text:
Features Profiles of a 3-Star Community MPHC: A 47-year commitment to community health care
FeaturesProfiles of a 3-Star Community
MPHC: A 47-year commitment to community health care
Mountain People's Health Councils was founded in 1974, and recently opened a dental and pediatric clinic in Oneida.
Profiles of a 3-Star Community is presented by the Industrial Development Board of Scott County on the second week of each month as part of the Independent Herald's Back Page Features series.
Editor's Note: This is the second in a two-part series in which Profiles of a 3-Star Community focuses on Mountain People's Health Councils. We began the series last month by discussing MPHC's recent prestigious awards, as it was named one of the top community health clinics in America. In this second and final installment, we focus on the history and goals of Mountain People's.
Mountain People's Health Councils Inc. has roots in Scott County that date all the way back to 1965.
It was then, during President Lyndon Johnson's "unconditional war on poverty," that the community health center model was born as a way to make sure everyone from every walk of life had access to health care. And although it might not seem that the war on poverty has improved the gap between the haves and have-nots in the half-century that has followed, one place the gap has absolutely improved is in that access to health care.
In addition to the traditional physician's offices in Scott County today, there are Mountain People's clinics in Oneida, Huntsville, Winfield, Norma and Elgin. That means that one in Scott County — no matter which furthest-flung corner of the county they live in — is ever more than 15 or 20 minutes from an available health care provider.
RELATED: Inside Scott Podcast episode with MPHC's James Lovett
It took a few years for Johnson's vision of health clinics in every underserved community to make it to places like Scott County. But, in the early 1970s, Congress approved funding for health centers, and MPHC was born in 1974.
"The people of Scott County came together and in a partnership with Vanderbilt University brought providers to the area," said James Lovett, who has served as CEO of MPHC for the past 16 years.
When Mountain People's first started, the idea was to ease the burden of travel. In those days, it took well over an hour to get from Smokey Junction to Oneida on roads that were often rough and rutted, especially during the winter months. In the beginning, providers who were recruited to the community saw people in their homes. They would stay with board members and others who were a part of Mountain People's. In fact, James Walker was one of the original MPHC directors, is still on the organization's board today, and opened his doors to some of the providers when Mountain People's first started.
"We had several of the board members that are still on the board today, and I don't want to leave anyone out because there were several people who were very instrumental in bringing Mountain People's to Scott County," Lovett said. "But James Walker is an example. He talks about the times the providers would come in and stay with him."
Eventually, the rural clinics as we know them today began to open. One of the United States' very first health clinics in an underserved area, in fact, was the Norma clinic. That was MPHC's first clinic, and the organization continues to operate that same clinic in the same location today.
"In 2021, certainly the roads have improved," Lovett said. "But, you know, being able to get transportation and get to the doctor is still the same issue that it was back then. So we try to make sure we have locations that can get people close to where they are in their community. The main premise of what we do is make sure people can get care. That means both making sure people can get access to care, places you can get to easily, and also care that you can afford."
The latter issue is where MPHC's sliding scale fees come into play. The sliding scale payment system is central to everything the organization offers.
"It's not just the sliding fee that we concentrate on," Lovett said. "A huge share of our patients are private (insurance). They've got the Cadillac insurance program. We've got those, and we've got the people who have no insurance and couldn't afford care if it wasn't for Mountain People's. We are just honored to have them all. Our goal is to make sure the county has the best health care that it can get."
In recent years, Mountain People's has undergone greater growth than at any other point during its 50-year existence. Lovett said that's because there's so much need within the community.
"Through the years, there's been a lot of change," he said. "Scott County was at one point certainly a proud coal mining community. We used to have a lot of big factories and things, but a lot of those things have gone away. But it's still a community with proud people in it. People drive to Knoxville every day and come back here because they love where they live. Being able to provide the services that allow them to come back, that allows us to have the level of health care that they need, is very important to Mountain People's."
As part of that emphasis on all-encompassing services, MPHC has recently added a pediatric clinic, a dental clinic, and has added behavioral health to its offerings. As drug abuse has become a bigger issue over the years, the organization has also aded a MAT — Medication-Assisted Treatment — program for those who are battling addiction.
Lovett is especially proud of the behavioral health component of MPHC's offerings.
"It's real hard to live your best life if you have a mental health condition and you're struggling with that," he said.
Lovett points out diabetes as an example.
"Diabetes is so prevalent, not just in Scott County but everywhere," he said. "You may have someone who can't control their diabetes and we struggle to get it under control with their office visits. And you may find out later that maybe they're depressed, which has a significant impact on your overall health. Once we're able to get that depression or anxiety under control, it may be easier to control their diabetes.
"The flip side of that," Lovett added, "is you may have someone who comes in to be treated for depression, and one of the reasons they're depressed is they just feel awful all the time. Maybe that's because of undiagnosed diabetes or another chronic health issue."
Lovett said part of MPHC's approach is to bust the stigma surrounding mental health.
"Do people have to see the mental health provider? Absolutely not. But it's there," he said. "And all of us run across situations in life where we might need a little help, where we might need to talk to a counselor. Diabetes isn't a life-ending diagnosis, but it's a life-changing diagnosis, and it's one that can hit you pretty hard."
So MPHC now utilizes a care team for its sickest patients. The care team consists of the primary care provider, a behavioral health provider, a case manager, a case coordination professional, and pharmacy services are also available.
"We utilize all of those working together as a team to provide the best level of care and help somebody who is struggling," he said.
What is now offered by MPHC is probably something that even President Johnson couldn't have envisioned back in 1965 when he had a goal of delivering health care to the poorest, most under-served communities in America. But there's no doubt in the minds of Lovett and others that it is making a difference.
"If you want to know why community health centers like Mountain People's exist, it is to make sure people have access to care," Lovett said. "Why is that important? Because from a monetary standpoint, when people get sick and don't have access to the doctor, they just get sicker. Over time that has a real negative impact on the individual, and eventually they're going to get sick enough that they make it into the hospital which requires a great deal of services and a great deal of money."
Reaching people before their chronic illnesses like diabetes, COPD and heart disease progress is a win-win for everybody, Lovett said.
"If we're able to keep you healthy, you win," he said. "And if we're able to keep you healthy, we win from a taxpayer standpoint. And the community wins. If we can help make as many people in our community as healthy as we possibly can, that's a win-win across the board."
However much MPHC has evolved since 1974, it's bound to continue to evolve. For Lovett and his team, there are always new issues to tackle and plans on the drawing board. He's reticent to talk about them in terms of specifics, because the best-laid plans don't always come to fruition. But, he said, Mountain People's has no intention of resting on its laurels. There are more sick Scott Countians to care for.
"If there's a need and an opportunity to make things better, we're going to do our level best to make it happen. That's what I can guarantee," he said.
Some of those plans may come to fruition "fairly soon," Lovett said, while others might take longer to realize.
"We're just trying to figure out the best way to get them to Scott County, and not just provide the services but provide them at a high level," he said. "I'm a firm believer that the people in Scott County deserve the very best, and we're going to do our level best to make sure that they get them."
Again: Mountain People's Health Councils recognized as one of nation's top health care clinics
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When toggled on, attacks deal Magic Damage and apply Harkon's Blade to attack target for 3 seconds. Each attack costs 75 Mana while active.
Tooltip error: Harkon's Blade debuff lasts 5 seconds and costs 50 Mana per attack.
Harkon's Blade will override passive Attack Modifiers when toggled.
If toggled on a ranged hero, it gains a different attack projectile that has 1200 speed.
Each attack will remove 50 Mana rather than directly spending it. This is not considered "Mana spent," so it does not trigger effects such as Master of the Mantra, Nome's Wisdom, or Mana Sunder.
Version 3.8.0 + Recipe cost increased from 500 to 600 ; total cost unchanged. + Damage decreased from 27 to 20. + Mana Regeneration decreased from 150% to 125%. + Attack Speed increased from 10 to 15.
No longer drains the last of your Mana while giving you no magical attack.
Mana Cost per attack decreased to 50 from 75.
Fixed Harkon's Blade so you can't get magical attacks when out of mana.
Fixed Harkon's Blade dealing 0 damage on a Magic Immune target while the toggle was active.
Can now be toggled while stunned.
No longer stacks with other Attack Modifiers.
Mana Cost per attack increased to 75 from 50.
Mana Cost per attack decreased to 50 from 100.
Recipe cost decreased to 500 from 725 .
This page was last edited on 15 December 2015, at 02:28.


Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has given Yahoo's board three weeks to accept Microsoft's $31 per share buyout offer. If Yahoo still does not move, he said Microsoft will put the offer in front of Yahoo shareholders and initiate a proxy fight. He also intimated that Microsoft might revise its $40 billion bid. Downward.
Barbara Darrow can be reached at bdarrow@techtarget.com.
From my point of view Software Automation is a requirement and definitely it adds to savings for the organization.
If you look around in any industry the Automation has taken up a significant role starting from power looms to the Automobile assembly lines and latest being self-replicating 3D printers which is a future trend for AI + Automation.
And that kind of Automation will be the case with Software industry as well. The main difference in the Industrial Automation and Software Automation is that Industrial Automation is more towards "Production" whereas Software Automation is more towards "Development".
Actually the problem arises when management starts looking at the Automation as a replacement for Testing/Validation and start replacing Testers with Automation Framework + Scripts, which is not the right way to look at it. Validation is a process to ensure the quality(which I would say include the design, usage & conformance aspect as well) of the product being developed and automation is just an enable to support some part of validation so Automation is not a replacement for Validation but an enabler. And Automation is just a shadow of Validation i.e. it just mimics what Validation would be doing so the effectiveness of Automation is completely based on what the effectiveness of the Validation Strategy is. So you can have a very good Automation framework to support you but if your Automation Strategy is based on "weak validation strategy" then no "great Automation framework/tool" can help you achieve quality.
And it's been rightly pointed out that the most important entity in ensuring quality is the tester and Automation is a tool available for him/her to get few of his tasks done to achieve his/her objectives.
Now talking about "savings" again is a bit subjective so first let me ask a question… has "Automation of transportation" i.e. Automobiles helped us save cost in achieving objectives (e.g. movement of goods before it gets spoilt, movement of people to certain location to get some work done etc.)? The answer is definitely "yes" but currently do we calculate that cost… the answer is definitely "not", but that doesn't mean that it has not helped. So we need to start looking at Automation as any other tool which helps us achieve our overall objective.
If you look around in any industry the Automation has taken up a significant role starting from power looms to the Automobile assembly lines and latest being self-replicating 3D printers which is a future trend for Artificial Intelligence + Automation.
And that kind of Automation will be the case with Software industry as well. The main difference in the Industrial Automation and Software Automation is that Industrial Automation is more towards Production whereas Software Automation is more towards Development.
Actually the problem arises when management starts looking at the Automation as a replacement for Testing & Validation and start replacing Testers with Automation Framework + Scripts, which is not the right way to look at it. Validation is a process to ensure the quality (which I would say include the design, usage & conformance aspect as well) of the product being developed and automation is just an enable to support some part of validation so Automation is not a replacement for Validation but an enabler. And Automation is just a shadow of Validation i.e. it just mimics what Validation would be doing so the effectiveness of Automation is completely based on what the effectiveness of the Validation Strategy is. So you can have a very good Automation framework to support you but if your Automation Strategy is based on weak validation strategy then no great Automation framework/tool can help you achieve quality.
Now talking about savings, again is a bit subjective so first let me ask a question… has Automation of transportation i.e. Automobiles helped us save cost in achieving objectives (e.g. movement of goods before it gets spoilt, movement of people to certain location to get some work done etc.)? The answer is definitely yes but currently do we calculate that cost… the answer is definitely not, but that does not mean that it has not helped. So we need to start looking at Automation as any other tool which helps us achieve our overall objective.
I completely agree, and would make the point that creating better testers and quality-minded engineers is MORE important than your automation effort. In our Agile working structures it is necessary to have both in place in order to realize the power of fast and nimble development. We need scripted tests that can run with every build process, along with integration and regression tests that continually give us confidence in the stability of our code.
In addition we need well trained engineers who can investigate requirements, explore complex data relationships, understand the customer needs and use of the product, create a testable architecture, and constantly groom and improve the testing cycles to keep them current and efficient.
So many lessons of Quality Assurance principles have gone out the window in the last decade because teams are pursuing the magic bullet in agile and test automation. I still see agile teams that put off the testing until "the next sprint", or pile all of the testing on the shoulders of a few QA Engineers, hopeing they do enough coverage. The core quality principles, while changing, remain an integral part of developing a complete quality lifecycle. Perhaps the most obvious one is the idea of continuous improvement. The agile teams that practice retrospectives and are always improving are in the minority today, and even then most focus on improving other areas and not quality.
1. Train your QA staff more effectively in automation and Quality Assurance principles. Build a more capable testing staff. Augment with outside help, but it is important to grow your talent internally.
2. Have each agile team commit to one single quality improvement with each retrospective. The incremental improvement over time will transform your practice and lead to higher quality and productivity.
Finally, as a Quality Leader you need to be an advocate for these things and help the agile teams and the executive management understand and see the value in building quality into your everyday practice.


text:
Melissa Tabeek.
US Embassy Protests in Amman*
tags: america, amman, anti-america, innocence of muslims, islam, jordan, prophet mohammad, protest, us embassy
Protesters gathered in front of the U.S. Embassy in Amman on September 14, chanting anti-American slogans.
Last night just before 7 p.m. as the sun was beginning to set on the city of Amman, I hopped out of a cab in front of the U.S. embassy, where there were about 150 protesters across the street from the heavily–guarded compound praying.
About five minutes after I arrived, the demonstrators began to chant and wave the black flags of jihad — which represent a fight for God — in the air.
"Leave you bastard, Leave you pig, The ambassador should leave!"
"No American embassy on Jordanian land!"
"Death to America!"
A man screamed into a megaphone, held up on the shoulders of his fellow protesters. An angry woman in a black nikab shook a Koran in the direction of the embassy. Another woman in front of the crowd shouted herself hoarse, "No more Americans in Amman!"
This particular protest brought a day of unrest throughout Amman, Jordan's capital, to a close. Earlier in the day, after noon Friday prayers, there were demonstrations at and near the U.S. Embassy, as well as downtown, where American flags were burned and the now infamous YouTube video, Innocence of Muslims, was rallied against.
Police outnumbered the protesters, creating a barrier that blocked the shouting mass of people from the street. On the other side in front of the compound, about 40 additional men in riot gear formed a line behind concrete barricades. Behind the riot police were several trucks manned with artillery and more security, at the ready if needed.
Dusk turned to night, and the demonstrators, mostly young and middle-aged men, alternated between sitting down and listening as someone in the middle of the group spoke, then standing up and jumping as they began their rally call again, index fingers held up together in the air.
"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
Friday night protest in front of the U.S. embassy.
Several men at the front of the group facing the embassy each took off a shoe and shook them at the consulate in unison, matching their movements to the rhythm of their chants. "We said goodbye to Bush with two shoes," as a warning to Obama to be careful.
About an hour after it had began, the crowd began to disperse. The group was a mix of people from different movements. Some, like Hanaa Abed-Alghani, stopped to talk to us about why they were there. Abed–Alghani promised that her and the people from her new movement, Cleaning Jordan, would gather again on Sunday, September 30 at 3 p.m. in front of the Syrian embassy. Mohammad Hyasat, wearing a sharp black suit and white dress shirt, explained that he was from a group called Alliance of the Virtuous II.
Before leaving, they announced that they would gather today and promised a large protest next Friday as well.
*Much thanks to Talal Al-shoubaki for contributing translation and reporting!
*Note: I changed the headline of this post after Newsweek came out with their "Muslim Rage" issue. I was reminded of the importance of sometimes skipping the sensational headline and giving serious thought to what negativity and imagery can be conveyed when an eye-grabbing header is published above an article without proper context – even on a blog.
from → Friday Protests
← A Week In Jordan
Muslim Rage? →
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Windows chief Steven Sinofsky leaves Microsoft: Did he quit, or was he fired?
By Sebastian Anthony on November 13, 2012 at 8:24 am
In a rather unexpected shakeup, Steven Sinofsky — the head of Windows — has departed from Microsoft, effective immediately. He is succeeded by Julie Larson-Green (Sinofsky's second-in-command and head of UX for Windows 7 and Windows 8), and Tami Reller — the Windows CFO — will see her role expand to encompass "the business of Windows."
The question on everyone's lips, of course, is whether Sinofsky left on his own accord, or if he was fired. Publicly at least, Microsoft is trying to paint Sinofsky's departure as amicable: "I am grateful for the many years of work that Steven has contributed to the company," CEO Steve Ballmer says. In Sinofsky's own farewell letter to Microsoft employees, he begins by saying, "After more than 23 years working on a wide range of Microsoft products, I have decided to leave the company to seek new opportunities that build on these experiences."
Internally, though, there are rumblings that Microsoft's top brass were just waiting for an opportune time to get rid of Sinofsky — and now that Windows 8 and the Surface tablet are out of the door, it was time for Sinofsky to follow suit. As always with this kind of thing, we only really have rumors to go on, but the prevailing opinion seems to be that Sinofsky was aggressive, divisive force that was hard to work with. It sounds like he was the ultimate champion of Windows — but at the expense of scuppering the work of other Microsoft departments. Famously, Sinofsky's Windows worship is rumored to be the chief reason behind the stillborn Courier tablet. There is also reason to believe that Sinofsky's antagonistic tunnel vision may have caused the departure of J Allard, Robbie Bach, and other veteran 'Softies.
Windows 8: Metro and Desktop, forever enemies
There is also the possibility that Ballmer and other members of the board were unhappy with Sinofsky's handling of Windows 8 — though, of course, Microsoft could never publicly say that. The jury is still out on whether Windows 8: Jekyll & Hyde Edition will be a hit with consumers or not. As the head of Windows, Sinofsky undoubtedly signed off on the uncomfortable union of Desktop and Metro within Windows 8 — or, worse, it may have been all his idea. The success of Windows 8 is still far from guaranteed, and an internal admission that Sinofsky did a bad job wouldn't be good for business.
Or maybe we're simply reading too much into Sinofsky's departure. He had been at Microsoft for 23 years, after all. Maybe it was just time for a change — and leaving just after a major product release is certainly the best time to do that. Many analysts had him down as the prime contender for the CEO spot, when Ballmer eventually steps down or is ousted — but there's nothing to say that Sinofsky couldn't go back to Microsoft, perhaps after a stint at another technology company.
It would be nice to wrap up this story with a positive note, but really, the bulk of Sinofsky's Microsoft legacy is Windows 8, and how he will be remembered will depend entirely on its success — or failure.
Now read: Windows 8: The disastrous result of Microsoft's gutless equivocation
Sinofsky
larson-green


