As someone who unashamedly watches The View every day (yes, every day), and as someone who is decidedly liberal politically, I find Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg to be pop culture mouthpieces for my own opinions. To be clear, this is a general statement. For example, I do not agree with Ms. Goldberg’s support of her celebrity friends when they do things that are clearly violations of decency. (See: Mel Gibson or Roman Polanski)

I also enjoy Barbara Walters, who gets crankier and crankier with every season that passes. (“Well, darling, he inherited a very bad situation.”) Although her liberal persuasions are obvious, she does add gravitas to the more serious Hot Topics and reins in Joy if she makes light of a real issue.

I have no comment on Sherri Shepherd.

It may come to a surprise, however, that I also really like Elisabeth Hasselbeck. She is the youngest of the panel, the fittest of the panel, the most modern of the panel, and certainly the most conservative of the panel.

Here’s why Elisabeth earns my respect: She is all alone. All alone on a national stage.

For nearly nine years, Elisabeth has been the lone conservative on The View. Sure, Sherri has some arguably conservative moments, but overall, I see her as the least informed, least convicted co-host. (Although I give her props for standing up to Barbara during the “n word” debate recently, no matter how poorly argued her opinion was. Check this drama out.)

But it’s Elisabeth who gets most of the criticism from the left. And she should get criticism from the left. After all, liberals don’t react well to conservative viewpoints, and vice versa. There’s no denying, though, that Elisabeth is a powerful voice for conservatives, especially conservative women. And she remains a strong voice, despite being outnumbered 4-to-1 at the Hot Topics table.

Yes, she stands alone. She has a comeback, usually snarky or disgusted, to everything Joy has to say. And no matter how much the show’s producers insist to the contrary, there’s no denying the smoldering hatred Joy and Elisabeth have for one another. Their interactions are prime indicators of how the left and the right wings of the nation feel about each other on any given subject.

Joy and Whoopi are loud. Barbara wrenches the conversation away whenever she feels like it. Sherri stares blankly most of the time. But Elisabeth really holds her own. She is interrupted every few seconds, but she makes her point. She never looks intimidated; in fact, she usually looks quite comfortable. No matter how heated the debate is, she makes her case. She makes Conservative America’s case.

Nine years is a long time for someone as conservative as Elisabeth is to put up with someone as liberal as Joy is. If you are that assured of your views, you get my respect. I don’t believe her opinions are blind. They are just as thought-out as any other. So what if she has been a primary figure in nearly every single controversial spat on the show?

Now I want to make it clear that I disagree almost always with Elisabeth. Though her opinions are clear and assertive, I believe her worldview is rather narrow. I find her “argue” voice to be shrill. I think she falls into the controversy trap a little too often. I think she cries too much on the air. I don’t think she’s a particularly good interviewer. And I find her, at times, quite unprofessional.

But I so love it when a controversial guest appears and she digs into them, claws sharpened. I love it when her arguments with Joy get so heated and contemptuous that they have to reassure the audience during the next episode that they don’t - honestly! - hate each other. And she is relatively funny and, from what I can tell, a terrific mother. All around, she’s a decent human being who just wants a voice like everyone else.

And as I’ve said, it’s a powerful voice. As the only blatantly conservative panelist, she decides on her own what conservatives should think and do. (She’s a big supporter of Romney. I wonder who will end up being the nominee…) She sits there, day after day, just taking it. Just being refuted time after time. Often being belittled and condescended to and dismissed with the wave of Barbara’s hand.

Is she too ignorant to see that she doesn’t belong? Or is she just so strong that she doesn’t care? Is she really so willing to put herself out there, in front of millions of viewers, and tell everyone what she thinks? Seems that way to me. In fact, it seems as if she isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. She is too captivating to leave the show.

No, I don’t agree with Elisabeth Hasselbeck on much of anything. And I think there is misplaced anger at and judgment of her. (See: At least she knew the world is round.) I really do like her. I would like to meet her and talk to her and laugh with her. We’d be great friends.

