We, TwentiesLife readers, are a people committed to improvement. We spend time evaluating ourselves, identifying and improving our weaknesses, building up and using our skillful strengths for good, and trying our best to be honorable people. Our hope is that with each passing day we are better people than the day before.

And that is a fine type of person to be. We are truly the people who will make tomorrows world a better place. Sadly, though, as a younger, more modern, more connected generation (than those before us), we spend a lot of time “online” and less time “involved.” This lack of involvement could become a detriment to all that we hope for in our world.

You see, it has been brought to my attention that while we hold ideals that if shared by the rest of the world would be fantastic, our generation is becoming like those before us, content with our small successes and complacent within our societies. And this would be fine if we lived in perfect societies. Sadly though, this is not the case.

We live in a world where bad things happen around us all the time. We live in a world where people sometimes just can’t catch a break. We live in a world that, should we assume responsibility for, could look very different in the years to come. It is up to us to decide what that world should look like. It is up to us to do the work to make it the world we envision.

If I asked you how the Health care bill will affect you in the years to come, could you explain it to me? If I asked you exactly how we elect a president, including the logistics of the electoral college, etc., would you be able to tell me? If I asked you who your governor/mayor/congressman was, would you know the names?

Our generation is one of dreamers, and the things we dream of are much greater than anything the generations before us could have imagined. We have ideals that would make this world a wonderful place to live in. The question I place before you is this: Do you know how to turn that dream into a reality?

To become an upstanding citizen is quite simple in theory, but a bit more difficult in practice. Here are a few areas that we can work on to become model citizens.

Be a better person. A good citizen starts with a good person. He/she is humble, honest, responsible, cares about his fellow man, believes in his system, obeys the laws and rules, is kind to others, listens to others, helps those around them, gives back to their communities,

1. Learn how your local political system is set up. Meet your mayor. Go to a city council meeting. Learn the process. If you don’t know how the system works, you can’t effectively make changes, right? Once you have a good idea of how the wheels turn, learn about the issues that matter most in your community. Only then can you cast an effective vote towards something that will make a real difference.
2. Get Involved. Get out there and develop a sense of community, or join in on the community all around you. Greet your postal carrier, meet your local librarians, introduce yourself to your congressman. Develop working relationships with the people around you. When the time comes that you need to call upon them, or them on you, it will be useful to already have built a rapport.
3. Volunteer. With the economy in a lull, unemployment at a low, and all the other terrible things going on in the world, many people have become much more internalized. Less and less people are thinking about their hungry neighbor, the orphans in their communities, or all the other people struggling. Take a vested interest in your community and do whatever you can to build it up. Volunteer at your local schools, hospitals, nursing homes, museums, zoos, soup kitchens, meals on wheels, big brother/big sister, habitat for humanity, or even your church or cleaning up your parks. You already know how rewarding it is to help someone else, so you don’t need me to convince you.
4. Be Kind to Your Environment. Leave everywhere you go in better shape than it was when you got there. Consider this (it may be oversimplified, but it works): If each of us picked up after ourselves and each other, our communities could hire less groundskeepers for our local parks, schools, etc, and those salaries could go places where it is much more needed.
5. finally, and most importantly, be grateful. You live in a society where your voice matters, where your actions make a real difference. Most of us don’t truly understand that statement, so it’s worth repeating. Your actions make a real difference. The choices you make, the things you choose to spend your time doing, can have a significant effect on many people around you. There are so many people in the world who live in places where their voice means nothing, their actions are of little consequence to anyone. There is nothing they can do to better their situation. They don’t have the opportunities allotted to you and I, and they can’t pull themselves up. But we are in a position where we have the freedom to do and be just about anything we want. And when you truly understand the tremendous amount of value that such freedom entails, you start to understand just how important it is to exercise your voice. All of the work required to be a good citizen is nothing when you consider what little you did to deserve the amount of power that comes along with it.

