Poptarts and Beer: Wal-Mart Uses Predictive modeling to Inventory Stores

The NYT has a nice article about Wal-Mart's use of predictive modelling on their 460 terabytes of data (link requires free NYT registration) to determine what to stock in their stores.

"HURRICANE FRANCIS was on its way, barreling across the Caribbean, threatening a direct hit on Florida's Atlantic coast. Residents made for higher ground, but far away, in Bentonville, Ark., executives at Wal-Mart Stores decided that the situation offered a great opportunity for one of their newest data-driven weapons, something that the company calls predictive technology."

Who'd a guessed that beer and strawberry poptarts are best sellers in anticipation of a hurricane?