On this thread, I wrote:
"Robust" is one of those Versailles
words you want to watch out for. Back in the day, when I was a high priced tech consultant, "robust" meant "in a big honkin three-ring-binder I can show to management." Empty linguistic calories, totally.
Baucus said new approaches were discussed in meetings Wednesday, and he described them as "variations, but on the same themes that have been discussed quite a bit — more robust, beefed-up co-op approach."
Honestly! Have you ever heard a normal person use the word robust? "Honey, do you think these tomato stakes are robust enough?"
Whenever you hear anybody use the word "robust" in connection with anything, but especially in connection with health care policy:
1. They're insiders, or
2. They're wannabe insiders, or
3. They're authoritarian followers who repeat what authority says, and
4. It's very likely they're trying to con you, conning themselves, or don't know what they're talking about (respectively).
NOTE I await the counter-examples...
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I've used it in reference to food and flavor
But after that, I got nuthin.
He who will not reason is a bigot; he who cannot is a fool; and he who dares not is a slave.
- Sir William Drummond
"robust"
in statistics, has a specific meaning. It means, in a sense, "The results do not change much when you change the assumptions a littlle."
This is to contrast with Chaotic, a subject on which I am, if not an expert, at least a scholar.
The importance is this: if your system is robust, it won't matter if your models are off a little. Otherwise, fugggedaboioudit.
---------------
We can't afford not to have single-payer!
I used to hear the term all the time in TV coffee ads.
At the end of the day, I hold onto my wallet when I hear it in any other context.
And don't get me started on "at the end of the day. ;)
JFK has been shot, we miss him a lot
He always knew what to do
-- Philly Cream
Wine--the opposite of those unpretentious little wines,
right?
just sitting here thinking...
here we are trying to figure out what something means...
hold onto this.
I'm looking at some other places and, dang, they depress me.
Keep trying to make sense. Because, in the end, that's all we have.
(and I think I'm right about "robust", but the people using it are mostly idiots.)
---------------
We can't afford not to have single-payer!
you are, and they are
right about 'robust', and idiots
Defeat Max Baucus
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