FRONT-RUNNERS RULE AT PREDICTABLE OSCARS, by Christy Lemire AP Movie Critic

LOS ANGELES – On a night when so many changes were intended to shake up the Oscar ceremony, the winners themselves were pretty predictable, with “The Hurt Locker” taking six awards including best picture.

“Hurt Locker” director Kathryn Bigelow won the top directing honor for her intimate Iraq war drama, making her the first woman to take the prize — though as she’s often said, she likes to think of herself as a filmmaker, period.

“I hope I’m the first of many,” she said afterward backstage. “I long for the day when that modifier can be a moot point.”

But as fellow director Barbra Streisand put it in announcing Bigelow’s victory, “Well, the time has come.”

Indeed, her win seemed like a given, even though Bigelow was going up against James Cameron, director of the sci-fi juggernaut “Avatar,” who happens to be her ex-husband. (Bigelow was abidingly diplomatic backstage, despite reporters repeatedly trying to coax her to dish about him.) “Avatar” entered the night tied with “The Hurt Locker” for the most nominations, nine, but ended up winning just three awards in technical categories: art direction, cinematography and visual effects.

To view Barbara Walters’ Oscars special, click the arrow.

Rita Watson, Love & Marriage

BOSTON – High-profile infidelity revelations make us wonder if we are witnessing an epidemic. While infidelity has become ho-hum among politicians, sports figures and Tinseltown couples, we gasped when Jeffrey Toobin of CNN and The New Yorker was accused of non-payment of support for his alleged love-child. While still reeling from the Tiger Woods scandal, at least something positive emerged: An estimated 14 million Americans (one in 17) said to be affected by sexual addiction heard a celebrity addressing their own plight.

Sex therapist Dr. Aline Zoldbrod says, “The road back from sexual addiction is positively grueling. Unlike an alcoholic who may never again be able to touch a drink, the goal for someone sexually addicted is not to stop being sexual forever but rather to learn how to be intimate sexually with a trusted person.”

Certified sex therapist and diplomate of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists, the American Board of Sexology and formerly the Lahey Clinic, she wrote “SexSmart: How Your Childhood Shaped Your Sexual Life and What to Do About It,” and has a Boston-based practice.

Dr. Zoldbrod added, “When treatment begins, there is often a period of complete sexual abstinence with the focus of self-searching and learning about the underlying issues which drive the sexual addiction.

“For some of my patients in relationships with a person whom they love, stopping the compulsive behavior (affairs, call girls and pornography) is much easier than being able to get excited about having partnered sex with someone whom they truly love. Their goal is learning or relearning to connect sexuality with emotional intimacy,” she said.

In America we are obsessed with “my one and only.” Have we forgotten a book of 10 years ago, still supported by research, “The Myth of Monogamy” by David Barash, Ph.D. (pictured above), a University of Washington zoologist and psychology professor, and his wife, psychiatrist Judith Lipton? They discovered that many animals previously believed to be monogamous are not. For example, sad to say, swans do not mate for life. In fact, in most human cultures monogamy is not even an expectation.

How many spouses really do cheat? The most consistent source is the General Social Survey, a nationally representative sample of 300-400 neighborhoods across America conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC), at the University of Chicago.

Based on a November 2009 report, they noted that since 1988 they have asked, “Have you ever had sex with someone other than your spouse while married?” Some 15 to 18 percent said yes.

“Have you had sex with someone other than your spouse while married during the last 12 months?” Just 3 to 4 percent answered yes.

Two problems affect data for infidelity statistics — self-selection of those who want to confess, and those who lie about it. Tom W. Smith, Ph.D, director of the Society and Culture section, said: “We do face-to-face interviews. However, when we come to the section on sexual behavior, the computer screen is turned around and faces only the respondent, to improve forthrightness.”

To determine exact cheating numbers, one multiplies the percentage by households nationwide. But Dr. Smith emphasized, “One person may cheat only once in 20 years, while another may cheat every year for 20 years. Exact figures are difficult to ascertain.” NORC surveys about 2,000 people a year and has interviewed over 15,000 since 1988.

Why does infidelity happen in the first place? It may have more to do with emotional dissatisfaction within a marriage than the desire for hot sex. Many reasons complicate the infidelity triangle.

