StatOps

We just added a new section on book reviews! We've read numerous books on statistics, probability and associated subjects in our time, and we have a thing or two to say about them. The first book we are going to review is, in our opinion, the best high school statistics text anywhere. It comes highly recommended for its ease of understanding and its breadth of topics. Stay tuned.

Do tarot cards work? I was introduced to this site on tarot cards, which says that tarot cards are as effective as any psychic practice. And I couldn't agree more. Psychics all have about the same rate of success, which is no different than blind chance. How do we test things like this?

There are many important things to remember when it comes to testing claims of psychics and mediums, although the tips provided here can apply more generally to different types of claims. Here is the list:

1. Double blind the test.

We proudly present the best statistics-oriented store anywhere: our new StatOps Store, powered by Amazon. We specialize only in statistics (including probability) and information science books and software. All products we feature have been used by us personally in the past and we whole-heartedly recommend them. You will find some of the best books, such as Ross's introductory probability text and Rice's statistical theory text.

We participate in the Amazon Associates Program, and you can count on them for security and reliability when you purchase from our store there!

Here are ten common statistics mistakes and errors. No advanced knowledge required to understand them!

1. Addition Rule for Probability
If the chance of contracting HIV from one exposure is 1 in 500, then if someone has been exposed to HIV 500 times, he will have HIV with 100% probability, correct? Right, and if he has 1000 exposures, he will have HIV with 200% probability. That was what one journalist implied with her article on HIV during the 1980's. Don't be her.

2. Precision and Accuracy

My setup: I use a BlackBerry Pearl on T-Mobile in the USA. All this method requires is that whatever account you want to push be able to forward email.

1) Sign up for a Gmail account. Gmail will push email to your BlackBerry.
2) In Gmail under settings, go into Accounts. Click Add another email address. Fill out your info for the account you want to push. Gmail will send an email to that account with a link you'll need to click. After you click that link, you'll want to set that account as the default and select always reply from my default address.
3) Now set up your old account to forward to your Gmail address.