I love to pull apart statistics. There's a wonderful phrase that turns up CFO reports and national Treasury stats all the time:

... the rate of share decline/recession is falling.

If you hear it said or read it quickly without thinking about it, it sounds like good news. It sounds like something is getting better.

What it really means is, things are getting worse more slowly. But still getting worse.

Take a magic number calculated by an undisclosed formula; wrap it in a few plausible but nonsensical pseudo-axioms, and multiply it by some random percentage of chance; what do you call the results?

I call it: something that no one can check or verify or challenge. I'd prefer no stats to bad ones.

With the rise and rise of 'Social' network sites: 'Computers are making people easier to use everyday'
Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority". I knew I was on the right track :)
In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.

In reply to Re^2: The significance of 2010-03-16? by BrowserUk
in thread The significance of 2010-03-16? by BrowserUk

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