Insight Magazine - September 2012

Insight

Issue 13

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September 2012

Global Obesity a bigger problem than overpopulation Executive Bio

Lex Houser of Bad Kids Clothing What’s Up Philly:

The Best of the city, as described by you!

the business

of Sports

Why the world is over

the Euro

the

Scientists find the

See Inside for Prizes!

Sexy age

God-Particle

Student Loans:

the next housing bubble?

September 2012•Insight 1

Editor’s Desk

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year dragged once. Then, somewhere between the ages of eighteen and twenty, it stopped dragging and started flying. Just like this past year. I can’t believe that our little attempt to get you Philadelphians talking to one another is already a full year old. I must say, we feel plenty grown up, despite our young age — maturity just becomes us, I’m sure. Thanks to this past year, we’ve gotten first row seats to the events of the city and the world. And, thanks to those first row seats, we’ve gotten to bring you everything we’ve seen – presidential primaries, restaurant weeks, celebrity juice, yummy menus, health exposes and, our favorite, cool people doing cool things throughout the community.

A year is, after all, a mini-milestone. We are celebrating our first milestone with some fun updates in the magazine — a new aesthetic to the sections, a special prize for our dedicated readers and a feature that is all about you, all of you, and why you

love this city of brotherly love. Also, now that you get to see what Insight looks like at one years old, what about our staff?

Aren’t we adorable in our baby pictures (see below)?

This year has been good to us, and we’ve loved sharing it with you. We hope that your year was just as great. Time flies, and it has a funny way of making you realize that you’ve put so much off for “tomorrow” that “tomorrow” has become a year (or more!). We hope that time has not duped you that way this year. And if it has, then lets show it we’re onto its game in this upcoming year. Let’s keep moving, Philadelphia. Let’s keep doing and talking and engaging one another. That’s all we’ve ever wanted. That’s what we celebrate today, our birthday, and that is what we will continue to celebrate as we move forward: our little city with all our great people, coming together, just to chat.

—Maria

“Few people have the imagination for reality.”

—Goethe

Readers Respond to our August Issue: “How can they even think about defunding planned parenthood? What are our health taxes going to go to? This is a crucial need — how dare the city think this is okay?! “—Susanne, 40, Queen Village “I was pleased to learn about a new work environment in Philly (Indy Hall), I recently started a business and was getting reallytired of working in Starbucks!” —Jonathan, 31, South Philadelphia “I’d like to comment on your article about the economy hurting men’s dating life... I had no idea that our society has literally gone superficial in every sense. Dating life and economy really have no relevance... Get a job, make money, put on a smile... Get a date... etc. Geez, guys, one excuse after the next in order not to spend extra money on a woman... Let’s grow a pair.” —Reuben, 36, Old City See your comment? Follow instructions on pg. 3 to win prizes! Respond to our September issue on our website (myinsightmag. com), email (insight@myinsightmag.com), Facebook (My Insight Magazine) or tweet us (My Insight Magazine).

Our Team:

Maria Goroshovsky Co-Founder/Editor

Luba Patlakh Editorial Director

“If death meant just leaving the stage long enough to change costume and come back as a new character, would you slow down?

“The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.”

Or speed up?””

2 Insight•September 2012

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Angele Douglas Russell Contributing Writer “Always live your life on purpose””

Olga Astreika Contributing Writer “I’m happiest while making the greatest contribution.”

Alla Podolsky Graphic Designer “Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.

Art is knowing which ones to keep.”

— Scott Adams

Insight In This Issue:

Editor’s Desk 2 Letter from the Editor Readers Respond to our August Issue Word on the Street 4 The World is Over the Euro Tweens Run the World!

Global Obesity vs. Overpopulation: Which Is Worse?

6 Ph-un in Philadelphia Social Seating On Airlines Insight Poll 7 Community Spotlight: Jonathan Silva 8 Executive Bio: Lex Houser.

Bad Kids Clothing 10 Technology vs. Grammar The “Old People Smell” Does Exist Feature 9 What’s Up. Philly?!

Healthy Living 11 Eat and Drink Like a French Woman Prestige Home Care Agency Warning: Farm-raised Over Wild Catch Fish How Hearing Loss Affects Our Society

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Issue 13 • September 2012

7 Entertainment and Lifestyle 12 Top Five Reasons to go to the Movies in September Long Awaited Fall Premieres Conversation Starters 13 Emmy Predictions Want the Best Marriage Advice? Ask a Divorcee The Sexy Age 14 Say “Ah!” Spa Review: The Four Season Spa. Age-Defying, Ultra Facial Toys That Need to Make a Comeback 15 Eat Good Food: Restaurant Week Edition You Are What You Drink Leaving Philadelphia 16 Dress to Impress: Fall Jackets Sports and Athletics 17 Eagles Season Kick Off Athletes with the Longest Careers The Business of Sports on TV London Games and Social Media Phillys Baseball, Eagles Football, and Union Soccer Schedules

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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 for even more prizes, your account and more information!

Career and Finance 18 Student Loans: Next Housing Bubble?

Credit Card Myths Getting a Promotion with No Raise?

Technology Today 19 Scientists Find the God-Particle Genetically-Modified Babies How to Avoid Computer Viruses Site of the Month: The Cool Hunter.

A Dose of Insight 20 Insight Advice Column Relax and Play 21 Sudoku Wordsearch 22 Photohunt!

August Horoscopes Marketplace 23 Advertisement

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Sports Club!

1yourPhilly Kick start your fitness! $20 toward membership!! iTunes! Stay in-TUNE! 2listening $20, for your iTunes pleasure.

Yogorino! Whats 3onbetter than frozen yogurt a hot day? $20 worth of frozen yogurt on a hot day!

Anniversary super prize!

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e want to thank all our readers for being there with us every step of the way this past year. And we want to reward all those especially avid readers of ours that have dove into every one of our issues — with our anniversary super prize! If you email a picture containing each of our issues from the past year (all 12!) to insight@myinsightmag.com or post it to our Facebook wall (My Insight Magazine), along with your name and contact information, then you get to pick three prizes from all the prizes we’ve ever featured in our issues!

September 2012•Insight 3

Euro

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he Euro. It’s the official currency of the “euro zone,” a collection of 17 of the 27 European Union countries, forming the economic and monetary union, that currently use the euro. To date, the euro also has the highest combined value of banknotes in circulation in the world, far surpassing the U.S. dollar and is the second most traded currency in the world. So, why is it causing so much turmoil? Why are so many hating the euro?

The European debt crisis hit European with the same force that the American crisis hit the states. With four of the EU’s member countries having neared collapse in recent years, the union has been thrown into debate about its fiscal future. The euro is among the more hotly debated topics. In its most distilled and paraphrased form, the debate has been turning on austerity measures vs. bailouts by countries like Germany on the one side and countries like Spain Greece on the other, respectively. Germany is known for its efficient, productive and successful economy and would, essentially, be the one filling the piggybank keeping Greece and/or Spain afloat. As one would assume, it doesn’t want to do this without some assurances of austerity — measures deemed extreme by the Greek and Spanish governments.

These ongoing, heated debates have led some talk about disbandment of the euro zone. More recently, European leaders have tried to build back confidence in the euro, as the competing countries work towards a fiscal détente Critics of the euro support the disbandment of the euro zone, citing they myriad of issues related to its sustainability, the requirement that countries cede economic authority, lack of central fiscal authority, and its affect on the world economy. Economists believe that if the euro zone does not disband, the recession will continue indefinitely and the political cohesion of the European Union will be irreparably harmed.

Tweens Run The World

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arents, listen up. You may have the money, but your tweens have all the power — as receptors of brand marketing.

