Saturday, June 30, 2012

bitten by a werewolf


Portrait Magazine: "...The ups are definitely meeting new people, going places, bragging that you got to meet Jennifer Lopez and Arnold Swartznagger, The downs are probably the auditioning process, because that usually takes awhile, traveling, cause you always get pretty tired...There was one scene that I had to do, where I had to rap. It was pretty embarrassing to me, cause I’m not that good at it...Probably one of the coolest people I’ve ever met was Richard Leycock, He was on the Tv Show called Doc. He played my step dad in that show, and also I really like Jennifer Lopez, she’s really cool. She taught me a lot, she helped me with my acting...A few days ago I got a fan letter in the mail from South Africa, and they said that they love my work, and they are a huge fan, and they wanted me to send and autographed picture to them. ..I got a little bored, and I was traveling a lot. Canada, New York, Mexico. But now I have a job for a TV show that’s about 20 minutes away from my house, so I have the chance to go to school...Ocassionally, sometimes my mom will go on the fan message boards, and read them to me. My mom just created, TylerGPosey.com...I hang out with a lot of my friends, I audition a lot for a lot of movies and TV shows, I snowboard, watch a lot of movies, I surf in the summer. I love extreme sports. I used to be good at skate boarding. But I stopped when school started..." (Tyler Posey Interview)


Tyler Garcia Posey (born October 18, 1991) is an American actor and musician. Tyler is best known for his role as Scott McCall in MTV's show Teen Wolf. Posey was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of actor John Posey. He lives in Valencia, California, and has two brothers, Jesse and Derek. His heritage is Mexican (on his mother's side), and Irish, Scottish, English, and American Indian. He attended Hart High School in Santa Clarita, California (Wikipedia).


Teen Wolf is an American television series that currently airs on MTV, and in reruns on TeenNick. The series premiered on June 5, 2011, following the 2011 MTV Movie Awards. Teen Wolf is a supernatural drama series that follows Scott McCall (Tyler Posey), a high school student and social outcast who is bitten by a werewolf while wandering in the woods. Scott attempts to maintain a normal life, keeping the fact of his being a "werewolf" secret from everyone, with the exception of his best friend Stiles Stilinski (Dylan O'Brien), who helps him through the changes in his life and body, and another mysterious werewolf, Derek Hale (Tyler Hoechlin). The series received a generally positive response from critics, earning a score of 61 out of 100 on review site Metacritic. The show's premiere drew in a total of 2.18 million viewers. The show has been renewed for a second season. In the UK & Ireland it's airing on Sky Living and in Canada on MuchMusic (Wikipedia).

Thursday, June 28, 2012

stand up for yourself and others


Audioinkradio: "The finest rock bands bring a poignant message with their heavy tracks, and in line with that ethic, South Carolina-based hard rock band Crossfade have tagged an anti-bullying campaign with their latest single, “Prove You Wrong,” and the song’s complimenting music video. Watch the video, which features trippy performance footage from the group as well as some killer animation, below. October was anti-bullying month, and that’s when Crossfade’s “Prove You Wrong” really started to strike a chord with fans. The group recorded a PSA to raise awareness of bullying, and the footage received exposure from CNN host Anderson Cooper. “What’s up? We’re Crossfade, and when it comes to bullying, stand up for yourself and others,” the band states in the PSA. “When you see it, say something. If you experience it, let someone know. And if you do it, stop it!” Crossfade also launched a Twitter campaign, asking fans to share their bullying stories using the hashtag #proveyouwrong. The response was unreal. “For all of you who’ve passionately supported the #proveyouwrong campaign so far, we’d like to THANK YOU for sharing your stories…“Prove You Wrong,” which impacts active rock radio Nov. 21, is one of guitarist Les Hall’s favorite songs on Crossfade’s current album, We All Bleed. “Lyrically, it’s about people not believing in you and you proving them wrong..." (Crossfade Debut ‘Prove You Wrong’ Video with Anti-Bullying Message)


Crossfade is an American rock band from Columbia, South Carolina. Their current members are Ed Sloan on lead vocals and guitar, Les Hall on lead guitar, keyboard, and backing vocals, Mitch James on backing vocals and bass, and Mark Castillo on drums. Since their formation in 1999 Crossfade has released three studio albums – their platinum selling self-titled debut album in 2004, and Falling Away in 2006. Their third album, We All Bleed, was released on June 21, 2011 (Wikipedia).