You and I have the power to be heroes in our parts of the world. We can make real difference through action and example. President Barack Obama inspired the world with his presidential campaign, showing us that we too can make the difference. It’s time for us to do our part.

So what will you do?

Our lifestyle has become one of hardcore consumerism.  But let’s face it: that’s a lifestyle that leads to unhappiness and failure.  Unless we are to be of the top 3% or so, we’ll never have all of the things we want.  If we don’t find balance, or at least a few good ways to upgrade and increase our life enjoyment without having to spend a fortune, we may find ourselves in hard times in this economy.

But don’t fret.  It’s not really the new Apple iPhone that makes you happy.  It’s just the satisfaction of getting something that you want.  Realign your wants to be happiness and enjoyment (instead of just the retail products that are on TV today), and you’ll surely find success.  Here are a few ways:

Learn a new game

Have you ever played Mancala?  How about Chess?  Tennis?  Volleyball?  There’s nothing like learning a new game to really work your brain (and body) and really pump up the endorphins (happy feeling brain chemicals).  Obviously you aren’t confined to my ideas.  There are millions of games out there played by billions of people across the world.  Pick one and learn it.  For extra enjoyment bring a friend!

Pickup a new hobby

Now I’ll admit, most hobbies do cost some amount of money.  But buying your first guitar and buying a new iPhone are two very different purchases.  And if your new hobby is knitting (not just for old ladies anymore!), it won’t cost you much to get started.  When we learn new hobbies our brains build connections quickly like when we were children learning things for the first time.  This promotes good mental health and is super fun!

Experience another culture

This one is as easy as picking up a new cookbook (from the library) or having dinner at a friend’s house.  Learning about a new culture by experiencing it is a wonderfully enjoyable way to learn.  Taste the foods, hear the music, listen to the language.  Talk to the elders, observe the dress, learn the traditions.  Our lack of experience and knowledge of other cultures in America has led to our ignorance.  Don’t let our generation repeat the mistakes of the previous.

Volunteer

I know you’ve probably heard this one before, and I bet you’ll hear it again.  But let’s not wait till next time to do something.  Volunteering your time and energy is one of the most compassionate things you can do for your fellow man.  And you’ll benefit from it too.  People who volunteer aren’t just the most compassionate.  They are also the most content, the happiest.  People who spend all of their time thinking about themselves often find that there is no happiness at the top if you haven’t brought others up with you.  But those same people would have been content at the bottom if they were in good company.

Submerge into a story

I’m sure I can’t be the only twenty something that’s done this.  When you get your head into a good fictional story, your mind can really take you anywhere.  Through books I’ve seen London, Paris, New Orleans, a vampire underworld, the future, and a whole lot more.  Can Jersey Shore really compare?

Reconsider your relationships

Relationships can be the best part of your life, but they can also be the worst.  When we grew up, we learned to choose friends based on proximity.  Later we learned to build relationships based on common interest.  But now it’s time to learn again.  Now you must learn to choose and develop your relationships with a conscious mind.  You need to choose your friends wisely, and you need to build those relationships into something great.  Your friends don’t need to have a common hobby or live close to you.  They need only to share your newly found zest for a wonderful life.

Forgive

So you’ve been holding bitterness and resentment for years.  Sometimes you don’t even remember why you’re angry.  But you are passionate and you won’t just let it go.

I feel sorry for people trapped in that kind of mentality.  It’s poison.  How can you attract success and happiness in your life when you have room for that kind of poison in it as well?  Learn to forgive, to reconcile, and to let your pettiness go, and you’ll find that your world will instantly seem brighter.  Forgive not for your enemy or friend, forgive for yourself, so that you may find an inner happiness greater than the pettiness that it shall replace.

Find nature

This means something different to all of us.  For some it’s a walk in the park (literally).  For others it’s a weekend camping trip.  For others it’s a month long retreat from the hustle and bustle of daily life.  Whatever it takes, reconnect with nature.  Watch the trees and sense their calmness.  Nature has been here for millions (or thousands if that’s what you believe…) of years, and it will be here once we’re gone.  It sustains not only our own lives, but the lives of every other creature on earth.  We move quickly, work hard, and pursue all sorts of things, while nature just is.  There is a sense of calmness in taking time out of your life to reconnect with that sort of existence.  You should do it often.

