This reminds me a bit of Java's Cover. It would make an interesting project to collect techniques used by experts in various fields for filtering new things quickly.

Shameless money for old rope here, but Steve Yegge's and Rands' articles on tech recruitment, and especially on CVs and screening interviews, fall roughly into that category.

(http://www.oreillynet.com/ruby/blog/2006/03/interviewing_rub... http://steve-yegge.blogspot.com/2007/09/ten-tips-for-slightl... http://steve.yegge.googlepages.com/five-essential-phone-scre... http://www.randsinrepose.com/archives/2007/02/25/a_glimpse_a... etc.)

Very useful. Will rework my perpetual motion machine patent to comply. :P

#11 It contains an error.