Make the most of Oct 31st

Today's Topic: Halloweens- Past and Present

I still remember my favourite costume: Donnie the Devil. I would post the picture but it would be within the tens of thousands of my mom's pictures (literally) and I probably wouldn't find it until next Halloween. The pitchfork, the drawn on moustache and that classic tail. I got two pillow bags of candy that year.

The greatest thing about trick or treating in the country was that you got almost double of everything because there were so few of us out there. It was because I had so much candy that my friends that lived in-town were quite jealous. I used to have so much that I turned it into a business. I would sit on the candy until about the end of November, take it to school, and sell it to my friends. Awesome Grade 5 business project and I was part of the black market of Halloween candy.

I love everything about Halloween. What's not to love about it? Candy, chips, chocolate and even discount chocolate on the shelves of Wal-Mart on November 1st, pumpkin carving's are always the bomb and the costumes light up the neighbourhood. As the years go by, I still don't lose the spirit and make the biggest effort I can to get out on the streets and dress up for Hal

loween. The great thing about dressing up is that people just seem so much friendlier. Everyone looking at each other, trying to figure what you are, people admiring your creativity, taking pictures with strangers and giving high fives because you love their costume; it just puts you in a better mood for the night. Last night some guy nailed the Alan costume from the hangover. Another bunch of guys nailed the Ghostbusters. And of course, most of the girls were wearing as little clothes as possible. Let's be real, you do see a lot of skin in the streets, gals and guys.

I think the greatest thing about Halloween is the ability to transform yourself. Be whoever or whatever you want without consequence. It's one of the only days of the year where people don't judge you negatively (at least not to your face). Costumes are powerful, especially if you really get in character. We all look at each other different, which I think is okay. It creates change and gives people something different to talk about. I wish I could find more excuses to dress up, anybody else feel like that? One of these years, I am going to go all out and really try to turn some heads.

Halloween is one of those holidays that goes in circles. At some point, 99% of us have dressed up and then when we have kids, we dress them up to. I had a trick or treater tonight who dressed up as Lindsay Lohan in a jail outfit. Wow. Hilarious. Kudos to those parents. And for years to come, it only continues without fail. It's a great tradition and a great holiday. Most would definitely agree. Including our beloved Simpsons. It's also one of those holidays that never gets old. New years bring out the newest outfits. But I urge you to all get out and get in the costume spirit. There's only one Oct. 31st and you're never too old to dress up. And don't forget to the enjoy candy apples.

The Great Cannabis Debate

Today's Topic: Legalizing Marijuana

Wouldn't it be funny if this picture became a reality? Could you not see the corporate fat cats drooling over the money they would make on selling marijuana, if it was legal? Could you not see the government thinking of all the money to be made if you were to TAX IT? Because I can.

I can still say I haven't tried it. There have been many, many opportunities where I could have, but I still have never smoked weed. It's not so much that I need to or wanted to, it's just a personal choice that I have made over the years not to smoke it. And I figure I have gotten through the worst of it now, what with high school, peer pressure and the everyone-is-doing-it attitude. I've gone this long without doing it that I don't really want to do it. However, never smoking a joint still makes me think that Marijuana should be legalized, especially in the culture we live in nowadays. That's right, a non-pot smoker wants pot to be legalized.

There is obviously negative impacts of putting through such a proposal but for now, I am going to stick to what appears to me as the "positive" side of legalizing hemp. Bare with me.

I think giving people the option to smoke weed will actually help a growing drug problem. It seems as though when something is deemed "illegal", for whatever reason, people are more likely to think about or actually do it. Making it acceptable would make people less ignorant to the fact that smoking pot is in fact not as bad as what you might think.

"Potheads" as we have so cleverly coined them (yes, I'm being sarcastic), have been labeled as trouble makers and a menace to society. But wouldn't it be just as plausible to label "alcoholics" in the same category? If you were too compare these two habits, you have Alcohol; a widely accepted hobby, a form of being social, a way to let loose, entertain yourself or forget about that 9-5 job. However, when abused, alcohol makes some people reveal there true self, endangers others and causes fatal deaths. I'm not gonna surround you with stats about how many people die from alcohol related accidents every day or every year because I know it is still a lot. BUT, when it comes to Marijuana; a widely unacceptable habit that is illegal, it doesn't have the negative impacts compared to a habit of say consuming alcohol and it is still a form of being social, a way to let loose, entertain yourself or forget about that 9-5 job. Now I am going to throw a fact at you that it hard to believe, but is true. Not one person died in a marijuana related accident last year. Not one. So remember, if you were comparing habits; alcohol kills thousands when behind a wheel, weed kills none. Alcohol is accepted, we have bars that serve people this substance and it makes for more people to be put in harms way. Weed is banned because society doesn't like "potheads" and it is not okay to get "high." Now I'm not a theorist or educated doctorate on the theory of law, cannabis or alcohol but this seems just a tad ridiculous when you look at it this way.

So say someday Marijuana does become legal and people can smoke it for other then just medicinal purposes. This is a completely untapped market that would have remarkable potential. Think of the imports and exports, the connections we make with countries, the branding of weed, smoke houses, smoke bars, etc. etc. I just don't think it's that crazy. You would create THOUSANDS of jobs. Importers, exporters, drivers, pilots, people who run smoke shops, people who build them, people who work at them...the list goes on and on. People could become pot harvesters, you could use wasted land to grow it. You would need machinery to harvest it, so more jobs here; people to sell the machinery, people to deliver it. And if people tried to steal your product, hire security to look after it. It would sure help the struggling society and unemployment rate. Would it not make sense to have something like a license to sell drugs? Ridiculous right? Sounds stupid right? Well, I'm sure the first time someone said "you have to have a license to sell alcohol" it was a stupid idea too...right? All I'm saying is that it would be a new business, a new product and it's there if you want to try it. It would be there for the people who always wanted to try it but never had the guts to actually do it.

