Michael Blastland

02/10/12

"Michael Blastland's books and columns are at the top of my list for statistical literacy." Milo Schield (2011)

The Numbers Game:
The Commonsense Guide to Understanding Numbers in the News, in Politics and in Life
By Michael Blastland and Andrew Dilnot (2009, 2010)

Description (2010): The Strunk and White of statistics team up to help the average person navigate the numbers in the news Drawing on their hugely popular BBC Radio 4 show More or Less, journalist Michael Blastland and internationally known economist Andrew Dilnot delight, amuse, and convert American mathphobes by showing how our everyday experiences make sense of numbers. The radical premise of The Numbers Game is to show how much we already know and give practical ways to use our knowledge to become cannier consumers of the media. If you've ever wondered what "average" really means, whether the scare stories about cancer risk should convince you to change your behavior, or whether a story you read in the paper is biased (and how), you need this book. Blastland and Dilnot show how to survive and thrive on the torrent of numbers that pours through everyday life. Show More Show Less

From Publishers Weekly (2010): Americans are assaulted by numbers, whether it's the latest political poll or most recent clinical study on caffeine. But what do these numbers really mean and are they communicating a categorical truth? Blastland and Dilnot, from the BBC radio show More or Less, embark on a monumental task of interpreting numerical data and showing how its misinterpretation often leads to misinformation. It is one thing to measure, they write, quite another to wrench the numbers to a false conclusion. The authors take a close look at statistics that are accepted at face value—many stemming from scientific or medical discoveries. They examine everything from the link between alcohol and breast cancer risk to baseball batting averages to fascinating assessments of the manipulation of data by politicians when they talk taxes or the cautionary tale of a U.K. educational measurement program designed much like No Child Left Behind. Blastland and Dilnot apply their famously cheeky approach to the analysis of how people are duped, frightened or falsely encouraged by data. (Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Review

About the Author Michael Blastland is producer of More or Less and Analysis for BBC Radio 4. He is the author of JOE: The Only Boy in the World (Profile 2006).
Andrew Dilnot is Principal of St Hugh's College, Oxford and former director of the Institute of Fiscal Studies.

The Tiger That Isn't
By Michael Blastland (2007)

Description: Numbers have become the all-powerful language of public argument. Too often, that power is abused and the numbers bamboozle. This book shows how to see straight through them - and how to seize the power for yourself. Public spending, health risks, environmental disasters, who is rich, who is poor, Aids or war deaths, pensions, teenage offenders, the best and worst schools and hospitals, immigration - life comes in numbers. The trick to seeing through them is strikingly simple. It is to apply something everyone has - the lessons of their own experience. Using vivid and everyday images and ideas, this book shows how close to hand insight and understanding can be, and how we can all use what is familiar to make sense of what is baffling. It is also a revelation - of how little the principles are understood even by many who claim to know better. This book is written by the team who created and present the hugely popular BBC Radio 4 series, More or Less.

Editorial Reviews Review David Dimbleby - 'In this witty and fascinating book he explains to us laymen how to make sense of numbers and how we can avoid having the wool pulled over our eyes. Invaluable.' Daily Telegraph - 'A very angry and very funny book...this is one of those maths books that claims to be self-help, and on the evidence presented here, we are in dire need of it...'Sunday Telegraph - 'This delightful book should be compulsory reading for everyone responsible for presenting data and for everyone who consumes it.'

About the Author Michael Blastland is producer of More or Less and Analysis for BBC Radio 4. He is the author of JOE: The Only Boy in the World (Profile 2006).

Go Figure: Seeing stats in a different way
Michael Blastland's columns for the BBC News.

