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Think Tank: Vine Culture, Longer Vines and Why You Should Care
So Zoë, tell me about Vine. When did you first hear about it? I first started using Vine in 2015 on a whim, long after the social media network had emerged. I don’t remember what prompted me to download the app on my trusty iPhone 5, but it was probably curiosity — I wanted to…
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Think Tank: Facebook’s Expansion of the Like
If you use Facebook, you have probably noticed that in the last few days there has been a significant change to your News Feed that a lot of people are talking about. In addition to just plain old Liking a post, you can now react in varying degrees of emotion: The impetus for this change…
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Think Tank: Concert Tickets and the Price of Art
I have been a big fan of the Arctic Monkeys since I was 12 years old. I listen to all of the music, attend their concerts when they come to Los Angeles and read any articles or interviews about them. I love their discography for many reasons, but I will always tie memories and feelings about my youth…
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Think Tank: “Treat Yo Self”
In the “Pawnee Rangers” episode of the fourth season of “Parks and Recreation,” Tom Haverford explains to the audience that he and Donna Meagle set aside a day every year in which all they do is pamper themselves. They splurge on clothes, fragrances, massages, mimosas and fine leather goods. “Three words for you,” Tom tells Donna. “Treat. Yo.…
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Think Tank: The Case for New Year’s Goals
I like the sentiment of making New Year’s resolutions in anticipation of having a wonderful year. The weird in between weeks of one year to the next is a great time to look back and see how to improve your life. I admire people who want to learn new languages, travel more, save money or lose…
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Think Tank: Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Despite the history and commercialization (which are complete downers I’m not going to talk about tonight), I think Thanksgiving is a moment that Americans need and need to share. Beyond the food, the thing I love about Thanksgiving is that it’s an opportunity to look closer at your…
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Think Tank: TV Revivals and Reboots
“Gilmore Girls” is quite easily near the top of my list of all-time favorite television shows. For most of late middle school and throughout high school, I made watching afternoon reruns on ABC Family a ritual. I remember saying in my interview to be on my high school’s newspaper that the fictional character I was most like was Rory…
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Think Tank: The $90,000 Water Bill
If you’re not a Californian, chances are you might not know that the entire state is in the middle of an historic drought. It’s a pretty big deal that has a lot of people — from farmers to scientists to people who live in wildfire-prone areas — very worried. When I was still a journalism student…
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Think Tank: Instagram’s Embrace of Landscape and Portrait Photos
Instagram announced today that in addition to its signature square posts, the app will now allow users to upload photos and videos in both portrait and landscape orientations. Prior to this change, users made their whole photos fit by using other apps to add borders. Instagram realized that 20 percent of its users use these apps extensively…
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Think Tank: 22 Things That Make Me Happy
I’m not a big fan of having big birthday celebrations. But I do think that on special occasions, whether that’s a birthday or a holiday or an anniversary, it’s important to reflect on what you love about your life and who you want to be. Twenty-one has been incredible, and I feel really lucky to wake up every morning to…