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Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Seahawks Bye-Week Report Card: Offense
Turns out that's just as well, because that gutsy win didn't just make it five games into the season and ruin my "first quarter" artifice - it drastically changed perceptions of this team. There's no ignoring a road victory like that, regardless of any caveats. Beating a playoff-caliber team with an elite QB and pass rush, on the road, at 10AM, after flying in from the West Coast - there's substance there. It's no fluke.
Offensive Line
Tom Cable is rapidly fulfilling the lofty expectations he entered Seattle with. This offensive line has covered such a ridiculous amount of ground during the bye-week stretch that it no longer looks like the same unit. Heck, the offense no longer looks like the same offense. Overall, the pass protection is better than its ever been for Tarvaris Jackson, while the run-blocking has a ways to go but showed promise on Sunday.
Tackle is the best news. Russell Okung has rebounded some to the last couple weeks, despite recurring ankle booboos and a newfound proclivity for penalties. James Carpenter has vaulted from prematurely-labeled bust to respectable. His highlight Sunday was a tremendous edge block to spring Marshawn Lynch for a long gain that would eventually lead to a touchdown. Both tackles' mistakes against the Giants were glaring but isolated, and forgiveable against a championship New York defensive line. It speaks volumes to their toughness and determination, as they've had (and still do) a lot of adversity of various sorts to fight through.
The interior of Paul McQuistan, Max Unger and John Moffitt has been mostly quiet. That's better than noticeable for the wrong reasons. Unger's tenacity in getting to the second level has stood out. The push up the middle could stand to benefit once Robert Gallery returns.
After Seattle's one-dimensional draft last April, proving this O-line worthy was an important validator for this front office. It's starting to pay off. We'd know if it weren't - our uncertainty at QB makes good protection an essential.
Running Back
My colleague Kip Earlywine insists that no running back on this roster has the right profile for the consistent, hard-earned yardage of a true zone runner. I see his point, but right now I'll take whatever I can get. Marshawn Lynch has no doubt been aching to prove that his immortal "Beast Run" against New Orleans was not the only thing we would remember him by. Until Sunday, it was. But Lynch's 98-yard performance was a factor in the offense, and was helped by the fact that Carroll wasn't forced to abandon the run in the face of a three-touchdown deficit by halftime. He was also handy in the up-tempo short passing game.
Leon Washington and Justin Forsett continue to see surprisingly little action in the offense. Both are admittedly boom-or-bust types, and perhaps not the kind of weapon that Seattle can afford to deploy right now with the offense still finding its footing. I maintain that Forsett could still be an attractive trade target for some hungry team. Seattle has only a week left to make use of this, though I'll be sad to see him go. His spirit is infectious.
Michael Robinson, newly returned from injury, committed a costly fumble and didn't really help his case as long-term weapon in this offense.
Tight End
With Zach Miller recovering from a head injury and an excess of blocking responsibilities, his future impact is cloudy. This is frustrating, because he cost an arm and a leg and was supposed to be a security blanket for our quarterback. Frustrating, not worrying, because others are stepping up in that role just fine. But for all the supposed dependence this offense was going to have on its tight ends, Seattle has allowed its tight end corps to diminish to just two, collectively out-produced by Ben Obomanu.
Cameron Morrah returns this week from PUP. I don't know whether our tackles aren't yet ready to be weaned off tight end protection, whether Darell Bevell is ignoring them, or whether Tarvaris Jackson has been ignoring them (most likely a combination), but I'm intrigued to think of how much more this already-interesting receiving corps could be opened up by more tight end involvement.
Anthony McCoy, after some flashes early in the season, had some irritating drops against the Giants but kept his head in the game for a drive-extending 20-yard catch from Charlie Whitehurst. He's an underrated prospect who should get more looks.
Wide Receiver
This group has emerged as one of the best surprises of the year, largely because of the emergence of Doug Baldwin. The undrafted Standford wide receiver is leading the team in receptions and yards and starting to garner attention from the national media. The guy is just brilliant at finding soft spots in the zones, like greased lightning in and out of his breaks, and has vicegrips for hands. All at a whopping 5'10". Ironic for a starter under a head coach obsessed with tall receivers, don't you think?
Sidney Rice has been relatively quiet. His yardage is about on a level with 2010 Mike Williams and 2009 T.J. Houshmandzadeh (who produced despite fans' hatred). I'd love to break down the tape and find out whether he's been effective at drawing defenders away from the line and other receivers. Like Miller, it's a little disconcerting that he's producing below his cost.
Williams is not a separation receiver. He gets his yardage by out-reaching and out-muscling close coverage, which makes him attractive to gunslingers like Matt Hasselbeck but ugly to skittish quarterbacks like pre-no-huddle Tarvaris Jackson. His role will probably shift after the bye, with everyone voicing an intent to get him involved.
Ben Obomanu, relatively quiet until the Meadowlands, looks like a useful tool in the up-tempo passing game that Seattle is now experimenting with. He's a counter-example to the theory that Pete Carroll just gets rid of anyone with Tim Ruskell's name on his draft card, which could bode well for the returning Deon Butler, whom Carroll worked hard to integrate into the offense.
Then again, it may not. With the WR corps crowded by Butler's return, Seattle likely has to release one of Butler, Golden Tate, or Kris Durham. But with everyone else staking their claims in this offense, that choice isn't as easy. Butler is a similar player to Baldwin and may not offer as much value. He doesn't recover from jams or withstand the physical nature of the game as well as Baldwin does. Kris Durham is a project with tools and plenty of upside, and probably wouldn't make it to the practice squad (Kansas City was rumored to be targeting him in the fourth round), while Golden Tate is more of a prize pick and offers more diversity to the offense.
My preference would be to see Tate go. He's done very little and is so fundamentally behind the curve that Seattle doesn't appear to be able to make him a priority in the offense. Butler would probably provide more immediate returns. But my guess is that Tate is kept around for that tantalizing hint of big plays that someone on this front office is seeing. Charlie Whitehurst has shown some chemistry with him at times, which might prove valuable should he be starting after the bye.
Other Thoughts
Seattle's offense is showing signs of an identity despite not fully delivering on all its big purchases. Sidney Rice, Zach Miller, and Robert Gallery, all expensive offseason finds, aren't having as much of an impact as their paychecks suggested they would. That may not materr that much beyond matters of the purse, because Seattle is finding traction with other guys. But it's something to keep an eye on.
This afternoon: The Smartass Guide to the LuckStakes, from Scott Williams.
10 comments:
- AnonymousOctober 12, 2011 at 8:45 AM
Nice piece. I agree with just about everything and was a Sidney Rice skeptic before the season. Now though, I'm coming around. He looks good and seems to be legit. I know his production isn't huge, but there's something to be said for the double teams that he commands, even if it's not an every play thing.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 12, 2011 at 11:12 AM
The management has had success with their talent evaluation in large part. This is reasuring for future games.ReplyDelete
Baldwin appears to be a gem. The D-line is having some success. Moving big Red to 5-tech. was genius.
Let's hope the Giants game was a watershed moment.
Thanks for the write-up.
P.S. Sometimes this site is impossible to post on for unknown reasons.
I wish I knew why the posting problem.ReplyDelete
Sid's stats will be decent, he missed the start of the season and has been good from his first start on.ReplyDelete
O-line is as I thought it would be, but even sooner. Hope that is for real.
And I agree with Al-anon two posts up, let's hope this is a watershed moment. I wonder where that phrase came from? What is the big deal with moments in a a watershed?
I think having Rice (wow, i also just realized he has the same last name as the greatest receiver in nfl history >.<), like someone else said, is great for the attention he commands. in brock huards "chalk talk" series (which is a great watch every week btw), he broke down the "free" play that gave seattle the lead in the 4th quarter and spoke about how the single high safety was cheating over to Rice's side - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKdlpNw1Ka4&feature=player_embeddedReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 13, 2011 at 5:49 AM
Everyone stop worrying about the O-lineReplyDelete
Last year they were horrible, right tackle,both guard positions, and center were inept at best. This year they have fixed those positions(even if the left guard position is by committee). I figure it would take 8 games to operate efficiently under Tom cable's system. Be prepared for atot of "pancake blocks" by this line (especially the right side. Remember nobody in the history of the NFL has ever started a rookie right guard and right tackle before. Have fun watching them and stop worrying about the QB play so much.
- AnonymousOctober 13, 2011 at 5:20 PM
No comment about the outside rushing of Lynch? I was surprised and delighted to see that he is not just playing between the tackles. This is an offence with, what appears to be, a fine variety of weapons.ReplyDelete
I am still unsure of shotgun QBing, as TJ seems to be used. I see Whitehurst as a possible, TJ is just filler. Much as I dislike the idea of a person being in pain, I would really like to see Whitehurst start after the bye, preferably with some time with the first team in practice.
This is a much improved team from last year and miles ahead of two years ago. PC has earned some trust and I will give it to him.
You Anonymous guys should post with names! Let me know who I'm talking to. (But let's keep future names clean.)ReplyDelete
- bleedshawkblueOctober 14, 2011 at 11:23 PM
Impressive indeed against a championship line. This team will be better than fine. They will be dominant at this rate. Just keep adding depth, as this last win had BMFMW and Gallery out, and Miller gone early.ReplyDelete
And for those who pause to consider the Giants game might have been a fluke, I submit it was a fluke we weren't up 33-7 at halftime.
16-3, beee-yotches!!! 16-3!!!
- bleedshawkblueOctober 14, 2011 at 11:26 PM
Keep Tate.ReplyDelete
He was a devastating blocker a few different times, and he has a legitimate NFL body type. Butler stashed on the IR, or Durham?


