GAY MARRIAGE LEGALIZED BY HEDONISTIC COASTAL STATE... Iowa?

[_JohnStuartMill]

And it's not smart strategy for you to impugn my innate mathematical abilities, either -- I can guarantee that your math SAT score isn't higher than mine.

That's awesome. No, really it is. Still, I'm not coninced that the SAT / ACT offer reliable measurements of one's mathematical ability in part because so many people score so high on it especially when compared to the distribution of scores in other areas such as reading comprehension. I think I missed one or two questions on it myself--usually stupid small errors I can immedately see afterwards. Candidly, I'm much more proud of how I did in the Utah State Math competitions when I was in high school and I consider those tests to be many times more difficult. I never did quite as well on the AHSME, but oh well. I live and learn and learn to leave and learn to learn and stuff.

I still believe that most people could have done what I did, but that they lacked the drive / interest.

I agree, actually. Note that I'm only offering my math score as a defense against CC's brain-dead inference that, because my degree is in political science, I can't be good at math. I'm not saying that people who didn't score well on the SAT aren't good at math, or that they can't offer a good argument.

[_JohnStuartMill]

The drafters of the Civil War amendments certainly did not contemplate that they would be used to argue for the illegality of miscegenation bans

Actually, they did. And they stated in no uncertain terms that these amendments weren't meant to allow for interracial marriage.

You're right -- I should have said "wish" or "intend" instead of "contemplate".

[_Calculus Crusader]

I offer a counter-suggestion: that nobody who believes in sparkle Jesus magic should lecture others about "going beyond the data".

I have no idea what "sparkle Jesus magic" is. It certainly is not part of Christianity, of which you are clearly ignorant.

Reference?

Apparently, you didn't follow the polls too closely. Many showed prop 8 losing. I believe that is attributable, at least in part, to the phenomenon I mentioned.

See that word "innate" up there?

We are discussing statistics and I have an advanced degree in statistics. Your innate ability in high school algebra and geometry is nice but irrelevant.

[_JohnStuartMill]

I offer a counter-suggestion: that nobody who believes in sparkle Jesus magic should lecture others about "going beyond the data".

I have no idea what "sparkle Jesus magic" is. It certainly is not part of Christianity, of which you are clearly ignorant.

You don't believe that Jesus healed people with special powers?

Reference?

Apparently, you didn't follow the polls too closely. Many showed prop 8 losing. I believe that is attributable, at least in part, to the phenomenon I mentioned.

The polls toward the end showed the measure gaining support. Furthermore, even the No on 8 campaign admitted that its opponents did a better job of getting its supporters to the polls than they did. I'm sure that some people lied to pollsters because they didn't want to appear un-PC, but was this phenomenon significant? You haven't presented anything but weak residual evidence for that idea.

See that word "innate" up there?

We are discussing statistics and I have an advanced degree in statistics. Your innate ability in high school algebra and geometry is nice but irrelevant.

Again, I'm just trying to defend myself from your ridiculous idea that people with political science degrees can't do math.

[_Calculus Crusader]

I agree, actually. Note that I'm only offering my math score as a defense against CC's brain-dead inference that, because my degree is in political science, I can't be good at math. I'm not saying that people who didn't score well on the SAT aren't good at math, or that they can't offer a good argument.

I am not sure I made that inference. Certainly, I think your degree is worthless. I have also stated that your posts do not give me much confidence in your intellectual abilities. But those "inferences" do not necessarily preclude some latent mathematical ability on your part.

[_JohnStuartMill]

Then maybe, just maybe, you should refrain from continually leading us down this "your degree is worthless LOL" rabbit hole, and instead address the substance of my posts?

[_Calculus Crusader]

That reminds me of something I wanted to ask you (perhaps we should start a new thread), but what is your opinion about Irreducable Complexity at least inasmuch as it appeals to statistics and Fisher's method, etc.?

I have not read The Design Inference or No Free Lunch. I had intended to at one time but they have since moved way down on my reading list.