I talked with Michele Weiner-Davis (pictured left), author of “Divorce-Busting: How to Make Your Marriage Loving Again,” who won the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy’s Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Marriage and Therapy Award and Smart Marriages’ Impact Award. Head of Divorcebusting.com, she says, “It is important to know that no matter how bleak things might seem, it is possible to revitalize a marriage wounded by infidelity. But it takes teamwork and commitment from spouses willing to work hard at getting their marriages back on track. Re-establishing trust and finding ways to manage overwhelming painful emotions are key to the healing process.”

Great-Aunt “Zia” had a diamond on each finger, gifts from her husband for each “comare.” When we asked Zia why she stayed with him, her eyes filled with tears, she clutched the enormous diamond brooch between her breasts and sighed, “Because he was the one — my one and only.”

Rita Esposito Watson, the Love & Marriage Examiner, writes about love, lies, commitment and sex for both her syndicated blog at www.ritawatson.com and the Providence Journal.

To view a feature on infidelity, click the arrow.

JAYHAWKS ONE WIN FROM 2,000 CLUB AFTER ROUT OF MISSOURI, the Associated Press

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Chasing a loose ball, Marcus Morris collided with Marcus Denmon and fell backward. His head hit a courtside table with an audible thud, causing a quiet hush to come over the rowdy Missouri fans. Morris lay on the court for several minutes, then gingerly walked to the locker room amid respectful applause. He returned to finish up a double-double, and the second-ranked Jayhawks went on to beat rival Missouri 77-56 on Saturday. “I’ve been around him for a while and that’s probably the safest place he can get hit and not get hurt,” Kansas coach Bill Self said.

Self can joke now. Morris is fine, his team won and the Jayhawks appear to be headed for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Kansas (29-2, 15-1 Big 12) responded to Missouri’s initial flurry with a 16-0 run to lead by 16 in the first half, then put together a 20-4 spurt after Morris’ injury to beat Missouri for the eighth time in nine games. The Jayhawks shot 52 percent after a shaky start and will head into next week’s Big 12 tournament one victory from joining Kentucky and North Carolina in the 2,000-win club.

Morris had 12 points and 10 rebounds, Tyshawn Taylor scored all of his 13 points in the second half to go with six assists and five rebounds, and Sherron Collins added 12 points to help Kansas build its case as the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament.  “I think the last few games we’ve been playing really well and now it’s time to see who really steps up and what we can do as a team,” Taylor said. “If we can continue to play how we’ve been playing as a team, the chips will fall into place.” Missouri (22-9, 10-6) struggled with Kansas’ depth and size inside for the second time this season.

Playing without Justin Safford (knee), who had a career-high 19 points against the Jayhawks in January, the Tigers gave up 42 in the paint and were outrebounded 45-28 in their final home game. Missouri also had a rare unproductive day from its bench (eight points), hit 3 of 22 from 3-point range and had too many lulls in a game of spurts. Kim English had 16 points to lead the defending Big 12 tournament champions. “It was one of those games where you can’t have too much go wrong and we had some opportunities and just couldn’t cash in on them,” Missouri coach Mike Anderson said. “It’s nothing against our guys. We just couldn’t put it all together.”

The Jayhawks wrapped up their sixth straight Big 12 regular-season title with an emotional win over rival Kansas State on Wednesday night in Collins’ final game at Allen Fieldhouse. That left the Jayhawks with two days to get ready for another rival. Kansas manhandled Missouri their last meeting, holding the Tigers to 27 percent shooting and grabbing a 56-28 rebounding advantage in an 84-65 rout. Back at home, where they were 16-1 this season, the Tigers seemed ready for Kansas. Riding the emotion of Senior Day — J.T. Tiller, Zaire Taylor and Keith Ramsey were honored before the game — Missouri swarmed the Jayhawks early, getting them to force up shots against pressure and breaking out for easy baskets.

