http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/31/facebook-fires-finance-chief-and-offers-some-numbers/
"Regarding its financial state, Facebook said that in the quarter ending Tuesday, it beat its own internal projections and is on track to increase revenue by 70 percent this year."
I am NOT suprised at ALL. In this current economic climate, who ISN'T turning away from sports games, movie theatres, concerts and other forms of entertainment and using Facebook to fill their free time? The economy is in shambles and all people want to do is save money. Well -- Facebook is free and it's certainly entertaining and I am certainly not suprised that they are one of the few companies who has profitted from the current economic situation.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Time and the Bottle
http://proof.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/time-and-the-bottle/?ref=opinion
This article focuses on how much time is wasted on being wasted. I think this resonates very highly with Lehigh students who tend to spend a good part of their time drinking. Especially with Greek Week coming up, it seems as if all students want to do is drink and celebrate. But when you drink too much and blackout, well, then, what's the point? I mean, Greek Week, Lehigh-Laf Week, frat and sorority date parties and formals...all of these things are the highlights of a lot of Lehigh students' lives. Yet, they are also the time when most Lehigh students drink the most: morning cocktails, BBQs, 4 o'clock forties, pregames then parties... do Lehigh students actually REMEMBER the best part of their time here? Is it worth it to drink if you're going to black out and not remember all the fun you had? Did you waste your life at Lehigh being wasted??
This article focuses on how much time is wasted on being wasted. I think this resonates very highly with Lehigh students who tend to spend a good part of their time drinking. Especially with Greek Week coming up, it seems as if all students want to do is drink and celebrate. But when you drink too much and blackout, well, then, what's the point? I mean, Greek Week, Lehigh-Laf Week, frat and sorority date parties and formals...all of these things are the highlights of a lot of Lehigh students' lives. Yet, they are also the time when most Lehigh students drink the most: morning cocktails, BBQs, 4 o'clock forties, pregames then parties... do Lehigh students actually REMEMBER the best part of their time here? Is it worth it to drink if you're going to black out and not remember all the fun you had? Did you waste your life at Lehigh being wasted??
Monday, March 23, 2009
Twitter? It's What You Make It
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/technology/personaltech/12pogue.html
Twitter. It's a newly popularized website which allows its followers to recieve short, up-to-date, blurbs about your life. It could be used for social purposes, for business or political purposes, for sports updates; it can pretty much be used for whatever you want. But is Twitter just another website like Facebook and Myspace? Is it just another tool for computer-savvy Americans to use to further separate themselves from the real, material world and emerse themselves in the technological world of electronic communication? Is it really that much harder to go next door and tell your friend "I am feeling sad" than it is to put it on Twitter? Or on your Facebook status? Or is it that we just want to whole WORLD to know how we feel? If we run next doors, no one else will know how we feel, except those we tell. But if we post our feelings, our pictures, our hobbies, our day-to-day updates online, in the electronic world, then everyone knows. Is all this just a way for everyone to get to know everyone else better?
Twitter. It's a newly popularized website which allows its followers to recieve short, up-to-date, blurbs about your life. It could be used for social purposes, for business or political purposes, for sports updates; it can pretty much be used for whatever you want. But is Twitter just another website like Facebook and Myspace? Is it just another tool for computer-savvy Americans to use to further separate themselves from the real, material world and emerse themselves in the technological world of electronic communication? Is it really that much harder to go next door and tell your friend "I am feeling sad" than it is to put it on Twitter? Or on your Facebook status? Or is it that we just want to whole WORLD to know how we feel? If we run next doors, no one else will know how we feel, except those we tell. But if we post our feelings, our pictures, our hobbies, our day-to-day updates online, in the electronic world, then everyone knows. Is all this just a way for everyone to get to know everyone else better?
Drinker's Red Face May Signal Cancer Risk
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/health/research/21alcohol.html?ref=science
It seems like these days, EVERYTHING causes cancer. Cell phones, hair dye, now red cheeks? The article discussed how flushed cheeks can symbolize an increased risk for esophageal cancer, caused a deficiency in the ALDH2 enzyme. Some people have two copies of the gene which prevents the individual from consuming too much alcohol. But those who flush sometimes are have an unusually high tolerance for alcohol because they have only one copy of the gene. This is a pretty relevant issue to college kids, especially at Lehigh, where the drinking culture is all above over-drinking. Maybe some Lehigh students, who we cheer for shot-gunning 10 beers in a row, or for "heroically" chugging a 40oz in 40 seconds, or for taking a series of shots in a row...maybe these students are putting themselves at high risk for cancer later in life!
