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How to gain confidence
In the past few weeks, I have hardcore learned that I need to spend some time cultivating my confidence. I need to go at it with a little tenacity, and I need to do it on a daily basis.
Let me explain:
Every single time I move cities, I have an adjustment period that honestly usually ends in some amount of depression. Even in the best of circumstances, starting a new life throws me for a loop, and maybe because I have grown up in a tight knit punk rock scene, a lot of my identity and happiness can be dictated by the people that I am around and what we're all doing together. Adjustment from a place isn't exactly my strong suit as it is, but when you add in the social aspect of moving, it becomes a whole 'nother beast.
I had grown very confident in Oakland because I had an ironclad routine that supported the feeling of being seen and appreciated in my daily life. In the bay, I got up early and went to Grassroots Crossfit to work out with the four to five women that I saw every Monday, Wednesday and Friday without fail. When I was done I grabbed an iced coffee from Subrosa, spoke with clients, did a little work at PlantFit, pulled a second coffee shop shift to write at Timeless, then went to the Whole Foods a mile from my house. I ate at the same sushi place after hitting up the same farmer's market every single Saturday. On Tuesdays I ran Lake Merritt. On Sundays I prepped my food for the week while listening to This American Life .
I love routine and I often support my clients in figuring out what routines might enrich their lives. But I am also aware that my emotional reliance on seeing the same people and doing the same shit day in and day out felt like a supportive blessing right up until the moment when I realized that I had no confidence without the safety of the habit. I used these routines to keep me feeling focused, stoked, on-track, and appreciated. The people I saw day in and day out learned to rely on my presence, and somehow, that made me feel like a good and productive person.
Feeling like I was reliable gave me a purpose, which, I think, gave me confidence.
But then I moved, and- dun dun dunnnn- I didn't have a schedule.
Now what? I asked myself. Who am I when I am not doing my routine?
This was a great question, one that I didn't have an answer for immediately. I found that arriving in Portland, I was shy. I wore pants for the first time in eight months, I didn't drink my coffee iced, and I was kind of terrified of the many social events and cool people that I knew awaited for me. I was just getting my footing and somehow, I felt embarrassed not to have it all completely figured out the day I arrived.
I have a thing about being a regular. A regular gym goer, a regular coffee shop patron, a regular in someone's grocery line. Of course, I wanted to find Portland versions of those activities, but more than anything I realized I needed to find ways to be confidant without those crutches.
So here's what I did instead:
1) I fucking meditated.
If there's one thing that kills me, it's how mediation is kind of always the answer and never the thing that I want to do. One thing I know about confidence is that it is about deeply knowing yourself. Not deeply knowing what you DO, but deeply knowing who you ARE. I tend to pile on as much work as possible for myself. I used to think this was about scarcity issues having to do with growing up without huge amounts of cash and being self employed in uncertain times. The more I sit still, though, the more I realize that a big part of why I take on so much and go so fast is that I feel pretty uncomfortable simply sitting in silence and space. What is there to run away from? I've been asking as I sit. Why not spend a little time with myself?
2) I lovingly detached from the chaotic hellhole that is the Internet.
Okay. I love the Internet, and I bet you probably do too, or you wouldn't be reading a blog. The Internet has helped me to meet a ridiculous amount of wonderful people, research all kinds of cool topics, and connect some of my ideas to action. ALL HAIL QUEEN INTERNET. That is, until queen Internet makes you feel like everything from your business to your breakfast is straight up, 100% not good enough.
With the uncertainty of a new environment, I begin to attach a lot of meaning to the fact that I identified as a writer and a blogger, and OHMYGOD I HAVEN'T BEEN BLOGGING. Holy shit did that take the creativity out of the process for me. Instead of watching what other people on social media were doing well, I decided to focus on what I thought I was crushing it at. Just a few years ago, negative body image, compulsive exercise, and fear of food was destroying my ability to have fun. Travel was out of the question, I was too exhausted to be creative, my relationships were strained and I hated myself. In the past few months I have been able to get married, enjoy myself at a ton of parties and events with food in the foreground, travel to kauai for two whole weeks without micromanaging every bite, and enjoy time in my body in a multitude of ways that didn't have shit to do with how it looked. Being on the Internet less helped my confidence, and taking a good old fashioned selfie break helped me to value experiences I was having more than how I looked while having them.
3) I used a daily gratitude list to learn to focus on what I'm actually really stoked on.
Cultivating gratitude is like the parent to cultivating confidence. I found it very difficult to waste time feeling insecure about my lack of routine in Portland when I was really noticing the leaves start to change, how good the air felt on my runs, how awesome the meal I made tasted. Gratitude leads to all sorts of awesome new feelings popping up in my life and although I easily forget to focus on it, I love that the old habit always waits in the wings when I remember to pick it up.
4) I took some risks
Let's be real, at this point I have been supporting myself with Super Strength Health and Rise and Resist long enough that although it IS still risky, I am quite comfortable doing it. The real risks I take in my life are honestly way more related to socializing.
Despite being somewhat extroverted I get extremely nervous in group situations and a lot of the time in Oakland that lead to me just not going out. Here in Portland I have challenged myself to very regularly go out and meet new people and holy crap has it paid off. So many vegans! So many lifters! So many feminists! (SO MANY VEGAN LIFTING FEMINISTS!!!) Forcing myself to leave my humble abode really did do wonders for my confidence, and upped the amount of people to get inspired by ten-fold. This was perhaps the hardest step I took to cultivate a little Pacific Northwestern confidence, and was also the one that was the most immediately beneficial.
So, I am hitting day fourteen of my new life up North and feeling markedly better than day 2. I would love to hear how you've cultivated confidence in times of transition, and how you get yourself to disconnect from the internet, meditate, leave the damn house, and go meet a friend. Love to you all!
That one time I got married and it was the coolest day of my entire life.
So. Sometimes you intend to take a little break, and it ends up being an actually kind of large one.
I never meant to take so many weeks off of blogging, but life happened, and it was really big, and I kind of just had to participate. I have so many things to tell you about (I love my readers intensely, and truly missed writing here) but the abridged version is this:
I got married.
I went to Kauai for a glorious two week vacation.
I got my first book deal, a little something you will see on the shelves in the Summer of 2017.
I left my beloved Oakland. I am now an official, for-real Portland resident. There is a ton to say about ALL of these things, but first, I want to tell you about my wedding. I have some AMAZING pictures, from what truly was the best day of my life, and I am beyond stoked just thinking about the time we had. This post is long and picture heavy, but I promise, we will hop right back into fitness, feminism, vegan food, and all the other good stuff you have come to expect from my little corner of the blog-o-sphere really soon. I just had to share this first.
So first, let's talk about getting ready. I am not a makeup girl. Like, at all. My face is generally bare, and half the time I sort of think I wanna be all fancy in the face and then I try to go about imagining how that would fit into my life and I feel a tremendous wave of overwhelm. For this reason I was STOKED to have a little help from my very talented friend, Lauren. I'm gonna be real, I felt really pretty on my wedding day, which is not a thing I have in my life a whole lot. (I usually feel more cute-goofy-tough-funny) It was nice to feel like the belle of the ball while people were celebrating my partnership around me. Although makeup can't be an all-the-time thing for me, it is a definitely wonderful sometimes-accent. This is my friend Meg. She was my very first friend in college, and one of the first people to truly see the depths of my personality through very thick and very thin and still come out loving me. This is my crying my eyes out and saying "I am just so glad you're here!". I love my friends so much. If there are any wedding-day regrets I have, it is not getting a chance to talk to more of them more.
This is basically just a gratuitous calf picture. I work hard for my gunz and it shows mostly in the lower half of my legs. I'll take it!
So, have you ever tried to put a dress on with a beehive and a full face of makeup? That shit is HARD. This is my mom and my sister helping me try to weasel my way into my wedding dress, and it very much not working. Laughs were had all around and finally I just kneeled down like a pauper being knighted while they lowered the dress down to the ground. Very classy.Like I said, more than ever in my life, on this day I felt really fucking pretty. It's a good feeling!
Now, onto the wedding site!Kett and I were told we were supposed to do a "first look" to officially reveal ourselves in all of our wedding finery. Both him and I had a hard time wrapping our minds around having to conjure up emotions for the camera so early in the day, and decided that the only right way to do such a thing would be to have it take place in the matrimonial bounce house. I rolled up to the wedding site, waited a bit, and when I was given the okay, climbed my way into the bounciest carousel in all of Oakland. Where a very fly dude awaited my arrival. In case you couldn't tell by the carousel, our wedding was super duper fun/carnival/block party themed. We had a bounce off, croquet, cornhole, a strongman high striker, bocce ball, horseshoes, and a potato sack race. Custom trophies were made. Table favors were red sun glasses, a button with our emblem (a flag with three hearts containing a barbell and a kale leaf, a cup of coffee, and a pencil and a paintbrush), old McDonald's toys from the early 90's, and a comic. Instead of flowers we had hollowed out dinosaurs with succulents.I immediately ripped my dress, of course, and strategically used my button to remedy the situation. You can paint a lady's face and put her in a fancy dress, but that's no guarantee that she'll keep it clean and rip free!Costumes were very encouraged , and thus we had such esteemed guests as Boba Fett….Kamala Khan….…And a fantastically revealed Superman.Everyone basically looked amazing nailing the high striker.The bounce-off was so intense it was kind of hard to watch.
But nothing beats the potato sack race. NOTHING.This dude managed a double somersault and STILL came out victorious.Have I mentioned how amazing my friends are?Okay, so here's the deal.
Kett and I didn't know the exact moment we were to be wed. We entrusted our best friend with a wedding horn and asked her to give it a long and loud toot when she felt it was time for some sweet words and legally binding contracts. An hour or two into the ceremony, Monica blew the horn and Kett and I darted to the vista where we were to be officially wed.While Kett and I got a head start, our MC, Nishat, waved the flag and assembled the troops.A parade was lead up a little hill….where we waited, trying not to cry. Then, maybe the best part of the whole day, I got to talk about Kett.I love this man.
I love that he is patient, and has integrity and makes me laugh. I love that he supports me, and calls me on my shit, and let's me cry when I need to. I love that we make art together. I love that I plan to become an old ass lady by his side, and that we can seal the deal with a tremendous high five.And a smooch, of course.HUZZAHHHH!Neither Kett nor I drinks or really likes cake, so the whole dessert thing was kind of a conundrum. After trying multiple non-cake dessert ideas, we came to what seemed like an obvious answer: coffee and donuts. Nothing says "love" more than donuts, especially when they are vegan and gluten-free.
And speeches were enjoyed.
Of course the day wouldn't have been complete without an epic group photo. And a few nice solo ones, too.
Thank you so much for sticking with me through the long break, and the immediate schmoopy love fest. I am very much ready to be back in action around these parts, and can't wait to write all the things that have been swimming around in my head for the past 8+ weeks.
Until next time!
(All photos by Holly Feral )


