text:
Whether you've been once, ten times, or never; there's always a reason to pine for Paris. Immortalized in countless films and books, areas like Montmartre, with its narrow roads winding up the hillside, and Île Saint Louis, with its spectacular views of the Seine and Notre Dame, are every bit as charming and beautiful in person as you might imagine. The Parisian lifestyle, slower paced in some respects then the one we typically lead in America, is also enviable. People truly appreciate quality and craftsmanship in every element of their daily life whether it's the baguette they pick up in the morning or a tailored blouse they purchase from a boutique. If you're willing to venture outside the center of Paris to arrondissements such as the 10th and 11th, you will get a slice of local life and see the natural wine bars, avant-garde bistros and artsy boutiques frequented by young Parisians.
Part two of my Paris guide is designed to help make your dreams of visiting and revisiting the city a reality with a list of recommended hotels as well as a list of markets, day trips and events that will help you take your Paris journey beyond the typical tourist attractions.
Good deals
Believe it or not, there are decent accommodations to be found for under $200 in Paris. The best ones are understandably quite popular, so book in advance.
This is a wise choice for those who like aspects of a hostel stay, like a youthful scene and communal spaces, but would prefer not to share a room with strangers. Starting at just €78 a night, private rooms are very reasonably priced. If you're fine with sharing, you can really save some money. Beds start at €17 a night. Generator Hostel is located in the 11th arrondissement close to Parc des Buttes Chaumont. There are plenty of good restaurants and coffee shops nearby. The 9th floor rooftop bar with views of Montmartre and Sacré-Coeur is no typical hostel hangout.
9-11 Place du Colonel Fabien
Paris, 75011
+33 01 70 98 84 00
Experimental Group, the cocktail gurus behind many of Paris's best bars as well as spots in London and New York, opened this hotel in the 9th . Cocktails do play a pivotal roll. The hotel bar serves excellent straightforward drinks and premade cocktails are available in guest rooms. Look closely at the carpet found throughout the upper floors, those are tiny martini glasses in the pattern. Guestrooms have large windows and views onto Rue Frochot. This is a popular nightlife area and the streets can get loud late at night.
29 Rue Victor Massé
Paris, 75009
+33 01 85 73 12 00
This lovely locally owned hotel is just a stone's throw from Place des Vosges. Rooms are small, but tidy with modern furnishings. They also serve a nice breakfast.
12 Rue de Birague
Paris, 75004
+33 01 42 72 02 64
Hoxton's properties in London and Amsterdam offer a cool scene and comfortable guestrooms, but at a fraction of the cost of the typical European luxury hotel and the Paris Hoxton is no exception. Shoebox rooms start at just 99 euros a night. Located in an 18th century residence, guestrooms have parquet floors and white subway tile bathrooms. The lobby is a space for guests and locals and includes the brasserie Rivié and the cocktail bar Jacques'. Located in the 2nd, Hoxton Paris is walking distance to the Palais Royal, the Louvre and Les Halles.
30-32 Rue du Sentier
Paris, 75002
+33 01 85 65 75 00
This hipster hangout near Père Lachaise Cemetary (where Jim Morrison's tomb is located) is a little ways away from the tourist sites, but that's part of the appeal. If you stay here, you'll get to explore the burgeoning 20th arrondissement and you're very near the trendy 11th frequented by young Parisians and teaming with cool bistros, bars and boutiques. Mama Shelter's eateries, a Neapolitan-style pizza restaurant and a cocktail bar with frequent live music, become lively hangouts for locals on weekends.
109 Rue de Bagnolet
Paris, 75020
+33 01 43 48 48 48
If you're able to spend a little bit more, you are spoiled for choice when it comes to beautifully designed boutique hotels with good locations in Paris. These options fall in the $200-$400 a night range.
This building has the distinction of being Paris's first bakery. According to the website, it's where the writer Victor Hugo would buy his baguette. A listed historic monument, the boulangerie frontage remains and it sets the tone for the quirky world of designer Christian Lacroix that you enter when you stay here. Lacroix designed the 16 rooms and one junior suite, and each room is different. I like the Marais-inspired room with Toile de Jouy wallpaper. Bathrooms feature Venetian mirrors and slate finishes. The location puts you right in the center of the fashionable Upper Marais.
29 Rue du Poitou
Paris, 75003
+33 01 42 74 10 10
Also in the Upper Marais, Hotel Jules and Jim offers a much more contemporary ambience. That's because, while the frame of the 18th century building remains, everything else is new construction. Guestrooms feature wooden bedframes, tile showers and crisp white sheets. There's a nice surprise within the hotel, a courtyard with a vertical garden and an adjacent bar serving specialty cocktails and Veuve Clicquot Champagne.
11 Rue des Gravilliers
Paris, 75003
+33 01 44 54 13 13
Les Bains was a thermal bathhouse during the Belle Époque then in the late 70's it became a legendary nightclub. It has entered a new phase as a luxury boutique hotel. It's the type of place where you can find something going on morning, noon and night. Beautiful public spaces include a striking bar beneath a rippling red lacquer ceiling, a restaurant popular with locals and guests and a club hosting live shows, concerts and events. There's also a wellness spa with a swimming pool and hammam.
7 Rue du Bourg l'Abbé
Paris, 75003
+33 01 42 77 07 07
The House of Hackney velvet wallpaper, claw foot bathtubs and black lacquered cocktail bars in each room set the tone in this discreet hotel in the 10th arrondissement. There's plenty to draw you outside of the comfy confines of your room. The Providence has a buzzy bar, excellent wood-fired grill restaurant and rooftop terrace. The location makes exploring the trendy boutiques and restaurants of the Upper Marais and Canal Saint Martin easy. Food and cocktail connoisseurs will appreciate the dessert trolley from Pâtisserie des Rêves, room service featuring a lobster sandwich on brioche and the copper shaker and cocktail recipes in each room that allow guests to explore their inner mixologist.
90 Rue René Boulanger
Paris, 750010
+33 01 46 34 34 04
Guestroom prices are a little high (around $400 a night) for a boutique hotel, but with an indoor swimming pool, a spa and a gastronomic restaurant, Le Roch Hotel & Spa offers the amenities of a five star hotel. Sarah Lavoine designed the interiors and the lobby feels like a library with bookshelves and a fireplace. The 37 guestrooms feel Art Deco inspired. The CODAGE Spa offers personalized skincare treatments.
28 Rue Saint-Roch
Paris, 75001
+33 01 70 83 00 00
One of the main reasons you should consider booking a room at this left bank address is the restaurant. Midweek guests are guaranteed a spot at the idyllic French bistro when chef Yves Camdebord prepares a tasting menu. The father of bistronomy is one of the most talented chefs in the city. Camdebord also owns the hotel. Cozy Rooms feature leopard print furnishings and wood beamed ceilings. Camdebord's L'Avant Comptoir, a stand-up tapas style restaurant and L'Avant Comptoir de La Mer, an oyster bar, are also worth trying.
9 Carrefour de l'Odeon
Paris, 75006
+33 01 44 27 07 97
High End
Only the best hotels in France receive the "Palace" designation from the French Tourism Agency ATOUT France. If you can afford to stay the night in one (prices start at around $800 a night), do so at least once. It will be memorable and the closest you'll likely get to staying in an actual palace. These are my favorites:
This luxury hotel looking out onto the Jardins de Champs-Élysées feels more like a private mansion than a hotel. It's still been awarded Palace status because it offers luxury amenities like an indoor swimming pool, a spa, a two Michelin star restaurant and concierge services. The interiors designed by Jacques Garcia are striking. The bar and lobby lounge, all red and gold, seem to take inspiration from the Second Empire style found in the Napoleon III apartments at the Louvre. These darker more sultry spaces provide a striking contrast to the 26 suites and 14 guest rooms. Italian silk walls, herringbone oak parquet floors and Carrera and Turquin blue marble bathrooms keep the spacious guest rooms light and bright. The beautiful art nouveau-inspired headboards are by Prelle in Lyon.
