Paul Russell: Euthanasia's euphemisms

Here's a great summary of the changes in language employed by those who support changes to the law. This is a time-honoured campaigning tool for anyone who has ever tried to win an argument - but when dealing with life and death - it's just not appropriate.

When a social movement must rely on euphemisms to obfuscate its goals, it is a good bet that there is something wrong with its agenda. From the very beginning of the modern movement, euthanasia advocates have euphemistically bent language as a means of convincing society to endorse killing?an accurate and descriptive term that simply means to end life?as an acceptable method of ending human suffering.

Euthanasia, from the Greek, literally means ?good death.? As the historian Ian Dowbiggin has noted, the term once described ?a calm and easy? natural death at home, ?so family members and friends could say their farewells.?

That changed after an 1870 essay by a teacher named Samuel D. Williams was published arguing that the value of human life depends on whether it is ?worthwhile??an idea known today as the ?quality of life ethic??and moreover, that mercy killing and assisted suicide should be allowed for those who are ?hopelessly suffering.? The essay went viral?to use today?s terminology?and within a few years, the word euthanasia had taken on its modern meaning. The euthanasia movement has been coining new definitions and idioms ever since.

The movement?s latest euphemistic phrase is ?aid in dying,? promoted most prominently by the (euphemistically) named assisted suicide advocacy organization Compassion and Choices (which came into being after a merger with the more descriptively named Hemlock Society). According to C&C, when a terminally ill patient swallows an intentionally prescribed lethal overdose of barbiturates, it isn?t really suicide. Why? Because the word ?suicide? has negative connotations, and C&C wants people to feel positive about some self-killings.

Here?s the idea: A terminally ill patient doesn?t really want to die, but has no choice. Hence, taking an intentionally prescribed lethal overdose of ?medication??another euphemism, since the purpose is not to treat but to poison oneself?doesn?t constitute suicide. Thus, in a C&C press release from a few years ago boosting use of ?aid in dying,? the (late) Peter Goodwin, a prominent assisted suicide-participating doctor, said, ?As a physician, I resent the term ?physician-assisted suicide.? I never felt I was assisting a suicidal patient, but rather aiding a patient with his or her end of life choice.? Since then, ?aid in dying? has become ubiquitous in media stories and assisted suicide advocacy.

Note that Goodwin?s complaint had nothing to do with accuracy and everything to do with emotions. He ?feels? rather than ?thinks.? And that?s how C&C wants listeners and readers to react?emotionally rather than rationally?toward the end that people are more likely to approve of legalizing assisted suicide if it isn?t called what it actually is.

But surely, accurate language must still mean something in public policy debates. Suicide is defined as ?the act or an instance of taking one?s own life voluntarily and intentionally especially by a person of years of discretion and of sound mind.? Thus, under C&C?s reckoning, if the distraught owner of, say, a failed business intentionally takes an overdose of prescribed sleeping pills, it?s suicide. But if the same man takes the pills because he has cancer, and the doctor prescribed the pills for that purpose, it isn?t suicide. That?s nonsensical.

Assisted suicide proponents claim that changing the lexicon is necessary to avoid furthering a supposed stigma associated with suicide. I am not sure whether that stigma exists anymore. But if some suicidal people don?t kill themselves because they worry what others might think, why is that so bad? I mean, the outcome is a saved or extended life. Indeed, many once-suicidal terminally ill people later come to be glad that they didn?t do the deed. Aren?t their lives worth protecting?

I want to make it very clear that I don?t think we should judge or condemn anyone who is suicidal or commits suicide. None of us knows what our own emotional limits might be. Given sufficient despair, fear, or pain, any of us might be attracted to the siren song of self-destruction. The good news is that such causes of despair can often be treated and overcome?including in the dying.

The real issue, then, is how we react to our brothers and sisters who have fallen into a darkness sufficient to make them want to end it all. Should we engage in suicide prevention for all, or only for some? I believe that the dying deserve to have their suicidal desires treated just as seriously as the despairing widow or the troubled teen.

That?s certainly the hospice philosophy, the truly compassionate approach to terminal illness. In contrast to assisted suicide?which is about dying?hospice is about living. Hospice does not seek to simply ?extend life? but maintain its quality to the natural end, and that explicitly includes suicide prevention.

Assisted suicide is suicide.The term is descriptive and accurate. When legalized, it amounts to state-approved suicide, an issue too culturally consequential for us to allow gooey euphemisms to serve as the sugar that helps the bitter hemlock go down.

