text:
The Limits of Leaning In.
On June 24, 2013 June 24, 2013 By smartycaro
You know that old adage, no one on her deathbed ever wished she spent more time in the office? Well, turns out there is one person who may wish just that, and she'll wish it not just for herself, but for you, too. She just wrote a bestseller about it.
I should start by confessing that I was, and probably still am, in the wrong frame of mind to absorb and respond to Sheryl Sandburg's Lean In. For some months I avoided it, casting hairy eyeballed side glances at the book as I clomped along the pocked sidewalk on Connecticut Avenue, where we are lucky enough to still have the brick and mortar KramerBooks. For months that impossibly un-tired visage smiled back through the window, undaunted.
Lean In.
I hated the title. It still provokes this outsized reaction for me:
Fuck Off.
I blame Sandberg's publicists/agents/editors/other people. And yet, like others, I have taken perverse pleasure in perfecting my counter-title:
Why Don't You Lean In for Both of Us.
Jump Around. Jump Around. Jump Up, Jump Up and Get Down.
Roll Over, You're Snoring.
My Kids Just Eat Carbs and Miss Me.
If I Keep Working This Hard I'll Never Know How to Dougie.
As fun as it is to make fun, the peanut gallery is no place to stay in a discussion that cuts to the core of how we as women experience our lives, distribute our energies and labor, and navigate a still very unequal society. I have also been heartened by how loud and sustained this discussion has become of late, launched in significant part by Anne Marie Slaughter's article in the Atlantic that dared to rip off the scab that never seems to form long enough to heal the skin under it. I remember reading the Slaughter piece a few days or weeks before it was everywhere, nodding throughout in agreement. For all her critics' observation that she lacked empirical data, everything she said about reaching and surpassing her maximum and needing to make a major adjustment sure as hell rang true to me. But I didn't see what was so revolutionary about it.
A week or so later, the managing partner of our firm asked me what I thought of it. My first reaction was surprise that he had read it and wanted my view. Something had shifted. Indeed, despite my own reactions and the criticisms to follow, it has to be a net positive that the broader public is gobbling up these writings, arguing over them, dissecting them, spitting, yelling, guffawing, amen'ing, whatever.
Finally, enough people I love and respect asked me what I thought of Sandberg's book, and so as tempting as it was to regurgitate the comments I'd picked up from pundits, I put my hard earned $24.95 where my mouth was and read it.
There are many, many important and painful truths in this book. The research notes are a bibliography of must-read studies in gender bias that every parent, worker, human should take time to grapple with. I was blown away when Sandberg described a speech she heard in college about the prevalence of successful women believing that they are really a fraud, that sooner or later someone is going to come along and figure out that they don't belong where they are or deserve what they've achieved. I can't tell you how many women I know, myself included, who have struggled in exactly this way. And I raged anew at the smart-for-boys, pretty-for-girls ideals that are reinforced in our culture, supported by our commerce. I needed a stark reminder that they are ready to prey upon my 6 year old daughter, who right now openly discusses the challenges she will face balancing being President and an artist. I nodded vigorously at the observation that the single most critical decision that a woman can make if she chooses a career and family is who her partner will be. I winced in recognition at the data on how women underestimate their contribution, how we underpromise then overproduce, and demand less financial reward and promotion. There is good stuff here, no question.
One point that Sandberg makes early on, however, is that all advice is autobiographical. To respond to this book, then, you must first process how you relate to one Sheryl Sandburg. And if you haven't done so yet, I suggest you do it soon, because this book is clearly her Audacity of Hope, and you can't read it – particularly the Acknowledgments - without concluding that this woman has come to play on the big stage. [Hilary, take note: Sandberg makes about as many references to her time at the Treasury Department as she does to her years at Google. Just saying.]
Particularly for women, the audience whom she beseeches not to fear, reject or flee from their own presumptively stratospheric and rewarding careers, it is absolutely critical to take one's own measure of Sandberg. So to my mere mortal sisters, non-TED talk givers, fellow bunion sufferers, I say this: consider the source.
Here are some things about the source.
Sheryl Sandberg's siblings gave a toast at her wedding, saying "we were Sheryl's first employees." She admits having taught them to "follow me around, listen to my monologues, and scream the word "Right!" She's embarrassed about it now, but on the other hand, she's pretty sure she wouldn't take so much heat for it if she'd been a boy. She's probably right about that.
Sheryl Sandberg has a color-coded filing system and takes great pleasure from reorganizing her closet. Speaking of filing, file those facts away for when she later quotes Nora Ephron and urges you to "embrace the mess."
Sheryl Sandberg loves motivational phrases, particularly the ones on posters that adorn Facebook's offices, where she is awesomely motivated every day by her work, the thousands of employees she has hired, and the amazing Mark Zuckerberg. Her favorite is, "What would you do if you weren't afraid?" It is strange that she has landed on that particular question from which to draw inspiration, because one searches in vain for an iota of fear or risk aversion or humility born of failure. Keep searching. Because there is scant evidence that Sheryl Sandberg has ever failed at anything.
Her college thesis advisor? Larry Summers. Gave her the first big break as his researcher at the World Bank. She killed it. On to Harvard Business School, one of the top seven in her first year class but too daunted by gender-influenced shame (a point that absolutely resonated with this reader) to admit it. On to McKinsey, then back to DC to join Summers at Treasury. Chief of Staff at Treasury. On to Silicon Valley, for a brief chat with Eric Schmidt, CEO of the "then relatively unknown Google," who told her to take any seat on the "rocket ship," which she did. Some years later, she turned down several CEO offers to become COO of Facebook.
Think that last move was a bad idea? Of course not, but Sheryl Sandberg still wants to tell you how others did, and that they can all eat it. "At first, people questioned why I would take a 'lower level' job working for a twenty-three year old. No one asks me that anymore."
Sheryl Sandberg's big regret? Not the failed starter marriage, which she touches upon, but largely to explain why she didn't accept Summers' first entreaty to come help him run the Treasury Department. Sheryl Sandberg's big regret is that in the earlier years of her career, she did not sleep enough. She now knows that more hours of sleep translate to greater productivity. For anyone who has interviewed a job candidate whose "biggest weakness" is simply being "too focused" or "a perfectionist to a fault," you will relate.
This is Sheryl Sandberg. She should not apologize for it and is deservedly proud of her accomplishments. And as a woman of my own accomplishments, including equally rare and expensive educational opportunities, powerful and name-droppable mentors, the whole nine, I as much as anyone should be cheering this woman on. I really should, and I'd like to think I am, deep down. She's also given me the data to suggest that if I am tempted to dislike her, it's because of her success. That's chapter 3. I wouldn't dislike her if she were Howard instead of Heidi.
In the end, though, the question is not whether I'd invite Sheryl Sandberg out for Gimlet Night with my ladies, or whether she'd attend one held anywhere but Davos. The question is whether her advice is separable from her biography, whether the author's lack of relatability strips the book of much-needed accessability. I would like to think not, though in the later chapters Sandberg's stories of triumph over mommy guilt, housework imbalance, workplace miscommunication, child care challenges (Facebook is so family-friendly, she can just bring those kids in if she feels like it, and Mark Zuckerberg even gives her son fencing lessons!!)….start to read like one of her favorite motivational posters, a utopia that can come from brainstorming, freeing yourself of fear, marrying a completely loving and supportive partner…. and cashing in a few Google stock options.
The book suffers most when Sandberg veers from the realm she has so impressively and deftly conquered, and the skills and instincts she drew upon to do it. Having acknowledged that we can't "have it all," she falls victim to trying to "say it all," to cover every base in ways that seem contrived and fall flat.
Her attempts to use humorous anecdotes to prove to overstressed mothers everywhere, "hey, we've ALL been there!" are funny, but unfortunately not in the way she intended. Example: one day she brought her son to school wearing a blue T-shirt, only to be reminded by some stay at home mom that the kid should be wearing green, because it was St. Patrick's Day. That's her story of dropping the ball for her kids. Meanwhile, last week I had Devan's school call me, because the after-school Chinese class had actually ended the prior week, and therefore my child had been deserted for the last hour with no ride home. [That's a parenting fuck-up, Sheryl. You don't want to go toe to toe with me on this.] And Sandberg can't shed her positive, earnesty earnestness and espoused support for all women long enough to call that sancti-mommy who has nothing better to do than obsess over holiday theme-colored clothes the asshole that she clearly is. No, instead Sheryl points out that this lady does a lot of worthwhile volunteering in the school and really helps the community, and that she Sheryl validates and celebrates that choice.
Except we know for damn sure that she doesn't. There is NO way that yoga pant, Sheryl-judging stay at home mom is Leaning In.
Similarly, each time Sandberg tries to prove her awareness that most women lack anything close to the resources she enjoys, it's pretty cringe-worthy. Yes, I see you all out there. I get it. Did I tell you about how when I was Chief of Staff at Treasury I "ran point on some smaller projects, including the administration's proposal to promote the development of vaccines for infectious diseases?" The book takes a "hey, look over there!! Is that a giant purple elephant??!" quality to discussions of working class women, single mothers, and the fact that, more than anything else, vastly different points on the starting line of life predict whether women have a career or a punch-the-clock, hope not to get injured on the assembly line, j-o-b that barely feeds their family.
Her thesis is that things will improve for women – for people – everywhere once there are more women leading companies and governments. I would like to think that is true, and yet, Sandberg herself cites more data that women who reach these objective measures of success tend to suffer a weird amnesia that leads them to underestimate gender discrimination. And, unless we adopt other stereotypes – that women tend toward nurture, empathy, inclusion, and community – why would we assume that those who attain tremendous money and power will behave any differently than men once they get to join them at the top? It would in some sense be more congruent with her message to ask why a woman can't be just as ruthless and self-interested as a man.
Sandberg's personal example of women in leadership making things better is designated pregnancy parking at Google, which lived on after she asked Larry and Serge one day if they could make her pregnant schlep across the lot a little less brutal. But she sees no tension in rallying to the defense of her friend and Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer's non-maternity leave, ignoring that leadership might create responsibility that transcends what she indignantly argues should be Mayer's personal choice and no one else's. Here's a question, though: why couldn't Mayer just do what she was planning to do – "take a few weeks and I'll work throughout it" – without announcing it to the world? Sandberg's argument that so long as Mayer left maternity policies in place for others at Yahoo, there should be no issue, doesn't pass the straight face test. Earlier in the book she puzzles over the phenomenon of unused vacation days, yet she fails to see the connective thread to the Mayer maternity leave conundrum: that resistance to taking time away from work is not a matter of policy as much as one of custom and expectation. As I read the situation, either Mayer had to quell investors' fears about hiring a very pregnant CEO, which is one problem, or she chose to set a harsh and even dangerous example to women in her field and beyond: You want to run with the big dogs? Skip the Sitz baths.
Of course, what Sandberg's contribution and Mayer's example share in common is the apotheosis of work, which brings me to the heart of the matter. Sandberg's thesis is this:
"Women are surrounded by headlines and stories warning them that they cannot be committed to both their families and careers. They are told over and over again that they have to choose, because if they try to do too much, they'll be harried and unhappy. Framing the issue as 'work-life balance' – as if the two were diametrically opposed – practically ensures that work will lose out. Who would ever choose work over life?"
That's it, in a nutshell. Sheryl Sandberg truly believes that women are shortchanging work in their lives. Work is losing out.
I said at the beginning of this post that I'm maybe the wrong person to properly assess this book, but that isn't really true. As a partner in a law firm, a mother of two young children, a wife, a sister, and a daughter, I'm actually in the perfect position to respond, and what Sandberg is saying does not accord with my experience. Not in the least.
First, no one told me, much less over and over again, that I had to choose work or family. They would not have dared, and that is a good thing in some ways, and a bad thing in others. In three years at Harvard Law School I did not witness or participate in a single discussion about whether my professional choices would or might have to encompass the added and extraordinary work of raising children. In fact, such talk was like the third rail – no professor or advisor would dare go there, at the risk of appearing to discourage women students. In retrospect, I appreciate the attempt to treat us equally, but I regret not putting some time and thought into it back then, when the slate was still sort of blank, and I had a lot of free time to just talk with smart and passionate and creative people.
I haven't heard many voices urging me to choose family over work since then, either. Devan was one year old when the job market tanked in 2008, and those women I know who did opt for a temporary "off-ramp" were in fairly dire straights and scrambled – some successfully, some not – to be rehired as lawyers. The messaging to me was, appreciate that you have a job, work harder at it to be among the indispensable, and try to ignore that gnawing feeling that comes when you don't know your kid's shoe size.
For better and for worse, work takes precedence in my life, in my husband's life, and in the lives of most everyone I know. The structure of private law practice demands it, because at the end of each day my time must be accounted for, and it is allocated to individual clients for billing, or else, it is for all intents and purposes wasted. That billing drives my compensation and chances of promotion, period. Since I had my kids, I am pretty relentless about making every hour at work "count." At the same time, the firm has offered, and I have taken up, greater administrative leadership responsibilities, which are non-billable but which give me a broader and more powerful profile in the organization. I am lucky to work with great people who have trained me and supported me and pushed me.
But in the pie graph of my life, it is not work that is getting squeezed. And while Sandberg would experience me as an unfortunate stereotype of the working mother who is harried and, at times, unhappy, I am not a victim, nor do I regret most of my choices. I have an amazing, supportive partner who took fabulous care of our children and home when I was in Chicago for a three month trial last year. He did it with grace and never questioned that I would go, that I would be checked out and Leaned In (long before we knew there was a term for it), and that I would excel on behalf of my client. Sandberg would be psyched to hear this, but she would cringe at what I say now: this professional highlight devastated me as a mother, and a year later I am still struggling to get my bearings again. This process is hampered, admittedly, by a smart and emotionally savvy 6 year old future president who has (even recently) laid such doozies on me as: "Mommy, when you were in Chicago, it felt like you had died."
That's not a wrong-colored t-shirt moment. It is a moment that Anne Marie Slaughter captured and dared to describe as different for mothers than it is for fathers. She took some hell for that, but I agree with her. And while Sandberg cites data suggesting that children do not suffer cognitively, socially or behaviorally by having a non-parent primary caregiver, she doesn't give much consideration to the entirely separate question of how we leaned-in women experience loss by being away from our children. What if the question was not whether our children would still thrive with two full-time working parents, but how we as adults will remember or not, rejoice or not, regret or not, the finite snippet of time in which these beings we created seem to want and need us the most? Is that just mommy guilt to be managed away, or am I entitled to a full and honest evaluation of my life as it truly is, including how I thought I would experience parenthood? And if, in the end, I decide to leave something on the table in my professional life, have I set all womanhood back by doing that?
I can hear Sandberg saying, "Of course not! That's not what I said!"
But it kind of is. Sandberg's take on choices is like Orwell's pigs: They're all equal. Some are just more equal than others.
It may be that Sheryl Sandberg simply experiences life at one end of the internal conflict spectrum, and that's that. But her message is now out there, and it is open to interpretation by ambitious women everywhere, like the young associate I met a few months ago. She was the junior member on the legal team defending a huge corporation in a civil suit. My client was a fact witness, a retired executive who would be deposed in the litigation. The deposition was in Indianapolis, in a nondescript hotel conference room. It was a fairly minor footnote in the context of the larger case, and for that reason this associate had been given the opportunity to be first chair. She was prepared well beyond what the task required, as she would only ask my client about six softball questions at the end of the seven hours of questioning by the plaintiff. But her legs bounced with nervous energy, and she worked up the nerve to tussle with opposing counsel here and there. I liked her a lot, and we had gotten to know one another a bit. We were about halfway through a long slog of a day when she checked her cell phone at a break. Her face suddenly fell, and her shoulders slumped. I asked if everything was ok. She said, "my baby just took her first steps." I said the only thing I could think to say. "I'm so sorry. It really sucks to miss that." She shook off the emotion, as she needed to, and said, "Well, I guess this is my Lean In moment!!"
We put our mikes back on, and the deposition resumed. She asked her six questions and did a fine job. We made haste to the airport, where she debriefed with the fairly intense male partner from her firm, and I found a seat at the Champs Sports Bar and ordered a sauvignon blanc. It was Friday at six; I would definitely miss bedtime. I called home to wish goodnights as The Humpty Dance played fairly loudly in the background.
As I sipped my wine, I thought of this young woman lawyer, and I wish I had said more. I wish I had told her the truth, or spoke my truth, as Sandberg would say. I should have said, no, this is absolutely not your Lean In moment, though if you choose to stick with this profession, you will have them. I've had mine. I cross-examined a government cooperator for two straight days and left him in bloody tatters across a courtrroom floor in Chicago. You will know it when it happens, and it will feel great. But this deposition, these 9 hours including breaks in Conference Room B at the Marriott Indianapolis-North? This ain't it. This is what's called a straight-up grind of a business trip. This is a day that you hung in there, which is three quarters of the battle.
As one who has been at this a bit longer, I should also have told you that you will not feel any better by lying to yourself. This is and forever will be the day your daughter took her first steps. I guarantee you that one day you will not remember the name of this case or who you deposed, but you will remember that. Get a good night of sleep, for tomorrow you will wake up to an official toddler. And at some point, know that you are entitled to – and should – turn over these facts and take their measure, not to dwell but to look at all of this in the bright light of day. But right now, let this just be a day that you did your job and did it well. And if it helps at all, you are more than welcome to lean on me.
Blood, Sweat, Tears and Mercies in a Tragic Week in Boston
City Miles: Reflections on my Taylor Swift Birthday
4 thoughts on "The Limits of Leaning In."
That one just POURED out of you! Bravo!!
So brilliant. Took me a few sessions to read it but worth every minute! Keep it up, Sis! I laughed out loud in my doctor's waiting room when you call out Sheryl's lame example of dropping the ball with her kids (the wrong color t-shirt thing) — HA! Right on at the end about keeping your eyes open to the truth of what is really going on in our lives and to things we are indeed missing due to work, whether by choice or necessity. This should be in wider circulation! More soon, please.
This was truly amazing! I mean, really brilliant! It is so well-written and it resonated with me in more ways than I can begin to tell you. In fact, I'd love to leave a longer comment, but I can barely see what the hell I'm typing because of my tears. Thank you so much for sharing this with me.
Molly Spector
Hi SC. That was a brilliant post. Loved every word. Thanks for writing and sharing.


