William M. Briggs

The Case Against Raising Taxes: Spending Drives Debt

The argument is simple: let the government raise taxes (Obama's "balanced" approach), and the government will not only spend all of this increased revenue, but will spend more than that,…

Fun

Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal Review

Short version: it stinks. Ubuntu is a version of Linux, an open-source and free operating system. I've been using various flavors of Unix for the past twenty years, and prefer…

Fun

Interest In Penile Length Among Academics Growing

Who said Finns don't have a sense of humor? One of Finland's very own has produced the second biggest joke of the year (the first obviously being our president and…

Culture Philosophy Statistics

David Stove, PMS Admakers Apologize For PMS Apology Ad, San Franciscan Criminals, More

David Stove David Stove has a posthumous essay, put out in book form: Whatâ€™s Wrong With Benevolence: Happiness, Private Property, and the Limits of Enlightenment. There is a review at…

Statistics

Does Exposure To American Flag Shift Support Toward Republicanism?

It was just two red-white-and-blue weeks ago that we learned, via some Hahvard dons, that attending Fourth of July parades was likely to make one develop Republican sympathies. This finding…

Culture Fun

The New Ballad of Chicken Little

Once upon a day, so bright and fine Walked Chicken B. Little. A scientist, mind! "The sky is blue," he said, "but I am not." "For I know much, quite…

Fun Statistics

One Out Of Four, Most Used Statistic

Were you aware, and did you know, that one out of four Americans: are obese (a rate matched by their dogs) will struggle with hunger will contract a STD will,…

Fun

Welcome Back BYTE!

BYTE is back! It was the winter of 1979. Allen Ordway, Brian Grenke and me sat at a table in the Algebra teacher's room. We were typing in a Basic…

Neil Upton on Don’t Lose Sleep Over Research On “Climate Change” & Sleep ApneaJuly 10, 2025
some time ago it was said that to ensure a research grant the proposal should make reference to global boiling.…
Uncle Mike on Don’t Lose Sleep Over Research On “Climate Change” & Sleep ApneaJuly 9, 2025
The Climate Catastrophe paradigm is dead. RIP. The old adherents are howling at the moon, but Science has moved on.…
Cloudbuster on Don’t Lose Sleep Over Research On “Climate Change” & Sleep ApneaJuly 9, 2025
"New York and Ohio, which are cool" Please explain to my sweat glands how Ohio is cool so I shouldn't…
Cary Cotterman on What’s Wrong With The Golf Course Parkinson’s StudyJuly 8, 2025
There is a significant correlation between golf and the wearing of ugly pants.
Rudolph Harrier on What’s Wrong With The Golf Course Parkinson’s StudyJuly 8, 2025
Yeah, the second I heard "Olmstead County" my mind went to the Mayo Clinic too. Both the Mayo Clinic proper…

William M. Briggs

Class 57: The Second Best Model

Don’t Lose Sleep Over Research On “Climate Change” & Sleep Apnea

What’s Wrong With The Golf Course Parkinson’s Study

The Unseen Bias In All Science

The Sad End Of Radio

Let’s Play A Game Of Let’s Suppose!

Test Your IQ With These Puzzles! (Not So Easy!)

How Can You Tell If You Have ESP?

Class 56: The Best Model!

Sabine Hossenfelder’s Free Will Folly & The Deadly Sin Of Reification

England’s Mandatory Suicide & Women

On The Probability Of God

Class 55: Models Vs Reality

AI & Chess Both Produce Pre-Coded Output

The Hubris Of Experts: NIH Edition

The Mathematics Of Conspiracy Theories. Part 1: Black Eye Club Example

Class 54: Exchangeability & Parameters

Over-Certainty Of Polygenic Scores

AI & The Dilemma Of Technology

What Are The Chances Thomas Jefferson & John Adams Died On The Fourth of July, 1826?

Class 53: Laplace Was Right!