GorillaOffTopic, Everything But Gorilla Trades

Now that the new school year is upon us, we will once again be hearing story upon story about teacher-student controversies, or those all too familiar “inappropriate behavior” scenarios between teachers and students, which seem to be so prevalent these days; one of which is of particular concern to the Gorilla. Many teachers are now allowing their students to be their online “friends” on MySpace or Facebook, and while some teachers say they believe this is a “good communication tool,” the Gorilla would adamantly disagree with this mentality.  Most people know that Facebook and MySpace are online networking sites (as in websites), originally created for college students to communicate with one another, network their ideas, and find out what’s going on in other people’s lives. If you have never had the chance to visit MySpace or Facebook, take a look at them if you get a chance. Their purpose is not always personal; some people use them for business reasons or to display their artistry if they are a musician or entertainer. But mainly, the focus of such sites is to showcases what’s “going on” in your life via pictures, notes, bulletin boards, messages or “wall posts” from others to your page, graffiti, etc.  It can sometimes be a very personal look at someone’s life, interests and hobbies. Now, in the face of so many cases of inappropriate behavior on the part of teachers, is allowing students access to their teacher’s personal information okay? Should kids be allowed to correspond with their teachers outside of the watchful and vigilant eyes of the school district? The Gorilla says “NO WAY” to this, and so should parents. Again, the “old school” of thought comes into play here. The Gorilla advocates strict discipline within the schools, and that includes no contact from teachers to students outside of the schools own web site. (Most schools actually have their own monitored networking sites for which students can communicate with teachers if necessary.) So what is this need to be your teacher’s “friend” on MySpace or Facebook? Now that’s just getting a little too personal. The Gorilla for one, would never allow his teenage daughter to communicate outside of school with her teacher unless it was directly related to school. That’s exactly what email is for isn’t it? Sometimes the coaches text and or call kids cell phones when necessary, and that’s perfectly fine when related to school or athletic activities. But a line of demarcation needs to be present within the each school district’s code of conduct. That is exactly the reason why state legislator Jane Cunningham is sponsoring a bill in the Missouri House of Representatives that would ban elementary school teachers from having social-networking friendships with their students. 

 In that state alone during the past year, 11 different cases of inappropriate teacher/student conduct were reported- most of them involving sexual misconduct and social networking sites. That has motivated other states’ school boards, teacher’s unions, and parent-teacher’s associations to get involved as well. Jim Keith, an education lawyer in the state of Missouri is against the use of social-networking sites between students and teachers. “You’ve got to establish it from Day One and say, ‘I’m not your buddy; I’m not your friend; I’m just your teacher,” he says. In this day and age, not allowing students and teachers to communicate via social-networking should really be a “no-brainer.” But that’s just the Gorilla’s humble opinion.

It is nothing new that boys will be boys, and that for some men (both young and old!), growing up can sometimes be a very difficult thing. But now a new book reveals that there is a whole new generation of men that make Peter Pan look like a responsible adult! In his new book, “Guyland,” author Michael Kimmel, an expert at gender studies and sociology, reveals how many young men are stuck between adolescence and adulthood- seemingly refusing to grow up.  Kimmel has had hundreds of interviews with guys ages 16-26, whose reluctance to grow up is based in the belief that college life never really has to end. The men interviewed were from all backgrounds and nationalities and were gay, straight and bi-sexual, proving that the new culture isn’t limited to one certain type of male.  In the book, the author talks about a new ”guy culture,” in which men have several things in common; undecided career goals, unhealthy relationships with women, and…you guessed it…a desire not to grow up! So the Gorilla had to ask himself, “Isn’t some of this post-college behavior perfectly normal?” Well, for some, Kimmel says, “yes,” but this new “guy way of life” isn’t just limited to a few young men or sociologists wouldn’t be questioning it. This is literally a way of life for so many young men nowadays, and according to Kimmel, the lifestyle involves more partying, video gaming, and late nights, than studying and working. When applied to college-age students, the Gorilla believes this behavior is quite normal. However, he agrees that for those that are well into their 20’s, this type of lifestyle could be indicative of men who refuse to grow up. Sure, the Gorilla will buy that one. These twenty-something guys seem more focused on partying and playing video games than getting real jobs (most of them have degrees and are working at jobs that are low-paying and don’t require much responsibility). And many of these guys reveal that they don’t “want the responsibility of a real job.”  One guys in his late twenties even made this comment: “It’s kinda like I never left college,” he says, with a mixture of resignation and pleasure. “Same friends, same aimlessness.” The young man goes on in the book to describe how he never really left college life. He shares an expensive apartment with 4 other guys and they all work and split the rent, but most of the time they drink, play video games, and don’t really care if they have girlfriends or not. They will have the occasional ”one night stand” scenario with girls, but none of them has the desire to settle down and get “serious.”  