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Warhol uses iPad
Sure, there are plenty of painting apps for iOS already, but Remote Palette has a neat twist—it connects an iPad and iPhone so the iPad can be used as a canvas, and the iPhone as the color palette.
Misha Collins on What Made Supernatural Successful
The video above will be pretty awkward for anyone who's not seen this video from 1982 of Andy Warhol eating a hamburger, but the digital agency Dare does successfully show how the iPad and iPhone (or iPod Touch) can sync up for some fun painting, for just $1. [iTunes]


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So far I've asked you to imagine a person who lacks empathy for others and the capacity to feel any emotion deeply. I've asked you to imagine a person who is plagued by restlessness and boredom and finds sole satisfaction in duping, manipulating and controlling others. A person who may simulate respect or politeness, but who fundamentally regards others with contempt, as objects to be used for his temporary diversion or satisfaction. A person who suffers from an incurable and absolute egocentrism.
But even this doesn't even begin to give you a full picture of the extent of a psychopath's emotional poverty. It may describe what a psychopath can't feel, but to understand how and why the psychopath is driven to harm others, you need to also get a sense of what a psychopath does feel. Psychopaths can't tolerate loneliness. Just as all human beings can't survive physically without food and water, psychopaths can't survive emotionally without victims.
Of course, psychopaths regard love with contempt. They view loving and loyal couples as an ugly, undifferentiated blob. Because they can't experience or even understand love and loyalty, they see moral individuals as weak. They have nothing but disdain for the emotions that normal human beings feel. But at the same time, psychopaths can't live without feeding upon the real and deeper emotions of people who care about them, of individuals who can love: in other words of the people they use, abuse, toy with, lie to and hurt.
Psychopaths are often sexual predators. But even more often, and certainly more fundamentally, they're emotional predators. What they want from their victims is far more than possessing their bodies or sex. They need to feed their insatiable appetite for harm, as well as sustain their sense of superiority, by possessing and destroying others inside and out, body and soul. A psychopath's emotional framework is like a vacuum that needs to suck out the emotional energy from healthy individuals in order to survive. This is why I have called psychopaths real-life vampires, that we need to understand and worry about far more than their fictional counterparts.
A psychopath lacks much more than empathy for others in his emotional repertoire. He also lacks the capacity to experience any kind of emotion that requires deeper insight and psychological awareness. He experiences only proto-emotions, which are as short-lived as they're intense. That doesn't make them any less dangerous, however. The evidence points to the fact that Scott Peterson and Neil Entwistle preplanned their murders weeks in advance. But Mark Hacking seems to have acted more or less on impulse, after having fought with his wife. If we believe his confession to his brothers, Mark was in the process of packing up his things, ran across a revolver and shot Lori while she was asleep.
When angry or frustrated, a psychopath is capable of anything, even if his anger will dissipate a few minutes later. As Hervey Cleckley observes, "In addition to his incapacity for object love, the psychopath always shows general poverty of affect. Although it is true that be sometimes becomes excited and shouts as if in rage or seems to exult in enthusiasm and again weeps in what appear to be bitter tears or speaks eloquent and mournful words about his misfortunes or his follies, the conviction dawns on those who observe him carefully that here we deal with a readiness of expression rather than a strength of feeling." (The Mask of Sanity, 349)
The proto-emotions experienced by a psychopath tie in, once again, to the satisfaction or frustration of his immediate desires: "Vexation, spite, quick and labile flashes of quasi-affection, peevish resentment, shallow moods of self-pity, puerile attitudes of vanity, and absurd and showy poses of indignation are all within his emotional scale and are freely sounded as the circumstances of life play upon him. But mature, wholehearted anger, true or consistent indignation, honest, solid grief, sustaining pride, deep joy, and genuine despair are reactions not likely to be found within this scale." (The Mask of Sanity, 349)
For this reason, psychopaths don't feel distress even when they land in jail. Even there they take pleasure in manipulating their fellow inmates and the prison staff. Even from there they write letters to people outside to use them for money, amusement and possibly even sex. Nothing ruffles a psychopath's feathers for long. The same emotional shallowness that leads him to be unresponsive to the needs of others and to experience no remorse when he hurts them also enables him to feel little or no distress when he, himself gets hurt. So far, I've covered the emotions psychopaths can't feel. I've also had the opportunity to witness up-close and personal the emotions a psychopath can feel, however. That's what I'll describe next.
The Psychopath's Emotions: What Does He Feel?
1) Glee. A psychopath feels elation or glee whenever he gets his way or pulls a fast one on somebody. I can still recall O.J. Simpson's reaction to getting away with murder (at least in my own opinion and that of a lot of other people who watched the trial, if not in the eyes of the jury): his celebratory glee at pulling a fast one on the American public, on the system of justice and especially on the victims and their families.
2) Anger. Robert Hare notes in Without Conscience that since psychopaths have low impulse control, they're much more easily angered than normal people. A psychopath's displays of anger tend to be cold, sudden, short-lived and arbitrary. Generally you can't predict what exactly will trigger his anger since this emotion, like his charm, is used to control those around him. It's not necessarily motivated by something you've done or by his circumstances. A psychopath may blow up over something minor, but remain completely cool and collected about a more serious matter. Displays of anger represent yet another way for a psychopath to demonstrate that he's in charge. When psychopaths scream, insult, hit, or even wound and kill other individuals, they're aware of their behavior even if they act opportunistically, in the heat of the moment. They know that they're harming others and, what's more, they enjoy it.
3) Frustration. This emotion is tied to their displays of anger but isn't necessarily channeled against a particular person, but against an obstacle or situation. A psychopath may feel frustrated, for example, when his girlfriend doesn't want to leave her current partner for him. Yet he may be too infatuated with her at the moment to channel his negative emotions against her. He may also believe that his anger would alienate her before he's gotten a chance to hook her emotionally. In such circumstances, he may become frustrated with the situation itself: with the obstacles that her partner or her family or society in general pose between them. Psychopaths generally experience frustration when they face impersonal barriers between themselves and their current goals or targets. But that's also what often engages them even more obstinately in a given pursuit. After all, for them, overcoming minor challenges in life is part of the fun.
4) Consternation. As we've seen so far, psychopaths don't create love bonds with others. They establish dominance bonds instead. When those controlled by a psychopath disapprove of his actions or sever the relationship, sometimes he'll experience anger. But his immediate reaction is more likely to be surprise or consternation. Psychopaths can't believe that their bad actions, which they always consider justifiable and appropriate, could ever cause another human being who was previously under their spell to disapprove of their behavior and reject them. Even if they cheat, lie, use, manipulate or isolate others, they don't feel like they deserve any repercussions as a result of that behavior. In addition, psychopaths rationalize their bad actions as being in the best interest of their victims.
For instance, if a psychopath isolates his partner from her family and persuades her to quit her job and then, once she's all alone with him, abandons her to pursue other women, he feels fully justified in his conduct. In his mind, she deserved to be left since she didn't satisfy all of his needs or was somehow inadequate as a mate. In fact, given his sense of entitlement, the psychopath might even feel like he did her a favor to remove her from her family and friends and to leave her alone in the middle of nowhere, like a wreck displaced by a tornado. Thanks to him, she can start her life anew and become more independent.
To put it bluntly, a psychopath will kick you in the teeth and expect you to say "Thank you." Being shameless and self-absorbed, he assumes that all those close to him will buy his false image of goodness and excuse his despicable actions just as he does. In fact, he expects that even the women he's used and discarded continue to idealize him as a perfect partner and eagerly await his return. That way he can continue to use them for sex, money, control, his image or any other services if, when and for however long he chooses to return into their lives.
When those women don't feel particularly grateful—when, in fact, they feel only contempt for him–the psychopath will be initially stunned that they have such a low opinion of him. He will also feel betrayed by these women, or by family members and friends who disapprove of his reprehensible behavior. Although he, himself, feels no love and loyalty to anyone, a psychopath expects unconditional love and loyalty from all those over whom he's established a dominance bond.
This mindset also explains psychopaths' behavior in court. Both Scott Peterson and Neil Entwistle seemed outraged that the jury found them guilty of murder. Psychopaths believe that those whom they have hurt, and society in general, should not hold them accountable for their misdeeds. After all, in their own minds, they're superior to other human beings and therefore above the law. How dare anybody hold them accountable and punish them for their crimes!
5) Boredom. This is probably the only feeling that gives psychopaths a nagging sense of discomfort. They try to alleviate it, as we've seen, by pursuing cheap thrills, harming others and engaging in transgressive behavior. Nothing, however, can relieve for long the psychopath's fundamental ennui. He gets quickly used to, and thus also bored with, each new person and activity.
6) Histrionic flashes. I'm not sure if this is an emotion, but I know for sure that the psychopath's dramatic displays of love, remorse and empathy lack any meaning and depth. If you watch the murder trials on the news or on Court TV, you'll notice that some psychopaths convicted of murder often put on shows of grief, sadness or remorse in front of the jury. The next moment, however, they're joking around and laughing with their attorneys or instructing them in a calm and deliberate manner about what to do and say on their behalf. The displays of emotion psychopaths commonly engage in are, of course, fake. They're tools of manipulation–to provoke sympathy or gain trust–as well as yet another way of "winning" by fooling those around them.
I've already mentioned that Neil Entwistle engaged in such histrionic behavior. If you've followed crime features on the news, you may have noticed that Casey Anthony, the young woman accused of killing her toddler, behaves similarly. She was observed going out to dance and party at clubs with friends the day after her daughter, Caylee, disappeared. Casey's lack of concern for her missing child doesn't necessarily prove that she murdered her. But it reveals highly suspicious and callous behavior. It also casts doubt upon the brief and dramatic displays of grief or concern that she sometimes puts on in front of the media and for her parents.
7) Infatuation. When they identify someone as a good potential target, psychopaths can become obsessed with that particular person. In Without Conscience, Hare compares the psychopath's focused attention upon his chosen target to a powerful beam of light that illuminates only one spot at a time. He also likens it to a predator stalking its prey. Because psychopaths tend to ignore other responsibilities (such as their jobs and their families) and have no conscience whatsoever, they can focus on pursuing a given target more intensely than multi-dimensional, loving men could. This is especially the case if their target presents an exciting challenge, such as if she's rich or famous, or if she's married to another man, which triggers their competitive drive. This single-minded infatuation, however, like all of their proto-emotions, is superficial and short-lived. Because for psychopaths such obsessions don't lead to any genuine friendship, caring or love, they dissipate as soon as they get whatever they wanted from that person, which may be only the conquest itself.
8) Self-love (sort of). Since psychopaths only care about themselves, one would think that self-love would be the one emotion they could experience more deeply. In a sense that's true, since their whole lives revolve around the single-minded pursuit of selfish goals. But this is also what makes psychopaths' self-love as shallow as the rest of their emotions. Just as they're incapable of considering anyone else's long-term interest, they're incapable of considering their own. By pursuing fleeting pleasures and momentary whims, psychopaths sabotage their own lives as well. Rarely do they end up happy or successful. They spend their whole lives hurting and betraying those who loved and trusted them, using and discarding their partners, disappointing the expectations of their families, friends, bosses and colleagues and moving from one meaningless diversion to another. At the end of the road, most of them end up empty-handed and alone.
9) CONTEMPT. I've capitalized this word because this is the emotion that dominates a psychopath's whole identity and way of looking at other human beings. No matter how charming, other-regarding and friendly they may appear to be on the outside, all psychopaths are misanthropes on the inside. A psychopath's core emotion is contempt for the individuals he fools, uses and abuses and for humanity in general. You can identify the psychopath's underlying contempt much more easily once he no longer needs you or once his mask of sanity shatters. As we've seen, psychopaths hold themselves in high regard and others in low regard. To describe the hierarchies they construct, I'll use an analogy from my literary studies. I was trained in Comparative Literature during they heyday of Jacques Derrida's deconstruction as it was being applied to pretty much everything: cultural studies, gender hierarchies, race relations, post-colonialism and the kitchen sink.
Although looking at life in general in terms of "indeterminate" binary hierarchies hasn't proved particularly useful, this polarized worldview describes rather well the mindset of psychopaths. For such disordered, narcissistic and unprincipled individuals, the world is divided into superiors (themselves) and inferiors (all others); predators (themselves) and prey (their targets); dupers (themselves) and duped (the suckers). Of course, only giving psychopaths a lobotomy would turn these binary hierarchies upside down in their minds. This is where the applicability of Derrida's deconstructive model stops. Although psychopaths consider themselves superior to others, they distinguish among levels of inferiority in the people they use, manipulate and dupe.
The biggest dupes in their eyes are those individuals who believe whole-heartedly that the psychopaths are the kind, honest, other-regarding individuals they appear to be. As the saying goes, if you buy that, I have some oceanfront property in Kansas to sell you. Such individuals don't present much of a challenge for psychopaths. They're usually quickly used up and discarded by them. The second tier of dupes consists of individuals who are lucid only when it comes to the psychopath's mistreatment of others, not themselves. Wives and girlfriends who are clever enough to see how the psychopath cheats on, lies to, uses and manipulates other people in his life, but vain or blind enough to believe that they're the only exception to this rule form the bulk of this group.
This brings to mind an episode of a popular court show I watched recently. A woman testified on behalf of the integrity and honesty of her boyfriend. As it turns out, he had cheated on his wife with her (and other women as well). But his girlfriend nonetheless staunchly defended his character. She maintained that even though she knew that her lover was a cheater and a liar, because she herself was such a great catch and because they had such a special and unique relationship, he was completely faithful and honest to her. The judge laughed out loud and added, "…that you know of!"
Women who are cynical enough to see the psychopath's mistreatment of others yet gullible enough not to see that's exactly what he's doing to them constitute his preferred targets. Such women are not so naive as to present no challenge whatsoever for the psychopath. But they're definitely blind enough to fall for his manipulation and lies. A psychopath will wrap several such women around his little finger. Those who finally see the psychopath's mistreatment as a sign of his malicious and corrupt nature occupy the third rung of the hierarchy. They're usually women who have been burned so badly by the psychopath that they don't wish to put their hands into the fire again.
Claudia Moscovici, psychopathyawareness
Dangerous Liaisons: How to Identify and Escape from Psychopathic Seduction


