Insight Magazine - March 2012

Insight

Issue 7

•

March 2012

FAKE news

Importance of the Youth Vote

Better than Real News?

in 2012

How valuable

is

Personal Data?

Executive bio:

Gail Slogoff

Wedding planning

Men vs. Women Eat

We

Improving finances

2012

Dress to Impress: Shoe Closet

Fat to lose Fat

Are alone

in the

Universe

See Inside for Prizes!

March 2012•Insight 1

editor’s desk bout a month ago I realized that A I’ve spent years of my life as a slave to caffeine. It started innocently

Readers Respond to our February Issue:

enough, when, all those years ago, I discovered Starbucks was delicious. Skinny Vanilla Latte? Yes Please! Cinnamon Dolce Latte? Well, I don’t see why not? After spending a little while in this caffeinated la la land, I realized that just a cup of coffee didn’t do it for me anymore. So, I did what any normal minded person would do—I added a shot of espresso. Pretty soon, one shot turned to two and, eventually, there was one embarrassing coffee order where I requested FOUR extra shots in my grande Starbucks drink (that’s in addition to the two already in there). And, even that was child’s play! Come stressful situations, I’d reach for the crack of caffeine: Redbull, Monster, you name it. I was groggy in the morning before my coffee and I was tired in the evening if I didn’t have another later.

I was one of “those people”—the ones that say they need coffee, that say things like “don’t talk to me until I’ve had my coffee.”

And, what’s worse, I thought this Woody Allen-esque caffeinated world was normal!

Then, about a month ago I read this book called “Skinny Bitch” (it’s a good read, for all those interested) which essentially argued that you shouldn’t need coffee to wake up—your body is equipped with the ability to wake itself up and you’d know that

if you didn’t kill its ability to do that with caffeine. I decided to humor the idea and quit coffee, cold turkey. Holy crap, did I have headaches the next week! I thought for sure I was having seizures or that I would die. Google thought otherwise, saying I just had “caffeine withdrawal.” But then, after about a week, the headaches just kinda stopped. After another couple weeks, I woke up and didn’t need coffee. Do I still sometimes want the yumminess that is the Cinnamon Dolce latte? Obviously! Do I need it? Eh, probably not so much anymore.

All of this is my round-about way of saying that we, as people, come up with these dependencies in our lives – routines, conventions, vices, etc that comfort us even though in the back of our minds we realize that they’re just excuses. We create all these hoops to jump through in our lives and all they really are, are distractions and detours that may well detract from more productive, more self-reliant and just overall better lives. I challenge you, readers, to take a mirror to your days, your vices and your habits. Find something that is superfluous to your life, that is unneeded or negative. And, just get rid of it. It may be hard at first but, you’ll come out stronger on the other end.

—Maria “When one realizes one is asleep, at that moment one is already half-awake.” —P.D. Ouspensky

“Thank you for the Valentine’s Day restaurant suggestions, I just moved here (perfect timing!) and my girlfriend came to visit, it helped me figure out the best place to take her while she came to see me for V-day.” —Laurence, 30, Old City “I had no idea there were so many chemicals in my daily fast food lunch—those things sounded terrible . . . I won’t be eating fast food nearly as much now.” —Abigail, 27, Northern Liberties “In last month’s health article relating to gaining weight before gastric bypass surgery—it was a no brainer that you shouldn’t gain more of a problem before fixing it, but unfortunately my friend (who was about to get the surgery) thought eating her face off ahead of time was wise. I showed her what you guys had to say and she stopped over indulging before going in for her surgery.“ —Anonymous, 42, Warminster “Last month your guys talked about children being raised in the city vs. the suburbs, stating ‘we’ve found studies that show children raised in an urban setting became more responsible as they grow up, due to the ‘hustle and bustle’ environment they’re exposed to. The study goes on to say that such city kids tend to, as an aggregate, become more ‘worldly’ and ‘street smart.’ I think this is a bit insulting to those who are not raising their children in the city, are you guys trying to say that children raised in the suburbs will be less worldly and street smart? I don’t think it has to do where they are raised, but more about who they are raised by.” —Roger, 37, Queen Village See your comment? Follow instructions on pg. 3 to win prizes! Respond to our February issue on our website (myinsightmag.com), email (insight@myinsightmag.com), Facebook (My Insight Magazine) or tweet us (My Insight Magazine).

Our Team:

Luba Patlakh Maria Goroshovsky Editorial Director Co-Founder/Editor “Do not follow “Did perpetual where the path happiness in the may lead.

Garden of Eden Go instead maybe get so where there is boring that eating no path and the apple was leave a trail.” justified?”

2 Insight•March 2012

Angele Douglas Russell Contributing Writer “No one is entitled to an opinion unless they know the facts.”

Olga Astreika Contributing Writer “My goal in life is to help people and have them happy.”

Alla Podolsky Graphic Designer “I am not that creative with words.

Can I offer you a picture instead?”

David Vulfin Marketing Director “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.”

Insight In This Issue:

Issue 7 • March 2012

9

4

Editor’s Desk 2 Letter from the Editor Readers Respond to ur February Issue Word on the Street 4 Influential First Ladies Importance of the Youth Vote in 2012 5 Renewed Media Censorship in China Social Workers Month. Celebrate Those Who Help the Greater Good Philadelphia, the Hungriest City 6 Ph-un in Philadelphia 2012 Philadelphia International Flower Show 7 Community Spotlight: Dr. Leonard Tau International Women’s Day 8 Executive Bio: Gail Slogoff of Beblushing.com Feature 9 Wedding Planning: Men vs. Women Healthy Living 10 Eat Fat to Lose Fat Is the Flue Vaccine Effective?

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11 HPV: Not Just a Woman’s Disease Carbs Fix Fights!

Dogs Are Doctors Too! Entertainment and Lifestyle 12 Top Five Reasons to go to the Movies in March 13 Stop Reporting It to Facebook Fake News Keeps You Informed “Before They Were Famous” Celebrity Jobs Death of a Status Symbol?

14 Men, Give Up! The G-Spot Doesn’t Exist!

Say “Ah!”: Spa Review Conversation Starters Insight Poll 15 Eat Good Food:

Grappa Cafe Irish Soda Bread 16 Dress to Impress:

Shoe Closet

Sports and Athletics 17 Skee-Ball Considered a Sport Philadelphia Union Kick off Their Season Philadelphia Sixers Basketball and Flyers Hockey Schedule Career and Finance 18 How Valuable Is Personal Data?

Improving Finances 2012 Technology Today 19 Video Game Addictions We ARE Alone in the Universe A Dose of Insight 20 Insight Advice Column

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Relax and Play 21 Sudoku Wordsearch 22 Photohunt!

March Horoscopes Marketplace 23 Advertisement

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Prizes and Rewards!

We at Insight want to hear from all of our new and old friends! Send us an email and write to us on Facebook. Let us know what you think, what you want, or just how your day is going and get rewards for doing it!

Your Monthly Reward: Insight will look through all our email, as well as Facebook comments, messages and posts. We will select five comments, at random, to include in the upcoming issue. If you see your post, contact us with the post, the issue you saw it in, and your information within one week of the release of that issue and YOU WIN! What do you win? Well, every issue we will post our ‘Favorite Things.’ These are little things that are new, cool and we feel everyone will enjoy. When you win the post challenge, you get to pick one of our ‘Favorite Things’ from that issue and it’s yours! If, instead, you want to work towards our bigger “Play for Points” prizes, you can instead ask to add five points to your play for points account (see myinsightmag.com for more details). So, what are you waiting for! Come leave us a message!

