Voices: The Pope's powerful message to Cubans 

                                 

Rick Jervis, September 24, 2015

SANTIAGO DE CUBA – I've always been fairly skeptical about how much power one man can exercise, even if that man commands the attention of 1.2 billion Roman Catholics.

      I understand that Pope John Paul II visited Poland in the 1970s and '80s and gave speeches so stirring that they helped launch the Solidarity opposition movement and lead to the collapse of communism in the country. And I know that popes throughout history have had influential moments.

      But, really, how much can one man and one microphone do? How literally do people take his message? These were the questions that kept my mind busy when I left for Cuba last week to cover Pope Francis' four-day trip. I was curious to see how much impact the words of this 78-year-old man can have on a population of 11 million.

      I'm becoming fairly familiar with Cuba. I've been to the island three times this year, five times overall, and grew up in southern Florida. My parents are Cubans who left the country in 1962. Cuba today continues to fascinate and dismay. It's a place of beauty and jolting contradictions. The re-establishment of relations between the U.S. and Cuban governments, begun last December, continue to stir excitement and hope in Cubans, and changes are trickling in.

      I followed Pope Francis from Havana to Santiago and heard him talk of reconciliation, love for mankind and the importance of family. I interviewed Cubans who glowed with the fervor of the faithful as they pledged their love for the Pope and promised to follow his message. But my question remained: What does all of this mean? How does it translate to actual change on the island?

      To help me sort through this, I visited Father Jorge Catasus, a popular parish priest here who helped welcome the Pope to the city. We sat in the cool, cavernous back room of his 18th-century church, safe from the 37-degree heat outside. Catasus said “don't focus on any grand political or social changes stemming from the papal visit". The most important changes, he said, come from within. That's what Pope Francis offered as a first step, and that's what Cubans across the island, in chants, cheers and tearful acceptance, agreed to abide by.

      “The lives of men are decided in their hearts", Catasus told me. “That's where we'll see the change". This may not be 1980s Poland, and Solidarity may still not be anywhere in sight. But first things first. A change of heart can often lead to a world of good.

Forget Texting While Driving: AT&T Survey reveals drivers do a lot more with their smartphones

By Menchie Mendoza, Tech Times | May 20, 10:10 AM 

                                   

      Drivers who continue to use their smartphones while driving are not only distracted when they call and text. Apart from calling and texting, drivers are also browsing the Internet, tweeting, video chatting, taking selfies and sending email with their devices, according to a study by AT&T.

      The research was conducted as part of the carrier's "It Can Wait" campaign launched in 2010. It hopes to increase awareness of the dangers posed by using smartphones while one is behind the wheel. The study polled 2,067 U.S. residents ages 16-65 who use their smartphone and drive once or more per day.

      Seventy percent of those surveyed admit they use their smartphones for a number of activities while they are driving: 61 percent say they text and 33 percent send email while they are behind the wheel. Posting or interacting on social media is also one of the most common activities that drivers engage in. Using Facebook ranks first on the list, with 27 percent of drivers logging in while driving. Other social media channels that keep drivers "multitasking" include Instagram and Twitter (14 percent) and Snapchat (11 percent).

      The results also show that there is a deeper problem involved when people use social media while driving. Among those surveyed, 22 percent blame their addiction to social media.

      Other revelations show 62 percent keep their smartphones within easy reach, and that 30 percent of those who post to Twitter while driving do it "all the time". Drivers also don't seem to run out of other activities using their smartphones since most apps are now easily accessed with just a simple tap. Because of this, 28 percent of drivers browse the web; 17 percent take selfies (or groupies); and 10 percent video chat. 

      "One in 10 say they do video chat while driving", said Lori Lee, AT&T's senior VP for global marketing. "I don't even have words for that". AT&T plans to expand the "It Can Wait" campaign in order to add more focus on the topic of texting while driving by including other driving distractions that result from using the smartphones. "When we launched 'It Can Wait' five years ago, we pleaded with people to realize that no text is worth a life", said Lee. "The same applies to other smartphone activities that people are doing while driving. For the sake of you and those around you, please keep your eyes on the road, not on your phone". AT&T will also launch a nationwide virtual reality tour in summer in order to spread the word that driving and using a smartphone don't and will never mix.

                                                                          Adapted from <http://www.techtimes.com/>.