Chief information officers (CIOs) have become somewhat more prominent in the executive suite, and a new kind of professional has emerged, the data scientist, who combines the skills of software programmer, statistician and storyteller/artist to extract the nuggets of gold hidden under mountains of data.I recently interviewed for a "Big Data" position, but didn't get it. The position intrigued me, because it was not risk management position. Risk management basically is about defining and setting limits. "Big Data" (i.e. data mining, predictive modeling, etc.), on the other hand, is about finding the story behind the data and using the story to enhance the business. It's more proactive.
Hal Varian, Google’s chief economist, predicts that the job of statistician will become the “sexiest” around. Data, he explains, are widely available; what is scarce is the ability to extract wisdom from them.
Originally, economic production was based in a factory, where managers labored over machines and processes to make them more efficient. Now statisticians mine the information output of the business for new ideas.
February 27, 2010
Data, Data Everywhere
"The Economist" had a great article on "Big Data". Plus I've noticed while job searching, "Big Data" is creating jobs.
February 26, 2010
"The election is over!" - haha
McCain is such an idiot. And sadly, he'll always be remembered for picking the bigger idiot Palin as his running mate. It's about time they ALL did something right for the American people, for a change.
The Millennials: Confident. Connected. Open to Change.
New Pew Research Study reports:
Change is good. Anybody afraid of change, ain't goin' make it in the world today.
Generations, like people, have personalities, and Millennials -- the American teens and twenty-somethings who are making the passage into adulthood at the start of a new millennium -- have begun to forge theirs: confident, self-expressive, liberal, upbeat and open to change.Tattoos are in. Religion is out. What's weird is that the parents of the Millennial generation is very conservative, racist, homophobic, misogynist, hates change, lack diversity, etc. How did this new generation get all these great values? School? TV? MTV?
They are more ethnically and racially diverse than older adults. They're less religious, less likely to have served in the military, and are on track to become the most educated generation in American history.
Change is good. Anybody afraid of change, ain't goin' make it in the world today.
February 15, 2010
Antarctica: The Good, the Bad, and the Old.
Antarctica was a tough trip. There where good things about it as well as a few bad things.
First, the good things:
For sure, kayaking was the best, especially amongst the seals, penguins and surfacing whales, no doubt about it. I loved it. It made my trip. Then again, walking and sitting amongst the seals and penguins was equally amazing.
The bad:
The bad mostly revolve around me loosing my mind, or becoming more forgetful.
Before boarding the ship, I left my power cord at the hotel. I was without a power cord the entire trip. I couldn't use my computer, which sucked. And it was 100% my fault I left it there. I spaced. On my prior trips, I never spaced. During my entire nine-month trip in 2005 I only lost a $2 plastic soap container. That is it.
Also on this trip my camera's flash card malfunctioned and I didn't have an extra one. Yes, I should have brought an extra, but I didn't. I never had a problem with my flashcard before. I wasn't prepared. It really annoyed me.
Upon returning to shore, I spent an extra day in Ushuaia, and withdrew money from the ATM, and then walked away without collecting my card. Again, I spaced. In my defense the machine was old school, where one slides the card into the machine and the machine digests it. I prefer the ATMs in the U.S; only a swipe of the card is needed. It never leaves one’s hand.
Then on my flight back to Buenos Aires from Ushuaia, my ears never cleared when landing. I'm not sure if this is a sign of old age or a faulty plane. Other people sitting around me also struggled to clear their ears when landing. Or maybe I imagined it. It wasn't until the next day, after we were airborne again, did my ears finally clear. Possibly sign of old age: faulty ears.
I stayed an extra day in Buenos Aires, due to snow in Atlanta. At first, I was pissed, and then everything worked out. I had forgotten that I purchased flight insurance, along with the air tickets. It was the first time ever. The insurance covered the hotel, transportation to the hotel and food/drink expenses associate with the delay.
Antarctica - Old vs. Young.
It was a strange trip; about 30% of the passengers were younger than I and 70% older; some a lot older. I'm not sure if it's a trip best suited for young people or old people.
Most of the time was spent on the boat, and boats are for old people, right? Or lazy people. There isn't a lot to do except eat and sleep.
