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© Stocksy/Simone Becchetti
We Got 16 Women To Confess What They Really Think About Size & You'll Want To Read This
So, you want to know the answer to the age-old question: "Does size really matter?"
It's a topic that's been debated by scientists, therapists and divorce attorneys alike. There have been legitimate studies dedicated to getting to the bottom of this issue — for the sake of men's egos everywhere. In a recent poll, a promising 84% of ladies reported they were more than satisfied with their man's member. So why are are the other 16% so hung up (see what I did there?) on penis size?
To find out once and for all whether the meat matters more than the motion, I asked 16 ladies for their honest take — straight up, no chaser. Here's what they had to say about their ideal penis proportion.
1. "I've been with just over a dozen men whose penises ranged from 5 inches to 14 inches and were of various girth. Size does matter when it comes to having an orgasm through intercourse, and length is less important than girth. My personal preference would be 9 to 10 inches and thick enough that I can't quite close my hand around it. This size affords me the ability to have vaginal orgasms in multiple positions and isn't so large that fellatio is a challenge."
— Joy, 27
2. "In my humble opinion, somewhere within the broad range of average size is best. It really is true that it's not what you've got — it's how you use it. Size is of no importance when compared with technique. If anything, I've found that the smaller-endowed guys are often — not always, but often — the better lovers. They attempt, often successfully, to compensate with technique, and as a result they are stellar lovers."
— Cynthia, 32
3. "Size does matter, but not in the way that people think it does when I say that! Nobody wants a 3 or 4 inch cock inside them. You just can't feel it. But for me, anything over 8 inches just hurts, and you can't f*ck me the way I want to be f*cked when I need it! The perfect size for me is 7 inches."
— Christina, 36
4. "The truth? Size matters. If you have more, you can do less and still satisfy a woman. In other words, it's the meat, not the motion."
— Vicki, 31
5. "I find that men are far more worried about size than I am. I do kegel exercises on a daily basis, so the size feels good to me no matter what. The important thing for my enjoyment is more what they do with their hands and mouth, rather than the penis being the only sexual effort!"
— Holly, 26
6. "I can't handle them if they're too big. I'm fragile and it definitely is way more painful than pleasurable if a guy is huge. At the same time, you don't want someone too small that you can barely feel or enjoy. A good average penis tends to do the trick for me."
— Aliza, 28
7. "My ex-boyfriend was small, like a thumb after being jammed in a car door. Maybe 3 and a half inches. Despite that, I was sexually satisfied. It worked and I never complained. It was awkward whenever 'small dick' jokes would come up or be heard, though. We would pretend not to hear them."
— Lauren, 29
RELATED READING: 5 Small Penis Sex Positions To Make Her Think You're Huge
8. "It matters. I dated a guy with a penis the size of my pinky, and sometimes I wasn't even sure if we were having sex. The whole big hands, big feet thing is a total lie. He doesn't need a foot-long, 4-inch-round penis, but there's got to be something substantial."
— Michelle, 30


