Posted on 10/10/2004 4:58:04 PM PDT by ckilmer
How you can break Murphy's Law By Jennifer Sym October 8, 2004
THERE'S grim news for people who worry that if something can go wrong, it will go wrong. A new mathematical formula has proved Murphy's Law really does strike at the worst possible time.
Ordinary people have long known that computers crash on deadline and cars break down in emergencies, while previous studies have shown the law, also called Sod's Law, is not a myth and toast really does fall buttered side down. But now a panel of experts has provided the statistical rule for predicting the law of "anything that can go wrong, will go wrong" - or ((U+C+I) x (10-S))/20 x A x 1/(1-sin(F/10)).
After tests of the experiences of 1000 people, they have discovered "things don't just go wrong, they do so at the most annoying moment".
Now the experts commissioned by British Gas - a psychologist, a mathematician and an economist - say the formula allows people to calculate the chances of Sod's Law striking, and even try to beat bad luck.
Project psychologist Dr David Lewis said: "The lesson from this is that, to cut the seemingly unbeatable Murphy's Law gremlins down to size, you need to change one of the elements in the equation.
"So, if you haven't got the skill to do something important, leave it alone. If something is urgent or complex, find a simple way to do it. If something going wrong will particularly aggravate you, make certain you know how to do it."
But he added a note of caution: "There is, of course, a Sod's Law factor to the equation. If you judge your ratings wrongly, you might become too optimistic - and calamity will strike."
In the calculation, five factors have to be assessed: urgency (U), complexity (C), importance (I), skill (S) and frequency (F), and each given a score between one and nine. A sixth, aggravation (A), was set at 0.7 by the experts after their poll.
Top of the most likely - and most annoying - events was spilling something down yourself before a date and the hot water heater breaking down in cold weather, followed by rush hour being worse when you're already late.
The Courier-Mail
This report appears on NEWS.com.au.
Terms | Privacy policy Copyright 2004 News Limited. All times AEST (GMT+10).
"So, if you haven't got the skill to do something important, leave it alone. If something is urgent or complex, find a simple way to do it. If something going wrong will particularly aggravate you, make certain you know how to do it." ////////////////////// You can have it fast, good or cheap. Pick two //////////// for a slashdot discussion of this go here http://science.slashdot.org/science/04/10/10/154224.shtml?tid=133&tid=14
Murphy strikes again... you spent all this time formatting this post, making sure it looks right and took time to comment on it...
... only to have sionnsar post the same article 26 seconds before you.
Shyt Happens.
This is a duplicate thread.
Selective memory. Things that go wrong at non-annoying moments are forgotten. Don't buy this story at all.
case closed
or course to be scientifically correct the results would have to be reproducable.
Selective memory. Things that go wrong at non-annoying moments are forgotten. Don't buy this story at all.
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check out some of the key words
however, scientists have no formulations and are still stumped by Dombrowski's Law, which states: Murphy was an optimist.
Restated as: If at first you don't succeed, you shouldn't have tried in the first place.
I have the formula for beating Murphy. You simply have to confuse him!
Going to the post office? It's guaranteed that the five cars directly in front of you will all of a sudden decide to turn into that same post office and mail 5 or 6 packages each.
Solution: Have the latest Ann Coulter audiobook with you, and listen while you wait. Murphy will actually speed up the line rather than let you listen to your favorite book for any time. It works!
Going across town and dread all the lights on the way? Make sure you are hungry, and bring a messy snack that you can only eat while sitting at red lights. Guaranteed that each light will turn green just as you arrive. You will still be hungry but will be on time. Murphy has been beaten again!
If at first you don't succeed, you shouldn't have tried in the first place.
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I think that overstates the case. But no harm in trying.
A buddy of mine employs that tactic to get guns that he wants.
First he decides firmly that he doesn't want them and tries not to look for them at the gun shows. That guarantees that they will turn up as outrageous deals right under his nose.
I'll give it a whirl.
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