Since New Year’s is so associated with heavy drinking and partying, the U.S. Dept. of Transportation put out a new public service ad discouraging people from getting behind the wheel after drinking. The commercial shows three different law enforcement officers pulling over three impaired drivers. In each case, the cop asks, “Sir, have you been drinking this evening?”
There are many ways to keep people from driving drunk. This is just one weapon in the arsenal. So, where’s the problem?
Some feel that due to the police only pulling over men in this advert, that the Department of Transportation is being sexist.
To that I say…check the data. The vast majority of drunk drivers are men between 21 and 34. They are also Caucasian or Hispanic. Typically, those who get pulled over for impaired driving have a blood alcohol concentration of .15 or higher (roughly twice the presumptive legal limit).
Would it hurt the U.S. DOT to show a woman getting cuffed for DWI? Nope. Nor would it hurt to show an African American, a transvestite, a midget or a couple of conjoined twins. The truth is, there is no demographic exempt from drunk driving. And I applaud the DOT for showing the most common offender-after all, it’s probably that same demographic that’s watching the adverts, too.
21-35 year old men are the most common impaired drivers.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Diddy’s Free Ride?
Hey, maybe this is a marketing ploy to get people to drink more. And maybe it's not. Either way, if it keeps drunk drivers off the street, I'm all for it.
******
Free Ride
In an effort to get New Yorkers to drink up on New Year's Eve, Diddy is offering revelers free cab rides. According to the NY Daily News, the CIROC vodka spokesman will dole out $15 debit cards for people to use to get home safely after guzzling his product. We'll drink to that. (Dec. 30)
Free Ride
In an effort to get New Yorkers to drink up on New Year's Eve, Diddy is offering revelers free cab rides. According to the NY Daily News, the CIROC vodka spokesman will dole out $15 debit cards for people to use to get home safely after guzzling his product. We'll drink to that. (Dec. 30)
Thursday, December 4, 2008
20% Of College Students?
A new and extensive study was done on mental health of college students (see below). Props should be given for bringing mental health to the forefront along with the multitude of other health issues facing college students.
In my profession, seeing that 20% of college students are problem drinkers seems staggering. Does the excessive drinking lead to a mental health disorder? Or did the mental health issue act as a catalyst for overconsumption? The old "chicken or the egg" notion.
Either way, this study is sure to spark many debates on campuses nationwide. And if you're a college student dealing with any of these issues, every campus has resources to help. Like the article says, we, as a society, just have to get past the stigma of mental health disorders.
*******************************
1 in 5 Young Adults Has Personality Disorder, Study Finds
CHICAGO — Almost one in five young American adults has a personality disorder that interferes with everyday life, and even more abuse alcohol or drugs, researchers reported Monday in the most extensive study of its kind.
The disorders include problems such as obsessive or compulsive tendencies and anti-social behavior that can sometimes lead to violence. The study also found that fewer than 25 percent of college-aged Americans with mental problems get treatment.
One expert said personality disorders may be overdiagnosed. But others said the results were not surprising since previous, less rigorous evidence has suggested mental problems are common on college campuses and elsewhere.
Experts praised the study's scope — face-to-face interviews about numerous disorders with more than 5,000 young people ages 19 to 25 — and said it spotlights a problem college administrators need to address.
Study co-author Dr. Mark Olfson of Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute called the widespread lack of treatment particularly worrisome. He said it should alert not only "students and parents, but also deans and people who run college mental health services about the need to extend access to treatment."
Counting substance abuse, the study found that nearly half of young people surveyed have some sort of psychiatric condition, including students and non-students.
Personality disorders were the second most common problem behind drug or alcohol abuse as a single category. The disorders include obsessive, anti-social and paranoid behaviors that are not mere quirks but actually interfere with ordinary functioning.
The study authors noted that recent tragedies such as fatal shootings at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech have raised awareness about the prevalence of mental illness on college campuses.
They also suggest that this age group might be particularly vulnerable.
"For many, young adulthood is characterized by the pursuit of greater educational opportunities and employment prospects, development of personal relationships, and for some, parenthood," the authors said. These circumstances, they said, can result in stress that triggers the start or recurrence of psychiatric problems.
The study was released Monday in Archives of General Psychiatry. It was based on interviews with 5,092 young adults in 2001 and 2002.
Olfson said it took time to analzye the data, including weighting the results to extrapolate national numbers. But the authors said the results would probably hold true today.
The study was funded with grants from the National Institutes of Health, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the New York Psychiatric Institute.
Dr. Sharon Hirsch, a University of Chicago psychiatrist not involved in the study, praised it for raising awareness about the problem and the high numbers of affected people who don't get help.
Imagine if more than 75 percent of diabetic college students didn't get treatment, Hirsch said. "Just think about what would be happening on our college campuses."
The results highlight the need for mental health services to be housed with other medical services on college campuses, to erase the stigma and make it more likely that people will seek help, she said.
In the study, trained interviewers, but not psychiatrists, questioned participants about symptoms. They used an assessment tool similar to criteria doctors use to diagnose mental illness.
Dr. Jerald Kay, a psychiatry professor at Wright State University and chairman of the American Psychiatric Association's college mental health committee, said the assessment tool is considered valid and more rigorous than self-reports of mental illness. He was not involved in the study.
Personality disorders showed up in similar numbers among both students and non-students, including the most common one, obsessive compulsive personality disorder. About 8 percent of young adults in both groups had this illness, which can include an extreme preoccupation with details, rules, orderliness and perfectionism.
Kay said the prevalence of personality disorders was higher than he would expect and questioned whether the condition might be overdiagnosed.
All good students have a touch of "obsessional" personality that helps them work hard to achieve. But that's different from an obsessional disorder that makes people inflexible and controlling and interferes with their lives, he explained.
Obsessive compulsive personality disorder differs from the better known OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, which features repetitive actions such as hand-washing to avoid germs.
OCD is thought to affect about 2 percent of the general population. The study didn't examine OCD separately but grouped it with all anxiety disorders, seen in about 12 percent of college-aged people in the survey.
The overall rate of other disorders was also pretty similar among college students and non-students.
Substance abuse, including drug addiction, alcoholism and other drinking that interferes with school or work, affected nearly one-third of those in both groups.
Slightly more college students than non-students were problem drinkers — 20 percent versus 17 percent. And slightly more non-students had drug problems — nearly 7 percent versus 5 percent.
In both groups, about 8 percent had phobias and 7 percent had depression.
Bipolar disorder was slightly more common in non-students, affecting almost 5 percent versus about 3 percent of students.
In my profession, seeing that 20% of college students are problem drinkers seems staggering. Does the excessive drinking lead to a mental health disorder? Or did the mental health issue act as a catalyst for overconsumption? The old "chicken or the egg" notion.
Either way, this study is sure to spark many debates on campuses nationwide. And if you're a college student dealing with any of these issues, every campus has resources to help. Like the article says, we, as a society, just have to get past the stigma of mental health disorders.
*******************************
1 in 5 Young Adults Has Personality Disorder, Study Finds
CHICAGO — Almost one in five young American adults has a personality disorder that interferes with everyday life, and even more abuse alcohol or drugs, researchers reported Monday in the most extensive study of its kind.
The disorders include problems such as obsessive or compulsive tendencies and anti-social behavior that can sometimes lead to violence. The study also found that fewer than 25 percent of college-aged Americans with mental problems get treatment.
One expert said personality disorders may be overdiagnosed. But others said the results were not surprising since previous, less rigorous evidence has suggested mental problems are common on college campuses and elsewhere.
Experts praised the study's scope — face-to-face interviews about numerous disorders with more than 5,000 young people ages 19 to 25 — and said it spotlights a problem college administrators need to address.
Study co-author Dr. Mark Olfson of Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute called the widespread lack of treatment particularly worrisome. He said it should alert not only "students and parents, but also deans and people who run college mental health services about the need to extend access to treatment."
Counting substance abuse, the study found that nearly half of young people surveyed have some sort of psychiatric condition, including students and non-students.
Personality disorders were the second most common problem behind drug or alcohol abuse as a single category. The disorders include obsessive, anti-social and paranoid behaviors that are not mere quirks but actually interfere with ordinary functioning.
The study authors noted that recent tragedies such as fatal shootings at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech have raised awareness about the prevalence of mental illness on college campuses.
They also suggest that this age group might be particularly vulnerable.
"For many, young adulthood is characterized by the pursuit of greater educational opportunities and employment prospects, development of personal relationships, and for some, parenthood," the authors said. These circumstances, they said, can result in stress that triggers the start or recurrence of psychiatric problems.
The study was released Monday in Archives of General Psychiatry. It was based on interviews with 5,092 young adults in 2001 and 2002.
Olfson said it took time to analzye the data, including weighting the results to extrapolate national numbers. But the authors said the results would probably hold true today.
The study was funded with grants from the National Institutes of Health, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the New York Psychiatric Institute.
Dr. Sharon Hirsch, a University of Chicago psychiatrist not involved in the study, praised it for raising awareness about the problem and the high numbers of affected people who don't get help.
Imagine if more than 75 percent of diabetic college students didn't get treatment, Hirsch said. "Just think about what would be happening on our college campuses."
The results highlight the need for mental health services to be housed with other medical services on college campuses, to erase the stigma and make it more likely that people will seek help, she said.
In the study, trained interviewers, but not psychiatrists, questioned participants about symptoms. They used an assessment tool similar to criteria doctors use to diagnose mental illness.
Dr. Jerald Kay, a psychiatry professor at Wright State University and chairman of the American Psychiatric Association's college mental health committee, said the assessment tool is considered valid and more rigorous than self-reports of mental illness. He was not involved in the study.
Personality disorders showed up in similar numbers among both students and non-students, including the most common one, obsessive compulsive personality disorder. About 8 percent of young adults in both groups had this illness, which can include an extreme preoccupation with details, rules, orderliness and perfectionism.
Kay said the prevalence of personality disorders was higher than he would expect and questioned whether the condition might be overdiagnosed.
All good students have a touch of "obsessional" personality that helps them work hard to achieve. But that's different from an obsessional disorder that makes people inflexible and controlling and interferes with their lives, he explained.
Obsessive compulsive personality disorder differs from the better known OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, which features repetitive actions such as hand-washing to avoid germs.
OCD is thought to affect about 2 percent of the general population. The study didn't examine OCD separately but grouped it with all anxiety disorders, seen in about 12 percent of college-aged people in the survey.
The overall rate of other disorders was also pretty similar among college students and non-students.
Substance abuse, including drug addiction, alcoholism and other drinking that interferes with school or work, affected nearly one-third of those in both groups.
Slightly more college students than non-students were problem drinkers — 20 percent versus 17 percent. And slightly more non-students had drug problems — nearly 7 percent versus 5 percent.
In both groups, about 8 percent had phobias and 7 percent had depression.
Bipolar disorder was slightly more common in non-students, affecting almost 5 percent versus about 3 percent of students.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Accused Drunken Driver Ends Up Running Over Self
Of course, headlines like this will grab anyone's attention. After all, how many people can successfully run over themselves?
The thing I find so sad about this story is what they do NOT say: the guilty man's blood alcohol concentration. When I worked for the Missouri Division of Hwy. Safety, a commonly held belief is that the average DWI perp has driven under the influence over 100 times before he's caught for the first time. To evade officers, narrowly miss other cars in the pursuit, run through a ditch, etc. doesn't show it was this guy's first time to drive under the influence. And the really, REALLY sad thing is? He's 21. Barely old enough to legally consume alcohol, but he's already adept at DWI and running from police officers.
Thankfully, it mentions no injuries. The suspect is now in jail, not the hospital, so maybe we can infer his luck didn't really run out.
********
By AP
Posted: 2008-11-26 10:15:00
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) -- A man is in a northern New Mexico jail, accused of driving drunk and leading police on a chase that finally ended with him running over himself.
Roy Travis Aguilar, 21, was treated for minor injuries at a Santa Fe hospital and booked into the Sandoval County detention center on charges of aggravated driving while intoxicated, fleeing a police officer, careless driving and two other outstanding traffic warrants.
