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Civic Duties
Nov. 2nd, 2004 08:41 amHeaded out the door foggy and early to complete my civic duty this morning. Arrived at the precinct building about seven minutes before polling opened, and was number 32 in line. I know early voting was an option, but that would also have taken me in the opposite direction from work. Net gain/loss in terms of time, even waiting on Voting Day kept me on schedule.
On the other hand, some of the people at my precinct appeared a bit disgruntled with me.
Now all I did was apply my theory that truly random numbers are about the most effective means to combat voter fraud. So I stepped up to the booth, set down my ballot (in this part of Florida, we are still marking a paper ballot with an appropriate marker... it is then scanned to count the votes), reached into my pocket and pulled out my Susan B. Anthony.
Binary solution sets are quite useful, and usually relatively quick. "Ammendment ##, Should Florida Repeal the High-Speed Rail Ammendment, Yes/No?" *Coin toss Heads=Yes Tails=No* "Should Judge Alfred E Newman of the Superior Court be retained in office, Yes/No?" *Coin toss Heads=Yes Tails=No*
Even three-party racaes aren't difficult to complete with some expedition. First or Second? *Coin toss Heads=First Tails=Second* Survivor or Third? *Coin toss Heads=Survivor Tails=Third*
However, the Presidential race in my precinct sported no less than seven candidates, and that didn't count the Write-In Candidate. Now the process of Binary Solution becomes a bit more involved. First one must determine which order to eliminate that many candidates in order for the numbers to be truly random. One must also keep in mind that processing this particular problem before arriving at the poll does not accurately reflect truly random numbers. There's too much temptation to second-guess, to actually apply thought to the process.
Should I eliminate the first/last or the middle two? *Coin toss Heads=First/Last Tails=Middle Two* That's if one chooses the speedy elimination method. The method I chose pared that selection down to Should I eliminate the last or middle? Should I eliminate the Survivor or fourth?
I just don't understand why people were grumbling about my scientific method of candidate selection.
On the other hand, some of the people at my precinct appeared a bit disgruntled with me.
Now all I did was apply my theory that truly random numbers are about the most effective means to combat voter fraud. So I stepped up to the booth, set down my ballot (in this part of Florida, we are still marking a paper ballot with an appropriate marker... it is then scanned to count the votes), reached into my pocket and pulled out my Susan B. Anthony.
Binary solution sets are quite useful, and usually relatively quick. "Ammendment ##, Should Florida Repeal the High-Speed Rail Ammendment, Yes/No?" *Coin toss Heads=Yes Tails=No* "Should Judge Alfred E Newman of the Superior Court be retained in office, Yes/No?" *Coin toss Heads=Yes Tails=No*
Even three-party racaes aren't difficult to complete with some expedition. First or Second? *Coin toss Heads=First Tails=Second* Survivor or Third? *Coin toss Heads=Survivor Tails=Third*
However, the Presidential race in my precinct sported no less than seven candidates, and that didn't count the Write-In Candidate. Now the process of Binary Solution becomes a bit more involved. First one must determine which order to eliminate that many candidates in order for the numbers to be truly random. One must also keep in mind that processing this particular problem before arriving at the poll does not accurately reflect truly random numbers. There's too much temptation to second-guess, to actually apply thought to the process.
Should I eliminate the first/last or the middle two? *Coin toss Heads=First/Last Tails=Middle Two* That's if one chooses the speedy elimination method. The method I chose pared that selection down to Should I eliminate the last or middle? Should I eliminate the Survivor or fourth?
I just don't understand why people were grumbling about my scientific method of candidate selection.
