Scott Alexander shares and responds to reader comments on his article about California's Central Valley, offering diverse perspectives on life and challenges in the region. Longer summary

This post is a collection of reader comments on Scott Alexander's original article about the Central Valley in California. It includes various perspectives from residents and former residents, discussing topics like housing costs, air quality, crime, agriculture, water rights, commuting patterns, and cultural amenities. The comments offer a mix of criticisms and defenses of life in the Central Valley, providing nuance and additional context to Scott's original analysis. Shorter summary

Scott investigates the claim that cold-related deaths account for 10% of global mortality, exploring various factors and potential impacts of global warming on death rates. Longer summary

Scott Alexander explores the surprising claim that cold-related deaths account for nearly 10% of all deaths globally. He investigates various studies and data sources to understand this phenomenon, discussing the differences between cold-related and winter-related deaths, regional variations in mortality rates, and potential mechanisms behind these deaths. The post delves into the complexities of adapting to different climates, the role of influenza in winter mortality, and cardiovascular effects of cold weather. Finally, Scott examines the potential impact of global warming on mortality rates, finding that most scientific analyses predict a net increase in deaths despite the reduction in cold-related mortality. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander discusses a genetic study that largely confirms historical American migration patterns described in 'Albion's Seed', noting both its confirmations and areas of confusion. Longer summary

Scott Alexander reviews a genetic study that analyzes the population structure of North America, relating it to David Fischer's book 'Albion's Seed' and the concept of American Nations. The study used 770,000 genomes to create clusters that largely confirm historical migration patterns described in these works. Scott notes how the genetic clusters match with New Englander and Pennsylvania Quaker migrations, and their westward spread. He expresses confusion about the Southern/Appalachian region's genetic divisions and disappointment that the study doesn't confirm some theories about West Coast populations. Overall, Scott sees this as an elegant example of hard science confirming historical speculation. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander cautions against drawing strong conclusions from regional scatterplots, demonstrating how apparent correlations can be artifacts of regional clustering rather than true relationships. Longer summary

Scott Alexander warns about the potential misinterpretation of regional scatterplots, using an example of a seemingly strong correlation between rainfall and gender balance in US states. He explains that such correlations can be misleading due to regional clustering, where the relationship appears strong between clusters but may not exist within them. The post discusses how this issue affects interpretation of data in various fields, including gun violence, national happiness, and income correlations. Scott emphasizes the importance of careful analysis and consideration of confounding factors when drawing conclusions from such plots. Shorter summary