A tip on a police hot line Sunday afternoon reported a possible drunken driver on a highway.State Police Officer Grace Romero spotted Aguilar's pickup truck swerving across both lanes of the highway, driving slowly and then fast. He refused to stop.After narrowly missing other vehicles, police said Aguilar drove through a ditch and a barbed-wire fence before stopping. He tried to put the truck into park, but it ended up in reverse.
Police said Aguilar fell from his open door and both of his legs were run over by the front driver's side tire.
The thing I find so sad about this story is what they do NOT say: the guilty man's blood alcohol concentration. When I worked for the Missouri Division of Hwy. Safety, a commonly held belief is that the average DWI perp has driven under the influence over 100 times before he's caught for the first time. To evade officers, narrowly miss other cars in the pursuit, run through a ditch, etc. doesn't show it was this guy's first time to drive under the influence. And the really, REALLY sad thing is? He's 21. Barely old enough to legally consume alcohol, but he's already adept at DWI and running from police officers.
Thankfully, it mentions no injuries. The suspect is now in jail, not the hospital, so maybe we can infer his luck didn't really run out.
********
By AP
Posted: 2008-11-26 10:15:00
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) -- A man is in a northern New Mexico jail, accused of driving drunk and leading police on a chase that finally ended with him running over himself.
Roy Travis Aguilar, 21, was treated for minor injuries at a Santa Fe hospital and booked into the Sandoval County detention center on charges of aggravated driving while intoxicated, fleeing a police officer, careless driving and two other outstanding traffic warrants.
A tip on a police hot line Sunday afternoon reported a possible drunken driver on a highway.State Police Officer Grace Romero spotted Aguilar's pickup truck swerving across both lanes of the highway, driving slowly and then fast. He refused to stop.After narrowly missing other vehicles, police said Aguilar drove through a ditch and a barbed-wire fence before stopping. He tried to put the truck into park, but it ended up in reverse.
Police said Aguilar fell from his open door and both of his legs were run over by the front driver's side tire.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Concordia University-Chicago
On Tuesday, Nov. 18, I was honored to present a program at Concordia University in Chicago! Student athletes and others gathered in the K.C.C. for a program to inspire students to make intelligent choices... and from all the Facebook sign ups and messages I've received, we got 'er done!
Special thanks to Kathy Gebhardt and Pete Gnan for hosting me at Concordia! It's been several years since I've worked in Chicago and it was awesome to be there with such a great group of Concordia folks!
Bacchus in Columbus!
Sorry for the lack of postings the last week or so. I've been on the road a lot and now, here's why!
Thursday, Fri. and Sat. of last week, I was exhibiting and presenting at the Bacchus Network General Assembly held in Columbus, OH. This is the third year I've attended G.A. and I'm always so excited to get to meet new friends and see past acquaintances!
This year, I was also excited to present with the PACE team from DeSales University on "Booze Busters." To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a university has partnered with a professional speaker to present a breakout session at G.A. I want to thank the PACE team for welcoming me in with open arms and congratulations on a job well done! Special thanks to Dr. Gregg
Amore and Wendy Krisak for helping facilitate everything...and for one of the funnest times I've ever had at a conference dinner!
Side note: Friday night at G.A., there was a fire in a neighboring building. A big, stinky electrical fire. This fire caused the power grid to be switched off and hence, our hotel to be without power for nearly 12 hours. And yet? Hanging out on the street corner with the DeSales PACE team was just super fun! No one I'd rather be homeless with! And thanks to the Columbus Hyatt for handling the disaster in such a professional manner-truly one of the finer examples of customer service I've ever experienced!
Thursday, Fri. and Sat. of last week, I was exhibiting and presenting at the Bacchus Network General Assembly held in Columbus, OH. This is the third year I've attended G.A. and I'm always so excited to get to meet new friends and see past acquaintances!
This year, I was also excited to present with the PACE team from DeSales University on "Booze Busters." To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a university has partnered with a professional speaker to present a breakout session at G.A. I want to thank the PACE team for welcoming me in with open arms and congratulations on a job well done! Special thanks to Dr. Gregg
Amore and Wendy Krisak for helping facilitate everything...and for one of the funnest times I've ever had at a conference dinner!Side note: Friday night at G.A., there was a fire in a neighboring building. A big, stinky electrical fire. This fire caused the power grid to be switched off and hence, our hotel to be without power for nearly 12 hours. And yet? Hanging out on the street corner with the DeSales PACE team was just super fun! No one I'd rather be homeless with! And thanks to the Columbus Hyatt for handling the disaster in such a professional manner-truly one of the finer examples of customer service I've ever experienced!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
DUIfoundation.org
I just learned of a great resource with whom I share a mission: www.DUIfoundation.org
From their site, DUIfoundation.org stresses the human repercussions of impaired driving; that a single mistake can have devastating affects on not only the driver, but his/her passengers and other motorists.
But we all know this stuff, right? Everyone knows impaired driving is wrong and shouldn't be done, right? Sure! We all know this...but there are still approximately 15, 000 individuals killed every year due to intoxicated driving.
www.DUIfoundation.org is yet another resource in the fight to reduce (and hopefully eliminate) this dangerous and senseless crime. From legislation to law enforcement to support groups to resources for those with substance abuse issues, DUIfoundation.org is a web site I'll be visiting frequently. I hope you will, too.
From their site, DUIfoundation.org stresses the human repercussions of impaired driving; that a single mistake can have devastating affects on not only the driver, but his/her passengers and other motorists.
But we all know this stuff, right? Everyone knows impaired driving is wrong and shouldn't be done, right? Sure! We all know this...but there are still approximately 15, 000 individuals killed every year due to intoxicated driving.
www.DUIfoundation.org is yet another resource in the fight to reduce (and hopefully eliminate) this dangerous and senseless crime. From legislation to law enforcement to support groups to resources for those with substance abuse issues, DUIfoundation.org is a web site I'll be visiting frequently. I hope you will, too.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
CSU - Fullerton
Thanks to Nick Katz at Cal State-Fullerton for inviting me in to work with the new Greeks and athletes on Nov. 5. Still in post-election afterglow, the CSU-Fullerton program was a great time!
Special thanks to Jenny, Emma the photographer (and all around cool gal), Emel, Matt and Sarah for being such awesome hosts… not to mention hooking me up with the CA fav, In and Out.
Special thanks to Jenny, Emma the photographer (and all around cool gal), Emel, Matt and Sarah for being such awesome hosts… not to mention hooking me up with the CA fav, In and Out.
Cal State San Marcos
Thursday, Nov. 6 found me at Cal State-San Marcos to work with the students there! And what a fun group to work with! Special thanks to Julie Mattingly for being such an awesome client AND awesome person, Erika and Jenny for helping coordinate everything for my visit! Thanks also to Kathy, the health educator, at CSU-SM for helping drum up interest and for co-sponsorship for the event. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of students and I’m so glad that, even voluntary attendance got the auditorium filled!
Side note: If you’ve never been to San Marcos, leave your wing tips and cufflinks at home! San Marcos is this cool little beach town-ish place that has such a fun and laid back vibe! Was really cool to soak it up for a while!
And to Julie, Erika and Jenny… thanks for helping me haul my stuff all over campus all day…y’all can be my Sherpas any time!
Side note: If you’ve never been to San Marcos, leave your wing tips and cufflinks at home! San Marcos is this cool little beach town-ish place that has such a fun and laid back vibe! Was really cool to soak it up for a while!
And to Julie, Erika and Jenny… thanks for helping me haul my stuff all over campus all day…y’all can be my Sherpas any time!
University of Central Florida
I will travel anywhere, at any time to do keynotes for anyone who requests them.It is nice, however, to also be able to sleep in my own bed! Although I've given four collegiate programs at the University of Central Florida, both nights I was able to come home, put my feet up on my own coffee table while relaxing on my own couch. Reason being, UCF is about 10 minutes from my front door!What makes this an even more unique group of programs is my UCF client, Marcus Sedberry. In addition to being the first other Marcus I've ever had as a client, Marcus is also an incredibly nice, determined individual who is committed to the overall health and development of student athletes. His
commitment simply shines through his work and I was so pleased to work with him!Additionally, Marcus' assistant, Ashley, is a grad student who made my time around UCF even more fun and memorable!
Besides the student athlete programs (which were sponsored through the CHAMPS/Life Skills portion of the NCAA), I also had an opportunity to meet with Greek Life from UCF. The Tuesday afternoon luncheon with fraternity and sorority members, not to mention a great group of nursing students, helped kick off the tour de la UCF! Thanks to Lindi Smedberg and Ashley (not the same Ashley as from athletics) for helping make
this so meaningful for all those who participated!I'd also like to thank Brennen, Sam and Jenny from the Student Athlete Council for an awesome dinner last night! It was so cool to hear that, in addition to keeping stellar GPAs and a tough practice schedule, just how much community service student athletes do every semester! Truly admirable, you guys!Again, thank you to everyone who made this time at my new adopted home university so incredible!
Loyola Marymount University
Ah, southern California! L.A. gets a bad rap... but if it's so terrible, why do so many people choose to live there?Well, yesterday, Oct. 22, I found out one of the reasons: Loyola Marymount University.I was brought to LMU by Dan Faill and the fraternity/sorority system for alcohol awareness week - and we had a blast! LMU is this gorgeous campus filled with highly motivated, friendly and quality students.
Special thanks
Just a couple miles from the beach and Marina del Ray, LMU couldn't ask for a much nicer physical setting! And yet? The people are even more impressive!
Special thanks
to Dan Faill for inviting me to campus, but even more for allowing me to hang with the Greek Council: Liz, Maddie, Kelsey and Tony. All four of these students are just plain fun!Thanks to Kelsey and Tony for helping me get around L.A. and just for such great conversations! Looking forward to a return trip to LMU sometime in the future! Thanks again!
EWU Eastern Washington University
All right, so there ain't too much that beats getting to be in the Pacific Northwest during the fall! Living in Florida, it was so, so cool (literally) to step out in the morning, feel the chill come on, then ward it off with some strong coffee! Well, nothing beats that... except for getting to hang with my peeps at Eastern Washington University!
I first spoke at EWU back in 2006 for freshman orientation, so I'd already fallen in love with the greater Spokane region. But throw in some great times with Michelle Pingree, Jane Davis, Laurie, Laurel, Kaley, Marie, Tawney, James Wagner and Mike Miller and, well, it just was such a blast! Thank all of you for giving me such a great time! Whether it was having big gnarly biscuits at the Rusty Moose with Michelle, endlessly quoting "Super Bad" and "Stepbrothers" with Tawney and Marie and Kelly, talking fraternity/sorority philosophy with James Wagner or sharing time with the EWU athletes – this can all be summed up in two words: Good Times!
BTW... special thanks to Michelle P. for the gift for Marvelyne that she hasn't yet received (it's still buried in my suitcase, but she'll have it soon!)
West Hills College...Again!
As promised, now that I'm back home, I can download the pics from all my recent travels. And, as promised, here's Sylvia Dorsey Robinson and moi at West Hills College from the Oct. 16 program.Thanks again, Sylvia, for such an amazing experience, for introducing me to so many quality people and for giving me a fabulous first experience in Lamoore!Additional thanks to Dean Jose Lopez, Leo Orange, Keith Brock and all the awesome students and staff at West Hills College! Oh, and thanks for introducing me to that Mexican soda... Juaretta? (I forget the name now, but it was yummy!)
West Hills College
On Thursday, Oct. 16, I was a guest on campus at West Hills College in Lemoore, California. Officially, I was invited to West Hills College to help recognize Disability Awareness Week, but I think we went above and beyond!Special thanks to Dean Sylvia Dorsey Robinson, Dean Jose Lopez, Leo Orange, Keith Brock and everyone else who made this day so unforgettable! I was truly honored (not to mention happy!) to spend the day with you guys and get to know the West Hills community!
Pictures will be coming when I get back home and can download them from the camera!
Pictures will be coming when I get back home and can download them from the camera!
Friday, October 31, 2008
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
It’s not St. Pat’s Day.
