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Networking Advice for the Digital Age
There are numerous ways to look for a job in 2019, including contacting an employment agency, browsing online job banks, and scrolling endlessly through LinkedIn. But no matter how hard you look, securing the job you want will be difficult without the right connections.
That's where networking comes in. Networking is essential to career development. It's through networking that professionals build relationships, identify opportunities, and position themselves for success in their fields. And yet, networking in its traditional form – shaking hands, distributing business cards, information sessions over coffee – is not for everyone. Many people in today's job market are more comfortable reaching out over email or LinkedIn than introducing themselves in person to a near-stranger.
Luckily, networking in 2019 is less intimidating than in the past. Today, there are numerous ways to make new connections, stay in touch with colleagues, and establish a name for yourself in your industry. So, what does effective modern networking look like?
Networking Tips for the Digital Age
There is no single correct approach to networking. Every person should set their own goals, develop their own plan, and proceed in a manner they feel comfortable with. Confidence is key: you want to present yourself as a professional and communicate through a medium you're comfortable with.
Social media is a great place for job seekers to develop relationships. Facebook, LinkedIn, and even Reddit are home to thriving communities of professionals in a multitude of fields. Join these groups to learn more about your industry, identify thought leaders, and stay up to date with news and events. As you absorb information and develop a feel for the group, be sure to contribute your own thoughts and opinions to the conversation. Doing so will help you create a name for yourself.
Social media is also useful for maintaining your existing community. Networking is an ongoing process – it takes time to foster meaningful relationships and effort to perpetuate them. Liking or commenting on a former colleague's Facebook status will ensure that you're not far from their mind. If you have an especially large professional network, consider interacting with it based on a 'tier' system: maintain close ties with your most important industry contacts and looser ties with other acquaintances. This might involve commenting on posts for the top tier and liking posts for the lower ones.
Ideally, social media networking should be a gateway to more traditional networking. As you familiarize yourself with key players in your industry, you may become more comfortable with the idea of face-to-face networking. Think of your contributions to online industry groups as practice for the real thing.
In-Person Networking
When you're ready to graduate to in-person networking, remember that many of the same rules apply. Don't rush the process: if you're attending a networking event, study the speaker list and guest list (if available) and craft a strategy. Decide what you want to get out of the event: is your goal to make small talk and practice your networking skills, or do you want to make a meaningful connection with a particular guest?
Either way, focus on building a rapport with attendees. Present yourself as you would during a job interview or a meeting with an employment agency. Show some personality – be courteous and informative. Think about the online conversations you've had with members of the community, or the connection requests you've sent on LinkedIn. These are the foundations that should anchor your in-person networking approach.
As anyone who works at an employment agency can attest, in-person and online networking go hand-in-hand. The connections you form in person can be nurtured and maintained online, and digital interactions can help you become more comfortable with networking at events and conferences. The key to networking success is to find the balance that works for you. Set a goal, choose an approach, and network your way to the top.
Image credit: Ivan Panasjuk (EU2017EE)/Wikimedia Commons
- How ChatGPT for Recruitment Will Revolutionize Human Resources and Hiring - December 12, 2023
- Are You Ready to Change Jobs? 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Do - November 9, 2023
- Evaluating Your Counter Offer – Making the Right Career Move - October 25, 2023


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Data breach in Oregon, ransomware in Florida, a company goes down and talk about surveillance cameras
Welcome to Cyber Security Today. It's Friday June 21st. I'm Howard Solomon, contributing reporter on cyber security for ITWorldCanda.com.
Oregon's Department of Human Services has concluded that personal data of 645,000 people may have been exposed when nine employees fell for a phishing scam in January. The victimized staffers clicked on a link. My bet is the email looked like it came the IT department. Regardless, what those staffers did was give away access to their email. As a result the hacker could read anything years of email, including attachments. And most of the damaging client information available to the hacker was in those attachments, like requested reports. The information included first and last names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and personal health information. The state began notifying people this week.
I hate to be repetitive, but toughening email security, including implementing two-factor password authentication, is vital for organizations to improve data protection. Remember, attackers don't always have to get into the gold mine of company databases. Often they hit paydirt just by hacking email and reading attachments.
Some companies survive after data breaches, like Sony and Home Depot. Others get clobbered because they rely on a few major business customers who have low tolerance for being embarrassed. That appears to have happened at the parent company of a U.S. firm called American Medical Collection Agency, or AMCA. I told you a few episodes ago that AMCA, which is a bill collection agency for medical labs and hospitals, suffered a huge data breach. Well, this week AMCA's parent company has filed for bankruptcy protection. Why? Because many companies, including AMCA's biggest customers, cut their relationship with the company. That hit the bottom line. There's a lesson for CEOs who think data breaches are no big deal.
The Florida city of Riviera Beach is the latest municipality to be unprepared for ransomware. SecurityWeek reports city council voted to pay $600,000 in ransom in the hopes of getting access to its data back after being attacked three weeks ago. It's also spending $1 million on new computers and hardware. City systems were hit after an employee clicked on a malicious link in an email.
Finally, yesterday was National Surveillance Camera Day in the United Kingdom. Across the country there were events to spark public discussion about the increasing use of surveillance cameras and automatic facial recognition by municipalities, police, transit, retailers, universities and others in public spaces. Some organizations opened their doors to their surveillance camera control centres so the public can see how they work. A number also published factsheets about what their system is designed to do. This day of discussion came about because the U.K. has a National Surveillance Camera Strategy and a Surveillance Camera Commissioner to handle complaints. The strategy, released two years ago, says surveillance cameras in public places should have a legitimate aim and meet a pressing need; be proportionate; effective, and comply with any relevant legal obligations. Having a day of discussion about surveillance devices is a good thing. Think about asking your municipality, state or province about doing the same.
That's it for Cyber Security Today. Links to details about these stories can be found in the text version of each podcast at ITWorldCanada.com. That's where you'll also find my news stories aimed at businesses and cyber security professionals. Cyber Security Today can be heard on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or add us to your Flash Briefing on your smart speaker. Thanks for listening. I'm Howard Solomon

subset: commoncrawl


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So now we have entered into Phase II of the COVID 19. Small groups exercise are actually allowed for not more than 5 people. Most gyms, yoga and dance studios have also opened their doors but to a limited number of students to prevent any spread.
Many of the activities now have to be a limited number of people and also contact, this goes for running too. With all the races cancelled, if you are interested in doing a longer distance, you will need to make your own preparations and plan your own route.
East Coast Park Your Best Bet
Longer distances about FM can be rather tormenting to run in Singapore as it is relatively small and there is traffic everywhere. My favourite training is to go to East Coast Park, kinda very usual suspect, but for a lady solo, this could be the best as it is open and also has people around so even if you met with some difficulties there is always help. One good thing about ECP is that there are toilets almost every 2-3km where you can fill your water bags and freshen yourself. With the elimination of traffic lights, you can enjoy a smooth run up and down the park and easily clock 30 km and above if you go all the way to Changi.
Bay Area Scenic Instgrammy Location
To take some nice photos for commemorating your long runs. You can shift back to the bay area, where the Gardens by the Bay, MBS and CBD buildings adds on to spruce up your photos for posts in FB or IG. One thing good about the Bay area is that there are ample toilet areas and also convenience stores for you to replenish anything you need.
Some Preparations to Note
Running alone for long distances in Singapore is not that difficult as we are more a less a very urbanized country, but there are also things to look out for. Traffic is probably to me, the more "dangerous" aspect, as motorists here can be quite impatient to sports people like cyclists and runners. Do keep to pedestrian lanes as far as possible and also keep to the traffic lights because you never know when a crazy vehicle might show up. Running during COVID period is more chillax. There are people who still push forward but do always be aware of your environment. The last thing you want is to get into unnecessary injury during the peacetime training.
I always bring along a 1.5Litre water bladder when doing longer distances, I prefer the bladder because its like hassle-free and just one 1.5 can keep me 25km. Some people prefer water bottles in front of their vest. There are no hard rules on this, try a few different styles and find the ones that suit you best. Also not such much on the brands to use, to each its own, common brands that people go for are Salomon, Raid Light, Instinct etc. But to me is some nice cheaper options from Decathalon or Lazada works well for you, why not?
Whatever the case is, the main things I feel is that you should have these:
- Hydration in any form
- Sodium tabs (for those who really sweat a lot and cramp). I personally never use before but I do hear of Heatstroke due to lack of sodium
- Some food. Well for Singapore, there is food everywhere, so you might want to skip this option but having it handy might be good.
- Plaster: for those unexpected abrasions.
- Ezlink card and small money
Simple as that, basically the HP can do wonders already. But make sure you have enough power though.
So now I have left to explore the far West and North of Singapore. I hope some of my small experiences here has some benefits to some of you.


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A Bengali Folktale
Once there was a wise saint who lived in an ashram. He had several devotees who studied under him. Every day, he would teach them things about God and about the world it has created.
"Where is God?" asked the disciple.
"Everywhere, in everyone and everything," said his Guru.
Later, as the disciple was going home, he saw an elephant charging towards him.
"Get out of the way, get out of the way," shouted mahout (the elephant-driver). "He has gone mad! But the disciple thought: "God is everywhere. He is in the elephant and he is in me. Would God attack God? No, therefore the elephant will not attack me.""
He stood where he was. The elephant picked him up in his trunk and flung him aside. Fortunately, he landed in a haystack and was not too badly hurt. But he was terribly shaken and confused.
When the Guru and the other disciples came to help him and take him home, he said, "You said God is in everything, but see what the elephant did to me!"
"It is true that God is in everything," said his Guru. "He is in the elephant, but he is also in the mahout who kept telling you to get out of the way. Why didn't you listen to him?"


