[eesmith]

One data point isn't that useful.

> At age 111, America's oldest veteran is still smoking cigars, drinking whiskey and loving life

> Richard Overton smokes 12 cigars a day, eats grits for breakfast and spends his days on the front porch of his Austin home.

https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/2017/06/02/at-...

[bovermyer]

From a scientific perspective, no. But from a motivational perspective, it is.

[fezfight]

Bike rides are nice (maybe the best?) but not everyone is the same. My mother in law is awaiting hip surgery after a lifetime of being physically active. Her husband, who lived the same life, is older, has no such problems. Of course genetics plays a part, that's the point.

[awillen]

You're clearly wrong as it relates to the post you're responding to. This one data point is going to get him to engage in a behavior that's healthier than the one he otherwise would've been engaged in, which is clearly good. Thus, the data point is useful!

Not everything his to be a double blind study showing significant effects to be useful.

[eesmith]

> behavior that's healthier

You presume it's healthier.

Suppose that 99.99% of the 80+ year-olds who try this end up breaking their leg, getting a heart attack, etc., and this one data point is from the 0.01% which benefits.

Likely not - but that's why we have double blind studies.

[outworlder]

We _know_ it's 'healthier' than drinking and playing video games.

[eesmith]

Yes, because we have far more than one data point.

Nor am I going to take up smoking because a 111 year old smokes them regularly.

[avgDev]

Well, from the one data point @eesmith provided, I'm picking up smoking as it must have done SOMETHIN for that guy.