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Stepping into the fray
As violent demonstrations roil Hong Kong, a bold group of volunteers is providing moral support and physical protection for young protesters
As violent demonstrations roil Hong Kong, a bold group of volunteers is providing moral support and physical protection for young protesters
Turkey is deporting Christian workers and church leaders, despite bowing to U.S. pressure one year ago in releasing American Pastor Andrew Brunson
Too many kids in the foster system end up on the streets once they reach adulthood
Christians are among the first casualties in a U.S. retreat that has triggered a Turkish offensive into Syria
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Half a century ago, an American pastor named Francis Schaeffer opened his home in Switzerland to anyone who was struggling with the basic questions of life. It was the beginning of L'Abri, a word meaning "shelter." Over the years, student backpackers, troubled atheists, and thoughtful Christians found their way to this chalet in the Alps. Here they met biblical truth, explained not only with a sophistication that was then rare in evangelicalism-but lived out.
Many who trekked the Alpine hillsides to L'Abri became Christians and learned how to engage their cultures and to apply their faith to all of life. Two generations on, the influence of Francis and Edith Schaeffer and the ministry of L'Abri is evident among evangelical Christians everywhere in their approach not only to evangelism and the church but also to the sciences, arts, business, and politics.
Schaeffer died of cancer in 1984. But L'Abri continues with branches all over the world: in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, England, Korea, Canada, and two in the United States (in Southborough, Mass., and Rochester, Minn.). These centers for training in Christian philosophy are the legacy of a man who-according to long-time associate and founder of the Francis Schaeffer Institute Jerram Barrs-never considered himself a theologian or philosopher, but simply a pastor and an evangelist.
Schaeffer became a Christian when he was 17, after reading the Bible from beginning to end and finding that it gave answers to questions he struggled with. He studied at Faith Seminary and pastored churches in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and St. Louis.
In St. Louis, Schaeffer and his wife Edith started a ministry, Children for Christ. At the same time, conflicts and schisms in the Presbyterian Church forced him to defend a high view of Scripture against liberal theology. He started the International Council of Christian Churches to counter the World Council of Churches. This took him to Europe, where he settled in Switzerland in 1948.
But L'Abri had its genesis in a spiritual crisis that engulfed Schaeffer in 1950-1951. Depressed by church politics and power struggles, Schaeffer wrestled with the question: "How could people stand for truth and purity and God's holiness without ugliness and harshness?" He became dissatisfied, too, with his own failures to live out the faith as the Bible describes it, according to Mr. Barrs.
Schaeffer felt these problems so deeply that he began to question whether Christianity, if it has so little effect, could be true. Once again, as he did when he was 17, he plunged into Bible reading in search of answers. He found them, becoming convinced that not only salvation but sanctification and the whole of the Christian's life are by faith. "The sun came out again," he said, and he found "a new song in my heart."
Now, in addition to holding Bible studies in the Schaeffer home and working with children, the Schaeffers began discussion groups for their teenage daughters and friends to hear their questions and to tell about the Bible's answers.
On June 5, 1955, the Schaeffers drew up a plan to turn their home into a place where people could come to work out their problems and to practice "true spirituality." Without finances and with no assurance that they would be allowed to stay in Switzerland, the Schaeffers purchased property in Huemoz, a rural village high in the mountains with a spectacular view of the Alps.
Ranald Macaulay, a student at Cambridge who became involved with the Schaeffers in the early days (and later married their daughter Susan), said the founding of L'Abri was consistent with its organizing principle: to live in constant dependence on the grace of God. At a March 11-13 Jubilee for L'Abri Fellowship at the America's Center in St. Louis, Mr. Macaulay said the Schaeffers resolved to do no advertising for workers, no marketing to attract newcomers, no fundraising, and no planning-principles in stark contrast to most other ministries.
The Schaeffers saw L'Abri as a unique experiment-they did not necessarily recommend this radical dependence on God's providence as a pattern for other ministries-but the needs always were met. Concerned with reaching individuals, the Schaeffers were content with small numbers. Over time, however, the effect of their work multiplied. Over 1,000 L'Abri alumni attended the jubilee celebration, an event that was equal parts conference and family reunion.
Os Guinness, Harold O.J. Brown, and Chuck Colson-all major evangelical thinkers who were shaped by L'Abri-gave addresses. Screenwriter Brian Godawa, who wrote To End All Wars, gave a workshop on transforming Hollywood. Theologian and cultural critic Vishal Mangalwadi, from India, talked about his upcoming television documentary series on the impact of the Bible, The Book of the Millennium. Book tables overflowed with titles by L'Abri alumni.
Workshops focused on the various facets of "The Central Themes of L'Abri," "Transforming All of Life," and "True Spirituality." The evenings closed with classical music concerts.
But unlike most idea-packed conferences, the program also scheduled in time for fellowship: an hour and a half devoted to lunch; 30 minutes between sessions; free afternoons and early evenings so people had time to talk. People who had grown close in the Christian community of L'Abri but who had not seen each other for decades hugged and laughed and resumed their conversations. Family members recalled the early days. Mr. Macaulay said the Schaeffers cleared out the furniture, set up chairs, and made elaborate preparations in their chalet, while Schaeffer, wearing a black suit, preached a brilliant sermon-all for three people. Mr. Macaulay remembers thinking, "Oh, if everybody could hear this!" In those days, he said, it was exciting when 10 people showed up at L'Abri.
At first Schaeffer resisted taping the lectures, fearing it would spoil his spontaneity. But one day his daughter Susan surreptitiously hid in an ivy plant a microphone attached to her portable cassette player. The tapes circulated in student groups in England, creating a demand for more tapes and a steady supply of L'Abri pilgrims. Eventually, he turned some of his lectures into books.
More and more people-students, hippies, homosexual priests, drug addicts, and other wanderers trying to "find themselves"-sought out this "shelter" in the mountains. Some stayed for a few weeks, others for several months. By the 1970s, several hundred might be there at a time, staying in chalets built on the expanding property above a switchback mountain road.
Schaeffer exchanged his American preacher's black suit for lederhosen and a walking stick. He engaged visitors in personal discussions fed also by the growing number of L'Abri workers who joined in the ministry. Visitors took part in the life of the community, eating meals together, doing physical labor, studying the Bible, prizing deep conversations, and walking in the mountains. This remains the pattern today in the L'Abri branches around the world, except that Schaeffer is heard only on tape.
In the course of 50 years, according to Larry Snyder, director of Rochester L'Abri, no one knows how many people went through L'Abri. No one kept records. What mattered then-and is evident now (see sidebar)-is that L'Abri was a life-changing experience.
Schaeffer persuaded nonbelievers to face up to the contradictions in their own worldviews by revealing their inability to account for what is most important in life (love, beauty, meaning). He would, as he described it, "take the roof off," bringing the nonbeliever almost to the point of despair, to acknowledge his lost condition. Then he applied the gospel of Christ. While conversant in the theology of Kuyper, Dooyeweerd, and Van Til, Schaeffer was captive only to the worldview set forth in the Bible-God's good creation, man's fall into sin and its consequences, the redemption through Christ-which he said accords with reality in all of its dimensions. Nonbelievers cannot bring themselves to be completely consistent with their own presuppositions, an inconsistency that is a result of common grace. "Thus, illogically," he wrote in 1948, "men have in their accepted worldviews various amounts of that which is ours. But, illogical though it may be, it is there and we can appeal to it."
Even with hostile visitors, Mr. Barrs said, Schaeffer "had an acute sense of people's brokenness and fallenness," and "thus would treat them with compassion."
Out of those encounters grew a body of written work: Escape from Reason (1968), True Spirituality (1971), and He Is There and He Is Not Silent (1972). Schaeffer developed extraordinarily fruitful concepts: how human beings need both "form and freedom"; how people today compartmentalize their lives into a meaningless objective "lower story" (the realm of science and fact) and a mystical, nonrational "upper story" of subjectivity and emotion (which becomes the realm of religion, aesthetics, and morality); how human beings are sinful and broken due to the Fall, yet how at the same time human beings have an intrinsic value and dignity, bearing the image of God.
Those concepts-fueled by practical discussions and communal living at L'Abri-quickly gathered public momentum. Before L'Abri, many conservative Protestants had no problem with legalizing abortion, considering it a Catholic issue and responding out of a knee-jerk anti-Catholicism. But the Schaeffers showed that abortion-along with the growing acceptance of euthanasia and the coming genetic engineering-constitutes a horrible assault on all that it means to be human. With the book and video series How Should We Then Live? (1976) and Whatever Happened to the Human Race? (1979), Schaeffer's ideas spread to a broader audience. With A Christian Manifesto (1981), he called evangelicals to the fight against abortion and to political activism to reverse what he saw as the trend toward both moral anarchy and political tyranny.
Such an extended ministry was a partnership with Schaeffer's wife. "If time allowed, a whole seminar could be devoted to the work of Edith Schaeffer," author and L'Abri alum Os Guinness told the jubilee crowd. Health problems, including a deteriorating esophagus, prevented Schaeffer's wife Edith, 92, from attending the St. Louis jubilee. Always an active part of L'Abri and an author herself, she is currently in a Swiss hospital. There, according to Udo Middleman, husband to Schaeffer daughter Debbie, the family is battling the very dangers Schaeffer described as family members insist on active treatment and care for Mrs. Schaeffer against a European medical establishment that is content to withhold treatment and to allow her simply to die.
Those struggles only emphasize that, in many ways, the culture of relativism, irrationalism, and self-centeredness that Schaeffer anticipated is here. "Postmodernists are so focused on I, me, myself that they have trouble focusing on any thing beyond themselves," said L'Abri Australia leader Frank Stootman. And yet, he said, the Schaeffer method of taking people with their presuppositions to their logical conclusions and showing the superiority of a biblical worldview is still effective.
Per Staffan Johansson, of L'Abri in Sweden, told WORLD that seekers today are less philosophical than they were in the 1960s. Instead of wrestling with questions about the meaning of life and other objective truth, they are more preoccupied with problems of relationships and the meaning of their jobs and professions. "We do more in Sweden with vocation," he said. "And yet, this is what L'Abri has always done," relating faith to all of life.
Mr. Guinness said that "the genius of Schaeffer's apologetics has yet to be fully unwrapped." When asked about reaching the culture, Mr. Guinness said that one of Schaeffer's great insights is that we have to reach not cultures but individuals. Each individual has his or her own questions, personal struggles, and moral brokenness. Schaeffer took them all seriously, addressing people one by one, while giving them-sometimes for the first time-a sense of belonging to a community.
Many approaches to evangelism and church growth today are impersonal, relying on manipulative formulas and the techniques of mass marketing and consumerism. L'Abri honors the dignity and the distinct spiritual needs of each individual. Many evangelicals think Christianity needs to be dumbed down and made easier to make it attractive to people today. L'Abri teaches that Christianity has substance and depth, that it has something to offer to thoughtful, educated people, and that-undiluted-biblical Christianity can change their lives.
Fifty years later, evangelicalism once again faces the problem of being negative or ineffectual, worldly, or out of touch. L'Abri remains.