Express your emotions

Nothing feels better than expressing yourself.  It’s something innate in us.  But for some reason, we learn to repress it.  For instance, when is the last time you gave your mom or dad a hug?  When’s the last time you told your brother or sister how much you love them?  When is the last time you smiled at a stranger, simply because you wanted them to feel your happiness.  You’ll find that when you get better at expressing yourself, all other aspects of your life get better as well.

Redefine Happiness

All of these examples are ways to help you redefine what happiness really is to you.  Believe me, happiness is not in your next purchase, it’s in your next experience.  At the end of your life, are you going to want to have stockpiled the largest list of retail products, or will you want to have the greatest list of stories to tell.  I don’t know about you, but I want to be the old guy that amazes the next generation with my experiences, even if I don’t have a dollar in the bank.

Life is all about getting what you want from it.  And as we can see Americans are an amazingly efficient group of people when it comes to getting what we want.  If we define what we want, and constantly remind ourselves of it, it wont be long until we surround ourselves with others who want the same thing, and work every day towards achieving it (rather than the next big screen TV).  Trust me, redefine your happiness and you’ll never look at your retail-queen friend with envy again.

Hello readers of TwentiesLife! Stefan here, from StudySuccessful.com. I am Dutch. No I am not from Amsterdam, I’m from another place in the Netherlands, you probably only know Amsterdam because of the Red Light District and smoking marijuana.. I don’t blame you, we have some crazy rules here in our little country, but you know what, I am standing behind them, all of them.

Dutch rules on taboo topics
In The Netherlands a lot of things are legal which are illegal in almost every other country in the world, why is that? Are we just a bunch of pot-smoking douchebags who like to go to the red light district? Or are we one of the most progressive state in the world? I think the last one. I will discuss several topics, which are legal here and illegal over there (which is around every other country in the world). This will be: smoking weed, prostitution and abortion. Quick note: I am an atheist, I think you should know that. Put your clog on, check if the windmill is still turning and get a piece of cheese, you are about to experience Dutch knowledge.

Smoking weed
What is America doing at this point, marijuana is illegal (except the ‘medical use‘) and there is a big ‘War on drugs’ thing going on. But how is it possible that I still see a lot of green sticks at a tv show like Entourage? How is it possible that if there is put in that much money, the drug use still didn’t stop or even decrease? And why is it still one of the biggest problems America face? I believe that is because prohibition is never an answer. In the early 1920’s they’ve tried the same thing with booze and the mafia has grown big because of the bootlegging. Drug mafia is nowadays one of the richest crime sectors in the world and that is because everything is illegal. Prohibition does not takes away the curiosity of experiencing something like smoking weed, nor it is taking away the need. It is only a way to force people to sneak around to smoke something, instead of buying it at a place where you can actually control it.

If somebody who has never been on the earth before is coming to the earth and he has to divide the different ‘drugs’ that exist into ‘hard drugs’ and ’soft drugs’ (as we know it nowadays), alcohol will definitely be on the hard drug side. But that is legal and something which is not even that bad for you (weed) is illegal.

So here we got my point. I think that if you are legalizing something like soft drugs, you are getting control of it. By legalizing it, there isn’t a big underground scene which is providing marijuana, no street sellers who sell their stuff to young kids. We have ‘coffee shops‘ where you can buy what you want, a place which is controlled in the end by the government, where there is control of the customer, of the addicted. The stuff they are selling is of good quality, no crap added, so stuff that is not that bad for you.

Controlling is better than a big expensive offensive, in my eyes at least. Of course, we (the Dutch) are also against hard drugs, as they are really, really bad for you. But fighting something which you can never win, is probably not a good idea, especially when the need isn’t that big. If you can control the use and the quality of marijuana, it is better to legalize.

