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A9 TV; 2 November 2011
(In response to the question "Why has Allah created us with our present appearances?")
This is the best and ideal appearance. The eyebrows, for instance, are in exactly the right place, the eyes are in the right place, the nose is in the right place. The slightest alteration would be most unnerving. It would be ugly. That is why the animal model is the same. The eyebrows are in exactly the right place in the cat, their eyes are in just the right place. That is why we are fond of cats. We would not like it if their eyes were on the back of their necks. The more they resemble human beings the more we like them. The way they show affection resembles ours, so we like them for that, as well. They try to express affection by licking. That innocent expression on their faces is a reflection of the love in our hearts for people with pure hearts. Why do we love the expressions on children's faces? Because they are very innocent, clean, without sin, innocent and ignorant of evil. We love children because they are ignorant of evil and because of their moral virtue. We love them because of their moral virtue. Because they are innocent, they do no harm to anyone, they do not gossip or spread corruption, and mind their own business. That is why we love nibbling babies' feet. They are created in the ideal form. Because when Allah manifests Himself, He does so in human form. That is the model most beloved of Allah. Allah says in a verse that He has created human beings in the best form. That is the most perfect form, based on the golden ratio. Ducks, geese rabbits and everything have been created based on the human model. Insects. Even insects have two eyes. And one nose and mouth. The positioning is more or less the same. The basic model is the human one. All animals have been created on the basis of the human model. Of course, many designs have been changed. But human beings are the most popular. Human beings are what Allah loves best.
Teeth are very important. Like porcelain, each one individually. Allah could have made them in a single block, out of a single piece of bone, but He created them separately so they would look like diamonds or pearls and so we would find them attractive. He has given them all a different shape, and that also pleases the eye. The other way, they would just be flat. Take false teeth, a great many are unpleasing to us because they are a single flat block. But since natural teeth are all slightly different we like them, and they seem more attractive. The shape of our top lip is very attractive, as is that of the bottom lip. And they look lovely when combined together. The cheekbones have been specially positioned by Allah. That slight protrusion on the cheeks imparts a glorious beauty. The open nature of the brow imparts a separate beauty. As does the shape of the jaw. A bright, clean skin is hugely impressive. That is why Allah says that believers are clean. A smooth, regular skin is highly attractive. And then Allah has topped it all off with hair. Hair is a miracle, consisting of single, growing strands. It looks lovely. Its thickness is also perfect. Everything about it is just right. It does not look good when it is missing. But hair looks lovely.
Take eyebrows; they also consist of hair, but after growing for a while, they say, "I had better not grow any more." Or the eyelashes; they grow and grow, but after reaching a certain length they then send a message to the roots saying, "We have grown enough, you can stop now." And the root says, "Is that so? In that case we can stop." And they do not grow any more. The lower eyelashes, for example, say, "It would look better if we were slightly shorter." They say they should not be as long as the upper lashes, that it would not look so good. And the lower eyelashes are indeed shorter, so that it all looks better. Once they have reached a certain length a command reaches the roots. And Allah does not allow them to grow any more. He knows how far they must grow to look their best. And after that they stop. For example, the lashes nearer the eyes are shorter, those towards the edges. It would not look good if they were long. Because since an oval shape applies there, those at the edges need to be shorter and those next to them a bit longer, and those next to them, longer still, and so on. And then they start becoming shorter again, and shorter still. And so it goes on, down to nothing. Every hair root receives order so there can be beauty and harmony. It knows what the final form should be, and when to stop. It is the same with the eyebrows. The teeth also receive a command after growing to a specific length, saying, "Do not grow any more. If you grow any more it will not look good." They ask how far to grow, and are told "To be just in proportion." Then the teeth stop. Growth stops. It would look ugly if they were to grow any more. Or if they were to be any shorter. But the tooth root commands the tooth to stop growing once that point has been reached. And the teeth stand there like pearls. That same system is in the entire body. Everywhere is conscious and intelligent and systematic. Allah says He has made everything with a measure. And it is created with the golden ratio.
(An answer to the question, "How do you account for the fact that while our elders would not even stretch their feet out in the room containing the Holy Qur'an, yet you read the Qur'an when there are women who keep their heads uncovered when the Qur'an is read, even though our Prophet (pbuh) says, 'speak to women from behind a veil'?)
