One Step Closer

Well, for those of you who don't already know, I have been in school now for just over a month now, studying and trying to get the highest possible score to get my GED. I started off in difficult level, which is pretty reasonable for being out of school for 8 years now, and counting. The easiest way to explain the levels are, first, if you don't know your basics at all, you are definitely in the easy level, then you work up to the medium, difficult, (where I stand), then you have advanced, where people need to be in order to be ready for the actual GED test, or at least for the practice test.

I first stared off in difficult level for all five subjects, as of now I am in advanced for Math, Language, Reading , and Social Studies. The tests I am able to take tomorrow are Math, Language, and Social Studies. I am in High Adult Math levels which averages out to a 12.9+ out of 10. All the others are averaged at a 10 as of right now. So I am pretty confident about doing great tomorrow with the support of my family and everything else that is going for me right now. With the help of the teachers and teacher's aides, these tests, I should pass with flying colors.

When I am done with the final steps of this program , I plan to move on and do something good with my life, the only thing really holding me back from being successful, which is only because it is shown on paper, is my GED. I want to move on and make something of myself and prove to everyone around me that I can do things, which I know that the people close to me, or around me already know I have the capability of doing already without my GED. When I finish up with the whole school thing, I will take my nice vacation that has already been planned, come back home try to figure things out and eventually move closer towards my goals that I want to reach further for in life.

So if you are someone that is close to me, or has been through the whole program, I would really like to hear some feedback on the situation to see how you feel about the whole situation I am going through right now. I would appreciate some positive feedback and some big time motivation for this big test I am looking forward to tomorrow.

Team Alphabet Soup

Team Alphabet Soup, Information Experts Memo

To: S. McMullen, Production Team Leader, Incentives
Piggy Bank Marketing
From: Team Alphabet Soup, Information Experts

CC: C. No Trump Browne, VP NULL/ALT Hypothesis Department, IE
Link N. Chain, VP Marketing, Piggy Bank
Date: Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Subj: Piggy Bank Credit Card Incentive Plans

Re: Null and Alternate Hypothesis, and Related Reference Documents

Dear S. J. McMullen:
Please direct your attention to the following, and respond at your earliest convenience.

Use team and problem-solving skills to collaborate on a project.
We, in Team Alphabet Soup, have proceeded to collaborate on the project at hand, and have arrived at a starting point. Whether to rebate cash to your depositor’s Credit Card account as Incentive, for Clothing purchase, or for Online Purchase, Team Alphabet Soup has derived the following question:

“Is the customer more often apt to use their Piggy Bank Credit Card in the purchase of an online item, or to purchase an item in a clothing retail store, during the year?”

Formulate Null and Alternate Hypotheses for applications involving a single population mean, proportion, or variance.

Let µON = true mean Online Purchases, and,

µCL = true mean Clothing Stores Purchases.

Null Hypothesis: Ho: µON ≥ µ CL
Alternate Hypothesis: Ha: µON < µCL

Using the referenced data we conclude that the null hypothesis is that the “Online shopping is greater than or equal to the Clothing Store purchases.” Subsequently, our alternate hypothesis, is that the “Online Shopping is less than Clothing Store purchases.” We find that the alternate hypothesis is the burden of proof for the TAS investigation.

STRATEGY

“The ultimate value of a formalized hypothesis is: it forces us to think about
what results we should look for in an experiment. In a formalized hypothesis, a
tentative relationship is stated.” (Class notes; 2006)

Thus: If the alternate hypothesis is accurate, then Piggy Bank should make a decision to use clothing retail as incentive for cash back purchases with their Credit Card.

Refer to the attached tables: the total spending in clothing retail purchases for the year 2004 is $189 billion dollars. Concurrently, the e-commerce, online total retail purchases for 2004, is $71 billion dollars.

As one can see from both other statistical references, online shopping is increasing, at a rate of about 3% per quarter, with sudden bursts in the 4TH Quarters. Online shopping is about 2 to 3% of the total retail picture.

Team Alphabet Soup chose to put as the alternate hypothesis: Online Shopping is less than the Clothing Store purchases.

Next, using statistical analysis, Online Shopping is less than Clothing Store purchases, is the probable result of the final investigation. Team Alphabet Soup will probably find that the alternate hypothesis is not rejected, and reject the null hypothesis.

If Online purchases are less than the Clothing Store purchases, the Production Team at Piggy Bank can gauge their decision to give cash back when the consumer makes a purchase at a clothing store, as inducement to use the Piggy Bank Credit Card, as it will create greater frequency of draws on customers’ accounts.

If you have any questions please call us at Information Experts.

Respectfully yours,
Team Alphabet Soup

Att/notes_references_tables/ Pages 3-8
phd_cc_jg_rc
cc CB, LNC

_____________________________________Links/References/ Tables/ Notes
Ranked by Total Revenue through December 26, 2003
A recent census shows the following for online shopping:
Table 1. Popular Online Shopping Categories 2003 Holiday Projected Online
Category Revenue in Millions Year Over Year Growth
Apparel/Clothing $3,738 40%
Toys/Video games $2,197 33%
Consumer Electronics $2,044 2%
Computer Hardware/Peripherals $1,650 ----*
Video/DVD $1,619 46%
Source: Goldman Sachs, Harris Interactive and Nielsen//Net Ratings eSpending Report, December 2003
Number of respondents = 9,517 online users
*Year-over-year percent growth unavailable for this category due to small sample size in 2002.
“Online retailers have enjoyed a fantastic season in 2003,” said Abha Bhagat, senior analyst
Nielsen//Net Ratings. “This is the third straight season of record growth, which indicates retailers are doing a much better job of appealing to customers through online channels as well as successfully integrating various channels to reach out to customers effectively.” (Nielsen Net ratings, 2004)

Grieving is a Project

It is difficult to express the price we pay to experiment with fate. In regard to our own lives many of us expose self to dangers that we would never allow our own siblings or children to experience. All told, when the frosty wintry ice and slush melts away, and the remembrance of all those winters is embedded in the rationale of our minds; the questions perch upon our lips like flakes of snow. Did we come this far despite our selfish ways, and self-destructive notions?