The euphoria didn’t last long. Working the ball inside, Kansas got six straight points from Markieff Morris, then seven straight from Marcus. The inside success opened up the outside and the Jayhawks started making shots from everywhere. Collins put the finishing touches on the 16-0 half-closing run, scoring the final eight points to put the Jayhawks up 40-24. “Guys probably got tired,” said Ramsey, who had eight points and six rebounds in his final home game. “They’re a good team and we knew they were going to make a run. Just not a 16-point run.” Missouri still had some fight, using its defense to create turnovers and easy shots to open with a 16-4 run, pulling within 44-40 on Tiller’s three-point play on a hard drive.

It got worse for Kansas seconds later when Marcus Morris slammed his head on the table. But the Jayhawks rallied after seeing their teammate go down, reeling off the second big run that included consecutive 3-pointers by Tyrel Reed. By the time Morris returned with just over 5 minutes left, Kansas was well in control and looking toward bigger goals. “I’ve been pleased that our guys haven’t gotten ecstatic,” Self said. “We’ve had a couple of big road wins where there’s a little bit of celebrating in the locker room, but for the most part they’ve had a pretty mature approach. Hopefully, we’ve got another gear we can get it in because now’s the time we need it.”

To view ESPN’s “Bracketology” report, click the play arrow.

Author J.J. Smith, Dating Diva

TOP 8 THINGS TO NEVER SAY ON A FIRST DATE, by J.J. Smith

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The first date is one of the most important events in a new relationship. First dates are important because they can either make a man eager to see you again or make him run for the highway. Know that your communication is key to making him interested in seeing you again. Considering the location of the first date is one of the most critical decisions that need to be made.

The first date location will affect the way you interact with each other so be sure to find an environment where you’ll both feel relaxed and comfortable. The other critical factor in a successful first date is your conversation, which should be light and upbeat to complete the overall first date experience. When communicating on a first date, it is important to let a guy get to know you before you begin to share too many details about your views and your past.

For most of us, the rough times in our lives have allowed us to grow and become the people we are today. However, until someone gets to know you, they may not understand or may pass judgments on some your past mistakes. Here are some tips for what NOT to talk about on your first date:

1. Getting Married: It scares men to get married to someone they love. This is definitely not a conversation he wants to have with a woman he barely knows.

2. Your Kids: You love your kids and they interest you. However, to a man, this just indicates increased responsibility or baby daddy drama.

3. Your Horrible Childhood: Don’t seek pity for injustices in your past; it will make you appear hurt, wounded and in need of healing.

4. Ex-Boyfriends: This is a no-win situation. If you say something positive about an ex-boyfriend, a man will feel threatened or discouraged. If you say how he cheated on you constantly, he will think you are weak and a pushover. The truth is that there’s no good outcome likely to result from talking about an ex on the first date.

5. Politics: People are generally passionate about their political beliefs, and these conversations can wait until later.

6. Death or Depressing Events: Do I even need to explain why you shouldn’t talk about death or depressing news? Emotionally charged topics such as death are too heavy to discuss on a first date. The goal is to keep the conversation upbeat and light and death and depressing events just brings everyone down.

7. Sex: If you start a conversation about sex, the guy will take it over and won’t be able to focus on any other topic for the rest of the night. There needs to be some things that are mysterious about you. Talking details about sex takes some of the intrigue and mystique away from the actual sexual encounter.

8. Therapy or Rehab: He doesn’t need to know how well your therapy or rehab sessions are going. He also doesn’t need to know that you had a nervous breakdown (if you did), at least not on the first date.

To increase your chances of securing a second date, it may be a good idea to remove these topics from your conversation.

J.J. Smith is a Dating Diva who offers a fresh perspective on dating and relationships that will help you create a wonderful life that attracts the best men for you and get the love you really want! To learn more about her highly anticipated book, Why I Love Men: The Joys of Dating, as well as other eBooks and free articles, visit www.jjsmithonline.com

To hear JJ & the Fellas talk about dating, click the arrow.

BISHOP WARD CONTINUES TO THRIVE ACADEMICALLY, by Crystal Booker

KANSAS CITY, KS – I am proud to say that I am a graduate of Bishop Ward High School. I recently went back to my Alma Mater to speak with a man I have loved, admired and respected for a long time; Mr. Dennis Dorr. Mr. Dorr was my Science Teacher when I attended Ward over 20 years ago. He is now the Principal and in my opinion Bishop Ward is in good hands. Under the leadership of Mr. Dorr Ward has continued to flourish, grow and stand strong. Below is my Q&A with Mr. Dorr. I also spoke briefly with Vice Principal Joel Heider. My Q&A with him follows.

