Carl Stone is dead...
mcb...@vax.oxford.ac.uk
I just heard the tragic news that Professor Carl Stone of the University of the
West Indies has died of cancer.
For those of you who don't know Carl Stone was a respected Social Sciences
professor who was noted for his political analysis and commentary in Jamaica.
His polling methods became legendary in Jamaica, where he was able to predict
to within a single percentage point electoral margins at time.
This in his later years caused losing political parties to blame Carl Stone for
influencing the electorate, such was the aura of invincibility surrounding his
predictions.
I for one will miss his incisive and thoughtful commentaries on the political
and social scene in Jamaica. I could think of one or two riff-raff politicians
who xould have gotten cancer instead (a spiteful thought I know)
I leave others more au fait with his academic worth to comment. he was
apparently given the Order of Merit by the Jamaican Government a week before he
died.
McBean
Fragano Ledgister
>27/2/93
>
>I just heard the tragic news that Professor Carl Stone of the University of the
>West Indies has died of cancer.
Tragic is precisely the word.
>
>For those of you who don't know Carl Stone was a respected Social Sciences
>professor who was noted for his political analysis and commentary in Jamaica.
>His polling methods became legendary in Jamaica, where he was able to predict
>to within a single percentage point electoral margins at time.
He was a little more modest than this. He claimed a 3 percent margin
of error, even though his polls came within 2 percent of the
results.
>
>This in his later years caused losing political parties to blame Carl Stone for
>influencing the electorate, such was the aura of invincibility surrounding his
>predictions.
Depends what you mean by his later years: the JLP cussed him out in
'76, the PNP in '80, the WPJ just before the '81 municipal
elections, and of course the JLP in '89.
>
>I for one will miss his incisive and thoughtful commentaries on the political
>and social scene in Jamaica. I could think of one or two riff-raff politicians
>who xould have gotten cancer instead (a spiteful thought I know)
Any of them have a first name as a surname?
>
>I leave others more au fait with his academic worth to comment. he was
>apparently given the Order of Merit by the Jamaican Government a week before he
>died.
>
>McBean
I'll do my best.
Carl was the first person to apply statistical techniques -- both
polling and analysis -- to the Jamaican electoral process. His work
is fundamental to understanding the evolution of Jamaican politics
and the nature of Jamaican democracy in the years since
independence.
All research on Jamaican politics, including my own, is deeply
indebted to Carl, who was often 'there first' as they say. Indeed,
anyone who studies the evolution of the contemporary Caribbean
(which, by the way, is my own project) will find that s/he owes a
great deal to Carl's pioneering work.
Carl's intellectual production was enormous. How he managed to
teach, carry out polls for the Gleaner, write his column, and still
do research and publish his work amazes me.
I am deeply sorry he's gone.
--
Dawn over the dark sea brings on the sun;
She leans across the hilltop: see, the light!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
fled...@weber.ucsd.edu
mcb...@vax.oxford.ac.uk
> In article <1993Feb28.0...@vax.oxford.ac.uk> mcb...@vax.oxford.ac.uk writes:
>>27/2/93
>>
>>I just heard the tragic news that Professor Carl Stone of the University of the
>>West Indies has died of cancer.
>
> Tragic is precisely the word.
>
>>
>>For those of you who don't know Carl Stone was a respected Social Sciences
>>professor who was noted for his political analysis and commentary in Jamaica.
>>His polling methods became legendary in Jamaica, where he was able to predict
>>to within a single percentage point electoral margins at time.
>
> He was a little more modest than this. He claimed a 3 percent margin
> of error, even though his polls came within 2 percent of the
> results.
I wasn't ascribing this claim to him, it's just what his predictions for the
last three general elections actually were.. spot on.
>
>>
>>This in his later years caused losing political parties to blame Carl Stone for
>>influencing the electorate, such was the aura of invincibility surrounding his
>>predictions.
>
> Depends what you mean by his later years: the JLP cussed him out in
> '76, the PNP in '80, the WPJ just before the '81 municipal
> elections, and of course the JLP in '89.
I meant the last ten or so years (which we never realised were his last). He
was alternately presented as a socialist or labourite depending on who he did
not predict as a winner.
>
>>
>>I for one will miss his incisive and thoughtful commentaries on the political
>>and social scene in Jamaica. I could think of one or two riff-raff politicians
>>who xould have gotten cancer instead (a spiteful thought I know)
>
> Any of them have a first name as a surname?
Don't be mischievous Fragano:-). Let's just say that if a bomb went off at a
full sitting of the houses of parliament, other than my condolences to the
families concerned on a personal level, the country would not miss much by way
of a skills or leadership vacuum.
It is more than a sad reflection on the political parties that their
war-mongering and victimising attitudes discourage, no make that prevent the
person of average intelligence from stepping forward to join their party. Add
to that their strong arm tactics to try and stifle any new oppostion to their
two party hold on the political scene and you can understand my collective
contempt for these pack of jokers. If I sound harsh it's because the death of
Carl Stone brings to mind the number of talented and honest people marginalised
within these parties. Who will replace Carl Stone to publicly critique these
idiots?
>
>
>>
>>I leave others more au fait with his academic worth to comment. he was
>>apparently given the Order of Merit by the Jamaican Government a week before he
>>died.
>>
>>McBean
>
> I'll do my best.
>
> Carl was the first person to apply statistical techniques -- both
> polling and analysis -- to the Jamaican electoral process. His work
> is fundamental to understanding the evolution of Jamaican politics
> and the nature of Jamaican democracy in the years since
> independence.
>
> All research on Jamaican politics, including my own, is deeply
> indebted to Carl, who was often 'there first' as they say. Indeed,
> anyone who studies the evolution of the contemporary Caribbean
> (which, by the way, is my own project) will find that s/he owes a
> great deal to Carl's pioneering work.
>
> Carl's intellectual production was enormous. How he managed to
> teach, carry out polls for the Gleaner, write his column, and still
> do research and publish his work amazes me.
Amazing indeed. Now we are left with Dawn Ritch and Morris Cargill as "leading
columnists" for the Gleaner, so the main columnist page can now formally
degenerate into the comedy section.