Your Life
Wasted Youth
Alcoholism is a disease that can strike at any age. Two 20-somethings share their stories of sobriety.
The last time 22-year-old Olivia Parker* drank was Sept. 22, 2012. She came to consciousness in the back of an ambulance just after midnight with missing teeth, a banged up face and a blood alcohol content (BAC) of over .30. A BAC between .40 and .50 is usually lethal.
Get Up, Do Good
Five free apps and sites that aim to do some good.
You’re at work or in the checkout line. Boredom strikes. You whip out your phone and find nothing new on Twitter, Instagram or even Buzzfeed. You’re searching for something to occupy your time, but no luck.
Don’t fret — over here at Think Mag, we’ve got you covered…
Alternative Healing
Incorporate natural and alternative medicines into your life for a whole new perspective.
Before pharmacies were stocked with cures for everyday ailments, people had to find natural, homeopathic solutions for common aches and pains. There’s a pill out there to fix anything, but some still seek these historical, natural treatments. According to the Mayo Clinic, nearly 40 percent of adults in the United States report using complementary and alternative medicines. We talked with alternative healing experts Dr. Terry Lynch and Dr. Kathy Gruver to find out about their personal regimens and what they recommend.
Capturing the essence of Crypto
April Glaser, a digital rights activist, shares her experiences and thoughts on the protection of digital rights within the United States.
She’s not afraid. She knows they’re listening. She keeps talking. She currently does so as part of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit focused on “defending civil liberties in the digital world.” April Glaser’s appreciation for media, technology and freedom of speech started on a local level and progressed with her work at the New American Foundation in Washington, D.C. These days she shares her knowledge and passion by working with community organizations and encouraging people to keep their national government honest. She visited Iowa last month to speak at Iowa State University for a panel: “Government Spying, Threats to Privacy and Your Rights Online.”
All Worked Up
Washington Post writer Brigid Schulte gives her thoughts on America’s obsession with work.
Americans have 30 hours of leisure per week. At least, that’s what a researcher told Washington Post reporter Brigid Schulte. She was floored. So she conducted a study of her own to find out just how busy people really are — herself included. The responses she received were so overwhelming, she decided to write an article on what she found. “It was just such a widespread feeling,” Schulte said. “People felt their lives were rushing past them and they were living on the sidelines.” After realizing how big of a story she had on her hands, she expanded her study into a New York Times bestselling novel: Overwhelmed: Work, Play, and Love When No One Has the Time.
Shifting Gears
Millennials couldn’t care less about owning a car, thanks to growing appreciation for public transportation.
Ashley Crow walked a mile to her bus stop in the freezing cold during the worst winter Indianapolis had seen in 30 years. Plows scooped snow onto sidewalks, along with garbage and whatever else was scattered on the roads. Pedestrians had to either fight their way through several feet of the snow-trash mix or walk in the street. After a few hit-and-runs, though, pedestrians took to the snow-covered grass. But these obstacles haven’t kept 23-year-old Crow from using public transportation…
Got milk? Maybe you shouldn’t.
Adults continue to drink milk despite resulting health problems
A tall, cold glass of milk: It’s about as American as blue jeans and baseball. And for many, it’s a staple of an everyday diet. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends adults drink three cups of low-fat or non-fat milk every day (unless, of course, someone is lactose-intolerant). If you were to drink those three cups of milk per day, you’d drink 1,095 cups per year — a little over 68 gallons…
Do the Hula
This new app will change the way you approach getting tested.
I remember that day like it was yesterday. My heart felt heavy with fear. The freezing January morning matched my mood: cold and unbearable. I didn’t know what to expect when I stepped into the clinic; I just knew I had to do it. I had to get tested. No, I’m not talking about blood pressure or IQ tests. I’m talking about getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)…
Millennials, Tap Water and Bad Teeth
Millennials are drinking less fluoridated water than any generation before them.
We’ve heard it our entire lives: Brush your teeth at least twice a day. But has your dentist ever told you to go home and drink tap water? Doubt it. And that’s a problem.
Would You Have Survived the Salem Witch Trials?
