How would you respond to a nude, provocative image of Jesus on NY Times front page?

Thomas Paine, famous author of Common Sense, offered treatise on how we should treat religious opposing views

In the controversy regarding the cartooning of the Prophet Muhammad and the violence that occurred against the publication in France that carried the cartoons, few have asked the question about making fun of a specific religion and whether or not the provocative nature of it is a necessary way to express free speech, as folks continue to discuss the nature of expression and how we communicate ideas.

France has historically led the way with its philosophers, who like kings of congresses set precedents for people to use in developing a path to constitutional freedom.  Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States during the early days of the country, was known to be a fan of Voltaire and Rossaeu, using many of their ideas to formulate his own, even in reference to his development of America's foundation of freedoms, its Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

Senior disadvantage can occur with reverse mortgages

Single elders sometimes opt for reverse mortgages

Whether it's Robert Wagner or another aging movie star, the message is the same: a reverse mortgage benefits seniors and offers the aging population a special advantage.  It is said to have been a gift from Ronald Reagan to help seniors stay in their homes, but the effect is to have created problems for many older citizens.

The reverse mortgage advertisements maintain that seniors can continue to stay in their home and receive a loan on the equity they don't have to pay back.  The problem is that the do have to pay it back, in ways and at times that can seriously hurt the unsuspecting senior.  Many of these people are seeking less to enjoy their retirement, which is the message given by the television spokespersons, than to have enough money to live on in those advancing years, when costs are higher because of medical needs.  And it is at that time that the reverse mortgage ends up being a disadvantage that comes at a time when seniors can least afford to lose anything.

Mildred is in her early 70's, sharing her residence with an adult son and his girlfriend.  She has a line of credit in the form of an ongoing loan against her property.  Her income had been so meager there were few options other than to see a reverse mortgage.  Like many seniors she was faced with financial emergency, unable to work because of physical ailments and without the income to sustain her.  While she continues to live in her home, the disadvantages of the loan might not be apparent now but could end up being a problem for her as she grows older and needs assisted living and both her and her son face a debt neither may not be able to repay.

In 2012 the New York Times examined the concept of reverse mortgages, pointing out these involve significant risk for older persons, a risk that can cost them their homes.   These loans are sold aggressively, using well-known movie stars that seniors would recognize from their youth.  The charm of the spokespersons coupled with the message that the money comes as a virtual benefit to seniors has brought a wave of response from unsuspecting elders who are seeking simply to stay in their homes, even as the cost of maintaining those homes while facing physical vulnerabilities that come with aging becomes more and more difficult.

Many of the big lenders have dropped out of the reverse mortgage business, leaving the door open to predatory lenders who look for the vulnerable senior as an easy target for seductive advertising claims.  While the business of loaning money under the reverse mortgage is legal, and protected by laws designed to offer seniors some protection, some of the wrong people have entered the reverse mortgage business in ways that can harm older folk.  Many of these lenders say the senior will never lose their home, a deceptive sales pitch since there are conditions when the loan is made. These lenders persuade the older spouse in a marriage to be the sole borrower, so the other spouse is not on the deed.  Then when the older person dies, the loan becomes due.  Brokers are sometimes given incentives to promote lump-sum loans as opposed to a line of credit, so the fixed rate and interest charges can over time become a debt load that often comes at a stage in life when the senior has less money to pay the loan, especially since the owner is required to pay taxes, insurances and other fees to keep the home.

Forbes has examined the problem of reverse mortgages and offered some of what they call "the hidden truths" about them.  For example, the notion that a person cannot lose their home is untrue.  When an elder has to move into an assisted living situation, the loan becomes due.  That puts the senior at a particular disadvantage, since the costs of care are higher when an individual can no longer live independently.   Anyone else living in the home is forced to move.  Furthermore, the family members are left to pay off the loan when the elder dies if they want to keep the home.  If taxes and home insurance premiums aren't paid, the resident can lose the home as well.

What's the answer to the problems caused by reverse mortgages.  Forbes explains that this type of mortgage should be taken only as a last resort.  Many seniors become desperate and look for the reverse mortgage to help pay for their last days, but the cost of assisted living and 24/7 care can exhaust the loan amount, forcing the senior into poverty at a difficult time.

CNN Money points out that new rules have made reverse mortgages safer but that there are still problems with them.  The new rules discourage seniors from taking a lump sum payment.   Still the loans are actually expensive as the fees and costs for a $200,000 loan can be as much as $15,000.  In addition the lenders also charge a monthly service fee and interest of about 5%, so the lump sum mortgage balance of $100,000 CNN offers as an example can double the debt in 11 years.