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

don’t say it online


Rockdirt: In a public service announcement for the UK’s leading bullying prevention charity Beatbullying.org, Fall Out Boy bassist/spokesmodel Pete Wentz explained that he’s been online loads of times when people have been giving each other grief. “Anything that you wouldn’t say to someone’s face, don’t say it online on the computer,” Wentz said (Pete Wentz PSA Against Online Bullying).


Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz III (born on June 5, 1979) better known as Pete Wentz, is an American musician, best known for being the bassist and primary lyricist for the American rock band Fall Out Boy. Since the announcement of Fall Out Boy's indefinite hiatus, Wentz has formed the experimental electropop group Black Cards. Wentz has also ventured into other non-musical projects, including writing, acting, and fashion; in 2005 he founded a clothing company called Clandestine Industries. He also runs a film production company called Bartskull Films, as well as a bar called Angels & Kings. His philanthropic activities include collaborations with Invisible Children and UNICEF's Tap Project, a fundraising project that helps bring clean drinking water to people worldwide. On May 17, 2008, Wentz married Ashlee Simpson. On February 8, 2011, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences" (Wikipedia).

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Sunday, June 24, 2012

the bullying of billy


NY Times: Bullying is everywhere, including here in Fayetteville, a city of 60,000 with one of the country’s better school systems. A decade ago a Fayetteville student was mercilessly harassed and beaten for being gay. After a complaint was filed with the Office of Civil Rights, the district adopted procedures to promote tolerance and respect none of which seems to have been of much comfort to Billy Wolfe. It remains unclear why Billy became a target at age 12; schoolyard anthropology can be so nuanced. Maybe because he was so tall, or wore glasses then, or has a learning disability that affects his reading comprehension. Or maybe some kids were just bored. Or angry. Whatever the reason, addressing the bullying of Billy has become a second job for his parents: Curt, a senior data analyst, and Penney, the owner of an office-supply company. They have binders of school records and police reports, along with photos documenting the bruises and black eyes. They are well known to school officials, perhaps even too well known, but they make no apologies for being vigilant. They also reject any suggestion that they should move out of the district because of this. The many incidents seem to blur together into one protracted assault. When Billy attaches a bully’s name to one beating, his mother corrects him. “That was Benny, sweetie,” she says. “That was in the eighth grade.” It began years ago when a boy called the house and asked Billy if he wanted to buy a certain sex toy, heh-heh. Billy told his mother, who informed the boy’s mother. The next day the boy showed Billy a list with the names of 20 boys who wanted to beat Billy up. Ms. Wolfe says she and her husband knew it was coming. She says they tried to warn school officials — and then bam: the prank caller beat up Billy in the bathroom of McNair Middle School. Not long after, a boy on the school bus pummeled Billy, but somehow Billy was the one suspended, despite his pleas that the bus’s security camera would prove his innocence. Days later, Ms. Wolfe recalls, the principal summoned her, presented a box of tissues, and played the bus video that clearly showed Billy was telling the truth (A Boy the Bullies Love to Beat Up, Repeatedly).

Today MSNBC MSN: “They get away with it, so they think they can just keep doing it,” Billy told TODAY co-host Matt Lauer. “I don’t really know what started it. Maybe ’cause I moved here in elementary school and it followed me all the way to high school.” His mother echoes his words. “I honestly don’t know,” she said. “From the first assault when the kids didn’t get in trouble, they thought it was okay. They thought, ‘He’s a good target, he’s an easy target, and it’s okay to hit him because we’re not going to get in trouble.’ ”In addition to physical assaults, there has been cyber bullying that has ranged from an Internet posting that said, “Everyone hates Billy Wolfe,” to another accusing him of being gay. His parents have pursued the normal avenues of redress, from talking to the parents of Billy’s tormentors to appealing to school officials. As the assaults have continued, they’ve finally resorted to hiring an attorney and suing at least one of the bullies. They’ve also gone public, telling Billy’s story to The New York Times, which played it on the front page of the newspaper (Parents sue son’s bully, threaten school district).


