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For enhanced safety, the front, middle and rear seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Pathfinder are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Lincoln MKT doesn't offer height-adjustable middle or rear seat belts.
When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Pathfinder 4WD's standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The MKT doesn't offer Hill Descent Control.
The Pathfinder (except S/SV) offers an optional Around View ® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The MKT only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn't help with obstacles to the sides.
Both the Pathfinder and the MKT have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.
For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the Pathfinder as a "Top Pick" for 2015. The MKT is not a "Top Pick" for 2015.
On the EPA test cycle the Pathfinder FWD gets better fuel mileage than the MKT FWD with its standard engine (20 city/27 hwy vs. 17 city/25 hwy).
To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Pathfinder uses regular unleaded gasoline. The MKT with the 3.5 turbo V6 engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.
The Pathfinder has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the MKT (19.5 vs. 18.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.
The Pathfinder has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle's integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The MKT doesn't offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.
The Pathfinder SL 4x4 handles at .76 G's, while the MKT AWD pulls only .75 G's of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.
For better maneuverability, the Pathfinder's turning circle is 2.8 feet tighter than the MKT AWD's (38.7 feet vs. 41.5 feet). The Pathfinder's turning circle is 3.7 feet tighter than the MKT's (38.7 feet vs. 42.4 feet).
The Nissan Pathfinder may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 450 pounds less than the Lincoln MKT.
The Pathfinder is 10.4 inches shorter than the MKT, making the Pathfinder easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.
The Pathfinder has 15.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the MKT (157.8 vs. 142.3).
The Pathfinder has 2.1 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front hip room, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, .2 inches more rear hip room, 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room, 4.3 inches more third row headroom, 1.4 inches more third row hip room and 8 inches more third row shoulder room than the MKT.
For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Pathfinder's middle and third row seats recline. The MKT's third row seats don't recline.
The Pathfinder's cargo area provides more volume than the MKT.
Third Seat Folded
39.6 cubic feet
Third Seat Removed
42.4 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded
79.8 cubic feet
75.9 cubic feet
The Pathfinder has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent vandalism, such as sugar in the tank and fuel theft. The MKT doesn't offer a locking fuel door.
When the Pathfinder SL/Platinum is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The MKT's mirrors don't automatically adjust for backing.
The Pathfinder will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The Intellichoice estimates that the Pathfinder will retain 45.28% to 49.01% of its original price after five years, while the MKT only retains 40.34% to 40.6%.
Intellichoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Nissan Pathfinder will be $4586 to $13458 less than for the Lincoln MKT.
The Nissan Pathfinder won three awards in Kiplinger's 2015 car issue. The Lincoln MKT didn't win any award.
The Nissan Pathfinder outsold the Lincoln MKT by over 18 to one during the 2015 model year.
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South Korea beat Turkmenistan 2-0 in opening World Cup qualifier
Sep 11, 2019
ASHGABAT (Turkmenistan) September 11: South Korea snatched a 2-0 victory in Turkmenistan in their opening 2022 World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday.
The away side took the lead in the 17th minute when midfielder Na Sang-ho scored his first international goal after Jung Woo-young's cross was deflected into his path.
Turkmenistan came close to equalizing in the 27th minute, but Wahyt Orazsahedow's effort was well saved by goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu.
South Korea thought they had doubled their lead in the 38th minute, but Kim Jin-su's goal was chalked off for handball.
Orazsahedow had a chance to put Turkmenistan level just before half-time, but the forward was unable to convert from the edge of the box.
Urged on by the home crowd, Turkmenistan started the second half brightly and almost leveled the scores in the 55th minute, but Myrat Yagsyyev couldn't convert Orazsahedow's lay-off.
South Korea continued to turn the screw and Jung sealed the win with a free-kick in the 80th minute.
South Korea, who are seeking a tenth consecutive FIFA World Cup appearance, will host Sri Lanka on October 10, while Turkmenistan have a trip to Lebanon on the same day.
Source: Xinhua

subset: commoncrawl


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UMI Arts radio time
UMI Arts has strong partnerships with Community radio station Bumma Bippera Media 98.7 FM.
With the support of deadly Community radio teams, UMI Arts updates reaches listeners from Cape York, Northern Peninsula Area, Cairns and surrounding areas.
Listeners are informed not just by UMI Arts, but by the members of UMI Arts about UMI Arts news, events and items of interest and opportunities that are available, all of which aims to keep listeners informed with information that may be of interest or benefit them.
About Bumma Bippera
BBM 98.7 FM extends as far south as Gordonvale, West to Kuranda, Atherton and Mareeba, north to Port Douglas and Mossman, east to Yarrabah, and the Cairns area. BBM 98.7FM has the potential to reach more than 150,000 listeners daily.


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This calf-length bodysuit features ¾-length sleeve, 3-row hook & eye closure with high-back coverage, and an open crotch for Step 1 recovery. Manufactured in the USA out of our patented TriFlex™ 3D stretch fabric.
The Marena Group, LLC uses cookies to allow full use of the online shopping and personalized features available on our website.
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I was looking for a memory stick this morning and found a SD card with some pictures on it. I found my favorite picture of Daisy on it…from when we first brought her home.
