Everything But …
The car engines kept exploding; in fact they were killing people. While the engine manufacturers recognized that an engine was involved, they insisted the engines were not relevant to the problem. So the companies making car doors reinforced their product, providing some protection if the engines exploded, which they continued to do. The stronger doors […]
RESPECT UNIVERSITY
Our phone number is 737-732-8968 (RespectYou). We answer the phone with a human voice, because it is a human. Better yet, come visit. We’re open 24/7; please bring your own coffee. Respect University (RU) is located at 842 Peachtree Lane, Fredricksburg, Virginia 07683. Surprise: RU knows that the cost of college is like a big […]
A Callous Country
It is difficult to succinctly summarize the prior Negative Data Observations. Below is my emotional take, some of which connects to specifics in the three parts of NDO; some of which would require extended essays. What is the common message in the following attitudes: resistance to gun reform legislation, non-differentiated approach to […]
Negative Data Observations: Part Three
(7) Erosion in the American Dream. *Can anyone who works hard get ahead regardless of background? 2012: 53%, 2016: 48%, 2023: 36%. The latter number drops to 28% when the poll respondent is under 50. It also drops to 28% when the respondent is a woman. *Will you earn more than your parents: 55%, down […]
Negative Data Observations: Part Two
(4) Two huge costs. *Healthcare insurance more than four times what it cost in 2000. A brutally expensive category that cries out for systemic policy changes. *Apartment rents in the past 20 years up 135% compared with personal income up 77%. *Number of rental units under $600/month: 7.2 million compared with 9.4 million in 2022. […]
Negative Data Observations: Part One
(1) It starts with the family. *1980: 77% of children lived with married parents; today, it is less than 60%. Some 25% of children live in a one-parent home; this is a higher percentage than any country with relevant data. It is difficult to detect anything positive from these data. *62% of white children living […]
Negative Data Observations: Introduction
In the January to June 2024 timeframe, I collected a series of data points from articles and op ed pieces published in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Facts. Being in somewhat of a negative frame of mind these days, it is not surprising that the resulting observations matched my mood. The […]
Green and Orange
For a really long period, Green has looked down on Orange, kicking it out of town whenever it needed somebody to blame for whatever was troubling Green. Orange would move to wherever, only to find the seemingly nice Green neighbor down the road required little provocation, none actually, to become un-nice. But time passed and […]
A Unique Diet
Ice Cream, Basketball, and Parking: Components of a Diet Barnes & Noble has shelves which carry approximately three dozen varieties of diet programs, none of which are sustainable. It does not yet have a copy of the ICBP book which provides the detail behind this unique diet. It’s probably only a rumor that Amazon is […]
Curiosity Survey
SUMMARY OF RESPONSES Data are the percentage of responses in each quartile. From left to right, the quartiles are 0-25%, 26-50%, 51-75%, and over 75%. Comments are by the survey’s author, Bob. What % believe that if any person works hard, they can move ahead in life? 0 30 35 35 Comment: Responses were more optimistic […]