Billy Wolfe - Fayetteville, Arkansas high school sophomore Billy Wolfe has been a target of school bullies for years. He and his parents have filed a lawsuit against one such bully, Ian Teeters, along with several other unnamed "John Doe" bullies. They are also considering a suit against the school district. Among the incidents described by a New York Times article on Wolfe are prank calls made to his home, beatings that caused the boy to lose consciousness and a Facebook group set up to ridicule him entitled "Every One That Hates Billy Wolfe." Wolfe's school has received over 300 phone calls and e-mails since the story broke, including at least one that was threatening. The school district is now working with the FBI to determine the source of these threats (Mahalo.com).




Friday, June 22, 2012

Nickelodeon awareness effort


The Salt Lake Tribune: Miranda Cosgrove, the 17-year-old star of the popular Nickelodeon TV show "iCarly," showed up at Crescent Elementary School to meet with more than 90 fourth-graders who had won a local radio station contest that revolved around bullying. "It’s a really great cause," Cosgrove told media after the event. She attended school until the fifth grade, she said, and had experienced bullying at school. (Miranda Cosgrove, star of "iCarly," talks to Utah students about bullying).

Ventura County Star: The popular children's television network Nickelodeon is the latest voice to raise awareness of digital bullying. The issue has received national attention after the suicides of teenagers who were cyberbullying victims. President Barack Obama held a White House conference on bullying earlier this month. Nick is collaborating with the advocacy group Common Sense Media, which has also worked with MTV and the Disney Channel on spreading the word about the issue. The hope is that the anti-bullying effort can become as pervasive and successful as campaigns calling for a designated driver who has not consumed alcohol when friends are out drinking, said James Steyer, CEO and founder of Common Sense Media, which offers reviews and advice for parents (Nickelodeon launching anti-bullying campaign).


Miranda Taylor Cosgrove (born May 14, 1993) is an American film and television actress and pop recording artist. Cosgrove played the roles of Megan Parker in Drake & Josh and title character in iCarly. Her career started at the age of three, participating in television commercials. Cosgrove's film debut was in 2003, as Summer Hathaway in School of Rock. After years of small television appearances, Cosgrove was cast into the hit show Drake & Josh and later in iCarly. Cosgrove earns $180,000 per episode of iCarly, making her the second highest paid child star on television. Following the success of iCarly, a soundtrack album was released in June 2008, in which she performed four songs. Cosgrove's debut album Sparks Fly was released on April 27, 2010 (Wikipedia).

Nickelodeon (TV channel) (usually abbreviated as "Nick", and originally named Pinwheel from December 1, 1977 to March 31, 1979, and stylized in its current logo as nickelodeon) is an American cable television network owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 6–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers ages 2–5. Since 2006, Nickelodeon has been run by MTVN Kids & Family Group President Cyma Zarghami (Wikipedia).




Wednesday, June 20, 2012

It just never defines me.


Josh Flagg, one of the real-estate agents on the Bravo show Million Dollar Listing, came out as gay in the March 22 episode, according to Advocate.com. In an interview that ran in the March 23 issue of Windy City Times, Flagg said that he actually has had a boyfriend for three years. Flagg also comes out in his new book, Million Dollar Agent: Brokering the Dream (Windy City Media Group).

SDGLN: "Alright this is a really interesting question, which for straight people boggles them and for gay or bisexual people is always something that you kind of realize one day. For instance, you reflect on your life and as a child you do things that are atypical. In my instance, dressing up in preschool and playing with the girls. The other boys were playing football. And then over the years there are other things and then one day you just realize “Hey, I am not interested in girls like that.” And from there you just go with the flow. Some people figure it out earlier than others. I probably put 2 and 2 together when I was about 12 or 13...Madison did not beat me to the punch. Madison just decided to come out on national television before I did, but as far as I know, I was out to the people I wanted to be out to well before Madison was. At the rate we are going, we might have to change the title of the show to "Two Homos and the Straight Dude." How will it affect my situation with Madison? Well, I certainly don't think negatively. You know Madison chose to come out on TV and make a big to do about it, which I respect. I took a different approach, a more subtle approach, and I kind of like the way Bravo did it ... slowly revealing my life, because for the most part no one knows anything about my life other than what they can read on the Internet or what they see on the show with my family, but my private life was always kind of a mystery. I guess I liked that, though. Well anyway, cats out of the bag, ha ha" (SDGLN EXCLUSIVE: Josh Flagg comes out on Bravo's “Million Dollar Listing,” reveals his boyfriend, discusses memoir).

