Herman by Jim Unger for September 12, 2021

95% of all statistics are made up.

Tight shoes compress the brain. The other claims are questionable.

I see he’s back from the hospital and the chair is fixed. At least I hope it’s fixed!

Definitely caused by tight shoes!

Could that guy get any more stretched out?

All problems are caused by being born.

92.575% never read How to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff.

“Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable.” Mark Twain

He could ignore her and just watch the game on TV.

Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Percentages as published by the media are based on a true story, but be careful how useful they are as facts.

For example a statistic may cite that in a certain political district 52% of the D’s believe X is true and 48% of the R’s believe it is false. What does that really tell us? Suppose there are 10 D’s in the district and 900 R’s. Does that sway your interpretation of the statistic.

Also polls are useless unless you know the questions and how they were asked. A poll from my Congressman about the Republican Tax Cut of 2017 asked how many dollars you saved with the tax cut. There was no option for how many dollars you may have lost. Also it only gave dollar amounts. There is a lot of difference between saving $50 per weekly pay check and saving $100 per annual salary.

Wording of the questions affects the answers and even the order of the questions can affect the answers.

Back in the 1960’s when college students didn’t trust anyone over 30, there was a poll:“What is your parent’s political affiliation?” “What is your political affiliation?” The results varied depending on the order of the questions. Once committed to their political affiliation, more students “didn’t know” their parent’s political affiliation.

It is also impossible to draw a Venn diagram for some sets of statistics published by the media. But what can you do when journalists, who study vocabulary, think 47% is a MAJORITY instead of a plurality or that if 30% like A, 30% like B and 40% like C, report it as 60% don’t like C?

100% were the subject of statistical studies, which suggests statisticians are the root cause of all crime.

So-o-o-o-o the left over percentages had almost perfect lives and still became 1st offenders. What does that tell us about modern society? Nothing, because there is no way to quantify human inclinations.

My mom has dementia, she’s starting to narrate her train of thought. I know how Herman feels. Patience.

Husband loves to comment, sometimes at length, on TV programs we are watching. I try to maintain control of the remote so I can put programs on hold while he is talking.

…”there are three kind of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” (Often attributed to Mark Twain, but actual origins seem to be difficult to pin down)…

The Buddhist in our midst

That means schools, tight shoes, religious education and pornography should be banned…

84% were couch potatos.

Heck.. I read the other day 100% had a mother.. makes it pretty clear who is at fault doesn’t it.

But on a more serious note.. it would be an interesting statistic how many came from a parent who wanted.. but was denied, an abortion.

As a single father who raised my 2 daughters by myself after my divorce I find the term “broken home” most offensive. Try “single parent household” or some such. I assure you, our home was NOT “broken”Dr Keith Johnson, Destin FL

Another great study paid for with our tax dollars

100% take no personal responsiblity