Earlier today I read that there may be a new Kindle e-book reader coming out for students. The main differences would include a larger screen and more research oriented features. Ever since the first e-book reader came out, I always thought that the best use of them would be for school.

There are so many reasons that eliminating print books and using a Kindle in school and college would make great sense:

1. Weight - Students would no longer have to carry around tremendously heavy backpacks or bags that weigh as much as they do. Every book they need would be downloaded onto this one Kindle which weighs less than a pound.

2. Cost
a. College Students - They would save a tremendous amount of money. They would buy one e-reader when they began college. Even at approximately $360, they would make it back quickly since the cost of e-books themselves are usually less than half the price of a print book. To make this work, publishers of academic textbooks would have to agree to have e-book versions of their works made.

b. K to 12 - This would require a large expense for school districts up front, but I would imagine that vast discounts would be offered to school districts. And as long as the readers held up, they could be reused each year.

3. Research - If the e-readers have wi-fi they are a perfect tool for students because they can click on hyperlinks in text and easily do research. I always thought that even for nonstudents, the best use of e-readers would be for nonfiction.

4. Portability - Students may be more apt to bring their Kindle with them wherever they go, which would give them the ability to find extra time to study when they might not have had their books with them.

I'm still undecided whether I want a Kindle for myself, but I am a bibliophile, I love actually owning and having the actual books. But, I never cared about keeping textbooks. I would have loved to have been able to save money and not have lugged heavy books around when I was in school. I think that the Kindle, or any brand of e-book that decides to produce for students or schools, will have a good market.


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Last night, Life on Mars went back to doing what it does best, playing 1970s rock music. For some reason, the songs they play always sound better on this show than I remember them. Life on Mars seems to be focusing much more on the time travel aspect of the show lately. This is also two weeks in a row where Annie got to be the hero. Great episode.

The songs played in Life on Mars episode 12, "The Simple Secret of the Note in us All":

1. It Don't Come Easy - Ringo Starr

2. Lux - Traffic Sound

3. Isn't Life Strange? - The Moody Blues

I always loved The Moody Blues but I never think to listen to them anymore. After last night's episode of Life on Mars, I might have to start again.

For lists of songs from prior episodes of Life on Mars see "Life on Mars" under Labels in the right sidebar.

Life on Mars music episode 14 and The Ending

Life on Mars music episode 13

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"The Life and Times of Jeremy Bentham" was an interesting episode of Lost. It did very little to advance the plot, but it did fill us in on Locke's journey from the Island to the casket. More than that, episode 7 gave us a lot to think about and opened up many more questions. "The Life and Times of Jeremy Bentham" gave us a deep look into the characters' psyches.

My observations, analysis and question of season 5, episode 7 of Lost:

1. The biggest question brought up in this episode is who do we believe: Ben or Widmore? This question isn't new, but this is the first time we have heard Widmore's story. They could actually both be lying and they both may have purely selfish reasons for using the survivors. Ben, as we saw more than ever in this episode, is a master liar and we can't believe anything he says. We don't have any evidence of Widmore ever lying.

2. We now know that Abaddon worked for Widmore. I'd be surprised if we don't see him again.

3. Both Widmore and Ben told Locke that he was special and the Island needed him. That was in stark contrast to what Kate and Jack told him. After everyone refusing to go back to the Island with him, Kate telling him he was still angry and obsessed and Jack telling him he wasn't special, John got depressed enough to try to commit suicide.

4. It was interesting to see that Walt still had his gift. Walt told Locke that he had dreams of him on an Island in a suit surrounded by people that wanted to hurt him. This was exactly how the episode began. However, Walt doesn't seem to have any visions of what happens to his father.

5. It was nice to see that Sayid had stopped killing and was doing charitable work in Santo Domingo.

6. When Hurley saw Locke, and assumed he was a ghost, he just accepted it and was very calm. When he found out Locke was alive he got scared. Then when he saw Abaddon, he panicked and ran.

7. Locke figured out that Christian must be Jack's father. Jack wasn't buying anything Locke said until he heard Christian's name. That changed his thinking enough that he started flying overseas that night in hopes of crashing on the Island again.

8. When Ben talked Locke out of hanging himself, and Locke mentioned that Jin was alive, Ben said they should go to convince Sun to go back. Locke told Ben that he made a promise to Jin that he wouldn't do that. Ben replied, "alright, a promise is a promise". We already know what he did with that promise. Then when Locke mentioned he was supposed to find Eloise Hawking, Ben got murderous. I'm not sure if he was planning on killing Locke all along, or if he had a jealous fit because he knew that meant that Locke really was picked to be in charge.

9. On the Island - Locke is alive at the new plane crash site, surrounded by the other people that were on the plane, but nobody that he knows. The first time he crashed he got the use of his legs back; this time he rose from the dead. I would say that the Island does treat Locke as special.

