The "Obama Effect"

The study has not yet completed peer review, BUT...

Take a look at the plot that is shown as evidence here. (Vanderbilt University press release on Ray Friedman research.)

Then review the critique of graphical analysis here. (Taibbi critique of Thomas Friedman.)

Finally consider the rich irony that both plotters are Friedmans.

I propose a new phenomenon: "Friedman napkin" - a plot of arbitrarily selected parameters with either real or imaginary data used to reach a wildly inappropriate conclusion.

(Note: Both "Friedman plot" and "Friedman graph" already have specific meanings in math and science, hence the slightly more pejorative term "Friedman napkin." On the other hand, the number of syllables is nicely consistent with "Friedman unit."

You heard it here first.