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!
Friday, October 31, 2008
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!
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