Sign of the Times: Taliban on Twitter

You know how it goes - the boss gets all hyped up about the latest technology trend from 2009, sloshes back into the office from a two-mojito lunch to tell you to drop everything and jump on the bandwagon.

This is probably how the Taliban ended up on Twitter.

The Taliban joins Twitter, starts tweeting in English
Digitaltrends.com
Call it a sign of the times: Afghan militant group the Taliban, one of America's top enemies, has its own Twitter feed, and has begun to post messages in English. With the recent revolutions that swept across the Middle East, Twitter has secured a firm ...

Growing Problem: Watertown Graffiti & Vandalism

Not only are graffiti and vandalism a growing problem in Watertown - ominously, they could be a sign of something worse.

Police say Watertown vandalism could be signs of something worse
KSFY
Graffiti has become a growing problem in Watertown. "We've had recurring, a series of graffiti and vandalism over the last several months," Watertown police

Growing Problem: Trees by Airport

Half the world is going green, the other half is pondering tree assassination.

Who's right? You decide.

Trees by airport could be gone as Port of Port Angeles suggests master plan ...
Peninsula Daily
Since the trees continue to be a growing problem, the council also will consider a request from the port to remove between 39 and 45 trees from the park.

Growing Problem: Texting Lifeguards

Texting - is there anything it can't screw up?

Texting Lifeguards Endanger Lives
CalorieLab Calorie Counter News
Even lifeguards can't seem to resist the urge to text while on duty, a growing problem that endangers lives. Bernard J. Fisher II, the director of health

Growing Problem: Huffing in Treasure Valley

When I was kid, "Huffing in Treasure Valley" was a beloved Hardy Boys book. Today, it's seedy drug slang.


Where did we go wrong, America?


Huffing Growing In Treasure Valley

Huffing looks to be a growing problem in the Treasure Valley. Today's 6 talked to several teens swimming at in the Boise River in Star about the problem.

Growing Problem: Too Many Kangaroos

Australians should be a little more grateful - most places have the opposite problem.

Authorities say its hooroo to too many roos
Mordialloc Chelsea Leader
And Melbourne Water will launch a new sterilisation program early next year in a bid to curb the growing problem. A recent survey found 31 eastern grey ...

Growing Problem: Literacy (lack of)

I have figured out why some people remain illiterate - it's to avoid the pain of reading the name of a pro-literacy group called "Between the Lions."

Read it again - hurt very much it does.

TV.com

Between The Lions 10th Anniversary Season Hits Sept. 20th TV.com "Ten years ago, Between the Lions was brought to life by producers armed with the goal of addressing the growing problems with reading literacy," said ...

Growing Problem: Distracted Drivers, 2010-style

A lot of people are angered or annoyed by distracted drivers and their god-awful driving habits. Instead of just operating their vehicles safely, concentrating on the "rules of the highway," and being on the lookout for the fuzz, people do all kinds of wacky things instead.

In the past few weeks, I've seen a lot of strange activities go on in other cars around me while I drive. I am going to make a list of some of those things, but I have to say right up front that observing these activities was not a distraction to me, not in the least. I only observed these infractions as I scanned carefully back and forth, looking for incoming threats to my vehicle, or checking around for interesting free objects that may have dropped into the roadway. To be truthful, at times I may have also been trying to find a decent tune on the radio in order to aid my concentration, but this just shows how aware I was of my environment as I drove - the song has to be just right if I am going to remain on top of my game.

I also have to add that while I was watching out for dangerous "drivers" and noticing their terrible driving, and thinking about their ungraciousness, and perhaps yelling a bit at them inside my car, and also sometimes checking them out as I drove past "to see what kind of person drives like that," my own concentration was not compromised, nor would I allow it to be ever, because I am a good driver.

