Teen Cyberbullying on the Internet [Infographic]

The Parents Guide to Bullying

The truth about bullying, how it effects your child, and what you can do to help.

Some sobering statistics from the infographic:

  • 85% of bullying occurs inside of school
  • 82% with learning disabilities have been bullied at school
  • 70% of student say bullying is a problem at their school
  • 44% middle schoolers experience bullying problems
  • 43% of kids have been bullied online
  • 1 in 10 students drop out of school due to repetitive bullying.
  • yet… 80% of bullying acts aren’t reported to parents
  • 43% of kids were bullied while online
  • 35% of kids have been threatened online
  • yet… 58% who experience cyberbullying have not told their parents or an adult

Results in:

  • 14% of high school students have considered suicide
  • … 7% have attempted it

 

Know the warning signs:

It’s important that we all understand that it’s very possible that bullying could be occurring without our notice. Below are some “warning signs” that are recommended from the infographic. However note that these signs are just potential signs and it’s also important to not assume things or overanalyze behavior that is often just common to teens. One advice is to just be involved in their lives, know what’s going on, what is stressing them, what makes them happy so that communicate stays open.

  • disconnects from people and isolates self
  • physical problems such as headaches and stomachaches
  • difficulty concentrating
  • difficult falling/staying asleep or experience frequent nightmares
  • seems listless, unenthusiastic and disinterested in many aspects of life
  • hyper vigilant, extremely nervous, depressed or emotionally explosive

Teen Bullying and Cyberbulling Guide

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Pokemon Go at Holocaust Museum? Brave New World.

Pokemon Go at Holocaust Museum

Pokemon Go at the Holocaust Museum

Is this the beginning of the end of the world?

Below is an article from Breakpoint Daily written by John Stonestreet that I wanted to share with you all.

——

The good news is people are leaving their screens inside to go outside. The bad news? When they’re outside, they’re still staring at screens.

In 1985, social critic named Neal Postman, in the introduction to his book “Amusing Ourselves to Death,” compared two famous dystopian visions: “1984” by George Orwell and “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley. He noted that though many people thought their visions similar, Huxley and Orwell had very different theories about how people would lose their freedoms.

Orwell thought it would be Big Brother—the all-watching, all-powerful state. Now certainly, in the age of the NSA and TSA, it sounds like he may have been on to something.

But Postman thought Huxley was the one who got it right. Here’s how he put it:

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, because there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture… As Huxley remarked in“Brave New World Revisited,” the civil libertarians and rationalists ever on the alert to oppose tyranny “failed to take into account man’s almost infinite appetite for distractions.

In “1984,” people are controlled by inflicting pain. In“Brave New World,” they were controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared what we love will ruin us.

“My book,” Postman then concluded, “is about the possibility that Huxley was right, not Orwell.” And perhaps nothing has so vindicated Postman’s take on American culture like Pokemon Go, a game in which users capture, battle, and train mythical creatures. Already it has more users than Tindr and even Twitter!

The upside—this game takes users outdoors to look for Pokemon, around cities and towns, even fields, using their phones’ GPS and camera. The downside—though outdoors, users are still staring at screens, oblivious to the world in which they’re searching, not to mention to other people.
As you might imagine, there have been casualties. This weekend, hundreds of gamers snarled traffic heading into Central Park, when a particularly elusive Pokemon was spotted there. Last week, two men fell off a cliff near San Diego playing the game. Others have been stabbed, robbed, beaten up and shot at by those taking advantage of unaware users.

As a San Diego Sheriff’s Department spokesperson said, “People need to realize this is just a game. It’s not worth your life. No game is worth your life.”

Neil Postman’s warning in “Amusing Ourselves to Death”, however, went further than that. He warned we were becoming a silly culture, addicted to distraction, without the ability to prefer the good, the true, and the beautiful to the trivial, the meaningless, and the titillating. Such a culture, he thought, would be easily taken captive by the inability to discern what’s truly important.

And in perhaps the ultimate indictment on our culture, the Arlington National Cemetery and the Holocaust Museum issued appeals last week that users not search for Pokemon at these hallowed sites of remembrance. The fact that it even needed to be said only affirms Postman’s prophecy.