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Classic Hyde Park beauty on a corner lot with numerous possibilities:
Stainless appliances, granite counters, wood floors and a fireplace. Fabulous location blocks from Hancock Center, UT campus, Red River Entertainment District and more.
Contact Christy Levy at [email protected] or 512-470-3188.
To contact us online, please use the form below.

subset: commoncrawl


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"But I just want to point out, you [John King, CNN moderator of the Republican debate in Mesa, AZ] did not once in the 2008 campaign, not once did anybody in the elite media ask why Barack Obama voted in favor of legalizing infanticide. OK? So let's be clear here. If we're going to have a debate about who the extremist is on these issues, it is President Obama who, as state senator, voted to protect doctors who killed babies who survived the abortion. It is not the Republicans." Newt Gingrich, RedState.com: Conservative Blog and News, February 23, 2012
"In one famous study from 1972, Stanford psychologist Walter Mischel concocted an ingenious experiment involving young children and a bag of marshmallows. He put a marshmallow on the table and told each child that if he (or she) could wait 15 minutes to eat it, he would get a second one as a reward. About two-thirds of the kids failed the experiment. Some gave in immediately and gobbled up the marshmallow; videotape shows others in agony, trying to discipline themselves—some even banging their little heads on the table. But the most interesting results from that study came years later. Researchers followed up on the children to see how their lives were turning out. The kids who didn't take the marshmallow had average SAT scores 210 points higher than the kids who ate it immediately. They were less likely to drop out of college, made far more money, were less likely to go to jail, and suffered from fewer drug and alcohol problems. But the evidence goes beyond a finding that people who can defer gratification tend to turn out well in general." Arthur C. Brooks, The Wall Street Journal, February 24, 2012, p. A13
Sean Penn, Hugo Chavez's Honored Guest
Posted By Humberto Fontova On February 24, 2012 @ 12:16 am In Daily Mailer,FrontPage
Sean Penn was Hugo Chavez's guest of honor (again) last week, serving as keynote speaker at graduation ceremonies for Venezuela's Salvador Allende Medical School. "Allow me to impart a little anecdote," beamed the two-time Oscar winner to the enchanted crowd. "I had the privilege to introduce my children to comandante Fidel Castro and as he posed for a photo between them I told him: 'President, I'll now be denounced in the U.S. for educating my children as socialist revolutionaries.'"
So Castro responded: "That's among the best things that could happen to them."
Besides his fame as a baseball bat-swinging wife beater, Sean Penn also claims fame as an advocate against the death penalty. His Oscar–winning role in "Dead Man Walking," where he played a convicted rapist and murderer who perished by lethal-injection in Louisiana seems to have made a deep impression upon Penn.
Unlike Louisiana's penal system, however, the role model for Penn's kids used firing squads, forced labor and prison beatings to murder his thousands of defenseless victims. And their "convictions" were curtly explained by Castro's chief hangman, Che Guevara: "Judicial evidence is an archaic bourgeois detail. We execute from revolutionary conviction," he once said.
Castro himself confirmed: "Legal proof is impossible to obtain against war criminals. So we sentence them based on moral conviction."
Among these "war criminals" were farm-kids younger than Penn's children. Carlos Machado was 15-years-old in 1963 when a volley from Castro's firing squad shattered his body. His twin brother and father crumpled beside Carlos from the same volley and tumbled into the same mass grave. All had resisted Castro and Che's theft of their humble family farm, all refused blindfolds and all died sneering at their Communist murderers, as did thousands of their valiant countrymen.
This "moral conviction" allowed the role model for Sean Penn's children to jail more political prisoners as a percentage of population than Stalin and murder more people (out of a population of 6.5 million) in his first three years in power than Hitler murdered (out of a population of 65 million) in his first six.
Enlightened opinion, including most "liberal," "human-rights" and "peace" groups worldwide, either yawned or actually applauded the bloodbath. Harvard Law School merits special attention regarding the latter.
By April 1959, almost a thousand Cubans had been "judged" (see above) and murdered by Castro and Che's firing squads. Cuba's prisons were packed to suffocation with ten times the number of political prisoners as during "the Tyrant" Batista's reign. Among Castro and Che Guevara's prisoners were hundreds of women, a Stalinist horror utterly unknown in our hemisphere until it was introduced by the "leader" swooned over by Barbara Walters, Andrea Mitchell and Diane Sawyer.
Furthermore, the death penalty was being applied retroactively (none had existed under the unspeakable Batista regime). Habeas Corpus had been abolished. Cuban defense lawyers attempting to defend the accused were being jailed themselves.
That's when Fidel Castro received a fawning invitation from Harvard Law School asking the honor of his addressing them. Seems that both the student body and faculty were smitten with the Cuban Revolution's shining judicial record. Castro accepted on the spot, making Harvard the last gig on his 1959 U.S. tour.
"Castro Visit Triumphant!" headlined Harvard's Law School Forum for April 30, 1959. "The audience got what it wanted: the chance of seeing the Cuban hero [italics mine] in person!"
"Viva Fidel!" roared these fervent foes of capital punishment and double jeopardy upon first glimpsing their hero. Though the adoring crowd was too enormous to fit in any campus arena they remained chipper, "even if we didn't see Castro at as close a range as might have been desired," an attendee was quoted as saying.
Interestingly, Fidel Castro had actually applied to Harvard Law School in 1948. This was brought to light by Harvard's Arts and Sciences Dean, McGeorge Bundy, (later to serve as JFK's national security advisor). "Caught up in the exuberance of the event," continues the Harvard Law Forum, "Harvard Dean, McGeorge Bundy, declared that Harvard was ready to make amends for its mistake in 1948. 'I've decided to admit him!' declared Dean Bundy."
"Viva Fidel!" The Dean's quip brought the house down and shook the very roof. "Viva Fidel!" roared and cheered the cream of America's law students (and their faculty)
Alas, given the law of averages, an independent thinker was bound to pop up — even among ten thousand Harvard students and faculty. One such wiseacre brought up the questionable legal procedures preceding those hundreds of executions in Cuba.
"If the defendant has a right to appeal," answered Castro, "then so do the people! And don't forget, Cuba's is the only people's revolution in Latin America!"
Well, this assembly of America's most nimble verbal gladiators went absolutely wild over Castro's brilliant riposte. They erupted again, roaring and whooping at the mass-murderer's incontestable rejoinder. This creme de la creme of America's most cunning ratiocinators found the Stalinist's logic not only perfectly airtight but positively dazzling in its ingenuity and completely sound in its principle of justice. A delirious pandemonium swept the hall as America's most ingenious and best-tutored law students (along with their tutors) went absolutely berserk with veneration and joy at this point-blank elucidation of Castroite justice.
Similar receptions had come at the National Press Club, Overseas Press Club, United Nations, and on Meet the Press.
Not one heckler from among America's brightest and cheekiest college kids. Not one rebuttal from America's biggest assemblies of its top journalists. Not one snigger or frown from the top cut of America's adversarial press. Not one raised eyebrow from the nation's most hard-boiled investigative reporters.
So let's be fair: why pick on Sean Penn?


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North-West of Amiens, about 15 km from the English Channel, lies the beautiful course of Golf d'Abbeville. The layout is good but it needs maintenance.
The holes offer different degrees of difficulty, so every player is being challenged.
Are you interested to play this golf course? Check here our discounted green fees and book tee times Golf d'Abbeville online.


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Weekly Must+Reads
Short: Object Recogntion | Medium: Buzzwords | Long: Defense of Being Average
Short | Medium | Long
| SHORT | [1 minute Read]
Facebook says its object detection tech has improved by 60% in one year
"By enabling computers to recognize objects in photos, it will be easier to search for 'the picture of the fruit bowl' without you having to explicitly tag each photo you upload," Schroepfer wrote. "It will also help us make sure your feed is filled with the photos you most want to see. People with vision loss will be able to understand what is in a photo their friends share because the system will be able to tell them, regardless of the caption posted with the image. While there is still so a long ways to go, I'm really excited by the progress the team has made."
Source: Facebook says its object detection tech has improved by 60% in one year | VentureBeat
| MEDIUM | [3 minute Read]
The 7 Worst Business Buzzwords of 2015
It's the perfect New Year's resolution: Stop using business jargon. We all do it, despite the fact that it confuses people, makes the speaker sound uncreative, and gives employees a fantastic motivation to play buzzword bingo during meetings.
[Sharing Economy, Biohack, Unicorn, Curate, Authentic, Rock Star, Ecosystem]
(we take objection with curate being included ~ but understand it in large businesses it must be annoying)
Source: The 7 Worst Business Buzzwords of 2015 | Inc.com
| LONG | 9 minute Read
In Defense of Being Average
There are over 7.2 billion people on this planet, and really only about 1,000 of those have major worldwide influence at any given time. That leaves the other 7,199,999,000 +/- of us to come to terms with the limited scope of our lives and the fact that the vast majority of what we do will likely not matter long after we've died. This is not a fun thing to think about or accept.
Source: In Defense of Being Average | Mark Manson