So, now that that's out of the way, a few things I have seen (some I made up for illustration purposes):

Distracted Driving List 2010, as Seen on this Nation's Highways & Byways

• A woman eating a Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco while merging onto the highway (speed limit 65, but most people drive at least 70)
• A man (I think) adjusting the default margins in Pages for the iPad while also performing a "rolling stop"
• A very short individual, who could barely see anyway, reading a Bible (or Thesaurus?) and writing comments in the margin with a green permanent marker
• A different woman eating a snack-size Oreo McFlurry while parallel parking on a pretty busy street

Until activities like these stop, none of us are safe. If I see any other distracted driving, I'll post the activities of the perps here. Or, feel free to leave your favorites in the comments!

Distracted Driving Accounted for Nearly 5500 Roadway Deaths in ...‎ -6 hours ago For the second year in a row, national statistics show that distracted driving had led to 5474 deaths and 448000 on US roads in 2009. ...

Growing Problem: China's Water Quality

This one shocked me - didn't know it could get worse, but it has.

Go Team China!

Green Doesn't Apply Here: China's Growing Problems with Water Quality
Green Building Pro
China is trying to lead the way as the world's greenest country, and while it may manufacture the most or near the most solar panels of any other country, ...

Growing Problem: Dog Waste Bags in Trees, etc.

I suppose that when people do the right thing, you should be happy, right? Their dog takes care of business, and they pick up the refuse in a plastic bag, just like a good citizen should. We applaud, at least internally. Well, more accurately, we just give them a passing grade, because they have finally reached our expectations, which - let's be honest - are pretty much at the bottom of the barrel. So, score one for the home team, they picked up some poop in a bag. Yay!

But then, what do they do? Just fling the bag into a tree.

Groan!

Manchester Toddler Fronts Campaign
Key 103 Manchester
In recent years, there has been a growing problem of dog waste bags found hanging on trees, on railings or stuffed in hedges. It would appear that some dog ...

Growing Problem: Parking at Missouri Western State University

In the past, most Growing Problems seemed to occur in Wisconsin. Don't ask me why - I'm not providing analysis here, just straight facts. Well, lil ol' Missouri has caught the Growing Problems bug in a big way, as evidenced by the m&%#d up parking situation at Missouri Western State University. Get a handle on it, Missouri - your days of flying under the radar are over!

I'm watching you...

Growing problem requires attention
Griffon News
School has only been in session for approximately two weeks and Missouri Western has already made $8285 in parking violations. We have to show up for class ...

Growing Problem: Piracy in Pro Wrestling

It seems to me that more pirates would greatly enhance pro wrestling.

Bleacher Report

Piracy In Pro Wrestling, A Growing Problem That Needs to End Now! Bleacher Report In the world of entertainment Piracy has always been an issue that music artists and film makers have had to deal with for some time now. ...

Growing Problem: Superbugs at the Beach

MRSA is a superbug. Imagine the stress- the hard work of being infectious, all the mutating to look after, never knowing when you'll find your next host. Suddenly some punk lab tech gets a gleam in his eye and tries to take you down with all the resources of his fat GlaxoSmithKline bankroll.

It takes a toll on a superbug, and now MRSA is headed to the beach for some umbrella drinks and sand-borne disease vector action. Oops!

Infectious Superbug Invades Beaches LiveScience.com, NY - 7 hours ago It has become a deadly and growing problem in hospitals in recent years. "MRSA is in the water and potentially in the sand," Plano told a group of reporters ...

Worrisome Trend: Overweight Hockey Fans in Quebec

Editor's note: This blog is now tracking Worrisome Trends. It's important...

Another day, another hockey problem to report. Too many hockey fans in Quebec eat too much junk food at the rink, and that is making them fat. According to many Québécois, the pommes frites must be controlled!

I am holding back here, knowing the the heady mix of Canada, hockey, obesity, junk food and nannystatism on display is going to egg me on to make some uncalled-for cracks. There is enough blame to go around, I guess.

Let's just say this: I am beginning to think hockey is a bad influence on Western Civilization.

Arena junk food offside Times Colonist, Canada - Feb 6, 2009 The plan to clean up the grease at arena canteens is well-intentioned, but unlikely to dramatically change a worrisome trend. Studies show the area has the ...

Growing Problem: Abandoned Chihuahuas

Paris Hilton's crimes are many, and they have been enumerated and dissected many times in the pages of our finest celebrinewsweeklies and online gossip rags. Most of us know more about the failings of Ms. Hilton than we do about our own.

