Both are wearing a hat and gloves (except for the guy with the guitar).
On the con side:
Facial hair disparity (indicates potentially radically differing world views)
Plaid vs. non-Plaid scarves (a telling point in socioeconomic stratification if ever there was one)
Accessory mismatch (shopping bag vs. guitar and laptop)
(this indicates the individuals are most likely engaging in dissimilar activities, unless the shopping bag is a makeshift case for a flugelhorn or similarly difficult to buy cases for instrument)
Lack of eye-contact or any sign of interaction between the two. (of course this could indicate that the 2 are more of a romantic 'couple' than they are 'best friends')
Dissimilar cold-weather accessories [Indicates individuals are probably not originally from the same locale - though technically this has no bearing on the best friend's issue]
So tallying up the score we get 4 pros and 5 cons which gives a BFA quotient of 4/5, indicating that there is only a 20% likelihood that these two individuals are actually best friends. [note: there is a much higher possibility these two people are friends but not best friends.
While I respect your method of analysis, it is both trite and inaccurate. First of all, there is no plaid to be seen. Although I do agree with your assessment of it’s meaning, i.e. grunge and farmers across the country. Secondly, the economic disparity of which you write is clearly not an issue. Let’s call the man on the left, Subject A, and the man on the right, Subject B. Let’s also call them Harvard students, as indicated by the identification card and Coop bag, carried by Subject A. So your assumption that that the laptop and guitar, carried by Subject B, carries more worldly weight, is wrong. With the knowledge that he is, in fact, a student of the ivy leagues we can more accurately assume the bag is filled with something of great importance. The brick in the background identifies the location as the Cambridge stop on the Red Line, placing both subjects in the town in which Harvard is located. To further my point, most assume that any Asian above the age of eighteen on the red line will get off at the Kendall/MIT stop. Subject B could easily be confused for one of the above, however not only has he gone further down the line, he is carrying a guitar, proving that he is not an MIT student, as it is common knowledge that students of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology don’t have time for personal interests. Also, it would uncomfortably unusual for two people to look into another’s eyes at that distance. Lastly, most people, friend or stranger, follow the unwritten rule that when on the train, look as uncomfortable as possible.
While I appreciate the daring and bravery it takes to dive in (over your head) into such a deep topic you are so obviously unprepared for, I think perhaps you might want to rethink your 'analysis'.
The first clue that your 'analysis' is the stuff of wide-eyed cultists who seize on some meaningless data point and proceed to leap from that shaky platform to the upper reaches of some even more shaky tower of babel not unlike the Federal Reserve Bank or The Church of Latter Day Saints, is your refusal to even admit the existence of plaid in the photo. Clearly the more hirsute of the two potential BFs is wearing a plaid scarf. But more significantly damaging to your credibility is your fondness for making assumptions.
To whit: Without any conclusive evidence whatsoever you have assumed:
1) An unreadable ID card is a Harvard Student ID
2) A bag displaying a logo that has only the cryptic letters "The CO" is from the Harvard Coop.
3) The combination of A and B means the person is a Harvard student.
4) If a Harvard student is in possession of a non-empty shopping bag it will be filled with something of great importance.
5) A brick in the background of the photo provides both the city and the subway stop the picture was allegedly taken in/at. From this assumption it follows logically that you must believe that;
5a) no other public transportation system in the entire world codes their routes by color
5b) No other public transportation system in the world uses bricks in the construction of their stations.
6) The person with the guitar is a student
7) The person with the guitar attends Harvard University.
8) The person with the guitar is a not a music major, nor does he take lessons or have any valid school related activity he would use a guitar for.
9) The case the person on the right is holding contains a guitar.
10) The person on the right is male.
11) The two people in the photo do not have the kind of relationship where they can feel comfortable looking into each other's eyes at a close distance.
12) The brick in the background identifies the location of the photo as the Cambridge stop on the Red Line
If you remove these unfounded, baseless, and vindictive assumptions from your "Analysis" what are you left with? I am afraid nothing.