Chicago Go Pride: "I don't think it's a big surprise," Flagg told Jerry Nunn in a Windy City Times interview this week. "I don't have a sign on my forehead or anything, but it is not that shocking." Flagg also shares about his personal life in his new book, "Million Dollar Agent: Brokering the Dream," which coincidentally was also released on Tuesday. This is his second book and this memoir including discussion of his sexuality and details of his boyfriend of three years. "It just never defines me. It just happens to be that I am gay. It doesn't define my personality. If someone asks me I will tell him or her but it is not like I flaunt it," said Flagg (Million Dollar Listing's Josh Flagg comes out gay).


Josh Flagg (born August 20, 1985) is an American real estate agent and media personality who co-stars alongside Josh Altman and Madison Hildebrand on the show Million Dollar Listing on the Bravo! television network. Appearing on television for the first time in 2008, Flagg came back to do the third season of the show in 2009. In 2010, Bravo announced a fourth season of the show, which premiered on February 3, 2011. The show, which as of now is in its fourth season, follows three young real estate agents in Los Angeles as they sell high-end homes (Wikipedia).




Monday, June 18, 2012

Josh is Not Narrow Too


Advocate: Actor Josh Hutcherson stars in a video for the "Straight But Not Narrow" campaign aimed specifically at young heterosexual males to help combat homophobia. Hutcherson recently played the son of Annette Bening and Julianne Moore in the box office hit The Kids Are All Right (Josh Hutcherson: Straight, Not Narrow).

About SBNN: There have been a number of great campaigns and charities that have recently emerged to show support to gay youth & teens. However, we noticed one significant niche missing in the efforts…. the message to the young, straight male. It’s an unfortunate reality that most of the bullying and harassment that gay teens face comes from them. It is for this reason that we are building a campaign that is primarily directed to the young, straight male by using comedy and their peers to positively influence their views on LGBT teens (Straight But Not Narrow).


Joshua Ryan "Josh" Hutcherson (born October 12, 1992) is an American film and television actor. He began working in the early 2000s, appearing in several minor film and television roles. He gained wider exposure with major roles in the 2005 films Little Manhattan and Zathura, the 2006 comedy RV, the 2007 family adventure film Firehouse Dog, and the film adaptations of Bridge to Terabithia, Journey to the Center of the Earth and Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant. On March 30, 2008, Hutcherson won a Young Artist Award (for Leading Young Actor). Hutcherson was also featured on a Celebrity Teens edition of the hit show MTV Cribs, and is set to play Robert in the Red Dawn remake (Wikipedia).

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Saturday, June 16, 2012

a fool’s dream


SFX: "...Yes, non-union or whatever, and I just asked them how much they paid. And it was more than I was getting paid at three other jobs in a week, and I went, “Are you kidding? Awesome!” The grips hid a rubber chicken in every shot; I mean, it was that kind of movie (laughs). But it was so much fun and it was a nice compliment to sitting at home alone and drawing. And I could make money. At first I knew I wasn’t very good but I also knew I could learn. So I went to an acting class and learnt all I could and then I started trying to get myself an agent, which was tough...Not so easy, really. I went through a couple of hard years with strikes and a couple of tough series. At one point the business was hard for me and I thought, “Man, I don’t want to do this anymore…That was before True Blood. It was a few years ago during the strikes and also I had two series that just didn’t go how I wanted them to go. It was so depressing and it’s hard sometimes. When people say to me, “I want to be an actor, what’s your advice?” I always say “Is there anything else you really love? If there is, I would recommend that because acting is not what you think it is.” It’s not the red carpet and it’s not the hit show. It’s like marriage. People want to get married and they think of the dress and the party, the soul mate. No, it comes down to the minute of the day...Yes it is and if you think it’s all glamour and parties that’s a fool’s dream. I wanted to be a rock star, but I couldn’t sit there and learn these frickin’ chords. Then you don’t want to be a rock star, you want that idea of being a rock star. And that’s not it. So acting is something that I seem to be able to do: I can handle auditioning, I can handle rejection, mostly, (laughs) and then, I like being on the set – I like those days..." (True Blood Interview: Kristin Bauer)


Kristin Bauer van Straten (born Kristin Neubauer) is an American film and television actress, perhaps best known for her role as vampire Pam in the HBO series True Blood. In 2011 Kristin teamed with the Animal Legal Defense Fund in the fight to free Tony, a 10-year-old Siberian-Bengal tiger who has spent every day and night of the last decade at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana (Wikipedia).

