&gt; You missed the hard part of actually testing those predictions.<p>No, I didn&#x27;t.  &quot;Gathering data&quot; includes &quot;testing previous predictions.&quot;<p>&gt; Data science does not bother testing, it just collects more and more data.<p>You just gave yourself permission to disregard any evidence I present.  That level of arrogance should terrify you, once you realize you have that blind spot.<p>&gt; The people at the soup kitchen<p>I said &quot;stocking.&quot;  As in, paying for the building, the lights, and the food.<p>&gt; My suggestion to you, since you did say that you were here to perhaps learn from my experience, is to be a little more critical of your own understandings<p>My suggestion to you, is to not call people &quot;silly&quot; when they disagree with your understandings, and disregard any evidence they present.<p>&gt; If someone told me that the way I think about X was silly<p>The way you think about the improvements in wealth in the United States in the last twenty years is silly.  Specifically, how it impacts the lives of the poor.  I&#x27;d be glad to continue providing evidence, but I&#x27;m not convinced you&#x27;ll be bothered to investigate it.<p>&gt; For someone whose been on BBSes for the last 20 years, I&#x27;d have thought you&#x27;ve have acquired the same thick skin that I have regarding intellectual discussions.<p>When I see someone ignoring data, not responding to specific requests for clarification, and throwing insults...  I have way less tolerance for the insults.