Second Update:

A Saturday Musing

Facebook, since it recently became a publicly owned entity, now periodically publishes usage data. The stock price is currently around half of the amount it was when it went public. The most recently published usage numbers identifies that of the 955 million total current subscribers, a good number are bogus in the sense that the same person may be registered multiple times, and, deceased persons can remain registered. Before businesses could have 'pages' many registered as individuals with pseudo names.

So the press is generally focusing on the negative aspect of all of that. Here is the rest of that story:

Of the 955 million subscribers, 552 million check Facebook daily. That is up 134 million from one year earlier. Of the 955 million subscribers, North America is third with 224 million users, slightly behind Europe and Asia. Within North America, the United States has 156 million users. Of the subscribers, 56% are female and 46% are male. There is more, but this is enough to generate observations.

As the total subscriber number grows, the rate of growth and the 'real growth' tends to moderate. That fact is generally true of all numerical growth issues. So there is nothing particularly unique about these Facebook's numbers. The growth of 134 million daily users is significant. Also, significant is that Facebook users are global, not US dominated, with third world countries now leading the growth path. Also significant is that the 'age' of a Facebook user has significantly trended upwards over the last several years. There are two factors at work. First, younger users, which led the initial surge, are abandoning Facebook as their primary way of 'social' interaction. Second, older users are learning they can navigate Facebook at some level.

Perhaps the most significant phenomenon is the number of people who reach facebook with a phone-like device (553 million) rather than a PC-like device (442 million). The mobile device increase was 218 million over the prior year.

Regardless as to whether Facebook users are 'coming' or 'going', today, it has greatly facilitated a globally connected world.



First Update:

A link to a recent article on the psychology of obesity has been posted at BetterHealthTMBC:

http://betterhealthtmbc.blogspot.com/2012/08/from-brain-to-mouth-psychology-of.html

Dear TMBC Family & Friends,

Now is the time to fill your Operation Christmas child shoeboxes
since this weekend is Tax Free Weekend!! Many back to school items will be on sale for less than a dollar! Also, summer t-shirts and flip-flops will be on sale and tax free. Remember not to pack any liquids, such as glue. If you need ideas, please contact Christy Fisher.

Thank you,
Christy Fisher

Greg Bowers' work email address at TMBC will be bowersg@tmbc.org. The email account has been enabled. Greg's first scheduled office day is next Monday.





Original Post:

This original post is a 'day late' so it will skip where the class ate last night

Jean Holley's younger brother is now taking chemo for a recurring cancer that had been in remission for several years.

Phil Frady will continue on Wednesday nights for August 1, and August 15.

Greg Bowers will arrive in Greenville this week, spend a few days getting house set up, and be in the TMBC pulpit Sunday. He will begin office functions, Monday, August 5, 2012.

Benevolence Statistics So Far in 2012 have been posted here.