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Weickert TW, Goldberg TE, Gold JM, Bigelow LB, Egan MF, Weinberger DR. Cognitive Impairments in Patients With Schizophrenia Displaying Preserved and Compromised Intellect. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2000;57(9):907–913. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.57.9.907
© 2017
Although intellectual and neurocognitive deficits accompany schizophrenia, there are inconsistencies in the literature concerning issues of intellectual decline, premorbid deficits, a modal deficit pattern, and preserved abilities.
A battery of neuropsychological tests was administered once to 117 consecutively admitted patients with chronic schizophrenia and a group of 27 healthy control subjects to examine patterns of premorbid and current intellect (measured by means of reading scores and IQ, respectively) and the attendant cognitive profiles in schizophrenia using classification methods based on clinically derived (IQ levels) and atheoretical (cluster) techniques.
Sixty patients (51%) with schizophrenia who displayed a general intellectual decline of 10 points or greater from estimated premorbid levels also exhibited deficits of executive function, memory, and attention. Twenty-eight patients (23%) with consistently low estimated premorbid intellect and current intellectual levels who displayed no evidence of IQ decline exhibited language and visual processing deficits in addition to deficits present in the intellectually declining group. The remaining 29 patients (25%) who displayed average estimated premorbid intellectual levels did not show IQ decline and exhibited a cognitive profile similar to normal, with the exception of executive function and attention impairment. Atheoretical analyses support the findings from clinically derived subgroups.
These results suggest that IQ decline, although modal in schizophrenia, is not universally characteristic and that executive function and attention deficits may be core features of schizophrenia, independent of IQ variations.
SCHIZOPHRENIA HAS been characterized by executive function, attention, memory, and general intellectual deficits. Intellectual decline may occur subsequent to onset of schizophrenia.1- 3 In monozygotic twin pairs discordant for schizophrenia, Goldberg et al4 demonstrated a 10-point IQ discrepancy in favor of the unaffected twin. Longitudinal studies support intellectual decline,5,6 as do studies of first-episode patients.1
However, intellectual declines after the onset of schizophrenia are not universal.7 Russell et al8 suggested that any subsequent intellectual deficit is due to an early decline that predates onset of schizophrenia. In fact, the schizophrenia literature is replete with evidence of low premorbid function.9 Numerous reports document low premorbid IQ in children who later develop schizophrenia.3,10- 15 Large birth cohorts have shown subtle but significantly lower premorbid levels of educational achievement, retardation in attainment of neuromotor developmental milestones, premorbid speech abnormalities, or intellectual diminution in individuals who later develop schizophrenia.16,17 Other large population-based cohorts18,19 reported that patients with schizophrenia displayed higher frequencies of low premorbid ability or IQ. Conversely, some studies have characterized high-functioning patients with schizophrenia who do not display intellectual decline.20- 22 For example, Palmer et al23 reported that 27% of patients displayed a normal performance on a variety of cognitive measures, including IQ.
In the present study, we assessed a large sample of consecutively admitted patients with chronic schizophrenia. The cognitive domains of memory, attention, executive function, and visual perception were assessed. Premorbid intellect was inferred indirectly using the Wide Range Achievement Test–Revised (WRAT-R) Reading test. We addressed the following questions: (1) Is intellectual decline universally characteristic? (2) What other patterns of intellectual compromise or preservation might be present? and (3) What are the implications for other cognitive domains in patients whose premorbid and morbid intellect varies? Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that a group of intellectually declining patients would display executive function, attention, and memory deficits; a nondeclining, high-functioning group would display a milder and more restricted range of deficits; and a group with both premorbid and morbid IQ deficits would display a broader spectrum of cognitive impairment. Healthy control subjects were included as a comparison group to determine the degree to which patients with schizophrenia deviate from normal on different cognitive measures and as a means of providing a form of validity for the use of Reading scores as a premorbid intellectual measure.
To validate our patient grouping strategy, atheoretical cluster analyses were performed using Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale–Revised (WAIS-R) Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) and WRAT-R Reading scores. Cluster weights and between-cluster analyses of variance (ANOVAs) provided indices of internal homogeneity and external validity. Canonical analyses comparing IQ and FSIQ–WRAT-R Reading difference scores with all other cognitive measures were performed to determine the extent to which IQ and difference scores account for unique, nonredundant variance.
One hundred seventeen patients, 84 males and 33 females, with a diagnosis of schizophrenia who were consecutively admitted to the National Institute of Mental Health Neuroscience Center at St Elizabeths, Washington, DC, participated in this study. The number of patients contributing to the analysis of any particular test outlined herein varied slightly because of patient compliance. A board-certified psychiatrist made the diagnosis by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R using DSM-III-R criteria without knowledge of the neuropsychological evaluations. Patients who received concurrent Axis I psychiatric diagnoses or those who had a history of current substance abuse, head injuries with concomitant loss of consciousness, seizures, central nervous system infection, diabetes, or hypertension were excluded. Patients were classified into undifferentiated (63.3%), paranoid (25.6%), disorganized (9.4%), and residual (1.7%) subtypes. In addition to patients with schizophrenia, 27 healthy control subjects, recruited through the National Institutes of Health Normal Volunteer Office, participated in this study. Healthy control subjects with a history of psychiatric disorders, current substance abuse, head injuries with concomitant loss of consciousness, seizures, central nervous system infection, diabetes, or hypertension were excluded. All subjects provided informed written consent before participation in this study. The institutional review board of the National Institute of Mental Health reviewed and approved this study.
Neuropsychological tests assessing several cognitive domains were administered to all subjects for 1 to 3 sessions by a practicing psychologist or psychometrician (T.W.W., T.E.G., J.M.G.) trained in administration and scoring of all tests. Scoring followed standardized procedures. Logical Memory I and II and Visual Reproduction I and II of the Wechsler Memory Scale–Revised (WMS-R)24 and the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT)25 were administered as tests of declarative memory. The Boston Naming Test (BNT)26 and Word Fluency27 were administered as tests of verbal retrieval and lexical integrity. The vigilance and distractibility versions of the Gordon Continuous Performance Test (CPT)28 were administered as tests of attention processes. A 128-card version of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST)29 was administered as a test of executive function and set shifting. The Benton Line Orientation Test30 was administered as a test of visuospatial perceptual abilities. Forms A and B of the Trail-Making Test31 were administered as tests of psychomotor speed. The Finger Tapping Test32 was administered as a test of motor speed.
All subjects were administered a 4-subtest version of the WAIS-R,33 consisting of the Arithmetic, Digit Symbol Substitution, Picture Completion, and Similarities subtests, to obtain an estimate of their current FSIQ.34,35
All subjects received the Reading subtest of the WRAT-R36 to obtain an estimate of premorbid intellectual levels. The Reading subtest of the WRAT-R is thought to reflect preserved abilities, since it is a test of decoding skills that are routinely acquired before the onset of disease and appear to remain unaffected by the disease process in analogous fashion to the hold subtests (those tests that are insensitive to deterioration associated with normal aging and certain types of brain damage37) of the WAIS-R.3,38,39 In monozygotic twin pairs discordant for schizophrenia, the unaffected twin scored on average 10 points higher than the affected twin with respect to IQ, whereas WRAT-R Reading scores were equivalent.4 Furthermore, previous studies have consistently demonstrated reading scores to be viable measures of premorbid intellect.38- 42
Support for the validity of using WRAT-R Reading standard scores as measures of general intellect in the normal population can be found in Table 1, which demonstrates nearly identical means for WRAT-R Reading standard scores and the 4-subtest version of the WAIS-R FSIQ in the healthy control group. Consistent with other healthy samples,43 the WAIS-R FSIQ and WRAT-R Reading standard scores in our healthy group were significantly correlated (r = 0.74, P<.001). The SD of the FSIQ–WRAT-R Reading difference scores was 11.5 in the total sample.
Based on previous findings that demonstrated high-functioning, deteriorated, and compromised patients with schizophrenia,1,4,8,23,44,45 patients were classified into 1 of 3 intellectual groups: (1) those displaying a meaningful decline in IQ (≥10 points) as evidenced by the difference between current IQ (based on a 4-subtest version of the WAIS-R FSIQ) and premorbid IQ (based on WRAT-R Reading standard score), hereafter referred to as intellectually deteriorated; (2) those displaying premorbid IQ based on WRAT-R Reading scores that were below 90, hereafter referred to as intellectually compromised, which is consistent with the work of David et al18 and with conventional usage (less than the 16th percentile)33; and (3) those whose premorbid IQs based on WRAT-R Reading scores were above 90 and who demonstrated less than a 10-point difference between their premorbid IQ based on WRAT-R Reading and their current IQ, hereafter referred to as intellectually preserved. Existence of a 10-point IQ decline took precedence to either of the cutoff strategies described.
Atheoretical canonical and cluster analyses were applied to the data to determine the validity of our clinically derived patient grouping strategy. We performed a cluster analysis on FSIQ and WRAT-R Reading scores using complete linkage and Squared Euclidean Distances to determine the number of clusters that might be present in the patient sample. Examination of the resulting dendrogram, a tree diagram that displays how individual observations are grouped, suggested a 4-cluster solution would be appropriate. Next we entered the data into a k-means cluster analysis, with the number of clusters equal to 4. Uniformly high classification accuracy across clusters (77.8% for cluster 1, 100% for cluster 2, 93.8% for cluster 3, and 100% for cluster 4) demonstrates excellent separation of the clusters. It is important to emphasize that the algorithm defining these groups was based entirely on FSIQ and WRAT-R Reading scores.
A χ2 analysis was used to evaluate the dichotomous variable of diagnostic subtype in relation to intellectual subgroup. A χ2 partitioning procedure was used to determine which of the diagnostic subtypes were represented among the intellectual subgroups beyond expected values. The χ2 partitioning procedure allows more detailed analysis of a contingency table for which a significant χ2 value has been obtained.46
With respect to the parametric data collected from the various neuropsychological tests, a series of ANOVAs were performed to determine which variables differed significantly among the different intellectual subgroups and healthy controls. For each of the ANOVAs, results were considered to be significant after consistently and uniformly applying a Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons using P≤.002, unless otherwise noted. Predetermined post hoc contrasts using least significant difference (LSD) analyses (with α set at .05) were performed on the basis of hypothesized differences among groups. All statistical analyses were based on 2-tailed tests of significance.
Table 2 lists sex ratios, mean age, duration of illness, age of first symptom onset, and age of first hospitalization. Duration of illness was measured from the time of each patient's first hospitalization.
At the time of testing, most patients (87%) were receiving typical neuroleptic medications, usually haloperidol, fluphenazine hydrochloride, molindone hydrochloride, or thioridazine hydrochloride. The remaining patients (13%) were receiving atypical neuroleptic medications, either clozapine or risperidone. Eighty-six percent of the preserved group, 83% of the compromised group, and 92% of the deteriorated group were receiving typical neuroleptic medication. No cognitive differences on the basis of medication status were discerned among the groups.
Intellectual decline of at least 10 points from premorbid levels as measured by WRAT-R Reading occurred in approximately half (51.3%) of the patients (the intellectually deteriorated group). Nearly a quarter of the patients (23.9%) showed low premorbid intellect based on WRAT-R Reading scores, combined with low average current IQ (the intellectually compromised group). The remaining 24.8% of the patients were intellectually preserved with both current and premorbid IQ based on WRAT-R Reading scores within normal limits. Table 1 provides the mean IQ and WRAT-R Reading standard scores for patients and controls.
