#36 Funnel Cloud

Centering variables sounds like an easy task. It is if you use Stata but I found it surprisingly difficult in SPSS (unless you enter the means by hand, which is error-prone and impractible for repeated analyses). Here’s how you can calculated a variable which contains the mean of another variable (which can then easily be centered or used in whatever way one wants to).

Let dres be the variable of interest. The new variable containing the mean of dres (for all obversations) will be named dresavg. I also show how to create a variable containing the number of observations (ntotal). cdres will be the centered variable.

Stata 10

Use

. egen dresavg = mean(dres)

and you’re done! You could also use summarize and generate commands:

. sum dres
. gen dresavg = r(mean)

If you want a variable that contains the total number of observations you can use

. gen ntotal = _N

or with the more flexible egen command (e.g., handy when dres has missings)

. egen ntotal = count(dres)

There are plenty ways to generate various variables containing sample statistics. As for the centered variable, use

. gen cdres = dres - dresavg

or without even generating the variable containing the mean:

. sum dres
. gen cdres = dres - r(mean)

PASW 18 (SPSS, you know)

Beware, long syntax ahead. Before you despair, there’s a simpler (but less flexible) solution below. The complicated approach starts with exporting the variable mean into a new data set. This data set is then merged with the master data set; a variable containing the mean for every observation will be attached.

* Open the data set containing dres.
* Depending on your operating system and your preferences you might have to change the paths.
*.
GET FILE='D:\master01.sav'.
DATASET NAME master WINDOW=FRONT.
*.
* OMS will send (specified) output into a new file.
* In this case the new file is a SPSS data set named killme.sav.
* Set VIEWER = NO to omit the table being shown in the output window.
*
* The mean of dres is computed via DESCRIPTIVES.
* NB: You can adapt the statistics, changing or adding statistics (e.g., SUM);
* you might need to adapt some of the following stuff, though
* (e.g., add Summe to the Mittelwert in the /KEEP option when saving).
*
* OMSEND will stop the sending.
*.
OMS
/SELECT TABLES
/DESTINATION FORMAT=SAV OUTFILE = 'D:\killme.sav' VIEWER = YES
/IF COMMANDS = ['descriptives'] subtypes = ['descriptive statistics'].
DESCRIPTIVES VARIABLES=dres
/STATISTICS=MEAN.
OMSEND.
*.
* A new data set containing the descriptive statistics has been created.
* Time to close the master data set for the time being.
*.
DATASET CLOSE master.
*.
* Open the new small data set.
*.
GET FILE='D:\killme.sav'.
DATASET NAME zwischenhalt WINDOW=FRONT.
*.
* I suggest you take a look at the data.
* The number of interest is in the variable Mittelwert.
* NB: I'm using a German version of the software; other version will give it other names.
*
* There's an additional line with the number of total observations
* and if there's missing values maybe even more lines.
* Let's get rid of them! NB: This assumes that the mean is, well not a very large negative number.
* I know that's an ugly way to do it, but so far I couldn't get a statement like ~=SYSMIS(Mittelwert) working.
*.
FILTER OFF.
USE ALL.
SELECT IF (Mittelwert > -66666666666).
EXECUTE.
*.
* A (constant) key variable is required for the upcoming merging procedure.
*.
COMPUTE cons = 1 .
EXECUTE .
*.
* Key variables must be sorted.
*.
SORT CASES BY cons(A).
*.
* Save the small data set, keeping only the key variable and the data of interest.
* NB: Here N (i.e., the number of observations) is kept as well mirroring the Stata procedures shown above.
*.
SAVE OUTFILE='D:\killme.sav'
/KEEP=N Mittelwert cons
/COMPRESSED.
*.
* SPSS saves the specified data set, but the other variables remain there in the open data set.
* Closing and re-opening solves this problem.
*.
DATASET CLOSE zwischenhalt.
*.
GET FILE='D:\killme.sav'.
DATASET NAME zwischenhalt WINDOW=FRONT.
*.
* Open the master data set, as well.
*.
GET FILE='D:\master01.sav'.
DATASET NAME master WINDOW=FRONT.
*.
* Add the key variable here, as well; then sort it.
*.
COMPUTE cons = 1 .
EXECUTE .
*.
SORT CASES BY cons(A).
*.
* Now for the big one: the data set currently in front (master, here simply *) is merged with the other data set.
* Using the /TABLES option allows to attach the one line of values to every line (observation) in the master data set.
*.
MATCH FILES /FILE=*
/TABLE='zwischenhalt'
/BY cons.
EXECUTE.
*.
* Don't need the small data set anymore.
*.
DATASET CLOSE zwischenhalt.
*.
* Out of sight, but still on your computer. I'm afraid you have to manually delete it.
* The file name killme suggests what to with it, eventually (a tip I got from Prof. Schnell).
*
* The variables that were attached have weird German names. Let's make them clearer:
*.
RENAME VARIABLES (N Mittelwert = ntotal dresavg).
EXECUTE.
*.
* It doesn't hurt to label the new variables - but I assume you'd already thought of this yourself.
*
* Phew, now there's the variables needed for centering. So let's center!
*.
COMPUTE cdres = dres - cdresavg.
EXECUTE.
*.
* There was no immediate need for save commands in the Stata examples.
* For the sake of completity (and to drop the no longer needed key variable): save and close.
*.
SAVE OUTFILE='D:\master01.sav'
/DROP=cons /COMPRESSED.
*.
DATASET CLOSE master.

So far, so complex. I promised an easier solution. You can (ab)use the regression command to achieve the same results in terms of mean variables. Just run a regression through the origin with dres as dependent variable and a constant as predictor. The predicted values (which are saved in a new variable specified in the last line of syntax) then correspond to the mean of dres.