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F. L. Wallace, sometimes credited as Floyd Wallace, was a noted science fiction and mystery writer. He was born in Rock Island, Illinois, in 1915, and died in Tustin, California, in 2004. Wallace spent most of his life in California as a writer and mechanical engineer after attending the University of Iowa.
His first published story, "Hideaway," appeared in the magazine Astounding. Galaxy Science… (more)

subset: commoncrawl


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Go shallower, further with Carolina Skiff DLX Tunnel Series
By Craig Lamb
A pillar of the Carolina Skiff brand is the DLX Series, tracing its roots back to the first model built in 1983. Since then the DLX has built a loyal following as one of the most durable, versatile and stable boats on the water. Plain and simple, you just can't beat it as a runabout, commercial workboat or for just about any activity on the water.
Could the DLX get even more versatile? Yep, and the proof is in the DLX Tunnel Series. The DLX is known for shallow draft, and that gets even more of a lift with the Tunnel Series.
What gives tunnel hulls an advantage is the higher outboard motor mount. Water is dispersed from the hull into the tunnel. Undisturbed water is then funneled to the prop for better bite and less cavitation. Throttle the outboard and the boat quickly gets on plan and stays there without porpoising. What else happens with a tunnel is better performance and even fuel economy. Less hull in the water means less drag, which also means less fuel consumed.
What else is different about the Tunnel Series than the standard DLX is fuel storage. The boat has a 30-gallon belly tank instead of a traditional fuel cell mounted in the stern or beneath the console. That gives the boat a lower center of gravity and more storage throughout.
The DLX Tunnel Series has a length overall of 19' and a beam of just 93." Weight is just 1,590 pounds and the draft is only 4." Maximum power is 115 horsepower.
All of the above adds up to an impressive boat for ultra-shallow water fishing. Speckled trout, spotted seatrout. No matter what you call them, there is one technique that is synonymous with the catching species. A popping cork rig and live shrimp. There are times when that staple of trout fishing is unproductive.
A sporting, fun alternative is catching this eagerly biting saltwater fishing mainstay with a fly rod. Trout are plentiful and eager to strike flies, making the fish and tactic a great entry point for fly fishing in saltwater.
A 5- to 7-weight rod, the size you might use for freshwater trout, will work for the saltwater species. If you are casting heavier flies, an 8-weight can handle the job. Carry separate fly outfits rigged with floating and intermediate sinking lines to cover enough of the water column.
Small trout prefer shrimp but will feed on minnows as they grow. Rig up with flies mimicking both foods with hook sizes ranging from No. 6 or No. 4, or 2/0 and 3/0 for mullet imitators. A Clouser Minnow is the all-inclusive standby. A 10-pound fluorocarbon tipped at the end of a 7-foot leader will get you read for action.
Fish over grass flats and pay special attention to light, sandy bottoms or darker areas that indicate deep drops.
Armed with a basic assortment of flies and a lightweight outfit you can pursue a plentiful, easily caught saltwater gamefish on a fly outfit. Of course, you'll need the right boat to get into the shallow water. There is no better choice than the Carolina Skiff DLX Tunnel Series.
Original Source: Sportsmans Lifestyle.com


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AMERICUS - Georgia Southwestern outfielder Michel Coffey extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a solo home run in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, but the 'Canes were unable to salvage a split with the Bearcats, as Lander won 10-1 and 4-2 at Hurricane Stadium.
Lander, victorious in eight of its last nine games, improves to 16-6 overall and 6-2 in the Peach Belt Conference. GSW, now 3-18 overall and 2-6 in the PBC, has lost four in a row and six of its last seven.
The two teams wrap up the three-game series tomorrow at 1 p.m.
It didn't take long for the visiting Bearcats to get to GSW starter Trent Franzago (0-5). Lander scored five runs in the first behind five singles, but two costly errors opened the floodgates.
While the five runs would prove to be more than enough to take the opener, Lander put the game away in the fourth inning with four runs on six hits. The rally was highlighted by Ian Harvey's two-run double to left center.
GSW pushed across its run in the fifth inning. Randall Sheffield opened the frame with a single, proceeded to steal second, advanced to third on a Chase Young ground out and scored on John Duran's single up the middle. After the RBI hit, the Hurricanes loaded the bases when Michel Coffey walked and Beau Parker was hit by a pitch. GSW could not capitalize and the runners were left stranded to end the inning.
Lander tacked on a run in the ninth.
The Hurricanes did not have a batter finish with multiple hits.
A quartet of Lander hitters collected three hits apiece in the contest. Erik Lunde (3-for-6), Kevin Starr (3-for-4), Juan Montana (3-for-5) and Colby Painter (3-for-5) led the Bearcats' barrage. Montana drove in three.
Franzago pitched three innings. Matthew Suggs provided six innings of solid relief for GSW. He allowed two runs, walked two and struck out five.
Chris Thomas (4-0) turned in a solid performance for Lander. He tossed eight innings, scattered five hits, walked two and struck out seven while allowing the 'Canes only run. Jeremy Jansen threw a scoreless ninth.
Southwestern matched each Lander score until the eighth inning of the nightcap.
Lander took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when a GSW error on a ground ball from Chris Hyatt allowed Harvey to score from second.
Coffey blasted his third home run of the season to open the bottom half of the fourth.
In the sixth, it was the Hyatt/Harvey combination once again. This time a Hyatt single to center brought Harvey, who reached base on a triple, across the plate.
Kyle Nobles tied the game for the Hurricanes in the bottom of the inning when his double down the left-field line brought Beau Parker around from first.
A two-out error by GSW in the eighth eventually led to both Lander runs scoring and proved to be the difference.
The Hurricanes were held in check over the final two frames as six of their final seven batters were retired to end the contest.
For the second-straight game GSW was held without a multi-hit indivdual performance at the plate.
Harvey went 3-for-5 with a double and a triple to lead the Bearcats. He scored three of their four runs. Painter added a pair of hits.
Tyler Daniel (0-1) took the loss for GSW despite not being charged for an earned run in 2 2/3 innings of work. He walked two and struck out two. Starter Matt Weaver went six innings, walked four and struck out five. He allowed two runs - one earned - and scattered five hits.
Lander starter Todd Hughson did not factor in the decision after his 6 2/3 innings of action. He gave up two runs, five hits, walked three and struck out three. Michael White (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and Ross Davis picked up his third save after throwing a scoreless ninth.


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E-Shave just got closer with our 5 Blades Luxury Shaving Razors. These elegantly designed shavers are sculptured works of art that deliver the closest, most perfect shave. The 5 Blades Luxury Shaving Razors fit comfortably in the hand and are easy to use. Unlike any shavers you have used before, eShave's 5 Blades Luxury Razors will take your shave to the smoothest level yet.
Directions of use:
- For the best results when shaving delicate areas such as the face and neck, and to prevent ingrown hair, bumps, and razor burns, always shave with the grain.
- Using short, light strokes which prevent irritation, shave in the direction that the hair grows (i.e. with the grain). For stubborn hair, re-apply shave cream and repeat shaving in careful, sideways motion.
- E-Shave Razors are fitted for either the Gillette® Mach3® blade or the Gillette® Fusion® blade.


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The Pacific Center for the Book Arts celebrates the 14th Triennial Members Exhibition: extraordinary books designed, printed, and assembled by professional book artists, students, and educators from across the country.
Related Programs
Book Artists Speak: BookWorks participants talk about ideas and techniques. July 9, 2-3:30pm, in the Skylight Gallery, Sixth Floor, Main Library.
Hand Printing in Digital Times: Panel discussion on traditions and innovations. July 23, 2-3:30pm, in the Latino-Hispanic Community Meeting Room, Lower Level, Main Library.


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Right before going into the studio to record this week's GeekWire radio show and podcast, I noticed one of our guests, Giant Thinkwell CEO Adam Tratt, leaning over his computer with one of the biggest grins I've ever seen.
He had just found out that the company's new iPad app, Haiku Deck, had scored a coveted spot in the "New and Noteworthy" section of the App Store, giving the app a big dose of exposure on the world's largest stage for tablet computing. We started recording the show as soon as we could, to capture the moment.
As I told Adam, it felt like interviewing a ballplayer after a big win. So, how does it feel?
"It feels good to know that we're there. I'm a little terrified, frankly," he said. "It's more like qualifying for the Olympics than it is winning a medal. Now we have to live up to the expectations of getting lots of downloads. But I'm really proud of the team, they did a great job making an awesome app, and I can't wait to share it with the world."
Of course, the power of the App Store is a double-edged sword, and it's just as easy for a worthy app to get lost and wither away into obscurity. I talked with Adam about that risk, and the company's decision to launch first for the iPad rather than other platforms.
Haiku Deck is an app for creating presentations, with features including the ability to easily find Creative Commons images that suit the subject of your presentation. In some ways, it's an alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint, but Tratt, a former member of the Microsoft Office team, disagreed with my suggestion that Haiku Deck is a PowerPoint competitor.
"First of all, look, we are a freckle on the derrière of Microsoft," he said, laughing. "For me to suggest that I am competing with Microsoft is a little overblown. So I want to make it clear that those are your words, not mine."
As of this weekend, Haiku Deck was the No. 2 free iPad app in the App Store's productivity section. Not too bad for a freckle.
Listen to the full show at the top of this post or directly via this MP3 file.
More from this week's show:
- App of the Week: Mars Images for iOS and Android.
- Name that Tech Tune: Chance to win a giant bag of geek swag.
- Beth Goza on the "elegant art of waiting in line."