42 Avenue Gabriel
Paris, 75008
+33 01 58 36 60 60
Many of the scenes from Midnight in Paris were filmed at this grand dame on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. The Panoramic Suite, with views of Sacré-Coeur, Montmartre and the Opera Garnier, is where Rachel McAdams and Owen Wilson's characters stayed in the film and it looks just at is did in on screen with its purple and white floral bedspread and drapes. That room costs a pretty penny, but all the guest rooms at Le Bristol are beautiful. They're decorated with antique mirrors and Louis XV furnishings and works of art from the family who owns the hotels personal art collection. Le Bristol even employs its own team of artisans to refurbish the antique furnishings regularly so they stay in tip-top condition. Le Bristol's three Michelin star restaurant Epicure is one of the best in Paris.
112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honré
Paris, 75008
+33 01 53 43 43 00
When you step into Le Royal Monceau, you immediately sense that this hotel is different from the other "Palaces" in Paris. More playful and irreverent, the hotel gift shop is an art bookshop, there's a 99 seat movie theater off of the lobby serving popcorn and champagne and macaron-master Pierre Hermé is the pastry chef. Philippe Stark is responsible for the interior design and he took inspiration from an artist's work studio in the guest rooms featuring mirrored surfaces, contemporary artworks and guitars. Le Royal Monceau's spa My Blend by Clarins is ethereal and relaxing. Painted white from head to toe, it sports a 23-meter swimming pool, the longest in Paris, and a skylight floods the space with natural light. The spa offers day-long detox programs, rebalancing massages and anti-aging treatments. Health and wellness is incorporated into other aspects of the hotel as well. The restaurant La Cuisine features a detox-friendly breakfast. Located North of the Arc de Triomphe, the hotel does feel a little bit removed from the center of the city. This could be good or bad depending on what you're looking for.
37 Avenue Hoche
Paris, 75008
+33 01 42 99 88 00
This storied property has had many lives. Queen Isabella II of Spain owned a palace on the site in the 1800s. Construction on a hotel began in the early 1900s and the Hotel Majestic opened in 1908. It was occupied by the Germans during WWII and became a UNESCO Headquarters and then a conference center following the war. The Paris Peace Accords, ending the Vietnam War, were signed in what is today Bar Kléber in 1973. Peninsula Hotels acquired the property in 2008 and it took six year of design, planning, construction and refurbishment to turn in into the Peninsula Paris. Every corner of this 200-room hotel is impressive from the lobby with hand-applied gold leaf and a crystal art installation that cascades down from the soaring ceiling, to the trompe l'oeil frescoes in the cigar lounge. Guest rooms are more contemporary with a neutral color scheme and high tech tablets that control lights, temperature and room service. The rooftop L'Oiseau Blanc restaurant offers well-balanced cocktails and a jaw-dropping view of the Eiffel Tower.
19 Avenue Kléber
Paris, 75116
+33 01 58 12 28 88
This beautiful hotel used to be the palace of Napoleon's nephew Prince Roland Bonaparte and grand spaces, like the former drawing room, have been immaculately restored and are now used as event space. The hotel manages to feel intimate, but it has everything you could possibly want in a luxury hotel—an indoor pool, a spa, and three excellent restaurants, including one of the only Michelin-star rated Chinese restaurants in the world. Guest rooms feature contemporary furnishings but the Imperial Suite, Bonaparte's former private apartment, is decorated in period style– all blue and gold and decorated with Chinese vases; it's one of the most beautiful hotel suites in the city.
10 Avenu d'Iéna
Paris, 75116
+33 01 53 67 19 98
The timeless Ritz Paris reopened in June 2016 after a nearly four-year restoration and renovation. An homage to French art de vivre, the hand painted Limoges porcelain service used since the hotel's opening in 1898 still graces the tables in the two Michelin starred L'Espadon restaurant and guest rooms, refurbished by Thierry Despont, have an unapologetic classic French feel (soft pastel hues, tulip lamps and Louis XVI style furnishings). Tucked off Hall Vendôme, the Salon Proust offers oak paneling and a crackling fire. The spongy madeleines served as part of the afternoon tea à la Française are a nod to author Marcel Proust who held court at the Ritz and immortalized the French cakes in his novel "In Search of Lost Time." The Bar Hemingway serves some of the most expensive cocktails in the world, but the casual atmosphere and friendly service make it unpretentious.
15 Place Vendôme
Paris, 75001
+33 01 43 16 30 30
Marché Bastille
This massive market near the Bastille takes place every Sunday. Must visit vendors include the Chicken Lady for spatchcocked birds flavored with things like honey and ginger, the vegetarian falafel stand for tomato and herb wraps and any of the organic fruit and vegetable purveyors for excellent produce.
8 Boulevard Richard Lenoir
Paris, 75011
+33 01 43 24 74 39
Marché Bio Raspail
This all-organic market in the chichi 6th has higher prices than many of the other markets in Paris, but everything, from the fruits and vegetables to the takeaway food, is excellent. Look for Poulet de Bresse, fresh baked English muffins and the most incredible veggie paella in the land.
Boulevard Raspail
Paris, 75006
+33 01 43 24 74 39
Marché d'Aligre
Located in the somewhat off-the-tourist-track 12th, this market has a local feel and the prices are lower than many of the others. A number of organic fruit and vegetable stands are a highlight and the covered market has vendors selling roast chicken and a craft beer shop. The market runs along Rue d'Aligre and the street is lined with good restaurants. The butcher and restaurant Les Provinces sells some of the best meat in the city.
Place d'Aligre
Paris, 75012
The oldest market in Paris is more of a gourmet food hall these days where you can choose between Jamaican, Moroccan and Japanese cuisine. It's a wonderful place to go for lunch, but keep in mind, each vendor is like a "mini restaurant" and sitting in its space with food from another vendor is typically frowned upon. The market does have a fishmonger, two fruit and vegetable stands and a florist.
39 Rue de Bretagne
Paris, 75003
+33 01 40 11 20 40
Day Trips
Overshadowed by Versailles, but with much more history, this palace 45 minutes south of Paris is very much worth visiting. Fontainebleau dates back to the 12th century, but much of what you see today was built in the 1500s when François I, the king credited with bringing the Renaissance and Leonardo da Vinci to France, renovated the palace. The gallery that bares his name with allegorical frescos by Rosso Fiorentino, white stucco figures, and gold leaf detailing, is a highlight. Marie Antoinette's jewel box-like Turkish Boudoir and the Imperial Theater of Napoleon III, are beautiful, but only visible via private tour.
From Gare de Lyon, take a Transilien train for either Montargis Sens, Montereau or Laroche-Migennes, getting off at Fontainebleau-Avon station. Take the Ligne 1 bus heading for Les Lilas and get off at the Château stop.
The main reason people visit this village in Normandy is to see the home and gardens where Claude Monet painted for over 40 years. The entire town seems to capitalize on its ties to the Impressionist painter. There's a wonderful Museum of Impressionism and the main road is lined with art galleries. During Monet's lifetime, the town became a pilgrimage point for artists hoping to meet and study with the famed painter. At Fondation Claude Monet, visitors can go inside Monet's country home with Kelly green shutters and a sunny yellow dining room decorated with Japanese prints and stroll around the Water Garden. The water lily topped-pond surrounded by bamboo forest starred in Monet's most famous paintings.