Play for Points:

We don’t want to be another magazine you gloss over in a hurry; we want to really interact with you in every section and page of Insight.

In our attempt to really get you involved, we’ve set up a points game.

Throughout the magazine you’ll see small sections that say “Play for Points.” Each section will have its own instruction on how you can email or Facebook us your answers or contributions and earn points.

You can log in and keep a ‘point account,’ so to speak, on myinsightmag.com. You then can add up points to win the prizes that cost a point value ranging from 50 to 1,000 points. So earn enough points for a $20 gift card, or save as much as you can for a five day paid hotel in Miami, FL, or a new iPAD. See myinsightmag.com for even more prizes, your account and more information!

Starbucks! Need a lift? How 1coffee about a cup of joe? We’ve got some bucks for you to use! $20.

Will the luck of the Irish rub 2day?Fado! off on you as you celebrate St. Patty’s Win $20 to Fado! Wine or Dine at Philadelphia’s fabulous Irish pub on Insight Magazine.

The Art of Pole Dancing! Kicking 3workout—Pole off your fitness for the year? Try a new Dancing, on us at The Art of Pole Dancing.

March 2012•Insight 3

Influential

First Ladies W

e have had 44 presidents of the United States and the majority of them were accompanied into the White House by first ladies that were expected to be good hostesses, to remain largely silent and to keep out of sight (as was expected of most women and wives in history). There are only a few exemplary exceptions throughout history of first ladies that played a more active role in public affairs and policy. Arguably, first lady Michelle Obama has decided she is one of them—taking an active stance throughout Obama’s electoral campaign and thereafter in the White House. A quick biographical glimpse of Madame Obama’s life would reveal that she has always been career driven, vocal and independent. That, however, was not the standard description of women “back in the day” and those presidential first ladies that broke the mold and set a tone for the role that is to be envied.

AMondayg the most significant first ladies in the history of the position was Eleanor Roosevelt wife of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (in office from 1933–1945 and constantly challenging Abraham Lincoln’s position as most favorite president in U.S. history). Through those contentious years of depression, New Deal economic rejuvenation and wartime, Eleanor kept an active role by her husband’s side.

She fought for New Deal proposals, civil rights, and the rights of women. She believed education and equal opportunities should be guaranteed for all. After her husband died, Eleanor continued her activism. She was on the board of directors for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) during the Kennedy administration. She was a leader in the formation of the United Nations at the end of World War II, helped draft the

“Universal Declaration of Human Rights” and was the first chairman of the UN Human Rights Commission. It seems increasingly true that behind every strong man, is an even stronger woman.

4 Insight•March 2012

Word on the Street IMPORTANCE OF THE YOUTH VOTE in

2012 I

t was, in large part, the youth vote that rallied and carried Barack Obama into the White House in 2008. The youth came out in record numbers to vote in 2008, and voted for Obama over John McCain by 68 percent to 30 percent—the highest share of the youth vote obtained by any candidate since exit polls began reporting results by age in 1976. In fact, aMondayg Obama’s greatest strengths in 2008 was his ability to mobilize the youth. But while young voters accounted for one in every four votes in 2008, the role the youth will play in this year’s presidential race is largely unknown.

Part of the difficulty young voters who do in fact want to vote will have is dealing with the new voting laws, effective in 14 states, that have instituted changes like requiring government issued photo IDs, cutting back on early voting, increased difficulty when registering to vote and reversing reforms that allowed ex-convicts to vote. The legislatures that have enacted these new rules argue that they are meant to prevent vote fraud – something that researchers argue does not exist in the United States in such a way that it needs this drastic of legislation to remedy it. Statistically speaking you’re more likely to be struck by lightning than participate in voter fraud,” said Maria da Silva, research associate for the Brennan Center of Justice. “We’re talking about a solution that is in search of a problem.”

Another impediment to youth voting is that many of those college students that voted Obama into office in 2008 have since graduated college and found it difficult to find employment. This may well effect their stance in the upcoming race. However, the greatest cause of what many are predicting will be a substantial drop in youth voting in 2012 is growing disinterest aMondayg young people. Curtis Gans, director of the Center for the Study of the American Electorate at American University further suggests that young people are disillusioned. He argues that ““(B)ecause Obama the president did not fulfill the hope invested in Obama the candidate, there has been an enormous sense of disappointment aMondayg those young who had been previously politically active and the current crop of college-resident young do not have the same compelling motivation to engage as those who preceded them.”

Renewed Media Censorship in

Social Workers Month

China

C

hina kicked off the New Year with a more conservative shift in its media laws—a new wave of censorship that, for instance, bringing down the number of shows aired each week from 126 to just 38. Censorship is not a new concept to Chinese way of life, it is a fact of life. On an individual level, it does not effect the daily Chinaman substantially.

On a large scale, too, censorship in China has always had somewhat of an ebb and flow—coming and going to a certain extent. If you take an even more zoomed out look at the scheme of things, at China’s trajectory for the past half century or so, it would even show that China has gradually been opening itself up to the west—swiftly (and sometimes violently) recoiling only when it feels it has opened up too much. At the moment, this seems to be the sensation in the country.

China’s revamped media structure cracks down on primetime broadcasts deemed “distasteful” and threatening to China’s traditional Socialist values. It also require media broadcasters to show at least two hours of news programming in the evenings. Arguably, this gesture is the most recent of China’s periodic recoils from western influence—a side effect of the belief that increased media freedom naturally leads to overt western influence in China’s internal and economic affairs.

As it always does, this wave of censorship will too recede, but it will surely be followed by another one not too long after. In Chinese media, it seems, it is two steps forward and one step back.

Celebrating Those Who Help the Greater Good

T

here are 640,000 professional social workers in the United States who have dedicated their careers to either helping people transform their lives or improving environments that make such progress possible. This social contribution is celebrated each March during Social Work Month. A key message for this year’s celebration is that social workers are the safety net in a civil society. This slogan promotes the role of social workers as positive change agents who have the power to solve some of our nation’s most pressing challenges.

One of the ways social workers help is by finding resources for people. For someone with family difficulties, social workers might find a parenting class or support group. For a homeless person, they might find a place to live and a career training program. For a student, they might find a mentor or a learning disability expert. Social workers help those who can’t help themselves and save the day for large quantities of people. Let’s celebrate those who help us, Happy Social Workers Month!

PHILADELPHIA, the Hungriest City

I

n a city defined largely by its cheesestakes and cheesecakes, it as a surprise that Philadelphia has been labeled by the Food Research and Action Center as the hungriest city—a title that grubstreet.com explains is an addition to the “City of Brotherly Love’s growing collection of not-so-stellar superlatives.” As per NBC Philadelphia, “more than 30 percent of households in Pennsylvania’s First Congressional District, a large swath of the southeastern PA that encompasses virtually half the city—in-

cluding some of its most impoverished neighborhoods and toniest restaurants—don’t have enough money to buy food and feed their families.” U.S. Rep. Bob Brady who represents the district says he’s committed to working with state, city and antihunger advocates to “aggressively combat” the situation. Considering the cities already difficult situations that never get resolved in a quick fashion, there seems to be no speedy solution to the problem.

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March 2012•Insight 5

http://i.

Ph-un in Philadelphia!

Philadelphia’s got a lot going on in March. My Insight magazine is here to make sure you are in the center of all of the action! Check out the shows, events, and exhibitions going on now and coming soon.

03/01–03/04. Agatha Christie’s, The Mousetrap. Showing at the Walnut Street Theater. 825 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, 215-574-3550, www.walnutstreettheatre.org.