True Blood is an American television comedy drama series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, and details the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana. The series centers on Sookie Stackhouse (played by actress Anna Paquin), a telepathic waitress at a bar, who falls in love with vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). The show is broadcast on the premium cable network HBO in the United States. It is produced by HBO in association with Ball's production company, Your Face Goes Here Entertainment. It premiered on September 7, 2008. The series has received critical acclaim and won several awards, including one Golden Globe and an Emmy. The show's second 12-episode season had its premiere on June 14, 2009 and the third season on June 13, 2010. On June 21, 2010, HBO renewed True Blood for a fourth season (Wikipedia).

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Thursday, June 14, 2012

the uncool thing is not saying something


Boston Herald: Jermaine Wiggins grew up in East Boston. Given his size, he didn’t encounter too many bullies. But he did step in a few times when he saw someone else being bullied, and try to calm the situation. That was one of the messages Wiggins delivered to a packed auditorium at the Daley Middle School in Lowell this morning, as part of “Bully Prevention Week.” The other was not being afraid to tell an adult if someone is being a bully. ”There’s nothing wrong with being a snitch or a rat,” said the former Pats tight end, who is largely recognized for his contributions in the “Snow Bowl” playoff game against the Raiders during the Pats 2001 championship run. ”The uncool thing is not saying something. The uncool thing is seeing something happen, and not stepping up.” (Patriots alum Jermaine Wiggins delivers anti-bullying message to middle school youth in Lowell).


Jermaine Wiggins (born January 18, 1975 in East Boston, Massachusetts) is an American football tight end for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football at Georgia. Wiggins has also been a member of the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars. He earned a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI (Wikipedia).




Tuesday, June 12, 2012

never treat people with disrespect


The Times-Tribune: Roth, a graduate of Lackawanna Trail High School where he was an all-state football player, will speak Wednesday evening at 7:30 at the Penn State Worthington-Scranton campus gym at a fundraiser for anti-bullying and teen suicide prevention. "I'm really passionate about this issue," Roth told The Sunday Times last week. "I think people have to recognize it and stand up and do something about it. Emotion creates emotion. It's as simple as being nice. Listen to what you say to others and realize that everything you say could hurt somebody in some way. It's all about the art of communication and a way to impact and inspire. "I'm hoping that a lot of people come out. I just want people to be aware of how important this issue is. I am looking to make a call to action. We need to set a vision and never treat people with disrespect. You should chase down your dreams and you can do it by being a good person. You can inspire a lot of people." (Roth returns home to help fundraiser for anti-bullying, teen suicide prevention fundraiser).

Yogi Roth (born September 20, 1981) is an American football coach. He played high school football at Lackawanna Trail High School in Dalton, PA and college football at Pitt, where he was a wide receiver. After working as a video assistant at the University of Southern California, he was promoted to Quarterbacks graduate assistant coach. On December 5, 2009, Roth served as a radio announcer for the ESPN Radio broadcast of Arizona @ USC. Regular color commentator Brock Huard had to go into the ESPN on ABC TV booth, as TV color commentator Craig James had a sore throat (Wikipedia).

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Sunday, June 10, 2012

rotten words can get you sick


Duluth News Tribune: Kids have always been told to ignore bullies by their parents and teachers, he said later. But it’s dangerous, he said, because once something is said, it has entered your brain. “It breeds depression, it breeds drug use, it breeds alcoholism and anxiety, it breeds self-harming, and it breeds suicide,” he said. In one bit, he took a few bites out of an apple and licked it before throwing it to a student. She didn’t catch it, letting it drop to the ground. “Why didn’t you catch that?” he asked. “Germs,” several students said. That’s what the Scary Guy wanted to hear, after spending several minutes talking about how food and words are both forms of energy absorbed by the body. “Just as you are responsible to use food to keep you alive, you are responsible for the words you use,” he said. “If you accept the rotten words into your mouth, you can get sick.” The work of the Scary Guy is going to change school culture in Proctor and Hermantown, said Molly Johnson, community education director for both districts (The Scary Guy uses humor and interaction to talk about bullying).