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Old and gay
"Ninang" Cordero from Caloocan City says it isn't always difficult to grow old and gay in the Philippines, even as he calls for society to accept LGBTQIA people already. He wants for the younger LGBTQIA Filipinos to heed their elders and focus on learning.
This is part of #KaraniwangLGBT, which Outrage Magazine officially launched on July 26, 2015 to offer vignettes of LGBT people/living, particularly in the Philippines, to give so-called "everyday people" – in this case, the common LGBT people – that chance to share their stories.
As Outrage Magazine editor Michael David C. Tan says: "All our stories are valid – not just the stories of the 'big shots'. And it's high time we start telling all our stories."
"Ninang" Cordero – who said he is used to living alone, having been doing so since after high school – was in Grade 6 when he realized he's gay.
Ninang" Cordero – who said he is used to living alone, having been doing so since after high school – was in Grade 6 when he realized he's gay.
"Ang mga kabarkada ko, mga babae (My friends were all girls)," he said, adding that his posse then was also composed of other gay boys like him.
He was "lucky" because his parents took it… quite well. This may be because they're used to it since "may relatives din ako na T-bird tsaka gay sa mother's side ko (I also had lesbian and gay relatives at my mother's side of the family)."
He was – not surprisingly – closer to his mom's family because his father's relatives were, in his recollection, "halang and bituka (literally: bad/evil people; idiomatically: evil in nature)." Ninang believes he inherited his being gay from his mom's side.
Growing up gay, he didn't have a hard life, referring to it overall as "okay". He said he was able to go where he wanted to, do what he wanted, and no one reprimanded them for it.
But Ninang admitted he also encountered criticisms for being gay, and people talking behind him because he's gay.
All the same, "ini-ignore lang namin kasi baka gumulo lang (we just ignore them because heeding them can just cause trouble)," he said. "Ayaw namin ng magulong buhay (We don't want a troublesome life)."
Looking back, Ninang said he's been in multiple relationships already. But he learned that it's difficult to "invest in love". This is because "talo ka parati kung ibubuhos mo lahat ng pagmamahal mo sa isang lalaki (giving your all to one man is futile)."
Though he worked as a hairdresser, now in his older age, he is a vendor, selling food for breakfast, lunch and snacks in the barangay (village) he's at. "Yun na lang ang kinabubuhay ko (That's now my source of income)."
Ninang said growing old as a gay man isn't necessarily bad. "Basta masaya ka (As long as you're happy)," he said, and "wala ka naaapakan (you don't do harm to others)." The goal for him is to have a "peaceful life."
With growing older, there's this desire to help younger people that "the life of LGBTQIA people should also be respected."
For the young LGBTQIA people, Ninang said they should prioritize education, and "huwag muna lumandi-landi (don't be lewd/promiscuous)," he said, adding that they should listen to their parents/elders.
And for society in general, Ninang calls for acceptance because LGBTQIA people are no different from others. "Kaming mga bakla (LGBTQIA people like us), even if we're like this, we're still human. We also have hearts, and also fear God."
'Kitilin ang diskriminasyon'
There was a time when Danmer John de Guzman attempted to end his life because of hardships encountered because of his SOGIE. He was told then that instead of ending his life, why not help in ending discrimination? He is now an LGBTQIA activist in Caloocan City.
This is part of #KaraniwangLGBT, which Outrage Magazine officially launched on July 26, 2015 to offer vignettes of LGBT people/living, particularly in the Philippines, to give so-called "everyday people" – in this case, the common LGBT people – that chance to share their stories.
As Outrage Magazine editor Michael David C. Tan says: "All our stories are valid – not just the stories of the 'big shots'. And it's high time we start telling all our stories."
Danmer John de Guzman was 15 years old when he noticed he was "different". Sure, he said, he had female crushes; but he also felt that he was not like everybody else. And so by the time he turned 16, he already admitted – first to himself – that he's part of the LGBTQIA community.
It wasn't easy, he said. Family members used to hit him; and there were times when, stepping out of the house, community members ridiculed him, telling him he is worthless and that he could do no good solely because of his SOGIE. "I just wallowed in tears," he said. "I just shed tears, in pain because of non-acceptance."
Danmer said he went through a lot before he accepted himself. Drepressed, he even tried to kill himself. That was the time when family members sort of had a change of heart.
"They told me I didn't need to kill myself. Instead, I should help in fighting discrimination that kills us."
Now 24 years old and based in Caloocan City, Danmer said that his bad experiences helped shape him. As a gay man, "I am progressive and aggressive," he said. "I always advocate for LGBTQIA people to be recognized."
But danger sees LGBTQIA issues as multi-layered.
When he was 14, for example, he worked for a paper manufacturer, where he noted that child workers like him (then) were not exactly protected. And then, like these abused child workers, there were LGBTQIA workers who experienced work-related discrimination – e.g. trans people were not hired because the gender identity in their documents were not aligned with the gender expressions prescribed by society for the same.
"It was difficult," Danmer said.
Danmer is now part of an LGBTQIA organization, and he said that his activism is "sadsad sa bato" (exacting). "We don't even have money for transportation," he said. "In my own family, we even sometimes only eat twice a day. I tend to use the money for community organizing."
Danmer, though, doesn't see himself stopping doing what he's doing.
"Kapag namatay ka na may dangal at malaki ang naiambag mo sa lipunan ay parang kasingbigat mo ang bundok. Pero kapag namatay ka na waling paglaban, para ka lang singbigat ng balahibo ng pusa (When you die after greatly contributing to society, you will be as heavy as a mountain. But if you died without fighting, you'd be as weightless as a cat's hair)," he said.
Besides, Danmer said, "I learned that when serving others, you don't expect a return. Service is sacrifice."
Danmer has a partner now; they've been living together for almost a year now.
For him, having a partner poses a different challenge, particularly with getting the approval of others. "But we teach that love is not only for heterosexuals. Love depends on who is in your heart," he said.
His family now accepts his partner; even treating him as another son, one who's part of an LGBTQIA relationship.
Since becoming an LGBTQIA advocate nine years ago, Danmer said he has been telling the younger LGBTQIA people that they should not lose hope. "I always say that our rights will not be given with a snap of a finger. We fight for it. We need to show our capacity to help others."
But Danmer said it starts with accepting oneself; and "if we encounter discrimination, we fight it."
Danmer is even "thankful" to those who continue to mock LGBTQIA people. For him, without the haters, "there would be no LGBTQIA movement", "no Stonewall Riots", and "Philippines will not have 25 years of Pride March." These happened "because you ridicule us."
In the end, he said, "we are not here to pick fights with you. But know we will continue fighting for our rights. Just as you always fight for your rights, we will continue fighting for ours."
The sign of beauty
Meet Apple Fritz Bela, a Deaf transgender woman from Antipolo, who is a regular in the beauty pageant circles. She believes that, no, her being PWD is not reason for her not to compete; and yes, exactly because she's different, hopefully others will see the real beauty of diversity. And so she says to other PWDs: "Every time we show we can, we're making a mark."
This is part of #KaraniwangLGBT, which Outrage Magazine officially launched on July 26, 2015 to offer vignettes of LGBT people/living, particularly in the Philippines, to give so-called "everyday people" – in this case, the common LGBT people – that chance to share their stories.
As Outrage Magazine editor Michael David C. Tan says: "All our stories are valid – not just the stories of the 'big shots'. And it's high time we start telling all our stories."
The first time transgender woman Apple Fritz Bela, 18, joined a beauty pageant was in 2018; and it was a "challenge." As a Deaf person, she knew that she was already at a disadvantage. For instance, during rehearsals, she did not even have an interpreter (a recurring issue in all pageants she joined, actually), and so she had to resort to just mimicking the other contestants, instead of actually getting the instructions on what she is supposed to do.
That year, she signed to me, "I did not win."
But for Apple, the challenges she faced as a Deaf beauty pageant contestant (and even the eventual losing) are "minor issues," she said.
She is, after all, "doing what I want to do." And while at it, "showcasing that – if/when given the same opportunity – people like me, a Deaf transgender woman, can also shine."
The first time I met Apple was at the Queen of Antipolo 2019, a beauty pageant helmed by the Transpinays of Antipolo Organization (TAO), helmed by Ms Shane Madrigal with Kagawad Kristine Ibardolaza of Barangay Mayamot. At that time, too, she had no interpreter; but she was gearing to be part of arguably the most prestigious beauty pageant for transgender people in these parts of Luzon.
Apple – at that time seated at the corner of this makeshift dressing room in front of a mall in Antipolo – was surrounded by over five people. These were her "handlers", the people who made sure she looked her best before she went onstage to compete. All of her handlers are Hearing; and none knows how to sign.
Apple can speak. And so now and then, she would utter words to her handlers – e.g. the light is too bright, turn the fan that way, and so on. But the conversations with others are almost always immediately limited by her inability to hear their attempted responses.
Apple was chatty with me then; even if it proved difficult because her handlers were moving around her as they dolled her up. But she tried to converse anyway, now and then looking over the shoulder of any person standing in front of her so I could see her sign.
"A friend introduced me to pageantry," she said, adding – even if it was only a year ago – with a smile: "I was younger then."
She was shy when she first joined pageants, particularly because of her "difference", she said. But Apple eventually got the hang of it.
Joining a pageant, said Apple, was an expected "progression" for Apple. Sans knowledge of SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression), she said she feels she is a woman; but that because she has yet to do gender affirmation surgery, she does not see herself as a transgender person. But it is this "feeling as a woman" that sort of encouraged her to join pageants; a means – for her – to celebrate beauty.
Apple was around three years old when she lost her hearing. At first, she said, she could hear; but then she gradually became deaf. Growing up, the hearing continued to deteriorate. She never knew what went wrong; just that she stopped being able to hear.
She was in high school when she started learning sign language. Her sign is a mix of Filipino Sign Language and American Sign Language; and when she doesn't understand a sign, she almost always reverts back to fingerspelling. And always, she does this with a wide smile.
Apple's parents are still around – i.e. her father works as a tricycle driver, and her mother is an overseas Filipino worker in Kuwait. She also has a brother. All of them are Hearing. All of them – she said – readily accept her. She still lives with them, helping sustain herself by also giving make-up services.
This makes joining beauty pageants "easy"; a means for her, she said, to show that even Deaf people like her "CAN". This is a way "to show everyone that even Deaf people have beauty, have brains/intelligence."
Queen of Antipolo 2019 was, in a word, competitive. And not that surprising because the prize – amounting to tens of thousands of pesos – comes with the "rare opportunity," said Apple, to "give voice to the transgender community of Antipolo."
And so, not surprisingly, the organizers are "strict". The stage director was a common face behind the scene, barking her expectations – demands, even – for the candidates to do when onstage. No overstaying, she said. Comply with what was agreed upon during rehearsals. Otherwise, "face the consequences" – e.g. a microphone will be turned off even if a candidate is still talking (if she's talking too long), or worse, she will be singled out by a public announcement before the next exposure is made.
But all these were lost on Apple. Called for an impromptu (and closed door) meeting of the candidates, for instance, she was without an interpreter, left to read lips or get the instructions from attempts to explain by the other candidates.
No worries, she said to me.
"You really just have to follow other people's leads; you'll be fine."
Onstage, the pre-recorded videos of the candidates were already playing (before they were to be called out). Apple's video was… surprising. In it, she was actually speaking, not signing. Her use of English tentative; but her message was the same: "I want to show to the world that we may be PWDs, but we can just be like everybody if given the chance."
The competition went fast.
The candidates went onstage for a quick production number. Candidate number 11, Apple, just had to follow everyone's lead; no mishap happened.
They then introduced themselves. Apple again chose to speak, not sign. It was, she said to me, just a quick introduction anyway; just to say her name, her age, and the barangay/village she came from. "No big deal."
Even as the other candidates were still introducing themselves onstage, the others (who already finished doing so) were already prepping for the next exposure: the swimsuit competition.
No mishap happened – at least initially. Apple did what she was supposed to do.
But then while she was already being prepped for the evening gown competition, a member of the organizing team went backstage. Some electric fuse exploded; and the computers used by the judges went off before the scores were saved. So the candidates had to return onstage in their swimwear; to be graded/judged again.
Apple, already half-dressed in her white gown, was at a loss; particularly when her handlers just attempted to change her gown into her already-discarded swimsuit. "Bakit (Why)?" she asked. None could eloquently explain to her the technical glitch that happened. Tempers flared; but no words were spoken.
With the repeat of the swimsuit competition done, the candidates paraded in their evening gowns. By then, people were shouting the numbers of the candidates they were supporting. Number 11 was among them.
When the special awards were given, Apple's name was called for Miss Photogenic. She was fixing her gown then; ironing the skirt with her palm. Unaware that she won something. Two other candidates had to tap her on her shoulders, and then signal to her that she was being called. Apple looked up, a smile growing on her face, and then strutted in front to claim her prize.
But Apple didn't make the final cut (top five).
And so off the stage she had to go with the other candidates who also didn't place.
Backstage, she was misty-eyed. But I'd say she was on a better state; another losing candidate can be heard wailing inside the makeshift dressing room. Her smile widened again when she saw me.
"How do I feel that I didn't place? Okay; just okay," she signed to me. "What's important is that I showed that I can also compete."
She wiped the corners of her eyes, even if her smile stayed wide.
"In life, that's what you do. You show up to fight. Even if you lose, you fought."
Someone behind me caught her attention. She waved, and then mouthed "What?" to this person. She then gathered the flowing skirt of her gown, quickly turned to me to sign "Thank you", and then headed to the person who caught her attention.
And as she walked away, into the arms of her friends/supporters, many tried to sign with her. Only one was intelligible: "Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful."
And there goes Apple Fritz Bela, a Deaf transgender woman who's now a regular in the trans pageant circuit, helping redefine the sign of beauty… – WITH ALBERT TAN MAGALLANES, JR. AND JOSHUA DOLENDO
'Labanan ang hamon ng buhay'
Cassie Jannelle Madridazon Gallardo, from Tugatog, Malabon City, was 18 when she ran away from home. She believed then that she can face life's challenges away from her family. Now 22 and self-identifying as bakla/gay even as she sees herself as babae/woman, she says to people who consider themselves 'normal', and yet mock LGBTQIA people, "perhaps you'd also have LGBTQIA children. And they, too, will experience the kind of discrimination you give."
This is part of #KaraniwangLGBT, which Outrage Magazine officially launched on July 26, 2015 to offer vignettes of LGBT people/living, particularly in the Philippines, to give so-called "everyday people" – in this case, the common LGBT people – that chance to share their stories.
As Outrage Magazine editor Michael David C. Tan says: "All our stories are valid – not just the stories of the 'big shots'. And it's high time we start telling all our stories."
There are people who will always hold back LGBTQIA people, said Cassie Jannelle Madridazon Gallardo, 22, from Tugatog, Malabon City. But these people should "know that we will keep fighting the challenges of life. We will do so no matter what they say, no matter how many times they mock us," she said. This is because "I believe that people like us can confront what life throws at us."
Cassie was 11 when she realized she's different. At first, she identified as bakla/gay; though this was mostly because of the lack of word to use what she really felt even then.
"Even as a kid, I always wanted to be a girl; always thought I had the heart of a woman who loves only to get hurt," Cassie said. "I saw myself as someone ridiculed by others but who fights back… Even if I don't represent the ideal woman, in my heart, I am a woman."
Cassie was 18 when she ran away from home and started living with, among others, her employers, friends and even strangers.
But – to emphasize – Cassie's decision to leave home was not because she experienced hardships there. Even at a young age, her mother was always supportive of her; and her siblings never gave her a hard time.
But "I said to myself then that I can face the challenges of life without depending on my parents," she said.
It was while living away from home when she started living as a woman.
"The first name I gave myself was Scarlett. I patterned this after a gay mentor from overseas. The second name I gave myself was Cassie. The name given me at birth was Ronald; but nowadays, I identify with the name Cassie Jannelle Madridazon Gallardo."
With a smile, though, she said with emphasis: "You may call me Bibe." This, she said, was the gender-neutral name always used to refer to her, even when she was still a kid.
Cassie now works as a nanny. "I earn P3,000 in a month. I earn P1,500 every 15 days. This is okay for me. It pays for my needs," she said.
Cassie still has lofty dreams, though. "I dream to become a dance choreographer, working in another country," she said, adding that "I'm a good dancer" so "my dream is to use my talent."
It is often when dancing that Cassie said she finds that "fire" in her.
"When it comes to dancing, expect me to be competitive," she beamed. "Even if there's a showdown, I don't back out. With twerking, tumbling, vertical dancing – I won't let others beat me. Competing when dancing, that's what I want. You can't beat me there!"