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Home / gaming
Galak-Z: The Dimensional Review
By Shaan Joshi @KneehighPark 4 years ago
Review of: Galak-Z: The Dimensional Review
gaming:
Shaan Joshi
Reviewed by: Shaan Joshi
Last modified:August 24, 2015
I'm sure more casual players will still be deterred from taking the plunge, but any fan of roguelikes need not look any longer for their next fix. Galak-Z has style, and it's got it in spades.
One thing's for certain, developer 17-BIT does very little to hide their inspirations when it comes to making games. While it does have the flair of one of your go-to Saturday morning cartoons from the 90's, Galak-Z: The Dimensional feels more like a love letter to Japanese cartoons from the 80s, most notably mech/space operas such as Robotech or Gundam Wing. From the VHS inspired menus to the fake credits that appear at the beginning of each level, Galak-Z is soaked in nostalgia, a recent trend that has proved successful for plenty of games, compilations, re-releases, and what have you.
Still, what I perhaps love best about Galak-Z is how it attempts to merge its narrative and stylistic inspirations with a hearty serving of roguelike gameplay, and for the most part it comes together pretty well.
You jump into the shoes of A-Tak, a space pilot who stands against a never-ending onslaught of alien bugs, Empire troops and ruthless bandits. Galak-Z breaks up its levels into episodes, with five episodes comprising a season (four seasons are available at the time of writing, with one due out in a few months). Like many roguelikes, levels are procedurally generated, meaning that while the basic plot of each season stays the same across each episode, the layout of enemies, your objectives, and the maps will vary across each playthrough.
As expected for a roguelike, dying will reset your progress (for the most part), but one of the more punishing aspects of Galak-Z is that dying at any point during a season will send your right back to its first episode. If this all sounds tense, that's because it is. After a few hours of playing Galak-Z, it became pretty clear to me that there really is no way of avoiding the stress that accompanies it. Still, roguelike fans will find a lot on offer here, thanks in part to the way the game plays, and how progression is handled.
Without a doubt, the most important thing to master when it comes to surviving the harsh world that is space is to get a solid grip on how A-Tak's ship handles. Rather than simply pointing the analog stick in a direction to move, his ship relies on thrusters to propel yourself forward, with the analog stick guiding your direction of propulsion. It's a system that is more involved than most, but there's a lot of room for depth and nuance once you being to wrap your head around the game's mechanics.
It doesn't take too long to figure out that evading fire is key, though with the ability to propel yourself backwards as well as forwards, it's just as easy to retreat from a fight as it is to hurl headfirst into one. Granted, enemies are smart and usually won't let you off scot-free, but once you unlock the ability to juke to avoid enemy fire, and strafe to circle around enemies, the different strategies and tactics begin to avail themselves; a requisite for any game that places such unforgiving consequences on dying.
Upgrades to your ship (and overall progress) are also handled in a rather novel fashion. As is standard, dying at any point will reset your ship back to its naked state, but there are some systems in place to help alleviate the pain. One of the in-game currencies come in the form of Crash Coins, which can be found hidden in levels or dropped from certain enemies. While you can exchange these for salvage (the other currency that is used for buying upgrades) when you die, if you manage to save up five Crash Coins, you can choose to restart a failed mission rather than restarting an entire season. In return, your ship will be stripped of all of its upgrades, though you can recover them by finding a hidden crate when retrying the mission at hand.
Picking up salvage from defeated enemies paves the way for buying upgrades, which run the gamut from different shot patterns, firing types, additional shields, a larger capacity of missiles, and so on. These upgrades (as mentioned) disappear on death, but they will also be stripped when you complete a season and move onto the next one. On the other hand, blueprints that you find throughout levels remain permanently unlocked, and unlocked blueprints will randomly be available in-store, either before you start a mission, or during a mission, assuming you can find a tucked-away ship/storefront.
There's plenty of routes to go when it comes to deciding what to upgrade, though I always found that investing in extra shields pays off big time, especially considering that health points do not auto-regenerate between episodes. Still, even during playthroughs where I was rather unlucky when it came to collecting salvage, the core mechanics of ship control always carried me through.
And that in and of itself is one of Galak-Z's greatest strengths. Aside from all the ancillary upgrade systems and narrative dressing, 17-BIT has crafted an intricate and nuanced game, replete with all the turbos, circle-strafing, jukes and dodges you can hope for. Even after spending more than dozen hours in space, new tactics and options always began to present themselves, which is probably why Galak-Z: The Dimensional manages to stave off that feeling of repetitiveness that so often accompanies roguelikes, even if an untimely death sends you back a few levels.
If this review isn't enough of a glowing recommendation, perhaps the fact that I'm anxiously awaiting the fifth season might make an impact. Seriously though, I need that last season.
This review is based on the PlayStation 4 version of the game, which we were provided with for review.
Tags: Galak-Z, gaming reviews, Reviews