Often the senior takes a reverse mortgage thinking it is the best way to get ready cash to live out those senior years in comfort.  The problem is the expense of the loan and the conditions make it not a good option for everyone.  Experts say a senior should consult an attorney or accountant before signing up for a reverse mortgage, as the cost of the professional services in advance might end up saving a senior's home and future.  In other words, if something looks too good and is sold as having no strings attached, the final advice is to look for other options or another, more reliable lender who will disclose the problems as well as the benefits along the way.

Modern medicine can replace the heart, other organs, but can it replace the mind?

                                                                      Ray Kurzweil

Gordon Matilla---In the world of modern medicine, many things are possible.  Doctors can transplant hearts, offer prosthetic limbs to those with severed legs, and can diagnose complex diseases, but can scientists replace the mind?

Ray Kurzweil is a well-known futurist whose ideas have often been found quaint by some and embraced by others.  His latest book maintains the digital brain and mind is in our future.

Kurzweil's latest book,  Tendencias 21, is on the New York Times best seller list.  Kurzweil maintains that in only a few years the reverse engineering of the human brain will be finished and that by the year 2029 artificial intelligence will actually be developed to the point where it will be superior to human intelligence.  His book examines how people think, then presents a model of the neocortex and raises his theory of mind, looking at the brain and its evolution.  The brain has evolved and so has technology, with the latter capable of bringing superior intellect to advance technology even further.

Much of that artificial intelligence is already on the horizon.  Science may not have the brain reproduced, but there are ways to fashion programs that can test mood and meaning of what a person says and does.  Facebook hopes to harvest this information from their online social media site.  It hopes to learn everything it can about you, and that can help its advertisers, its business associates, and help plan its network's future as well as the future for everyone who interacts with it.  Zuckerberg layed out his plans today, in some details, letting the world know that what we think and do is something Facebook wants to use to offer its users more than it already does with its present offerings.  They intend to do that not just about what is said on Facebook but even the types of photos a user posts.

And for those who want to keep up with the latest in Artificial Intelligence and sort through the research as it unfolds, an online site offers journal articles for the man or woman who wants to keep in the know and to use human intelligence and the human brain to understand what might be the replacement for both, according to futurist thinking.

How Does Yelp effect businesses?

[caption id="attachment_20526" align="alignleft" width="151"] Yelp logo[/caption]

C. J. Gordon---Social networking and media is doing a lot to impact the way we do business. From Pinterest to Facebook, Twitter to Yelp, businesses have many avenues in which to direct a message and build customer loyalty as well as brand identity.  But is Yelp one of those sites that aids businesses in the way folks expect that it can?

It is rare in this age of technology that a business does not understand the power of such sites as Yelp. However, a Boston Consulting Group survey of 550 small businesses found that only about 3 percent of those surveyed spend their advertising dollars online. Additionally, many small business owners and executives remain largely unaware of online advertising and promotional opportunities and how they impact their businesses.

Yelp describes itself as an online urban digital guide. The company, founded in 2004 by members of the reputed PayPal mafia, Russel Simmons and Jeremy Stoppelman, who serve as Chief Technology Officer and Chief Executive Officer respectively, is based in San Francisco and trades publicly on the New York Stock Exchange. In a March 2013 New York Times blog post, the company asserted that small businesses advertising on Yelp saw an average boost of $23,000 in revenue annually.

Why a Business Should Consider Yelp 

Yelp, which takes its name from the four letters of the Yellow Pages, provides customers with the ability to write reviews and give ratings. These reviews and ratings provide potential new customers with the ability to see what others think about the business. Businesses that have listed themselves on Yelp also have the ability to provide detailed information about the business. This includes location and hours of operation, products or services offered, pricing information, and more. Yelp also allows businesses to list their website information in order for customers to link directly to their primary online presence and learn more about the business. 

Does Yelp Impact Business Profitability? 

A 2011 study by Harvard Business School demonstrated Yelp's impact on a business's profitability. The study found that a restaurant, for example, maintaining a listing on Yelp whose customers gave ratings saw an increase of 5 to 9 percent in revenue for each additional star rating received. The study further demonstrated that non-chain restaurants benefitted more from the online rating review provided by Yelp than those that were part of a chain.

The casual effect of reviews suggests that small businesses stand to benefit greatly through the use of Yelp as a way to create and manage their reputation. A September 2013 study by Merchant Warehouse found that 72 percent of consumers trust online reviews. Ninety percent of Yelp users make buying decisions based on positive reviews.

