Let’s look back on the year that was 2023 at STUMP: growth in subscriptions, my top four posts from 2023, my spin-off substack in sumo statistics, and some Catholic recommendations for the new year.
Episode Links
STUMP growth
(hmmm, kind of oxymoronic)
That vertical leap in midyear is thanks to the substack network. I did not do any promotional drive myself.
Top 4 Posts
1. Top Causes of Death by Age Group, 2021: Finalized U.S. Stats
2. Geeking Out: Replicating Nate Silver's COVID & Partisanship "Work"
Anyway, of all the things people hold against Nate Silver, the thing I hold against him is this sloppy kind of approach to modeling, but seriously, I don’t even know why anybody is going to political affiliation if you can JUST GO TO VAX STATUS TO BEGIN WITH!
Isn’t that supposed to be what this argument is about? That those stupid Republicans aren’t vaccinated and thus dying of COVID? If you had the vax info, just start with that!
And why are all these people allergic to drawing graphs? There are plenty of free options if you are so cheap you can’t afford the Excel license (jeez, I mean.. what?)
3. Who will bail out Chicago?
Chicago is deep in debt.
As the Little Red Hen might ask: Who Will Help Chicago Get Out Of That Hole?
I am not going to make the mistake of Meredith Whitney — Chicago, for now, has cash flow, which to politicians means it’s not bankrupt!
Anybody who looks at Truth in Accounting’s 2023 Financial State of the Cities, seeing Chicago sitting at number 74 out of 75 [and yeah, I know NYC is sitting at 75 - I will treat with NYC in time], could say: “Oh, but that’s just a balance sheet! All those debts aren’t due all at once!”
But the problem is this: unlike with NYC, Chicago’s largest debt is unfunded pensions. And that debt just keeps getting larger.
4. Deaths from Heat and Cold: Deception and Update for U.S. 1999-2022
Sumo Spin-Off
Insurance Collaboration to Save Lives
Catholic Recommendations
The Pillar — Catholic Journalism
Examples from The Pillar:
Meet Mr. Mincione - very long interview with one of the people recently convicted in the Vatican financial scandal (before convicted & sentenced).
Where in the world are permanent deacons? - an example of one of their data-driven pieces:
Is it still Christmas? The octave, the 12 days, and what you need to know - an example of one of their explainers. In this case - the Christmas octave vs. the 12 Days of Christmas
(I joke that the Christmas decorations don’t come down until Candelmas …. but that’s because I like the lights… and I’m lazy)
For a little extra, here’s me & my son Diarmuid singing the 12 Days of Christmas in 2018:
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