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Just in, college students binge drink. Clearly, that's not a deep or profound revelation. However, the findings of a recent study by the "Prevention Research Center" shows that on average, male college students may down as many as 24 alcoholic drinks in a row when they party.

College binge drinking absolutely disgusts me. Thankfully, my university was not much a drinking school but they made up for it in other ways, like funding and sponsoring the C**t Club (that's right, a group of females who came together to commisserate around their genitalia). Major state universities (here it's Washington State University) are usually notorious for fostering a drinking culture that more than likely has a direct-feed relationship to Alcoholics Anonymous. Students drink themselves to the point of blackout just for kicks. Reuters reports,

Most research defines "binge drinking" as having five or more drinks in a row, without counting how far past five the drinkers go.

The Berkeley, California-based nonprofit health research institute found that many of the 1,000 male college drinkers surveyed said they had 24 or more drinks in a row.

"These are levels of drinking at which most men will have passed out or become comatose," said Paul Gruenewald, who led the study.

"These are levels at which drinkers are at risk for the very serious problems posed by peak drinking, including alcohol poisoning," Gruenewald added in a statement.

The study found that about 10 percent of the time, the drinkers had 12 or more drinks during a single session.

"When you see just how much some students may drink, it's easier to understand how these young people may suffer from many alcohol-related accidents and injuries, some as simple as falling out of a dormitory window."

A kid at my university almost died after falling some nine flights over the railing. Why are college kids so idiotic the majority of the time? Because they're drunk, high or oblivious. The sad reality is that university culture actually accepts this sickness as the norm and typical behavior of college students. Recreational drinking is one of the most idiotic things I ever encountered while growing up. The binge drinking phenomenon is infiltrating the younger culture as well.

In high school, I was a minority. It wasn't because I was black, female, short, or middle-class, it was because I didn't drink. Go figure. My on-campus social life was generally shot because I refused to congregate in a parking lot and drink away my emptiness. Good thing I didn't go to school for the social aspect. I generally had better things to do with my time. Plus, even if I were to drink, black people don't do "keggers" we take it hard. But that's another conversation.

I remember there being freshmen alcoholics. Freshmen! That's right, 14-year-old kids with vodka bottles stashed in their lockers. To make matters worse, there were many parents who weren't opposed to purchasing alcohol on their children's behalf because they "rather have them drinking under my roof than out on the streets". Great logic. Safe to say, these parents weren't from my neck of the woods. Many teenagers these days are going into college with a high alcohol tolerence.

There is MUCH work to be done. To be honest, pin-pointing this drinking culture is really about identifying the emptiness of an entire generation. There's a God-sized void there, and people will fill it with whatever they can to numb the pain.

 

In regards to the recent D.C. sniper settlement, the AP reports,

"Bulls Eye Shooter Supply of Tacoma agreed to pay $2.5 million to settle the suit and the manufacturer of the rifle, Bushmaster Firearms of Windham, Maine, agreed to pay $500,000."

In order to avoid continuing to rack up large amounts of legal bills, Bushmaster Firearms has agreed to settle.

Let this be one of the reasons America makes me sick. WHAT do the firearm manufacturer and the store from which the gun was STOLEN have to do with the shooting?

 

I know you didn't think I would go to New York City and NOT find someone faux-pas worthy. I took this picture while eating in "Little Italy" with friends. Incidentally, the food was good, the view was not. Again, for the purposes of my CIA affiliation, I hide the identity of the victim.

The past faux-pas have been bad, but this one just might take the cake. I'll make this quick: I don't know what possessed this dear woman to leave the house wearing BOTH horizontal AND vertical stripes, but the general American public needs to know that this is completely unacceptable. To make matters worse, the stripes don't even match. Stripes should only be worn on ONE half of the body. Never both. Like all things American, people MUST make a choice. There is only one circumstance when full body stripes are apporpriate: a prison suit.

My people, my people, we have GOT to do better.

Past Fashion Faux-Pas: The Cowboy Boots, The Pimp

[For those of you new to this website, I often throw in my nickel's worth on fashion trends and various improper situations my camera might catch. I do this to break up the monotony of politics, social commentary, and life. Plus, I'm just crazy like that. Back to regularly scheduled blogging]

 

There. Just thought I'd celebrate. Too bad my lazy behind hasn't moved over to my new site yet. Oh well, *raises champagne glass filled with Martinelli's apple cider* here's to many more...on channel four.

On another note, from the "Getting on my everylasting nerve files": The umpteen SPAM emails I get from Dr. Mbuto Ndiyande Ootchiecootchie Wa Wa from the republic of Congo/Angola/Niger/Zambia, asking me to accept money in the form of a Certificate of Deposit because his/her nephew/cousin/neice/daughter/spouse is dying/sick/dead/seeking political asylum.

I would like to think that there is a special place in proverbial hell for spammers--all of them. But that is very UN-Christian to even ponder right? Right.

With that, I offer you my all-time favorite internet soapbox rant (animated). I'm sure many of you have seen this, it's hilarious. Check it out here. Make sure you have the sound turned up.

 

Well, duh. The media has been abuzz about a recent "study" released yesterday, that links television watching to teen sexual activity. Reuters reports,

Teenagers who watch a lot of television with sexual content are twice as likely to engage in intercourse than those who watch few such programs, according to a study published on Tuesday

The study covered 1,792 adolescents aged 12 to 17 who were quizzed on viewing habits and sexual activity and then surveyed again a year later. Both regular and cable television were included.

"This is the strongest evidence yet that the sexual content of television programs encourages adolescents to initiate sexual intercourse and other sexual activities," said Rebecca Collins, a psychologist at the RAND Corp. who headed the study.

"The impact of television viewing is so large that even a moderate shift in the sexual content of adolescent TV watching could have a substantial effect on their sexual behavior," she added.

The study found that youths who watched large amounts of programming with sexual content were also more likely to initiate sexual activities short of intercourse, such as oral sex.

It found that shows where sex was talked about but not depicted had just as much impact as the more explicit shows. "Both affect adolescents' perceptions of what is normal sexual behavior and propels their own sexual behavior," Collins said.

Yawn. Someone please, tell us something we don't know. Really, I need to become an "analyst" and start doing research studies, because these "researchers" seem to be making money off of common sense. The human anatomy is sensory. How many times have you been minding your own business, when that juicy quarter-pounder with bacon flashes on the screen and you commence salivation. Note: Veggies, insert tofuburger or whatever gives you kicks. If watching commercials makes us want to buy something, why wouldn't sexual images flashed before us make us want, well, "it"?

I've long been a proponent of guarding your gates (i.e. entry points into the body: eyes, ears, you know the rest) and this recent "study" is why. Since the emergence of man, image has created desire. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was there. It looked good, Adam and Eve went for it. So don't ever tell me anything is "just a television show". The television industry is in need of some serious regulation.

At one point, America was rather conservative in what we allowed on television. I've been to Europe a few times and on both occasions I was shocked with the vulgarity I saw on their television stations. I'm not talking about Cinemax at 3 am when the naughty stuff comes on either. I am referring to plain, old, 3 o'clock in the afternoon, when young Billy gets home from school and flips on the television, and at any given moment, a half naked woman wearing a thong and straddling a pack of spearmint gum is bound to flash across the screen. It's no wonder certain European countries are so perverse and full of lawlessness (and STD's). If what the people are watching is any indication of the future of a nation, America's got some serious cleaning up to do.

So it's been discovered that the idiot box is awakening love before its time. Great. Now what? This is why I hate "studies". They offer proof of an obvious reality, but no tangible solutions (or even resolutions for that matter) to derail that same reality. Instead, we get figures like Jocelyn Elders talking out the side of her face.

Hate to say it, but the revolution IS being televised.

Update:
- The AP reported similarly
- RAND Corporation gives in-depth report
- USA Today reports on the effects of a "sex-saturated diet"
- Parent's Television Council is an interesting watchdog group who, when I visited their webpage, seemed to be endorsing SEVENTH HEAVEN!? as the best tv show of the week. I'm gagging here.

Update II

According to the study, the top three shows reportedly most likely to cause an adverse effect on teen sexuality are:

1) Sex and the City
2) Friends
3) That 70's Show

I find this funny though, since the media generally (overwhelmingly) portrays black people to be the sex-crazed animals. That's another topic. I had a few words for the Manolo Blahnik commerical called "Sex and the City" in my piece Gonorrhea and the City.

