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Thread: Random chat thread

  1. #91
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  2. #92
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    This is hard to read, but pretty enlightening.

    http://www.readability.com/read?url=...pt.single.html

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  3. #93
    Does anyone have experience with the pen and tablet things you can connect to a computer?
    My wife is really getting into computery things where such a device could help. So, I thought it might make a nice christmas present.
    Tons of them on Amazon, but I'm not familiar with the options, and what is most desirable. She enjoys computer art, drawing, photo editing, etc.
    Something on the consumer side, I don't need a fancy professional setup.

  4. #94
    If I ever played pro baseball and hit a home run, I'd sprint as fast I could around the bases.
    I'm sure somebody has done this, but since I don't follow baseball, I don't know.
    But I'd do it anyway.

  5. #95
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brian View Post
    Does anyone have experience with the pen and tablet things you can connect to a computer?
    My wife is really getting into computery things where such a device could help. So, I thought it might make a nice christmas present.
    Tons of them on Amazon, but I'm not familiar with the options, and what is most desirable. She enjoys computer art, drawing, photo editing, etc.
    Something on the consumer side, I don't need a fancy professional setup.
    I wish someone would respond to this. I am interested in these devices too. Come on you guys, step up!

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  6. #96
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    I wish someone would respond to this. I am interested in these devices too. Come on you guys, step up!
    Yes, please.
    My wife will kill me if I get her a dumb gift.

  7. #97
    Question on graph/chart tools. I'm working on a paper where I need to show a pretty complicated relationship between a lot of data. Excel and Numbers are just not easy to use in this instance.
    Any recommendations on tools for making "Power Graphs" ?

  8. #98
    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    I think we would need to know more. If you can describe what you would like to see, maybe someone will know a tool to generate it.

    In general, make every effort to simplify the presentation of data to the point where a line/bar/pie chart will work. I read a lot of papers where data is presented in very complicated ways, and I usually skip over the plot rather than spend 15 minuets trying to figure out what it shows. What is the conclusion you want people to draw from the data? Is there a way to simply present it so that people can see that conclusion? It's not always possible, but when it is, the paper is more elegant.

    Of course, in many papers (academic papers in particular), readability is not the goal, and maybe that's the case here.
    Yes, it's an academic paper. Readability is certainly a goal, however, I'm trying to do more. I have 5 dimensional data that I'm trying to understand. The first goal is for me to understand patterns and relationships, identifying which dimensions matter, and under what circumstances. The second is then to present these relationships in a readable way to the intended audience. The audience is pretty sophisticated, so a complex presentation is fine, as long as it's clear. Parallel coordinates plots are pretty good at this kind of thing, but they aren't showing everything as easily as I'd like.

    Currently, I'm making a table of charts, essentially breaking it up the 5D data into a set of lower-dimensional charts. This is helpful, and is showing some of the patterns I've found, but I want to explore what else is available.

    Excel/Numbers is great for simple stuff, but not for this.
    Last edited by Brian; 12-06-2013 at 08:19 AM.

  9. #99
    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    I'm sure you've done this, but ask around in your field (my first guess - genomics?). Surely, people have dealt with this problem or something close to it before. Sorry I'm not more help.
    Yes, I have asked around, and this was my next step at asking a group of people with very diverse backgrounds.
    genomics is a good guess, but this is for the analysis of algorithm scalability.

  10. #100
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brian View Post
    Yes, I have asked around, and this was my next step at asking a group of people with very diverse backgrounds.
    genomics is a good guess, but this is for the analysis of algorithm scalability.
    Uh... I'm pretty good at lining up rifle sights... and I don't suck at grappling.

    I had to look up genomics and algorithm scalability to even understand what you're talking about. I think I heard them discussing algorithm something or other on Star Trek a long time ago...

    Good luck.

  11. #101
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brian View Post
    Yes, I have asked around, and this was my next step at asking a group of people with very diverse backgrounds.
    genomics is a good guess, but this is for the analysis of algorithm scalability.
    I hope the person who has that gets better soon.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  12. #102
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    I hope the person who has that gets better soon.
    Once you are hooked on this euphoric drug, there is no getting off of it.

