I can’t do what? or Unacceptable, says who? I remember it vividly: It was a blistering summer day and I drowned out the humdrum of the weatherman. My mind raced, from sandcastles to hermit crabs to ice cream.

When we arrived, the seagulls paraded the sky, and the sand sizzled beneath my feet. Then it happened, suddenly, yet as though it had been forever building. As I dragged along the beach, I could not seem to detract my gaze from the masses of voluptuous, curvy and mature women. Whether I was staring for seconds, minutes or hours, I could not tell you — but I was simply entranced. And then, all of a sudden, SMACK, the side off my face hit the sand. As I got up and turned to face my fuming mother, she said: “Shaun, you cannot stare at women like that, especially when they are half-naked.” It was from that point on that I knew — there are just some things that are unacceptable, at least in the eyes of others.

In my defense, I was a naïve and pubescent child at the time. This last week, however, unacceptable behavior was uncovered for a group of high profile individuals who cannot cling to such excuses. Let us explore the headlines:

“Pot Shot A Bad Mistake, Phelps Says,” CBS News

For the first time in his 14-gold medal career, Michael Phelps gave some students something to connect with. Photos of Phelps blazing up/hitting a bong/doing some dope, surfaced in a British tabloid. Once the American media got a hold of the story, things really went up in smoke (no pun intended). Phelps was served a three-month suspension by USA swimming, had his endorsement deal with Kellog terminated, and became the lame duck of late night television. Though all he wanted to do was get high, Phelps is now being bombarded with criticism over the example he has set. Society has spoken; smoking Mary Jane is unacceptable, even if you are a world-class athlete.

“Daschle ‘Deeply Embarrassed’ Over Tax Issues,” CNN

Ever wonder what distinguishes you from one of President Obama’s cabinet appointees? Well, when it comes to Sen. Tom Daschle, Obama’s first choice for secretary of health and human services, the difference is that you probably pay your taxes. Daschle was forced to remove himself from consideration for the post after reports surfaced that he had previously owed the government $128,000 in taxes. Personally, I think we should cut him a break. We all forget to claim our personal drivers as income every now and then. It’s not like he was appointed Secretary of the Treasury. Well, society has spoken once again; cheating on your taxes is unacceptable, even if you are a high government official.

“A-Rod Admits to Using Steroids,” Newsday

Former MVP Alex Rodriguez admitted to using a banned performance-enhancing drug — true. Former pop icon Madonna claimed that they had a “significant effect” on his manhood — false. In the newest punch to Major League Baseball’s black eye, Yankee’s third baseman Alex Rodriguez admitted to using steroids from 2001-2003. Superstar A-Rod now joins the likes of Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire and Mr. Met, all of whom cast a dark shadow on the purity of Major League Baseball. If you ever wondered why he hit the ball so far, chewed so much gum or followed the Kabbalah, we now have the answer. It is unclear what action the league or the Yankees will take, as A-Rod claims his juicing “was so five years ago.” Nevertheless, society has spoken; breaking the rules is unacceptable, even when you get paid $252 million.

“Street Artist, Famous For Obama Poster, Arrested,” L.A. News

In middle school art class we were each assigned to make a painting. I received an F- my teacher failed to see that the portrait of my grandma was not simply a copy of the Mona Lisa. Although most of us didn’t know his name, we all knew his work. Shepard Fairey, the creator of the red, white and blue “hope” poster of Barack Obama, has been accused of copyright infringement and has been arrested for tagging property with graffiti. Apparently, the extraordinarily popular piece of art by Fairey almost identically resembles a photo taken by the Associate Press. To add insult to injury, Fairey also spent some time in cuffs for vandalizing two public buildings with graffiti. As it turns out, life as a street artist is just as unglamorous as we might have expected. Society has spoken; “borrowing” someone’s idea without giving due credit is not acceptable, especially when it makes you famous.

You may not be shocked by these headlines; people screw up every day, right? Let us learn from the likes of Michael Phelps, Tom Daschle, Alex Rodriquez and Shepard Fairey. We all act in an unacceptable manner at one time or another. It never hurts to have an excuse ready — mine was testosterone.