Briggs

Epidemiology, Causality, And P-Values: Part I

A standard epidemiological study goes like this: people who have been "exposed" to some thing, say, cell phone radiation, are examined to discover whether or not they have some malady.…

Culture

What The Sale of Barnes and Nobel Means To Reading

Not too long ago, on the outdoor-shopping-mall-like 86th street in New York City---chain stores everywhere---Barnes and Noble opened a new store. Enormous, wide aisled (a rarity for stores in the…

Culture

California Judge Reverses Prop 8: A Right To Marriage?

A judge in California has, as we have all heard, struck down the publicly created law which bans two-person, same-sex marriage. This was no surprise, as most expected that this…

Philosophy

Shermer Tries, And Fails, To Take Down Chopra

Aurora last night masked by clouds. Saw plenty of bats. Here is a review of another article you might like to read. Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine, tried to…

Statistics

Manzi: What Social Science Does—and Doesn’t—Know

This article is nothing but an extended link to a must-read piece in City Journal. Internet still once daily. Thanks to reader I. for suggesting this topic. If you haven't…

Culture Statistics

Everybody Has A Mental Disease: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5

I am so far Up North that I heard a radio interview with Uncle Ted Nugnet on the best kinds of arrowheads to bring down feral pigs. Internet still only…

Philosophy Statistics

Correlation and Causality: Have A Drink, Get Rich

I am down to one brief internet connection daily, found, intermittently, at a coffee shop in town. I apologize for lack of or slowness in answering questions. According to the…

Statistics

Three Cards: One Black, One Red, One Half & Half

Just a short one today, all. I'm heading further North. So far from civilization that when I was a boy, it was a cause to celebrate when a cit thirty…

Uncle Mike on On Laws Banning Hacking Women’s Genitals & Imposing BeliefsJanuary 7, 2026
Dear C-Marie, No. H.R. 3492 is specifically about child mutilations and related atrocities. Abortion is a different issue, as are…
JerryM on Register Your Predictions For 2026!January 6, 2026
1. Trump's health take turn for worse and he must resign and JD takes over. 2. Ukraine SMO finally ends…
Keith on Register Your Predictions For 2026!January 6, 2026
1. Trump does not finish the year as president, likely through resignation but possibly because of health reasons. 2. Kansas…
C-Marie on On Laws Banning Hacking Women’s Genitals & Imposing BeliefsJanuary 6, 2026
Thank you, Uncle Mike! Does H.R. 3492, protect the children still in the womb, and those just born, from being…
Cary D Cotterman on Register Your Predictions For 2026!January 6, 2026
The Year of Tough Talk but Little or No Action will end, and 2026 will see the prosecution and imprisonment…