Just for the fun of it, I applied the purely statistical (well, quasi-statistical) string analysis to mail subjects, to see if it could create some level of ham-ness vs spam-ness index. I rewrote the pre-calculation code so that it spits out a gigantic array to an include file, that contains the second order probabilities. I then ran this against a fairly large (1000+) corpus of spam and ham subject headers. Once second order probabilities for spam and ham subject lines had been compiled, I then wrote code to go through an entire folder and calculate the spam-ness vs ham-ness of all the subject lines. Depending on the ratio between spamness and hamness (and threshold setup on both ends), each of the messages were categorized as "spam", "ham", or "unknown" (e.g. spam if spamness/hamness > 1.5, ham if <0.66, unknown if somewhere in between).

The results weren't too conclusive, as may have been expected. With a threshold of 1.5-0.67, it decided that one of my spam folders contained 14 spam, 0 ham, and 158 indeterminates. My INBOX at the same threshold, it thinks it contains 14 ham, 6 spam and 355 unknowns. With a threshold of 1.25-0.8, my INBOX as 122 ham, 16 spam, and 237 indeterminates, while my spambox contains 5 ham, 53 spam, and 114 indeterminates. So, it basically doesn't really work

Then, I implemented a Bayesian approach (a la Paul Graham's idea) but that appears to have failed miserably. I think my next step is to do Bayesians with actual words as tokens, not two-character sequences.

I went downtown today to cash my tax refund, then walked on down Michigan Ave on a wild shopping rampage (that continued on in Hyde Park).

So my first stop was the Apple Store to see if I can get one of those swanky Bluetooth keyboards. Alas, it turns out that to use a PB with the display shut, you need to have a USB keyboard. So I went around the block to CompUSA to check out 3rd party keyboards, and since they all sucked, I walked back to the Apple Store.

But then, I passed the Disney Store and realized that they had a sale going, so I sauntered in among the soccer moms and spoiled 4 year old brats, running wild and drooling with blood shot eyes full of consumer lust. But, lo and behold, what else did I see? A pile of Nemos did I see. Oh yes, the very same Nemos that I've always wanted that were sold out for the longest time.

So I got me a Nemo.

With Disney bag in hand (looking like a skanky consumer ho') I walked into the Apple Store, and bought me a USB keyboard. I felt so dirty...

Then, I came home and checked on marketplace like I do every now and then, and what did I see? A Sony Trinitron G400 "17-inch" monitor did I see. Yes, a "17-inch" monitor that happens to be a 19" monitor. For $30. So I bought it.

My name is Ryo, and I'm a dirty consumer whore.

(In defense of my honor and everything that is good in this world, today's purchases amounted to around 1/3 of my tax refund. I swear I'll put the rest of it to good use... And besides, this $30 19" monitor does 1344x1008 pixels at 100MHz! Tell me that's not a steal.)