So in defense of Elisabeth Hasselbeck, I would like to give her a lot of credit for her role in pop culture politics. She has the look, the demeanor, the assertiveness, the likability that anyone - conservative or liberal - would love to have in their arsenal. I’ve really come to appreciate Ms. Hasselbeck and her insistence on not being silenced. I honestly do like her a lot.

And there’s no denying The View would be a vastly different program - and would have a vastly different message - without Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

I can not fathom how any proud citizen of these United States could not support the Occupy Movements that are popping up across the country. I do not understand how anyone can tolerate their elected Congressmen calling those who exercise their rights to peaceful assembly a “mob.” I do not understand why so many people have no issue dismissing support for the movements as the affectation of a bleeding heart liberal, effectively suggesting that both the First Amendment right and liberalism are the subjects of an eye-rolling society.

Explain to me why “Give Us Jobs” is a laughable picket sign. It’s not unreasonable in the least. I think Bank of America could use a few more employees, if only so that their current staff aren’t overworked. Yes, Bank of America. Give us jobs. You know you have them.

I have a friend who recently received an interview with a marketing firm in Boston. And, oh, it would have been something! A real job in the city, and in the financial district at that! We’re talking a sweet deal. Except it turned out not to be… She would have been producing an unreasonable quantity of product, while unavoidably reducing the quality of all output. And on top of that, she would receive a salary that is roughly half of what an average fast food manager makes. That’s definitely cause to cry over a master’s degree.

And that is what the Occupy Movements (and, more locally, Occupy Boston) are protesting. Why give employees three times the work at a third of what the job is worth, when so many people could use a job, paid with the money that so few people control, all of whom could spare more than is required?

Call me a socialist. Hell, call me any other name you think is bad. I don’t care. The current system of Congressional affiliations with corporate bigwigs (American capitalism) is nothing short of immoral, humiliating, cruel, and criminal. It is nothing that a decent human being should support. It is something that requires an uprising. It is something the Occupy Movements understand to be wrong and, some would say, evil. If I know my Christianity, I’m pretty sure Jesus’s solution to economic collapse and the homelessness of many citizens would not be deregulation of the financial system.

It’s so hard for me, even at my most conservative, to support that system in good conscience. It takes a strong will and, I imagine, a specific type of personality to say to another human being, “Quit complaining. I see ‘Help Wanted’ signs in McDonald’s windows all the time. Jobs are out there.” Who do you think you are?

Furthermore, how can people justify a corporation taking out a life insurance policy on its employees, without even telling them? So, the average elderly Wal-Mart greeter’s life is worth, what, $50,000? That’s the amount the company thinks they are entitled to for losing that poor, elderly greeter? What is the greeter paid now, less than $20,000/year? Have workers become worth more dead than alive? Do you, average corporate American worker, know how much you are worth to your employer when you croak?

These are the unanswered questions that make the Occupy Movements a-okay with me. I stand with you, all of you, who are actively picketing outside financial districts every day for this cause. I support the movement for being strong enough to grow into cities worldwide. I support that you are exercising your rights and are standing firm against all the powers who denigrate you. I want you to grow bigger and bigger and bigger, until your voices drown out the sound of the opening bell.

Because I, as a decent human being, understand your basic need to have a voice, to have even an inkling of control over your own fate. And I will not complain if you block me on the sidewalk. I will not roll my eyes at your demands. I will not ignore you.

This is me saying that I, despite a modest but sustainable lifestyle, know what it’s like to have a taste of the American Dream. And I know what it’s like for it all to be taken away in an instant. I know what it’s like to be scared you won’t survive another sickness or make another rent payment. I know what it’s like to sink into depression at the thought of losing absolutely everything, and to imagine a laughing entity counting the money he earned at your expense.

Yes, I know what it’s like to be a modern American. And I proudly stand beside you as a citizen of this democracy.

It’s only just today that I remembered to write about October 17. I am apparently beginning to let the memories slip away. I think that’s a good thing. It was time to move on a long time ago.

