The Right To Exist

“Ever since the “Holy Land” was invented as a pilgrimage-center by the <br />Empress Helena in the fourth century, it had been the scene of acrimony <br />and violence among the rival religious groups. . . . Throughout four centuries <br />(15th- 19th) it had been the task of the Ottoman sultans to impose, for the <br />sake of civil order, a culture of mutual tolerance . . . . Where religious difference <br />was in question there really was only one political option: live and let live. Muslims <br />and Jews were nearly always able to accept this in relation to one another <br />and to the Christians. The followers of Christ, however, while finding <br />it possible to live at peace with . . . monotheists of the Islamic or Jewish <br />persuasion, could not always resist outbursts of violence against their <br />co-religionists (fellow Christians) . . . .” A.N. Wilson, The Victorians<br /><br /> For a long time, it seems, Christians have been more tolerant of other people of other faiths than we are of each other. Strange, how proximity breeds intolerance. I suspect it is that the closer people are to us, the more they make us nervous about our right to be here.<br /><br /> Today, a sticking point in the search for peace in the Holy Land is “the right to exist.” Israel insists on one key point before making major agreements with its neighbors – that the neighbors acknowledge Israel’s right to exist. Palestinians want to be recognized as a state with the right to defend its borders and preserve its sovereignty, which is essentially the same thing. The situation is admittedly complex. Both God and the devil are in the details. But the threshold question they cannot seem to get past is simple: acknowledging each other’s right to be present.<br /><br /> To deny someone the right to exist is the primal attack. In Madeleine L ‘Engle’s sci-fi book, A Wind In The Door, the galaxy is threatened by death-eater-like beings called Echtroi who go about x-ing or un-naming things, denying their existence. L’Enlge insists on the innate value of each of us and on our right to be here. She challenges us not only to acknowledge that each other belong on this earth but to actively defend each other’s right to exist. <br /><br /> One may well wonder: why is this an issue? Why do we deny each other’s right to exist? Why is there genocide? Why is there war? Why are the different oppressed? Why are English speakers so distressed by the sound of Spanish? <br /><br /> If we are secure in our own place, confident that we belong on this earth, we can allow others to be here too. We can even enjoy the wild diversity of creation. We can delight that God is a unity who proliferates into diversity and that the diversity of creation is rooted in one existential ground, God. But if our self-worth, our sense of belonging, is fragile, then the presence of someone a bit different from us becomes a threat. We need to be the only ones here; or if we cannot be the only ones, then the others must be entirely like us. By being like us, they reassure us that we are the right way to be.<br /><br /> One way to avoid feeling threatened by people who are different is to avoid them. In his book, The Big Sort: Why The Clustering Of Like-Minded America Is Tearing Us Apart, Bill Bishop demonstrates that our nation is dividing up into smaller and smaller conclaves of people who look, think, and live more and more alike. Our gated communities are populated by racially, economically, socially, and politically similar people. The new social ghettos are far less porous than the ethnic neighborhoods of old, perhaps because they so intentionally formed out of fear of encountering someone different. <br /><br /> We invest a lot of energy and money so that we can at least pretend each other do not exist – to make for ourselves a seemingly safer but smaller and less interesting world. A political consequence of this fragmenting of society is the polarizing of our politics. Each congressional district has a cohesive ideology and elects people to represent that ideology. A think tank that rates congressional representatives as liberals, conservatives, or moderates notes that the number of moderates has steadily declined until the current congress, which for the first time in their studies, does not contain a single moderate. The moderates are the folks who broker the deals and work things out of gridlock. Without the moderates to negotiate the compromises, each side seeks to make the government work by subjugating the other. <br /><br /> The Episcopal Church, in keeping with the Anglican tradition of moderation, the via media, tolerance, and our identity as a “bridge church” has traditionally resisted such polarization. We have been a people who worship and serve together out of personal affection and a common form of prayer – not theological or ideological agreement. How has that played out in Nevada?<br /><br /> I am continuing my pastoral questioning of the divisions in our Diocese that keep us from flourishing in God’s mission. I am also continuing to look for whatever bonds of affection might run counter to those divisions. The first thing I sense here is a quiet respect for each other’s right to exist, a willingness to sit at the same table. It isn’t a bold statement of conviction. It’s more of a tacit assumption which is probably better. Even this tacit acknowledgement runs counter to secular culture. The divisions in Nevada are not merely North and South. There are divisions of East and West, urban and rural, mining and ranching. The groups so divided resent each other’s presence most grievously. So it is a spiritual accomplishment to be a diocese of people, parishes, and missions that accept each other’s place at the table.<br /><br /> But there is a residue of resentment, a suspicion that others do not respect us, a prickly defense against those who might do harm. That confused me at first since I have so rarely experienced any group here actually hostile to any other. But the sense that someone does not want us here is not pure fantasy. There is real history to our nervousness about each other.<br /><br /> There have been times in the past when people in larger churches said that the smaller churches should be closed – which naturally lead to people in smaller churches saying that larger churches should be closed or rather broken up into small churches. There really were people proposing to close Camp Galilee. Others suggested that saving Galilee could be best achieved by preventing or stopping ministries in cities. Seminary trained priests thought the locally trained should not be ordained; the locally trained thought the seminary trained should not be called. Parishes have divided internally over whether to engage in spiritual renewal of the congregation or commit to mission serving those outside the church – as if either project could succeed without the other. We also participated in “the controversies” as they say – meaning national disputes over the roles of women and LGBT persons in the church. Both sides of “the controversies” eventually tried to exterminate, excommunicate, or deport each other – though those issues have not divided Nevada to the extent that they did elsewhere -- perhaps we had too many other kinds of differences to identify with.<br /><br /> Two things here strike me as noteworthy: First, we stopped x-ing each other years ago. Second, we still feel at risk of being x-ed by our fellow Nevada Episcopalians. For example, I have found only one seminary trained priest and one locally trained priest who actually speak ill of those who were trained differently. But it is not that unusual for me to find clergy who suspect that they are secretly disrespected by clergy of the other species. I never hear people from one area speak ill of the churches in another region, except that they suspect that the people elsewhere think ill of them. It is as if the bullets have been removed from the flesh, but the wounds have not yet healed. <br /><br /> Where then do we go from here? I am sure of only one thing. It is good to trust in God’s grace. It is good to know that we belong here, that God has claimed us as beloved children, that God has named us (Isaiah 49: 1), sealed us with the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked us as Christ’s own forever. We don’t have to x each other to claim a space. God has given us our space, our right to exist. We know that, we feel it, and we believe it. That is why we have stopped x-ing one another. But what about the wounds that are not yet healed? I do not know the answer to that.<br /><br /> At John 5: 1-17, we read about a man who had been ill for 38 years lying near a healing fountain. Jesus, with his insight, did not assume the obvious. He asked. He said, “Do you want to be healed?” (v. 6) The man’s answer was equivocal. Do we want to be healed? We may have grown accustomed to the wounds. We may have identified with them. We may not be ready to part with them just yet. We are not x-ing each other. We trust in God’s grace. That much is good. Do we want to be healed? What would happen if we were? Who would we be if we were? How might that healing take place?

The Right To Exist

“Ever since the “Holy Land” was invented as a pilgrimage-center by the Empress Helena in the fourth century, it had been the scene of acrimo...

