Progress continues on the playroom to study transformation – I'm trying to get it all done before the kids go back to school in late August. One of the major changes I wanted to make was to have a wall of shelving that would contain books, art supplies, games, and a modern TV for the kids to view videos on occasion.
You may recall the laminate entertainment center that used to sit in the space – a fabulous piece but always a little bulky. It jutted out into the room, but that was necessary to hold my old college television and my kids would watch their VHS movies on it. We decided to donate that piece of furniture to the Alma Project family room so I went in search of some new shelving for this space.
I wanted to something streamlined, modern, narrow, but wide too and I most definitely did not want to spend a fortune. Enter the IKEA VITTSJÖ shelving unit, $70 bucks each! It comes in black metal with glass shelves, but I wanted to transform it to suit our home, so I painted it white and substituted dark wood shelves for glass – here it is.
The unit when assembled looks like this.
But I thought white with wood shelving would be better fit for our home. These transformed inexpensive shelves are now perfect for this space !
There is just enough room for educational books, artwork, and some greenery.
The magazine file folders are get this – painted! Seriously. It's cause I'm cheap resourceful like that. I already had the set of four orange canvas ones from a few years ago (I think I found them at The Container Store?) so I painted them with a craft paint – reinvented for pennies!
That cute green oversized clothespin is adorable, I know! I found it at Pottery Barn Kids five years ago, sadly it's no longer available but I say bring it back in all kinds of colors because it's not just a decorative accent, it can hang on the wall and hold art, love that.
Hedgehog, otherwise known as Mr. Prickles, is running joke in our home. Long story short, it's the one forest animal our daughter stumped us on last year in a 30 minute game of "Guess The Animal" making us "furious!" and every time the kids want to make us mad they say "Hedgehog" and then get tickled to death. Mr. Prickles has a place of honor in our home – acrylic watercolor purchased from Dimdi on Etsy.
This is a good time to talk about those shelves – they are made of birch plywood. I didn't like the idea of glass shelves in this space and I'm smitten with the white + dark wood combo (see these end tables and my personal Pinterest board dedicated to the subject) so I decided to replace them with stained wood shelves.
I headed to my local Lowes because it has a pretty good selection of wood. I could have cut up a piece of regular ol' ½" plywood but I opted instead for the prettier birch. I have to tell you I stood there debating over cutting up the $30 piece of of inexpensive plywood and spending $75 for nicer birch (4' x 4' sheets) for half an hour and ended up choosing the latter because I liked the grain so much better.
Lowes offers free cuts for their wood so I had their guy cut my ten shelves to the size I needed. I also grabbed three cans of Rust-Oleum spray paint in semi-gloss to turn the shelves from dark to light.
I used my leftover stain from the X base table – two coats – then added one coat of Minwax Polyurethane in 'Satin'.
Plywood has unattractive edges, so the best way to disguise them is to cover them with iron on edging, use wood putty, or take the easy route and paint the edges with some dark brown paint – a solution I'm satisfied with in this circumstance since the edges aren't that visible anyway because they mostly sit inside the shelving unit.
Both shelving units are secured to the wall with these earthquake straps- the same ones we had on the old entertainment center.
The final result from staining the birch plywood is a nice contrast between dark shelves and the white painted frame – it plays well with the adjacent dark wood table and white window seat.
… five bazillion points if you can identify this movie.
I really love how I can display a rotating art gallery on top. Picasso said it best, "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." The butterfly art is from IKEA but the rest are *masterpieces* created by the children.
And that's the story on how a plain ol' IKEA shelf became the perfect fit in our house!
The whole project including two shelving units, new wood shelves, and spray paint cost me $225 because I spent the extra $$ on the nicer plywood, but I'm crazy loving this new sleek modern wall of shelving in our home!
Want more ideas for personalizing the Vittsjo pieces?
It all looks great! You never fail to impress with how you turn something ordinary into something gorgeous! Love the idea of forgoing the glass shelves and using wood. Also really love the idea that its OK to buy something new and paint it to fit in better with your home…now if I could just convince myself to do the same thing!
love this! I've been searching for a bookcase for our family room to house both books, magazine files and decor. And here you did it perfectly.
I love the white finish with the dark wood! Maybe I'll do this in our home someday, so fresh and modern!
This looks fantastic! The white with dark wood is such a nice combination. You made the right decision going with the more expensive plywood too (: your work is sooo inspiring!
Just the other day I saw the giant clothespin at our local JoAnn's, in the unfinished wood.
I think I will have to go get one!
What is the color of the walls? That matches very well too, and I love it!!!!
LOVE it! I'm going to be redoing my daughters room very soon. The room is huge and is also her playroom. You've given me lots of ideas!
The movie is Spaceballs, right???
Looks great! Love that rug…..where did you get it?
Fabulous! I love how light and airy the shelving units feel while still holding a ton of stuff! Always an innovative, impressive "hack" from you! Looking forward to seeing the rest of the updates and the whole room.
I think the movie is Spaceballs!! And I have had my eye on that shelving unit too! Love how you re-invented it!
AMAZING! One of these days, I hope to try one of your Ikea hacks. Jus moved from city life in Houston to country life in Franklin, TN, so no Ikea near me, but planning a trip soon! Thanks for all the inspiration!
I saw a hack on these shelves but they did the in a gold for a more regency look. I love your take on it as well!
i love the stained wood shelves. i stained our coffee table & a mirror frame. i love the contrast that stained wood brings to my home – it's kind of rustic, which i like the look of. nice job & ya just can't beat ikea! wish we had one closer to us!
I love love love the bookshelves, and have been considering some new ones for my sewing room. I follow you on Pinterest and coveted the industrial set you pinned, but not the price. Yours are a great DIY example of how to research, save money, and make it your own!
Hi Jen (and others) the rug is from here, great colors and great price!
I love the rug and can't wait to hear where you got it!!!!!!!!!!!
You have inspired me yet again. I think I will do one of these in gold in my formal LR. My question: Do you paint prior to assembling or after?
Hi, Kate. What a transformation! Did you paint the metal after it was assembled or did you paint the pieces individually and then put them together?
Hi Holly, we assembled the shelves first then spray painted them outside on a tarp.
I love how you redid the shelves to fit your home and I love the rug too! Michael's has some of those big clothespins. I just bought one there for my daughter's room!
Anyway, LOVE what you did to the Ikea shelves! Everything fits in so perfectly!
A great hack! You could always use the glass shelves on top of the wood for extra protection…I can see the worry using them as the sole support for heavier objects and the worry of kids pulling them over. I'm just always putting wet things on every horizontal space and poly never seems to be enough!:) The white and dark wood combo has a very clean, yet grown-up feeling about it. I'll definitely have to visit your pinterest page.
Great hack! I bet the crowd on ikeackers.net would love this. Good timing, too – we're making the annual pilgramage to the IKEA in the next state next week.
Deliberating in the aisles of Lowes over which wood to buy takes up too much of my time as well. It's never an easy choice. Great mod. Looks brilliant!! Can you tell us what movie that is if no one guesses right?? That's going to bother me all day!!
Hi Johna (and all) – that's a scene from the original Star Wars just before Darth Vader arrives on the Rebel ship but it looked so much like Spaceballs I cracked up! Glad everyone else saw the "resemblance" too!
Thanks for the link How2Home, I'll check out the gold version!
It's like you got into my head and figured out exactly what I wanted. Seriously, I was looking at those ikea shelves just yesterday wishing for a wood shelf and not glass. I am SO going to do this, thank you!!!
Looks amazing… how big is that TV? It fits perfectly!
Hi Moni, the TV is 19″ – the space is narrow so the screen isn't too small from across the room!
So clever Kate. The room is really coming together and it has been fun seeing all the updates!
LOVE this!! I would have never thought to put the dark wood as shelves- genius!!
Bah, so SO smitten with this IKEA hack! Beautiful job, Kate.
Oh, that's so funny – I just scrolled up to see if anyone else said that – NEV- A would have thought it was the original Star Wars!!!!
OH how funny! I got two of the smaller version of the bookshelf a couple of weeks ago from Ikea and sprayed them gold but kept the glass inserts. I love those earth quake straps, great idea! I was wondering how I was going to secure them to the wall, especially now that I have a one year old grandson, securing it is a must.
What a great job! I can't wait to see the finished reveal. Our playroom (officially the living room on the original floor plan) is also getting morphed into a multipurpose room — study, music room, second family room geared towards the kids now that the kids are getting older, so I'm paying close attention to your design choices. I would love a floor plan reveal when you finish also–my greatest design struggle. Thanks for bringing all of your great ideas to us!
My mind is swirling with possibilities to transform a set for my studio in my own color scheme! Yet loving what you did with the white and wood.
Genius idea painting those IKEA bookshelves and changing the shelves! Everything looks great. And I love the kid's artwork framed on top of the shelves.
I'm intrigued with the earthquake staps. Being from the south, this is not something we are familiar with; but I can definitely see opportunities for their use. Could you please provide a source for the ones you used? I did a Google search, but only found the metal cables.
Oh, and by the way — LOVED the IKEA hack!!! You are amazing!!!
Hi Renee, thanks! They are Quakehold straps, found at home improvement stores, also great for avoiding toppling for high furniture that kids might try to climb on.
Love this! I recently saw these shelves painted gold, and I'm really digging your white version too. Have also been thinking about doing these on an entire wall, but have been hesitant that they'll make the room look shorter… Just wondering how tall are your ceilings in that room?
Great question Gwynne – we have 9 foot ceilings so there is room for display of art or other decorative objects above!
I'm a big, big fan of your site and work. Your latest Ikea update is lovely. My questions: how did you secure the shelves to the unit itself–do they just sit on the metal? Are they sturdy enough to remove and replace books often? I'm trying to find the perfect shelving system for the writing room I'm creating for myself.
Hi Liz, thanks so much! The shelves when cut to the proper size sit right inside the brackets that are fastened to the unit – I took my shelf to Lowes and we used that as the template to cut the plywood shelves. Our 1/2 inch shelves are sturdy enough to hold large stacks of books and magazines. To visit a day in my life, read this post!
As a East Coast gal, I had NO idea about the earthquake strips.
Why did you need to paint the edges of the plywood – versus just staining them as you did the rest of the shelf?
Hey Ginger, the edges of plywood show the striped layers of pressed wood, and they don't stain well as a result – so it's necessary to cover them.
I'm not sure if I should be proud or not that I knew which scene that was in Star Wars!
Hi, I absolutely love this post. I've been looking for a media center/bookcase solution for over a year and i think this may be it! I'm completely new to DIY and this may be the stupidest question ever, but I was wondering what did you use the cans of rust-oleum for? I tried to follow your process step by step and couldn't figure out at what point when you stained the wood, you used them.
Hi Rozi, the RustOleum was the white spray paint used to transform the metal to white.
I picked up a similar giant clothespin in royal blue from Michaels a few months ago… it was in their $1.99 bin, score!
OMG – that redo is awesome…think I am going to try it myself…IKEA is an hour and half away so need to wait for the kiddies to go back to school. xoxo you are awesome!!
I love that you've showed this. Many people are afraid to paint new purchases, but see how great it looks!
I love the combination of white shelving and dark wood. That wood is beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
I have been looking for the perfect solution for a bookshelf and I think this hack may be it. Thanks so much for the inpsiration!
I need to know where you got that rug!
Beautiful work! How did you hide the cords between the TV, DVD player and outlet so well?
Hi Kate – a lovely makeover! What did you end up doing with the glass shelves that came with the unit? I'm curious about if you found a cool way to repurpose those!
About that cute green oversized clothespin – I was just in A.C. Moore craft store the other day and saw plain wooden ones this size and even larger. They were pretty cheap and could be painted. Your clothespin looks so cute on the shelf, I think I might have to get one!
I have been a follower of yours for a while now. I absolutely love all of your creations! Question: where did you get the baskets shown in the shelving unit?
Hi Shannon, the white baskets are IKEA and the blue cloth ones are from Michaels!
I totally adore the oversized clothes peg!! So cute! Pity you can't find it anywhere.
Here from Ikea Hackers. I've been considering what to do for shelving in my new home office. You've given me some great ideas, thanks!
Hi Heather, the link to the rug is in the comments!
Those shelves look great. Quick question. Did you assemble the shelves and then paint them or paint the pieces and then assemble?
Any idea how much weight these can hold w/the glass shelves (& w/replaced w/wood)?
No idea Jo_Ro, but mine are holding up a lot of books with the plywood!
I saw that you painted your orange canvas magazine files…!
I never thought of paint — until now! Would you recommend acrylic over fabric paint? I'd love to be able to spray paint them after priming since they are bigger… Thoughts?
I love your blog! I'm always so blown away by your creativity. I made a sad attempt at copying this, but on the round coffee table instead. I can't get the paint to stick, it flakes off if you touch it. Did you sand or prime the bookcase before painting?
Hi Nancy, I didn't prime, but I used RustOleum spray paint, I've found on metal the adhesion is excellent – did you use the same or different brand?
@Kate – I used Krylon Premium Metallic spray paint. I think I will need to get a can of the RustOleum and give that a try. Thanks!!
Spaceballs! And so cute. I am so impressed!
Can you tell me where did you buy the straps used to secure the shelves? I don't like in earthquake country, but I have a 1.5 year old grandson and, well….he's kinda like an earthquake. LOL.
Hi Elva, look for them in the child safety and child proofing section, the furniture straps are there!
I love this project and was thinking I might do something similar for my bedroom as a bookcase in gold, although I love the white! I think the plywood would be better to hold more weight, but wanted to know what the length and width of the plywood you got cut is to fit the dimensions of the shelves? I know you said the thickness was a 1/2 inch (correct?), but I wanted to know the other dimensions so I could have the plywood cut at a Home Depot or somewhere. Thanks!
Hi Kelly, bring the laminate shelf with you and if HD or Lowes has a table saw and will cut it, they will use it as their template – that's what I did!
I tried this with the smaller (20″ wide) Vittsjo shelf and found that the plywood was not strong enough to hold my books without significant sagging at the midpoint of each shelf. Consequently, we decided against trying this with the 39″ wide Vittsjo unit. I would only recommend this conversion project if you don't plan on using the shelves as bookshelves and are mostly focused on using them to display lightweight decorative objects.
Hi Alison, thanks so much for sharing. What size plywood (depth) did you use? Would love to know!
Ours are holding up just fine without any sagging, there is a mid section support and we have some shelves that support pretty heavy books.
We used the 1/2″ plywood that you mentioned in the tutorial – was the birch that you ended up using thicker than that? With the 1/2″ plywood at a maximum width of 20″ we found that the shelves sagged up to about 3/4″ at the midpoint, enough to be noticeable at a distance.
This is so fresh and inspiring. Thanks for sharing. I have similar shelves that I'm off to "dress up".
LOVE THIS!! Great job..I would have gone with the birch too. and the movie….SPACE BALLS!!
i LOVE this hack and just bought all the "ingredients" to put this together except I cannot find the white spray paint (Rustoleum one) in semi gloss, here in Canada i just seem to find the "Gloss" or "Flat" which would you suggest if any or another brand?
Hi CB, you can go with any white spray paint, but make sure it's one that works on metal, otherwise you'll have to prime first!
My boyfriend and I plan to give this a shot at our new apartment. We would be using the same size Unit that you used in the tutorial. After reading the comments I have some nervousness about shelf sagging under book weight. You mentioned that your unit has a center support for each shelf. I just wanted to double check that they came with that bc when I look at the picture on the ikea site the center supoorts dont appear to be there…its possible they photo shopped them out to make the glass shelving look nicer but I just thought I'd ask before I dove into this project.
Hi Allie, they are definitely there on the larger pieces, but not the skinnier ones. There is a 3/4″ metal bracket that sticks out underneath the Vittsjo shelf to support it on those larger units I used.
Additionally, what size did you get the ply wood cut?
Hello Thomas, I used the existing shelf and took it to Lowes where they used it as a template to cut the plywood to fit exactly.
The shelves look amazing! What a great "hack." How has the white paint held up?
Yes Korrie the paint still looks great!
how is the quality of this IKEA line? I love your ideas!
So far, it's really great Paige, shockingly good for mass produced – IKEA does it again!
Hi Julie, 2 layers of paint, and I used RustOleum directly on the metal, no priming.
Love it! Where did you get the rug from by the way?
Alright thanks! I actually decided to prime mine just to be sure. Using the compatible rust-oleum primer spray.
This looks great and simple to do! I do want to add that I have seen the over-sized clothes pin at AC Moore (it's in the unpainted wood section).
Great Job on your hack!
This idea is so awesome! I have been looking for a new shelving unit and this seems like the perfect solution. I looked up the unit on Ikea's website for size dimensions but they don't give a dimension for the shelves…just the entire unit itself. What are the measurements (LxWxH) of the "cubbies"? Want to be sure before I make the drive to Ikea and purchase. Thanks!
LOVE this look! I have been attempting to track down your area rug on the web–can you tell me where you bought it??
Hi Emily, I don't know the exact dimensions, I just used the existing shelf that comes with it as a template, so whatever the measurements of that IKEA shelf are, those were the measurements of the new shelf.
I love this IKEA hack! I am going to do it soon, once I get to an IKEA store (4 hours away). What size tv do you have? I am going to buy a tv for this shelf and am not sure on the size for it. I love how it fits nice and doesn't look out of place!
Hello Heidi, the screen measures 14″ tall by 18″ wide.
I'm wondering now that you've been living with these shelves for a while, are you happy with them? How are they holding up? I just bought two (they're on sale for $59/each) and am having them delivered because i just can't face a 3 hour round trip drive (if traffic is "good") to the ikea outside DC.
Still holding up perfectly Oriah! Very pleased with them.
Great job with the shelves. I love the rug. Thanks for the link. They now ship to Australia!! Lucky for me!
This is gorgeous! How do you secure them to the wall? I want to do something like this but I am afraid I won't be able to since it would be on an exposed cinderblock wall. Thanks for your help.