I think it’s time to give myself some peace anyway. The world didn’t stop for my broken heart. It’s time to say goodbye.

Then again, I’m no good at goodbyes. Or maybe I am. Maybe I am…

This has been the best summer of my life.

It’s no coincidence that it’s also the first summer I’ve spent away from home. I don’t mean to suggest that summers at home can’t be fun. They can be. But this summer has given me the opportunity to really do things that I’ve never done before.

That includes the various trips I took over the summer. I ferried to Martha’s Vineyard and considered ditching the whole grad school thing in favor of opening a bed and breakfast on the island. I went to a hot air balloon festival in Stowe, Vermont. I kayaked. I flew to D.C. to visit old chums and had a blast. I rode the Number One roller coaster in the world.

I experienced the Fourth of July in Boston. I walked through M.I.T. I joined a gym. I worked an almost-full-time job/internship. I taught myself how to belt songs without straining my voice. I streamed a lot of Netflix. I installed an air conditioner by myself (and those of you who know me well know this is a major accomplishment). If last summer was my time of self-realization, this summer was my time to explore possibilities.

And true to form, I’ve also done a lot of introspection.

Sometimes people say things that both they and you wish they had never said. Some things you just can’t take back, and sometimes lines are crossed.

That happened a couple times this summer. I’ve had to really reevaluate some relationships. It’s hard for me to realize that my perception of a friendship or family relationship has been skewed. Very hard indeed. However, it is always a good thing to know where people stand. It can either strengthen the bond or fray it. But no one in your life is with you constantly, and no one is completely on your side. Either way, I’m certain my friends are better than your friends.

There have been moments this summer… Moments where I said to myself, “I wish this could go on forever. PLEASE just don’t let this end.” But nothing is so good it lasts eternally, and perfect situations must go wrong. And isn’t that a big reason why life is so damn hard? Isn’t it madness?

I’ve found myself asking “What if…?” so many times this summer. The problem with that question is… Well, the answer is always a heartbreaker: “I guess we’ll never know.” Having to tell myself that is the worst feeling in the world. It puts a weight on my heart that just won’t go away. But I value those heartbreaks. I value the truth.

Looking back, I could have played so many things differently. I was just a little careless maybe. I close my eyes…

What if I had gone to Emerson? What if Mike and I had managed to get along from the start? What if I had joined a gym long ago? What if I hadn’t gotten this internship? Oh, and what if I had never let you go?

I should open my eyes now, because here comes the maddening truth…

I guess we’ll never know.

Yes, it’s been an electric summer of eye-openers and too many new things to list. And now the end is near. But I’ve learned how to make life the fullest. There are many roads to take. I’m sure I’ll have my share of losing, but I’ll do what I have to do. For over a year now, I’ve had a positive outlook. I maintain that outlook. This has got to be a good life.

We may never know the answers to what-if’s, but we can at least try to live a life that has too few regrets to mention. I’m not a hedonist (I don’t think I ever could be), but I’m also not willing to waste time anymore. The old cliche “work hard, play hard” has its merits.

And boy do I sound ridiculous right now.

Yes, this has been the best summer of my life, despite and because of its downsides.

The best summer of my life.

Today, I took a break from editing my radio piece, and I discovered that The Twilight Zone is available on Netflix’s instant view. How cool! Do you guys ever watch the marathon that the SciFi Channel (I refuse to use its official spelling; there are no y’s in “science fiction”) airs on the days leading up to and immediately following New Year’s? I watch every year.

Because it’s a throwback of sorts. Besides being a connection to my younger years (nostalgia = a treasure greater than gold), it is also an artifact of the times. It was pretty easy to disarm, scare, or rattle people’s nerves. Living in an era when even the brutalest of horror scenes rarely affect audiences, it’s nice to watch Rod Serling’s simple little spook stories/morality tales.

I’ve always found it interesting how heavily Serling played with the alien theme, often using them to represent The Other during the days when everyone was terrified of The Other. I suppose these aliens were typically a stand-in for communists. I guess now they would represent terrorists. Ah, the good old days.