Satan has played a trick to turn you away from the Qur'an and Allah under a guise of holiness, a trick that would amaze you. If you fall for that trap you will be very foolish indeed. What does that mean? Either you or the Qur'an will not be able to enter a house containing the Qur'an. And since you will enter it, the Qur'an will have to leave. Nonsense. They could not stretch their feet out in a house containing the Qur'an. So they could not lie down. So you would have to spend the whole night standing up. And since you could not sleep in that house, either you would have to leave it, or the Qur'an would. Look at satan's trick. You can live in the best way of all in a house containing the Qur'an. The Qur'an is like bread, to be kept by the bed. "Is it right for the Qur'an to be read with people's heads uncovered on your program?" So people whose heads are uncovered cannot listen to the Qur'an? What does that mean? Millions of people are listening to us now; 70%-80% of Turks do not cover their heads. So they would have to turn the TV off. So either we will not read the Qur'an, or else they will have to switch off. Both options are devilish and irrational. Both options serve satan. Do you see what satan does in order to turn people away from the Qur'an? How many roads has he blocked off? Do you see satan's methods. He says, ".., I will lie in ambush for them on your straight path". "When our Prophet (pbuh) spoke to women from behind a veil." Do you not walk side by side with women on the hajj? Why are you lying? Why are you trying to alter Islam and the Qur'an? Why are you doing things that will cause satan to rejoice? That was limited to the wives of the Prophet (pbuh). Our mothers spoke from behind veils. Because Almighty Allah tells the wives of our Prophet (pbuh) "Do not be too soft-spoken in your speech lest someone with sickness in his heart becomes desirous." They are our mothers. Of course this will anger us. We do not want anyone to look at our mothers out of the corners of their eyes. There are all kinds of people, and we cannot trust them all.
Almighty Allah made things easier there, and our mothers spoke from behind veils. Because they were defamed and treated ignobly. They slandered my mother Ayisha (pbuh) and our other mothers. They acted dishonorably, and Almighty Allah acted accordingly. Allah says, "you are not like other women". What does that mean? The women of the Islamic community are different, the wives of the Prophet (pbuh) are different. Look, note this - you are not like other women". What does that mean? The women of the Islamic community are different, their law is different, there is no need for them to speak from behind a veil. That refers to the wives of the Prophet (pbuh). Allah took that precaution at that time to stop people behaving wrongly, insha'Allah. The women of the Islamic community are all together on the hajj and on war. How can they be separate? Our Prophet (pbuh) loved women. And Almighty Allah told my beloved forebear, "After that no other women are lawful for you nor may you exchange them for other wives, even though their beauty might be pleasing to you." Because our Prophet (pbuh) kept on marrying them. There was great demand. My forebear was very handsome and attractive. My beloved forbear and Prophet (pbuh) was so lovely women would fall in love with him at a glance. Almighty Allah took precautions when all women fell in love with him. But He said those he already had were not included in this. He excluded the concubines he already had. They say you can not lie down in your house. You put the Qur'an by your bedside. You must kiss and embrace it and live with it. How can you not stretch out? What a thing to say!.
Look what Almighty Allah says in Surat an-Naml, 44: "To the Queen of Sheba; "She was told: 'Enter the courtyard,' but when she saw it she supposed it to be a pool..."" The Prophet Solomon (pbuh) was very sweet and lovely. He had it specially built to resemble a pool, it looked just like a pool as it reflected the light in waves. It looked like deep water. He invited Balqis the Queen of Sheba to enter the water. The woman bared her legs and prepared to enter the water. "She supposed it to be a pool." Note that, not shallow water. And she bared her legs. "He [Solomon] said, 'It is a courtyard paved with glass'."He said it was not a pool. "She said, 'My Lord, I have wronged myself..." The Queen of Sheba said, "I have submitted with Solomon to the Lord of all the worlds." She looks the Prophet Solomon (pbuh) in the eyes as she speaks, and the Prophet Solomon (pbuh) looks her in the eyes. He knows she will bare her legs, and he still tells her to enter the pool. You may tell me that is a very severe way of speaking. But I would never hurt a fly. My language may be harsh, but I have enormous love and compassion. I have fished many number of ants out of water. I cannot let them be harmed.
