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Osmosis Jones
Work, Newspaper Comics, Better Than It Sounds/Comic Books,
"Zits is the worst name for a comic strip since Peanuts."
Zits is a comic strip written by Jerry Scott (creator of Baby Blues and one-time cartoonist for Nancy) and illustrated by Jim Borgman about the life of 15-year-old high school freshman Jeremy Duncan.
Jeremy lives with his parents, Walt and Connie, who both possess boring jobs and spectacular ignorance (according to Jeremy, anyway). He dreams of 'making it big' as a rock musician, but feels like he lives in the shadow of his highly successful college brother Chad.
Many strips deal with relationships with his friends, the sensible Hector and the extremist Pierce, not to mention his on-off girlfriend Sara. Notably for a teen strip, many of the comics also deal with Connie and Walt, and many of the funniest moments come from their perspectives.
As a comic strip, Zits works incredibly well -- teenagers will easily recognize their parents' constant presence in Walt and Connie, while adults will both remember their own teenage years and recognize their own children in Jeremy's laid-back nature.
Tropes present:
Aborted Arc: Oh no, Jeremy's parents saw his Facebook page, and aren't happy with the content! What's going to happen? ... Nothing, apparently.
Accidental Unfortunate Gesture: After Jeremy accidentally cut his middle finger, he was told to elevate it. The nurse quickly changes her mind after she overhears a few "Same to you, Duncan!" comments in the school halls.
The Ace: Chad.
All Cheering All the Time: A group of cheerleaders use cheers to encourage Pierce to put some litter in the bin, causing him to remark that "There is such a thing as too much school spirit!".
All Drummers Are Animals: Pierce, sometimes.
All Women Love Shoes: Sara.
The Alleged Car: Jeremy's 1962 VW Microbus. Most of the time, he and Hector just hang out in it, but once, they slipped the tires from Connie's station wagon on it and (barely) got it up and running. Once Jeremy finally got his license, it moved from being a hangout to an actual (somewhat) mode of transportation for good.
Jeremy's parents at one point decided that they would have to buy Jeremy a car in the future just to prevent him from driving this deathtrap.
Apparently they changed their minds, most likely because the microbus can't even make minimum highway speed.
Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: Practically the fuel of the series.
Anachronism Stew: While Walt and Connie being baby boomers with a teenage son was feasible in the 90s, it's become increasingly more of a stretch to buy it. Additionally, Jeremy's clothing stays stuck in the grunge era.
He got a minor update to his hair, and Hector has gotten a completely new hairstyle, which was badly needed - Jeremy's hair is (and mostly was) generic enough to pass anytime from the late 80's to today, but Hector's original 'do was pure 90's.
Anyone Remember Pogs: Walt attempting to describe tiddlywinks to Jeremy and Pierce.
Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Jeremy's mother says there's something she wants to talk to him about. He then deadpans several wild guesses, including "You're having a sex change?" and "You and dad are cousins?" She gets increasingly frustrated and finally yells out, "No! We're changing salsa brands!" "...WHAT??"
Repeated a second time when his parents try and tell him they're changing toilet paper brands, which "seemed more monumental at the store."
Awkward Father-Son Bonding Activity: Walt and Jeremy's fishing trip.
Bacon Addiction: "Dad seems a lot happier since they started making bacon-flavoured cholesterol medication."
Be Careful What You Wish For: Jeremy whines to his parents about how "nothing ever happens here!" Cue Walt, tearing off his shirt and dancing around while singing "Shake Your Bon-Bon!"
Beach Bury: Jeremy and Sara bury Pierce on the beach, giving him a sand suit and tie and just about driving him into shock.
Pierce: Even if I live to be thirty, I'll never get over it!
Big Eater: Jeremy, like many teenage males. His friends, too, if the "All You Can Eat" buffet owner's closing shop as soon as he sees the gang is any indication.
He and Hector are even shown to be capable of unhinging their jaws in order to swallow a giant burger whole, wondering why the girls freak out.
Black Bead Eyes
Braces of Orthodontic Overkill: Body-modification fan Pierce soon came to love these, when Jeremy's dad (not a Depraved Dentist) called it "Getting your smile pierced."
He then admonished Pierce for adding to his braces for decorative purposes.
Brain Bleach: Jeremy attempts to apply this many, MANY times when he hears or sees something squicky concerning his parents.
Most notably when Jeremy learns from his mother he was conceived to the song Stairway to Heaven, actually sticking his head under a faucet and pouring water into his ear to try to erase what he had just heard.
His friend Hector later reveals his own mother told him he was conceived while blueberry muffins burned in the oven. To this day, Hector can't even look at one without feeling sick.
Brilliant but Lazy: Jeremy is often shown as this.
Buffy-Speak: Jeremy once described Sara's lips as "two moist, delicate, perfectly formed... lip-shaped things."
Car Meets House: In one strip, Jeremy manages to hydroplane the car while pulling it ten feet forward into the garage and puts it through the back wall of the garage.
Characterization Marches On: Chad's evolution from the perfect, he-whose-face-can't-be-shown to more "normal"-looking but still perfect.
Pierce was also more of an angry punk in the strips that introduced him, before evolving into a fairly cool guy with a few eccentricities.
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Several.
Y.A., the original drummer in Jeremy's garage band. He just announced that he was quitting (sometime in the strip's second year, no less!) and never came back. He was never really given any character development anyway.
Chad hasn't been seen or mentioned in ages, either. And he's Jeremy's brother. The creators even joke frequently that they forget he exists.
A lampshade was officially hung on this when Jeremy states that he "needs to start leaving his room more" on account of never seeing Chad, to which Chad responds, "That's what I keep telling your sister."
Tim, another member of Jeremy and Hector's band. He was given some Character Development in an arc where he showed sympathy for his mother, who was recovering from breast cancer; both Jeremy and Hector were shocked at this behavior, as they took Tim to be quiet, moody and indifferent to others' needs. However, Tim pretty much disappeared after that.
See also Out of Focus below.
The Cobbler's Children Have No Shoes: Connie's job as a child therapist seems to be of no help.
What job as a child therapist?
Since Connie has been shown to fantasize about the days when Jeremy was younger, it could be she is a therapist for younger children, and adolescence is still a mystery to her.
An early strip shows she does at least some work with teenagers.
Honestly, despite his sullen teenage attitude (which, let's face it, is completely normal for his age group), Jeremy is very well-adjusted.
This question is also brought up in the arc where Jeremy painted his room black and began wearing a dog collar in an attempt to make his parents think he was emotionally disturbed. He figured they would try to please him by buying him expensive toys. They decided to try to help him by giving him lots and lots of HUGS!
Comic Book Time: Jeremy has been 15 for over a decade. It's only since 2009 that he's turned 16, gotten a driver's license and moved up to being a sophomore.
Cone of Shame: Pierce wears one to try to cut down his mobile phone usage.
Convenience Store Gift Shopping: Jeremy and Sara were exchanging gifts for Christmas, but Sara forgot. She quickly grabs the first thing she sees, wraps it and gives it to Jeremy. Cut to Jeremy and Hector examining the very loud, wide necktie:
Jeremy: What do you think she's trying to say?
Hector: I heart geeks?
Cue the Flying Pigs: When Jeremy cleans his bathroom without being threatened, a flock of pigs take to the air and fly through the house.
Dagwood Sandwich: At one point Jeremy eats one that's so big he has to unhinge his jaw.
Deadpan Snarker: The entire cast at various points.
Did I Just Say That Out Loud?: Jeremy accidentally cheesed off Sara by saying that her freckles help hide her zits, then compounded it by asking what it's like having divorced parents. Both comments are represented by white-on-black word balloons that linger in the air.
Jeremy had this problem one other time: every time he opened his mouth, something stupid came out (which was depicted as a hillbilly-looking mini-Jeremy leaping out his mouth shouting things like "Shagadellic!" and "I think Adam Sandler movies will stand the test of time.") Eventually he goes to Britney for help, who illuminates him to the fact that most males go undiagnosed with this same affliction for years.
Another time, Jeremy is getting progressively angry with Sara about something. It culminates with him dialing her number, getting her voicemail, and screaming, "YOU SKANK!" into the phone. A panel later, he's covering his mouth in Stunned Silence, realizing the gravity of what he's just said.
Dinner Deformation: Jeremy unhinges his jaw to eat a giant burger.
Dinner Order Flub: Attempting to impress Sara, Jeremy orders the radicchio, "medium rare, of course". The waiter informs him that the raddicho is a salad and the chef prefers to serve it raw. As Sara and Connie dissolve in laughter, Walt attempts to make Jeremy feel better by saying that when he and Connie were dating he once ordered "jackets required".
Dissimile: Pierce's family life "is like a symphony. But there aren't any musical instruments, and the musicians just yell at each other."
Early Installment Weirdness: Connie was a child psychologist in early strips. This in a comic which has featured tons of jokes about how Connie doesn't understand Jeremy or how he works. In the January 27, 2012 strip, she outright says that she might need a job outside the house, so apparently her job isn't canon anymore.
Embarrassing Tattoo: The peace symbol on Walt's butt.
Connie: That peace sign is as big as a stop sign now.
Embarrassingly Painful Sunburn: Jeremy has done the 'fall asleep while sunbathing' version.
Even the Rats Won't Touch It: Pierce feeds a pigeon a corn chip, only to cause it to throw up.
Everything's Sparkly with Jewelry: Pierce.
Flanderization: Jeremy went from being a regular, believable (and more importantly, relatable) teenager to just another TV Teen who only communicates in grunts, texts needlessly, and has a messy room, earning him the Fan Nickname, "Jerkemy" on many snark boards.
Fluffy the Terrible: Sara's pet turtles: Peaches and Mordoc, Lord of Unholy Fury. She got them at different times of the month.
Free the Frogs: Autumn encourages Jeremy and Hector to let loose boxes of crickets that were supposed to be dissected in biology class.
In a later strip, Pierce frees thousands of locusts that were to be dissected. Or rather, he lets them out into the hallway.