10. We meet 2 new survivors from this crash, Caesar and Ilana. Ilana was the marshall that was with Sayid on the plane. Caesar found a Dharma building and stashed a gun and maps in his bag. Ilana told Locke that the pilot and a woman (had to have been Sun) went off in one of the boats. She was very wary of Locke's story that he died and was now alive again

11. Caesar told Locke that some of the people on the plane, specifically the fat, curly haired guy next to him, disappeared before the plane crashed.

12. It is interesting that in order to get the Oceanic 6 back to the Island, all these other people had to wind up here also. Will we find out that Oceanic flight 815 crashed because certain people needed to be on the Island (Christian, Jack, Claire, and I assume most of the regulars that are left) and that all of the others on the plane were just collateral damage?

13. Are Locke and the people at the crash site in the same time as Kate, Jack and Hurley? And if Sun and Lapidus went off on the boat, and Ben is with the injured, that still leaves Sayid unaccounted for.

14. Now that they are all back, will they stop time jumping?

15. What will Locke do to Ben?

Please add any other observations or questions you have from this episode. I always love to hear as many theories and people's take on Lost as I can.

Lost Season 5 Episode 9 Namaste Highlights

Lost season 5 episode 8 "LaFleur" Highlights

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FreshBrain is an educational, non-profit, technology exploration platform for teens. The founders of FreshBrain created it to help fill in the gaps in technology education that schools have been unable to provide.

On FreshBrain, teens can explore, connect and create. They can explore the projects and activities that other teens have already done to help get ideas for their own. They can connect with other teens through blogs, forums and groups to discuss what they are working on or just talk. And, they learn to create.

"Providing the latest tools in technology, and a social interactive networking environment, has enabled teens to explore, create, and share with others. A result of pulling these two key online arenas together into one solution has enabled FreshBrain to attract teens comfortable with technology and communicating online. Creations from FreshBrain users range from music videos to logo designs."

There are eight areas that teens can choose to create in. They are Eco/Green, Gaming, Graphic Design, Music, Venture, Videos/Movies, Web and Development. Teens can create activities and projects. All tools needed for any project is made available by FreshBrain. Advisors are always available online to help.

• Activities - a fairly simple, pre-designed task to create something useful that can take between a few days and a few weeks.
• Projects - completed alone or with a team, it can take weeks to months and have a number of phases.

Contests and Scholarships are frequently offered on FreshBrain. Eventually they hope to add school enrichment programs and a summer virtual technology camp.

FreshBrain is always looking for volunteers in a variety of areas. If you want to learn more about volunteering at FreshBrain, click volunteer. If you want to know more about FreshBrain as a parent, click parents. I hope you will check out this great teen website. You will be amazed.

See also:  
TED Talks - Ideas Worth Sharing
Study and Homework Help - 5 Great Student Websites


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Image by Getty Images via Daylife

I've read many reviews of last night's Academy Awards, and I can see that there is no general consensus on the show. To each his own, but I thought Hugh Jackman did an absolutely amazing job, right up there with Billy Crystal. I also thought that many of the other changes instituted last night worked out very well.

My favorite moments during the 2009 Academy Awards ceremony:

1. Hugh Jackman's opening number. It was the same type that Billy Crystal used to do, but Hugh Jackman has a fantastic voice. The moving scenery really added to it. I was already a fan of Anne Hathaway, and if it weren't for Kate Winslet, would have routed for her to win Best Actress, but her part as Nixon in the medely made me a fan for life.

2. Hugh Jackman was funny. Everyone was worried about having an Oscar host that wasn't a comedian. Many of his jokes were much funnier than many past hosts (remember Letterman).

3. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about the 5 past winners presenting the acting awards. But, I really did grow to like it. It was very touching and for the most part they paired up the actors very well, with the exception of Adrien Brody and Richard Jenkins.

4. Heath Ledger winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. It obviously wasn't a surprise, but watching his family accept the award brought tears to my eyes.

5. Although there were no big surprises, all of my picks in the major categories won. That always helps make it a better show for me.

6. The speeches by Sean Penn and Dustin Lance Black for Milk were my favorites of the night. I am also so glad that Sean Penn won. He was Harvey Milk in that movie, and I did not see Sean Penn once while watching. That is a great actor.

7. Queen Latifah singing the song "I'll be seeing you" was a great addition to the "People we have lost" montage. She did an amazing job and should be asked back every year to sing. I read that the reason they added the song was to put an end to the clapping which results in an after death popularity contest. Unfortunately, it didn't work.

8. The kids from Slumdog Millionaire were adorable and their excitement added to the ceremony. And I include star Dev Patel in that category, as he is only 18.

9. The Pineapple Express bit with Seth Rogen and James Franco was not for everyone, but it was funny and it is important to include something for all ages.

10. Steve Martin and Tina Fey were great as usual.

11. I'm undecided on the Ben Stiller/Joaquin Phoenix bit. I loved it at the time, but that is because I am under the assumption that Phoenix is acting this way on purpose. If he is like this because of a drug problem, then this was in poor taste.

12. Moment that made me cringe - Jennifer Aniston on stage making jokes with Jack Black and they cut to Brad Pitt and Anjelina Jolie. Very bad taste.