Anyway.

Two of my favorite episodes have always been “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” and “Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?” The former may be the most relevant TwiZo episode today. The latter is a damn fun locked-room whodunit, but carries the same themes: paranoia and group think.

In “Monsters,” someone on the street is assumed to be, with no real reason, an alien. Fingers are pointed, accusations made. By the end of the episode, one character murders his neighbor out of suspicion, and chaos erupts on Maple Street. A delightful morality tale. Paranoia breeds paranoia breeds fear breeds mob mentality. Kill The Other so The Other doesn’t kill you first. There are no aliens on Maple Street. But its scared residents create one, only to destroy themselves.

How delightfully simple.

“Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?” is a little different. This time, there really is an alien among us. One of seven people in a diner is a stranded alien, but which one? The crazy-eyed old man? The stripper? The pompous businessman on his way to Boston? Once again, everyone has such pointy little fingers. And even when the mystery is solved, there’s still a surprise ending. 

How fun!

I guess what strikes me most is how little has changed in 50 years. We’re still chasing aliens. Pop culture certainly has a hand in keeping the theme alive: The X-Files, V, War of the Worlds, etc. (the aliens almost always representing something non-fictional). But haven’t we always had some kind of enemy? Someone whose appearance makes us uncomfortable? Someone whose behavior ventures away from the realm of “normal” behavior?

Maybe it’s human nature to create a foe, I don’t know. I’m no psychologist (though, I do own a monocle).

But it’s cool to look back at these old TV shows, laugh at their fashions and speech, slap our foreheads at the sight of gender roles, and realize just how silly the stories are. Interesting, though, how some of those episodes still hold a lot of weight these days.

And how the titles remain regrettably poignant. Because it seems the monsters have been, and always will be, due on Maple Street, USA.

I never write anymore. That is, I never write for me anymore. And sometimes I forget that I started this blog for, among other things, an escape from all the academia and scholarly articles. Oh, graduate school can be a cruel mistress.

And so it’s April now. Traditionally, this is my most stressful month. Last year, in particular, was a gigantic mess. This year, I have much more to do, and certainly a lot more pressure to make the right decision and make it fast. I need to finalize my summer plans, find a new apartment, and tend to the numerous duties that involve school:

• Editing a book.
• Editing grants.
• Teaching.
• Finishing my thesis proposal.
• Editing a literary journal.
• Taking two classes with plenty of work in each.

Man, I hope I’m not forgetting anything.

***********

Take a bite of my heart tonight.

I think back to this time last year. It has been an eternity that feels like a moment. It’s as if someone slammed on the accelerator last April, and no one has hit the brakes yet. Not that I want to slow down… I just want to slow down.

Time can tick-tock away all it wants, but doesn’t it sometimes feel like the time is all wasted? Like maybe there’s something more important to do? Sometimes the very thing you’re looking for is the one thing you can’t see. I have to wonder if this is a universal feeling or if it just comes with my personality.

My INFJ mind is acting up again. Of late, I’ve made assertions that I’ve almost immediately thought were wrong…only to find out later that I was completely right. Second-guessing comes much too naturally to me. I should stop that, or at least ease up.

One thing I decided recently is that I need to remember who I was two years ago. I liked that person, and even though I love all the changes since then, I’d like to reconnect with my former self a little. I’d like to remember a time before everything shifted and slipped and sprung and stopped. Don’t you remember?

I do. I remember two years ago, I remember one year ago, and I remember yesterday. I remember when I realized I was going to grad school. I remember hikes with Mike to take our minds off our respective plights. I remember making a “to do” list.

But I also forget, and I have forgotten so much. I forgot the name of my advisor in undergrad. I forgot what it was like in the TA office. I forgot to call my grandparents.

I wish I could see some sort of graphical representation of myself to help explain all the changes over time. To show what was the most important thing to me at any given time. To see how much time I spend thinking about pointless things or worrying about my image and reputation. To measure my happiness. There are some days that I can’t tell whether I am happy or not. It’s bizarre and alarming.