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Green asparagus is traditionally the most common variety, while purple or white asparagus is usually available on a limited basis in speciality markets. White asparagus is grown underneath a mound of dirt which is a growing method that keeps the stalks from turning green. Once they emerge through the ground, the stalks are harvested and sent to market. The white variety has less flavor than the green or purple. The shoots of the green asparagus are usually harvested when the stalks reach a height of 8 inches and are 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. The purple variety is generally harvested when the stalks reach a height of approximately 3 inches. It is a type of asparagus that provides a somewhat distinctive fruity flavor.
When selecting asparagus, choose stalks that are firm and crisp with heads that are full, tightly closed and not discolored. Check the aroma from the bunched asparagus as it should not give off an objectionable odor. The ends of the asparagus that have been cut should be moist and fresh in appearance, not dried or cracking. Asparagus can be boiled, steamed, sautéed, pickled, or served cold. It makes an enjoyable appetizer, or a good complement to salads, vegetable dishes, and soups. Asparagus can also be pureed to be used for soups and soufflés. This vegetable is very perishable. Fresh asparagus will last about 3 to 4 days while blanched asparagus can last for 9 months or so in a freezer. Do not wash asparagus before storing. Wash it just before using. To store, wrap in a paper towel and place in a plastic bag that is not airtight, or place upright in a jar or glass containing 1/2 inch of cold water.


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A directory of barbecue restaurants organized by state + city. Post your favorite barbecue joints...from "swine dining" to "hole-in-the-wall", we want them all!
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.
Order threads in...
Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.
Forum Rules


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MILTON — The season of giving is a time to give thanks — and to give back. From the relief efforts after Hurricane Sandy to the work of our local non-profits, America is at its best when people come together to help others. Unfortunately, incentives that encourage our can-do, giving spirit are threatened, and at a time when they're needed most.
President Barack Obama and Congress are considering caps or cuts to the charitable deduction, a 100-year-old tax benefit for those who give to charitable causes. It is true that our nation faces a real and urgent budget crisis, but this approach would have dire consequences, likely reducing donations to non-profit organizations by billions of dollars and cutting or eliminating work that is very important to communities across the country, including ours. It makes no sense to put charities at risk now, when their services are particularly needed. According to the Nonprofit Finance Fund, 85 percent of non-profits experienced higher demand for their services in 2011, and this year promises to be no different.
Our economic future depends on a strong philanthropic sector assisting a faster, sustainable recovery. Congress and the Administration must recognize the value of an independent, non-profit infrastructure with longstanding experience to serve community needs in good times and bad.
Food banks and soup kitchens, children and youth services, crisis intervention organizations, disaster relief funds, museums, animal shelters, environmental groups, arts and humanities organizations, and our many churches are all examples of non-profits whose work is sustained by charitable giving and would be impacted by a change in the charitable tax deduction. Land conservation organizations such as Moose Mountains Regional Greenways also rely on the generous donations of our members to fund the work of our educational outreach and land conservation mission. Moreover, many land protection projects rely on conservation-minded landowners who are willing to give up the development rights on their land and take only a tax deduction in compensation.
According to Giving USA, individual contributions to charitable causes in this country account for 73 percent of all charitable giving. The charitable deduction is different from other itemized deductions in that it rewards a selfless act by encouraging individuals to give part of their income to worthy causes. Data suggests that for every dollar subject to the charitable deduction, the public typically receives $3 of benefit. No other tax provision does that.
Now is not the time to cut or cap the lifeblood of giving that supports the work of non-profits in our community.


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Showy Status Symbols May Repel People from Befriending YouAugust 20, 2018 12:25
(Image source from: Mirror)
When it comes to making new friends, luxurious status symbols like luxury cars, attires and timepieces could be getting in the way.
That's the inference of a novel study which says that status symbols, in fact deter individuals from making friends with us.
"Often times we think that status symbols - whether a luxury car like a BMW, a brand name purse like Prada, or an expensive watch like Rolex - will make us look more socially attractive to others," said the study's lead author, Stephen Garcia from the University of Michigan.
"However, our research suggests that these status signals actually make us look less socially attractive, not more."
In reality, the researchers propose that trying to practice status symbols to make networks could, in fact, be wicked for us.
"To the extent friends are important to well-being, those looking for friends may unwittingly be hindering - not promoting - their own well-being," said co-author Kimberlee Weaver Livnat from the University of Haifa.
In one study, - the study involved six overall - 125 participants from a well-off suburb were presented with one of two situations, acting either as a 'presenter' or an 'evaluator'.
The presenters were asked to pick between a luxury car and a basic car to drive to an outdoor wedding where they could encounter new friends, while the evaluators were tasked with picking whether they would want to be friends with the people in the cars.
Approximately two-thirds of the first group chose to highlight to the wedding in a luxury car, but their result boomeranged.
"At a societal level, we may be wasting billions of dollars on expensive status symbols that ultimately keep others from wanting to associate with us," said Weaver Livnat.
Nonetheless, it's not all evil news for fans of fast cars and fancy watches, as the conclusions lone apply to the formation of new bonds and not commercial or romantic relationships.
"In the case of forming business contacts, our last study in this series of studies finds that using status symbols can be helpful in attracting would-be contacts but not remarkably more so than using more neutral status symbols," said co-author Patricia Chen, assistant professor of psychology at the National University of Singapore.
By Sowmya Sangam


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Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Overseas Ad Pulled for Insulting Fat People
(LOS ANGELES) -- Calling it, "...hurtful to a portion of the public," Israel's Second Authority for Television & Radio ordered a cable company to pull a spot starring Seinfeld alumna Julia Louis-Dreyfus because it insulted overweight people.
The ad, for Israeli cable provider Yes, had the actress portraying an office worker who mistakes an overweight colleague's belly for a baby bump. In an effort to apologize for the gaffe, Louis-Dreyfus' character makes another faux pas, insinuating the heavy colleague can't be pregnant because nobody would date her.
Israel's Yedid Association for Community Empowerment kicked off the protest over the ad, by blasting it in a letter to Yes CEO Ron Ayalon, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The group also lobbied the country's Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Council by saying of the spot, "There are a lot of weight-challenged individuals in Israel who are treated in an irreverent and hurtful manner. There is no justification to illustrate a stigma which suggests a larger woman is either pregnant or simply too fat for anyone to consider going out with."
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio


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Dir: Hala Alabdalla. Syria-France-UAE. 2012. 120mins
The art of the caricature has been important in the Arab world for more than a century, used to tackle the plight of ordinary citizens, raise political points and more recently focus on the issues around authoritarian rule. Using humour, satire and often-righteous anger, the work – which can be seen in newspapers, magazines and books – can be evocative and powerful.
The film offers striking viewpoint of a complex and constantly changing time, and is always intriguing.
Director Hala Alabdalla interviews a series of artists, illustrators and essayists over a period of deep change, and with the winds of revolution sweep through Tunisia, Egypt, and Syria the impact on the people is reflected in the work of these artists.
In Cairo she interviews Mohieddin Al Labbad, a veteran caricature artist, illustrator and graphic designer, and emerging artists from the younger generation that he has mentored, while in Damascus, she talks to infamous caricature artist Ali Farzat along with Hazem Al Hamwi, a younger artist, who displays on camera all the drawings he never dared to publish.
She counterpoints the interviews with a series of increasingly moving conversations with novelist and essayist Samar Yazbek, who reflects on the place of irony, humour, censorship and insubordination in contemporary Arab letters.
In the midst of filming revolution sweep through the countries. The gently influential Al Labbad passes away; Farzat is attacked by thugs from the Syrian regime and has his fingers broken – a clear message or response to his challenging illustrations. Yazbek is detained but eventually released and decides to flee the country to Paris for her daughter's safety.
While As If We Were Catching A Cobra, which runs two hours, is too long and at times struggles to find a sense of balance and rhythm with Hala Alabdalla letting some interview statements run too long (likely for emotionally sound reasons) when the film would work much better as a tighter project.
It is at its most interesting in the second half when the work of illustrators old and young is more fully explored, with the interviews with the charismatic and playful Ali Farzat especially powerful. He speaks eloquently and passionately, and in his final interview – conducted via Skype – he holds his battered and bruised hand to the camera to prove he is beginning to heal.
While Samar Yazbek is an eloquent and increasingly sad figure, there are times when her story doesn't quite dovetail with the discussions and artistic debates of the caricaturists. But the film offers striking viewpoint of a complex and constantly changing time, and is always intriguing.
Production companies: Ramad Films, L'Oeil Sauvage
International sales: WIDE Management, www.widemanagement.com
Producers: Hala Alabdalla, Bloch Bernard, Frédéric Féraud
Cinematography: Sabine Lancelin, Pierre Dupouey, Hala Alabdalla
Editor: Dominique Pâris


