Bits and pieces

Just going to take a little time to touch on a few topics. A little too much recent news for me to be scathing in just one direction.

First off, the whole Gen. Hayden thing. If nothing else, this entire situation is proving just how out of touch GDub truly is, even with his own party. The vast majority of politicos that have weighed in on the subject are firmly opposed to Hayden taking the CIA position left vacant by Porter Goss, and, just recently, even House Speaker Dennis Hastert is against the appointment. This could just be a political move by Hastert, who's allying himself with House Intelligence Committe Chair Peter Hoekstra, or it could be a sign that, with his approval sitting at around 30%, nobody's giving GDub and his positions the time of day anymore. One of the biggest shocks in this entire thing has to be that there's finally a bipartisan stance being taken on something, as opposed to the elephants standing firmly behind the big bull, while the donkeys try and topple the tower.

Secondly, the whole David Blaine thing. He submerges himself in water for a week, then tries (unsuccessfully, thank goodness) to set a new world's record for holding his breath underwater while performing an escape trick. I'm willing to bet that a good portion of the people who tuned in to watch the end of the charade last night on ABC were doing so hoping that they'd see a much more severe ending than they got. It does make you wonder why this man keeps thinking that these are good ideas. It makes me wonder why he hasn't been locked up for being clinically insane... after all, he's practically tried to kill himself multiple times, and generally gets television cameras to cover his near-death experience. Oh, and he likens himself to the great Harry Houdini. Um, Mr. Blaine? Houdini was fairly well-respected during his lifetime, and people didn't tend to think that his escape acts were the publicity stunts of a self-aggrandizing ass.

Finally, the whole virginity pledge thing. Is it any shock that over half of the teens (and younger) who make this pledge do not actually uphold it and repeat the pledge the following year? Or that almost three quarters of those that take it initially and then admit to having had sex deny ever making the pledge in the first place? Wait... is it still surprising to anyone that teenagers are having sex? Come on. We live in a sexually charged world; a world where the human body is constantly being thrown out on display, and where sex is (relatively) socially acceptable, just as long as it's between a man and a woman. Teenagers, who are in the middle of one of the most hormonal periods of life, and are still learning things about their own bodies and the bodies of their peers, will always feel incredible pressure to get themselves a little nookie. This is pretty much a fact of life, and will remain one as long as humans drag themselves around the planet. Sex has become a more open topic of conversation, and the taboo factor has definitely gotten pushed aside. And, while abstinence is a good thing, and should be praised, it's not for everybody. This is exactly why there needs to be more education on the subject. Instead of preaching abstinence and hiding under the covers when the subject of contraception is mentioned, let's get out there and teach these kids everything we possibly can. Teach them about maintaining their virginity, but teach them about pills, and condoms, and every possible option, so that they can make an informed decision.

Course, looking at a lot of what is going on in the world, it's possible that the days of making informed decisions are long behind us. If that's the case, then hand me my shotgun, a vial of heroin, and some hookers. May as well go out with a bang.