Python Tutorial Program: Creating Pivot Tables (With Subtotal Rows) and Grouped Line Charts

One of the graphs produced by the tutorial program. The scenario and data are both fictional. Kenneth Burchfiel Link to program (released under the MIT license): https://github.com/kburchfiel/pivot_tables_and_graphs_tutorial For me, one major benefit of using Python is that blocks of code can automatically produce tables and graphs that I would need to build manually in Excel. …

Using Python to Create Scatter Plots, Correlation Matrices, Brute-Force Best Subsets Regressions, and Predictions

Kenneth Burchfiel April 24, 2021 Link to program discussed in this post on GitHub: https://github.com/kburchfiel/happiness_plots_and_regressions (The program is released under the MIT license.) My formula for generating all possible subsets of a list of variables, which proved useful for performing a best subsets analysis I recently finished my first year of MBA studies at Columbia …

Using Python to Perform Hundreds of Regressions in Seconds

Program link: https://github.com/kburchfiel/iv_subset_comparison During my first semester of my MBA program, I exclusively used Excel when I needed to perform a regression analysis. Excel’s regression interface is easy to use and doesn’t take long to set up. However, the utility of using Excel for regressions has its limits. Consider a dataset with 7 independent variables …

Evaluating Moving Average Strategies Using Python

This graph, part of the output from my Python program, shows how much money someone would have ended up with if he/she invested $1 in various stocks over the time period I measured using various trading strategies. Note the "buy_and_hold" bar on the far right. Disclaimer 1: I am not a financial advisor, and this …

Using Copper Rounds as Poker Chips

I thought it would be fun to try playing poker using 1/4 ounce, 1/2 ounce, and 1 ounce solid copper rounds. (A 'round' is like a coin, except it’s not legal tender.) Within a poker game, the 1-ounce rounds will be worth 4 points; the 1/2-ounce rounds will be worth 2 points; and the 1/4-ounce …

Reflections on My First Semester at Columbia Business School

Having completed my first semester at CBS, I thought I would share three reflections on my experience so far. 1. The core curriculum is accessible to students from non-business backgrounds Prior to business school, I obtained a B.A. in Psychology and a Master of Science in Social Work, then served as a mental health counselor …

Studying at Columbia’s Libraries During the Coronavirus

2020-10-10 Kenneth Burchfiel Due to the risk of COVID-19, access to Columbia’s library system has been limited; however, it is still possible to study in 6 of Columbia’s libraries (generally for up to 2 hours at a time). This post features pictures of some of the study spots within those 6 libraries. I have found …

Why I Chose to Pivot from Counseling to an MBA

Kenneth Burchfiel My time as a mental health counselor at Catholic Charities was an incredible experience that I will keep with me for the rest of my life. It was an honor to accompany individuals and couples on their journey to mental health recovery and stronger relationships. To become a counselor, I first obtained a …

On Worth and Priorities

2020-8-29 Kenneth Burchfiel What gives us worth as humans? What should we prioritize above all else? These two questions are of tremendous importance. I hope that you will find my responses to these two questions to be useful. Our Worth Our world offers countless interpretations of what constitutes our worth as human beings, from money, …

Creating a collage with beer caps

Over the last 3 or 4 years, I have been saving beer caps to use in artwork. Tonight, I finally scanned them in and cropped them out using GIMP. Here is my first image made with the caps--a map of Texas created with some of my favorite beers. (I used Scribus to arrange the beer …