Prostitution
This taboo is a tough one. You will never see scenes where women in really short skirts are on the side of the road looking for potential customers in the Netherlands. Over here, prostitution is actually legal. There are houses where you can go for your needs. A good thing? I think so.

Here is the same with the legalization of soft drugs. This is a problem which can cause a lot of trouble and it is hard to prevent these kind of crimes. But now it is about people. If prostitution is illegal, there is a lot of underground work. There will be a need of big organization who will control where is who. There will be different levels of pimps, controlling women who are paid for sex. And that can’t be a good thing, fur-wearing men who are controlling women who have to have sex, right? That is why it is legalized in the Netherlands. I have to be honest here, there are problems every once in a while. Sometimes it turns out that there are under-aged girls who are put out there, but at least we have an idea about the size of the problem. We know what is going on, where. If something isn’t right, the human rights are coming in, houses will be closed and the government will take care of the girls. Ban the oldest profession in the world will be impossible, controlling it won’t.

Abortion
Abortion means ending the life of an unborn child. Ending your pregnancy before it should end. And yes, this is legal in the Netherlands.

There are a lot of rules about this though. You can’t just go to the doctor to get it removed without consultations and time to think. Women who go to the doctor with this request will be forced to think about it.

Why I think this should be illegal is not the everyday arguments you hear all the time. Not about ‘what if it is a rape’ or ‘what if the girl is way too young?’ I think we shouldn’t think about the mom, God or anybody, but we should think about the baby. What is best for the unborn child? What is happening here is a problem of timing. It is not the time for the baby to be there yet. If the mother doesn’t want the baby, if she is not ready, if the father is a rapist who impregnated the mother, this is just not the time for the baby to be there. Selfish? No, not at all. Because if abortion wouldn’t be possible, if the baby will come anyway, there will be nothing but problems. The mother will love the baby anyway, for sure. But what are the future plans? If this woman just could have finished her major, if she is with a father which makes her happy, the future chances of the baby are way bigger than ever before. The baby will have everything he needs, including a loving mother and a loving father. Without abortion? He also has a chance of a good life, but I think a slighter chance.

Is abortion murder? Am I able to just murder an unborn child in order to greater his chance of a good life? No. I don’t think it is murder as the fetus isn’t viable yet. It doesn’t have a mind yet, it isn’t a human being yet.

Concluding thoughts

Well, these opinions are mine. These opinions are shared by a great part of the Dutch population, we think that taboo topics aren’t topics we should forget. These topics are important and while we have these rules, there is a lot of talking about these rules. Are these rules the right ones? Shouldn’t we change the rules? The answer is always no. This country is a country of possibilities, of freedom to choose. What do you think about the Dutch rules? Are we insane? Are we out of our mind? Or are we actually progressive in a way a lot of countries will follow, eventually? Let me know in the comments!

This is a guest post by the Dutch Stefan Knapen who runs the blog StudySuccessful.com, a blog full of study hacks and personal development tips.

Here’s a new feature TwentiesLife will be rolling out.  We will be randomly posting real life advice from guys and gals to the opposite gender.  This is something that you can only find on Facebook and Twitter, so if you aren’t our Facebook Fan and aren’t following us on Twitter then you won’t get the news. <—-Click each of the links there to follow us and get the tips.

Want to share a tip?  Email us at contribute[at]twentieslife[dot]com.

Here’s two just for stopping by:

Things SHE wishes you knew #16:  ”Real men drive stick!”

Things He wishes you knew #8: “It’s not what you’re wearing that’s sexy, it’s how you wear it.”

Please contribute your tips and help the opposite gender get a clue.

We all have a few pet peeves that we can’t stand about our significant other. But as it turns out, men seem to share a few of these attributes that most women just can’t stand.  Now, I must warn you.  This knowledge can be very useful.  You can either avoid these habits, which would be great for your relationship, or you can use these habits to kill your relationship.  Your choice.  You’ve been warned.

