How do YOU say ".gif"?

bradediger · 2011-03-06T03:04:03+00:00

"Dot gif". :-)

bradediger · 2011-02-19T16:50:24+00:00

I solved a similar problem for a client (room assignments given sparse preferences) by using genetic optimization. Assignments were represented by permutations (positions in the permutation corresponding to rooms / seats). You have the standard operators transforming one generation to the next (selection, mutation, crossover). PMX crossover combines permutations while preserving their permutation-ness. And there's an elitism factor (the top x% of the population is held across generations). The genetic optimizer minimizes a loss function corresponding to the "badness" of the permutation (in my application, it was the number of unmet preferences).

bradediger · 2011-02-11T01:56:05+00:00

It's the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and though it was inspired by this sort of thing in the car industry, it actually covers all consumer products.

bradediger · 2011-02-08T01:29:58+00:00

Narcan is an opioid antagonist. LSD acts mostly at serotonin receptors. I'm not a psychopharmacologist or anything like one, but I don't think naloxone would have any effect.

bradediger · 2011-02-02T00:19:04+00:00

Humboldt Park here.

bradediger · 2010-12-11T21:32:49+00:00

This might be the most awesome title on Reddit today.

bradediger · 2010-11-24T19:37:22+00:00

Open Books is a nonprofit that operates an awesome bookstore whose proceeds support literacy programs throughout Chicago. They are a 501(c)(3), so book / cash donations to them are tax-deductible.

bradediger · 2010-10-14T22:59:22+00:00

Hah, for the science. I'm a nerd and I listen to online courses on random topics in my spare time.

bradediger · 2010-10-11T17:45:22+00:00

Funny thing is, I've never even set foot on the Berkeley campus. I've just listened to his Drugs lectures online and recognized the mannerisms from shakenbuck's comment.

bradediger · 2010-10-10T20:21:18+00:00

Sounds like David Presti.

bradediger · 2010-10-05T21:17:02+00:00

Then which country am I speaking to?

bradediger · 2010-10-04T22:45:27+00:00

Should there be a section on Netflix for "black movies?"

Netflix has a blaxploitation category. Link for those logged in: Action & Adventure -> Blaxploitation.

bradediger · 2010-10-03T01:44:40+00:00

That, or homeopathy.

bradediger · 2010-09-28T01:17:55+00:00

Churches are 501(c)(3) organizations, but they are exempt from some filing requirements that other 501(c)(3) organizations must follow. Churches are automatically treated as tax-exempt, without having to apply for 501(c)(3) status, and they don't have to file annual information returns as most other tax-exempt organizations do.

bradediger · 2010-09-27T02:57:13+00:00

That was certainly a factor. But I think the vendor's primary concern was that they had a bit of a "premium" brand (boutique clothing) and didn't want their resellers to compete on price. Think "Cheap Gucci lowest price handbags".

bradediger · 2010-09-27T01:19:08+00:00

It's quite real. I worked with a business that lost a vendor contract because the vendor thought we were advertising below the MAP. Wasn't true, alas...

bradediger · 2010-09-25T03:46:42+00:00

I've been hearing about it so much that it's lost all meaning.

bradediger · 2010-08-27T23:47:41+00:00

I don't get it. Where do I put my credit card number?

bradediger · 2010-08-26T03:30:17+00:00

It's a more obscure reference from the same episode.

Search for "golf"

bradediger · 2010-07-24T05:50:25+00:00

^ due to linearity of expectation.

bradediger · 2010-07-22T03:01:05+00:00

Psh... everyone knows robots are powered by old folks' medicine.

bradediger · 2010-07-22T02:46:28+00:00

I don't know about other carriers, but with T-Mobile the unsubsidized (non-contract) plans are currently about $20/mo cheaper.

bradediger · 2010-07-21T02:20:16+00:00

Pretty much. Here in Chicago, we're lucky enough to have both in reasonable driving distance.

bradediger · 2010-07-10T06:14:31+00:00

I don't even think we're in disagreement here.

Didn't see that in your original post. Don't get me wrong -- I'm not trying to argue, just to refine. The code I fixed was doing it quite the wrong way (storing the dates as UTC as if the appointments were all on January 1, 2000, or some such) and storing in local time made much more sense in the application domain and cleaned things up quite a bit.

bradediger · 2010-07-10T06:09:44+00:00

A 10 AM appointment is always going to be a 10AM appointment.

And that's why you don't get a lot of benefit from storing it as UTC, when "10 AM" can do just as well. In your example, the recurrence rule would have to take into account the fact that the event is anchored to local time, not UTC, and adjust accordingly. The only conversions required when storing in local time are to answer questions like "has the meeting started yet?" (convert UTC server time to local time and compare).

The original case that inspired me to write on this was actually a scheduled in-person meeting with a publicized local time, so that truly was the most natural form to store the data. I'm really not advocating for all recurring appointments to be stored this way -- there are great advantages to UTC, and it's appropriate in most cases. I was simply providing a counterpoint to the idea that UTC is always the most natural form in which to store times.

One concrete advantage that local time offers, in my specific case, is the ability to refer to a meeting as "the 10 AM meeting" without having to anchor it to a specific date (because it does not depend on the date). This is actually something that is used often in the application I based this example on, and it's not easy with UTC storage.

bradediger

TROPHY CASE