therandomtexan
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The Poisson mnemonic
“Mnemonic” is mnemonic for the Poisson distribution. I give this a Geek2. Tip from the Endeavor. Read more
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A complaint, answered forthrightly
Today’s G-File pointed me to this jewel of letter writing. I stand in awe. Read more
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Simpson’s Paradox bites Paul Krugman on the ass
Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman makes an undergrad mistake in educational statistics, and Iowahawk takes time out from redneck hotrodding to call him on it, with deadly effect. Best line ever in a statistics post: “Mr. Krugman (please note – I don’t call anyone “Doctor” unless they can write me a prescription for drugs) doesn’t Read more
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Crank up the Enola Gay!
Great view of the cockpit of the famous Hiroshima Bomber. Back in the 20th Century, I–and a half-dozen other young majors–had lunch with General Tibbets. Oh, the stories he had. The first class of the Air Command and Staff College was all field-promoted colonels who’d been lieutenants when the war started. General T. said they’d Read more
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The fix is in, and we’re tired of it
Michael Barone begins to get at the motivation behind middle-class Tea Partiers: The recoil in 2010 against the Obama Democrats’ vast expansion of the size and scope of government seems to have a cultural or a moral dimension as well. It was a vote, as my Washington Examiner colleague Timothy P. Carney wrote last week, Read more
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Birds, bats, and wind farms
Surprise, surprise! Just like in California, flying critters in Texas get whacked by wind turbines. The problem seems to be most worrisome along the Gulf. The wind farm developers are studying the problem–and installing safeguards, but they’re getting nothing but grief from conservationists, who want the developers to make their data public. Those who opposed Read more
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This is gonna be difficult…
…but it suggests a whole different way to teach statistics. Tip from Thnik Again! Read more
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Farookin’ oatmeal
Having no other worthy targets, NY Times foodie Mark Bittman blows the lid off McDonald’s oatmeal. Over 900 people with nothing better to do chime in with recipes, denuciations (of McDonald’s, Bittman, oatmeal, and each other), and the inevitable snob line “I only eat steel-cut oatmeal.” Give me a farookin’ break. It’s a goddamn bowl Read more
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OK, there’s at least one sane teacher in this country
Mike Mazenko’s neighbor had a frozen pipe fixed, for $300. “…current education reform based almost entirely on standardized test scores and college degrees is the wrong direction for Colorado and for the United States.” Tip from Community College Spotlight. Update (26 February). Thomas Benton thinks this is the beginning of a perfect storm in education. Read more
The Random Texan 