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Giorgione, Titian, and a Venetian Humanist
In my interpretation of Titian's "Sacred and Profane Love" as "The Conversion of Mary Magdalen" I noted that most scholars believe that Niccolo Aurelio, a future Grand Chancellor of Venice, commissioned the painting to commemorate his marriage to Laura Bagarotto, a young widow from Padua.
Aurelio's coat of arms can be seen in the relief on the fountain above the spigot. Apparently the wedding raised eyebrows. Aurelio held one of the highest position in the state that could be filled by a non-patrician. Although the year of his birth is not recorded, Aurelio must have been in his fifties and had never been married before. He had, however, sired a natural son, Marco.
On the other hand, Laura Bagarotto was a woman with a checkered past. Her father, Bertuccio Bagarotto, a professor at the famed university of Padua, as well as her husband, Francisco Borromeo, had been accused of treason by the Venetian government for collaboration with the enemy during the War of the League of Cambrai. The husband most likely died during the war and later in 1509 the father was publicly hanged in the Piazza di San Marco, an execution that his wife and daughter were forced to witness.
Laura's goods, including her substantial dowry, were confiscated. Subsequently, she maintained her father's innocence and campaigned for the restoration of the family's good name as well as for the restoration of her dowry, estimated at over 2000 ducats. Her marriage to Niccolo Aurelio in 1514 must have been an important step in her rehabilitation since her dowry was only restored the day before the marriage. One would like to think that Niccolo was honoring his new wife, or seeking to aid in her rehabilitation with a painting depicting Mary Magdalen as both a courtesan seeking to mend her ways, and as a repentant sinner.
Some think that Aurelio married Laura for her money but I think that there was more to it than that. In her contribution to the catalog, "Titian 500" the late Rona Goffen reproduced the last will and testament of Niccolo Aurelio along with two codicils.* Reading the will gives the impression that Aurelio married the much younger widow not for her money but in an attempt to perpetuate his family's name. [portions of the Will are reproduced below]
Despite the prominence of his position, little is known about the life of Niccolo Aurelio, but a look at his father, Marco Aurelio, a prominent Venetian humanist, might help to shed some light on his illustrious son.
In "Venetian Humanism in an Age of Patrician Dominance", a 1986 study published by Princeton University, Margaret L. King examined the correspondence and writings of practically every prominent Venetian humanist of the Fifteenth century.** Not only did she give a brilliant overview of the nature of the Venetian movement but she also provided profiles of all the humanists. One of the most prominent was Marco Aurelio, the father of Niccolo.
The Aurelio family seems to have been originally from the Venetian colony at Negropont in Greece. It would appear that they left Negropont early in the Fifteenth century before the Turkish conquest of Constantinople in 1453 and the subsequent fall of Negropont in 1470. Here is King's brief summary.
Aurelio's family stemmed ultimately from Negropont….Marco and his brothers Paolo and Pietro were sons of Niccolo Aurelio and a daughter of Niccolo Sagundino. "The emigration had seemingly been recent, as our Sagundino refers to himself (foreign-born) along with the native-born Marco as 'new men." The Aurelio family had with Marco's father already established itself in the Venetian bureaucracy. Marco's brother Paolo was also a secretary, as was his father Niccolo and his son of the same name, subsequently grand chancellor;… (p. 315)
King makes clear that humanists in Venice were not merely scholars. They constituted a caste employed by the Republic to serve its civic purposes. In other words a secretary was a civil servant, scribe, or lawyer employed in the service of the Republic. They were a separate class definitely barred from entrance into the exclusive patrician class but well above the ranks of the lower orders. The word "mandarin" comes to mind when reading King's analysis.
Although a class unto themselves, they associated and corresponded with similar humanists in other cities and countries. King notes correspondence between Marco Aurelio and Marsilio Ficino who dedicated six opuscula to Marco. In addition,
Learned men addressed works to him Giovanni Calfurnio his editions of Horace and of Plutarch's Problemata…and his commentary on Terence…Francesco Diedo his translation from Boccaccio; Janus Pannonius his translation of Plutarch's De capienda ex hostibus utilitare and De curiositare; …poems by Sebastiano Bursa…Christophorus Lanfranchinus…and Aurelius Trebanus…Domizio Calderini wrote in the dedicatory letter to Giuliano de' Medici that Aurelio had urged him to publish his commentary on Juvenal…Aurelio borrowed Gregory of Nyassa's Life of Moses, translated by George of Trebizond, from the library of Girolamo Molin in 1458… (pp. 315-316)
Marco Aurelio introduced his son Niccolo into the Doge's chancery at an early age. By the time of his marriage in 1514 Niccolo was one of the four Secretaries to the Council of Ten. In addition to his other duties, it appears that he was responsible for the public building programs so important in Venice. We know that he signed the contract with Giorgione for the frescoes on the Fondaco dei Tedeschi. Eventually, in 1523 he became Grand Chancellor, the official head of the caste of humanist scribes, and one of the leading figures in the Venetian government. As such he would be present alongside the Doge at all meetings of the Senate and Council. He would function as a kind of Attorney General.
As long as he held these important positions Niccolo Aurelio would have had no financial worries. His will is evidence that only when he somehow lost the position of Grand Chancellor, normally a lifetime appointment, in 1525 did his finances become precarious. Until then he was a well-placed civil servant of the cittadino class. Neither he nor his descendants would have dreamed of entering or marrying into the patrician class. On the other hand, it would have been unseemly for them to marry beneath themselves. They were like characters in a Jane Austen novel whose range of marital partners was severely limited.
Niccolo Aurelio's marriage to Laura Bagarotto in 1514 would appear then to have little to do with her dowry. By 1523 his Will indicates that her dowry was completely intact. He allocated 1500 ducats of his own money for the dowry of their young daughter, and had even made substantial improvements to Laura's properties in Padua at his own expense. Moreover, in his home he also supported his natural son, Marco, as well as the two children of his deceased brother.
Why hadn't Aurelio married before? He loved his natural son, but Marco does not appear to have been the result of a long-term relationship with a mistress. After providing for Laura and their daughter, Niccolo left the balance of his possessions to Marco who,
even if illegitimate [naturali], I do not consider or hold to be otherwise than if he were my legitimate son, because he has always been obedient to me; and I am most certain that he comes from my viscera, as can be seen clearly from his appearance and habits…
I suspect that given his elevated status in the narrow caste of humanist scribes and lawyers Aurelio had deliberately avoided marriage until Laura Bagarotto came along. She was a different story. Her father, Bertuccio Bagarotto, had been a renowned professor at the University of Padua. Despite his death in the hysteria following the loss of Padua in the aftermath of the military defeat at Agnadello, the end of the war had led some to believe that his execution had been a travesty of justice.
Bagarotto's name was finally cleared and in 1519 the Venetian government admitted that his execution had been a mistake. Even so, Venetian humanists believed that character, status and ability were inherited. The daughter of a famous professor would certainly be a suitable match for Niccolo Aurelio. I expect that one day a student will discover a relationship between Bertuccio Bagarotto and Niccolo's father, the humanist Marco Aurelio.
Subsequent events caused Aurelio to amend his will. In 1525 he was somehow disgraced and lost his position. Despite the drastic change in his fortunes, he still would not touch Laura's dowry but only stipulated that now most of it would have to be used to dower their daughter. Two years later Laura provided Niccolo with a male heir and wholesale changes were made. According to custom the new son became the principal beneficiary not only of his estate but also of his humanist heritage.
I wish that he, Antonio, be the residual heir of all my property, whether personal or real estate…And being open to learning letters, appearing thus to his mother, have him study either in this land or in Padua…so that he not fall from his [condition] and that he make himself a worthy man, having a great many books as he will find at home. (p. 138)
*Goffen, Rona: "Titian's Sacred and Profane Love: Individuality and Sexuality in a Renaissance Marriage Picture ," in Titian 500. ed. Joseph Manca, Washington, 1993. Pp. 121-147.
**Margaret L. King, Venetian Humanism in an Age of Patrician Dominance, Princeton, 1986.
Below are excerpts from the Will taken from "Titian 500"
Holograph will of Nicolo Aurelio, dated 20 January 1523, with codicils of 26 April 1525 and 28 June 1527.
Jesus Mary. 1523 January 20 in Venice.
I Nicolo Aurelio, Grand chancellor of Venice…have deliberated…that this be my testament and last will. And first, recommending my soul to God Most High and to his glorious mother, the Madonna, Blessed Mary Immaculate Virgin, and to all the celestial court, I want my body to be interred in San Giorgio Maggiore in our [family] tomb,…
I leave to my most dear and beloved consort [Laura] and daughter [Giulietta], aside from her [Laura's] dowry fund of the property in Lissaro and of Villa Torta in the Padoana, on which property I have spent no small sum of money in buildings and other improvements,…all these buildings and improvements made by me are to be hers [Laura's] freely, and she can dispose of these as her own, if she does not wish to remarry, and remains a widow, as I deem she would be for doing, given her most honest life, such as she has always led, and the great love she bears for Giulietta, our one and only child. Aside from this, I bequeath her [Laura] all her garments, whether of silk, as of wool, and others which I have had made, and her gold chain, which likewise I have had made, and 100 ducats from my estate, that she have to use and to do with as she pleases. I leave her likewise her pearls that she brought with her when she came to my household….
In the event that my said consort wishes to marry, I want her to have her entire dowry, that is, the property of Lissaro and Villa Torta, in the condition in which they were consigned to me, that is, without walled buildings of any sort, and her pearls, and further that she have all her garments of silk and other which I have had made for her: these I give her. But the stone buildings [constructed] by me…are to remain in my estate, and likewise the gold chain and the 100 ducats, which are to be for Giuietta, my most gentle and only child, for her dowry…Declaring and thus it is my wish that my said consort, remaining a widow, and wishing to remain in this land in company with Marco, my son, in the house where we live, she, my consort, is to have possession of said house together with the said Marco, in that part which belongs to me, as though it were her very own, and she may use all my personal property as she does ands may do while I am alive.
In addition, I leave to the said Giulietta,…1500 ducats of the monies in my estate for her dowry…But because I am most certain, since her mother has no other child but this, she is not going to be found wanting in dowering her honorably…
if he, Francesco, is willing to remain in company with Marco, my son, and with my consort, whom I should have mentioned first, and Giulietta, my most gentle daughter, he and Marietta, his sister, are to have their expenses, as at present, and I want them treated in every regard as though they were my own children, leaving the burden to my most cherished consort to dower Marietta,…if her brother [Francesco] does not have the means to do so.
the balance of my possessions,…I likewise bequeath entirely to the said Marco, my son, whom, even if illegitimate [naturali], I do not consider or hold to be otherwise than if he were my legitimate son, because he has always been obedient to me; and I am most certain that he comes from my viscera, as can be seen clearly from his appearance and habits;…And I order him always to hold my most beloved consort in greatest reverence and respect, being as good a companion to her as if he had been born of her;…
Codicil: Jesus Mary. 1525 on 26 April in Venice.
It having been my hard lot, and not because of any failing on my part, that my fortune has changed and that in a moment I have lost all my efforts and vigilance sustained by me since I was a child in serving this most excellent state,…
Codicil: 1527 on June 28.
Because it has pleased our Lord God to concede to me a little son by my wife, to whom I have given the name Antonio in memory of my deceased brother Antonio, 137