13. Kate Winslet finally winning after being nominated six times. She is one of the best actresses working today.

14. Finally, Slumdog Millionaire winning Best Picture, Best Director for Danny Boyle and many other awards. It was not just a great movie, but it was different and it appeals to a huge range of ages.

What were your favorite moments? What did you think of the 2009 Academy Awards ceremony and Hugh Jackman as host?

Added: 10 Academy Awards Articles to Read to Prepare for Oscars 2011

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The Independent Spirit Awards are awards given to the movies that were not made by major studios and were made with smaller budgets. There used to be very little crossover between nominees for Academy Awards and Independent Spirits but in recent years that has changed.

The Independent Spirit awards are always held the day before the Oscars. Here is the list of winners in the big categories below. I wouldn't go by this list of winners in trying to predict the Oscar winners, though. There is very little agreement, usually, in who wins.

Best Feature nominees

"Ballast"

"Frozen River"

"Rachel Getting Married"

"Wendy and Lucy"

"The Wrestler" - THE WINNER

Best Director

Ramin Bahrani, "Chop Shop"

Jonathan Demme, "Rachel Getting Married"

Lance Hammer, "Ballast"

Courtney Hunt, "Frozen River"

Thomas McCarthy, "The Visitor" - THE WINNER

Best Female Lead

Summer Bishil, "Towelhead"

Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"

Melissa Leo, "Frozen River" - THE WINNER

Tarra Riggs, "Ballast"

Michelle Williams, "Wendy and Lucy"

Best Male Lead

Javier Bardem, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

Richard Jenkins, "The Visitor"

Sean Penn, "Milk"

Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker"

Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler" - THE WINNER


Best Supporting Female

Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" - THE WINNER

Rosemarie DeWitt, "Rachel Getting Married"

Rosie Perez, "The Take"

Misty Upham, "Frozen River"

Debra Winger, "Rachel Getting Married"

Best Supporting Male

James Franco, "Milk" - THE WINNER

Anthony Mackie, "The Hurt Locker"

Charlie McDermott, "Frozen River"

JimMyron Ross, "Ballast"

Haaz Sleiman, "The Visitor"

I'm very excited about the Oscars tonight. I will be very surprised if Slumdog Millionaire doesn't take Best Picture and Best Director. I also think that Heath Ledger will win the Supporting Actor award, as he should. The biggest battle is going to be for Best Actor. It looks like it could just as easily go to Sean Penn as it could to Mickey Rourke. And Kate Winslet most likely has the Best Actress award, but I wouldn't call it a shoe-in. I can't wait. I'll be on Twitter throughout. If you aren't already following me and want to I am @jenwag57.

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This post is a little different than what I usually write about on this blog, however who makes more stains than teens? Babies may spit up, but my sons get ketchup, grass, mud, ink and anything and everything else that you could or couldn't imagine on their clothes.

The other day in Grand Central Station in NYC, Spray 'N Wash held a special event to promote the launch of their new product Spray 'N Wash Bright & White. It is safe bleach alternative, even on clothes that warn against the use of bleach. You can save your clothes from the effects of chlorine bleach accidents and still get rid of stains, keep colors bright and whiten whites. I wish I had this when I first got married and my husband ruined an entire load of laundry (and was never asked to do laundry again).

To celebrate this new product, Spray 'N Wash is holding a contest with the most amazing prizes. The Grand Prize is a $10,000 laundry room makeover! First prize is $2,500 for a wardrobe makeover! Second prize is $1,000 for a wardrobe makeover. 79 third prize winners will each receive $100 for a wardrobe spending spree, with one prize to be awarded each month. The top prizes (Grand, first and second) also each receive a years worth of Spray 'N Wash Bright & White.

For such great prizes you must be thinking that you have to give away your first born. All you actually have to do is go to the contest website and click Enter Sweepstakes. Then just fill out a basic registration form and preferably, although not required, share a story about a bleach accident that occurred while you did laundry. That is it. And the best part, you can enter once a day until December 31, 2009.

This contest is incredible. And I'm so glad that I can give up on bleach. I myself always think that I'm going to ruin something when I use it. I think that I will be using Spray 'N Wash Bright & White from now on.

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Last night's episode of Life on Mars, "Home is Where You Hang Your Hat" was short on songs, but packed full of everything else that a great episode needs. Sam found another person that came back from the future. As soon as Sam left him alone and said "Don't move", it was obvious that was the last time they would speak. The Wizard of Oz theme was very appropriate, although it might have been a bit overdone. We still don't have any better understanding of what happened to Sam to land him in 1973, but that doesn't bother me. It makes the show more interesting.

I also loved the entire story line with Annie and Ray. Ray is still living as if the womens movement has get to begin and Annie is leading the way for woman in traditionally male professions. There will always be a conflict between the two of them. I felt sad for Ray's wife and the way that she seemed to envy Annie.

