William M. Briggs

AMO+PDO = Temperature Variation: One Graph Does Not Says It All

Introduction Anthony Watts over at Watts Up With That?---incidentally, a blog title infinitely superior to "William M. Briggs, Statistician"---asked me to comment on Joe D'Aleo and Don Easterbrook's new paper,…

Culture Fun Statistics

Lottery Simulator; Science Reporting; More

Bit busy today, folks. Here's some interesting links. Typo warning level 5. Incredibly Depressing Mega Millions Lottery Simulator! That's the creator's name for it: I find it exhilarating and nicely…

Culture

Predictions of E-Books And Reading Verified?

Just something quick today; I mean written quickly. Typo alert! Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal published "Authors Feel Pinch in Age of E-Books", in which are various observations that appear…

Culture Statistics

How To Guarantee Enthusiastic College Students

I Didn't Do My Homework Apathy is contagious. I discovered this after only two of the forty-five students registered for the statistics class I teach bothered to do their homework…

Book review Culture Statistics

Reading Lyrics by Robert Gottlieb and Robert Kimball

First, thanks, Google. Aren't you all sweethearts. 10100 != F1 + F4 + F6 + F9. Reading Lyrics: More than a thousand of the finest lyrics from 1900 to 1975.…

Culture Fun

USDA Bans Delicacy? Pork Blood Cake Candles Snuffed Out

Continuing our popular theme of pig innards, we focus today on blood, and prove that there is a little vampire in all of us. Yet our bureaucrats seek to disguise…

Fun Statistics

The Mathematics of Boneless Pork Rectums

Ever wonder what's in those delicious dumplings? What gives them that special tang? The flavor that cannot quite be named? Wonder no further! For the secret has been revealed. And…

Fun Statistics

The Sports Illustrated curse and regression to the mean

Due to overwhelming demand, today's column is a classic reprint. This originally appeared on 18 January 2008. The headlines of today's New York Daily News is CURSES! It seems the…

Cary D Cotterman on Happy New Year!January 1, 2026
Happy New Year, Briggs. Keep up the good work.
McChuck on Happy New Year!January 1, 2026
Happy New Year! May your health and finances be stable or improving.
Johnno on Why The Drake Equation FailsJanuary 1, 2026
The Drake Equation, like Da Theory of da Evolution, and Relativity Math-a-Magics with Time-pretzel-balloons, all exist to keep Atheism afloat…
Johnno on How Did We Do In Our 2025 Predictions?December 31, 2025
I was right about the right! Conservative estimating does work! Always aim for mediocrity! The formula for success! Or at…
John Pate on Why The Drake Equation FailsDecember 31, 2025
Seems to me the obvious reason for the state of the world as we see it is that aliens are…

William M. Briggs

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

How To Tell How Much Of “IQ” Is Inherited & How Much Is Environment

Class 74: Contra Effect Sizes

Academic Argues For Permissibility of Cannibalism, You Racist

I Finally Read James Lindsay’s Manifesto (Yes, He Has A Manifesto)

The Biggest Mistake In Science Applied To Universe As Simulation

Class 73: How To Tell If You Have Bad Dice

Academic Proposes Mushrooms To Avoid Compulsory Moral Bioenhancement

The Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Is Wrong: “Guns” are not the leading cause of death in kids

The Perfect Conspiracy Theory

Old Lodge Skins’ Prayer Of Thanksgiving