  13. #103
    Educating Cyrus wuapinmon's Avatar
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    Several people I went to high school with became police officers. They're all dicks now on facebook. They didn't used to be.
    "This culture doesn't sell modesty. It sells "I am more modest than you" modesty." -- Two Utes

  14. #104
    Five-O Diehard Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wuapinmon View Post
    Several people I went to high school with became police officers. They're all dicks now on facebook. They didn't used to be.
    Guess that fits under the "random" part of the title.

  15. #105
    Educating Cyrus wuapinmon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Diehard Ute View Post
    Guess that fits under the "random" part of the title.
    Yeah. Not all cops are dicks. But, these guys are all so hard edged now, and their facebook posts just spew venom against minorities, poor people, immigrants, the President, anyone not like them. It's really sad to see how the demands of the job can change someone.

    I've taught a lot of cops now through the years. The chief of police of my town was my student and he's a millpond and a consummate gentleman. I think four of the city's officers are my former students. One of them has the 1,000 yard stare now. The others are coping well with the job. In an ideal world, cops would get sabbatical every seven years. A year off, half for training and fitness work, and the other half to vacation and relax and unwind.
    "This culture doesn't sell modesty. It sells "I am more modest than you" modesty." -- Two Utes

  16. #106
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    Quote Originally Posted by wuapinmon View Post
    In an ideal world, cops would get sabbatical every seven years. A year off, half for training and fitness work, and the other half to vacation and relax and unwind.
    A sabbatical sure as hell isn't gonna happen. For stress relief a little football game always helps.

    NSFW Language


  17. #107
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wuapinmon View Post
    Yeah. Not all cops are dicks. But, these guys are all so hard edged now, and their facebook posts just spew venom against minorities, poor people, immigrants, the President, anyone not like them. It's really sad to see how the demands of the job can change someone.

    I've taught a lot of cops now through the years. The chief of police of my town was my student and he's a millpond and a consummate gentleman. I think four of the city's officers are my former students. One of them has the 1,000 yard stare now. The others are coping well with the job. In an ideal world, cops would get sabbatical every seven years. A year off, half for training and fitness work, and the other half to vacation and relax and unwind.
    Early in my career I almost took a job with the L.A. District Attorney's office. I asked the senior guy (25 years +) who made me the offer how the job had affected him. He said he was certainly not a nicer person now because of it, because he had just seen too much evil perpetrated by human beings who were guilty but insisted they were innocent.
    Last edited by LA Ute; 12-09-2013 at 12:09 PM.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  18. #108
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    Part 2

    The language on this clip isn't any safer for work.



  19. #109
    Educating Cyrus wuapinmon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Early in my career I almost took a job with the L.A. District Attorney's office. I asked the senior guy (25 years +) who made me the offer how the job had affected him. He said he was certainly not a nicer person now because of it, because he had just seen too much evil perpetrated by human beings who were guilty but insisted they were innocent.

    If I'm ever a cowboy astronaut millionaire, I think I'll endow a sabbatical in my town for the police department to use for guys who need a break.
    "This culture doesn't sell modesty. It sells "I am more modest than you" modesty." -- Two Utes

  20. #110
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  21. #111
    Quote Originally Posted by wuapinmon View Post
    . . .cowboy astronaut millionaire. . .
    That is quite a life goal. Which will you acheive first?

  22. #112
    Five-O Diehard Ute's Avatar
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    That's one of the reasons in Utah (and many other states) Officers had retirement at 20 years.

    While we still have it in Utah, 50% of your highest years salary for those hired prior to July 2011, the changes to things like health insurance have made retiring at 20 years difficult.

    All that being said, 95% of officers are great people who do great work. Like any job there are some idiots.

    I will say at least in Utah the changes to retirement and benefits have made it much harder to attract good candidates. (Those hired after July 2011 cannot retire until 25 years and at that point would receive 37% of their highest salary, which in Utah equal $22,000 or so for the best paid officers)

    And as for sabbaticals, while that would be awesome, it's impossible.

    Someone has to cover for an officer who is off. Departments have a certain staffing number that always have to be at work, so only a certain percentage of officers can be off at any given time. There's no calling someone else in to cover

    And since it takes roughly 12-18 months to hire, train and certify an officer to work on their own, departments are always understaffed.

    And all that being said, I wouldn't do anything else. It's the greatest job in the world.

  23. #113
    Educating Cyrus wuapinmon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Diehard Ute View Post
    That's one of the reasons in Utah (and many other states) Officers had retirement at 20 years.

