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Rabid Recoloring Renegade
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Welcome to my world!
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so many great people, fabulous creations and mods available to Simmers here!
JUL 1, 2019 ** We are really working on getting a lot done with the site with all the changes and hiring of new helpers and such. I'm sorry that I'm behind updating my creations! I can only spend so much time on my pc due to physical limitations, but I'm doing my best. If there's anything glaring that you really need fixed right away, please feel free to PM me and I'll do what I can. Thanks for everyone's patience and support! <3 And happy Canada Day!
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Several years ago a friend of ours brought to dinner a boxed cookie mix from Jacques Torres. We made it together that night, and we all couldn't get over how beyond amazing they were. Since then, I wrote about them in Cookie, and have recommended them to countless friends. They're a great thing to bring to someone's house as a host gift, or to have in the back of the pantry, for a weekend activity that's all ready to go.
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Russia Arms Sales: Putin Touts Record $14 Billion In Weapons Exports In 2012
Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on December 18, 2012
MOSCOW, Dec 17 (Reuters) –
Russian arms exports reached a record $14 billion this year, President Vladimir Putin said on Monday, extending a run of record-breaking sales in recent years that have included deliveries to Syria despite the civil war raging there.
The world no. 2 arms exporter has cultivated new weapons clients in Southeast Asia and Africa, despite criticism that it is failing to deliver the technological benefits of Western suppliers or the low costs of emerging weapons exporter China.
"Let's talk about our results – they are positive. We are reaching a record level of weapons exports. Their total volume was above $14 billion," Putin said in a televised meeting with officials.
He said Russia had signed over $15 billion in new export contracts this year alone. He did not spell out when deliveries on those deals were expected.
Russia has faced Western criticism over its weapons sales to the Syrian government, worth nearly $1 billion in 2011.
Moscow says its arms deliveries to Syria, a longtime ally, do not violate international law and are not intended to help President Bashar al-Assad's government fight a 21-month-old uprising, but rather to fulfil Soviet-era commitments.
Russia has made clear it would use its U.N. Security Council Vote to veto an arms embargo against Damascus, contending such a move would be one-sided when rebels are able to obtain weapons via smuggling into territory they now control.
Moscow has reported no major arms deals with Syria this year. A major order of fighter jets was not completed, although it remains unclear as to why. Putin gave no specifics on Russia's main weapons buyers.
Top weapons clients also include Soviet-era client and regional Asian heavyweight India, as well as Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations wary of China's growing military might.
Putin said a major part of Russia's weapons business includes upgrades and refurbishment of Soviet-era technology and hardware. "We understand that competition in this sector of the international economy is very high and very serious," he said.
Exports from the world's top producer, the United States, have hovered around $30 billion annually in recent years.
State arms exporter Rosoboronexport accounts for around 80 percent of all Russian arms sales in a given year and nearly 20 independent firms comprise the rest with sales of spare parts and upgrades. (Reporting by Alissa de Carbonnel; Editing by Mark Heinrich)


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apex(redirected from apexes, apices)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical.
1. the highest point; vertex
2. Astronomy the point on the celestial sphere, lying in the constellation Hercules, towards which the sun appears to move at a velocity of 20 kilometres per second relative to the nearest stars
1. (solar apex) The point on the celestial sphere toward which the Sun and the Solar System are moving relative to the stars in our vicinity. The apex lies in the constellation Hercules at a position RA 18h, dec +30°, close to the star Vega. The point diametrically opposite to the direction of this relative solar motion is the antapex (or solar antapex); it lies in the constellation Columba. The position of the apex can be determined from an analysis of the proper motions, radial velocities, and parallaxes of stars, based on the assumption that solar motion is equal and opposite to the group motion of stars. The velocity of this motion has been calculated as about 19.5 km s–1 with respect to the local standard of rest, when all available information on proper motion and radial velocity is used. The value is lower when only the stars in the Sun's immediate neighborhood are considered. Solar motion produces the secular parallax of stars.
2. The point on the celestial sphere toward which the Earth appears to be moving, at a given time, as a result of its orbital motion around the Sun.
The upper portion of a lung extending into the root.
The pointed end of the heart.
The tip of the root of a tooth.
The pointed tip of a leaf.
In architecture or construction, the highest point, peak, or tip of any structure.
The part of a mineral vein nearest the surface of the earth.
The vertex of a triangle opposite the side which is regarded as the base.
The vertex of a cone or pyramid.
In architecture or construction, the highest point, peak, or tip of any structure.


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|My sisters and me with "Nana" (I'm the ham-bone on the right). We loved her hugs.
I was excited to get home to Pennsylvania and dive into the local newspapers so I could find the obituary for Hazel Blum nee Hill...the next door neighbor we called "Nana". I wanted more details on her life. I knew some basics about who she was, but hoped for more in her obituary. I was to be greatly disappointed.
|Hazleton Standard Speaker 01AUG1996, pg2
Hazel Hill Blum, 97, of Hazleton, the oldest member of Trinity Lutheran Church, died Tuesday at Hazleton General Hospital.
Born March 17, 1899, she was the daughter of the late Conrad and Olive Aubrey Hill, and was a life-long resident of Hazleton.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Dr. Maurice L.; brother, Harry; and a sister, Rebecca Hill Kramer.
Surviving are two nieces and a nephew.
Funeral arrangements will be announced."
I know I shouldn't have been disappointed with this obituary. There is some good stuff in there (believe it or not). It gives me the name of the church she belonged to (which I did not know). With this I can help rectify something that was missing from this obituary...where she's buried. I saw that statement "Funeral arrangements will be announced" and with two kids getting bored in a library I only searched through the rest of the roll of microfilm in hopes of finding her burial announcement, but there was nothing. A call to Trinity Lutheran will hopefully tell me where "nana" is buried. I have a feeling it's Vine Street Cemetery in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. Why? Proximity. It's the closest cemetery to the church. That's not conclusive, but it's a start. Perhaps the church will be able to help me out more.
My parents always would talk about how old "nana" was. I frankly thought that it was a bit of an exaggeration. Little did I know that "nana" was already 73 years old when I was born! The obituary (while not a primary source) helps to confirm how old she really was. There's a little part of the Irish in me that giggles knowing "nana" was born on Saint Patrick's Day. Warm and fuzzy feelings (nothing truly of genealogical significance there...just smiles).
Knowing that "nana's" parents were Conrad and Olive Hill was no surprise. I was able to find this information out in the US Federal Censuses. Hill may indeed be a very common last name, but I had one bit of information going for me..."nana" was my neighbor and I knew that the house she lived in with her husband, Maurice, was the house she grew up in. Finding her in the census records while knowing that tid-bit was easy. What I didn't know was her mom's maiden name. The way the obituary was written we can tell it's Aubrey. I'll be able to do some research there. Why? She's not my family. I just want to know more about hers. It's not something that I can really explain. Perhaps other genealogists can empathize with me here...perhaps I'm just a bit kooky.
|Michele, "Nana" and me (I know I'm cute)
So there is information gleaned out of a rather brief obituary, so why am I so sad? I loved "nana". Still do and always will, but I have the memories of a child of her and we know that children don't always remember the most significant bits of information, nor do they ask the questions we as adults want to know. My "nana" died when I was a trainee in the Army. I didn't know until over a year later that she was gone. My father never told me. I just felt hollow. I was now an adult and would never be able to hug that tiny little lady again. I'm 5'5"...or at least I was before the Army shrank about 3/4-inch from me over 10 years. "Nana" was maybe 5'0" tall. There wasn't a time I saw nana outside or visited with her that I did not hug her. She never had children and rarely had family visit her. Who is there to remember her? This obituary doesn't encourage me.
I hope that I will find the burial information for her in the newspaper next year. I hope it was put in there. I hope that she was memorialized properly. "Nana" lived to be 97 years old, but did she out-live everyone that truly knew her? Does anyone have fond memories of "nana" apart from my sisters and I? I hope so. I hope this post lets them find me so that we can always remember one of the most loving people I have ever met...Hazel Blum nee Hill.


