Statistical Rethinking, 2nd Edition

5    The Many Variables & The Spurious Waffles

One of the most reliable sources of waffles in North America, if not the entire world, is a Waffle House diner. Waffle House is nearly always open, even just after a hurricane. Most diners invest in disaster preparedness, including having their own electrical generators. As a consequence, the United States’ disaster relief agency (FEMA) informally uses Waffle House as an index of disaster severity.⁷⁹ If the Waffle House is closed, that’s a serious event.

It is ironic then that steadfast Waffle House is associated with the nation’s highest divorce rates (FIGURE 5.1). States with many Waffle Houses per person, like Georgia and Alabama, also have some of the highest divorce rates in the United States. ...