Cubs Stealing The Show Early

CHICAGO -- We knew the Chicago Cubs would hit home runs this year and we had an idea that with the additions of Dexter Fowler, Kris Bryant, Jorge Solerand Miguel Montero they would take a few more walks. But did anyone see them leading the league in stolen bases?

"Station to station base running is awful," manager Joe Maddon said after the Cubs stole five bases in a 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday. "I've been involved in that. It happens. It's no fun. You can't take advantage of moments."

The Cubs are taking advantage of every possible moment as they've strung together four consecutive wins, arguably giving their best efforts of the season in the first two games of their series against the Pirates this week. After swiping four in an inning for the first time since 1997 they've taken over the lead in the National League with 25 this month. Anthony Rizzo has six already, tying a career high for one season.

"I'm confident I'm going to break my season high," he joked after the game. "I never want to be one-dimensional. That's how you lead this team by example. You go first to third, you break up the double play, you run out ground balls."

And you steal bases.

The Cubs have been doing all of the above pushing themselves to five games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2009 season. Tuesday's offensive output may have been the best since about that year as well. The Cubs had 12 hits, 6 walks and those five stolen bases.

"We did it all," Rizzo said.

Well, almost.

"We didn't hit a homer," he said with no disappointment in his voice.

If a single game could sum up what the front office has been trying to accomplish since they arrived in 2011 then Tuesday was it. The Cubs saw 159 pitches in eight innings at the plate. They've been able to get to opposing bullpens early in games – Pirate starter Jeff Locke left after 3.2 innings – and extend leads or come-from-behind when necessary, all the elements of a good offense. And then there are those surprising stolen bases.

"I wanted us to be better base runners, all of a sudden it's translating to stolen bases right now," Maddon said. "There's that musketeer/cavalier attitude where you're not afraid of making a mistake. I really want to breed that within the group and in the minor leagues."

You want to know what effect a manager has on a team? Does anyone think the personnel the Cubs employ would be leading the league in stolen bases if not for Maddon?

"We're prepared correctly and that's what you get," Fowler said.

Fowler and Rizzo had a fun back-and-forth in the clubhouse after the game regarding the steals. Rizzo's sixth theft of the season came with Fowler taking third while Rizzo was stealing second behind him.

"That was an easy one," Rizzo said. "I tell Dex all the time, 'go' so I can get an easy bag."

Fowler responded, laughing: "He's on the coat tail."

Maddon was quick to point out the pace that their stealing bases might not keep up. It all depends on the matchup.

"I don't want them to run for running sake," Maddon said. "If the math adds up you give it a go."

All that base running talk brought Maddon around to his former friend and coach in Tampa Bay, Don Zimmer. While managing the Cubs during their run to the playoffs in 1989 Zimmer famously called a hit-and-run with the bases loaded. Maddon smiled, remembering having talked to Zimmer about it.

"You're going to see the Zim play sometime this summer," Maddon declared.

It's hard not to believe him and right now it's even harder not to believe it will work. Everything on offense is clicking and the Cubs have yet to start hitting home runs consistently.

It's a sound strategy: Manufacture some runs while the weather is cold but once it heats up they may not have to do much running. A nice jog around the bases will do.

"Those are going to start coming for all of us and even add on to this good thing we have going," Rizzo declared.

Team Other Than Bulls Incurs Major Injury

Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love played only five minutes and 22 seconds of Game 4 of his team's first-round playoff series with the Boston Celtics on Sunday, leaving the contest after injuring his shoulder in a battle for a loose ball with Boston's Kelly Olynyk:

With just under 5 1/2 minutes remaining in the opening quarter, Love and Olynyk were scrapping for rebounding position after a missed 3-pointer by Boston's Jae Crowder. Olynyk latched onto Love's left arm as they ran away from the basket; after a couple of seconds of tangling, Love yelped in pain and instantly grabbed for his left shoulder. The referees whistled Olynyk for a loose-ball foul and Love sprinted straight off the court, back to the Cavaliers locker room.

Soon after Love exited the game, ABC's Heather Cox reported that the Cavaliers said he will not return to action. Team physician Dr. Richard Parker was examining the arm, which had already been iced and wrapped. At that point, Cleveland was just calling it a "left shoulder injury," pending further examination. After the Cavaliers' 101-93 win to finish off a four-game sweep and eliminate the Celtics, though, the team confirmed that Love had dislocated his left shoulder, and that his status would be updated after "additional examination, imaging and evaluation at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health" following the team's return to Ohio.

It's awful tough to ascribe intent, but you can certainly understand Love's frustration. It seems clear that Olynyk trapped Love's arm to prevent him from reaching for the basketball, which is something that you see bigs do to one another all the time in the fight for a rebound, but is absolutely the sort of play on which bad things can happen. Whether or not Olynyk meant to hurt Love, he did something that's against the rules specifically because stuff like this can happen when you do it; the starting point might've been different, but the endpoint is that same.

