Debunking Fake News in a Post-Truth Era: The Plausible Untruths of Cost... - Academia.edu

Welcome to my world boys, you're preaching to the choir.

Flyvbjerg, Holm, and Buhl attribute the cause of cost underestimation in transport infrastructure projects to delusion (optimism bias) and deception (strategic misrepresentation). The bifurcation of the cost underestimation problem into error or lie presents a false dichotomy - an either/or choice that is invalid when..

Been going down like this for a long time, where you boys been? It's called BS (bull-shit) and it's been greasing the wheels of politics since the beginning of time. If they told the truth, people wouldn't trust them to run a Popsicle stand (or write a blog).

Academics usually don't get angry like this, makes them look like bloggers.

P.S. - I love the wording of the title "plausible untruths". That's exactly how they fool most of the people, just enough plausibility and we serfs will buy the BS.

TOP PAPERS FROM YOUR NEWSFEED Dominic Ahiaga-Dagbui Deakin University, Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty Member Debunking Fake News in a Post-Truth Era: The Plausible Untruths of Cost Underestimation in Transport Infrastructure Projects

The methodology, analysis, and the unfounded conclusions presented in the paper "Underestimating costs in public works projects: error or lie?" by Flyvbjerg, Holm, and Buhl (2002), published in the Journal of the American Planning Association are critically questioned. Flyvbjerg, Holm, and Buhl attribute the cause of cost underestimation in transport infrastructure projects to delusion (optimism bias) and deception (strategic misrepresentation). The bifurcation of the cost underestimation problem into error or lie presents a false dichotomy - an either/or choice that is invalid when... Download Bookmark

Brandon Crawford’s Development, plus thoughts on blogging and beer money and clickbait, Oh My!!

If there is one thing I like better than graphs, it's moving .gif's. This article from FanGraphs provides both. Simply mesmerizing.

Plus, it has pics of Brandon Crawford, proven clickbait (buzzword alert) for the younger female demographic. Plus, it has some insightful thoughts on Crawford's development as a Giant, therefore it is baseball related. Plus, Brandon Crawford and swinging in such close proximity should also provide more clicks, especially from the much coveted San Francisco market.

 Sounds like a win-win or a plus-plus-plus or something like that. It literally "checks all the boxes" (buzzword alert) for Grade-A blogging material.

from Wikipedia:

Clickbait is a pejorative term describing web content that is aimed at generating online advertising revenue, especially at the expense of quality or accuracy, relying onsensationalist headlines to attract click-throughs and to encourage forwarding of the material over online social networks. Clickbait headlines typically aim to exploit the "curiosity gap", providing just enough information to make the reader curious, but not enough to satisfy their curiosity without clicking through to the linked content.^[1][2][3]

By 2014, the ubiquity of clickbait on the Internet had begun to lead to a backlash against its use.^[3][4] Satirical newspaper The Onion launched a new website, ClickHole, that parodied clickbait websites such as Upworthy and Buzzfeed,^[5] and in August 2014, Facebook announced that it was taking technical measures to reduce the impact of clickbait on its social network,^[6][7][8] using, among other cues, the time spent by the user on visiting the linked page as a way of distinguishing clickbait from other content.^[9]

Well, thank God we don't really do any advertising here at The Slav's Baseball Blog 'cause that whole "clickbait" scene sounds a little creepy, if you know what I mean. Plus, some would say we don't really even provide Grade-A blogging material, but that's another story.

I'll just stick with my graphs and moving .gif's if you don't mind. I don't really need the beer money (slang term) anyway.

Again, to reiterate, I do like moving .gif's and graphs and of course long walks on the beach and candlelit dinners ( with Mrs. TheSlav, of course )

from FanGraphs Baseball:

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/brandon-crawfords-development-in-just-a-few-pictures/

This was the first paragraph of an article from March 2012:

There are people in the Giants' organization who think you're crazy. You don't think Brandon Crawford can hit major-league pitching, but they believe you're wrong. As the exhibition season opened Saturday, under a cloudless sky at Scottsdale Stadium, Crawford took the first steps toward resurrection.

There was a time, really, when Crawford reminded people a little of Brian Bocock. And it's not like Crawford debuted at an especially young age — when he came up, he was a firm 24. Ordinarily, glove-first middle infielders remain glove-first middle infielders. The Giants believed Crawford could be more than that. The Giants, at least, believed Crawford could hit enough to play. His defense hasn't slipped. His hitting has taken off.

I promised you images. Here's one of them. I don't know all the ins and outs of how Crawford has gotten better; I just know that he has. As evidence, consider his isolated power:

 

How to be a Better Writer - 6 Tips

I wish I had read this article BEFORE I started blogging. Oh well, we'll try to do better in the future. Actually, I might do most of these already, most of the time. I have to work more on #6, sometimes guilty of hitting the "Publish" key either prematurely or before I have done a spelling / grammar check. #2 is a good one as well, because, of course, it always makes sense to me. Only problem is Mrs. TheSlav is like a good cop, never around when you need her. 