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home > Latest News
KCR: People will forever remember PV Narasimha Rao's services to the nation
null | 27 Jun 2018 3:24 PM GMT
Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday recalled former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao's contribution to the development of India on the eve of his 97th birth anniversary which falls on June 28.
Stating that people will forever remember the great services rendered to the nation by the former PM, he described Narasimha Rao as a polyglot and a great administrator.
In a message, while remembering Narasimha Rao, KCR said that it is a matter of great pride for Telangana that a son of its soil went on to become India's Prime Minister and served the nation with distinction.
K Chandrashekhar Rao
PV Narasimha Rao


text:
Q: Independent tenant sequences in Multi-Tenant single DB I have an asp.net core Web API that servers multiple tenants.
I have a single PostgreSQL database for all tenants.
Tenants are separated by a TenantId column which is applied using EF Cores Query Filter.
I am using a code-first approach with migrations.
All of this works as expected.
However, I am stumped on how to best manage sequences per tenant.
For example, each tenant can have a list of jobs, each job taking the next incremental value.
How would I implement this so that each tenant has their own set of incremental job numbers?
Ideally, I do not want to have to manage a sequence per tenant, as that would soon get unmanageable.
Is there a 'best practice' way of achieving this using EF core? or would I have to do something manually/outside of the migration?
Thanks for any help/ideas.

A: I tend to create my own Sequences table that's managed with the DbContext like any other entity. Then I create some ISequenceService that manages getting the next sequence value. Lastly, I implement an IStartupFilter that would insert all the sequences the app needs for each tenant. This pattern would fit nicely with your discriminator column pattern.
My sequence object would look something like:
public class Sequence: BaseEntity {
    public string name {get;set;}
    public int nextValue {get;set;} = 1;
    public string prefix {get;set;}
    public string postfix {get;set;}
}