She was so tiny. She isn't feeling very well today. Seems she may have gotten Kennel Cough while she & JoJo were being boarded. Started coughing yesterday afternoon. Sean said last night it sounded like her cough when she was a baby. Poor thing. I called the vet this morning and they will be seeing her this evening. JoJo isn't coughing and hopefully she won't started. But they were boarded together, so we will have to keep an eye on her after Daisy gets the official diagnosis.
I also found a couple of pictures of Hannah and me that I kinda liked…
The first one was taken while waiting for Beauty & the Beast on Broadway last May and the second was in TN waiting to go into the Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede dinner show. (Shortly after I decided to grow out my bangs, something I attempt to do every few years or so, but never do. They reach a point that they just get on my nerves that I end up cutting them. A week before we went to NYC we all got our hair cut, and I can officially say I have grown them out.)


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The first eight of an order of 42 interurban Plaxton Leopard coaches are to be handed over this weekend to Lothiancountry at the UK Coach Rally in Blackpool this weekend. The eight coaches are part of a multi-million pound order with Alexander Dennis, and will provide a significant upgrade to one of Lothian's operating subsidiaries.
The coaches will be deployed on growing express routes operated by Lothiancountry into Scotland's capital city and are built to a new interurban specification with 49 seats that was developed in close collaboration between ADL en Lothiancountry. This new interurban Plaxton Leopard is based on the 12.8m model. It has 49 comfortable seats with three-point seatbelts, a double door in the centre of the vehicle which integrates a full wheelchair lift. Wheelchair users travel in a designated wheelchair bay in the main saloon opposite the centre doors and are secured in a forward facing position using a simple wheelchair and passenger restraint system. A full set of destination displays ensures that the interurban Plaxton Leopard is fully compliant with PSV Accessibility Regulations. These Plaxton Leopard coaches are build on a Volvo B8R 4x2 chassis with a Euro 6 engine matched to a ZF EcoLife automatic transmission. The Leopard is equipped with safety features such as an Advanced Emergency Braking System and Lane Departure Warning. With this investment Lothian wants to create a modal shift from the car. "This in order to reduce congestion and environmental impacts across our society. To give commuters a credible alternative coupled with high levels of customer service means that our investment in these new 49-seat coaches with improved accessibility features has been designed with the customer's comfort and convenience in mind", says Richard Hall, Managing Director of Lothian.
Lothiancountry began operations in August 2018, introducing vital connections between Edinburgh and West Lothian.


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Jennie Terranova, Oregon
I'll never forget the night of September 21, 2017, the first day of my third trimester of pregnancy with my son Pablo Valentine. I remember so vividly being weak on the bathroom floor with bile coming out from both ends. It was yellow, acidic, and burned like nothing I had ever experienced before. It ripped the skin off of my bottom. I was terrified of my body's inability to hold down food or liquids. It was 1am. I did my best to disinfect the bathroom floor and toilet for fear my horrific illness might be contagious, and then woke up my husband to take me to the ER.
When we arrived at the ER and described my symptoms, I was encouraged to go to Labor and Delivery. I did not understand the suggestion. I was not having any labor symptoms – it felt more like the worst stomach flu I've ever had. Weak and confused, I asked if I could just be seen at the regular ER, and since I wasn't having contractions, the receptionist agreed.
It felt like everything happened so fast while I was in the ER. I was weak, exhausted, confused, and terrified for my baby's life. The doctor who saw my explained that my liver enzymes were "very elevated" and that "sometimes happens during pregnancy" He assured me that I was going to be okay, and that I just needed to take Tums and anti-diarrheal medication.
My follow-up appointment with my OBGYN was a few days later. Although the vomiting had calmed down significantly, I was still experiencing diarrhea, nausea, weakness, and lack of appetite. I had lost 15 pounds: nearly all of the weight I gained in my first and 2nd trimesters. I explained to my doctor what happened the night I went to the ER, and told her I was scared my baby was going to stop growing because I felt so sick and unable to hold down food. She told me that I had acid reflux, which happens in the 3rd trimester, and that I should take Tums, and drink lemon juice.
I started drinking lemon juice and taking Tums. I struggled to eat. Everything made me feel sick. Luckily, I enjoyed the flavor of Pedialyte, and was good at making ginger broth. It was around this time that I started itching a lot. My hands, arms, and feet were extremely itchy. I blamed the itching on my allergy to cats, and we had 3 of them in our house. It seemed the likely culprit.
My primary care doctor (not my OBGYN) saw the records from the ER and called me. She insisted that I come in… I was so nauseous and confused that I didn't understand why her office kept calling me until I picked up the phone, but when I went in for an appointment with her, she told me that I needed to be prepared to have a premature baby. I wasn't sure why she said this. 2 days later my labs came back from her office, and my liver enzymes were still extremely high. She put in a request for me to have an ultrasound of my liver performed. This was nearly 3 weeks after my ER visit.
After my primary care doctor asked for an ultrasound of my liver, I asked my OBGYN if this was something, they would want me to do as well, and if this was "normal" protocol for someone experiencing what I was. My OBGYN sent me to Labor and Delivery to have more labs run to figure out what was going on.