CB: How long have you been teaching?

DD: This is my 33rd year in education in one form or another. I started in 1977.

CB: Wow! How long have you been Principal of Bishop Ward?

DD: This is my eighth year as Principal and my 24th year here.

CB: It must make you feel very proud to see former students that have succeeded and to know you had a hand in that success.

DD: Well whether or not I’ve had a hand in it or not it is exciting to see them be successful. It happens almost every day and the longer you are in education the more examples of that you see and that obviously justifies why this is such a great profession.

CB: What do you think is the difference or main ingredient for success for most former students that have had a private school education versus a public school education?

DD: Ok, there are quite a few reasons why someone chooses a private school education, but ultimately it goes back to whether or not they want to be here someone wants them to be here. So, sacrifices have been made. I think the greatest thing about this place is that 99.9% of our parents support what we are trying do. So someone is making a sacrifice there and somebody wants them here to better what it’s going to look like down the road. Someone has made that commitment and investment and I think that’s the difference. It is just something that time is put into and then the chances for success I think are better.

CB: Do you think that when a parent makes the sacrifice to pay the tuition that it means a lot more for the student as far as learning because it forces them to really get involved to make sure their money has not been wasted?

DD: I think that involvement is just key to everything. If I know my parents are paying tuition to send me here then chances are I’m going to give my best effort. And if I can’t do it consistently for the most part I’m going to be trying. As long as you try eventually you’ll see that light bulb turn on and you can take it from there.

CB: Do you have many students enrolled that were previously in the public school system?

DD: We have quite a few that did not come up through the Catholic School System. You know, it is a transition period that takes place, but they can be just as successful as someone that has come up through if they buy into what we think is important and how we go about it.

CB: Have you seen a big difference in those students? Has there been a drastic improvement?

DD: No doubt, no doubt like I said there is that transition period that may be bit rocky, but once they accept us and the reason why they are here then the sky is the limit.

CB: What is your opinion about school safety?

DD: When we speak with students that may be having a few difficulties we tell them that we have these rules and policies in place for a reason. It is to create an atmosphere so they can learn. If you have a disruptive student that has decided that they don’t want to learn that day, but to take away from the other people in that class is where we draw the line and that is non-negotiable for us.

CB: What do you think about KCMO possibly closing 31 schools?

DD: It’s a double edged sword. Obviously money is driving one part of it to make these decisions. Now, if these decisions are being made to better the students in that school district that’s one thing, but if it’s only being made because of the financial part of it then there are some problems there and those need to be combined. The bottom line is after all is said and done how the students benefit by any juggling of how things are done over there.

CB: Has the recession affected the enrollment at Ward?

DD: I think so and something just came out about Kansas public school enrollments have somewhat picked up. I think if you are kind of living on the edge anyway from paycheck to paycheck and you have to cut something that may be a very difficult decision, but people have to eat, pay rent, people have to do these things, so yes it does affect us in a bad economy.

CB: What made you take on the role as Principal and leave the classroom because you were such a great teacher?

DD: You are too kind. I just feel like there are a lot of things in administration that you can do in terms of looking at academic programs and policies that can benefit students. I just saw it as a challenge and something I felt I wanted to do, not that I dislike the classroom the classroom’s great too. I think you have a broader role that you can play through administration and going what I feel is in the right direction and things I’d like to see happen.

CB: I definitely think that under your leadership that Bishop Ward is definitely moving in the right direction.

DD: Once again you are being too kind.

CB: How do you feel about the progress in Wyandotte County under the leadership of our Mayor Joe Reardon, who is also a graduate of Bishop Ward?

DD: Bishop Ward High School has been such a viable part of this community for so long since the very beginning. I think revitalizing Kansas City Kansas can do nothing but benefit Bishop Ward High School and it is great that Bishop Ward Graduates are playing a role in its revitalization.

CB: Where do see the direction of education going in our nation?

