Author Archives: John Moynes

Look at the stupid maths, stupid.

The great war between people who write about politics for a living is not between liberals and conservatives, but between humanities majors and math nerds, and their battleground is currently the validity of Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight election prediction model.The English majors have been writing that the presidential race is a total tossup-down-to-the-wire-nail-biter, and the math nerds, most prominently Silver, have been writing that actually, the race has been pretty stable and President Obama has a solid chance of winning.


Nerds Rush To Nate Siver’s Defence (The Atlantic)

Nate’s Five Thirty Eight Forecast?

I really cannot understand,
How this nightmare deal ever was planned,
He defeated the Sith,
But it’s taking the pith,
To make Luke stand in Disneyland.

John Moynes

UNLESS…

You can do better.

Yes, it’s a Stars Wars/Disney ‘Rick off.

Best Limerick wins a pumpkin.

Lines close at 11.30am 12.45pm

(Disney CEO Bob Iger with Darth Vader and George Lucas pic via)

UPDATE: we have a winner:

Sam, who sent it three (!). A bit needy but what the hell…

Take a story involving Jedi
plagiarised from the old samurai
and when it all stinks
cos of dumb Jar Jar Binks
Tell disney to give it a try…

So this how old sagas die
said the world wearied master Jedi
a chorus of cheers
for a mouse with big ears
“A Womp Rat he’s like to my eye”.

Star Wars fans complain and curse
That disney will make it far worse
They think it right silly
to watch Sith Steamboat Willie
choke Donald while using the force