Sex Education for Young People

It's time for conservatives to face the facts. Abstinence-only sex education does not prevent teenagers from having sex. Availability of condoms does not make teenagers more likely to have sex. You are in your own little dream world if you think otherwise. Try and work with facts, instead of your own imagination.

Teaching teenagers the "facts of life" needs to include safety education. We need to teach teenagers how not to catch disease and possibly die! Hello??
"Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth???"

Parents, teach your children the moral code you would like to instill in them. But remember, if your children do not have the slightest idea about how to prevent themselves from a) getting pregnant, b) making someone pregnant, c) catching a sexually-transmitted disease, or d) giving a sexually-transmitted disease, you are an irresponsible parent!!

People: parents, teenagers, educators -- Listen Up! Oral sex is still sex. Anal sex is still sex. Either one of these can land you a sexually-transmitted disease. Either one of these can transmit a disease to another person. And if you are female, you have a greater chance to get a sexually-transmitted disease from your male partner, no matter if you have intercourse, oral, or anal sex, than your male partner has of getting one from you. This is the consequence of mechanics. The seminal fluid is a superior method of transmitting sexually-transmitted disease.

Back in the 70's, when I was in high school, I did not have sex. The reason was that my parents instilled in me a certain moral code, but the key is that I took to the code and made it my own. Not every child of such parents follows this code, however. But, it's important to note that had there been condoms available in the nurse's office, for example, it wouldn't have made me more likely to have sex. And, it's important to note that the lack of condoms did not prevent other students I knew from having sex. The kids who had sex, had sex, that's it. Those that got pregnant, dealt with it. Back then, AIDS was not publicly known as a risk, but there were other sexually-transmitted diseases to worry about, though none of them fatal.

The point I'm making is, be careful, be thorough, teach your children the whole story, and then give them respect and trust to do the right thing. If you don't, and your only sex education exists of telling them "don't!", you are being irresponsible, plain and simply.

Finding the Root Cause of Violence

Amid, among other things, school shootings and workplace violence, I feel it's important for us to try to figure out the root cause of these tragedies. It's time to stop relying on Band-Aids and punishments.

Don't you think that we ought to try and help people who are sad and angry before they end up doing something terrible? Don't you think we should spend more time nurturing our children and young adults? Don't you think it would be a good idea to intervene instead of saying "it's none of my business"?

Sure, you can take away all the guns, and that may decrease tragedies that include shootings, but if a person is sad and angry and feeling hopeless about things, he or she is going to find another way to act out, to make his or her feelings known, to say something on a grand scale.

Let's work to stop the violence by nurturing and helping people who are at risk. Let's care about one another. Let's practice compassion and empathy.
We have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

Square Peg

I recently attended a webinvar where this question was asked of the presenter: "How do you acquire the skill to not let criticism bother you?" The presenter's answer was simple: Role play with a trusted colleague or friend, asking them to give you more criticism, until you reach a level of comfort with it.

Hmmm, by this example, I should be really really really comfortable with criticism. But, guess what? I'm not. I am not good at giving criticism either. Am I doomed?

Top 10 Signs You Need to Find a New Job

10. You feel a deep sense of dread every Monday morning.
9. Staff meetings remind you of being in the confessional, but without the absolution.
8. Your management is composed of know-nothing posers.
7. Your colleagues don't seem to notice that your management is composed of know-nothing posers.
6. Your master's degree is now worth $1.29 (less than a cup of coffee at Starbuck's).
5. Employee morale is at an all-time low, but your colleagues just keep working like automatons, not expressing any discomfort.
4. Financial incentives for leaving your job are greater than for staying.
3. You have forgotten how to use your brain.
2. Your colleagues don't realize they've lost the use of their brains.
1. You have no idea why you are still working here.

People I Love

This time of year, at Christmas, I like to think about people I am thankful for. This year, since I have a blog, I would like to share my list of people I love, and why I love them.

Here they are, in no particular order:

B. B. King, for his presence and grace, and for his blues music, which I cannot do without.

Elton John, for his righteous conscience, and his ability to write songs which always touch my heart.

Bob Megantz, for his musicianship, his soul and spirit, and his friendship.

Hillary Clinton, for her bravery, her ability to forgive, and for the efforts that make her the first woman to have a shot at the presidency of the U.S.

Jimmy Carter, for his tireless striving toward peace in our world.

For everyone who is involved with the rescue of animals from their abusers.

For all members of the armed forces, who have very difficult jobs and lives, are living away from home and away from their families, whose services are required in times of war and times of peace.

I hope everyone on this list knows how much they are loved and appreciated.

Dear Mr. Bush

Dear Mr. Bush,

I was waiting for someone close to you to tell you this, but since nobody else has, here goes... The word "nuclear" is pronounced "nuke-lee-er", not "nuke-ya-ler".

Thanks for your attention.
Regards,
A concerned citizen

Doing the Right Thing

Is it really so hard for people to do the right thing? Is it because we are lazy that sometimes we don't do the right thing? Or is it because we don't know what the right thing is? Or, is it that we just don't give a damn?

My feeling is that most rules about doing the right thing can be summed up in two bullet points:

• Don't lie.
• Don't cheat.

Let's take the act of littering; people who litter aren't doing the right thing. They are cheating by not throwing their garbage into a garbage can; they throw it wherever they happen to be at the time. What are they thinking? Studies of littering behavior show that most littering is done in the environment where the litterer lives. Why would a person do something to make his or her environment uglier? I don't get it.

Let's take the act of taking something that does not belong to you. You know, stealing. A lot of it is done as shoplifting. Perhaps it's a thrill to do this; I don't know. But it's cheating, pure and simple. You didn't pay for it, but you took it with you anyway. And someone else has to pay for it in the end (the shopkeeper, probably). How can you justify your action? How would you react if it was your shop that I shoplifted from? Would you think I was cheating or not?

Some people who sometimes cheat don't cheat if someone's watching them, but readily cheat if they know they can't get caught. I can sort of understand this behavior. But my question then is do these people have a conscience? Do they believe in God? Do they have any moral fiber at all?

People are strange. People are diverse. People are people.