by david allan van nostrand | Dec 31, 2018 | Items in the News, Voodoo Statistics
Newspapers everywhere have picked up the Associated Press story on predictions of 2 million people in Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Who is behind that forecast? In The Curious Science of Counting a Crowd, Rob Goodier says “when turnout implies clout, politicians and...
by david allan van nostrand | Dec 24, 2018 | Items in the News, Surveys, The Myopia of Experts
Purpose-driven brands take stands on issues linked to human or planetary betterment. Instead of merely touting their products, they talk about social and environmental impact. Forbes says when brand owners add purpose to the equation, they are seeking a deeper...
by david allan van nostrand | Dec 17, 2018 | Fads, Items in the News
Fox News Network’s Alexandra Deabler says the canned tuna industry is in decline because younger generations want their foods trendier and less-processed. Andy Mecs, VP of Marketing for Star-Kist, takes that explanation a step further, saying “A lot of millennials...
by david allan van nostrand | Dec 10, 2018 | Artificial Intelligence, Human Behavior, Items in the News, Surveys
Millions of Americans have used online dating services. These days one in five romantic relationships begin online. What was once considered the act of a desperate loser is now seen by three out of four InterWeb users to be a practical and efficient way to meet...
by david allan van nostrand | Dec 3, 2018 | Constant Contact, Items in the News, Unintended Consequences
Nearly half of American smartphone owners say they can’t live without it. I guess not, when on average, Americans check theirs 85 times a day. Everyone* knows that using smartphones is a distraction. But few know that even when we turn them off, they continue to...