Twenty years ago, these same men would have been working at a serious job, building a future, planning on getting married, and starting a family, but according to Kimmel–not these days. So what’s the problem with this new generation of guys? Is there a problem? Kimmel explains that today, many of these young men, poised between adolescence and adulthood, are more likely to feel anxious and uncertain about their futures than, let’s say, we were. 

 Well, the Gorilla is sure about one thing, when you have companies paying guys six figures for “gaming” (or playing video games all day), how could a young man rationalize going into a corporate office to do “real” work? Enough is enough guys, get over it and grow up already!

Each night, David Letterman cracks jokes and keeps millions of people all over the world in stitches. Are his jokes sometimes about religion? Of course! Are they about sex? Well, sometimes they are. He even jokes quite often about women and politics, and most times, his jokes are not politically correct by any means. But they are funny, and in a world that has become colder with each new social interaction-stealing-technology, the world needs a little laughter.

So, how did a colorful Kentucky politician end up spending several days in jail for attempting to do just that? Well, let the Gorilla explain. Otis “Bullman” Hensley is known in his hometown of Harlan, Kentucky for his oddball antics and offbeat sense of humor, and most often times, people laugh at his jokes. But while on a trip to the grocery store one evening, he made an age-old Appalachian jest to a woman and her two nieces and they certainly weren’t laughing. “I offered to trade her a fattening hog for those girls,” Hensley said. “I meant it as a joke. I’ve said it a million times. Most people get a kick out of it.” But the women didn’t think it was funny, and upon leaving the store, they obtained a warrant from the local prosecutor for Hensley’s arrest claiming that he intended to entice the children into “illegal sexual activity.”

Hensley has since apologized to the women claiming that it was a simple joke and he meant no harm whatsoever. On one hand, this women’s exaggeration of the situation seems ridiculous to the Gorilla, but on the other hand, we live in a world in which sexual predators are literally everywhere and politicians are no exception. Certainly a comment like this from a strange and colorful character like Hensely could be deemed a bit inappropriate to be sure, but criminal? Now that’s seems a bit excessive in this case.

“Jay Leno makes jokes every night and makes millions,” Hensley said in his thick Appalachian accent. “I make one joke and go to jail.” Hensley was initially charged with an attempted unlawful transaction with a minor, but luckily the charge was dismissed. Appalachian scholar Loyal Jones said the comment Hensley made has been around for generations, and was actually meant as a compliment. “I’ve heard many variations of that,” said Jones, retired director of Berea College’s Appalachian Center. “You might hear ‘That’s a good looking boy; I’d trade you a pocket knife for him’ … Political correctness has ruined country humor.”  Thus, the Gorilla’s exact case and point! Hey, some people just need to lighten up!

The medals have been awarded, closing ceremonies have harmoniously concluded, and our regular television programming, which was temporarily taken hostage by the Olympics, has returned to us once again. Yes, the Olympics are over and the U.S. walked away with and incredible 110 medals! (Although China did outnumber us in gold!) But alas, the excitement has come to an end, so now the question on everyone’s minds is: “How much will American athletes receive in endorsements?”

Well, to start, let’s just talk about the superhero of the games, Michael Phelps. With a whopping 8 gold medals- unprecedented in a single Olympic games to date- he will surely get the nod from many companies to join their “team” to endorse their products. For Phelps, it is rumored that he will receive over $100 million for his future endorsements, which include thus far, Wheaties and Frosted Flakes cereals, the Omega watch company, and Speedo to name a few.

