I agree that the problem with statistics is misinterpretation. Did you know that cigarettes are the leading cause of statistics in North America?

Often people think that a 71% chance in one area plus a 38% chance in another area plus a 45% chance in another statistic is great news! Unfortunately, you don't add, you multiply. So .71 x .38 x .45 = .12141 -- 12%! You're placing a bet on that?

Another one is cause and effect. A study was done in a city that showed an increase in churches has resulted in a increase in crime. It was true. The number of churches had doubled and crime had just over doubled. However, these are NOT coincident events. They are dependent but not on each other. The simple fact is the population had increased that resulted in more people wanting to go to church and more people wanting to break into the houses of people going to church.

So the key to using statistics is proper interpretation. You might say, they're not bad just misunderstood. Don't discount statistics altogether but understand what you're reading and how you're applying it.

My favourite quote is in the movie Naked Gun when Leslie Nielsen says something to the effect of, "The doctors say there's an 80% chance Nordberg will recover but even then they're only giving a 50/50 chance of that."

These days nothing is impossible, but there are a still a lot of things that are HIGHLY improbable!

-Duck