I have usually found Cal Thomas’ columns to be informative and entertaining, but his Sept. 28 column raised questions about my prior confidence in his presentation of facts.

Yes, the Postal Service has big problems, the majority of which result from congressionally mandated expenditures that apply only to the Postal Service. No other government agency or private business has to make those expenditures, which would probably put Walmart out of business.

As for his referenced information, Mark Twain said, “There are lies, there are damn lies, and there are statistics.”

First and foremost, the Postal Service receives no tax money. None. Nada. Zip. Zero. So its inclusion in the article about taxes is confusing.

“Standby time” is an accounting designation. It identifies time spent waiting for materials that workers need to do their job. Example: A factory has 300 workers; the power goes out; the factory comes to a stop. The power comes back on an hour later; work resumes. The company just picked up 300 hours of standby time.

Standby time usually is a result of transportation delays (weather, traffic).

Finally, to use some “statistics,” those 875,540 hours Thomas referenced for 600,000 employees averages out to 1.75 hours per person, per year.

Amazing how facts can change in their meaning or importance when put in context.

Figures don’t lie, but liars can figure.

James McKinley, Poland