One often hears statistics such as death rates from scuba diving being
approximately equal to mowing lawns. Are these statistics based on the
population that regularly engages in these activities or the total
population?

Obviously if one does not scuba dive their risk of dying from this
activity is zero. So using the total population to calculate the death
rate for activities practiced by a very small proportion of the
population would depress those rates tremendously.




"Don Freeman" wrote in message ...
"Keenan Wellar" wrote in message
...
in article , Dave Manby at
wrote on 8/10/04 4:31 AM:

Statistically lying in bed is by far the most dangerous thing you can do
as the majority of people die in bed!

I think perhaps "cause of death" and "location of death" are getting
confused here!

His point exactly, gaving a very good example of how faulty cause-and-effect
reasoning can lead to invalid conclusions.