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Sawyer Moves to ABC Nightly News; Year-End Wrap-Up
Aired December 27, 2009 - 10:10 ET
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KING (voice-over): From President Obama's first year in office to the scandals that engulfed prominent politicians and celebrities. How did the media cover the big stories of 2009? Plus, ABC's Dianne Sawyer moves from weekday morning interviews to the nightly news anchor chair. In this hour of STATE OF THE UNION, Howard Kurtz, as always, breaks it down with his RELIABLE SOURCES. (END VIDEOTAPE) KURTZ: There was no drum roll, no neon signs, no pictures on buses as Diane Sawyer took possession of the ABC anchor chair. But that doesn't mean her debut was exactly low key. Sawyer, as the cliche goes, needed no introduction. The one-time Louisville weather girl, as they were called in those days, went from the Nixon White House to CBS's morning show to 60 minutes, to ABC's "Primetime Live" to "Good Morning America" before succeeding Charlie Gibson on "World News." And while the network decided against a big promotional campaign, Sawyer generated some attention on her own, landing an interview with Iran's president for her first evening news broadcast. She got up early to preview the scoop at her old hangout, GMA. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DIANE SAWYER, ABC ANCHOR: I had a chance to push President Ahmadinejad on exactly what Senator McCain was talking about, whether time is running out, whether he's ready to come back to the table, and what about that report that he was developing a trigger device. ROBIN ROBERTS, HOST, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": And we are excited to see you begin this new adventure. (APPLAUSE) SAWYER: Thank you my friends. (END CLIP) KURTZ (voice-over): When the broadcast began, there was no speech, no mission statement. Just this. SAWYER: Good evening, and it is so good to be here with you tonight. KURTZ: But Sawyer has a way of letting viewers know she cares about, for instance, the impact of the Senate health care measure. SAWYER: The heart of the matter is what the bill means for American families and their health. And you have been sending us questions all day. Dan Harris (ph) tackles the top of the list. KURTZ: And then came the exclusive sit-down with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. SAWYER: Critics of Iran saying this is the smoking gun. Have you been testing a neutron initiator? MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, IRANIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I think that some of the claims made by the Americans and other Western statesmen about our nuclear issue have turned into a repetitive and tasteless joke. SAWYER: Would you like to see this document? Is it a joke? AHMADINEJAD: No. I don't want to see them at all. I don't. (END VIDEOTAPE) KURTZ: So what do the critics have to say about "World News" with Diane Sawyer? And what does the revamped program mean for ABC? Joining us now in Philadelphia, Gail Shister, columnist of the Web site TVNewser, and a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. And here in Washington, David Zurawik, television and media critic for The Baltimore Sun who likes to blog Z on TV. David Zurawik, would you say as an anchor that Diane Sawyer has a more emotional style? DAVID ZURAWIK, THE BALTIMORE SUN: Sure. There's no doubt about it. And in fact they're presenting her in a more personal and up close kind of way. KURTZ: How? ZURAWIK: Well, the camera is much tighter on her for one thing. I was struck the first night. I thought, oh, my God, we're right on top of her. But it works with her. It works with her. Across the board that news cast cosmetically is a warmer, more inviting place. The lights seemed brighter. The graphics -- and they said they are using new graphics... KURTZ: Right. ZURAWIK: ... that seem larger. It's very attractive. Even -- one of nights last week -- how she was wearing a pin-striped suit. But it was either beige or cream. It was softer. It wasn't gray or black. It's a much more inviting kind of place. KURTZ: Usually we don't do fashion reviews on this program... (CROSSTALK) ZURAWIK: No. No. No. KURTZ: So I'll go to Gail Shister... ZURAWIK: But they haven't sacrificed the journalism one bit. That's the point I want to make, Howie. KURTZ: Gail Shister, how well did Diane make the transition from morning news to the evening show. GAIL SHISTER, TVNEWSER.COM: Well, first of all, Howie, I personally have no problem being right on top of Diane Sawyer. So that -- that was not a problem for me. I think when you've got somebody that classy, and -- and visually attractive, why not get up close with her? I don't think they're going to stay that close every single news cast. I thought she made a seam -- a seamless transition. I was pleasantly surprised at how seamless it was. She... KURTZ: Well, why does USA Today in the review say: "The question is whether she has the gravitas to be an evening news anchor?" After all that she has accomplished? SHISTER: I think that's ludicrous. ZURAWIK: I do too. I think it's outrageous. (CROSSTALK) SHISTER: That is a -- a ludicrous statement. She has proved it over and over and over again. But I have to say something because Zurawik brought up what color suit she was wearing. (LAUGHTER) SHISTER: And thank you, Zurawik. I can always count on you. I was very pleased to see -- that -- to see no mention anywhere that I read of her make-up, her hair, or her clothing. And I think that she owes a big debt to Katie Couric for -- for taking all the hits. When she went on first, she was a pioneer. KURTZ: Well, have we -- let me with you for a second, Gail. Have we come now to the point -- you -- you remember three years ago. I mean, the media went haywire... SHISTER: Sure. KURTZ: ... over Katie Couric's CBS debut. Are we now at the point where we don't have to say, wow, two of the three network anchors are women? SHISTER: I think it's a tremendous sign of progress. Now you could look at it both ways. Some people say it's a sign of our progress as a culture. And some people are saying -- the cynics are saying it's a reflection of the -- the demotion of the job as -- in terms of glamour. That it's -- it's no longer the pinnacle of glamour for people in journalism. Therefore, it has gone to two women. I don't subscribe.... ZURAWIK: I don't -- I don't... SHISTER: ... to that. ZURAWIK: Yes. I don't think it's about the pinnacle of glamour. I think it still is. And I think putting Diane Sawyer in that chair proves that the networks still believe it is the pinnacle of journalistic excellence at the network. And I think in Couric and Sawyer we have two really outstanding journalists. And we have the best journalists at their network in those jobs. KURTZ: You -- you wrote this week... ZURAWIK: Yes. KURTZ: ... that Katie Couric and Diane Sawyer are now the two strongest journalistic forces on network TV. ZURAWIK: Yes. KURTZ: What kind of anti-male discrimination is that? ZURAWIK: I was worried... (CROSSTALK) ZURAWIK: I was worried about being on with Gail. No. (LAUGHTER) ZURAWIK: No. And -- and I -- and, Howie, I preface that by saying this is no knock on Brian Williams, who is the number one rated anchorman, and who I also like. But I think both of those journalists are really -- they're outstanding interviewers. They both have, Howie, really the kind of killer instinct that Dan Rather had to really go for a story and get it -- number two. And that's why that thing from USA Today is so outrageous. She has sat in that anchor chair. She made this transition a million years ago. KURTZ: But you know, the anchors are also the managing editors of their broadcasts. And they make choices about journalistic stories. So on Tuesday night, Diane Sawyer "World News" led with this story, which was also covered on the other broadcasts, but not in the lead position. Take a quick look. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "ABC WORLD NEWS WITH DIANE SAWYER") SAWYER: Good evening. Out of nowhere tonight a brewing storm. An Army general in Iraq has issued an order to his troops which makes getting pregnant a punishable offense for the man and the woman involved. (END VIDEO CLIP) KURTZ: Now, Gail Shister, is it possible that a male anchor just wouldn't have thought that was a story that was so important as to merit the number one spot at the top of the news cast? SHISTER: I would like to think that that's not true. However, my gut tells me it probably is true. I thought it was a terrific choice for the lead. I think it's going to affect possibly hundreds, maybe thousands, of women and men. And it is seen by a lot of women as -- as a very anti-female kind of -- kind of rule. I think it was -- outside the box, I liked it. KURTZ: By starting with the Ahmadinejad interview, David Zurawik, ABC and Diane Sawyer kind of took the focus off her and put it on the news. What do you make of this whole approach of putting her on four days before Christmas? No doing -- no interviews. No big promotional campaign. Does that make sense? ZURAWIK: I think it does make sense. And I think -- she was on four days. It was started four days before Christmas, because they wanted to play it low key. I mean -- again, as you said in the introduction, that -- what we went through with Katie Couric was just insane. You know? And -- and -- and we should all probably in some ways apologize to Katie Couric, because it took a while for us to all step back and say, "You know what? She's a great journalist. And she's doing a great job in this." A great job at that anchor desk. KURTZ: She also -- and has now -- has since regretted it, probably moved a little too quickly on... ZURAWIK: Yes. KURTZ: ... making a lot of changes in the CBS "Evening News", which had alienated some of the audience. It looked to me that -- I mean Diane Sawyer chatted rather casually with some correspondents. There were other little tweaks. But it really wasn't that different from the Gibson... ZURAWIK: Howie, I thought about that. You know, I like Diane Sawyer bringing the correspondents out and talking to them. It brings energy onto the set. It's a great thing. And she doesn't have to carry it herself. And then I thought back and thought, "Wow, when Katie Couric tried that, we all jumped on her." You know? And they are both superb interviewers. So it was right for Couric in a way to try to do that. She caught flack for it. We're sitting here and saying it's a good idea. You know what? SHISTER: Yes, but I... ZURAWIK: It was a good idea for both of them. SHISTER: I have to jump in here, Howie. Is that I think that they approached it in different ways. I think that -- that Katie in some ways was set up as a sex symbol in this -- in that they took the long shots of her legs. There was a long discussion about her legs, and her make up. And -- and ABC isn't going anywhere near there. So part of it is probably not even Katie's fault. One thing I want to -- I want to bring up is that... KURTZ: Just briefly. SHISTER: ... I think that the slow -- the quiet launch of Diane was a brilliant idea, because it doesn't set unrealistic expectations. But more importantly, it saves an enormous amount of money for ABC, and perhaps they can hire another correspondent. KURTZ: All right, David, I've got 15 seconds. Over time, could Diane Sawyer improve on Charlie Gibson's numbers? That is the ... ZURAWIK: I think she will. (CROSSTALK) ZURAWIK: I -- I absolutely think she will. And I think she's going to get baby boomer viewers. And baby -- baby boomer women who are going to be pleased to see somebody like Diane Sawyer in that thing (ph). It says the battles that they fought in news rooms and in job fronts, they won in some ways. I think it's very reassuring and very pleasurable to see her in that chair. KURTZ: The critics, of course, will keep an eye on the numbers. David Zurawik, Gail Shister, thanks very much for joining us. Coming up in the second half of RELIABLE SOURCES, we move down the hall for a year in review from David Letterman to Tiger Woods. The media couldn't resist the series of scandals that played out in 2009. And did journalists send President Obama into the stratosphere this past year only to watch him falter. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) CROWLEY: I'm Candy Crowley and this is "STATE OF THE UNION". Here are stories breaking this Sunday morning. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says at this point there's no indication an attempted terror attack on a U.S. airliner is part of a larger terrorist plot. The lone suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab has been charged with trying to destroy a Northwest jet Friday by igniting a small explosive in his lap. Napolitano says officials are investigating how he boarded that plane with the explosive. Tensions are high in Iran. A massive crackdown is under way. Police are patrolling the streets of Tehran in an effort to put down anti-government rallies that have been popping up during a major religious observance. Opposition Web sites say three protesters have been killed. Since Iran's disputed presidential elections in June, protesters have turned public gatherings into rallies against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Those are your top stories here on "STATE OF THE UNION". Coming up, Howard Kurtz and his RELIABLE SOURCES looks at President Obama's first year in office. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) KURTZ: It's been a head snapping year for media organizations, which have struggled to cover the news even as they've cut their budgets -- slashed their staffs. Those that haven't shut their doors, of course. In 2009 we grappled with the seemingly endless effort to pass health care reform and a new Supreme Court justice. With Michael Jackson's death and the investigation that followed, with the almost bizarre comet downfall of Rob Blagojevich. With the tabloid tale that forced Tiger Woods off the golf course. Not to mention the tawdry sex scandals involving Mark Sanford and John Ensign. But the biggest story had to President Obama's first year in office. And what happened to him after the media made him an almost mythic figure during the inauguration. Remember when "Time" and "Newsweek" couldn't decide whether the new president was more like Lincoln or FDR? Well, that certainly changed. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JAMES CARVILLE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice- over): This is something unbelievable. I mean the -- the crowd. Just the entire thing. JIM ANGLE, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: This is an affirmation of all we hold dear in America. That any person of any station -- and now of any color -- can rise to the most important post in the land. AL ROKER, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It doesn't hurt, I should say, that he's -- he's a good looking guy. You know, so I -- I think -- you know? And look, this is a guy -- this is a president who can take his shirt off, you know? KATIE COURIC, CBS NEWS HOST: The president under pressure. His job approval ratings slide as he wrestles with everything from job creation to the future of Afghanistan. CHIP REID, CBS NEWS CORRESPONDENT: The president is getting battered on everything from health care, to the economy, to foreign policy. Some polls show Americans are increasingly questioning his credibility. SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: With the president's approval rating dipping below 50 percent in some polls, it's clear the health care debate is taking a toll. (END VIDEO CLIP) KURTZ: Joining us now to talk about the media's performance this past year, Jessica Yellin, national political correspondent for CNN. Lauren Ashburn, president of Ashburn Media, and a former managing editor of "USA Today." Nationally syndicated radio talk show host Bill Press. And Chris Stirewalt, political editor and columnist for the "Washington Examiner." Lauren Ashburn, did the media inflate the expectations surrounding Barack Obama to an almost unrealistic degree, and now are chronicling (ph) the disappointment? LAUREN ASHBURN, ASHBURN MEDIA: Of course. Of course they are. He was as some -- some people put it the second coming, almost. KURTZ: And he could take his shirt off. ASHBURN: Yes. Well, yes. I'm in. I don't know. But you know, it -- I mean I think that the problem became that he had two very quick legislative victories, right? He did the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act right away. He had the economic stimulus right away. KURTZ: And then... ASHBURN: And then we waited, and we waited. And then Copenhagen came. And he went to Chicago -- he went to Copenhagen for the Chicago Olympics. He failed. He became number four, and Americans like number one. You know? They don't like number four. And all of a sudden he became human, and the chink was in the armor. And... KURTZ: Jessica Yellin, it almost seems like the Obama coverage was like a bubble, and then in popped. JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Look I think the president himself, and his team created a mythic narrative for himself during the campaign. KURTZ: With no help from you and your colleagues... YELLIN: Media -- the media certainly propelled the narrative along with other narratives. But they fed that beast as aggressively as any campaign I've ever seen. And I would argue that it's not surprising at all that as he got his hands dirty after what he ran on is this like -- you know, perfect image. Once he started getting his hands dirty, of course the coverage is going to shift, and I would say it even began sooner than Copenhagen. I think it began with the stimulus. I think as soon as they ceded control to Congress, and it got messy, the Republicans saw that they had a chance to get Obama, and it was all -- the rest is history. KURTZ: Bill Press, now that it looks likely that the White House will get health care after getting the 60th Senate vote -- it still has to get through a House Senate conference. We know how messy that is. Will the press perception of this president change, and the liberal commentators who are disaffected. Will they go back on board? BILL PRESS, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: If the president signs a health care bill, it's -- you know, you -- you bet. It's going to be sold as the greatest thing since sliced bread. It's already -- the president has already said it's the biggest success since Social Security and Medicare. KURTZ: I detect a note of skepticism in your voice. PRESS: Well I do, because it's not that good a bill frankly. Yes. But I think if he signs that if jobs start to come back, that the -- that the White House is going to say, "Look. You see? We did deliver after all." But what Jessica and Lauren said is true. We now see that this guy is a human being. He can not -- he's not a miracle worker. He could not deliver health care, and end the war in Iraq, and end the war in Afghanistan overnight. And that settled things down, which I think is healthy for this country. (CROSSTALK) KURTZ: Perhaps journalists should have... (CROSSTALK) PRESS: He's a human being. KURTZ: Perhaps journalists should have conveyed that notion earlier. Chris Stirewalt... CHRIS STIREWALT, WASHINGTON EXAMINER: Yes? KURTZ: ... most conservative commentators were wary of this guy from the start. Now it seems like almost no one will cut him a break. I mean, most of the people on your side don't like the health care deal. Sure, but even when he wins the Nobel Peace Prize he gets flack. STIREWALT: Well, look. I think part of the problem for the administration has been trying to control the narrative, and too many narratives, and too much going on. They -- they have stayed in campaign mode. They've micro managed each message. They've had too many loops playing simultaneously. So that fair-minded or favorable media outlets can't follow along in the play book. And it's been too complicated. It's been too hard, and they've asked too much of the press. And even the people who are trying to cut them a break have had a hard time keeping up. KURTZ: But I wonder Lauren, why the journalists suffer from short attention spans. OK, he hasn't fixed the economy or global warming, or -- it's taken a year on health care. But these things take time. Government moves slowly. And yet we, in this business, we want the answers by Sunday morning talk shows. ASHBURN: Sure with the McDonald's generation -- the McDonald's country. You know, if you don't get your McDonald's burger in -- in a minute and a minute and 30 seconds, you're complaining, right? And -- and so I think that that is where not only journalists, but the American public are. And -- and what I said was Ledbetter and economic stimulus. It happened like that. You know, health care and the economic stimulus take time, and we just do not have the patience for that. KURTZ: And -- go ahead. PRESS: Well I just think that's a very good point, because we -- we are the now -- we want everything to happen right now. I don't -- so many people I've heard complain about the fact -- "Well, look. Guantanamo Bay has not closed yet." Well he did say in January 2010. You know? He didn't say August 2009, or whatever. KURTZ: Well we're the now generation. (CROSSTALK) KURTZ: I want to bring this back to the media. We're the now generation, because we want to be able to Tweet it, and put it on our Facebook pages... (CROSSTALK) KURTZ: And do a breaking news update on CNN. (CROSSTALK) PRESS: We are as impatient as the most impatient of all. YELLIN: But also our viewers aren't dumb. They know that we're coving what's happening right now with an -- a level of energy and passion that they've come to expect from the media. But that doesn't represent the entirety of coverage. I mean evaluate the media over the course of the year. And you thought that there was excessive adoration when he was inaugurated -- he was the first black president. That was a measure of what was being reflected there. Over time the media has become increasingly critical of them. ASHBURN: But there's an opportunity cost here -- not to put everybody to sleep and use an economic term. I mean, you know, you -- you put all of this energy into covering this deity almost. And there are things that -- that are going to be missed. And I think now we are just starting to come back to the point where it is balanced. YELLIN: Well we tell -- I mean we tell stories. It's part of our job. And that's part of the trap we fall into sometimes. It goes too far. KURTZ: But the president -- I'll cut to you in a second, Chris. The president has seemed increasingly annoyed as the year has gone on with what he calls the 24 hour news cycle. He's pushed back there. And at the same time, he courts journalists, and pundits, and commentators by having them over for lunch. YELLIN: Oh, I know. We're still mean to him now. They think we're so hard on him. STIREWALT: Well, and isn't that the soul of this? That it's a 24 hour news cycle that the president deplores. But at the same time, they've used greater benefit politically than anybody before. And I can't stress this enough. I think that the decision to stay in campaign mode all year -- press -- you know, July was exhausting. (CROSSTALK) KURTZ: Doesn't every president stay in campaign mode? STIREWALT: Well not to this degree. You lower expectations by kick -- kicking it down one watch. PRESS: I -- I really disagree. I think every single politician in this town is always in campaign mode. I regret it, but they are. YELLIN: But the point isn't... PRESS: And the -- and the White House -- the Bush White House was as well. But being down there two or three days a week at these briefings, I've got to tell you, I think the media coverage of Obama has been -- has been pretty fair now. It's no -- they're not pussycats in that -- in that briefing room any more. They ask tough questions every day of Robert Gibbs. KURTZ: Isn't it pushing back against the media, Chris Stirewalt -- the -- looking back now on the White House war against FOX News? Did that backfire. Did it get the administration part of what it wanted which was to get other news organizations not to chase every story that's being pumped up on FOX? STIREWALT: I think -- I think both parties won a little bit. And I think both parties lost a little bit. I think that FOX redoubled its efforts to fair and balanced, and reemphasized that. And you saw more of Bret Baier, and you saw more of Shep Smith. And they really -- they laid on that more. I think the White House also got its hand burnt and realized that they had over played. Because when you get into things like who gets to be in the pool rotation, and how things are going, I think the professionalism and the esprit de corps of the -- of the press corps came forward, and I thought that was admirable. So I think it was a learning experience for both parties. ASHBURN: Wait. Time out. This is all inside the Beltway. This is all Washington. I mean, if you talk to people in Cleveland, or you talk to people in Oklahoma, or -- you know, where -- Pittsburgh, where I have family -- this is not what they're seeing. I mean, the media is so fragmented right now that Obama going on all of the Sunday shows just means that somebody in those places might catch it, right? And so, I think that while he is using the media as a -- as a tool, it is -- it's not over -- it's not overkill. (CROSSTALK) KURTZ: Well, and on the conservative side of the spectrum, Bill Press, I don't see the media focusing a great deal on John Boehner or Mitch McConnell. I see Rush Limbaugh this year on the cover of Newsweek. I see Glenn Beck on the cover of Time. It seems like we have collectively made a decision to anoint them the spokesmen if not for the Republican Party, then for the conservative movement. Why? Because they're more colorful, and sometimes flamboyant. PRESS: Well, I think there are two things going on. Number one -- I think that what they are -- the -- the void that they're filling is the lack of leadership in the Republican Party. The Republican Party doesn't know who their leaders are. So the media has been able to come forth with particularly Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. And they... (CROSSTALK) KURTZ: Who elected us? Who elected us to decide who the spokesmen for a whole movement should be? PRESS: No. No. No, but they have. I mean, Rush says he is the self-appointed head of the Republican Party. (CROSSTALK) KURTZ: Let me get Chris in... (CROSSTALK) PRESS: But I just -- just if I can, just to finish that. KURTZ: (Inaudible). PRESS: What's happening also on the other side is you have voices on the progressive left that are also very loud and very critical of Barack Obama. That didn't happen on the right under George Bush. KURTZ: Recently and increasingly on health care. Let me get your take on this question of the -- the big conservative broadcasters. STIREWALT: Well, I think the -- the issue here is it doesn't really matter who the head Republican is. (CROSSTALK) KURTZ: It doesn't really matter? STIREWALT: It doesn't really matter who -- Mitch McConnell does... (CROSSTALK) PRESS: Some day it's going to. STIREWALT: Right. Just -- quite right. That's -- that's -- that's the answer. Right now what the Republicans do is -- this is a -- talk about a rebuilding year. Try a rebuilding two years. So it doesn't matter that much. So you have the loudest voices come to the fore. But the moment of consequence comes next year. And that's when it counts. KURTZ: All right. Well, the moment of consequence is always here for the media. That's why we do this program. Let me get a break. When we come back, Mark Sanford, John Ensign, John Edwards, and the cottage industry of political sex scandals. Are journalists hounding them, or holding them accountable? And have the media simply moved on to the likes of Tiger and Letterman? (COMMERCIAL BREAK) KURTZ: This was a banner year for scandals. And not just your boring, complicated, garden-variety scandals. The media pounced on one sex scandal after another involving politicians, entertainers, athletes. Each one seemingly more salacious than the last. I'd say that we're reduced to fodder for late night comics, except one of them starred a late night comic. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHARLIE GIBSON, ABC: The extramarital affair that brought an end to John Edwards' political career is resulting in a spate of new headlines, and potentially legal trouble for the former presidential candidate. NATALIE MORALES, NBC: Investigators are looking into whether any campaign money was wrongfully paid to the woman he admitted having an affair with. JOY BEHAR: Let's tell this one like it is. He's a dog. And people do not like him. And I think his -- his political career is over. KATIE COURIC, CBS NEWS: We now know where the governor of South Carolina was and what he was doing. And he wasn't hiking the Appalachian trail. JOHN ROBERTS, CNN: Governor Sanford spent the last few days in Buenos Aires. SANFORD: I developed a relationship with a -- what started as a dear, dear friend from Argentina. I hurt you all. I hurt my wife. I hurt my boy. MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ, CBS: All of us here at CBS just shocked to hear that our own Dave Letterman was reportedly being blackmailed by a CBS employee who said that he had proof that Dave was having affairs with employees at the Late Show. DAVE LETTERMAN, TALK SHOW HOST: The creepy stuff was that I have had sex with women who work for me on this show. Now, my response to that is, yes I have. (END VIDEOTAPE) KURTZ: What a year. Lauren Ashburn -- the political sex scandals have gotten plenty of coverage. No question about that. But Letterman and Tiger just ricocheted into the media stratosphere. Is that because they're inherently more fascinating or better for ratings? ASHBURN: I think that Americans have an obsessive-compulsive disorder when it comes to people who are in the public eye. I mean, you know, it's titillating, it's scintillating. It's better than hitting the alarm clock at 7:00 o'clock in the morning, getting up, going to your job, doing your job, coming home. This gives people something to talk about -- something to get excited about. And you know, there just happened to be a lot of it this year. KURTZ: The water cooler factor. Jessica Yellin, when you have cases like John Ensign, affair with a former aide, and the husband was a former aide. John Edwards -- the affair was with a campaign aide. Shouldn't journalists care more about those who are elected to a public trust than comedians and athletes? YELLIN: Yes. Except... KURTZ: But. YELLIN: Except there is a human interest story component to everything we do, and that really adds the human factor to the human interest story. So I think we gave a fair amount of attention to Ensign and Edwards. I -- I don't think we're going to get slapped on the wrist for ignoring those stories. KURTZ: Right. But Tiger of course was one of the world's most famous people, the world's top golfer. Letterman coming into your homes every day for... YELLIN: (inaudible). Let's not be naive. That's part of what we do. If we cover the serious stuff well, we can do some of the lighter stuff too. KURTZ: Chris Stirewalt, does a political sex scandal now need an extra added attraction for the media, like John Edwards' alleged love child, or Mark Sanford hitting the Appalachian trail? STIREWALT: I -- I think the secret is -- and we saw this with the -- the mini scandal with Max Baucus and his girlfriend who he appointed -- tried to get appointed as U.S. attorney. The secret was he came right out and said, "Yes. It was me." YELLIN: Right. STIREWALT: "I did that. Bad call. My mistake." YELLIN: Yes. STIREWALT: Then we saw the obverse. We saw the worst possible handling of a sex scandal by a politician... ASHBURN: Rambling on, and on, and on... STIREWALT: ... in American history, where the seven minutes that Mark Sanford talked -- we timed it for seven minutes, he stood there and yammered incoherently before finally stumbling into the admission of this horrid... (CROSSTALK) KURTZ: And where does that leave Tiger Woods who hasn't uttered a syllable in front of a camera? They just filed these big statements saying, "Yeah, I guess I kind of did something wrong?" PRESS: Well, first of all, I've got to say, as a radio talk show host, I make no apologies for spending a lot of time talking about all these scandals, because our job is to talk about what people are talking about. And this is what people are talking about. I thought you were going to say the worst -- the worst possible P.R. job here was Tiger Woods. I mean, I think the fact that we spent so much time -- more time talking about Tiger Woods than David Letterman is that Letterman came up, we just heard him say, "Hey, I had sex with all these women." And then when the various women came up, nobody cared because we knew there was a whole list of them. With Tiger, every one became a major story, because he felt he could control the story by not saying anything. He should have hired you. He was dead wrong. ASHBURN: Hey, I don't do P.R. STIREWALT: The volume is a consideration with Tiger though, just the sheer volume. KURTZ: And the women who had these relationships with David Letterman have basically stayed in the background. And every single woman who was ever shared an elevator with Tiger Woods seems to want to get the moment of things. Let me put up on the screen a poll taken by the "Wall Street Journal" and NBC News. The question was which of these people most disappointed you? And they're all figures from this year. John Edwards, 33 percent. He is twice as disappointing a figure as Tiger Woods at 16 percent. Chris Brown, of course, beat the crap out of his girlfriend Rihanna -- 15 percent. The balloon boy parents -- 11 percent. John and Kate -- 6 percent. David Letterman -- this goes to your point, only 4 percent found him the most disappointing. And A- Rod using steroids -- 4 percent as well. YELLIN: Part of that's expectations. I mean you expect celebrities to... KURTZ: Misbehave. YELLIN: ... do their deeds -- to misbehave. KURTZ: Right. YELLIN: You don't expect it of your political leaders. KURTZ: Of your presidential candidate who uses his wife as part of the campaign. (CROSSTALK) ASHBURN: But why don't we expect it? I mean Bill Clinton, an intern, the White House. Hello? You know, it -- it -- when are we going to stop thinking that these people don't do this just because they hold public office. You know, it -- we've been talking about this for years, and years, and years. Why is it every time there's somebody... (CROSSTALK) YELLIN: Well there's a hypocrisy factor with Edwards. I mean he was on the campaign as a family man with his wife at all times. And then it turns out... (CROSSTALK) STIREWALT: Her cancer was his motivation for getting in the race, quite frankly. PRESS: You know -- yes. And I -- I'm surprised that there's that trust in -- in John Edwards. Or that that's -- that there's that trust in politicians any more. I mean... STIREWALT: Right. PRESS: My rule of thumb is if they parade themselves around as family values, and -- and holier than thou, you bet there's some big scandal about to break. STIREWALT: Well... PRESS: And it's happened. YELLIN: Is that the televangelist rule? KURTZ: Now sometimes... YELLIN: The holier they seem... KURTZ: Sometimes -- sometimes there are consequences. For example, Mark Sanford escaped being impeached by the South Carolina legislature last week. And John Ensign is under investigation for the lobbying help he gave to his former aide, the one whose wife he had the affair with. But let's take sex out of it. I can just see our ratings dropping (inaudible)... (CROSSTALK) YELLIN: Oh, come on. KURTZ: Rod Blagojevich -- I don't think there was any sex involved. Then he was booted out of office. (CROSSTALK) YELLIN: The hair. KURTZ: The hair. And yet, despite the fact that he was ousted as Illinois governor, he went around giving us all those memorable T.V. interviews. And he became this sort of entertaining figure. How is that possible? PRESS: I'll tell -- I'll tell you why. Because he gave me one of those interviews. Because he is colorful. STIREWALT: Yes. PRESS: And he does not back down. He insists that he is innocent. And I might remind you, he has not yet been convicted or found or indicted for any crime. I mean, where's the crime? ASHBURN: It's an old rule of the theater. Right? Those who are the most animated. Those who are the loudest. Those who draw attention to themselves are the ones who are going to be watched. STIREWALT: We also might point out that the seat that he was accused of selling did belong to the person who was just elected president of the United States. YELLIN: Yes. STIREWALT: That added a little throw away. And that seat was bleeping golden. KURTZ: How come some of these calls (ph) Blago, Eliot Spitzer, the prostitution scandal in New York, I mean, are able to -- he lost his job. But they ride these things out. And then they come back as media commentators. How come some can do that, and some can't even have a prayer of doing that? STIREWALT: We live in a redemptive society. We -- a lot of what America is about is the -- is the -- the possibility for redemption. And whether it's either the evangelical movement, or the great push to the west. That's what we're all about is reinventing yourself. Now the problem is is that we in the media also need that -- that sturm und drang. We need the down and the up so that we have this narrative arch that we can talk about. KURTZ: So in other words, the Tiger comeback story is next? YELLIN: Right. STIREWALT: The Tiger comeback story is next. And what's interesting is the Sanford case -- and go back to that -- where's going to be -- the drama is not going to be there with Sanford. He seems to be just sort of a defeated person. He just seems done and dragging his way out. His wife provides a great narrative arc. But Governor Sanford seems to just be done. YELLIN: I think Sanford's a new archetype. It's the older man who wants to reveal his romantic longings to the public. STIREWALT: It's stud syndrome. YELLIN: Stud syndrome. We saw -- what is it with Sanford? Even Baucus did it a little bit by saying, "This relationship is deeply satisfying. It's so romantic." STIREWALT: We don't care. YELLIN: We don't care? What? Our masses do care. PRESS: I have to say, I have to say I think this -- I agree with you on the redemption. But there's a certain sick side of it it seems to me when it comes to the media. Nobody else would give Eliot Spitzer a job except MSNBC. And he's not a contributor, but he's on a lot and I'm sorry, I don't want to hear what he has to say about anything. I just think of this guy at the Mayflower Hotel. ASHBURN: How about the call girl? PRESS: She gets a column. She gets... ASHBURN: She gets a column, right? KURTZ: In the "New York Post," Ashley Dupree. I mean, I have to close by asking about the financial scandals that rocked our economy over the last year and a half. And I kind of wonder if the media had provided Tiger Woods level coverage -- that kind of saturation, of not just Bernie Madoff, but you know, these regulatory agencies that did -- that fell asleep on the job. PRESS: Fannie Mae? KURTZ: These banking agencies and the housing agencies. Could we argue that that failure to be a early warning system for the country was on a par with the failure before the war in Iraq? PRESS: Yes. I have to jump at -- but it's not as sexy for sure -- and... KURTZ: It's complicated. PRESS: ... it requires work to understand what these issues are all about. The sex stuff is easy, and the media takes the easy route. ASHBURN: And the cutting of the budgets. I mean that's the other thing. I mean news rooms -- you walk in -- in news rooms. I mean they're empty seats -- they're a football of empty seats now -- football field. KURTZ: There were a lot. YELLIN: And they're doing it still in some ways -- all of the media collectively -- by continuing to cover Wall Street right now as if it's the measure -- the barometer of what's going on in the economy when we know it's not. But again complicated to get down to the brass tacks. STIREWALT: And yes. And a -- and a reporter who said, "I want to expose Fannie Mae for recklessly inflating a housing bubble." That's a politically charged story. That's -- that's -- that's not just on its face Tiger Woods. (CROSSTALK) STIREWALT: That's a politically charged story. KURTZ: It's bringing bad news at a time when the Dow is hitting 14,000. And so there is some pressure on you not to do that. It's complicated. And there were some financial columnists and reporters who did get pieces of this. And they often ran inside the financial section. They didn't run on the front page. They certainly didn't run on the network news. PRESS: No. That's right. (CROSSTALK) KURTZ: And I think that's part of the collective failure as well just briefly. YELLIN: Even then we covered the AIG bonuses breathlessly. But right now financial regulatory reform got almost no coverage. PRESS: And that's -- and the thing is we are back to business as usual, and nobody's talking about it. KURTZ: Yes. I'm glad we're talking about it here at least briefly. Jessica Yellin, Lauren Ashburn, Bill Press, Chris Stirewalt -- thanks very much for joining us. CROWLEY: Thanks, Howie. Up next, an update on the investigation into the attempted attack against the Northwest Airlines flight. Insight on the Obama administration's response and much more ahead on "State of the Union."