Funny Answering Machine: Jeremy makes a message where he simply farts into the phone: "Leave a message at the sound of the 'frap'." And in an early strip, "You have reached the number you called. Blah, blah, blah. If you actually need further instructions, well, that's just pathetic."
Garage Band: Jeremy, Hector, Tim and Pierce have one.
Getting Crap Past the Radar: Walt & Connie in bed, bare shoulders above the sheets ("You know, when Jeremy moves away, I think my 'Empty Nest Syndrome' will be a very mild case." "Is it really only 7:30!?!"). The censors were nervous, but parents loved it.
Not to mention the Sunday in which Jeremy (horrified) watches as his parents slowly disappear behind the couch, legs and arms flailing willy-nilly, until one of them is heard to say "Gotcha!":
Walt: I thought I'd never get that popcorn seed out from under the cushions!
Connie: Did you just hear a muffled scream?
And let's not forget the strip in which Connie hears Stairway to Heaven and tells Jeremy that she and Walt "made you to this song".
Jeremy actually calls someone a douche bag in one strip.
And he called Sara a skank in another.
There was one strip where Pierce shows that he protects his borrowed pencils from germs... by putting condoms over them. They never spell out what it is, of course, but it's hilariously obvious. Is this the first newspaper strip to get away with showing a condom on-panel?
Girl Posse: The aptly-named "Posse."
A Good Name for a Rock Band: Walt unwittingly suggested Goat Cheese Pizza for the name of Jeremy's garage band. He wasn't actually offering the name, but rather the pizza in question.
Earlier on, Jeremy had considered naming the band "Jughead's Hat," telling his mother that it was down to that or "Veronica's B-" "Stick to the hat!"
Later, they found another cool name based on something that sounded like a good idea at the time: "Creepy Clown Head Funeral."
A Good Old-Fashioned Paint-Watching: Walt talks about leaving Woodstock because it was raining and going to paint his grandmother's kitchen (which he seems to have preferred).
Gossipy Hens: The Posse.
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: Walt.
Headphones Equal Isolation:
Subverted in one strip where the dad starts saying all sorts of outlandish things to the be-headphoned Jeremy, including a promise of new computer equipment and tales of an alien attack. After a short pause, Jeremy responds to everything Dad just said, even capping it off with "But the Martian thing sounds kinda unlikely."
Played straight in a Sunday Strip where Jeremy walks into the kitchen with headphones on. Connie gets on his case, ranting for three panels and asking, "Why not just save the headphones for those times when you want to block out unwanted noise?" The last panel is him with his headphones back on, blocking out her ranting.
Heavy Sleeper: Jeremy.
Heh, Heh, You Said "X": One Sunday strip is made of this trope, in which a museum guide calmly gives the class a tour on "the many wonderful examples of tools," causing Jeremy and Hector to mutter "Tools" at each other and dissolve into barely contained giggles. The guide goes on to explaining to the class on how "Some tools are very large... some are nearly microscopic," then asks them "Can you think of a tool you have in your pocket right now? What tool do you use every day?" It's a wonder they kept straight faces for as long as they did. Then after they get in trouble for it, Connie asks them what is so funny about the word 'tool', and we see Walt barely able to control himself. Also a case of Getting Crap Past the Radar. The Swedish translation translated it into verktyg, the Swedish word for tool. It didn't work very well.
Hidden Depths: Pierce started out as an angry punk jerk but gradually morphed into a nice guy with extreme tastes. Similarly, Chad started out as an amazingly perfect guy (whose face wasn't even shown in the panels, except for a huge smile and an even more huge chin) but soon morphed into a more casual, bewhiskered, laid-back (but still perfect) type.
Likewise with Tim's sympathy for his mother after her breast cancer.
Hint Dropping:
Jeremy: Some people are going to a movie tonight... Wanna go?
Sara: I can't. I'm babysitting.
Jeremy: Oh.
Sara: Until midnight. By myself. At 6539 Windmill Lane. It's a light gray house. With a big comfy couch and a kid who goes to sleep at 8.
Jeremy: So you're busy then, huh?
Sara (thinking): Sara, he's a GUY... You have to be more obvious.
And on another occasion, when Jeremy makes his approval of one of his friends' girlfriend's making cookies for him known.
Jeremy: Yessir, nothing says I care like a delicious home-made plate of cookies!
Sara: And nothing says "knuckledragger" like the sexist expectations of a boyfriend.
Hurricane of Excuses: Jeremy's explanations for why he's late.
Improbably High IQ / Improbably Low IQ: Parodied. Jeremy and Hector once took an Internet IQ test with Jeremy scoring impossibly low and Hector scoring impossibly high, despite their virtually identical educations. Jeremy began to wonder if he was really that stupid and Hector started treating him like a dolt. Jeremy was only convinced the test was flawed after his father scored even higher on it.
Improbably Predictable: Jeremy comes down for breakfast with a stack of cards, and answers each of his mother's questions ("Orange juice? Eggs?") with the next card. Finally she insists, "I am not that predictable!" and he reveals the card which reads, "Wanna bet?"
It Tastes Like Feet: In one strip, Jeremy commented that Walt's health drink tasted like licking the underside of a lawnmower.
And Pierce's burps taste like caterpillars, apparently.
And, according to Pierce, if you dip Salisbury steak in pudding it tastes just like squirrel.
I Was Having Such a Nice Dream: Jeremy, all the time.
I Was Quite a Looker: One of the early strips had Jeremy look through a scrapbook and discover, with total shock: "My mom used to be a babe!"
Jerkass: If Jeremy wasn't their kid, they would have beat the shit out of him years ago.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He has his moments of this.
Kids Shouldn't Watch Horror Films: Jeremy watches The Blair Witch Project when he's home alone and every little sound in the house starts terrifying him.
Last-Minute Project: Any and every homework assignment Jeremy is given.
Likes Older Women: Hector is attracted to middle-aged women.
Limited Wardrobe: Split down the middle; the male characters have this trope while the women avert it. Connie even lampshades it.
Men don't shop-they tivo their closets!
Meaningful Name: Pierce.
Men Can't Keep House: A frequent joke with Jeremy's room.
Milking the Giant Cow: A long series of panels shows Jeremy "dancing" by jumping up and down while pumping his fists. Hector says he looks like he's milking a kangaroo.
Mistaken for Junkie: Or, in this case, mistaken for pothead.
Mister Seahorse: Played with. In one two-week arc, Jeremy, Hector and Pierce wear weighted vests that simulate the weight gain of pregnancy. The whole two weeks play out as if they actually are pregnant, with the first strip in the series featuring "pregnant" Jeremy, Hector and Pierce walking down the hallway, without any context as to why they're that way.
Walt: Oh, hi mom... no, nothing much new. Connie is just teaching Jeremy some Lamaze techniques.
Must Have Caffeine: Phoebe
My Beloved Smother: From Jeremy's perspective, anyway.
Never Say That Again: "Do me a favor, dad, and just act like the middle-aged white guy you are."
The Nineties: A major indicator of when this strip was first created is the clothing/styles of the main characters. Jeremy wears baggy flannel shirts, and Hector has his hair parted at the middle in a classic 90s hairstyle.
Although they did change Jeremy's hair a few years ago to something more modern. In time, Hector got a well-deserved makeover too.
Nostalgia Filter: Played for laughs in one arc in which Walt brings Jeremy and Connie to a cabin that Walt has nothing but fond memories of. Jeremy meanwhile finds that Walt hated the cabin as much as he does...there was a carving of "I hate this $@#% dump!" that Walt had apparently carved when he was Jeremy's age.
"Not Wearing Pants" Dream: Parodied. Jeremy has a dream that he's at school naked, and decides to play it cool instead of panicking. Cue Hector saying, "What makes you so sure this is just a dream?" just before he wakes up.
Another time, he said that he wasn't sure what was worse: dreaming that he was naked, or the fact that nobody ever noticed.
Organ Autonomy: Jeremy's brain goes on strike (and jumps out onto the desk to taunt him) right before a big test.
Orphaned Punchline: A number of strips open with the tail end of one of Walt's stories, with the rest of the strip dealing with Jeremy's reaction.
Out of Focus: Many of the gang's classmates in the earlier years don't show up so much anymore, including Jeremy's self-appointed self-help guru Brittany, Zuma and her Posse, and the caffeine junkie Phoebe. (Phoebe admittedly did show up once, when she sold her soul for a 4.3 GPA.)
Lately, the strip has taken on the parents' perspective a lot more than it used to, resulting in more jokes at the expense of teenagers and percieved teenage behavior. As a result, many of of Jeremy's friends are seen a LOT less.
Parents Walk in At the Worst Time: One strip had Jeremy and his girlfriend studying in the kitchen, so of course Jeremy's parents come in every five minutes, getting "good, clear water!", taking out laundry, changing light bulbs, dusting the top of the fridge...
Perky Goth: More like perky punk. Pierce looks a little scary, but is harmless.
Ping-Pong Naivete: Regarding Jeremy's knowledge of classic rock. Didn't know what his dad meant when he complimented Jeremy and Hector's songwriting as having a Lennon/McCartney thing going, other strips has him referencing Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton.
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: References were made to Connie's work as a child psychologist, but only one strip ever showed her working.
Several strips show her attempting to write a book on Psychology that Jeremy keeps interrupting.
Pretty Fly for a White Guy
Punctuation Shaker: D'ijon, whose real name is Dionne; she "started doing the punctuation thing in seventh grade." After finding out her real name, Pierce decides to change his name to "P'ierce," to which D'ijon responds, "N'o."
Real Men Wear Pink: Pierce harbors a secret love of scrapbooking.
Reality Is Unrealistic: When it lampoons parents and teenagers, people always laugh because so many of it is true. Like the teenager trying to give advice on parenting to his parents or parents interpreting "Leave me alone" to meaning that they want to talk.
Ridiculous Procrastinator: Jeremy
Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue: In one strip, Jeremy tried to apologize to Sara about some insensitive remarks he made by writing a ridiculously bad poem. Sara's response?
Blue is the violet,
Red is the rose.
You're still a big jerk,
And your poetry blows!
Rule of Funny: Whether or not Jeremy's a great student depends on the joke of the strip: he occasionally aces tests, or claims to have "straight-As" and is considered a bright student, but at other times he struggles and/or fails.