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MJB 2011 Honors Concert for FFAWN
By Admin Published: April 12, 2011
Christina Aguilera, Jill Scott, Anita Baker and Mary J. Blige will perform at the MJB 2011 Honors Concert for FFAWN (Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now).
Actress and artist Queen Latifah will host the massive concert event in New York, benefitting Mary J. Blige's charity FFAWN.
2011 FFAWN scholarship recipients will also be honored at the event.
Don't miss the MJB 2011 Honors Concert for FFAWN, on 1 May.
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Top Items:
Ryan Grim / The Huffington Post:
Harry Reid, Mitch McConnell Reach Filibuster Reform Deal — FOLLOW: — Video, Filibuster, Filibuster Reform, Filibuster Reform 2013, Harry Reid Filibuster, Harry Reid Mitch Mcconnell, Harry Reid Mitch Mcconnell Filibuster, Harry Reid Mitch Mcconnell Filibuster Reform, Jeff Merkley Filibuster Reform …
Discussion: CNN, The Atlantic Online, Talking Points Memo, Hot Air, The Moderate Voice, Firedoglake, The National Memo, Fix the Senate Now News, Hullabaloo, The PJ Tatler, Weekly Standard, Mother Jones, Washington Monthly, The BRAD BLOG, The Plum Line, Left in the West, Booman Tribune, The Political Carnival, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Maddow Blog, The Reaction and Wonkblog
David A. Graham / The Atlantic Online: How Senate Graybeards Killed Real Filibuster Reform
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air: Open thread: Feinstein assault-weapons ban stage show
Joe Gandelman / The Moderate Voice: Reid and McConnell Reach Filibuster Deal: Far Less Than Many Democrats Sought
Jon Walker / Firedoglake: Senate Democrats Really Don't Want to Govern
Jason Sattler / The National Memo: Senate Leaders Agree To Weak Filibuster Reforms
Digby / Hullabaloo: Baby steps on the filibuster
Matt Vespa / The PJ Tatler: So, How About Harry Reid's Filibuster Reform
Michael Warren / Weekly Standard: Senate Dems, GOP Cut Deal on Filibuster
Brad Friedman / The BRAD BLOG: Harry Reid's Failibuster
Jonathan Bernstein / The Plum Line: Why Senate reform fizzled (for now)
Bob Brigham / Left in the West: Max Baucus Again Helps Kill Filibuster Reform
GottaLaff / The Political Carnival: Harry Reid never really wanted to change the filibuster. He and Mitch McConnell reach a deal.
Steve Benen / The Maddow Blog: Reid, McConnell strike a deal on Senate reform
Richard K. Barry / The Reaction: P.M. Headlines — (The Huffington Post): "Harry Reid …
Ezra Klein / Wonkblog:
Harry Reid: "I'm not personally, at this stage, ready to get rid of the 60-vote threshold" — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have come to a deal on filibuster reform. The deal is this: The filibuster will not be reformed.
Brian Beutler / Talking Points Memo: Why Filibuster Reform Died
Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times: Bipartisan Filibuster Deal Is Reached in the Senate
Rachel Weiner / Post Politics: Senate filibuster deal disappoints reformers
Paul Kane / Washington Post: Senate leaders reach deal modifying filibuster rules, keep 60-vote hurdle
Brad Friedman / The BRAD BLOG: Colbert's 'Alpha Dogs of the Week': Virginia GOP for State Senate's Shameless Redistricting Coup
Joan McCarter / Daily Kos: The Senate approves rules for a sort-of reformed filibuster
Andrew Stiles / National Review: Filibuster Deal Likely to Pass, Despite Opposition
Timothy Noah / The New Republic: Filibuster Reform Squelched
Lisa Mascaro / Los Angeles Times: Modest filibuster changes taking shape in Senate
Chris Cillizza / The Fix: Why filibuster reform didn't happen
Libby Spencer / The Impolitic: Filibuster reform fail - Updated
Sahil Kapur / Talking Points Memo:
Dems Rally Around Reid's Scaled Back Filibuster Deal
Dems Rally Around Reid's Scaled Back Filibuster Deal
Discussion: Slate, The Daily Dish and Main Street
David Weigel / Slate: Harkin: Filibuster Deal Ensures That Obama's Priorities "Will Not Get Very Far"
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish: The Amazing Awfulness Of Harry Reid, Ctd
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Reid and McConnell reach tentative deal to change filibuster rules
Reid and McConnell reach tentative deal to change filibuster rules
Discussion: msnbc.com, Right Turn and LifeNews.com
Sarah Muller / msnbc.com: Senate agrees to watered-down filibuster reform
Jennifer Rubin / Right Turn: Out of step? — Much of what the elite media think is attainable …
Steven Ertelt / LifeNews.com: Harry Reid Forced to Back Down on Killing Senate Filibuster
David Weigel / Slate:
Final Filibuster Reform Deal Largely Based on John McCain and Carl Levin's Proposals
Final Filibuster Reform Deal Largely Based on John McCain and Carl Levin's Proposals
Discussion: Hot Air, Hullabaloo, Mother Jones, Outside the Beltway and Firedoglake
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air: McConnell, Reid agree on rules reform package
Kevin Drum / Mother Jones: Filibuster Reform Stumbles to the Finish Line
Doug Mataconis / Outside the Beltway: McConnell And Reid Reach Filibuster Deal
Fox News:
Tancredo vows to smoke pot, in promo for film about Colorado's successful legalization effort — FILE: Nov. 12, 2007: Former presidential candidate and Congressman Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., at a press conference at the Marriot Hotel in Des Moines, Iowa.REUTERS — Tokin' Tom Tancredo? Not exactly.
Mike Riggs / Hit & Run: Tom Tancredo Lost a Bet, So Now He Has to Get High
Talking Points Memo:
Tom Tancredo To Smoke Pot — Anti-immigrant firebrand and former Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) says he will make good on a past bet he made to smoke marijuana if Colorado legalized it by referendum. Tancredo, who supported the marijuana reform proposal but said he did not partake in drugs himself …
Discussion: Little Green Footballs, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Mediaite
Justin Sink / The Hill:
Former Rep. Tom Tancredo loses bet, will smoke pot — The former congressman and anti-illegal immigration activist had told the maker of a documentary about the ballot initiative that he would smoke pot if the measure passed, despite not being a drug user. On Nov. 6, Colorado voters approved marijuana …
Discussion: The Greenroom
Allahpundit / The Greenroom: America's newest pothead: Tom Tancredo
Alex Pappas / The Daily Caller:
Feinstein calls for banning more than 150 types of firearms during dramatic press conference — WASHINGTON — California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein staged a dramatic press conference Thursday on Capitol Hill with 10 weapons at her side and unveiled legislation instituting a government ban …
Discussion: Mother Jones, The PJ Tatler, Wonkblog, Doug Ross, Washington Free Beacon, American Power, National Review, Weasel Zippers, Mediaite, Hot Air and protein wisdom
Bryan Preston / The PJ Tatler: Feinstein's Ban Would Outlaw Dozens of Firearms By Name
Directorblue / Doug Ross: Dianne Feinstein's Scary-Looking Weapons List
Donald Douglas / American Power: On Assault Weapons Ban, Senate Democrats Must Reckon With Angry Gun-Owning Constituents
Charles C. W. Cooke / National Review: Feinstein's Second Assault Weapons Ban
Nickarama / Weasel Zippers: Feinstein: "Weak Gun Laws Allow Massacres Like Sandy Hook", List Of Guns She Proposes To Ban
Tommy Christopher / Mediaite: Sen. Dianne Feinstein Holds Press Conference To Introduces New Assault Weapons Ban
Allahpundit / Hot Air: Biden on assault weapons: You're more likely to hit someone with a shotgun, you know
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Sen. Feinstein introduces sweeping ban on military-style assault weapons
Sen. Feinstein introduces sweeping ban on military-style assault weapons
Discussion: The Moderate Voice, The National Memo, New York Times, Weekly Standard, The Hill and Nice Deb
Joe Gandelman / The Moderate Voice: Sen. Feinstein introduces Assault Weapons Ban (Unlikely to Pass)
Jennifer Steinhauer / New York Times: Senator Unveils Bill to Limit Semiautomatic Arms
Michael Warren / Weekly Standard: Feinstein Opens Gun Control Presser with Prayer by Clergyman
Ashley Killough / CNN:
TRENDING: Biden's gun advice for earthquakes
TRENDING: Biden's gun advice for earthquakes
Discussion: Politico, Business Insider, Hit & Run and Guardian
Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times:
Democratic Senators Face Gun Owners Roused by Talk of New Laws
Democratic Senators Face Gun Owners Roused by Talk of New Laws
Discussion: The Plum Line, ACS Blog, Althouse, CNN, Vox Popoli, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, JustOneMinute, The Caucus, Chicago Boyz and Hot Air
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line: Real movement: Joe Manchin, NRA darling, comes out for universal background checks
Jeremy Leaming / ACS Blog: Sen. Feinstein Meets Vitriol with Introduction of Ban on Military-Style Weapons
Ann Althouse / Althouse: "How many of you all believe that there is a movement to take away the Second Amendment?"
Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute: Pravda On The Hudson Comes Home To Reality
Ashley Southall / The Caucus: The Early Word: On the Front
Laura Bassett / The Huffington Post:
New Mexico Bill Would Criminalize Abortions After Rape As 'Tampering With Evidence' — FOLLOW: — Video, Abortion Tampering With Evidence, Cathrynn Brown Abortion Bill, New Mexico Abortion Bill, New Mexico Abortion Evidence, New Mexico Abortion Law, New Mexico Rape Abortion, Politics News
Joe Gandelman / The Moderate Voice: Report: New Mexico Bill Would Criminalize Abortions After Rape As 'Tampering With Evidence'
GottaLaff / The Political Carnival: New Mexico bill would criminalize abortions after rape as "tampering with evidence"
Little Green Footballs: Insane New Republican Bill Would Send Women to Jail for Having Abortions After Rape
Rebecca Schoenkopf / Wonkette: New Mexico Will Prosecute You for Borting Your Rape Baby, Because You Are Borting 'The Evidence'
Neetzan Zimmerman / Gawker: GOP Lawmaker Wants to Charge Rape Victims Who Have Abortions with 'Evidence Tampering'
Kate Sheppard / Mother Jones: New Mexico GOP Rep. Wins Prize for Abortion Trolling
Melissa McEwan / Shakesville: Today in the War on Agency
Katie Glueck / Reuters:
Allen West rips call for women in combat — Former Rep. Allen West on Thursday slammed a new Pentagon policy allowing women to serve in combat roles. — "Women in combat billets? Another misconceived lib vision of fairness and equality," tweeted the Republican from Florida who served in the military for more than 20 years.
Discussion: Mediaite, Hullabaloo, The Daily Caller, Daily Kos, The Maddow Blog and Politico
Meenal Vamburkar / Mediaite: Allen West Blasts 'Misconceived' Policy On Women In Combat: Could Lead To 'Demise' Of Military
