THE LEFT LANE
Kids and net dangers

Advertiser Staff and News Services

The Technology Student Association, which surveyed nearly 600 middle and high school students about their views on Internet use and practices, found most know that anonymity on the Internet cannot be assured. And 7 out of 10 students realize that their online communications are traceable.

But it also found 13 percent of teens had provided personal data to chat- room buddies.

Other findings: 42 percent don't believe it's wrong to meet someone from a chat room, as long as they meet in a public place, take a friend along or take other precautions.

Asked about downloading music from the Internet, 73 percent of respondents say they've done it often or once in a while. Another 59 percent find it's OK to copy "stuff" from the Internet as long as they don't give it to anyone.

Sleep on it and learn

Three groups of college students were tested to see if they could understand words generated by a voice synthesizer. Students who trained on the synthesizer in the evening and tested in the morning after a good night's sleep delivered the best results, reports Reuters Health. Researchers say sleep consolidates memories.

Closet shoppers?

The survey of more than 2,600 shoppers at malls in seven major cities found that men were five times more likely than women to go shopping on Wednesdays following a new episode of Bravo's "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." (The show airs Tuesday nights.)

Jericho Communications, a New York-based public relations firm, conducted the survey of 2,654 shoppers at malls. Shoppers were asked which of 32 potential celebrity endorsers — ranging from "Queer Eye" fashion maven Carson Kressley to Michael Jordan to Bill Clinton — whose products they would be most and least likely to buy. Respondents could also write in their own favorites.