It must be true - I read it in the paper!

It never ceases to amaze me how the local press can take simple facts and draw completely the wrong conclusions from them. The latest example is in the Evening Gazette (7.11.08). The headline declares "Official: we're second most relaxing town". The article goes on to explain that Colchester has been ranked the second least stressful place to live in the country. The reason for this ranking is, apparently, the fact that we have the second highest ratio of stress relieving businesses and organizations to population in the country. These include massage therapists, yoga classes, anger management groups and leisure centres. Colchester boasts one of these to every 4,600 population. But what sustains these businesses? Surely the fact that they are all still in business points to the fact that Colchester is one of the most stressed areas of the country ...... otherwise they would have no customers. I appreciate the local rag trying to put a positive spin on things but the evidence does not really support the headline.