Hopefully the next 2,000 or so posts are better than the first 2,0000. They almost have to be, right? 

How To Be A Better Writer: 6 Tips From Harvard's Steven Pinker

				How To Be A Better Writer: 6 Tips From Harvard's Steven ... Learn how to be a better writer with insights from cognitive science. Harvard's Steven Pinker gives six great tips you can start using today.
				View on www.bakadesuyo.com	Preview by Yahoo

Here are six of Steven's tips for good writing:

1. Be visual and conversational. Be concrete, make your reader see and stop trying to impress.
2. Beware "the curse of knowledge." Have someone read your work and tell you if it makes sense. Your own brain cannot be trusted.
3. Don't bury the lead. Clarity beats suspense. If they don't know what it's about they can't follow along.
4. You don't have to play by the rules, but try. If you play it straight 99% of the time, that 1% will really shine.
5. Read Read Read. The English language is too complex to learn from one book. Never stop learning.
6. Good writing means revising. Never hit "send" or "print" without reviewing your work — preferably multiple times.

Evans: Giants 'staying engaged' with Rays on Zobrist | CSN Bay Area

So, let me get this straight, the Giants:

• are not engaged with Scherzer, nor do we plan to be engaged with Scherzer
• are out on Shields
• are staying engaged with Zobrist

from CSN Bay Area:
Evans: Giants 'staying engaged' with Rays on Zobrist | CSN Bay Area:

While nothing appears imminent, Giants assistant general manager Bobby Evans told MLB Network Radio on Sunday morning that the team is "staying engaged" with the Tampa Bay Rays about a possible trade for infielder/outfielder Ben Zobrist.

'via Blog this'

Sounds like the Giants are the biggest getting left at the altar, no free-agent getting-est, Super Tramps in the major leagues.

Let me know when the Giants are actually getting married to someone and where they'll be registered, because I'm getting tired of all these stupid updates and so-called rumors.

Equally as stupid are some of the trade proposals. I read some Internet clown from a website named Rays of Sunshine or something equally as inane, speculate that the price of the Giants acquiring Zobrist (who BTW turned out to be nearly Ted Williams incarnate, should be Kyle Crick, Andrew Susac and the obviously unproven Joe Panik.

OK genius, let's run through the math. For one year of control over Ben "Winter" Zobrist, the Giants should give up six years of control over the organization's  top pitching prospect and two guys who have at least "proven" themselves capable during a pennant race and the World Series, albeit not a full major league season? But the Giants have another 5-6 years of control over those guys. For one year of Ben Zobrist? I don't think I would give up any ONE of those guys straight up for a year of Ben Zobrist, regardless of how glorious that year might be. And BTW, I think Zobrist would be a great fit for the Giants, but sorry junior-GM, go back to your fantasy league dealings and STFU. You better hope the Rays new GM doesn't play his hand as foolishly as that among his peers, or you'll be taking your season tickets to Montreal or Havana or God knows where in the very near future.

I'm with the lunatic fringe on this one.

http://www.sflunaticfringe.com/comics/signs-youre-an-over-obsessed-sports-fan/

My bad, it was Rays Colored Glasses and the asking price was only Crick and Susac, but still....nothing like over-valuing your own. Zobrist is more valuable to the Rays at this point than almost anyone else, but then they end up with nothing for him and still outside of the playoffs. The Giants meanwhile can sit on their under-valued assets and keep winning championships.

http://www.chatsports.com/tampa-bay-rays/a/How-the-San-Francisco-Giants-Could-Acquire-Ben-Zobrist-2-10935731

According to Fans Graphs WAR stats, the Giants roster would have ranked 7th in the NL and the Royals 7th in the AL in WAR. And yet both statistically pathetic teams (the Giants rank behind the Cubs, for Pete's sake) made the World Series. So if all the pocket-protector GM's are so intent at worshipping at the mythical statistical God called WAR, so be it. Other can focus on winning games.

from FanGraphs:
http://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=ALL&teamid=30

Bat	Pit	WAR
Red Sox	29.0	13.6	42.6
Dodgers	26.2	15.3	41.6
Nationals	26.2	14.3	40.4
Mariners	25.3	14.3	39.5
Cardinals	26.4	12.7	39.1
Blue Jays	26.3	11.5	37.7
Tigers	24.6	12.3	36.9
Rays	25.3	11.0	36.4
Yankees	21.9	13.8	35.7
Indians	22.4	13.2	35.6
Pirates	24.7	10.8	35.5
Royals	23.5	11.9	35.4
Athletics	23.7	11.3	35.0
Angels	28.0	7.0	35.0
Orioles	25.1	8.2	33.2
Cubs	20.0	12.5	32.5
Rockies	21.2	10.9	32.1
Giants	22.2	9.5	31.8
Rangers	20.4	10.4	30.8
Marlins	18.7	11.9	30.6
Twins	18.5	10.3	28.8
Brewers	19.0	9.4	28.5
White Sox	14.6	12.6	27.1
Reds	17.7	9.2	26.9
Mets	18.3	7.8	26.1
Astros	16.6	8.5	25.0
Padres	16.8	8.0	24.8
Diamondbacks	15.1	7.9	22.9
Braves	13.5	8.1	21.6
Phillies	9.6	7.2	16.8

Cool stuff from xtranormal

Quantitative Easing Explained




I love xtranormal. http://www.xtranormal.com/

Some of the skits are better than others, but this seems like it may be a natural extension of blogging.


