Baby Boomers Can Connect to Medicare Online

The Federal Government is doing its part to get baby boomers up to speed when it comes to dealing with technology. The Social Security Administration is now making it possible for you to register for Medicare benefits ONLINE, even if you are not ready to sign up for your monthly Social Security check.

The new online application, which takes less than 10 minutes to complete, is for people reaching the Medicare eligibility age of 65 who want to delay filing for Social Security retirement benefits

To apply online for Medicare do the following.
● go to www.socialsecurity.gov and
● choose Retirement/Medicare under the header, “Select Below To Apply For.”

You will be asked a brief series of questions.

If you have a question or need additional information, there are “more info” links.

When you’re done, just select the “Sign Now” button to submit the application.

There are no paper forms to sign, and usually no additional documents are required. If more information is needed, Social Security will contact you by phone or letter.

Make sure you ***tweet this*** to let all of your baby boomer friends on Twitter know.

Baby Boomers Don't Read Blogs

I'm a baby boomer and I write blogs. As a matter of fact, I have more than one active blog. I also read blogs written by fellow boomers but, according to the latest research, I am in the MINORITY because the majority of baby boomers don't read blogs. The study claims the number of blog reader/writers is below 10%. Although 49% of boomers use online reviews and recommendations on a retailer’s site to make their purchase, only 9% looked to other blogs or communities for recommendations.

Another interesting statistic involves Twitter. The study also showed that Twitter is not very popular with us boomers either---only 10 percent of us are "tweeting."

Meanwhile, Lisa E. Phillips, eMarketer senior analyst and author of the new report, “Boomers and Social Media” says about 47% of online boomers maintain a profile on at least one social network, and Facebook was, by far, the most popular with 73 percent of boomers maintaining a profile.

So what do you think of this study? Is it pretty much on the money or totally off base? Also, if you are a baby boomer with a blog, please post it here.

Jesus on Twitter?

When I saw this headline the other day: What Would Jesus Tweet?---it immediately caught my attention. I went on to read the article---which was one preacher's take on using social media to spread the Word of God.

Since Twitter has become all the rave, more and more people are coming up with interesting ways to tie the social media site to their own agenda. But I do think connecting Jesus to Twitter is over the top. Asking what would Jesus tweet means every time we write 140 characters, we should ask ourselves if this is a message Jesus would put out there. Would Jesus be an IN YOUR FACE kind of person or would those spiritual tweets be redundant messages full of love and inspiration? What would Jesus tweet to us baby boomers? WWJT

I am connected to several pastors on Twitter and Facebook because I want to be. I do appreciate the inspirational messages they put forth. I also like to see that they're real human beings and not some self-absorbed, I can do no wrong man or woman of God on their self-made pedestal.

So what do you think? Does using social networking tools put the gospel message at risk? Can anything of real and lasting value come from technology that limits information to a mere 140 characters?

To read the entire article What Would Jesus Tweet click on the blog title.

What Happened to the Content of His Character?

In his famous "I Have a Dream" Speech, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said we should be judged by the "content of our character" and not "by the color of our skin."

It's sad to think that in 2009 the patrons of the All-White Huntington Valley Swim Club don't appreciate that message.

I'm sure you've heard the story by now: two weeks ago outside Philadelphia, more than 60 children from a summer camp tried to go swimming at a club that their camp had a contract to use. They paid $1900 for the privilege, but apparently the people at the club didn't know that the group of kids was predominantly Black.

When the campers entered the pool, white parents allegedly took their kids out of the water, and the swimming club's staff asked the campers to leave. The next day, the club told the summer camp that their membership would be canceled and that their payment would be refunded.

The President of the Valley Swim Club, John G. Duesler, now says he and his family are receiving hate email and phone calls to his home. After the incident he commented that the reason the black campers were tossed was that they would “change the complexion of the club” and they couldn’t come back.

But the most telling comment Duesler made was that “this is a terrible misrepresentation of everything I stand for”. You know why he said that? Because he was one of President Barack Obama's staunchest supporters during the presidential campaign. He rallied the suburbanites to jump on the Obama bandwagon and that they did.

So how does Duesler go from supporting a black man to lead an entire nation to blocking access to little black children who just wanted to cool off and have a day of fun?

What is the true content of his character?

If you click on the title of this post, you can find Duesler's Twitter page.