Youth Radio - Topic: Youth Culture

The Decade That Was

noah — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:45:45 -0600

The Tee’s are by far the crayziest decade to ever hit this planet. Here’s a little look back --posted as both an injectable memesplice and in olfash txt for both Luddites and nostalgia's sake-- at the decade that was and will be (thanks to the continuum slip of 2017!)

December 23, 2012 - The End of The World [As We Knew It]
Turns out the Mayans were right, the world actually ended in a very colorful display of some wonderful pyrotechnics. There were flesh eating unicorns and rabid inanimate objects and renegade mimes for some reason. I think I speak for all of us in saying that was the bombest party ever!!!

December 22, 2012- March 14, 2014- The Great Hangover
Who can forget? Who wants to remember?

August 17, 2014- Rupert Murdoch buys the moon
That’s right; this was the time that Rupert Murdoch went too far. He bought the entire moon under shady circumstances and built a steak cannon capable of launching meat at the planet Earth in a very vexatious fashion.

May 7, 2016- Asteroid impact
After Earth’s collision with Asteroid 2003 QQ47 and traveling through the wormhole that subsequently opened up, we had a pretty epic battle with the hamburger people of the planet Gorboth from the 9th dimension; that was fun. We ended world hunger but unfortunately it had much worse implications for the world’s obesity epidemic.

January 1, 2017- Lady Gaga turns in to a dragon
It made for a great music video but an even better test for the newly developed lasercats! What was even cooler is that she proved that dragon scales are actually somewhat laser resistant.

April 14, 2018- Arnold Schwarzenegger goes back in time
We all knew the governator meant business when he began pursuing a political career, but he took it to the next level by going cyborg and traveling back in time. Unfortunately he never came back…

October 19, 2018- Wigs invade Greece
Due to the advances in Rogaine technology, tupés worldwide rose up in a strike resulting in a widespread occupation of Greece. After their creation of a nation-state, the rogue wigs developed advanced robotic technology and were able to construct an army of robotic giraffes to take over all uninhabited parts of the world which surprisingly went quite unnoticed.

Let's Talk About Getting Tested

denise — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:37:14 -0500

The following originally aired on KCBS.

By David Villamarina

Recently I saw a friend of mine who was furious at a woman for giving him an STD. In his rage, he plotted his violent revenge. Listening to his threats I thought to myself - is it really her fault or his?

According to the Center for Disease Control, teens have a higher risk of getting sexually transmitted diseases. So why aren't we preventing them?

It seems like every time the conversation of getting tested comes up between two people someone takes offense. “You think I gave you something?” Wanting to be safe doesn't mean you don't trust your partner, it shows you care about them, as well as yourself.

Try saying “Hey, I’ve been thinking we should get tested because I want us to be healthy.” It may be an awkward conversation to have, but with this being sexual health awareness month - bring it up and face the objections. I don’t think a few moments of pleasure are worth a lifetime of health issues.

Sexting No Longer Counts As Criminal Record

denise — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:27:29 -0500

Teenagers who choose to continue their sexting extravaganza no longer have to worry about going to jail for it—well, at least in New Jersey. Teens who get caught sexting for the first time are no longer in danger of having a criminal record. Criminal records can prevent young people from getting jobs and even going to college. Instead, teens who are caught sexting will have to complete a diversionary program that the attorney’s general office will develop.

According to NBC, GOP Assemblyman Jon Bramnick spoke in favor of the legislation, saying it was a good bill that "Sends a clear signal to the Judiciary that when young people make a mistake, this Legislature is saying, 'give them a chance, give them an option other than a criminal past.'"

The court will decide who is eligible for the diversionary program.

The Justin Bieber Movement

dwilliams — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 22:18:08 -0500

Who is Justin Bieber? Where did he come from? How did he bring back teeny-boppers and pop? It all started with a personal Youtube channel Bieber named kidrauhl. Bieber claims he created this channel for his family and friends to view videos of his performances. His videos were nowhere near professional; most of them were recorded in a dimly lit living room. But despite the mediocre footage, his voice shined through.