How can you be unaware that satan will engage in such trickery? How can you not see it? You cannot sleep in a house with the Qur'an in it! Nor stretch your feet out! Nor sit in a chair! So what is the answer? To get rid of the Qur'an. And that is totally wrong. How can you not see that? Satan has tricked you, the dajjal has tricked you. Can you not see that? Have your brains seized up? Has Allah taken away your senses? Or have you gone crazy? You cannot read the Qur'an because there will be women with their heads uncovered. Look at that mentality! In that case the Qur'an cannot be read on any TV channel, in case people with their heads uncovered hear it. But 70%-80% of Turks do not cover their heads. Most women wear plunging necklines in the coastal towns. But I respect and love them all. I value and admire them all. The psychopathic bigots must not be offended by them. What kind of mindset is that? What kind of logic? They are radiant and immaculate Muslims.
Surah Yusuf, 23:
"The woman whose house it was," who does the woman live with? With the Prophet Joseph (pbuh). "The woman whose house it was," she lives in the same house as the Prophet Joseph (pbuh). In their eyes, may Allah forbid, the Prophet Joseph (pbuh) sins. Allah says they live in the same house. The woman wanders round normally, uncovered. "She solicited him. She barred the doors and said, 'Come over here'!" She wants to make love with him. "He said, 'Allah is my refuge!" Why does he seek refuge in Allah? He says he will not engage in sexual relations with her. "Because He is my Lord and has been good to me with where I live. Those who do wrong will surely not succeed."
"She wanted him…," my forebear, the Prophet Joseph (pbuh) was highly attractive. All the prophets are very attractive. Their beauty has a huge impact on women. The Prophet Moses (pbuh) was the same. That is even in Pharaoh's inscriptions. Idiots with donkey-minds. Look, they were not able to there. They say; "The scholar and sorcerer Yahuda is very expert in influencing women. It says the Prophet Moses (pbuh) is very expert. Look, they become tongue-tied. They have to admit it. Masha'Allah to the Prophet Moses (pbuh), my forebearer. "The woman wanted him," because he [the Prophet Joseph(pbuh)] was so attractive. "and he would have wanted her, had he not seen the Clear Proof of his Lord." Who forbade him to stay in the same room, or to look at her and who forbade adultery, or sexual relations. He saw her and wanted her, but he did not enter into sexual relations. They were in the same place, but he avoided vice and adultery. "That happened so We might avert from him all evil and lust. He was Our chosen servant."
Surat al-Qasas, 23:
"When he arrived at the water of Madyan, he found a crowd of people drawing water there." Men and women. "Standing apart from them, he found two women, holding back their sheep." Bigots would probably have run away. But the Prophet Moses (pbuh) approaches them. "He said, 'What are you two doing here'?" He wants to help them. "They said, 'We cannot draw water until the shepherds have driven off their sheep'." Because brainless types refuse to go anywhere near them. They recognize high-quality people. What do they say? "You see our father is a very old man'."
"So he drew water for them and then withdrew into the shade and said, 'My Lord, I am truly in need of any good You have in store for me'."
He desires good.
"One of them came walking shyly up to him..."In their eyes, she had also sinned. Because she approached him. The Prophet Moses (pbuh) approached her, and she him. "My father invites you so that he can pay you your wage for drawing water for us..."They praise him to their father. "When he came to him and told him the whole story he said, 'Have no fear, you have escaped from wrongdoing people'." They say to their father, "He is someone strong and trustworthy."
How could they know he was strong and trustworthy without seeing him? According to the bigots, they were sinning. The Prophet Moses (pbuh) also sinned. The Prophet Joseph (pbuh) sinned, too. And in their eyes, may Allah forbid, even our Prophet (pbuh) sinned. No. If I and the verses of the Qur'an are in error, let them say so to me. I read a verse and the bigots make not a sound. They even bring me reports from idols. Do not bring me reports from idols. Bring me information from the Qur'an. Do you cite evidence from the Qur'an? No. It always comes from idols. Tell me, "These verses you read are wrong." But they are true. And you cannot say they are wrong.
