When I shared a status update a few months ago that I would spend my Sunday morning "trying to solve an asymmetric prize-collecting traveling salesman problem with uncertain data and side constraints" my colleagues knew that I wouldn't be working. Instead, I would spend my morning at an orienteering event,
The South East SAS Users Group meeting wound up yesterday. The 25th anniversary conference was held on SAS Campus and it provided a great opportunity to meet with many enthusiastic SAS users and attend many informative presentations. More on this in a follow-up article. During one of these presentations, Mary
The previous post on Multiple Blank Categories showed how to include multiple blank categories on the axis. But, given the purpose for this was to separate different segments in the data, I also included ideas on how to segmented a discrete axis using reference lines or Block Plot. A similar idea
My father introduced me to Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor when I was 10… in a figurative sense. Dad loved musicals and Singin’ In The Rain became one of my favorites. I was obsessed with their tap dance to Moses Supposes and practiced every day after school until I ‘got
In growing areas such as the Research Triangle Park, there is always the tough decision between developing land for business, or keeping it natural for parks and recreation. SAS is fortunate to have the great hiking trails at Umstead Park just across the road to the north - it's the
My sons were amazing sleepers...as babies. Around age 2.5, mutiny ensued. My eldest endured the wild combination of potty training, a new baby brother, transitioning into a "big boy" bed, and a beautiful developing imagination. While the youngest didn’t have the new baby to taunt his sleep, he did get
Off and on, users have expressed the need to include multiple blank categories on a discrete axis. Often, this is desirable to separate groups of bars (or categories) in a graph due to some difference their definition. Such a case was discussed in this blog article on using non breaking
ODS Graphics procedures primarily strive towards the following goal: "Make simple graphs easy and complex graphs possible". SGPLOT procedure allows you create simple graphs with a single plot statement, and create complex graphs by layering together or combining multiple plot statements. Generally, the appearance follows the guidelines set by industry
I recently took a trip to Scotland, to attend the Highland Games! (ok - that statement might be a tiny bit misleading) It was a very cool and interesting event, and I wondered where and when other such events might be happening. What better way to analyze this kind of
I have a busy life. Did I sign up for it? You bet! Now I’m trying to balance it all and do it well. I’m a mom first and foremost. Being a parent is the most important job someone can take on. Raising the next generation is no easy task
It's as easy as walking, right? Well, give it a try. October’s move of the month is the “Farmer’s” Carry. It is a SUPER-simple, full body, traveling exercise. It incorporates core stabilization and a familiar daily activity - walking. All you have to do is walk + carry something...preferably
On a recent visit to an In-House Users Group meeting at a Pharmaceutical company, I presented a 1/2 day seminar on creating Clinical Graphs using SG Procedures. Polling the audience for their experience with these procedures indicated that many SAS users are not familiar with these new ways to create graphs. So,
I recently paddled in a boat race, and was wondering how I did compared to all the other paddlers. And being a Graph Guy, I decided I should find a cool way to graph the data ... Here's some background information ... There's a great organization called Bridge II Sports
How do the North American amusement parks compare in popularity? If this question was to come up during a lunch discussion, I bet someone would pull out their smartphone and go to Wikipedia for the answer. But is Wikipedia the definitive answer - how can we tell if Wikipedia is wrong?
Die EU-Datenschutz-Grundverordnung kommt näher – ausweichen oder draufhalten? In den letzten Wochen hatte ich die tolle Gelegenheit mit zahlreichen Kunden und Partnern über die neue EU-Datenschutz-Grundverordnung (DS-GVO) zu sprechen. Die Meinungen und Erwartungen sind dabei wirklich außerordentlich breit gefächert. Das ist nicht weiter verwunderlich, denn das Thema hat zuletzt stark an
Hopefully if you're viewing the eclipse today, you'll be using one of the safe methods that won't harm your eyes! ... But if you're somewhat of a trickster, here's an optical illusion you can send your friends after the eclipse, that might make them wonder (just for a second) if
If you know me, you probably know that I spend a lot of time on the water. I like speed paddling (dragon boat, outrigger canoe, surfski, and racing SUP), and I also have a big pontoon boat at Jordan Lake where I try to go fishing at least once a
In the spirit of my Forecasting Sharknadoes blog post, I now bring you Sunsquatch! In this blog post, I create a map that helps you find a location where you can see the total eclipse *and* have a chance of seeing Bigfoot (aka, Sasquatch)! But before we get into the nitty-gritty
There’s nothing like a funny race sign to keep you entertained during a race. Post chuckle, this one got me thinking. It’s true, making a lifestyle change - like adding 15-20 hours a week to train for long distance triathlon – definitely rocks the relationship boat. In our 8 years
A lot of my friends seem to be getting married these days. Which got me thinking about wedding parties. Which then got me wondering what songs DJs do/don't play at weddings these days. And what was the outcome of my meandering thoughts ... a fun & interesting graph, of course! It
Musings on Menopause and Fitness What the heck is happening to me??? I’m not sure if I’m happy or sad, freezing or on fire, coming or going, want to be healthy or eat an XL Papa Murphy pizza… Hormotional…Menopause… Like Mother Nature wasn’t cruel enough with menstruation, pregnancy, labor, delivery
If you were a fan of the original Star Trek television series, you probably remember lots of little details about the show. And you might even feel sorry for the people who don't get the clever references you make to things from the show. If you're that person, then you'll
This past weekend, I was a volunteer helping with an Ironman 70.3 race. I was really impressed & inspired by the athletes ... I was also excited about the quantity and variety of data generated by this type of race (compared to a regular marathon). And as a 'graph guy' I
North Carolina is a very diverse state - especially when it comes to outdoor recreation opportunities. This weekend you could go hiking or kayaking in the mountains, watch a hot air balloon festival near Raleigh, and go wind surfing or fishing at the coast. And if you've got your SCUBA
When presenting information in form of a graph we show the data and let the reader draw the inferences. However, often one may want to draw the attention of the reader towards some aspect of the graph or data. For one such case, a user asked how to highlight one
As the internet grew in popularity, the marketing industry was quick to see that it had become an important channel for reaching out to potential customers. Websites increasingly began to host ads that were often unconnected with the site content. Advertising content became more widespread and unfortunately, also often obtrusive.
Billy Beane attained fame in baseball and analytics circles long before Brad Pitt portrayed him in the 2011 film Moneyball. In fact, Beane was making quite the name for himself prior to Michael Lewis’s 2004 book of the same name. It’s no overstatement to claim that, as general manager (GM)
Opening Day is here! Every game experience at the ball park is memorable for my family. I'm excited to smell the fresh popcorn and peanuts. I love holding cold drinks in hopes of catching a foul ball with my cup. I’m anxious to see my team’s new prospects in action
In honor of March Madness, the RFC hosted our first March Mania Challenge led by our Fearless Trainer, Angie Fernandez. Team Captains gathered, or in my team’s case, conjured might be a better word ;), a group of five SAS Employees. Our task was to compete in dedicated Mania exercises consisting
March Madness is in full swing. And the success of the Dance Card formula powered by SAS -- along with stories about teams like the New York Mets, the Boston Bruins, the Orlando Magic and more, all using analytics -- demonstrates how sports and analytics are becoming more and more