text:
Security Program Components 101
Security Program Components 101 https://www.lares.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/scott-graham-OQMZwNd3ThU-unsplash.jpg 1090 727 Andrew Hay Andrew Hay https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5fd5dfdab94084e661d5c80db05671d4?s=96&d=mm&r=g July 20, 2020 July 20, 2020
The term "security program" means a lot of different things to a log of different people. To some, it's just an acceptable use policy or password policy. To others, it's the operationalization of security controls (e.g. firewalls, endpoint security, 2FA, etc.). To others still, it's the measurement of how many alerts were triaged by the security team, how many vulnerabilities were discovered, or how long it took to apply patches for a particular month.
In reality, it's a combination of all of these things. A true security program provides the rules, guidance, and validation (or efficacy) with regards to security within the organization.
In an effort to help clarify some things we have created the following list of program documentation components to explain each building block of a world-class security program.
Security policies exist to explain how a particular aspect of securing the organization supports the overall objectives and strategy of the business. They are the why of the security program.
Policies should be clear, concise, and to the point. There is no need for flowery or poetic language as these documents exist to convey instruction and direction.
Policies should also use deontic modal verbs such as "must", "can't", "won't", "shall", and "will" that convey instruction or direction versus permissive or subjective modal verbs such as "could", "may", or "might".
Examples include password policy, acceptable use policy (AUP), or software development lifecycle (SDLC) policy.
If the policy explains why a particular aspect of security exists, the procedures explain how they exist.
Security procedures explain how to do something. You can consider the documents as implementation and operation instructions for a particular control.
These documents should be very detailed and tactically written so that anyone could review and duplicate the instructions provided.
For example, procedures related to user account lifecycle might include new user account creation procedures, account change procedures, account deletion procedures, and account audit procedures.
As technology changes frequently, so too will these documents require updates.
Standards documents exist to communicate baseline requirements for specific aspects of the security program.
For example, with regards to user passwords, your standards document would likely contain the organizational requirements for password length, complexity, and reuse in addition to required security mechanisms to protect passwords, such as approved encryption, hashing, and salts. You should have a completely separate section within your password standards document if the aforementioned requirements differ for administrative and service accounts.
We also like to think of standards as a backstop for anything a specific procedure doesn't explicitly mention. Your respective standards document should aim to address any issues or questions that might arise from the associated policy documents.
We hope that this post has clarified the main building blocks of a successful security program. If you still have questions, however, please do not hesitate to reach out to one of our CISOs to learn how to build, enhance, or assess your security program.
You can also chat live with one of our CISOs to help address any questions you might have. Just click the "Chat with a CISO" button.
Chat with a CISO
Andrew Hay is the COO at Lares and is a veteran cybersecurity executive, strategist, industry analyst, data scientist, threat and vulnerability researcher, and international public speaker with close to 25 years of cybersecurity experience across multiple domains. He prides himself on his ability to execute the security strategy of the company with which he works without neglecting business objectives and the needs of its customers. Andrew is the author of multiple books on advanced security topics and is frequently approached to provide expert commentary on industry developments. He has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Bloomberg, Wired, USA Today, and CSO Magazine.
www.lares.com
The Inaugural Lares Customer Summit
Endpoint Hunting for UNC1878/KEGTAP TTPs
WFH Lateral Movement TTPs
Upcoming Webinar – Defensive Strategies: The Power of Visibility
Time for Transition: From ACET to InTREx-CU

