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Even veteran investment professionals, those who have been in the business for decades, are not shy to say that the 2001–2011 period was probably the worst time they have ever been through.
At the outset of a new decade, both the financial markets and the global economy still look tenuous. The European sovereign crisis is not resolved, the U.S. economy is fragile and inflation is on everyone's cards as a top concern in the years to come.
Yet seasoned investment managers believe that it's still possible to come out on top, and maybe even perform better in the decade to come, if they approach the market with dedication, discipline and devotion to the practice of investment management.
Here, investment veterans Chuck Akre, managing member and CEO of Akre Capital Management; Hank Herrmann, chairman and CEO of Waddell & Reed; Iain Clark, CIO of Henderson Global Investors; and Gene Needles, president and CEO of American Beacon and president of American Beacon Funds discuss what strategies have worked for them, what they believe will continue to work moving forward and what qualities they consider key for investment management in the future.
Chuck Akre, (left), managing member and CEO of Akre Capital Management, credits the success of his 15-year-old FBR Focus, which he left to start his own fund (and that he ran in the same manner he now manages the Akre Focus Fund), and his 23-year track record in managing separate accounts for individual investors to the strict discipline he has always exercised in the investment process. That process, he firmly states, has never changed and will never change.
"We refer to the process internally, and we are known by it externally, as the 'three legged stool,'" Akre says.
It's an approach that requires identifying high-return businesses run by managers with equal parts of skill and integrity—businesses that have also generated enough excess cash to be fully reinvested and that can be bought at a good price.
"As long as it's a great business that's well-priced, with good people and opportunities to reinvest excess cash, we are keen to own it for a long time," Akre says.
The past decade, in particular the three years following the 2008 market meltdown, has thrown up a number of lucrative opportunities for Akre that are not only the kinds of businesses he's always invested in, but that "would, in the future, help us connect the dots in a better way to preserve our capital in adversity."
The Akre Funds, for example, have an important exposure to off-price retailers—companies that, Akre says, not only post top records in robust economic times, but also work well in an environment "where the consumer needs to work hard to make sure he stretches every dollar."
Akre also focuses on identifying businesses that have good pricing power and the ability to raise prices over time for their services regardless of the economic environment.
"We continue to own positions in American Tower, and we have recently added holdings in MasterCard," he says. "These are both businesses that have built-in price escalators, and that's what we want, particularly in a period of inflation."
Inflation is definitely rearing its ugly head, and there is nothing investment managers can do except find a way around it. Right now, there's no map for recovery in either the United States or Western Europe, which means that the markets will be rife with volatility, and investors will be grasping at any snippet of news, positive or negative, that comes their way.
While volatility will be treacherous for those who view the markets as just a short-term way of making a quick buck, it will also throw up great opportunities for long-term investors who, Akre says, have the right temperament to stay the course and not get discouraged.
"Investment managers have their work cut out for them, but there are a lot of businesses out there with terrific potential," he says.
For Akre, getting hold of this potential means sticking with the three-legged stool approach and choosing to invest in businesses that can grow in the future, even if there is a change in the overall macro picture, the most likely being a rise in interest rates.
"Since they are at zero in the short term, one would think the next move would be up," he says.
Businesses like TD Ameritrade, for instance, are currently undervalued, but their business model is such that rising interest rates would have a positive effect on their revenue streams.
Akre's firm manages the Akre Focus Fund (AKREX), a $400 million public mutual fund, a couple of hedge funds and several separately managed accounts for individual investors.
Hank Herrmann, (left), chairman and CEO of Waddell & Reed, which manages approximately $90 billion in assets and launched some of the first mutual funds in the industry in 1940, has been in the investment business since 1963.
[The print edition of the January 2012 issue of Investment Advisor mistakenly listed Waddell & Reed's assets as $5 billion.]
He has been through many stressful and disappointing times, but the past decade, Herrmann says, was probably as bad as it gets. Yet he believes also that "we are finally approaching a time in which we are going to be forced to change our behavior, and that will set us on a more fiscally responsible course," though he adds that "there will be a lot of pain for the economy and for the market."
Herrmann believes that one of the greatest lessons investors and investment managers alike can take home from the past 10 years is that price-to-earnings ratios do matter. As a traditional, long-only, "buy 'em and hold 'em" investor, this has always been a top priority for Waddell & Reed, Herrmann says, but so many others forgot its importance, and this is what went against them.
"When the market was selling at 30 times, people argued that price-to-earnings was not important, but that proved to be totally wrong," he says. "A lot of companies have continued to grow, but their valuations have come down."
At this time, when investment confidence is low, convincing people that valuations are attractive and that many companies have good future prospects is not an easy task. But Waddell & Reed has always stuck to a conservative investment approach, Herrmann says, one that has favored fundamentals over fads. Recognizing that the firm manages other people's money means that it is willing to forgo some gains in an effort to protect investors from losses, he says, and this approach is key for the long term. It's an approach that's based on discipline, respect and a deep sense of what's happening in the world at large—values that seem to have been either lost or misplaced during the past decade.
"The length of the holding period for the average stock has plummeted so that people are no longer investing for the long term; they are just gambling," Herrmann says. "The more speculative in nature investing becomes, the higher the cost of capital for companies and the harder it becomes for them to grow. Here we are, worried about creating jobs, and we have behavior patterns that are just not in line with the fundamental picture."
Being a relatively late entrant to the U.S. market has actually served Henderson Global Investors well through the past decade.
The firm launched its International Opportunities Fund (HFOAX) in late August 2001, just a few days before 9/11, says Iain Clark, (left), CIO at Henderson. In the immediate aftermath of that fateful and tragic event, the firm somehow succeeded in wrestling with the next 15 months of falling markets.
"But when we launched, we knew we had to put our best foot forward and focus on the things that would make us work here in the [United States]," Clark—who has been working in investment management since the early 1970s—says. "The approach we took has done very well for us over the past 10 years, and it's the approach we are going to stick with."
Henderson entered the U.S. market with the goal of creating an all-weather fund that would give American investors access to what Clark calls its "conviction ideas." This meant selecting five managers with different approaches for various market segments—Europe, Asia ex-Japan, Japan and technology, all areas in which Henderson already had a proven track record—who would work in a multi-managed strategy targeting growth and value at the same time and in different ways.
"In Europe, one manager is a growth manager, the other focuses more on value," Clark says. "In Japan, we slightly favor value and in Asia, we slightly favor growth, so we have a balance within the portfolio because each manager is looking at slightly different characteristics."
The mixed approach enabled Henderson to capitalize on its strengths and to minimize the effects of various market downdrafts.
"Even though it's getting a bit trickier to go with this approach because correlations are all pretty high now, conviction ideas have worked well for us over the past decade and we're going to stick with this approach," Clark says. "We don't want to be put in either a growth box or a value box, and this means that in times of maximum performance, we won't be at the top of either one, but it also means that we should do well in all circumstances."
Maintaining a focus on growth and value also implicitly includes what Clark believes to be the greatest investment lesson of all: Investing for the long term.
"We've really got to go back to fundamentals, to get people to not think that they can make a lot or lose a lot in a short time, but rather that they are in for the long haul," he says. "We need to get back to what investing is all about, and it's about people saving for their pensions, not about throwing gambling chips on the poker table."
Selecting stocks that are reflective of that longer term view, that take into account both value and growth for the future, underscore the return to fundamental investing that Clark believes is important from here on.
To that end, Henderson is focusing more on opportunities in emerging markets as well as companies like Unilever and Colgate, which derive substantial revenues from emerging market shares. They are companies that will continue to earn over time and that people who really want to invest for investing's sake can hold for the long haul.
The investment vehicles that will succeed in the future and deliver to investors the returns they're looking for will be those that can protect capital when there is risk of erosion and will also be capable of growing it when there's an opportunity for capital appreciation.
American Beacon's recently launched American Beacon Flexible Bond Fund (AFXIX) is designed to do just that, says Gene Needles, (left), president and CEO of American Beacon and president of the American Beacon Funds. It's a product that embodies the kind of flexible investing that's probably going to become increasingly the norm over the next 10 years, Needles says, because it can invest anywhere in the fixed income universe, across sectors, geographies and currencies, and it has the ability to go long or short in its holdings.
"Why is that interesting? Well, the headlines are all about government credit, currency and curve," Needles says. "They represent the three greatest challenges investors are going to have to face over the next three to five years, but they also represent the three greatest opportunities they can avail of."
Having a flexible fund, one that "allows you to be in the right place at the right time" while avoiding to the best extent possible the pitfalls of concentrated risk, embodies what Needles calls "the investment experience," something he believes will become a big theme over the next decade.
"When I entered the investment business, it was all about setting objectives for clients, but somewhere along the way, we lost sight of that, and the past 10 years have been more about putting people into style-box type funds, rather than thinking about what they want to accomplish and where they want to go," Needles says. "I think that after all we have been through over the past decade, we will now start to revert back to the idea of realizing objectives such as growth and income and capital appreciation, and investing will be about solutions that deliver absolute returns."
Flexible investment styles will make those goals possible, and Needles also believes that a multi-managed approach will allow funds to accomplish even more.
"The likelihood of a single manager betting wrong is pretty high so we think a multi-managed strategy will be the best way to manage against risks and optimize results," he says.
Flexible investing is also the best way to counter market volatility, something that Needles is convinced will continue to exert great pressure on assets and, more importantly, play with investors' minds.
