It’s official.

The producers, directors, and everyone else in charge of

my two favorite television shows have lost their minds.

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First up – the show I still have hope for. True Blood.

Last night, we watched Eric Northman stroll out into the sun and certain death in a bid to defeat Russell Edgington. The problem here is that Northman, played by Alexander Skarsgard is the best character/actor/casting-combo on the show.

If Eric does not survive the season finale (which HBO just had to postpone for two weeks) it is likely True Blood will lose a lot of viewers …. Including me. For the record, I do not actually believe Eric will cease to exist ….not because I have read the books on which the series is based, but because it would be numbers suicide for the show. I just felt the need to express myself on that particular plot development.

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Now for the second –

 Dancing with the Stars which announced the line up for the new season yesterday.

Now I don’t want to say the producers were digging the bottom of the barrel when they lined up the “stars” – heck if Jake Pavelka and Kate Gosselin count as “stars”, then I guess Mike Sorrentino and Audrina Patridge do too even though I had never heard of them before.

No the one that really gets me – and I expect this was definitely part of the design – is the inclusion of Bristol Palin.

Is she a star? The only thing I know her to be famous for is a well-publicized series of spats with her ex-boyfriend/fiancée .

Now let’s put aside the fact that her mother — Sarah Palin — is one of the most easily recognizable figures on the American political scene. Let’s just forget that Mrs. Palin is one of the most divisive figures in American politics. And let’s definitely NOT even think about the fact that plenty of her supporters hope Palin will make a run for the White House in 2012…and what this might mean for why Bristol has agreed to be on the show.

No, Bristol Palin is not a star. Her claim to fame is not anything she has done but who her mother is.

Meh …..poor choices, producers, very poor choices.

The only reason TO watch this season? Florence Henderson.

But maybe it’s just me ….

My regular readers know I am a big (figuratively and literally) proponent of not only speaking out publicly on the issues that matter to you as an individual, but of going a step further to actually do something about them. Well, dear readers (*waves* at all three of them… *snort*), today is no different.

Why?

Because it’s Skip A Starbucks Day!!!

 And those of you who read this blog regularly (see my assault on Elmo) or know me, know just how important my morning coffee is!!!

Sometimes the issues we are asked to act on are very obviously global – like the right to water or campaigning for an international climate treaty.

Sometimes the issues – like the flooding tragedy in Pakistan – force us to examine in ourselves and those around us what we really believe to be our common humanity.

And sometimes, when fortune is smiling, we get the opportunity to reach out a helping hand and profoundly change the lives of a few individuals – to really do something tangible that contributes to making this world just a little bit nicer for everyone.

@CJRedwine and her family are nearing the end of a five-year journey to adopt a baby girl from China. Delays in the process caused by broader geopolitical concerns of the Chinese government have cost the family time, heartache and additional expense. The waiting, refilling and increased costs have eroded the family’s financial cushion. Now with their long-awaited goal finally in sight, the family is in need of help to bring their little girl – Joanna Faith — home.

Thus, Skip A Starbucks Day (which actually runs August 23 – 26)!

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What’s that old saying? People who live in glass houses really shouldn’t look in the mirror?!? … well, something like that …

No matter how realistically you think you view yourself, there are certain aspects of our individual nature or personality that we all like to ignore or hide away from the general public.

Trouble is, sometimes life forces you to look in the mirror and find an ugly truth. *sigh*

Sometimes the knowledge comes courtesy of a friend. Sometimes it comes courtesy of a life event.

And sometimes, just sometimes, it comes compliments of a 6-foot tall red furry monster that is supposed to be teaching babies and toddlers, not 30-something year olds, about the world.

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In a way it’s sort of galling to get a lesson in personal and civic responsibility from a nearly 3,000-year old vampire.

But when Russell Edgington — the heartbroken, blood-crazed vampire king of Mississippi — took to the airwaves on last night’s episode of True Blood to berate humans for thinking they are equal with vampires and deconstruct arguments that humans and vampires are alike, that’s exactly what happened.

And I quote:

I suppose, in a few small ways, we are. We’re narcissists. We care only about getting what we want no matter the cost … just like you.

Global warming, perpetual war, toxic waste, child labor, torture, genocide … that’s a small price to pay for your SUVs, and your flat screen TVs. Your designer jeans; Your absurd, garish McMansions! … futile symbols of permanence to quell your quivering spineless souls …

Ok, so let’s forget for a second this admonition was delivered by a being

that eats humans for dinner.

Let’s ignore the fact his diatribe was delivered while

holding a bloody portion of a human’s spine.

Let’s also skip over the really ewwww-y fact that the King spent much of last night’s episode crying over a ridiculously ornate punch bowl filled with the splattered remains of his dead mate.

The man (er … vampire) has a point …

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Before the post-BlogHer10 glow fades and I feel duty-bound to return to my usual offerings of political and human rights pop culture babble (which, incidentally, is very likely to keep me off the invite lists for the really cool soirees for years to come) I want to share some lessons I learned during my New York adventure.

For those not in the know (in other words, me 5 months ago) the BlogHer annual conference is a gathering of (predominantly) female bloggers from around the United States and Canada. There are mommy bloggers, fashion bloggers, coupon clipping bloggers, funny bloggers, special needs bloggers and pretty much every possible kind of “blogger” you can think of.  The conference is a place to learn and schmooze and wear your feet down to bloody stumps.