2011

22 December 2011 Go Figure: Are we related? Sales of wide-screen TVs have risen, so has male life expectancy. Is there a connection? In his regular column, Michael Blastland asks why we feel the need to join the dots.
8 December 2011 Go Figure: How likely are you to lose your job? About 2.62 million people are unemployed. What's the chance of you becoming one of them?
24 November 2011 Go Figure: Why does every person need 200kg of steel a year? Is the raw stuff we devour - plastic, steel, concrete, energy - going down even as the economy grows?
11 November 2011 Go Figure: Would you believe a man with a beard or a suit? Who do you believe, a Beard or a Suit? In his regular column, Michael Blastland asks if it's facts or identity that decides who's right
8 November 2011 Beware the leadership myth of the great chief executive. Do we overestimate the difference individual leaders can make in business?
27 October 2011 Go Figure: Why do people inflate inflation? Prices only seem to be going one way and that's upward. But contrary to popular belief some items have become cheaper. Why do people's perceptions of inflation tend to be higher than the official rate ...
13 October 2011 Go Figure: What bananas tell us about radiation. There's been concern about radiation after damage to Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant in March and now a hot spot has been detected in Tokyo. But how do we think of radiation in ordinary terms ...
29 September 2011 Go Figure: Will we really keep getting fatter? Pick up a paper and you'll read that people are destined to get fatter and fatter, but is this right...
15 September 2011 Go Figure: Why we think rituals can influence results. We all have lucky rituals or charms but why do we see meaningful patterns or connections in random or meaningless data ... ?
1 September 2011 Go Figure: The doom and gloom calculator. We know we'll pay more for pensions and healthcare in the future, but is there a silver lining...?
18 August 2011 Go Figure: Life expectancy and the risk of dying. We've been told "death risk" can be cut by 15 minutes exercise a day, but just how should we view life expectancy data?
4 August 2011 Go Figure: Tick box v check-list. What's the difference between a tick box and a check-list? And why is one seen as better than the other...
20 July 2011 Go Figure: What can 72 tell us about life? Is 72 the answer to life, the universe and everything? It's definitely the answer to a few economic questions...
07 July 2011 Go Figure: Watching out for Wimbledon-washing machine links. What's the link between tennis on TV and washing machines? If you suspect a weird connection, ask a statistician, says Michael Blastland in his regular column.
23 Jun 2011 Go Figure: Do we understand 'risk' of mobile phone use? … phones cause cancer? It's all about how we deal with uncertainty, says Michael Blastland in his regular column. How risky is it if you don't know…
09 Jun 2011 Go Figure: How good are UK universities? Magazine How good are UK universities? In his regular column, Michael Blastland says comparison is irresistible. But watch out. We're bad, they're good,…
19 May 2011 Morning business round-up: IMF chief resigns Business Our Business Daily podcast today has a special programme on the history of economics. Michael Blastland looks at the mysteries of human behaviour,…
2 May 2011 Go Figure: How can you explain cancer clusters? Magazine Radiation in. After decades of research, cancer clusters are still difficult to prove, says Michael Blastland in his regular column.. After 25…
12 May 2011 Morning business round-up: Nissan enjoys strong sales Business … click through to our Business Daily podcast . The latest edition of the show looks at the mechanics of the financial machine, with Michael Blastland…
28 Apr 2011 Go figure: How to succeed in business by doing nothing Magazine How should you react to the ups and downs of business life? Often, you shouldn't, says Michael Blastland in this regular column. You're a dynamic…
14 Apr 2011 How do routefinders find their routes? Magazine … satnav or online routefinders for directions but how do these gizmos find their way, asks Michael Blastland in his regular column.. Many now rely…
31 Mar 2011 How hard is it to count people? Magazine Census forms are being filled in the length and breadth of the UK but how hard can it be to count people, asks Michael Blastland in his regular…
21 Mar 2011 Top tips on data visualisation School Report … cameras may or may not affect those numbers. on this by BBC reporter Michael Blastland, who also writes a regular feature on the BBC website…
16 Mar 2011 Do economists have a moral compass? Michael Blastland, presenter of The Story of Economics argues that "Behind every dry economic calculus there's a moralizer trying to get out".
16 Mar 2011 What's the story with economics? Magazine What's morality got to do with it? Economics = numbers, doesn't it? In his regular column, Michael Blastland looks for the real story of economics.
09 Mar 2011 Lesson: Turning statistics into stories Teachers' resources School Reporters at George Spencer School in Nottingham analyse their Survey data Surveys can be a great way of producing news stories for journalists…
03 Mar 2011 Go Figure: The bouncing league table Magazine League tables that don't include uncertainty do not make it easy to spot a good school, Michael Blastland says in his regular column. One year…
17 Feb 2011 Go Figure: The youth unemployment mystery Magazine Beware looking at the youth unemployment rate and bemoaning a unique lost generation, Michael Blastland says in his regular column. How bad is…
03 Feb 2011 School Report Survey: Introductory Lesson Teachers' resources … devoted to the world of numbers and their use in the media and politics. A video by Michael Blastland, former producer of BBC Radio 4's More…
99 Go Figure: How do you make statistics relevant to individuals? Magazine It's difficult to get personal with information about the whole of society but it is possible, Michael Blastland says in his regular column. Can…
20 Jan 2011 Why does pay go up in a pay freeze? Magazine As many public sector workers, and plenty of people elsewhere, experience a "freeze" on pay, Michael Blastland explains in his regular column…
06 Jan 2011 Can you count the packets of crisps? Magazine Terrified of numbers? In his regular Go Figure column, Michael Blastland explains how a bit of creative thinking can help. Have you got the brain…