I prefer this route because it provides a more database agnostic implementation. It also allows for more tenant customization around sequences, such as where each tenant wants their sequences to start, their pre/post-fix or whatever else your users can dream up.
A downside to this approach is with concurrency. If you have two users trying to increment the sequence at the same time, it might be possible to end up with dupe sequence values. An actual database sequence will manage this problem better, but it's not impossible to do with EF.
If you're interested in this approach, check out the docs on handling concurrency.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
With Friends Like These…
You know what I love about the NOW magazine–Dave Meslin contretemps that flared up this week? I get to use the word 'contretemps'. Both germane and pretentious.
One of the interesting aspects to this back-and-forth is that at its core — the role and approach to civic engagement – it reveals what goes on everyday here in the offices of All Fired Up in the Big Smoke [When this writer deigns to show up at the office – ed.] and, very likely, wherever political debate takes place. That is, how to best deliver your message and make it one that those in positions of power want to help further or simply can't ignore. It's hard to believe that there's a one-size-fits-all approach to it.
Yet that's what it feels like in reading the original NOW piece and, to some extent, Mr. Meslin's response. The concerted effort NOW has taken to demonize, vilify or, at the very least, demean Dave Meslin for his fraternizing with the enemy seems a little petty. Is he really some sort of traitor for his attempts to open up a dialogue with Mayor Ford and his team, to hope that there is some common ground that can be found on issues like bike lanes and electoral reform? For his part, Meslin initially seems to rise above that sort of pigeon-holing, summoning up the notion of a 'diversity of tactics' but 7 paragraphs later suggests that we should move beyond polarization and condemns NOW's pillorying of the mayor and his supporters. Either he doesn't really believe in a diversity of tactics or he needs an editor to tighten up his posts. [Who doesn't? – ed.]
Only under the most extreme circumstances should we expect utter fidelity to a cause. I'm thinking, maybe, the various resistance movements in Nazi-occupied Europe. [While not explicitly calling anyone a Nazi, interesting to note how quickly writer evoked Godwin's Law – ed.] Enforced conformity is something rigid ideologues do. It's what intransigent bodies like police forces utilize to maintain an ominous wall of unaccountability. Us vs. Them marginalizes independent thought and squashes innovation and creativity.
While nominally operating under some sort of nebulous Left Wing banner, NOW and Meslin are simply going about trying to achieve similar ends in different ways. The weekly seeks to de-legitimize the mayor, to reduce his powers of persuasion in both the public sphere and at City Hall in order to put the brakes on what they see as a path of destruction he's determined to travel down. Meslin seems more interested in wanting to help the mayor broaden his scope of what it means to have a well run city. Ultimately, both are just working to make the place where they live better.
And as much as he may dislike NOW's disparagement of him and think it counter-productive, Mr. Meslin instead should view it as aiding his cause. With his conciliatory, hands across the aisle attitude, he gets to show Mayor Ford that not everyone who isn't in complete agreement with him is some sort of left wing, pinko kook. NOW's attack on him for his openness toward the mayor emphasizes that. Those people over at NOW are crazy! This Meslin guy seems reasonable. Let's listen to what he has to say.
Firebrands are the heavy artillery that soften up the opposition's defenses. Rather than look at NOW's salvos as incoming strafing, maybe Mr. Meslin should see it more as friendly fire or cover. Giving him an opportunity to advance his position behind 'enemy' lines.
While I'd love to share his optimism about this administration's willingness to listen to opposing views, I've seen little in the way of evidence to offer up hope of that. [As a matter of fact, Dave, not all answers to issues do lie in the middle. 'Mutually respectful dialogue' has to be a two-way street – ed.] But what do I know? Perhaps he's gleaned a better insider's view that cooperation is not beyond the realm of possibility. So why condemn him for trying to reach out? Being a hopeful and positive agent for change is Dave's… if he'll excuse the familiarity since my busy body editor seems to be on a first name basis… strength. Have at it, I say.
But since the mayor declared yesterday that he's going to talk about what he wants to talk about, I hope Dave Meslin won't hold it against anyone who thinks more forceful measures may be necessary in an attempt to redirect Mayor Ford's energies in a more positive direction. Like many a battle, fighting the good fight may best be fought in multiple manners and on numerous flanks. [Gee willikers, Urban Sophsiticat. Nice of you to let us play along – ed.] [Don't you have your own post you can vent on? Stop sticking your nose in mine – US] [Appeaser – ed.] [Hothead – US] [Ingratiating toady – ed.] [Mindless ideologue – US] [Unprincipled apostate – ed.] [Shut up – US] [No, you shut up – ed.] [No, you shut up – US] [No, you – ed.] [No, you – US] [Shut up, shut up, shut up – ed.] [You shu—US] [Nope. I get the last word because I'm the ed.]
— submitted by Urban Sophisticat/ed. by Cityslikr
7 Comments	| CBC, City Building, Municipal Politics, Newspapers, Philosophical Musings, Press coverage	| Tagged: City Hall, Dave Meslin, Godwin's Law, mayor, mez dispenser, NOW, Politics, Rob Ford, Toronto	| Permalink
Meet A Mayoral Candidate — Part III
Another Friday and another Meet A Mayoral Candidate post.
This week: MageeForMayor!
His name is Colin Magee and he is located in Toronto. According to his bio: The great only appear great because we are on our knees let us rise!
… after that, we got nothing.
It seems that what we're dealing with here is a political campaign driven exclusively by Twitter. We could find no website, no other contact info. We can't even be sure if there's an actual person involved or simply a Twitter account. (Although.. although we're intrigued by such a notion. No candidate. Just an account. The platform is formulated, added to and modified by a web of users. 21st-century participatory democracy at work, folks!)
To be fair, we here at All Fired Up in the Big Smoke are nothing short of raging incompetents in the field of social networking technology. All pertinent information may possibly be out there, easily accessed with a simple thumb click on a link that we remain oblivious to. So don't write MageeForMayor off on our account. Maybe someone reading this can uncover more details and let us know.
What we did discover as we lurched clumsily through the MageeForMayor Twitterworld is that MageeForMayor likes listening to Social Distortion and The Clash with a beer on a spring day. (Has that going for him.) He tweets in rhyme. (Less impressive.) He announced his candidacy for mayor on January 7th and met with his campaign team in mid-January and again in early February. It seems that MageeForMayor was upset about the Adam Giambrone debacle. Since mid-February there's been silence. Again, very possibly owing to our ineptitude rather than a lackadaisical approach by MageeForMayor.
It wasn't all a total bust, our time a-Twittering. While there, we stumbled across a vibrant cyber politico-scape©™®. Groups using the internet to communicate and to arrange non-virtual gatherings of like-minded, tech savvy folks who are passionately committed to the well being of this city.
We were already aware of activists like Dave Meslin who use the internet to promote various causes including reform for fairer proportional representation in our elections with projects like Better Ballots. Through links at MageeForMayor we came across #voteTO, an online based organization that, in its own words "is a grand experiment in attempting to endow a virtual body with real-world political presence." These are engaged (largely younger) citizens not ideologically driven, looking to contribute toward the betterment of the city where they live, work and play.
This is a deep, untapped, online well that offers a new and important method of public discourse and exchange. Serious candidates seeking political office in Toronto cannot simply ignore it especially those who have not been anointed and pre-ordained by the mainstream press as frontrunners or viable contenders. We too, following the proceedings from the sidelines, are missing out on an underground(swell) of support for new ideas and visions that will be heard in the not-too-distant future.
And think a Twitter political campaign demeans and diminishes the process, old man? Our leading contenders for mayor are already abiding by the 140 character rule. Cut! Cut!! Cut!!! Sell!!!! Sell!!!!! Sell!!!!!! Kick Union Ass!!!!!!!
Nailed it with 71 characters to spare!
This week we'll answer our own pathetic question we've been posing to mayoral candidates. If the present mayor would like his legacy to be that of the Transit Mayor, how would a Mayor Colin Magee like to see his legacy written?
Wait for it.. wait for it…
Mayor Colin Magee made everyday feel like a warm spring day, listening to Social Distortion and The Clash with a beer in hand for every Torontonian.
— dutifully submitted by Cityslikr
Leave a Comment »	| Better Ballots, Elections 2010, Municipal Politics, Newspapers, Press coverage, Race 4 Mayor	| Tagged: #voteTO, Beer, City Hall, Colin Magee, Dave Meslin, MageeForMayor, mayor, mez dispenser, Politics, Social Distortion, The Clash, Toronto, Twitter	| Permalink
Wilting Democracy
We here at All Fired Up in the Big Smoke have been thinking a lot lately about the state of local democracy. Well, not all of us. Urban Sophisticat seldom ponders on the subject as his preference would be for a benign dictatorship that banishes cars from cities and permits cannabis cafes on every street corner. This is not a belief conducive to thinking straight about democratic institutions.
But for those of us here not wandering around in a perpetual haze of glassy eyed, marijuana induced idealism, we have been mulling over our situation as duly appointed participants in the democratic process. Yes, it all seems alive and vibrant while in the midst of an election campaign. Caught up as we are in the proceedings, it's hard to fathom that there are those out there more akin to Urban Sophisticat's mindset who aren't devouring every little morsel of news and information coming in off the campaign trail. Neither are they eagerly awaiting October 25th in order to be first in line at the polling booth to mark the requisite Xs in their appropriate ballots.
Trolling through the interwebs as is our want, we stumbled across the fact that over 60% of eligible voters did not vote in Toronto's last municipal election. I'm sorry. You said over 60% of voters did vote in Toronto's last municipal election, right? No, we didn't. Over 60% of eligible voters did not vote in Toronto's last municipal election. (Note the use of the bold, italics and underline functions for emphasis. Twice.)
Holy mackerel, that's low. That's low, right? Yes, it's low. Criminally low as it would be in some places like Australia where voting is mandatory under penalty of prosecution. Keelhauling, we think they still do down there, what with their naval and shipping of convict heritage, if found guilty of voter neglect.
Yet not voting is par for the course here in Toronto. To say that we have a disengaged electorate is to dally in the shallow waters of DoYaThink!?! Creek which is a tributary of WellD'Uh River. When it comes to municipal politics, Torontonians are passionate about their lack of interest. It's tough to fight City Hall when you're not even sure where it is. That funny shaped thing, down by the Eaton Centre, right behind the outdoor skating rink, yeah?
From our inception, All Fired Up in the Big Smoke has chalked up voter apathy – not just in Toronto but in municipalities all across the province of Ontario – to the fact that those we elect as mayor and councilors don't really have the power and resources to deal with the demands placed upon them. The purse and authority lie with our elected officials at the provincial and federal levels. So why waste time worrying too much about the hired help?
Turns out things might be a little more complicated than that, as much as it offends our sense of strict black and white reasoning to admit. The democratic deficit under which we are operating is a broader, deeper pit of entropy according to those who actually examine the phenomena rather than simply opine glibly about it. If Toronto isn't alive with voter fervor, it is most definitely hopping with enthusiasts who want to change our complacent attitude toward elections.
A quick trip through the tubes and pipes of the internet reveals a bubbling cauldron of activism at work on behalf of local democracy. At a website of Kris Scheuer, city hall bureau chief for the Town Crier newspapers, there's a concise overview of the voting (or rather non-voting) habits here in Toronto. In that post, there is a link to a blog from a fellow named David Meslin.
mez dispenser, the blog's called and it is the work of a self-proclaimed artist and organizer who doesn't appear to need any sleep. As the site shows, the list of his undertakings is long including City Idol where participants vied to become candidates in the 2006 municipal election. One of his latest projects is Better Ballots which is a push for electoral reform in Toronto; a drive shared by other organizations such as the Toronto Democracy Initiative.
While impossible to summarize in a single post, among other overriding concerns of such individuals and groups is the exclusionary nature of our voting system. The traditional first past the post method is a boon for incumbency that has become so entrenched that City Hall is a pale (pun intended) reflection of the diversity of Toronto. Females and visible minorities are vastly under represented while some councilors can get re-elected with just 20% of the votes cast! (I'm sorry. Did you say that there were councilors at City Hall who got elected with–Yes, I did. Such is the sad state of democracy in Toronto.)
It is a hole that we will not dig ourselves out of quickly. Aside from the usual difficulties of transforming a well fed status quo, there is the ever present problem of having to get the OK from Queen's Park for much of the proposed electoral reform. And this is a government that was lukewarm at best toward the 2007 provincial reform referendum on proportional representation. So it's hard to see how they would be all that permissive in allowing Toronto to have a go at it on its own.
Still, you either throw in the towel, shrug your shoulders in defeat and head off to the nearest cannabis café to watch passively as more and more of your city is handed over to those who think of it as their own personal playground or you stand up and say, there is a better way to do things. Democracy is not dead as long as there is enough of the latter kind of people. From that standpoint, I think Toronto's doing just fine.
— upbeatedly submitted by Cityslikr
7 Comments	| Better Ballots, City Council, Elections 2010, Municipal Politics, Race 4 Mayor, Toronto Democracy Initiative	| Tagged: 2nd law of thermodynamics, Australia, Cannabis cafes, City Hall, City Idol, Dave Meslin, Eaton Centre, Keelhauling, Kris Scheuer, Mandatory voting, mayor, mez dispenser, Politics, Proportional representation, Queen's Park, Toronto, Town Crier newspapers, Voter apathy	| Permalink


