Focusing on Community College [USA Today]
Community College is no longer the subject of the hilarious NBC sitcom above. New government funding and a dearth of skills in several expanding areas has led to increased enrollment in community colleges offering technical and vocational skills that some view as crucial in today’s job market. However, focusing on community colleges is problematic as education budgets are slashed and old vocational barriers remain.
“CyberWatch director Casey O’Brien, a community college professor and director of the regional competition, says many technical jobs could be filled by community college graduates, but the field is so new that some employers require a bachelor’s degree out of habit.”
New Voices Blogger lightens up about weight [Forward]
A few weeks ago, I posted about a Required Reading link Israeli law banning underweight models in ad campaigns. Now, New Voices’ own Simi Lampert offers her own take on the issue. As always, she is witty, insightful, and a must read.
“It’s been two years since I’ve experienced symptoms of an eating disorder, such as skipping meals or over-exercising, but I’ve thought about the disease every day since then. In our world, it’s hard not to.”
The Unchosen Ones [NY Daily News]
A proposed reality television show would follow the lives of four adults in their mid-20s as they leave the Orthodox community behind and embark on secular lives with little experience for what they are about to delve into. The show, based in part on creator Luzer Twersky’s own experiences [see quote below], explores the tension between the ‘real world’ and the one the subjects are leaving behind.
“[Twersky] says he became an atheist after a particularly intense conversation with a stripper during a lap dance. Hey, there was a world out there to learn about.”
Holy Monopoly! Facebook Acquires Instagram [NY Times]
Facebook, already trying to ward off Google with its partnership with Skype and other moves, acquired popular photosharing service Instagram on Monday, making the most addicting website on the web even more addicting. Instagram offers users a chance to upload and edit pictures and share them with friends, though it remains to be seen how Facebook will attempt to incorporate these features into its own.
“Facebook may also need Instagram to help it keep up with the constantly changing whims of the online audience. Facebook was born in the computer-and-browser era and is trying to adapt to a world that is increasingly mobile-centric. Instagram is a purely mobile creation.”
