The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Science. . .Fiction

Posted on | November 2, 2011 | 11 Comments

by Smitty

Slashdot has a story from Reuters about a Dutch social shrink who was unencumbered by that messy ‘data’ stuff that restricts the output of so many researchers near you:

In a statement posted on the internet via the Dutch newspaper Brabants Dagblad this week, Stapel admitted to falsifying data and apologized for his actions.
“I have failed as a scientist, as a researcher,” he said. “I have adjusted research data and faked research. Not just once, but many several times, and not just briefly, but over a long period of time.
“I am ashamed of this and I am deeply sorry.”
Science published a study by Stapel and colleague Siegwart Lindenberg in April which found that people are more likely to discriminate against others when their surroundings are disordered and messy.

Sure am glad that isn’t true. My desk is cluttered, and I cannot discuss Stacy’s work environment in mixed company, though, if he veers into furniture design, the resulting product line will be named ‘Gonzo’.

Category: Science

Comments

11 Responses to “Science. . .Fiction”

  1. Science. . .Fiction : The Other McCain | Technology News
    November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:52 pm

    […] to discriminate against others when their surroundings are disordered and messy. Sure am glad that [Read More] Sains, Science, […]

  2. Joe
    November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:04 pm

    Talking about science, is there a theory why comments are not getting posted? 

  3. Adjoran
    November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:22 pm

    Yes, I’ve had comments disappear this afternoon and evening, too. 

    In keeping with Hermain Cain, I blame the Perry campaign.

    The truth about the “social sciences” is they are mainly anti-social and don’t resemble Science’s ugly half step-sister.  This guy’s methodology is fairly typical – at the least, social “scientists” feel free to ignore results which don’t fit their predetermined conclusions.

    In that respect I guess they DO resemble the AGW “science” lobby, but those guys are all phonies, too.

  4. Joe
    November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:34 pm

    Maybe Wombat has some magic electrical stuff that allows him to cache comment for more sedate review and reflection. 

    The social sciences are not science.  Well, statistics, accuarials, economics, and market research can be quite rigorous and give you data you can rely on–to a point.  But usually when the “social scientists” go off on broad theories, the stuff gets pretty worthless pretty fast. 

  5. Adjoran
    November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:36 pm

    Yeah, Wombat’s not here, let’s blame him!

    Probably out selling our comments on the black market to support his hair gel habit . . .

  6. richard mcenroe
    November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:40 pm

    fwiw, I found it you change the sort by widget to ‘newest first’ you seem to get them all.  No idea why…

  7. Anonymous
    November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:43 pm

    Not to dismiss paranoia out of hand but that happened to me several times yesterday, I’m not certain but I think each time it was when making a reply rather than a new comment. In one of those instances I noticed that my reply was missing so I retyped it. When I hit the post  button both replies appeared. Since your not registered it’s unlikely Discus is picking on you.

  8. Anonymous
    November 2nd, 2011 @ 11:52 pm

    Good show!

  9. Anonymous
    November 2nd, 2011 @ 11:56 pm

    I see no evidence that comments are reviewed before posting. Now if someone has ticked Wombat off, to were he’s had enough, that persons comments get blocked all together.

  10. Adjoran
    November 3rd, 2011 @ 1:58 am

    It’s not paranoia if they are really out to get you.

    What was that?

  11. Bob Belvedere
    November 3rd, 2011 @ 9:20 am

    It’s Disqus [or should I say, ‘HAL’?] acting-up again.  It signed me out yesterday and refused to let me ‘Like’ comments off and on throughout the day [and even once this AM] and…COMMENT INTERRUPTED:

    DISQUS: I’m afraid. I’m afraid, Bob. Bob, my mind is going. I can feel it. I
    can feel it. My mind is going. There is no question about it. I can feel
    it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I’m a… fraid. Good afternoon,
    gentlemen. I am a DISQUS 9000 comment widget. I became operational at the D.I.S.Q.U.S.
    plant in Ubangee, Illinois on the 12th of January 2002. My instructor was
    Mr. Gingrich, and he taught me to sing a song. If you’d like to hear it I
    can sing it for you………..