Sometimes there really is method in their madness

[Carl Edlund Anderson]

Yeah, I've actually heard that same explanation elsewhere, and I find it pretty convincing.  I actually use it as an example with my students when attempting to explain the importance of getting the formatting in their bibliographies/citations/etc. correct: "This is the first thing any examiner is gonna look at. If you get it right, they will assume you are not completely hopeless, and will treat the rest of your product reasonably fairly; if you get it wrong, they will assume you are an idiot, and treat the rest of your product accordingly."

I'm not sure how much the "Van Halen Brown M&M" story helps get that point across, but it entertains me at least, so it stays in the "educational set-list".

Cheers,
Carl

On 08 May 2012, at 08:34 , Mike Holmes wrote:

> I reckon the folks here might appreciate this one.
> 
> http://thevaporwareblog.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/van_halen_hates_brown_mms/
> 
> My take is that it only improves one of the legends of rock history to ascertain that there was in fact some logic behind it. Perhaps a coda to Hanlon's Razor ought to be "Never ascribe to megalomania that which can be adequately explained by sheer cunning."
> 
> FoFP
> 
> -- 
> The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
> Scotland, with registration number SC005336.
> 

--
Carl Edlund Anderson
http://www.carlaz.com/