It’s not New Year’s Eve.
It’s not Labor Day weekend.
It’s Halloween! And what’s that have to do with the afore listed holidays?
Those holidays are just immediately associated with alcohol consumption. Really, what’s St. Patty’s Day without Guinness and Jamison? And New Year’s just wouldn’t be the same without a midnight champagne toast.
Yet? The single biggest bar night of the year is today: Halloween! After all, we adults get to dress up like we did as children, we get to go have tons of fun with other adults acting like children and that, as you might expect, means many, many Halloweeners (huh huh…I said wiener) means lots of alcohol consumption.
Tonight, with little trick or treaters out, it’s time to be extra diligent while driving. Later, when the bars begin to fill up, THAT is when we all need to be even more aware of others.
Happy Halloween, everyone… and please be safe tonight!
It’s not New Year’s Eve.
It’s not Labor Day weekend.
It’s Halloween! And what’s that have to do with the afore listed holidays?
Those holidays are just immediately associated with alcohol consumption. Really, what’s St. Patty’s Day without Guinness and Jamison? And New Year’s just wouldn’t be the same without a midnight champagne toast.
Yet? The single biggest bar night of the year is today: Halloween! After all, we adults get to dress up like we did as children, we get to go have tons of fun with other adults acting like children and that, as you might expect, means many, many Halloweeners (huh huh…I said wiener) means lots of alcohol consumption.
Tonight, with little trick or treaters out, it’s time to be extra diligent while driving. Later, when the bars begin to fill up, THAT is when we all need to be even more aware of others.
Happy Halloween, everyone… and please be safe tonight!
Monday, October 6, 2008
When a Drunk Driver Isn't Drunk...
As a college intern with the Missouri Division of Highway Safety, I was privileged to work with the DRE (Drug Recognition Expert) training program. To understand what a DRE does and why they're important, let's turn to Hollywood...
A few nights ago, Heather Locklear was picked up on suspicion of impaired driving. She was seen driving, weaving, jerky car movements that are all signs of a DWI. Yet, when the first officer arrived on the scene and gave Ms. Locklear a breathalyzer, apparently she passed with flying colors. Yet, according to reports, when he questioned her, she was incoherent and slurring.
When a drunk driver isn't drunk, what do you do?
This is where DREs come in. DRE is a typical traffic officer with specialized training to spot drivers who are impaired by drugs, not alcohol. They're trained to recognize the effects of narcotics, barbiturates, marijuana, hallucinogens, etc. By using scientific methods like heart rate, pupil size, etc., DREs can then charge a person with impaired driving – even if they blow a .000 on the breathalyzer.
Heather Locklear's recent arrest has highlighted the importance of impaired driving...but even if she's innocent, it brings the crime of impaired driving by drugs to the forefront of the public's attention. Drugged driving can be as harmful as drunk driving and we need to treat it as such.
A few nights ago, Heather Locklear was picked up on suspicion of impaired driving. She was seen driving, weaving, jerky car movements that are all signs of a DWI. Yet, when the first officer arrived on the scene and gave Ms. Locklear a breathalyzer, apparently she passed with flying colors. Yet, according to reports, when he questioned her, she was incoherent and slurring.
When a drunk driver isn't drunk, what do you do?
This is where DREs come in. DRE is a typical traffic officer with specialized training to spot drivers who are impaired by drugs, not alcohol. They're trained to recognize the effects of narcotics, barbiturates, marijuana, hallucinogens, etc. By using scientific methods like heart rate, pupil size, etc., DREs can then charge a person with impaired driving – even if they blow a .000 on the breathalyzer.
Heather Locklear's recent arrest has highlighted the importance of impaired driving...but even if she's innocent, it brings the crime of impaired driving by drugs to the forefront of the public's attention. Drugged driving can be as harmful as drunk driving and we need to treat it as such.
Jarts In The Frozen Food Section
Let's say you're walking through your local supermarket. There, next to the frozen spinach and next to the Tombstone pizzas, you see the old lawn jarts from the 70s. Would you be confused? Amused? Angry that these now illegal "toys" are right there for anyone to grab?
Now, let me take you to two nights ago. My wife and I were grocery shopping at our local Publix. We walked past the cold beer section when, what to our wondering eyes did appear? A giant tub of ping pong balls. Again, what are ping pong balls doing here, in the refrigerated section of a grocery store?
To answer this question, let us first remember our proximity to on of the larges universities in Florida. Then think of misguided college student ingenuity. When college students get bored, they create things. Things like drinking games. Specifically, this thing called, "Beer Pong."
I'll spare you the rules and regs of beer pong, but suffice it to say it's a drinking game. Is there anything wrong with drinking games? Well, yes!
Now, before you get all up in arms, thinking I’m an anti-alcohol teetotaler, stop. Breathe. I'm not anti-alcohol. I do consume alcohol. I do not, however, agree with the whole idea of drinking games.
What's the big deal? Yes, contestants enter the drinking games voluntarily, but they're forced at worst, encouraged at best, to drink more than they might normally consume. That's just not good. Drinking games pushes alcohol consumption in larger amounts than someone may truly wish. Then, with the peer pressure, stigmatization, etc. that other contestants may create when the loser refuses to drink his/her allotted amount, well, again, overconsumption often takes place.
This is why I was really disappointed when I found accruements for drinking games at my local grocer – marketed in a way to encourage drinking games. In essence – marketing (promoting) drinking games.
If you spot something out of the ordinary in your local liquor aisle, you can probably bet it's geared towards some sort of drinking game. I hope food sellers will take notice of the dangerous act they promote and engage in more responsible marketing.
Now, let me take you to two nights ago. My wife and I were grocery shopping at our local Publix. We walked past the cold beer section when, what to our wondering eyes did appear? A giant tub of ping pong balls. Again, what are ping pong balls doing here, in the refrigerated section of a grocery store?
To answer this question, let us first remember our proximity to on of the larges universities in Florida. Then think of misguided college student ingenuity. When college students get bored, they create things. Things like drinking games. Specifically, this thing called, "Beer Pong."
I'll spare you the rules and regs of beer pong, but suffice it to say it's a drinking game. Is there anything wrong with drinking games? Well, yes!
Now, before you get all up in arms, thinking I’m an anti-alcohol teetotaler, stop. Breathe. I'm not anti-alcohol. I do consume alcohol. I do not, however, agree with the whole idea of drinking games.
What's the big deal? Yes, contestants enter the drinking games voluntarily, but they're forced at worst, encouraged at best, to drink more than they might normally consume. That's just not good. Drinking games pushes alcohol consumption in larger amounts than someone may truly wish. Then, with the peer pressure, stigmatization, etc. that other contestants may create when the loser refuses to drink his/her allotted amount, well, again, overconsumption often takes place.
This is why I was really disappointed when I found accruements for drinking games at my local grocer – marketed in a way to encourage drinking games. In essence – marketing (promoting) drinking games.
If you spot something out of the ordinary in your local liquor aisle, you can probably bet it's geared towards some sort of drinking game. I hope food sellers will take notice of the dangerous act they promote and engage in more responsible marketing.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Six Bucks Worth of Violence
We often hear about home invasions and muggings done by drug fiends needing to get cash to score their next fix. Alcoholics don't seem to have quite the violence in them to get their fix, but the amount of violence associated with alcohol consumption is still unimaginable.
This story from Florida has just a shadow of an association with alcohol...and that's even too much. The young man in this scenario doesn't sound like someone who can be rehabilitated, but rather, someone who's violence streak will follow him for life. For six bucks, the kid can probably get a cheap bottle of wine or an extremely cheap 12 pack of beer. The unthinkable...for nothing more than a night's buzz. How horribly sad.
*****
PALM BAY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35, Orlando) --
Palm Bay Police have arrested 16-year-old Alan Michael Tanguay for stabbing a woman to death inside her bedroom late Thursday night.The teen was arrested Monday morning after detectives and SWAT team members searched his home off Vin Rose Circle.
The incident began on Friday when officers found 58-year-old Patricia Kaliszeski murdered inside her home. Officers said the woman sustained multiple stab wounds, including an extremely deep cut across her throat.
Two witnesses came forward who told detectives that Tanguay told them he killed the woman, providing them with details of the murder. Tanguay told the witnesses that he entered the home sometime between late Thursday night and early Friday morning with the intention to rob the place. When he entered the home, Tanguay found the victim sitting on her bed. He told the witnesses he found a knife and approached the woman who attempted to defend herself against the attack.
The witnesses told police Tanguay made statements of having killed others and he had a rule that when he found someone inside the house during a burglary, he had to kill them.
"There's no doubt in my mind he would kill again," Chief Bill Berger said after Tanguay confessed to the crime. "This individual is a self proclaimed psychotic killer and what he did to this victim is beyond words. He needs to be locked up for the rest of his life," the chief added.
Police said the teen stole approximately $6 from the victim which he used to purchase beer.
This story from Florida has just a shadow of an association with alcohol...and that's even too much. The young man in this scenario doesn't sound like someone who can be rehabilitated, but rather, someone who's violence streak will follow him for life. For six bucks, the kid can probably get a cheap bottle of wine or an extremely cheap 12 pack of beer. The unthinkable...for nothing more than a night's buzz. How horribly sad.
*****
PALM BAY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35, Orlando) --
Palm Bay Police have arrested 16-year-old Alan Michael Tanguay for stabbing a woman to death inside her bedroom late Thursday night.The teen was arrested Monday morning after detectives and SWAT team members searched his home off Vin Rose Circle.
The incident began on Friday when officers found 58-year-old Patricia Kaliszeski murdered inside her home. Officers said the woman sustained multiple stab wounds, including an extremely deep cut across her throat.
Two witnesses came forward who told detectives that Tanguay told them he killed the woman, providing them with details of the murder. Tanguay told the witnesses that he entered the home sometime between late Thursday night and early Friday morning with the intention to rob the place. When he entered the home, Tanguay found the victim sitting on her bed. He told the witnesses he found a knife and approached the woman who attempted to defend herself against the attack.
The witnesses told police Tanguay made statements of having killed others and he had a rule that when he found someone inside the house during a burglary, he had to kill them.
"There's no doubt in my mind he would kill again," Chief Bill Berger said after Tanguay confessed to the crime. "This individual is a self proclaimed psychotic killer and what he did to this victim is beyond words. He needs to be locked up for the rest of his life," the chief added.
Police said the teen stole approximately $6 from the victim which he used to purchase beer.
Friday, September 26, 2008
When Guys Don't Think...
Vomiting Milk Prank Causes CrashYou
Tube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__uEKSzhCsA
This news story is disturbing. If you don't watch the youtube vid, here's a quick synopsis...
Several fraternity brothers stood on an overpass and vomited milk down on the cars below. This caused several crashes and could have ended up a lot, lot worse...
If you were to ask these young men, "What were you thinking?" The answer would most likely come back, "I guess we weren't..." And, they're probably right.
Studies show some of the reasoning skills aren't fully developed until humans reach their mid-20s. Mix this with inexperience and (probably) alcohol consumption and we get this sort of event; something that was thought to be funny, but could have had dire results.
This is why students need to be encouraged to stop, think of the potential repercussions of their actions then, if there are no unhealthy outcomes possible, proceed with caution. Stop, think, reason, decide.
This is so often taken for granted in mature adults, but its importance on college students can't be emphasized enough.
Sadly, this thoughtless prank was conducted by several members of the same fraternity. Whether it's media bias or fraternities deserve the bad rep they get, we (as mature, reasonable adults) need to understand this is an isolated incident and due to the actions of a handful of young men. It wasn't the fraternity's weekly activity to go puke on cars. Yet, the entire fraternity will suffer due to the actions of a few.
Again, we need to highlight decision-making skills to college students. After all, this is the time when they can learn lessons for life...or they can continue to have the immature mindset that made this a story in the first place.
Tube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__uEKSzhCsA
This news story is disturbing. If you don't watch the youtube vid, here's a quick synopsis...
Several fraternity brothers stood on an overpass and vomited milk down on the cars below. This caused several crashes and could have ended up a lot, lot worse...
