Daily Intent

Each day 6,000 new people need a Bone Marrow match.  Multiplied out, each year 2,190,000 fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, daughters, sons, nephews, nieces, grandsons, granddaughters, and great friends are in search for their white-blood cell amigo.

The last I heard the registry had grown to over 7 million ready and willing donors.  Per Wikipedia, February 2009, the US population is up to 306 million inhabitants.  72.4% of which are over the age of 20.  Whereas, 12.6% are over the age of 65 years old.

To be eligible to donate your bone marrow, you must be between the ages of 18 and 60.  Rounding out these figures 180,000,000 Americans fall within this age bracket.

Are you overwhelmed with numbers yet? Then take a moment to watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYUFB542Iak

Sweet, beautiful video?!  Inspiring?  Sad?  The reality is she has since passed.  So young, so joyous.

Were the 173,000,000 Americans sitting on the sidelines to have overcome their fear of the bone marrow donation process, stepped up and registered, there is high likelihood she would still be alive to live out the dreams of which she sings.

You see it is all in the numbers.   …just like economics, the stock market, Vegas…

I, thus, ask you to take action.  Put yourself in position to save a life.  “Be a Match”.  For the reality is the donation process is far less painful than you’ve ever been led to believe.  Rather than surgery, often you will donate via the blood…just like giving blood.

(Saturday, April 18th is your first opportunity.  See below to find out how to “Be a Match”)
http://www.independent.com/news/2009/apr/13/marrow-donations-needed

http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/Myths_%26_Facts_about_Marrow_Don/index.html

www.KCLU.org search “bone marrow” for radio clip

Buzzword: Fibonacci Numbers/Lines
“Leonardo Fibonacci was an Italian mathematician born in the 12th century. He is known to have discovered the ‘Fibonacci numbers,’ which are a sequence of numbers where each successive number is the sum of the two previous numbers.

e.g. 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, etc.

These numbers possess a number of interrelationships, such as the fact that any given number is approximately 1.618 times the preceding number.

Interpretation of the Fibonacci numbers in technical analysis anticipates changes in trends as prices tend to be near lines created by the Fibonacci studies. The four popular Fibonacci studies are arcs, fans, retracements, and time zones.” -Investopedia.com

  Six Points to Ponder:

   1. Corporate earnings have begun to beat Wall Street’s expectations. 
   2. Markets have continued their fight upward.  The Dow sits at 8115.  S&P 500 at 863 and the Nasdaq to 1655.  Oil settling in at $50.
   3. US Consumer Sentiment is up for the second month in a row.  61.9.  Last month it was at 57.3.
   4. Loan modifications continue to be encouraged by Obama.  The reality, 40% in Q1 ‘08 defaulted the first month after getting their loan modified.
   5. The Russians lifted bans on 5 US meat plants, while suspending 3 new ones.
   6. The Masters, Angel Cabrera takes home the green jacket.  John Madden retires.  NBA Playoffs start this weekend.  The Blazers look scary good going into the playoffs.  The Cavs are solid.   However I believe the Lakers will take home the title.

Positives:

    * Earnings and revenues still low in comparison, however their beating of expectations breeds confidence.  The sell off in Wall Street, which was expected due to earnings numbers, didn’t happen.  The sharp decline in the economy, most particular real estate and manufacturing sectors, could be slowing.
    * More families should find an opportunity to receive aid from their banks.  There are some sad realities of the loan modifications as noted in the Negatives section.
    * NBA playoffs!!!  A time when the NBA gets close to competing with college basketball for entertainment value.

Negatives:

    * Many businesses are still suffering.  Corporate profits are often higher because of their cost cutting activities aka layoffs. 
    * The Russians don’t find our meat edible!!!
    * Banks don’t have to modify loans if the cost to do so exceeds the cost of foreclosing on the property.  This makes business sense of course.  However, we shouldn’t be selling loan modifications to the public as a tool to save millions from foreclosure when 40% of modifications aren’t working.
    * An exciting weekend of Masters golf, Tiger and Phil marched into contention, three golfer playoff, ended with little emotion.  It was a bit of a let down.
    * John Madden, the bumbling voice on Sundays, is retiring.  We’ll be left to get our JM fixes through comedians and highlight reels.

Services: Limited Down Payment Options
Daily I’m prequalifying individuals with little money to put down, but significant monthly income earnings.  You would be surprised what you could qualify for due to the low interest rates.  Please give me a call to satisfy your curiosity of affordability.

Local: Bone Marrow Drive
Where: De La Guerra Plaza, Santa Barbara
When: Saturday, 10:30am - 3:30pm
Cost: Free ninety-nine
Why:  “Be a Match”. Save a life.  It’s a numbers game.

Live and Be Well,

Jeff Bochsler