Though she mainly lives away from her family, she is okay with the other members of her family.
"I am the youngest in the family. The goddess (of the family). I flirt a lot. The one with lots of boys. I'm the one who teases others a lot. I'm the one who's always lewd. But this lewdness always makes people laugh. The way I present myself can make people crazy; but that's just the way that I am," Cassie said.
Cassie recalled how her siblings used to tell her: 'You're already gay; don't do anything that will (further) ruin your being.'" Instead, they said to me, do what's right."
And this, said Cassie, is a guiding principle for her.
"I experienced discrimination when I was younger; but I just ignored the haters. With my relatives, though, I know they are proud of me. They know I am a good person. I do not hurt/step on other people," she said.
Cassie was once hurt by loving; during her elementary days. That was when she told herself that "no one will get serious with me. So I'll just flirt. My heart is now like a rock. I force myself to flirt with guys, but I never fell in love ever again. If you fall in love, don't give everything. Leave something for yourself."
Cassie sees herself as a fighter. "It isn't difficult (to be LGBTQIA) because I face the challenges of life," she said.
But she also recognizes that not everyone is like her.
This is why, for younger LGBTQIA people, she said: "Study hard. As long as your parents are there, as long as your siblings are there, study hard. Don't end up like some of us who get discriminated. Hopefully, with the next generation, the lives of members of the LGBTQIA community (and trans, in particular) will be better."
Cassie also thinks that "other people should not judge easily particularly people like us. (Like others, we) just love. And yet we are ridiculed. People shouldn't be like that. People should treat others as equals."
To people who keep holding LGBTQIA people back, "who keep belittling us, know that we will keep fighting the challenges of life. We will do so no matter what you say, no matter how many times you mock us. I believe that people like us can confront what life throws at us.
"But you, people like you who consider yourselves 'normal', but who do not respect people like us, perhaps one day, you'd also have LGBTQIA children. And they, too, will experience the kind of discrimination you give."
Perya ng buhay
From Bataan, peryante Louise David Flores – who self-identifies as bakla/gay man but lives as a woman – did not get the chance to be educated, so he believes his life won't amount to anything. He wants other LGBTQIA people to grab all opportunities to better themselves and not have regrets.
This is part of #KaraniwangLGBT, which Outrage Magazine officially launched on July 26, 2015 to offer vignettes of LGBT people/living, particularly in the Philippines, to give so-called "everyday people" – in this case, the common LGBT people – that chance to share their stories.
As Outrage Magazine editor Michael David C. Tan says: "All our stories are valid – not just the stories of the 'big shots'. And it's high time we start telling all our stories."
"As a gay person, you have to learn to enjoy life. When you're gay, you are ridiculed. But for me, when people belittle me, I say: 'Take a rest!'"
So said Louise David Flores, 20, from Dinalupihan, Bataan.
Self-identifying as "bakla" (gay), Louise actually "lives as a girl" – perhaps exemplifying the still commonplace confusion with sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression (SOGIE) particularly among those living outside metropolitan areas in the Philippines.
With his father already dead, and his mother with another family (in Lubao, Pampanga), Louise currently lives with an aunt. "I hardly see (my mother)," he said. "Sometimes, I don't even see her in a year."
Louise was in Grade 6 when people teased him, referring to him as gay. "That's also when I realized I'm really gay. I actually told myself: Maybe I'm really a woman," he said.
And then one time, "I went home with my make-up on. I also started using women's clothes then. My family didn't stop me from living as I am; they accepted me immediately as a girl."
For Louise, it isn't necessarily difficult to be LGBTQIA in Bataan. "This will depend on you – on whether you choose to enjoy your life," he said. "Living a sad life or living happy – that's entirely up to you. I say just enjoy life while you're still alive."
Louise admitted that he also experienced discrimination, such as "when I step out of my house, or when I go to the public market. There are some people who'd call me a faggot," he said. But "I just ignore them. Really, why give them attention? These people do not know that it's nicer if they have friends who belong to the LGBTQIA community. So, for me, there's no need to give them attention. I have lots of friends who accept me for who I am anyway."
Louise currently works as a "peryante" (one who works in a fair/carnival). "We bring the fair/carnival to different places."
He actually started working early.
"I was 13 when I started working. My first job was in a farm, planting rice. There are lots of things to do in a farm. You can plant rice, harvest rice… you can do things like that."
And now as a "peryante", "I make people gamble. Our salary depends on the winnings. Sometimes, we just get twenty pesos for a day's work. Sometimes we get nothing, particularly if we (the betting house) lose. So we don't have regular earnings."
Louise doesn't believe that LGBTQIA (particularly gay-with-straight-identifying-men, which is still common in provincial areas) relationships are real.
"Among 100 men, only one man will truly love a gay man. And he may already be taken by someone," he said. "And so I don't take men seriously. I don't take relationships seriously because the other party isn't serious anyway. You can always tell when one is serious."
To younger LGBTQIA people, Louise said: "As long as someone wants to send you to school, study. I regret not going to school. I want to have a proper job, but I can't get one because I did not have formal education."
This is actually also why Louise has sort of lost hope already. "I don't think I can still have a good future. Because I didn't get formal education, I can't find a good job. Maybe in the future, I'll be stuck at home. I'll do nothing but look after my nephews and nieces. Perhaps that's what future holds for me."
And to people who continue to belittle LGBTQIA people, Louise said: "Your ridicule reflects badly on you. Just because a person is gay, doesn't mean you have any right to abuse him. Those who do this have narrow minds. Put yourself in the shoes of LGBTQIA people to know what they are going through."
The lone drag queen
Kenneth Lemuel Esteban interviews Lawrence Villiones, a.k.a. Wire Shun, the 23-year-old lone drag queen of San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, who believes that doing drag is not just a way of expression but is a way of self-empowerment that can also empower other people.
This is part of #KaraniwangLGBT, which Outrage Magazine officially launched on July 26, 2015 to offer vignettes of LGBT people/living, particularly in the Philippines, to give so-called "everyday people" – in this case, the common LGBT people – that chance to share their stories.
As Outrage Magazine editor Michael David C. Tan says: "All our stories are valid – not just the stories of the 'big shots'. And it's high time we start telling all our stories."
"It is very hard to fight for my sexuality and, at the same time, fight for my drag artistry here in the province because most people here are not open enough to understand both."
So said Lawrence Villiones, a.k.a. Wire Shun, the 23-year-old lone drag queen of San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, who continues to experience hardships for being part of the LGBTQIA community and for being a drag artist in the province.
For Lawrence, discrimination happens every day for him as a member of the LGBTQIA community. "On a daily basis, discrimination is inevitable here in the province. You can witness discrimination in public and sometimes even at work."
And as if Lawrence is not oppressed enough because of his sexuality, he is also forced to abstain from being the drag performer – something that he always wanted to become – due to the lack of drag culture, and the knowledge and appreciation of the same in the province.
"Being a drag queen here in the province can get really hard… because we don't have nightclubs and bars that (hire) drag artists for gigs just like in other cities. If there only is a drag culture here in the province, I'd be able to live and enjoy my drag career to the fullest," he said.
Not surprisingly, Lawrence hopes that "someday, I want be able to have a platform to showcase my talent and show the people that I am more than just someone who can do drag make-up. I want to show them that I can also perform. I can also 'lip-sync for my life'."
Lawrence discovered the art of drag when, "I was in high school, I saw 'Rupaul's Drag Race' on TV, and I got curious. I just tried to watch a single episode." Lawrence said that at that moment, "I had zero interest and idea on what drag is. I just got the urge to know more about it."
As soon as he finished college, he tried looking for a hobby, and "I rediscovered drag artistry on social media and I had the time that I didn't have before so I decided to explore more from the world of drag."
Lawrence's drag name is Wire Shun, inspired by his favorite character from a Korean drama that he always watches.
Sometimes, Lawrence wants to go outside as Wire Shun but he can't because "people here in the province might not understand my art." he said. "Most of my neighbors might judge me because of my craft because other than the fact that they don't understand the concept of drag, my drag style is very different and creepy so things might get too overwhelming for them."
Lawrence added that "even my family is not aware that I do drag… No one knows that I do drag and that drag is my passion."
And so for Lawrence, the only way for him to express his artistry is "by performing alone in my room."
His drag style is, "very alternative. I serve looks that are very unique, spooky and sometimes it may even look alien-ish," he said.
Alternative drag is, Lawrence said, not the typical style that other drag artists do. "It is very different from the looks of other mainstream queens appearing on television because those queens are more focused on serving beauty pageant aesthetic and feminine looks. "
For him, "alternative drag on the other hand has no limitations when it comes to expressing your artistry"
Lawrence is very different from his drag persona; they are like a paradox.
Lawrence can be just as "mundane as I could be. I am just a person trapped in what the society expects me to be. I am just an artist looking for a way to express my talent and creativity." When out of drag, "I am just this shy person who lacks a huge deal of confidence." But when he is finally in drag, he can "get very wild and cocky… a complete opposite when he (I am) out of drag."
Lawrence believes that doing drag is not just his outlet and way of expression, but is also his way of self-empowerment with hopes of empowering other people.
Nowadays, people often judge other people through race, size and gender preferences so Lawrence thinks that, "as a member of the LGBT community, we should convey messages of inclusion and diversity." He gushed as he added that for him, "my drag artistry is my way of expression and through my art is how I convey that message to people."
To the aspiring drag queens and artists in general who thinks that they are limited because they are in the province, Lawrence has this to say: "Living in a (non-metropolitan) city is not that big of a deal because no matter where we are, we can showcase our talent and artistry. We just need to learn how to be resourceful. Just unleash your creativity and you can do it no matter who you are. All drag is valid. So just keep on honing your craft and artistry. Let's just live on and keep on learning so that we'll be able to reach our goals in life."
A devotion to public service
A former non-government organization worker on Boracay island, Raffy Cooper, 34, is the first gay barangay secretary of Caticlan in Malay, Aklan. While raising two of his three kids, he hopes younger LGBTQIA people to "better yourself until you're ready to take flight."
This is part of #KaraniwangLGBT, which Outrage Magazine officially launched on July 26, 2015 to offer vignettes of LGBT people/living, particularly in the Philippines, to give so-called "everyday people" – in this case, the common LGBT people – that chance to share their stories.
As Outrage Magazine editor Michael David C. Tan says: "All our stories are valid – not just the stories of the 'big shots'. And it's high time we start telling all our stories."
"It's important for us to know why we're being discriminated. And then empower ourselves to find ways for the world to also respect us."
So said Raffy Cooper, the 34-year-old barangay secretary of Caticlan in Malay, Aklan (Malay is where Boracay is).
"Sometimes people think LGBTQIA people are just deviants in this world," Raffy added. "But if you have lofty dreams and achieve these dreams, you will be unquestionable and you will be respected in your community."
Raffy was in Grade 1 when he said he noted having male crushes (his classmates). "I couldn't explain why I had male crushes then," he said, adding that he found this "peculiar so I didn't entertain it then."
In Grade 6, he became more effeminate; and by high school, "I got interested in using make-up, wearing clothes used by women, and joining gay beauty pageants. My life became complicated because of these."
Initially, Raffy's family wasn't too shocked when they found out he's gay. "Perhaps because slowly, they noticed I was different."
Raffy's aunties also used to dress him up in girls' clothing, so the "progression" was expected.
But when he started joining beauty pageants, wearing clothes used by women, and even used hormone replacement, "they weren't very comfortable with those," he said, adding that the discomfort may have also been because "my family is very religious."
Raffy has four siblings; all of them are boys. All his brothers didn't want to have a gay sibling.
"But at the end of the day, with families, no matter the SOGIE you choose, if you love your family and if you don't bring troubles (for the family), they'll accept you," he said. "They'll come to love you, to accept you. And with what I've done in my life, they're proud of me."
Overall, by going through everything he did as a gay child, "I think it's a good experience overall because it allowed me to discover what I can do. It also taught me how to (affect) people for them to realize that even if you are just like that, you still deserve respect."
Not surprisingly, Raffy calls for parents of LGBTQIA children to "respect your children. You won't be able to change them by hitting them or by verbally abusing them, or by discriminating or treating them as less than your other children just because they are LGBTQIA. It's important to support them so they don't lose their way. There are parents who do not treat their LGBTQIA children rightly or equally. These LGBTQIA children lose their way; some run away. And when this happens, their lives are ruined. So it's better to just also respect your LGBTQIA children."
But he also wants young LGBTQIA people – particularly those still living at home – to obey their parents "because they are raising you. So, study. After studying, when you can support yourself and live away from them, then spread your wings like a butterfly and do whatever you want."
Coming as a surprise for many, Raffy actually had a wife; and they have three kids.
"I'm not okay with my wife now," so "two of my kids are with me now; I send them to school. Our youngest child is with my wife because it's still a baby."
Raffy said that having a wife was "somewhat surprising not just for my family but even my community. But what's important is that I've been a good father to my children. I do everything I can to offer the best quality of life to my children, the best education."
Raffy believes "my kids are all happy. They never experienced being taunted that their father is gay. I think I've done my part to help the community; I've proven what I can do. So I earned the respect of the community. So my children are never underestimated for having a gay father. I think the community even loves them more because I am their father."
With raising kids as a gay father, "I am more gender-sensitive. Perhaps with straight fathers, there's this imposition on kids to be macho."
Raffy's son, for instance, is not into sports. "He doesn't like getting dirty or being sweaty. Perhaps if his father isn't gay, he'd be asked why he's like that, and he'd be forced to play – say – basketball. For me, it's okay if he doesn't like sports. I don't think (that by not being sporty) he has plans to be part of the LGBTQIA community. But whatever his plans in life are, I'll support him."
Though he finished BS Biology in college, Raffy's career path has not be aligned with that field.
"Currently, I'm the barangay secretary of Caticlan. I started working as the barangay secretary last June (2018). This is my first time in public service. I used to work for a non-government organization. Perhaps I caught the eye of the barangay captain, who asked me to work for him. I am enjoying my work because I am directly dealing with people, and I am able to help somehow."
This is the first time that a member of the LGBTQIA community became a barangay secretary in Raffy's place, and "my presence there is (deemed) peculiar… a little more colorful. Many are happy with this."
Should he choose to also become a local leaders, "my first priority will be empowerment," Raffy said. "I want for members of the LGBTQIA community to be more empowered; for them to be more capable to compete not just locally but globally."
Raffy is also actually the reigning Queen of Aklan.
When he was younger, he regularly joined beauty pageants, going to far areas just to do so. But he stopped when he had his family.
And then they had Queen of Aklan, and "I got interested to join. Its advocacy was good."
Malay, where Boracay is, has the second highest number of HIV cases in the whole of Aklan. Meanwhile, Aklan has the second highest number of HIV cases in the whole of Western Visayas.
Boracay is a hotspot for HIV infection because it's a tourism area. "Here we can say that sex work is also rampant, including members of the LGBTQIA community. This is tolerated, and even accepted, because it's a product of the tourism industry," Raffy said. "I'm not saying it's the main product of the tourism industry, but it's happening. It's the reality."
Raffy thinks that "if we will encourage these people to know their HIV status and teach them how to protect themselves from HIV, the number of people getting infected in Aklan will lessen." And so for Raffy, "it is very important for a person like me who has the voice for the community to join a contest that will raise awareness about HIV."
Luckily, he said, he won.
Raffy is big on education.
"When you're LGBTQIA, invest first in your education. Because in the future, you will need a job. You won't just party or sleep around. It's okay to discover yourself. But at the end of the day, you have to invest in your education."
He also sees this as an important tool for self-empowerment.
"To members of the LGBTQIA community, continue to empower yourself. Don't consider yourself as a lesser human being than other people. You should always be proud of yourself, and always do your best."
And to people who may continue to frown upon LGBTQIA people: "I think it's time (for people) to be open-minded that the world is not only filled with straight men and women. There are also people who chose different ways to express themselves/their SOGIE. So we have to be respectful. At the end of the day, your life won't change by forcing other people to change."

