Macintosh Numbers Shows A Formula Error: “Cell Contains A String”

Macintosh Numbers Shows A Formula Error: “Cell Contains A String”

I have for years inserted simple math formulas into Excel with no problem.  I had to evaluate three bid proposals for re-piping our house with cooper or PEX.  I set up my Mac with Numbers and proceeded to enter data.  I suddenly got an error message after entering a rather simple math formula.

The operator “-” expects a number, date, or duration, but cell D3 contains a string.’

The problem was created when the formula used the header cells instead of the data cells.

Cell F2 holding the formula is shown highlighted but the cells that this formula references are actually in the header and not data cells; thus the error message.
The formula in cell F2 references the header cells which does not contain number data but text; thus the error.

In the image above, you can see that while I had selected the cell on the second line to enter the formula, the cells that were part of the formula were actually the header.  I really do not know how this happened.  As soon as I entered any alpha character (label) into the header, I got a formula error.  To solve this problem I made darn sure to enter the formula into the single data cell and not include any header cells as part of the formula.

The image shows top header rows left to right and just below is the data cells. Cell F2 holding the formula is highlighted. That cell then highlights each cell that is part of the formula.
Mac Numbers shows the formula cells are not using header cells.

In the image above, you can see that the formula, when shown on the computer screen, highlights data cells only and no header cells.

I then discovered that I only needed to copy the formula cell, on line 2, that I had just created successfully and paste it down the spread sheet where I wanted the formula to be replicated.

Left & Right Wing U. S. Politics – Simplified

Left & Right Wing U. S. Politics – Simplified

For analysis to better understand the United States right and left wing political scene, I first propose that there are two types of individuals living in the United States and holding two different social and political outlooks.  These inherent views tends to move some individuals like magnets toward one and not another political party.   In some respects these individuals hold opposite views of the world and this directly effects their political attitudes.  For sake of analysis, let me attribute each different outlook as being in varying degree responsible for the person’s political view.

Let me start this proposal by stating that most children when they are growing up may seem to begin seeing themselves in singular terms.  The child thinks he or she is at the center of the universe and they are in many ways correct in this view when they are young children.  Over time the child may develop a belief that changes from  a self centered me to  more inclusive we, from singular to plural.  When a child is very young it naturally thinks it is the center of the universe because of all the attention they receive and it can really feel this way when family and friends spoil the child and shower praise upon the child.  Over time, this self contentedness is washed off or filed off to a varying degree by life experiences.  Other children may still cling to a more self centered outlook.  The more mature  child may begin to see themselves less as a thread but rather a component of the fabric.

A further, somewhat remarkable, development may take place beyond the us view.  An even more mature individual may realize that they gain pleasure by looking after other people.  Remarkably, these individuals just might act selfishly but do not seem so because they are seen as helping others and they must be altruistic.  This may not be the whole truth.  They may help others so they feel good about themselves.  Also, a lot of times, helping other people are rewarded by thank you statements. Beside the exact motive, looking to help others is the more mature stand to take because it works for the greater good.  The simple reason for this is that these efforts often times come back to reward those who worked for others.  Some times the payback is not direct, sometimes hard to see, and takes time to realize.  This attitude often times pays back to society in making for a more stronger social fabric in that the people involved in this type of society feel more welcome and included.

A good example of this can be seen in economics.  The economy of the United States has a lot going for it. One terrific singular aspect is the free and open market system.  The more people who have money to spend, the more the merchants profit and can pay their workers who in turn can buy more product and the economy spins forward on its own energy.  This is a continuous cycle that is positive.

There is another tactic that seems to derive from a more self centered reward system.  It is based upon a me system where I get more and I do not care if you get less.  Even the poor buy into this if they think there is another group less fortunate that might take away what little they have.  Its like watching crabs in a barrel trying to get out.  Crabs will pull down any that get close to the top of the barrel.

This economic and political system is easy to identify.  It denies higher wages, denies higher taxes, denies social programs, denies environmental protection, denies infrastructure improvements, denies infrastructure repairs, denies social programs denies oversight.  It works to diminish or do away totally with unions.  Often times it disenfranchises voters.  It may even deny free education.  So little money is spent with this system that the economy may stall.  This model typically serves the rich or oligarch class.  This rich class does want money to be spent on police and military to better protect the oligarchs assets and suppress any social uprisings from the have nots.

