David Gale wrote:
My main point is that it is not responsible for a highly official agency to publish statistics that they know cannot be correct.
I think you're being too harsh, David. The agency is reporting a true statistic: when you ask people how many partners they have, this is what they answer. Perhaps this differs from the truth because people lie, or because they never survey prostitutes, or because men have sex with their au paris who aren't surveyed becuase they're back in France, or because hordes of young college studs are having affairs with unconscious coeds, or with old women who die shortly thereafter, or whatever. The fact still remains that you can accurately report what people answer. I agree that journalists ought to take an active role in pointing out that these numbers can't reflect the actual number (of lifetime opposite-sex partners). But the survey authors should report it, and talk about possible explanations for the discrepancy, with reference to the classic work on the subject, as they did. --Michael Kleber -- It is very dark and after 2000. If you continue you are likely to be eaten by a bleen.