COMPUTE cons = 1 .
EXECUTE .
*.
REGRESSION
/MISSING LISTWISE
/STATISTICS R
/CRITERIA=PIN(.05) POUT(.10)
/ORIGIN
/DEPENDENT dres
/METHOD=ENTER cons
/SAVE PRED(dresavg).
*
* Let's center!
*.
COMPUTE cdres = dres - cdresavg.
EXECUTE.

A final remark to those frightened by the extensive solution with the OMS command: It should be possible to get a variable containing the number of observation by assigning case numbers, sorting, and then using the lag function (repeatedly?), but I haven’t figured out how, yet. And who knows, maybe there’s an obvious simple way I just overlooked all the time. For the time being I’m happy to have a working solution in SPSS. The easiest way is, of course, to use Stata.

Update (an hour later): Thanks to the helpful comment below I can present another simple solution for SPSS:

COMPUTE cons = 1 .
EXECUTE .
*.
AGGREGATE
/OUTFILE=* MODE=ADDVARIABLES
/BREAK=cons
/dresavg=MEAN(dres)
/ntotal=N.

#35 Old McBiddy’s Wedding

People came from far to see Old McBiddy’s wedding
Gather in the churchyard to celebrate the day
Oh what a joy it’s going to be: Old McBiddy’s wedding
So when he says, I do, the crowd shouts out, hooray!
Now we’re going to celebrate Old McBiddy’s wedding
Hurry boys, do not be late and let the music play

Watch the people as they dance at Old McBiddy’s wedding
Meanwhile Uncle Parker is getting drunk on wine
Come on folks, raise your hands at Old McBiddy’s wedding
Toast to the happy couple and their love divine

(words and music by Johannes Schult)

Želim da postanem poznata u SrbiJa. Ugoditi pomoc mene. Hvala. Ljubav i palacinke!

#34 Big in Serbia

I don’t expect to become an internet superstar
But I wouldn’t mind a bit more popularity
I wish I was big in Serbia
That people recognized me in the street
I wish I was big in Serbia
Just like Tropical Heat

(words and music by Johannes Schult)

#33 Regentropfen im Nordwind

“Hank Green Learned a New Chord” is yet another example for songs I hadn’t written without the 52-second constraint (and the need for brief song lyrics associated with it). Once again I had to record everything with my digicam, hence the bad sound. On the bright sight, you can watch me playing/recording the song.

#32 Hank Green Learned a New Chord

It was Wednesday the 21st
Hank played a tune on his guitar
There on the vlogbrothers channel
I almost couldn’t believe what I saw
It was like an epiphany
Though the part was rather short
It was plain for all to see
Hank Green learned a new chord

Until that day I had always thought
That Hank was a Horcrux of punk
A way to keep the lore of the three chord songs
Safe from boy-groups and funk
It was like an epiphany
Though the part was rather short
It was plain for all to see
Hank Green learned a new chord

Is he about to make the transition from wizard rock
To Slytherin Jazz for the Dark Lord?
Hank Green learned a new chord

(words and music by Johannes Schult)

The lyrical idea and the main melody lay around for a while until I figured I’d use my digicam to capture me recording the individual parts. I completed the lyrics in a hurry, scrapping my otherwise favourite line “Like a rainy day on Endor with no fur to keep you warm”. The audio tracks are actually those from the camera, so please excuse the crappy quality. You can see excerpts from all five tracks in the video.

#31 Rainy Day

Now I’ve finally reached my aim
But it really ain’t the same
Without you by my side
Feels like a rainy day on Endor
Feels like a rainy day on Endor

I can’t enjoy my victory
Because I was too blind to see
Just what you meant to me
Feels like a rainy day on Endor
Feels like a rainy day on Endor

(words and music by Johannes Schult)

#30 Der Speckgürtel von Paderborn

Ein schwarzer VW-Bus hielt vor meinem Haus
Und eh ich mich versah, stiegen schwarze Leute aus
Der erste Vermummte hatte ein Gewehr
Er legte an und schoss und mein Körper wurde schwer
Getroffen!

Der zweite Vermummte griff nach meinem Bein
Und zu zweit hievten sie mich dann in den Bus hinein
Ich verlor das Bewusstsein wie in einem schlechten Traum
Und ich wachte wieder auf in einem fensterlosen Raum
Gefangen!

Dann kam ein Mann im weißen Kittel mit Blutflecken drauf
Er zerrte mich nach nebenan; ich stolperte im Lauf
Ich kann nur schwer beschreiben, was daraufhin geschah
Man zwickte und massierte mich und spielte danach Skat

Man schnürte mich auf Rollschuh und man drehte mich im Kreis
Man kniff mich in mein Ohrläppchen und fragte, wie ich heiß
So ging das viele Stunden und ich war total verwirrt
Ich konnte nicht entfliehen; ich war allein und sie zu viert
Gefangen!

Ich kann mich nicht erinnern, doch plötzlich war es aus
Und müde lag ich auf dem Rasen hier vor meinem Haus
Ich zitterte und fror und meine Kehle brannte
Und dann fiel mir wieder ein, wie der Ort sich nannte
Speckgürtel von Paderborn!

(words and music by Johannes Schult)

#29 Your Smile

You said goodbye with a hint of regret in your smile
And finally I see that I am free
Because what you meant to me
Won’t bother me no more
It’s all I had in store
And the times we spent
Trying to meet ends meet
It feels so obsolete
And I bleed
I wonder why I liked your smile
Your smile
Your smile

(words and music by Johannes Schult)