Nxt Blog Index
August 09, 2007
The Scanner: Econ, wrestling the Red Dragon, Hello Kitty, Bacon Salt and Scott Stapp

It's Thursday, which means it's time for The Scanner - All the Internet, now with 20 percent less spam.

Is "going wild" a psychological condition Following last week's visit by Girls Gone Wild comes this: The crack medical news staff at Fox News brings us this report, which says young girls are increasingly falling victim to the "sexualization" of our culture, thanks to Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan. How come no one ever studies this type of thing for boys? Take a few minutes to watch the video of "Dr. Manny" and the Sexologist if you can. They make mention of and show a teen getting on The MySpace - which is owned by News Corp., Fox's parent company. Does that count as marketing?
(Hat Tip: Fark)

Making Sense of Econ 101 There seems to be varying reports out today on how well high school students understand economics. On one hand they seem to grasp the basics of economics and how the national economy works. On the other hand they may not be clear on how the unemployment rate and investing in education can affect the economy Is economics required in high school?


First off, people still watch Lonleygirl15? Second, she died at the hands of a cult? This faux-hyper-reality thing is getting weird.


Did you know Hip-Hop has an official snack chip? Thanks (don't call him Lil') Romeo.
(Hat Tip: G4)

Would you rather go on "Intervention," or go to camp for your Internet addiction? OK, what if that camp was in China, or "Red China," as Lou Dobbs calls it. According to their numbers, 2.6 million of China's 20 million Internet users are addicts. The camp would be an alternative to the Internet Addiction Treatment Centre, "which uses a blend of therapy and military drills to treat children addicted to online games, Internet pornography and cybersex."

Oh, hey, aren't the Olympics in Beijing next year?

Meanwhile, over in Thailand ... I think everyone's seen this news on cops forced to bear their shame with the face of Hello Kitty

Now is this funny because it's Hello Kitty, or scary because we're all worried these Internet-addicted, smog-loving, Hello Kitty-wearing "Reds" are going to own us some day?

The one time to buy instead of rent. Turns out we don't always need to look to China for the weird trappings of a society dancing on the tipping point of common sense and insanity. Look no further than Flex Pets a company that offers a "shared dog ownership" philosophy. That means rent-a-dog. As in, I LOVE dogs, but just can't be bothered to look after them when it's inconvenient

Oh Lily you are so sassy. Apparently America is serious about immigration. They're even telling Lily Allen she can't work here. Could Amy Winehouse be behind this?

That's Poppa-Zao to you While we're on celebrity news, it appears K-Fed (Mr. Kevin Federline) is trying to get full custody of his babies from Britney "Mommy needs her medicine" Spears. How strange is it that you almost are rooting for K-Fed to get custody?

It could be time to say goodbye to the airplane as the best way to get across the country. Say hello to The Aeroscraft. Sure, there may be some weirdness to flying in anything that is like a blimp, but if it can take the cramped seats, recycled business traveler smell and "travel size" snacks out of flying, then you can count me in.
(Hat Tip: Gizmodo.)

When Kirk gets action, someone has to pay. This one's for all the Star Trek geeks out there. Someone went through the trouble of doing an analysis of the deaths of random red-shirted crewmen from the original Star Trek. Turns out, your chances of dying at the hands of some alien with a bumpy forehead increase if you wore a red shirt. Science fiction meets pop culture fact.

I want stock in this company. By name alone, I should be associated with something called Bacon Salt. But let's look at this further:
"Who are we? We’re just two regular guys who love grilling and football on Sunday afternoons, eating until we can’t get off the couch and of course, the taste of great bacon. And it’s our dream to make everything taste like bacon."

Oh, YEAH!

How is this product not sweeping the nation? How is this not already on the shelves of Hannaford, Shaws, Wild Oats or Whole Foods? Tell me one thing that would not taste better if it had a little extra bacon love? Plus - its got zero calories and is on the level for vegetarians and Kosher guidelines.

To steal from LaVar Burton,"But you don't have to take my word for it."

CREED UPDATE: Did you know yesterday was Scott Stapp's birthday? I would feel bad mentioning other celebrities birthdays and not mention the former frontman of Creed. His arms will forever be wide open...but not to groupies, of course.


Finally, I wanted to include this comic I stumbled across yesterday, which explores how Facebook has encouraged minor stalker-ism.


Remember, if you got a Web site, video or otherwise bizarre phenomenon on the Internet, e-mail me or IM me (JustinNXT) and it’ll end up in the Scanner.

Posted by at 01:27 PM

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Comments

Hrm. The sexualization of our culture, huh? Oh yeah, Fox, thanks so much for Married With Children. I happen to remember when that was one of your only television shows so you'd play the same episode several times in one evening. Ah yes- All of the televised fawning over s hyper-sexualized, under-aged Christina Applegate and OG MILF, Peg Bundy surely couldn't possibly have led to said sexualization, could it have?

Luckily, Fox's crack team of finger-pointing analysts are on the case.

Posted by Alex Steed
August 9, 2007 01:33 PM

Peg Bundy was NOT a MILF....but her lesbian neighbor was hot...

Posted by yamo
August 9, 2007 07:45 PM

I would like to hear someone justify this flexpets thing. So far the only remotely good reason I have heard for "renting" a dog was a hypothetical "to visit my sick grandma in the nursing home"....but they already have therapy dogs for that, and therapy dogs have stable loving homes to go to at night.

Anyone have a reason they would rent a dog?

Posted by ac.
August 10, 2007 08:32 AM

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Justin is a former newspaper intern and has the scar tissue to prove it. Justin has been a staff writer for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram since 2003, and in 2004 began writing a weekly column in the Monday Magazine.

If he had to pick a label, the column would fall under "youth culture," covering everything from high school dance etiquette, dealing with college debt, the resurgence of Roller Derby and Portland's one-of-a-kind music scene. This of course has not stopped him from answering letters to Santa Claus or writing about his experience riding shotgun in a drift car.

Justin is an export from the Midwest. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri and is originally from Minnesota. He enjoys bacon, cheap beer, redheads, Burt Reynolds jokes and wondering what the soundtrack to his life would sound like.

When he grows up he wants to be an international art thief. Or Captain America.

Until then he'll be bringing you dispatches about "the young people" and what they do.






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Bring on the Tights: Free Comic Book Day
Celebrating Vinyl at Enterprise Records
The NXT Roundtable: The economy & doughnuts
South by Southwest Interactive: Talking with Jay Smooth
The Night at Greendrinks
The NXT Roundtable
Day at the Newseum
Subject Bias: How to Feel
ROFLing with "Stuff White People Like"
Geekspeak with Pop Candy
A Green Eye for Fashion
Not My Job
What's next for Justin Alfond
Sittin' down with Stew n' Crew
Lessons with the Portland Music Foundation
Catching up with Opportunity Maine
Discussing Freedom Space
Spinout's Class of 2007
Free for All in Space
Flipping Records: WMPG's Annual Record Sale
An evening at the MECA art auction
Beats, award shows and life with Mike Clouds
The NXT Halloween Special
Chat with Davy Rothbart of FOUND Magazine
When Turtles Make Love *Warning: mature material
Derby night in America
The debut of Halo 3
A sit down with Santiago




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