 

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan. Just what exactly are we paying him to do? Maybe I'm just slow on the uptake.

 

I came across an interesting article by way of TownHall.com called "A For Effort, Not Achievement" about the recent decision of Benedict College (a historically black school) President, Dr. David H. Swinton to start the "Success Equals Effort" program or "SEE" which bases most of the freshman classes grades on effort rather than test scores and research papers. According to the article, many have said Dr. Swinton merely made official what many academic institutions have been doing for quite some time.

Being that TownHall.com is a conservative news service, I'm sure you can guess what they think of this. Why of course, it's "blasphemous" right? Well, no.

According to Dr. Michael Boatwright, who serves as the school's Director of Assessment & Research (see, we really can make up our own titles), this method of grading has "always happened", he states,

"When we went to school, we got part of our grade from class participation, part of it from attendance and part of it from homework."

I would concur.

The program has its opponents who say that decisions such as this pass students who lack basic rudimentary skills. Are we now in need of a "No Young Adult Left Behind" program too? Not quite sure. Although I'm not against "SEE" type grading, I can't say I agree with the rationale of Dr. Swinton who when asked what students would benefit from the program, answered,

"It would be a student who just never developed the work ethic and study habits and routines that's required to be successful in college."

Lofty and unfortunate rationale. Seems to me, these type of students in fact would NEED some discipline. I would however, argue that it benefits students who aren't great test-takers. Understand, I don't think grading for effort is appropriate in standardized fields of study. Dental school for example, would not be the place to grade on effort.

I've stated it ever so subtly in the past, but I'm not shouting from the stands in favor of standardized testing. The one major test I think needs to be done away with in part is the SAT. But that's another conversation.

Is it coincidental that a historically black college was used as the subject in this article? Probably not. I'll just go on record as saying there are quite a few predominately white schools that have been doing this for years. We'll see where this goes.

 

Today was my first day back in the office after an 11-day break and I think I've been spoiled by life on the road. Of course, opening up Microsoft Outlook this morning to some heinous number in the hundreds' worth of very long work-related emails made it no better, but getting on that elevator and greeting the receptionist this morning was less than pleasurable. I'm guessing this is not the feeling one should have when returning to "work" they enjoy.

If I haven't made it abundantly clear, I am not cut out for the 9-5. From my perspective, the only thing this scenario has going for it is the paycheck and the fact that I get to dress up every day (I'm one of those rare birds that actually enjoys donning a suit). Unfortunately, I'm entirely too much of a visionary and I get bored with work that doesn't challenge me. I am grimacing my way (however VERY thankful) through a great corporate job I've been blessed with no doubt. If anything, the last few weeks have solidified my conviction that I will not be here that much longer (if I can help it). My potential suffocation in a profession that utilizes less than 10% of all that encompasses "me" has proven to be enough motivation for me to figure out how to parlay my life into a self-employed business venture.

I enjoy traveling for work because it puts me in my element--talking to people. I do this both in my day job and for unpaid fulfillment. While in Connecticut this past weekend, I had the opportunity to do some non-work related speaking and was asked afterwards for my business card. A little taken back, I realized that all I had were business cards from my company; the people that bore me to death five days out of the week. I had never considered personal "Ambra" cards because self-marketing is not really something I'm into. Boy is life is a-changing.

This last trip to the East coast even promised me a few potential speaking engagements coming up. This is the stuff that gets my adrenaline going. I could talk and teach and pontificate for hours and never get tired. I'm more comfortable on a microphone than I am behind a desk. I'd even talk to large groups of people before I'd write. Although, I do enjoy writing greatly, and I can definitely see how they work hand-in-hand.

I don't talk about it much here, but in what little spare time I have, I'm a youth leader at my church. In talking about purpose as it relates to the future, I always ask young people, "What would you do if no one paid you?" It always proves to be a thought-provoking question that generally leads people in the direction of what they should be aiming for in life. Rarely however, do I ever consistently ask myself that same question.

Since the time that I was young, I've always been aware of my own strengths and weaknesses. Call it drive or focus, or whatever you want, but I've never been one of those people who wallows in the shadows of Po Bronson's age-old question "What should I do with my life?" It's a fabulous question, just not one I've ever felt the need to ask.