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What is paleo?
The Paleolithic diet is not a "diet" in the count-every-calorie-I-hate-my-life sense. It is a lifestyle that encourages us to eat and live the way that our ancestors did for hundreds of thousands of years. The first homo sapiens appeared on earth 200,000 years ago. They hunted and gathered, slept, made shelter, and occasionally ran for their lives. They were strong and healthy and didn't suffer from the diseases that we do now. The agricultural revolution changed the way we modern homo sapiens eat 10,000 years ago. Meaning, we have only been eating wheat and other grains and domesticated animal products for 10,000 years out of our 200,000 year existence. The paleo diet is the avoidance of all grains (even whole grains), refined sugar, legumes, and dairy products. It is eating vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, nuts, and fruit. The paleo lifestyle is to exercise the way we used to: lots of movement, like walking, some heavy lifting, and some sprinting. Our ancestors did not read magazines for two hours on the elliptical or run marathons.
What to eat
Fruit and veg: Go crazy for veggies. Make them the base of your diet and you can't go wrong. For people trying to lose weight, reduce fruit and starchy vegetables like potatoes, beets, winter squash, and root veggies. For maintaining weight, gaining weight, and sustaining heavy exercise, use starchy vegetables and fruit as your carbohydrate source.
Nuts and oils: Any nut is fair game except for peanuts, which are technically legumes. Monounsaturated fat is good for us, while polyunsaturated fat is more complicated. Polyunsaturated fat is divided between omega 3s and omega 6s. While we do need omega 6s, the ratio of omega 3 to 6 should be 1:1. Modern diets are 1:10, which increases our risk of heart disease. We should emphasize omega 3s and reduce omega 6s.
- Monounsaturated oils include: nuts, avocados, olives and olive oil, fish, cod liver oil, grass fed meats, and plants (which obviously don't have that much fat)
- Polyunsaturated omega 6 sources include: corn, soy, cottonseed, grapeseed, sunflower, safflower and other vegetable oils, and grains
- Polyunsaturated omega 3 sources include: salmon, sardines, fish, walnuts, flax, hemp, nuts, grass fed meat, pasture raised chicken & eggs
Meat: meat should ideally be grass fed and organic. Grass fed meat is naturally leaner and contains increased levels of omega 3 fats and decreased levels of omega 6 fats compared to grain fed animals. This is good because omega 3s are anti-inflammatory where as omega 6 fats are pro-inflammatory (bad!). Post-agricultural revolution, cattle began being grain-fed because it is cheaper and they get fatter. If you can't afford grass fed meat, go for the leanest cuts of conventional meat and supplement with other forms of healthy fat, like avocados, nuts, olive oil and coconut oil. Avoid vegetable oils, as they are high in omega 6.
Poultry and fish: Poultry and eggs should ideally be free-range and not fed a "vegetarian" diet, which really just means corn and soy. Again, this is so that the fat content of the meat and eggs is higher in the fats that reduce CVD. Fish should ideally be wild caught because farm-raised fish are fed (surprise!) corn and grain feed. Remember, the reason that corn and grain fed animals and fish are less healthy than their naturally grazing counterparts is their fat content. Naturally grazing species will have a more anti-inflammatory omega 3 fats and less inflammatory (and thus CVD inducing) omega 6 fats.
About red meat and saturated fat
Paleo or no paleo, the consumption of red meat believed by many to be unhealthy. This is based on studies that link high consumption of red meat to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer, and it is usually explained as the increased level of saturated fat in the diet. This is not the whole story. The studies that claim this are flawed in their methods and/or reporting. They are usually population studies that take large groups of people and have them fill out food frequency questionaires (which are sketchy in their own right since they are based on memory and estimation). The results look at the frequency of cancer and CVD in the population tested. Those who ate more red meat had higher rates of cancer and CVD. What the study doesn't mention, is that these people were also more likely to smoke, be overweight, obese, diabetic, inactive, or combinations of all of these characteristics.
In this cross over study (which is the most trustworthy type of study), two groups were divided among heavy red meat consumption versus fish and chicken consumption. The red meat group ate far more cholesterol and saturated fat, however, their HDL and cholesterol levels were the same as the fish and chicken group. Interestingly, in women only, red meat actually lowered blood triacylglycerol (=fat, TAG) levels and the fish and chicken increased the blood TAG levels. This is important because blood TAG levels are now thought to be more indicative of heart disease risk. Another interesting thing about this study was the carb intake, which usually regulates serum TAGs, was similar in both groups. This suggests that red meat has a TAG-lowering effect independent from simply replacing carbs from the diet with protein. Also worth noting is that the red meat group ate ~200 calories more than the chicken and fish group per day, but did not gain any weight. This is a great blog post that summarizes more studies on this topic.
Two other interesting studies were analyses of other studies. Looking at all the studies that met their standards and criteria, they determined factors that increase and decrease risk of heart disease.
- Increased risk factors: trans fats and high glycemic loads (AKA sugar, simple carbohydrates, and excessive carbs REGARDLESS of carb type).
- Decreased risk factors: fiber, fish, beta carotene, omega 3s, fruit, veg, nuts, monounsaturated fats, vitamins C and E, Meditteranean style eating, and whole grains. [I will get to grains a bit later.]
They noted the lack of evidence supporting the notion that reducing saturated fat intake will lower the risk of CVD. Furthermore, according to this study, there is no study yet that reduces saturated fat intake with no other changes to the diet. Meaning, if reductions in CVD were seen with reduced saturated fat intake, it could be due to the other changes made in the study, like reduced carb intake, increased omega 3 intake, etc. Also, note that polyunsaturated fats were not part of the decreased risk factor list, which is what we have increased in out diets by feeding our animals and ourselves lots of corn and vegetable oils.
Main point: Current research seems to indicate that it is not saturated fat that is responsible for our current state of heart disease, but rather the increased ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fats in our diet. This doesn't mean you can drown yourself in french fries and steaks. It means that grass-fed meats or extra lean conventional meats do have a healthy place in our diet, along with fish, healthy oils, nuts, and plants.
About grains and legumes
Grains and legumes (beans + peanuts) are out because they contain lectins and anti-nutrients. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) is one type of lectin, which is a molecule that can bind to other molecules in our body. Lectins are not broken down during digestion and can bind to receptors on the gut lining. This binding can lead to decreased digestion and absorption of other dietary proteins as well as transportation of the lectins through the gut and into the blood circulation. While they are transported, lectins can damage (in rough terms: "poke holes") in our intestinal lining. These circulating lectins are then recognized by our immune systems as foreign invaders, and we will launch an immune response against them. Unfortunately, lectins can often resemble normal cells in our body, so these immune responses can essentially become immune attacks on our own tissues. Read: inflammation and auto-immune diseases. Because there is now perforations in the gut lining, other microscopic proteins from our diet can cross the lining, and immune responses can be raised against those proteins as well. Read: food allergies.
The strongest evidence against grains is definitely for those whom have autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, celiac, lupus, Sjogrens, MS, T1 diabetes, and ulcerative colitis. This, this, this, and many more studies indicate that dietary gluten and grains do negatively impact those with decreased immune systems. However, not everyone has an overt immune disease. Like most things in this world, we are on a sliding scale. This study showed that those with celiac disease and people with increased genetic susceptibility to autoimmune disease had increased gut permeability when consuming a diet high in gluten. And as for completely healthy individuals with great immune systems? There is hardly any research. This study, ironically done by a student under the original Paleo-pusher, Dr. Cordaine, showed that healthy individuals did not see an increase in plasma levels of lectins after consuming 50 grams of gluten (although several explanations were offered for these results). However, this study did show that peanut lectins made their way through the intestinal lining and into circulation. This study showed the same with wheat germ agglutinin, but it was done on rats. This study showed that anti-bodies to WGA can be found in human circulation. Also, this research article is all about using lectins as a way to get pharmaceutical drugs absorbed more efficiently through the intestines, and cites studies that were done on human tissue. Therefore, it does appear likely that lectins are able to enter circulation and possibly cause damage.
Main point: Anyone with imperfect immune function (which you wouldn't necessarily know if you were included in that group), and possibly everyone, can benefit from removing grains and legumes from their diet due to their lectin content. Even completely healthy individuals may benefit from lectin avoidance because lectins may at the very least be causing a constant low-grade inflammation in the body. Just try it for a few weeks and see how you feel.
The anti-nutrients in grains that I mentioned are protease inhibitors and phytates. Protease inhibitors are molecules that inhibit our enzymes from breaking down some of our dietary protein and lectins (which are proteins). I think that this is a bit exaggerated in The Paleo Solution because it is not as if your burger isnt going to get digested just because you ate it with a bun. That would require a LOT of protease inhibitors. Phytates are found in grains and seeds and can bind to important minerals, like magnesium, zinc, iron, calcium, and copper. Thus, when you eat phytates (which are mostly in the bran of the grains) they bind to those nutrients so that you cannot absorb them. While this is bad, I think it is also slightly exaggerated. Phytates will bind those nutrients, but not all of them! Then again, the typical American diet is grain heavy and lacking in fruits and veg, so I guess it could actually make quite a difference in a person's nutritional status!
About dairy
The case against dairy seems to be mostly based its effect of raising insulin levels. Insulin increases fat storage, and chronically elevated insulin levels can lead to insulin resistance. Clearly, for diabetics and people whom are overweight, this is bad. I also read that some studies correlate milk intake with auto-immune diseases. However, I am happy to report that some people actually can consume dairy given that they do not have any auto-immune issues, have a healthy gut and weight, and are not lactose intolerant. While strict paleo does say no dairy, even the some of the most hardcore paleo-pushers admit that grass fed, whole fat, organic dairy has its benefits. If it is grass fed and organic, it won't contain any harmful pesticides or hormones, and will have a healthy fat profile. Additionally, if the dairy is raw, than the naturally occurring enzymes will help with the digestion and absorption processes. Proper dairy can be a great source of calories, protein, fat, calcium, and probiotics, however it can be difficult (or impossible) to get your hands on.
Main point: Try giving up dairy products for a couple weeks, see how you feel, and then re-introduce it. If you feel bloated and ill…. well now you know. If not, stick with grass fed, organic, whole milk dairy products. Those with auto-immune disorders or genetic susceptibility would also likely do well to avoid dairy.
About fiber
When I first heard about how paleo excludes grains, even my beloved whole grains, I was disturbed. Almost mad! Here I was, with a blog all about eating healthfully and including whole grains into our diet, and this community was telling me that that was bad. I fought it. Whole grains have so many nutrients, like B vitamins and minerals! Whole grains have so much fiber! From my studies, I knew that the human body needs two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fiber absorbs water, and thus slows digestion and makes us feel fuller, longer. It also helps feces transit.
Insoluble fiber is not digested by the body and adds bulk to the stool. This is important for maintaining bathroom regularity, which may be helpful with preventing colon cancer. Insoluble fiber is also a key source of food for gut flora (bacteria), which give us all sorts of immune and digestion benefits.
My first instinct was that without whole grains, I would only be getting soluble fiber from fruits and veggies. I feared that without my precious whole grain insoluble fiber sources, I would become a constipated, and thus grumpy, beezy. Turns out one can get both kinds of fiber very easily from a paleo diet.
- Soluble fiber is found in: fruits like apples, oranges, pears, and berries. Veggies like cucumbers, celery, and carrots. And nuts and seeds like flax, almonds, and psyllium.
- Insoluble fiber is found in: corn, seeds, nuts, zucchini, celery, broc, cabbage, root veggie skins, dark leafy veggies, onions, grapes, and other fruits.
Other considerations
While I have now made the agricultural revolution sound like the most terrible thing to ever have occurred, I must remind myself and others that it was this revolution that enabled us to feed more people and expand our population. In some ways, this is beautiful. More people, more innovation, peace, love, happiness. On the other hand, we have more people, but they are also fatter and sicker than ever before. So while the agriculture revolution certainly made food cheaper, it has also increased our medical care costs.
Another thing to think about is the environmental-friendliness of the paleo diet. Obviously, a lot of meat and animal products are consumed. While ideally the animals should be sustainably raised and grass fed, this sadly makes up only a tiny portion of our current agricultural system. Furthermore, it has been said that vegetarian diets are far more environmentally friendly than traditional diets. I have hardly done any reading on this, but it is something I have heard over and over again. I think the most important thing to keep in mind at the grocery store (or better yet, farmer's market!) is that every dollar you spend on food is a vote. Hopefully with enough votes towards healthy, sustainable food items, they will become more affordable and we will slowly transition to a better agricultural system.