There were significant differences among groups on immediate and delayed visual reproduction from the WMS-R, the number of items recalled correctly from list A (trials 1-5) and the number of items recalled correctly during free recall after short and long delays from the CVLT, the number of items correctly named on the BNT, the number of items correctly identified on the Benton Line Orientation Test, a composite of the number of correct responses obtained during both the vigilance and distractibility portions of the CPT, the percentage of perseverative errors and the number of categories attained on the WCST, and the mean time to complete forms A and B of the Trail-Making Test (Table 3). After applying a Bonferroni correction, immediate and delayed logical memory of the WMS-R displayed near-significant differences among groups (Table 3). There were no significant differences among groups with respect to word fluency and finger tapping (Table 3). Post hoc LSD testing showed that the compromised group differed significantly from the preserved and healthy control groups on immediate and delayed visual reproduction of the WMS-R, all the measures of the CVLT, the BNT, the Benton Line Orientation Test, the CPT, the WCST, and Trails A and B (Table 3). Further LSD follow-up analyses revealed that the deteriorated group differed significantly from the preserved and healthy control groups on immediate and delayed visual reproduction of the WMS-R, all the measures of the CVLT, the WCST, and Trails A and B (Table 3). Additionally, the deteriorated group differed significantly from the healthy control group on the CPT and from the preserved group on line orientation (Table 3). Additional post hoc LSD analyses demonstrated that the compromised group was significantly different from the deteriorated group on the basis of the BNT, Benton Line Orientation Test, and the number of categories attained on the WCST (Table 3). Finally, post hoc LSD analyses revealed that the preserved group differed significantly from the healthy control group on the basis of the CPT and number of categories attained on the WCST (Table 3).
Based on a series of 1-way ANOVAs, there were no significant differences among any of the patient groups with respect to the duration of illness, age of first symptom onset, or age of first hospitalization (Table 2). The difference between the age of first symptom onset and the age of first hospitalization ranged from 3.0 to 3.5 years for each of the 3 groups.
On the basis of a χ2 analysis, diagnosis was found to be significantly associated with the intellectual subgroups (n = 115, χ24 = 9.69, P = .05). Disorganization was more likely to occur in the intellectually deteriorated group (n = 85, χ21, = 7.75, P = .01) (Table 2). There were no other deviations from expected frequencies with respect to the occurrence of a specific diagnostic subtype of schizophrenia in any of the neuropsychological subgroups.
A separate canonical correlation procedure applied to the total sample of patients with schizophrenia revealed that root 1, on which FSIQ loaded primarily (−1.00) and the WAIS-R minus WRAT-R Reading difference score loading minimally (0.05), accounted for 0.20 variance (n = 117, χ242, = 168.28, P<.001). Root 2, on which the difference score loaded (1.00) (FSIQ loaded minimally, 0.007), accounted for 0.06 variance (n = 117, χ220 = 38.91, P = .007). These results indicate that both FSIQ and the FSIQ-WRAT-R Reading difference scores make independent contributions to the variance in other cognitive domains.
Cluster 1 was composed of 9 patients displaying high FSIQ and WRAT-R Reading scores. This atheoretically derived group was similar in nature to our previously defined preserved group. Cluster 2 was composed of 52 patients displaying a mean 8.9-point intellectual decline based on WRAT-R Reading score. Cluster 3 was composed of 32 patients displaying a mean 14.9-point intellectual decline based on WRAT-R Reading score. Taken together, these 2 declining clusters are analogous to our deteriorated group. In the fourth cluster, consisting of 24 patients, both FSIQ and WRAT-R Reading scores were well below average, consistent with our previously described compromised group.
We next used a series of ANOVAs to examine between-cluster differences on all non-FSIQ and WRAT-R Reading cognitive variables to assess within-cluster homogeneity and between-cluster heterogeneity (data available on request). The patterns of cognitive impairment among the atheoretical clusters were analogous to the patterns obtained on the basis of clinically driven cutoff scores. Thus, cluster 4 differed from all other groups on the WCST, CPT, memory tests, and, importantly (analogous to our previously described results in Table 3), tests of language and visual processing (line orientation and naming). In contrast, the 2 declining clusters exhibited impairments on CPT, memory, and WCST vis-à-vis healthy controls but no deficits on naming or line orientation. The preserved cluster did not differ from the healthy control group on any of the cognitive variables assessed.
Parenthetically, however, we note that the mean FSIQ score was higher in cluster 1 (mean, 116.11) than in the healthy control group (mean, 101.32). Therefore, a subsequent ANOVA was performed in which the patients with schizophrenia from cluster 1 (FSIQ: mean, 116.11; SD, 11.13) were matched on the basis of WAIS-R FSIQ score with subjects from the healthy control group (FSIQ: mean, 112.44; SD, 7.20). The patients with schizophrenia from cluster 1 differed significantly from this matched healthy control group on the number of categories obtained in the WCST (patients from cluster 1: mean number of categories, 6.78; SD, 2.77; matched controls: mean number of categories, 9.44; SD, 0.88; F1,16 = 7.55, P<.01). This result is consistent with the result obtained via the clinically driven cutoff scores. An ANOVA on the IQ-matched groups for CPT distractibility correct scores was not significant (cluster 1: mean number correct, 28.44; SD, 2.13; matched controls: mean number correct, 28.71; SD, 2.36).
In a large sample of patients consecutively admitted to a tertiary referral center, we found evidence for distinct patterns of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. The results support previous findings of intellectual decline based on WRAT-R Reading scores in schizophrenia with associated deficits of attention, memory, executive function, and oculomotor speed, although this diminution was obtained in only half of the inpatients with chronic schizophrenia in this sample. The remaining 50% did not appear to experience a significant intellectual decline. Of these nondeclining patients, approximately half (ie, 25% of the total sample) appear to be compromised on the basis of displaying mildly impaired premorbid IQs based on WRAT-R Reading scores and impairment in a wide variety of cognitive domains. The remaining patients evince a neuropsychological profile that resembles normal, with the selective exception of specific executive function and possibly attention deficits. The argument may be made that the delineation of IQ patterns creates a tautology, since all patients necessarily had to meet criteria for one category or another. However, there was no a priori reason to believe that the distribution would be as it was or that the preserved or compromised groups would display the pattern of deficits observed.
To validate our clinically driven subgroup strategy, we applied cluster and canonical correlation analyses to the patient data set. Cluster analytical results were consistent with the clinically driven cutoff score results. The clusters differed significantly from one another and from healthy controls in a manner that was broadly and strikingly similar to the patterns observed using clinically driven subgroups, thus providing a measure of external validity. Canonical correlation analysis demonstrated that IQ and IQ minus WRAT-R Reading score independently predicted other cognitive measures, providing weight to the fulcrum of our study. Although previous work22,47 has demonstrated heterogeneity in the cognitive deficits displayed in schizophrenia, the present findings extend their results by demonstrating preservation and impairment for a wide variety of cognitive domains that follow in a principled way from patterns of preserved and compromised intellect.
The pattern of memory, visuospatial perception, attention, executive function, language, and psychomotor deficits in the compromised group was similar to the finding of Russell et al,8 who found low premorbid IQ (mean IQ, 84.1) in a sample of children who had early contact with child guidance clinics. These findings implicate widespread cortex dysfunction in the compromised group. The modal deteriorated patient group in our sample displayed an intellectual decline based on the use of WRAT-R Reading as a measure of premorbid intellect.4- 6,38,39,44,48,49 We recognize that this intellectual decline does not affect all cognitive domains equally. Intellectual decline observed in the deteriorated patient group was accompanied by memory, executive function, attention, psychomotor speed, and oculomotor scanning impairments and implicates frontotemporal dysfunction.50 The pattern of cognitive deficits in deteriorated patients does not preclude a neurodevelopmental mechanism in the etiology of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, since subtle neurodevelopmental changes may precede and set the stage for later cognitive impairment and psychiatric disturbance.51 Furthermore, previous studies have demonstrated that this intellectual decline is limited to the period around symptom onset rather than being progressive throughout the illness.52,53
An unexpectedly large minority of patients (about 25%) were intellectually intact. This group may be informative in several respects. First, they confirm that antipsychotic drug therapy does not necessarily compromise performance on numerous cognitive tests. Second, they demonstrate that chronic schizophrenia can exist in the context of preserved intellect and cognition. This group may also speak to the ongoing controversies about whether there is a core cognitive deficit associated with schizophrenia. These patients displayed mild impairment only in the cognitive domain of executive function and, possibly, attention and encoding.
The preserved group was generally similar to those intellectually preserved groups previously described.20- 23,45,54 However, these cognitively intact patients appeared to be subtly impaired on the WCST relative to controls displaying equivalent overall ability, consistent with the results of Elliott et al,45 who observed impaired performance on an analogue of the WCST in patients who displayed otherwise intact intellect.
There are several limitations to the present study. First, the design of this study was not longitudinal, and we did not directly obtain premorbid IQ scores. Clearly, using actual premorbid IQ estimates would make the strongest argument for intellectual decline with the onset of schizophrenia, and our results would suggest that such a study is warranted. A second limitation refers to the representativeness of our sample. Although we routinely admit patients with chronic disease, we believe that our sample is representative since we observed high-functioning patients, our total patient mean FSIQ of about 90 is similar to others, and our sex ratios are consistent with others.55- 57 Although an imperfect overlap between our atheoretical clusters and clinically driven subgroups constitutes a third limitation, we were struck by the fact that the atheoretical procedure would generate homogeneous groups, approximating real-world phenomena.
It is also possible that our results might be driven by general intelligence. Results of a principal components analysis of our patient data militate against this possibility. Briefly, 3 factors were extracted. The first might be considered a prefrontal executive or attention factor (with WCST loading), the second can be considered a verbal memory factor (with WMS-R logical memory loading), and the third can be considered to reflect IQ (with WAIS-R, WRAT-R Reading, language, and visual spatial processing loading). (Results are available on request.) Thus, IQ does not fully predict other cognitive impairments.
Cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia, including those in intelligence, may emerge along several hypothetical developmental trajectories. One course may be characterized by profound and widespread cognitive impairment manifest from early development prior to psychotic symptom onset. A second course may be characterized by a circumscribed deficit pattern that includes intellectual decline and encompasses the domains of executive function, attention, and episodic memory, and may approximately coincide with psychotic symptom onset. Finally, a third group of patients have subtle cognitive deficits, apparently restricted to the domain of executive function. It is unclear whether these deficits precede or coincide with the onset of clinical symptoms.
It would appear that deficits associated with the function of the prefrontal cortex, ie, executive function deficits (as indexed by the number of categories attained on the WCST), constitute a necessary type of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, given their presence in the intellectually compromised and preserved groups, and are in keeping with the findings of Shallice et al,58 who also found consistent evidence for executive impairment. Results from this study also appear to synthesize the schizophrenia neuropsychological literature with respect to (1) intellectual decline based on WRAT-R Reading score, (2) the presence of premorbid deficits based on WRAT-R Reading score, (3) a modal cognitive deficit pattern, and (4) preserved cognitive abilities. Previous studies have generally tended to focus on only 1 of the 3 cognitive groups of patients with schizophrenia.
Accepted for publication May 12, 2000.
Presented in part at the 27th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans, La, October 25, 1997.
Reprints: Terry E. Goldberg, PhD, Clinical Brain Disorders Branch, NIMH/NIH, MSC 1379, 10 Center Dr, Bethesda, MD 20892-1379 (e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com).


