July 20, 2006
From the desk of Jane Galt:Department of Awful Statistics: Special Victim's Unit
Will Wilkinson reports on the New Economic Foundation's recent assertion that Vanuatu is the Magic Kingdom of happiness research:
So, it turns out that I wasn’t crazy when I couldn’t find Vanuatu in the World Database of Happiness, because it’s not there! Carl Bialik at the WSJ has the story. Apparently NEF just made up Vanuatu’s life satisfaction number by extrapolation from other countries.
Profanity is too weak. Oh my stars and garters.
Posted by Jane Galt at July 20, 2006 1:01 PM | TrackBack | Technorati inbound linksComments
Posted by: qetzal on July 20, 2006 3:43 PM
Apparently Mark Twain left one off the list:
Lies, damned lies, statistics, and fabricated statistics.
Posted by: Paul Zrimsek on July 21, 2006 8:29 AM
It's funny, but nowadays "Oh my stars and garters" really is stronger than profanity.
Posted by: Tim Worstall on July 21, 2006 8:36 AM
Tsk, Will left out the most important point (which I included in my TCS piece on this report).
Tanna, one of the islands which makes up Vanuatu, is home to a sect who worship Prince Phillip as a living God. That’s the secret of happiness, right there.
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