Cow Standing Factor= 0%?

[kpaluso]

Byron,

I have a philosophical point of contention with you over the Cow Standing Factor being 0% when there are no cows seen. When no cows are visable I believe that it would more correctly be characterized as "indeterminate".

When a tree falls in a forest with no one present, does it make a sound?

Please give this matter your most urgent attention. I believe we need to be philosophically and mathematically accurate.

Ken

[Byron Begley]

Ken,

You are correct. Thank you for bringing this very important fact to my attention. I will make the necessary changes on tomorrow's report. How would you abreviate Indeterminate? I don't think there is room on the dashboard for the entire word but maybe I could decrease the size of the digital readout. Or maybe I should just use the word in the text only.

It is nice to have a bunch of intelligent readers to help me along with the Fishing Report.

I'm sure the cows will be happier with this change as well.

Byron

[kpaluso]

Byron,

Instead of "indeterminate" could we use a 0 with a vertical line through it (the phi symbol in the Greek alphabet) to denote the null set? Do we have any mathematicians who could weigh in on this?

Or could it be that I should seek counseling. After all we're talking about the "Cow Standing Factor"!

Better yet, forget that I even brought it up. Thanks so much for your daily reports!

Ken

[irfishing]

Byron,
Seems that the CSF of zero that you post is ok if I understand how you determine it. (You look from your office and determine the number of cows standing). If you don't see any, the number is zero.

Yes, to get the percentage one must divide by the total number and if that is zero the answer is indeterminate. This probably only bothers mathematical types. Don't believe going this route would really add anything to your report.

Keep up the great work. Really enjoy reading your report everyday.

[sammcdonald]

how about N/A

[donwinn]

Bryon,

Since your sample of cows standing is not a random sample within the entire population of cows, it does not fairly represent the entire population of cows. Therefore, the degree to which you can determine reliability or a confidence level in your statistical analysis is limited. Have you calculated the standard deviation? Further, I am not sure you have performed regression analysis to determine the actual correlation between fishing results and the cow standing factor.

I would recommend you leave it as it is. But as Forrest says, "stupid is as stupid does."

Thanks for your great and fun fishing reports!

[T1]

I think there a few people that have been out in the sun without their hats

[donwinn]

T1,

I think you are very wise. Actually, for me, I have just been away from the GSMNP too long. I am going to remedy that this weekend. I hope they get some rain so the cow standing factor will be high this weekend.

Bryon, Paula, Daniel, look out, we are coming over!

[jgduckhunter]

I had no idea there were so many intelligent types on this board or I would have been keeping my stupid opinions to myself.

[donwinn]

T1,

I am still laughing. That was so great!