Lego Friends: Please Build on Possibility, Brain Plasticity

April 28, 2016 "37 year old son of Lego billionaire takes the helm as Vice Chairman" Congrats, Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, now that you've inherited the Lego legacy, and named your daughter and five female cousins as 'most active owners' in the young generation family mix, I have high hopes we'll see some gender stereotypes disappear and brain plasticity triumph! Here's to … [Read more...]

Best Childrens’ TV You’ve Never Seen: Ameba TV

Dec. 2, 2011 Heard of  Ameba TV yet? For world-weary parents of kids aged 2-12 who'd like to allow media in moderation but are sick of monitoring cruddy channels of influence being served up by 'big media' monetization and merchandising models 24/7, Ameba TV's multi-platform subscriber service is an exhale and a welcome gift. (for about the cost of a flippin' Frappuccino … [Read more...]

Glee Teen Sex: Facts & Opportunities Using CDC vs. Hollywood TV

Nov. 20, 2011 Truth is, Hollywood is lying about teen sex. Big time. New CDC research points to numbers that might as well frame Hollywood shows as a public health statistical version of ‘The Lying Game’ since TV consistently paints youth onto a recklessly bleak canvas of stereotyped imagery as impulsively hormonal lusty idiots …when the exact converse is true. Of those … [Read more...]

Sesame Street Takes On Bullying in Shows, Talking Points

Oct. 18, 2011 “Look at those feet!” Big Bird is told. “They’re ridiculous!” --“They are?”As he tries to get accepted into the “Good Bird Club,” he shifts from “happy to be me” to hanging his feathered beak with insecurity and scuffling his giant orange clompers in ‘not good enough’ mode…Before you roll your eyes at Sesame Street's bullying prevention program as yet another … [Read more...]

American Teacher Film Premiere: Review, Media Roundup

Oct. 11, 2011 American Teacher premiered in San Francisco this week, and I found myself pre-qualifying industry colleagues to see who had a macro lens to cover the screening in my absence, with questions like: “Have you seen other ed policy films like The Cartel movie about corruption and misuse of funds in public education? Or Race to Nowhere about the testing frenzy and … [Read more...]