From Paris take the train from Gare Saint Lazare to Gare de Vernon. It takes 45 minutes. From here you can walk or ride a bike to Giverny, it's 7 km and bike rentals are available in front of Vernon Station. Shuttle buses from Vernon to Giverny also leave 15 minutes after each train arrives.
Josephine and Napoleon Bonaparte's château nine miles west of Paris may be the most overlooked tourist site in Île de France. This means you should definitely go because it's fabulous and never very crowded. The first thing you need to understand about Malmaison is that it really was Josephine's domaine. The future Empress reportedly purchased it in 1799 without telling Napoleon and she lived there permanently after their divorce in 1809. She died there just five years later. Josephine's soul emanates from every corner, including the elegant dining room with black and white floor tiles (Josephine was a legendary entertainer) to the gardens where rare roses still bloom. A passionate botanist, during her time at Malmaison, Josephine grew 250 varieties of roses and also had a greenhouse where she cultivated nearly 200 plants in France for the first time. Napoleon's presence can be felt in the masculine library with arched ceilings and in his military tent-inspired bedroom. Take a moment to examine the family tree in the stairwell. The royal families of Belgium, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark are all Josephine's descendants.
To get to Malmaison take the RER A train to "La Defense," then take Bus 258 and get off at "Le Chateau." Another option is to take the RER to Rueil-Malmaison, but it's about a mile walk to the chateau.
Louis XIV's Superintendent of Finances, Nicolas Fouquet, built this stunning château outside Paris in the 17th century. After attending a lavish party there, Louis XIV was reportedly so jealous he commissioned the architect, painter, and landscaper to create Versailles and he had Fouquet arrested and thrown in jail for embezzling money. Fouquet died in prison in 1680, but the Baroque château endures. For an extra three euros you can climb into Vaux-le-Vicomte's dome for a spectacular view of the grounds. The best part about visiting is strolling the one-and-a-half-mile-long garden designed by André le Nôtre, which reveals canals, grottos, and other hidden treasures as you meander through. Sill privately owned, several popular films have been shot at the château including The Man in the Iron Mask and The Pink Panther. Vaux-le-Vicomte is at its most magical on Saturdays from May to October when 2,000 candles illuminate the castle and the gardens and it stays open until midnight. Picnics are allowed on the grassy lawn at the back of the property.
Vaux-le-Vicomte would probably be more popular if it was easier to get to. From Paris Gare de l'Est, take the direct train Line P in the direction of Provins. Get off at the Verneuil l'Etang train station. Direct trains leave every 60 minutes and it's a 35 minute trip. Click here for the train schedule (only in French).
At the station, there is a "Châteaubus" shuttle that picks visitors up and takes them to the château. It's in front of the train station exit and is cash only. Check the Vaux-le-Vicomte website for latest information on prices and to see if the shuttle is running on your desired date.
For two guides based on my favorite French kings go here.
Bastille Day
The French equivalent of the 4th of July takes place each July 14th. The national holiday celebrates the Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, a turning point in the French Revolution. While many businesses are closed, it's still a fun day to be in Paris. There's a military parade in the morning on the Champs-Élysées and a fireworks display at the Eiffel Tower after the sun goes down.
Fête de la Musique
On the longest day of the year, Paris becomes one big live music venue with free outdoor concerts taking place throughout the city. Restaurants join in the fun by holding block party-like celebrations where small bites and beverages are sold outdoors. Fête de la Musique takes place June 21rst, the summer solstice, and the line-up for the upcoming festival can be found here.
The Montmartre Harvest Festival
Paris's most famous butte, topped by the Byzantine Sacré-Coeur church, was once covered in vines. One vineyard still occupies a spot on the back of the hillside and this annual festival celebrates the release of its vintage as well as French food and wine. The narrow streets of Montmartre are filled with vendors selling nougat, foie gras-filled sandwiches and escargot. The festival is organized by region, so make the rounds. For more on what to eat, click here.
Journées Européennes du Patrimoine
During Journées Européennes du Patrimoine, European Heritage Days, it is possible to visit many sites that are typically closed to the public such as the Hôtel de Bourvellais in Place Vendôme where Chancellors have lived since the 18th century and the library of the Hôtel de Sens, a medieval mansion in the Marais. European Heritage Days takes place for two days each September.
This all night arts festival includes public art throughout the city. There are interactive performances, light projections on buildings and installations in many of Paris's most beautiful buildings. Check here for the lineup and know lines can get long.
Salon International de l'Agriculture
This International Agriculture Show will make your head spin. In late February, early March, the massive expo center at Porte Versailles becomes a showcase for France's heritage livestock, heirloom fruits and vegetables and gourmet food products. It's organized by zone. There's an exhibition hall devoted to horses, visitors can see the different breeds, purchase equipment and even watch an equestrian show; one devoted to cats and dogs; a vegetable crops and related sectors zone where the public can learn about the latest trends in gardening; and a massive gastronomical zone, where every region of France is represented and vendors sell wine, cheese, prepared foods and baked goods. If you want to know what you're getting into, watch the film Saint Amor.
The iconic French luxury brand Hérmes began as a saddle maker in the 1800s. While, today, it's more well known for handbags and scarves, it still makes the finest riding equipment on the market. To honor its origins, Hérmes sponsors a horse jumping competition each year called the Saut Hermès. Taking place beneath the domed ceiling of the Grand Palais each spring, it's both adrenaline pumping and aesthetically pleasing. Many of the world's best riders participate and there's a equestrian acrobatic show each evening of the competition.


text:
You are hereYou are here: Inicio › The Bank › Press releases › Banco de la República reduces the benchmark interest rate by 25 bp to 4.5%.
Banco de la República reduces the benchmark interest rate by 25 bp to 4.5%.
The Board of Directors of Banco de la República, in its meeting today, decided to reduce the benchmark interest rate by 25 bp, placing it at 4.5% For this decision, the Board mainly took into account the following aspects:
- In December, yearly inflation fell less than expected, reaching 4.09%. Except for food, all the major components of the CPI registered yearly variations somewhat greater than had been projected. The average of core inflation indicators increased again, reaching 4.66%.
- Inflation expectations recorded slight changes. Those by analysts to December 2018 and 2019 stand, on average, at 3.47% and 3.33%, respectively. Those embedded in public debt bonds remain above 3.0%.
- Inflation and core inflation are expected to decrease in the coming months, partly due to the dissipation of the effects of the increases in indirect taxes at the beginning of last year.
- External demand continues to recover, driven by developed economies and by the major emerging economies. The US dollar has depreciated vis-à-vis most other currencies, and the risk premia in the region, including Colombia, have reduced. Oil prices increased again, reaching levels higher than the averages registered in the last two years. Should this trend continue, the country's terms of trade would continue improving and, together with the better dynamics expected from external demand, would continue to favor the recovery of the country's external income.
- Due to the higher external income, the technical staff reduced their estimation of the current account deficit from 3.7% to 3.5% of GDP in 2017; additionally, it forecasted that it would continue reducing to 3.3% in 2018.
- The new figures for the country's economic activity in the last quarter of 2017 confirm a weak domestic demand, with which the Central Bank's technical staff maintained its growth forecast at 1.6% for 2017. For 2018, its growth forecast is 2.7%. The increase in the growth rate would be supported by the acceleration of external demand, the effects of the previous reductions in interest rates, and investment in civil works, among other factors. However, according to this forecast, the underuse of the installed capacity would broaden this year.
