Twitter

Are you on Twitter? The closest number I can find of us that are, is somewhere between 12 and 18 million adult users. I notice it differentiates "adult" users. Who knows how many minors on there. I would hope not many, as I seem to attract alot of desired followers in the adult entertainment industry. I'm not sure why. My friend, who is also on Twitter hardly ever gets any invites from them. But I digress.

For those of you that have no idea what Twitter is about, I'll try to explain as well as one of those "Dummy" books. Not for your benefit, but mine. You can classify yourself in one or many different categories, to broaden your exposure to others in the Twitter community. You simply make posts of 140 characters whenever you feel like it, about anything. People in the entertainment (not adult oriented) plug their upcoming shows and where they may be at in their tour dates. Businesses plug their product, sales and services. Most news channels, stations and networks will post the newest breaking news. And plain, 'ol people like me simply post our thoughts of the moment. You can "follow" people you want to keep up with what they have to say. Some people collect followers for the sheer numbers, like it makes them popular or something. Others collect a diverse collection of followers or follow an eclectic group themselves to keep things interesting and educational. Of sorts.

As I was going thru my follow requests (a setting each can choose to use) and blocking the usual two or three adult entertainment ladies, I found myself amused at the diverse group of followers I have collected. My latest is a business of wedding planners. I do know that certain buzz words are keyed into people's search for potential business and "hits". I can't imagine what I may have recently said to call attention to myself to that industry. I also get real estate brokers from all over the world. Want a condo in the Philippines? Sure, just not in typhoon season. And only if I can sell my house in Michigan. Ok, that's not going to happen anytime soon. And what the heck do I say to attract the ladies of the evening? It's not even the men I attract, it's the women. I know things get desperate, but move on, ladies!

Funny thing about Twitter is you start to think of things in approximately 140 character sound-bites. I hear something funny and I immediately start wondering how I can edit it down to size and how I must write it down or I will forget it before I can get online to post it, always ready to dazzle my "public" with humor and insight. I even start to wonder what so-and-so is doing because I haven't seen a 'tweet" from them today. Yes, complete strangers. Twitter is truly an amazing "little" community. It's actually possible to make some new "friends". It certainly gives you every opportunity to venture outside your usual boundaries and interests.

Culture of Anger

Boy, it's been a rough few days around here! Have you noticed that a majority of our "big" headlines lately have centered around people lashing out at someone or something? Everyone is angry about something anymore. In politics, Rep. Joe Wilson yelled "Liar" during President Obama's speech. Speaker of the House Pelosi is demanding retribution in multiple apologies in a cranky mother hen fashion. Private citizens across the country have been protesting angrily the amount of money that Congress has been spending in stimulus money with "Tea Parties", much like the original Boston Tea Party. In sports, Serena Williams unleashed a string of expletives and anger toward line judges during her U.S. Open tennis match. Michael Jordan delivered his Hall of Fame speech with tongue-in-cheek sarcasm and chip-on-shoulders venom. And he has broad shoulders. And most recently, the MVA embarrassment of Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech of Best Female Video of the Year to express his opinion that another's video was better.

Where is all this anger coming from? These are only a few examples that grabbed the national headlines. There are many, many more horrifying examples locally, all over the country of robberies, murders, road rage, drunk driving and gang-related crimes. We all seem to want and need others to see things the way we see them. Have the same opinions we do. And if they don't, we are taking action to show them the error in their ways. Rising up and taking a stand because we have the need to show that we count. Or drown ourselves in our despair. What's going on?

In my opinion, the past ten year of teaching, preaching and evangelizing the new buzz-word "TOLERANCE" is the problem. With the brand of tolerance that is being held up as the example, there is no right or wrong. Everyone has their own views and opinions and no one should be "belittled" into being wrong. I think in the ten years or so of this philosophy we have all seen that there's a huge flaw in this thinking as someone is always in charge of deciding, and judging, the tolerance around them. In other words, not being tolerant of someone's opinion or views. And it seems the ones that preach this brand of tolerance the loudest are the ones that scream intolerance the most. Do they not see the irony in that? But the tolerance and right and wrongness of big issues like politics and human rights has trickled down to the decay of wrongness of smaller things like bullying, entitlement and lack of work ethics. It is my own belief that there needs to be right and wrongs. And not defined in two billion different ways, leaving it to everyone's own definition. One way. I happen to be a person that believes in God and His ways and His rights and wrongs. I think it goes hand-in-hand. But, regardless, I think all this should be food for thought for everyone. We can no longer ignore the ramifications and results we are seeing in everyday life now of just how unrealistic it is for everyone to live and believe in their own set of rules. It's just not working. Sometimes we need to play the adult and make the tough decisions in life. Be true to yourself, in the way you were intended to be. Even those of us that fight in the name of God and His ways are doing so in unacceptable ways. God did not intend for us to become murderers of those we think are doing wrong anymore than those doing wrong in their own name are wrong. Be accountable. We need to realize that some things are simply wrong and punishable. Other things are opinions and allowable. And that there's alot of us! We need to find a way to respect our differences, respect our commonalities and respect ourselves. Hmmm. Maybe we all need to go back to school and learn the definition of respect.

