Site is accessible here, and the accompanying GitHub repository can be accessed through that site as well. It is based on a Google Alerts RSS feed, built every ~6 hours with Jekyll and GitHub Actions. Monthly commentary will be included on that site in the future. Immediate next steps are to add in more news aggregators as sources, to try and get articles that are missed. I would like to integrate Google Scholar as well, but it does not appear they offer an RSS feed or any simple method. Article display filtering is currently done on a keyword basis, which has been working fine, but would like to move to a classifier model. ...

Note a slightly different format to topic, rather than state-based. Snap Interview Waivers in some places expiring Expiration of Waiver of Interview Requirements for SNAP Benefits in Mississippi Beltrami County SNAP interview waiver ends April 30 I would be very curious to see any study performed exploring differences in program administration and case outcomes between while the waiver was in effect, and the before / after where the waiver is not in place. How has the speed of applications changed? Overpayment or underpayment rates? What do the caseworkers think about this change? I also came across this Reddit thread on the impact of interview waivers, but would like to see a structured case study. ...

pd.crosstab is one of those built-in functions in the Pandas API that I forget about routinely. I instinctively reached for df.groupby('x')['y'].count().unstack(), but when I wanted to normalize the values, it takes more and more steps to get where I wanted. This was a nice straightforward overview of the pd.crosstab function. To document for myself, below, create a sample correlated DataFrame with integer columns ActiveUsers and CompletedProfile. import pandas as pd import numpy as np # following code from Github Copilot np.random.seed(0) n = 1000 # Number of samples p = 0.7 # Probability of True in the first column rho = 0.8 # Correlation col1 = np.random.choice([True, False], size=n, p=[p, 1-p]) col2 = np.where(col1, np.random.choice([True, False], size=n, p=[rho, 1-rho]), np.random.choice([True, False], size=n, p=[1-rho, rho])) df = pd.DataFrame({'ActiveUsers': col1, 'CompletedProfile': col2}) ActiveUsersCompletedProfile0TrueTrue1FalseFalse2TrueFalse3...... Sample of the constructed DataFrame ...

Here is Microsoft’s documentation page on the topic. The only reason I am documenting this is because the Azure Resource Explorer failed to load consistently across devices for me. Some tutorials I found, like this one, seem to be outdated and the outbound IP addresses weren’t listed in any Properties menu in the Function App in the Azure Portal. The Azure CLI method was what worked for me: az functionapp show --resource-group <GROUP_NAME> --name <APP_NAME> --query outboundIpAddresses --output tsv az functionapp show --resource-group <GROUP_NAME> --name <APP_NAME> --query possibleOutboundIpAddresses --output tsv I wanted this as I was hoping to whitelist the IP addresses in the database firewall to allow for scheduling some SQL scripts to run daily. The issue with this is the following, copied from the above linked Microsoft documentation: “because of autoscaling behaviors, the outbound IP can change at any time when running on a Consumption plan or in a Premium plan.” While at least a few people say whitelist these IPs anyway, the recommended course of action is to set up a virtual network within Azure. ...

a) improve communication skills by forcing myself to formalize an opinion. Feedback from anonymous readers may either point out an error I made while translating what I think to a written document or a flaw in the argument itself. Of course, I need to be willing to be wrong, and reminding myself that I am excited about learning is an powerful way to cope with finding errors in my work. Writing online is a low-barrier opportunity to become comfortable with this. ...

These are some thoughts about using a Wacom Intuos Wireless Pen and Tablet to complement a mouse and keyboard over the past few weeks. I made this purchase in an effort to decrease forearm and finger pain from overuse working at a desk. Previously, I’ve been using the Logitech MX Master 3 For Business mouse, and I was hoping that switching to a pen and tablet would limit some of the forearm rotation that was causing me pain. While I put the mouse to the side, I am still using a Glove80 keyboard, as well as Windows Voice Access. ...

These were my answers to the application essay questions for UChicago’s MSCAPP program back from the 2018 round. Only piece of advice - make sure you know what skills or knowledge you want to get out of any MS program - which means work for a bit prior to attending. Why is a combined program between policy and computer science a good match for your career goals? (max 300 words) With a M.S. in Computational Analysis and Public Policy, I can support the shift from Michigan nonprofits solely serving constituents to leading communities. My primary career goal is to increase volunteerism through developing the technical expertise of the nonprofit sector. By applying data science techniques, I will provide organizations with evidence of successful interventions and expand their capacity to deliver services. To accomplish this, I need intensive direction to develop my quantitative analysis skills through computer science and statistics courses. ...

Context Student and supporting organizations wrote a letter to the USDA recommending that the SNAP application interview requirement be removed, with the accompanying press release here. A news article that summarizes the entire P.R. push for this is accessible here through Fortune magazine. Why We Should Rethink the SNAP Interview Requirement: A Former Caseworker’s Perspective is an op-ed from The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) which argues SNAP interviews should be made optional. Based on the author’s experience as a caseworker, the mandatory interviews are largely a pretense for detecting fraud, and the time could be better spent providing holistic assistance to SNAP participants. These “unnecessary interviews that are ineffective at finding what infinitesimal fraud exists” only serve to increase the stigma associated with accessing food stamps by treating applicants as if they “are thieves that must be watched”.1 Unfortunately, the lack of any evidence for or against the effectiveness of SNAP interviews (whatever their purpose may be), the confusing use of statistics, and the wider focus on stigmas associated with SNAP participation resulted in an unconvincing argument. While I agree with the author’s wider points that we should take steps to minimize stigmas of government benefits and that a primary purpose of mandatory SNAP interviews is to verify information, further study of the consequences is warranted before SNAP interviews are made optional. ...

Summary: many warnings about EBT payment scams and theft, alongside a proposal to improve security state bills (and national) continue to propose work requirements and refuse additional SNAP funding for the summer upcoming Farm Bill renewal is stalled by SNAP discussions and funding National Jobs and Opportunities for SNAP Act of 2023 proposed by Senator John Kennedy in the U.S. Senate. The companion U.S. House bill is here. The following is copied from the summary: ...

Written by Larry Gonick & Woollcott Smith Note: This is based on the “Revised and Updated Edition”. Cover page of The Cartoon Guide to Statistics Deriving, and learning when to apply, statistical formulas is always going to be difficult. It turns out that including cartoons does not make it any easier. I would put statistics writing into three general categories: teaching statistical literacy, e.g., How To Lie With Statistics; deriving the principles of statistical concepts, e.g., any college-level textbook; and applying statistical methods, e.g., an academic study. The Cartoon Guide To Statistics tries to do a bit of all three of these, and is worse off for it. The guide covers probability, random variables, sampling, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, experimental design, and regression in just over 200 pages. ...