2010 and Prior

A brief history of gadgets Magazine / 22 Dec 2010 … debt. At a time of year when tech takes centre stage, take a trip down memory chip lane, with Michael Blastland in his regular column.. Not so http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12058944
What do Google, Ask and Bing search results mean? Magazine / 14 Dec 2010 It's easy to think search engine queries could provide a gold mine of data, but it's not easy to know how to exploit, says Michael Blastland in… http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11985896
When exactly is our winter of discontent? Magazine / 26 Nov 2010 … it's just life. That's one theory at least. But it presents all sorts of problems, says Michael Blastland in his regular column. Imagine a land… http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11838544
Why it's hard to measure happiness Magazine / 16 Nov 2010 The government wants to measure our happiness. It won't be easy, explains Michael Blastland in his regular Go Figure column. Did you wake up fretting… 8-Nov-10
The riddle of the NHS budget Magazine / 08 Nov 2010 Is health spending heading for the biggest shock of all? In his regular column, Michael Blastland does the numbers, in seven easy clicks. Health… http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11765401
Are the pips squeaking yet? Magazine / 13 Oct 2010 … parents in long-term care, not to mention helping the children pay for university. Is this the end of being comfortably off, asks Michael Blastland… http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11523644
Is welfare spending ever under control? Magazine / 01 Oct 2010 … spending in the past 10 years, says the government. In his regular Go Figure column, Michael Blastland reveals it's rarely been under control… 16-Sep-10
What shape is a recession? Magazine / 16 Sep 2010 In his regular Go Figure column, Michael Blastland looks at how you map out a recession to get a fuller picture of how bad it is. How bad was… 7-Sep-10
Beware the 'don't know' brigade Magazine / 07 Sep 2010 In his regular Go Figure column, Michael Blastland looks at why the people ignored by surveys could be those with the strongest opinions of all. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11206057
E.T. v Avatar v Titanic Magazine / 19 Aug 2010 UK, but what happens when you adjust the box-office rankings to allow for inflation, population and changing habits, asks Michael Blastland in… http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11011520
Rip up the benefits system Magazine / 05 Aug 2010 How do you solve the welfare trap? In his regular column, Michael Blastland invites you to rip up the benefits system and start again. OK, bit… http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-10878465
Can chance make you a killer? Magazine / 23 Jul 2010 Can chance make you a killer? In his regular column, Michael Blastland invites you to try the deadly Go Figure Chance Calculator. Imagine you… http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-10729380
Will spending cuts have to assault middle-class voters? Politics / 13 Jul 2010 … of the 1980s. Short-term containment is as much as anyone ever achieved, former. Michael Blastland asks whether the public spending cuts will… http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10617218
How big is big? Magazine / 07 Jul 2010 How big is big? In his regular column, Michael Blastland looks at the latest news on the financial crisis and says it all depends on you. Seen… http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10540157
How do you measure niceness? Magazine / 04 Jun 2010 Counting is as easy as 1,2,3 - unless you're trying to count things like endangered species, wasted money and niceness, says Michael Blastland… http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8722453.stm
Is the British banger dangerous? Magazine / 21 May 2010 Is eating a pork sausage a day bad for you? In his regular column, Michael Blastland puts claims this week that it causes heart disease and diabetes… http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8697122.stm
The best graph of the election Magazine / 07 May 2010 The voters have spoken. Now it seems the parties must talk. In his weekly column Michael Blastland asks if the stats suggest this might be easier… http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8667929.stm
The Tesco - a new unit of measurement Magazine / 23 Apr 2010 Tesco is minting it, suggest company results this week. In his regular column, Michael Blastland reveals a new measurement for an age of mega… http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8638714.stm
National Insurance: How to get the rise in proportion Election 2010 / 08 Apr 2010 National Insurance by 1%. In fact, the figures show what is at stake here is a relatively trifling amount of money, says Michael Blastland in… http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8608112.stm
Why opinion polls are like soup Magazine / 26 Mar 2010 … parties are doing in the polls. But how accurate are they at guessing the outcome, asks Michael Blastland in his regular column. . With an election… http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8588747.stm
Up - a tale of education spending Magazine / 11 Mar 2010 … asks Michael Blastland in his regular column. . Public spending. It goes up. It goes down. Yet figures obtained by the Magazine's Michael Blastland… http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8562405.stm
Can one humble worker cause boom or bust? Magazine / 26 Feb 2010 With Britain's economic fortunes in the balance, decision makers are looking at all the economic surveys. But, as Michael Blastland http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8538751.stm

Other comparable books: The Drunkard's Walk, Innumeracy, Damned Lies and Statistics, 200% of Nothing, Predictably Irrational, Chances Are

This site was last updated 02/10/12