Randy Au
@randyau.com
Hobby consultant, 💎🪚🎮🖥️🎙️🎹🎧👨🍳📷🪛➕
Quant UX Researcher @ [Home] (posts are my own)
Writes a data newsletter: https://www.counting-stuff.com/
https://linktr.ee/randy_au
Languages: EN/JP/CN
Quant UX Researcher @ [Home] (posts are my own)
Writes a data newsletter: https://www.counting-stuff.com/
https://linktr.ee/randy_au
Languages: EN/JP/CN
Pinned
Randy Au
@randyau.com
· Oct 30
Counting Stuff
A weekly newsletter about the important, mundane, parts of being a data scientist, UX researcher. With some extra fun about tech and hobbies.
www.counting-stuff.com
So on here I talk about hobbies and crack snarky data jokes. But once a week I also write a very long form data science newsletter. at www.counting-stuff.com
#DataBS
Here's a thread of old posts that people liked [ugh no thread writing interface] (1/n)
#DataBS
Here's a thread of old posts that people liked [ugh no thread writing interface] (1/n)
Ow how come I can hurt my throat by SWALLOWING at a funny angle and this made it so that all swallowing hurts now >< wtf
January 15, 2026 at 12:25 AM
Ow how come I can hurt my throat by SWALLOWING at a funny angle and this made it so that all swallowing hurts now >< wtf
Reposted by Randy Au
I just stumbled upon featherbase, a database of feather pictures from a bunch of bird species.🪶
So pretty!
www.featherbase.info/zh/home
So pretty!
www.featherbase.info/zh/home
January 6, 2026 at 9:57 PM
I just stumbled upon featherbase, a database of feather pictures from a bunch of bird species.🪶
So pretty!
www.featherbase.info/zh/home
So pretty!
www.featherbase.info/zh/home
usually after I fix a thing, I wind up with scrap bits on my desk that plan on dismantling to see how they work... and so I've got this chunk of pipe w/ a Pro Press fitting on it.. which honestly is just special copper crimping technology, w/ rubber o-rings in those bumps to prevent leaks
January 13, 2026 at 6:36 PM
usually after I fix a thing, I wind up with scrap bits on my desk that plan on dismantling to see how they work... and so I've got this chunk of pipe w/ a Pro Press fitting on it.. which honestly is just special copper crimping technology, w/ rubber o-rings in those bumps to prevent leaks
Reposted by Randy Au
FDA drugs and biologics guidance for Bayesian clinical trials is something I've been dreaming of for decades. I am thrilled that this draft has been released!! #Statistics #StatsSky #fda #clinicaltrial #bayes
This is a big deal for speeding up clinical trials, and for pediatric use after adult trials have proved successful. The @USFDA goes Bayesian.
A win for #IBD patients, and especially for kids with #IBD. @crohnsandcolitisau.bsky.social @f2harrell.bsky.social
www.fda.gov/news-events/...
A win for #IBD patients, and especially for kids with #IBD. @crohnsandcolitisau.bsky.social @f2harrell.bsky.social
www.fda.gov/news-events/...
FDA Issues Guidance on Modernizing Statistical Methods for Clinical Trials
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today published draft guidance designed to facilitate the use of Bayesian methodologies in clinical trials of drugs and biologics, helping drug developers make be...
www.fda.gov
January 13, 2026 at 4:07 PM
FDA drugs and biologics guidance for Bayesian clinical trials is something I've been dreaming of for decades. I am thrilled that this draft has been released!! #Statistics #StatsSky #fda #clinicaltrial #bayes
This week on Counting Stuff, my brain is overloaded doing new-work-onboarding and so the only bandwidth I had was writing tips on onboarding to data work to at least make it less chaotic. slightly. #dataBS
www.counting-stuff.com/effective-tr...
www.counting-stuff.com/effective-tr...
Effective (training) firehose sipping
Just some habits I've built up
www.counting-stuff.com
January 13, 2026 at 3:18 PM
This week on Counting Stuff, my brain is overloaded doing new-work-onboarding and so the only bandwidth I had was writing tips on onboarding to data work to at least make it less chaotic. slightly. #dataBS
www.counting-stuff.com/effective-tr...
www.counting-stuff.com/effective-tr...
