Computer in our everyday lives

According to this recent survey, 65% of us (Americans) spend more time with computers than our spouse.
I am pretty sure among our bloggers, that percentage number is much higher.

If you are a parent, the ratio of time spending on computer vs. time spending on kids are also increased in recent years, since kids playing with computer more than before.

Could web pornography prevent rape ?

For few sexually frustrated, bitter, power-hungry males, common sense tells us web pornography may acting as a substitute for rape. Indeed, according to a new study by Clemson University economist Todd Kendall, increased access to pornography is associated with a decrease in instances of rape. By looking at the growth of internet usage around the country and comparing it with crime statistics, Kendall found that at 10% increase in web use correlates with a 7.3% decrease in reports of rape. Kendall notes that there is no similar association between web access and other violent crimes. He also points out that the effect of internet access on sexual crime has been most pronounced in 15 to 19-year-old boys.

The math of politics

E=MC2 (Election = Message times Candidate squared)

Explanation: people vote for a candidate they trust with the right message. For the mid-term election just passed, it looks like to me that Republicans never found their true voice and the message on why they should have stayed in power.

The formula was coined by Joe Gaylord in his book "Flying Upside Down".

How many passwords do you have ?

The average adult in the U.S. has to remember 9.8 passwords, PIN codes, or other bits of secret information.
The number "1" is the most common number people use in their passwords — almost twice as much as any other number.
Source: Perfect Passwords

Information overload

If you are reading this, you may be an addict

The United States could be soon filled with Internet addicts (who use Internet to self-medicate) clinically ill as alcoholics, a survey suggested. This survey indicated more than 1/8 U.S. residents showed at least one sign of "problematic Internet use." Most disturbing was the discovery that some people hid their Internet surfing, or went online to cure foul moods in ways that mirrored the way alcoholics use booze. Research indicated that nearly 14% of the survey respondents found it difficult to stay away from the Internet for several days and that slightly more than 12% often remained online longer than expected.

The internet is sick ?

Every day, there are 171 billions of email messages sent out; 71% of all email classified as spam; 61% of PCs infested with spyware or adware.

Source: Popular Science, Oct, 2006.

We have have more TVs than people

According to Nielsen Media Research, on average in US, there are 2.73 TV sets in the typical home and 2.55 people.

The average person watches 4 hours, 35 minutes of television each day. Young people aged 12 to 17 watched 3% more television during the season that ended in May than they had the previous year.

Girls gone wired

A study found:
77% of women surveyed would prefer a new plasma TV to a diamond solitaire necklace;
56% would opt for a new plasma TV over a weekend vacation in Florida;
86% would prefer a new digital video camera to a pair of designer shoes.

Nation’s youngest children are glued to the tube

80% children younger than 6 watch TV, play video games or use the computer on a typical day. They average about 2 hours of screen time, compared with 48 minutes when they are being read to, the Kaiser Family Foundation concludes in a recent study. The study also show 1/3 of the nation’s youngest children — babies through age 6 — live in homes where the television is on almost all the time,

Web surfing is addictive

Although many employees fear that web surfing on the job could put their jobs at risk, a survey found that still 61% of people using the internet at work admitted to visiting non-work-related sites. Workers spent an average of 12.8 hours online each week, with 24% of that time devoted to non-work sites. 50% of the people surveyed said they would rather give up their morning coffee than their ability to access the internet for personal use.

The passage of time

Written communication in the UK is now dominated by email and text messaging. Only 12% of it are done through pen & paper.

Source - new scientist, April, 2006.

(The last time I wrote a letter to my parents - with a pen on paper - was 13 years ago.)