Five Things We Should Resolve To Stop Doing In 2011

It is that time of years again when, with the turn of the calendar, we decide we should make overly hopeful changes in our lives. Most of these New Year's resolutions are things we feel we should start doing more often - like exercising, reading, or paying child support.

But what about the things we do everyday that we should probably halt immediately?

Here are my suggestions for stuff we should stop doing in 2011 to make a better life for all:

Stop Making People Into Celebrities for Doing the Wrong Thing

One of the most appalling things that has risen from the glut of reality TV is how we place people who have screwed up on a proverbial pedestal. We seem to have a need to watch everyday folks that make big life mistakes, possibly to make us feel better about our existence. ('Well, at least, I'm not THAT big of a screw-up!') Through this attention, these personalities become unnecessarily famous.

Question: When your kid writes on the walls with a marker, do you reprimand them by restricting them to their room or do you invite the neighbors over so he can re-enact the same stupidity for them?

Amber Portwood's mug shot

A great example of "celebrification" is "Teen Mom" notable Amber Portwood, who is currently separated from her child after being arrested for felony domestic battery and child neglect. During last season, she had an on-screen confrontation with her former fiance which led to the charges. Putting the spotlight on a girl, especially one who has had no notoriety before, makes no sense what-so-ever. At a time when she should be completely focused on her life and current situation, she is not. She is more concerned with whether the camera is getting her good side (if there is one.) It also leads me to ask if there are any teens out there who see her as a role model, that think if they do something irresponsible like teen pregnancy they could get their own show too.
Rob Blagojevich, former governor of Illinois who was impeached by the state congress after federal officials brought him up on corruption charges, is another prime example. As governor, not many outside of the state could have told you his name. But by becoming infamous for his removal from office, Blago received book deals, TV spots ("The Celebrity Apprentice" and pistachio commercials) and even appearances at comic book conventions, selling autographs for $50 and pictures for $80. Why? Because promoters knew that it all would sell to the public-at-large.

Stop Giving People Attention for Being Outrageous

Ever seen the person who makes a huge fuss at a restaurant? The parent who complains too loudly to the referee at his kid's ball game? The whack job at the parade with a bullhorn, body paint and sparklers hanging from his earlobe gauges?

Ever been that guy?

We have a fascination with lifting up people who scream, "Look at me! Look at me!" The louder, the crazier, the better.

Cast of Jersey Shore, Season 3

Best case in point: Jersey Shore. They dance, drink and fight. With excessive tanning and extreme work-outs, the cast looks like Oompa Loompas with gym memberships. They get drunk and take a swing at whoever looks at them (or their lay of the week) in the wrong way. And for this, we have given them a TV show.

Last week, conservative TV commentator Tucker Carlson said that Michael Vick, the NFL quarterback convicted of financing a dog-fighting ring, should be "executed" for his crime. My question: did Carlson think he hadn't been in the news enough recently? Is he gunning for a regular Fox News show by making ridiculous statements? Probably. It's not like it hasn't worked before.

Stop Caring About Celebrities Personal Lives

Okay, I know your life isn't the greatest. Mine isn't either. Most people aren't leading the life of Riley, Ace of Spies.

But wouldn't your time be better spent trying to improve your own life instead of obsessing over more famous people's trials and tribulations?

Admittedly, I do "celebrity gawk." I click on the trending topics of Twitter or Yahoo News to see why a celebrity is listed. I feel a wave of self-loathing when I glance at the tabloid headlines in the grocery store check-out line. Our obsession with private lives - proven by the popularity of shows like Entertainment Tonight and TMZ - has become so pronounced it has become a cash cow for photographers, "journalists" (yes, I put that in quotes) and news publishers and producers.

Dr. Drew Pinsky

One of the most egregious examples of this long-standing trend is the VH1 show "Celebrity Rehab." Former stars in entertainment appear with Dr. Drew Pinsky to work out problems of substance abuse. It used to be that Pinsky was the voice of reason on his show "Loveline," chiming in with solid advice for anonymous radio listeners after the jokes about the question subsided from Adam Corolla and his guest.

But these are real people trying to work out deeprooted problems in the limelight of a television show and I can't see how Pinsky sees this as a good idea. While some celebrities use the show (now in its fourth season) as a possible stepping stone to a return to popularity or a straight-up grab for attention, other obviously need deeply personal help - the kind of help that doesn't need to be broadcast to the masses as entertainment that helps sell soda and chewing gum and toilet paper.