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This is a currency war and the EUROZONE is on the way to lose it.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGksRsoCU8KsNihF20EVJUv0BP7HDBkaGhvpI4wVpjiSzIKOjBj62GeR3yGp_DlHCjeVhdWMi1OLJgcUwulU9rPXFNmR2Bl8jghpTkqx-qQAXqjDJu2p2SMYQ59aP9IQfMKorIf_8NRU3/s1600/Euro-brezinys_EC1-600x449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGksRsoCU8KsNihF20EVJUv0BP7HDBkaGhvpI4wVpjiSzIKOjBj62GeR3yGp_DlHCjeVhdWMi1OLJgcUwulU9rPXFNmR2Bl8jghpTkqx-qQAXqjDJu2p2SMYQ59aP9IQfMKorIf_8NRU3/s400/Euro-brezinys_EC1-600x449.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">            <span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">S&P ON</span> AUSTRIA’S <span style="color: red;">DOWNGRADING</span></span></span><br />                                 <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWleJUELCpRhnlIuG_JlxitwDA17AyblEbxQJvbpnZcjGtVN7swEyGNL-xtDgZBLFhYiTHSzlTP3T_2qGWZd6U_yqB6Coc_oTU8UNWG7GVEcYW20Itt2qOPntEBZ1fwqwrRptEuF3BbLWl/s1600/Standard-and-Poor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWleJUELCpRhnlIuG_JlxitwDA17AyblEbxQJvbpnZcjGtVN7swEyGNL-xtDgZBLFhYiTHSzlTP3T_2qGWZd6U_yqB6Coc_oTU8UNWG7GVEcYW20Itt2qOPntEBZ1fwqwrRptEuF3BbLWl/s320/Standard-and-Poor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Via Prudent Investor <br /><br /><b>IF ECONOMIC GROWTH IS WEAKER THAN WE EXPECT, THIS COULD UNDERMINE THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTEMPTS TO CONSOLIDATE ITS BUDGETS</b><br /><br />Austrian banks' balance sheets could suffer from negative developments in major trading and outward direct investment partners (such as ITALY and HUNGARY). In this instance, the banks could require additional government support. Furthermore, if economic growth is much weaker than we expect, this could undermine the government's attempts to consolidate its budgets, and could also render structural reforms ineffective. <br />The outlook on the long-term rating on AUSTRIA is negative; indicating that we believe that there is at least a one-in-three chance that we could lower the rating further in 2012 or 2013. Rating may be lowered if:<br /><br />•    The weakening of AUSTRIAN BANKS' balance sheets stemming from negative developments in major trading and outward direct investment partners meant that the <b style="color: blue;">AUSTRIAN government needed to recapitalize the banks</b><span style="color: blue;">.</span> This could in turn lead to net general government debt rising above 80% of GDP, and could also further increase contingent liabilities; and/or<br />•    Economic growth is much weaker than we currently expect. This could undermine the government's attempts to consolidate its budgets, and could also render structural reforms ineffective. This could lead to an increase in net general government debt beyond 80% of GDP.<br /><br /><span style="background-color: #76a5af; color: yellow;">The ratings could stabilize at the current level if the risks from the banking sector remained contained, and if AUSTRIA were to enter into a more-ambitious consolidation phase by implementing structural reforms, without damaging economic growth prospects and competitiveness</span>. In our view, such consolidation measures would likely enable AUSTRIA to structurally balance its accounts and decrease its net general government debt.<br /><span><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span><br />Analysis from “The Prudent Investor” <br /><br /><b>OVERDUE DOWNGRADING LIKELY TO BE REPEATED</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3rYXwzpfTVL-bnYO_iZ2wSyIpAFNxlYGUaJE6AbpmErnhd7JnHzABUhPaPeQFVuHB0s1hmgv_1LK1LewcBkdZDbqcyehsDqY2OGQgrLGg-cKBICgjWfJEobSXopT9ClCzRFtyBE-qmXm/s1600/imagewws.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3rYXwzpfTVL-bnYO_iZ2wSyIpAFNxlYGUaJE6AbpmErnhd7JnHzABUhPaPeQFVuHB0s1hmgv_1LK1LewcBkdZDbqcyehsDqY2OGQgrLGg-cKBICgjWfJEobSXopT9ClCzRFtyBE-qmXm/s1600/imagewws.jpg" /></a></div>While remaining most critical of the opaque rating process of the rating agencies we are even more critical of the whining posture of AUSTRIA'S politicians who act as if this overdue downgrade - that will very likely be repeated in the near future due to the chaos in the EUROZONE-is unjustified.<br /><div style="color: blue;">As a reminder: AUSTRIAN government debt stands currently at EUR 218 billion or 76% of GDP and races higher because the ruling coalition officially attempts to come up with a €3 billion to €10 billion budget cuts package by end of February while it cannot even agree on €250 million savings on the state level of the republic. Place you bet on every ounce of gold that there will be no multi-billion austerity package by the end of February.</div>Statements by the government and central bank governor EWALD NOWOTNY, who called the downgrade incomprehensible, are unrealistic in the light of S&P's warning from December 6 and the ensuing non-action by AUSTRIA'S government.<br /><br /><b>DOWNGRADES WERE A POLITICALLY MOTIVATED ACTION BY S&P WHICH IS OWNED BY MCGRAWHILL</b><br /><br />Unofficial mumblings that markets should not take the downgrade too serious are actually a call to break the law: Bond fund managers are tightly restricted by investment fund laws that oblige them to observe the ratings of the three major rating agencies.<br /><div style="color: blue;">Nevertheless one can agree with governor NOWOTNY that the downgrades were a politically motivated action by <b>S&P</b> which is owned by <b>MCGRAWHILL</b>. <span style="font-size: small;">It seems difficult to establish who the majority owner of this company is, that has so far failed to downgrade the USA despite its much higher level of debt that already stands at more than 100% of US GDP. The rating agencies also veil their rating process in secrecy and it will be interesting to see the math behind a one-step downgrade.</span></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAygPCIhM8nRk8oG4xue6EGJQvaMl95B0HiuoynKDgzZoAzet6nAIeie_ioIApIk4iepS4DW0wgcynfDa33CrI4XhXJoZ55m-1exZBwLkTQiVm-IJzjQS6ASz6Z40au1Eqymm0VmWsL-KG/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAygPCIhM8nRk8oG4xue6EGJQvaMl95B0HiuoynKDgzZoAzet6nAIeie_ioIApIk4iepS4DW0wgcynfDa33CrI4XhXJoZ55m-1exZBwLkTQiVm-IJzjQS6ASz6Z40au1Eqymm0VmWsL-KG/s200/images.jpg" width="200" /></a> A look at AUSTRIA'S yield differential to its peer GERMANY shows that spreads have risen dramatically over the past months. AUSTRIA used to pay a spread of 30 to 40 basis points 'liquidity premium' for almost two decades. This has changed dramatically: 10-year government bonds now yield around 3.60% vs. GERMANY'S 1.90%, showing that markets assess AUSTRIA by now much worse than GERMANY.<br /><br /><br /><b>GOVERNMENT NOT ADDRESSING THE KEY OBSTACLES OF THE FUTURE</b> <br /><br />Markets are, as always, most correct in their evaluation of AUSTRIAN debt: Members of parliament and the government waste time haggling about changes in the national hymn while not addressing the key obstacles of the future that are:<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: yellow;"><br /><span style="color: blue;">• </span>  <span style="color: blue;"> a huge pension problem as demographics change (what a surprise for politicians: we all become older),</span><br style="color: blue;" /><span style="color: blue;">•    a growing budget deficit due to a still growing public sector, and</span><br style="color: blue;" /><span style="color: blue;">•    huge problems of several Austrian banks who recolonised Eastern Europe and now face billions in loans in default.</span></b></span><br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">The concernment in the EUROZONE about the downgrade 'shock' proves once more that while EU politicians are never shy of trying to cut corners to their advantage they lack creative ideas to save the EUROZONE from rapid disintegration.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: small;"><b>TONGUE-IN-CHEEK SOLUTION:</b><br /><br />MCGRAWHILL is currently valued at billion. It would have been a lot cheaper to buy MCGRAWHILL and gag its subsidiary S&P. These billions would have brought ownership of a flourishing publishing company. Now this money will end up in the coffers of JP MORGAN, GOLDMAN SACHS, who can borrow trillions from the FEDERAL RESERVE for next to nothing and buy up higher yielding EUROPEAN GOVERNMENT DEBT.<br /><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">This is a currency war and the EUROZONE is on the way to lose it.</span></span>

This is a currency war and the EUROZONE is on the way to lose it.

            S&P ON AUSTRIA’S DOWNGRADING                                   Via Prudent Investor IF ECONOMIC GROWTH IS WEAKER THAN WE EX...

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And I thought I didn't do that bad yesterday...ROFL!

