MICHAEL S. BERMAN is an attorney, lobbyist, and president of the Duberstein Group, a leading Washington, DC, consulting firm. Mike's Web site--www.mikelivinglarge.com--has continued to chart his ups and downs, as he posts his weight on the first day of each month, along with an indication of what's going on in his life--whether a political convention or a personal crisis--that may be affecting his weight gain or loss.

LAURENCE SHAMES is the author (with the late Peter Barton) of Not Fade Away: A Short Life Well Lived. He was the writer of the New York Times bestsellers Boss of Bosses and Amerika. Formerly the Ethics columnist for Esquire, Shames lives in Ojai, California.