[Gordongekko909]

Thomas Sowell strikes again! Ping coming... now!

[Gordongekko909]

Thomas Sowell *PING*

FRmail me if you want on or off the Thomas Sowell Ping List.

[VOA]

bump

[ChessExpert]

Sowell makes excellent arguments that demonstrate the need for critical thinking. Each topic/case mentioned (economics, criminal justice, global warming) is interesting in its own right.

In an attempt to rhyme some of the wrongs of the world, I offer the following:

"Studies show" don't make it so.

"Science says" is a line that pays.

"Experts claim." I declaim.

[seancdx]

80% of ongoing studies claim that studies are great!

[Intolerant in NJ]

Climate expert Richard S. Lindzen of M.I.T. has indicated that the vast amount of government research money available for studies of "global warming" can discourage skeptics from being vocal about their skepticism...watched an interesting exchange on C-Span yesterday between a a congresswoman (from Tennessee I believe) and whateverhisfirstnameis Mann, who did the infamous "hockey stick" study purporting to prove global warming - she was trying to get him to agree to submit his data to an independent committee for evaluation, and he kept insisting that his study had been "peer-reviewed" before being published in supposedly reputable journals - another expert on the panel, a statistician, called Mann out, emphasizing that most such peer reviews were really done by others in the "social network" of scientists working in the field and thus weren't likely to provide a genuinely objective evaluation - he recommended that independent review panels be adopted for such studies where important public policy decisions might result based on study findings - Sowell is right on target......

[T. Buzzard Trueblood]

what "studies prove" is often whatever those who did the studies wanted to prove.

Spot on.

[Billthedrill]

Many people who complain about the corrupting influence of money never seem to apply that to government money.

I have personally experienced what certain government contractors are willing to do in order to gain or maintain their cashflow from Uncle Sugar. It makes Enron look like a fart in a hurricane.

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

it is a terminal case of naivete to put statistical studies under the control of the same government agencies whose policies are being studied.

. . . which puts me in mind of the economic statistics coming out of the Clinton Administration, which had to be drastically restated down closer to reality. But Clinton was untouchable because "the economy was so good!"

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

93.46% of statistics are made up, studies show.

[NCSteve]

Studies prove...

That Dr. Sowell is right just about every time. He's certainly nailed it here.

[clyde asbury]

Studies Prove, part 3