03/04–03/11. Philadelphia International Flower Show. Islands of Aloha, at the Philadelphia Convention Center. 1101 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA. (215) 418-4700, www.paconvention.com.

03/17. Crawl for Gold. Join the annual Bar Crawl in honor of St. Patty’s Day. (212) 255-4233. www.barcrawls.com.

03/22–04/01. Philadelphia Cinefest. Over 135 of the best independent and foreign films throughout Philadelphia theaters. www.phillycinefest.org.

03/23–03/25. The Philadelphia Invitational Furniture Show. Held at the historic 23rd Street Armory. 22 S. & 23rd Sts., Philadelphia, PA 19103, (215) 783-3434.

03/23–05/13. Twelfth Night. The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre. 2111 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, (215) 4969722. www.phillyshakespeare.org.

03/24–03/25. The Academy of Natural Sciences kicks of its bicentennial celebrations with a host of events for the whole family. 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19103, (215) 299-1000. www.ansp.org.

03/2012–03/2013. The Academy of Natural Sciences. This month kicks off bicentennial, year-long celebration with festivals, education programs, and exhibitions. 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19103, (215) 299-1000. www.ansp.org.

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2012

PHILADELPHIA International

FLOWER SHOW

6 Insight•March 2012

ach year, the Philadelphia Flower Show introduces a spectacular new theme to wow show-goers with floral creations never seen before. This month’s upcoming Philadelphia Flower show’s theme is “Hawaii: Islands of Aloha.”

The Flower Show garden display exhibitors undertake the art of forcing trees, shrubs and perennials into bloom for the Show, using temperature and lighting controls to “fool” plants into full bloom in time for the March event.

This event is considered one of the premier gardening events of the world due to the exceptional talent of these designers and their ability to create such out of this world exhibits.

Visitors will enter through a giant wave of orchids and towering waterfalls.

Showcase gardens will highlight the flowers, plants, stories, art and culture of Hawaii’s six Big Islands. Guests will also have the opportunity to participate in a traditional Hawaiian luau, featuring hula dancing, music and chants or visit a Hawaiian Village and Marketplace. This is a great family event, especially for the kids! The flower show displays are kaleidoscopes of shapes and colors, many featuring pools and fountains, small statuary, topiary and other elements appealing to the younger demographic.

http://i.istockimg.com/file_thumbview_approve/16780874/2/stock-photo-16780874-dental-equipment.jpg

Community Spotlight

Dr. Leonard Tau

D

2. Rinse Daily.

1. Maintain a Healthy Diet.

Out of Invisalign, veneers, and snap on smile, Dr. Tau says Invisalign is probably the most chosen option because it is very conservative treatment which involves no tooth preparation.

After the Invisalign is completed the patient has really had no dentistry done. It does take 9 months to 1 year where veneers can be done in a matter of weeks. With veneers, they will probably be more costly and involve the tooth being prepared which most patients would prefer to avoid. Snap on smile is really only a temporary so that is not relay a long term option.

“Dentistry has been given a poor image in movies, articles, etc. Everyone is concerned about pain during treatment. If done correctly dentistry can painlessly and comfortably change people’s lives,” says Tau.

r. Leonard F. Tau maintains a full time private practice in Northeast Philadelphia focusing on general, cosmetic, reconstructive and implant dentistry. Dr. Tau has had extensive training in cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry including Invisalign, which allows him to offer you beautiful anterior esthetics and the smile you have always dreamed of. His primary focus in his practice is patient comfort and painless dentistry.

What could be better than a bright healthy smile this spring?

With the help of Dr. Tau, of the Pennsylvania Center for Dental Excellence, Insight Magazine has Quick Fixes for your smile.

In order to maintain healthy teeth and gums, Dr. Tau recommends a healthy diet, in addition to brushing and flossing, with natural or added fluoride which protects teeth from decay and keeps the gums healthy. A well-balanced diet provides the minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients essential for healthy teeth and gums. Fluoride, occurring naturally in foods and water, or added to the water supply, can be a powerful tool in fighting decay. It can reduce the rate of cavities by as much as 60 percent.

Consume calcium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride to prevent cavities and build strong teeth.

Dr. Tau recommends a daily rinse with any type of Listerine or mouthwash. If the patient has a history of decay then they can also use a fluoride rinse.

3. Create a New Smile.

Pennsylvania Center for Dental Excellence Philadelphia, PA (215) 969-4400

INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day

M

arch 8, marks the 101st anniversary of International Women’s Day, a global day celebrating the economic, political, and social achievements of women from the past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women’s Day is a national holiday—one we’re sure that even women of the U.S. wouldn’t mind celebrating. The founding purpose of the holiday is to celebrate the voice of women where for the majority of history that voice was silenced. This day commemorates the right women have to take on leadership roles in leading their countries and communities towards long-term development. So, it’s got a little more oomph than Mother’s Day with just as much love as a birthday! Regardless, it’s always good to recognize . . . and celebrate!

March 2012•Insight 7

EXECUTIVE BIO:

Gail Slogoff I

nspired by her aunt, a woman who never took no for an answer and worked her way up through Estee Lauder, Gail Slogoff, founder and blogger at Beblushing.com grew up in suburban Philadelphia, and began her teaching career, where she worked for 9 years, before finding herself in the beauty business!

Slogoff worked for Lancome at Bloomingdales in the Willow Grove Mall while in high school. Smart cookie that she is, she would get her eyes made up by the Estee Lauder make-up artists in store— using their shades; and when customers would ask her which shadows she was wearing, she’d sell them a similar shades by Lancome.

Working in beauty prepared Slogoff for a later chapter in her careeran online beauty blog!

She came up with Beblushing.com two years ago, when she helped organize an event for her synagogue at Blue Mercury in Suburban Square. The store sold about $4,000 in 2 hours and jokingly, the manager offered her a job. The offer got her thinking about using her expertise and passion to good use by writing cosmetic reviews for beauty product-junkies like herself. “A friend of mine who writes for magazines suggested that I write my own blog,” said Slogoff. Her decision to name the blog—“Be Blushing,” was her personal tribute to her rosacea—because it look like she’s always blushing.

“I really love to write and I really love beauty products, clothes, jewels and all that fun girlie stuff. I get a chance to meet creators of skin care lines and scientists who develop cosmetic lines, as well as a bevy of designers and stylists. But most importantly, I’ve been able to get involved with fundraisers and raise social awareness for the causes that mean the most to me,” said Slogoff relating to her favorite thing about her work.

“Writing Be Blushing has allowed me to bring awareness to a charity that I hold very close to my heart—CCFA Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America,” she said. Slogoff is on the Board of CCFA,

8 Insight•March 2012

of

.com

whose mission is to raise awareness and fund research to help find a cure for these diseases which affect over 1.4 million Americans, both young and old. Later this month, she’ll be hosting an event to help raise awareness about the devastation still present in Haiti. Maria Bello has been instrumental in helping to build women’s shelters in Haiti through her charity and will be coming to Slogoff’s home to share her message.

Gail Slogoff found her way back to her roots and followed her passions of the beauty business. She is an exemplary member of the Philadelphia community, proudly giving back to important causes, and a great resource to all your beauty questions!

Can you share some beauty secrets with us?

Of course! Hydration is a big one. Hydrate your skin with dayand night-cream and drink lots of water, or in my case, decaf green tea. Try to get facials each season or at least twice a year. And everyone eventually gets wrinkles, so don’t overdo the Botox or fillers.