I had such a positive experience at labor and delivery! They had me hooked up to a fetal heart monitor that my baby kept trying to kick off of me! Everyone I came into contact with there showed concern and adequate leadership skills for helping address issues like my nausea, my lack of appetite, my weight loss, my weakness, and my newly found yellow glow. They ran all sorts of tests on me ruling out HELP, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, hepatitis, etc. When everything came back normal my OBGYN asked me if I was itchy. I told her yes, and that I thought maybe the cats were to blame. I was discharged.
November 8, 2017, I went in for my 33-week checkup appointment. My OBGYN took my measurements, and it looked like my abdomen had not grown in 5 weeks. I was encouraged to have an ultrasound to check the baby's measurements. Luckily, I was able to schedule an appointment with maternal fetal medicine the next day. The person performing the ultrasound was extremely warm and kind, but I could tell something was wrong. Every time she would take a measurement, I would turn my head to look at my husband and cry. I didn't know what was happening to my baby but I feared the worst. The high- risk pregnancy doctor came into the room. She told me that I was at risk for having a stillbirth. She explained that my baby had asymmetrical intrauterine growth restriction- this is a condition that happens when babies are unable to grow in utero so nutrients are sent to the brain for the baby to stay alive. My son's head and brain were the size of a 33-week-old baby, but the rest of his body was measuring around 28-29 weeks. I remember feeling shocked and overwhelmed. I remember how horrified the high-risk pregnancy doctor was. I remember feeling warm tears run down my face and not knowing how I had the energy to cry.
The next day was a Friday, and I was determined to see a doctor who could explain to me in detail what was happening. I didn't want to wait until the following week to start fetal heart monitoring; I wanted it to happen immediately. I spent 6 hours calling different high-risk pregnancy doctors and OBGYN providers to see if anyone would be willing to see me that day, and luckily for me the on-call doctor at my OBGYN's office agreed to seeing me!
During that appointment 45 minutes went by with 3 different nurses trying to find my baby's heartbeat. I remember looking out the window in the small room I was in, and crying. I feared that my baby did not make it. The doctor came into the room with a different ultrasound machine where she was able to see my baby's heart rate drop to 20 beats per minute. She looked me in the eye, told me she wasn't going to let my baby die, and that I was going to be taken to Labor and Delivery immediately for monitoring.
At Labor and Delivery, I felt a tremendous sense of relief. For the first time in months, I felt like someone was willing to listen to me and advocate for me. I learned a new term: placental insufficiency. I was given steroid shots and experienced one of the most difficult nights of my life. Every time I would fall asleep a nurse would run into the room with other nurses waking me up. Every time I relaxed my baby's heart rate would drop. I learned another new term: fetal heart failure.
At 9am the new on-call doctor came into my room to introduce herself. She said in a very upbeat tone, "you are going to have a baby today!" and minutes later I was in an operating room being prepped for a c section. Everything happened so fast it was impossible for me to have any kind of emotional reaction other than anxiety! And then the epidural kicked in, my abdomen was numbed, and I could feel hands and tools prying me open but no pain.
At 9:54am my son, Pablo Valentine Pennings was born! I tried to block out the remarks from the surgeon about how heavily I was bleeding, and the awful state the placenta was in. I could not believe how beautiful Pablo was. I was expecting him to look like some kind of deformed alien and to me he looked more perfect than I ever could have imagined. As they held him up to me with the c-section curtain between us I could see his hands reaching for mine. We held hands with the blanket in between us and looked each other in the eye. He received a 9/10 on the preemie ranking. I was told he would spend approximately 4 weeks in the NICU, and then I could bring him home. The day after his birth my liver enzymes returned to normal and my itching subsided.
My primary focus was on appreciating every moment with my son rather than focusing on the fact that he would have died if the on-call OBGYN hadn't agreed to see me. It felt like a miracle occurred. I was not going to take this for granted. I remember crying myself to sleep every night in my hospital room feeling this enormous sense of relief and terror all at once. I felt like the more I shared what I was going through with my nurses the easier it would be for me to cope with having a baby in the NICU who wasn't in the same room as I was in.
Emotions aside things were going well while my son was in the NICU. I enjoyed connecting with all of his nurses. I was producing breast milk! By the time he was 3 days old he was completely relying on my milk and no longer needed donor milk. My son was affectionate, had expressive facial reactions, and smelled so good! I weened myself off of the hardcore pain medication from my c section so that I would be able to drive to and from the NICU to spend more time with him. As my body started to heal, I decided I would start sleeping in his room with him every other night. I stayed overnight on his 9th night. I felt so much love for my son. I loved looking at him, I loved teaching him how to latch, I loved his NICU room. It was such a special place.
When my son was 10 days old, he was diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis. He died within hours of the diagnosis.
The months following his death I began investigating as much as I possibly could to figure out what happened to me during pregnancy. I believed that my son would not have died from NEC if I did not have pregnancy complications that put him at risk for the disease. I had more genetic testing done, and as I was reading over the "potential pregnancy complications" section I saw that I carried the genes that made me 7 times more likely to have "intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy" I'd never heard of cholestasis before. I found the ICP Care site, and as I started to read symptoms of ICP I cried uncontrollably. I knew that this was the thing I had that started in my 3rd trimester!