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United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ, American Protestant denomination formed in 1957 by a merger of the General Council of Congregational Christian Churches (see Congregationalism) and the Evangelical and Reformed Church. The constitution for the new body was adopted in July, 1961, thus completing the union. The statement of faith promulgated in 1959 maintains the noncreedal position common to both religious bodies, holding only to baptism and communion as sacraments, ordination as an act of laying on of hands, and local autonomy in all matters of worship, doctrine, and congregational life. A general synod of the whole church meets biennially and establishes the various agencies through which its social action, ecumenical work, and missionary work are carried out. The church has about 1.4 million members (1997).
See L. Gunnemann, The Shaping of the United Church of Christ (1977).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Protestant Denominations


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Studies more firmly tie sugary drinks to obesity
New research powerfully strengthens the case against soda and other sugary drinks as culprits in the obesity epidemic.
A huge, decades-long study involving more than 33,000 Americans has yielded the first clear proof that drinking sugary beverages interacts with genes that affect weight, amplifying a person's risk of obesity beyond what it would be from heredity alone.
This means that such drinks are especially harmful to people with genes that predispose them to weight gain. And most of us have at least some of these genes.
In addition, two other major experiments have found that giving children and teens calorie-free alternatives to the sugary drinks they usually consume leads to less weight gain.
Collectively, the results strongly suggest that sugary drinks cause people to pack on the pounds, independent of other unhealthy behavior such as overeating and getting too little exercise, scientists say.
That adds weight to the push for taxes, portion limits like the one just adopted in New York City, and other policies to curb consumption of soda, juice drinks and sports beverages sweetened with sugar.
However, soda lovers do get some good news: Sugar-free drinks did not raise the risk of obesity in these studies.
"You may be able to fool the taste" and satisfy a sweet tooth without paying a price in weight, said an obesity researcher with no role in the studies, Rudy Leibel of Columbia University.
The studies were presented yesterday at an obesity conference in San Antonio and were published online by the New England Journal of Medicine.
The gene research in particular fills a major gap in what we know about obesity. It was a huge undertaking, involving three long-running studies that separately and collectively reached the same conclusions. It shows how behavior combines with heredity to affect how fat we become.
Having many of these genes does not guarantee people will become obese, but if they drink a lot of sugary beverages, "they fulfill that fate," said an expert with no role in the research, Jules Hirsch of Rockefeller University in New York. "The sweet drinking and the fatness are going together, and it's more evident in the genetic predisposition people."
Consumption of sugary drinks and obesity rates have risen in tandem — both have more than doubled since the 1970s in the nation.
But that doesn't prove that these drinks cause obesity. Genes, inactivity and eating fatty foods or just too much food also play a role. Also, diet research on children is especially tough because kids are growing and naturally gaining weight.
Until now, high-quality experiments have not conclusively shown that reducing sugary beverages would lower weight or body fat, said David Allison, a biostatistician who has done beverage research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. But he said the new studies changed his mind and convinced him that limiting sweet drinks can make a difference.
The American Beverage Association disagreed.
"Obesity is not uniquely caused by any single food or beverage," it said in a statement. "Studies and opinion pieces that focus solely on sugar-sweetened beverages, or any other single source of calories, do nothing meaningful to help address this serious issue."


