A Statistical Provocateur
Not by words, but they are used in this thought-provoking article on the BBC web site.
It shows how the divorce rate mirrors margarine consumption, according to a web site called Spurious Correlations.
The trouble is that people tend to believe these relationships or not, as it suits them.
Perhaps the most famous statistical correlation is that smoking causes lunch cancer. But people still smoke! Or should that be idiots still smoke?
One correlation used by the Police, may have been found using my software called Daisy. Analysis by the Metropolitan Police showed that if they found a car, had no valid excise duty, insurance or MOT, then there was a fifty percent chance that if they stopped the car, they’d find evidence of a non-motoring offence. The logic behind this, is if you are say a burglar, drug-dealer or other crimnal, you are less likely to make sure that your car is legal.
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The Anonymous Widower 
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