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Instructables user Kaisei13 may have outdone the Tauntaun sleeping bag with these diabolical Alien slumber accoutrements. Who wants to tuck their kids into a xenobiological egg?
Explains Kaisei13:
My daughter is obsessed with the AvP game. She has beat it at least 20 times and loves to run around the house hissing and trying to run up walls like a Xenomorph. So for her 8th birthday I made her a plush Alien, and that lead to the idea for a facehugger pillow pet. But to make it a little more unique I added a egg shaped sleeping bag that could be rolled up and put in the tail.
Ah, an intergalactic parasite for your Newts to rest their heads upon. You can learn how to make your own facehugger here.
[Via MAKE]

subset: commoncrawl


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If you're getting ready to deliver your baby by caesarean section, or if you've already had one, you're certainly not alone. Did you know that about 25% of Canadian babies today are born by C-section? Older and overweight moms are among those more likely to deliver their babies by caesarean. But women from all walks of life can and do have caesareans.
A caesarean is a surgical operation to deliver a baby safely when the doctor believes it will be a better option than a vaginal birth. A doctor makes an incision through the woman's abdominal wall and uterus to reach the baby. The mom is usually awake to welcome her baby, but medication keeps her from feeling any pain during the procedure.
In some cases, the C-section is scheduled in advance. The doctor may already be aware of certain risks, and may have recommended the procedure. Most of the time, though, the decision to have a caesarean is made only after labour has started and a problem unexpectedly crops up.
Why is a caesarean done?
There are many reasons why a baby might be delivered by C-section:
- The baby is too big or isn't positioned properly. What this means: a vaginal delivery may be difficult, may cause injury, or may even be impossible.
- Labour is taking too long or stops. What this means: a caesarean section may be needed to speed up the delivery.
- The baby is in distress and the heart rate is no longer normal. What this means: the baby needs to be delivered quickly.
- The placenta is in the wrong place, or it separates suddenly from the uterine wall. What this means: the placenta could block the path of the baby or cause heavy bleeding.
- The umbilical cord has slipped down into the vagina. What this means: the cord could block or strangle the baby.
- The mom has a medical condition like diabetes, high blood pressure, or HIV. What this means: she or the baby might get very sick from a regular delivery.
- The baby has a medical problem. What this means: the baby may do better if delivered by caesarean.
- The mom is having twins, triplets, or even more babies. What this means: one or more of the babies might not be positioned properly, or they may be at risk with a vaginal delivery.
Very often women have a caesarean section simply because they've had one in the past, even if there are no problems with their current pregnancy. But doctors now believe that well over half of all women who've had C-sections can have a vaginal birth later.
What are the risks?
Although a caesarean section, also called C-section, is a common procedure and is considered safe, it is not free of the risk of complications. C-sections have more risks than vaginal births and it takes longer for the mother to recover from them. There is no way to predict exactly how a woman will go through the experience of a caesarean.
What women can expect:
- With an intravenous (IV) in your arm and a sore tummy from surgery, you may find it uncomfortable or awkward to breast-feed your new baby. Working with a lactation consultant will help you find a breast-feeding position that works.
- If you have had a C-section, you can expect a longer hospital stay than if you gave birth vaginally.
- Pain and fatigue are common after a caesarean, even after returning home from the hospital. This can make it more difficult for you to look after your new baby. Caesarean moms should take it easy, rest, and get help around the house if possible.
- Sudden movements like coughing or sneezing can hurt the tummy. Driving a car may be out of the question until you're feeling better.
- You should avoid any heavy lifting for a few weeks. This may make caring for a toddler at home more challenging. Support from family and friends in these first few weeks will help.
- Often, after a woman has had one C-section, a vaginal birth will be too risky to try in later pregnancies. However, many women who have had a C-section can go on to have safe vaginal deliveries with future pregnancies.
- There may be a permanent scar from the surgery, although it will fade.
- If the procedure was unexpected, caesarean moms may feel disappointed or disheartened because they were unable to have the vaginal birth they had planned. These feelings are normal. Keep in mind what really matters is that you and the baby are safe and healthy.
What else can happen?
Although serious complications from caesarean sections are rare, as with any surgery, they are possible. Women who have had C-sections are more likely than other new moms to be readmitted to the hospital soon after their babies are born.
Risks to mom include:
- blood clots
- death - although very rare, it is more likely with a C-section than with a vaginal delivery
- heavy bleeding, sometimes requiring a blood transfusion
- heavy bleeding in later pregnancies (because of placenta problems)
- infection, either around the incision or of internal organs
- injury to the bladder, bowel, or other internal organs during surgery
- reaction to medications
Risks to baby:
- very rarely, injury to the baby during incision
- breathing problems in the baby, which are usually temporary
A caesarean section is still the best choice if a vaginal birth poses greater risks to the mom or the baby. Their health and safety is top priority. And there are ways to reduce some of the risks associated with C-sections, such as taking daily walks to prevent blood clots. If you have questions or concerns about caesareans, speak with your doctor.
Lisa Bendall,
in association with the MediResource Clinical Team


text: Calzedonia offers girls tights with a wide range of patterns, colours and details, so it is impossible to have just one favourite pair. With our diverse collection of styles she can have countless possibilities to create a delightful look. Comfortable materials and super soft feeling are definitely an added value while wearing them. Think about playful ©Disney tights and glitter patterns that can cheer her up. In cold winter days it's always great to have cashmere and microfiber tights. Choose her favourite color and she will be ready for chilly outdoor adventures. If you are looking for a fine gift for her, you'll discover our rich selection of plain tights, as well as striped tights from light hues to solid colors. It is the best way to make her drawer full of choices. Girls would love to enjoy our fashion tights with bow appliqué, butterflies and polka dots. In festive occasions let your loved one have fancy glitter tights or micronet tights combined with sweet skirt, dress or knitwear. Embrace girl's cheerful mood with these amazing tights perfect for every day of the week! Let her enjoy favourite cartoon character while wearing them in every occasion. Discover our latest styles and see why Calzedonia webshop is a perfect place for kids fashion!