Sadist Teacher: Ms. Butcher, who seems to have a vendetta against Jeremy - she gave both Hector and Jeremy 97% on a test, but Hector's was an A and Jeremy's, a C-. And she wrote Jeremy's grade in blood.
Satellite Character: Both Y.A. and Tim, who pretty much showed up only to be in Jeremy and Hector's band and were almost never seen in strips where the band wasn't involved.
Scenery Censor: In the strips where Jeremy decided to march around the living room naked.
Separated by a Common Language: Connie wants to wear thongs, but not the underwear variety...
Short Distance Phone Call: Post-Flanderization, it has become a running gag in the comic.
Shout-Out: To Calvin and Hobbes in one strip.
Sickeningly Sweethearts: Richandamy, based on a real couple from the authors' lives, who appear to have achieved some kind of symbiosis and seem locked in a permanent embrace.
In one strip where they temporarily break up, the other characters can't pronounce their names separately, saying "Richand Amy" or "Rich Andamy." The mere attempt causes physical pain.
Something Completely Different: Since Halloween 2009, the last week of October has apparently become Zombie Week; specifically, Reasons Why Zombies Would Make Cool Parents.
Straight Gay: Billy, a character seen now and then in the background mentioned once that he's homosexual, but it's never joked about or mentioned in any other strip.
The mention was after Jeremy said his outfit looked gay. Jeremy seemed unfazed and simply said he meant "gay" as in "lame".
Straw Vegetarian: Hector's girlfriend Autumn is an animal lover and a fanatical vegetarian. The first time she saw Jeremy eating a burger, she got a hysterical fit as if she truly had never seen anything so terrible before.
Subliminal Seduction: Jeremy tries this on Sara with predictable results.
Although who knows what happened after it was given to his father on carpool day...
Symbol Swearing:
One strip involved Jeremy getting scolded for swearing (represented by grawlixes), and then commenting that he's the only guy he knows who has a less colorful vocabulary than Beetle Bailey.
Another strip has Jeremy saying "Star-Asterisk-Fishbone!" when he hurts himself, and when Hector comments on it (apparently it's the equivalent of Gosh Dang It to Heck) he explains that his mother will kill him if he says [string of grawlixes].
Tacky Tuxedo: In an attempt to persuade sara to go to the prom with him, Jeremy borrows a tuxedo that used to belong to Hector's grandfather. Only when Hector gives it to him does he discover that Hector's grandfather had been in a mariachi band.
Tall Poppy Syndrome: One strip shows that Jeremy fears this when he at first is glad to have gotten an A on a test, only to instead have a fantasy where his parents are proud of him and say that from now on, they'll expect an A on every quiz. The next panel, he says he thinks he blew it.
The Talk: Walt takes Jeremy on an early fishing morning trip as an excuse to have The Talk with him.
Walt: Your mom and I just want to make sure that there's no risky behavior going on between the two of you.
Jeremy: Don't worry. You can't have "risky" behavior if there's no behavior in the first place.
Technically a Smile: One strip showed a progression of school photos for Jeremy, each one showing a gradually less obvious smile. Another time, he propped the corners of his mouth upward with his fingers when Connie suggested that he smile instead of scowl.
Telecom Tree: We don't see the actual tree but Pierce calculates that in order to get 700 people to turn up to his Wild Teen Party he has to inform exactly one person (Brittney) and let the word spread. It works.
That Came Out Wrong: A history teacher saying "And the Vikings in their pillaging made off with lots of booty." Needless to say the class was over after she said it.
Theme Naming: Jeremy and Chad are named for the musical duo Chad & Jeremy. Both Walt and Connie blame the other for such a ridiculous idea.
At least they weren't Hall & Oates fans. Although Jeremy's girlfriend is Sara (i.e., "Sara Smile").
The Posse are named after Southern California beaches: Zuma, Redondo and La Jolla. And at least Zuma's last name is actually "Beech".
Could also count as Getting Crap Past the Radar when you consider that Jeremy is continually criticized by a bunch of beaches ....
Totally Radical: Jeremy had to teach his dad not to say "What's up, dood?" Unfortunately, though he could pronounce "Whatup, dude?" (relatively in use at time of publishing), he had no idea what it meant.
Parodied in one strip where Jeremy tries to get a slang word of his own invention to catch on: "Plasmic". It works about as well as you'd expect. Which was just plasmic with everybody.
Trash of the Titans: Jeremy's room, despite Connie's best efforts.
Pierce's locker is possibly even worse than that. But it has killer chi.
Truth in Television: Honestly, whose teen hasn't done some of that stuff like running a blender without the lid or texting people who're in the same room as them? And whose parents haven't done that sort of stuff like trying to talk to someone who says "Leave me alone"?
Tsundere: Sara.
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: Husband Walt is shown as bald and cartoonishly obese, while his wife is much thinner and not altogether unattractive, having a body type resembling the teenage girls of the comic. This is actually lampshaded by Sara who comments "Isn't weird how your Mom and I have like indentical bodies?" (Cue the awkward moment) Connie's still not gorgeous given the art style, but it's a notable difference over Walt.
And an older strip Lampshaded it when Jeremy asks Connie, "What is it about him [Walt] made you say, "This is what I want to wake up to for the rest of my life." which ends with Connie staring at Walt with a disturbed expression.
The Unfavourite: Chad > Jeremy.
Unsound Effect: "Essay! Essay!" for Jeremy writing an essay.
INHALE!
Verbal Tic: Parodied in one instance? Where Jeremy and Hector criticize a girl? Who seems to talk? In questions?
And then parodied again at the end of the same arc, when Jeremy asks Hector to point out if Jeremy ever develops a verbal tic — all the while, both of them are generously peppering their sentences with enough "dude"s to annoy Mordecai and Rigby.
Visual Pun: Quite often. For example, when Connie "talks [Jeremy's] ear off," his ears, and other pieces of his face, literally fall off his head and onto the table.
Wangst: Jeremy in-universe, though he tends to get mocked for it.
What Are Records: From Jeremy of course.
What Were You Thinking?: Word for word, from Connie to Jeremy.
Jeremy: Everything's about cause and effect with you, isn't it?
Wild Teen Party: Pierce throws one of these. His classic response: "Who would have thought 700 drunken teenagers could get so rowdy?"
What Did I Do Last Night?: Jeremy wakes up one morning with his boxers over his head. He resolves to try and remember his dreams.
Where the Hell Is Springfield?: There are slight clues to the Duncan family's residence, all suggesting that they're somewhere in the Midwest. Jim Borgman lives in Cincinnati, Ohio (and is a Pulitzer-winning editorial cartoonist for the Cincinnati Enquirer), and many locals have always assumed that Zits was set in Cincinnati. Interstate 70, Bucyrus and Grater's Ice Cream have all been referenced at various points, further suggesting this.
Write Who You Know: Again, Richandamy, who are based on two of Jim Borgman's college friends. The "real" Richandamy are Happily Married with kids...who, one year, gave their parents a custom, signed picture of Richandamy for the holidays.
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.fandom.com/wiki/Zits?oldid=365336"
Better Than It Sounds/Comic Books


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John Wayne Gacy Death: The End of The Horrifying Serial Killer!
Created by Joe Berlinger, Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes is a recently released docuseries released on Netflix if anyone is into the documentary series Netflix is going to help you with that. The online streaming platform has already released thousands of docuseries and the serial killer ones always get the audience. Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes is one of the phenomenal series for the audience.
Howard Peters III said, "John Wayne Gacy was pronounced dead at 12:58 a.m.", corrections director at Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Ill., on May 10, 1994.
After broadcasting the docuseries, we believe that most people came across the story of John Wayne Gacy. The serial killer remains one of the most dangerous people in the history of mankind.
For the people who don't know, John Wayne is a serial killer who is responsible for the death of 33 young men and boys. After commenting on such a crime, the guy finally died. When John Wayne was in Jail, a huge crowd gathered to celebrate the death of the guy.
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Many people wondered what John Wayne was actually like and what were the last words he said before dying. Well if you are one of those people who are wondering about it then you must go through hard times to search for it. In this article, we'll be going to find all the details regarding it.
What were the Last words of John Wayne Gacy?
On May 10, 1994, John Wayne Gacy was executed by lethal injection. On the same day, Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was baptized in the Wisconsin prison where he spent 15 years.
Before dying, when people are guilty of their crimes and regret the things they do, John Wayne Gacy was someone different. When the officials asked whether he needed something or not, he said, "Kiss my a–,".
His execution went through many phases and it was not the best for the workers to look for. A report by Chicago Tribune reported that the "second of three drugs used to kill John Wayne Gacy early Tuesday briefly stopped flowing." It was later revealed that this was due to the state prison official administering the drugs violating a "basic law of chemistry."
You may also like: Christine Gacy: Everything About The Daughter of Serial Killer John Wayne
His execution was delayed by 10 minutes while prison officials changed Gacy's "plastic tubing in an intravenous line feeding the chemicals into Gacy's right arm."
John Wayne Gacy Made his own 900 number in prison
There was a time when anyone could use 900 numbers to generate income for himself. It was performed by a person or a company, similarly, John Wayne was one of the people who was accused of it. As per the report, he was asking for income in jail. According to the report, "According to lawyers familiar with his phone-in stunt, as well as sources in the underground comic community, Gacy has taped and sent to a Florida firm a 900-number 'message' of up to 11 minutes,"
When it was recorded, we came to learn that Gacy maintains his innocence by saying things in a soft work. He was constantly talking in a low voice and his talks never made any sense to the officials. They said that it seems like he has lost his mind but many believe that it was only his acting to be innocent.
There were heavy talks about whether he was "lost any sense of reality" or he is working to make himself look medically unfit because of it. However, whatever he was doing, these things doesn't go long way for the guy as he was finally executed.
You may also like: Does Jeffrey From Netflix Documentary "Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story" Has a Boyfriend?
Richard Szyc's son John was one of Gacy's victims that somehow made a way to be safe. He told United Press International days before his execution, "He's getting off too easy." Richard went on to say, "Somebody's been carrying him for 14 years. Look what it's done to all the families."