1. You think your way is the only way – Men seem to love themselves so much that they think their opinions are the only ones that matter.  We think that our way is best, and we get frustrated when our ladies do things another way.  Want to kill your relationship quickly?  Keep telling her she’s doing it wrong when she doesn’t do something your way.
2. You call her too much - Some guys (probably you) don’t know how much to call her.  Here’s a hint:  if you are calling her multiple times a day, and your conversations aren’t that interesting, and she seems to be doing things, but you keep calling, that’s probably too much.  Here’s another hint:  If she seems to keep asking “what’s up?” or “why are you calling?” you should probably take the hint.
3. You talk too damn much – I’m guilty of this one as well.  I don’t know what it is, but I just love to be part of the conversation.  Sometimes we talk more than we think, and for our ladies this can be a real problem.  Here’s a way to tell if you have a problem:  if you find yourself waiting to say what you want to say next rather than listening to what she’s saying, you need to reevaluate your talking…
4. Laundry next to the laundry hamper – It’s amazing how often our clothes can get so close to the laundry hamper without making it into it.  For me personally, laundry can find it’s way to all sorts of places, but rarely is it in the hamper.  Stop being a bum and get your laundry in the hamper.
5. You ignore her when you’re watching TV - In her mind, nothing on TV is so important that it’s worth neglecting your relationship for.  Not even the game!
6. You correct her in front of people – One thing that really gets on her nerves is when you correct her in front of people.  It’s degrading, embarrassing, and insulting.  If you value her, you should refrain.
7. You comment about other women – She knows you look.  Heck she looks.  But you don’t need to say anything about it, and you definitely shouldn’t stare.  It’s offensive to your lady and the woman you’re looking at.
8. When you say you’re “fine” and you aren’t – She know’s you aren’t fine, you know you aren’t fine, and yet you tell her you’re fine.  She can’t stand it.  Just talk it out instead of acting like it’s all good when it isn’t.
9. Your old T-shirts - You’re in your twenties now, and those hilarious t-shirts are no longer funny.  Unless you’re cool with being the “Michael Cera” of your group, it’s time to upgrade to some solid colored tees, and v-neck would be even better than regular tees.
10. You compare her to other women (like your mother) – She’s not your mother and she’s not her friend/your coworker/(insert other woman here).  It’s pretty damn rude to compare her to them.  Take your woman as she is, or get out of the relationship.  Simple as that.

So there you go.  10 things she can’t stand about you.  Stop doing these and your relationship will probably improve instantly.  Start doing these and your relationship will probably crash and burn.  Just letting you know.  Use this information with caution.

TwentiesLife gives you great content.  We all know that.  But there are plenty of other places to get great content as well.  Don’t worry, you don’t even have to leave TwentiesLife to get the good stuff.  Here are some hot links.  Enjoy!

For the Fellas

10 Ways To Upgrade Your Casual Style

How To Get Things Done In The Car (And Live To Tell The Tale)

Manscaping Hair Removal For Men

3 Essential Tips for Successfully Packing for College

25 Ways to Build Your Biceps

Read Her Emotions

How to Get Over Your Fear of Approaching Women

10 Things every Guy Should Own (But Doesn’t)

For The Ladies

I Remember: My Journey through Fatness, Skinniness, and Healthiness

50 Things Men Wish Women Knew

Crazy Things You Don’t Know About Sex Toys

3 Beauty Treatments That Enhance Your Sexual Confidence

Quick, Last Minute Hairstyle Ideas

Eye-Opening Eyelash Maneuver

More to come soon!

Some of us are headed back to school.  Others of us just want some new gadgets.  So what gadgets are hot right now?  TwentiesLife has got you covered.  Now be forewarned:  Most of these gadgets will make you cooler.  Many of them will impress your peers.  Some of them will help out your dating situation.  And one or two might actually be useful when that dating situation progresses to something worth watching over and over, if you know what I mean…  Here come some pretty awesome stuff.

