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Commonwealth is the third in the series of socio-political analyses from Hardt and Negri which began with Empire (2000) and continued with Multitude (2004). To briefly summarise the series so far; Empire provided an overview of the changes to the structures of power and economic forces from the 1980's onwards which Hardt and Negri characterise as moving from a nation state dominated imperial system to a globalised networked imperialist power and Multitude subsequently elucidated the emerging forms of networked resistance to the newfound global hegemonic forces of Empire.
Commonwealth seeks to further build upon the work laid out in the first two books through a deeper and more sustained engagement with some of the key concepts originally presented in the first two books, while dealing with some of the most pertinent criticisms leveled at the theoretical frameworks of Empire and the Multitude by other leading left-wing academics and theorists (a point which I will return to later).
Consequently while the book can be read as a stand-alone piece, it certainly helps to have read the prequels which give a thorough contextualisation of where Hardt and Negri are coming from, and also provide far more detailed analyses of the economic background from which they draw the conclusion that since the early 1980's there has been the beginning of a paradigm shift away from industrial production and towards a form of information-led production which Hardt and Negri argue requires a revised understanding of both power and contemporary forms of resistance.
While throughout the series Hardt and Negri have referred to this newfound mode of production (amongst other things) as biopolitical production – using a term first developed by Foucault – both the Foucaultian orgins of the term and the differences between Foucault and Hardt & Negri's usages are proscribed in far greater detail in Commonwealth.
Our reading not only identifies biopolitics with the localised productive powers of life – that is, the production of affects and languages through social cooperation and the interaction of bodies and desires, the invention of new forms of the relation to the self and others, and so forth – but also affirms biopolitics as the creation of new sunjectivities that are presented at once as resistance and de-subjectification. If we remain too closely tied to a philological analysis of Foucault's texts, we might miss this central point: his analysis of biopower are aimed not merely at an empirical description of how power works for and through subjects but also at the potential for the production of alternative subjectivities, thus designating a distinction between qualitatively different forms of power. p59
Crucial to this reading and Hardt and Negri's reading of biopolitics then is that as a emerging hegemonic form of power in the globalised world, biopolitical production is constantly producing new subjectivities and affects which escape and exceed the capitalist form of value extraction and thus produces newfound alternatives to global capitalism. While they are at pains to stress that this in itself does nothing to guarantee any kind of crisis for capitalism, or that capitalist contradictions and crises necessarily lead to revolution, they do argue forcefully that this opens up new spaces of conflict and resistance and produces alternative possibilities to the current status quo.
As the book's title suggest, one of the primary focuses of the book is on common wealth, or the commons, again a concept which Hardt and Negri use in Empire and Multitude, but which is explored in far more depth in Commonwealth. Hardt and Negri employ a Deleuzian ontology which combines two traditionally distinct usages of the common, firstly the demarcation of a non-human commons in terms of the 'natural world' which is posited as an outside set of resources ripe for expropriation, and also the socially constructed commons, such as language, social bonds, affects, thoughts, and ideas
Wheras the tradition notion poses the common as a natural world outside of society, the biopolitical conception of the common permeates equally all spheres of life referring not only to the earth, the air, the elements, or even plane and animal life but also to the constitutive elements of human society, such as common languages, habits, gestures, affects, codes, and so forth. Whereas for traditional thinkers such as Locke and Rousseau, the formation of society and progress of history inevitably destroy the common, fencing it off as private property, the biopolitical conception emphasises not only preserving the common but also struggling over the conditions of producing it, as well as selecting among its qualities, promoting its beneficial forms, and fleeing its detrimental corrupt forms. We might call this an ecology of the common – an ecology focused equally on nature and society, on humans and the nonhuman world in a dynamic of interdependence, care and mutual transformation. p171
One important way in which Hardt and Negri extend their conception of commonwealth is the caveat that not all common forms of wealth are liberatory and positive. Indeed they contend that many of the ways in which the commons is currently experienced is through what they deem corrupted forms in which commonwealth is partially constrained and thus creates not a resource for all, but a means of exclusion and expropriation which striates the social field and creates hierarchies. Chief among these corrupted forms of the common identified by Hardt and Negri are the nation state, the corporation and the family.
H&N go on to contend that whereas the common is produced through love, which they trace conceptually back to Spinoza's writings on love and joy arguing that love is what produces cultural forms of commonwealth 'Every act of love is an ontological event in that it marks a rupture with existing being and creates new being…To say that love is ontologically constitutive then, simply means that it produces the common.' (p181) However Hardt and Negri go on to warn that
Just like the common itself, love is deeply ambivalent and susceptible to corruption. In fact what passes for love in ordinary discourse and popular culture is predominantly is corrupt forms. The primary locus of this corruption is the shift in love from the common to the same, that is, from the production of the common to the same or a process of unification. p182
As such the identitarian forms of love such as patriotism, racism and certain religious fundamentalisms which are grounded on a love of the same and seek to impose that sameness or unity upon heterogeneous elements they classify as 'outside' of their identity. Thus Hardt and Negri characterise these belief systems and structures not as grounded in hatred, but in a form of love, albeit a corrupted form which seeks to reproduce unity and homogeneity rather than the diverse and heterogeneous positive forms of the common. This they define as evil; not evil as in the traditionally transcendent binary which stands diametrically opposed to the category of good, but as instantiations of particular forms of love and the common gone bad. This theortisation of evil,
Gives us a Spinozan explanation for why at times people fight for their servitude as though it were their salvation, why the poor sometimes support dictators, the working classes vote for right wing parties, and abused spouses and children protect their abusers. Such situations are obviously the result of ignorance, fear and superstition, but calling it false consciousness provides meager tools for transformation. Providing the oppressed with the truth and instructing them in their interests does little to change things. People fighting for their servitude is understood better as the result of love and community gone bad, failed and distorted. The first question when confronting evil then, is, what specific love went bad here? What instance of the common has been corrupted? p194
Whilst this does provide a novel approach for understanding why people fight for their servitude as though it were their salvation, one criticism to be made here is that Hardt and Negri are vague as to what kind of social forms they envision replacing 'corrupted' forms such as the family and the state, contending instead that these forms are currently unimaginable and must arise out out of the practical experimentation and experience of the multitude. While there is a logic which reflects their political position in refusing to project a teleology of the multitude, the failure to provide alternatives to contemporary corrupt forms of the common is somewhat unnerving, the lack of propositions for constructive alternatives to current systems makes the focus of Hardt and Negri's theorising primarily negative, seemingly aimed at combating corrupt forms of the common without really suggesting the kind of positive alternatives they wish to see created. Where I found Commonwelath far stronger, was where Hardt and Neri reiterated some of the concrete proposals they first outlined in Empire with the addition of far more nuanced details in arguing for a living wage for all, the removal of the restriction on human movements imposed by state borders and universal open access to the commons in order to
Develop fully and put into practice the multitude's abilities to think and cooperate with others. Such an infrastructure must include an open physical layer (including access to wires and wireless communications networks), an open logical layer (for instance, code and protocols) and an open content layer (such as cultural, intellectual and scientific works). p308
The criticism of the lack of concrete progressive forms for the multitude with respects to the family and the state feed into the second major current of criticism of their earlier works which Hardt and Negri seek to contest in Commonwealth. The first strand of critique, as advanced by the likes of Pierre Machery and Ernesto Laclau, is the argument that a plural and polyphonic choir such as Hardt and Negri's conception of the multitude cannot function as a coherent political actor due to its heterogeneous composition. Whereas in the past the figure of the party, the people, or even the state and the nation have functioned in a way to unify differences and mobilise populations to create social transformation, and certain critics have argues that without a similar point of unification the multitude can act only as a cacophony of contradictory voices which cannot act commonly. Hardt and Negri's retort to this is that
It is true that the organisation of singularities and decision making is not immediate and spontaneous, but that does not mean that hegemony and unification, the formation of a sovereign and unified power – whether it be a state a party or a people – is the necessary precondition for politics. Spontaneity and hegemony are not the only alternatives. The multitude can develop the power to organise itself through the conflictual and cooperative interactions of singularities in the common. p175
The second main line of critique which Hardt and Negri respond to are the arguments brought forth by Paolo Virno, Etienne Balibar, Slavoj Zizek and Alain Badiou, that whilst the multitude may be capable of acting as a political actor – albeit one which substantially differs from traditional forms based around unity – there is no guarantee that the consequences of such a political form would be liberatory and progressive. The actual contents of these critiques of the multitude vary widely, from Virno's realist position which acknowledges that the formal structure of the muiltitude in now way guarantees the contents of its politics, to Zizek and Badiou's positions which effectively argue that the multitude is merely an oppositional figure to contemporary character, and that this oppositional resistance can never be more than a mere component of that power from whence it derives, and I find myself giving more credence to Virno's line of thought than Zizek/Badiou's.This line of critique is dealt with far less effectively, and while Hardt and Negri do outline some very useful protocols for a liberatory or progressive politics of the multitude, and trace a genealogy of progressive political groups and movements, Virno's critique in particular seems valid when assessing forms of contemporary networked radical Islamist groups, which exhibit many structural properties similar to the composition of the multitude, however their ideology exhibits extreme forms of what Hardt and Negri descibe as corrupt forms of love and the common.
On the whole then, Commonwealth provides a useful exploration and expansion of a number of key concepts previously presented by Hardt and Negri, while partially addressing some of the most pertinent criticisms directed at their earlier works. As such it certainly provides interesting points for discussion and reflection for people involved in the various social and ecological movements which have grown out of the alternative globalisation movement, and provides some concrete proposals for an alternative to the current global system alongside some detailed analysis of geo-political and economic developments over the last few years. Personally though, I would recommend most readers new to Hardt and Negri's work to start with their earlier writings, in particular Multitude, which provides a more accessible point of entry to the writings of two of the contemporary left's most exciting political theorists.


