The Decision Maker's Handbook to Data

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Stylianos Kampakis

The Decision Maker’s Handbook to

Data Science
A Guide for Non-Technical Executives,
Managers, and Founders
2nd ed.
Stylianos Kampakis
London, UK

Any source code or other supplementary material referenced by the

author in this book is available to readers on GitHub via the book’s
product page, located at www.​apress.​com/​978-1-4842-5493-6 . For
more detailed information, please visit http://​www.​apress.​com/​
source-code .

ISBN 978-1-4842-5493-6 e-ISBN 978-1-4842-5494-3

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-5494-3

© Stylianos Kampakis 2020

This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the

Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned,
specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations,
recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other
physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval,
electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar
methodology now known or hereafter developed.

Trademarked names, logos, and images may appear in this book.

Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of a
trademarked name, logo, or image we use the names, logos, and
images only in an editorial fashion and to the benefit of the
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such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or
not they are subject to proprietary rights.
While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true
and accurate at the date of publication, neither the authors nor the
editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any
errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no
warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained
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Introduction
What isdata science ? What isartificial intelligence ? What is the
difference betweenartificial intelligence and machine learning ? What
is the best algorithm to use for X? How many people should I hire
for my data science team? Do I need a recommender system? Is
adeep neural network a good idea for this use case?
Having dedicated my career to understanding data, and modeling
uncertainty, these questions (and many similar ones) have popped
up very often in conversations I am having with CEOs, startup
founders, and product managers. There are always three common
elements:
1. The people involved have a non-technical background.

2. Their business collects data, or is in a position to collect data.

3. They want to use data science but they don’t know where to
start.

Data science (and all the fields it encompasses such as AI and

machine learning) can transform our world on every level: business,
political, and individual. In more than one way, this is already
happening. Online retailers know what you are going to like, through
the use of recommendation engines. Your photographs get
automatically tagged through the use of computer vision.
Autonomous vehicles can drive us around with no driver in the seat.
However, this is still only a fraction of the things that are possible
with data science. The benefits of this powerful technology will
never be reaped, unless the entrepreneurs and the decision makers
fully understand how to use it.
Data science is unique in the space of technology in two ways. First
in contrast to software development, it is intangible. You can’t see a
flashy front end, but only the results of a model. Secondly, it
isscience , which means that, in contrast to engineering, it is difficult
to set out a perfectly laid plan in advance. Uncertainty is an integral
part of data science, and this can make estimations and decisions
more difficult. These two factors make the understanding of data
science more challenging.
The cloud of buzzwords currently dominating technology does not
really help at all with that. I have seen buzzwords such as “big data,”
“analytics,” “prediction,” “forecasting,” and many more used without
any real understanding of the context surrounding them. This is
partly due to aggressive sales tactics that end up confusing rather
than illuminating. The result is that many entrepreneurs end up
feeling more insecure, since they can’t understand what they need
and how much is a fair price to pay. This is why I realized that it is
upon us, the data scientists, to take up the role of educators.
This book is meant to be the ultimate short handbook for a decision
maker who wants to use data science but is not sure where to start.
All case studies outlined are always described with the decision
maker in mind. The problem in business is not how to choose the
right model from a scientific viewpoint but how to delivervalue . The
data scientist has to make decisions based on trade-offs such as the
cost of development (which can include time and hiring), the
interplay with business decisions, and the cost of data. The book
explains how the decision maker can better understand these
dilemmas and help the data scientist make the most beneficial
choices for the business.
I hope that after reading this book, the world of data science will no
longer be a dangerous landscape dominated by buzzwords and
incomprehensible algorithms, but rather a place of wonder, a place
where the future lies. I do hope that you will enjoy reading it as
much as I enjoyed writing it.
Contents
Chapter 1:​Demystifying Data Science and All the Other
Buzzwords

Chapter 2:​Data Management

Chapter 3:​Data Collection Problems

Chapter 4:​How to Keep Data Tidy

Chapter 5:​Thinking like a Data Scientist (Without Being

One)

