An anecdote and a statistical analysis walk into a bar
The bar is dark and dingy, well-used, with a bit of danger in the air. The sort of bar that wouldn’t be out of place in a Clint Eastwood movie.
The anecdote has been through a lot. There’s the drama with his family, sure, but also the fight he had with his boss today. He needs this job, what with the payments coming due on the house, not to mention his gambling debts…
A guy walks up to the anecdote and taps him on the shoulder. A bad move at any time, but today, it’s particularly ill-advised. Putting down his beer, the anecdote turns, in a rage, about to punch the stranger in the face.
At the last moment, fist poised to strike out, the anecdote stops. This stranger–he seems somehow familiar. Could it be? Is it his long-lost brother?
The valid statistical analysis, the one that’s correct, useful but hard to believe if you haven’t been trained in statistics? He’s in the corner, being ignored.
The most effective statisticians are the ones who aren’t afraid to tell a story. Because anecdotes are the way we navigate the world.
…
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Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan approved Monday to send an additional 320 military troops to the southern border to provide humanitarian support. 
Houston Texans star receiver DeAndre Hopkins' mother, Sabrina Greenlee, will have her life story told in a new movie. 
The Atlanta Falcons released veteran offensive guard Brandon Fusco after one season, the team announced Monday. 
Markets have rapidly expanded in North Korea but working on the boundaries of the regime's laws is a high-risk business, a group of women defectors said Monday. 
Houston Rockets point guard Chris Paul was fined $35,000 for making contact with a referee in Game 1 against the Golden State Warriors, the NBA announced. 
The New England Patriots are trading tight end Jacob Hollister to the Seattle Seahawks, the team announced Monday. 
San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich said that he is negotiating a new deal with the Spurs after his contract expired at the end of this season. 
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump on Monday. 
Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said Monday that pilots did not "completely" follow the company's procedures in two crashes involving its 737 Max airliner. 
Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, Broadway legend Carol Channing and retired U.S. Rep. John Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress, are among the famous people who have died in 2019. 
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Marchers celebrate the LGBT community at the "Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2019" in Tokyo on April 28, 2019. 
The Xvivo Perfusion System has been approved by the FDA to help doctors determine whether lungs are suitable for transplant, the agency said. 
The Carolina Panthers added some punch to their backfield Monday by signing undrafted rookie free agent Elijah Holyfield. 
Federal officials arrested a U.S. Army veteran suspected of planning to detonate multiple improvised explosive devices throughout Southern California, law enforcement sources said Monday. 
An international team of astronomers has identified the ancient remains of a nova inside a galactic globular cluster. 
Texas-based Firefly Aerospace said Monday it successfully test-fired the second stage of its Firefly Alpha rocket. 
"Game of Thrones" creator George R.R. Martin was not a fan one of the New York Giants' first round picks in the 2019 NFL Draft. 
A St. Louis police officer pleaded not guilty Monday to charges he killed a fellow off-duty officer during a Russian roulette-style game earlier this year. 
The Baylor University women's basketball became the first female championship team to visit President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. 
A loose pig in an Illinois town has been evading capture for months and has become an unofficial local mascot dubbed "Porkchop." 
The NBA announced three incorrect calls in the final minutes of the Golden State Warriors' win against the Houston Rockets, including one against Stephen Curry. 
An Australian family had to call for a reptile catcher when their barbecue plans were interrupted by a python in the gas grill. 
Southern hard rock band Molly Hatchet announced on social media that lead singer Phil McCormack has died. 
Passengers on a Boston commuter train came to the rescue of a baby squirrel that wandered on board right before it departed a station. 