And we answer self, "I'm still here."

Then we may turn to greater-than-we-are amplifications, bigger-than-life generalizations, although it still rings out in the final wash: "Truth is beyond a doubt stranger than fiction."

I am in a state of grieving. At first I did not remember that somewhere I had heard humans naturally succumb to grieving, until I was rocked by my friend's passing away. At first denying it all, I became then angry, today I am more bargaining than yesterday. Letting slip some duties and getting behind, I asked Jesus to handle some of the toil on my agenda, while promising that I will hold down the other parts as best I can. And with no clue how that propels me forward I know; isn't it obvious that my friend's death is only indicator to the real unspeakable dangers, and the answers are as fleeting as respiration, and as distant as Neptune?

I may be as typical a human as any, after all, with all the frailty, and dangers lurking, just outside my bubble of self-regard that "everything is going to be okay." However this day my heart beats in unusual rhythms, hurriedly when I lay to rest, slowly when I try to work.

Imposing as it is, grieving is a project that must be factored, measured and managed just like all risk management. How else to carry on, without doubt, to our engagements and enterprises? Occurrence of grieving is a real risk, implicit and natural as stones and mortar, that all must chance for the privilege of life. PD

For love of Tights

From: compostholestoy
To: patdarnell@aol.com
Subject: Re: [MooPig Wisdom] From Swayze with Shove
Date: Thu, 28 Dec 2006 2:00 PM
think Patrick Swayze only played football 'cause he liked wearing the tight pants. Everything you said made sense about his career and what he should have been doing instead. But, he was no doubt led around by the nose by an informed agent, who, by the way, made P.S. a multi-millionaire who doesn't remember you or Lamar or your sister. And that's his loss..........!
Worst movie is any Dan Akroid or Chevy Chase movie or any re-make of a sixties TV show.
bye
RC
Zeeland, Michigan

Piggy Bank wants to issue a Credit Card

Welcome Compadres, Confidantes, and Co-conspirators:
I have some questions; I hope you have an answer. Too bad we can’t make it a symposium. I suppose, this is as close to “philosophy-in-the-streets” we can get for now. I am sending my bit-strate from The Brazos Valley, Bryan, TX. Here we make an industry of watching the grass grow.(footnote)

I have confidence in you, my national networking peer-tormentor group:

1. Piggy Bank (PB) is entering a final stage of decision making. “Credit Card Incentives” is the key word.
Is it safe to say sampling a “Cluster” can be effective, even if from a cluster of businesses that are similar in their offerings? I.e.: Credit Card companies, Holding Companies, or, Multi-National Merchandisers? Or, do I have to limit my research to the population cluster of PB patrons?

2. Is this an example of “Simple Random Sample:” Throw darts?
For example: Is the event “Curling” in the Winter Olympics an example of “Simple Random Sampling?”


Typical Incentives:
...buy products in malls and get points, like airline mileage points
...use the credit card and get a dividend return each quarter
...order family plan of four or more cards, and receive discounts
...buy one product and get another half off
...give your cards to homeless people and receive good kharma

3. If the truth on a segment of “Incentive” is intangible, can the statistician table it, and call it inconclusive? Because really: How do the statistics spell the truth, if Piggy Bank is paying the consultation fee? If PB wants something to be true, how is speculation wiped from the equation? Is speculation truly the second oldest profession?

4. Where does, my, the consultant’s, liabilities begin and end? As the client comes up with a new test idea for incentive, I have recommended a different, unique, fact-gathering strategy each time.
Does this confuse the client, and force an undesirable situation, where he lets me make the final decision for him?

___________________ _____________________
(footnote) In my opinion the two strangest random occurrences in Central Texas in 2006... Reported as “Other news from Central Texas: Report from the Middle Feb 14, 2006”
First: Shooting
I guess the event yesterday gives new meaning to “pepper spray.” Re: the D. Cheney shooting incident, is it random or set up? Controlled experimentation or a survey at the mall? ...could Yesterday have origin in the mystery about this indelicate date in history? The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre “Eve,” and be foretold in the Torah code? ...hm?...

Second: Helicopters overhead and cellular signal fade
We live in Bryan, twin to College Station, where the Fighting Aggie's reside at Texas A and M. The Geo Bush, Sr., Presidential Library is here. Additionally, the Geo W Ranch is only 20 minutes away, as the crow flies. The President’s three Navy helicopters just passed overhead, on the way to the ranch. You know the ranch… We call that “AREA 52.” ...Don’t worry, the preceding is only a test: to check if Big Brother really is listening. I'm looking for free publicity... only if!

At the top are the tools of the survey we will need for proper management of the case for credit cards. PERT, and Gantt charts.

That’s all from here, Brazos Valley, where the women are strong, the men are good-looking, and the children are all above average. Yours, PD