Unemployment by numberSome fascinating — yet depressing — statistics on US unemployment. Only 21% of people who were unemployed last August were employed by this March, while it can take up to 200 days to hire a federal employee.
Statistics
Nate Silver projects the Vancouver Olympics medal count
Psepho Nate Silver compiles betting odds and pundits’ predictions to project the winners (and losers) for the Winter Olympics. According to his figures, Australia should pick up a couple.
Video of the Day: If Australia was a village
Primary school kids explain what Australia would look like if it was a village of just 100 people. Adorable and informative.
Newspoll: Is this just a freak result?
The seven-point change in the latest Newspoll is a massive shift — has voter sentiment really been affected that much by the asylum seeker issue, or is this just a statistical anomaly? Possum Comitatus investigates.
Why the supermarket express lane isn’t always the fastest
It’s called “express”, everyone in it has eight items or fewer, yet every other line is powering ahead of you. Why? Dan Meyer explains, using the power of maths.
Google launches Internet Stat Center
Google has quietly launched a neat new resource: Google Internet Stats, which aggregates interesting facts and stats about Internet trends and usage. Great for newshounds and the just plain nosy.
Suicide: the silent epidemic
Suicides rates in Australia have been miscalculated by up to 30% and has not decreased in the last decade. Repeated systematic failures of the mental health system are blamed for the figures, writes Ruth Pollard.
In defence of statistics
Journalists, academics and politicians in England have joined forces in an offensive against bent stats. Straight Statistics wants to boost public confidence in data, by lampooning those who misuse it.
Do NBA players try harder when the stakes are higher?
Slate use the power of maths to answer the question: Do NBA players put in more effort during the playoffs?
Asylum seekers, the facts in figures
Crunching the numbers on asylum seekers worldwide helps put the number of recent refugee boats in Australian waters into perspective.
The productive person’s guide to Google search
Busy and powerful people, be assured, spend many fruitful hours in the company of emerging media. Often, they will be so engaged with the marvel of the interwebs, they may neglect to amend their undergarments or, indeed, do any actual work, writes Helen Razer.
