Posted inBook review Culture
10 Books To Read Before You Die
G.K. Chesterton was asked what book would he most like to have with him on a desert island. Slick as ever, he said, Thomas's Guide to Practical Shipbuilding. And then…
Posted inFun
Newsweek imagines a President Al Gore
Newsweek asks What if Al Gore had won the 2000 election? It provides an alternative oral history with quotes from several journalists as they imagine the Earthly paradise that would…
Posted inStatistics
Health Care Ping Pong Party
From The Hill: House and Senate leaders have formally agreed to bypass a bicameral conference committee to merge two healthcare bills, and have opted to instead "ping-pong" the Senate bill…
Posted inStatistics
Random Samples In Polls Not Needed; Other Common Poll Errors
Pajamas Media---my new pals--conducted, or rather commissioned, their own poll in the Scott Brown-Martha Coakley race. It found, after calling more, but reporting on 946 "likely" voters, Brown ahead by…
Posted inStatistics
How To Use A Poll To Predict Election Winners
The Scott Brown, Martha Coakley race is over. The results are not surprising nor undesirable. This is because anybody who dares call another---close your eyes if you cannot stand foul…
Posted inStatistics
On the Morality of Global Warming Criticism
Paul Krugman, a columnist for the New York Times and winner of a prestigious banking prize (usually mistakenly called a "Nobel"), has said that those who criticize theories of global…
Posted inStatistics
73.2% of Likely Voters Believe Poll Results
Pollster: Who will you vote for? Civilian: Oh, I don't know; that guy, the tall one. Pollster: I'll put you down for Obama. The elections in Iowa are over and…
Posted inStatistics
How much does winning Iowa and New Hampshire help?
On the earlier poll thread, a reader asked "What's your opinion about the statistical summary of past results of Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primaries?" pointing out data from Neatorama.com.…