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Personal tools
Proposed Bylaws Changes
Full text of the proposed Bylaws changes:
Whereas, the current Bylaws of CPSR (available at http://www.cpsr.org/about/policies/bylaws/) require that the board have twelve Directors At-Large, who are elected by membership or appointed by the board to fill mid-term vacancies of elected directors, plus up to four Special Directors appointed by the board; and
Whereas, the large number of board members, combined with their geographic dispersion and CPSR's limited finances, has put strains on the ability of the board to meet and conduct business both in person and electronically, as well as on the CPSR budget; and it has proved difficult to fill all of the elected board seats with well-qualified members who have sufficient time to devote to board duties;
Now therefore it is resolved that...
The Bylaws of CPSR be amended to state that the Board shall consist of not less than eight nor more than fourteen Directors. Eight to ten shall be elected as Directors at Large by the membership. The Board of Directors shall have the power to expand the Board by appointing up to four additional Directors, known as Special Directors.
Proposed Bylaws changes:
Should the CPSR Bylaws be amended to reduce
(a) the required number of Directors At-Large from 12 to a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 10, and
(b) the maximum number of Directors (including Special Directors) from 16 to 14.
Last modified June 13, 2006 04:59 PM


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Augustana Senior Wins NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Augustana senior Dan Day (Vermillion, SD) has won a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Day will study life sciences and computational biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Omaha World Herald: 2003 Alumna Debuts New Musical
Amanda Miller, class of 2003, is the playwright behind a new musical in Omaha. A project Miller started back in 2004, "Fat Girlfriend, the Musical" opened Thursday, April 16 at the Shelterbelt Theatre.
Nursing Professor to Assist in Facilitating National Project
Pamela Schroeder, assistant professor of Nursing at Augustana, has been invited to serve as a Quality and Safety Education for Nurses facilitator for phase III of the national QSEN project.
Alumnae Honored in YWCA Tribute to Women
Three Augustana graduates were awarded the top honor in their field at the 2009 YWCA Tribute to Women.
New Faculty Excellence Endowment Established
The Carole Bland Cultivating Faculty Excellence Endowment has been created at Augustana to honor the life and work of Carole Bland, longtime Board of Trustee member, alumna and great friend of the College.
Sioux Falls Featured in L.A. Times for Resiliency
The most severe recession in 70 years has changed that in most places, but not in this community of 150,000 and others like it in the midsection of the country.
Augustana Receives Grant From Tennis Organization
Augustana has received a $5,000 grant from United States Tennis Association (USTA) Northern Adopt-A-Court program that supports tennis court renovation and construction throughout the Northern Section.
Sioux Falls Business Conference "Ready to Rebound" Announced
The Sioux Falls Business Journal and Augustana College are pleased to announce the first Sioux Falls Business Conference "Ready to Rebound" to be held Wednesday, June 3, 2009.
Two Augustana Students Receive Goldwater Scholarships
Augustana students Nick Bleeker and Bethany Jochim have been awarded the prestigious Goldwater Scholarships for the 2009-2010 academic year.
Alumnus Returns to Campus to Speak in Chapel, Visit Classes
Rev. Olin Sletto, who graduated from Augustana in 1969, returns to campus April 13-17 to share stories of his experiences as a minister and missionary, and lead discussions on cross-cultural communication.


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(Reuters) - Best Busy Co Inc on Tuesday canceled an analyst meeting it had planned to hold in New York this week as the city tries to recover from the massive storm Sandy, postponing Chief Executive Hubert Joly's opportunity to tell investors how he plans to turn the company around.
No new date has been set for the meeting, which had been scheduled for Thursday, spokeswoman Amy von Walter said.
"We are very much looking forward to getting in front of the investment community to share Hubert's situational assessment and strategy going forward," von Walter said. "That being said, our concerns first and foremost are for the safety of those on the East Coast, as well as our own employees - given the unfolding situation in NYC, we felt it was best to postpone."
The consumer electronics retailer scheduled the meeting only last week when it also warned third-quarter earnings and same-store sales would fall, and said its U.S. business president would exit at the end of the current fiscal year as part of a management restructuring.
Joly was named CEO in August at the company, which is grappling with the rising trend of shoppers treating its stores like showrooms for cheaper online retailers.
The company is also waiting for its founder, its former chairman and largest shareholder Richard Schulze, to decide whether he can put together a buyout bid.
Schulze, who is trying to take the company private, is expected to make his next move in mid- to late November. That move could be in the form of a formal bid along with other private equity partners or a request for more time to prepare a formal bid, a source close to the matter said last week.
Reporting By Brad Dorfman; Editing by Chris Gallagher