"It's a lot for a single manager to have to contend with the kind of volatility we've seen and to stick to their guns when you've got a market that's down 6.5% one day, then up 4.5% the next, only to be down again 6% and up again in the days after that," he says.


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This 2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom third floor unit features hardwood floors, 9 feet ceilings and a private balcony overlooking the landscaped courtyard. Second bedroom has two large closets. Access to balcony from guestroom and master bedroom. Walking distance to downtown shopping, restaurants and Bon Secours Arena. Third floor unit. Washer/Dryer located right outside the kitchen, shared by 2 units. Water included in rent. Storage area in the basement for this unit. On the street parking with permit.
STATUS: Vacant
PET POLICY: Before final approval can be obtained, you will be required to submit a pet application through a 3rd party pet screening company and provide photos of your pet and vaccination records. We charge a Non-Refundable Pet Admin Fee of $100 per pet and $25 monthly Pet Rent for each pet. For pet friendly properties, any more than 2 animals must be approved by owner. No Aggressive or Dangerous Dog Breeds. To view our Pet Policy, please click this link: https://www.marchantpm.com/pet-policy.
SMOKING: All our properties are non-smoking properties. No smoking is permitted inside or anywhere on the premises of the property.
SHOWING INSTRUCTIONS: To view the property, you may check out a key by coming into our office at 100 W. Stone Ave. in Greenville, Monday through Friday between 9am-2pm. Please make sure to bring a picture ID and a $20 cash key deposit. Please note that keys must be returned the same day by 3:00pm.
RENTAL REQUIREMENTS: Prior to viewing this property, please make sure to check out the application requirements on our website at: https://www.marchantpm.com/apply-online
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: To apply for one of our properties, make sure that you have all the required documents handy and ready to attach to the application. To submit the application, GO TO: https://www.marchantpm.com/apply-online
APPLICATION TURNAROUND TIME: 1-3 business days
LEASE LENGTH: Minimum Lease Term of 6 Months with 10% Premium
SECTION 8/HOUSING ASSISTANCE: Not Accepted
AREA INFORMATION: Close to downtown, shopping, entertainment, and restaurants
MASTER BEDROOM ON MAIN LEVEL: Yes
GARAGE/PARKING: Street Parking
APPLIANCES INCLUDED: Refrigerator, Stove, Dishwasher, Disposal, Microwave, Washer, Dryer
PROPERTY TYPE: Condo
UTILITIES INCLUDED: Water is included in rent. Tenant to pay for all other utilities.
LAWN MAINTENANCE: Tenant is NOT responsible for maintaining the landscaping
LEASE TO PURCHASE OPTION: Not Available
APPLICATION FEE: $50 per person. Non-Refundable. Everyone 18 and older must submit application and pay application fee
PET SCREENING FEE: Pet screenings are $20 for the first pet and $15 for additional pets, and service/companion animal registration is free.
RENT PAYMENT OPTIONS: We require all rent payments to be made online through the tenant portal, which is FREE. Alternatively, tenants have the option to pay through RentMoney where you can pay your rent with cash at many local retail locations including Wal-Mart. RentMoney Payments require a $3.75 convenience fee. Any other payments will be subject to a $7 payment processing fee.
NONREFUNDABLE RESERVATION FEE / SECURITY DEPOSIT: Marchant Property Management, LLC requires a Non-Refundable Reservation Fee, which is equal to the monthly rent amount, at the time of lease signing. Once the tenant takes possession of the property, $120 of the Non-Refundable Reservation Fee is applied to the Lease Administration Fee and the remaining balance of the Non-Refundable Reservation Fee is applied to the Security Deposit, which is refundable after the lease is fulfilled and all occupants vacate the property, subject to any outstanding rent, fees, cleaning, carpet cleaning, and any damages. Please understand that if tenants do not move into the property for any reason, this Non-Refundable Reservation Fee will be forfeited to the owner of the property in exchange for taking the property off of the rental market, regardless of how long this period is.
SECURITY DEPOSIT REQUIREMENT: Security Deposits are typically equal to the monthly rent amount less the $120 Lease Administration Fee. However, in cases where there are more perceived risks due to credit, income, rental history, etc., the Landlord reserves the right to require a higher security deposit.
LEASE ADMINISTRATION FEE: Lease Administration Fee is $120 and due at time of lease signing. As part of your lease agreement, $120 of the Non-Refundable Reservation Fee will be paid to Marchant Property Management to cover the Lease Administration Fee and the remainder will be converted to your security deposit. The Lease Administration Fee covers the cost of Application Processing, Pet Screening, Agent Referral Fees, Lease Preparation, Security Deposit Processing, Free Utility Concierge Service, Document Storage, Utility Confirmation, Routine Inspections, Move In and Move Out Inspections, and making sure our properties are clean and rent ready for our residents.
RESIDENT BENEFITS PACKAGE: In addition to the monthly rent, there is an additional $30 RESIDENT BENEFITS PACKAGE (which is not optional). The RESIDENT BENEFITS PACKAGE helps cover the cost of a filter subscription service. Second Nature is a service that delivers the exact quantity, size, and quality of filters to your door approximately every 90 days when it is time to change your filters. In addition, Second Nature will send an email reminder to be expecting your filters to arrive soon. This service makes changing your filters a breeze! In addition, all tenants will be named as Additionally Insured under the Marchant Property Management Master Insurance Policy. The Master Insurance Policy features $100,000 in Liability Coverage and $20,000 in Tenant Personal Contents Coverage. This policy is required for all residents of Marchant Property Management. You may always carry any additional insurance coverage of your choosing. The RESIDENT BENEFITS PACKAGE also helps cover the cost for 24 Hour Maintenance Coordination Services, Multiple Payment Options, including Free Online Rental Payments, Tenant Portal Access for payments, statements, lease documents, etc., Online Move In Inspection Reports, Rental Verifications on your behalf, and our 14 Hour/Day/7 Days/Week Staffing Center to take phone calls and emails from our residents.
ERRORS & OMISSIONS: Every effort has been made to provide applicants with reliable and accurate information regarding the home you are applying for. However, changes can and do take place to cause inaccurate information to be accidentally presented. We encourage all tenants to verify schools, allowable pets, expected features, or any HOA concerns prior to signing a lease agreement. Any information posted in any advertisement does NOT constitute a written agreement or guarantee of the facts stated.
Listing By:
Marchant Property Management
100 W. Stone Avenue
Greenville, SC 29609

subset: commoncrawl


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The Thuringian Forest has it all – from peaceful walks, energetic Nordic walking, and hiking and skiing along the mountain ridges, to culture and history, guided tours and health and wellness breaks.
And whether you visit in spring, summer, autumn or winter, the biosphere reserve always has something to offer.
In the central part of the Thuringian Forest, you can hike or ski along the mountain ridges, go mountain biking along trails with a 500-metre drop or climb up Thuringia's highest-placed tower.
Rest and relaxation can be found here throughout the year. But the biosphere reserve has plenty for the active holidaymaker as well.
A pleasant stroll, energetic Nordic walking or cross-country skiing among the peaks can all be enjoyed on well-signposted trails.
Culture lovers will find themselves following in the footsteps of writers August Trinius and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and the folk musician Herbert Roth.
Traditional crafts and customs are showcased in this mountainous region's various small museums and glassblowing studios. And the Schwarze Crux and Volle Rose visitor mines provide a glimpse of the treasures that once lay underground.
If you want to let someone else do all the organising, why not take advantage of a package deal? You could visit the mountain meadows in early summer when they're in full bloom. Or let yourself be pampered on a health and beauty break. Or if you're booking at the last minute, you could join a guided tour on foot, on mountain bike or on skis.
The larger towns on the edge of the forest offer a wide range of family-friendly attractions, such as a zoo, aquarium, high ropes course, ice sports centre and an open-air pool among the trees.
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Release Name: Angry.Birds.Rio.v1.1.0.cr@cked
Release Date: 01 06 2011
Languages: Eng
Platform: PC
Format: EXE
Size: 33,30 MB
The Angry Birds have been captured, caged, and taken to Rio! There they meet new friends, and work together to make their escape from a desolate grey
warehouse to the lush green jungle. Help the Angry Birds escape and beat their captors by bombarding the evil marmosets and smashing all obstacles in the way!
Installation Instructions-
1)Install: AngryBirdsRioInstaller_1.1.0.exe
2)Copy Patch.exe
3)Paste to your installation folder - Example:C:\Program Files\Rovio\Angry Birds Rio
4)Run the Patch
5)there are some option PATCH | BACKUP | EXIT
6)Choose PATCH
7)After sucess patch the game
8)Double Click AngryBirdsRio.exe
9)If you want active it Full Version
Use This serial key-


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There is exciting news here at Blisswood. Carol's Restaurant has joined LocalCatering.com. This is an organization that goes out of its way to help you not have to go out of your way. If you are hosting a Texas wedding in the greater Cat Spring area, simply go on line to LocalCatering.com and plan to have Carol's Restaurant cater your wedding in Texas.
LocalCatering.com was created to help individuals plan the important events in their lives with fewer headaches. Avoid spending hours on the phone asking different people the same questions, or feeling overwhelmed while surfing the net. LocalCatering.com brings together customers and merchants, making it easier to find both a wedding cake and the perfect venue for a wedding. Now that Carol's at Cat Spring has joined, it is easier to find to create hassle-free Texas weddings in Cat Spring.