He also added how the families have suffered with the loss of their loved ones and all these things are just not working as it is a "lack of space." Richard was not perfect during the event, he was relieved that his end was finally there.
The horrifying crime that the guy has committed leaves a mark on the lives of many families, families have lost their kids and this brings huge sparrows for them. Netflix has released a documentary series that features the story of the person. The whole incident is recorded marvelously by the documentary series. The series is already among the popular categories. We came to learn about this through it. While the horrifying incident will leave one of the harshest things for the people to look for, it was relieved when the accused were executed.
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Categories: Entertainment

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


If you're a blogger then maybe you've experienced this. I feel like I have so many things to say, but I'm having a hard time expressing them in words. I'm working on it, and I will get through this.
But until then, read this...then live by it. It's a blog post from my awesomely inspirational friend who has decided to no longer talk about "taking life by the horns" and actually doing it. I love that.
Hope everyone has had a great weekend so far!
I Love You! You are such a great friend & I'm gonna miss the hell out of you when we both move!
Can't wait till you're unblocked, it's gonna be amazing!
I know just what you mean with blogger's block! i even have things I should write about, with pictures to post and yet....ARGH!


Monday's episode of Sesame Street included the debut of Julia, the show's first Muppet with autism. The character was originally announced back in 2015. Vox's Dylan Matthews both commends and critiques the show's attempt at destigmatizing autism.
It's not a perfect segment. Like Sarah Kurchak, another autistic writer who's written about Sesame Street's introduction of Julia, I wish Julia had more opportunities to express herself, rather than only having her friends talk for her. At the same time, though, I appreciated that Sesame Street has allowed Julia to largely not communicate through spoken words, without being judged for it. That's a valid difference that shouldn't prevent autistic kids from being able to have friends, and there's value in the show demonstrating that this is what autism means for Julia specifically.
Laura Anthony, a clinical psychologist with the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at Children's National Health System, explains how teachers can support autistic children in the class room in this video from Education Week.
Earlier this week, my colleague Jennifer Guerra told you about Javier, a Michigan father of four who's been told he has to leave the country by the end of the month. You can listen to that story here if you missed it.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has had Javier on their radar for a couple years. He had a mandatory check-in with ICE last year, and they let him stay in the country. They said he wasn't a priority, according to the attorney who tried to help the family. But when he went back in January, they told him his time was up and he had to get a plane ticket back to Mexico by the end of April.
Women make up close to 50% of the workforce but hold less than one quarter of STEM jobs. It's a persistent gap we've talked about quite a bit here at State of Opportunity. While Trump recently signed two bills to encourage women to pursue careers in STEM, there are no arts-and-humanities equivalents. And Trump's first budget proposes eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts entirely.
For some women outside of the sciences, the proposed cuts only underscore a parallel problem women face in the arts—one that they say hasn't received the same amount of attention. The National Endowment for the Arts, which currently makes up 0.004% of the overall federal budget, provides grants for many women-focused arts organizations. "Funding for the arts is always scarce," says Roxana Fabius, the executive director of Brooklyn's A.I.R. Gallery, one grant recipient. She believes that cuts to the arts—like those to the sciences—will disproportionately affect women, making it difficult for female leaders in the arts to sustain their organizations.
Earlier this year, Tennessee ran an audit of the state's 2015 graduating class that found nearly one in three students who received a diploma didn't complete the required coursework. Roughly 11% of students in the audited year graduated without the required two years of a foreign language - bringing up for debate whether these courses should be required.
Under special circumstances, the state allows districts to give students a kind of free pass, exempting them from the foreign language requirement. In the year Tennessee officials audited, 30 percent of Scott County graduates received permission to skip French or Spanish. State data show that rural districts are the heaviest users of these waivers. Administrators argue they're doing students a favor, especially those with plans for a technical career.
Taking turns during a conversation with others. Staying on topic during classroom discussions. Expressing themselves and representing their ideas, feelings, and knowledge about the world. Kids naturally learn social skills like these through life experiences.


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36. Hauptversammlung der DEUQUA
vom 16. bis 20. September 2012 an der Universität Bayreuth.
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Paleoenvironmental implications of the Krems-Wachtberg archeological site
Birgit Terhorst1, Christine Neugebauer-Maresch2, Thomas Einwögerer2, Mark Händel2, Ulrich Simon2, Bodo Damm3, Ulrich Hambach4, Peter Kühn5, Simon Meyer-Heintze6, Sergey Sedov7
1 Institute of Geography and Geology, Würzburg and Geology, University of Wuerzburg
2 Austrian Academy of Science, Vienna
3 ISPA, Vechta
4 Chair of Geomorphology, University of Bayreuth
5 Institute of Geography, Tübingen
6 Institute of Geography and Geology, Würzburg
7 Institute of Geography and Geology, Würzburg and UNAM, Mexico City
V 2.8 in Löss und terrestrische Archive (Fortsetzung)
18.09.2012, 14:50-15:10, H8
Lower Austria is well known for its loess/paleosol sequences, for example those of in Stratzing, Göttweig, Stillfried and Willendorf. The most detailed investigations have been conducted in loess records related to archeological sites. In particular, the archeological findings at Krems-Wachtberg are in the focus of global scientific interest (e. g. Einwögerer et al. 2006; Händel et al. 2009).
Since 2005 C. Neugebauer-Maresch and her team of the Austrian Academy of Sciences are responsible for the archeological studies at the Krems-Wachtberg site. From the onset of the excavations they integrated different research fields and methods to reconstruct the development of humans and their environment.
The complete Krems-Wachtberg profile comprises a section of a loess/paleosol sequence of more than 8 m in total with a Gravettian find layer in a depth of 5.5 m (Einwögerer et al. 2006, Händel et al. 2009). For the basal parts of the profile, which includes the archeological layer, the chronological scale ranges between 26,000 and 29,000 y BP (uncalibrated 14C ages acc. to Einwögerer et al. 2009). Based on results of detailed rock magnetic investigations and correlations to the North-GRIP ice core, Hambach (2010) suggests a time span between ~20 and ~40 ka for the complete sequence. Thus, the Krems-Wachtberg sequence comprises the upper part of MIS3 as well as the transition to MIS 2. This time span constitutes a period characterized in different types of archives by numerous paleoclimatical and paleoenvironmental fluctutations. The response of geosystems to such changes is of major interest for the human-environmental interaction during the time of occupation of an archeological site. Beside paleotemperature and –precipitation, occurrence of permafrost or deep soil frost, soil humidity, vegetation cover, wind characteristics, topography etc. essentially influence the human activity.
In general, for W European loess sequences a distinct paleosol can be identified for the upper Middle Würmian. In Germany it is designated as Lohne Soil, Stillfried B in Austria or PKI in Dolni Vestonice. With increasing continental climate to the East and Southeast, interstadial soils are difficult to detect (Markovic et al. 2008). In this context, paleosols designated to Stillfried B consist of a series of very weak and initial horizons at its key section in E Austria, whereas the more humid areas in NW Austria record a well-developed paleosol for the upper Middle Würmian. The chronological scales as well as interregional and global correlations are still under discussion. For the western part of Lower Austria, the Lohne Soil, respectively Stillfried B-interstadial soil could not be proved so far. Relevant sequences, such as in Willendorf or Stratzing show an alternation of several weak and thin paleosols, cryic grayish horizons, sandy and silty layers for the period of interest (Thiel et al. in press). In this context, the time scale of the Krems-Wachtberg archeological site is of major interest for paleopedological and pedostratigraphical requests.
The present study accompanies the archeological prospection by paleopedological, rock magnetic, micromorphological, sedimentological and pedochemical analyses in order to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental fluctuations.
Einwögerer T., Händel M., Neugebauer-Maresch C., Simon U., Steier P., Teschler-Nicola M., Wild E. M., 2009. 14C Dating of the Upper Palaeolithic Site at Krems-Wachtberg, Austria. Radiocarbon 51/2, 847-855.
Einwögerer, T., Friesinger, H., Händel, M., Neugebauer-Maresch, C., Simon, U., Teschler-Nicola, M., 2009. Upper Paleolithic infant burials. Nature 444, 285.
Händel M., Simon U., Einwögerer T., Neugebauer-Maresch C., 2009. Loess deposits and the conservation of the archaeological record. The Krems-Wachtberg Example, Quaternary International, 198/1–2, 46-50.
Hambach U., 2010. Palaeoclimatic and stratigraphic implications of high resolution magnetic susceptibility logging of Würmian loess at the Upper Palaeolithic Krems-Wachtberg site. In: Neugebauer-Maresch, C. & Owen, L.R.: New aspects of the Central and Eastern European Upper Palaeolithic – methods, chronology, technology and subsistence, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Commission of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 295-304, Vienna.
Markovic, S., Bokhorst, M. P.,Vandenberghe, McCoy J.,W.D., Oches, E.A., Hambach, U., Gaudenyi, T., Jovanović, M., Zöller, L., Stevens, T., Machalett, B., 2008. Late Pleistocene loess–paleosol sequences in the Vojvodina region, North Serbia. Journal of Quaternary Science 23,73-84.
Terhorst, B., Thiel, C., Peticzka, R., Sprafke, T., Frechen, M., Roetzel, R., Neugebauer-Maresch, C., Fladerer, F. A., 2011. Casting new light on the chronology of the loess/paleosol sequences in Lower Austria. E & G Quaternary Science Journal 60/2-3, 270-277.
Thiel, C., Buylaert, J.-P., Murray, A., Terhorst, B., Hofer, I., Tsukamoto, S., Frechen, M., 2010. Luminescence dating of the Stratzing loess profile (Austria) - Testing the potential of an elevated temperature post-IR IRSL protocol. In: Frechen M., (ed.), Loess in Eurasia. Quaternary International 234/1-2, 23-31.
Thiel, C., Terhorst, B., Jaburová, I., Buylaert, J.-P., Murray, A. S., Fladerer, F. A., Damm, B., Frechen, M. & Ottner, F. (in press), Sedimentation and erosion processes in Middle to Late Pleistocene sequences exposed in the brickyard of Langenlois/Lower Austria. Geomorphology 135:295-307.
