BUSINESS
WEEK ONLINE -- May 7 -- It has been a while since 18-year-old Abe
Hassan read a book of fiction or went to bed before 10 p.m. Hassan's
social life revolves around LiveJournal.com. Already, 28% of teens keep
blogs, the Web logs that are fast becoming a prominent alternative
source of news and commentary, while only 16% of adults do the same,
according to market researchers Jupiter Research. Some pundits
call the under-25 crowd the super-communicators. They love instant
messaging (IM) and spend more money on their cell phones than on
cigarettes, candy or music. They're doing more and more of their
interpersonal communications virtually. FULL ARTICLE @ COMMERCE TIMES

Mark Brooks:
16% of adults keep blogs? There is, evidently, a need for more
community and connection in American society. Hence the success
of Starbucks, cell phones and online communities. But aren't
these modes of connections on rather a superficial level? Can we
really replace good old fashioned, in the flesh contact with a few good
friends.