It’s just so obvious when women (or men) go too far. My take is, if you’re going to do some minor tweaking, just fess up. I hate when women in Hollywood don’t own up to their “work.” You’re not really fooling anyone.

What would you say are the top 5 beauty products out there right now for women of all ages/races?

Right now, I’m loving Christian Dior 2012 spring Waterlily Nail Polish. It’s scented and smells like a garden of lillies. But don’t smell it out of the bottle—just apply it to your nails and all day long, you’ll smell flowers. Fresh’s Seaberry Restorative Body Cream has omegas 3,6,7 and 9, which makes the cream extremely moisturizing. Skin Ceuticles does an amazing job with serums and their C E Ferulic protects against photo-aging, it helps build collagen and has tons of antioxidants. It’s the one product that I’ve seen the most improvement from. Any Argan oil will help hydrate your hair. And I’m a glitter-girl, so right now I love Bobbi Brown’s Ultra Nude Eye Palette from her Neon and Nudes Collection. Bobbi does glitter best!

Where do you get your inspiration?

My aunt worked as a high-up manager for Estee Lauder back in the day when women only worked behind the counter. The story goes that one day she put on her best outfit, drove into NYC and without an appointment, talked her way into Estee’s office and convinced her to give her a job! My aunt was a woman who never took no for an answer, and she worked her way up through the company. I used to love visiting her as a little girl because she had bins and bins filled with makeup and perfumes, which I was allowed to play with and always took a stash home with me. I’ve saved some of the perfumes that she found on her travels around the world which never made it into the Lauder line.

Wedding Planning Menvs.

Women

By Luba Patlakh

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he 2012 wedding season is about to kick of and many couples are attempting to finalize all their wedding plans before the big day. The key thing to figure out before planning the wedding is how you’re going to plan the wedding—who gets to offer input and where. Today, the wedded bliss seems to increasingly equate with women taking the lead and men taking the backseat. But, what happens when they disagree, when do men become backseat drivers?

Women generally jump on the endless wedding to-do lists head on, more so than their male counterparts, because this is, traditionally, a day they’ve waited for most of their lives. These women have had a vision of this day for years and don’t need interfering opinions to get in the way of actualizing that dream.

Furthermore, most women believe that men don’t have the same eye for details that women do or, rather, the same appreciation for details that women do. “I let my fiancé know what’s going on once I make solid decisions and they are paid for. This saves us the hassle of coming to an agreement on every single thing, every time,” says Jackie Montelano, 26, of Hatboro. “A wedding has too many decisions, so there cannot be too many cooks in the kitchen. At first John and I were trying to plan everything together, but I would find him losing interest, which would frustrate me. I need to get things done, so we decided I will make the wedding and kinda fill him in along the way.”

However, the type-A wedding planner is the only route to take. Increasingly, women seek the input of their

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husbands to be, at least on the big things. It’s somewhat of a middle ground, the couple deals jointly with big budget decisions and the woman gets her leeway with all the details.

How do men react to this? “To be quite honest, I was thrilled when my fiancé told me I only had to collaborate with her on certain things,” says Eric Hopkins, 31, Philadelphia. “Vanessa includes me on the important things like the price of the cake and food tasting, but I don’t know the first thing about floral arrangements or color schemes, so why bug her with that.”

There are no bright lined rules to the wedding process and most often how couples interact in the planning is dictated by how they interact as a couple. So, if you’re on the road to planning the big day, take a mirror to your relationship and see how planning will work best with your personalities. Scared to relinquish control of the perfect day? Keep in mind that you’re relinquishing this control to someone who you’re planning to spend the rest of your life with, your “co-manager” of life, if you will. You should be comfortable knowing you can trust your partner with important things, including your wedding details. Stay realistic through the process! If you know nothing about table napkins, then don’t butt into that conversation!

Hold an expertise with floral design? Then set the dialogue for that! There is definitely a way to polish your perfect day, while keeping the peace.

March 2012•Insight 9

Healthy Living eat FAT to

Y

es, you read it right: if you eat the right type of fats, you increase your chances of losing those unwanted pounds. Studies show that people who consume diets with monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) burn fat at a higher rate due to the MUFA’s ability to stimulate the body’s fat burning mechanisms.

Even more encouraging, the people in these studies who lost weight by adding MUFA’s to their diet did not have to lower their caloric intake. This means no strict eating regiments or fad diets.

MUFA’s can also help to regulate blood sugar, lower bad cholesterol levels, and increase levels of vitamin E, all of which contribute to a healthier lifestyle.

MUFA’s are plant-based fats and can be found in vegetable oils such as olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil and sesame oil. Other sources include avocados, peanut butter, and many nuts and seeds.

The important thing to remember is that the level of consumption of these fats should still be within the daily fat intake limit (about 25% of your caloric intake) and are most effective when used to replace the more harmful saturated and trans fats. No use in mixing a little good with a lot of bad; that’s like exercising without dieting and wondering why there’s no weight loss. And no one does that, right? Happy eating!

Lose FAT

Is the Flu Vaccine Effective?

W

ould you sign up for something that has not been updated in 60 years and has proven to be only 59% effective? Probably not! But, each year, millions of Americans line up to get their annual flu shot—even though they’re injecting themselves with the same formula that was used in 1952! You may be thinking, “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” But, that only holds true if it is, in fact, not broken. Initial studies thought our current flu vaccine current vaccine to be up to 90% effective in prevention. However, many studies since then hold the actual effective rate to be at around 59%. While that is still a majority, add to that the range of bothersome side effects that come with the vaccine, and you start wondering, “what’s the point?” That is why many Americans are now passing on taking the vaccine altogether and are just “winging it.”

There may, however, be a door number three! Research has developed new vaccinations said to be about 83% effective in preventing the flue. The vaccines are new, and therefore yet to be officially approved, but they add an element of certainty that many people seem to require.

In the meantime whether you get the vaccine or don’t is a personal choice. The government does recommend that those in high-risk groups (young, pregnant, elderly, compromised immune system) do get the vaccine. But, beyond that, empower and educate yourself to make the decision that’s best for you.

Quick Health Fact!

There were 116 crashes involving pedestrians who were wearing headphones between 2004 and 2011. Eighty-one of them resulted in deaths. It started with 16 cases between 2004 and 2005 and rose to 47 by 2010 and 2011. Pay attention, people!.

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HPV:

Not Just a Woman’s Disease E

ach year, an estimated 12,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer. But, contrary to popular belief, men can get cervical cancer too. In fact, studies show approximately 50% of all men will contract the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in their lifetime. Most HPV’s men and women contract are not life threatening and usually do not present any symptoms. However, an estimated 1900 men get HPV-related cancer of the penis and anus each year, representing a spike in HPV-related cancers in men in recent years.

Because there are no screening tests currently available, men should pay particular attention to the signs and symptoms of penile and anal cancer.

Symptoms of anal cancer men should watch out for include anal bleeding, pain, itching, discharge, swollen lymph nodes in anal/groin area, and changes in stool. Symptoms of penile cancer include changes in color, skin thickening, tissue buildup on the penis, and penile sores.

It is important for men to take preventative steps to avoid contracting HPV, particularly for gay, bisexual, and HIV-positive men (anal cancer is more prevalent in these men). These steps include anal cancer screening, performing a self-test for genital warts and any other abnormalities. For men under the age of 26, the HPV vaccine is also available. And of course, the most important step is to use a condom to lower the chances of contracting HPV-related diseases.

