Briggs

The Two-Envelope Problem Solution: Part I

Another probability "paradox", the two-envelope problem1, goes like this: Before you are two envelopes, A and B. One of them contains $X and the other $2X (which is equivalent to…

Culture Fun

Four Chords Is All You Need: The Limited Nature of Pop Music

Coming tomorrow: the infamous two-envelope problem, solved! More mathematical constructivism. But today, as it's Sunday, something light and airy...and non taxing. A "comedy rock" group which bills itself as the…

Statistics

St Petersburg Paradox; Games and Statistical Decisions; RIP David Blackwell

David Blackwell, who died two weeks ago, was one of the first mainstream statisticians to "go Bayesian." And for that and his unique skill in clearly explaining difficult ideas, we…

Statistics

How to Fool Yourself—And Others—With Statistics

See the news box to the left. I wrote this long ago and never used it. I do not love it. But since I am so busy, I haven't the…

Statistics

US Military Fatality Statistics: Have Suicides Increased?

All statistics were gathered from this DOD site. 2010 numbers were current as of 5 June this year; they were not part of the plots below. In 1983, the year…

Culture Philosophy

‘The Most Dangerous Philosopher in the West’

Extremely busy day, today. I have time for only the merest sketch of a post. The title is not mine, but a label given to Slavoj Zizek, the rock-star communist…

Culture

Paper or Plastic? Environmentalism as Public Religion

Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of…

Fun Statistics

World Cup Predictions Verified

All that was missing was the water for the players to plunge into. Still, referee Howard Webb must be a fan of the aquatic and artistic sport of diving, and…

JH on There Is No Solution To Crashing Fertility: Good Times Made Soft MenApril 1, 2026
Promoting greater equality at home can be a solution, in addition to offering incentives to involve grandparents, as Frick suggests…
Uncle Mike on There Is No Solution To Crashing Fertility: Good Times Made Soft MenApril 1, 2026
I feel the same way. Tilting at windmills while the sun sets. Impossible dream, unbeatable foe, marching into hell for…
Cloudbuster on There Is No Solution To Crashing Fertility: Good Times Made Soft MenMarch 31, 2026
"How can you deny women what men have?" One simple word: No.
Cary D Cotterman on There Is No Solution To Crashing Fertility: Good Times Made Soft MenMarch 31, 2026
Given the tsunami surge of Islam into the West, welcomed by its leaders and their useful idiot voters; the takeover…
Steve on There Is No Solution To Crashing Fertility: Good Times Made Soft MenMarch 31, 2026
I think the soft men thing requires a certain kind of softness. Tolerance. Men soft in other ways results in…