Richie Moriarty is “the star” in this video published by Improv Asylum, a comedy and improv club in Boston, MA.

(found via Doris Dirks on Facebook.com)

This factoid from a 2010 National Bureau of Economic Research working paper has been making the rounds this week — inspiring renewed discussion regarding the value of a higher education degree. On reddit.com, the thread [Today I learned] there are over 5,000 janitors in the U.S. with PhDs. attracted 823 comments. The Daily cited the original NBER working paper in their Boxes and Briefs section for their January 9, 2012 edition; adding that “17 million Americans with college degrees hold jobs below their eduction level.”

If time permits, I want to take a closer look at the original research — to learn more about the data, model, and findings. Until then, this post will continue to be tagged as a ‘fragment’.

Notes for learning more

Original publication that inspired the ongoing discussion

Read Estimating Marginal Returns to Education, the National Bureau of Economic Research working paper No. 16474 drafted by Pedreo Carneiro, James J. Heckman, and Edward J. Vytlacil (October, 2010). The full text is also available as a PDF. The abstract for the working paper provides some context of the author’s intent:

This paper estimates the marginal returns to college for individuals induced to enroll in college by different marginal policy changes. The recent instrumental variables literature seeks to estimate this parameter, but in general it does so only under strong assumptions that are tested and found wanting. We show how to utilize economic theory and local instrumental variables estimators to estimate the effect of marginal policy changes. Our empirical analysis shows that returns are higher for individuals with values of unobservables that make them more likely to attend college. We contrast the returns to well-defined marginal policy changes with IV estimates of the return to schooling. Some marginal policy changes inducing students into college produce very low returns.

Opinions published regarding the research

Read Why Did 17 Million Students Go to College, written by Richard Vedder for The Chronicle of Higher Education (October 20, 2010). Veder concludes that “higher education is on the brink of big change” and that “state governments are cutting back  higher-education funding, thinking it is an activity that largely confers private benefits.”

Read There are 5,000 Janitors in the U.S. with PhDs, written by Kyle Vanherert for Gizmodo (October 22, 2010). Vanherert ends with a collective shrug writing “whatever some eggheads work out ‘college’ to mean for people on paper can’t really take into account the experience of going to college, but the numbers are pretty surprising nonetheless.”

I really love this 15-minute documentary about the Los Angeles office of TBWA/Chiat/Day Advertising. The piece was directed and edited by Matthew Kalish.

Aside from enjoying a hip/fun soundtrack with tunes from the 1970s to present, in this video you will see and learn about:

• what the Chiat/Day design space in LA looks like — from walking through the entrance tunnel, to the open spaces designed for creativity, community, and collaboration
• background on Jay Chiat and the agency — the decision to “be big” and create a great agency in the late 60s
• a montage of iconic print and video campaigns
• philosophy about creating an environment where creative people could “do it their way”
• thoughts on why Jay Chiat was a leader and initiated change in the advertising industry, how he drove and inspired others to achieve
• how Lee Clow did a year-long campaign (“hire the harry”) in order to convince the Chiat/Day team to let him join — his peers describe Lee as “an advertising legend”
• how Lee understands what creative thinking is, how he pushes for the best
• Apple, Inc.’s 1984 advertisement that introduced the Macintosh, and how the spot helped Chiat/Day to become a force in the advertising industry
• another montage of outstanding campaigns for Porsche, and later Nissan
• inspiration for the Energizer Bunny and how it was turned into an effective advertising campaign
• examples from their big accounts: Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, Reebok
• a tour of “the big grey box” where their offices are located (which looks like a miniature city)
• Omnicom’s purchase of TBWA and Chiat/Day
• The Tequila worldwide network of agencies and interactive work, viral videos, and more around the globe
• “Beyond Disruption” — pioneered by Jean-Marie Dru. Looking at unconventional strategies in order to move faster
• Apple, Inc.’s “Think Different” campaign
• And another montage of cool advertisements for iPod, Playstation, and more
• Closing thoughts from key members of the agency: they started small with a passion for great work, they grew and are now big — but, still have the passion. If you have a great idea — go and do it!
• Lee’s formula for growth and profit: great people, doing great work is how you grow and become profitable, there isn’t any other way.