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False Tenets of Paraherbalism
Varro E. Tyler , Ph.D.
True herbalism encompasses scientific testing, honest reporting of the results, and safe use of effective herbs by informed practitioners and the public. It also includes the production and ethical marketing of herbal products. True herbalism, which brings honor to the wonder-filled world of plants, does exist as part of the science of pharmacognosy. However, there is a dark side to herbalism which I call paraherbalism.
Herbalism and paraherbalism can be compared to Dr. Jekyll and his evil self, Mr. Hyde. As with these famous fictional characters, danger is ever-present that the good of herbalism will be destroyed by the evils of paraherbalism. That would be tragic because herbalism can play a useful role in the health-care arena.
Paraherbalism is characterized by at least ten false tenets. While not every paraherbalist embraces all of them, enough do to conclude that all are characteristic of the field.
Tenet #1: A conspiracy by the medical establishment discourages the use of herbs.
One forceful statement of this tenet is Heinerman's assertion that, "A large percentage of this suspicion of herbs and natural healing methods is due to the unmitigated prejudice and slanderous opposition posed by the regular medical community at large. Quite often they are joined in this harmful conspiracy by the pharmaceutical industry." Others have suggested that herbalists (and other health food industry "pioneers") are automatically branded as quacks and charlatans by the "AMA-FDA combine."
I have never met a physician who knew enough about herbs to raise an opposing voice. Doctors who give herbal medicine any thought at all are rare. Physicians are taught nothing about the subject in medical school. If they become curious and purchase a popular book on the subject, reading that yucca roots are "mashed and boiled to make a tea for treating diabetes" might inspire them to file the volume among others devoted to superstition and witchcraft. They might even throw the book away, but they would not stop using insulin, which they know is an effective drug.
Inquisitive physicians might even look up the credentials of those whose writings on herbal remedies are most widely distributed. If so, they might find that Sybil Leek is described in Who's Who in America as an astrologer and wrote several books on witchcraft, including Diary of a Witch. They might also learn that Richard Passwater obtained his "Ph.D." from an unaccredited correspondence school that was not authorized to grant degrees. Such credentials are not likely to inspire scientifically trained physicians to have much confidence in the paraherbal advocates.
In the pharmaceutical industry, another attitude prevails. Here it is recognized that plants have yielded effective drugs like opium, digitalis, ergot, belladonna and rauwolfia. But there is insufficient profit potential to stimulate much research into new plant drugs. With the cost of developing a new chemical entity into a marketable drug now over $100 million, pharmaceutical manufacturers focus on products where patent protection can be achieved rather than widely used plant remedies that probably cannot become patentable drugs. Again, there is no conspiracy but simply a lack of expected profit.
Tenet #2: Herbs cannot harm, only cure.
It is ancient dogma--repeated in modern herbals--that drugs of vegetable origin are automatically good, but those derived from minerals or petroleum are necessarily bad. William Smith, for example, states in Wonders in Weeds that: "It cannot be emphasized too highly that herbal medicine is 'safe medicine,' a claim that cannot be applied to orthodox remedies."
This thesis denies the fact that some plant constituents are among the most toxic substances known. Acutely toxic alkaloids, ranging alphabetically from aconitine to zygadenine, are abundant. Other constituents, such as the peptide amatoxins in certain fungi, can also kill. Even so, consumers are probably less likely to suffer from acute strychnine poisoning by eating Nux vomica seeds than they are to receive exposure to milder and less obvious toxins through repeated use of such remedies as sassafras or comfrey. And certain diterpine esters are co-carcinogens (tumor promoters).
Tenet #3: Whole herbs are more effective than their isolated active constituents.
Many modern paraherbalists maintain that plants are not only the safest way to administer medicine, but also the most effective. They claim that apart from their active principle, plants may contain other substances that enhance their therapeutic action by some sort of a synergistic process.
Perhaps the most persistent advocate of this doctrine has been Andrew T. Weil, M.D., who argues, "In the case of drug plants, the whole forms, being complex mixtures and therefore impure, tend to be safer than their unmixed derivatives, freed from diluents and made available in highly refined form." Weil also argues that the lesser concentration of an active constituent present in plant tissue renders such a drug safer to use. Finally, he contends that the various active constituents in a plant work synergistically to produce a total effect greater than the mere sum of the individual component activities.
Weil's first two points can be dismissed simply by pointing out that dosage, which governs a drug's safety and efficacy, is much more readily controlled with purified constituents. Synergism occasionally occurs, but for every case where a desirable action is enhanced, there are several where undesirable actions are produced. For example, cinchona bark contains some 25 closely related alkaloids, but the only one recognized as useful in the treatment of malaria is quinine. A person who took powdered cinchona bark would also ingest the alkaloid quinidine, a cardiac depressant, and cinchotannic acid, which would induce constipation.
An even more significant example is comfrey, whose leaves and underground parts are widely recommended by modern herbalists as wound-healers. Whatever activity of this sort the plant possesses is due to its content of allantoin, an agent that apparently promotes cell proliferation. However, comfrey also contains carcinogenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, including echimidine and symphytine. Purified allantoin, free from accompanying carcinogens, would obviously be safer to use.
Tenet #4: "Natural" and "organic" herbs are superior to synthetic drugs.
Paraherbalists claim that products made by the metabolic processes of plants or animals possess an innate superiority over identical products synthesized in a chemical laboratory. The falsity of this claim was demonstrated as far back as 1828 when the German chemist Friedrich Wohler synthesized urea from inorganic materials. Wohler's synthetic urea was identical in every respect with the urea biosynthesized and excreted by animals or biosynthesized and accumulated by many species of higher fungi. Thus, statements like, "The pharmaceutical industry needs to stop fooling around with dangerous synthetic chemicals and return, once again, to the more natural substances God has placed upon this earth for our health and benefit," are derived from baseless belief rather than scientific methodology.
The term "organic" is used to describe plants grown without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Materials made from such plants are believed to be superior in some way to those produced by conventional agriculture. This belief is based on a complete misunderstanding of plant nutrition and physiology. Plants require inorganic nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for normal growth. They obtain these elements from the soil and have no mechanism for distinguishing their original source. If adequate amounts are present, plants grow normally. If they are not, this does not occur.
Pesticides are a slightly different matter. Appropriate safety limits have been established, and some pesticides have been banned. It is possible to grow plants without using pesticides, but yields per acre are much diminished. So one either trusts scientific farmers and the regulatory process or one pays considerably more for food.
Tenet #5: The "Doctrine of Signatures" is meaningful.
The three most popular aphrodisiacs sold in the Orient owe their alleged properties to the so-called Doctrine of Signatures--the ancient belief that the form and shape of a drug source determine its therapeutic virtue. Thus, rhinoceros horn, deer antlers, and ginseng root with their phallic resemblance (or in the case of bifurcated ginseng with attached rootlets, its similarity to the human body complete with phallus) are all highly esteemed as agents of virility. In Chinese pharmacies, antlers are typically displayed on velvet mats in glass showcases and sold at prices comparable to fine pearls.
Deer antler and rhinoceros horn have never been proven to contain any constituent that stimulates libido or cures impotence. Any activity should be attributed to placebo effect. Ginseng does contain triterpenoid saponins, to which various physiological activities have been attributed. However, no substantial evidence that ginseng enhances sexual experience or potency has been published in the scientific literature.
The Doctrine of Signatures is not unique to the Orient. Gerard reported in 1597 that eyebright juice applied to the eyes, "taketh awaie the darknesse and dimnesse of the eies and cleereth the sight." Variations of this advice are duly repeated by most present-day paraherbalists.
Actually, no constituent of eyebright is known to be effective against any eye disease. Medieval herbalists assumed it was effective because the white to bluish corolla of its flower bears a bright yellow spot, making it resemble an eye with its pupil. Believing that this structure makes the plant effective against eye disease makes as much sense as believing that walnuts are good for mental illness because their kernels resemble the brain or that liverworts are good for jaundice because their leaves resemble the shape of the liver.
Tenet #6: Reducing the dose of a medicine increases its therapeutic potency.
This, like the Doctrine of Signatures, is a principle espoused by homeopaths. Founded near the end of the 18th century by Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician, homeopathy originally had three basic tenets: 1) diseases are cured by small doses of drugs which, when administered in large doses to healthy persons, produce effects similar to the symptoms of the disease; 2) the potency of a drug is inversely proportional to its concentration; and 3) chronic diseases are simply manifestations of a suppressed itch or psora, a kind of evil spirit. This last notion proved so outrageous, even to fervent homeopathic practitioners, that it was soon abandoned.
The eighth (1980) edition of the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia contains some 600 pages of monographs, most of them on drugs of plant origin. Homeopathic remedies in this book are recognized as drugs under federal laws, a fact appreciated by paraherbalists. Some of the listed substances, such as cinchona, digitalis and opium, are effective in appropriate dosage. But homeopathy advocates high dilution for maximal effect. Many homeopathic remedies are so dilute that they are statistically unlikely to contain a single molecule of the original substance.
Still, there has been a resurgence of interest in homeopathy in this country in recent years. Its supposed safety and "holistic" orientation, coupled with its vast materia medica of vegetable drugs, appeal to many paraherbalists.
Tenet #7: Astrological influences are significant.
In his recent book, Herbs, Health and Astrology, Leon Petulengro comments, "Knowing as we do that planets and stars emit their own individual signals or vibrations, how can we disbelieve that ancient lore was right and that herbs and plants, and indeed humans, are ruled by these various vibrations or force fields?"