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Prosecutors: Dookhan Should Get 5-7 Years In Prison
Prosecutors asked that a chemist charged in a far-reaching scandal at a Massachusetts drug-testing lab serve five to seven years in state prison if she pleads guilty in a case that has jeopardized thousands of criminal convictions.
Annie Dookhan has caused "egregious damage" to the state's criminal justice system, the attorney general's office wrote in a sentencing memo filed in court Thursday. A defense lawyer said he would seek a year in jail for his client.
Dookhan is charged with obstruction of justice, perjury and tampering with evidence while working at a former Department of Public Health drug lab. The lab was shut down in August 2012 after state police investigated its practices. Since then, at least 1,100 criminal cases have been dismissed or not prosecuted because of tainted evidence or other fallout.
In the sentencing memo, prosecutors from Attorney General Martha Coakley's office said Dookhan deliberately skipped vital steps in the drug-testing process and ensured that samples sent to the lab by police departments would test positive for drugs to "improve her productivity and burnish her reputation."
"The gravity of the present case cannot be overstated," Assistant Attorneys General John Verner and Anne Kaczmarek wrote. "The defendant's actions not only affected the particular individuals named in the indictments but also the entire criminal justice system in Massachusetts."
The memo was filed in advance of a so-called lobby conference Friday in Suffolk Superior Court in Boston. During the conference, prosecutors and Dookhan's lawyer, Nicolas Gordon, are expected to meet with Judge Carol Ball to discuss sentencing recommendations if Dookhan were to plead guilty.
Gordon said he plans to recommend a one-year sentence, followed by any amount of probation and whatever conditions the judge imposes. Prosecutors said they would recommend five years of probation.
"I feel the appropriate period … is one year" in county jail, Gordon said Thursday, confirming that "a possible resolution of the case" will be discussed in court Friday.
In their memo, prosecutors said state sentencing guidelines call for a sentence lower than what they are recommending — one to three years — but they said the judge should consider the extensive repercussions of Dookhan's alleged conduct.
They said that at least 51 people who were released from custody because of tainted evidence have been re-arrested on new charges, including a Brockton man who is now charged with murder.
In addition, the state has spent millions of dollars to calculate the damage caused by Dookhan's alleged misconduct and to attempt to mitigate the effect on thousands of people charged with drug offenses during the nine years Dookhan worked at the lab, they said.
"Given that the motives for the defendant's actions were selfish and shallow, coupled with the egregious damage she created for those reasons, significant incarceration is warranted," prosecutors wrote.
State officials have estimated that Dookhan tested samples involving more than 40,000 defendants during her years at the lab.
She signed a statement for state police in which she admitted making some negative samples positive for narcotics and "dry labbing," or testing some samples for drugs and assuming others were positive. She has pleaded not guilty to 27 charges.
The conference scheduled Friday does not mean Dookhan will definitely change her plea to guilty.
In their memo, prosecutors said they were making their sentencing recommendation "in contemplation of the defendant accepting responsibility and pleading guilty."
This post was updated at 5:15 p.m.


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Mr. Adnan Oktar's live conversation with Mr. Moshe Amirav (Former advisor to PM Ehud Barak) on A9 TV (December 8th, 2011)
Excerpt from Mr. Adnan Oktar's Live Interview on A9 TV dated December 8th, 2011
Ms. DIDEM: Insha'Allah we will now have a telephone connection with Israel.
ADNAN OKTAR: With who?
Ms. DIDEM: With Israel.
ADNAN OKTAR: A telephone connection with Israel?
Ms. DIDEM: Yes. Mr. Moshe Amirav from Israel. He is the member of the former council of Jerusalem from the Likud Party and the advisor to the former Prime Minister of Israel, Ehud Barak at the time. He is considered to be among the most prominent specialists of the world on Jerusalem, by the international media and expert academicians in Middle East. Being the Head of the Beit Berl College in Israel, Amirav also gives lectureson Political Science in Hebrew University of Jerusalem.In the years 1981-1993 he worked closely with then Mayor of Jerusalem, on planning and development of the city. He worked in the Likud Party as the member of council of Jerusalem. He had served Ehud Barak who is now the Minister of Defence as an advisor during the time he was the Prime Minister. He has five books and many articles about Jerusalem.
ADNAN OKTAR:Yes, Masha'Allah. May Allah increase his knowledge even further. May Allah guide him. So let us talk to Mr. Moshe, okay. How are we going to do this now? Well.. As-Salamun Aleykom Mr. Moshe. How are you? Are you fine?
MOSHE AMIRAV: Thank you. I'm in Jerusalem now, and it's an honor to talk to you.
ADNAN OKTAR:How nice; I am also honored. How nice it is to be in Jerusalem. What a great blessing it is! Insha'Allah, we will also come to Jerusalem one day.
MOSHE AMIRAV: Yes, I'm hoping you will be able to be my guest in Jerusalem. I have been here many years, and I am living together with Palestinians, Muslims, Christians, and I love this city, and I think it should be the city for whoever believes in Allah, God, or Jesus Christ.
ADNAN OKTAR:Masha'Allah, masha'Allah. It is a city praised by Allah. Insha'Allah, Allah grants us the blessing of being altogether in the future.
Moshe also means Moses, right? Masha'Allah. Your name is also very beautiful. Iam listening to you, Mr. Moshe. Please begin with your questions.
MOSHE AMIRAV: Yes. The first question I would like to try and elaborate with you has to do with the relationship between Muslims and Jews. For many years, many years in Spain, Muslims and Jews lived together in what is called the Golden Time of Spain. And I think because of Christians, this history of co-existence stopped. Do you really think that we can come back to this Golden Age of good relationships between Muslims and Jews?
ADNAN OKTAR: The Golden Ageis explicitly how it is depicted in the Torah and our Prophet (saas) detailed in the hadith. In the time of Hazrat Mahdi (as), that is to say in the time of King Messiah, there will be the Golden Age. Other that this there is no mention of a Golden Age. We have already entered this period of a Golden Age. The Islamic world as well as the Christian and Jewish world have entered the edge of this age. Currently we are proceeding towards the midst of this period.
MOSHE AMIRAV: Yes. I also would like to ask you about the current relationship between the Israelis and the Muslim world concerning the Temple Mount, Haram Ash-Sharif. This is of much interest for me, because I think there is a solution, a political solution to satisfy the needs of Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims and Jews in this holy place for these two peoples. And I would like to know if you have any way of looking at the problem of the Haram Ash-Sharif?
ADNAN OKTAR:There is a convenient land in the Haram Ash-Sharif. There is a convenient area in the rear; that is to say, at the back of the empty space which exists in the middle of the two masjids. We will, Insha'Allah, establish the masjid of the Prophet Solomon (as) on that vast area and it will also protrude to the forward. By Allah's leave, by the leave of Almighty Allah. It will be built in just the form it is depicted, in its original form. This is also a portent of the coming of King Messiah and the entire world knows it. This is a very-well known subject. However, Jews will pray to Allah for King Messiah with love and sincerity. They must pray and say, "Almighty Lord! Send us Hazrat Mahdi (as) , send us King Messiah (as) and show him to us if You have already sent him." Indeed, He must have already sent him and if they pray, Allah will show him. If Muslims also pray to Allah, Allah will show Hazrat Mahdi (as). Right now Allah is looking to us. He looks at the entire world. Allah observes us everywhere, in all corners of the world. Right now Allah sees both Jerusalem and Istanbul. Allah watches all corners of the world at all times and He listens to all speeches. Messiah is in the world right now. The King Messiah is in the world. Hazrat Mahdi (as) is in the world. In order for the Golden Age to come about, only good-intentioned, sincere, and honest people must join hand in hand. There is nothing else. They will love one another; positive and wise people who advocate friendship, brotherhood, peace, democracy, science and the arts must cooperate. The issue is about to be settled. That is to say, we have very little time left.
MOSHE AMIRAV: I am very happy to hear these things. It is a pleasure for me, because I am a believer, I believe in Allah, although I call Him with a different name. I believe that there is a destiny of peace in Jerusalem because Jerusalem is called in the Bible, "City of Peace". But from my experience in Camp David, in the conference of [former Israeli] Prime Minister [Ehud] Barak, I was there, I was his assistant at the time, and I was with [former U.S.] President Clinton, I get the impression that people who don't believe in Allah wouldn't be able to find a political solution to Jerusalem. So since then, since this conference, I've been having contacts with religious people, Muslims and Christians and Jews in order to find a solution that has nothing to do with sovereignty. No flag of Israel should be at Haram Ash-Sharif, no flag of Palestine should be there, it should be the flag of Allah. And if this is the solution, then I believe Israelis and Palestinians can find a solution. What is your opinion about this idea?
ADNAN OKTAR:Excellent, excellent, excellent. I really liked what you have just said. Everybody has witnessed that neither peace nor love, nor economy can recover in the world with a materialist mindset, because people are not beings made up of metal or stone. They are beings made up of souls. And the soul cannot find ease in something other than the true religion. They cannot find ease in something other than the love of Allah; in anything other than the remembrance of Allah. Otherwise the world turns into Hell. In order to experience a world similar to Paradise people must love Allah with a profound love. And we do love Allah with a profound love But of course, we do not love Allah with love in order to turn this world into Paradise. The world turns into Paradise because we love Allah.
MOSHE AMIRAV: The last thing I would like to ask you about is the situation between Israel and Turkey. Just a few years ago, President Erdogan tried to negotiate between Israel and Syria, and also between Israel and the Palestinians, and I really hope that we'll have a mediator like Turkey in the peace agreement between us and the Palestinians. It is important for me, because I think that the Americans cannot be an honest broker, a mediator between us and Palestinians. We need a Muslim country, like Egypt or Turkey, which are our neighbors here, to help us with this. And I'm very disappointed that the relationship between Israel and Turkey deteriorated. So what can be done in order to improve the relationship between Israel and Turkey, and bring Turkey into the negotiations in the peace process between us and Palestinians?
ADNAN OKTAR: These kinds of contacts, these kinds of meetings have a very positive impact. The tension, the negative influence, that has recently come into existence has essentially dispersed. But this sort of work has been very instrumental; negotiations and public announcements [like we did] have become very beneficial. It seems that continuation of such works will cause a very perfect development. We see that it will be much better. Israel and Turkey must always remain in cooperation. They must cooperate in all issues. But in the absence of the King Messiah, without commitment to the King Messiah and Hazrat Mahdi (as), on the part of Israel and Turkey, it is almost impossible for Israel and Turkey to act together. It is also unlikely for peace in the region to reign, for the Golden Age to come into being. Let me say this explicitly. It is impossible. There will definitely be tension; there will be definitely be disorder. Both Muslims and Jews must wholeheartedly ask for King Messiah. Once this is done, we will see that Allah will help us. Because right now Allah watches us. Right now Allah listens to us; we are under Allah's control.
MOSHE AMIRAV: I am a professor in the university, Hebrew University, and I'm an academician and I was involved for many years in Israeli politics. But I think it's time now to have an academic, a political conference in Turkey with Israelis, Palestinians, Muslims, Jews and Christians to talk about peace in the Middle East; there have been so many changes now, that I think that Turkey should be hosting a conference like this, and I think you can help in having a meeting like this in Istanbul. With people from the region here; the Egyptians, Palestinians, Syrians, Israelis. I think my university can help by sending academics, and I think that you have the connections in Turkey to help academic, religious people and politicians in a conference like this. So I would be very pleased if you could help in organizing a meeting like this. I'm ready to help with my connections among the Palestinians, in Egypt and in other countries, and to have a conference in Turkey.
ADNAN OKTAR:We already made such a decision in the meeting we held in Istanbul with rabbis and the Christian clergymen. We have agreed on that for 2012. Currently our works related to this are in process. We have made a decision to hold such a meeting. We will be very glad if you also participate. Of course, these are the works that lay the foundations for the Mahdi, that is the King Messiah (pbuh). Such works lay a foundation and soften the air, but it does not cause us to obtain any results. That is to say, no results can be obtained. In the absence of the King Messiah and Hazrat Mahdi (as), no results can be obtained. But they make us approachtheresults and may lay a proper foundation. Possibilities may increase but the result, the final decision, that is to say, its being realized, can only be possible by means of Hazrat Mahdi (as). That is because, if 1,000 wise people come together, they do not make up a single Hazrat Mahdi (as) or King Messiah. The world must, in any case, be administered by a soul, by King Messiah, Hazrat Mahdi (as). Other than that there exists no peace, no abundance in the world. Pain and suffering will continue. We also see this in Torah. We also see this in the hadith of our Prophet (saas). This is an evident fact.
MOSHE AMIRAV: Yes. I'm very happy to hear it, and I appreciate it if we can have this conference, and advance peace and belief in Allah, in this conference, and in the end I would like to invite you to Jerusalem to be my guest. I would be very happy if you can come with a delegation from Turkey, people who are academics, journalists, and people who are believers in Islam from Turkey to come to Jerusalem; I would be ready to organize it, and help us all to meet with Muslims, Christians, and Jews from Jerusalem, and then, this is my hope, we will have peace through the Will of Allah.
ADNAN OKTAR: We love you very much. We love the sons of Prophet Moses (as), Prophet Abraham (as) and Prophet Israel (as). May your hearts be at ease. We, as Turks, have profound compassion for you. We also know that the cooperation between Turkey and Israel is very important. In the leadership of the King Messiah, under the leadership of Hazrat Mahdi (as), we will have a very strong leadership. We will experience that Golden Age related in the Torah and the hadith altogether in the whole region, Insha'Allah. This century is the century of this beautiful Golden Age. The establishment of Israel as a state is also an explicit portent of the coming of King Messiah. It is a clear portent in the Torah. This means that King Messiah has come. This means that we are in his age. Insha'Allah, we will celebrate those beautiful days altogether in Israel. Insha'Allah, we will come and I present my love and respect to you.
MOSHE AMIRAV:Yes, yes. I don't have anymore questions, but I have a very deep from my heart blessing to all good people, to all the Turkish people, we Israelis, we love Turkey and the Turkish people, and really hope that we can pray together to Allah for peace in the region here, in the Middle East, in which Israel and Turkey for many years have been friends, and we will always be friends, and this is my hope.
ADNAN OKTAR: I also thank you. If possible,I want to hear from you to ask Allah for the coming of the King Messiah.
MOSHE AMIRAV: Yes, definitely, definitely. So again, I would like to thank you for inviting me to your program, I hope to see you in Jerusalem, or maybe we can meet in Istanbul, insha'Allah.
ADNAN OKTAR: Insha'Allah. Insha'Allah, we will be awaiting. Greetings.
MOSHE AMIRAV:Absolutely. And thank you very much; goodbye and goodnight.
ADNAN OKTAR: Good bye.
MOSHE AMIRAV:Bye.
Related Works