I consider myself lucky when considering the opportunities I have had thus far. I was born in America, I have a graduate-level education, I work at a prestigious institution with wonderful people who care about what they are working on, and have a life filled with family and friends.

Despite great opportunities, life presents challenges and expenses – which can result in significant uncertainty. Managing what needs to be done now and in the next few weeks or months is important. But, what about making sure that there are conditions and finances available that will promote a secure future?

Many Americans believe that a comfortable retirement lifestyle means having a minimum savings of $100,000 to $1 million (U.S.) – according to an AP-CNBC poll. Yet, few feel confident that they will ever succeed in accumulating such wealth.

What does a comfortable retirement lifestyle mean? Does it include the cost of housing, food, transportation, health care, and the ability to lend support to your family should an emergency arise?

Normal retirement ages vary by country. However, it would appear that right now most Americans are retiring in their mid to late-sixties. The U.S. Congress’s most recent adjustment to the U.S. specifications for full retirement age was made in the 1983 Social Security Amendments. The full retirement age for people born after 1959 in the United States was set at 67 years. The amendment cited improvements in health and longer life span for Americans. I suspect that the normal retirement age will trend higher as Americans in generations X, Y, and Z reach the later part of their lives.

Many young Americans have substantial debt – which impacts their ability to save for the future. Most college students are graduating with at least $20,000 in debt. This is in addition to average $3,173 in credit card debt that they carried as undergraduates.

How long would it take for a young American to save $1 million (U.S.) for a “comfortable retirement” lifestyle? We can estimate monthly savings goals required for a million dollar retirement by using the Bankrate.com calculator. The following estimates are based on an initial deposit of $0 (because most young Americans do not have $10,000 available to start off their retirement fund), an annual return of 5%, and a 3% inflation rate.

As you can see, a recent college graduate’s retirement fund would be worth a mere $169,733 even after saving $600 each month for 42 years. This amount would hardly yield enough to cover annual expenses for the 15 to 30 years you live following retirement at 67 years of age. To have a net value of $1 million after adjustment for inflation we would have to save a lot more each month.

It is kind of terrifying when you consider the income and lifestyle required right now in order to enjoy a comfortable retirement in the future. Further, the above calculations and targets don’t take into account the other things that come up in life including buying a car, purchasing your first home, having a child, having pets, developing a hobby, or sending your child to school and college.

The above numbers assume the most conservative investment strategies. Investing in stocks or using a Roth IRA may yield a higher return over time. Still, you have to begin saving large amounts each month now if you want to have a reliable future.

Do your spending habits, salary, and lifestyles support this type of savings plan? Or, would you have to make significant changes in order to enjoy a better life in your post retirement years?

Charity fraud is a growing problem

The opportunity for bad people to commit charity fraud has increased along with the growth of the Internet. Misuse of charitable donations occurs on both large and small scales.

A New York couple will serve two to six years in prison and pay a $1.5 million (U.S.) fine for falsification of business records for their fake Coalition for Breast Cancer Cures charity. Donations were used by the couple for trips to Las Vegas and Amsterdam, purchasing expensive name brand merchandise, and payment of their daughter’s sorority dues.

The Chicago AIDS awareness organization Working for Togetherness spent more than $45,000 of public funds on a luxury SUV.

Checklist for finding a trustworthy charity

There are five simple things you can do to avoid becoming a victim of charity fraud.

