It seems as if Yahoo has decided to give social networking another try. Instead of creating an add on site such as the now defunct Mash, the Yahoo team decided to make the entire service a social experience. The first section to receive a makeover is the all-but-forgotten Yahoo Profiles. “This new profile [system] is not intended to be a new social destination on Yahoo,” writes Vice President Jim Stoneham. “Rather, our plan is to integrate ’social’ as a central dimension into the services you use every day.” The new Profiles page is available now to all registered users.

In other news, the world of graphic heavy display ads is finally coming to Google AdWords. Called the Display Ad Builder, the new service lets you make a smart looking advertisement without spending a lot of time or money. The ad can run on the entire Google Content Network, including in YouTube videos and in-game marketing situations. Easy to use, the Display Ad Builder is perfect for anyone who is growing tired of the traditional, text-only scene that AdWords usually provides.

Elsewhere, scientists have discovered that using the popular search engines such as Google and Yahoo might be better for your brain than reading a book. According to a new study on aging brains from UCLA, users who chose to surf the Internet had twice the amount of activity in cognitive centers than those who chose to read. “[The] results are encouraging,” says Professor Gary Smalls. “Internet searching engages complicated brain activity, which may help exercise and improve brain function.” At press time, neither Google nor The Association of Literary Scholars and Critics have chosen to comment on the study.

Despite what you might have heard, you don’t need a fancy degree or an internship with webtoon maestros The Brothers Chap in order to make elegant Flash files. Nope … not while Wix is around. Wix is a new online Flash editor that lets you create stunning animations and websites with just a mouse click. You can mix and mash YouTube videos, drag and drop images into a stunning layout, and even create simple menus. Unlike most Flash content, files created in Wix are completely search engine friendly. While it won’t exactly give you Homestar Runner,  Wix based Flash files are the perfect way to add a little “spice” to your existing site.

And to finish off the week, blogger extraordinaire Chris Brogan has a few tips on how to grow your blogging community. Twenty-five, to be exact. Brogan’s advice ranges from the simple (use Twitter) to the thought provoking (”Keep your eyes on the STRATEGY of what you’re doing”). As always, these words of wisdom are just one man’s opinion. “If this all works for you, great,” He writes. “If not, as always, I want you to give your thoughts. You probably know better than me.”