To most Americans MySpace and Facebook have become household names. Even if you don't have an account on one of these social networking sites you have probably heard of them.  Social media has been changing the way youth communicate and share information and may people, from advertising executives to health researchers, have shown interest in exploring the possibilities for harnessing these new technologies. What many people don't know is that there are emerging differences between the sites that need to be taken into consideration.

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There is a lot of discussion about the effects that peers and parents have on teens, especially when it comes to negative outcomes like substance use and delinquency.  The notion of “peer pressure” has become particularly popular, and while it is useful to consider the influence of friends and social life it’s been difficult to specifically pin down how this might work.  A study calls attention to the importance of social stability for young people’s health by connecting frequent relocation to clinical depression and suicide.

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In the Jan 17th issue of The Economist there is an article entitled "The Readers."  In it, the  2007 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) reported proportion of 17 year olds who read nothing (unless required to do so by school)more than doubled between 1984 and 2004. Last month (Jan 17th) NEA reported that for the first time since 1982, when the survey began, the number of adults who have read, poem, novel, short story, etc. in the past 12 months has risen ----->  from 47% to over 50%.  Additionally, increases most marked, were amongst African American and Hispanic men between the ages of 18-24; a gain of 24%.

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Do a Google image search for “black metal.”  It’s amazing.  You’ll find longhaired Norwegians and Swedes dipped in corpse paint and exploding with spikes.  You’ll find band logos that look more like a Rorschach test made from Satan’s blood where she nicked her fifth leg shaving in the shower.  This is the most extreme/ridiculous/hilarious form of all metal, and a personal favorite subject of mine to follow.  When you dig a little deeper, however, you find that beyond murders, Satan fawning, and church burnings, some black metal bands also have direct ties to white supremacist groups.  So, when Gaahl, leader of black metal’s most popular band at the moment, Gorgoroth, came out of the closet as a gay man, it turned some inverted crosses right side up.

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 The 2008 presidential election has hit the high gear, and while baby bumps , Van Halen , and the inevitable patriot pissing contest is in the spotlight now, I am hoping that my fellow Americans will dig through the Hollywood during the debates.  A major issue that will be addressed is America’s dependency on foreign oil (subtext: perverted motives for war(s), foothold in the Middle East, typical greedhead  stuff, etc).  And while $4.50 gas has stomped out the last of the middle class, and the next possible Queen-to-be is in favor of thrashing the earth for a whiff of petroleum, we find it necessary to put a billboard on wheels, gas it up, and drive it around town.  Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the American Advertising Frankenstein…The Mobile Billboard.

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 The ad was reminiscent of some fragmented childhood memories of mine. As one of the few Asian American kids sprinkled on my elementary school playground during recess, I was taunted by a gesture that many Asian Americans are familiar with – two fingers stretching the corners of each eye: The Chink Eye. It’s a halting reminder of physical differences that shouldn’t matter then, and especially now.

The Chink Eye is apparently still alive and well, even past childhood. This time the Chink Eye has made a loud and offensive presence on a much larger and visible arena than a grade school playground – an Olympic basketball court.  And this time, the bullies weren’t some snot-nosed, sweaty kids. Instead the bullies were, unexpectedly, the Spanish Olympic Basketball team who were teasing Asian peoples across the globe, myself included.

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America’s Next Top Model (ANTM), yet another reality television show where young woman try to become “someone” is infamous for the subversive topics they have covered throughout the years.  The show (ahem, read: Tyra Banks) prides itself on choosing diverse models to compete for the prize of a $100,000 modeling contract and a spread in Seventeen Magazine.  The show has featured individuals who’ve shared their stories of physical and sexual abuse, homelessness, female circumcision, and being gay.  All of which are very important topics to bring to light.  And now, America’s Next Top Model has announced that one of its contestants of Cycle 11 (they call the seasons “cycles” instead of seasons), is transgender.   The question is, will this woman be respected or exploited throughout this competition, and what will her appearance on the show mean for the LGBTQ community?

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Come on down!

The third week in July was a busy one for the folks over at The Price Is Right. Aside from the regular greasing of the big wheel, stocking up on tubes of Ben-Gay, covering everything in velvet and gold to retain the look and feel of the 70’s, and making sure there’s plenty of green glitter around the 5 and 15, PIR producers had their hands quite full. Having recently switched hosts, from the immortal (literally) Bob Barker to Drew Carey, maintaining the brand identity of the show is more important than ever. Let’s face it, Carey has some big shoes and a skinny little microphone to fill. Lots of fans are having a hard time adjusting to the new look and host. So, PIR producers are really pushing the brand, hard. For the first time in quite a while, PIR is shooting commercials and exploring other avenues to increase brand loyalty.

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