The Numbers Guy

Seeking Order in Disorder Data

Carl Bialik — Sat, 25 May 2013 02:24:16 +0000

A recent report on mental disorders among American children sheds light on how many are suffering, and on what we still don't know about prevalence of these conditions.

Tough Math of Victim Funds

Carl Bialik — Sat, 18 May 2013 03:10:36 +0000

Kenneth Feinberg explains his approach to deciding how to distribute funds for victims of tragedies such as the Boston Marathon bombings.

Same-Sex Divorce Stats Lag

Carl Bialik — Sat, 04 May 2013 03:53:14 +0000

As gay-rights advocates push for more states to legalize same-sex marriage, they are also pushing for the right to same-sex divorce. But the stats on this new form of relationship split are lagging.

The Cost of Terror

Carl Bialik — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 00:52:42 +0000

Economists say the long-term cost of the Boston bombings likely is small, but there is plenty of uncertainty attached to that projection, as there is to estimates of the cost of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The Math Errors That Slip Through the Crack

Carl Bialik — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 02:25:46 +0000

The finding that a prominent economics paper was based in part on a spreadsheet coding error highlights the cracks in quality control that can allow such mistakes to slip through.

One Size May Not Fit All in Obesity Definition

Carl Bialik — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 02:27:29 +0000

Samoa Air's decision to charge airfare by passenger weight has highlighted the obesity crisis in Pacific islands -- and some controversy over just how severe the crisis is.

Putting a Price Tag on Film Piracy

Carl Bialik — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 03:42:35 +0000

The movie industry moves away from dated estimates of the economic effects from piracy and toward collaboration with academic researchers seeking natural experiments in the digital-film world.

Calorie Cutters

Carl Bialik — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 03:20:12 +0000

A look at a pledge by food makers to cut 1.5 trillion calories from the food and drink they sell by 2015. Can they do it, and if they can, can it be measured and what impact will it have?

Guns Present Polling Conundrum

Carl Bialik — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 03:30:11 +0000

How many guns, gun owners, and households with guns are there in the U.S.? The answers aren't easy to come by, a mystery pollsters are eager to solve.

The World’s Best Bites

Carl Bialik — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 03:36:36 +0000

An annual attempt rank the world's 50 best restaurants confronts challenges around comped meals, lobbying and balancing the world's regions.