DD: We have to stay positive. There are all kinds of speed bumps. In our society you see more single parents that are struggling to make ends meet. Nobody has ever written a book with instructions on being a parent. You learn as you go. I think in order to improve on education we have to make sure we give some tools to parents to give that support. The timing is so important that they support their students for the critical periods in their lives they know they are there for them.  A good student can learn anywhere. It is those borderline students that are very capable of being successful that we need to be concerned with. Those are the ones we need to guide and help parents guide them. It’s a three pronged deal you have the school, the students and the parents. If all those three can come together than you have a pretty good chance. I don’t think that we should look at the negative parts you have to continue looking at the positive aspects of education and take it from there.

CB: Thank you Mr. Dorr for taking time out of your busy schedule and meeting with me.

DD: Thank you and may I say we are all very proud of you.

CB: Thank you.

After my interview with Mr. Dorr I walked the halls I used to walk on a daily basis back when I attended Ward. It was great to be home. During my journey back down memory lane I ran into a familiar face Mr. Joel Heider. He has been Vice Principal for many years. I had a brief Q&A with him.

CB: What do you think of a private school education versus a public education?

JH: I think that the discipline and values learned in a private school is much better. The Catholic Schools have more to offer than public schools. That’s just my opinion.

CB: What do you think about KCMO proposing to close 31 schools?

JH: That’s scary I feel sorry for them because the kids are the ones that end up getting the short end of the stick. If they could get someone in there to stay then maybe they could get their district together. They have had so many problems for the last 30 years.

CB: Why do you think Ward has lasted so long?

JH: I think it’s the Alumni that stay involved and continue to support the school. Ward is a melting pot. It is very diverse. In the real world you will meet different people, so it’s great to have that experience while you are growing up

CB: Thank you for meeting with me Mr. Heider. It was great to see you again and to see you are still here.

JH: Thank you good to see you too.

Crystal Booker is the film critic of “Mass Appeal News.” She also serves as beat writer for our weekly news publication. She welcomes your comments at cbooker@massappealnews.com

Dana Carroll, Sex & Relationships

MARRY HIM: THE CASE FOR SETTLING FOR MR. GOOD ENOUGH, by Dana Carroll

KANSAS CITY  – The consensus among singles in Kansas City appears to be that settling in order to get married is not an option. But who would admit that they settled? Not very many people would own up to this fact. And they might have grown to truly love their mate but know somewhere deep down inside that they always thought they could’ve done better. Because that is what the word settling means right?

The author of, Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough, Lori Gottlieb, seems to think that settling is not only okay it is what women should be doing. But what about men? There are some valid reasons to compromise not settle. There is a difference. No one is perfect and if you are looking for that perfect girl, that looks just like you wanted, she’s successful, and fun there are still going to be things about her that you might not like.

So what do you do? If you stay with her is it settling? What if she has everything that is most important to you, but a few minor things about her bug you? This is where compromise comes in because guaranteed she doesn’t think you are perfect either. You have to determine what your must haves are and what are the things that if you find a person with all of your must haves, you can ignore.

What are reasonable must haves? What’s reasonable for some, might not matter at all to the next person. You have to decide that all on your own. However the easiest way to figure out what you can and cannot live without is to be honest with yourself. Evaluate your past relationships and romantic interactions. Ask yourself what you loved about each person and what you would never accept in the next person you are going to date.

Too often people make the same mistakes over and over again and it is because they are not learning from their past. They are ignoring why their previous situations did not work out and dating the same person over and over again just a different name. One thing a friend said about settling was really profound. He said that people should just be patient. Patience is a virtue that we all could benefit from having.

The person that is meant for you is out there. You just have to be open to love and be patient because there are a lot more people that are not meant for you. So the odds make it hard and discouraging. But if love is what you want. It is worth waiting for.

Dana Carroll, the Kansas City Sex and Relationships Examiner, is the “Real Love” columnist for Mass Appeal News. Please check out some of her other articles on the Examiner by clicking here. She welcomes your comments at dcarroll@massappealnews.com

To view Mario’s “Break Up” video, click the play arrow.