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19-year-old brother of murder-suicide victims honors brothers with tattoo
Manny Vazala talks about losing brothers, father
Manny Zavala, 19, on Monday paid tribute to his two younger brothers, who were killed Saturday morning by his father, Isidro Zavala, by getting a tattoo.
"No mother should have to bury her kids first," said Manny Zavala. "No brother should have to bury their little baby brothers first, when they're so young. It doesn't seem real at all."
Police said they were called to a home at 431 S.W. Eighth Ave. shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday by Victoria Flores Zavala, 36, who said her husband had killed their children.
Investigators said Isidro Zavala had been separated from his wife for some time and was no longer living at the home.
Police said they found one child dead in a back-screened patio area. A second child was found dead in the kitchen dining room area.
Manny Zavala said the whole thing is hard to believe.
"I woke up the next day hoping it was just a bad dream or a nightmare or something, but it hit me the next day that it really did happen, and it really was real," said Manny Zavala. "We're going to bury the three of them together. We're always going to remember them together."
Investigators said the killings were premeditated because Manny Zavala's father left behind an emotional note for him. The note is still in police evidence.
"It might all be explained in the letter that he left me, about what he did and why he did it, but I'm always going to remember them together," said Manny Zavala. "No matter what people might say about my father, he loved his sons. He loved me. He loved his wife."


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The city is in between festivals at the moment so this will be a good time to explore some of the major attractions around the city. Here we can give you a sneak peak at some of Vancity's most popular tourist destinations and a little bit more.
Vancouver Art Gallery
A staple in the city, the Vancouver Art Gallery has been the hub of all the attractions in the city and is certainly a must see attraction. The fountain area is also the assembly point for many protests and political gatherings!
Every Tuesday after 5pm the gallery is by donation only and is open later till 9pm. Current exhibit of interest at the VAG, is the Henry Matisse display. There are also daily tours around the Gallery.
Museum of Anthropology
The Museum of Anthropology is located at the University of British Columbia campus, it is a truly stunning setting and is home to one of the major Anthropology classes in the world. The museum is certainly one to spend the whole day at, there are so many exhibits and artifacts that it would be a shame to just breeze through for a couple of hours.
Here you will get to learn about the culture of the local First Nations in the area and much more in the way of world culture.
Van Dusen Botanical Gardens
Located at Queen Elizabeth Park, a jewel in the crown for anyone that loves Flowers, Parks and amazing scenery, the gardens are part of an old quarry network, and the park itself is actually one of the highest vantage points in the city, on a good day you will be greeted with a 360 degree view of the city.
Museum of Vancouver – Space Museum – Maritime Museum – Bard on the Beach
These attractions are located in Vanier Park, just a stones throw away from the stunningly beautiful kitsilano beach. To get to these areas you can take a small boat ride using False Creek Ferries (round trip $5.50) and running every 15 minutes.
The Museum of Vancouver has a great exhibit that shows the Stanley Cup Riot Boards of 2011 that were in place around the city, and, specifically The Bay store. A interesting insight into the sense of community that arose during a dark patch during an event that was meant to bring everyone together, but in an unexpected fashion.
The HR Macmillan Space Center will delight the young keen astronomer in anyone one of us, a perfect attraction for aspiring young Scientists!
The Maritime Museum is home to a cool collection of Boats from the past and present!
Bard on the Beach, a staple in the Vancouver summer season, watch Shakespearean plays in the open air with a stunning backdrop of the city behind you.


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Angus Livingston
(Australian Associated Press)
Scott Morrison is going after Labor's political edge on health, but the opposition is pushing back to take on the coalition's strength on the economy.
The prime minister announced more health funding on Wednesday as he talked up his government's record on healthcare
"We've increased the number of people being bulk-billed by almost five per cent since we were elected five-and-a-half years ago," Mr Morrison told reporters in Launceston on Wednesday.
Labor made cutting out-of-pocket costs for cancer and radiology scans a key feature of Bill Shorten's budget reply speech last week, so Mr Morrison is going after one of the opposition's strengths.
He's promised $91 million to cut elective surgery waiting lists, improve maternity services and cancer treatment, especially radiation therapy.
But while Mr Morrison was going after Labor on health, shadow treasurer Chris Bowen was promising Labor would be better economic managers than the coalition.
He slammed the coalition for promising $286 billion in tax cuts over the next 10 years without revealing how they would be paid for.
"l tell you what would happen if I tried that, you would laugh me out of the room," Mr Bowen told the National Press Club.
Mr Bowen said Labor tax cuts would be prudent and affordable in the context of the wider economy, rather than promising cuts five years into the future like the coalition.
Mr Morrison also backed away from his party's criticism of electric vehicles, after some coalition MPs said Labor was going to "ban" utes.
But he did say Labor's plan to introduce carbon emission standards for vehicles would drive prices up.
Labor wants to introduce a carbon emissions standard of 105 grams per kilometre, in line with standards in the United States. Australia is one of the only developed countries in the world without carbon standards for cars.
"There's only three out of the top 20 selling cars today that actually meet that standard," Mr Morrison said.
Mr Shorten said the coalition was running scared on electric cars.
"All of the big car companies around the world are moving to producing electric vehicles. What we want to do is make sure that Australia is in the debate," he told reporters.
Australian Council of Trade Unions president Michele O'Neil, who attended one of many mass rallies of workers on Wednesday, said unions were targeting 28 seats with grassroots campaigning.
She told the ABC they had originally targeted 21 seats, but found seven others where the coalition was in trouble.
The prime minister is expected within days to announce the federal poll, most likely to be held on May 18.


text:
As I was reading Joel Spolsky's last post and the following discussion, I was reminded of my own education where I had to learn Scheme. So many parenthesis,...
I had a go at the test sample that Joel was referring to. It wasn't hard at all. But I realized why. At school, we were given so many exercises of money change management that anything like the sum of squares is a breeze:
- can you write in Scheme an algorithm that gives the change for a given amount of money having w 1 cent coins, x 2 cents coins, y 5 cents coins, z 10 cents coins?
What's left from that? Frankly, I don't know. I certainly don't exercize this kind of ability each day. However I think it gives me a kind of mental agility that's fine to use when needed.
The other languages we were taught were SQL, Prolog and ADA. ADA mostly. With ADA, the emphasis was on implementation hiding, abstraction, data types. Basically the survival kit for doing some kind of design.
Give me OO, but keep me down on earth!
The other language that we should have learned was Smalltalk. No object-orientation in 1992?! Luckily, I had to cope with an object library for geometry in C++ as my first internship.
My first big project was also in C++, then I jumped on the Java bandwagon. What a relief, no more pointers/memory management! I could at last focus on object analysis, design patterns and so forth. Too easy my friend,...
The law of leaky abstractions strikes again. As an object zealot, I like to live in a world where everything is an object. Yet this is not the real world! I also live in a world where I have to manage memory for any non-trivial system.
I learned it the hard way,... My first financial system was full of small objects representing financial parameters. The server RAM was full of them too! Here come lazy loading strategies, careful collections selection and garbage collecting. Why wasn't I taught all these? Superficial teaching? Maybe the reason is that teachers don't have to learn it the hard way,...
The bottom line is that learning Java in CS courses is certainly ok, even if it presents a limited approach to programming. It is ok if you also learn the subtleties of java, not to be an expert, but at least not to fool yourself.
Learning Ruby
I specially liked Joel's post since I started learning Ruby this month. First of all the syntax, then the API (no more code completion!), then what?
I remembered an idea from the pragmatic programmer's book (I think): code katas.
Code katas are small programming/designing exercises. Each of them aims at developping a specific ability that useful in programming:
- Business analysis
- Data munging
- Data sorting
- Estimating size or speed
- ...
- Threads management
- GUI building
- Memory management
- Network communication
- ...
Again, martial arts as a metaphor for programming is pretty interesting:
-Sensei, I practised my code katas today
-Well, well, Eric-san, the spirit of software will flow through you. Now, wax-in, wax-out!


