Pearl Harbor

"December 7th, 1941.  A date which will live in infamy. The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace with that Nation."  Franklin Delano Roosevelt spoke these words to a joint session of Congress on December 8th, 1941.  He asked Congress to accept this unprovoked attack as a declaration of war.  Congress overwhelmingly supported this motion, as they gave him nearly a full minute of a standing ovation. This commenced what is now known as World War II.  This came a mere twenty-three years after The War to End All Wars.  This is only for US involvement, for England and the other allies had been fighting German forces for years. 

How far have we come in the last 68 years?  The United States and Japan couldn't survive without each other.  The United States and Germany are closer than ever before.  As many veterans, patriots and surviving civilians have said, "If it weren't for the US joining the war, we'd all be speaking German."  So today, if you see a veteran, or a current soldier, thank them..

Let's Talk About Sex.

Sex is a wonderful thing (or so I've been told).  Sexuality, however, is confusing as Hell.  I've dated women, I've dated men, and enjoyed both.  I've been told that I'm gay, I've been told I'm straight, I've been told I'm bisexual.  Since when am I supposed to listen to what other people tell me what I am.  Why can't I just be Pingüino?  Why can't I just date who I want to date, not who other people tell me who I'd be good with?  I am me. That's all I'll ever be.  Everyone has to label, or group, or something that other people identify them as.  Why can't we just all get along with each other without grouping, or stereotyping, or generalizing?  I don't understand why that's so difficult...  Sexuality is something that is fluid.  It's not something that can be repressed as human beings are just all around sexual beings.  Phases? Cycles? Sure, if that's how you want to think about it. We all analyze everything differently.  To some people, sexuality is set in stone: "I'm gay and that's the way it is," or, "I don't date men."  Well, to me it's not that simple.  Sex is biological. Sex is emotional.  Sex is diabolical.  Sex can bring two people together, and it can push people apart.  Yet sex is essential. It is the beginning of life in some cases.  Sex can lead to death in other cases (mothers dying in childbirth).  So why can't people let other enjoy themselves in the way they want to. Labels shouldn't matter.  If you're gay, straight, republican, democrat, white, black or purple, JUST BE YOU.  Don't let anyone else tell you how to live your life.

Veteran's Day

Veteran's Day is a time for reflection and more importantly, a day to recognize and give thanks to those who have put their lives on the line.  So many people have paid the ultimate sacrifice for this great country of ours.  And for other countries around the world.  I am deeply grateful and will never be able to adequately describe my gratitude to those who humbly wear the uniform of this great land. 

The United States Army.

 

 The United States Navy

  

The United States Marine Corps

  

The United States Coast Guard

 

The United States Air Force

Every single person is, and forever will be, in debt to these great American heroes.  These people put their lives on the line every single day and night, for what? For our freedom, that's what; so that we have the ability to drink our Starbucks, and drive our Chevrolet's, and eat our McDonald's.  They volunteer years of their lives to the service of America, and there is no way anyone can ever thank them enough.  If you're a veteran, be proud of it.  If you're in active duty, wear the uniform proudly.  If you're thinking about enlisting, talk it out with your parents, loved ones, recruiters, etc.


The Marine Corps' birthday was a few days ago; the tenth of November, 1775.  The Army's birthday is known best as "Flag Day," or the fourteenth of July, 1775.  The Navy's birthday was the thirteenth of October, 1775 (which oddly enough, WAS a Friday).  The Coast Guard's birthday was the fourth of August, 1790.  The Air Force's birthday was the eighteenth of September, 1947.


To me, there is nothing more honorable in the world, than to give a couple years of your life, if not your entire life, to serve in the United States Military.  

This we'll defend.   - US Army Motto

Non sibi sed patriae.   - US Navy Motto

Semper Fidelis.   - US Marine Corps Motto

Semper Paratus.   - US Coast Guard Motto

Above All.   - US Air Force Motto

Marijuana

Ok. People on both sides of this issue are ridiculous. People who are completely against marijuana being legalized drink alcohol, which is worse for your body than Mary Jane. People who want it to be totally legalized are even dumber, because here's an industry that could bring in billions upon billions of dollars in the national economy.

Marijuana should be legalized to the same extent tobacco products are legal. Capitalists are missing a huge opportunity. 5.5 trillion cigarettes are smoked annually. Now, how many bowls, bongs, joints, gravity bongs, etc. are smoked annually? There's no real way to know. But just under 873,000 (that's eight-hundred-seventy-three thousand) arrests were made in 2007 because of cannabis. This consisted of almost 50% of the drug-related arrests for this year.  Marijuana is considered the "gateway drug" because it opens the door for so many people to try other drugs.  But what people fail to mention is that marijuana is one of the least addictive drugs there is.

So, here is what I propose.


I propose that the government contemplate legalizing marijuana and control the growing and harvesting and tax it. The average price for a pack of cigarettes is $5.15 in the United States. If the government subsidized marijuana harvesters like they do tobacco harvesters, they could tax the sale of marijuana just like they do tobacco. This could bring in billions. Make it a crime to grow your marijuana for personal use, but not illegal to have marijuana on your person.
Technology is advancing. Invest in the creation of a device much like the Breathalyzer. Driving under the influence of marijuana, operating machinery, working, should remain scrutinized, but not personal/recreational use.

