Facebook Takes Over the World

Whether you were updating your profile or fighting with your ten-year-old, you have surely dealt with Facebook sometime this week.

Italian blogger and social networking expert Vincenzo Cosenza has created world maps that clearly show how Facebook is slowly but surely taking over the world. The complete collection of maps is posted on the Daily Mail.

The blue areas are those that are dominated by Facebook, while the other colors represent those that primarily use other networks. Sites like MySpace are still used, but are not shown on the maps because it is no longer dominant.

According to Gawker.com, dominant sites like Brazil’s Orkut “can hold off the competition because it’s a default, and nobody wants to migrate to another site, however much more advanced, if their friends won’t follow.”

Hines Ward Victorious on Dancing With the Stars

Hines Ward, the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP, was announced to be the winner in the 12th season of Dancing With the Stars. Paired with Kym Johnson, Hines Ward’s final competition included Chelsea Kane with Mark Ballas, and Kirstie Alley with Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

“I never thought I’d be in the finals, but I owe it all to Kim. She’s an amazing teacher,” Ward said. He went on to thank the judges for the “constructive criticism.”

The win, which was certainly suspenseful, came after the couple’s Samba performance, danced to Earth Wind and Fire’s “Fantasy.” Ward appeared to enjoy the performance just as much as his ecstatic fans.

Alley, a fan favorite, was undoubtedly disappointed, and maybe surprised, especially following her incredible performance with Chmerkovskiy which was given a perfect score.

“It’s like the most extraordinary adventure I’ve ever been on in my whole life,” she said.

Stevie Nicks on Dancing With the Stars

On last night’s Dancing With the Stars’ semifinals show, Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke introduced Stevie Nicks, the world-renowned singer.

Some New

Revealing her new single, Nicks sang ‘Single Love’, from her new album ‘In Your Dreams,’ wowing the audience. Surely, the younger Glee fans in the crowd had a newfound appreciation for the performance after last week’s episode.

And Some Old

Later in the evening Nicks returned to sing the classic ‘Landslide,’ bringing everyone back in a nostalgic moment. Long-time fans of Fleetwood Mac surely enjoyed the show, and are also undoubtedly pleased that the singer has confirmed that Fleetwood Mac plans to reunite for a tour and possibly, another album.
During the Dancing With the Stars eliminations, Ralph Macchio was sent home, while Hines Ward, Chelsea Kane and Kirstie Alley remain in the competition for the mirror ball trophy.

Important Sunscreen Tips

As the summer months approach and the weather gets warmer, it’s time to carefully consider your summer preparedness.  While we all want to have fun outdoors during the warmer months, we also need to take safety precautions to take care of our health and our skin.

Many programs, such as Teen Screen, the Skin Cancer Foundation, and others work tirelessly to promote the safe use of sunscreen.  There are specific steps that parents should take to keep a child’s skin protected – and tips that older children should use for themselves.

From the age of six months, children should have sunscreen put on them before they go outside.  One great trick to help kids to remember to use sunscreen, and how to do so, is to spell BEENS.  Sunscreen should be on the back of knees, ears, eye area, neck and scalp. As Teen Screen explains, apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going outside, and reapply it every two hours. Waterproof sunscreen only lasts for 80 minutes after being wet.

In terms of which sun screen to select, here are some tips that Teen Screen, WebMD and other sources offer.  Purchase sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher; look for sunscreens that are labeled “broad spectrum” because they block both UVA and UVB sunlight; spray-on sunscreens are the easiest to apply and stick sunscreens are the best for the face since they are sweat proof.

 

Schwarzenegger and Shriver Announce Seperation

Arnold Schwarzenegger, former California Governor, and his wife Maria Shriver, have announced that they are separating after twenty-five years of marriage.

In a s statement, the couple explained that they will continue to work on their future relationship while living separately, and that they will of course continue to parent their four children, ages 21, 19, 17 and 13.

“This has been a time of great personal and professional transition for us,” they wrote in their statement. “After a great deal of thought, reflection, discussion and prayer, we came to this decision together.”

The split certainly comes at a time of change in both of their lives. Schwarzenegger has recently finished his seven-year run as governor, and has travelled frequently to give speeches as well as to pursue new projects in entertainment. His Tweets came from countries like France, Nigeria and Brazil.

Shriver has said that she too is going through some changes. On Facebook she posted “As you know, transitions are not easy, I’d love to get your advice on how you’ve handled transitions in your own life.” She also said, “It’s so stressful to not know what you’re doing next. People ask you what you are doing and then they can’t believe that you don’t know what you’re doing.”