Four different types of salt were used to help dry out the body’s moisture, prior to wrapping it in anointed linens.

Hoo boy… I am going to tackle a very touchy subject. Here is the question; As a race, are we too dependent on the electronics we use for day to day living?

Short answer; Yes. Thanks for coming… Good night!

Maybe the question should be; Are we becoming to addicted to the electronics we work with, carry around with us and use daily? Again, short answer; Yes.

And yet… The question could be further augmented to read; Are we becoming obsessed and dependent on our computers, cell phones and PDA’s so much so that we need not interact “in person” with others or pursue life experiences since we are interacting with others or handling our daily lives via a cyber-link?

Short answer; Maybe. And it scares the hell out of me.

Case in point; A while back, authorities in Virginia found a sixteen year old boy locked in his room. Not locked in by his parents, but by himself. The reason? He was too afraid of the real outside world. His world revolved around a computer game called Second Life. If you don’t know what that is, Second Life is a virtual world where users create online characters or avatars. They can chat with other visitors, play games and customize their own rooms or businesses located in the virtual world. His whole world consisted of a virtual reality where items were bought and sold and liaisons were created. To him it was a virtual world teeming with people, entertainment, experiences and opportunity.

The outside “real” world was brought in via news clips and stories. And we all know that the news can be pretty scary sometimes.

I no way am I trying to find fault with anyone here. The point being made is that if we don’t start to moderate our use of the technological genius that is the day to day electronics we use, someday we may never leave our home, never interact with another human being, never even see “in person” a real sunset or visit a historical site.

It’s getting far to easy to do our daily living “exercise” on-line. There is no doubt in my mind that there are people out there who have never written out a check to pay a bill. They just create an computer account and generated form that pays their expenses electronically. People can even pay their expenses right from their cell phone.

Today, it’s easier to text someone rather than make a phone call. Companies are out competing for your dollars asking you to sign up and sign-in to their virtual world or pay-point, create an account so that things can be done electronically for you. It costs money and time to travel, requires large dollars to visit family across country and it’s a real effort to get in the car and do the shopping. Yet it is easy and inexpensive to fire up the computer or manipulate the PDA cell phone, and connect virtually with anyone and anywhere in the world. Right from the comfort of your chair.

You feel safe, you feel comforted, you feel… like this should be your life. Not that hustle and bustle outside the confines of your secure little home.

The day will come when some police or fire fighting unit will stumble across an individual who has died, siting in his easy chair. His long glassed over eyes staring into the virtual world on the computer screen. His mummified hands wrapped around a mouse covered in cob webs. Bags of rotting groceries sit on the doorstep and unopened mail spills onto the entryway floor. If they find one person like this, there may be, quite possibly, hundreds or thousands more just like him.

You might think that all this is a lot of junk… reactions brought on by the release of a not widely circulated news story. But if all of this… this “virtual living”, is made very easy today, what’s it going to be like in twenty years? Fifty years?

In the later part of the 21st century, our version of salts and anointed cloth may be a computer device, dehumidifiers and isolation from the real world.

Until next week…

it’s in the voice of Mike Judge. In fact, Mike also created the “Beavis and Butthead” animated series.

Question? Do you ever “space” when you’re driving the car or on your M/C?

It’s a bad thing and I found myself doing just that the other day while out on a motorcycle ride. I seem to get into this comfort zone while traveling on the scooter or in the cage for long distances… and it scares the hell out of me.

Not long ago, I was doing a bit of driving up and down the California coast. Even on Hwy 1, I found myself doing a little “spacing” while driving. Now that I think back on it, I get a little rattled. Those of you on motorcycles know the following statement to be a number one truth: It takes just a moment of inattention and serious things can happen!

Thank God nothing has occurred while I’ve been “away-at-the-wheel”. But it really makes me nervous to find that I do this very stupid thing. So I want to ask these questions:

• Do you, or have you found yourself in a daydream while driving (car or motorcycle)?
• What do you do to combat this malaise?
• Does this happen to others that you know?
• Do you find yourself doing the “Driving Day Dream” on the freeway or long trips or sitting at lights?

I’m interested only because I have talked to a few people about this and found out that almost all of them have had this occur when they are driving. Some have even told me stories where they get into this fog for seventy to eighty miles and then come out of it wondering how they made up so much distance. Some have even likened it to sleep walking while awake.

So if you get a chance, post a note to this blog. The questions asked above could (or they might not) be relevant to your response. Tell me a story, take an hour if you like. Or make your note short and sweet; like: “You jerk… don’t ever do that while I’m driving on the same highway!”.

If anything, it might get you to take notice of how much you do (or don’t) pay attention when you are driving. The thought of others doing the “waking, drive-time zombie” gives me chills.

Heck, I may just have to stop driving and hire a chauffeur…

Or NOT!

Until next week…

Studies show we can’t seem to stifle our involuntary yawn reflex, but the reasons why are still a little fuzzy.

Am I the only one who has a problem with rude people seated at a game venue?

Some of you know that I enjoy my sports. At a recent basketball game, the folks in the row in front of me, who have been there for a good portion of the season, refuse to stand-up to allow those people seated further down the row to move into their seats. They squish backward into their seats, turn slightly right or left, but never stand up to allow more room for the folks to squeeze past.

That tweaks my attitude. Am I missing something here?

Another thing that disturbs me is the “in-n-out” fan. He/She moves in and out of the row to get drinks, food, more drinks, knick-knacks, more drinks, bathroom break, more drinks, more food, more drinks… Are you kidding?

The worst part of all this is this movement is done right in the middle of the game. Announcers ask that fans respect the viewing rights of others. The “in-n-out” fan does not care.

Here’s another one. The fan (him or her) that is on the cell phone from the moment play starts till the end of the game. One female fan in particular started talking mid-way thru the first quarter and it wasn’t until she got up and left at the mid-way point of the fourth quarter did the cell phone stop being in use. She seemed a bit miffed that my cheering for my team was interrupting her diatribe about her new set of knockers that she just got out of the bandages.

The true fans around me applauded when she left… must have been a funny scene, cause there was a time out and nothing was going on on the court.

And this type of behavior extends to the “talking twins”. From the moment they sit down till the end of the post game interview, these people talk… and it’s not about the game.

Opposing team fans are another pet peeve. In most cases, these fans are pretty well behaved. Then there are the antagonists who like to incite riots. These are the guy/gals who support their team but they are a little over the top. Let’s face it, fans get emotional about their team. But to rub salt into an open wound when you’re in the home teams arena?

How about the fan that sits next to you that seems to think his seat and your seat are one in the same. He (and I say “he” because I have never had a woman do this) spreads out in the seat so far that you have to curl up to the opposite seat to get away from this guy. You ask politely to have a bit more room and things correct for about ten minutes… then it’s right back to the “I’m entitled to your seat also” sprawl.

And lastly… the fan in the row behind you that manages to empty his 24 oz. tumbler of lite beer into the hoodie of your jacket that’s been placed behind you. Every damn time. No apologies, just bucket loads of beer.

Makes you wonder why you even go to the games in person. The outright assault on your person, your space and your enjoyment of the game makes it an evening from hell.

My T.V. provider gives me the games in HD. I think I’ll stay home and watch the game there. At least if the phone rings I can pick it up and hang-it back up without saying a word. I can also watch the game in silence, well, except for the screaming at the refs, bad play and thuggish opponents. The very thought of doing all this while sitting in my jockey shorts makes me think I should have been doing this all along!

<yawn> And if it looks like my team is kicking the crapolla outta them other guys, well… <yawn> I can just… <zzzzzz>

Until next week…