BBC Looks at Numbers

The BBC has been running a good series on numbers:
Surveys

Counting

Percentages

Averages

Causation


Others have done good work too; it's just nice to have a reminder, given some of the bad election-related numbers that are floating around out there. I have been intrigued this week by the way post-convention numbers for Obama have been represented. He got a big bounce. No, he didn't. All based on how the numbers are toted up.

And on a tangential note, wouldn't it be nice if the cable news networks actually did some, you know, news, especially in the mornings and evenings, instead of running nothing but blather, blather, blather on politics?
Update: and of course, there's the moment when blather turns INTO news, as when Republicans Peggy Noonan and Mike Murphy forget that the mics are still on.


hat/tip/ TalkingPointsMemo

Burma vs. Myanmar

The BBC explains the reason for sticking with the name Burma.

Far Outliers has another take. I second the complaint about pronunciation--I'm hearing TV people say "Myanmar" two or three different ways in the same report.

The Boston Globe weighs in.