In a 2008 article for Psychology Today magazine, Hara Marano writes about the constant pressure girls face concerning their image. Deprived of an internal compass, girls compete to be "hottest," turning colleges into incubators for eating disorders and numerous unrealistic, self-imposed expectations.

But why?

Marano cites Courtney Martin, author of Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters. Martin believes ...

According to a 2009 survey by Qwest Communications, 47 percent of Americans say they can last an hour at most before feeling "antsy" about checking email, instant messaging, or other social networking sites. Of those surveyed, 46 percent said they could only make it one day. The remaining 7 percent said they could probably go a week without checking in.

In 2008, 5 million people participated in addiction programs because of alcohol or drug abuse. Participants by age:

• 12–17 years old: 5 percent
  
  
• 18–25: 15 percent
  
  
• 26–49: 57 percent
  
  
• 50 and over: 23 percent
  
  

Pfc. Lynndie England pleaded guilty on May 2, 2005, to mistreating prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. England became a central figure in the scandal after photos emerged in 2004 showing her and others sexually humiliating Iraqi prisoners. One of the photos showed her holding a hooded, naked prisoner on a leash. Another showed her smiling and giving a thumbs-up, next to nude prisoners.

The ...

Among people surveyed in 17 countries, percentage of those who say they have tried marijuana:

United States: 42.4 percent
New Zealand: 41.9 percent
Netherlands: 19.8 percent
France: 19 percent
Germany: 17.5 percent

A 2008 Fitness magazine poll of 1,000 women found that women are willing to take drastic steps to reach their ideal weight:

• Twenty-three percent would spend a week in jail.

• Twenty-three percent would shave their head.

• Twenty-two percent would wear a bikini on TV.

• Twenty-one percent would trade ten years of their life.

In the summer of my 11th year of life, I learned the power and joy of surrender. It happened in Minnesota at the Edina community swimming pool high dive. For five summers I had watched—in admiration and terror—the big kids climb 35 steps into thin air, walk a long concrete diving board, and then jump into the cool water below. For a few agonizing seconds they disappeared in the deep end ...

For more than 30 years, Gordon Mackenzie worked at Hallmark, eventually convincing the company to create a special title for him: "creative paradox." Along with challenging corporate normalcy at Hallmark, MacKenzie did a lot of creativity workshops for elementary schools. And those workshops led to a fascinating observation that he shares in his book Orbiting the Giant Hairball.

MacKenzie would ask ...

Syndicated New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, a keen observer of world trends, devoted a recent column to the idea that technology has made everyone a potential paparazzo.

Friedman explains that anyone we encounter could have a cell phone with a camera that could record our actions. If we're rude or misbehave, we could end up on the offended party's blog or MySpace website for the whole world ...

The New England Journal of Medicine recently exposed another factor that contributes to obesity: a person's circle of friends. Statistics say it isn't long before a person of stronger discipline and a smaller waistline soon matches a larger friend's desire for food. In fact, the study found that the threat of obesity increases 57 percent if a person's friends are overweight.