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Make the most of the best view in the house with our line of Zero Clearance Direct Vent Peninsula Gas Fireplaces. Ideally suited for new construction or renovations anywhere in your home.
Warm up your favourite room with the beauty of a Linear Fireplace.
This type of appliance uses room air for combustion and exhausts through the B-vent pipe or flexible gas liner.


text:
Live cell imaging technique is widely used to track the behavior of cells in real time. It offers a time-efficient solution for scientists to acquire time-lapse images thus streamlining the research flow.
In this webinar, Professor Wang at Graduate Institute of Animal Vaccine Technology, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, introduces how his virus infection test research was improved by the digital cell imager. We'll also discuss live cell imaging techniques and featured applications in cell and virus related-researches.
In this webinar, you'll learn:


text: Editorial Review Manuscripts: You may submit two (2) manuscripts (includes book proposals or query letters) of previously unpublished material for critique by a publisher or editor of your choice. Never send your only copy - keep your original and send copies. The attached or enclosed manuscript submission forms are to be completed and attached to each manuscript, book proposal or query letter. If you want help in choosing an editor do not complete Editorial Review by: ______ on the form and the manuscript processing staff will choose the editor that seems most appropriate for your work. Please send your manuscripts in prior to the conference so that we may give them to the publisher/editor you have selected. After the editorial review your manuscript and critique will be returned to you. Should an editor want an appointment to discuss your manuscript this will be noted on the critique sheet attached to your returned manuscript. Manuscript CPR: You may bring two (2) unpublished manuscripts for consultation with freelance authors. Manuscripts in this category include those that may have been rejected, need a final polish, or seem "flat" and need suggestions to improve them to "wow" a waiting editor! On Friday and Saturday afternoon you may go to the CPR clinic for an appointment with freelance authors. They are available to read your manuscript on the spot, meet with you and give you their expert critique and marketing advice. Please note: Participation in the Manuscript CPR program is limited to full-time participants. Staff & Faculty: Please check the website of all the publishers listed on our website www.flwriters.org to get an overview of topics they are publishing. Most publishers have current online catalogs and other information available which will help you select the editor for editorial review. If you are unsure which editor/publisher is best for your project the manuscript submission team will make the selection for you (check manuscript submission form). Submit typed, double-spaced pages with your name on each page and mail manuscripts for Editorial Review to: |


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Shielded BNC to 4mm Banana Plug Oscilloscope Lead Set
- Description
Shielded BNC to 4mm Banana Plug Oscilloscope Lead Set
A set of shielded BNC to 4mm Stacking Banana Plug leads. Manufactured by us using a specially designed highly flexible shielded cable and quality Electro-PJP parts. The cable is a smaller diameter (3.7mm) than RG 58 providing greater flexibility and mechanical features than standard RG58 cable.
A great quality lead set for automotive technicians who require extra length when using an oscilloscope or other diagnostic equipment that use a BNC connection for vehicle diagnostics such as:
- Hantek automotive diagnostic oscilloscope
- Picoscope automotive oscilloscope
- Autel MaxiScope
- Sealey automotive diagnostic oscilloscope
- Draper diagnostic oscilloscope
- Siglent handheld oscilloscope
- UNI-T handheld oscilloscope
Available in stock - 3m or 5m lengths. Bespoke lengths such as 8m and 10m available, please contact us.
Also available as individual replacement leads:
- Download Datasheet
- Delivery & Returns
Delivery charges:
UK Fast Tracked (1-3 days) - £9.00.
UK Standard (2-5 days) - Orders <£50.00 = £2.50
EU Mail Standard (7-21 days) - Orders <£50.00 = £13.90 Orders >£50.00 = £16.50
EU Tracked Fast (2-5 Days) - £30.00
USA Mail Standard (7-28 Days) - Orders <£50.00 = £18.90 Orders >£50.00 = £25.00
USA Tracked Fast (2-5 days) - £35.00
Worldwide Mail Standard (5-14 Days) - Orders <£100 = £18.90, Orders >£100 = £35.00
Worldwide Tracked Fast (2-5 days) - £35.00
EXW - Arrange collection using your own courier account.
Note that standard services outside the UK may not include tracking.
International orders are shipped DAP (Incoterms 2020). The receiver is responsible for any customs or tax charges at their border.
For details on our B2C and B2B returns policies please read our Terms and Conditions.
- Reviews
- What is a Verified Purchase?It means that the customer who wrote the review has also purchased this item.
You may find this information useful in helping you decide whcih reviews are most helpful in making your purchasing decisions.
If a review is not marked as a Verified Purchase it does not mean that the reviewer has no experience of this item as they may have one which they have acquired from elsewhere.


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The Pittsburgh Penguins took a 2-0 lead in the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals, beating the San Jose Sharks 2-1 with a Conor Sheary overtime goal.
The Sharks did a better job this time of slowing down the pace and limiting the shots the Penguins took on goal (30-22), but once again it felt that for at least two periods, they were helpless to stop the Penguins from getting quality chances and only Marin Jones standing in the way. Even if it was difficult to get the two game lead, twice needing late goals to finish the job, the Penguins are a huge step closer to winning the fourth cup in franchise history.
Phil Kessel finally arrived in the series with his 10th goal of the postseason, scoring after 8:20 in the second period. The Kessel, Bonino (game 1 winner scorer) and Hagelin are the most dangerous line the Penguins have presented in the playoffs, and it worked again and Bonino slipped a pass to Kessel to finish. The puck was heading to the net, but Kessel gave it just enough of a nudge to make it count.
The Sharks had a good third period, and with 4:05 left in regulation, Justin Braun scored his first goal of the postseason, not letting the death of his father-in-law, Tom Lysiack (Former Blackhawks and Flames player), affect him on the ice. His shot was perfect, coming from the top of the right circle, going under Matt Murray's glove, hitting the post and going past the line. It gave the Sharks something to smile about, but it didn't last very long.
What now for San Jose? Maybe home ice will change the momentum of this series, but overall, it feels like holding out defensively just isn't enough for them. Taking control of the game for more than half a period has to be on their top of the to-do list. The Penguins might not be taking advantage of all their chances, but it's their kind of hockey in this series, and eventually, it'll be difficult for the Sharks to stand in their way completely.


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The Anacortes Museum team is saying goodbye to our Education and Media Curator Kate Clark, a talented artist who is leaving the museum to pursue two significant art commissions. Congratulations, Kate!
She has been an innovator, bringing in new people, projects and ideas, and instrumental in expanding the museum's social media presence. It has been a pleasure to work with Kate for the past almost-two years. We look forward to seeing the creative work she will accomplish in her next endeavors.


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Today's Saint (August 25): Louis, King of France
Saints Home Page | BACK | NEXT
Saint Louis was born in 1214 and became a devout Christian and king of France. He attended Mass often, prayed frequently, was given to charity (as evidenced in the building of a hospital for the poor and blind) and was an impartial judge in the affairs of his subjects.Louis was instrumental in garnering support for the crusades, and he himself helped fight in the battles which responded to the Muslim invasions.
He built the beautiful Saint-Chappelle at Paris, where is housed the purported relic of the Crown of Thorns of Christ, which Louis received as a present on behalf of Baldwin, the Latin emperor at Constantinople. He died in 1270.
Louis is a wonderful example for us as one, who because he had much, was able to give much in the Name of Christ. May we pray God to raise up Christian rulers, dignataries and elected officials who are more willing to serve than to be served.
"We beseech thee also, so to direct and dispose the hearts of all Christian Rulers, that they may truly and impartially administer justice, to the punishment of wickedness and vice, and to the maintenance of thy true religion, and virtue." (From the Prayer for the whole state of Christ's Church, page 74, Book of Common Prayer.)
The accompanying picture is of El Greco's oil on canvas, entitled Saint Louis, King of France, with a Page. It resides in the Musée du Louvre in Paris, France.
The day's propers
Catholic Encyclopedia article
Books Worth Considering
Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church
The Oxford Dictionary of Saints (Oxford Paperback Reference)
The Penguin Dictionary of Saints: Third Edition (Dictionary, Penguin)


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Sometimes I get to do really stupid things in a comic, and those are almost always my favourite things. For example, using the phrase "ghost butts" in a dramatic context. I also sometimes forget to update the comic on Monday morning because I forget what day it is, which is what happened today. It turns out going to an outdoor concert for like 8 hours on a Friday really screws up my sense of what day it is. On the plus side, I got to see GWAR, Slayer, and Disturbed from the VIP section, so that ruled.
Speaking of music, I'm putting together a Spotify playlist for Hell, Inc. If you've got music suggestions for it that fit with the theme of the comic, leave a comment here or hit me up on Twitter.
This week's Employee of the Week is Brien Aronov! He, along with the other Patreon patrons, will be getting access to a cool piece of Hell, Inc. short fiction written by my partner Caitlin. I'm continuing my efforts to figure out how to overhaul the Patreon to make it more appealing and provide more content without taking away from time spent on the actual comic. You can support those efforts by chipping in a few bucks to the Hell, Inc. Patreon, which keeps the lights on over here (sort of literally, the Patreon money tends to go directly to bills).
As always, supporting Hell, Inc. for free is also appreciated – go upvote Hell, Inc. on Top Webcomics to bring in new readers.
Next Week: How to make a riot riot-ier. That's a word now, shut up. Check it out early on Patreon.


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Schedule a call to discuss your CounterPoint custom mobile solution
Schedule CallMobile warehouse management solution with real-time bin tracking.
A wholesale distributor had a fulfillment process that caused errors in orders and customer dissatisfaction resulting in wasted time and labor. They needed a solution that would enable warehouse personnel to receive, put-away, move, pick, and cycle count inventory with a mobile, real-time, bin-tracking system. We created a mobile warehouse solution that enabled high visibility and management of warehouse operations. Customer satisfaction was improved by accurate and efficient order fulfillment and overall inventory costs were significantly reduced.
A better way to do rack sales, on-site orders and account management.
A wholesale grocery supplier was having difficulty managing inventory in their trucks as well as their warehouse. Sales did not have warehouse visibility when taking orders on site. We created a mobile system for both their rack sales team and account managers that enabled them to replenish racks, place orders, and take payments while on site. Mobile sales updated inventory in real-time as orders were taken. A highly optimized physical count reduced shrinkage and fulfillment problems by allowing a weekly count of truck inventory. Management had in-depth information on the status of the entire sales process with real-time information on each customer.


