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15 Ideas to Prepare Toddlers and Preschoolers for Dental Procedures
Welcome to the April 2012 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Kids and Personal Care
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have shared stories, tips, and struggles relating to their children's personal care choices.
When Kieran was three years old, he had to be anesthetized for a dental procedure.1 The procedure was too extensive for Novocaine or Versed, and so we did a lot to prepare Kieran for what would happen at the dentist's office. Today I'd like to share with you the basics of what happened during the procedure, along with some tips on how to prepare your child for anesthesia specific to dental work.
What Happened During the Dental Procedure
On the evening before Kieran's appointment, we were to cut off food after dinner (his appointment was to start at 7:00a.m.). He could have clear liquids for another few hours after that, but basically he was not to have anything to eat or drink after he went to sleep. Your dentist will tell you exactly when to stop giving your child food or drink. For breastfeeding children, Kellymom advises that "the most current studies say that babies can safely nurse 3-4 hours prior to surgery." Be sure to discuss breastfeeding protocol with your anesthesiologist, and do not be afraid to cite recent studies.
The procedure itself started with a quick medical history and vital signs check (blood pressure and heart rate) by the anesthesiologist's assistant.2 Once they were ready to start, the anesthesiologist gave Kieran a quick shot in the bottom – this helped him get into a "twilight state" so that the anesthesiologist could start the IV. I had written down exactly what medications were used on Kieran, but that paper is long gone. I believe that the shot prior to the IV was something similar to Versed – it didn't knock Kieran out all the way, but he was completely out of it and unresponsive after the medicine took effect.
Kieran was on my lap for the shot – I was holding him (with him facing me) in a tight hug so that he could not squirm off. In less than five minutes, the medicine had taken effect and I had to turn my baby over to the anesthesiologist to start the IV. We were not allowed to be in the room for the rest of the procedure. On a side note, I want to warn parents that the "twilight state" induced by the shot was probably the hardest part for me. It's hard to see your baby unresponsive, glassy-eyed, and slack-jawed. As soon as I felt him go limp in my arms and I looked into his face, I lost the composure that I'd been fighting very hard to keep all morning.
An hour later, the anesthesiologist told me that Kieran was starting to rouse, but that they did not want us to go back to him until he'd really started to wake up. I was frustrated by this – I did not want Kieran to be at all awake or alert without me in the room. However, the anesthesiologist's idea of awake and my idea of awake were worlds apart – once we were allowed back to his room, Kieran was in no way aware of our presence (or the lack thereof).
It took Kieran a good 15-20 minutes to be awake enough for us to get him ready to go home. He was still super groggy in the car, but he was awake enough to make comments liked "What happened to my cavities?," "I'm wobbly," and "Usually when I go to the dentist they give me ice cream!" Heh.
Overall, the procedure was much more anxiety-producing than it was actually painful. Kieran did cry and express how scared he was when we were getting ready to leave for the dentist, but he was better once we were in the car. After he woke up, he enjoyed getting to drink a Sonic slush, and he thought it was pretty cool that we stayed in bed together the rest of the day eating soft, fun foods.
So how did we prepare him for anesthesia at the dentist? Keep reading!
Preparing Your Child for Anesthesia During a Dental Procedure
If your little one needs to have dental work with anesthesia, you may be wondering how to help him prepare for it. Here are some ideas on how you can help prepare your child for the experience of anesthesia and dental work.3
Play Dentist
In one of the appointments before the big procedure, ask your dentist to give you some masks and gloves. Play dentist and let your child be in control. Act out the uncomfortable parts, with you being the uncomfortable child. Kieran loved to see me act scared and cry when he came at me with gloves. If your child is into doll play, use dolls to act out the appointment.
Decide What Your Child Needs to Know
Each parent will know the information they want to share and that their child can handle. For us, it is important that we share truthful information with Kieran, and he feels better when he knows exactly what is going to happen, so we chose to walk through everything with him in advance. Other parents may feel that sharing too much information may raise their child's stress level more than is necessary.
The hardest part for us to deal with was explaining the shot. Some parents deal with this by describing it as a poke or pinch. We did tell him that there would be a shot, and we described the feeling as a pinch. We dealt with Kieran's anxiety about the shot by acting it out.
Read Books
There aren't specific books that I can find on this subject, but here are a few that might help prepare your child:
Going to the Dentist: A Picture Social Skills Story Book
Tell Social Stories
Social stories were developed for children with autism spectrum disorders. Social stories "describe[] a situation, skill, or concept in terms of relevant social cues, perspectives, and common responses . . . ." They are intended to share information in a "patient and reassuring manner that is easily understood by its audience."4
I've found several social stories about dentists and surgery online, you can use them to come up with your own. (For what it's worth, some of the language in these stories makes me uncomfortable. For example, "The doctor might want to touch me. That is ok." That phrasing does not sit well with me, because allowing any adult carte blanche permission to touch my child is never ok with me. I would change some of this phrasing. You might also be uncomfortable because at least one site says that a goal of social stories is to "gain compliance." As always, use your judgment with these resources.)
- The Autism Spectrum Directory has several links to social stories about going to the doctor and dentist
- A child's dentist appointment photos
- Dentist social story
- Going to dentist's office
- Kids Can Dream (this site has many social story links, including several on going to the dentist and going to the doctor)
Flip books (a mama of a child with autism shares how she uses flip books to prepare her child for doctor and dentist appointments)
Going to the Doctor (with audio)
- Going Places (has several links for stories that include going to the doctor and going to the dentist)
Rehearse It
Some children might feel reassured by rehearsing the steps of the procedure. It may even help to incorporate some of these steps into a practice visit to the dentist. Rehearsing can help make the procedure seem more normal for some children.
Take It Step by Step
Your little one may feel overwhelmed by hearing about the whole procedure at once. You might try discussing it step by step, pausing to let her get comfortable with each part in turn. On the day of the event, concentrate on only one step at a time. When Kieran woke up for his appointment, we could not get him to budge from the bed when he was thinking about "going to the dentist." But he became willing to move out the door when we talked about simply getting into the car and seeing how we felt from there.
Focus on the Good Parts (Including Anything Fun You'll Do Afterward)
If your little one is food-oriented, you can talk up and plan out all of the fun soft foods he can eat after his dental work is done. Kieran helped me choose what he would eat for the 24 hours after the procedure, including – of course – ice cream.
Some dentist's offices are really fun – your little one might leave with prizes, a balloon, etc. Our office has two beautiful aquariums that kids like to look at, but the bigger draw is the big TV (showing kids' movies all day long) and video games kids can play while waiting.
If your little one is having any pain, be sure to talk about the fact that her mouth will feel so much better once the problem is fixed.
Reassure Him You'll Be There
Kieran's biggest fear (besides the fear of the unknown, I suppose) was being away from us. We reassured him that we would be with him up until the very point when he went to sleep. We also told him that we would be in the room when he woke up. He never asked about what would happen when he went to sleep, and I never felt it was necessary to volunteer that information. Additionally, we made it clear that we trusted the dentist to take good care of his mouth.
Bring a Comfort Object
Whether it is a blanket, a shirt that smells like mama, a doll, or a superhero costume, encourage your child to bring something that will make her think of home and of safety.
Give Your Child Some Control
It must be terrifying to be a child who feels compelled to submit to dental or medical work. As much as we talk it out and explain how necessary it might be, children are still apt to feel out of control. Give your child back some of that control in any way you can. For example, Kieran asked to wear his Batman costume (aka pajamas plus a mask and cape) to the dentist. Why not?! If he'd asked to go in his underwear I would have said yes (and then I would have slipped pajama pants on him when the medicine took effect).
Kieran also asked to play Angry Birds on a cell phone while we drove and waited. I would typically discourage video games for that length of time, but it did not matter in the least to me on that day.
He got to choose what he would eat on the day of his procedure. And when he decided after a bite that he did not like what he'd chosen, I just got him something else. It was the little things like that that made him feel a little bit more powerful.
Schedule Your Appointment Early
If your appointment is not an emergency, make every effort to schedule it as early in the morning as possible. This not only helps you avoid food struggles and hunger meltdowns, but it also gives your child less time to worry on the day of the procedure.
Dress Her Comfortably
Again, anything to make your child feel more safe and comfortable will make the visit go smoother. Let her pick out her outfit. By the way, I have heard that some anesthesiologists are able to administer the shot in the bottom through thin pajama pants. I'm pretty sure this is what happened with Kieran.
For little ones who are out of diapers, be aware that some people (grown-ups included!) will lose control of their bladder while under anesthesia. You may want to put your little one in a pull-up. We considered putting Kieran in a pull-up, but he got so anxious at the suggestion that I simply brought along an extra set of clothes in case he wet.
Stay Calm Yourself
Your child will take cues from you, so try to find a way to release your anxiety before the appointment and away from your little one. You might find that simple meditation will be helpful; Presence Parenting offers meditation practice helps that are wonderful.
Visualization could be calming and useful for both you and your child. Think of this as sort of a social story in your imagination (and if you are using this for your child, try to give her some visuals to work with first – the trip to the dentist's office, etc.). When you visualize the day of the procedure, go through each step out loud, calmly. Envision not only what will happen, but the calm, positive feelings you will be focusing on when you live through that step. (If you ever practiced visualization as a technique to help you with childbirth, that is what I'm thinking of here.)
Employ Distractions
Once you have done your best to explain the procedure, work through your child's anxiety, make sure he is comfortable, and calm yourself down, you may find that some fun distractions are effective on the actual day of the procedure – especially if your child has to wait several hours without eating. Take her to a fun location (keep in mind that you a location one that does not have a lot of food vendors and will not deplete all of her energy, making her that much more hungry). For Kieran, it was video games. For your child, perhaps a book-on-CD marathon, a movie, a trip to a museum, etc.
How did you prepare your little one for a medical or dental visit that included anesthesia?
Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
(This list will be live and updated by afternoon April 10 with all the carnival links.)
- Rub-a-Dub Co-Bathing in Our Tub — Bath time is more than soap and water! That Mama Gretchen shares how co-bathing with her toddler has opened up a world of cleanliness, learning, and bonding.
- This is How We Take a Bath — Shannon at GrowingSlower shares her special formulas for babywash and a happy bath time.
- How to Gently Trim Your Toddler's Nails — Shannon at The Artful Mama discusses some of the gentle suggestions she has received to help Little Man overcome his anxiety of having his nails trimmed, as well as how she copes with her need for his nails to be trimmed.
- Baby bath time and skin care — Ursula Ciller shares some simple and natural tips for bathing and skin care.
- Want Your Child To Love Getting Clean? Have Them Make Their Own Soaps, Shampoos, and Lotions! — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama shares her secret to empowering her daughter to "get clean." Together, Jennifer and her daughter make their own body washes and lotions which makes clean up time fun!
- Encouraging Self-care Through Awareness… and Fun — Amy at Presence Parenting shares some tips on how to transform self-care from a struggle into an opportunity — for kids and adults.
- Caring for kids' curls — Lauren at Hobo Mama tells you how to clean, condition, comb, and style ringlets and waves on little heads.
- Playing in the Rain — Jorje of Momma Jorje loves how her family has come to make a family event of showering!
- The Cleansing Power of the Football — Rachel at Lautaret Bohemiet talks about her son's favorite bath buddy.
- Coconut Oil: Nature's "Baby Magic" — Megan at The Boho Mama has only one must-have baby care item in her cupboard: Coconut Oil!
- For Sensitive Kids, Less Is More — Kadiera at Our Little Acorn finds less cleaning is better.
- Bathtime: Just Another Chance to Play! — Lyndsay at Our Feminist {Play} School discusses the many reasons bath time is important – getting clean isn't one of them.
- Hygiene? What hygiene? — Sheila at A Gift Universe confesses some of her most embarrassing hygiene secrets.
- Confused About Chemicals? — Jaye Anne at Wide Awake, Half Asleep describes how to find out where the toxic chemicals are in your house and tips on alternatives.
- Clipping Those Talons — ANonyMous at Radical Ramblings describes the ways her daughter's tolerance for personal care has changed over time, especially when it comes to nail clipping.
- Sit Back, Relax and Unschool Hygiene — Instead of focusing on tactics of how to 'get' your child to focus on hygiene, Authentic Parenting explains how to help your child internalize hygienic standards.
- Help! My Tot will not let me brush her teeth! — Mudpiemama shares five positive ways to help toddlers brush teeth and sabotage the tooth fairy's secret conspiracy.
- Self Care and the Spirited Child — Amy at Toddler In Tow shares how a balancing act between independence and connectedness helps her spirited child learn appropriate self-care.
- Hairbrushing is a Safety Issue — Dulce de leche guest posting at Natural Parents Network explains that although tangles are not a safety issue, self-confidence and body boundaries are.
- 15 Ideas to Prepare Toddlers and Preschoolers for Dental Procedures — Dionna at Code Name: Mama is sharing ideas on how to thoughtfully prepare little ones for dental visits (particularly those that require anesthesia).
- Holistic Care of your Toddler's Teeth — Erica at ChildOrganics tells a tale of her children's teeth issues and how she uses homeopathy and good nutrition to keep cavities at bay.
- Bath Time Bliss : Fuss-Free Bath Time for Toddlers — Christine at African Babies Don't Cry shares how she has made bath time completely fuss free for both her and her toddler.
- Homemade Natural Toothpaste — City Kids Homeschooling hosts a guest post on a homemade natural toothpaste recipe that kids will love!