It seems like these days, EVERYTHING causes cancer. Cell phones, hair dye, now red cheeks? The article discussed how flushed cheeks can symbolize an increased risk for esophageal cancer, caused a deficiency in the ALDH2 enzyme. Some people have two copies of the gene which prevents the individual from consuming too much alcohol. But those who flush sometimes are have an unusually high tolerance for alcohol because they have only one copy of the gene. This is a pretty relevant issue to college kids, especially at Lehigh, where the drinking culture is all above over-drinking. Maybe some Lehigh students, who we cheer for shot-gunning 10 beers in a row, or for "heroically" chugging a 40oz in 40 seconds, or for taking a series of shots in a row...maybe these students are putting themselves at high risk for cancer later in life!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Religious Belief Linked to Desire for Aggressive Treatment in Terminal Patients
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/health/research/18faith.html?ref=health
I find it very interesting that those patients who are more religious are also more likely to seek "aggressive, life-prolonging care in the week before they died." Such aggressive care is analogous to ventilators and other life-prolonging techniques.
I have to say that I'm extremely suprised. Like the article mentioned, one would think that those who are religious place higher faith in God and are less scared to die. Because, what we do in the moments, or the week before death is all about fear. Almost everyone fears dying. And I guess it's been the stereotype that "good Christians" don't fear death. They shouldn't because death means the start of a new life with God in Heaven (unless they are destined for hell). Perhaps THAT is why religious people are more likely to use life-prolonguing care in the week before their death. Because, as they are laying in the hospital bed, anticipating their own death, all they have to think about is what they did during life. And when these people go back and look at their lives, I'm sure they're nervous about if they'll wind up in heaven or not. Maybe that's why religious people opt for life-prolonguing techniques more than non-religious people.
Either way, I think it's suprising and interesting. What also suprises me is that religious people place faith over the opinions of their family, friends, known medical information and sometimes even doctors. At what point does being religious become detrimental to your health? At what point can religion become a negative thing?
I find it very interesting that those patients who are more religious are also more likely to seek "aggressive, life-prolonging care in the week before they died." Such aggressive care is analogous to ventilators and other life-prolonging techniques.
I have to say that I'm extremely suprised. Like the article mentioned, one would think that those who are religious place higher faith in God and are less scared to die. Because, what we do in the moments, or the week before death is all about fear. Almost everyone fears dying. And I guess it's been the stereotype that "good Christians" don't fear death. They shouldn't because death means the start of a new life with God in Heaven (unless they are destined for hell). Perhaps THAT is why religious people are more likely to use life-prolonguing care in the week before their death. Because, as they are laying in the hospital bed, anticipating their own death, all they have to think about is what they did during life. And when these people go back and look at their lives, I'm sure they're nervous about if they'll wind up in heaven or not. Maybe that's why religious people opt for life-prolonguing techniques more than non-religious people.
Either way, I think it's suprising and interesting. What also suprises me is that religious people place faith over the opinions of their family, friends, known medical information and sometimes even doctors. At what point does being religious become detrimental to your health? At what point can religion become a negative thing?
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Candy Girls
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/arts/television/07cand.html?ref=television
Great! All we need is one more reality television show! As if we don't have enough of drunk, barely clothed girls on Rock of Love, or of blubbering, cheating idiot boyfriend on The Tool Academy. Now E! has presented us with a new show about four African American women who present themselves as beautiful women used to drape over men at music and entertainment parties. They fly on the most expensive jets, demand the nicest clothes and occasionally, or maybe more than occasionally, get into ridiculous catfights. Sound familiar? Well, probably because Candy Girls seems to be exactly like every single other reality show on TV now-a-days. Half-naked, poorly educated, alcohol and men-driven sexy women. How many of these women can we see? When will this fascination end?
Great! All we need is one more reality television show! As if we don't have enough of drunk, barely clothed girls on Rock of Love, or of blubbering, cheating idiot boyfriend on The Tool Academy. Now E! has presented us with a new show about four African American women who present themselves as beautiful women used to drape over men at music and entertainment parties. They fly on the most expensive jets, demand the nicest clothes and occasionally, or maybe more than occasionally, get into ridiculous catfights. Sound familiar? Well, probably because Candy Girls seems to be exactly like every single other reality show on TV now-a-days. Half-naked, poorly educated, alcohol and men-driven sexy women. How many of these women can we see? When will this fascination end?
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