Simply put, brands want your child’s business and, with the internet, they’re getting it. Coined “Generation Z”, this group of some 20 million boys and girls, between the ages of 8 and 12, are savvier than their parents in the areas of technology and fashion; that trend is set to increase in the coming years.

In the area of consumerism, tweens influence an estimated $180 billion of their parents spending, annually. Think about it: some 41 percent of tweens put an Ipad at the top of their Christmas list this past season. If that’s not influence, I don’t know what is! Don Tapscott, author of Grown Up Digital, summed up the enormous influence of Generation X, saying that “this is the first time in human history when children are an authority on something important […] changing business, commerce, government and entertainment.”

How exactly do marketers reach this new generation of experts? By engaging them, says Tapscott. Brands must use alternative marketing methods to lure teens by placing themselves right in front, establishing a more personal, up-close connection. Tweens want to help brands make decisions, rather than get hit over the head with traditional marketing messages.

So, if you’re a marketer, the next time a mom and daughter walk in the store, skip the mom and head straight to the kid; after all, she holds the most power!

Global Obesity vs. OverPopulation: Which Is Worse?

L et’s face it. We’re fat. In fact, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine released a study to prove just how overweight we are. In conjunction with the United Nations, the findings show the world’s population is collectively seventeen million tons (17 million tons) overweight, with the majority of those tons originating in the United States.

So, exactly what does seventeen million tons look like? Try 170 aircraft carriers or 2.8 million 6-ton elephants. In terms of people, it is equivalent to having an extra 470 million people on earth; now, that’s a lot of weight! These numbers are important, as the World Health Organization estimates an extra 2-3 billion people inhabiting Earth by 2050.

Experts argue that the growth of the population, in terms of numbers, is not as worrisome as the growth in body mass.

More body mass takes more energy to maintain and move, placing an obvious strain on food security and ecological sustainability. As such, population counts do not tell the entire story as it relates to the capacity of the planet to support its inhabitants.

So, what can we do? Simply realizing that maintaining a healthy weight is not just about our personal fitness, but also about the health of the planet. The less we weigh, the less strain we place on the planet and on each other!

I 4 Insight•September 2012

nsight Magazine looks back on the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2011 and remembers those who lost their lives in the grim events of that day. This month commemorates 11 years since the unspeakable tragedy, which continues to impact America and the world.

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Word on the Street

The World is Over the

September 2012•Insight 5

Ph-un in Philadelphia!

Philadelphia’s got a lot going on in

September. Insight magazine is here to

make sure you are in the center of all of the action!

Check out the shows, events, and exhi-bitions going on now and coming soon.

09/02–9/17. 15th Annual Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe. For fans of new and experimental theater, the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe is the event to catch each September. www.livearts-fringe.org.

09/08. Philly Roller Girls September Doubleheader. 6 p.m. Philly Roller Girls are members of the Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby Association (WFTDA), and among the top 12 teams in the world. 1776 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA, 19121, (215) 204-2400. www.liacourascenter.com 09/15. R&B Festestival. 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Experience live music, food, shopping, community groups and much more at one of the funkiest community events in Philadelphia! Aside from music and activities, The Partnership CDC will spread awareness of neighborhood concerns and community resources by providing free health screenings and green vendors. www.partnershipcdc.wordpress.com/.

09/15. Virtua’s 8th Annual Women’s Health Symposium.

7:30 a.m. This year’s keynote speakers are award-winning daytime TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz and best-selling author and entrepreneur Lisa Oz. Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA, 19107, (215) 418-4700. www. paconvention.com/ 09/16. Rock-n-Roll Marathon. Number one marathon series in the nation. Live music, great running courses. Start Line: 8 a.m., Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The half marathon course is as flat and festive as they come, perfect for runners and walkers of all ability levels. www.runrocknroll.competitor.com/philadelphia.

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Social Seating on Airlines

raveling alone on an airplane can be dreadful, especially if it’s a long flight. That awkward silence with a person next to you can be unbearable. Never fear… this may soon change. Many airlines are attempting to make the travelling experience more enjoyable for passengers and are using different tactics to do so.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Malaysia Airlines are allowing their passengers to share their social-networking profile and profile pictures with other passengers to pick their seatmate. The programs inform flyers whether or not there is another person flying to attend the same meeting as them, if there is another stockbroker, or lawyer on the plane with you. Then flyers have the ability to pick who they think best fits as their seatmate.

Latvian airline airBaltic has launched a similar system called “SeatBuddy.” Right before their flight, passengers may choose from four potential moods they are in. The system will then pair you up with someone who is feeling what you feel. If you feel like talking, the system will pair you up with someone just as chatty so you can have a nice conversation and potentially meet a new business partner.

However, one thing to keep in mind is, once you have chosen who will be your seatmate you can not back out of it or switch your seat. All personal information and passenger identity is not disclosed after matches are made so passengers can have something to look forward to on their flight.

Insight Poll: Are you a morning, afternoon or evening person?

Afternoon 29%

Morning 36%

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!

6 Insight•September 2012

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Evening 35%

Community Spotlight:

By Luba Patlakh

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familiar face to the Philadelphia dance crowd and summer resident DJ at Atlantic City’s Chelsea C5 since 2011, DJ Jonathan Silva is a local DJ on the rise! Silva, 6ft tall, 24 years old, dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair, has a Portuguese background. He is a lover of culture and fine food; and his close friends call him Silva. Feelin’ like you know all about him already?? Hold on to your seat because we are about to take a ride through the life of this month’s Community Spotlight, DJ Jonathan Silva.

At the age of 14 Jonathan was exposed to his first live DJ and from that “I am always up for a good time no moment, he knew that becoming a DJ was exactly what he wanted to do.

“Within that week I got together a radio, CD player, and a belt driven turnmatter what, when, where, how. I table and began my ever growing journey. At the age of 15 I had saved up love being spontaneous. I love life” money and purchased used DJ equipment. After hours in the basement, I taught himself how to mix, and began understanding the importance of tempo, rhythm, and timing.” Within that year, Jonathan was hired at a DJ company where he would DJ all types of events. Working for that company helped him gain experience and grown into the DJ that he is today. “That year also marked my first nightlife gig in Northeast Philadelphia (I was only 15!) I remained resident DJ for the next two and a half years, then moved on to other nightlife venues in Center City Philadelphia.”

DJing at such a young age allowed Jonathan to enhance and develop his style in the craft of DJing. “Picking through old records and collecting CD’s, gave me the broad ability to play in any venue with any genre of music.” One of the main reasons he love’s DJing is his strong passion for Electric Dance Music (EDM).

Insight Magazine: Where is the coolest place you have spun?

Jonathan Silva: There have been so many places over the last 10 years it is hard to pin point which place was the coolest. Although, fun fact: I once DJed a private event where the owner had his own single propeller air plane landing strip in his back yard. That was pretty cool! If I had to pick one place it would have to be when I was DJing in Toronto, Canada. I DJed at this place called Chevel.

It was just a magical night, I was surrounded by my closest friends and I had been waiting all day to headline. Once the opening DJ came off I just went to work. I even spoke on the mic which usually is not my style but like I said it was just magical. It was a Saturday night during the Fall and I came on the decks at 12-2am and when I came on the place erupted. I had people standing on tables. It was incredible for me, making an international appearance and it going so well. The club was beautiful, the people were sexy, the DJ booth was top notch, the sound system was enormous. As a DJ there is nothing else you can ask for. I was in heaven.

IM: Who is your favorite artist/ who do you look up to?