- Bathing Strike Strategies — Crunchy Con Mommy offers her best tips for keeping your little ones clean when they refuse to bathe.
- Bodily Autonomy and Personal Hygeine — Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children discusses the importance of supporting a child's bodily autonomy in the prevention of abuse.
- A Tub Full of Kiddos! — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment has kiddos who love the water, so bathtime is a favorite evening activity!
- The Trials of Tidying My Toddler — Adrienne at Mommying My Way shares the difficulties she has with getting her on-the-go son to be still enough to get clean.
- Wiped Clean — Laura at Pug in the Kitchen shares her recipe for homemade diaper wipe solution to clean those sweet little cloth diapered bottoms in her home!
- Snug in a Towel: Embracing Personal Grooming — Personal care is time consuming,especially with more than one child; but the mama at Our Muddy Boots is learning to embrace this fleeting and needful time.
- EC: All or Nothing? — Elimination Communication. Even the title sounds complicated and time consuming. It doesn't have to, if you adapt it to meet your family's needs, says Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy.
- Routine Battles — In a guest post at Anktangle, Jorje of Momma Jorje outlines a simple incentive to help inspire your little one to follow a routine.
- Redefining Beauty For My Daughter — Justine at The Lone Home Ranger relays her struggle to define her own femininity and how her preschooler unexpectedly taught her a lesson in true beauty.
- Rub-A-Dub-Dub, Three Girls In The Tub — Chrystal at Happy Mothering shares how she turns bath time into a few minutes of peace and quiet.
- Montessori-Inspired Activities for Care of Self — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now has a roundup of Montessori-inspired activities for care of self and ideas for home environments that encourage independence.
- 10 Gentle Tips for Little Ones Who Hate the Bath — Kim at life-is-learning gives 10 tips to get your little one into the bath and maybe even enjoying it.
- The Boy With The Long Hair — Liam at In The Now discusses his son's grooming choices.
- Personal Care in a Montessori Home — Melissa at Vibrant Wanderings shares a summary of the ways she has organized her family's home to make for easy, Montessori-inspired toddler personal care.
- Styling Kids — Kellie at Our Mindful Life is letting her kids decide what to look like.
- Clean Kids: Laundry and Bath Tips — Kimberly at Homeschooling in Nova Scotia shares tips on how to get your children helping with laundry plus recipes for laundry and liquid soap.
- How to Clean Your Children Naturally: A Tutorial — Erika at Cinco de Mommy shows you how to clean your children.
- Cleaniliness is next to… dirt — The lapse-prone eco-mom (Kenna at Million Tiny Things) sometimes forgets to bathe the kids. Except in the mud pit.
- He got four caps on his four front teeth, with a root canal for each tooth. And yes, we have brushed and flossed the child religiously since he got teeth – he inherited my thin enamel. ↩
- Of course we'd already given a full medical history weeks prior to the procedure, including getting what basically amounted to a well child visit. The check on the day of the procedure was to make sure nothing had changed in the past couple of weeks. ↩
- Many thanks to the advice I received from friends (from Facebook and my local parenting group) when I was preparing Kieran for his own dental work. ↩
- The Gray Center, What Are Social Stories? ↩
22 Responses to:
"15 Ideas to Prepare Toddlers and Preschoolers for Dental Procedures"
Thank you for all of this advice! We need to take Baby for his first dental checkup soon and I'm not looking forward to it. Luckily, our favorite playspace is hosting a free event next week which introduces the dentist and what happens there to toddlers and preschoolers. I'm hoping that will make me feel more prepared too.
It still breaks my heart that you had to go through such an unpleasant experience, but it seems like you did an incredible job of making it as positive as possible for all of you.
We have not had any dentist experiences yet, but I'm definitely filing this away in case we should need it in the future. Thanks for a great resource!
Thank you so much! Two of my kidlets have had a lot of dental work, and I love the tips you included! I especially want to thank you for pointing out that it is not good to teach our children that *any* adult has the right to touch them. My cousin was molested by a dentist, and I was by a doctor. So often children are told that it is OK if it is a medical professional. :(
Very detailed and informative post. Our experience with our oldest was very similar. She didn't have a shot, but instead drank some "happy juice" to get her relaxed before going back for her anesthesia. I think in our situation the Children's Hospital made a huge difference. Our daughter has very fond memories of going there, she was treated like royalty and that's what she remembers.
We recently discovered some t-rex dentist cartoons on Youtube that my son enjoyed. Preparing children for their first trip to the dentist is essential for a good experience. What a fabulous list of resources you've shared.
Such great tips, I'm definitely bookmarking this, although I do hope I will never need it. I have a serious phobia when it comes to the dentist, and I need to work through that quick, because I would hate for Jesse to pick up on that. Nearly time for his first check-up so I need to start practising opening mouths wide with him :)
Ugh I'm dreading this happening-I also have a slight dentist phobia, which isn't made any better by the knowledge that the dentist actually did screw up and slice the inside of my lower lip (not all the way through, so there is only a scar on the inside) when I was like 5. Oh and my mouth is small so everytime I go I end up bleeding on both sides of my mouth from them stretching it out so much. And that I react badly to laughing gas and panicked and tried to escape while the took out my wisdom teeth (they finished the tooth they were working on, but left one in because they were scared they'd injure me)
Anyway, that's a long way of saying that the remaining calm myself category will be my biggest challenge for me if my son every needs a dental procedure!
Dionna, you are a powerhouse of information! I love each and every idea you have shared about how to prepare littles for the dentist. :)
Thank you for doing what you do to simplify and de-stress so many aspects of parenting.
Thank you so much for this topic! As you know, we are having our share of dental woes with weak baby teeth. Sigh. We haven't had anesthesia for that (probably should have!), but I'm going to use a lot of your tips anyway. I really wish we'd known what to expect from the first extraction, but now that we do, I find it very helpful for both of us to talk talk talk over what happens (since he has another one coming up). I'd also like to try role playing, but we'll see how it goes — he can be very literal-minded and doesn't always believe me when I say I'm (pretending to be) a different person. :)
Our only experience with anesthesia was when Mikko was ~11 months and had a minor surgery. I think it was harder on us than on him (I mean, what do I know? but from appearances, at least). I totally agree that the worst moments were those moments after the sedation took effect (for us, it was a liquid sedative, dyed red, that got everywhere). He just got so out of it, and then they picked him up and carried him away. Oh! My little baby… Like I said, harder on us. ;)
Thank you for writing these tips!
These are great tips. We haven't dealt with anesthesia yet, but my daughter recently had an injury at the park and had to take an ambulance to the hospital to have her fingernail reattached. It can be traumatic to have control taken away from you when it comes to care of your children. As for going to the dentist, my daughter has a Sesame Street "Look and Find" Elmo book with a dentist page, and she brought it with her to the dentist to match up the pictures in the book with what she saw. If your child likes to read, I definitely agree with books being a good way to introduce the subject. Thanks for this post!
When my daughter was two, she had three cavities on her front teeth. Our first dentist we visited said she needed to be put under or given another strong drug which i can't remember the name of right now. neither of those options sounded good to me. we asked around and found a dentist recommended to us who only uses general anesthesia when it's seriously needed. he actually ended up not even numbing the area since those shots can be painful, and he was careful to work around and not disturb the nerve. with some prayers, my daughter did amazingly well. for normal checkups, this video helped us http://www.atriptothedentist.com/about.html (we get it from the library). i'm not saying that anesthesia shouldn't be used, but i didn't like that i felt like the dentist was taking the easy (and expensive) way out without considering the options.
This is great advice for so many things!! You really laid it all out so well. Thank you.
And I'm so sorry you all and expecially Kieran had to go through this experience. I honestly can't imagine it.
I read the recent article in the New York Times about toddlers being given anesthesia for dental work and how this is a growing trend. I wonder how long this has been accepted dental practice? Was this happening when we were kids? All I remember is laughing gas for getting cavities filled!
Your story is very thoughtful and informative and will be a great resource for other parents dealing with this challenge.
Kerry-I think they are discovering that people like me who have bad reactions to laughing gas aren't as rare as they thought, and that has been much of the impetus for the change to more general anesthesia…they don't want to take the time to figure out who will and won't respond well to laughing gas (and it can be dangerous when someone starts panicking and thrashing part of the way through a delicate procedure). I could be wrong, but that is what I've heard
What a wonderful post, Dionna! I'm bookmarking it for future reference!
That must have been such a difficult experience for you, but your suggestions are absolutely wonderful, Dionna! I was lucky that my kids only had to have cleanings at the dentist. My son was afraid of going to the doctor when he was a young toddler, though. For him, just reading books about going to the doctor made all the difference. :)
Such an informative list – thank you so much for sharing! I will be using some of these just to prepare for a dentist check up as it will be our little ones first. I am so hoping for a clean bill of health! If not, I'll be back here for more of the tips.
I sure hope my little one adopts her father's strong teeth instead of mine. Thanks so much for giving such indepth advice about dental visits and reducing anxiety of the occation for parents and little ones. This is definitely something I will keep in mind :)
Just thinking about your son going limp in your arms is hard. I can't imagine going through it.
Thanks! This was a very helpful post. In three weeks we have an appointment with the dentist.
I should probably try some of these things for myself. I am absolutely terrified of the dentist and I know for a fact my mother has tried some of the things above.
Thank you for this! My daughter has an appointment today so i've been googling ways to calm her down. This helped ALOT! :)
Your article was just what I needed! My five year old is having dental surgery next week and when I started to research preparation tips,I found "dental surgery deaths" and all kinds of other scary things.
Thank you for breaking it down with easy, calming tips. I feel more relaxed about the surgery in part thanks to your article.
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Despite its title, his latest album has nothing to do with Disneyland. Photo: Anna Axster
One of the first things you notice about Ryan Bingham's current album is how much harder and heavier Tomorrowland rocks compared to almost anything the Grammy- and Oscar-winning singer-songwriter has released before.
"Definitely there's a lot more electric guitar," Bingham says of the album that came out last fall and the tour that brings him to House of Blues Anaheim on March 2. "I like playing with different sounds and tones. That was really the driving force.
"Playing music, I'm always trying to do something fresh and something out of my own comfort zone."
As part of that restless spirit, Bingham decided to make this album without the Dead Horses, his longtime band of collaborators.
"I think the main thing was that I took quite a bit of time off since the last tour, and within the band some of the guys had projects of their own going on," he explains. "And I'd be playing with different musicians around the Los Angeles area, and playing a lot more guitar, and it just turned into a record we put out."
While the tunes on Tomorrowland still reflect the country- and blues-inflected rock for which Bingham is acclaimed, it's his electric guitar work that connects him back to the varied influences with which he grew up.
"I had an uncle that had a bunch of old vinyl records," says Bingham, 31, who grew up in New Mexico and Texas. "He had a pretty cool mix. A lot of country stuff, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. But he also had a lot of rock 'n' roll, Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones, and also stuff like David Bowie and the Clash.
"And living around Austin there's a lot of different styles of music. There's a lot of zydeco and blues coming out of Louisiana, and then in the north you've got Texas swing. It's just a good place to be able to experiment with a lot of different things there."
Bingham comes to town not long after the 85th annual Academy Awards, a ceremony that three years ago sent him home with the best-song Oscar for co-writing "The Weary Kind" for Crazy Heart, the Jeff Bridges' movie about a broken-down country singer. (Bingham is among a small group of writers who have won an Oscar, a Golden Globe and a Grammy for the same song.) It was a huge spotlight for a young singer-songwriter, Bingham says, and something he never dreamed would happen.
"It was a very surreal experience for me and definitely out of my element," he says, laughing. "All that stuff happened so fast it was really hard to think about it. You're just in the moment of it. You just hold on by the seat of your pants. I tried to make the most of it and have fun with it and kind of know that this might be a once-in-a-lifetime thing."
The awards and the two songs he had on the Crazy Heart soundtrack also helped draw new fans to his work, Bingham says.
"I think it did help as far as just exposing our music to a lot of people who might not have heard of me," he says. "It definitely showed in people coming out to the shows, and even turning people on to older records.
"But at the same time, after all that was over, it was just kind of going back to what I was doing. I'd been on the road for several years before that, and once the dust cloud settled it was kind of time to get the band back together and get back in the van and hit the road again."
This new round of touring will focus a little less on the new songs from Tomorrowland, which came out in September on Axster-Bingham, the label he started with his wife, Anna Axster. As much as he can, Bingham wants set lists to be worked out on the fly, depending on the night and the mood of the players and fans.
"I'm really going to mix it up and play some older stuff as well," he says. "It's probably going to be some heavy rock 'n' roll with the newer stuff and then play some acoustic stuff. Maybe play some songs that people are shouting out. We're not going to really rehearse before the tour. I kind of want it to be spontaneous, a kind of jam thing."
This will be his first time playing HOB Anaheim. "I did come down to see Willie Nelson there once before," he remembers. But Bingham laughs when asked whether he plans to visit Disneyland's Tomorrowland – there's no connection between it and his album – while he's in town.
"I'm definitely looking forward to going and hitting Space Mountain," he says. "That's going to be a highlight of the tour."
Ryan Bingham plays March 2 at House of Blues Anaheim, 1530 S. Disneyland Drive. Tickets: $22.50, or $33.50 including service fees.

