Statistics, our money and reality

In my ongoing search of information regarding my quality of life, statistics are a necessary evil. Graphs, figures, seasonal, cultural, educational, gender, climate, predictive, potential, political, liberal and  conservative adjustments create havoc in such a way that reality appears only to be a matter of perspective. Driving down the highway I am inundated with a landscape cluttered with dozens, perhaps hundreds of huge, expensive, lighted and animated signs making sure I am informed about those less fortunate than I. "5 or 6 out of 10 kids go to sleep not knowing if they will be fed the next day." "Donate your car to help the needy" "Bring your clothes to the "blank" and help the poor." "Unemployment rates remain historically high" Things like that. Those ads are also found on the television, radio and Internet media. In my mind, being a business man for nearly a lifetime, knowing about return on a dollar when it comes to advertising, excuse me if I become just a bit cynical. Not being a man of unlimited funds I like to make sure what I give charitably actually gets to someone in need.. An historical fact sometimes lost in the past: During the second world war, Americans gave up eating butter. Not only for our soldiers but for the people of Russia who were unable to make their own butter. We ate oleo instead. The folks in Russia were in the habit of eating lard, not butter. So, they used the nasty butter to rub on their shoes and boots for waterproofing. We ate oleo. There is a lesson there I think.

Taking into consideration all the statistics available regarding the level of unemployment today. There is no doubt millions of people are unemployed. It is not a happy time for them. Did you know that in 1982 the unemployment was even higher? Yeah, it was. I was there. The lowest was back in 1953. I was there then too. Unemployment is figured and handled differently now. Interesting that unemployment figures are based on people aged 16 or older? Back before the early 40's it was 14 or older. I think we should know stuff like that. Kind of changes the doomsday approach we are fed daily. Over the past 60 years, unemployment has averaged 4.6%. Did you know that? I think today's unemployment figure is somewhere in the area of 7.6%. In the natural way of figuring wouldn't that mean that only 3% are unemployed more than usual? Not that those 3% aren't having difficulties but it's a heck of a lot easier to handle an "additional" 3% than it is to handle and "additional" 7.6%. That's what actual figures can mean instead of emotional gobbely gook.

Another fact about those figures we are bombarded with. Were you aware that the dollar amount we use to determine poverty has been altered considerably? Hundreds of thousands of people are still not aware that they are living in poverty and go on about their business without asking for or receiving any help from charity or government. According to graphs and collective figures, some parents can feed their families on far less than the national figures would suggest. Those surveys also show that people who use a government card don't always use it wisely. (who'd a thought) Did you know that those trucks that drive to houses delivering expensive steaks, seafood and other meats can accept bridge cards? Yeah, those folks living in abject poverty with lots of kids to feed can actually eat $18 a pound meat. I think those steaks last overnight so there is no reason those kids should go to bed not knowing if they'll eat the next morning. I don't have a government card, I eat cheap hamburg and buy any meat or seafood only if it is on sale. Oh yeah, did you know that a specialty, high priced, designer pizza shop, can accept bridge cards too? Yup, they sure can, as long as they don't cook it. I eat the freezer stuff from the supermarket, costs $2.47 for a whole pizza.

Every once in a while a special religious pastor comes along and starts some sort of a church. The pastor is so entertaining and charismatic that people flock to the services to hear what he or she has to say. It is every one's personal faith base that determines if this sort of thing is for them or not. I'm not the judge of that. Great churches have been built around the pastor by faithful. I'm just talking dollars and cents here. Most often, according the facts ands figures available to us all, Money eventually becomes the driving force of the originally well meaning pastors and they find new and inventive ways of spending the huge donations given to them by caring, kind considerate followers. According to the figures, money, huge amounts of free, donated money, corrupts. Something to bear in mind when putting that weekly offering in the envelope.

What I'm saying here is that today, every institution vying for my money is spewing out information in such inventive and imaginative ways that I have to educate my self independently in order to make a good decision. I happen to like butter, I don't mind giving it up from time to time if it's going to be appreciated and used in a way to actually benefit someone in true need. I say that if someone is used to eating lard, If lard is what they want, then let them eat lard. I once gave a car to a family with lots of kids and they didn't have a way to get to church on Sunday. I had been driving them to church each Sunday for almost two years. They were so happy. They never drove that car to church. Actually, until they ran the thing out of oil and the engine blew up after only 4 months of driving and neglect, they never went to church at all. When the engine blew up they called me and wondered if I could start driving them to church on Sundays again. What was my answer? What would your answer have been?

