Swipe Left

I've been seeing a lot of these new truth campaign commercials on TV lately, and honestly, they annoy me. I don't smoke cigarettes, either. Just the fact that the people who appear in this "hip" music video are so condescending and judgmental of people's personal choices.

"Those cigarettes are taking you from 10s to 2s," one of the guys in the music video says. Does a cigarette really make a person that drastically unattractive? I doubt it.

Sure, cigarettes might be a turnoff for most, but do they make a person uglier? Absolutely not.

This advertising campaign is nothing but an attempt to persuade impressionable teens to not smoke by using Tinder to relate to them. Their message, "Gotta swipe dat," is extremely degrading and is nothing more than a giant put down for those who choose to smoke. It's a personal choice, not a sin.

So the next time I see this annoying commercial, instead of swiping left on Tinder because of a cigarette, I will "change dat" channel.

10 Things Kim Jong Un's New Haircut Looks Like

Leader of South Korea, Kim Jong Un, has just revealed his new hairstyle, and it's, well, different. Here are 10 things his new hairdo looks like:

10. Haircuts by Mr. Bean

9. This guy's mustache

8. Wild Thing, you make my heart sing

7. Ice, ice baby (ding ding ding dingdingdingding)

6. Willow Smith

5. This dude from Tekken

4. Oppa Gangnam Style

3. Those karate helmets from Spongebob

2. Remember these things?

1. DJ Pauly D from Jersey Shore setting trends

The Problems with Rolling Stone's SNL Cast Rankings

In the most recent issue of Rolling Stone, they ranked all 141 SNL cast members. The results were, well, surprising to say the least. Most shocking was seeing the late Chris Farley at No. 15 and the other 14 that beat him.

Let's get one thing straight: Chris Farley was undoubtedly the best physical comedian ever. But it seems as if SNL hasn't been giving him the recognition and legacy he deserves, especially last night during SNL's 40th Anniversary special.

Despite the iconic sketches he appeared in, including Chippendale's, motivational speaker Matt Foley and Bennett Brauer, Rolling Stone still felt that cast members like Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader and Tina Fey (who made the list at No. 3) made more of an impact on the show than Farley.

Critics always compare Farley's larger-than-life persona and destructive lifestyle to Belushi, so why isn't he closer to Belushi's No. 1 spot?

Why Brian Williams' Suspension is too Strict

Brian Williams, anchor of NBC's "Nightly News" was recently suspended for six months because of inconsistencies in a story he told about coming under fire while in a helicopter in Iraq. The decision to not only suspend Williams but to suspend him for half a year is absolutely ridiculous.

The public is outraged that Williams would "lie" about this story. But the thing is, it happened over six years ago. Can you even remember what you ate for dinner last week? I didn't think so.

Also, remember the time George W. Bush said there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? What happened to him when he lied to all of us? I'll tell you what happened — nothing.

So then why are we giving Williams such a hard time?

I understand everyone's hesitance to trust him now, but this was the first time he had made a  mistake like this, and he was accountable for this mistake by addressing his viewers and apologizing to them.

We all know Brian Williams is a fantastic journalist. Does one mistake make him any less of a brilliant man?

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The Fight for Royalties

Tom Petty was recently rewarded royalties for similarities between his hit "Won't Back Down" and Sam Smith's single "Stay With Me." Now, Rolling Stone has published an article in support of compensation for songwriters.

According to the U.S. Copyright Office, "Our music-licensing system is in need of repair."

I, however, disagree. Sure, with apps like Pandora and Spotify, it's difficult for musicians to optimize their profits. But that's not the point of making music. The point is for it to be heard.

Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters once said, "My songwriting is like extending a hand to the listener."

The way listeners obtain a musician's art shouldn't matter. If they like what they hear, they're going to be willing to buy the merchandise and concert tickets.

My Love for Punk Music Explained

Growing up, I had considered music as two different genres: good music and bad music. There was no pop, there was no electronica. Whatever made me dance in the backseat of my father's Honda at the age of 3 was labeled as good music.

It wasn't until I began maturing that I carefully started listening to and analyzing the music I heard. I believe the first time I had heard a punk rock song was playing "Tony Hawk: Proskater" for Nintendo 64. "Police Truck" by the Dead Kennedys was one of the songs featured on the soundtrack, and I remember falling in love. The anti-everything message made me question the way I and everyone else lived.

However, punk rock is not always about turning your back on government and sticking it to the man. Punk encourages individualism and non-conformity — two things I deeply cherish.

Live performances helped give punk its appeal. The way frontmen such as Henry Rollins interacted with the audience, placing his trust in them by jumping off the stage. It goes to show you how united all of these fans are at punk shows, despite the elbows being carelessly thrown around. On the seventh day, God said, "Let there be punk."