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Robin Hood Minor Asset Management cooperative makes a visit to Ptarmigan Tallinn this weekend to host an open seminar/forum about their project.
Robin Hood Minor Asset Management is a cooperative of artists, activists and researchers originating in Helsinki, Finland. Using their sophisticated 'parasite' system, Robin Hood uses the same tools of investment/exploitation to return capital to people and projects with contrary goals to those of eternally expanding Wall Street investors. The project, in an experimental beta phase, returns 50% of profit to the investor and the other 50% into a cooperative fund which will be used to support ideas normally outside the purview of investment banks.
At Ptarmigan, Akseli Virtanen, Ana Fradique and Karolina Kucia will present the Robin Hood project and offer a chance to join. We will then open up into a workshop that will explore the critical questions at the core of this project. Is a 'parasite' an effective scheme of action? Where do we draw the boundaries of collective activity - the boundaries of trust, risk, and sharing? How does one negotiate their core beliefs by participating in the stock market ?
Please come with ideas, questions, and an open mind. The event begins Saturday at 14:30; more information is available on the Ptarmigan site or Facebook event.


Following a complimentary consultation, we will review the size of the area/scar to be treated and confirm a cost per session.
Stretch marks are caused by a lack of collagen and elastin in the deeper layers of the skin due to weight fluctuations, hormonal changes and pregnancy.
Scarring is caused by a cut in the skin which has penetrated both the epidermal (surface) and dermal (deeper) layer it is a physical change and often results in a red, raised angry looking scar -IPL is very effective in dramatically lessening the angry appearance of the scarring whilst also smoothing out the area.
Using the latest medical grade technology this is the safest, affordable and most effective way to repair the skin's ability to regenerate natural collagen.
This depends very much on the individual and appearance of the stretch marks. A course of treatments will be required to achieve optimism results and they are spaced at weekly intervals.
It's virtually pain-free. A slight flicking sensation will be felt in the area and a slight tingling sensation can be felt for a few minutes after in the area.
*Stretch marks are a physical change in the skin and though cannot be eradicated completely, this treatment will dramatically improve the look, texture and overall appearance of the skin where there are stretch marks.


text:
Heshan may refer to the following places in China:

County-level
 Heshan, Guangdong (), county-level city of Jiangmen
 Heshan, Guangxi (), county-level city of Laibin
 Heshan District, Hebi (), Henan
 Heshan District, Yiyang (), Hunan

Towns
  (), Guangdong
  (), Shandong
  (), in Donggang District, Rizhao, Shandong
  (), Zhejiang

Subdistricts
 Heshan Subdistrict, Yiyang (), a subdistrict of Heshan District, Yiyang, Hunan
  (), a subdistrict of Huli District in Xiamen, Fujian
  (), a subdistrict in Pujiang County, Sichuan

Village
 Heshan, Liuji (), Liuji, Dawu County, Xiaogan, Hubei

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Sampelga peut désigner :
 Sampelga, département du Burkina Faso ;
 Sampelga, chef-lieu de ce département.


August 14, 2016 February 4, 2017 Posted in podcast.
Brennan Dunn is on a mission to get freelancers to start thinking of themselves as business consultants. His company, Double Your Freelancing, grew out of his own experiences moving from independent developer to running his own agency, launching and selling a software-as-a-service product, and eventually publishing books and classes and running conferences designed to help other people selling their services learn the tricks he discovered along the way. In this episode Brennan will explain how he benefitted from joining a $2,000 a month mastermind group, why he prices his conferences to break even rather than doing them for profit, and why he would never again start a business by launching a software-as-a-service product.
This was a great interview with Brennan! His commitment is so seen through this conversation and I loved listening to his process and how key it is to not only know yourself but your audience!
Brennan has unique on view on freelancing and conferences. As an introvert myself, my energy runs out very fast in a crowded event. Organizing event with small number of people is more introvert-friendly and more personal as well. Thanks for bringing such guest.
Great interview – I think it's so important to have the right mindset; having been a freelancer, it's the key to one's success.


Don't fall under the spell of the "bright shiny ball"
This may sound like odd advice for employers looking to buy HR and benefits administration technology, but it's one of the best pieces of advice an employer can receive. It is also one of the most frequent pieces of advice the Gruppo Marcucci team offers, as it's very easy to get hypnotized by the "bright shiny objects" associated with the vast amount of technology available to support organizational strategy, automation and compliance.
Most basic technology is not particularly interesting. Functional? Yes. Efficient? Yes. Cool and exciting? No. So, it's easy to understand the allure of the growing number of attention-grabbing features included with new solutions. Many of these flashy elements are very helpful and deliver significant value…if you need them.
And there's the rub. Frequently, employers find themselves charmed into purchase decisions based on how the software looks or performs, not on the problems it solves. This approach lies in mistakenly thinking of technology as a "what," instead of a "how." Following is an abridged version of the advice Gallagher's HR & Benefits Technology consultants offer employers interested in purchasing technology.
First, define the "what" you're trying to accomplish before looking for the "how" (technology). Take the example of time tracking software. What's your goal? Perhaps you're looking to automate time tracking while at the same time comply with regulatory reporting, or to determine if it's cheaper to hire another person than to pay overtime. Or, maybe you want to use the time to understand worker productivity, or if employees are spending time on activities that support business goals.
These are very specific and different objectives. And while there are tools to accomplish each, without first defining your needs, it can be easy to make a purchase decision based on a far less strategic basis — including attraction to a bright shiny ball.
Sometimes your "what" gets defined for you, e.g., a new state or federal law regarding time reporting. More often, however, it will require critical thinking about the challenges you're trying to solve for in your business. Your employees are your most important asset but don't approach this exercise as solving for HR challenges. Think about the company's objectives and the CEO's agenda. Employees will figure largely in any strategy to deliver on that agenda.
Following is a list of core workforce management areas and examples of a related "what." These "whats" may not be your "whats," but they should spark your thinking about your organization's strategic objectives and how HR and benefits administration technology (the "how") can support those objectives.
Talent Acquisition: Hire faster or hire better.
Onboarding: Shape new hires' experience during the first three months of employment to increase the rate of retention.
Core HR: Monitor compliance reporting, e.g., EEO-1, visa expiration, Americans with Disabilities Act, etc.
Performance: Change the performance management process from an annual review to continuous feedback.
Succession Planning: Identify future positions that will need to be filled and a pipeline of qualified people.
Compensation: Understand if you have a pay equity problem.
Learning: Determine the need for re-training or upskilling associated with increased automation.
Defining the "what" will lead you to the "how." The increasing sophistication of industry technology and ease of integration with existing or other new tools means that it's possible to identify technology solutions that address multiple "whats." Further, it's likely many of these solutions include bright shiny balls, which you are now free to look at and enjoy.
Gruppo Marcucci, which operates as Gallagher's HR & Benefits Technology practice, provides outsourcing intelligence and consulting to help organizations navigate benefits and HR technology challenges, and identify best-fit service technology solutions and providers based on well-defined needs.


These Tissue Paper Snowflake Luminaries are a perfect and simple holiday craft.
I truly enjoy crafting all year long, but there is something about the holidays that makes me want to craft more. I don't know if it's because growing up I always watching my grandmother and Mom craft more during the holiday season or if it's just because I love being able to give and receive a homemade gift. These tissue paper snowflake luminaries are such a fun holiday craft! They come together really quickly which makes it a perfect holiday party craft or even something you can do with your older kids!
I love how pretty these little luminaries look when the sun is starting to set! The sparkles from the Mod Podge Extreme Glitter adds a perfect wintery touch! Don't you love how snow glistens?
First you will want to punch out your snowflake shapes using your snowflake punch. I liked to fold my tissue paper over once so I could cut out two snowflakes at a time. It was also easier to slide in the tissue paper when it was a bit thicker. Using a small Mod Podge decoupage paint brush, brush on a small amount of your Mod Podge where your tissue paper snowflake will go. Press down lightly with your finger tip and add another layer of Mod Podge on top. I also painted it all the way around the glass so the whole glass was sparkly.
After your snowflake luminaries are dry you can lite a small tea-light or use a flameless candle. Because we painted on the outside of the glass either type of candle will work just fine.
I love how you can personalize the look of these luminaries. You can choose the classic red and green Christmas colors or branch out and do some soft pinks, golds, and blues! I think a set of these would make a great teachers gift as well!


text:
Surveyor-General of New Zealand is a position created in 1840 when New Zealand became a separate colony.