Krems-Wachtberg W profile. The archeological layer with basal more pedogenetic influenced horizon and uppermost redeposited material (Photo: Thomas Einwögerer).
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Today we made our first Spirulina smoothies for mid-morning snack, AND I think we're hooked. The boys held their little cups way up, heads tilted as far back as they could go, urging the last few drops to tickle down to them. They have this sort of beautiful blue green color, but tastes like a sweet orange creamsicle, which is one of our favorite flavors of all time! You know, like an orange julius? Remember those things you would get on your way to Wet Seal at the mall back in the day?
Meaning, they're really good and don't taste all healthy–but DELISH! Plus, Spirulina is really good for you, so is everything else we're adding.
"ME!" they shout as they throw down toys and run over. They both grab the bench together and pull it, scraping along the floor to get up where they need to be.
"Go pick some kale first," our front garden is a few feet from the kitchen, and they come back with yanked kale, mostly holding together, and resume their spots.
This was the first time using orange oil in a smoothie, even just one drop gave it such a sweet, rich flavor.
Make sure to pour some for yourself, too. Mama's gotta take care of themselves and their bodies, too.
ISOLEUCINE: Required for optimal growth, intelligence development and nitrogen equilibrium in the body Used to synthesize other non-essential amino acids.
LEUCINE: Stimulator of brain function, increases muscular energy levels.
LYSINE: Building block of blood antibodies, strengthens circulatory system and maintains normal growth of cells.
METHIONINE: Vital lipotropic (fat and lipid metabolizing) amino acid that maintains liver health. An anti-stress factor, it calms the nerves.
PHENYLALANINE : Required by the thyroid gland for production of thyroxine which stimulates metabolic rate.
THREONINE: Improves intestinal competence and digestive assimilation.
TRYPTOPHANE: Increases utilization of B vitamins,improves nerve health and stability of the emotions. Promotes sense of calm.
VALINE): Stimulates mental capacity and muscle coordination.
Enjoy! If you try it, please let me know what you think!
I didn't realize the essential oils were for ingesting. I thought only topical…huh.
I love how involved the children are in the process! My kids don't even know I put spinach in their shakes hehe.


text:
Illegal for Everest climbers to share photos of other Everest climbers
So we'll have to enjoy the viral images from past years of epic line-ups near the summit
Gripped March 13, 2021
Nepals Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has put a ban on taking and circulating pictures, videos and filming of other climbers or members of expedition teams on Everest other than of oneself starting this season.
Issuing a notice, the Department of Tourism put the ban, saying that each climber can take, share and make images and videos of their group or of oneself but they will face action if they take, make and share photos of other climbers without the department's consent.
"Our law bans the dissemination of photos and videos taken on Everest without the department's consent. But the practice has not stopped," said Mira Acharya, director at the Mountaineering Division of the Department of Tourism. "We have [therefore] issued new rules prior to the climbing season to make them more effective."
In the wake of a picture that went viral on May 2019 about the "traffic jam" on Everest by Nirmal Purja, Nepali officials have been facing other similar kinds of criticism by the international media over threat to the Himalayan eco-system.
If you use this image it would be appreciated if you could inform me & credit the photo @nimsdai Project Possible also please make a donation to the go fund me campaign.Promotion of #ProjectPossible would also be most welcome.https://t.co/wEYu8OHRwE, https://t.co/FVAZrnDSwI pic.twitter.com/eSZRCIsApb
— Nirmal Purja MBE (@nimsdai) May 24, 2019
"We honour the personal freedom of climbers but that does not mean they can post images and videos of others without their consent," said Acharya. "Either through commercial cameras or mobile sets, all such activities have been banned."
A total of 6,507 mountaineers have climbed Everest from the Nepal side since Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and New Zealander Edmund Hillary first set foot atop the world's highest peak in May 1953.
Ang Tsering Sherpa, former president of Nepal Mountaineering Association, said it's not possible to prevent the dissemination of videos or photos taken on Everest because millennials stand out for their use of technology, and even the older generation has embraced the digital life. "You make a click here and in an instant your photo goes around the world," he told the Kathmandu Post.
A post shared by Kisan Adhikari🇳🇵-🇺🇸📍 (@everestofficials)
Categories: News, uncategorized


I'm obsessed with the bright colors and eclectic patterns on these bags from LoveBirdsLA! I can just envision filling them with toiletries for a fun trip, or keeping special jewelry in them. They would also really liven up an outfit for a night out!
What do you think of this trend? Would you mix colors and prints like this? How would you style them? I would love to know!
I have a bit of a weak spot for cute little bags, and these beautifully colored ikat cosmetic pouches from Patch NYC are adorable! I especially love the little skull on the zipper :) I think these would make an adorable stocking stuffer or a cute gift all on its own. Which color is your favorite? $46.
Typically $32, these are reduced to $21 and come in every color combination imaginable!
All "TOSS" brand items will be 30% off, meaning that this stylish chevron duffel bag will only be $19.60!
Will you be shopping Cyber Monday? What stores are on your must list? What is your go to gift going to be this holiday season?? I'm in the midst of all of my present-planning and am in need of some inspiration!
I was roaming the aisles of Target the other day when something new caught my eye. I was looking for a new body wash to try when I spotted Güd products, a new line by Burt's Bees brand. They all smelled wonderful, but I went home with the Vanilla and Rice Milk body wash and am absolutely in love! Not only is my skin the softest it's ever been, but I love that it is made of all natural ingredients with no petro chemicals, or artificial dyes or fragrances. If you "like" them on Facebook this week, you can even get a $1 off coupon so that you can try them out too! So far my impression of this new line is fabulous and I can't wait to try out more of their products. Have you tried any of the Güd products? What did you think? Which flavor is your favorite?
The taxes I pay because it means I have income.
The clothes that are a little too tight because it means I have food to eat.
My shadow who follows me because it means I am outside in the sunshine.
A lawn that needs to be mowed, windows that need to be washed, and gutters that need to be cleaned because it means there is a roof over my head.
The spot I find on the farthest end of the parking lot because it means I am able to walk.
All of the different opinions I hear regarding our government because it means we have freedom of speech.
The person around me who sings off-key, because it means I have ears that can hear.
The various piles of things around the living room because it means my loved ones are near me.
The alarm that wakes me up in the morning because it means that I am alive.
It's no secret around these here parts that I love me some monogram jewelry, but sometimes you just need something a bit more simple. When I saw the new line of initial necklaces from Maya Brenner Designs, I was smitten. I've always loved her initial disks and of course the state necklace pendants, but the new asymmetrical collection is so different and unique! Available with one, two, or three letters in gold and white gold, $220. What do you think about the new look?
I was having a slow morning so I thought a cute outfit might brighten up an otherwise cloudy day!
I paired a classic white Ralph Lauren button down (originally $89.50, but I got mine at the outlet!) with my favorite Fire red skinnies (similar Joe's, $79.99), and gold and black Sam Edelman quilted flats from last season (similar Sam Edelman, $62.99). I accessorized with a Tiffany's pearl necklace, Marc Jacobs watch, Kate Spade bangle, and vintage rings.
How do you stay cheery on a cloudy day?
By now I'm sure you've all heard that a ton of fabulous designers have collaborated with Target and Neiman Marcus for a special holiday collection that will be available for sale online and in stores beginning on December 1st! The complete lookbook is officially out and here are a few of my top picks from some amazing designers!
These cute metallic pouches from Marc Jacobs are $69.99 and would be great for storing special jewelry!
Maybe I just can't wait to see Anna Karenina when it comes out, but there's just something wonderful about this cape. It seems so… classy? This is the perfect thing for special occassions. Prabal Gurung, $79.99.
I need another dress like a hole in my head but there is something so elegant and timeless about this Robert Rodriguez piece. I especially love the scalloped neckline and the sweet lace. $99.99.
At only $24.99, this Tory Burch thermos is the perfect gift for your girlfriends who can't get enough of their holiday Starbucks drinks!
What are your favorite items from the collection? Will you be hitting Target as the store opens to get your hands on these goods?
My great grand little, me, and my grand little at our Halloween date dash, which took place at a spooky fairground and haunted house!
Halloween weekend was also celebrated by attending the Arizona vs. USC game where we won with a major upset!!
There was a lot of pumpkin carving this month, and this free-handed (by one of my friends) Mickey Mouse was my favorite!
This past weekend I attended my first Arizona hockey game of the season. We lost at the very end but it was a great game. Since it was a white out game, I knew I had to wear my white monogram hair bow from Dixieland Monogram!
What have you been up to so far this month?
To start off the month, my best friend Cassie came to visit from TCU for a fun girls' weekend. I loved getting to spend time with my bestie!
My roommate Hayley and I after seeing Florence + The Machine, taking a dance break from an awesome Avicii set.
Hayley had never been to Austin before, so of course we had to do some shopping at Tyler's on the drag for some classic "Keep Austin Weird" merchandise.
Although all of the music (and food!) was awesome, Red Hot Chili Peppers' closing performance was out of this world. We stood for hours to get spots right next to the stage and it was totally worth it!! Amazing.
The weekend after ACL, my parents came to Tucson for their last college Family Weekend. We had a blast and I loved introducing them to my favorite bar, Dirtbag's.
The first half of October was so fun and exciting. Check back tomorrow for what I was up to in the second half of the month– from a Halloween haunted house date dash to tailgating and hockey games!


text:
NotsoSuperMe
TheSuperKids
I THINX NOT!
Have you seen these? The latest and greatest in feminine-hygiene-product-free feminine hygiene panties?
www.shethinx.com
Huh? (My thoughts exactly!) Like a lot of things I think THINX are great in theory--reduce stigma, save the Earth, help girls in underdeveloped countries--all good stuff. Although the concept is not new, I think THINX is making a splash because of its humanitarian efforts on the flip side, but I wouldn't trust it in practical use. I just can't see this doing the job.
I am a woman. I get my period. I have it now. (Yes, It's probably not helping that I am sitting here writing this while on my period. You're in REAL TIME here people. Real time.)