If you were to ask these young men, "What were you thinking?" The answer would most likely come back, "I guess we weren't..." And, they're probably right.
Studies show some of the reasoning skills aren't fully developed until humans reach their mid-20s. Mix this with inexperience and (probably) alcohol consumption and we get this sort of event; something that was thought to be funny, but could have had dire results.
This is why students need to be encouraged to stop, think of the potential repercussions of their actions then, if there are no unhealthy outcomes possible, proceed with caution. Stop, think, reason, decide.
This is so often taken for granted in mature adults, but its importance on college students can't be emphasized enough.
Sadly, this thoughtless prank was conducted by several members of the same fraternity. Whether it's media bias or fraternities deserve the bad rep they get, we (as mature, reasonable adults) need to understand this is an isolated incident and due to the actions of a handful of young men. It wasn't the fraternity's weekly activity to go puke on cars. Yet, the entire fraternity will suffer due to the actions of a few.
Again, we need to highlight decision-making skills to college students. After all, this is the time when they can learn lessons for life...or they can continue to have the immature mindset that made this a story in the first place.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Teleconference Network Of Texas
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Yesterday was a first for yours truly. I was the guest presenter for a teleconference arranged by the Teleconference Network of Texas out of UT Health Science Center in San Antonio. We had a group of nutritionists from across the country hooked into the bridge and, based on some of the feedback via E mail, it went well! For the guy who’s real interactive with the audience, giving a program without human feedback was a challenge, but it went really well!
Special thanks to B.J. Brown in San Antonio for being such a great host and moderator! I’d include some pictures, but since this was over the phone, you don’t really want to see me sitting on my couch in a grubby old tee shirt and khaki shorts, do ya?!
Yesterday was a first for yours truly. I was the guest presenter for a teleconference arranged by the Teleconference Network of Texas out of UT Health Science Center in San Antonio. We had a group of nutritionists from across the country hooked into the bridge and, based on some of the feedback via E mail, it went well! For the guy who’s real interactive with the audience, giving a program without human feedback was a challenge, but it went really well!
Special thanks to B.J. Brown in San Antonio for being such a great host and moderator! I’d include some pictures, but since this was over the phone, you don’t really want to see me sitting on my couch in a grubby old tee shirt and khaki shorts, do ya?!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
DeSales University, September 3
Third year in a row and they just keep getting better! Thank you to the freshmen (and more!) class of DeSales University in Center Valley, PA for a fantastic Character U experience! We had a blast! The standing room only crowd was an absolute delight and, despite Carson having a little pukey spell halfway through my program, the POD’s were rockin the house!
Character U is one of the most exciting and outstanding freshman programs in the Nation. DeSales does and amazing job of offering students the tools and motivation needed to get the most from the college experience – start to finish!
Extra, EXTRA special thanks go to Dr. Greg Amore, Wendy Krisak and Chad Surface for hiring and re-hiring me and giving me the opportunity to work with new groups of wonderful DeSales students!
You guys are awesome to work with (and to hang out with too!!) Thanks Greg for giving us the tour of the Amore Vineyards – we enjoyed our time with you so much – and we cherish the souvenirs! Friends, if you're ever in the Lehigh Valley in PA, be sure to stop by The Amore Vineyards and Farm and meet the crew – it's an experience you won't forget!
Character U is one of the most exciting and outstanding freshman programs in the Nation. DeSales does and amazing job of offering students the tools and motivation needed to get the most from the college experience – start to finish!
Extra, EXTRA special thanks go to Dr. Greg Amore, Wendy Krisak and Chad Surface for hiring and re-hiring me and giving me the opportunity to work with new groups of wonderful DeSales students!
You guys are awesome to work with (and to hang out with too!!) Thanks Greg for giving us the tour of the Amore Vineyards – we enjoyed our time with you so much – and we cherish the souvenirs! Friends, if you're ever in the Lehigh Valley in PA, be sure to stop by The Amore Vineyards and Farm and meet the crew – it's an experience you won't forget!
Florida Civitan Convention
Thanks to the Florida Civitan Convention for inviting me to keynote on Saturday, Sept. 13!
Civitan (if you're not familiar), is a civic organization with a strong emphasis in providing assistance to individuals with developmental disabilities. And a more quality group you cannot find! Business, civic and faith-based leaders all compose this organization with a really special mission!
Thanks to Jean Smith, the Florida Civitan Governor, and also to Dr. David Persky for promoting my services to yet another group!
Pics include me with Abigail Persky (Dr. Persky's daughter and one of my coolest friends from Academy at the Lakes).
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Interesting article...
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/5986983.html
Keep the drinking age at 21
By ROBERT NASH PARKER
A well-intentioned but misguided group of college and university presidents has been in the news recently for suggesting that we revisit the drinking age and asserting that 21 "is not working." Called the Amethyst Initiative, their proposal would have received a failing grade in my sociology classroom for its faulty logic and how unmindful it is of the history of alcohol policy in the United States. During the 1960s and 1970s, most states lowered the drinking age from 21 to 18 or 19. Arguments about the draft were cited -- "old enough to fight but not to drink" -- and in the general liberal climate of those times, good policy gave way to popular sentiment. The 128 college presidents who have signed on to the Amethyst Initiative apparently are unaware of the extensive research that documented the decade of carnage that followed -- not just on our highways but in our bars, streets and neighborhoods. Rates of alcohol-related traffic deaths soared. Rates of alcohol-related violence among those 18 to 20 increased. And as alcohol got more accessible to teens, more 12- and 13-year-olds started drinking. Beginning in the late 1970s, the states, led by Minnesota, restored the drinking age to 21, and they saw corresponding drops in alcohol-related car accidents and crash-related deaths. There also eventually were reductions in youth homicide, which resulted in part from the decreased access to alcohol, within the 18- to 20-year-old group and those under 18. The college presidents claim that research does not, however, support the conclusion that the drinking age spurred these changes. And although there are many different studies with inconclusive results, in 2001, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did an analysis of 49 studies. Looking at them together, the CDC found that increasing the drinking age was an effective intervention that significantly reduced harm and death among young people. On the Web site of Choose Responsibility, the umbrella organization that spearheaded the Amethyst Initiative, the arguments against the drinking age of 21 are particularly flawed. They contend that accidents and deaths dropped simply because the size of the teenage population went down. But they make an error that my undergraduate research-methods students are taught to avoid: They present raw numbers instead of the risk ratio, or the number of negative outcomes divided by the population at risk. Between 1982 and 1991, when most states had raised the drinking age, the number of deaths from alcohol-related traffic crashes among youth went down, as did the population of young people. However, the rate of deaths dropped from 16.9 per 100,000 young people to 11.1 per 100,000, a drop of 34 percent; the population declined only 6.5 percent. Between 1993 and 2004, the population of young people increased, but the number of deaths didn't go up. In fact, the rate dropped from 7.77 deaths per 100,000 to 7.0 per 100,000. The assertion that deaths from alcohol-related crashes are shaped by the number of young people is simply wrong. So what really has happened since the drinking age was raised? About 26,000 people who would have died when they were 18 to 20 years old are alive because fewer alcohol-related crashes occurred. Data from the University of Michigan's annual Monitoring the Future study of behavior trends among children show that under the higher drinking age, the proportion of 18-year-olds who drink has declined 14 percent since 1991; for those age 16, the decline is 23 percent; and for those age 12, the decline is a significant 38 percent. Research on underage purchases of alcohol shows that places where alcohol is readily sold to minors also have higher rates of youth violence. To be sure, the college presidents appear most concerned about the growth in binge drinking, a problem that may disproportionately affect their campuses. But it's not rocket science to figure out what would happen if the college presidents have their way with the drinking age -- hundreds more dead young people each year. Sexual assaults, alcohol-related fights and other injuries would also increase. Also, it's worth noting that alcohol-related deaths among young people not enrolled in college currently exceed those among students, so even more deaths and injuries would occur away from campuses. It is ironic that these campus leaders call for 18- to 20-year-olds to "choose responsibility," when it is the presidents who have shirked their responsibility to counter the dangerous binge-drinking culture that has developed on campuses. Research sponsored by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has shown that there are effective strategies to reduce student binge drinking. Instead, the presidents seem to have settled on approaches that will increase profits for alcohol companies at the expense of young people's lives and health. Until they do their homework, they get an F in public policy. Parker is a professor of sociology and co-director of the Presley Center for Crime and Justice Studies at the University of California, Riverside. Brought to you by the HoustonChronicle.com
Cruises - Gotta Be 21 To Drink
My wife and I are scheduled to take a Caribbean cruise this autumn. With all the hurricane activity this season, I was just looking at Royal Caribbean's policies if a 'caine comes through and prevents the vacation. While surfing their site, I came across the answer to a frequently asked question:
What is the legal drinking age in international waters?
While I don't have an exact answer to this question, any Royal Caribbean cruise originating in the USA requires all passengers who are consuming alcohol to be 21 or older. RC is partners with at least one other cruise line and I'll wager their policy is the same.
So, it's a no go for minors who want to drink on cruises. Props to Royal Caribbean for their policy which coincides with American laws.
What is the legal drinking age in international waters?
While I don't have an exact answer to this question, any Royal Caribbean cruise originating in the USA requires all passengers who are consuming alcohol to be 21 or older. RC is partners with at least one other cruise line and I'll wager their policy is the same.
So, it's a no go for minors who want to drink on cruises. Props to Royal Caribbean for their policy which coincides with American laws.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Notre Dame College
What does a college do to increase enrollment by 500% in just a few years? To find that answer, you'll have to study Notre Dame College in Cleveland, Ohio.
I was honored to speak at NDC last night for their Welcome Week activities and, let me tell ya, NDC people care. Yes, they care.
Whether it's the administration, the professors, faculty, staff - every one's enthusiasm and commitment trickle down into the culture of what is NDC. Brian Emerson, my client and now friend, was my contact guy for this event. As we drove from the airport to NDC campus, I learned about the way NDC had almost died out several years ago, but now has new life breathed into the institution.
The students were some of the most kind, generous and courteous I've worked with in a long, long while. I'd especially like to thank Brian for the opportunity, but even more for giving me the opportunity to touch some lives.
Two NDC students (who shall remain nameless for anonymity's sake) spoke with me afterward. Both these young ladies have been touched by tragedy due to some horrible car crashes in the past. Both were so willing to discuss their pain, their experiences and their hopes for the future - and that's not easy to do with a stranger like me. You two are the reason I do what I do - to be able to put a positive element into lives that might otherwise be tainted by tragedy. Thank you for sharing your journeys, ladies, and please let me know if there's anything at all I can do for you in the future.
Thanks, NDC, for giving me an awesome trip back to Cleveland!
--
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Lower the Legal Drinking Age?
In 1984, Congress passed a national act that raised the minimum age to purchase alcohol to 21. Most states were already at 21, but it meant the stragglers had to step in line with the rest of the U.S. When the act took effect, DWI and alcohol related fatalities went down – way down.
Why then, would a group of over 100 college/university presidents now advocate lowering the national drinking age to 18? Simple, they say: Binge drinking is so much more dangerous than moderate drinking. And binge drinkers are, by far, more plentiful in the under 21 crowd.
The college presidents insist they’re simply requesting a continual dialogue – not asking for the limit to be lowered immediately. And that is a rational approach.
There’s a part of me which wonders if this isn’t backasswards. I mean, moderating alcohol consumption by legalizing it for every American college student between their freshman and senior years? Seems a bit reversed, doesn’t it?
Since I work in this field, I’m all for anything which will make alcohol consumption safer for everyone. Could lowering the drinking age do this? Potentially, but it’d need much study and evaluation and a whole, WHOLE lot of social engineering first.
Now, let me talk from a parental standpoint. Day before yesterday, I dropped my stepson, Jordan, off at the University of Florida to begin his freshman year. He’s a great kid, so I don’t worry he’ll be a stupid binge drinker who’ll line up 20 shots at a house party and need his stomach pumped. Yet, with all the new things which will be coming his way over his first semester, I don’t really dig the idea he’d have full reign to sample every type of booze under the sun. Think about that… a college freshman moves out of the house with Mom & Dad. Big change, right? He starts a whole new educational process, a whole new living arrangement, a whole new environment, a whole different set of friends, etc. In fact, it’s gotta be the biggest change many of us ever face. Why then, would we think it’s a good idea to lower the drinking age to 18 and add that to the difficulties of adaptation to adult life?