CARBS FIX FIGHTS! A

ridiculous amount of research has been done on the connection between a person’s mood and the food he or she eats. In science speak, the research focuses on how certain foods influence the level of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. The most valuable bit of this research to your daily lives—specifically your daily lives with a significant other is that carbs fix fights! So, studies at MIT are showing that when women eat carbs after a fight they tend to calm down faster because of the increased serotonin in their brains—a neurotransmitter that has a calming, anxiety-reducing effect. Women are more sensitive to serotonin fluctuations than men are, so this eating carbs thing conveniently works better for them. So eat up!

DOGS Are Doctors TOO!

A

bout two years ago, my grandmother died. Because I don’t live in my hometown, I found out through my uncle, over the phone. Having just lost my mother about four months before, I was especially distraught and felt helpless. So, upon hearing the news, I sat on my sofa, face in hands, crying. Just as I thought I couldn’t go on, Ari, my long-haired Chihuahua, jumped on the sofa, wiggled between my arms, and started to cuddle. In that moment, I felt that he understood what was going on and was coming to my rescue to soothe my emotions without saying a word!

Now, before you wave me off as one of those animal loving hippies, know that Ari is my first pet and I only bought him because I felt sorry for him (that’s another story). Moreover, there are studies to back me up! Studies have shown that animals have a positive effect on the emotional, and consequently, physical, wellbeing of their owners. Other studies confirm that dog owners live longer than non-dog owners. This all adds to the already beneficial role that dogs play in our medical societies—helping the blind, the immobilized and even sniffing out cancer. At the very least, if you are sad, they really are always there for a good cuddle.

March 2012•Insight 11

Entertainment & Lifestyle Top Five Reasons

to go to the Movies in March

1

3/2—Dr. Suess’ The Lorax The creators of ‘Despicable Me’ and the imagination of Dr. Suess bring us this classic tale of Ted, a twelve year old boy (Zac Efron) who searches for on thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams—the Lorax (Danny DeVito)! Other stars that are lending their voices are Ed Helms as Once-ler, Taylor Swift as Audrey, the girl of Ted’s dreams and Betty White as Ted’s wise Grammy Norma.

2

3/9—Friends with Kids This ensemble comedy follows a close circle of friends in that mystical, hair splitting and wonderful moment in life when children arrive and everything changes in a relationship. To avoid the effect they see kids have on the relationships of their friends, the last two singles of the group (Adam Scott, Jennifer Westfeldt) decide to avoid the trouble by just having a kid together, but dating other people. Co-starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Jon Hamm, you know you can expect laughs!

3

3/16— Mirror Mirror A fanciful, animated retelling of the Snow White fairy tale— wherein a a wicked enchantress (Julia Roberts) schemes and scrambles for control of a spirited orphan’s (Lily Collins) throne and the attention of a charming prince (Armie Hammer). Julia Roberts’ amazing portrayal of the “evil queen” are the whole reason to see this film!.

4

3/16— 21 Jump Street One of the more anticipated re-makes of the year, the movie follows Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum), who want to leave their adolescence behind and join the secret Jump Street unit of the police force. Sadly, their useful appearances send them right back to high school, undercover, only to find that much has changed!

5

3/23—The Hunger Games In what has been dubbed the most anticipated movie of 2012, the book turned movie takes place in the ruins of what was once North America.

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12 Insight•March 2012

STOP REPORTING IT TO FACEBOOK!

T

hink that picture of you your friend put makes you look ugly, fat, bloated, lanky, like a drunk, like a crazy person or any combination thereof? Do you not want to be “that person” that has to ask your friend to dig through their albums and remove pictures of you? Apparently, some industriously minded Facebook users think they have found a loophole to that process—they report the photo to Facebook as “offensive.” The “offensive” photos that Facebook actually intends to take down when flagged contain things like drug use, pornography or violence. However, of the 250 million photos posted to Facebook every single day, the majority of photos flagged as “offensive” are actually just unflattering or just ones that people are embarrassed about. Facebook’s engineering director, Arturo Bejar, reveals that when they sit down to investigate the flagged, allegedly offensive, most of the time they’re “looking at the photos and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that photo.

Then,’ adds Bejar, ‘we noticed that the person who was reporting the photo happens to be in the photo.” So it seems Facebook is wise to this game and will not take down photos simply because a user doesn’t like it. Legally, people don’t own copyright to photographs other people have taken of them so the site won’t remove the pictures unless they are actually offensive. Lesson learned people: just don’t take embarrassing photos!

FAKE

NEWS KEEPS YOU INFORMED

F

ox News viewers are less informed than people who don’t watch any news at all, according to countless surveys, a poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University being the most recent. Similar surveys have been equally tough on Fox News viewers, proving that they are more misinformed in comparison to others and that they were more likely to believe false information about politics. Clark, Philadelphia, argues that “Fox is tailored to an audience that has a world view based on a mythology about liberals that its cultivated for years and that vague mythology is the filter through which all their news is forced to go through.”

Among the most informative outlets, however, was Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show! Yes, Comedy Central’s resident fake news show holds an audience that tends to be most informed about current events. This leads to one of two conclusions: either information is served on The Daily Show in such a digestible way that it allows viewers to understand it better or, alternatively, already sophisticated viewers gravitate towards the show. Those that argue for the latter say that if the viewers were not already sophisticated, they would fail to find the humor and tune out. Either way, many seem to agree with these surveys placing Stewart’s fake news over Fox’s alleged real news.

“BEFORE THEY WERE FAMOUS”

Celebrity Jobs

Beyonce Knowles. Before she was a Child of Destiny she swept the floors in her mother’s salon.

Jon Hamn. Apparently, dapper Don Draper worked as a set dresser on adult films.

Madonna. The Material Girl once donned official uniform—a Dunkin Donuts uniform!

Eva Longoria. Talk about loyal—this Desperate Housewife worked at Wendy’s for SIX years!

Paul Rudd. Somehow this doesn’t surprise us—this funnyman earned his cash as a Bar Mitzvah DJ.

DEATH OF A STATUS SYMBOL?

R

ed-soled Christian Louboutin shoes are a status symbol. You see them and you know their owner spent a fortune just for you to see them. Even men know that “the red soled shoes” are the expensive ones. We all may soon have to get over it, however, as Louboutin’s legal attempt to keep his signature red soles exclusively his own is moving up through the courts. It all started when Yves San Lauren came out with four shoes that were red all over—including the soles. Louboutin sued. The court, however, would not stop YSL from selling the shoes.

It all came down to the question of whether you can trademark the color red. Trademarking an LV on a Louis Vuitton handbag or the Nike Swish isn’t quite the same thing as trademarking—i.e. legally monopolizing—a color. This would take the color red out of the market place, and other designers would not be able to make red soled shoes. The courts don’t seem to think Louboutin can do this. Despite recent decisions made this case will likely keep going, as Louboutin fights to protect his overpriced, red empire. The whole thing does shine an interesting light on the legal process. As the New York Times summarized, “The quirky lawsuit dramatizes the law’s ambivalence toward fashion. The law does not protect fashion design, but it does recognize the rights inherent in branding.

Louboutin’s claim spotlights the pressure on fashion designers to frame their aesthetic choices as brand identifiers, and the legal contortions that result.”

March 2012•Insight 13

Men, give up! The

Y

G -SPOT Doesn’t Exist!

our years of searching may have been in vain, as a new, sixty-year long study is proving that the woman’s G-spot doesn’t actually exist. Dr. Amichai Kilchevsky, a urology resident at Yale-New Haven Hospital in Connecticut published his study in the Jan. 12 issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, which reviewed dozens of surveys, vaginal tissue biopsies, nerve studies, ultrasounds, etc and never found any anatomical structure on the vagina’s anterior (the alleged home of the G-spot).