I have gotten my period for about 29 years now and I have never, ever liked it. This has nothing to do with societal stigmas and EVERYTHING to do with itisamajorinconveneincetogoaboutyoureverydaylifewhileyouareBLEEDINGBLEEDINGBLEEDINGfromyournetherparts. It just fucking sucks. I don't need society to tell me that.
If you think it's a blessing to have a monthly reminder of a physical readiness for something you might not necessarily be otherwise ready for, then feel free to enjoy Aunt Flo's company. And even if you are someone who is hoping to see her period in lieu of being pregnant you're not convincing me that's there's a bright side.
Periods are gross. Maybe this isn't the most PC point of view nowadays but it's a fact. I try to put on a good face for my newly "blessed" teenage daughter, but the fact is there is no upside. What other bodily function requires such time and attention and gear? I have heavy periods and THINX claim that its heaviest pair of panties will "absorb as much as two tampons worth of blood" just doesn't do it for me. I can go through two tampons in TWO HOURS! Then what?
So I'm at the office and I feel the need to "freshen up." Instead of taking a discreet, sanitary, wrapped feminine hygiene product into the bathroom and throwing away the used goods, what would THINX have me do? Go to the bathroom, change into a fresh pair of THINX (are these individually wrapped as well?) and do WHAT EXACTLY with my not-so-fresh pair? Do they come with carry out bags? They are reusable for up to 2 years so I'm certainly not going to throw away any of my $200+ "cycle set."
I just don't get how these can work. If I'm not seeing it, feel free to enlighten me. I'll be sitting here in my pad and granny panties. I may not be helping to reduce any stigma about how annoying and gross the menstrual cycle is, but I'd appreciate it if you can help me find the silver lining. Pun intended.
(panties pictured in title graphic are NOT Thinx brand)
No thanx, THINX! I'll keep my granny panties. @notsosupermom_
Last Blast of Summer Reading!
Summer may be over soon, but that doesn't mean your summer reading is over! Meredith of The Mom of the Year and Carrie of Normal Level of Crazy have been on an amazing virtual book club journey since last Fall. I have teamed up with them and a great group of bloggers to give you the opportunity to win this epic giveaway! Check out our picks and why we chose them, then enter to win a $225 Amazon gift card and 7 of the books on the list.
It's here, friends. The end of summer is upon us. I know. But that doesn't mean you need to put your beloved books down! In fact, just the opposite. No time like the present to dig into your reading and escape the hassles and woes of Back to School prep and fuss.
To embrace the end of our summer months, I teamed up with a bunch of my blogging buddies and asked the uber-important question: what book would you recommend for a last-blast at summer reading? What book would you love to share with others? Every month, The Mom of the Year and Normal Level of Crazy meet through a virtual book club* to allow moms to come together and chat about fab books while still rocking their pj pants in the cozy-comfort of their own homes. It doesn't get any better, really.
This month, we've blown the skies wide open and are coming to you with an entire list of great reads that you need to check out! Even better, we are giving one of you a $225 Amazon gift card along with seven of the titles on this list to read! Use the gift card to snatch up your reading wish list and dig into the books sent to your door. In short, you will be in a reader's heaven. It's sweet deal! Enter to score the gift card and the hard copies of the books before 8/14/15 at 5:30am ET through the Rafflecopter below. As long as you are resident of the continental U.S. and 18 yrs. or older, you are eligible to win!
What's on the list of recommended reads?
The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks (Jessica of Herd Management)--Possibly the best Sparks' book I've ever read. Two couples in completely different time periods paths cross and the end result is amazing. Tear-jerking romance is enfolded within the pages of the characters' captivating challenges. Plus, I can't resist a cowboy. Read this before you see the movie!
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (Courtney of Our Small Moments)-- How would you feel if the one you loved turned out to be from one of the richest families? Crazy Rich Asians shows the complexity of that situation.
The Liar by Nora Roberts (MamaRabia of The Lieber Family)--What would you do if you found out that your recently deceased husband was not only a liar and a thief, but possibly worse? Shelby Pomeroy decides to take back her life by clearing her name and fighting to make a better life for herself and her young daughter. But her dead husband still has some surprises in store for her!
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (Jennifer of Real Life Parenting)--The primary female characters in this historical fiction are strong, feisty, and full of heart and personality. The way their lives in time are so far apart, their connections are close and poignant. I loved the blending of history with modern day happenings! A quick read because you just don't want to put it down.
Child, Please, How Mama's Old-School Lessons Helped Me Check Myself Before I Wrecked Myself by Ylonda Gault Caviness (Stacey of One Funny Motha)--Maybe I like this book because I'm old-school myself. Or it could be the author's funny, lively, entirely personable voice that makes reading it feel as though you're talking to a friend. Or it could be that I write about similar issues myself and found much to agree with in the author's perspective. Whatever the case, this memoir is a throughly enjoyable read of one woman's straight-talking journey through motherhood and was selected by Ebony as 1 of the top 4 must-reads of the summer.
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (Alyson of The Shitastrophy)--Was the most amazing read for me. After having walked away from reading for pleasure for some time due to work commitments I selected this book to read on an airplane. I couldn't put the book down and finished it within 2 days. The story winds and weaves through three friends lives together. The ending was something I didn't see coming and was suiting to see how justice can come to fruition, even when not done judicially. I have gone on to read the rest of her books available and none have disappointed.
Now the Hell Will Start by Brendan I. Koerner (Femme of FemmeFrugality)--Part history, part thriller, all non-fiction. Now the Hell Will Start is the story of Herman Perry, a WWII American soldier on the run in Burma after shooting his commanding officer. Not only does it expose a massive part of WWII history we never learn about in school, it also follows his incredible run from the law, including marrying into a local, headhunting tribe.
The Reluctant Tuscan by Phil Doran (Alicia of Sadler House)--Many writers have extolled the virtues of Italy's countryside, but no other story of Italian transplants is quite like this one. This witty memoir recounts how an award-winning Hollywood comedy producer finds himself renovating a 300-year-old house in Tuscany, where escapism gives way to real-life hilarity.
The Ocean at The End of The Lane by Neil Gaiman (Janene of More than Mommies)--We all have those reader friends who we want to be like. You know . . . the ones who are always reading WAY cooler books than we are reading? Well, this book came HIGHLY recommended by my reader friend who I have reader envy of, so, I think we should ALL read it and discuss! (I'm planning on reading it in August . . . so if you pick this one to read I'd love to hear your thoughts!)
Secrets Lives of Husbands and Wives by Josie Brown (Dani of Cloudy, With a Chance of Wine)--My BFF sent me Secrets of Husbands and Wives by Josie Brown for my birthday in March and I absolutely COULD NOT put it down. I only ever trust her book recommendations, and she was spot on with this one. It's the perfect late summer / back-to-school read, and will not disappoint!
House of Mirth by Edith Wharton (Norine of Science of Parenthood)--Though it reads like a Downton Abbey-esque drawing room drama, behind the mansions and manners and horse-drawn carriages, Edith Wharton's House of Mirth is a fierce social commentary on the proscribed roles for American women in the 1880s. Wharton is a social commentator bar none. And Lily Bart, whose story this is, is my favorite tragic heroine. Every time I read this book, I root for Lily to emerge victorious ... and am heartbroken all over again when she falters.
On Borrowed Wings by Chandra Prasad (Amy of Funny is Family)--On Borrowed Wings is the story of a girl who disguises herself as a boy to attend Yale University in the 1930s, before women were allowed to enroll. It's a fantastic read that weaves well-researched historical details and the strong desire of a girl to break away from her predetermined life path.
All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner (Meredith of Meredith to Mommy)--This book really struck me. Well-off, suburban, mom blogger who is trying to do it all winds up addicted to pain meds. This constant monologue of "I can fix this myself. I have a plan. I don't REALLY have a problem." as she falls deeper and deeper into addiction made me choke up at how easy it is to lose control and wind up in a hole that you have no hope of clawing yourself out of alone, while still keeping up a strong facade as someone who has it all. I've read it multiple times, and find myself just as drawn in as I was the first.
Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe (Kimberly of Red Shutters)--Did you love Rob Lowe in "The Outsiders" and "St. Elmo's Fire" as much as I did? Then, you'd love this memoir in which Lowe pulls back the curtain on his life in Hollywood, from 19-year-old heartthrob to award-winning actor, sharing life wisdom along the way. I enjoyed the audio version of this book, which Lowe narrates himself, complete with impressions of Christopher Walken, Francis Ford Coppola, and other film industry luminaries.
The Martian by Andy Weir (Kim of Let Me Start By Saying)--A man gets left on Mars by accident and his personality, smarts, creativity, and sense of humor carve a place in your heart for him as he tries to figure a way to survive--and eventually leave--his new home in space. What is happening back on Earth and in the ship that left him will have you cranking through the pages, itching to know what will happen next, because this book is full of surprises, laughs, details that make you feel right there.
We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (Stephanie of When Crazy Meets Exhaustion)--A thought-provoking punch to the gut that, unfortunately, mimics reality a little too closely. I read it before I had kids, then again after I had my three, and I think a parent's perspective is far more frightening. In the novel, a sociopath "kid" commits the darkest of sins and turns a town--and his family--upside down. *Shivers*
Finding Zoe by Brandi Rarus (Stephanie of Binkies and Briefcases)--the story of a deaf mother and how she came to find herself raising an adopted daughter who is also deaf, as well as her biological children. As an adoptive mom myself, it can be hard to find other stories that relate to my own journey mothering a child with special needs who joined us out of foster care, and this book certainly does that. More than that, Finding Zoe also gave me a glimpse into deaf culture (which was neat for me because before my grandmother passed away she volunteered as a sign language interpreter) and was full of cool trivia, like the author being cast as Marlee Matlin's understudy in a play, but it was also real and relatable on a human level. I think any mom will be able to relate to this memoir.
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (Melanie of The NotsoSuperMom)-- I like it for summer reading because it's not too heavy of a story but it does make us think a bit about our own lives, the expectations we had when we were younger and how changing priorities can set our lives on a different course than we imagined. What a difference a decade makes, right?