Outside myself, I believe lowering the possession, purchase age to 18 would actually increase underage drinking significantly. Not in the 18-21 age range, but the under 18 age range.
See, when I was in high school, I hung out with high schoolers. Most high school students do. They don’t know a huge number of college students, and those they do probably aren’t 21. But if there’s a high school senior who sees 14 and 15 year old freshmen in the halls every day, what’s to prevent that relationship from forming and getting younger and younger teens to start drinking? It’s mucho easier to ask a senior to run into the liquor store to buy a bottle of hooch when you see him/her in the cafeteria every day, right?
Again, I’m always open for discussion for any idea to make drinking safer and healthier – I’m just unsure this is the way to get that result.
Why then, would a group of over 100 college/university presidents now advocate lowering the national drinking age to 18? Simple, they say: Binge drinking is so much more dangerous than moderate drinking. And binge drinkers are, by far, more plentiful in the under 21 crowd.
The college presidents insist they’re simply requesting a continual dialogue – not asking for the limit to be lowered immediately. And that is a rational approach.
There’s a part of me which wonders if this isn’t backasswards. I mean, moderating alcohol consumption by legalizing it for every American college student between their freshman and senior years? Seems a bit reversed, doesn’t it?
Since I work in this field, I’m all for anything which will make alcohol consumption safer for everyone. Could lowering the drinking age do this? Potentially, but it’d need much study and evaluation and a whole, WHOLE lot of social engineering first.
Now, let me talk from a parental standpoint. Day before yesterday, I dropped my stepson, Jordan, off at the University of Florida to begin his freshman year. He’s a great kid, so I don’t worry he’ll be a stupid binge drinker who’ll line up 20 shots at a house party and need his stomach pumped. Yet, with all the new things which will be coming his way over his first semester, I don’t really dig the idea he’d have full reign to sample every type of booze under the sun. Think about that… a college freshman moves out of the house with Mom & Dad. Big change, right? He starts a whole new educational process, a whole new living arrangement, a whole new environment, a whole different set of friends, etc. In fact, it’s gotta be the biggest change many of us ever face. Why then, would we think it’s a good idea to lower the drinking age to 18 and add that to the difficulties of adaptation to adult life?
Outside myself, I believe lowering the possession, purchase age to 18 would actually increase underage drinking significantly. Not in the 18-21 age range, but the under 18 age range.
See, when I was in high school, I hung out with high schoolers. Most high school students do. They don’t know a huge number of college students, and those they do probably aren’t 21. But if there’s a high school senior who sees 14 and 15 year old freshmen in the halls every day, what’s to prevent that relationship from forming and getting younger and younger teens to start drinking? It’s mucho easier to ask a senior to run into the liquor store to buy a bottle of hooch when you see him/her in the cafeteria every day, right?
Again, I’m always open for discussion for any idea to make drinking safer and healthier – I’m just unsure this is the way to get that result.
Monday, August 18, 2008
"Which Is Worse?"
Which is worse: Texting while driving or driving drunk?
That's a hard one to measure. Mainly because texting has only been around a few years. Obviously, anything that takes attention from the road is unsafe. No question there. But which is known for being a bigger killer?
America kills an average of 15, 000 people every year due to DWI. Texting? Hard to say. Unless there's a half written text timed at the exact moment of the crash, it's nearly impossible to tell.
This morning, I was reading on line about a young woman in California who was killed while texting while driving. She'd written a final text, but it hadn't been ssent out. Yet, the cops found her unsent text message on her phone's screen which was laying on the floorboards. Leads you to think her texting caused her death. And maybe it did!
But the headline was about how her fatality was from texting. Read the article and you'll learn she was drunk, too. So, which is a bigger story?
Americans are numb to DWI deaths. No biggie-until it happens to you or someone you love, right? But texting is such a new killer it makes bigger headlines. And that's just sad.
To take part in two separate activities that make driving so unsafe is simply stupid. No one deserves to die in a crash like this, but at some point, an individual has given up any right to complain if bad does, in fact, happen. There are only so many negative ingredients one can throw into the driving mix before it's almost certainly going to be an unsafe ride. In this case, I'm just thankful the girl in question didn't take out any other motorists.
"Which Is Worse?"
Which is worse: Texting while driving or driving drunk?
That's a hard one to measure. Mainly because texting has only been around a few years. Obviously, anything that takes attention from the road is unsafe. No question there. But which is known for being a bigger killer?
America kills an average of 15, 000 people every year due to DWI. Texting? Hard to say. Unless there's a half written text timed at the exact moment of the crash, it's nearly impossible to tell.
This morning, I was reading on line about a young woman in California who was killed while texting while driving. She'd written a final text, but it hadn't been ssent out. Yet, the cops found her unsent text message on her phone's screen which was laying on the floorboards. Leads you to think her texting caused her death. And maybe it did!
But the headline was about how her fatality was from texting. Read the article and you'll learn she was drunk, too. So, which is a bigger story?
Americans are numb to DWI deaths. No biggie-until it happens to you or someone you love, right? But texting is such a new killer it makes bigger headlines. And that's just sad.
To take part in two separate activities that make driving so unsafe is simply stupid. No one deserves to die in a crash like this, but at some point, an individual has given up any right to complain if bad does, in fact, happen. There are only so many negative ingredients one can throw into the driving mix before it's almost certainly going to be an unsafe ride. In this case, I'm just thankful the girl in question didn't take out any other motorists.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Mom Arrested for Having 12-year-old Drive Her to a Bar, Police Say
Friday, August 15, 2008
LONGVIEW, Texas — A 35-year-old Texas woman has been jailed after police say she made her 12-year-old daughter drive her to a bar.
Police in Longview say they watched a minivan turn into a driveway without signaling on Wednesday and bump into a home at a low speed. They say the car was driven by Jennifer Lynn Rosenberg's daughter.
Police say the girl told an officer she had just dropped her mother off at a bar. They say they found Rosenburg at the bar and that she admitted having her daughter drive her there.
Rosenburg remains in the Gregg County Jail on a $2,500 bond. A jail official declined to say whether she had an attorney.
A spokeswoman for Child Protective Services told the Longview News-Journal that the agency is investigating.
*****
What an incredibly perfect example of bad parenting. You'd think a mother of this quality wouldn't even care about the possibility of getting a DWI, yet she WILL take the risk of both her and her daughter's lives having an underage, inexperienced kid behind the wheel.
It goes without saying that this woman seemingly isn't your average Jane, but someone who has a serious issue with alcohol. I don't think it ever occurs to a social drinker, "Hey, let's go out for the night! And let's have little Suzy drive us there!" This is an act of desperation to get to an establishment for the express reason of consuming alcohol. And it's just sad.
LONGVIEW, Texas — A 35-year-old Texas woman has been jailed after police say she made her 12-year-old daughter drive her to a bar.
Police in Longview say they watched a minivan turn into a driveway without signaling on Wednesday and bump into a home at a low speed. They say the car was driven by Jennifer Lynn Rosenberg's daughter.
Police say the girl told an officer she had just dropped her mother off at a bar. They say they found Rosenburg at the bar and that she admitted having her daughter drive her there.
Rosenburg remains in the Gregg County Jail on a $2,500 bond. A jail official declined to say whether she had an attorney.
A spokeswoman for Child Protective Services told the Longview News-Journal that the agency is investigating.
*****
What an incredibly perfect example of bad parenting. You'd think a mother of this quality wouldn't even care about the possibility of getting a DWI, yet she WILL take the risk of both her and her daughter's lives having an underage, inexperienced kid behind the wheel.
It goes without saying that this woman seemingly isn't your average Jane, but someone who has a serious issue with alcohol. I don't think it ever occurs to a social drinker, "Hey, let's go out for the night! And let's have little Suzy drive us there!" This is an act of desperation to get to an establishment for the express reason of consuming alcohol. And it's just sad.
UMKC Roo Camp
Wednesday, Aug. 13 found me in the greater Kansas City, MO area presenting for the University of Missouri-Kansas City. But not just any college program... no! This was Roo Camp!
What is Roo Camp, you ask? UMKC's mascot is the kangaroo, and this retreat is for a select group of UMKC freshman who have a strong desire to get the most out of their collegiate experience. Roo Camp immerses the UMKC freshman into acquaintance activities, discussions on college life and exposes them to experiences most freshmen don't get.
The helmsman of Roo Camp is Steve Terry - hands down, one of the most unique and motivated clients I've ever worked with. Steve, it was truly an honor to get to know you and work with you and the UMKC students. I hope to get back to KC for some more great experiences with folks who have such a true zeal for life!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Bet On Alcohol??
It's a rule of thumb that alcohol companies weather economic downturns better than other stocks. A strong correlation between depression and consumption? Looks that way. The candy, though, is a new one to me.
In Recession, Bet on Alcohol, Tobacco
By JANE WARDELL
AP
LONDON (Aug. 12) - As a global recession looms, what better way to cope than to eat, drink and be merry?
Eat, Drink, Smoke and Be Merry
Tom Gannam, AP
Even as consumers face soaring energy costs, rising food prices and higher mortgages or rent, it seems clear they're not prepared to forgo many of life's little treats - alcohol, cigarette and candy makers are all reporting healthy sales amid the gloom.
"I would never give it up, not unless I was dying of alcohol poisoning or something," said Kelly Piggeln, a 62-year-old retired nanny, as she indulged in her favorite two vices of a cigarette and a glass of wine on the patio of a London bar.
Piggeln's stance is being echoed by cash-strapped consumers around the world, a trend that is reflected in strong financial reports this season from some of the biggest so-called "sin stocks" even as banks and many retailers report sliding income.
Sin stocks, ranging from gambling to liquor, are usually a safe bet in hard times. While shares in some of those companies have fallen along with stock exchanges this year, lots are still seeing strong revenues and sales.
"It's inelastic demand as far as many of these stocks are concerned," said Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Keith Bowman, using the economists' term for consumption that is not deterred by higher prices. "So far there's signs that they are holding up, although there's still concern that these industries will see some impact."
Among the winners, though: Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc., the biggest brewer in the United States, turned a profit in the most recent quarter despite fears that rising costs for raw materials like glass, barley and wheat and fuel would cut into The King Of Beers' bottom line.
The company is so confident that consumers won't abandon the beer that it plans to increase prices for popular brands like Budweiser and Bud Light to stay ahead of the higher costs.
Similarly, Denmark's Carlsberg A/S reported a 36 percent rise in second-quarter net profit, saying stronger sales, particularly in eastern Europe and Asia, helped offset rising costs.
In Milwaukee, Katie Brozovich - a teacher who also works three part-time jobs - said she makes choices in her spending, such as not having her hair and nails professionally done, so she can keep drinking the pricier craft brews she prefers.
"I'd rather spend $4 or $5 on quality beer than $3 on hopped up water," said the 46-year-old, who was sipping on a craft beer from nearby Michigan. "It's worth the extra buck or two to get quality."
Diageo PLC, the world's largest producer and distributor of spirits, dubs many of its brands - including Johnnie Walker whiskey, Smirnoff vodka, Captain Morgan rum and Guinness stout - "affordable luxuries" that people are loath to give up, even in an economic downturn.
London-based Diageo expects its Scotch whisky business to continue to grow at least 8 percent to 9 percent annually, amid growing demand from emerging markets in Asia and Latin America.
Those emerging markets, particularly the developing economic powerhouses of China and India, are playing a key part in the buoyancy of such companies in the current turbulence, boosting demand for alcohol and cigarettes, which are increasingly used as status symbols denoting success and wealth.
But much of the demand is also still coming from the United States and Europe, which have been hardest hit by the credit squeeze, with price rises not dissuading many consumers in those regions - Constellation Brands Inc., the world's largest wine company by volume, posted a 35 percent rise in branded wine sales in North America in the first quarter.