The songs that were played in Life on Mars, episode 11 "Home is Where You Hang Your Hat" are:

1. Ballroom Blitz - Sweet

2. Over the Rainbow - Judy Garland

Although I love "Over the Rainbow" and I grew up watching the Wizard of Oz every year on TV, I do hope that they go back to mostly 1970s music. What did you think of this episode of Life on Mars?

Life on Mars music episode 13

Life on Mars music episode 12

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Cover of Ulysses

What a fantastic episode of Lost. So far this season, I haven't been enjoying the Oceanic 6 stories as much as the stories on the Island. 316 was definitely the exception. We got answers, questions, excitement and many reminders of season one. I have no shortage of items for my list of highlights tonight.

Top highlights of Lost season 5 episode 5 "316":

Wow moments:
1. This episode began the exact same way the pilot did.

2. Where's Aaron?

3. Frank Lapidus is back as the pilot of Ajira Airways flight 316. He looked so different all cleaned up in uniform.

4. Jim in a brand new Dharma uniform in a new Dharma car!!!???

Favorite Lines:
1. Best one of the episode - on the plane, Jack seeing Ben reading so calmly said to him "How can you read?" Ben answered: "My mother taught me." I really laughed out loud at that one. (although Ben's mother died delivering him, it was still a great line).

2. Lapidus, the pilot, seeing the Oceanic 6 on the plane "We aren't going to Guam, are we?"

3. Jack notices all the other people on the plane and asks Ben what will happen to them. Ben: "Who cares?".

4. In the basement of the church where Eloise Hawking explains how to find the Island, Jack asked Ben if he knew about this place and Ben said no. Jack asked Eloise if Ben was telling the truth. Eloise: "Probably not".

Answers and analysis:
1.The name of the area used to find the Island was named The Lamp Post by the Dharma Initiative. It was constructed by a clever fellow (Widmore, Christian, ?)

2. The pendulum was built on the theory that they should look for the Island not where is was supposed to be but where is was going to be because the Island is always moving. "Why do you think you were never rescued?"

3. Desmond refuses to go back and Eloise tells him that the Island is not done with him yet. He replies "You cost me four years of my life..I'm done with the Island".

4. Eloise tells them they need to take Ajira Airways flight 316 and to recreate their Oceanic experience as much as possible. (Sawyer and Juliet found an Ajira Airways water bottle on the beach in last week's episode, most likely from this flight ).

5. Eloise tells Jack that Locke committed suicide and gives him a note that Locke wrote to Jack. After trying to get rid of it, he finally reads it and finds out that all it says is "I wish you had believed me".

6. Eloise also tells Jack that he must put something of his fathers in Locke's casket. When Jack says that its ridiculous, she says "thats why its called a leap of faith". Locke had said that to Jack back in a previous episode.

7. Earlier in the episode, after Jack leaves Eloise he sees Ben in church. Ben tells Jack the story of Thomas the Apostle, that he couldn't believe without actually touching. Ben: "We are all convinced sooner or later". Jack believing seems to be a major theme of "316".

8. Jack has a grandfather, Ray, Christian's father. Jack just happens to get a call about Ray, goes to see him in the nursing home, and just happens to find Christian's shoes. Coincidence - I think not.

9. So many things that happened in the airport and on the plane recreated what happened before and during Oceanic 815. Jack was given a hard time at the airline counter and then somebody said "my condolences". There was even an Oceanic sign. Instead of Kate in handcuffs with a marshall, this time it is Sayid. He must have confessed to get Hurley out of jail.

10. The book that Ben was reading on the plane was Ulysses. This James Joyce novel has many twists and puzzles, similar to Lost.

11. Hurley is reading an issue of the graphic novel, Y: The Last Man, written by Brian K. Vaughan, a writer on Lost.

Questions
1. Where is Aaron????

2. Why is Jin wearing a Dharma suit and driving a Dharma car that both look new? Are they back in time? Is he part of Dharma?

3. Who is the clever fellow that built the pendulum? Was it Widmore (or Daniel with Widmore's funding)?

4. Will Desmond keep his promise to never go back?

5. Eloise said the results would be unpredictable if they don't all go back. Will Aaron not going create that problem?

6. What happened to Ben? Who beat him up?

7. Is Ray, Jack's grandfather, in any way related to the Island, Dharma, the Others? I definitely think so.

8. How did Sayid get the prison to transfer him to Guam?

9. How did Jack, Kate and Hurley wind up on the Island? Did the plane crash? Where is everyone else on board?

10. Why did Hurley bring a guitar case? Is it related to Charlie somehow?

If you don't watch scenes from next week, then don't read on.

It appears that Locke comes back to life when he arrives on the Island! But we can never tell the real truth from coming attractions.

Please add your comments about Lost season 5 episode 6 "316".

Lost Season 5 Episode 9 Namaste Highlights

Lost season 5 episode 8 "LaFleur" Highlights

Lost Season 5 Episode 7 "The Life and Times of Jeremy Bentham"

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Ever since my husband and I gave each other and our sons iPhones as holiday presents, we have something new that has been bringing us closer together. The best part of the iPhone is the applications (apps) that you can add to it, many of which are free. We love discussing new apps that we've found, why we like them, which ones are better and anything and everything about them.