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It was a 70-Point day yesterday. Wow! What's so crazy about it is that I thought I was doing okay by not going totally overboard.<br /><br />I eyed all the Valentine's Day candy last night at the grocery store, but walked by it without picking up a single package. I thought I was doing a halfway decent compromise with the somewhat healthy California extra-thin crust pizza and the caramel popcorn as my big splurge. I'm pretty sure if I had calculated out the Points first I would have chosen something different. I have all the Weight Watcher apps on my phone so there's no excuse other than I was very tired and hungry. Lesson learned.<br /><br />Dinner was an entire package of the Caramel popcorn and 3/4 of an entire frozen pizza (it was sort of small on very thin crust but it was 21 Points). Breakfast and lunch were healthy. Oh, and let's not forget the two glasses of sweet red wine. I normally don't have alcohol, but it was just that kind of day. Crazy niece threats, police involvement, brain-damaged sister, snow, fireplace, tired, sad, hungry, husband asleep so no one to vent to = wine on the menu.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I didn't even go to the gym yesterday, because I was too rushed with crazy niece/sister stuff. I know that's just an excuse, but it's true.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In case you're wondering, I didn't get on the scale this morning. I'm not that crazy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know it'll take a few days to undo the damage from last night. My goal for this week was to get down to 176 by next Saturday. I just made it a lot harder with losing my mind last night. Funny how I can talk myself into anything when I'm tired and feeling sad.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'll give it my best shot this week. Healthy eating, tracking, focusing on the healthy eating guidelines and lots of exercise. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmCn8l3Y3i_mNoMKKyw1Uv4WeVyJRmB73xrvYN4PjJXzWeIU7CFbRXQnWLy6eaAqqVaCqoDWh4FSVQM4jxlF8WEEVp8Bzdp3eW5dumNflSvImCQ-Vv3LdKgShyphenhyphenu0WIWe4jhdOolAFxF6b/s1600/sat2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="53" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmCn8l3Y3i_mNoMKKyw1Uv4WeVyJRmB73xrvYN4PjJXzWeIU7CFbRXQnWLy6eaAqqVaCqoDWh4FSVQM4jxlF8WEEVp8Bzdp3eW5dumNflSvImCQ-Vv3LdKgShyphenhyphenu0WIWe4jhdOolAFxF6b/s400/sat2.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><img alt="Weight Watchers Online" id="m_imgWWLogo" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/1033/logo_print.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" /><br /><img id="m_imgDotLine" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/1033/dots_537.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; height: 1px; width: 537px;" /><br /><br /><b><i>PointsPlus®</i></b> Tracker entries<br /><br /><b>Saturday, January 14, 2012</b><br /><table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="width: 412px;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" colspan="2"><b class="boldgray">Morning</b></td></tr><tr><td><span class="value-ff-left" style="float: none;">1  large banana(s)</span></td><td><br /><center><div class="value-ff-right" style="display: block; float: none;"><b>0</b></div></center></td></tr><tr><td>Diana McMuffin</td><td><br /><center><div class="value-ffnon" style="display: block; float: none;"><b>8</b></div></center></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><b class="boldgray">Subtotal</b></td><td><b>8</b></td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2"><b class="boldgray">Midday</b></td></tr><tr><td><span class="value-ff-left" style="float: none;">1  item(s) Light Multi-Grain English Muffin</span></td><td><br /><center><div class="value-ff-right" style="display: block; float: none;"><b>3</b></div></center></td></tr><tr><td>1  serving(s) Kirkland Salmon Burger</td><td><br /><center><div class="value-b" style="display: block; float: none;"><b>4</b></div></center></td></tr><tr><td><span class="value-ff-left" style="float: none;">2  medium pear(s)</span></td><td><br /><center><div class="value-ff-right" style="display: block; float: none;"><b>0</b></div></center></td></tr><tr><td>1  serving(s) Litehouse Dressing & Dip, Lite Bleu Cheese</td><td><br /><br /><center><div class="value-b" style="display: block; float: none;"><b>2</b></div></center></td></tr><tr><td><span class="value-ff-left" style="float: none;">1  cup(s) fat-free skim milk</span></td><td><br /><center><div class="value-ff-right" style="display: block; float: none;"><b>2</b></div></center></td></tr><tr><td><span class="value-ff-left" style="float: none;">1/3 cup(s) uncooked onion(s)</span></td><td><br /><center><div class="value-ff-right" style="display: block; float: none;"><b>0</b></div></center></td></tr><tr><td>1  tsp olive oil</td><td><br /><center><div class="value-ffnon" style="display: block; float: none;"><b>1</b></div></center></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><b class="boldgray">Subtotal</b></td><td><b>12</b></td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2"><b class="boldgray">Evening</b></td></tr><tr><td>4 1/2 serving(s) Orville Redenbacher Caramel Popcorn</td><td><br /><br /><center><div class="value-b" style="display: block; float: none;"><b>22</b></div></center></td></tr><tr><td>3/4 serving(s) California Pizza Crispy Thin Sicilian (3/4 entire pizza)</td><td><br /><br /><center><div class="value-b" style="display: block; float: none;"><b>21</b></div></center></td></tr><tr><td>8  oz red wine</td><td><br /><center><div class="value-ffnon" style="display: block; float: none;"><b>7</b></div></center></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><b class="boldgray">Subtotal</b></td><td><b>50</b></td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2"><b class="boldgray">Anytime</b></td></tr><tr><td><i>No entries for this meal time.</i></td><td><br /></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><b class="boldgray">Subtotal</b></td><td><b>0</b></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><b class="boldgray">Food <i>PointsPlus</i> values total used</b></td><td><b>70</b></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><b class="boldgray">Food <i>PointsPlus</i> values remaining</b></td><td><b>0</b></td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="2"><b class="boldgray"><b>Activity</b></b></td></tr><tr><td><i>No entries for activity.</i></td><td><br /></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><b class="boldgray">Activity <i>PointsPlus</i> values earned</b></td><td><b>0</b></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Check off these important items daily:</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 386px;"><tbody><tr><td>Liquids<br /><img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox_checked.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox_checked.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox_checked.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox_checked.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox_checked.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox.gif" width="11" /> </td><td>Milk & Milk Products<br /><img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox_checked.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox.gif" width="11" /> </td></tr><tr><td>Fruit & vegetables<br /><img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox_checked.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox_checked.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox_checked.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox_checked.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox.gif" width="11" /> </td><td>Multivitamin/Mineral<br /><img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox_checked.gif" width="11" /> </td></tr><tr><td>Healthy Oil<br /><img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox_checked.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox.gif" width="11" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox.gif" width="11" /> </td><td>Activity<br /><img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://aka.weightwatchers.com/images/checkbox.gif" width="11" /> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br />

And I thought I didn't do that bad yesterday...ROFL!

It was a 70-Point day yesterday. Wow! What's so crazy about it is that I thought I was doing okay by not going totally overboard. I eyed...

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LEPTIN RESISTANCE: NOT DURING THE HCG PROTOCOL

I have been asked on numerous occasions why I don't discuss leptin resistance, or even mention the fact that all science speculates that the more leptin you produce the less it works. First, I am not an expert. I am a motivated person who really appreciates explanation for why and how things works. If there isn't an answer I'm not afraid to work to find one that might make some sense of things. Second, the idea that there is leptin resistance is because scientists are still not quite sure why the body is doing what it's doing because there is still an incredible amount of research to be done, and leptin resistance is an easy way to explain that something changes from what we'd expect, which creates a point of diminishing returns. To make this easier to understand: leptin resistance = more doesn't function the same as less.<br /><br />I see leptin from two angles:<br />1) Leptin within the endocrine system,<br />2) and leptin within fat cells for fueling purposes.<br /><br />The science of leptin began in the brain, observing the function of hunger. When obese mice have elevated leptin levels they won't eat, even when they have an abundance of food available. The feeding behavior of mice is very predictable based on their hypothalamic (brain) leptin levels. Because the method of thought has been (and for most still is) to assume "calories in vs. calories out" all fat people, based on this concept, have to eat more than they expend in a day (which could total more than 4000 calories per day). Scientists have assumed fatter people must be hungry all the time and therefore must be eating, <em>all the time</em>. NOT TRUE. They first hypothesized the more fat a person had, the less leptin they have which is why they must eat all the time. Well, that turned out to be false. The more fat you have, the exponentially higher your leptin levels are.<br /><br />In order to eat as many calories it requires to gain fat, they speculated there must be a problem with leptin that would force Americans to eat so much. They have to be hungry all the time, so there must be some resistance. Now this is where I have observed the opposite. <br /><br />The more fat a person has the less hunger they have, and the less they eat relative to their expenditure. Per calorie burned they eat less then their leaner counter parts! (ready why skinny b*tches eat more) Mice may not eat when their leptin levels are elevated, but put a bunch of Americans in a room with food, and there is no discussion of hunger but instead, how good the food must taste, how deserving we are to eat it for whatever reason, and it's free! Eat up! Eating in our culture has NOTHING to do with hunger. NOTHING.<br /><br />Here's what I've observed: the more fat a person has the less hunger they experience- whether they are on the protocol or not. More fat = less frequency of hunger.  (read my blog on why breakfast isn't as important as we thought it was)<br /><br /><em>Where leptin resistance does make complete sense is within the endocrine system and team of organs that directly work for and against leptin</em>. As fat cells multiply, and new fat cells are bigger and more explosive than the original fat cells, the amount of leptin a person is capable of producing grows at an accelerated rate. A serious problem occurs when corresponding organs can't grow in size and cannot create the correlated response at the same rate. For example, as fat accumulates and more and more leptin is produced, the pancreas is challenged to match the output of leptin with insulin. As fat cells get bigger, and continue to multiply, the pancreas hits a rate limit that can no longer match the output of leptin, <em>unless the pancreas were to grow in size</em>. There comes a point where it is impossible for the pancreas to excrete insulin at the level that fat is excreting leptin, because fat cells outweigh and outnumber what the pancreas is capable of.  The only solution would be for the pancreas to grow in size (which is impossible) or to inject insulin to match the output of leptin from fat.<br /><br />On the other hand, if leptin suppresses an organ, the more leptin you have the more suppressed the organ becomes. For example, leptin in the anterior pituitary suppresses the signal to the adrenals. The adrenals stimulate your fight-or-flight response and produce hormones that help you feel active, motivated, and excited. The more leptin you have the more suppressed the activation from the brain is to the adrenals. However, there is a point where the adrenals can't suppress any lower because those organs would die. My point is that each organ that corresponds to leptin has a limit and the more leptin you have there does come a point where that organ can no longer respond. <em>This would be leptin resistance.</em><br /><br />Lets discuss leptin and it's function in fat cells. Each fat cell produces over six hormones! Leptin has been the main focus of science because of it's influence on the entire endocrine system, and also because of it's control over fueling from fat cells and energy homeostasis. This is where I believe there is no leptin resistance. Why? Because fat cells can increase in size and can multiply and spread, so there is no limit with the function that leptin has within fat cells for fuel. The more leptin you have the more fuel is released. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">THE MORE LEPTIN YOU HAVE THE MORE FUEL IS RELEASED! </div><br />There is no cap, no rate limit, no resistance. Otherwise, every obese person would be in continual starvation with severe hunger, have severe drops in blood glucose uncountable times daily, would have muscle wasting, and would have difficulty gaining fat. If there was leptin resistance in fat cells, there would be a limit to how much leptin is created, how much fuel is released, there would be a limit to how much fat is gained, and there would be a bell curve graph to fat's function as more fat is accumulated. This is NOT the case. The curve is an exponential curve, that shows only acceleration. As fat increases, leptin levels increase even more. If fat cells were "leptin resistant" there would be a point of deceleration within the function of fat and this is not the case.<br /><br />If leptin resistance does not apply to the function within fat cells and energy fueling, then the body has the ability to adapt, to create more fat cells, and to and store more fuel, which would make sense based on the human body's need to survive chronic famine. I believe, based on what I've witnessed and observed through thousands of hCG protocols, fat metabolism doesn't have resistance to leptin which is why hunger is not resistant to leptin either. Hunger is in direct proportion to fueling and is communicated in response to maintain fueling balance. This is why I never force anyone to eat breakfast, meals, or pre-portioned food  because hunger is a better assessment of fueling needs then anything else.  The more fat you have the more fuel you get, the less frequent you experience hunger, and the less hormonal need you have for food. It is that simple.<br /><br />So I speculate that corresponding organs that cannot grow in size to match fat's growth will absolutely have leptin resistance. Fat on the other hand, has no resistance to leptin due to the fact that as leptin increases so does fat cell count, and so does fat's fueling function. <br /><br />I COULD BE WRONG, BUT IF I WAS- THE HCG PROTOCOL WOULD NOT MAKE SENSE.