Chapter 6:​A Short Introduction to Statistics

Chapter 7:​A Short Introduction to Machine Learning

Chapter 8:​Problem Solving

Chapter 9:​Pitfalls

Chapter 10:​Hiring and Managing Data Scientists

Chapter 11:​Building a Data Science Culture

Epilogue:​Data Science Rules the World

Appendix:​Tools for Data Science

Index
About the Author
Stylianos (Stelios) Kampakis
is a data scientist who is living and
working in London, UK. He holds a PhD
in Computer Science from the
University College London as well as an
MSc in Informatics from the University
of Edinburgh. He also holds degrees in
Statistics, Cognitive Psychology,
Economics, and Intelligent Systems. He
is a member of the Royal Statistical
Society and an honorary research
fellow in the UCL Centre for Blockchain
Technologies. 1 He has many years of
academic and industrial experience in
all fields of data science like statistical modeling, machine learning,
classic AI, optimization, and more.
Throughout his career, Stylianos has been involved in a wide range
of projects: from using deep learning to analyze data from mobile
sensors and radar devices, to recommender systems, to natural
language processing for social media data, to predicting sports
outcomes. He has also done work in the areas of econometrics,
Bayesian modeling, forecasting, and research design. He also has
many years of experience in consulting for startups and scale-ups,
having successfully worked with companies of all stages, some of
which have raised millions of dollars in funding. He is still providing
services in data science and blockchain as a partner in Electi
Consulting.
In the academic domain, he is one of the foremost experts in the
area of sports analytics, having done his PhD in the use of machine
learning for predicting football injuries. He has also published papers
in the areas of neural networks, computational neuroscience, and
cognitive science. Finally, he is also involved in blockchain research
and more specifically in the areas of tokenomics, supply chains, and
securitization of assets.
Stylianos is also very active in the area of data science education. He
is the founder of The Tesseract Academy, 2 a company whose
mission is to help decision makers understand deep technical topics
such as machine learning and blockchain. He is also teaching “Social
Media Analytics” and “Quantitative Methods and Statistics with R” in
the Cyprus International Institute of Management 3 and runs his own
data science school in London called Datalyst. 4
Finally, he often writes about data science, machine learning,
blockchain, and other topics at his personal blog: The Data Scientist.
5

In his spare time, Stylianos enjoys (among other things) composing

music, traveling, playing sports (especially basketball and training in
martial arts), and meditating.
Footnotes
1 http://​blockchain.​cs.​ucl.​ac.​uk/​

2 http://​tesseract.​academy

3 www.​ciim.​ac.​cy/​

4 www.​dataly.​st/​

5 http://​thedatascientist​.​com/​
© Stylianos Kampakis 2020
Stylianos Kampakis, The Decision Maker's Handbook to Data Science,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-5494-3_1

1. Demystifying Data Science and All the

Other Buzzwords
Stylianos Kampakis1
(1) London, UK

In the business world, data has become a big thing. You hear all
sorts of buzzwords being thrown around left, right, and center.
Things like big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data
mining, deep learning, and so on. This can get confusing, leaving
you paralyzed as to what is the best technology to use and under
what circumstances. In this chapter, we are going to demystify all
these buzzwords, by taking a short stroll through the history of data
science. You will understand how the history of data analysis gave
birth to different schools of thought and disciplines, which have now
all come together under the umbrella of the term data science.

What Is Data Science?

In 2017, we generated more data than we did over the previous
5000 years of our history.1 That’s a lot of data. And it’s not
surprising. Every device we own generates data, and all our
interactions with said devices generate even more data.
So, you take a picture with your smartphone? You’ve generated
data. You read the news on your tablet? You’re generating data. You
listen to a podcast on your laptop? You’re generating data. You go
on Facebook to update your status? You’ve generated data.
You get the point. There’s a good chance that the only thing we do
that doesn’t generate data is breathe, but even that is debatable
considering all the wearable devices that are available and which can
track everything from heart rate to calories burned.2
What happens to all this data? It must have some use or things
wouldn’t be set up so that we generate it in the first place.
At the moment, some of it does and some of it doesn’t. In fact,
some studies have discovered that less than 0.5% of data is being
analyzed and turned into actionable insights.3 But more on that later.
The important thing is that all data can be used. We just need to
figure out better ways of doing so.
And this is where data science comes in. There are many definitions
of data science. One such definition is

Data science is a “concept to unify statistics, data analysis,

machine learning and their related methods” in order to
“understand and analyze actual phenomena” with data.4

Okay, so those are a lot of big and fancy words, which can get
confusing. Let’s boil it down to the simplest definition:

Data science is about using data to do useful stuff.

