Maybe It Was a Scary Science Experiment

Bill Nye, TV's beloved "Science Guy," recently gave a speech before a packed Bovard Auditorium at the University of Southern California. Then late in his speech, he collapsed. He got up, but clearly something wasn't right. Two students in the balcony thought those near Mr. Nye didn't do enough to help the stricken star. They went to the student newspaper, then the Los Angeles Times, and quickly started an exaggerated account that students were callously Tweeting as Mr. Nye was passed out in front of them.

It was a classic Internet-spread rumor, fueled by a celebrity and a grain of truth.

How Do We Know It Runs?

In honor of the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show and, perhaps more importantly, our discussion of advertising, Your Humble Blogger brought into class an advertising insert from Italian Auto maker Fiat, which is re-entering the American market after nearly 30 years. The insert said very little about the Fiat 500. But it was chock full of attitude, which the auto maker hopes will be transferred to the car and the Fiat brand.

Maybe They'll Have Seeker Scholarships

You may never go to Hogwarts with Harry Potter, but now you can play Quidditch like him, or at least a Muggle version of him. "Muggle Quidditch" is becoming so popular at East Coast universities that there is a movement to have it recognized has an NCAA sport. NPR reports.

Do Fast Food Ads Make Kids Fat?

The childhood obesity epidemic is becoming an increasingly obvious public health threat. But we are less in agreement on who or what is to blame and what we should do about it. Yale University researchers recently found that children are viewing a tremendous number of fast food ads on television. Is this part of the problem? NPR reports.

Dating in 160 Characters

The Internet has changed the way we study our lessons, parent our children, and connect with friends. So why not add to that the way we date, or even how we have affairs?

This National Public Radio story notes that average people have an opportunity to follow up on infatuations much more quickly and easily than in the past. Is that making us all more affair-prone?