JS: I do not have a favorite artist that I look up to per say, but if I had to choose one, I would have to say David Guetta. Reason being is because I love all of his music and can play it at most of the venues where I DJ. Being able to create music for the EDM crowd and Mainstream radio crowd is by far the hardest. David does this with ease. You can go back and listen to his early music before he became a radio hit and he had some amazing EDM tracks. Now you can turn the radio on and listen to him with Akon, Snoop Dog, Kings of Leon, Cold Play, Jennifer Hudson, Flo Rida etc... The man is super talented and what makes me look up to him is the ability he has to do everything. I call many DJs “one trick pony’s” because they can only play one type of room, with one type of music, with one type of crowd. The ability to read a room and play an open format is the hardest to do. Because the songs do not match up as easy and there is much more room for error, not to mention knowing all the music. That is a lot. So I give it up to David Guetta because he is extremely talented in playing both markets, EDM & mainstream. When you become a professional DJ it is not always about you. It becomes about the fans and what people want to listen to, David Guetta has mastered this!

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IM: If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?

JS: Hmm, I have never been asked this before... to be honest, being that my favorite music is (Electronic Dance Music) EDM. I would want to collaborate with someone who has been here from the beginning. Not to say that there are not amazing talented new-age DJs, it’s just my foundation and roots come from when I was a kid listening to music, including pioneers like, Carl Cox, Danny Tenaglia, Erick Morillo, John Digweed, Roger Sanchez. The icing on the cake would be something like a 5-10 hour set @ Ultra Music Winter Conference.

IM: What can we expect from you in the coming months?

JS: I will be back in Philly DJing anywhere from Whisper, Rumor, Lit, G, etc... However, I will be making many more appearances in Atlantic City, Boston, and New York coming this fall.

September 2012•Insight 7

EXECUTIVE BIO:

Lex Houser

By Luba Patlakh

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woman who described herself in one word as “Ignited,” and one who has been a frequenter of EDM (Electronic Dance Music) events and festivals from her Junior year in college, Alexa better known as “Lex” Houser, lives in Philadelphia and is behind an ever so clever line of tee’s called ‘Bad Kids.’

Initially planning a career in film, but later realizing it wasn’t what she wanted to do, Lex ended up in Communication, where she eventually went into social media marketing. “I was in LA for 6 years before deciding to move back to Philly last summer. I loved LA with all my heart but after being there for a while after graduating college, I think I started to realize that I belonged on the East Coast,” she told Insight.

Never imagining she’d be where she is today, Lex describes her whereabouts and turnouts as, the weirdest part about what I’m doing right now. “If you told me even one year ago that I would have a clothing company, I would have straight up laughed in your face,” she said. “It was not something that was ever even in the realm of things I thought I might be doing one day. But that’s kind of the greatest thing about life, isn’t it? Nothing happens according to plan, and it is often the things that you don’t see coming that end up being the greatest gifts in your life.”

Being a frequent EDM event and festival go-er, Lex ran into the issue of never being able to find the right thing to wear to these events. “All I’d be looking for was a bright colored tank that wasn’t ridiculously expensive or too nice to get dirty with something printed on it that had something to do with music or dancing, or anything

8 Insight•September 2012

clothing

in that general vicinity. But even after scouring the racks at H&M and Forever21, I usually came up empty-handed, and then I’d end up wearing things that I wasn’t fully satisfied with.”

She accidently came across her own brand when last fall, “it was my friend Juelz birthday and I wanted to make him a shirt as a gift. I wanted it to express him being The DJ’s #1 Fan or something like that because anyone who knows Juelz knows, that when you go to a show or party or event with him where a DJ is spinning, he will be stationed directly in front of that DJ cheering him on like it’s his job. He’s really tall and has a big booming voice so it’s pretty hard to miss him. So I went to a website where you can customize your own t-shirt and then suddenly had the idea to use a line from a song, “I don’t need no love, all I need is the DJ” instead. And that’s when I thought to myself, “Why isn’t there one place where you can get all kinds of shirts like this?”

I knew it didn’t already exist, since I’d been searching online for years.”

Later approaching her friend Nick Romero who owns a custom print shop she told him her idea and he gave her the tools to get Bad Kids up and running.

“I designed everything, set up my website, [and] managed the social media and the marketing, while Nick took care of the printing and shipping of the shirts. It took a few months to get everything up and running but in December I launched Bad Kids Clothing and it’s been a pretty crazy ride from that point on.”

The line is called Bad Kids for a couple reasons, she says. “1st -when you go to EDM events, you truly have the opportunity to run around and be a kid again. You wear bright colored clothing; put paint on your face, make new friends on the ‘playground,’ and dance like nobody’s watching you. You get to have legitimate, unobstructed, unrefined, fun, and I think that’s an experience this clothing line can really amplify and add to. 2nd-- most people who have never been to an EDM event or a rave have a negative view of them. They imagine a bunch of “bad kids”, doing “bad” things; the scene is a dark and violent place or something. But anyone who has ever been to an EDM event knows that it’s the exact opposite. These events are so open, freeing, loving, and the kids that go to them aren’t bad at all. They’re kind and beautiful, inside and out.”

To date the coolest thing Lex has encountered as a business owner is seeing overwhelming amounts of people wearing her line. In the future, Lex see’s herself traveling abroad with her brand, “I’d really like to start chasing festivals around the world, taking Bad Kids international. Maybe setting up a storefront somewhere. I’d also really love to one day have a Bad Kids event, just the way The Disco Biscuits put on Camp Bisco every year. That would be the dream.” http://www.badkidsclothing.com

What’s Up

Philly?!

By Luba Patlakh

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e started Insight Magazine, because you the people of Philadelphia, inspired us! We wanted to talk to you and get you talking to one another. What better time is there for a status check than now, in our one year anniversary issue? We decided to hit the streets and chit chat with all of you to see how your year in Philadelphia has been.

Do you ever wonder how you’re brain is able to control the perception of time? At times it seems as if life is flying by — especially when we are involved in a fun activity or event. We can’t believe how much our baby has grown is just one year! We’ve made a lot of new friends, participated in some cool events, and most importantly reported on the latest and greatest in Philadelphia. Now it’s our turn to hear from our readers!

Rachel Utain-Evans Samuella Takyi-Buachie.

New mom and Philadelphia resident, loves several Activity: Seeing plays at the Arden things about the city!

Theater: “It’s more of an old folks When it comes to spas, this mama recommends The thing, but I love it!”

Body Restoration spa: “They have this special pillow Take on the city: “It’s a really good that allows you to lie on your stomach during the place for families, somewhere that pre-natal massage, I said you don’t even have to touch has something for everyone.” me… I’ll pay just to lie on the pillow.”

Favorite Dessert: Phileo frozen yogurt on South Rachel feels that Philly is a city for families: “It’s the right Street. “They have great service and you can make size, not over crowded, very friendly, and pretty clean.” your own cup of yogurt.”

Her top food spots include: Aqua, Malaysian Thai Around town: “It’s so green here, the beauty of all of cuisine, 705 Chestnut Street, and the Pitruco Pizza the parks.” truck. “Most places in Philly are family friendly and accommodating.”

Van Huynh.

Quaneane Singleton.

Healthcare: Pennsylvania Hospital: “Incredible resources and great Favorite Favorite place to shop: South St. medical care.” thing about Favorite shops include Lulu.ish, Philadelphia: 520 South St., anything that has Joseph N. Vendetti.

“I truly love to do with accessories World War II veteran, Joseph how historic Favorite Food: Reef restaurant Vendetti has lots of love for his this city is, and lounge, 605 South 3rd St. city and is very happy living in Old City is my Favorite Dishes: Jerk Chicken & Oxtail Hopkinson House, where he favorite place to be; feeling of Best Places to go: Penn’s Landing, festival pier enjoys his roofdeck pool! reliving what was here.”

Place to go with friends: Berry Sweet Frozen “I grew up at a playground near Pats & Genos, and Favorite places to visit: Yogurt, 901 South St. I love this city, any problems we have here … they historic sites, including To walk around: Downtown Philly are the same all over the country.”