.... they green lit a SECOND season of this?!?!? whyyy
January 13, 2026 at 3:09 AM
.... they green lit a SECOND season of this?!?!? whyyy
Reposted by Randy Au
Oxford noticed senpai
From ‘senpai’ to ‘love hotel’: 11 new Japanese words enter the Oxford dictionary
Japanese culture keeps reshaping the English language — sometimes in unexpected ways.
www.japantimes.co.jp
January 12, 2026 at 7:57 PM
Oxford noticed senpai
so TIL that you can use a fintech service like Wise to hold foreign currency on account and spend it via debit card... y'know.. for absolutely no reason at all, why would you think there's a reason for looking this up you're weird not me
January 12, 2026 at 3:34 AM
so TIL that you can use a fintech service like Wise to hold foreign currency on account and spend it via debit card... y'know.. for absolutely no reason at all, why would you think there's a reason for looking this up you're weird not me
cool, so we're gonna hyperinflate my mortgage away but wreck my 401k while we're at it
January 12, 2026 at 3:05 AM
cool, so we're gonna hyperinflate my mortgage away but wreck my 401k while we're at it
Reposted by Randy Au
We are recruiting translators (any language/domain) for an interview study about translation technologies here!
We will be grateful for all input!
1. Interviews will be on Zoom.
2. Participants will be given a $40 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱!
We will be grateful for all input!
1. Interviews will be on Zoom.
2. Participants will be given a $40 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱!
Translator perspectives of translation technology tools
We are researchers at Carnegie Mellon University interested in studying professional translator perspectives of translation technologies, specifically computer-aided translation (CAT) or machine trans...
forms.gle
January 9, 2026 at 5:54 PM
We are recruiting translators (any language/domain) for an interview study about translation technologies here!
We will be grateful for all input!
1. Interviews will be on Zoom.
2. Participants will be given a $40 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱!
We will be grateful for all input!
1. Interviews will be on Zoom.
2. Participants will be given a $40 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱!
www.tomshardware.com/pc-component... ... Am I insane enough to try this 🤣
Modder saves $130 by building 32GB DDR5 desktop DIMMs from scavenged laptop memory — donor modules soldered to bare PCB flashed with custom firmware even run XMP
$218 cost of parts is about $130 cheaper than buying a similar desktop DIMM retail kit in the US.
www.tomshardware.com
January 11, 2026 at 6:05 PM
www.tomshardware.com/pc-component... ... Am I insane enough to try this 🤣
getting better at changing the oil on the car. now including cleanup and everything it's under 1hr... so less time than it would take to even just go to a mechanic
January 10, 2026 at 4:53 PM
getting better at changing the oil on the car. now including cleanup and everything it's under 1hr... so less time than it would take to even just go to a mechanic
... always funny when random stock photos are used for the wrong things.. like "what is lye?" and there's just a photo of a completely bare hands moving messily white powder into a cooking container
January 9, 2026 at 9:17 PM
... always funny when random stock photos are used for the wrong things.. like "what is lye?" and there's just a photo of a completely bare hands moving messily white powder into a cooking container
=x my cat is definitely using me as a heat source and will betray me to the nearest active heat pad when available
January 9, 2026 at 7:45 PM
=x my cat is definitely using me as a heat source and will betray me to the nearest active heat pad when available
I just remembered I have a large chunk of 1" thick quartzite countertop in the basement we got as an offcut while searching for counter material... I was gonna polish it up into a proper end table but need the frame for it... I wonder if copper tubing would go well with black
January 9, 2026 at 2:27 AM
I just remembered I have a large chunk of 1" thick quartzite countertop in the basement we got as an offcut while searching for counter material... I was gonna polish it up into a proper end table but need the frame for it... I wonder if copper tubing would go well with black
also, I grew up w/ immigrant parents. one unspoken motto of the house was 'no calorie left behind'. let's just say this sets up perverse food incentives in my mind
I always make the mistake of ordering/shopping for food items when hungry =x
January 8, 2026 at 9:05 PM
also, I grew up w/ immigrant parents. one unspoken motto of the house was 'no calorie left behind'. let's just say this sets up perverse food incentives in my mind
I always make the mistake of ordering/shopping for food items when hungry =x
January 8, 2026 at 8:39 PM
I always make the mistake of ordering/shopping for food items when hungry =x
Me: I probably should get a new wallet to replace this wearing down one
Also me: You bought that bundle of leather remnants to make notebooks 10 years ago, go do something with that!!
