R1&2 How Facebook Has Changed Society

We all know the hype about social media and social networking. Almost everyone, and their grandmothers, are on Facebook. This is not entirely a bad idea. It's actually amazing the power that social media and networking have on our daily lives. Facebook is completely free to use, but how do they make their money? Advertisements are basically what has Facebook still alive and beating. You're scrolling through your news feed and see a suggested post from Facebook based on what you've searched. Which is really awesome! It might be a new hair product or a coupon for something you really wanted. Either way, Facebook is a great way to spread the love. It has been alive for about 10 years now, and it is estimated that about 1.2 billion use it. What does CNN have to say about what good Facebook has done? "Wedding announcements? Thing of the past. Birth announcement? Just slap an Instagram shot of that bouncing baby boy or girl on your timeline. Dating? Graduated? Bought a house? Got a puppy? Same deal. We take it for granted now, but the ability to share major events with all the people closest to you with a single click of the mouse is unprecedented. There were the Myspaces of the world before Facebook. But mom, your second cousin and Aunt Jenny weren't on them. And it's not just the good stuff, either. Changing that relationship status to 'single' can save you from those awkward 'How's Joey doing? You two are so cute together!' conversations." This is incredible. Information is spread in a blink of an eye, and suddenly your whole family knows what your GPA is. With the good comes the bad, though. Is there such a thing as oversharing? Do we really need to know what you had for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and the three snacks you had that day? What else has changed? CNN states, "When a site has 1.2 billion users (OK, we all know some of those are multiple or abandoned accounts, so let's say at least a cool billion) it's a pretty amazing database of the world's Web-enabled population. That means your odds of finding just about anybody are a heck of a lot better than they were 10 years ago. There have been the remarkable tales, like the woman who -- after years of failed efforts -- reunited after 44 years with her birth mother. How long did it take on Facebook? Two days. For most of us, it's less dramatic than that. Childhood friends who moved long ago, college roommates who drifted away, even former teachers who served as inspirations are now but a quick search away. There's no doubt we have friends because of Facebook that we wouldn't have otherwise." It's incredible how easily you can connect with people you haven't seen in years. Relatives you haven't seen in ages because they live in a different country are just a click away. What about the bad? Well sometimes, drifting apart isn't always a bad thing. CNN says, "Nostalgia is part of life. But, with Facebook, getting nostalgic about an old crush or flame could lead to a late-night Facebook message. Or, you know, a poke." How does that affect us personally? Well, "More than 80% of U.S. divorce attorneys say they've seen an increase in cases involving social media, according to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and one-third of all divorce filings last year contained the word Facebook, according to a survey by Divorce Online." As if divorce rates were climbing before Facebook interrupted. What is CNN's opinion on privacy? "For those willing to find and use them, Facebook provides tools that let you select who sees what. So, while grandma is welcome to look at those pics of the kids playing in the snow, she might not need to be privy to your strongly worded rant about the cable guy who is two days late. You can direct that one instead to buddies with a proper appreciation for your expansive vocabulary. Rival Twitter is designed by default to be a public forum, where you broadcast your 140-character pearls of wisdom to the world. Facebook allows that, too, but is more geared toward limiting your thoughts to certain family and friends."

"At the end of the day, Facebook benefits when you decide to share more openly. The details about your life that you share on Facebook are rounded up and compiled into a profile of you that helps advertisers target you with things they think you'll like....That, in a nutshell, is the entry fee to use this remarkable social tool. Yes, Facebook has changed the way we communicate. Whether it is truly cost-free remains another question," CNN states.

"Facebook published this map in 2013 that shows its global reach. The lighter a country or region, the higher its concentration of Facebook users (note the black hole of China). Some believe the social network has reached a saturation point and is poised for a decline, especially among fickle younger users."

N2 Is Justin Bieber a good role model for our society?

In the past week, the 19 year old teenage pop star was arrested twice. That statement alone says a lot. CNN says "Bieber was briefly jailed in Miami on January 23 after he was stopped by a police officer who said he was drag racing in a residential street. He was booked on charges of drunken driving, resisting arrest and driving with an expired license" Later on the public learned that "Bieber blew .011 and .014 in two Breathalyzer tests given to him at the police station, according to a source with knowledge of the results. Florida's legal limit for drivers under the drinking age of 21 is .02. The police report said Bieber failed a field sobriety test given to him at the police station. He admitted to drinking, using marijuana and taking prescription pills, police said."

