comment to change in Drinking Age

I made a comment to the issue of the drinking age:
When reading your blog, I was waiting for the line, that if you can die for your country, you should be able to drink. I agree with you 100%. The U.S. is the only country in the world where the drinking age is 21, and I don't understand it. Maybe its because the death rate of college students is rediculous due to alcohol poisoning caused by binge drinking. But who knows? Cause i don't. I've read somewhere I forgot where that the reason the drinking age is 21 is because research was done to prove that human kidneys don't stop growing until we are 21 years old. I don't believe that for a second. But now its time for my opinion. A part of me wishes the drinking age were 18, but the realistic part of me understands why it just can't be. You tell us that younger people drink because they can't do it till they are 21, and its a way for them to feel older, and badass. Lets be honest, thats not the reason. Younger people drink because they see the affects of alcohol on people. Nobody loves to get nuttier more than I do, I'll be honest. But then again, I look to back at all the high school parties I went to and all the kids who thought they were "tanks," with the never ending tolerance. Yeah that was funny, because they were the ones past out in their own vomit. The age group of 16-20 in the U.S. are too irresponsible to drink. End of story. To look at the original post go to Powerade's blog at http://myblogbybrad.blogspot.com/

2008 Presidency

Who do you think should be the 44th President of the United States? With elections coming up in November, it is one of the tightest races that we have witnessed thus far. Many like Hillary Clinton. Yeah I know that's funny. Some like Obama. Some like Huckabee. Some like McCain. But in the end, who would run this country the best? Who knows what to do in this situation. Who has the best qualifications?

It's easy to say that John McCain is the best candidate to become this nations 44th president. Why should Hillary even be running? I think she is running just to prove that women can do this. I would laugh in her face if she were in my presence. She is a complete JOKE. Not to be mean, but she reminds me of Martha Stewart, and there is no way I want Martha Stewart-like people running my country. What qualifications does she have? You can't just assume because her husband was the 42nd president that she is qualified to be the 44th. We can't just make First Ladies presidents! If she wasn't Bill Clinton's wife, i doubt she would have even been elected senator of NY. Maybe Laura Bush should run for the elections. I mean her husband served two terms just like Hillary's. I'm probably the exact opposite of a sexist, because I'd be the first to say that a woman has more capabilities to succeed than a man, but we need to take the world's reactions into consideration.

How would other countries react, if the greatest and most powerful nation in the world, were to be run by a woman? They would laugh at us and underestimate us. Considering the fact that in many countries women don't even have the right to vote or speak against their own government yet alone their own husbands. I believe if she were to be elected, our country could be a victim if pitiless attacks in every which way. We need to have a strong president, that would take care of our country if anything were to happen.

We need to realize that our country is vulnerable when a new president is elected into the White House. The leadership is not as strong during the first month of newly-elected officials.

Obama is a strong competitor, but I feel he is too young, and that his qualifications are minimal. He has little experience, and needs at least 10 more years before he is eligible, to run this country down to the T.

Now lets talk about John McCain. A solid candidate with political experience for 25+ years. A veteran of the Vietnam completing 20+ bombing missions. Unfortunately, he was shot down on his 23rd, and was taken prisoner. He endured severe torture, and survived it for 5 and a half years. WHAT A SOLDIER! A lot can be said about one who has gone through the pain and agony this man has. Some would consider McCain crazy, but he is just tough. A man who had to fight for his life for 5 and a half years. He is a true American. When asked if he had any grudges on the decision to be a part of the Vietnam War, he laughed and said, "Why would I?" He is one who stands by his countries decisions, and does not question them. This tells us that he would be a candidate, that was confident with each and every decision that he would make. He was part of the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. What type of person do we want running this country? A person with excellent experience, and one who is confident in their decisions. Who should be the 44th president? John McCain!

Comment to Always Engaged

Money can buy happiness? What?