text:
The Campaign Against the Daily Planet
A few East Bay individuals are threatening to bankrupt the Berkeley Daily Planet unless it stops publishing criticisms of Israel's policies and actions—opinions and ideas they brand "anti-Semitic." -more-
A few East Bay individuals are threatening to bankrupt the Berkeley Daily Planet unless it stops publishing criticisms of Israel's policies and actions—opinions and ideas they brand "anti-Semitic." -more-
John Gertz has singled out Daily Planet columnist Conn Hallinan for an extra measure of rancor, resorting to red-baiting when all else fails. -more-
"Kill the cops, Kill the Jews," screams the dpwatchdog headline, adding "The First Amendment as the Last Refuge of Scoundrels." -more-
FLAME's founder and president is octogenarian Holocaust survivor Gerardo Joffe. In 1967, Joffe founded Haverhill's, a mail order firm that has advertised heavily in both liberal magazines—including The Nation—as well as conservative magazines such as National Review. -more-
Responding in December 2007 to a critic who had questioned his journalistic credentials in the East Bay Express letters column, Spitzer called the critic lazy , then cited "the Google index in which my name is referenced 1,340,000 times." Note that Spitzer said "in which my name is referenced," not "in which I am referenced." -more-
Both Jim Sinkinson and Dan Spitzer declined to be interviewed for this article. -more-
Though most reader submissions the Daily Planet has published on the Israel-Palestine conflict have been based on legal and moral arguments, the Aug. 8, 2006, reader-submitted commentary by Kurosh Arianpour crossed a critical threshold, perceived by many as extending beyond a criticism of Israel and its supporters to an attack on all Jews. -more-
A man identifying himself as "Dan Patterson" walked into South Berkeley's Vault Cafe recently and brandished a letter in the face of proprietor Houishi Ghaderi which threatened consequences for any business which continued to advertise in the Daily Planet, -more-
Authorities are looking for the last suspect wanted in connection with the murder of Berkeley resident Charles Davis. -more-
Alameda County reported its first swine flu death Tuesday, a middle-aged man who tested positive for the H1N1 virus and had pre-existing chronic health conditions. -more-
The Berkeley Landmarks Preservation Commission voted 5-3 Thursday night to designate renowned artist Chiura Obata's former studio on Telegraph Avenue a landmark. -more-
The Berkeley City Council will consider creating a Wireless Telecommunications Master Plan Tuesday night. But with the budget stretched and planning staff busy with other major projects, this one may be put on the back burner. -more-
A mild earthquake sent a seismic shudder across the East Bay Saturday afternoon, rating a modest 3.2 on U.S. Geological Survey seismometers. -more-
Two girls are being treated at a hospital today after they were shot in a Berkeley home this morning, a police spokeswoman said. -more-
Media News Union Vote -more-
Berkeley planning commissioners are scheduled for lots of talk and no action this week. -more-
A pedestrian who apparently leapt in front of an Amtrak passenger train in West Berkeley Thursday morning was fatally injured, according to railroad spokesperson Vernae Graham. -more-
A pair of assaults kept Berkeley Police hopping in the hours after a massive manhunt in South Berkeley Tuesday. -more-
Shattuck Avenue lost an icon Sunday. -more-
After a high-speed car chase and a lengthy search Tuesday afternoon, police found the man suspected of firing shots from a vehicle in West Berkeley earlier that day. -more-
The two downtown plans before the City Council offer two conflicting visions, one defined by the dream of a "green," human-scale city center, the other by the developers' high-rise imperatives. -more-
The Berkeley City Council moved forward on its two major policy initiatives Tuesday night, giving unanimous approval to a slightly amended version of the Climate Action Plan (CAP) and holding its first public hearing on the Downtown Area Plan (DAP) before giving suggestions to staff for possible changes. -more-
Berkeley High School students showed a sharp decline in 2008 SAT math and verbal scores, but large gains in Advanced Placement tests, according to a report prepared by the Berkeley Unified School District. -more-
About 200 North Berkeley shoppers gathered along California Street across from Monterey Market Wednesday afternoon to bid a fond farewell to Bill and Judy Fujimoto, who are leaving the business his father built. The Fujimotos specialized in buying fruits and produce from growers they cultivated. And unlike another popular Berkeley grocer, Monterey Market under their leadership often invited its customers to taste before they bought—without the threat of lifetime banishment. -more-
Rev. Mark Wilson's eyes were misty and his lower lip was curled as he stood on the steps of the San Francisco Civic Center in front of hundreds of same-sex marriage supporters on Tuesday, May 26. Just a few hours earlier, the California Supreme Court had issued a 6–1 ruling upholding Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that amended the state constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. -more-
Teachers, parents and students packed the City Council chambers Wednesday to ask the Berkeley Board of Education to save high school counseling positions threatened by budget cuts. -more-
Last Thursday, the LeConte Neighborhood Association held a meeting together with the Berkeley Police Department and Willard Middle School Safety Officer Andre Kellum to discuss the issue of after-school student vandalism. -more-
Berkeley Daily Planet staffers won three prizes at the 2008 East Bay Press Club Journalism Awards dinner Friday, May 29. -more-
Since UC Berkeley Police Chief Victoria Harrison announced in early March that she would be leaving the force on July 31 after 19 years of service, administrators have been scurrying to find her replacement. -more-
In response to state budget cuts, the Berkeley Board of Education voted unanimously at its May 27 meeting to increase the price of all school lunches by 25 cents effective July 1. The price increase would not affect students who receive free or reduced-price lunches. -more-
A piece of pre-World War II history from Berkeley's lost Japantown will come before the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission Thursday, June 4. -more-
In response to the governor's proposed elimination of the Cal Grant for incoming freshmen, Berkeley High School students and administrators are launching a campaign to convince state legislators otherwise. -more-
BART directors voted today to adopt three fare hikes that will go into effect -more-
On May 26, UC Berkeley began restoration work on Sather Tower (also known as the Campanile) to repair and clean the marble spire, secure the beacon, and repair the roof. The project is expected to be complete by the beginning of the fall semester. -more-
Where there's smoke—even the sweet-smelling kind—there's sometimes fire, as the occupants of one Berkeley apartment discovered to their chagrin last week. -more-
Claire Burch died May 21 at the age of 84. A tiny woman with a video camera always in hand, she was a familiar figure in People's Park and on Telegraph Avenue. -more-
Berkeley planning commissioners finished their adjustments to downtown zoning rules Wednesday night, May 27, easing requirements for entrepreneurs setting up shop in the vacancy-plagued city center. -more-
The president of the Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners abruptly removed an agenda item proposing port funding for BART's Oakland Airport Connector this week, only hours before commissioners were due to consider it, but a spokesperson for the port said that the action was no indication that there was any problem with commission approval of the item. -more-
Officials of the AC Transit bus agency took the first step this week that they project will end with the elimination or reduction of bus lines within the two-county district sometime later this year. -more-
BERKELEY BOWL PROMISES -more-
Is the Berkeley ferry cost-effective? Of course not, as a recent letter to the editor by David Fielder demonstrates. Without even considering operating costs, just the capitalization of the boats, terminal and parking structure amount to about $8 per ride. Ferries are never cost-effective when there's already a bridge and a tunnel spanning the same body of water. -more-
This February, Denver's Rocky Mountain News died. In March, The Tucson Citizen followed. Meanwhile hundreds of other American newspapers reduced staff and declared themselves in significant economic trouble. -more-
The U.S. Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program was established in 1974. It provides project-based and tenant-based housing assistance to low-income persons who rent. It has been one of the best possible uses of federal funds, because it countermands need for costly welfare-type expenditures. For example, sheltering seniors and persons with "certain disabilities" with low incomes who are willing, able, and eager to live independently. (Most low-income seniors are not frail and do not need costly "assisted living.") When you and your landlord qualify under Section 8 for tenant-based housing assistance, you pay one third of your income for rent, and the balance subsidized. -more-
In 2004 a senior advisor in the Bush White House made this incredible remark to Ron Suskind: "We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality" (New York Times, "Without Doubt," Oct. 17), thereby updating Nixon's famous remark to David Frost, "When the President does it that means it is not illegal" (1977). -more-
After years of stumbling leadership, Pacifica radio has new people in key positions: LaVarn Williams, formerly a local board member here at KPFA, is now the interim chief financial officer (CFO); Ricardo de Anda is the interim general counsel; and Grace Aaron, now the interim executive director (ED), oversees the five-station network. -more-
Since the installation of overhead wires for technology and cable television, the old telephone poles of Berkeley are heavily overloaded causing a public safety hazard and visible blight. The city of Berkeley needs to join the 21st century and countless other California communities up and down the state by putting utility wires throughout the entire city underground. -more-
Why did the Planet devote so much space this week to chronicling the misbegotten crusade of a few unpleasant twerps to destroy this paper? Many friends and family members have counseled us just to ignore them, in the hope that they'd eventually slink off into the shadows whence they came. -more-
Sudan: The two F-16s caught the trucks deep in the northen desert. Within minutes the column was a string of shattered wrecks burning fiercely in the January sun. Surveillance drones spotted a few vehicles that had survived the storm of bombs and cannon shells, and the fighter-bombers returned to finish the job. -more-
You have to admire the ability of our conservative friends—don't you?—to continually create these rice-calling-cotton-pale moments in order to deflect attention from their own transgressions and, thus, to avoid criticism. -more-
Here's a story that should gladden the hearts of all packrats and stringsavers. Sometimes there are good reasons not to throw stuff out. -more-
It might appear to be over-reaching to attempt a discussion of something that sounds as high-handed as hydrostatic pressure in a lay essay, but if you'll bear with me, you'll quickly see how this is both relevant and conceptually accessible to just about everyone. -more-
Oscar Wilde's wry predecessor to Earnest-ness, Lady Windemere's Fan, is onstage now at the Masquers Playhouse, updated by director Patricia Inabnet to the status-seeking 1950s. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2:30 p.m. Sundays. 105 Park Place, Point Richmond. $18. 232-4031. www.masquers.org. -more-
An unusually good production of A Streetcar Named Desire goes into its final performances at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday, at Altarena Playhouse. Director Sue Trigg and her cast stage Tennessee Williams' masterwork in the round, and do it justice by making every detail build on the last. The final scenes are indelible. 1409 High St., Alameda. $17-20. 764-9718. www.altarena.org. -more-
Editorial: 'Part of Being a Good Friend Is Being Honest' 06-04-2009
Harrassing Advertisers By Justin DeFreitas 06-04-2009
Letters to the Editor 06-04-2009
Is the Berkeley Ferry Cost-Effective? By Paul Kamen 06-04-2009
Why Local Newspapers Matter By Glenn Scherer 06-04-2009
Berkeley Low-Income Rental Housing Not Necessarily Affordable By Helen Rippier Wheeler 06-04-2009
Two Torture Tentacles By Marvin Chachere 06-04-2009
New Leadership in Pacifica Radio By Daniel Borgström 06-04-2009
Underground Berkeley Utility Wires for a Safer City By Pamela Doolan 06-04-2009
The Campaign Against the Daily Planet By Richard Brenneman 06-04-2009
Sidebar: Red Scare: Conn Hallinan By Richard Brenneman 06-04-2009
Sidebar: 'Kill the Cops, Kill the Jews,' and Other Fabricated Quotes By Richard Brenneman 06-04-2009
Sidebar: Strange Bedfellows By Richard Brenneman 06-04-2009
Sidebar: Will the Real Dan Spitzer Please Stand Up? By Richard Brenneman 06-04-2009
Sidebar: Two Refusals By Richard Brenneman 06-04-2009
Sidebar: The Arianpour Affair, and Other Controversies By Richard Brenneman 06-04-2009
Sidebar: Sanne DeWitt and the Israel Action Committee of the East Bay By Richard Brenneman 06-04-2009
Police Still Looking for Last Suspect in West Berkeley Homicide By Riya Bhattacharjee 06-09-2009
First Swine Flu Death Reported in Alameda County By Riya Bhattacharjee 06-09-2009
Obata Studio Designated a Landmark By Riya Bhattacharjee 06-08-2009
City Council Will Consider Telecommunications Master Plan, Downtown Plan By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 06-08-2009
Tiny Quake Strikes Beneath El Cerrito By Richard Brenneman 06-08-2009
Flash: Two Girls Recovering after South Berkeley Shooting By Bay City News, Special to the Planet 06-07-2009
MediaNews' East Bay Papers Ratify Union Contract By Richard Brenneman 06-06-2009
Planners to See Designs for Center Street Plaza By Richard Brenneman 06-06-2009
West Berkeley Pedestrian Killed by Amtrak Train By Richard Brenneman 06-06-2009
Two Assault Cases Cap Officers' Busy Tuesday By Richard Brenneman 06-06-2009
Black Oak Books Moves Out By Riya Bhattacharjee 06-04-2009
Police Find Shooting Suspect in South Berkeley Dumpster By Riya Bhattacharjee 06-04-2009
News Analysis: A Tale of Two Downtown Plans By Richard Brenneman 06-04-2009
City Council Approves Climate Action Plan By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 06-04-2009
Students Show Decline in SAT Scores, Gains In AP Scores By Riya Bhattacharjee 06-04-2009
Fujimotos Bid Adieu to Monterey Market 06-04-2009
Christian Minister Fights for Gay Marriage By Paul Gackle, Special to the Planet 06-04-2009
Counselors Hit Hard by School District Cuts By Riya Bhattacharjee 06-04-2009
Willard Student Crime Sparks Community Meeting By Rio Bauce, Special to the Planet 06-04-2009
Daily Planet Wins Three East Bay Press Club Awards 06-04-2009
UC Berkeley Scrambles to Find New Police Chief By Rio Bauce, Special to the Planet 06-04-2009
School Board Raises Meal Prices By Rio Bauce, Special to the Planet 06-04-2009
Landmarks Commission Considers Pre-WWII Building From Berkeley's Japantown By Riya Bhattacharjee 06-04-2009
Campaign Launched in Opposition To Elimination of Cal Grants By Rio Bauce, Special to the Planet 06-04-2009
BART Fare Increase Takes Effect July 1 Bay City News 06-04-2009
Campanile Undergoes Restoration By Rio Bauce, Special to the Planet 06-04-2009
Fire Department Log By Richard Brenneman By Richard Brenneman 06-04-2009
Remembering Claire Burch By Lydia Gans, Special to the Planet 06-04-2009
Planners Approve Easing of Downtown Business Permits By Richard Brenneman 06-04-2009
Port Commissioners Postpone Vote on BART Airport Connector By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 06-04-2009
AC Transit Takes First Step Toward Bus Line Cuts By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 06-04-2009
Dispatches From The Edge: Shadow Wars By Conn Hallinan 06-04-2009
UnderCurrents: Old Conservative Political Correctness Extends to Sotomayor Debate By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 06-04-2009
Wild Neighbors: The Baptista Tapes: Why Sparrows Change Their Tunes By Joe Eaton 06-04-2009
About the House: Hydrostatic Pressure And Why Your Basement Leaks By Matt Cantor 06-04-2009
Arts Calendar 06-04-2009
Howard Wiley, 'Bringing Jazz Back to Oakland' By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 06-04-2009
'You, Nero' at Berkeley Rep By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 06-04-2009
Berkeley's World Music Festival Begins Saturday By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 06-04-2009
Kenny Washington at Anna's By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 06-04-2009
Pops Concert Closes Young People's Symphony Orchestra Season 06-04-2009
Around the East Bay: Wilde's 'Lady Windemere's Fan' 06-04-2009
Around the East Bay: 'A Streetcar Named Desire' 06-04-2009
About the House: Hydrostatic Pressure And Why Your Basement Leaks By Matt Cantor 06-04-2009
Community Calendar 06-04-2009