Whether or not the league elects to penalize Olynyk for his role in the injury, with his team eliminated, the Celtics center won't miss any more games this season. We can't yet say the same for Love, who averaged 18.3 points, nine rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes per game through his first career playoff contests before leaving early on Sunday, and who — despite a down year in terms of his individual statistics — has been an integral piece of the Cavaliers' top-ranked offense.

Even with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving there to bolster the offense, with sterner tests looming as the playoffs progress — a likely second-round matchup with the Chicago Bulls, a possible Eastern Conference finals tilt with the Atlanta Hawks, a potential NBA Finals bout with whichever heavyweight emerges from the Western Conference — a diminished Love would be extremely damaging to the Cavaliers' chances of advancing, and his absence could even prove fatal. There'll be an awful lot riding on the results of that MRI and, you'd suspect, a decidedly more somber tone on the Cavs' team charter than finishing off a 4-0 sweep would typically engender.

Cubs Showing Growing Confidence After Sweep Of Reds

CINCINNATI — The Cubs can keep dancing all the way home.

The music was blasting in the clubhouse again Sunday afternoon after the Cubs' 5-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds to complete a rain-shortened, two-game sweep.

That finished up a 4-2 road trip with a stop in Pittsburgh for four games before Cincinnati.

"I love it," manager Joe Maddon said. "In the division, on the road, two tough venues, two tough teams and to come back with a 4-2 record is not a bad thing."

The 2015 Cubs have had plenty of reasons to dance and celebrate, as the good vibes keep rolling in. Maddon's squad is now 10-7 overall, including a 6-3 record on the road.

"We've done a nice job [on the road]," Maddon said. "I'm telling you, the energy pregame in the dugout is outstanding. The guys are definitely on top of things. They're ready to play. And as a manager, that's all you can ask for."

With a roster packed with young, inexperienced talent, it's been a different guy stepping up each game. Friday night, it was Jonathan Herrera in extra innings.

Sunday, it was rookie Addison Russell, who came up with the big hit — a two-out, three-run double in the fourth inning in what ended up as the game-winner.

It was only the third hit of Russell's career, overshadowing a tough stretch that saw him go 0-for-6 with five strikeouts to start off the series against the Reds.

This weekend, it was Herrera and Russell, but rookies Jorge Soler and Kris Bryant have been impressive as well while Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro have provided a steadying presence both in the field and at the plate.

Even the veteran catchers — Miguel Montero and David Ross — got in on the action this weekend, combining for four RBI against the Reds.

And that's not even touching on the pitching, as the bullpen combined for eight shutout innings behind starters Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta.

"It's just kind of a testament to the guys we have here, the young players — they're a little more advanced than most," Arrieta said. "And that kinda helps bridge the gap of the experience. They're going to take their lumps, just like we all will from time to time, but they're ahead of the curve.

"Soler, Bryant, Russell, these guys are polished. Polished to an extent that they can come here and contribute right away. And that's what each and every one of them have been able to do throughout their short time here. We all know it's just going to continue.

"The guys we have around the young players who know how to get the job done, regardless of the jam or whatever happens throughout the game. ... Rizzo's made huge strides, as a leader, as a player. Castro's come a long way.

"If everyone continues to take that step, we can win at a high clip on the road and at home. I think it's all starting to come together for us."

The season is only three weeks old, but the Cubs are gaining some swagger and starting to gel as a team, holding their celebrations/dance parties in the clubhouse after the game.

"It's good. It's loose," Lester said. "It's fun. It makes you forget about the grind and all that. It makes you have fun and smile and enjoy it. Sometimes people don't understand how hard it is to win a game in the big leagues.

"For us to come in here and celebrate each one of them like it's our last, it's a good feeling when we come in here and win. Even when we lose, guys are upbeat about it, like 'hey, we had our chances, but we didn't come through.'

"It's a good feeling to have when guys play loose, when guys enjoy it, when guys have fun. That gets everybody a chance to kind of relax and just play the game. At the end of the day, if we win, great, if we don't, hey we'll be back tomorrow and do it again."

Something Old, Something New: The Week In Thanks

The crusade to get back on track with thankfulness posts continues. Not that there's been any shortage of things to be grateful for!

On one hand, the tutoring business has continued to solidly average 20 hours a week, even net of cancellations. The end-of-semester swell has begun, with ISU finals starting May 2. Still, I was graced by circumstances that basically gave me a three-day weekend with only one session on each of Friday and today.

