MTV show Teen Mom helps reduce teen pregnancy rates in the U.S.

Posted on January 13, 2014 by chelsiesloan

Popular MTV shows “16 and pregnant”, and “Teen Mom” has been on air since 2009 urging teens to practice safe sex or abstinence in order to prevent teen pregnancy. The show consists of following teen mothers and their stressful journeys involving problems with relationships, school, and social life as an aftermath of having a baby. According to a study released by the National Bureau of Economic Research on Monday, these shows has help cut down the rate of teen pregnancy down to half.

In an earlier interview, an MTV spokesperson told NBC News, “Teen birth rates in the U.S. are at historic lows and many experts have cited the ‘Teen Mom’ franchise as contributing to that decline. Since the show’s first debut in 2009, fewer than 30 out of 1,000 teen U.S. girls gave birth in 2012 compared to almost 62 in 1991. The study also estimated “16 and Pregnant” to have led to a 5.7 percent reduction in teen births.

Phillip Levine, co-author of the study said “This is sex education for the 21st century. This is a show that very clearly exemplifies what life is going to be like in the aftermath of having a baby at such a young age”. MTV uses this show as a documentary of real teens facing the real problems of a teen pregnancy. Based on the difficult experiences that these teen moms face on national TV, this has led viewers to realize the difficulty of a teen pregnancy if not prevented.  The more episodes that these teens watch the more they understand and see the hard pressures of a teen pregnancy.

“16 and Pregnant”, and “Teen Mom” has started trends such as more internet searches and tweets on contraceptives, abortion and abstinence in the teenage community. The shows have gotten teenage viewers to think about the consequences of an expected teen pregnancy. It has also helped the viewers gain more knowledgeable with different kinds of protection and contraceptives  Despite some of the criticism, MTV has helped teens understand the message of the risks a teen pregnancy can bring and parenthood by continuing to air these shows.

 

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Catching Up with Christie

Posted on January 13, 2014 by felicia saunders

It’s been another great news day for CNN. Recently emails were released tying New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s top aide to the closure of George Washington Bridge. Lane closures cost commuters 2,800 hours collectively. Last September, Bridget Anne Kelly emailed traffic officials, asking to carry out the act, after Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich declined to endorse Christie for reelection. In the email to Port Authority official David Wildstein, Kelly says, “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.” Other aides have also been named in investigation. Christie terminated Kelly last Thursday. He unveiled this during a press conference on January 9th. In that same conference he condemned the actions of his administration, stating that he was “betrayed” by those closest to him. So far there is no evidence or testimonial directly tying Governor Christie to the incident; involvement which he profusely denies.

It’s been a while since the governor was a hot topic. Christie is known for his no-bull attitude, and the ease in which he crosses the aisle. These factors have gotten him a fair share of press in the past, from killing tax credits for the popular tv show Jersey Shore to being photographed touring areas affected by Hurricane Sandy with President Barack Obama. He hopes to take this to the Whitehouse as a presidential candidate in 2016. How he handles this battle, and of course whether or not he is or isn’t attached to this dilemma could play a key role in his success; but not necessarily in his failure. As the incident was localized, and not a national incident it’s not as likely to get people as riled up two years later as someone stuck on the George Washington Bridge, for example. We’ll see what else unfolds in the coming days.

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College Football’s Biggest Surprise & the AAC’s Worst Knightmare

Posted on January 13, 2014 by raymond

Congratulations to your 2013 Fiesta Bowl champion… UCF Knights??  If I had said this back in August many would have laughed at me and shrugged me off.  Even I wouldn’t have thought that UCF could go so far and have as much success as they did.

2013 was a special year for the UCF Knights.  Looking at their schedule, there were bound to be tough tests for this program.  Road games against Penn St. and Louisville and home games against South Carolina and rival USF were the games that stuck out in the preseason.  UCF would not disappoint in their first true road test in Happy Valley.  In front of over 92,000 people, the stars shined as QB Blake Bortles and RB Storm Johnson led the Knights to a 34-31 victory.  Two weeks later, South Carolina out of the powerhouse SEC came marching into Central Florida.  In what was at the time the biggest game in UCF history, the Knights led 10-0 at halftime only to fall short in the end 28-25.