text:
The Purdue Board of Trustees on Friday (July 18) approved Purdue University Northwest as the name of the unified Calumet and North Central campuses.
James B. Dworkin, chancellor of Purdue North Central, and Thomas L. Keon, chancellor of Purdue Calumet, praised the campus naming as a key step forward in their unification efforts. Combining the campuses reflects Purdue's continuing emphasis on administrative cost savings and promoting student affordability and accessibility, they said.
"I am very happy that our naming process is complete," Dworkin said.
"This is a major step forward in our campus unification. Our unification effort reflects our commitment to ensuring the academic and administrative excellence of Purdue North Central and Purdue Calumet. Both campuses have established themselves as valued members of the Northwest Indiana community, and we're pleased that the trustees kept this goal in mind with the selection of Purdue University Northwest."
Keon added that the name selection underscores a sense of cohesiveness that will serve both of the campus locations going forward.
"Northwest Indiana is ready for a more enriched Purdue University with excellent academic programs, experienced faculty and quality students," he said. "Coming together as Purdue University Northwest reflects our commitment to working closely together to create an even stronger presence in the many communities we serve."
The name's adoption will be phased in over the next two years as work continues to unify administrative oversight functions into one central office and provide opportunities for students to seamlessly pursue degree programs at either campus location. For now, Purdue University Northwest will be used in activities connected with the continued unification plan. Purdue Calumet and Purdue North Central will begin to market academic programs as one regional campus after gaining accreditation to do so by the Higher Learning Commission.
The target date for completion of unification is July 1, 2016. Announced Feb. 26, the unification will include a formal plan that will be presented to trustees at a later meeting.
Once unification is complete, the two campus locations will be respectively identified as the Purdue University Northwest-Calumet campus and the Purdue University Northwest-North Central campus.
Current students will not see their curriculum, coursework or graduation requirements change. Incoming students will still apply and enroll at the campus location of their choice.
In addition to approving the name, trustees authorized the two chancellors to develop a new logo and to create new nomenclature to distinguish the existing regional campus references.


text:
With the pipes frozen, the day started without water.
That meant another day not showering, grimy teeth, and a case of what I like to call "traveler's face."
I left the desolate, remote army post of Jomsom for the freezing, windswept nothingness of the "road" north.
Leaving Jomson was like stepping off of earth and onto the moon. With a scarf over my face and glasses over my eyes, every inch of skin was covered as I traversed the rusty strip of rubble. To my side, wildly carved rocks twisted along the valley walls as the blistering sun set out to crack puddles of ice.
In a desolate, cold, lifeless land that was not yet Tibet, but not quite Nepal, I could feel my insides turning numb. Barely bearable in the early morning, the winds picked up and whipped through the valley with such a force that locals warned against travel at midday.
The path itself was littered with the crumbling remains of forgotten homes along this ancient trade route. Made from the rubble of the rock desert that is the Kali Gandaki Valley, the houses were hardly decipherable against the beige backdrop.
Tip-toeing over wobbling rocks as snot dripped down my nose, I glimpsed a crooked sign that read "Lubra," pointing away from an intersecting river valley.
Scanning my map, I noticed a small village located about an hour off the path along the valley walls of the approaching tributary. Intrigued, and hoping to find some warming tea, I branched off away from the Jomsom track.
En route, I came across a group of pilgrims sitting in the snow in the center of the valley. They were chit-chatting, laughing, and having a nice mid-morning picnic.
"Lubra?" I asked, raising my hands in a questioning motion.
The Tibetan ladies laughed. But one, who spoke a few words in English, pointed me up a nearby hill.
I asked again, "Lubra?" pointing to the snow covered hill, where I couldn't decipher anything resembling a path.
All the women agreed, pointing up the large hill.
Though I saw no signs of life, a path, or footprints even, I trusted the friendly ladies and left, bowing and thanking them for their kindness.
Halfway up the hill, I was out of breath. Above 4,000 meters (13,125 feet), the oxygen was thinning. Not only was there no path, but the slippery slopes were covered almost knee-deep in snow and my lower body was beginning to drench. Worse, turning around was no longer an option. It was hard enough to climb up the hill, but walking down, I'd surely slip and tumble into the rocks below.
Triumphantly, I found the edge of a stone fence peeking out of the snow. I sat, eating a candy bar and thinking that I had found the village of Lubra. Yet, the remote house had been abandoned.
I climbed up to another house, but it too was abandoned.
Further up the hill, I saw what looked to be a lone monastery. Nearly 30 minutes later, I crested the top of the hill and found a set of footsteps in the snow leading to a snow-covered field of prayer flags and prayer wheels next to a small stone house that puffed smoke from a metal chimney.
Approaching the small structure, I was warned off by a thrashing guard dog chained to the fence. As the dog barked, a lone maroon-clad monk stepped outside, waved at me with a luminous smile and returned to his home.
Elated but confused, I sat outside observing the prayer wheels and the glistening white peaks in the distance. It was the highest point I would reach in the Himalaya, and there was a quite beauty that took my breath away.
My Western sensibilities had me questioning how this man could live all alone at the top of this snow covered hill with his flags and wheels, but in an instant it all made sense.
I followed his footsteps down the far side of the hill. As I rounded a bumpy corner, I saw bellow me, along the valley edge, the terraced buildings of a bustling town.
There it was, the town I'd been looking for all along! Lubra had been a mere 20 minutes' walk further into the valley and I'd been tricked by a group of pilgrims into climbing a snowy hill up to the Heavens.
As I slid down the hill, a group of townspeople began pointing and waving. They invited me to join them on their roof for tea and I could not be more thankful for their hospitality.
I sat on a Tibetan rug as an old lady spun yaks wool next to me. The younger lady went downstairs to make tea, and when she returned, she brought with her a group of women.
As the women marched up onto the roof, I realized immediately that it was the pilgrims I had seen before. They took one look at me and erupted in an explosion of laughter.
Our host recounted the tale of watching me slide down the snowy hill as the whole group doubled over laughing.
I couldn't help but laugh too.
Out of their bags, the women removed an assortment of snacks and prepared me a plate. I reached into my backpack, and offered up some cookies and peanuts.
We sat together on the roof – me and the tickled Tibetan pilgrims – sipping tea, laughing and enjoying the afternoon sun.


text:
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text:
At least 13 people were killed after a fire broke out in bar in France, police said early Saturday local time.
The cause of the fire at the Cuba Libre club in Rouen, Normandy, is believed is have been accidental, a Rouen police commander told NBC News. A number of others were injured, police said, but an exact number was not immediately available, NBC News reported.
The local Paris-Normandie newspaper reported that the fire broke at around midnight as young people were gathered at the bar celebrating a birthday.
U.S. & World
It's the second tragedy in Normandy in the a little more than a week. An elderly priest was murdered by knife-wielding attackers linked to the terror group ISIS that took several nuns and worshippers hostage in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray on July 26. Both attackers were later shot dead by police.


text:
Developed By: iNFOTYKE
Aizawl: The Mizoram government and Hmar People's Convention (Democratic) will hold a third round of peace talks on Friday.
The HPC(D) delegation, for the first time since August 10 last, would be led by Working Chairman of the outfit Lalthangliana Hmar, Hmar sources on Tuesday said.
Lalthalien, a church leader in Imphal, who had led the HPC(D) delegation in the first and second rounds of talks, told PTI that Hmar would lead the delegation this time, while 'Deputy Army Chief' of the outfit Lalbiaknunga, earlier tipped to be included in the delegation will not be present.
Meanwhile, in a goodwill gesture by the government, HPC(D) 'Army Chief' Lalropuia Famhoite, who had been incarcerated at the Central Jail near here since last year, was released on bail by a local court on Monday.
Officials, however, did not comment on his likely participation in the talks. (PTI)