Reading Terminal Market Who’s a better Philadelphia cultural icon: Will Favorite things about Philadelphia: Washington and Little Italy Smith or Rocky? “Have you ever heard of the Square Park, Culture and history of the city.

Favorite Food: Italianterm from rags-to-riches? These are three Favorite Restaurant: Bomb Bomb BBQ Grill, 1026 Mediterranean menus, words that describe Will Smith perfectly.

Wolf Street. including the WHOLE menu What makes Will Smith a cultural icon is how at Positano Coast he went from attending an inner-city high Noel Chronister Favorite Dessert: “Love the school, West Philadelphia High School, to & Ashley Marcoitz. 22. matriculating into well-known celebrity who different flavors at Capogiro Gelateria.”

Noel and Ashley LOVE children look up to.” living in Philadelphia!

Favorite Food: “Philadelphia has so many amazing restaurants, great food scene.

I’m really into the Mediterranean style food.” —Noel Jobs: “We’ve worked in the tourist industry here, it’s a city of great opportunity.”

Favorite things to do: Visit the Philadelphia Zoo and Franklin Institute What’s special about Philadelphia: “There are so many great nonprofit organizations here, the city truly cares, and it’s really easy to get involved.”

Where to go: “There are so many areas to discover … Italian Market in South Philly!!” —Ashley September 2012•Insight 9

Technology vs. Grammar

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t has taken over many teens’ and young adult’s lives. It has become a daily habit, almost a sickness. Mobile device activities such as cell phones, iPods and tablets have notably taken over our lives. However, one thing people haven’t focused much on is how this affects our grammar.

Currently, there are more than 200 million wireless subscribers in the United States. Out of those 200 million subscribers, a great amount of them are teens and preteens.

Since the use of texting became a social norm, teens have also created a new language and began using acronyms.

Teens are also slipping on their reading and writing scores when being tested for simple skills. This new age form of communication between people has got everyone slipping on their grammar to the point where some people are unable to use the proper “their, they’re, or there.”

Of course texting, e-mailing and communicating through social networking sites has its advantages, but people should also be cautious of their grammar and start proof reading their work. The battle between technology and grammar definitely shows at the end of the school year when grades are all in; but, it is not only teens that are missing the point here. Some managers have reported that their employees are also using loose grammar when communicating with clients. Not only does that create a bad impression of the company, it may also cause communication errors between an employee and a client.

If the fight between technology and grammar continues, it is very clear who will win. Technology is not going anywhere; it is only improving day in and day out.

the “Old People Smell” does exist

10 Insight•September 2012

ou know that moment when you step foot into an elderly persons home and BAM, it hits you in the face — that unwarranted, elder smell? First you may think it’s just that persons distinct smell, then you think maybe it’s just you, but you never stop to think that maybe old person smell really does exist!

It has been proven that there is a distinct body odor carried by different age groups, and it’s not something that can be covered up by perfume either. The age groups are young (20-30 years old), Middleage (45-55), and old-age (75-95). What was so unique about these findings is that research shows that young and middle-age people have a more intense and unpleasant smell; compared to older aged people who have a much more pleasant smell.

The distinct smell in humans comes between our skin glands which, secretes bacterial activity. The gland is found throughout the skin’s surface and secretes many mixtures of lipids, which in-turn produces the body odor.

Similar to humans, several animal species also have a distinct smell to them.

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f you’re like most American women, just the thought of consuming full fat cheeses, breads, pastas, and wines makes you gain weight. But, for some reason, indulging in these savory delights has no effect on a French woman’s ability to maintain a healthy weight. In her book, French Women Don’t Get Fat, Mireille Guillano gives insight into how French women are able to do what most American women are not — have their cake and eat it too!

Home Care Agency

warning:

Farm-raised Over Wild Catch Fish

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ish is an important part of your diet. It is an especially healthy addition for those trying to lose weight.” But, which is better self caught fish or farmer’s fish? Prestige Home Care Agency suggests everyone eat farmer fish once a week, if not less.

Prestige believes that fresh, wild caught fish is a lot better than farmer’s processed fish.

Farmer’s fish is farmer’s fish is worse from a nutrition standpoint, especially when eating salmon. Self caught wild fish contain more nutrients that processed fish do not have much of such as Omega-3. It is also recommended to boil or grill the fish to eliminate toxic chemicals, as well as trimming most of the fat off of the fish before eating.

Between farm-raised salmon in particular and wild salmon there is a significant price different. That’s because wild salmon is so hard to get compared to farm-raised salmon. So next time you’re at the grocery store choosing fish think twice before you buy!

How

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hearing loss Affects Our Socitey

Here are a few of her pointers: F Savor what you eat without the added guilt; make eating a ritual without distractions (e.g. tv).

Also, French women eat with their five senses and only eat about three bites of a dish to enjoy it.

F Enjoy quality food. French women rarely eat diet food products; just be sure to exercise portion control!

F Evaluate eating habits and get to the bottom of why you are unhealthy.

F Keep a food journal to see where you may be overindulging (e.g. always cleaning your plate, even when already full).

F Drink water to control weight, keep the body hydrated, and to flush out toxins.

F Walk everywhere to exercise rather than spending hours in the gym.

Remember, slow and steady wins the race on this one. It’s about lifestyle changes, rather than quick fixes. So, go out, enjoy your food and life, and look good while doing it!

Loneliness Shortens Lifespan

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o one truly wants to be lonely. Not only is it no fun, new research shows that loneliness shortens lifespan. Studies confirm that those who have heart disease and live by themselves do not live as long as those who have heart disease and cohabitate.

There is no clear fact as to why loneliness shortens lifespan, but some believe that when a person is lonely; the social support is missing, so it drains their health even more. For example, if a person went through a heartbreaking divorce and they live by themselves, the person can be left feeling isolated. Studies show that people with heart disease who lived alone were more likely to die than their counterparts who did not. A second report showed that people aged 60 or older were at an increased risk of functional decline and/or death if they felt left out, isolated or reported a lack of companionship. Both studies were released online this summer in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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earing is one of the most important senses in humans. When that is taken away people are affected in more than one way. Senior citizens are usually the ones most affected by hearing loss, but it does happen to young children as well. The hearing aid device was first recorded back in 1588, but it wasn’t until 1926 when the first patent was granted for an inthe-ear hearing aid. That is when it became a little easier for people to deal with such loss.

A study which was published in South America showed that nearly 22 percent of adults suffer with a significant level of hearing loss. People with hearing loss can experience a dramatic self-esteem issue; as well as suffer from depression because they are not able to communicate with others like everyone else. A person who suffers from hearing loss may feel embarrassed, upset and become very unsocial. If you have a loved one who suffers from hearing loss make sure you speak clearly while facing them, speak in a reasonable speed, use facial expressions and hand gestures, and most importantly be patient.

September 2012•Insight 11

Healthy Living

Eat and Drink Like a French Woman

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9/7—The Words This layered romantic drama follows two stories, in two different eras. Bradley Cooper stars as a modern day author who reaches astronomical literary success from a novel that he, in fact, did not write. As his popularity rises, he has to face an entire past behind his stolen novel. Also starring Jeremy Irons, Dennis Quaid, Olivia Wilde and Zoe Saldana.

9/28—Looper Set in the future, where time travel exists illegally on the black market, mob members send hit men — loopers — into the past to kill their targets. Looper, Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) enjoys the perks and money that come with such a position, until the mob decides to tie up loose ends by sending back Joe’s future self (Bruce Willis) for assassination.

9/14—The Perks of Being a Wallflower Emma Watson, Nina Dobrev and Paul Rudd star in this awkward comedy about a shy and unpopular teenager addressing a series of letters to “anonymous,” within which he explores his weird adolescence and the experiences that come with it.