Based on this information, the Board considered the following factors for its decision:
- Weakness of the economic activity and uncertainty over its pace of recovery. Should the price of oil remain at current levels for a prolonged period, investment in the sector would increase and national income would improve. However, uncertainty on the persistence of these shocks is high.
- The less-favorable behavior registered in some groups of the CPI vis-à-vis the forecast by the technical staff, and the risk that convergence of inflation to its target be slower than expected. Weakness of demand and the exchange-rate effect of the country's terms of trade would alleviate this risk. However, uncertainty on these events is high.
In this context, after assessing the risk balance of the weakness of the economic activity and its expected recovery and the pace of convergence of inflation to its target, the Board deemed appropriate to reduce the benchmark interest rate to 4.5%. Some indicators suggest that at this level the monetary policy stance is slightly expansionary. With the information available, the Board considers that the reduction cycle of the interest rate has been completed.
The Board will continue to carefully monitor the behavior of inflation and the forecasts for economic activity and inflation in the country, as well as the international context. Finally, the Board reiterates that the monetary policy will depend on the availability of new information.
The decision to reduce the benchmark interest rate by 25 bp was approved by four (4) members of the Board. The three (3) remaining members of the Board voted to keep it unaltered.
This content has been translated into English for informational purposes. Upon any query regarding its interpretation or enforceability, the Spanish version shall be deemed official, and will prevail over the English version. The authors of specific texts such as working papers or articles select the language of publication; therefore, there might be cases in which the content may only be available in English.
- The Bank
- What We Do
- Who We Are / Locations
- History
- Press releases
- Bank Holidays
- Anti-Money laundering and counter terrorism financing risk management system - SARLAFT
- Board of Directors
- Research and Publications
- Press releases
- Regulation
- Banknotes and Coins
- Statistics

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Eating Your Way Around the World – By Craig
Eating your way around the world By: Craig One of the pleasures of travelling is learning about local customs and culture and food makes a massive part of that. Beyond the different flavours, produce and textures, eating your way around the world can teach you a lot about the people and history of a country. … Continue reading
Review: The Layover – Seattle
– For all Anthony Bourdain episodes, click here! – As Tony is quick to point out, Seattle has one of the biggest food scenes in the US… which is probably why it is where Tony picked to conclude season 2 of the layover. I have never been to Seattle, so I was especially interested in … Continue reading
Review: The Layover – New Orleans
I didn't plan on getting behind on my "The Layover" episodes, but since I did it just happened that I would be writing on the New Orleans episode the day before the Super Bowl! Tomorrow, well over 100 million people will tune in to watch the Harbaugh brothers battle for the Lombardi trophy, but … Continue reading
Review: The Layover – Taipei
– Click Here For More Anthony Bourdain Episodes! – One of the first things that jumps out to me from this episode is the night markets. This is one of the first places that Tony goes after hopping off of his plane. The markets have been built around traditional temples that are still in use … Continue reading
Review: The Layover – Atlanta (and their belt line!)
– I have been in Atlanta before (notice I say in and not to). I ate dinner in the airport on a short layover on my way home. And that's it! I wish I could have seen more, but such is plane travel. One thing I love about The Layover that you miss out with … Continue reading


text:
In November 2017, Liz Ianelli, LCSW was one of the guests featured in the above video excerpt from "The Doctors." Liz Ianelli, a survivor of an abusive program herself, is a therapist who specializes in treating survivors of the troubled teen industry. Start video at 2:15 to hear Liz explain her practice.
If you are a survivor of Straight Inc. or any other abusive programs from the troubled teen industry, and are interested in therapy or if you are a therapist interested in learning more about Liz's techniques, please do not hesitate to contact her.
Ianelli's website is SurvivorNineNineThree. Contact Info: email@example.com
Liz is also the founder of the #ISeeYouSurvivor Campaign
If You Are A Therapist:
Presumably you are on this site to learn more about Straight, to better understand a client's background. Thank you for taking the time to learn more.
If you are willing and able to treat Straight survivors for PTSD and other issues related to institutional abuse and would like to publish your contact information on this page, please email this website at email@example.com
Rich Mullinax C-PTSD Treatment Summary for UGA - Rich Mullinax was a former client/turned Executive staff member at Straight who submitted a public apology in 2009. Rich Mullinax, like many former Straight clients, had C-PTSD. This link is a summary of his treatment for C-PTSD. His apology is posted here:
Over the years survivors have compiled information, based on survivor observations, to help fellow survivors. See Below.....
Waking up is Hard To Do! (compiled by Ann Marie Lett)
Welcome to the boards. Welcome to the survivors family.
This is truly what we have found through our shared experiences and unique bonding.
It is our hope that you find understanding, help and healing during this difficult time.
The Terms.
"waking up" or "awakening" We use to describe the process of memory recall that occurs years after leaving Straight (the average survivor, we are finding upon waking up is approx. 20-25 years out). This time frame is unique to the individual's circumstances also. Current life stress/trauma can trigger the awakening process, or if one is not ready/able to process sometimes it is delayed. We define it as waking process, as the memories return for many of us in fuzzy/fog like bits and pieces to very detailed memories. Similar to waking up and feeling groggy, then more awake, until fully aware. This may happen over many months/years or in a shorter time frame. You might also see the phrase "out of the fog".
Why didn't/don't I remember? How did I forget or block this out all these years? Why am I remembering now? Why can I remember some things/people/details and not others?
Dissociative Amnesia is a memory disorder characterized by extreme memory loss that is caused by extensive psychological stress and that cannot be attributed to a known neurobiological cause. Dissociative amnesia is due to psychological rather than physiological causes and can sometimes be helped by therapy. Situation-specific amnesia occurs as a result of a severely stressful event, as in post-traumatic stress disorder, child sex abuse, military combat or witnessing a family member's murder or suicide, is common in cases of severe and/or repeated trauma.
Straight was daily long term abuse/neglect. As survivors, we witnessed violent abuse/neglect, lived in terrorized conditions over period of time, experienced profound sense of loss of control of being able to meet basic needs of life (nutrition, hydration, toileting, hygiene, comfort, love, emotional bonds, education). We were forced into dependence on the abusive system, brainwashing/coercive thought reform methods. While this process is typical for most of us, the time frames are more individual. Some of us have come to into a full awareness quickly, some more slowly, and some not having reached a full awareness though they have found an understanding of what happened.
What happens now that I'm remembering?
1. Physically - your body will respond to the stress physically. Body memories can also manifest (i.e. feeling bruises down your spine, hunger pains when not hungry, sleep deprived when well rested). Be aware of the changes that occur during this process. The symptoms can vary greatly. See "symptom list" in the Documents section. Please make sure to eat well, sleep as best you can and exercise to your ability level. Seek medical care if/when needed. Taking care of oneself physically will improve your ability to cope better with this process.
2. Mentally - Memories, some clear, some vague notions that may not seem real, anything in between. People, places, vehicles, homes, even colors, clothing, chairs, etc. The mind holds the memories as the body does. Triggers may occur and bring on flashbacks, memory recall and nightmares. A trigger is a specific item, person, place, smell, sound, song, etc that "triggers" a response based on those traumatic memories of the past. Triggers can cause "flashbacks". Flashback is seeing, smelling, hearing, experiencing the event all over again (partial or fully).