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Troubleshooting Chef Automate¶
This documentation applies to a deprecated version of Chef Automate and will reach its End-Of-Life on December 31, 2019. See the Chef Automate site for current documentation. The new Chef Automate includes newer out-of-the-box compliance profiles, an improved compliance scanner with total cloud scanning functionality, better visualizations, role-based access control and many other features. The new Chef Automate is included as part of the Chef Automate license agreement and is available via subscription.
The following are issues that you may encounter during the setup and usage of Chef Automate.
Preflight Check¶
Error Codes¶
This is a list of possible error codes and remediation steps you might see when running the
preflight-check command before setting up your Chef Automate server:
- PF01: The system does not have this given directory or is not writable.
- Please create the directory or make sure it is writable.
- PF02: The system umask is not 0022.
- Please change it to 0022.
- PF03: System has less than 4 CPU cores.
- Please increase CPU cores to at least 4.
- PF04: System has less than 80GB disk space at
- Please increase free disk space at
/varto at least 80GB.
- Please increase free disk space at
- PF05: System has less than 16GB of free memory.
- Please increase free memory to at least 16GB.
- PF06: Another process is using this port on the system.
- Please free this port on the system.
- PF07: System does not have this software installed.
- Please install this software via the given command.
- PF08: The system
sysctlsetting is not a recommended setting.
- Set the
sysctlparameter to the recommended value.
- Set the
- PF09: The transparent hugepage setting is not a recommended setting.
- Set the transparent hugepage setting to the recommended value.
- PF10: The minimum ephemeral ports count is not high enough.
- Set the ephemeral port range to a larger value.
- PF11: The devices for the mounted directory are not mounted with the suggested option.
- Update
/etc/fstabor systemd mount unit for the device to have the recommended settings.
- Update
- PF12: The block device read-ahead setting is not within the within the suggested range.
- Set the read-ahead for the device to the recommended range.
- PF13: The I/O scheduler for the device is not suggested scheduler.
- Set the I/O scheduler for the device to the recommended setting.
Note that the
preflight-check will provide more detailed remediation steps than those listed here, based on the specific problems that it encounters. For example:
* Error PF08: The vm.swappiness level should satisfy: '>= 1, <= 20'
Remedy: Set the vm.swappiness: 'sudo sysctl -w vm.swappiness=1'
Recommended System Configuration¶
Chef Automate's preflight checks give recommendations that are generally advisable for most hardware options. The following is a list of suggestions that we have found will positively impact performance.
vm.swappinessshould between
20Most Chef Automate installations run several shared services on a single machine. We recommend having swap enabled as a failsafe. Without it we've seen services like PostgreSQL and Elasticsearch trigger the OOM-killer for other system and Automate services. Swappiness should be low to discourage the use of swap, because the increased disk I/O can adversely impact Elasticsearch and PostgreSQL.
fs.file-maxshould be at least
64,000Elasticsearch, PostgreSQL, and nginx make extensive use of temporary files and require several thousand open file handles for normal operations.
vm.max_map_countshould be at least
256,000Elasticsearch uses a mix of NioFS and MMapFS for open files, and requires many maps for normal operation.
vm.dirty_ratioshould be between
vm.dirty_backgroud_ratioshould be between
vm.dirty_expire_centisecsshould be between
30,000These page cache controls handle how often dirty pages are purged to disk. These will differ depending on hardware, but in general these recommendations are a good baseline for performance vs. safety.
net.ipv4.ip_local_port_rangeshould be at least
65,000Chef Automate has several services that utilize HTTP connections, each of which require ephemeral ports. Setting this too low can cause services to either fail or wait for open ports.
/etc/fstabshould mount the Chef Automate data directory with
noatimeif the disk is formatted with
ext4. Without
noatimeenabled, every disk read will have a corresponding access time write operation. That adds quite a bit of disk I/O for very little use.
blockdev --getrafor the disk that contains the Chef Automate data directory should be at least
4096. This setting will vary greatly depending on hardware and can sometimes be set much higher. Elasticsearch utilizes large files for indices and increasing the read-ahead can improve performance when reading those long sequential files. You will normally see diminishing returns after
/sys/block/<device>/queue/schedulershould be
noopfor SSDs or
deadlinefor rotational disks. Depending on the disk type that is being used for the Chef Automate data directory, set the appropriate disk scheduler for maximum performance.
/sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/enabledshould be
/sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/defragshould be
The version of PostgreSQL that Chef Automate utilizes is not compatible with transparent hugepages.
Build nodes/Runners¶
The following are possible issues you might run into when using build nodes and/or runners.
Issue: Waiting for builder.¶
If "waiting for builder" occurs in the log output on a new Chef Automate setup with no existing build nodes, then the Chef Automate server and Chef Infra Server are not communicating. To establish communication, try restarting Chef Automate's main service with
automate-ctl restart delivery.
If "waiting for builder" occurs in the log output on a Chef Automate setup with existing build nodes, then it indicates incorrect mapping between between v1/v2 build job type and the available builder/runner resources in a Chef Automate cache. Check your project's
.delivery/config.json to confirm that it correctly represents the use of builders/runners, adjust this if necessary, and restart Automate's main service with
automate-ctl restart delivery.
If your Chef Automate system has builders(Push Jobs), then your projects should have the following configuration in .delivery/config.json :
"job_dispatch": {
"version": "v1"
If your Chef Automate system has runners, then your projects should have the following configuration in .delivery/config.json
"job_dispatch": {
"version": "v2"
If the
.delivery/config.json is correct, but jobs are not kicking off, then the best thing to do is restart Automate's main service with
automate-ctl restart delivery. After restarting the service, queued change jobs should start being processed by the available resources for that job type.
Issue: No build nodes/runners available.¶
If you see "no build nodes available" in your log output, then you need to set up build nodes. If you have set up build nodes and are still seeing this error, then you need to check if the build nodes registered with the chef server correctly. In this case, a correct registration is something that matches your build node query.
By default, Chef Automate build nodes/runners generated by
automate-ctl install-build-node or
automate-ctl install-runner, which are respectively tagged as
delivery-build-node and
delivery-job-runner. If your delivery.rb contains a custom search query (
delivery['default_search'] is set), try appending
" OR tags:delivery-build-node" or
" OR tags:delivery-job-runner" to your query.
At a minimum, the build-node and runner configuration includes the following:
If your Chef Automate system has builders(Push Jobs), then your projects should have the following configuration in .delivery/config.json :
"job_dispatch": {
"version": "v1"
If your Chef Automate system has runners, then your projects should have the following configuration in .delivery/config.json
"job_dispatch": {
"version": "v2"
If you are trying debugging a specific build node or runner and need to ensure that one is available for your projects, then modify the build-nodes or job_dispatch default search for your project as described in Configure a Project.
SAML Authentication¶
When setting up SAML authentication, you might run into the following issues where you cannot sign in with SAML.
Issue: The browser shows a blank page.¶
If both of these conditions are true:
- The URL of the blank page is
https://<yourChef AutomateDomain>/api/v0/e/<enterprise>/saml/auth/<my-saml-name>
- The logs show
[error] Ranch listener http terminated in auth_hand_saml_auth:handle/2 with reason: no match of right hand value false in base64:decode_binary/2 line 212
then the SAML IdP certificate stored in the database needs to be base64-encoded.
You can verify that a certificate is correctly copied by doing the following:
Save the certificate to a file (e.g. CERT).
In the command line, run
base64 -D CERT | openssl x509 -inform DER -text -noout.
The output should be the certificate information, for example
Certificate: Data: Version: 3 (0x2) Serial Number: 01:4b:41:db:a2:9c Signature Algorithm: sha1WithRSAEncryption Issuer: C=US, ST=California, L=San Francisco, O=Okta, OU=SSOProvider, email@example.com ... .. note:: The `base64` CLI tool is not as strict in decoding Base64 as Erlang is.
If the output from the above commands displays the certificate info, but you still get the error pattern, then try running your certificate through Erlang:
- Open an Erlang shell:
- Type
{ok, Content} = file:read_file(Path).to read the file (note the period at the end).
- Type
base64:decode(Content).to try decoding the base64-encoded certificate.
If the certificate can be decoded, you should see something like:
> base64:decode(Content).
and if it can't be decoded:
> base64:decode(Content).
** exception error: no match of right hand side value false
in function base64:decode_binary/2 (base64.erl, line 212)
Issue: The browser shows the login UI with "SAML login failed!"¶
Case #1¶
If you see this error and the logs show
Invalid assertion {assertion,{error,cert_not_accepted}}, then the stored certificate is base64-encoded, but is the incorrect certificate for the IdP for signing the assertion response.
To find the correct certificate, you can examine the assertions given by the IdP on successful login:
- Open Chrome's Developer Tools (Alt+Cmd+i on macOS) and navigate to Network (4th tab).
- Select Preserve Log (2nd row), and All (3rd row).
- Try logging in via SAML again.
- Find the request to consume (Name column).
- In the Header tab, scroll down to Form Data and copy the
- Go to https://www.samltool.com/decode.php and paste the
SAMLResponse, then click decode and inflate XML.
- Compare the certificate in the XML document (
ds:X509Certificateor a similar tag) to the certificate stored in the SAML Setup page.
Case #2¶
If you see this error and the logs show
[error] Invalid assertion bad_recipient, then the Assertion Consumption Service (ACS)
endpoint configured with the IdP is incorrect.
A configuration mismatch of this kind most likely breaks the interaction completely. Seeing this error hints at a minor mismatch – most likely concerning the
api_proto setting.
Follow the steps provided in Case #1 to examine the assertions returned from the IdP and verify that the recipient of the assertion response matches Chef Automate's SAML/consume endpoint:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
Destination="http://<yourChef AutomateDomain>/api/v0/e/cd/saml/consume"
Case #3¶
If you see this error and the logs show
[error] Invalid assertion bad_in_response_to, then the response does not match a request.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
This can happen when either the IdP is not compliant to the SAML specs, or when the initiation of the SAML login process (the redirect to your IdP) has been longer than 15 minutes.
Issue: The browser shows the login UI with "Invalid user, login failed!"¶
Chef Automate does not have a user-record for the user information from the SAML assertion. This can be triggered by either:
- Initiating SAML authentication when trying to log in by entering a username of a Chef Automate user with authentication type SAML.
- When redirected to the SAML IdP, authenticating as a different user (not known to Chef Automate).
This can also indicate a change in NameId settings.
The following is an issue you might run into when using the node visibility capabilities in Chef Automate.
Issue: Data does not show up in Chef Automate UI.¶
If an organization does not have any nodes associated with it, it does not show up in the Nodes section of the Chef Automate UI. This is also true for roles, cookbooks, recipes, attributes, resources, node names, and environments. Only those items that have a node associated with them will appear in the UI. Chef Automate has all the data for all of these, but does not highlight them in the UI. This is designed to keep the UI focused on the nodes in your cluster.
Issue: Changing default token causes data collector request failures¶
There is a bug in Chef Server 12.15.8 where setting the data collector token in
/etc/opscode/chef-server.rb away from the default works, but only once. Afterwards, you will no longer be able to reset the token. It will be stuck because the Veil secure credential storage now takes precedence over secrets set in
/etc/delivery/delivery.rb. Currently, the token is considered to be a secret.
If you continually receive
401 errors in
/var/log/delivery/nginx/delivery.access.log for data collector requests, but your configuration looks good, this issue is the cause.
You can find what token is being sent by watching output from the following
tcpdump command on the Automate system. Look closely at the output for the string
x-data-collector-token, and you will see that the token
strangeCall follows. Use Ctrl-C to exit the
tcpdump -i lo -XX -s0 -vv 'port 9611' | tee -a get-that-token.txt
11:05:58.630201 IP (tos 0x0, ttl 64, id 5169, offset 0, flags [DF], proto TCP (6), length 1658)
localhost.39068 > localhost.9611: Flags [P.], cksum 0x046f (incorrect -> 0xfb07), seq 1:1607, ack 1, win 342, options [nop,nop,TS val 34662932 ecr 34662932], length 1606
0x0000: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0800 4500 ..............E.
0x0010: 067a 1431 4000 4006 224b 7f00 0001 7f00 .z.1@.@."K......
0x0020: 0001 989c 258b fc06 fe3c 842e 5bc4 8018 ....%....<..[...
0x0030: 0156 046f 0000 0101 080a 0210 ea14 0210 .V.o............
0x0040: ea14 504f 5354 202f 6461 7461 2d63 6f6c ..POST./data-col
0x0050: 6c65 6374 6f72 2f76 302f 2048 5454 502f lector/v0/.HTTP/
0x0060: 312e 310d 0a48 6f73 743a 2064 6174 612d 1.1..Host:.data-
0x0070: 636f 6c6c 6563 746f 723a 3434 330d 0a58 collector:443..X
0x0080: 2d52 6561 6c2d 4950 3a20 3130 2e30 2e33 -Real-IP:.10.0.3
0x0090: 2e32 3330 0d0a 582d 5363 6865 6d65 3a20 .230..X-Scheme:.
0x00a0: 6874 7470 730d 0a58 2d46 6f72 7761 7264 https..X-Forward
0x00b0: 6564 2d46 6f72 3a20 3130 2e30 2e33 2e32 ed-For:.10.0.3.2
0x00c0: 3330 0d0a 582d 466f 7277 6172 6465 642d 30..X-Forwarded-
0x00d0: 5072 6f74 6f3a 2068 7474 7073 0d0a 436f Proto:.https..Co
0x00e0: 6e6e 6563 7469 6f6e 3a20 636c 6f73 650d nnection:.close.
0x00f0: 0a43 6f6e 7465 6e74 2d4c 656e 6774 683a .Content-Length:
0x0100: 2033 3533 0d0a 782d 6461 7461 2d63 6f6c .353..x-data-col
0x0110: 6c65 6374 6f72 2d74 6f6b 656e 3a20 7374 lector-token:.st
0x0120: 7261 6e67 6543 616c 6c0d 0a78 2d64 6174 rangeCall
You can work around this bug by issuing the following commands on the Chef Infra Server, replacing
SECRET with the token that the Automate system has been configured to use:
chef-server-ctl set-secret data_collector token 'SECRET'
chef-server-ctl restart nginx
It's also recommended that you configure that same token in
/etc/opscode/chef-server.rb, and then run
chef-server-ctl reconfigure. This will allow you to confirm that the correct token is used to access the Automate system.
Issue: Nodes tab does not show information beyond 100 pages¶
In the Nodes tab, there is a bug that occurs when the node list exceeds 100 pages (10,000 nodes). As a result of this bug, node information will be visible on the first 100 pages, but pages beyond the first 100 will fail to update.
To avoid this issue, use filtering to reduce the number of nodes shown to below 10,000.