I think it's a good idea to do my research when someone asks me for free money that I worked my butt off for. Be it in church, at the store, on the phone or through my taxes.

Fiscal Cliff?

I am so very comforted by the knowledge that we have such fiscally responsible people in charge of our national financial situation. Some people are concerned and fear that on January 1st 2013 the national budget for the United States will expire and trillions of dollars in tax brakes will disappear and still more trillions of dollars in government entitlements will go away too. To those doubting Thomas's I can only say that our worst enemy is fear itself. To find assurance that all will be OK we need only look at our elected officials in charge. With only a short period of rest, those dedicated souls actually came back from election campaigns and the Thanksgiving break to settle the problem. We all know that this bickering that's going on is all a charade don't we? When we simply look at the gravity of the situation in such a delicate economy, common sense dictates that every resource the politicians have available to them is being used to end the deadlock. It's just common sense isn't it? I am comfortable with that knowledge, aren't you?

This evening I will have the honor of speaking to a class of university students about my experience with carbon monoxide poisoning. What a fantastic opportunity this is in my opinion. When I was affected by chronic carbon monoxide poisoning and experienced amnesia for two years it took a terrible toll on my family and myself, the consequences of which still linger today. It has been my goal to share that experience with as many people as possible and hopefully save them the aggravation and pain we went through. Through dozens of speaking engagements, one on one conversations, writing "Joe's Story", the media and the Internet, I believe I have accomplished my goal as well as can be expected. Every time I speak with younger people I feel that a seed has been planted to further that goal. Who knows where this opportunity will carry my mission.

Where is the snow? Will it all be coming at once? We must be careful what we ask for mustn't we?

It's our money!

Being unable to continue my ride around the lake at this time is not only somewhat frustrating but also leaves me with too much time on my hands and I even resort to viewing TV at times. Something I almost never do. And then, to top it off, the airways are filled to overflowing with political news. The presidential campaign is in full swing and everyone is saying something about just what the government is going to do with it's huge, almost unlimited financial clout. You've seen and heard all that stuff before haven't you? Well, so have I. We are a voting country, we use our vote to continue or change the direction of our government instead of guns. It's a great system. However, we have a problem at the moment: The politicians have forgotten one thing: "It's not their money!"

I am a lowly individual and have no right to say much of anything about the government. My place is generally to pay my taxes and trust the politicians to disburse it properly. Right? That's what a good taxpayer does. Yesterday I watched a politician state how he was going to spend those tax dollars to help the poor people. Then, about a half hour later I went to the store. Two of those poor people walked leisurely across the parking lot, effectively blocking any traffic while they discussed whatever it was that they were discussing. Stopping and starting and showing no concern whatsoever regarding the fact that they were obstructing others. The world began and ended with them. When a lady asked them to please move so she could park they displayed disdain and actually slowed down so she had to wait even longer. Eventually they found it in their heart to go inside the store where they continued to obstruct others in various ways. Dressed in designer clothing.

I did my shopping and went to the check out to pay for my goods with hard earned cash. As it was, the two leisurely people dressed in designer clothes were in line just ahead of me. They had two purchases, neither of which qualified for their government card. They put up such a fuss the manager was called to quell the situation. I don't know how it ended, they were still going at it when I left.

Here is my point: (You knew I was going to make one eventually) The two leisurely folks and politicians have something in common. Neither of them realizes that it ain't their money! In all my born days, I do not recall a politician being anywhere near what I would consider being "Grateful" for any money derived from our hard earned tax dollars. Stuff like that is what goes through my mind when I have too much time on my hands and watch TV or go to the grocery store.

American debt

There have been movies from time to time that are based upon the premise of a town or city going broke and selling itself to a person. Silly! How could anyone buy a town? In the movies the buyer always comes in and saves the day, just like Super Man. We all enjoy seeing a movie where everything turns out well don't we? Lets turn that fantasy into modern day reality and change it from buying a town into buying an entire country. Is it possible or even imaginable?