One of the biggest upsets in all of college football this past year may have occurred on October 18th when UCF shocked the 8th ranked Louisville Cardinals on the road.  Things weren’t looking good for the Knights down 28-7 in the third quarter.  After an amazing comeback, UCF sealed the deal with the go-ahead TD with 23 seconds left.  After another thrilling win against rival USF, the stage was set for a Fiesta Bowl showdown with 6th ranked Baylor.

In what was their first BCS bowl game in school history, the Knights came to play.  As 17 point underdogs they prevailed 52-42 to cap off a magical season.  With great plays and stunning finishes, the 2013-2014 UCF season was truly unbelievable and a Knightmare for opposing teams.

 

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CES – The Birth of Future Technologies

Posted on January 13, 2014 by samsheres

 

 

Since 1967, a congregation of betters and creators of new technologies has been celebrated each year in the city of Las Vegas. And I say better because in this congregation is where producers come up with their new technological inventions betting hard for their product in order to achieve a world widely success. This congregation takes the name of CES (Consumer Electronics Show)

In this exhibition is where many of our today’s friend were born, and eventually got big in the universe. From the mythical VHS tape system that abled us to watch movies in our home screens until the digital formats that have been improving during the past years such as the CD Rom, DVD and Blu-Ray.

The 2014 exhibition celebrated the past week from January 6-9, attracted around 3000 companies that decided to show their future products, and around 20 thousand novelties were shown, according to the media. A total number of 150 thousand people who appreciated the yearly exhibition, and surely are already excited for what is coming next year. There were also more than 200 talks about the tendencies in the market starred by 500 international speakers.

What were the highlights of CES 2014? As we know the TV is still the leader in technological products, since we can consider it as the protagonist of all homes. The manufacturers know the importance that we give to this product, as well that If our TV breaks down today, we will be looking to buy a new one tomorrow. So in other words, the new generation of the TV was the big highlight of the 2014 exhibition, bringing the 4K TV generations.

Meanwhile new products are getting born in the CES congregation of Las Vegas, we as extrem consumers are just trying to understand how fast technologies grows, and how the situation can be in the future…

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Brady vs. Manning Bowl XV, Sunday’s Quarterback matchup for the ages!

Posted on January 13, 2014 by anthony loprinzi

 

It seemed like yesterday when Indianapolis Colt’s Quarterback Peyton Manning was forced to sit out the entire season due to a neck injury that required multiple surgeries. Leaving many fans and analysts to wonder if he would even play football again, and if that would be the end of the rivalry between Manning and other future Hall of Fame quarterback, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots. Now even with Manning on a new team, the Denver Broncos, we are still treated to one of the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport, with huge implications.

 

This upcoming Sunday the New England Patriots will travel to Denver to face the aforementioned Broncos in the AFC Title game, and the right to go to Superbowl 48. It may say on paper that it’s the Patriots vs. the Broncos but every fan will instantly look at this Quarterback matchup, which leads to the inevitable debate of which future Hall of Fame quarterback is better than the other? On one side you have a quarterback with regular season records and statistics, on the other side you have a quarterback with championships and the clutch factor. That leaves this debate at a stand-still and really just up for each individual’s interpretation of greatness among quarterbacks.

 

So what does it all mean when you put this entire matchup together? It means that we should step back for a moment and take in the fact that, regardless of this outcome Sunday, both of these quarterbacks are the best of this generation and in a class with others as the best to have ever played the game. So let’s enjoy history being made in front of us!

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February 11th: A Day of Protest on the Internet

Posted on January 13, 2014 by kelly.karsch

The NSA has been quite the topic of controversy lately. Thousands of blogs, forums, and news sites around the world have been discussing the dangers, advantages, and overall invasion of privacy the National Security Agency has been accused of in the past year. On February 11th, 2014, a large variety of mass media organizations will participate in a day of protest online. Mozilla, the founders of the famous internet browser Firefox, along with several other companies including the Electronic Freedom Foundation, the internet news site Reddit, Free Press, along with multiple other organizations are going to persistently advocate the contacting of lawmakers to put pressure on them to assist in the decease of the NSA’s information collecting scheme.

