Joshua Otti
@joshuaotti.bsky.social
Hi, My name is Joshua Cook Otti. I am a PhD in theoretical computer science, software engineer, and the author for stemforest books.
My website: joshuaotti.com
Stem Forest Books website: stemforestbooks.com
My website: joshuaotti.com
Stem Forest Books website: stemforestbooks.com
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Joshua Otti
@joshuaotti.bsky.social
· Nov 7
Want to teach stem concepts to your elementary age children? Teach them binary search with my book, Leaf's Library. It's about brown fairies who learn binary search to find books faster.
Any legislation we can push through that will fight back against the anti consumer, monopolistic Healthcare system is good.
December 11, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Any legislation we can push through that will fight back against the anti consumer, monopolistic Healthcare system is good.
We should be doing more to help young people buy entry level homes, not to help people at their prime earnings and savings lock in their housing advantage further.
www.fox7austin.com/news/seniors...
www.fox7austin.com/news/seniors...
'Seniors' may soon be 10 years younger when it comes to Texas property tax breaks
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced the launch of "Operation Double Nickel" on Tuesday, which would lower the age used to designate senior citizens who qualify for saving money on property taxes.
www.fox7austin.com
December 10, 2025 at 5:58 PM
We should be doing more to help young people buy entry level homes, not to help people at their prime earnings and savings lock in their housing advantage further.
www.fox7austin.com/news/seniors...
www.fox7austin.com/news/seniors...
Many explanations of the montey hall problem are just wrong.
Consider the screw up game host who (when you didn’t choose the car) accidentally screws up and shows you the care with 50% probability. Should you switch with them?
If your analysis still says yes, your analysis is wrong.
Consider the screw up game host who (when you didn’t choose the car) accidentally screws up and shows you the care with 50% probability. Should you switch with them?
If your analysis still says yes, your analysis is wrong.
December 9, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Many explanations of the montey hall problem are just wrong.
Consider the screw up game host who (when you didn’t choose the car) accidentally screws up and shows you the care with 50% probability. Should you switch with them?
If your analysis still says yes, your analysis is wrong.
Consider the screw up game host who (when you didn’t choose the car) accidentally screws up and shows you the care with 50% probability. Should you switch with them?
If your analysis still says yes, your analysis is wrong.
I don't know exactly what went wrong with horizon worlds, but it seems like a fundamental engineering failure.
Too many people pushed onto a project too fast with too unclear (and changing) requirements.
Too many people pushed onto a project too fast with too unclear (and changing) requirements.
December 9, 2025 at 3:25 AM
I don't know exactly what went wrong with horizon worlds, but it seems like a fundamental engineering failure.
Too many people pushed onto a project too fast with too unclear (and changing) requirements.
Too many people pushed onto a project too fast with too unclear (and changing) requirements.
If AI does decide to kill all humans, it will probably be BECAUSE of the sci-fi warning us about it.
December 9, 2025 at 1:40 AM
If AI does decide to kill all humans, it will probably be BECAUSE of the sci-fi warning us about it.
Jesus christ. Removing MLK day and replacing it with Trumps birthday is par for the course for this administration. And it's not the worst thing he's done.
But darn is it a bad look. Trump really going full villain.
www.npr.org/2025/12/06/g...
But darn is it a bad look. Trump really going full villain.
www.npr.org/2025/12/06/g...
National parks fee-free calendar drops MLK Day, Juneteenth and adds Trump's birthday
The Trump administration, which has railed against what it describes as "woke" policies, removed MLK Day and Juneteenth from next year's list of fare-exempt days for visitors at dozens of national par...
www.npr.org
December 7, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Jesus christ. Removing MLK day and replacing it with Trumps birthday is par for the course for this administration. And it's not the worst thing he's done.
But darn is it a bad look. Trump really going full villain.
www.npr.org/2025/12/06/g...
But darn is it a bad look. Trump really going full villain.
www.npr.org/2025/12/06/g...
Okay, I tried my VR shoes. Didn't work. Gonna get a slip mill for my steam frame.
December 7, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Okay, I tried my VR shoes. Didn't work. Gonna get a slip mill for my steam frame.