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The White House this weekend quietly dumped Google's YouTube as the video provider for WhiteHouse.gov, opting instead for a generic Flash-based video-provider running on Akamai's content delivery network.
CNET calls the move a win for privacy advocates such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Center for Democracy and Technology, which for weeks noisily complained that YouTube stores too much of its users' information.
Whether that's the case or not, the YouTube dumping was the White House's second move in the last few weeks to distance itself from the search giant.
In February, the President Obama named Christine Varney as the U.S.'s next antitrust chief. In June, Christine suggested that YouTube parent-company Google posed perhaps the largest antitrust problem to the U.S. economy.
Bloomberg reported that news:
"For me, Microsoft is so last century. They are not the problem," Varney said at a June 19 panel discussion sponsored by the American Antitrust Institute. The U.S. economy will "continually see a problem -- potentially with Google" because it already "has acquired a monopoly in Internet online advertising," she said.
Get the latest Google stock price here.


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God invites into deeper relationship throughout our entire life. The Church has a clear vision and hopes for each phase and stage of a lifelong journey of faith.
- Young Adutls
- Families
- Family Faith Inventory (from Strong Catholic Families national initiative)
- Elders
- Journey to Emmaus curriculum
- Parents of Youth Survey (from Center for Ministry Development)
- Catechist Resources (curated by the Diocese of St Cloud)
Sacramental Preparation
- Catechumenate (RCIA)
- Baptism
- Confirmation and Eucharist
- Marriage
Persons with Disabilties
The Office of Lifelong Faith Formation serves the parishes of the Diocese of Portland in the efforts of evangelization and lifelong faith formation. The OLFF staff provides ongoing support and resources for pastors, parish staff, ministry volunteers and parishioners to participate fully in the life and mission of the Church.


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Getting a new roof is a common procedure for homeowners, but there is a lot involved, a lot to consider, and a lot of unknowns. Often, people don't really know what to expect when they are having their roof replaced. Here are some key things to be aware of during a roof replacement.
The estimate
Most homeowners will conduct some research before committing to a specific roofing company. They might look online, chat with friends and family, or drive around their neighbourhood checking out the lawn signs.
Once you've selected your roofer, you should know that they will not give you a quote over the phone — a contractor will want to come and see your home firsthand.
The contractor for the roofing company will:
- Examine the existing roof and assess the measurements
- Look for existing problems
- Check out potential difficult work areas
- Examine space around the home for dumpsters and supplies
- Discuss the various roofing material options with you
All of this information will enable the roofing company to provide you with an accurate quote and a timeline to have the work completed.
Home preparation
Once you've been given a start date for your roof replacement, you will want to prepare both the inside and outside of your home — and you'll probably want to make plans to be away from your home as you don't want to be going and in out while the work is being done.
Your preparation can include:
- Moving delicate items away from the exterior sides of your home
- Covering plants with tarps to prevent potential damage
- Closing windows and doors to prevent dust and dirt from entering your home
- Moving patio or porch furniture out of the workspace
- Ensuring that items inside your home (e.g. artwork and breakables) are secured so that the vibrations from the work don't result in any potential breakage
If appropriate, you may wish to notify your neighbours. It's a nice gesture to let your neighbours know about noise and potential mess. Besides, you may need to ask about parking in their driveway during the work period!
Getting your roof replaced doesn't have to be pain if you plan properly. At LP Platinum, we're here to answer any of your questions and will happily take the time to make sure you feel comfortable with the process. Check out our frequently asked questions on our website, and give us a call today!


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Jazz-Age Knitting
In the 1920s the economy was strong, and fun was in fashion. Perhaps the most recognizable figure of the decade was the flapper, the icon of the "Roaring Twenties." This period in time is also called the Jazz Age, probably because of the rise of jazz music and the dance halls that popped up everywhere, where people could dance, drink, and enjoy this new music style.
|Biarritz Cloche by Ashley Rao
The cloche was every self-respecting flappers choice in headwear. Designer Cirilia Rose wrote about the history of the cloche and its place in fashion:
The Cloche
Sartorially speaking, nothing transmits "flapper" as clearly or as quickly as a cloche hat. These headhugging chapeaux were the hats of choice for liberated ladies in the Jazz Age. Besides offering an air of mystery and a sleek silhouette, the hats were worn to keep short bobs in place while dancing feverishly. In some cases, the hats concealed disaster wrought by newfangled heat-styling tools or an awkward cut. Resourceful flappers knit boudoir cap patterns at a firm gauge to keep their bobs in check.
|Zelda Cloche by Alexis Winslow
I visited the Goorin Brothers haberdashery here in Seattle, where I learned a little more about the topper named after a bell. Adornments were used as coquettish signals, in the same way gloves and fans had been used in the past.
A knot meant that the woman wearing the hat was married, while an arrow indicated that she had a beau. An actual bow was the flirty emblem of a single lady. Goorin Brothers had plenty of beautiful hats on display, but if you'd rather knit or felt your own, don't miss the Peekaboo collection. Guest designer Christa Baker created elegant add-ons like Plume, an oxblood flower made of ostrich feathers and smoky pearls. Try adding one of these to your hand-knit hat for that authentic flapper look. Goorin Brothers has been making and selling hats in Seattle since 1895.
—Cirilia Rose, Knitscene Spring 2013
The Art Deco design movement also began in the Twenties, bringing with it the strong motif-based designs such as those seen on the Chrysler Building in New York City. This style carried over to just about everything, including clothing.
In the the Spring 2013 issue of Knitscene, we celebrated the Twenties and Art Deco style with designs inspired by the decade.
Subscribe to Knitscene so you don't miss a single fabulous design!