List of surveyors general of New Zealand

References

Lists of British, Australian and New Zealand Surveyors-General, Government Geologists... Retrieved 5 September 2016

Government of New Zealand


Click, hold and drag the image to see a 360° view of the product.
Looking to learn more about the unrivaled freedom of the Inogen One G3 portable oxygen concentrator? Click the link above to learn more and explore the various purchasing options available.
Includes the G3 unit, 16 cell battery, AC power supply, DC power cable, carry bag, cannula and manual.
The Inogen One G3 is one of the smallest portable oxygen concentrators, and one of the most versatile. It gives you the choice between two different battery sizes, depending on how long you need to be receiving your oxygen therapy.
The Inogen One G3 is perfect for oxygen therapy patients who love to stay active and continue doing the things they like to do. This portable oxygen concentrator is also ideal for using while you exercise, because of its small size and sleek shape. The Inogen One G3 16 Cell Starter Package provides you with up to 8 hours, of battery life. This package includes the Inogen G3 unit, your selection of 16 cell batteries, AC power supply, DC power cable, carry bag, cannula and manual.
The 16 cell battery, which automatically comes with your Inogen One G3, will keep your concentrator running for an average of 8 hours, and will only take about 4 to 8 hours to charge it from 0% back to 100%. If you choose to add the additional battery as an upgrade, you can stay out and about without worrying about charging your battery for hours. This is where extra batteries may come in handy – you can switch to an already fully-charged battery, and carry on with your day.
With pulse dose settings from 1 to 4, the Inogen One G3 delivers a higher dose of oxygen than other portable oxygen concentrators in its size range. If you couldn't get one of the smallest concentrators because they didn't have a setting high enough for your oxygen therapy needs, the Inogen One G3 would be the next best choice.
This gives you maximum comfort and portability, as it only weighs just a little less than 5.7 pounds, and that's with the standard 8 cell battery. It comes with a carry bag, designed specifically for the machine, so you don't need to remove it from your side to use the control panel. The controls are located at the top of the machine, and the carry bag has an opening at the top, which allows easy access. The shoulder strap is padded for even more comfort while you are receiving your oxygen therapy on the go.
Here is a complete list of Inogen One G3 specifications and features.
I have had mine for a while and it has changed the quality of life I have. I have both batteries which I highly recommend The lighter battery is great for short errands and trips to my doctor. The larger battery is great for trips. This machine is the best thing of it's kind on the market. Mr. Doctor was very impressed with it and said it was a good quality machine. It ill free you from those refillable tans which are a pain and no good for trips unless you want to take your giant home machine with you.. I just love mine. Thank you American Medical.
I traveled from Hawaii, via Las Vegas, on to New York with a one day stop over before continuing on to Europe. With the 16 cell and an 8 cell standby, the airlines approved my travel without hesitation. Have been on the road now for 5-weeks without a problem. I find it to be ideal for long distant traveling. I've been diagnosed with IPF and this machine allows me mobility at my present stage of affliction. Like it!
I got the G3 package with the 16 cell battery and I love the extra battery life. I recommend it for any active oxygen user.
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF documents. Download a free copy from the Adobe Web site.
G3 Unit (IS-300), 16 cell battery (BA-316) custom carry case (CA-300), AC power adapter (BA-301), DC power cord (BA-306), cannula (C-7), and user's manual (RP-311).
Click the following link to view question and answers for the Inogen One G3.


text:
Q: jQuery show and hide function along with MultiView and jQuery Cookie I am using the jQuery show and hide functions to present additional form information.  I am also using MultiView to switch between multiple pages of the form.   I have been reviewing a little about jQuery Cookie but not real sure how to implement the code.
I have the show and hide function working properly, I just need to figure out how to implement Cookies.  -Thanks
jQuery Script:

HTML (CheckBoxes)

Customer Options

                                HVAC Service
                                <asp:CheckBox ID="hvacService" runat="server" />
                                Third Party Site
                                <asp:CheckBox ID="thirdPartyService" runat="server" />

HTML (Portion of form that will will show or hide depending on the check)

                        Third Party Name (Website Name):
                        <asp:TextBox ID="thirdPartyName" CssClass="txtbx" runat="server"></asp:TextBox>
                        Phone Number:
                        <asp:TextBox ID="thirdPartyNumber" CssClass="txtbx phoneMask" runat="server"></asp:TextBox>
                        IVR Phone Number:
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                        User Name:
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                        Third Party Site Address:
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                        Secondary Phone Number (if applicable):
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                        PIN Number:
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                        Password:
                        <asp:TextBox ID="thridPartyPassword" CssClass="txtbx" runat="server"></asp:TextBox>

A: well, after reviewing a few other postings, I created the following:
$(document).ready(function () {

        $('.thirdPartyForm').hide();

        if ($.cookie('showhide') == 'showtp') {
            $('.thirdPartyForm').show();
        }

        $('#thirdPartyService').click(function () {
            if ($(this).is(':checked')) {
                $(".thirdPartyForm").show();
                $.cookie('showhide', 'showtp');
            }
            else {
                $(".thirdPartyForm").hide();
                $.cookie('showhide', null);
            };
        });
    });