In January of 2019 I started to have the symptoms I experienced during pregnancy return. I began having difficulty eating, having painful, acidic bowel movements, and terrible throw up burps. Every time I would use the bathroom, I would cry uncontrollably reliving those symptoms again while I wasn't pregnant. I made appointments with a gastroenterologist who was supportive, and an incredible listener. As test results started to come back normal after my colonoscopy and endoscopy, I looked her in the eye, and told her I was experiencing the same symptoms I had when I was cholestasis during my pregnancy. She ordered more tests and confirmed that I was experiencing cholestasis again. I set up appointments with liver specialists and a very understanding liver surgeon who removed my gallbladder. The surgeon I spoke with told me she wanted to work with my next OBGYN when I decided to get pregnant again to monitor my liver enzymes and help me manage the cholestasis.
I set up appointments with two maternal fetal medicine/high risk pregnancy doctors to discuss the complications I had while I was carrying Pablo. Every doctor I talked to believed that ICP was the cause of my 3rd trimester problems. Every doctor I talked to assured me that they wanted to help me with my next pregnancy so that what happened to my son would not happen again.
My husband and I have just decided to try conceiving again. It has been a long process of acceptance and figuring out what we can do moving forward to experience the joys having a living child brings. When you experience a loss so profound you want to shut down and not think about it or talk about it. I'm hoping that by sharing my experience more doctors unfamiliar with ICP and more women unfamiliar with the condition will listen and advocate for women who are itching or experiencing unexplained elevated liver enzymes during pregnancy. My wish is for more mothers to experience the love and bond they have for their babies without the fear and shame that come from pregnancy complications and child loss.
Stephanie Kauitzsch, Texas
I had a rather smooth pregnancy in the beginning, with exception to the normal first trimester woes of nausea and fatigue. My second trimester was definitely the classic "honeymoon phase", where I began to truly enjoy pregnancy. It wasn't until I was 30 weeks pregnant that I began to feel an incredible itching on the palms of my hands and soles of my feet. I had first attributed the itching to dry skin or hormones, but the itching gradually increased to a point that was almost unbearable.
I presented my symptoms to my Obstetrician who immediately informed me that it was most likely Cholestasis of pregnancy, but a blood test would confirm this diagnosis. I had never heard of this condition before. My results returned and my bile acid level was elevated in addition to my liver enzymes. I was terrified of this condition, not for myself of course, but for my baby. I remember crying in fear and being overtaken by worry, until my Doctor calmly explained that she would closely monitor myself and the baby on a weekly basis and I would need to be induced around 36 weeks. She did just that. We did weekly sonograms and heart rate checks. It was the highlight of my week to hear the beautiful sound of my precious baby's heartbeat and see him safely growing and developing in spite of this disease. I itched and itched all throughout the day, but the itching intensified in the evenings.
The only relief was scratching my hands and feet with a hairbrush and applying ice packs to numb the nerve endings. At 36 weeks, I was induced with pitocin and labored for almost 24 hours, however I would not dilate past 8cm. My Doctor advised me that the best option was to move forward with a c-section. 30 minutes after signing the consent forms, I heard the precious cry of my first-born child. Tears streamed down my face and I knew all of the itching and discomfort was worth it to hold my 5lb. 6oz., absolutely perfect and healthy baby boy.
Lindsey Duclos, New York
I woke up in a fog with a strange feeling that I wasn't pregnant anymore. Almost like I woke up in the middle of a dream. I reached down and my belly was still there, but I couldn't shake this weird feeling. I was 39 weeks along with a perfect pregnancy. There was no pain, no issues at all besides this strange feeling I could only describe as feeling empty. This was the day our lives changed forever.
Up until this moment we had what we thought was a picture-perfect pregnancy. This was our first child and we couldn't wait to meet him. Early in the third trimester, I started having pain under my ribs on one side. I brought this up at my appointment and was told to "ditch the underwire" and get a new bra. Fast forward to 37-38 weeks, I started experiencing an intense itch on my palms and soles of my feet mostly at night. After one rough night of itching I turned to google to see if I could find any explanation. I searched "itchy hands and feet pregnancy" and the first thing that popped up was Cholestasis of Pregnancy- a very serious condition for women late in pregnancy that could result in stillbirth if not treated properly. Luckily, I had an appointment later that same day and decided to bring up my concerns when I went.
Cholestasis of Pregnancy generally appears later in pregnancy as hormones rise. The rise in hormones causes the liver to malfunction and the bile from the liver spills out into the bloodstream creating a toxic environment for the baby. Symptoms can include pain under your ribs (RUQ pain) and most notably itching of your hands and feet at night. Both symptoms I had and reported to my OB. Blood work, specifically Bile Acid levels of 10 or greater can be used to diagnose ICP.
The doctor never came in to see us. I mentioned to the NP about my symptoms and what I found online about Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP). She knew enough about ICP to know that the itching presents without a rash and motioned for me to show her my hands. She asked if I had a rash and noted that I did not. We had to insist to have my bile acid levels checked. She did not seem concerned at all which regrettably led me to believe this couldn't be as serious as what I read online. We were told itching is common and can be from skin stretching as I was 38 weeks and 4 days along at this point. She sent me home to drink water with lemon and to eat watermelon. I had my blood work done the next day and would not have the results back for several days.
