Greenland holds parliamentary elections these days. Ample opportunities for a statistical mind to wonder if the world has gone mad. Being on the cusp of retiring from about 10 years in the political circus I do know well that the object of desire is not truth, but votes. I know that if a large enough segment of potential voters has a firm belief, it is risky to estrange them with facts.
Continue reading “Nuclear power and whale-hunting: The power of irrational thinking”Month: March 2021
Data Engineers and Data Scientists in Statistics Education: University programs and teamwork
Are “data scientist” and “data engineer” different titles for someone doing the same type of work? Or do they present two different attitudes toward solving the same problems? Since data science has become a buzzword, internet discussions like this one have not stopped. Recently, several bloggers used “Data Engineers versus Data Scientists” as titles for their articles to express their views on these “terminologies” or “professions.”
Continue reading “Data Engineers and Data Scientists in Statistics Education: University programs and teamwork”Data for whom? Being mindful of racial disparities
As the United States makes progress towards a state of “normality,” the country has set an incredible pace for vaccine production and distribution. But what information is lost in the big picture?
Continue reading “Data for whom? Being mindful of racial disparities”Missing the evidence
A story in the Guardian on February 28 is headlined Pfizer vaccine may be less effective in people with obesity, says study. As the story says, the ‘study’ in question is a preprint. That’s not necessarily a problem; preprints have been a valuable source of up-to-date information during the Covid pandemic, at least when used with care.
Continue reading “Missing the evidence”How to save yourself using a bit of logic and statistics
Logical versus emotional motives. Perceptions versus observed numbers. We are always facing a fight between two sides of the same coin. When we feel anxious, scared, or worried, we look for certainty. Several examples arise in day-life activities.
Continue reading “How to save yourself using a bit of logic and statistics”