Digby / Hullabaloo: QOTD: General Jerry Boykin
David Martosko / The Daily Caller: Allen West: Putting women in combat a 'misconceived' liberal policy
Steve Benen / The Maddow Blog: How not to respond to a breakthrough for equality
Reid J. Epstein / Politico: No culture war over women in combat
The White House:
Statement by the President on the Opening of Combat Units to Women
Statement by the President on the Opening of Combat Units to Women
Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Weekly Standard, ABCNEWS and Twitchy
Dorian De Wind / The Moderate Voice: Women in Combat: It Is 'Official'
William Kristol / Weekly Standard: Women in Harness? — President Obama has released …
Chris Good / ABCNEWS: It's Official: Women Will Serve in Combat
Greg Myre / National Security:
Women In Combat: 5 Key Questions
Women In Combat: 5 Key Questions
Ronald Bailey / Hit & Run: Two Cheers for Lifting the Ban on Women in Combat
Ryan Smith / Wall Street Journal:
The Reality That Awaits Women in Combat
The Reality That Awaits Women in Combat
Discussion: msnbc.com, Weekly Standard, Hot Air, Israel Matzav, Ricochet Conversations Feed and New York Times
Evan Puschak / msnbc.com: The right's reaction to the prospect of women in combat
Jessie Jane Duff / Weekly Standard: Women in Combat: Be Careful What You Wish For
Erika Johnsen / Hot Air: Allen West: "Now is not the time to play a social experiment with our ground combat forces"
Crow's Nest / Ricochet Conversations Feed: Phalluses, Phalanxes, and Fallacies
Alan I. Abramowitz / Sabato's Crystal Ball:
Republican Electoral College Plan Would Undermine Democracy — Republicans are struggling to right their ship after the defeat of 2012. The unfavorable demographic trends for the GOP that we describe in our new book, Barack Obama and the New America, have sunk in, and the party knows it must do something.
Benjy Sarlin / Talking Points Memo: NAACP: VA's Electoral Vote Scheme Would Leave Minorities 'More Disenfranchised Than Ever'
Joe Gandelman / The Moderate Voice: Sabato's Crystal Ball: Republican Electoral College Plan Would Undermine Democracy
Seth D. Michaels / Main Street: Virginia Republicans Replace "One Man, One Vote" With "Heads I Win, Tails You Lose"
Doug Mataconis / Outside the Beltway: Allocating Electoral Votes By Congressional District Is A Bad Idea
Walter Hickey / Business Insider: Republicans Are Getting Slammed For Their Plan To Rig The Electoral College
Steve Benen / The Maddow Blog: If you can't win elections, rig them
David A. Graham / The Atlantic Online: How to Win States and Disenfranchise People: The GOP's Electoral-Vote Plan
Ian Millhiser / ThinkProgress:
How Republicans Plan To Rig The Next Presidential Election, In Six Pictures
How Republicans Plan To Rig The Next Presidential Election, In Six Pictures
Discussion: Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Agonist and American Prospect
Jim Nolan / Richmond Times-Dispatch: Bill to change allocation of Virginia's electoral votes advances
Steve Hynd / The Agonist: "The only Constitution that Barack Obama upholds is the Soviet constitution"
Jamelle Bouie / American Prospect: Will the Virginia GOP's Electoral Vote Rigging Pass?
Benjy Sarlin / Talking Points Memo:
Group Working To Reform Electoral College Condemns GOP's 'Indefensible' Virginia Scheme
Group Working To Reform Electoral College Condemns GOP's 'Indefensible' Virginia Scheme
Discussion: Virginian-Pilot, msnbc.com, Balloon Juice and No More Mister Nice Blog
Julian Walker / Virginian-Pilot: Lawmakers move to change Va. electoral vote system
Zachary Roth / msnbc.com: The GOP's new strategy: Rig the game
Aviva Shen / ThinkProgress:
New York Post Goes After Hillary Clinton With Blatantly Sexist Cover — Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is taking flack from conservatives over her angry outburst during a Senate committee hearing on the Benghazi terror attacks. When pressed by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) …
Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Mediaite and Shakesville
Noah Rothman / Mediaite: John McCain Blasts Hillary Clinton's 'Adoring' Media For Ignoring 'Cover Up' In Benghazi
Shaker BrianWS / Shakesville: GOP Caught Off Guard by Clinton's Integrity; Responds Predictably with Misogyny
Nick Gillespie / Hit & Run:
3 Incredibly Outrageous Evasions by Hillary Clinton About Benghazi
3 Incredibly Outrageous Evasions by Hillary Clinton About Benghazi
Discussion: Michelle Obama's Mirror, The Heritage Foundation, neo-neocon, Wall Street Journal and AMERICAN DIGEST
Dewey From Detroit / Michelle Obama's Mirror: If it weren't for low integrity...
James Phillips / The Heritage Foundation: Benghazi Terrorist Attack: Why it Matters
Robert Spencer / Front Page Magazine:
Hillary Lets the Jihadist Cat Out of the Bag
Hillary Lets the Jihadist Cat Out of the Bag
Discussion: Doug Ross, Nice Deb and Jihad Watch
GOP chief plans major overhaul to party — Washington (CNN) — The chair, perhaps the most famous chair in political history, stands in the office of a large, nondescript cement building just a stone's throw away from the U.S. Capitol. — That's right, the chair Clint Eastwood used as a prop …
Discussion: Associated Press and Outside the Beltway
Caitlin McDevitt / Associated Press: Eastwood chair finds a home
Doug Mataconis / Outside the Beltway: Clint Eastwood's Chair Finds A New Home
Michael Tomasky / The Daily Beast:
GOP Attracting Minorities?
GOP Attracting Minorities?
Discussion: Little Green Footballs, The Week and TheBlaze.com
James Hohmann / Politico:
Reince Priebus makes nice with Ron Paul forces
Reince Priebus makes nice with Ron Paul forces
Brian Doherty / Hit & Run: RNC Chief Reince Priebus Fends off Paulite Rebellion
Donovan Slack / Politico:
VIDEO: Obama bugged by fly — Handlers go to great lengths to manage the settings President Obama appears in, from lighting to yes, even insect repelling. For example, they doused a Camp David podium with bug spray last year before a G-8 announcement. — But there have been moments …
Discussion: Weasel Zippers
Amie Parnes / The Hill: Fly proves buzzkill for Obama at White House event
Lucas Shaw / The Wrap:
J.J. Abrams Set to Direct Next 'Star Wars' Film (Exclusive) — J.J. Abrams will direct the next "Star Wars" film for Disney, taking stewardship of one of Hollywood's most iconic and lucrative film franchises, an individual with knowledge of the production told TheWrap.
Discussion: The Atlantic Online, All, New Jersey Online and Inside Movies
Christopher Orr / The Atlantic Online: J.J. Abrams Directing the New 'Star Wars': Exciting or Terrifying?
Jason Serafino / All: J.J. Abrams Is Set To Direct "Star Wars: Episode VII"
Vicki Hyman / New Jersey Online: J.J. Abrams to direct 'Star Wars: Episode VII'
Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:
Obama's Inaugural Address 'One Of The Hardest Speeches I've Written,' Jon Favreau Says — FOLLOW: — WASHINGTON — It is surprisingly difficult to write speeches for President Barack Obama, one of the most gifted orators in recent political history. — Yes, written words tend to sound better when he's reciting them.
Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Weekly Standard
Bill proposed in Oregon would make cigarettes prescription-only drugs — If you're a regular smoker, you may want to keep an eye on a new bill in the Oregon Legislature. — Rep. Mitch Greenlick, from Portland, is sponsoring a bill that makes cigarettes a Schedule III controlled substance …
Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Poor Richard's News, The Raw Story, Gawker, National Review and Liberal Values
Benjamin Franklin / Poor Richard's News: New Oregon bill would make cigarettes prescription only
Neetzan Zimmerman / Gawker: Lawmaker in Oregon Seeks to Outlaw Non-Prescription Cigarettes
Katrina Trinko / National Review: Oregon Bill Would Make Cigarettes Only Available with Prescription
Orlando Sentinel:
Analysis: 201,000 in Florida didn't vote because of long lines — An earlier version of this article and an accompanying graphic incorrectly characterized Volusia County as among the state's worst for Nov. 6 voter lines. — The long Election Day lines around Florida may have turned away …
Discussion: Politico and The Political Carnival
Charles Mahtesian / Politico: Report: Long lines cost Fla. 200K votes
Zack Ford / ThinkProgress:
BREAKING: Rhode Island House Passes Marriage Equality — As expected, the Rhode Island House of Representatives voted today to approve marriage equality legislation with a vote of 51-19. The bill now advances to the Senate, where the Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed (D) previously blocked a vote.
Discussion: Back2Stonewall and Taylor Marsh
Andy Banker / FOX2now.com:
Brawl At Social Services Office Caught On Video — EAST ST. LOUIS, IL. (KTVI) - An alarming video of a Tuesday afternoon brawl at a social services office in East St. Louis had workers and clients concerned for their safety and brought calls for action. — A witness told FOX2 it began as a dispute over a place in line.
Discussion: Little Green Footballs, The Daily Caller and nation.foxnews.com
Wall Street Journal:
Donald Boudreaux and Mark Perry: The Myth of a Stagnant Middle Class — Household spending on food, housing, utilities, etc. has fallen from 53% of disposable income in 1950 to 32% today. — A favorite "progressive" trope is that America's middle class has stagnated economically since the 1970s.
Discussion: AEIdeas, Wonkblog, EconLog and Cafe Hayek
James Pethokoukis / AEIdeas: Deconstructing the myth of middle-class stagnation
Neil Irwin / Wonkblog: Yes, the middle class really is falling behind
David Henderson / EconLog: The Thriving Middle Class
Don Boudreaux / Cafe Hayek: America's Middle-Class: Doing Better than Ever
John Tomasic / The Colorado Independent:
In malpractice case, Catholic hospital argues fetuses aren't people — Lori Stodghill was 31-years old, seven-months pregnant with twin boys and feeling sick when she arrived at St. Thomas More hospital in Cañon City on New Year's Day 2006. She was vomiting and short of breath …
Neetzan Zimmerman / Gawker: Catholic Hospital Chain Kills Wrongful Death Lawsuit by Arguing that a Fetus is Not a Person
David Ferguson / The Raw Story: Catholic hospital chain beats malpractice suit by saying fetuses aren't people
GottaLaff / The Political Carnival: Catholic hospital argues fetuses aren't people... for legal reasons.
T. Steelman / Addicting Info: Catholic Church: Fetuses Are People, Unless It's Going To Cost Us Money
Kathy Kattenburg / The Agonist: Abortion and "Pro-Life" Hypocrisy
Little Green Footballs: To Avoid Wrongful Death Lawsuit, Colorado Catholic Hospital Argues a Fetus Isn't a Person
Blair Burke / Wonkette: Nation Celebrates Roe v. Wade Birthday With Scary Videos, Hypocrisy, Balloons