How, indeed? Just compare drugs with similar physiological effects and the different planets to which they are assigned. For example, broom, digitalis, lily-of-the-valley and black hellebore all yield drugs that can slow the heartbeat, render it more regular, or otherwise strengthen it. But they look quite different from one another and belong to different plant families. Probably for this reason, the leading 17th-century astrologer and apothecary, Nicholas Culpeper assigned each to a different "governing" planet-- a classification repeated by Sybil Leek.
Culpeper assumed that diseases caused by a certain planet are cured by herbs of the same planet or the "opposite" planet. For example, since diseases of the heart and blood vessels are caused by the sun, they should be cured by herbs dominated by the sun or ruled by Saturn. If this were true, black hellebore would be the only herb in either of the above categories that is effective against heart disease. Actually, it is probably the least effective cardiotonic drug considered by Culpeper and was dropped from the United States Pharmacopoeia in 1882. Broom was officially listed until 1936 (and its active principle until 1950), and lily-of- the-valley root appeared until 1950. Digitalis is still listed together with its constituent glycosides, which are extensively used. Thus, astrological reasoning classified only one out of four correctly and selected the worst example.
Looking in reverse, let's assume, as Culpeper would have us do, that herbs "dominated" by the sun do indeed strengthen the heart by sympathy. Saffron, he says, "is an herb of the Sun, and under the Lion, and therefore you need not demand a reason why it strengthens the heart so exceedingly." Juniper, he writes, "is an admirable solar shrub." Lovage, he continues, "is an herb of the Sun." Of rosemary, he notes, "The Sun claims privilege in it." None of these plants has any significant cardiac effect. In fact, of the more than thirty plants described by Culpeper and Leek as herbs of the sun, only mistletoe--which is fairly toxic--has any appreciable effect on the cardiovascular system.
Tenet #8: Physiological tests in animals are not applicable to human beings.
When it suits their purposes, paraherbalists typically complain that the results of animal experiments should not be applied to herbs. Heinerman has said, for example, that sassafras was removed from the marketplace "because a bunch of 'puny, sickly, all-around crummy rats' just happened to get cancer when this plant was injected into them by their larger, less intelligent relatives."
It is true that great differences exist among various animal species and between animals and humans. However, there is a high probability of significance when diverse species show similar effects. For this reason, new drugs should be evaluated in several animal species, preferably from different orders. Herbs do need to be tested for safety and effectiveness. If animal testing is not acceptable to paraherbalists, the only alternative--initial screening of drugs in human-- is even less acceptable to the public.
Tenet #9: Anecdotal evidence is highly significant.
A century ago, glowing testimonials were widely used to sell patent medicines. Today, similar ones are used for herbal remedies. For example, Herbal Success Stories, published in 1980, recounts "actual case histories" of those who "either experienced the problem and cure themselves or helped a family member or friend with the ailment or cure." According to the author, readers can "use this book with assurance that successes related there are true."
Unfortunately, in individual cases, it is difficult or impossible to tell whether a reported cure resulted from the treatment, a placebo effect, or the body's ability to heal itself. It may also be difficult to tell whether an anecdote has been reported accurately or was even fabricated. Anecdotal evidence can provide leads for research, but it is not reliable for establishing therapeutic utility of an herb. That requires preliminary investigations in laboratory animals followed by randomized, double-blind clinical trials in humans.
Tenet #10: Herbs were created by God specifically to cure disease.
Many paraherbalists claim that God has provided a remedy for every disease that might afflict us. This claim may appeal to deeply religious people, but is not testable and is not a legitimate substitute for scientific evidence.
Dr. Tyler, who died in 2001, was the Lilly distinguished professor of pharmacognosy (the science of medicines from natural sources) at Purdue University. A world-renowned authority, he wrote The Honest Herbal, an evaluation of popular herbs, and was senior author of the textbook Pharmacognosy. This article was adapted from the November/December 1989 issue of Nutrition Forum Newsletter.
This article was posted on August 31, 1999.


text:
has to be in a trial/courtroom movie. To avoid spoiling in some cases, there are hiding bars put on the contents. To keep it fair, they are put on all of the texts.
What do you think is the most intense scene in a trial movie from them below? (Feel free to vote, even if you just know a few of them.)
You can put suggestions here.Remember the rule: No movie picked twice in this special poll series. To be sure not picking a scene of a movie that already had a scene used in this series, there is a list of already used titles to compare. Note - Search for the original title of your suggestion in the comparing list. No movies with a rating below 6/10. Comparing list:
AL Pacino in his speech in "Scent of Woman"
Cuba Gooding Jr. on his attempt to show the Navy's commission that he is available to be a diver in "Men of Honor"
My intention is more about courtroom law, but I know the term 'trial' is about a wide range of meanings and subjects. So I let 'Scent of Woman' on the list. It's a school trial with a big showdown. I really loved that one. So it's ok for me to suggest school trials like that, military trials or e.g. medieval trials like witch trials or something like that. Because religious trials were the first form of trials for mankind in the process of becoming civilized.
Just a little nuance. In the "Men of Honor" scene, boss Bill Sunday is now trying to help Carl after in the past he humiliated him and made his life in hell several times.
We can say that he had compassion for him.
I don't know if I misunderstood your text because my English is not that good but i had to say this in order to be well understood.
One more thing, I watched this day "Witness for the Prosecution " and it was a good movie and yes it had some good scenes. I especially enjoyed the twist at the end and one of my favorite intense scenes was when Leonard was called to testify and he started to look very nervous and confused, good move by the "snake." He fooled the audience. Great acting scene.
You opted for the twist and it was a great pick too. ;)
I have to say, you are continuing this topic better that I thought.
Kyle's and your's idea gave my thoughts the necessary wings to fly.
When I said I have a head full of intense movie scenes, I was sure about it.
I head for about 14 polls all together in the first round, polls from interesting
genres in movies. You may suggest genres and can also do further poll
suggestions, fitting with our special rules. Like anyone can do.
Now my new suggestion is about to grow. Meanwhile anybody can make a new
claim on this poll series. Following the rules. If nobody does: When this
one becomes a live poll, I will wait one day before suggesting a new one.
To give others the chance to claim the next suggestion before.
At the end I would make a poll with all the thirds and fourth
places to make a second chance with all the third and fourth places.
I think it's the best to then make the end-poll with all the first and second place
winners together with 7 of the top of the third and fourth place winners.
It's a little like in the soccer worldcup, just with movie scenes. ;)
What do you think about?
One thing I think it's better to relate the past and future parts.
I don't know if you are understanding what I am saying but I notice that you write always in the end the nr. of the serie.
My suggestion is to you related only the after and before poll series like I have done in my part II.
People will interlink to the next part as they vote.
Do I am explaining well?
It just a little nuance but I think it's aesthetically more beautiful
I change one point in the description to make it more open for good trial scenes in other movies:
The scene hasn't necessarliy to be a trial or courtroom movie, but has to be a dominant and key-scene for the story. Please considerate this for suggesting. Thank you. :) Thank you SeventhAr7 for opening my eyes for better options. I changed that in the text of the intro. Now it's more specific without hampering good suggestions.
The nr. 3 on this case.
Most Intense Movie Scenes - Part III
Specific intense movies scenes. Who doesn't know one? According to IMDb Poll Board Users there are scenes in some movies that are so intense with emotion or situation or a special twist, that you will never forget it again. Which of the intense scenes below is your pick?
(Feel free to vote, even if you saw just a few of these movies.)
This is the third part of an intense-movies-scenes-poll-series. This time only movies rated at last 7/10 and above and with completely different subjects.Discuss here.
[link=https://www.imdb.com/poll/GLVEom_N0DQ/]Live Poll: Part II[/link]
[link=https://www.imdb.com/poll/Ic8O1t3HBRk/]Live Poll: Part IV[/link]
I only aesthetically restructured the part after "Discuss here". I think it is better on this way. You can copy this in order to not gave you a lot of work i didn't change the text, don't be worry. If you agree on this then you need to re-push the poll it this arrangements.
The detail here is to hyperlink, only the previous poll and a the next poll. Not all of them.
I hope you don't mind.
One more thing, i put "✯" in the title of my poll. Feel free to use if you want.
Most Intense Sci-Fi Movie Scenes
This is the scifi-edition of the most-intense-movies-scenes-polls. According to IMDb poll board users, there are scenes in some movies that are so intense with emotion or situation or a special twist, that you will never forget them again. Which of these intense scifi-scenes below is your pick?
(Feel free to vote, even if you saw just a few of these movies. If you didn't see any of them, pick the one that you would watch the most likely)
This is the fourth part.Discuss here.
[link=https://www.imdb.com/poll/WqkiWHaVbU8/]Live Poll: Part III[/link]
[link=https://www.imdb.com/poll/ICx9v1hbldU/]Live Poll: Part V[/link]
Note: you need to check the spaces and double breaks. I am doing that know but be attentive if this change when you copy.
Most Intense War Related Movie Scenes
This is the 'war-edition' of the most-intense-movie-scene-polls. According to IMDb poll board users, there are scenes in some war movies that are so intense with struggle or a special twist, that you will never forget them again. Which of these intense war-scenes below is your pick?
(Feel free to vote, even if you saw just a few of these movies. If you didn't see any of them, pick the one that you would most likely watch.)