You have a product, people pay for it, you have a tax on it and the greedy government makes millions. That is essentially what we do with all products on all store shelves anyway. Why is this not being taken advantage of? Why is this not an acceptable form of business? Capitalize people!! If anything, you would have LESS crime because people wouldn't be so pissed off all the time for having to sneak around and tip toe through the tulips to sell or smoke weed. The Utopian society places such a high monetary value on everything, why not do the same with pot? Why not?

I can already hear the do-gooders getting fired up about it: Don't legalize it because then everyone will be stoned. Kids will get exposed to it. It's not good for your health. Oh, I'm sorry, but Happy Meals are? Beer is? Rapidly consuming toys is? I think this is just as plausible. Is it not better to have it out in the open and let people decide for themselves if you want to accept it or not?

Think of the potential. In all honesty, we should practice what we preach. If we truly DO live in a democratic society, put it to a vote! It seems that we spend time voting on more ridiculous things then whether or not to legalize marijuana. I think it's going to take a charismatic power figure of authority to stand up, make a life changing speech and have it go viral for people to actually wake up and realize the potential this thing has. Perhaps then we can move forward on this issue. So let the people decide, have a massive vote, have someone who is pro smoking pot and someone who is against it. Let them state their cases and then let the people have their say. Have a strict policy on the product and set an age when it's acceptable for people to make then own decision if they want to sell it or smoke it.

Maybe then, I might try it.

Welcome to Your Second Life

Today's Topic: An Alternate Reality

People always feel like they fall short in their life. At some point, we might fail on what we set out to do. The Internet and user based programs

changed that. A man named Philip Linden and Linden Lab made it possible to have a do-over. A second chance. A second life.

Even though it doesn't fall under the traditional definition as "real," Second Life is an escape for people who are unsatisfied with their first life (or the one they were born into). Ever wanted to own a house by the water? Done. Ever wanted to have your dream car for a small amount of real dollars? Done. Ever wanted your dream body, your dream life and the ability to FLY? Yep, you guessed it, it's a done deal. All you have to do is spend your own money earned in the actual world and then spend it on Linden Dollars in Second Life, your number one destination for everything that is just your creative imagination. And the good news? Your basic membership is free.

Granted, I don't know what's more upsetting; the fact that you can have your dream life for a small amount of actual dollars or the fact that Philip Linden is making money off a currency and an alternate universe that he invented. Your initial start up is free (which is what I have) but for just $72 a year, you can take the form of a human, an animal, a vegetable, a mineral or a combination of all four. If you do sign up, you get a weekly income of L$300 (300 Linden dollars) to spend any way you want. Build a house for instance, or a restaurant where people come to eat pretend food. Buy some land or sell and trade pretend goods. The possibilities are truly endless.

I think the greatest thing Second Life offers is absolute control. You have control over everything in your own virtual world. You are put in the driver's seat and are able to customize everything about your life. It's very similar to James Cameron's "Avatar" concept where you plug into a virtual world. Except, with Second Life, you don't actually plug in. It's on a screen in front of you and unlike the real world, if you don't like what's happening in your life, you can just click on the Exit button and unplug yourself from your virtual world. Everything about your character is customizable. All of your body features and your clothing (or lack thereof) can be determined. And of course, you interact with everyone in the Second Life just like you would through a chat room. People from all over the world gather in the Second Life world and interact with each other through avatars. You can make all the human gestures you would in normal life and even get a bit "naughty" depending on where you go in the virtual world.

My name is Harold Kumaki. Again, you pick your own name. I'm bald, about 250 lbs, all muscle, with a handle bar

moustache. I wear a white shirt and pair of jeans with flip-flops on all the time. This is my attire every day, and it's how I fly around the world. No, this is not how I want to look in "real" life. I just thought what the hell, let's be completely different from who I am in my real life. I was absolutely floored by the concept of Second Life and the ability to have total freedom from everything. I could walk up to someone in Second Life, wave to them, and dance in front of them with my shirt off. I do it just because I can. Not that I have any desire to do that ANY day of my actual life, but just because I can. Why not? It's anonymous as you make it and it's free.

Now before you close the door on Second Life and think what is the point to all this, it isn't just all fun and games. Oh yes, there are ways to make money. By trading virtual goods and selling land, you can make actual dollars. If you collect enough Linden Dollars (or L$) you can turn that into real $. Buy and sell the right pieces of land or the right pretend commodities and you could make a profit just by spending some time in your alternate reality. Have nothing else better to do? Maybe this could be an option.

Second Life is a genius concept; taking a problem (people who are unhappy with their real life) and creating a solution (making it possible for someone to create the person, animal or vegetable they always wanted to be). When we are born into this world, you don't have the ability or choice to change your looks or who you are without spending money or having the change be permanent. We cannot modify who we are without some sort of repercussion. But with Second Life, you create whoever you want to be. Have a new hairstyle everyday, change your clothes or simply walk around naked, fly to someones house and just hang out. Drink and eat whatever you want. Be fat or skinny with just a click of the mouse. Didn't you ever want life to be THAT easy?

So maybe, Google it, make an account and log on. You'll be amazed at the freedom you have. I'm not supporting everything about this alternate reality (spending my hard earned money is a little too far for me because I have no desire to own "pretend land"). I'm just saying I support the concept and the idea. With so many people being so unhappy with who they are, you might just feel better about yourself if you could be someone or something else. And I think the 18 Million users of Second Life would agree with me. Maybe you could even have your own happily ever after.