And how about Shawn Johnson, the U.S. Gold Medal Gymnast? Well not to state the obvious, but her endorsements won’t be nearly as lucrative as Michael Phelps’ will be (currently rumored to be at a slight $1 million and climbing). However, they will include companies like McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Adidas, and Hy-Vee grocery store chains in the Midwest. And how bout’ those two super-powered volleyball cuties, Misty May Treanor and Kerri Walsh? These two absolutely dominated in women’s beach volleyball, beating the outstanding Chinese team for gold, marking their 102nd straight win!. Collectively, they are said to be worth a whopping $50 million in endorsements. The Gorilla was moved by the best all-around athlete, world champion decathlete and Californian, Bryan Clay, who just packed in about $20 million in endorsements. So there you have it folks, just a little interesting post-games Olympic news for you. Do our beloved American athletes deserve all the fame, acclaim, and wealth? Well, that’s up to you, but the Gorilla thinks that no athlete deserves it more than an Olympian!

We’re all looking for ways to be more “green” in the US, and why not? Up until recent times, we have lived in the one of the most wasteful societies in the world. We have an obligation to be more green, and we should be ashamed of ourselves if each and every one of us doesn’t contribute something to the many new conservation efforts, which are aplenty in this country.  So why not take your exercise efforts at the gym and turn them into energy- after all, that’s exactly what you are exerting isn’t it? One clever gym owner had the same idea and decided to use it to harness more electricity for his gym. In Portland Oregon, gym owner, Adam Boesel, figured “why not take advantage of all of the energy being created by people using treadmills and bikes and put it to good use?” The eco-gym, which has treadmills equipped with energy efficient motors, will use solar and human power. “We’re just harnessing that extra energy that they put out anyway,” Boesel said. “For people, that’s a no-brainer. They say it’s there, you might as well capture it.”  The Gorilla could not agree more and although he talks about this subject quite often, it’s simply because now is the time to get with the program when it comes to harnessing energy in this country, as well as in the world. It is long overdue and there are so many innovative and clever ways to harness energy, it is just a matter of doing it!  Energy harvesting is simple really since it only involves taking energy from one source and using it for another. The gym’s bikes currently generate about up to 750 watts per hour. (Wow!) Boesel is currently working on a way to harness more energy from his elliptical trainers as well. So can it really power a 2800 square foot gym? The Gorilla was skeptical, but Boesel says that right now it is powering about 20-25% of the gym’s electricity, but he says that he plans of taking it to 100% in the next year. His plan is to be the the first completely human-powered gym in the country. Well, of course China has beaten us on this front. They currently have gyms in that country that have used this energy harnessing to power their lights and fans. The Gorilla thinks he could generate at 750 watts per hour on his bike alone!

Ah, New York! If a big, new idea can make it there,it can make it anywhere, and this time may be no exception. Currently, the Big Apple’s Big Kahuna, Mayor Bloomberg, may have actually come up with a proposal for the state that is not only clever, but could very well usher in the “winds of change” at last. The proposal is to place wind turbines atop of the city’s skyscrapers and bridges, and to possibly have wind farms far off the coast in the Atlantic, which could generate roughly twice the energy of similar land-based facilities, and supply 10% of the city’s electricity needs within a decade.

“I think it would be a thing of beauty if, when Lady Liberty looks out on the horizon, she not only welcomes new immigrants, but lights their way with a torch powered by an ocean wind farm,” the mayor said in the closing speech of the National Clean Energy Summit. Bloomberg also spoke about how Washington has had its “head in the sand” when it comes to energy and the nation’s needs and he feels that the nation needs to take a “multi-pronged” approach to reduce its dependence on foreign oil. At least one expert agrees. “This isn’t a wild idea at all,” said Dale Jamieson, director of environmental studies at NYU. “Wind energy is something we know how to do.”

Texas oilman, T. Boone Pickens, says the government is spending nearly $700 billion per year on oil from other countries- many of whom are hostile towards the US. Pickens himself is currently spending millions to try to convince the nation’s leaders to harness wind power.  The Gorilla’s hat goes off (or should he say “blows off”)  to Mayor Bloomberg for his trailblazing attitude and initiative at the nation’s Clean Energy Summit. And as the old song goes, “It’s up to you New York, New York!”