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Net.Tarot Is a 'french' Tarot game which is played over internet with mutliple clients. Currently Android, Windows and Gnu/Linux are supported.
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.


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Dear Catalog CEOs:
I, too, remember a day when a 600 page catalog represented a welcome arrival in the mailbox.
Today, the 600 page catalog is called "your website". The catalog, for those under the age of 55, represents a vehicle that "creates demand".
So if the job of the modern catalog is to "create demand", then one might think that we should try to optimize the size of the catalog, so that we can reach the largest audience as possible at the lowest possible cost.
I know, this flies in the face of everything we've been taught. The printing community and the USPS push us toward optimal page counts, and discourage small catalogs. We're enticed to add four or eight pages to achieve "efficiencies".
Why isn't our goal to achieve "the most profit"?
Every company can identify the relationship between page counts and demand, heck, I do this for clients every week.
Take this example, for instance. A business has a 124 page catalog, and is looking to mail the catalog to outside lists. Last year, the catalog $1.4 million in demand and generated 13,987 responses.
If you assume that 70% of the demand can be achieved on 50% of the pages (these days, you can often achieve 80% of the demand on 40% of the pages or you can do even better), then we can estimate what might happen with 56 pages.
We can simulate the outcome of the 56 page catalog, and in most cases, the smaller catalog is going to outperform the bulky, bigger catalog, regardless of how the smaller catalog is merchandised.
Here, we increase reach, from 600,000 customers to 1,650,000 customers. What's not to like about that, folks?
Here, we increase demand from $1.4 million to $1.9 million. What's not to like about that?
Here, we increase total responses from 13,987 to 19,878 ... isn't that the goal of acquisition marketing?
Here, we increase profit from $62,000 to $78,000. You just paid for a portion of your annual salary!
Oh, I can hear folks howling already ... "if you don't advertise the item, the customer won't buy the item, so I need to present everything in my catalog."
Why not advertise the best-selling items, and then direct the customer online for your full merchandise assortment?
The secret of page counts is that "smaller is better". Your printer and the USPS will encourage you to go bigger. I can profitably demonstrate that you can "go smaller", and I can help you grow your business in the process while going smaller. Your list vendor and your co-op will sincerely appreciate your new strategy.
If you want help running the simulations, I am available and ready to assist you ... the whole exercise takes an hour, or less!
Helping CEOs Understand How Customers Interact With Advertising, Products, Brands, and Channels
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Cleaning of Interior and Exterior Parking Lots
We use a plethora of tools: auto-scrubbers, sweepers, pressure brooms, pressure washers etc... These methods give good results. We will offer you the best to fit your needs and your budget. In terms of products, when it comes to removing calcium deposits, oil stains and grease, we have what it takes to do a great job.


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Getting Started
This guide will walk through configuring GoAlert for general production use cases.
Most options in GoAlert are configured through the UI in the Admin page. In this guide, when configuring external services,
those options will be referenced in the format: <Section.Option Name>
where Section
is the section/header within the admin page and
Option Name
refers to the label of the individual option being referenced.
The only hard requirement for GoAlert is a running Postgres instance/database.
Running Behind a Proxy
When running GoAlert behind a reverse proxy:
- Specify the
flag orGOALERT_HTTP_PREFIX
env var for any instances behind the proxy with a path prefix without the trailing slash - Ensure the proxy passes the complete path, including prefix, if applicable
- Ensure the proxy passes the original host header (used for validating Twilio requests)
- Ensure the
contains the prefix in the URL, if applicable
We recommend using Postgres 11 for new installations as newer features will be used in the future.
GoAlert requires the pgcrypto
extension enabled (you can enable it with CREATE EXTENSION pgcrypto;
Upon first startup, it will attempt to enable the extension if it's not already enabled, but this requires elevated privileges that may not be available
in your setup.
Encryption of Sensitive Data
It is also recommended to set the --data-encryption-key
which is used to encrypt sensitive information (like API keys) before transmitting to the database.
It can be set to any value as it is internally passed through a key derivation function. All instances of GoAlert must be configured to use the same key for things to work properly.
Running GoAlert
To run GoAlert you can start the binary or the docker container. You will need to specify the --db-url
and --data-encryption-key
you plan to use.
The following examples use postgres://goalert@localhost/goalert
and super-awesome-secret-key
More information on Postgres connection strings can be found here.
goalert --db-url postgres://goalert@localhost/goalert --data-encryption-key super-awesome-secret-key
docker run -p 8081:8081 -e GOALERT_DB_URL=postgres://goalert@localhost/goalert -e GOALERT_DATA_ENCRYPTION_KEY=super-awesome-secret-key goalert/goalert
You should see migrations applied followed by a Listening.
message and an engine cycle start and end.
API Only Mode
When running multiple instances of GoAlert (e.g. in a kubernetes cluster) it is recommended to run a single instance in the default mode, and the rest with the --api-only
flag set.
While it is safe to run multiple "engine" instances simultaneously, it is generally unecessary and can cause unwanted contention. It is useful, however, to run an "engine" instance in separate geographic regions or availability zones. If messages fail to send from one (e.g. network outage), they may be retried in the other this way.
First Time Login
In order to login to GoAlert initially you will need an admin user to start with. Afterwords you may enable other authentication methods through the UI, as well as disable basic (user/pass) login.
This can be done after GoAlert has started for the first time, and is safe to execute while GoAlert is running.
To do this, you may use the add-user
$ goalert add-user -h
Adds a user for basic authentication.
goalert add-user [flags]
--admin If specified, the user will be created with the admin role (ignored if user-id is provided).
--email string Specifies the email address of the new user (ignored if user-id is provided).
-h, --help help for add-user
--pass string Specify new users password (if blank, prompt will be given).
--user string Specifies the login username.
--user-id string If specified, the auth entry will be created for an existing user ID. Default is to create a new user.
Global Flags:
--data-encryption-key string Encryption key for sensitive data like signing keys. Used for encrypting new and decrypting existing data.
--data-encryption-key-old string Fallback key. Used for decrypting existing data only.
--db-url string Connection string for Postgres.
--db-url-next string Connection string for the *next* Postgres server (enables DB switch-over mode).
--json Log in JSON format.
--stack-traces Enables stack traces with all error logs.
-v, --verbose Enable verbose logging.
Be sure to specify the --admin
flag, as well as --db-url
you plan to use.
Example usage:
goalert add-user --db-url $GOALERT_DB_URL --admin --user admin --email firstname.lastname@example.com
# Prompt will be given for password
Upon logging in to GoAlert as an admin, you should see a link to the Admin page on the left nav-bar.
Section | Value | Description |
General | Public URL | Set this to the full publicly-routable URL to GoAlert. This is used for callbacks and messages from various features (like voice calls). |
Auth | Referer URLs | By default GoAlert will only allow authentication from referers on the same host as the current request. You may manually set/restrict which hosts are allowed in environments where the UI is served by a different domain than the API or you wish to further restrict allowed referer hosts. |
Auth | Disable Basic | This will disable basic authentication. Do not set this until you've validated you can login as an admin by other means (e.g. GitHub or OIDC auth) |
GitHub Authentication
GoAlert supports GitHub's OAuth as an authentication method with the optional ability to limit logins to specified users, organizations or teams.
Follow GitHub's documentation on creating an OAuth App.
Using following as examples for required fields:
Field | Example Value |
Application name | GoAlert |
Homepage URL | <General.Public URL> |
Authorization callback URL | <General.Public URL>/api/v2/identity/providers/github/callback |
Document Client ID and Client Secret after creation and input into appropriate fields in GoAlert's Admin page.
Be sure to Enable GitHub authentication and New Users using the toggles and fill out Allowed Users or Allowed Orgs appropriately to restrict access.
Note: If you are limiting logins to an org or team, users will need to manually click on "Grant" access for the required org on first login (before authorizing).
OpenID Connect Authentication (OIDC)
GoAlert supports OpenID Connect as an authentication method.
You should be able to use any OIDC-compliant system as an authentication provider, but we'll use Google Identity Platform using OAuth 2.0 as an example following the Setting up OAuth 2.0 instructions.
When creating the user consent screen, use the following as examples for required fields:
Field | Example Value |
Application name | GoAlert |
Authorized domains | <General.Public URL> |
Application Homepage link | <General.Public URL> |
Application Privacy Policy link | <General.Public URL> |
When creating the OAuth client ID, use the following as examples for required fields:
Field | Example Value |
Application type | Web application |
Name | GoAlert |
Authorized JavaScript origins | <General.Public URL> |
Authorized redirect URIs | <General.Public URL>/api/v2/identity/providers/oidc/callback |
Document Client ID and Client Secret after creation and input into appropriate fields in GoAlert's Admin page under the OIDC section.
Be sure to Enable OIDC authentication and New Users using the toggles.
- Set
Override Name
(not required). - Set
Issuer URL
GoAlert supports creating alerts by email via Mailgun integration.
From the Admin page in GoAlert, under the Mailgun
section, set your Email Domain and API Key.
The API Key may be found under the Security section in the Mailgun website (click your name in the top bar and select it from the drop down) it is labeled as Private API Key.
To configure Mailgun to forward to GoAlert:
- Go to Receiving
- Click Create Route
- Set Expression Type to
Match Recipient
- Set Recipient to
.*@<Mailgun.Email Domain>
- Check Forward
- In the forward box, enter
<General.Public URL>/api/v2/mailgun/incoming
- Click Create Route
GoAlert supports generating a notification to a Slack channel as part of the Escalation Policy.
For the time being you will need to create your own Slack app in your workspace for GoAlert to interface with.
To configure Slack, first create a workspace or login to an existing one.
- From https://api.slack.com/apps click Create New App
- Enter a name for your app (e.g.
) - Select your workspace
- Click Create App
- In the list under Features, click OAuth & Permissions
- Click on Add New Redirect URL and enter your
<General.Public URL>
and click Add - Under Scopes find Bot Token Scopes, click on Add an OAuth Scope
- Add the following scopes:
- At the top of the page, click Install App to Workspace and Allow
You may now configure the Slack section of the GoAlert Admin page.
- You may find your Access Token under OAuth & Permissions – it is the Bot User OAuth Access Token
- Client ID and Client Secret are found under Basic Information in the App Credentials section.
Be sure to Enable Slack using the toggle.
You must invite the new app (e.g. GoAlert) by typing /invite @GoAlert
in the desired Slack channel(s).
GoAlert relies on bidirectional communication (outbound & inbound) with certain third-party services in order to provide convenient alerting capabilities.
For voice and SMS notifications to function, you will need a notification provider configured. Currently the only supported provider is Twilio.
Get started with a free trial account in order to configure GoAlert. Twilio's Free Trial Guide details the account setup instructions and limitations. After your trial account is created, click on Get a Trial Number from the Twilio Dashboard. Configure GoAlert to use your trial account by copying & pasting the following fields into the respective GoAlert fields (on the Admin page):
In the Twilio section of the Admin page:
Twilio Dashboard | GoAlert Admin Page |
TRIAL NUMBER | From Number |
ACCOUNT SID | Account SID |
AUTH TOKEN | Auth Token |
Be sure to Enable Twilio using the toggle.
In order for incoming SMS messages to be processed, the message callback URL must be set within Twilio.
From Twilio Dashboard, navigate to Phone Numbers and click on your trial phone number.
- Under Messaging section, update the webhook URL for A MESSAGE COMES IN to
<General.Public URL>/api/v2/twilio/message
Twilio trial account limitations (if you decide to upgrade your Twilio account these go away):
- SMS: The message "Sent from your Twilio trail account" is prepended to all SMS messages
- Voice: "You have a trial account…" verbal message before GoAlert message.


