Actual post about sociology/statistics*

I am annoyed. I keep reading article after article where people do statistical (usually regression) analysis with, what seems to me, no regard for cell size. I have been trying to get a paper published, and people have pointed out to me issues of cell size in my analysis (granted, I am working with a very small data set, so I get it. It's an issue more than it would be for those using larger datasets.) This experience has made me VERY CAREFUL in all my other work about cell size. What I mean by cell size is that (for those of you who don't know but have continued to read this far for some reason), when you look across all of your variables, particularly your dummies, you don't want to have instances in which you have only one or two (or a few) cases representing a particular group. For example, let's say you are examining different ethnic groups by generation. You might enter into your analysis a set of variables representing each ethnic group and and a set of variable representing each generational status (1st, 2nd, 3rd+). Except wait! Ethnic group membership and generational status are highly associated. And, in fact, in this one paper I am reading right now, there are NO people of Asian origin in the 3rd and later generation, and yet, the dude includes variables for different Asian origin groups and for generational status the omitted category is 3rd+ generation. Isn't that a problem? What the heck?

In other news...Eli LOVES making a liar out of me and is being SO GOOD lately. I mean, he still has his moments, but he has been less cranky in general. Also, he has smiled AND giggled for the Y babysitters. He has apparently impressed them so much that they've taken pictures of him for possible inclusion in a Y brochure. So the kid who got me kicked out of that place 3-4 times may now be advertising for them. I knew his baby modeling career would start somehow. I am expecting him to pay the bills. I mean, come on, if someone is going to do it with their looks in this family, it's got to be him...though we are rather attractive...(don't mind the date on the picture, we have not been traveling through time. No clue how my in-laws camera decided that was the correct date.)



So the latest on the job market...just had a phone interview at the school that's not in the awesome location...If they offer me an in-person interview, I'm going to have to say no. It seems like a nice school, but I don't think there'll be other Jews around for 100 + miles.

* I'm sorry.