Computer-aided pattern recognition

NOTE: I found this post in my draft folder. I guess I never published it. I was searching my own site using Google to try and locate the name of the program that would help predict the optimal time to buy a plane ticket (turns out it's called Hamlet). I sure could use it right now as I have to purchase plane tickets to all sorts of weddings and events these next several months. Well, this post is about a year old, but it's only midly stale. I've found week-old pizza crusts in cardboard boxes and eaten them without a second thought, so I might as well dust this one off...