Whose an idiot?

I'm 40, calculated 44. Well done!

PhD in physical chemistry, theory. All my research experience was computation. A full time coder is a huge asset in a computation research group. They quickly become versed in the sorts of things they need to know - science wise - and contribute in that way. Really, how can you write code to solve a problem you don't understand? They are part of the group, actively participate in research, and are acknowledged with authorship. And since their tenure isn't limited by graduation, the next postdoc, or a professorship, they quickly become the most senior members of the group. If they have a PhD, they will become an assistant professor. However, these positions are very rare. As it's been pointed out, very few groups are large enough to support a full time programmer.

"Sharing can’t hurt the small fish. Almost nobody sets out to beat Daniel Lemire at some conference next year. I have no pursuer. And guess what? You probably don’t. But if you do, you are probably doing quite well already, so stop worrying. Yes, yes, they will give you a grant even if you don’t actively sabotage your competitors. Relax already!"

The big fish (and I've worked for them) don't, and it's likely they got that way by protecting their turf. Science is cut throat.

No one is killing deer with an AR-15. Like the parent said, SIG716's calibre is more suited for deer. The AR-15 isn't, as it is much smaller and less powerful. You like Twain? No doubt you've heard this attributed to him "It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt". Good advice.

(I do theory - started my schooling with a BS in Chemistry and BS in Mathematics with a Physics concentration) and I failed out of my high school mathematics, physics, and chemistry classes. Why? I loved science as a kid, and obviously have a strong aptitude for it. Somehow the "qualified educators" in my school were completely unable to get traction with a student who should have been the easiest to reach. I would have been just as well off watching Dukes of Hazard reruns at home.

The US military couldn't put down a popular revolt *in the US*. The US military has a difficult time with insurgencies. Take a read about Operation Vigilant Resolve in retaking Fallujah. Now, do you really think the military could convince it's rank and file to fight with that kind of violent enthusiasm in the towns and cities they've lived and worked? It takes a lot more than weapons.

Maybe not. First thing to pop into my head.

Decades, months, and days of the week all have specific shapes, locations, and colors. They have always been the same as far as I can remember. Numbers you would use in calculating things have color, albeit past 10 they group in 10s. That is all the 20s are a yellow orange color, 30s purple blue, and so on. The personality of numbers is entirely about if they are prime or have prime factors or are odd. It's a simple good and bad type thing. 3 and 7 are sinister, 9 more so, 21 also. All are odd and are prime or have prime factors.

Well, I stand corrected then. I didn't realize AC was the final arbiter on what is or is not synesthesia. I'm sure the medical community was pleased to have been rid one more burden.

as well as number form and personification. Numbers - depending on if they are simply numbers or dates - have a specific "geography", color, and personality.

The president has the power to veto any law congress has passed to limit his ability to deal with prisoners in Guantanamo. And he doesn't need congress' approval to move the 150+ detainees from Guantanamo to another facility - say Bagram, something he has already done to circumvent habeas - or give them due process or just *let them go*. The excuse, apparently, is that congress wont authorise special funds to deal with the prison and prisoners in the exact manner the president would like. But that is a far ways from keeping him from closing the camp. He could do so today.

I don't see how that works. When I publish some work, it's a collection of things I've done. Now maybe I discuss other peoples work in that context, and maybe draw some bad conclusions because of that, but that doesn't merit a retraction. Not at all. That is what eratta are for. Now, if a separate study is based predominantly on another's fraudulent work, wouldn't the researchers necessarily discover the original work was fraudulent as a mater of course? I just don't see how one fraudulent work would result in any other retractions - let alone one hundred. Maybe your field or the way you publish is different than mine. Clue me in.

I don't know exactly what Dooley's arrest tells us. It might tell us that black people will be arrested more quickly under similar circumstances in Florida. Or, it just may tell us that Trevor Dooley was arrested more quickly under similar circumstances. We don't - well I don't anyway - know how long it typically takes Florida law enforcement to arrest someone under these kinds of circumstances, relative to the race of the killer and killed. As far as I know no one has gone to the trouble of compiling and publishing that information. It may not even be that meaningful if they did. There have been around 40 justified killing each year in Florida for the past 4 years. The number where circumstances match the Zimmerman/Martin case and those that mirror it with race swapped can't be large.

But none of that it to say it wouldn't be informative to do the comparison, or that the comparison can't be done, or that *you* can't do it. Here is a good starting point - the dates, ages, and races for justified civilian homicides in Florida.

http://databases.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/ftlaudjustified/ftlaudjustifiable_list.php

Two final thoughts. When I first started looking at this data I had the expectation that there would be a disproportionate number of blacks killed by whites. That doesn't really seem to be the case, for civilians anyway. And finally, the biggest difference between the two cases you compare is the amount of attention the Zimmerman/Martin case has had from the media and otherwise.

isn't really that good - in my experience anyway. I had some questions about carrying over a loss from a passive activity that I was no longer doing. I called the IRS and was put in touch with the guy who, by his account, was "in charge" of that form. After I asked my question , he read the instructions to me. I outlined the part of the instructions I thought was ambiguous, and asked for clarification. He reread the paragraph, and then suggested I call a professional. The price of professional help would be on the order of the money saved by taking the carry over. So I dropped it.