[to Marco] I wish that every year of thy life…that thou will have this office, that thou must give half of the earnings that thou will receive from that office to my said consort and to my other children for their subsistence…138…knowing my said consort to be prudent and wise and that she knows very well how to submit to the adversities of this world…
I wish that he, Antonio, be the residual heir of all my property, whether personal or real estate…And being open to learning letters, appearing thus to his mother, have him study either in this land or in Padua…so that he not fall from his [condition] and that he make himself a worthy man, having a great many books as he will find at home.
Goffen, Rona: "Titian's Sacred and Profane Love: Individuality and Sexuality in a Renaisance Marriage Picture ," in Titian 500. ed. Joseph Manca, Washington, 1993. Pp. 121-147.
Labels: Bagarotto, Niccolo Aurelio, Venetian humanism
Giorgione: "Virgilian" Tempest 2
Recently I received a response from Dr. Rudolph Schier to my critique of his interpretation of the Tempest. Instead of showing it as a comment to my original post of 1/11/2011, I have decided to reprise the original post here and follow with his full list of itemized comments. His remarks will appear in italics.
In my interpretation of Giorgione's "Tempest" as the "Rest on the Flight into Egypt," I did not address the many other interpretations. Not only did I want to concentrate on the actual painting, but also I believed that all the other interpretations had already been demolished by other learned scholars. As I said in my paper, not one interpretation remains standing. However, I decided to use "Giorgione et al" to post critiques of a few recent interpretations.
Below find my critique of Dr. Schier's interpretation that appeared in "Renaissance Studies" in 2008.
In Rudolf Schier's "Giorgione Tempesta, a Virgilian Pastoral," (Renaissance Studies, 22, Issue 4, 2008, pp. 476-506) we have another attempt to find the subject of the Tempesta in the writings of a Roman poet. Schier argues that the source of the Tempesta can be found in the Eclogues of Virgil, specifically the 1st and the 4th.
In his paper Schier takes issue with other scholars but his own interpretation has serious omissions. Most importantly, Schier fails to explain the nudity of the Woman of the Tempesta. He also does not even attempt to discuss the white cloth draped over her shoulder, or the plant prominently featured right in front of her.
Schier's interpretation centers on the Man in the painting who he claims is the poet/shepherd of the Eclogues. For him the disparity between the simple shirt and jacket of the Man, and his fancy leggings indicates that Giorgione was making reference to the poet/shepherd represented in the Eclogues. I don't think he does such a good job in this respect. First of all, it has been pointed out that the leggings are the dress of contemporary young Venetian patricians, and not that of a poet. Moreover, the Man is holding a staff and not a shepherd's crook. Also, the Man in the Tempesta is young and virile but, as Schier himself points out, the shepherd of the 1st Eclogue is an old man.
Schier maintains that the Woman and Child represent a "vision" of the poet based on the famous reference in the 4th Eclogue to a virgin giving birth to a son destined for great things. To portray the vision Giorgione "deconstructs" the traditional image of the Madonna of Humility into a Pagan virgin. Like others he sees the Madonna in the painting but can't believe that Giorgione would actually portray her in such fashion.
Besides his failure to deal with the "nudity" of the Woman, Schier seems to imply that in the poet's "vision" she has just given birth. Yet the Child in the Tempesta is obviously not a newborn. He supports himself upright, something a newborn could not do, while nursing at his mother's breast.
Schier views the other elements in the painting in a similar complex fashion. The broken columns are first a sign that the poet is in "Arcadia," but later come to symbolize the passing of the Pagan world and the coming of the Christian. He disputes Paul Kaplan's identification of the city in the background and claims it is Jerusalem rather than Padua. But what does Jerusalem have to do with Virgil? He also disputes Kaplan's dating of 1509 on questionable stylistic grounds.
Finally, Schier includes a long discussion of the bathing woman in the underpainting. He regards her as a Roman fertility goddess mentioned in the Eclogues but removed by Giorgione because the Woman in the painting had already given birth. It is strange that he gives such attention to this "pentimento" while completely omitting any discussion of the other "pentimento," the man on the bridge carrying a pilgrim's sack over his shoulder.
Schier is obviously well versed in his Virgil but his whole essay is based on the "assumption" that Giorgione's knowledge of the Roman classic was as good as his own. Like so many other scholars, Schier views the young Giorgione more as an art historian or humanist scholar than as an artist. There is no evidence that Giorgione knew Virgil or Lucretius.
Below find Dr. Schier's response.
I appreciate your interest in my article, though I find it disappointing that you concentrate exclusively on omissions and unexplained items. I don't think that there exists a single interpretation of any painting (including yours on your website which of course I have seen) where one could not find items that were left unexplained for the sake of conciseness and readability. Nevertheless, I shall respond at least briefly to each one of the items you list, though some would need a more detailed reply. In some cases the explanation is already in the article itself, and I shall then only refer you to the page of the article.
-- Nudity: Giorgione's picture derives its strength from the contrast between the young man and the nearly naked female. I argue that she is a vision which the young man has, and the maximum disparity between them is intended to make this clear. The poet-shepherd is located in reality and dressed accordingly, the woman is not. Moreover, in visions, as in dreams, especially when young men are dreaming or having a vision of a woman, they more often than not see them in the nude.
-- White cloth: Common to visions and dreams is the fact that elements of the seer's reality are incorporated in them. The white cloth mirrors and contrasts with the young man's red cloak: it has the same shape and is draped over the woman's shoulders in the same way his cloak is on his shoulders. It reinforces the fact that she is the poet-shepherd's vision.
-- As for the remark that she would have had enough time to get some better clothes: the ten months of weariness refer to the woman's pregnancy, not to the months after the birth.
-- In the fourth eclogue the vision is of a child at several stages of development, and not of a newly born baby. Even new-born babies at the time were rarely depicted the way a new-born baby looks in reality..
-- The plant has its origin in lines 18-20 of the fourth eclogue and is either a valerian or hog weed. Its function is to cover the woman's private parts, common in paintings of this and other periods, e.g. Masaccio's Expulsion of Adam and Eve.
-- Leggings: I discuss this in detail on p. 483, second paragraph.
-- Staff without crook: See footnote 24 and also several pictures in Settis's book.
-- Young and virile man vs. the old shepherd in eclogue one. I specifically explain that the painting does not relate to the first eclogue but to the fourth. The first illustrates the setting and the structure (see p. 492). The poet-shepherd of eclogue four is young; see line 53.
-- Pentimento "pilgrim" on the bridge. This man is not a pilgrim but goes back to Meliboes of the first eclogue, who was forced into exile. He was eliminated when Giorgione moved from the first to the fourth. (This would need a more detailed explanation).
-- Kaplan: I do not dispute Kaplan on stylistic gounds but for historical reasons (see p. 490).
-- Arcadia and the passing to Christianity: there is no contradiction here. The point is that the Arcadian columns are disintegrating.
-- Jerusalem ties in with the half-Christian allusions in the picture, especially with the birth of the Christ child.
-- As for Giorgione's knowledge of Virgil, see p. 479.
I believe this responds to all of the items you list and I hope that you will be convinced by these answers.
Posted by Dr. F at 7:07 PM 1 comment:
Labels: Reviews, Rudolf Schier, Virgil
Giorgione, Titian and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi
In a paper that I put on my website on September 9, 2011, I argued that the two woman in Titian's famous "Sacred and Profane Love" are both Mary Magdalen but in two separate guises.The "Sacred and Profane Love" might not have been Titian's first attempt to portray Mary Magdalen in her two guises. In 1508-9 the young Titian worked with Giorgione on the exterior frescoes of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, the vital center of the German commercial community in Venice that had been recently rebuilt after a fire in January of 1505.
Titian: 'Sacred and Profane Love' (probably 1514-5). Oil on canvas, 118x 279 cm. Rome, Galleria Borghese.
In 2001 Paul Joannides noticed the similarity of one of Titian's frescoes, now lost, to the "Sacred and Profane Love." Joannides thought it strange that a 17th century copy made by Antonio Zanetti of the Fondaco figures was related to a depiction of Judith,
"This seems to mean that the two figures, one certainly, the other probably, nude were placed above the Judith, and thus above the cornice. Zanetti's wording is ambiguous since his print contains at least part of the second figure... Indeed, it may be that this passage has been confused by some misprint. If, however, the two women were placed directly above the Judith it is evident that significant figural decoration continued into the storey above her-if only in the center, of the façade-and it is probable that the figures embodied some meaning, since they would have been seen in conjunction with Judith. The nude, apparently pointing upwards, might have represented hope; the other, looking down perhaps to children, possibly Charity--but this is to reach the limits of the speculative."*
If the two women in the "Sacred and Profane Love" are seen as Mary Magdalen, there would be little need to speculate about the reason why one of the most famous woman of the Old Testament might have been placed below a famous one of the New Testament. Moreover, just like Mary Magdalen, Judith dressed herself in her most alluring garb in order to seduce her victim.
In the "Sacred and Profane Love" The fully clothed woman is Mary Magdalen depicted as a Venetian courtesan in the process of contemplating the spiritual opportunity that Jesus has presented to her.
The semi-nude woman is the penitent Magdalen perhaps in the first moments of her conversion. She holds in her hand the jar of oil or ointment that is the almost universal sign of Mary Magdalen. Once the two women are identified all the other pieces in this puzzling painting fall into place.
The two heads in Zanetti's etching do resemble the two women in the "Sacred and Profane Love." It would also be interesting to speculate on the contribution of Giorgione and the Fondaco frescos to Titian's painting. Giorgione did the section that faced the Canal but Titian did the section that faced the Merceria. Years later Vasari related the story of Giorgione's chagrin when friends told him that his work on the Merceria side was even better than his work on the Canal section. There might have been more than jealousy behind Giorgione's chagrin.
In his study of Titian's early years, Joannides argued that in 1508/9 the young Titian still was deficient in drawing skills. As a result it is hard to imagine him with the skill necessary for the intonaco work of a fresco cycle. Despite the praise heaped on Titian's section, I believe that Giorgione was responsible for the whole iconographical scheme of the Fondaco and did the necessary drawings either of the cartoons or the actual intonaco. Titian merely had to do the final painting, a task often left to assistants.
The Fondaco project was a huge success. Today we have only a few remnants as well as some later engravings, but the large classical figures depicted in brilliant colors must have awed and inspired artists and spectators for years. A panel of distinguished elder painters agreed that the parsimonious Venetian government should pay Giorgione the full 150 ducats he had contracted for. Titian was never mentioned in the contract. It would appear that he was a sub-contractor hired by Giorgione.
Titian's painting and the Fondaco figures might have had the same patron. The discovery of the coat of arms of Niccolo Aurelio on the sarcophagus/fountain in the 19th century definitely established the connection of that Venetian official to the "Sacred and Profane Love." According to Paul Joannides, Niccolo Aurelio
was also involved, naturally, with the Serenissima's artistic policies: he signed the payment order to Giorgione for the frescoes on the Fondaco dei Tedeschi. It could be that he had some responsibility for planning Giorgione's (and Titian's) schemes, but whether or not this is so, Niccolo must have been in contact with both Giorgione and Titian and would have been in a position to order works from them.
I discuss Niccolo Aurelio and his bride, Laura Bagarotto, in the paper referenced above. A very full account of the couple can be found in Rona Goffen's "Titian's Women."
*Paul Joannides: Titian to 1518, 2001, pp. 66-67. All quotes from Joannides are from this source.
Labels: Fondaco dei Tedeschi, Mary Magdalen, Sacred and Profane Love, Zanetti


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Serving students while teaching about global pandemic through e-learning
Like many instructors, Sandra Gibbons made the move to remote teaching: "I love that it forces you to rethink how to best educate the students."
As spring break was approaching and the COVID-19 pandemic had begun pushing classes online, Sandra Gibbons, a lecturer in biological sciences, took advantage of the additional time before spring break to prepare to teach remotely.
She and other faculty in biological sciences pooled their ideas to share best-teaching practices for e-learning. Working with UIC technology and instructional design specialists, the educators were able to develop a plan to move online.
Some faculty recorded lectures for students to watch at their convenience and held individual online office hours to answer questions that had come up from the video lessons. Some teachers held live interactive lectures that were recorded for students who had conflicts so they could view them at their leisure. Gibbons recorded lectures and held live conferences for questions. Others used a combination of live and pre-recorded classes.
The first thing that faculty had to determine was which students would be facing technology-access issues while off campus. The information was passed on to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, which was able to equip most with technology, Gibbons said.
"It was quite a wonderful thing to see how all of us came together to help each other out and our students," Gibbons said.
As many teachers across the country struggle to keep their students' attention, Gibbons did not have much trouble doing so. As a teacher of general microbiology, she and her students were living what they were learning.
Monica Thokkudubiyyapu: "I have made some of my best memories at UIC."
"I did tell them at the start of the semester that the class would be applicable to their real lives, but I didn't expect a global pandemic to help me make my point," Gibbons said.
What helped a great deal was the availability of online conferencing systems. She used Blackboard Collaborate to interact with her students, while other teachers successfully used Zoom or Webex. She is planning to work with an instructional designer this summer who is well-versed in making sure online or remote courses are more accessible to people who have disabilities.
"I'll take what I learn and help educate the rest of my department," she said.
Other than the convenience of not having to battle traffic on the expressways, what Gibbons also liked about online teaching was having to be deliberate and reinvent one's self as a teacher and face the challenges of this time.
"I love that it forces you to rethink how to best educate the students, as sometimes we can get a bit too comfortable in how we do things," Gibbons said. "This can be a great time to improve what we do."
She noted that the new reality also has helped put everyone on similar footings. She has noted that virtual experience helped some shy students "come out of their shell" and participate more in online discussions or virtual conferences, she said.
Many students, like Monica Thokkudubiyyapu, had to face the pandemic in the last semester of their senior year after having the on-campus experience for the years leading up to it. She missed studying in the library, going to classes, going to work research projects, volunteering and going to the recreation center with other students, she said.
"I didn't know it was my last time seeing some individuals or sitting in lecture centers. At times, studying at home became stressful and the internet would be extremely slow," said Thokkudubiyyapu, who graduated with a degree in disability and human development.
She admired and was encouraged by the dedication and patience that Gibbons and other professors showed to students.
In her microbiology class, Thokkudubiyyapu enjoyed how Gibbons conducted her courses through remote learning by using Blackboard as a platform to teach the content and that each lecture was already pre-recorded into Blackboard prior to normal class times.
"I loved this as I was able to watch these videos on repeat until I understood the content, especially when studying for the last exam," she said. "During class times, it would be considered her office hours for all students, where any student was able to ask different questions on content or exams."
In addition, another key component to her e-learning success was that Gibbons was very responsive on email and was very encouraging that she and others could do well in the course.
"I personally loved going to UIC, and I would recommend it to other people. I loved being surrounded in a culturally diverse environment of students and staff," Thokkudubiyyapu said. "I also enjoyed being within the city, as I was able to experience city-life while continuing in my education. I have made some of my best memories at UIC."
Carlos Sadovi
csadovi@uic.edu
twitter.com/@carlossadoviuic
Campus, Faculty, Top Faculty Staff News
biological sciences, COVID-19, e-learning, online learning