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Prize Recipient
Zvi Bern
University of California, Los Angeles
"For pathbreaking contributions to the calculation of perturbative scattering amplitudes, which led to a deeper understanding of quantum field theory and to powerful new tools for computing QCD processes."Background:
Zvi Bern is currently Professor of Physics at the University of California at Los Angeles. He received undergraduate degrees in physics and mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a PhD in theoretical physics from the University of California at Berkeley. He did postdoctoral work at the Niels Bohr Institute, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the University of Pittsburgh before joining the UCLA physics department. He won a Sloan Foundation Fellowship and a US Department of Energy Outstanding Junior Investigator Award. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society. He is interested in finding ever improved ways to understand how elementary particles scatter off each other, bypassing complexities inherent in Feynman diagrams. He is especially interested in applications to physics at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and, on the more theoretical side, in applications to supersymmetric gauge and gravity theories, including their surprisingly good ultraviolet properties. A brief lecture by Zvi Bern related to these topics can be found in the video, "Feynman Diagrams: Past, Present and Future". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SYW6eZFHwU

subset: commoncrawl


text:
During a year that saw Dollar General open its 10,000th store and AutoZone opens its 5,000th store, rent-to-own retailer Aaron's has opened its 2,000th location.
The Atlanta-based retailer specializing in the sales and lease ownership of residential furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, designated a store in the Bronx, New York as its 2,000th location.
"Aaron's has experienced tremendous growth over the past three years including the addition of 345 stores, 2,200 jobs and record quarterly results," said Ronald W. Allen, CEO and president of Aaron's. "We are pleased to extend this success into the Bronx, where we're excited to become an integral part of the community. Over the next few years, it's our plan to foster economic development in the New York market with more store openings, bringing new job and partnership opportunities to the area. We're proud to become a new member of the Bronx community and are confident our presence here will have a permanent and positive impact through services offered, partnerships developed and charitable outreach."
Given the location in a community synonymous with baseball, Aaron's enlisted the aid of legendary baseball player, manager and Major League Baseball's EVP of baseball operations, Joe Torre, to make an appearance an unveil a specially commissioned portrait of Babe Ruth. Aaron's donated the portrait to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and a replica will be hung in the store.
Aaron's was founded in 1955 by Atlanta entrepreneur Charlie Loudermilk and a partner who borrowed $500 to purchase folding chairs they began renting to local auction houses. The Company became publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange in 1982 and was renamed Aaron's, Inc. in 2009.


text:
A Market With No Memory or Conviction
It's not rigged, it only seems that way. I am talking about that now-ridiculous 150-point decline in the last hour on Monday off of worries about Italy, or the big swoon last week over the month-old Fed minutes.
Neither seems to make much sense to me now. The Fed minutes were simply moldy with age, and when we heard from the Fed chief today, it was very clear that nothing had changed whatsoever about his plans to keep buying bonds as necessary. All that sturm und drang and point-loss for nothing....326 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
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text:
Cat toys in "And The "It" Hole" Episode 8 of Season 3
When Caroline's date is a no-show after promising to take her to one of the city's hippest new restaurants, she and Max decide to take advantage of the hard-to-get reservation, on 2 BROKE GIRLS, Monday, Nov. 11 (8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Max Black (Kat Dennings), shown. Photo: Darren Michaels/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. © 2013 WBEI. All rights reserved.