Now satan has this trick. He says; "If your head is covered, if you are covered up, you cannot appear on television or go to the shops or to schools." So do you know where there is freedom? Only in the grave. They have kept women away from Islam and the Qur'an by that method. They have produced thousands of obstacles to women with uncovered heads approaching Islam and the Qur'an. Satan has been really very clever. But I have thwarted satan with his own trick. All women with bare heads are immaculate Muslims. They are all our pure and spotless sisters. They are first class Muslims. So they can relax. The can read the Qur'an as they wish, and read the hadiths and the Risale-i Nur and need never bow to pressure. If we continue in this way them, insha'Allah, we will totally thwart this trickery of satan's. Because they have made one nation out of bare-headed people and another out of those who cover up. As if they were from different faiths. They have managed to keep bare-headed women away from Islam and the Qur'an. A great many of them. By looking at them with anger and hatred. By developing a terrible hatred for well-groomed and made-up women, they have placed Muslim women, our immaculate nation, in the position of infidels or sinners or bad people. And that is why these bare-headed women feel a great hatred for bigots. A lot of them. A justified hatred has grown up. These people are doing all they can to keep them away from Islam and the Qur'an. But I have embraced them all and called them all to Islam and the Qur'an. At least 70%-80% of Turkish women are bare-headed. But I look out for them all. They are luminous Muslims. I have freed them from the clutches and assaults of the bigots. Well-groomed women who wear make-up are very dear to me. Bare-headed or covered up, they are all luminous Muslims. I have put an end to this trick of satan's. Satan and the dajjal are squirming now. And I am enjoying watching them. The more we hit them, the more they squeal. We will put an end to this trickery, insha'Allah. There is no room for the way of the Mahdi. The dajjal attacks from two directions. One with Darwinists and materialists, and the other with religious bigots. Not that I have blocked the road ahead of both. Bare-headed women are now reading and listening to the Qur'an and learning about Islam. Their love for Rasulullah (pbuh) is rowing many times over. They are growing in awareness. Look, I read texts from the Qur'an and someone suggests the television should be shut down. What stupidity! I will continue on the true path, insha'Allah.
Many bigots hate well-groomed, bare-headed women. And all well-groomed women with bare heads all loathe the bigots. A great many of them are like that. I am eliminating that strife. I am cleaning out that filth, hatred and stupidity of the bigot mindset, insha'Allah. I take the nation as a whole. Our immaculate young girls are now going to Istanbul University. They go to Boğaziçi University. Modern young women. They are all radiant, immaculate Muslims. All radiant daughters of Muslims. They are immaculate, and can now be at ease.
People are unaware of the hatred bigots feel for well-groomed, bare headed women. But I regard that hatred as corruption and will eliminate it.
Muslims in the world are in the position of captives. Think – who did that? Why should one and a half billion Muslims be captives? Just think on that. Why are one and a half Muslims fragmented? Think on that. Members of what other faiths are so despised and persecuted? Just show me. They are despised and persecuted everywhere in the world. In much of it. The bigots are responsible for that. These things are due to the bigots. They have divided people into camps. Bare-headed people against those who cover up, women who wear make-up and those who do not. Their world is a dark one. Very, very sinister. You divide people by sect, by the headscarf, by make-up and by this and that. They divide them by groupings within sects. By schools. By regions. By everything. By parties. But Muslims are one single whole. Everyone is a Muslim, whether they cover their heads and wear make-up or not, or whether they go down to the beach or not, and they are all my dear brothers and sisters. They are all Muslims. Muslims are now hemmed into a narrow space because of that mindset. See what they say? You cannot stretch out your legs in a house where the Qur'an is read. One cannot enter a house with a Qur'an in it. Look at that mentality! And they try to tell me not to read the Qur'an in case bare-headed women hear it.
"Why do you say that women were attracted to the Prophet Joseph (pbuh) when you talk about Surah Yusuf?" they ask. "There are children and families watching," they say. What can I say to such people? They are embarrassed by these verses. "We are watching with our children," they say. Look, Allah says, "Say: 'If your fathers or your sons or your brothers or your wives or your tribe, or any wealth you have acquired, or any business you fear may slump, or any house which pleases you, are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and struggling in His Way, then wait until Allah brings about His command. Allah does not guide people who are deviators.'" What mentality is this? "This is improper, you must not talk about that," they. "The woman wanted him," they say. "Why did you read that bit out?" Because it is written there! What am I supposed to say to these people? I pity their ignorance. I do not want to use harsh language. May Allah open their minds and grant them happiness. Would Allah have put anything embarrassing in the Qur'an? Where does your polytheistic head get that idea from?
Surah Yusuf, 38:
"I hold fast to the creed of my forebears Abraham and Isaac and Jacob."
