Recently I came across a nice illustration which captures the work of a data analyst. Each of the tasks mentioned below requires a specific set of skillsets and if one can work on learning at least 30-40% of skills from each of the disciplines mentioned, then data analysis becomes really interesting. One can walk through the entire task list and subsequently hope to understand things and probably build some useful models.

** “First we make our habits, then our habits make us.” ** - Charles C. Noble

Via NYTimes : But as I traveled the land, the data did not fit the framework. The children of the lower castes were hoisting themselves up one diploma and training program at a time. The women were becoming breadwinners through microcredit and decentralized manufacturing. The young people were finding in their cellphones a first zone of individual identity. The couples were ending marriages no matter what “society” thinks, then finding love again.

It’s Saturday morning and it’s pouring in Mumbai. A perfect setting for a cup of hot tea and a book. Simple pleasures of life:) are sometimes all that one needs, I guess. Was planning to read this book for quite sometime as it was touted as a book similar to “Against the Gods” and “Lady Tasting Tea”, books which I thoroughly enjoyed. After recovering from a brief illness this week, I thought I should spend my time peacefully with a book and managed to read this book in about 2 sittings.

Here is a TED talk by Dr.Arthur Benjamin ( Mathemagic ted talk person) who says, that stats & probability should be elevated to the status that is given to calculus