When Passion Meets Economics

It was announced today that the Disney Co. is acquiring Marvel for $4B. My first thought was of my son, who is a huge Marvel Comics fan. He is 19 and planning to become a high school band teacher. He has marched drum corp and sits around envisioning and trying his hand at writing marching drills to his favorite soundtracks. And Marvel movies are at the top of his list of "good music". He was in class today, so I decided to leave him a text informing him of this new business deal for his beloved Marvel. As soon as he was out of class I receive a text that said, "WHAT?!?" and quickly followed by another that said, "THAT'S CRAP!" Did I mention he's 19?

So today was the day that my son's reality was hit hard with economics winning over passion. His own passion for music taught him a long time ago that some jobs and passions just aren't based on the salary one would receive for that job, but for the fulfillment received in doing what is LOVED and trying to impart that passion to the younger generations. But at 19, that passion isn't for sale. And at 19, he really hasn't had to try to live on that passion either. It gets hard to pay the bills at times on low-salaried passions. I tried to point out to him that until the last few years as Marvel has delved into the movie business, they were a simple, little comic book company. Having never been a comic book aficionado myself, I can only guess that there have been plenty of lean times for the company. But with the likes of Spiderman, X-Men and Iron-Man on the big screen, they were suddenly seeing dollar signs like never before. But how fleeting and fickle are Hollywood movies? Only a couple of duds like The Punisher or Daredevil can put the little comic book company back on the map of little comic book companies. So why WOULDN'T they jump at an offer of $4B?

Today my son discovered that everything, heart and soul, is for sale...for some people. I seriously think he still has a shade of arrogance and a sense of superiority along with his naivete. It still seems to be intact. A little beaten up, a lot disappointed, but mostly intact. I have to admit I'm pulling for his naivete. I hope that his passion for his music can withstand the world, the economy, the temptations that will no doubt present themselves between he and his fulfillment. I'd like to think my son's life would be balanced and happy. And I'd like to think that he leaves others in this world with a sense of awe and passion for the simple things of beauty like art and music. And maybe through him, I had just a little to do with that also.

Responsible Capitalism

I was about to make this blog all about the shining star that Whole Foods Markets have become and it's CEO, John Mackey, has the right to voice, write and have opinions that run contrary to our current administration's. I was going to point out that Mr. Mackey is running a company that is a shining example of how responsible captialism is and should be run. And perhaps it is. From all outward evidence, Whole Foods Markets are largely responsible for making us all conscious of organic foods, our environment, what we are eating and feeding our families, and providing high quality produce and hard-to-find items. It seems to be the best of what business should be about and America at it's best.

Capitalism is not evil. But people are corruptable. Systems may be good but they have holes. It doesn't mean we need to throw the baby out with the bath water. Protest the people that become greedy and take advantage of a system. Protest the holes in the system. We don't have to throw out everything that has worked well in the past. The past is not a bad thing. We don't need to be digging up dirt on our nation's founding fathers to prove the whole foundation is corrupt. It seems to me that the people that really didn't appreciate the Right passing moral judgements on behavior and legislation is doing the exact same thing. The Right called war protester Cindy Sheehan "unAmerican". Now the Left is calling those that aren't agreeing with every aspect of the healthcare reform coming from Washington "unAmerican". This country was built on protests, debate, difference in opinions and compromise. It has never been 100% one side or 100% the other side. We have become a country where everyone thinks everything has to be 100% one side or the other, black and white, right and wrong. If you truly consider most issues, there is gray middle ground to some degree. Nothing is clear cut. And what makes that gray matter is our morality. We all have it. We all have opinions about it. We all embrace our own beliefs about that morality.

You may be asking about now, how is all this related to what I started talking about with Whole Foods Markets and John Mackey? Well, as much as I was wanting to extoll his virtue and business accumen with a planet responsible business, I found the story where the FTC is investigating the fact that Mr. Mackey anonymously posted comments and predictions online regarding his competitor, Whole Oats" stock prices and it's future of being acquired by another business. Now, Mr. Mackey is arguing that this activity was innocent and a number of years ago, long before his own Whole Foods recently acquired Wild Oats. I suppose we all make mistakes in the past. He IS only taking $1/yr salary and a total benefit package of only $33K, much less that a majority of Americans make and live on. I choose to take the good that Mr. Mackey is doing and build on it. I suspect that none of us could take a harsh scrutiny of every thought and action throughout our lifetime and come out smelling like a total rose. It takes a little compost to make those roses grow! Sorry, I couldn't resist.