The Scary Guy (born December 29, 1953) is a United States based motivational speaker who campaigns worldwide to eliminate hate, violence, prejudice and bullying in schools and corporations. In addition to being a tattoo shop owner, philosopher, comic, entertainer, inspirational speaker and performance artist, his nose, eyebrows and ears are pierced and tattoos cover 85 percent of his body. The Scary Guy legally changed his name from Earl Kenneth Kaufmann in 1998 to The Scary Guy and now focuses on teaching children and adults love and acceptance of all people. His mission is to eliminate hate, violence and prejudice worldwide. His audiences consist of both youth and adults, within schools and corporations worldwide. His philosophy is that "if someone calls you a 'rotten word' it's their problem not yours. And you choose to accept what they say" (Wikipedia).





Friday, June 8, 2012

accept all different people


Advocate: On teen suicides and bullying: "I think hearing about it more is a good first step. But I think as Americans, we’re a little ADD and I think we jump from headline to headline to headline, and you can hear a story about a young person that has been bullied or picked on, taken their own life or whatever, and that can get the attention of the public for this much. But when the next headline comes along, they move on. We don’t need just to talk about it more, we need to sit down and have some intelligent discussions about what we’re going do about it. I mean, we know that gay and lesbian youth are bullied and picked on at a much higher rate than other kids. And there are other at-risk groups as well. But it is a real problem for gay and lesbian youth and that’s not going to change until we do something about it, and when I say something about it, that means we’ve got to educate the people that are in a position to recognize it, prevent it, remediate it when it’s happening. And we’re not going to do that until we get some legislative power behind it because it takes money. It takes money to put things into the curriculum. It takes money to train teachers, many of whom may have very antiquated views about things. It needs to be part of the curriculum. A curriculum of inclusion, a curriculum of acceptance. This isn’t a thing where you put up a poster on the bulletin board the first day of school and say, “We don’t bully and we don’t pick on this and we accept all different people that might be different than ourselves.” It needs to be an ongoing dialogue where it becomes part of what shapes the minds of the people that are doing the bullying" (The Good Doctor)


Phillip Calvin McGraw (born September 1, 1950), best known as Dr. Phil, is an American television personality, author, psychologist, and the host of the television show Dr. Phil, which debuted in 2002. McGraw first gained celebrity status with appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show in the late 1990s (Wikipedia).




Wednesday, June 6, 2012

taking care one self, of life


Diabetes.ca: Passionate about healthy living, Cicciarella spends countless hours working out and taking care of his healthy body and mind. But Charles wasn’t always as healthy as he is now. Before he took control of his life, he weighed 385 lbs. “I grew up with diabetes by taking care of my mom and visiting the Association offices to learn about the disease to help my mom,” says Cicciarella. “But I wasn’t taking care of myself. I wanted to take control of my life and not become another type 2 diabetes statistic.” In his book Life is a FAT ONION: My 8 Rules for Losing Weight and Gaining Life, the Toronto-born Cicciarella tells his inspiring weight loss story, comparing how he shed 155 lbs to the many layers of an onion. “My mission is to inspire people to take control of their lives to live a healthier life,” says Cicciarella. “If I can do it, anyone can.” (Living Healthy).

Los Angeles Times:By age 29, Cicciarella was ordering McDonald's up to eight times a day and consuming three cases of root beer and a dozen gallons of butterscotch ice cream a week. He was a borderline diabetic with full-blown sleep apnea, had a shaved head because he couldn't lift his arms to comb his hair and rarely showered because he couldn't lift his legs into the tub. His 6- foot-2 body weighed 390 pounds, 74% of which was pure fat. Change came the day that a beloved, vivacious aunt died. "In my grief, I had an epiphany," Cicciarella said. "I took off all my clothes, stood in front of a mirror and said, 'Holy cow, look what I've created. I have a ticket to life, but I'm not using it.'"

The next day, inspired by the "take responsibility" message of TV psychologist Phil McGraw, Cicciarella decided to start exercising. But going to a gym was out of the question — he thought he wouldn't fit on the machines and feared being teased by muscular gym rats. So he settled on the most obvious activity: walking. "I made it halfway around the block — the most exercise I'd done in five years," he says. "My feet went numb and I got excruciating shin splints, but I liked the feeling. For the first time, I was taking positive action for my health." (Obesity and exercise: How 390-pound Charles Cicciarella began to walk the walk).