A Reluctance to Change 

Many small businesses, particularly those that are family-run or are headed by individuals who are not technologically savvy, are reluctant to use online review sites like Yelp. This reluctance to change can be fueled by a variety of factors including fear of the unknown and lack of education on how the technology may provide a benefit relevant to effort. This is referred to as Return of Effort, or ROE, and a business needs to see a high ROE to be convinced that the effort is worth their time. Demystifying online advertising and investing some effort in learning how Yelp can help a business may prove profitable.

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News readers increase but not through Facebook and Twitter

[caption id="attachment_4361" align="alignleft" width="128"] Tablet computers[/caption]

Carol Forsloff - More and more people are reading the news, as  technology expands  Internet reach and reader options throughout the world; but social media is not the top source for news as thought.

The Pew Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism surveys the state of the journalism world, taking a look at what drives traffic and what readers want.

What Pew researchers have found is that sources like Facebook and Twitter may add to traffic, but only nine percent of users get their news recommendations from these social media sites.  Facebook leads Twitter as a source for finding news material.

As devices for reading news material expand, readers continue to turn to traditional news sources for their reading about contemporary events.  This does not mean they do not read just the mainstream press, the big boys like the New York Times.  But the reader is more apt to do a search for material or find those outlets that present news material in which they are most interested.  Traditional media continues to appeal to most news readers.

So what’s the best method of securing website traffic?  Unique, well-written material remains high on the list of SEO experts and others examining the issue of Internet growth and user behavior as the best method of increasing readership.  A forum post summarizes what many technical support staff and website experts tell us:  “Write quality, original content. Ensure that Google can see it and make sense of it. Update regularly.”

Readership is up, across many venues, because of technology.    And despite the concerns that the reading public simply wants the hit-and-miss sensational material, a good many are looking for substantial material that appeals to their interests and that they find unique.

While news organizations worry about losing readership, the problem is less the competition with social media than the actual number of sites that offer news.  Still reading as fundamental is being presented across the platforms of technology, a way to provide more and more people with opportunities to learn.

Page One about NY Times belongs on back pages

[caption id="attachment_6284" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="William Rule's grave"][/caption]

Carol Forsloff - Page One opens to the public in Portland theaters and other cities nationwide, advertising itself as a “riveting” film that opens up the door to the issues and events of the newspaper business, especially the New York Times,  but falls far short of its claims of a serious, exciting film.

It’s tough to ridicule a film when you have been a guest.  The Society of Professional Journalists offered its members an advance showing of the film on Wednesday evening.  Journalists mingled with an assortment of other invitees to watch the movie before the public opening scheduled for tomorrow.

The Laurelhurst Theater was filled with folks who laughed a little, buzzed a bit, while this reviewer only hoped and fretted when the film would end.  The first hour dragged but gave some meat with clips from Wikileaks.  When "potatoes" came,  the dialogue, they came like the kind of cold mush that makes one want to throw the dinner out.  In that proverbial fashion, this reviewer left not long before the film had ended, with leg cramps, headaches and blurry eyes from struggling to keep up with what was mostly rehashed material on television every night.

The New York Times is central to the film about the newspaper business.  The theme is multi-faceted, but revolves around the closure of many newspapers and the worries of those in the business that the whole business might eventually be abandoned in favor of a free-for-all of blogs and social sites.  The drama for the crowd is whether the New York Times will survive while others sink.

The division that exists between the purists who hope to serve the public and the blog-type folks who favor anything anywhere the public wants to go  is played out in the droning conversations that pervade the boring film.  It does, however, speak some truth to what goes on inside those hallowed office cubicles and boardrooms where the big boys make decisions for the public and what constitutes the news.  One sees the male-dominated echelons of power, from the pop-talking youth that made the grade through college and the former addict, older type who covers in a street-smart way the meanderings of the film.

But everyone looks “with it”, if with it means the sagging jeans, the talk that wanders here and there and misses most of the point, as the point of the film is lost in conversation while the viewer wants to get lost somewhere besides watching a boring film.

Page One has no great names to help bring interest to the screen.  Instead it says the public ought to care about what goes on in businesses and boardrooms in the news business every day, especially the New York Times.  The clips of historical moments flash through the film enough to stir some interest, but that interest soon dissolves in banal arguments and water cooler bantering that goes on among the boys.  Perhaps the film is advertising for the New York Times that the public wants to keep in business because of what its status means to the people working there.

Sundance reviewed the film and finds the producer, Andrew Rossi, lost his focus in this film.   Even the New York Times has given a bad review of the film about itself, with reviewer, Michael Kinsley, calling it "a mess."

But my dear viewer, you don’t have to see Page One to appreciate the news.  Find some comics to enjoy or turn to sports instead, as this film is not fun enough to spend two hours finding something that deserves to be on the "back pages" of  the movies and your town movie news as well.