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Tag Archives: Sublunary Editions
"The Morning" & "Just Write Anything!"
Two Stories by Osvaldo Lamborghini, translated by Jessica Sequeria, just out from Sublunary Editions (Seattle), measures a mere 80 pages (4 and ½" by 7" by ¼") and contains the pieces "The Morning" and "Just Write Anything!" and also an introduction (by Cesar Aira, translated by Adrian Nathan West), an acknowledgements page, a 4 page translator's note, and 62 endnotes (in a font size so small this reader's used eyes required over-the-counter reading glasses of +3.50 strength), almost as long as either story – indeed, a third story – as well as a Parental Advisory warning label (suitable for bookmark use), modified to read:
P A R E N T A L
A D V I S O R Y
One is tempted to form a review as response in a supposed style of the stories:
In the beginning was the word. And the ice dam(n) broke, the word escaped, and all hell broke loose, as in a Blow-up. A devil's drool ("Las Babas del Diablo," Cortazar). It was all done on a typewriter. That tin bell kept us awake. Its tintinnabulations. And he had to send his only son, or daughter, as the case may arise, to supply some endnotes, but he didn't explain to what end. And the notes musical, in a sense, pleasant. One confessed to eating the plums. Bless me Father, for I have eaten the plums. They were purple. And the season Lent. We had given up meaning for the season, without reason. And the church filled with words, every pew stuffed end to end. And every word related. In each word all the genetic material of the language, of all the languages, of the uttered universe. Prokaryotic flagellum. To allow word movement. The words stood, knelt, sat, stood, and filed out, one by one, pew after pew, line after line. Some disappeared. Through the blank pages of the cosmos, along the gaucho trails along the green rivers in the gorged valleys below the ghastly ghostly mountains, seeping through the pampas and the full drainage basins, out to sea. The sea, the sea! Wordomics. This is my body, a comics: "To ourselves … new paganism … omphalos" (Joyce, Ulysses).
Of the two stories, "The Morning" and "Just Write Anything!," the latter is perhaps the more accessible, comprehendible if not understandable, than the former, but the first, "The Morning," one might find more enjoyable. The two stories might have been written for two different audiences (although Aira's introduction suggests Lamborghini didn't write to any particular audience), but neither seems within the purview of the common reader. But what is within the purview of the common reader? Slogans? Well, slogans are comprehendible, but rarely understood. They become like magic words, spells. In the US today, MAGA might serve as an example; an argument of proposal in no need of backing, it is not an argument at all, but an order, a command. Authoritarian. Enter, sex, and why we need a parental advisory. Sex, like politics, manipulative, special interest, you scratch my back I'll scratch yours. For the working class, sex is one thing, for the middle class, something else. The middle class wants relief from guilt, a guilt the working class does not feel. The middle class wants to enjoy, to experience pleasure, guilty it has benefits others don't, but not enough that it can't also enjoy envy of those who have more. Thus the middle class craves perfumes and brands, must have fantasy and escape, ritual that includes punishments and rewards. The working class has not time nor appetite for values which can't readily be seen, measured, felt. As for Peronism and whether or not readers need a background in Argentine history to appreciate Lamborghini, Peronism might not be substantially different from any other ism around the world seeking to exploit one class by numbing another class for the enrichment of a third class, except that Peron started out wanting to make all of the people happy all of the time. But of course there are always those who don't want to be happy, or don't care to be made happy. Politics is sex without love.
In other words, for the working class, the word innuendo means exactly what it sounds like, while for the middle class, it can only suggest what cannot in what is sometimes called polite society (on the endangered species list) be directly talked about, and must be submersed in ambiguity, doubt, and mistrust. Enter Peron, that is to say, to wit, an imputation that what is valued most in each class can somehow be conjoined, but the ballroom can't hold everyone.
Click here, on the belly button, where you were tied to your mother, treading water in the salt marsh. You were still nullifidian then. All gills and fins. Your mother's voice coming muffled through the cloudy water. And then your cry, and then your sucking, and then your sleep, and then the tin bell, and the rhythm rolling. The next time you awake, you are swaddled in the bottom of a dory, your father at the oars, your mother tending a fishing line, all against a muddy current in coastal waters.
Lamborghini's writing is probably not egalitarian, not as evidenced by these two stories or the three poems appearing in Firmament No. 1 (Sublunary Editions, Winter 2021), not that it needs to be, yet it contains all the characteristics readers generally value. Humor surrounded by horror. The sweets and sours and bitters and salts of life. It is a writing of associative addition, one image conjuring up or giving way to another, the narrative like a bus ride, the bus stopping at the end of every sentence to let someone off and to take on another rider. Though these riders are not necessarily characters – they may be ideas, or props. Repetition is therefore valued, and memory encouraged. So that at the end of "The Morning," if asked what it is about, we can say it is about a character savaged. But the common reader wants her back scratched, not whipped.
The form (forms) of these two short stories appears very different in each, the one on the open sea, the other back and forth where the rivers spread in the tidal marsh. Jessica Sequeira's "endnotes" are indispensable, and actually a pleasure. For one thing, it's comforting as a reader to know you're in the same boat as other readers, translators, critics. That is to say, the difficulty is not yours alone, not yours at all. You are now able to read. And while the endnotes clarify, elucidate, inform, they also project, surmise, guess.
Sublunary Editions is an independent press out of Seattle. You can find a copy of Two Stories by Osvaldo Lamborghini here.
Posted byJoe Linker January 16, 2021 January 16, 2021 Posted inDiscuss, Mechanics, Reading, WritingTags:Jessica Sequeira, Language, Osvaldo Lamborghini, PARENTAL ADVISORY, Peron, Peronism, Politics, Reading Crisis, sex, Sublunary Editions
A New Modernist Journal
One of the characteristics of the small press literary journal is its short shelf life, if it makes it to a shelf at all. But its practitioners blast away nevertheless, their voices barely audible rising from the bottom rungs of the literary ladder. Another of its characteristics is the constancy of its myriad rebirths, even if in limited print runs, the first 30 signed and numbered by – someone. Another of its characteristics is its often assumed lack of what in academic argument is called ethos, by which is meant credentials, credibility, reliability, experience, imprimatur. A lack of ethos may fail to persuade even a cursory glance or worse garner a quick list of lit-snub snarks. The local librarian will probably file the journal with a few other self-published efforts on the free books and discards shelf. But the serious critic is always looking for the exception to assumptions and presuppositions, even if his leaning is hierarchical. Peter Molin's blog, Time Now: The Iraq and Afghanistan Wars in Art, Film, and Literature, provides a recent example of the critic wrestling with the ladders and scaffolding: "Small and indie presses help bridge the divide between professional publishing realm and amateur online authorial ranks (does an analogy to distinctions separating Special Operations, Regular Army, and National Guard troops work here?)." But Molin has already somewhat equitably posited, "The divide between professional and amateur vet-writing is a thing, but cross-boundary pleasure and pollination are everywhere possible." More of course could be said about that divide, a literary no man's land. The small press literary journal can only exist on one side of the divide. When it crosses over, it becomes something else; when it dies, it awaits discovery, or recovery, or rebirth.
Consider what is now called the Modernist Journal, indie starts from around 1890 through the first quarter of the 20th Century, most of which survived but briefly, but contained writing by contributors now considered influential if often still controversial, journals full of now canonical writers who at the time were experimenting with new ideas and forms, and many other writers who were mostly unknown and remain so. Readers can research, browse, discover these journals in the Modernist Journal Project, now housed at Brown and the University of Tulsa. Examples include Blast, Des Imagistes, The Egoist, The Little Review, The Masses.
All by way of introducing another new indie journal on the literary block, its first issue, Winter 2021, now in circulation – Firmament: A magazine of considered miscellany from Sublunary Editions. I received a print copy because last year I subscribed to the full suite of Sublunary publications via the annual subscription. Monthly and 6-month subscriptions are also available – all include the quarterly magazine, Firmament. The Sublunary productions, called "objects," are thin (Firmament No. 1 is 63 pages), with extreme care taken with design – typeset, layout, arrangement, presentation. Monthly, I get something from Sublunary in the snail mail.
Firmament is edited by Jessica Sequeira, a translator of Spanish texts who has also written a few original books, one of which, "A Luminous History of the Palm," was published in April, 2020 by Sublunary. I put up a short review of that book here at the Toads back in July. In her "Editor's Note" to Firmament No. 1, Jessica mentions several journals as examples of like, and liked, precursors, including Sur, 291, Der Sturm, and Claridad. The first issue of Firmament contains poetry, short fiction and excerpts, interviews, and nonfiction and columns – from an international cast of writers and translators. I count 23 contributors, 14 sections, in the 63 pages. I find that remarkable (and so I remarked on it). There is also a page devoted to drawings of a cat creature (tyger?), but it's uncredited (but it appears to be from the cover of the forthcoming Chevillard book). Another page is devoted to a preview of the upcoming April, Spring 2021 issue of Firmament, and another page listing more Sublunary objects forthcoming for 2021. And a page of "Endnotes." The issue contains a striking color scheme of red, white, and black. Clearly the editors are serious and professional, busy, planning ahead, with dedicated resources and action plans.
Eric Chevillard, French experimental author, is featured in Firmament No. 1, translated by Chris Clarke – both come with awards and previous publishing successes. "Chronology" (pgs 4-10) is a biographical summary of the life of one Thomas Jean-Julien Pilaster, compiled by one Marc-Antoine Marson, both fictional characters created by Chevillard. All three are writers, real and imagined, at least they live the lives one imagines a writer might live, born, perhaps, to lose (that is to say, live on the wrong side of the divide), as they are artists by temperament.
A poem by J. A. Pak follows, "Love Tattoo," and, yes, isn't a tattoo often a poem, often one of love penned on skin, though love can be removed.
Tony Messenger's "Fragments 1, 2 and 5," reflections on the divisions language may create (there's that theme of divide again), read like journal entries, notes, ponderings. I liked them enough to find Tony's blog, Messenger's Booker – the beauty of quick links. The name Tony Messenger was familiar, but the Firmament Tony Messenger is not the Tony Messenger who is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, not unless we're back in Chevillard territory.
If Firmament No. 1 were a syllabus, it would have to be for a year long course. "Lamborghiniana," an interview/conversation between Agustina Perez and Jessica Sequeira, about Osvaldo Lamborghini, makes this clear. But that is yet another characteristic of the small press literary journal – to suggest new directions of writing and reading, thought, expression, translation, literary virtual travel. Three Lamborghini poems are included, translated by Louis Chitarroni.
So, Firmament appears to be concerned with experimental and international writing. Yet, in Joshua Rothes's (founder and publisher of Sublunary Editions) column, "Pith & Self-Defeating," he says: "What I aim to propose in this inaugural column is that 1) most writing done with a specific set of aims is, after Parfit, ultimately self-defeating, 2) this process of undermining our stated aims is the most important part of the creative process" (38). Paradox, paradox, paradox, Thoreau might have epizeuxisly said. And Vic Shirley, another of the Sublunary editors, follows with this, in "Commitment to Chush": "Chush is Russian for nonsense," beginning a bit of a rant that seems both nonsensical and right on simultaneously (40).
I was glad to see comics represented, even if sans cartoons or drawings, with Maurizio Salabelle, translated by Jamie Richards, who has apparently translated some cartoonists. This I've yet to follow up on, but it's on my list of things to do.
And more, including two poems by Rilke, translated by Kristofor Minta, and fiction by Anna de Nosailles, translated by Christina Tudor-Sideri, and Carol Rodrigues, translated by Adrian Minckley, and poetry by Tim MacGabhann.
On the back cover, we find this brief description: "Sublunary Editions is an independent press dedicated to publishing brief volumes of innovative texts from authors past and present." True that, if Firmanent No. 1 is any example.
Posted byJoe Linker January 11, 2021 January 11, 2021 Posted inReadingTags:book review, Firmament, Modernist Journal Project, Small Press, Sublunary Editions1 Comment on A New Modernist Journal
Jessica Sequeira's "A Luminous History of the Palm"
"As I sit under the lamplights, I feel happy, I laugh, I talk to myself, I talk to the books. I talk to the trees, and in my mind the palms form a swaying jungle of stories" (57).
So ends Jessica Sequeira's beautiful book, "A Luminous History of the Palm" (Sublunary Editions, 2020), twenty-four short stories in which the author "imagine[s herself] in other lives" (1). The stories range from around 500 to 2,000 words, and are organized in triplets, set off by short notes that illuminate the form of the work; for example,
"To be luminous is not the same as to be enlightened. Enlightenment comes from the outside and implies progress. To be luminous is to generate affections and affiliations from the heart, belly and bowels of a situation in time, and form part of an organic system that is possibly infinite. It is to avoid abstraction, at least at the start, to prefer the concrete and sensual, the soft light forged by the bodies of stories as they crush together in violence or embrace" (29).
The concept, of occupying different characters over time, works using the human tool of empathy. What is known? What can be known, and how? How does one get to know? Where and how does the engine of cognition get started? This is not appropriation. It is a sharing of thought and experience. As argument, it is pathos, grounded in the emotional with passion. The reader becomes detached from any kind of narcissistic rendering, from identifying with, relating to, finding relevance to one's own life. One disappears into another. One's own interests are subsumed by history, and what emerges are anthropological vignettes, finds.
The vocabulary is exquisite: "Chinoisierie"; "crassulas, euphorbias, stapelias and aloes." The words used in each piece form a brilliant cover, the style fitted to the personality of the character: a "Healer, [from] Yemen"; a "Housewife, [from] New Zealand"; a "Surfer, [from] California" – and that surfer dispels and defies stereotype to get to the heart of the new and original. The vocabulary is natural to the character. "I've got my shortboard, bright orange, and a new haircut." That new hairdo – foreshadows a surprising identity, personality, transfixed and transposed by expectations and breaking away from the confines of one's predicament.
"We get through the book in about an hour, silently noting its patterns" (53). But why hurry? The Sublunary Editions copy is professionally bound, recognizable as a series, and "A Sublunary Object," a form that enshrines the short work in a book the reader will want to keep and save and, most importantly, reread and share.
I love the kind of writing found in "A Luminous History of the Palm." The design, the ideas, the language, the brevity, the characters, the places and descriptions, how easily they seem to change, the reader entering a new land, country, weather. And the book is encyclopedic, the way Borges can be, and full of mystery, the way Lispector wrote – brief, compressed. As each story opens, the reader feels a kind of petrichor of a particular place and time and the close smell of a person suddenly near and unexpected. The palm trees spread and growing throughout the book are also very cool.
A Luminous History of the Palm, by Jessica Sequeira, 2020, Sublunary Editions, Seattle, WA, sublunaryeditions.com
Photo: Lisa at Refugio, 1976, Joe Linker.
Posted byJoe Linker July 6, 2020 Posted inReading, WritingTags:"A Luminous History of the Palm", anthropology, Fiction, Jessica Sequeira, Sublunary Editions


You are in Home > Blog > News & Trends > Champagne on the Rocks?
Champagne on the rocks may sound like an ill-judged drinks offering at an affluent teen's sweet 16 party, but Champagne over ice is already one of this summer's biggest drinks trends.
As reported in the The New York Times, revellers have been seen quaffing Champagne on the rocks (a drink known as a "piscine" in the South of France, where it has long been drunk) at various social events, including the Coachella music festival and at the tennis at Indian Wells. Sweeter Champagnes work best, as they taste less sweet at a lower temperature and Moët & Chandon already have two specific Champagnes on the market for this purpose: Moët Ice Imperial and a rosé.
While some Champagne buffs may be gripping their flutes with horror at the prospect of diluting their favourite elixir – three large ice cubes are recommended, no crushed ice – our resident wine expert Ilkka Sirén has been swayed.
"At first the whole trend seemed weird," says Sirén. "I mean Champagne on ice?! Unless you're Bill Murray [a fan of the drink] or P Diddy you really shouldn't be allowed to do that. I'm not really a conservative wine drinker and even I had trouble wrapping my head around it.
Prepare to get some very odd looks when you order "Champagne on the rocks," but hey, you're a trendsetter – you're as cool as, well, Champagne over ice.