About Charles Cicciarella - Charles is a technology expert who has worked in Web Marketing, Corporate Training, Film/TV Production and Live Events. He is a writer, speaker, blogger and the official spokesperson of the Excellence through Exercise Foundation , which is dedicated to wiping out childhood obesity. Charles lost his mother to Diabetes and has made it his personal mission to raise funds for the Canadian Diabetes Association in her memory. Charles is passionate about healthy living and spends countless hours taking care of his healthy body and mind, practicing what he preaches. To find out more about Charles, his book and his upcoming workshops, visit www.lifeisafatonion.com (Life is a Fat Onion Book Launch).




Monday, June 4, 2012

a better self-conception


The Thinking Mother: I applaud the fact that another book has been published on bullying. It is clear that Jay McGraw cares about this issue and wants bullying eradicated, something he and I agree upon. However the book puts too much blame on the victim. The book’s strong point is trying to get the victim to have a better self-conception and to gain courage to try to stop it. The reality of the situation is that bullying is complex and not easily solved. I doubt it can be solved by the victim suddenly changing to be super self-confident and suddenly exuding leadership skills to be a change-agent in their community. Followers can’t suddenly become leaders. Introverted kids can’t will themselves to convert to being assertive extroverts. Uncharismatic and unpopular victims won’t easily win the support of the bystander school peers who are concerned first and foremost with their own selves. A lot of the unchangeable nature of a child’s personality defines their place in the pecking order that American public schools cultivate. A child, especially one who lacks self-esteem and has been victimized, sometimes for years, can’t suddenly change who they are to become Top Dog or become popular, just as they can’t will themselves to be accepted in some of the more powerful and higher regarded cliques. Those sad facts help the bully-bystander-victim cycle continue today as it has been happening for hundreds (thousands?) of years (Jay McGraw's Life Strategies for Dealing with Bullies Book Review).


Jay Phillip McGraw (born September 12, 1979 in Wichita County, Texas) is the son of Phil McGraw of The Dr. Phil Show and Robin McGraw. He has one younger brother, Jordan (a musician). He has written several books aimed at young people. He has also appeared on The Dr. Phil Show. McGraw is President and CEO of Stage 29 Productions in Los Angeles, a company he co-founded with his father. He has served as Executive Producer on several prime-time "Dr. Phil" specials. He appeared as host of Renovate My Family, which aired on Fox. McGraw attended Greenhill School, he is a graduate of the University of Texas, receiving a B.S. in Psychology. He earned his law degree from Southern Methodist University. He is executive producer of the TV series, "The Doctors." McGraw wed Playboy model Erica Dahm at his parents' home in Beverly Hills. A reception for 400 guests followed the ceremony at the Beverly Hills Hotel. In March 2010, Dahm gave birth to the couple's first daughter, Avery Elizabeth. In April 2011, McGraw and his wife announced they were expecting their second child in September 2011 (Wikipedia).




Saturday, June 2, 2012

more mature kate


National Post: “The royal family have moved on,” he said. “They’ve had to, to the realities of the media world in 2011. She will be, I imagine, the devoted wife and very much at his side. “Kate the individual I don’t believe will receive a fraction of the coverage that Diana got worldwide and in many ways it’s going to be a lot easier for her because the palace and all those around will have learned from what happened with Diana. “They will be very, very guarded to make sure that doesn’t happen again...Diana hailed from an enormously privileged, aristocratic, old English family. Kate comes from a family that descends from working class mining stock. In many ways, she had a much more modern upbringing." “Kate comes from a much more stable background — she is … in every sense, more mature, well-grounded and comfortable in her own skin.” The fact that William and Middleton are so close in age could also help them bond, Joseph said. The couple should realise that the overwhelmingly positive press coverage they have enjoyed since announcing their engagement in November may not last, former newspaper editors have warned (Sorry, Prince William: Experts say Kate is no Diana).


Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" Middleton (born 9 January 1982) is the fiancée of Prince William of Wales. Their wedding is to take place on 29 April 2011. Middleton grew up in Chapel Row at Bucklebury, Berkshire, England, and studied in Scotland at the University of St Andrews, where she met Prince William in 2001. They started a romantic relationship that continued until a break-up lasting for several months in 2007. However, they continued to be friends and rekindled their relationship later that year. Since then, Middleton has attended many high-profile royal events. She has been admired for her fashion sense and has been placed on numerous "best dressed" lists. Once their relationship became public, Middleton received widespread media attention and there was much speculation that they would eventually marry. On 16 November 2010 the office of the Prince of Wales at Clarence House announced their engagement, with details announced one week later (Wikipedia).

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