The nature of researches

There ought to be some kind of law governing the usage of the word 'research'. If the damn EU legislators can come out with the inane politically correct dictionary and handbook that recommends not using, among other things, 'Mrs' (apparently, it is sexist), why the hell not a law about using the word 'research'?

Anyway, it is also a free world apparently, and who am I to stop anyone from doing some research linking the use of mobile phones by parents to rashes caused to infants by their diapers (the infants', not the parents')? I mean, I couldn't stop Saddam's murder or even myself from being born, so how can I even begin trying to stop every Rahul (that name itself deserves to be stopped, for a start) and Neha (right there next to Rahul in the to be stopped list) from carrying out their fanciful researches, whether or not they have any bearing of any consequence on this apparently free world. For those not familiar with the over-abundance of the two names I just mentioned, just consider them my substitutes for John & Jane Doe.

Here is one such research. I suppose it is pretty obvious but I will still say it. Virgil Griffith is one smart smug arsehole. He has gone about it in a most research-like fashion (admittedly and precisely vague and incomplete) but I have a strong suspicion that he had the premise before he decided on the research, mainly as a means to justify his premise. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if it was done after he made a wager with some Timberlake fan, which to his own delightful surprise (and mine), he won.

What tickles me a lot too, is the usage of Facebook for yet another unexpected reason. And of course, how Facebook apparently reacted. Anyway, one should also mention to Mr Griffith another practice (certainly not the word in this case, far from it) that is quite in vogue with people, especially in places like colleges - pretence. Maybe dumb people just don't pretend as much!