Something I always pondered was how stupid number crunchers (people who live for statistics) can be.

once upon a time it was a statistic that was accepted that the AVERAGE AMERICAN home (NOT NORMAL) has 2.5 children in it. Now there is no such a thing as half a person. I always figured on having two or three children myself but the thing is 2.5 children???

So does God give the average house a half child? Is it the left half or the right half?

What are some other strange and stupid statistics you have seen over time???


P.S. Don't get me started on Gas Stations and their 9/10ths of a cent BS!

numbers don't lie..

From the Andy Griffith Show:

Andy has just found out how little Opie gave to a charity drive:

Andy: Well ... If it ain't Charlie Moneybags, the big philanthropist. How d'y' do?

Opie: What ya talkin' about, paw?

Andy: I'm talkin' about the underprivileged children's drive.

Opie: Oh, they collected for that at school, paw.

Andy: Oh I know they did. Oh, I know they did, and when they called your name you gave the large, generous amount of three cents. My! that 'as big of ya, Diamond Jim.

Opie: Did I give 'em too much, paw?

Andy: [raises voice] Too much?

Opie: I could ask 'em to give back two cents.

Andy: Now lookey heah! We better talk about this thing. Now, now, now look here, Opie, you-huh-you can't give a little bitty piddlin' amount like three cents to a worthy cause like the underprivileged children's drive. I, I 'as readin' here just the other day where there's somewhere like four-hundred needy boys in this county alone, or, or, or one-and-a-half boys per square mile.

Opie: There is?

Andy: There sure is.

Opie: I never seen one, paw.

Andy: Never seen one what?

Opie: A half-boy.

Andy: Well it's not really a half a boy, i - it's a ratio.

Opie: Horatio who?

Andy: Not Horatio - a ratio. It's mathematics, 'rithmatic. Look, now Opie, just forget that part of it. Forget the part about the half-a-boy.

Opie: It's pretty hard to forget a thing like that, paw.

Andy: Well, try!

Opie: Poor Horatio.

That was great Lex..

It works for me and my 2 1/2 testicles.

Bry

If you have a house with 2 children and a house with 3 children, it means that the average household has (2+3)/2 = 2.5 children in it.

It may look weird but think of how confused you'd be if you rounded the number up. If you have a house with 2 children and a house with 3 children and you say the average house has 3 children in it, you'd be completely wrong.






The United States alone consumed 137.80 billion gallons gallons of gas in 2008 alone. 137,800,000,000 gallons x 0.009 cents = $1,240,200,000 of extra income for the gas companies

I remember this episode...it was hilarious!

I love that show -- Horatio was the first thing I thought of when I read the OP!

I love it too. The old shows, their humor could make you fall over laughing and not a off-colored, dirty thing about 'em....times have changed.