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Peeps Madness
Sam Born began selling Peeps in the early 1920s, in a small Pennsylvania grocery store he owned, under a sign that read Just Born.
Nowadays March brings Peeps madness.
The craze took off in 1953 as cellophane selections of packaged Peeps flew off neighborhood grocery shelves.
In my childhood Easter basket, I found one color and one flavor of Peeps: yellow chicks with black, beady eyes.
No longer just an Easter basket staple, these fluffy sugar-coated marshmallow critters are for every season.
We have Valentine's, Halloween and Christmas Peeps. We've seen bunnies, bats, ghosts, cats, Teddy bears, snowmen and gingerbread Peeps.
Colors have expanded, too. Fluorescent hues: yellow, pink, lavender, blue, orange and green. Plus just plain white.
National Harbor has a store devoted solely to Peeps.
Peep contests are now common.
The first Peep Off was organized in Maryland in 1984 on the first Saturday after Easter, when Peeps are discounted. It drew six participants.
The goal of Shawn Sparks' brainchild: to eat as many marshmallow chicks as you could in 30 minutes. The current record holder, Dave Smith of Sacramento, put down 102 in that time.
You don't have to eat a Peep to get in on the fun.
The Peeps home page is overflowing with contests this time of year, in honor of Peeps' Easter origin.
The sixth annual Carroll County Arts Center Peepshow in Westminster displays hundreds of marshmallow masterpieces. Some are for sale.
Feeling creative and have lots of time on your hands? Dive right into the Washington Post's 7th diorama contest.
Maryland's Eastern Shore Land Conservancy invites you to use the marshmallow creatures to create your vision of the Peepstern Shore Conservation Center.
Peeps go boating in BoatUS Foundation's second annual Diorama Contest. For this one, you create a full Peeps diorama of "spectacularly scenic depictions of history or modern culture." Send photos to be entered in a drawing for a pair of inflatable life jackets. And a year of bragging rights.
Hurry! Many of these contests have deadlines that are just around the corner. The deadline for the Washington Post's seventh diorama contest has already passed.
See www.marshmallowpeeps.com for contests, timelines and results.
For creatures made from marshmallow, corn syrup, gelatin and carnauba wax, Peeps inspire lots of creativity.
And lots of love. Over 700 million are ingested annually, making Peeps America's most popular non-chocolate candy.

subset: commoncrawl


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LAKEWOOD RANCH — Eleven-year-old Kyle Swindell couldn't wait to get back out on the football field.
And no matter how hard his coaches pushed him. Or how tired he was. Or how uncomfortable he was when his T-shirt was dripping with sweat, the East Manatee Bulldogs Junior Pee Wee cornerback never stopped smiling.
Like the majority of the Bulldogs' players, Swindell was elated to be back out on the field with his teammates.
"It's very exciting, and I can't wait to get in the games," Swindell said. "It's so hot, and conditioning wears you down, but it's going well, and we're having a lot of fun."
Swindell was one of nearly 200 kids who strapped on their helmets and hit the field for the Bulldogs' first official day of practice Aug. 1. While the Tiny Mites — the Bulldogs' youngest squad — had the day off, the rest of the teams spent the first day of practice focusing on conditioning drills and basic football fundamentals.
"The first week is all conditioning," Junior Pee Wee coach Kendall Brown said. "We're working on football drills and trying to incorporate a lot of running and conditioning drills. We're trying to cover all three parts of the game while keeping everybody moving."
The 8-, 9- and 10-year-old Mighty Mites spent most of their first practice working on blocking drills and punt formations, agility and learning basic football skills.
"I missed playing football because I like to catch the football and throw it, and I like being out here with my friends," 9-year-old Mason Fischer said.
Across the field, the older squads focused more on conditioning drills and maintaining proper technique while also working on various formations and passing, receiving and blocking drills.
"The biggest thing we want to teach them is to stay focused," Mighty Mites coach Chris Rogers said. "Football is a sport that can be dangerous if you're not focused. If you aren't blocking and tackling properly then it can cause injury, but if you're going full speed, then 90% of the time you'll never get hurt."
The Bulldogs, which will continue to practice from 6-8 p.m., Monday through Friday, until Labor Day, will welcome the 2009 season with their annual Jamboree Aug. 22 before kicking off the regular season Aug. 29. For more information on the East Manatee Bulldogs visit www.eastmanateebulldogs.com.
Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].
LAKEWOOD RANCH — Eleven-year-old Kyle Swindell couldn't wait to get back out on the football field.


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Goober Catches Michael Jackson Impersonator Again On Times Square & Things Get More Heated! [Fixed]
Goober & Michael Jackson Impersonator at the Naked Cowboy Press Conference running for president
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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President Glassner offers food for thought in op-ed
March 12, 2012
Undergraduate Campus
Portland, Oregon, widely known for its foodie culture, is a place where residents are known for overthinking their culinary choices. But as President Barry Glassner points outs in an editorial for the Chronicle of Higher Education, it's time that we give today's conscientious young food consumers some credit.
"If the food choices of young people on my campus are any indication, the student population is a lot more sensible and grounded in its relationship with food than the skeptics, myself included, would have guessed," he explains. "Far more than politically correct faddishness, students' thoughtful engagement with food turns out to have educational as well as nutritional value."
From organizing a hunger banquet to starting a drive to reduce bottled water consumption, Lewis & Clark students are taking on issues of food security, childhood obesity, and energy use through the lens of food and drink. As Glassner says, "Students' food practices on the whole turn out to be appropriately thoughtful and, often, fully in the spirit of their liberal-arts educations."
Read the Chronicle of Higher Education editorial.


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Last year I uploaded that pattern to create a simple Easter Bunny – and many of you made so wonderful and amazing Easter Bunnies! Some made them out of paper, many sewed really cute bunnies. And so I decided to take the bunny from last year (only made a few modifications) and sew two different versions by using the same pattern: a very simple version and another one with arms and legs and a more detailed face. The simple version is really very easy – absolutely perfect for beginners. And the other version is only a tiny little bit more fiddly – but not really difficult.
And hey, next weekend its already Easter – so hurry up :-)
First download the >>> RevoluzZzionary Easter Bunny pattern and print it – cut it out, chose your fabric, pin the pattern on the fabric and cut out:
Simple Easter Bunny:
When you want to stitch the face of your bunny on a fabric it's good to iron some interfacing on the inner side of the fabric:
Now make your little bunny a unique face – maybe some cute cheeks, maybe Miffy-like pout. Whatever your like. And you could give your bunny a heart now :-)
Before you sew the front and back of your bunny together, you serge the bottom of the bunny – where you will close it later with a blind stitch. And then: pin the front and the back together – of course the outside in. Sew the parts together and cut the parts between the ears and on the neck. Then serge everything:
And now the most exciting part comes: Turn your bunny inside out!
That's it! Now you fill your bunny with doll wadding, use a shop stick for the ears and close your new friend with a blind stitch.
This cute bunny is perfect for Easter decoration – but it's also perfect as a toy for babies. It's perfect for little hands to grab it. And it gets even more exciting for babies when you put a rattle in the bunny tummy.
When I started sewing for kids about 3 years ago – my first best sellers were pretty simple bunnies (I called them Ladus) which were resembling this simple bunny. And I sewed to ribbons between the ears to tie them to a baby bed. And I filled the bunny tummy with lavender which has a very positive impact on babies. And you can even put a musical box inside this bunny and make it a wunderful and unique musical cuddly toy.
OK, that was really easy. Now try the other version.
Easter Bunny Toy:
Use the same pattern as before for the body and cut the arm and legs pattern as well. If you want a felt face – cut that one too.
Sew the felt face on the bunny – of your machine doesn't have that special quilt stitch you can as well use a zic zac stitch or whatever you like. Then stitch the cute face just the way you like it. If you don't want a smiling mouth – the Miffy-like mouth looks also super cute on a felt face.
Now pin the the arms and legs outside in, sew them together, serge the edges, turn them inside out and will them with doll wadding. Use a shop stick to reach all parts of the arms and legs.
OK, now it's getting serious :-)
Some handcrafters pin now already everything together: the front and back of the body together with the arms and the legs. That's fine but I don't do it that way.
First I serge the edges where I will close the body later with a blind stitch. Then I mark with a vanishing pen the points where I want my arms and legs.
I pin front and back of the body together, insert the first arm and – start sewing. I insert the other arm short before I come to the point which I marked.
The same with the legs. Then I cut the parts between the ears and on the neck and serge the edges of the bunnie's body with a zic zac stitch. This fixes the armes and legs additional – so brutal little kids won't be able to amputate arms or legs from the cute bunny (well, as long as they are not TOO brutal :-) ).
Now again the exciting moment: Turning your new friend inside out.
Now you are almost finished. You only have to fill your bunny with wadding, close it with a blind stitch – and that's it!
And when you really love your bunny – you make it some cute accessories – maybe a scarf? Or a felt collar like I did. If it's a bunny boy, I'm sure he would like to have some nice pants. Or if it's a bunny girl – what about a cute skirt? Or an apron? I'm sure there are many things that come to your mind :-)
And of course I would LOVE to see your RevoluzZzionary bunnies in the RevoluzZza flickr group – where I found just now the first little easter bunny (from my last year's pattern). Super cute! :-)