Comment:

http://Interestingpoint.blogspot.com/

I totally agree with you, that the students at SMU are 100% materialistic, and think that having better or higher quality possessions makes them a better and happier person. Its the wrong way to go about things. You see too many people walking the boulevard with that swagger. The Im so cool swagger. WHY? They feel that they are btter than anyone else. In all reality, buying things does make you happy. You cant live your entire life just watching the stars and smelling the flowers. It would get old and boring. We need to experience new feelings multiple times throughout our lives to make things interesting. I'm not going to lie, if I were to buy myself an aston martin, I can bet you a million bucks, that I would be completely happy. But I just have to be buying it for the right reason; to make myself happy. Not to look better than others. In the end, it comes down to you making decisions to buy things that will make YOU happy. NOT others happy. Happiness can be bought, but in my opinion for only a certain amount of time. Love is the key to happiness? YA DIG?! IT IS WHAT IT IS

Hard Times

I'm in my second semester of my freshman year at college, and I received word that my grandfather wasn't doing very well, and was in intensive care. It was the first time away from home, that I was unable to rush to the hospital, and be with my grandfather. We seem to take advantage of things, and when it comes down to situations like this, we regret the decisions we make. I freaked out when I found out about this. Besides the intense work load that I have, I am told that my grandfather, who has been by my side through everything, is in intensive care. What do i do? I want to visit him, and be by his side, but my parents don't want me to come, afraid that it will totally crush me, leading to the destruction of my first year of college. I was in my dorm room the other day, and I called my grandfather. He is probably the toughest person that I know. He has been in the hospital countless times, and was always the first one to argue with the doctors, telling professionals that they had no idea what they are talking about. That he would be fine, and nothing would stop him from seeing his grandchildren grow up to have their own kids.

My grandpa has always been so confident. I look up to him. For the first time in my life, I heard my grandpa sound defeated, something I have never seemed to hear. My moral and overall mood seemed to be stepped and beaten down. I immediately broke down. I was scared. I kept thinking what was i going to do if my grandfather passed away, and I wasn't there. So i began to write the speech that I was going to give at my grandfather's funeral. It goes something like this,

"Where do I start? My grandfather was the most inspirational and respectful man I’ve ever known. Through every endeavor, he has always been there either by my side or watching me. No matter the circumstance, he always made it to Aj, Alexis’, or my own extracurricular activities, ranging from musical recitals to football to baseball to basketball. He always told me to keep my head up. No matter the issue, you’re never defeated until you admit it. No one can tell you that you’re done for. We are in control of our own destiny and fate, nobody else. This is something I’ve held on to tightly for as long as I can remember. I’m in my dorm room right now listening a song by Bone thugs in Harmony called “These are the days of our lives.” The times I spent with my grandfather always seemed to be the best days of my life. Since pre-school, every first day of school, grandpa would come by just as we were about to leave. He would hop out of his car, and give Alexis, AJ, and I each $5. I will never forget the first time he did it when I was in pre-school. It was the first time I had ever been given any money. I thought I was on top of the world. I wish I could go back to the first day I got my drivers license and drove to go see my grandfather and not my friend although it was my grandfather who taught me how to drive, in his Mitsubishi gallant with a missing hubcap. At the age of 11, I remember sitting in the passenger seat, and asking grandpa if I could steer. He looked at me as if I was crazy, but for all of you who know my grandpa, that didn’t necessarily mean No. He wanted to know why, but put two and two together and realized that I wanted to do something driving related because my brother and sister had just recently received their permits. For as long as I could remember, grandpa always took Alexis, AJ, and I even to Dadeland mall for our annual Christmas time ritual. Kurt, he always made sure that you were invited, and especially loved when you were able to come; he loved as if you were truly his grandson. Anyways, we’d go to Ruby Tuesdays, and get the big chocolate shortcake desert. I’d take a scoop of the whip cream and although I always pulled the “hey grandpa this smells funny, can you smell it,” joke, he would always fall it, setting himself to be a victim of the spoonful of whipped cream to his nose. That would make my day. As I grew older, and began to drive, I began to do what many teenagers begin to do when they get their licenses; not come home till their curfew. Not until times like this do we wish we had stopped by instead of just driving by doing the infamous Grandpa honk. I know my grandpa knows that I loved him, but I only wish I showed him more. He would show me so much, but I always seemed to cool for a hug, or a kiss on the head. What I would do for a hug or a kiss from my grandpa right now. God bless his soul, I know he will. My grandpa lived his life with no regrets, doing what he loved when he wanted to do it, up until the very day that he died. He will always live within me."

