I don't get any option in settings or elsewhere so I can change my profile pic and username. Why?
It would be nice to update the profile page from within the app.  Perhaps not many people update their profiles more frequently, but when required to do so, I would prefer to do it from the app instead of the mobile browser.
Short story ID: Bouncing-Ball Time Travel A little help please. The story I'm looking for is probably late-50's to mid-60's, and may well have occurred in an SF magazine.  A professor is demonstrating his new time machine to a scientific audience. The machine looks like two large spheres touching each other. In operation, one is sent back into deep time (let's say, although my memory has dropped this particular datum, 10 billion years). It will then return to the present, then bounce off its twin and jump back half that temporal distance (5 billion years), return, bounce half again (2.5 billion years), etc. Each trip will take half the time (in present-day units) as the previous, so the whole thing will be over in a finite time.  Before anyone can stop him, he activates it. He begins lecturing the audience, asserting that whatever has happened has always happened. At decreasing intervals the sphere reappears and bounces with a resonant "Boing!". At each jump, the narrative establishes that the appearance of the sphere did change history, and these changes are reflected in the professor's speech.  So it becomes something like "(Boing!) And those who say that this is dangerous might as well be claiming that the day is not 26 hours long (Boing!) or that there are three moons, not seven (Boing!)", etc. And when the final (Boi-Bo-B-B-Boing!) fades away he raises his tentacles in triumph and cries, "See? Nothing has changed!" Let's have breakfast    Let's have a good breakfast      I've learned that indefinite articles aren't used before uncountable nouns, so why is a used before the adjective "good" here?    Is there an exception to the rules or is it wrong? Standard deviation of binned observations I have a dataset of sample observations, stored as counts within range bins. e.g.:  min/max  count 40/44    1 45/49    2 50/54    3 55/59    4 70/74    1   Now, finding an estimate of the average from this is pretty straight forward.  Simply use the mean (or median) of each range bin as the observation and the count as a weight and find the weighted average:  $$\bar{x}^* = \frac{1}{\sum_{i=1}^N w_i} \sum_{i=1}^N w_ix_i$$  For my test case, this gives me 53.82.  My question now is, what's the correct method of finding the standard deviation (or variance)?  Through my searching, I've found several answers, but I'm unsure which, if any, is actually appropriate for my dataset.  I was able to find the following formula both  and .  $$s^{2*} = \frac{ \sum_{i=1}^N w_i (x_i - \bar{x}^*)^2 }{ \frac{(M-1)}{M} \sum_{i=1}^N w_i }$$  Which gives a standard deviation of 8.35 for my test case.  However, the Wikipedia article on  gives both the formula:  $$s^{2*} = \frac{ \sum_{i=1}^N w_i}{(\sum_{i=1}^N w_i)^2 - \sum_{i=1}^N w_i^2} \sum_{i=1}^N w_i(x_i-\bar{x}^*)^2$$  and  $$s^{2*} = \frac{1}{(\sum_{i=1}^N w_i) - 1} \sum_{i=1}^N w_i(x_i-\bar{x}^*)^2$$  Which give standard deviations of 8.66 and 7.83, respectively, for my test case.  Update  Thanks to @whuber who suggested looking into Sheppard's Corrections, and your helpful comments related to them.  Unfortunately, I'm having a difficult time understanding the resources I can find about it (and I can't find any good examples).  To recap though, I understand that the following is a biased estimate of variance:  $$s^{2*} = \frac{1}{\sum_{i=1}^N w_i} \sum_{i=1}^N w_i(x_i-\bar{x}^*)^2$$  I also understand that most standard corrections for the bias are for direct random samples of a normal distribution.  Therefore, I see two potential issues for me:   These are binned random samples (which, I'm pretty sure, is where Sheppard's Corrections come in.)  It's unknown whether or not the data is for a normal distribution (thus I'm assuming not, which, I'm pretty sure, invalidates Sheppard's Corrections.)   So, my updated question is; What's the appropriate method for handling the bias imposed by the "simple" weighted standard deviation/variance formula on a non-normal distribution? Most specifically with regards to binned data.  Note: I'm using the following terms:     $s^{2*}$ is the weighted variance   $N$ is the number of observations.  (i.e. the number of bins) $M$ is the number of nonzero weights.  (i.e. the number of bins with counts) $w_i$ are the weights  (i.e. the counts) $x_i$ are the observations.  (i.e. the bin means) $\bar{x}^*$ is the weighted mean. “It can be very cold…” vs “It may be very cold…” It can be very cold in winters.   It may be very cold in winters.   What is the difference between these two sentences?  People say when may is used then it means that it may be cold in winters or it may not be cold in winters. In other words, may means 'not sure'.  So does that mean if can is used then it is 100% sure that it will be cold in winters? R : constraining coefficients and error variance over multiple subsample regressions Since I'm confused with these two phrases, I did a search in Google Books hoping to find some examples. But then I found :     Two private spaces or replicas cannot contain the same object with two distinct references. For example, during a disconnected phase, the pump can be present in two different private spaces and still be designated with the same name. During a meeting, two replicas use a same name to access the pump object(local or distant).   This made me more confused. I don't really understand why "the same name" was used in one sentence while "a same name" was used in another. Are there any differences between them? In a casual search of the web, I found a few indications English does not allow zero copulas ().  However, I frequently see sentences with subordinate clauses that juxtapose a noun phrase with an adverb phrase, such as the following from a contemporary sci-fi author:  Kai stares up at me from the grave, his eyes hard as obsidian.  If this clause were made into a sentence, it would take an obligatory verb:  *His eyes hard as obsidian.  His eyes are hard as obsidian.  The original clause seems to contain an implicit "to be."  