Now Justin Bieber has been charged with assaulting a limo driver a month ago. The police statement said "While driving the group to a hotel, an altercation occurred between one of the passengers and the driver of the limousine," the police statement said. "In the course of the altercation, a man struck the limousine driver on the back of the head several times. The driver stopped the limousine, exited the vehicle and called police." Of course his representatives are going to agree that he is innocent. If it were any other random person in the United States, they would be charged and punished accordingly. Justin Bieber will be appearing in court to discuss the incidents that happened.

Is that really a great influence on our children in today's already messed up society? Justin Bieber is a widely popular teen sensation. People of all ages are, well, basically obsessed with him. Is this because of his music, his looks, or his impeccable judgment?

N1 How are you going to pay for college?

So many high school seniors are under pressure when it comes to paying for college. How are colleges trying to offset the crazy cost of tuition? Well, usually when a student applies to a private college and they are accepted, the acceptance letter will contain the amount of an awarded scholarship that the college itself will offer. “The most common of these are merit-based academic scholarships, awarded based on SAT or ACT score, high school GPA, community service experience, or other criteria by a college, university, or state higher education agency,” says www.scholarships.com. It’s extremely important for freshman, and any other underclassmen, to know that it is never too early to think about college. Start getting involved in as many things as you can, without letting your grades drop. Colleges are not the other source of receiving scholarships. There are so many out there, and all you have to do is apply. Some great scholarship websites are http://scholarshipamerica.org/open_scholarships.php, http://www.fastweb.com/college-scholarships/articles/4119-2014-scholarships, and https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search#!welcome. Every little bit helps when you’re paying for college on a tight budget, so don’t rule out any scholarships that don’t necessarily seem like a large amount. There are also athletic scholarships that are offered. But keep in mind, there are extremely hard to get. US News says “There are roughly 138,000 athletic scholarships available for Division I and Division II sports. That might sound like a lot, but it isn't. For instance, more than 1 million boys play high school football, but there are only about 19,500 football scholarships. Nearly 603,000 girls compete in track and field in high school, but they're competing for around 4,500 scholarships.” Don’t have your heart set on it, because it is rough competition. You don’t have to be the smartest kid in your class to get a decent scholarship. For example, I’m currently 54^th in the senior class of 2014, out of 154 students. My overall GPA is a little above honor roll. When I applied to Elmira College, I received a scholarship for $23,000. Average tuition, before fees, is around $36,600. That is just one of the many colleges that have offered me exceptional scholarships to help me pay for college. Don’t get discouraged if your SAT score doesn’t really reflect your grades. Colleges look at a lot of things, but make sure you give them something worth looking at.

M2 How to Handle Your Anxiety

Now for the second question: What are the best anxiety treatments who don't want (or are afraid) to take medicines? Is there anything that might ease their concerns? Is there a point where medication becomes essential? Dr. Raison states that, "By far the best studied non-medicine treatment for depression or anxiety is psychotherapy. Literally hundreds of studies have shown that on average psychotherapy works as well for these conditions as do medications." The best study of psychotherapy is cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. Talking to a therapist about your problems in any way can do nothing but promote positive mental health. Exercise has been famously known to help with the problem of depression. St. John's Wort has been known to decrease depression in patients. But does it actually work? "The data for St. John's Wort is plus/minus. Some evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acids and N-acetyl-cysteine may hold promise for the treatment of depression," CNN states. There are many traditional, as well as non-traditional, ways to end suffering from anxiety and depression. "If someone has a pattern of becoming depressed every winter, bright light therapy with a light box delivering at least 10,000 lux of light has been shown to be very effective. About 10% of the population suffers from some degree of low mood and energy in winter. This phenomenon is more common in cold, dark, gray places than in warm, sunny Southern ones. The power of a light box to lift mood and give energy can really be exceptional. This is an option that is sadly too often overlooked," Raison states. There are so many different kinds of depression and anxiety and different levels of severity. The fact of the matter is if someone is dedicated to solving their mental health issues, they will be resolved. 