Sam McQueen, a 29-year-old teacher taking a lunch break outside Starbucks in Camden in north London, said she and her boyfriend had recently revised their spending strategy - and stop buying prepackaged foods at the supermarket to free up money for the treat fund.
"We're going to stop buying silly things like that as opposed to giving up going out for a drink," she said.
And while people can't smoke at the bar because of spreading smoking bans, tobacco companies are doing just fine.
Philip Morris International said its earnings rose 23 percent in the second quarter and it raised its earnings forecast for this year, saying it had not been affected by inflationary pressures like other consumer products companies.
"Cigarettes in general can withstand such an environment better than many consumer products," Chief Financial Officer Hermann Waldemer said at the time.
British American Tobacco PLC posted a 15 percent rise in its first-half profits with help from higher prices and increased sales of premium brands. Sales of BAT's most expensive brands, such as Dunhill and Lucky Strike, grew 7 percent.
"While not immune from the consequences of an economic slowdown, we can certainly look to the future with more confidence than most," Chairman Jan du Plessis said when announcing the results.
Imperial Tobacco Group PLC, which recently acquired rival Altadis, says it remains on track for a successful year. Altria Group , the owner of tobacco company Philip Morris USA, saw second-quarter profits slide because it spun off its international unit. But earnings from its continuing operations rose, and the maker of Marlboros reaffirmed its outlook for this year.
Not all the vices have profited. There are signs that Lady Luck has deserted gambling stocks while the pornography industry is also not proving immune to the downturn. Moody's has downgraded the debt of almost 20 gaming companies and four U.S. casinos have filed for bankruptcy this year. The pornography industry, which is largely privately owned, is also struggling amid slowing sales of DVDs.
But a drink and a smoke do not appear to be the only ways that consumers are comforting themselves in tougher economic conditions.
Cadbury PLC, the world's biggest confectionary company, reported a 7.3 percent rise in first-half sales in its first results since spinning off its U.S. drinks business. Among the big sellers in its candy store was Dairy Milk chocolate, rising 9 percent.
In the United States, the Hershey Co. reported dramatically higher second-quarter sales and profit and reaffirmed its 2008 guidance of sales growth of 3 percent to 4 percent.
"The odd bar of chocolate is not going to break the bank," said Louise Hill, 33, a London office worker. "I always have a piece a day and I can't see that changing."
Associated Press Writers Emily Ristow in London and Emily Fredrix in Milwaukee contributed to this report.
In Recession, Bet on Alcohol, Tobacco
By JANE WARDELL
AP
LONDON (Aug. 12) - As a global recession looms, what better way to cope than to eat, drink and be merry?
Eat, Drink, Smoke and Be Merry
Tom Gannam, AP
Even as consumers face soaring energy costs, rising food prices and higher mortgages or rent, it seems clear they're not prepared to forgo many of life's little treats - alcohol, cigarette and candy makers are all reporting healthy sales amid the gloom.
"I would never give it up, not unless I was dying of alcohol poisoning or something," said Kelly Piggeln, a 62-year-old retired nanny, as she indulged in her favorite two vices of a cigarette and a glass of wine on the patio of a London bar.
Piggeln's stance is being echoed by cash-strapped consumers around the world, a trend that is reflected in strong financial reports this season from some of the biggest so-called "sin stocks" even as banks and many retailers report sliding income.
Sin stocks, ranging from gambling to liquor, are usually a safe bet in hard times. While shares in some of those companies have fallen along with stock exchanges this year, lots are still seeing strong revenues and sales.
"It's inelastic demand as far as many of these stocks are concerned," said Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Keith Bowman, using the economists' term for consumption that is not deterred by higher prices. "So far there's signs that they are holding up, although there's still concern that these industries will see some impact."
Among the winners, though: Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc., the biggest brewer in the United States, turned a profit in the most recent quarter despite fears that rising costs for raw materials like glass, barley and wheat and fuel would cut into The King Of Beers' bottom line.
The company is so confident that consumers won't abandon the beer that it plans to increase prices for popular brands like Budweiser and Bud Light to stay ahead of the higher costs.
Similarly, Denmark's Carlsberg A/S reported a 36 percent rise in second-quarter net profit, saying stronger sales, particularly in eastern Europe and Asia, helped offset rising costs.
In Milwaukee, Katie Brozovich - a teacher who also works three part-time jobs - said she makes choices in her spending, such as not having her hair and nails professionally done, so she can keep drinking the pricier craft brews she prefers.
"I'd rather spend $4 or $5 on quality beer than $3 on hopped up water," said the 46-year-old, who was sipping on a craft beer from nearby Michigan. "It's worth the extra buck or two to get quality."
Diageo PLC, the world's largest producer and distributor of spirits, dubs many of its brands - including Johnnie Walker whiskey, Smirnoff vodka, Captain Morgan rum and Guinness stout - "affordable luxuries" that people are loath to give up, even in an economic downturn.
London-based Diageo expects its Scotch whisky business to continue to grow at least 8 percent to 9 percent annually, amid growing demand from emerging markets in Asia and Latin America.
Those emerging markets, particularly the developing economic powerhouses of China and India, are playing a key part in the buoyancy of such companies in the current turbulence, boosting demand for alcohol and cigarettes, which are increasingly used as status symbols denoting success and wealth.
But much of the demand is also still coming from the United States and Europe, which have been hardest hit by the credit squeeze, with price rises not dissuading many consumers in those regions - Constellation Brands Inc., the world's largest wine company by volume, posted a 35 percent rise in branded wine sales in North America in the first quarter.
Sam McQueen, a 29-year-old teacher taking a lunch break outside Starbucks in Camden in north London, said she and her boyfriend had recently revised their spending strategy - and stop buying prepackaged foods at the supermarket to free up money for the treat fund.
"We're going to stop buying silly things like that as opposed to giving up going out for a drink," she said.
And while people can't smoke at the bar because of spreading smoking bans, tobacco companies are doing just fine.
Philip Morris International said its earnings rose 23 percent in the second quarter and it raised its earnings forecast for this year, saying it had not been affected by inflationary pressures like other consumer products companies.
"Cigarettes in general can withstand such an environment better than many consumer products," Chief Financial Officer Hermann Waldemer said at the time.
British American Tobacco PLC posted a 15 percent rise in its first-half profits with help from higher prices and increased sales of premium brands. Sales of BAT's most expensive brands, such as Dunhill and Lucky Strike, grew 7 percent.
"While not immune from the consequences of an economic slowdown, we can certainly look to the future with more confidence than most," Chairman Jan du Plessis said when announcing the results.
Imperial Tobacco Group PLC, which recently acquired rival Altadis, says it remains on track for a successful year. Altria Group , the owner of tobacco company Philip Morris USA, saw second-quarter profits slide because it spun off its international unit. But earnings from its continuing operations rose, and the maker of Marlboros reaffirmed its outlook for this year.
Not all the vices have profited. There are signs that Lady Luck has deserted gambling stocks while the pornography industry is also not proving immune to the downturn. Moody's has downgraded the debt of almost 20 gaming companies and four U.S. casinos have filed for bankruptcy this year. The pornography industry, which is largely privately owned, is also struggling amid slowing sales of DVDs.
But a drink and a smoke do not appear to be the only ways that consumers are comforting themselves in tougher economic conditions.
Cadbury PLC, the world's biggest confectionary company, reported a 7.3 percent rise in first-half sales in its first results since spinning off its U.S. drinks business. Among the big sellers in its candy store was Dairy Milk chocolate, rising 9 percent.
In the United States, the Hershey Co. reported dramatically higher second-quarter sales and profit and reaffirmed its 2008 guidance of sales growth of 3 percent to 4 percent.
"The odd bar of chocolate is not going to break the bank," said Louise Hill, 33, a London office worker. "I always have a piece a day and I can't see that changing."
Associated Press Writers Emily Ristow in London and Emily Fredrix in Milwaukee contributed to this report.
Monday, August 11, 2008
"Beyond Tomorrow"
Beyond Tomorrow is a cable show which airs a variety of geeky and interesting things. Today's episode did a myth buster on beating a breathalyzer test. Have you seen this done on shows like Myth Busters before? I've seen this exercise performed in any number of ways, but never with successful results. Here's the haps:
Two guys got good and drunk; one on scotch, one on vodka and cranberry juice. Thirteen total drinks apiece in a three hour time frame. Best case scenario, with time to metabolize the booze, at the end of the drinking spree, both gents have a minimum of 10 drinks in their system. When they blew, the first guy blew a .11 and the second a .09.
After trying peppermints, mouthwash, batteries, hyperventilating and cigarettes, neither was able to decrease their BAC. Findings are always the same - the only way to truly lower one's BAC reading is by lowering the BAC itself - and that takes time.
What I found most surprising was that after a three hour bender, one drink every 15 minutes, both guys weren't all that high. Thirteen drinks is a task-one must be TRYING to get drunk if they're drinking that heavy.
This is why I shoot holes in the usual argument of how folks are afraid to have a drink or two with dinner. Afraid they might be picked up for DWI on the way home. Yet, these tests indicate one could have at least eight drinks within a few hours and be under the presumptive legal limit. That's not a mistake made by having a drink or two with dinner - that's only going to happen with hardcore drinking.
Two guys got good and drunk; one on scotch, one on vodka and cranberry juice. Thirteen total drinks apiece in a three hour time frame. Best case scenario, with time to metabolize the booze, at the end of the drinking spree, both gents have a minimum of 10 drinks in their system. When they blew, the first guy blew a .11 and the second a .09.
After trying peppermints, mouthwash, batteries, hyperventilating and cigarettes, neither was able to decrease their BAC. Findings are always the same - the only way to truly lower one's BAC reading is by lowering the BAC itself - and that takes time.
What I found most surprising was that after a three hour bender, one drink every 15 minutes, both guys weren't all that high. Thirteen drinks is a task-one must be TRYING to get drunk if they're drinking that heavy.
This is why I shoot holes in the usual argument of how folks are afraid to have a drink or two with dinner. Afraid they might be picked up for DWI on the way home. Yet, these tests indicate one could have at least eight drinks within a few hours and be under the presumptive legal limit. That's not a mistake made by having a drink or two with dinner - that's only going to happen with hardcore drinking.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Granny's Wine... But Less Of It
A new American Journal of Medicine study finds older Americans are drinking less. At the same time, minors are also drinking less. The study finds older Americans are more likely to drink wine instead of beer or hard liquor.
To what do we attribute these changes? From this blogger's view, there are several ingredients:
First, I think it stands to reason that as we age, most people's drinking slacks off. There just aren't a lot of folks who start drawing Social Security and use their first month's check to buy a beer bong. Second, the wine is a no brainer. With the health benefits shown by red wine, a more health conscious America is more likely to consume rouge vino.
The minors drinking rates falling off? First, education. Kids today are far, far more educated on the dangers of excessive consumption than at any time in history. Second, kids have more entertainment options than ever before. Instead of keg parties, many teens are turning to Wii parties. Instead of sneaking booze from the old man's liquor cabinet, kids are too busy text messaging. Instead of spiked punch at parties, more students are attending virtual parties on line on social networking sites.
Either way, the new AJM studies show some encouraging signs!
To what do we attribute these changes? From this blogger's view, there are several ingredients:
First, I think it stands to reason that as we age, most people's drinking slacks off. There just aren't a lot of folks who start drawing Social Security and use their first month's check to buy a beer bong. Second, the wine is a no brainer. With the health benefits shown by red wine, a more health conscious America is more likely to consume rouge vino.
The minors drinking rates falling off? First, education. Kids today are far, far more educated on the dangers of excessive consumption than at any time in history. Second, kids have more entertainment options than ever before. Instead of keg parties, many teens are turning to Wii parties. Instead of sneaking booze from the old man's liquor cabinet, kids are too busy text messaging. Instead of spiked punch at parties, more students are attending virtual parties on line on social networking sites.
Either way, the new AJM studies show some encouraging signs!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Beer For My Horses
Country singer Toby Keith has now stepped into the world of film. Next week, his first stab at a movie, "Beer for My Horses" hits theaters.
