Of course statistics can be skewed, William. It is not the statistics themselves that are doing it. My phrase is exactly as you quote it. The point is not that the statistics are right or wrong, simply that there are many ways of interpreting, or 'skewing', the results.

Two simples indicators of what I mean

1. On a remote island there are 100 people. One mans earns £1M per year while the other 99 earn £1. The simple arithmentic is that the average earnings on the island are just over £10k and everyone is happy! However, go for the weighted average and we get a different picture. We need to modify, or skew, our methods.

2. Over half the population of the UK are of below average intelligence. Again - rely on simple sums and we are right. However modify the arithmetic in innumerable ways and we are wrong. How can this be? Simple. The "Mathematic results of applying certain procedures to collected data" is modified. Or fudged. Or skewed.

Call it what you will, if it looks like a horse, smells like a horse and sounds like a horse it's probably a horse...

Cheers

DtG