3. Emotionally- Emotions will be a huge component of waking up. The range of emotions is not limited to these, though these are the most frequently discussed: Fear, anxiety, paranoia, anger, rage, shame, guilt, and pain. Excruciatingly painful this range of emotions that occur can and will be overwhelming at best. You may have already had many go rounds with these emotions prior to the memories resurfacing without really understanding what was happening. Many report the fears and anger issues since their time in straight, and only now beginning to understand them.
4. Spiritually (NOT RELIGION) - no matter what faith/belief/nonbelief system you ascribe to, this is a component that touched us all with various "God" issues while in straight. If you have a faith/belief system that works for you, please rely on this/these practices to help with the process of healing. If it's as simple as getting a walk in the woods once a week or sitting on a beach, star gazing, meditation, prayer, good thoughts, karmic living, becoming involved in or reconnecting with a church/religion, or finding a new spiritual walk of life, hopefully you find one that works.
Straight affected us. Straight harmed us. Straight was traumatic.
Please see the SYMPTOMS LIST(in Document section) for a more complete list of what you may have already experienced in life up until now and what you may now experience as a result of waking up. It may offer you a better understanding of you, how you have survived and coped over the years.
This is a PROCESS.
The following has been edited to more aptly suit the process of grieving our losses and facing the life we have left to live despite the damages done. Some of us feel more damaged than others may; the damages may not seem severe at first and then may seem overwhelming.
The 5 stages of grief are a basic tool that explains some of what will happen also. We lost important times of our lives, our families, relationships, education, opportunities, identity, innocence, freedom, and much more. Each of us individually will wrestle with coming to terms with our own individual losses and grief.
It's important to note that these stages are not meant to be complete or chronological. Not everyone who awakens feels all five of the responses nor will everyone who does experience them do so in the order in which they are written. Reactions are as unique as the person experiencing them. Not everyone goes through all of the steps or goes through them in a linear fashion. Some steps may be missed entirely, others may be experienced in a different order, some may be re-experienced again and again and some may get stuck in one.
Denial — "I feel fine."; "This can't be happening, not to me." Denial is usually only a temporary defense for the individual. This feeling is generally replaced with heightened awareness of what really did happen with validation.
Anger — "Why me? It's not fair!"; "How can this happen to me?"; '"Who is to blame?" Once in the second stage, the individual recognizes that denial cannot continue. Because of anger, the person is very difficult to care for due to misplaced feelings of rage and envy.
Bargaining — "I'll do anything for a few more years."; "I will give my life savings if..." The third stage involves the hope that the individual can somehow postpone or delay the pain/awakening or undo the damages.
Depression — "I'm so sad, why bother with anything?"; "I'm not able to change the past...What's the point?"
During the fourth stage, the person begins to understand the extent of damages done. Because of this, the individual may become silent, isolate and spend much of the time crying and grieving. This process allows the survivor to disconnect from the damages becoming all consuming. It is not recommended to attempt to cheer up an individual who is in this stage. It is an important time for grieving that must be processed.
Acceptance — "It's going to be okay."; "I can't fight it, I may as well prepare for it."
In this last stage, individuals begin to come to terms with their trauma, their damages, and their life now.
Understanding is only the beginning of recreating ourselves, rebuilding our lives and living fully.
Validation and support from other survivors is a valuable asset in the process of grieving our losses and healing.
Diagnostic terms you may see/hear or you may have been diagnosed with yourself: (these are not complete, just a fraction of the actual definitions...they are not meant for self-diagnosis, just informational purposes)
PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) Diagnostic symptoms for PTSD include re-experiencing the original trauma(s) through flashbacks or nightmares, avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma, and increased arousal – such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, anger, and hypervigilance. It has three sub-forms: acute, chronic, and delayed-onset.
C-PTSD (Complex PTSD) - is a psychological injury that results from protracted exposure to prolonged social and/or interpersonal trauma with lack or loss of control, disempowerment, and in the context of either captivity or entrapment, i.e. the lack of a viable escape route for the victim. C-PTSD is distinct from, but similar to, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Stockholm Syndrome - is an apparently paradoxical psychological phenomenon wherein hostages express empathy and have positive feelings towards their captors, sometimes to the point of defending them. These feelings are generally considered irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims, who essentially mistake a lack of abuse from their captors for an act of kindness. (i.e. why do I feel this trusting, close and intimate with those who abused and tortured me?)
Dissociation - is an altered state of consciousness characterized by partial or complete disruption of the normal integration of a person's normal conscious or psychological functioning. Dissociation is most commonly experienced as a subjective perception of one's consciousness being detached from one's emotions, body and/or immediate surroundings. Dissociation is a "compartmentalization of experience." Under normal conditions, consciousness, memory, emotions, sensory awareness, affect, etc., are integrated; with dissociation, in contrast, these traits are discretely compartmentalized to greater or lesser degrees.
Dissociative Amnesia - see above.
Depression - characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities.
Anxiety/Panic Disorders - is a blanket term covering several different forms of abnormal and pathological fear and anxiety. The term anxiety covers four aspects of experiences an individual may have: mental apprehension, physical tension, physical symptoms and dissociative anxiety. Anxiety disorder is divided into generalized anxiety disorder, phobic disorder, and panic disorder; each has its own characteristics and symptoms and they require different treatment. The emotions present in anxiety disorders range from simple nervousness to extreme bouts of terror.
Traumatic Brain Injury - occurs when an external force traumatically injures the brain. TBI can be classified based on severity, mechanism (closed or penetrating head injury), or other features (e.g. occurring in a specific location or over a widespread area). Head injury usually refers to TBI, but is a broader category because it can involve damage to structures other than the brain, such as the scalp and skull. While many of us may not have had an actual blow to the head, motivating may have played a part. Damages to the brain consistent with TBI are present in our survivor subclass, which indicates there may be a psychological component to TBI with or without physical trauma.
Given the information about what is/may be wrong, it is natural to react. Many of us have experienced all forms of regressive behavior patterns ranging from mild to severe. Drinking, smoking, drugs, eating disorders, carving/self harm, acting out (physically, mentally/emotionally, sexually, financially, etc), gambling/over spending, abusive relationships (being abused/being abusive), isolation, suicidal thoughts/behaviors are some examples of how survivors have reacted. These avoidance behaviors are methods that don't typically help our healing and can delay the process or create additional traumatic/damaging events to cope with.
Many of us struggle with relationships overall and our marriages/significant others, parents, siblings, children and close friends have suffered greatly as we come to terms with our past and present issues as survivors. If currently in a relationship, please know that while those people who care and support you (friends, family, spouse/significant others, children) will not understand what you are going through, they may be supportive and helpful. They may not be, they may become jealous of time spent with survivors, time spent online, time spent isolating to cope. They may not believe you. If your relationships need help, please seek appropriate help.
The questions that will rage on.....
Who's to blame? What really happened to me? What is wrong with me? How did they brainwash us? How did they get away with this for so long? Why is it still affecting me? Why can't I just get over it? Will I ever get better?
If you have physical issues see your doctor. Stress can aggravate and create physical illnesses.
If you have mental/emotional stresses that you need addressed, PLEASE find a therapist/psychologist/psychiatrist that SPECIALIZES in TRAUMA, this is a unique field with specialized practitioners (see doc on finding a therapist). If you can't afford one, many states and veteran centers(if you qualify) have ones available at low/no cost. If you can't get in to see one and need immediate help Call 911 or go to an ER or call a HOTLINE - see docs for Hotline info and numbers.
We are here to be supportive, helpful and are healing ourselves.
