Thank you Dan for reminding me of this useful pice of information. I have
used the equation with teacher trainees to show how maths can be
manipulated. I am going to use it on Monday as an introduction to some of
the problems with historical sources.

Anne
>
> Hi all
>
>     In case you weren't aware of it, next Monday is the 'most
> depressing day of the year'. Or to put it another way, it really isn't,
> but a professional codswallop merchant worked it out using 'actual
> math' a few years ago, and the media have regurgitated it ever since
> around this time, like some awful hairball of garbage with the faint
> whiff of science.
>
>     Forgive the overly-descriptive language, but it's become something
> of a personal issue of mine.For 2 years running now, due to my dual
> role in the Science-Comedy worlds, local media people have come to me
> asking for an 'explanation' as to why it's the most depressing day and
> what people can do about it.
>
>     The first time was a puff piece for a local paper, where they asked
> me to explain how it works and what people can do to cheer themselves
> up. My detailed explanation about why it isn't was cut in favour of me
> saying 'just go out' in a variety of ways, coupled with 'cheerful'
> pictures of me looking like a knock-off Doctor Who after too many
> e-numbers.
>
>      The following year, the Regional news team approached me with the
> same idea. I thought this would be a good way to make amends and
> clarify my position, and decided that I'd do it. What it ended up being
> was a 10 second clip on the evening news, of me saying 'cheer up' again
> and telling painful jokes while the journalist interviewed me on my
> couch, having arranged us in a position which could only be described
> as homoerotic.
>
>      Not sure if anyone else will be approached in your areas by media
> types with similar intentions, but here's a brief list of things worth
> knowing (if you don't already) if they do come a knocking.
>
>
>
> - The Equation behind the most depressing day of the year was invented
> by Dr Cliff Arnill, and was paid to do so by a travel company
> (Thompson's I think, but don't hold me to that) in order to encourage
> people to take winter breaks.
>
>
>
> - I don't know what Dr Cliff Arnill's qualifications really are, but he
> bills himself as a Cardiff University researcher (like what I was until
> recently). He did briefly teach an adult learning class at the
> University, but is certainly not a researcher there, nor was he ever.
> The fact that he claims he is makes me suspicious as to his actual
> scientific credentials, and the Cardiff University media dept. have
> asked me to stress that he is not affiliated with them in any way
>
>
>
> - He gets paid money by said Travel firm every time the equation is
> mentioned in the media, so even criticising it will benefit him.
>
>
>
> - The equation, as you can probably tell if you look it up, is based
> completely on guesswork and bizarre logic, so is of no actual use at
> all, and I am told there is much research to completely contradict the
> idea that Winter is 'more depressing' in general. But in it's defence,
> it does look all Sciencey.
>
>
>
>       I say all this just to share the benefits of my painful
> experience. I felt it was good that the mainstream media took an
> interest in an aspect of 'science', but my feeble efforts to correct
> their misconceptions were completely ignored. If you are asked to
> 'comment' on this non-story wherever you are, I'd bet Diamonds to
> toenail clippings that they already have the story/article/feature
> planned out and are asking someone in the science-based field to
> comment purely to lend it credibility. Unless they give you final say
> on the finished item, which would be incredibly unusual, I'd advise
> everyone to leave it alone
>
>       The media will keep flogging this never-was-alive-to-begin-with
> Horse whatever we do, no doubt, but we don't have to donate our
> credibility to it too.
>
>
>
> P.S. Other people may have experiences with this issue that are the
> polar opposite to mine, this is just my two-pence worth. Not that I got
> paid even that much for my contributions...
>
>
>
> Dean Burnett, PhD
>
> sciencedigestive.blogspot.com
>
> Twitter: @garwboy
> _________________________________________________________________
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