Scooter Braun, owner of the Raymond Braun Media Group along with Usher, discovered kidrauhl's Youtube channel due to Bieber's large amount of subscribers. Braun turned Bieber over to Usher, and from there, Bieber was signed to Island Records in 2008. Bieber's singles "One Time" and "Baby" were off the charts for weeks in both the U.S.A. and Canada. Not to mention both Bieber's albums My World and My World 2.0. These accomplishments and this one-in-a-million experience that Bieber is living are all impressive but many people worldwide are nowhere near impressed. The most common insults towards Bieber are: "He looks and sounds like a girl," "I've never heard his music and I would never want to," and "I just hate him. I don't need a reason to hate him; I just do." Tough crowd. Bieber is hated by many due to the facts that he is the epitome of pop, and just the kind of boy that girls of all ages find perfect. He rocks perfectly matching clothes, fresh shoes, a gigantic smile and of course, his silky blonde hair that seems to fall perfectly in place. His appearance and high-pitched voice are annoying to anyone that isn't a die-hard fan, and makes the rest roll their eyes. But we must give credit to Bieber for something ... Bringing back pop.

Pop was dead for years due to Eminem's 1999 release "Marshall Mathers" when pop was at its biggest. Eminem bashed pop artists through his lyrics on this album. Brittney Spears, Justin Timberlake, N'sync, Nelly Furtado and others either went to hide or changed their style to one with R&B or hip-hop influences. Throughout the last few years, pop artists such as Hannah Montana, The Jonas Brothers, and Big Time Rush have tried to bring back pop, but no one has brought it back like Bieber has. Bieber has won the hearts of millions by just being himself; a young, cute, stylish, and talented boy. You don't have to appreciate his cheesy lyrics or the fact that girls scream whenever he comes on TV. But give him props for giving new life to an entire genre of music.

The Choking Game Becoming More Popular With Teens

denise — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:22:59 -0500

Teens are finding a new way of getting high that doesn’t involve drugs or any type of medication. This new "game" involves choking. The choking game is when the person self-strangulates in order to achieve a brief high. The high sensation is caused when oxygen rushes to the brain.

To achieve this high, students are doing it to each other or using ropes, scarves or any other objects to strangle themselves with.

This game has led to several teen deaths.

The choking game is very dangerous and can easily lead to accidental death. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there were more than 80 deaths due to the choking game in children aged 6 to 19 from 1995-2007. Boys are more likely to die from the choking game, but the behavior is a danger to both boys and girls.

via About.com

Recently, two teenage girls from Chicago both died after playing this “game.” One girl was found hanging by her neck from a cloth belt attached to the top of her bedroom door not breathing.

Whatever happened to just going to a theme park and getting “high” from a roller coaster experience?

According to the CDC, these are some signs to look out for, if someone close to you is engaging in this dangerous game:

• Marks or bruises on the neck
• Bloodshot eyes
• Wearing clothing that covers the neck, even in warm weather
• Confusion or disorientation after being alone for a period of time
• The presence of unusual items such as dog leashes, ropes, scarves, bungee cords, and belts
• Severe headaches, often frequent
• Secretive behavior, irritability, hostility
• Bleeding under the skin of the face and eyelids

Other signs may include:

• Wear marks on furniture (bed posts, door knobs, etc.)
• Linens or ropes tied around door knobs or furniture
• The frequent need for privacy

Growing Up with the Internet

rpereira — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:26:18 -0600

Ten years ago tonight, I was 8 in my grandma’s house waiting for the infamous Y2K. Instead of worldwide chaos the millennium gave way to a technological explosion.

The internet and I grew up together. In 2000 we were just kids, I was drawing pictures and Google wasn’t even a verb yet. By the time I was in the ninth grade, technology and I were going steady.

By the eleventh grade I had to do something because I was falling asleep in class because I’d be up ‘til 4am chatting online. So my senior year the internet and I needed to take a break and I cancelled all but one of my social networking memberships.

My generation depends on modern technology. But the biggest problem we have is that we haven’t figured out how to balance the digital world with our real world responsibilities.

As 2010 approaches, the internet and I have decided that we’d be better off as just friends. Technology will forever have a place in my life. But if there’s one thing the last decade has taught me, it’s that sometimes you need to log off.

Previously:

Getting Paid For A's and B's

denise — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:13:24 -0500

Not every high school student likes school, but would it be easier getting As and Bs if you got paid? This month three high schools in Paris began doing exactly that: paying their students for good grades.

Accounts will be set up for two classes in each school, each containing around $3,000 apiece. If the students maintain good attendance records and reach performance targets agreed upon with their teachers, reward payments will be added to their class account. (via TIME)

Each account can earn a maximum of $15,000. That’s a lot, but the catch is students can’t use their money for a new pair of Jordans or a new wardrobe. The students can use the money to finance a school related project—such as a class trip abroad to improve foreign-language skills, computer equipment for the classroom or driving lessons.