That image is from 1996, and the design may or may not have changed again. No claims can be made about the ID card without an up-to-date image to which to compare.
2. The scarf does not appear to have the traditional plaid pattern, but rather a striped or checkered pattern of black and gray.
3. There is no "Cambridge" stop on the Red Line of the MBTA T system.
Considering an image of the Red Line, however, one can match the image behind the two BF's in question to the Red Line of the MBTA (but by no stretch of logic can one determine the stop, as station stops from Alewife to Davis Square have bricks and include the red color-coding system).
However, this neither places the individuals anywhere near the Harvard Square stop (geographically) nor implies anything about whether or not either is a student of Harvard, since the store is open to the public and one could conceivably carry a plastic bag from a store anywhere he/she desires,
5. Plenty of MIT people are in bands and/or play instruments. One can simply google "MIT band" without quotes, and he/she will find that there is a plethora of information on this subject.
I'm not even sure why Waly(dumb-ass) brought this up in the first place.
6. Vinylrake already pointed out most of the other logical flaws in Waly(retard)'s argument.
7. Vinylrake's initial comment seemed to me to be humorous in nature(correct me if I'm wrong), a light-hearted "jest" if you will, and therefore did not beg any logical attention whatsoever... it especially did not require the arrogant lack of scrutiny provided by Waly(sped) in his/her "analysis."
6. ALL other claims about the details of this image and what they indicate about the potential BF's are entirely theoretical, unless someone cares to back them up with facts.
I find you both adorable, especially the redundant use of quotations. How wonderfully accurate of you both. I am especially thankful for Pendgragon’s lesson on theory vs. fact. However, the “fact” that you somehow placed an “L” into my name weakens your call for accuracy. As for Vinylrake I wholeheartedly appreciate your metaphors, sense of humor, and the insistence on stripes being the same as plaid. It is indisputably clear that Pendragon does not have the ability to sense humor beyond a pie on someone’s face. But I did find your name-calling to be hysterical. It’s mind-boggling how you find SPED to be an insult. With fact-finding skills like yours, you should know better. The pride you take in thinking like everyone else is true comedy.
Love Always,
I am not as smart as vinylrake or ezra. I wrote down this sentence: "With fact-finding skills like yours, you should know better." I wrote down this sentence: "The pride you take in thinking like everyone else is true comedy." I should think harder about things. I love Andy Warhol.
"As for Vinylrake I wholeheartedly appreciate
your metaphors, sense of humor, and the insistence on stripes being the
same as plaid."
Thank you for your kind words dear sir or madam (have you read my book?). Personally, I have always maintained that dogged insistence is one of my strongest qualities, so thank you for noticing.
Not that I am agreeing with your rather myopic (not to be confused with 'biopic') distorted worldview Wandyawope, since I maintain my belief in the plaidality of the scarf in question, but stop and think about Plaid for a minute. When you argue that the scarf is 'not plaid' but 'striped' - think about what you are saying. When you really get right down to the nub of the base of the crux, what is Plaid but a collection of stripes where some of the stripes are perpendicular to others? Plaid IS stripes, so arguing that a plaid scarf is not plaid but is 'striped' is like arguing that Christians aren't Jews.
(which is not to suggest that rabiesostrichsalamandersaint's translation was incorrect)
Dearest people who kicked the shit out of me with their brains,
You are not only smarter than me, but you probably woo the ladies with your mental abilities. I don't know what "redundant" means, because I attempted to mock your careful attention to syntax rules and citation of information that isn't your own by using the word. I find no flaws in the logic of your argument, Ezra Pendragon, because I resorted to criticize the spelling accuracy in your name-calling. Vinylrake, I acknowledge that you're intelligent; I'm really surprised you even attempted to back up any of your original claims; I'd like, once more, to bring up the one correct claim I made (the scarf is striped, not plaid). I'm embarrassed and upset that Pendragon schooled me using logic and facts, so I'm going to make assumptions and false-claims about his character and personality (though I know very little about him). Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your name-calling hurt my feelings so I'll compliment you for it in the hopes that you don't do it any more. My mind cannot fathom simple concepts and has no recollection of slang from the early-late 1990's, during which time, "sped" was used as a derogatory term referring to individuals who require "special education", i.e. stupid people, the mentally handicapped, and those with learning disabilities. With fact-finding skills like yours, you should know better than to make sense in a discussion. I'm going to assert a few more things about your character and intentions just in case you missed it the last time.