Look, games are fun, and Pokemon Go is pretty cool. So if your kids are playing, don’t panic. But if they’re addicted to perpetual distraction, it’s time to intervene. Our friends at Axis.org can help. They have a marvelous tool for parents of teens called the Culture Translator to get you up to speed on this game and all kinds of other things. Come to BreakPoint.org, click on this commentary, and I’ll link you to it.

——-

Your Thoughts?

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California Governor Signs ‘Right to Die’ Legislation

Governor Jerry Brown California

It’s done. California has passed legislation that will allow terminally ill patients to legally choose to end their lives using doctor-prescribed drugs. Jerry Brown an announcement today (OCT 5th) that he has signed this bill.

Governor Brown released a statement that says he decided to sign this bill because it is “what I would want in the face of my own death.” As a professing Catholic, Gov Brown chose to sign the bill after a long personal struggle, and 10 months of hotly contested debates by many different groups.

Opponents of the bill are worried that this will legalize premature suicides. There is also deep concern that this introduces a dangerous options for those who have low income or cannot afford health care for their disabilities. Supporters on the other hand emphasize counter the premature suicide argument by stating that this option is only available to those who are terminally ill and are not depressed or impaired in anyway.

Right to die legislation CaliforniaCalifornia is the fifth state to pass such a bill, the other four being Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Vermont. New Mexico also had previously allowed this practice until this past August when the appeals court over turned that ruling. Several states have similar bills currently stalled or going through the legal system for approval. This California bill will take effect in 2016.

  • What are your thoughts on this issue?
  • Does a person have a right to end their lives?
  • Where does such a right come from?
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Cecil the Lion – Walter Palmer’s Non-Apology

Dentist Cecil Lion

In light of the terrible “apology” by Walter Palmer for killing Cecil the lion, I wanted to share this great little piece by Jake Flanagin about what I call a “non-pology” – Where Sorry is not Sorry.

Non-pology is where a person seems to apologizes but carefully crafts their words to not take any responsibility for what had happened and thus maintain their innocence and their pride. Politicians do it all the time. So do athletes. So do many ordinary people. We hear it all the time, though we might not always catch it. Some examples:

“I am sorry this happened”
– Are you sorry you did it, or are you sorry that things turned out the way it did. That you got caught. That you are sorry this happened.. to you?

“This is not characteristic of me.. lapse in judgment”
– This is totally not me. What I said is not a reflection of who I am but just a slip of the tongue. I didn’t say the racist remark because I am racist. It was a slip. Don’t know what happened there. I did not rape/hurt/beat that woman because I was angry/dumb/have issues/evil. It was a lapse in judgment.

“I apologize if I offended anyone”
– I am sorry if what I did, happen to offend those who are overly sensitive to this.

Some quotes uttered by real people. I will leave out the names.

  • “I am sorry that statements taken out of context have had such repercussions.”
  • “You have my apologies for offending you for thinking I was being serious instead of accurately realizing I was mocking you”
  • “Our cover illustration last week got strong reactions, which we regret. […] Our intention was not to incite or offend.”
  • “I am truly sorry for the loss of your son” (by someone who shot and killed a teen)
  • “If anything I said this morning has been misconstrued to the opposite effect I want to apologize for that misconstrued misconstruction. “
  • “I feel bad if her feelings were hurt.”

and of course Walter Palmer himself in his letter to his patience

  • “I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion…”

Can you fit any more justifications in one sentence? In other words “I am sorry that my love for something good ended up this way.” The blame lies in his love for his hobby. Ignore the fact they lured the lion out of a protected area in order to “legally” shoot it. To be clear, I think the kind of hate & bashing going on to this man is wrong in itself as well. The kind of scary and hurtful threats people make and the things they post is just as wrong and people should be called out for such hate. Hate is hate. But apologies like these don’t help and only stoke the fire. Just say what you did was wrong. Take responsibility.

Have you heard other good “non-pologies”? Share it the comments below.

 

Cecil Lion Dentist Apology
Em.. you call that an apology? That was weak bro.
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Bud Light says “Perfect Beer for Removing ‘No’ from your Vocabulary”

Budlight Upforwhatever No

Bud light has put a new message on their bud light bottles. The message “The perfect beer for removing ‘No’ from your vocabulary for the night… The perfect beer for whatever happens”.