I read this verse out as evidence in court. They demanded that I be sentenced to 25 years for saying, "I am from the Turkish people and from the nation of Islam." That was apparently extremist propaganda. That even appeared on my prison ID. "Crime; extremist propaganda." Twenty-five years. Look, "I hold fast to the creed of my forebears Abraham and Isaac and Jacob." one says.The creed of Abraham. Isaac and Jacob. I said to the judge, "Look, Sir. This verse speaks of the creed of Abraham. Muslims are a nation of Muslims. That is why I said that." But it was no good… Ten months in the mental hospital and 9 months in solitary. Then 19 months later, they said "You are right, there is nothing criminal in what you said. You are free to go." "May Allah be pleased, thank you," I said. And so I left. All things are for the best, of course. There is beauty in all things. When Almighty Allah had the Prophet Joseph (pbuh) imprisoned, that was for the best. And it was also for the best when I was imprisoned and when I was released again.2011-11-20 22:07:08


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I'm really excited for today's post (and the next almost 5 to follow it).
A few weeks ago, Crystal, our fabulous head graphic designer and company photographer, and I went out to Holly Heider Chapple's home in Virgina to do a style shoot with Emersonmade products (we will be doing a giveaway from this style shoot – so stay tuned for details!). Holly has been a part of WeddingWire from the beginning and her flower company has flourished (no pun intended) in the DC Metro area and beyond. She's also one of our WeddingAces. So we headed out to her workshop and set up 4-5 different scenes using antique furniture from OnAWhimAntiques, linens from PartyRentalLTD, delicious cupcakes from VSweets, adorable sign designs by ckudesign, beautiful bouquets and centerpieces from Holly's workshop, and a bunch of great props she had in her "magical" barn (yes that is what I'm calling it!). A huge thank you to her team of experts, and family, who helped us pull together this amazing day, all of the vendors who provided us with beautiful materials, and Emersonmade for continuing to send us their unbelievable product to showcase!
Without further ado, here's our first set-up:
{Vendors ~ Photography: ckudesign studios | Flowers: Holly Heider Chapple Flowers | Linens: PartyRentalLTD | Furniture: OnAWhimAntiques | Cupcakes: VSweets | Dessert Table Signs: ckudesign | Clutches, Linen Flower, and Ring Pillow: Emersonmade | Design and Set-Up: Jeffra Trumpower and Holly Heider Chapple}

subset: commoncrawl


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As a staff writer on NBC's Parks and Recreation—probably the biggest-hearted sitcom on TV, and possibly the funniest—Katie Dippold has, to hear her tell it, some of the best co-workers in the world. The show's star and producer Amy Poehler is "so funny and smart, and also just a really nice, good person." Its showrunner, Michael Schur, is "really great." And Rob Lowe? He's "such a good sport."
Dippold also speaks highly of her colleagues at her first TV writing job, at MADtv ("I still miss those guys") and of her old friends at the Upright Citizens Brigade in New York, where she used to write and perform before moving to Los Angeles five years ago ("I loved the people I was doing stuff with there"). Talk to her for a little while about her career, and a pattern emerges: either Dippold has been impossibly lucky, or she is the sort person who's especially hard to come by in Hollywood: both talented and gracious.
Talk a little longer, and it becomes clear the answer is both. In conversation, Dippold is grounded and sincere. She also has the kind of career that becomes legend to those currently doing what she once did—writing and performing at the UCB at night while working as a temp and as a bank assistant during the day, which she did for three years before landing the job at MADtv and moving to LA. In the five years since, she's been hired at Parks and written The Heat, a lady-cop comedy starring Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock and directed by Bridesmaids' Paul Feig, which wrapped in the fall and is due out next April. She's sold two other scripts, too—one stars Happy Endings' Adam Pally as a bartender set on proving his ex's new boyfriend, played by Taran Killam, is a serial killer; the other is about babies attempting a breakout from their day-care center.
We caught up with Dippold while she was getting prepared for a flight—"I always want to come back to a perfectly clean apartment, so that part I get pretty OCD about," she explained—and discussed her FBI disqualification, her worst sketches, and what's so great about Bridesmaids.
ALEXANDRIA SYMONDS: What did you think you wanted to do with your life when you were a little kid?
KATIE DIPPOLD: I know it's a little crazy, but I always wanted to be in the FBI. And I just didn't think I had a good shot at it, I wasn't sure. But, I liked journalism and I really liked writing. So, sometimes my dream was to be a comedy writer. And journalism made sense and I really liked it, but I started interning at Conan and taking improv classes, that's what led to comedy writing.
