Statistics

Out somewhere on a List Serve I am on an exchange of quotations is ongoing.  I liked this one:

The Government are very keen on amassing statistics.  They collect them, add them, raise them to the nth power; take the cube root and prepare wonderful diagrams.  But you must never forget that every one of these figures comes in the first instance from the village watchman, who puts down what he damn well pleases.

             -  Attributed to Sir Josiah Stamp, Head of the Inland Revenue Department of the UK

"Inland Revenue" is the UK Government version of the IRS, their tax agency.  And, you know it is a Brit speaking just from the fact that the speaker says "The Government are".

Regards  —  Cliff