LEPTIN RESISTANCE: NOT DURING THE HCG PROTOCOL

I have been asked on numerous occasions why I don't discuss leptin resistance, or even mention the fact that all science speculates that...

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I want my life back

I keep telling myself things will get better, that I will be able to enjoy my old life again. I never thought my life was that great, but after all the BS I've gone through recently I realized I had a pretty decent life. It's funny how you never appreciate what you had until it's taken away from you.<br /><br />I spent yesterday morning talking to the local sheriff's department and the Fairbanks police department. I was trying to find out what I could do to protect my sister from my crazy niece until I get a court ordered restraining order against my niece (which hopefully I can get this week).<br /><br />Everyone was very kind and helpful. They told me to write up a brief synopsis of my niece's issues, along with her physical description and a picture of her, a copy of my guardian papers and strict instructions to call 911 if they see my niece on the premises. Then give the synopsis to the police. I felt like I was putting together a "wanted poster" on her. It made me sad that it has come to this, but she's forced my hand by threatening to get on the next plane and fly down here to see her mother. Luckily it's an adult family home with only six residents and one caregiver, plus the owner that lives across the street and pops over all the time. It's not a huge facility so they can easily keep an eye on who comes into the home.<br /><br />Then I spent three hours visiting my sister yesterday. I cut her bangs short, which she prefers. The hair stylist that cut her hair last week made long bangs that swept to the side. I knew my sister hated them because she kept fussing with them. Then I put makeup on her and gave her a manicure with pretty pink polish. She's still a beauty, even at 73 and all she's gone through. I sat at the dinner table with her and two other ladies as she ate her food perfectly with her left hand.<br /><br />Although my sister was happy when I got there, she was not having the greatest day. For the most part it was good, but she gets really frustrated that I can't understand her. I get frustrated because she gets mad and starts to cry. I can't figure out what is wrong, then she scrunches up her face and tries to hold back the tears. I hate it. I know there's going to be a transition time for both of us and we just have to get through it until things settle down and we fall into a routine. I really wish we could communicate better. That's the hardest part.<br /><br />After dinner she went to bed, which is her normal routine. Under the instruction of the home caregiver I lifted my sister into bed. She weighs almost nothing. Maybe 130 pounds. I expected her to be much heavier. I dressed her in her soft, new pajamas that I had just bought and washed the night before. She was complaining her back hurt her but she'd been up since 7am and it was 6pm. For a woman that had been bedridden 24/7 for the last four months it's pretty amazing that she's up and in her wheelchair or the a recliner all day for the last six days. She takes her meals at the dining room table and not in her bed. She likes to wheel around he huge house in her wheelchair or sit in her favorite recliner in the family room and watch a little TV.<br /><br />By the time I got home I was mentally and physically drained. I'd had a really healthy breakfast and lunch (about 500 calories total), and I was starving. I had stopped at the store to get some groceries. BIG MISTAKE. I was so tired I wanted something easy for dinner. I bought a frozen California Pizza on thin crust, some Orville Redenbacher Caramel microwave popcorn, along with a ton of there stuff, but the pizza and popcorn were going to be my dinner.<br /><br />By the time I got home it was 8pm. My husband was asleep. I ate 3/4 of the pizza (810 calories) and a bag of the popcorn (850 calories). Today I'm actually going to go back and put all this in my Weight Watcher tracker. I know it was more than I was suppose to eat, but what can I say. It was a hell of a day. I'm not use to talking to police departments and putting together wanted posters. I overate. Big deal. Today I'll be back at the gym and back on track (I went to the gym four out of five days last week). I'm not sweating the small stuff anymore, I have too much big stuff to get freaked out about now.<br /><br />My main goal is to settle into some type of routine visiting schedule with my sister. Spending most of my day on sister stuff isn't really working for me. I want to spend time on some Diana stuff too. I just need to find the balance. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

I want my life back

I keep telling myself things will get better, that I will be able to enjoy my old life again. I never thought my life was that great, but af...

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Staat kann Österreichs Banken nicht genügend Kapital zur Verfügung stellen

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0AVX1doBeg0Vj47T8VPeNXifjGXK2-vg2T55OhnE08n9xgjrdt96BlTAXeORNndfegHOkomGB4q9HRo8I38S5YGy-aoAubejYZ8NttpGMKCbrGc5kxcpDTPP1I4gwfI7hPc_UYseyzvvB/s1600/306682_m3t1w456h320q75v36623_Fotolia_6717435_Subscription_XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0AVX1doBeg0Vj47T8VPeNXifjGXK2-vg2T55OhnE08n9xgjrdt96BlTAXeORNndfegHOkomGB4q9HRo8I38S5YGy-aoAubejYZ8NttpGMKCbrGc5kxcpDTPP1I4gwfI7hPc_UYseyzvvB/s400/306682_m3t1w456h320q75v36623_Fotolia_6717435_Subscription_XL.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>Darüber findet man keine Schlagzeile in Österreichs Tageszeitungen:</b></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Osteuropa-Abschwung: Österreich fehlt Kapital zur Bankenrettung </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Artikel aus Deutsche-Mittelstands-Nachrichten</span></span></div><br />Die erwartete Rezession in Ungarn, Rumänien und Bulgarien gefährdet die österreichischen Banken massiv. Nun stellt sich heraus: Die Republik hat nicht genug Geld für einen Banken-Bailout. <br /><br />Das starke Engagement österreichischer Banken in Osteuropa bedroht die Institute nun wegen der schlechten Konjunkturprognosen. Sollten die Banken Hilfe vom Staat brauchen, um ihre Geschäfte im Osten abzusichern, könnte ihnen die Republik Österreich ihnen nicht genügend Kapital zur Verfügung stellen.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuys8HH6L5T8YhflTvjqwzOyWD6RG0W2hJDWe0ihEtkB3V2duOYuezdJBJ3A2F1vn4mFMV66-36yqBMX1abGIcgJOcYUbt1MkHirYjRFt21xPBoFHzuuRbeUUx4h2mBsReNcVU3QePc9cq/s1600/Austria_banks_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuys8HH6L5T8YhflTvjqwzOyWD6RG0W2hJDWe0ihEtkB3V2duOYuezdJBJ3A2F1vn4mFMV66-36yqBMX1abGIcgJOcYUbt1MkHirYjRFt21xPBoFHzuuRbeUUx4h2mBsReNcVU3QePc9cq/s320/Austria_banks_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Das Risiko vor Zahlungsausfällen nimmt zu, weil sich die wirtschaftliche Situation in Europa verschlechtert. Bei der Präsentation der aktuellen Wachstumsprognose der europäischen Wirtschaft in Brüssel wurde deutlich, wie ernst die Lage ist: „Wir leben in angespannten Zeiten. Dieser Ausblick ist ein letzter Weckruf. Der Aufschwung in Europa ist zum Stillstand gekommen und die Aussichten sind düster“, sagte der EU-Kommissar für Wirtschaft und Währung, Olli Rehn bei der Pressekonferenz über die wirtschaftliche Lage.</div><br />Nicht nur das angeschlagene Italien, das bisher die Berichterstattung beherrschte, ist eine Gefahr. Rehn geht davon aus, dass einige Staaten große Verluste erleiden werden – auch wenn der Eurozone als Ganzes eine Rezession im Jahr 2012 erspart bleiben sollte. Unter den Ländern, die besonders betroffen sein werden, weil sie zu wenig gegen ihre Defizite unternehmen, nannte der Wirtschaftskommissar auch Ungarn, einen der größten Schuldner Österreichs.<br /><br /><b>Die Rating-Agenturen haben das Risiko für Österreich erkannt</b>: „Die österreichische Regierung könnte nicht die Kapazität haben, alle Auslandsgeschäfte der großen heimischen Banken zu stützen“, schreiben Analysten der Rating-Agentur Standard & Poor’s (S&P) in einem Bericht. Die Risikobewertung der österreichischen Bankenbranche hat unter der massiven Beteiligung einiger Geldhäuser in Osteuropa gelitten: S&P stufte Österreich in der Risikoskala der Bankenbranche diese Woche um eine Position ab. Es rangiert nun auf der dritten von zehn Risikostufen.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzCSsqrH6zmHsUmd51ekDhaiI1n3DXx0SQAUAFW7ZoJ-ENPsg8zdnpZE6VxmqvRNZWiOGZccHyTubU-EtxUqfQD1wCsefiuni8Oern27eie8xTXgIz20oJIbAAt5ZxYcJ4zOZvwGkChplT/s1600/Stratfor+diagram+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzCSsqrH6zmHsUmd51ekDhaiI1n3DXx0SQAUAFW7ZoJ-ENPsg8zdnpZE6VxmqvRNZWiOGZccHyTubU-EtxUqfQD1wCsefiuni8Oern27eie8xTXgIz20oJIbAAt5ZxYcJ4zOZvwGkChplT/s320/Stratfor+diagram+3.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><br />In den vergangenen beiden Jahren hatte die österreichische Regierung neun Milliarden Euro als Garantien für Banken bereitgestellt. Die Gewährung der Garantien wurde allerdings nicht auf Österreich beschränkt. Zwei Drittel dieser Gelder sind noch verfügbar. Sie würden aber bei weitem nicht ausreichen, um die Risiken der Osteuropa-Geschäfte abzudecken. Insgesamt haben heimische Banken fast 194 Milliarden Euro in Staaten wie Rumänien, Ungarn oder Tschechien zur Verfügung gestellt. Zu den Schuldnern zählen Regierungen und Unternehmen genauso wie private Haushalte. Dies geht aus den Statistiken der Bank für Internationalen Zahlungsausgleich hervor. Demnach sind österreichische Banken die größten Geldgeber in Osteuropa. Besonders betroffen sind die Erste Bank und die Raiffeisen Bank.<br /><br />Die Erste Bank musste erst vor wenigen Wochen massive Wertberichtigungen wegen fauler Kreditversicherungen vornehmen.<br /><br />Erste Bank, Raiffeisen, Hypo und die Österreichische Volksbanken AG haben angekündigt, keine weiteren Hilfen vom Staat mehr in Anspruch nehmen zu wollen. Keine besonders heldenhafte Aussage, weil die Mittel ohnehin nicht ausreichen: Wenn nämlich auch nur ein Bruchteil der österreichischen Kredite in Osteuropa tatsächlich platzt, kommen die Banken mit sechs Milliarden Euro an Garantien nicht weit.