To be honest, the writing thing was there from the beginning too, because I would write a bunch of mystery stories and stuff like that. But I always had a bad attention span—you could tell I got tired of writing it, because then the stories would always end abruptly.
SYMONDS: [laughs] "And then everyone died."
DIPPOLD: [laughs] Yeah. I have a few from when I was little. I put Saran Wrap around the front page and the back page to make it look like a book. And then I also ran a little newspaper, which would just be [written on] a typewriter, and I would have one thing. There was always some big scandalous story about my older sister, whenever she made me mad.
SYMONDS: Exposés.
DIPPOLD: Yeah, exactly. So then the FBI thing was always just a weird—I guess I just realized that I would rather be reading about the FBI then being in the FBI. But, I also didn't really have a choice. I applied after college, even though I started doing comedy and everything, I still thought, "I'll just apply and see what happens."
For the FBI, you had to apply online, and it was very dry. The first question was they asked me to list all of my full-time employment, and at the time I was just interning and had part-time jobs, so I had to write "No." And then the next one was, "Are you fluent in any languages?," and I was a Spanish minor but not fluent, so I had to just write "No." The next one was, "Have you tried any drug more than three times?," and I had to write "Yes." And then I hit "Next" and it was like, "Thank you for your submission," and that was it. That was the end of my FBI dream.
SYMONDS: Do you ever revisit early comedy writing you did that didn't work out?
DIPPOLD: Oh, I have piles of terrible sketches. There are so many that, when I look back on it, I feel like, wow—it was pretty aggressive to keep pursuing this career when my writing was so terrible. It sort of blows my mind. But, you know a lot of it is practice, and you just keep doing it over and over again.
SYMONDS: Do you remember anything specific?
DIPPOLD: One of the first sketches I wrote in college was about some guy suing the Mafia for not him letting in because he wasn't Italian, or something. And I was reading it, and it was just the worst. It read like a court transcript—nothing funny at all.
It's so hard to get started creatively—it's really hard to get those first ideas out. You just have to do it over and over again, and hopefully better ones start to come. Also, anytime a good idea comes up, for a long time I think, "Oh, my God, that was so lucky that I thought of that idea, whew, I hope that happens again." The more you work at it, the more it happens, but it still feels lucky.
SYMONDS: So, you moved to LA five years ago—were you raring to go and totally excited, or were you one of the New York transplants who's like, "Everything about this sucks"?
DIPPOLD: I was a mix. I was really nervous, because I love New York, and I still miss it. And I was enjoying New York so much; I was performing at the Upright Citizens Brigade all of the time. I felt like, usually people leave New York when they feel tired of it, or burnt out; but I wasn't there yet, I needed four more years to feel like that. So I was scared of leaving it, but I was also coming here for my first writing job, so I was really excited. There are parts of LA that feel like old-timey Hollywood, which I really love.
SYMONDS: How did you get hired on MADtv?
DIPPOLD: Well, first, UCB had a showcase for actors, and I did that showcase and you had to have six original characters. So, I did it and they liked it, so they flew me out to test for [an acting job]. And then I didn't get it. I was performing and writing; I felt stronger about writing, but I was still trying for both. So, then I didn't get it, but then the next time they came around, I ended up auditioning again, and then again, they flew me out to test. It always seemed like they liked some of the ideas of what I was saying, just not how I was saying it. So, I gave them my writer's packet the second time I went out; they ended up hiring me as a writer.
SYMONDS: Mike Schur, your boss on Parks and Rec, obviously has had such a crazy distinguished career already, and he's still pretty young. How is he as a leader?
DIPPOLD: He's really great. After MADtv, I wrote this pilot thinking we'd try to sell it. But then everyone was like, "Oh, this is a ridiculous sample—you would never try to make this, but it's funny." I was like, "That was not my intention, but okay."
SYMONDS: What was it about?
DIPPOLD: It's actually a horror comedy called Widows Bay. It's about this Northeastern island town, the mayor. Everything that ever goes wrong in horror movies always goes wrong in this one town; [it's about] the stress he deals with trying to get people to move there, since no one wants to live there.
SYMONDS: [laughs] Sounds funny to me.