A me economy that follows a non positive cycle where the masses of people have less to spend and less rewards may stall and diminish the nation.

 

APOLOGY OF SOCRATES

APOLOGY OF SOCRATES

Voice from the past that might illuminate the present:

Plato : APOLOGY OF SOCRATES

“O my friend, why do you who are a citizen of the great and mighty and wise city of Athens, care so much about laying up the greatest amount of money and honor and reputation, and so little about wisdom and truth and the greatest improvement of the soul, which you never regard or heed at all? Are you not ashamed of this? “

Today’s  word changes:

O my friend, why do you who are a citizen of the great and mighty United States and wise city of Washington, care so much about laying up the greatest amount of money and honor and reputation, and so little about wisdom and truth and the greatest improvement of the soul, which you never regard or heed at all? Are you not ashamed of this?

Open letter to Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz – by Ani Zonneveld

Open letter to Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz – by Ani Zonneveld

Ani Zonneveld sent an open letter to the current Saudi King.  She “has correctly highlighted Saudi Wahabism as a major source of extremism and the foundations for terrorist groups like ISIS.”

Some items she mentions in her letter:

The Quran liberated women from subhuman status, gave us rights to choose whom to marry, to work, to be in leadership positions and to ultimately live in full dignity.

There is nothing Islamic about the way many countries in the Muslim world are run today.

The Muslim world remains corrupted by power and money, the very dynamic Muhammad spoke against.

To read the complete open letter, [ The letter link was removed for some reason.  We are trying to replace it by contacting the author.].

She is appealing to a medieval Saudi monarch who’s one and only pursuit is self preservation of the oligarch ruling class.    The Saudi monarchy abhors democracy.  It works quite well for the rulers of Saudi Arabia to use religion to control its people.  It would take a remarkable man to measure what she says as the truth.  Truth has little value in the minds the oppressors.

Letter To REI To Consider Former Sports Chalet Store.

Letter To REI To Consider Former Sports Chalet Store.

I received reports that the Sports Chalet store in Brea, California seemed to have a special positive standing in the community.  Here are some empirical indicators:

  • Customers arriving at the checkout during the liquidation sales made comments to the staff that they did not like any other sporting good store.  Some were close to crying.
  • The manager of the liquidation company made the statement that in over 10 years of offering liquidation sales, he had never seen a store like this one where he could run the 10% off sale for so long.
  • Former employees came back to work the liquidation sales because most enjoyed the store team of workers and past memories.
  • Customers were seen buying sporting good items for their children for future years, not just because they were on sale but also because this store has a much better selection.

Next is my letter to REI:

I would like to make a suggestion.  As you know Vestis has closed all Sports Chalet stores.   I recommend that you take a good close look at the Sports Chalet located at 2500 E Imperial Hwy #150, Brea, CA 92821.  Here are the reasons you should make this consideration.

Beyond the normal clothing and sport gear sales this location had the following specialized services:

  • Tennis racket restringing.
  • Bicycle repair and tune up.
  • Ski and snowboard rentals
  • Scuba certification.  A large separate pool is in a separate section of this building.

Another factor is that this store had been in operation over 25 years.  The local community had come to rely and know that “their” sporting good gear and services were offered here.

Another factor is that most of the current store staff has a store loyalty.  Many former workers have come back to once again work during the take down of this Sports Chalet.  I expect you will easily find these people willing to work for REI.  There is also a lot of customer loyalty.

Aside:  REI has a web page called Real Estate Development where they encourage real estate brokers to submit store location proposals.

Used REI’s template to respond:

Going over your requirements, I am not qualified to answer these questions with any authority or certainty but here it goes anyway:

23.5K 1-level building
This is a two level store.  The second level does not start until you walk further back to where shoe storage and rentals begin.

25K 2-level building, plus approximately 1,800 sq. ft. (30′ x 60′) cutout at second level for opening/main stair
At least 38,000 square feet.  I have heard square footage totals as high as 43,000 square feet.
This store does have stairs to the second floor retail section.  The second floor begins well back from the front of the store.

17′ minimum clearance to underside of structure at 1st level.
I am not sure what you want here but a store staff member said “YES”.