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As I write this, picture an angry face. Also picture someone who's confused as to whether this blog title makes any sense; I was thinking of "wax on/wax off" Karate Kid style as I wrote it. I think I need more sleep. You guessed it: all the stress and preparation has been for nothing as the EUA is off again.
EUA Surgery
I was told last week I'd be having my next surgery, at UCLH in London, on Friday 23rd August. It has meant a lot of stressing trying to get everything in place. I'd written a 'ta ta for now' blog post.
It's been a pain in the bum trying to organise the pre-op, which I'd hoped to do locally rather than attempt two long trips to London in the same week. Apparently, a hospital in London can't access my GP records, and nor can my GP email them through without messing it up. I thought the NHS spent billions on a 'linked up' system? Clearly it doesn't work.
I've called and emailed to get results and get surgery updates and it's been like talking to myself. Emails don't get returned & phones don't get answered.
I've been trying to get my ducks in a row at home, which has worn me down. I had organised transport there, with a 2am bus. I packed my toothbrush and made a note to take a walking stick as crowd control for the way home, to kneecap people who try to push into me as I veer for the tube & train after surgery.
I've also increasingly been finding that staying on top of other blogs has been very difficult. I can spend hours every day trying to read, like and comment, and yet I never quite catch up. I've been falling behind on my own blog, and getting nowhere in other things away from my laptop either. I'm still not sure how to resolve this, because I genuinely care about how other bloggers are doing & want to support them/you all; I feel anxious & guilty if I don't, but it's becoming unmanageable. Anyone else experience similar?
Uh-Oh, EUA No Go
And then what happens? I just get a call to say the surgery has been cancelled & rearranged for a few weeks' time. Not enough staff to run the theatre apparently. Something about not having an anaesthetist. I said I'll have it done wide awake, just please don't cancel it!
It was originally supposed to be April 15th, then in June, then August 23rd, and now September 10. Maybe it'll be 4th time lucky?
I'm still very lucky. This was a small investigative procedure, it wasn't an urgent requirement, and I hadn't pre-booked expensive travel or accommodation. Also, in trying to find a silver lining, I hear the UK could expect some sunshine over this bank holiday weekend, which is a miracle in itself.
Yes, there are bigger problems in the world and more important things to get stressed about. But it's okay to find yourself annoyed, frustrated or upset when things go pear-shaped.
Lessons Learned
The moral of the story? As much as you plan, stress, prepare and desperately try to catch up, there will always be things out of your control that can mess everything up. Prepare to be unprepared! Second moral of the story? The NHS is amazing, but it can sometimes be as useful as a paperclip for eating ice-cream, and about as reliable as the British weather.
Rant over 😉
How is everyone today? Have you found yourself with the rug pulled form under you when an appointment or operation has been cancelled? Thank you also for the lovely birthday messages recently, I appreciate every single comment. I hope this week is treating you all kindly 😊
Caz ♥


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A new session of Perfect Wardrobe begins today and it's full of cuteness! I'm gonna show you a few of my favorite items for this Candy Shop theme. First, Epic designed a colorful gumball jetpack with jetfuel and star particles. Plus, if you click it you'll get yourself a colorful lollipop treat! Second, Izzie's released this adorable version of Geanna. I love the softly tinted pink eyebrows so much! Delusions created this candy dot chest tattoo in 4 pastel colors. It also come with Tango appliers but since I was letting it all hang out in my last post I decided to cover up a bit and show you SAKIDE's pastels as well. She designed this lovely vintage dress in 3 pastel colors with a sheer top version that's sexy yet tasteful. Click the pic below for a larger peek!
Skin: Izzie's – Geanna Bubblegum Skin in Porcelain (New! @ PW)
Teeth: Izzie's– Teeth 8
Hair: DeLa – Vanessa in Purple Blue
Eyes: .ID. – Glimmer Contacts in Blue
Lashes: Beetlebones – Mesh Lashes SLEB Tintable
Cupcake Headband: Lolapop! – Pretty Little Cake Headband (NLA)
Jewelry: DooDads – Candy Earrings and Necklace
Nails: Izzie's – Glitter Nails
Tattoo: Delusions – Candy Dots Chest Tattoo in Purple (New! @ PW)
Lingerie Dress: SAKIDE – Vintage Glam Dress in Sheer Lavender (New! @ PW)
Stockings: Nylon Outfitters – Seam Stockings in Purple
Jetpack: Epic – Kawaii Mousey Gumball Machine Jetpack (New! @ PW)
Poses: aDORKable Poses – 25 Days of Christmas (Available at Discount)


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Bus drivers honored for assistance offered to boys
Women stopped after 3-year-olds spotted walking alone
Two Metro bus drivers were honored Tuesday for a pair of unscheduled stops.
Back in February, a driver spotted a 3-year-old boy wandering alone in the early morning near Glenway Avenue.
A similar situation was reported a week later on Reading Road, when another 3-year-old was found wandering along the street.
Bus drivers Ella Holloway and Dianne Wyly were awarded the Transit Authority's "Star Award" for going above and beyond the call of duty for their actions in each incident.
"I do feel that they probably saved their lives," said Sgt. Julie Johnson, of Cincinnati police. "You have two small children who could have easily wandered into traffic."
Both drivers said their motherly instincts kicked in when they saw the boys, cold and alone.
"My first thought was to get this baby out of harm's way," Wyly said. "I buttoned his coat up and I sat him up in the driver's seat for a moment and gave him a lollipop."
Metro drivers run on a tight schedule, but Wyly and Holloway stopped to help the boys despite having other passengers on board.
"They all kind of joined in and understood what was going on," Holloway said. "We all wrapped him with our coats and hats, waited for the police, and they took the action from there."


text: I am running desktop 4.45 on an iMAC running OS X 10.6.7 and it shows the databases I have sync'd from my iphone but when selected no records show for any of the databases, the current view selector is blank, quick search finds nothing, find will not find anything, adding a new record to the database makes no difference, nothing is visible. I have removed the desktop software and reloaded it, no difference. The databases are definitely there as they can be exported as CSV files, and all the records show in the CSV file. In it's current state it is completely useless and I have run out of ideas on what to do next


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Blue Jays - 001 002 301 - 7 7 1 Red Sox - 030 000 000 - 3 5 2Jarrod Saltalamacchia's three-run home run (#18) in the second inning gave Boston an early lead, but the Red Sox managed only two hits after that blast, and dropped another game to the last-place Blue Jays.
Edwin Encarnacion tied the game with a two-run bomb off Cook (6.1-4-5-1-1, 86) in the sixth and J.P. Arencibia gave Toronto a 4-3 lead with a solo shot to start the seventh. Brett Lawrie knocked in two insurance runs in that inning. (Two of the five runs allowed by Cook were unearned.)
The Red Sox's second started strongly with a single by Adrian Gonzalez, a double from Cody Ross, and Salty's dong into the Jays' pen. But Villanueva (6.1-4-3-2-5, 101) and three Toronto relievers slammed the door after that, allowing only two hits (one of which was a bunt single by Pedro Ciriaco) and two walks. No Boston runner ventured past second base.
Ross walked and went to second on a wild pitch in the fourth, but Salty struck out and Will Middlebrooks lined into a 6-4 double play. In the fifth, Ciriaco's single and a walk to Daniel Nava put runners on first and second with one out, but Carl Crawford lined to left and Pedroia grounded to shortstop.
Nava, RFVillanueva has not allowed a run in his last two starts, both six-inning efforts, against Kansas City and Cleveland. He has allowed only seven hits in those 12 innings.
Crawford, LF
Pedroia, 2B
Gonzalez, 1B
Ross, DH
Saltalamacchia, C
Middlebrooks, 3B
Sweeney, CF
Ciriaco, SS
In his last three starts (22 innings), Cook has a 1.23 ERA. Here's an oddity: in 29.2 innings pitched this season, Cook has only two walks and two strikeouts.
Hot: In 22 games since June 23, Adrian Gonzalez is hitting .411, and has raised his average nearly thirty points, to .295. ... Cold: Jarrod Saltalamacchia is in an 0-for-14 slump and is only 1-for-25 over his last eight games, and 8-for-61 (.131) since June 25 (with 27 strikeouts in 17 games).


