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millerdl

@millerdl@mathstodon.xyz

type 2 fun enthusiast // Bogdanovist // statistician at Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. For a complete list of posts, browse on the original instance.

millerdl , to random
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folks developing web apps should be forced to use them on scotrail free wifi for a month before being allowed to release them

millerdl , to random
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I’m a slug guy now

futurebird , to random
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E-bikes are very cool and I'm glad they are getting popular.

However.

There is a big difference between a crash at 12mph and one at 20mph.

Your ebike can give you injuries normally only found in motorcycle accidents. And there isn't enough advice on what constitutes sufficient maintenance for ebikes.

If you don't get balding tires fixed on a regular bike you could fall off and bruise or break a leg.

At ebike speeds that same fall will shatter your leg in dozens of pieces.

BE CAREFUL

millerdl ,
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@futurebird it was terrifying being in Seattle a couple of weeks ago: the Lime ebike rentals are SO FAST and SO HEAVY. In the UK assistance is capped at 25km/h (15.5mph), still fast but not close to the speeds you can get on ebikes in the US, it seems.

Especially dangerous for rental schemes where riders are not experienced cyclists, don't know local laws and don't wear helmets.

millerdl , to random
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It’s happening!! 🚆🚆🚆

I’m getting the train from New York to Seattle over the next ~80 hours!

Thanks to @Gaelan for the really good info on planning the trip!

You all may want to mute me for the next few days if you don’t want a LOT of train chat!

(I’ll try to confine it to this thread, which I’ll pin.)

millerdl OP ,
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Home for the next 20 hours!

Side of the train showing the Amtrak decal

millerdl OP ,
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The new Tappan Zee bridge ! Now called the “Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge”, which is not as good a name for a bridge imo

millerdl OP ,
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now heading to Poughkeepsie (home of the FDR presidential library), all I can think about taking in this amazing view of the Hudson is: holy shit climate change is going to cause some issues here.

The train is so close to the water, the water is maybe 1m lower than the track.

Infrastructure! Make it last!

millerdl OP ,
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please do not come at me, but I just looked at a map and this journey is fucking FAR.

millerdl OP ,
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current listening https://mogwai.bandcamp.com/track/cody-2

millerdl OP ,
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on a train across the continent and I'm still arguing with sf :P

millerdl OP ,
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me:
train: smells like burning rubber

millerdl OP ,
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In Albany, they’ve sent off the electric engine, waiting for the diesel and Boston trains to be attached.

We’re allowed out for 20 mins, so I go up to the station. Eerily like stopping at a service station on a long coach journey. I see people from bits of the train I have not been to yet.

millerdl OP ,
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We have started doing laps around the platform. All in the same direction. I feel like I might be part of a cult. Furious vaping ensues.

millerdl OP ,
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Boston cars connected. 🤝

millerdl OP ,
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In the dining car. I have the nonmeat protein kebab with some kind of pilaf. Not bad actually.

A couple has just sat down at the table in front of me. Both are wearing pristine Chicago Cubs clothing. It’s a little eerie— as I was typing that, they broke out in happy birthday.

I may need a lie down.

millerdl OP ,
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Good morning from Ohio!

millerdl OP ,
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This is what Ohio looks like at 0641 on a Monday I guess

millerdl OP ,
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we've caught up a little overnight, https://asm.transitdocs.com/ shows we're only 46 minutes late now. Stopped in Toledo, OH.

millerdl OP ,
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Ohio seems very flat

millerdl OP ,
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Like a pancake

millerdl OP ,
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guess who is now in Indiana!

Indiana was the first place I ever went in the US, I lived in Munster for a month as part of a school exchange. It was weird and cool!

millerdl OP ,
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America, just happening around me.

millerdl OP ,
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now only 31 mins late it seems, going a whopping 69.8 mph. Europeans: please do not laugh.

millerdl OP ,
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amazed to see almost no fencing between the tracks and people's back yards.

I'm now in South Bend, Indiana

millerdl OP ,
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Not lying

millerdl OP ,
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(With apologies if this thread is getting messy, signal has not been great and I assume it will get worse, so using the masto web app is difficult.)

millerdl OP ,
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On the outskirts of Chicago now…

millerdl OP ,
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Double decker Metra (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metra) trains!

millerdl OP ,
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My upgrade from NYP➡️CHI means I get to use the Metropolitan Lounge here until my next train.

I get a very very cool wristband.

Also there is deranged corporate art.

Painting of a train at a station, in the foreground the train guard is giving a child a model train while an adult man looks on.

millerdl OP ,
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(I was wondering why I was confused, my phone is in CST (CDT? Who can say?) and my watch had not updated yet from Eastern time.)

millerdl OP ,
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Walking around downtown Chicago: it’s VERY corporate.

Called round to the Fed.

millerdl OP ,
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This bank seems… improper

millerdl OP ,
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Walking around Union Station, some maps of the journey I’ve done and the journey I’m about to do

A simplistic cartoon map for the Empire Builder line. Line goes from Chicago to Milwaukee (symbolised by a beer stein), then across North Dakota (symbolised by a fish) then Glacier park (buffalo/bison??), splitting at Spokane (cowboy boot????) then to Portland (lighthouse???????) or Seattle (space needle, obvs)

millerdl OP ,
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When you bring an owl to the party but then you realise it’s too much and you’re embarrassed.

millerdl OP ,
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And we are outta here! See you “soon” Seattle!

millerdl OP ,
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“Home” for the next 44ish hours I guess!

futurebird , (edited ) to random
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People trying to train AIs are now complaining that all of the AI data on the internet are making it hard for them to get quality training sets of natural language and images.

bitter snickering

millerdl ,
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@futurebird see also this paper https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.17493 on how training on generated data can cause big problems

millerdl ,
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@futurebird I like to think of it as these models sowing the seeds of their own destruction, which I find a little satisfying.

futurebird , (edited ) to random
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You may not like it, but this what peak bus seat looks like. This is the Ultimate Seat. No one can sit next to you. You have a window. There is a USB for your phone and a lil shelf for your work case. It’s elevated making you feel special. It’s backwards since cool people do not need to look where they are going. Absolute luxury!

millerdl ,
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@futurebird oh hey, that's my old neighbourhood! 👋

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