National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) is the world's largest single block building and exhibition complex with a total construction area of nearly 1.5 million m².
Facilities at NECC (Shanghai) include exhibition halls, the commercial plaza, office buildings and a hotel. These four facilities are linked together by an 8-meter-high elevated Exhibition Boulevard so that people can easily traverse these functional areas.
NECC (Shanghai) has a total area of 500,000 m², including 400,000 m² indoor exhibition hall and 100,000 m² outdoor area. The indoor exhibition area consists of 13 big halls with each of 30,000 m², and 3 small halls with each of 10,000 m², all accessible by trucks.
Over 60 fully-equipped conference rooms surround the exhibition halls. 1.5 km away from Hongqiao Transportation Hub, NECC (Shanghai) is linked to Hongqiao Airport and Hongqiao Railway Station by the city's metro line. Because of the convenient national highway network, the major cities in the Yangtze River Delta region are easily reachable within 2 hours.


I've been wary of broaching this topic for a while, because it's a little bit more about metrics and science than some other training concepts, which are very sociological. But, I can't avoid talking about performance management strategies forever. With the advent of gamification and continuing new output of new and innovative learning models and philosophies, this is going to be an increasingly important and to some, enigmatic factor in training and in daily performance as well.
The truth is that performance management strategies are more important than ever due to the need for continuous learning in most atmospheres. With the way progress moves these days, no sooner is something learned that something better or more complex yet effective comes along.
As a result, constant learning is more or less a must. This isn't to mistake an "endlessly learning" environment with the constant learning training model, though one can be the other, they are not synonymous.
With this state of unending learning in all things, there is an increasing need to have a good constantly updating snapshot of performance both in work and in learning proficiency.
The trick is, how do you measure proficiency in learning and performance this way? Well, there are some strategies for how to measure this, and what tools to use to facilitate it.
One of the most useful things for this task are software services which are designed with training in mind. Even in an environment which is officially not a training one, this software can be invaluable both for efficiency and for metrics.
Software like WalkMe, and numerous others, are capable of integrating with other software both to teach, watch and report. They can also step in and assist, on a daily level, to reinforce good practices as well as prevent mistakes from having quite so grave consequences.
Gamification, which is being widely embraced by the training and working world for engagement, is also a great strategy for having base performance metrics. Since gamification is very much modeled after the tabletop style of game rules and interaction, it is very statistical and numerical in its basest form.
This results in having employee stats very, very visible and easy to tabulate. Over time, it's possible to compare history of stats at given points to easily deduce performance in an elegant and simple way that is also very easy to communicate.
Another strategy is somewhat controversial. This actually would require consent from employees, even in a business atmosphere. But, logging searches for specific keyword combinations can provide an extra look at what topics are confusing employees, as they may deign to check Google or the like for an answer, rather than spend their time and someone else's to consult local assistance.
This is a slippery slope, and a strategy we don't' want companies adopting with customers as a natural progression though so this strategy, I highly recommend not using lightly. Relying on software and a model that has statistics in mind is the best route to go, but in an emergency if all else fails, you may consider this a last resort approach.
There are many performance management strategies out there, some more controversial than others, but being sensible like I have suggested works for almost everyone.


text:
Q: User is getting logged out if one tab is closed in Vue I am using localstorage to check and trace if user is logged in or not. At a time of login I am storing a token to local storage and validate in router/index.js.
router.beforeEach((to, from, next) => {
 if (to.meta.requireAuth) {
   const token = localStorage.getItem('Token') || ''
   const sessionToken = sessionStorage.getItem('Token') || ''

   if (token || sessionToken) {
    return next()
   } else {
    next({path: '/login'})
   }
 } else next()
})

I need two features: One, if user logs in and then opens a new tab/window then doesn't need to log in again. I used local storage for this feature.
Now Second, if user closes all the tab or window which is opened then user should be logged out.
The issue is: I am clearing local storage on a beforeunload event. But if user has opened two or more tabs, this event logs user out from each tab.


Evolution entails new diseases. You can think that every new gadget which is going out on the market is a good solution for every problem that it can solve. But the fact is that new technology apparels or devices involve great risks for the health of the people if those are not completely safe.
It happens nowadays with wifi technology. Invisible waves are transporting information from one room to another one or even from far away places every day. We, human beings, are in the middle of the waves.
For example, you are taking a cup of coffee in a terrace and next to your table there is a man who is taping on his portable. What happens? That this man is connected to a local wifi network and you are being pierced by the wifi waves who are going to his wifi wave's receiver on his netbook.
The problem is when this kind of radiation affects your body and then you become "wifi-active".


Warner Bros. Production Rentals was established in 2011 to provide a complete resource solution for productions of any size and type, from film and television to commercials and pop promos.
Our expert team combines decades of experience with a passion for the industry and a dedication to the highest levels of service. We're a truly global business, working with all productions on the WBSL lot as well as location projects all over the world. We constantly invest in new technology, and offer a huge inventory of high quality equipment, including lighting, rigging, green screens, generation, transport and consumables.
Our dedicated team is based at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, and while we provide packages for all on-lot studio productions, we also have a wealth of experience at providing expert services to national and international productions. Our clients include all the major US studios, as well as independent film and television companies, broadcasters, and production companies for commercial and pop promos. Our priority is ensuring that every client gets exactly what they need for a successful production.
With our wealth of experience and collaborative nature, we'll work closely with you to agree a bespoke package that perfectly suits your production, whatever the size of your budget or ambitions. And we're on hand 24/7 to ensure that you've always got the support you need to keep your production running smoothly. As a well-established and highly trusted organisation, we're members of the British Society of Cinematographers and The Production Guild, and proud to be seen as valued members of the international filming community.


It is impossible to overestimate the importance of Stuart Hall's work in shaping the field of racial and ethnic studies for nearly five decades.
From his groundbreaking work Policing the Crisis through to his paradigm shattering `New Ethnicities', Hall's writing has redefined how race research is thought and done, while Hall himself stands as an exemplar of the public and politically engaged intellectual.
This collection of essays, from established and emerging scholars, critically engages with Hall's legacy across this body of work, from the foundations of cultural studies as a field of enquiry, through his work on race and articulation, to his insights into `the politics of difference' and diaspora identities.
These essays both reflect back on Hall's interventions and locate them within some of the key spaces and questions of our time - from the `political theology' of race in South Africa to the terrain of the contemporary city, from reflections on memory, nationhood and belonging to new ethnicities online and the formation of postcolonial subjectivities.
The collection includes an in-depth conversation between Les Back and Stuart Hall, in which Hall reflects on his career and explores the challenges facing contemporary multicultural, multifaith societies in a globalised world.
This book was published as a special issue of Cultural Studies.


Yeah that looks like a panosonic head looks like a hoover s3670 canister for the quest. Miele Oreck combo was all the word at VDTA.
Hey guys it's been a while but I thought I'd check in... I work at a vac shop and have seen a few of these units come in for repair. So far the failures have been cord, switch and brush bearing/hair issues. Unfortunately there are no OEM parts. And their customer service by phone takes 2 weeks for a response and email takes about a week. Aside from the failures mentioned the units seem to be very sturdy, but open the hood and whoa.. looks like a problem waiting to happen.
Strange that Oreck an american company can open the clean home stores, yet TTI at the same time closes Hoover Service Centers with I'm assuming now lower production costs. Mexican and Chinese made products VS. American. I guess one way to think about this is to use the same old 30 year design that is extreme simplicity to increase production and lower the time to piece, or to increase the complexity and effectiveness through technology while lowering labor costs (overseas) (TTI). The result a similar market approach. Funny I think we / they are all in the same bed... Capitalism.. Yet if Oreck can maintain till 2010, it has great positioning. Going to read Marx now bye..
Ok I couldn't figure out how to embedd a pic. here is a link which shows graphically what Windtunnel is. It is somewhat difficult to see the channels in the plastics and the presence of the dirt duct, but you can see the airflow at least.
I am a WT tried and true believer. The difference in carpet cleaning and grooming with the HOOVER WT is self-evident. My dear Wife always knows when I use the WT vice any other upright vacuum. It beats all other uprights on rugs and carpets for all time.
I guess I may be splitting hairs.. But in this description: Unique Wide Mouth Opening makes quick work of vacuuming cereal, pet food, etc. Does this not modify the WT design? Should it still be called WT? Also where is the WT Duct cover which funnels debris from the front channel (tunnel) to the suction port? Where is the front channel (tunnel)? Where is the back channel (tunnel)? The only similarity I see and I'm looking at one now is the Helix brush design. This one feature alone to Hoovers own description of what windtunnel is does not cut the mustard. Although this cleaner works great and whatever, they can call it windtunnel like the monkier steamvac, The only similarity I see is the helix brush. we obviously have a case of one foot on land and one toe in the water. Wt is brand awareness, great job on this WT Variant/Hybrid though I love it.