M1 How to Handle Your Anxiety

Dr. Charles Raison, CNN's mental health expert, explored the two most common questions about dealing with anxiety that we all have asked ourselves before. Can using marijuana or having a drink or two be helpful for people with anxiety? What should they watch out for? Using alcohol or drugs to deal with anxiety may not be the best option. Studies conclude that using such tools can lead to increased risk for a variety of mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. CNN states "Increasing data suggests that regular marijuana use in adolescence may also be a risk factor for developing very serious psychotic disorders, especially schizophrenia." Obviously teen drug and alcohol abuse a huge issue among society today. Parents aren't stupid. Teachers aren't oblivious. They know what kids do these days. But that's not the real issue. The problem is that teenagers believe that using such tools will help when they've had a long day at work, or fighting with their boyfriend/girlfriend. Having a bad week is an excuse to get into drugs and alcohol on the weekend. "But as Socrates noted almost 2,000 years ago, alcohol is both a blessing and a curse to mankind. Indeed, now we know that the regular modest use of alcohol actually promotes a number of health factors. Similarly, it is increasingly clear that many of the chemicals within marijuana hold great promise for the treatment of physical pain. The endocannabinoid system in the brain -- which is a primary target for marijuana -- has profound effects on how people think and feel," CNN states. The case isn't the same for everyone, though. People have been having a drink or two in the evening when coming home from work has been around since time immemorial. Experienced psychiatrists are actually recommending small doses of marijuana to depressed patients who haven't been responding to antidepressants. "Answering the question of what people who use these substances should watch out for is easier. They should watch out for the possibility that they become more anxious or depressed after drinking or using marijuana. And they should keep a close eye on their use, especially use of alcohol, which can be highly addictive. Whatever potential benefit alcohol and marijuana may offer is 100% lost once they are abuse," CNN states.

P2 Things you probably wouldn't know on your own

CNN did a roundup of 4 studies that were posted last week. Most people probably miss this, though. Here are 5 studies that might cause you to make different decisions regarding your physical and mental health.

Study #1: Caffeine can improve your memory. There's not much evidence when it comes to long term memory, but in the short term, caffeine can improve your memory for over 24 hours. Too much caffeine will not do anything but harm. There must be a balance between how much caffeine you consume, so be aware.

Study #2: Humans burn half the calories other mammals do. We have a slow metabolism compared to other mammals, and that's the reason why we live such long lives. All primates require half the amount of energy as non-primates to get through an entire day. Scientists have no significant reason why this happens; all they know is that it does.

Study #3: Prolonged sitting jeopardizes older women's health. It's true-- a human body at rest will remain at rest. Older women who were not as active as others tend to die at an earlier age. The study concluded that "women with more than 11 hours of daily sedentary time faced a 12 percent increase in all-cause premature mortality compared with the most energetic group – those with four hours or less of inactivity."

Study #4: Parents accidentally confuse children's names more often when names sound alike. The study concluded that "When choosing baby names, parents often want something that is pleasing to the ear. Some even turn to alliteration when naming multiple children. But according to a new psychology study from The University of Texas at Austin, parents set themselves up for speech errors when they give their children similar-sounding names" So really, kids shouldn't read too much into their parents mixing their names up. 

P1 What's new for the New Year?

According to CNN, there are five things consumers will pay less for in the upcoming new year. Gold will continue to decrease in price, based on an increasingly strengthened economy. But even if the price of gold decreases, gold jewelry will not necessarily change in price. Gas is another commodity that will decrease. Avery Ash, a AAA spokesman, told CNNMoney at the end of 2013: "Our hope is that prices will continue to fall as cars grow increasingly fuel-efficient and refineries expand production to take advantage of the recent boom in North American crude oil." Electric cars will actually decrease in price since the cost of production decreases. The price of cellphone service will also decrease, which is good news for desperate customers. Cellphone service carriers are in competition to gain more customers. Tablets are also becoming less expensive since there are so many different models out there. In comparison, items used daily are becoming more expensive in the new year. Nuts are just an example of one of the items that are increasing in price. Nuts are in huge demand right now, and the poor crop conditions aren't allowing enough of them to be produced. Mailing a letter or package is also going to get more expensive. It will increase from 46 cents to 49 cents. Houses are expected to increase 5 percent this year, which will be a shock for people in the market. Houses aren't the only thing increasing, rent will also be going up this year due to a slowly increasing economy. Honey will be going up yet again, due to a bee disorder epidemic. Chocolate are going to increase in price this year as well, due to growing demand in emerging markets and bad weather in major cocoa producing countries. If satellite TV wasn't expensive as it is, it will be getting more pricey in the new year. It doesn't always pay to be green, either. Public transportation will be increasing as well.