connections, conclusions

Things I've been thinking about lately:

- the relationship between stress and high blood pressure/high cholesterol/thinning hair/caffeine intake/over-eating.

- the fact that obesity in the US is on the rise; despite an increased emphasis and awareness of the importance of exercise and eating organic, whole grains, local produce, free-range eggs, hormone-free milk....

- what all that might have to do with the sagging economy; and the fact that my roommate's co-worker took a second job just to pay for the gas she uses to commute to her first job.

- and vacation, by god - apparently, (as Charles Gibson reported on ABC news the other night) - "It is estimated Americans give back 438 million vacation days a year. ... America is the only major country in the world that has no government-mandated time off. 75 percent of Americans do get paid vacation, 14 days the average. But then the average worker gives back three of those days. ...And when Americans do take time off, 60 percent of us are checking office e-mails. So you might consider moving to France. There, the government requires 31 vacation days plus holidays."

Add to that the internet, text-messaging, illiteracy, the war in Iraq, drugs, and the popularity of Thomas Kinkade (‘Painter of Light’) and you’ve got… the portrait of a blinking idiot.