Short and to the point. That’s exactly what data science is all about.
The methods we use are important, of course, but the essence of
this discipline is that it allows us to take data and transform it so we
can use it to do useful things.
For example, let’s say someone visits a doctor because they are
short of breath. They are experiencing heartburn and they have
chest pains. The doctor will run the basic tests, including measuring
blood pressure, but nothing seems out of the ordinary.
Since the patient is overweight, the doctor immediately assumes the
symptoms are caused by the patient’s size and recommends a
healthier diet and exercise.
Three months later, the same patient is brought into the emergency
room and ends up dying on the table because of a heart defect.
This might sound like an episode on your favorite medical show, that
is, a work of fiction, but it happens much more often than you might
think. In fact, in the United States, 5% of patients are misdiagnosed,
while misdiagnosis cost the United Kingdom over £197 million in the
2014/2015 fiscal year.5
However, this situation can be avoided thanks to data science. The
analysis of similar cases reveals that the symptoms our patient
exhibited aren’t just caused by obesity but also by some
cardiovascular conditions.
Having access to systems that can analyze data and compare it with
new data inputs could have helped the doctor identify the problem
sooner without relying solely on their own personal experience and
knowledge.
So, data science can be used to save lives, among many other
applications, which is pretty useful.

Data Science Is Multidisciplinary

Data science involves multiple disciplines, which is why finding
someone with the necessary skills to be a data scientist can be
difficult.
Thus, data science involves everything from statistics and pattern
recognition to business analysis and communication. It requires
creative thinking as much as it requires analytical thinking.6
So, data science involves discovering which data is useful as well as
effective ways of managing it. It also requires determining how the
data should be processed and what types of insights can be
garnered from the massive amounts of data available.
Data science requires knowledge of programming and computing,
but also visualization so that the insights can be presented in a way
that everyone can understand.
Furthermore, business acumen is also a necessity because while
data science can be applied to any field of business, it is critical to
know what types of answers the business needs and how to present
said insights so leadership can understand them.

Core Fields of Data Science

Data science has three core fields, namely, artificial intelligence,
machine learning, and statistics.
Artificial intelligence is all about replicating human brain function
in a machine. The primary functions that AI should perform are
logical reasoning, self-correction, and learning. While it has a wide
range of applications, it is also a highly complicated technology
because to make machines smart, a lot of data and computing
power is required.
Machine learning refers to a computer’s ability to learn and
improve beyond the scope of its programming. Thus, it relies on
creating algorithms that are capable of learning from the data they
are given. They are also designed to garner insights and then make
forecasts regarding data they haven’t previously analyzed.
There are three approaches to machine learning, namely,
supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning, plus some
subfields (such as semi-supervised learning). Here, we will be talking
only about supervised and unsupervised learning, since this is what
is mainly used in business.
Let’s say you want to sort all your photographs based on content. In
supervised learning, you would provide the computer with labeled
examples. So, you’d give it a picture of a dog and label it animal.
Then you’d feed it a picture of a person and label it human. The
machine will then sort all the remaining pictures.
In unsupervised learning, you’d just give the machine all the photos
and let it figure out the different characteristics and organize your
photos.
In reinforcement learning, the machine learns based on errors and
rewards. Thus, the machine analyzes its actions and their results. A
good example of reinforcement learning is a rat in a maze that
needs to navigate its way to a piece of cheese. The learning process
that helps the rat achieve this can be implemented in a machine
through reinforcement learning. This is one of the most esoteric
types of machine learning.
Statistics is an essential tool in the arsenal of any data scientist
because it helps develop and study methods to collect, analyze,
interpret, and present data. The numerous methodologies it uses
enable data scientists to
Design experiments and interpret results to improve product
decision-making
Build signal-predicting models
Transform data into insights
Understand engagement, conversions, retention, leads, and
more
Make intelligent estimations
Use data to tell the story
Let’s take a closer look at all three.