text:
Opposites 8Logic puzzles require you to think. You will have to be logical in your reasoning.
In the following code, each symbol stands for one of five letters.
% stands for W, E, L, T, or O
* stands for E, U, P, M, or N
_ stands for E, J, S, A, or Y
+ stands for I, R, A, S, or G
/ stands for D, K, E, P, or H
The five letter code word, +%_/*, can be translated into two English words that are opposites. What are the two words?
AnswerSleep and Awake.
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text:
Capuano targeting Saturday for rehab start
NEW YORK -- Chris Capuano was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday, which would put him on schedule to make a rehab start on Saturday. He is eligible to be activated from the disabled list on May 2, a day off for the Dodgers.
Manager Don Mattingly said that Capuano had not tested his mild calf strain by running, but he has passed all other physical exams and is on target to be activated on time.
"Then it's just a matter of where to fit him in," Mattingly said.
That implies that Capuano is being viewed as a replacement in the rotation for either the veteran Ted Lilly, Wednesday night's starter, or Stephen Fife, who is scheduled to make his second start in place of the injured Chad Billingsley on Saturday night, against Milwaukee.
Capuano first felt the strain during pregame warmups on April 11 but aggravated the calf running in from the bullpen that night during the Dodgers-Padres brawl, in which Zack Greinke was injured. Capuano took Greinke's next start, on April 16, but lasted only two-plus innings before leaving with the injury.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. Joey Nowak is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @joeynowak. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Announcements/Q & A
A general thread for questions and topics unrelated to any particular post. I delete and condense old comments every now and then.
A general thread for questions and topics unrelated to any particular post. I delete and condense old comments every now and then.
Hi Andrew. I've enjoyed your blog for a while. Now I'm looking for a home to buy and find myself wondering if YOU would buy (or even rent) in Sheffield Village? It's one of the areas our budget has led us to, but it scares me. And then I wonder if living ON the fault is so much worse than living, say, across the freeway from the fault.
[Lesley, I'm not a practicing geologist and it would be illegal for me to advise you. I can only tell you that I live less than 2 kilometers from the fault, love where I am, and am not a homeowner. I can also tell you that I adore Sheffield Village. Every homesite has its own unique geologic setting, even within a single development.
When the big one hits Oakland, we will all be in the same place.]
A friend of mine suggested you'd be the guy to talk to about identifying this http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/7284738780/in/photostream If you've got a minute and you could help out, I'm sure that Pete (Oakland native plant guy) would appreciate it and I'd love to learn the answer.
[The concentric brown bands inside massive sandstone are common in coastal California. I understand that they mark the passage of petroleum from source beds below on their way toward the surface or an underground trap. They are spectacularly exposed along the Santa Cruz beach cliffs among other places. –Andrew]
Hi Andrew,
There may be a Cretaceous/Tertiary contact exposure near the San Leandro Reservoir. Do you know anything about it?
-Michael Greene
[Michael, the contact is mapped as a thrust fault, with the Cretaceous rocks pushed over the younger ones. Moreover, the Cretaceous rocks are of Campanian age while the Tertiary rocks are Miocene, so there's an age gap of about 50 million years there.
The nearest true K-T (Maastrichtian–Danian) contact I know of is down in the Panoche Hills.]
On Saturday 31 August I will be leading a walk along the Hayward fault at the foot of Claremont Canyon for the Claremont Canyon Conservancy. There's no announcement on the website. We start at 10 a.m. at the top of Dwight Way, at Fernwald Road, and will finish before noon.
Andrew — Do you know anything about Sheridan Road in upper Rockridge (see http://goo.gl/maps/2vYPJ and http://goo.gl/maps/rY2m7 ) ? The road appears to have slid away at some point, but the right of way still exists. I'm suggesting that the trail over the ROW be included in an Oakland Urban Paths walk at some point, and it would be nice to say something about the slide.
— Neal
Thanks Andrew — although the slide repair now underway is a bit away from the area where the road itself is missing. A few months ago, I walked along the old Sac Northern ROW between Florence and the Broadway Terrace onramp right through the construction project (the fence on the south side had been knocked down) — but wasn't able to make it all the way to Broadway Terrace because we belatedly discovered there was a security guard in a car parked at the north end.
On a completely unrelated note — where is this house: http://www.fotothing.com/alden/photo/43eb2fabd5e32640478832496eb5042a/ ?
[It's in easternmost Oakmore. Quite visible in Google Maps.]
Andrew — With respect to the slide repairs near Sheridan Road, check out the Caltrans project description at the bottom of page 5 here: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/transprog/ctcbooks/2012/1012/00_Vote.pdf
One more comment; I recently spoke to the owners of a bunch of lots along the missing section of Sheridan, and they said there was no slide in this location — the road was apparently never built because of the slope. They reviewed City records and hired engineers and others to investigate the site before drawing that conclusion.
[Neal, thanks for this research. It's still odd that street maps used to show a street existing there. Next step is reviewing aerial photos, I guess.]
Hi, Andrew: I'm Maureen Kennedy, a realtor-broker in Piedmont. Also the daughter-in-law of David Alt (of Roadside Geology fame). I just came across your blog while googling Wildwood Creek–I sold the home at the top at 3 WW Gardens, and now am listing the house at the bottom at 89 Oakmont. I think I checked all options, but don't see a walk down that creek bed? Thanks, Maureen
[Maureen, pleased to hear from someone of your distinguished family! I haven't ventured much into Piedmont, but that looks like quite a dramatic little gulch. However, there is no public right of way along the creek so I won't be walking there — or if I do I won't be talking about it here.]
I'm sorry to hear that, Andrew. Unless you are excited about the change! Still loving your blog. Also I had forgotten about my question at the the top of this page. We ended up buying in Estudillo Estates, so here's hoping those earthen dams hold up!
Sorry to hear about about.com. You are a relentlessly upbeat and resourceful person. I hope/believe you'll move on successfully. Maybe guided tours and multimedia applications showcasing your knowledge like Joel Pomerantz has built some business around in San Francisco? Anyway, I'm glad I have found your site and am looking forward to following your posts.
Suggestion: Google "Mish" Mike Shedlock. He spun out his own blog — in his case, a financial blog — and ran his own advertisers. You might consider doing the same. Right now, you have a following, mostly highly local to the west coast. Get your advertisers from there, especially restaurants around the area [people on geotreks get hungry] and bed-and-breakfasts… and I expect you'll do quite well.
I'm a grad student at San Jose State in geology and I live in Hayward. I am SO excited to find this blog and do some of the walks you have posted. Some of my fellow students or alumns live in Oakland and I hope we can all make your next walk. Thank you for making where I live infinitely more exciting! Heather
Hi there,
Thank you for your wonderful blog and for all the free lessons!
I have a question about a rock formation I saw yesterday in Redwood Regional Park. Along the creek trail there is a heavily eroded embankment that undercuts several large trees, and exposes the bare rock below. The rocks have a really interesting structure, with lots of round, layered structures. I have browsed back through lots of your posts, but have yet to see anything similar. Could you perhaps comment on this rock, or point me to a post which features a similar formation?
I uploaded some photos here: http://imgur.com/a/JV1wt
Thank you!
[Hello Ian, thanks for reading! What you saw is called spheroidal weathering. I posted about it here once back in 2009. See more about it in my old About.com gallery of chemical weathering.]
many years ago we fond on our property in Vermont quartz Crystals.
the largest is 40lb, 20lb,5lb and some smaller.my question is
what can I do with them (other than using them as door stops)
do they have any marketable use?
would you please point me to someone who could help me out.
thank you very much,
Hi, been enjoying this site a lot, it has proved to be very useful in an ongoing project of mine: to incorporate native and local materials in pottery making. Some of the rocks around here make wonderful glazes. However, it is hard to know the proper formulations with regards to durability and food safety without analyses of the materials. I've googled without much success; happen to know if any group has that sort of information on record? And I hope my philosophy of utilizing the geology doesn't conflict with yours of admiring it!
Andrew, I hope your Nerd Nite event went well. I spoke at one once in FL and it was a blast! I've been trying to find a good email address for you to no avail, so I'm hoping this reaches you. I recently ran across your excellent overview of the geologic maps of the U.S. on what is now ThoughtCo. I saw your post that you are no longer affiliated with them, so my question may already be answered, but just in case: I am keenly interested in the geologic history of FL for my dissertation and your entry seemed to contain some helpful info. However, the referenced links and maps are missing and, in fact, none of the map pictures for any state will increase in size when clicked on. Any ideas on what can be done? Do you have the original files somewhere? Thanks!
-Derek (asilid at gmail dot com)
[Email sent — Andrew]
Very cool looking! Thanks for sharing!


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A 24-year-old man was booked today on suspicion of attempted murder after a homeless woman was set on fire as she slept on a bus bench in Van Nuys, officials said.
Dennis Petillo, 24, was arrested shortly after the attack, which was reported at 12:51 a.m. at Van Nuys Boulevard and Sherman Way, officials said. He was being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Witness Erickson Ipina of North Hollywood told a camera crew he saw the suspect go into a nearby Walgreen's and buy what appeared to be rubbing alcohol.
"He just poured it all over the old lady, then he threw a match on her, and then started running," said Ipina, adding that the man threatened him with a knife.
Pina said he called 911, then followed the man until police arrived and arrested Petillo.
An ambulance and engine company from Fire Station 81 responded and transported the 67-year-old woman to a local hospital in critical condition, with burns all over her body, officials said.
Her identity was being withheld by authorities, but people in the neighborhood know her as Violet and said she'd been a regular at a local church.
'We've tried to get her off the bench for years, and she absolutely refuses. It was her home." neighbor Robert Wyneken told ABC7. "The people around here know her, and admire her, and love her."
The attack was being investigated by the fire department and detectives from the LAPD's elite Robbery Homicide Division, officials said.
The incident occurred eight days after a 55-year-old homeless man was set ablaze as he slept outside of a doughnut shot in Norwalk, officials said. He remains in serious condition at an area burn unit, officials said.
No suspect has been identifed in that attack.