This happens to winemakers all the time, especially if they are judged on sales' figures and/or critics' reviews, which most of them are. I once sat round a table with a bunch of Californian oenologists, several of whom bemoaned the styles of wines they had to make to get high scores from certain American wine writers. They wouldn't drink soupy reds with 15.5% alcohol, lashings of new oak and over-ripe fruit at home, but, hey, that's what their employers told them to make. Short of resigning on a point of principle - and facing the same scenario at the next winery they worked for - they had to lump it.
Making mass-market wines requires huge compromises, too. You start out in life hoping to craft, say, world-class Pinot Noir or Riesling, and end up presiding over millions of bottles of something sweet and innocuous that sits on a gondola end in a UK supermarket on some spurious half-price deal.
Things are much simpler if you own the winery. But it still takes courage and determination to be true to your vision. That's why I was inspired by a recent visit to the Joan d'Anguera winery in Montsant, where two brothers, Joan and Josep, have made radical changes to the way they farm and ferment their grapes.
To an outsider, especially someone looking at the success of the business, their decisions would appear rash, or even slightly crazy. Here is a winery that was already regarded as one of the best in Montsant and was regularly receiving high scores from the American and Spanish critics who wield the greatest power in the region. But the brothers didn't like the wines they'd grown up making with their father. "They were like jam," says Joan. "They were heavy, not ethereal."
Inspired by the encouragement of Joan Valencia of the brilliant, Barcelona-based wine merchant, Cuvée 3000, they decided to do a U-turn. They switched to biodynamic methods, picked earlier, stopped destemming their grapes and changed from mostly new to only old barrels. The results were promising in 2012, but spectacular in 2013. The Altaroses and Finca L'Argatà, both made from 100% Grenache, are two of the best young reds I've ever had from Catalonia.
How have people responded to the new style? No one has shouted "Judas", the way Bob Dylan's fans did when he went electric in the mid-1960s, but Josep admits that they've had to find new consumers for their wines. "Ninety per cent of the wines produced in Spain these days have no history. We are trying to recreate the classical wines of our village, Darmos. I want to make wines that reflect our vineyards, which express the Mediterranean, rather than tasting like a carajillo (a mixture of coffee and brandy)."
They've stopped showing samples to critics, too, after one prominent local wine writer told them that their 2013 Planella, a spicy, refreshing, violet-perfumed blend of Syrah and Carignan, reminded him of a Navarra rosé.
"It's hard to make an easy wine, where you have the courage to do little or nothing to it, but a lot of people don't understand that," adds Joan.
The d'Angueras' abandonment of what my colleague Jamie Goode calls "spoofy wines" in favour of something they regard as a more genuine expression of terroir is becoming increasingly common. Until comparatively recently, the most prominent example of this stylistic volte face was Gérard Gauby in the Roussillon region of southern France, who also decided he didn't like his own award-winning wines. But now it's becoming a global trend.
Over the past 20 years, the international perception of red wine quality has been dominated by colour, oak, softness and ripeness, promoted by a handful of wine writers and globe-trotting consultants. In some places, this was a useful and necessary development. No one likes scrawny, fruitless wines, after all.
But the style has become a caricature, effacing differences between regions (and within them) and producing increasingly homogenous fine wines. The damage, for that is what it is, has been particularly acute in Bordeaux, Ribera del Duero, Rioja, Bolgheri, California, Argentina, Australia and Chile, but it's apparent almost everywhere serious red wines are produced.
Have we reached a tipping point, a moment when producers, sommeliers, wine writers and consumers say they've had enough? I believe we have. All over the world, and not before time, wines are shifting towards freshness, balance and fresher fruit flavours, with less prominent oak and alcohol and a greater sense of place. It's like standing in a stuffy room and opening all the windows. The fresh air is unfamiliar at first, but it's wonderful to breathe.


text:
Q: can sites detect javascript executions on consoles? Im building a bot and im wondering whether if its even possible for sites to detect javascript executions on the console. For example for a certain site the bot needs to add the item to cart and I do this
document.getElementsByClassName('w_C8 w_DA w_DF')[0].click()

through the bot will sites be able to detect that it wasn't an actual human clicking or will they automatically now it was code run to click the button

A: Yes they will be able to detect that, because click event contains more than just an information that it have been clicked, for example coordinates of a mouse pointer. You can check that yourself by defining onclick function, for example:
document.body.onclick = function(e){console.log(e)};
document.body.click();

Now click and check the difference in console.
In onclick event object there is also a direct notification if it was actually clicked, or triggered:
e.isTrusted: false // clicked automatically
e.isTrusted: true // real click

Does anybody actually check that? Most sites surely don't.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Android-Async-Http Library post error? I am currently using android-async-http library to send a post/get requests. I didn't have any problem before but now i realize that it gives me timeout error if i send this request without image data. (There is no error if i send exact same request by putting image data as well.)
RequestParams params = new RequestParams();
params.add("mail", mail.getText().toString());
params.add("password", pass.getText().toString());

try {
if (!TextUtils.isEmpty(imagePath))
    params.put("image", new File(imagePath));
} catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
    e.printStackTrace();
}

AsyncHttpClient client = new AsyncHttpClient();
client.setTimeout(60000);
client.post("some_url", params, myResponseHandler);

What is the reason of this?
Thanks in advance.

A: After comparing requests and responses, i found out that the case was content-type. With image it was posting multipart, and without it something else.
So i got into RequestParams class in library, and made these changes. Now it works fine. For further troubles i am posting changes that i've made.
I put a flag to determine this request should post as multipart or not:
private boolean shouldUseMultiPart = false;

I created a constructor to set this parameter:
public RequestParams(boolean shouldUseMultiPart) {
    this.shouldUseMultiPart = shouldUseMultiPart;
    init();
}

And then on getEntity() method i applied these lines:
/**
 * Returns an HttpEntity containing all request parameters
 */
public HttpEntity getEntity() {
    HttpEntity entity = null;

    if (!fileParams.isEmpty()) {
        ...
    } else {
        if (shouldUseMultiPart) {
            SimpleMultipartEntity multipartEntity = new SimpleMultipartEntity();

            // Add string params
            for (ConcurrentHashMap.Entry<String, String> entry : urlParams
                    .entrySet()) {
                multipartEntity.addPart(entry.getKey(), entry.getValue());
            }

            // Add dupe params
            for (ConcurrentHashMap.Entry<String, ArrayList<String>> entry : urlParamsWithArray
                    .entrySet()) {
                ArrayList<String> values = entry.getValue();
                for (String value : values) {
                    multipartEntity.addPart(entry.getKey(), value);
                }
            }

            entity = multipartEntity;
        } else {
            try {
                entity = new UrlEncodedFormEntity(getParamsList(), ENCODING);
            } catch (UnsupportedEncodingException e) {
                e.printStackTrace();
            }
        }
    }

    return entity;
}


Shell Helix Rally Estonia held on 13-15 of July is a very important event for Karl Kruuda. Last time he was competing in Estonia was at Rally Estonia 2015. Now is he back and ready to tackle the stages. As his regular co-driver from previous seasons Martin Järveoja is working with Ott Tänak now, his co-driver will be Annika Arnek and they will be driving Ford Fiesta Proto car. It is good to see that after a sabbatical year also Karl's brother Gustav Kruuda is back. For him Shell Helix Rally Estonia is a debut with 4WD car as he starts the home event with Kalle Adler in Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X.
Karl Kruuda's name is familiar to the rallyfans. With Martin Järveoja they competed in WRC series in JWRC, SWRC and WRC 2 classes. Last year he competed in China with Dale Moscatt. Their best result was second place in Duolun China Auto Rally with Subaru Rally Team China.
"Rally Estonia is one of my favorite events where I always wanted to participate. I have missed only one event, in 2016. As Urmo Aava, who's my mentor and good friend, is organising this event it is hard not to compete here. Also as far as I know, a lot of work has been done for this year's event. Safety, stages, spectator areas and entertainment. I'm sure that we will have a great autosport weekend and also for me this is a good chance to prepare myself before the season in China where I will be competing for Volkswagen team," says Kruuda.


