The distance from a fact

[Plane]

http://www.macon.com/207/story/338245.html

The fact that the crime rate in Bibb County may be down some 22 percent, as Sheriff Jerry Modena reports, becomes, while important, little more than a meaningless statistic to someone who has been a victim of crime.

For example, I have a friend, John, who occasionally visits a house of worship near his home. A little more than a week ago he attended an evening religious service. Shortly after he left and was walking the several blocks back to his apartment, a man on a bicycle pedaled up, pulled a gun and in a calm voice ordered him to give him his money.

In what I suspect my friend would probably acknowledge was an unwise move, he calmly replied "no," turned and continued walking.

The man on the bicycle shot him in the back.

[Xavier_Onassis]

In what I suspect my friend would probably acknowledge was an unwise move, he calmly replied "no," turned and continued walking.

The man on the bicycle shot him in the back.
=======================================
One can assume that the shot was not fatal, because (a) the shooter would not be likely to report this brief conversation and (b) dead victims can't talk.

The correct answer is "I am out doing my daily exercise, and left my money at home".

[Plane]

In what I suspect my friend would probably acknowledge was an unwise move, he calmly replied "no," turned and continued walking.

The man on the bicycle shot him in the back.
=======================================
One can assume that the shot was not fatal, because (a) the shooter would not be likely to report this brief conversation and (b) dead victims can't talk.

The correct answer is "I am out doing my daily exercise, and left my money at home".

The full story is behind the link , yes the victim is recuperateing .

Statisticly the whole USA is in good shape , financially , crime rate, tax rate , status of enemys , these are the good old days.

But who is close to a stastistic like that? People who are hurt are heard and the happy are quiet.

So lets get onto the classic Reagan question , are you better off than you were eight years ago?

I certainly am , but I am just a single person , a rediculously small sample. Is it fair to call things good if they are good for me?

Perhaps the statistics would bear fruit if everyone who was doing well voted for the status quo , and everyone who was doing badly voted for change. I don't know if that is possible , the public opinion is such that all three potential Presidents promise change and all congressional incumbents want to encourage revote always for themselves.

[Xavier_Onassis]

So lets get onto the classic Reagan question , are you better off than you were eight years ago?

I certainly am , but I am just a single person , a rediculously small sample. Is it fair to call things good if they are good for me?

============================================================================================
The country is at war, with no end in sight. A nation cannot fight a war on credit forever, or certainly for much longer.

Every year my medical insurance takes a greater part of my income and I have a bigger co-pay.

Electric, water and fuel bills have all grown way faster than my income. My hurricane insurance has gone from $400 per year to $2300, with no claims ever.

The economy has wheezed out a smaller return on investments, so I am only slightly ahead in Euros.

There will be no end to the war, no decent health insurance, no useful energy policy, no immigration policy and probably no Social Security reform is McCain is elected (or selected, whether the US is capable of fair elections is certainly dubious). The worst thing that could happen is another situation where neither party can make any changes because of the other party blocking all change. The GOP had their chance to change things, and all they did was beggar the nation and monger war.

I am all for giving the Democrats a chance. They may not solve all the problems, as probably won't, but the Republicans stand for an increasingly worthless status quo, in which a smaller and smaller percentage of the population owns a larger and larger share of everything that produces income. Nearly all gains from productivity go to the Oligarchy.

The government is far more intrusive in everyone's life now as compared with before.

[Stray Pooch]

The correct answer is "I am out doing my daily exercise, and left my money at home".

Given that what most people wear to church differs significantly from what most people wear to exercise, it's not very likely that answer would have convinced the criminal.

[Amianthus]

Given that what most people wear to church differs significantly from what most people wear to exercise, it's not very likely that answer would have convinced the criminal.

Then "I just came from church; I left all of my cash there."

[_JS]

Then "I just came from church; I left all of my cash there."

 

are you better off than you were eight years ago?

Energy and healthcare costs have soared. Inflation has hit basic items such as milk. The Fed has almost ensured that inflation will increase. As XO said, we're in a war that should have never been fought, then when it was fought it was managed very poorly. The transition from basic army to army warfare into counter-insurgency was dismal, which has been patently unfair to our soldiers and the Iraqi people. We are, right now, what can best be described as an Empire in decline.

To me, the question itself is primarily selfish, so I don't much care for it. It implies that if I'm personally better off (which is almost always meant in economic terms) then I should vote for the party that was in power. One could approve of all sorts of nasty policies using that as a general rule. Were the planters better off under the Confederacy? Perhaps, but that did not legitimize the CSA or the institution of slavery.

[Amianthus]

So lets get onto the classic Reagan question , are you better off than you were eight years ago?

In general, yes. My pay increases have beaten inflation every year for the last 8 years. My health care costs have gone down in dollars (not just as a percentage of my pay) while the quality has gone up - I don't even have a co-pay anymore, I walk in, get treatment, get a prescription, and walk out with no payments. As a matter of fact, my biggest problem is not being able to sell my house in Minnesota right now - however, even though I'm living somewhere else and paying a mortgage on a basically empty house, it has not impacted my life much at all. I'm actually in a nicer house right now, and paying BOTH housing payments with very little pain (and have been for over 18 months now). I have three vacations scheduled for this summer (one with my daughter, one by myself, and one with my wife). I purchased a time share in Florida and two new vehicles as well during this 8 year period. I've kept up with my supply of gadgets, etc..

So, yes, life has been pretty good.

[Plane]

So far we have two better off and two unhappy .

And the two that are unhappy are unhappy for the sake of other people.