subset: commoncrawl


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JOB TITLE: Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner
LOCATION: Geisinger Medical Center Hospital, Danville, PA
DEPARTMENT: Otolaryngology
WORK SCHEDULE: Days
WORK TYPE: Full-Time
HIRING MANAGER: Erica J. Campbell
To perform, under the authority and supervision of the staff surgeon, administrative, diagnostics and therapeutic tasks to allow staff attending physician to extend his/her patient care and services.Additionally, the physician assistant will act as the patient advocate in the medical care systems service as confidant, advisor, and liaison between patients and physicians.Reports directly to the staff physician or designated resident for all patient-care-related functions. Charting privileges will be determined by the Procedure and Medical Records Committee as recommended by the staff physician. Practice encompasses evaluation and treatment of diseases of the head, neck and related structures. Deals directly with the medical staff members, nursing personnel and other departments to coordinate patient care requirements.
Assists the surgeon in the pre-operative care and workup of patients to include:
Performs and records comprehensive history and physical examination, preoperative testing and education of patients regarding the risks and benefits of surgery.
Executes and relays medical regimens as directed by the supervising physician and/or as described in the work agreement between the physician assistant and the supervision physician.
Confirms operating schedule, availability of blood and summarize appropriate data prior to surgery.Assists the supervising physician in clinic.Provides ongoing comprehensive outpatient services under the direction of the supervising physician.Participates in the postoperative care of patients, being especially knowledgeable in the recognition of postoperative complications, specifically:Informs the physician of all changes in the patients on going conditionCollects ongoing data and writes pertinent notes on patients chart on daily basisAssesses the patients postoperative course and implement indicated therapySummarizes details of patients hospitalization, including operative procedures and the follow-up of complicationsMakes routine rounds as directed by the surgeonAs indicated by his/her training and experience, performs therapeutic procedures as directed by the surgeon, including but not limited to the following:-Wound repair, care and dressings-Nasogastric intubation-Suturing of lacerations-Debriding wounds-Removal of sutures-Removal of surgical drains-Flexible laryngoscopy-Nasal endoscopy-Stroboscopy-Ear microscopy-Cerumen removal-Mastoid debridement-Nasal cautery-Simple biopsies of skin or mucosa membranes-Tracheostomy care and changing of trach tube-Endoscopic exam of trachea via trach tube or stoma-Laryngectomy stomal buttons-Post FESS endoscopy debridementAssists the supervising physician with correspondence relevant to the patients care.Attends appropriate in-house conferences and attend appropriate continuing medical education.Examines preoperative and follow-up patients in the clinic prior to their being seen by the surgeons and complete admission formalities.Participates in clinical research, review of patient records and selected projects.Participates in departmental quality improvement studies in concert with supervising physician.Must have a working knowledge of computer and electronic medical record.Perform all other duties assigned by the supervising physician.
OUR PURPOSE & VALUES: Everything we do is about caring for our patients, our members, our students, our Geisinger family and our communities. KINDNESS: We strive to treat everyone as we would hope to be treated ourselves. EXCELLENCE: We treasure colleagues who humbly strive for excellence. LEARNING: We share our knowledge with the best and brightest to better prepare the caregivers for tomorrow. INNOVATION: We constantly seek new and better ways to care for our patients, our members, our community, and the nation.
ABOUT GEISINGER: Geisinger is a physician-led health system comprised of approximately 30,000 employees, including nearly 1,600 employed physicians, 13 hospital campuses, two research centers, and a 583,000-member health plan Geisinger is nationally recognized for innovative practices and quality care. Geisinger serves more than 3 million people in central, south-central and northeast Pennsylvania and also in southern New Jersey with the addition of National Malcolm Baldridge Award recipient AtlantiCare, A member of Geisinger. In 2017, the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine became the newest member of the Geisinger Family.
We offer healthcare benefits for full time and part time positions from day one, including vision, dental and domestic partners.* Perhaps just as important, from senior management on down, we encourage an atmosphere of collaboration, cooperation and collegiality. For more information, visit www.geisinger.org, or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Recruiter: Karen L. Rubbe
** Does not qualify for J-1 waiver. We are an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer Women and Minorities are Encouraged to Apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability or their protected veteran status.
*Domestic partner benefits not applicable at Geisinger Holy Spirit.