Stop Being Distracted By Everyday Tragedies

Aerial news coverage
of a house fire

I was a journalist for several years. Eventually I left because I saw the growing trend of sensationalism in the news. Switching sides of the fence, I started a business as a public relations specialist, helping charities get the word out on their programs and needs. It was these important stories that were being drowned out in the din of sensationalism.
 Let's be clear here. While a house fire is certainly a tragedy, it is not news. In a large city there can be half a dozen or more house fires in the day, but your local six o'clock news isn't going to report all of them. You only are going to see:

1) the one that the station got on film
2) the one with the most dramatic-looking flames

It's all about ratings and TV stations don't get them with anchors who just read copy. Fire, smoke and twisted metal are all just tools of the business to distract the masses with everyday death and destruction. It doesn't matter that it's the twelfth time this winter someone has left a space heater too close to the curtains. It still means ratings if everyone watches.

An arsonist starting house fires in a neighborhood is news; one house fire isn't.

Stop Supporting People Who Screw Us Over

It's difficult to keep up with everything in a world with so much information. But why is it people insist on taking "facts" at face value or giving people the "benefit of the doubt" when overwhelmingly given evidence that they aren't working in our best interest?

Case in point from last year: A study at the University of Maryland found that a large portion of voters were misinformed on key voting issues during last year's elections.

People voting Democrat had believed that President Obama had not increased troop numbers in Afghanistan and Democratic legislators had not mostly voted for TARP (the banking and car manufacture bail-out enacted during President Bush's last year.)

Even more appallingly, regular viewers of Fox News (both Democrat and Republican, though moreso the latter) showed a disproportionately greater gap in their understanding of the facts as they applied to health care reform and the deficit, improvement in the economy, and tax cuts during Obama's first two years.

So explain to me why is Fox News the most watched news source on cable?


Another case in point was this study showing the inequity of wealth distribution in America.

In almost every case, Republican-backed policies benefit the top one percent of people in the U.S. However, more than 30 percent of Americans identify as Republican. Republican voters still choose to believe that wealth trickles down even as the gap between the top 10 percent and everyone else grows. They also choose to believe it though studies show corporations are currently saving more than one trillion dollars in reserves, money that could be used to provide needed jobs.

And just so you don't think I'm just focused on conservative blindness, here are more examples. There are people who unexplainedly still follow and support Democrats like ex-Governor of Illinios Blagojevich (whose tale has been told above) and U.S. Representative from New York Charles Rangel, recently censured by his collegues for 11 ethics violations.

Remember: Education is the key here. And no one is going to do it for you. And if they do, they probably have an agenda.

This Post Is For One Person And One Person Only...

Tom Lennon arrested for breakdancing outside of Koo Koo Roo with a raging boner.

Hi Tom!

Left-overs

(Another piece from my online writing group.)

Echo shuffled nervously as she stood in rank, staring forward at the massive pale blue monitor.

It was a room of the complex she had never seen before. It had been three days of blood sampling and examinations and a tattoo number on her wrist. She had rested more than usual from what she suspected was sedation.

There had been thirty of them in the line when they entered but six had been called to leave. A number, each digit larger than a human male, appeared on the screen.

"Number 23178, exit to the right for processing." The mechanical command boomed from above, raising the hairs on the back of Echo's neck.

A rotund boy, maybe 8 or 9 years old, started to whimper from about eight people down the line. A soft whisper bounced off the walls of the chamber.

"It will be okay, Jeffie," a woman said with a tremor in her voice. "Just go through the door."

Echo looked to her right.

"Mother, no. Please, no," The boy cried as he gripped the woman's leg, burying his face into her thigh.

"EYES FORWARD!"

Startled, Echo spun her gaze back to the screen. Two heavily-armored soldiers passed inches before her, carrying long black cudgels with a shiny metal knob at the end. They stopped before the boy.

"Come with us. It's time to go."

The boy wailed and hugged his mother's leg tighter, drawing Echo's attention again.

"Please, Jeffie, go with them." Tears rolled down the mother's face.

"Go with us now or..." The soldiers words trailed off and he pressed metal ball of his cudgel against the boy's back.