subset: commoncrawl


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25 Things About Jane Levy
How much do you know about 'Suburgatory' and 'Evil Dead' star Jane Levy? Here's everything you need to know about this redheaded up-and-comer!
-Lucia Peters
Jane Levy has been making big waves since 2011 as transplanted teen Tessa Altman on ABC's hit comedy, Suburgatory—but this Friday, the flame-haired actress tries on a different hat entirely in Evil Dead. A remake of the kitschy 1981 Sam Raimi horror flick, this new version aims to do what the original couldn't: Scare the pants off of you. Though the role originally went to Lily Collins, Jane took it on when Lily had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts—and if the super intense trailers we've seen are anything to go by, Jane is more than up to the challenge.
Not familiar with Jane? Don't worry; you will be soon. Here's a crash course in everything you need to know about her, from how she landed Suburgatory (by accident!) to what she's got coming up on the horizon and more!


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From Grand Theft Wiki
www.princessrobotbubblegum.com is the official website of the Princess Robot Bubblegum TV show. The site sells typical TV-show merchandise such as figurines, DVDs, clothing items, video games, trading cards, and books. The site also sells unusual merchandise such as alcoholic beverages (saké in this case), sleeping pills, and blow-up dolls.


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Did you know?
The Cape Point lighthouse has a range of 63km and beams out 3 flashes, of 10 million candlepower each, every 30 seconds.
Cape Point, the beautiful tip of the Cape peninsula, has become famous for its ocean views, the Cape Point lighthouse, as well as the extensive range of flora and fauna you'll find here.
The Cape Point Nature Reserve, encompassing 7 750 hectares of rich and varied flora along its 40km coastline, extends from Schuster's Bay in the west to Smitswinkel Bay in the east.
Cape Point's headland consists of three promontories: the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Maclear and Cape Point itself. The cliffs of Cape Point, more than 200m above the sea, provide the perfect lookout spot for whales, prevalent between May and November. Dolphins can be seen throughout the year.
Since 2004, the Cape Point Nature Reserve has been part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, a Unesco World Heritage Site. It also forms a popular part of the Table Mountain National Park.
The diversity, density and endemism of the indigenous flora here is among the world's highest – approximately 1 100 indigenous plant species, some of which occur nowhere else on Earth.
Many people just head straight for the lighthouse – but that would mean missing out on so much. On numerous scenic hiking trails, twitchers can spot some 250 species of birds, including sea birds, eagles, Cape sugarbirds and sunbirds, as well as endangered African black oystercatchers.
Mammal species found in the Cape Point Nature Reserve include antelope such as klipspringer, steenbok and eland, as well Cape mountain zebra and the peninsula's endemic Chacma baboons. Shy predators such as caracal and small-spotted genet patrol the crags, and Cape clawless otters frolic in rock pools.
Reptiles and amphibians are abundant. Fortunate frog fundis may catch sight of the very rare Table Mountain ghost frog or Cape chirping frog.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
Cape Point Visitor Centre
Phone: +27 (0)21 780 9010
Email: email@example.com
Hoerikwaggo Trails Booking Office
Phone: +27 (0)21 422 2816
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
How to get here
From Cape Town follow the coastal road along Camps Bay and Llandudno to Hout Bay (via the M6). Travel along Chapman's Peak Drive and turn right at Noordhoek. Follow the coastline through Kommetjie, Sweetwater, Witsand, Misty Cliffs and Scarborough before driving inland for a few kilometres. The Cape Point Nature Reserve entrance will be on your right-hand side.
You can also reach Cape Point coming the other way around the Cape Peninsula, via Simon's Town.
Best time to visit
The Cape Point Nature Reserve is open throughout the year. For the best whale watching, visit between May and October.
Tours to do
The Hoerikwaggo Trail, a five-day hike from Cape Point to the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, is a must for hiking enthusiasts.
Get around
Hiring your own vehicle is best, allowing you to explore the area at your own pace. Many Cape Town tour operators also visit Cape Point on a daily basis.
What will it cost
Entrance is R80 per person for adults, R20 per child under 12.
Length of stay
Plan to spend at least half a day at Cape Point. A full day would be even better.
What to pack
Binoculars will come in handy for whale spotting. And don't forget to bring plenty of sunscreen and a hat no matter the season.
Where to stay
There are three self-catering cottages within the reserve: Olifantsbos Guest House, and the Eland and Duiker cottages. Contact SANParks to make a booking.
What to eat
Two Oceans Restaurant, perched high above False Bay, offers fresh seafood and spectacular views, though it's pricey. Otherwise, bring a picnic.