(Only movies related to real wars containing 'inspired from real' to purely fictional events with a rating of at least 6/10)
This is the fifth part of the row.Discuss here.
[link=https://www.imdb.com/poll/Ic8O1t3HBRk/]Live Poll: Part IV[/link]
[link=https://www.imdb.com/poll/wZxe0mla3w4/Live Poll: Part VI[/link]
Most Intense Scenes in Comedies
This time the IMDb poll board users tried to find the most intense funny or dramatic scene that happened in comedies. Just scenes from movies rated 6/10 or higher. The moment the scene describes does not necessarily have to be funny. It should be funny, but can also be an emotionally intense dramatic moment within the comedy. But it sure has to be in a comedy or satirical movie.
What of these scenes below do you think is the most intense funny or dramatic scene in a comedy? If you haven't seen any of these, vote for the comedy you would most likely watch.
This is the sixth part of the series.Discuss here.
[link=https://www.imdb.com/poll/ICx9v1hbldU/]Live Poll: Part V[/link]
"When the Part VII it goes a live you put the link."
I'm just giving you an advice since you are doing a great job keep this topic a live. It is the most successful running poll with now 6 polls live and with a great probalty to reach more 9 polls live. It will be an astonishing number and very hard to someone break.
One more thing, if you want another type of signature you can have too and i thing it is very good idea. My is the "✯" if you want another symbol it will be great too... if you want to keep the same, no problem too.
Just about the star. Is this a pentagram? I don't want to be mixed up with satanists. I guess not, you seem ok. But if it is a pentagram, I won't use it. Else - It looks good!
The Inverted Pentragam is what is related to the Satanism.
So, I'm not point controversial stuff.
... but you can use another symbol if you like. Use the symbol that makes you more comfortable ;)
Watch the "characters symbols" on Google and pick one.
« Most Intense Everything »
I think that your initial "B" have so many good characters
ᙝᙞᙟᙩᙪᙫ or B
But feel free to use whatever you want ;) either related to your initial or not.
Note: You have to give a double break between "Discuss here" to the hiperlink polls and one break between the hiperlink previous and next polls.
- Mulan
- Duck, You Sucker
- Star Trek II The Wrath Of Kahn
And if you want to include a scene of mass death caused by a virus: "The Andromeda Strain" and "Serenity".
I also thought of your polls. Did anyone of you two did one like this?
... and yeah it's a great idea, if you want to be part of this and create this segment it would be great.
I think it's positive to have more people to be part of this.
You talked about Comaches and that makes me think about "Hostiles" a movie that a recently watched and one of the part of story it was a feud about Comaches and Cheyennes.
One of the scenes that gave me goosebumps was the attack by a group of Comanches against a American family in the beginning of the movie.
It's nice, you wanna join. There are just a few points to be sure about. If you are about this series, it should be called '... intense movie scenes ...' in the title, because that's the concept of this series. A scene can also be disturbing, if it is intense.
#1: It got to be an image poll, because it is impossible to mix up movie or people polls with image-polls.
#2: No scene of a movie, used a second time. I got a list of former used movies in this series before here:
#3: It would be nice to make it for a special genre. There are multiple genres that are not yet touched. But if you have a special idea, like e.g. 'The Most Disturbing Intense Movie Scenes', it would be fine for me. My first poll in this series was a special feature, too. Else the western genre is not yet used. Crime, drama, music, animation, something like these would be fine picks. Doing the poll on a special genre simplifys the whole thing. A link to the former and the next poll would be nice, too. ;)
Tell me your thoughts. If you want it, start it. At the end - it's for fun. :D
"The Andromeda Strain", "Star Trek 2: the Wrath Of Kahn", "Serenity", "Duck, You Sucker" , and "Hostiles" will be on it. And to SeventhAr7, and Breaumaster, a western film has been used - "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly".
"Serenity" will be a problem since it has both types of scenes in it: mass death by massacre and mass death by virus.
'The Good, The Bad & The Ugly' can't be on any further poll of exact this poll series, because it was used in part one by Kyle.
I think it's better to make the polls on genres, because some good movies are done for further polls now. When I do a western poll in this series, there is one of the best scenes ever missing. This idea came up to my mind after the third poll coming to live. We should have had this idea earlier.
But I don't want to harm your creativity. I think your idea is also good. I like it. When it comes to these scenarios, maybe 'The Day After' or 'The Road' or 'Grave of the Fireflies' maybe a good pick. When you make a poll suggestion for it, we could suggest expamples for your consideration there.
I was correcting misleading typos.
From your list, Judgement of Nuremberg.
For Your Consideration: Inherit the Wind (1960), (one of my all time favourite films) Henry Drummond calls Harrison Brady to the stand and questions him about The Bible.
Tom Hanks
I guess you would favour the ending of the trial more. Do you think, I should better take the trial ending or the classic music scene on the list? I think they are both quite intense. But I'm a little unsure about what of these both to take now. I could be wrong and the other scene might be more memorable for other filmfreaks.
The red lighting makes him look too good. My choice shows just how near death he is.
I tried to use the image, you suggested, but I'm not able to put it to the list.
When I do, it's invisible. Sorry, I had to take another image. I don't know
why this happens.
Also the picture has gone missing!
I probably would vote for the Your out of order scene in..and justice for all or You can't handle the truth scene in A Few Good Men. I also like prosecutor's son testimony scene and Santa Claus post office mail bag in Miracle on 34th Street (1947).
And how Kris's 5th amendment rights against self incrimination were violated by the prosecution who called Kris to the stand. Legally, it was the prosecutor's job to legally prove there was no Santa Claus. Remember, in the USA, you are innocent until you are proven guilty. And if I remember the movie correctly, the failed mental test was not introduced as evidence in the court proceedings. http://blogs.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/lawbod...
I'm sorry I didn't allready see this movie. Are these two or is your suggestion about one scene? If these are two scene's - which one would you prefer? Please tell me and give me a line for the description. Then I'll put it to the list as you wish. Until then I put the second image on the list, it looks more funny with the grumbling judge. ;) Thank you for suggesting. :)
In a surprising move, the defense lawyer calls the prosecutor's son to the stand and uses comments his father (the prosecutor) made stating there was a Santa Claus and that his father never lies as proof the prosecution believes in Santa Claus. The prosecutor also took his son to visit the defendant at Macy's and told his son the defendant was Santa Claus as proof he was the real Santa Claus. All of this testimony is in direct contradiction to the case the State has already made stating the opposite.
The next day, the post office delivers thousands of letters addressed to Santa Claus to the defendant in court. The defense uses this as evidence that an official government agency believes in Santa Claus and that the defendant is him since it is illegal to deliver mail to another person than the addressee. The crafty work by the defense puts the judge in a real pickle as he is up for re-election and does not want to be the man who sent Santa Claus to jail, so the defendant is set free.
I prefer the prosecutor's son testimony because it undermines his whole case with his own words as he told his son the opposite of what he is claiming in court to institutionalize Kris Kringle. In both instances, the defense puts the prosecutor and judge into quite a quandary, their squirming behavior is intense and funny at the same time. It should be a well seen option as the movie has been remade several times.
It seems to be a funny movie for children. I know that, we had some of them too - when I was a kid. And many of them were from America. It's ok to watch quirky movies. And it's ok to put them to more serious trial movies, when the heart of it is bound to mankind.
Now I'm really curious. I guess I should finally watch this movie at Amazon stream.
They are equally good.
Miracle On 34th Street1994PG
$2.99 - $14.99 $ 2 99-$ 14 99 Rent or Buy
Add to Watchlist
4.7 out of 5 stars 3,965
Richard Attenborough, Elizabeth Perkins, et al.
Directed by:
Les Mayfield
1 hr 54 mins
I think this statement would best fully describe this scene, in the context of the question, both for those who have and have not seen the movie.
The old movies have their own magic.
Thank you very much. I added your description to the image. Maybe I watched that movie when I was a kid. When you wrote it, I remembered that content slightly - but it must be more than 35 years ago, if I really watched it!
- In Cold Blood https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061809/...
- Helter Skelter https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074621/... ( just viewing the trailer will give you a few good picks for which scene to choose.)
Some others
- The Verdict https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084855/... here he calls the judge a former bagman for the mob.
- My Cousin Vinny (Mona Lisa Vito's testimony — it is not intense but it is really a good scene where Vinny puts on the stand his girlfriend as an expert witness on cars eventhough she is studying to be a beautician. The smug prosecutor tries to discredit her through trick questions only to find out that she really does have an encyclopedic knowledge of automobiles.) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104952/...
- The Paradine Case https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039694/... One word: Hitchcock!
Definition of intense
: existing in an extreme degree
the excitement was intense intense pain
: having or showing a characteristic in extreme degree
intense colors
: marked by or expressive of great zeal, energy, determination, or concentration
intense effort
b : deeply felt
Ok, so where do you want to put the suggestions you mentioned? On this list or on your own list? I would suggest to put it on your poll suggestion, because it still has not so many options, yet. But I will take a look at your links. Please be patient. I just caught the flu and I might be offline for some time to get healthy again. I don't remember to have seen one of them. If I should put one or some on the list, I would need an image link and a description of the intense scene.
Thank your for the definitions. I might add 'My Cousin Vinnie'. If I would have seen the movie, I guess I would have put it on the list by myself. My main problem is, that I don't know what Image is showing the intense scene. You might help me picking the fitting image and the line to describe, so I will put it on the list. So first, thank you for suggesting and helping. :) It might take some time for me to answere.
