You can't read it properly on this picture from the Manchester Evening News, but take it from me, the sign actually said "1 Billion Deaths This Century". 
From the context you would assume, would you not, that he is referring to deaths from smoking in the 21st century? But no, with a world population of 6.8 billion and an average life expectancy of (say) sixty years, that makes 113 million deaths a year, and assuming 'this century' to have started on 1 January 2000, after nine-and-a-half years, this equates to 1.077 billion deaths (which we can conveniently round to 1 billion), so either he is:
a) Using completely the wrong figure,
b) Implying that all deaths are caused by smoking, or
c) Referring to last century rather than this century, or using 'this century' to refer to the period 7 July 1909 to 6 July 2009 (in which case his one billion figure, around one-in-ten deaths may well be accurate).
All things considered, I'll go with option d): "The man is a complete f***wit."
Monday, 6 July 2009
Innumerate twat of the afternoon
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11 comments:
What's the betting some dim MP picks up the stat without checking and runs with it anyway?
(the 17% heart attacks reduction study is still doing the rounds despite actual admission figures of 3% having long since been released)
He's probably a thick Manchester City supporter! They even have to have their mock Latin motto translated into English outside their stadium, which incidentaly is owned by Manchester City Council ie the taxpayers
we need to have a new government programme – “smoke our way out of recession”. The tax revenue from smokers would help shore up the public finances, and the death rate would help reduce the scale of the pensions problem. A perfect solution methinks?
Before cries of horror overwhelm Marks' comments section - the above is an example of sarcasm! But hey, its just as viable a policy as anything this twattish collection of a government has come up with!
Never forget (as I may have pointed out before) there are only three sorts of people in the world. People you like, people you don't like and wankers.
WDW, so what Hubei Province did was sarcasm? I thought it was serious.
Gregg - another bitter red who can't handle the FACT that Man City are now the richest (yes cash rich) club in the World. Man City are about to sign Samuel Eto'o, United sign Michael Owen - a sure sign of the state of affairs at ManUre - Owin'
Don't give a toss how rich City are, they will never have class, that is priceless.
Growing up in Manchester I have had forty years of hearing Berties whining about other clubs 'buying titles', now they have started boasting about being the richest club in the world.
36 years and counting!
Thought so, typical red. I'm not going to stoop to your level Gregg, City fans are better than that - as evidenced in this article
Actually I'm not a 'red', assuming you mean Manchester United.
And it's actually 33 years isn't it?
these figures are actaully true. and for you to lable him a f uck-whit would suggest that you may have a problem. check the link here:
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1711154,00.html
if you smoke, you are typical of the fact your perception is way out of touch with reality. good luck.
Anon, the article you cite states:
"Smoking killed 100 million people in the 20th century, and the yearly death toll could pass 8 million as soon as 2030"
So by their own admission, they are "predicting" an eight-fold increase this century, which is clearly bollocks.
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