France: Regulate those Manipulated Pictures!
This is going to create some interesting controversy. French lawmakers have decided to regulate airbrushing photos by requiring disclaimers on photos that are photoshopped or enhanced in any way. This action was taken as a way of fighting against body image issues at the source.

This disclaimer would be needed in newspapers, photos, magazines, political pieces, product packaging, art photography.

Remembering 9/11 – Attack of the World Trade Center
I woke up to the sound of someone talking on the radio. The sun was already beating down through the bedroom window, another beautiful day I thought. I was wondering why my roommate had the radio on. I had planned to sleep in a bit. Then I heard over the air-waves, someone speaking of a plane crashing into a building. For a second I thought I must have misheard. Planes being run into buildings? That’s crazy…

…the burning tower, the people screaming, the people crying. It was as if the world stopped. Are the people out? What about those on the top floors? What in the world happened?

Pro-anorexia, or sometimes called “pro-ana,” Web sites have been a common fixture in the internet world including popular social sites like Facebook. These sites have users sharing dangerous diet tips and posting pictures of very skinny girls. The purpose of these sites is to give one another “thinspiration”. Users tend to comment and posting anonymously or with a secret aliases.

John Piper gave a message called “The Baby in My Womb Leaped for Joy” January 25, 2009. In this message he speaks highly of Obama, but disagrees sharply in regards to the issue of abortion. In a section of his message he speaks about the 36th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. President Barack Obama released the statement:
We are reminded that this decision not only protects women’s health and reproductive freedom but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters.
- Barack Obama
John Piper …

In 2004, a survey by NPD Group showed that on average, girls started to use beauty products at the age of 17. Today that average is 13.

Did You Know: 3 in 10 girls in the United States gets pregnant before age 20.
Finally Some Good News – Teen Pregnancy
Could it be? Good news about teen pregnancy rates? According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, teen pregnancy rates in the United States declined 38 percent between 1990 and 2004. Teen birth rate also declined 32 percent between 1991 and 2006. This was the case across all ethnic groups. More teenagers are waiting longer before having sex and those who were sexually active were using …

Children Influencing Culture through Media?
We always talk about media influencing children and culture, but how about children influence culture through media!?
A creative speech video that has been making the rounds a few months ago is the video of a young Canadian 12 year old Lia who chose the topic of abortion as her topic for a school speech contest. Her teacher wanted her to pick a different topic but she chose to continue. As you’ll see below she was an excellent speaker and crafted her arguments with thought and …

Media Impact on Teenager Depression
Media Exposure and Depression
A report in the February issue of “Archives of General Psychiatry” states that exposure to more television and media during teenage adolescent years seems to be associated with the development of depression symptoms in young adulthood. This is especially the case with young men.
“The development of depression in adolescence may be understood as a biopsychosocial, multifactorial process influenced by risk and protective factors including temperament, genetic heritability, parenting style, cognitive vulnerability, stressors (e.g., trauma exposure or poverty) and interpersonal relationships,”
Depression is said to …

Ok So-ri Jailed for Adultery

What is the Government’s Role in upholding Morality?
It is a Criminal Offense to Murder, to Steal, how about Adultery?
Is it impeding on personal freedoms or should the Government have the right to govern it’s people’s moral conduct to maintain social order?

In 2008, South Korea’s highest court upheld an adultery law that sends adulterers to jail for having an extra-martial affair. Since 1989, four appeals have made it to the highest court but all four have been shot down. The most recent appeal was overturned this past …

Sex Trafficking Victim
Sex Trafficking Part II
Another followup article I would like to give attention too as I feel these issues do not get enough coverage in the media.
There is a video posted online with her discussing her trials.
Article is from the NY Times Opinion Section found here, video can also be found there.

Where is the Coverage?
One social issue that doesn’t get as much coverage as it should is the sex trafficking that occurs all around the world. The sex traffic business continues to loom large yet the atrocities involved never quite see the day light. Somehow someway the industries manages to keep it hush hush.
Sex trafficking revenue of people is estimated to be between $5 billion to $9 billion dollars. Often it is misunderstood as something people do voluntarily due to money or debt issues when in actuality many girls are abducted …

A teen from Florida, committed suicide on Wednesday while broadcasting himself live on a video site called Justin.tv. Justin.tv is an open network of thousands of live streaming channels. 185 people were viewing the feed. From reports, he was egged on by fellow forum users on a bodybuilding website. Biggs ended up overdosing on pills live. He seemed to be breathing and alive for hours but soon some watchers became worried and contacted the police. The police broke into the complex and took him to the hospital.
Much of the videos …