All hope however may not be lost, as a brain scan of women who achieved orgasm found that the brain showed increased activity in areas of the sensory cortex when stimulating the area around where the G-spot allegedly lives. The thing is, however, it is NOT a spot. Instead, it is more a “G-zone” or “G-area.” The oh-so-good feelings come from any pressure put on the anterior of your vagina, because it pushes on other sensitive structures, such as the urethra and clitoris. So, ladies and gentlemen, it is time to stop looking for the mystical spot and enjoy the whole area!

Conversation Starters * Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight? * ”I am.” is the shortest complete sentence in the English language. * An ostrich’s eye is bigger that it’s brain. * The name Wendy was made up for the book “Peter Pan.” * Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older. Will it be you? * Hershey’s Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like it’s kissing the conveyor belt.

Insight Poll: Who is the ruler of the world?

Aliens 72% God 20% No one 7% Other 1% Got any other suggestions? Let us know on our website (myinsightmag.com), email (insight@myinsightmag.com), Facebook (My Insight Magazine) or Twitter (My Insight Magazine).

And, vote for next month’s poll!

Want to advertise in Insight? Visit myinsightmag.com to learn how.

14 Insight•March 2012

Say “Ah!”: W

Spa Review

hen you’re spending the money to pamper yourself, you want to make sure you’re pampered right!

Spa East, located at 1040 North 2nd Street, will get the job done! How, you may ask? With a special 4-hands massage—a treatment where two therapists work simultaneously to relax you with synchronized massage techniques for 75 minutes. If it sounds like heaven that’s because it is!

Insight experience:

I

t’s like the air at Spa East is different or something because it makes you relax even before you get to the massage table! The staff and wonderful owner, Samiyyah (Sam) Staten, cater to their guests hand and foot and the décor is soothing and beautiful. But it’s the massage itself that I can’t help but rave about. Now, I’ve had your tradition one masseur (2 handed) massage. But, this was something different. During the session two talented massage specialists (Carolina Ruiz & Timothy Willis) completely took over my back! They work together to create a push-pull strategy, more pressure in one area, less pressure in another to completely relax and rejuvenate my overall well being and relieve stress tension. They knew just where to kneed and took out every knot I had. They even helped lengthen by stretching out my body.

This was an experience like no other and one I highly recommend to those of you on your feet or sitting at a desk all day—two dually painful wears on the body. The four hands massage is the ultimate service to your body and Spa East does it best. What’s Even better? Spa East has a wide range of packages to suit whatever your needs may be!

Eat Good Food: Reviewed by: Luba Patlakh

G

rappa Café is Paoli’s newest classic Italian dining experience. After some serious renovation, the restaurant is beautifully decorated releasing a rustic feel with faux exposed brick and stone walls.

The lighting is warm

and wonderful for a dinner with friends and family, business, or a date. Even better, the seating is comfortable—so there’s no feeling like you are on top of one another. And, I have nothing but good things to say about the service—it was impeccable! The accommodating wait staff aimed to please. They were well versed in specials and menu item descriptions, which is helpful when there are so many wonderful things to choose from.

Now, onto the food! Grappa offers some creatively inspired appetizers and dishes, including insalata Grappa (made with string beans, sun dried tomatoes, walnuts, feta and mozzarella cheeses tossed with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice) and insalata Paoli (a delicious mix of Organic mixed field greens, red onion, tomato, goat cheese, and garlic shrimp, tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing). The crab balls are a MUST try—fried to golden perfection and accompanied by a tangy mustard sauce, this crab delight is not one to miss. I ordered a special Branzino dish, which was in a lemon caper sauce, tangy and fluffy. The dish was offered with a vegetable or pasta accompaniment. Unable to decide, the waiter took it upon himself to “surprise” me with delicious surprise pasta. It was fettuccini with porcini mushrooms and tomatoes in a cream sauce. The overall experience was super and I would definitely come here again!

19 East Lancaster Ave., Paoli, PA 19301 www.grappacafe.com

R

Irish Soda Bread

ing in St. Patty’s Day with this traditional, easy and YUMMY Irish recipe!

Ingredients: • 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour • 1/2 cup sugar • 2 tablespoons caraway seeds • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 2 eggs • 2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream • 3/4 cup raisins Directions: • In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, caraway seeds, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In a small bowl, whisk eggs and sour cream. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raisins.

• Spoon into a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350° for 40-45 or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing sides of pan. Cut into wedges; serve warm. Yield: 1 loaf (12 wedges).

March 2012•Insight 15

Dress to Impress

T

he Must Haves of Spring for every occasion!

SHOE CLOSET

2 1

3

1. On a Date: Maarkee by Steve Madden. $109.95. Steve Madden. 1723 Walnut Street.

2. For day or play: Badgess by Steve Madden: $199.95.

Steve Madden. 1723 Walnut Street.

3. In the rain: Sperry Top-Sider Women’s Shoes, Hingham Boots (available in 4 colors). $98. Macy’s. 1300 Market Street.

4. Casual: Passport Lilac Women’s Vegan Classics. $54. www.toms.com.

Hers

4

5. Fancy Pants: Parmalee. $76.99. Aldo Shoes. 1625 Chestnut Street.

His

3

5

1

2

5

1. For an outing: Pinch Tassel by Cole Haan. $109. Sherman Brothers.

1520 Sansom Street.

2. For day or play: UGG® Australia “Ascot” Leather Slippers. $100.

Bloomingdales. www.bloomingdales.com for locations.

3. In the rain: HUNTER Original Short Boot. $125. Bloomingdales. www.bloomingdales.com for locations.

4. Casual: Vans Vault—SK8 Hi Boat LX (Navy). $90. Ubiq. 1509 Walnut Street.

5. Fancy Pants: Brownlie.

16 Insight• March 2012$100. Aldo Shoes. 1625 Chestnut Street.

4

Sports & Athletics

S

Skee-Ball

Considered a Sport

kee-ball, the game you looked forward to taking over at every birthday party growing up. A simple game where players roll light wooden balls up a sloped ramp or lane and try to land them in a series of rubber pockets. The more challenging pockets offer more points. This familiar game, believe it or not, is now considered a competitive sport! “It’s pretty amazing how competitive it is,” said Amy Felmeister, a league member. “I just go to have a good time, but other people practice. To them, it’s a skill.”

Invented back in 1909 by J. Dickinson Este in the city of Philadelphia, Skee-Ball quickly gained its notoriety. This new game opened the doors to fun tournaments & gatherings, including the very first Skee-Ball tournament, which took place in 1932 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Following this, the rights were sold in 1935 by Wurlitzer Corporation. By 1945, Skee-Ball was sold to the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, an amusement park ride manufacturer. In 1977 the Philadelphia Toboggan Company set up Skee-Ball, Inc. to market the game, now located in Chalfont, Pennsylvania. As the sport has come a long way, the name of the game stays the same! Today, leagues for Skee-Ball are popping up everywhere, including the competitive United Social in Washington D.C., as well as, SkeeNation based in the Carolinas. A simple game you knew as a child is today considered a competitive and social sport that is being played all across North America.

Philadelphia Flyers Hockey Schedule

kick off their season

M

onday, March 12th Philadelphia Union Major League Soccer season will air nationally on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN3 against the Portland Timbers. The kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. EST at the Timbers’ Jeld-Wen Field. The Union is 0-1-1 against the Timbers; they dropped a 1-0 in Portland last May and played the Timbers 0-0 draw at PPL Park in September. The full Union game scheduled will be announced in the upcoming weeks upon the completion. The Union will return to PPL Park in Chester on Sunday, March 18th to open the home portion of their season, their opponents are to be announced.

