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Analytics and AI without the intimidation. Plain-language guides to SQL, data work, and practical AI. Examples you can use at work, a little humor, no PhD required.
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What DeepSeek’s new V4.1 Flash model costs next to Claude and ChatGPT, and when to use it
DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, released October 17, 2026, is cheap, MIT-licensed and strong at coding, but Claude Haiku 5.5 and GPT-6 Luna now cost less per task. Here is what changed, the real cost of 1,000 summaries, when the half-price hours apply, and a one-hour test before you switch.
- SQL · November 10, 2024 · 14 min read
SQL Tutorial 13: Strategies for Maintenance and Optimization
Keep databases healthy over time with backups you can restore, slow query awareness, stats and vacuum concepts, access grants, and on-call hygiene. Close the SQL series with a full path recap and next learning links.
- Analytics · September 6, 2026 · 12 min read
A/B tests intuition for analysts
A/B tests need a clear unit, a primary metric, and honest peeking rules. A green checkmark with +3.2% lift can still be calendar-driven science if you stop early.
- Models · October 12, 2026 · 10 min read
How good is Qwen at languages other than English?
Use Qwen for multilingual drafts with a four-step protocol: bound the text, name the register, attach glossary terms, and human-verify legal lines. Skip English-bridge round trips for warranty language.
- Data work · September 11, 2026 · 13 min read
When to stop prompting an AI chatbot and do the task yourself
Prompting has a clock. When facts, feeling, or your signature matter, close the chat and do the task yourself.