The apps that you download from the app store in iTunes, include games, education, social networking, productivity and many, many more. Of course my husband and sons have a great time discussing their favorite gaming apps. I myself have only downloaded two, Pac-Man and Labyrinth (the Lite editions, which are free). We all enjoy that one.

We actually even talk about how much we love the iPhone in general. It is almost like having a laptop wherever you go. I don't even mind standing in line at the bank anymore. I just pull out my iPhone and read one of my news site apps. This is just one of the types of stories that I share with my family now and they will nod their heads in understanding.

See also:
How to Find the Best Apps 

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Alloy Media + Marketing is a leading provider of youth-focused innovative media, with its Teen.com Network. This Network is made up of various sites that offer content that teens want. Some of the top sites in the Teen.com Network are:

Teen.com - Focuses on TV, movies, music, fashion, beauty and skate.

ChannelOne.com - From the about page, ChannelOne Network is "the pre-eminent news and public affairs content provider to teens. Our mission is to spark debate and discussion among teens, and also discussion between young people and their parents and educators, on the important issues affecting young people in America".

gURL.com - I actually mentioned this website the other day as a source for online comics for teen girls. However, the comics section is just one small part of this site. gURL is an online community and content site for teenage girls produced with an independent editorial voice. What that means is

"We are committed to discussing issues that affect the lives of girls age 13 and up in a nonjudgmental personal way. Through honest writing, visuals and liberal use of humor, we try to give girls a new way of looking at subjects that are crucial to their lives".

Takkle.com - The purpose of this website is to connect high school athletes with college recruiters.

Meez.com - A social community that combines a virtual world, avatars and games. Users can customize their own avatars and use them elsewhere.

Other sites in the Teen.com Network that you might want to check out are Alloy, Alloygirl, CCS, Careersandcolleges and Findtuition.

What do you think of these websites?

See also:
Websites for Teenagers - 2 Different and Interesting Sites
Websites for Teen and Tween Girls

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[This is a repost of an article I wrote last year, in the very early days of my blog. I think it is important enough to post again since most of you probably missed it. The point is that to connect with your teens over TV, they aren't going to necessarily join you on your favorite show, you need to develop tastes in theirs.]

Being a pop-culture addict, I’m usually pretty good at knowing what TV shows I’ll like and which ones are just not for me. So, when my sons' tried to talk me into watching some of their favorites, I initially said no, they aren’t for me, I’m sure I won’t like them. They are three very different types of shows but something about each one turned me off. However I eventually gave each one a chance and fell in love with all three.

The Office

I had initially watched an episode in the first season and thought Michael Scott (Steve Carell) was too over the top and the comedy too broad. On my behalf, season one is considered the weakest season. When I finally started watching again in season two, I fell in love with the show. Once you get to know all the characters you laugh just from looking at their expressions. And when you add in the Jim and Pam love story the show has everything.

Battlestar Galactica

I was positive I wouldn’t like this one. I was never a big science fiction fan and had slight memories of the original show by this name which was never something I would have watched. My son kept telling me how I would love it since I love Lost and this is even more intellectual and political. He owned the DVDs so I decided to give it a try and he was right. It is an amazing show. It is probably the most intelligent show on television.

The O.C.

I told you I was dealing with 3 very different types of shows. My reasoning for not wanting to watch this show was, as much as I do watch my share of soapy shows, i.e. Desperate Housewives; I thought that this would be too young for me. My sons talked me into watching by stressing the roles of Peter Gallagher (Sandy Cohen) and Tate Donovan (Jimmy Cooper). They knew how to get to me because I started watching (they had the DVDs of the first two seasons for me to catch up). It really was a much better show than I ever would have thought, especially season one. The only bad part was by the time I caught up it was time for season three, which if you were a fan of the show you will know was the worst season.

Three great things came out of my listening to my kid’s advice. I found some great new television shows to watch. I made my kids feel good for taking their advice. But the best part was the bonding that resulted when we now watch these shows together.

See also: 20 Best TV Shows For Parent Teen Bonding

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I really enjoyed last night's episode of Life on Mars "Let all the Children Boogie". It was great having the episode be about a rock star since one of the best parts of the show is the early 70s music. Didn't Annie look great at the end when she was dressed in concert clothes instead of her uniform?

Here are the songs that were played in episode 10 of Life on Mars:

1. Look at the View - The Action

2. Yesterday's Game - Traffic Sound

3. Supersonic Rocket Ship - The Kinks

4. Starman - David Bowie

5. (She was) The Last Planet I Kissed - Sebastian Grace & The Electric Insects

I am almost positive that the last song was written just for Life on Mars and was only performed by the fictional group Sebastion Grace from this episode "Let all the Children Boogie".

To see song lists from previous episodes, go to the "Life on Mars" label in the right sidebar.