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Media Day. One day closer to game day! I'm pretty excited to see the stories that come out of today's media sessions. So far everyone's been saying the right things but now it's time to put their work where their words have been. And the revenge tour of the Celtics begins. I have a feeling we're in for a lot of fun this season.
How ironic is it that Shaq, the guy who gave Paul Pierce his nickname, is now on the same team with him. The Truth and the Big Nickname, both working on winning a ring together. Also, how ironic is it that the two guys with the name O'Neal have ended up on the Celtics. And even more ironic that neither of the guys named O'Neal is Irish.
Speaking of the Big Shamrock and nicknames, Jackie MacMullan has a great article on ESPN in which Shaq says that he embraces his role as a leader on the bench and has christened the Celtics second unit as the BBM, or the Boston Bench Mob. I love it! And after having to mentor young players in his last stops in LA, Miami, and Cleveland, he is enjoying the veteran environment in Boston. I love his quote about Him, KG, Marquis and the Turkish guy. Good to see that Semih is here and jumping right in to the fight. Here is a tidbit from Jackie's article:
"For once in my career, I won't have to hold anybody's hand and they won't have to hold mine," he said. "I'm surrounded by veterans. We had a great battle [last Thursday] at HealthPoint. It was something I never had before -- three, four, really great players all in one pickup game.
"It was me, Kevin [Garnett], Marquis [Daniels] and the Turkish guy [Semih Erden] against Ray [Allen], Paul [Pierce], Jermaine [O'Neal] and Big Baby. Amazing. Really high intensity."
O'Neal predicts Daniels, who was injured early last season and never won the confidence of Doc Rivers upon his return, will play a more significant role this season.
"I know Marquis well," he said. "I know what language he speaks. He's gonna help us, I know that.
"He's one of those players who got caught up in the system. He'd be a starter on a lot of other teams. But here, he's not going to play over Paul, or Ray, or Rondo.
"So he's coming off the bench and I told him, 'It's going to be great.' I told the same thing to Nate [Robinson], Big Baby. I told them, 'Here we come. We're the BBM -- Boston Bench Mob.'"
You know, I've been thinking that the new technical rules may lead to an increase in star calls. Do you really think they are going to give a tech to Kobe, LeBron, Wade or any of Stern's other pet players for expressing their displeasure at a call? I can see Stern's minions taking their vengeance on the players without superstar status and turning a blind eye to the "superstars" who are whining. I mean, say they call a technical on Kobe for complaining about a call. You really think they are going to call a second tech and toss him for complaining? I don't see it. But I can see them tossing other players left and right simply because they can.
And, maybe instead of making rules that will let the refs toss players for complaining, Herr Stern should take the time to consider why so many players complain. Could it be because his incompetent refs are blowing calls left and right. Players complain because the refs call fouls where there are none, and miss fouls where they have obviously been, and call it one way for one team and a different way for the other team. Maybe Stern should concentrate on making his officials less inept instead of making them more powerful.
One of the trivial things that has entered my mind lately is whether the Heat is/are plural or singular. I've seen headlines saying the Heat are... and I've seen headlines saying the Heat is... Somehow using Heat as singular just doesn't sound right. I never cared for singular names for teams for this reason. We know just where we stand with the Celtics. The Celtics ARE the most storied franchise in the NBA. But do we say that the Heat are the most hated team in the NBA or the Heat is the most hated team in the NBA. Just a thought.
This camp will be very competitive. There are some very good players vying for the 14th and 15th spots on the team. My thoughts are that Delonte and Tony Gaffney should be the obvious choices. I think if Delonte can keep his head straight, and the Celtics offer him the best chance of doing that, he can really help the team. He can play defense, has a good midrange game, knows the system, and can also handle the point. And Tony seems to be just what the team needs. The guy is long, blocks shots, is an excellent defender, can score, and would be perfect to back up Pierce and Quisy at the 3. He can also play the 4 if necessary. Who are your picks for those last two spots?
Media day is here. Can't wait for the reports to come in this afternoon. I'm getting very, very excited for this season. Anyone else with me? FLCeltsFan 9/27/2010 10:32:00 AM Tweet Edit


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The boss of the Australian Grand Prix has revealed that he will step down when Bernie Ecclestone gives up Formula One's driving seat, and has warned that this could trigger an exodus of top race managers.
Ron Walker, chairman of the Australian Grand Prix and the Formula One Promoters Association, which represents F1 races, says: "There will be a number of promoters who will retire when Bernie retires, but I firmly believe the races will stay with the countries. Promoters have a very special relationship with Bernie. He is more of a friend than a business colleague, and they are reaching the same age group. When Bernie retires, then I will retire as well; and a number of other long-standing promoters that have been friends of Bernie's will do also."
Walker is a prominent Australian businessman who was Lord Mayor of Melbourne and chairman of the organizing body for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. He adds, "When Bernie goes, Formula One will change. You won't recognize the sport after Bernie goes because he has done it in his own way as unique as he can. It will be the end of an era. A lot of people say Bernie is the greatest sports promoter in history, and he has formed close personal relationships with promoters over the years."
Ecclestone turned 82 in October and has been running F1 for nearly 40 years. However, no successor has been groomed to replace him. Advancing age is not the only challenge to his reign as F1's boss. On Nov. 16, U.S. investment firm Bluewaters Communications filed a lawsuit against him in the New York Supreme Court demanding $650 million in damages.
Bluewaters says it placed the highest bid when nearly 50 percent of F1 was sold by German bank BayernLB in 2006. In the end, the stake was bought by F1's current owner, the private equity firm CVC, and the lawsuit claims that the process was corrupt. It alleges that Ecclestone paid a $44 million bribe to ensure that F1 was sold to CVC since it had agreed to retain him as the sport's boss. Ecclestone faces threats of prosecution in Germany over paying the alleged bribe, and last month BayernLB wrote to him demanding $350 million in damages because it believes its F1 shares were undervalued.
It follows the conviction in June of former BayernLB manager Gerhard Gribkowsky. He was found guilty of receiving the alleged bribe from Ecclestone in return for agreeing to sell the bank's stake in F1 to CVC. Ecclestone says he paid Gribkowsky because the banker threatened—if he was not paid—to tip off the U.K.'s tax authorities with false details about Ecclestone's financial affairs.
CVC has stood by Ecclestone but it is understood that it would be forced to replace him if he is prosecuted. In case this happens, CVC has engaged headhunter firm Egon Zehnder to identify potential replacements for Ecclestone from the top of large global businesses.
One man from within F1 who has been tipped to replace him is 39-year-old Christian Horner, who took over as boss of the championship-winning Red Bull Racing team in 2005. On Sunday, his driver Sebastian Vettel won the championship for the third year running, but Ecclestone dismisses suggestions of Horner taking over.
Ecclestone describes him as "the new kid on the block" and adds "if I wasn't doing what I do there would be an awful lot of changes. The biggest thing is people trust me, so they rely on me. That is the difference. It would take the new guy coming in an awful long time to prove that out."