It’s that time of year again folks. Yes, the Gorilla is referring to “back to school,” and while many parents are joyfully sending their kids off to college, if you are one of them, you may want to consider having a talk with your child about their potential drinking habits while there. It may seem a bit silly to have this conversation with your college-age child. After all, most parents are aware that college kids sometimes drink, but new studies reveal that the dangers inherent to regular drinking habits go far beyond just intoxication.  Research from the American Heart Association (AHA) now reveals that college students, who drink excessively, may increase their risk of heart disease by doubling something known as C-reactive Protein (CRP), a biological marker for inflammation said to be associated with a higher chance of cardiovascular problems. For the purpose of the study, heavy drinking was defined as three or more alcoholic drinks at least three days a week or at least five drinks two days of the week. (College memories anyone?)  Now compared to moderate drinkers (those who drank two to five drinks at a time, one or two days a week), the CRP levels of the heavy drinkers was nearly double those of the moderate drinkers, which put them at risk for moderate heart disease. The study had varied results and some researchers say that they are not completely convinced since there are many variables which can be present to increase CRP levels.  Some even say a moderate amount of alcohol can actually be very good for your overall health. But still, if you are one of the many baby-boomers who partied too much in college and who now has heart disease, you certainly have to wonder if the heavy drinking was a contributing factor. It may be too little too late for you (as far as early preventative measures go), and it hasn’t yet been determined if drinking heavily during college years means you are setting yourself up for future problems, but since hindsight is 20/20, you probably want to warn your kids about the dangers of drinking too much just so that they don’t repeat your mistakes. Not to mention, it can’t hurt to point out the “everything in moderation” adage regardless. Hey, it’s an awkward conversation to have with your now adult child, but hey, at least you actually have a legitimate excuse!

A ridiculous number of people in the US are addicted to painkillers, and judging by his last few trips to the doctor, the Gorilla can see why. In his opinion, the Gorilla thinks that some doctors are a bit over-eager to prescribe drugs for pain. Now of course the 4 million Americans who are currently addicted to painkillers are mostly those who have had extreme pain dilemmas due to accidents or chronic situations, but still, just listen to the Gorilla’s personal experience and you decide.  First, let the Gorilla just say that he himself is not a big fan of any kind of mind-altering drug, but, he is not opposed to taking a drug for pain if the need arises. The Gorilla recently had a minor surgery, and of course the doctor was quick to prescribe not one, but two separate painkillers- “just in case.” The Gorilla stressed to the kind doctor that he didn’t think it would be necessary, but the doctor insisted the prescription be filled prior to the surgery to have on hand for afterwards. Okay, fair enough. After all, a guy doesn’t want to make his surgeon angry just prior to a surgery does he?   So fill it, he did, and after the surgery he immediately took one pill as ordered by the good doc. Now the Gorilla realizes that people respond to pain in different ways and some have a higher pain tolerance than others, but the Gorilla thinks of himself as a bit of a baby when it comes to pain and yet he only needed one pill- total. Shortly after the surgery, the Gorilla had a routine check-up (unrelated to the surgery) with his primary care physician, where he asked the doctor for a referral to a good chiropractor for some minor issues with the neck. The doctor sent the Gorilla away with a referral and a prescription for a type of muscle relaxant to help ease the neck pain- even though he did not request one. (The Gorilla did not fill the prescription).  A few weeks later, the Gorilla had a sinus infection, which required yet another visit to the same physician. Again, he was prescribed an antibiotic and- you guessed it- painkillers for the sinus headache. (Is this normal?) Now call this hairy primate crazy, but what if someone truly had addictive tendencies, or should he say, prior issues with dependency? This, combined with all of the other instances, (for some) could surely be a recipe (or shall we say prescription) for disaster. It could almost be considered a ”physician enabled” addiction. Meanwhile, the Gorilla’s medicine cabinet would have been a feast for any junkie or addict to get his hands on. (The Gorilla got rid of all the unused pain pills).  And yes, the Gorilla is aware that most addictions to painkillers begin when people who have pain simply don’t follow the proper directions and take too many. Then, they usually end up finding excuses to get more, so how does a physician ascertain who has a problem and who is just making up excuses? How did the Gorilla’s physician know that he wasn’t an addict? For all he knew, the Gorilla could have been making up the problems with the neck or any other pain. The Gorilla recalls his former neighbor, who was a doctor that prescribed too many painkillers that eventually killed a patient. Needless to say, the doctor went to jail for a time. Of course this case was extreme, and an “accident,” but the problem of addiction is a very serious one, so the question is, shouldn’t there be a bit more hesitation on a physician’s part when it comes to prescribing pain meds?   Keep in mind that the Gorilla has many good friends and associates who are physicians and he has great respect for them, but in the Gorilla’s case in particular, the attitude regarding prescribing the painkillers seemed quite lax. With the problem of addictions being what they are today, it couldn’t hurt for physicians to exercise a bit more restraint when considering prescribing painkillers to people…but hey, that’s just one gorilla’s opinion.