1. Slow down the best you can. 2. Take time to breathe deeply, slowly and often. 3. Develop a written self care plan that you can follow even when overwhelmed. Address your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs. (i.e. eat, sleep, nap, exercise, meditate, garden, draw, watch a comedy, go out with a close friend, etc.) 4. Don't lash out in your anger and rage. (Regrets, shame and guilt are only additional damages you can incur with this). Find healthy outlets for these strong emotions. 5. Pace yourself. Take time off when you need to. i.e. 2 days online, 1 day offline. 6. Exercise is great stress relief and anger/rage management, moderation is the key. 7. Vent on the boards or private messages with other survivors. 8. Write or journal, draw, play musical instrument. 9. Music is very meaningful and helpful. Create playlists that help, that are readily accessible. 10. Set healthy boundaries. 11. No rash/major decisions while overwhelmed.(i.e. calling/bashing parents, threatening them/anyone, or vandalizing, divorce/separation(unless needed for safety), job changes/quitting). Allow yourself time to process the emotions and make healthy, positive decisions. 12. Learn coping skills that work for you. 13. Prioritize. 14. Have fun/meaningful activities. Make time to feel and heal, yet make time for fun/enjoyable activities also.
This process is difficult at best, please be gentle on yourself. Many of us have been there and still experience much of this, know that you are not alone. You are a survivor of a horrific experience at a very vulnerable time in your life. You have made it this far, hang in there.
Just know that you are not alone anymore, you are understood, you are beginning to heal.
Healing is possible. Hope is here.
Symptoms we experience. This list was created by survivors, for survivors.
Addiction issues Intolerance of certain types of touch. Insomnia & Severe pervasive sleep disorders Nightmares Physical self harm Body disassociation ("checking out" when in stressful situations) Eating disorders or issues (food avoidance, eating patterns, hoarding, food aggression) Health issues (Spine, muscles/joints, stress related diseases, lowered immune systems, Fibromyalgia, CFS, CFIDS). Early onset age related diseases. Dislike/Avoidance/Reaction to warehouses and/or warehouse type buildings/stores. Florescent lights - certain types. Hospitals, the sense of not being in control. Avoidance/reaction to Blue plastic chairs. Avoidance/reaction Smell of sweaty people. Avoidance/reaction Smell of Pine Sol
Distrust of "helping" profession. Fear of Mental health professionals. Inability/Refusal to seek help in self help groups due to severe anxiety of group settings. Self Character Assassination. Self hate Lack of / struggle with self esteem "Everything is my own fault" belief. Depression Paranoia Flashback/re-experiencing/intense and vivid memories (or, flashback/re-experiencing intense emotions suppressed since the time of the trauma) Mental health disorders (Dissociative, Depression, C-PTSD, PTSD, BiPolar, etc..) Frequent suicidal ideation Suicide attempts. Successful suicides, over doses, death by unknown or suspicious circumstances. Need to over compensate Head games, rethinking/overthinking everything, over-analyzing. Difficulty making decisions. Second guessing even when I know it's the right decision. Can't stand being questioned. Doubt. Disability due to: PTSD, C-PTSD, Dissociative Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Panic Disorders, Anger/Rage Disorders, Personality Disorders, POW type PTSD
Fear of being misunderstood. Fear of being judged. Fear of being in large groups of people Fear of being "locked" up again, having to be back in the facility. Fear of confrontation. Fear of anger. Fear of rejection. Fear of being wrong. Fear of being beaten, hurt, restrained. Fear of personal boundary violations/privacy invasion.
**Extreme reactions to these fears**
Hypersensitivity. Survivor Guilt Shame in becoming a part of the "process". Anger Rage Suspicion Suspicion of ulterior motives Fear of sitting in chair in rows Claustrophobic Severe anxiety Panic attacks Needing/wanting to be loved, yet unable to accept love.
Loss of youth (or, inability to let go of youth due to the sense of loss) Loss of faith Peace at "ANY" price. Indifference/reactions to "God wills it", "I have the ONLY answer", "Get with the program" Issues with any "God" concept or Higher Being. Severe avoidance of organized religions. Severe avoidance of any "Spiritual" based self-help group.
Communication difficulties. Avoid conflict situation. Relationship difficulties (may need specifics. Job/Work related issues - communication, feeling judged, not good enough, doubt, authority figures, extreme perfectionism due to fear of confrontation Lack of verbal filters. Have to tell everyone everything. Semantically Challenged Culturally Cripple Difficulty with planning for future. Living day to day Rising with confrontation when someone attacks you. Issues with authority figures, even when not threatened. Accepting society's judgments, criticisms, condemnations and limitations. New age neurotic, disappointed due to belief in unrealistic expectation placed from family as a child. Dissociation from Family. Believe in damn little, can't join anything and inability to live in the moment.
This list was created by survivors, for survivors.
Criteria for Selection of a Trauma Therapist
There is a minimum set of criteria for effective PTSD therapy.
Effective therapists and therapeutic programs must do the following:
*See the trauma as a real and important in itself, apart for any preexisting psychological problems and any current social, family or personal pressures.
*View you as a survivor capable of being healed- not as a willing participant in the trauma or as a hopeless psychiatric case
*Educate you about the nature of trauma, PTSD, and secondary wounding experiences, about the specific factors in your particular category of trauma that may affect you, and about the nature of the healing process itself.
*Either teach you coping skills such as assertiveness, stress management, relaxation techniques, and anger management, or make appropriate referrals for you to receive such help.
*Use medication and behavior management techniques when appropriate, but not to the exclusion of examining your present and past with the goal of understanding what occurred and your feelings about those events.
*Be aware of the effects of sex-role stereotyping, racism, and blame the victim attitudes on the healing process.
Consider asking such questions as the following (if you are considering a program, you would ask these questions in terms of the program staff):
*Are you willing to read up on Straight to learn more about what I went through? (if the answer is no, leave, find someone else)
*How long have you been in practice? *Are you a member of any professional organizations? *How many trauma survivors have you seen in therapy? *What is your background in the area of trauma? *What, in your view, constitutes the healing process for a victim of trauma? *What experiences have you had in treating people suffering from depression/eating disorders/alcoholism/anger management?(tailor the questions to your secondary/primary issues) *How much and what kind of training have you had in these areas? *What approaches would you take toward healing an eating disorder/alcoholism/suicidal behavior/depression/rage? *What would you do if I became suicidal? *What is your view on self-help groups or other group therapy? *Do you also conduct family therapy or do you work with a family therapist? *What is your format for communicating with your clients? Under what circumstances would you contact your clients by mail? By email? By phone?
*What limits do you impose on contact with clients? Do you accept phone calls outside of regularly scheduled appointments? Would you accept theses calls at your office only or also at home? Is there a charge for time spent on phone calls or emails?
When you have narrowed your list down to a final two or three therapists or programs, go visit them. In the past, many therapists gave an initial consultation free of charge or at a reduced rate. Today most therapistst charge the full fee for their time at the initial consultation. Despite the cost, it's essential that you meet with the therapists face to face before making your selection. (Programs should have a similar provision for an initial consultation).
You should also question staying with a therapist who judges you to be "deficient" because he/she subscribes to one of the following myths:
*Having a good moral character and strong personality structure can make you resistant to traumas.
*You sought the trauma to gain attention, to meet your masochistic needs, or to fulfill some other neurotic need.
*The trauma plays a minor part in your problems compared to the mistakes you've made as a human being.
*It's in the past, just get over it.
