Mind Tricks

There is this new website that I found that has gained much attention nationwide. It is called stumble upon. It is a website that is a collection of random websites that are aimed at your preference. You click your focused interests such as beauty or music or animals etc... and then each time you click stumble it takes you to a new website. It allows you to discover websites that you never knew existed. I played around with this website and found it so interesting!! Not only did it direct me to websites of interest and help me gain knowledge of things I never knew about but it is also very enjoyable. One of the points of interest was optical illusions. I decided to check it out because I had never been on websites with optical illusions. I found these websites so interesting. It boggles my mind how your eyes can play such tricks on your mind. An optical illusion is a visually percieved object that is different from the reality. I thought these were so interesting and cool and deicded to share some with you.

ENJOY!!

there are all the same

can you find the hidden pictures?

ALSO, if you would like to see stumbleupon for your self, the website is

http://www.stumbleupon.com/

Soul Surfer

When I first saw the trailer for this movie, I had deja vu. This story looked so familiar...and then the words "based on the inspirational true story" came on the screen and then it clicked...I remember watching the news with my dad and reporters were doing a story on an surfing accident. When I watched it it had just happened. Although I was in my early teens when I saw this video, I remember the girls face appearing on the TV vividly.

This is her story...

I recommend everyone to go see this movie. It is truly inspiring and first handedly shows you how to never let anything get in the way of your dreams. This movie will more profoundly affect people because it is a true story. There are many movies that share this same message, however it is hard to find one that is real. Because the events of this movie actually happened, I believe that this movie will spread this message in a stronger way than most movies. I, personally, am very excited to go see the movie this weekend!

Most Interesting Man in the World

This youtube video is a collection of all the tag lines used with Dos Equis Beer campaign The Most Interesting Man in the World.

My friend showed me the commercials of the Most Interesting Man in the World. When I first saw these commercials I realized how powerful this campaign was. It is brilliant!! It gives personality to the brand and leaves everyone with a desire to drink something that the most interesting man in the world drinks. People's reaction will be "If he can have try to have an awkward moment just to see how it felt, then I want to drink the beer he drinks" The one liners are so original and outlandish that you can't wait to hear what comes next. I truly believe that this campaign will go down as a legendary campaign as did Think Small campaign for Volkswagen or the more recent Just Do It campaign for Nike.

Race for the Cure

This Friday is Race for the Cure at SMU. I think that is such a great thing that SMU puts on an event that is for a great cause. Although I know that Race for the Cure is a fund raiser for people with breast cancer, I began thinking and realized that I do not know that much about it…how it was started, the motivation behind it etc… Race for the Cure was founded by a loving sister who lost her sister to the battle of breast cancer. That victim was Susan G. Komen. She fought her

battle and throughout her treatment tried to make life better for other women battling the same disease; she was less concerned with her self. As Susan came closer and closer to the face of death, her sister promised her that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer. This promise became the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. It has invested more than 1.9 BILLION dollars since its origin in 1982 and is the world’s leade

r of the breast cancer movement. Moreover, it hosts the largest network of survivors and activists, worldwide.

Their mission: to find a cure. Progress over the years has led researchers to make major breakthroughs. Because of this non profit program there has been advances in understanding the biology of breast cancer and its cell division, more

efficient early detection of breast cancer, what reduces the risks as well as advances is preventing the disease all together. Today the program has invested over 450 million dollars in over a thousand research projects.

Personally, I am so excited to participate in this fundraiser this weekend. Not only is it a great cause but also when I participate, I will think of my friend’s mothers who have been affected by this disease. I am doing it for them.

I presented the research portfolio to more clearly identify all the focus points of research.

A Liability

The incident that occurred over Labor Day weekend made me realize that there are consequences in being a third party; third party liability. As naïve as I was, I still had hesitations at first about doing this. However, I listened to my friends and trusted their word. I am in no way blaming them; I was as in the wrong as they were. After meeting with the conduct board, the lady realized that this was my first time getting in trouble with the school. She realized that I was punishing myself and that in itself is a far better punishment than anything she could have assigned. I decided to do some research on third party liability because that is what I was accused of; being a third party liability. I have gained a better knowledge of the consequences that are applicable in this situation that were previously unknown. Third party liability is defined as one’s legal obligations to a certain person, or entity. In essence, one can be held responsible for another’s actions even if they are not directly associated with the incident. Although there are many forms of third party liability, such as third party liability dealing with Medicare, insurance and with corporations, mine was a result of alcohol violation with Southern Methodist University. In cases specific to alcohol violations, one can be held accountable if a guest becomes intoxicated and causes damage to himself, others or property.