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The president of Frederick County's Board of County Commissioners, Blaine Young, says he won't enter the race to become governor of Maryland.
The Republican announced his decision Saturday during a gathering at the Frederick Fairgrounds. Young said he is endorsing Charles County businessman Charles Lollar in the 2014 race to succeed Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat who can't run for re-election because of term limits.
Young said he won't rule out a run for county executive.
Copyright AP - Associated Press


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XL-Websolutions necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 20 diseños de 9 diseñadores freelance.
Terra Equipment supplies all food animals and supplies for a terrarium hobby. At the moment we serve the Dutch market, but with the new website we want to extend to Germany and United Kingdom also.
Both consumer and business, with differing site requirements.
We want a webshop that is in the style of the products we're selling and maybe a little mysterious too. Our logo must fit perfectly into the design. Don't use bright colours for the shop, but see if you can continue with the colours of our logo.
For the page details, please see the attachments. I describe in the pdf document the pages complete with wireframes.
I described a lot more than the 5 pages, but most pages are falling back to the basic design. So, pages like 'About us' and 'Payment', etc. are al the same page.
Our current site is : http://www.terraequipment.nl/
Google translation into English
The site is now boring, the new site must be a little bit more exciting.


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Well I,m on station for my last night shift of 12 hours.
Just hope that its not as bad as the last two nights!!!
Working for the Ambulance Service is a great job but we see a lot from the dark side so bear with me.
All posts from myself will be wrapped in patient confidentiality and will not reflect the views of my service. It is my own diary which I want to share and welcome comments but if you do not agree with my opinions then thats still ok as I might not agree with yours. But we should respect everyones right to differ.


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After I wrote the Schlumbergera truncata profile in August, I was offered cuttings of Schlumbergera x buckleyi, the true Christmas-blooming "Christmas cactus," by a reader, and wound up getting way, way, way way way more cuttings than I was expecting, so I divided them up into nine 4-inch (10 cm) pots to root and put them on one of the shelves in the basement, on a timer.
Earlier this week, I noticed that one of them had a flower bud, and since then, I've been very excited, confused, excited, confused, and disappointed, in that order.
It's exciting because these are the first holiday cacti I've had that are the heirloom, passed-down-through-generations, Christmas-blooming type of holiday cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi), and those are rarely available in retail so I haven't seen one in forever.
But then it was confusing, because the light is on a timer, and I'm pretty sure I have these plants on a long day, short night schedule. Supposedly they need at least thirteen hours of darkness at night, and the best-case scenario for the timer on these is twelve hours. So it didn't make any sense, this plant deciding to bloom now.
But then I was excited again, because who cares whether it's supposed to or not, the point is that it is, and I get to see it.
And then a couple days later I was making the who-needs-emergency-watering-in-the-basement rounds, and didn't see the flower bud. Which was puzzling, since it had been right there before. After much searching, I found it -- on top of the soil. The plant decided not to bloom after all, possibly because all my questioning made it think better of the idea. So now I'm disappointed.
Two of the three other varieties I have are blooming now: the salmon one went first (and this year was actually salmon-colored: last year it was more of a peach), and 'Caribbean Dancer' is heavily-budded, and a few flowers are almost ready to bloom. So if I can get everybody properly synchronized, I intend to do some cross-pollinating. Maybe it'll work, maybe it won't. If not, there's always next year. Next year, there'll be more possible combinations, too, because I fully intend to scoop up a bunch of NOID plants from Lowe's once they go on clearance.
The third variety, the pink one with the white stripe down the middle of the petals, is just barely clinging to life right now, following a repotting this summer that the plant apparently didn't want. One segment of stem has survived (there were only about eight to begin with), and maybe it'll make it through the winter, but it's probably done for. I'm looking for replacements.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Random plant event: Schlumbergera x buckleyi flower bud
After I wrote the Schlumbergera truncata profile in August, I was offered cuttings of Schlumbergera x buckleyi, the true Christmas-blooming "Christmas cactus," by a reader, and wound up getting way, way, way way way more cuttings than I was expecting, so I divided them up into nine 4-inch (10 cm) pots to root and put them on one of the shelves in the basement, on a timer.
6 comments:
- Ivynettle said...
I've got one bud on mine, too - at least I hope it's still there, I haven't checked in a while. Though that's scheduled for tomorrow.
I'm still fighting the urge to get yet more Schlumbergeras (I already have four varieties, and multiple plants of some of those) - I may do the clearance thing, too, once I've figured out how much space I have at the new apartment.
- November 26, 2010 at 3:17 PM
- MrBrownThumb said...
That's awesome that a reader sent you cuttings for the real Christmas Cactus. I've wondered for years whether I would ever see one in person.
- November 26, 2010 at 6:41 PM
- mr_subjunctive said...
I thought you had one! Didn't you have one a couple years ago, at least, when you wrote a couple posts about them for your blog?
- November 26, 2010 at 6:55 PM
- Joseph said...
Random thought on the day length... A friend did a study using florescent lights for night interruption (short burst of light in the middle of the night to fool plants into thinking the night was short) and found some plants didn't respond to them the way they did incandescent lights, presumably due to the lack of far-red light from the florescent. Maybe that would partially explain why your plants under lights are flowering. 12 hours is pretty close to the cut off, and if they're a bit less sensetive to the signal due to the florescent thing, that might push them over the edge.
- November 27, 2010 at 11:10 AM
- Joe Lake said...
What breed is your Sheba? I have a dog that looks very much like her but we don't know what mix/breed he is.
- February 3, 2012 at 11:28 AM
- mr_subjunctive said...
Joe Lake:
We don't actually know. The shelter's guess was German shepherd / black lab, possibly with a small amount of some third thing.
- February 3, 2012 at 5:03 PM