text:
Published On: Wed, Jan 8th, 2020
Avrupa / Dünya | By admin
Turkey Caught In EU Crosshairs On Libya
By Janet Ekstract
ISTANBUL (TURKISH JOURNAL) – On Tuesday, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell said the EU rejects Turkish plans to send troops to Libya.
Borrell has warned of an "escalation of violence" in Libya from what he labels foreign interference. He added: "We are requesting a ceasefire." He also said the EU is requesting a halt to all military offensives from both sides.
He further commented that the EU denounces warlord Khalifa Haftar's attack on a Libyan military school: "We condemn attacks such as Saturday's strike against the military school, which only bring more violence and human suffering."
In addition, Borrell added: "The European Union calls on all sides to engage in a political process under the leadership of the United Nations. The European Union will continue to deploy all efforts towards finding a peaceful and political solution to this process. "
On Tuesday, Borrell met in an emergency meeting in Brussels with foreign ministers from Germany, Italy, France and the UK. They were scheduled to fly to Libya but due to security issues, they had to cancel.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas commented to reporters: "Libya has since become a place for a war of proxies and we don't want to accept that any longer."
Meanwhile, an extraordinary meeting of EU foreign ministers will meet this Friday in Brussels to hear the views of all 28 member states on the situation in the Middle East.
When referencing a solution for Libya, Borrell explained "It's not a matter of force, the EU is not using force." He said: "We will continue to talk to all Libyan actors. "
Turkey Condemns Haftar Strike On Military School
Opposition After Turkey Approves Military Aid To Libya
Berlin'deki kritik Libya zirvesi başladı
Dünya Sağlık Örgütü: 'Fakir ülkelerin üçte birinde, hem yetersiz beslenme, hem de obezite sorunu var'
AFAD, BM videosunda "örnek kurum"


I was discussing with a friend who's company is in the middle of a merger how the two companies have very different approaches to their media presence. One company loves having team members on camera while the other wants to keep all things 'generic'. Today we would like to explore the pros and cons of both approaches.
A lot of companies tend to keep things pretty generic when it comes to the face of a company for many reasons.
Media created by your team can last a long time, even after those that created it have left. Not having a face means you don't have to worry about content looking out of date if that person is no longer around.
Your company can make it appear more as if the product has a personality unto itself.
Selling customers on the work of the company as a whole, not that of an individual.
Might come off as not very personable or as relatable.
Losing out on the connection you can create by putting a human face to your work.
Can seem generic and blend into the background of noise with all of the other faceless companies.
Big responsibility? You betcha, but more and more companies are trying to put a human face (or multiple faces!) to their brands.
Helps your company stand out and be more unique in a sea of competition.
Creates a more personal story behind your company.
Can thrive off of very lively, fun, or interesting individuals on camera, etc.
More approachable and less intimidating.
Danger of seeming very small.
Run the risk of having the individual's personal brand outshine the company's.
Persona becomes associated with the company, and all the baggage that could come with it.
Either way you decide to go has its own shares of positives and negatives. Its up to you to choose which direction is right for your company. And remember you could always do a bit of both — have at it!


I, the undersigned, affirm that I am the legal Parent or Guardian of the Student named below, or that I, the Student, am 18 years of age, and I give permission for the Student to attend one of the performances of "School of Rock" at Hillsboro High School from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Those performances will be on March 1 - 4.
· I give permission for the Student to be transported and accompanied by employees and volunteers of Touchstone Youth Resource Services, Inc., also known herein as "Touchstone", to and from the event location.
· I also understand that my student's participation is a privilege, not a right, and it is at the discretion of the Touchstone leadership.
· I give Touchstone permission to honor my student publicly, including in the media.
· Touchstone has my permission to photograph, videotape, audio-record and otherwise use my student's likeness or speech on the internet, in print, or any other media.
· I release Touchstone, and all employees, volunteers, agents and representatives thereof, from all liability for injuries, including death, to the student named above, and for all claims, loss, or damages resulting from the student's participation in this activity, including being transported to and from this event.
· I assume full responsibility for all risk to the student while they are participating in this activity, and I assume full responsibility for any loss or damage caused by the student's behavior while participating in this activity.
· I authorize Touchstone to obtain emergency medical aid for my child.
· I certify that I have read and understand these policies and agree to their conditions.


Family-centric. Gen Yers are very family-centric. While some say this generation is narcissistic, they actually just have different priorities than older generations, placing more emphasis on work-life balance than on the amount of billable hours they can submit.
Team-focused. Unlike the generation just before them, these individuals are all about teamwork. They were raised playing on teams and staying socially engaged in playdates and group activities, so this is something they've carried over into their adult lives.
Achievement-oriented. Members of this generation have been coddled and fostered throughout their lives, especially by their parents. They have been pushed to do a lot and achieve even more, so they have high expectations for themselves and their employers, seeking meaningful work above all else.
Attention-craving. Because of the attention they've been given by their parents and others throughout childhood, Gen Yers are accustomed to attention and desire it.
Recognize his or her involvement in, improvement of, or contribution to the family unit. If the family can be involved in the recognition, all the more better.
Focus on the contribution to the team. This is something in which a Gen Yer takes much pride, so recognizing the group at the same time as the individual fits well into his or her belief system.
As achievement-oriented individuals, it's a good idea to be specific with recognition, naming exact contributions, talents, skills, etc., that warrants the occasion.
You'll find it easy to recognize a Gen Yer. They like attention and will welcome recognition of their efforts, especially in a public forum.
The perfect example of how to make this work for a Gen Yer is to feature him or her in a feature article in a magazine or newspaper, detailing the event, project, or occasion, and praising him or her openly for the contribution. If a team was involved, then it's necessary to include details as such as well.
If you've had the distinct opportunity to recognize a Generation Y in a newspaper or magazine article, then take the next step by having it preserved in a custom article mount from That's Great News. Working technology into the mix is easily accomplished as well, especially with the latest and greatest video plaques. With this breakthrough technology, you can mount video frames and include a unique QR code that provides a direct link to the original online video. Generation Y will love you for it.


text:
Q: Combining jQuery and CSS Media queries I'm using this code to trigger stuff on window resize.
css
@media only screen and (min-width : 320px) and (max-width : 768px) {
    .placeholder {
        width:100%;
    }

js
if ($(window).width() <= 768){
$('#middle').hide();
$('.left').removeClass('hidden');

} else {
$('#middle').show();
$('.left').addClass('hidden');
}
});

However, these is an inconsistency between the CSS media query at 768 and the jquery window width 768 because they do not appear to trigger at the same time. This is something explained on this great article, http://www.fourfront.us/blog/jquery-window-width-and-media-queries
However, when I try to apply this like
if ($(".placeholder").css("width") === "100%") {
         $('.left').removeClass('hidden');
         $('#middle').hide();
    } else {
        $('#middle').show();
        $('.left').addClass('hidden');
    }

This doesn't work. I've tried applying other css values, like a 2px margin, but this also doesn't work. What am I doing wrong? Can anyone help? Many thanks.

A: As mehdi said, $(".placeholder").css("width") will return you a px value.
To resolve this you can add another style to your class that won't influence in your design
like border-color: rgb(255, 0, 0); and use it to your if..
See this example

A: even if you set the width:100%, $(".placeholder").css("width") give you width in px
DEMO
if ($(".placeholder").css("width") == $(window).width()+"px")//or $(container).width()

means .placeholder width is 100% if margin=0


DAR ES SALAAM, March 7 (Reuters) - The former chief executive officer of Tanzania's Bank M was charged with fraud and money laundering on Thursday, two months after the central bank revoked the bank's licence.
Tanzania's central bank took over the management of Bank M, which had assets of nearly $500 million last August after it suffered critical liquidity challenges, before transferring them to another bank, Azania, in January.
Kumar, 63, who was also one of the shareholders of Bank M, was charged with multiple counts of fraud, obtaining money by false pretence and money laundering, court documents showed.
Tanzania's financial services sector, which is dominated by lenders like CRDB Bank and NMB Bank, has been hit by a spike in bad loans.


Hopefully the fashion world is going to wake up… slowly… but still… wake up! It's time for change! Time for diversity in fashion!
And today between 12 and 3 PM, All Behind the Catwalk is having a twitter debate about diversity in fashion. Let's hear your voice! Because when we're speaking of size, fashion is still showing us only one side.
Previous articleCarma Koma is looking for inbetweenies!!!