Staat kann Österreichs Banken nicht genügend Kapital zur Verfügung stellen

Darüber findet man keine Schlagzeile in Österreichs Tageszeitungen: Osteuropa-Abschwung: Österreich fehlt Kapital zur Bankenrettung Artikel ...

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Look at this interactive heart!

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">The internet is full of amazing animations and infographics that can really aid our visual learners. I love this explanation of how the heart works which is found at <a href="http://www.explania.com/en/channels/health/detail/the-human-heart">http://www.explania.com/en/channels/health/detail/the-human-heart</a><br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Explore the embedded infographic below </span></b></div><div style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">This interactive infographic explains the anatomy and function of the human heart. Follow the instructions on the inforgraphic and use it to see how the blood flows through the different chambers and valves. Visualize the blood flow inside the heart using using the scroll bar provided on the infographic. </span> </span><br /><br /><object align="middle" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="305" id="animation342" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.explania.com/api/1.0/?method=animations.getPlayer" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="FlashVars" value="id=342&language=en&embedded=true&type=infograph" /><embed src="http://www.explania.com/api/1.0/?method=animations.getPlayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="transparent" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="305" bgcolor="#ffffff" flashvars="id=342&language=en&embedded=true&type=infograph"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.explania.com/en/channels/health/detail/the-human-heart">The Human Heart </a> - <a href="http://www.explania.com/">Explania</a><br /><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Classroom application</span></b></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This could be a very useful supplement resource for a Life Sciences teacher. More examples of animations and videos can be found at:</span></span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Medical animation library: </span></span><a href="http://www.pennmedicine.org/health_info/animationplayer/">http://www.pennmedicine.org/health_info/animationplayer/</a></li><li style="font-family: inherit;">Interactive Biology: <a href="http://www.interactive-biology.com/">http://www.interactive-biology.com/</a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Interactive Biology on YouTube: </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/InteractiveBiology" style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.youtube.com/user/InteractiveBiology</a></li></ul></div>

Web tools Look at this interactive heart!

The internet is full of amazing animations and infographics that can really aid our visual learners. I love this explanation of how the hear...

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Stress and belly fat

<br /><div class="MsoNormal">I’ve noticed I have a lot of belly fat, which we all know is the worst kind of fat. It’s better to carry it on your hips and thighs, and not the belly.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Even  as my weight goes down, my waistband seems tighter. The thighs of my pants are looser, but my waist and abdomen are bigger. The video from a couple days ago showed me just how bad it looks. Not only is is visually unappealing, but I know it’s killing me from the inside out. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I have a sick feeling the growth of my abdomen has a lot to do with the incredible stress I’ve been under since September 21, 2011, when my sister had her stroke. We’ve all heard how stress produces a hormone called cortisol that causes belly fat.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m 56 years old and have never dealt with a mess like what I’ve gone through with my sister. I didn’t know my family was so totally screwed up, including my own brother.  If I hear him say “Poor Linda, you should be nicer to her” one more time, I think I will just freaking lose it. Linda is the crazy niece that continues to torture me with her insanity. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The latest is that my other niece called me last night (the one I’m having evicted from the apartment complex my sister owns) to tell me that Linda is on a plane to Seattle this weekend to see her mother. She was crying and apologizing for being such a loser herself, she sounded drunk, so I don't even know if it was a true statement.<br /><br />Regardless, this means I have to head down to the Sheriff’s department this morning and see what can be done to stop craziest niece if she shows up at the home this weekend. I can't have her causing a disruption at the home or upsetting her mother. As my sister’s legal guardian I have control over who can see her and who can’t. For now, craziest niece is on the “can’t see my sister” list. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Since this is such an odd situation, the Alaska Courts granted guardianship to me, Alaska Adult Protection Services and Alaska State attorney general’s office are involved, and my sister is still technically a resident of Alaska, it’s not easy to secure a restraining order against my niece that lives in Alaska. I have to hire another attorney down here to help me, and he didn’t call me back yesterday. Stress level at the moment, off the Richter scale.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListBullet" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">Even if I could take crazy niece out of the picture (which seems to be outside my realm of possibilities), I still have the stress of managing sister’s fiances. She has some money left, but at the rate it's going, it's being quickly depleted which is scaring the hell out of me.<br /><br />I paid $7,000 of bills yesterday for my sister's basically abandoned apartment complex in Fairbanks (just the niece and grand-niece still live them and of course, haven’t paid rent for two years). This is only the tip of the iceberg of month bills. There's tons more, bills for her house, medical bills, credit card bills, property and car insurance, property and income taxes (did I mention there's a possible $39,000 IRS bill looming over my head for my sister?). I pray the sale goes through the end of this week for the apartments. Otherwise, my sister is only good for a few more months. Even down here the cost is $4,800/month just for her room and board (it was $7,500/month in Fairbanks).   </div><div class="MsoListBullet" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Since my stress level isn’t going down anytime soon, what do I do about my belly fat that seems to be growing by the minute? It’s actually kind of frightening. I measured my waist this morning and it’s 34 ½ inches. My abdomen is 43 inches. That's really dangerous, especially at my age. I can imagine that my internal organs are covered in a really thick layer of disgusting yellowish fat, and that my organs are struggling to function.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Obviously, I need a plan. I’ve read many times that cardio will melt belly fat. Almost every day I do at least 30 minutes of cardio. I do an Intense, hard core cardio workout on the StairMaster or elliptical. It’s a crazy-fast interval program on both machines (on alternating days).  And I do mean crazy fast where the sweat is pouring off of me and my clothes are wet with sweat within the first two minutes. After my cardio, I lift weights, alternating different sets of muscles on different days. Obviously the exercise isn’t the answer to melting my belly fat. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I just searched “Belly Fat” on Amazon.com. 3,387 matches. Where to start? I’m not really sure, but I have a feeling the answer is out there. I need to do something different. Eat different food, change my exercise. There has to be something that works. If anyone has any ideas for melting the belly fat, please post a comment. I know there are “melt belly fat” pills, I’ve seen them advertised in weight loss magazines. I’m not a pill person so I wouldn’t even consider trying a belly fat reducing pill. I’m sure it’s false advertising. There aren’t any magic pills.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I'm thinking about starting yoga. Not for exercise but just so I can calm the hell down for at least a few hours a week. Not hot yoga which I hate, but the regular kind that focuses on breathing and stretching. I like that kind. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Of course, I strongly suspect if I just lose the weight, the belly fat will be reduced significantly. That’s probably the real answer. <sigh><br /></sigh></div>

Stress and belly fat

I’ve noticed I have a lot of belly fat, which we all know is the worst kind of fat. It’s better to carry it on your hips and thighs, and not...

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OMG! When did I get so fat!!!