1. Get informed: familiarize yourself with the charity standards and regulations by reading the Internal Revenue Service’s Life Cycle of an Exempt Organization and the Better Business Bureau’s Standards for Charity Accountability.
2. Test your fraud awareness: federal law enforcement and an industry task force use LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com to provide tips, share victim stories, and to enable the public to become more informed about Internet fraud.
3. Research the charity: verify that the charity is listed on the Better Business Bureau’s National Charity Report Index or purchase a copy of the Charity Rating Guide from the American Institute of Philanthropy. Review the GuideStar database to verify that the organization is a legitimate non-profit.
4. Check for electronic scams: the Federal Bureau of Investigation provides information to the public about current e-scams and warnings.
5. Trust your instincts: if you feel uncomfortable or uncertain after having done research on the organization, then select other charitable organization to work with.

The Pocket Paper Engineer by Carol Barton

 In this book you will learn that people who create three-dimensional forms using flat pages are called paper engineers. The author presents easy to understand diagrams that explain how pop-ups work and how to create pop-ups, pull tabs, and rotating wheels using simple materials that you may already have around the house. Using paper, scissors, and glue, the reader will be able to start with simple pop-ups using box and triangle methods and then progress to dynamic pop-up design using combination and layered effects. The appendix of the book also includes quick access to lists of decorative paper and tool supplier websites.

 The Pocket Paper Engineer is available in two volumes for $14 to $25 (U.S.) each and is spiral bound so that it may be laid flat on a table top or workspace for easy reading and reference as you work on your new pop-up card project. The first volume of the Pocket Paper Engineer (67 pages) covers basic forms and Volume 2 (72 pages) covers platforms and props.

The Pop-Up Book: Step-by-Step Instructions for Creating Over 100 Original Paper Projects by Paul Jackson

 Combinations of pop-up book creation techniques are presented in this book including straight forward folding techniques and cutting methods using scissors and hobby knifes. The book also includes patterns that can be copied from the text to the paper you are using for your pop-up project and can be easily reduced or increased in size to suit the both large and small formats.

We were most impressed by the creative shapes the author used in the pop-up projects gallery for this book including a dove flying above clouds, a unique Santa Clause face, a silver aikido mask, and a columned Parthenon. It was one of the few books reviewed that went beyond basic shapes and designs for pop-up cards.

The Pop-Up Book is 160 pages in length and may be purchased online for $16 to $25 (U.S.).

Paper Engineering for Pop-Up Books and Cards by Mark Hiner

 The thing we liked most about this book is that how it presented ten basic methods that were easy to understand for creating levers and mechanical movements that are essential for effective pop-up card and pop-up book construction. The illustrations used by the author make it easy for the reader to cut out and create components for both simple and complex cards. What originally drew us to this book were the positive reader reviews, which indicated that the concepts in this book worked well for personal projects, as gift cards that friends loved, in the classroom for K-12 projects, and design courses at the university level.

Paper Engineering for Pop-Up Books (48 pages) is currently out of print but can be readily found through reputable used book sellers for $15 to $30 (U.S.) on Amazon.com, AbeBooks.com, or Barnes and Noble.

The Children’s Miracle Network, since 1983, has raised more than $4B (U.S.) to help more than 170 children’s hospitals in the United States and Canada. Donations have often been raised one or two dollars at a time.

While raising money for a charity by having people pledge or fund an activity an individual plans to do is not really a new idea for fundraising, there is potential for this event to have multiple positive outcomes beyond additional funds for the charity:

• an increase in awareness of and engagement with charitable activities by males 12-17 years of age and females 25-34 years of age — according to a 2009 Nielsen Company report, this demographic is highly engaged with Xbox 360 gaming.
• groundswell and discussion at the family and friend-level about how charitable giving might benefit children in need — the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals have assisted children with afflictions including asthma, broken bones, birth defects, and cancer.

What impact might funds raised to assist children have? According to the National Cancer Institute, 10,700 new cases of pediatric cancer were expected to be diagnosed in children between birth and fourteen years of age in 2010. While the pediatric cancer survival rate has been raised to more than 80 percent, the experience for children and their families must be challenging.