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DWTS 11 Finale – The Cheesecake Awards!!
Ahhh…the last cheesecake of the year. It's all good – we need a vacay. Some would say desperately. 🙂
Biggest Disappointment: The returning stars' dances
Courtney: It was actually painful to watch some of these 🙁 The Hoff belting the theme song to Baywatch while Kym, Peta, and another pro frolic about in red swimsuits? Margaret & Florence prancing around in the world's tackiest costumes while the resident pocket-sized pros (Louis & Corky) gyrate around them? Rick & Kurt doing the requisite "Athlete vs. Athlete" paso doble in costumes in their old teams' colors? Don't even get me started on The Situation's dance…if you can even call it that. It was more like an exercise in self-love and machismo. As for Brandy & Maks…*sigh* Yes, it was and still is a very cute quickstep, but seeing it for a 3rd time was a bit of a yawn for me. I know, I know, they allegedly "didn't have any time" to choreograph something new – but from what I've seen of finale-hopefuls on the show in the past, some of them actually start working on their freestyle as soon as the show starts…they literally start brainstorming and choreographing from week 1. I was kinda hoping Brandy & Maks had maybe done the same thing and had at least a portion of their freestyle that they could have performed for us, especially since Bruno requested it. Oh well. I guess I should have expected to be let down by the returning celebs' dances, since they've been on a pretty steady decline the past few seasons. I still shudder at that reprise of Kate's paso last season 🙁
Heidi: Well, at least the opening dance wasn't the massive trainwreck that it was last season. I mean, that's really all you can expect me to remember, right? 🙂 Seriously, I watched them again and I thought Anna's dress was really cute and did you notice she had Kurt's number inked in small numbers on her back?? Digging deep for something positive to say and I'm coming up pretty empty. 🙂 The Sitch's was so bad that it wasn't even cheesy – it was just bad.
The "Zip it!!!" Award: Bristol's comment about giving the middle finger to all her "haters"
Courtney: Oy vey. If a good portion of viewers were like me, they probably let out a collective "D'oh!" and slapped their foreheads a la Homer Simpson when this gem slipped past Bristol's lips in the confessional. Even Mark seemed to let out a little warning yip as she said it, as if saying "DUDE! DON'T TAKE IT THERE!" If there's anything that I don't think ANY competitor should do in the finals, it's being anything less than gracious and polite – and this comment kinda stomped all over that. It just came across as a bit vindictive and actually kinda crass to me – and I don't think it helped that she brought up her mom's name. And even if she did win – I don't think it would have been much of a proverbial "middle finger" to her "haters" (and while we're at it, I'm totally sick of hearing that word – it just sounds dumb…can we agree on a suitable synonym? Naysayers? Detractors? Skeptics?), considering that it seemed a pretty widely-held opinion that Bristol did not deserve to win…at least based on merit. And I can just hear the Bristol defenders now, calling me a "hater" just because I don't worship the ground she walks on. I'm only gonna say this once: Bristol seems like a decently nice girl, but I don't think she's a good dancer and I don't think it was appropriate for her to make that comment. That is not "hating"; that is having a rational opinion of someone that doesn't involve any sort of personal vendetta. I'd say the same thing about anyone else on the show who said the same thing and was not a good dancer. And spare me the crap about how "Bristol is just a kid!" and "How would you feel if you were in her shoes and getting all this hate?" I don't think anyone that signs up for the show should get preferential treatment just because of their age – there have been several contestants younger than Bristol that have dealt with the pressure just fine. And signing up for a reality show of ANY kind basically guarantees a target on your back for ridicule…anyone that thinks otherwise is living in a dream world.
Heidi: I know right? Bristol, that poor "kid" with all the "haters" is laughing all the way to the bank after making about 350k on DWTS and charging 35k a pop at her speaking engagements. That's very…motivational speakerish…of her. I would be very eager to help teens for that wage too. 🙂 My point, in talking about the cash, is that it just rings very false when she complains about haters. I'm sure there are actual haters out there (and no I don't mean it in the bulls*^t way the immature tend to throw it around on this site and others when you don't kiss someone's butt), but they ALL have them – even the pros have "haters". DEAL with it – you chose the public eye. I agree that she seems like a nice girl, but I didn't like her behavior that last week (or recently) – SHE made it as much about politics and her mom as anyone did. My gripe was that she was NOT a good dancer, compared to several people who didn't make it to the final. But it sure is convenient to cry politics for her fans, and quite hard to argue that she's a great dancer. 🙂 And yes, I hate that word "haters" and how it's used as well – very immature.
The "Gag me with a SPOON!!!" Award: Mark Ballas and his pre-cage dance pep talk to Bristol
Heidi: :::hurl, puke, gack::: Mark saying, "Be a bad bitch. A bad bitch. Gimme some SEX…" This, I'm sorry to say, took me to a place in Mark's private life that I REALLY didn't want to go. I mean, ick. I never thought I was the sensitive type, but hearing those words come out of his mouth really really…..disturbed me. And the tone of voice!! What the hell kind of pep talk is this? I've never been a prude (far from it, actually) but this was just…ick. They didn't even put in the captioning with the first part – would the network get them for the written word and not the spoken one? Everytime I watch this little segment (the things I do for you people) I cringe all over again.
Courtney: *shudder* Glad I wasn't the only one that thought that exchange was icky. I found it funny that he told her to "give him some sex" – isn't that kinda counterproductive to her activisting? (Did you all catch the made up word? ;-)) And isn't that what got her into trouble in the first place? Oh, the irony. And if any guy is gonna call me a bad bitch and ask for sex…I'm gonna need at least an expensive dinner and a good bottle of wine before I'm even gonna think about obliging, hehe. I would expect a bit more out of Mark…I mean, he is Mr. Romance…couldn't he have sprinkled some rose petals in the cage and popped open some bubbly before making that request? Or perhaps recited some Shakespeare? 😛
Heidi: Activisting…hmmm, let me call Oxford, maybe you can get it added. 🙂 I hadn't even thought of the irony – thank you, oh wise one, for taking my train of thought into the station at the end of the line. 😉
The "SHOW MUST GO ON!!" Award: Jennifer Grey
Heidi: Girlfriend has cojones people – and Broadway in her blood, apparently. A ruptured disk, a day at the hospital, and still she dances. For all the people whining about her crying too much and some claims of her faking it, the woman is hurt enough to require surgery last week and still sucked it up and performed, and did NOT utter a word any of the 500 times that Brooke asked her if her body was holding up. To the point that Brooke gets her own award again. GET WELL SOON, JENNIFER!!!
Courtney: My heart jumped up into my throat when they brought her out at the beginning of the show to talk about her injury…I was like "Noooo! Don't tell me she's bowing out at the 11th hour!!! Soldier through, Jennifer, soldier though! You're almost there!" And thankfully, she did. And I completely echo Heidi's sentiments about all the naysayers who were accusing Jennifer of malingering and faking her injuries – doctors don't perform surgeries on minor bumps & bruises, and a ruptured disk is not something you can easily fake, like a stomach ache.
The "OH, STFU, Already" Award: Brooke Burke, asking Jennifer how her body was holding up no less than 500 times in a 2 hour period.
Heidi: Brooke, if she didn't confess that she was going to fall apart the first three times you asked her, I doubt you were going to trick her into giving it all away the last 15 times you asked. The only time I really got that she was hurt was the look on her husband's face after her first dance – dude was less than happy. Even my mother – the sage – mentioned it: "Her poor husband was soo worried." I was like, "Mom, I have a really bad cold (to the point of not leaving my couch in four days) and you're in paroxysms of guilt because you didn't call me yesterday to see how I was – of course he was worried about her dancing with a ruptured disk." But seriously, every time Brooke spoke to her, that was all she had – "Jennifer, how's your body holding up??" She did manage to try Derek one of those times – "Derek, how scared were you?" I bet she about popped a blood vessel when Derek turned it into a "oh, everyone's scared but I'm just glad we're all here…yadda yadda PC Derek PC verbiage…." LOL. Poor Brooke – that had to be a frustrating night with no one cooperating and giving her the dirt/scoop she so desperately wanted. 🙂
Courtney: She's like a discount parakeet at the pet store – y'know, the one that can only repeat a few useless phrases, and is incapable of learning new ones? I think I'll just refer to her as Brooke the parakeet from now on. For the love of all things sacred Brooke, please – either improve or quit. You drive me bananas with your inane questions and subpar improvisational interviewing skills.
Heidi: LOL – but it did lead to a pretty good funny from Tom B. After the last scores and Derek's PC response, Brooke says, "Oh, it just got very serious in here." To which Tom replied, "That's them SERIOUS??" I LOL'ed – dude kinda poked Brooke with a "don't listen to the voices in your head" stick with that one. Maybe he's trying to train her in improv? We can hope. 🙂
The "Pardon me, I was just hit by a truck" Award – Christina Aguilera
Heidi: I love Xtina, but the saying "rode hard and put away wet" kept running through my mind when watching her perform her first song. What's going on here? The woman can undoubtedly sing, no question. She was just lookin' a bit rough on this evening. "Beautiful" was beautifully done though – great song.
Courtney: I think the phrase that came to mind when I saw her had something to do with a train (those with dirtier minds can probably figure that one out ;-)). I mean, eee gad…did she even brush her hair before hitting the stage? And while I still think she's a great singer, she seems to be developing a case of Mariah & Whitney-itis – her voice is sounding a little worn live, compared to what it used to be. Maybe she was having an off-night – who knows. But I have heard rumors floating around about her possibly being pregnant – and at first I brushed them off as nonsense, but I did go and see Burlesque last week and it is a bit peculiar how different her body looks in it. She's definitely curvier now. Who knows. It was nice to see some familar faces performing with her on the results show though – anyone catch Chelsea Traille from SYTYCD season 4? Or Paula Van Oppen, the chick who turned down a spot in the top 20 of SYTYCD season 6 in order to do this movie? Or Tyne Stecklein of This is It fame who performed on DWTS last season with Teddy Forance? If only Julianne had been there. *sigh*
The WTF??? Award for Costuming, Female: Lacey Schwimmer (Insta-Cha Cha)
Heidi: What the hell is that thing?? It's not lace, exactly, but it's some kind of sparkly see-though body stocking with fringe attached over a bra and panties. Can I just vote her off the show for that outfit?? Girlfriend's taste in costuming just seems to get worse and worse as the weeks go by. I'm pretty sure it's possible to be edgy without being…..THAT. Whatever that is.
Courtney: Now while I don't want to sway the voting of the end-of-season awards in any way, I have to say – I will be very surprised if Lacey does not win the worst dressed award. I mean, that black thing she was wearing…I mean, I don't even quite know what to call it. Lady Gaga meets Elvira meets potential S&M costume reject pile? Ai ai ai. But I guess it's what we've come to expect from Lacey!
Tom Bergeron Line 'O the Night: "We don't give them food, water…The Ballroom is like a veal pen"
Heidi: Smart is sexy, fer sure. 🙂 So, raise your hand if you didn't get the veal joke. I got it, but I always wonder if I'm alone in getting some of his obscure comments. That's a slight paraphrase by the way. Court accidentally deleted the full thing and I'm too lazy to go back for an exact quote. 🙂
Courtney: *shudder* I don't really want to think about veal in graphic detail, but I do give Tom props for yet another apt, cerebral reference.
The OTT Production Tick of Finale Night: The scores, all about the scores and nothing but the scores.
Heidi: Between them explaining the scoring, showing us the scores and Brooke asking about Jennifer's body ad nauseum, we could have had one hell of a drinking game on Tuesday night. The hangover would have been murder. 🙂 I mean, has DWTS ever seemed MORE defensive than it was this season?? Between "boo gate", "maks gate", etc. and the scoring issues, they are just bizarrely defensive. Suck it up, Conrad. Quit buying into your own hype and just enjoy the buzz. Who cares if they were booing Palin or not? Most who watch the show regularly know that wasn't the case. The scoring is very clearly explained on the website and the press are too stupid to get it, then screw 'em. Being so defensive on both issues makes it seem like you WERE playing politics, and not in a good way.
Courtney: Why didn't they just have Conrad walk center stage holding a sign that had in bold caps "WE ARE NOT RIGGING THE VOTING!" Because methinks the show doth protest too much – the more energy you put into explaining the voting & scoring process, the more we wonder if you really are hiding something nefarious. Let it be, powers that be!


