Blame it on Al Frankin

Al Frankin’s Saturday Night Live character Stuart Smalley was famous for his positive self-affirmations in front of a mirror. Turns out he was only slightly ahead of his time.

A recent study reports that today’s college students are more narcissistic and self-centered than the college students of years past. The study was called the Narcissistic Personality Inventory between 1982 and 2006. It reports that narcissism scores have risen steadily since the study began in 1982. More students than ever agree with statements such as “If I ruled the world, it would be a better place,” “I think I am a special person” and “I can live my life the way I want to.”

Did we need a study to tell us that? Couldn’t we have just opened a People magazine or turned on Access Hollywood?

Let’s see…
- Brittany shaves her head and checks into rehab more often than Catholics stand and sit in church.
- More men claim to be the father of Anna Nichole’s daughter than ever watched here dreadful TV show.
- Paris Hilton…’nuff said
- An American Idol hopeful claims the “the dirty pictures are mine, the REALLY dirty ones are not, but the dirty ones are mine.”

Nah, this isn’t a narcissistic generation!

When a teenager drives a car worth more than the working father of three makes in a year, the world has turned upside down.

So when Stuart Smalley looks in the mirror, perhaps he should say “Maybe I’m not good enough, but my kids sure are.”

Oscar Turns Green?

Well congratulations Hollywood. You've just completed your first "green" Academy Awards. Despite a few broken arms from trying to pat yourselves on the back, you may have raised awareness to global warming.

But what message did you really send?

As a viewer I heard some well-applauded commentary about saving the environment. But besides a few "recycled" jokes from Ellen, what was different? The web site says producers "endeavored to select supplies and services with a sensitivity toward reducing the threats we face from global warming, species extinction, deforestation, toxic waste and hazardous chemicals in our water and food". So what does that mean? Did they simply "endeavor" or were they successful is reducing "Oscar's ecological footprint" as they put it?

I'll admit to giving up on the telecast when Clint Eastwood began to speak in tongues (or was he just translating Italian? I'm not sure.) So maybe I missed all the hybrid cars dropping off the stars on the recycled and organically produced red carpet. Was there more to the greening of the Oscars?

To find out, I went to the Oscar web site where I found the endeavoring quotes above. I also found a list of things we common folk can do on our own to help the environment. All very well intentioned I'm sure, and all probably quite effective.

Now I am no tree-hugger. Nor am I one who denies global warming. As usual, I fall somewhere in the middle. I tend to believe the scientific reports I've heard that the polar ice caps are in danger. But I'm not completely clear on why. After all, we are coming out of an Ice Age. Nevertheless, I am willing to do my part to help, because I truly believe that we, as the human species, are the only ones who can make a difference.

So let's look at Oscar's environmental suggestions, and see how well Hollywood conformed when the whole world was watching.

1. Drive more fuel-efficient, less polluting cars. - As I said earlier, did I miss the Hybrid limos?
2. Cut your driving miles. - Did anyone not show up because the drive from home was too long...let alone the flight in from their current movie location?
3. Carpool. - "Hello Ellen, this is Leo. I thought since we were both going to the Oscars tonight, maybe we could just take one car to reduce emissions. I'm calling Wil Smith next".
4. Get in the habit of riding buses or trains. - I'm pretty sure I saw Beyonce on the bus yesterday!
5. Set heating and cooling temperatures correctly. - When you are heating your 65 room mansion and your ski house in the Rockies, don't forget to adjust the temperature when you go to bed.
6. Recycle materials you use. - Yeah, lets wear those Oscar Night gowns more than once. You'd look great while riding the bus!
7. Buy products with less packaging. - Or more to the point, ask that the products people give you have less packaging. I understand that there were no gift bags this year. Was that because it was a waste of packaging or because the IRS caught on? Anyone?
8. Bring waste-free meals. - I'm pretty sure there was not an ounce of food or materials wasted at those after-parties...the dumpsters were empty and all the rats had to go to Taco Bell (sorry, couldn't resist).
9. Leave grass clippings on the lawn. - Note to self, as soon as the landscapers turn off their gasoline lawn mowers that have been running for three hours cutting my 20 acre estate, remind them to put all the clippings back.

And perhaps the best advice all night...
10. Turn off lights and other electrical appliances such as your television.

Hmm - turn off my television. After last night, I'm happy to do that to help my environment.

Days are getting longer and the world is coming to an end!

Just a few of the water cooler discussions in the office today. One is inevitable and the other wild speculation. But it depends on who you ask as to which is which. For some, the predictions of the imminent end of the world, through natural disaster, meteorite or alien invasion, is the gospel truth. For others, the simple fact of earlier sunrises and later sunsets is about all we can count on in life.

So, not surprisingly, there are two views on just about everything in life. The sad part is that all too often, those opposing views define us and pull us apart. Have we lost all the middle ground? Can we agree to disagree without wanting to kill or convert anyone who does not share our point of view?

From politics to religion, from families to the arts, it seems there is only room for one opinion. And if others are not with us, they are against us.

Can societies continue to thrive in this environment? Or are we closing so many doors we'll end up suffocating ourselves?

Maybe the world is coming to an end. And perhaps instead of space invaders, we'll have only ourselves to blame.