I was a rater for 1 year some time ago. My impression was the rating was against results from updates they were considering for the production algorithm. Testing at the QA level. I found it boring and soulless, but a wide knowledge of obscure, otherwise-useless facts really facilitated the work. Sometimes a little-known double meaning for a concept would cause disagreements among raters, and once a moderator hated my opinion so much he had my home phone called several times to demand I change my rating.

No, his reposonse is "almost constantly"

It says a lot that the balanced budget argument is often these days reviled variously as crazy, ignorant, and/or evil.

Wait, someone said most US citizens have more debt than cash, so inflation is a good thing because it only hurts lenders and responsible people who've been managing their finances carefully! Nevermind that most people use a generally fixed income to pay for basic needs... Seeing this idea posted to Slashdot, then lauded as reasonable by so many is just unreal.

Yah, we don't have, need, or want long distance service on our land line but every couple years it magically gets added back on (system upgrade? restore? planetary alignment?) and our bill goes up by several bucks. I wanted to get rid of the land line years ago but it's one of those ancillary issues the wife won't budge on.

This. It doesn't mean you're a boring person - there's only so much you want to share with co-workers. Can't get too personal, too political, or too funny... My ideal would be lunch as a team on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I'm wondering whether it would be able to capture phone storage thru USB to allow them to work on passwords/encryption later.

This is exactly true. The US is seen as selfish and insular when it doesn't step right up and sacrifice soldiers. Is there any American, anywhere, that hasn't been upbraided by a Briton about a) being a reckless cowboy always ready to start a war and, practically in the same breath, b) showing up to WWII so "late"? The US will receive hatred and vitriol proportionate to its global influence regardless of the paths taken, and Americans would do well to not get worked up over it while giving due concern.

if he writes a long-ass article about his meddling in the janitorial hiring within his company based on personal mop preferences, yes.

Yes, there are different types and categories. I fall into the same category as you, but being able to play without looking at the fretboard leaves you more flexible for all situations. It is not necessary but ideal and as such teachers should promote this rather than assume what road their student will take. The last band I was in was a trio, and the lead singer/guitarist was amazing at hardly ever having to look at the fretboard, playing all guitar parts because I was on bass and his brother was on drums. It was a definite advantage.

I'm a musician but my sons aren't (yet). The 7yo wants to learn guitar, but it's difficult for a beginner. Done well, something like this could get him excited about practicing every day. Worth looking into. I hope they have plenty of beginner material.

Because, ideally, you should be looking at sheet music (or have the capacity to do so). I expect less dependence on watching the fretboard translates to more comfort singing into a microphone while playing as well. As someone who looks at the fretboard as needed you might be surprised at the number of people who develop excellent technical skill with an instrument but have trouble memorizing music scores. My wife is like that. She can play piano far better than I, but if there's no sheet music around you'd never know it. I've memorized what I play because I cannot sight read (an annoying limitation I'll never find time to fix). With sheet music she puts me to shame.

...or you could end up like the uncountable number of very awful guitar players or people who just plain gave up.

You ever tried keeping a $50 guitar in tune during even a modest practice session? If you're just starting out you won't even know how badly you've fallen out of tune. The cost isn't your primary point, but I suggest people steer clear of el cheapo at Toys R Us, or even Guitar Center.

Sure, you don't need a game to do this, but anything that keeps my 8yo son excited about practice is worth looking into.

Like when they pushed the US gov't so hard to increase H-1B work visas because there "isn't enough" homegrown talent, then laid off a large number of developers shortly thereafter?