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Oh, my God, get over here . . . hurry . . . come on come on come on. Taste this nectar, taste it, taste it. . . . Slurp. . . . Is that not, is that not the best fucking thing you've ever had? Like nectar of the fucking Gods! It's like the greatest hits of nectar. A double-album greatest hits, like those red and blue Beatles records where they're looking down at us off a balcony but they have facial hair in one of them. Oh, my God, I just flew over to this, to this lily. Look at me on the lily?! Is that not, is that not so weird? I'm like buzzing around and then I land. . . . I don't know why that struck me as so odd just then. My little feet on the petal. Is that odd? It seems so funny to me. Oh, my God, you gotta try this pollen. It's so fucking . . . it's better than the nectar, even. This is the best fucking pollen I've ever had. God, I so badly wanna just go sting the fuck out of someone, you know? Just land on their ass and sting. . . . I'm so fucking jazzed right now. And then I hope they're allergic and they just blow up! We gotta get out of this hive, we gotta get mobile . . . "Going Mobile"! The Who was a good band. Let's go find a picnic or some sunbathers or something. . . . I'd love some coconut suntan lotion or a . . . beer. Wouldn't you love a six-pack of Stella Artois right now? That's the best beer. Stel-la! That was actually a pretty good imitation, don't you think? The guy who played him in the movie, the "Streetcar" . . . who am I thinking of? It's on the tip of my . . . Jesus, what's wrong with me I can't come up with this dude's name? . . . Or how about, how about: a coconut Stella Artois beer?! Wouldn't that be the best and you could spread it all over your body and it's U.V. 1,000 or 1,000 proof or something. God, I want to sting someone. . . . Oh, my God, my antennae are like supersensitive right now. . . . Don't . . . don't touch . . . I said don't! It's O.K., it's cool, it's cool. You see that little bee . . . you see that little drone? Trigona minima! Amo, amas, amat. Let's go over and beat the living crap out of him. I don't know why, but I just hate him right now. He's so small and smug. . . . Look at that bee . . . just look at him. . . . Oh, my God, there's a picnic. Let's totally go there right now. . . . I think this fat kid's allergic . . . I'm so going to sting him! Oh, my God, he's totally swatting me . . . did you see that dude's face! Fucking hilarious. He was all, like, "It's a bee, it's a bee!" And his mom was all, like, "Don't aggravate him!" Aggravate him is right! I'll go ballistic on you, tubby! Marlon Brando! Stel-la! Got it. I'm on fire. Let's do another line. I don't know, behind that hibiscus, I don't give a fuck. What do you mean, I did the last of it? I just need a bump. We should totally fly downtown, score some more blow, and get back here before the picnic breaks up and then do more coke. God, I'd kill for a cigarette. I'm gonna start smoking, I know, I know, but I look so fucking debonair when I do it. I wish we had some tunes. Early Van Halen or . . . you know what would be perfect right now? The Smiths. I'm serious. "Girlfriend in a coma, I know, I know, it's serious." There's that yellow jacket, Devin, by the potato salad. Do you think he's got any blow? He's a great guy, just a really great laid-back kinda no-cares-in-the-world but totally together guy and very funny but easygoing and totally disarming and I think he'd really appreciate our sort of world view and be a nice addition to our hive. . . . I'm totally fucking with you! He's a total prick. Let's kick the shit out of him and steal his coke. There's that fat kid again. I'm going to sting this whole family! "Aah!" They're running! I'm buzzing, I'm buzzing, I'm buzzing, this is incredible. I'm in the car! I'm in the car. I'm in the car! Everyone's screaming and flailing and . . . this is lame, get me out. . . . I'll fly out this window and . . . Ow! Wait a minute, and . . . Ow! Ow! Ow! What the fuck? It's like a . . . ow! . . . clear force field. . . . Whoa, I just totally accidentally stung the mother. . . . Sorry, but you're like moving so much and this force field is killing me. . . . Ow. . . . Oh, wait, the force field is rolling down and . . . Ahh! Did you see me? I was totally in a moving car. So crazy. Wait, wait, head rush. I'm woozy. I gotta sit, I gotta . . . Where's a pistil or a stamen when you need one? . . . This spilled soda will do for the moment. . . . Wait, slow down, slow down, slow down. . . . My heart is racing . . . gotta relax . . . gotta . . . say something soothing . . . I don't know . . . talk about honey or strawberry jam. . . . I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die. . . . Where'd you get this shit? I think it's laced with insecticide or something. . . . My heart is going like a mile a millisecond. It's going to burst through my thorax and all over the jacarandas. Ha! Stop making me laugh, stop it, stop it, I got pollen coming out of my nose. I need to sit down . . . I need . . . I can't do this again . . . this is the last time, really . . . no, I mean it. . . . From now on, nothing stronger than honey. Jesus, the sun's going down, where'd the day go, you wanna get dinner, I'm not getting any sleep tonight. ♦
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A Reporter at Large
Iphigenia in Forest Hills
Anatomy of a murder trial.
By Janet Malcolm
Annals of History
The Day L.B.J. Took Charge
Lyndon Johnson and the events in Dallas.
By Robert A. Caro
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A Loaded Gun
A mass shooter's tragic past.
By Patrick Radden Keefe
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A Cold Case
Suddenly, a New York cop remembered a long-ago murder.
By Philip Gourevitch


text:
The Ocean at the End of the Lake was the last book I read to complete my half Cannonball Read, and I couldn't have picked a better book. But boy, is it ever a hard book to write a review of.
Let's get these two facts out of the way first: I don't usually enjoy Gaiman's work (heathen!). And: I loved this book. Was it a literary masterpiece? Was its plot original, more developed, deeper, more fascinating than all the other books I read these past few months? It's not important. Not right now, when I'm writing this review just a few minutes after I finished the book. What matters is this feeling.
Our narrator is a middle-aged man, heading back to his childhood home after a funeral without knowing why. While there, memories long forgotten start coming back to him. Difficult memories. Yet, beautiful in their own way. The lonely, friendless seven-year old version of our narrator goes through terrible loss, and he deals with it with some help from the neighbours down the lane, the Hempstocks: Old lady Hempstock (the grandmother), Ginnie (the mother) and Lettie (the eleven-year old daughter).
I don't want to reveal too much about the plot, because it is a short book and revealing more than the above would be spoiling the whole story. And it is frustrating, because I need to talk and think more about this book. Gaiman tackles some pretty serious issues, and he does it through the innocent eyes of a child, not a precocious child but a believable child, a frightened, vulnerable child. I found it refreshing to have a smart child that's not older than his years at the centre of a story. These serious issues could break anyone, let alone a little boy, but if you're a lonely boy with an over-active imagination you just might find a way to cope, and our narrator does.
The writing was beautiful and reminded me of a couple of my favourite authors at times, Stephen King (ca The Body/ Stand by me) and Terry Pratchett. Gaiman's descriptions of the environment were so vivid in detail, as honest as a childhood memory, and I nodded my head in recognition, remembering similar adventures I had embarked on as a child. Magic was at the core of the story. Magic in the descriptions, magic in childhood, magic in the way a desperate child thinks he or she can change the world if only he or she can wish it hard enough.
This book had so much heart, so much sorrow and sweetness. It is a book I will be revisiting and thinking about often.


text:
Lizzy Hawke leans insouciently against a wall in her shiny dragon platemail – a rare scene when she isn't covered in actual blood spatters.
Hurrah, my copy of Dragon Age 2 arrived today. Apologies for slow blog updates but (aside from the stupid flu) I have to kick arse, take names, and sort out Kirkwall.
When you load up the game, any unlockable DLC (for example, if you have the signature edition, or got some items for signing up to the newsletter) won't download automatically.
What you'll need to do is get the loading screen up (as shown above) and log into your bioware/ EA account as part of the process. If you then select either extras/ unlockables or downloadable content, the game will open a browser window for you and it'll be directed to your account on the Bioware Social Network.
If you select Profile/Redeem Promo Code (if you have a promo code, for example in the signature or collector's edition) then you can enter that to tie the DLC to your account. Then if you go to Profile/ Your registered game content you'll see a list of every item/ DLC registered to your account and next to each one is an info button when you can check how to download it.
I do think they could make this process more streamlined but it's not actually hard once you figure out that you have to use your bioware/EA account to tie things together.
Happy questing, more on DA2 when I've had more time with it. For now, I'm one of those annoying people who likes to play through on ultra-easy combat settings – I'll leave a more tactical play through for next time!