Super power idea, you can turn invisible, but:
1. You can only turn your whole body invisible at once, no partial invisibility.
2. Clothes don't become invisible.
3. You can’t see while invisible.
1. You can only turn your whole body invisible at once, no partial invisibility.
2. Clothes don't become invisible.
3. You can’t see while invisible.
December 2, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Super power idea, you can turn invisible, but:
1. You can only turn your whole body invisible at once, no partial invisibility.
2. Clothes don't become invisible.
3. You can’t see while invisible.
1. You can only turn your whole body invisible at once, no partial invisibility.
2. Clothes don't become invisible.
3. You can’t see while invisible.
Can we stop making posts blaming Amazon for nitrates in water where the data does not support the conclusion?
No data about size of the aquafor, specific numbers about water lost make it hard to determine the size of the effect. And the numbers in this article support the opposite of the claim.
No data about size of the aquafor, specific numbers about water lost make it hard to determine the size of the effect. And the numbers in this article support the opposite of the claim.
Data centers in Oregon might be helping to drive an increase in cancer and miscarriages | The Verge share.google/tFiz2i2UJeJ7...
Data centers in Oregon might be helping to drive an increase in cancer and miscarriages
Amazon data centers might be adding to a public health crisis in Morrow County, Oregon.
share.google
December 1, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Can we stop making posts blaming Amazon for nitrates in water where the data does not support the conclusion?
No data about size of the aquafor, specific numbers about water lost make it hard to determine the size of the effect. And the numbers in this article support the opposite of the claim.
No data about size of the aquafor, specific numbers about water lost make it hard to determine the size of the effect. And the numbers in this article support the opposite of the claim.
Worried about how expensive the new steamframe will be with the dram prices. Right now 16gb is only $100, but that really shouldn't be one of the primary costs of the headset.
December 1, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Worried about how expensive the new steamframe will be with the dram prices. Right now 16gb is only $100, but that really shouldn't be one of the primary costs of the headset.
There are many Maga break up articles right now but this happened before after January 6. Trump won again 4 years later with greater institutional support than ever.
The GOP won't turn on Trump, they'll just temporarily act disappointed until they can stop acting.
The GOP won't turn on Trump, they'll just temporarily act disappointed until they can stop acting.
November 30, 2025 at 8:18 AM
There are many Maga break up articles right now but this happened before after January 6. Trump won again 4 years later with greater institutional support than ever.
The GOP won't turn on Trump, they'll just temporarily act disappointed until they can stop acting.
The GOP won't turn on Trump, they'll just temporarily act disappointed until they can stop acting.
So, luckily my job has given me a very annoying thing to test at work that is requiring me to learn some knew statistics to deal with it. Essentially, I need to use the DKW inequality, but I need a strengthened one with tighter bounds on the tails.
Fairly interesting stuff!
Fairly interesting stuff!
November 30, 2025 at 8:00 AM
So, luckily my job has given me a very annoying thing to test at work that is requiring me to learn some knew statistics to deal with it. Essentially, I need to use the DKW inequality, but I need a strengthened one with tighter bounds on the tails.
Fairly interesting stuff!
Fairly interesting stuff!
Had an idea for a VR treadmill, and now that I have some disposable income, I'm gonna try it! Anyway, if I break my ankles in the next few weeks you know what happened.
November 26, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Had an idea for a VR treadmill, and now that I have some disposable income, I'm gonna try it! Anyway, if I break my ankles in the next few weeks you know what happened.
Every instrument is a drum if you believe hard enough.
November 23, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Every instrument is a drum if you believe hard enough.
We don’t need steam OS for companies to build Linux desktops. Just put Ubuntu on it, maybe with some pre-installed stuff.
I'm all for valve making steam OS more widely available, but if they'd rather focus their OS on specific hardware, that's fine. Proton works on other Linux distros.
I'm all for valve making steam OS more widely available, but if they'd rather focus their OS on specific hardware, that's fine. Proton works on other Linux distros.
November 23, 2025 at 10:42 AM
We don’t need steam OS for companies to build Linux desktops. Just put Ubuntu on it, maybe with some pre-installed stuff.
I'm all for valve making steam OS more widely available, but if they'd rather focus their OS on specific hardware, that's fine. Proton works on other Linux distros.
I'm all for valve making steam OS more widely available, but if they'd rather focus their OS on specific hardware, that's fine. Proton works on other Linux distros.
Lukewarm take: short people are cool, and genetically engineering your kids to try to make them above average height is bad.
Hot take: if it was possible, genetically engineering your kids to be shorter WOULD be cool.
Hot take: if it was possible, genetically engineering your kids to be shorter WOULD be cool.
November 23, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Lukewarm take: short people are cool, and genetically engineering your kids to try to make them above average height is bad.