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In 1990, Electronic Arts reverse-engineered the Sega Genesis to begin development of a game for it, fully aware that if the project became known, they were in for a major lawsuit. The game was John Madden Football.
Even when Sega learned of the gambit, EA still faced up the console maker and acknowledged its right to sue - but still went ahead, figuring that this game and their console, arrayed against the Super Nintendo would be worth more than anything the console maker could get in court. And EA was right. And it still got a sweetheart licensing deal.
That's just one of numerous compelling details in Patrick Hruby's outstanding narrative covering the Madden NFL series for ESPN.com, which published today and occupied the Worldwide Leader's top slot on a day brimming with news about Brett Favre and Alex Rodriguez. Sports fan or not, it gives a lively, no-holds barred insight into console development during the wild-west days of the early 1990s.
For example, though EA founder Trip Hawkins developed a football strategy game years before Madden, and always wanted Joe Montana as the series pitchman, it just wasn't meant to be. Meantime, Sega managed to snap up the 49ers quarterback, but couldn't finish a game in time for the 1990 holiday season. So EA offered to step in and build it, alongside Madden.
"We made sure it was totally inferior," Hawkins said.
Go check it all out. It's a very entertaining read, one of the best things written about sports video games this year.
The Franchise [ESPN.com]


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Just made for your dishwasher – original accessories from Bosch.
No matter which accessory you need for your Bosch dishwasher, you'll find it conveniently located in our online shop. Of course, you can be sure of our proven quality.
Bosch cleaning and care products: helping you keep your dishwasher the way it was delivered.
Bosch dishwashers are designed to give you long, untroubled service. You can help make sure they do by using our recommended cleaning and care products to maintain their efficiency and ensure a prolonged life.
Extend your Home appliance's quality even longer with spare parts and technical support from Bosch.
Original spare parts from Bosch are perfectly matched to your dishwasher. Combined with technical support from our knowledgeable service technicians, you can be sure that your dishwasher will continue to perform the way it was designed.


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Apple is planning a press conference Sept. 12 where some are saying the company will debut the new iPhone.
iMore first started reporting that Apple would debut the new iPhone at a special event on Sept. 12 with a Sept. 21 release date, according to unnamed sources. The new iPad mini and iPod nano are also expected to be introduced at the Sept. 12 event. Both AllThingsD and BGR have also confirmed the event, although AllThingsD writes "history suggests that it will indeed be the new iPhone."
Last year, the iPhone 4S was announced on Oct. 4 and released 10 days later on October 14, iMore reports. So the timing seems somewhat similar -- similar enough for many pundits to surmise it may be the new iPhone. Apple has also ramped up spending in the last quarter, signifying that its prepayment for inventory components means that it's building and stockpiling new iPhones.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
For those familiar with Apple, it has a new iPhone model every year or so, and since the iPhone 4S was merely a revamp of the iPhone 4 -- it's time to see what Apple's been working on for the better part of year.


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Printable: Juice Box CityJanuary 17, 2013 at 01:00 | Posted in ALEX Printables, Little Hands | Leave a comment
Tags: ALEX Little Hands, kids activities, kids arts and crafts, printable, printable craft
Welcome to Juice Box City, population – how ever many juice boxes you can drink!
Take a drive down Orange Lavaburst Lane or see what's happening at Flashin' Fruit Punch Park. The best part about this craft printable is the added play value. The kiddies will be happy to build an entire town that they can cruise around with their toy cars. These buildings are a great addition to any playmat, or the little ones can continue to get creative by drawing their own roads and scenery to build around.
What are you waiting for? Starting drinking those juice boxes! Get out your crafting tools and start building your very own town.
What You Need:
Safety Scissors
6.75 oz Juice Boxes
4 Page Printable – (Click image to download)
How To Make It:
There are new ALEX Printables coming out all the time so make sure to check back and follow us on Facebook so you don't miss any of the action! You can get all of the ALEX Printable Crafts by visiting our ALEX Printables and Little Hands sections.
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Thursday, June 13, 2013
story of my life
Just frustrated. The work environment is nasty, due to someones personal issues, P1 still hasn't found a job (and isn't looking too hard) and I just don't sleep anymore.
Hold thumbs that things magically sort themselves out.
Posted by Helen at 3:19 pm 0 comments Links to this post
Thursday, June 06, 2013
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'Time Out Chicago' Gets Arty with "100 Best Things We Ate" List
The latest happenings around Chicago.
Let the year-end countdowns begin! Time Out Chicago is first out of the gate with its annual "100 Best Things We Ate & Drank This Year," a list that is as epic and as it sounds. I mean, it's so long and comprehensive, how can I possible argue with any of the results when there are so many that I have yet to try? Also, any list that features La Chaparrita's taco de tripa has to know what's going on.
One interesting note, instead of pairing the article with straightforward food shoots, the magazine decided to gather local art photographers to create highly stylized food art. You might not be able to tell what many of these dishes are, but they certainly do look beautiful. The best part? One of the excellent contributors is our very own former photography intern, Debbie Carlos. Awesome job!
You can check out the full list by picking up a copy of the latest Time Out Chicago or by clicking over to its website.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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I got a few requests for a "how-to" article on the Fujifilm X-Pro 1. When I started to write one, it quickly got out of hand. There's a lot to say about this camera. Too much for a single post. I think such an article is needed, though, because this is a bit of an unusual beast, and going by the talk on the DPReview forums, there are a quite a few people who are somewhat confused by it.
So I decided to write not one, but several articles. I don't know if I'll ever get around to writing the others, but here's one, anyway—the basic approach to getting to know the Fujifilm X-Pro 1. If you're considering this camera, this might be worth a read too, because it might turn out it's not the camera for you after all. It is a special-purpose instrument which excels at one thing and can handle a quite a few others, but there are cameras out there that are better suited for almost any of those other things.
If you're looking for a camera for situational shooting—discreet photography of human-scale subjects at moderate distances in their natural surroundings, where the limitation is usually precise timing—then read on. For most other purposes, you'll probably be better served by something else.
How it's meant to be usedThe distinguishing characteristics of the X-Pro 1 are its optical viewfinder and its excellent, bright, compact, moderate focal-length prime lenses. No current digital camera below the Leica M9 offers this combination of features. So pop on the 18 or the 35, switch the viewfinder to optical, and go shooting.
You do need to understand the basics of photographic theory and technique to be able to use this camera effectively—the automation works great, but you won't be able to tame it if you don't know what it's doing. I'm assuming you know your way around exposure values, shutter speed, aperture, depth of field and such, and have solid basic camera technique (elbows to your sides, correct grip on the camera, exhale while tripping the shutter, etc.), and are fluent with the basic focus-recompose technique that works best in most circumstances on all autofocus cameras. If not, study up on those before even considering this box. Here, I'll just discuss some of the ways the X-Pro 1 makes you work differently than most cameras.
Here are the changes I've made to my settings—the rest are at factory defaults:
- Dynamic range AUTO
- AEL/AFL button set to AF only, tap to lock, tap to release
- Image quality RAW + full-size JPEG fine
- Corrected AF box ON
- Viewfinder set to optical, LCD OFF
- Display showing aperture, shutter speed, ISO, AEC, framelines, and nothing else
- Quick start ON
The optical viewfinderThe Fuji's raison d'être is the optical viewfinder. It's a good one. Among digital cameras, only the Leicas have better ones, and it compares quite favorably to many classic film cameras too. It's a bit smaller but optically better than the one on my Leica CL, for example. If you're new to this type of viewfinder—coming from an SLR, for example—it will take some getting used to.
The point of this type of viewfinder is that it puts you in the scene. Your face isn't hidden behind the camera. You can see through both eyes, and mentally alternate between the scene and the image. You're not looking at a picture projected or rendered on a surface; you're looking at the actual scene, sharp all through, with the minimum of hints floating on it that let you turn it into a picture. No other viewfinder permits as precise timing and as close a connection with the scene you're shooting.
However, there are trade-offs. You won't be able to frame precisely. The framelines are approximations. If you move your eye on the finder, they'll move too, relative to the scene. There's parallax error, because the lens isn't seeing quite what you are. You won't always get the photo you're expecting, although with practice you will get better. And it will make auto-focusing trickier, because the AF point won't always be where you expect either. More on that below.
If you don't want to shoot this way, and learn your way around this viewfinder, pick another camera. It'll almost certainly work out better.
The electronic viewfinderThe electronic viewfinder only looks kind of disappointing because the optical one is so good. In reality, it's a pretty good one, as such things go. There are one or two cameras on the market with even better electronic viewfinders, but a great many with worse ones. I picked up another Fuji the other day—the X-S1—and thought "Wow, that's a damn good viewfinder, shame they didn't put the same one on the X-Pro 1." Then I compared the two cameras side by side—and they did put the same finder on both of them. It's just that my perception of the finder was distorted by my expectations.
By the way, the auto white-balance on the camera is amazing. Under almost all lighting circumstances, the scene in the EVF matches the color of the scene I see with my other eye, and the EVF image is a close approximation of what goes into the box. Canon should sit up and take notice.
As it is, the EVF is an extremely usable fallback for situations where you hit the OVF's limits. When using the EVF, you shoot the X-Pro 1 like any other AF camera, and it'll handle it just fine. You will need to use the EVF for:
- Close-ups. The OVF gets more and more problematic the closer you get to your subject. Its minimum distance is about an arm's length, and at this point parallax error will be pretty significant—the photo will come out noticeably different than what you're looking at. So when shooting close up, switch to the EVF, or even macro mode. You might want to do this even before the camera makes you.
- Precise framing. Landscapes, architecture, or such. It's much easier to level the camera and frame precisely off the EVF or LCD.
- Longer or wider focal lengths. Not yet an issue for me, since I don't have the 60 mm yet—but I have a feeling I'll be shooting that one in EVF a lot. The upcoming 14 won't fit into the OVF without additional optics, and the zooms will also have serious usability issues. The OVF really is made for lenses between 18 and 35 or thereabouts.
Basic auto-focus techniqueMost of the time, you'll be using basic focus-recompose AF technique in the optical viewfinder. Here's how it works on the X-Pro 1—almost like on any camera, but with a twist due to the nature of the optical viewfinder.
- Enable corrected AF frame in the setup menu.
- Set the camera to AF-S from the switch on the front.
- You'll see two boxes in the viewfinder, a solid one in the center, and a dotted-line one a bit to the right and down. The solid one represents the AF spot at infinity. The dotted one represents it at minimum focus distance.
- Estimate they distance to your subject. If it's near minimum focus distance—say a meter or so—aim with the dotted box. If it's near infinity—say four meters or more—aim with the solid one. If it's somewhere between the two, you know what to do.
- Half-press to focus. The camera will lock on. The framelines will snap to their corrected position, and a green box will appear at the correct position on the OVF.
- Verify that the AF locked on the right subject. It's easy to tell by the position of the green box. If it missed, try again.
- Holding the shutter button half-pressed, compose your picture, and take the shot.
Possible complicationsRecomposing shifts the plane of focus. Think of the plane of focus as a rectangle hovering in front of your camera. When you yaw or pitch the camera, it'll rotate in space. This might put your subject out of the plane of focus. This is a practical issue with the 18 mm lens, when shooting subjects such as people close up with the lens wide-open.
- Solution: Compensate by leaning back a little while rotating the camera. Learn your lens well, and you will be able to compensate for it. I don't yet know the 18 well enough for that, but I did learn to do this with the Sigma 20/1.8 on the EOS-5D so I know it's just a matter of practice. It's not a huge deal in practice though; your subject may not end up critically sharp, but if your photo is any good, few people will look closely enough to notice.
- Solution: Zone focus. That's outside the scope of this article; perhaps I'll write it up later. Try figuring it out yourself though. Hint: switch to MF mode and use the AEL/AFL button to focus.
- Solution: Set the AE-L/AF-L button to AF-L toggle (in the setup menu), and press it when you want to hold focus lock. Both boxes will turn green. Shoot away, and tap it again to release the lock.
Use of auto ISOThe X-Pro 1 uses the "1/f" rule of thumb to bump up ISO. It also bumps it up to 800 if dynamic range is set to AUTO and it determines there are highlights than need retaining. You need to be aware of this to make it work for you. When out and about in good light, I use ISO AUTO(3200) but in shutter-priority mode, usually at 1/250. This is fast enough to stop a walking person and get rid of camera shake almost all of the time. I move it from this setting as needed.
Since the 35 looks so wonderful wide-open, I often shoot it in aperture-priority mode as well. In daylight this gives a fast shutter anyway. When the light drops, I sometimes take manual control of ISO to keep fast-enough shutter speeds. At dusk, ISO and shutter go back to auto, and in really low light, I bump ISO up to 6400.
Incidentally, the camera meters extremely well. It nails most scenes, and is very predictable about backlit or bright subjects—they need about as much AEC as you'd expect, so the handy dial gets some use. As any camera, you need to learn the way it meters to use it effectively. I can't explain it to you; you need to get a feel for it.