Artificial Intelligence: A Little History

In 1954, the field of AI research came into being at a workshop at
Dartmouth College. There, the attendees discussed topics that would
influence the field for years to come.
As we’ve already explained, the goal of artificial intelligence is to
create a “thinking machine,” that is, one that emulates human brain
function. To do this, of course, one needs to understand the human
mind, which is why AI is closely related to the field of cognitive
science.
Cognitive science involves studying the human mind and its
processes, including intelligence and behavior. Memory, language,
perception, attention, emotion, and reasoning are all studied, and to
gain greater understanding of these faculties, scientists borrow from
other fields, including
Linguistics
 Psychology
Philosophy
Neuroscience
Anthropology
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence played a key part in the development of
cognitive science, and there was a large interplay between cognitive
psychology and AI. The understanding of human cognition helped us
improve our understanding of how to transfer this inside machines.
Vice versa, the computational theory of the mind7 was one of the
dominant paradigms in cognitive science. According to this theory,
the mind works like a computer, with processes and limited memory.
While this is now considered outdated, it drove research for decades.
The AI Dream
It all started with a grand vision. Marvin Minsky, the head of the
artificial laboratory at MIT who was considered the father of AI,
stated that “artificial intelligence is the science of making machines
do things that would require intelligence if done by men.”8 In other
words, the dream was to create an intelligent machine.
So, how would one go about doing it? First, we start with intuition,
that is, the human’s distinct ability for logical reasoning.
Logical reasoning is, essentially, the capacity to reason based on
various premises to reach a conclusion that has logical certainty. For
example:

If all men are mortal, and Socrates is a man, then Socrates is

mortal.

Or:

If it’s raining outside and I don’t have an umbrella, I will get wet
if I go out.
While statistics offers a higher degree of transparency and
interpretability, machine learning has led to incredible performance.
This amazing performance has allowed us to perform tasks
previously thought impossible!
Of course, one has to remember that machine learning is the
product of the computer era, which means much faster calculations.
Instead of it taking days of work for a single model, it takes minutes
—if that—and multiple approaches can be tried in a single day.
The Battle: Statistics vs. Machine Learning
Some statisticians are incredibly opposed to machine learning.29
Religiously opposed. Sometimes, it’s actually a bit worrisome. Their
problem is the lack of transparency in machine learning as well as a
lack of theory.
However, in reality, statistics and machine learning are two sides of
the same coin. Furthermore, they are tools in a data scientist’s
toolbox and can be applied as the situation requires. So, if you are
looking for interpretability, then statistics is your best bet, while
predictive power will be better served by machine learning.

Subfields of Data Science

In parallel to the development of the aforementioned core fields of
data science, other fields were also being developed. These were all
related in some way to data analysis, artificial intelligence, and so
on. Such fields include cybernetics developed by Norbert Wiener in
1947, artificial neural networks thanks to McCulloch and Pitts in
1943, computational intelligence developed in 1990, machine
learning developed in 1959, and data mining and knowledge
discovery in databases thanks to Gregory Piatetsky-Shapiro in
1990.30
The problem with all these terms is that not everyone perceives
them in the same way necessarily or the relationship between them.
In some cases, there are conceptual differences between them, but
sometimes it’s a matter of who the person talking about them is and
what their research background is. There’s also the matter of
marketing, which can also give a different spin to a particular
subfield.
For example, some people consider AI as the core field with natural
language processing, expert systems, neural networks, fuzzy logic,
and robotics as satellite fields. Others consider that AI is part of
computer science, while curated knowledge, machine learning, and
reverse engineering the brain are essential to AI. Yet others believe
machine learning, deep learning, and representation learning to be
contained within AI.
In other words, people have different interpretations of what all
these technical terms mean and how they relate to each other,
which can make it very confusing. To further prove my point, the
following is a definition for computational intelligence at the 11th UK
Workshop on Computational Intelligence:

Computational Intelligence (CI) is an offshoot of artificial

intelligence in which the emphasis is placed on heuristic
algorithms such as fuzzy systems, neural networks and
evolutionary computation. It is usually contrasted with
‘traditional’, ’symbolic’ or ‘good old fashioned artificial
intelligence (GOFAI)’. The IEEE Computational Intelligence
Society uses the tag-line ‘Mimicking Nature for Problem
Solving’ to describe Computational Intelligence, although
mimicking nature is not a necessary element.

In addition to the three main pillars of CI (fuzzy systems, neural

networks and evolutionary computation), Computational
Intelligence also encompasses elements of learning,
adaptation, heuristic and meta-heuristic optimization, as
well as any hybrid methods which use a combination of one or
more of these techniques. More recently, emerging areas such
as artificial immune systems, swarm intelligence, chaotic
systems, and others, have been added to the range of
Computational Intelligence techniques. The term ‘Soft
Computing’ is sometimes used almost interchangeably with
Computational Intelligence.31
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
 A Trouser Hanger

The Trousers can be Easily Hung on the Cross Bars to Keep the Crease in
Them
 A wood frame, similar to a picture frame, is made up and hinged to
the inner side of the closet door with its outer edge hung on two
chains. The inside of the frame is fitted with cross bars. After
hanging the trousers on the cross bars the frame is swung up
against the door where it is held with a hook. Several pairs of
trousers can be hung on the frame, and when flat against the door it
takes up very little space. The trousers are kept flat so that they will
hold their crease.
 An Emergency Alcohol Stove
If a person starts on a picnic with a ketchup bottle full of wood
alcohol placed in the lunch basket and suddenly discovers that the
alcohol stove was left at home, it is not necessary to walk back to get
it; just unscrew the cover of the ketchup bottle and bunch a piece of
cloth large enough to fill the top, soak it thoroughly in the alcohol and
light it. The metal top is just the right size to make a hot flame.

¶A box 8¹⁄₄ in. square and 4 in. deep will hold one gallon.
 Fireside Dissolving Views
By SUSAN E. W. JOCELYN

Toshowing
those interested in amateur theatricals the following method of
dissolving views in the fire-light of pipe dreams and mind
pictures will be appreciated.
A frame made of light material, A, Fig. 1, covered with red cloth
and chalked to represent brick, is placed in the center of the stage.
The central opening, representing the fireplace, must be rather large,
about 12 ft. wide and 7 ft. high, because it is at the back of this
opening that the pictures are produced. From the chimney back, 2¹⁄₂
ft. behind this opening, the sides, B, of the fireplace slope outward to
the imitation brickwork. The walls of the fireplace are covered with
sheet asbestos, for safety, and painted black; then ashes are rubbed
on the chimney back and scattered over the hearthstone, to make
the appearance more realistic.
The chimney back is removable, in fact it is one of a series of a
half dozen screens, the others being behind it, the proper
manipulation of which, together with changing lights, gives to the
audience the effect of dissolving views of the dreams that are being
acted out directly behind the screens.
The Tableau is Played Out behind the Screens and is Dimly Seen through the
Fireplace Opening When the Lights are Properly Controlled and the Screens
Drawn Slowly