text:
Down on Cubs Farm: Patterson impressive, Cam Balego homers, South Bend edged at home, more |
For the second night in a row, things were quiet on the farm, but three teams were still in action.
Despite the Cubs going 1-2 for the day, several new players continue to make impacts with their new teams as the system is starting to look good. IOWA CUBS: All-Star break. It was the Triple-A all-star game on Thursday in which the PCL defeated the INT 9-3. Iowa had just one all-star named to the team in Colin Rea. Iowa native Colin Rea represents @IowaCubs in Triple-A #ASG and strikes out 2 in a scoreless inning. That's former I-Cub David Freitas catching him too. #PCL pic.twitter.com/0aFGA1OvIE TENNESSEE SMOKIES: Off travel day. Hey guess what, the Smokies are back at home tomorrow night ?? pic.twitter.com/v6rBfsdeYH MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS 3 – Potomac Nationals 0: The terrific story of Jack Patterson continued Thursday as the 32nd round pick from 2018 dominated the Nationals. After making a spot start for South Bend a few weeks back, Patterson has been on an impressive run with High-A Myrtle Beach, and that continued Thursday as he tossed five innings of one-hit ball to earn the win as his ERA remains 0.00. The Pelicans only needed one run to earn the victory in this one, and they got that in the second inning when Kevonte Mitchell took a bases-loaded walk to push the winning run across for the 1-0 Pels advantage. That score would hold up until the later stages of the game when Myrtle Beach was able to add some key insurance runs late. In the seventh, the Pelicans had a runner on second following a Zach Davis double before Delvin Zinn moved him to third with a groundout. Davis was able to come home and score on that same play as a throwing error from the first basemen made things a 2-0 game. Cam Balego pushed the lead to 3-0 with his 10th homer of the season in the eight before Manuel Rondon finished things off in the ninth for his first save of the season and 3-0 win. Elevate and celebrate ?? The Pelicans are continuing to battle as they are now 32-56. Don't look now but Miguel Amaya is nearing 230 for his batting average leading the way with two hits again last night. Five other Pelicans recorded one hit in the game while the bullpen combo of Rondon and Jesus Camargo tossed four scoreless frames to preserve the excellent start from Patterson. ??Web Gem Alert??: Great all around play beginning with @delvinzinn3 knocked down the grounder, making the throw from his knees across the diamond & then @CBalego95 stretching for out. To top it off the @Pelicanbaseball get the 3-0 win over Potomac.#SCtop10 @MiLB pic.twitter.com/cYtmj8IIHh The ball still hasn't landed, but we named @CBalego95 the @panerabread Bread Winner of the Game anyway. ????????#BirdsWin | #MBPelicans pic.twitter.com/KuTzNXXKHa SOUTH BEND CUBS 2 – Kane County Cougars 3: Looking to build on his last start, Brailyn Marquez took the ball against Cougars looking to hand the Cubs a victory. Marquez was a little bit up and down throughout his outing lasting just 4 1/3 innings allowing 3R and 2ER runs in a losing effort as the Cubs couldn't muster much on offense falling 3-2. Buddy Kennedy was able to put the Cougars on top 1-0 in the first benefitting from an Andy Weber error to get things going. South Bend evened things up 1-1 in the bottom of the second when Luke Reynolds hit his first of the season for the Cubs after spending most of the season with the Pelicans. It was in the fourth that saw the Cougars take the lead for good when Zack Shannon took Marquez deep for his seventh homer of the season and a 3-1 Kane County advantage. Still down by that score in the eighth South Bend was able to get a run back with hopes of a late-game rally. With one out Clayton Daniel reached base with a double to set the Cubs offense up in a great position. Weber redeemed himself of that first inning error with his 20th double and just like that it was a 3-2 game. Unfortunately, the Cubs were not able to get any closer as they were retired in order in the ninth to drop another tight one 3-2. South Bend falls to 47-40 with the loss and will look to get back to home cooking on Thursday. The top of the order was the table setter in this one with both Daniel and Weber recording multi-hit nights. Reynolds added a multi-hit effort of his own with Gustavo Polanco picking up the final hit. Following Marquez was Ivan Medina who dropped his ERA to 0.84 with 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief. In total the bullpen tossed 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief with Peyton Remy and Eugenio Palma each adding an inning. Cubs drop the opener tonight against Kane County. We'll give it another go tomorrow at 7:05! pic.twitter.com/Y74Ent0hfK EUGENE EMERALDS 5 – Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 6: After struggling at home with the Volcanoes earlier this week, the teams switched venues as the Emeralds were hoping for some better fortunes this time around. Early on it appeared things would be different as Kohl Franklin spun four shutout innings in his start before turning things over to the pen. That is when things went south as one big inning from Salem-Keizer proved to be the difference in the 6-5 Volcanoes win. Chase Strumpf appears to have gotten his slow start well in the rear-view mirror as put Eugene in front early with an RBI double for the 1-0 lead in the first. With Franklin dealing on the hill, the Emeralds were able to increase their lead in the fifth when Yonathan Perlaza came through with a double of his own for a 2-0 advantage. The Bottom of the fifth is when the wheels began to fall off as the Eugene pen got roughed up big time. Three straight singles to start the frame put the Volcanoes on the board with Sean Roby picking up his teams first RBI. Now with one out Ricardo Genoves delivered the big blow of the inning as he continues to crush Northwest League pitching for his sixth homer of the season to put Salem in front 4-2. Now scrambling to rally late, the Emeralds refused to go down without a fight as Nelson Maldonado rolled one through the middle in the eighth to bring home a pair and just like that, we had ourselves a 4-4 game. Eugene continued to use that momentum in the ninth when Perlaza picked up his second RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly to make things 5-4 Eugene. Looking to lock things down in the ninth, John Pomeroy was called upon as he looked for the save. Things proved to be a nightmare for him as the first three hitters reached base on singles with Franklin Labour tying things up 5-5 with nobody out. An error on the play allowed Sean Roby to reach third before Labour took second on defensive indifference. Those extra 90 feet proved to be extremely costly as Genoves picked up his fourth RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly to hand the Emeralds a walk-off 6-5 loss. Eugene is searching for answers as they are now 10-16 but may have some help from rookie ball on the way as the Cubs top two pitchers could be on the move soon. Eugene received plenty of support from the top of their order as Strumpf, Perlaza, and a 20th round selection Darius Hill all had two-hit nights with both Perlaza and Maldonado recording two-RBI games. Outside of the rough fifth inning from Brandon Hughes, the Emeralds were very strong on the mound with this year's 17th round selection Tanner Daulton throwing a pair of scoreless innings in his Emeralds debut. Tough loss tonight as the Volcanoes walk it off in the 9th, 6-5.
?? @CBalego95 | ?? @noahcloonan pic.twitter.com/TlkzCRQI3T
Bounce back and grind tomorrow in Salem. Same time same place.#GoEms