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Committee seeks volunteer honorees
The Los Altos and Los Altos Hills Joint Community Volunteer Service Awards Committee invites local organizations to nominate volunteers for the 2013 awards.
Nominees must be individuals or organizations whose volunteer service benefited the communities of Los Altos and/or Los Altos Hills. The nominating form must be completed and accompanied by a minimum of two supporting letters of recommendation from individuals or groups.
The deadline for submissions is Nov. 13.
The Awards Committee will select the awardees from those nominated and by mid-November notify those who submitted nominations if their nominee is selected to receive an award. Luncheon invitations will be sent out the first week in November.
The committee is scheduled to honor the winners Dec. 13 at a luncheon at Fremont Hills Country Club in Los Altos Hills.
For more information, visit jointvolunteerawards.com.
Pathways breakfast features 'Argo' author
Pathways Home Health & Hospice has scheduled its 23rd annual One from the Heart Awards Breakfast 7:30-9:30 a.m. Thursday at the Crowne Plaza Cabaña Hotel, 4290 El Camino Real, Palo Alto.
The event honors volunteers and organizations for their contributions in promoting the Pathways mission to provide compassionate, family-centered care.
Keynote speaker Tony Mendez is a retired CIA agent and author of "Argo," the book that inspired the Academy Award-winning movie. As chief of disguise at the CIA, he devised and conducted an operation to rescue six American diplomats from Iran during the late 1970s hostage crisis, for which he received the Intelligence Star of Valor. Mendez and his wife, Jonna, will tell the story behind the book and movie.
Wells Fargo Bank serves as the event's diamond sponsor.
Tickets are $100.
League of Women Voters sponsors speaker series
The League of Women Voters of the Los Altos-Mountain View Area hosts a monthly "Lunch with the League" speaker series 11:30 a.m. the third Friday of the month at Ristorante Bella Vita, 376 First St., Los Altos.
The Oct. 18 luncheon will feature a presentation by Mountain View Public Works Director Mike Fuller on the "North Bayshore Sea Level Rise Study." The Mountain View City Council commissioned the study to determine the implications of climate change in the low-lying North Bayshore area, home to Google Inc., Microsoft Corp., the Computer History Museum and Shoreline Regional Park.
Future speakers in the series include State Assemblyman Rich Gordon and Tomi Ryba, CEO of El Camino Hospital.
"The monthly 'Lunch with the League' is one way the league disseminates information and education on topics of local interest and concern," said Cathy Lazarus, league president.
For reservations and more information, visit lwvlamv.org.
Harvest Craft Faire scheduled this month
United Methodist Women's Harvest Craft Faire 2013 is scheduled 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 18 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 19 at Los Altos United Methodist Church, 655 Magdalena Ave.
The annual event offers a large selection of handcrafted items and collectibles, made by more than 70 artisans and the women of the church. The Garden and Gourmet Shops will showcase specialty items, and vintage collectibles and small antiques will be featured.
A variety of sandwiches, snacks, desserts and beverages will be available in the Harvest Cafe.
Proceeds support charities and missions, including the Community Services Agency, the Community Breast Health Project, Pathways Home Health, Hospice & Private Duty Hospice Foundation, Friends Outside, and the Support Network for Battered Women.
For more information, call Patricia Parfett at 948-1083, ext. 122, or visit laumc.org.
Antiques show returns to Hillview center
The New California Country & More Antiques Show returns 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 20 to Hillview Community Center, 97 Hillview Ave., Los Altos.
The annual show features items in a variety of styles, including American country and folk art, California Rancho, Spanish Colonial, Spanish Revival, Mexicana and American Indian.
Food, including apple and pumpkin pies, will be available for purchase at Pinky's Grill, an all-volunteer effort that benefits the Los Altos History Museum.
Admission is $15 for those who enter at 10 a.m., $10 for those who arrive after 11 a.m. Children 12 and under are free with a paid adult admission.
For more information, visit californiacountryshow.com.
Celebrity Forum series features Giffords, Kelly
The 46th Annual Foothill College Celebrity Forum Speakers Series is scheduled to begin this month and run through May at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts on the De Anza College campus, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino. All programs begin at 8 p.m.
The lineup includes:
• Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and astronaut Mark Kelly, Oct. 23, 24 and 25.
• New York Times political and cultural commentator David Brooks, Nov. 20, 21 and 22. • Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Wozniak, Jan. 22, 23 and 24.
• Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Feb. 19, 20 and 21.
• Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, March 26, 27 and 28.
• French chef Jacques Pépin, April 23, 24 and 25.
• "60 Minutes" correspondents Lara Logan and Bob Simon, May 14, 15 and 16.
For tickets and more information, visit celebrityforum.net.
Library offers scary stories for adults
The Los Altos Library has scheduled "Scary Storytime for Adults" 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30 in the Program Room of the main library, 13 S. San Antonio Road.
Retired children's librarian Enid Davis will share scary folktales and urban legends in the spirit of the Halloween season.
The Los Altos Library's "Save the Ugly Duckling: Keep the Art of Oral Storytelling in Los Altos" project sponsors the event. Davis is a Los Altos Library Commissioner and chairwoman of "Save the Ugly Duckling."
Admission is free and open to the public.
For more information, call 948-7683 or visit sccl.org/losaltos.
Library hosts discussion on Sudden Oak Death
The Los Altos Library and the California Native Plant Society have scheduled the presentation "Sudden Oak Death Blitz: Results and New Discoveries" 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1 in the Program Room of the main library, 13 S. San Antonio Road.
Doug Schmidt, Ph.D., a researcher at UC Berkeley, will discuss the results of this year's Sudden Oak Death Blitz, a collaboration of volunteer "citizen scientists" and the UC Berkeley Forest Pathology and Mycology Lab that maps the Sudden Oak Death pathogen. Schmidt will outline new discoveries and how they will influence next year's Blitz, as well as introduce SODMAP Mobile, an app that makes the Blitz data readily accessible.
The lab at UC Berkeley is pioneering research on the causes of Sudden Oak Death and developing solutions for identifying, containing and preventing the infestation.
Admission is free and open to the public.
For more information, call 948-7683 or visit sccl.org/losaltos.


text: W.Va. urged to create extractive resources trust fund By Ken Ward Jr. January 31, 2012 Story Share Read the reportCHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia should begin setting aside a portion of coal and natural gas severance taxes to create a trust fund that could help pay for long-term programs for economic development, education and infrastructure improvement, a progressive policy research group said in a report released Tuesday.The West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy urged lawmakers to impose an additional 1 percent severance tax for the project, which could raise $5.8 billion in revenue over the next quarter-century.Report co-author Ted Boettner, executive director of the center, said the proposed "Economic Diversification Trust Fund" would be an investment in protecting the state from volatile energy markets and preparing for the day when West Virginia's mineral resources are played out."The only feasible way to ensure that we will always benefit from our rich natural resources is to create a permanent trust fund," Boettner said. "A permanent trust fund should also be used to diversify our economy through strategic investing in early childhood development, workforce training, infrastructure and research and development."The center's 41-page report outlines existing extractive industry trust funds in other states, including Alaska's well-known "permanent fund" and similar programs in Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming."While each is managed and invested in its own unique way, the concept is the same -- to provide a source of sustainable funding for state budgets that will be available even after the taxable resource is depleted," the center said in a press release. "A permanent trust fund sets aside severance tax revenue so that it does not go into a state's general revenue fund and can be saved and invested for the future."If West Virginia had created such a program in 1980, it could have provided the state with $43 million each year and still had a balance of nearly $2 billion at the end of 2010, the center said. Report authors said state leaders could use the trust fund money to help address many of West Virginia's long-standing socioeconomic challenges, including the lack of economic diversity, the low labor-force participation rate and deteriorating infrastructure."West Virginia's economy is one of the weakest and least diversified in the nation, with the second lowest output and personal income per capita, and an employment mix that lacks diversity," the center said. "The state's labor market is very weak, and has the nation's lowest number of educated workers and workers participating in the labor force."West Virginia ranks at the bottom on many economic welfare indicators, including poverty, median income, health outcomes, and overall well-being," the report said. "The state's infrastructure is also deteriorating, with more than $8 billion in unmet needs."Without a large-scale investment in the workforce and infrastructure, West Virginia could remain uncompetitive."Currently, the base severance tax rate for coal and gas in West Virginia is 5 percent. More and more of the state's coal production, though, qualifies for lower rates for being mined from thin seams. And once various credits are applied, the "effective rate" for coal is 3.2 percent, the center said in a previous report."With coal production declining in West Virginia, we see that local and state economies cannot rely indefinitely on finite natural resources for jobs and tax revenues," said report co-author Rory McIlmoil, a project manager with the Morgantown consulting group Downstream Strategies."With a permanent trust fund, we can ensure that sufficient revenues are available to sustain economic development investments in the future without being concerned as much with booms and busts." Reach Ken Ward Jr. at email@example.com or 304-348-1702. Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Police seek car driven by woman found dead in Kanawha River 2 Facebook founder visits Cabin Creek Health Systems 3 Teen pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Oakes Field shooting 4 Man allegedly cuts father in Rand over argument about sandwich 5 $115M project for WV Toyota plant to start in 2020 Fire-gutted building in downtown Welch demolished Previous Story Senate toughens texting ban legislation Next Story


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BP Comment Quick Links
|Strength of Schedule Report
October 18, 2013
Transaction Analysis
Cuba Diving
Reportedly signed 1B-R Jose Daniel Abreu to a six-year deal worth $68 million. [10/17]
Over the past three offseasons, four free-agent first basemen have signed multi-year deals: Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Nick Swisher, and Adam LaRoche. The attribute linking the four together is power; excuse LaRoche's injury-shortened 2011, and each player averaged at least 25 home runs per season in the three years before signing. Power gets first basemen paid, and Abreu is no exception.
How much power are we talking about? Jason Parks threw a plus-plus grade on Abreu's raw strength, while giving him a 6 in usability. ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick, who talked to a number of scouts and talent evaluators about Abreu, echoed Parks' sentiment when he wrote that "the consensus is that he has the strength to hit 30 homers by accident." There are questions about whether Abreu's pop will translate. His bat speed has been criticized and he has a closed stride and double toe-tap, which means pitchers are likely to test him with velocity inside and breaking balls away. Yet 30-home run potential is nothing to sneeze at anymore—especially when confined in a package known for a smart approach at the plate. Ten first basemen homered 30 or more times back in 2003, just six did it in 2013. Times have changed.
Boy have they. Whatever stigma there might have been about Cuban players no longer exists. The recent successes of Yoenis Cespedes and Yasiel Puig have reassured teams that talented Cubans are not doomed against big-league pitching. But Abreu differs from those two in profile. He's not a tremendous athlete who can impact the game in the field and on the basepaths. The scouts who talked to Crasnick pegged him as a potentially serviceable first baseman, which isn't high praise. By the contract's end it's possible he's a designated hitter. Either way, Abreu has to hit—and hit a lot—to provide value.
And yet you can understand why Rick Hahn and the White Sox are taking the plunge. Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn are talking retirement, Dayan Viciedo has failed to develop into a middle-of-the-order bat, and the farm system lacks no-doubt impact talent. Hahn has assembled a few interesting young pieces already, but his club ranked last in the AL in True Average last season and needs some thump. Whether Chicago is near contention or not, there's nothing wrong with adding talent. Besides, if Abreu works out and the White Sox remain in the dumps, then he becomes a useful trade chip.
Still, the money and term are the toughest parts to digest. One loose dollars-to-wins translation suggests Abreu will be worth the payday if he's a league-average player for the duration. But teams don't give league-average players six-year deals, for a reason. Even if Abreu is an average first basemen those factors come into play. This winter's first-base market is littered with choices that won't move the needle, so respect Chicago's willingness to gamble on the crop's potential difference maker—who, by the way, might be the youngest free agent available. That doesn't mean Abreu is ensured success; it does mean this is an interesting deal worth watching—if only to see if he is the best offensive weapon on the planet.
R.J. Anderson is an author of Baseball Prospectus. Follow @r_j_anderson
2 comments have been left for this article.
BP Comment Quick Links
Matthew Trueblood
I think it probably entered their minds, too, that they could add Abreu (whatever his talent translation turns out to be) without giving up a draft pick, even a second-rounder. For a team that knows its farm system is far too thin, that might be worth $10 million or an extra year on the deal, not in an apples-to-apples way, but from an organizational objectives perspective.
Oct 18, 2013 10:03 AM
They need bats and this one came with no extra costs. He has fellow former Cubans in the clubhouse and a team that can only go up. If he is as good a Kendrys Morales is it a good signing? It sounds like he has more power potential and comes at a reasonable age for success. I think it's a good gamble for Sox.
Oct 20, 2013 11:22 AM
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These beautiful flowers are on Fargo Boulevard just west of Route 31. Jane Cladis recommends driving by the area because "the pictures don't even do them justice."
Photo Credit: Jane Cladis


