I don't understand statistics....

I've come to believe statistics are just some high-end slight-of-hand tricks that very highly educated mathematicians use on us to pull in big-buck paychecks.  And by "us" I mean the American taxpayers.  For example, just this morning I heard on 'da news that, according to the Labor Department, in December the US economy generated 156,000 new jobs, AND THE JOB CREATION FIGURE FOR NOVEMBER WAS ADJUSTED UPWARDS TO 204,000. 

What do they mean "adjusted upwards"?  I suspect what they were trying to say, without giving away their little scam, is that they just made up a number a month ago, but since then they've looked around and seen fewer panhandlers on the street, so, yeah, more people are probably working than they first guesstimated.

"So what do ya think, guys?  Should we bump it another 20,000?"

"Sounds good to me.  But hurry it up, Genius Jeopardy is on in 20 minutes."

And how can we check their numbers?  If you Google it, Google refers you to the GOVERNMENT STATISTICS!  

WELL, DUH!  Seems like pretty good job security to me.

Hmmm....methinks I've just figured out their dirty little secret.  *wink*

S

NOTE:  I actually meant this to be satirical, but the more I think about it, the more it seems to resemble reality.


 

Statistics don't lie. Well, SOMETIMES they don't lie.

Recently several of my friends...Stephen at Chubby Chatterbox and Bruce at Oddball Observations....looked back on their blogging stats and shared what they found.  They both are a pleasure to read and deserve their success.  I never paid much attention to mine, so I thought I'd peek and see what lurked in my numbers.

This is my 824th post here at Blogger.  Up to this morning I've had 96,385 pageviews.  Almost all were from the US, with Germany, Canada, the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, China, France, Ukraine, and Serbia rounding out the rest.  I suspect the ones from Russia, China, Ukraine, and Serbia were those who just spread spam.  I think the rest were probably legitimate.  

My most read post was one titled "Reality TV....the race to the bottom" with 483 pageviews.  Like everyone I throw out some fluff pieces, too....you know, posts about cars and clouds and such.  But I also like to put out some discussing current events and editorial pieces that hopefully make people think....and disagree.  I enjoy hearing differing opinions.  They make ME think.

Before this I participated on Journal Space, which contained a remarkable group of writers and readers.  It went abruptly kaput so I have no idea what my numbers were.  As best I can recall they were up in the several hundred thousands.  One in particular stands out:  It was the first "conversation" I ever had with my future wife, K.  :)

I also read and post on Facebook, but frankly, that site is pretty bland.  It seems to me it's the site people go to who don't want to think.  But if you want a killer cupcake recipe or a picture of a cute puppy*....  ;)

Thanks to those who put up with me.

S

*Don't get me wrong, I like eating a good cupcake and playing with a cute puppy, but it just doesn't make for very stimulating conversation.

How do you know what you don't know?

I heard on the radio a soft ad disguised as "oil and gas drilling news" (looking for investors no doubt) that said 13% of the world's undiscovered oil and 30% of the world's undiscovered natural gas are in the Arctic region.  It went on to say that with the shrinking polar ice cap it is opening up vast new areas for exploration.


So if it's undiscovered, how do you know how much is there?  You won't know how much is there until you discover it, right?  Why not claim 40% or 50%?  If it's undiscovered, who could argue with your numbers?


Think this is one of those "lies, damn lies, and statistics" things?


S

When have you won a debate?

When your opponent resorts to name calling. When we were kids you knew it was over when the other kid said, "Yeah, but you're fat!"  


Then during the hey-day of Saturday Night Live the line Dan Aykroyd would say to Jane Curtin was, "Jane, you ignorant slut."


Now, it's "You're pompous and arrogant."  


I guess that's progress.  ;)

Or to turn it around, how do you know when you've lost a debate?  When your wife says so.  ;)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Does anyone believe statistics anymore?  On today's news some local politician was arguing the value of giving a tax abatement (tax break) to a company if they would move to his city.  Of course another employer in the area would be a good thing, but how good?  $6.235 million dollars a year benefit, that's how good.  Really?  Not $6.364 million?  Drink 2 cups of coffee a day an you'll have 23% less chance of developing gut cancer, but if you drink 3 cups, odds are you'll have a 4% greater chance.*  Unless you use cream.  Or sugar. Then your odds....

*The odds are as high as 91% that these statistics were totally made up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What's the deal with this heat?  It's always hot here in Texas, but new record highs are being set daily coast-to-coast.  I've figured out how I'm going to choose my candidate this November:  I'm going to vote for the one who promises to lower the temperature the most.   'Cause, you know, they're all-powerful and they never lie.


Stay cool everyone.


S