9/28—End of Watch Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena star in this gritty, close and harrowing view of two police officers on the hardest streets of south central Los Angeles. The movies cinematography are what make it great. It’s cast – including Anna Kendrick, Natalie Martinez and America Ferrara — help too.

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9/21—Ten Year Some people look forward to their ten-year, high school reunion. Some people dread it.

This movie captures the whole spectrum of emotion, headed by actors Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan, Anna Faris, Chris Pratt, Chris Pine and Scott Porter.

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LONG AWAITED

Fall Premieres Tuesday, 9/11 Thursday, 9/13

Glee

Sunday, 9/16

Boardwalk Empire

Monday, 9/17

Bones The Mob Doctor

Tuesday, 9/25

Vegas NCIS

Thursday, 9/27 Friday, 9/28 Sunday, 9/30

12 Insight•September 2012

Parenthood

Elementary Person of Interest Fringe Dexter Homeland The Good Wife The Mentalist

Conversation Starters * In Japan, a “drive-in” is known as a rest area. * 101 Dalmatians and Peter Pan (Wendy) are the only two Disney cartoon features with both parents that are present and don’t die throughout the movie. * There are more than 2,000 different types of minerals, but only 100 are considered beautiful. Only 20 are commonly used in jewelry. * The United States spent $40 billion to get a spacecraft and astronaut onto the moon. * Each year, more than 7.5 billion Oreos are consumed.

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Entertainment & Lifestyle

Top Five Reasons to go to the Movies in September

Emmy PREDICTIONS A

ward season is not over yet, folks.

The 2012 Emmy Awards are set to take place on September 23rd. Email us at insight@myinsightmag.com and let us know who you think will win in these key categories.

If you get them all right, you get your choice of prizes from the September Issue prize selections on page 3!

Outstanding Comedy Series q The Big Bang Theory q Modern Family q Curb Your Enthusiasm q 30 Rock q Girls q Veep Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series q Lena Dunham, Girls q Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly q Zooey Deschanel, New Girl q Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie q Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation q Tina Fey, 30 Rock q Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series q Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory q Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm q Don Cheadle, House of Lies q Louis C.K., Louie q Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock q Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men Outstanding Drama Series q Boardwalk Empire q Game of Thrones q Breaking Bad q Homeland q Downton Abbey q Mad Men Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series q Glenn Close, Damages q Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey q Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife q Kathy Bates, Harry’s Law q Claire Danes, Homeland q Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series q Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire q Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad q Michael C. Hall, Dexter q Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey q Damian Lewis, Homeland q Jon Hamm, Mad Men

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Outstanding Miniseries or Movie q American Horror Story q Hemingway & Gellhorn q Game Change q Luther q Hatfields & McCoys q Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia Outstanding Variety Series q The Colbert Report q Late Night with Jimmy Fallon q The Daily Show q Real Time with Bill Maher q Jimmy Kimmel Live q Saturday Night Live

WANT THE BEST MARRIAGE ADVICE?

F

ASK A DIVORCÉE

act: more than half of all marriages fail. That is the harrowing truth everyone ignores when they run, head over heels, to the altar. But, fact of the matter is, line up you with eight of your married friends and, statistically, four of them are bound to divorce their spouses. One of those four may well be you — but, then, no one really ever thinks that, do they? How do you avoid this dark cloud of a statistic? Ask someone who knows what goes wrong and learn from what they tell you. Ask a divorcée.

Psychologist, research professor at the University of Michigan and author of the book Finding Love Again: 6 Simple Steps to a New and Happy Relationship, Terri Orbuch, did the heavy lifting for you.

She began studying married couples in their mid twenties, in their first year of marriage. The study lasted 25 years and, in those 25 years, Orbuch watched 46% of her subjects divorce (a rate pretty close to the national average). Orbych kept contact with these people through the divorce process and into their new relationships — to get a complete understanding of their experiences.

In the study, Orbuch found that divorced couples all tend to have the same five biggest regrets, that they attribute to their marriages’ end — things they wish they would have done but didn’t. (1) Boosting their spouses mood with affirmative displays of love (Men, apparently, need this more than women); (2) Having more serious money talks to avoid money fights (Almost half of all the couples studied discussed having big money fights throughout their marriages, making money a huge point of contention); (3) Getting over your spouse’s past, and your own (Forget the ex-girlfriends and boyfriends, the unmentionable experiences they had and just take them as they are now; (4) Stop putting blame on the relationship or the other person (The majority of the divorced couples studied would blame their spouse for problems in the relationship without treating a problem as a mutual thing to deal with as a team. The anger that would build up would make it impossible to move forward); (5) Communicate more and better (Communication is, after all the main piece of marital advice everyone has always heard. But, it really is important. It’s not just that you speak, but what you say.

Revealing things about yourself and having intimate communication is key).

THE Sexy AGE W

omen can attest to the fact that the teenage years are akward. They are NOT sexy.

Then there’s that period in your twenties where you grow into your own. Your thirties can really go either way. So on and so forth. But, what is that magical number — that year that we will finally feel like ourselves and sexy and empowered and all “I am woman, hear me roar?” One British study has found the magic age! This study of two thousand women says that a woman will generally feel her sexiest at 28 but that she will be her most confident at 32, due to some friend and family ego boosting.

There you are, those are your lucky numbers women. But, don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be a steep hike up nor downhill from there.

About ¾ of the women studied said that, despite social pressures, they were relatively content with their bodies and wouldn’t actually change their body shape if given the chance. That doesn’t mean they don’t still think about it. There is a top contender for the body part even these confident women would change — 41% would give themselves longer, slimmer legs, given the opportunity.

September 2012•Insight 13

Say “Ah!”

Spa Review

By Luba Patlakh

The Four Season Spa: Age-Defying, Ultra Facial

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Insight Experience: This was the most hands-on, let-me-just-lie-here-while-you-take-care-of-things treatment. Step one was a light exfoliation cleanse, this process helps to prepare the skin for resurfacing, extractions, and ultrasound. Desiree McGrath, the esthetician who worked on me was warm, professional, and super informative. She guided me through the process, answered any questions I had, and as a licensed massage therapist. Her neck rub was quite relaxing, too!

First, she used the micro-current Lift “Wrinkle Zap.” The micro-currents are a non-invasive alternative to surgical procedures as well as an alternative or companion to injectables. This was followed by ultrasonic exfoliation and penetration. Ultrasonic use is safe for all skin types and concerns, including acne and active Rosacea. This exfoliation hydrates the skin’s tissues through cavitation and deep cleanses the pores.

It is coupled with ultrasound infusion, which instantly plumps fine lines and delivers deeper, longer lasting results.

Then an LED red and blue light ultrasonic resurfacing feels a little bit like a light, airy shave with a gentle electric razor. It’s actually a deeper exfoliation process that uses sound vibration to get rid of dead cells and dirt. The use of red or blue LED is chemical free and helps with cell regeneration and healing. Red LED also reduces redness and stress hormones and those concerned with acne bacteria may opt for the blue LED. The facial ended with a deeply hydrating mask designed to desensitize the skin and reduce redness. The results of the facial are immediate and leave no marks or scarring – making it perfect for your next special function. Facial results typically last up to 5-7 days however a regular series of Ultra-Facials can sustain results for up to two years. Book yours today!

Toys that need

The Koosh Ball

The Furby

to make A comeback Polly Pocket

14 Insight•September 2012

Tamagotchi

Stretch Armstrong Pogs

Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots

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oined as the “ultimate fitness for your face,” the CACI (Computer Aided Cosmetology Instrument) Ultra-Facial is the first and only facial of its kind. It made its debut this April and is offered exclusively at the Four Seasons Hotel Spa in Philadelphia. You’re probably wondering what exactly sets this facial apart from the rest? Let me explain.