Well, Paris' tawdry parade of thin talents and seedy morals might be coming to an end. She has finally gone one dirty deed too far: She is causing people to abandon their chihuahuas. That is low!

Paris Hilton blamed for causing epidemic Oneindia, India - 2 hours ago But because some people think they are then realise they're wrong there's a growing problem of abandoned Chihuahuas," the Daily Star quoted Chihuahua Club ...

Ominous Trend: Economy Down, Bear Poaching Up

New feature! This blog will now track "ominous trends"- so you don't have to.

Being up on emerging Ominous Trends puts you at the cutting edge of all the newest, hippest Growing Problems. Ominous Trends are the tidbits you store away for the next time some fool says "How bad can things get?" or "Everything will work out fine". Whip out one of these factoids and snap Mr./Ms. Optimism back into reality land.

In reality land, bears are meeting an untimely demise. Thanks economy.

Economy Drives Illegal Poaching Trend KIMA CBS 29, WA - Feb 9, 2009 Another ominous trend: bears being shot out of season and without tags so poachers can sell their paws and gall bladders to buyers in Asia. ...

Growing Problem: Lymphedema

All the ladies are down with Cardiovascular Disease, a well known straight-up player when it comes to health issues. CD has all of the foundations, the swanky benefits, the logo, the ribbon-shaped magnets. When Cardiovascular Disease comes to town, there is always an idling Lincoln waiting for the G5 and a pre-booked room near the top of the Marriott.

Everyone forgets about Lymphedema. Lymphedema flies coach with seats near the lavatories. Lymphedema has to ask himself multiple times a day, as he passes yet another "I Heart the Fight Against Cardiovascular Disease" t-shirt on another comely young lass, "Am I not a debilitating, painful and possibly fatal disease as well?"

Now this- cardiologists are actually calling Lymphedema "The Other Vascular Disease."

Lymphedema's agent is trying to buy up all the copies of this press release. Disease is gonna be peeossed.

Vascular Experts Call for Increased Awareness of Growing Problem ... PR Newswire (press release), NY - 10 minutes ago PHOENIX, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Although major advances have been made in the prevention and treatment of cancer, more attention needs to be given to one ...

Growing Problem: Graffiti in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, UK

You may recall just a few days ago I sent up a warning flare over the growing problem of graffiti as it relates to our current World Financial Crisis™. I brought to your attention the fact that Iceland is now not only broke, but covered in an thick coat of Krylon™.

It seems that just as your country starts spiralling the drain of bank and currency failures and dropping precipitously toward the maw of the In-sink-erator™ of Financial Dismemberment, a group of wily vandals yells "Don't let the door hit you on the way out!" and goes on a righteous graffiti tagging spree. What a mess!

Is it unseemly to quote from a post that is only three days old? I said, quote:

"Keep an eye out for more sad stories like this as the economic drama unfolds."

Turned out I was even more prescientious than I knew! The next victim on the block is the UK. Bank insolvency? Check. Now here comes the the graffiti. Sorry Britain- sometimes I hate to be right.

Cash reward for naming Beaconsfield graffiti vandals Buckinghamshire Advertiser, UK - 48 minutes ago Graffiti is a growing problem in the town with some areas such as the railway embankment, Maxwell Road, and The Mead, particularly badly hit. ...

Growing Problem: Inattentiveness in Business Dealings

Now here is an interesting article. It is in English, yet I can not even get the general gist of it. It mainly seems to concern success and paying attention, and paying more attention leading to success. King Midas is also referenced. I think this person is angling to write a book about the "Midas Touch" and make that their business concept trademark.

Anyway, the message here is that being more attentive can stop growing problems. Good luck with that book, and as for the link to your burgeoning business idea- you're welcome!

How Attentiveness Makes Your Touch the Midas Touch 마인드스포츠올림피아드, South Korea - 12 hours ago Attentiveness is important because it fosters improvements, necessary adjustments, and short-circuits growing problems before they turn into over-grown ...