Four days later I woke up with a strong instinct that something was off. I thought it was in my head and if I could get the baby to move I would feel a lot better. I got up, took a shower, went for a drive, all of the things that normally got him to move with no luck. It was Easter Sunday and my doctor's office was closed so we decided to go to the hospital just to be safe.
When we got to labor and delivery the nurse quickly used a doppler and said she would be right back with the doctor. The doctor came to perform an ultrasound and I will never forget the moment she turned to me and said "Lindsey I'm so sorry, there is no heartbeat". I remember my husband grabbing my hand and my mother dropping to the floor crying. In that moment, I felt nothing. In a state of shock, I looked at the doctor and calmly said "Okay, where do we go from here?"
I was induced and delivered a beautiful baby boy later that day. Thomas Joseph Duclos was born on April 16th, 2017 weighing 6 pounds 1 ounce and 21 inches long. Perfect in every way besides the fact that his little heart was no longer beating.
It wasn't until about a day or two later when the shock wore off that it hit me like a ton of bricks. All of the sudden I recalled what I was reading less than a week before about ICP and the dangers it poses to an unborn baby if it isn't treated properly including stillbirth. Women with this condition need to be medicated, monitored closely and most importantly induced by 36-37 weeks as the risk for complications and stillbirth rises greatly after 38 weeks.
After our son passed away, our doctor's office was in denial and told me I did not have ICP. Although they did say they were "sorry for not taking me seriously because I was so healthy" and she said that "they have learned from their mistakes." My son, their mistake. My bile acid numbers came back several days after our son passed away at 9.7 with 10 being the diagnostic level. Again, these levels were taken several days before he passed away so it is unknown what they may have increased to. Bile Acids can be very unstable especially late in pregnancy and can fluctuate hour by hour. A 9.7 at noon can increase to extreme levels later that same day, especially if not medicated.
A little over a year later we found out we were pregnant again. This time around we had an amazing team at Albany Medical Center's Maternal Fetal Medicine Group. They were so patient throughout my entire pregnancy. I was just over 31 weeks along when I received a call after 9pm on a Sunday night from the doctor to let me know that my blood work came back positive for ICP and I needed to start medication ASAP. That rare condition that our first doctor's office was adamant I did not have was back. ICP has a 40-90% chance of recurrence. I was overwhelmed with emotions hearing this. I was scared to battle this again, but relieved to know what battle I was fighting. I was happy to finally have confirmation that this is what happened to our baby boy, but also devastated knowing that this is preventable if taken seriously and treated properly. I was angry that our previous doctor's office wouldn't own up to their careless decision and tried to make us believe his death was just something unexplainable that happens. I chose not to use the term "careless mistake" because I feel strongly that the NP was knowledgeable enough about the condition to know it presents without a rash and what testing is required for diagnosis and purposefully made the decision to send us home knowing how dangerous it could be given our 38+3 gestation. At the very least, we should have been sent to the hospital for monitoring.
I was prescribed URSO the next day and they scheduled my induction for 36 weeks. I had biophysical profiles and non-stress tests twice a week along with frequent bile acid testing. My bile acid levels continued to rise up into the 20's even after four weeks on the medication.
We welcomed a beautiful baby girl on March 11th, 2019 named Parker. She was 5lbs 14oz and perfectly healthy.
"It is not a path of my choice, but it is a path I must walk mindfully and with intention." Our intention is to spread awareness and to save other families from experiencing what we had to endure. Losing a child is hard. Carrying a subsequent pregnancy knowing this could happen again was as close to unbearable as you could imagine. I often wonder how our lives would be different if we saw a different medical professional that day or insisted to be heard. Trust your instincts. If your medical team is not listening to you then you need to find a new team. Your baby's life could depend on it.
Andrea McConne, Australia
I was in my first trimester with my first baby in 2014. This had already been a stressful time with fertility treatment and a previous miscarriage at 11 weeks, so we were already concerned parents with a long road to travel.
I was experiencing some incredible itchiness of a night time and mentioned it to my fantastic OB at my 12-week appointment. He wasn't concerned and luckily I hadn't googled anything!!!! He asked me some routine questions about problematic pregnancies for my mum and sister but I didn't think anything of the conversation, he did say he would do some additional bloods to rule anything out but he just thought that it was normal stretching skin. Although at this stage the itch was only across my chest and mostly of a night time. We came to realize that he was clearly a very vigilant and well educated in ICP. At 14 weeks I received a phone call from him that I did in fact have ICP with a bile acid of 12, I was placed on URSO straight away and stupidly spent far too much time on Google. Luckily I found the ICP Care Facebook support group and was able to calm my nerves by asking a lot of questions.
After much argument with the private script system in Australia I was able to get URSO for $38 for 3 boxes instead of $140, seeing as I was only 3 1/2 months pregnant and taking 4 bills a day this was a big financial relief. A much appreciated coordinated effort with lots of phone calls made from both my OB and Pharmacist who lost their cools several time with the system that gives permission for private script approval in Australia. I still have boxes of URSO stashed away just in case 😉
I am lucky to say my itch remained bearable yet moved to my stomach and sometimes my hands, although I feel that I never got it as bad as some others. Keeping cool was key for me and lucky I was having a winter baby, I would never chance a pregnancy in an Australian summer if I can help it. I found moo goo creams have some relief and also hydrogel breast pads placed in the fridge also assisted, anything that kept my skin cool allowed me a little more relief and therefore sleep.