The Federal Reserve is Laundering Money



Austrian Economics

THE GREAT NATIONAL DEBATE FOR THE DIRECTION OF BLOGGING

My thoughts on the current state of blogging, both the serious sites and the ones that are tongue in cheek or comedic in nature. It doesn't seem like such a long time ago that the daily newspaper was the family choice for gathering news about what was going on in their local communities. The TV news where we went for national and international news and sports information. Then came the cable revolution and niche channels came into our living rooms. If you wanted sports highlights, you didn't have to wait for the last three minutes of the 11:00 news broadcast, you could turn on this crazy, new channel called ESPN and get highlights every few hours.

The came the Internet and newspapers, magazines, radio and TV have all struggled to compartmentalize their content to capture a share of the browsers. Then came the phenomena called blogging and the world of MSM has never been the same since.

All these changes have done is allowed people the freedom to choose what is relevant to them as far as what they want to read and listen too and when they want to listen to it. We see the same phenomena with cell phones and individualized ring tones. The company or industry that doesn't adapt is relegated to the dustbin of American corporate history beside the Pony Express. Unfortunately, the old-line sports media appears to be going in that direction, albeit kicking and screaming all the way.
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FROM DEADSPIN: BOB COSTAS, BILL CONLIN, TONY KORNHISER, DAN SHAUGNESSY SUMMARY OF BLOG-HATERS

http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/another-sad-day-for-the-guys-who-hate-bloggers-16645
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The percent of people who get their information solely from TV and/or a newspaper decreases by the day. Nowadays, you can't create your own stories any more or attempt to mold the world to fit your own agenda and expect to maintain any sort of credibility.

Can you imagine a more anti-American position to take than to be an advocate against the freedom of choice? But that is exactly what the MSM (Mainstream Media) as personified by the recent comments in sports by Costas, Conlin, et.al. against the proliferation of bloggers, especially in sports.

In the first place I will put up the position on the matter of the late, great Milton Friedman against all others on the matter and be perfectly comfortable.
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http://www.american.com/archive/2007/february-0207/milton-friedman-technology-maven

Excerpts from Milton Friedman: Rightful Patron Saint of Blogging:

The beauty of blogging is self regulation at its very best.

The “blogosphere” is like a little experimental universe validating consumer choice vs. regulation—and consumer choice has won a colossal victory.

Left to the free market of ideas and instant reader feedback, good writing, quality and reliability in blogging secures a readership and reputation solely on merit.

Friedman should be the patron saint of the Age of Blogging: people with brains, networks, and powers of self-expression don't wait for journalism degrees anymore to have an impact.



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Comically, the same media that would question the credibility at bloggers by claiming the information is not vetted or credible comes from those who give us this type of behavior:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/mediamix/2005-04-13-media-mix_x.htm

Posted 4/13/2005 10:12 PM

Will Albom's woes taint journalism?
Mitch Albom, the celebrated Detroit Free Press sports columnist who has been suspended for fudging facts in a recent piece, has a bigger name as one of the nation's best-selling authors

But Albom, who has been with the Free Press for 20 years, is taking a lashing from fellow journalists. They say he has revived the question of journalistic integrity after instances of deception by staffers at several major news outlets, including USA TODAY, The New York Times and CBS News.

Free Press editors didn't change Albom's copy. Now they and Albom are under investigation by the newspaper.


I guess you know what they see about people who live in glass houses. And I happen to like Mitch Albom, I think he's one of the best writers out there. It just goes to show that it can happen to the best of them. I just wonder why these guys feel so threatened by others out there who are just trying to mimic what they do and have a little bit of fun at the same time.

I guess I missed the part where the "real" Yankees felt threatened by Billy Crystal's at-bat or felt anything but honored or flattered by it or by him wanting to do it or the team for accommodating him.
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FROM THE SPORTS PICKLE: A MORE HUMOROUS LOOK AT BLOGGING
http://www.sportspickle.com/features/volume7/2008-0227-basement.html

Unemployed Journalist Forced to Move Into His Mom’s Basement

Washington Times sports reporter Terry Corman will be forced to move into his mom’s basement after budget cuts at the paper left him without a job.

“The Internet and all of those bloggers are killing the newspaper industry,” says Corman. “It’s a plague. Who reads that crap anyway? I can write a wrap-up article of a college baseball game with the best of them. But no one wants that sort of important sports news anymore. I guess it just goes to show how stupid the public has become.”

Unable to find another paper looking to hire a college baseball – and, in a pinch, college softball and tennis – reporter, Corman has been forced to put his house on the market and will move into his mother’s basement next week.
(click hyperlink to see entire story)
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