2008 Toyota Highlander Specs – By Toyota's own bookkeeping, the Highlander is significant to the series, with 129,794 marketed in 2006. Why play around with a successful formula? In reality, Chevy did make significant changes. This new mid-size SUV-available as a V-6 or a hybrid is larger, bulkier, and more luxurious. What new Chevy isn't? But perhaps the most exciting changes mentioned by Chevy at its media release are to its vehicle-development procedure, the successful program that has produced so many successful treatments.
The Toyota is the first automobile designed under Chevy Motor Organization chief executive Katsuaki Watanabe's new "Customer First" top quality effort. After years of callous contracting and cost reducing, the Japanese people car maker says its vehicle-development procedure is down to epidermis and bone fragments, with a causing influence on fit and. "In some places, we were not creating our inner targets" for high quality, confesses Bob Jackson, Toyota's top revenue director in the U.S.
Chevy says that Client First improved the Highlander's professional go depend on immediate, bogged down the procedure, and beefed up top quality examination. The effort is appropriate. By Toyota's reckoning, the 2008 Toyota Highlander Specs was predicted to deal next opponents when it showed up in This summer. The Highlander, new in 2001, has never been the most beautiful, fastest, or most affordable of the I'm-not-a-minivans, but it offers well partially on its sterling top quality rep.
The newest-gen 2008 Toyota Highlander Specs develops considerably. The wheelbase contributes almost three inches wide, providing an extra area to middle travelers and those in the not compulsory third row, which is quite spacious. Freight quantity also increases, the most obtain (14 cubic feet) with the middle and back seats down. Parents desired simpler having accessibility to that third row, so the average bench's vestigial middle support stows below the central system, creating captain's seats out of the middle row and enabling kids (and even adults) to shake through to the way-back. A stylized print and a big dial device group put on Rolls Royce air, especially in the faux-wood-festooned Restricted.
The leader now telescopes, and nav, videos clip program, and an energy tailgate are all optionally available. The Camry's 3.5-liter dual-cam 24-valve V-6 creates 270 horse energy through a five-speed automated. What all-wheel generate is optionally available, and the bottom four-cylinder is no more. The multiple Highlander's powertrains provide over mostly the same from its 2005 release, except for a pushbutton enabling genuine electric-only generating up to 25 mph. As with the old multiple, a second, 68-hp motor unit on the back axle provides AWD solutions, the front-drive-only multiple choice now processed.
Of the editions we forced, the midlevel Sport with it's a little bit stronger revocation and guiding was the most attractive. Toyota's machines put the bodyweight improve at approximately 300 weight across the road, the heaviest being the Hybrid Restricted at 4650. A big car from a big organization that isn't scared to confess when modify is necessary.


text:
Carrera Productions presents
Celebrating The Music Of Ray Charles
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Celebrate the music of Ray Charles with an all-star cast of award winning performers: 10-time Grammy winners, Take 6, Las Vegas vocal star, Clint Holmes, 6-time Grammy nominee Nnenna Freelon, and Grammy winning saxophonist - Kirk Whalum.
Event Length (Approximate):
1 hour, 30 minutes
without intermission
Ray Charles, a Georgia native son was an American treasure who won every major honor from the Georgia music hall of fame to the Hollywood Walk of Fame... from the Kennedy Honors to a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. He transcended racism and cultural upheavals, and spread his music based on Gospel, Blues, Jazz and Country around the world...he was the genius!
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Group Discounts Available. To order call the Ticket Office at 916-608-6888.
Georgia On My Mind (Official Trailer)
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2019-2020 Season Brochure


Acquisition will add 1.1 million listeners.
Bauer Media Group is acquiring Celador Radio and Lincs FM Group, a total of 34 regional stations that will add 1.1 million weekly listeners to the media owner's portfolio.
The deal will extend Bauer's reach in the UK and builds on its other acquisitions, such as Jazz FM last year and Orion Media in 2016.
Bauer is also selling The Breeze and Sam FM in the Solent region and KCFM in Yorkshire to Nation Radio because it already has stations in the areas – Wave 105.2 FM and Viking Radio.
The media company said it is continuing to look for "opportunities to further extend its portfolio in the UK and Europe".
Bauer launched Hits Radio last year and is introducing a new classical radio station, Scala, next month.
Paul Keenan, chief executive of Bauer, said: "Bauer's strong position on new listening platforms – with more than 60% of our listening now digital – will help secure the future of the acquired stations in the new audio world.
"Through this investment, Bauer Media is demonstrating its fundamental belief in the UK, one of its key markets, which it is certain will continue to offer great opportunities for growth and economic success and in the continuing relevance of radio as a medium."


text:
Spice Girls Roast Absent Victoria Beckham During First Wembley Show
WENN/Daniel Deme
Returning to the London venue for their reunion tour, the 'Spice Up Your Life' hitmakers treat concertgoerts to their onstage playfulness during the performance of 'Goodbye' and 'Wannabe'.
AceShowbiz - The Spice Girls have called out former bandmember Victoria Adams for snubbing their invite to the band's first Wembley Stadium gig.
The "Spice Up Your Life" hitmakers played the first of three nights at the London venue on Thursday, June 13, as part of their "Spice World - 2019 Tour", and Geri Halliwell was overcome with emotion during a moving performance of "Goodbye" - which was released by the band when Ginger Spice sensationally quit back in 1998.
Poking fun at her quietness on stage, bandmate Melanie Brown a.k.a. Mel B said, "Why are you so quiet? Have you ever known Ginge so quiet?"
Geri admitted she was thinking about the time the band performed without her at Wembley Stadium in 1998 following her departure.
"I was gutted they were doing it without me," the 46-year-old told fans. "Then 21 years later to come back and be doing it together with you lot."
Unwilling to let the opportunity pass, the rest of the band quipped, "I wonder if Victoria feels like that right now!"
That wasn't the only dig the band made, however, as when Mel B rapped the iconic bridge to the band's breakout hit "Wannabe", Geri followed the line "Easy V doesn't come for free, she's a real lady" with the cheeky remark, "Where is she?"
When Geri, Mel B, Melanie C a.k.a. Mel C and Emma Bunton announced plans to hit the road last November (18), the fashion mogul decided to pass on the opportunity, citing her other work commitments.
Although fans hoped to see Posh at the gig in the U.K.'s capital, their dreams were quashed when the star posted snaps of herself on Instagram in Los Angeles, California shortly before the show was due to begin.
The "Spice World - 2019 Tour" wraps up at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
Randall Park Can Understand Constance Wu's Scandalous Tweets About 'Fresh Off the Boat'
Kelly Rohrbach Secretly Weds Walmart Heir Boyfriend in Florida
Spice Girls Fans Left Furious Over Disorganization of Coventry Concert Venue
Spice Girls Have Yet to Rule Out World Tour, Manager Suggests
Spice Girls Pressed to Fix Sound Issues by Upset Cardiff Fans
Spice Girls' Fans Grumble About Sound Issues Impairing Reunion Concert in Dublin


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Jitka Ludvíková (* 11. ledna 1981 Jindřichův Hradec) je česká spisovatelka, původním vzděláním právnička. Píše humoristickou literaturu a knihy pro děti. Žije v Praze.

Život
Narodila se v Jindřichově Hradci. Po absolvování Gymnázia Vítězslava Nováka v Jindřichově Hradci vystudovala obor Právo na Právnické fakultě ZČU. Po ukončení studia začala pracovat jako právnička. Knihy vydává od roku 2015. Je vdaná, má dvě děti.

Dílo

Humoristická beletrie
 Zkrocení mlsného muže, 2015
 Můj manžel má jinou, no a co?!, 2015
 Osvícení zoufalého muže, 2016
 Devět let natvrdo, 2016
 Zakázané uvolnění, 2018
 Muži zrají jako víno, 2020

Romány
 Propast, 2021

Detektivky
 Nebezpečná hra, 2017
 Dotek minulosti, 2018
 Sedmnáctka, 2019
 Dotek vraha, 2019
 Případ čurací panny, 2021
 Venuše, 2021
 Vánoční případ, 2021
 Poslední pozdrav, 2022

Dětské knihy
 Julinka a Rek, 2016
 Hortensie Malinová, 2017

Odkazy

Externí odkazy

České spisovatelky
Čeští romanopisci
Čeští humoristé
Spisovatelé píšící česky
Narození v Jindřichově Hradci
Narození 11. ledna
Narození v roce 1981
Žijící lidé
Ženy
Absolventi gymnázia v Jindřichově Hradci

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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A pianist will learn to play on the instrument on which they practise, not the one on which they take lessons.
Buying a piano is an exciting task, but it can also be overwhelming. All pianos are not "created equal". Like most things in life, there are the good, the bad and the in-between.
A question often asked is whether a digital or acoustic piano should be purchased. As with most purchases, there are pros and cons with both options; both acoustic pianos and digital pianos have their strengths and weaknesses.
As with many things these days, there seems to be a growing thought that the digital version of anything is better. This is not the case. Take cameras, for example. Digital cameras are growing in popularity because they do a lot of the work for us and are increasingly affordable, but despite the huge file sizes now available, they are still not producing the same standard as a quality film camera.
An acoustic piano has around 10,000 working parts and one that is masterfully crafted has expressive qualities – tone, action and aesthetic appeal – to which an electronic imitation cannot hold a candle.
As good as digital pianos have become in simulating the sound and feel of an acoustic piano, there is nothing that can totally match the real thing. The majority of electronic instruments lack the tone and touch of an acoustic piano, as well as the feel and the ability to convey subtle emotion and feeling. An acoustic piano has strings and hammers, while a digital piano has none. Having actual strings means that there are thousands of things in an acoustic piano (such as sympathetically vibrating strings) that are difficult to reproduce convincingly on a digital piano.
I own both. I love both for different reasons. I regularly teach on the acoustic piano, but have occasionally needed to use the digital, which is not top of the line, but still a quality instrument from one of the top manufacturers. With the exception of a seven-year-old beginner, every student who has used it has commented how "it just doesn't feel the same".
However, digital pianos have their specific purpose as well and as technology continues to push itself forward, they will continue to improve. A good digital piano can actually have a better piano tone and touch than a poor quality new acoustic piano, or a used one in poor condition. You have to compare apples with apples.
Looking at a digital simply as a piano (without all the other bells and whistles), the most common reasons I find people go straight to the digital option are size and cost. It is often assumed that a digital piano will take up less space than an acoustic, but in most cases the space required is identical. Eighty-eight piano keys take up basically the same space, no matter what cabinet they are in. As for cost, while the initial cost of an acoustic piano could be a little more than the purchase of an electronic piano, this difference is usually marginal and the digitals don't hold their value as well. This is frustrating, because you know you have an instrument that still plays beautifully, but like most new technology, the second a more advanced digital piano is released, the older one will become obsolete. An outdated keyboard is often difficult to sell.
The truth of the matter is, what you pay for with one option, you do not get with the other and vice versa. The easiest way to compare is to set out the pros and cons of each.
Whichever way you go, if the piano is incapable of delivering a good response to touch, the student will not improve.
If you are purchasing the instrument for your children, it is generally recommended that you purchase an acoustic piano. This is because children especially require the real touch and sound of a piano. Their sponge-like brains mean they quickly become accustomed to that with which they are presented. They will begin to expect the lightly weighted feel of an electronic piano, and when it comes time to complete examinations, they will have a very hard time adapting. The AMEB examine above Grade 4 on acoustic only, so that gives some indication of what the examiners are considering and assessing at this level.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged acoustic piano, digital piano, digital vs acoustic, music lessons, piano, piano lessons, piano lessons Newcastle NSW, piano lessons Wallsend, piano teacher, piano teacher Newcastle NSW, piano teacher Wallsend on August 12, 2015 by Merri Bell.


