Probability II

• People commonly use statistics like a drunk uses a lamppost: for support rather than for illumination. - Mark Twain

• The menu at The Coffee Garden in Salt Lake City has included a scrumptious selection of quiche for about 10 years. The recipe calls for four fresh eggs for each quiche. A Salt Lake County Health Department inspector paid a visit recently and pointed out that research by the Food and Drug Administration indicates that one in four eggs carries salmonella bacterium, so restaurants should never use more than three eggs when preparing quiche. The manager on duty wondered aloud if simply throwing out three eggs from each dozen and using the remaining nine in four- egg-quiches would serve the same purpose. The inspector wasn't sure, but she said she would research it. - The Salt Lake Tribune, 11 October 2002