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Einar Hope eBooks
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Competition and Trade Policies: Coherence or Conflict
Einar Hope
Routledge, March 2002
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The New York Mets defeated the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon. The game took place at AT+T Park in San Francisco, California. Jacob deGrom started for the Mets and pitched great and Eric Campbell had two hits and two RBI to lead the offense.
deGrom pitched eight innings giving up two hits and no runs. He walked one and struck out ten and won his ninth game of the season. Bobby Parnell pitched 1/3 of an inning giving up two hits and a run and Jeurys Familia saved his 24th game of the season pitching 2/3 of an inning giving up a hit.
Jake Peavy lost his fourth game of the season pitching seven innings giving up six hits and two runs with one of them being earned. He walked one and struck out five. Josh Osich pitched a perfect inning and Jean Machi pitched an inning giving up two hits and two runs.
Ruben Tejada had a hit, Daniel Murphy had a hit and Wilmer Flores had a hit. Lucas Duda drew a walk, Kevin Plawecki had a hit and Campbell had two hits and two RBI. deGrom had a hit, Juan Lagares had a hit and an RBI and Campbell hit a homerun. The Mets were 0-4 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base. Murphy committed an error and Campbell also had an outfield assist.
Gregor Blanco drew a walk, Joe Panik had a hit and Hunter Pence had two hits and an RBI. Brandon Belt had two hits, Pence hit a double and the Giants were 2-9 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base. Crawford committed an error.
In the sixth Murphy hit an RBI single to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. In the seventh Lagares hit an RBI force out to make it 2-0. In the ninth Campbell hit a two run homerun to increase the lead to 4-0. Pence hit an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to make it 4-1 and that would be the final score.
The Mets will have the day off on Thursday and begin a three game series at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.


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Marsicans // The Church, Leeds // 10.03.2018
Photos by Amy Vearncombe
The Marsicans were poised below the mesmerising stained glass that The Church, Leeds boasts, a fittingly grand conclusion to their first ever headlining tour and sold-out homecoming performance. The upbeat indie quartet have exploded onto the scene over the last year, recently touring alongside JAWS, Clean Cut Kid, Hippo Campus and the Pigeon Detectives. All this as well as signing to LAB records, securing a feature on Radio 1's playlist and hitting a million Spotify plays on their EP. With no signs of slowing down, the Marsicans are firmly establishing themselves as a harmonious force to be reckoned with.
The Golden Age Of TV, a self-proclaimed indie art-rock quintet, began the night followed by the VISTΛS; a fresh faced Scottish band of the alt-rock persuasion. They expertly fulfilled their role, grabbing the crowd's attention and establishing the fuzzy high energy which endured the whole evening. They drew support from the crowd within their own right, basking in the glow of their sunset-tinted staging, wrapping up their set with fan favourite 'Retrospect' – paralleling a sound reminiscent of Grouplove and other late noughties feel-good indie hits.
On the main event, the Marsicans burst onto the haze filled stage, in a flurry in primary colours from both their boisterously fun lighting and co-ordinated outfits – not a far cry from their own twist on a uniform. They introduced the show with 'Friends', a punchy track, filled to the brim with electrifying guitar riffs and colourful harmonies. This dynamic opening, set-up the scintillating atmosphere for the night. Despite some technical setbacks afflicting lead guitarist, Oli Jameson, for the first few tracks, he persevered with a beaming smile un-phased. His enthusiasm was equally matched by the rest of the band. The unadulterated joy they bring to the stage is utterly captivating and nothing short of contagious, setting their performance apart from your average indie ensemble.
The setlist was studded with tantalising glimpses of new tracks for fans to sink their teeth into, hinting at what is on its way on the bands inevitable upward trajectory. The crowd willingly joined in at every given moment, particularly during the distinctive hook in 'Throw Ourselves In' which lends itself flawlessly to audience assistance. Although, the majority of the performance was laden with boundless spirit, the four-piece, lowered the tempo for their latest single 'Wake Up Freya'. Providing some respite for both band and crowd; a moment to take in and listen to the calming track, with their soft but still slick harmonies taking the centre stage.
'Absence' marked the satisfying finale of the rambunctious set, complete with silver confetti glittering down as the house lights began to rise. Despite their relative infancy in the world of music, Marsicans are already more than capable of dominating the stage and are fast becoming one of my favourite live bands; watch this space.


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Harrow School may be steeped in tradition, but it has designs on cutting edge heat technology
World-famous boarding school Harrow School has installed a high-efficiency ground source heat pump system to heat a new building, Lyon's House (named after the school's founder, John Lyon), set on a hillside overlooking London.
The four-storey brick and tinted glass-clad building is the first new House to open at Harrow in over 100 years. It uses several sustainable technologies, including a rainwater-harvesting system and solar panels.
Main contractor on the development was Osborne, the M&E Contractor was Norstead, and the heat pump system was designed and installed by Ecovision.
The ground-source heat pump is based on 6.6 km of pipe buried in trenches in fields on the hillside surrounding the building. The 32mm diameter MDPE pipe, supplied by distributor Pipe Center, carries glycol solution as a heat exchange medium.
Neil Otter, operations director of Ecovision, says: "The temperature of the ground is remarkably constant below the surface. In this area of the country, at a depth of 1.2m it remains at a steady 10 deg C throughout the year, even in the depths of winter.
"When conditions above the surface fall below this temperature – even by a few degrees – it provides a substantial amount of free energy that we are able to tap into and harness."
The glycol solution circulating in the buried pipe absorbs heat from the surrounding earth. This is then transferred via a high efficiency brazed plate heat exchanger to a refrigerant circuit in the heat pumps, which upgrade the low grade heat to create a higher temperature for heating the building.
For every 1 kW of electrical power consumed, the heat pump delivers approximately 4kW of energy. This is used to heat pupils' rooms, kitchens and communal areas in the new building via low temperature radiators and fan coil units.
Tapping into the free energy cuts running costs by around 30 per cent a year compared with a conventional gas-powered heating system, says Ecovision.
The ground collector pipes are laid in an array of 66 trenches, each 50 m long. These are arranged in groups of 11 loops, each with a flow and return pipe, and brought together in six sub-headers.
The sub-headers, concealed beneath the ground surface, feed into the main header which routes the primary flow and return pipes in 125mm diameter HDPE pipe to the building's plant room.
The system is based on three Si37TE Glen Dimplex heat pumps, each delivering up to 37 kW.
Kirsty Shanahan, communications manager for the school, says: "Harrow is steeped in tradition. However, we are also very forward-thinking as an institution, and keen to embrace the best new approaches and technology.
"It is entirely fitting that Lyon's House, named after the school's visionary founder, makes use of state-of-the-art technology for harnessing sustainable energy and safeguarding the environment. It is something I am sure he would completely approve of!"
The new building is designed to provide high quality accommodation for 70 pupils, from 13 to 18 years of age. In addition to bedrooms, it includes a games room, assembly hall and library.
Interest in the use of heat pumps is growing rapidly, according to Neil Otter: "There is no doubt that rising energy costs, combined with genuine concern over the environment, is stimulating demand for alternative and sustainable technology."
He added, "We are now working on projects the length and breadth of the country, from stately homes through hospitals and schools to office developments. In all of these, we rely on the excellent backup and support provided by Pipe Center. They are a key partner and, wherever we work in the UK, help us ensure we deliver for our clients."
Tech spec on Harrow project
· Ground source heat pump system.
· Employs 6.6 km of MDPE pipe buried in parallel trenches 1.2 m deep.
· Ground pipe array in 66 runs, each 50 m long, set in surface of hillside.
· Heat exchange medium: glycol solution.
· Three Si37TE Glen Dimplex heat pumps, each rated at 37 kW.
· System used to heat pupils' rooms, kitchens and communal with low temperature radiators and fan coil units.
· Estimated saving over gas heating – 30 per cent per annum.
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Yeah, it's all starting to get to me. Rob sleeping, the waiting … even caring for Rob 24/7 can get to me. I went to pottery last night, I don't go for the clay, I go to get out of the house for 3 hours. I have my pottery, and then I have Wednesdays when I go to the therapist and then spend a few hours with Caroline. Aside from the grocery store, these are the only times I leave the house. I started taking Rob for rides a while back and I still do that, we go down river road and end up, after about 5 miles, at the cigarette store. It's something …
Intellectually, I know that Rob is ill and requires care. But emotionally? I sometimes think he just needs to get moving. But I squelch that feeling.
Then there's Carolyn who is facing Danny's death spiral and I think — who am I to complain?
Danny's going to need dialysis 3X a week. He went in to get his "shunt" (?) placed today so he can do the dialysis. I've told Carolyn that I will drive him so that she can continue taking care of her mom, Alice, who's 93 and failing mentally. Carolyn makes her money off selling her pottery, so if she can't be in the studio making art, she can't make any money. She also makes money off her classes on Mondays and Tuesdays. Her future is so much grimmer than mine, it's set me into a tail spin.
When they die, it will leave her with only her social security for income alongside her art/classes. I remember when Mom went into RiverWalk and her social security went to paying for that. We lost $1700 a month, that's when Rob got fired/quit from BCDC so we got behind in everything very quickly. The situation was dire, believe me. I somehow managed to keep us from losing the house, don't know how I did it… paid our bills and used up what we had in savings.
This was before Rob was diagnosed, so I was just angry for a few years. Why didn't he get a job? Why wouldn't he save us? It was the VA that stepped in and helped. It may be taking years for a resolution but the most important thing the VA did was provide psychiatrists and diagnoses. Odd… it's a love/hate relationship.
So I think of all these things today. I fear for Carolyn, I know what her future holds and so does she. I always leave last from pottery "class" so that we clean up the studio and talk alone for a few minutes. Last night was brutal.
I keep remembering and then I think of the right now and the only thing I can do is to love my family unconditionally. To reach out to friends, like you, who help make this bearable. Real flesh and blood family and friends. Not online unknowns and for that I am also grateful… I realize, because I have a friend in this condition, that some people only have online friends and they're virtual shut-ins.
Today I'm concentrating on the positive. Staying away from the dark pit. I'm grateful for the A/C units in my windows. I'm grateful for this wonderful falling down house, it continues to function despite its age. Maybe it knows we're going to spruce it up as soon as we can. I'm grateful, oh so grateful, for the Volvo, long may she run. I may not solve any of my problems today but I'm also not going to sit here and meditate upon them.
Sounds like one of those positive affirmation exercises people do, but I've been sitting on the front porch, channeling my inner-Ruth and knowing she's here, somewhere, in my psyche and if I can just pull her and Dad out of brain, I can do this. I didn't sign on to care for a mentally ill spouse. He could just as easily be Danny and the end result would be death in a few months. I need to look at caring for him in a bright light, not a negative hole.
Oliver's doing well in sailing school. I told you he's been volunteering down there all summer. It's right near their house, they owe so much to Caroline for that house, not that they'll EVER in a MILLION YEARS admit it. Those boys personalities, their where-with-all is deeply tied to living next to downtown. Ollie came by yesterday, Jane dragged him down here, because I did his laundry for him. Such is the Nana mode I exist in. He had over a dozen pairs of shorts, a dozen t-shirt and no underwear in his laundry basket! What a boy… he's such a teenager, it hurts! ha.
Emmett is a little firecracker. Every time we see him, he makes us laugh. He came over every day that Jeannette was here, kept talking to her, it was like he was taking care of Rob, I suspect he was, actually.
Jeannette sent us $250 for the website and has promised $250 more. This is 2 months of house payments. I don't see an "end" to our financial problems, I just figure they could go on forever and that keeps my spending in check. We need stuff like clippers for yard, etc but we keep using the old dull ones because there's no need to spend money we might need. I've managed to save almost $1000 since selling the car and paying off Visas, slowly. I know I can make 4 hour payments out of that, so we're good through December. I even splurged and ordered a $7.99 t-shirt that was a lightning deal on Amazon. Made me feel almost normal! And I ordered $17 windshield sunshield things — saved me from going to walmart.
Now if I can just get the website to load. I keep telling her to concentrate on the alternate site I built, it gets more traffic, but hey, as long as she's happy and sends more money, I don't care what website she looks at.
Will find out about SNAP (food stamps) this week. I always get nervous when I have to re-up for benefits, every 6 months, but it's the same form with the same numbers every time — we couldn't have survived this past year without the $350 month we get from our EBT card. I remember buying the bruised/old veggies/fruit from Pig before we got the card. One morning, I looked at the kitchen and realized there was NO food in the house and I had no money. It was unbelievable, you can imagine it — total panic. That night, Monday, I went to pottery and told them how I had no food. I wasn't complaining or asking for anything, I just was telling them about it and we all kept on talking.
The next day, Carolyn and then another friend, brought bags of groceries. All of Carolyn's classes took up money to buy us food. They all know me. Talk about a humbling moment. They continued to bring groceries for the rest of the money until the food stamps were approved. They even brought me homemade preserves/jams/tomato sauces.
When I have time, I'll get more political, when this is over … get more into making my voice heard about the VA, food stamps and more. Right now I've got to take care of Rob. I'll try to volunteer, like at the nearby Blind Center or something.
wow, long email. Thanks again for being there to talk to — it really helps. When I type this all out, it stops spinning around in my head and fucking me up.