DIPPOLD: Thank you. He read it and he really liked it, so he asked for a meeting. I ended up getting the job off of that. And he's like the smartest person I know—he's really great. I felt very lucky to be there, because I didn't really know anything about writing that kind of television. So, when they would talk about character arcs and all of those terms, I didn't know how to chime in or anything. I would feel panicked, and I felt like I was too quiet in the room and I wasn't pitching enough, but he really took his time helping me learn these things rather then just getting frustrated and firing me, which was really nice.
When you're writing something, you get nervous about things being changed or how it comes out or how it gets cut together. But when he adds something or changes it or rewrites it, it's always so much better. It's really nice to have someone in charge who's that great.
SYMONDS: Parks and Rec has such a consistent vision. There are other comedies on TV that, from episode to episode, will be funny in very different ways, and I think that one thing that Parks and Rec does very well is to maintain the same tone throughout.
DIPPOLD: Yeah, that's all him. We have a similar sense of humor—[though] I feel like he would disagree and then I would feel insulted—but he's really good at keeping the heart and making it a kind show. I don't think he just likes mean-spirited comedy. It's really easy to just have it be all mean-spirited and stuff, but he doesn't really want to do that. Except Jerry. All of the mean-spirited comedy is to make fun of Jerry.
SYMONDS: One thing I always wonder when I hear that a writer on a successful show has sold a movie is how they found the time to write it.
DIPPOLD: It was not easy; I was just writing on nights and weekends. It was brutal. Also, because I was writing it on spec, I was so scared that I was gonna look on some news site and see that another version of this movie was being made. So, that kind of fired me up, to just keep thinking, "I've already done this much work, I have to finish it soon." I kept going faster and faster, because I was getting worried that all the work I had done would be for nothing.
SYMONDS: In The Heat, it seems like the relationship between Sandra's character and Melissa's character is key. And Parks and Rec handles female friendships in a really interesting and unique way, too. What do you think is missing from the way that female friendships are depicted on screen right now?
DIPPOLD: I just don't really see it a lot in movies, and I'm sure you feel that way too. Sometimes, when you see females talking in movies, it just doesn't feel like a conversation I've ever had with any of my friends. But, that's why I love Bridesmaids—the way they would talk felt very real.
This particular one, their relationship, there was a girlfriend I had who is another comedian; she's different than most female friends. I feel like when you make a new female friend, as adults especially, it's almost hard to get comfortable, because it's polite and awkward. For some reason, it's harder when you're older. But she wasn't like that. If you would say something like, "Oh, I feel like this...," a new female friend would say, "Oh no, no, no." She would say, "Oh yeah, you're right to feel that way," or, "You're kind of being an asshole right now." I wasn't used to that straight talk, and it was an interesting friendship. So, I kind of based a lot of their dynamic in the movie off of that. Because Melissa McCarthy's character is jabbing at Sandra Bullock's character the whole movie.
SYMONDS: I can't wait to see it. How much has it been out of your hands since February? Did you go to set at all?
DIPPOLD: I was there the whole time. Luckily, Paul Feig is incredibly writer-friendly. I've always heard once you sell it's kind of out of your hands, but I've had a very fortunate experience. I got to do all of the rewrites, and we were in Boston for three months and on set every day, because he likes having just like a constant stream of punch-ups and alts to jokes. So I would just sit in a chair and I would watch a scene and if I thought of an idea, I'd just hand him a piece of paper with a joke on it.
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Last week I passed a woman who was talking on her cell phone while driving.
As I continued on my destination, I passed three additional vehicles where the driver was talking on their cell phone right on Princeton's main drag.
For those who maybe missed out, who didn't realize or can't remember, it's now illegal to talk on your cell phone (holding the phone to the ear) while operating your vehicle.
As a reporter, who is always on the go and in need of constant communication at my fingertips, I admit it's been hard for me to choke down. I felt a little irritated when they took away texting and driving (even though I'll confess I had a few close calls with the street curb on that one).
But whether I like it or not, similar to having to wear my annoying seatbelt, I can't afford to not follow the new regulation.
The law is there to keep us safe, and if this law is going to potentially save my life or someone else's life, then so be it. No phone conversation is worth anyone's life.
For those who are thinking otherwise, here's just one more reminder on what you might face if you decide that phone conservation is a little more important.
