Bravo, Sukie, bravo. I hope that if people skimmed the FML today or
skipped the post because they don't normally read medical posts, go
back and read your post in it's ENTIRTY. Folks, her post was not just
pertaining to science or medical issues, but to statistics in life
every day. And so much misunderstanding and misinformation would be
saved if people were aware of the basis of stats ... and also the
magical smoke and mirrors people can weave with the numbers at times.

I never finished a stats course in college. But that first day, I
probably learned the most important rule regarding them that could be
learned. I am forever in debt to that proffessor for getting it out in
the open the very first day and not waiting or beating around the bush.
This proffessor demonstrated how anyone could take statistical numbers,
manipulate them to mean virtually anything they wanted. The numbers
still added up. They were still real. But they were lies in that they
did not represent the real "truth".

This should remembered in life no matter how black and white a study
seems. Put that little post it note in the back of your head, tha
yes .. one, just one bad number can change the entire picture. And it
can be hidden in a study. So many things can be "hidden" in life.

Remember.

Thank you Sukie.

[Posted in FML 5844]