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2543 Bells Ferry Rd #350
Holy shit! Prodigal tattooer Kenny Holland, home for a surprise Christmas visit at the new shop.
It was great to see you, Kenny! Don't be a stranger!
Tags: christmas, guest artists, kenny, old friends Posted in kenny | Comments Off on Surprise visit from Kenny Holland!
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• artifice •
Pronunciation: ahr-tê-fis • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: 1. An ingenious stratagem, device, contrivance. 2. A crafty or devious contrivance, a trick. 3. Deception itself.
Notes: Today's word is a member of a largely dysfunctional family. It originally meant "workmanship, craft" but now refers to something crafty—another word that has strayed away from its original meaning (compare it with craft). The adjective from this noun, artificial, has taken on its own meaning "not natural, man-made". If you need an adjective with a related meaning, you might try artificious, though most English speakers will not recognize it.
In Play: Life would not move along at all without artifices: "We use all sorts of artifices to get the kids to come to soccer practice: ice cream, videos, cookies after a good practice." Artifices are the foundation of pretexting: "All of Bill Jerome Holm's references and credentials turned out to be artifices to get us to buy land in the Arizona desert from him."
Word History: Today's Good word was borrowed like so many others from an Old French word meaning "craftsmanship". Old French inherited it from Latin artificium "trade, craft" from artifex "craftsman". This word is a compound made up of ar(t)s "art, craft" + -fex, fic- "maker" from facere "to make". Latin ars goes back to a Proto-Indo-European root ar- "fit together" which also turns up in arma "tool, arms", the source of such words as army, armada, and armadillo (diminutive of Spanish armado "armored"). Latin artus "joint" is the correlate of Greek arthron "joint", which underlies arthritis, the joint disease. (We will not resort to any artifice in thanking the most articulate Kathy Garrett for suggesting this Good Word.)
ARTIFICE. (from my iPod)
Use this forum to discuss past Good Words.
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ARTIFICE. (from my iPod)
• The Good Dr. Goodword
A bit of a delayed, reaction, I admit, but this one's subject line is terrific.
ARTIFICE (from my iPod): What a great lead in to a piece on deception!
So, who are you kidding, Doc? It all looks real to me.
ARTIFICE (from my iPod): What a great lead in to a piece on deception!
So, who are you kidding, Doc? It all looks real to me.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.
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Wadi Rum
Cestovní Pokyny K Nemovitosti
This campsite offers accommodation in Bedouin tents, and provides a free shuttle service from the Visitor's Centre of Wadi Rum (11 km). Traditional meals and BBQ dishes are cooked by the camp's staff. . The tents at Bedouin Gate Camp come with different kinds of bedding. Each tent offers unique sunrise and sunset views, and overlooks the desert plains. Grilled meat with rice and vegetarian options are available daily at Bedouin Gate. Guests can enjoy their meals together in the shade of the large rock formations next to the campsite. Rum Village is 6 km away. Lots of different tours can be organized, including jeep safaris, camel rides, climbing and hiking. Aqaba Airport is a 45-minute drive away.
Mobilní aplikace Hostelworld
Rezervujte si pokoj na cestách s novou mobilní aplikací Hostelworld.


