Whitney Houston Revisited

It has been weeks since the music idol Whitney Houston passed away. Just when people are starting to get over the shock of losing such a talented voice, she is the news yet again.

The cause of death has just been announced. Unfortunately, it does not come as a surprise that the singer's death was caused by cocaine use, mixed with heart disease. The singer was ruled to have died by accidental drowning the bathtub, due to the mixture of the warm water, heart disease, cocaine, and other drugs found in her system. To learn more about the official cause of death, look here: Houston Cause of Death

It has been widely publicized that the singer had a penchant for drug use. She openly admitted in a 2007 interview with Barbara Walters that she used cocaine and other drugs regularly. However, despite knowing that the pop star had a problem with drug addiction, it does not make this story any less sad.

Houston had been clean, or attempting to get clean, in the last couple of years before her death. Clearly, she had a relapse or had given up on sobriety, as cocaine, marijuana, and prescription drugs were found in her system. This is also not surprising, as Houston was an addict, and it is extremely difficult to find any kind of addiction, especially drug addiction.

Since it common knowledge that Houston had a problem with drugs, where were the people that cared about her in this time? Why weren't people monitoring her and trying to help her? Who allowed her to go into a hot tub while high on drugs? While these people would not be responsible for the death, it is troubling why no one did more to stop this from happening.

This death is tragic, but completely unnecessary. There is no reason why she had to die. She wasn't sick and it wasn't a freak accident, like a car or airplane crash. This was totally preventable, which makes this death all the more tragic. Someone, somewhere could have stepped in, including Houston herself, to keep this from happening.

This case is just sad. Yet another talented star falls victim to addiction and loses their life for it. Why does this continue to happen? When will stars, and people in general, learn that drugs, while they may make you feel good, are dangerous and deadly? How many people will have to lose their lives to drugs before people finally wake up and learn?

Hopefully, Houston does not die in vain. Young artists should take heed of Houston's case and use it as a cautionary tale. Houston had an incredible voice, but her voice, career, and life were destroyed by the effects of drugs and alcohol. While this lifestyle surrounds the music industry and the image of sex, drugs, and rock n' roll, it doesn't have to be this way. If young artists simply say no, this stigma and atmosphere would, while not disappear, diminish, making it easier for musicians to keep their act clean.

It is disheartening that Houston had to die this way. Hopefully, a lesson will be learned from this and bring hope for future musical idols. While Houston paved the way for so many artists, maybe she can do so again with her death, by demonstrating the importance of sobriety.

Spring Break

Spring Break is hours away, and with that comes a week of freedom.There are countless ways to spend spring break, but most will probably end up engulfed in television and bed, becoming a week long couch potato. Others may be heading someplace exotic and warm, where they will relax and party like a traditional spring break portrayed in the movies.

While these options are very well and good, they tend to make going back to school much more difficult a week and a half later. If spring break is spent in full summer/vacation mode, many students find it difficult to jump right back into classes after that brief, cruel taste of freedom.

To avoid these sluggish and slothish behaviors, there are alternatives to having a successful spring break. Spring break could be rewarding, fulfilling, satisfying, and productive as well as fun. All one needs to do is put in a little effort, get out of the house, and live a little.

1. Go on a Mission Trip

While it is too late to get on one of the Mission Trips for this Spring Break, think about it for next year if you are not already going. Iona's Campus Ministry department has a sub-division entitled Iona In Mission, which is an organization which sends students on mission trips throughout the United States and abroad. This Spring Break, two teams will be going out to help make a difference, making their Spring Break productive and rewarding. The two teams this year are going to New Orleans and Bolivia.

The New Orleans team is helping with restoration projects. Even though Hurricane Katrina occurred several years ago now, there is still devastation and work that needs to be done. It seems that the country has forgotten about these people and believe that everything is completely fixed now. While things are a lot better than they were and the city has come a long way, there is still work that needs to be done and people that need to be helped. A dozen or so students are choosing to spend their spring break helping others in need and doing something that really matters. They will come back with a new perspective on life and the knowledge that they truly made a difference in their free time.

The Bolivia team is going all the way to South America to work the with people of Bolivia in an orphanage. There, the students will learn about the culture and help children in need. This is a great opportunity for cultural immersion, learning about other ways of life, and making human connections. All of us want to be loved, and this love transcends language and culture. These students will have a once in a lifetime opportunity, going half way across the world, to spread hope and a promise for a better tomorrow.

Both of these trips are rewarding, both to those being helped and the mission trip teams themselves. Doesn't that sound like a great, rewarding way to spend one's time? After hearing that students are taking their free time and putting it to good use, doesn't that make your spring break plans of watching 30 hours of DVRed television sound really lame?

For more information, visit Iona In Mission on the website: Iona in Mission

2. Take a Class

While Iona does not offer classes here over spring break, I am sure a lot of schools do offer intensive, one week courses for students who want to get ahead. This option would help students stay in school mode, making coming back a little easier. Look into local schools and community colleges in your area and see what they may be offereing.

Another option that Iona does have is the week-long Study Abroad program to Poland. Students spend a week exploring Poland and earn 3 credits for Religion at the same time. The trip is eye-opening, as they learn about concentration camps and get to tour Auschwitz. Just like the mission trips, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. One can see another part of the world, learn about the history of this country, and earn 3 credits. Sounds like a great idea, don't you think?

