Letter for a friend

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understandinguncertainty.org was produced by the Winton programme for the public understanding of risk based in the Statistical Laboratory in the University of Cambridge. The aim was to help improve the way that uncertainty and risk are discussed in society, and show how probability and statistics can be both useful and entertaining.

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A few years ago I spent an hour counting birds in the garden for the RSPB's annual Garden Birdwatch. I sent them my findings, as did a few hundred thousand other people (check their website). A few weeks later they sent me a letter of acknowledgement and thanks. The letter arrived at the same time as another identical envelope. I was surprised to see this second envelope was not for me at all but was addressed to someone else, living about 17 miles away at a completely unrelated postal address. But I was shocked to notice that this person was actually someone I know, a friend from work. He was just as shocked as I was, when I was able to hand deliver it to him! This must surely be an unusual coincidence.
Total votes: 130
Date submitted:Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:01:54 +0000Coincidence ID:5225