The word seems to be out that equations can be bunk:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jan/17/christmas-slump-blue-monday
or
http://tinyurl.com/yekutpn
and, in the FT:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1bdec7f0-03d2-11df-a601-00144feabdc0.html
or
http://tinyurl.com/ybs2muw
These on "the most depressing day".
MK
-----Original Message-----
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alastair McQueen
Sent: 19 January 2010 09:33
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Locations of Ancient Woolworths Stores follow Precise Geometrical Pattern
For those who didn't see, well done to Matt:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/jan/16/ben-goldacre-bad-science-aliens-woolworths
On Tue, 5 Jan 2010 16:18:59 +0000, Matt Parker <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> *Press Release – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
>
> *5 January 2010*
>
>
>
>
>
> *Locations of Ancient Woolworths Stores follow*
>
> *Precise Geometrical Pattern*
>
>
>
>
>
> Matt Parker, based in the School of Mathematical Sciences at Queen Mary,
> University of London, has analysed the locations of the 800 Woolworths
> stores to reveal precise geometric patterns. This was based on the work
of
> Mr Tom Brooks (a retired marketing executive of Honiton, Devon) who
found
> similar patterns in prehistoric monuments across the UK.
>
>
>
> Mr Brooks looked at 1500 sites and found that some of them follow
geometric
> patterns and he concluded that they must have been part of a
sophisticated
> navigational system. This was reported in the UK national press on 5
> January
> 2010, with the Daily Mail reporting that the patterns were so
> “sophisticated
> and accurate” that “he does not rule out extraterrestrial help.”
>
>
>
> Matt Parker then decided to apply this technique to another ancient and
> mysterious civilisation: that of the Woolworths stores.
>
>
>
> “We know so little about the ancient Woolworth stores, but we do still
> know
> their locations” explains Matt Parker, “so I thought that if we analysed
> the
> sites we could learn more about what life was like in 2008 and how these
> people went about buying cheap kitchen accessories and discount CDs.”
>
>
>
> The results revealed an exact and precise geometric placement of the
> Woolworths locations. Three stores around Birmingham formed an exact
> equilateral triangle (Wolverhampton, Lichfield and Birmingham stores)
and
> if
> the base of the triangle is extended, it forms a 173.8 mile line linking
> the
> Conwy and Luton stores. Despite the 173.8 mile distance involved, the
> Conway
> Woolworths store is only 40 feet off the exact line and the Luton site
is
> within 30 feet. All four stores align with an accuracy of 0.05%.
>
>
>
> The bisector of this same triangle then passes through the Monmouth,
West
> Bromwich and Alfreton store locations with an accuracy of 0.5%. There
are
> also grids of isosceles triangles – those with two sides of equal length
–
> on each side of the Birmingham Woolworths Triangle. One such isosceles
> triangle made with Stafford only has an error of 3% and it points
directly
> at the Northwich Woolworths store that is itself only 0.6% off being
> exactly
> isosceles.
>
>
>
> Matt Parker concludes that “these incredibly precise geometric patterns
> mean
> that the people who founded the Woolworths Empire must have used these
> store
> locations as a form of ‘landmark satnav’ to help hunters find their
> nearest
> source of cheap sweets that can be purchased in whatever mix they chose
to
> pick. Well, that or the fact that in any sufficiently large set of
random
> data it is possible to find meaningless patterns of any required
> accuracy.”
>
>
>
> These patterns were found from the 800 random ex-Woolworth locations by
> simply skipping over the vast majority of the sites and only choosing
the
> few that happen to line-up. Matt Parker claims he could find many more
such
> patterns, but he had some actual real work to do. He does envy Mr Tom
> Brooks
> though, who with 1500 locations, had almost twice as much data to pull
> meaningless patterns from.
>
>
>
> “It is extremely important to look at how much data people are using to
> support an argument” Matt Parker warned. “For example, the case for
global
> warming covers vast amounts of comprehensive evidence, but it is still
> possible for people to search through the data and find a few isolated
> examples that appear to show otherwise.”
>
>
> Map showing locations and patterns:
>
> http://standupmaths.com/images/woolworths-locations.jpg
>
>
>
>
>
> *ENDS*
>
>
>
> *Notes for Editors*
>
>
>
> Contact Matt Parker for high resolution images and for versions without
> Google Maps copyright. All location data and calculations are also
> available.
>
>
>
> *Contact:*
>
> Matt Parker
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Ph. (+44) 7962 466288
>
>
>
> *Original media coverage of Mr Tom Brooks’ findings:*
>
> * *
>
>
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/807855-did-prehistoric-satnav-help-britons-find-their-way
>
>
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1213400/Ancient-man-used-stone-sat-nav-navigate-country.html
>
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