And this is what I learned ….

1 – Reaffirmation!

Hands down, the BEST part of the BlogHer experience is discovering the people you meet online are as sweet, caring, beautiful and smart in real life as they are on the Internet. It’s a real relief if, like me, you find yourself often wondering if these beings you tweet, chat or otherwise “connect” with online are actually real, live people and not just some Terminator-esque machine playing a sick joke.

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Why is True Blood better than Twilight? And why should you care?

I’ve got a whole list of reasons why True Blood wins the (a-HEM) day.

And unless you are living under a rock, in a cave, or in Tora Bora … wait. That’s caves too …. Well, you know what I mean …. Vampires are everywhere! It’s unavoidable once the sun goes down.

So if you are going to be held captive by the undead, you might as well go with the vamps that actually have something to say besides “I vant to suck your blood.”

• True Blood often jumps around, over and through bigger issues – such as gay bashing, discrimination, fear, societal stigma, and politics. It may be coated in corn-syrup-blood, but the issues are there.
• UPDATE: This post drew some comments reflecting Alexander Skarsgard and Stephen Moyer’s (friendly) charity contest – check out the comment from NotHoney below and click the link to participate!!!
• Sookie Stackhouse is tougher and feistier than Bella Swan.
• I am totally Team Edward — and all for innovation — but vampires just should not “sparkle.”
• Alexander Skarsgard burns … and no, not because he’s taken his character Eric Northman out into the sun (at least, not yet) but because there is just something about that smile.
• Pop out fangs are the bomb.
• Supporting characters in True Blood have almost as much depth as the leads.
• The acting is better. Or the scripts are….
• A television series allows for more character development (and time to fix mistakes).
• Twilight doesn’t have Nelsan “Lafayette” Ellis, Mariana “Lorena” Klovena, or Kristin “Pam” Bauer.
• True Blood characters speak in tongues … other than English, that is. (But I have to say I’ll be disappointed if no Bulgarian pops up somewhere in the series.)

In at least one area – werewolves – I think Twilight is ahead of the pack. The Quileute American Indian wolves from Twilight are seriously cool. The werewolves in True Blood are a bunch of idiots (except for Alcide, of course!).

I did not compare the writing in the books because I have read the Twilight series, but have not read the Southern Vampire Mysteries (a.k.a. Sookie Stackhouse) series. Now that I am an avid True Blood fan, I can’t read the books until the television series ends. (I know, I know, I’m odd that way ….)

So what do you think? Have I crossed over to the dark side?

So who would I want to be if I were a middle-aged male?

And why the heck should you care?

The first answer is easy: Johnny Depp

The second answer is slightly more complex: As I start the approach to the beginning of something that might in a few years be considered to perhaps be middle-aged, (oh shut up…. just bear with me) I often wonder how and whether I am using my natural talents to make this world a better place. This question is something that should be a central aspect to our thinking as we grow, for every single one of us has a contribution to make – large, small and everything in between – to our global community.

…. Ummmm, and yes, I did call Johnny Depp middle-aged (he’s 47 actually) …. And why am I thinking about being a man? Because I live in the real world, and in the real world, men still continue – for the most part – to drive the future strategy for our species …. *ducks and runs for cover*

So why Johnny Depp?  (Beside the fact that he is not a politician?)

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So here we are … the morn of the 2010 World Cup semifinals.

For football fans, this is the week we relish when it comes along every four years. For World Cup haters, it means the torture is almost over (and I’ve got a special treat for you, just to get you through.)

The Netherlands – my pre-tournie pick to win – is going to square off on the pitch against spunky Uruguay and my new football fave Diego Forlan. Tomorrow Germany will face off against Spain.

The first match will hurt no matter what, because I want both teams to win. The second is clear cut – Spain all the way. (Though to be honest, the Germans are looking mighty tough so far.)

There have been some seriously amazing – and some not so amazing – moments during this tournament that will keep football fans talking until the next World Cup. I’m thinking:

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Alfred Hitchcock had it right.

After two months of Gulf Coast oil spill-inspired volunteering at the seabird sanctuary and hospital, I have come to the conclusion that Hitchcock’s The Birds (story by Daphne Du Maurier) is no fiction. More probably, it is an unauthorized biography of some poor fool who thought helping birds at his or her local sanctuary was a relaxing feel-good way to fulfill civic responsibility.

No, the truth is, the birds are out to get us! Or, at least me ….

Now why would this animal loving, 2 cats in the family, avid campaigner against animal abuse and careless environmental degradation say such a thing?!?

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If a shambling horde has set up camp outside your front and back doors, it is probably a bit late to think about preparations for a zombie infestation.

Grab yourself a backpack (toss in some canned food, first aid supplies, whatever prescriptions you’re taking), as much potable water as you have canisters for and a pillow, and climb up into your attic or crawlspace … and hope for the best.

If the living dead have not yet overrun your city, you have some time to really think about what you will do to survive the apocalypse.

Only those who seriously consider the future and act to plan for it now have any chance at survival. And like I said before, as with any issue facing the human race – poverty, hunger, human rights, the environment — we are stronger if we stick together.

Here are a few things to consider as you craft a plan to stay alive:

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