Seeing the bodyguards that Yu CheIn called, he scratched the back of his head. She had called the bodyguards to the bar straight after her conversation with him.
The bodyguards had been waiting outside the bar, and approached them as soon as they left it after the end of the meeting.
All three of her bodyguards were female.
Thinking about it, it was obvious, but he had been too excited when she had mentioned attaching bodyguards to him, so his thoughts hadn't reached that far.
Probably because they were Yu CheIn's bodyguards, all three had refined mana, or inner qi inside.
Indeed, if he had three bodyguards of this level, even Park SeoJun wouldn't dare fight carelessly.
For starters, Han JinHo greeted them.
He thought it would be nice if Park SeoJun quickly carried out an ambush or something. The guy seemed to think he was looked down on, and those kinds of guys do not know when to give up. If he didn't properly punish him, that guy would probably annoy him repeatedly.
After greeting each other, Yu CheIn who had been standing still to the side intervened.
He replied without thinking too much. In fact, it would most likely finish much earlier than Yu CheIn was expecting. That Park SeoJun or something didn't appear to be a guy who postponed things.
Yu CheIn pouted her cheeks out with a wronged face.
Following her line of sight, he found a silver Rolls Royce car parked to the side of the road. He once again, nodded his head casually as if it was a trifling matter.
His attitude caused Lee SunHwa and other bodyguards to stare at him with a different light.
Yu CheIn expressed her unwillingness countless times before leaving.
After she left, Lee SunHwa approached with a step. She explained, word to word, to him how the bodyguarding would be carried out from here on. Two people would be bodyguarding at all times, while the other person would be resting.
Han JinHo thought for a while. The officetel he was living in was quite large, so two more people living inside wouldn't be too hard.
However, it was arranged for only one person to live in, so some preparations were required for three people to stay.
He got on the car after saying that. His confident attitude, as if he was using his own car, made the bodyguards including Lee SunHwa slightly speechless.
One of the bodyguards took the steering wheel and the other two got on the back seat with Han JinHo.
He rested his back comfortably on the seat and started viewing his smartphone.
Han JinHo's smartphone was an extremely special item. It was a phone that couldn't be found anywhere on the market. Although not entirely, he had remodelled a large portion of it, that it could be called a half-handmade good.
Accessing the information on the smartphone, he started to study a spell which he had saved on it.
Training in magic was simple. One just had to repeat it many times and become used to it. But there was a process they had to go through before that; that is, to fully understand the spell itself.
How the mana is transformed and how it travels, as well as why that has to be done – all of these had to be understood before actually being able to use the spell.
Han JinHo saved the spells which he had not fully understood yet on his phone and studied them whenever he had time, but now there weren't many spells left.
The only method was secret auctions after all. The fastest way was to purchase shining crystals from there.
It was natural for them to secure their information. Even after a ruin was fully excavated, its value wouldn't completely disappear. From the information they got from the ruin, they could appraise relics, and estimate the usage of those relics.
Thus, it was normal for ruins to be under complete control.
In truth, Han JinHo was the same. Well, his controlling method and reason was slightly different to other people, though.
The number of ruins he possessed was only one, but that one ruin would have a value incomparably greater than adding up dozens of other ruins. He would sometimes visit the ruin and carefully check if there was anything he had missed.
To view the profundities of the ruin, one needed good knowledge, and to find proper relics, one needed sufficient skills.
His ruin's level of difficulty was so high that it was currently at a bottleneck. Unless he improved his skills by a reasonable amount, he wouldn't be able to find any more from the ruin so he half-deserted the place.
Therefore, he needed another ruin.
He had to improve his skills while exploring other ruins, analyse the relics he would gain from there and train with them.
Thinking of such things while studying magic spells, they had arrived at the department store before he had realised it.
He nodded his head to Lee SunHwa's words.
Han JinHo unhesitatingly walked to the furniture corner of the department store and bought the biggest sofa there. It was at an astonishingly high price, but he didn't care.
After purchasing the sofa, he asked while looking at Lee SunHwa.
Lee SunHwa strangely looked at Han JinHo who had started walking away after nodding his head.
She found it weird. It was as if the Han JinHo she knew from the documents was completely different to the Han JinHo she was seeing now.
From within Yu CheIn's bodyguards, Lee SunHwa was the person who knew the most about Han JinHo. It was because she had been ordered by Yu CheIn's grandfather, Chairman Yu MyungHo, to look over the investigated information of Han JinHo.
On it, it said he was a university student and an orphan who was working part-time as an antique appraiser.
They obviously didn't, and that was what seemed odd.
Lee SunHwa was to the very end, on Yu CheIn's side, and wanted Yu CheIn to be happy. She recalled what Yu CheIn had repeatedly told her just then.
Lee SunHwa shook her head with a troubled expression. She didn't know where to start.
Han JinHo's officetel was fairly large, and without the miscellaneous stuff in the middle, there was still space after placing the large sofa down.
On that sofa was one of the bodyguards lying down asleep. It was as expected from a sofa which costed 20 million won, there was no discomfort when sleeping.
Lee SunHwa sat down on the side of the sofa and looked towards the bed. On the bed, there was Han JinHo, deeply asleep.
Today was the second day after the bodyguarding had started. But those two days had given her a general idea of what kind of person he was.
First he almost never went to school.
He had gone to school just once during the two days, and he came straight back after listening to a one-hour lecture.
And he held onto his smartphone all day.
It was her first time seeing such a lax person. It wasn't that he was lazy, since he woke up early in the morning, and lived a reasonably regular lifestyle.
But most of what he did everyday was related to his smartphone.
She was extremely curious as to what he was doing with his phone. She knew she shouldn't do it, but she still stole a glance once.
That made her even more curious. Han JinHo would sometimes be so occupied that it made his head appear as if it was steaming.
If she could see what he was staring at, she could find out his preferences and hobbies, and plant a positive image in him, but even that proved to be difficult and it troubled her to no end.
Soon, the day broke, marking the start of another meaningless day.
A sigh unconsciously left her mouth.
On the fourth day after the bodyguarding had started, a change finally occurred in Han JinHo's daily life.
Lee SunHwa's eyes brightened as she replied.
The bodyguard that was with them hurriedly left the building. It was to go to the parking lot and bring the car to the entrance of the officetel and wait there.
Han JinHo walked slowly with lee SunHwa.
Lee SunHwa was slightly tense. She wasn't having a good feeling today, since it was about time for Park SeoJun to make a move.
If the bodyguards weren't attached back then, something would have happened on that very day, but Yu CheIn's bodyguards including Lee SunHwa all had considerable skills so even Park SeoJun needed some preparations.
The silver Rolls Royce started like it was sliding down the road. After about thirty minutes of driving, they had reached their destination. It was a small coffee shop in ChungDam-dong.
Getting off the car, he said to Lee SunHwa.
In the end, she couldn't follow and decided to look at the things going inside the coffee shop through the wall of glass.
She could see Han JinHo who just entered nicely greeting a fashionable woman.
Lee SunHwa's eyes became slightly bigger. It wasn't a normal woman and was an astonishingly fashionable and beautiful woman.
She naturally couldn't be compared to Yu CheIn, but it still didn't give her a good feeling.
She came up with countless conjectures.
But Lee SunHwa didn't become careless in the slightest. She had judged that today would be the most dangerous day.
The person Han JinHo met up with was Choi MiKyoung. She had cleanly taken care of his request.
All the procedures were done, so all he needed to do was sign the contract, and pretty much walk a thousand miles with one foot.
While listening to her explanations, Han JinHo repeatedly nodded his head. Her work was carried out cleanly and it was to his liking.
First, one of the buildings was completely empty. It was out for sale because the company had gone bankrupt during the remodelling of the building.
Anyone who wanted to start something new would greatly covet the building, and she had successfully gotten her hands on it.
And, the other building was located not too far away from that building. It was only recently built, and was therefore expensive, but it had enough of its merits.
The buildings had been prepared, and the people that would be remodelling the building were already found. They weren't from normal companies; they were from special companies.
Speaking up to there, Choi MiKyoung's expression stayed business-like. Her face, eyes and attitude all had no hints of any emotion.
But for the next topic, her expression completely changed. It was as if all the distilled emotions were now spiralling up like a tornado.
Choi MiKyoung stared at Han JinHo with strange lights in her eyes and continued.
Sorry to bother you on this chapter, but as of currently chapter 14 of this series does not exist. There was a comment made someone else on chapter 15 but no follow up has been done yet. I am posting here to hopefully get your attention and ask you to please repost chapter 14. Thank you very much and I hope you have a wonderful day.
Chapter is up again, Thank you and thank you for all your hard work with this series.
sorry about that, has scheduled the whole lot the same day as a fire-and-forget but missed the 14.
On the prev chapter, it wisely said that the MC would like to prevent as much info leak as possible. And now, he shows off his wealth to the bodyguards. It doesn't damage him greatly, but it does make his actions redundant. He covers his tracks, he points them out. Eh?


