Posted by Bodhisattva [Bodhisattva] on November 13, 1999 at 20:32:17 {OA5YBxH8IAQvOGwxtHB20cPReVqSVE}:
In Reply to: *Jan 99 WT Stats posted by Amazing on November 13, 1999 at 16:52:58:
Amazing -
I just want to add a little to your comments.
Two publisher numbers appear in the report in each January 1 WT, "Peak publishers" and "Average publishers." Average publishers is what the percent of increase or decrease is based on. There is good reason: The peak publishers number is essentially artificial, as more than likely that many publishers never were active in one month!
Why? When the secretary turns in the monthly reports, he includes the number of publisher reports - not the number of different publishers turning in reports. If you turn in a January and February report in February, you represent two of the publishers in the February service report from your congregation and the KM. So when all the congregations make the big push for publishers to turn in reports in August - even late reports - you have a high peak number.
Take 4 publishers. Two report time for every month of the year (2 x 12 = 24), and two report time January to June and stop (2 x 6 = 12), thus becoming inactive after December. The report for the year will reflect 3 average publishers (24 + 12 = 36, 36/12 = 3. Say one of the 'regular' publishers turn in their time for February and March late, in April, along with their April report. For February and March you have 3 pubs (before the two stop), but for April you have 6 - counting one publisher 3 times because of turning in time late!
Conclusion: Even if less than 4% of those counted for last year's peak in the US turned in their time late during the big push, there were never 1 million pubs in one month in the US.
With Christian Love, what will be called damn lies, and statistics,
Bodhisattva