The specific date of February 11th is to honor the death of internet activist Aaron Swartz. Swartz, a partner of the creation of Reddit, and a member of multiple organizations for the freedom of the internet. Swartz committed suicide at the age of 26 in New York City due to facing a mass amount of charges in a  Massachusetts federal court for the allegations of stealing millions of scholarly articles and documents from an MIT subscription based service. Swartz was also the co-founder of the activist group Demand Progress, who state that the NSA’s spying is inimical to a free society.

For me, the internet should be as open source and free as possible for the most amount of information and creative ideas to be spread across the world to evolve at the fastest rate possible. The intrusions of the NSA on our privacy is something that is a threat to the privacy of every individual in the United States. The online protest will do nothing more than inform the internet users of the world about the threats that are being poured upon us, and that is the most powerful thing we can do at the moment. This movement is reminiscent of the entire SOPA blackout on the internet which managed to bring a lot of momentum to the movement that successfully allowed this terrible bill to not be passed.

If anyone would like to participate in the online protest and protect our privacy from the government you can visit thedaywefightback.org and be a little more informed!

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The 71st Annual Golden Globes Show Review

Posted on January 13, 2014 by rhurley

On a brisk Sunday evening in Florida, I decided to cozy up and watch the 71st Annual Golden Globes Award Ceremony. And it was nothing shy of… awkward. Aside from the quick witted duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, the rest of the show seemed forced and was painful to watch at times. Seeing Fey and Poehler was always a breath of fresh air from the big egos taking what felt like forever either getting on to the stage or getting off. Although, I didn’t see them enough to make me feel this show was much better than the previous years. There were a few noteworthy moments that kept me cringing throughout the night, which gave me full confidence that this show was one of the most awkward shows seen in years.

In the beginning of the award show, one of the best actresses categories was being announced. It was for best actress in a mini-series or TV movie, so naturally I, or anyone else, knew none of these women or shows/movies. But this seemingly boring category quickly grabbed my attention. When Jacqueline Bisset was announced the winner, I heard the routine applause and saw the excited but composed actress make her way to the stage. I expected to hear some long and boring speech of thanks, and I was pleasantly surprised. She began by saying absolutely nothing and continued to do that until she told everyone how her mother told her to “go to hell and don’t come back!” It was quite simply the most cringe worthy moment of the show.

Another embarrassing moment of the show was the tribute to Woody Allen for receiving the Cecil B. Demille lifetime achievement award. The audience and folks at home had to watch a video of a bunch of Allen’s movies. It was about how Woody Allen writes good parts for women, and helped so many women make a name for themselves in Hollywood… Oh wait, I forgot to mention that Woody Allen wasn’t even there! Then, Diane Keaton gives another very long and boring speech about Woody, and even sings, and Keaton doesn’t sing. So, yet another painful moment to add to the list.

Now, you may be surprised when I tell you that the 71st Annual Golden Globes was the highest rated show in ten years! The reason people watch the show is for its unplanned and unscripted feel that keeps everyone on the edge of their seats. Having Tina Fey and Amy Poehler host the show as the some of the best improv experts in the business isn’t some coincidence. The celebrities that appear at the show are always the butt of the ladies’  jokes, making us at home feel like we’re all just a bunch of friends laughing with one another, but they keep it respectful and light-hearted. These two ladies have now hosted the show for two years, and I won’t be surprised if it’s a continued tradition. Hollywood has a tendency to find something that people don’t hate, and shove it down our throats until we do.

In case someone is interested, here is a link of all the winners:

http://www.eonline.com/news/496868/2014-golden-globes-winners-the-complete-list

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The Path to Super Bowl XLVIII: Battle of the Quarterbacks

Posted on January 13, 2014 by arlen spitalnik

As the divisional round of the National Football League (NFL) playoffs has come to a close, four teams are left to battle for the two Super Bowl berths: the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, and Denver Broncos.  The mile-high city will serve as the host of the American Football Conference (AFC) Championship game, while Seattle will do so for the National Football Conference (NFC).  The winner of each conference will travel to New Jersey to play for the league title.

