Misc.

While watching the skating this evening we were discussing the unfairness of the random choice of the nine judges. DrumsNWhistles Thank you for posting the link to John Emerson’s article about the mathematical flaw in the ice skating scoring system.

“Does the new scoring system increase fairness? On some level it does, but the system has introduced the unsettling possibility of dumb luck influencing the medal standings. In a close competition with skaters separated by only a few points, the outcome will likely be determined by the random choices of panels of nine judges. This is neither desirable nor fair, and the system can be improved easily. The outcome should be determined solely by the skaters and the judges, using the scores of all twelve judges.”

read the rest of this article here

I thought Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao of China showed us a true Olympic moment. The courage and spirit to continue after landing hard on both knees and sliding – awesome!

I guess I am getting old. The announcers over use of “for sure” and “fur sure” during the snowboard events drove me nuts. Do not ask me why – it just did – really – fur sure.

Enjoy the Olympics.

I just can not get the new skating scoring system. Doing an internet search produced results that made my head hurt. A simplistic explanation is that under the old 6.0 system, judges scored skaters on a scale of 0-6. 6 was a perfect performance. Now the score is based on cumulative points. Points are awarded for a technical score combined with points awarded for five additional components: skating skills, transitions, performance/execution, choreography/composition and interpretation. There are no penalties or deductions under the new scoring, except program length or other violations. If a skater performs less than the required elements, they receive less points, not deductions.

Yeah, so you can throw the first triple throw axle and finish in six place with score of 61.27. I am so confused! I have a simple mind, seems if you accomplish a “first” it ought to be worth a 10. If you really want to find out all about the scoring system here are complete regulations in pdf form.

California’s Universal Waste Rule became effective on February 8, 2002.

More items have been added to the list. No longer can I throw mercury wastes, consumer electronic devices and cathode ray tubes (CRTs), non-empty aerosol cans, fluorescent tubes and batteries into my garbage can.

I separate my glass, aluminum, and paper trash and put them in the recycle bin. I would never toss oil or mercury into my waste can. Here is the problem, what do I do with my depleted batteries. The flashlight, watch, remote control, camera, GPS . . . go dead and I replace the batteries. I now must collect them in a box or bag until I can take them to the proper disposal site. It is a worthy cause but I know myself. How many month’s or year’s will my dead batteries sit oozing away before I actually take them to the site. I can just see them now covered with the white fuzzy fungus like growth and the yellow-brown sticky gunk leaking from them.

In my dream world, the city will set up a bi-yearly pickup, for my batteries