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Years ago when I lived at the edge of the Angeles National Forest in Southern California, these guys were part of my daily life. I saw them when I took my dog and son for a walk in the hills; we'd hear them serenading at night. I like them. They represent nature's ability to spring back, to return the shriek of civilization with their own enduring howl from the unbroken, the path of nature reclaiming her stake on the land.
Are there wines that have responded to that ideal of the wild? If you have ever had a wine from Pantelleria you might say so. Certain Primitivo wines from Puglia are clear on this, as is Gravner in the north near Gorizia.
I am thinking that in Tuscany the human touch could use a little more of that dance with the wild dog. Certainly Rampolla understands this, as do some of the producers in the southern Maremma. Umbria might be well on its way to a clearer understanding of this. Some of the red wines from Montefalco approach this, and certainly their older wines - the Orvieto antico back in the caves, laying, waiting like some long forgotten time capsules.
Amaro and grappa might very well be on that list. Averna is now a calmer version, but in its first days I could only imagine. But why, all I need do is get in to the way-back machine and remember the first time I put a Cynar to my lips. That was a trip back to the 9th century Sicily when the Khilafah reigned over the island.
And the power of fire of the magic al-ambic transformed the crushed remains of the grape into something raw and harsh, but transcendental, too. Susanna Gualco in Piemonte understood that in a way that made her a force of fire, a female acolyte Romano Levi would aspire to huddle over the cauldron with.
There is a lot to praise, but today I am looking for wines that answer that call of the wild and usher back in the unpredictable, the powerful, the un-manipulated. And I am keeping an eye out for my new neighbor.


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Following is the first in a two-part series exploring the pros and cons of taking early Social Security payments.
I've written numerous articles over the years about strategies for maximizing Social Security benefits.
The most fundamental decision all retirees face is when to start taking payments. If you need the money, you may have no choice but to start taking payments as soon as you are eligible. But if that's not the case, which is better: to start as early as possible and invest the proceeds or to wait and take advantage of higher payments?
It's important to understand how Social Security payments work. Your Full Retirement Age (FRA), based on your date of birth, is the age at which you can begin collecting what the Social Security Administration calls your Primary Insurance Amount. This is the monthly amount the administration sends you for the rest of your life. The calculation of your Primary Insurance Amount is a bit complicated, but suffice it to say that it is based on your highest 35 years of earned income, adjusted for inflation.
To add to the complexity, the Social Security Administration allows some flexibility. You can choose to begin collecting your benefits at your FRA, as early as age 62 (even earlier in certain circumstances) or as late as age 70. If you choose to start early, you will receive reduced benefits for the rest of your life; if you choose to start later, you will receive expanded benefits (called delayed credits).
For every year you delay after age 62 until FRA, your initial monthly payment increases by 8 percent. The same is true for every year you delay between your FRA and age 70. For example, if you begin collecting benefits at age 62 and your FRA is age 66, your starting payment will be only 75 percent of your Primary Insurance Amount. If you wait until age 70 – the longest you can wait and still receive the 8 percent annual delayed credits – your initial payment will be 32 percent higher than your Primary Insurance Amount.
As you might surmise, the age at which you start can have a significant impact on the total income you receive over your retirement lifetime.
It's also important to consider two other facts about Social Security benefits: If you start taking benefits before your FRA and you are currently working, your benefits will be reduced; and regardless of your starting age, your payments include cost-of-living adjustments that enable you to keep pace with inflation.
Break-even analysis
If you're the analytical type, you might approach this question by doing a break-even analysis.
Calculate the age at which you would have accumulated the same total income regardless of whether you start collecting benefits at age 62 or at age 70. If you treat this as a simple mathematical exercise, the answer is age 82. That is, if you plan to die before age 82, it's better to start your Social Security benefits as early as possible (i.e., at age 62), but if you plan to live longer, you should wait until age 70 to start.
However, such an analysis would be quite incomplete. Assuming that you plan to invest your Social Security income, realistically there are a couple of other factors you need to take into account:
• The return on investment of your Social Security income.
• The inflation rate, which impacts the growth over time of the Social Security payments.
• Your tax rate, which affects not only how much you may keep but also how much of your Social Security income is taxable.
Doug Lemons, retired Social Security Administration deputy assistant regional commissioner, recently completed the above analysis using various return on investment, inflation rate and tax rate assumptions. In part 2 of this series, I'll share the very interesting conclusion he reached.
Artie Green, a Los Altos resident, is a certified financial planner and professional investment adviser. For more information, call (408) 747-1222.


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We've been working really hard trying to convey through photos, how absolutely gorgeous Greg Goodman's custom musician's stools are. Somehow the fine art of Greg's choice of figured wood and expert craftsmanship are nearly impossible for an amateur to bring to life through online images.
I guess Bongo sensed our frustration and was kind enough to jump up on the seat and give us a pose we could actually handle with our limited photographic capabilities.
He felt that portraying the level of comfort and confidence afforded by the stool was more important than the quality and craftsmanship involved.
Cats always have their own agenda.
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This blog is written by your friends at Vermont Woods Studios. Check out our Vermont made furniture and home decor online and visit our showroom and art gallery at Stonehurst, the newly restored 1800s farmhouse nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains.