Some questions immediately off the bat.

  1. Who in the right mind would come up with this horrible message?
  2. Who in the right mind would approve of this campaign?

With all the horrible things associated with dumb and dangerous things done while under the influence, this seems to be a really bad message asking for rebuttals, retaliations and social commentary.

And so it has begun.

Under the hashtag #UpForWhatever in reddit, twitter and other social forums, there’s been quite a backlash for this campaign around the topics of drunk driving and about rape.

Your thoughts?

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National Geographic Photo Winner – The Smartphone Stare

And the winner of the National Geographic 2014 photo contest is…

“A Node Glows in the Dark” by Brian Yen from Hong Kong.

National Geographic Photo Contest mobile

“I feel a certain contradiction when I look at the picture,” Yen told National Geographic. “On the one hand, I feel the liberating gift of technology. On the other hand, I feel people don’t even try to be neighborly anymore, because they don’t have to.”

Personal Thoughts

This picture reminded me of a time I visited Tokyo about 7-8 years ago. As soon as I entered the crowded train, every single hand immediately went into their pockets, pulled out a phone, and every head went down as each person looked intently at whatever their little screen was showing them. It was an eery experience as the entire train was dead silent. These were not all single riders mind you, but couples, families, but no one spoke except us loud Americans.

But I was also told, Japan is always a year or two ahead of America in terms of culture. And truth be told not long there after, I look around and people are glued to their smartphones. Kids playing games. Adults watching videos. A couple at a cafe, both staring at their phones.

Will it get better or only worse?

What comes to your mind as you look at this picture?

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Need a 105-inch Samsung HD TV? Me too.

Samsung UN105S9 Ultra HD TV 105inch

A sign of the world we live in.

105 Inch Curved 4K Ultra HD 120Hz 3D Smart LED TV

105 inches. Really?
Does anyone need something so big?
Even if you can afford it, should you buy it?

The kicker?
Price: $119,999.99

Don’t worry though, shipping is free with Amazon Prime.
Thank goodness.

What is better are the sarcastic, funny comments left by Amazon Reviewers poking fun at the ridiculous size & price of this TV.

Some Example Reviews of the 105inch Samsung TV

Amazon Reviews - Samsung HD TV

Have fun reading the comments

Check it out: 105 Inch Curved 4K Ultra HD 120Hz 3D Smart LED TV

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Woman Empowerment Advertising: Authentic or Trendy?

Woman Empowerment Advertising

Women empowerment advertisements

  • Have you seen a woman empowerment advertisement yet?
  • Did it make you feel good?
  • Did you remember who made those videos?

Ever since Dove’s Real Beauty campaign reeled in great viral success, numerous powerhouse feminine care companies have started to focus their advertising on boosting the confidence of their consumers.

Rather than focusing on their products, ads have increasingly focused on a feel-good message in the hopes of lifting their brand image. It’s been a delicate balance of communicating their desire to preach true beauty and power, while still wanting to promote their beauty products. Some have found success, others have been accused of not being authentic.

I think some of these ads carry very good messages. Others are just trying too hard to jump on the bandwagon. Other’s take the message just to far.

  • What are your thoughts on following videos?
  • Hit the mark? or trying too hard to capitalize on the newest trend?

Labels Against Women | #ShineStrong Pantene

Focused on how men and women are labelled differently even while doing the exact same thing.

Not Sorry | #ShineStrong Pantene

I honestly do not like this video. Yes, people should not feel sorry out of being belittled or feeling inadequate or simply because of one’s gender, but the message comes on too strong and a little over the top. The first two examples seem ok, but then soon it seems like it is saying you should never be sorry for anything even for inconveniencing others. Yes, be strong and confident, but I feel one should never lose their sense of humility and sensitivity towards others.

Inspire Her Mind | Verizon Commercial

Very cool video. Though not all the things the “mom” says in this video are bad. I believe there are gender specific ways one should treat a boy or a girl. However I do like the overall message of being careful not to suppress some passion or love (even in ways you didn’t realize) such as science or math simply because your child is a girl. Great video.

Dove “Patches”

This video has been criticize quite a bit as people felt that it makes woman look gullible and it can easily be guessed that they could handpick the best responses. What do you think? Regardless, it has garnered nearly 21 million views.