The woman reached down and desperately tried to pry the boy from her leg. He would not let go.

"All right," the guard said with a sigh. His cudgel lit to life, an electric charge leaping from the metal ball to the boy.

The boy slumped immediately. The woman spasmed for a moment and collapsed to the floor. No one in the line moved or looked. All stood staring at the screen.

Echo started to go to the boy but a hand clasped her wrist. She looked back.

The man beside her, still staring forward at the screen, held her arm.

"Don't," he whispered. "Nothing you can do."

Echo looked back. The soldiers lifted the boy by the armpits and drug him through the door to the right. The woman still laid flat on the floor.

Echo stepped back into rank and looked forward.

A long silence pushed in on the room, building an unseen pressure. The man beside Echo allowed his hand to slip from her wrist and he suppressed a cough.

The screen lit again with letters.

"Complete," the mechanical voice from above boomed, repeating what the screen read.

A few exhaled sighs and one woman fell to her knees, weeping quietly into her hands. Several people went to attend to the fallen mother.

"What just happened?" Echo asked the man beside her.

"Yes, obviously, you haven't been here before," he whispered to her. "We are okay for now. We weren't chosen. We are the left-overs."

Kevin Smith Has Just Re-Invented Himself

Top Ten Favorite Redheads

I am posting a list of my top 10 favorite redheaded female celebrities, not as some weird stalker-ish inventory of obsessions, but for two reasons:

First, I wanted to work on my blogging skills - creating posts with pictures and text and successfully interweaving them in a creative layout.

And second, the topic came up in conversation the other day and I have been thinking about it on and off since.

I admit it. I do have a thing for redheads. I always have. There is a fiery passion in most that I find alluring - an indomitable drive and always a strong opinion. I've dated three redheads in my life, all relationships I could describe as "interesting" (as a complete understatement, mind you.)

I tried to choose women who are true redheads, though I am sure some have slipped through. And this is a personal list, women who I find attractive for one reason (or several.) It can't be argued because it's my opinion based on my knowledge and experiences. In short, don't flame the comment section because I didn't list your favorite. Just go make your own list.

So here it is (in alphabetical order with some honorable mentions at the end):

Amy Adams Angelic face, disarming smile and a super-talented actress, I think she can play any role she puts her mind to. Watch "Sunshine Cleaning, "Doubt" and "The Fighter" to see a very diverse actress.

Lauren Ambrose I met Lauren on a movie set recently and she is just as pretty in person as when I 'crushed on' her as Claire Fisher in "Six Feet Under." See "Cold Souls" and the Law & Order ep "Damaged" (a heartbreaking hour where she portrays a mentally-handicapped rape victim) as testament to her acting abilities.

Gillian Anderson Oh, the lovely Agent Scully... yes, I was a HUGE X-Files fan and she was a major reason for it. Toss in her acquired English accent from 'treading the boards' in London's West End and, that's it, you had me at "I want to believe."

Kari Byron Okay, there's some 'geek cred' on this list (you're going to get that from someone who's a geek himself) and this gorgeous Mythbuster has it; cute with a blazing smile - plus she blows things up! Really, what more could you want?

Felicia Day Looking for the geek that has it all? Look no further than Felicia. A talented actress who has created her own Web series "The Guild," she's beautiful and smart and has a laugh and smile to die for. Check out "Dr. Horrible's Sign-Along Blog," "Dollhouse" and "The Legend of Neil" for more of her talents.

Karen Gillan Admittedly, I only know her as Amy Pond in the latest incarnation of "Doctor Who," but wow! does she stand out. She's Scottish (again with the accents, Don?!) and her energy is just as her red hair suggests. Tall and elegant, she may have a future in the business!

Alyson Hannigan As much as I liked Alyson in "Buffy" years ago, she's even more beautiful now. The "How I Met Your Mother" actress can carry all aspects of acting; see the "American Pie" movie series for more comedic chops.

Rebecca Mader I am fully convinced that Rebecca is an alien. Piercing blue eyes, perfect smile and playful personality, she even looked great covered in grime as Charlotte in "Lost." Plus an English accent, like she needed it...

Jennifer Morrison Calling Dr. Cameron. The mesmerizing former star of House M.D. didn't show it as a TV doctor but is a natural redhead. Girl next door looks, an inviting smile and an upbeat personality contribute to her undeniable appeal.