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Caribe publishes scholarly articles, essays, notes, interviews, and book reviews in Spanish and English about the Spanish-speaking countries in the Caribbean area and Central America. Essays on U.S. Latino/Latina literature will also be considered. Creative works are published by invitation only.
Manuscripts should not exceed 18 typewritten pages (double-spaced) and should conform to the latest edition of the MLA Style Manual. Endnotes should be kept to a minimum and incorporated into the text whenever possible. Manuscripts should be submitted in triplicate, with an abstract of 200 words, accompanied by a self-addressed envelope and unattached stamps. Electronic submissions are welcome. Please direct all correspondence to the following:
Professor Jorge Febles, Editor Department of Languages, Literatures and CulturesUniversity of North Florida1 UNF Drive, Honors Hall Bldg. 10, Room 2425Jacksonville, FL firstname.lastname@example.com you can submit here:Professor Armando González-Pérez, Editor Department of Foreign Languages and LiteraturesLalumière Language HallMarquette UniversityMilwaukee, WI email@example.com
Professor Benjamín Torres Caballero, Book Review Editor Department of Spanish1903 W. Michigan AvenueWestern Michigan UniversityKalamazoo MI email@example.com
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With Dr. Dre dropping his first new album in 16 years — Compton: A Soundtrack By Dr. Dre, inspired by F. Gary Gray's N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton — it felt like the time was right to pull this story from the Playboy archives. A check in with D.O.C., the writer-lyricist who helped craft the West Coast sound that would propel Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg to their stratospheric heights. The man who gave voice to some of rap's greatest voices has languished in the background. Until this story first dropped in March 2013.
One of the few things you can be sure of in this world is that rapper-producer Dr. Dre is not finished with his third and possibly final solo album, Detox.
Dre has been working on it off and on for a decade. There are indications it may come out sometime soon—but then again, there always are. It happens over and over. Somebody from Dre's camp lets slip a speculative release date in the press, the anticipation starts up again, and then Dre sees his shadow and disappears back into the studio.
Detox has become one of those mythically unfinished records—like the third My Bloody Valentine album, which took more than 20 years to see release, or Chinese Democracy before Axl Rose finally deigned to crap it out into the world. The conundrum of its perpetual imminence is just something you live with as a fan of rap music. When the rising L.A. MC Schoolboy Q rapped, "Word to Dr. Dre/Detox is like a mix away" on his 2012 album Habits & Contradictions, he may as well have been stating a constant truth, a fact about the landscape: Detox is just a mix away. Crenshaw High School is 30 minutes from the Hollywood Hills. That mountain is 10,064 feet high.
And yet people haven't stopped caring. So last summer, when British hip-hop DJ Tim Westwood had Snoop Dogg on his BBC Radio show, he asked the question everybody asks people close to Dre, namely, "What's up with Detox? Is it ever coming out?" This time, though, instead of saying what Dre's associates usually say—that Dre's a genius who'll serve no wine before its time, but, man, is this record going to knock your fucking socks off when Dre's ready to let people hear it, which will be soon—Snoop said point-blank that Detox wouldn't get done until Dre called in two people to work on it: himself and the D.O.C.
"D.O.C. and Snoop Dogg is the backbone," he told Westwood. "When you take them out of the equation, it's not gonna work."
Uninformed hip-hop fans would have reason to ask, Who the hell is the D.O.C.? It's been nearly 25 years since the rapper released his astoundingly great debut album, No One Can Do It Better. It was produced by Dr. Dre when Dre was churning out hot product at an ironic-in-retrospect pace: In a single year Dre made the D.O.C.'s album, as well as N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton and N.W.A co-founder Eazy-E's solo debut, Eazy-Duz-It. The D.O.C. was a cocky, charismatic young rapper with a knotty, complex flow—his delivery had more bob-and-weave than your average West Coast rapper's, and he reminded people of East Coast guys like Rakim. The kid with the golden voice, he called himself. Within three months he'd sold half a million records—until injuries to his vocal cords sustained in a car accident rendered him barely able to speak and totally unable to rap.
After that, the D.O.C. was a living ghost. He made two would-be comeback albums, but his real career existed behind the scenes. It became an open secret that he'd ghostwritten rhymes for Dre on The Chronic and 1999's 2001 and polished lines for Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle. The D.O.C. was a fixer, a problem solver, a hip-hop Winston Wolf. Once a breakout star, he now existed in hip-hop as a legend in the background of other people's rhymes. Dre shouted him out ("Like my nigga D.O.C., no one can do it better") at the end of "Nuthin' but a G Thang," the first single from The Chronic. More than 10 years later, so did Brooklyn-born Jay-Z on "Public Service Announcement"—"HOV, not D.O.C./But similar to the letters, no one can do it better."
Tips of the hat to a rapper's rapper. But the Westwood thing was different. The Westwood thing was Snoop calling out Dr. Dre, telling him and the world that only the D.O.C. could save Detox. That yes, in fact, no one can do it better.
Late one Thursday night, in the control room of a recording studio in an office park somewhere in South Dallas, the D.O.C.—whose real name is Tracy Curry, though his Dallas friends all call him Doc—pushes the talk-back button on the mixing console and addresses the kid on the other side of the glass.
Doc is 44 now, tall with a little weight on him, hair in twists. The kid on the other side of the glass is 24-year-old Dallas rapper Chad Bailey, whose rap name, I swear, is Plaboi. He's just finished a run-through of a new song—a midtempo Rick Ross–style come-kick-it-with-a-boss jam called "So Amazing"—and now Doc is giving Plaboi some notes.
"You sounded like a 17-year-old guy who's happy to get some pussy," Doc says. "I want you to sound like a 30-year-old guy who likes to fuck."
He's been doing this with rappers for years. When he started out here in Dallas, with the Fila Fresh Crew, he would write all the lyrics, then teach his partner Curtis "Fresh-K" Benjamin how to say them. He did it with Eazy-E in the early days of N.W.A, with Dr. Dre, with Snoop Dogg. It's not that these guys, on their own, didn't have talent, presence and persona to burn—especially Snoop, Doc says; Snoop could rap his ass off. But Doc understood song structure. He had a feel for form; he knew how to make an artist think like a craftsman.
The first few lines of "So Amazing," which Doc wrote, are "Let me paint you this picture./I got you naked, we rollin' out by the Bonaventure./Couple shots of Patrón, so you know it's official." I can't tell you how the rest of the song goes, because Doc spends the next 45 minutes making Plaboi—who has raw talent and takes constructive criticism like a champ but has clearly never been directed like this before—do the first few bars over and over, seldom letting him get past "Patrón" before cutting him off.
"It's a conversation," Doc tells him. "Don't rap it. Just conversate. When a female hears this, she's supposed to wanna fuck you."
Ever since the accident, Doc's speaking voice has been a flat, crackly growl. He makes a weird Cyrano, coaching Plaboi through what's supposed to be a seduction song. Another take. Doc listens with his head down on the console. Plaboi's still putting too much mustard on it—too much Lil Wayne, not enough Drake. Or think of "Nuthin' but a G Thang," how what grabbed people about it was the matter-of-fact way Dre and Snoop delivered their rhymes, just a few degrees of swagger away from normal speech. Doc and Snoop wrote that.
"You got too much comedy on it," Doc tells Plaboi. "This is a song about fucking. You ain't gonna walk in the club with a rubber nose hangin' off your dick. You wanna be swangin'. This is Colt 45 malt liquor."
Finally, after a couple more takes, Doc gets on the talk-back and says to Plaboi, "I'm gonna need you to take this song home and learn it, kinfolk. Because you learned it, but you learned it the way you do it."
Then he says, "I gotta blow," and looks around the room for Duke.
Duke's real name is Steven Blackmon. He's married to Doc's sister, but Doc calls him his brother. Duke has a goatee, box-fresh Converses, a little gold in his teeth and a white iPhone earbud always dangling from one ear. He doesn't talk, but he's silent in a not-unfriendly way, like he's just saving battery life or paying attention to things that aren't you.
Duke has two jobs: He drives Doc around all day, and he makes sure Doc blows into a GPS-equipped wireless portable Breathalyzer called a Soberlink every day at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. Condition of his parole. If he tests positive for alcohol, he goes to jail.
"You supposed to blow at two," Doc explains. "You got until 2:30. At 2:31, you're late. And if the president didn't call and tell you not to do it, your excuse won't wash."
He's learned that the hard way. In 2011, on Thanksgiving Day, Doc—who was on probation for DWI at the time—was at home with family and figured he'd have a beer. One turned into a six-pack; he blew dirty the next morning and ended up staring across the desk at a new probation officer, who looked at Doc's file and said, "You've got a drinking problem." Doc, with that tone he can take with people sometimes, said, "No, I've got an authority problem."
She violated him back right then and there. Doc lucked out, though: He landed in front of a Dallas felony court judge named John C. Creuzot, who was near the end of his 20 years on the bench and had lately become a stalwart proponent of diversion programs, in which repeat offenders facing jail time are instead steered into rigorously supervised treatment and counseling.
Doc spent January through March 2012 in county jail—the Lew Sterrett Justice Center, here in Dallas—and then did seven months in rehab. He didn't see his eight-year-old daughter, Puma, whose mother is the singer Erykah Badu, whom he's known since they were both aspiring rappers hanging out in the same Dallas teen clubs. Didn't see his own mother. Saw his manager, John Huffman, exactly once. But he got sober. On November 6, 2012 he was released from rehab; now, after 30 days of enforced curfew, he has started to rebuild his life.
He goes to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings where the older gentlemen in their slacks and good shoes remind him of Rudy Ray Moore in Dolemite, as though any minute Queen Bee herself is going to kick down the door. There are four things on the backseat of Doc's car: Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book, a copy of The 50th Law (a Machiavelli-for-managers textbook co-authored by Robert Greene and 50 Cent), a three-disc bootleg mixtape entitled Love Justice: 90s Street Romance Music and a laptop bag that could keep a hot-air balloon anchored.
This morning, Duke drives him and Huffman out to a middle school in Cedar Hill, southwest of Dallas, so he can talk to a classroom full of at-risk kids about the importance of not squandering their potential, about how jail "ain't where you want to be." It's the first time he's ever done a speaking gig like this; afterward he tells me, "What you just witnessed was the first moment of my adult life."
The next phase of his adult life, in the manner of many modern bids for redemption, involves a reality-TV show. A pilot has been shot, laying the groundwork for a show on which Doc coaches a handpicked cast of local Dallas rappers—Plaboi is one of them—and teaches them to deliver lyrics he's written. They're calling it I Got My Voice Back. Maybe it will be a premium-cable series. Maybe it will come out in snippets online. They're keeping the concept loose as Doc figures out what to do next. Surgery is now available that can fix what happened to Doc in that accident, surgery that didn't exist back then. Surgery that doesn't actually, technically, exist as an option in this country. There's a doctor in Spain who, using stem cells, grew a whole new trachea for a woman who'd lost hers in an accident. Maybe the show will be about Doc exploring those options. He's not sure yet. The surgery's no joke, and he would do it only if he thought it could help change the laws regarding stem-cell research in this country.
"At this point, at 44, it's gotta be for some other reason than for me to fuckin' rap again," he says. "It's gotta be a bigger cause."
What's important right now is that he do something positive with this second chance he's been given—even if it's just putting Dallas's hip-hop scene on the map a little bit.
"Houston had their chance," he tells the kids. "Atlanta had their chance. Them boys in Louisiana had their chance. L.A., New York, Chicago—Dallas, we're the only ones that haven't had our shot yet. We've got some of the best young producers, some of the best young singers—everything they got, we got. Matter of fact, we might be better than them. I was."
This is a story about two men who have enormous power over each other because they need each other. Doc has made two comeback albums since the accident, 1996's Helter Skelter and 2003's Deuce. Both of them have their moments, but neither featured Dre as producer, neither got his endorsement, and neither sold. And Dre has never finished a solo record without Doc's help—whether Dre needs him as a lyricist, a sounding board or a good-luck charm is hard to say, but he needs Doc as much as Doc needs him.
Their creative lives have been entangled since the moment they met in Dallas in the late 1980s, sometime after N.W.A released their first single, the epochal outlaw manifesto "Boyz-n-the Hood."
Doc and the Fila Fresh Crew had made a few records by then. When DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince's ingratiating novelty-rap act started catching on, Doc wrote his own Will Smith–style goofy everyman song, "I Hate to Go to Work." In the video he's in a shirt and tie, groaning through a case of the Mondays, uttering no epithet stronger than sheesh. A few months later, when they heard "Boyz-n-the Hood" for the first time, they felt embarrassed. "Boyz-n-the Hood" wasn't shirt-and-tie rap. It wasn't put-upon-nice-guy music. It was matter-of-fact menace, realness über alles.
"The world was changing," Doc says, "from 'Parents Just Don't Understand' to kids just don't give a fuck."
Not long after that, Dre comes through Dallas. As a favor to Fila Fresh Crew manager Dr. Rock—they were both in the L.A. electro-funk group World Class Wreckin' Cru for a minute—he agrees to produce some tracks for the group. In the studio, he sees Doc rapping, sees Doc coming up with rhymes and feeding them to Fresh-K, sees potential for him as a solo act—but he also sees a guy who could potentially help put words in Eazy's mouth.
He takes Doc aside and says, "Come to California. We'll both get rich."
Nobody thought of L.A. as any kind of hip-hop mecca back then. Growing up in Dallas, Doc absorbed mostly East Coast influences. When he first heard rap music, it was Run-DMC, Fat Boys, LL Cool J. He had his mind blown the first time he heard Rakim and Slick Rick, rap's first master of linear narrative.
Doc learned to love words by reading to his paternal grandmother—big books, way over his head. He'd sung at the arts magnet school. He loved Richard Pryor, wanted to be a comedian. His sixth-grade teacher, Mrs. Stevens, would let him do five minutes of stand-up at the end of class on Fridays if he had refrained from being a fuckup the rest of the week. This was probably the best year of his life, he says. His parents were together, living in the suburbs. The next year they split. Doc moved back into the projects in Dallas with his maternal grandmother. "She was a loving woman," he says, "but her love was stern love. Her love had knuckle prints on it."
Now for school Doc was bused way out to Highland Park, where the white kids threw the N word around freely and the imported ghetto kids ran in self-protecting packs. "I spent a lot of time inside," Doc says. "It kept me alone, imagining the future, contemplating what I wanted to be."
All the contradictions, all the ontological slipperiness concerning realness and criminality and theater that have shaped and undone hip-hop from the gangsta era forward—it's all encoded in N.W.A's DNA from the jump. They deal in painful, unvarnished truth and violent exploitation-flick fantasy. They're black music's Sex Pistols, simultaneously a scourge of hypocrisy and a world-class con job. In addition to being the bank, Eazy is a street dude with unassailable cred, but he can't write rhymes—his "reality raps" are scripted by Ice Cube and MC Ren. They've succeeded in turning Eazy into an icon—the Ruthless Villain. But now they need somebody to get him on the radio, to write him lyrics whose every other word isn't bitch or motherfucker. Cube is already writing for Eazy, but he isn't going to smooth Eazy's edges. Doc says that back then "Cube was always Cube. He was going to say, 'I'm going to cut your throat and leave you in the Dumpster.' That's just what it is." That's where Doc comes in.