Last season was one worth talking about for the Philadelphia Union. They have earned an ever growing popularity and we are eager to see what they will do next!

Sunday 3/4, vs. Capitals, 7 pm Tuesday 3/6, vs. Red Wings, 7 pm Thursday 3/8, vs. Panthers, 7 pm Saturday 3/10, vs. Maple Leafs, 7 pm Sunday 3/11, vs. Devils, 7 pm Tuesday 3/13, vs. Devils, 7 pm Thursday 3/15, vs. Islanders, 7 pm Saturday 3/17, vs. Bruins, 1 pm

Sunday 3/18, vs. Penguins, 3 pm Tuesday 3/20, vs. Panthers , 7 pm Thursday 3/22, vs. Capitals, 7 pm Saturday 3/24, vs. Canadiens, 7 pm Monday 3/26, vs. Lightning, 7 pm Thursday 3/29, vs. Maple Leafs, 7 pm Saturday 3/31, vs. Senators, 1 pm

Philadelphia Sixers Basketball Schedule Friday, 3/2, vs. Golden State Sunday, 3/4, vs. Chicago Mondayday 3/5, vs. Milwaukee Wednesday, 3/7 vs. Boston Friday 3/9, vs. Utah Sunday 3/11, vs. New York Wednesday 3/14, vs. Indiana Friday 3/16, vs. Miami

Saturday 3/17, vs. Chicago Mondayday 3/19, vs. Charlotte Wednesday 3/21, vs. New York Friday 3/23, vs. Boston Sunday 3/25, vs. San Antonio Tuesday 3/27, vs. Cleveland Friday 3/30, vs. Washington Saturday 3/31, vs. Atlanta

PLAY FOR POINTS!

Think you know who will win these games?

Email or Facebook message us with your information and guesses. Right answers get a point towards our annual prize (see Editors desk for more detail).

March 2012•Insight 17

Career and Finance

How Valuable is

Personal Data?

“F

acebook, the vast online social network, is poised to file for a public stock offering on Wednesday that will ultimately value the company at $75 billion to $100 billion, cashing in on the fuel that powers the engine of Internet commerce: personal data.” (New York Times) As stated by the New York Times, “The company has been busily collecting that data for seven years, compiling the information that its more than 800 million users freely share about themselves and their desires. Facebook’s value will be determined by whether it can leverage this commodity to attract advertisers, and how deftly the company can handle privacy concerns raised by its users and government regulators worldwide.”

Today, Facebook is the largest social networking company and is considered extremely valuable because it is more than the sum of its users. More than the world’s largest social network, it is a fast-churning data machine that captures and processes every click and interaction on its platform. This type of information is worth more to companies than much else. With the tracking abilities of Facebook, as well as, user information, different companies are more than happy to pay Facebook for this information.

With one purchase these companies will be fully equipped with a strong mailing list and personal statistics of those on it. Placing the bid on Facebook and its contents very high.

“Every time a person shares a link, listens to a song, clicks on one of Facebook’s ubiquitous “like” buttons, or changes a relationship status to “engaged,” a morsel of data is added to Facebook’s vast library. It is a siren to advertisers hoping to leverage that information to match their ads with the right audience.” Facebook has jumped from 50 million users in 2007 to 800 million in 2011, according to company figures.

Facebook’s offering is “an American milestone,” said Lawrence H. Summers, the former Treasury secretary. “Many companies provide products that let people do things they’ve done before in better ways. Most important companies, like Ford in its day or I.B.M. in its, are those that open up whole new capabilities and permit whole new connections. Facebook is such a company.”

I

t’s a new year and it’s time you get your finances in check! Here are some helpful tips that can help you improve your finances this year!

Firstly, take a look at your income sources versus your expenses and your debts.

How do you earn income? Now look at your core living expenses, the ones you can’t avoid (such as a mortgage payment and car payment). Can any core expenses be reduced? If you position yourself to gain ground financially when income rises, debt diminishes and expenses stay (relatively) the same, you will be setting yourself up for success.

Implement or refine an investment strategy. You should never cut out investing completely, since you’re not going to retire just your paycheck; you’re going retire on the interest that those accumulated assets earn over time. Consistent contributions into your retirement accounts, this year and in years to come, has the potential to enormously help you improve your financial life.

Improving

Request professional guidance for the retirement wealth you are growing. A financial advisor will really help to educate you about the principles of wealth building and properly growing your money.

2012

Set the Standard. You know you want to save, now give yourself a monthly goal to do so.

Even if you are only putting aside $100/month, you are already doing something for yourself!

finances 18 Insight•March 2012

Now is the time to get yourself together, if you are stranded in debt, lost all your money in a failing business, just graduating college, etc. Whatever the situation may be, climb out of the hole and start rebuilding your financial future, today!

Technology Today VIDEO GAME alone ADDICTIONS We inARE the Universe

I

t seems chiefly a complaint of mothers about their adolescent sons; however, more and more adult women are complaining about their adult husbands not being able to put down their video game controllers! Video game addiction is real. It targets any age from teenagers to middle age, as well as, any both male and females. Part of the reason for this is that video games these days are made a lot more complex, with greater detail, better graphics and much more realistic characters. Essentially, they’re more engaging and more mentally stimulating. The more realistic and appealing these games become, the more they seem to become ‘life substitutes’ among age groups that you’d think had long since “grown out of it.”

Now, a love of gaming does not automatically spell addiction—a few hours a week is perfectly healthy. But, when those hours start to build up quickly, it might be safe to call what you’re suffering from, an addiction. There are some (really) red flags to watch out for. One is when the gamer starts lying about how much time they have been playing (yes, this actually happens). Other red flags to pick up on are visible feelings of anger, depression or anxiety in someone when they’re not playing the game. A more financial flag to seek is whether the person has spent an inordinate amount of money for online services, computer upgrades or gaming systems.

O

r, so says John Gribbon, in his book Alone in the Universe. Whether there is other intelligent life in the big universal expanse is not a new question. But, as more and more research turns up nothing, many scientists are asking “so, where is everybody?”

Gribbon’s book expounds on this question and comes to the conclusion, based on research on the difference between habitable and inhabitated planets, that Earth is the sole planet of intelligent life in the galaxy. Earth is the result of a profound sequence of cosim, geologic climatic events, even coincidences, that allowed it to become a unique refuge for life to develop in the universe. One such event was the near fatal planetary collision in Earth’s infancy that created the moon. The Mars-sized planet that hit Earth generated enough heat to liquefy itself and the Earth’s exterior, plunging the Earth’s metallic core inward join our planet’s existing metallic center, while the rest swept to form the moon. This is just one of many events Gribbon talks about in his book while building his “lonely Earth” conclusion.

While he entertains the probability that some elementary forms of life have popped up through the galaxy, Gribbon maintains that intelligent extraterrestrial life has not. One of the main reasons for his skepticism is the fleeting life expectancy of advanced civilization, on a cosmic timescale. Humans have inhabited Earth for just one hundred-thousandth the age of the galaxy, and it was merely a century ago that we began to transmit radio waves. If technological civilizations did arise before ours, they might have succumbed to war, extinction, environmental degradation, etc well before we even learned start fires. If we were to humor the idea that extra-terrestrial societies were, in fact, long-surviving, then, after millions of years of technological advancement (way more time than we’ve had as a species to advance), why haven’t they migrated out through the galaxy? At the very least, why haven’t we picked up any radio-wave chatter?