text:
Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission power2give.org Review for June 2012-February 2013
April 01, 2013
PAM ANDROS, (608) 266-5915, firstname.lastname@example.com
County Executive
Since its launch on June 27, 2012 through February 28, 2013, the power2give.org online giving platform raised more than $57,000 for Dane County arts, cultural, and local history projects. Of this amount, approximately $19,000 was contributed by Community Supporters as matching funds to encourage individual gifts. A total of 56 projects were posted on the website. The program also identified more than 600 individual donors to the various projects, both within Dane County and throughout the country.
June 2012-February 2013 projects (closed)
99-100% Funded
Music Con Brio, Inc. – Survivor Violin: Which Will Make the Case?, $1,500
Fresco Opera Theatre – Fist Full of Dollars for Divas, $3,000
Music Theatre of Madison – PARADE, $499.50
Bartell Theatre Foundation – Safety First!, $1,000
Huegel Elementary School – IPAD for Huegel Elementary Music, $757.50
Music Theatre of Madison – Elegies For Angels, Punks and Raging Queens, $1,200
Friends of Williamson Street Art Center – 'We Rise Like the Phoenix' Sun Prairie Phoenix Academy Mural, $1999.50
Middleton Community Orchestra – The British Are Coming! (for the MCO's fall concert, that is), $1499.50
Omega School – I didn't know there were Latinos In Wisconsin: 3 Decades of Latino Writers, $2,499
John Duggleby – Drum Circles for Seniors/Disabled People, $1,174.5
Dimensions in Sound & The Studio Orchestra, Inc. – Powerful music evening for homeless families, $802.50
Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras – Support the Future of Classical Music: Sponsor a Young Musician!, $622.50
50-98% Funded
Dance Wisconsin – Build Dr. Coppelius' Workshop!, $3,300
Madison Area Music Association – Help the MAMAs Put Musical Instruments in Kids' Hands, $4,752.51
Madison Youth Choirs – Adopt-A-School, $4,634.49
Overture Center for the Arts – Guatemalan Painter Pedro Rafael Gonzalez Chavajay in Playhouse Gallery, $1,765
Wisconsin Council for the Blind and Visually Impaired – Bloomin' Literature: Let's Read!, $2,205
WhoopDeDoo Productions, Inc. – Help Change Our Website: WhoopDeDon't to WhoopDeDo!, $712.50
Wisconsin Youth Symphonies – Help WYSO Percussionists Play with a Snare Drum Superstar!, $832.50
Kanopy Dance – Present an Academy Award: 2012/2013 Academy Year Scholarship, $1,410
Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters – Support Local Artists Working in Video and New Media, $2,827.50
Music con Brio, Inc. – Give the Gift of Music to a Local Child: Sponsor a Violinist!, $3,238.50
Monona Grove High School – Art-Arctic Science Exhibit at Overture, $1,285.50
CTM - Children's Theater of Madison – Help Us Weave Charlotte's Web, $2,641.50
10-49% Funded
First Person Productions – Start Writing Your Memoir workshop with Sarah White, $502.50
Kanopy Dance – To the Big Apple we go--with your help!, $1,560
The East Side History Club – A History of Schenk's Corner, $1,147.50
Kanopy Dance – Wanted: dance buffs so we don't dance buff, $1,027.50
Sound Ensemble Wisconsin – American Patchwork, $1,650
East Madison Community Center – Pizza & Practice, $1,290
Madison Symphony Orchestra – Dignity, Compassion, Inclusion...HeartStrings, $675
TAPIT/new works Ensemble Theater – Stranger Than Fiction: Exploring Wisconsin History Through the Arts, $210
Dryhootch – Music for Disabled Veterans and Their Families, $834
Community Supporters:
CUNA Mutual Group
Dane County
Electronic Theatre Controls
The Evjue Foundation, Inc., the charitable arm of The Capital Times
Janus Galleries
Planet Bike
UW Credit Union


text:
Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we're up to by signing up here.
Building on yesterday's sneak peek into the F/W 2011 collections of Topshop and Topman, we give you this powerful buckled gem which is most definitely is made for ass-kicking. Behind it sits a deep emerald velvet pump laced at the top with ribbon.
Out of Topshop's F/W 2011 four lines our next nod of approval goes to 'Glamrock' which hasn't even been shown to the press in Topshop/ Topman's hometown, London. Yesterday our minds were all over the luscious crush of velvet that finds itself interspersed in the line. 'Glamrock' draws inspiration from the 1970s dismissing any grunge from the decade for an all-out glamorous and rockstar look. Faux fur is key to this trend and the bigger and brighter the better; an oversized shaggy coat made of goat hair comes in a jarring fluorescent pink, a sleek faux fur stole in deep amethyst has extravagant pompoms and a mini skirt comes in amber feathers. Footwear and accessories are flamboyant with stack heeled ankle boots covered in silver glitter and oxblood velvet clutch bags with gold jacquard panels. Shades of emerald and magenta are integrated into the line with shimmering gold and silvers make up a jewelry box palette. Lead Topshop designers agree that there is only one word you must know for F/W 2011: Velvet.
· Topshop [Official Site]
· Topman [Official Site]
· All Topshop Coverage [Racked Chicago]


text:
Rick Singer had grand plans beyond college admissions. Then scandal brought him down
William "Rick" Singer stepped into a conference room at a Newport Beach Marriott one morning last January to hear how his master plan was progressing.
He had paid for the flights and hotel rooms to assemble a group that included an accomplished business executive from the sports world, a Hollywood talent agent, and old acquaintances who had scratched together careers in marketing and other fields.
One by one, they updated Singer on business ventures they were building and he was funding.
One talked about her progress building a company that would offer less expensive versions of Singer's exclusive college admissions coaching to the masses online. Another brought him up to speed on We Got U, a concierge service marketed to Asian students at U.S. colleges. A third told the room about the computer algorithm he and Singer were trying to develop that would analyze students' athletic and academic prowess and spit out the ideal colleges for them to attend.
There was an online addiction counseling service, life coaching for middle-aged women, and something called "Versatile PhD."
"It was classic Rick," said Phil Wright, who retired several years early from his assistant city manager post in West Sacramento to team up with Singer. "We were all like, does this guy ever sleep? He had idea after idea after idea."
Singer is now at the center of the college admissions scandal, the admitted mastermind of brazen schemes to get children of the rich and powerful into top colleges.
But interviews with people who partnered with Singer and internal documents reviewed by The Times show he harbored ambitions far beyond sneaking wealthy kids into elite schools. Though a few of the companies Singer was funding are mentioned in court records, the scope of his business plan as well as his role as a one-man venture capital firm have not been previously reported.
Before his downfall, Singer was committing considerable sums to his ventures. He invested nearly $2.5 million in two of the ideas, and probably millions more into the constellation of businesses he was pursuing, according to interviews with associates and records reviewed by The Times.
At least some of that money, prosecutors have alleged in court records, came from parents who hired him to rig their kids' college entrance exams or to bribe coaches for spots that schools reserve for athletic recruits.
An attorney for Singer, who is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to several crimes, declined to comment for this article.
Fifty people have been charged so far in an investigation led by the U.S. attorney's office in Massachusetts, which has described Singer's ploy to slip students into top-notch universities with bribes and rigged test scores as the largest college admissions scam ever uncovered.
Along with Singer, college coaches, a university administrator, former employees of Singer's and dozens of parents have been swept up in the case. Many have agreed to plead guilty, while the rest, including actress Lori Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer J. Mossimo Giannulli, have pleaded not guilty.
One of the ventures in which Singer was most heavily invested was the brainchild of Chris Li, a Chinese American businessman. Called UES, the computer-based training program would teach Chinese high school students "soft skills," such as time management and navigating workplace relationships not typically taught in Chinese schools.
Li told The Times he was introduced to Singer through a mutual friend in 2015. Other potential investors had passed on funding his idea and Li was taken aback when Singer expressed interest. Over the next three years, Li said, Singer gave him a little more than $1 million to develop UES. Li used the money to make several hires, including a team of software developers who were paid six-figure salaries.
Singer, Li said, was "a patient investor."
"He would say, 'Chris, don't rush. Don't worry about revenue; don't worry about the short-term. Build me software that's reliable.'"
Singer, Li said, wanted only to be able to offer the UES training program to clients of GettingIntoCollege.com, the online college admissions business he was pursuing.
Though Singer sold himself to parents as someone who catered only to the wealthy, he also had set his sights on making college admissions counseling available to the hoi polloi. To bring the idea to life, Li and others said, Singer had turned to Donna Orender, a well-regarded sports executive who, among other jobs, ran the Women's National Basketball Assn. for several years. Public filings in Florida, where Orender lives, show she and Singer have been collaborating on business ideas since at least 2012.
Orender did not return emails and phone calls seeking comment. But a PowerPoint presentation reviewed by The Times that outlined plans for the business proclaimed, "until now, college admissions coaching services and resources have only been afforded to the world's elite. Gettingintocollege was founded on the belief that these services should be accessible to everyone."
For one-time fees that ranged from $349 to $1,800, students would get varying levels of access to services such as "state-of-the-art standardized test tutoring, an exclusive leading edge college algorithm for optimizing college matching for academic and social fit," tips on essay writing, and guidance creating "a compelling personal brand" that was meant to help students stand out from other applicants.
The PowerPoint presentation showed Orender had hired several developers to build various parts of the website. She estimated it would cost about $3.5 million to launch the website and get through the first year of operations.
The idea that a computer program could determine the ideal college for a student or the right job for a recent graduate was cooked into several of Singer's business ventures, according to interviews and documents reviewed by The Times. To build the technology for the college admissions website, Singer hired J. Galen Buckwalter, a psychologist and former "chief science officer" at eHarmony, the online dating website.
Buckwalter said in an interview with The Times that his company, PsyML, created a "preliminary instrument" that could gauge the student side of the equation. But their work together came to an end, he said, when Singer balked at the cost of developing the college side, which would have involved creating metrics to gauge a campus' academic rigor and social environment.
"The idea had potential, but Rick was certainly a prickly person to work with.… I think he honestly had a passion for making that process effective for kids. He obviously thought about it quite a bit," Buckwalter said.
When it came to touting the viability of his business plans and his own business acumen, Singer sometimes used misdirection and falsehoods, according to interviews and emails he sent that were reviewed by The Times.
In July 2017, a few days after he had met with Orender, Li and some other partners in Los Angeles to discuss their work, Singer sent the group an email that recapped a phone call he had with John Rogers, a partner at the Rise Fund, which makes investments in companies it believes are socially and environmentally responsible. The fund's founder, Bill McGlashan, was fired after prosecutors charged him in the admissions scandal, alleging the financier conspired with Singer to rig his son's college entrance exams and discussed buying his way into USC with bribes.
"The message was clear," Singer wrote, according to a copy of the email reviewed by The Times. "RISE and especially John Rogers and Bill McGashan want us as partners."
Singer went on to say the fund was interested in making a large investment that could total $25 million.
It wasn't true, said Frank Thomas, a spokesman for TPG, a private equity firm that manages the Rise fund.
"Mr. Singer misunderstood or mischaracterized a polite 'No,'" Thomas said. "The investment never reached even the first meaningful milestone in TPG's investment process."
Singer could also be ruthless with his partners.
In 2017, he convinced Phil Wright, a soccer coach who in years past had helped Singer evaluate the athletic abilities of his clients' children, to leave his city administrator job in West Sacramento and lead a venture called Counting Stars. The idea, Wright told The Times, was to evaluate high school athletes and use an algorithm — "the secret sauce," he said — to match them with their ideal college.
Wright said he didn't remember how much money Singer put into the operation, but at one point, he was paying six employees $2,000 each a month.
"It wasn't chump change," he said of Singer's investment, "but it wasn't millions of dollars."
But in July of last year, Wright said, he was on the golf course when Singer called. He asked Wright when he expected Counting Stars to turn a profit. Wright told him the company needed until 2020 to get in the black.
"'That's not fast enough. We're going to shut it down,'" Wright recalled Singer said. "I was pretty upset he just cut me off."
At the same time he was cutting off Wright's funds, Singer made a large investment elsewhere. In July, he bought a business that runs a popular basketball gym in Oakland, according to a person familiar with the purchase who asked that his name not be used because of privacy concerns.
Singer turned the facility into the home base for the Oakland Soldiers, a powerhouse basketball program for teenagers. The president of the Soldiers, Mark Olivier, could not be reached for comment and it is unknown what business arrangement Singer made with Olivier.
The purchase harked back to an idea Singer and a partner hatched years earlier to open a trio of private high schools where elite athletes would train, study and live on sprawling campuses in Florida, California and Colorado. In a 2011 message to investors, Singer's partner, a Florida developer named Tim Morris, said he was drumming up funding by posting bonds for the project on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. But the funding never materialized, "so it never went anywhere and we dropped the idea," Morris told The Times last week.
When he was negotiating the deal to buy the Oakland facility, Singer made comments about wanting to expand it to include a school along the lines of the academy model, said the person with knowledge of the deal.
Within months of the gym purchase, FBI agents confronted Singer about his illicit college admissions dealings. He agreed to cooperate in their investigation, allowing agents to record him as he called parents and lured them into making incriminating statements.
Singer also called Li, who told The Times he was a few months away from launching his software product after years of work. Singer's friendly, supportive demeanor was gone. He told Li he was being audited by the Internal Revenue Service — the same lie agents had him tell parents on the recorded calls — and said he was pulling his funding for the project.
Li laid off his staff and is trying to salvage his company. Because Singer was Li's sole investor, the government is now expected to take ownership of a majority stake in the company, according to Li and court filings. Li said he is trying to line up investors to buy back the software, but he doesn't have much hope, given the connection to Singer.
"He let us use his reputation, which was such an asset," Li said. "And now, because of his reputation, we are radioactive."
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text:
Worrying about waste? You're not the only one.
Protecting our environment is becoming a big issue for more people and businesses every day.
That's why Ealing Council have introduced a new recycling service for businesses who are looking for a simple and cost effective way to recycle more and benefit the environment.
It wants to make sure that local businesses have the best possible waste and recycling services available.
Mixed recycling
Mixed recycling is all the dry, clean things your business throws away including paper, metal cans, cardboard and plastic - that's around 90 per cent of rubbish for most businesses. Mixed recycling is more cost effective than disposing of your rubbish with general waste and better for the environment too!
Once collected, all products from your dry mixed recycling are taken to a separating facility where products are either turned into what they were before or re-purposed into something different.
This service from Ealing Council will be reliable, fairly priced and help keep our streets clean. Please email email@example.com to discuss your requirements or order sacks.
Why should you recycle?
What and how we recycle really matters. Recycling an item rather than throwing it in the general rubbish bin means that it will be dealt with in the most environmentally friendly way as it reduces carbon emissions and greenhouse gas emissions by limiting the need for raw materials. Disposing of landfill waste is far worse for the environment and is more expensive than recycling.
Ealing Council currently recycles more than 50 per cent of the borough's household waste – the best rates in the capital bar one. It is committed to improving these rates even further, to 60 per cent by 2022. Take advantage of the council's new service today to make your business more money and help the environment.
For more information visit ealing.gov.uk


