A companion post to this one from six months ago. This time, the RTÉ news site tells us about the 50% increase in murder rates between the three months just gone and the same period last year. Now, while all murder is abhorrent etc., there really is nothing useful to come from citing statistical differences over small numbers. I suppose it's just not as wonderful to say that in the relevant three months last year 14 people were murdered but this year it was 21.

I'm not saying it's a trivial figure: I just think the presentation is designed for impact not information.