for so long and breaking away to find her footing in reality as someone without strong delusions understands it. She gets better and she gets worse. She moves on from being a slave to her own mind and creations to taking more control and also asking for help when she feels she is losing it. We see her regressions and her recoveries, and there is more than one hill to climb because progress is never linear, not in the real world. The plot is beautiful and terrible. It is a great, intense read.

I've never been in a mental hospital or rehabilitation center, so I don't personally know of the customs, but Greenberg does a beautiful job of explaining and reiterating the social norms of the wards, what behavior is "allowed", not "allowed", How different life seems in the wards and what life in the "real world" looks like from inside those doors. I can understand the mental aspect of life looking different for everyone else versus the patients, who see hope for it as useless, who don't understand that it has its ups and downs, and who see returning patients as sort of failures. Bouncing between wards is different from being out in the world and hospitalization, but "B" wards are a bit afraid of patients who make it back down from "D" ward. As I said, I don't know from experience, but reading this work really put me in there and made me understand exactly what it was like at that time. I don't know if there is a better book to help someone comprehend inpatient in midcentury USA, the turning point of psychology there.

I have a deep appreciation for Furii, Deborah's psychiatrist, for her depression understanding of how to navigate the sessions, work around Deborah's episodes and temperaments, which can make talk sessions very hard with her mind sometimes clouding or outright blocking her from talking about her made-up world and all its secrets. However, Furii, as long as both she and Deborah both felt like Deborah was not a lost cause and wanted to get better, Furii is determined to help Deborah work through all of her symptoms and find healthy coping mechanisms to replace them. The relationship is beautiful, well-meaning.

I think my favorite character is Miss Carol. She is described to be an old, white-haired, 90 pound woman who can launch mattresses during her episodes. She's an accomplished woman, a mathematician of sorts, I believe, and a returning patient. There are a few examples of returning patients and their places in life outside of the hospital. These examples serve as eventual realities that Deborah faces of having mental illness and understanding that progress isn't linear (this is a favorite theme of mine in this book and in life). There is also Doris Rivera, who we are not told how she makes a living or what her life looks like. We, the readers and the characters, only know that she was the goal and envy of the ward, and her returning brought a doubt to the ward about getting better and being part of society because of the expectation that you get better and you stay better. Deborah then makes a friend, Carla, who is a returning patient and, after becoming an outpatient and a returning patient, herself, understands the struggle of conforming and keeping up with life, stresses, and other regular, recurring issues in everyday life.

There was this understanding of not asking people why they are there, not asking returning patients why they had to come back, and not having prying conversations without the other being explicitly willing to give this information. Life is an experience that cannot always be conveyed in words. It was more like they had to live it to understand why they were returning. Again, progress isn't linear and while the patients probably understood this, or at least some of them who have went back and forth from the wards, within the confines of the hospital, life also works in this way and they could not ask, and the patients would not have the words to answer at that time.

All in all, i never promised you a rose garden, by Joanne Greenberg, was a beautiful piece of literature and I am glad to have read it. The theme of healing and regression really urges the reader to take a look at themselves and do some inner work of their own. I know I had to do some inner work along with this reading, and am grateful for it. The ending was not wrapped in a bow, happy, and satisfying as a "happily ever after" story, but an intense and reflective read as someone who struggles with their own symptoms and disorders. The only reason this novel got 4.75 stars and not five is because there was a lull where I was not compelled to pick up the book about four or five chapters away from the end, but that is a personal feeling and should not truly reflect upon the author.

[bayesic-bitch]

Re the previous post:

If it wasn't clear, I'm a computer scientist and I do computer science research, but my background is in physics. And I think I'm really still a physicist at heart in the way I approach problems. I don't have the deep focus on rigor like mathematicians do, but I do really want to understand how systems behave in certain limits. It's not important to me that we have an ironclad proof of convergence rate for neural nets, but I do care that they approximate kernel methods in the infinite limit.

And I find myself cultivating a bag of mathematical tricks for applying to problems like we did in physics (especially dualities between different problem formulations), which none of my non-physics peers seem to do. Eg, I really like the kernel trick because it allows us to reframe low-dimensional non-linear regression problems as high-dimensional linear regression problems. And similarly for mirror descent, which allows us to turn reinforcement learning problems into gradient descent problems on the space of probability distributions. Or the connection between f-divergence regularized policy optimization and Monte Carlo Tree Search.

In general I feel like I'm drawn to learning about new areas of research more by what mathematical tools they can provide than how good results they get. Which is definitely not true of any of the other researchers I know. I'm not sure yet if this is a good approach (I know I publish less than other students who churn out lots of small optimizations), but I'm hoping that it pays off in the long run.