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Andrew Breitbart has been waiting 45 minutes for a filet mignon. He drums his fingers on the table in this plush Italian restaurant off Times Square, a place where the media types he regularly trashes used to flaunt their expense accounts — back when they still had them. Breitbart looks around for a waiter and launches into a stem-winder about collusion between Hollywood and the press — the "subtle and not-so-subtle use of propaganda to make a center-right nation move to the left.
"It's not just the nightly news," he says. "You're also getting television shows that reflect the same worldview, where Republicans are always the bad guys. Al Qaeda's never the bad guy. The Republican is always the bad guy."
From Danger Room
From anyone else, this would be just talk — or talking points. (No terrorist bad guys on TV? Really?) But Breitbart is one of the people who rams those points into the popular consciousness. Until last September, the beefy 41-year-old with graying blond hair was a largely covert power in the right-wing media, the hidden hand behind the popular Drudge Report who also, weirdly, cofounded the liberal Huffington Post. But then he struck out on his own. Today his collection of Web sites draws more than 10 million readers a month. He has a book deal worth more than half a million dollars, and he's a regular presence on Fox News — where he's headed later tonight, in fact. The covert thing is out the window.
The filet finally shows and Breitbart digs in, ignoring the risk to his mustard-colored sports coat. "The idea is that I have to screw with media, and I have to screw with the Left, in order to give legitimate stories the ability to reach their natural watermark," he says.
After just a few bites of steak, Breitbart splits. He has a meeting on the East Side with his lawyer to prep for a hearing tomorrow. The Brooklyn DA is investigating the housing advocacy group Acorn and wants to talk to Breitbart about the infamous videos he spread all over television and the Internet last year that show Acorn staffers offering to help a man and a "teenage hooker" set up a brothel full of underage Salvadoran prostitutes. (The DA would eventually find "no criminality" in the actions of the Acorn staffers.)
Later that evening, Breitbart arrives at the offices of Fox News on Sixth Avenue. Host Sean Hannity greets him with a fist-bump and calls him "bruthah." Doug Schoen, Bill Clinton's former pollster, waves hello. Then the three of them walk into a cavernous television studio covered in stars and stripes. "Breitbart, you didn't bring video tonight. What's up with that?" Hannity asks as the cameras start rolling.
Breitbart smiles a little. "Oh, in the next year there will be more. More than we all can handle," he answers.
Hannity extracts a promise for an exclusive. "This is changing the face of journalism," he says.
Schoen pipes in: "It's changing the face of politics, too."
The taping ends with small talk and handshakes. Afterward, Breitbart heads downstairs to visit Greg Gutfeld, who hosts the Fox overnight show Red Eye. Then they meet up with Felix Dennis, the high-flying founder of Maxim magazine, and spend the rest of the evening at a midtown club drinking Cristal.
For someone who claims to hate the "Democrat-media complex," Breitbart sure knows how to work it. Few people are better at packaging information for maximum distribution and impact. He is, depending on whom you ask, either the "leading figure in this right-wing creation of a parallel universe of lies and idiotic conspiracy theories" (that was liberal critic Eric Boehlert of Media Matters for America) or "the most dangerous man on the right today" (from Michael Goldfarb, Republican consultant and former campaign aide to John McCain). Breitbart is, in short, expert in making the journalism industry his bitch. "The market has forced me to come up with techniques to be noticed," Breitbart says. "And now that I have them, I'm like, wow, this is actually great. This is fun."
When he isn't on TV or drinking with rich guys, Andrew Breitbart spends most days combing through the thousands of tips he receives via email, instant message, and Twitter. He passes on the choicest of those to the editors of his three group blogs: Big Hollywood, which focuses on liberals' hold on pop culture; Big Journalism, which calls out the press for lefty bias; and Big Government, which — take a guess. He also runs Breitbart.com, which essentially broadcasts headlines from wire services. His fifth site, Breitbart.tv, hosts political videos.
It would be a lot to keep track of for someone with laserlike focus; Breitbart is more of a disco ball. "I have ADD, OK? Like I'm 17 crack-addled monkeys on spring break. It's very difficult to organize my day," he says. It's true. After scheduling to meet in LA for this story, he instead kept a conflicting appointment in Washington. But he couldn't meet me there, either; he was headed to New York. And when I finally cornered him in Manhattan, he couldn't remember the address of the building where his family keeps a studio apartment or where he had put the keys.
But a great tip can always capture his attention. Today, for example, he's working in that apartment, reading about the finances of Media Matters, the press watchdog that has devoted hundreds of posts in the past four months to bashing Breitbart. He stares at his laptop screen. "Oh, this is good. This is good," he mutters. "They raised $10 million this year. I'm working out of a basement, and I'm kicking their fucking asses."
He's also waiting for the man behind the Acorn videos, a conservative activist and guerrilla documentarian named James O'Keefe, who records himself and his cohorts performing outlandish, politically charged stunts. He once offered Planned Parenthood money to abort African American babies. (The organization said it would accept the donation.)
Last year, O'Keefe, posing as a college student and aspiring politician, went with a scantily clad confederate to the offices of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now in several cities. Incredibly, staffers at the federally funded organization were ready to help him house 13 teenage prostitutes from El Salvador. The first step: "Stop saying 'prostitution,'" one Baltimore Acorn worker tells O'Keefe's associate. "If anyone asks you, your business is a 'performing artist.'"
O'Keefe's previous antics had failed to garner much attention, so he flew across country to show his footage to Breitbart, a guy known in conservative circles for his ability to incite media mayhem. Breitbart delivered. He was starting Big Government and needed attention for the new site. He deployed an army of 200 bloggers to write post after post about Acorn, giving the story momentum that once would have required a swarm of media outlets to achieve. Fox News ran several segments on the first day alone.
Breitbart initially released only the video from Acorn's Baltimore bureau, which the group dismissed as an isolated incident. The next day, he posted a video of O'Keefe getting similar results in Washington, DC. Oops. Acorn stepped on the rake again, claiming the videos were doctored. Then Breitbart posted more — from New York City, San Diego, and Philadelphia. Congress started pulling Acorn's funding, and The New York Times flagellated itself for its "slow reflexes" in covering the story.
The traffic on Breitbart's sites exploded, and he knew he had found a star. Breitbart signed up O'Keefe to … well, to something. At one point, Breitbart said he and O'Keefe had a "first-look deal," similar to what a Hollywood producer might give a hot screenwriter. On another occasion, Breitbart talked about his purchase of O'Keefe's "life rights."
O'Keefe finally lopes into the Manhattan apartment, wearing a black newsboy cap and leather jacket. Only the stubble on his chin keeps him looking 25 instead of a skinny 14. He is as serious as Breitbart is goofy, as focused as Breitbart is scattered. All O'Keefe will say about his relationship with Breitbart is "He doesn't tell me what to shoot." Then he asks me to turn off my tape recorder, powers up his laptop, and talks us through his latest sting. I keep taking notes.
This time, there are no prostitutes involved, just a shady, and serious, tax-fraud scheme. The ploy involves the Obama administration's 10 percent tax credit to first-time home buyers. The law says that the credit maxes out at $8,000 for an $80,000 home. But at the Detroit office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the rule seems open to interpretation. O'Keefe asks a staffer, What if I bought a place for $50,000, but the seller and I agreed to write down $80,000 as the purchase price?
"Flip it any way you want," the staffer replies.
What if the place is worth much less — like only $6,000?
"Yup, you can do that."
O'Keefe and fellow activist Joe Basel ran the same sting at HUD's Chicago office and at several federally supported independent housing groups. Breitbart paces the parquet floor. The video is damning but not exactly Acorn-explosive.
Then O'Keefe stops the playback. "Oh yeah, I forgot," he says. "We went to the Detroit Free Press, to the managing editor. We told her the whole thing. She said she wasn't interested. Wanna see the tape?"
Breitbart starts to cackle. Of course he wants to see the tape. Sleazy HUD administrators are important, sure. But media covering up sleaze? That's entertainment. "Dude, that's the most important part!" he says. "I have seepage coming out of five parts of my body right now."
O'Keefe hits Play. A world-weary Freep editor listens to O'Keefe's kickback story and politely declines. There could be a thousand reasons why, but to O'Keefe and Breitbart, there's only one explanation: liberal bias. Breitbart slaps the walls like they were congo drums, grinning. "OK," he tells O'Keefe, "now I officially adore you."
In 1991, Breitbart was a bored twentysomething from Brentwood, a ritzy entertainment-industry enclave in west LA. A hyperactive news junkie, he read several newspapers and watched several newscasts a day. A low-level movie production job had left him disgusted by what he saw as Hollywood's culture of limousine liberalism. He was miserable. "Kurt Cobain without the record deal," he says. "Just give me the gun."
While waiting tables at a Venice bar and grill, he got to know one of the regulars, veteran TV actor Orson Bean. Bean had a wild reputation in Hollywood. He had written a book extolling the spiritual power of orgasm and, even more shocking, was a die-hard Nixon man. Breitbart admired him as an unpredictable rebel, a raconteur, an independent thinker — the kind of guy Breitbart wanted to be. He started dating Bean's daughter Susie and eventually married her. Bean served as Breitbart's first mentor, encouraging him to cut against what both men saw as LA's leftie grain.
Breitbart found his second mentor on a lark. He had become a fan of Matt Drudge's online newsletter, a weird, irresistible mix of right-wing politics, conspiracy theories, extreme weather, and pop culture. In 1995, Breitbart emailed Drudge to see if he could help out. Pretty soon, his bylines were appearing on the report alongside Drudge's. Breitbart had found his niche.
A link from the Drudge Report could bring hundreds of thousands of readers to a newspaper story — even if an editor had buried it on page C23. So reporters who wanted exposure for their work reached out to Drudge and Breitbart as soon as their pieces were published (or even before). Those tips gave the pair a back door into virtually every newsroom on the planet. In early 1998, the site was able to break not only the news that President Clinton had sex with an intern but also the fact that Newsweek spiked a story on the affair.
But scoops alone weren't what made the Drudge Report a must-read. The site had a new feeling of urgency, of velocity. Together, Drudge and Breitbart set the vicious, unceasing pace that is now the norm for Twitter-era journalism.
No one really knows how they did it. Neither Breitbart nor Drudge will discuss their partnership. "I've honored Drudge's wishes, spoken and unspoken" is all Breitbart will say. "He's a private guy."
At the turn of the century, Drudge receded from the spotlight, and journalists and politicos learned that the key to getting link-love from the Drudge Report was to IM Andrew Breitbart. Among those members of the Democrat-media complex: me, an ex-Clinton-Gore campaign staffer contributing to The New York Times. In 2008, I took Breitbart to Wired's 15th anniversary party in Manhattan. He took me to gatherings of pols and pundits at Yamashiro, a restaurant in the Hollywood Hills designed to look like a shogun palace. Yet Breitbart's relationship with the press is generally adversarial, and even though he has millions of readers, he describes himself as being part of the "undermedia." Breitbart believes in the conservative cause, but he also knows that casting himself as the Resistance in an information war gets him an audience. "We know the undermedia has power," Breitbart says. "And it comes from positioning it against the mainstream media."