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Teaching the correct exercise to your pregnant and post natal clients can be a challenge. Physiotherapist Natasha Rai demonstrates transabdominal assessment of the pelvic floor using Real-Time Ultrasound and clarifies what you should be observing, how to teach pelvic floor exercises and progressing to more functional positions. Exercising in the later stages of pregnancy is also discussed.


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Spurs Tie Down Danny Rose To Fend Off Interest From Mancunian Giants
By Rajdeep Saha | July 17, 2017 | 0
Reuters / Andrew Yates
Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly tied down Danny Rose with a new deal, so as to fend off clubs from approaching the left back.
The England international has signed a contract extension for the second time in two years, as Spurs look to keep both the Manchester clubs at bay. The 27-year-old has been out injured since the end of January this year, and is set to miss the start of the new season as well.
Rose has been a pivotal figure for both club and country, and he saw himself getting rewarded with a bumper new deal, as Tottenham vow to fight for the Premier League title under manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Eric Dier Tells His Friends He Wants To Play For Man Utd
According to The Mirror, the two Mancunian giants, United and City, were still interested in the services of the defender, and wanted to prize him away. Further reports also claimed that City boss Pep Guardiola made an 11th-hour attempt to snatch the £40m-rated English player.
This happened during the Citizens' discussions over Kyle Walker 's £50m switch to the blue half of Manchester. Pep was impressed with Rose as much as he was with his teammate, as the English duo have been on top form in the Premier League in recent seasons.
United too were said to be interested, with manager Jose Mourinho set to miss both Luke Shaw and Marcos Rojo until the end of the year due to injuries. But Tottenham acted quickly to defy the Red Devils, who now have to manage with Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian.
Written by Rajdeep Saha
Sports journalist with stints across print, digital and television. Contribution to each medium has been thrilling. Experienced in writing for this passionate game called football. Journalist by choice and passion.
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Kyle Mulinder — known also by his online alias 'Bare Kiwi' — is an outdoorsman like no other. The proud New Zealand native is a lifelong fan of all kinds of adrenaline-pumping activities, and he's taken his passion to the professional level.
Using his Bare Kiwi moniker, he built his own company and a gigantic social media following. But even with all of the adventures he's shared online, Kyle had no idea what he would come face-to-face with in September 2018.
Though he has also conquered the land and sky, Kyle feels most at home on the water. It offers the most breathtaking views and close-up encounters with all manners of wildlife.
Kyle is such a pro that he even works on the side as a kayaking tour guide and instructor in his country's scenic Abel Tasman National Park. New Zealand has over 9,000 miles of coastline, but Kyle basically knows every rock and inlet.
Kyle set out on a kayaking trip with his good friend Taiyo Masuda, plus a few others. The two pals' exploits caught the attention of Go Pro, which sent them on various outings to test out the company's latest gear.
Kyle and Yairo previously embarked on far wilder challenges than a hum-drum kayaking voyage, so they let their guards down. Compared to bungee jumping, how crazy could a bit of paddling be?
Their target was the backwater town of Kaikoura. Although it was far off the beaten path, the seaside locale teemed with stunning vistas of cliffs, as well as close-up views of marine life.
In particular, Kaikoura gained fame for its seal colonies. Sure, these seals look cute but be forewarned, a full-grown adult weighs hundreds of pounds and they have a nasty bite to boot. They are certainly not to be trifled with.
Kyle and crew knew the risks, so they kept their distance. They focused instead on exploring the rugged New Zealand coastline and snapping some great photographs. Everything was going according to plan, at first.
Before too long, however, Kyle noticed some commotion in the waters up ahead. He came up a little bit closer to see what it was. Neither he nor his friends had ever seen anything quite like it.
It was a seal fighting an octopus! The two creatures wrestled with the octopus wrapping its tentacles around its enemy's neck, and the seal responding with a series of sharp bites. It was a vicious inter-species brawl.
Then, just as quickly as it started, the fight stopped. The two creatures dipped underwater, and the roiling waters went quiet. Was it all over? Who won?
Out of nowhere, a huge shape hurtled upward next to Kyle. It was the seal holding the octopus in its mouth! The mammal whipped its head around and slapped the octopus right across Kyle's face with a big wet smack.
It all happened so fast that it took Kyle a few moments to piece together what just went down. The victorious seal swam off as he peeled a mass of suction cups off his face. It must have liked him because the octopus clung to Kyle's kayak even after he tossed it back into the sea.
Kyle's friend scraped it off the kayak, and they all took a closer look. Fortunately, the sea beast seemed completely unharmed, despite being body slammed between a giant seal and a human being.
After a few photos, they released the octopus back into the ocean. Kyle's face stung a bit, but he was more overcome by laughter at his dumb luck. Who else in the course of human history had ever been hit in the face with a live octopus?
Kyle also has tremendous respect for sea life. As someone who had previously worked in marine conservation efforts, he felt mostly relieved that all the participants in the fight – himself included — walked away relatively unscathed.
Best of all, this freak encounter provided Kyle and Yairo with their most viral moment yet. Thanks to their handy cameras, news of the seal-octopus scuffle reached every corner of the internet.
Kyle is too determined of a sportsman to let one slap on the face stop him. He's kayaking more than ever today, dead set on seeing every drop of every ocean in the world from his trusty vessel.
Maybe Kyle should wear a mouth guard next time he goes kayaking in Kaikoura.
Share this incredible story with your friends!


The principle part of viagra facts is Sildenafil Citrate. Sildenafil Citrate influences the a reaction to intimate pleasure. It works by boosting smooth-muscle leisure applying nitric-oxide, a compound that's typically introduced in a reaction to intimate pleasure. This smooth-muscle peace permits improved blood-flow into specific aspects of the penile, leading to an impotence.
The SACP presents a variety of lectures and symposia for members of the scientific community throughout the year. The majority of our lectures and symposia are open to the public and some are even free of charge.