A few COMMENTS. Wandywope, your personal attacks really offended me. I realize that I insulted your intelligence repeatedly, but your original comment provided me with substantial evidence to make that sort of claim. You insulted my sense of humor (of which you know absolutely nothing) and asserted that I had "pride" in my "thinking like everyone else." I find this second personal attack to be particularly troubling. I did not say anything inherently "proud" and if I did, it would have been a pride in my ability to think UNLIKE you (and occasionally vinylrake): another flaw in your logic dear sir/madam.
CORRECTIONS: I AM funny and I have a sense of humor which is enjoyed not only by myself and my friends but by many people outside my social circles: I have an alter-ego under which I publish writings and art that many people find amusing. I'm certain that other contributors to this site can verify this claim. You ARE incapable of or unwilling to use logic and reason in what might otherwise have been an intelligent discussion or debate.
Best Friend Analysis (BF#37)
On the pro side:
Both are wearing jeans.
Both have coats that are similarly shiny.
Both are wearing scarves.
Both are wearing a hat and gloves (except for the guy with the guitar).
On the con side:
Facial hair disparity (indicates potentially radically differing world views)
Plaid vs. non-Plaid scarves (a telling point in socioeconomic stratification if ever there was one)
Accessory mismatch (shopping bag vs. guitar and laptop)
(this indicates the individuals are most likely engaging in dissimilar activities, unless the shopping bag is a makeshift case for a flugelhorn or similarly difficult to buy cases for instrument)
Lack of eye-contact or any sign of interaction between the two. (of course this could indicate that the 2 are more of a romantic 'couple' than they are 'best friends')
Dissimilar cold-weather accessories [Indicates individuals are probably not originally from the same locale - though technically this has no bearing on the best friend's issue]
So tallying up the score we get 4 pros and 5 cons which gives a BFA quotient of 4/5, indicating that there is only a 20% likelihood that these two individuals are actually best friends. [note: there is a much higher possibility these two people are friends but not best friends.
The Correct Best Friend Analysis (BF #37)
While I respect your method of analysis, it is both trite and inaccurate. First of all, there is no plaid to be seen. Although I do agree with your assessment of it’s meaning, i.e. grunge and farmers across the country. Secondly, the economic disparity of which you write is clearly not an issue. Let’s call the man on the left, Subject A, and the man on the right, Subject B. Let’s also call them Harvard students, as indicated by the identification card and Coop bag, carried by Subject A. So your assumption that that the laptop and guitar, carried by Subject B, carries more worldly weight, is wrong. With the knowledge that he is, in fact, a student of the ivy leagues we can more accurately assume the bag is filled with something of great importance. The brick in the background identifies the location as the Cambridge stop on the Red Line, placing both subjects in the town in which Harvard is located. To further my point, most assume that any Asian above the age of eighteen on the red line will get off at the Kendall/MIT stop. Subject B could easily be confused for one of the above, however not only has he gone further down the line, he is carrying a guitar, proving that he is not an MIT student, as it is common knowledge that students of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology don’t have time for personal interests. Also, it would uncomfortably unusual for two people to look into another’s eyes at that distance. Lastly, most people, friend or stranger, follow the unwritten rule that when on the train, look as uncomfortable as possible.
Stop before you embarrass yourself any further.