Dropping to my knees, slithering on my belly, running here and there in zig-zag fashion, all the while making strange noises, does draw a few strange looks from passerby. I'm used to it: I'm a pet photographer.
One of the difficulties of being a photographer is trying to carve out time to photograph my own loved ones. Almost weekly, I find myself encouraging someone not to wait, yet I myself find it all too easy to say "Next week when I'm not so busy…" But "next week" is always busy. So on a recent trip from Placerville to San Francisco to meet with a dog training client, I decided to bring my own dogs, and my camera, and visit our old stomping grounds, and the best place on the planet: Fort Funston. I let the dogs simply romp and have fun, and didn't try to pose them or control things in any way. I watched, enjoying their enjoyment, and let the right moments, photographically speaking, find me.
Luna had to stop and rest many times, and watching her was a bittersweet: a reminder of how precious our time together is, and how important it is to live in the moment with her, but also to preserve those moments regularly with photographs. Vesta is in the prime of life, and can run forever, then still strike a pose like doggie supermodel!
I'm feverishly working on the final details for the Horse Photography & Business workshop I will be co-teaching with Suzon Murray of Fuzzywunkle, September 18-20, 2015 in Castro Valley, California (in the San Francisco Bay Area). We will be covering business & marketing skills and information, editing & post-processing fundamentals, portfolio development and review, and of course we have lined up some great horses and models for multiple photoshoots. Cost for this 3-day intensive workshop will be $1495, but if you sign up before June 15th, you will receive the Earlybird price of $1195.
If you're interested in being added to the mailing list for more details or hear of special deals on photography workshops, please message me and/or sign up for my email list.
A beautiful horse in the Shelton Herd at Return to Freedom wild horse sanctuary.


Tea Pot - Made in Japan high-quality teapot made in Tokoname City. This teapot has a fine mesh system which is used specifically for deep steaming (Fukamushi) tea.
Made in Japan high-quality teapot made in Tokoname City. This teapot has a fine mesh system which is used specifically for deep steaming (Fukamushi) tea.


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Owners / Winemakers
November 3, 2011 | Jennifer, Owner/Winemaker
CWC Wine Club - Winter 2011 Shipment
We all know that you don't need a reason to enjoy a special glass of wine (for example- "It's Thursday and my email inbox is down to a manageable number" or "I finally found time to fold that pile of laundry" work for us); however, it just so happens here at Canyon Wind that we have a number of legitimate reasons to pop the cork on that special bottle (or case!). 2011 is the 20th anniversary of the planting of our vineyard and the 15th anniversary of our first crush- and we are planning to celebrate with you and the three wines that helped us get it all started!
Think back twenty years ago to 1991, a time when Whitney Houston and Nirvana ruled the airwaves; Arnold was the good Terminator and those two crazy ladies, Thelma & Louise, took us for quite the ride; Microsoft was releasing the latest and greatest version of MS DOS- 5.0; and current owners, Jay and Jennifer Christianson, were in grade school and high school, respectively. Recently retired from a career traveling the world as a geologist, Norman Christianson, along with his wife, Ellen, were looking for a way to relax and enjoy some free time- instead, they purchased a 50 acre plot of land on the eastern end of Palisade, created Christianson Vineyards and with the direction of viticulturist Rich Thomas, planted the first vines in what was to be known as the Riverside Vineyard.
Let's jump ahead a few years to 1996 and fondly remember when gas averaged just $1.22 per gallon, Will Smith had left Bel Air and helped us save the world from alien invasion; and Ebay, MSNBC and the clones of Dolly the Sheep were created (maybe we're loving this little trip back into 90′s pop culture a little more than we should…we (specifically Jennifer) could go on and on and on). Upon realizing that the fruit was some of the finest in the Grand Valley, Norman and Ellen with the expert guidance of renowned Napa Winemaker, Robert Pepi, created Canyon Wind Cellars and our first wines were crushed- 1996 Chardonnay, 1996 Merlot and 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon.
In celebration of these two exciting milestones and in honor of our founders, we are sending you a 15th anniversary horizontal of those first three wines. In this shipment, you'll be receiving the lush and creamy 2009 Chardonnay, the cherry and blackberry inspired 2009 Merlot and our signature varietal and Bordeaux classic, the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon. We hope that you enjoy these wines whether you decide to raise a glass to Canyon Wind now or if you wait and help us celebrate our next big milestone. We thank you so much for allowing us to continue to do what we love, which is making wine for others to enjoy!
Happy Holidays and Cheers from the Christianson Family!
Until We Meet Again.....
Final Wine Club Shipment
Summer 2016 Wine Club Shipment
Raid the Library Event Available Wines
Canyon Wind Permanently Closing on December 31, 2016
Spring 2016 Wine Club Shipment
Crushing It At Canyon Wind Cellars
Winter 2015 Wine Club Shipment
Grape Expectations: Harvest Prep
Fall 2015 Wine Club Shipment
CWC Happenings (4)
Terroir Tidbits (8)
Wine Club (10)
© Copyright Canyon Wind Cellars


Shoreview Grand is the perfect place to live, located close to major freeways, just minutes from shopping, schools and entertainment - and just a stone's throw from the shores of beautiful Lake Owasso. A higher standard of St Paul suburban living requires smoke-free homes, Shoreview Grand delivers this luxury and so much more! This is easy, carefree living, with all the amenities you could ask for in your home.
Surround yourself with beautiful landscaping, smoke-free homes, and thoughtful amenities. We're located in Shoreview, with just a short drive to major freeways for commute. Shoreview Grand offers easy access to Interstate 694 and Rice Street, and is just minutes away from Medtronic, Deluxe, Land O' Lakes, Boston Scientific, Rosedale Mall, Bethel University as well as all of the shopping, dining and entertainment that nearby St. Paul/Minneapolis has to offer.
Shoreview Grand offers its residents unique one or two bedroom apartment homes, in addition to exclusive amenities such as a club house with billiards table, fitness center, and dog run. Take a swim in our gorgeous pool, stroll through our pet friendly community, or have a day out in nearby St. Paul/Minneapolis.
You deserve the very best in apartment living and our community offers an easy, relaxed lifestyle. Situated in a quiet residential neighborhood with a lot of outdoor open space and a short distance from the St Paul/Minneapolis entertainment, Shoreview Grand has it all. We invite you to browse our photo gallery and schedule your appointment or drop by and visit us today for your personal tour!


Colleges and universities that have effective collaboration among their academic, student life, financial aid and career services supports for students have better retention and completion rates than do peer institutions that don't mesh those functions, according to a new survey.
The survey was produced as part of Driving Toward a Degree, a student support initiative involving Tyton Partners, an investment and consulting firm, and the Babson Survey Research Group in conjunction with Achieving the Dream, NACADA: the Global Academy for Academic Advising and NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.
Academic advisers who describe their colleges and universities as having integrated their supports for students were almost twice as likely as those at institutions with self-described "siloed" services for students (28 percent vs. 15 percent) to report that they have regular interaction with career services staffs.
Institutions where officials believe they have a high level of collaboration and communication among different layers of student services are likelier than colleges without such cooperation to have retention rates over 85 percent and completion rates over 60 percent.
The survey also provides a portrait of the landscape of corporate providers of student services, estimating the market to be $560 million, with academic advising to make up $360 million of that total.