As defined by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), a GT car is a 'vehicle built in small series for customers who are looking for better performance and are not particularly concerned about economy'. The 904 is a racing car built to satisfy the FIA's definition of a GT car.
Expertise gained while racing and developing the 550 and RSK Porsches laid the foundation for the 904. It was the familiar mid-engine layout which gave these early Porsches a distinct advantage. While many traditional people during the fifities, including Enzo Ferrari, remained skeptical of the mid-engined layout, both Cooper and Porsche paved the way for the mid-ship trend which continues today.
Motivation for the 904 project came after two fledging years of Porsche Grand Prix racing. After abandoning Grand Prix Racing in 1962, development was focused on sports car racing. Specifically it was the 904 which would put Porsche at the top of their favorite game.
As the FIA demanded one hundred examples had to be produced to meet homologation, the 904 was designed as a customer car with a full interior including a heater. This offering marked the first time a closed-top, mid-enigined Porsche was sold to the public.
Since the 904 was going to be a production car, the traditional space frame chassis and corresponding aluminum body would be too costly to manufacture. Such restrictions lead Porsche, with chassis designer Ing. Schroder into an entirely new approach.
Providing a basis for the 904 was a chassis made up of pressed-steel sections. On top of this chassis sat a unique fiber glass body shell which was bonded and bolted to the chassis. These construction techniques kept both costs and weight down which was essential for a production run of over 100 race cars.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, Ferry Porsche's son was responsible for the styling of the 904. After completing the Formula 1 and RS61 projects, Ferdinand had the confidence to use a new styling language with the 904. His work produced a body which had a drag coefficient of .33 Cd.
Over 50 fiber glass pieces made up to the body of the 904. They were built and assembled by the Heinkel Aircraft Company. Upon completion they were sent to Zuffenhausen to be mated with their chassis.
With its fiber glass body, the Porsche 904 was the first of a long line of plastic-bodied race cars. Fiber glass offered many distinct advantages: it didn't rust, was easily repairable, the molds were easily altered and most of all, it was lightweight.
Originally, the chassis of the 904 was designed to accept a number of engines and specifically the flat-6 from the upcoming 901 or 911 as we know it. Since the six-cylinder unit was developed to slowly, a revision of the type 587/2 engine found in the Abarth Carrera was chosen. This was Porsche's most famous engine at the time, featuring all-alloy construction, two spark plugs per cylinder and over-head cam shafts.
Dipl.Ing. Hans Mezger and his team of engineers, massaged the 587/2 turned into the 587/3. Most importantly, they raised horsepower from 155 to 180 at 7200 rpm. Another modification included larger cylinder fining as cooling to the engine was primarily executed with these fins and the large oil cooler.
Optionally, Porsche offered the type 771 eight-cylinder engine with the 904. It was again a two-liter engine, but offered 210 horsepower.
As mentioned before, the chassis of the 904 was built of pressed steel sections. At the basis of this structure were two long box-beams which ran the side of the car, tapering to bulkheads at both ends. Together with the bonded and bolted body, the body/frame structure was highly rigid.
Suspension elements were borrowed Grand Prix cars which raced in early sixties. Up front were double wishbones while the rear has unique twin diagonal arms guided by two longitudinal struts.
Outboard Porsche-ATE brakes were used all around. They were similar to the brakes on the 356-C which were manufactured in Germany under license from Girling. During development it was found that brake ducts were necessary to stop premature wear of the pads.
Since as many as one hundred and twenty 904s were sold to varying customers, the car competed in numerous hillclimbs, endurance races, sprints and rallies. The car would compete in the two-liter class against competition such as the Abarth Simca 2000 and Alfa Romeo Guila Tubolare Zagato.
As highlight to start of the 904's race career, Baron Antonio Pucci and Colin Davis took the outright victory at 1963 Targa Florio. They drove a standard specification 904 against competition including Porsche eight-cylinder prototypes, Shelby Cobras and Ferraris.
During the rest of the 1964 season, Porsche continued a streak of reliability which enabled them to be unchallenged in their class. The two liter manufacturer's championship was in Porsche's hands.
For the 1965 season, Ferrari posed a major threat with the release of their Dino 166. To match the Ferrari, Porsche modified the 904 to include more horsepower, wider racing tires, larger brakes and lighter fiber glass. It is also worth mentioning that during the 1965 season a variety of engines were used in the car including the flat-eights and the flat-sixes.
Again, Porsche took the class wins at the majority of the 1965 events. During the races where the 1.6-liter Ferrari showed up, it was narrowly beaten by Porsche. The Dino 166 made it apparent that 904 was going to need replacement.
The 904 was a car built during the end of an era having affordable race cars. Every day Porsche produced one 904 and a corresponding customer was more than willing to buy it for DM 29,700 or $7425 USD.
Future plastic-bodied cars, beyond the 904, would soon become to advanced and expensive to sell as a production vehicles. Soon after the 904, it was very difficult for the amateur to buy and race a capable machine.
The 904 started a trend which would motivate Porsche to manufacture sports prototype cars.


text:
Totem: The University of Western Ontario Journal of Anthropology
Scholarship@Western > TOTEM > Vol. 11 (2003) > Iss. 1
Deconstructing Homelessness
Leah Getchell, The University of Western Ontario
Getchell, Leah (2003) "Deconstructing Homelessness," Totem: The University of Western Ontario Journal of Anthropology: Vol. 11 : Iss. 1 , Article 13.
Available at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/totem/vol11/iss1/13
This document is now available on OJS
All Issues Vol. 24, Iss. 1 Vol. 23, Iss. 1 Vol. 22, Iss. 1 Vol. 21, Iss. 1 Vol. 20, Iss. 1 Vol. 19, Iss. 1 Vol. 18, Iss. 1 Vol. 17, Iss. 1 Vol. 16, Iss. 1 Vol. 15, Iss. 1 Vol. 14, Iss. 1 Vol. 13, Iss. 1 Vol. 12, Iss. 1 Vol. 11, Iss. 1 Vol. 10, Iss. 1 Vol. 9, Iss. 1 Vol. 8, Iss. 1 Vol. 7, Iss. 1 Vol. 3, Iss. 2 Vol. 3, Iss. 1 Vol. 2, Iss. 1 Vol. 1, Iss. 1


text:
Kelly & Pip's Fertility Conversation On 'Very Cavallari' Highlighted An All Too Common Worry Among Women
By Kayla Blanton
The May 4 episode of Very Cavallari took place in Kristin's favorite place: Cabo, Mexico. She and her best friends (and Jay) took a much-needed vacation to get their minds off of work, but they ended up talking about something much deeper. In the car ride to their day of outdoor adventures, Kristin's friends Pip and Kelly had a deep conversation about fertility and fertility issues that will hit home for many.
She has mentioned it during her past appearances on the show, but Pip struggled to conceive a child for years, and she finally decided to elect a surrogate to carry her children. When they were in Cabo, the surrogate was expected to go into labor at any moment, so she was constantly checking her phone and giving everyone updates.
"I've had eight miscarriages, I did 13 rounds of IVF, so this journey is extraordinary," Pip told everyone. She said she had been trying to have a child for eight years, and her surrogate was expecting twins. Her story struck a chord with everyone in the van, but it particularly hit home for Kelly. If you've watched the season so far, you know that she's discussed her dating life a lot and how she doesn't want to feel pressured to settle down, although she knows she wants a family and time definitely isn't slowing down.
Pip said that she was an advocate for freezing eggs. "Anyone that wants kids, they need to start now, even if it's like 10 years," she said. The crew turned to Kelly, who responded with a hoarse voice from all the partying they did the night before.
"Hearing about Pip's entire journey, when I really think about it, it just makes me want to go back to Nashville and get the ball rolling immediately, because what if it does take a long time?" she said. "I don't really know what's in store for me, but I know that I want a family one day. So I really wanna get that process started."
Kristin asked Kelly what she would do if she wasn't able to conceive a child when she was ready. "I think I would be OK ... like honestly if I go in there and they're like this is not gonna work for you, I will have peace," she said. "I just want to know ... I just want to know that I put in all the effort and then trust the universe on the rest."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, infertility affects 6.1 million women in the United States who are ages 15 to 44. That's about 10 percent. According to the Mayo Clinic, up to 15 percent of all heterosexual couples are infertile. Male infertility, or the inability to conceive, plays a part in over a third of those cases.
During their chat, Pip reassured Kelly that, regardless of what a doctor may say about her fertility, she will have a family if she wants one. "This is what someone told me. If you wanna be a mum, you will become a mother," Pip said. "And however you become a mum, it doesn't matter if it's genetically yours or you use a surrogate or you adopt. If you wanna be a mum, you'll be a mum. Plain and simple."
Kelly and Pip's candidness about their fertility, the uncertainty attached to it, and motherhood is honestly refreshing, will likely be welcomed by Very Cavallari fans who can relate all too well.


text:
Karyn White Returns to Stage to Seize the Day in San Francisco
Home → Entertainment → Music → R&B → Karyn White Returns to Stage to Seize the Day in San Francisco
Grammy Award Nominated Singer/Songwriter Karyn "Superwoman" White Makes Triumphant Return To the Music Scene at San Francisco's Famed Rrazz Room with An Evening With Karyn White
The woman who gave all women around the world a voice with the empowering song that became their anthem…"Superwoman" is BACK and scores another anthem with "Sista, Sista!"
Karyn White, Grammy Award nominated singer/songwriter who has worked with super producers Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and BabyFace, just to name a few, will make her triumphant return with her three-night performance series at San Francisco's famed Rrazz Room, located in the Hotel Nikko in beautiful Union Square. The special shows slated for March 1-3, will kick off her national tour.
White is returning with great new R&B/Pop music, led by her current single, "Sista Sista," another anthem for the ladies, promoting female empowerment. The song is the first single off her highly anticipated CD "Carpe Diem" (Seize the Day), due for release on KW Entertainment in May 2012.
Fans can expect White to entertain them with new songs and take them back in time with some of her smash hits including "Love Saw It," "The Way You Love Me," "Secret Rendezvous," "Romantic" and of course the show wouldn't be complete without "Superwoman."
How appropriate for White, the champion of music that speaks to the ladies to make her long awaited resurgence in March. March is Women's History Month with the 2012 theme being Women's-Education-Women's Empowerment.
Regal Chats with R&B Legend Lenny Williams
Losing Legends of the Motown Sound
Regal Chats with R&B Diva Karyn White
Introducing David M; Bringing Consciousness Back to Urban Music
OMI: Making Music, Making a Difference
Ohio Players Lead Guitarist Launches Solo Career
Have Black Male R&B Singers Lost Their Soul?
New Edition to Receive Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017
10 Must Have Christmas Songs for Holiday Season
12 Little Known Facts Learned From 'The New Edition Story'
New Edition Possibly Going on Tour With Stars of Miniseries
Classic R&B Makes Triumphant Return in 2018
20th Anniversary; 10 Best Urban Albums of 1998
Young, Gifted and Black: Remembering Aretha Franklin