While I appreciate the daring and bravery it takes to dive in (over your head) into such a deep topic you are so obviously unprepared for, I think perhaps you might want to rethink your 'analysis'.
The first clue that your 'analysis' is the stuff of wide-eyed cultists who seize on some meaningless data point and proceed to leap from that shaky platform to the upper reaches of some even more shaky tower of babel not unlike the Federal Reserve Bank or The Church of Latter Day Saints, is your refusal to even admit the existence of plaid in the photo. Clearly the more hirsute of the two potential BFs is wearing a plaid scarf. But more significantly damaging to your credibility is your fondness for making assumptions.
To whit: Without any conclusive evidence whatsoever you have assumed:
1) An unreadable ID card is a Harvard Student ID
2) A bag displaying a logo that has only the cryptic letters "The CO" is from the Harvard Coop.
3) The combination of A and B means the person is a Harvard student.
4) If a Harvard student is in possession of a non-empty shopping bag it will be filled with something of great importance.
5) A brick in the background of the photo provides both the city and the subway stop the picture was allegedly taken in/at. From this assumption it follows logically that you must believe that;
5a) no other public transportation system in the entire world codes their routes by color
5b) No other public transportation system in the world uses bricks in the construction of their stations.
6) The person with the guitar is a student
7) The person with the guitar attends Harvard University.
8) The person with the guitar is a not a music major, nor does he take lessons or have any valid school related activity he would use a guitar for.
9) The case the person on the right is holding contains a guitar.
10) The person on the right is male.
11) The two people in the photo do not have the kind of relationship where they can feel comfortable looking into each other's eyes at a close distance.
12) The brick in the background identifies the location of the photo as the Cambridge stop on the Red Line
If you remove these unfounded, baseless, and vindictive assumptions from your "Analysis" what are you left with? I am afraid nothing.
To clear a few things up...
While I agree with most of Vinylrake's analysis, and his/her criticisms of Waly(stupid-head)'s false assumptions.
A few of the statements you both have made beg for more in-depth analysis:
1. The ID card in question may or may not be a Harvard ID. It is false to assume that it is. Here is a picture of a Harvard ID card:
http://www.teenaids.org/Portals/0/Images/Johns-Harvard-ID.jpg
That image is from 1996, and the design may or may not have changed again. No claims can be made about the ID card without an up-to-date image to which to compare.
2. The scarf does not appear to have the traditional plaid pattern, but rather a striped or checkered pattern of black and gray.
3. There is no "Cambridge" stop on the Red Line of the MBTA T system.
http://mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway/lines/?route=RED
Considering an image of the Red Line, however, one can match the image behind the two BF's in question to the Red Line of the MBTA (but by no stretch of logic can one determine the stop, as station stops from Alewife to Davis Square have bricks and include the red color-coding system).
http://mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway/
4. The bag being carried does seem to be from the Harvard Coop. Compare to an image of the Coop logo:
http://www.fenwaycard.com/images/CoopLogoHvdRed.jpg
However, this neither places the individuals anywhere near the Harvard Square stop (geographically) nor implies anything about whether or not either is a student of Harvard, since the store is open to the public and one could conceivably carry a plastic bag from a store anywhere he/she desires,
5. Plenty of MIT people are in bands and/or play instruments. One can simply google "MIT band" without quotes, and he/she will find that there is a plethora of information on this subject.
http://www.google.com/search?q=MIT+band&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.m...
I'm not even sure why Waly(dumb-ass) brought this up in the first place.
6. Vinylrake already pointed out most of the other logical flaws in Waly(retard)'s argument.
7. Vinylrake's initial comment seemed to me to be humorous in nature(correct me if I'm wrong), a light-hearted "jest" if you will, and therefore did not beg any logical attention whatsoever... it especially did not require the arrogant lack of scrutiny provided by Waly(sped) in his/her "analysis."
6. ALL other claims about the details of this image and what they indicate about the potential BF's are entirely theoretical, unless someone cares to back them up with facts.