"I've always known how to talk to white people," Doc says. "I knew if you made it funny and clever, it would be less threatening. You could say whatever you wanted as long as you let 'em know it's a joke. Don't take it to heart; I'm not really going to cut your heart out. But I might."
A few days after Doc arrives in California, Dre drives him to a recording studio in Torrance, where most of N.W.A is waiting. Doc meets MC Ren and DJ Yella, and he meets Eazy. Eazy's one of those guys. Not a star quite yet, but he already has a magnetism. "When Eazy was in the room," Doc says, "you knew it. Even if you didn't see him walk in. It would spread. That's what kind of person he was."
But even a matinee idol needs a script. Dre puts on a drum track—a big rubbery funk loop from the title track of Bootsy Collins' 1977 sophomore album, Ahh…The Name Is Bootsy, Baby!—and says to Doc, "Can you write Eazy something to this?" In 10, maybe 15 minutes Doc has a lyric, and "We Want Eazy" ends up being the highest-charting single off Eazy's solo debut, Eazy-Duz-It.
There's a "We Want Eazy" video. Nobody asks Doc to be in it. He's pissed, like "Damn, I wrote this fuckin' song" pissed, but he doesn't say anything, worried if he does they'll tell him to fuck off back to Dallas. At N.W.A shows he'll be out in the lobby, hearing people talking about Eazy, about how Eazy's the greatest, off some songs Doc wrote. But there's not much he can do. He isn't a full-fledged member of the band. He's a fifth Beatle. Around this time he starts going by "the D.O.C." instead of "Doc-T." He wants to associate his brand more closely with N.W.A's. The letters in "D.O.C." don't stand for anything. He just wants his own acronym.
It didn't help matters that his name doesn't appear in the album credits. Sometime after "We Want Eazy" blew up, Doc gave Eazy the publishing rights to the song, accepting a gold chain as payment. He never officially signed anything, he says, but he also says he was never much of a businessman, that he would have signed whatever Eazy put in front of him. He didn't expect Eazy to claim later that the gold-chain deal entitled him to all the songs Doc wrote during his tenure with Ruthless Records, from Eazy-Duz-It all the way through N.W.A's second album, Niggaz4Life—but today he admits he probably should have.
"It's not that Eric was a bad person," Doc says. "But he was a dope man. Taking advantage of people is part of that territory. You can't feel any kind of way about it."
The chain has a gold nameplate with diamonds in it, just like the ones the guys in N.W.A were starting to buy, but smaller. I ask him to ballpark the chain's retail value.
"About three grand," Doc says with a tight, weary smile. "I don't know if Eric knew he'd just fucked the shit out of me, but I imagine he did."
There wasn't time to worry about it. Things were moving too fast. N.W.A was going somewhere every weekend, doing shows. "It was nuts, on some Beatles kind of shit," Doc says. "A zillion kids fuckin' shaking the van because you sitting inside. Eazy-E fans, man. They wanted that little dude. And he was loving it. He took full advantage of the perks. Ended up costing him, though." (Eazy died of AIDS in 1995, at the age of 31, after running through groupies as though he were keeping score by the pound.)
The shine finally started to trickle down. N.W.A's first national tour opened in Nashville in the spring of 1989, with Doc doing eight minutes a night as an opening act. The crowds dug him. No One Can Do It Better dropped that June; within three months it sold 500,000 copies. By the end of the tour he was doing 30-minute sets. Radio picked up on "It's Funky Enough," a Dre production with way more commercial reach than, say, "Fuck tha Police." Years later, when Rolling Stone asked Chris Rock to make a list of the greatest rap albums of all time, the comedian put No One Can Do It Better at number 11. "I was going to school in Brooklyn," he wrote, "and the only time you could see rap videos was on a weekend show with Ralph McDaniels called Video Music Box. D.O.C.'s video for 'It's Funky Enough' premiered, and D.O.C. had an L.A. Kings hat on. When I came to school on Monday, half the kids in Brooklyn had L.A. Kings hats on. It was official."
By the fall of 1989, Doc is feeling like a star. He's partying and drinking. At his side is Suge Knight. Suge had played college football, had suited up for the Rams a couple of times. Suge has ties to the Bloods, or finds it expedient to let people think he does. Suge is either a concert promoter or a security guy or a record executive on the rise, depending on who asks, and in the meantime he deals in physical intimidation.
"A lot of people called him my bodyguard," Doc says, "because he was a 300-pound dude who beat people up after I made a mess. But no—he was just a buddy." After a while no club in Hollywood would have them, Doc says, "because invariably I'd get drunk, slap some woman on her ass and start a fight. And he'd beat up a bunch of people, and then I'd get the girl and go home. He loved it. He's a bruiser; that's what he did."
But Suge has ideas and connections. Suge and Doc talk about starting a label together. Suge knows Dick Griffey, founder of SOLAR Records—an old-school industry dude, one of those guys "who's got enough nuts to get it done by any means necessary," Doc says. "Griffey packed a gun every day in his little office. He'd pull it out and sit it on the table."
The label is still coming together that fall when Doc celebrates the completion of principal photography on two music videos—including "The Formula," in which Dre plays Frankenstein and Doc is the monster he's bringing to life—by spending the following day driving around partying and chasing girls. Around 3:30 a.m. he leaves a girlfriend's home in Beverly Hills. On Wilshire Boulevard a cop car flashes its lights at him. Doc tries to get away; he hits a couple of right turns, parks his Honda Prelude on a side street and gets low. A few seconds later, a cop taps Doc's window with a billy club. Maybe because he's still wasted, Doc jumps out of the car and starts performing for the cops right then and there, like the famous rapper he is. The cops laugh and give him a ticket. Doc has all his gold and platinum records in the trunk of the car; he takes them out and poses for pictures with the cops.
Thirty minutes later on the freeway, he falls asleep at the wheel and hits a concrete divider. He's thrown through the window and smashes into a tree face-first. The cops have to pry his teeth out of the tree bark.
"Rap musician Tracy Lynn Curry of the D.O.C. was in stable condition after losing control of his car on the Ventura Freeway, authorities said. "Curry, 21, suffered injuries to his face, including damage to one eye and his nose, said California Highway Patrol Officer David Grajeda. He was in stable condition Thursday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, said spokesman Ron Wise."Grajeda said Curry had alcohol on his breath after the accident Tuesday and was arrested but released before being booked so he could get medical attention."—Los Angeles Times, "Rapper Injured in Car Wreck," November 17, 1989
"The whole West Coast hip-hop movement changed direction the night I had that accident," Doc says. "Everybody's fortunes changed that night."
When he arrives at Cedars-Sinai, Doc has so much stuff in his system the doctors can't sedate him. When they try to intubate him, he thrashes around and the tube damages his vocal cords. He endures 20 hours of reconstructive surgery on his face. Amazingly, he comes through the accident without a single broken bone—but after the intubation his voice is destroyed. He can speak, but the golden voice is now a ravaged croak. Half his gift gone, just like that.
There's psychological fallout too. His hits become a curse. "I couldn't stand to listen to myself," he says. "If I went to a club and they played my song, I'd have to leave."
People tell him he should retire, go out on top instead of trying to make another record with his fucked-up voice; Dre is one of them. Dre still has work for him behind the scenes. In January 1990, Ice Cube quits N.W.A to go solo, and Doc becomes the group's principal songwriter, supplying lyrics for "Alwayz Into Somethin'," "Appetite for Destruction" and other songs on Niggaz4Life, N.W.A's final full-length album, and for the EP 100 Miles and Runnin'.
At Suge's urging, Doc starts whispering to Dre, urging him to let Suge take a look at Dre's contract. You may know how the story goes from here. Suge convinces Dre to leave Ruthless Records and sign with his new company, which he and Doc are calling Funky Enough Records. Suge convinces N.W.A manager Jerry Heller and Eazy-E to let Dre and Doc out of their Ruthless contracts; he allegedly brings two large men toting lead pipes and Louisville Sluggers to the meeting to set the mood. With Dre in the fold as house producer, Suge proceeds to build Funky Enough into one of the biggest rap labels in the country. Except he's no longer calling it Funky Enough. The label is now called Death Row.
Doc helps talk Dre into making a solo album, promising to write lyrics for it. Dre's stepbrother, the rapper Warren G, brings a charismatic 20-year-old rapper from Long Beach into the fold, Calvin Broadus, who goes by Snoop Doggy Dogg. When they start making The Chronic, Doc still has money, a Benz and a place near Agoura Hills. Snoop and Warren G move in. Snoop can rap, but Doc works with him on turning rhymes into actual songs. He sends Snoop upstairs to a spare bedroom, makes him write for an hour. Doc goes over what Snoop's written, like an editor, saying, "This line's really cool. Let's cut this one out. This one is dope, but it would sound better if you put it here."
"I'd smooth out the rough edges," Doc says.
At some point it's made clear to Doc that despite having been a founding partner in Funky Enough, he no longer owns a piece of Death Row. There's not much he can do. And you eat well when you're making records with Dre. Even when Doc has to cut his overhead and move into a one-bedroom apartment with Snoop and six or seven other guys, it's exciting enough not to feel like privation. They're partying, but they're also creating music, writing hits for Dre. And whenever the money runs out, Doc hits up Dre and Dre has his handlers cut a check and Doc buys 40s, weed, even ecstasy—this before every rapper in the world got into ecstasy, Doc says, "back when X was brand-new and nobody did it but white kids from Orange County." It took the edge off.
"People were getting beat up in the studio," Doc says. "It turned into gangland. There was Bloods and Crips in there every day, and there was always that thing in the air—you didn't know whether or not there'd be some shooting. There were shots fired in that place. The only way I felt comfortable there was being loaded."
And yet it felt safer somehow than trying to figure out what to do next. And when he finally does leave, years later, in 1994, it isn't because of the violence or because he's been dicked out of his piece of the company or anything else. It's because he has a fight with Dre. Doc writes a song he wants to record as a comeback single, fucked-up voice and all. But Dre's making a record called Helter Skelter—a duets album, him and Ice Cube, back together for the first time since N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton. And when Dre hears Doc's song, he decides he wants to record it himself. It's the last straw. Doc packs up and moves to Atlanta, where he works with the rapper MC Breed.
In 1996, with help from the Dallas producer Erotic-D, Doc finally puts out his second solo album; as a jab at Dre, he calls it Helter Skelter. Dre's Helter Skelter is never finished.
They've been on and off ever since.
"Dre and I have had this break-up-to-make-up kind of thing for fuckin' 20 years," Doc says. "I think it's partly because we respect each other and partly because I don't give a fuck how much money you got, I'm not going to take shit from you. I'm not going to kiss your ass. I remember when you didn't have one dollar. Now that you have 100 million of them or 500 million of them, that don't make your ass no less funky to me."
Last year, not long after Doc went to rehab, Huffman got a call from Dre's people saying Dre wanted Doc to come to Miami to help him out with a song he was cutting with Jay-Z and Rick Ross, which would eventually be released as "3 Kings" on Ross' 2012 album God Forgives, I Don't, and Huffman had to explain to Dre's people that Doc was indisposed. When I talk to Doc in Dallas, he says he understands that this may have been the last straw. "I think he's at a point where he sees me as, you know, 'You're never going to get it. You're never going to figure it out,'?" Doc says. "And I don't blame him for that. I haven't given him any real cause to see that I'm not the same dude I was then."
(When reached for comment, Dre's longtime publicist spoke kindly of Doc but told me Dre and Doc's relationship was complicated and that Dre's willingness to participate in this article would depend on where he and Doc stood. A subsequent attempt to reach Dre through his Aftermath label also yielded nothing. A few months after I left Dallas, Doc's manager told me Dre's people had gotten back in touch with Doc. Doc has written five new songs for Dre, and he's working on more new material for Detox with Memphis producer Jazze Pha.)
Plaboi takes a seat on the couch in the back of the studio control room, next to another I Got My Voice Back cast member, a 30-year-old white rapper who records under the name Blaze Won. Doc steps into the recording booth. He's written some new lyrics for a song he wants Blaze Won to record and wants to cut a demo version for Blaze to study. A studio engineer named Hal Fitzgerald plays the beat. It's an elegiac, synth-driven instrumental—kind of a rap power ballad, like something Eminem might emote over. Lyrics about war, "chemical verbiage," the weight of history, politicians lying to Fox News.
Doc takes a few runs at the song, and then—jokingly, almost off-mike, like a warm-up—he starts saying some of the lines in this voice. It sounds a little like Rick Ross, a little like Abe Simpson, a little like Vito Corleone's ghost. What it doesn't sound like is Doc's usual sandpaper growl.
There were these two Mexican kids with him in rehab, Doc tells me later, who to annoy people would walk around making weird-ass yawning noises without moving their mouths. One day one of the kids made the sound, and Doc got mad and made it back to him, as if to say "I know it's you, motherfucker," and after a second he realized that when he'd made the noise, it didn't come out flat and gravelly like his regular voice. Without even trying, he'd used some other part of his throat to generate a tone.
"I tried to do it again and couldn't, and then I let out a big-ass yawn and did it again. Every time I yawned, I yawned loud and tried to make that note stay, like a clear note. Once I started doing that, it got a little stronger."
He's tried rapping in this voice before, but this is the first time he's done it in front of people. You can tell it's not something he's physiologically meant to do—he gulps air between bars and can't get too many words out at a time. He keeps asking Hal to stop the tape, wind it back, let him punch it in line by line. But in spite of all that, it's working. He's rapping.
When Huffman walks in and hears the sound coming out of Doc's mouth, his eyes bug out.
"You hear that?" he says to Hal. "What can you do with it?"
"I don't know yet," Hal says. Huffman doesn't look at Doc in the booth, as if making eye contact might break the spell. He's staring over Hal's shoulder at the Pro Tools readout.
"That is fucking insane," Huffman says. "That is fucking insane, dude."
His newly adapted voice is only a little more expressive an instrument than his gravelly postaccident one. But there are possibilities. If he can create a tone, maybe he can Auto-Tune his vocals, like all the hot rappers do these days. They can piece together a song on the computer. He could put something out—just a single. Maybe he won't put his name on it.
See how people respond if they think it's a whole new guy.
"One day that shit's gonna work," Doc says, hanging his headphones on a music stand, "and it's gonna freak you guys out."
He's decided to keep the song he was demo-ing, rewrite the lyrics to suit his own story, maybe put it out as the first new D.O.C. song in almost a decade. Duke gets on the freeway and Doc opens his laptop, cues up the beat in iTunes and opens a Word document—lyrics in all-caps boldface. The beat plays softly for the rest of the ride as Doc tinkers on-screen, fine-tuning a new first verse:
"I watched the world pass while sleepin' in first class Usin' bodies, rotten from following the world's path Huh, kissing the devils' asses while they laughin' As if now for better or for worse I'm married to the math Not a Catholic, but rosaries tatted, a confused addict 5150, medication habit, illegal racket White rabbits scattered through purple hills Another tragic ending, I can feel it, my heart's rapid, the end's near Another classic, sadly, whose Achilles heel was smokin' and drinkin' to cover cheers and hide fear Lost in resentments, and usin' pain so cavalier Now I'm left with dreams of Puma Knowing what greatness is Always contemplating what could have been Leaving me emotionally suicidal for 20 years Cursing my higher power I choose to call God's ear And even after all of the shit I gave I'm still here, I'm still here"
Doc is bobbing his head almost imperceptibly, fingers moving on the keys, making tiny fixes—"smokin'?" becomes "smoking," "but" becomes "cuz." It's a work in progress, but he knows he's onto something.