[areadersuncertaintyprinciple]

Lovecraftian Influence in ORV (part 2):

Disclaimer: idk if all the parallels are intentional; I'm not an expert on Lovecraft; this is defo not going to contain all the stuff in detail or even all the stuff coz like I said, I ain't an expert 1. Textual parallels:

Both ORV & Lovecraftian lore emphasize the cyclical nature of time and existence. In ORV, Dokja's regressions and the ever-repeating scenarios of "Ways of Survival" mirror the cyclical dreams of Azathoth. Similarly, Lovecraft's stories often feature ancient entities trapped in endless cycles of slumber and awakening.

The motif of uncaring gods and the dangers of seeking ultimate knowledge is central to both Lovecraftian mythos and ORV.

The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. - H.P. Lovecraft

In the mythos, Yog-Sothoth embodies the totality of time and space, existing outside our linear perception. It has the ability to manipulate time in non-linear ways, creating alternate realities and diverging timelines. Imagine a tapestry of time, and Yog-Sothoth meticulously snipping sections and reconnecting them in impossible geometries, birthing new worlds and realities into existence. Similar is ORV's "square circle". Imagine a perfect circle, representing a closed timeline, yet simultaneously containing its own square corners, moments of choice and potential divergence.

Crawling Chaos(one of the names of Nyarlathotep) is directly mentioned in ORV: (look at the phrasing- myths that were prototype of Ways of Survival)

Character parallels:

Most Ancient Dream & Azathoth: This one's a no-brainer.

Both are dreaming entities who shape reality without conscious intent- while Azathoth is a blind god who's unconsciously dreaming up the universe & MAD is a traumatized child who's dreaming up stories as a coping mechanism.

The "idiot god" aspect of Azathoth resonates with MAD too. Both are unaware or atleast have a lack of choice/control. Their dreams & reality itself are in a continuous loop

The "uncaring god" aspect of Azathoth resonates with the MAD's desire for new stories rather than any sense of morality or concern for its creations.

2. Nyarlathotep & Secretive Plotter:

Nyarlathotep is said to be the puppet/avatar of Azathoth while YJH/Secretive Plotter is labeled as the puppet of MAD.

Worldline Jumpers

All black ensemble (silly comparison ik)

Mocking contempt for their "masters"

Nyarlathotep views humanity as playthings, pawns in his game. He's often described as a harbinger of apocalypse, acts on an enigmatic agenda seemingly tied to chaos and destruction. While Secretive Plotter's goal was to meet-kill MAD & end the cycle of regressions once & for all through an apocalypse.

3. The Hounds of Tindalos:

The Hounds of Tindalos are creatures created by Frank Belknap Long and later incorporated into the Cthulhu Mythos. Both the names of Hounds of Tindalos & Hounds Chasing After the Abyss have been mentioned in the text. So, it's a direct reference.

4. Yog-Sothoth the gatekeeper & Fourth Wall+Dokkaebi King

5. Shub-Niggurath & tls123/1863hsy: disclaimer: Lovecraft's work is unfortunately riddled with racist and xenophobic imagery and tropes, particularly regarding Shub-Niggurath.

Shub-Niggurath is said to be the "Mother of All Gods" & we can compare tls123 to her in the same vein as tls123 is the author of TWSA while 1864hsy is the author(or co-author) of ORV. "tls" represents the Korean word for "god" as the keys for T, L, and S correspond to the letters ㅅ, ㅣ, and ㄴ on the Korean keyboard. => tls123 is the author-god of the universe

(tls123 is also kinda similar to Azathoth in having no power over their creations)

6. Randolph Carter & the 0th YJH: Randolph Carter is a recurring character in many stories from Lovecraft's Dream Cycle series. He also features in an unfinished short story called "Azathoth". In Azathoth, Randalph travels through space and time in his dream-form, and is drawn to the nighted throne of the far daemon-sultan Azathoth, the blind idiot god who rules over chaos and creation. Like, Randalph, 0th YJH chooses to regress because he wants to meet MAD

...and that's it for now. I'll add more if I remember. Constructive feedback is welcome but keep in mind: I'm no expert & also a human behind the keyboard.

[cbk1000]

And part three. (Final part; sorry this is so long: it has been a fucking long four months.)

No problem, Doctor Dipshit, I guess I'll just do your job and continue treating myself.

After my period ends, my heart rate drops again. It's still not as low as it should be, but it's much better. I continue to gradually improve. It's not a linear process; some days are better than others, but I never feel as bad as I did at the beginning of all this. My main issue is really my heart rate at this point; I'm no longer dizzy, I don't have the extreme weakness I had, my nausea is gone, I'm sleeping much better, and I'm a lot less tired than I was even before all this started. But the high heart rate keeps me still mostly bedbound, and I'm gnashing my teeth, because at this point I feel well enough to be mad about it, instead of just lying in bed trying to stave off death.

I finally start turning a corner, almost three months into taking supplements. My heart rate is consistently lower; even my last period wasn't as rough. (I felt a little worse than I had been, but my heart rate didn't spike, and I mostly just felt more run down than I normally would during my period.)

Over the last couple of weeks, I've been able to sit and stand and walk around for much longer, and I was finally, after months, able to start writing again. My heart rate is still a bit higher than it should be, and I have chest pain and tightness that radiates into my throat (it almost feels like an asthma attack) if I exert myself too much, but I can sit up for a good couple, few hours at a time, then lie down for a few minutes till those symptoms improve, and then get back up again. It is more exhausting to do things because of this, but I still, honestly, feel less tired than when I was a fully functioning, 'normal' person, and I've noticed that the horrible, frequent anxiety attacks I was having multiple times a week, out of nowhere, with no trigger, haven't happened since I started supplementing. I have been stressed, of course, but not baselessly anxious. Apparently iron deficiency can cause or worsen anxiety, so the anxiety I was having for the last couple of years that I attributed to all the changes at work, and how generally stressful the world has been, was also likely related to this.

Today, three and a half months after starting iron supplements, I'm writing this sitting up at my computer. I have some chest pain, but right now it's more of an annoyance than anything, and I can push through for a while before I'll need to lie down for a bit. The last week I have been able to write 27,000 words, animatedly play a video game I'm into at the moment (I shout a lot when I play), take Seamus outside multiple times a day while Mr. Jenn is at work (albeit for very short walks around the backyard, but still), edit, and concentrate on my reading. I can now sit out and eat dinner at our countertop and visit with Mr. Jenn. I spend more time up now than I do in bed. Tomorrow I have a doctor's appointment with a non-lunatic, and will hopefully be able to get medical clearance to finally return to work (Mr. Jenn and I have rigged up my desk so that I can recline and still see my monitors and work if I need more than my allotted breaks to rest) and an order for an iron infusion to get me the rest of the way more quickly. It has been the longest four months of my life. I have felt trapped in my own body. There were points during that constant back and forth of regressing a bit, improving a bit, regressing a bit, that I was afraid I would be stuck like that forever. I've had enough of consistently being on my feet day after day over the last few weeks that, while I'm not yet at 100% and know it will still probably be a while before I am, I know I will be, eventually. I actually feel confident in that now.

What I mean to say with these three very long-winded posts is, please do not ignore what your body is telling you. I wrote off the extreme fatigue, and anxiety, and burning and tingling I was feeling in my legs and feet as poor sleep, the world going to shit, muscle strain, etc. etc. That was my body trying to tell me something was really wrong. I did not know these were symptoms of iron deficiency; and not everyone gets them, and not everyone gets such severe symptoms that their entire body shuts down and confines them to bed for months: but there was something wrong with me, probably for years, and I ignored that, and wrote it off, because the symptoms were non-specific, and I'd lived with them for so long that I normalized them. If you are having any of these symptoms, especially fatigue, especially if you're menstruating, and especially especially if most of your iron sources aren't from meat, please get an iron panel done. Not your CBC; that will only tell you if your hemoglobin is ok, and I can tell you, as exhibit A, that just because your hemoglobin is normal, does not mean you don't have iron deficiency. B12 deficiency will cause some of these same symptoms as well, so if you're vegetarian, definitely get that checked as well.

The only reason I was able to put two and two together was because I had had similar cardiac issues after a blood donation, when it was easy to go, "Wait, I think you bled too much; let's put some iron back in you." I don't want to think about how long I might have been stuck like this getting booted from specialist to specialist with no one thinking to check my iron levels because my hemoglobin was normal. If you do not have enough of this one single mineral in your body, it can literally be debilitating. I work a desk job from home; I have been out of work for four months now because I haven't even been able to sit up at a desk. I actually ran out of legally-protected medical leave a month ago and am just lucky that my employer wants to keep me enough that they were willing to put me on personal leave until I was ready to come back.

Anyway, that is my extremely long update. I sincerely appreciate everyone who has checked in on me and asked how I'm doing.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

Abstract

Objective: To assess the association between transgender or gender-questioning identity and screen use (recreational screen time and problematic screen use) in a demographically diverse national sample of early adolescents in the U.S.

Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from Year 3 of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSM Study (ABCD Study®, N = 9859, 2019-2021, mostly 12-13-years-old). Multiple linear regression analyses estimated the associations between transgender or questioning gender identity and screen time, as well as problematic use of video games, social media, and mobile phones, adjusting for confounders.

Results: In a sample of 9859 adolescents (48.8% female, 47.6% racial/ethnic minority, 1.0% transgender, 1.1% gender-questioning), transgender adolescents reported 4.51 (95% CI 1.17-7.85) more hours of total daily recreational screen time including more time on television/movies, video games, texting, social media, and the internet, compared to cisgender adolescents. Gender-questioning adolescents reported 3.41 (95% CI 1.16-5.67) more hours of total daily recreational screen time compared to cisgender adolescents. Transgender identification and questioning one's gender identity was associated with higher problematic social media, video game, and mobile phone use, compared to cisgender identification.

Conclusions: Transgender and gender-questioning adolescents spend a disproportionate amount of time engaging in screen-based activities and have more problematic use across social media, video game, and mobile phone platforms.

Introduction

Screen-based digital media is integral to the daily lives of adolescents in multifaceted ways [1] but problematic screen use (characterized by inability to control usage and detrimental consequences from excessive use including preoccupation, tolerance, relapse, withdrawal, and conflict) [2], [3], has been linked with harmful mental and physical health outcomes, such as depression, poor sleep, and cardiometabolic disease [4], [5]. Transgender and gender-questioning adolescents (i.e., adolescents who are questioning their gender identity) experience a higher prevalence of bullying (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 1.88 and 1.62), suicide attempts (aPR 2.65 and 2.26), and binge drinking (aPR 1.80 and 1.50), respectively, compared to their cisgender peers [6], [7], [8], [9], [10]. Transgender and gender-questioning adolescents may engage in screen-based activities that are problematic and associated with negative health outcomes but also in a way that is different from their cisgender peers in order to form communities, explore health education about their gender identity, and seek refuge from isolating or unsafe environments [11].

One study found that sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescents (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender), aged 13–18 years old, spent an average of 5 h per day online, approximately 45 min more than non-SGM adolescents in 2010–2011 [12]. However, this study grouped SGM together as a single group, conflating the experiences of gender minorities (e.g., transgender, gender-questioning) with those of sexual minorites (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual), and the data are now over a decade old. In a nationally representative sample of adolescents aged 13–18 years old in the U.S., transgender adolescents had higher probabilities of problematic internet use than cisgender adolescents. However, this analysis did not measure modality-specific problematic screen use such as problematic social media, video game, or mobile phone use, which may further inform the function that media use plays in the lives of gender minority adolescents [13]. While this prior research provides important groundwork to understand screen time and problematic use in gender minority adolescents, gaps remain in understanding differences in screen time and specific modalities of problematic screen use in gender minority early adolescents.

Our study aims to address the gaps in the current literature by studying associations between transgender and gender-questioning identity and screen time across several modalities including recreational and problematic social media, video game, and mobile phone use in a large, national sample of early adolescents. We hypothesized that among early adolescents, transgender identification and questioning one’s gender identity would be positively associated with greater recreational screen time and problematic screen use compared to cisgender identification.

==

tl;dr: Gender-mania is an online social contagion.

No shit. That's why these "authentic selves" and "innate identities" tend to evaporate when kids are detoxed from the internet.

[impossibly-irrelevant]

I think I'm finally able to verbalize why the ending of S4 didn't work for me (and for the narrative).

Love is supposed to change the ending.

Because that's the point. Five arrives and his whole motivation is to stop the apocalypse. Because he loves his family. And through the process he ends up getting them to get along a little better. To heal old wounds, or to simply try. Try to be better people, better siblings, better heroes. It's a non linear process, because people are messy, and they make mistakes. But the love always wins out.

Then we have season 4.

We get there six years in, and everything is off. And we as the audience, think, ok, sure. They regressed into old patterns because they are grieving the loss of their powers. But then we see Diego and Lila, and how they made them the typical unhappily married couple and it is wrong for the characters in their very essence. We see Luther and how he barely has any motivations. We see Alison and how she's putting her job before the daughter she proved she'd do anything for.

(Addendum : And we see Ben and Jennifer and how that could have been a love story that could have changed the ending. Because I think Ben and Jennifer had started hitting it off before it all went to hell. If they had more time, they could have actually fallen for each other for real, not due to an alien substance causing their brains to act weird. (And there could have been so much angst, with the whole cannot touch or the world ends thing but that's neither here not there).)

