Statistics – Page 164 – William M. Briggs

Why Decision Analysis Isn’t Straightforward

Vast subject, decision analysis, but we can get a grip on a corner of it if we consider the simplest of problems, the do-don't do, yes-no, gonna happen-ain't gonna happen,…

Statistics

You Need To Beat More Than Just The Odds

Note: this is a sketch of a talk I gave yesterday at a conference filled with computer programmers, network and software engineers. This is Las Vegas, the land of magic.…

Statistics

Two Common Statistical Fallacies

Here are two fun fallacies, excerpted from a paper I wrote a couple of years ago in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons. For more on this sort of…

Statistics

Real Versus Statistical Control

The ideal experiment is one in which control is exerted over all aspects of an environment. We desire to measure an outcome; for ease suppose this is a simple number.…

Book review Statistics

Don’t Be Uncertain: Buy Uncertainty!

The Restoration has begun! Participate by buying Uncertainty: The Soul of Modeling, Probability & Statistics. Money spent wisely I do not say revolution, but Restoration. It is past time to…

Statistics

A Simple (But Not Short) Stats Question

From reader JH: Thank you again for taking the time to write your blog. It is exceptionally thought-provoking. My job involves much of the six sigma "capability" studies and such.…

Statistics

To Undergo Chemotherapy Or Not

Headline: "How I used math to conquer my cancer" by Michael Kaplan. Gist: fellow named Reitzen, 45, discovered he had kidney cancer. "The doctor came up to my house and…

Fun Statistics

Thoughts On One-Time Pads For Cell Phones

Best short description of one-time pads (OTPs) is from Jason Matthews, who is describing their use in the heyday of the cold war in the book Strangers on a Bridge…

Brian (bulaoren) on Class 99: Entropy Part IOctober 31, 2026
During the summer of 1977, I was living with a woman who had a 2 year old daughter. My brother,…
Ultrarightist on Book Update: Launch DateOctober 29, 2026
Briggs, Thanks for the reply and the information. That is unfortunate. Hardbacks aren't made like they used to be, and…
McChuck on Class 99: Entropy Part IOctober 29, 2026
Entropy is described as a numerical rating of chaos. This is more confusing than not, and a poor descriptor, even…
Briggs on Book Update: Launch DateOctober 28, 2026
Ultrarightist, Apparently not: They use case laminate (also called adhesive case binding or image-wrap) construction: The page block is glued…
Cary Cotterman on Book Update: Launch DateOctober 28, 2026
Most book stores have a rack where employees put new books they've read, accompanied by short, usually hand-written reviews. It's…