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Tech Q&A


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Indiespensable

Powell's Q&A, Q&A | June 24, 2009

Colum McCann: IMG Powell's Q&A: Colum McCann



"'Why do writers write? Because it isn't there.'" Continue »
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Interviews | June 19, 2009

Dave: IMG Jim Lynch Makes Landscape Art... Out of Text



jimlynchIf Carl Hiaasen set one of his novels on a residential stretch of boundary line between British Columbia and Washington, or if Richard Russo's characters had relatives in the Pacific Northwest, the result might be something like Jim Lynch's Border Songs. Continue »
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    Border Songs

    Jim Lynch

Tech Q&A

Amy N. Langville and Carl Meyer

Describe your latest project.
Amy is working on algorithms for clustering items in a collection. Both Carl and Amy are also working with the Text Mining group of SAS Institute, Inc. And both Carl and Amy have been spending a lot of time lately (perhaps too much) trying to use mathematical models to rank sports teams and predict outcomes of matchups.

  1. Google
    $27.50 Used Hardcover add to wishlist

Have you ever taken the Geek Test? How did you rate?
Neither of us had heard of the Geek Test. We hope this implies that we are therefore not geeks.

Chess or video games?
We don't play chess or video games. Amy doesn't even know how to play chess. The only video game Amy's shown any interest in is Dance Dance Revolution, which is odd because she's quite bad at it.

What do you do for relaxation?
Amy exercises whenever she has free time — volleyball, frisbee, biking, weight training, but mostly basketball. Carl plays the guitar (very well, according to Amy and many others). Both also enjoy building. Carl hasn't recently had as much time for this, but once did all the bookshelves and cabinets in one of his houses. Amy recently finished building a small classic boat.

What's your favorite blog right now?
We confess to not reading blogs.

Douglas Adams or Scott Adams?
Neither of us were familiar with Douglas Adams and his Hitchhiker's work. But both of us enjoy Scott Adam's Dilbert cartoon. Since Calvin and Hobbes stopped being produced (Amy's all-time favorite cartoon ever), Amy's new favorite cartoon is Dilbert.

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