text:
Great Rift Valley
Words nearby Great Rift Valley
How to use Great Rift Valley in a sentence
Tend to your own garden, to quote the great sage of free speech, Voltaire, and invite people to follow your example.How the PC Police Threaten Free Speech|Nick Gillespie|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It would became one of the first great mysteries in the United States of America, as it was only then 23 years old.New York's Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Unfortunately, this is more about protecting the legacy of a 'great man.'Phylicia Rashad and the Cult of Cosby Truthers|Stereo Williams|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Great American leaders have long contributed profound thoughts of tremendous consequence to the public discourse.Huckabee 2016: Bend Over and Take It Like a Prisoner!|Olivia Nuzzi|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
"He turned pale, trembled to a great degree, was much agitated, and began to cry," she told the court.New York's Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
"Capital, capital," his lordship would remark with great alacrity, when there was no other way of escape.The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
I waited three months more, in great impatience, then sent him back to the same post, to see if there might be a reply.The Boarded-Up House|Augusta Huiell Seaman
After a minute's pause, while he stood painfully silent, she resumed in great emotion.The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
The country is well inhabited, for it contains fifty-one cities, near a hundred walled towns, and a great number of villages.Gulliver's Travels|Jonathan Swift
This is a feature by means of which it is always possible to distinguish the Great Horsetail from any other species.How to Know the Ferns|S. Leonard Bastin


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After Evil Taco Bell Hoax, Alaskan Town Gets 10,000 Free Doritos Locos Tacos
Last month, the 6,200 residents of Bethel, Alaska, got their collective hopes up after news spread that a Taco Bell restaurant was opening in town.
Dining options are somewhat limited in Bethel: According to the Associated Press, most of the city's "dozen or so" restaurants share a similar menu, and the only fast food establishment within a 400 mile radius is one lone Subway.
That's why when flyers went up announcing the imminent arrival of a Taco Bell, they were greeted with much jubilation.
Sadly, it was soon revealed that the bulletin was just a hoax cooked up by a resident as part of an ongoing feud with another resident. The unnamed prankster put his foe's phone number on the flyer, and told people to call about positions at the restaurant.
When word got back to Taco Bell, executives arranged to fly ingredients for 10,000 Doritos Locos Tacos from Anchorage to Bethel.
The food was given away for free yesterday at the city's cultural center. According to local reports, most of Bethel attended "Taco Bell fest," with many going back for seconds, thirds, and fourths.
"You could take two if you wanted, then get back in line and take two more as many times as you wanted," said former mayor Hugh Dyment. He noted that the event had been filmed, most likely for use in Taco Bell promotional material, but said he didn't mind because his family had a good time.


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Julia Louis-Dreyfus digs into her breakfast at a low-key joint in Santa Monica, CA, and, watching her, it's hard to believe this is the same person who played frumpy, insecure Elaine Benes on Seinfeld. She is the picture of confident womanhood, glamorous even in a casual top and jeans. We were prepared for goofy. Charismatic, sure. But glamorous? Radiant? Julia Louis-Dreyfus? This 49-year-old is clearly doing something very right, and, well, we want what she's having.
Certainly, hard-earned success and a career built on doing what she loves contribute to Julia's glow: At 21, she was the youngest woman ever to join the cast of Saturday Night Live. ("Really? I didn't know," she replies when I mention it.) Her nine-year Seinfeld run earned her worldwide fame and multiple Emmy nominations. Her current hit comedy, CBS's The New Adventures of Old Christine, in which she plays a divorced mom, gave her an Emmy win, breaking the so-called "Seinfeld curse," which doomed every show starring its former cast members to failure.
In the cutthroat, male-dominated world of comedy, Julia has managed not only to hold her own but to last — no small feat, when you think about all the Saturday Night Live faces that have ended up in the "Where are they now?" files. And unlike many comedians, who seem glum, even a little depressed, in person, Julia is upbeat and funny. (When asked what gives her an instant laugh, she replies, "Um... it would have to be a fart. I'm not an intellectual.")
More From Redbook
So how does she hang in there — and keep getting better? Julia credits her husband of 24 years, the writer Brad Hall, with helping her stay grounded. "I rely on him," she says. The couple regularly take their two sons, Charles, 12, and Henry, 17, on far-flung adventures but equally cherish the downtime they share at home. In many ways, she's a typical mom: She arrived a few minutes late to our interview because she'd forgotten to give her son his permission slip. Add to work, marriage, and family a few deep, longtime friendships — in two days she'll celebrate her birthday with some of her very favorite women — and you've got Julia's simple but essential life ingredients. Here is a woman completely at ease with her choices and where they've taken her — and why wouldn't she be? "I'm in a really good place," Julia says, flashing a wide, warm grin, "I feel grateful to be here."
You and your character, Christine, both juggle very full lives. What have you learned from her over the past five seasons?
Absolutely nothing! I've learned what not to do. And as the years have gone by with this show, Christine has just disintegrated into more of a mess than ever before. She's a very well-intentioned person for the most part — certainly regarding her own kid. But despite those good intentions, she's a fool.
Well, it makes for perfect TV.
It certainly does!
You've been an important member of a number of boys' clubs over the years — Saturday Night Live, Seinfeld, and you have two boys of your own. How did the experience of being around all those men influence your work?
If you are thinking about gender, it will get in your way, so to a certain extent, you have to toss it aside and push forward. But I've worked around men a lot, and I'm probably more assertive as a result. I'm also much more confident now than I used to be.
Is there anything women can learn from men, and anything men can learn from women?
Totally. I mean, I love men. And I like the directness of the male sensibility. And I like the sensitivity of women. So, you know, it's a good mix. I'm hoping that's something I've been able to impart to our children. I'm not the sole imparter of that, of course. My husband is a sensitive guy too. But there is a softness and a sensitivity to other people that I hope my boys are learning. And I think they are.
You've said before that you feel like it wasn't until you hit your 40s that you started to feel great about your body and style. What changed?
I don't know. I think... Well, I started working with a costume designer who was interested in me wearing more fitted clothes. And I didn't used to do that. I was shy. Because I'm so short and small, I used to wear things that were too big for me, that weren't flattering. So I got some good advice that helped me find more body confidence. I mean, I'm not a superskinny person at all and I always... I guess I sort of wanted to be. But now it's like, Yeah, I'm womanish. I can take that, it's cool. I started to own it. "I am totally womanish — so stick that in your pipe and smoke it!"
When would you say you feel most beautiful?
When I'm superskinny. [Laughs] No, but I always feel good after I exercise. I run, hike, do Pilates. I try to change it up.
You and your husband have been together for over 20 years. What does it take to make a relationship work over a long period of time?
You've got to find the right fellow. It is kind of basic, but very crucial. Brad and I certainly have similar goals and sensibilities; we're on the same page in terms of how we want to raise our children and what we like to do. We're always trying new things together — having adventures is a great way to be with your partner.
What kind of adventures?
We do so much. We travel a lot. A couple of years ago, we went river rafting in Chile. It was unbelievably exciting.
What do you love most about your relationship?
What I love most is that at the end of the day, [my relationship] is the most important thing — and I can rely on that. My husband's opinion is important to me. I want to know what he's thinking about. He's a real moral compass for me in so many ways. I'm never not interested in his point of view. So that's a primary thing.
Do you have a favorite recent memory?
This past Christmas was really lovely. I can't say that anything gigantic happened. It was very cozy. We went for a big family beach walk. But it was spectacularly calm and just sort of a profoundly happy day.
You and Brad are both very involved in environmental projects, another place where your sensibilities link up.
We've both been working on that cause for years. Norman Lear once said, "Celebrity is something you can spend." So I try to raise awareness for grass roots organizations, like Heal the Bay and the Natural Resources Defense Council. It feels like the right thing to do.
What's one of the biggest challenges you've faced as a mom?
Staying calm in the face of anything you perceive as a crisis.
How do you do that?
I don't know. I'm still trying to do it. Let me get back to you in 10 years. Well, I don't even know if I'll be able to then.
Has it been hard to raise kids while working on a hit show?
Yeah, the working-mom thing is definitely tricky. Guilt is a bitch. It's so useless as an emotion, for me anyway. It clouds things. I'm not saying people shouldn't feel guilty, but for me, it makes certain decision-making more difficult. And I have felt guilty. It's one of the reasons I haven't made a lot of movies. Network television is a full-time job, but it's manageable. I also think it's good for my kids to see me have artistic desires, work hard, and have success.
Has that gotten easier as they've gotten older?
Definitely. When I was doing Seinfeld and my oldest son was a babe, I had a nursery set up at work. I would nurse him, then run out onto the set, and I always felt like, Who am I, here?
On the show, Christine has to deal with some catty moms. Have you ever had to negotiate parenting peer pressure?
Not to the extent that Christine has, but there is an element of that. Many years ago, I went to [my child's] school and ran into a mom who said, "Oh, Julia, I can't believe I'm seeing you. We never see you anymore!" I was already consumed with guilt because I'd been working a lot. But I just put a huge smile on my face and said, "Oh, really? I guess you haven't been here when I have."
Has anything surprised you about being a mother of boys?
Well, I have four sisters. I went to an all-girls school. So I just assumed I'd have girls. It didn't even occur to me that I might have a boy, let alone two.
Sounds like you never lacked for female company.
Oh, I loved it. There's a certain way in which being around women is very comforting. In fact, I've got a birthday coming up in a few days, and I'm going to be getting together with a bunch of my women friends. We are just going out to dinner, but I love doing that with my girlfriends. That's fun.
Do you have more guy friends or girlfriends?
I spend most of my social time with women. Obviously, I have friends who are men. But when it comes to lunch, or going hiking, or anything like that, I do it with one of my girlfriends. I'm also very, very close to one of my sisters who lives out here. These women are a safe haven for me.
Are you looking forward to your birthday?
I always look forward to my birthday, and then as it approaches, I get anxious. But only because I want to do something of significance, and I can never figure out what that should be.
Is there anything you wish you could tell your younger self?
Well, sure. Wouldn't we all love to be able to take what we know now and give it to ourselves 10, 15, 20 years ago? On the other hand, the journey of getting to where we are now is kind of fabulous, so... I guess really the bottom line is, "Trust your instincts."
So we should trust your instincts.
Everybody should trust my instincts. That is my advice to all of your readers.