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By Cynthia Bailey MD. This page was updated on Sun, Sep 15, 2019
Powerful Anti-Aging Skin Care for Men
Efficient skin care products, backed by scientific research work quickly to reverse the signs of aging. Having a complete skin care routine with the best skin-rebuilding ingredients will keep you looking younger as the years pass.
The best skin-rebuilding ingredients backed by science that you can use in your skin care routine are:
- Retinoids (ingredients related to vitamin A). They build collagen, reverses skin thinning and uneven skin pigmentation.
- Glycolic Acid (the best alpha hydroxy acid to fight skin aging). This acid also helps build collagen, improve uneven skin color, hydrate dry flakey skin, and soften crusty age spots.
- Vitamin C helps improve dark skin pigment. It is a powerful antioxidant and fights sun damage. It also builds collagen.
- Green Tea Antioxidants, that soothe skin irritation and redness. It loads skin with protective antioxidants to fight aging and sun damage.
- Zinc Oxide Sunscreen. I have sunscreens with broad spectrum protection against UV-induced destruction. UV damage is the number one cause of skin aging, and must be blocked.
What else happens to a man's skin due to sun damage?
Sun damage causes skin to become rough, thin and weathered appearing. Rashes like rosacea can get worse due to the sun too. With sun damage comes age-related skin changes too including dry skin and seborrhea of the face, scalp and even the chest and back.
Build Dr. Bailey's Complete Skin Care Routine with powerful ingredients that rebuild skin structures and that fight common men's skin problems, and get fast results and younger looking skin.
Facial Skin Care to Fight Sun Damage and the Appearance of Skin Aging
Cleanse: Wash your skin twice a day. Use a general cleanser such as Daily Foaming Facial Cleanser, which is great for wet shaving too. Alternate it with the Calming Zinc bar if you suffer from rosacea or seborrhea, like many men do.
Correct: In the morning, apply Green Tea Antioxidant Therapy to fight redness and load skin with antioxidants for the day.
At night, apply Retinol Intensive Anti-Wrinkle Cream. Follow it immediately with Glycolic Acid Face Cream. This second product also hydrates your skin. If you have sensitive skin, start with the Retinol. If not, you can pick either.
Hydrate: Use the Daily Moisturizing Face Cream for Normal to Oily Skin on areas of dryness. This includes the jawline, and around the eyes. Men's T-zones often have adequate oil gland production, and will naturally hydrate skin.
Protect: Wear broad spectrum sunscreen daily. Apply on all exposed skin. UV exposure of even small amounts starts a cascade of chemical events inside skin that result in collagen destruction. Sun also causes age spots and uneven skin pigment. Pick your sunscreen to match your skin type and needs. The most popular options for men include:
- Sheer Strength Pure Physical Spray SPF 50+ Sunscreen. This a favorite that's invisible, and easy to spread – even on hairy arms and legs or on top a thinning scalp. You don't want skin cancer there, trust me!
- Sheer Strength Pure Physical Invisible SPF 50+ Sunscreen. This light-weight sunscreen never feels heavy or thick on your skin.
- Sheer Strength Pure Physical Tinted Matte SPF 50+ Sunscreen. This is a favorite for oily complexions with oil-absorbing technology.
- EltaMD UV Clear. A good facial product for all skin types!
- Solbar Zinc. It is water-resistant for sweating or swimming.
- Citrix. It is also water-resistant, and with a drier feel than Solbar Zinc
Body Skin Care to Fight Sun Damage and the Appearance of Skin Aging
Cleanse, Correct, and Hydrate with the Ultra-Fast AHA Body Smoothing Kit. The High-strength glycolic acid gets the job done. Body skin is uniquely tough and retinoids, antioxidants and vitamin C can't really penetrate. That leaves us with glycolic acid, which works beautifully to fight skin aging concerns.
Follow up and protect with Sheer Strength Pure Physical Spray Sunscreen, Citrix, or Solbar Zinc.
DiNardo Joseph, et. al., Clinical and Histological Effects of Glycolic Acid at Different Concentrations and pH Levels, Dermatolol Surg, 1996;22:421-424
Babilas Philipp, et. al., Cosmetic and dermatologic use of alpha hydroxy acids, Journal of the German Society of Dermatology, 2012 (10): 488-491
Beasley Donathan G, et. al. Characterization of the UVA Protection Provided by Avobenzone, Zinc Oxide, and Titanium Dioxide in Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen Products, Am J Clin Dermatol 2010; 11 (6): 413-421
Maier T., Korting H.C., Sunscreens – Which and What for? Skin Pharmacol Physiol 2005; 18:253-268
Farris Patricia K, Topical Vitamin C: A Useful Agent for Treating Photoaging and Other Dermatologic Conditions, Dermatol Surg 2005:31:814-818
Varani James et. al., Vitamin A Antagonizes Decreased Cell Growth and Elevated Collagen-Degrading Matrix Metalloproteinases and Stimulates Collagen Accumulation in Naturally Aged Human Skin, J Invest Dermatol 114:480-486, 2000
Katiyar Santosh K et. al., Green Tea Polyphenol Treatment to Human Skin Prevents Formation of Ultraviolet Light B-induced Pyrimidine Dimers in DNA, Clin Cancer Res 2000,6: 3864-3869
Tsukahara Kazue, et. al., The Effect of Sunscreen on Skin Elastase Activity Induced by Ultraviolet-A Irradiation, Biol Pharm. Bull 28(12) 2302-2307 (2005)


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Olivia Thirlby's career hasn't quite progressed in the way that we'd've hoped and we're not entirely sure a role in the new 3D "Judge Dredd" is the project to get her over the top.
Thirlby has been cast to star opposite Karl Urban in the remake of the Sylvester Stallone-Rob Schneider buddy-actioner-mess "Judge Dredd," a 1995 adaptation of the comic book. Thirlby will play Judge Cassandra Anderson. Like her namesake of Greek mythology, she is a prophet as well as a telepath and, of course, a rookie recruit.
If you never got a chance to see the original or have forgotten just how awful it was, watch the trailer:
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
The new "Judge Dredd," to be directed by Pete Travis ("Vantage Point") and written by Alex Garland ("28 Days Later"), has our heroes trapped in a high-rise tower in Mega City One fighting for their lives.
Thirlby is currently filming "The Darkest Hour," about a bunch of Americans on a trip to Russia when an alien invasion strikes. In the meantime, she has two films that should arrive sometime early in 2011, "Margaret," starring Anna Paquin and Matt Damon, and ""No Strings," the comedy formerly known as "Friends With Benefits" starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher.
Urban, for his part, has a role in the upcoming Bruce Willis action-comedy "RED," due out in October.
We like both Urban and Thirlby, but hated "Judge Dredd." Hope they know what they're doing.


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Seasonal Yoga flow
Seasonal flow ~ this is a lovely friendly group to be found every Monday morning at Alton Maltings, with the benefit of the little cafe 'Rafters' upstairs! I cover all aspects of yoga thoroughly, exploring breath work, postures and gentle but creative flows and meditation. This class is suitable for beginners and those with a little more experience in yoga.
Seasonal Yoga is inspired by ancient Chinese and Indian health systems and is a gentle practice specifically designed to send energy flowing through the meridian lines (energy pathways of the body). From a physical view point the practice re-vitalizes our systems and organs which have energies corresponding to different seasons of the year – putting the mind and body where it is supposed to be – in harmony with nature.
With the rising dependency many of us have have on fast pace technology we need to counter balance this with education of nature's timings, rhythms and natural cycles.
We are a part of nature, so to continually work against these natural rhythms can create both stress, disease or indicate we are out of balance.
The ancient Chinese people believed in working with the cycles of nature – each of our organs, senses and systems also resonate with certain seasonal energies.
Practicing Seasonal Yoga on a regular basis improves flexibility, balance and physical strength. It helps people to control and manage their own energy levels and also improves physical and mental awareness.


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Attenickers Surname Ancestry Results
Our indexes 1000-1999 include entries for the spelling 'attenickers'. In the period you have requested, we have the following 1 record (displaying 1 to 1):
Try these...
atte nelme atte neucastell atte neuhous atte newall atte newe atte newecastel atte nockete atte nodyn atte noke atte noket atte nore atte northawe atte northous atte nouere atte nye atte nywehall atten ouen attenelete attenerlette attenerlettey attenesse attenessehe attenesshe attenestan atteneston attenestun atteneue attenewall atteneye atteneylonde attenhassh attenofine attenoke attenoldehull attenouere attenovene attenye atteo atteok atteok'
These sample scans are from the original record. You will get scans of the full pages or articles where the surname you searched for has been found.
Your web browser may prevent the sample windows from opening; in this case please change your browser settings to allow pop-up windows from this site.
Research your ancestry, family history, genealogy and one-name study by direct access to original records and archives indexed by surname.


