Contemplation – Page 264 – Amalgamated Contemplation

Odds Are, It’s Wrong | Science News

Correctly phrased, experimental data yielding a P value of .05 means that there is only a 5 percent chance of obtaining the observed (or more extreme) result if no real effect exists (that is, if the no-difference hypothesis is correct). But many explanations mangle the subtleties in that definition.

Source: Odds Are, It’s Wrong | Science News

The article takes a valid concern and presents it sensationally / in an exaggerated fashion. However, even when scientists understand p values, that does not mean the research and the statistics behind it are being reported to the public conscientiously and correctly. I would bet most lay people do not know or understand p values, or the difference between “normal” and statistical significance. The article is still a valuable explanation to the general public of how p-values and statistics can be used both constructively in science and deceptively in propaganda.

ACTA Draft: No Internet for Copyright Scofflaws | WIRED

The leak shows that the treaty, if adopted under the U.S. language, would for the first time on a global scale hold internet service providers responsible when customers download infringing material, unless those ISPs take action by “adopting and reasonably implementing a policy to address the unauthorized storage or transmission of materials protected by copyright or related rights.”

Source: ACTA Draft: No Internet for Copyright Scofflaws | WIRED

Check the Hype — There’s No Such Thing As ‘Cyber’ | WIRED

How can you tell the difference between a real report about online vulnerabilities and someone who is trying to scare you about the security of the internet because they have an agenda, such as landing lucrative, secret contracts from the government? Here’s a simple test: Count the number of times they use the adjective “cyber.”…

But for those who relish the idea of a new front for war, it’s way cooler and scarier to say we are in the midst of — and losing — a cyberwar, than to factually state that the Chinese want to steal our secrets and we want to steal theirs and we should have better computer security.

Source: Check the Hype — There’s No Such Thing As ‘Cyber’ | WIRED

Why We Must Fire Bad Teachers

While these horror stories are sensational, what’s also disturbing is the immunity enjoyed by the thousands of teachers who let down their students in more ordinary ways. Many more teachers are overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated. Maybe they’d get more respect if the truly bad teachers were let go.

Source: Why We Must Fire Bad Teachers

Scamville: The Social Gaming Ecosystem Of Hell | TechCrunch

There’s an easy way to determine if something is a scam or not. For any particular offer, ask yourself if anyone would buy the product or service if the terms were clearly spelled out for them, and they weren’t being bribed with in-game currency. The answer for many of these is a resounding “no.”

Source: Scamville: The Social Gaming Ecosystem Of Hell | TechCrunch