Alcohol consumption has always been a staple topic in country music. "Beer For My Horses" is one of the biggest country singles of the last 10 years. Why? Just because of the line, "Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses"? Nah, it's more than that...
This song had the mass appeal of putting up with no crap from no one. In our post 9-11 world, I think it appealed to our sense of self protection, righteousness and justice. Throw in a line or two about drinking and you've got the recipe for a successful country tune.
The one thing I always noticed about "Beer For My Horses" as a song was this: the link between justice and alcohol. Once the job is done, you've protected yourself and the world, hey, tip back some booze!
Not sure this is a really great message, but hey, maybe I'm reading too much into the song. It IS a country tune, after all...
Alcohol consumption has always been a staple topic in country music. "Beer For My Horses" is one of the biggest country singles of the last 10 years. Why? Just because of the line, "Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses"? Nah, it's more than that...
This song had the mass appeal of putting up with no crap from no one. In our post 9-11 world, I think it appealed to our sense of self protection, righteousness and justice. Throw in a line or two about drinking and you've got the recipe for a successful country tune.
The one thing I always noticed about "Beer For My Horses" as a song was this: the link between justice and alcohol. Once the job is done, you've protected yourself and the world, hey, tip back some booze!
Not sure this is a really great message, but hey, maybe I'm reading too much into the song. It IS a country tune, after all...
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Marcus' Official Stance on Alcohol
I had a recent inquiry as to my official stance on alcohol. This question came from a youth substance abuse prevention organization, not from an individual who was just curious. I figured this is something I should share because, frankly, it's the stance I believe most people should also have.
Alcohol is illegal for all American civilians under 21 years of age. I obey all the laws of this country. Therefore, when I speak to audiences who are minors, I do not and cannot and will not approve of the consumption of alcohol for those in the audience.
If a person is of legal drinking age, I believe in moderation, safety and responsibility if they choose to drink alcohol. If driving is involved, this becomes even more important.
That's my official stance on alcohol. The laws are what they are and I'm a law-abiding American citizen.
If there are clients or individuals with further questions, feel free to ask! Happy to share my thoughts, but rest assured my personal philosophies will always be in lock step with the laws of this country.
Alcohol is illegal for all American civilians under 21 years of age. I obey all the laws of this country. Therefore, when I speak to audiences who are minors, I do not and cannot and will not approve of the consumption of alcohol for those in the audience.
If a person is of legal drinking age, I believe in moderation, safety and responsibility if they choose to drink alcohol. If driving is involved, this becomes even more important.
That's my official stance on alcohol. The laws are what they are and I'm a law-abiding American citizen.
If there are clients or individuals with further questions, feel free to ask! Happy to share my thoughts, but rest assured my personal philosophies will always be in lock step with the laws of this country.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Beer Pong By Any Other Name...
Changing a name doesn't change the truth of the game. Kinda like Cookie Monster being forced to eat carrots to give a good example to obese American children-he's still Cookie Monster, even if he's called Carrot Monster.
Beer pong is till beer pong, no matter what you name it. Does playing it on Wii reinforce drinking behaviors? When games are as realistic as, well, reality, it makes perfect sense to think "Pong Toss" will be a nice segue into beer pong. From a personal perspective, I first wanted to shoot skeet and trap after playing Duck Hunt on the original Nintendo. If you like the game, it makes you wonder, "Hmm, I wonder if I'll like the activity in real life?"
The game company has a bit of social responsibility to not invent a game which can damage society. But the thing that bothers me most is that "Pong Toss" is rated T for Teens.
Beg pardon? Teens? The only teens who can legally drink in this country are those in the armed forces while they're on a military base. And those guys probably don't have an excessive amount of time for Wii or beer pong.
Just another sad commentary on how we view alcohol consumption in our society.
************
Wii Beer Pong Game Draws Jeers
Does New Nintendo Game Glorify Teen Drinking Culture?
By CLOE SHASHA
July 9, 2008
ABC News
JV Games has cleaned up its new Nintendo Wii version of the college drinking game "Beer Pong" by removing references to booze and renaming the title, but authorities and mental health experts fear that it will only reinforce an alcohol culture on teens.
In the Wii Nintendo game "Pong Toss," developed by JV Games, the player scores a point after tossing a ping pong ball into the opponent's cup.
"Pong Toss," as it's now called, still gives gamers the ability to practice the tossing skills required for Beer Pong, a popular drinking game involving ping pong balls aimed into cups of beer. Beer-guzzling is the goal of the real Beer Pong game in many college settings.
The game earned a rating of "T" for teen — ages 13 and up — from the independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), and that has caused parents, educators and even one state's attorney general to react with dismay.
"When a behavior is modeled or practiced in any form, it becomes more likely to be practiced in the future," said New York psychologist Eva Levine. "Kids are very susceptible to this type of media. I see it all the time with young kids and adolescents. It's definitely true that children that are exposed to alcohol use are much more likely to engage in alcohol behavior."
On Monday, Conn. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal expressed concern about the game, and about the future games that will be released under JV's Frat Party Games line.
Blumenthal believes that a game like "Pong Toss" has more worrisome consequences than other types of violent or dangerous video games.
"My strong concern is the ratings, which fail to reflect the potential dangers," said Blumenthal. "It promotes alcohol use and even abuse and binge drinking, which certainly seems a more realistic prospect than someone driving a car dangerously after playing 'Grand Theft Auto,' although obviously, that's a problem as well. But what the beer pong game does is much more immediate for teenagers than what happens in 'Grand Theft Auto'."
The worry about teen drinking is real and rising. On Monday, an Associated Press analysis of federal records found that 157 college-age people, 18 to 23, drank themselves to death from 1999 through 2005, the most recent year for which figures are available. The number of alcohol-poisoning deaths per year nearly doubled over that span, from 18 in 1999 to a peak of 35 in 2005, though the total went up and down from year to year and dropped to 14 in 2001.
Beer pong is till beer pong, no matter what you name it. Does playing it on Wii reinforce drinking behaviors? When games are as realistic as, well, reality, it makes perfect sense to think "Pong Toss" will be a nice segue into beer pong. From a personal perspective, I first wanted to shoot skeet and trap after playing Duck Hunt on the original Nintendo. If you like the game, it makes you wonder, "Hmm, I wonder if I'll like the activity in real life?"
The game company has a bit of social responsibility to not invent a game which can damage society. But the thing that bothers me most is that "Pong Toss" is rated T for Teens.
Beg pardon? Teens? The only teens who can legally drink in this country are those in the armed forces while they're on a military base. And those guys probably don't have an excessive amount of time for Wii or beer pong.
Just another sad commentary on how we view alcohol consumption in our society.
************
Wii Beer Pong Game Draws Jeers
Does New Nintendo Game Glorify Teen Drinking Culture?
By CLOE SHASHA
July 9, 2008
ABC News
JV Games has cleaned up its new Nintendo Wii version of the college drinking game "Beer Pong" by removing references to booze and renaming the title, but authorities and mental health experts fear that it will only reinforce an alcohol culture on teens.
In the Wii Nintendo game "Pong Toss," developed by JV Games, the player scores a point after tossing a ping pong ball into the opponent's cup.
"Pong Toss," as it's now called, still gives gamers the ability to practice the tossing skills required for Beer Pong, a popular drinking game involving ping pong balls aimed into cups of beer. Beer-guzzling is the goal of the real Beer Pong game in many college settings.
The game earned a rating of "T" for teen — ages 13 and up — from the independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), and that has caused parents, educators and even one state's attorney general to react with dismay.
"When a behavior is modeled or practiced in any form, it becomes more likely to be practiced in the future," said New York psychologist Eva Levine. "Kids are very susceptible to this type of media. I see it all the time with young kids and adolescents. It's definitely true that children that are exposed to alcohol use are much more likely to engage in alcohol behavior."
On Monday, Conn. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal expressed concern about the game, and about the future games that will be released under JV's Frat Party Games line.
Blumenthal believes that a game like "Pong Toss" has more worrisome consequences than other types of violent or dangerous video games.
"My strong concern is the ratings, which fail to reflect the potential dangers," said Blumenthal. "It promotes alcohol use and even abuse and binge drinking, which certainly seems a more realistic prospect than someone driving a car dangerously after playing 'Grand Theft Auto,' although obviously, that's a problem as well. But what the beer pong game does is much more immediate for teenagers than what happens in 'Grand Theft Auto'."
The worry about teen drinking is real and rising. On Monday, an Associated Press analysis of federal records found that 157 college-age people, 18 to 23, drank themselves to death from 1999 through 2005, the most recent year for which figures are available. The number of alcohol-poisoning deaths per year nearly doubled over that span, from 18 in 1999 to a peak of 35 in 2005, though the total went up and down from year to year and dropped to 14 in 2001.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Keg Parties or Wine Tastings: What's College Drinking Really About?
Yesterday, I received the monthly E newsletter from my alma mater, Missouri State University.
Colleges are known for partying, heavy drinking, scenes from "Animal House"...all that stuff that post-college grads smile at, shake their heads in wistful amusement and think, "Man, it's a wonder no one was killed."
Colleges and universities don't typically promote their drinking stats, mainly because they're usually so disturbing. It's well known how much drinking goes on in colleges, but no one uses anything to do with booze as something to better the face of the university. Except maybe my alma mater...
When I received the E newsletter, there was an article about how Missouri State wines win medals in a regional competition. What?
Turns out, one of the branch campuses of Missouri state has a vineyard and winery called Mountain Grove Cellars. Wine from MGC was entered in a wine competition in Indiana recently and won.
It's interesting how different alcohols are "acceptable" due to the culture surrounding them. Wine is considered a classy, social beverage for celebrating, etc. But if there was a brewing contest, would anyone be proud of that? Or if someone was distilling their own whiskey, would that be something to brag about? Doubtful.
No college would ever think of promoting their university while promoting how good their alcohol is UNLESS that alcohol is wine. Just interesting cultural and sociological observations about college drinking and creation of alcohol...
Colleges are known for partying, heavy drinking, scenes from "Animal House"...all that stuff that post-college grads smile at, shake their heads in wistful amusement and think, "Man, it's a wonder no one was killed."
Colleges and universities don't typically promote their drinking stats, mainly because they're usually so disturbing. It's well known how much drinking goes on in colleges, but no one uses anything to do with booze as something to better the face of the university. Except maybe my alma mater...
When I received the E newsletter, there was an article about how Missouri State wines win medals in a regional competition. What?
Turns out, one of the branch campuses of Missouri state has a vineyard and winery called Mountain Grove Cellars. Wine from MGC was entered in a wine competition in Indiana recently and won.
It's interesting how different alcohols are "acceptable" due to the culture surrounding them. Wine is considered a classy, social beverage for celebrating, etc. But if there was a brewing contest, would anyone be proud of that? Or if someone was distilling their own whiskey, would that be something to brag about? Doubtful.
No college would ever think of promoting their university while promoting how good their alcohol is UNLESS that alcohol is wine. Just interesting cultural and sociological observations about college drinking and creation of alcohol...
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Something To Make "Light" Of?
It's interesting how the airline made light of this. The woman tries to open the cabin door at 33,000 feet? Granted, this is pretty hard for someone who is, 1. not in the flight attendant "know" on how to do it and, 2. drunk. Still, if she was able to get the door open, that spells bad news for everyone on board. The attempted assault with a bottle is another sign that these are two women who simply do not know how to control themselves with alcohol - and the kind of people who probably shouldn't even be drinking socially, either.
***
Drunken Passengers Go on Rampage, Force Plane's Emergency Landing
Sunday, July 27, 2008
foxnews.com
BERLIN — Two drunken British women went on a rampage on a charter plane, hitting one flight attendant with a bottle of vodka and trying to open a cabin door as the aircraft was cruising over Austria at 10,000 meters, police said Saturday.
The staff on the flight from Greece to England eventually forced the women back to their seats and the pilot made an emergency landing in Frankfurt on Thursday, police told The Associated Press, confirming a statement they had issued on Friday.
The identities of the women, aged 26 and 27, were not released, but police said the 26-year-old may be charged with attempted assault and interfering with air traffic.