text:
In the middle of a phone call four years ago, Paula Niedenthal began to wonder what it really means to smile. The call came from a Russian reporter, who was interviewing Dr. Niedenthal about her research on facial expressions.
"At the end he said, 'So you are American?' " Dr. Niedenthal recalled.
Indeed, she is, although she was then living in France, where she had taken a post at Blaise Pascal University.
"So you know," the Russian reporter informed her, "that American smiles are all false, and French smiles are all true."
"Wow, it's so interesting that you say that," Dr. Niedenthal said diplomatically. Meanwhile, she was imagining what it would have been like to spend most of her life surrounded by fake smiles.
"I suddenly became interested in how people make these kinds of errors," Dr. Niedenthal said. But finding the source of the error would require knowing what smiles really are — where they come from and how people process them. And despite the fact that smiling is one of the most common things that we humans do, Dr. Niedenthal found science's explanation for it to be weak.
"I think it's pretty messed up," she said. "I think we don't know very much, actually, and it's something I want to take on."
To that end, Dr. Niedenthal and her colleagues have surveyed a wide range of studies, from brain scans to cultural observations, to build a new scientific model of the smile. They believe they can account not only for the source of smiles, but how people perceive them. In a recent issue of the journal Behavioral and Brain Sciences, they argue that smiles are not simply the expression of an internal feeling. Smiles in fact are only the most visible part of an intimate melding between two minds.
"It's an impressive, sophisticated analysis," said Adam Galinsky, a social psychologist at Northwestern University.
Psychologists have studied smiles carefully for decades, but mostly from the outside. When the zygomaticus major muscles in our cheeks contract, they draw up the corners of our mouths. But there's much more to a smile than that.
"A smile is not this floating thing, like a Cheshire Cat," said Dr. Niedenthal. "It's attached to a body." Sometimes the lips open to reveal teeth; sometimes they stay sealed. Sometimes the eyes crinkle. The chin rises with some smiles, and drops in others.
Cataloging these variations is an important first step, said Dr. Niedenthal, but it can't deliver an answer to the enigma of smiles. "People like to make dictionaries of the facial muscles to make a particular gesture, but there's no depth to that approach," she said.
Some researchers have tried to move deeper, to understand the states of mind that produce smiles. We think of them as signifying happiness, and indeed, researchers do find that the more intensely people contract their zygomaticus major muscles, the happier they say they feel. But this is far from an iron law. The same muscles sometimes contract when people are feeling sadness or disgust, for example.
The link between feelings and faces is even more mysterious. Why should any feeling cause us to curl up our mouths, after all? This is a question that Darwin pondered for years. An important clue, he said, is found in the faces of apes, which draw up their mouths as well. These expressions, Darwin argued, were also smiles. In other words, Mona Lisa inherited her endlessly intriguing smile from the grinning common ancestor she shared with chimpanzees.
Primatologists have been able to sort smiles into a few categories, and Dr. Niedenthal thinks that human smiles should be classified in the same way. Chimpanzees sometimes smile from pleasure, as when baby chimps play with each other. But chimpanzees also smile when they're trying to strengthen a social bond with another chimpanzee.
Dr. Niedenthal thinks that some human smiles fall into these categories as well. What's more, they may be distinguished by certain expressions. An embarrassed smile is often accompanied by a lowered chin, for example, while a smile of greeting often comes with raised eyebrows.
Chimpanzees sometimes smile not for pleasure or for a social bond, but for power. A dominant chimpanzee will grin and show its teeth. Dr. Niedenthal argues that humans flash a power grin as well — often raising their chin so as to look down at others.
" 'You're an idiot, I'm better than you'—that's what we mean by a dominant smile," said Dr. Niedenthal.
But making a particular facial expression is just the first step of a smile. Dr. Niedenthal argues that how another person interprets the smile is equally important. In her model, the brain can use three different means to distinguish a smile from some other expression.
One way people recognize smiles is comparing the geometry of a person's face to a standard smile. A second way is thinking about the situation in which someone is making an expression, judging if it's the sort where a smile would be expected.
But most importantly, Dr. Niedenthal argues, people recognize smiles by mimicking them. When a smiling person locks eyes with another person, the viewer unknowingly mimics a smile as well. In their new paper, Dr. Niedenthal and her colleagues point to a number of studies indicating that this imitation activates many of the same regions of the brain that are active in the smiler.
A happy smile, for example, is accompanied by activity in the brain's reward circuits, and looking at a happy smile can excite those circuits as well. Mimicking a friendly smile produces a different pattern of brain activity. It activates a region of the brain called the orbitofrontal cortex, which distinguishes feelings for people with whom we have a close relationship from others. The orbitofrontal cortex becomes active when parents see their own babies smile, for example, but not other babies.
If Dr. Niedenthal's model is correct, then studies of dominant smiles should reveal different patterns of brain activity. Certain regions associated with negative emotions should become active.
Embodying smiles not only lets people recognize smiles, Dr. Niedenthal argues. It also lets them recognize false smiles. When they unconsciously mimic a false smile, they don't experience the same brain activity as an authentic one. The mismatch lets them know something's wrong.
Other experts on facial expressions applaud Dr. Niedenthal's new model, but a number of them also think that parts of it require fine-tuning. "Her model fits really well along the horizontal dimension, but I have my doubts about the vertical," said Dr. Galinsky. He questions whether people observing a dominant smile would experience the feeling of power themselves. In fact, he points out, in such encounters, people tend to avoid eye contact, which Dr. Niedenthal says is central to her model.
Dr. Niedenthal herself is now testing the predictions of the model with her colleagues. In one study, she and her colleagues are testing the idea that mimicry lets people recognize authentic smiles. They showed pictures of smiling people to a group of students. Some of the smiles were genuine and others were fake. The students could readily tell the difference between them.
Then Dr. Niedenthal and her colleagues asked the students to place a pencil between their lips. This simple action engaged muscles that could otherwise produce a smile. Unable to mimic the faces they saw, the students had a much harder time telling which smiles were real and which were fake.
The scientists then ran a variation on the experiment on another group of students. They showed the same faces to the second group, but had them imagine the smiling faces belonged to salesclerks in a shoe store. In some cases the salesclerks had just sold the students a pair of shoes — in which they might well have a genuine smile of satisfaction. In other trials, they imagined that the salesclerks were trying to sell them a pair of shoes — in which case they might be trying to woo the customer with a fake smile.
In reality, the scientists use a combination of real and fake smiles for both groups of salesclerks. When the students were free to mimic the smiles, their judgments were not affected by what the salesclerk was doing.
But if the students put a pencil in their mouth, they could no longer rely on their mimicry. Instead, they tended to believe that the salesclerks who were trying to sell them shoes were faking their smiles — even when their smiles were genuine. Likewise, they tended to say that the salesclerks who had finished the sale were smiling for real, even when they weren't. In other words, they were forced to rely on the circumstances of the smile, rather than the smile itself.
Dr. Niedenthal and her colleagues have also been testing the importance of eye contact for smiles. They had students look at a series of portraits, like the "Laughing Cavalier" by the 17th-century artist Frans Hals. In some portraits the subject looked away from the viewer, while in others, the gaze was eye to eye. In some trials, the students looked at the paintings with bars masking the eyes.
The participants rated how emotional the impact of the painting was. Dr. Niedenthal and her colleagues found, as they had predicted, that people felt a bigger emotional impact when the eyes were unmasked than when they were masked. The smile was identical in each painting, but it was not enough on its own. What's more, the differences were greater when the portrait face was making direct eye contact with the viewer.
Dr. Niedenthal suspects that she and other psychologists are just starting to learn secrets about smiles that artists figured out centuries ago. It may even be possible someday to understand why Mona Lisa's smile is so powerful. "I would say the reason it was so successful is because you achieve eye contact with her," said Dr. Niedenthal, "and so the fact that the meaning of her smile is complicated is doubly communicated, because your own simulation of it is mysterious and difficult."


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Plenty has changed for Helton in retirement
After 16 straight Opening Day starts with Rockies, first baseman enjoying time away
DENVER -- For 16 years, during several last-place seasons and a 2007 trip to the World Series, there was one Opening Day constant with the Colorado Rockies -- Todd Helton at first base.
Emphasis on the past tense.
Helton retired at the end of last season, saying it was time for him to get on with his life, spend more time with his family and enjoy things that over the years he has had to miss out on because of his athletic efforts.
He is a man of his word.
The Rockies, having lost three of four in Miami to open the season, welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks to Coors Field for their home opener on Friday afternoon.
For the first time in 17 years, he won't be wearing No. 17 and in the lineup. No, Helton, his wife and two daughters will be following the Rockies from afar.
"We'll be up at the ranch, just enjoying the day," he said of the spread he owns in Northern Colorado. "I'll have the game on, for sure. I've got a lot of friends on the team and I wish them all the best."
Helton, however, knows he is no longer part of the Rockies' present or future.
He is a part of the past, a part important enough that his No. 17 will be the first number retired in franchise history on Aug. 17, the finale in a weekend that will be dedicated to celebrating his career in which he set franchise records for virtually every offensive record, including 369 home runs, 1,406 RBIs and 2,247 games played.
He was the Rockies' first-round Draft pick out of the University of Tennessee in 1995, and in August 1997, he made his big league debut, playing primary left field the last two months of that season. He moved into the first-base role the next spring, taking over for Andres Galarraga, who had been the Rockies' first baseman in their first five years of existence.
That, however, is part of the past.
Justin Morneau was signed on the free-agent market in the offseason to fill the first-base vacancy for the Rockies.
And Helton is moving on, the best way he knows how -- by keeping his distance.
"I'm not a player anymore," he said. "I want to separate myself a little bit."
At some point, Helton most likely will assume a non-playing role with the Rockies. The native of Knoxville is, after all, continuing to live in the Denver area. He is, however, not ready for the transition right now.
That's why he declined an invitation to spend some time in Scottsdale, Ariz., during Spring Training.
"It got a little weird when the season started," said Helton. "I've played baseball since I can remember, and suddenly the game was being played and I wasn't one of the guys playing. … I'm sure it's going to be weird on Friday, too."
That, however, is part of retirement. It's about moving on in life. It's about new experiences, like having family time while the Major League season is being played.
"Christy," Helton said of his wife, "says I used to go into a submarine once the season started. I was isolated from everything else."
Not now, though.
Helton has been hunting, like always. He went to the Super Bowl as a guest of Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, who replaced Helton as the quarterback at the University of Tennessee.
But that's not all.
"I skied, rode horses, play golf, [coached daughter Tierney Faith's] basketball team," he said. "I had a lot of kid time. It was fun. I went skiing and played golf the same day in Vail. I always wanted to do that."
It was different. As a professional baseball player, skiing and horseback riding were on his no-can-do list.
"I had been skiing once," he said. "When I was a freshman in college, a friend of mine and I went to Lake Tahoe."
The macho athlete in Helton won out when he hit the slopes this time around. He declined the suggestion of lessons.
"I got lessons for the kids," he said. "It wouldn't have hurt me to get a couple lessons, too. I'm not very good. But I did have a good time."
He did get some horseback lessons, though. Binion Cervi, one of the top rodeo stock contractors in world and a close friend of Helton, hooked Helton up with Stormy Mullins, event coordinator for the Georgetown, Texas, Mustang Heritage Foundation.
Cervi told Helton that Mullins "is one of the best horse trainers in the country," and after working with Mullins, Helton endorses that recommendation.
"I was always uncomfortable on a horse, but I went down and worked with Stormy, and he really helped me understand what riding horses was about," said Helton. "It's something new I am getting to experience. Things change."
They have for Helton.
And they have for the Rockies, as well.