When I was a freshman in college, I wrote out my life's vision (from an 18-year-old perspective). I took an entire day and locked myself in my room, turned off all external elements (phone, television, music) and wrote for approximately four to six hours straight. I wrote incessessantly. I wrote about my future life. I set goals financially, spiritually, intellectually, and personally. I detailed the intricacies of my vision as much as I knew it. I still have it today. It was about 10 pages typed when I first wrote it and it has since grown (and been edited) consistently as things are clarified for me and I gain more direction and insight.

As human beings, we tend to seek out a model for what we desire to accomplish in life. Growing up, we said things like, "I want to be like [insert notable achiever]". Even as adults we do the same thing. I had my idols growing up, but I was the nerd that looked up to thinkers and obscure intellectuals no one had ever heard of. Today, I struggle with identifying a model for what I want to do. Part of me wants to throw my hands up and say "it just hasn't been done yet". I'm sure many people can identify with feeling like you're "called" to do something you've never seen done before. It's not arrogant, it's just truth. If we all duplicated each other's lives, we would not have progressed to the place we are today in society. I love studying the lives of revolutionaries.

People often ask me what I want to be when I grow up. This is partly an insult because I'd like to think at age 22, I've already started the process of growing up. Aside from that, I generally run into roadblocks when it comes to articulating what type of impact I see "Ambra" having on the world. I don't struggle because I don't know, I struggle because I worry "they" won't understand. It's funny because in the past I would have said, "I want to be a corporate attorney" or "I want to be an architect" or "I'm studying African-American Studies" and usually people left me alone. For them, knowing that was enough to appease their nosy concerns. I can always identify the "form answer" that could easily get the monkey off my back. But since I'm not a liar, I have to make up terms and slap a name on my ultimate ambiguous profession to pass for "productive" and "legitimate" in the eyes of the important people. I like "Crusader for Common Sense" or "Common Sense Educator" or "Social Commentator", but I'm still toying with terms. Plus, I don't really care what I'm called, so long as I'm paid (may as well just put the truth on out there).

I accept this reality because people need something tangible to "call you". In a perfect world, I'd be able to write, speak, and educate on the issues dearest to my heart. I would do this for free (hey, I already do!) My preferred audience would be college students, but I like to deal in principle, which generally applies to everyone. I'd love to write books someday. I already have one in the works (but who doesn't?). Everyone I know is writing the "Great American novel". I could become even more cliche and say I'm in line for a recording contract, but I'm not (Thank God).

I suppose writing a book would make me an "Author". Recent developments in my life now give me the title of "Columnist". I'm not satisfied with either of these alone. Who knows what the future holds, but all I know is, I often feel like a square peg trying to fit in a round career hole. I've long been tired of fitting so from here on out, I shall just "be" and see what opportunities follow.

So what would you do if no one paid you? It's sad that the answer to this question is usually something we're not doing.

After-thought: A great mentor to me and probably the person who has a career-model that most closely fits what I'm after is "Social Commentator and Media Consultant" Lakita Garth.

 

Okay, my personal commentary on a few of last week's happenings. I'm tired so it's probably more punchy than usual:

Kobe Bryant
I suppose this decade needed an O.J. Simpson. We got one of sorts. Kobe Bryant had better be paying his lawyers VERY well for the work they put into have his case dismissed. There wasn't a ton of evidence to convict in the first place, but since when does that matter? I'm not prone to allowing my adoration for any celebrity individual to surpass common sense and discernment. Unfortunately, I have a few reliable celebrity sources who confirmed my initial suspicion that Kobe did indeed commit the crime of which he was accused. So he got off. Well, can't say I'm shocked but the reality is, he's accountable to God first so he'll get his however it comes. God's not fair but He certainly is just.

The girl? She was a gigantic hoslut. That's abundantly clear. When this story first broke, I immediately knew things weren't going to flow well for Kobe media-wise because he was a blatant adulterer. I don't sob for Kobe. When you break the covenant of marriage, you will always be held to a higher standard. In his case, that standard was magnified because he was a black sports superstar. Why does the standard get raised for some and lowered for others? We can debate that for days, but it proves nothing. Suck it up, repent, be glad your wife didn't justly leave your cheating behind, get your act together and move on.