My debut at substitute teaching went smoothly enough, and I now seems to be on the official list of subs to call for NCHS. If that happens, I 'd at last be able to pay down the cost of getting registered, and hopefully do a good enough job to go into next semester.

The Epiphany band (which remains nameless at this point) continues to be a delightful outlet of creativity, fun and encouragement. And apparently blessed by God, as I had two cancellations on Thursday night which allowed me to attend a rescheduled rehearsal I'd otherwise have been forced to miss. The "Amazing Parish" conference attended by several parish leaders has added another layer of enthusiasm to the church.

Had a tremendous outing with some friends to see Austin Travis and Joel Shoemaker's play in Eureka. It was held in the theater that used to be the basketball gym my dad played his scholarship days in, back in the 1950s.

I had productive sessions with a physical therapist at the Sports Enhancement Clinic the last few weeks, so am on a routine of exercises to continue to address strengthening my knee.

We went to see Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood at Peoria, always a hoot! Another way in which the end of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels has allowed us to spend more time together.

Random shout-out of the week goes to Rosie Hauck, my DRS partner in crime who's go-get-'em attitude toward life not only raised my productivity but also nearly led our trivia team to victory in the Community Players Theatre fund raiser.

Hidden Blog Reaches 5,000th Post

Yet another milestone in the colored history of Hidden Blog!

Our motto, "Fifty monthly posts of fun, love and good life" has been perfectly sustainable. At heart, it's merely a personal journal that exercises my mind in the brightest side of life, a remarkable and almost subliminal tonic for the dark trickle that's part of the human condition. However, during the nearly eight years it's existed, multiple people have come up to me and shared how it's lifted them up as well. For that, be grateful to God who continues to guide creation with an abundance of blessings for us all, of which this may be one.

Overcoming Your "Disability"

"From a distance, all humans are disabled... We can't run faster than 25 miles per hour. We can't fly... All humans are limited by nature in many ways. I may have lost a few of the natural adaptations that evolution afforded me, but I have adapted, often in a way similar to how you have adapted to nature's limitations. Your disability doesn't make you any less of a person, and neither does mine." - Henry Evans, quadriplegic stroke victim

Working For Less Than Peanuts

"Try an internship! Internships give you all the experience of a summer job without the hassle of a paycheck." - Stephen Colbert

Holy Shuffhausen! McDonald Tabbed To Play VBS Doctor

Joe McDonald, a light veteran of community and church theater, has been granted the lead role in Epiphany Catholic Church's summer production of "The SonSpark Labs Show" as part of its Vacation Bible School program.

McDonald will play the role of Professor Peter Petri, a good-natured know-it-all whose engaging personality and friendly demeanor make him the perfect science show host.

After coming up short in an audition for alter ego Dr. Emil Shuffhausen in a performance of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels this spring, redemption seemed to come quickly in his mind after surviving the selection process.

"I'd worked for, like, hundreds of hours on an Austrian accent last summer," a wide-eyed and possibly medicated McDonald explained exuberantly in between sniffles as part of a much longer rant. "To prove that I can really do this is just, I mean, it's just amazing."

"He walked up to me during post-Mass cocoa and crescent rolls one Sunday and asked if we needed any actors for the VBS skits. We usually have kids do the acting but..." trailed off VBS director Theresa French uncomfortably. "He just seemed... really intense about the idea of being a doctor with an Austrian accent. I don't want to say 'obsessed'... but anyway... I just couldn't feel safe about saying no. Not without another adult present."

The SonSpark Labs Show will be the week of July 20-24, and also feature Becca Macak as the bright and ever-helpful co-host lab assistant Sally.

Fruits Following Faith

Yesterday I did a post on faith.

Like many things, I suppose the jury's out on the idea of karma, with good being repaid by good and vice versa.

But I can objectively say that just before my exercise in grace last night, I had two students scheduled to conflict with a band rehearsal on Thursday evening - and they both canceled within an hour afterward.

Also, I was facing a marathon day today... 10am til 8pm with no break for exercise, errands or even lunch. When I woke up this morning, I had a cancellation that opened up a window for errands. Then I got a request to reschedule another appointment, which left me time for exercise and lunch. I could still use a quick nap, but only had a 5-hour shift left to manage... that is until a student went AWOL, which gives me a mid-shift window of opportunity. Just enough time for some shuteye - after blogging this, that is!

Connection or not? Doesn't matter much. I'm grateful to God, and well-equipped to help my remaining students. That's a win.

Taking A Vantage

I faced an agitating situation today. In the course of my business I got the feeling that someone was trying to take advantage of me. I had an opportunity to take a stand. I pondered some language to do so. I started to write it.

Then, I decided to have faith.

Possibly I will be "taken advantage of," in my own estimation. But possibly not. And in the great scheme of things, where God has consistently continued to deliver uplifting gifts in mysterious packaging, I decided that I might as well let the wrapping come off of this one. Plus, the grace I show here may be a tremendous blessing to someone for reasons unknown to me.

