William M. Briggs

On UFOs, Salt Intake, And Heart Disease

Michael "State of Fear" Crichton once proposed that UFOs were responsible for global warming. Why not? After all, something caused that record amount of snow in Detroit yesterday. Don't get…

Culture Statistics

Government Per Capita Spending: Up, Up, And Away! Or, Happy Tax Day!

Here it is, folks. Right from WhiteHouse.gov. The amount of Federal Government spending per capita from 1901 to the present and projected out to 2019. Population projections were taken from…

Philosophy Statistics

The Hot Hand: Statistical Fluke Or Genuine Article?

I'll save you hunting through the text. It's a real thing. If you want to know why, read on. If not, you just tell 'em W.M. Briggs sez so, which…

Statistics

Truth: Logic of Probability and Statistics

Here, as promised, is rough, incomplete, outline-only, not-yet-finished, gist-only version of Chapter 1, Truth, for the book tentatively titled The Philosophy of Probability and Statistics (I'm also toying with The…

Philosophy Statistics

The Somebody-Might-Get-Hurt! Fallacy

Word is our beneficent government, which loves us and would not see us fall into harm, is working on a design for a system of chains to anchor both citizens…

Culture

How Teachers Learn To Identify Weapons From Non-Weapons

Yet another "educator" has confused the difference between a weapon and the fantasy of one. A 13-year-old boy from New Jersey was suspended from school for two days last week…

Culture

Lawyer Argues We Should Ignore Inconvenient Laws

Ilya Somin calls himself a lawyer, and he probably is one, too. Therefore what he says about the law must be right. Convinced by Somin's arguments, I will later this…

Culture

Science for the State; Or, Lysenko Lives

Jim Fedako (who wrote this piece; send him email) is a business analyst and homeschooling father of seven who lives in Lewis Center, OH. It sometimes seems that every regime…

Hagfish Bagpipe on What A WinterJanuary 22, 2026
Briggs, that sounds just dandy. You have important and challenging work to do. Work that rewards creative solutions and physical…
Briggs on What A WinterJanuary 21, 2026
McChuck, That lieutenant must be at least a congressman by now.
McChuck on What A WinterJanuary 21, 2026
I remember the multiple blizzards of the 1970's. I had to be outside on guard patrol all night in -40…
Cary D Cotterman on What A WinterJanuary 20, 2026
There's always something busting on a house or a car, and mean weather doesn't help. The joy of home and…
shawn marshall on What A WinterJanuary 20, 2026
c'mon global warming!

William M. Briggs

What A Winter

FDA Goes Bayes: It Should Have Gone Probability

Class 76: That’s Not Noise. That’s Signal!

AI: The Earth Is Spinning Faster & Slower (Because “Climate Change”)

Confirmation Bias In The Minneapolis Shooting

Sports Betting Is An Excellent Way To Lose Money

Class 75: A Gentle Introduction To Time Series

The Consent Fallacy

On Laws Banning Hacking Women’s Genitals & Imposing Beliefs

Register Your Predictions For 2026!

Happy New Year!

How Did We Do In Our 2025 Predictions?

Why The Drake Equation Fails

Canada Invents New Euphemism For Doctor Killings

Merry Christmas!

Complete List Of All Moral & Ethical Questions Answered By Science

Why British & EU Rulers Are Juicing War With Russia

Climate Models

Is Powerball A “Fair Game”?

No Class: But Here’s Some Homework

On The Form Of Species: ‘Dance To The Tune Of Life’ by Denis Noble Reviewed

What A Winter

FDA Goes Bayes: It Should Have Gone Probability

On UFOs, Salt Intake, And Heart Disease

Government Per Capita Spending: Up, Up, And Away! Or, Happy Tax Day!

The Hot Hand: Statistical Fluke Or Genuine Article?

Truth: Logic of Probability and Statistics

The Somebody-Might-Get-Hurt! Fallacy

How Teachers Learn To Identify Weapons From Non-Weapons

Lawyer Argues We Should Ignore Inconvenient Laws

Science for the State; Or, Lysenko Lives

There Is No Culture Without Inequality: Stove 1

Impose Your Beliefs Before They Impose Theirs

Telekinesis: Ideas In Our Reenchantment & Rectification

The Physics Of Blessings: Ideas In Our Reenchantment & Rectification