But Antarctica, the geographic location, isn't for old people. The ocean is very rough. At least, 50% of the passengers got seasick. And two people fell. One broke his ankle. Another broke his hip.
Plus jumping in and out of zodiacs was fairly dangerous, as the weather patterns were shifting rapidly. A zodiac almost got stuck in the encroaching ice due to shifting water patterns. We also experience pelting sleet and extreme winds. Not an old person's environment. Granted there were safety precessions to keep people safe, but I was actually surprised more people didn't get hurt.
On the other hand, an trip to Antarctica is relatively expensive. Not a lot of young people can afford it.
First, the good things:
For sure, kayaking was the best, especially amongst the seals, penguins and surfacing whales, no doubt about it. I loved it. It made my trip. Then again, walking and sitting amongst the seals and penguins was equally amazing.
The bad:
The bad mostly revolve around me loosing my mind, or becoming more forgetful.
Before boarding the ship, I left my power cord at the hotel. I was without a power cord the entire trip. I couldn't use my computer, which sucked. And it was 100% my fault I left it there. I spaced. On my prior trips, I never spaced. During my entire nine-month trip in 2005 I only lost a $2 plastic soap container. That is it.
Also on this trip my camera's flash card malfunctioned and I didn't have an extra one. Yes, I should have brought an extra, but I didn't. I never had a problem with my flashcard before. I wasn't prepared. It really annoyed me.
Upon returning to shore, I spent an extra day in Ushuaia, and withdrew money from the ATM, and then walked away without collecting my card. Again, I spaced. In my defense the machine was old school, where one slides the card into the machine and the machine digests it. I prefer the ATMs in the U.S; only a swipe of the card is needed. It never leaves one’s hand.
Then on my flight back to Buenos Aires from Ushuaia, my ears never cleared when landing. I'm not sure if this is a sign of old age or a faulty plane. Other people sitting around me also struggled to clear their ears when landing. Or maybe I imagined it. It wasn't until the next day, after we were airborne again, did my ears finally clear. Possibly sign of old age: faulty ears.
I stayed an extra day in Buenos Aires, due to snow in Atlanta. At first, I was pissed, and then everything worked out. I had forgotten that I purchased flight insurance, along with the air tickets. It was the first time ever. The insurance covered the hotel, transportation to the hotel and food/drink expenses associate with the delay.
Antarctica - Old vs. Young.
It was a strange trip; about 30% of the passengers were younger than I and 70% older; some a lot older. I'm not sure if it's a trip best suited for young people or old people.
Most of the time was spent on the boat, and boats are for old people, right? Or lazy people. There isn't a lot to do except eat and sleep.
But Antarctica, the geographic location, isn't for old people. The ocean is very rough. At least, 50% of the passengers got seasick. And two people fell. One broke his ankle. Another broke his hip.
Plus jumping in and out of zodiacs was fairly dangerous, as the weather patterns were shifting rapidly. A zodiac almost got stuck in the encroaching ice due to shifting water patterns. We also experience pelting sleet and extreme winds. Not an old person's environment. Granted there were safety precessions to keep people safe, but I was actually surprised more people didn't get hurt.
On the other hand, an trip to Antarctica is relatively expensive. Not a lot of young people can afford it.
February 14, 2010
February 13, 2010
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February 10, 2010
Polar Plunge!!
After five years of not holding a full-time job, and knowing I'd be starting one soon, what other way to end the "sabbatical" than a one degree C polar plunge! Approximately 25 passengers participated, mostly youngin'. I was by far one of the older partiipants to plunge. Symbolically, my youth is over? Maybe. Can we ever really tell?
February 09, 2010
February 08, 2010
Cierva Cove, Antarctica Peninsula
Kayaking group.
Minke whale.
Not sure what the penguin thought of my hat.
Sole kayaker. Me.
Kayaking parter. Superstar.
February 07, 2010
February 03, 2010
February 02, 2010
Whaling Station - Grytviken, South Georgia
In 1965, Grytviken was the last of New Georgia’s whaling stations to close; in 1992 it has been home to the fascinating South Georgia Museum.
February 01, 2010
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