But I soldier on, like the rest of the world, in my routine and sea of things to do. Stronger and wiser and tra-la-la.

I’m taking a major risk soon. I’m excited about it. I’m also not telling you what it is. But when I do, I’ll need my dear friends to either congratulate me or console me, depending on the results. (That’s how you become a high-maintenance friend - warn ‘em in advance.)

Reading this post, it is clear to me that my writing has become blah. Disjointed and without clear focus. Cruelly ambiguous and possibly ignorant of my audience. But you know what the weirdest part is?

I don’t think I have any real point to make.

This is the first draft of an op-ed I’m writing for one of my classes. I have no idea about the quality of the writing yet. I’d love feedback.

I’m sure I was not the only film buff hopelessly disappointed with Sunday’s Oscar telecast. Let us leave aside the efforts of Anne “I’m Trying So Hard” Hathaway and James “Squinty McTiredHost” Franco. Meant to attract a younger demographic, they will unfortunately go down in history as two of the worst hosts in the awards ceremony’s history. Where is Ricky Gervais when you need him?

But this isn’t about the show. This is about the awards. This year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) - the presumed experts on all things great in film - awarded its top prize to The King’s Speech. For many weeks leading up to the ceremony, the film was considered a frontrunner for Best Picture. It’s what people in the biz call “momentum.” How odd, though. The Social Network won the top prize from most other voting bodies - Golden Globes, National Board of Review, and the majority of the critics’ societies.

So what happened? Why would a film as lauded as The Social Network lose out to a film that somehow gained “momentum?” How in the world can the king of all awards in show business disagree with so many others?

Well, the 5,700 voters of AMPAS seem to have unique views on what constitutes a Best Picture. Over the 83-year history of the Oscars, certain trends have developed.

Last year, after an outcry that the hugely popular The Dark Knight did not receive a nomination, the Academy decided to raise the number of nominees from five to ten. The change theoretically made space for more populist movies in a race that is overcrowded with dark dramas, obscure indies, and films that many industry insiders deem “Oscar bait.”

Films like this are typically heavy-handed dramas. They often feature characters with disabilities, be they mental or physical. They provide a fictional glimpse into royalty and the crown. And looking back, each year there seems to be a requisite World War II-era film nominated. Last year, it was Inglourious Basterds. The year before that, it was The Reader. Before that, Atonement. And before that, Letters from Iwo Jima. All great films, for sure. None of them won, but it sure is “an honor just to be nominated.” How many times have you heard that in interviews?

The King’s Speech exemplifies “Oscar bait,” which is why its victory is so infuriating. In a year that not only had a greater number of nominations, but also contained a dynamic set of nominees that is unprecedented for the Oscars, the majority of the Academy’s voters went with… a film set in World War II with a character who must overcome a disability and who ultimately triumphs in his quest to become His Majesty, King George VI. Whew! Sounds like a winner to me.

Never mind recognizing The Social Network, a film that defines a generation and deftly sums up the American way of life for the last decade. Forget Inception, a film that dares to get creative and mind-bendingly reinterpret a genre. None of this Black Swan nonsense, with its lead character who doesn’t manage to overcome adversity. And certainly not Toy Story 3. The best film of the year? Animated? Puh-lease. Any one of these unconventional elements is enough to scare off voters.

Perhaps if AMPAS wanted to give more films a chance by raising the number of nominees, its members should recognize the diverse nature of cinema. A paint-by-numbers, feel-good British period piece does not a Best Picture make. 

The King’s Speech is inarguably one of the best films this year. I thought it was quite lovely. But I can admit when a plot is predictable, and I can feel when a movie is contrived. I didn’t feel that with The Social Network. I didn’t feel it with Black Swan. Even True Grit - an Old West -set remake with a similarly heartfelt plot - felt timely and groundbreaking.

