I was pretty close to pitching my perfectly good grey motorola flip cell phone after spending quality time with a cluster of smart phones and then I learn this. Over half of the world’s population have never made or received a call a telephone call.

In the same swoop of enlightenment, I learn that decimate and ultimate are two of the most misused words in English. Decimate is what the Romans call a punishment where 1 in every 10 men are killed. (Popular usage keeps people yelling decimated, decimated when a whole bunch of anything is destroyed.) Ultimate means last in a list of things; it does not mean the best.

And if that wasn’t enough — I know from people who do know that Aesop Rock and his badass self is among the top ten intellectual rappers in today’s hip hop world.

If you have time to kill, visit Listserve. It’s a web site that recognizes that people love lists of any kind especially lists built around odd little interests of their own.  Scroll through and sample a few of the categories.

It’s a great way to prep for a cocktail party.