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Brokeback Mountain Open Forum (Moderators: serious crayons, Penthesilea, LauraGigs) »
A Ninth Viewing Observation
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Author Topic: A Ninth Viewing Observation (Read 187775 times)
serious crayons
Re: A new favorite scene
Quote from: goadra on October 11, 2006, 11:28:20 pm
I wish (really I do) that I could see this as a happy sequence, but...
It begins after Ennis's bleak Thanksgiving (and the music for this sequence starts while Ennis is being beaten).
... There's no easy banter as there was during the post-sheep scene or the "You're late� sequence; in fact, they're silent.
They ride past a lake that's completely still.
As they ford the stream, their horses are briefly in step, but their expressions are...expressionless and Jack never once looks at Ennis.
This is exactly the way I've always seen it. I read this scene as illustrating the toll that their "separate and difficult lives" have taken on them. To me, the music sounds peaceful but also melancholy -- especially, as Barbara points out, because it starts during the beating scene. The first time I saw it, I expected Ennis to be all bruised and injured.
Their youthful exuberance is gone. They're not smiling or joking around, to me their expressions look outright glum. They're still together, still love each other, still feel more relaxed and comfortable together, out in nature, than they do anywhere else. But being together has gone from being an entirely joyful experience to serving as a reminder to both men of the painful trap they're living in.
Actually, in contrast to this I find the next scene, the "high-class entertainment" exchange, somewhat heartening. There, their behavior seems lighter and more affectionate. Even when Ennis asks about Jack's marriage and whether he worries that "people know," they seem close; Ennis is confiding in Jack and sincerely asking for support. It's only after Jack suggests the Texas move that the mood changes.
How funny that different people can see this same scene so 180-degrees differently!
BetterMost Supporter!
BetterMost Moderator
Quote from: latjoreme on October 12, 2006, 01:14:33 am
Well, I definitely think your right about the horse-wading scene and the potential to see it many ways. It's filled with a ton of ambiguity (isn't that one of our favorite Brokeback words)? Their facial expressions are very hard to read... and it seems to fit the overall tone of the film to have such a scene be simultaneously melancholy and peaceful. That actually sort of sums up the way I've reacted to the movie as a whole from early on. It's simultaneously sad and hopeful or uplifting (if not truly happy). I think keeping the 180 degree different opinions (or a spectrum of opinions) viable at the same time is a very, very cool idea and also very complicated.
the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie
Quote from: atz75 on October 12, 2006, 02:00:31 am
I think keeping the 180 degree different opinions (or a spectrum of opinions) viable at the same time is a very, very cool idea and also very complicated.
Excellent point. And complicated is right. Imagine how hard that is to do. Here's a movie in which lots and lots of things are open to multiple interpretations. And YET, nothing in it is ever completely confusing or unclear. Unlike one of those movies that people don't "get" -- maybe "Mulholland Drive"? I haven't seen it but it has that reputation -- BBM is pretty straightforward. It's the interpretations and implications and motivations that are mysterious.
Re: A Ninth Viewing Observation
As a story and in the way the film is constructed BBM is definitely more straigtforward than Mulholland Drive (it's a very good film and is deliberately confusing in its narrative and editing, etc.... the viewer's entire perspective/ access to information completely changes from one part of the film to another). After all these months of discussing Brokeback I think we've done a good job picking out ways that BBM is complicated in incredibly subtle ways. I know that some friends of mine upon first viewing the film, for instance, never thought to question how Jack died. And then when you point out to them that we have no concrete way of knowing how Jack died they're sort of stunned and then they realize... oh, I really had no idea how Jack died. I feel like almost every scene can lead to some kind of complicated question or un-resolvable issue. The narrative holds together in a way that you can watch it once and sort of miss all the little elements that add up to zillions of questions. This seems to be one reason that it seems fun and easy to watch BBM over and over again without getting tired of it.
The complexities of Brokeback kind of sneak up on you, whereas Mulholland Drive hits you over the head with the complexities.
I know that some friends of mine upon first viewing the film, for instance, never thought to question how Jack died. And then when you point out to them that we have no concrete way of knowing how Jack died they're sort of stunned and then they realize... oh, I really had no idea how Jack died.
Which do they think it is?
I love Brokeback's straightforwardness, but it is also, in a way, a liability. That's one reason why some perfectly intelligent people see it and think it's slow, or nothing happens, or, well, I liked it fine, but ... They haven't realized how much lies under the surface.
Marge_Innavera
Seems to me like things start sliding downhill after the post-divorce truck scene. Although the love is always there underneath, it's then that the wilderness escape starts to turn into a kind of ghetto.
BetterMost 1000+ Posts Club
Unsaid... and now unsayable
Based on my own discussions with first time viewers, they at first believe the film's scene of Jack's death presents what actually happpened, no more and no less. They believe it to be included as the truth, shown deliberately in direct contrast to Lureen's (then, to them, equally obviously) fake story. It's not till afterwards and after giving it some more thought that the realization dawns that the death scene may be taking place in Ennis's mind only, as a consequence of his past traumatic experiences and his enduring fears.
Yup, like Mikaela said... I have two friends who were stunned to realize that we don't know that Jack actually was murdered. Of course, once you point out the subjective points of view (Ennis's imagination and Lureen's story, which could or could not be accurate) they almost immediately get that there's a complexity here. Or a "space" in what we know about the narrative (to use a Proulx-like descriptive word).
I sometimes think that because the filmmakers decided to show us visually Ennis's imaginative projection of what happened to Jack, his version of the story seems more "real" to the viewer or at least more palpable. This doesn't at all make it true... but it makes it powerful. And I would guess that a casual viewer (one not paying close attention or one who is still trying to figure things out) might miss the nuance that the murder scene is an imaginative sequence. We only hear Lureen's verbal description of the accident scenario, so it might not have the same impact on the viewer. It's interesting to consider how we would feel about the question of murder vs. accident if Lee chose to also show us a shot of the death as an accident.
The distinction between seeing and hearing in this exchange between Ennis and Lureen is actually very interesting.
LOL, by the way... I love how the topics on this thread keep evolving. It seems like we've moved on from the horse wading scene and are now back in the murky waters of the "how did Jack die" controversy. And poor ol' Randall is left in the dust of the original posts.
Penthesilea
Town Administration
From Amanda:
I sometimes think that because the filmmakers decided to show us visually Ennis's imaginative projection of what happened to Jack, his version of the story seems more "real" to the viewer or at least more palpable. This doesn't at all make it true... but it makes it powerful.
Agreed to what you and Mikaela said. To see a scene makes it more poweful than only to hear about an incidence (accident in this case) and therefore it seems more real.
Regarding that the visual sense is the most important to humans it's only logical.
I strolled around at Wikipedia a bit and found interesting details about this: The ability of our senses to process information from the outside differs in quantitiy for the different senses. The visual sense is by far the one who is able to process the most information per second. It's around 10 million Bit per second. In comparison, the audio sense processes around 100 000 Bit per second (however this is measured. And why is the measuring unit Bit?).
And I think this is the exact reason why so many people think at their first viewing that Jack is murdered and don't doubt it. It was my own reaction, too. The moment I saw it, I believed it was the truth. The director's way to show the audience what really happened. Like some omnipotent and omniscient narrator.
But it lasted not long. As soon as I recoverd a bit from being absorbed by the movie, I begun to doubt my impression.
Ang Lee must know this (not necessarily the scientific details, but the fact that the visual sense is the most important). Plus, he said Lureen lied on the phone. Maybe Ang Lee is not totally ambigious about Jack's death? Maybe he let the movie be ambigious about it, but he himself belongs to the "murder-camp"?
Someone once described this question as one of the first symptoms of Brokeback Fever . Additionally to feeling kind of numb for days it was definately true for me (and for Kerstin, and for my husband, although the latter never evolved Brokeback Fever).
Front-Ranger
Brokeback got us good.
Also, when Ennis goes into the nursery and picks up Jennie, as he is holding her, you can see Alma through two windows--the nursery and the kitchen window.
Rooting for you!
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The Libraries seek to support research and teaching conducted by students and faculty in the department of Political Science, and the School of International and Public Affairs, as well as cross-disciplinary studies emanating from the Schools of Law, Business and Social Work.
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If you are a non-radiotherapy graduate who would like to become a registered therapeutic radiographer, this postgraduate course in radiotherapy and oncology will prepare you to become one. By graduating from this course, you are allowed to register for this role through the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
By qualifying in this area you are able to respond to the increasing demand for therapeutic radiographers in the health service. Medical, technological and professional advances in radiotherapy mean the role of the therapeutic radiographer is ever changing.
Your on-campus training is based at the £13 million purpose-built Robert Winston Building. Here you use the state-of-the-art virtual environment for radiotherapy training (VERT). It creates a life-size 3D replica of a clinical environment. We also have 20 networked eclipse planning computers and 10 image review licences with specialist staff on hand to teach you radiotherapy planning and image matching. We are one of the only universities outside of the USA that can offer these facilities.
You get real insights into all aspects of radiography with our professionally approved teaching programme. You learn from a lecturing team who are all qualified radiographers involved in research at a national level.
In addition to this expertise, we invite guest lecturers to teach that are leaders in their field. You also meet and hear from ex-patients who share their experiences of treatment.
As part of the course, you gain important clinical experience in one of our nine participating hospitals. This gives you the knowledge, skills and confidence to undertake and develop your professional role.
To begin with, your studies focus on the theoretical knowledge you need for your clinical experience. We encourage you to question and analyse, not simply accept the theory wholesale. You also learn to look at the complete picture from the view of the patient, healthcare team and associated scientific principles.
You gradually learn to apply theory to practice and tailor treatment to each patient by accurately targeting high dose radiation beams and sparing surrounding normal tissues.
Your studies enable you to develop and adapt your clinical expertise through reflective practice. You learn to analyse and evaluate your experience as you gain and develop new skills and competencies and to look for areas that need changing.
The course is designed in response to recent government initiatives to modernise healthcare education, increase recruitment into the health service and improve cancer care services.
CPD Online, part of our CPD Anywhere™ framework, is being offered free to new graduates of this course for 12 months, as part of our commitment to support your lifelong learning.
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For further information, visit the CPD Anywhere™ website at http://www.shu.ac.uk/faculties/hwb/cpd/anywhere.
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This course is pending accreditation by the College of Radiographers.
This course is subject to approval by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Graduates are eligible to apply to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and apply to become members of the Society and College of Radiographers. You must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) in order to practise as a therapeutic radiographer in the UK.
After successfully completing the course and registering with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) you will be qualified to work in radiotherapy departments throughout the UK and overseas. Opportunities exist to specialise in particular areas of clinical practice such as management, quality assurance , treatment planning and patient information/counselling.
Alternatively, you may choose to enter the teaching profession.
Visit the Radiotherapy and Oncology in Practice MSc page on the Sheffield Hallam University website for more details!