The government implemented this new program in hopes of combating the problems France is having in its schools. The goals are straightforward:

Increase student motivation and class attendance and reduce the number of French teenagers who leave school without earning a diploma or professional training certificate, roughly 120,000 to 150,000 each year.

This program is being tested in vocational schools—particular those schools in immigrant-heavy areas.

Should Oakland, CA consider this program? Last year, according to preliminary data from the State Education Department showed that the dropout rate was rising:

At many Oakland schools, the number of students found to have quit in 2006-07 was two or three times as high as the figures reported in previous years. About 21 percent of East Oakland's Youth Empowerment School dropped out in 2006-07… (via BNET)

Oakland drop rates are high and students need a motivation, but is paying students for learning the right way?

Previously:

Reality Check for Sports Leaders

denise — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:24:01 -0500

Martin Sorrell chief executive officer of WPP Group—one of the worlds’s leading communications service and advertising companies–told global sports leaders at the International Olympic Committee's Congress, that they need to let go of their broadcast rights and hand them over to savvy fans. The Associated Press quote Sorrell saying "If they are going online, you go online. You have to let them play — with your content, your assets — in their own way."

IOC members were also told that the Olympic movement needs to learn from the likes of YouTube or risk losing young viewers for life.

It’s definitely true that TV is shifting to the internet. People go on YouTube to watch games, fights, and their favorite TV shows but half of the time they come across those videos that have been blocked due to copyright issues.

AP also quoted Sorrell saying “We must ensure the iPod, iPhone generation is tuning in, not tuning out,"

As a person that watches video on my phone, I like my video short and to the point. I’m not being picky, short videos just make consuming media on my phone easy. I’m always on the go and I don’t have time to sit and watch a 10 min video or wait for it to load. This is how I want my media and this is how Sorrell sees young people wanting media. He told sports leaders they need to learn how to adapt to my generation and accept that they have to change their ways if they want to continue to be successful. Major League Baseball has put this theory to test and has been earning $200 million from subscription revenues to their website.

The Price of Fitting In

denise — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:40:07 -0500

We all have seen cliques and posses at school, and it makes me think; is it really good to fit in? It definitely seems appealing to be part of the popular crowd, especially for an outsider like me, but I don’t want to do it at the risk of losing my individuality.
The truth is, it’s not good to fit in. Conformity is responsible for some of the most evil events to happen in history. The Cold War? All about trying to get others to convert to their style of economics. The Holocaust? Also about conformity; if you didn’t look a certain way or practice the accepted religion then you were as good as dead. The Spanish Inquisition? All it was were the Spanish converting everyone to the same religion by any means necessary. The common factor behind these dark periods in history is that they’re all about fitting in.
I’m not saying that the popular kids at school are anything like Hitler; rather, I’m saying that the principles behind their behavior are surprisingly similar. Maybe I’m the only one that notices, maybe I’m not…either way, I’m not gonna risk my life and my beliefs just to be accepted. I have seen firsthand how trying to be accepted can negatively affect someone. I’ve seen some of the smartest people in my school turn to alcohol, drugs, and partying because they believe it will get them in the popular crowd. In the process, they lose their brain cells, their morals, and their common sense. I’ve seen kids with no hope and no confidence turn to gang life to give themselves a taste of popularity and family. Three months later, they’re walking around the streets with a gun in one hand and a blunt in the other. I’ve seen girls as young as 18 and 19 go under the knife to acquire the so-called “look”; big breasts, big hips, and big hair. It’s sickening to see sometimes.
This is why I am confident and proud of my individuality. Yes, I may be a little different than most, but it is the differences between people that gives life its distinctive flavor. Even if I’m not perfect, I’m me; some people can’t even say that much. My message to you is to follow my lead and be proud of who you are; you won’t go wrong.
By Taj Simmons

OMG Grammar Police!

denise — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:04:11 -0500

If you're a texter like myself, then you might have problems switching from texting mode to actual English. Texting revolves around acronyms, LOL-laughing out loud, OMG- oh my god, TTYL- talk to you later, BRB-be right back, etc. These codes allow you to type texts faster, but they're also convenient because parents don’t understand what is being said.

Unfortunately, this habit can get in the way when writing a paper for school. I have caught myself more times than I can count spelling you “u”, the “da/tha”, or substituting “n” for “ing.” It’s a hard cycle to break. I’ve tried spelling the words out, but as soon as I do, I forget what I wanted to say because I’m putting so much thought into spelling it out. Texters, watch out, because the grammar police is on full patrol.

C fo yo self…..