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Post 1

Edward the Bonobo - Gone.

The Tyranny of Numbers sounds like one for me. Having done oodles of stats at university (and enjoyed it!smiley - geek), I know exactly the sort of stuff you/he are talking about. We had a brilliant lecturer whose attitude was that computers can do all the maths these days. I'm going to make you write essays to show that you know what it means. And still all the bozo psychologists whined about 'Why do we have to learn all these sums? We're meant to be studying people!'

smiley - tongueincheekMore than 85% of people have a below average understanding of statistics!


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Post 2

Edward the Bonobo - Gone.

The People's Act of Love by James Meek has turned out to be really brilliant - especially the bit where Samarin has realised that he's the packed lunch. But I won't spoil it for you.


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Post 3

Edward the Bonobo - Gone.

(Wrong Thread - that was meant to go on the original 'What Book...' one)


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Post 4

Researcher 188007

Excellent smiley - biggrin

It's by David Boyle, Dewey no. 306.42. It's an entertaining read, though it does go a bit tangential in places, and the writing is occasionally rather fluffy. But anything that makes people more suspicious of bare, unqualified stats has to be a good thing. I try to keep that suspicion in mind as much as I can.

The impact of statistics, generated well or dubiously, is hard to underestimate. Boyle recalls a survey of the poor in London in late Victorian London: "...a survey which showed that 25% of Londoners were living in extreme poverty. It was inflammatory. Riots followed." But I guess the poor bastards would use any excuse for a punch-up...


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Post 5

Edward the Bonobo - Gone.

The famous 'London Poverty Map.' It was on telly recently - but I can't recall where or why.

The punchup comment brings up another conversation I had today. We forget how violent the olden days were - masked by statistics on *reported* crime.

On the front of today's Grauniad are two pictures taken yesterday, both of employee disputes, one in Britain (Unison), the other in France. Guess which one shows riot police duffing up a protester? But...that's how we used to do things in Britain, too. Until fairly recently, in fact. Last week my wife was at a 'do' in a court where she works sometimes. She discovered that Emmiline Pankhurst was once held in the cells. The story was that there was an arrest warrant out for her in England. She was giving a speech at a church across the road. When the 'Polis' went to get her, they found Emmiline standing on stage giving her speech in the middle of a barricade of barbed wire and had to run the gauntlet of bricks hurled by her supporters. We forget that the vote was won by women with hammers. (and as my Ossi friend reminded me, another forgotten aspect is that the Pankhursts were Communists)

What was I talking about again?


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