Soy may be next on the no-deforestation hit list, with a significant new corporate commitment from Archer Daniels Midland. Will real change result?
In a potentially big win for Latin American rainforests, Archer Daniels Midland, the third largest global supplier of agricultural commodities, has adopted a draft policy to end deforestation across its supply chains. The company is expected to formally announce the new plan at its shareholders meeting Thursday.
ADM's commitment rivals that of palm oil giant Wilmar's anti-deforestation promise in 2013. This time, the product in question isn't palm oil, but soybeans. ADM is one of the world's leading soy traders and a top soy exporter in Latin America, where expanding production is a leading driver of deforestation across the Amazon and the Gran Chaco forest.
It's a pressing problem: Forest Trends, a Washington-based international nonprofit organization, estimates that 50%-70% of soy exports – about 31m tons – have displaced forests in Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay.
This isn't ADM's first agricultural commitment to Brazil. The company abides by both the Brazil Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources' embargo and the 2006 Brazilian Soy Moratorium (SoyM), a voluntary commitment to avoid trading, acquiring or financing soybeans from areas of the Amazon Biome that were deforested after July 2006.
But ADM's new policy does advance from previous commitments. The centerpiece of the new move is a pilot version of the company's Responsible Soy Standard, which it is launching with a group of Brazilian growers. Under the program, expert third party inspectors will conduct yearly assessments to determine if growers are adhering to a broad set of social, environmental, legal and agronomic standards. Among other things, the program will grade farmers on their labor practices, water and soil usage, solid waste management, observance of land rights, legal compliance and fertilizer consumption.
In concept, ADM's new proposal is a bold step that could shift the industry standard in anti-deforestation policies. However, it will be some time before it yields any significant results. Starting this year, ADM will work with a third-party expert to map its soy supply chain against peatlands, high carbon stock forests and high conservation value areas. Afterward, it will develop an action plan towards a more sustainable, traceable soybean supply chain to help protect these areas.
Palm oil's use in a wide variety of consumer products, together with the heavy impact that its cultivation has had on forests in Indonesia and Malaysia, has made it a priority commodity for conservationists and for sustainably minded companies. For the last few years, it has been the most heavily publicized commodity in the fight against deforestation.
The attention has paid off: Wilmar, Cargill and ConAgra have all made noteworthy conservation commitments. But while 117 private companies have made commitments to reduce the impact of their palm oil involvement, only 27 have done the same for soy, according to Forest Trends' Supply Change project.
Wilmar's and Cargill's commitments are cross-commodity policies, which means that they cover all commodities in their supply chains. However, action from these companies has largely focused on palm oil. They have not included specifics for soy sourcing, says Lucia von Reusner, shareholder advocate at Green Century Capital Management, an investment advisory firm that manages several environmentally responsible mutual funds.
In an email to the Guardian, a representative for Wilmar's said the company was "focusing on getting the palm oil sector right first before extending the policy to other product sectors".
Could ADM's announcement this week accelerate that expansion? The companies have a close relationship: ADM holds an 18.1% stake in Wilmar, and its CEO, Juan R Luciano, sits on Wilmar's board. ADM is also a key supplier of soy to Wilmar.
The two companies have collaborated since the mid-1990s, when they jointly built a network of soybean processing operations in China. The companies have significant supplier relationships with one another and collaborate on sales and marketing of tropical oils in Europe, Wilmar's spokesperson said, adding that both companies were committed to delinking their business operations from deforestation.
"If Wilmar is serious about applying its no-deforestation commitment cross-commodity, it really depends on ADM's participation," Von Reusner said. "Their partnership cannot be overstated." The competitive nature of the agricultural industry means that ADM's commitment could encourage other companies to make soy-focused commitments, she added.
In its effort to encourage more companies to adopt no-deforestation policies, Green Century Capital Management filed a shareholder proposal with Bunge, another giant agricultural trader and one of ADM's primary competitors, asking the company to set clear goals for reducing its role in deforestation. Bunge declined.
Von Reusner acknowledged Bunge's participation in SoyM, but noted that the moratorium in Brazil covers only a limited portion of the company's soy supply chain.
Brazil's work on Amazon soy production, while significant, may have simply shifted the problem elsewhere, experts say. Much of the conversion of natural ecosystems for soy cultivation actually occurs outside of the Amazon now, in the drier forests and savannas of the Cerrado and Gran Chaco, according to Crystal Davis, director of Global Forest Watch (GFW). This includes areas in Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina.
Research by University of Wisconsin professor Holly Gibbs found that the Brazilian soy industry's moratorium significantly decreased deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, but that rates of deforestation in the Cerrado and other eco regions not covered by the moratorium, as well as in the Amazon biome outside of Brazil, increased.
Deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia, which together produce more than 80% of the world's palm oil, dropped significantly in 2013, according to GFW, which expects to publish new data later this year.


99% of recent Notre Dame Spanish majors found full-time employment, enrolled in graduate school, or entered service programs within six months of graduation.
The range of opportunities available to Spanish speakers is vast and continually growing. A working knowledge of Spanish has become an asset to employment in all major U.S. cities. Changes in the global market and the increasing importance of Latin America have made Spanish an essential tool of communication.
The study of Spanish complements a number of majors, and is particularly helpful for students interested in communications, economics, education, political science, law, medicine, and social work.
In addition to the practical advantages that multilingualism affords, our students develop invaluable skills in critical, interpretive, and creative thinking that can be used in a variety of career paths.
Graduates of our program are regularly accepted to some of the most prestigious doctoral programs in the country and have received Fulbright scholarships and other major post-baccalaureate awards.
Learn more about what alumni have done with their Spanish first and supplementary degrees, check out our student and alumni profiles.
For more information see Grants and Internships.


7.20 People, deprived of their wisdom by desires for various objects and guided by their own nature, resort to other deities following the relevant methods.
7.20 Those whose wisdom has been rent away by this or that desire, go to other gods, following this or that rite, led by their own nature.
7.20. Being robbed of their wisdom by innumerable desires [and] being controlled by their own nature, persons take refuge in other deities by following one or the other religious regulations.


Why Choose Methodist Health System?
We provide specialized care to diagnose diseases of the liver, bile ducts, and pancreas and craft personalized treatment plans for each patient.
Pioneering the use of Y90 treatment for liver cancer.
Multidisciplinary team of specialists ready to provide the innovative, highly successful treatment solutions our patients need.
Our team is backed by decades of clinical and academic experience.
We have a reputation for excellence that is reflected in our exceptional success rates—which consistently exceed national averages.
The expert team at the Liver Institute at Methodist Dallas Medical Center treats the patient as a whole, including providing support services to families, ranging from in-hospital translation services to housing and transportation arrangements. We constantly collaborate with one another to provide improved medical and surgical care to our liver cancer patients. Our team saves lives through organ transplants, groundbreaking medical treatments, and clinical research.
A liver transplant gave Javier a new liver and a new love. On the night of his 22nd birthday, Javier had no idea it might be his last. A healthy and active SMU student, he was suddenly in critical condition with his mom driving in search of a hospital. They saw the shining cross atop Methodist Dallas Medical Center as a sign of hope. Racing the clock, transplant physicians quickly diagnosed Javier's failing liver as he fell unconscious. He awoke a week later with a new liver and a new lease on life. Today, Javier will tell you he couldn't have made it without those doctors. His fiancée, Shaley, will tell you she couldn't think of life without Javier.
Patients of The Liver Institute at Methodist Dallas tell their stories of what a liver transplant has meant to them, and why the Institute is #1 in Dallas for liver transplant success.


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Q: Is there a way to fallback for missing glyphs with PIL? When rendering text using PIL (ImageFont, ImageDraw, etc.) if the font is missing a glyph for a particular character, it just skips that character. I don't see any mechanism in the docs for specifying a fallback font. Is there a tried-and-true recipe for using a fallback font for missing glyphs in PIL?