From this vantage point, I find tremendous peace.

John Oliver's Doomsday Video

Time Machine

"A hotel minibar allows you to see into the future and find out what a can of Pepsi will cost in 2020." - Rich Hall

The Keys To Happiness

"After an impromptu song, our pastor asked the church pianist, 'What key did I sing that in?' The pianist replied, 'Most of them.'" - Rich Hall

Video Gaming For Life

"My 11-year old grandson spent a beautiful Saturday playing video games. His older sister tried coaxing him out by warning, 'Someday, you're going to be 30 years old, single, and living in Mom's basement playing video games all day!' His reply: 'I can only dream.'" - Judy Scheffel

Firing A Complaint

"Complaining may offer relief, but so does acceptance. There is no perfect place. There is no perfect life." - Roxane Gay

Cheap Seduction

"Griping is seductive on those days when happiness requires too much energy." - Roxane Gay

Laugh Lines Part 2

"Old McDonald was dyslexic, I-E-I-E-O." - Billy Connolly

Laugh Lines Part 1

"I never have worked out the moral to Humpty Dumpty. Is it 'Don't let horses perform medical procedures'?" - Ricky Gervais

Treasuring The Gifts

"We've realized what's important in life. We don't worry about the small things now." - Belinda Peters, whose daughter was kidnapped and safely returned

The Laugh Factory Part 3

"This is the tenth anniversary of my comedy career. It's also the tenth anniversary of my father begging me not to do comedy." - Nitin Mirani

The Laugh Factory Part 2

"Have you noticed all the bottled water has the 'best before' date printed on it? The water has circled the Earth for four billion years, but now it's ruined?" - Ismo Leikola

The Laugh Factory Part 1

"In Paris, I am driving a Smart Car, you know, the very tiny one. But I don't do it too much, because it's too dangerous. I could get run over by a pedestrian." - Mustapha El Atrassi

Spiritual Exercise

"I work out religiously - Christmas and Easter." - Matthew Wohlfarth

Sleep Tips

Studies have shown:

- The scent of jasmine aids sleep.

- Roses' scent aids in having good dreams.

"Dream Come True" For Bryant

CHICAGO -- The Cubs will promote top prospect Kris Bryant on Friday, paving the way for his major league debut, a move he called the realization of a dream. 

Bryant will take third baseman Mike Olt's roster spot, a source familiar with the situation said. Olt will go on the disabled list with a hairline fracture in his wrist suffered last weekend in Colorado when hit by a pitch.

Bryant weighed in on the news via Twitter late Thursday night.

The Cubs host the San Diego Padres this weekend, but it's not known when Bryant will make his debut. The Cubs have not officially announced Bryant's addition to the 40-man roster or his call-up from Triple-A Iowa.

Bryant, 23, is hitting .321 at  Iowa after hitting his third home run Thursday night against New Orleans. Bryant hit one to the wall in right in the fifth inning that looked like it was going out, but the right fielder leaped to make a great catch. An inning later, he went deep in left with a ball that barely stayed fair.

Bryant, who according to The Times-Picayune had a morning flight scheduled after getting a postgame phone call informing him of the promotion, was named the minor league player of the year last season, hitting .325 with 43 home runs and 110 RBIs split between Double-A and Triple-A.

He was the topic of conversation all spring as he led the Cactus and Grapefruit leagues with nine home runs.

EDITOR'S PICKS

• 

  The delays and speed bumps are behind Kris Bryant and the Cubs -- so now enjoy it, fans

  It's taken time for the Cubs' big plans for the franchise and Kris Bryant to bear fruit, but with the prospect set to debut, it's time to enjoy it.
• 

  Bryant ready to be MLB's next great slugger?

  Kris Bryant is finally headed to Chicago, where huge expectations await.
• 

  Rogers: Inside drafting baseball's best prospect

Bryant was the No. 2 overall pick out of San Diego in 2013 after leading all collegiate players in home runs with 31.

Months later, Bryant won the MVP of the Arizona Fall League, also leading all hitters in home runs. Then came his breakout season in the minors in 2014.

Bryant became the face of a controversial rule in the collective bargaining agreement that states a player is credited with a full year of service time if he's in the majors for 172 days out of the 183-day season. By keeping a player in the minors for the first 11 days of the season, a team can retain his rights for an extra year before he becomes a free agent.

By recalling Bryant now, the Cubs have control over him until after the 2021 season instead of 2020. It prompted his agent, Scott Boras, to be critical of the Cubs earlier in the process, while the front office said he was going back to the minors for purely baseball-related reasons.

Bryant Better At The Hot Corner?

Kris Bryant hit .321 with three home runs at Triple-A Iowa. Chicago's options at third have been underwhelming to put it mildly.

Cubs Third Basemen -- This Season

		RANK
BA	.148	Last
Hits	4	Last
OBP	.233	27th
Slug pct	.259	28th
*Entering Thursday
-- ESPN Stats & Information

After the Cubs demoted Bryant in late March, the players' association put out a statement declaring it a "bad day for baseball," while the league responded by essentially telling the union to butt out of the Cubs' business. Bryant was disappointed with the demotion after having such a good spring.

"I was told it was a top-two spring training performance, which was cool to hear," Bryant said at the time of his meeting with Cubs management. "The dream is on hold for a little bit but I'm hungrier than ever."

Bryant will be the latest of a core of young players to make his debut for the Cubs. He will join fellow rookie Jorge Soler on the major league team as two players expected to be part of the Cubs' middle of the order for a long time.

Joy In The Moment

"No matter how harsh the present or unpredictable the future, there's almost always some measure of joy to be extracted from the moment." - Jill Smolowe

To Serve Is Human

"Being human always points, and is directed, to something or someone other than oneself. The more one forgets himself - by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love - the more human he is." - Victor Frankl, Holocaust survivor

Defining Satisfaction

"A study from 2011 confirmed this: People who have meaning in their lives, in the form of a clearly defined purpose, rated their satisfaction with life higher - even when they were feeling bad - than those who did not have a clearly defined purpose."

My purpose today: To have fun, and to brighten others' lives.

Finding Meaning

"Happiness without meaning characterizes a relatively shallow, self-absorbed, or even selfish life, in which things go well, needs and desire are easily satisfied, and difficult or taxing entanglements are avoided." - Anonymous

Bryant To Join Cubs Friday

Here we go, folks: The Kris Bryant era is upon us.

The Chicago Cubs are set to promote their uber prospect to the big leagues Friday, according to ESPN Chicago's Jesse Rogers. The Cubs are playing the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field on Friday, and Bryant is expected to join the team as its starting third baseman, taking over for Mike Olt, who reportedly is going on the disabled list.

Bryant is the unanimous top prospect in baseball, a former No. 2 overall pick who led the minors in home runs last season and led all of baseball in spring-training homers. He's a big bat with big potential whose arrival is supposed to signal a new era in Cubs baseball.

This move hasn't come without strife. If you're new to the Kris Bryant-and-the-Cubs saga, here's the boiled down version: The team could delay Bryant's free agency by a year (and potentially save millions of dollars) if he started the season in the minors. So the Cubs made the prudent call and sent him to Triple-A. Scott Boras, Bryant's agent, got into a war of words with the Cubs' front office, who insisted they were doing what was right for the organization. The player's union objected to the Cubs' decision too.

The upshot in this service-time game: The Cubs just needed to wait until April 17 to promote him. What's Friday's date? Why, April 17, of course.

The Cubs choosing to bring up Bryant isn't a shocker, the question was whether they'd do it at the first chance they could after bending the service-time rules in their favor or whether they'd wait a couple days for the sake of appearances. 

His play on field says there's need to wait for Bryant, who had already been tearing up Triple-A pitching. He's hit three homers and knocked in 10 runs in seven games, collecting nine hits along the way. Bryant hit a three-run homer in his final Triple-A game Thursday. The joke in baseball circles had been that the Cubs needed Bryant in Triple-A to work on his defense. The new joke is that a week and a half in the minors must have really helped.

One thing everybody will agree on: It's nice that the fighting is over and the Kris Bryant era is here. You can bet people won't care as much about the first grounder that comes Bryant's way as they will about his first big-league at-bat.

Now comes the next question: How can Bryant possibly live up to expectations?

April Showers Of Success - The Week In Thanks

April has brought far more clear skies than showers.

I'm glad that Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is behind, but surprisingly fond of the fruits it bore. As the shows went on I received more individual positive feedback than I can ever recall.

The extra non-theater time has allowed me to help needy math students. This week I learned that one student who'd failed calculus last year recently scored an 89% on the same test that he failed last semester. A statistics student has raised his grade from a D to an 86%.

Dena and I got to enjoy an out-of-town weekend with perfect weather. It was our first getaway in a while, one that wasn't as possible during rehearsals. We dined out, watched cable TV, sat outside and snacked, visited museums. It was a clear and refreshing reminder of the coming summer and the beauty of leisurely life.

I served as election judge for a quiet election. We were lucky to have a veteran crew when the polling place turned out to be locked at our 5:15am starting time, we still got up and running on time. During the down time I was able to get a ton of backlogged paperwork caught up, further excavating myself from the theater experience.

Being self-employed has allowed me the freedom to do these getaways and judging adventures. Mornings I wake up and incant first thing how blessed I am to have the vocation and freedom that I do.

Last night we came in second place in a fund raising trivia contest. We had no expectations going in, and pleasantly discovered competence. We won theater tickets and even came out on top in a couple of silent auction bid items. I won some free legal counsel - you can never be too careful yeah?

Coming home to Cupcake after our trip was as delightful as ever. She loves to climb fences and dash madly about the house. I'm glad that our kitten enjoys exercise so much, and that we have the time to share it with her.

The fantasy basketball team has been absolutely on cruise control to first place for the last two months. This has been a tremendous gift during these last couple busy months.

Easter was enjoyable as I finally got to participate in two Masses for the first time in months, and popped into Dena's family dinner for an hour in between. It was the perfect kind of busy.

Random happy thoughts - the way to get back into full-blown thankfulness mode.

Great Moments In Horse Sports

"No one believed in us!" - unicorn football team coach

Facts On Sleep

According to the National Sleep Foundation, everybody needs at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep. One third of Americans regularly get less. Some polls show that nearly three-quarters of the adult population is not getting enough sleep.

Drowsy driving is estimated to cause 1,500 fatalities per year according to the National Transportation Safety Bureau.

A study done at Henry Ford Hospital in 2003 concluded that losing two hours of sleep a night - for example from eight to six hours of sleep - had an effect on performance equivalent to drinking two beers.

Johnson & Johnson has instructed its employees not to send e-mails on weekends. In other words, once you leave the office, you're off.

MRI scans show a marked difference in brain activity after a good versus short night's sleep.

"Presenteeism," where employees show up to work but are too tired to concentrate and end up surfing the Web, among other things, is estimated to account for $63 billion in lost U.S. productivity per year.

Plane Advice

"You have a choice in life. You can either put your stuff deep in your pockets and take it to your grave, or you can help someone." - Anonymous plane passenger, inspiring the woman in the next seat struggling with depression

True Science

The science teacher asked her class "Why would we not see meteors if Earth had no atmosphere?"

Answer: "Because we'd all be dead."

Music That Heals

In one study, researchers found that listening to music 25 minutes daily for four weeks resulted in a noticeable reduction in blood pressure, the equivalent of taking strong blood pressure medication. In others, listening to music proved more effective than taking a sedative before surgery.

Another Reason To Watch Seinfeld

Laughing hysterically makes us healthy. Deep belly laughter triggers the release of endorphins. Blood flow increases, cholesterol is reduced. Studies have shown that after just 15 minutes of laughing, volunteers got the same vascular benefit as they would from spending 15 to 30 minutes at the gym or taking a daily statin.

Comments From Colonoscopy Patients

"Now I know how a Muppet feels!"

"Could you write a note for my wife saying that my head is not up there?"

"Any sign of the trapped miners, chief?"

By Dave Barry

Chin-Ups

A former U.S. Army interrogator and language expert suggests keeping your chin centered to exude confidence and compromise. Too high, and you look indignant. Too low, and you look weak.

Humming Your Way To Success

A low-pitched voice inspires confidence from those around you, according to a recent study. You don't have to fake it - relax before speaking by keeping your lips together and repeating mmm-hmm a few times, suggests Forbes body language expert Carol Kinsey Gorman.

[Mental note: Just not loud enough for the person next to you on the bus to hear.]

A Touching Moment

"Making physical contact for as little as 1/40th of a second can create a human bond," I explained. "Touch also boosts oxytocin, which increases feelings of trust, and lowers cortisol, which reduces stress."

Having handed me my change, his eyes widened as he took a half-step back in the toll booth.

Right Lift, Wrong Time

I read somewhere that research has shown that holding powerful postures such as raising your arms in a V for just two minutes can lower stress. But the others in the elevator seemed to disagree.

Navigating By The Stars

"I am driven by two main philosophies: Know more today about the world than you knew yesterday, and lessen the suffering of others. you'd be surprised how far that gets you." - Neil Degrasse Tyson, astrophysicist.

Churching Your Day

"Church is not a noun. It's a verb. It can be friends gathering around a meal, talking about the things that matter most, building each other up. That's a lot bigger than 11 a.m. on Sunday." - Rob Bell

Amen! The reason I go to church these days has little to do with the Bible or religion directly. I'm actually attending more church services now (two a week) then ever. Why? Because of the people I attend with. The ministry of the contemporary band engages me with wonderful people like Doug Micklich, Mike Lieder, Leroy Janke, Stevie Manuel, Karen Williamson, Becca Macak, Shelby Miller, Sean and Jennifer Stevens and their families. We provide a musical service, a small piece of inspiration, to the masses amid the adventure of their week. Mainly, I believe, because we provide personal support to each other. That's church!