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In the new supernatural horror movie "Mama," two young girls are rescued from a cabin in the woods, where they've apparently lived for years in a kind of feral isolation. Of course, once they're returned to civilization and into the loving arms of their uncle (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau of "Game of Thrones") and his understandably wary girlfriend (Jessica Chastain, who just won a Golden Globe for "Zero Dark Thirty"), spooky things start to happen.
The executive producer of "Mama" is Guillermo del Toro, the extremely talented filmmaker who directed both "Hellboy" films and the Oscar-winning "Pan's Labyrinth"—the man knows a thing or two about what goes bump in the night. (His next feature, "Pacific Rim," bows this summer and pits giant robots against Godzilla-esque monsters; the recent trailer would turn even the most hardened cynic into a giddy twelve-year-old child.)
Del Toro was in New York recently to talk about "Mama," and the fundamentals of horror.
"I want to believe there are only two things that work in horror," said del Toro. "There are the things that shouldn't be there but are and the things that should be there but aren't."
As an example, del Toro mentioned the idea of opening your front door, and instead of seeing the street and cars and your neighbors' houses, you saw nothingness.
"Basically, you can derive every example from every horror movie ever from these two simple rules. The rest is playing with the logic of the world as we know it and dislocating it."
Del Toro then made the comparison between horror and comedy – and not just because they are genres that aim to produce a specific response (laughter or screams).
"Horror is like humor – it's a matter of taste," the director said. "It's hard to say what I would not do. I think that the horror film should have no limits. I don't look down at horror movies with graphic violence and gore. I don't make movies like that but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't exist. In humor, as in horror, you can never go too far."
But it wasn't the horror or the floating ethereal monsters that got del Toro excited about "Mama." It was the original short film, by Spanish commercial director Andy Muschietti (who he retained as the director of the feature), and the idea of presenting women in a different light.
"The thing that attracted me to the story was… I have two daughters and I am always looking for ways to portray women in not the most traditional terms," del Toro explained.
At one point in "Mama" Jessica Chastain's character sighs with relief when her pregnancy test turns out negative, not exactly the reaction one expects. "There's a motherhood that's asphyxiating and smothering. And I was interested in seeing a character who was fighting motherhood and the idea that the only role you can have with a child is a mother."
Chastain was, unsurprisingly, totally gung-ho with the approach. "Jessica was more on board with portraying a solidarity between the three women," he said. "When she talks to them, she talks to them like women. They have a really horizontal relationship. I loved the idea of portraying that and the different options in that. And doing it through a fable."
Del Toro also appreciated the fact that the story deviates from the type of conclusion that's become standard fare in horror films.
"The other thing I thought was great was that in the last few minutes of the movie, that it's not about stopping the evil monster. Everyone gets what they want. And it's by their own choice."
"Mama" opens nationwide on Friday.


