As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one.

Attributed to Mike Godwin, originally referencing the Usenet, now generally applied to any internet forum. (wikipedia)

In layman’s terms, the longer a thread is, the more likely someone will compare their opponent to Hitler. It is an association fallacy or ‘guilt by association’. Making the comparison typically reduces the discussion to other colorful comparisons, often ending in name calling and questioning of sexual preference.

For a contemporary example of Godwins Law see Ben Stein’s movie, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. (For a rational rebuttal, kindly direct your attention to Richard Dawkins.)

I am traveling to Mt Tremblant on the 31st, but hopefully we will be at the Hotel in time to watch the start of LOST season 4 (ABC LOST page).

The past 3 seasons on available on dvd (and bittorrent) and are well worth renting.

If you need a refresher or reminder of all things LOST, check out the Lostpedia.

I was stopped at St George station on the Bloor line heading east, standing with my back against the closed doors facing the open doors onto the platform. Just as the door chimes sounded a kid (maybe 17?) lunged for the guy next to me, grabbed his ipod, slipped past the closing doors onto the platform and started running up the stairs with his friends.

The guy next to me in a stunned voice says quietly to himself and to the car, “What can you do about that?”

Obviously this sucks, it seemed likely these kids have done this before. Could it have happened to me? I think so.

So couple things I took away from this:

1. Pretty obvious, pay more attention to surroundings. The victim was screwing with his ipod and missed the three guys loitering around the door and checking out their mark. I think if he had even looked up and made eye contact they would have moved on to someone else.
2. The stairs were a quick get away, be aware of this as a prime location for thefts.
3. Re-enforces my impression that the Bloor line is sketchy.

That is all.

Just a reminder, this Sunday is April 1st, the day we celebrate the gullibility of others.

From Ten best April Fool’s Day Hoaxes:

– In 1998, a newsletter titled New Mexicans for Science and Reason carried an article that the state of Alabama had voted to change the value of pi from 3.14159 to the “Biblical value” of 3.0

– Discover Magazine announced in 1995 that a highly respected biologist, Aprile Pazzo (Italian for April Fool), had discovered a new species in Antarctica: the hotheaded naked ice borer. The creatures were described as having bony plates on their heads that became burning hot, allowing the animals to bore through ice at high speed — a technique they used to hunt penguins.