Taking The Fun Out Of Funeral

"I read that the number one fear of the average person is public speaking... Number two was death. o me, that means that, to the average person, if you were going to be at a funeral, you would rather be in the casket than doing the eulogy." - Jerry Seinfeld

Seinfeld's 3 Rules For Living

"My three rules for living: First, bust your ass... Second, pay attention. Learn from everything and everyone... My third rule: Fall in love. Fall in love with your street, your tennis game... Someone could say "I love this fork," and I'd think that was great." - Jerry Seinfeld

Wise words! Love drives happiness.

Judge Clears Way For Additional Wrigley Renovations

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs don't have to halt construction on a Wrigley Field video board that will block game views of adjacent rooftop clubs, a federal judge ruled on Thursday, dismissing claims from the one-of-a-kind businesses that they're doomed if it goes up.

The ruling means both that the right-field sign could be operational soon and that the Cubs' $375 million renovation of the century-old ballpark -- which the teams sees as central to its future success -- remains on track.

Skybox on Sheffield and Lakeview Baseball Club requested the preliminary injunction until a wide-ranging lawsuit is resolved. The rooftop owners say a 2004 revenue-sharing agreement with the Cubs prevents the team from obstructing views. They hoped the judge would issue an order in their favor before the Cubs' first home game, this Sunday.

But in a 35-page opinion laden with baseball puns, U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall wrote that the rooftops "have cried foul" but haven't demonstrated their businesses would, in fact, go under for good if the Cubs weren't stopped immediately from erecting the video board.

She didn't accept the obstruction would kill their businesses, noting how Cubs games themselves are often secondary to the party atmosphere on the urban rooftops in the Wrigleyville neighborhood.

"One might argue ... that the patrons who go to the Rooftops do not really go to watch the game at all, and when they do, they see very little of it anyway," she wrote. "Being in close vicinity to the game with fresh air, alcohol, and good food might be sufficient to run a business -- maybe not the business they are in now- but certainly a business."

The judge noted that the revenue-sharing deal between the Cubs and the rooftop owners includes a clause allowing for an "expansion" of Wrigley Field, provided it was approved by a governmental authority.

The Ricketts family, whose scion founded the online brokerage Ameritrade, has been sparring with rooftop owners since buying the Cubs in 2009. The Cubs say the signs and other stadium upgrades will help them field better teams -- ones that could vie for the Cubs' first World Series in more than a century.

The ongoing renovations also include a left-field Jumbotron and a half-dozen other signs. Other rooftop properties that did not push for a preliminary injunction on the video board are parties to other civil action.

In a statement late Thursday, the Cubs expressed gratitude for the judge's decision.

"We look forward to moving ahead with the expansion to protect and preserve Wrigley Field for our fans and our team," the Cubs said.

In oral arguments over the preliminary injunction last week, one attorney for the rooftop owners, Thomas Lombardo, accused the Cubs of violating antitrust law, saying the team sought to manipulate ticket prices and to "bully" rooftop properties into selling out to the Cubs. He said the Cubs bought at least some stake in four of 16 rooftops and then altered plans to position signs in front of rooftops they don't own.

But Cubs attorney Daniel Laytin said that misrepresents the relationship of the team to the rooftops. It is not one of competitor to competitor, he said, but of producer to distributor -- the Cubs being the producers of baseball games and the rooftops selling views of games. Antitrust laws don't apply in that kind of relationship, he said.

Kendall on Thursday also rejected the rooftops' claim of an antitrust violation, including by pointing to a U.S. Supreme Court decision exempting major league baseball from antitrust laws.

Ten Exercises That Burn More Calories Than Running

We’re huge fans of running. It allows you to get a stress-reducing, endurance-boosting workout with just a pair of shoes and an open road.

It also burns calories, of course. At a 10-minute per mile pace—roughly the average guy’s marathon pace—you’ll fry about 10 calories a minute.

That’s a solid number, and if you run faster, you can burn even more.

But if running isn’t your favorite activity, there are plenty of other modes of exercise that can help you torch calories at a lightning fast rate.

“In general, you burn more calories by doing high-intensity weight training than you do running,” says Harold Gibbons, a trainer at Mark Fisher Fitness in New York City, and the New York State Director of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Most people don’t realize this, though. That’s often because the number of calories you’re told you just burned is typically estimated from The Compendium of Physical Activities, which calculates energy expended through aerobic metabolism. That works well for low- to medium-intensity exercise, but not so well for higher-intensity activities that rely on anaerobic metabolism.

In fact, when researchers at the University of Southern Maine used a more advanced method to estimate energy expenditure during exercise, they found that weight training burns up to 71 percent more calories than originally thought. Which suggests that a fast-paced circuit workout burns as many calories as running at a 6-minute per mile pace.

