The people of Haiti have a long struggle ahead of them, but they will no doubt persevere. We cannot rebuild their nation, but we can remember to help the best we can – starting with a pledge to refuse to allow Haiti to fall off our map of consciousness.
It’s staggering to think that Democrats are falling that far behind their Republican counterparts when it comes to the use of social media. But do friends, fans, or followers turn into votes?
Lady Gaga spoke out yesterday in a video to the U.S. Senate and the youth of America, saying Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was unconstitutional and “was not properly or fairly being enforced by the government.” To date, over 13,500 service men and women have been dishonorably discharged from the armed services for engaging in, talking about, or showing a preference towards homosexual behavior.
I wish I didn’t sound so stupid when I talk about social media. I mean, does anyone actually feel comfortable going up to their co-workers or bosses and saying, “Hey Joe, I am going to go ahead and ‘check-in’ at the restaurant, and then can you tweet me the link to the meeting’s doodle, so I can ‘poke’ all of the attendees?” Why are these words so ridiculous?
A combination of low investment, little care and wavering interest has left America’s trains back in the 19th century. But why? Trains travel through towns and past houses. They have windows that illuminate scenery, not just the roadside. Trains fulfill our overwhelming desire to have a genuine experience, one that no one else shares.
Spies are supposed to jump out of moving cars and have firefights. They have the ability to kill a person with their bare hands, find anyone, anywhere, and make the most mundane things blow up whenever they feel like it. Yet, here we are, finding spies at PTA meetings, driving their kids to soccer practice, and living in Cambridge, Mass. WTF!!
Every month, 130 million Americans take prescription drugs, and the numbers keep climbing. For Millennials, the over-use of medication has become standard in our social fabric. It has been ingrained in our nature that the first line of defense for any ill-feeling is a pill, or shot, or nasal spray of some kind. Anti-depressants and ADD/ADHD pills are traded between friends, our parents and doctors encourage prescription use, and we don’t yet know the long-term damage this lifestyle can do.
The new trailer for the seventh and final movie(s) declares that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be “the motion picture event of a generation,” and while that may sound high minded, it is not without merit. Beyond the pages of the books, the Harry Potter series has had a significant social impact for Gen Y. It allowed children, as well as teenagers and more than a few adults, to escape the real world and enter a world where magic is real, and anything is possible.
You may hate soccer, but you know all about the blown call in the USA vs. Slovenia game. You may not follow basketball, but you watched Rondo hit that three-pointer with 18 seconds left in Game Seven of the NBA finals. Sports are a universal unifier. They are cross-generational, and in a time when generations are competing both in the work place and on the social stage, it is comforting to know that there is at least one thing we all have in common.
This post is part of a TNGG series on cities. Boston always sees a great start to its summer tourism scene, with graduation weekend, Celtics playoffs, memorial day weekend, and exceptional weather all playing a big part. For state officials, … Continued