Life on Mars music episode 13

Life on Mars music episode 12

Life on Mars music episode 11

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There were no shocking revelations in Lost's "This Place is Death" episode of the type we've seen the last few weeks, such as finding out Jin was alive or that Widmore was an Other. However, we did receive a great deal of background information.

Here are my observations on Lost season 5, episode 5 "This Place is Death":

1. Charlotte - her death upset me more than I would have thought. I really grew to like her, seeing her through Daniel's eyes, and wanted to get to know her character better. She wasn't given enough time on the show, especially after hearing the revelation that she was born on the island as part of Dharma and left with her mother. Big question - WHO is her father? Bigger revelation - when Charlotte was a child, Daniel, described as a crazy man, told Charlotte to never return to the Island or she would die. Daniel seemed to have no recollection of this.

2. Charlotte was also given some great lines in this episode. When asked by Daniel if she spoke any other languages besides Korean, she said "Just Klingon" (a language in Star Trek). She also yelled out to Jin not to bring Sun back to the Island because "This place is death" the name of the episode. And when Locke, Sawyer and Juliet were wondering what they would do if the Orchid didn't exist yet, Charlotte deliriously told them "Look for the well, you'll find it at the well". How would she know this? Maybe this was how her and her mother left the island.

3. It was ironic that right after they found the Orchid and Juliet exclaimed that they were lucky to be in the same time as the station, they jumped time and it disappeared. I expected that because I knew the well would need to come into play. However, I did not expect the next jump when the ground closed up and the well disappeared.

4. We got to see Danielle's story of what happened to her group. We really got to see the smoke monster in action tonight. It killed Nadine and the man who lost his arm. After the time jump, when we saw Danielle in what appeared to be a week or so later, only Danielle and her husband were still alive. However, Danielle had said that she killed everyone because of a sickness, but she appeared to be somewhat crazy already. I think that she killed the 2 other men on the beach, and her husband, who seemed sane, tried to kill her because she was so irrational. We also found out that after their short time there, Danielle's husband was already calling the smoke monster a security system.

5. I was so glad when Jin finally found Sawyer and the others. It was obvious that Locke wasn't going to keep his promise to Jin to not bring Sun back.

6. Christian Shepard is back and did not look ghostlike as he usually does, he looked real. When Locke got stuck in the bottom of the well, with yet another leg injury, Christian appeared to help Locke continue with his plan. When Christian asked Locke why he didn't turn the wheel originally, Locke replied that Ben told him he should do it. Christian had a great line, "Since when did listening to him get you anywhere worth a damn? He then told John to "Say hello to my son", although Locke still has no idea that means Jack.

7. Christian also told Locke that dying is a sacrifice he must make. When Boone died, Locke said that he was a sacrifice that the Island demanded.

8. Ben uses the ring that Jin gave to Locke to convince Sun that Jin is still alive. Jin wanted the ring to have the opposite effect. Sun now agrees to go back but Kate and Sayid refuse to go and leave.

9. Sun to Ben in the car "You said we'd be there in 30 minutes". Ben's reply "I didn't account for traffic". Ben just has a way of making simple lines like that funny.

10. Desmond arrives at Mrs. Hawking's church at the same time as Ben, Sun and Jack are walking in. Once inside, I was expecting a remark from Desmond about recognizing Mrs. Hawking.

Any other observations from this week's episode of Lost that I missed?

Lost Season 5 Finale "The Incidents" Top 37 Moments, Questions , Quotes and More

Lost season 5 episode 15 Follow the Leader Highlights

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I am just as much to blame as anyone for getting angry at my teens when they use poor judgment and don't think about the consequences of doing risky things. A new study might help us to understand why our teenagers, at least those 16 and under, are so shortsighted when making decisions. It is really the fault of their immature brains.

However, the surprising part is that it is not the part of the brain that governs self-control that is to blame. It is the immaturity in the brain systems that govern sensation that causes them to take risks. So it is not that teens are overly impulsive, but that they have a very strong desire to do things that are exciting. "Brain systems governing sensation seeking are very active between the ages of 10 and 16".

Communicating with your tweens and teens before they start acting recklessly is probably going to much more effective than yelling at them afterward. We can try to let them know the dangers that many actions will have and hope they will remember what we say. However, most teens will get into trouble at some point, and at least this study helps me to understand why.

For more on the study go to: Science News: Young Teens Really Are Shortsighted, But Don't Blame Impulsivity

See also: The Brain: The Inside Story - Fun and Learning for Families at Museum

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When you hear the words comic books, do you get a picture of a geeky teenage boy reading about superheroes? If so, you'll be surprised to learn that not only do boys read many other type of comics and graphic novels, but many comics are being written for teenage girls. (Graphic novels are comics books bound together to form a book).

Teenage girls are reading many different types of comic books, including those read by males. Both The Umbrella Academy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, both action fantasy comics, have had large female followings. The hugely successful Sandman comic series by Neil Gaiman was read by just as many females as males. Same for the Scott Pilgrim comics which is being adapted into a film starring Michael Cera.