Wesley J. Smith is a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute?s Center on Human Exceptionalism. He also consults for the Patients Rights Council and the Center for Bioethics and Culture. His previous ?On the Square? articles can be found here.?

Source: http://blog.noeuthanasia.org.au/2013/02/euthanasias-euphemisms.html

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2013 NFL Draft Profile: Gavin Escobar, Tight End, San Diego State University

Home ? 2013 NFL Draft ? 2013 NFL Draft Profile: Gavin Escobar, Tight End, San Diego State University

Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

The Pewter Plank recently posted our review of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers contributions from the tight end position in 2012, and we pointed out that there was a?distinct?difference between the tight ends on the roster this past season. Luke Stocker and Nate Byham were both bruising blockers, contributing mostly by paving the way for the running of Doug Martin. Dallas Clark was the primary receiving tight end, failing to contribute to the blocking schemes, and instead adding a moderate amount of production as a pass receiver. With Clark aging and out of contract, it?s obvious that the Buccaneers will need a replacement for him, and it needs to be someone suited to his role in the offense. A tight end with reliable hands who can run good routes and provide a short to intermediate option for Josh Freeman.

That?s where Gavin Escobar is at his best.

The San Diego State prospect is a massive human being, measuring 6 feet, 6 inches tall and weighing 254 pounds. He?s got long arms, big hands, and a solidly built frame, but doesn?t look awkward or uncoordinated considering his size. He?s certainly not the fastest player, even at his position, clocking in at 4.84 seconds in the 40 yard dash at the NFL Draft Scouting Combine. What he lacks in straight line speed, he more than makes up for in agility and change-of-direction, posting solid times in the 3-cone drill and 20-yard-shuttle. This means that Escobar has the natural ability to make cuts while running patterns and beat defenders by breaking hard to the football on timing routes. ?He combines this agility with amazing hands, snatching the ball out of the air with ease with his big hands. He impressed while running ?The Gauntlet? drill at the combine, where he runs in a straight line and receives passes from all directions. He caught every pass in stride and used his hands to secure the ball away from his body and bring the ball in naturally. So Escobar proved at the combine what we already knew about him, he?s a big target that runs good routes and has incredible hands.

Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Escobar was one of the best tight ends in the nation in 2012, hauling in 42 catches for 543 yards and 6 scores. He was a semifinalist for the Mackey Award (given to the nation?s best tight end), and first-team All-Conference in the Mountain West. He had an even more impressive 2011, including a two score game against Boise State. The decline in productivity is likely due to a drop in quarterback performance, as 2011 signal caller Ryan Lindley moved on to the NFL.

The knock on Escobar, aside from lacking in timed speed, is his inability to be a full-time blocker. Gavin was mainly used as a slot receiver at SDSU, providing a big target for his quarterback, and not often kept in to block for runners. He is somewhat capable of blocking, according to his CBSSports Draft Profile. This concern won?t be as big of an issue for the Buccaneers, who already have solid blocking tight ends. Escobar could play in passing situations more often than not, or line up as a slot receiver with Luke Stocker playing on the line. He could be called upon to block when needed, but he would not need to be a key part of the run blocking efforts for the Buccaneers. The other concern listed on his draft profile is his tendency to get pushed off his route at the line, but that this is something he?s been improving upon. Escobar will likely face tougher competition in the NFL when it comes to getting off the line and getting into his route, so this is something that teams must look at carefully when evaluating Gavin.

Overall, I believe that Escobar would fit perfectly in the offensive role left vacant by Dallas Clark. A taller receiver with soft hands would be a great target for Josh Freeman, who prefers to throw passes higher and allow his receivers to go up and get them. Escobar will be available on the second day of the draft, between rounds two and three, and I think the Buccaneers should definitely target him after?addressing?defensive back and defensive line needs at the 2013 NFL Draft.

Follow?@ThePewterPlank?for the latest Buccaneers news?and ?Like? us on our new Facebook?page.

Topics: NFL Draft, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Source: http://thepewterplank.com/2013/02/24/2013-nfl-draft-profile-gavin-escobar-tight-end-san-diego-state-university/

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Gold And Silver - The Market Oracle

Commodities / Gold and Silver 2013 Feb 24, 2013 - 01:21 PM GMT

By: Michael_Noonan

Developing market activity is the best and most reliable source for market information. All you have to do is follow what the activity is saying, and you will have the clearest idea of where the market is headed. For the near term, of heightened concern for many, the market says the current decline is far from over. Price may not be far from the low of the decline, but the trend is down, and it takes time to turn a trend around, so do not expect to see a dramatic rise in the price of either gold or silver.

