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Comment Re:straight from the OMFG NO dept (Score 2) 364

Has to be budget. Seeing as most comments here said the earlier seasons were better (I haven't watched in a couple of years as well), ratings are probably dropping. And with that comes reductions in ad revenue. And with that comes cost reduction.

In fact, IMDB ratings of the show, have fallen from 7.5 to 6.5 over the course of the show (turn on the Series Trendline):
http://graphtv.kevinformatics....

Why all three? Who knows? But they each have a kick ass resume, that's for sure.

Comment Get one that Amazon Sells, not Fulfills (Score 4, Interesting) 131

Amazon offers 30 day returns. If it fails fast they will take it back. Be wary of items they just fulfill, return policies vary (and Amazon has great service). Compare the manufacturers warranties, ask a question on the Amazon item pages.

Read the most recent reviews. I've seen several "different item/different serial #" issues with Dell batteries. Items presented can change over time, they are mutable.

Don't rush. You've been putting up with the performance you are seeing, you can take it another week or two.

Anyway, that's how I buy batteries...

Comment Re:You'll be impressed (Score 1) 66

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).

Comment Re:regulations! (Score 1) 93

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.

Comment Gamification, and SECOND POST!!! (Score 1) 39

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

Comment Re:Punishes fans? (Score 1) 216

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...

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