Expect The Best,Prepare For The Worst...

"Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes."

"Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes: those moments that show why all else fails, or reassure us that we are right and they are wrong."

This is the oldest of life's lessons, and, as we grapple with everything that surrounds us, it's a lesson that keeps on proving useful. No one else is able to explain to you what you should say in the debates. But they might try to, and they are likely to do it in an argumentative way. It's always best to be the one saying what you believe, and not have to explain it afterward.

One interesting question you can ask yourself is: would you rather defend yourself in an argument, or have someone explain why you are wrong? And the answer you will probably give yourself will be: defend yourself!

If you want to say something intelligent, you will have to discuss your position. Just understand that they might not be able to understand it. If they think it is something else, they will be unlikely to explain. For example, a lay person might think that anti-caffeine education policies are a consequence of the CIA working for drug companies to ban coffee. That is not my reason

Whether it was his humorous quip about Oregon’s defensive woes or his declaration that the current atmosphere between the Ducks and

Clearly, for society as a whole, the amount of collective information available about how it came to be is growing exponentially. More people getting smarter at cognitive tasks can shed light on how data is generated and where it comes from, how it can be analyzed and how it is used by institutions. This is a subject worth discussing, debated, deliberated over and debated more. For the time being, the exact origin of data is unknowable.

As for judges and judges and judges, it's worth pointing out that as much as one judge may be able to explain their decision-making process in a case, their reasons are hardly better than those that come from the proverbial debate club. Just as individuals may explain their theories, judgments and decisions, judges themselves don't need to explain their decisions as long as they can demonstrate their merit. It's still their job to apply rational judgment to the facts presented to them.

"Our opinions are too often based on things we do not understand, things that other judges who think more like us may not understand, things that each of us take for granted about how a situation may play out," Ziff concludes. "Judges tend to ignore the importance of all of those factors. Perhaps that is their best defense when they are criticized."

> Instead, newsrooms have lost the narrative thread

"After all the necessary information has been assembled and analyzed in a systematic and fair way, these individuals should be able to become credible sources of information that help communities and policymakers make sound judgments," McIntyre and Simpson argue.

To get there, journalists will have to go back to what they know best: getting to the core of a story and figuring out what it means. It's a tall order, but one that it's worth achieving.

"Rather than dedicating two days to an analysis, reporters would focus on how policy changes affect policy changes. Instead of discussing why every piece of information has to be explained, journalists would report on why they need to discuss every piece of information," Simpson and McIntyre conclude. "And in doing so, they would talk to experts, debate and clarify ideas, and offer plausible explanations of why some rules might be important while others aren't. And they would not be afraid to talk about the subjects of their stories and explain how decisions were made.

"The result: Our basic understanding of events, and the process by which we decide what to believe in the first place, would improve. In short, we would all be better informed.

"Once we know the important facts about how those decisions are made, more of us would be able to participate in the conversation."

Organizations seeking to invest in educating journalists about data analysis and computer science resources might consider this a good starting point for a good starting point.

We can debate the merits and details of individual decisions. But the news media needs to start the debate on informing the public about all decisions, so that the public understands how decisions are made, explains them and holds them accountable."

Expect The Best