Growing Problem: Hockey is Too Violent

Last time we checked in on hockey, the goalies were getting so rotund that opposing teams couldn't squeeze a puck into the goal anymore. Kind of made for a low-scoring game.

No matter- seems there is more time for fighting now. Hockey violence is increasing to levels that make attending a hockey game feel a lot like watching that scene in A Clockwork Orange- you know the one. Your average hockey game now consists of men crushing other men against "the boards," hitting and slapping other players with their "hockey stick," and then at random intervals ripping off all of their protective gear, flinging it about, and furtively whomping each other until they are sent toothless and bloodied to continue their game at the nearest ICU.

Or at least, that's my impression from only reading the headline of this article.

Panel: Ban fighting in hockey at all levels London Free Press, Canada - 2 hours ago “Our goal is to move forward from this and work to find solutions to a growing problem”. Echlin has hands-on experience with concussion this season. ...

Growing Problem: Graffiti in Iceland

It's a pattern repeated in countless countries across the globe- your banking system has a complete meltdown, half of all personal wealth is destroyed overnight, the government declares insolvency, and then the whole place is hit by a wave of unsightly graffiti.

Keep an eye out for more sad stories like this as the economic drama unfolds.

Reykjavik City Graffiti Tracking and Cleaning Project with GPS Mapping GISuser.com (press release), MD - 4 hours ago In 2007, the Reykjavik community began to notice a growing problem on the city streets: graffiti. Faced with this issue, the city’s department of public ...

Growing Problem: "Car Key Burglary" in Britain

This will be my excuse the next time I play "hide the car keys from myself"- they've surely been burgled by a wily Brit!

80% of serial burglars are STILL handed a soft sentence Daily Mail, UK - 4 hours ago Police said homeowners should be aware of the growing problem of 'car key burglary', in which car keys are stolen from their home. ...

Growing Problem: "Couch Surfing" Homeless Teens

Homeless teens- not a nice phenomenon. But what to do?

Well, I'm no advocate for the homeless, but how about not creating cool nicknames for teen homelessness like "couch surfing"?

Skigen seeks more for couch-surfing teens VillageSoup Belfast,  USA - 15 minutes ago Rather than “struggle,” as she has done, a shelter, or safe homes, could be the answer for an apparently growing problem. That's the issue Skigen's group ...

Growing Problem: Canadians Eat too Much Sugar

You would think that life in Canada is sweet enough, but no, Canadians can't just enjoy what life north of the border has to offer, they have to load up on sugar just to make it through the day. Sugar in their coffee, sugar in their Cinnabons, sugar in their hockey, sugar in their Saskatchewan.

Canadians! While sugar alone does make most of life worth living, you might also want to find some activities besides eating sugar to give your Canadian lives meaning- think volunteering, getting a hobby, or coddling a Castro brother or two.

I know you can do it.

Are Canadians eating too much sugar for breakfast? Canada.com, Canada - 2 hours ago I am one of those mentioned that really enjoys my coffee sweet so I can understand that sugar consumption is a growing problem. Although the morning sugar ...

Growing Problem: Agressive Panhandling in Edmonton

Panhandlers in Edmonton, Canada used to be polite chaps and lassies, begging for a bit of a handout with a polite doff of the cap or a wee curtsy. It seems they've now taken a turn for the worse, and are now in fact quite churlish.

I say!

Edmonton moves to ban pushy panhandling Canada.com, Canada - 48 minutes ago ... Edmonton city council gave the go-ahead Wednesday for the creation of rules to ban what police say is a growing problem of aggressive panhandling. ...

Growing Problem: Torn ACLs

Of all the ligaments, I think we can all agree that the ACL is the most poorly designed. The ol' anterior cruciate ligament is as weak as it is important, and folds like a blue corn taco at the first sign of trouble. All you wanna do is play a little sports, and bam- it's staple time.

ACL Injury Prevention Program is First in Nation to Tackle Growing Problem ... PR Newswire (press release), NY - 2 hours ago ROCHESTER, NY, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The nation's first - and only - program aimed at taking a wide-scale community prevention approach to ...