Canon PowerShot A490 10.0 MP Digital Camera

Have you ever used a Canon Powershot?  If you have, you know why I’m recommending it.  If you haven’t, you need to get your hands on one of these.  It’s the only point-and-shoot camera that I could use.  In fact, it’s the only camera I like that isn’t a Digital SLR.  Need something that just works well and takes phenomenal pictures?  This is the camera for you. Price $84.00

Logitech Webcam C210

Are you using Skype?  Google Chat?  AIM?  MSN Messenger?  Yahoo Messanger?  Are you video chatting?  If not, it’s time to get with the times.  Video chatting is so much more fun than text chatting.  You can see and hear your friends/family from all over the world.  It’s awesome!  And this webcam will help you do just that.  Logitech makes solid products that will last you as long as you want to use them.  Don’t think, just buy. Price $29.99

Sanyo HD Waterproof Camcorder

Over the summer I went to Antigua, West Indies.  The beaches were amazing, and I could actually swim with the fish.  How awesome would it have been to be able to capture that for less than $200, and in High Definition?!?  I need to grab this thing, and if you live a life worth sharing with others, you do too.  It’s insane to think that just a few years ago, camcorders were only for rich people.  Now we can all make our own HD movies! Price $179

Apple iPad

I’m going to explain this as simply as possible;  if you are the average computer/gadget user, this product will blow your mind.  If you are the kind of person who doesn’t like the iphone because Apple limits what you can do with it, you’ll still like this product, but you wont love it.  I am the latter, and I still like the iPad because I can watch videos, read books, browse the internet, and even control my desktop computer, all from my bed/car/office/wherever.  It can’t do everything I might like it to, but the things it does do, it does well.  Read more about what I think of the iPad here.  At the end of the day, the product just has to work, and iPad works well.  At $599, it’s a little steep, but when you consider just how often you can use this over your phone/kindle/laptop/desktop/magazines/books/coffee table(?!) it’s worth it’s weight in gold.  Or at least $599.  Price $599

Macbook Pro

At the risk of sounding like an Apple Fanboy, let me preface with this:  I own a mac, but I don’t use it.  It is my wife’s new Macbook, and because she just started medical school and needs something functional, simple, with a long battery life, and without worry, we chose the Macbook Pro.  Sure, we could have found a laptop with twice the hardware for half the price.  Sure we could have installed Linux and figured out a way to make everything work.  Sure we could have installed a bunch of anti-spyware software and hoped for the best.  But we didn’t want to have to worry.  We just wanted it to work.  And since she isn’t as “techie” as me, I knew the Macbook was the perfect solution for her.  If this sounds like you, then it’s perfect for you too.  Just buy the Macbook.  Or don’t.  You won’t hurt my feelings (my laptop is an HP)… Price $1139.89

That’s it for the back-to-school round up.  Did I leave anything out?  What do you have to run out and get before school?  What’s your favorite back to school gadget?  Tell us in the comments below.

When it comes to sex, people from every corner of the world have their own stigmas, morals, beliefs, and in many cases even laws.  There is merit in many or at least some of these beliefs, but some are just bizarre.  You start to wonder what the motivation behind them is.  I’m going to explore a few different ideas that relate to sex and rules.

Sexual Double Standards

This is probably the most prevalent sexual stigma in western civilization today.  It is quite commonly accepted that men will engage in sexual activity before marriage, and frankly they are rewarded socially.  It is seen as some sort of accomplishment.  But when a woman engages in the same amount of sexual activity she is seen as “slutty” or “whorish.”  Why is this?

I have a crazy theory.  In our society women aren’t supposed to enjoy sex.  They are especially not supposed to enjoy sex outside of marriage.  Women are supposed to engage in sex only to please men.  This is why you’ll find that both men and women condemn a woman of “loose morals” while only (some) women will condemn a man of the same actions (although this is also evidence that women judge each other more harshly than men do, but that’s a topic for another day).  Our patriarchal society has deemed it appropriate, (i can only assume because of a man’s insecurity), for men to engage in as much sexual activity as they possibly can, while women are meant to be selective and only have sex under certain constraints.