Lawsuits can be filed against a third party should they have an indirect relationship with damage caused to the innocent victim, or damage caused to others. Lawsuits that are filed can result in paying fines ranging in all amounts. The amounts can be in the range of the thousands to even millions of dollars. Civil law suits can be based upon three categories known as dram shop laws, common negligence, or social host.

The dram shop laws are as stated: “Specific statutes that address liability issues only for liquor license holders. These statutes are intended to promote responsible alcohol service and provide a means for third parties to file suit for injuries and for fatalities resulting from a liquor law violation.” In other words, this civil law suit is directed towards liquor license holders. It is enforced in order to keep bar owners or liquor storeowners in line with the law. The law protects minors from being over served. This way liquor storeowners will not serve to minors as a means to get more money because this law enforces responsible service. If so violated, one can be sued under the circumstances.

Another civil law suit is the common negligence law. This law is as stated: “These laws, although not specifically defined, address negligent behavior with negligence being defined as not doing what any reasonable person could be expected to do under a certain set of circumstances. With regard to alcohol, it is assumed that a person (server/seller) can be expected to follow a set of procedures and if he/she fails to do so, the server/seller has acted negligently.” In other words, one may be sued if a server or seller of alcohol does not follow the proper procedures that are needed under the circumstances. Servers and sellers of alcohol have to uphold to a certain standard. If so violated, they may be sued in the court of law.

The last civil law suit that can be filed against someone is known as the social host law. This law is as stated: Specific laws stating that social hosts (hosts of a party, function, etc.) who provide alcohol to their guests can be held responsible for the actions of their guests if alcohol has been served improperly. In essence, the host of a party (serving alcohol) can be held accountable for another person’s actions should he cause damage or harm to himself or others.

Although there are three types of civil liability, there are also forms of criminal liability as well as administrative liability. Criminal liability deals with the criminal aspect of a person’s actions whereas administrative liability concerns the actions of a server of alcohol with a permit.

Criminal liability is applicable to the actual crime of the incident.

This law brings back a dark memory from my high school. It was my senior year and a person from my high school was having a huge graduation party. Fortunately for me, I was out of town that weekend so I was unable to attend. At the party, a person in my high school became increasingly intoxicated as the night went on. without anyone noticed, he managed to get his keys and drive home. His judgment was so impaired, leading him to crash into another vehicle, at ninety miles per hour, that was stopped at a red light. The stopped car swung around and hit another car. The passenger who was directly hit was killed instantly and the passenger in the other car who was indirectly was sent into the intensive care unit. I came home to learn the a classmate of mine had been arrested for the incident. Although his case went to trial, the family members of the victim also sued the parents of the house that had the graduation party. After doing research on third liability, I have come to the realization that this family is a real example of a third party liability. Although, the parents did not directly kill the victim and cause harm and pain to others, they were at fault indirectly by supplying the alcohol. At first it was hard for me to understand the reasoning behind the parents’ fault. After all, it was the actions of my classmate that cause the death of an innocent man as well as the pain and suffering of his family. However, after researching third party liability I have a clearer understanding of the parents’ involvement in the incident.

As I thought about my classmate’s actions I realized that I was not familiar with the laws of third party liability in Florida. I decided that it would be in my best interest to research the laws of third party liability. More research was conducted in order to better understand the consequences that can occur as a result of a third party. I did research in the state of Florida and found many cases in which a third party member was convicted of a crime.

In the case known as “Ellis v. N.G.N. of Tampa, 586 So. 2d 1042, 1044 (Fla. 1991). This common law principle was first attacked by the Modern Jersey Supreme Court in Rappaport v. Nichols, 31 N.J. 188, 156 A.2d 1 (N.J. 1959).” In this case an owner of a tavern sold alcohol to a minor. The minor became intoxicated and was involved in a car accident. The car accident resulted in the death of an innocent victim, a stranger to the intoxicated minor. The tavern owner knowingly served alcohol to this minor and therefore the tavern owner was held civilly liable for the damages. This was the first time, the owner was held liable instead of the person driving the car. He was convicted because it was felt that if the owner had responded honoring his duty, the damages done to the victim and family could have been provided.

In another case known as Prevatt v. McClennan, the cause of the injury was the sale of alcohol rather than the consumption. From this point forward, alcohol related convictions would be handled differently. Third party liability have become increasingly important as they are viewed on a heavier basis.

One of Florida’s laws states: “a person who willfully and unlawfully sells or furnishes alcoholic beverages to a person who is not of lawful drinking age or who knowinglyserves a person habitually addicted to the use of any or all alcoholic beverages may become liable for injury or damage caused by or resulting from the intoxication of such minor or person.”