As long as the Oscars award films that we’ve all seen a million times, they will lose credibility. Until studios stop manufacturing “Oscar Bait,” a Best Picture award will feel undeserved and cliché. If AMPAS does not move forward and begin recognizing the changing landscape of film, their top prizes will be meaningless. And we, their audience, will be offered even more The King’s Speech’s.

Congratulations, Academy. You got it wrong again. And your irreverence to filmgoers is really starting to show.

I’ve reflected over the past several months for a long time now, but I couldn’t bring myself to update the blog. I just couldn’t. And I think it’s because I felt like there was some unfinished experience that I should wait to end before I spoke of it publicly.

I’ve been fooling myself. Nothing ever really began, or if it did, it was never going to be worth the energy of playing it out. So this is my catharsis, this public blog. This is my closure, for real closure will never come.

The truth is that I’m actually fairly content at the moment. I’m greatly enjoying my weeks and weekends. I’m greatly enjoying my social life. I’m greatly enjoying my job.

But with any positive truth comes a negative truth. There are still things I’m missing. You know, there probably always will be. But I haven’t even come close to getting sad about it.

I’ve thought a lot about my (and others’) Facebook and Twitter personas. They are overwhelmingly positive, witty, and try very hard to avoid any downers. It’s a funny little game we play, isn’t it? I suppose many people only want to share their happy thoughts publicly, and keep their more distressing thoughts among friends. I think that’s where I stand on social media now. I remain pithy, often over-the-top, and always positive in these all-too-accessible venues.

Because when the truth is ugly, people try to keep it hidden, because they know if revealed, the damage it will do. So they conceal it within sturdy walls or they place it behind closed doors or they obscure it with clever disguises. But truth, no matter how ugly, always emerges. And someone we care about always ends up getting hurt.

And someone else will revel in their pain, and that’s the ugliest truth of all.

Everything:

Just me:

 UMass Dartmouth Department Of Public Safety

Crime Advisory

November 8, 2010- Reference 10-1239-OF

In accordance to the federal Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Department of Public Safety would like to advise the community of an incident that occurred between 12:30 and 1:00 am on Saturday, November 6, 2010.

A female student reported to police today that as she walked alone on a path from Cedar Dell South to the Woodlands in the area of the outdoor hockey rink, she was struck from behind by an unknown male assailant.  The motive of the attacker is unknown at the present time. The woman was struck once in the ribs and stumbled but did not fall.  The suspect tripped and fell to the ground and afforded the victim the opportunity to gain the following description.

The suspect is described  as a white male in his early 20’s, with dark brown hair  approximately 5’10”  to 6’ feet tall, muscular build, weighing 165-185 pounds wearing blue jeans, sneakers and a grey hoodie. The victim noted that he had a small amount of facial hair on his chin in the form of what she described as a “soul patch that permeated as a chin strap that was well kept with even edges.” The suspect was reported to have a heavy smell of beer on his person and appeared very intoxicated.

The student then ran towards her apartment  and told a friend about the incident, but chose not to formally report this until this until today. Fortunately, the woman did not report any injury during this incident.

Due to the seriousness of the incident, the Department of Public Safety is aggressively investigating the incident and is asking for support from our community.  

Any person who might have information concerning this incident should contact DPS by telephone at 

508-999-9191  or 508.999-8477 or use our Silent Witness site  http://www.umassd.edu/publicsafety/tipline.cfm.

All information will be held in strict confidence. The Department of Public Safety would like to remind community members to:

o   Utilize the Dart Van whenever possible

o   Avoid walking alone

o   Avoid poorly lit areas and to walk on well traveled walkways

o   Report any suspicious activities and persons DPS immediately. 

o   Be aware of your surrounds and note locations of emergency phones

o   Lastly, we would like to remind community members of the escort services available from the library form 5:00 pm to 11:30 pm, Thursday through Sunday

o   Additional escorts are available at 508-999-8107 after 3:00 am every day of the week

Emil R. Fioravanti

Chief of Police/Director of Public Safety

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

285 Old Westport Road,

Dartmouth MA 02747