You've probably had this happen to you. You're kind of going along in life, lots of things pulling you in different directions, and you're not really focused on diet and exercise. You're trying to make the best possible choices, sometimes you do and sometimes you don't. You think you're eating right and you're squeezing in the exercise when you can.<br /><br />Then it happens. You see a picture of yourself. You can't believe your eyes. That can't be YOU!<br /><br />Actually, my moment of realization that I'm fat was even worse. It was a video taken by my husband last night. It was suppose to be a video of my sister but since my husband was handling the camera there's several minutes of me wheeling around in my sister's wheelchair at her new home (really kind of fun too). But when I saw the video, all I could see was a very fat Diana:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="266" id="BLOGGER-video-1ee478a19b820e5e-8130" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyr7g4Dl25KDOlEsLvyBYlWyGRnaH6MzXHX0QHNl5vtB1Rprd8WZuUt3niPJsMaWe9HMsywDVozq2mpRWeTu12wLhISJghtBValE9IKe1kPxyfla4qoDLKLawL__2KKvKTDDMk" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><br />I "thought" I was doing okay. I was weighing every day and was even down a few pounds recently, weighing 178 yesterday morning. I knew I wasn't skinny, but what the hell is that thing around my waist. It looks like I have an inflated inner tube under my shirt around my middle.<br /><br />How did I not see this when I looked in the mirror? Maybe because I don't look in the mirror when I'm sitting down. Maybe I should look in the mirror when I'm sitting down. Honestly, I had no idea I looked this bad. If I didn't know better I'd say I was well over 200 pounds. I wonder if my scale is broken.<br /><br />Okay, so I'm upset about how bad I look. I guess what really bothers me is that I didn't think I looked that bad. Boy, what an eye opener. Videos get me every time. They do not lie.<br /><br />Now I'm really serious about losing this weight. It's ridiculous I've waited this long and goofed off. I should have been at goal years ago. Plus, with all that fat around my middle I'm a strong candidate for a heart attack, or heaven foribd, a stroke!<br /><br />My tools of choice to lose weight, Weight Watchers of course, and my Polar heart rate monitor, as well as my BodyMedia. I'm going to track Points, starting today.<br /><br />Pictures of my sister's new home<br />Lastly, a few pictures of Arbor Rose, were my sister is living now. I love it. It's an adult family home with only six residents. Those are the flowers my niece Camille sent her. Camille is the sweet one.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbG8LRofW6RbPBvVSX8NqTWYdjgg-8eJaEzIu62WVga0CJP0K8Kr17OWtXqtoo3Qaz8lZe8z8AEowPORMsT02ov-nG-AUJfd2fo1QG429fdYJoX0xXZx8lGKKSNc7eyrstNPrUUfDHqfxf/s1600/Joyce_with_flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbG8LRofW6RbPBvVSX8NqTWYdjgg-8eJaEzIu62WVga0CJP0K8Kr17OWtXqtoo3Qaz8lZe8z8AEowPORMsT02ov-nG-AUJfd2fo1QG429fdYJoX0xXZx8lGKKSNc7eyrstNPrUUfDHqfxf/s400/Joyce_with_flowers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9mhj3jRrCvrZLb10RMlyRcCMWWuCRapNHjLOxfMuypil2goxI4HE8SrjKyJyCmAV9DMsIjYjLWACTwH2aCNTYEmniu8qjHtDhUhz0iQk06V8_mbIqxazqHNFah3QKRQTZcoR5dfymTp7D/s1600/DiningRoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9mhj3jRrCvrZLb10RMlyRcCMWWuCRapNHjLOxfMuypil2goxI4HE8SrjKyJyCmAV9DMsIjYjLWACTwH2aCNTYEmniu8qjHtDhUhz0iQk06V8_mbIqxazqHNFah3QKRQTZcoR5dfymTp7D/s400/DiningRoom.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEillxhlgyD1VAUon2-gvChBbd-cDACCSVoSX7EtQpkMA17HKdYO7EQyt_cLdrinnsxjAsEf5mIgHglf7fVcbDP4Y8fzlwvEpf3qGAGZVtGMDjXBUUd4Y409WkaImPPzzb7RpuYIGoUFFB7A/s1600/EntryWay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEillxhlgyD1VAUon2-gvChBbd-cDACCSVoSX7EtQpkMA17HKdYO7EQyt_cLdrinnsxjAsEf5mIgHglf7fVcbDP4Y8fzlwvEpf3qGAGZVtGMDjXBUUd4Y409WkaImPPzzb7RpuYIGoUFFB7A/s400/EntryWay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntqZoweiEyu6N47qmSsVpqTWqL7yNwxITW4r1Brx8cRku50XPDVyTb-Cz9Tx55LukA6xZW5XzpGZf8NlMc2SMXKTSeyeHjju5iRVwp3xrHzewZ4iowB-NxNurqCLYWXwfhOzAoEbxgxPh/s1600/P1030969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntqZoweiEyu6N47qmSsVpqTWqL7yNwxITW4r1Brx8cRku50XPDVyTb-Cz9Tx55LukA6xZW5XzpGZf8NlMc2SMXKTSeyeHjju5iRVwp3xrHzewZ4iowB-NxNurqCLYWXwfhOzAoEbxgxPh/s400/P1030969.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBIsBSsjmCQ-rj_cLrnc92JvyMkCOYA2KRPMMeGhaZmEWmjN4YGBmvuKLnRMk92AqLBMc0Pmd4RJy1oK_Mz5Hxl2dmnFITZrReZq85NokaEvWVKwbqsYeiKrUfCxAIMow4hlXVPXHvdHi/s1600/Kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBIsBSsjmCQ-rj_cLrnc92JvyMkCOYA2KRPMMeGhaZmEWmjN4YGBmvuKLnRMk92AqLBMc0Pmd4RJy1oK_Mz5Hxl2dmnFITZrReZq85NokaEvWVKwbqsYeiKrUfCxAIMow4hlXVPXHvdHi/s400/Kitchen.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LigrYJLO_gBSF0Cczoa2kRhw8VorXe6vcK9LGEIr-whQPpZVG1mHveNg0t4yHeIADOGKGktbW8GffpMQH79gV6w00b3Y1us7q1AH-znxZZ84AIivXFPuNx4jJnNDIQH-s7Am0K3CRxxU/s1600/FamilyRoomView.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LigrYJLO_gBSF0Cczoa2kRhw8VorXe6vcK9LGEIr-whQPpZVG1mHveNg0t4yHeIADOGKGktbW8GffpMQH79gV6w00b3Y1us7q1AH-znxZZ84AIivXFPuNx4jJnNDIQH-s7Am0K3CRxxU/s400/FamilyRoomView.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

OMG! When did I get so fat!!!

You've probably had this happen to you. You're kind of going along in life, lots of things pulling you in different directions, and ...

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Microsoft announces the Partners in Learning South African Forum 2012

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Calling all South African teachers who are using technology in engaging ways. Entries are now open for the Microsoft Partners in Learning South African Forum 2012.<br /><br />Share your innovative lesson or project that uses ICT and you could win a trip to Morocco to attend the Middle East Africa Forum and from there, possibly the Global Forum in Athens, Greece. <br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">What do teachers need to do to enter the Microsoft Partners in Learning Forum?</span></b><br /><br />Teachers need to have run a project or lesson that uses ICT in a creative and engaging way. Teachers then need to complete the PowerPoint entry template describing their project or lesson. This entry then needs to be uploaded to the Partners in Learning Network by Monday 12 March: <a href="http://www.pil-network.com/">http://africa.partnersinlearningnetwork.com/communities/f3a5865473b842f7b690ed9f47217405/Pages/default.aspx</a> . To download the entry template please visit <a href="http://www.schoolnet.org.za/itf">http://www.schoolnet.org.za/itf</a><br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Face to face workshops</span></b><br /><br />To find out about face to face Microsoft Innovation Workshops that will be taking place in February 2012 call Almah at SchoolNet on 011 403 5777 or email <a href="http://www.blogger.com/almah@schoolnet.org.za">almah@schoolnet.org.za</a>. <br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sign up for the online course</span></b><br /><br />To find out about the Online Innovation Course which will be run by Fiona Beal from 16 January 2012 email fiona@schoolnet.org.za or sign up on the wiki <a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course</a> <br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Summary of important links</span></b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>To sign up for the online course go to: <a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course"><br />http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course</a><a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/"></a></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Visit the "South African Microsoft Partners in Learning Forum" on the Partners in Learning Network at <a href="http://africa.partnersinlearningnetwork.com/communities/f3a5865473b842f7b690ed9f47217405/Pages/default.aspx">http://africa.partnersinlearningnetwork.com/communities/f3a5865473b842f7b690ed9f47217405/Pages/default.aspx</a></li><li>For further information visit <a href="http://www.schoolnet.org.za/itf/">http://www.schoolnet.org.za/itf/</a> <b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></b></li></ul><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Read more about the forum<br /></span></b><br />Read more about the Partners in Learning Forum, last years's winners, and the fantastic prizes on offer in this Youblisher.com flipbook below (just click on the writing to enlarge the pages):<br /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youblisher.com/p/225372-Partners-in-Learning-Global-forum-brochure/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Partners in Learning Global forum brochure" src="http://www.youblisher.com/files/publications/38/225372/200x300.jpg" /></a></div></div><div></div></div>

Competitions Microsoft Project-based learning Teaching Technology integration Microsoft announces the Partners in Learning South African Forum 2012

Calling all South African teachers who are using technology in engaging ways. Entries are now open for the Microsoft Partners in Learning So...