After my doing research on third party liabilities, I have gained a greater knowledge of the importance of a third party’s involvement. Although, you can be indirectly related to the damages and harms of others, you are still held accountable for your actions. One needs to uphold a moral understanding of what is right and if that it is broken consequences will occur. More and more people are becoming aware of this responsibility, therefore, making our everyday lives safer.

Don't Make the Same Mistake I Did

It was Labor Day Weekend. An attempt for a friends gathering resulted in consequences I wish I were never involved in. The Saturday before Labor Day Monday, a friend and I purchased kegs for a friend’s event. I used my fake ID to purchase these two kegs that were taken by SMU PD later that evening. Consequences soon followed after that. I was at home when I heard I was potentially in trouble and immediately cut up my fake ID. I have never been in trouble before, not with the law or at school so I was very scared and nervous, and just disappointed with my actions.
After meeting with Mrs. Ashley, I thought about the actions I performed that Labor Day Sunday and was disappointed in my poor judgment skills. I should have thought about all the consequences that could occur using poor judgment skills. After I came home from my meeting I remember sitting in my bed and just thinking about the worthiness of a few seconds of feeling cool. One of the primary reasons my friend and I did this was to look cool in front of older people, which now seems so minuet in the grand scheme of things.
Although, I was very nervous and disappointed in my actions, I am also confident that I learned my lesson. I will never again do something to potentially hurt everything I have worked for this far. Using poor judgment skills could throw away everything you have worked for, whether it is concerning college, your relationship with your family or even your relationship with your friends. I am still at the point in my life where I have a lot going for me, but at the same time I am very vulnerable to certain situations. I know that everyone makes mistakes (literally everyone) but one still has a responsibility to uphold their moral duties and one is still held responsible for their actions.
After researching the laws about Fake ID’s I realize how serious the consequences can be. For example, in the state of Florida, if you are caught with a fake ID multiple consequences can occur. For one, you can lose your driver license privileges for up to one year. It is also considered a third degree felony, not a misdemeanor. If you are a convicted of a third degree felony one “shall be punished by imprisonment for any term not more than 10 years or less than 2 years.” However, if you are charged with a misdemeanor it results in a fine ranging from five hundred dollars to four thousand dollars. The amount of the fine depends on the severity of the crime committed. Also, one can be sentenced to a certain amount of days in jail, less than a year. There is also the inconvenience of cost. Not only is there a court cost, but there is a probationary cost as well as an attorney cost. All these costs make it very expensive and very inconvenient. Costs that is hugely unnecessary if one just upholds their responsibility. Finally, you will be a convicted felon that can haunt you later in life. A convicted felon loses certain privileges such as losing the right to vote and losing the right to bear arms. All rights that are protected by the constitution and that make us citizens of the United States. To think, that all this can happen as a result of one day or night trying to have fun or be cool? Also, in the state of Texas, if you are caught with a fake ID you will be charged with a class B misdemeanor. This states that “An individual found guilty of a Class B Misdemeanor shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $2,000.00 or confinement for a term not to exceed 180 days.
Although I have learned my lesson, I wanted to share this story with others so they do not make the same mistake I did!!

Real Estate

A few weeks ago my parents came to dallas to visit me. My Dads good friend, David, came along with them. One night I went out to dinner with them and began talking to David about his career path. Not only is he an inspiration to me as I learned about his determination and will to succeed in the business but he is also a role model for many children who have dreams to be successful in business. He exaplained that he worked his way up from basically nothing. David is in the commercial real-estate business. David owns and manages commercial and industrial real-estate buildings in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida. He graduated from Georgetown and began his career. He said that he got where he is today because of his motivation, ambition and the mentality to never give up. The real-estate business has its ups and downs he began to explain to me. When the economy is good, business is great, however, when the economy is bad, business is terrible. When the economy is good people want to buy office spaces and invest but when the economy is bad people have trouble keeping their office rent and no one wants to buy office spaces. After he told me about the affects the economy has on his business he began to tell me all the hard work put into it. He told me about his hours at work, which are a typical five-day week at the office, but sometimes he finds time to work at home. He works from usually eight until six or seven at night!! He told me that the business is very competitive so to be successful in that line of work, you not only have to love what you do, but you also have to be very ambitious and want to be the best. If you do not take responsibility for yourself and do not take action, he explained, you would get nowhere just because of the competitiveness of the career. Fortunately for David, he absolutely loves his career. I found this career and his ambitious work ethic very interesting and was surprised at how little I knew about real estate. I was unaware at how much the economy plays a role in the real-estate business. The economy’s position is the difference between life and death in the real-estate world. Although I was preached to about this when I was younger, I re-learned the value of hard work and the driving will to be successful. David’s last words were “If I can make it in the real world so can you.” Those were very comforting words to here as I am essentially about to enter the real world.