Our downside target of $1600 gold has been exceeded, while the $28 target for silver has not been met, although in horseshoes, it would be a leaner. [See Decline Not Over, 1st and 3rd charts, click on http://bit.ly/WWXFlt]. Next week, who knows?

The biggest advantage in letting the market speak loudest is that all one need do is follow its path, for it always leads to a logical conclusion. The conclusion may not fit with one's hopes or expectations, many times, but the market never misleads in its intent. It is not always easy to read, occasionally, so during those times, it is best to do nothing until a clearer direction becomes more discernible.

This week, the silver charts lead because we see them as more telling than gold. The monthly is our starting point. It will become apparent why silver warrants more focus when compared to gold as you view the respective charts.

We continue to mention the bullish spacing because it puts the metals into an important context from a larger perspective, and the spacing lets us know that silver and gold remain in uptrends with gold net stronger, but just not for the near term. A look at the monthly gold chart will make that perfectly clear.

This does not mean gold/silver will not still go lower. For now, developing market activity continues to point in that direction. Prices may be at or near a low, but we see no ending action that says one has been reached.

There is a very positive development in silver, even after last week's sharp decline. An important change in behavior occurred in August 2012 when silver rallied out of the doldrums for two strong months, "2" on the chart. What is somewhat impressive about the current decline is how it has been labored relative to the two month rally in mid-2012. After 4+ months, [it says 5* on the charts, the * signifying the 5th month is not over, and no one knows where it will end], that breakout area is still holding.

Compare the two strong rally bars with the 5 overlapping decline bars. They tells us sellers are expending a lot more effort to drive price down to the starting level where buyers took over last August.

It could be that February will continue to fall and go under the 26 level, we do not know. All we can do is look at what is known, to date, and draw some conclusions. Seeing more detail in the weekly and daily charts may help.

When you compare the weekly gold chart to silver, you will see how gold is weaker for the near term. We do not follow any fundamentals, but it could well be that the underlying supply/demand factors for silver, with its industrial use, are far more important than viewing silver as a poor man's gold substitute as a store of wealth. Similar usage demands do not exist for gold.

Price remains in a down channel, just it is slightly under, and it is also near the breakout level from August 2012, both concurrently offering potential support in this negative market.

An explanation is provided in the left corner of the chart concerning the dashed portion of the lines. They extend from 3 and 2, respectively, at the point in time just after swing high 3 is known. How price reacts to these lines provides important market information.

In the previous article, Decline Not Over, http://bit.ly/WWXFlt, also on the third chart we commented how price failed to reach the upper channel line, see arrows below, and maybe head back toward $28? This is how one pays attention to the market's message in order to avoid surprises or be on the wrong side.

One reason why we say silver may be at/near a low point is the climatic volume, three days ago, which also drove price under the lower channel oversold line. Markets often end in excess, and sharply higher volume always warrants attention for it almost always entails a transfer of risk from weak into strong hands. Smart money buys bottoms, and they show their hand by increased volume.

The volume from last Wednesday is mostly all short-covering. Net new buying usually comes in after a bottom is confirmed, and that is a caveat for acknowledging that price can still go lower, maybe not by much, but sill lower, to whatever degree. There has been no indication of confirmed ending action, yet.

The last two trading days have much smaller ranges and overlapping bars. The market is telling us there was zero downside follow-through after Wednesday, and overlapping bars reflect a balance between buyers and sellers at a point where sellers have been in total control. These are littler messages, and they need confirmation before acting on them.

It is interesting to note how price stopped just above the $28 support. Why? Why not just crush buyers even more, while sellers have so much control? The questions address what we implied above, are sellers still in total control?

For different reasons, as explained so may times before, buy physical silver, especially at these lower levels. As to futures, stay away from the long side. Picking bottoms is one of the surest ways of losing money. Better to just give your broker a big check and make at least one person happy. You also limit your "loss" to the size of the check.

The trend is down. Consistent money is not made trading against the trend. Period.

The monthly gold chart screams bull market! The bullish spacing is huge. As a reminder, bullish spacing exists when the current swing low remains above the last swing high, and we have drawn heavy lines for each. When smart money is so positive on a market, there is no waiting to see how the last swing high will be retested. The urgency to buy is so strong that a "space" is left behind, and it says how strong is the buyers' conviction to the long side.