Love doesn't win out. Instead a weaponized fake version of romantic love is used to trigger the end of world. And the love the Hargreeves' feel for each other can't save it, sure, but that isn't the point of the story. We don't care if they save the world. We care if their love changes their endings. They don't end the story better people, better siblings, better heroes.

They just end. Like they never even existed. Like the fact that they tried didn't matter, that it was actually worse that they did.

So what was the point of all the love?

[xaltius]

Unlocking the Power of Data: Essential Skills to Become a Data Scientist

In today's data-driven world, the demand for skilled data scientists is skyrocketing. These professionals are the key to transforming raw information into actionable insights, driving innovation and shaping business strategies. But what exactly does it take to become a data scientist? It's a multidisciplinary field, requiring a unique blend of technical prowess and analytical thinking. Let's break down the essential skills you'll need to embark on this exciting career path.

1. Strong Mathematical and Statistical Foundation:

At the heart of data science lies a deep understanding of mathematics and statistics. You'll need to grasp concepts like:

Linear Algebra and Calculus: Essential for understanding machine learning algorithms and optimizing models.

Probability and Statistics: Crucial for data analysis, hypothesis testing, and drawing meaningful conclusions from data.

2. Programming Proficiency (Python and/or R):

Data scientists are fluent in at least one, if not both, of the dominant programming languages in the field:

Python: Known for its readability and extensive libraries like Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn, and TensorFlow, making it ideal for data manipulation, analysis, and machine learning.

R: Specifically designed for statistical computing and graphics, R offers a rich ecosystem of packages for statistical modeling and visualization.

3. Data Wrangling and Preprocessing Skills:

Raw data is rarely clean and ready for analysis. A significant portion of a data scientist's time is spent on:

Data Cleaning: Handling missing values, outliers, and inconsistencies.

Data Transformation: Reshaping, merging, and aggregating data.

Feature Engineering: Creating new features from existing data to improve model performance.

4. Expertise in Databases and SQL:

Data often resides in databases. Proficiency in SQL (Structured Query Language) is essential for:

Extracting Data: Querying and retrieving data from various database systems.

Data Manipulation: Filtering, joining, and aggregating data within databases.

5. Machine Learning Mastery:

Machine learning is a core component of data science, enabling you to build models that learn from data and make predictions or classifications. Key areas include:

Supervised Learning: Regression, classification algorithms.

Unsupervised Learning: Clustering, dimensionality reduction.

Model Selection and Evaluation: Choosing the right algorithms and assessing their performance.

6. Data Visualization and Communication Skills:

Being able to effectively communicate your findings is just as important as the analysis itself. You'll need to:

Visualize Data: Create compelling charts and graphs to explore patterns and insights using libraries like Matplotlib, Seaborn (Python), or ggplot2 (R).

Tell Data Stories: Present your findings in a clear and concise manner that resonates with both technical and non-technical audiences.

7. Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Abilities:

Data scientists are essentially problem solvers. You need to be able to:

Define Business Problems: Translate business challenges into data science questions.

Develop Analytical Frameworks: Structure your approach to solve complex problems.

Interpret Results: Draw meaningful conclusions and translate them into actionable recommendations.

8. Domain Knowledge (Optional but Highly Beneficial):

Having expertise in the specific industry or domain you're working in can give you a significant advantage. It helps you understand the context of the data and formulate more relevant questions.

9. Curiosity and a Growth Mindset:

The field of data science is constantly evolving. A genuine curiosity and a willingness to learn new technologies and techniques are crucial for long-term success.

10. Strong Communication and Collaboration Skills:

Data scientists often work in teams and need to collaborate effectively with engineers, business stakeholders, and other experts.

Kickstart Your Data Science Journey with Xaltius Academy's Data Science and AI Program:

Acquiring these skills can seem like a daunting task, but structured learning programs can provide a clear and effective path. Xaltius Academy's Data Science and AI Program is designed to equip you with the essential knowledge and practical experience to become a successful data scientist.

Key benefits of the program:

Comprehensive Curriculum: Covers all the core skills mentioned above, from foundational mathematics to advanced machine learning techniques.

Hands-on Projects: Provides practical experience working with real-world datasets and building a strong portfolio.

Expert Instructors: Learn from industry professionals with years of experience in data science and AI.

Career Support: Offers guidance and resources to help you launch your data science career.

Becoming a data scientist is a rewarding journey that blends technical expertise with analytical thinking. By focusing on developing these key skills and leveraging resources like Xaltius Academy's program, you can position yourself for a successful and impactful career in this in-demand field. The power of data is waiting to be unlocked – are you ready to take the challenge?