A while back I started the group "Math and Statistics Geeks". It was active for some time, but hasn't been in about a year and a half.
Then, over the weekend, I noticed Andrew Lazarus's excellent diary vaccinate yourself against statistical idiocy on the rec list and that gave me the motivation to re-start the group.
Math is a part of being human. It is dreadfully mistaught and misunderstood.
Statistics are vital to understanding all sorts of issues; of particular relevance here are polls, but statistical thinking is involved in climate change, health care, policy review, education reform and many other topics.
I am a statistician for a living and I think it's vital to have an educated electorate. I can't manage that on my own, but at least I can take a shot at an educated bunch of Kossacks. :-)
If you're interested in joining, let me know. If you see diaries that should be republished as part of this group, let me know. If you have questions, let me know.
And I hope we can get the group active again.
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