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Salzman embodies elite 'cure' for fuel freedom
Randy Salzman's plea to make energy more expensive [Hook February 9 print edition: "Gas tax…It will stop regulations and wars"] embodies his continuing longing for a European life style here in the United States.
He quotes the cost to society of 54 cents per mile we drive. Not mentioned is the urban transit cost of 81 cents per mile (per the National Transit Database, 2007).
Not mentioned are the economic benefit and freedom of mobility values to our society, particularly to the low-income family. A 2003 Harvard study concluded that owning a car was "more helpful to getting a job than getting a high-school-equivalent degree."
Be it Growing Cooler, Moving Cooler, or Driving and the Built Environment, the social architects should read F.F. Hayek's The Fatal Conceit. Making energy and land use more expensive is the elitists' cure for the common man.
Over 40,000 off-shore oil wells have been drilled. Accidents will eventually happen, just as train wrecks can be predicted.
Charles Battig, MD
President, Piedmont Chapter
Virginia Scientists and Engineers for Energy and Environment
1 comment
Thank you, Dr. Battig. This is exactly what is needed; a dialogue over transportation issues. In the post World War II period, there have been little, if any, discussion on the basic premise that we need more driving space and less driving cost which shows up in virtually all American local "transportation improvement plans." Even here, in our "progressive" community of Charlottesville, our dollars and planning efforts are heavily skewed towards building more roadways because we haven't recognized that there are issues and societal costs created by our driving.
One issue, as you point out, is equity. Most think it is "regressive" to tax gasoline because it hurts the poor. We do indeed have a system where having a car is more important to having a job than education and motivation. Consider our local Charlottesville Area Transit System. On the vast majority of its routes, the "headway time" (space between buses) is an hour. No employee can chance, therefore, missing the bus. He/she wouldn't be "late;" he/she would be fired. Yet, according to the National Transportation and Revenue study, nationally we are subsidizing highways at an annual cost of $145 billion vs subsidizing transit at an annual cost of $39 billion. Different research projects indicate that families headed by men use 30 percent more gasoline/diesel annually than do families headed by women and white families use 11 percent more gasoline/diesel than do minority families. Furthermore, data indicates that over 80 percent of nationwide transit trips are from families which have less than $50,000 in annual income.
The point: the poor already take the bus and they have, generally, lousy service, yet our tax dollars support building more freeways before they do any other form of transportation. Still, in an era of greenhouse emissions, foreign wars in oil fields, and what the U.S. Geologic Survey calls "the Big Rollover" and what others call "Peak Oil."
Yes, it costs more to run a bus than it costs to run a car as you point out. It's in the per-capita costs that society finds itself better off by running buses. Some 87 percent of America's 411 billion trips are in single occupancy vehicles, according to Department of Transportation figures. Still, as you suggest but may not recognize, the American transit rider today is the most subsidized in the developed world where fares provide generally only 10-15 percent of any transit agency's annual budget. Too often our buses are running too close to empty because we've made driving such a "natural" choice through three generations of planning all transportation around building more car space. Rather than subsidize transit more, we need to encourage more transit ridership because it addresses several American issues, from global warming, to foreign policy, to congestion, to pollution and – perhaps most importantly – to health which, of course, is your field.
Certainly, you and all your fellow doctors recognize that Americans fail miserably in getting the required amount of exercise for healthy living, right? In other cultures, which have better mass and muscle-powered transportation systems, they get immensely more hours of physical fitness.
Though you think I want us to be European, the continent that I consider the best model is Australia, a country which has even more wide open spaces and even greater per capita car ownership than we do, yet is successfully reducing vehicle kilometers annually about 13 percent (depending upon what metropolitan area). In the first part of Australia to begin, around Perth in Western Australia, after a decade they were reporting 7 million additional hours of physical fitness annually because more and more people are choosing to walk/bike to work and, more importantly, walking to the bus stop. (Also, 4.2 million more transit boardings, 88 million less tons of CO2 emissions, 30 million fewer car starts and $25 million more dollars in citizen pockets. Again, annually). Though Aussies are very much like Americans, they have lower rates of obesity and adult onset diabetes still waits until puberty. In 1960, the first U.S. census to study school transportation, about 70 percent of kids got to school under their own power. In 2000, that number had dropped to 17 percent as more and more mothers/fathers insisted that for "safety" their children had to be driven. In Australia, where they do NOT have school buses like we do, those percentages are going in the opposite direction.
It's fun, Dr. Battig, to be considered an "elitist." You gave my wife, and others who know me, a great laugh. I'm a Texas redneck who spent the first 15 years of my working life in the oil patch. I'm proud to say that I can still throw a chain with the best of the roughnecks; that I can still weld; that I still work on my cars (and, yes, I own two of them) and my bicycles (where I've got several more) and I think nothing of re-building houses. I ran a turret lath and drove a truck professionally. My son served in both Iraq and Afghanistan -- where the poor, working class tend to end up much more than the elite – although I missed Vietnam because my navy ship was never sent on a WestPac. Politically, I like to say that I'm rabidly middle of the road but my wife, I think, believes I lean conservative and the internet attacks tend to suggest I'm leaning the other direction (though attack I love the most was that I am "Limbaugh lite.")
God, I hope there are other "elitists" out there like me. And I think you might be one, Dr. Battig. Transportation is a complex issue –there are no easy answers – and you seem to be someone who does not simply accept the conventional, even if it is written, wisdom. Please, please, please continue to research and think in this field. I submit that the more you search (as I did), the more you will realize that the American default position of key in the ignition* to get anywhere, everywhere and often nowhere is harming us as a nation.
Thanks for your letter.
*My little ode to Jesse Jackson…


