I’m all for going above and beyond to get the job done, but this is where I’d be forced to draw the line. Mostly because I’m not exactly “equipped” for it. Megan Carpentier, the executive editor of Raw Story, pushed her investigative journalism to the brink when she underwent an unnecessary transvaginal ultrasound to better understand the “War on Women.” Read her full recount of the procedure here or watch the video.

Some believe the Los Angeles Times went too far by publishing photos of smiling U.S. troops standing over the remains of suicide bombers in Afghanistan, reigniting the debate over whether such photos warrant publishing or not.

Whether either of those stories influence legislators or public opinion remains to be seen; however, we don’t have to wait any longer to see who made Time magazine’s list of the “100 Most Influential People in the World” this year.

As a child, I was certainly influenced by the books I read, thanks in large part to Levar Burton and programs such as Reading is Fundamental (RIF). And now celebrities and some of the beloved characters from those literary classics have come together as part of a new PSA anthem that’s all “We Are the World” style.



Worried you can’t live up to the creative standards of your childhood fiction favorites? Don’t be. Stanford’s Dr. Tina Seelig is teaching a course on creativity—that is, how small business owners can learn to create something new and innovative.

Meanwhile, Internet ad business is booming. According to USA Today, revenue in the U.S. hit a record $31 billion in 2011.

Marketers and advertisers may want to check out a new film about the highly sought-after Generation Y. “Y Now,” a film from the newly created Curve Films (part of NBCUniversial), is a piece of cinematic storytelling that offers an inside look at Americans ages 18 to 34.

And now for a quick round of True or False:

Statement  No. 1: The London 2012 Summer Games will be the Olympics of social media advertising.

Answer: True—if the push on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest by brands such as Samsung, Proctor & Gamble, and Coca-Cola is any indication.

Statement No. 2: The employees of Out magazine just “outed” themselves.

Answer: False. But the publication’s owner, Here Media, did outsource much of its editorial content, leaving only 12 former staff members who will continue to work as freelancers.

Statement No. 3: Macbook Pro is the new, new car smell.

Answer: True, according to Business Insider, which reported on a fragrance created by Melbourne-based Greatest Hits and Air Aroma to refabricate the scent of a new Apple product.

Statement No. 4: The ads for the new Apple fragrance will be sexy.

Answers: True—if you believe Adweek’s contention that you can only sell cologne with sex.

So, how’d you do?