TV…no, wait…rain causes autism
A few months ago we looked at a paper that purported to show that watching TV causes autism. Well, that paper has finally been peer reviewed, and therefore published. It's…
Posted inCulture Fun Philosophy
What scientific or technological advance would you most like to see in your lifetime?
The real geeks among us long for synthohol. Only Class A nerds know, or admit to knowing, what it is, too. But I have to tell you, your potential partner's…
Posted inCulture
The Noble Savage Altruistic Warrior
There is a charming myth among idealists that before industrialization and its accoutrements, such as patriarchy and pollution, mankind lived an entirely peaceful existence. That is, there was no war.…
Posted inPhilosophy Statistics
Models, theories, consistency, and truth
Ready? Put on your best straight face, recall that global temperatures have not increased for a decade, and that it's actually been getting cooler, then repeat with Brenda Ekwurzel, of…
Posted inStatistics
Randomized Trials Are Not Needed
I promised this article a long time ago: I hope these well known calculations are enough to give the gist. Randomized controlled trials are supposed to be the gold standard…
Posted inCulture
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…
Posted inCulture Philosophy
You Too Can Be A Genius After 10,000 Hours
No, you cannot. That title is a lie, and, judging by a recent spate of books on the subject, a popular one. Ann Hulbert of Slate has compiled a list…
Posted inStatistics
The Gold Standard Of Experimentation Exposed As Pyrite
Everybody says the "gold standard" of experimentation, and especially clinical trials, is the randomized controlled trial. A typical view is that "A Randomized Controlled Trial is an experiment or study…