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A little late, but HAPPY YEAR OF THE ROOSTERRRR!! :D
And on Chinese New Year, my #brunchdategirls have a yearly tradition of collaging selfies in our outfits (usually for the first 3 days)! Not sure how it started actually... but it has been ongoing for 3 years now I think?? Till we grow old!! Hahaha.
CNY Day 1:
Day 2's OOTD! In my grandma's sandals cos I was lazy to lace up my boots to go downstairs hahahaha:
Went to River Hongbao because father wanted to check it out:
Spot the skilled photo-bomber:
Through coins into the Wishing Well!:
Waiting for the fireworks and light show! :)
Bought some food to share and as usual the food prices were jacked up skyhigh (a few pieces of roast meat for S$10?!)... and the queues were insane for some.
And this was the BDGs' collage for Day 2! Hahaha:
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Chinese New Year 2017!
Labels: brunchdategirls , chinese new year , cny , family , friends , ootd , w
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As you've no doubt heard at this point Morning Glory/Leftover Crack/Choking Victim's Ezra Kire is slated to release his debut full-length solo album, Speakers In The Sky, tomorrow (September 29th). Dying Scene is beyond stoked to bring it to you exclusively a day early!
Speakers in the Sky is eight song narrative told in two sides, with the first half building to the epic "4 songs in one on the B side." It chronicles what was a life of "hopelessness, addiction and the eventual triumph of letting it all go," and is billed rather poignantly as "the punk rock Beatles record the world needs right now," though as our own reviewer Carson Winter put it in his review, " it's tougher and darker than what even the bleakest Beatle could conjure."
Speakers in the Sky is due out through Ryan Young's Anxious and Angry label. Stream it in its entirety below, and order your very own copy here!


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1. Focus on "jobs worth doing."I heard that simple, memorable line while attending the UX Strat conference in Rhode Island last year. As the presenter offered his insights into getting UX right, I was struggling with my smartphone. The airline on which I would be flying that afternoon had a mobile app that wasn't operating smoothly. I was trying to check in for my flight, but a required - and completely unnecessary - step was preventing my enjoying the benefits of the app, not to mention the conference. Nonetheless, the UX Strat presenter's point was coming through loud and clear.
In planning a new experience or app, we should make sure every use case and function is as meaningful and worthwhile as possible. It doesn't matter whether the app is a required part of the user's job or something used purely for fun. The small mistakes that we make are magnified over many, many people and repeated with high frequency. Before we worry about getting the design right, we should ask whether this task is necessary or worthwhile.
2. Reduce interstitial anxiety through increased use of subtle animations.Reduce interstitial anxiety? Yes, I'm serious. Here's a snapshot of the issue, courtesy of Chase Buckley, from UX Magazine: "A common phrase amongst serious Interaction Designers, interstitial anxiety refers to the momentary state of tension a user experiences between an action (clicking a button) and a response (moving to the next page). High latency and load times between action and response can trigger this brief experience of anxiety, during which the user is momentarily left in the dark - powerless and confused - caught between seams. If left unaddressed, this anxiety can quickly build up to create a poor user experience that will drive the user away from your product."
We have enough anxiety already, so why not turn moments of potential "interstitial anxiety" to our advantage? Use animated GIFs or other design elements to tell the user what's coming. Those moments of anxiety can become moments of anticipation. Instead of being frustrated by their frozen screens, customers will be entertained by your animations.
3. Love your personas; live your personas.Some leading practitioners do this as a matter of course. But the journey to true customer-centricity is still a challenge for many companies. Start by finding clever ways to stay connected with customers every day. Why not decorate your offices with customer personas? Many people give lip service to the importance of user research and insights, but few take it to heart or internalize it. We know a company is serious when the walls of their design and marketing departments are plastered with pictures, quotes, facts, and wish lists regarding their most important personas. An online retail company we met this year has daily customer feedback sessions - in their offices. What better way to drive customer-centricity than to literally surround your team with customers?
4. Help aesthetics make a comeback.Increasingly, UI design is being executed with off-the-shelf tools and templates that rob the process of creative input and aesthetics. Although "flat design" may promote speed and efficiency, and it may even allow you to tinker with the look and feel of your app, it doesn't allow for distinctive design.
A good analogy is car design: The baseline reliability, safety, and efficiency of automobiles has improved so dramatically in the past 20 to 30 years that manufacturers today differentiate their brands through styling (at least within the non-performance categories). Bringing your brand to life calls for investing in quality UI design, lest your app look like every other Bootstrap/Squarespace site or Material Design app out there.
5. Give your brand a voice.I mean that both figuratively and literally. Human-computer interactions are increasingly mediated by voice-based UIs, although the interactions often resemble conversations between people speaking different languages. Think about how quickly Alexa - a truly voice-driven brand - has gained traction, and then think about how the same technology might supercharge your app.
In the age of television, the brand voice was front and center. In the age of the internet, that voice has become muffled. Now there is an opportunity to use technology to bring that voice back. However, any brand that hasn't invested in figuring out its own persona, tone of voice, and vocabulary risks creating incoherent and inconsistent brand experiences for customers across the ever-expanding touchpoints available.
May you and your customers have many wonderful experiences this new year!


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Episode 330
Episode 330 | 28m
In this episode, learn about a science contest that's helping scientists better communicate the complexity of their work. Also, discover what scientists are doing to search for life on the distant moon Europa, developing aspirin of the future, and more!
Aired: 07/19/17Video has closed captioning.


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Our program adapts and offers the valuable wisdom of the ancient teachings of the Tradition of the Himalayan Masters, as interpreted by Swami Rama and Swami Veda Bharati to our modern life. As science develops we become more informed of how precious, timeless and universal these teachings are. They help us to become more aware of our body's posture, habits and life's attitudes. They show us how to better integrate body, breath and mind improving our health, concentration and presence.
In private or in office context, our yoga and meditation classes empower you to approach your health by taking a step back and reflecting upon the discomfort symptoms experienced. Over this foundation, we support and motivate you to establish your own yoga and/or meditation routine so that you can fully integrate the practice in your life.
Who we are
MARIA MIGUEL RIBEIRO, PhD.
It was my life experience as an academic researcher, consultant and project manager that informed and inspired me to pursue a career in teaching yoga and meditation. In the periods of frenetic work to deliver results and challenging deadlines, I found the peace, balance, groundness, mental clarity and joy in my daily practice of yoga and meditation. Later, in my journey as a mother, I found that the deep and gentle flows of physical yoga and breath practices helped me to adapt and stay connected to my inner peace, amid such a profound life transformation.
I practice yoga since 1998, and am a certified teacher since 2012. I completed a 500-hour Himalayan Yoga Tradition teacher training along with two other 200-hour teacher trainings, including those in the styles of Vinyasa and Sivananda school. Most recently I returned from two years of intensive training with the Gurukulam Programme at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama, in India.
Some of the teachers with whom I have worked with, and who most profoundly influence my work are:
I am now currently engaged in the task of creating programs that offer these teachings to the society from which I originate.
ALAN RICHARD, Physio.Osteo.
I am a Yoga teacher since 2008 (Evian Yoga of energy School). Most recently I returned from two years of intensive training with the Gurukulam Programme at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama, in India.
For me yoga is a way to become aware about our physical, energetic and mental bodies. Using yoga and meditation to experiment with our limits and gradually expand them. It is a way to find pleasure in life and a feeling of inner peace.