In 2011 professional dancer Bonnie Parsons founded Seen On Screen – making dancing accessible to anyone who has a love of moving to great music. They have now pioneered a national fitness trend, teaching thousands of women to dance like their favourite pop icons, while boosting confidence, building a community and helping every student feel like the best version of themselves.
So what does it take to turn your passion into a fully fledged business, community and wellness movement? We spoke to Bonnie to find out first hand.
Tell us a little about your background and your role within Seen on Screen?
I began my career as a professional backing dancer, and got the idea for SOS in between dress rehearsals, sitting on the side of stage at the X Factor Live Shows!
When I was 19, I moved to New York and then Los Angeles to train and learn from the best – the innovators. The dancers who set the trends, who pioneered dance styles. I went to the heart of dance, and it was also incredible to learn directly from the backing dancers I'd grown up watching dance with Britney and Beyoncé… I was constantly pinching myself it was so surreal! After I returned to London, and went on to wok with Florence & The Machine, Kelly Rowland, Professor Green, Seal, the MOBO's, Universal Pictures, the X Factor Live Shows and Sony Playstation.
Having worked in the entertainment industry for over five years, I saw a gap in the market to make the top professional dancers (regularly seen on screen performing with the biggest stars in the world) available to people everywhere. Having grown up doing Britney routines in my living room, I thought 'I wonder if there's a company that makes the 'real deal' backing dancers available to the public?'. My thinking was – if you can learn from the best, why wouldn't you, right!?
I was 23 at the time, and had zero business experience. I had no idea what I was getting myself into but I passionately believed in the concept and the potential of SOS even back then. I'm far from perfect – I've had fabulous successes, and made big mistakes but I think not having a traditional business background meant I could do things 'my way', rather than how I thought it 'should be' done, and create a truly unique concept.
My role today is CEO. It took me a while to have the confidence to call myself CEO, but having googled what a CEO's job description a couple of years ago – that is definitely my job! As CEO, I oversee all aspects of the company, from finances, to business development and strategy, through to monthly timetables and marketing plans. Crucially, I'm in charge of identifying the job roles we need to hire for, and building a fantastic team around me who can help to fulfil Seen on Screen's potential, and then ensuring we have the capital to pay for them! I still teach classes because I love it, and I find it super helpful to be with my customers – I would feel out of touch if I didn't see them or go to class. I'm the Queen B, which comes with a lot of responsibility, and a lot of reward in equal measure!
After doing my research and realising nothing like SOS existed, I got super excited about it. But the real deciding factor which made the difference between having an idea, and actually changing my career to start a business was my quest for financial independence. It can be hard as a dancer because you have to rely on agents, or choreographers to provide you with work. I knew this wasn't for me anymore. So after 18 months of patience, hard work and a few classes with one person in them, we hit the right formula of amazing press coverage with brilliant classes (it took some time to get our class formula right!). SOS took off in the new year of 2013.
I'd done nothing like it! I started with pop up workshops, great instructors and a fantastic publicist. It grew organically from there!
What's the best way for an adult who feels like they missed out on developing a 'talent' to get started?
I think people assume talent comes from a subject you do at school – like art, or maths, or even dance depending on the school you went to! But you can also be talented at listening to someone and making their day better. Or loving someone – being great at gardening, or cooking… I think a talent is about finding what comes naturally to you. Forget what it was like at school where you needed to be talented at a subject on the curriculum. Think outside the box – what allows you to most easily express who you are in a way which feels awesome?
You have to know who you are, and why your business exists which is why your mission is so important. Everyone compares themselves to others, but my focus has always been on being the market leader, the best and setting the trends for others to follow. Any market worth being in will have competition, so you have to be aware of it, but rather than looking outside myself and at getting distracted by what others are doing, I know my best strategy is to focus on the best path for my business.
So a question you need to ask regularly, is how can you ensure your moat is as wide as it is deep (and has a few great white sharks in it!)? I've got to say, the people who want to attack someone else's castle seriously need to have a word with themselves – build your own!
The boutique fitness industry will continue to thrive and slowly expand nationally across the UK because demand is created by the market wanting a more personalised workout. That doesn't mean a PT session, but a place which feels like 'home', surrounded by people who they can identify with and relate to, with a sense of community, support and of course, a workout which the absolutely love.
I think the big gym chains will need to work on making their service more creative, and fun. It's not enough to put a load of equipment in a room and say 'enjoy!'. Group based, boutique lead fitness classes are the way forward, in my opinion!
I was sitting with a great publicist I had hired to do some consultancy for me, and we were updating Seen on Screen's press release. She was asking me questions about the business to help her write it, so I was answering one of them and she said 'give it a sh*t?'. As in, what I was saying wasn't worth giving a sh*t about. This sounds brutal but it's absolutely the best way to PR your business.
What's the hook, the 'give a sh*t' factor that's going to make everyone from a journalist to your customer sit up and pay attention?
Once you've found that magic hook, experiment with the best platform to connect with your customer and blast that 'give a sh*t' hook everywhere. Is it print, TV, events, activations, influencers, social media, direct to consumer in class, word of mouth… try different routes to market and when you've found what works – expand it and build on it.
I honestly don't have a typical work day! It all varies, and depends on whether I'm teaching or not. Sometimes I work from home, sometimes I'm in the studio all day… sometimes I'm in meetings (which is always fun, I like meetings) and then I'll find somewhere to sit down like Soho House, absolutely love it there, and catch up on emails, admin etc. I like the freedom of that so I don't really have a typical work day.
Funding the business has been a challenge because I'm not the typical start up entrepreneur so I've had to be pretty creative when it comes to finance! I got to know the investment world in my late twenties and it actually fuelled my passion for feminism and women in business.
I couldn't believe that in today's world only 6.4% of Fortune 500 CEO roles are held by women, just 15% of FTSE 100 executive roles are held by women in UK, 2.2% of venture capital investment went to companies founded by women in 2017 and a tiny 5.6% of the total number of Heads of State in the world, are women.
That is slowly changing, but I had no idea how far we have to go until I experienced bias towards women in the business world first hand. It's a glass ceiling I look forward to well and truly smashing!
Get stuck in! Meet people, go to festivals, go to as many classes as you can. Network and have fun! Wellness is a wonderful industry to be in because you're helping people be their best. There is a tidal wave of empowerment, sisterhood and togetherness… throw yourself in to it and enjoy!
adidas – They have a great focus on women and empowerment. I've also just bought the most fabulous jacket from them!
IVY PARK – for dance wear because obviously, it was created by Beyoncé.
Lululemon – for quality and their 'Principal Dancer Jacket'.
LNDR – for brilliant leggings which don't fall down, and aren't see-through when you bend over.
Ray Activewear (a luxury activewear start-up) – it was founded by a wonderful female entrepreneur Georgia Ray who not only creates awesome activewear, her mantra of empowering women is woven into the foundations of her business which as you know… I'm all for!
Getting married to my amazing husband. We celebrate our 10 year anniversary from our first date next month – he's my rock, my best friend and biggest fan. And I'm his right back!
I don't believe in failure, only life lessons which help you get on the right path. I do my best to rise to any challenge that comes my way, and come out the other side better for it.
My sister is a make-up artist, and I was a dancer – which meant at the beginning of our careers, we enjoyed our easy mornings living together to the fullest, ha! A cup of tea and a day time fashion segment anyone!? Fast forward a few years, I was invited to go on This Morning with SOS, so my sister very kindly did my make-up for me so we could both get to go on to our favourite TV show! That was pretty great, and funny! My sister is now one of the top make-up artists in the world and has done my make-up twice. Once on This Morning, and then on my wedding day.
Beyoncé, Britney Spears and for business, my Dad.
My husband's business partner is a formidable female CEO who has been so supportive of SOS. I've learned a huge amount of business skills from her, especially on the financial side. Because of her, I can bang out a financial model no problem!
My Dad because he has a laser beam ability to cut through the noise and get to the root of a problem, and then loves to 'think laterally' as he puts it, to solve the problem. It's so helpful to run things past him.
I also think the internet is a wonderful tool – if you want business advice from someone, type their name into Google, followed by the business question and you will get a video, article or quote from them about that question, assuming they're well known enough!
I don't think it's changed me – I think my career has given me the platform to be more of the person I'm here to be.
The next Game Of Thrones book when it finally comes out!
A national business which reaches a generation of women.
Break the mould, before it breaks you!
If in doubt, get Sasha out.
Sasha Fierce is Beyoncé's alter ego and what my best friend and I say to each other.
Play my part in ensuring women reach 50/50 equality with men so future generations can grow up in a safier, happier, more balanced world.
As much of the world as possible!


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Kestrl
Kestrl is a mobile app that makes it easy to budget, save and invest in line with your Personal Values.
£160,003 target
£185,674 from 164 investors
www.kestrl.co.uk
Finance & Payments Digital Mixed B2B/B2C
Valuation (pre-money)
Equity offered
A digital solution for British Muslims' Financial needs
Launched App in Sep 2019 on Google Play and App Store
Graduated from Cambridge Accelerator, raising £135k pre-seed
SEIS eligible with £80k of allocation available - See Key Info
Kestrl was founded on a single idea, that no one should have to compromise their values when it comes to achieving their goals.
Kestrl began when founders Areeb Siddiqui and Daeng Termizi met whilst studying for their MBAs at the University of Cambridge and were faced with a common dilemma. Despite both being practising Muslims, it was near impossible to bank and invest in the UK in line with their religious beliefs. From finding interest-free savings accounts to taking out a mortgage, convenient and affordable options were few and far between.
Together, Areeb and Daeng decided to combine their experiences consulting and working in UK fintech and Malaysian Islamic Banking to solve a problem faced by over 1.9m British Muslims today.
One year later and after forming their Malaysian based tech team, raising a £135k pre-seed round from C-level Islamic Banking professionals and launching their app on Google Play and App store, they're now ready to take Kestrl to the next level.
Kestrl intends to make money through 4 main channels;
1. Monthly subscription
Kestrl will offer 3 subscription tiers, with budgeting and marketplace access offered for free, with additional features such as Goals tracking, savings accounts and a Debit Card offered in a £1.99 and £4.99 tier.
Freemium - £0
Standard - £1.99
Premium - £4.99
2. Marketplace commissions
We will also generate revenue through commissions from 3rd parties. Commissions have been negotiated with our first 5 providers and range from fixed fee for investments, to a recurring commission for Energy and Pensions switching.
3. Home Purchase Product
In the next 12-18 months, Kestrl intends to launch its own range of investment/financing products, the first of which is an equity-based home purchase product.
4. South East Asia market
By our third year of operation (2022), Kestrl intends to expand to Malaysia/Indonesia by white labelling with established retail banks and utilising our 'inside knowledge' of the region.
Open an account to get access to more details about the Kestrl campaign
Open an account to get access to the team members of Kestrl
Open an account to get access to the Kestrl campaign updates
Open an account to get access to the list of investors in the Kestrl campaign
Open an account and verify your identity to get access to the Kestrl discussion
Open an account and verify your identity to get access to the Kestrl pitch deck and other documents
Valuation rounded from £4,999,992
Investing in a regular equity campaign is the simplest and most common way to invest in a startup. You decide which business you want to invest in, and if the campaign hits its funding target then you will become one of their shareholders. As the company becomes more valuable, so do your shares; allowing you the opportunity to share in the future success of the business.