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Celebrating illustration, design, cartoon and comic art of the mid-20th century.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
"...a symphony of sight, sound and fluid animation."
...an effective balance of color from left to right.
Once again, Kossin chooses a vignette treatment to simplify, a complicated and busy composition. Notice the interesting and effective cropping of the men in the water, and the jet overhead.
Although the detail in the large ship is greatly simplified, it is done so effectively that we think we see more than is actually there. The sign behind the truck on the upper far right, is a wonderful touch of interest and design quality. It is those extra little touches of reality that makes us feel these illustrations were done by an eye witness... which is the job of journalistic illustration. This takes a lot of imagination, research and careful decision making, of which Sandy Kossin is well equipped for the task.
One of my illustration teachers always talked about the importance of "negative shapes"... that is, the shapes in between the objects. He would say, "Always make the negative shapes as interesting as the positive shapes ". Once again Kossin strategically crops the B-26 bomber, creating beautiful negative spaces in the sky background surrounding the bomber.
Countering the angles of the bombers and black smoke are strong horizontal lines of orange tracers at the horizon line. The action swiftly moves our eye from left to right and stops us with the drama of exploding trucks hurling bodies in different directions. Although this indicates one split second frozen in time, it is a symphony of sight, sound and fluid animation. The powerful horizontal composition is full of design devices that is truly a feast for eyes and senses. The orange glow of the tracers and fire balls against the black smoke, creates a chilling impact. Notice the effective texture and rapid bold gritty brushwork indicating black smoke and along the
The upside down fallen soldier to the far right is an important element to direct us toward the small vignette of the ambulance and Castro's men sneaking behind it. Once again, Kossin's use of dark and light patterns are outstanding.
My thanks to Tom Watson, who clipped the these pages for his files back when this issue of Life magazine first came out, in May of 1963. This week Tom provides his insightful analysis as well as all the scans, giving me a nice break!
My Sandy Kossin Flickr set.
2 comments:
- Michael Lark12:14 PM
Thanks so much for posting these! Kossin's work is truly amazing - I can't believe I've never heard of him before. And the composition on that "Jets Howl" spread is great. Not only is each illustration well-composed in its own right, but look at how the images lead the viewer's eye in a circular pattern around the page. I'm just blown away!ReplyDelete
This is a great public service, Leif, and I am really enjoying Tom's insightful commentary. Thanks to both of you.ReplyDelete
Since Mr. Kossin's son is apparently following this, and since Mr. Kossin still has the originals hanging on his wall, I would love to hear if the illustrator has anything to say about this assignment. Does he agree with the rest of us that it was special? Does he have any recollections about it? Did the art director at LIFE Magazine faint when Mr. Kossin brought these in? Hearing about Mr. Kossin's perspective would be the icing on the cake. Thanks for a great week of images.


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Hello how do I post a Question??? Thanks
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Hello how do I post a Question??? Thanks
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RICHMOND, Va. – Several years ago, a movie was made about the long-standing comic book, "The Fantastic Four." Now it seems as if the movie and book have come to real life in the form of the Virginia Commonwealth University women's tennis program.
While that's a slight fabrication of the truth, that's one way to sum up the annual Colonial Athletic Association banquet for the Black & Gold as four different Rams took home All-CAA accolades.
"It was a good night for our girls, it's nice to see them get some recognition," Associate Head Coach Yana Carollo said. "Now, we're just looking forward to getting to business tomorrow and trying to defend our title."
On the singles side, breakout star junior Alex Bara and senior Kateryna Yergina earned All-CAA First Team honors, while both Ana Bara and Josefin Hjertquist were recognized on the All-CAA Second Team.
Alex Bara narrowly missed being named CAA Player of the Year after posting a 17-1 mark this spring, with her only loss coming in a three-set heartbreaker. She's worked her way all the way up the Black & Gold lineup, where she started the spring at the fourth spot and ended at the top. Yergina played at the top of VCU's lineup all spring with 11 of her 14 wins this spring coming in one of the first two spots in the rotation.
Ana Bara has compiled a 17-13 singles mark this year and enters this weekend having won three of her last four matches. Hjertquist played in one of the top two spots in the Rams' rotation all spring and has racked up an 18-16 ledger in singles play this year.
Those same four Rams weren't done as they were also honored on the doubles side. Earning a spot on the All-CAA First Team doubles, Alex Bara and Yergina played at the top doubles position most of the spring, en route to a 13-3 mark and a #31 ranking in the latest ITA doubles poll.
Hjertquist and Ana Bara posted a 10-8 mark in doubles play this spring and earned All-CAA Second Team accolades on the doubles side for the second straight season.


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Two years ago, my son spent his 7th birthday hyperventilating in the shower over all the questions that might never be answered about his past and his future. The cupcakes were eaten and our day had been big-time fun, but the sun set on his heartbreak and he asked to take a late-night shower. We agreed, never guessing he was smart enough to know that behind the curtain, his tears could blend quietly down the drain pipe.
Being 7 and all, he couldn't switch it off with the water.
I have seen a baby grieve, and even a pre-schooler. Silas's tears brought Cory and I to the edges of who we are, his pain was pulsing, palpable. Just below the surface of our life together as a family is a current of unjustness, of loss and pain. It has become a quiet part of our experience. We've been changed.
But until that night with Calvin, I have never seen a child grieve like a full-grown man.
As a mama, bearing the full weight of disarming every heartache and evaporating each tear of my children, I was painfully aware of my limitations in casting away this particular pain. I fell raw into the riptide, allowing myself to believe, for a moment, that I was part of the problem, that I had inadvertently played a role in carving out this place inside my son that throbbed while I sat with wringing hands.
But then the room stopped spinning and the world stood right. Light seeped past the edges of the night and I knew I could help. I knew that I, fully his mother, held a key to unlocking part of his hurt. Not only did I hold the key, I was the only one who could ever hold it.
What he needed from me that night and every single day before and since, is the promise that he never has to choose. He doesn't have to parcel love for his first mom from his love for me. It's not a pie that needs to be portioned or a scale that needs to lean perpetually in my favor.
He can love her with every ounce of his heart. He can daydream about how tall she is and if her eyes look just like his, or if they're rounder, like his brother's. He can conjure up the most beautiful Korean there ever was and claim her as his own.
He can wonder why she let him go while I catch his doubts and all his worries like clean drops of rain, filling the bucket, carrying it with us as we grow. I'm his mom, and I've got this.
I look him in the face and promise she loves him, that she'll never forget him, and he can always do the same for her.
I can wish for a future that finds us one day in the same room with her, knowing there are no guarantees, but allowing him see that I want this, too.
The best gift I have to offer these sweet, small humans, and even the not-so-small one, is that I'm not afraid or threatened by their instinctual, beautiful love and curiosity for the woman who loved them enough to deny her own heartbreak and nudge her baby into its future, her unfailing if fragile motherly instincts whispering her child's worth and greatness in the pauses of an impossible decision.
Calvin tells me all the time that he wants to live in South Korea one day. And though he's just 8, the kid is convincing.
I reserve the right to cry my eyes out and shake my fists at the sky if and when he boards that plane. But I hope I won't. I hope I'll send him out with all my love, denying my own heartbreak, and nudge him into his future.
Just as I used to stalk the mailbox for Robert's letters from prison, I'll pace around waiting to hear from Calvin, from Ruby, from Silas. I have no idea where this world will take them, but I feel like we might be raising some movers-and-shakers, and I hope I'm right. I hope I can match the bravery of their childhood by just a fraction, remembering love means so much more than proximity or skin-tone.
Come what may, I'll keep being their Mom, the woman in the world that cheers for them the loudest. And the one who reminds them often of the woman somewhere out in our world cheering for them in the way only she can.
*I share this story with my son's permission. He wants all the moms to know that "it helps kids to talk about it, even when they're little." :)


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The first of the non-Russian nationals left the country on Thursday, followed by 24 others on Friday, 100 days since the Greenpeace International ship Arctic Sunrise was seized in international waters after a peaceful Arctic oil protest.
Before boarding her flight on Friday, Camila Speziale, 21, of Argentina, said:
"I spent two months in isolation, unable to see the sun or breathe fresh air. I didn't know how long I was going to be there. The conscious part of your mind tells you that it can't last too long, but then you dream at night that you're in jail and you still wake up to see the nightmare is real.
"I should have been allowed to go back home long ago. I faced 15 years in prison, but I've now been given an amnesty for a crime that never happened. My freedom was unjustly stolen from me and I deserve an apology. But freedom is in your mind and the thought of this helped get me through this.
"I took part in a peaceful protest against Arctic oil drilling because letting the planet fall apart is not an option. The risk I took was worth it. If we did not take any action, we would be surrendering our planet to the oil companies. We cannot stop now. We must continue to stand up for our beliefs."
The Arctic 30 were seized by armed commandos in international waters on September 19 after attempting to attach a banner to an Arctic oil platform operated by Gazprom. They were granted amnesty by the Duma (Russian parliament) following a global campaign to free them.
Greenpeace International press desk: +31 20 718 24 70 or Greenpeace International picture desk: +31 20 718 24 71
Greenpeace International video desk: +31 6 46 16 2024


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Bites currently on pace to double typical numbers
Snake bites are skyrocketing in back yards in the Kansas City area, with eight bites reported in less than a week.
Katy Bartholome was bitten by a snake and went almost two days without anti-venom.
"As soon as I put weight down on my foot, I felt immediate pain," she said. "It was like a bullet went through my ankle."
Bartholome said she thinks the snake that bit her was a copperhead. She became nauseated and started to vomit from the venom.
"I ended up having a reaction on my leg. It was horrible," she said.
"We are pretty much halfway through snake bite season. We are on pace to more than double what we've seen in the past," said Dr. Stephen Thorton, a toxicologist from the University of Kansas Hospital. "It's the biggest number we've seen in many, many years."
So far, area poison control centers have seen 11 rattlesnake bites, seven bites from copperheads and two bites from cottonmouths. There have been 10 additional venomous snake bites reported.
Bartholome ran into problems with her snake bite and didn't actually get anti-venom for nearly 48 hours. On top of that, a misinformed friend tried to lend a hand by using his mouth.
"My friends said he was a previous EMT and said, 'I'll suck the venom out,' and he just started to suck the venom out," she said.
Thorton said that while the intent was good, that's a bad idea.
"Cutting, sucking, electricity, tourniquets, ice -- those are things that work in the movies, but don't really work in real life," he said.
Experts said anyone who thinks they've been bitten by a snake should get to a hospital as soon as possible for a dose of anti-venom.
"There are studies showing that even copperhead bites that people think may not be that big of deal can cause long-term problems, if not treated aggressively," Thorton said.