Successful comic series for teen girls include Emily the Strange and Lenore. For younger teens and tween girls, Little Lulu and the Sardine in Outer Space series are very popular.

Due to the popularity of comics with this demographic, classic tween girl characters are now being remade as comics. You can now read The Baby-sitters Club Graphic Novels and Nancy Drew Graphic Novels.

Looking for more comics for teenage girls? Go to the comix channel of the gURL website. It is an online library of over 150 web comics created by award winning artists.

See also: Top 5 Apps for Comic Book Fans

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Image by Getty Images via Daylife

The Jonas Brothers are going to unveil their wax figures at the New York Madame Tussauds this Thursday, February 12th. The exciting news for fans is that if you are one of the first 75 people to arrive at Madame Tussauds, you will get invited in and will actually see the Jonas Brothers and then be one of the first to pose with their wax figures.

The unveiling will be at 11:00 a.m. so to have any chance to be one of the first 75 you would probably need to get there very early. I imagine that that the schools in NY will have many students calling in sick on Thursday. Madame Tussauds is at 234 West 42nd Street, between 7th and 8th Avenue in Manhattan. Even if you aren't one of the first 75, you will still get in after the Jonas Brothers leave and be able to take your picture with their wax figures. Sometimes they can look fairly real. I still have a picture of myself with a wax figure of Hugh Grant and I think we make a great looking couple. You can do the same with your favorite Jonas Brother.

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This coming March, Twilight fans will have two exciting items hit the stores just a few days apart. Twilight: Director's Notebook, written by Catherine Hardwicke, will be released on March 17th. Then on March 21st, The Twilight Two-Disc Special Edition DVD will be released. They are both available to pre-order on Amazon now, if you want to make sure to have them as soon as they come out.

Catherine Hardwicke, wrote Twilight: Director's Notebook as an intimate look at the making Twilight and her thoughts through the creative process. Among the many tidbits in the book are inside secrets of casting, behind-the-scenes photographs and personal notes.

The Twilight DVD set contains:

• Audio commentary by Catherine Hardwicke, Kristen Stewart, and Robert Pattinson
• Muse music video: "Super Massive Black Hole"
• Paramore music video: "Decode"
• Linkin Park music video: "Leave Out All the Rest"
• Five extended scenes with director introductions
• Five deleted scenes with director introductions
• Seven-part documentary: "The Adventure Begins: The Journey from Page to Screen"
• Comic-Con "fandom" piece
• Comic-Con NY sizzle reel
  
• Three trailers
• Penelope trailer

I still haven't seen the movie, although I loved the books, so I can't wait to see Twilight on DVD when it comes out. And Twilight: Director's Notebook should be a fascinating read.

If I Stay: New Teen Book Not Just For Teens

Stephenie Meyer and Breaking Dawn win new 2008 author and book awards

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Before I list the songs that played last night on Life on Mars, I want to talk about how this episode "The Dark Side of the Moon" and last week's episode "Take a Look at the Lawmen" were obviously aired out of order. Episode 9 was a clear continuation of episode 7, which ended with the phone call that was continued last night. The only reason I can think of that the networks chose to do this, was that after the long break, they wanted to begin with a stand alone episode so that new viewers would be able to easily watch and understand Life on Mars.

The songs from Life on Mars, episode 9 were:

1. White Room - Cream

2. 20 Days in the Hole - Humble Pie

3. I'm not Afraid of Love - Sharon Clark & The Product of Time

For lists of the songs from previous episodes, see the Life on Mars label in the far right sidebar.

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The fourth episode of season 5 of Lost, "The Little Prince", started slow but saved some major reveals for the end. However, some of these reveals just confirmed what I and many others had previously suspected. They didn't have the same shock effect as finding out that Widmore was an Other.

Here, in order of importance, are my list of highlights of "The Little Prince"

1. Jin is alive!!! I suspected this mostly because we never saw a dead body. When you've been watching soap operas as long as I have, you know that when a character dies and the body is not found, that character will show up again alive. It's funny that after learning to speak English, he wakes up to a group that speaks another language he can't understand.

2. Ben hired the lawyers to do the paternity test on Aaron. The only surprise was that he admitted it. I knew he had done it because that would be the only way he could get Kate to go back to the Island. I admit that when I saw Claire's mother, I thought she hired the lawyers, but I still thought it was Ben that tipped her off.

3. The last time jump of the episode was to 16 years ago when Danielle and her party arrived on the island. Danielle was pregnant with Alex. I thought it was pretty obvious, as soon as we saw the French words on the thing on the beach and then heard them speak French, that they had to be Danielle and her group. Will they all meet up with Locke's group or just Jin?

4. The first jump brought them to a month after the plane crash. I could tell that Locke knew exactly when they were as soon as he saw the light. The light went on at the end of the episode when Boone died. Locke later found out that Desmond heard Locke's pounding in the hatch and turned the light on, it was not the island responding to him.

5. During that same jump, Sawyer came across Kate delivering Claire's baby. I loved the look on Sawyer's face. You could see how much he missed and loved Kate. When Sawyer told Juliet about it, he then said "time travel's a bitch".

