Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller for October 23, 2024

Do you mind if I ask you a few questions because I know a candidate who would like to court you.

Oh, me?? I’m a single, middle-aged, female ballbuster. You?

He’s only after her statistics.

One thing that amazes me about opinion polls is how many people they can find who have no opinion.

Actually.. a successful pollster is a pretty smooth individual.. has to be honest and genuine, be able to admit that yes it will take more than a minute lol and that no there isnt any compensation for it.. has to be personable and have a sense of humor and be the kind of person you trust enough to tell them what you think and the kind of person you enjoy talking to.For some bizarre reason, as shy as i was normally, i shone in my pollstering days lol but the jobs were easy… like calling them up and asking them what they would like to see on their public broadcasting television programming! i mean who wouldnt want to answer those kinds of questions!!

Before he spoke, she was undecided, but now she’s certain she wants nothing to do with him.

I’m conducting a poll, would you like to take my poll?

Marginally worse than, “Hey, Lovely, haven’t I seen you here before ….. 2020 to be exact?”

A bit tipsy, and therefore using a wide margin of error, he said, “Poll my finger.”

Other than the bartender, they are the only two people in the place, what do he or she got to lose? John Mellencamp, “It’s a Lonely Old Night”.

Depends on the purpose of your poll. If it’s about Buttercup, no comment that won’t burn your ears.

I don’t think he will be checking her boxes.

The frightening thing about recent elections is the daily reliance on “polls.” Whose polls? Where are they conducted? How many people were surveyed and where and when? Were specific groups targeted or ignored? Were the questions unbiased or did they ask leading or loaded questions?

Polls without specific context [who conducted them; where and when they were conducted; who comprised the survey group; what was the purpose of the poll] are meaningless. I may be asking the questions in my classroom or grocery story. Also, writing appropriate poll questions is both an art and a science — some are written just to find out people’s personal opinions; others are written to manipulate and change people’s opinions.

That’s why massive polling can be dangerous — people believe “the polls” and that can change their behavior, persuading them that masses of people believe one thing or another; encouraging them to vote or to not vote. In a way, it is sort of like inciting a mob.

“Smooth move Exlax.”

I either don’t answer or lie to pollsters.

“SLAP! Got it…”

What in the world is he drinking?

There is no such thing as an exciting poll—taker

That’s one way to get into her rants…

Or used car salesman.

She is a single, blonde, very angry female who trolls bars looking for men to be nasty to.

Do pollsters really ask that? I thought they asked lots of other questions and then made that determination themselves.

Almost as clever as what’s your sign…… ;-)

A woman by herself in a bar, beware…

I’ve been recently reminded of the fellow some called the “Spam King” – who was found guilty of sending out a Vanceload of unsolicited commercial messages – including the “Poll” kind – that supposedly ask questions – the answers to which they disregard – they only want contact information – to sell).

In the courts he received a quite painful tap on the wrist – which wasn’t enough for some people that had to wade through page after page of his spam(s).

When his mailing address was released – those dissatisfied with his “punishment” signed him up for EVERY BIT of disgusting mail and crap magazine subscriptions they could find. Just desserts.

Reportedly, Trump-appointed Postmaster Generalissimo Loser De Joy thought he could fix the spam-king’s problem by completely shutting down the post office – or at least severely slowing down deliveries – by eliminating computer systems dedicated to performance enhancements during the COVID-19 lockdown – Surprise! Surprise! – just before the 2020 election (because: vote-by-mail). He was caught, and stopped. But still he tried. And he’s still there.

Certainly we should never resort to such patently underhanded tactics as sending such mail and magazine subscriptions to:

Mar A Lago

1100 S. Ocean Blvd

Palm Beach, Fl 33480

- for that would be wrong. And if anyone knows De Joy’s home address they should never post it publicly (below). /s

Not in your bailiwick!

She’s about to skew his statistics.

At least she now knows where he’s coming from …