Sexual Stigmas

There are way too many stigmas here to possibly try and explore them all, but a few stick out in my mind, so I’d like to explore them.  First off, sex without emotional and/or physical commitment.  It has been made appropriate (whether by religion, morals, or whatever) that in order to not be a whore, one must be in some sort of committed and faithful relationship.  Why is this?  What difference does it make if I say I love you before I have sex with you?  Why does me not having sex with anyone else make it ok for me to have sex with you?  50 years ago the stigma was sex outside of marriage, but something changed.  Had it been the same as before, I might consider that it had something to do with religion or at least the sanctity of marriage, but that is obviously not the case.  So tell me, why is it important to be committed to a person before sexual activity is deemed appropriate?

Sexual Orientations.  Some people are gay.  Some are straight.  Some are bisexual.  Some are transsexual.  Some are trans-gender.  Some are confused.  Some are sure.  Some are just pleasure seekers.  Some are filling a void.  But here’s my question for you: why do you care?  How does any of this affect you?  What makes you so arrogant that you think you know better, or that somehow by being who and what you are you have the right to tell anyone how to live his or her life?  Assuming that these people aren’t hurting anyone, what gives you the right to oppress them with your beliefs?  Please, do tell…

Sexual Fetishes. Similar to different orientations, some people are into different sexual fetishes.  You might argue that they are oppressing others or “crossing the line,” but I think we both know that there is no line.  What you find degrading, someone else might find liberating.  What you find to be immoral, someone else might find exhilarating.  Again, assuming that nobody is being hurt (or engaging in an activity that they do not want to), what right do you have to try and control or limit, or even judge silently, their actions?  Remember that religion is not an arguing point, because you cannot force YOUR religion on someone who doesn’t believe the same.

I might be Muslim, Christian, or Jewish, but in America where there is no religious law, what right do I have to express or oppress my views on others?

Sexual Legislation

In some countries it’s illegal to be gay.  In some countries sodomy is illegal.  There are places where it is illegal to be in possession of a sex toy.  There are places where group sex is illegal.  Maybe you can help me understand this.  Why, where, and how would it be a good idea for a country to impose legislation on the sexual lives of it’s citizens?

Here’s an example I know of personally.  In Saudi Arabia it is illegal to be a homosexual.  The reasoning for this is that Saudi Arabia is a country of Islamic law, and it is forbidden in Islam to be homosexual.  As an American, I would wish that all countries had the freedoms that I have, but I know that this isn’t possible.  Or maybe it isn’t wanted by everyone else in the world.  What do you think?

I think we often take on the beliefs of our parents and elders unknowingly, and we never stop to question them.  But in the society we live in today, we need to question.  Because questioning leads to knowledge, and knowledge leads to understanding and appreciation.  I might not be gay, but I appreciate a persons right to live how they feel fit, so long as nobody else’s rights are infringed upon.  Do you feel the same?  Why or why not?

When I first heard of the iPad, I wondered why anyone would be willing to pay the price for it.  It’s expensive, and seemingly not nearly worth the cost.  Plus have you ever met an Apple Fanboy?  They are basically the biggest losers of the tech world.  But everything changed when I got one for free (I won a drawing for one at my apartment complex…).  I was excited at first, just because I’ve never really won anything before.  But when I started using it (I’ve had it for a week now), I realized that it could fill holes in my life that I just got used to, but never should have.  As you’ve probably heard before, it fills voids that you didn’t know existed.  Now granted, it doesn’t really do any of them better than a device dedicated to doing the same thing does, but it also means you don’t have to carry 20 devices.  Allow me to explain a few:

Books and Magazines

Plain and simple, books and magazines look awesome on this thing.  This is actually something I could fall in love with, since I’m the kind of guy that loves to have at least 1 book and magazine with me at all times (I love to read).  Sure, I have to pay for them all (or share with a friend), but now I have about 40 books and 15 magazines with me everywhere I go.  My reading productivity will definitely increase.

