Comments on: Justice Wing: Prologue

By: David Johnston

David Johnston — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:06:31 +0000

I think that would get in the way of the marriage of Beacon and Refraction event.

By: Eric A. Burns

Eric A. Burns — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 05:37:52 +0000

The only point I wanted to make is that the Law of Averages is an artifact of pop probability with only limited basis in theory, and someone with background in the subject would be unlikely to use that term.

If/when this gets edited for later… whatever… I will bear that in mind. I myself being a complete layman, I sure as heck don’t mean to sound like an informed expert in this. ;)

By: dvandom

dvandom — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:06:04 +0000

No, it just moved down a meter, Mason. ;)

By: MasonK

MasonK — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 18:06:48 +0000

Oh, I doubt he minds her breathing. I doubt any man alive minds her breathing…

I’m sorry. I think I lost my point.

By: ruds

ruds — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 17:27:15 +0000

OK, fair enough. The only point I wanted to make is that the Law of Averages is an artifact of pop probability with only limited basis in theory, and someone with background in the subject would be unlikely to use that term.

By: Eric A. Burns

Eric A. Burns — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 17:20:57 +0000

He's fine with her existing. The problem is she persists in breathing.

By: MasonK

MasonK — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 17:13:38 +0000

Or by Freya’s… existence.

By: Eric A. Burns

Eric A. Burns — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 17:07:18 +0000

Checking the Wikipedia link, it seems likely that Centurion actually meant the Law of Large Numbers. However, as (our) Mason said, he’s a bit uncomfortable in social settings, is speaking to a lay audience, and probability isn’t actually his field, so chalk it up to a slip.

Alternately, just say “well, it was 1985. He was distracted by Cudgel’s oversized Flock of Seagulls haircut.”

By: MasonK

MasonK — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:25:20 +0000

Well, the Centurion is a scientist, too, but he’s largely talking to laymen. And not entirely comfortable in social situations even though he’s the one who called the party. I can relate to not being precise in a situation like that.

By: ruds

ruds — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:04:56 +0000

“By the law of averages, we should have lost some of these fights. Only we really haven’t.”

As someone who has some statistics background, this sentence bothered me. See e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_averages

I assume, by the way he says it, that Centurion is meant to know what he’s talking about (if I’m wrong, then you can just ignore me). A better thing to say would be something like “Even if we had a 99% chance to win each fight, it’s pretty unlikely that we haven’t lost one yet.” OK, OK, I’m a scientist, not a writer, but hopefully this gives you the flavor.

Or you could invoke artistic license or something too — just my two cents. :)