Atsushi Okada, winner of the Kimura Ihei Award (2008) for photography, is one of the most gifted and the most intriguing photographers in Japan.
Okada was born in Hokkaido, Japan in 1979. Graduated from Osaka University of Arts, Photography Department in 2003.
In 2002, while a student, Okada received FUJIFILM PHOTO SALON The New Face Prize. He completed a PhD in arts at Tokyo Polytechnic University in 2008. In the same year, he won the 33th KIMURA IHEI commemorative Photography Award with his work "I am"(AKAAKA ART PUBLISHING). "I am" was introduced in many ways by press in Japan and internationally, receiving high acclaim.
In 2010 Okada released book "ataraxia"(SEIGENSHA) and iPad / iPhone application "ataraxia [photo theater]"(Excite). He also took special photographs for the official guidebook of the film "Norwegian Wood" in 2010 (KODANSHA). The film is based on the novel by Haruki Murakami and directed by Tran Anh Hung.
In 2012 Okada released book "THE WORLD"(AKAAKA ART PUBLISHING).
In 2014 Okada released book "MOTHER"(HAKUROSYA). Other books include "Platibe" and "Cord"(2003, both books published by Mado-sha).
Okada is the most expected young and spirited photographer in Japan, drawing high attention also from abroad.


Working all morning and finally having lunch or a break in the afternoon, may not be the best idea. Having a break earlier in the day can replenish more resources – energy, concentration and motivation.
"Finding something on your break that you prefer to do - something that's not given to you or assigned to you - are the kinds of activities that are going to make your breaks much more restful, provide better recovery and help you come back to work stronger," Hunter said.
Break activities don't have to be non-work related. As long as you do something you like to do, you will get more benefit.
The study found that recovery of resources (energy, concentration and motivation) following a "better break" (earlier in the day, doing things they preferred) led to less somatic symptoms. These symptoms included, headaches, eyestrain, and lower back pain after the break. As a result of feeling better they also had increased job satisfaction and decreased emotional exhaustion (burnout).
The study couldn't pinpoint the exact length of time for the best break, but it did find that more short breaks were associated with higher resources. Therefore, employees should be encouraged to take more frequent short breaks to help with recovery.
This is also important for general spinal health. I have written numerous posts that suggest having regular short breaks are necessary for good spinal function. As the new catch phrase goes - "smoking is the new sitting". I said in my last post, for every 20 minutes of sitting your spine requires about 30 minutes of standing or 5 minutes of walking to recover.
If you own a business and have employees, or you work from home or are studying for the upcoming exams, this information will be very important. Ensuring you maximize your breaks will give better output for your work or study. From a general spinal function point of view, having a regular stretch break every 20-30 minutes will go a long way to make you feel better and be more efficient in your work. In the study above, they used an analogy of a cellphone. It is often thought that with a cellphone it is best to let the battery run down to zero before charging it back to full. This is not the case with our bodies. We need regular top ups to ensure good, optimal function. Try it and see how you feel. Your body will thank you for it.


UK infrastructure operator Network Rail said services were suspended on Wednesday after lines were damaged on Tuesday. People can travel to and from the airport via a rail replacement bus service, to.
UK-based travel search engine Skyscanner has expanding its offering with a train ticket booking feature that lets users of its iOS app book UK train journeys. The feature is slated as coming to UK And.
York has emerged as Britain's second worst travel blackspot for rail commuters, with nearly two-thirds of services running la.
A travel group founded more than 30 years ago by two British Rail employees is in talks to sell itself to. Duke Street is one of the UK's best-known private equity investors, having backed companie.
Find cheap advance train tickets to Bournemouth and explore our fantastic destination guide to Bournemouth for some great ideas for your perfect day out.
6. Get 2-for-1 discounted entry to attractions with your tickets Lots of people don't realise it, but many of the UK's top attractions — from London Zoo, to Cadbury World, to the Edinburgh Dungeon — o.
Now Available! Travel England on your mobile phone, stress free and easy to use! Find out more about the M-Pass here. Better together!
First Minister Carwyn Jones said the Borders rail service can be the best passenger rail service in the UK within the next 15.
However, severe disruption is expected on most routes. Passengers travelling to London can travel to Waterloo via Reading and.
TRAINS are delayed between Warrington Bank Quay and Wigan North Western stations after a woman was killed by a train. Police have confirmed the person was killed near to Wigan North Western this after.
A Eurotunnel spokesman said: "We confirm that a rail freight train traveling from UK to the FR was reported to have broken.
AN historic vehicle which represents a landmark in rail travel has been donated to The National Railway Museum. The nationally significant High-Speed Freight Vehicle 1 (HSFV1) has been donated to Loco.
A spokesman said: "Northern expects all services to be extremely busy and customers are advised to give themselves extra time to travel. details of rail services operating during the strike and for.
Swiss Travel Pass See Switzerland via the world's best transport system! Unlimited travel throughout the train, bus and boat Swiss Travel System network, including trams and buses.
Where can I use one? A System One Travelcard gives unlimited travel on any bus, or combinations of bus, train and tram.
Edinburgh-based travel search engine Skyscanner has introduced the ability to find and compare train tickets in the UK. The feature is currently available the UK-based users of the iOS app, with the f.
Get a cut price railcard to save on travel and find out how you can claim 2 for 1 entry at some of the UK's top attractions a.
Russia's premier train, the Golden Eagle was launched in 2007 by UK based GW Travel (now Golden Eagle Luxury Trains Limited).


Have you looked for an expressive flat design for your educational blog or website about informational researches. The clean interface of the premium WordPress theme would be appealing to any kind of audience. The combination of turquoise and yellow hues makes this free WordPress theme incredibly attractive. Open new excellent possibilities in the web development with the help of the Solaphen WordPress theme. Take all the advantages of this powerful platform for your website by downloading and installing it already today.


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Q: Visual studio builds but msbuild does not. I have looked at many of the similar questions, none have answered my problem thus far.
I can't build any of the libraries/applications in the project with msbuild.
There are 0 errors, 0 warnings, 0 messages in visual studio.
Even when I isolate the library, none of them compile.
There are 68 errors for the core library that is not dependant on anything except two nuget packages. Some of the errors include:
CS1003 Syntax error, "," expected and
CS1525 Invalid expression term 'double'.
Both On a line like this:
Function(param1, param2, out double bla, out double blu);
CS1003 Syntax error, '[' expected on a line like this:
void FuncPointer() { Obj.Function(); }
And many other obviously wrong errors but not on every line. Mostly "," expected errors.

A: Turns out, that something had caused Illegal characters in a Nuget.config file in AppData. But the project was still getting compiled into a nuget package in visual studio, which is why this went unnoticed. All the packages were already installed. I introduced a local nuget.config in the repo to prevent that error, and the rest of the build was fine in msbuild.exe.


Virgil Abloh has teamed up with water filtration company SOMA and mineral water brand Evian to launch an exclusive glass bottle.
Evian announced back in December that Virgil Abloh has become part of its team as creative advisor for sustainable design. Together, Evian aims to become a 100% circular brand by 2025.
Under this new role, Abloh aims to minimize unnecessary plastic consumption together with Evian—a brand that has a strong heritage in creativity as well as fashion. The duo intends to explore new ways to revolutionize and create a better future for generations to come.
The 17oz glass bottle features a bamboo lid and a white silicone sleeve that displays the Evian logo in gray. The bottle also has the text "RAINBOW INSIDE" plastered vertically.
The text is available on the bottle in four different colors—purple, light blue, dark blue and pink. There is still no word on prices but will be available soon on MATCHESFASHION.com.


Parents welcome in to settle their children. Child led activities throughout the nursery.
Dough disco – finger movement activity or Brain breaks – music and movement, followed by Group time with key worker. Individualised focused activity differentiated for each group.
We have lots of photos to show you the things we have been learning about, so please take a look at our blogs below.
This week the children have been working together to make Easter biscuits. We took turns to mix the ingredients, roll the dough and cut Easter shapes. We hope the children enjoyed eating the biscuits they decorated.


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Bənövşələr () is a village in the Agdam District of Azerbaijan.  The village forms part of the municipality of Əhmədağalı.