Firstly, it is important to know that estheticians have been borrowing the technology from the medical world since 1992—you might have heard it described as a non-surgical face lift, and this truly is! The Ultra Facial by CACI, is an age-defying facial, which offers clients a non-surgical face lift. The procedure is 80 minutes long, combining the award winning lifting and toning attributes of the CACI non-surgical facelift with the world acclaimed skin regenerating properties of the Futur-Tec machine.

“The CACI Ultra-Facial incorporates four different technologies within one state-of-the-art device. Featuring micro-currents, ultrasound, high frequency and diode photo stimulation, this facial will soften lines and wrinkles, reduce sun damage and skin congestion while hydrating, tightening and toning the face.”

Restaurant Week Edition!

Eat Good Food: Reviewed by: Luba Patlakh

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estaurant Week is here again (September 23 – 28)!!!

Woo Hoo! That means great deals on awesome dishes at the top restaurants in our city (multiple-course meal for just $20-35)!!! Take a look at our top 3 recommendations for September’s Restaurant Week 2012!

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Best described as a place for “savory, urban dining,” Barbuzzo offers diners, creatively crafted and Mediterranean-inspired dishes based on the flavors of Italy, Portugal, Spain, and France. Try their Cucumber Margarita & Veggie Board!

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If you haven’t dined here yet, you are missing out! Delicious sharable bites paired with the perfect cocktail, accompanied by a great crowd and good service. Need I say more?

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Small in size but definitely not in service or taste! Audrey Claire is a great place to get your grub on. Great for a night out with friends, you won’t want to miss this BYOB! Must Haves: Watermelon feta salad and braised short rib & Homemade banana bread pudding.

For more information: centercityphila.org/life/RestaurantWeek.php

What You Drink YOU ARE

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esearch from the University of Pittsburgh reveals that people may be instinctively judging you based solely on your alcoholic beverage — something to keep in mind during that night out with the guys. Studies conducted by Mindset Media and the Ros Taylor Group, and compiled by Men’s Health show that certain drinks reveal certain traits about you.

Domestic Light Beer drinkers are considered impulsive, easy going and respectful of authority. Domestic Full-Flavor Beer drinkers are considered practical and pretty mild. Wine drinkers are mature, adult-like and professional — dry like their wine. Vodka drinkers are about appearances and how they are perceived. Whiskey drinkers would like to be thought of as manly. Tequila drinkers are thought to be free spirits, but underachievers.

LEAVING PHILADELPHIA

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e love Philadelphia, there’s no denying it. There is always something good happening in our city of brotherly love.

But, there are a few occasions worth venturing out for, and they typically take place in New York. September is stocked with travel-worthy events like that.

So, we recommend you visit our neighbors in the big apple for these September offerings. Come back soon though!

Fashion Week In September, Manhattan is host to the Mercedes-Benz Fashion week, where designers put on killer shows to debut their Spring 2013 collections. The weeklong event showcases 70 designers’ gorgeous collections. Doesn’t hurt that the front rows of these shows also showcase the glitz and glamour of the Hollywood, models, designers and moguls filling the seats.

Fashion’s Night Out On September 6th, fashion has its annual “night out.” On this night, the stores and the streets fill with people as editors, stars, models, fashionistas, and designers crowd both uptown and downtown shops, open for extended store hours for huge events, sales and musical specials.

US Open Tennis Championships Through September 9th, the US Open puts Queens on the map as a place to be. Tickets have been on sale for the past few months and the matches have been going on for about a month, but there’s still time to go pretend you’re Posh and Becks sitting at a match, just on this side of the pond.

September 2012•Insight 15

Dress to Impress FALL JACKETS

A ppl y i n g Your W i n ter W ardrobe to F u n S u m m er L ooks

“B

ye-Bye, summer,” said the leaves and breeze as they spread throughout our city! The chill is coming and we want to make sure you are ready with the top Fall Jacket styles! Take a peek & feel free to email us pics of you in your trendiest fall gear! You may even end up on our website.

1 1. Long or Short Leather: whether you’re running out during a fall day or heading somewhere in the evening. A long or short leather jacket will always be in style. Day time favorites for women include a long sweater topped with a short slouchy leather jacket or for men polish off your business look with your leather jacket.

Women & Men 3 16 Insight•September 2012

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3. The Sport Coat: Sunday Funday and your running around shopping for groceries, heading to a friends, or taking a brisk walk…nothing seems more perfect than a sport coat! The type that keeps you looking sophisticated and together even at your most casual. They come in various colors and materials, but most sport coats come with a zipper and is considered a lighter coat that still keeps you very warm.

photo: Burberry

2. The Parka: Usually long in length, now more often seen cropped to the buttox for women but in a similar style, the parka is a coat that will keep you warm and dry but offers a more simplistic look. Most have large buttons and come in military style colors: khaki, beige, military green, or even black.

he Eagles football season is fast approaching! This will be the franchise’s 80th season in the National Football league. The first game will take place on September 9th at 7:30 pm against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The game will be a home game played at the Lincoln Financial Field. Though the team did not make it to the Super Bowl last year, this season the team is training harder for it and hope to make it a great season. We wish the team an amazing season, filled with many wins, as well as to make it to the Super Bowl this season!

Athletes with the The Business of Sports on TV longest careers ver the years sports on television has

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s the saying goes, “all good things must come to an end,” much more so in sports, where an athlete’s body can only take on so much wear and tear. On average, an athlete’s career only lasts about 10 years. Of course there are some athletes who can push their careers to last 20 years, and others well they barely make 3 years.

Boxing, football, gymnastics, and rugby are among the list of sport that holds a short career for athletes.

Jack ‘Jackie’ Rea is a retired snooker player. He has had the longest sport career playing for almost 50 years from 1947 until early 1990’s. Rea was the winner of the All Ireland Championship in 1947, as well as, the Northern Irish Snooker Championship the same year.

Rea also became the Irish Professional Champion in 1952.

Joyce Crowther was crowned this month for being the Britain’s longest serving female golfer at age 88.

Crowther has been golfing for 78 years, and she is still going! Picking up her first golf club in 1932, at the age of 10. It is a proven fact that golfers on average live 5 years longer than non-golfers.

So even though an athlete’s average career is said to only be 10 years, it is possible to make it last 50 or even 78 years.

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become on the largest grossing sectors. Each year Major League sports industry collects more than $711 million from television airings of their games. However, that amount is beginning to be too small for the Major Leagues liking. The company is now asking channels such as ESPN and Fox to pay more for the rights to air any games or sporting events. The deal that the Major League sport and media have going on now will be coming to an end in 2013, so the negotiation has started.

NBC is one of the largest channels to air any big events. For the next four years NBC agreed to pay $4.38 billion just to air the Olympics. NBC is also looking into increase their customer base, as well as raise fees for subscribers. This would increase the total revenue coming in each year and Major League sports will be able to gain a larger profit from the companies.

Think you know who will win?

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).