text:
Deako lighting components work together, to install a switch you need a backplate and faceplate and if you want remote access you will need to purchase a Deako bridge.
If you want to make sure you have all you need, check out our simple buying guide and you can add all the components for a complete system.
The following are detailed specifications about the PAR36 Well Light Heat Resistant Lens in Black by Kichler Lighting.
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Black landscape lighting.
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PAR36 Well Light Heat Resistant Lens in Black by Kichler Lighting
Manufacturer: Kichler Lighting
Model #: 15689BK
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The Tennant chair has a serpentine top rail with a tight back and single boxed seat cushion. The dressmaker skirt is standard. Shown with optional kidney pillow, not included. Limited Stock
"Historically classic forms continually inspire and shape my design aesthetic as they capture the familiarity of the past, with which I then, interject a modern point of view."
John Black was a furniture designer and founder of the creative design firm that bears his name, J Black Design. At heart, John was both a modernist and a classicist. Hardly a conundrum. John was known for an understated, classic approach to furniture forms that captures the essence of traditional silhouettes combined with modern touches. He was an artist and a mechanic with an unfailing, critical eye for scale and proportion.
John Black was both a master and a student of design. He grew up in the furniture making tradition in North Carolina and received formal training at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Before establishing his own firm, John was Vice President of Design for Baker Furniture. While John traveled broadly for inspiration, his everyday life was a creative force. Sadly, John passed away in 2021 after a brave struggle with cancer. He will be sorely missed, though his designs and memory lives on.
Proper care of your furniture is important to increase the longevity and enjoyment for years to come. For full recommendations on the proper care of your piece, click here.