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Buying a new home with the Pachecos
After four months of following Sarah and Fernando Pacheco through the ups and downs of buying their first home, the sale has finally closed and they are moved in. Although they had wanted to hang on to their "townie cards," Oahu's current inventory crunch posed extra challenges to their budget, and they ended up buying in West/Central Oahu.
Their new place is in a quiet, master-planned community, with tree-lined streets, nearby parks, recreation options and more. Best of all, they got the extra space they need, and the little yard they wanted.
Knowing that they had bought a distressed property, they were fully prepared to give the place an overhaul with cleaning and whatever improvements they could do make it livable. The previous owner had not lived there for two years, so everything was abandoned—there was even a two-year-old sack of onions left in the kitchen. Although they closed on March 11, the Pachecos had to get right to work cleaning (more like scouring) the place from top to bottom and repainting everything before they could really live there. They're still cleaning and renovating, but have made most of the major fixes needed.
"Talk about a crash course in home improvement. I'm a pro at the Lowe's do-it-yourself videos now," Fernando says, pointing to the various things he's fixed or changed. "I'm particularly proud of the bathroom sink."
"To save money on a renting a U-haul, we had a seven-person caravan of friends come over and pick up stuff from our old place. We're so grateful for our friends that have supported us in this move," Fernando says. "The next step is to finish unpacking, and then we'll have a chaplain come in to bless our place."
So ends the house-hunting adventure for the Pachecos … as they start their adventure as homeowners. If you have any advice for them, leave it in the comments below!


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Timeline: Women at UVA
Caroline Preston Davis passes the exam for a B.A. in mathematics, but instead of receiving a degree, she gets a crossed-out diploma marked "certificate of proficiency."
Addis M. Meade receives a master's degree in mathematics. Later that year, the Faculty and Board of Visitors vote against admitting women under any circumstances.
Women, except African-American women, are admitted to two-year nursing diploma program at UVA hospital.
A bill to establish a co-ordinate women's college in Charlottesville passes the state Senate, but fails in the House by two votes.
The General Assembly decides to admit women to graduate and professional programs at UVA. That fall, 17 women enroll.
UVA receives $50,000 from the Graduate Nurses' Association for the establishment of a School of Nursing.
Several faculty wives and daughters are accepted in the College.
Alice Jackson focuses national attention on the school's discriminatory admissions policies when she applies to the school, the first African-American to do so. Denied admission to the French graduate program, she eventually goes on to graduate from Columbia University.
Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg becomes affiliated with UVA as the "co-ordinate school" for women.
President Edgar F. Shannon Jr. appoints a University committee to consider admitting women to the College of Arts and Sciences.
The committee concludes that the existing arrangement "unfairly discriminates against women" and comes out in support of their admittance. The following year, the committee finds that UVA is the only state university that, by not opening its main campus to women, forces them to attend a separate college 65 miles away.
While the student-run Honor Committee declares that coeducation will "hurt" the Honor System, the Board of Visitors drops its ban against women in the College, and UVA adopts a policy of voluntary "gradualism." First step: It will accept student and faculty wives and daughters.
UVA alumnus John Lowe initiates an ACLU-backed lawsuit against UVA, and a U.S. Circuit Court panel requires UVA to consider the application of Virginia Scott and to phase in coeducation over two years.
The first class of 450 undergraduate women (39 percent of the class) enters UVA. The number of men admitted remains constant.
Women compose 55 percent of the undergraduate student body.
–timeline created by Special Collections, University of Virginia Library. Sources include Alumni News, Office of Admissions, Women's Center


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Maine lawmakers submit 1,780 bills ahead of submission deadline
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) � Maine lawmakers have submitted 1,780 bills for consideration this session.
The Maine Senate President and House Speaker released a statement Sunday saying the number submitted before Friday's deadline is down from the first session of the previous Legislature two years ago, when 1,899 proposed laws were submitted before the deadline. This year's number will go down once duplicate bills are identified.
In the past 20 years, the number of bills submitted before the deadline has ranged from under 1,700 in 2009 to more than 2,600 in 1999.
A full list of this year's bill titles listed by subject matter is expected to be released on Jan. 28.
In the event of emergencies or other developing issues, additional bills can be introduced after the deadline with approval of legislative leaders.


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To 300 More!
WWHL's Reseach Associate Producer celebrates our 300th episode with Sonja Morgan, cake, and licking.
Happy 300th episode! As I reflect back on all the shows, the late nights, and the amazing talent that have graced our tiny studio, I can't help but think: my job is better than your job. Okay, maybe not better than everyone else's job, I'm no astronaut, but it is pretty amazing. Take this week as an example:
On Monday Sonja Morgan signed the wall of our cubicle. After her Clubhouse appearance, she decided to chat it up with some of the WWHL team and thought it was only appropriate to leave a note: "Sonja adds spice to #wwhl and #wwhl adds spice to Sonja." Now every time I need some inspiration, I just have to glance over my shoulder and I am filled with toaster-oven loving, headband wearing, Sonja in the City vibes.
On Tuesday we celebrated two birthdays at WWHL. We celebrate everyone's birthdays. Always. You can try to hide it, but we will track you down and celebrate you. We will creep up on you when you least expect it, serenade you with an off-key rendition of "Happy Birthday", present you with your favorite candle covered dessert, and leave you with the Alex McCord red flush of embarrassment. Tuesday we celebrated Tori and Christie's birthdays! Check out the cake. It rhymed. (It's WWHL, of course it did.)
On Wednesday's WWHL, Tom Colicchio and our TCM finalists played The Quick Fire Lick Fire Challenge. I am proud to say that my partner in crime, Christie, and I came up with the idea for this game. We started by thinking of all the words that rhymed with quick…brick, tick, wick, LICK! Licking is funny! The Quick Fire Lick Fire Challenge was born. After coming up with the name, we knew it had to be a blindfolded food licking game. (Although I also pitched a version of the game that involved the guests racing to lick alcohol out of a kitty dish. I don't know why that one was rejected.)
Watching the game play out in rehearsal, which at that point had been tweaked, finessed, and perfected by a team of talented WWHL producers, I couldn't help but think, how lucky am I to get paid to come up with this stuff?!
In case you missed it, the game was amazing: it was phallic, it was juvenile, it was hysterical, it was so WWHL.
Follow WWHL at @BravoWWHL.


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I let the Pathfinder (D&D/WNG/Wednesday Night) group know I wouldn't be back playing after taking a number of breaks. First break was during the loss of who would have been our third child (it's right around that time now), then after the layoff I didn't much feel like leaving the house and after a short bit back, I took another break because of family scheduling (kids were in soccer 3/5 week nights and which fell on TheWife's gym nights) where I took one for the Family Team. I was supposed to go back but when the day of return surprised me (literally – I didn't know until that day that it was the day I was supposed to get back to it) I realized it just wasn't a priority any more.
I miss the night out and miss the guys – somewhat. Looking over the forums I see things I didn't miss. Like arguing over (or discussing at length) tracking 1-2 pounds of food which really only ever comes into play if someone can cast Create Food and Water while someone else is 1-2 pounds away from the next level of encumbrance.
Really guys? Definition of pedantic.
That wasn't intended to offend – in some ways it's reassuring that I wasn't the sole source of such things. And in some ways I miss it… the arguing.
Here's how you deal with it. The one casting Create Food and Water says, "Guys, I'm giving you one day's worth of food and water so if you're two pounds away from the next encumbrance level, you're going to bump into the level until you eat lunch…. or take a dump after breakfast. K? No one is that close to their next encumbrance level? Cool."(The 'dump' bit wasn't in the rules, I added that part for color… brown color, otherwise see a doctor.)
That said, it's not the reason I left at all. As I said above, it just wasn't a priority. I had been considering dropping it before but certain people talked me out of it (for the record: pre-Qwerty and then post-Qwerty; they know what I'm talking about) and I hung on for awhile longer.
It's a good group of guys that has lasted for a long time (over 10 years now?) and I'm hoping to pop out to the odd pub night they have if they end up canceling a game evening…


