Just Another Brick in the Wall

My minor in college was Systems and Decision Sciences (i.e. Statistical Analysis). We have a saying: "Numbers don't lie, but if you squeeze them hard enough, they'll say anything you want ". All this hysterical reporting is a perfect example.

Yes, I know, gas prices are outrageous and getting worse, but the way news organizations (including Fox News) are reporting these numbers is doing more harm than good.

On Your World with Neil Cavuto today, it was reported that the average vacation this Memorial day will be 640 miles and will cost the vacationer $110. Also reported is the current national average gas price of $3.87. Last year at this time, the average national price was $3.22 (for those bad in math, that's an increase of about 65 cents per gallon)

Basic math tells us that this 'average vacationer' will use 28.5 gallons of gas [ $110 / $3.87 = 28.5 gallons]. Since the increase in price is 65 cents/gallon, the total increase in the cost of the trip (just for gas) is only $18.46 from last year.

Not so much as to really have any serious effect on a families plan.