6. Does anybody have a clue what happened during the second jump. Not only the when, but who were the people in the other boat shooting at them? Or as Sawyer said "Who are they, other Others? Where did the canoes come from? The survivor's camp was there so it must have been after they left?

7. Charlotte and Miles must have grown up on the Island. When Miles got the nose bleed, Daniel told him that it was hitting them worse because they spent more time on the island. When Miles said that he's only been there 2 weeks, much less time than these yahoos, Daniel said "are you sure about that?" I'm convinced that Miles is the son of Dharma's Marvin Candle. I'm still not sure about the theory that Charlotte is the daughter of Daniel and Theresa but her line "you don't have to baby me" could be a wink in that direction.

8. What is going on with Sun? Does she want to kill Ben? Does she have more than that planned?

9. The water bottle they found said Ajira, from Ajira airlines, a fictional airline that appeared in the Lost season 5 video with music by the Fray.

10. Locke convinces Sawyer to go along with his plan to go back to the Orchid by telling him he'll be bringing "her" back to the island.

11. Daniel explaining what is happening to Charlotte - "It's like really bad jet lag".

12. Who was the man that attacked Sayid? It wouldn't make sense for him to have been working for Ben also, because Ben needs Sayid to return to the Island.

13. Where are Rose and Bernard and any other survivors that are left?

14. "The Lost Prince" also refers to a children's book by French writer Antoine de Saint Exupery. The word Besixdouze, that was on the piece of wreckage found on the beach, is the name of the asteroid where the Little Prince lives in the book.

Please let me know of your thoughts and theories on the episode.

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When I was a teenager, music was purely an audio pastime. All that I needed was a radio and a stereo with a turntable. Now, it isn't enough to just know what songs sound like. Once music videos appeared on the scene, music became a multimedia experience and if you didn't see the accompanying videos to certain songs, you were just as "out-of-it" as if you never heard the song. Could you imagine never having seen the Thriller video back in the 80s?

Until this decade, to watch music videos you had to turn on the televison to a music video channel such as MTV, Fuse or VH1 and hope they would get to the songs that you liked. This became more difficult as these channels began airing more movies and reality programming and less music videos. I still enjoy watching VH1 music videos but they are only on during the morning hours now.

In recent years, with the advent of YouTube, we can now find videos of almost anything. However, because YouTube does offer anything and everything, searching for a particular song video may not be so easy. That is why I highly recommend MTV Music. This is a different website than MTV.com.

MTV Music only has music videos. The home page has a big search box where you can type in any artist or song. If you would rather browse, you can look through most viewed, top rated, featured or random. It couldn't be easier. If you sign up for an account (it is free), you can save videos that you like to your quicklist, or make playlists, so you can easily get to them when you return.

My two favorites reasons for using MTV music are: 1)I am able to keep up with the music my sons listen to because now I can actually picture the bands and not just hear them and 2) I am having a great time watching the older music videos from the early days of MTV and enjoying the memories they bring back. I'll share with you one of my favorites:

We Are The World

Michael Jackson |MTV Music

Let me know what you think of MTV Music. Do you think it is a better way to find music videos?

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Facebook was originally created for college students in 2004. In fact, when it first began, an email from an educational institution was required to join. When Facebook removed that requirement in 2006, many younger teens switched over from Myspace and Facebook grew rapidly. However, what many people, including myself, might not have originally predicted, Facebook has now become extremely popular with adults. And not just young adults, but baby boomers, many of whom have teenage children also on Facebook.

The fastest growing age group on Facebook is the 35-54 year olds. A 2009 Facebook Demographics and Statistics Report show that:

"Facebook’s 35-54 year old demographic segment not only continued to grow the fastest, but it accelerated to a 276.4% growth rate over the past 6 months. That demo is DOUBLING roughly every two months."

The second fastest growing group is the 55+ and the third is the 25-34 year olds. While there are still more 0-24 year olds on Facebook than there are of these other groups, their percentage of the overall Facebook population is constantly shrinking.

The real question is, will this matter? Will teenagers and college students care if adults, including their parents, become the majority of users on Facebook. After all, a member has to allow another member to be their friend for them to be able to see anything on their wall. So teens can do what my sons did to me and just not friend their parents and other adults and keep their privacy.

However, is the real issue really about privacy. I think that it might come down to the coolness factor. Even though the baby boomer generation has much more in common with their teenagers than the boomers had with their parents, it still isn't all that cool to hang out in the same places. Once Facebook becomes known more as a place for adult social networking and high school reunions, will that continue to be a place where teens want to go?

Any change might not happen soon. Current teens may not leave. It might be the next goup to reach their teens that will look for another social networking website for their very own. Will a brand new website launch that will excite these teens? Or will they find one that already exists but just is not very popular in the United States yet, such as Hi5, the third largest social networking site behind MySpace and Facebook?

What do you think? What has been your experience with your teenagers on Facebook. If you are a teenager, how do you feel about the rising population of adults on what was once your domain?

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