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Monday, May 14, 2007
Chicken Breasts with Herbs De Provence and Mushrooms
This simple dish combines a rich mushroom pan sauce, with moist chicken breasts scented with "Herbs De Provence." Herbs De Provence is a mixture of dried herbs from the South of France, and usually includes Basil, Thyme, Savory, Rosemary, Tarragon, Lavender, Fennel, Marjoram and Chervil. You should be able to find it in the dried spice/herb section of any major grocery store. Be sure to look carefully before you buy it, it should be a nice fresh green color. If it's brown and faded, it's probably old and not flavorful. This herb mixture is a staple in my kitchen and should be found in any serious cook's pantry. And yes, before you ask, of course you can make the same dish without the mushrooms. Enjoy.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups chicken stock/broth
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 tbl herbs de Provence (so not optional)
2 cloves garlic
black pepper and salt to taste
3 tbl olive oil
3 tbl unsalted butter
fresh herbs to garnish (optional)
23 comments:
- Tyler Hinkle said...
I kind of wish you would bore us with why it would stick, and what to do about it. Perhaps you can bore us here.
- May 14, 2007 at 3:36 PM
- Chef John said...
ok since you asked. Chicken breasts, without skin, sticks very easily to non-coated pans, and then they tears when you try and turn them and you soon have shredded chicken strips! Most home cooks dont use the nice thick bottomed Stainless steel (SS) pans that are common in the pro kitchen. Which are very heavy and dense and when heated to a very high temp will sear the suface of the chicken and it wont stick. At home, most cooks dont use these pro-quality pans and dont heat them to the high temps needed to sear skinless breasts without sticking (think smoke alarm sound) So for these 2 main reasons the non-stick is a safer bet. The home cook can get a nice sear at a lower temp and not have to worry about tearing the meat. Its amazing how hot those restaurant cooks gets the SS pans before the meat goes in. the home cook doesnt have the luxury of the industrial fan exhust system!
- May 14, 2007 at 5:24 PM
- Beans said...
looks yummy and fuss-free.. my kind of recipe! can't wait to give this a try =)
- May 14, 2007 at 5:34 PM
- Tyler Hinkle said...
Ah! Thanks for the info. I was curious, because it was my understanding that you shouldn't use non-stick when you are planning on creating a pan sauce because you don't get the fond that you would from non-non-stick.
- May 14, 2007 at 6:56 PM
- Chef John said...
Yes, you are correct. Again, I try to balance the proper technique with the realities of the home cook viewer. For those marinated skinless breasts the degree of difficulty would have been very high in a non-coated pan. Besides, as you noticed the sauce was full flavored and didnt suffer greatly from the lack of fond in the pan. Also, dont forget, for non-stick sauteing the "fond" actually does built on the meat itself to some degree. If you watch the Chicken Marsala clipagain you will see me use the SS pan and build a fond, but the chicken had skin on.
- May 14, 2007 at 8:48 PM
- Tyler Hinkle said...
I appreciate you looking out for us n00bs. ^_^
- May 15, 2007 at 1:31 PM
I lust after BTUs :D
Well maybe not, but but I really would like to have the oomph at home to get that incredible searing heat. Alas, I do not.
I also appreciate the explanation it (hopefully) gives me the background to make decisions when making other dishes.
- May 22, 2007 at 1:02 AM
- KrazyKook said...
You're such a great help in my kitchen!! I had taken out boneless pork chops..wanted something different so of course I come looking for your help. Yes, you posted this for chicken, but I replaced it with chops and served over rice...You Be The Man Again!!
- January 22, 2009 at 10:54 PM
Hello, your blog is great and video's are very helpful. thank you. Should I use regular olive oil or extra virgin olive oil?
- February 5, 2010 at 12:21 PM
- Chef John said...
- February 5, 2010 at 2:26 PM
Hi Chef! I tried making this last night.. The sauce was still too watery even after I simmered the chicken in it for awhile. What could have caused this? I added about a tablespoon more flour to thicken it, but the flour formed into small lumps which took awhile to disappear. Some smaller lumps didnt totally disappear. What caused this and what can I do to avoid this next time? Also, what's the difference between using flour and cornstarch to thicken sauce? Thanks! :)
- October 4, 2010 at 8:21 PM
- Chef John said...
You can't add raw flour to a sauce. So don't. Just boil the sauce on high until it reduces. (without the cooked chicken in it so it doesnt overcook)
Cornstarch can be used at the end, which I will demo in a vid this week.
- October 4, 2010 at 8:42 PM
- Atif said...
Made this last night with some penne, and I let the pasta absorb the sauce just like in your other videos ;)
- January 27, 2011 at 2:09 PM
- sequimteeth said...
Wow, nice recipe. Used shitake instead of button (cause I had 'em) but other than that stayed exactly to the method and ingredients. It was a super meal! Served with asparagus risoto and a small salad paired with a syrah. It came out just as you showed it would. Thank you. This one is worth a donation. :-)
- May 4, 2011 at 11:22 PM
This dish turned out very well. i wish i would had turned the heat to medium when the flour was added. Also maybe a tsp to a tsp and a half of herbes de provence. thanks chef
- August 26, 2011 at 1:42 PM
Hello Chef John. New to your site, but love what I've seen so far. What a great thing you're doing here! One quick question for this recipe...would a cast iron skillet be appropriate to use for this? Thanks!
- February 23, 2012 at 11:14 AM
- Chef John said...
- February 23, 2012 at 11:56 AM
- Billy Lykken said...
Chef John tonight I used your pork tenderloin technique and applied this recipe to it. It turned out delicious, thanks!! xo
- April 7, 2013 at 9:32 PM
- Zesty said...
Thank you chef John!! I just made this for dinner today and my boyfriend loved it. It has so much flavor and the herbes de provence made the kitchen smell like a fancy restaurant. The only thing i changed was using portobello mushroom. All in all this recipe was a HIT!!! thank you again.. love watching and surfing your site for delicious recipe, it never fails me :)
- April 17, 2013 at 10:24 PM
- Unknown said...
This dish is ridiculously awesome and easy. The sauce was so good, I wished I had doubled the recipe. Being new to cooking, I'm not quite brave enough to make any kind of changes yet. My husband loved this dish and can't wait to have it again. Thanks Chef John, once again you've hit it out of the park.
- April 2, 2014 at 11:11 PM
- NoUseForAName said...
Hey - can this be made in advance and reheated? If so, any changes to be made in the preparation?
- September 26, 2016 at 1:51 PM
- Unknown said...
Do i double the ingredients if I use 4 chicken breast.
- October 3, 2016 at 6:07 PM
- Jeff said...
You mentioned salting the breasts before searing, but I didn't see that happen in the video. Did you salt them at all? If so, kosher salt, fine salt...???
- April 28, 2019 at 5:41 PM


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There are two things you can usually count on from any half-decent political thriller: A passel of government officials who seek to keep their nefarious plans hidden from the public and heroes who will be subjected to almost constant surveillance. These elements are present in everything from The Parallax View (1974) to Eagle Eye (2008), reflecting our real-life anxieties about the uneasy tradeoffs we make between security and privacy.* Closed Circuit, the new political thriller set in dreary contemporary London, is content to play by these well-established rules. But there are enough genuine moments of surprise to make this genre exercise an invigorating one.
The stakes are high from the film's very first moments. As surveillance cameras look on from every conceivable angle, a white van explodes in the middle of a bustling London marketplace. Not long after, a suspected international terrorist is apprehended and jailed, his case quickly dubbed "the trial of the century." But not your standard trial of the century. The government announces that the trial will include a closed session for the presentation of classified evidence, the details of which will be kept secret from both the defendant, one Farroukh Erdogan (Denis Moschitto), and his lawyer.
Luckily for Erdogan, such closed sessions call for the appointment of a Special Advocate, a barrister who represents the interests of the defendant during the secret proceedings; Claudia Simmons-Howe (Rebecca Hall) takes on that role for Erdogan. The script pulls off an admirably swift explanation of the SA's role for those of us unfamiliar with the British legal system: The SA has access to both the nonclassified material as well as the closed material. But once she has seen the latter, she is prohibited from speaking directly with the defendant or the defendant's lawyer—all communication must go through the Special Advocate Support Office, to prevent disclosure of classified information. In addition to attending the closed sessions, Claudia is to be present for all of the open sessions to examine how the defendant's lawyers are presenting the case.
As if the SA's job weren't complicated enough already, Claudia's got history with Erdogan's lawyer, Martin Rose (Eric Bana), who takes over after Erdogan's first lawyer suddenly turns up dead. Martin and Claudia share a fraught romantic past, and plenty of pent up tension, but Martin convinces her not to disclose their previous relationship so they can both undertake the career-defining assignment at hand.
Unsurprisingly, they are unable to adhere to the strict rules of their jobs for very long, as the film briskly follows the two as they close in on the nature of Erdogan's involvement with the attack. Martin's efforts are closely monitored by the never-named attorney general (played sinisterly by Jim Broadbent), who tosses around thinly veiled threats whenever Martin hovers too closely to the truth. Meanwhile, Claudia must contend with an omnipresent MI5 agent (Riz Ahmed), who introduces himself as an aide but ultimately proves more of a hindrance.
Director John Crowley and screenwriter Steve Knight successfully conjure a post-9/11 and 7/7 society under surveillance, with security cameras frequently serving as the viewer's lens. And they do a good job of steadily ratcheting up the suspense as well. As Martin and Claudia's investigations begin to converge, Closed Circuit continues to raise the stakes and put the ex-lovers in increasing danger. At the outset, the seasoned lawyers exhibit some of the jadedness that characterized the public response to the leaked details of the NSA's surveillance program earlier this year. But the more they learn about the government's dirty tactics, the more they take on a very real paranoia. The film's message is alarmist, but in this summer of Snowden, perhaps not so fantastical: So long as Claudia and Martin do as the government insists, they'll be fine. When they don't, the consequences are swift and harsh.
It all makes for solid entertainment, though the film does suffer from an undercooked finale. After months of overlong blockbusters, Closed Circuit offers a good, swift pace (it clocks in at just around 90 minutes), but the last few moments take that brevity to an extreme, explaining away the outcome of the trial via brief dialogue laid over an aerial shot of London. The ending is abrupt, and the film as a whole won't linger in your mind long afterward in the way that superior surveillance-themed films like The Conversation do—but for now, at least, there's enough real-world government intrigue afoot to give Closed Circuit a scarily resonant kick.
Correction, Aug. 30, 2013: This review originially misstated the date that Parallax Review was released. It was released in 1974, not 1962. (Return to the corrected sentence.)