Status Updates From Tainted Truth: The Manipula...

"One of the unfortunate results of our obsession with numbers is that we allow them to supersede our eyes, our judgment and our common sense. Many people are afraid to try to pull apart statistics because they were not “good in math.” ..a little skepticism goes a long way to offset the intimidation.

"In public policy, words decency, right and wrong, peace, fairness, trust and hope have lost their force. Numbers, which offer so much illumination and guidance if used professionally and ethically, have become the tools of advocacy. Even if their cause is worthy, people who massage data undermine the power and purity of statistics that may be crucial to future decisions. ..understanding is not the same as counting.

"Asking the right question is the pillar of good science .. For researchers, the question that does not presume, lead or color has become the Holy Grail, forever out of reach.

I started reading this while getting my toenails done, and I did not want to put it down. So far, it is very fast reading, albeit nothing really new or novel.