    While we still have it in Utah, 50% of your highest years salary for those hired prior to July 2011, the changes to things like health insurance have made retiring at 20 years difficult.

    All that being said, 95% of officers are great people who do great work. Like any job there are some idiots.

    I will say at least in Utah the changes to retirement and benefits have made it much harder to attract good candidates. (Those hired after July 2011 cannot retire until 25 years and at that point would receive 37% of their highest salary, which in Utah equal $22,000 or so for the best paid officers)

    And as for sabbaticals, while that would be awesome, it's impossible.

    Someone has to cover for an officer who is off. Departments have a certain staffing number that always have to be at work, so only a certain percentage of officers can be off at any given time. There's no calling someone else in to cover

    And since it takes roughly 12-18 months to hire, train and certify an officer to work on their own, departments are always understaffed.

    And all that being said, I wouldn't do anything else. It's the greatest job in the world.
    I'm in a field with years and years of training, roughly 11-12 years to be able to do what I do. Sabbaticals are built in to the rotation, so that if you earn one (they're not automatic where I work), then there's a way to cover. If a police force knew there would be a sabbatical, I imagine that it could be done. However, I realize I'm arguing about nothing here, since I don't know of any police force that does it. A 37% pension is not good for recruiting your best and brightest. But, Utah can boast of low taxes!
    "This culture doesn't sell modesty. It sells "I am more modest than you" modesty." -- Two Utes

  24. #114
    Educating Cyrus wuapinmon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chrisrenrut View Post
    That is quite a life goal. Which will you acheive first?
    Millionaire probably. I don't have the right stuff, and helping my grandpa turn bullocks into steers when I was a lad made me wince.
    "This culture doesn't sell modesty. It sells "I am more modest than you" modesty." -- Two Utes

  25. #115
    Malleus Cougarorum Solon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wuapinmon View Post
    I'm in a field with years and years of training, roughly 11-12 years to be able to do what I do. Sabbaticals are built in to the rotation, so that if you earn one (they're not automatic where I work), then there's a way to cover. If a police force knew there would be a sabbatical, I imagine that it could be done. However, I realize I'm arguing about nothing here, since I don't know of any police force that does it. A 37% pension is not good for recruiting your best and brightest. But, Utah can boast of low taxes!
    I"ve got a city cop and a deputy sheriff in my neighborhood. The deputy is 3 doors down from me. The city cop is a pretty good friend.
    I've never met nicer guys, and they work long erratic hours with the dregs of the community. Sign me up for the police-sabbatical petition idea.

    It seems like my community spends a lot of money on equipment and much less on actual salaries. I suppose there's a reason for that.
    σοφῷ ἀνδρὶ Ἑλλὰς πάντα.
    -- Flavius Philostratus, Life of Apollonius 1.35.2.

  26. #116
    Five-O Diehard Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Solon View Post
    I"ve got a city cop and a deputy sheriff in my neighborhood. The deputy is 3 doors down from me. The city cop is a pretty good friend.
    I've never met nicer guys, and they work long erratic hours with the dregs of the community. Sign me up for the police-sabbatical petition idea.

    It seems like my community spends a lot of money on equipment and much less on actual salaries. I suppose there's a reason for that.
    That's pretty typical unfortunately.

    And the hours are erratic. Tonight is my Friday. I am off at 0730 hours. However I have court at 0830, not sure when I'll get to head home. The joys of graves.

  27. #117
    Educating Cyrus wuapinmon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    Maybe it would be good all around if the professors trade sabbaticals with the cops. The officers teach classes for a semester, and the professors work the beat...I'm gonna write a pilot and pitch it to ABC.
    I would be a lousy cop. The power would go to my head, I'd become jaded very quickly, and I'd basically become Vic Mackey.
    "This culture doesn't sell modesty. It sells "I am more modest than you" modesty." -- Two Utes

  28. #118
    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    Maybe it would be good all around if the professors trade sabbaticals with the cops. The officers teach classes for a semester, and the professors work the beat...I'm gonna write a pilot and pitch it to ABC.
    Working Title Possibilities: Cop College; An Officer and a Valedictorian; The Thin Blue Line, PhD.

  29. #119
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  30. #120
    Quote Originally Posted by Devildog View Post

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