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Hi all,
My name is David, I'm English, here in Vancouver for summer. I am looking for a tennis partner to play with in Kitsilano. I played allot when I was younger at club level, however i've had about 8 years off but am looking to get back into playing and enjoying the game.
Let me know on here, if anyone is keen for a hit,
Views: 52
Ok cool, let me know which you prefer and ill see you there
mcbride, kits hs are the two i usually play at (always sure to find a court and play for more than 30 minutes)
Great! which courts are best for you?
yep next wednesday at noon sounds good!
Hi Patrick,
I unfortunately I cant make tomorrow, how about next wed at 12 noon?
All those times work for me haha (though not this friday, but usually the others are ok). You want to hit tomorrow?
Hi Patrick, I would be keen for a game i'm available Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from about 11am till 5pm as I work evenings. Let me know if these work, cheers, David
Hey David,
I live in kits and am an ok/good player (4.0). I am always searching for as many tennis partners as possible. If you'd like to play, let me know!
© 2019 Created by Mark / The Mayor. Powered by


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Lazy Michael J. Fox discovered disease too late
If only Michael J. Fox, the actor and professional Parkinson's disease victim, had been an Internet genius like Google cofounder Sergey Brin, think of the good he might have done.
That's the outrageous statement that 23andMe cofounder Linda Avey made to Forbes in explaining the wonders of her genetic-testing startup, which she started with Anne Wojcicki, the wife of Brin, the Google gajillionaire. Here's what Avey said:
Sergey is going out and helping so many people. Michael J. Fox has done a lot with his foundation, but he did that after he was diagnosed. If you can find out early, you can do so much more.
Brin discovered through, yes, a genetic test that he is at risk of developing Parkinson's, as is the extremely wealthy child the pregnant Wojcicki is expected to bear at any moment. He's made significant donations to Parkinson's research — including a rather questionable one through the Michael J. Fox Foundation which was then directed to 23andMe.
What, exactly, does Avey think Fox should have done? Pursued a career in biotech instead of acting, so he might have developed a test for Parkinson's? And then what? Taken up smoking, a nasty habit which can nonetheless delay the onset of Parkinson's? Fox has raised millions of dollars for a Parkinson's cure — some of which went more or less directly into Avey's pocket. I'd like to know when 23andMe will detect a genetic propensity for ingratitude.


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Subscribe To The Wild Updates
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The Wild Synopsis
Disney redoes their countertops with the plot from Madagascar.
There's only one word I can think of to describe Disney's new movie The Wild, and that's despicable. This movie makes Shark Tale look original. It was bad enough when someone sort of kind of took Finding Nemo's premise of CGI fish and turned it into a bad comedy starring Will Smith in which fish inexplicably used underwater elevators, but this is worse. Much worse.
The Wild is a blatant ripoff of Madagascar right down to its core. Zoo animals living in a New York Zoo who come to life when the crowds leave? Check. Mission into the city to find one of their missing friends? Check. Cowardly Lion? Check. Awkward Giraffe? Check. Crazy scenes involving an animal hi-jacked Ocean liner? Triple Check. There's not an original moment or thought in the entire trailer. The only thing that makes this movie even slightly different from Madagascar is that they have a Koala.
Now you're probably wondering… wait a minute, which one went into production first? Maybe Madagascar is the real ripoff here. Irrelevant. Though there's been talk that they're both based on the same pitch, or that The Wild went into production first, the reality of this is that Madagascar got it done first. That leaves The Wild out in the cold. Once Disney (or whoever it is that's making this thing for Disney) saw that Madagascar was going to beat them to the punch, the film should have been shelved, or relegated to Disney's extensive straight-to-video collection. Releasing this in theaters with a Disney stamp of approval accomplishes nothing, except to make Disney look really really bad.
More The Wild info from Cinema Blend News (BNN)
Discuss The Wild in the CB Forum.


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Young Racers' Club March 2011 - Zach Hawk
This month's lucky YRC contest winner is Zach Hawk from Knox, Pennsylvania
Zach Hawk, Knox, PA
This month's Young Racers' Club winner comes to us from the Western Pennsylvania town of Knox, which is a little more than one and a half hours from Pittsburgh. Zach Hawk races both a Mini Stock and a Pure Stock at Sportsmans Speedway which is located in his hometown. The track is a wide 1/3-mile (measured on the inside), banked clay oval.
The 2010 season was Zach's first full season of racing and, get this, he won the points championship in Mini Stocks. It wasn't a fluke either, at season's end he was 85 points ahead of his nearest competitor. He cemented the championship on the strength of eight feature wins.
Halfway through the year, Zach and his father decided to added a Pure Stock to their racing activities. A fellow racer had one for sale and as Zach reports, "we went to look at it and decided to buy it on the spot." Zach raced the Pure Stock for the remainder of the season and wound up Eighth in points.
So just how did Zach get into racing? "Well, my dad and uncles had race cars. My dad had a Pure Stock back when he was 18, but he hasn't raced for a while. My uncle had a Mini Stock for sale," says the teen. "My dad never wanted to go racing again but he bought that car any way, and we ended up going to a couple of races last year (2009)."
Seeing the drive in his son, the decision was made to go racing full-time in 2010. After eight wins and the title, Mini Stock racers at Sportsmans will be glad to hear that Zach put his Mini Stock up for sale and will be concentrating on the Pure Stock as well as a Micro Sprint in 2011.
So what's the future look like for this teenager? "I would like to go racing full-time. I wanted a 410 Sprint Car (for 2011) but my dad said that I needed to run more rear-wheel-drive cars before I get into one of those." Well Zack, a $250 gift certificate is on its way to you from our good friends at TCI to give you a hand in a achieving that dream.


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Anushka Jasraj
Anushka Jasraj grew up in Mumbai, India. She holds a BFA in Film Production from NYU, and a MFA in Creative Writing from the New Writers Project at the University of Austin-Texas. She was a 2015-16 fellow at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and is currently based in Austin. She was a regional winner of the Commonwealth short story prize for Asia in 2012 and 2017.


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Mark Hyman, M.D.Functional Medicine Doctor & NY Times bestseller
Dr. Mark Hyman is dedicated to tackling the root causes of chronic disease by harnessing the power of functional medicine to transform healthcare. He is a practicing family physician, a nine-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, and an internationally recognized leader, speaker, educator, and advocate in his field. Hyman is the Director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine and is also the founder and medical director of The UltraWellness Center and a chairman of the board of the Institute for Functional Medicine. He is a medical editor of The Huffington Post, and has been a regular medical contributor on many television shows including CBS This Morning, the Today Show, CNN, The View, the Katie Couric show and The Dr. Oz Show.
What is your wellness philosophy?
Wellness is a journey, not a destination. So many are unwell and don't know why. They suffer from FLC Syndrome (feel like crap). This results from a disconnection between the way we live, eat, think, move, sleep, rest, connect, love and meet our needs as biological creatures. We all need to remove the impediments to health and provide the ingredients for health. This is the foundational philosophy of functional medicine, the science of creating health. The foundations of wellness start with real, whole foods, moving our bodies, deep sleep, living rhythmically, nurturing brain and soul care with meditation and building and feeding deep connections and belonging. The roadmap of functional medicine puts the science behind the tools and a roadmap for thriving and healing.
What brought you into wellness?
My 8th grade gym teacher showed us a movie of handicapped or elderly athletes, like Larry Lewis who at 105 ran five miles back and forth to work every day as a waiter. He inspired me to move and run and take care of myself. I grew up in Spain and my mother shopped in local markets every day and grew a garden in our backyard, which also had fruit trees. I then became a vegetarian while in high school and a yoga teacher before I became a doctor and I studied nutrition at Cornell 40 years ago. Wellness has been my whole life.
What does You. We. All. mean to you?
Illness starts with "I" and wellness starts with "we." We all have to learn self care, self love, and self nurturing. We also have to focus outward, not just inward, on human connection and love and relationships and community and belonging. These are essential ingredients for health and may even be more important than what we eat. And I am not talking about Facebook or Instagram. We need real face time, eye gazing, heart opening—time to see and be seen. An old African proverbs states that "if you want to go swiftly go alone, but if you want to go far go together"." We know that connected human relationships can have positive effects on gene expression and immunity and more. Community is the medicine and the cure for so much of what's wrong with our world. It is the most powerful way to change behavior. You are more likely to be overweight if your friends are overweight, but you are also more likely to be healthy if your friends are healthy. We are social beings; it is only all together that we can transform what is out of balance in ourselves and the world
What gets you up in the morning?
The joy of being alive, of being able to love and play and learn and grow. The joy of doing work that makes the world a little bit better, being of service in the healing of individuals and the community. The cuddles from my wife, the purring of the kitties, and the wagging tail of my dog. And the gift of being in this magic adventure of life.