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hello people,
i am a beginner in java and i know very little of coding and i am still learning.
i have this problem with a java applet. its at keyja.com. its a chat site and it works through pc by a java applet. the problem is i get banned there often.
my ip changes, its dynamic ip. there is no way the server can ban me by my ip. so i get a new ip whenever i switch off and switch on my modem. but still i will be banned. so it must be saved somewhere in my computer itself. please help me find the log files(or whatever it is called) and get unbanned.
i have done this so far about this....i deleted all the files in the prefetch folder and also deleted some java app files..changed setting in java....nothing works. i need your help please.


text:
Cautious trick-or-treating goes on in wake of storm
Some communities delay Halloween
Two days after Sandy swept through New Hampshire, it's Halloween night, but trick-or-treating may be a little trickier than usual.
Some communities delayed trick-or-treating, while it was going on as scheduled in other areas. Resident Larry Bonopane said his family isn't having much of a Halloween after a windblown tree carved up his house.
"I think the trick was on me this year," he said.
Less than a mile down the road, Spookyworld was planning to be open Wednesday night and through the weekend. Chase Denamur of Spookyworld said it's the second year in a row that the park has had to deal with the effects of Mother Nature.
"We had the snowstorm last year and this year, Sandy," he said. "Luckily for us, we've done the precautions we needed to do this year."
While other towns have opted to put off trick-or-treating a couple of days, Derry moved forward with its plans Wednesday night. Some parents said they were concerned about sending their children out if any hazards remain.
"I am a little nervous about bringing the kids out, especially with the downed power lines and tripping on sticks, and it's dark," said parent Rebecca Zbig.
Officials said everyone should use caution.
"Anything that looks hazardous probably is," said Police Capt. Vern Thomas. "Stay away from it. If you see anything that says 'Department of Public Works' or 'Police,' stay away from that. That's probably something that we put out during the storm."
Several parents said they supported the decision to not postpone Halloween.
Other residents in Derry said they were happy to finally be getting power restored to their homes.
"I was all set to run everything off the generator, then late this afternoon all the power came back on, so I switched everything over and run off the grid," Peter Lamonica said.
Some trick-or-treaters in Derry had to avoid repair crews working on a live power line taken down by a tree during the storm.


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Common variants are commonly unpromising
Excellent post from Dr. Daniel MacArthur, Common copy number variation doesn't explain much complex disease risk – but why not?:
The Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium has just published the results of a massive survey of common, large DNA duplications and deletions (collectively termed copy number variation, or CNVs) in 16,000 patients suffering from complex diseases and 3,000 controls. The results come as no surprise, but are nonetheless disappointing: the study identified absolutely no novel CNVs associated with complex disease. Although three such variants were found to alter disease susceptibility, all three had been identified from previous studies.
The study's findings suggests that – despite their size – common CNVs play very little role in the etiology of common, complex diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and type 2 diabetes, and researchers will have to look elsewhere to uncover the notorious "missing heritability" for these diseases.
Where to next? The field has already moved on with a new focus on rare variants, which (given the selection-based argument above) seem far more likely to yield useful findings. This year will see the launch of several very large studies taking a variety of approaches to dig into the lower end of the frequency spectrum: imputation using existing data-sets; new genome-wide association chips containing larger numbers of rare SNPs; and large-scale sequencing of candidate genes, whole exomes and even entire genomes. Rare variant discovery has already proved successful in the CNV field, and it seems likely that the next round of CNV association studies will prove enormously more fruitful than this study.
Missing heritability is a major issue. Though I guess it does science some good to have white whales to chase….


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Love this red velvet cake recipe? My readers also enjoy my Red Velvet Oreo Truffle Bars and my Red Velvet Fudge Pie!
One of my favorite recipes + desserts are my Red Velvet Oreo Truffle Brownie Bars (its a mouthful, literally). My father-in-law's birthday was this past weekend so I was trying to decide what cake to make. I wanted something a little different so I decided to turn that beloved bar into a cake! It's totally, fantastically – FABULOUS! It's great for the "chocoholics" in your life. You could even make mini cupcake versions of it! They're great for celebrations when you want a decadent treat.
The red velvet part is obviously easy to reproduce – since it's a cake to begin with. The oreo truffle filling is spread between the cake layers and topped with my favorite chocolate fudge topping.
Above is a little pic step-by-step! It's pretty self-explanatory but the full recipe is listed below. It's very similar to my red velvet oreo truffle bars. Once the hot fudge topping is poured on, you garnish with mini chocolate chips. Totally delish. Keep the yoga pants out…
Here is the full recipe. You can save it to Ziplist (which is a great recipe "book" by the way) or Print it too! Of course if you love it, share it on Pinterest, Facebook, etc! Thanks! If you decide to share it on your blog, please link back here for the recipe – thanks! Another note: You can certainly use a homemade red velvet for the cake layer! I just happen to love the Duncan Hines red velvet mix.
Red Velvet Oreo Truffle Chocolate Cake!
- 1 box Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake Mix
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/3 cup oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 package Jell-O Instant Pudding White Chocolate 3.4 oz
- 1 package Oreo cookies
- 1 8- ounce package cream cheese
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips extra for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease sides and bottom of pans.
Blend together cake mix, oil, water, eggs, sour cream, and pudding mix. Beat at low speed (for 30 seconds).
Bake for 30-35 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean). Baking time may vary based on size of pan.
Crush Oreo cookies (best with food processor) and stir in cream cheese until fully blended. This will be a very thick "filling".
After cake has cooled, spread Oreo filling between layers as you stack. Again, it's very thick so you might have to use your hands to help spread it onto cake.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt together butter, sugar, and evaporated milk.
Bring to a rolling boil for 1 minute and stir in chocolate chips.
Remove from heat and pour over cake (fudge sets up quickly) and garnish with chocolate chips!
I hope you enjoy this red velvet cake recipe! Be sure to leave a comment below if you make it! Cheers!


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By giving pleasure and solace to those who lost their hair due to baldness and other diseases, Happy Life Hair Fixing has commenced its operation in various parts of the globe. Based on ultra modern technology developed in the Europe, this process is entirely different, by way of look and elegance, from the usage of traditional wig.
Happylife Hair Fixing brings that to you.


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Bayern Munich's Mario Gomez snuffed out Swiss side Basel's underdog dreams in the UEFA Champions League with a four-goal performance yesterday (courtesy a lot of help from Franck Ribery). Coming so soon after Lionel Messi's five-goal CL spectacular, comparisons were inevitable. Nonsense, says Gomez:
I'll never be as good as Messi and I'd never try to be [...] He's a completely different player to me. I don't see him as a peer. I see him as the ultimate footballer.
It's really unfair to compare anyone to Messi (or Cristiano Ronaldo, for that matter). We only fall back to it because memories of magisterial performances are so fresh in our minds, though we're guilty of it in other sports over longer periods of time (see: LeBron, Jordan, Kobe). Gomez is on fire for a Bayern side that can't be stopped right now, though if we wait long enough we'll have our on-the-pitch comparison that will either settle the argument or raise even more questions. [Fox Sports]


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ACF Provides Thousands of Liters of Water in Haiti
PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI—In the wake of the devastating earthquake in Haiti last week, Action Against Hunger | ACF International is rushing to provide access to clean drinking water for survivors in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas.
ACF has installed water points in the badly damaged Champ de Mars and Canape-Vert neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince, which are providing clean water to 30,000 people congregated there, and has nearly completed emergency water distributions in the capital's Croix de Pres district and at the national stadium.
In response to the urgent needs of earthquake survivors that fled Port-au-Prince for the neighboring city of Gonaives, the international humanitarian organization is launching an emergency intervention to distribute water to local hospitals and health centers. The recent influx of earthquake survivors has put an enormous strain on the city's resources and infrastructure, affecting those displaced from Port-au-Prince, as well as residents of Gonaives.
"Not a single drop of water is available in the K-Soleil hospital in Gonaives," said Lucile Grosjean, a spokesperson for Action Against Hunger. "Doctors and nurses have no water to wash their hands, and patients are desperately thirsty. Relatives are trying to buy water in the streets, but with little money available and prices doubling in most regions, it is nearly impossible to find drinking water."
Meanwhile, in Leogane, a town on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince that was more than 80% destroyed by last week's earthquake, the agency is preparing to restore access to drinking water for a population of 125,000 by rehabilitating water points and establishing treatment facilities. This latest natural disaster has further damaged the region's water network, which had been severely weakened during the cyclones of 2008.
ACF's 120 strong-team in the country is working with local volunteers to manage the security and effective distribution of water to devastated communities.
Action Against Hunger has implemented programs in Haiti since 1985, carrying out emergency measures in the areas of health and nutrition. Since 2001, ACF has focused primarily on food security and water, sanitation, and hygiene programs in both emergency and development contexts in Port de Paix, Gonaives, Anse Rouge and Jeremiah.