The screens are carried in a light frame, the top of which is shown
in Fig. 2, with position of runs. The runs are made of narrow strips of
wood, fastened to the under side of two end pieces, for the screen
frames to slide in. Corresponding strips are placed in a suitable
position on the floor, to keep the screens steady in sliding. The
frames holding the run pieces are longer than the chimney back is
wide, and the upper one is placed as high as the brickwork, the
shelf, or mantel, over the fireplace being an extension of the upper
part, or frame. The screens are in pairs, as shown in Fig. 3, each
one extending to the center of the fireplace. They consist of light
frames covered with black mosquito netting. The upper and lower
sides of the frames are sandpapered smooth so that they will move
easily in the runs. The vertical sides of a pair of screen frames that
meet in the center of the fireplace are made of one strand of wire,
instead of wood, so that their motion will not be noticeable. To
complete the apparatus, andirons and a gas log are needed in the
fireplace, and whatever arrangements are necessary for the action of
the views to be shown behind the screens.
If gas is available, an asbestos log is used in the fireplace, and it
has a connecting pipe to the footlights, where four or five jets are
located on the floor just back of the screens. A narrow board, painted
black, is placed in front of the lights, which should be wide enough to
conceal the lights from the spectators and reflect the light on the
tableau. If the light is thrown above the imitation brickwork, then it
should be made higher.
In most halls, and some houses, electric lights are used instead of
gas, and in this case ordinary logs are piled in the fireplace on the
andirons, and one or more red globes are introduced to produce the
effect of glowing embers. The gas is more effective, however,
because it is not easy to get a gradual rise and fall in the glow of
electric lights. Four or five footlights are sufficient.

Fig. 2
Fig. 1
Fig. 3

Frames Made of Light Material and Covered with Black Mosquito Netting
Serve as Screens Which are Operated in Runs Located behind the
Fireplace That is Made Up in a Like Manner and Penciled to Represent
Brick
 The working of the dissolving views can be best explained by an
illustration from “Reveries of a Bachelor.” The gas log is turned low
to make the stage dimly lighted, and the tableau to be shown is all
arranged behind the chimney back and the screens. There should be
barely sufficient light to reveal the bachelor on the hearthstone
smoking in the gloaming. Then the chimney back almost
imperceptibly parts, that is, the screens of the first pair are gradually
pulled apart, the footlights and gas log are gradually turned on, and
the tableau behind the fireplace, being more brightly illuminated, is
dimly seen through the series of screens. Slowly the successive
pairs of screens are drawn aside, and the tableau becomes quite
distinct. Then the process is reversed, the screens are gradually
replaced, the lights are lowered and the dream fades away;
brightens and fades again; brightens and fades, till gone entirely.
The screens are always slowly moving while the tableau is exposed,
and this makes the illusory effect. It is evident that the success of
this plan depends principally on the coördination with which the
screens are operated. “Cinderella,” and many other tales based on
the vagaries of the mind and having their source in glowing embers,
can thus be presented.
 Imitation-Celluloid Scales and Name Plates
Often the amateur turns out a very workmanlike piece of
apparatus, which only lacks the addition of a scale or name plate to
give it a truly professional appearance. I recently hit upon an
excellent method of making these articles in a manner that will stand
considerable wear and at the same time present a very good
appearance. Simply take a piece of good Bristol board and letter it
as desired with waterproof drawing ink, then apply a coat of clear
varnish, such as is used on bird’s-eye maple furniture. After not less
than 24 hours rub lightly with fine steel wool, wipe clean, and
revarnish. Usually two coats are sufficient, and the last should be
rubbed with a soft oily rag dipped in some abrasive material such as
tooth powder, or one of the many powders used for metal polishing.
Finally polish with a little oil, and the result will be a perfect imitation
of celluloid.—Contributed by John D. Adams, Phoenix, Ariz.
 Direct View Finder for a Box Camera
Disappointment in the taking of pictures with a small camera is
often caused by the inability of the photographer to obtain an
accurate view of what he is photographing. If, instead of the small
view finder on the camera, the device illustrated is used, a view of
the resultant photograph may be obtained, right side up, and of
nearly the same size as the finished print.
Sight through the Eyepiece for a Direct View of the Object Photographed,
Thus Insuring More Nearly the Accuracy of the Result
 The distance from the lens of the camera to the front surface of
the plate or film must be determined. In the camera shown this was
4¹⁄₂ in. The distance from the small metal eyepiece, when it is in
place on the box, to the inner side of the opposite end of the box
must be made ¹⁄₂ in. shorter than this measurement. This will cause
the box to be shorter than the camera.
The box is constructed so that the sides extend above the top and
engage the camera. The view-finder eyepiece is made from a flat
piece of sheet metal, laid out as shown, and bent into the desired
shape. It is fixed over the center of the end of the box. The sight hole
must be ¹⁄₃₂ in. in diameter. By sighting through the small opening in
the eyepiece an unobstructed view of the prospective photograph is
obtained.—Contributed by A. S. Thomas, Amherstburg, Ont.
 Checking a Rip in Tire Tubes
It is often difficult to prevent a small rip in an inner tube of a tire
from becoming longer, even though a patch has been applied. An
effective remedy is to punch a small round hole at each end of the
rip before applying the patch. This stops the tendency to rip farther
when pressure is applied.—Contributed by George H. Holden,
Chesterfield, England.
 Protecting Wall Back of Range or Sink
A simple and attractive protection for the wall back of the range or
sink in a kitchen was provided by fixing a piece of plate glass to the
wall by means of round-headed brass screws. The glass may be
washed easily and can be removed when new wall covering is
applied.—Contributed by Jennie E. McCoy, Philadelphia, Pa.
 Polishing with a Hand Drill