Is it an example of a zero copula?  If not, what is this construction called? How to remove the "3D Objects" entry from Windows 10 Explorer? The 2017 Fall Creators Update to Windows 10 added a "3D Objects" folder to the "This PC" view of Windows Explorer:    How can this be removed? I have a simple circuit:    The max rating (current) of the LED is 30mA.  How can I work out what the resistance of the resistor needs to be? By using ohm's law I found it to be \$3V/0.03A = 100 \Omega\$. However using software called , and trial and error I got the minimum possible resistance to be 36&Omega;. However, if I use a 35&Omega; resistor, then the LED breaks. Is the software wrong, or (more likely) am I doing something wrong? How to evaluate  $$\det\begin{bmatrix}1+x_1y_1&amp;\cdots &amp; 1+x_1y_n\\ \vdots &amp; \ddots &amp; \vdots \\ 1+x_ny_1 &amp; \cdots &amp; 1+x_ny_n\end{bmatrix}$$?  I tried factorisation but I have no idea. I could not factor anything out... I need a hint to kick off.   Edit: A conjecture due to multilinearity: if we let $v_j=(x_1y_j,\cdots,x_ny_j)^T$, then my guess would be $$\det\begin{bmatrix}1+x_1y_1&amp;\cdots &amp; 1+x_1y_n\\ \vdots &amp; \ddots &amp; \vdots \\ 1+x_ny_1 &amp; \cdots &amp; 1+x_ny_n\end{bmatrix}=\det(1,v_2,\cdots,v_n)+\det(v_1,1,\cdots,v_n)+\cdots+\det(v_1,v_2,\cdots,1)=\color{red}{0}$$ where $1$ denote $(1,\cdots,1)^T\in \Bbb K^n$,$\Bbb K$ the underlying number field. Are there any research careers except professorship for a person holding PhD in pure mathematics? I have a series of ranges with start dates and end dates. I want to check to see if a date is within that range.  Date.before() and Date.after() seem to be a little awkward to use. What I really need is something like this pseudocode:  boolean isWithinRange(Date testDate) {     return testDate &gt;= startDate &amp;&amp; testDate &lt;= endDate; }   Not sure if it's relevant, but the dates I'm pulling from the database have timestamps. I took a look at my profile, where I stuck my flair. Here's the flair:    However, I don't have 28k rep. According to chat, I have 19.7k.  Note: I know about the combined flair - I've had this in my profile for at least a year. It had been showing me the same as in chat, now it isn't.   What is going on here?  Edit: I'm reporting a bug here, that the combined flair is not showing the correct number, as it has in the past. Can a git submodule be created retroactively? Math symbol question: Vertical bar for ''evaluated at ...'' Is the set of all functions $f:Z_+\rightarrow Z_+$ that are eventually constant countable. How do I delete Windows.old in Windows? I used to run Windows 7 32 bit, but installed the 64 bit version because of a RAM upgrade. During the installation I got this message:      The partition you selected might contain files from a previous Windows installation. If it does, these files and folders will be moved to a folder named Windows.old. You will be able to access the information in Windows.old, but you will not be able to use your previous version of Windows.   The C:\ drive now has two (2) Windows folders:   Windows (15.3 GB) Windows.old (15.7 GB)     Don't see why I need the Windows.old taking over 15GB of space on my hard drive so I tried to delete it. It didn't work.  How can I safely delete this folder? Repeating the consonant in many words in a sentence or phrase In the movie 'V for Vendetta' you have for example (bold part):     Evey: Who are you?        V. : Who? Who is but the form following the function of what and what I am is a man in a mask.      Evey: Well I can see that.        V. : Of course you can, I’m not questioning your powers of observation, I’m merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is.      Evey: Oh, right.      V. : But on this most auspicious of nights, permit me then, in lieu of the more commonplace soubriquet, to suggest the character of this dramatis persona.      V. : Voila!   In view humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of   the “vox populi” now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin, van guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it’s my very good   honour to meet you and you may call me V.       Evey: Are you like a crazy person?      V. : I’m quite sure they will say so.   What do you call sentences like these? And do you know some other ones? Would the One Ring even work for anyone but Sauron? The temptation of the One Ring, we quickly learn, is always tied up with power: each character's fantasies of possessing it seem to be about what they would do with great power. Even Sam, as I recall, imagines the power to create great huge sweeping gardens. Boromir wants the power to save Gondor, etc.  But does the One Ring actually convey power to anyone but Sauron? It actually seems to diminish its bearers: Bilbo feels "thin" and "stretched", Sméagol becomes the wretched Gollum, Frodo is never quite the same even after it is destroyed. None of them seem more "powerful," even in the abstract way that magic-users in Tolkien operate. No mention is made, that I can recall, of a Ringbearer having greater stature or authority, or of people naturally following them or obeying their commands, while they possess the Ring.  The accepted answer to  implies that a being as powerful as Gandalf could dominate the Ring and break Sauron's hold over it, but even then Tolkien says that "It would have been the master in the end", and his descriptions of a Ringbearing Gandalf sound pretty much like Gandalf is using his own powers, not terribly augmented by the Ring:     [Gandalf] would have remained 'righteous', but self-righteous. He would have continued to rule and order things for 'good', and the benefit of his subjects according to his wisdom (which was and would have remained great).   Now that sounds out of character for a being as humble as Gandalf, but it doesn't actually sound like something he would have been unable to do before. It's a twisted motive, but not really an enhanced power.  Pretty much everyone in Middle-earth agrees that the One Ring will corrupt you, but they all seem to agree that it DOES convey great power even so. Why? Do we ever see any actual, "positive" effects from possessing the One Ring? Looking for qt-at-spi for ubuntu 20.04