The highest my levels ever went were 14 with a few weeks left to deliver, my OB continued to be vigilant and developed a plan we were really happy with, blood tests monthly and fortnightly for bile and liver function, growth scans at every visit, a few CTG's thrown in towards delivery, growth steroids for Bub and a c section delivery (my choice) at 37 weeks with back up bloods ordered and my placenta sent away for investigations. Our daughter Audrey was born without complication, a good size at 6 pound and without any of the respiratory issues we had prepared ourselves for.
Even with a surprisingly lucky run in with ICP my placenta still showed what was described as 'black/dead spots' something that chills me still as I was considered so well 'controlled'.
My LFT and bile acids had returned to normal by follow up tests at 4 weeks post-delivery.
We were so lucky with our ICP story, I know many are not as lucky as we were and I feel that it was purely the knowledge and experience of our OB who made our journey such a positive experience. We are currently 12 weeks pregnant with number 2 and unfortunately our original OB has now retired but we seem to have found a new OB that will be just as vigilant and has agreed to a similar plan as our previous doctor.
Christa Jensen, Utah
At about 30 weeks, I began itching and asked my doctor about it. I was itchy everywhere. He told me to avoid hot baths and take benedryl. At 33 weeks, I went to an all you can eat buffet and that night I could not sleep because the itching was so bad. Finally about 3AM, I went online searching for itchy skin during pregnancy. As soon as I read about Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy on ICP Care / Itchy Moms I knew that's what I had.
I called my OBGYN and went in for a blood test. They put me on Ursodeoxycholic Acid and said the results would come back in a few days. They called a few days later and confirmed the diagnosis and my BA level were at 37. I came in for a non-stress test and the baby was not very active and I started having contractions. I was sent home but advised to stay off my feet. That night I went into labor at 35 weeks. I went to labor and delivery and no one had heard of ICP. They gave me a shot to stop labor and sent me home. The next day I went into labor again. I went back to the hospital and finally was admitted. Many hours later Austin was born weighing, 5lbs 11oz. As soon as he was born he stopped breathing. They had to call a "code blue" and call a newborn life flight team to airlift him to another hospital with a high level NICU. He was diagnosed with Respiratory Distress Syndrome; he was put on a ventilator for 5 days. He also had an infection that required antibiotics, and jaundice. For me the itching went away right after giving birth. After 14 days in the NICU and 11 days at a children's hospital with RSV, my baby is now older and doing great. Although it was the hardest thing I have ever gone through, I am grateful to have the education, and support of such an amazing website.
Crystal Eowan, Utah
My name is Crystal. I live in Utah with my husband Ron and two living children, Tristyn (16y) and Ronnie (19m). I am getting out of my comfort zone and sharing my experience with Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP) in hopes of educating those who have never heard of this condition, and to let anyone suffering from ICP or a loss like mine to know they aren't alone. I am also a true believer that my daughter will continue to live and matter in her story and memories.
Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP) is a condition of the liver. It is not dangerous to the mother (only uncomfortable) but can be very serious or deadly to a fetus. More information can be found at www.icpcare.org.
Ron and I dated for seven years before finally being ready to settle down and grow our family. We were married in 2015 and wasted no time. Two months after saying "I do," two little pink lines confirmed I was pregnant. Our family was thrilled. As these things go, we soon found out we were having a girl. Her name had already been picked out long before she was a twinkle in our eye. Eleanor Nichole. She was named after Ron's late grandmother and his niece who had passed away at a young age. There was nothing unusual about my pregnancy for the first trimester and a half. Besides the typical nausea and discomforts, it was all going well. My appointments were great, her and I were both growing and healthy as could be. It wasn't until about 27 weeks that things started to feel different. My hands and feet were itching. This wasn't an itch that I could scratch and it wasn't a typical swollen "changing body" itch either. But I brushed it off because it would come and go. I would ask my girlfriends who had babies or were currently pregnant if they had this happen to them before. Most of them said no, or that itching during pregnancy was normal. I wasn't worried. As the weeks went on the itching got worse. I was constantly scratching, rubbing my hands together, and scraping my feet on anything that would normally hurt me. On top of the intense itching, I was having increased upper right quadrant pain (sharp pains near my gall bladder). I had those pains since being pregnant with my daughter 16 years ago and never thought much of them because they passed quickly, but they were much more frequent. I googled the two symptoms and was led to pages and stories of ICP.
At my next doctor's appointment, I mentioned my itching and my google findings.
My doctor seemed flippant about it, telling me that Cholestasis usually involved itching around the ribs and stomach and I quote, "It's not very common and we would have to draw blood and it's a whole ordeal." She was leaving out of town for the next few weeks and I was brushed off. I left the appointment being told that I should stay away from "Dr. Google" and that my hands were likely itchy from swelling and carpel tunnel. I had no reason not to trust my doctor and left feeling a little silly that I thought I could have something so serious.