Dark Places by Gillian Flynn (Ellen and Erin of Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms)--Stop looking to other authors to give you the next Gone Girl and just read Flynn's earlier work. Dark Places is told in a captivating flashback format, with Libby--complicated and damaged from a horrific tragedy in her childhood--narrating the present-day chapters in first person, while the flashback chapters, told in third person, describe the actions of several key characters on that one winter's day in 1985. The plot is gripping and complex enough to have you guessing how the puzzle really fits together until the very end. I only wish the story had been longer because it was the type of read you just want to binge on, but are sorry when it's over.
Cutting Teeth by Julia Fierro (Carrie of Normal Level of Crazy and Meredith of The Mom of the Year)--With raw and heartwarming honesty, Fierro's debut captures the sacrifices we make in order to seek understanding, compassion, and love.
Last Blast of Summer Reading giveaway! Win $225 Amazon.com gift card and more! @notsosupermom_
Now that you have the whole list of fave recommendations, it's time to get reading, friends! Grab up these titles and make sure to enter in the Rafflecopter below for a super sweet $225 Amazon gift card and seven of these books for your very own!
We are thrilled to have you reading with us in this last blast to summertime!
A huge thank you to the publishing houses that offered copies of the books included in our giveaway! All the books were chosen because we genuinely think they are fantastic. We love reading and we so appreciate working with you, Grand Central Publishing, St. Martin's Press, Penguin Random House, BenBella Books, The Crown Publishing Group, and Penguin Press.
* Note to our dedicated book club fans: We WILL be discussing Judy Blume's In the Unlikely Event as promised, but in the interest of this ginormous giveaway and recommendation list post, we've decided to table this discussion until September. Check in on the first Friday of the month, 9/4/15 to catch our thoughts on this book and snag our pick for the next month! We love having you read with us!
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The Psychology Of Fake News.
During the past two years, fake news has been a frequent topic of real news, with articles considering the role of social media in spreading fake news, the advent of fake videos and the role these play in the political process.
Something less well-known, though, is that fake news has also become a topic of scientific investigation.
In a paper published in March in the journal Science, David Lazer, Matthew Baum and 14 co-authors consider what we do and don't know about the science of fake news. They define fake news as "fabricated information that mimics news media content in form but not in organizational process or intent," and they go on to discuss problems at multiple levels: individual, institutional and societal. What do we know about individuals' exposure to fake news and its influence upon them? How can Internet platforms help limit the dissemination of fake news? And most fundamentally: How can we succeed in creating and perpetuating a culture that values and promotes truth?
Fitting for this broad focus, the authors represent a variety of areas of expertise. Lazer and Baum, the paper's lead authors, are affiliated with programs in network science, quantitative social science, global communications and public policy. Other contributors hail from law schools, departments of psychology, schools of journalism and industry research groups, to name just a few.
The paper makes a compelling case that the science of fake news is timely and important. One conservative estimate is that in the month before the 2016 election, the average American was exposed to somewhere between one and three articles from a known publisher of fake news. Another alarming result is that when it comes to political topics, tweets containing false information propagate more rapidly and broadly on Twitter than those containing reliable information.


From the Greatest Generation to Generation Z and the Baby Boomers and Millenials in between, we are all connected by one simple necessity–We All Eat! Some of us are Feeders–just putting food in our mouths to combat hunger, some of us are Eaters–being deliberate about what we eat, perhaps watching calories and sugar and fat quantities, and some of us are Diners or possibly Foodies –searching for the freshest, most sustainably grown ingredients at a farmers market and frequenting the Farm to Table restaurants. Then some of us are gluten-free, lactose intolerant, watching our weight or bulking on protein. However, in the end, no matter our food persuasion, we all must eat to survive. Food is grown on land, in water, and in pots and trays. Without food, we have no live(s)-lihoods!
The Urban Land Institute (ULI), a worldwide organization of real estate professionals has recognized that the link between food and built environment is weak and sees the importance of strengthening it. Rather than building golf course master planned communities, suburban mass-market malls, or ensuring that the rent-reliable bank is located on a prime urban corner, authentic food-focused real estate projects are sprouting up across the nation creating excitement and fun. With this increased attention to integrate good food into development projects, ULI recently hosted two Food & Real Estate Forums to begin to decipher, understand, and share information on what it takes to generate successful food-focused real estate projects. The day before the typical conference proceedings of presentations, panels, and discussions, the Food Forum attendees got educated, built community and had fun with activities at Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture in Tarrytown, New York.
The Stone Barns Center is located one hour north of New York City in the Hudson River Valley on 80 acres of former dairy property originally owned and developed by the Rockefeller family in the 1930's. The surrounding countryside is vistas of rolling hills, fields and forests with large homesteads despite being minutes away from the tentacles of the nation's interstate highway system. This was a perfect locale for professionals steeped in the culture of the urban environment to explore the sustainable food system's teachings at Stone Barns.
So, what happens when 70 real estate professionals are given a task? It gets done. Give them a challenge? It's a competition.
Slogging in big rubber boots and bundled with a tightly wound scarves in 50° rain, we left Stone Barns' warm conference space to trudge across the chilly farm. First stop–the hen house. With umbrellas raised, we peered into a large permanent hoop house as laying hens scurried across straw covered floors stopping at grain feeders to peck for their meal. These laying hens, female chickens that produce eggs, are raised with plenty of indoor space and with much coveted outdoor space nestled between an adjoining hoop house. Outside the hens scrounge for bugs to augment their diets. Nesting boxes line the outside edges wall of each hoop house. In winter months about 400 birds are kept, while the summer flock increases to about 1,300 layers. Egg production is significantly reduced in the winter, not only because of the smaller flock, but also because chickens lay up to a 33% fewer eggs just because of the colder, darker days.
Adjacent to the hen house is the chicken coop, another large permanent hoop structure. It is set up differently than the hen house, as it is designed to grow broiler or meat birds. Inside, the coop is divided by wire mesh fencing to create separate living areas for different aged broods of Cornish Cross and Freedom Rangers meat birds, which are both conventionally raised chickens rather than heritage breeds. Conventionally raised birds are ready for eating when they are four months old, while heritage breeds, those that our forefathers grew, need seven months to grow to maturity. Obviously, chickens that live longer need more feed and are therefore more expensive. All the chicks begin their life at a Pennsylvanian hatchery and are shipped via post as day old fledglings to Stone Barns. The baby chicks bunch together beneath a heat lamp trying to stay warm and only venturing out of their brood to visit the grain feeder. Once the chicks are between three to six weeks old depending on the outdoor temperature, the heat lamp is removed. Eventually the chickens are put out to pasture in a rotational grazing sequence with other animals to complete their growth before harvesting them.
From the drizzly cold, we were led into the steamy, hot 22,000 square foot greenhouse, where Farmer Jason, taught us about his operation. Besides growing food for Chef Dan Barber's Blue Hills at Stone Barns Restaurant, the greenhouse farmers breed plant varieties and experiment with seeds. During our early May visit, about half of the greenhouse was sown in oats and clover as rotational crops to return nutrients and health back to the soil. A quarter of the greenhouse ground was tilled, raked, and ready for planting, while the remaining ground was planted in radishes, lettuces, and other greens.
In one row, a curly-leaf lettuce variety was tightly tied with rubber bands to prevent sunlight from hitting the inner leaves thereby producing pale green leaves for a future specialty salad. I have eaten white rather than green asparagus during Spargelzeit (asparagus time) in Germany. Farmer Jason said, "Reducing or eliminating the sunlight to vegetables is a specialized technique that isn't used that often because it is so labor intensive." He went on to explain that the German's have perfected Bleichspargel or bleached asparagus, by continually mounding soil around the sprouting vegetable, preventing any sunlight from tingeing the spears green. Farmer Jason alleged, "Preventing vegetables from getting sunlight produces a milder and perhaps more tender vegetable." We didn't get to taste test the bleached lettuce, but I'm curious. Maybe I'll need to try technique in my own garden. Despite the cold, dreary day, Farmer Jason knew that summer was right around the corner and he had ready hands available for a springtime planting. Crouching down on either side of a two-foot wide planting bed, we planted 50 feet of Italian basil starts. Ungloved fingers dug a small hole to drop and tamp each sprouted herb into the dirt.
Next stop the kitchen. Shedding wet coats and donning white aprons, then the hand washing station, which is absolutely necessary after digging in the dirt. Once reassembled with clean hands, Chef Adam, holding a bright red globe radish by its leaves, introduced our cooking challenge. "I'll divide you into three groups of eight people. Your task, in 15 minutes, is to create a dish using all of this vegetable. Your dish will be evaluated on flavor, presentation, and creative use of your radish–the whole radish, not just the red part. Points will be lost for any waste." Behind him was a table full of ingredients to use in our dish plus knives, plates, a blender, broiler, other equipment, and a prep station for each team.
Three exquisitely arranged dishes all with the lowly spring radish as its signature vegetable adorned the judge's table. Chef Adam sang praise for the teamwork he had seen, as each cohort team had taken a couple precious minutes at the competition start to huddle and strategize. In the end, our dish didn't win, but it sure tasted marvelous–just enough bitterness, sweetness, saltiness, and sharpness. I think it needed just a bit more of our "for sale" dressing to make it sing!
At the cocktail hour, dinner, and the next day sessions there were new connections and common interests, as we had created community with a shared food making experience. It takes me back to the days when I was a kid baking Christmas cookies with my Oma or picking blackberries on the "back 40" and making jam with my Grandma. Picking produce or preparing a meal with family, friends and even business colleagues is a great way to learn, grow, and have fun together! It gets us out of our heads and into our bellies, building friendships, relationships, and memories.
This entry was posted in Sustainable Communities and tagged Blue Hills at Stone Barns Restaurant, Dan Barber, Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture, Urban Land Institute by Kathryn Gardow. Bookmark the permalink.