3. Learn a Skill

This option is similar to the one before. Many places offer one-week, spring break opportunities to learn a new skill. An example of this is bartending. There are many schools around that teach the art of bartending and mixology, and offer one week courses. This is a great skill to have, as successful bartenders can make a lot of money. One would be able to make some extra money during the school year, get a jump on summer jobs, and have a skill to fall back on after graduation if one cannot find a job in their field right away. This is just an example of a plethora of skills that could be learned over the break. One could take up cooking, knitting, mechanic work, cycling, running, an instrument, and countless others. Some of these you wouldn't even have to pay for lessons if someone you know already possess the skills. Think about how impressed friends would be when after only one week, a new skill was mastered.

4. Volunteer

While it is too late to go on a mission trip to help others, it is never to late to get involved in one's own community. Go down to the soup kitchen, get on a Habitat for Humanity build, spend some time in a nursing home, or do something else to help give back to the community and make a difference during your time off.

5. Job Hunt

Summer is only a few weeks away after the break. With a competitive job market and not a lot of openings, get a head start and look now, rather then when you get home for the summer. Working over the summer will give you something else to put on your resume, give you more experience, and help you after you graduate, not to mention put some money in your pocket

These are just a few of the many ways that you could spend your spring break in a rewarding, safe way that gives you a jump start on the future. While lying on the beach is nice, wouldn't you rather do something meaningful? If you do something rewarding now, you will feel just as good, if not better, than you would lounging on the beach. Think about it and may you have a great spring break, whatever you do with it!

Ads Going Too Far

According to social etiquette, one should refrain from talking about politics and religion. Unfortunately, this blog post will be breaking that rule.

We are in the midst of election season for the 2012 presidential elections. In just a few short months, the United States will again decide who our next president is going to be. With this election fast approaching, candidates are doing everything they can to get noticed.

It is standard practice that politicians fight dirty. Each politician uses every misstep and skeleton of their fellow candidates against them in advertisements and debates to try to persuade the public to vote him or her.

I am sure that you are familiar with this type of slander, name-calling, and childish behavior that occurs every election season. Everyone is aware of (and begrudges) those annoying advertisements where one politician climbs on their soapbox and chastises their competition. They talk about how so and so voted against this and that, which proves they would be a lesser candidate. They are also concluded with "I approve this message" spoken by the candidate.

However, despite how annoying they may be, politicians stand by this tried and true method of campaigning.

This type of campaigning, while negative and unproductive, is expected. It has become tolerated and accepted in our current political arena, despite how foolish it makes every politician who participates in this type of campaigning.

Personally, I feel that calling out the faults of others makes the candidate look weaker. Why can't politicians focus on their strengths, and show us in a positive, constructive way why they are better than their opponents? Why do they need to sink to bullying, name-calling, and negativity? But, I digress.

Negativity and name-calling seem to be accepted in politics, despite how immature and weak it makes all those who partake in it look. At times, Washington looks more like a playground run amuck with children throwing temper-tantrums rather than the hub of political activity for the United States of America.

Some childish behavior and attacks of candidates is to be expected. However, in this current election season, this type of behavior has been taken a step too far.

In the DC Metro station, there is an ad that criticizes Obama's healthcare system. The advertisement is for a documentary entitled "Sick and Sicker: When the Government Becomes Your Doctor." While there is nothing wrong with advertising, it is the way in which the message is displayed that has many people in an uproar. The entire advertisement looks like this:

Regardless of your political or religious views, telling anyone to "go to hell", especially in such a public way, is uncalled for and hitting way below the belt. This type of language, sentiment, and allusion is really crossing a line, even for the less than unprofessional nature of political debates and elections.

Why did someone feel the need to go this route? Certainly they are getting attention, but not the type of attention they should be receiving. Instead of starting a discussion on the pros and cons of Obama's healthcare, making a clear point about the opinion of this healthcare, or generating excitement about the documentary, people are now focused on the crude, uncalled for remark made to Obama.

Even if you do not like Obama and are not planning on voting for him in the next election, there is no reason to tell him to "go to hell". This ad is entirely disrespectful of this nation's president. That is who he is, whether you agree with his policies or not, and to direct this message to our leader is anti-American. Besides, one would think that they could come up with a better argument with more eloquent language to get their point across without resorting to this type of insult.

It is one thing to point out the faults of candidates, such as their voting record or personal scandals. It is another thing entirely to attack someone for no real reason at all.

Despite how disrespectful the advertisement is, it does not look like it will be going anywhere anytime soon. The language is permitted within the accepted limits of American law and thus protected by the First Amendment.

The Metro authority had this to say about the issue: "WMATA advertising has been ruled by the courts as a public forum protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution, and we may not decline ads based on their political content."

General Manager of the Metro, Richard Sarles, does not like the advertisement but due to the laws protecting it, cannot do anything to remove it. He stated that, “Like many of you, I am deeply offended by this ad and find it disrespectful to President Obama, and the nation." However, his hands are tied on the matter.

While the people that created this advertisement had every right legally to write what they did, I feel that they made an error in judgment. Just because you can do something, doesn't mean that you should, and I think this sentiment is highlighted in the uproar over this controversial advertisement.