No more than 3 days later my itching got worse and had spread everywhere… my legs, my breasts, my neck, my armpits, my scalp! I was scratching my neck until it bled. I was turning the shower extra hot then really cold for the tiniest bit of relief and I wasn't sleeping. I honestly felt like I was going to have a mental breakdown and was losing my mind. I was ashamed to leave the house because my scratching made me look like a pregnant addict. I couldn't control my scratching! I knew deep down there was something else going on, something serious. I called the doctor's office on a weekend, knowing my regular doc was out of town and asked for the blood test. Five days later my suspicions were confirmed. My bile acids were around 40 and a prescription for Ursodiol was called in for me to pick up that afternoon (that was an ordeal in itself). The pharmacist didn't seem to know why a pregnant woman would be taking Ursodiol and was questioning me on it. Then, my insurance company denied the original dosage I was prescribed. The on-call doctor lowered my dosage ensuring me that it would still be fine and I was finally on my way. I left feeling hopeful but still devastated that my body was literally poisoning my baby.
One week after getting my actual diagnosis and prescription I spent a Saturday getting a pedicure, lunch, and the final items needed for our baby girl. I just knew she was going to be born earlier than planned. I was prepared to call my regular doctor when she returned from her vacation to schedule an induction that week now that I knew going 40 weeks was not an option with ICP. I couldn't wait to meet her. Ron, Tristyn and I got home after a full day of running errands and keeping busy that I hadn't noticed my decreased movement and kicks. Something that still haunts me is not knowing when her movements actually stopped that Saturday because I was so busy and moving around.
On Sunday morning March 13th, 2016 at 10:56 am our beautiful Eleanor Nicole was "born sleeping" (a term I absolutely hate using). I was just under 37 weeks gestation. Eleanor weighed 7 lbs. 9 oz and was 21 inches long. Her hair was brown with a hint of red and she looked just like her daddy. I can still feel her lashes on my lips when I kissed her. She was my hardest and longest labor and I remember bits and pieces of that night like it was yesterday. Our hearts were broken and our lives forever changed. That night was a true nightmare for Ron and I. We still wonder how we survived something so traumatic. At the same time, I am forever grateful for the people who came to take pictures and make mementos for us to keep and cherish forever. The week after Eleanor was born is a blur to me, but I am so blessed to have a husband who loved and took care of me in the hardest time of my life. I am also so grateful for my mother and mother in law for helping us and being there for anything we needed.
As expected, my itching was gone a day or so after the birth. The only time my bile acids were tested was when I went in for my original blood test and after she was born. Because of this, they had dropped significantly. I will never know what they were or if they were dangerously elevated when she quietly passed away. The original level (40s) would not be considered extreme. Eleanor's autopsy noted the ICP as a cause of death and meconium staining because of the stress she was under. It was also noted that I had a 40-90% chance of getting ICP in any subsequent pregnancies.
I am happy to write that my story does have a happy ending. After losing Eleanor I joined the "Itchy Moms" Facebook group and searched a TON of information on ICP. I changed to a doctor that was recommended by other itchy moms and now have the most amazing beautiful son Ronnie. My doctor is amazing and listened to all of my concerns. We had a plan in place from the beginning. I was tested frequently (even if I had the slightest itch) and started non-stress tests at 30 weeks. I never got ICP with Ronnie. I went into the pregnancy fully expecting to have it again and still can't grasp why my levels never elevated with him. But, I am still at risk for any other pregnancies and now know that my daughters have a higher chance of developing the condition. Ronnie was still induced early because of my high risk and he has brought joy to our lives since the moment he started crying in the delivery room.
If you're pregnant and itching or if your significant other is pregnant and itching, if you know of ANY PREGNANT WOMAN who is itching, please don't take it lightly! Trust your instincts and push for blood tests if you are not comfortable with the answers you are getting. Know the symptoms (itching, upper quadrant pain, dark urine, pale stool, jaundice) and tell all of them to your doctor. Most importantly, know that my story was the worst outcome and it doesn't mean that yours will be. Intervention and treatment are available! Don't ignore signs or symptoms and fight for you and your baby!


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the price of things
There was a discussion recently, initiated by Luca Turin on his highly appreciated blog, on pricing of perfumes, with some discussion echoes online, such as on Now Smell This -for instance. Links at at the bottom of this post.
Here, well, here follows a contribution on my blog. I am not sure whether it is particularly interesting to most perfume consumers: I learned over the years that consumers want to be told how luxurious the contents of a flacon are and how many roses found their way into there. But then: I am Swiss and we Swiss tend to be down to earth, sometimes. So: Let's talk numbers here, and not flowers.
To help understand, let's clear the terms first:
Distribution: A sales model where a producer sells to a third party, the distributor. The distributor then sells to stores, retailers, etailers and does the marketing, the communication in the market, sometimes through agents. It is important to take note that a distributor takes the risk of buying products that might not sell.
Retailers, etailers: These are stores selling to end consumers directly. Either buying from a producer directly or from a distributor. The retailer/etailer again takes the risk of buying products that might not sell. And retailers/etailers have high operation costs (salaries, rents, infrastructure).
Producer: It is the maker of things, very often it is actually a network of companies and the end result is a packed and ready to sell product. The producer takes the risk of buying inventory , in perfumery it is 6-12 months lead time, which means the producer invests now into products that are sold in 6-12 months time, and the producer has the risk of investing work/overhead into the production of a product that might not sell and has to be discarded or discounted at the end of the day.
