We are in the midst of a massive #MeToo scandal surrounding Brett Kavanaugh with recent polls indicating that a majority of Americans do not want to see him confirmed. We are watching with tense breath to see if Rod Rosenstein still has a job by the end of the week in the wake of a massively irresponsible piece published by the New York Times. It is rumored that the Democrats could be looking at a blue wave that gives them control of the House of Representatives- though this is not to be taken for granted so go register to vote, make sure your registration is correct, and schedule yourself to vote on Election Day!! And, of course, the leader of the Republican Party is underwater in his own favorability.
And yet, in the midst of all this, numerous headlines are popping up declaring that, according to a recent Gallup poll, the Republican Party is, somehow, enjoying a 7-year high of favorability.
If 2016 proved anything, it’s that polls- and especially the reporting surrounding those polls- require more study and context than simple eye-catching percentage numbers. Unfortunately, too many reporters don’t take the time to do that, and too many readers simply check the headline and don’t read any further.
So let’s dig into this a little bit by looking at the data Gallop themselves provide, and follow along with this amateur as I identify my biggest issues with this claim.
Continue reading “Is Republican Favorability Really At A 7-Year High?”
Okay, I know the last post was about Humble Bundle’s Tom Clancy video game bundle, and two Humble Bundle posts in a row may strike some as somewhat repetitive. Plus, this particular bundle has been available for over a week, so I’m late. However, it’s “Force Friday” because of a Disney marketing strategy to sell toys that retailers apparently understocked on (I am so glad I stayed home today). The bundle is available for four more days. I haven’t spread the word about it. That equals three good reasons to talk about it, according to me. Oh! AND this bundle is audiobooks instead of video games, and it’s Star Wars instead of Tom Clancy, which make two more additional reasons, so let’s do this thing! 
As a writer, video game fan, and connoisseur of action titles (both in print and video form), Tom Clancy has always fascinated me. He’s one of the few people I’ve heard of who managed to establish name recognition in all three of those areas. Reading his books is one of the items on my bucket list, though to date I’ve only read Patriot Games. I would love to know what it’s like to have my name become a brand, setting the titles with my name apart from all the other titles that lack… such a distinction, regardless of whether or not I actually played an active role. I mean, don’t get me wrong, Tom Clancy was a prolific writer, which I am going to jot down as “Step One in My Quest of Financial Security and Name Recognition”, but he didn’t play much of a role in a number of the books, nor video games, that carry his name.
Ricky of Kokiri 