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Exclusives Articles
LaineyGossip exclusive updates, news, and photos.
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EXCLUSIVE Iker Casillas and Sara Carbonero spent the weekend in Anguilla. Am told the two are still deliriously in love, all over each other at the pool and the beach. Interestingly enough, at one point, according to other hotel guests, they were looking at a "big ring" on her finger and laughing. Full Story
Suri In The City
Fame/Flynet, FZS/Splash
One day, if all goes according to plan, Katie Holmes's plan that is, Suri Cruise will call herself a New Yorker. Katie intends for Suri to grow up in the city. I know she's only 6 but do you see Suri Cruise as a New York City girl? That's what she's becoming. Katie and Suri hit up the zoo yesterday with grandma. Full Story
Jake is hunting
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Jake Gyllenhaal has been in Toronto shooting a movie with Denis Villeneuve. But what does he do during down time? Summer dating! He picked up a girl at the hotel for a drink a couple of weeks ago. And there's a server from a popular Italian restaurant in town - with several locations - who went shopping the other day because she said she had a date with Jake. Full Story
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Exclusive Two months ago Katie Holmes was a dead-eyed joke. Do not pretend you don't remember it. But it's getting harder and harder to remember it, isn't it? In two weeks Katie Holmes has gone from robot to independent asskicker. It's an extraordinary image overhaul, similar perhaps to Angelina Jolie's. Full Story
Mommy Carey?
Exclusive This is Carey Mulligan in Beverly Hills last Thursday. This weekend she was spotted in New York, shopping at the Bowery Whole Foods with some friends. The friends had a baby. Carey, as she is in these photos, was also wearing a very loose fitting maxi dress, described to me as more of a "giant caftan". Full Story
Katie vs Xenu
Scientology is being blamed for the breakdown. Specifically, Katie's desire to block the Church from turning her daughter into the Little Sci. What started it though, according to my sources, is Katie's desire to live in New York full time. She's been pushing for it for over a year. Full Story
Ryan & Eva, his mother, and a ferris wheel
Last year Ryan Gosling was there for his mother when she graduated from McMaster University with a bachelors degree. He even shouted an endearment when she walked across the stage. Click here for a refresher. This year Ryan's ma is graduating from teacher's college at Brock University. Full Story
Eva & Ryan on holiday
Exclusive Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling were photographed flying out of LAX on Saturday. They were headed for Montreal. This is not work; it's a proper holiday. They've a rental car and specified they needed gps; they've been seen with a list of must-visit targets, and have been asking for food recommendations from the concierge at the hotel. Full Story
Ryan & Blake on the Island
©2012 AKM-GSI/ PUNKD Images
ExclusiveRyan Reynolds took Blake Lively to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island this week. His brother lives and works there. They stayed with him during their visit and played basketball on his block on Monday night. It's cute, right? Ryan and Blake, all Hollywood and sh-t, running up and down the street of an unassuming neighbourhood, giggling and chasing each other. Full Story
Ryan & Blake: holding hands at home
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ExclusiveAfter a few days in Napa last week, Ryan Reynolds brought Blake Lively home to Vancouver this weekend. It's their second visit back since they officially became a couple. On Saturday they went for brunch at Sophie's in Kitsilano - my hood! - and left hand in hand. Those images are attached at the beginning of the series. Full Story
Blake & Ryan in the suburbs
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds were just spotted in Connecticut this afternoon, holding hands, walking down Elm Street. Which Elm Street? Does it matter? It's an Elm Street in the suburbs. And they seem to be spending a lot of time in the suburbs lately, as often as they can get away from the city. They were in CT in December and have been back to visit a couple of different towns since and, well, I feel like these two went from Leonardo DiCaprio into super SERIOUS without pausing at "dating" or "let's see where this goes". Full Story