text:
In the rapidly evolving world of the covid-19 pandemic, the UK government has introduced new stricter measures for international arrivals into the UK which come into effect from today, Monday 15th February 2021. These initial stipulations are likely to evolve over the coming weeks and months but as things stand this is the latest guidance for anyone arriving into the UK from Monday 15th February 2021.
New rules affect all individuals arriving into the UK regardless of nationality or their country of departure.
As things stand there are two categories of countries for people travelling to the UK; a red (higher risk) list and an amber list.
The Red List
The red list is for high risk countries where new covid case numbers remain high and furthermore where novel variants have been identified, or their neighbouring countries.
Anyone arriving from a red list country from 15th February 2021 onwards will now have to do a mandatory quarantine for 10 days in a UK government approved facility, at their own cost. In this facility there will be no Test to Release from quarantine at day 5, meaning a full 10 day quarantine will be mandatory. All of these individuals will be required to do a covid test on day 2 and day 8 following their arrival. Day 0 is classed as the date of arrival in the UK. Two negative tests are needed to be released from the quarantine facility after 10 days only. These tests must be conducted at the traveler's own cost and should be included in the quarantine facility package price. The list of red countries can be found on the UK government website here.
The Amber List
All other foreign countries will be on an amber list. Returning from an amber list country means that individuals will still be required to do a 10 day quarantine at their chosen location/residence. Mandatory covid tests will also now apply for day 2 and day 8 following arrival date in the UK (day 0), at the individual's own cost. Those who opt in for the Test to Release Scheme can still pay for another test at day 5 to reduce their quarantine length if their test result is negative. Please note even if an individual is released from quarantine after a day 5 negative Test to Release they still need to do the mandatory day 8 test as per this new guidance.
Tests at day 2 and day 8 following arrival, until 1st March 2021, will be conducted by the NHS. Following this private providers such as One5 Health can start offering these services. This slight delay is so that minimal standards of covid testing can be declared by private providers prior to government approval to private providers. We will update our website accordingly.
If anyone tests positive on day 2, day 5 (optional Test to Release) or on day 8 then gene sequencing test must also be conducted to identify the exact strain of Covid-19 on the positive sample. Individuals at this point will likely need to start a 10 day self-isolation again from the date of the positive test. This gene sequencing allows Public Health England to be able to gain useful insights into the spread of covid cases emerging from travel from foreign countries and more importantly the emergence of new variants from other parts of the world, into the UK.
At One5 Health we are working towards offering a covid testing package for two covid-19 tests on day 2 and day 8 with an optional add on for Test to Release. These tests can either be done in one of our central London clinics or by an at-home test with courier delivery. Lateral flow tests/rapid antigen tests are not approved for the purpose of returning international travellers nor for Test to Release Scheme. Hence we will only be offering this service on our RT-PCR covid tests. As before we only offer Covid tests in clinic for people who do not have any symptoms of covid-19 and have not been in close contact with a positive case in the last 10 days.
One5 Health is an UK Government and Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) approved private provider of Covid-19 tests in the UK.
For all of our covid testing options please see the Covid-19 Testing Page of our website. Testing options include Fit to Fly Covid Tests and Certificates, Test to Release Scheme, Covid Antibody Tests and Rapid Antigen Tests.
This post is written by Dr Gaurav Sabharwal, Founder & CEO of One5 Health.
The information contained in this post is accurate as of Monday 15th February 2021 but is subject to change as per new guidance over the coming days, weeks or months.


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Mains Daily Question
Jan. 20, 2020
Q. To resolve the issue of unemployment, there is a need for multi-prong approach. In this light discuss the steps needed to resolve this long-standing issue and also mention the measures taken by the government in this regard.
Structure of the answer:
- Introduction
- Steps needed for unemployment
- Steps taken by the government
- Way forward
Unemployment is a situation where person is capable of working both physically and mentally at the existing wage rate, but does not get a job to work. As per the recent statistics unemployment rate in India rose to 7.2% in 2019. Unemployment represent itself in various forms such as: disguised, seasonal, cyclical, frictional unemployment etc.
To tackle the issue of unemployment following steps must be adopted:
- There is a need for rapid industrialization so as to shift the labour forces from agriculture to manufacturing sector.
- The curriculum at education centers should be changed to focus on learning and skill development.
- Self-employment must be encouraged with the help of liability free loans, government assistance etc.
- Incubation centers need to be promoted to cultivate original business ideas that will be financially viable.
- Government as well as business houses should seek to invite more foreign collaboration and capital investment so as to increase avenue for employment.
- The labour intensive manufacturing sectors such as food processing, leather and footwear need to be promoted to create employment.
Further, to increase the avenue for employment, the government has taken various steps such as:
- Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) to provide social security by guaranteeing a minimum of 100 days paid work.
- Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) with objective of enabling a large number of Indian youth to take up industry-relevant skill training.
- Start Up India Scheme aims at developing an ecosystem that promotes and nurtures entrepreneurship.
- Stand Up India Scheme/ MUDRA scheme to facilitate bank loans between Rs 10 lakh and Rs. 1 crore to at least one SC or ST borrower and at least one women borrower per bank branch for setting up a greenfield enterprise.
Thus, to tackle unemployment a strategy of multi prong approach need to be adopted so as to tap demographic dividend.


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- Green update for supportive housing in Berkeley, HUD USER. PAGE 1
- What's inside: complete contents, PAGE 2
- Director's note, Hanson Hom. Upcoming election for two board positions. Nominations for FAICP. PAGE 3
- Norcal roundup, Erik Balsley. PAGE 5
- Plan-it Sustainably: Biophilic cities.
Scott Edmondson. PAGE 9 - Measuring Healthy Development,
Poonam Narkar. PAGE 13
Available in PDF or a virtual online magazine
To download or read online as a PDF, click here.