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Our core business at Total Concept Wiring is working with homebuilders, homeowners, and commercial properties to provide the full range of electrical wiring services they require. Since 2007, we have been growing and gaining loyal, satisfied customers who provide us with referrals. Whether it is original wiring, upgrades, replacements and restoration after floods, fires, and other damage, Total Concept Wiring can provide you with experienced, professional service. We help clients move from incandescent or fluorescent lighting to energy efficient LED lights which have an average life expectancy of 50,000 hours. We can install low voltage media (data, communications and network cabling) and CCTVs. In renovations, we can work with your original wiring, or upgrade it if necessary, pull new wire, and give you an analysis on the options available to you. Modern homes require more outlets and wiring than older homes did, so if you are renovating, you might take the opportunity to bring your home's wiring capacity up to your current lifestyle requirements.
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Adam and Peter invite Kevin Landers to once again join the show. The podcast is a lighthearted walk through VOIP vendor resolution, Peter no longer has to have the last word, Stranger Things Season 2, the big picture vision of Elon Musk. Kevin performs his recitation of Three Amigos. Kevin can't figure out how to push the big red button.
51:15 – Big Red Button?


text:
Matthew Heineman: 5 Documentaries That Taught Me Vérité Filmmaking
When Matthew Heineman was 21, he heard Albert Maysles, the director behind such documentaries as Grey Gardens and Gimme Shelter, give a talk in which he said something that would change the young filmmaker's outlook on life: "If you end up with the film you started with, then you weren't listening along the way."
"I've found that to be good advice for life, but also very sage advice for filmmaking," Heineman says. "Be open to the story changing. Don't be dogmatic. And this is something that I've held very close to my heart both in a macro sense (the films I choose to take on and how I find my way to them) and in a micro sense (within each shoot, shoot day, scene, lens change). Look around the frame at all times!"
In 2016, Heineman received an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature with Cartel Land, which examined drug trade along the U.S. and Mexico border. (The film also earned four Emmy nominations and won two, including Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking.) His newest documentary, Retrograde, unfolds over the final months of the U.S. war in Afghanistan, as Heineman embedded with the U.S. Army Green Berets on what would be their final deployment there.
"My initial intention was to bring audiences into the closed world of the Green Berets after almost two decades of war. But, as time passed and the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan, we decided to follow our journalistic instincts and stayed in the country to follow Afghan General Sami Sadat," the filmmaker says, once again implementing Maysles' words of wisdom. "As a result, we ended up with a front row seat to the end of the war and a totally different film than I had set out to make."
He adds, "I love embracing this type of unpredictability and adaptation inherent in making vérité films. By doing so, my goal always is to try to humanize stories that often seem so far away or are relegated to stats or headlines."
Below, Heineman shares with A.frame five documentaries that taught him the power of vérité filmmaking and have most inspired him in his own filmmaking.
Written and Directed by: Robert Drew
Early in my career, I attended a screening of Primary at the Paley Center in New York, followed by a conversation with filmmakers Robert Drew, Richard Leacock, Al Maysles and D.A. Pennebaker. For a young filmmaker who had never set foot inside a film school, this was one of those moments when your view of the world shifts. Seeing this pioneering film — the prototype for the modern-day documentary — with those four luminaries was an almost spiritual experience. I felt the full power and possibility of vérité filmmaking, of experiencing reality as it occurs, unscripted and unplanned.
The film inspired me to try to emulate that style of filmmaking — to document the world as it unfolds and hopefully capture a glimpse of the human condition in the process. From Cartel Land to Retrograde, I attempt to put myself and my camera in the middle of the action to tell the story through the eyes of the people who are living it. As was done so well in Primary, my aim as a filmmaker is to let audiences see a world they otherwise would never get to see, and to meet people they otherwise would never get to meet.
Bob Dylan: Don't Look Back
Written and Directed by: D. A. Pennebaker
This vérité film by Pennebaker was similarly groundbreaking and became a gold standard within the storied tradition of music documentaries. Pennebaker fully immersed himself in the life of Bob Dylan on his tour to England at a critical moment early in his career. His unfettered access, quiet observation, and constant presence let the audience feel like they are in the room with Dylan. As Pennebaker himself described to me, this new brand of cinema allowed audiences to see the action 'happen through the camera, not through a narrator or through exposition, but through the camera that watches… always it watches.' It's not 'fly-on-the-wall' filmmaking — as many people think of when they hear the word vérité — but rather, immersive and involved, with every composition, every edit, deliberately made, and intentional.
Murderball
Directed by: Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro
Murderball is another vérité film that inspired me as I got into filmmaking. The story of rival wheelchair rugby teams from the U.S. and Canada in the lead up to the Paralympic games has some incredibly dramatic and well shot vérité moments. The film also taught me that documentaries could be more than what I had traditionally watched in history class by utilizing elements that are more typically associated with narrative films: they could have antagonists and protagonists, three acts, viscerally shot action sequences, and characters that pop off the screen like any movie star.
Devil's Playground
Directed by: Lucy Walker
Lucy Walker's film about Amish teenagers experiencing the modern world was another vérité inspiration for me. I was in awe of her ability to track her participants' dramatic and unexpected twists and turns, especially given the level of intimacy on display in this very insular world. That intimacy demonstrated an incredible amount of trust between filmmaker and participant, which is an essential component of any longitudinal character study. With my films, I've always found that trust needs to be constantly earned and 'vows' renewed throughout the filmmaking process to help make people feel comfortable in front of the camera, and allow the filmmaking team to blend into the fabric of their daily lives.
Directed by: Peter Nicks
In 2012, I made my first feature documentary with Susan Froemke, a deeply important mentor of mine and a disciple of Al Maysles. It was a hybrid vérité/essay film exploring what is wrong with American healthcare. On the festival circuit, I first met my good friend Pete Nicks and saw The Waiting Room, his incredible vérité portrait of an Oakland E.R. department. While the two films were often discussed together that year, I remember being deeply envious of the purity of Pete's vision — his amazing deep dive into this one location, and the doctors, nurses, and patients that inhabited it. The film had a profound impact on me and definitely, once again, showed me the power of character-driven, observational filmmaking. Years later, it also inspired my approach to documenting the first four months of Covid in one Queens hospital in New York in my recent film The First Wave.


text:
Swiss Find Terror Detainee-Al Qaeda Links
GENEVA – Swiss investigators have established a link between at least three Arabs detained in a nationwide anti-terror sweep and a purported key Al Qaeda (search) member, a newspaper reported Saturday.
The Geneva daily Le Temps said it obtained a copy of a document written by Deputy Federal Prosecutor Claude Nicati (search) in which he detailed his case against 10 people arrested in raids since December and ordered the launch of preliminary judicial proceedings. Five suspects have been released but remain under investigation.
Swiss justice authorities routinely decline to comment on media reports or give details of ongoing investigations, and prosecutor's office spokeswoman Andrea Sadecky told The Associated Press she could not comment.
"All I can say is that we regret the report has been made public," she said.
In June, Swiss Federal Prosecutor Valentin Roschacher said investigators had concluded that Switzerland likely was used as a base for financial and logistical support for Al Qaeda.
According to Le Temps, Nicati's report said two suspects arrested in Switzerland — both originally from Yemen — were in "close contact with several hardcore members of bin Laden's movement."
The report cited the name Abdallah al-Kini (search) and described him as an "operational Al Qaeda agent" involved in the October 2000 attack on the destroyer USS Cole off Yemen, which killed 17 American sailors.
Al-Kini, who has not been mentioned previously by Yemeni anti-terror investigators, currently is detained there, the report said.
Al-Kini claimed to recognize a third man arrested in Switzerland's anti-terror sweep when shown a photograph by investigators, and he said the individual trained at an Al Qaeda camp in Afghanistan, it added.
The report said al-Kini also was "heavily involved" in a series of bombings on foreigners' residential compounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May 2003.
Thirty-five people, including one Swiss citizen, were killed in the attacks. The Swiss death led authorities here to open an investigation, ultimately leading to the arrests in December, January and May.
The inquiry was based partly on Swiss numbers stored in terrorists' mobile telephones found in Saudi Arabia, court documents have revealed. Al-Kini called a Swiss number in July 2003 and said he wished to travel to Switzerland, Le Temps said, citing Nicati's report.
Swiss investigators previously have found evidence that some of the Al Qaeda members who attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, made calls in Afghanistan and Pakistan using prepaid cards bought in Switzerland.
Swiss lawmakers recently closed a legal loophole allowing customers to purchase the cards anonymously.
Swiss authorities say they have not found evidence the country was a hub for terrorist groups.
However, the report said the individuals targeted in the sweep constituted a criminal organization that "transferred large sums of money to persons close to the Al Qaeda movement" in European countries, including Switzerland, and Gulf nations.
They are believed to have helped citizens of Muslim nations — particularly Yemen and Somalia — travel to Switzerland and other European countries and to have provided them with fake identities. They also are suspected of "illegal commercial activities."
In other terror inquiries, Swiss authorities have blocked bank accounts containing about $27 million. They also are investigating a now-defunct Muslim financial firm which the U.S. government alleges helped fund Al Qaeda.


text:
Humanisme et Terroir
in French Politics, Culture & Society
Author: Kerry Whiteside1
1 Franklin and Marshall College
https://doi.org/10.3167/153763703782370242
All currencies in US Dollar
In December 1996, the European Union gave its authorization to sell transgenic corn for consumption and cultivation in Europe. Some EU memberstates, notably Austria and Italy, refused to allow any imports of genetically modified organisms ("GMOs" or "OGM" in French). Resistance of that sort was unexpected from France. In Europe, France was originally the country most interested in advancing research and applications in the area of agricultural biotechnology. Before GMOs became a matter of public controversy, France led Europe in deliberate release trials.
https://www.berghahnjournals.com/abstract/journals/fpcs/21/3/fpcs210304.xml
French Politics, Culture & Society
© the Institute of French Studies at New York University and the Minda de Gunzberg Center for European Studies at Harvard University 2003
Catholic Culture in Interwar France
Remembering the Battle of Paris
Réformer les retraites en France
Dossier: The French Elections of 2002
Le Système politique français après les élections de 2002 en France
Contradictions in the Caribbean
Is the King Dead?
Article by Kerry Whiteside