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SOUTH Gloucestershire Council has launched a campaign to raise awareness of free childcare provision available for some two-year-olds.
The government-funded scheme was introduced to improve the outcomes of children from disadvantaged backgrounds and provides up to 15 hours of free childcare a week for families with household incomes of less than £16,190.
In the coming weeks, the council is hoping more eligible parents will make use of the free places.
Cllr Ian Blair, chairman of the authority's children and young people committee, said: "We have already been very successful in getting families on low incomes to take up this scheme since it was introduced.
"We want to ensure more parents and carers are aware of this initiative which entitles eligible families to claim up to 15 hours free childcare a week which includes access to learning and fun activities.
"If you have a two-year-old and your household income is less than £16,190 then you may also be entitled to take up the funding which will be available from September 1."
The free childcare will be made available in a nursery or pre-school setting or with a childminder.
For further information visit www.southglos.gov.uk/childcare or call 01454 868008. You will need your National Insurance number to hand.


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PEOPLE in Wellington are being given the chance to help shape the future of their town.
A public consultation is being held tomorrow (November 24) to find out what matters to the people of Wellington as the town council prepares to draw up its neighbourhood plan.
The plan will put members of the public at the heart of decision-making and allow communities to help shape the future.
The consultation will be made up of sections which will all be open for the public's views.
These will include, transport, the economy, youth action and leisure.
Town clerk Greg Dyke said: "With developments planned at Longforth Farm, Cades II and Jurston Farm in the foreseeable future, Wellington is about to get a level of development in the town which exceeds anything ever seen beforem and if we get it wrong we would live with the consequences forever.
"This is a golden opportunity to shape how we want to see the town develop."
Court Fields School hall will host the consultation from 10am.


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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/4/2013 (1584 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
REGINA — There are no more maybes as far as Carly Rae Jepsen is concerned — the B.C. pop singer is the big winner at this year's Juno Awards.
Call Me Maybe, the most infectious earworm of 2012, has allowed Jepsen to pick up three Junos at Regina this weekend and outshine pop superstar Justin Bieber, the performer who helped launch her career.
Jepsen won single of the year for Call Me Maybe and both album of the year and pop album of the year for Kiss. Bieber, who was not present at the awards ceremony at Regina's Brandt Centre, only won a single trophy: the Juno fan choice award.
A total of 45 awards were handed out over two nights in Regina. Aside from Jepsen, the only other multiple winners were singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, R&B singer The Weeknd and indie-rock band Metric.
Cohen, 78, was named artist of the year and songwriter of the year. The Weeknd won breakthrough artist of the year and R&B/soul recording for the trippy compilation album Trilogy. Metric won alternative album for Synthetica, which also won a packaging-and-design award.
The Juno broadcast was hosted by crooner Michael Buble and featured performances by the likes of Jepsen, Metric, group of the year Marianas Trench, breakthrough-group winner Monster Truck, and adult-alternative-winner Serena Ryder.
At Saturday's non-televised awards, violinist and former Brandonite James Ehnes won the large-ensemble classical album Juno for Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto.
Next year's Juno Awards will be held in Winnipeg during the final week of March, culminating in a broadcast from the MTS Centre on Sunday, March 30, 2014.


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As a thriving restaurant operator—with locations across the world—to a best-selling author with over ten books to his name to (finally) being an unmistakable face on television, Mario Batali has long made a name for himself as one who proliferates cutting edge cooking with a wholesome and genuine touch. Batali is known as always having one foot on the forefront of food culture.
And now, just in time for summer, Batali has found his next diamond in the rough. It's a place that he believes will soon be heralded as a world-class dining and entertainment hotspot: Michigan.


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Where The Wild Things Are – Amigurumi Patterns
Brilliantly made mini Where The Wild Things Are characters here. Made in the japanese character crochet style, Amigurumi. Very technical stuff! And impressive likenesses. Big thanks to the Beddard who sent me this. You can see more details and buy the patterns on CraftyisCool's Etsy here. Can't wait to see this Monster movie!


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Dog-friendly Helstone, 2 Dogs & WiFi
Built and designed by the owners, these two adjoining holiday cottages have been thoughtfully furnished and equipped to a good standard. Each boasts its own enclosed garden with patio and has a countryside backdrop. With oak floors and furniture, and TVs in all bedrooms, these holiday cottages have a contemporary feel…
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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) -- Two Ohio men who say they were severely beaten in a fraternity hazing have sued a national fraternity, its Youngstown State University chapter and more than a dozen individuals.
Officials with Philadelphia-based Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and its YSU chapter could not be reached for comment Thursday. A recording at fraternity headquarters said the voicemail was full and could not accept messages.
Nine of the men who were named in the suit are charged with felonious assault in a criminal case over the alleged hazing.
Resean Yancey and Breylon Stubbs, both of Youngstown, filed their lawsuit Tuesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. It alleges the beatings occurred early last year. It seeks more than $25,000 from each defendant.
The university suspended the chapter last year over the alleged hazing.


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Shabtai Gourmet is a unique Gluten Free Bakery line specializing in Gluten Free, Lactose Free, Soy Free, Casein Free, Peanut Free & Dairy Free Cakes and Cookies. Shabtai has brought a fresh and exciting new approach to allergen free baking. Shabtai and his family owned bakery has grown over the years, yet has never lost its old world out of this world taste.
While many gluten free bakeries use the same available ingredients, very few bakers have the creativity, patience, and talent to turn an ordinary pound of ingredients into an exquisitely crafted pound of scrumptious cake.
Shabtai's mission is to produce allergen free desserts that allow you to feel comfortable with your dietary restrictions. With products like our Ring Ting Cupcakes, Raspberry Rolls, Devils Food Seven Layer Cakes, and Gluten Free Birthday Cakes – you can start enjoying cakes and cookies that you would never have thought were available as gluten free! Actually, we get numerous calls from excited customers asking if what they just ate was really gluten free! We encourage you and your friends and family to try what so many people are raving about-and don't be surprised when they don't believe it's gluten free!
Can't find Shabtai-Gourmet in your area? Don't worry! You can help us help you by downloading this simple request letter form to print and bring to your local retailer.


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Where consulting meets academia, there is a grey area. Where consulting and academia meet regime change, the grey area can be red-hot. Monitor Group – the management consulting firm co-founded by Harvard professors – is the latest to concede that it was burnt by work it did in Libya. Read more
© The Financial Times Ltd 2016 FT and 'Financial Times' are trademarks of The Financial Times Ltd.


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From Our 2012 Archives
'Thousands' of Infections from 1 Poultry Hatchery
Latest Infectious Disease News
8-Year Salmonella Outbreak Traced to 1 Mail-Order Hatchery
By Daniel J. DeNoon
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD
May 30, 2012 -- A single mail-order poultry hatchery is responsible for an eight-year salmonella outbreak with 316 confirmed human cases in 43 states and thousands of likely infections.
Half of the cases were in children 5 years of age or younger.
The hatchery is identified only as "Hatchery C" in "the western United States" by CDC researcher Nicholas H. Gaffga, MD, MPH, and colleagues in their report in the New England Journal of Medicine. Previous CDC reports indicate that it's a large hatchery in New Mexico.
"During the 8-year period from 2004 through 2011, we identified 316 cases in 43 states as part of the outbreak," Gaffga and colleagues report. "Because only a portion of salmonella infections are laboratory confirmed, it is likely that thousands of additional unreported infections occurred in association with this outbreak."
Salmonella and Mail-Order Poultry
How could just one hatchery spread so much illness?
"Hatchery C" produces 4 million birds a year. It ships them to all 50 states. Many of the infected chicks and ducklings are given to children as Easter gifts. They are sold in feed stores and by direct mail. In states where it's not illegal, some of the baby birds are dyed to make them more attractive to children.
"During the spring, which is the peak shipping season, Hatchery C ships an estimated 25,000 birds in one week," Gaffga and colleagues note.
It's a big business. Some 20 U.S. mail-order hatcheries ship about 50 million live chickens, ducklings, and other poultry each year. In the first half of 2009, the U.S. Postal Service shipped about 1.2 million pounds of packages containing live poultry. These cardboard boxes carry up to 100 birds.
Other U.S. hatcheries have been linked to salmonella outbreaks. Even the CDC and the USDA can't always tell where shipped chicks and ducklings came from. That's because when one hatchery can't fill an order, another hatchery "drop ships" the order under the original label and invoice.
Salmonella infection is common in poultry. Infected birds don't always have symptoms and don't always shed salmonella bacteria. This makes it impossible to check individual birds for signs of infection. And poultry vaccines do not eliminate salmonella from a hatchery.
The USDA can ask hatcheries to clean up their acts, but they can't make them do it. Hatcheries are asked to follow the USDA's "National Poultry Improvement Program," as egg farms are required to do. For hatcheries, compliance is voluntary.
According to Gaffga and colleagues, Hatchery C has tried to clean up its act. They did this by "replacing, updating, and sealing old equipment and floors; changing airflow within the facility; implementing a quaternary ammonium egg-cleaning procedure; improving biosecurity; conducting routine biologic surveillance for salmonella on the hatchery premises; and contracting with a private company to develop [a poultry vaccine]."
But between 2008 and 2009, 14 of 200 environmental samples from the hatchery still tested positive for the outbreak strain of salmonella.
How to Avoid Salmonella From Chicks, Ducklings, and Other Poultry
Young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are among the most vulnerable to salmonella infection.
The first rule about salmonella and poultry is not to give chicks or ducklings as gifts to young children. Give them stuffed animals instead.
But if you are part of the trend of keeping a backyard coop for eggs or meat, here's the CDC's advice:
SOURCES: Gaffga, N.H. The New England Journal of Medicine, May 31, 2012. CDC web site.


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Volunteers are being recruited at Dorothy House Hospice in Winsley to work as hosts for the new community lodges that are being built.
The hospice was awarded a £462,497 grant from the Department of Health to contribute towards the two lodges, which will open in April, but it needs Community Lodge Hosts to welcome guests, look after their personal needs and provide companionship in home-from-home surroundings.
The single storey lodges will be staffed by Dorothy House Hospice at Home carers, but they will need the support of a whole new team of volunteers to work alongside them to help with the day-to-day needs of guests, their families and visitors.
Shifts are flexible with a minimum commitment of just one six and a half hours shift once a fortnight. Full training will be given, but sensitivity and good communication skills are essential.
The role is suited to someone looking to return to work in the caring profession or considering a career in nursing.
Recruiting for volunteer Community Lodge Hosts is now under way. To find out more visit the Dorothy House Hospice Care website www.dorothyhouse.co.uk/volunteering or email the team firstname.lastname@example.com or call 01225 721485


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Because yesterday, when Drury surprised everybody by anouncing his retirement — through the players' union — we didn't really get a chance to discuss NHL.com's 30-in-30 on the Rangers
In case you missed it, here's the main story. For the whole package go to NHL.com.
And here is the video assessment of E.J. Hradek (who originally worked at the same paper with me … bet you didn't know that).
Alongside that are other Rangers video highlights to help you through this weekend.
Finally, apparently there was a tribute to the former captain at the Little League World Series game last night. Did you guys know that Drury won the Little League World Series?