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It was a head-to-head between two artists that couldn't have been more thrilling! Continue reading "#DMBC2014 DJ VOTING – MARC.US MADE IT !!!"
Tag: #dmbc2014
#DMBC2014 – ONLINE VOTING started
The first phase of our DJ for Dr. Mottes Birthday Celebration contest is over. We received so many cool sets that it was a hard job to make a selection. But finally we came to a result. Continue reading "#DMBC2014 – ONLINE VOTING started"


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Bourbon Pecan Waffles
Crisp and golden waffles are made of a batter full of pecans and flavored with bourbon. Topped by syrup that is also flavored by pecans and bourbon this is a decadent treat.
Pecan-Butter Syrup:
1/2 lb. butter
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup bourbon
Nonstick cooking spray
2 eggs, separated
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 lb. butter, melted
1/2 cup bourbon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup crème fraîche (for garnish)
- Prepare syrup: Melt butter over med. heat in a 10-in. skillet; add pecans and cook for 3 min., stirring constantly, until pecans are well toasted and lightly colored.
- Pour in maple syrup as butter begins to foam. Remove skillet from heat and carefully add bourbon.
- Return to heat and cook for 1 more min. Syrup may be made well in advance and rewarmed before serving.
- For waffles: Spray a waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray and preheat it. Preheat oven to 200°F.
- In a mixing bowl, whip egg whites to medium-stiff peaks. Combine egg yolks, flour, pecans, sugar, butter, bourbon, vanilla, baking powder, and buttermilk in a food processor and mix until smooth. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and fold in egg whites.
- With a ladle, fill waffle iron with batter and cook until waffle is golden brown, about 8 min. Place waffle on a wire rack on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat until all batter is used.
- Serve waffles with pecan-butter syrup and a dollop of crème fraîche.


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Your Maple Grove Chiropractor
Choosing the right Chiropractor is an important choice to make. Dr. Johnson and his staff are trained on the latest chiropractic treatments & technologies...
Safe & effective Chiropractic
Chiropractic care is a safe, effective and natural approach to managing pain and other health related issues. We invite you for a complimentary, no obligation consultation today.
Live Better Today!
Enjoying a long and healthy life is important to everyone. Chiropractic care unlocks your body's true potential and natural healing process to ensure your life is a healthy life.
Maple Grove ChiropractorThank you for visiting the website of Maple Grove Chiropractor Dr. Keith Johnson and Johnson Chiropractic Clinic - a professional Maple Grove chiropractic clinic. In practice as well as online, Maple Grove Minnesota 55369 chiropractor Dr. Johnson strives for excellence through superior patient treatment, education and satisfaction.
Within our website, Maple Grove and surrounding area residents will find all types of health and wellness related information including information about our office and services, chiropractic, back and neck pain, work and auto injuries and much, much more.
We hope you enjoy the information within and share it with others. Again, thank you for visiting www.johnsonchiroclinic.com and remember to come back often.
Yours in health,
Dr. Keith Johnson, D.C.
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When The Beatles were storming America, Oprah Winfrey had the band's poster on her bedroom wall, Merle Haggard was free from prison, Jerry Herman was making Broadway sing and Bill T. Jones was not yet a dancer but growing up in a migrant labor camp.
On Sunday, these leading artists who followed divergent paths since the 1960s will join Paul McCartney to receive the Kennedy Center Honors. They'll hear accolades from President Barack Obama and stars who will perform as part of the nation's top prize for those who define U.S. culture through the arts.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Big Hair! Wild Fashions! Oprah Winfrey Over The Years
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hosted a dinner Saturday for the honorees, along with visiting celebrities, including Julia Roberts, Claire Danes, Steven Tyler from Aerosmith, and Gwen Stefani and her band, No Doubt. The guestsalso included veteran entertainers Carol Channing, Angela Lansbury and Sidney Poitier.
Clinton marveled at the diverse "genres and generations" of artists.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Latest Star Sightings
"I am writing a cable about it, which I'm sure you'll find soon on your closest website," she joked after a week of dealing with fallout from the WikiLeaks release of confidential diplomatic dispatches.
She also confessed to "several waves of teen girl hysteria" over The Beatles during her youth. Clinton said McCartney's life had connected people around the world.
The former Beatle, making his second visit to Washington this year for a culture award, said the admiration is mutual. In June, he won the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Paul McCartney: From Liverpool Boy To International Legend
"You know, great things just come in bundles," he said. "I am a big fan of this president, and I think he's a great man whose got some difficulties. … I'm very honored to be with him and his family, and I'm also a big fan of Hillary's, too."
Since the 1960s, the new Kennedy Center honorees have helped define television, dance, theater and music.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Queen Of TV Talk — Oprah Winfrey
For Winfrey, the prize comes during the 25th and final season of her talk show and just before she launches her new cable network, OWN, on Jan. 1. After her Washington visit, she will take about 300 members of her audience to Australia for a vacation over the holidays.
"You know what's interesting is she spends her life celebrating others, but when it comes time for her, she's very reluctant really," Winfrey's best friend Gayle King told The Associated Press.
King said it was a fitting tribute for Winfrey as a communicator, actress, producer and humanitarian.
"They're recognizing her whole body of work," King said. "She's not just a talk show host."
Performers who will honor Winfrey and the others will be a surprise untilthey appear on stage Sunday night, but Winfrey has admitted she doesn't like surprises.
At the State Department, the ornate Benjamin Franklin room was a swirl of Hollywood, Nashville, New York and Washington power players, including President Bill Clinton.
Roberts said it was both exciting and nerve wracking. She said the mix of art and politics "can converge in a very interesting way, so when it's done right, it's really exciting."
After the honors were announced in September, Jones, the son of potato pickers, said he could recall dreaming of big things as a 9-year-old boy in upstate New York.
He went on to create the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company in 1982 after college with his late partner Arnie Zane. His work has tackled racism, AIDS and other tough issues, sometimes sparking outrage.
Jones said he's often felt like an outsider, yet he's being honored for helping to shape the country. His portrait also is included in a current Smithsonian Institution exhibit, the first to explore the impact of sexual orientation on art history. The exhibition has recently drawn complaints from conservatives.
Opera singer Jessye Norman, who toasted Jones' work Saturday, said she admired him for being brave enough to stand alone at times in his advocacy on social and political issues.
"I can feel the love," Jones said of the honor, adding that he was thrilled to be receiving the award while Obama is president. Still, he said he is discouraged by the country's direction. "I am trembling a little bit, actually. The discourse is so poisonous."
In recent years, Jones has shared his talents with Broadway, winning Tony awards for his choreography in "Spring Awakening" and this year for his show "Fela!," playing currently in New York and London. He said he hopes more artists will bridge the gap between the dance world and mainstream theater.
"We don't want to be marginalized anymore," he said. "Indifference is worse than dislike."
The Kennedy Center Honors gala will be recorded Sunday night for broadcast Dec. 28 on CBS.
Copyright 2010 by Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: Access Extended: Billy Joel Rocks Out With Paul McCartney
PLAY IT NOW: T.G.I.F. - Did The Chilean Miners Watch Cher Cement Her Legacy? (November 19, 2010)
More from Access: [ Oprah Winfrey Paul McCartney Barack Obama ]


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In the Isle of Wight Steve and I found this little eating place by the crazy golf in the Rylstone Gardens. They had loads of lovely looking cakes and we tried a Cherry Crumble Cake the first time we went there. It was so nice that we went back and tried the Apple Crumble Cake, which was just as nice. I said I would try and recreate something similar when we got home.
I found a recipe in my BBC Good Food 101 Cakes and Bakes book for Blackcurrant Crumble Squares and I've adapted it.
Instead of blackcurrants I used blueberries as we had a lot in the fridge to use up, but I only used half the amount the original recipe stated. I used a 10 inch round silicone tin instead of a 12 x 7 inch oblong tin.
For the crumble topping I reduced the amount of plain flour and added some ground almonds and omitted the lemon zest as I didn't have any. I also reduced the amount of sugar in both the cake and the crumble topping.
Everyone loved this cake! Even Steve's Mum loved it even though she's not a fan of crumble. The cake was lovely and soft and moist and the crunchy crumble topping made a great contrasting texture.
This cake was a lot thicker than the slices we ate in the IOW, but it was still really good.
- Oven temperature: Gas mark 4/350°F/180°C
- Oven shelf: middle
- You will need: 12 x 7 inch oblong tin or 10 inch round tin or 9 inch square tin, lined and greased if not using silicone
for the cake:
- 115g softened butter (I used Stork Margarine in the tub)
- 150g caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 280g self raising flour
- 125ml milk
- 100g blueberries
for the crumble:
- 100g caster sugar
- 70g plain flour
- 15g ground almonds
- 50g butter (I used Anchor)
- Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4/350°F/180°C.
- Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a wooden spoon (or electric hand whisk) until pale and fluffy, then whisk in the egg and beat until incorporated.
- Sift the flour into the bowl and pour in the milk, then carefully fold them into the mixture until fully combined but do not overmix.
- Spoon into the prepared tin and spread evenly, then sprinkle the blueberries on top.
- Mix together the sugar, flour and ground almonds. Rub in the butter until the mixture is crumbly, then sprinkle on top of the blueberries.
- Bake for 45 minutes until the topping is golden and crunchy.
- Leave to cool in the tin.


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Calvin Klein Underwear and intimate apparel first showed up as a force in the American intimate apparel market in 1982. Since that time, it has become one of the most innovative and well-known underwear brands for men and women. With unique advertising campaigns and tons of celebrity backing, Calvin Klein Underwear changed the public's opinion of undergarments in pop culture and style.
To keep their fashions at the cutting edge of men's underwear, Calvin Klein underwear continually introduces new fabrics and new lines, geared toward the full spectrum of use, from everyday to athletic to special occasion. Plus, the design side of the intimate division unveils a new variety of cuts to suit the season's most coveted fashions. Freshpair offers a wide selection of styles of Calvin Klein Underwear. No matter what type of guy you are, there are styles to fit your lifestyle. From the most classic basics to the most innovative fabrics and cuts, we carry your perfect pair at Freshpair.com.
Calvin Klein Underwear Styles at Freshpair
Some of the most popular men's underwear here at Freshpair are this 3-Pack of Cotton Stretch Low Rise Trunks. Made with soft stretch cotton, these trunks have a supportive seamed pouch that will keep you comfy all day. This 3-pack of Cotton Classic Knit Boxer Shorts is another best seller. This style is perfect for the man who values comfort and style without going overboard.
Calvin Klein Underwear is produced in several popular collections, including:
- Calvin Klein Micro Modal
- Calvin Klein Pro Stretch
- Calvin Klein CK One
- Calvin Klein Body Boost
- Calvin Klein CK Bold
- And many more!
Athletic men love the selection of sporty cuts and fabrics. With performance fabrics that offer moisture management and great ventilation, the collections made from micromodal and stretch microfiber are perfect for the gym and outdoor workouts alike.
It should come as no surprise that the world loves CK Underwear as much as it does. Customers have come to rely on the consistently great quality and great selection. And lately, Calvin Klein underwear has gone out on a limb and started designing more sexy prints, colors and styles.