Context is important. Price could break the $1520+ lows and gold would still be in a very strong uptrending market. It will simply take more time to overcome resistance from the $1900 highs established in September 2011.

An important point to keep in mind: the market does not care about your timetable. In fact, it does not even know what your expectations are. All it does is provide price and volume information. It is otherwise neutral. How you choose to respond to the flow of information is up to you. For now, it is telling everyone that it will be some time before an uptrend resumes.

Here is where you can see how gold is weaker relative to silver. We placed a box around the four-month activity that is acting as a buffer to the current price decline, in addition to the previous occasions when this level held, forming strong support.

This is our read of what the market is saying, right now. Focus on the last two weekly bars. The last one is just slightly smaller than the second one, but the volume was greater. The energy behind a price move is volume. When you see greater volume but with a bar that is smaller than the previous one, it is saying buyers were entering and meeting the effort of sellers. This is what prevented the range of the last bar from extending lower. It is a small "tell," as it were, but worth noting.

We think there are no accidents in the market, which is why we pointed to the wide range up bar from August. It began an important rally, and gold's decline just happened to stop at that level. Were gold to continue lower next week and erase that support, then that low would lose its potential significance. Everything must be confirmed by subsequent action.

Observing the second and third bars from the end, the high volume on the third bar shows buyers were present, based on the location of the close, off the lows. The second to last bar made a new low, just barely, but closed on the high of the range and above the previous day's close, telling us buyers won the battle that day. This is another indication of buyers overcoming effort of sellers at a point where sellers are supposed to be in total control.

This may not turn the tide yet, but there is some evidence that buyers are making a show not seen in the past several trading days. As to the last bar, it was lower on the day, but not very deep into the last two days' lows, and that says a weak effort from sellers.

Buy physical gold, without blinking. Stay away from the long side of futures. Only some unexpected surprise can turn these markets around on a dime, and anything can happen, but barring that, it takes time for a trend to turn, and without evidence that the lows for this down swing are confirmed, gold and silver have a lot of work to do.

By Michael Noonan

http://edgetraderplus.com

Michael Noonan, mn@edgetraderplus.com, is a Chicago-based trader with over 30 years in the business. His sole approach to analysis is derived from developing market pattern behavior, found in the form of Price, Volume, and Time, and it is generated from the best source possible, the market itself.

? 2013 Copyright Michael Noonan - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

? 2005-2013 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.

Source: http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article39170.html

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Cuban leader Raul Castro says he will retire in 2018

HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuban President Raul Castro announced on Sunday he will step down from power after his second term ends in 2018, and the new parliament named a 52-year-old rising star to become his first vice president and most visible successor.

"This will be my last term," Castro, 81, said shortly after the National Assembly elected him to a second five-year tenure.

In a surprise move, the new parliament also named Miguel Diaz-Canel as first vice president, meaning he would take over if Castro cannot serve his full term.

Diaz-Canel is a member of the political bureau who rose through the Communist Party ranks in the provinces to become the most visible possible successor to Castro.

Raul Castro starts his second term immediately, leaving him free to retire in 2018, aged 86.

Former President Fidel Castro joined the National Assembly meeting on Sunday, in a rare public appearance. Since falling ill in 2006 and ceding the presidency to his brother, the elder Castro, 86, has given up official positions except as a deputy in the National Assembly.

The new government will almost certainly be the last headed up by the Castro brothers and their generation of leaders who have ruled Cuba since they swept down from the mountains in the 1959 revolution.

Cubans and foreign governments were keenly watching whether any new, younger faces appeared among the Council of State members, in particular its first vice president and five vice presidents.

Their hopes were partially fulfilled with Diaz-Canel's ascension. He replaces former first vice president, Jose Machado Ventura, 82, who will continue as one of five vice presidents.

Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdes, 80, and Gladys Bejerano, 66, the comptroller general, were also re-elected as vice presidents.

Two other newcomers, Mercedes Lopez Acea, 48, first secretary of the Havana communist party, and Salvador Valdes Mesa, 64, head of the official labor federation, also earned vice presidential slots.

Esteban Lazo, a 68-year-old former vice president and member of the political bureau of the Communist Party, left his post upon being named president of the National Assembly on Sunday. He replaced Ricardo Alarcon, who served in the job for 20 years.

Six of the Council's top seven members sit on the party's political bureau which is also lead by Castro.

Castro's announcement came as little surprise to Cuban exiles in Miami.

