"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics," a phrase often attributed to
British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli but popularized by
Mark Twain, highlighting how statistics can be manipulated to support any argument, even if false.
I like the bikini reference myself: "Statistics are like bikinis: what they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital".
Statistics can be used to show anything you want, the ratio of blonde females to university professors does not indicate it is genetically predetermined that a blonde female does not have the intelligence to become a University professor, but maybe it could be shown the blonde females have a better lifestyle during the yrs a university professor developed the skill levels and desire to become a university professor .....
The percentage of vehicle that are hybrids over the percentage of people killed as a result of a motor vehicle accident, might paint a very different image .... but that wouldn't sell newspaper would it ........
T1 Terry