Puerto Rico is not one of the United States, it is a "possession." It is my understanding that the United States does not collect much in the way of taxes from Puerto Rico or its citizens (who are also deemed as US citizens). However, the United States pours billions of dollars into supporting that country. Does that mean we bought it? How does that work with American Samoa or other "possessions"? How much do these possessions cost us each year, what are the payments? When will we have them paid off? Do we own them or are we simply renting these countries? What would happen if we stopped making those payments? What would we lose anyway?

When I buy a car I consider it an expenditure, not an investment. When the expense is greater than the benefit I get rid of it. But when I get a good one I hang on to it and enjoy the ride. What benefit is there in owning a country if the expense exceeds that benefit? What benefit does China, Japan or any other country receive for buying up so much of American debt? Will they eventually own enough of us to the point where we are citizens of their countries? Will we eventually not have to pay taxes but receive all sorts of free benefits? I don't know how this "owning a country" stuff works. Maybe its a way to get sports stars. What are we worth exactly?

Scams, airline tickets, Joe Cramer, author

A national news program I was listening to had a program dealing with a subject I brought up on this blog: Internet coupon deals. It was interesting to hear my own words coming from someone else, word for word! Quite the compliment I think. I don't spend every waking hour promoting "Joe's Story: The Book of a Lifetime." Although that is very important to me I actually do have a life. Part of it is involving myself in gathering information concerning scams and price gouging techniques used to extract money from the most trusting and needy among us. The methods these operations use to circumvent the law are ingenious and we have to approach any good deal with pessimism or very likely face the loss of some of our hard earned cash.

Have you or do you know of anyone who purchased a car from one of those "Buy here, pay here" car lots? They serve a useful purpose to many high risk, otherwise un-financable folks who have gone through hard times, are honestly trying to make a better life for themselves and need transportation to get to a job. They also offer structured payment plans which help develop proper appreciation for maintaining credit. Then comes the dark side of some of those places. They buy a car for $500, sell it for $3000 and collect exorbitant interest rates, often making a profit of 6 to ten times their original cost. Something to think about.

I just received a letter informing me I "have become eligible to be awarded two first class airline tickets to anywhere in the continental United States." Boy! That's sure a mouthful of nothing tangible. Also, given there was no return address on the envelope or on the stationary and the name of the company on the letterhead was false, I'm guessin' this just may be some sort of scam.

I've always had a yearning for one of those tall, wooden, classic grandfather clocks. In my mailbox one day was and offer to purchase a grandfather clock for $60 plus shipping and handling. The picture was beautiful. It was priced so cheap because it was part of a shipment to a bankrupt company and it was cheaper to sell at below cost than to ship them back to the factory. I bit on that one! It wound up like this: $60 money order in advance, checks or credit cards not accepted, they took too long to process and these clocks need to be sold now. When the clock arrived it was shipped to a warehouse and I had to pick it up there, no home delivery. I had to pay the warehouse another $113 money order for shipping and handling. I got it home and assembly was required. This grand old, heirloom quality, grandfather clock with Swiss movement was made from some type of hardboard, similar to what the boxes my shoes come in. It was held together by cheap plastic clips. The genuine Swiss movement clock works had fake cotton draw strings and hollow, plastic, fake weights, a cheap plastic, fake pendulum and a battery operated plastic housing that I had to glue in place. The word "Swis" was stamped on the back, crooked and mispelled as it was. By the time I called the company the next morning the phone was disconnected and they were no where to be found and neither was any of my money. so yo know from where I speak, not from being so smart but from being dumb enough to be taken like that. I just wanted a grandfather clock so badly I forgot to think.

Now I'm going to turn on that national news program and listen to find out if I hear my own words again. I'd appreciate it this time if they'd us my name as part author. Yeah, that'd be kinda cool..........Joe

End of the recession

Over the weekend one of the greatest minds of the modern world made a very profound statement of her opinion: "The end of the recession will begin with the action of only one person. That's all it takes for the economy to turn around. I'm speaking of the entire world here, it's as simple and complex as that." Wow! Just one person is holding the financial future of the population of the world in their pocketbook. I wonder if they know it? I also wonder who it is? Is it Warren Buffet? Is it the Royal leader of Saudi Arabia? Bill Gates maybe huh?