Barbara & Jenna Bush's RNC Speech
Lots of people (Democrats & Republicans) have had given the twins negative feedback on their essential political debut, labeling their speech "inappropriate" for the venue. I only caught the speech via a few clips and by transcript. My conclusion? We all need to get a life. I swear, this is why I despise the national conventions. Everyone sits around on their all-knowing high horses critiquing the universe (myself included). And let's be honest, I've never spoken at a national political convention before so I'll keep my mouth off things I don't know much about. But seriously, I didn't see what the big deal was. So they made pop-culture references that were probably above the heads of the decrepits and the blue pin-striped suits. And? The Republican party needs to pull the two by four out of its sour rear-end.

Zell Miller's RNC Speech
All the good stuff's already been said. (If I had good blog-etiquette, I'd link to it). I'd be lying if I didn't say I had to work VERY hard to focus my energy on listening to every word Miller said. Even then, I'm certain I missed a lot. Point being, Miller being raked over the coals by supposed Democratic brethern is exactly the reason why I'm not a member of a political party. Few Liberals have challenged the assertions Miller made, however they have certainly found the time and space to call him every name under the sun for "selling out" his Democratic people. Party allegiance, it kills common sense every time.

Russia's School Hostage-Siege
When non-Americans die, it's not that important to us. Let's be honest, American lives are both better and more important than those of foreigners. That is what the media would lead us to believe. That is what many of us believe. Children have died. Anytime that happens, everyone should take notice. I run the risk of sounding terribly cliche, but I don't care--they are the next generation and you better believe the enemy knows a lot more than we do. Oy. The coming year promises a media that will continue to uphold and pander to the false ideology that Islamofacists have some inherent "good". No one's selling me that bridge.

Bill Clinton's Heart Surgeory
As with anyone facing sickness, we should be praying for them. [Caveat]I can't stand when people say "my thoughts are with you" or "send good thoughts". What the heck to do "good thoughts" do? When I face major circumstances, I don't need your "good thoughts" and I don't think anyone else does either. Save that for the karma folks. I need some good old fashioned tarry-worthy prayer thanks. [End Caveat]

And what was up with the coldness of Hillary in her press conference? I have tried VERY hard to vouch for the Clinton marriage, but really, as time progresses, those two seem more and more like they are remaining married for the look of it if nothing else.

The New iMac G5

Okay so it's not like I stop at the Apple Store every single time I pass it in the mall. I'll admit, when it comes to technology I am a complete gadget nerd. Right now, the object of my affection and the latest gadget for which I pine is the new iMac G5. Where's the drooling emoticon when you need it? I think I'm in love.

More to come...

 

In only a matter of days, the presidential election will be over and the entire peanut gallery of America will have to find better things to do with their collective time. I suggest getting a life. Bush will have won (I predict) and the career Bush-bashers living off a trustfund (aka trustafarians) and complaining about a lack of jobs will have to re-group and resume their typical, tired, whining, complaining, and blaming garbage. Yawn.

Many people have theorized that the media (and bloggers) will suffer a blow when the election's over, lacking anything substantial to talk about politics-wise. Personally, I can't wait until it's all over. Election politics get old and there are so many more productive and fruitful things to discuss.

Yesterday, I returned to Seattle to see that local election signs had sprung up everywhere. I saw names of people I'd never heard of before. Good golly I'd forgotten, we have local elections too! Every four years it happens. Truth and consequences drowns in the tide of political party hubris.

How many of us neglect the importance of our own state legislatures and local initiatives in the election process? The person we choose to represent us as president is very important. The people that have a say on the daily affairs of our communities are arguably equally important. I am bothered by the amount of time people spend complaining, whining, and giving the presidency more power than it truly has. Meanwhile, we completely neglect the importance of voting and knowing the issues in our local election.

So what does it say that the end of a major presidential election is predicted to curb the talk about politics? Well, to me it says that we've centered an entire election around two fallible individuals instead of the issues they represent. How typical. The issues live on and there will always be an ever-present need to discuss and address the policy that impacts communities on a daily basis. The media forces us to look at things through the wrong lens.

I like George W. Bush, but in less than 50 years, he will probably be dead--John Kerry too.