Distracted Pilots

Northwest Airlines flight 188 recently flew past their destination.  I'm sorry, did they just happen to miss Milwaukee?  Do they not understand that that puts aviation back into a negative light? As if the aviation industry hasn't been hit hard enough since September 11th, 2001.  Laptops in the cockpit, are you stupid?!

Advisors...

My understanding of a college level advisor is that they're here to help college students.  Is that wrong? Because every advisor I've ever been to hasn't given a rat's ass.  Well, guess what. I'm not standing for it anymore.  Too damn bad.  I'm not in the major yet, but the class is restricted to majors only.  Kiss my ass. I've been in your office a minimum of once every two weeks making sure I could get into the major, and then I can't get into my course and you say there's nothing you can do!?! No. That's not how it works.  I've had my application in the works for the last 2 months and you've seen it.  The course opens up to all students in a week you say? Well by then it'll be full! What use is it to me?  Get over yourself and do your damn job.

Times like these

It's the times like these that I really wish I had someone to share it with.  I've realized that I am truly blessed in my life.  I'm attending my dream school, with the most amazing friends anyone could ever ask for.  No, I'm not super concerned with finding someone to date, but it'd be nice.  I know that right now, the most important thing I can do is worry about my school work.  I need "A's" in my classes to pull my GPA back up to where it should be and to get me into the College of Communications.  I realize that no one can be happy all of the time, because if they've never been sad then they have no clue as to what true happiness is.  I just want to live happily ever after, every now and then. 

~Yes I am a pirate, 200 years to late.  The cannons don't thunder, there's nothin' to plunder, I'm an over forty victim of fate. Arriving too late~

School Spirit

All through high school, I never understood what school spirit truly was.  Our high school had no real rivals.  Sure we had Naples High and Gulf Coast High, but who cared, we didn't choose where we went to school.  Now I've gotten to college and I understand what it truly means to have school spirit.  I'm proud to be a Seminole.  I now know that it takes a bit of personal effort to become part of a college community, (i.e. applying, getting accepted, moving in, etc.) and once you've gone through all of that, most of us wouldn't change it for the world.  I know I wouldn't. 

Go Noles!!

Prams on Platforms

In Australia, a mother had her child in the pram when they entered the train platform.  A pram is what they call a stroller in the UK and Australia.  Well it was a windy day, and the mother was fussing with the pram, and she turned her back for a split second and the pram fell onto the train tracks merely seconds before the train ran through the station. 



It truly is amazing that the child survived. 

Homophobia

I feel like I should start this blog off right. In doing so, we'll bring up a topic that's close to my heart and incredibly controversial to much of society for no apparent reason. I lost a friend because he found out that I like men. I've titled it "To lose a friend." Here goes:

To lose a friend. Earlier today I was talking to a friend and he decided, after he found out something about me that we could no longer be friends. Something that has no impact on his life whatsoever. Homosexuality. How does my homosexuality affect him? It holds no impact on his life in any way, shape or form. I beg of you to listen to me, you don't have to be gay for this note to affect you.

If someone you know is gay, please, they hold no grudge against the world. They are the same human being you are. There is no anatomical difference between them and you. If you are homophobic, then I beg you to look inside you and decide what it is about homosexuality that makes you hate it so. How can you honestly hate a person before you even really get to know them?

I breathe the same oxygen you do, I bleed the same color red you do. What makes us so different? You say its immoral... What about it makes it immoral? You bring in religion. My religion may be different than yours, so why do you try to make me believe your religion? It really hurts to find out that someone you thought cared about you as a friend, didn't all because of something so tiny. Some tiny little detail that has little to no impact on his life.

Yes. I am gay. No, that doesn't affect you in the slightest. You are still my friend, whether I am yours or not. You're walking away from me is your decision to make. I have no impact on that decision. All I can say is that you walked away from someone who is probably the most loyal person you will ever meet. If you are my friend, you can rest assured that no matter what my problems are, they will be set aside for you. I have the potential to be something great. I was the Battalion Executive Officer in my JROTC Battalion, and did it matter that I'm gay? NO, it didn't matter at all. Why should it have?

Me being gay makes no difference on you. Does the black girl that sits next to you in class hurt you at all? Then what is the difference between a black man and a gay man? Society has now shifted from attacking an exterior "difference" to an interior "difference". Are we not all human? Do we not all need the same things to survive? If it were you and me left, and no one else, would you leave me by my lonesome because I'm gay? I don't understand why you feel so strongly. Give me some kind of emotion, some kind of reason. You tell me that it is against your religion; well then it's a good thing you're not gay. It is not against my religion, so I can look past that reason. Otherwise, you have no other reasons.

Losing someone you thought you held in high respects, in a matter of minutes really annihilates your self esteem. I sat here, alone in my dorm room. No one to keep my company but those resounding words of hatred and my thoughts all ricocheting off the barren walls. My true friends will always love me no matter what. To lose a friend.