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Man stabbed by street vendor in Chalong
PHOTO: Facebook
A foreigner, known as 'Mahmoud', was stabbed in Soi Ta-iad in Chalong, southern Phuket last night outside a Family Mart. The man was taken to Bangkok Phuket Hospital and is now reported to be in a stable condition following surgery. Doctors have told friends he will have to remain in hospital for observation for at least two days.
'Mahmoud' is an Egyptian tourist allegedly stabbed by a Thai man, according to sketchy reports.
Witnesses claim the stabbing was a result of an argument over the price of roti at a road-side vendor stall.
The street is a popular haunt for fitness-tourists with many muay thai and other gyms, health retreats and healthy food cafes in the area.
Read more headlines, reports & breaking news in Phuket. Or catch up on your Thailand news.
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Getting a dangerous place Thailand common in Pattaya tourist beaten up
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30 dolphins greet visitors to Similan Islands
Tourists were treated to the sight of a school of dolphins in the Similan Islands off the Phang Nga coast on Sunday.
Tour organisers said that around 30 dolphins swam close to the boat six or seven miles offshore, creating excitement for passengers. It was the first time dolphins had been seen in the vicinity since October 15.
The Similan Islands National Park director said they were bottlenose dolphins and were among several species now returning to the area following a five-year closure of the park for environmental rehabilitation. Food is again plentiful there for them, he said.
Tourists are forbidden to feed wildlife lest the free handouts alter the animals' natural behaviour, and the park's waters are also very sensitive to contamination from human disease and marine debris, according to the director.
SOURCE: nationthailand.com
Phuket hotels slashing the price of rooms
by Sophie Deviller
Hotels on Thailand's most popular holiday island are being forced to slash prices, with rooms left vacant and beaches sparse as Thailand's tourism chiefs struggle with a plunge in Chinese visitors caused by the US trade war and a stronger baht. Phuket was the most visited destination in the country last year, after Bangkok, and a good gauge of the state of its crucial travel industry.
Tourism accounts for 18% of Thailand's gross domestic product and Chinese holidaymakers make up more than a quarter of total arrivals. But while 2.2 million people from the country visited in 2018, according to official figures, the numbers for January-September were down almost 20% year on year.
Claude de Crissey, the French Honorary Consul in Phuket and owner of about 40 rooms in the Patong Beach area, says Chinese tourists are usually present even during the current low season.
"That was not the case this year," he said, adding he had to lower his prices by as much as 50%.
The problem is not only in Phuket, with hotels also struggling to fill rooms in the seaside resort of Pattaya on the mainland and on Koh Samui.
Trade tensions with the US have already made some Chinese reluctant to take holidays owing to uncertainty back home, while the Thai baht has risen about 10% against the yuan this year.
A boating disaster off Phuket's coast that killed 47 Chinese holidaymakers in July 2018 also scared some off.
"We are worried," said an industry insider, declining to be named due to the sensitivity of the topic in a country where tourism provides tens of thousands of jobs. Adding to the headache is the fact that more than 3,000 new hotel rooms are being constructed on the island, raising the question of who will fill them.
"In terms of business, it's not good," said Kongsak Khoopongsakorn, vice-president of the association of hotels in Thailand and director of Vijitt Resort.
"Because … we have more hotels, more rooms to sell, we have more restaurants, more coffee shops."
Still, tourism authority chairman Yuthasak Supasorn said he remained "optimistic."
"We should reach our goal of 39.8 million foreign visitors."
However, that is only up from 38.2 million in 2018, much less than the jump seen from the previous year's total of 35.6 million.
Counting on India
Now hoteliers and tour package operators are targeting visitors from elsewhere, particularly India, which experts see as a huge untapped market.
A rapid expansion of the middle class in India, increased direct flights and visa-free travel have prompted Thailand to revise forecasts upwards.
It now expects two million Indian tourists this year, after an increase of nearly 25% on-year in the first seven months. But for now, the lower arrivals is evident on the streets of Phuket.
"I've never seen anything as bad as what it is at the moment," said Paul Scott from Australia, who said he has been coming to Thailand for 15 years.
He mainly blamed the stronger baht for the drop-off but also the fact that Thailand wasn't the untouched vacation paradise it once was. "Now it's not so new … and it's not cheap," he said.
The 15th Mai Khao Marine Turtle fun run attracts more than 4,000 runners
4,000 runners from Thailand and overseas took part in the 15th Mai Khao Marine Turtle Fun Run and Half Marathon 2019 yesterday, starting from the Phuket Gateway.
The event is expected to raise 700,000 baht for the charity, now in its 15th year. The money raised goes towards to The Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation, which is committed to protecting the marine and coastal environment, and ecosystems, for the wellbeing of sea turtles that nest in the Mai Khao beach and the surrounding areas.
The annual race also provides funds for thePhuket Marine Biological Centre's Injured Turtle Rehabilitation Program and The Third NavalArea Command's Turtle Hatchery Program.
The race was in its 15th year and runners of all ages and abilities took part in the race. The morning's racing was divided into five categories – the 21.1km half marathon, 10.5km mini- marathon, 5km fun run and 3k family run and VIP participants for all the races. The route of 21.1 kilometre race took runners northwest along the Haad Sai Kaew beach towards Thao Thepkasattri bridge, past the rural road No. 3006, run along the road – Pi Lai viewpoint area returned back along the T. Baan Tha Nun to the iconic Sarasin bridge before finished the half marathon in the Phuket Gateway.
For Mini Marathon 10.5 km – Over all category, Mr. Chinnawat Changlek clocked 39 minutes and 40 seconds to clinch victory in the male half marathon, winning prize money and a trophy with the signature of Phuket's Governor. The winner in the female mini marathon was Surakarn Wanna with a time of 47 minutes and 47 seconds.
Winners also received a prize gift voucher as well as a medal. Congratulations to all participants.
The Thaiger Newsletter
Top 10 things NOT to do in Thailand (2019)
Top 10 things to do in Phuket when it rains (2019)
Top 10 scams in Thailand (2019)
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Top 10 English news sources in Thailand (2019)
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So you're moving to Vietnam?
Patong Mayor hands out useless, cheap face-masks
Top 5 reasons why Aussies choose medical tourism in Thailand
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Mandatory health insurance for 'Long Stay' visa starts October 31
Noble consort has Royal titles removed
Thailand dog rescue named Rescue of the Year in global contest
The dangers of 5G – coming to a mobile phone near you
Green Day heading back to BKK in 2020
Guaranteed rental returns – Are they real?
30 dolphins greet visitors to Similan Islands
Asia leads the world in medical tourism
10 billionaires among Thailand's 500 MPs
Whale freed by drilling team in Gulf of Thailand
3 killed as car skids into canal
Phuket hotels slashing the price of rooms
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Survey – Thais not taking sides and 66% prioritise health care
The 15th Mai Khao Marine Turtle fun run attracts more than 4,000 runners
'Phang Nga Bay and Beyond' exhibition by Marilyn Band at Mom Tri's WOK Gallery Kitchen in November
ม็อบ "สมัชชาคนจน" เดินเท้าถึงทำเนียบ กดดันรัฐบาลไม่จริงใจ [Live]
ชมวาทะเด็ดธนาธร ให้การศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ คดีวีลัค ทำงานการเมืองเพราะอยากเปลี่ยนแปลงสังคม
ตรวจหวย 16/10/62 รางวัลที่ 1 เลขท้าย 2 ตัว 3 ตัว เลขหน้า 3 ตัว และรางวัลอื่น ๆ
ตรวจหวย 16 ตุลาคม 2562 ผลสลากกินแบ่งรัฐบาล 16/10/62
ถ่ายทอดสด "สลากกินแบ่งรัฐบาล" 16 ตุลาคม 2562 ลุ้นรางวัลที่ 1 สด ๆ
หนุ่มแท็กซี่ฉาว ท้าต่อยเจ้าของธุรกิจเต๊นท์ กลางงานสนามหลวง
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ตรวจหวย1ตุลาคม2562 ผลรางวัลที่ 1 เลขท้าย 2 ตัว 3 ตัว เลขหน้า 3 ตัว และรางวัลอื่น ๆ
ถ่ายทอดสดหวย 1 ตุลาคม 2562 ลุ้นรางวัลที่ 1 สลากกินแบ่งรัฐบาล
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For example:
- mental noting <-> silently observing
jhana is necessary for awakening <-> dry vipassana
the Buddha declared the four rupa-jhanas as samma samadhi and he didn't teach a sevenfold path <-> momentary and/or access concentration are sufficient
not everyone can attain jhana / jhana is impossible nowadays <-> everyone can attain jhana, some even in a very short time
Sayadaw U Pandita's distinction between vipassana jhanas and samatha jhanas <-> every other description of the jhanas
the description of the jhanas in the suttas is different from the jhanas in the commentaries <-> the commentarial description of the jhanas is the same as in the suttas
you have to practice samatha before doing vipassana <-> dry vipassana <-> samatha and vipassana aren't two separated systems
don't practice samatha it just leads to a blissful feeling and to rebirth as a deva <-> samatha and vipassana aren't two separated systems
if you want to practice vipassana you should watch the movement of the abdomen or chest as your primary object because the breath is a concept and therefore a samatha object <-> you can also observe the elements commonly labeled as 'breath' while they are touching your nostrils
body sweeping is just a warm-up exercise <-> Goenka's approach
The phrase "... putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world" in the opening of the satipatthana sutta indicates that one has to attain a jhana and emerge from it first before doing satipatthana vipassana <-> the satipatthana sutta is the defintion of dry vipassana
The satipatthana sutta is the crown of the Buddha's teachings <-> the Buddha never taught the satipatthana sutta. It's rather a compilation of meditation instructions made by meditation teachers after the Buddha's parinibbana
Anyway, in the last months I tried various meditation techniques. Everytime I read something inspiring (e.g. some books by Ayya Khema, Ajahn Chah, Bhante G., Mahasi Sayadaw, Pa-Auk Sayadaw, etc) I put forth effort in the particular method. But whenever I came across a critique of the technique I tried another one.
That confused me and I stopped practicing meditation...
I began to think that the best thing I could do is to try to develop the paramis and hope that in a future life I will get the chance to get meditation instructions directly from a Buddha or his enlightened disciples.
However, does anyone have any advices how to disentangle this tangle so that I could make some progress in meditation in this life?
PS: I would like to apologize for my poor english skills.


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Why the Gun Lobby Is Terrified of California
California's newly proposed gun laws would:
- Ban the possession of ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds
- Prevent the future sale, purchase, manufacture, importation, or transfer of any firearms that can accept detachable magazines
- Close the "bullet button" loophole by banning tools that allow the quick changing of gun magazines
- Regulate ammunition sales like the state regulates gun sales. Ammunition dealers would need to be licensed and anyone buying from them would need to obtain a permit and complete a background check.
- Create a 5-cent tax on each bullet purchased, for the purpose of funding crime prevention
- Prevent felons and other adults barred from gun ownership from living in a house that contains any guns
- Prohibit the loaning or sale of a firearm between people who know each other personally
- Take steps to phase out legal possession of assault weapons that were purchased before California outlawed their sale
- Require all firearms owners to take an hours-long gun safety course every year, similar to what the state now requires for obtaining a concealed weapon permit
- Require gun owners to purchase insurance to cover damage they may inflict
- Require CalPERS and CalSTRS, two of the nation's largest pension funds, to divest from companies that make, sell, or market firearms or ammunition
California has already enacted some of the nation's strictest gun control laws, partly due to its experience with a Sandy-Hook-style massacre: In 1989, a mentally unstable ex-con opened fire with an AK-47-style assault rifle on an elementary school playground in Stockton, killing five schoolchildren and wounding 28 others. The shooting contributed to the passage that year of California's assault weapons ban.


