Phone coincidence. [Readers Digest 1950's]
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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 man working in a city office developed a bad headache and left early for home. While travelling he stopped off at a roadside chemist's shop to buy some medication. It was in a suburb where he had never previously stopped. While waiting to be served the shop phone rang [pre-mobiles] and the assistant asked if there was a Mr ' John Blank' in the shop as his wife wished to speak to him. The man was amazed but admitted to being 'John Blank.' He protested that this was an impossibility but took the call anyway. It was indeed his wife and when he asked how she knew where he was she replied that she had dialled the office number as usual. She had misdialled and reached her husband purely by chance.
Date submitted:Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:41:42 +0000Coincidence ID:4135
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