Category Archives: Book

Homework

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This is a part of the homework feature of my blog, which is an ongoing conversation with my mate S.F.

Hey mate. Lovely to see you again, as always.

First, two things from last time which I forgot to write up:

I mentioned Veritasium which is a video blog of interest.

I have a note here that says “ASI”. And that’s all it says. Not sure what that was about?

I did consider writing my response to Mark Fisher‘s work Capitalist Realism (which is available on the web here), but in researching him and his work this evening I have learned that he died by suicide in 2017. I think suicide is the worst thing ever and I can’t bring myself to write something which tears strips off people who are no longer here to respond. (I intend to read Mark’s PhD thesis Flatline constructs: Gothic materialism and cybernetic theory-fiction.)

You mentioned Pick of the Litter, noting that dogs are trained to sometimes ignore the command of their master, particularly when it wouldn’t be safe.

One good thing about arguments with friends is that there is always time to pee.

Norvig’s Law: Any technology that surpasses 50% penetration will never double again (in any number of months).

This marketing dude Rory Sutherland is actually quite impressive. I hadn’t expected as much from someone in advertising! He has given a number of TED talks and there are many interviews with him on YouTube.

The documentary about the 2008 financial crisis that I mentioned was Inside Job. Not to be confused with the TV series with the same name (which is excellent, by the way).

My favorite philosopher of the day is Iain McGilchrist. I suspect my own beliefs and preferences diverge from those of McGilchrist but I do really enjoy his thought. I have watched a number of interviews with Iain McGilchrist. He has written a number of books, a few of which I have purchased and intend to read: The Matter With Things: Our Brains, Our Delusions and the Unmaking of the World, The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World, and The Divided Brain and the Search for Meaning.

The book Thinking, Fast and Slow by psychologist Daniel Kahneman demarcates two systems of thinking: one fast and automatic, the other slow and deliberative.

The quotation “the stupid are cocksure, while the intelligent are full of doubt” is variously attributed (including to Bertrand Russell).

Check out Mr Inbetween, it’s really excellent!

Love you my brother, see you on Christmas Day! <3

Books by Bill Inmon

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This is a note for Future John.

I am reading Fundamentals of Data Engineering which says that beside Ralph Kimball, Bill Inmon had a lot to do with data warehousing in the early days. I’m going to try and read a few of his books, many of which are available in Kindle (and Audible) format from Amazon.

Extra Content #18: Four New Books on Data Warehousing and Data Engineering | In The Lab With Jay Jay

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This post is part of my video blog and you can find more information about this video over here.

You can support this channel on Patreon: patreon.com/JohnElliotV

In this video I get four new books on database design which have arrived from Amazon:

Thanks very much for watching! And please remember to hit like and subscribe! :)

Following is a product I use picked at random from my collection which may appear in my videos. Clicking through on this to find and click on the green affiliate links before purchasing from eBay or AliExpress is a great way to support the channel at no cost to you. Thanks!

Wozniak Solder LugsThis is an image of the product.notes

Let’s go shopping!

What is elliptic curve cryptography?

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The following quotation is taken from Elliptic Curve Cryptography for Developers.

What is elliptic curve cryptography?

First, there are no ellipses. Second, there are no curves. So why is it called an “elliptic curve”? The primary reason is history. Performing integrals of the elliptical orbits of planets gave rise to formulas labeled elliptic curves. These formulas were then used in other areas of mathematics, and the label stuck.

The areas of mathematics used in public key cryptography involve number theory (the properties of integers), combinatorics (the study of counting), and finite fields (sets with finite objects and specific rules). Elliptic curves are used in just about every area of mathematics. This makes studying elliptic curve math very difficult because it is hard to determine what you really need to know and what is just really interesting.

For example, elliptic curves have been used for factoring numbers and solving Fermat’s Last Theorem. In chapter 3, I explain how elliptic curves on the complex plane are used to understand elliptic curves over finite fields. It’s all interesting but not necessarily applicable to cryptography.

