Special Weekend Post: Math Under Attack!

Hey Champions, I'm taking time away from my precious weekend napping to address the avalanche of criticism against numerical mathematics. Earlier this week I posted a detailed scientific study on the costs of eating at home vs. eating at TB, concluding that Taco Bell is at least $0.33 cheaper per meal. I guess a few of you disagree. (My assumption is that--like Stella Artois--you believe that perfection has its price.)

Well, sirs, in the famous words of Daniel Patrick Moynihan, "You are entitled to your own opinions, but you are not entitled to your own facts."

One respondent said:
You neglect to include the time invested in going out to the closest Taco Bell, waiting in line and returning home (Which is easily 15 minutes itself if not more) additionally the cost of Gas.

A simple thought experiment shows this objection to be ludicrous. The food you prepare for yourself doesn't magically appear in your kitchen. You go out to the closest grocery store, wait in line and return home. That process sounds familiar--oh yeah, because that's this dude's criticism of my formula!!! But guess what, when you drive home from the grocery store, your car has heavy groceries, making those gas costs higher than when you go to TB. Thanks for identifying yet another way Taco Bell is cheaper than eating at home. SNAP!!!!!

Another respondent said:
[If someone ate Taco Bell every day] they'd be really fat.

I guess I assumed everyone exercises as much as I do. Because I just won the fucking New York City Marathon. DOUBLE SNAP!!!!!!

Finally, huge thanks to my heroes at the Official Freakonomics Website for sending a shout-out to the Champion. Like the Associated Press and editors at epicurious.com, they're now among the heavy-weights who've joined our Revolution.

Here's me, winning the marathon: