February 10, 2012 Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: The biblical case against small-mindedness involved diminishing His precious prophet Caroline B. Glick: The Peace Process is over. Finally Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage Rachel Koning Beals: Gen X Women Continue to Shrink Gender Investing Gap The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Durand: Who Says You Can't Make Restaurant Favorites at Home?: MANGO AND STICKY RICE February 9, 2012 Jeff Strickler: An argument a day keeps the divorce away, they say Clifford D. May: CAIR's Crusade against The Third Jihad Melissa Healy: Study finds jolt to the brain boosts memory Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation Emily Brandon: 10 Necessities for a Great Retirement Spot The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Winter Squash and Red Swiss Chard Risotto is Colorful Cozy Cold Weather Fare (includes detailed dos and don'ts) February 8, 2012 Rivy Poupko Kletenik: Tree hostility: The auspicious history of the evolution of Tu B'Shevat Steven Emerson: Planting Trees is Racist?! Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups Anne Applebaum: Russia's Potemkin democracy Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs Emily Brandon: 10 Necessities for a Great Retirement Spot The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets) February 7, 2012 Kathleen Hennessey and Christi Parsons: Obama not worried that birth-control move will hurt his re-election chances with Catholics, other faithful Caroline B. Glick: Obama's rhetorical storm Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design David Francis: How to Avoid an IRS Audit The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen: These homemade energy bars (3 recipes) are far better workout fuel than commercial ones, packing power and taste February 6, 2012 Scott Peterson: Iran's top ayatollah: We're trumping the West Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland' Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good Philip Moeller: Where Smart Investors Put Their Money Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard? The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: Vegetable Frittata --- leftovers never tasted so scrumptious February 3, 2012 Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein: Living with ideals --- in reality Caroline B. Glick: Fool me twice Jonathan Tobin : Adelsonphobia Strikes in Nevada Caucus Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US Kimberly Palmer : 8 Ways to Get Ready for Retirement Now Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Durand: A quick cookie recipe: Hazelnut and Olive Oil Shortbread: Sweet, Nutty, and Savory February 2, 2012 Rabbi Yaakov Rosenblatt : Welcome Home, Governor Perry Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran Kelsey Sheehy : 5 Tips for Choosing an M.B.A. Concentration Rachel Koning Beals : Investors Increasingly Tap Social Media for Stock Tips Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Savory vegetable pie is a taste of European bistro with minimal effort and maximal flavor February 1, 2012 Nara Schoenberg: What to do when you've been dissed Michelle Malkin: First, They Came for the Catholics Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran Lisa M. Krieger: Possible breakthrough in preventing Alzheimer's Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures Susan Johnston: 5 Apps for Organizing Your Expenses at Tax Time The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: The famed chef's Broccoli and White Bean Soup can easily be a lunch in itself, or a nice antipasto --- and is hard to mess up January 31, 2012 Paul Greenberg: Separation of Church and State works two ways Caroline B. Glick: Hamas and the Washington establishment Frank J. 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Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court Sharon Palmer, R.D.: Believe it or not, your cuppa joe offers potential health perks David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors Confronting the Car Nerds on their home turf --- the Detroit Auto Show (VIDEO; 3 minutes) The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen: Eleventh-Hour Freezer Pasta, Made Interesting: Ravioli with romesco sauce; Tortellini salad with apples and walnuts January 13, 2012 Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein: Expansion Of Spirit (PROFOUND yet UPLIFTING) Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time Rachel Koning Beals:Top Complaints About Daily Deal Sites --- how to avoid missteps Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Braised Oxtail Stew with Olives January 12, 2012 Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony Ken Dilanian and David S. Cloud: In secret study, CIA and 15 other U.S. intelligence agencies warn Obama against leaving Afghanistan too soon John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree Menachem Wecker : 4 Technology Must Haves for Online Students The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream January 11, 2012 Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules Rachel Koning Beals: Should You Invest in Bond Funds or Individual Issues? The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Durand : Colorful Lentil Salad with Walnuts and Herbs January 10, 2012 Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations Paul Bedard: Study: Is Fox Too Balanced? Rachel Koning Beals: Is it Time to Move into Homebuilder Stocks? The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: Brothy Chinese Noodles Half the Sodium (and More Than Twice the Fiber!) January 9, 2012 Caroline B. 