A third of smartphone owners in Britain check their devices for social network updates and emails in bed before saying good morning to their partner, according to a new poll. Researchers also found that 26% of 18 to 24-year-olds sleep with their phones.

I intended, on reading this, to express feelings of shock and horror at the wholly unexpected news (er.. hum) until I paused and reflected that I too check the emails on my I-Pad before I speak a word to my spouse in the morning (shhh…she doesn’t know).  I don’t, however, sleep with the damn gadget, being perfectly normal., or what used to be normal.

You see how even Epicureans can get so caught up with electronic gismos that they give themselves less time for discussion, conversation and personal engagement.  And by the way, all this stuff keeps the peasantry occupied and distracts them from the fact they are being manipulated big-time by the super-rich and  powerful.  Anyway, own wrist severely slapped.