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|European markets: A day with modest gains
|Monday, 04. April 2016 18:20
Stock markets across Europe traded in a seesaw session, and weighed by both sliding oil prices and some uncomfortable company news, and some serious losses in the telecom sector. However, mood was marked with confidence and major indices ended the day with gains, and in expectation of more comments from the U.S. Federal Reserve officials.
In Frankfurt, the DAX index rose 0.28% to close at 9,822 points. Merck was best performer, and rose 3.44%. RWE AG powered up 3.09%, and Fresenius medical group kept rising for yet another day, up 2.88% and 1.86% for respective share classes.
In Paris, the CAC 40 finished up 0.53% at 4,345 points. Sanofi held the winning position to rise 4.37%, LafargeHolcim followed up 3.44% and media group Publicis gained 2.23%. The failed merger deal has dearly cost two telecom companies: Bouygues plummeted 13.45% and Orange sunk 6.17%. Technip lost 1.62%.
Across La Manche, the FTSE 100 rose 0.30% to close at 6,164 points. A calmer trade resulted in gains of 2.43% for Shire Plc, 2.10% for Hikma Pharmaceuticals Plc and 2.07% for Aberdeen Asset Management. Banks were among notable gainers mainly for volume, which in turn didn't influence share prices much. TUI industrial group lost 2.79% and Mondi Plc burned up 2.52%. Shares of retailer group Next Plc were discounted at 2.48% Notable losers: mining companies and the host of the trade, the London Stock Exchange Group Plc down 1.32%.
In Zurich, the Swiss Market Index climbed up 0.57% closing at 7,731 points. LafargeHolcim carved out 3.43% larger chunk, and ABB Ltd. was up 1.46%, while pharma companies Novartis and Roche regained, up 1.29% and 1.15% respectively. Financials were cashing out today: Julius Baer fell 2.32%, UBS Group slid 1.39%, Swiss Life Holding AG dipped 1.18%.
In Netherlands, the AEX index added 0.37% to 436 points with main on the both side: ArcelorMittal rising 1.93%, and telecom group Altice seem to have a bad signal, plunging 11.76%; the company is still recovering from acquisition of Cablevision and not-so-good annual results.
The Austrian ATX rolled down 0.60% to close at 2,252 points. Financial sector mainly had a rough day, and Erste Group squeezed up 0.39%, but building company RHI AG built up 2.29% for the day. AT&T Austria added 0.61, while Telekom Austria AG lost 0.24%.
In Milan, the FTSE MIB rolled down 0.77%, after a punishing day for banks, with Banco Popolare dropping 7.37%. Telecom Italia was down 3.83%. Finnmeccanica rose 2.99% and Mediaset S.p.A. added 2.29%.
The euro was weaker compared to the U.K. sterling by 0.37%, and stronger against the Swiss franc by 0.09%, and lost 0.03% versus the U.S. dollar by 6:15 p.m. CET.
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Obama Lawyers to Judge: Don't Watch bin Laden Film The bin Laden raid film Zero Dark Thirty opens later this month in limited release. It has received favorable "buzz" and reportedly focuses on characters that seem based upon the very individuals at the CIA and Pentagon to whom the Obama administration gave the filmmakers, Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal, access. So why are Obama administration lawyers desperately trying to dissuade a federal judge from watching the film?
Why indeed.
By way of review, Judicial Watch is suing the Obama administration to gain access to records detailing the cooperation between the Obama CIA, the Department of Defense (DOD), and Hollywood filmmakers Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal regarding their bin Laden epic. Records we've already uncovered demonstrate that the Obama administration gave Bigelow and Boal unprecedented access to information about the raid and those involved.
And Obama administration officials also admitted that if the information released to the filmmakers were to be publicly known, it would cause an "unnecessary security and counterintelligence risk."
The government continues to stonewall the release of records that could shed more light on this "partnership," and our investigation continues.
In our efforts to gain access to records related to Zero Dark Thirty, Judicial Watch made an argument in a recent court brief that we believe should be common sense. In determining what information should and should not be released, the court might actually want to review the film at the center of its lawsuit:
In light of the fact that much of the government's argument hinges on the assertion that the individuals in question will have a continued privacy interest in their names after this film is released, a viewing of Zero Dark Thirty after its theatrical release on December 19, 2012 may ultimately be…illuminating.
Obama lawyers, however, are trying to dissuade the judge from actually watching the film. According to an Obama administration court filing filed earlier this week: "…the CIA and DOD disagree with [Judicial Watch's] implication that the Court needs to view the movie to decide this case…The CIA and DOD therefore would oppose any additional attempts by plaintiff to extend the briefing of this case until the movie's release."
I should point out that limited release for the film is set for December 19. Judicial Watch's final brief is due on December 17. Any delay required for the court to review the film would be negligible. By the way, we first asked for these documents in August of last year and had to sue in January of this year after months of delay. So the Obama administration's new found concern about "delay" is laughable.
And the court might not need to wait until the public release of the film. Zero Dark Thirty has already been publicly screened, having recently won the New York Critics Circle Award for Best Picture.
There can really only be one reason why Obama administration lawyers would try to keep the judge from seeing the film – they believe it will weaken their case.
Here are a couple of other tidbits from the government's response brief worth noting. The Department of Justice (DOJ) argues that "It is pure conjecture on [Judicial Watch's] part that characters in the movie will in fact be based on these individuals [interviewed], and in such a way that reveals their identities." But DOJ lawyers never suggest Judicial Watch's conjecture is incorrect. Where is the evidence to the contrary typical for a motion seeking the dismissal of a lawsuit?
Similarly, the DOJ argues that JW lacks "proof" that the CIA agents signed a release waiving defamation claims for the use of their likeness and characters in a film. They do not say the CIA operatives failed to sign it. They simply argue that JW doesn't have proof, which, I might point out, is very difficult to obtain so long as the Obama administration continues stonewalling the release of records.
As I say, JW previously obtained records from the DOD and the CIA regarding meetings and communications between government agencies and the filmmakers. According to the records, the Obama administration sought to have "high visibility" into bin Laden related projects, and granted Boal and Bigelow unusual access to agency information in preparation for their film. (The disclosures made to the filmmakers are now part of an investigation by the DOD Inspector General.)
They got their wish.
In return for this visibility, the DOD and the CIA shared the names of five CIA and military operatives involved in the bin Laden operation with the filmmakers, but have continued to withhold this information. Judicial Watch has identified the precise emails containing the information it wishes to obtain, and in sworn declarations Obama administration officials conceded that this information was provided to Bigelow and Boal.
According to sworn testimony from CIA Information Review Officer Martha Lutz, releasing of this type of information could provide an "unnecessary security and counterintelligence risk:"
Nonetheless, I can represent to the Court that the absolute protection for officers' identities that Congress provided in the CIA Act is extremely important to the functioning of the Agency and the safety and security of its employees. This is true even for the identities of officers who are not undercover, and it is also true with respect to the first names of undercover officers. While such identifying information may not be classified in isolation, the widespread public release of this information creates an unnecessary security and counterintelligence risk for the Agency and its officers.
The key question is this: Why did the Obama administration share allegedly sensitive information with filmmakers that, if known, could harm national security!? The Obama administration can't have it both ways. Either the information was too sensitive to share with the filmmakers, and the Obama administration was in error, or the information is not sensitive and should therefore be released.
Certainly the movie itself could provide some hints about what the Obama administration leaked to the filmmakers. In my view, the fact that the Obama administration doesn't want the court to consider the movie is a good indication that the court should do exactly the opposite.
JW Uncovers Taxpayer Cost for Malia Obama's Spring Break Trip to Mexico
Spring Break is a common ritual for students across the country and First Daughter Malia Obama is no exception. But, of course, there is an important difference between the First Daughter and other students. When Malia Obama takes a trip, the American taxpayers get stuck with a hefty bill. How hefty? That's what we've been trying to find out.
As you know, JW has kept close watch for the American people on the First Family's extravagant personal trips since we're the ones footing the bill. And this week we released records detailing the government funds expended on Malia's March 2012 Spring Break vacation to Mexico. According to the records, obtained from the U.S. Secret Service as a result of a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed on September 20, 2012, the total cost of the trip amounted to $115,500.87.
The following is a breakdown of the costs as detailed in the documents, which are available in full here:
Ground transportation:$23,964.81
Lodging: $21,682.92
Airfare: $47,767.34
"Vouchers": $21,636.14 (not itemized)
Support Charges: $449.66 (travel for one from Mexico City to Oaxaca, not itemized)
Now as I pointed out in this space when we filed our lawsuit, Malia Obama's Spring Break trip evoked a significant amount controversy after the Obama White House reportedly ordered the removal of press reports detailing the trip.
On March 19, 2012, numerous online press outlets reported on Malia Obama's Mexico trip, noting the fact that she was accompanied by 25 U.S. Secret Service Agents and as many as 12 of her friends. However, shortly after the press reports surfaced they were quickly removed from the Internet.
As reported by Politico: "The AFP, the Huffington Post and other websites have scrubbed a report about first daughter Malia Obama's school trip. On Monday, the AFP reported that Obama's daughter was on a school trip along with a number of friends and 25 Secret Service agents. The story was picked up by Yahoo, the Huffington Post, and the International Business Times, as well as UK publications like the Daily Mail and the Telegraph and other overseas publications like The Australian. But on Monday night, the story had been removed from those sites."
In an update to this story, Politico published a statement issued by Kristina Schake, Communications Director to the First Lady, indicating that the removal of these news stories was "a White House effort:"
"From the beginning of the administration, the White House has asked news outlets not to report on or photograph the Obama children when they are not with their parents and there is no vital news interest. We have reminded outlets of this request in order to protect the privacy and security of these girls."
The trip reportedly took place shortly after the Texas Department of Public Safety issued a statement advising students on Spring Break "to avoid Mexico."
I think we can all agree that in these economic times, with huge public debt and high unemployment, spending $115,000 in taxpayer funds on a Spring Break trip to Mexico is inappropriate. Is this what Americans are being asked to pay higher taxes for?
Now this is far from the first time the Obamas have taken advantage of the American taxpayer to enjoy expensive vacations.
We previously obtained records from the United States Air Force and the United States Secret Service detailing Michelle Obama's February 2012 President's Day weekend ski vacation to Aspen, Colorado, with her two daughters. The records indicate U.S. Secret Service costs, including accommodations at the Fasching Haus deluxe condominium and the Inn at Aspen, were $48,950.38.
Judicial Watch also obtained documents from the United States Air Force and the United States Secret Service detailing costs associated with Michelle Obama's controversial August 2010 vacation to Spain. According to a Judicial Watch analysis, the records indicate a total combined cost of at least $467,585.
Judicial Watch also obtained documents detailing costs of a June 21-27, 2011, trip taken by Michelle Obama, her family and her staff to South Africa and Botswana. Judicial Watch received mission expense records and passenger manifests for the Africa trip that described costs of $424,142 for the flight and crew alone. Other expenses, such as off-flight food, transportation, security, etc. were not included.
That's a total of four trips at a cost of almost $1 million. And these are the trips we know about.
Rest assured, JW will continue to monitor these First Family excursions in a second Obama term. I suspect they will continue.
Could Benghazi-Tainted Ambassador Rice be the Next Secretary of State?
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reportedly will leave the Obama administration as soon as a replacement is found. And who is reportedly topping the list of replacements? None other than Benghazi-tainted UN Ambassador Susan Rice.
According to The Washington Post:
The partisan political divide over the potential nomination of U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice to be secretary of state intensified Sunday with Republicans questioning her fitness for the job and Democrats defending her.
Republican senators said they remain deeply concerned over Rice's statements about the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, and suggested her motive was to help President Barack Obama's re-election chances.
As you recall, Rice was out in front when the Benghazi scandal exploded into the press. In interview after interview, Rice said the attacks on the U.S. Consulate were in reaction to a low-grade anti-Muslim internet video blamed for widespread protests in Cairo.
For example, on ABC's "This Week" program, Rice said that the murders of Ambassador Stevens and three others in Libya was "a spontaneous – not a premeditated – response to what had transpired in Cairo." (Click over to The Daily Caller for more false statements from Susan Rice.)
This, we now know, was blatantly false, and the evidence is now overwhelming that the Obama administration knew it was false from the beginning. Former CIA director David Petraeus has said that he noted the al Qaeda link in his talking points. Someone inside the administration then scrubbed the al Qaeda link to the attacks out of the CIA's talking points – the talking points Rice says she used for her interviews.
But as both Senators Lindsey Graham (R-NC) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) pointed out on the Sunday talk shows this week, Rice went off script and beyond the talking points in uttering false statements.
Per thePost: "For one, [Sens. Graham and Ayotte] noted [Rice] had said that security at the Benghazi mission was 'strong, substantial and significant.'" The multiple requests for security enhancements at the U.S. Consulate, which went unanswered, prove this statement false. Overall, Senator Graham stated that Rice's statements represent "'a treasure trove of misleading statements that have the effect of helping the president.'"
There are so many layers to Benghazi-Gate, and the more we learn, the more disturbing this all seems. There are the lies about the links to al Qaeda. There are the reports that the Obama administration denied multiple requests for enhanced security prior to the attack. There are reports of requests for support during the attacks denied by the Obama administration.
And now, there is even speculation regarding the weapons used by the Benghazi terrorists.
As Breitbart noted yesterday, "The New York Times is now reporting that US-approved arms that were supposed to go to Libya rebels went to Islamist terrorists. Even more importantly, the Obama administration knew about it before, during, and after the Benghazi attacks."
The Times is quick to point out we do not yet have evidence U.S. weapons were used in the attacks, but reports that the CIA provided "little oversight" of the weapons, and that they no doubt ended up in the hands of Islamic radicals.
So many questions unanswered and the Obama administration isn't helping.
This week a drone video of the attack confirms that the assault had nothing to do with any demonstration. According to Bloomberg News, the classified video of the attack was shown to House members:
"People showed up at the gate very quickly, breached it, and poured inside," said Representative Adam Smith, the senior Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, who attended a closed-door briefing today with James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, on the Sept. 11 attack.
Now that everyone on the Hill has seen this damning video, perhaps the taxpayers might be given access?
In particular, Judicial Watch has a number of inquiries ongoing as we attempt to get to the bottom of a scandal that has become every bit as serious as Fast and Furious. The mainstream media may not care about this story but I can tell you, especially on this December 7, that Judicial Watch won't look the other way from this scandalous cover-up of this attack on America.
Until next week,
Tom Fitton
Judicial Watch, Inc., a conservative, non-partisan educational foundation, promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law. Through its educational endeavors, Judicial Watch advocates high standards of ethics and morality in our nation's public life and seeks to ensure that political and judicial officials do not abuse the powers entrusted to them by the American people. Judicial Watch fulfills its educational mission through litigation, investigations, and public outreach