Driving is a Privilege and Privileges can be Taken Away

October 31, 2008

It is guaranteed that every day we can find some elderly people behind the wheel of a vehicle. The question is, should they be there?

It has come apparent that as we grow older we do three things like clockwork: 1. Shrink in size, 2. Drive slower and 3. Acquire a bigger vehicle. As it was for my grandfather too, it could take hours for an older person in their 80’s to get to point B from point A.

Some people we see driving can barely see over the steering wheel, and are moving at a pace of 5 mph in the slow lane on the highway. The next question is who allows these people to drive?

Prime example: earlier this year there was the elderly woman from Vestal who was going to the doctors and ended up missing. They eventually found her in Pennsylvania dead from an accident with the car. The family members had told the police that the woman had early Alzheimer’s.

So, no one thought that having this disease could possibly effect her driving? She wasn’t just “sick” she was elderly. Heck, sometimes I am headed to the grocery store and I forget where I am going too. AND I AM 23 YEARS OLD!

I think that everyone when they reach a certain age needs to go through a driving test every year. Then again, even drives young or old may have to be tested every year, because lately it seems that no one can drive or understand the rules of the road. Maybe we all think that once we get our license, it can not be taken away. News flash: driving is a privilege and privileges can be taken away.

Voting: It’s a Right as an American

October 27, 2008

She said what, he donated how much, and they support who? Being a young voter in the US can come with a high price, the chore of determining who is right for office.

Between the internet, television, radio and street ads, there is no limit to the amount of information we receive about ever position running for every position possible. We are responsible for making the decision as to who runs our county, city, state, and even the country. There is never a shortage of information and there is never a shortage of lies.

Lately the statement made by opposing positions about their running mates is: “She/He supports Bush.” We all may not like Bush, but when someone is in office, they make a choice, and supporting Bush may have been a good or bad choice.

How are we supposed to know who to vote for when she says he supported bush, and then in another ad he says she supported Bush?

In a recent online poll, the question was: Which celebrity endorsement for president would most likely influence your vote? Bono (Obama), Kelsey Grammer (McCain), Oprah (Obama), or Elisabeth Hasselbeck (McCain). While looking at the names and thinking which one I have more interest in, I began think. Why would any endorsement make me vote a certain way. Just because Oprah is backing Obama, does this mean I should vote for him? Even if I were the biggest Oprah fan on the face of the planet, I would not vote for Obama. What if I love Oprah so much, but she thinks abortion is okay, or we should support education but not help our economy the way it is needed. So in what sense, would any endorsement from any celebrity or “big name” could make my vote or your vote be influenced?

Don’t you think that our voting has come down to who likes who and who said what and he did this? It is childish. We should be looking at who stands for what, who is going to make a difference, and who we can trust to make the US better.

“That’s So…” KNOCK IT OFF!

October 18, 2008

We learn to not say things like “Shut Up” or “You’re Stupid” because the impact can be hurtful to others. We are also taught to no say “That’s so gay” or “You’re being retarded,” but when have we have listened to anyone? We always think we can say whatever we want if it doesn’t hurt us right? We have all heard that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words could never hurt me.” Words don’t hurt us until they are said to us.

Perhaps you have seen the FRIENDS episode where Monica’s feelings are hurt when her mother refers to all the bad things she does by saying “She’s pulling a Monica.” That is pretty much what we are saying when we refer to something bad, ugly, dumb or stupid as gay or retarded. We might as well put our own names in place of the hurtful words in order to get the point of how much words really do hurt.

Maybe if a celebrity like Hilary Duff or Wanda Sykes get involved, we will a learn to KNOCK IT OFF for the sake of others feelings. Wait, they are already getting involved. Check out their powerful ad campaigns against “THAT’S SO GAY” at http://thinkb4youspeak.com.

Possibly then, we can all learn to be a little nicer and accept people for the way they are. This is probably how we can help the world.

Maybe You Are an Alcoholic…

October 15, 2008

Think of drinking alcohol as smoking a cigarette. We as mothers and fathers know the dangers of second hand smoke to our kids. What are the effects of drinking in front of kids? Where should and shouldn’t there be alcohol served? Who should be the ones to know not serve it at inappropriate times?

I recently attended a 3rd birthday for my friend’s daughter at her house. Between my daughter, her daughter, the little neighbor boy and a few relative kids, there were about six kids all together there. My friend seemed to have thought and planned the party well. There were toys for the kids to play with and even a bounce house. The kids were having fun and the adults were in their own conversations. When someone asked me what I wanted to drink, I asked what they had. They said in the cooler on the floor there is coke, diet, cream soda, corona lime and Bud.

ALCOHOL? Served at a 3 year olds party? Yes, there were adults, but it wasn’t a party for them, it was for the kids. And the alcohol was in arms length for the kids to get. This was odd to me, and with my daughters 2 year old party around the corner, it became clear that serving alcohol at a kids place is unsuitable.

After celebrating her birthday, I decided to get some family members together to take my daughter to Chuck E. Cheese’s for the first time. We were thrilled to see her having so much fun, until a gentlemen walked by us with what seemed to be a beer; and sure enough, beer was on the menu.

Is this okay to serve beer or any alcohol around kids so young? Where are all the clear judgments of people and parents and authority going?