True douchebaggery doesn't start until the Audi A5 in my opinion. One should also consider BMW 5 or higher and anything Mercedes in the 500/600 classes.

I was also going to point that out. Any graphics program can blur and image with very similar results.

I could see a benefit to this for pattern recognition, such as determining people's ancestral makeup or what breeds a particular dog is composed of.

The key would be well defined inputs. A large sample of each possible output value would be needed, along with details about a particular value. This would be the training (200 Labradors, 200 Beagles, etc.).

But the next step, testing/usage, requires different software (as far as I know), but their algorithms could probably be re-purposed for it. It would take the new input and compare it against a library of averaged specific samples, somehow determining a % match for each. Then it could provide an estimate of a multi-source makeup (mixed dogs, mixed humans, etc.).

Something of this nature, might be able to identify mixed genetics visually, or to help identify minute genetic differences in a given population (without a ton of tedious study/measurements). I'm thinking of the finches in the Galapagos Islands, that sort of thing. The "purity" of the inputs would be critical. Multiple angles would probably be necessary for animals.

Easy to see negative eugenics type uses (and I think useful applications would be of limited value, maybe).

Not applicable, Duke Nuken Forever is what happens if you swap out the game engine half a dozen times during development.

Verizon has a straight path to less regulation. Of course they are going to take it. Less regulation = less overhead, lower legal costs, lower operating costs, etc.

The solution, in this case, appears to be additional regulation, regardless of how the service is provided. Require them to provide a minimum of 14 days guaranteed service during a power outage, if the wire is intact, regardless of how service is provided (this would of course include VOIP modems in homes, a reasonably sized battery could handle up time, and the regulation should only be for "available" not covering excessive use). If the wire is cut then the wire is cut, no service.

Alarm companies have been providing better power outage time service via in-home batteries for years.

First Strike (I have it on Android) is pretty good as well. Fast paced once things get started.

It would be nice to filter searches by permissions. I'm not sure if that is possible with Apple. Or Android.

Are the gel-cells you refer to also called "sealed lead acid" batteries? If so, then you are correct, they are maintenance free (and good for about 5 years if kept up properly and not overly discharged often).

Want to gamify your job?

Shoot for performance gains and collect statistics. Maximize performance.

I’m on a small team, the Architect and Developer, that’s me (I can’t get a business card with a title of “Hand of the Architect”, damn it). We can only do small, specific projects.

Our most successful project involved moving Excel data to an AS400 and running programs to process it.

The Architect wanted stats. So I broke the process down into measurable steps (7 or 8) and logged everything in the application (Stopwatch is a favorite .Net class). I also timed users performing the terrible manual process (it was as if they were robots, performing rote action, over and over again).

80%+ improvement in process speed (being able to show this was awesome). Batch functionality freed up tons of time.

Collect stats when reworking processes. Prove it.

Same goes for football/soccer apparently

I hope you have a wife and two kids (minimum on both fronts), because that reading list is NUCLEAR. For the most part.

Fantastic statement, one a lawyer should take up (or a team, with different players in different positions).

If there is a single penny of public money supporting the league (stadium) via public debt or financing, then why the F*** should the public not be able to watch it publicly.

If there isn't, do as they please.

F***ing great point. I can't say it hard or long enough.

The clause should read as follows: Broadcasting rights can be limited only if there is no public money involved in financing the location or presentation of a game.

And I live in St. Louis, we suck. We partied like it was 1999 in January of 2000...

Here are a couple of links that I found that are interesting.

General Info and Benefits - http://www.waterencyclopedia.c...
Why they are Harmful - http://www.waterencyclopedia.c...

Wish I had mod points because that is interesting.

It is a "cauldron of death" for species that cannot escape (shellfish primarily, so selfish about their oxygen and location).

I wonder if population studies have been done, how does the ecosystem recover after the algae bloom? I haven't checked of course.

This isn't the largest death zone ever, maybe farming practices are improving with regards to runoff. It is certainly wasteful.

And in turn the cloud services are storing very illegal images. It's just due diligence if you ask me.

I wonder how much staff they have to review this sort of thing (it would be a terrible job if you ask me, like watching the toilets in Southland Tales - which was awesome when combined with the comic book).

Could this be used for laptops, and maybe tablets and phones?

I would think so. Laptops already have vents. A smaller, slower, quieter fan may be necessary.

Surface area, it is why I prefer crushed ice on a hot day.