I sure wonder just how literal she was being with that statement? But, somehow it has an appeal to it. One person has changed the world before, several times actually. Gandhi, Hitler, Jesus, Charlemagne, The Hunt brothers and others too many to list. Who will it be? Do you have any idea? Is it you, me or the person standing next to you in the grocery store? I wonder if I will be there when that person pulls out their wallet and spends the dollar that sets the process in motion, effectively dissolving the negative financial crisis causing the need for businesses to begin hiring at an increasing rate and putting millions of able bodied people back to work, one worker at a time. One more of us working creates one more paycheck to buy more goods, more goods require more people to make them, more people are hired to accomplish that and so on. It's happened before, it will happen again sometime soon.

So, if that one person is you I'd like to make a small request: Would you kindly get off your rear end and buy something? It'd be nice if it would be a lot of those somethings too. There are more than a few people just waiting to make them for you. One person! That's what she said. I wonder which country that person lives in? Greece, China, Iraq, Canada or the United States or Russia all have the potential. Who has the courage?.........................Joe

Surveys, statistics, lies and corruption

How often do we read a news report based on facts and figures and change something in our every day lives in order to gain or avoid a consequence of one kind or another. The news report stated this, then we do that. A TV reporter looks into the camera and tells us to avoid this intersection because of a terrible accident, we take another route traveling to work and arrive on time. That's a good report isn't it? Then we take that same reporter looking at a pile of papers concerning ice cream and the beach and swimming, warning us that people that eat ice cream and go to the beach and swim have a higher chance of drowning than if they didn't eat ice cream. Suddenly we think that eating ice cream causes drowning. Do you think that's a good report too? Actually, we can see that that's kind of a ridiculous report. But, believe me, reports like that do happen and with regularity too. We've all fallen victim to them.

I've been reading a book written by Darryl Huff concerning facts, figures and statistics and how they can be manipulated to obtain a desired result. Although it's a real eye opener, it only adds clarity to what I've believed for a long time. My 8 year old daughter brought home a beautiful little kitten one evening, she said the lady up the street was giving it away to a good home. She said, "It's the chance of a lifetime! If she doesn't take the kitten it'll probably die." Those two "facts" were based on her own special set of statistics in hopes of being able to keep the kitty. It worked! In the adult world statistics and figures of all kinds are manipulated in order that the group conducting the research achieves a favorable report. They use all sorts of methods to gain what they want.

Research regarding a health threat can bring millions of dollars in research money. It is beneficial to prove a link to whatever they intend to research and the health threat. Let's say a particular group of scientists wants to study water for future profitability. They don't have much money. They do a study. The study finds that every person that falls victim to a particular major illness "drinks water." They use the study to obtain millions of dollars in grants to study the connection between major illness and water. They study water and receive an income for years, spend the millions of dollars on research and no connection is found. However, as a by product of the research they do discover another, profitable use for water which they market and become millionaires.

A lawyer is defending his very guilty client in court. In order to keep his client from being convicted he must undermine the reputation of the only witness in this case. The witness is sworn in and the lawyer asks him a "loaded" question. "Mr. Howl," asks the lawyer. "Do you still beat you wife and lie? Answer the question, yes, or no!" The witness cannot answer the question yes or no without besmirching his own reputation. With either answer he loses and the jury makes a false conclusion.

A survey is conducted amongst 100 people. The question is: Have you ever been divorced?" 25 people answer yes. The second question asks: How many times have you been divorced? Most people answer once, some answer twice, still others answer three times or more, resulting is a total of 61 divorces in the group of 100 people. The survey was designed to determine how many marriages wound up in divorce. The answer reported in the final analysis was 61% of marriages wind up in divorce, thereby drawing a more dramatic but misleading conclusion.

Children come to school, find it difficult to concentrate, fall asleep and fail their classes. A survey is done that says most kids don't get breakfast. "Children can't concentrate if they don't have breakfast" the survey says. Billions of education dollars are spent to provide children with a free breakfast at school. After years of doing this the result is this. The same amount of children still can't concentrate, fall asleep and fail classes. Then survey data was and still is incorrect but the expenditure has benefited a lot of people. Except the children of course.

This is an interesting subject to me for a couple of reasons. Schools use surveys and statistics to obtain more money. The government uses surveys and statistics to obtain more tax money. Charities use surveys and statistics to show the need for us to give more money. Every organization uses some type of statistic or survey or other data to get what they want don't they?

Being aware of how facts and figures and surveys are conducted and manipulated goes a long way in what I decide to support. I think we'd be far ahead if we had a survey on how many surveys are corrupt................................Joe