How is GIS Correlated with Suicide?


My friend John Reiser pointed me to an awesome website which “shows you how popular a Google search query is in each U.S. state, giving a ranking…”. “It then compares this ranking with other ways of ranking states…” and “shows the results of these comparisons, with the strongest correlations listed first.”

Sponsored by ENTCHEV GIS Architects


For what it’s worth, a search for GIS puts North Carolina on top. As far as correlation with other search queries – “Suicide” has the strongest correlation with the “GIS” search query.

I don’t know what to make of this. Maybe I should get out before it’s too late?

[UPDATE -- a few minutes after posting] New Jersey is at the very bottom of the "GIS" search query -- 50th of all 50 states! I'm even more confused now. Should I move out of New Jersey if I'm in the business of GIS? To where? North Carolina? But then I'll likely kill myself. Statistics...

Posted by Atanas Entchev at 11/27/2008 12:27 PM
Categories: Technology, Online Mapping, GIS, Google, Data, Maps
Tags: Data Online Mapping GIS Google Technology Maps
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  • 11/30/2008 12:43 AM Sean wrote:
    GIS is also the plural of GI, a common term for members of the U.S. military. The correlation of 'GIs' and suicide is not as suprising.
    1. 11/30/2008 11:56 AM atanas entchev wrote:
      Correct. My wife also came up with this explanation, and I felt silly for a while. I even considered removing the post. But then I ran a few other GIS-related searches (not containing the "gis" string), and the results persisted. Try it out yourself.
  • 12/1/2008 7:03 AM Rob wrote:
    I take on board the GI's reference, but the suicide correlation increases if you search on ESRI. Make of that what you will ;o)
  • 12/1/2008 2:10 PM John Reiser wrote:
    GIS wants to make me jump out a window on occasion.

    A search for "geographic information systems" yields interesting results: http://statestats.appspot.com/?q=geographic+information+systems

    I liked this site because it reminded me of the Pop versus Soda website from long ago: http://popvssoda.com/

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