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Crikey I'm late tonight! And there was definetly not enough hours this weekend! :D So onto my card, which is going into the ABC Christmas Challenge, which is 'F for Furry and / or Feathered Friends', so out came a House Mouse stamp, which I've had for aaages and not inked!
Sunday, 25 March 2012
Crikey I'm late tonight! And there was definetly not enough hours this weekend! :D So onto my card, which is going into the ABC Christmas Challenge, which is 'F for Furry and / or Feathered Friends', so out came a House Mouse stamp, which I've had for aaages and not inked!
18 comments:
- Kim Dibben said...
Great card Kelly, love the cute image, great colour combo and I love the snow!
Hugs Kim xx
- Sun Mar 25, 10:43:00 pm 2012
- Wendy said...
So gorgeous Kelly, adorable image and love that border (not seen that one).
Wendy xx
- Sun Mar 25, 10:45:00 pm 2012
- Vicky said...
So love this card hunni loving the cute image.
Lotsa hugs Vicky xxx
- Sun Mar 25, 10:46:00 pm 2012
- Doreen said...
This is gorgeous Kelly,a fabulous image.xxx
- Sun Mar 25, 10:47:00 pm 2012
- Crafty Moone Cards said...
Gorgeous card Kelly.
Sue x
- Mon Mar 26, 07:40:00 am 2012
- Annie said...
A gorgeous card :)
Ann xxx
- Mon Mar 26, 11:18:00 am 2012
- Whisper said...
What a great, cute image and fabby papers too, Luv Sam x
- Mon Mar 26, 04:25:00 pm 2012
- coops said...
fabulous card kelly.gorgeous image and colours and your snow looks brilliant ;D
xx coops xx
- Mon Mar 26, 06:01:00 pm 2012
- Flowergirl said...
Fab xmas card, beautifully coloured, love your snow!
Wendy x
- Mon Mar 26, 07:54:00 pm 2012
- angelwhispers said...
Just fabulous Kelly what an adorable image and such beautiful papers. Chanelle xx
- Mon Mar 26, 08:11:00 pm 2012
This is gorgeous and your snow looks fab!
Helen x
- Mon Mar 26, 08:37:00 pm 2012
- Distressed Miss said...
Super gorgeous card Kelly, the snow looks fantastic.
Big Hugs
- Mon Mar 26, 10:36:00 pm 2012
- Have A Scrap Happy Day said...
What a fun and adorable image. Love the "action." When you get a chance, please stop by my blog as I have an award for you posted.
- Tue Mar 27, 05:09:00 am 2012
- Creations by Shirl said...
Cute Xmas card, love the image. Is that a new die from Martha Stewart I haven't seen that here on the islands... It sure is pretty....
- Tue Mar 27, 05:25:00 am 2012
- XxJULESxX said...
wow just gorgeous and cute!
- Tue Mar 27, 11:14:00 pm 2012
- Lee said...
Adorable in every way.Huggles n cuddles to all.xxx
- Sat Mar 31, 10:13:00 pm 2012
- Helen said...
Gorgeous card Kelly - I {heart} the snow!
Thanks for playing at the ABC Christmas Challenge...hope you'll join us for another fun challenge on Wednesday! :0)
Helen x
- Mon Apr 02, 10:10:00 pm 2012
Fabulous card hunny love love this image so cute and you have had it ages and I am glad you did for our challenge, Thanks for entering our Challenge at ABC Christmas challenge this time, see you soon! hugs Samantha :0)
- Tue Apr 03, 10:15:00 pm 2012


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NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
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Two of the more engaging books of the Romantic Era, Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and Jonathan Swifts Gulliver's Travels, are very similar. Both describe heros travels to the strange places and adventures among outlandish peoples. They both reflect the literary need of the time to, at least on the surface, based on true accounts. The initial plot is within the realm of possibility and then treads lightly into a land of imagination. Gulliver's Travels and Robinson Crusoe, both are portrayed as resembling trained soldiers, being capable of clear thought during tense and troubled times.
This quality possessed within Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver is a result of the authors background and knowledge. Daniel Defoe was knowledgeable and proficient in seamanship. He understood the workings of a ship and the skills required for its operation. Daniel Defoe, an intelligent man who is knowledgeable in self defense and military tactics, which is reflected in the actions of Robinson Crusoe who insists on always one step ahead of his opponent, whether it be an enemy, nature or himself. Robinson Crusoe is the know all, does all type of person. He becomes stranded on a remote island and does whatever is necessary to survive.
After being on the island for several years Crusoe learns to adapt to his surroundings, an important feature in becoming a good soldier; and lives with what he has. In the 17 th century, the Catholic reform was sweeping through many parts of Europe. The period from 1600 to about 1750 is known as the Baroque Era. Robinson Crusoe was published during the Baroque Era.
Crusoe becomes a good Christian during his lonely stay on the deserted island and converts his companion Friday when he arrives on the island from cannibalism to Christianity. Crusoe has been placed on this barren island as a punishment for his sins, disobeying his father and for leaving his middle station of life. Being lonely, home stricken and afraid has allowed Robinson Crusoe to fill his desire for company by allowing God into his life through his nightly readings of the Bible. Defoe is a strong believer in God.
He believes that Gods providence shapes the lives of all men and that any unusual circumstances or misfortunes that occur happen because that is the way God wanted it. The psychological condition of Robinson Crusoe was not totally imagined by Daniel Defoe. Defoe was not a stranger to the life of solitude. In the early 18 th century, Defoe was imprisoned for about six months. He was thrown in jail because of a controversial pamphlet that he wrote called The shortest Was With Dissenters. In this pamphlet Defoe humorously implied that all people who were not members of the Church of England should be killed.
This imprisonment may have given Defoe several inklings of what it is like to be totally cut off from civilization. Robinson Crusoe survives on his island and adapts very well to his surroundings, but his companionship with God is not enough. In desperation he trains a parrot to speak to him just to hear another voice, even though the irony is that, the voice is just a repetition of his own. Years later he discovers a footprint on the beach and totally flips his lid. He becomes terribly paranoid and very careful. Crusoe covers any tracks that would give the owner of the foot print an idea that he lives on the island.
Crusoe becomes totally enraged with the thought of another human on the island that he prepares his house for war by surrounding it by an impenetrable fence, arming all his weapons and is ready to kill anyone that comes near his sacred home, grain, and animals. His condition is now evident: the strengths of his character that has made him flourish in isolation has now distorted all his social instincts and civilized manners. He only feels comfortable with himself, his animals, and the Lord in which he can trust. Crusoe lives in fear of the footprint for the next couple of years. Crusoe has become confused, at first he dreams for someone to come and save him, then he feels that someone may destroy him. He has been isolated form civilization for more than 15 years and it has driven him to the point of uncertainty, paranoia and slight lunacy.
During the stay on the island, Robinson Crusoe became an architect, a carpenter, a baker, a tailor, a farmer, an umbrella maker, a preacher and even a man. But most important he learnt to respect fate. Swift, a wise and educated man, cleverly gains the readers respect during the progression of the novel. The first thought the reader has is that Swift does not even take Gulliver very seriously. For instance, his name sounds much like gullible, which suggests that he will believe in anything. Gulliver, an ordinary, good man, not rich and the son of a small country holder poses the drive for adventure and the quality of a mentally sound individual.
In Lilliput, he shows himself to be good-natured and gentle with the tiny people. Gulliver assists in the war against Blefuscu by not injuring his enemies. But deprives them of their weapons, which inflict damage. By doing so he immediately shows his noble generosity and respect for the liberty of others by refusing to enslave the Blefuscudians. Being treated poorly by the Lilliputians, Gulliver has two choices, i. e.
to f 0 lee, to kill his enemy. To his credit, he does not seriously consider killing his enemy, but rather flees. Gulliver has won the confidence of the reader as being trustworthy, a man of integrity, uprightness, sound judgement, and humanity. The shift in surroundings allows Gulliver's mental state to change form one extreme another, which begins in Brodingnagian where he is subjected to constant humiliations in the land of the giants and develops defenses for his self-esteem. He boasts what he would have done to the monkeys if he had thought of using his sword; he brags to the court ladies about the seamanship he possesses. But it is the sharp-witted, keen eyed Brodingnagian king who puts Gulliver on the defensive and the effects on Gulliver are worth noticing.
He becomes uncomfortable and begins to shuffle and lie his way out of intense situations allowing one to see him as being much less then we had taken him to be. This change in Gulliver has destroyed and distorted ones trust in his judgement and honesty. One must then henceforth weigh his accomplishments very carefully. Gulliver is a changing dynamic character.
In the second chapter came his recognition that the Yahoo is the perfect human figure, but by the fifth chapter, Gulliver struggles with the fact of seeing himself as a Yahoo, which depicts the foul, ugly, obscene and stupid part of man. As Gulliver returns to the land of men, it clearly emerges that he is seriously unhinged and a thoroughly changed character. He suffers from what the Greeks called hybris, and arrogant pride characterized by a man stepping out of his proper place in the world. Traditionally a hybris is quickly followed by death or other serious punishment. Instead of the good-natured Gulliver, there is one whose ill-nature flourishes. Instead of the patriotic Englishman, there is one who detests the thought of England.
The events Gulliver experienced changed his views. He posses the ability to see the poor humanities of man kind. Man kind is not superior, we have many great faults which are summed up in a single quote. I am not the least provoked and the sight of a lawyer, a pickpocket, a colonel, a fool, a lord, a gambler, a politician, a whore monger, a physician, an evidence, a suborner, an attorney, a traitor, or the like: this is all according to the due course of things: but when I behold a lump of deformity and diseases, both in body and mind, smitten with pride, it immediately breaks all the measures of my patience; neither shall I be ever able to comprehend how such an animal and such a vice could tally together. Both Gulliver and Robinson are changing characters. At first they could not see the hidden details of life.
But through solitude, trauma, conquest and failure have allowed both characters to realize the achievements, failures, and stupidity of man kind. Being able to rationalize from experience and calculation is a quality of a soldier. 1 1. Swifts Gulliver's Travel, Chapter 12, Part 4, Pg. 315 BIBLIOGRAPHY Gulliver's Travel, Jonathan Swift, 1726 Gulliver's Travel, Swift, Coles Notes, 1920 Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe, 1719 web web web web
Free research essays on topics related to: gulliver travels, robinson crusoe, swifts gulliver, baroque era, daniel defoe
Research essay sample on Robinson Crusoe Swifts Gulliver