Learn more about charities that help children

• Visit the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals website
• Learn about how the Ronald McDonald House Charities helps families to be stable and help children to be happy and healthy
• Find out how the Mike-A-Wish Foundation has helped children with life-threatening conditions to realize their dreams.

Sport Relief is an annual event intended to raise funds to “help people living incredibly tough lives, both at home in the UK and across the world’s poorest countries.” Partners for the event included Sainsbury’s, SportsDirect.com, British Telecom, and British Airways. Funds raised are allocated through Comic Relief, a UK charity whose goal has been to “create a just world free from poverty” for more than 25 years.

Gaining the support of a well known celebrity can contribute to building awareness for your cause, charity, or event. Add to that an incredible physical challenge, like that tackled by Walliams, and you have a story that should give your audience pause — encouraging them to consider how something that might seem extremely challenging can be overcome. Trying to curb poverty and hunger throughout the world is something as challenging for the global community to address as a single man’s effort to swim 140 miles of the longest river in England.

According to worldhunger.org, 925 million people experience malnutrition. While the world produces enough food to feed the global population, many people lack access to land for growing food, income to purchase food, or access to sufficient amounts of food. While the £1m raised by Walliams for Sport Relief will certainly be able to feed some. It will hardly be sufficient for resolving the larger problem at hand.

Learn more about world hunger, Sport Relief, and Comic Relief

• Watch Ellen Gustafson’s TED presentation titled Obesity + Hunger = 1 global food issue
• Read about what Sport Relief is doing and how Comic Relief is helping
• Discover how the World Food Program is fighting hunger worldwide

I find it interesting that the overall design of the Keep Calm and Carry On poster, aside for the absence of the color blue, appears very similar to the color and typography used in the campaign materials used by the Obama campaign in 2008 (Wikipedia, 2011).

I wonder if there is something inherent in the character/personality of the Gotham typeface that somehow is associated with hope and moving forward. As these two separate designs, to me, feel as if they cover a similar communication/territory for purpose and feel.

This past week, I saw the Keep Calm and Carry On poster again. Though, this time it was on the cover of a cute little book belonging to one of my associates at Michigan State University. The book (which was published by Ebury Press in 2009) contains short, inspirational quotes set in the same Gotham typeface that was used in the poster design. I may have to consider picking up a copy for myself in the near future.

Keep Calm and Carry On may be ordered from Amazon.com or via the Andrews McMeel Publishing website.

References

Wikipedia. (2011). Keep Calm and Carry On. Retrieved on August 7, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Calm_and_Carry_On.

Wikipedia. (2011). Barak Obama presidential campaign, 2008. Retrieved on August 7, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_presidential_campaign,_2008.

After a little research, I found three useful websites on this topic (which I wanted to bookmark/note here for future use):

• Kalamazoo County Government: Department of Planning & Community Development Online Mapping — a great Kalamazoo county geological information systems map is linked from this page. Using the map, you can see where property lines and easements in your neighborhood are.
• Compilation of general ordinances for the Charter Township of Kalamazoo, Michigan – provides detail for all of the township ordinances, including when the ordinance was adopted, and a full description of each.

For information about deeds, the Kalamazoo Country Clerk’s FAQ page provides detail about how to find out who owns a certain property and how to search for a specific deed.

How do I find who owns certain property?
If you do not know the property owner’s name, you may contact the County Equalization Department, County Treasurer’s Office, or local City or Township Treasurer or Assessor Office. These offices will provide you with the name(s) that appear on the tax roll, which may or may not be the owner(s). With these names, you can then search our office for any recorded information. If you have a name and approximate year to search, our office may provide you with recorded information.

How do I search for a deed?
You need a grantor or grantee name to search any land record information and you should have an approximate year to search. The best way to conduct a search may be in person. Clerk/Register staff will be glad to demonstrate how to use our computer system.