On The 1%

Or more specifically, with respect to their children:

"Anyone who grows up from childhood with unearned distinctions is bound to become conceited and self-congratulatory about them, this being the worst sort of pride. . . ."

-John Stuart Mill

X'ers and Millenials

After posting the very amusing "Gen X says" a few days ago, I learn that Gen X'ers are apparently happy people (?), and am also reminded that we X'ers have quite a lot in common with the Millenials. At the end of the day, however much their sense of entitlement might annoy me, I think Amanda Marcotte is right: the Millenials are our little brothers and sisters. They've got our backs in what matters. I would like to go one step further than she did, though, and argue that as we're a little older and more experienced, we should take that status seriously and actually lead them. After all, we've got more money and are old enough to run for public office.

Ordinary Muslim Man

Check it out.

The jokes get a bit repetitive after a while, but still, hilarious. A lot of them would make fantastic t-shirts.

Generation X Speaks

Here.

(h/t)

Never Again!

My background in statistics isn't as strong as it should be. As a consequence I tend to be very insecure when working on quantitative projects, doing a lot of research and trying to figure out what assumptions I might be violating and how to fix them. When I really feel out of my depth I've taken to going to university-sponsored statistical consulting centers, hoping they'd be able to a) understand my problem, and b) propose a workable solution.

Unfortunately, not once has one of these centers been very helpful. I walk away each time persuaded that these grad students know less about statistics than I do. Today was the worst example. I'm trying to compare logistic regression coefficients across groups and know for a fact that you can't use t-tests for reasons I won't go into. When I met with said grad student he told me to use....t-tests.

So this is the last time I'm going to a stats consulting center. However spotty my statistics training is, at least I know when I don't know something.

Music

It's been a long time since a band made me remember what it's like to really care about pop music. I don't care how hipster they are - I love this group. When I play one of their albums I feel like I'm communing directly with my 17-year-old self.

Hmm. Maybe that's not a good thing.