It's a normal day. You walk home from school, put your bag down, grab a snack, and if you're like the majority of today's kids you sit in front of the TV. Of course, you might alter that situation a little, maybe it's a computer, a CD player, a magazine, or even a radio that you sit in front of.

Now, pop quiz time! What do all of the above (television, computer, CD player, magazine, and radio) have in common? Answer: They're all types of media.

What we do, what we say, how we act, and what we wear are all things the media influences. Example -- Do you remember when Ugg boots were in? Britney Spears wore them, was pictured in a fashion magazine, and bam -- suddenly they're the new black. (Sounds like Dirty Little Secret to me . . .) Even if you don't want to admit it, everyone is influenced by the media in some way.

Granted, some are influenced in different ways than others. You might listen to music and hear about daisies or whatever, and be happy because of that. Or, you might look on the TV and see a prime-time drama character talk a certain way. You might decide you like it and begin to talk the same way. You may see someone with a certain style of hair, you may copy it. The list of possibilities goes on and on.

Now, the question is: Is this good or bad? Sometimes the media can influence people for the better. Let's say on TV you see an ad with some hot star -- we'll say Mischa Barton -- and she's donating money to the Red Cross for the Hurricane Katrina Victims. If you're a Mischa fan, you might follow her example. That's good . . .

But, what about from the other side of the fence? Let's say you're watching TV and you see a young character commit suicide. Theoretically, you could be influenced to do the same, and that's bad. It isn't like you're just buying a certain type of shoes or a certain product, it's way worse.

Think about it. Watch yourself over the next couple of days; see if you can recognize things you do because of the media.

This is Ps2man1 and Casc302, signing off.
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