Topic: social media

The #SexyShred Fitness Challenge: Proving Social Media Can Spur Healthy Living

The #SexyShred Fitness Challenge: Proving Social Media Can Spur Healthy Living

Social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and all those other crazy-addictive sites) is an increasingly prevalent aspect of modern life. More and more, it’s criticized for making us “lonely” and less connected to the real, physical world around us. At their worst, online communities can encourage bullying and even eating disorders, but in some corners of the internet, social media is embraced as part of a healthy lifestyle, helping people thrive. Feminista Jones, an avid social media user and sex-positive feminist blogger, started her own health and fitness challenge called the #SexyShred. Her goal was to create a supportive, inclusive community for people looking to live healthier lifestyles using social media. Inspired by the community she’s created, I asked Feminista Jones a few questions about the #SexyShred, its creation, and how social media can spur us all to lead healthier lives and make healthier choices. More »

Dr. Pepper Evolution Ads Enrage Fans; Why Are We OK With So Much Other Offensive Media?

Dr. Pepper Evolution Ads Enrage Fans; Why Are We OK With So Much Other Offensive Media?

Dr. Pepper really ticked off their fans. Not because they’re finally waking up to the fact that soda is bad for you, but because they used evolution in a Facebook ad campaign. As NPR reports, “…an ape moving from all-fours, to seeing a soda on a rock, to an upright man, enjoying a Pepper, is apparently red meat to some creationists who are loudly expressing outrage at the idea that humans evolved from soda-discovering apes.” We’ve seen companies use sex, violence, misogyny and, most recently, national tragedies to claim consumer attention, so forgive us when we say that this just seems silly. More »

7 Pinterest Recipe Boards You Should Be Following

7 Pinterest Recipe Boards You Should Be Following

I really, really wanted to dislike Pinterest—all those crafts and elaborately-decorated cupcakes and the overall Etsy aesthetic. All those brides-to-be pinning shoes and rings and wedding porn. But then I realized how great the site is—easier to use than Tumblr, prettier than old bookmarking sites like del.ic.ious—for keeping track of, sharing and finding new recipes. Plus, a growing number of folks (including men) have been signing up, which has mitigated Pinterest’s cutesy/craftsy reputation and feel somewhat. If your tastes tend more toward avocado gazpacho and beet chips than pretzel turtles and cherry coke cupcakes, here are a few recipe pinboards to follow. More »

Chins Are The New Breasts? Survey Says ‘Chinplants’ On The Rise

Chins Are The New Breasts? Survey Says 'Chinplants' On The Rise

If you’d asked me to guess what type of plastic surgery had increased most between 2010 and 2011, chin augmentation would not have been near the top of my list. But according to new statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, demand for “chinplants“—inserted to enhance or define the chin line—increased 71% during that period, outpacing breast implants, liposuction and Botox. More »

Is #McDChanging? Not Really; They’re Just Co-opting The “Farm-to-Fork” Movement

Is #McDChanging? Not Really; They're Just Co-opting The "Farm-to-Fork" Movement

McDonald’s held a “#McDChanging” twitter chat today to ask their customers how they’d like to see the fast food giant change. As you’d expect, many customers wanted to know how they’d be making their menu more healthy. Their answer? Mainly that they’ll be posting calorie counts in the future and, weirdly, that they’re focused on “telling their farm-to-fork story about their food.” Read: They’re full of hot air. More »

Boing Boing Co-Founder Xeni Jardin Tweeted Her Mammogram and Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Boing Boing Co-Founder Xeni Jardin Tweeted Her Mammogram and Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Can Twitter make cancer better? Xeni Jardin, the founding editor and co-editor of Boing Boing, decided that it probably could, and live-tweeted her first mammogram and breast cancer diagnosis yesterday. She tweeted everything from her decision to undergo her first screening to photos of herself prepping for the test on instagram, and even the results: Sadly, that she has breast cancer. More »

Walgreen’s Gives Away A Flu Shot If You Check In On Foursquare

Walgreen's Gives Away A Flu Shot If You Check In On Foursquare

Do you use the social media app Foursquare? The app enables users to “check in” to places they go to and get points based on the number of times they’ve been out to how many of their friends are at the same place. However, plenty of brands are now using Foursquare to give out coupons, discount codes, or other free stuff to their customers. Tumblr user Bees Knees checked into her local Walgreen’s and got a message informing her that Walgreen’s would be donating a flu shot voucher to “someone in need” because of her checkin. More »

In A World Of Digital Romance, Does Anybody Else Miss Voice-To-Voice?

In A World Of Digital Romance, Does Anybody Else Miss Voice-To-Voice?

Arranging a booty call, setting up a date or flirting has never been as easy as it is now; it used to require some effort. Not a ton, mind you, but a pinch. At least it went beyond the barbaric language hacking that has become so commonplace in today’s hurried, text-fueled world. Full sentences — What are you doing today? — have since been chopped up and replaced by ‘What u doing 2day?’ or ‘U wanna hang?’ More »

Cloudy With A 60% Chance Of Depression: Site Creates Real-Time Health “Weather Maps”

Cloudy With A 60% Chance Of Depression: Site Creates Real-Time Health "Weather Maps"

You know how you can sometimes get a feel for what kind of bugs are going around your city, school or social circle from tweets or Facebook status updates? Sickweather can too. The still-in-beta site —s ure to be a hypochondriac’s new favorite URL — aggregates illness-related data from social networks to produce real-time “weather maps” of flus, fevers and other reported symptoms like some sort of digital epidemiologist. Is this cool or creepy? More »

Click for more posts