State of Our Nation’s Youth Report Released: Teens Up/Down

"Both optimists and pessimists contribute to our society.  The optimist invents the airplane and the pessimist the parachute."  ~Gil Stern It’s not often that I heave-ho a bunch of stats and data in your face sans comment, but the 10th State of Our Nation’s Youth report was issued this week by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans and … [Read more...]

MultiTasking for Studious Souls: Flashcards, Mobile, & More

If e-mail and IM is giving way to mobile minutes and 'texting teens' in your house (er, maybe just mine!) take heart, there are a gazillion NEW mobile uses and start-ups that are watch-worthy. As this article in Read-Write-Web conveys, and my own mobile media moments gleaned from the Ypulse mashup ascribe, there's so much shifting to mobile focus it's hard to keep up. … [Read more...]

Beijing Olympics: Will Youth Tune In, Opt Out, or Turn On?

Talk about ‘Good Will Hunting’… If I were a PR person handling the athlete/activist bounce out of Joey Cheek, I’d be mumbling to myself with my head in my hands about now. Just as the world was struggling to ‘turn the other cheek’ and embrace the Olympic Oath in the name of global good will, the Chinese embassy tosses outspoken … [Read more...]

The MySpace Mom Skates, While The Teen Hangs? No Justice There!

Not to get all soapbox-ey, but since we’ve been talking about digital ethics and online immersive behavior a lot lately, I’ve gotta toss this one out there… Yesterday’s MediaPost update on the case of the jilted 13-year old MySpace teen (Megan Meier, at left) who hung herself due to a misguided mom masquerading as online beau Josh Evans (who never … [Read more...]

A “Bucket List” for Kids? 101 Things To Do Before You’re 12!

Summer slump? “Mom I’m bored,” kickin’ in yet? At my house, water-skiing families are always leaving stray towels and items on our dock, but this particular leave behind turned out to be a fun find. It’s called, “101 Things You Gotta Do Before You’re 12” by Joanne O’Sullivan, sort of a ‘Bucket List’ for … [Read more...]