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Encouraging Women to Get Engaged with Financial Planning
As a female professional in the financial planning field, there's something unfortunate I've seen too frequently. For a variety of reasons, the female spouse is often absent from our meetings. Additionally, we've had only a small number of single female clients seek our advice. This weighs on me.
A recent Fidelity Investments study showed that 92 percent of women surveyed want to learn more about financial planning. Eighty-three percent want to be more involved in their finances, yet only 47 percent say they would be comfortable talking to a financial professional. Does this mean women have poor money instincts as compared to men? Actually, studies show the opposite! While men tend to be more comfortable talking about finances, women are better savers and are better long-term investors compared to men.
So why are women hesitant to engage? I believe it's because the industry has been slow to change. I've been in this field for almost 10 years, yet when I think of the financial industry, I still picture a man in a suit behind a big desk. As a woman, that's not appealing to me. And beyond that, the industry focus for far too long has been on investments. Not to be flippant, but who cares? Are investments necessary to fuel any financial plan? Of course! But, most people don't really care about the stocks in their portfolio. What people care about is if their families will be okay if something happens to them, if they will be able to pay for college, and if they can ever stop working.
Thankfully, the financial industry is changing, but too slowly. Many firms now say they're focused on you, not only on your stocks and bonds. Yet, the conversation still seems to center around investments, and women are still largely absent from the conversation. The industry needs to do better. Women also need to get involved to make it so.
The harsh reality is that a husband will likely pass before a wife. If he is the one who handled the finances, an already heart-wrenching transition becomes even more burdensome. I hope to make a difference in this field by creating a space and an experience that is inviting to women. But, those of us in the industry need your help.
If it's going to take the industry and female clients to fix this problem, what should women specifically do? I believe they should trust their intuition. When you find the right financial adviser, they will help you address your insecurities and will journey with you to a place of peace surrounding your finances. It may not be a quick journey, and just like any relationship, you may not find the right partner on the first shot. If you meet with an adviser and it doesn't feel right—it's not you! You wouldn't choose someone to babysit your child if it didn't feel right. Similarly, the financial adviser you choose will be there to help steward your family's well-being, so don't settle. Keep looking until you find one that makes you feel comfortable, whose financial planning process speaks to you, and who you can sense truly cares about what's important to you.
Corny though it may sound, we can fix this problem together. Those of us in the industry can't do it on our own if women aren't willing to give us another try. Similarly, female clients can't be expected to engage if the industry isn't a welcoming environment. So, let's tackle this together—for the betterment of ourselves, and for the generations of women to come.


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Youths and Social Media — The Message Matters tooApr 15, 2016 at 11:47 am | Hits: 3317
By Nadzirah Samsudin and Carol Soon
The youth vote can have a powerful impact, making or breaking a politician's election campaign. United States President Barack Obama secured more than 60% of the youth vote when he first won the presidency in 2008. Tsai Ing-wen, who won the February 2016 Taiwanese presidential election, rode on youths' political and economic frustrations.
Young voters played an important role too in the September 2015 General Election, which saw the People's Action Party gain an almost 10 percentage point increase in its overall vote share. At the post-GE press conference on 12 September, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said: "I wholeheartedly thank voters of all backgrounds, races — without your support, we wouldn't have such a good result. We also successfully got many young voters' support."
Studies from around the world have established that social media is main medium — the go-to source — for youth to learn about elections.
In January this year, the Pew Research Centre found that 61% of respondents in the 18-29 age group learned about the 2016 US presidential election from social media. In Taiwan, a recent study by Shih Hsin University showed that more than 70% of college students obtained their news from the Internet and only 20% relied on television.
A survey on media and internet use during the 2015 GE by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), done after Polling Day, found that among respondents aged between 21 and 34 (who fall into the youth bracket, according to the National Youth Council), social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram were their top choice for election-related information.
But this does not mean that it is just enough for political parties to announce their plans and positions on social networking sites, or use these platforms to rouse support. Surveys of election-time social media usage by youth in the US, Taiwan and Singapore show up differences that point to specific ways in which social media can be used for political education and outreach.
High but passive usage
Youth respondents in Singapore, like their counterparts in the US and Taiwan, said they relied on social media for election-related news and information. Yet, when asked which media they trusted more, most respondents picked mainstream media sources. In any case, as mainstream media outlets also push their content out on social media, it is likely that some of the content encountered by youths on social media originated from mainstream media.
This means that for now, social media can only be part of a political communications toolkit, and would not suffice as the main vehicle for political communications.
The IPS survey also showed that Singaporean youths used social media primarily as a tool of surveillance — to learn more of other people's views on elections. Although they indicated their "likes" on Facebook for pages or a posts on candidates, political parties and election issues, they rarely performed actions that required more effort such as producing or commenting on content election-related content on social media.
Thus, mobilising them through social media will be more challenging, unlike in Taiwan, where youths used Facebook and Instant Messaging platforms such as Line for organisation and mobilisation during the 2014 student-led Sunflower Movement, a protest against a trade pact with China. Their Facebook page, "Black Island Youth", which went viral and amassed over 20,000 "likes" within days, was used as a tool to disseminate information to their supporters.
In the US, a separate Pew study in 2012 found that beyond "liking" political content on Facebook, youths would also post their thoughts on issues, share links that directed people in their online networks to political stories, and promote political material.
Deeds, not just words
The differences in usage and engagement could be a function of the different political environments in the US, Taiwan and Singapore.
For instance, in the US, ordinary folks are generally disenchanted with capitalism and the political system. While it is still too early to comment on the ongoing presidential election, Democrat candidate Bernie Sanders and Republican candidate Donald Trump who are riding on people's dissatisfaction are proving themselves to be forces to contend with.
In Taiwan, youths' mobilisation stemmed from their unhappiness with the Kuomintang's leadership, the party's close relationship with China and their growing socio-economic problems. Low salaries and high property prices have heightened the sense of helplessness and haplessness among graduates.
This does not necessarily seem to be the case in Singapore, if we go by another finding in the IPS post-GE survey. Singaporean youth demonstrated a strong sense of collective efficacy – 60% believe that the government will respond to citizens' needs if people band together and demand change. When asked what had influenced their vote, they said that it was the quality of parties and candidates in their constituency, and policy changes related to transport, housing cost and foreign workers.
What this suggests is that, like older voters, youths' satisfaction with the state of governance and the quality of their candidates matter. Social media is a useful medium to convey messages on these topics.
President-elect Tsai did this in Taiwan – her calls for democracy and transparency resonated with the youths, and videos of herself explaining policies in a light-hearted manner were shared widely on Facebook. Democrat candidate Bernie Sanders' has used his campaign to cast the spotlight on issues that strike a chord with American youths — college debt and inequality.
To conclude, social media can be important leverage for politicians. But the campaign messages broadcast via that medium must both resonate with their constituents and withstand their scrutiny. This holds for policy communications via social media as well.
Policymakers have to understand users' demographic profiles for different media and how various segments of the public feel towards an issue. They can then tailor the key thrusts of their message for each medium accordingly. The platform is important but the message is what will provide impact.
Nadzirah Samsudin is research assistant and Dr Carol Soon is senior research fellow at the arts, culture and media research cluster at the Institute of Policy Studies
This piece was first published in The Straits Times on 15 April 2016.
Top photo from IStock.


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ST JOHN'S – The police yesterday said they detained a man and a woman following two high speed chase incidents in which the drivers lost control of the vehicles, crashed but managed to escape.
The police and defence force personnel were patrolling the Bendals area when they encountered the White Toyota Mark-X car A 46268, travelling at a fast rate along the main road.
According to the police, the occupants were acting in a suspicious manner and they began to pursue them, but were challenged by the traffic.
During the chase, the driver ran into the gate of a residence near the junction of Whenner and Bendals Roads around 9:15.
The airbags inflated in the front driver and passenger seats and the three male occupants jumped out and fled on foot.
One witness told Observer media the men took advantage of the darkness and escaped on foot into the Cashew Hill area.
The officers from the two-armed forces came upon the car and did not catch up with the men. However, the police said they retrieved a number of items from the vehicle. They did not specify what those items were.
For several hours, the lawmen cordoned off the road and searched a number of homes and by roads. About an hour later, the police came upon another vehicle and the driver began acting in a manner lawmen described as "suspicious". They said they signlaed the driver to stop and he began speeding away. They gave chase and ended up in the Nut Grove area pursuing the vehicle, A 41256, which collided with another vehicle as it sped down the hill. The collision also impacted the police chase. However, the driver crashed at the bottom of the hill behind the Golden Grove Primary School.
At least one resident allegedly went to assist the man who grabbed a package from the vehicle and escaped on foot, again, in a poorly lit area.
It was following both incidents, the Gray's Farm man and his girlfriend were arrested and taken into custody.
Up to press time they had not been charged. Both vehicles are impounded at Police Headquarters.
They gave chase and ended up in the Nut Grove area pursuing the vehicle, A 41256, which collided with another vehicle as it sped down the hill. The collision caused the second car to spin and impacted the police chase. The driver eventually crashed at the bottom of the hill behind the Golden Grove Primary.


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Grace Annual Meeting and Report
Grace's 2019 Annual Meeting took place on Sunday, February 24 in our sanctuary, providing a time to review the past year at Grace Church and look together to the year ahead. We:
- Shared our 2019 budget.
- Introduced new leaders.
- Thanked those who've led us over the last few years.
- Considered plans for ministry at Grace and outside its doors as we deepen roots and spread our branches
Thank you to all who attended.
Download a copy of the Grace 2018 Annual Report here.
Hard copies are available by request: [email protected].