A Hand Drill Clamped in a Vise and Used to Polish Round-Head Screws

There are certain desired effects in polishing metal that can only
be obtained with a true rotary motion. There is no amount of
handwork that will produce a proper finish on the round head of a
brass screw. Therefore, when small pieces of metal are to be shaped
up with the file and polished, simply set them in a three-jaw chuck of
a hand drill, and then clamp the drill in a vise, as shown in the
illustration. Operate the drill with the left hand and hold the file, or
emery paper, with the right, and a finish will be obtained that can in
nowise be distinguished from lathe work. It is surprising how different
round-head brass screws appear when treated in this manner.
Releasing a Parachute from a Kite
Pull In About a Yard of the Kite String and Release It, Tripping the Parachute
 Parachutes may be released from suspended kites readily by
providing tripping loops on the kite tail, as shown in the illustration.
Form a loop on one end of a piece of cord, and tie the other end to
the kite tail. Make a loop in one end of another piece of cord and tie
the other end to the top of the parachute. Tie a piece of cord around
a nail close to its head and fix this also to the kite tail. Pass one loop
through the other and insert the nail, as shown in the sketch. To trip
the parachute, pull in about a yard of string and release it quickly.
The parachute will trip without fail. The end of the string may be
fastened to a stake driven into the ground or it may be held in the
hand.
 A Trick Blotter
An ordinary blotter may be transformed easily so that it will remove
ink completely when applied instead of leaving sufficient to recognize
the script, by steeping it in a solution of oxalic acid. Permit it to dry
after several applications of the acid. It will be the source of much
amusement, and is useful as well.
 Magic Candles Explained
By CLIFFORD WAYNE

Clever and baffling though it may be, the magic-candle trick may be
performed easily and with professional skill by a person who has
made a few simple preparations. The illustration shows the candles
arranged on a table made of a music stand.
Candles, cigars, or pencils may be used, but for the purpose of
this description the former will be used. The candles are of different
colors but of the same size and weight. The manipulation is as
follows:
Exhibit a tube of brass, cardboard, or other suitable material, just
large enough to contain a candle. Then retire from the room, leaving
the tube on the table while one of the spectators selects one of the
candles and places it into the tube, covering the end of the latter
securely with a small cap. The other candles are hidden before the
performer is permitted to return. The trick is to announce the color of
the candle contained in the box by merely passing the hand over it
several times. The box and candle are passed out for inspection and
will bear it if properly prepared.
The secret of the trick is this: The first candle, for example, the
white one, is unprepared. The second, a blue one, has concealed in
it, ¹⁄₂ in. from the top, a small piece of magnetized steel. The third
candle, a red one, has a similar bar concealed at the middle; the
fourth, a magnetized bar ¹⁄₂ in. from the bottom, and the fifth candle
has the bar at a point halfway between the middle and the bottom.
The candles are made of wood and the magnets may readily be
imbedded in them. They are made of two pieces glued together like
a pencil.