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Life Before and After Mobile Phones – Illustration

Before and After Mobile Phones

I remember a time when there were no mobile phones (I am dating myself aren’t I?).
I remember I knew my friends numbers by heart. I remember having to meet up with them to play.

Times have changed. Soon after mobile phones became mainstream, so much of how we interact with others have changed. For better or worse?

Enjoy this hilarious series of Before and After Cellphone illustrations by 20px.com.

Which ones do you relate to? Tell us in the comments!

Before & After Cellphones

Before & After Cell Phone - Friends

Before & After Cellphones - Phone Numbers

Before & After Cellphones - Calling

Before & After Cellphones - Rides

Before & After Cell Phones - Waiting

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If you had $1 million dollars would you feel wealthy? You won’t.

Money Cash Pile HappyDoes money make us happy?

  • What is considered “wealthy?”
  • How much money would it take for you to be happy?

Is it the amount that you have? It is whether you have no financial constraints to do what you want? Is it the sense of security you get from just having money?

Wealth equals no financial constraints on activities

Did you know the majority of millionaires don’t consider themselves wealthy? Only 31% of those with $1 Million dollars in assets consider themselves wealthy. Only after the $5 million dollars threshold do a slight majority (60%) of the millionaires feel they are wealthy. Absurd? or just the nature of people?

Wealthy Money Perception Statistics

How much does it take to be happy?

As a kid, we would be happy with $20 in our pocket. That’s all we needed. As a poor college student, if we could just have a couple hundred bucks to eat decent food and pay some of our loans, we would be ecstatic. As a working professional, we needed enough money to get a nice car, an iPad, and bunch of other gadgets. Family. Kids. Investments. Retirement. Vacations. Bigger homes. As we grow older, and our standard of living continues to rise, is it really that big of a surprise that our happiness threshold in terms of money only increases? When then will anyone be happy?

Money & Happiness - Financial Goals

Though the identity of being “wealthy” goes from 31% to 60% between having $1 million in assets to $5 million, note that when they are asked how confident they will be to achieve your financial objectives for the future, there is negligible difference.

The full report is here: Investors Wealth Report

  • Do you think having $1 Million Dollars is considered wealthy?
  • Do you think you will feel secure with $1 Million Dollars?
  • Comment below and give your take!

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FCC considering allowing F-Words & Nudity on Network Television

FCC to allow Profanity & Nudity on Network TV?

Federal Communications Commission FCC Logo

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it is considering dropping current broadcast decency standards that ban explicit profanity and “non-sexual” nudity. This means that if enacted, the new FCC policy would allow networks to use profanity and frontal female nudity regardless of viewing hours. This includes times when children may be watching.
You can read the full press release in this PDF.

What can I do to help stopt his?

The FCC will accept opinions and comments regarding this proposal during the month of April. I urge you to let you voice be heard. Moral & decency standards on television and in movies have degraded over the years. What is considered the norm of “acceptable” has shifted many notches for the worse. This would be a huge blow to those who want to protect their children (and themselves) from being exposed to profanity and nudity.

Current broadcast laws prohibit expletives and nudity, even if brief. Networks like NBC and FOX has worked to overturn it over the years, but the Supreme Court has upheld the law as constitutionally enforceable by the FCC. Thus it is ultimately FCC’s decision.

Step by Step instructions to Submit FCC comment

Submit your comments to the FCC during the month of April urging them to reject such changes and why it would be a horrible idea to remove such a crucial boundary of decency. You must make a formal comment via the FCC site.

Here are some instructions.

1. Go to this FCC FORM
2. Enter the code “13-86” in the “Proceeding Number” box and fill out the few remaining required fields.
3. Enter your comment in the text box provided and click “Continue.”
4. From there, review your comment and click “Confirm.”

Here is a sample comment you may submit via the American Family Association:

I oppose any changes to the current FCC indecency standards that would allow television and radio stations to broadcast expletives and nudity on the public airwaves, even if brief or “fleeting.”

The Supreme Court has confirmed the FCC’s authority to enforce policies regarding expletives and nudity, especially during times when children are likely to be watching or listening.

Relaxing the current policy would not serve the public interest and I urge the FCC to reject all proposals that would allow for the broadcast of expletives and nudity on FCC-licensed stations.

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