Videos and Music

Youtube, Netflix, ABC Player, iPod, and iTunes.  Basically you can watch or listen to whatever you want.  The screen is crisp and bright and looks great.  I have the Wifi version and it streams fantastically, as long as you have decent internet service.  I heard that there is even a DJ software that you can use, and the iPad can become the only hardware you need to power your party.  I’m no DJ, but that sounds pretty awesome to me.  And even with the 16 gb version, you can fit plenty of music and videos on this bad boy.

News Reader

As a young professional as well as a citizen of this world, it’s important that I keep up with current events, politics, and other worldly news.  With the iPad and a few trusty news apps (BBC, USA Today, Fluent News, NYTimes, AP News, Newsweek and Wired), I can keep up with everything going on around the world without having to head to my office or boot up my laptop (I’m not a paper reader).  All of these apps are free and will keep you connected to your fellow humans.

References (or B.S. checker)

A perfect bet settler or just reference tool, the iPad has access to apps that can help you reference just about anything you are looking for.  With apps like Wikipanion, Google, Dictionary, Google Earth, and WebMD you can find whatever you need, and fast, faster even than you could with your computer.

Internet Browser

I’ll be honest: I owned an iPhone when the first generation one came out.  I kept it for about a year, then switched to  Blackberry.  I loved the iPhone, but I couldn’t stand typing on a touch screen (responding to emails and such).  The thing I missed most about the iPhone was it’s amazing internet browsing.  It’s unbeatable… unless of course you own an iPad.  This thing is the greatest internet browsing tool I’ve ever used.  It’s faster than Chrome, which in my experience is the fastest browser for PC (I’m not a mac user).  I love browsing on the iPad.  Other than it not having flash (which I’m not a huge fan of anyways), it just works well.

Gaming

I’m a bit of a gamer, so I really wanted to test this aspect.  I haven’t played many games on this thing yet, but the games I’ve played are ok.  They are fun and I’d definitely play them if I was waiting in line or just sitting around, but I haven’t played any that I’d choose over booting up the PC for some hardcore action.  Anyone have an iPad game they love?  Recommend a good one to me.

My Favorite Tools

I’m a computer nerd.  You probably aren’t.  But in case you are, you’ll enjoy these tools which make the iPad really fun for me.  TwentiesLife.com is a Wordpress blog; there is a Wordpress app for iPad, which means I can now be a mobile blogger.  I invest with Etrade; there is an Etrade app that makes investing and managing my money a breeze.  I am a Dropbox addict, and the ipad Dropbox app is just about the greatest app of all time.  I love Stumbleupon, and of course there’s an app for that.  I also love watching TedTalks, and there’s an app for that.  There are plenty more, but I won’t waste your time explaining them all.

Overall

The hardware of the iPad is great, but it’s not groundbreaking.  I don’t think they’ve squeezed anything super amazing into this thing.  What makes the iPad so amazing is the App Store.  The developers of the iPad apps are the ones who make it something worth having.  Basically you pay $500 (or whatever they cost) for access to the simplest, greatest mobile apps you could get your hands on.

You can grab your iPad here!

I’ve come up with an idea that I think will rock on TwentiesLife.  I would like to have writers talk about all of the taboo topics that twenty-somethings face in real life.  I mean the big ones.  Everything from abortion to religion to politics to various sexual topics.  And not only do I want to explore these ideas, but I want opinions.  People with strong opinions always inspire debate and things often get heated.  And that’s just what we need here at TwentiesLife, a place for people to talk about their passions, their beliefs, and their ideas.

Now this is obviously going to get ugly.  But life isn’t always pretty.  And as long as we can be civil and stay on topic, rather than resorting to petty name calling and insults, I think TwentiesLife is going to be a great medium for some hardcore debating on Taboo Topics.

So look forward to some hot opinions, in-debt debate, and mind blowing perspectives.  It’s all coming soon!