On Estimating the First Frequency Moment of Data Streams

Estimating the first moment of a data stream defined as F_1 = \sum_{i \in \{1, 2, \ldots, n\}} \abs{f_i} to within $1 \pm \epsilon$-relative error with high probability is a basic and influential problem in data stream processing. A tight space bound of $O(\epsilon^{-2} \log (mM))$ is known from the work of [Kane-Nelson-Woodruff-SODA10]. However, all known algorithms for this problem require per-update stream processing time of $\Omega(\epsilon^{-2})$, with the only exception being the algorithm of [Ganguly-Cormode-RANDOM07] that requires per-update processing time of $O(\log^2(mM)(\log n))$ albeit with sub-optimal space $O(\epsilon^{-3}\log^2(mM))$. In this paper, we present an algorithm for estimating $F_1$ that achieves near-optimality in both space and update processing time. The space requirement is $O(\epsilon^{-2}(\log n + (\log \epsilon^{-1})\log(mM)))$ and the per-update processing time is $O( (\log n)\log (\epsilon^{-1}))$.Comment: 12 page

India and Eastphalia

Eastphalia Emerging?: Asia, International Law, and Global Governance, Symposium. Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, Indiana, 200

High Probability Frequency Moment Sketches

We consider the problem of sketching the p-th frequency moment of a vector, p>2, with multiplicative error at most 1 +/- epsilon and with high confidence 1-delta. Despite the long sequence of work on this problem, tight bounds on this quantity are only known for constant delta. While one can obtain an upper bound with error probability delta by repeating a sketching algorithm with constant error probability O(log(1/delta)) times in parallel, and taking the median of the outputs, we show this is a suboptimal algorithm! Namely, we show optimal upper and lower bounds of Theta(n^{1-2/p} log(1/delta) + n^{1-2/p} log^{2/p} (1/delta) log n) on the sketching dimension, for any constant approximation. Our result should be contrasted with results for estimating frequency moments for 1 <= p <= 2, for which we show the optimal algorithm for general delta is obtained by repeating the optimal algorithm for constant error probability O(log(1/delta)) times and taking the median output. We also obtain a matching lower bound for this problem, up to constant factors

Avoiding War in Kashmir

Will the current simmering conflict over Kashmir lead to another subcontinental war? This complex question has plagued India-Pakistan relations since both countries gained independence in 1947, and over the past year tensions in the area have risen sharply. Continuing border skirmishes threaten an already precarious situation, in which international and domestic politics are intertwined with the passions of rival ethnic, religious and partisan interests