One thing Breitbart will say about Drudge, though, is that his mentor introduced him to Arianna Huffington, then a right-wing pundit and Drudge confidant. Breitbart became her researcher and Web guru. By her side, he learned that the media could be more than scooped — it could be hacked. The first exploit was almost an accident: In September 1998, he suggested that Drudge and Huffington go to the embezzlement trial of former Clinton business associate Susan McDougal. The Los Angeles Times took note of their attendance the next day in a headline and a few sentences in the Metro section. Publicists have been pulling similar tricks since silent-movie days, sending celebrity clients to public events. But to Breitbart, the move was a revelation. "You can play the media. You can force them to cover things," he says. "This is not just stenography. There's a performance art to it."
Breitbart started looking for ways to attract the spotlight to himself. In 2004, he and journalist Mark Ebner wrote the book Hollywood, Interrupted, which excoriated the drug habits and vapid liberalism of many stars. Breitbart emerged as a conservative spokesperson with a passion for the culture wars not seen since the Lewinsky years. "They're an elitist pestilence," he says of his celebrity targets. "They tell us we can't have SUVs. They try to impose a one-child-per-family policy. But they can do whatever the hell they want because they're gallivanting around in the name of the greater good." He pauses while I try to figure out the "one-child" comment. "God, I fucking hate them."
Shortly after Hollywood, Interrupted came out, Huffington — by then a left-wing pundit — invited Breitbart to help her and Democratic fund-raiser Ken Lerer assemble what would become liberal Hollywood's favorite Web site, the Huffington Post. It was political apostasy, of course. But the paycheck was substantial for Breitbart, then a father of three. Also, he says, building something from scratch was a chance "to show that I was a presence and a player." Breitbart liked the idea of a new forum for ideological combat, separate from the traditional media's slanted playing field. "He was extremely interested in how to have a conversation online — how to bring together all these interesting voices," Huffington says. "Now it's, like, so obvious. But at the time, it had never been done."
The Huffington Post was consciously designed as the Left's answer to (and upgrade of) the Drudge Report. But instead of aggregating news and opinion, the HuffPo would host it. Newswires would appear right on the site; bloggers could battle it out in a giant group forum. The site launched in May 2005.
By June, Breitbart was out. Today, five years later, even his role in building the site is a matter of dispute. "I created the Huffington Post," he says simply. "I drafted the plan. They followed the plan." Huffington disagrees, saying that while he helped with strategy, the idea for the site was cooked up at a meeting in her living room after the 2004 elections. Breitbart, she says, "wasn't present."
Breitbart went back to Drudge, but he was still looking for ways to prove he was more than a behind-the-scenes guy. He wanted to make a name for himself, earn some money, and advance his cause. He realized he could build his own Web presence using all the lessons he'd learned. Even stories that seemed inconsequential could be framed to poke the mainstream media. Any reaction — or lack of reaction — could be bent to Breitbart's purpose. It's another media hack: Heads I win, tails you lose. One 2009 post featured a two-year-old video of Oscar the Grouch joking about "Pox News" on Sesame Street. When the PBS ombudsman apologized for the pun, Breitbart's Big Hollywood blog wrote up the apology as an admission of systemic bias. Another post lambasted the White House for displaying a painting it said was a Matisse rip-off. When a critic at The Washington Post defended the work, it proved — said Big Hollywood — the desire of the press corps to "shield" Obama.
The stories don't even have to be true to be useful. In December, Big Government's Michael Walsh put together a list of the top stories the mainstream media missed in 2009. Number four: Sarah Palin's claim that the health care bill included a "death panel" that would decide the fate of the infirm and disabled. Of course, Palin's claim — thoroughly discredited — was one of the most widely covered stories of the year. But for Walsh, none of that mattered. Death panels were "a marker for the entire Sarah Palin story," he says. "Sarah Palin makes the Left's heads explode. If only for that, it belongs on the list."
Today, the adversarial media world that Breitbart helped create is fodder for both sides of the political spectrum. The debate itself is the news. Every time Breitbart goes after Oscar the Grouch, the Left goes after Breitbart. Liberals get to feel superior to someone thuggish enough to attack Sesame Street, and Breitbart's message gets an extra push. Even the Obama administration plays the game, elevating opponents like Rush Limbaugh because they rally the Democratic base. "This stuff is gold for the White House. It's gold for the Right," says Republican consultant Goldfarb. "Everybody profits."
To build an alternative media empire, Breitbart had to find alternative sources of money and talent. That has led to ties with some pretty sketchy characters. His first solo Web site, Breitbart.com, got 2.6 million readers in its first month thanks in large part to links from the Drudge Report. But Breitbart needed to turn that traffic into ad revenue, and he wasn't much of a businessperson. A pair of conservative entrepreneurs volunteered to act as his sales agents. Brian Cartmell, a quiet programmer with money from his own antispam company, offered his coding expertise. Brad Hillstrom, the bearded, garrulous co-owner of a chain of medical clinics, brought contacts. Hillstrom flew Breitbart out to his lavish home on Lake Minnetonka for a weekend with Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty and Sandy Froman, president of the National Rifle Association. Breitbart was suitably impressed. He figured that his audience, combined with Cartmell's geekery and Hillstrom's Rolodex, would make millions.
On November 3, 2005, the three launched Gen Ads, a business that secured the exclusive rights to serve up banner ads on Breitbart.com. By the end of January, they were suing one another. Reuters was paying Breitbart a referral fee for every clickthrough from his site to Reuters.com, which Hillstrom and Cartmell said violated their exclusivity agreement. Breitbart countersued, pointing out that the pair had failed to run any site-specific ads on Breitbart.com and had concealed their own rather lurid pasts. Hillstrom's company had been investigated by the Department of Labor for paying physical therapists brought in from Poland as little as $500 a month and was forced to pay $460,000 in back wages. Cartmell had been sued by Hasbro in 1996 for turning candy-land.com into a porn site. The legal wrangling dragged into the summer and cost Breitbart "more money than I had," he says.
With the lawsuits behind him, Breitbart next became a champion of Pat Dollard, a former Hollywood agent turned gonzo war documentarian. Then it came to light that Dollard had doled out liquid Valium to marines in Iraq and robbed a pharmacy there while dressed in US military fatigues. A long Vanity Fair article detailing Dollard's excesses made him toxic to all but the most extreme of conservative activists.
For Breitbart, though, Dollard fit right in with his self-image. Despite his conservative views, Breitbart sees himself in some ways as an heir to 1960s radicals like the Yippies and Merry Pranksters, turning the absurd into political points. In the end, that's what he saw in O'Keefe, his star provocateur.
Now O'Keefe might become a liability as well. The FBI says that in January of this year, Joe Basel — O'Keefe's partner in the HUD stings — and another man put on fluorescent green vests and tool belts and walked into the New Orleans offices of Democratic senator Mary Landrieu, saying they were there to fix the phones. O'Keefe was in the lobby, recording the encounter on a cell phone. When Basel couldn't produce identification, US marshals arrested them all for entering federal property under false pretenses "with the purpose of committing a felony" — a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The cable networks, wire services, and political blogs called it a wiretapping plot. The head of the Democratic Party in Louisiana condemned the "Watergate-like break-in." Breitbart says he had no idea that O'Keefe was in Louisiana, let alone in the senator's office. But he knew that actions this criminal and clownish had the potential to hurt him. "I saw my life passing in front of my eyes," he says.
O'Keefe and Breitbart traded instant messages even before O'Keefe called his attorney. Then Breitbart went on the offensive, bashing the press on Big Government for overreaching. Despite the hysterical headlines, O'Keefe hadn't actually been charged with wiretapping. MSNBC reprimanded correspondent David Shuster for his attacks on O'Keefe, and The Washington Post issued a correction to its story about his "bugging." Those are the kind of things that count as "wins" on Breitbart's scorecard.
Then, Breitbart and his bloggers tried to swap the break-in narrative for a Byzantine conspiracy tale. O'Keefe may have used poor judgment, they said, but his arrest and subsequent treatment proved that the Democrat-media complex was working to ruin Breitbart and O'Keefe as payback for the Acorn sting.
After the story's first couple of waves come and go, I call Breitbart in Los Angeles. "I believe the Justice Department is doing to me what we did to them," he says. "They kept him in jail for 28 hours. During that period of time they were able to use the media to cast a false narrative of Watergate II, illegal wiretapping, breaking and entering, blah blah blah. It's a joke. It shows the complicity between this administration and the press to destroy political enemies."
He takes a breath. "They call us tea-baggers. They call us racist, sexist, homophobic, and we are finally punching back. It's over, dude. It's over. You think you're gonna be able to put the genie back in the bottle? It's over. And if you don't like my aggression, there are going to be millions more of me," Breitbart says, the cell phone connection skipping in and out. "Because the new media provides the tools and there are millions out there who are outraged. Now they realize, 'Wow, anybody can do that. We can hold these people accountable. We have the means. We have the technology.'" Then Breitbart hangs up. He has more interviews to conduct, a speech at the National Tea Party Convention to prep, and bloggers to talk to. The O'Keefe story might still turn out very bad for Breitbart. But there is no way he's going to let someone else tell it.
Contributing editor Noah Shachtman (www.wired.com/dangerroom) wrote about the Afghan air war in issue 18.01.Go Back to Top. Skip To: Start of Article.


text:
spanda wrote:Ok, but take the example of a person who is in a coma, at 10000 km. That person can't rejoice anything, it's far away, it is not present at the Chod ceremony. And , even if I am near him, he can listen any teaching (like in Sakyamuny example)
And Namdrol was very clear: "Merit is not shared in a real sense, but by sharing your merit you create much more for yourself."
So explain me very concretely how I can help a person who is in a coma at a 10000 km, with a long life practice. Because if it is like Namdrol sad, that the merit is not shared in the real sense, then the fact that I realize a long life practice (which is very efficient for me, I agree), doesn't help the person in a coma, because I can't share that merit with the sick person.
Because you coordinate his elements like I told you. Distance matters only if you think it matters IMO.


text:
Ooh ManTrick brain teasers appear difficult at first, but they have a trick that makes them really easy.
Jim studied really hard before the science test Friday. He was supposed to study chapter 1. When he took the test he got every question wrong. Why did he miss every question?
HintWhen he took the chapter 2 test he got them all right.
AnswerHe studied chapter 2 instead of chapter 1.
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