Both women were released, police said.
The rampage occurred when a flight attendant denied the women alcohol because they were visibly intoxicated, police said. The 26-year-old took a swipe at a cabin attendant with a bottle of vodka, then attempted to open a cabin door.
"Apparently the 26-year-old wanted to catch some fresh air," the statement said, in an effort to make light of the altercation.
The two women were taken into custody by police at the Frankfurt airport and given a breathalyzer test. Both were legally intoxicated.
After an hour in Frankfurt, the flight continued on to Manchester, England.
***
Drunken Passengers Go on Rampage, Force Plane's Emergency Landing
Sunday, July 27, 2008
foxnews.com
BERLIN — Two drunken British women went on a rampage on a charter plane, hitting one flight attendant with a bottle of vodka and trying to open a cabin door as the aircraft was cruising over Austria at 10,000 meters, police said Saturday.
The staff on the flight from Greece to England eventually forced the women back to their seats and the pilot made an emergency landing in Frankfurt on Thursday, police told The Associated Press, confirming a statement they had issued on Friday.
The identities of the women, aged 26 and 27, were not released, but police said the 26-year-old may be charged with attempted assault and interfering with air traffic.
Both women were released, police said.
The rampage occurred when a flight attendant denied the women alcohol because they were visibly intoxicated, police said. The 26-year-old took a swipe at a cabin attendant with a bottle of vodka, then attempted to open a cabin door.
"Apparently the 26-year-old wanted to catch some fresh air," the statement said, in an effort to make light of the altercation.
The two women were taken into custody by police at the Frankfurt airport and given a breathalyzer test. Both were legally intoxicated.
After an hour in Frankfurt, the flight continued on to Manchester, England.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Post Away...
Ya know, I'm usually very concerned with how people portray themselves on Facebook and MySpace. I hate the idea of anyone posting pics of them doing some goofy stunt that could later mean they won't get a job, etc. But when a guy like this rubs the victim's nose in his crime? It makes me re-think my position. So, post away! If it helps put unrepentant fools like this behind bars for longer than they'd have originally been sentenced to, post away!
****
Web Photos Come Back to Bite Defendants
By ERIC TUCKER,
AP
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (July 19) - Two weeks after Joshua Lipton was charged in a drunken driving crash that seriously injured a woman, the 20-year-old college junior attended a Halloween party dressed as a prisoner. Pictures from the party showed him in a black-and-white striped shirt and an orange jumpsuit labeled "Jail Bird."
In the age of the Internet, it might not be hard to guess what happened to those pictures: Someone posted them on the social networking site Facebook. And that offered remarkable evidence for Jay Sullivan, the prosecutor handling Lipton's drunken-driving case.
A judge gave Joshua Lipton a two-year prison sentence over a drunken driving charge after the prosecutor uncovered this image of Lipton dressed up in a "Jail Bird" costume two weeks after his accident that nearly killed a woman.
Sullivan used the pictures to paint Lipton as an unrepentant partier who lived it up while his victim recovered in the hospital. A judge agreed, calling the pictures depraved when sentencing Lipton to two years in prison.
Online hangouts like Facebook and MySpace have offered crime-solving help to detectives and become a resource for employers vetting job applicants. Now the sites are proving fruitful for prosecutors, who have used damaging Internet photos of defendants to cast doubt on their character during sentencing hearings and argue for harsher punishment.
"Social networking sites are just another way that people say things or do things that come back and haunt them," said Phil Malone, director of the cyberlaw clinic at Harvard Law School's Berkman Center for Internet & Society. "The things that people say online or leave online are pretty permanent."
The pictures, when shown at sentencing, not only embarrass defendants but also can make it harder for them to convince a judge that they're remorseful or that their drunken behavior was an aberration. (Of course, the sites are also valuable for defense lawyers looking to dig up dirt to undercut the credibility of a star prosecution witness.)
Prosecutors do not appear to be scouring networking sites while preparing for every sentencing, even though telling photos of criminal defendants are sometimes available in plain sight and accessible under a person's real name. But in cases where they've had reason to suspect incriminating pictures online, or have been tipped off to a particular person's MySpace or Facebook page, the sites have yielded critical character evidence.
"It's not possible to do it in every case," said Darryl Perlin, a senior prosecutor in Santa Barbara County, Calif. "But certain cases, it does become relevant."
Perlin said he was willing to recommend probation for Lara Buys for a 2006 drunken driving crash that killed her passenger _ until he thought to check her MySpace page while preparing for sentencing.
The page featured photos of Buys _ taken after the crash but before sentencing _ holding a glass of wine as well as joking comments about drinking. Perlin used the photos to argue for a jail sentence instead of probation, and Buys, then 22, got two years in prison.
"Pending sentencing, you should be going to (Alcoholics Anonymous), you should be in therapy, you should be in a program to learn to deal with drinking and driving," Perlin said. "She was doing nothing other than having a good old time."
Santa Barbara defense lawyer Steve Balash said the day he met his client Jessica Binkerd, a recent college graduate charged with a fatal drunken driving crash, he asked if she had a MySpace page. When she said yes, he told her to take it down because he figured it might have pictures that cast her in a bad light.
But she didn't remove the page. And right before Binkerd was sentenced in January 2007, the attorney said he was "blindsided" by a presentencing report from prosecutors that featured photos posted on MySpace after the crash.
One showed Binkerd holding a beer bottle. Others had her wearing a shirt advertising tequila and a belt bearing plastic shot glasses.
Binkerd wasn't doing anything illegal, but Balash said the photos hurt her anyway. She was given more than five years in prison, though the sentence was later shortened for unrelated reasons.
"When you take those pictures like that, it's a hell of an impact," he said.
Rhode Island prosecutors say Lipton was drunk and speeding near his school, Bryant University in Smithfield, in October 2006 when he triggered a three-car collision that left 20-year-old Jade Combies hospitalized for weeks.
Sullivan, the prosecutor, said another victim of the crash gave him copies of photographs from Lipton's Facebook page that were posted after the collision. Sullivan assembled the pictures _ which were posted by someone else but accessible on Lipton's page _ into a PowerPoint presentation at sentencing.
One image shows a smiling Lipton at the Halloween party, clutching cans of the energy drink Red Bull with his arm draped around a young woman in a sorority T-shirt. Above it, Sullivan rhetorically wrote, "Remorseful?"
Superior Court Judge Daniel Procaccini said the prosecutor's slide show influenced his decision to sentence Lipton.
"I did feel that gave me some indication of how that young man was feeling a short time after a near-fatal accident, that he thought it was appropriate to joke and mock about the possibility of going to prison," the judge said in an interview.
Kevin Bristow, Lipton's attorney, said the photos didn't accurately reflect his client's character or level of remorse, and made it more likely he'd get prison over probation.
"The pictures showed a kid who didn't know what to do two weeks after this accident," Bristow said, adding that Lipton wrote apologetic letters to the victim and her family and was so upset that he left college. "He didn't know how to react."
Still, he uses the incident as an example to his own teenage children to watch what they post online.
"If it shows up under your name you own it," he said, "and you better understand that people look for that stuff."
****
Web Photos Come Back to Bite Defendants
By ERIC TUCKER,
AP
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (July 19) - Two weeks after Joshua Lipton was charged in a drunken driving crash that seriously injured a woman, the 20-year-old college junior attended a Halloween party dressed as a prisoner. Pictures from the party showed him in a black-and-white striped shirt and an orange jumpsuit labeled "Jail Bird."
In the age of the Internet, it might not be hard to guess what happened to those pictures: Someone posted them on the social networking site Facebook. And that offered remarkable evidence for Jay Sullivan, the prosecutor handling Lipton's drunken-driving case.
A judge gave Joshua Lipton a two-year prison sentence over a drunken driving charge after the prosecutor uncovered this image of Lipton dressed up in a "Jail Bird" costume two weeks after his accident that nearly killed a woman.
Sullivan used the pictures to paint Lipton as an unrepentant partier who lived it up while his victim recovered in the hospital. A judge agreed, calling the pictures depraved when sentencing Lipton to two years in prison.
Online hangouts like Facebook and MySpace have offered crime-solving help to detectives and become a resource for employers vetting job applicants. Now the sites are proving fruitful for prosecutors, who have used damaging Internet photos of defendants to cast doubt on their character during sentencing hearings and argue for harsher punishment.
"Social networking sites are just another way that people say things or do things that come back and haunt them," said Phil Malone, director of the cyberlaw clinic at Harvard Law School's Berkman Center for Internet & Society. "The things that people say online or leave online are pretty permanent."
The pictures, when shown at sentencing, not only embarrass defendants but also can make it harder for them to convince a judge that they're remorseful or that their drunken behavior was an aberration. (Of course, the sites are also valuable for defense lawyers looking to dig up dirt to undercut the credibility of a star prosecution witness.)
Prosecutors do not appear to be scouring networking sites while preparing for every sentencing, even though telling photos of criminal defendants are sometimes available in plain sight and accessible under a person's real name. But in cases where they've had reason to suspect incriminating pictures online, or have been tipped off to a particular person's MySpace or Facebook page, the sites have yielded critical character evidence.
"It's not possible to do it in every case," said Darryl Perlin, a senior prosecutor in Santa Barbara County, Calif. "But certain cases, it does become relevant."
Perlin said he was willing to recommend probation for Lara Buys for a 2006 drunken driving crash that killed her passenger _ until he thought to check her MySpace page while preparing for sentencing.
The page featured photos of Buys _ taken after the crash but before sentencing _ holding a glass of wine as well as joking comments about drinking. Perlin used the photos to argue for a jail sentence instead of probation, and Buys, then 22, got two years in prison.
"Pending sentencing, you should be going to (Alcoholics Anonymous), you should be in therapy, you should be in a program to learn to deal with drinking and driving," Perlin said. "She was doing nothing other than having a good old time."
Santa Barbara defense lawyer Steve Balash said the day he met his client Jessica Binkerd, a recent college graduate charged with a fatal drunken driving crash, he asked if she had a MySpace page. When she said yes, he told her to take it down because he figured it might have pictures that cast her in a bad light.
But she didn't remove the page. And right before Binkerd was sentenced in January 2007, the attorney said he was "blindsided" by a presentencing report from prosecutors that featured photos posted on MySpace after the crash.
One showed Binkerd holding a beer bottle. Others had her wearing a shirt advertising tequila and a belt bearing plastic shot glasses.
Binkerd wasn't doing anything illegal, but Balash said the photos hurt her anyway. She was given more than five years in prison, though the sentence was later shortened for unrelated reasons.
"When you take those pictures like that, it's a hell of an impact," he said.
Rhode Island prosecutors say Lipton was drunk and speeding near his school, Bryant University in Smithfield, in October 2006 when he triggered a three-car collision that left 20-year-old Jade Combies hospitalized for weeks.
Sullivan, the prosecutor, said another victim of the crash gave him copies of photographs from Lipton's Facebook page that were posted after the collision. Sullivan assembled the pictures _ which were posted by someone else but accessible on Lipton's page _ into a PowerPoint presentation at sentencing.
One image shows a smiling Lipton at the Halloween party, clutching cans of the energy drink Red Bull with his arm draped around a young woman in a sorority T-shirt. Above it, Sullivan rhetorically wrote, "Remorseful?"
Superior Court Judge Daniel Procaccini said the prosecutor's slide show influenced his decision to sentence Lipton.
"I did feel that gave me some indication of how that young man was feeling a short time after a near-fatal accident, that he thought it was appropriate to joke and mock about the possibility of going to prison," the judge said in an interview.
Kevin Bristow, Lipton's attorney, said the photos didn't accurately reflect his client's character or level of remorse, and made it more likely he'd get prison over probation.
"The pictures showed a kid who didn't know what to do two weeks after this accident," Bristow said, adding that Lipton wrote apologetic letters to the victim and her family and was so upset that he left college. "He didn't know how to react."
Still, he uses the incident as an example to his own teenage children to watch what they post online.
"If it shows up under your name you own it," he said, "and you better understand that people look for that stuff."
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