Please be thankful!

Remember to be Thankful

This column is about my struggles with my health, my educational career, and my life in general. It also thanks those who need the recognition for having helped me through the past few years! Happy holidays and remember to tell the one who needs to hear it, "Thank you!"

Bud Light Fan Cans Rebuttal

Hey all supporters! Click here to read my "fan cans" argument in the ISU Daily today. Thanks for all of your support, quotes and for tailgating last Thursday! Hope to see you all out there again this week for the Iowa vs. Iowa State game. 

If you ever have any comments to post- PLEASE POST THEM! I do my best to argue/ debate with anyone who wants the chance... or just to leave your comment. I'll probably have my new topic up soon. 

Thanks! 

Bud Light Fan Cans?

OK kids, they're finally here: Bud Light Fan Cans! They come in 26 different color combinations with an ongoing vote for your favorite colors. How much fun would tailgating be with a cooler full of beer cans in your team's colors? Well, about as much fun as just putting a normal beer can in an ISU koozie, but I'll probably support "our" colors anyway.

The thing is, colleges all over the U.S. are upset by this new ad campaign, and have requested that cans sporting their college's colors not be sold within a certain area of the college campus. If you're wondering what their problem is, well, I'm still trying to figure that out, too. 

Vote on the poll on the right and let me know what YOU think! See you at the tailgate. 

Future of Journalism link

From last "discussion", I integrated part of the speech from Steve Buttry during the First Amendment Day panel discussion "Can there be freedom of the press without a press?", from April 2009, and Heidi Hohmann's graduation speech from a few weekends ago. 

I feel this is probably my best column I've written. 

Read about the Future of Journalism and let me know what you think. Thanks!

Newspaper/ Magazine Decline

For those of you not in a journalism major- the newspaper and magazine industry are suffering. Due to new media (online news, television, etc.) companies can no longer afford to keep newspapers in print. But it's not just news media that's in trouble. Anyone heard of the new Kindle? It's an electronic device that is able to fit into your hand that is filled with, well, books. I know I will miss the feel of ink smeared on my fingers, but will you?

Let me know what you think of this "new" development, and watch part of the Charlie Rose interview with Marc Andreesen below (the 2nd video). It explains the changing industry and how he feels about it. 

I will post the link to my next column after it publishes. Surprisingly, it will be about the declining print media industry! Thanks!

Hey All- Read Go Be Who You Are column from Friday, or read Monday's column on faith for Faith Week at the ISU Daily. As always, I love to here comments, questions, etc. so let me know what's on your mind!

Thanks to everyone who reads and comments.

Same sex marriage link

Here is the link to my column on same sex marriage in Iowa. Thank you to all who commented on the blog post. 

Iowa accepts same-sex marriage

OK, we all know this is controversial and have talked about it before, but now it's changing Iowa. How do you feel about it?

Personally, I support gay marriage for a multitude of reasons. My biggest thing is that the only reason we were denying them marriage, is because religion says marriage is between a man and a woman... but religion really doesn't have a place in government- not in the United States, anyway. And so, their ruling that the ban was unconstitutional seems correct to me. 

Let me know what you think and why!

Underage Drinking Link

Hey All- 

Well, here I am after a week long absence. Apparently, sickness is definitely enough to keep me away from the internet. 

Click here to read my column on underage drinking and why Iowa should change its laws, in my opinion. I think it turned out alright, although it is very difficult to discuss these topics in 900 words or less. 

My video blog on faith should be put up soon. 

Later,

Sita

Why Should You Read the Opinion Page?

We all answered the question over spring break: Why should students read the opinion page?

Here is my answer.

Vigilantes Glamorized?

Hey all- 

Thanks for voting and reading the posts! The underage drinking column is underway and I am starting the topic for following column. After having watched all of the Saw movies this week (not exactly by choice!) and thinking of Boondock Saints and the recent releases the Watchmen and Grand Torino, I feel that American society is starting to glamorize vigilantes. Do you feel the same way? Technically, all super heroes are considered vigilantes. 

This raises a few questions:

Do Americans love stories about people taking justice into their own hands?

Are we starting to feel that this is necessary in our legal systems today?

Where do we draw a limit?

Think about it and I'll put up a poll soon. 

Later, Sita

Updates

The rodeo club will have their Cowboy Ball and with the regulations, should be able to have alcohol as well, which is some good news. I have posted a poll to the right so you can vote on whether you believe the Iowa legal drinking age should be changed, as well as links to Iowa underage drinking related articles. I have also posted a link to the Iowa State Daily site so you can check it out easily. Video blogs will be coming up later this week.

Hope you're all having a great spring break. Let me know if you have any blog suggestions (physical or topical). Thanks!

- Sita

Underage drinking column

For my next column after spring break I'll be discussing underage drinking on campus, how it is starting to affect club events on campus. The ISU Rodeo Club's annual Cowboy Ball, which is planned by the club but is mostly for returning alumni, is needing to have strict regulations in order to allow alcohol at the event. Risk Management feels that there is a big problem in the past few years about students drinking underage, seeing as only about one-fourth of the campus is of legal age to drink.

While I feel that there definitely is a lot of underage drinking, I also feel that this problem stems from America's over all view of drinking. I propose the following:

1. We need to start education our teenagers younger on the ramifications of drinking, how to drink smart (drink to enjoy, not get drunk) when they come of age and mostly that it is possible to have fun without alochol.

2. Lower the drinking age to 19 years of age. Most teenagers at this age are out of high school, which lessens the risk of the individual willing to buy alcohol for minors. Here comes the age old fight: If we are able to smoke- which creates a lot of physical risks- vote and enlist in the army, then why are we not allowed some simple pleasures of going out to the bars with our friends? 

3. Obviously No. 2 would mess up national budgets. Most states are allowed to change the drinking age- this is a state issue, not national- but Iowa would not receive money to fix our roads or help with meal payments for our public schools, which would definitely cause a dilemma. 

Let me know what you think! Do you think there is definitely an increasing problem with underage drinking on campuses that needs to be resolved? Is fixing our drinking age the answer?

Peace Out, Sita

The wide world of blogging

Hey there! 

So I was sitting in my journalism class today, learning how to write for the big wide Web and the importance of learning how to use internet mediums, when it hit me- I've never blogged. In fact, I've never even been to a blogging site unless it was to look up a tip for a research paper or column. Twitter seems pretty pointless and Facebook is so much easier, but I do need to learn to expand! 

This kind of feels like talking to myself... I feel that if I actually had a reason to blog then maybe people would actually read it. 

I am an opinion columnist for our campus paper, the Iowa State Daily, which last year was actually considered the No. 1 university paper by the Society of Professional Journalists. This year, while we're definitely not up to that standard, I decided I should put up conversation topics for you guys to read the columns and give feedback. We can also do video chats for debates, as that sounds pretty awesome and I would like to try that.

Later, Sita