"It's no big news. It would have been big news if he resigned today and called for democratic elections," said Alfredo Duran, a Cuban-American lawyer and moderate exile leader in Miami who supports lifting the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba. "I wasn't worried about him being around after 2018," he added.

The National Assembly meets for just a few weeks each year and delegates its legislative powers between sessions to the 31-member Council of State, which also functions as the executive through the Council of Ministers it appoints.

Eighty percent of the 612 deputies, who were elected in an uncontested vote February 3, were born after the revolution.

EFFORT TO PROMOTE YOUNGER GENERATION

Raul Castro, who officially replaced his ailing brother as president in 2008, has repeatedly said senior leaders should hold office for no more than two five-year terms.

"Although we kept on trying to promote young people to senior positions, life proved that we did not always make the best choice," Castro said at a Communist Party Congress in 2011.

"Today, we are faced with the consequences of not having a reserve of well-trained replacements ... It's really embarrassing that we have not solved this problem in more than half a century."

Speaking on Sunday, Castro hailed the composition of the new Council of State as an example of what he had said needed to be accomplished.

"Of the 31 members, 41.9 percent are women and 38.6 percent are black or of mixed race. The average age is 57 years and 61.3 percent were born after the triumph of the revolution," he said.

The 2011 party summit adopted a more than 300-point plan aimed at updating Cuba's Soviet-style economic system, designed to transform it from one based on collective production and consumption to one where individual effort and reward play a far more important role.

Across-the-board subsidies are being replaced by a comprehensive tax code and targeted welfare.

Raul Castro has encouraged small businesses and cooperatives in retail services, farming, minor manufacturing and retail, and given more autonomy to state companies which still dominate the economy.

The party plan also includes an opening to more foreign investment.

At the same time, Cuba continues to face a U.S. administration bent on restoring democracy and capitalism to the island and questions about the future largess of oil rich Venezuela with strategic ally Hugo Chavez battling cancer.

(Editing by Kieran Murray and Vicki Allen)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cuban-leader-raul-castro-announces-retire-2018-004912977.html

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Sony announces PlayStation 4: Is it 'The Future of Play'?

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Sony?s PlayStation 4 Officially Announced: Is it ?The Future of Play??

?PlayStation wants to win the war against reality.? Alongside a montage of the company?s biggest video game icons, that mantra was how Sony kicked off its massively hyped PlayStation event from New York City on Wednesday. To win that war, Sony officially announced the PlayStation 4, the most advanced video game?...?[Read More]

Amidst Recent Hacks, Twitter Calls for Stronger Passwords

Amid the ongoing epidemic of hacks and account breaches at major companies and online services, Twitter officials are once again reminding users how to beef up the security of their passwords. A blog post published Tuesday night by Twitter Director of Information Security Bob Lord came a day after the official Twitter account?...?[Read More]

Square?s ?Business in a Box? Gives Stores Hardware

Square plans to sell a ?Business in a Box? package that includes two Square Readers, an iPad stand, a cash drawer, and an optional receipt printer, it announced Wednesday. The items will all work together to allow business owners to accept credit card purchases, furthering the company?s mission of simplifying payments.?[Read More]

New App from Harvard Helps Doctors Monitor Concussions

When diagnosing neuromuscular problems in patients ? when they age or get a concussion, for example ? doctors typically make conclusions based on information that is qualitative, or subjective. But a tablet app developed by researchers at Harvard University?s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering may be able?...?[Read More]

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Microsoft?s Surface Pro Review: A Windows 8 Ultra Tablet

Is Microsoft?s Surface Pro an Ultrabook or a Tablet? Matt Tweety Tverberg, one of Microsoft?s Biz Dev guys in NY, calls it an Ultra Tablet. When you play with one, you?ll see his point. The Surface Pro tablet is a personal interface for Windows 8 that changes your relationship with the Windows programs you use through touch. It is profoundly different than using Windows 8 on an Ultrabook, laptop or desktop computer.?[Read More]

Shelly Palmer Digital Leadership Podcast Episode #25 ? Joe Atkin, President & CEO of Goal Zero

Goal Zero offers portable solar power for just about any device in your home. Listen Now or Get it on iTunes

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Huckabee: If GOP veers on abortion, 'we will run from this party'

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'Silver Linings' leads Spirit Awards with 4 prizes

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) ? The oddball romance "Silver Linings Playbook" was named best picture Saturday at the Spirit Awards honoring independent film, Hollywood's last pre-game show before the Academy Awards.

