Anti-Smoking Ad

I believe that the anti-smoking advertisement above could be considered controversial by many people. I myself am very anti-smoking and I still find it controversial in some ways. I find the image controversial because of the extreme way in which it tries to convince people to stop smoking. Many people who do smoke are already aware of the effects it can cause but are currently battling with trying to quit. The advertisement is being very unsympathetic to people who are trying to quit. Even though the picture may be true, striking fear into someone is not always the best way to solve the issue.
I do believe that the anti-smoking ad is very effective. The opinion being expressed is something that we hear all too often in today's society. Therefore, I think showing more supportive ads aimed towards struggling smokers would be more effective. The fact is that the majority of smokers are aware of the consequences of smoking but decide to do it anyway. Showing images such as this are not changing their minds, only making the quitters depressed. Not only is it mean to the people attempting to quit, it is also mean to the people who have quit. It can be very depressing knowing that you could have caused permanent harm to your body. The last thing a person needs wandering in his/her mind is regret and remorse.
My strong attitude about non-smoking comes from my personal experience. It is all too easy knowing whether a person is a smoker or not. Apart from the smoke stench in their car,house, and clothes, you can also smell it in their breath and see it on their teeth. Not only is smoking unapealling externally, it is just as bad internally. Throughout my years of school, I must have taken 4 courses in which the dangers of smoking were presented to us. A person who decides to smoke is completely disregarding all information presented to them about the effects of smoking. That being said, I do believe that a person has the right to make decisions such as smoking on their own, and it is their decision they have to deal with. As a whole, I believe the picture is controversial but at the same time very effective.

Safety and Social Networking Sites

In today’s society the use of the internet for completing daily tasks is a necessity. Whether it is for sending and receiving emails for work or doing research for a school project, much of our lives revolve around the World Wide Web. That being said, it is only natural for people to use the internet as a social medium as well. Since the invention of the internet, many social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook have begun to flourish. Unfortunately, as is the same with all new forms of technology, there are bound to be some flaws and ways for the technology to be misused.
MySpace and Facebook are both common knowledge when it comes to forms of communication. People have begun to rely more on MySpace and Facebook than cell phones when it comes to quick communication with friends and family. With people nowadays being able to access the internet almost anywhere (even places such as McDonalds), it has just become easier to use online social networks to communicate between peers. One of the main advantages of using a social networking site over a cell phone is the fact that a person can communicate with virtually an unlimited number of people at the same time. Instead of being restricted to one on one conversation, friends can have conversations between each other simultaneously. MySpace and Facebook are also great ways to alert friends and family members of upcoming events such as birthdays, holidays, and outings.
On a negative note, MySpace and Facebook also give the opportunity for possibly unwanted visitors the chance to look at someone’s personal information such as their email address, phone number, and location. Also, posting things such as vacation plans can be an invitation for burglars and robbers who know that a house will be unoccupied for a set amount of time. The biggest concern when it comes to social networking sites is how easy it is for sex offenders to register on these sites and use them as gateways to finding new victims. The social networking community is very large and includes a very wide range of ages. Many of these users, who are young adults, are not always aware of the dangers that internet sites can present to them.
In my personal opinion, I think that children should not use sites such as MySpace and Facebook. I personally would not have even known to watch out for predators on the sites if my parents had not told me about them. Schools do not teach kids to watch out for offenders and the sites do not warn their users about them either. That being said, many parents are also unaware that there can be sex offenders on social networking websites. Therefore, the easiest and most sure-fire way to prevent a child from becoming the victim of an online sex offender is to avoid the websites altogether

Live life to the fullest

If I had to create a bumper sticker that modelled my philosophy for life, it would be "Live life to the fullest." Every day you hear about people that are growing old and wishing they had done more with their life. In my personal opinion, there is no point in living life without taking some risks and having fun. I would rather live a shorter life and enjoy every moment of it than to live a long dull life while taking no chances.
When I was a little kid my father always used to encourage me to explore new things and take advantage of oppurtunities. For instance, when I was eight I was offered a ride in a small four seater propeller plane. At first I was very scared and was reluctant to go. I finally mustered enough courage to say yes and to this day I've never looked back. The few hours riding in that plane were a few of the most fulfilling hours of my life.
The memory of riding in the four seater propeller plane will stay with me forever. To this day, I am so grateful that I decided to go. If I had decided not to, I would have missed out on one of the greatest experiences I have ever had. That is why the quote" Live life to the fullest" means so much to me.