Violators can be fined $75 for their first offense. I don't know about you, but I'd love to spend that extra $75 on something I want, rather than handing it over to my local police station. But if that's just chump change for some folks, the second violation could be as much as $150 and a mark on their driving record.
For those willing to take it a little further, a third violation in the same year as the previous two could cost you a suspended driver's license. No thanks! I know I take my driving freedom for granted way too much, but if that freedom was ever taken from me I'd lose, not only my job, but my sanity. Before anyone hits that point, I'd say it's definitely worth looking into that "hands-free" talk technology.
However, if you're still thinking the new cell phone law isn't that impactful, our governor also signed his name next to legislation that increases penalties for drivers who injure or kill others in crashes caused by cell phone use.
Distracted motorists who injure someone face a Class A misdemeanor, which is punishable with fines up to $2,500 and jail time. If a driver kills someone in an accident related to cell phone use, not only do they have to carry guilt for the rest of their lives, but also felony charges.
Yeah, better get to the closest cell phone store for that "hands-free" talk device. I'm being a friend right now, and telling you that phone conversation is not worth a felony charge and the amount of guilt you would feel if you took someone else's life.
For those who are laughing and don't believe cell phones aren't a factor in car crashes, it's my job to type up the area's police reports for the newspaper. Therefore, I'm forced to read them all, and I really wish I had a quarter for every crash report I've read in the last three years that stated, "The driver admitted to looking down for a quick second to send a text message/dial a phone number before the crash."
More than once have I reported on big vehicle accidents in this county, that were related to talking or texting on the cell phone. It's not pretty, and it's not fun reporting.
Get off the phone. Tell that person you'll call them back. Make a note to call them back. Realize when the phone rings, it's not the end of the world when you have to wait until you put the vehicle in park to call that person back!
Shaw Media Staff Writer Goldie Currie can be reached at email@example.com.


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LAKELAND, Fla. – The Saint Leo men's and women's swimming teams opened their fall season with a dual meet at Florida Southern College, Saturday afternoon in Lakeland, Fla. The men were successful in defeating the Florida Southern College Moccasins, 50.00-46.00, but fell to SCAD, 65.00-30.00. The women were also victorious against the Mocs 68.00-27.00, but failed to overcome a strong SCAD squad, dropping the heat 74.00-21.00.
Tim Olson lead the charge for the men in the 200 Yard Freestyle, clocking with a time of 1:47.03, more than a second ahead of the nearest opponent. Olson also placed second in the 100 Yard Butterfly with a time of 52.63, just two seconds off the pace. Matt Attal came up large for the Lions in the 500 Yard Freestyle, crossing the line almost four seconds ahead of the nearest opponent with a time of 5:00.23.
Also, Kyle Gramm and Brian Kiessling had impressive individual finishes for the men. Gramm finished third and Kiesssling placed fourth in the 100 Yard Freestyle with a time of 51.32 and 52.42, respectively. Donnie Maclary grabbed third place in the 100 Yard Backstroke recording a time of 56.37.
Saint Leo also competed in the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay, as Cliff Rhodes joined Attal, Kiessling and Gramm to complete a second-place showing in the race registering a time of 1:33.75.
Senior Julie Carusone qualified for the NCAA tournament at the end of the 2008-09 season, recording national A-time standard in two events last Saturday. Carusone swam the 200 Yard IM placing first with a time of 2:11.27. The 100 Yard Breaststroke with a national top-ten time of 1:06.96.
Erin Hotchkiss and Alisha Adams also swam well for SLU, placing third and fourth in the 200 Yard Freestyle. Hotchkiss clocked in with a time of 2:02.76 and Adams finished just two seconds behind with a time of 2:04.28. Hotchkiss also out-distanced herself from five other swimmers in the 500 Yard Freestyle with a time of 5:33.69.
Adams finished up strong with a second-place showing in the 100 Yard Backstroke touching the wall with a time of 1:03.98. Erin Lucas provided another strong individual performance in the 100 Yard Freestyle, finishing second with a time of 57.18. Alicia Thompson also made a top-three finish in the 100 Yard Fly, cracking a time of 103.55.
The top relay team for Saint Leo featured Thompson, Lucas, Jessica Pall and Alison Cary in the Women 200 Yard Relay, closing with a time of 1:46.12. The time was good for third in the heat.
The Lions return to the pool with a 1:00 p.m. start in Winter Park, Fla. with the Rollins College Tars.