65% Of Online Adults Use Social Networking Sites

Does that title surprise you? It sure surprised me. The title is from a research study conducted by the Pew Research Center. The study was released on August 26, 2011, and the title highlights their current findings of how online adults use their internet service.

Here is the top level summary of what they found:

Two-thirds of adult internet users (65%) now say they use a social networking site like MySpace, Facebook or LinkedIn, up from 61% one year ago. That’s more than double the percentage that reported social networking site usage in 2008 (29%). And for the first time in Pew Internet surveys it means that half of all adults (50%) use social networking sites. The pace with which new users have flocked to social networking sites has been staggering; when we first asked about social networking sites in February of  2005, just 8% of internet users – or 5% of all adults – said they used them.

Only email and search engines are used more frequently than social networking tools.

Looking at usage on a typical day, 43% of online adults use social networking, up from 38% a year ago and just 13% in 2008. Out of all the “daily” online activities that we ask about, only email (which 61% of internet users access on a typical day) and search engines (which 59% use on a typical day) are used more frequently than social networking tools.

If you want to see the report for yourself click HERE. You can read it online or download a PDF copy for reading offline.

Violet M. Binderim "Vi" Cleveland

This obituary is for the Mother of classmate Richard Binderim. Please keep the Binderim family in your prayers.

_________________________

Violet M. Binderim "Vi" Cleveland (1921 - 2011)
Visit Guest Book

SHREVEPORT, LA - Funeral services for Violet "Vi" Binderim Cleveland, 90, will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday August 20, 2011 at Rose-Neath's Southside Chapel. Officiating will be Rev. Jeff Segner. Interment will follow in Forest Park West Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be held from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Friday August 19, 2011 at the funeral home.

"Vi" was born on July 19, 1921 in Galena, Kansas to Reuben and Lucille Brown. She passed away on August 18, 2011 in Shreveport, LA. She was a member of Springs of Grace Baptist Church.

Preceding "Vi" in death were her parents, first husband, Robert C. Binderim, second husband, John Cleveland, son, Robert C. Binderim, Jr. and daughter, Shirley Darlene Binderim. She is survived by Richard E. Binderim and wife, Janie, Gary L. Binderim and wife, Willie Pat; 6 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandson; brother, John Brown.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons.

Gerald Fredrick Bartz

This obituary is for the husband of classmate Judy Brooks Bartz. Please keep Judy and her family in your prayers.

________________________

Gerald Fredrick Bartz
Visit Guest Book

SHREVEPORT, LA - Funeral services for Gerald Fredrick Bartz, 71, will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, August 7, 2011 at Christ Lutheran Church with military honors.

Officiating will be Pastor Perry Culver and dear friend, Pastor Rodney Loose. Interment will follow in Forest Park West Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 6, 2011 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home Southside.

Gerald was born on September 21, 1939 in Milwaukee, WI to Fredrick and Dorothy Bartz. He joined the Air Force in 1958 and came to Barksdale Air Force Base. He was a lifelong Missouri Synod Lutheran and also graduated as a Deacon in 2005 from the Theology School in Birmingham, AL.

He was a very active member of Christ Lutheran Church in many capacities. He will be remembered for his compassionate and loving heart by many.

Gerald was preceded in death by his parents, Fredrick H. and Dorothy Bartz. He is survived by wife, Judy Bartz; brother, Fredrick Bartz and wife, Ellen; sister, Kathleen Johnson and husband, Lynn Johnson; daughters, Denise Durant and husband, Gene, Elizabeth Vernon and husband, Nathan, Susan Greenwalt and husband, Jerry, Ronnie Scott and husband, Dennis; sons, Andy Bartz and wife, Melissa, Bubba Vines and Tara; 18 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, 10 godchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be sons-in-law, Nathan Vernon, Gene Durant, Jerry Greenwalt, Dennis Scott, and friends, Mike Holland and Merlin Hanson. Honorary pallbearers will be Harv Wilkening, Mack McKinley, Doug Soderstrom, Mike Reeves, and Travis and Jordan Neil.

The family would like to give special thanks to Drs. Craig Miller, Kitchens, and staff at Willis-Knighton Wound Center, Dr. Padilla, and the staff at Corner Stone Rehab B. C. We praise God for our extended church family.

Memorials can be made to carry on God's word at Christ Lutheran Church, 290 Idema, Shreveport, LA 71106.

Google Plus

Have you heard of Google’s new social network program? It’s called Google Plus, or G+ for short. It’s about a month old and so far has been growing steadily.

I decided to try G+ and have set up my account. Jerry Cook has also set up a G+ account, but has some other things going on that prevent him from getting very involved with it right now. Since Jerry also has Facebook he has agreed to answer questions from Facebook users who want to know how G+ works as compared to Facebook.

If you would  like to know more about G+ just click HERE and take the Interactive Tour. If you decide to try G+ you can sign up for an account at the same location.

Addendum – 8-18-2011

I recently found a Google web page that explains more about G+ than the Interactive Tour mentioned above. The web page uses short videos to explain what you can do in G+. Some of the videos are about capabilities that might not interest a lot of folks in our age group. However, other capabilities appeal to folks of all ages. Click HERE if you want to know more.

Addendum – 9-20-2011

Google announced today that G+ is now available without an invitation. If you are interested in trying G+ just click HERE.