Rory Sutherland reading list

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I just watched this presentation from Rory Sutherland: Rory Sutherland: Want Fewer People to go to A&E? Change the Name | Health | WIRED.

At the end he provides this reading list:

I don’t have the time (or money) to read all of those books, the book I picked to read was Nudge.

Historical Figures from God Created the Integers

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I made some notes about God Created the Integers by Stephen Hawking which I have been reading recently. I’m in the process of creating a new book teardown for it. I needed to make some notes about how to pronounce various names. I didn’t do this until I was half-way through the book though. If I had have taken the time to do this activity sooner I would have embarrassed myself less. Anyway. Better late than never!

Mail Call #13: Latest Loot from Amazon and AliExpress | Learning Electronics In The Lab With Jay Jay

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This post is part of my video blog and you can find more information about this video over here.

You can support this channel on Patreon: patreon.com/JohnElliotV

In this video I open my mail. I got some stuff from Amazon and AliExpress:

The book that I mention I’m doing a new book teardown for is God Created the Integers, so keep your eye out for that coming up soon on the main channel.

The cable-making video I mention is this one: Electronics Project #5: Hook Clip Test Probes to DuPont Jumpers | In The Lab With Jay Jay.

Thanks very much for watching! And please remember to hit like and subscribe! :)

Following is a product I use picked at random from my collection which may appear in my videos. Clicking through on this to find and click on the green affiliate links before purchasing from eBay or AliExpress is a great way to support the channel at no cost to you. Thanks!

Yum Cha Universal Magnetic Ring Drill BitThis is an image of the product.

Let’s go shopping!

Mail Call #10: Thanks Craig! Also loot from AliExpress | In The Lab With Jay Jay

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This post is part of my video blog and you can find more information about this video over here.

You can support this channel on Patreon: patreon.com/JohnElliotV

In this video I receive Engineer’s Mini Notebook Volume II – Science and Communication Circuits & Projects all the way from the USA from my friend (and mentor (and reader (and viewer (and patron (and Lisp hacker))))) Craig. Thanks Craig! <3

I mention that the October 2024 edition of Silicon Chip magazine is out.

I mention that I recently got my symbol keyboard working on Linux! Pretty happy about that! These are the extra keys that I have at my workstation now: ° ± § λ Δ Σ Π Ω ε µ π θ

I also get a bunch of stuff from AliExpress, including:

And yes, despite confusion, I did get three lots of two different kinds of hard brushes, and yes, I did end up saying the wrong thing in the video! Can’t take me anywhere.

Oh, and as I mention in the video I am from a beautiful part of the world known as the Blue Mountains. It’s pretty hot here today!

In the end my collection of Arduino boards includes:

Thanks very much for watching! And please remember to hit like and subscribe! :)

Following is a product I use picked at random from my collection which may appear in my videos. Clicking through on this to find and click on the green affiliate links before purchasing from eBay or AliExpress is a great way to support the channel at no cost to you. Thanks!

Wozniak Solder LugsThis is an image of the product.notes

Let’s go shopping!

Old Book Teardown #10: Digital Systems: Hardware Organization and Design (1973) | In The Lab

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This post is part of my video blog and you can find more information about this video over here.

You can support this channel on Patreon: patreon.com/JohnElliotV

Silly Job Title: Component Wrangler

In this video I take a look at Digital Systems: Hardware Organization and Design by Fredrick J. Hill and Gerald R. Peterson published in 1973:

Here is the laundry list of links to things which came up during this video, including a few duplicates:

Thanks very much for watching! And please remember to hit like and subscribe! :)

Following is a product I use picked at random from my collection which may appear in my videos. Clicking through on this to find and click on the green affiliate links before purchasing from eBay or AliExpress is a great way to support the channel at no cost to you. Thanks!

Rigol PLA2216 Compatible Logic ProbeThis is an image of the product.notes

Let’s go shopping!