[Samseau]

(06-03-2014 10:10 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  

(06-03-2014 09:27 PM)Samseau Wrote:  

Quote:

Well, if you look at the plot, the number moved from 29% in 1983 to about 27% from 1986-2006 and up to 31% now.

Assuming the numbers are reliable (I have no idea if they are, probably they involve a good deal of guesswork and extrapolation) that is hardly some sort of catastrophic rise. In fact, it's a quite modest increase.

Actually, you failed to notice that the x-axis of the graph is scaled to stretch out the years between 2008-2013 and squish together the years of 1983-2007. For Christ's sake, the 90's only have three plot points. If the graph were spaced evenly, the last 5 years would look like the vertical line it actually is.

This is an astronomical increase that has completely outstripped the last 20 years of economy activity. And I have a prediction: this number is going to go way, way up.

What? First, the x axis looks completely evenly spaced to me. There is a bar for every 3 years.

Second, the plot clearly shows that the number is around 29% in 1983, then around 27% for about 20 years, and then up to about 31% now.

In what world is that an "astronomical" increase? Far more likely is that there is so much noise in the data that no one can even tell if the increase is real.

Don't look at the years, look at the plot points. The first plot point starts at the total left, but the third-plot point is spaced between 1989 and 1992.

There are 9 plot points but 12 years listed.