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Jewish World Review Feb. 8, 2006 / 10 Shevat, 5766 Bag man to the stars By Joel Stein http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | I instinctively knew it was good to be a celebrity. But I wanted to smell it up close, at its white-hot center. I wanted to escort a celebrity around a gift lounge. Distinctive Assets, the biggest of the gift-bag companies, hired me to lead celebrities around its gift lounge after the Grammy rehearsals Sunday night at Staples Center. The other part of my job was carrying a big bag for the stars to load with $12,398 in gifts. It was like being a parent on Halloween, only it was going to be a little harder to sneak into the bag later and eat an Escada purse. Vendors — Escada plus 18 others — paid Distinctive Assets $20,000 apiece, in addition to the cost of the gifts, for the chance to set up a booth and give their sales pitches directly to Grammy performers and presenters, and to try to get them to pose for pictures holding the products. For a mere $6,000 they could have had their products shoved into the $54,249.54 gift bag that the stars will find in their hotel rooms. Among its items is a coupon for Lasik surgery. Luckily for Buddy Holly, gift bags did not exist while he was alive. While I was waiting for my first client, Kelly Clarkson, to finish rehearsals, a noncelebrity who had just wandered into the tent was escorted out, but not before being handed a huge bottle of cranberry vodka from 267 Infusions. When I asked 267 Infusions owner Stacie Parker Shonfeld why she gave free stuff to a woman she didn't recognize, she said: "We'll give it to all random people. We want everyone to enjoy it as much as we do." I'm guessing that Shonfeld came up with this marketing strategy when she was three-quarters into a bottle of cranberry vodka. Clarkson, it turned out, was a true genius at getting gifts. Because — in a discovery I made that should be studied in every econ class — it turns out that even when you're being given stuff for free, sales pitches are still incredibly annoying. But Clarkson acted interested in every item. Most were met with an enthusiastic "Right on!" Such as, "Oh, Verizon Wireless, right on! I've seen y'all's commercial." When the Verizon salesman asked her if she currently used Verizon, the singer admitted that she had no idea which service provider she used. "My business manager knows," Clarkson admitted. "She gets the best deals." An hour into this, I was impressed to find that Clarkson's "Right on!" did not flag. She seemed genuinely appreciative of the $1,000 in gift certificates from Tupperware. "When I was poor and needed it, no one was giving me $1,000," she said. Though, undoubtedly, being poor and having $1,000 worth of Tupperware would have its own frustrations. Such as having nothing to fill $1,000 worth of Tupperware with except Top Ramen. After Clarkson left, I escorted my second client, the country band Sugarland. Like Clarkson, lead singer Jennifer Nettles didn't need free stuff. I know for a fact that Nettles is so rich it ain't funny, because she says it in one of her songs. Still, Nettles may have exceeded Clarkson in her enthusiasm. Upon approaching a cubic zirconia table, Nettles exclaimed, without any provocation whatsoever, "Ziamonds? Awesome!" As I carried five shockingly heavy bags to her car, accompanied by two unpaid Distinctive Assets volunteers who carried the remainder of the swag, I wondered how Nettles and her bandmate, Kristian Bush, were going to get this stuff home. JFK didn't airlift this much stuff into Berlin. Having already been through five gift lounges at other events since their first album came out a little more than a year ago, the Sugarland members had learned to have their spouses arrive with empty suitcases. These are the kind of hard lessons you're taught by the road. The weirdest part of the night was that even though I was party to one of the most obscene gestures the invisible hand of capitalism had ever made, there was something sweet about seeing celebrities all excited and grateful. Unlike money or fame, the tactility of free stuff returned them to their pre-famous selves, able to appreciate how ridiculously fortunate they'd become. Weirder yet, I think they might actually deserve all this stuff. In a world that's increasingly stripped of advertising (TiVo, satellite radio, TV shows on DVD, decreased newspaper readership, NASCAR's inability to invent a method to put a corporate sticker on top of another corporate sticker), what a celebrity wears or uses is becoming our main method of learning about new products we'd like. Having talent is now just part of the job of being a celebrity. You also have to be a tastemaker. In fact, just being a tastemaker is sometimes enough. Especially if your talent is mostly being willing to sell a video of yourself starring in night-vision pornography. If we find all this alarming, then we'd better start clicking on those pop-up ads. Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here. Joel Stein is a Los Angeles Times columnist. Comment by clicking here. Archives © 2006 Los Angeles Times Distributed by Los Angeles Times Syndicate

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