These results do not come as much of a surprise, given the fact that each of these teams are led by exceptionally talented Quarterbacks.  For instance, Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos had an amazing year, breaking the record of most regular-season touchdowns with 55.  Given his age, 37, Manning has played timelessly all season long as the Broncos went 13-3.

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots will travel to Denver on Sunday to face Manning and the Broncos.  Brady, 36, previously held the record for most regular-season touchdowns with 50.  He is widely known as one of the greatest Quarterbacks to ever play the game.  Even though the Patriots were decimated with injuries and dismissals earlier this year, Brady led his team to a 12-4 record and the second seed in the AFC.

The NFC Championship features the newly-heated rivalry of the Seahawks and 49ers. With two young, gifted Quarterbacks, Russell Wilson (SEA) and Colin Kaepernick (SF), both teams have powered through their schedules.  Since the Seahawks have an extremely loud stadium, opposing teams struggle to communicate play calls in that harsh environment.  However, on December 22nd, the Arizona Cardinals upset the Seahawks in Seattle 17-10; thus proving that Wilson and his squad are vulnerable at home.  This game will be a very intense match up, and a fun one to watch.

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Achieving Goals at the 2014 Disney World Marathon Weekend

Posted on January 13, 2014 by pascalk09

50,000 runners joined this weekend at the Disney World Marathon weekend. The weekend started on Thursday morning with a family fun run 5K. Friday participants ran a 10k and on Saturday runners began their morning with a half marathon. Last but certainly not the least the weekend ended with a magical 26.2 mile run.

7,000 of the runners endured all four races during the marathon weekend and received  six medals. This challenge is accurately named the ‘Dopey Challenge’. Also during the weekend there was a ‘Goofy Challenge’ were runners completed both the half-marathon and the full-marathon.

Fredison Costa, 36, from Brazil took home the gold for the men after a 2:21:39 marathon finish. First place in the women’s category was earned by Angela Brito, 28, with a marathon time of 2:47:44.

Disney has seven different ‘runner’s weekends’ placed both in California’s Disney Land and Florida’s Disney World. These weekends truly stick to the Disney motto of making dreams come true and making unforgettable memories.

The marathon weekend is not only for benefiting runners individually but also raising money and awareness for different charities. One major beneficiary is the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Through the dedication of a charity group called Team in Training millions of dollars have been raised for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. The Disney World Marathon Weekend is the number one fund raising opportunity for this charity.

The weekend was full of personal achievements and met goals. Emil Zatopek who has earned four Olympic gold medals, couldn’t have put the marathon into better words when he said “If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon.”

 

 

 

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NFL PLAYOFFS: Broncos Beat Chargers, but a Strong Patriots Team Lies Ahead

Posted on January 13, 2014 by bri yost

It’s another Manning vs. Brady match up. Both teams have won their first playoff game and now the two future hall of famers stand in each other’s way.

The Broncos faced a hopeful and determined Chargers team who barely made it into the playoffs due to the losses of both the Ravens and the Dolphins. San Diego proved their strength, however, by defeating a favourited and now devastated Kansas City Chiefs. The next game against Denver was close but the Broncos held on to a 24-17 victory.

On the other end, the Patriots are playing strong and have caused Denver much reason to fear due to their decisive victory against the Colts. With a 43-22 win, the Patriots are feeling confident coming into next week. So what can we expect? Well we’ve seen it 13 times. Brady and Manning will be playing against each other for the 14th time come next week with Brady having won 9 of these. It is important to note though that Manning has better overall stats when these two teams play, throwing for more touchdowns and having a better completion percentage. It is a difficult comparison to make.

To win Manning will need full help from his defense. Brady performs stunningly in the playoffs and there will no doubt be a shootout through the air. Also the running game needs to get those extra yards when it counts to open up throwing and give Peyton an extra chain of downs to put one in the endzone. Thirteen games between these two allstars and yet there its still difficult to predict. It’s a battle every time, and next week will be no different.

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