Hot take: if it was possible, genetically engineering your kids to be shorter WOULD be cool.
Hot take: if it was possible, genetically engineering your kids to be shorter WOULD be cool.
I mean, they should also work to set up better federal laws to regulate voting to fix fundamental problems with our voting system. But until the rules are fixed, yeah play the game to win.
I don’t care what happens with the Texas legislative maps. Democrats should still gerrymander the shit out of blue states.
November 20, 2025 at 2:30 AM
I mean, they should also work to set up better federal laws to regulate voting to fix fundamental problems with our voting system. But until the rules are fixed, yeah play the game to win.
Soon, very soon, one can buy truly native, Canadian Honeyberries. research-groups.usask.ca/fruit/articl...
Well, half Canadian half Japanese, but close enough.
Well, half Canadian half Japanese, but close enough.
'Boreal Bliss' - USask Fruit Program
Boreal Bliss will be available in late 2025 or 2026.
research-groups.usask.ca
November 20, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Soon, very soon, one can buy truly native, Canadian Honeyberries. research-groups.usask.ca/fruit/articl...
Well, half Canadian half Japanese, but close enough.
Well, half Canadian half Japanese, but close enough.
Cloud providers are not utilities like water and electric. Adding a new provider made available to everyone is not expensive. It is not expensive to switch someone from AWS to GCP.
Now, they are large powerful companies and they should be regulated. But they are not utilities.
Now, they are large powerful companies and they should be regulated. But they are not utilities.
November 19, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Cloud providers are not utilities like water and electric. Adding a new provider made available to everyone is not expensive. It is not expensive to switch someone from AWS to GCP.
Now, they are large powerful companies and they should be regulated. But they are not utilities.
Now, they are large powerful companies and they should be regulated. But they are not utilities.
I am a little concerned that valve has chosen a two year old XPu for the steam frame. This is similar to what Oculus did for the quest 1, and probably for similar reasons. It still worked well, but it seriously hurt it's shelf life.
November 13, 2025 at 5:03 PM
I am a little concerned that valve has chosen a two year old XPu for the steam frame. This is similar to what Oculus did for the quest 1, and probably for similar reasons. It still worked well, but it seriously hurt it's shelf life.
Early 2026, I will finally upgrade my 13 year old PC. Something will need the new hardware.
November 13, 2025 at 5:26 AM
Early 2026, I will finally upgrade my 13 year old PC. Something will need the new hardware.
Do I even want a vr treadmill anymore? Now I just play video games while I'm waiting for my program to finish. Being too emersed could stop me from working.
Anyway, yes I do.
Anyway, yes I do.
November 12, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Do I even want a vr treadmill anymore? Now I just play video games while I'm waiting for my program to finish. Being too emersed could stop me from working.
Anyway, yes I do.
Anyway, yes I do.
I'm looking through my previous experiment, and I think I accidentally approximated the normal distribution using only 7 points, instead of the 121 I meant to. Maybe. Oops.
It doesn’t invalidate the earlier result either way, but woops.
It doesn’t invalidate the earlier result either way, but woops.
November 11, 2025 at 12:55 PM
I'm looking through my previous experiment, and I think I accidentally approximated the normal distribution using only 7 points, instead of the 121 I meant to. Maybe. Oops.
It doesn’t invalidate the earlier result either way, but woops.
It doesn’t invalidate the earlier result either way, but woops.
It's weird. The time changed and all of a sudden I'm at work 9 till 5 and eating lunch at lunch time. I guess I've always just been on standard time.
November 5, 2025 at 8:58 PM
It's weird. The time changed and all of a sudden I'm at work 9 till 5 and eating lunch at lunch time. I guess I've always just been on standard time.
Revamped my imaginary calendar system to make sunrise approximately zero o'clock. Two major consequences:
1: time zones are now based on longitude and latitude.
2: days have more minutes in summer and fall than winter and spring.
Not sure if it's better or not.
1: time zones are now based on longitude and latitude.
2: days have more minutes in summer and fall than winter and spring.
Not sure if it's better or not.
November 2, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Revamped my imaginary calendar system to make sunrise approximately zero o'clock. Two major consequences:
1: time zones are now based on longitude and latitude.
2: days have more minutes in summer and fall than winter and spring.
Not sure if it's better or not.
1: time zones are now based on longitude and latitude.
2: days have more minutes in summer and fall than winter and spring.
Not sure if it's better or not.