Note to Myself: “Jott” is Genius!

Yesterday on Amtrak en route back to the Bay Area for a Preteen Alliance event, I was ‘totally wired’ on my laptop blogging my brains out to make use of my travel time. Suddenly, I hit a fact-check glitch. Dang. No internet. As we chugged by a few weak wireless signals, I considered signing on to an unsecured network, but thought it might not be sporting of me, … [Read more...]

New Media Worldometers Can Make Data “Click” For Kids

When my tween says, “Forward that to me, will ya mom?” I know I’ve landed on a site that’s caught her eye, so if this real-time data tracking techno tool is ancient news for you on the 'forward to a friend' circuit, bear with me. Worldometers come in a variety of forms and factoids, clicking off rapid fire statistics from teen pregnancies, health info … [Read more...]

A Night at the Museum Becomes A Night of History Lessons

Update Dec. 12, 2014  Eight years after the original movie debut, Hollywood history lessons are still permeating pop culture, choosing what kids 'take away' from film. Check out this markedly true tenor on gender roles from the author of Redefining Girly Melissa Wardy, as her daughter contextualizes messages to girls and uncorks conversations about what makes it into a film. An … [Read more...]

Fuming Fuji Meets Shaping Youth: Food Marketing to Kids

I’m going to take a break from ‘fumin’ over the "Manhunt 2" meltdown (which has predictably escalated into a free speech and censorship brouhaha) and send you to some very logical gamer commentary posted on Joystiq and Game Politics if you want to carry on that dialogue, so enough fuming there... Let’s take a peek at THIS cute little "Fuming Fuji" … [Read more...]

Manhunt 2 Receives AO Rating for Hands-On Murder Simulation

Update 2013: It's been 6 years since I wrote this piece and my views remain the same; 'corollary vs causation' arguments, context, ratings and research (handy: 25 studies on media violence) STILL remains less of interest to me than the basic 'why are we creating market demand for thrill to kill content in the first place, when we could better spend that money, clout, political … [Read more...]