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Review: Black Swan May Be Darren Aronofsky's Dark Masterpiece
by Jeremy Kirk
The magnificent "obsession" can be one of two things. It can be a thing of beauty, a gifted ballet dancer gracefully contorting their body to a harmonious pace. But it can also be a thing of darkness, a face of white like Bergman's vision of Death with red, piercing eyes included. Director Darren Aronofsky is no stranger to telling tales of obsession. In fact, most of his films deal with the dueling sides of that fiery driven coin.
With Black Swan, his latest film, he once again delves into the mental state of one who is obsessed, and, once again, he creates a thing of visionary brilliance. Black Swan, slow burn though it may be in the former half, quickly transcends both its lead character and her story into a pulsating beast, something that envelops its audience, sucks the energy from them, and sends them out into the night begging for more. It could very well be Aronofsky's masterpiece.
At the forefront of Black Swan is Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman). A member of a New York City ballet company, she finds herself in the lead role of the company's, more so the director's, new vision of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake." Incredibly gifted, Nina performs the role of the white swan with utter elegance. However, the role calls for two sides, the white swan as well as the villainous black swan. Nina, determined but unable to break the ideology of innocence that is instilled in her nature, strives to grab hold of the black swan role. The lengths that she goes and the breaking down of her world, both physical and mental, in order to perfect both roles leads to shocking results.
Aronofsky has always been a director who gets into his characters' heads. He has always executed with perfect clarity the mental breakdowns involved in whatever obsession his leads find themselves locked to. Whether it's drugs with Requiem for a Dream or finding a stage to perform with The Wrestler or even a determination to overcome the death of a loved one with The Fountain, Aronofsky's films have traveled that dark line showing us characters we feel for but also understand the destruction they cause in their own lives.
The same goes for Black Swan, as he, as well as the screenwriters involved, gives us Nina, an innocent girl with a determination. However, the obsession in Black Swan is not directly linked to Nina's desire for celebrity. She doesn't necessarily want to be a dancer but rather is living out a delegated fantasy from her mother, played here with solid enthusiasm by Barbara Hershey. This disconnect, the buffer that is created between Nina and the black swan role causes you to feel for her even more than any of Aronofky's previous characters. This is her obsession, but it's a means of giving her mother happiness, of finding a balance between what she wants for herself and what will please the person whose fantasy is really being pursued.
This relationship, as well as all the relationships in Black Swan, is created with forceful pursuance. It's both in the way Aronofsky shoots his characters as well as the highly gifted actors he incorporates into them. Natalie Portman, always on top of her game, pulls out everything for Nina here. Innocent to edged, mousy to fearless, light to dark, she bulls through the range in performance required of her, but it is pulled off with the absolute grace that is appreciative of the character involved. In this dark masterpiece, she brings the light, and it becomes all the more heart-wrenching when her light begins to fade.
This dichotomy and the volatility that stems from Nina and the performance Portman gives is also presented with grand effect in the way Aronofsky shoots Nina's world. Mostly hand-held and with little frills in terms of production quality, the world of Black Swan is presented with a rough edge, a jagged box that houses these graceful creatures within its serrated confines. However, those walls surrounding Nina aren't 100% opaque. The way Aronofsky incorporates reflection gives the film and the world within it a feeling that there is another world outside looking in. The black swan of Nina's mind, the doppelganger who wants to take over her innocence, is lurking about just waiting for the crack in the glass to bleed through and into her. It gives Black Swan an even more omnipresent sense of foreboding, something that would have been existent in some capacity regardless.
This foreboding builds, and, much like his previous films, Aronofsky turns the final pages of this story with the force of a tornado. The story, setting, and characters are established extremely well. The slow burn feel gives a Red Shoes meets Argento sensibility with a little Cronenberg thrown in for good, body alteration measure. However, once the stride is hit, once the waterslide of emotion and ferocious movement begins, there is no turning back. The final 20 to 30 minutes of Black Swan immerses you, pulls you into itself until you genuinely have a tough time differentiating what is real and what is film.
With glaring red eyes and white makeup (as well as some extremely well-placed CG effects), a look that would make Bergman's Death cower in fright, Portman and Aronofsky execute Nina's culminating dance with an intense fervor. That dance, as well as the events surrounding it, affects its audience, and once the closing credits come up, you find yourself thrust back into the real world, your mind still a mile or two down the road trying to catch up.
As you begin to piece back together the film that has just transpired, you understand how Nina's obsession, the catalyst that drives the madness, nightmares, and ultimately the darkness of Black Swan, has fully embraced you, as well. It probably isn't a film that everyone will be able to handle, and even fewer will walk away from it without some level of altered perception. However, this is the case with most masterpieces, and Aronofsky, a director who has no shortage of amazing films under his belt, has finally given us his.
Jeremy's Rating: 10 out of 10
Find more posts: Opinions, Review
I'm gonna have to go by myself to see this, big fan or Portman, Kunis, and Aronofsky can't wait to see it!
Xerxex on Nov 29, 2010
Thanks for the great review - it was incredibly well written I must say. I truly can't wait to see this film as The Fountain was a life altering, intellectually affirming film for me. I am sure it will led to countless hours of reflection and analysis as has all his films.
Alejo on Nov 29, 2010
This movie and Kanye's new ablum FTW!
Level1Alt on Nov 29, 2010
Nice review Jeremy. Very well written. Now I'm dying to see this, I am a huge fan of Portman and Aronofsky to begin with.
Mark D on Nov 29, 2010
Very nice review. I have a love/hate relationship with Aronofsky's films. I have a feeling this will be the same, but I'm excited to see it, especially after reading this.
Traveler on Nov 29, 2010
In related news: Just as Halle Berry followed up her oscar-winning performance in 'Monsters Ball' with the wtf? role as Catwoman, Aronosfsky will make a simular wtf? move when he follows up his Oscar Nominated (winner?) movie 'Black Swan' with the mind-numbingly stupid comic character movie 'Wolverine.' Truly, one of the stupidest moves in Hollywood history and drops Aronofskys IQ points to just a tad above mentally challenged. That new alone will sink his chances at the Oscar.
uberman on Nov 30, 2010
So many people are raving about this movie that it will inevitably get some backlash down the road.
Anomalous Material on Nov 30, 2010
I didnt read this review and Ive tried to avoid as many spoilers as I can. I have been fortunate to have watched all of his movies beginning with "Pi" in the theaters, I knew the moment i watched that movie that I would forever be interested in his work and he hasnt let me down yet. I cant wait to see this!
Lando on Dec 1, 2010
I would kill to look like Mila Kunis, she's gorgeous. Plus, she's come a long way from That 70s Show. Can't wait to see this movie.
Name: Mark on Dec 1, 2010
I saw it as a preview. I liked it
Kristen Stewart Fan on Dec 2, 2010
Natalie Portman shines in the BLACK SWAN
Rick Chung on Dec 12, 2010
Frankly, I was a bit surprised how far Aronofsky went with some of the sexual scenes (not in a negative way), but for the most part I really liked it and thought it was a tremendous accomplishment in Aronofsky's filmography.
David on Dec 22, 2010
Great review--I'm glad to see that there are a lot of critics giving this film perfect scores. It's the best movie I saw in theaters all year. This guy makes some interesting points in his review as well (and he's another 10/10 reviewer!): http://thecriticalfan.blogspot.com/2011/01/movie-review-black-swan.html
Ziggy2dope on Jan 22, 2011


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Perdita venustella är en biart som beskrevs av Timberlake 1980. Perdita venustella ingår i släktet Perdita och familjen grävbin. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Grävbin
venustella

