Adrien-Marie Legendre. This caricature by Julien-Léopold Boilly is possibly the only known portrait of him
#OTD 1805 Adrien-Marie Legendre introduces the first clear statement of least squares [“Sur la Méthode des moindres quarrés”] in an appendix to his 1805 book on cometary motion. However Gauss claimed he had developed it in 1795 when he was 18. Who scooped who has been hotly disputed ever since.
Among many other things, the man knew how to write compellingly.
“The only thing the state likes more than Democrats is Dunkin’ Donuts.”
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/rf...
On Monday, March 9, a momentous 250th birthday
Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts.
—Dickens, Hard Times
"His first name is a tribute to two of his paternal uncles, Mark and Wayne; his mother put both names on his birth certificate, intending to later shorten his name to one of the two, but ultimately never did."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markway...
Kosali Simon: “Health care stands out right now because it is doing its natural thing… What’s not happening is that other sectors are not doing the same. Health care is not as discretionary — it has to grow.”
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/06/b...
Noem is an abbreviation of Noemployment
‘J’ is the most recent letter added to the alphabet.
*exercise
Once was invited to fly on an Air National Guard refueling exercise where that day the excercise involved refueling a B-2 bomber.
Have you noticed more people saying “y’all” lately?
#UWMadison linguist Kelly Wright says younger speakers are embracing it for its inclusivity over "you guys" — and its deep cultural roots spanning Irish, African American and Appalachian histories.
How have I managed to live this long without owning one of these...
www.menards.com/main/grocery...
Also useful if you don’t believe in your work. “In conclusion, this paper was a waste of time. This topic is of no scientific importance. Do not study this anymore”
"The relationship between statistics and AI is becoming deeper and more central to practice. For AI to be deployed responsibly, practitioners need access to statistical tools, statistical insight and statistical scrutiny." (in full paper)
Serious question: Are there stakeholders who would disagree?
AI often gets talked about as if it “thinks”. In reality, it is statistical.
Our landmark paper argues that understanding this is essential for using AI safely, effectively and ethically.
Read more: rss.org.uk/news-publica...
Paper: rss.org.uk/RSS/media/Fi...
"Some of Mr. Kennedy’s recommended “competencies,” such as the suggestion that doctors learn about crops and composting, have invited skepticism."
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/u...
Questioning your assumptions is usually worthwhile.
www.thefarside.com/2026/03/04/1
once-unimaginable cruelty
…successful snorting of cocaine off toilet seats doesn’t protect him against any of these vaccine-preventable diseases.
Were he a responsible Sec'y of HHS—and not a comic actor in a bad Saturday Night Live skit—RFK Jr. would use his considerable platform to urge all elderly Americans to vaccinate…
In light of his pandemic-era stances, his dismantling of NIH, and his encouraging measles vaccination it's possible that there's no one along the politcal spectrum who supports him.
www.reuters.com/business/hea...
“Dr. Bhattacharya is blah blah blah blah blah...” HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said in a statement.
www.wsj.com/health/healt...
… it was the spring of hope (Dickens, Tale of Two Cities)
March 1, 2026?
> @covie93.bsky.social
“She didn’t set out to change the world. She set out to do her best, and that changed the world.”
What a wonderful legacy.
www.wsj.com/arts-culture...
