Computational Complexity

Thursday, March 22, 2007

 
Laws, Taxes and Computer Science

Posted by Lance

So if I get a number of P=NP and P≠NP "proofs" what do the law professors get? A long email argument that most income tax is illegal. I'll spare you the full email (but if you are really curious here is the website).

How do I know about the email to our law faculty? Because the message was cc'd to the CS faculty because of the following line:

I know that some people aren't comfortable using a computer. If you need help with a computer to search the tax code (US Code, and Code of Federal Regulations), perhaps one of the computer science faculty can assist you.

I don't hold much credence in his legal arguments but I know for sure he has no clue about computer science.

10:21 AM #

1.  Anonymous says:  
   
   Hey Lance,
   
   "The Code does not lie."
   

   11:12 AM, March 22, 2007

2.  david.pullman says:  
   
   One of my favorite quotes, which I have on my office wall, due to E. W. Dijkstra:
   
   "Computer Science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes"
   

   11:36 AM, March 22, 2007

3.  Anonymous says:  
   
   BTW, I also have heard that Federal Reserve is actually a private central bank. Is this true?
   

   1:54 PM, March 22, 2007

4.  Anonymous says:  
   
   I think the best way to explain computer science is to list the things that it has nothing to do with them like tax code, photoshop, microsoft excel and etc.
   

   4:51 PM, March 22, 2007

5.  Drew Arrowood says:  
   
   Judge: Who are you?
   
   Man in Courtroom: I'm a Doctor of Computer Science!
   
   Judge: Can you fix an iPod?
   
   Man: No.
   
   Judge: Well, sit down then!
   

   9:12 PM, March 22, 2007