Kanye West upstaged Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Music Awards or at least he tried to do so.  Taylor was ecstactic to receive her MTV award when Kanye felt compelled to voice his opinion that Beyonce deserved the award.  This is not the first time Kanye has done something controversial. 

When you feel like upstaging someone, you better think twice about it.  The karma will come back to you just like it came back to Kanye.  Pink and other celebrities were firing up the Twitter lines by posting comments about Kanye. 

The truth is that the publicity didn't hurt Kanye West or Taylor Swift; she was smart and took the high road by not bad mouthing Kanye.  She had no reason to diss Kanye because he already made himself look bad in the eyes of the public.  Of course, the passing of his mother may have contributed to his lack of judgment.

You can learn a lot from celebrities and the mistakes they make.  The next time you have the urge to make someone look bad or upstage just remember what Kanye West did and the ramifications he faced for his actions.  Remember, every action has a consequence!

Wow!  President Obama's speech to teens about education has caused a lot of controversy.  Why? Oh, that's right most Americans don't like to take responsibility for anything let alone their lives.  It makes sense that they'd think the President is trying to "brainwash" kids by telling them that they're responsible for their education.  News flash....he's right!

Parents’ outrage about President Obama’s education speech was so strong that some states banned teens from watching it.  What’s the controversy really about?  Is it that he’s asking kids to be more proactive (take responsibility) when it comes to their education?  What if the real issue was the color of his skin?  After all, Presidents Reagan and Bush spoke to children about saying “no” to drugs and the importance of education.  No one had a problem with their speeches.  It's just another perspective to consider.

President Obama is right to tell children to be responsible for their education.  You can have the greatest teachers in the world, but if you goof off and skip school it won’t matter.  It’s up to you whether or not you take your education seriously.

Don’t just rely on teachers to educate you.  Draw your own conclusions by reading and researching.  Instead of playing hours of video games pickup a book, read it, and learn something new.  Become a seeker of knowledge and apply it to your life.  That’s real power! 

You can’t believe everything you read in textbooks.  For example, history is usually written from the winners’ point-of-view.  What about the other side?  What’s their story?  Find out what really happened.  You may be surprised that the “truth” has been stretched and distorted.  In addition to your teachers, seek out others who can educate you.  Volunteer at a senior center, a military hospital or center, or your local library.  Getting information "straight from the horses" mouth can help you separate fact from fiction.

Educating yourself is the best thing you can do.  The sooner you learn to “think for yourself” the better off you’ll be.  People will do their best to “push” their beliefs onto you without taking into consideration your beliefs.  You can put a stop to this by arming yourself with a good education.  Learn to think and speak for yourself.  If you disagree with someone’s point-of-view, speak up and voice your opinion.  Your opinion matters just as much as theirs does; agree to disagree.

If you didn’t have the opportunity to hear President Obama’s speech, you may want to do an internet search for it.  As you know, you can find anything on the internet.  Don’t allow others, even your parents, to take away your right to discern information.  By the way, President Obama’s speech is a great lesson in discernment.  You decide if his speech was propaganda or a way for a leader to reach his people including the youth of the USA.

What do you think?  Was it right to ban President Obama's speech?  Share your opinion.

The high school teen years can be a horrible or fun experience.  It's up to you.  You don't have to buy into the B.S. that surrounds high school such as peer pressure, clicks, being in the "in" crowd, and everything else that goes along with high school.  Just be yourself.  This can be easier said than done for some high school teens.

For some, the high school teen years are filled with trials and tribulations.  There's the awkward growth spurts, hormones kick-in and turn you into someone you don't recognize, you feel the pressure from society to act and look a certain way, and deal with overbearing parents (sometimes).  It's enough to make your head spin.

When you're in high school it may seem like it will last forever.  It will be over in four years, forever is an overstatement.  You could milk being in high school for all it's worth.  Join extracurricular activities like drama club, sports, or run for class president.  You may want to volunteer because it will make you feel grateful for what you have and it will look good on your college transcripts.  It's a win-win situation!

Getting through the high school teen years

You can get through the high school teen years with ease.  Be yourself and do what you want to do.  Many parents want to "live through their teens" and fulfill their dreams such as being the head cheerleader, class president, or all-star quarterback.  Do what you want to do.  Dad may want you to join the football team because it was his dream.  Say to him, "...thanks for the suggestion, but I'm joining the swim team."  If he gives you a hard time, drop the name Michael Phelps.

Peer pressure can seem like the end of the world but it's not.  If everyone jumped off of the Golden Gate Bridge, would you follow them?  If you answered "yes," you're either being a smarty pants or you just want to fit in with the other teens.  Following another person or group of people is overrated and boring.  Break out of the "popular crowd's" shadow because you're giving up your power.  Don't give your power away to another person.

Fun high school teen years

High school will fly by before you know it.  Often, you spend time wanting to be 14, then 16, and then 18.  Guess what?  Once you turn 18, you're considered an adult.  You have the right to vote and make decisions that will affect the people in your country.  Years ago, boys would have been drafted into the military.  Luckily for you this doesn't happen today. 

You may go off to college or university without your friends because they decided to go to another school.  Enjoy your friends now because you may not to get see much of them in the future or you may outgrow them.  You'll also be away from mom and dad who do the grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, and drive you everywhere.

The high school teen years can be fun or they can be miserable.  The choice is yours.  Do your best in school and graduate.  Whether or not you go to college is your choice.  Learn all you can about money and economics while you're in high school so you can start your own business or become involved in passive income opportunities.  Volunteering abroad is a great way to see the world up close and personal.  It can be better than college because you'll receive "real world" experience.  Don't stop learning after you graduate.  Read as many books as you can and take a couple of seminars and classes to stay sharp.  Surround yourself with positive people and choose your friends and inner circle wisely.  Enjoy your high school years because they will be over in a flash!