Social Media and Kids. Terror and Devastation. Sunshine. Joe Walsh and Vince Gill Steal the Show.
Quote of the Week: Direct and easy communications — freedom of speech in all forms and in its broadest sense — has become vital to the very survival of a civilized humanity. – Walt Disney
- The increase in overall phone screen time obviously surged due to the pandemic, with the challenges that families faced with school, childcare, and general social interaction. Today is no different, with people of all ages engaged with social media for several reasons, not always with the best intention and outcome.
As I try to leave politics aside, there is a hard push to limit children under the age of sixteen to engage with social media. Many psychologists have pointed to many potential risks with children using social media. These include body image concerns, cyberbullying, biased information, privacy and safety concerns, sleep disruption, and distraction. I cannot argue with these potential risks, but in this fast-paced digital world, is it not important for kids to stay connected with their friends and family? Does social media not help kids learn about cultures and different perspectives? How do you draw the line with the many social media platforms, some of which help families with kids manage their schedules, homework, and extracurricular activities? Are TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram all harmful to children with no redeeming value? That is a question, not a statement.
This conversation between the good and evil with kids and social media now intertwines with the First Amendment, one amendment of the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution. As defined, the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Last Wednesday the Florida House passed a bill that Governor Ron DeSantis will sign, seeking to keep children off of social media. The bill would prevent children under age 16 from opening social-media accounts — though it would allow parents to give consent for 14- and 15-year-olds to have accounts. Children under fourteen could not open accounts. Florida’s House Speaker even went as far as to state that social media use harms children’s mental health and can lead to sexual predators communicating with minors. How a government official is qualified to make that statement is beyond me.
Are the tech industry and free speech groups raising hell? Of course they are, screaming that the bill is destined to face a First Amendment court challenge. Their outrage relates back to the kids prohibited from sharing and engaging in constitutionally protected free speech, challenging how the state of Florida can impose on Floridians’ constitutional rights. Ask me one more time why I run away from anything political? 🙂
For me, some of the systemic problems with children and social media link back to parents. I do understand that many kids do not have parental oversight and guidance, which leads to many kids spending way too much time looking down at their phones or tablets. I remember sitting in an Atlanta restaurant watching a family of four at their table. The parents were on their phones, and their kids were on their tablets, with not one word of conversation between them until their food was served. Does the overuse of social media by children have them missing out on normal verbal communication and social cues?
I definitely do not agree with all of what Ricky Gervais says in this video, but he certainly makes you think about the use of social media.
- Why Haiti? Nestled on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, I have often wondered why the country of Haiti is always in some level of despair. Haiti now finds itself ensnared in a complex web of gang violence, a crisis that has escalated since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. I went on a bit of a deep dive looking back at the turmoil and devastation this island has endured. Here is what I found:
- January 2010: A devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, claiming around 220,000 lives and plunging the nation into a severe humanitarian crisis.
- July 2021: Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in his home by foreign mercenaries, an event that captured global attention. This tragedy marked the beginning of a downward spiral into gang violence.
- January 2023: Haiti’s government failed to hold elections due to unprecedented gang violence, resulting in the removal of its last democratically elected officials. Critics argue that this exacerbated democratic decay, effectively turning the country into a de facto “dictatorship.”
- February 29, 2024: Haitian gangs orchestrated coordinated attacks across the capital, Port-au-Prince, resulting in the deaths of at least four police officers. The powerful gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, also known as Barbecue, claimed responsibility for these attacks. Chérizier aimed to capture police and government officials and prevent the return of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who was advocating for a United Nations-backed international police force to combat gangs in Haiti.
- March 1: Prime Minister Ariel Henry signed an agreement with Kenya to deploy 1,000 police officers to Haiti for combating gang violence. However, this deployment faced legal challenges due to constitutional concerns.
- March 2: Gangs stormed two of Haiti’s major prisons, freeing over 4,000 inmates, further straining security forces.
- March 3: Haiti’s government declared a state of emergency and implemented a nighttime curfew in an attempt to control the escalating violence.
- March 4: Heavily armed gangs attempted to seize control of Haiti’s main international airport, disrupting flights and fueling chaos. Prime Minister Ariel Henry remained out of the country following his trip to Kenya.
- March 5: Prime Minister Henry landed in Puerto Rico after gang leader Chérizier effectively declared war on him.
The situation remains dire, with over eighty percent of Port-au-Prince under gang control. A very sad and alarming situation with Haiti, who won independence from France in 1804, making it the second country in the Americas, after the United States, to free itself from colonial rule. The country sits only 700 miles southeast of Florida but is unfortunately worlds beyond what most of us have experienced. I would like to see leadership from around the world quickly form a joint task force of GIGN, Green Berets, Kenya SOF, Joint Task Force 2, SAS, EKO Cobra and GSG9. These are the special forces units of France, the United States, Kenya, Canada, United Kingdom, Austria, and Germany. It would not take long for a brigade of special forces (usually between 3,500 to 6,000) to eliminate the gangs controlling Haiti.
This Caribbean nation is on the brink and the gangs, and their terror, must be stopped once and for all. Yes, there are many other rudimentary problems with Haiti, including their banking and financial infrastructure but nothing will change with gangs running the country.
I Have Questions
- Did the addition of Sweden to NATO send a clear message to Vladimir Putin?
- What happened with the Miami Seaquarium? At one time, a must-see attraction in Miami.
- With the craft beer market oversaturated, are smaller, local breweries in trouble? Nine breweries closed in Austin, Texas in the last half of 2023.
- Did you ever think that a hormone would be a catch phrase for weight loss? The GLP-1 or glucagon-like peptide is what I am referring to and we could only wish we were well-vested in the pharmaceutical giant, Novo Nordisk.
- Steve Kerr, Ray Allen, Steph Curry, Mike Glenn, Larry Bird, Klay Thompson, Pete Maravich, Steve Nash. These are just some of the greatest shooters of the basketball. With all due respect to these players as well as the others, is Caitlin Clark the best pure shooter of the basketball ever?
- How many banks will fail due to their exposure to the commercial real estate sector?
- It reduces the number of traffic accidents and crime by providing more light in the evening hours. It decreases electricity consumption by reducing the need for lights and lamps in the evening. It hopefully motivates people to get out of their house to enjoy outdoor recreation, including a cocktail while grilling out. Yes, I am referring to daylight saving time (no ‘s’ at the end of saving). One of my favorite days of the year!
- Last Monday I was at KIA Center in Orlando to see Steely Dan and the Eagles. I went with reasonable expectations as these two bands have been around forever. Long story short, both bands were outstanding, with the Eagles two-hour performance absolutely fantastic. The Eagles, led by co-founder Don Henley, included Grammy Award winner Vince Gill, Glenn Frey’s son, Deacon, the incredible Timothy Schmitt on bass, and the one and only Joe Walsh. I think Joe Walsh carried the entire two-hour show, with his interesting voice and remarkable ability on the guitar. The video below does not do this show justice, but as I always say: pure talent.