A wave of hysteria washed over the people of Salem village in Massachusetts from 1692-93. They were convinced the devil possessed the bodies of women, children and even some men to carry out satanic actions on the innocent, devout Puritans of Salem…
What to Watch
Which Midwestern classic movie should you watch
Find out which Midwestern movie you’re in the mood for right now with our movie flowchart.
Drink Up
A look at how the Midwestern states differ in alcohol legislation and consumption.
Everyone knows the Midwestern stereotype – people knocking down beers in the middle of nowhere; a place where the selection of bars outnumbers everything else (except maybe churches)…
Infusing Spring Flavors into Tasty Liquor
From our friends at Mpls. St. Paul Magazine
Spring is in the air. Do you know what that means? Farmers markets are right around the corner. What could possibly be better than strolling along in the warm sun, buying freshly picked fruits, herbs or vegetables from local distributors? Adding a dash of liquor to the mixture, of course…
Grieving 2.0
How Facebook is changing mourning rituals
Madison Sweeney’s family didn’t have current photos of her 18-year-old brother, Christopher when he suddenly died in 2007. So, Sweeney turned to Christopher’s Facebook page to see his blue eyes and shaggy, brown hair…
Wisconsin Cracks Down on Domestic Violence with Legislation Reform
From Uppity Wisconsin
New legislation passed in Wisconsin to better address the ongoing problem of domestic abuse. The law aims to help women and children gain access to programs they need and reclaim a sense of security. Past legislation left glaring holes in terms of safety for these women and children. Residents are hopeful the new laws will better serve the afflicted…
Which Comic Book Character Are You?
Not many people have the super-powers necessary for comic-book-hero status. Fortunately, not all is lost. The power to take this quiz is now in your hands — er, face — so you, too, can share with the world the qualities that make you (and your comic alter-ego) truly super…
Minimalism inspires wardrobe change
From Mpls. St. Paul Magazine
How many times have you looked at your closet bursting with clothes — oodles of cheap Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters tops, some of which still have the tags on — and lamented that you had “nothing to wear”?
Des Moines: Hell Yes
Why Des Moines is better than wherever the hell you’re from.
The other day I was riding my bike up a hill when a man stopped mid-task to cheer me on. I was working hard, and he could tell. You know when the resistance is so high that you’re basically riding in slow motion, where each rotation feels like you’re churning a meat grinder? Well, that was how I felt at that moment — right before he turned around to yell a few words of encouragement. That’s right, not to cat-call and harass the struggling 20-something, but to say, “Keep going, I believe in you!”
Rewriting the American Dream
Millennials don’t need the same life as their parents.
The American Dream used to be simple — at least that’s what we’ve been told. Supposedly women fantasized of white picket fences and a husband to welcome home with a stiff drink and a meal on the table. They dreamed of fancy kitchenettes, book clubs, a clean home and 2.5 perfect little children. It was a story fit for fairy tales, high school history textbooks and entry-level sociology courses…
How Healthy is too Healthy?
Certain nutrients have an intake limit for a reason; too much of one thing can actually harm the body.
Do you get enough calcium? Vitamin C? Iron? There are pills for that. There’s a pill for about everything. But more is not always better. Exceeding the upper limit of recommended nutrients is potentially harmful…
Modern Money
5 mobile apps to help you manage your finances
For Lauren Goray of Fayetteville, N.C., it’s all about seeing her student loan balance shrink. The recent Northern Illinois University graduate uses Mint.com, a personal finance website and mobile application, to watch her debt disappear…
On Millennials: The Screwed Generation
We inherited a global climate crisis, weathered the Great Recession and then got college degrees. But we’re all still screwed.
Millennials are destined for destitution — at least according to zillions of articles plastered online. Don’t believe me? Try it yourself: Enter the words “Millennials are” in your search engine and the options will read “the screwed generation,” “narcissistic” and “cursed.” Call me crazy, but I don’t fancy myself as either doomed or self-absorbed; and I definitely don’t believe in sorcery…
Express Your Self(ie)
There’s much more behind snapping a self-portrait than meets the eye — namely, an expression of your own identity.
Taking a selfie is the guilty pleasure of the smartphone era. It’s second nature to see someone snapping a picture of himself with his iPhone — at a baseball game, the gym or even the bathroom.