This were she had to dragged into court at the beginning of the scene because she and Vinny just had a fight. In fact Vinny has asked the judge if he could treat her as a hostile witness. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104952/...
The next one is at the end of the scene where she had just realized that she had just won the case for Vinny and the two are making up.
It comes with a Slant Six air cooled Diesel with extra H.D. muffler bearings!
I learned that in my Utes
You can used Helter Skelter" because it was remade. I'm using the 1976 version.
I'm about to put 'The Case Paradin' on the list. Maybe you want to suggest an image of the movie and the line, I would put to it?
And 'In Cold Blood' would be another option. I'd put it on the list. But I don't know the movie. So I need an image of the scene and a line for it, too. :D
I'm about to put 'The Case Paradin' on the list. Maybe you want to suggest an image of the movie and the line, I would put to it?
And 'In Cold Blood' would be another option. I'd put it on the list. But I don't know the movie. So I need an image of the scene and a line for it, too. :D
Other suggestion would be a film that is considered one of the best courtroom movies of all time, The Verdict (1982). I saw it a long time ago and don't remember clearly, but I remember the final allegation by Frank Gavin, played by Paul Newman was quite important.
Also, Dax trying to save the life of the soldiers in Path of Glory (1957), taking sworn statements to Broulard but being dismissed.
M (1931) - The popular trial with the murderer claiming he is insane.
The Caine Mutiny (1954) - with Humphrey Bogart cross examination that ends with his meltdown
The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) - a popular trial turns into a lynching mob.
I only saw one scene but I'm sure Liar Liar has something worth to add in the comedy genre. The scene I saw had Jim Carrey desesperately trying to incapacitate himself as he realizes he can't lie, but admiting he is indeed able to continue to the judge.
I don't know why I didn't pick them at first. 'M' is a great classic.
'Path of Glory' is one of the best war trial movies.
and 'The Ox-Bow Incident' is one of the best Western and trial movie.
(That now automatically disapears on the western-poll by rule)
I just need a little more help on 'The Caine Mutiny'. Which image would
you pick? I saw that movie, but don't remember on the pictures.
I hope I did set the other options on the list as you meant it.
'Liar Liar' is used in the former poll about comedies.
No movie twice and no second scene of the same movie within a poll.
That's just for this series.
Hi, I've been checking the images from The Caine Mutiny, and the only one that is part of the martial court without a doubt is this one: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046816/mediaviewer/rm3581361664 However its a close up of Bogart's hands, no in very high quality, unattractive and hard to understand to one that has not seen the movie.
Therefore I would suggest this image instead https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046816/mediaviewer/rm4094180096 it shows Bogart under pressure (not sure if as part of the trial or at another moment in the film. But it reflects the character and at least implies the scene we are talking about.
I can tell you exactly what the second photo is. It is the spot where he realizes he has revealed himself as a paranoid person. He was describing the great strawberries missing conspiracy. That photo is when he stops and realizes that it's over. He has been exposed as unfit for command.
In Germany we have one word for it: Gerichtsfilm That would be wordly translated as court-of-law-movie. I thought that would be too long. And I don't know if the English and American people would accept that as a genre by calling it so.
List - views: 258, last week: 86!
I wonder why they didn't yet. ;)
Added Betty White.
To be sure avoiding to pick a scene of a movie that already had a scene used in this series, there is a list of already used titles to compare.
#15: The crucial point, when Michael Berg realizes in the court of law, that Hanna Schmitz did all those bad things, because she always wanted to hide her illiteracy - while the other perpetrators did much worse deeds than her, but get free by sacrificing her.
#20: Roseanna Perry blaming district attorney Nancy Taylor to have driven her to commit perjury.
#24: He helps Carl to prove his suitability for the job at the trial.
#27: ...when his own words are used against him during his son's testimony on his father's stated beliefs on Santa Claus
#32: The cross examination of Lt. Cmdr. Philip Francis Queeg that ends with his meltdown.
Hans Beckert pleaing on insanity.
Hans Beckert pleading on insanity.
Thank you. I did the changes, except #32. I wrote 'meltdown.' as you did. So I don't get the point about that typo. Maybe you can explain it further.
Thank you. I corrected the typo.
Thank you for making the changes. As Jessica notes above, there is still a problem with #32.
Sorry I didn't catch this during my first review.
Hans Rolfe ranting at 'The Judgement at Nuremberg'.
Hans Rolfe ranting at 'Judgment at Nuremberg'.
By the way, I frequently misspell judgment.
- - -
Bill Sunday tries to help Carl after humilating and making him feel like in hell several times in the past.
Bill Sunday tries to help Carl after humiliating and making him feel like in hell several times in the past.
I changed the typos.
Thank you, Jessica. I'll remove the link-end.
Thank you for making the changes.
By the way, typos are inevitable. I've written a few reports that still have glaring typos, even after it's gone through a thorough review. Sometimes, I've had typos introduced after a thorough review.
So at this P.S. I lost two l allways & allready. Now it should stay as
always and already. ;D
Most Intense Trial Movie Scenes
Live Poll: https://www.imdb.com/poll/oPgKRPIptys/


text:
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text:
Boston-area teaching hospitals and universities are bracing for deep cuts in the federal funding that has fueled biomedical research for decades, raising fears that breakthrough work on cancer cures, stem cells, gene therapy, and other research will suffer setbacks.
Unless Congress agrees by Dec. 31 on $1.2 trillion in savings to reduce the federal deficit, National Institutes of Health spending will be trimmed by 8.2 percent, or about $2.5 billion annually, according to the Office of Management and Budget projections — part of an across-the-board budget-chopping process known as sequestration.
If that happens, hundreds of jobs and scores of grant proposals at Massachusetts labs could be lost. Some labs are already reassessing staff levels, and scientists worry they might not be able to proceed with crucial studies of serious diseases such as lung cancer and Alzheimer's.
There are also fears that collaboration between labs will turn into competition for dwindling dollars, and ambitious young researchers might abandon the field in search of more stable employment.
"It's like a knife hanging over our heads," said Bill Chin, executive dean for research at Harvard Medical School. "About a quarter of new grants won't be funded, and funding will be reduced for current projects that are working on cures for cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and heart disease, all of which have had remarkable advances recently. Ninety percent of our research budget comes from government sources, and the NIH is by far the major source."
Massachusetts receives more NIH money per capita than any other state, about 10 percent of all grants in recent years. Based on that record, the state stands to lose $200 million to $300 million next year, estimated Kevin Casey, Harvard University's associate vice president for public affairs.
"It's very stressful," said Stirling Churchman, assistant professor of genetics at Harvard Medical. Churchman plans to apply for a $2.5 million NIH grant this fall to continue running her year-old Churchman Lab, which is looking for new ways to understand DNA sequencing. "I have six people working for me, and I see the clock ticking. So I need to have one of these grants in place," she said.
The reductions would be felt most acutely in the labs of Harvard Medical and its 16 affiliated hospitals, five of which rank among the largest hospital recipients of grants from the NIH's $30 billion annual budget. Research money would also be pared at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Tufts University School of Medicine, and Boston University School of Medicine, all of which have hospital affiliates, and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and more than a dozen other schools, hospitals, and independent organizations.
Leaders of these institutions cite the impact of the prospective budget reductions on patients and the region's economy. Medical research has helped attract a cluster of pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology start-ups eager to license intellectual property that comes from lab discoveries here.
"Cutting the NIH budget in a weak economy is like jettisoning an engine on an airplane that's losing altitude," said Peter L. Slavin, president of Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, the nation's largest hospital recipient of NIH grants. Slavin fears Mass. General alone could lose $30 million a year in NIH funding, starting in January.
Fiscal conservatives in Washington, however, argue that major reductions in federal programs are necessary to rein in a budget deficit that is hampering economic growth and job creation. Even if a so-called fiscal cliff scenario can be averted, they contend, NIH spending needs to be curbed.
Said Barney Keller, spokesman for the Club for Growth, a free-market advocacy group. "With a $1 trillion deficit, we should be asking if the NIH is a core function of government or if it's doing something the private sector could do. If the states want to invest in scientific research, let them do it."
The NIH budget, long an important engine of the Boston-area economy, doubled from $15 billion in 1998 to $30 billion in 2003. But since then, annual spending has been relatively flat. At the same time, researchers said, advances in research tools have put scientists on the brink of new medical discoveries.
"If you turn off the spigot for a time, you can't just turn it back on," said David Scadden, a professor at Harvard Medical and one of the nation's top stem cell scientists.
Scadden said budgetary constraints already have forced him to let one person go and freeze two positions in his regenerative biology lab at Mass. General. At staff meetings, he said, ambitious young researchers wonder aloud if they will be able to fulfill their aspirations in medical research, and sometimes talk of doing something else. Some foreign students who were trained in Boston are choosing to return to China or other countries to launch their careers, he said.
"We have a phenomenal ecosystem here," Scadden said. "Every laboratory is like the United Nations. They're filled with people from around the world who want to come here. Now the discussion is, 'What are the other options for me if I can't pursue my research here?'"
One side effect of the budget cuts may be to intensify competition for scarce NIH money, a potential blow to recent cooperation among organizations. "It's taken a long time getting people comfortable working together," said Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's senior vice president, Lee Nadler, a Harvard Medical dean for clinical and translational research. He runs the Harvard Catalyst program, which pools the clinical expertise of the medical school's labs and hospital affiliates. "The minute these cuts come in, there's no room for collaboration anymore," he said.
