December 22, 2010 ^artlanh (Observer Page 7 l-technology PURE C? Ol'ViZZt'vCC/ by Ebony You deserve the lime of your life. Want to host a party? Contact your local Consultant: Ebony 503.484 3107 • Pureromancebyebony@yahoo.com www prbyebony com p u re ro m a n ce .co m A u g u s ta n a Lutheran Church NE 15th & Knott 503-288-6174 We invite you to join us Christmas Eve “Jesus, the Light of the World” 7 pm Candlelight Jazz Carol Service Marilyn Keller, Ron Steen, George Mitchell, Kevin Deitz A survey of parents finds the Internet has become as important to families as television. Withholding Access to the Internet Parents place limits for bad behavior (AP) — No TV for a week, the time-honored punishment for misbehaving children, has been enhanced. Now, parents are also withholding Internet access to punish their kids, further sign that the Web has become as important to families as televi­ sion. As the two mediums con- verge, parents are quickly com- ing to see TV and the Internet in similar ways and are seek- ing to limit their kids' access to both, according to a report out this week from researchers at the University of Southern Cali­ fornia. The survey from the USC Annenberg Center for the Digi- tai Future found that two-thirds of parents say they restrict their kids' access to TV as punish- ment, a number that has barely budged over the past 10 years, But the percentage of parents who limit Internet access as a form of punishment has nearly doubled in the last decade. Among parents surveyed this spring, 57 percent said they with- held Web access to punislftheir kids. That is up from 32 percent Advertise with diversity in Call 5O3-288-OO33 11 pm Candlelight Carol Service Organ & Choirs Choir Director: Glenn Ludtke CHRISTMAS DAY Worship 10 a.m. in 2000. has made it increasingly difficult multicultural, welcoming and affirming church Michael Gilbert, a senior fel- for parents to monitor what their Rev. W.J. Mark Knutson, Pastor low at the center, said parents kids are doing, are starting to not see a big distinction between TV watch­ ing and Internet use. Even so, parents are still more comfort- able with the amount of time kids spend on the Internet — 71 per- cent said it was "just about right" compared with just 51 percent for TV. Earlier surveys by the center have shown that families are spending less time together than All TriMet service is free after 8 p.m. on they used to, a decline that has coincided with the explosive New Year’s Eve, Friday, December 31. growth of social networks in the past few years. Now, parents are saying • Buses: Buses w ill run on regular weekday schedules. Internet access at home is also reducing the time their children • MAX Blue, Green and Yellow lines: spend with their friends face-to- face. Gilbert called this a worri- Late-night service is added, running every 30 minutes some trend, though noted that u n til about 3 a.m. the number of parents to report this is still small — 11 percent in • MAX Red Line: Trains w ill run on weekday schedule. 2010 compared with 7 percent in 2000. After Red Line service ends, a shuttle bus w ill carry riders Of course, the Internet and every 15-30 m inutes u n til 3 a.m. social networks also make it easier to communicate and they help families stay in touch with • Portland Streetcar: Streetcar w ill run on regular loved ones. weekday schedule; the last trip of the night at 11:27 p.m. "The answer is never about technology. It's always about Get home safely this holiday. Cheers! parental responsibility," Gilbert said. But he noted that the explo- si ve growth of digital technology Be safe this New Year’s Eve T R I© M E T Portland Observer ads@portlandobscrvcr.com Plan your trip at trimet.org * ★ *