Phillies Baseball Schedule 9/1, vs. Atlanta 4:05 pm 9/2, vs. Atlanta 5:05 pm 9/3, vs. Cincinnati 5:05 pm 9/4, vs. Cincinnati 7:10 pm 9/5, vs. Cincinnati 12:35 pm 9/7, vs Colorado 7:05 pm 9/8, vs Colorado 7:05 pm 9/9, vs Colorado 1:35 pm 9/10, vs Miami 7:05 pm 9/11, vs Miami 7:05 pm 9/12, vs Miami 4:05 pm 9/13, vs. Houston 8:05 pm 9/14, vs. Houston 8:05 pm 9/15, vs. Houston 7:05 pm 9/16, vs. Houston 2:05 pm 9/17, vs. NY Mets 7:10 pm 9/18, vs. NY Mets 7:10 pm 9/19, vs. NY Mets 7:10 pm 9/21, vs Atlanta 7:05 pm 9/22, vs Atlanta TBA 9/23, vs Atlanta TBA 9/25, vs Washington 7:05 pm 9/26, vs Washington 7:05 pm 9/27, vs Washington 7:05 pm 9/28, vs. Miami 7:10 pm 9/29, vs. Miami 7:10 pm 9/30, vs. Miami 1:10 pm

Eagles Football Schedule 9/ 9, vs. Cleveland 1:00 pm 9/16, vs Baltimore 1:00 pm 9/23, vs. Arizona 4:05pm 9/30, vs. New York 8:20 pm

Union Soccer Schedule 9/1, vs. New England 7:30 pm 9/15, vs. Toronto 1:00 pm 9/20, vs. Washington 8:00 pm 9/23, vs. Houston 4:00 pm 9/29, vs. Columbus 7:30 pm

Games and Social Media

echnology has improved, boosting services and networks, including the social networking stream’s drastic improvement since the last Olympic Games. More people today own a smartphone then four years ago, making it faster and easier for people to have access to social media sites. This year London Olympic Games were the largest tweeted, hash tagged, liked and commented on Olympic Games yet! With the games being so talked about on the social media websites, it goes as far as getting its new name “socialympics.”

During the Champions League soccer match in April, nearly 13,684 tweets were sent per second! No doubt the London Olympics beat that record. The story of the 2012 Olympic Games was written in 140 characters!

September August 2012•Insight 17

Sports & Athletics

Eagles Season Kick Off T

veryone has been talking about the price of going to college. In the United States college students have borrowed nearly $117 billion for student loans and the debt from student loans is more than $1 trillion according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau which was released earlier this year. Tuition for private as well as public colleges has been rise, yet institutions are cutting financial aid that is provided for low-income families. In order to pay off debt some families are forced to take out a second mortgage on their house.

President Obama addressed this issue in January during State of the Union. He sates that if colleges do not stop the tuition from increasing each year then the funding that they receive from taxpayers will go down. PNC Bank reported that the average student loan debt is $45,000.

A public policy professor at University of California Berkeley, Robert Reich, said the college pays off in the long run. A student who received his four-year college degree would have a salary increase between 70 to 100 percent compared to a just out of high school student. With the struggle of paying for college, more and more people are turning to online education. Many private as well as public institutions are offering these programs with half of the cost.

Credit Card

Myths

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hen getting ready to open a credit card, it pays to know the facts and fictions of credit cards. There are so many myths that even smart people get fooled by. For many years the FICO did not want people to know what their credit scores were, until finally E-Loan started allowing customers to receive their scores and gave them

a peek at what went into them.

Many people believe that self-checking a credit score will drop your score. However, that is one of the biggest misconceptions. This statement is true when a bank lender runs your credit, but if you are interested in finding out on your own, your score will not be impacted.

If one day you decide to close a credit card account, many will try to tell you that your credit score will be impacted. Well in fact it won’t. This stops many people from closing existing accounts, even though these people probably should. Although, if you are planning to apply for a mortgage it is advised you wait until your credit has been approved to close any existing accounts.

There are many different ways to calculate a credit score, the three credit bureaus may not report the same score to a lender. One agency may use an up-to-date formula to calculate a score, while the other may use an old formula.

Some believe that a debit card has an influence on ones credit score, but it does not. If those who use a debit card apply for any type of loan or credit card it will not affect their borrowing.

So next time you go to apply for a credit card or close out an account just remember these myths that some companies may not want you to know.

THE LUXURY LIFESTYLE A dedication to fulfilling my clients’ wishes and a passion for the Philadelphia landscape give me an edge in the world of real estate that places my clients second-to-none. So please allow me to fulfill your real estate dreams, as well as the opportunity to go above and beyond to exceed your expectations.

Jason Kravitz Realtor Licensed in PA & NJ Fluent in English and Russian 226 West Rittenhouse Square #102, Philadelphia, PA 19103 O.215-735-2225|C.267-324-4141| E.RealtorJK@gmail.com

18 Insight•September 2012

Getting a Promotion

with No Raise?

P

icture this: you give your job, your all! You work hard, get to work on time, stay later, take on additional responsibilities, burn the midnight oil, and are always available when your boss needs you. Finally, your hard work gets rewarded with a promotion, but there’s one catch: no raise, just a new title with additional responsibilities.

Known as “title promotions,” this trend is becoming widespread, with over 1 in 5 companies reporting they employ the tactic on occasion.

Although the company saves money by getting more “bang for the buck,” employees have understandably expressed disdain for it. While this is definitely a sign of the bleak economic times, according to experts, there are other points of negotiation you can employ should this happen to you.

4 Ask for more vacation time, adding a few extra days or weeks each year.

4 Request a bonus increase, if applicable.

4 Add in flexible schedules so you can work from home to save commuting costs.

4 Pursue training or continuing education to increase professional marketability So, before you consider working more for the same salary, consider the above pointers; you may have more bargaining power than you think. Trust me, you and your bank account will be grateful!

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Career & Finance

Student loans: Next housing bubble ?

E

Y

ou may have never heard of the Higgs particle (or “Higgs Boson”) before, but you will soon. Dubbed by those outside the scientific community as the “god-particle,” scientists believe this elementary particle is responsible for the creation of the universe and life, as we know it. In July 2012, the scientists at CERN’s European Laboratory for Particle Physics found this undiscovered particle after nearly fifty years of searching for it, making it one of the most significant discoveries in modern history.

The reason scientists are so fascinated by this particle is because it is essential to understanding how it was that particles came together to form “matter” from which galaxies, stars, and planets eventually derived. It is also the last piece of the Standard Model puzzle, which describes the make-up of the universe. For physicists, this is as exciting as the study of evolution is for biologists.

So, what does this mean for the future of science? By confirming the existence of this particle, scientists are now able to learn what happened in the universe a billionth of a second after the Big Bang, when the four small forces of nature acted as one. Even more important are the countless inventions to spin-off from this discovery. After all, the scientists at CERN are responsible for life-changing inventions, from the World Wide Web to Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanners, which are used to detect and treat cancers. We can only hope that the trend continues.

GeneticallyModified Babies

T

How to Avoid

computer viruses

he recent birth of genetically modified babies has sparked one of the most furious debates on ethics. Genetically modified babies, also known as “designer babies” by the media, refers to babies whose genes are made up artificially to ensure the presence or absence of a specific gene or characteristic. Things such as heart disease, hair color, athletic ability, and much more can be altered by genetically modifying a baby.

Several babies were DNA tested and were found to have genes from three parents- two women and one man. A woman who was undergoing infertility treatment had mitochondria inserted from a donor egg, as well as DNA inserted from the sperm cell. If these babies were to reproduce, their genes will be passed on to their offspring, who will then pass the genes off to their offspring’s and so on.

So what will happen if scientists continue to toy around this human DNA? A never before seen race can be created, putting characteristic like features on people such as beauty, strength or higher intelligence. Scientists also may be steps closer into figuring out how to be able to clone humans. This is where the debate on ethics plays out. Many people believe it is against human nature to toy with genes the way scientists are attempting to.

However, one round of in vitro fertilization (IVF) can cost up to $9,000. One standard round of IVF promises 10-35% of a successful pregnancy.

i

t seems that the attack of computer viruses has struck us again! Hackers are getting better and better each year with infecting everyone, but there are a few things that one can do to protect their computer from catching something fishy.

