Bracelet bonanza

Lance Armstrong has cancer in his testicles.\nLooking around campus, this fact is made abundantly clear. It seems the notorious "Livestrong" wristband is now being purchased more often on campus than birth control.\nBut why is it that these bright, banana-colored bands have become so popular? \nThe answer can be summed up in one word: bahhhhhh.\nPeople are sheep, though, in this case, the sheep mentality has finally been harvested for a benevolent purpose. Giving to a charity, for the first time in my generation, is finally considered popular. \nI can't help but wonder, however, if these charitable contributions are merely part of a Beanie Baby-esque phase, another fad that will inevitably pass. Throughout childhood, a number of bracelet trends came and went. In kindergarten, slap bracelets were the radical things to own. If you had one of those pliable puppies wrapped snuggly around your wrist, you were king of the wooden block castle. The hand that sported the bracelet, despite being used primarily for nose-picking, suddenly had an omnipotent quality.\nIn grade school, kids collected the flaccid, neon bracelets from Chuck E. Cheese. Bright splashes of color covered arms up and down, making it look as though students had just performed a Caesarean section on a pregnant rainbow.\nBesides the brief infatuation with clunky Fossil watches, the last prolonged trend was probably the "What Would Jesus Do?" bracelet, which, considering the current trend, is kind of funny. Jesus was shafted for some dude with a bicycle and a ball disorder.\nWhile all of these bracelets can be viewed as positive accessories, allowing people to showcase different aspects of their personalities, the Lance Armstrong bracelets seem to have a more philanthropic purpose. Rather than buying these bracelets to impress others or simply to "bahhh" with the other sheep, the Livestrong bracelets are bought for the sole purpose of helping others. This purchase, in turn, helps you showcase something even more valuable: generosity. \nBecause of the high number of yellow wristbands that have been sold nationwide, the Lance Armstrong foundation has "awarded more than $9.6 million in research grants,"according to www.livestrong.org. Every bracelet is like a link in the chain of finding a cure.\nIn light of the success of the Livestrong bracelets, a variety of other charity bracelets have been sold as well. \nLast week, for example, campus organizations began selling red wristbands in support of the hurricane relief effort. While having people accessorize with natural disasters seems strange, like wearing a pair of tsunami earrings, the proceeds of these wristbands go to people who desperately need the money.\nSo if you're contemplating buying a wristband, take the plunge. Donate a measly $5 and display your generosity with pride.