YPNation

t's been one month to the day since mother earth's voice vibrated through the capital of Haiti, and humanity banded together to muster support in the face of this boundary breaking natural disaster. As the chaos slowly settles, concerns are now arising about whether donations are reaching those for whom its intended. Cell phone companies have experienced backlash from costumers demanding that Haiti donation text message fees be waived. Financial institutions had a similar push back with online donation fees. The prominent aid site YELE HAITI came under scrutiny for their past handling of funds. E-mails circulated asking that donations not be made to the American Red Cross, citing previous glitches in Hurricane Katrina relief.

Last week I wrote about a new trend in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), in which companies target the world's poorest people to move them up a notch on the ladder of economic development and profit from them as well.( I went to a slum in Angono, Rizal, here in the Philippines, to see how one Philippine company is putting this business model into practice.

Think you need to live in Hollywood and have a huge budget to make films? Not so. Meet Ryan Connolly, the host, writer, director and producer of Film Riot, a weekly online show that peeks behind the scenes of independent filmmaking. Part zany, part gory, it's a show that leaves no stone unturned when it comes to piecing together a film--from penning the dialogue to creating the special effects.

While most young professionals spend their days holed up in cubicles, Jared Talarski, 29, has made a career captaining a schooner and lending a hand to those in need. He spoke with YPNation about his sailing career and recent relief voyage to Haiti on the Liberty Schooner.

Year after year, the popular spring break destinations are predictable--Mexico, Florida, California, Vegas, the Caribbean, and for those who can afford it, Europe. But why not try a new spot and combine your spring break travel with a little volunteering? It can be a great resume builder in this grim job market, and can help cut down the costs of travel at a time when budgets for many are tighter than usual.

Deployed in Iraq I was deployed in Iraq in September 2009 for my first four-month rotation flying missions with my new unit. Multiple holidays and a birthday missed with not a single day off. No such thing as a fun Friday night, a lazy Sunday morning or even a Wednesday to think, "I'm halfway there." Everyday is a no frills Tuesday--the same day over and over again. Same uniforms, same chicken and rice to eat, same routine. There are only the rare tell-tale signs to offer any concept of time: pizza being served in the chow hall so it must be Friday, or a football game on TV so it must be Sunday. But it doesn't matter that it is Sunday because business must be done, a mission must be flown. The games are missed. (God bless those ground pounders who go for a year at a time.)

Less than half of Millennials, Americans age 18 to 29, believe when they are their parents' age, they will be better off, according to the "Survey of Young Americans' Attitudes Toward Politics and Public Service" (pdf) from Harvard University's Institute of Politics.

When Alex Yates, a marketing consultant, relocated two years ago to the Chicago area from San Diego he joined a running club. He had been a member of a track club in San Diego, and eyed the Chicago Area Runners Association, or CARA, as a way to integrate into his new community.

Late last month Marketplace Money did a story on "hauls," online video diaries about the junk people buy. Call me a Luddite, but that makes me want to cuddle up with Tolstoy's War and Peace. If you have a different reaction it might be because you--like so many savvy entrepreneurs in the information age--are seeing dollar signs where others might see cultural decline.

Small farms have been on the out for decades as younger generations leave town for urban lifestyles with more financial promise. But as we have seen recently in Michael Pollan's books (The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food) as well as the work of so many others, the tragic consequences of agribusiness have spurred a reactionary movement, which is now in full swing. The demand for sustainably produced and organic food is going up, and as a result of this increasing awareness, young people are moving back to the farm. And they're changing how it's done.

Late last night, the House approved by a narrow margin of 219 to 212 sweeping changes to the nation's health system. It was the final showdown of a long, bloody battle--one that sharply divided Congress, and even the nation. But the conversation about health care reform has really only just begun, as we implement the reform, witness its impact and build upon its foundation. In anticipation of Sunday's vote, YPNation contributor Ryan Lynch, 28, and a consultant at the non-profit Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse, asked of the YPNation team what they thought the impact of the insurance mandate would be.

In celebration of Women's History Month, YPNation is profiling notable women from history this week. These women come from different backgrounds and professions, but all achieved success or a notable accomplishment in their respective fields when they were in their twenties or thirties.

In celebration of Women's History Month, YPNation is profiling notable women from history who achieved success or a notable accomplishment in their respective fields when they were in their twenties or thirties. And because of their impressive work, we're recognizing these women as "honorary YPs."

As with any bill jerked around for half a year in the democratic process and packed with side-deals, last week's momentous health care legislation has its perks and its flaws. There's still no public option, but recent college graduates will soon be able to ride their parents' insurance until they turn 27. Meanwhile, the pro-choice movement made no headway when it comes to a woman's right to have an abortion--if anything, they lost ground.

In celebration of Women's History Month, YPNation is profiling notable women from history who achieved success or a notable accomplishment in their respective fields when they were in their twenties or thirties. And because of their impressive work, we're recognizing these women as "honorary YPs." For part three of this four-part series, we honor artist Frida Kahlo and cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova.

In celebration of Women's History Month, YPNation is profiling notable women from history who achieved success or a notable accomplishment in their respective fields when they were in their twenties or thirties. And because of their impressive work, we're recognizing these women as "honorary YPs."

I am not a health care analyst. Although I dabbled in macro health-related policy in graduate school, I could tell you very little about the intricacies of our health care system. But this post really doesn't have much to do with health care policy, rather it's my take as to how we got to where we are today.

General Stanley McChrystal, by way of his civilian-centric strategy for the war in Afghanistan, is experimenting. Thirty-nine female Marines are poised to deploy as "attachments" with an all-male infantry for the express purpose of gaining the trust of Afghan women. After training at Camp Pendleton, located just south of Los Angeles, the Marines will travel to rural villages in Afghanistan's most violent province.

The housing industry may not see much action for a while, but real estate on the Internet is booming. Just ask Mike Cassidy, a 25-year-old, whose Web domain names that he bought for $5.99 are now being appraised at $1000.

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. But that doesn't mean you have to run and hide from the sappy Hallmark side of the holiday. There are ways to celebrate love--whether its with your friends, your family or your 'better half'--without getting swept up in the hype.