Since you are human, you probably have made mistakes in your life, even during the trauma and afterwards. You probably do have areas where you need to grow and inner conflicts you need to explore. Your therapis may want to help you better understand these mistakes and problem areas. However, this should be done in a manner that respects your dignity an dgood intentions. It is not only humiliating, but self-defeating and ineffective in the long run, for a therapist to try and change any of your problem areas through tactics of guilt and shame.
If this website triggers thoughts of suicide please get help right away. Talk to family, friends, other Straight survivors. There are also suicide prevention hotlines such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 1-800-273-8255 or get help via text suicide prevention hotline Crisis Textline - Text Connect To 741741
Copyright 2009 Surviving Straight Inc. All rights reserved.


text: As we may already know, horses are meant to roam around the outdoors, where they can run around and be in their natural environment. Unfortunately, that isn't possible all of the time. There are many factors, such as bad weather or when the horse has been injured, which can require that they stay safe and sound indoors. To keep your horses safe, you need to make sure that their stables and indoor environment are as safe and as comfortable as possible. Otherwise, you might end up doing them … [Read more...]


text:
Perennial Grasses
perennial grass info sheet - printer friendly
Variety Information
Rhodes Grass
Rhodes grasses normally end up a dominant part of the Sub-Tropical sward. Rhodes grass can be propogated by seed but also produce runners that will root at the nodes and form new plants. This running ability gives the Rhodes grass a great capacity for stabilizing soils and increasing the density of the sward.
Finecut Rhodes
- leafy, extremely fine stemmed, early flowering diploid cultivar
- fine leaf selection from Katambora it has improved establishment vigour, higher palatability and increased production
- preferred by many growers in WA
- vigouros 'giant' tetraploid type
- late flowering and remains leay and palatable into autumn
- increased vigour requires higher fertility in soils and this may inhibit production on the sandier soils
- less drought tolerant
Panic Grass
Panic grasses are the quality component of our sub-tropical swards. Feed analysis shows that panic grass is great in energy and protein.
Gatton Panic
- preferred variety as it establishes more reliably than Green
- good first season yields
- fewer management issues
Intermediate for qualtiy adn quantity but offers some production through the colder months.Splenda is the more common variety in WA.
Signal Grass
- Trailing perennial tolerant of heavy grazing.
- Well adapted to a wide range of soil types
- very responsive to nutrition which can be used as a tool to increase production through to the cooler months.
- larger seed than other improves strike
Establishing Sub-Tropical Perennials
The ideal sowing time is between August 15-30, and only sow when there is a full profile of moisture.
100% weed control is essential and is best acheived with 2 sprays.
- The first must be started 6-8 weeks prior to seeding. A herbicide targeting broadleaves only is best and allows for continued grazing of the paddock.
- The next spray, about 1-2 weeks prior to seeding will be a knockdown and include an insecticide as well. Contact your agronomist on best tankmixes to acheive the desired result.
This sequence on spraying will help with maintaining some ground cover on the paddock to help against wind erosin issues.
- furrow sow with converted cultitrash or scalping points - there are contractors with modified gear available in the mid west
- shallow seed placement 5-10mm
- use press wheels
- sow at slow speed 5-8km/h
Other tips
- use fertiliser as a carrier for seed
- purchase quality seed - watch for dormancy
- monitor and control insects
- kangaroo and rabbit management
- no grazing for first 6-9 months
NACC funding is available to encourage perennial pastures establishment on farm. Incentives include fencing, estblishment costs, watering points and industry membership, with a maximum up to $10,600 per site.


text:
The Sacraments
The Second Congregational Church of Winsted, following historic Protestantism, believes in two sacraments, baptism and the Lord's Supper (also called communion).
Sacraments are worship ceremonies created and commanded by the Lord Jesus for His church which convey through physical signs (such as water, bread and wine) the divine promise of forgiveness through the good news of Jesus Christ (Matt 28:19; 1Cor 11:24-25).
Baptism represents Christ's perfect once and for all death, and thus is given only once in the Christian's life (Rom 6:4; Col 2:11-12). The Lord's Supper represents the need to be constantly fed and encouraged by the good news of Jesus Christ and thus is taken throughout the Christian's life (1Cor 11:23-26; John 6:41-58).
Though the Sacraments themselves do not give salvation, and are of course not magical, they do point to the certainty of hope we have in Jesus Christ. They are primarily God speaking to us by visual aids (water, bread, and wine) to remind us of God's kindness to us and the assurance we have in Jesus Christ.
The church celebrates the Lord's Supper on the first Sunday of each month during regularly scheduled worship starting at 10:00 AM (9:30 for July & August). Communion also is offered at the Maundy Thursday Service and on Easter Sunday. The practices open communion, so all those who confess the Triune God of the Bible and look to Christ alone for their salvation are welcome to the Lord's Table. Grape juice is used instead of wine to be sensitive to those who wrestle with alcoholism.
Being a federation of both the Congregational and Baptist Churches, the Second Congregational Church of Winsted affirms both traditions. We leave it up to each member's conscience as to whether they believe in "believer's baptism" (baptism is given only when some is old enough to have a public profession) or "infant baptism" (that not only new converts should receive baptism, but the infant children of believers also).
For more information about the Sacraments, see the Deacon's Policy Page.


text:
Dashboards are a great way of finding singular records and getting a snapshot of related activity and information and it is essential you get the Dashboards set up to work with you.
1. In order to access any Dashboard, hover over the applicable section in the top menu and select the Dashboard option.
There are four main sections to any Dashboard.
2. Quick Find: This will show you the top 50 records. You can search both Active and Inactive Applicants.
3. Navigation History: This will show you up to 20 applicant records you have been working on. Remember this supplements the Navigation item in the top menu.
4. Quick Statistics: This will show you your office or personal statistics from the 1st of each month.
5. Quick Links: As you will remember from Training, these are where the system goes from a clever website to a proactive content management system. You now have the ability to create your own Quick Links, and we will have a look at that in later sections. All these Quick Links are configurable by yourselves and each Dashboard needs to be set up with their own set.
1. To edit your Quick Links select the Edit button to the right hand side of the My Quick Links pod.
The Quick Links are divided into groups. You have personal Quick Links (My), Quick links specific to your office (Office) and Quick Links that cover a wider group if you are part of a multi branch firm (Group). It depends on how your office works as to which links you select.
2. You now that the ability to create your own personalised Quick Links. We look at how to do this later on but any Saved Selections you have will be sitting here.
3. All the Quick Links that we have created for you will be sitting in this section.
4. By ticking the ones you wish to use, they will show on your Dashboard and on the relevant Quick Links pods on your Homepage. You will probably be thinking about having a mixture of Quick Links at this point, things like Applicants with No Mobile Number, and No Email Address.
5. Click on the Save icon.
Once you have set up your Applicant Dashboard and Quick Links you will need to think about setting up the other Dashboards.
All the other Dashboards need to be set up the same way to make sure that Expert Agent will work efficiently for you.
Once you have set up your Dashboard and the Quick Links associated with them, it's a good idea to think about your Right Tool-Bar. This is an incredibly useful tool that can be accessed from anywhere within Expert Agent. The Right Tool-Bar contains a selection of Quick Links, we do suggest, however that these are different Quick Links to the ones you have on your Dashboards. The Right Tool Bar can be accessed from anywhere and therefore, the links on it should be ones that you need to keep an eye on throughout the day without having to go back to your Dashboards.
When you configured your Staff Profile, the Show Right Tool Bar tick box needed to have been ticked.
