Briggs

Goodbye Ownership & Privacy: Apple, Amazon, the Government Have Your Numbers

Brian Hogan, 21, of Redwood City, California found a prototype Apple iPhone 4G accidentally left in a German Beer garden by a (soused?) Apple employee. Hogan recognized the phone for…

Philosophy Statistics

The Truth of Things: When Probability & Statistics Cannot Be Used

I am always struggling with (my limited ability of) finding ways to describe the philosophy behind logical probability, especially to people who have a difficult time unlearning classical frequentist theory.…

Fun Statistics

Poem Code Challenge Solution

Back in September we surrendered to our geek roots and described poem codes. These are a handy method of enciphering short messages in the absence of electronic equipment. A poem…

Philosophy Statistics

Is Experimental Economics Irrational?

Everybody knows there's no such thing as money. So how come everybody acts like it's real? In particular, why do economists and other similar creatures find the lack of "rationality"…

Statistics

My Answers to Willis Eschenbach’s 14 + 2 Questions

Repost Mr Eschenbach had not had the chance to respond to this article before the two weeks wherein comments are automatically closed have elapsed. This re-post will allow him, and…

Culture

Pajamas Media: The VAT Man Cometh: It Will Happen. How Bad Is It?

Today's post is at Pajamas Media: "The VAT Man Cometh: It Will Happen. How Bad Is It?" I have a ghost of an old song---big band days---hiding in the back…

Statistics

What Can Volcanic Dust Models Tell Us About Cap & Trade?

Say Eyjafjallajokull three times fast. I wish I could say it once. I've heard it in so many different forms since it blew its stack that I can't be sure…

Culture

Harvard Classes: Marilyn Monroe and Lucille Ball

Yesterday, we pointed out that Cornell has some odd courses on its books, subjects which are not consonant with typical expectations of a classical education. So, in the interest of…

hudbwu on Reading Bryan Johnson’s The Immortalism ManifestoNovember 5, 2026
I dunno man, Jesus has been promising me eternal life. He even said I'll have it whether I want to…
Neil Jordan on Class 100: Watch The Skies! But Only During Nuclear Tests?November 5, 2026
Let me throw some fat on the fire - radioactive fallout particles on photographic materials. There are many references on…
C-Marie on After The Elections, The BookNovember 4, 2026
My 83rd birthday is today, November 4, 1943.
Cary Cotterman on The Solution To EvolutionNovember 4, 2026
The older I get and the more I read and think, the less I seem to know. I used to…
-Alan Hopewell on Worst Science Fiction of All TimeNovember 4, 2026
I was not able to finish this literary cinderblock, even after three attempts. Having said that, I still believe that…