Meaningless

I just read in the Times newspaper that last year we, the British, drove 5.4% further in our cars than we did in 2000. That works out at 12.5 billion miles more. In total we must have driven something like 240 billion miles. I'm assuming that means two people in a single car are considered to have traveled half the miles each, though it is not made clear. Actually the data is suspect because it also claims that 65% of all journeys are made by car. Does that count the journey from my house to the corner shop 200m away?

Taking this maths a little step further. If we assume that there are 60 million people living in Britain, that's about 4,000 car miles each every year. I think I am below average.

The Times also claims that 65% of people say they only buy energy saving light bulbs, but actually only 20% of lightbulbs bought are energy saving. What does this tell us? It tells us that the British lie like dogs when questioned by annoying survey people in the street. I may be doing the British people an injustice however, because energy saving light bulbs last much longer than traditional light bulbs and therefore replacements are required less often. That's going to skew the results. Another example of meaningless stats from the media there come to think of it.

Interesting fact:
I rented my house in 2001 and returned to it in 2006 and the energy saving light bulb in the bedroom was still working. I think that's the only energy saving bulb I have ever bought however. Oh, wait, no, we had one in the bathroom in our Taipei apartment too.

It occurred to me on the way home to day that there are three ways a country could potentially go politically; democracy, dictatorship, or no government at all. And I was thinking, although there are pros and cons to all three, no government would be my preference. Ironically however, if there was no government, someone is bound to take power by force which would lead to dictatorship, my least preferable option. So that leaves democracy as the only choice, only because the best option will be banjaxed by the worst option.

I don't have time to write more, except to say that Mr Bush must be feeling pretty sick right now.