William M. Briggs

The Second & Third Most Depressing Graphs: The Encroachment Of Government

Update This stays top for today because we're still waiting for some regulars to chime in and because I'm busy. Here is federal government spending as a fraction of the…

Culture Statistics

The Most Depressing Graph: Per Capita Federal Spending Rises Alarmingly: Update

There is no more saddening picture of the progress of government than this one (the second & third most depressing graphs are here): This is the amount of money the…

Fun Statistics

Best Movie Oscar Prediction Via Statistical Modeling: Update, The Model Wins

Update I humbly accept your congratulations. Argo will win Oscar for Best Picture, according to our non-patented, statistically significant almost-mathematical computer model. The key reasons for its victory will be:…

Fun Statistics

Science Proves Farting On Airplanes, Exposing Buttocks To Sun Healthy

According to the latest in medical science, I sat next or near to an exceptionally healthy individual on my last flight. My keen olfactory senses alerted me that a fellow…

Fun

Global warming causes prostitution!

Update Moved up to allow comments. Originally posted November 2009. The Beaujolais nouveau (just got in my case for this year) shot out my nose when I saw this, the…

Book review Philosophy

Against Autonomy: Justifying Coercive Paternalism

Note: I do not own the book discussed below. I refuse to pay for it (it's $95!). If any well-off reader has a copy he would like to donate, then…

Culture

David Daley, Salon Executive Editor, Is A Racist

David Daley is a racist. A racist judges people based on their race. Racism is loathsome. It is vile. Daley, the exceedingly white executive editor of Salon magazine, judges people…

Philosophy Statistics

The Philosophy of Data

Writes David Brooks (from whom I filched the title): [T]he rising philosophy of the day...is data-ism. We now have the ability to gather huge amounts of data. This ability seems…

R W Pearson on The HR Trilemma: Which Door Decides Your Fate?May 12, 2026
This is easy, go in the door he came out. Worse case only one young scold to give you a…
Mocheirge on The HR Trilemma: Which Door Decides Your Fate?May 12, 2026
I asked an AI, and it had the same answer as me but with silly Bayes equations. Then out of…
Johnno on Capital Punishment Deters Crime More Than The Death PenaltyMay 12, 2026
We should make it a law that whenever a criminal is sentened to death, that the only method to delay…
Mocheirge on The HR Trilemma: Which Door Decides Your Fate?May 12, 2026
Definitely pick the door that the Boomer just left. There are three Boomers, so the probability that the one you…
Cary D Cotterman on The HR Trilemma: Which Door Decides Your Fate?May 12, 2026
I don't know or have the patience for the math, or whatever it takes, to do this right. I figure…

William M. Briggs

The HR Trilemma: Which Door Decides Your Fate?

Capital Punishment Deters Crime More Than The Death Penalty

How Experts Use “Calamities” to Find Official Victims & Gain Power

Richard Dawkins, The Big Muscles Fallacy & AI Pachinko

Class 88: The Most Neglected Concept: Skill

The Red-Blue Button Dilemma & Its Surprising Answer

UFO Reports About To Blast Off!

Class 87: Calibration & Conformal Prediction: Examples

Noticing Differences Between Races Does Not Pay

What Are The Chances Of All These Scientists Dying, Killed, Or Going Missing?

Class 86: Calibration & Conformal Prediction: Theory

How A Miracle Turns Mundane

Contest Winner Announced!

Trump’s Last Stand: Mea Culpa, Redux — Guest Post by Ianto Watt

Class 85: Proper Scores of Model Goodness

Proof!

Justice Ketanji Roars

Iran Has Caught Covid: A Reason For The War

Class 84: Most Important Measure of Model Goodness

There Is No Solution To Crashing Fertility: Good Times Made Soft Men

Did The Pope Really Say Health Is A “Right”?