To write that speech, was probably one of the toughest writing assignments I have ever had to complete. I wanted to make sure that every sentence had some significance behind it. What do I do? By writing this, was i wrong?

Long Distance Relationships

No one really knows how a long distance relationship will truly turn out. There are many aspects that could either contradict the situation or perhaps strengthen the relationship with the one you feel so close to. People believe that going to college with a girlfriend or boyfriend is nothing but good for the relationship because it tests the boundaries. In all reality, it depends on the certain couple. In a way yes, it can be positive, but there are plenty of reasons why it could be bad for a relationship. Why is it that a long distance relationship could be good for a couple? It helps your means of communication. The only way to keep in touch with your loved one is by calling him/her each and every day and find out what he/she has done throughout their day. You have to stay in touch to keep your relationship strong. Without computers, or cell phones, I don't believe that long distance relationships could work. I am currently going through a long distance relationship, and I think it is the toughest thing I have been through in my life. My limits have been reached, and my nerves have been tested.

I can't count the number of arguments or disagreements that I have had the past year with my girlfriend on two hands. The key to a long distance relationship is trust and TRUE love. Without these two key components, there is no way that your relationship will survive. I love my girlfriend, and what keeps our relationship going, through thick and thin, is the true love that I have for her, and the high amount of trust that I have in her. She is the light of my life, the thing that seems to make all problems disappear. Without her in my life, who knows what I would be.

A relationship takes two, not just one doing all of the work. Especially a long distance relationship. Know this, a long distance relationship will always be tested. You need to sit down and think to yourself, if my girlfriend or boyfriend was here right now, would this be happening. If i was with him/her, what would happen. If you think you would be furious, and would look at each other with blank faces, I feel bad to say that I don't believe that a long distance relationship is meant for you. But if you're in the situation I'm in, the one that you sit down and know for a fact that if I was with my girlfriend right now, all I would want to do is hug her, and not let go. Through thick and thin, I will always love my girlfriend, which makes it possible for me to be in a long distance relationship. It is what it is.

The Best Rapper Alive

No one really knows who the best rapper alive is. There are many opinions, but none seem to have any reasoning behind them. Just because a rap artist puts out one hit, it doesn't make them the best rapper alive. Rapping is an art form. I sit in my dorm room, put my headphones on, and seem to go into a zone, where the world is oblivious to me, and it is just me and the music. A lot of people don't consider rap, music, especially the older generations of today, but in all reality it is indeed music, and a very popular genre for the younger generation today. I believe that rapping is one of the toughest things to do in music. You need to flow with the beat, which is probably the most difficult things to do. Not to mention, you have to have amazing rhyming skills, which is a skill that may be easier to be born with than to learn. So why is it that I believe that Lil Wayne is the Best Rapper Alive? Compared to other rappers, Lil Wayne never stops. Most rappers are satisfied with one hit a year, although the rest of the cd they are releasing to the public is garbage. Lil Wayne isn't easily satisfied, he simply does not stop working. One hit a year is a laughing stock to Lil Wayne. Unbelievably, Lil Wayne puts out at least 3 hits a month. Rappers have a persona, that they like to have lots of women, lots of money, and especially lots of cars. People who aren't fans of rap, like to say that they are not very smart, because the second they get their money off their "one hit wonder," they blow it all away. Lil Wayne can basically do whatever he wants. Because of his constant work methods, Lil Wayne constantly banks, more than nearly every rapper alive. You take a look at Lil Wayne's songs: I'm a beast, I'm Me, Time to Give Me Mine, you truly realize and recognize Lil Wayne's unbelievable rap and whyming skills. Another reason I believe Lil Wayne is the best rapper is alive, is because everybody wants Lil Wayne to be featured in their hits. This is the recognition that Lil Wayne IS the best rapper alive.