Me: ok but now i'll need some liner, some more pricking irons, some thinner thread and....
Also me: You bought that bundle of leather remnants to make notebooks 10 years ago, go do something with that!!
Me: ok but now i'll need some liner, some more pricking irons, some thinner thread and....
January 7, 2026 at 3:57 AM
Me: I probably should get a new wallet to replace this wearing down one
Also me: You bought that bundle of leather remnants to make notebooks 10 years ago, go do something with that!!
Me: ok but now i'll need some liner, some more pricking irons, some thinner thread and....
Also me: You bought that bundle of leather remnants to make notebooks 10 years ago, go do something with that!!
Me: ok but now i'll need some liner, some more pricking irons, some thinner thread and....
It's awesome we get to sleep next to this blob of pure cuteness every night
January 6, 2026 at 5:19 AM
It's awesome we get to sleep next to this blob of pure cuteness every night
idly looking into just what it would cost to get a small melting furnace (apparently a few hundred bucks + supplies + propane tank) but I won't have a use for one until I get a mill/lathe setup to machine down ingots
January 4, 2026 at 11:59 PM
idly looking into just what it would cost to get a small melting furnace (apparently a few hundred bucks + supplies + propane tank) but I won't have a use for one until I get a mill/lathe setup to machine down ingots
i'm happy that the cat let me trim her claw tips without any fuss, and while awake this time (I usually sneak it in while they're napping)
January 4, 2026 at 11:14 PM
i'm happy that the cat let me trim her claw tips without any fuss, and while awake this time (I usually sneak it in while they're napping)
SO! I impulse bought the bigger ("10L" but honestly 6L) ultrasonic cleaner, and I thought I couldn't clean the humidifier reservoir, but then I remembered that the sound travels through hard containers, so I just filled the tank and put it in, and it seems to have cleaned up some?
January 4, 2026 at 10:31 PM
SO! I impulse bought the bigger ("10L" but honestly 6L) ultrasonic cleaner, and I thought I couldn't clean the humidifier reservoir, but then I remembered that the sound travels through hard containers, so I just filled the tank and put it in, and it seems to have cleaned up some?
for the hell of it, disassembled the non-functional pressure relieve valve, can't find out what's wrong other than the stem feels rather stiff to move, though the 15-25lbs of pressure setting should be more than enough to overcome it. ah well, recycle it goes since I don't have tools to melt it down
January 4, 2026 at 5:51 AM
for the hell of it, disassembled the non-functional pressure relieve valve, can't find out what's wrong other than the stem feels rather stiff to move, though the 15-25lbs of pressure setting should be more than enough to overcome it. ah well, recycle it goes since I don't have tools to melt it down
2026 didn't really waste any time in being a shit show did it
January 3, 2026 at 8:20 PM
2026 didn't really waste any time in being a shit show did it
Reposted by Randy Au
3dprinted shaft into a chiffon fabric feather test (Pause print halfway, add fabric, continue printing).
If you have a 3dprinter laser combo you could maybe do this in one single pass (i handcut the feather shape and burned the edges here)
If you have a 3dprinter laser combo you could maybe do this in one single pass (i handcut the feather shape and burned the edges here)
January 3, 2026 at 2:01 AM
3dprinted shaft into a chiffon fabric feather test (Pause print halfway, add fabric, continue printing).
If you have a 3dprinter laser combo you could maybe do this in one single pass (i handcut the feather shape and burned the edges here)
If you have a 3dprinter laser combo you could maybe do this in one single pass (i handcut the feather shape and burned the edges here)