Quote:
Originally Posted by rafiki
Micro I believe we're supposed to just discuss the point at large, and not how I act or feel. So let's try that please? Crossnerds is doing a great job and it's working well so far.
When we consider the numbers, let's consider what it means to revise that order of magnitude down in one chunk. Have we considered what is required to get there? And for it to be so much all at once. My mind can think of a lot of ways that happens. None of them flattering to the count process on either side.
Look dude. I didn't insult you and I'm not going to say "no reflection on you my friend, but the words in your last posts suggest an unmerited confidence in the UN estimates."
Half is not an order of magnitude. An order of magnitude is 1/10th. Or, perhaps it would be more polite to say "It might be easier to understand each other if we agreed on using the same base. I think people usually default to base-10, but if you prefer base-2 that's fine with me sir."
As for what I think and have said on the numbers, it's always been most reasonable to assume the number counts are wrong and have little faith in any of them. Starting from that point, you can discuss some certainly innaccurate guesses.