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Zipfizz Winners

Good Friday morning to ya!<br /><br />Just a quick note to say who the winners are for the <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2012/01/its-giveaway.html">Zipfizz giveaway</a>:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9n2kbTtqdis4oXFnpn05UhkQony_Wx_k_GB9mva2sGDZe08uIXxzYLPRZqE_GoVo09VOGj2R92CtoFD0AUqwgV5MbCcU7qE5pHkXEMDT9CyYlMEZ51lQUZzzUZKL2ebJevbPOehGg2Y/s1600/zipfizz+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9n2kbTtqdis4oXFnpn05UhkQony_Wx_k_GB9mva2sGDZe08uIXxzYLPRZqE_GoVo09VOGj2R92CtoFD0AUqwgV5MbCcU7qE5pHkXEMDT9CyYlMEZ51lQUZzzUZKL2ebJevbPOehGg2Y/s400/zipfizz+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4uBe52eK0BLsXbrdVqFJ6Q2HvnydYmWwUWmSxZrgpEe1VYDRchS-7clzFNfhYKf_s0JwNcbNHVG3i-Wn2-H3ayhlQnoRK0cMXyp0N1XpKm7d8kBmor7SKsnY-H1ir2xXD9mWGhggt3g/s1600/jenniferwalters.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4uBe52eK0BLsXbrdVqFJ6Q2HvnydYmWwUWmSxZrgpEe1VYDRchS-7clzFNfhYKf_s0JwNcbNHVG3i-Wn2-H3ayhlQnoRK0cMXyp0N1XpKm7d8kBmor7SKsnY-H1ir2xXD9mWGhggt3g/s1600/jenniferwalters.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzs8ev3_4dSzBqZlviGxqmbEXsqZs36dCwNMz1AkqMVgRxwzUhGZNh_tni_OezGyR2yL6jJXQwV8YW-C1eLTV6d7i3_Yqn4xlOS2pnYZNisECLqY9mT4DErNAz5wWwCnWpJuiqC5nz9mA/s1600/lis+winner+19.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzs8ev3_4dSzBqZlviGxqmbEXsqZs36dCwNMz1AkqMVgRxwzUhGZNh_tni_OezGyR2yL6jJXQwV8YW-C1eLTV6d7i3_Yqn4xlOS2pnYZNisECLqY9mT4DErNAz5wWwCnWpJuiqC5nz9mA/s1600/lis+winner+19.JPG" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br />Please email me with your mailing address and I'll send that over to the company (they will mail you the product sample directly).<br /><br />Thank you all SO MUCH for participating :). <br /><br />Jennifer & Lis, you'll have to let me know what you think.  I hope you like Zipfizz as much as I do!<br /><br />I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!  I'm starting mine off with my lowest recorded weight yet (and down 1 pound from last week!).  :)<br /><br />Take care!<br />

giveaways Zipfizz Winners

Good Friday morning to ya! Just a quick note to say who the winners are for the Zipfizz giveaway : Please email me with your mailing address...

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VERTIGO: More than just the streets of San Francisco...

