A simple reminder of how hard it is to collect good data

I’m always harping on how your analysis is only as good as the data you have, and it appears as though I’ve found a soul mate.  In trying to collect the most basic of data (the number of steps he walked each day, using a pedometer), this data nut discovered just how hard it is to collect good, reliable data:

http://flowingdata.com/2007/08/13/my-mission-is-to-collect-basic-data/

Reminder: keep your data safe!

I was blown away by the following information from Attrition.org’s Data Loss Archive and Database (featured on Flowingdata.com):

Top 10 data breaches since 2000

Guide to Excel charts

I haven’t had a chance to look through this website thoroughly yet, but on the surface, it looks quite cool:

http://peltiertech.com/WordPress/jons-excel-and-chart-pages/

It is self-described as: “Featuring one of the Internet’s most extensive collections of information, tutorials, tips, and tricks relating to effective and innovative charting in Microsoft Excel, with a few general Excel items as well.”

Walmart takes over the US, one green dot at a time

My friend, Ms. L (a fellow data nut), sent along this wonderful link.  Similar to the power of the gapminder.com software, this dynamic picture maps the US-based growth of Walmart since 1962.   The rapid multiplication of green dots makes it look like a disease spreading across the US… inspires quite a visceral reaction in the viewer.

http://projects.flowingdata.com/walmart/

The reality of “western” diseases

This TED talk challenges conventional wisdom about the “western” predominance of certain diseases.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/249

Data Quality Campaign

I’ve been learning a lot about state and school district-level data systems for work recently, and wanted to post a link to a fascinating survey of state data systems that was conducted by the Data Quality Campaign in 2007.  The DQC is a sorely needed effort in the world of educational data systems – they are working to ensure that all states have data systems in place with 10 essential elements (e.g. unique student and teacher identifiers, which can be linked, etc.).   Check out their data survey (fascinating stuff, and interesting to see how fractured the market of providers is, and which of the 10 essential elements are really lacking in the field!):  www.dataqualitycampaign.org

Welcome to the Data Nut Blog!

Through this blog, I would like to catalogue and share all of the interesting tidbits of data – and clever presentation of this data – that I come across.