1. In the top right hand side of your screen there will be a grey box with a blue arrow. Clicking on that will open up your Right Tool-Bar.


text:
Here are the top read news for #SeniorHealth:
Elderly Patients In The Hospital Need To Keep Moving:
Staff members try to disabuse patients of the idea that they are there to rest. "People walk in the door of a hospital and think it's OK to stay in a bed. It's not," said Middlebrooks. Andres Viles, a nurse coordinator, said nurses at other hospitals are often so busy administering medications and tending to wounds that they don't make time to walk with their charges. The emphasis on patient mobility is "a culture change" for most hospitals, he said: Read more
Geriatric ERs Reduce Stress, Medical Risks For Elderly Patients:
The staff in these specialized ERs collaborate closely not only to treat the seniors' immediate health problems but also to reduce their risk of confusion, bed sores and over-medication. Senior ERs are designed to be more quiet and tranquil. Geriatric ERs have the potential to lower health care costs because staff can more carefully discern who needs to be admitted and who can be cared for outside of hospital walls, Hwang and others said. That tends to reduce hospitalizations among the elderly: Read more
Dementia risk increased with calcium supplements in certain women:
Calcium supplements may increase the risk of developing dementia in senior women with cerebrovascular disease, finds a study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology: Read more
Senior citizens rarely consult Dr. Google for medical advice, study says:
A report published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. found that only about 18% of participants in the National Health and Aging Trends Study got health information online in 2014. That pales in comparison with the approximately 60% of adults of all ages who have told the Pew Research Center that they consult Dr. Google at least once a year — including the 35% who said they rely on the Web to diagnose their own ailments or the maladies of people they know: Read more
Today's Tech Items That Are Helping Caregivers:
There are many useful caregiver products and gadgets that can make day-to-day life easier and safer for seniors and disabled loved ones, thereby easing the burden and stress that many caregivers endure. Following are a few of the best tech items and medical supplies for elderly care and disabled care you may want to consider: Read more


text:
Die Cutting Services
website votes: 0
Major-IPC is premier industrial resource for Die Cutting. Our die cutting services includes variety of die cutting methods to convert materials into predefined shapes or sizes and provides custom die cutting to meet your exact specifications.
- URL: www.majoripc.com
- IPv4 Address: 22.214.171.124
- IPv6 Address: not available
- Website submitted on: 2010-02-23
- Website approved on: 0000-00-00 00:00:00
- Website visits: 3
- Category:
- Website ID: 1134
FeedsThere is no RSS feed registered yet for this website.
Only members can propose tags


text:
Traveling to another country with a different culture to your own can be a wild experience. I am from Australia, so we are close to Asia and it's not such a big shell shock to eat Asian food and interact with each country's culture. We are definitely into eating from the local restaurants which are Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese etc. Even so, actually visiting the country does make you think about where you come from and you can't help but make comparisons to your own individual lifestyle. When you visit Thailand you will have to adapt! Here's what I found out about me!
I'm not a really huge fan of blasting heat!
By heat, I mean humidity. It's something you will not be prepared for if you come from a place where the heat is dry and you have a long winter season. Thailand is severely humid. Walk out of air conditioning and you break into a sweat – most of the time. Up north in Chiang Mai and other places, the weather will cool down and there will be a winter season. Not in the south! Yes, it will rain, but the humidity will stay. Sometimes it feels worse after a rain shower! Especially if the sun comes out right away. Don't get me wrong, I love Thailand, but the heat can make you want to jump straight into the pool and stay there some days! Keep this in mind when you visit Thailand.
I can eat way way more than I ever thought possible!
Thailand is focused on food. The Thais love to eat. They love to snack. They chat, catch up, make plans…all with some kind of food in front of them. I mean really, this place is geared all around food. You can't escape it. It's right there at your fingertips – street vendors the minute you walk outside your hotel – fruit shakes, Nutella pancakes, some-kind-of-meat-on-a-stick, noodles, rice, mango and sticky rice, the list is endless. How can you pass this by? 3 meals a day is just not enough. I found we were eating the 3 meals, but also adding a few in between! They make it so easy and so cheap to eat. So, my advice is – indulge and then prepare to diet when you get back home! You will have a few extra pounds after you visit Thailand!
RELATED: Cook Thai when you get back home
We are very lucky to have everything we need to live
We are extremely lucky to have employment, a roof over our heads, cars to drive and food to eat. We did see many poor areas in Thailand where the people are really working very hard to put food in their mouths. Tourism is a big industry in Thailand, and without it, many people wouldn't be able to get by. We are lucky we can pay a few baht extra for things and not have to worry about every single item and it's cost. Thailand reminded me that we have a relatively easy life in our country. I don't have to be outside my home from 6am to 10 or 11pm cooking on the street corner so my children can eat. I sit in an air conditioned office and home and have plenty of water and food. Buy the street food, bargain a little less aggressively….I learnt that giving just a little bit could help some people more than I realised. It's nice to be aware of these things when you visit Thailand.
I am not a huge risk taker!
I'm from a country which is often referred to as the "Nanny State". Here in Australia, we have rules and laws for everything. Sometimes it gets to the point of being ridiculous as we are so over-governed. Get yourself on a plane to Thailand and you soon realise where you come from may not be all that bad with regulations! The lovely people of Thailand do have laws, rules and protocol for society and daily life. However, sometimes these are not enforced, or they do not exist. Take for example riding a motorcycle without a helmet. We have strict laws in Australia and if you don't wear one, you will likely get a fine pretty quickly if a police person sees you. Yeah, no helmets in Thailand! Some people do wear them but I have seen loads of people, even children, on bikes with no helmets. I wouldn't take that risk.
A similar situation exists for tourism businesses such as boat operators on the islands. I've heard plenty of horror stories of trips to the islands on overcrowded boats without enough life jackets. I wouldn't be taking that risk either. Yes, I am definitely not a risk taker, yet I thought I was pretty risky when at home….not even close!!
RELATED: Make sure your boat operator is responsible in Phuket
I had no idea I had hidden suitcase packing talents
A trip to Thailand can result in a common problem for travelers – over-shopping. The symptoms of over-shopping include having no idea how much you can fit into a suitcase, purchasing items that are way too fragile to travel thousands of miles, buying totally irrelevant and useless goods that seem like necessities. The abundance of Thai markets will have you exhibiting these symptoms pretty quickly. On the flip side, you can become extremely good at packing a suitcase!
The drama begins when you realise you actually have to get all this stuff into something to transport it to the next destination – be it, the airport to go home, or off to another Thai city or island for further exploration. On the last trip, I managed to find amazing little corners of my bag to stash the aforementioned irrelevant stuff. Clothes became annoying space-takers, and don't get me started about shoes! Anything made from fabric got rolled. It's the only way to remove the air which takes up valuable bag real estate. Roll it so tight that it appears to be 10% of its original size. It can be done! If it won't fit, throw it out! I'm not going to visit Thailand and not bring back heaps of memories!
This can be very satisfying once you get back home, even if the stuff is a bit left of centre! The pride of knowing you managed to get 4 paper umbrellas into the bottom of your suitcase and they arrived home without one single tear – it's worth the effort! I am still finding bags of Phuket key rings in the shape of flip flops….why did I ever think these would be useful?
This is the kind of useless crap that you think you can't live without when you are on holidays in Thailand…….
RELATED: Packing List that will save you
Thailand really does give you plenty to think about when you are there and when you return back home. I'd love to hear any other thoughts on how Thailand taught you about yourself. Please leave me some comments below.
Next Post….