From Correlation to Causation through stories and math

Image
Correlation and causation are two concepts that people often mixup in their minds. I must admit that I myself have been guilty about this, and it unlikely that I would ever entirely grow out of it as it is wired deeply into our psychology. Let me use this article to briefly emphasise what the concepts of correlation and causation means, some interesting stories that have emerged from people misunderstanding these concepts and an algorithm that attempts to find causal relationship using correlation information. Here is a story that I heard a professor of mine, Prof. Dr. Ernst-Jan Camiel Wit, tell us during a lecture. There was a school that was involved in a study to see if providing free mid-day meals to students, which they could choose to be subscribed to this or not. At the end of the study, both the students who subscribed to it and did not where tested for different health indicators. It was observed that the students who chose to have meals from the programme had poorer health

Image to a string in JavaScript

There may be various methods to convert an image into a one dimensional data. JavaScript enables you to convert and store images in string format and most modern browsers would be able to render that image.

For instance, the following string contains Google's logo. You can check this by copy-pasting it on a browser addressbar. It is possible that some of you may think the the image could be loaded from an external website. For those people, I would like to recommend them to turn their internet off and paste the following on their addressbar.

data:image/png;base64,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

It is possible to use <img> HTML tag to display the image as well. Just paste the entire string inside src attribute. If someone asked you a question on how to store images in a MySQL database, this is a pretty good method.

How can one create an image like this? Well, I simply went to Google and opened it's logo. Then I opened the Chrome Developer Console (press CTRL+Shift+J and click on Console tab) and ran the below mentioned JavaScript code to get the URL


var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();
xhr.open('GET', 'https://www.google.com/images/branding/googlelogo/2x/googlelogo_color_92x30dp.png');
xhr.responseType = 'blob';
xhr.send();
var reader = new FileReader();
setTimeout(function(){
    reader.readAsDataURL(xhr.response);
    console.log(reader.result);
}, 3000);

If the console.log does not return anything, simply type in reader.result again on the console and you will get the string for the image. It's as simple as that. 

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