A: I couldn't figure out how to do this, but I did find a workaround. I used FontForge to fill in the missing glyphs in the main font, with backup glyphs from another font. As explained in this answer: https://superuser.com/questions/490922/merging-two-font-into-one
The only catch was that I'm running OS X 10.11.3, and the current stable release of FontForge just dies on that O/S. So I had to build FontForge from source. I did that following the "homebrew" instructions on this page:
https://github.com/fontforge/fontforge/blob/master/INSTALL-git.md

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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De Findhorn Foundation is een Schotse charitatieve vereniging, geregistreerd in 1972, en gevormd door de spirituele gemeenschap in Findhorn Ecovillage, een van de grootste intentionele gemeenschappen in het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Het is de thuisbasis van duizenden inwoners uit meer dan 40 landen. De stichting leidt diverse educatieve programma's voor de Findhorn-gemeenschap. Ook zijn er ongeveer 40 Europese bedrijven als de Findhorn Press, en een centrum voor alternatieve geneeskunde. De thuisbasis werd in 1962 opgericht als een commune, op een caravanstalling in Findhorn Bay, door Eileen Caddy, Peter Caddy en Dorothy Maclean. De Findhorn Foundation en de omliggende gemeenschap Findhorn Ecovillage in het park, gelegen in het dorp Findhorn in het raadsgebied Moray, is nu de thuisbasis van meer dan 400 mensen. De gemeenschap heeft geen formele doctrine of geloof. Het biedt een scala aan workshops, programma's en evenementen in de omgeving van een ecodorp. De programma's zijn bedoeld om de deelnemers praktische ervaring bij te brengen van hoe je spirituele waarden in het dagelijks leven kunt toepassen. Ongeveer 3000 deelnemers per jaar afkomstig uit de hele wereld nemen deel aan de programma's.

Britse vereniging
Religie in Schotland
Schotse organisatie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Discussion in 'iPhone' started by harleymhs, Jan 15, 2015.
I posted a simular thread and you are not alone. Next update shopw fix it.
Heh... I almost posted this thread last night too.
Yes, I have the same problem - putting it down to just being 8.1's fault.
If you go to choose a new ringtone/text tone you'll find that often the sound doesn't work there the first time either.
As stated above it is a bug that will be, hopefully, fixed in the next update. Just enjoy as many are trying to turn their camera sound off.


This is the story of Alan a wannabe rock star.
Alan has everything what a real rock star should have: the trappings, the leather jacket, the pants, his long hair and even the androgyny looks.. The only thing he misses, is talent..
So that makes him the perfect Guitar Hero..
Check out the whole video, it's really worth while waiting until you see when Alan finds his new destiny.. Actually I was kind of happy for him at the end..
It's a four-minute-plus music video that is made for Doritos , pushing the brand's tie-in with Guitar Hero in the U.K.


Compared with other regions, Latin America has relatively low insurance market penetration: roughly half that of North America or Europe. The region accounts for roughly 8% of global GDP, but only 3% of global premiums. But, as economic stability and closer integration with the global economy fuel demand in an increasingly mature socio-economic environment, this is beginning to change.
Total insurance premiums across the region amount to around USD 130bn today (predicted to rise to between USD 180 and 190bn by 2016), with non-life premiums accounting for roughly USD 73bn of this. Brazil is by far the largest insurance market, with non-life premiums of around USD 23bn.


Where the opportunity presents itself and the stakeholders/community/company respond with a whole bunch of ideas in response. Develop a governance system that begins to build and expand learning while narrowing down to a single solution. The output is not only a solution to the opportunity but also establishing a culture of learning. For it is only with a culture of learning that all can extract more meaningful relationships within organizations and with those solutions that have real resonance and tenure.