Harvard Medical's Chin said NIH cuts could disproportionately affect junior faculty, who historically have been counted on to develop new research approaches and innovations for curing diseases.
Robert Weisman can be reached at email@example.com.


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When Stacy auditioned, she was wonderful. I thought for sure she'd be in the finals but something happened as the weeks went by. She lost what made her special. Poor song choices, and not being true to herself. I wish her well.Astro is something else. He has an attitude that needs to be set straight by someone. Not wanting to sing in a fit of petulance will not serve him well.
Um like what does anyone see in Marcus Canty? But Melanie <33333 OMG coming out of her shell <33333
Show contentDrew was sent home by a 3-1 vote Marcus!! worst. result. ever.
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| Superfast Ferries is the leading ferry company in the Italy – Greece routes with four car passenger ferries offering daily connections between the Greek ports of Patras and Igoumenitsa and the Italian ports of Ancona and Bari. During the summer period, Superfast Ferries also offers connections from Bari, Italy to the Greek island of Corfu.
Furthermore, since March 2009, Superfast Ferries added a new, daily service from Piraeus to Heraklion. Now you can enjoy our high standard of service on your way to Crete.
The Superfast Ferries concept is about offering high quality services in a value-for-money product. On board, Superfast vessels offer a unique combination of comfort, luxury and style. Superfast Ferries looks forward to welcoming you on board and offering you a unique cruise-class experience. Treat yourself to an evening of relaxation and comfort and let us take you to your destination relaxed and refreshed, having began your holiday the minute you step on board. The vessels offer alternative ways to make the journey enjoyable: restaurants, bars, swimming pool*, casino, internet corner*/Wi-Fi, coin up games, disco*, shops. Every voyage has a variety of gastronomic pleasures in store either at the A la Carte* or self service restaurant, to please all tastes and all budgets. The luxurious vessels, the great food and the friendly crew, all add to the enjoyment of your trip and what we like to call the Superfast Experience.
*Not available on Superfast I and Superfast II.


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Today's Free Video This video can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YildL_ilQFY Download the lesson plan for this content below! What content does this lesson plan cover? Content Reading Guide: The Gilded Age: 1870s-1890s: Part 1 The Gilded Age refers to the era in US History from the 1870s to the 1890s. Gilded
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May 29, 2014
Oregon and Southwest Washington I 2014 First Quarter Market Update
Posted in Market News by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate
Home prices are certainly influenced by the number, quality and mix of homes that are being offered for sale. Many times, markets with limited supply demonstrate stronger price growth than markets where inventory is less tight.
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May 22, 2014
Western Washington I 2014 First Quarter Market Update
Posted in Market News by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate
Washington State added just shy of 61,000 jobs over the past 12-month period, an annualized growth rate of 2.1 percent, while the markets covered by our report added 50,690 jobs (a 2.3 percent increase over a year ago).
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May 15, 2014
Home Security Systems: Protecting the People and Things You Value the Most
Posted in Living by Tara Sharp
With warmer weather come open windows and extended vacations, so it should come as no surprise that the highest percentage of home burglaries happen during the summer months. With that in mind, now is a good time to start thinking about the security of your home.
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May 06, 2014
GiveBIG to the Windermere Foundation on May 6!
Posted in Windermere Foundation by Christine Wood
This year, Windermere is participating in the fourth annual Seattle Foundation GiveBIG event! Help us stretch donations today.
Read More >


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Europe's eye on Mars: first spectacular results from Mars Express
These pictures were taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA's Mars Express orbiter on 14 January 2004, under the responsibility of the Principal Investigator Prof. Gerhard Neukum. These images were processed by the Institute for Planetary Research of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), also involved in the development of the camera, and by the Institute of Geosciences of the Freie Universität Berlin.
The top image shows a portion of a 1700 km long and 65 km wide swath which was taken in south-north direction across the Grand Canyon of Mars (Valles Marineris). It is the first image of this size that shows the surface of Mars in high resolution (12 metres per pixel), in colour and in 3D.
This perspective view is computer-generated from the original image data.
These images represent the outcome of 1.87 million km2 of Martian surface coverage, and about 100 gigabytes of processed data.
This composite is computer-generated from the original image data.


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Review: Maya Schenwar's 'Locked Down, Locked Out'
By Ani M.
Truthout editor-in-chief, Maya Schenwar was kind enough to send the Prison Books Collective a copy of her new book, Locked Down, Locked Out: Why Prison Doesn't Work and How We Can Do Better. The book is half journalism and half her memoir of the years her sister was alternately incarcerated and struggling with addiction. Since personal narrative is my favorite framework for gleaning new information, I claimed the book first with the promise to read quickly and beg her for more copies to send into prisons if it was any good.
At the Prison Books Collective we read a copious amount about prisons every week and very little makes it on to our social media and even less on to our website. As abolitionists, we find too many informative articles take a tone about just punishments that we reject. Or the reforms proposed in articles are ones that create new improved prisons instead of moving to abolish them. Much is written about the difficulties of transitioning people from incarceration to life on the outside; too little is written about the necessity of transforming life on the outside to eliminate incarceration.
Maya Schenwar's Locked Down, Locked Out is a steady seduction. As she states early on, because she is white, from an intact nuclear family, well educated and prestigiously employed, people can hear the story of her sister and perceive it as a subject of inquiry, something to question: What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this? Schenwar is a likeable first person narrator with whom it's easy for a similarly situated audience to identify as she searches for the answer to her own questions. How did her sister end up in prison more than once? Why did her family decide it was the safest places for her to be? What would be the real alternatives to that choice? (more…)


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Star- and Planet-Forming Regions May Hold Key to Life's Chirality
Life on Earth is made of left-handed amino acids (L-amino acids). The question of why organisms on Earth consist of L-amino acids instead of D-amino acids or consist of D-sugar instead of L-sugar is still an unresolved riddle. Recent research into star and planet formation throws new light on this question.
A research team with Jungmi Kwon (GUAS/NAOJ) has performed deep imaging linear and circular polarimetry of the 'Cat's Paw Nebula' (NGC 6334), located in the constellation Scorpius, and detected high degrees of circular polarization (CP) — as much as 22% in NGC 6334. The detected CP degree is the highest ever observed.
In addition, the team has presented the first systematic survey of a combination of linear and circular polarimetry in nine star- and planet-forming regions. Based on this survey, CP may be a universal feature of star- and planet-forming regions.
There is a hypothesis that large CP causes homochirality of amino acids and that left-handed amino acids come from outer space. The team's findings imply an extraterrestrial origin of homochirality of life, from the universality of CP detected in star- and planet-forming regions.
This research is part of an ongoing survey project of wide-field near-infrared (JHKs) imaging polarimetry for star-forming regions (PI: Motohide Tamura, University of Tokyo/NAOJ). Doctoral student Jungmi Kwon, who is contributing to the project, led this research with nine international researchers from Japan and the United Kingdom. The team's findings were published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters on March 1, 2013.
The Cat's Paw Nebula is located in the galactic plane of our Milky Way Galaxy, and it is 5,500 light-years away from the Earth. The nebula is known to be one of the most active star-forming regions in the Milky Way Galaxy, containing many young stars of the Sun's mass, born about one million years ago. Even though tens of thousands of young stars are also embedded in the Cat's Paw Nebula, the stars cannot be seen in optical wavelengths because they are buried inside the optically thick (molecular or dark) clouds of gas and dust.
For this reason, the research team used near-infrared to observe the site where stars and planets are being born. Infrared light enables us to look at regions that are heavily obscured in the optical wavelengths. This means that we can expect to hear the story about the trip photons in the infrared make to observers on the face of the Earth from heavenly bodies in space in the same way as photons from stars experience.
Furthermore, a unique characteristic of light called 'polarimetry' enables us not only to obtain information of the intensity of near-infrared from illuminating sources, but also that of (linearly or circularly) polarized light. The properties of polarized light, an important tool in astronomy, have even been the focus of astrobiology — the study of life in the Universe.
Origin of life theories often ignore the homochirality problem, even though the question is critical to the origin of life. Scientists hypothesized that the enantiomeric excess of L-amino acids in extraterrestrial sources could be due to circular polarization, which selectively destroys the opposite-handed enantiomer.
In 1998, an extended CP region was reported in the Orion nebula. It was the only example to show extended and high CP, and there is no observation to study the universality of CP obtained from space. The reason is that there were no instruments available to detect any circularly polarized light with wide field of view and high sensitivity.
The history of star and planet formation and the origin of life is still a mystery, and the team with Jungmi Kwon, who belongs to GUAS, NAOJ, and JSPS, is involved in working out the puzzle. The team used the IRSF 1.4 m telescope with SIRPOL imaging polarimeter at the South African Astronomical Observatory in Sutherland (at an elevation of about 1761 meters), which is the one of the coldest places in South Africa. The telescope and instrument are operated by Nagoya University, Kyoto University, and NAOJ. The SIRPOL instrument developed by the group enables them to obtain information of circularly polarized light as well as linearly polarized light. It also enables wide-field (~ 8 x 8 arcmin square in the sky = ~ 1/4 diameter of the Moon) imaging polarimetry, which is a decidedly broader scope than other existing instruments. In other words, IRSF/SIRPOL has one of the highest performance in the present for (linearly and/or circularly) polarized light in the near-infrared toward a wide field of view of the sky.