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The WNBA released its schedule today for the 2021 season, set to tip off in 31 days on May 14. Each team will play 32 games, which results in two games against one opponent, and three games each against the other 10 teams in the league.
The Sparks will play on opening day, just as they did a year ago. Here is everything else you need to know about their schedule.
. #GoSparks | #CountIt pic.twitter.com/LLvZkZuB62
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) April 13, 2021
When does the season start and end?
The Sparks begin the 32-game season on Friday, May 14, with a home game against the Dallas Wings. The regular season ends on Sunday, Sept. 19, with a road game against the Wings.
What's with the break in the middle?
L.A. has over a month between their July 11 game against the Minnesota Lynx, and their Aug. 15 contest against the Indiana Fever. That's a designated break for the delayed Summer Olympics. Of the current Sparks, Nneka Ogwumike is projected to play in Tokyo, while the rest of the squad will have the month off.
Where are the Sparks games this year?
Because the NBA season was delayed, it overlaps with the WNBA season more than in usual years. As a result, Staples Center is pretty full with the likely postseason schedules of the Lakers and Clippers. So the first 11 Sparks home games — the games that occur prior to the Olympics break — will take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center, located adjacent to Staples. The five home games after the break will be at Staples.
The Sparks have a special court for this 25th anniversary season. That will be in place at LACC and then move over to Staples following the break.
What's with the repeat opponents?
You might notice that the Sparks have five instances where they play the same team, at the same location, in back-to-back games. They also have one instance where they play a home-road doubleheader. This is a rarity in the WNBA schedule, and is simply to reduce travel and exposure during the pandemic.
Where can you watch the games?
The Sparks will be locally televised on Spectrum SportsNet. A national TV schedule will be released in the coming days.
Are fans allowed at home games?
Here's the Sparks statement on allowing fans at games this year:
Pending LA County guidelines and in accordance with all health and safety protocols as outlined by the WNBA and the Sparks, a limited number of fans will likely be able to attend home games starting in June. More information will be provided on this in the coming weeks.
What's the first thing that jumps out about the schedule?
Brady: This happens every year, so I should know better by now, but what jumps out to me is that there are simply no easy stretches in the schedule. The end to the season is brutal — eight of the final 10 games are on the road, with two home games against title contenders in Seattle and Connecticut — but that stretch isn't offset by any easy portion earlier in the year.
With just 12 teams in the league, almost every opponent is dangerous, and there's no time where the Sparks can take their foot of the gas.
Sabreena: I'm a little disappointed that Candace Parker's return game is so early in the season, because there will only be limited a number fans, and that game will be at LACC, where the 2016 championship banner presumably will not be hanging. I had hoped that her return to Los Angeles would be an all-caps EVENT, but it might not feel that way if the Sparks and Sky are playing each other three times in nine days and in front of a smaller crowd that isn't at Staples Center.
What game or games feel extra important?
Brady: Games two through four. After starting the year at home, the Sparks embark on a four-game road trip. The first game is against the Las Vegas Aces, last year's WNBA Finals runners-up, and the new home of Chelsea Gray. And the next two are against the ultra-dangerous Chicago Sky, now led by Parker.
L.A. needs to get out to a good start, and these games will test them. It's year three for Derek Fisher, and while I think he's done some good things, it's safe to say the team hasn't met expectations. There are new players and veterans alike who have put their faith in the team and the system, but you need to see results or that will fade. If the Sparks look overmatched against the league's elite in the first week, it could signal a long season ahead.
Sabreena: After losing to the Sun in the playoffs for two straight years, I would assume that Derek Fisher has the matchups against Connecticut circled. Unfortunately, the first one doesn't come until August 26, and some of the revenge fire may have diminished by then. That being said, I'm looking at the five-game home stand from June 12 to June 24. The end of the season is loaded with road games, so the Sparks need to bank some wins early, and this is their chance.


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American rapper, Logic, performed on Ellen recently, and judging by the footage, it's safe to say he had a really fucking good time doing it.
"We made it, we on Ellen, this is crazy," he said. "I'm so happy, I love you Ellen." Alright mate, settle down. But it's what he says towards the end of the song that was a little more interesting.
"Tell that boy Drake he don't want it with me on Fortnite."
That's right, Logic called out Drake's Fortnite skills during a performance on Ellen. If you weren't already convinced of the game's enormous pop culture standing, there's your proof, chump – it's hit daytime television. You can suss the performance below.
Drake recently jumped into a game with popular Twitch streamer, Tyler 'Ninja' Blevins, helping the platform achieve an absolutely mammoth viewership record. Whether or not Logic plays the game himself isn't really clear, but if he's talking big game, he surely must be.
It's a bizarre time to be alive, folks, and I dare say this won't be the last time a celebrity uses Fortnite or any other video game for some form of attention. But hey, if rappers around the world have decided that all future beef will be settled inside a Battle Royale game, I'm all for it.


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Live-to-Headphones Silent Piano Concert on Ventura Cove!
September 10, 2017 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm UTC-7
MindTravel returns to San Diego's Ventura Cove!
Murray Hidary brings his unique live-to-headphones silent headphone MindTravel experience to San Diego's Venture Cove on Sunday, September 10, 2017 at 6:00pm
Get ready to let your mind explore new pathways to creativity, focus and reflection as you experience Mind Travel on the shores of the Pacific. Murray's real-time compositions are beamed directly into your mind through wireless headphones. Bring your favorite beach chair or blanket and come ready to reflect as the sunset and floating light installation provides a beautiful backdrop for this unbelievable experience.
What People Are Saying
"MindTravel is an experience like no other. Imagine a concert pianist improvising beautiful, peaceful music with imagery in the background that matches the beauty of the music — combined, it is almost meditative or trancelike." – Jason Wachob, Founder of mindbodygreen
"MindTravel is an amazing introduction to meditation as it takes the Traveler on a specific journey. It is also perfect for the experienced meditator as a way to enhance and deepen one's own practice. In short, Mind Travel is for anyone!" – Sara Ivanhoe, MA Yoga Philosophy
**Remember, last show we sold out well before the show so don't wait to get your tickets!**


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Published: Feb. 26, 2014
East Lansing IHOP will be serving up free short stacks of buttermilk pancakes to support mid-Michigan kids during National Pancake Day on Tuesday, March 4.
This family-friendly tradition aims to raise needed funds and awareness for Sparrow Children's Center, a Children's Miracle Network Hospital. For every short stack of buttermilk pancakes served from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at our local IHOP, 2771 E. Grand River Ave., guests will be invited to make a donation to benefit the Sparrow Children's Center.
Since 2006, IHOP National Pancake Day has raised more than $10 million to provide life-saving treatment and medical equipment for young Patients, including the 46,000 treated annually at Sparrow. For more information, visit www.IHOPpancakeday.com.
For more than a century, Sparrow has been a leader in caring for children. The first hospital in mid-Michigan to offer a dedicated children's unit, Sparrow today is home to the region's only full-service pediatric emergency department. As the region's Children's Miracle Network Hospital, Sparrow is able to provide the most advanced technology and treatment options in pediatric and neonatal care.
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations - including all those made on IHOP National Pancake Day - stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time through the charity's Miracle Balloon icon. Its fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit's mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Find out why children's hospitals need community support, and learn about your member hospital, at www.CMNHospitals.org.


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Celebrity chef Davide Oldani ensured an unforgettable evening at Sotheby's in Milan this week with an exclusive dinner for 60 guests. The event, which was in partnership with JP Morgan was held ahead of the Modern & Contemporary Art sale which had brilliant results for Boetti, Paolini and Pistoletto. In London, the New Bond Street gallery was packed for a cocktail event to mark the Russian sales while guests also descended on the S|2 gallery for a duo of new exhibitions from Tess Jaray and Ernesto Briel. Click ahead to see highlights from the events.
Tess Jaray
24 November 2017 - 26 January 2018 | London
Ernesto Briel
24 November 2017 - 26 January 2018 | London


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Established in 1927, Garibaldi Provincial Park is a 753-square-mile wilderness area tucked within the heart of the Coast Mountains, just 43 miles north of Vancouver, British Columbia. The park encompasses hundreds of acres of craggy alpine summits, stunning coastal forest, and pristine alpine lakes, making it one of Vancouver's most beloved outdoor recreation destinations.
Garibaldi Park sits within the northern portion of the Garibaldi Ranges, a subdivision of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains. This set of summits is characterized by its incredible high alpine terrain, expansive icefields, and lofty, snow-capped peaks.
In fact, the park's inception was inspired, in part, by the sweeping views from the summit of Mount Garibaldi. Mount Garibaldi, a potentially active stratovolcano, was always an important cultural landmark for the local indigenous people of this territory, the Squamish. According to Squamish mythology, this illustrious summit, which was originally named Nch'kay to depict the muddy water of the cheeky River, served as a place of refuge from rapidly rising flood waters.
After Vancouver mountaineers reached its summit in 1907, several summer climbing camps were established. These climbing camps would ultimately spark preservation efforts in 1920 and would lead to the first ascents of several nearby summits, including The Black Tusk.
The Black Tusk, another notorious stratovolcano, sits in a meadow-ridge between Garibaldi and Cheakamus Lakes. Though The Black Tusk is not among the tallest in the region, its distinctive and recognizable pinnacle make it one of the best-known mountains in the Garibaldi Ranges.
Today, Garibaldi Park contains over 100 named mountains and 150 glaciers. The highest peak in the park, Wedge Mountain, reaches over 9,500 feet in elevation. Evidence of the region's continental and alpine glaciation, as well as volcanic activity, can be found scattered throughout the park's most prominent features, including The Table, the Opal Cone, Garibaldi Lake, and Cheakamus Lake.
Garibaldi's lower elevations are dominated by dense forest of Douglas-fir, western red cedar, and western-hemlock, while higher elevations contain yellow cedar, alpine fir, and white bark pine. The park also houses a variety of wildlife, including black bears, grizzly bears, deer, pika, and mountain goats.
Panorama is one of Garibaldi's most notorious hiking trails. At 18.6-miles round trip, this footpath isn't for the faint of heart. However, those willing to put in the effort will be rewarded with sweeping, panoramic views of Garibaldi Lake, Black Tusk, and the Helm Lake area. While Panorama Ridge can technically be tackled in a day, most hikers will opt to pitch a tent at Garibaldi Lake or Taylor Meadows and hike the ridge the following day.
The craggy black pinnacle of Black Tusk is impossible to miss, even from a distance. This Garibaldi icon is a popular bucket-list ascent for experienced hikers and offers some of the best views in British Columbia. Hikers can climb Black via the Rubble Creek Trailhead or the Helm Creek trail. Although it's possible to hike to the summit and back in a single day, this would require climbing over 5,000 feet in elevation over the course of 18+ miles. Many hikers will camp at Helm Creek, Garibaldi Lake, or Taylor Meadows and enjoy the summit after a full night's sleep.
If you're not able to tackle one of Garibaldi's long-distance trails, the trip to Cheakamus Lake is an excellent alternative. This 10-mile footpath leads to the stunning shoreline of Cheakamus Lake, a vibrant turquoise lake surrounded by snow-capped summits. You can pitch a tent along the shoreline or continue around the lake to a rocky outcrop with stunning views of the surrounding scenery.
Located just north of Vancouver, Squamish sits at the northern tip of the Howe Sound and is surrounded by stunning summits and alpine lakes. Though Squamish isn't quite as large as its neighboring city of Vancouver, it offers a healthy variety of premium accommodations, amenities, and dining options. Squamish is just 35 minutes from Garibaldi's most iconic hiking trails, making it the perfect destination for anyone looking to explore the park.
Whistler, a vibrant mountain town that is home to one of the largest and most popular ski resorts in North America, is just 30 minutes north of Garibaldi Provincial Park. Whistler Blackcomb offers over 8,100 acres of snow-covered slopes, 16 alpine bowls, 3 glaciers, and over 200 trails, ranging from novice to Olympic-level trails, to explore. While there's no denying that Whistler is best-known for its epic backcountry skiing and snowboarding, this charming city also caters to avid hikers, backpackers, and sightseers. The city, which is bounded by Whistler Mount and and Blackcomb Mountain, offers an all-seasons Peak 2 Peak Gondola that allows visitors to easily access some of the most scenic hiking trails in the province.
Explore Garibaldi Provincial Park with the PeakVisor 3D Map and identify its summits.