"Silver Linings Playbook" led with four wins, including best actress for Jennifer Lawrence and director and screenplay for David O. Russell.

Lawrence is the best-actress favorite at Sunday's Oscars for her role as a young widow in a shaky new relationship with a man fresh from a mental hospital.

"The Sessions" earned two acting prizes, for John Hawkes as a man in an iron lung hoping to lose his virginity and Helen Hunt as the sexual surrogate helping him through it.

The award for best supporting actor went to Matthew McConaughey as a flamboyant stripper in "Magic Mike."

In barely three years, Lawrence has risen from a relative unknown to superstar hero of "The Hunger Games" franchise and potential Oscar winner at just 22. Her quick ascent began with another Spirit Awards nominee, "Winter's Bone," which won the top honor at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and earned Lawrence her first Oscar nomination.

Lawrence said she loves independent film for the thrill of freezing with the crew in the middle of the night because they all believe in a story.

"That's why I do what I do. I love that feeling. I mean, I'd rather be warm," Lawrence said.

McConaughey, also a best-actor nominee at the Spirit Awards for "Killer Joe," is a Hollywood A-lister but a relative newcomer to key film awards.

"I had to take my pants off to win a trophy," McConaughey said, adding that five of his last six films were independent productions and the "most creative fun of my acting career, hands down."

Hunt, also nominated for supporting actress at the Oscars, was coy backstage about what she'll be doing before Hollywood's big night.

"I will be eating breakfast and getting dressed," Hunt said of her day at the Oscars, where she previously won as best actress for "As Good as It Gets." ''I don't have any plans, but I'm going to put a dress on."

"Silver Linings Playbook" filmmaker Russell noted that his initial trip to the Spirit Awards was 19 years ago, when he won the prize for best first film for "Spanking the Monkey."

His son Matthew, an inspiration for "Silver Linings" because of his battle with bipolar disorder, was a year old at the time, and was in the crowd to watch his father claim his awards.

"He gave me this movie, so I want to thank him, Matthew, for this movie," Russell said.

"Silver Linings Playbook" centers on the relationship between a man (Bradley Cooper) just out of a mental hospital and a young widow (Lawrence). The film is up for best picture at the Oscars, where Russell is nominated for adapted screenplay and director and Cooper and Lawrence are in the running for the lead-acting honors.

The film's producers said they had expected fellow Oscar best-picture nominee "Beasts of the Southern Wild" to win the top Spirit Award and that they have no expectations of winning the big prize at the Oscars, where Ben Affleck's CIA thriller "Argo" is the best-picture favorite.

But they gushed praise for filmmaker Russell.

"Your brilliance as a filmmaker is without peer. Your spirit of collaboration knows no bounds," said producer Jonathan Gordon.

Russell said backstage that he was thrilled to go the Oscars, or as he called it, the "World Series," but he also has no illusions about winning there.

"Thank God, Monday, I'm going back to work," Russell said. "That's how you avoid the postpartum depression."

Hawkes won the supporting-actor Spirit Award two years ago as Lawrence's co-star in "Winter's Bone," a role that also earned him an Oscar nomination. He missed out on an Oscar slot this time but said that independent film is a "big part of my life, and I'm really happy for that. ... 'The Sessions' is a truly independent film made for very little money and shot very quickly."

Austrian writer-director Michael Haneke's old-age love story "Amour" won for best international film, a possible prelude to the Oscars, where his film is the favorite to win the foreign-language prize and is nominated for best picture.

"I have the impression I am the oldest man in the room," the 70-year-old Haneke joked in a room filled with young filmmakers.

The ceremony was hosted by Adam Samberg at the awards' usual venue, a tent along the beach in Santa Monica just west of Los Angeles. It is presented by Film Independent, a group of filmmakers, industry professionals and cinema buffs. The show was aired later Saturday on IFC.

Among other winners:

? Best first film: "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," from director Stephen Chbosky, who adapted the picture from his novel.

? First screenplay: "Safety Not Guaranteed," Derek Connolly.

? Cinematography: "Beasts of the Southern Wild," Ben Richardson.

? Documentary: "The Invisible War," directed by Kirby Dick.

? John Cassavetes Award for best film made for less than $500,000: "Middle of Nowhere," directed by Ava DuVernay.

___

AP Movie Writer Christy Lemire contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/silver-linings-leads-spirit-awards-4-prizes-232752810.html

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