References

Populated places in Aghdam District


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Core Faculty and Staff
Center for Arts, Digital Culture and Entrepreneurship
Understanding the Transforming U.S. South: Perspectives on Race, Culture, Politics, and Society
Collaborative To Advance Equity Through Research on Women and Girls of Color
Humanities Working Group
Meridians Journal
Video featuring DCORE faculty
Kerry Haynie Elected Chair of Academic Council
March 1, 2019Written by Camille Jackson
From Duke Today:
Kerry Haynie, associate professor of political science and African and African-American Studies, was elected the new chair of the Academic Council this past Thursday.
Haynie will succeed current chair Don Taylor, who finishes his two-year term on July 1. Haynie defeated Mark Anthony Neal, James B. Duke Professor of African and African-American Studies, in a closed ballot vote.
Both candidates had long records of university service. Haynie, who also serves as director of Duke's Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in the Social Sciences, has served multiple terms on the council and has been a past member of its executive committee. Neal is currently serving on the executive committee.
He has also served on a number of presidential and provostial committees and council committees, such as the President's Working Group on Community and Dialogue, the Provost's Committee on Reimagining Doctoral Education, the Undergraduate Education Committee of the Board of Trustees and the Academic Council's Diversity Task Force.
As council chair, he will take the lead in guiding the faculty's role in shared governance at the university.
In other council news, Dr. Geeta Swamy, vice dean of the School of Medicine and associate vice provost for scientific integrity, presented revisions to the Misconduct in Research policy in Appendix P in the Faculty Handbook.
The revisions provided clarification of policies, some of which went beyond regulatory requirements while others weren't aligned with routine practice. It confirmed that the policy was applicable to university researchers other than faculty members.
In addition, the definition of research misconduct is limited to falsification, fabrication and plagiarism, while removing other kinds of misconduct, such as deviations from standard practices.
Swamy noted that some misconducts, such as harassment, are not covered by this policy but both Duke and by national professional associations will continue discussing them. The topic of faculty behavior has been a regular part of the council discussions this year, and it's likely some new policies will come out of that work.
"These are things we are working toward, but they are separate from this research misconduct policy," she said.
Uncategorized academic council, Kerry Haynie
Twelve-year-old Fellowship Program Welcomes German Scholars to Duke
1969 Allen Building Takeover Alumni Reunite on 50th Anniversary
Duke Council on Race and Ethnicity is powered by WordPress at Duke WordPress Sites. Please read the Duke Wordpress Policies. Contact the Duke WordPress team.


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Home > Success
When paper flowers spread the fragrance of love and joy; a Bengaluru couple's journey to riches
Usha Prasad| Bengaluru 27 Apr 2019, Vol 10 Issue 17
Do you remember the joy you felt when you created a beautiful flower from the colour paper during your craft class at school?
Bengaluru-based couple Harish, 53, and Rashmi Closepet, 52, have turned this simple childhood activity into a Rs 64 crore turnover business, spreading fragrance in the lives of around 2,000 women employed with them and providing fun-filled activities to thousands of people around the world.
Harish and Rashmi Closepet started a paper flower making unit in Bengaluru in 2004, which has now grown into a Rs 64 crore turnover business (Photos: Special Arrangement)
The couple is into the manufacture, sales, and export of art and craft products through their two companies, AEC Offshore Pvt. Ltd and Itsy Bitsy Pvt. Ltd.
They almost entirely employ women, who are mostly from villages in Karnataka, though some are based out of the rural areas of Haryana, UP, and Rajasthan.
While half of the workforce are direct employees earning around Rs. 10,000 to 12,000 per month, the rest are indirect employees who get paid product-wise and the number of pieces they make. Five per cent of their workforce is physically challenged.
Set up in 2004, mainly for the export market, AEC manufactures paper craft products like handmade paper flowers and stickers, which are used in activities such as card making and scrap booking.
In 2007, they entered the domestic retail market with their first Itsy Bitsy store in Bengaluru. Now, there are 21 Itsy Bitsy stores located in seven cities across the country, with 11 in Bengaluru alone, and the rest in Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi.
Rashmi, who is basically a homeopathy doctor, is the CEO and MD of Itsy Bitsy and handles the retail business, while Harish, a civil engineer, is the CEO and MD of AEC and looks after manufacturing and exports. Today, AEC and Itsy Bitsy contribute almost equally to their combined turnover.
With more and more parents seeking healthy alternatives to children glued to computer screens and smart phones, Itsy Bitsy expanded rapidly as activities such as scrap booking and card-making found more takers in India.
The paper flowers made in Bengaluru are exported to several countries around the world
These hobbies originated in the west. "Scrap booking originally came from a place called Utah in the US and became very popular in the 1960s," shares Harish. "Card making also became popular in the UK around the same time. Mixed media (an art form created through a mix of different media such as paint, ink, water colour), has been around for centuries. But it had a revival in the last two years and has become hugely popular."
The Closepets, who come from middle-class families, have seen their life and career take interesting turns. They lived in Singapore and Australia for about 10 years, doing different jobs, before starting a business in Sydney, Australia.
Coupled with hard work, they made the smart moves, so that by the time they decided to return to India in 2004 they had a whopping USD 220,000 (then valued around Rs. 1.25 crore) to invest in their business in Bengaluru.
Harish had always been street-smart. While doing his engineering in civil transport at BMS College of Engineering, Bengaluru, he started helping North Indian students in his college with engineering drawings.
AEC employs an almost 100 percent women workforce
He made use of a small room in his house by getting some draughtsmen to do the drawings for Rs. 100 per drawing and sold them to his fellow students at a profit. "This was in fact my first business," he says with a chuckle.
After graduation, he started a construction company, but wound it up soon as the payments were getting delayed. "When I decided to close it in 1989, I got a good offer from Starco Trading Pte Ltd., a Chinese company, in Singapore," he recalls. At Starco, Harish was in charge of developing trade with India and sourcing building materials from India.
Rashmi and Harish came to know each other as classmates during their pre-university course (PUC) days. After PUC, Harish went on to do his engineering and Rashmi joined the homeopathy course at Government Medical College, Bengaluru.
"While I was working in Singapore my mother put pressure on me to get married. I told her I would marry some known person," recounts Harish on how he married Rashmi. "During one of my visits to Benagluru, I met Rashmi and took her out for dinner. I proposed to her and we got married in 1992. I was 26 and Rashmi was 25 then."
Back in Singapore, based on Harish's suggestion, his company set up a showroom for selling Indian handicrafts. Rashmi started working with Harish. While she managed the retail, Harish concentrated more on importing building materials from India.
In 1994, the couple moved to Sydney, Australia, for better opportunities. Rashmi started teaching at a Naturopathy college there.
Not finding a job immediately, Harish took up selling accident insurance knocking on the doors of people. "Despite my best efforts, I was successful in selling just one policy," recalls Harish, whose misery ended after he got a job at Clint's Crazy Bargains, a discount retail chain in Sydney.
"The company said they hired people who thought out of the box and who were crazy. Since I went to the interview wearing a neat suit, which was not the culture in Australia, they thought I was one such crazy person," says Harish, laughing.
Until three years ago, Harish and Rashmi were drawing a salary of Rs 20,000 each and ploughing back the profits into the company
Harish was hired as a buyer for the confectioneries division and products of Indian origin. "Working in the confectionery line was totally new to me. However, I learnt a lot about it travelling the whole world and sourcing products during my six-year stint," he adds.
Rashmi also got a job in Clint's in their wholesale division. Harish says that he took the confectionery business at Clint's from USD 300,000 to USD 5 million in two years.
But when he got an attractive offer from Heritage Chocolates, Melbourne, he signed an 18-month contract and joined the company. At Melbourne, Rashmi worked in a plastic hose manufacturing company and also did a course in graphic designing.
When the contract at Heritage Chocolates ended, the Closepet couple moved back to Sydney and set up their own company, Australian Export Connection (AEC). AEC imported Indian products into Australia.
They shut the business in about a year and a half and came to Bengaluru in 2004, selling their house in Australia and bringing with them their hard earned savings.
The couple took up a small factory on rent at Bannerghatta Road to make paper flowers. "Having stayed in Australia, we were exposed to the scrapbooking industry. We had seen a variety of paper flowers coming in from Thailand," says Rashmi.
Rashmi, who has a good eye for colours and a creative bent of mind, also put in her knowledge from the graphic designing course she did at Melbourne, into good use here.
There are 21 Itsy Bitsy stores located across the country
"We came up with our own designs and trained the rural women to make handmade paper flowers for us," says Rashmi. They set up their first factory in Bengaluru with 20 workers. There were initial hiccups, which resulted in heavy losses.
They had almost decided to wind up the business when a customer from UK placed a huge order and gave an advance of USD 100,000, which helped them to get back on their feet. "He was our saviour," says Harish.
Harish's former boss in Sydney at Clint's also helped him with USD 100,000 when Harish approached him for help. "I just can't imagine how things fell in place for us," he adds.
There are only four companies around the world who make handmade paper flowers - one in China, two in Thailand and one is AEC in India. The paper flowers and other craft items from Itsy Bitsy are sold under the brand name, Little Birdie.
They also sell handmade beads at their outlets. Women buy the beads – which are made of plastic, glass, terracotta, and porcelain - and string them together to make their own jewellery.
The Closepets have received no external funding so far. "Since we were in a niche market, we had no competition. We grew organically. We both took just Rs. 20,000 each as salary from the company till three years ago. Whatever profit we earned was ploughed back into the business," reveals Harish.
AEC and Itsy Bitsy provide direct employment to around 1,000 women and indirect employment to another 1,000
The paper used to make handmade flowers at AEC is made from recycled t-shirt waste. "There are factories that convert old t-shirts into yarns. We procure t-shirt waste from those units and use them in making the paper to create our beautiful flowers," says Harish.
The Closepets' elder daughter Vibha, 23, who graduated in Industrial Engineering & Management in 2017, has joined her parents in taking care of the marketing, e-commerce and social media part of the business.
Their younger daughter Isha, 16, is in the second year of her PUC, and is a businesswoman in her own right. She makes cupcakes under the brand name of 'Ovengers' and earns around Rs. 20,000 a month.
Nurturing their dreams, the Closepets are truly spreading the fragrance of their paper flowers in the lives of many people.
This Article is Part of the 'Amazing Entrepreneurs' Series