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Dr. Christopher Wenner used to complain that he never had enough time with his patients.
But when Audrey Schaefer arrived for her checkup last month, Wenner was in no rush. "Let me hang up your coat," he told Schaefer, 72. While he drew her blood and listened to her heart, they chatted about her vacation and her husband's write-in campaign for mayor of Rockville.
After 45 minutes, he was still in no hurry to end the visit. "Well," he said, "Do you have any other concerns?"
Wenner reminds her of the country doctors of her childhood, Schaefer said. "If a doctor only sees you for 10 minutes, they really don't get to know you," she said. "This is the best."
As health reform sweeps more Minnesota doctors into large health care organizations, 40-year-old Christopher Wenner is happily swimming against the tide. Three years ago, he decided to try something so old that it's new again: a solo medical practice in his hometown of Cold Spring, Minn.
He's part of a fledgling national movement that's using technology and an entrepreneurial spirit to try to recapture what some say has been lost in the march toward corporate medicine.
"A doctor, a nurse, a secretary who knows you as a person," said Dr. L. Gordon Moore, a Seattle physician who created the Ideal Medical Practice (idealmedicalpractice.com) model, which Wenner has embraced. It's a practice, Moore said, "that treats you as an individual and not a disease." Not a step backward, he adds, but a "Norman Rockwell practice with a 21st-century central nervous system."
Taking the plunge
As a family doctor, Wenner had few role models when he decided to strike out on his own. In Minnesota, only about 3 percent of family doctors -- 34 people -- were sole owners of their practice in 2011, according to a survey by the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians.
Historically, Minnesota has always had fewer solo docs than the rest of the country, in part because of the strong "group practice'' influence of HMOs and the Mayo Clinic. Now, doctors nationwide are fleeing private practice in record numbers for steady jobs at big clinics and hospitals.
In part, it's driven by the 2010 federal health reform law, which encourages hospitals and clinics to be more accountable for the patient's total care. Before long, with the impending merger of HealthPartners and Park Nicollet, which will bring 1,500 physicians under one roof, most Twin Cities doctors will work for one of three big corporations.
But Wenner, who used to work for a large medical group, said he grew frustrated with the pressure to see so many patients per hour -- what's known as "throughput."
"A typical day would be, oh, 25 patients," he said, for an average visit of 10 to 15 minutes. "It was just the most uncomfortable situation when I had five minutes with a patient and they had a big list of questions," he said. "It was never enough."
When he quit, his timing couldn't have been worse, he admits. It was June 2009, the height of the recession. Still, he said, "I had enough saved that I felt comfortable that I would weather the storm."
His wife, Jen, an occupational therapist who is now a stay-at-home mom, said her reaction was simple: "Let's go for it." Even if it meant some belt-tightening, she said, "I just had faith that he was doing the right thing."
Low overhead, lean years
For Wenner, the key was keeping overhead to a minimum. He rented two rooms in a small strip mall, barely visible from the street, in Cold Spring, and literally scrounged for equipment. (The exam table came from Goodwill.) He has no nurse, no receptionist. Except for help with the billing, he does everything himself: answers the phone, draws the blood, cleans up the exam room.
At the same time, he invested in a state-of-the-art electronic medical records system and freely encourages patients to e-mail questions or comments through a secure portal. He considered charging for e-mail exchanges, but "it was too much of a hassle," he said, "and then I felt like I was nickel and diming patients." Besides, he said, he wants patients to feel free to ask him questions, and even gives them his cellphone number. "That's part of the deal," he said.
Getting started was harder than he expected. "I had lean years," said Wenner, who has three kids. He took no salary for months, and moonlighted at a jail and urgent-care centers to bring in money.
On the upside, he was free to make decisions without a committee. He can cover his costs seeing just two patients a day, he said; the rest is profit. A full day is 10 patients; the average visit half an hour. But if he wants to spend two hours with one patient, or make house calls, he can.
Some colleagues were skeptical that he could make it, he said. But coming from a family of doctors, he also had plenty of cheerleaders. "I never doubted him for a minute," said his 36-year-old sister, Dr. Rachel Wenner Ruzanic, a dermatologist in St. Cloud. "He's a man of deep convictions. He always does what's in the best interest of his patients."
She noted that her brother is a lot like their grandfather, Waldemar Wenner, an eye doctor. "People would say that with my grandfather ... when he was in that room with you, you were the only person in the world to him," she said. "Now I'm starting to hear those same stories about Chris."
After three years, business has picked up, and this month Wenner is expanding into a renovated bank on Main Street. He also became one the first certified "medical homes" in Minnesota -- a designation that, under health reform, would qualify him for extra payments to coordinate patients' care.
Ironically, it's the same concept driving so many mergers across the country-- the effort to manage patients and the cost of their care. But Wenner and others like him say it can be done on a small scale, too. "That's what primary care doctors are," he said.
Going it alone "is not for everybody," he said, adding that it takes some "intestinal fortitude." At this point, he's now earning close to his old salary, he said, but that's only part of the story. "There's just this great sense of being able to be a small-business owner, being in charge, being able to dictate how you want things to be done," he said. "You can't quantify that."
Maura Lerner • 612-673-7384


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Emmy Award(R)-Winning Actress To Guest Star On New SHOWTIME(R) One-Hour Drama Series MASTERS OF SEX
LOS ANGELES, CA (February 28, 2013) -- Emmy Award-winning actress Allison Janney will guest star on the new one-hour SHOWTIME drama series MASTERS OF SEX. Janney, who will appear in 5 episodes of the new series and will play the role of Margaret Scully, the wife of Beau Bridges' character, University Provost Barton Scully. Production on the first season is currently underway in Los Angeles and will premiere on SHOWTIME, Sunday, September 29th at 10:00 PM ET/PT.
The incredibly versatile Allison Janney has taken her place among a select group of actors who combine a leading lady's profile with a character actor's art of performance. Throughout her career Janney has made a handful of memorable guest-star appearances on television, but she is renowned for her starring role in the acclaimed series "The West Wing," where she won a remarkable four Emmy Awards and four SAG Awards for her portrayal of White House Press Secretary CJ Cregg. Most recently she has been tapped to co-star, along with Anna Faris, in the new CBS/Chuck Lorre pilot, "Mom." In addition, Janney has been busy with a number of films; including the premiere of Lynn Shelton's "Touchy Feely" at this year's Sundance Film Fest, the Untitled Christian Camargo project with William Hurt and Jean Reno, "The Way, Way Back" with Steve Carell and Toni Collette (which was acquired at Sundance for a record sum by Fox Searchlight), "Trust Me" for director/actor Clark Gregg, and Jason Bateman's comedy "Bad Words." She is lending her voice to the Dreamworks' animated film "Mr. Peabody & Sherman" and previously appeared in "The Oranges" with Catherine Keener, "Liberal Arts" with Josh Radnor and "Struck By Lightning" with Chris Colfer. Janney is repped by Gersh, Thruline and Nelson/Davis/Wetzstein.
MASTERS OF SEX stars Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan, who will portray the real-life pioneers of the science of human sexuality, William Masters and Virginia Johnson. The series chronicles the unusual lives, romance and pop culture trajectory of Masters and Johnson. Their research touched off the sexual revolution and took them from a mid-western teaching hospital in St. Louis to the cover of Time magazine. The series is an adaptation of Thomas Maier's book Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, The Couple Who Taught America How To Love. The pilot episode was directed and executive produced by Academy Award(R) nominee John Madden (Shakespeare in Love, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), and also stars Caitlin Fitzgerald (It's Complicated), in the role of Masters' wife, Nicholas D'Agosto (Heroes) and Teddy Sears (American Horror Story). Emmy and Golden Globe(R) award-winning actor Beau Bridges and Margo Martindale also appear. MASTERS OF SEX was created and executive produced by Michelle Ashford (The Pacific). The series will also be executive produced by Carl Beverly, Sarah Timberman and Judith Verno. Michael Sheen, Tammy Rosen and Thomas Maier will serve as producers. MASTERS OF SEX is produced by Sony Pictures Television.


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• There is no school on Monday
• Task two for the third- through fifth-grade students is due Wednesday
• WINGS ceremony is at 9 a.m. for kindergarten through second-grade and 2 p.m. Friday for third- through fifth-grade students. • Okatie Elementary School was one of the nine South Improvement Councils to be named to the SC School Improvement Councils' 2013 Honor Roll.
The Honor Roll SICs will continue in the running for SC-SIC's annual Dick and Tunky Riley Award for School Improvement Council Excellence. Named for the former U.S. Secretary of Education and South Carolina Governor and his late wife, the Riley Award was created in 2002 to recognize the vital contributions made by the 14,000-plus local School Improvement Council members who volunteer in every public school in the state.
Five finalists from this year's list of Honor Roll SICs will be selected late next month, with one to be named as the winner of the annual Riley Award. This year's Riley Award recipient will be announced at the SC-SIC Annual Meeting on March 23 in Columbia.
• No School Monday.
• Report cards will be sent home Friday.
• GT Art Screening at Bluffton High School is Saturday. For more information, please call the front desk at 707-0600.
• No school Monday.
• Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night is from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday. Ten to 20 percent of proceeds from pick-up's, deliveries and dine-in will go towards the PTO to the school.
• Report Cards are being mailed home Friday.
• The school needs 10 volunteers as hall monitors for ELDA testing on Feb. 20-22. Please call Joly at 706-8771.
• Box Tops and Campbell soup labels can be dropped off at the front office.
• Chick-fil-A Spirit Night is from 5-8 p.m. Thursday.
• Bluffton Early Childhood Center Jr. PRIDE Ceremony is at 1:45 p.m. Thursday in the ECC Multipurpose room.
• PRIDE Ceremony for second- and third-grade students is at 2 p.m. Friday and 2:40 p.m. for fourth- and fifth-grade students


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Chris Rivers
Live Entertainment
Live Entertainment
Every Friday and Saturday night, MIST kicks it up a notch with LIVE music by star performers from across the region. Drop by for an entertaining mix of food, drinks and good vibes amidst the electrifying energy of WinStar World Casino and Resort. Performances are occasionally scheduled for other days of the week based on availability of entertainment and on select holiday weekends throughout the year. MIST is located in the Beijing Gaming Plaza. Admission is FREE; so come out and enjoy the show!
Drinks, dancing and high-voltage live acts on Friday and Saturday nights. MIST is the premiere destination for those who like to party at WinStar.