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As one of the most prevalent and safe treatment options for men and women, many people choose BHRT for weight loss. Sounds too good to be true? Understanding BHRT and how it works may help you lose that stubborn weight. Read on to find out all you need to know about bioidentical hormone therapy for weight loss.
RELATED: Everything You Need to Know FDA Approved New Weight Loss Drug Semaglutide
Lose Stubborn Weight – Get to Know Bioidentical Hormone Therapy for Weight Loss
The Aging Process and Hormones
The aging process is a personal rite of passage that many do not experience. We get to see our children grow up, our partners become our best friends, and our hard work finally pays off. We shouldn't have anything to fear or worry about – wrinkling skin, hair loss, weight gain, etc. – because there are solutions to help your journey through aging be a positive experience.
Hormones are our bodies' chemical messengers that send different signals to trigger different physiological responses. We all experience a shift in hormones when our bodies grow older. When we reach our 20's and 30's, our hormones have reached their peak, and we make our mark in the world. Around 35, they start to decline, and some people notice a more drastic drop-off sooner than others.
Stubborn Weight Loss and Hormones
Weight loss during our middle-ages is a two-fold issue. As stated previously, aging is a beautiful gift and privilege. However, when those years behind the cubicle lands you that promotion as a manager, you might become more stressed and time-crunched.
Almost every living organism has some fight-or-flight reaction that indicates an immediate action in danger. Cortisol is a hormone that serves as the body's fight-or-flight signal. When the body releases this steroid hormone, it taps into glucose storages to gather the necessary mega-energy to take on a fearsome opponent or run for the hills.
Humans, though, are different. We've developed sophisticated communication, diplomacy, and self-control with our complex minds and social systems. Furthermore, when highly uncomfortable situations find us, our bodies release these chemical responses even if an instance is not life-threatening.
When we encounter that problematic manager's unfair demands or interaction with a rude customer service representative, we release cortisol in our bodies – nowadays known as the stress hormone. Unfortunately, stress can make weight loss difficult.
Estrogen, Cortisol, Stress, and Compounded Weight Gain
Cortisol allows the body to have enough energy to react to a fight-or-flight situation. However, humans don't always use that energy in every case. The lack of reaction leads to excessive cortisol release, contributing to sudden weight gain or difficulty losing weight. As a result, our insulin – a regulatory hormone – will begin overproduction, leading to insulin resistance and potential type 2 diabetes.
Studies have shown that individuals with subordinate roles in the workforce have larger waistlines than principal workers. This result is due to the chronic stress the lower-ranking staff regularly experience, which leads to conditional diseases and fatigue.
Additionally, women experiencing perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms might be prone to more stress, potentially contributing to weight gain as well. Studies have shown that women are more susceptible to trauma during the menstrual cycle when estrogen levels are at their lowest.
If weight gain is due to a hormonal imbalance such as cortisol or estrogen imbalance, the most effective treatment is to fix this imbalance. That's where bioidentical hormone therapy for weight loss comes in handy.
Can Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Help With Weight Loss?
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is a form of hormone replacement therapy used to treat the symptoms of hormone imbalance. It uses compounded hormones chemically and molecularly identical to those produced by the human body.
Bioidentical hormone therapy for weight loss includes testosterone replacement for men and women. According to studies, testosterone replacement therapy reduces fat mass in men with testosterone deficiency. In addition, 18 weeks of treatment lowered liver fat in obese men. These data support the therapy's effectiveness in treating obesity. On the other hand, according to an article, testosterone aids female weight loss by boosting lean muscle mass, which leads to a higher metabolic rate.
Therefore, pursuing testosterone replacement through bioidentical hormone therapy mainly benefits both men and women with:
- Improved weight management
- Reduced fat mass
- Increased and maintained lean muscle mass
Bioidentical hormone therapy for weight loss also has the following benefits:
- Protecting you from some diseases
- Improving concentration and motivation
- Helping to keep people's moods in check
- Improving bone density
- Regulating energy
- Getting your love life back on track
How Does Bioidentical Hormone Therapy for Weight Loss Work?
Bioidentical hormone therapy works with your body's physical chemistry. A weight-loss pellet the size of a grain of rice is inserted into your body and gives you a sustained supply of hormones over time. Since the body slowly metabolizes the pellet, you don't have to worry if you took too much or not enough.
Bioidentical hormone therapy through pellets also minimizes fluctuations between treatments thanks to the pellet's design. The pellet implantation process is quick and similar to having your blood drawn. A trained medical professional applies a local anesthetic to the injection site and makes a tiny incision into the skin. The medical provider then places the pellet into the incision. Lastly, the incision site is sealed with a piece of medical tape. There is no need for stitches or fear of scarring.
Bioidentical hormone therapy is one of the safest and most natural ways to assist weight loss. According to research, bioidentical hormone therapy uses the natural extract from plants such as soy and yams, which subsequently are used to formulate the final product such as pellets through a chemical conversion. Hormone replacement therapy for weight loss has not been associated with an increased risk of adverse conditions or diseases.
RELATED: Metformin and Weight Loss: 4 Things You Need to Know
Signs That You Need Bioidentical Hormone Therapy for Weight Loss
Unexpected weight gain is the most typical sign that you need hormone therapy for weight loss. Suppose you're eating well, managing your stress, and exercising frequently, but your weight continues to go up. In that case, your hormones might be out of balance and hurting your weight management. Other signs that you need hormone therapy for weight loss include:
- Fatigue
- Sleep problems
- Losing muscle mass
- Mood swings
Many people might overlook these symptoms and assume that they are part of a stressful modern lifestyle. However, there might be an underlying problem that has to do with your hormones. So, consider solving the root of the problem by radical treatment such as bioidentical hormone therapy, and you'll see a positive change in your body in a few weeks.
Eating Healthy for Weight Loss
Even though bioidentical hormone pellets could make you feel better than ever, eating well is still important. Fruits and vegetables are essential to any healthy diet as you want as many vitamins and minerals as possible. Diet and nutrition experts claim lean meats like fish or chicken are also necessary foods – they help you feel full throughout the day.
However, stressing about nutrition is not conducive to a healthy lifestyle. We all know how stress contributes to weight gain now. Celebrities and pro-athletes turn to the Alkaline Diet and exclude caffeine, refined grains, alcohol, and processed foods. While this is a healthy practice 80% of the time, it's not a big deal to have fun with the other 20%.
Exercise and Reduce Stress to Lose Weight Faster
Exercises, such as yoga, fight fat in two ways. It releases endorphins, mitigating toxic stress in the body and mind while burning calories. Another great option – especially in places like Florida – is water sports. Studies have proven natural scenery such as vast expanses of water reduces cortisol levels. With increased energy from bioidentical hormone therapy through pellets, it's possible to tackle that 3-mile run after work.
Bioidentical Hormone Doctors Near Me
BHRT therapy might be just what the doctor or another type of medical provider orders. Our practice features Larry Siegel, APRN, and Founder of Yunique Medical, specializing in anti-aging and bioidentical hormone therapy for weight loss through pellets. He also provides various peptide therapies and growth hormone therapy, which improve overall physical performance and well-being. You'll feel an incredible amount of positive change in your first four weeks.
Bioidentical hormone therapy for weight loss with lifestyle modifications is an excellent treatment plan for 35 and older individuals. Combining Yunique Medical's expertise in hormone therapy for weight loss and Functional Medicine allows people to achieve optimal wellness. Contact our highly-trained staff to secure an appointment with one of our providers today.
Yunique Medical provides FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE for optimized health and performance. We offer customized, scientifically advanced treatments to create a new state of human thriving. Why be ordinary when you can be optimal?
HUMAN 2.0 begins here!
Contact us to schedule your FREE consultation at one of our three locations in Florida – Ocala, Fruitland Park (The Villages), and Daytona.