Jenne Reed Laytham, Books & Publications

BASEHOR, KS – Ever wonder about the favorite books of some of the famous among us? I did some searching on the internet to try and find out. According to the website http://favaholic.wordpress.com/ I found out that Oprah and I have some favorite books in common. Read on and see who you share your taste in books with…

Oprah Winfrey – talk show host & so much more

• The Color Purple By Alice Walker
• Their Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neale Hurston
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn By Betty Smith

Michael Moore – political documentary film-maker

• In the Name of Democracy: American War Crimes in Iraq and Beyond (American Empire Project) By Jeremy Brecher, Jill Cutler, Brendan Smith
• America’s Military Today: The Challenge of Militarism By Tod Ensign
• The Iron Triangle: Inside the Secret World of the Carlyle Group By Dan Briody

Bill Gates – the king of Microsoft and the guy who made being a geek “cool”

• Direct from Dell: Strategies that Revolutionized an IndustryBy Michael Dell, Catherine Fredman – Gates’ endorsement: “I’ve long admired Dell’s pioneering use of the World Wide Web. In Direct from Dell, you’ll find strategies for using the Web to enhance your sales and empower information throughout your business. If you want to capitalize on cyberspace, you should read this book.”
• What Will Be: How the New World of Information Will Change Our Lives By Michael L. Dertouzos and Bill Gates – Gates’ endorsement: “‘What Will Be’ is an engaging and visionary guide to the future…. Whoever takes part in the coming Information Revolution-and that’s just about all of us-needs to know ‘What Will Be’.”
• The Catcher in the Rye By J.D. Salinger – Gates’ endorsement: “One of my favorite books from childhood is The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. I have read it so many times that I can quote large portions of it from memory.”

Gwyneth Paltrow – Oscar winning actress

“Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky
“Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte

Paul Winfield – Actor

“The Tempest Tales: A Novel-in-Stories” by Walter Mosley
“The Long Fall” by Walter Mosley. Winfield’s endorsement: “I love Walter’s ability to evoke the LA of the 40’s and 50’s, which is where I grew up.”

Glenn Beck – conservative TV political pundit

Atlas Shrugged By Ayn Rand
The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life By Ben Sherwood
Meltdown: A Free-Market Look at Why the Stock Market Collapsed, the Economy Tanked, and Government Bailouts Will Make Things Worse By Thomas E. Woods Jr.

If you’d like to see more visit http://favaholic.wordpress.com/ or email your own list of favorites to the email address printed below.

KEEP READING!!!

Jenne Reed Laytham is a local librarian who is living deliberately and positively with the help of books, laughter and music. She invites your comments at jlaytham@basehorlibrary.org

For a peek into Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple,” click the arrow.

SHOULD TIGER WOODS LOSE HIS ENDORSEMENTS FOR CHEATING?

MISSION, KS – Hello boys and girls. Welcome to Mass Appeal’s “He said, She said” report. This column will feature a debate between “Mass Appeal” editor Wayne Hodges and radio Diva Crystal “CB” Booker. The topic: Should Tiger Woods lose his endorsements for cheating? For starters, Hodges will take the affirmative constructive. Crystal will follow with the rebuttal. Before reading the debate, please recognize the following disclaimer: ***WARNING*** All slander is for argument purposes only. Alright, no time for delay. Let’s get started.

HE SAID, SHE SAID: Should Tiger Woods lose his endorsements for cheating?

EDITOR’S COMMENTARY

AFFIRMATIVE CONSTRUCTIVE – Yes, Tiger Woods should lose his endorsements. His philandering and disingenuous actions suggest so. I’m not proclaiming Tiger to be a criminal. He’s certainly no Chris Brown or Mike Tyson. However, like Kobe Bryant, Tiger’s deceit “under the sheets” was a huge disappointment to the millions of fans and children who model themselves after the world’s most prominent golfer. Is the media partly responsible? You damn skippy. For years, Tiger was portrayed by the television networks as being “holier than thou.”

At the tender age of 14, Tiger (pictured left) was given a huge multi-million dollar contract and a boatload of endorsements because television producers were convinced he was the male version of Mother Theresa. Twenty years later, we come to find out Tiger has a harem of women comparable to Playboy’s Hugh Hefner. Now, throw in the fact Tiger has a wife and three beautiful children, and you have a gourmet recipe for infidelity stew. We, the fans, are also partly responsible. We allowed Tiger to hoodwink us into ‘Never Never Land’ with his million dollar smile, Nike cap and “golden boy” persona.

