Television’s the New E-Mail … Update

Many aspects of Heath Ledger’s death are disturbing, including the facts that he left behind a 2-year-old daughter, that his masseuse repeatedly called Mary-Kate Olsen before dialing 911, oh — and the fact that his parents found out about his death through watching T.V.

Ledger was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. and the world knew by 4:30 p.m. Within about an hour, CNN, the New York Times, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and not to mention, a dozen celebrity blogs had already covered his death.

That's less time than it takes some types of bacteria to double.

-Catherine|VOX staff

Maybe it's Time to Put Down People Magazine

Celebrity tabloids are obsessed with Lindsay’s unruly partying, Paris’s multiple drunk driving mishaps, and Nicole’s disturbingly skeletal weight. And what hasn’t the paparazzi said about Britney, yet? Celebrity scandals — the 3 a.m. partying, the public indecency, even the one-day jail stints — are covered so extensively, it’s almost glorified.

Ironically, we hardly ever get a peek into the serious side of celebrity lives, so when something real happens, it’s a shock to the public. According to the New York Post, actor Heath Ledger, famous for his role in “Brokeback Mountain” (2005), was found dead today around 3:30 p.m. He was discovered by a housekeeper, who also discovered sleeping pills scattered around his bedroom. It’s still unclear whether his death was intentional or accidental.

This comes as a surprise, but it’s not totally shocking when we consider other similar incidents. In August 2007, actor Owen Wilson, famous for being Hollywood’s funny-guy, also shook the public when he was unexpectedly hospitalized for a suicide attempt. However, Wilson is only one of many actually troubled actors. Several other famous, well-loved celebrities have attempted suicide in the past, including Halle Berry, Drew Barrymore and Drew Carey. In fact, the number of celebrities who admit to having attempted suicide is almost disturbing, and yet, tabloids only feed us coked-out-glam stereotypes about celebrity life.

Apparently, life in the public eye really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

- Catherine|VOX staff

Hilary Duff, or the Modern Starving Artist

You know how sometimes working students have to pay for a slice of pizza with quarters? Well, actress and recording artist Hilary Duff recently performed a civic duty to the non-celeb population by showing us that famous pop stars like herself are, in fact, just regular adolescents.

On Dec. 1st, Hilary and her sister, Haylie, racked up a $400 tab at the Glowbal Grill & Satay Bar in Vancouver, Canada. According to a witness for In Touch magazine, 20-year-old Hilary and her sister sipped on Grey Goose vodka and champagne until 2 a.m. When it was time to pay the bill, the Duff sisters bailed. The restaurant owner, a kindred spirit known for treating all his guests this graciously, simply shrugged off their illegally tipsy dine-and-dash.

I don't encourage Hilary's behavior, but her actions are understandable ... burdened as she is with a life of penury and hardship. Remember Cheaper by the Dozen, that work of cinematographic genius from 2003? Can you believe she was only paid a meager $1 million for it?

This fiasco almost worse than the time she made those 9-year-old kids cry.

- CatherineVOX staff

Mike Huckabee: 'Weapon of Mass Instruction'

Service learning has been a part of every president’s agenda since the days of JFK… though not always in a positive light. On Dec. 26, 2007, President Bush signed a bill that will cut the funding of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which sponsors programs like Learn and Serve America, by 3%. And when the budget was millions, 3% is thousands and thousands cut from national service programs. But no one cares about Senior Corps when we have illegal New Mexicans in our country, right?

It’s kind of scary thinking about the future of these programs, especially considering that at the time of this post, at least three front-running GOP candidates (Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Ron Paul) haven't mentioned service learning on their campaign sites. Mike Huckabee, a freak Republican that supports arts education, uses this to his advantage by bragging to be the only GOP candidate so far to sign that he will expand national service if elected. (Note that ALL the Democrat candidates have signed this pledge, so that point is just kind of sad.)

Huckabee believes that arts education encourages positive behavior, including involvement in service learning. Huckabee shows his own love for music and the arts by playing bass guitar in his band, Capitol Offense. “Music and the arts are not extraneous, extra-curricular, or expendable,” he insists on his campaign site. “I want to provide every child with these ‘Weapons of Mass Instruction.’”

I might vote for him just because he makes bad puns.

- Catherine Cai|VOX Staff

Out with the old, and in with the new!

It's 2008, people. Yeah, it's election time!

To all registered voters (and soon-to-be registered voters), below are two awesome and informative Web sites designed to educate you--the teenage (youth) minority--about voting. We've got to speak out and demand that our voices be heard.

Click here for information and links on youth voter turnout and organizations working on youth involvement.

Rock the Vote is a non-profit organization founded in 1990 to engage youth in the political process.

If you're eligible, please vote!

- Seth|VOX Staff

VOX kicks off the New Year with issue on family!

What better way to start the new year than dedicating an issue to family! Our families have known us since we were brought into this world. They’ve watched us grow up, change and turn into the people we are now. Every family has problems and every family is a little crazy, but despite the difficulties, family is always family.

What are some unique traditions your family share?

- Morgan Gardener|VOX Staff

Teens & 401K: Oh crap, this doesn’t look good!

According to AJC.com, 1 in 3 teenagers today won’t have 401(k) money when they retire. That means there won’t be any money to live on once we stop working in the future.

Businesses offer 401(k) plans as an opportunity for people to save money for retirement.

Pensions like this are being cut back more and more every year. I don’t want to be a starving old man. And with the vagueness of whether we will have Social Security when we’re older, we have to vote and make sure the government will put some of our tax dollars towards taking care of us, and not only paying for war.

Retirement may seem like a long way for teens, but if we really think about it, it’s never too soon to start planning or saving.

- Seth|VOX Staff