Morgan Murphy Redheaded AND funny? It can't be. But that is the enchanting Morgan with hilarious stand-up and writing for late night TV, currently Jimmy Fallon. Her deliberate delivery is counter to what I'd expect from a redhead but the depravity of her humor only endears her to me more.

Honorable Mentions

Jenna Fischer, Isla Fisher, Christina Hendricks, Bryce Dallas Howard,

Nicole Kidman, Jayma Mays, Rose McGowan, Sara Rue, Alicia Witt,

Evan Rachel Wood

And Now For Some Wikileaks Humor...

(from my Twitter feed)

Men with prostate problems have difficulty urinating, also know as Weakileaks. #ApologiesToMyTwitterFollowers

If your crazy friend tells you about his pet purple elephant, and you tell his psychiatrist, it's called a Wackileak. #AgainSorry

In 1692 Salem, many people were burned at the stake because of Wiccanleaks. #YesIKnow...

If you turn in your boss for embezzlement to get his job, it's called a Workileak. #ICantStop

Premature ejaculation during masturbation is also known as wankileaks. #BoyThatOneIsBad

If you have a cigarette lighter that is losing fuel, it's called a Bicileak. #OkayThatsTheLastOne

If you make out with a vampire, you will probable end up with a HickeyLeak. #OkayILied #ThisIsTheLastOne #ForNow

Years ago at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Disney's balloon entry deflated. It was blamed on a MickeyLeak. #IAmBeyondHelp

(500) Days of Slumber?

And this is how I spend my time. It passes by - like I am asleep.

It's been a while since I left Florida. After 35 years, it seemed like the right time to leave. "Time for a change" was my reasoning. But I know it was more than that.

The other night I saw a rather unique movie, "(500) Days of Summer." Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, it starts as a young man, Tom, tells us the best relationship of his life has ended and he's not sure why. The film jumps back and forth over the 500 days he's known Summer, the girl of his dreams who he meets at a greeting card company where he writes copy. Tom recalls moments and, as he leaps from memory to memory, the movie tells us which day we are watching so we can put the story in order. We accompany him as he tries to piece together where things went wrong.

It was a surprisingly moving piece. As Roger Ebert noted, it's rare that a film tells us its ending to begin with so we can follow the protagonist in his struggle to understand his past. As we watch the story unfold, we learn two key things. First, Tom doesn't want to be a greeting card writer; he studied to be an architect and dreams of pursuing it again one day. And second, when he and Summer first start dating, she admits that she is not interested in anything serious relationship-wise. So we begin with a person who wants to build something and another not willing (at least at the start) to commit to create anything substantial.

I found myself emotional at two points, both late in the film. A seminal moment arises where we see that Summer decides Tom isn't "the one." It's heartbreaking because he doesn't realize it is the moment, the importance of it escapes him as he has settled into seeing Summer as always being there. The other moment is the last time they see each other. They meet - possibly accidently, possibly only in Tom's mind - at a spot they shared that overlooked the cityscape and they talk about what happened.

I guess I relate heavily to the circumstances of the movie. I moved to Georgia 14 months ago after the break-up of an eight year relationship. At times while we were together, I held hope things would get better, that it would work out. Deep inside, I was slowly realising it would not. But I still had hope until the night she walked into our bedroom and said she was leaving. So I quit my job and decided I'd make a change - to pursue things, like screenwriting, that I thought I couldn't afford to try when I was in a commited relationship.

But truly, since then, I haven't tried. I've been asleep, the perfectionist in me won't leave it alone. I've been going over and over those eight years in my head, trying to figure out what went wrong, where I could have made a change to save what I cherished. I'm blocked - I rarely write, I hardly rest at night and I seem to jump from day to day. There are times when I can't recall what I did during the 24 hours before.

I know it's depression. I see a therapist. I take medication. But I still can't shake it.

I feel asleep, like I'm in a dull dream where nothing happens but the ticking of seconds. I struggle for clarity of thought and a time to just shut down. Moments of happiness arise but flitter away. I attempt to stay creative but too much time is spent on the search for the answer and not enough on focus - focus on anything but the search.

It's been more than 400 days now since I tried to leave it all behind. Will it be another 100 before I can wake?