Facial recognition, like all biometrics, is not good for this purpose. You either have decent rates of true positive results at the expense of many false positives, or few false positives with many failures.

It's never like it is in the TV shows. The results form biometrics are far too fuzzy to be useful in this context where one looks for one of a large set within a much larger set. It's somewhat useful in non-time-critical situations where one looks for one identity from a large set.

In general, you can regard all biometric identification as not really worth the trouble. Too easy to fake or avoid detection.

I used have a resting heart rate in the 40s as a teenager doing long distance kayak race training. Back up to 60s when in university. After chemo, resting in the 100 or so, with any activity pushing near 200. Now it's back under the 60s, with exercise peaks in the 195-200 range usually when doing DH trails and getting the crap scared out of me while sprinting down a hill. Reasonably impressed with myself for that, especially given I'm ~200lbs at 5'9" but that is mostly muscle, to the point where people think I'm 230lbs. My doc laughs when I point out that I'm borderline obese according to BMI, but he says I've nothing to worry about on that score..

I've had the pleasure to meet Randall for a few days during one of his very rare conference visits, where he was the keynote speaker at our university computer society's computing conference. As I was one of the group organising the conference we had drinks with him and his wife back at the hotel, and chatted until the wee hours. He's a genuine nice guy, and he is someone that intensely protects the privacy of his private life and those close to him, from the weirdness that internet fame can bring.

He did find it really refreshing to be able to go on a proper touristy roadtrip a few days after the conference was over to see a few of the prettier places in the nearby area and to see those from a local's perspective instead of the standard stereotypical locations, where his wife (who is a really lovely lady and someone I've kept up some contact with since) was able to pursue some of her interests. All this without people fawning over him or being weird around him. I got the impression that the more his internet fame grows, the harder it is for him to lead a normal life and that is something that I hope he is able to work with as the years go by.

I think it's really cool that he is being recognised for his hard work, and he does work hard that's for sure.

I thought I wasn't too bad until I started counting them all up..

• Work laptop,
• My netbook,
• My housemate's laptop,
• My desktop,
• My work cellphone,
• My personal cellphone,
• The PS3,
• The tv,
• My hacked PSP,
• My Kindle,

and a few more assorted devices that are rarely on such as a Dell Axim, a spare S2 mini cellphone, an old laptop used for VAG-Com connection to the car, and my telescope mount.
There's a reason why I have 3 SSIDs across 3 channels (1,6,13). I have GigE as well, but it's a rented house so I can't run much cable.

Just because the law handles it in similar ways doesn't mean it's the same thing, no matter how much you try to argue this incorrect point.
Copyright infringement is a civil offense - hence why there is no requirement for a three-letter-agency to look at it.

As for your code being used elsewhere - that is still not theft as you've not been deprived of an actual item, You've been the victim of copyright infringement, which is not theft. Not nice to happen to you, but it is still not theft. And the treatment of offenders is (and can only be) treated as a civil case - but hey, you might make a decent bit of damages or out-of-court settlement ;)

Then you've stolen a piece of physical property - not intellectual property...

What you describe is not theft - it's a form of obstruction. If it were actually property - it would be perfectly possible to return it - and by your own words it isn't. Again, copyright/trademark infringement is not theft, no matter how the *AA keep repeating it.

It's a civil matter.

Agreed!

You can't steal intellectual property.
You can copy and use intellectual property inappropriately, sure.
But you sure as hell cannot steal it, and as such it should not be involving the DHS or Federal Government in any way. But these are the people you voted in, and the rest of us have to live with it unfortunately..

Given that I have a few telescopes and I have been stargazing for ~30 years, I really value my night sight. Knowing that the majority of the laser surgeries have a significant proportion of post-operation aberrations that would directly affect my stargazing abilities is a real hindrance to my taking up the eye surgery.
Halos and diffraction spikes around bright objects, increased glare at night, are all relatively common issues to be dealt with afterwards. Most people aren't bothered by this as they rarely come across the situations where these aberrations would show up (exception being night-time driving).
If the surgeries were able to correct higher-order aberrations and a proper wavefront restoration across a portion of the eye that would be larger than the relaxed iris, then it might be a possibility for me. However, the tech is not yet mature for this, for my use cases.

My ex's birthday is July 4th, so I really have no reason to care about it at this stage now that she's an ex-girlfriend - plus the fact that I do not live in the US also makes this date as relevant as any other normal day on the calendar.
At least this year I am spending this day doing some decent downhill mountain biking in France, so my only concerns about the date involve what runs am I doing, and where will I eat really good food that evening..

Personally I have a preference for settling down with a lovely willing girl for the evening...

I am currently working an evening shift (local time) handing over to the subcontinent, who then hand over to the USians.

I've got quite a collection of stargazing stuff:

• o- 10x50 binoculars, cheap and cheerful and kept in my car for those quick looks.
• o- 15x70 binoculars, got for free needing repair, battered but functional.
• o- 20x80 binuculars, awaiting my construction of a parallelogram mount for them.
• o- Coronado PST, for hydrogen-alpha observations of the Sun.
• o- 70mm f/5 apo refractor with cut down Vixen Porta mount, fits in overhead baggage. Great for a holiday.
• o- 80mm f6.25 apo refractor, my grab'n'go scope on a simple slo-mo alt-az mount. I have this up and running in less than 30 seconds, fantastic for a quick look when I come in from finishing on the second shift.
• o- 6" f/5 Newt, pretty much unused but it came on the LXD75. I had plans to use it with low-light security cameras, but I'll probably sell it onwards
• o- 8" f/6 Newt, .975 Strehl main mirror, fully flocked tube, curved-vane spider. Great performer of a scope. Running on a computerised LXD75 mount

I've quite an eyepiece collection as well, with a William Optics binoviewer, a scattering of Meade 82 and 68 degree eyepieces, a Baader zoom+barlow and a few other plossls.

The big problems? I live in Ireland and I don't get much chance to observe, plus I'm coming down with drusen on my retinas, so I'd better enjoy the views in the raw while I still can..

People need to learn how to use English correctly, informally or not. "Should of" does not read correctly nor does it enhance understanding, therefore it is nonsensical to use it. Informal usage should not transfer to the written word. As far as I can gather the usage comes from ill-educated people that spell phonetically with unusual accents such as Essex English. I consider it close to txt spk for parsing ease when reading, and the poor use of language really gets in the way of the author's point coming across.

Yep, sounds like a great idea in theory. What happens when I'm trying to work through a migraine? That definitely changes my computer use patterns and mouse usage characteristics.

May apply more to the usage of mobile smartphones to prevent being fraped these days.

Most home burglaries are during the daytime - but your point is still valid.