Monday, December 5, 2011

Prohibition

Ostensibly, the reason for prohibition is that using them will destroy the user's life.

This explains perfectly why the punishment for using them is to throw the user in prison and destroy their life.

Oh, wait, no it doesn't.

It's like capital punishment for attempted suicide.

Just had to get that off my chest.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Saturday, May 28, 2011

The Alphabet According to Goolgle.ca Auto-Complete

A is for aubrie
B is for basketball
C is for cookie
D is for dangerous lyrics
E is for ethics
F is for frank
G is for girlie
H is for hook
I is for insignificant
J is for jake (and a is for apple)
K is for kani
L is for love (L is for lies)
M is for maple
N is for neville (who died of ennui)
O is for outlaw
P is for party
Q is for quarry
R is for rainbow
S is for silence
T is for tiger
U is for undertow
V is for vendetta
W is for wind
X is for x-ray
Y is for yearbook
Z is for zamboni

What is a(n):
What is an adjective
What is a blog
What is a canuck
What is a dutch oven
What is an earthquake
What is a fever
What is a g6
What is a hernia
What is an ipad
What is a joule
What is a kindle
What is a leader
What is a metaphor
What is a no fly zone
What is an ode
What is a podcast
What is a qr code
What is a root canal
What is a stroke
What is a tsunami
What is an ulcer
What is a verb
What is a wiki
What is an xml file
What is a yeast infection
What is a zip code

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Election time again

Let's run down the parties:

Liberal
Attempting to bribe me with money borrowed from my grandchildren

NDP
Attempting to bribe other people with money borrowed from my great-great-grandchildren

Conservative
Not even bothering to bribe me, won't even tell me how big the bribe is

Green
My mom telling me how naughty I have been, wants me to go sit in the corner and have a time-out

Since at this moment there doesn't appear to even be a candidate registered in my riding other than the Conservative incumbent, the choice for the moment is fairly easy.

Government

Creating problems today in order to promise to solve them tomorrow.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

How to Read News Headlines

If any part of the headline is 'in quotation marks,' the story is either a vast distortion of the truth, or an outright lie.

If the headline ends in a question mark, the answer is no.

If the headline suggests a major medical breakthrough, the study will be small, the results not statistically significant, or there will simply be no mention of these things.

Addendum: If the headline is written in a publication in the Northwest Territories, hey! Look over there! Something shiny!

Saturday, February 19, 2011

In today's top CBC headlines...

"Libyan snipers fire on mourners"

and

"Winnipeg girl to sing with Lady Gaga"

There is something wrong with a world where it is implied those two events deserve the same degree of national attention.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Congratulations to Egypt!

The People got what they asked for.

Now comes the hard part: getting what they want.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Bo*bs

One of my posts from Oct 2008 receives a large number of hits from Google. Considering that the Internet is powered primarily by porn this is hardly surprising.

The short version is, it's a survey of the number of Google hits depending on the number of additional O's added to the word "boobs." Being one of the more entertaining bits of original research I have done (in a geek way, not what you were just thinking), it's time for part 2.



As you can see, compared with the original data (blue), there has been a significant increase in the large-O count instances (red). There is a curious spike at 11 O's where there was a dip previously, and 22 O's is also considerably off the trend line for no apparent reason. 35 also shows a bit of a bump. Note that the scale is logarithmic, so while there were 34,800,000 boobs on the internet previously, there are now 40,600,000 even thought the bars are not significantly different in size.

Of other interest, I sampled a larger data set as well (up to 125 O's from the 97 in the previous survey). Did you know that the longest word Google will index is 127 characters? Interestingly, there are hits all the way out to 124 O's, with the exception of 111. This data was actually gathered in August 2010, so it may be slightly out of date.

So, in the spirit of data openness, and a shameless attempt for more Google hits, here is the raw data (.csv format) comparing the 2008 data with 2010 data:

"Google Search","Hits 2008","Number of o's 2008","Log10(x+1)","Hits 2010","Number of o's 2010","Log10(x+1)"
"bbs",168000000,0,8.23,540000000,0,8.73
"bobs",6080000,1,6.78,16200000,1,7.21
"boobs",34800000,2,7.54,40600000,2,7.61
"booobs",203000,3,5.31,302000,3,5.48
"boooobs",11700,4,4.07,275000,4,5.44
"booooobs",9500,5,3.98,101000,5,5
"boooooobs",10800,6,4.03,52500,6,4.72
"booooooobs",3110,7,3.49,26700,7,4.43
"boooooooobs",1930,8,3.29,24100,8,4.38
"booooooooobs",2230,9,3.35,9310,9,3.97
"boooooooooobs",5830,10,3.77,12900,10,4.11
"booooooooooobs",1320,11,3.12,52000,11,4.72
"boooooooooooobs",2820,12,3.45,11300,12,4.05
"booooooooooooobs",707,13,2.85,4570,13,3.66
"boooooooooooooobs",857,14,2.93,4150,14,3.62
"booooooooooooooobs",395,15,2.6,7600,15,3.88
"boooooooooooooooobs",450,16,2.65,1950,16,3.29
"booooooooooooooooobs",645,17,2.81,1920,17,3.28
"boooooooooooooooooobs",94,18,1.98,1150,18,3.06
"booooooooooooooooooobs",292,19,2.47,1530,19,3.18
"boooooooooooooooooooobs",91,20,1.96,1100,20,3.04
"booooooooooooooooooooobs",77,21,1.89,907,21,2.96
"boooooooooooooooooooooobs",65,22,1.82,8680,22,3.94
"booooooooooooooooooooooobs",50,23,1.71,791,23,2.9
"boooooooooooooooooooooooobs",63,24,1.81,619,24,2.79
"booooooooooooooooooooooooobs",54,25,1.74,678,25,2.83
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",43,26,1.64,518,26,2.72
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",47,27,1.68,671,27,2.83
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",31,28,1.51,459,28,2.66
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",44,29,1.65,328,29,2.52
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",28,30,1.46,395,30,2.6
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",30,31,1.49,282,31,2.45
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",27,32,1.45,302,32,2.48
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",31,33,1.51,222,33,2.35
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",21,34,1.34,88,34,1.95
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",22,35,1.36,354,35,2.55
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",17,36,1.26,69,36,1.85
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",15,37,1.2,73,37,1.87
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",20,38,1.32,64,38,1.81
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",15,39,1.2,60,39,1.79
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",20,40,1.32,73,40,1.87
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",10,41,1.04,60,41,1.79
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",7,42,0.9,49,42,1.7
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",9,43,1,40,43,1.61
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",14,44,1.18,36,44,1.57
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",6,45,0.85,46,45,1.67
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",30,46,1.49,26,46,1.43
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",6,47,0.85,33,47,1.53
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",11,48,1.08,30,48,1.49
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",4,49,0.7,26,49,1.43
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",5,50,0.78,35,50,1.56
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",8,51,0.95,28,51,1.46
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",8,52,0.95,18,52,1.28
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",5,53,0.78,19,53,1.3
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",4,54,0.7,14,54,1.18
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",4,55,0.7,13,55,1.15
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",5,56,0.78,18,56,1.28
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",3,57,0.6,13,57,1.15
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",4,58,0.7,8,58,0.95
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",4,59,0.7,10,59,1.04
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",4,60,0.7,11,60,1.08
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",6,61,0.85,17,61,1.26
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",4,62,0.7,10,62,1.04
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",7,63,0.9,14,63,1.18
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",3,64,0.6,17,64,1.26
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",8,65,0.95,10,65,1.04
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",5,66,0.78,7,66,0.9
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",12,67,1.11,11,67,1.08
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",4,68,0.7,9,68,1
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",4,69,0.7,7,69,0.9
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",2,70,0.48,7,70,0.9
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",6,71,0.85,7,71,0.9
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",5,72,0.78,5,72,0.78
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",2,73,0.48,7,73,0.9
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",6,74,0.85,7,74,0.9
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",1,75,0.3,11,75,1.08
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",2,76,0.48,7,76,0.9
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",6,77,0.85,8,77,0.95
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,78,0,9,78,1
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",2,79,0.48,6,79,0.85
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",2,80,0.48,6,80,0.85
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",4,81,0.7,4,81,0.7
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",3,82,0.6,12,82,1.11
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",3,83,0.6,9,83,1
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",4,84,0.7,7,84,0.9
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",3,85,0.6,5,85,0.78
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",2,86,0.48,3,86,0.6
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",1,87,0.3,5,87,0.78
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",1,88,0.3,9,88,1
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",1,89,0.3,6,89,0.85
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",4,90,0.7,5,90,0.78
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",1,91,0.3,6,91,0.85
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,92,0,5,92,0.78
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,93,0,3,93,0.6
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",1,94,0.3,2,94,0.48
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,95,0,3,95,0.6
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",3,96,0.6,5,96,0.78
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",2,97,0.48,5,97,0.78
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,98,0,5,98,0.78
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,99,0,2,99,0.48
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,100,0,5,100,0.78
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,101,0,11,101,1.08
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,102,0,3,102,0.6
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,103,0,2,103,0.48
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,104,0,2,104,0.48
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,105,0,2,105,0.48
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,106,0,5,106,0.78
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,107,0,2,107,0.48
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,108,0,1,108,0.3
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,109,0,1,109,0.3
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,110,0,2,110,0.48
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,111,0,0,111,0
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,112,0,3,112,0.6
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,113,0,1,113,0.3
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,114,0,1,114,0.3
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,115,0,3,115,0.6
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,116,0,4,116,0.7
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,117,0,1,117,0.3
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,118,0,2,118,0.48
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,119,0,3,119,0.6
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,120,0,3,120,0.6
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,121,0,2,121,0.48
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,122,0,1,122,0.3
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,123,0,0,123,0
"booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,124,0,4,124,0.7
"boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobs",0,125,0,0,125,0