<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>By guest contributor Michael Nazarewycz </i></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4fLHjEo3dXvCUAPDz4hBdJHw1O5Dt6BF8M-Y_iRiCpCNnoRJuWLBRfKloMRurmuY4J5lq9gwedZdeSb7aPRrFFttZJbJk6yYMDjs3g8JAI0RSMUPefxMSFNjzJ1qbwknhbnKS4YrKnM-/s1600/SF+1+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4fLHjEo3dXvCUAPDz4hBdJHw1O5Dt6BF8M-Y_iRiCpCNnoRJuWLBRfKloMRurmuY4J5lq9gwedZdeSb7aPRrFFttZJbJk6yYMDjs3g8JAI0RSMUPefxMSFNjzJ1qbwknhbnKS4YrKnM-/s1600/SF+1+b.jpg" /></a></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">It’s easy to take for granted a film’s location.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some settings, of course, are mandatory to support the historical accuracy of a film; consider the importance of location in a war picture or biopic.  Other settings might not be important for historical accuracy per se, but are critical to the believability of a film.  For example, Oliver Stone’s <i>Wall Street</i> (1987), title aside, never would have worked anywhere else but in New York City, given the high-finance, decade-of-decadence aspects of the story.  Beyond instances like these, though, it’s easy for filmmakers to pigeonhole movie locations into high-level descriptions like big city, sprawling country, hot resort, or cozy hamlet.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But where do you set your film when you need more than geography?  Where do you set your film when the location is less about sense of place and more about state of mind?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br /><a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If the film is <i>Vertigo</i>, Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 masterpiece about a man who might be crazy and a woman who might be possessed, then the setting can only be San Francisco.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Early in the film, the fact that the setting is San Francisco is of little, if any, consequence.  The story opens with John “Scottie” Ferguson (James Stewart), a San Francisco police detective, chasing a criminal on foot across the rooftops of the city; a uniformed officer assists him in the chase.  Rooftop foot chases are nothing new in movies, so this action could have occurred in any major city. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_yR3yesUWPrywosnMHZmfyeH0DV4Uy_Pq5wOPfCfQR0flEyZChBAw46fv19GoASl5ioGDO7zojZFKrmbF1WEjx8cTTR8uup6cgxApZ0OoRKamgWLmMfmhGoGTcTiQVx34A-YN5qKJgTIU/s1600/Vertigo+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_yR3yesUWPrywosnMHZmfyeH0DV4Uy_Pq5wOPfCfQR0flEyZChBAw46fv19GoASl5ioGDO7zojZFKrmbF1WEjx8cTTR8uup6cgxApZ0OoRKamgWLmMfmhGoGTcTiQVx34A-YN5qKJgTIU/s400/Vertigo+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;">The scene ends after Scottie slips on a slanted roof and finds himself dangling from a gutter.  The uniformed officer ends his pursuit of the criminal to help Scottie, but slips on the roof tiles and plummets past Scottie to his death.  The ordeal triggers within Scottie a case of acrophobia – the fear of heights – and he is forced into early retirement.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It’s at this point that it would be easy to look at the setting of San Francisco and say, “Of course!  San Francisco has hills, and buildings on hills.  A man suffering from acrophobia surely would be tortured by living in that city.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Maybe, but that’s no more true than if he were living in New York with its towering skyscrapers, or in Denver with its mile-highness.  Let me make this clear now – Scottie’s acrophobia is nothing more than a plot-point.  The film is called <i>Vertigo</i>, not <i>Acrophobia.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not long after the tragic event, Scottie is contacted by an old college friend, Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore).  Gavin hires Scottie to follow his wife, Madeleine Elster (Kim Novak), spinning a tale of a woman whose recent behavior has been peculiar to the point that Gavin thinks his wife might be possessed by a ghost.  Gavin wants Scottie to get to the bottom of what his wife does with her days – things that conflict with what she tells him she has done and where she has gone, things that rack up too many miles on the odometer.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And so it begins: not just Scottie’s pursuit of the truth, and not just his descent into madness, but the revelation of the core reason why San Francisco is vital to this film; so vital, in fact, that to have shot it anywhere else would have made it one of Hitchcock’s lesser works.  The city, its places and its layout, are all physical representations of the inner-workings of Scottie’s mind.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Pd4jwu8BGP3fBM6PD34-eaK_1RK8zZZSgVo8cHSn51sC_B1s_de7YCqVHVIeUH_4wzzM-Clob4NMdKE8f_w_yxj2Fyju4Ve7TPkA26YW-nPwl7yYZvae8MXNwMhgzA0h_OEaHI5Mz97K/s1600/Vertigo+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Pd4jwu8BGP3fBM6PD34-eaK_1RK8zZZSgVo8cHSn51sC_B1s_de7YCqVHVIeUH_4wzzM-Clob4NMdKE8f_w_yxj2Fyju4Ve7TPkA26YW-nPwl7yYZvae8MXNwMhgzA0h_OEaHI5Mz97K/s400/Vertigo+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;">Hitchcock’s shrewdness with setting is established immediately after the rooftop chase.  Scottie is in the apartment of old friend and former love Midge (Barbara Bel Geddes), who has three large windows that overlook San Francisco, and through these windows, we get a clear sense not just of how high Scottie and Midge are but, because of the city’s legendary hills, we get a sense of how far down other things are … how far down Scottie can fall.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I mentioned before that this film is not called <i>Acrophobia</i>, it’s called <i>Vertigo</i>.  Acrophobia is a fear of heights.  Vertigo is a dizzy, confused state of mind.  The difference is an important one.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After meeting with Gavin, Scottie begins his surveillance of Madeleine by waiting for her to leave her apartment so he can tail her car.  This is, of course, what any good detective would do, but by following her, he is, in effect, being led by her.  He doesn’t know it, but as his curiosity becomes obsession, every move he makes is not proactive by him, but reactive to her.  And where does she lead him on this first encounter?  Down a labyrinthine path, with several turns and slow weaves through traffic, coming to a stop in an alley.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of course, streets and turns and traffic and alleys aren’t unique to San Francisco, but its hills are.  San Francisco, with heights ranging from sea level to 900+ feet (that’s 90+ stories) above sea level, has a unique combination of population density and radical height differences – a combination you won’t find in another city.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIWNMjc05PIXOb4w0N2xinF_atTeLHaXAxOwGcAib2Ua5Y08FKHWc-xIEFv0-6YnONckJTi2ZZOsn4PkXWMpG9F8K9JlFbAH_iCYjzkVPse9lbTbRbx5nV6DW3_P4NZ8bDCP7DUFQWxhs/s1600/Fillmore+St.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIWNMjc05PIXOb4w0N2xinF_atTeLHaXAxOwGcAib2Ua5Y08FKHWc-xIEFv0-6YnONckJTi2ZZOsn4PkXWMpG9F8K9JlFbAH_iCYjzkVPse9lbTbRbx5nV6DW3_P4NZ8bDCP7DUFQWxhs/s400/Fillmore+St.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">With that, the most important word in the description of Scottie’s first surveillance of Madeleine is “down.”  Scottie’s first physical trip down the steep, hilled streets of San Francisco in pursuit of the truth about Madeleine is his first psychological step down the steep, perilous path of obsession with (and madness over) this beautiful and mysterious woman.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After purchasing flowers, Madeleine continues to lead Scottie, and her next stop is the cemetery at Mission Delores.  This location is critical, too.  It isn’t just a cemetery, nor is it just a cemetery adjacent to a church.  It’s a cemetery that requires you to navigate through a church to get to it.  And the grave she visits requires a walk along a winding path through the cemetery.  And all of it – the grave at the cemetery next to the church – is a downhill drive away from the flower shop.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The further down the hills of San Francisco Scottie follows, the further down the path of obsession and madness Madeleine leads.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And continues to lead, this time to the Palace of the Legion of Honor – the art museum where she stares at the painting of the woman we later learn is Madeleine's great grandmother.  This time, the drive is relatively flat, but the walk from the car to the museum is a long one.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When it comes to visiting these places, the drives and walks aren’t short and quick.  They are twisting and turning and long and eventual, just as Scottie’s descent into madness isn’t a short and quick plummet; it, too, is twisting and turning and long and eventual.  Whether on paths though alleys (the darker side of Scottie’s soul?) or churches (Scottie’s own shot at redemption?), every physical step brings him closer to Madeleine – a closeness that only feeds his obsession.  </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQ9xoUYAhwMBvvoawKvcs3-XBhHMcfmQsvU-LqpQjBICz0bzgItAI_Zw74CSjHe3PfW6KIfm99JCR-XVmagmbvHZWdo471pVQXkQcfntQn_QXtlgFYKlzIU9mohXzhVPS9oW-Wx1NV6Zy/s1600/Vertigo+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQ9xoUYAhwMBvvoawKvcs3-XBhHMcfmQsvU-LqpQjBICz0bzgItAI_Zw74CSjHe3PfW6KIfm99JCR-XVmagmbvHZWdo471pVQXkQcfntQn_QXtlgFYKlzIU9mohXzhVPS9oW-Wx1NV6Zy/s400/Vertigo+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;">Madeleine’s last stop is the McKittrick Hotel.  Again, the ride is flat, but something different happens.  Scottie watches Madeleine enter the hotel and pass by a second-story window.  But to enter the hotel, he must climb a steep flight of stairs (which he does), and to get to the second floor, he must climb another steep flight of stairs (which he does again).  Yes, these climbs lend to the ongoing effort and Scottie’s willingness to surrender to Madeleine, but when he gets to the second story room, she’s not there.  And that’s because she’s not up … she’s down.  Climbing won’t get Scottie closer to Madeleine – only descending (into madness) will.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The next day, Madeleine leads Scottie from her apartment straight to the museum (which is still a downward drive, representing Scottie’s ever-growing psychological descent), and from the museum, she leads him to Fort Point, which sits at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge at San Francisco Bay.  Down, down, down Scottie continues to go, both physically and mentally.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fort Point is at sea-level, and there is no going lower than that in San Francisco … unless you go into the Bay itself, which Madeleine does, with a jump that appears to be a suicide attempt.  Of course, Scottie follows to rescue her.  Short of donning scuba gear, Scottie has reached the end his descent – he can go no lower physically, nor can he go any lower mentally.  He appears to be Madeleine’s, lock, stock, and sea-level barrel, but Hitchcock makes sure to prove that to us the next day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="goog_2062155625"></span><span id="goog_2062155626"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBPIqZEXSMMYGAakfcchVZP_XI6XAlqM_m8YELB_njSvgqvVspygIaXrfHOWnTKcurtVlvmi-elNv-WjID8GflddWqrF2XTC-FexTr2cN-8oes8UtkKwowFFD5nSRLYAcMC0A1AtrsbY6/s1600/scottie+saves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBPIqZEXSMMYGAakfcchVZP_XI6XAlqM_m8YELB_njSvgqvVspygIaXrfHOWnTKcurtVlvmi-elNv-WjID8GflddWqrF2XTC-FexTr2cN-8oes8UtkKwowFFD5nSRLYAcMC0A1AtrsbY6/s400/scottie+saves.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;">After saving Madeleine, Scottie brings her to his townhouse (the exterior of which is always shot by Hitchcock at a downward angle), but she soon slips out while he is on the phone.  The next day, Scottie resumes his surveillance, and Madeleine leads him on the longest journey yet through the heart of the city, with more turns and steeper hills, only to end up back at his place.  This is Hitchcock at his best in this film; this is Hitchcock telling us that Scottie, in order to find himself, must travel long and winding and down.  And then Hitch gets even better.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When Scottie meets Madeleine at his place, neither have specific plans, so they decide to “wander” together, but before they go, when she is in her car and he is on the outside talking to her, she mentions to Scottie that he left his home door open.  This seems so random and meaningless on the surface, but that door represents the last chance Scottie has of reclaiming himself.  If he runs to the door and runs inside the house and closes the door behind him, never to see Madeleine again, he can begin his psychological ascent back to normal.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivV16p1ps8FBt7EY8Rh_gFHx3VLdPTStiB6xuBKwQkRxCADgSbO63nbHZNObR0ThiSxEqwBQOafKutIKtdugzk6LE54ViFvGTuy3EV11ckiNFH2aTNKvOfY1l5Btd6xqYXmktgFaGe5Sty/s1600/Vertigo+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivV16p1ps8FBt7EY8Rh_gFHx3VLdPTStiB6xuBKwQkRxCADgSbO63nbHZNObR0ThiSxEqwBQOafKutIKtdugzk6LE54ViFvGTuy3EV11ckiNFH2aTNKvOfY1l5Btd6xqYXmktgFaGe5Sty/s400/Vertigo+6.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;">Instead, he rushes to close the door; and as the viewer you know, right there, that he has pushed all of his chips into the center of the high-stakes Madeleine table, closing the door to his past self and going all-in with her, no matter how far down all-in might be.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Their next destination is another long and winding drive, this time to see the Big Basin Redwoods.  And while these mighty, centuries-old trees might suggest something to do with height, I’m more intrigued by the fact that she drove the car; Scottie is no longer in control of his own destiny at this point.  By giving into his obsession to her, he is merely along for the ride … her ride.  It’s also on this trip when they kiss for the first time.  Deal sealed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The rest of the film is cinematic history.  If you have seen it, you know.  If you haven’t, I hope I haven’t spoiled anything for you.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In three short days, Scottie not only fell in love with Madeleine, he became obsessed with her to the point of sacrificing his own sanity to be with her.  And therein lies the key to the importance of San Francisco to <i>Vertigo</i>.  Where other cities in other films might represent cookie-cutter locations or easily-recognizable landmarks in otherwise two-dimensional stories, San Francisco offers something no other city could for this story or this film: a sprawling and beautifully architectured representation of one man’s soul.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9_00fV90cB2o1bw5veD4kKger-hoXwurousfN7APHATBTUoo35rytzM_pQecyW27Bcn-24ZXgjRPg7O1wL3x4fBoeerLBt9KYxB7KVi64FNuZGYwB6rD2vUuXto4flHMk7KaCoZJSSY/s1600/Coit+Tower+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9_00fV90cB2o1bw5veD4kKger-hoXwurousfN7APHATBTUoo35rytzM_pQecyW27Bcn-24ZXgjRPg7O1wL3x4fBoeerLBt9KYxB7KVi64FNuZGYwB6rD2vUuXto4flHMk7KaCoZJSSY/s1600/Coit+Tower+3.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">~ </span></i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdiBkmPvlUgEZxsCdafE3914OfrvNjji1MSZ0VRjYbndNRwT0HYFLXchLOaOid5c6imobhmLsEVWkueyaMvI17-vo8qPH7rAKeG6wfa0eHAxlzmiyJFPrPZTwMtvy56zFQgX52D33cPjk/s1600/Scribe+Hard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdiBkmPvlUgEZxsCdafE3914OfrvNjji1MSZ0VRjYbndNRwT0HYFLXchLOaOid5c6imobhmLsEVWkueyaMvI17-vo8qPH7rAKeG6wfa0eHAxlzmiyJFPrPZTwMtvy56zFQgX52D33cPjk/s200/Scribe+Hard.jpg" width="195" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><b>Michael Nazarewycz</b> is a film buff and writer who spent his childhood watching old black-and-whites and cheesy horrors on UHF.  He's been hooked ever since, and readily admits that he'll watch anything anyone would consider a motion picture, from a nickelodeon silent to a digital epic.  Michael is an Editorial Contributor for US-based <a href="http://manilovefilms.com/author/scribehard/" style="color: #990000;">ManILoveFilms</a>, a Writer for UK-based <a href="http://www.filmoria.co.uk/author/michael-nazarewycz/" style="color: #990000;">Filmoria</a>, and he has just launched a new blog, <a href="http://scribehardonfilm.wordpress.com/" style="color: #990000;">ScribeHard on Film</a>, where he will share more personal thoughts on movies, as well as perform in-depth analysis of the classics.  Michael invites you to follow him on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/scribehard" style="color: #990000;">@ScribeHard</a>, where he Tweets mostly about ... what else? ... movies.</span></i></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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A Month of Vertigo Alfred Hitchcock Michael Nazarewycz San Francisco Vertigo VERTIGO: More than just the streets of San Francisco...

By guest contributor Michael Nazarewycz It’s easy to take for granted a film’s location. Some settings, of course, are mandatory to support ...

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