Let’s face it. We were tricked, bamboozled, and the person to blame resides only inside the mirror.  To be candid, there are no more “golden boys” in America. If the Reverend Jesse Jackson was foolish enough to make a child outside his marriage, there’s no hope for the weary. Cheetah…um…I mean Tiger gave undeniable validation to the theory “All men cheat.” And, in my opinion, he should pay dearly for his sins.

AND SHE SAID…

Crystal Booker, Mass Appeal News

REBUTTAL – It is wrong when any one cheats be it man or woman, but the reality is that it does happen as evidenced by the popularity of the TV Show “Cheaters”.  In some cases people aren’t concerned with the right or wrong aspect of it or the morality factor. They don’t think about the repercussions of their actions. They don’t think of their families and who will be hurt if their dark deeds were to ever come to light. Thanks to “Cheaters” a lot of the dark deeds do come to light for the entire world to see. The way the show works is someone contacts the show suspecting that their mate is cheating. Cheaters then sets up surveillance to gather the proof needed to confirm their suspicions.

Once they have gathered enough evidence they give it to their client and then surprise the cheating mate and catch them in the act giving the scorned person a chance to confront their cheating mate on national television. It is an exciting show to watch. Tiger Woods is a great Golf Pro. There is no doubt about that, but he is also a man with lusts of the flesh the same as any other man. He is going to make mistakes the same as anybody else. Just because he is a celebrity does not make him exempt from being human. It is human nature. I never thought I would see the day when Tiger Woods would be labeled a “Playa”, but it is what it is. The fallout from his intercessions has been tremendous. He has lost endorsement deals worth millions of dollars.

The count now when last checked is up to 12 women with which he cheated. That should not be a factor in determining if he can promote the products in which he had endorsement deals. If every man that cheated on his mate got fired for cheating then there would be a lot of unemployed men, we’re talking thousands maybe millions. The fact remains it is a common occurrence these days and no one not even Tiger Woods should lose endorsements over this. People are going to do what they are going to do right or wrong. They shouldn’t lose their jobs over infidelity. I mean really.

Wayne Hodges, an MBA from St. Mary University, is the Editor-in-Chief of “Mass Appeal News.” He is also an adjunct professor, MPA at Kansas University, and intern with the Kansas Senate. Wayne welcomes your comments at whodges@massappealnews.com

Crystal Booker is the film critic of “Mass Appeal News.” She also serves as beat writer for our weekly news publication. She welcomes your comments at cbooker@massappealnews.com

For more on Tiger Woods, please click the play arrow.

GARY COLEMAN LOSES TEMPER DURING TELEVISION INTERVIEW, by Wayne Hodges

NEW YORK – Ok, what’s up with my boy Gary Coleman? The former star of ‘Different Strokes’ erupted into a profanity-laced tirade on ‘The Insider’ when asked about domestic violence against his wife during a television interview. Folks, I don’t know about you. But I was completely blindsided and utterly miffed at Coleman’s performance. Seriously, I found the entire incident to be completely preposterous. Never once could I envision the 4′6″ funny man as being an imbecile. But he really showed his little behind the other night. Unbelievable.

I’m used to watching Coleman spew such popular family lines as “Whatcha talkin’ bout Willis?” Not “Bleep this and F*** that.” My goodness. Coleman (pictured with his wife above) went from being adored as America’s childhood sweetheart in the late 70’s/early 80’s to behaving like the late Ike Turner. Man, I tell ya. It’s been nothing but downhill for the entire cast of  ‘Different Strokes.’ Actor Todd Bridges (Willis) has been in and out of prison. And Dana Plato (Kimberly) fell completely off a cliff through an apparent drug overdose. It’s really sad to see Coleman disgrace himself.

Wayne Hodges, an MBA from St. Mary University, is the Editor-in-Chief of “Mass Appeal News.” He is also an adjunct professor, MPA at Kansas University, and intern with the Kansas Senate. Wayne welcomes your comments at whodges@massappealnews.com

To view Coleman’s eruption on Insider, click the arrow.