Still, the research continues and human kind builds on its hopeful, inquisitive nature. People still see UFOs, they still have abduction stories and they will keep looking. Are they wasting their time? John Gribbon says “yes.”

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ou Y h s Wi ereHere W XOXO March 2012•Insight 19

A Dose of Insight One of my good friends and I work at the same place and are often put on the same project teams. This is great in general but recently it got a bit complicated.

My friend came up with this great idea for our assigned project but I was the one who presented it to our boss. When I presented it, I couldn’t help but present the idea as if it were my own. He was just so impressed and I don’t know what came over me.

It gets messier: my boss promised me a big bonus this year and the opportunity to be head on some upcoming projects. I feel so guilty that I want to come clean, but I have no idea how to do this without losing a friend and a job.

—Dan, Blue Bell ✽While I understand your concern, what you have described is the very essence of teamwork and you should not feel bad about it; doing so undermines the obviously valuable effort you put into the project. Simply put, the project would not have been successful without both of your contributions. If your co-worker had a terrible idea, your awesome

presentations skills would not have meant as much, and viceversa. My advice would be to stop feeling bad about it and just casually speak with your boss about how you want to be sure he/she is aware the finished product was a team effort. That way, you give credit where it is due and you get to sleep at night. Good luck!

My girlfriend is always on her cell phone. It worries me. I asked her and she says she’s just texting with her friends. I know she’s lying though, because I checked her messages and saw a bunch of recent messages from her ex. If she has nothing to hide and nothing is actually going on then why would she lie about it? Do I confront her? Do I wait for more signs before I act? —Matt, Philadelphia ✽Deep Sigh. You’ve committed my number one pet peeve: invasion of privacy! And, well … I hate to say it but she wasn’t lying; her ex-boyfriend is still her friend, right? Look, the bottom line is that trust has to be at the core of your relationship; otherwise, you are asking for a lot of stress and drama that is counterproductive to a healthy relationship.

You obviously don’t trust her; if you did, you wouldn’t have 20 Insight•March 2012

snooped through her phone.

My advice is to get to the root of the issue and have a “define the relationship” conversation where you two discuss how you see the relationship progressing, etc, and during that time, express that you would like to spend more quality time with her (i.e. get off your phone when we’re together, lady). Hope that helps (and stop snooping)! Good luck!

By Angele D. Russell

My son’s loans are due for his undergraduate university and I’m the responsible party on the loan’s paperwork. The payments are rolling in but my son hasn’t found and isn’t looking for a job because he no longer wants to work in the field he studied in university. He, furthermore, doesn’t feel that he’s responsible for the payments in any way because, according to him, I’m the one who pressured him into his major at college.

This career indecisiveness costs me $400 in additional monthly expenses. I can’t float this kind of cost and I don’t know how to make my son understand the gravity of the payments coming in nor that his impending adulthood requires him to take responsibility for himself. What do I do?

—Deborah, Bucks County ✽Ahh, co-signing; a blessing for the student, a curse for the parent. They get to go to school and you get to take a hit on your credit score. Look, the bottom line is that your son is an adult and, no matter how much you pressured him, he still had the choice of what to study in school and ultimately has to take responsibility for his life. What you should not do is enable him

to be a slacker. If he is living with you, charge him rent; if he is late, evict him. Trust me, lazy young adults become lazy old adults and he will be living with you, his girlfriend, and her five kids if you don’t get a handle on this ASAP! Have him apply for a deferment/forbearance until he can get his life together. Hope this helps and good luck!”

I am the primary breadwinner for myself and my girlfriend.

We live together and have a baby on the way, so having a steady income is integral. That’s why this is possibly the worst time to have lost my job. I’m trying really hard to find a new one fast but, in the meantime, I don’t know how to tell my girlfriend. She’s not supposed to stress during her pregnancy and this isn’t exactly the easiest information to hear. How do I let her know in a way that won’t stress her? —Bryan, Philadelphia ✽Well, you know what would stress her out more: living in a homeless shelter! If you all are building a family together, you should be able to work through difficult times together. Remember, she is your helpmate, not your child, and two heads are better than one. My advice is to tell her so she can offer support, whether it’s emotional, tactical, or financial. Truth of the matter is that she may well be disappointed or scared at first, but, ultimately, it’ll

work out better for both of you if you could sort this through together. Congrats on your new edition and good luck!

Wordsearch: St. Patrick’s Day. Win 2 points!

A A b l e p r e c h a u n j n z o l b a m a r c h y o t m i m v a h r s t s a i n t a a h r q r i r i s h e n f p v g c y j n e t g m p a r t y m i q e b e p f o w z c y u l g c h m l y a a l i q d r e i y n e e e f t i d s o l a p m s x l r s s r r x h l u i o e q i g a s y i y e x o c n t r s r r l i q c y l r i k b b i n e e d n v k u h g y y o i c a l e g g p a r a d e b w u k k a n l j n l c l o v e r v n e n l q i w s h a m r o c k a s d i

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March 2012•Insight 21

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HoroScopes Aries (March 21-April 20). This month kicks off to a noisy start. But it can be an awesome month for you as you develop strength and courage.

New Moon on March 22 announces a beginning of the new phase of your life. Best Days March 12–14.

Libra (Sept. 23rd–Oct. 23rd). This month holds many different opportunities. But always remember sometimes before you gain anything you may have to lose something. A co-worker or a friend will help you take your project to the next level. Best days March 13-14.

Taurus (April 21st–May 21st). This month, your heart is opened to love and your mind wanders off into dreamland. Clean up any unfinished business before you begin anything new. Pleasure is not a privilege; keep this in mind for it is the key to happiness. Best days March 13-14.

Scorpio (Oct. 24th–Nov. 22nd). Your daily routine will take a different direction this month. You may return to projects that you thought were already finished, but they may just need some more work. Best Days March 13-14.

Gemini (May 22nd–June 21st). It is hard to relax because you are excited for what lies ahead. Do not expect too much too soon from current investment. As well as don’t let frustration get in the way of your success.

Best Days March 12-14.

Sagittarius (Nov. 23rd–Dec. 21st). This month starts off very crazy and busy for you. But your professional life is too washed over with your personal life. Keep looking ahead and have clear focus, this will go a long way toward minimum disappointment later. Best days March 7-11.

Cancer (June 22nd–July 22nd). Your primary goal this month should be making your mark in the job or public area. Also make sure you rationalize your decisions in your career. Best days March 13-14.

Capricorn (Dec. 22nd–Jan. 20th). Before taking the next step to a fresh start at home and work, you must finish unfinished business. Do not hurry to each goal, but take time on them. Best days March 13-14.

Leo (July 23rd–August 23rd). Work hard and do everything for your goals this month. In the long run it will pay off. You will be faced with a financial decision that will affect you long-term. Do not let emotional attachment get in the way of critical thinking. Best days March 22-24.

Aquarius (Jan. 21st–Feb. 18th). This month a lot of money questions and issues arise for you. Turn your energy inward as you search for a solution. Your life may get hectic and you may find your self doing circles without getting much done. Best days March 20-24.

Virgo (August 24th–Sept. 22nd). Something motivates you this month.

It may be personal, professional, as well as a crisis-driven atmosphere. Before you jump onto a new project or get overly frustrated, take a look at your past experiences. They will guide you. Best days March 13-14.

Pisces (Feb. 19th–March 20th). Trust others, but never let someone else influence your decisions for you. Take time before acting out on feelings. Finances are a key issue. Do not leave your job without sufficient notice; it will be more costly then clever. Best Days March 3-6.

22 Insight•March 2012

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