Category Archives: The Media

Health & Medicine, Human Interest, International, Language, The Media

UPDATE: APA DEFENDS USE OF ‘SELFITIS’ TERMINOLOGY

April 6, 2014 Pol Pinoy 5 Comments

Arlington, Virginia – Last week, The Adobo Chronicles reported that the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has classified the taking of selfies as a mental disorder and went on to call it ‘selfitis.’

The medical community was quick to criticize APA’s use of the term ‘selfitis,’ saying that the suffix ‘itis’ refers to a condition or disease that involves some form of inflammation. Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial passages of the lungs; tonsilitis is the inflammation of the tonsils; dermatitis is the inflammation of the skin. Many doctors and scientists said that the correct term for an “addiction” such as the addiction to take self photos should be ‘selfism,’ just like addiction to alcohol is ‘alcoholism.’

However, APA defended its choice for the term ‘selfitis’ saying that the newly classified mental disorder is an ‘inflammation of one’s ego.’

Business, Human Interest, International, Technology, The Media

SAMSUNG, APPLE, NOKIA TO ‘KILL’ FRONT-FACING CAMERAS ON THEIR SMARTPHONES

April 5, 2014 Pol Pinoy 31 Comments

Silicon Valley, California – Three of the world’s largest manufacturers of smartphones – Samsung, Apple and Nokia — jointly announced today that they are eliminating the front-facing camera (FFC) feature in all their future products beginning this year.

FFCs are cameras on the front of smartphones and other mobile devices that enable users to take selfies and initiate two-way video chats.

The manufacturers reached this decision after a firestorm erupted on social (and other) media following the announcement by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) that it has officially classified taking selfies as a mental disorder. APA called it ‘selfitis.’

Speaking on behalf of the three manufacturers, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that “the mobile phone industry has a social responsibility to keep their products health conscious. We are more concerned about the health of our customers, more than the profits we generate from our gadgets.”

Meanwhile, the APA defended its use of the term ‘selfitis’ to describe the new mental disorder. Critics have pointed out that ‘itis’ indicates an inflammation, more than an addiction. APA said that it used the correct terminology because in so many ways, selfitis is an inflammation of the ego.

Film and TV, The Media

JIMMY FALLON, SETH MEYERS TO RETIRE IN 2044

April 3, 2014 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

New York City, New York- This week is turning out to be “retirement week” for television late-night talk show hosts, with David Letterman announcing that he will retire as host of the “Late Show” come 2015. Letterman made the announcement during a taping of his CBS show on Thursday. He has been host of the show since 1993, when he moved to CBS after his former network, NBC, opted to hire Jay Leno to take over the “Tonight Show” when longtime host Johnny Carson retired.

Following Letterman’s announcement, both Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers announced that they will be retiring in 2044. Fallon, 39, is currently the host of the “Tonight Show,” taking over the reins from Jay Leno who retired early after hosting the show for 22 years. Meyers, 40, is host of “Late Night With Seth Meyers.” Fallon and Meyers said that their announcement will give the NBC television network ample time to line up their respective replacements when they reach retirement age.

Meanwhile, two of the most recognizable women faces on television, Barbara Walters, 84, and Joan Rivers, 80, have said they have no immediate plans of retiring. “Women age more gracefully than men, so I am have no plans of stepping down any time soon,” Rivers said. Walters told reporters that “women have the staying power and I will keep on going, and going.”