KANSAS SENATOR CHRIS STEINEGER (D) SAYS “THE RECESSION IS NOT OVER,“ by Wayne Hodges

TOPEKA, KS -It’s official. The national unemployment rate has exceeded 10%. Employers are hesitant to hire. Budget deficits continue to plague local and state governments. And consumer spending remains relatively low. Is the recession over? Let’s find out. Recently, I had a chance to speak with Kansas Senator Chris Steineger (D) about the current state of the U.S. economy. Our Q&A discussion went as follows.

HODGES: Mr. Steineger, there have been several reports from the national media that suggest the U.S. economy has improved and our nation’s recession is indeed over. Can you confirm the reports? Have we seen the end of the recession?

STEINEGER: No, the recession is not over. It’s going to take another 5 to 7 years before working, middle-class citizens can start to believe they’re making significant financial progress. The reason for this is two-fold. 1) The collapse of real estate home values. And 2) the collapse of the stock market. I call it the “Double Bubble Burst.”

We must keep in mind; our nation is experiencing the worst financial crisis since the ‘Great Depression.’ And there’s so much more debt. We have government debt, consumer debt, credit card debt, automobile debt and mortgage debt. As Americans, we have been on a ‘borrow and spend’ spree the last 10 to 15 years. And it has finally caught up with us.

HODGES: What about reports the stock market has rebounded?

STEINEGER: Just because the stock market has turned around doesn’t mean the recession is over. The rise in stock markets have been fueled by smart, big money investors who realized the market was cheap and bought low. The working/middle class, to be candid, is getting hit the hardest. These folks, generally speaking, have low savings and are saddled with large debt.

The economists and ‘Wall Street’ experts see the stock market turnover. The consumers, however, are tapped out. And many still owe money on credit cards for depreciable goods that may have already been put out for garage sale. This includes big-screen televisions, personal computers, jewelry, shoes and all the “bling” stuff that people wanted the past 5 to 10 years.

HODGES: The big issue nationally involves the proposal of a new public healthcare system. Can you lend some insight on the status of healthcare reform? Are there any snags?

STEINEGER: The real problem with healthcare reform is we must figure out a way to lower the costs before we extend coverage to everybody else. The underlying problem with American Healthcare is it costs too much. The pharmacists and insurance companies are bankrupting us. Using the automobile as an analogy: if you drive a car that gets 15 miles per gallon, putting more gas in the tank is not the solution.

Instead, the solution is to redesign the car to become more efficient so you can get 40 miles per gallon. We must redesign healthcare in a similar fashion. We can start by reducing overhead and converting all medical records to a digital system. Also, insurance companies and HMO’s are fighting the public option because they believe it will lead to competition.

HODGES: Many people equate public healthcare with socialism. Are there any parallels between the two?

STEINEGER: No, I don’t think so. The Veteran’s Administration (VA) healthcare plan is socialized medicine because every VA hospital is a government built facility managed and operated by government employees. Since the payer system is government controlled, the VA epitomizes socialized medicine. Yet, there’s not a single ‘right winger’ protesting in front of the VA.

HODGES: Would public healthcare spur entrepreneurship?

STEINEGER: It would help a little. To become an entrepreneur or business person, there are so many hurdles to overcome which raises the central question: Does the marketplace want to buy what you have to sell? That said, I think we all need to become more entrepreneurial, more self-efficient, more self-responsible and more creative to achieve the lifestyle we want to live. Unfortunately, in recent decades, the playing field has become tilted in favor of large corporations and wealthy people who have lobbyists. Whereas small companies and entrepreneurs struggle to succeed.

HODGES: And finally, can the healthcare system be redesigned?

STEINEGER: Yes. Every other industrialized nation (24 total) figured out a long time ago how to keep healthcare costs down and provide universal coverage. As Americans, we should simply adapt the best practices from around the world to fit our situation. If other countries can do it, so can Americans.

Wayne Hodges, an MBA from St. Mary University, is the Editor-in-Chief of “Mass Appeal News.” He is also an adjunct professor, MPA at Kansas University, and intern with the Kansas Senate. Wayne welcomes your comments at whodges@massappealnews.com

***This article can also be viewed on the Topeka Examiner by clicking here.***

To see a current recession report, click the play arrow.