The first and most important thing is have a working and up to date anti-virus program. Some recommended anti-virus programs are Norton, McAfee, and F-Secure. Run a full system check at least once a week. Be aware of what you click on when you surf the web. Websites such as Facebook and Twitter have links with viruses on them, one click and in the words of Michelle Tanner, “You’re in big trouble mister!” Do not think that you are protected on those websites.

Files with a double extension such as .txt.vb should be clicked on with caution. A double extension will never appear to you, if all of a sudden you do see it right click on it, select properties, and find the complete file name, this will help you recognize whether there is a virus or not.

Computers and electronics are vital tools to everyone these days, whether it be for work or school purposes, so be cautious what you click.

Site of the Month:

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ooking for something cool? The Cool Hunter is a natural fit for its readers — creative influencers who stay in the know and ahead of the curve. Global in outlook, culturally discerning, The Cool Hunter readers are connected, creatively aware, confident, stylish and sociable.

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

Technology Today

Scientists find the God-Particle

A Dose of Insight

By Angele D. Russell My boyfriend and I moved in together about three months ago. I’ve always known that this is a hard transition for couples because you’re merging two lives and all that jazz. But hard doesn’t quite do my situation justice. We don’t even have furniture! We have been so unable to decide on something as simple as a color scheme that we’ve been sleeping on an air mattress for months! We have boxes as nightstands and tables, for God’s sake! I get that you need to be patient, but if we can’t manage to make a decision in three months about something like furniture, I’m really worried for all the more serious life stuff. What do you think? ✽You describe a common issue that occurs with couples who are recent cohabitants: how to merge lives together while maintaining sanity.

Truth is, the way you tackle this issue does set the tone for how future problems are handled. As such, it is critical you handle this with care. Fortunately, furniture is a relatively easy one. My advice is to set a date for all of the furniture

to be purchased; you can even set up a savings account specifically for the purchases. By setting a goal date, you have something to work towards with added urgency and the task of furnishing your home will be more reminiscent of teamwork, rather than a burden. If that doesn’t work, be honest about how important creating a home is important to you. Good luck!

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I work at an insurance agency and a lot of my business is referrals — people calling in because someone referred me to them. There’s this guy at work who has been trying to take these referral calls away from me whenever they come in and servicing my referral leads himself.

He tries to put everything in the system under his name, thinking no one would find out. But there is always a system trace with referrals. I’ve noted that he’s done this six times in the past two months alone. I don’t know how to best handle it. Do I bring it up to the supervisor? Do I talk to this guy myself? Do I just try to stop him from doing it in the future? What approach would be the most effective and least “ripple causing?” ✽Dishonest co-workers are such a pain; particularly the ones who think they can get away with practically anything. While I don’t normally advocate running to the boss every time an issue comes up, this case certainly warrants it.

Your co-workers dishonesty is affecting your productivity and your paycheck. My advice is to gather up as much information as possible to develop 20 Insight•September 2012

a clear case and request a meeting with your supervisor.

Be sure to not appear accusatory; just that you want to seek clarification regarding how referrals are processed because there seems to be a “discrepancy”. That way, you can maintain your integrity and your supervisor can handle it via the appropriate channels.

Good luck!

I’m thirty years old, but a bunch of my friends are in their early to mid-twenties. These guys party hard, but it is the given amount, considering their age.

Like I said though, I’m thirty. So, I get tired more easily, get hung over harder and don’t bounce back as fast as I used to. But I’m not going to be the one keeping a whole group of guys from having fun. And hey, I have fun too when we all go out. I wouldn’t be lying, however, if I said that sometimes I’d prefer to just watch a game on the couch and leave it at that. How do I not become “that” annoying friend that brings everyone down but still get to avoid the types of hangovers that just don’t flatter a guy in his thirties? ✽Simply put, you need to be you. As we age, our priorities and desires change; the hard partying we did in our early twenties just doesn’t cut it in our thirties. My advice is to create new opportunities to hang out, perhaps introducing your friends to some of the new activities you like to participate in. For example, instead of partying hard on both Fri-

day and Saturday night, why not go bowling on one night or doing a wine tasting? That way, you are able to still hang out with your friends while experiencing activities that don’t end in hangovers the next day.

If these are your real friends, I am certain they will be open to trying something new with you. Good luck!

My girlfriend just got accepted to a great university that is a few states away (a six hour drive to be exact). It’s her dream school and she’s really excited. I’m really excited too. I’m just also nervous. We’ve been dating a year and a half and I trust her, and we’re happy. But four years of undergrad is also a long time, and I don’t know how faithful she’ll be or how much relational strain we can handle from the distance. Nonetheless, I love her and don’t want to leave her. I’m not sure what attitude to take — wait and see, plan something out, have a talk, let her go, etc — and none of them seem like the perfect plan. What do I do? ✽Almost everyone has gone through this: the love of your life accepts a new opportunity and you’re stuck with figuring out what to do with the relationship. Fortunately, the answer is relatively simple: make it work for as long as it can.

While that answer may seem a bit negative, it’s not. The truth is that the strength of the relationship will get tested with

this move and, if it’s strong enough, it will last. Moreover, you are so young that, rather than focusing on this relationship, you should be seizing all of the opportunities that may be available to you! So, be excited about her decision and support her the best way you can! Good luck!

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HoroScopes Aries (March 21-April 20). Be prepared to get tested this month by projects which are beyond your control. Midmonth attempt small strategic steps toward a journey which will unravel it self later on with long lasting impacts.

Libra (Sept. 23rd–Oct. 23rd). Your month starts off really busy with unexpected events, but do not think that as the month goes on your schedule will slow down. Balance logic and intuition will help you reach the goals that you have set for yourself

Taurus (April 21st–May 21st). This month is your month to shine Taurus! It is time to express your self with skills that many people do not know you have. If you’re still feeling shy, then start practicing your confidence that is needed for a good show.

Scorpio (Oct. 24th–Nov. 22nd). You may find your self in a feud with a coworker that will leave you thinking about major changes in your life. These thoughts have been long-lasting, but you have been suppressing them. You should take sometime to figure out your career and if what you are doing really is making you unhappy, consider changing it because pretending will wear you out soon.

Gemini (May 22nd–June 21st). Consider examining the magnitude of your life much closer this month. Certain things may need to be changed and you have yet to realize this. Your choice may not be what others may expect from you. However, it is important to keep your self happy.

Sagittarius (Nov. 23rd–Dec. 21st). Everything that you have been working hard to achieve this month finally pays off when your career takes center stage. However, do not take on more tasks then you think you can handle. Prioritize your tasks and focus on certain goals.

Cancer (June 22nd–July 22nd). September takes off with growing success for you. You have learned to manage data and how to communicate clearly with coworkers. You also develop an interest in things; this may be a good time to take up a new class to deepen your study.

Capricorn (Dec. 22nd–Jan. 20th). Everyone is aware that your strength lies in the pursuit of your goals. Though this month you may not achieve the outcomes you wish in both your long-term and short term goals. This may force you to alter your patterns.

Leo (July 23rd–August 23rd). This month will kick off in frenzy and you may be forced to change your daily routine. With this may come anxiety and unnecessary risks, but hold on strong by the end of the month this will all calm down.

Aquarius (Jan. 21st–Feb. 18th). You may run into some relationship problems this month. But always keep in mind that to keep things from falling apart only a minor aspect needs to be changed.

There is no reason to make drastic measures to keep things good.

Virgo (August 24th–Sept. 22nd). You begin the month ready to achieve all the goals you have planned, but you may find something pulling you back. However, you will be able to push through it if you are mentally flexible.

Pisces (Feb. 19th–March 20th). You may be critiqued by some people who are closest to you, but don’t let their critical words bring you down. Instead communication is key in this situation. So sit down and communicate with them to find solutions to your problems.

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