Do you spend all of your time on Facebook? Well according to this Business Insider chart based on Nielsen data, Internet users spent a total of 55 billion minutes using Facebook in the month of May 2011. Let’s do the math. That’s billion as in 55,000,000,000 minutes or 916 million hours a month.
So, if you assume Facebook has 750 million registered users, that’s about 1.2 hours for May 2011 collectively for each.
That’s a lot of Facebooking.
OMG! Jose Baez, the lawyer who represented the infamous Casey Anthony has agreed to assist with the defense of 50 year old Gary Giordano who is being held in an Aruban jail, suspected of murder in the presumed death of his 35 year old companion, Robyn Gardner. According to Giordano, Gardner went missing on August 2nd when the two of them went snorkeling. Gulp!
Incidentally, (or some might say coincidentally), Giordano took out a $1.5 million dollar travel insurance policy containing an accidental death clause on Gardner and named himself as beneficiary. Umm — that’s an aha moment.
Now imagination this – Baez is the lead attorney and clones of the Casey Anthony jury are selected for the court case. (I did say imagine it, didn’t I? Now streeeeetch your imagination a bit further.) All incriminating evidence presented is totally ignored and the case against Giordano is a slam dunk. I’ll leave the rest of this story to you to end it any way you choose.
Kidding aside, if Gardner was murdered, let’s hope that JUSTICE prevails. In the meantime, I cannot resist ending this post without including the following super clever statement by a commenter on another site, “Here we go again! Do you think Baez’s opening statement will be that Giordano’s father molested him?”
“Do you want to see something really scary?” That was a line from the 1983 film, Twilight Zone: The Movie. But that film is not the subject of this post. Healthcare insurance – specifically the lack of it – is more frightening than a sci-fi horror flick.
Various studies reveal that uninsured Americans are more likely than those with health insurance to delay seeking medical care. Often the only source – and sometimes the last resort – of medical care for the uninsured is treatment in the hospital emergency room. Because they lack health insurance that would enable them to get medical treatment, numerous uninsured Americans are dying daily from curable ailments or complications associated with preventable diseases. Furthermore, studies reveal that uninsured Americans are sicker and die earlier than those with insurance, and the uninsured are more likely to be diagnosed with a disease – like breast cancer – in the advanced stages, because they could not afford prescreening and preventive care.
If you have health insurance you may feel complacent about those facts, but ask anyone you know who is uninsured how they feel about those details and you may reassess your feelings.
Last week, Kyle Willis, the 24 year old nephew of musician Bootsy Collins died from a toothache, because he could not afford to have his infected wisdom tooth removed. Reportedly after suffering for two weeks with the toothache Willis developed severe headaches and facial swelling. He sought treatment in a Cincinnati hospital emergency room and was given two prescriptions; one an antibiotic, the other for pain. According to a relative, Willis could only afford to fill one prescription. He chose the pain medication. The pain ceased, but lacking the antibiotic, the infection spread to his brain and subsequently caused his demise.
In the late 1960s, when Grammy Award winning R&B singer, Aretha Franklin, popularized her hit tune Respect, gentlemen generally respected women and most women held themselves in high-regard; so much so that you would never have seen any self-respecting young lady outside wearing Daisy Duke shorts with the words “Bootylious” stitched on the rear. And respectable young men did not walk around exposing their underwear over pants swaggin’ off their hips.
Years ago, it was unthinkable for young people to disrespect their elders, their teachers, law enforcement officers and especially their parents. Although Baby Boomers raised our share of hell during our teenage years, many of us were generally respectful enough not to loud-talk about sexual exploits or use a string of expletives in the presence of anyone except our peers. and some of us didn’t do it then. Today rude, attention craving youths don’t care whether they are in a public venue or not, they say whatever they want and do as they please, and dare anyone to challenge them on their behavior.
There is a serious lack of civility in today’s society. I’ve heard many Boomers say that America’s downward spiral began with the removal of prayer from public schools; and that decision triggered a domino effect purging religious activities in other public places and creating an upswing in horrendous crimes and immorality everywhere.
Minus a religious foundation, graphic depictions of violence and sexually explicit movies, TV programs, and lewd music are also believed by some to be contributing factors to the decline of American society. One of the saddest realities in this era of unstable economy, widespread homelessness and unprecedented unemployment is that unfortunate, life altering conditions are no longer viewed by the masses as something that happens to other people. Conscientious people know that it only requires a flick of fate – a job loss, sudden illness, a natural disaster – any unusual occurrence to make a grown man cry and bring anyone to the edge of despair.
“There but for the grace of God, go I” is no longer a passing thought for some. It is a potential reality for many. Many Boomers no longer live under the illusion of security, because security doesn’t exist. Times they are a-changin’.
Remember good music? Every Boomer has their idea of what they consider to be good music. For many it is simply music that makes you feel good. It doesn’t matter if it is pop, rock, R&B or some other soul-stirring sounds, if the melody is pleasant and the lyrics understandable, we considered that good music. In our heyday, there may have been a few oldies that contained some suggestive lyrics, but overall the songs were decent and inoffensive. But fast-forward thourgh the 70’s on and the music started to change. Some folks apparently didn’t keep up or they listened to more refined music.
Several years ago, while I was browsing in a trendy dress shop, a popular oldies tune was playing on the store’s speaker system and a sophisticated looking lady, who appeared to be in her 70’s came into the store. The music was still bumping as the lady began looking at the suits on the sales rack near where I was standing. Suddenly, she looked directly at me. Instinctively I smiled at her, and then noticed the look of anxiety on her face.
“Young lady,” she said, “What are they saying on that song?” She asked the question like she was afraid to hear the answer and before I could reply she repeated the question with a bit more urgency, “What are they saying?”
Though the tune had never been one of my favorites, I was familiar with the Brothers Johnson song and immediately understood her concern. Enunciating as clearly as I could so that there would be no misunderstanding, I said to her, “They are singing, ‘get the funk outta my face.’” “Oh,” she replied, and then she turned and walked out of the store, all the while slowly shaking her head from side-to-side as if in a state of disbelief. I stood there wondering whether she had misunderstood me or if she was just upset by what she thought they guys were singing. Anyone who is unfamiliar with the song can certainly understand how funk could be mistaken for a more explicit word. Life used to be so simple, but times they are a-changin’.