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Boss Gives Top Sales Leads to Men Over Women
By Lindsey Novak
Q: I worked as a sales representative for a nationwide company for five years. About 40% of the sales force consisted of female sales reps, yet the men were the only ones to make it into the "Achievers Club," where they made up to $300,000 compared to the females making just over $100,000. As top achievers, the men also received gifts such as extravagant vacations, Rolex watches, stock options and more.
The reason the men made three times more than the women was because our female boss favored men by giving them top-quality leads that offered the greatest potential. The women received leads offering the lowest potential. Our boss knew which leads were the best, and she alone controlled the distribution. I brought up the topic to her several times, but nothing changed.
I compared the number of men to women and analyzed the percentage of how many women and men would make the Achievers Club. At least two to three females should have been in the top 12 each year, but only men made it the entire time I worked there.
I was so frustrated I resigned, and when she said she didn't receive the letter, I sent it to her and her managers regarding the entire situation. No one addressed the situation with me or any of the other women, but they did pay me all of my commission. Is filing with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission worth it?
A: Let's consider both the practical and legal side of the situation. It's unfortunate you allowed your frustration to take over. You were in a more strategically favorable situation to seek a new position rather than be unemployed. Despite the alleged inequality of leads, $100,000 or more is not a sum to reject, and now you could be faced with being unemployed for longer than you would like. More importantly, you might have had access to any information the EEOC may have asked for to learn more about the less-qualified leads given to the women.
Your boss and her managers could not discuss or adjust the situation with you, as they feared a lawsuit. They were probably waiting to see if you planned on filing a complaint.
No one can guarantee whether it's worth it for you to file an EEOC charge against the company, just as there are no guarantees of a guilty verdict in a court of law. EEOC investigators will review your information and documentation, but as with any government system, they may be overwhelmed with the workload and slow to determine whether your charge can be supported by law. Many who file an EEOC charge also consult an attorney who concentrates on such lawsuits.
You may want to contact the other women in the same sales position you held to see if they are interested in filing as well. If they join you in your pursuit of equality, they will be protected by law against retaliatory termination by the company. Of course, if a company wants to find other reasons to terminate employment, it may do so.
Filing an EEOC charge can also be an emotional journey as you take on a major company, but you have already left your job, so you may as well look into the potential. You will need documentation regarding the leads, distribution of leads and sales made to prove favoritism, but if your female colleagues join you in the fight for equal leads that translate into equal pay, you and the others may stand a better chance of winning.
Email your workplace issues and experiences to [email protected] For more information about career and life coach Lindsey Novak, visit www.lindseyparkernovak.com, and for past columns, see www.creators.com/read/at-work-lindsey-novak.
Photo credit: Free-Photos at Pixabay
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A daily advice column that harkens back to Anne Landers' signature style. Writer and mother Annie Lane writes in a voice that's sympathetic, funny and firm, offering common-sense solutions to life's dilemmas.
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One of my go to side dishes this time of year is Yamagata Dashi, a classic kyōdo ryōri (regional dish) from where my family is from. I didn't eat it growing up, and only came upon it once I lived in Japan. It's the perfect dish for summer as the vegetables for Yamagata Dashi are at the peak of their season.
Yamagata Dashi smells like you are in the garden. It has a crunchy texture and depending on how much nattō kombu and okra you use, it can be very slippery. I love the aromatics from the shiso and myōga, the crunch from the cucumbers, and it took a while for me to get used to eating raw eggplant, but I love it now.
The main ingredients are cucumbers, eggplant, myōga (ginger buds), okra, and shiso. Nattō kombu, finely minced dried kombu, is another key ingredient. I picked up this pack of nattō kombu なっとう昆布 or 納豆昆布 at the Yamagata antenna shop in Ginza.
Soak a small amount of the nattō kombu in water while prepping the vegetables.
I like to blanch the okra and remove the seeds, but if you are in a hurry or don't want to be bothered with turning on the stove, you could mince the okra while raw.
Finely chop the cucumbers, eggplant, and okra. Mince the myōga and shiso.
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and season with either soy sauce or tsuyu (seasoned soy sauce used for soba or udon noodles). Serve over rice. If you can't be bothered cooking rice, use the precooked rice that only needs to be microwaved.
Serve immediately. Best to make only what you can eat as the texture changes if it sits overnight in the refrigerator.
Do let me know if you try making this dish. Curious what your reactions are.
Kozue at the Park Hyatt Tokyo is a lovely spot for Japanese cuisine. At lunch if the skies are clear you have a gorgeous view of Mount Fuji. At night the city twinkles below you.
Two years ago Kozue did a special Tohoku menu to show their support for three prefectures that were hit hard by the earthquake and tsunami, Fukshima, Miyagi, and Iwate. This year Kozue is repeating the Tohoku Heroes menu, but moving on to the other three prefectures, Aomori, Akita, and Yamagata.
Chef Kenichiro Ooe is from Yamagata, as is my family, so we share this connection with Tohoku. At a recent dinner at Kozue chef Ooe introduced many products and sake from Tohoku.
Koji Nishizaki, the manager of Kozue, gave lovely commentary on the sake with each course. We started the evening off with a sparkling sake from Hatsumago. Hatsumago is a lovely brewery from Sakata in Yamagata. I sold many bottles of Hatsumago when I worked at Takashimaya. It means the first grandchild. A lovely gift for new grandparents. It is only 10% in alcohol, so light on the palate and refreshing. A great start to any evening.
Hiraizumi Marubi 15, Yamahai Junmai, Akita Miyama-nishiki rice. The yeast that is used for this sake is called Akita kobo #15, where the sake gets its name. Although it is a yamahai sake, it is not too heavy as yamahai can be. A very food friendly sake.
Chef Ooe talked about visiting the Tohoku region to meet the farmers, ranchers, and fishermen behind many of the products that they are using. For example, the watarigani crab used in this starter has a local name of gazami. I love these local colloquialism regarding food. It seems to be especially prevalent with seafood. The crab is steamed in sake, spinach, myoga, and Tosa-zu jelly. Tosa-zu is a classic tart dressing made with rice vinegar, soy sauce, mirin, and dashi. As a jelly it adds a nice texture to the dish. The Hatsumago sparkling paired well with the Tosa-zu jelly, myoga, and crab. Underneath is some kani-miso, or the offal of the crab, a delicacy and an unexpected and nice surprise. The rich kani-miso was rich and paired well with the Hiraizumi Yamahai Junmai.
Warm Aomori hokkigai appetizer with seri, maitake mushrooms, ginko nuts, and sansho was served with Hakkoda Oroshi Daiginjo. Both the hokkigai clam and sake are from Aomori, so a natural partner. I also love this dish with the accent on both edges of the bowl. Dining at Kozue is also a delight on the eyes. Each time I am here I come across new tableware that capture my attention. The Japanese eat with their eyes and taking in the vessels are part of the pleasure of dining at Kozue.
Owan soup bowl. Check out this lovely lacquer bowl with silver and gold circles. My neighbor at the dinner, a Japanese travel writer, said, "it is September", like I should know why this bowl is being used this time of year. Of course, the harvest moon. So here you also get an appreciation that chef Ooe selected this bowl for this dish due to the time of year.
The owan soup course is a famous local dish called ichigoni of awabi and uni. I've tried it in the past and have never liked it, until now. Chef Ooe's soup was rich in umami and the seafood was pristine. It didn't hurt that there was matsutake mushrooms and other vegetables in the soup.
Chef Ooe sashimi presentation always has a big impact. How gorgeous is this large katakuchi bowl filled with crushed ice? This is a serving for three guests. Mimmaya bluefin tuna, makogarei, and amaebi. The fresh nori is always a treat. Chef Ooe commented that it is still early in the season and that the tuna was not as fatty as it will be later in the season as the water cools down.
Amanoto made with kuro koji from Akita. This was my favorite of the night. I wonder if it is because of the black koji – as I am a fan of Okinawa awamori spirit, which is also made with kuro koji. It was served with a Hinai jidori chicken from Akita and included a kiritampo rice ball, a classic dish from Akita. It was nice to see it elevated to this level, as it is a dish often made at home. I think this dish that this was presented in was my favorite of the night.
Sadly I had to leave the dinner, unexpectedly, and missed out on the Yamagata Yonezawa wagyu and the Yamagata soba. Dessert was a rice ice cream. I did love being introduced to new sake, a renewed appreciation for Tohoku ingredients, and seeing new vessels. If you go, I highly recommend asking to have Tohoku sake paired with your meal.
If you are looking for jizake or shochu from a small producer or an artisanal miso the first place to check out are the antenna shops. Markets that specialize in regional products, usually from a specific prefecture. The Okinawa antenna shop in Ginza has a huge selection of awamori and the Miyazaki antenna shop in Shinjuku brings in a limited amount of premium shochu on the first of each month. Seafood, meat, and fresh produce as well are often sold. Some of the shops will have a restaurant or an eat-in corner. The Yamagata antenna shop has a branch of it's famous Italian restaurant using Yamagata products.
Here is a list of antenna shops in Ginza, the area with the most number of shops. Here is a list of antenna shops in Nihonbashi.
Over 600 items and an eat-in corner with takoyaki and butaman.
Sanuki udon, somen, Tokushima ramen, sudachi, jizake, and more.
Tako no kamaage, oden packs, Higashimaru udon, vegetables, and more.
Over 800 items including masu sushi.
Over 50 types of umeboshi, jizake, and fruit.
Over 1,500 items, including a Koiwa soft cream corner.
Produce, sweets, and jizake with an event space on the 2nd floor.
Jizake, fruits, vegetables, and an Italian restaurant incorporating Yamagata's produce by star chef Masayuki Okuda at San Dan Delo.
Chuo-ku, Ginza 1-5-10, Ginza First Five Bldg.
Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki sauce, popular momiji maple leaf sweet buns, oysters (frozen or in oil), Yukari red shiso furikake and two eat-in restaurants. 2nd floor for Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki and 1st floor for shiru-nashi ramen, a style popular in Hiroshima and harder to find in Tokyo.
A large selection of shochu, restaurant, and much more.
Rakkyo, nagaimo, seafood, Italian restaurant featuring Tottori products, and more than 1,500 items.
Minato-ku, Shinbashi 2-19-4 SNT Bldg.
Fruits and vegetable, seafood products, and more than 1,000 items. ASOBI Bar on the 2nd floor featuring Kumamoto shochu, basashi (horsemeat sashimi), and karashi renkon.
Sweets, jizake, and a restaurant on the 2nd floor.
An impressive selection of awamori in the basement and fresh produce such as go-ya.
Chuo-ku, Ginza 1-3-9, Maruito Ginza Bldg.


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New Heights Fitness
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Personalized fitness regimens for the average adult.
Take yourself to New Heights.
The gym can be intimidating, especially to people just starting out in their fitness journey. That's how Lauren Caggiano felt when she first started working on her health and wellness in 2018.
After a weight gain left her feeling miserable and sluggish, Lauren knew she had to change her own personal fitness and wellness habits not only to achieve a healthier body, but also to work on empowering herself and lifting her confidence.
Shortly after she found success on her own journey, Lauren decided that many other "average" people were probably struggling with their health and fitness, too. It's difficult for a newbie to start going to the gym, a place that can feel shameful and embarrassing for those who may not already be in the best shape.
Lauren became an ACE Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) in April 2018 and started New Heights Fitness to help empower other members of the local community to improve their bodies and minds through personalized exercise routines and referrals to other health and wellness partners.
Through New Heights Fitness, Lauren offers 1-on-1 personal training sessions, small group classes, and virtual training opportunities in both categories. The gym she operates out of is semi-private and is booked by appointment only, allowing her clients to feel more comfortable stepping out of their comfort zones.
Lauren used her grant from the Fortitude Fund to cover some of New Heights Fitness's startup expenses, including marketing materials, attorney fees, equipment, and more. To learn more about how Lauren can help you reach New Heights, click here: https://www.getfitwithlauren.com/services.
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Build Guild serves do-it-yourselfers
This week's Career Path is an interview with Abraham Parra, co-owner and vice president of the Build Guild.
How would you describe the Build Guild?
The Build Guild is a tool and work-space solution we have opened for the community at an affordable price.
With table space and an extensive selection of expensive equipment and tools useful in do-it-yourself projects available for as low as $20 per month, we call it Fort Wayne's premier makers space.
Read More on Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly


Gorgeous crochet lace sheath dress. There are embroidered silver florets on the spaghetti straps and throughout the dress. It's very unique and perfect for a spring/summer wedding.
I bought this dress as a sample dress and I had altered it thinking I would wear it on my wedding day but sadly, I couldn't since it was so cold. I ended wearing a different dress appropriate for the weather.
Attached are photos of examples of the back side being altered.
This was a sample dress that I altered to fit a size 2-4 size. – The length is for a 5'6 with heels. It will show some of the toes. – The front was altered to fit a 34 bust size. – Padded cups were sewed in but can easily be taken out. – I saved the leftover lace, the extra florets are great to cut out and sewed on other areas of the dress. – The straps were shortened and an extra floret was placed to even out with the other strap. The strap can be lengthened.
$3500 save 46% Sold by Andrea H.
$2500 save 54% Sold by Lauren S.
$1200 save 60% Sold by Cherry H.