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Louis Daignault (ISN)
August 23, 2013, GATINEAU, Que. (ISN) – Canada's national men's volleyball team leaves today for Europe for training and a series of matches in preparation for the North and Central America and Caribbean (NORCECA) Continental Championships from September 23 to 28 in Langley, B.C.
It will be the first matches for Team Canada since its remarkable fifth place finish in the FIVB World League tournament earlier this summer. Canada went 9-3 in the tournament, which included a victory over Olympic champions Russia and climbed from 18th to 11th in the world rankings.
On the European tour, the Canadians will be in Slovenia for training, an exhibition match against Ural Ufa of the Russian Superleague on Sunday and an invitational tournament August 29-31. In that tournament Canada will face world number-nine Bulgaria which placed fourth in World League earlier this summer, on August 29, Denmark on August 30 and will conclude their tournament by playing the host team Slovenia on August 31.
Team Canada then heads to St-Nazaire, France for training and matches against the French national team (ranked 18th in the world, 10th in World League) on September 4 and September 6.
The NORCECA championships in Langley will offer valuable world ranking points, and the winner will qualify for the 2013 Grand Champions Cup to be held from November 19-24 in Japan.
Team Canada roster for the European Tour August 23- September 7, 2013
Players: Dustin Schneider, Brandon, Man.; Josh Howatson, Victoria BC; T.J. Sanders, London, Ont.; Gavin Schmitt, Saskatoon,SK; Dallas Soonias, Red Deer, Alta.; Blair Bann, Edmonton AB; Dan Lewis, Oakville, Ont.; Fred Winters, Victoria BC; Toon Van Lankvelt, River, Man.; Nicholas Hoag, Sherbrooke, Que.; Steve Gotch, Okotoks, Alta.; Jason Derocco, East St. Paul, Man.; Rudy Verhoeff, Calgary, AB; Justin Duff, Winnipeg, MB; Adam Simac, Ottawa, Ont,; Graham Vigrass, Calgary AB.
Head coach: Glenn Hoag, Sherbrooke, Que.
Assistant coach: Vincent Pichette, Gatineau, Que.
Team manager: Julien Boucher, Quebec City
Physio therapist : Kristian Séguin, Gatineau, Que.
Statistician : Murat Haktanir, Izmir, Turkey.


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Billing Policy - Update
We have made some important changes to our Billing Policy.
We have made some important changes to our Billing Policy.
Vianet is very proud to be making a donation to help support the Hospice Huronia that provides vital services to residents of North Simcoe and the surrounding areas. It is important to us to be a community partner with great organizations that help the communities we serve.
Big Congratulations goes out to Justine for winning the Downtown Sudbury "Win This Space" competition and receiving Vianet's awesome small business telecom package.
Click here for details regarding the activation of our first customer in the King Township Rural broadband expansion project, or watch the video here.
Information about Internet Service Provider (ISP) "notice-and-notice" and bill C-11 (a.k.a. Copyright Modernization Act, also abbreviated to "CMA").
Tuesday, 5 Jan 2016
This is a reminder to beware of fraudulent emails and sites asking for private information such as usernames and passwords.
Please visit the RCMP website to learn more on how to protect yourself and others online.
© 2019 Vianet


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We've been warning for some time that, in response to the election to the Board of Trustees of independent alumni rather than those who toe the administration line, Dartmouth would, in effect, pull the plug on the democratic system of governance that's been in place since 1891. The following email from Board Chairman Ed Haldeman means that Dartmouth has done just that. Haldeman writes, in relevant part:
Dear Members of the Dartmouth Community,
Earlier today, the Dartmouth Board of Trustees took several steps to strengthen [sic] the College's governance. Given the intense debate about this issue in recent months, I wanted to write to you as soon as possible to tell you what we've done and why. . . .
The changes we are making preserve alumni democracy at Dartmouth by keeping eight alumni-nominated trustees. They expand the Board with eight additional charter trustees, adding alumni to meet the needs of the College. And, they address the destructive politicization of trustee campaigns that have hurt Dartmouth. These changes represent a balancing of competing interests. They are true to Dartmouth's founding principles. And, they will ensure that, moving forward, the College has a strong, effective, and independent governing body. . . .
After. . .much thought and deliberation, the Board of Trustees concluded that Dartmouth should strengthen [sic] its governance by taking steps to:
* Expand the Board by Adding More Alumni to Better Meet the Needs of the College: We are expanding the Board from 18 to 26 to ensure it has the broad range of backgrounds, skills, expertise, and fundraising capabilities needed to steward an institution of Dartmouth's scope and complexity. Dartmouth has been at a competitive disadvantage to its peers, with one of the smallest Boards of any comparable institution. We have had 18 members on our Board, versus an average of 42 trustees at peer schools and an average of 34 at other liberal arts colleges. We also are giving the Board more flexibility to select trustees who offer the specific talents and experiences that the College needs, which elections don't ensure. We will accomplish both of these goals by adding eight new charter trustee seats to the Board.
* Preserve Alumni Democracy by Retaining Alumni Trustee Elections: We are maintaining alumni trustee elections at their current level and preserving the ability of alumni to petition onto the ballot. Dartmouth currently has the highest proportion of alumni-nominated trustees of any peer institution and is one of the few schools that allows alumni to petition directly onto the ballot. The Board believes that this gives Dartmouth's alumni an important direct voice in our governance and fosters greater alumni involvement in the College. Dartmouth will continue to have one of the most democratic trustee election processes of any college in the country.
* Simplify the Alumni Nomination Process: Dartmouth's trustee elections have become increasingly politicized, costly, and divisive. It's not the results of these elections that are the problem, but the process itself. So we are charging the Alumni Council and the Association of Alumni to develop and implement a process for selecting alumni trustee nominees that preserves elections, maintains petition access to the ballot, and adopts a one-vote, majority-rule election process.
* Improve Direct Board Engagement with Alumni and Other Stakeholders: A larger group of trustees representing even more diverse backgrounds will help us enhance Board engagement with key areas of the College including academic affairs, student life, and alumni relations. We are therefore creating new Board committees focused on each of these three critical areas. This will facilitate greater interaction and communication with individuals in each of these three areas.
While we will continue to have eight trustees nominated directly by alumni, a significant number of seats on the Board, I know some will ask why we didn't simply expand the Board through an equal number of charter and alumni trustee seats. Given the divisiveness of recent elections we did not believe that having more elections would be good for Dartmouth. We also believe that the Board needs more trustees selected for the specific talents and experiences they can offer the College – which elections can't guarantee. We will still have more alumni-nominated trustees than most other schools and the opportunity for regular contested elections. But we think this is the best balancing of Dartmouth's interests. . . .
So there you have it — more elections aren't good for Dartmouth because they are "divisive" and don't guarantee the outcomes that Haldeman and the administration desire.
Dartmouth alumni now face a choice that for some of us will be difficult and perhaps even "divisive" — whether to financially support a college that, due to distrust of its alumni, seeks to insulate its administration from their meaningful say.
UPDATE: Joe Malchow has the gory details. Among other things, Haldeman and his gang apparently implemented, in essence, the changes to the constitutional provision on elections that the alumni rejected last year. No apology was issued to those of us who wasted our time voting in that election.
To comment on this post, go here.


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In today's business world IT professionals have to manage multiple collaboration applications in order to support an increasingly mobile workforce, flexible desktop solutions as well as collaboration and video rooms within their organizations. The collaboration environment is multi-endpoint and multi-vendor and reaches beyond enterprise boundaries – both B2B and B2C.
Compounding this IT challenge is the maturity of the collaboration market. To date, companies have typically made significant investments and want to protect these investments as they move forward. In particular, companies want to protect the quality of experience as they move to integrate across department, company and consumer boundaries, and as they look to expand their deployments. This challenge grows more acute as the market rapidly evolves towards innovations such as H.265 and WebRTC.
Companies are looking for true interoperability with a seamless user experience that:
– Allows them to benefit from new innovations
– Interoperates with existing and future investments
– And, works across company boundaries and functions in a diverse environment
A critical element to delivering this vision is standards. One of the more recent emerging standards that several vendors, including Cisco, have implemented is H.264 SVC. This standard brings benefits, such as supporting conferencing scalability; however, it also brings some familiar challenges:
– H.264 SVC is loosely defined, which means each vendor has a different implementation – no interoperability
– Due to the lack of standardization on how to signal H.264 SVC; there is no standard means to interoperate with H.264 AVC, arguably the dominant industry standard today
Clearly, standards are necessary but they are insufficient to fully address the interoperability vision.
Cisco's strategy to delivering true interoperability combines an architectural approach with a rigorous adherence to standards.
At InfoComm 2013 Cisco announced two key interoperability capabilities. First, we're adding interoperability support for H.264 SVC into our portfolio. The centerpiece of this is the Cisco Video Communications Server (VCS) platform. The VCS platform interworks H.264 SVC and H.264 AVC, enabling H.264 SVC endpoints to connect to any standards based H.264 AVC endpoint and/or conference platform. Secondly, we demonstrated how this enables us to deliver interoperability with vendors such as Microsoft's Lync 2013. Not only does the VCS provide interworking between Microsoft Lync's H.264 SVC implementation with H.264 AVC but the VCS also provides signaling and encryption interworking with Microsoft Lync.
With Cisco's support of H.264 SVC customers can interoperate across a heterogeneous deployment and scale these deployments cost effectively.
This interoperability solution delivers HD quality while optimizing infrastructure costs, specifically removing the need for a transcoding gateway.
As we move forward Cisco will further develop this interoperability approach to support migration to new innovations in the industry.
Click on the videos below to learn more and see a demo on Cisco's support of interoperability and H.264 SVC.