A quarter of a million people came to Blogcritics yesterday to read other people's opinions on Janet Jackson's boob, huh? Isn't that amazing?

I thought the flashing stunt was inappropriate for the occasion, and the way it was performed, as a simulated assault, bothered me more than just seeing a beautiful woman's nearly nude breast. Still, wouldn't it be nice if people got as interested in things that actually affect their own lives?

Millions of Americans are unemployed or underemployed, and millions more aren't even counted as being out of work anymore because they have become so discouraged from long term unemployment that they've stopped trying to find a job. Meanwhile, corporate profits are up, partially due to lower cost foreign labor and government aid. Unfortunately, those profits don't filter down to most working people.

Hundreds of Americans have died in military conflict in the last year, and thousands more have been seriously wounded. Not "wounded" like in the movies, where the person is 100% better after a week or two, but many are maimed or disfigured for life. The body count is adding up faster, too, with no defined ending objective for the various conflicts our men and women are stationed in. There is nothing similar to a VE or VJ day, that I can see, in our current war's future, despite what Richard Perle might say about "an end to evil".

Millions of Americans have no health insurance, and those that do find the costs increasing every year. Co-payments go up, and covered services or medications decrease. Doctors are weighed down by unbelievable high education loan debt and malpractice insurance rates, while hospitals are burdened with providing free care for the poor and uninsured. Nobody seems to be benefiting, except insurance companies, lawyers and the politicians they support.

Of course, I could go on and on. There have to be a million things going on in the world that are more important than a quick view of a woman's right breast. It's just that spending time thinking about important things isn't nearly as much fun as being appalled at celebrities. It also doesn't sell as many newspapers or TV ads, and money drives the medium.

While a Super Bowl half-time show may not have been the best place to do it, Janet Jackson (or any other woman, for that matter) can show me her breasts any time she likes, and I'll be thankful (NWS link). If that's the worst thing we had to deal with in life, we should all be very thankful.