Dearest Admirers,
I find you both adorable, especially the redundant use of quotations. How wonderfully accurate of you both. I am especially thankful for Pendgragon’s lesson on theory vs. fact. However, the “fact” that you somehow placed an “L” into my name weakens your call for accuracy. As for Vinylrake I wholeheartedly appreciate your metaphors, sense of humor, and the insistence on stripes being the same as plaid. It is indisputably clear that Pendragon does not have the ability to sense humor beyond a pie on someone’s face. But I did find your name-calling to be hysterical. It’s mind-boggling how you find SPED to be an insult. With fact-finding skills like yours, you should know better. The pride you take in thinking like everyone else is true comedy.
Love Always,
Translation of Wandyawope's last comment:
I am not as smart as vinylrake or ezra. I wrote down this sentence: "With fact-finding skills like yours, you should know better." I wrote down this sentence: "The pride you take in thinking like everyone else is true comedy." I should think harder about things. I love Andy Warhol.
Admiring or Admiraling?
"As for Vinylrake I wholeheartedly appreciate
your metaphors, sense of humor, and the insistence on stripes being the
same as plaid."
Thank you for your kind words dear sir or madam (have you read my book?). Personally, I have always maintained that dogged insistence is one of my strongest qualities, so thank you for noticing.
Not that I am agreeing with your rather myopic (not to be confused with 'biopic') distorted worldview Wandyawope, since I maintain my belief in the plaidality of the scarf in question, but stop and think about Plaid for a minute. When you argue that the scarf is 'not plaid' but 'striped' - think about what you are saying. When you really get right down to the nub of the base of the crux, what is Plaid but a collection of stripes where some of the stripes are perpendicular to others? Plaid IS stripes, so arguing that a plaid scarf is not plaid but is 'striped' is like arguing that Christians aren't Jews.
Re-translation of Wandyawope's last comment:
(which is not to suggest that rabiesostrichsalamandersaint's translation was incorrect)
Dearest people who kicked the shit out of me with their brains,
You are not only smarter than me, but you probably woo the ladies with your mental abilities. I don't know what "redundant" means, because I attempted to mock your careful attention to syntax rules and citation of information that isn't your own by using the word. I find no flaws in the logic of your argument, Ezra Pendragon, because I resorted to criticize the spelling accuracy in your name-calling. Vinylrake, I acknowledge that you're intelligent; I'm really surprised you even attempted to back up any of your original claims; I'd like, once more, to bring up the one correct claim I made (the scarf is striped, not plaid). I'm embarrassed and upset that Pendragon schooled me using logic and facts, so I'm going to make assumptions and false-claims about his character and personality (though I know very little about him). Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your name-calling hurt my feelings so I'll compliment you for it in the hopes that you don't do it any more. My mind cannot fathom simple concepts and has no recollection of slang from the early-late 1990's, during which time, "sped" was used as a derogatory term referring to individuals who require "special education", i.e. stupid people, the mentally handicapped, and those with learning disabilities. With fact-finding skills like yours, you should know better than to make sense in a discussion. I'm going to assert a few more things about your character and intentions just in case you missed it the last time.
A few COMMENTS. Wandywope, your personal attacks really offended me. I realize that I insulted your intelligence repeatedly, but your original comment provided me with substantial evidence to make that sort of claim. You insulted my sense of humor (of which you know absolutely nothing) and asserted that I had "pride" in my "thinking like everyone else." I find this second personal attack to be particularly troubling. I did not say anything inherently "proud" and if I did, it would have been a pride in my ability to think UNLIKE you (and occasionally vinylrake): another flaw in your logic dear sir/madam.
CORRECTIONS: I AM funny and I have a sense of humor which is enjoyed not only by myself and my friends but by many people outside my social circles: I have an alter-ego under which I publish writings and art that many people find amusing. I'm certain that other contributors to this site can verify this claim. You ARE incapable of or unwilling to use logic and reason in what might otherwise have been an intelligent discussion or debate.