If you are one of the many people in society who is employed full-time, you are probably used to enduring a hectic schedule. At the end of a harried 5-day workweek, your mind usually screams out, “THANK GOD IT’S FRIDAY!” But in some states now, workers could be saying, “Thank God It’s Thursday” instead.  Yes, it’s true- at least for some 17,000 Salt Lake City state employees. In an effort for the state to save some $3 million in utility costs for the year, the work week for employees will now be 4 ten-hour days rather than the typical 5 eight-hour days. This gives the state employees a 3-day weekend that many are happy about, while others claim it’s unfair and are not exactly welcoming the forced change.  Luckily, the four-day work week is currently a one-year experiment that- depending on how well it works- could likely become permanent. Carolyn Dennis, who works for the Department of Commerce, was not too excited at first about having to make adjustments to her 6-year-old son’s daycare schedule, but lucky for her, there are many other state employees who use the same daycare, and they are accommodating these parents by extending their hours for the new longer workday. Now that that part is taken care of, Carolyn admits that she has waited a long time to spend an extra day off with her son. “I am going to have every Friday to spend with my son,” she said. But many others say it’s just too inconvenient to change everything around and re-arrange drive schedules, kid pick-ups, and dinner schedules at home. However, the state of Utah says that adjustments like this simply have to be made in order to save millions of dollars, and the state says that the benefits far outweigh the modifications.  So, exactly who will it affect? Well, mostly those in non-emergency types of jobs such as drivers license offices. The change became effective as of August 4^th, and it is in effect for one year. There will now be over 1,000 state offices closed on Fridays, saving the state of Utah approximately three million dollars. But some workers are having a very tough time with the change (understandably), but Jeff Herring, who is executive director of Utah’s Department of Human Resources, says that the state understands this and is working with people who are having a rough time with it. “The governor has made it very clear that as long as we can serve the public, we need to do what we can to exercise flexibility with the employees,” Herring said.    Although some people will always have to adjust, the Gorilla feels that this is an excellent way for states to save money, and in addition, for people to save some much needed money on gasoline and possibly daycare! Other than the obvious inconveniences (you know how tough it as on a regular week to get in at the DMV!), more states could consider saving a few bucks this way. It seems to be a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Desperate times indeed! Almost everybody is feeling the effects of a weakening economy and outrageous prices on everything from gas to food. Nobody is immune and college students are no exception. Imagine how difficult it would be for you if you were a student, trying to juggle campus life, college tuition, high gas prices, and meals.   So, what’s the solution? Well for some it’s food stamps. In Florida, the amount of students using food stamps was up 44% in July, as compared to the same time in 2007.  That’s about twice the rate of increase for food-stamp recipients in the population as a whole. With over 54,000 students in Florida alone now using food stamps, this number represents a nationwide trend. ”It’s pretty much impossible to get by anymore without some help,” said John English, a Palm Beach Community College student, who has received stamps.  It’s not all that difficult for a college student to qualify for food stamps since as well all know many college students have a very limited income–if any at all. To qualify, a single student must have a monthly income of less than $1,107 and must meet several other criteria. They include being a caretaker of a child under the age of 6, participating in a federally financed work study program, or work at least 20 hours per week. Under the food stamp program, a single recipient receives up to $162 per month to be used for food (depending on income), making it easier for kids to get buy and eat! But students can’t just take the stamps and buy whatever they want, they must be used for only staples such as milk, bread, cereal, meat, fruits, and vegetables. And there are strict fines students must pay if they attempt to deceive the government as well.  

The Gorilla is not sure he agrees with the minimum income since most students have help from their parents, but overall, if it helps the kids who really need it, he can certainly understand the use of them. Oh what trying times we are living in!