In the News

Compiled by Amanda Stiver

Back on the Farm

Spending summers working on the farm is a growing trend among college students. These summer jobs take the form of apprenticeships or internships and provide challenges for both workers and farm owners. Students unfamiliar with the rigors of farm life find it challenging to adjust to early wake-up times and intensive labor.

The trend stems from an increased interest in organic farming. State organizations that oversee farm internships have seen applications double and triple over the last year. Students studying food policy and distribution use the programs to expand their knowledge of the agricultural system, from the ground up (Kim Severson, "New-Age Agrarians," The Columbus Dispatch, June 11, 2009).

Time on Twitter

According to recent studies in the United States, researchers are concerned that the fast-paced inundation of electronic news via social networking sites such as Twitter may have a harmful impact on the ability of users to feel compassion for the subjects of stories and updates. Experts suggest that people need time to assess emotions and understand events and that the rapid pace of digital news updates doesn't allow for adequate reflection, thereby training the brain to be unresponsive (David Derbyshire, "How the Twitter Age of Rolling Information Has 'Robbed Fans of Compassion,'" DailyMail.co.uk, June 3, 2009).

66% of drivers aged 16-19 report texting while driving.

—Poll by Vlingo, a mobile voice application company. "1 in 4 Americans Is Texting While Driving: Poll," AFP, May 20, 2009

Too Much Hugging?

What does a hug mean to you? For many young people in junior high and high school today, the hug is what the handshake was a generation ago.

Social hugging between males and females and combinations thereof is a gesture of friendship according to trends observed by school officials and parents. However, there are concerns. The endless need to hug can clog hallways and lead to more contentious issues like sexual harassment (Sarah Kershaw, "For Teenagers, Hello Means 'How About a Hug?'" The New York Times, May 27, 2009).

Read the full article at www.verticalthought.org/issues/vt25/news.htm

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