text:
Stage-Based Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with Heart Failure
Osuna PM, Brown SJ, Tabatabai LS, Hamilton DJ. Stage-Based Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with Heart Failure. Methodist DeBakey Cardiovasc J. 2018;14(4):257-65.
Type 2 diabetes negatively impacts heart failure outcomes. Insulin resistance, central adiposity, dyslipidemia, and altered cellular substrate metabolism each have a mechanistic role. Management strategies focused solely on glycemic control have had limited success. However, three new classes of drugs, each with several options, offer the promise of improved diabetes management in heart failure. Unlike earlier classes, these medications have had favorable cardiovascular outcomes. In this review, we present a therapeutic guide for metabolic treatment based on the stages of heart failure.Keywords
heart failure , type 2 diabetes , therapeutic options , DPP-4 inhibitors , GLP-1 agonists , SGLT2 inhibitors
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) disease. It is also a growing pandemic. Although heart failure is tightly linked to T2DM, this complication is under recognized. In 1979, the Framingham Heart Study documented that men and women with prior evidence of diabetes had a 2- and 5-fold risk, respectively, of HF compared with age-matched controls.1 In 2000, the U.K. Prospective Diabetes Study reported that patients with T2DM had HF incidence rates of 2.3 to 11.9 per 1000 patient-years over 10 years of follow-up.2 Subsequent retrospective cohort-studies such as the one conducted by Nichols et al. state an even higher incidence rate of HF in diabetic versus nondiabetic patients (30.9 vs 12.5).3 The Organized Program to Initiate Lifesaving Treatment in Hospitalized Patients with Heart Failure (OPTIMIZE-HF) trial reported that more than 40% of individuals hospitalized with HF have T2DM.4 Furthermore, for those without a prior diagnosis of T2DM, the presence of HF itself can cause diabetes.5 It is clear that the two are often related, and the combination complicates the management of both.
Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the relationship between T2DM and HF. Echocardiographic evaluations of patients with T2DM reveal an increase in left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and systolic and diastolic dysfunction.6 Studies have shown that these changes appear to occur even in the absence of coronary artery disease. Diastolic dysfunction is an important manifestation of diabetic cardiomyopathy, with a reported prevalence as high as 40% to 60%.6 Indeed, systemic insulin resistance with compensatory hyperinsulinemia is a more important prognostic factor in HF incidence than hyperglycemia.7 Insulin resistance results in a predominately fatty acid "substrate" oxidation phenotype of the diabetic heart, which leads to the accumulation of toxic lipid compounds (Figure 1).8 Other established factors known to occur in T2DM patients—such as accelerated atherosclerosis, hypertension, and expansion of extracellular fluid volume—are also likely to contribute to HF pathogenesis in this population.
Agents that demonstrate not only CV safety but also improved CV outcomes have emerged as effective alternatives in the management of T2DM. This paper reviews antihyperglycemic agents that have been studied in HF patients, discusses their mechanisms of action and risk/benefit profiles, and provides recommendations based on HF stage.
Sulfonylureas are an older class of diabetic drugs that have been shown to increase HF risk in multiple studies. A large retrospective study in the United Kingdom looked at 91,521 patients with T2DM and found that second-generation sulfonylurea use was associated with an 18% increase in developing HF compared to patients using metformin.9 Two other studies analyzing databases from the Cleveland Clinic and Saskatchewan found a similar increase in HF admissions in patients using sulfonylurea versus metformin.10 Thus, this class of medications has fallen out of favor in HF patients and in those at risk for developing this condition.
Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) such as rosiglitazone are antihyperglycemic agents that were initially thought to be effective in patients at risk for CV disease.11 Unfortunately, safety and efficacy trials, which excluded NYHA class III and IV patients, showed a significant increase in hospital admissions for HF. The fluid retention seen with this class is thought to result from activation of sodium channels in the collecting ducts (mediated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) and sodium transporters in the proximal tubule.11 Additionally, factors such as higher perfusion pressure leading to increased fluid extravasation and increased vascular permeability are also thought to contribute to the edema and volume overload seen with TZDs.
A cornerstone of T2DM therapy, metformin was initially contraindicated for HF due to concerns regarding lactic acidosis. However, observational studies, including an extensive meta-analysis by Eurich et al., have shown no increases in lactic acidosis in patients treated with metformin versus other therapies; in fact, this group reported that metformin-based therapies had a 20% relative risk reduction in all-cause mortality compared to other therapies. Furthermore, in patients with reduced LV ejection fraction (LVEF) (EF < 40%), metformin-based therapies did not increase mortality, and there was a trend towards improved survival. The absolute contraindication warning was removed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006 and by Health Canada in 2010.12 Metformin is now one of the first-line agents in patients with both T2DM and HF.
The relationship between insulin and HF is complicated. Although several observational studies point to a worse prognosis in insulin-treated patients with T2DM and HF, there are no specific studies evaluating insulin treatment in HF progression.13 It is well known that insulin promotes sodium retention, likely through potentiation of sodium transporters in the kidney. While extensive edema is rare with insulin therapy, it is thought that milder volume expansion may predispose patients to develop HF.10 Additionally, several observational studies found that insulin-treated T2DM patients have worse morbidity and mortality compared to their non–insulin-treated counterparts.13,14 However, reports such as the U.K. Prospective Diabetes Study did not see such a difference in HF incidence when comparing insulin to noninsulin therapies.10 Overall, it remains unclear whether insulin therapy is more common in higher-risk HF patients or if the therapy itself is detrimental to HF patients at all stages. Insulin therapy continues to be a last resort in patients with uncontrolled T2DM, which may limit alternate therapies in this patient population.
Three new classes of antihyperglycemic drugs have received considerable attention due to their CV and HF benefits (Table 1): dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. DPP-4 inhibitors and GLP-1 agonists achieve glycemic control by prolonging the action of the endogenous incretin hormones and by directly stimulating GLP-1 receptors, respectively. Incretin hormones, GLP-1 and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), are both decreased in T2DM but have several beneficial glucoregulatory effects; for example, they stimulate insulin release in response to glucose levels, inhibit glucagon secretion, increase beta-cell proliferation, and decrease beta-cell apoptosis.15 GLP-1 receptors are located not only on the pancreatic islet cells but are also widely distributed across several organs, such as the heart, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, endothelium, and pituitary and nervous systems.16 In experimental models, GLP-1 has been shown to modulate heart rate, blood pressure, myocardial contractility, and vasodilation and protect against ischemia-reperfusion injury.17 Additionally, GLP-1 agonists have demonstrated favorable effects in animal models of HF, including increased myocardial glucose uptake and improved parameters of LV function.18 Small human studies have also shown compatible results, demonstrating an increase LVEF and functional status.19
DPP-4 Inhibitors
A novel class of oral antihyperglycemic agents, DPP-4 inhibitors target the incretin system and block the degradation of endogenous GLP-1 by inhibiting the DPP-4 enzyme. This, in turn, increases the concentrations of circulating GLP-1 and improves glycemic control.20 DPP-4 inhibitors are increasingly prescribed because of their weight-neutral effects and favorable tolerability profiles.
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
GLP-1 agonists are a class of injectable drugs resistant to DPP-4 enzymatic degradation.21 As with DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 agonists target the incretin system and exert enhanced pancreatic and extra-pancreatic effects. For example, exocrine pancreatic changes noted in rodents include stimulation of beta cell neogenesis, replication, and acinar cell inflammation and are likely associated with the clinically significant finding of increased risk of pancreatitis found with this class.22 In addition, the agents within this drug class have significant physiological and clinical differences with regard to efficacy and side effects (Table 2). DPP-4 inhibitors increase endogenous GLP-1 to physiological levels (10-25 pmol/L) while GLP-1 agonists reach significantly higher concentrations (60-90 pmol/L), which may account for their stronger glucose-lowering effect. These agonists delay gastric emptying and often result in nausea and decreased appetite, both of which contribute to the clinically significant weight loss distinctive of this class.23
SGLT2 Inhibitors
This new class of antihyperglycemic drugs has a unique mechanism of action that improves glycemic control. By inhibiting the SGLT2 cotransporters on renal tubules, these drugs effectively decrease the threshold for renal reabsorption of glucose and sodium, thereby increasing urinary glucose and sodium excretion.24 SGLT is a sodium glucose cotransporter present in two major isoforms, SGLT1 and SGLT2. SGLT2 is mainly found in the lumen of the small intestine and kidneys and regulates the absorption and reabsorption of glucose. SGLT1 is primarily present in the cardiac capillaries and cardiomyocytes and has an important role in glucose uptake into the myocardium.25
Despite the relative absence of SGLT2 cotransporters in the heart, SGLT2 inhibitors have been shown to have a positive impact on blood pressure control, arterial stiffness, vascular resistance, and microvascular remodeling.26 A number of mechanisms have been proposed, including beneficial effects on ion hemostasis, calcium handling, reduction of cardiac oxidative stress, and vascular inflammation.27 SGLT2 cotransporters also modulate myocardial metabolism by shifting away from glucose and lipid oxidation and instead utilizing ketone bodies, which is more energy efficient and ultimately improves cardiac contractility.28 This leads to beneficial changes in weight, blood pressure, diuresis, and natriuresis with a decrease in glomerular hyperfiltration. The net effects of SGLT2 inhibition likely confer CV protection.29,30
Based on preclinical data, biological effects, and recent beneficial CV outcomes of large randomized clinical trials (RCT),10 we propose a stepwise approach to incorporating novel T2DM therapies in the care of patients with HF (Table 3). Information regarding glucose-lowering efficacy, safety profile, dosing, and renal adjustments for commonly used agents is also provided (Tables 1, 4). These general recommendations should be used in conjunction with evidence-based guidelines and the physician's own clinical judgment based on the patient's glycemic control.31
For patients with diabetes and stage A HF, the cornerstone of therapy is dietary modification and weight reduction. Metformin is also recommended as monotherapy or in conjunction with other agents. DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 agonists, or SGLT2 inhibitors would be reasonable agents to use either as add-ons or as monotherapy, with the latter two especially beneficial in overweight individuals. Insulin therapy can be considered if glycemic control is not achieved with the above therapies. If possible, sulfonylureas and thiazolidinediones (TZDs) should be avoided. Consensus guidelines from the American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association do mention cautious low-dose use of TZDs in patients without symptomatic heart disease but with one or more risk factors for congestive heart failure.11 If TZDs are used at this stage, patients should be carefully monitored for worsening signs/symptoms of HF.
In patients with stage B HF and T2DM, we recommend initiating early therapy with newer agents, beginning with DPP-4 inhibitors. Most of these agents have demonstrated an improved safety profile, including low risk of hypoglycemia and neutral weight effect when compared with traditional diabetic therapy.
An important caution was displayed in one of the earliest large CV trials studying the safety of these agents. In the Saxagliptin Assessment of Vascular Outcomes Recorded in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus–Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 53 (SAVOR-TIMI 53) trial, saxagliptin showed noninferiority regarding a composite of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal ischemic stroke, but it also showed an unexpected early increase of 27% in HF hospitalization.32 In the Examination of Cardiovascular Outcomes with Alogliptin versus Standard of Care (EXAMINE) trial, alogliptin demonstrated noninferiority regarding CV safety in a high-risk patient population but also displayed a nonstatistically significant 19% increase in hospitalization for HF.33 Both studies found a higher proportion of hospitalization for HF events in the top baseline quartile with B-type natriuretic peptide, suggesting a higher susceptibility of patients with underlying significant hemodynamic disturbances. Conversely, another RCT involving DPP-4 inhibitors did not show statistical difference regarding risk of HF hospitalization, which suggests that this is not a class effect.34 Their ease of use and simple dosing regimens make DPP-4 inhibitors an attractive option in the early stages of HF management, with the cautions mentioned above. Early use of SGLT2 inhibitors should also be considered based on robust clinical data (as discussed below).
At this stage, we recommend intensifying therapy by switching from DPP-4 inhibitors to GLP-1 agonists and avoiding the simultaneous use of two incretin-based agents. The injectable drugs have greater potency and have not been associated with adverse HF outcomes.
GLP-1 agonists have become increasingly recognized for their weight loss effect and improvement in glycemic and metabolic profiles, especially in overweight and obese patients. Although initial outcomes comparing lixisenatide and placebo in acute coronary syndrome were no different,35 more recent studies have demonstrated cardioprotective effects. For example, liraglutide showed a decrease in composite death from CV causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke and a nonstatistically decreased rate of hospitalization for HF.36 Also, a recent RCT studying CV outcomes with the newest agent on this class, semaglutide, demonstrated significant decreased rates of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke.37 It is important to consider cost and patient preference, as these agents are injectable with variable dosing frequency (Table 4).
SGLT2 inhibitors are a promising class of antihyperglycemic agents based on their robust beneficial effect on CV risk, including HF. The landmark Empagliflozin Cardiovascular Outcome Event Trial in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients (EMPA-REG OUTCOME) trial was the first to show a statistically significant decrease in composite risk of death from CV causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and risk of HF hospitalization.38 This has created a significant impact on current clinical practices as reflected in the recent clinical guidelines regarding management of T2DM.31
Management of diabetes in advanced HF raises significant challenges. Common antihyperglycemic agents are restricted at this stage due to significant accompanying comorbidities, including renal dysfunction, systemic hypoperfusion, lactic acidosis risk, and other hemodynamic abnormalities. This frequently leaves insulin as the primary therapy,39 despite concerns regarding its impact on HF, as explained above. The judicious use of insulin is advised, and less-strict glycemic goals should be considered, especially in elderly patients.40 Use of SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 agonists could be considered as combined or monotherapy if tolerated, but more studies evaluating their safety in this population are ongoing.
Heart failure is an important and under-recognized complication of T2DM. Multiple studies have shown that patients with T2DM and congestive heart failure have poor outcomes, and basic science studies have revealed pathophysiologic mechanisms that may underlie this relationship. Therefore, it is important to understand and use appropriate T2DM therapies in this population. If appropriate, agents such as metformin, GLP-1 agonists, and SGLT2 inhibitors should be considered in HF patients. Conversely, agents such as TZDs and sulfonylureas should be avoided, if possible. Close monitoring and judicious use of diabetic therapies should be constantly reviewed in HF patients at various stages of their disease. Ultimately, further studies are needed to better guide hyperglycemia management in this population.
- Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and heart failure (HF) pathophysiology have a strong relationship, resulting in an increased incidence of HF in patients with T2DM and a significant negative impact on HF outcomes.
- Several traditional antihyperglycemic agents demonstrated detrimental effects regarding HF outcomes, thus restricting their use and complicating the management of patients with HF and T2DM.
- Current management options for glycemic control have expanded and include agents that show promise of improved diabetes and cardiovascular outcomes in HF; however, they are often underused due to lack of familiarity by physicians outside of the endocrinology field.
- We present a stage-based approach to management of type 2 diabetes with HF and suggest early incorporation of newer agents, including DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 agonists, and SGLT2 inhibitors.
Dr. Hamilton is a principal investigator in a clinical research trial for Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, Inc.; Dr. Tabatabai is on the speakers' bureau for Radius Health and Eli Lilly.References
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