A picture is worth far fewer words today...due to inflation of course.

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Americans are really mad...at just about everything you can imagine too.

A recent Newsweek/Daily Beast survey found people are aggravated on everything from the current debt crisis to even the Almighty. They're mad about the governments ineptitude to basically do anything, the economy as a whole, Democrats, Republicans. gas prices, big corporations, rich people, their marriages and even their sex lives. God only got a 33 percent approval rating! God Almighty!?

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know I'm a survey junky. While I don't necessarily subscribe to the all-telling, truistic, finiteness of practically any survey result I take in, surveys are a good quick snapshot of any given moment/mood.

 I look at surveys the same way I look at photos. Take this one above for instance. That's a specific moment in a time captured after an evening church service when the Crazy Tomato: 1. hadn't warmed up yet to the person taking the picture, 2. was tired from a rather long day, and 3. was also mad because I wouldn't let her go pound on the drums while a group of people were talking in the sanctuary.

Does that make her necessarily a hateful child in general? Not at all. Sure, she has her moments...but then again...don't we all. 

Surveys are along the same lines. Taking a quick look at the temperament of a cross-section of society at any given moment in time could result in wild deviations in the results across a broader time fame. Now before some egghead starts berating me about the scientific reliability of properly conducted surveys, let me state for the record I've had several classes on probability and statistics. While I generally hated the classes, I did pay attention. My problem with the black and whiteness of survey results is the human factor can never truly be figured into them.

Example: You are arguing with your beloved over whose responsibility it is to put a new trash bag back in the can after it is emptied. Sure, logic would dictate the person taking the full bag out, but she's standing right there!  So down the steps you go taking the trash out, when the phone rings:

Hypothetical Spouse: (answering phone) Hello.

XYZ Surveyor: Good afternoon mame. I'm conducting a survey for XYZ  that will take just a moment. May I ask you a few short questions?

Hypo Spouse (still standing by the emptied, bag less trash can): Sure. Why not.

XYZ Surveyor: Thank you. Are you employed, yes or no?

Mrs. Ton...Hypothetical Spouse: Work like a dog trying to keep this house going. Think he appreciates what I do all day from begin to bedtime? The man never picks up his own clothes, so you can forget about helping with the kid's stuff. It never stops around here. Pick up this and clean off that all day long...he thinks taking the trash out on occasion is some monumental achievement! Does he think clean clothes just appear in his closet? I can tell you this, it would take Jesus Himself telling me to put a bag back in that can before I'll do it...that's right...I said that...Jesus Himself.

XYZ Surveyor: Okay. I'll mark yes. Thank you mame for your time. (hang up)

Hypothetical Spouse: That's it?!  What a dumb survey. Stupid. Dumb.



My example isn't intended to make anyone in particular look hateful...just a snapshot in time remember. I just didn't have an actual picture to correctly depict that particular moment.

Have I mentioned the Crazy Tomato looks a lot like her mom?

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