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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22 Iyar 5774
If you know what you're looking at, you can see that there are signs everywhere that the current regime has entered a decline which will result in its ultimate collapse.
Nothing illustrates this better than a recent IDF ombudsman report, according to which 7,158 complaints regarding the army were addressed. Over half of the complaints were found to be "justified," but how many incidents happen where no complaint is ever filed? The ones described in YNET's account of the report are enough to show how far that Zionist idol - the IDF - has already fallen.
IDF ombudsman report reveals abuse of power among commanders
...One soldier made a complaint against an NCO (non-commissioned officer) who allegedly poured bleach on her head, resulting in her hospitalization.
An investigation of the incident found that the NCO and his commander made some sarcastic remarks at the female soldiers in the office - which they claimed were in good nature. At some point, an argument between the soldier and NCO about sitting arrangements in the office escalated into gravely offensive comments made by the NCO at the soldier.
The soldier expressed her objection to the NCO's remarks, and threw a rubber stamp at his head. Instead of calming the situation, the NCO's commander added to the already tense atmosphere by telling the NCO that he "would have retaliated."
The NCO started chasing after the soldier with a soda bottle and at some point switched the soda with a bottle of bleach. The attempt of another soldier to stop him didn't help and the enraged NCO continued his chase. After he caught the soldier, he poured the content of the bleach bottle on top of her head and stopped only after the soldier cried out that her eyes were burning and she was having trouble breathing.
The soldier was rushed to the hospital for medical treatment was on an extended sick leave following the incident.
...In another complaint, a boot camp commander had the rookies drink water continuously from at least three canteens and at unreasonable intervals. The commander also prevented the rookies from relieving themselves and would not retract his orders until several soldiers started to vomit.
People can die from water intoxication. Several of the reported incidents involved gender confrontations. Keep in mind that they are seeking a way to force religious women also into military service!
Nothing paints a better picture of collapse than this account...
...Following many complaints, the commissioner examined the conditions in IDF bases in the Golan Heights. He found living quarters unsuitable for sleeping, broken floors, perforated walls, leaking and dilapidated roofs and severe safety hazards such as exposed and broken electric sockets, vandalism, displaced doors, disregard for military equipment and more.
The commissioner also discovered neglected sanitation facilities, foul-smelling toilet facilities, overflowing septic tanks without proper drainage, lack of lavatory seats, lack of hot water, fungus and mold, broken taps and more. He added that many of the bases looked abandoned with garbage on the ground, broken telephone poles and cracked fences allowing stray animals to wander in the base's area and cows to graze near the soldiers' quarters. In addition, neglected commemoration rooms were found
Neshama 22/5/14 6:30 PM
Oh, gosh, awful ... This belongs on the front page of all papers. Embarrassing.
Anonymous 22/5/14 10:58 PM
Power has gone to their heads. IDF, society, etc. are collapsing because those who think going against Hashem thereby desecrating His Holy Name will not bring about their collapse, are fools. Redemption is very near and all signs are pointing to it.


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A Growing Community – West Brunswick Community Garden & Food Forest
Posted by SophieCG in Autumn, Community, Gardening & Climate Change, Gardening Hints & Tips, General, Guest Buzzers, Spring, Summer, Winter
apples, borage, broad beans, Broccoli, cabbage, Cauliflower, CERES, Community, Community Garden, Community gardening, companion plants, compost, Fair Food Week, food, food forest, Forest, garden, Goji berry, Green Renters, hazelnuts, herbs, Home and Garden, Kale, lettuce, mint, Moreland City Council, Moreland Community Gardening, nasturtiums, New Zealand spinach, pears, peas, pine nuts, Recreation and Sports, red cabbage, Stone pine, understorey, Urban Forest, Warrigal greens, West Brunswick Community Garden & Food Forest
To know someone here or there with whom you can feel there is understanding in spite of distances or thoughts unexpressed – that can make this life a garden.
The above quote is attributed to Goethe.
While this is a post is about the West Brunswick Community Garden & Food Forest and the Moreland Community Gardening group, on a broader scale it's also about my pet belief, which I know I do go on about a lot.
That is, there's a sense that a tide is slowly turning, and that those values that should be at the heart of all societies are finally being recovered and restored to their rightful place. Some might say, too late, but we still have to get through each day and find pleasure in and sustenance from our lives, and it is in our communities that we find this, not in worrying about the uncertain future (note to self – stop worrying about the future).
Over the last 18 months the West Brunswick Community Garden & Food Forest has risen out of some fairly toxic ashes to become a productive, vital hub for gardeners and other interested folks in the area, with a future that looks both bright and bountiful.
Originally set up about 15 years ago, on an English-style allotment basis and used by the local Greek and Italian first generation migrants (bless them, for always and ever), governance issues eventually caused the garden's demise, and then the subsequent downfall of the community-based group that followed.
The current group – Moreland Community Gardening – took over only 18 months ago, with their proposal for the space to Moreland City Council accepted and a small grant awarded. The garden itself is only a year or so in the making and what this small (but steadily growing) group has achieved in a short space of time just goes to show how quickly a garden can emerge with some dedication and community spirit.
Last Sunday, as part of Fair Food Week, the West Brunswick Community Garden & Food Forest offered a tour of the project, an offer that I gratefully took up, not having heard about the garden or forest before.
We gathered just after 2pm, a small bunch of women, plus Stefan the photographer, son Max and Albie the dog (who had to be asked to go for a walk, as he was talking over people). Mark, the group's president and one of the driving forces behind the garden's recuperation, gave us a run down on the history, which is much potted above (first and only gardening pun – promise), and talked about some of the group's current and future plans. We were then handed over to the incredibly knowledgeable Karen, who oversees the intersecting group that manages the regeneration of the Food Forest.
So here's a little tour of the West Brunswick Community Garden & Food Forest, with a few tidbits of information along the way.
Mark talked to the tourists about the history, present and future of the Community Garden. An overriding theme is that anyone, absolutely any interested person, is encouraged to become involved.
The composting system, where locals and others can bring their food scraps if they don't have a compost of their own, or can bring their excess if they have too much. As far as I'm concerned, you can never, ever have enough compost.
The current crop: the community gardeners are growing red cabbage, peas, broad beans, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, lettuce, herbs & companion plants, amongst many other things. The working bee last Sunday included planting a range of citrus trees along the fence line.
Julia, one of the members of the garden group, with the day's pickings. And below, Albie, following disciplinary measures.
The Food Forest is a separate but conjoined story, with the Moreland Community Gardening group taking over its management prior to taking on the garden. Again, the forest had been planted 15 years ago by some forward thinking locals, on permaculture principles, and then fell into disrepair and neglect after a difficult public liability issue.
The Food Forest includes a range of productive trees – apples, pears and hazelnuts to name a few – and a steadily expanding understorey. There's also a well-established lime tree, which set off a massive Mojito fantasy, and a rare and beautiful bonus in the stone pine (which produces pine nuts), pictured below.
Karen, who oversees the Food Forest group, was a wealth of information, particularly about the hazelnut trees, which aren't that common in Australia, for good reason. Until recently the varieties grown here were all European or North American cultivars and didn't do very well; now, following a lot of research, a number of varieties have been bred that are suited to Australian conditions. But, if you want to try hazelnuts at home, you need at least three different varieties for good pollination and planting in a circle is recommended.
Planting on the understorey of the Food Forest has met with a few hurdles, such as rampaging kids, limited access to water and plant pilfering. Slowly, however, the aim of a lush, rambling forest understorey, incorporating edible and companion plants, is taking shape. Anyone with spare mint, borage, nasturtium seeds, or other hardy understorey plants is encouraged to bring them down and stick them in the ground. There's a tap nearby in the community garden for bedding down. "We're trying to fill up the gaps with useful things," says Karen.
A Goji berry, boasting buds for the first time, is surrounded by Warrigal greens (New Zealand spinach).
The West Brunswick Community Garden & Food Forest is a lesson in how quickly a vision can become a reality, and how gardens such as these are fast becoming a central part of many people's lives, not only in providing food but in fostering communities.
The afternoon we were there, the regular monthly working bee was just wrapping up. Kids were running around or turning compost; a few brave souls were digging up lumps of concrete in order to plant the new citrus trees; Julia was picking her broccoli and cauliflower, cups of tea were being made, and a lot of spare food was making its way to CERES to be served up at the Fair Food Week Open Table.
The West Brunswick Community Garden holds a Sunday session each week from 9am until 12. A monthly working bee, to tackle larger jobs, is held on the 4th Sunday of every month.
Any inquiries can be directed via the Moreland Community Gardening website or the Facebook page.
The Buzz would love to feature other community gardens. We know you're out there, so get in touch with us via the form at Behind The Buzz or contact us via Facebook.
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When Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) stormed to power in elections last November, its victory was fueled in part by rural anger over land seizures and the party's pledge to provide redress.
Villagers say they were not consulted about plans to turn their land into grazing grounds and believe it was a ploy by officials who planned to profit from renting out 300 acres to a Chinese company for a banana plantation.
A 2015 report said Kachin, Myanmar's northernmost state bordering China, has the second largest number of land confiscations, fuelled by the outgoing semi-civilian government liberalisation policies that have driven up land prices and attract foreign and domestic investment.
This paper aims to study the situation of land grabbing and its impacts on small-scale farmers in 5 countries, namely Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
While powerful businessmen and military officials are responsible for most of the displacement, foreign investors often benefit from the land grabs.
Arrests in Karen State target those assisting farmers fighting land grabs, says Human Rights Watch.
"There will be concerns about agriculture investment unless land ownership is opened to foreign investors,' says the OECD's Jan Rielander.


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