On Mon, Jul 2, 2012 at 10:40 AM, RussellMc wrote: >> Scientists at Cern expected to announce on Wednesday Higgs boson particl= e >> has been discovered > >> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2167188/God-particle-Scie= ntists-Cern-expected-announce-Higgs-boson-particle-discovered-Wednesday.htm= l > > 99.99% certain (4 sigma). > Higgs is being invited to the press conference. > CERN management wanting to progress result to 99.99995% certainty (5 sigm= a). Everything implies probability in measurements ...it is probable. > > A very large body of human experience shows that you can be very very > very close to certainty on something and still have it 'slip away'. true...true. > > 5 Sigma (or 4) seems far too close for slipping away to easily occur. > But I suspect that "the Higgs was a Boojum, you see"*. > > > > Russell > > ______________________________ > > * http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/c/carroll/lewis/snark/ > > Fit the 8th (almost) > > They sought it with thimbles, they sought it with care; > They pursued it with forks and hope; > They threatened its life with a railway-share; > They charmed it with smiles and soap. > > They shuddered to think that the chase might fail, > And the Beaver, excited at last, > Went bounding along on the tip of its tail, > For the daylight was nearly past. > > "There is Thingumbob shouting!" the Bellman said, > "He is shouting like mad, only hark! > He is waving his hands, he is wagging his head, > He has certainly found a Snark!" > > They gazed in delight, while the Butcher exclaimed > "He was always a desperate wag!" > They beheld him -- their Baker -- their hero unnamed -- > On the top of a neighboring crag. > > Erect and sublime, for one moment of time. > In the next, that wild figure they saw > (As if stung by a spasm) plunge into a chasm, > While they waited and listened in awe. > > "It's a Snark!" was the sound that first came to their ears, > And seemed almost too good to be true. > Then followed a torrent of laughter and cheers: > Then the ominous words "It's a Boo-" > > Then, silence. Some fancied they heard in the air > A weary and wandering sigh > Then sounded like "-jum!" but the others declare > It was only a breeze that went by. > > They hunted till darkness came on, but they found > Not a button, or feather, or mark, > By which they could tell that they stood on the ground > Where the Baker had met with the Snark. > > In the midst of the word he was trying to say, > In the midst of his laughter and glee, > He had softly and suddenly vanished away -- - > For the Higgs was a Boojum, you see. > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist --=20 http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .