I don’t claim to be a master of mathematics but I’m quite competent with basic addition and subtraction. It appears as though the New York Police Department (NYPD) is either bad at performing basic arithmetic or don’t understand the definition of basic English words:
New York police have dismantled the Occupy Wall Street camp in Zuccotti Park and arrested about 200 people following a raid in the early hours.
[…]
Police spokesman Paul Browne said most people left the park when ordered, but that a small group of people had refused.
[…]
The city authorities and Mayor Bloomberg had come under pressure from residents and businesses to shut down the camp, which had about 200 occupants as it neared its two-month anniversary.
Something doesn’t add up. The dictionary definition of the word “most” is, “Greatest in amount or degree.” Therefore if there were 200 people camping in the park and most of them left that means at least 101 people would have had to leave. If 101 people left an encampment of 200 people that would leave 99 people (perhaps they’re the true 99%). So how the hell did the NYPD manage to arrest 200 people if most of the people left?
It means there was a lot more people there than 200 if most left or else a bunch of people showed up to resist when the previous majority left? Or the most likely thing that they can’t count or do simple math.
I’m going to go with that option. This is entirely because this option makes for the funniest and most snark filled post and thus, I imagine, the most entertaining read.