There's something about makeup that is exciting. Walking into Sephora, Ulta and MAC is the light at the end of the makeup-free tunnel. Being able to create different looks with the use of powders, shadows and highlights is amusing.
Being in and out of the pool or field for many years of my life didn't allow for much styling of any sort. My hair was always braided or in a high ponytail and my face was always adorned with black square frames. Although I didn't start wearing makeup until I was 14, something about it was so intriguing and it was something I could never obtain.
Here I am, six years later, obsessed with all things contour, highlight and lip color. Putting makeup on is genuinely relaxing for me. It's my morning "ritual" that I rarely skip.
It isn't that I have the need to cover my face with beautiful, expensive products; it's just that I like to. The common misconception is that women wear makeup to impress men. The fact of the matter is that I did not spend 45 minutes perfecting a flawless eye and highlight to impress a man.
Giving 100 percent in the morning with hair and makeup doesn't happen daily. No one is trying to look glamorous for an 8 a.m. class, not even me. But when I have the time, I'll take my time to get ready for the day with a full face of makeup and hair to match.
I'm a firm believer in doing what makes you feel confident. When I have my makeup done and I know it looks good, confidence consumes me. I am at my best self when I'm 100 percent ready for the day, and I took the time to be ready for nobody else but myself.
If I look great, I feel great, and that is what matters most. Please don't ask me for whom I dressed up for because chances are, you'll fall victim to the sassiest eye roll you've ever seen, featuring flawless winged eyeliner.


We have a dynamic team of people who provide quality service from beginning to end.
The idea of establishing a solar energy company was born out of a vision and concept that principal owner and CEO, Clay Sikes, had in 2013. Through much diligence, research and prayer this vision has now come to fruition with the acquisition of Coastal Solar Power Company of Savannah, a four year old solar company. Coastal Solar Power Company is now a division of The Sikes Group. The Sikes Group is a leading company in real estate, real estate marketing, land acquisition and development, commercial development and their related services with over 46 years of experience. Brad Sherman is our lead systems design engineer and brings over nine years of experience in the alternative fuel industry with the last four concentrating on solar energy. Our staff with backgrounds in engineering, sales, education and management brings an exceptionally diverse field of experience to the company.


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Die Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der PatientInnenstellen und -Initiativen (BAG – PatientInnenstellen oder BAGP) wurde als bundesweite Arbeitsgemeinschaft der GesundheitsAkademie e.V. gegründet. Ihre Arbeitsschwerpunkte sind unabhängige Patienteninformation, -beratung, -unterstützung, -beschwerden und -kompetenz sowie Patientenbeteiligung.

Geschichte
Die Gründung der BAGP erfolgte 1989 durch Patientenstellen und -initiativen innerhalb der gemeinnützigen GesundheitsAkademie e.V. mit dem Ziel, gemeinsame Beratungsstandards zu entwickeln und zu gewährleisten sowie ihre Kompetenzen zu bündeln und um effektiver politisch handeln zu können. Als Dachorganisation von Patientenstellen und für Patientenberater steht die BAGP in der Tradition der Gesundheitsbewegung der 1980er Jahre, der es um Empowerment und Selbstbestimmung, medizinische Methodenvielfalt, kollektive und selbstorganisierte Interessenvertretung und um gesundheitsfördernde Lebensbedingungen ging. Viele Ideen sind im Austausch mit den Schweizer Patientenstellen entwickelt worden.

2001 begannen die ersten bundesweiten Modellprojekte zur Entwicklung der Patientenberatung. Seit 2004 ist die BAGP vom Bundesministerium für Gesundheit als einer von vier Verbänden für die Patientenvertretung im Gemeinsamen Bundesausschuss (G-BA) anerkannt und damit berechtigt, Patientenvertreter zur Mitwirkung im G-BA zu benennen. Zudem veröffentlicht die BAGP regelmäßig Stellungnahmen zu Gesetzesentwürfen und politischen Entscheidungen im Gesundheitswesen, gibt Presseerklärungen heraus und erstellt Infomaterialien, um über Patientenrechte aufzuklären.

Handlungsfelder
Die Handlungsfelder der BAGP sind unabhängige Patienteninformation, -beratung, -unterstützung, -beteiligung, -kompetenz, -beschwerden und -vertretung.

Patienteninformation
Die BAGP vertritt den Standpunkt, dass Patienten unabhängige, verlässliche und verständliche Patienten- und Gesundheitsinformationen benötigen, die einfach im Alltag anwendbar sind. Deshalb unterstützt die BAGP die Bildung eines nationalen Gesundheits-Informations-Portals möglichst unter wesentlicher Beteiligung der Patientenorganisationen.

Patientenberatung
Bis 2015 waren die in der BAGP zusammengeschlossenen Patientenstellen über den Verbund unabhängige Patientenberatung (VuP) e.V. an der Unabhängigen Patientenberatung Deutschland (UPD) beteiligt. Anfang 2016 wurde die Beratung für Kassen- und Privatpatienten auf den Gesundheitsdienstleister Sanvartis GmbH übertragen, der 2018 von der Sanvartis Careforce Holding GmbH übernommen wurde. Diese Übernahmen wurden von vielen Vereinen, Verbänden, politischen Parteien und in Medienberichten heftig kritisiert. Das Bundesministerium für Gesundheit und der GKV-Spitzenverband verteidigten die Übernahme. Seit Anfang 2016 findet die Patientenberatung in den Patientenstellen meist ehrenamtlich statt.

Patientenunterstützung
Da sich nicht alle Patienten in Krankheits- und Gesundheitsfragen selbst helfen können und Notlagen, Krankheitsverläufe oder fehlende Unterstützung durch Freunde oder Angehörige zu Hilflosigkeit und seelischen Leid führen können, bieten sich die BAGP-Beratungsstellen auch in solchen Situationen als Ansprechpartner an, hören zu, vermitteln Hilfe oder unterstützen bei der Antragstellung für soziale Leistungen.

Patientenbeteiligung
Die Patientenstellen und die BAGP sind in vielen bundes- und landesweiten Gremien der gemeinsamen Selbstverwaltung im Gesundheitswesen beteiligt. Auf Bundesebene sind das z. B. der G-BA und auf Länderebene die Landesausschüsse, Zulassungs- und Berufungsausschüsse. Aber auch an weiteren Gemeinschaftsprojekten ist die BAGP beteiligt, so z. B. an dem Kooperationsverbund gesundheitsziele.de oder an dem Aktionsbündnis Patienten-Sicherheit (APS).

Patientenkompetenz
Die BAGP sieht Patientenkompetenz als Teil der Gesundheitskompetenz und beteiligte sich deshalb an der Entwicklung des Nationalen Aktionsplan Gesundheitskompetenz. Das Ziel der Information und Beratung in den Patientenstellen ist Empowerment, die Stärkung der Entscheidungs- und Handlungsfähigkeit der Ratsuchenden und damit ihre Patientenkompetenz.

Patientenbeschwerden
Die Beratungsstellen der BAGP nehmen Kritik und Beschwerden von Patienten und ihren Angehörigen ernst und verstehen diese als Entwicklungschance. Zusammen mit Anregungen und Vorschlägen für eine konkrete Verbesserung der Versorgungssituation nehmen sie diese entgegen und leiten sie an zuständige Stellen weiter.

Weblinks
 Offizielle Website
 Judith Pape:  Patientenbefragung "Wir haben da einen Termin - in fünf Wochen"  tagesschau.de vom 16. August 2019
 Isabel Hertweck-Stücken: Arzt-Patienten-Kommunikation - Schaden durch falsche Kommunikation  br.de vom 13. November 2017
 Linda Schildbach:  Medizinischer Dienst der Krankenversicherung Spahn will Medizinischen Dienst von Kassen trennen  MDR AKTUELL vom 18. Juli 2019.

Einzelnachweise

Selbsthilfeorganisation
Patientenorganisation
Gegründet 1989
Patientenorientierung