The observations caught scattered lights of dust grains, as material of reflection nebulae around young massive stars, from an illuminating source. The data show the following features: (1) infrared reflection nebula around the central source, (2) hourglass-shaped outflow, (3) quadrupolar patterns of CP extended to the outside of circumstellar structures broader than the outflow, (4) the highest CP degree (22%) so far observed in star-forming regions, and (5) the maximum CP extents (about 600 times of the size of our solar system).
The young massive star that is the illuminating source of the reflected bipolar nebula is located around the center of each side of the nebula. Even though it is obstructed by optically thick gas and disk in near-infrared, it can be observed in mid-infrared (longer wavelength). The team's linear polarimetry data enabled them to know the size of the reflection nebulae as well as the position of the central source, and indicated the existence and location of the illuminating source in this bipolar nebula.
The team's findings toward the massive star-forming region NGC 6334-V in the Cat's Paw Nebula suggest CP is extended over more than the Orion nebula — that was the largest CP region ever detected until the team found CP in the Cat's Paw Nebula. Furthermore, the team detected very clear quadrupolar pattern with the highest CP degree. This is a scientific breakthrough in CP observations of star-forming regions.
The team also performed survey observations of polarized light in various star-forming regions, and the researchers successfully detected CP in nine star- and planet-forming regions such as Orion, Taurus, Chamaeleon, etc. There are only three regions to show large CP greater than 2% in the previous studies of CP in star-forming regions. Until now, since the number of CP observations and successful detection was too small, statistical debate on the characteristic of CP in star-forming regions was not reached. The team's findings show that CP is greater than 2% in all intermediate and massive star-forming regions, and suggest massive star-forming regions with large luminosities tend to large and extended CP. These are the first systematic results obtained from the infrared circular polarization survey with the unique instrument.
The team not only performed observations but also three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations. The simulations reveal the mechanism of large CP (22%) shown in observations. The idea is that photons are released from a central star, and they traced and estimated the interaction between the light and surrounding structures numerically. In existing mechanisms of CP, even though multiple scattering was mainly considered as the mechanism to generate CP, it cannot generate large CP over 1%.
The team's findings using the three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations suggest (1) light from the illuminating source of reflection nebulae is scattered by circumstellar structures, (2) the scattered light is circularly polarized by dust grains aligned with the magnetic field (dichroic extinction). It successfully reproduces large CP such as that over 20% as well as the quadrupolar patterns of CP.
Chirality and Life's Origins
A major mystery of life on Earth is that organisms are exclusively made up of left-handed amino acids. The effort to solve this problem is one of the biggest in research into the origins of life, a subject that remains enveloped in mystery.
What kind of mechanism causes the selection of all L-amino acids? One of the mainstream hypotheses today is this: photolysis of one enantiomer of a racemic amino acid with circularly polarized light, transfer of chirality from enantioenriched amino acids to proteinogenic amino acids, and aqueous amplification of one enantiomer with preferential dissolution. Thus, how the circularly polarized light physically works is important in determining the hypothesis of an extraterrestrial origin of homochirality or the origin of abiogenesis on Earth. For the hypothesis of an extraterrestrial origin, CP of synchrotron radiation in neutron stars has emerged as a candidate for extraterrestrial sources. Recently, CP detected in the Orion nebula has been mentioned as the strongest candidate, as originally suggested by Jeremy Bailey at The University of New South Wales and his collaborators. On the basis of such a hypothesis, the scenario below can be conjectured.
"Above all, organic material such as amino acids is made in a molecular cloud. Next, any initial surplus of L-amino acids is initiated by CP. The L-amino acids are transferred to parent meteorites or comets when the solar system is formed, and they are eventually transported to Earth. In the prebiotic sea, a small amount of surplus of L-amino acids is amplified by an amplifying action such as a Soai response. At the end of such a process, life is born with homochirality of amino acids."
In connection with the team's findings, the suggested scenario is that (1) the solar system is formed in massive star-forming regions such as the Cat's Paw Nebula and Orion nebula, (2) the solar system is swallowed up in the huge CP region, (3) amino acids, completely affected by one side of the CP region, are biased towards L-amino acids, and then (4) the L-amino acids are finally carried to Earth with meteorites, comets, etc. However, since debates continue about transmutation of meteorites in the hypothesis of an extraterrestrial origin, improved observations, experiments, and theories are being sought.
The research team successfully detected high degrees of CP (22%) in the nebula including young stars. The detected CP degree is the highest among CPs reported in star-forming regions. The team also shed light on the mechanism of CP. From this, CP has become a new tool with which to obtain information about the effects of magnetic fields and circumstellar structures that can affect the process of star and cluster formation. Furthermore, both the CP detection that is not only higher but also broader than in the Orion nebula and the universality of CP in various star-forming regions imply that Orion is not the only candidate for CP as the extraterrestrial origin of homochirality on life. Putting it differently, in star- and planet-forming regions, CP may be a common feature. These findings are among the latest knowledge obtained using the unique method called 'wide-field near-infrared imaging polarimetry observations'.
Hereafter, the research team will continue its wide-field CP survey of star- and planet-forming regions and make new attempts to conduct high-resolution observations of CP. The team's findings using polarized light toward star- and planet-forming regions are expected to provide the basis for another ongoing project, the Subaru Strategic Exploration of Exoplanets and Disks with HiCIAO/AO188 (SEEDS).
Publication of press-releases or other out-sourced content does not signify endorsement or affiliation of any kind.


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Depressed? Stressed out? Try a belly laugh or two
Here's the interesting thing about laughter yoga: It doesn't involve any yoga poses, and there's not much to laugh at.
No one tells jokes. There's no stand-up comedy, tickling, clown noses or whoopee cushions.
Instead, during meetings of the Laughter Yoga San Antonio Club, men and women gather to make themselves laugh to reap physiological and psychological benefits. It's the old fake-it-'til-you-make-it approach: Soon enough, fake giggles tend to turn into real ones.
At a recent Monday night session at the Arthur Murray Dance Center on Jackson Keller Road, the group simulates laughter while playfully pretending to throw milkshakes at each other, balance on imaginary surfboards and play the bongo drums.
"Now you're at the Battle of Flowers parade, waving at people in the crowd," Ruthie Premack, a certified laughter yoga leader, instructs them.
The 30-minute session also includes deep breathing similar to what you'd find in a yoga class — that's where the practice gets its name — as well as some chanting, clapping, stretching and guided relaxation.
Some members of the session are hesitant at first, while others dive right into knee-slapping, stomach-holding guffaws.
Laughter yoga may seem silly, but its purpose is serious.
Developed in 1995 by Dr. Madan Kataria in India, the practice is designed to reduce stress, boost mood and even improve health.
Kataria calls it "unconditional laughter" — laughing for no reason.
"You're laughing straight from the diaphragm at a depth that will release endorphins," says Premack, who began leading the free classes in July.
Unlike relying on "Saturday Night Live" to keep you chuckling, a laughter yoga session ensures dependable laughter at a duration that can have real effects, leaders say. Even if the fake laughing doesn't turn into real laughing, your body can't tell the difference between laughter elicited by a late-night comedy show and simulated laughter, Premack says.
Dawn Thurmond, another laughter yoga leader in San Antonio, says the practice has helped relieve the stress of being a single parent to a child with a severe disability.
"Stress is the one thing that hurts people the most," Thurmond says. "Laughter heals. It literally changed my life. I started losing weight, my health improved, my ability to deal with stress improved. I'm better able to be patient and let stuff bounce off me. If you can prevent yourself from getting sick just by laughing, why wouldn't you do it?"
Since Norman Cousins famously wrote in 1976 about his own success with laughter therapy to heal his autoimmune disorder, a small number of researchers have been working to demonstrate that laughter is a viable form of medicine, if not the best one.
Studies have found evidence suggesting that laughter can decrease levels of the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine, boost the immune system and enhance mood.
Laughter yoga advocates say it can improve alertness and creativity, provide cardiovascular benefits, relieve pain and even tone the abs.
Marianne Kestenbaum has been attending Laughter Yoga San Antonio Club sessions since July. Among the group, hers is often the biggest, loudest laugh.
"Laughter was missing from my life," she says. "(Laughter yoga) recaptures what it was like to be happy and have fun with family and friends. It has a cumulative effect. I'm laughing more."
Kim Castillo, 42, brought her mother, visiting from El Paso, to a recent session.
"I was laughing all day. My mom asked why. I said, 'You'll see tonight,'" she says. "It makes you feel better. It gives you a release. You're just laughing, not thinking about anything."
Her mother, Donna Castillo, 62, says she felt relaxed after the half-hour session.
"It was enjoyable," she says. "Everybody is laughing with you, not at you."
There are more than 6,000 laughter clubs in 60 countries, including more than a dozen in Texas. Some leaders also work with special populations, such as seniors, cancer and heart disease patients, students and prison inmates. Thurmond leads sessions in the workplace to promote wellness and team building.
Laughter yoga can work for anyone, advocates say, though people with certain medical problems such as hernias, heart disease, incontinence and high blood pressure should exercise caution.
To participate, all you need is a willingness to let loose and be silly, Thurmond says.
"I don't have to be funny and you don't have to have a sense of humor," she says, "but I'm going to make you laugh so hard you tinkle your pants."