15′ minimum clearance to underside of structure at all 2nd levels
I measured 8 feet 9 inches from first floor to drop ceiling where there is a second floor protrusion out into the ground floor.   This protrusion was measured about 13 feet.  The second floor extends back 41 feet from the edge of the second floor hand rail along the wall parallel to the front of the store.  There is less second floor space along the west protrusion over the ground floor.

Freestanding or attached
Attached in that this store is part of a long string of joined stores.  If you were to look across the street a similar store arrangement, almost a mirror image.  The stores on both sides of the street span about .45 miles when measured as a straight line down imperial Highway.

Strong retail in proximity of site.
On both sides of the Imperial Highway are stores, shops and restaurants.  I will only mention stores that I think are large in size.

Home Depot
Trader Joes,
Albertson’s
Walmart
Dress Barn
Babies”R”Us
Staples
Petco
PetSmart
Michaels
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Nordstrom Rack

Median household income $50K and above.
There is a very high end master planned community that offers a demographic analysis for the immediate area.  This La Floresta development which is less than one mile away from this Sports Chalet location.  My separate Internet analysis follows:
Brea Household Income     $82,055
Brea Family Median Income    $97,045
Placentia Household Income    $75,693
Placentia Family Median Income   $84,659
Yorba Linda Median Income     $121,075

100K or more households within a 15 mile radius of site.
Look at La Floresta development which is a multigenerational master planned community with stores and shops. This is a very high end development.  Each housing unit costs half a million to one million to buy.  They will have 1,100 units and expect to house 4,000 people.  This development is .88 miles east of this property.  Very high end stores are in this complex.
Brea Population: 41,394
Brea Daytime population: 100,000
Placentia Population: 50,533 during the 2010 census.
Yorba Linda, west section, which falls within the 15 mile radius is hard to calculate.  These are high end land plots and thus population density is less than Brea or Placentia.
Close to Sports Chalet site are large and small businesses, some of which are multi story and add to the daytime total of potential customers.

   Abundant parking for exclusive use: 5/1000
Because this store location is somewhat in the middle of a long string of stores customers can park anywhere along the parking strip between the stores and Highway 90.
My calculations show about 137 parking spaces in front of this store location.
The store location to the east and next to Sports Chalet is vacant and is being used by Bank of America for their ATM.  I am including those spaces.
There are no walls or fences so customers can easily park well beyond the spaces in front of the store.  There is no exclusive use parking stalls.

   Excellent visibility, directly off main arterials.
This location is right in front of Imperial Highway, 90, a heavily traveled road.
This road often times connects the 91 freeway and the 57 freeway when either roadway is hammered and not moving well.
There is an alternative roadway about .8 miles east of this store called Carbon Canyon Road, 142 hwy.  It gets significant traffic during rush hours because it services, more directly, the Chino and Chino Hills area.  When the 57 or 91 freeways stop, this is one pressure relief valve to get into the inland empire.
A lot of traffic comes up Kraemer from Placentia.  This street is just to the east of the store location.

Thank you for considering this proposal.

 

Updated:  3-6-19 due to URL error.   https://www.rei.com/about-rei/real-estate-development.  403 Forbidden.  I had to reenter the URL address on a separate line for the link to work.
Letter From REI

Letter From REI

Following is the response to a letter asking REI to consider the store location in Brea, California.

Thank you for contacting REI regarding a store in the Brea, California area where the Sports Chalet was.

Customer feedback is our best tool for improvement and we appreciate your input regarding the possibility of a new REI store in your community.Your feedback has been passed along to our Real Estate Department.

As a co-op, we approach our store location and openings slower than most national retailers. REI only opens between seven to nine stores per year, allowing us to be very thoughtful and deliberate in our real estate selections.

To stay informed of our latest news and openings, please refer to the link below:

https://newsroom.rei.com/

Thank you for choosing REI as your clothing and gear resource and we hope you continue to use our website at https://www.rei.com/    for your online shopping needs.

Wishing you happy outdoor adventures!

REI Online Customer Service

Update:  3-6-19.  I got a time out error for this link: http://www.rei.com/about-rei/newsroom.html.  The link is now: https://newsroom.rei.com/
I then lot a time out error for: http://www.rei.com which is now:  https://www.rei.com/
I then got a 403 Forbidden error for https://www.rei.com/ and I removed this as a link.