But resistance training isn’t your only option. There are also cardio exercises that can boost your burn, too. We found 10 exercises that will help you incinerate calories—without ever having to hit pavement.

Kettlebell Swing
This explosive exercise works the big, powerful muscles around your glutes and quads, and sends your heart into overdrive, according to research from the University of Wisconsin.

In the study, participants burned 20.2 calories a minute and their average heart was 93 percent of its max for the course of a 20-minute workout.

“The kettlebell swing works you so hard because it’s not a movement you’re used to,” says Dan John, a strength coach in Salt Lake City and the author ofIntervention. “You’re not super efficient at it, which taxes your body.”

Indoor Rowing
A 185-pound guy can burn 377 calories during 30 minutes of vigorous rowing, or about 12.5 calorie per minute, reports a Harvard University study.

And because you need to utilize the muscles in your arms, legs, and back for efficient strokes, it’s a great total-body trainer.

Burpees
A 180-pound person burns about 1.43 calories per burpee, says exercise scientist and Spartan Coach Jeff Godin. So if you can hammer out at least seven a minute you’re in the double digits.

But you should shoot to average at least 10 every 60 seconds, or a rate of 14.3 calories per minute. Why? Performing just 10 reps at a fast pace can rev your metabolism as much as a 30-second, all-out bike sprint, according to a study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting.

(Photo: Thinkstock)

AirDyne Bike Sprints
It sounds downright crazy, but Gym Jones manager Rob MacDonald proved that it’s possible to blast 87 calories in one minute on this stationary bike that increases its resistance as you pedal harder. The key: Give everything you have in that 60 seconds.

Note: This was by no means a scientific experiment, and relies on the accuracy of the built-in AirDyne monitor, which calculates calories by converting revolutions of the fan into physical work.

Jumping Rope
Moderate-intensity rope jumping—about 100 to 120 skips per minute—burns about 13 calories a minute, according to the Compendium of Physical Activities.

This mode of exercise uses more muscle groups than jogging, and challenges your balance, and coordination—especially if you practice drills that require extra hand and foot skills. 

(Photo: Thinkstock)

Fat-Tire Biking
If you haven’t tried this fast-growing cycling sport, you should. You can burn up to 1,500 calories an hour—or nearly 25 calories per minute—pedaling the heavy, hard-to-turn monster bikes and tackling all types of terrain, all year round, says Mike Curiak, record holder for the 1,000-mile Iditasport Impossible, a fat tire biking race.

Reality check: That kind of calorie burn depends on your fitness and strength levels, and your skill. But regardless, it’s sure to be one hell of workout.

“Cindy”
This CrossFit Workout of the Day (WOD) burns an average 13 calories per minute, according to scientists at Kennesaw State University.

It’s effective because it pairs three exercises—5 pullups, 10 pushups, and 15 air squats— that work different major muscle groups, and you do as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes.

So if you’re in amazing condition, you can go all-out for each one, without slowing down or stopping to recover in between.

If you’re somewhat less than amazing (read: like most people), you simply rest when needed. For example, you don’t move on to the pushup until you’ve completed 5 reps of the pullup, even if you have to stop and start.

“Any routine that takes you from standing, down to the ground, and back up to standing again is an amazing calorie burner, because it really spikes the heart rate,” says John. And for the fuel your body needs to exercise hard—and recover faster—check out these 20 Healthy Smoothie Recipes.

Cross-Country Skiing
Zipping along on skis delivers a better heart-pounding workout compared to running at about the same pace, thanks to the fact that the sport requires you to push with your lower-body and pull with your upper.

In fact, a good cross-country ski session can burn more than 12 calories a minute, according to the Compendium of Physical Activities.

That explains why Nordic Skiers consistently collapse in exhaustion at the finish line of Olympic races. (No fresh snow? Look for the new Concept2 SkiErg machine at your gym.)

Tabata Jump Squats
This four-minute miracle drill burns major calories both during a workout and after. In an Auburn University at Montgomery study, participants who did eight rounds of all-out jump squats—20 seconds of hard work, separated by 10 seconds of rest—burned 13.4 calories per minute and doubled their post-exercise metabolic rate for at least 30 minutes. To try it yourself, check out The Unbelievable 4-Minute Cardio Workout.

(Photo: Thinkstock) 

Battling Ropes
In a recent College of New Jersey study comparing various workout styles, battling-rope exercises came in first in terms of total oxygen consumption and an average calorie burn of 10.3 calories per minute.

And for a complete cutting-edge exercise and nutrition guide that youcan use on your computer, tablet, or phone, check out The Lose Your Spare Tire Program. It’s the easiest and mosteffective way to drop 20, 30, or even 50 pounds (and flatten your belly forever!).