Margin: That's the difference between how much a party paid for a product and for how much it is sold to another party.
Profit: That's what is left from the margin if you subtract all costs that occur to make the sales. For instance: costs for production, for shipment, rent, electricity, fees, certification costs, insurance, ...There's profit before taxes and after taxes, but let's keep things simple here.
Now let's look into the numbers.
First things first: Distribution determines the retail price because at the end of the day a producer needs a profit. Why do you -as producer- want to go for a distribution model? There might be markets that you cannot serve directly. You might aim for higher numbers of sold products allowing you to buy larger numbers of inventory and hence taking avantage of economies of scale (the more inventory you buy the cheaper it gets). Or you might simply not have the resources to talk to all retailers bilaterally, directly.
In perfumery, the regular model is: a coefficient of 4.5 to 5.5 goes to the distributor. This means: A product that is sold in stores for 135$ US: the distributor pays the producer 135$ divided by 5.0: 27$.
Now let's put this into perspective with production costs. (I use European prices here. You can source in China, too. I do so, too, but where feasible I try to source from here, Europe)
A semiautomatically produced flacon, made in Europe, costs somewhere betweeen 3.5 $ and 6$ , not landed (meaning without transport and taxes), depending on how many you buy and where you buy them. If you happen to have a packaging that is not just a cheap cardboard box: Production costs in Europe are maybe 2-5 $.
Then you need labels, pumps, caps: Add another 2-3 $.
All buying prices above: No blingbling, not fancy gold decoration.
Add whatever amount you want for the perfume.
Then add work to the equation: Sourcing, scent production, dilution, filtration, bottle filling, crimping (fixing the pumps on the flacon), labelling, putting things into the packaging, cellophaning, and doing the paperwork like dealing with authorities, preparing shipping papers.
And now you do the math.
Ideally, the margin should be somewhere around 50% of the distribution price. And ideally, the profit should be higher than 50% of the margin.
Here my thoughts about all this: It would be easy to just say "don't do the distribution". But - at least for me- there are good reasons to be present in markets that only work through distribution. Or in other words: You cannot survive these days by selling niche/haute perfumery/low volume perfumery in the US, UK and Germany only. You need a larger client base.
I can "afford" to offer a scent like air du désert marocain for 135$ these days because I have a mixed model where I also sell directly to clients and each of these direct sales makes a difference. I can also sell it at 135$ because I do most of the production myself (not everything, though), because I am blessed and know how to use photoshop, and illustrator, because I dare to deal with a lot of regulation issues without the help of external consultants, because I do all the logistics myself, because I am working in Switzerland with a liberal tax and regulation regime, and because I do not pay myself a salary that truly compensates for 60 hour working weeks, because I made a strategic decision to be there where I am with my pricing (there's a price to pay for a luxury positioning), and because I love doing what I am doing.
The very moment I sell my company, prices will double.
Luca Turin's blog
Now Smell This Perfume
35 thoughts on "the price of things"
Thanks for that Andy. Not sure if I took it all in, only been awake for 90 minutes, and it is Sunday morning. Have a great day my friend.↓
I wish you a lovely Sunday, dear Barry. I am up since 6.30 and have a strategic advantage there ;-)↓
Thanks Andy, for his enlightening, differentiated reporting! It shows clearly what the price of a fragrance means, specially for small companies like we. I would like to add that the creation of a perfume comes usually as a long process, i my case it can last up to two years ... The idea and the work that goes into a creation is therefore also part of the price. That's with all design products so - originality has its price. Also, I can produce only in small quantities, which is very expensive. Finally, the customer decides whether he will prefer to buy cheap mass-produced goods or high-priced originality. The same people who get excited about perfume prices, are happy for a designer T-shirt made in China or some outrageously expensive wine questionable provenance, to pay huge sums without batting an eyelid! Sometimes I ask myself whether I better change the sector…↓
sometimes I wonder, too dear Vero. But then: I still feel that I can make a change and a contribution. So: Stiff upper lip and on we go :-) And read the comments below, dear: We really do make a difference. This is nice.↓
Well said Andy! You have confirmed and spoken out. There are niche companies that exist and who are not taking the public for a ride on price as generalised by our well repected Luca TURIN.
I as a perfume lover believe that the "proof is in the pudding" or as the industry goes " the proof is in the juice". Unfortunately with the new wave of new niche houses entering the market you have to step back and ponder, after smelling their new offerings , the reasons as to why their house was created and continues to exist.
We love this business and consider the perfume world as the best business to be in EVER!
My only downside is that I would want other perfume houses too reflect through alot more "trial and error" putting a lot more thought into the juice before rushing into a launch of a new perfume because they feel they have too because they feel market pressure.
Illustrated by Luca Turin's blog on the shear numbers of perfumers so called recent artistic creations.↓
Thanks for your comment, dear Kim
To be honest: The perfume world was even better 10 years ago. A lot has changed. But if I speak to friends in pharma, banking, farming... I guess I can be very happy to be in this business (which so often does not feel like a business... to me at least)↓
I enjoy reading Turin's reviews and thoughts, but I like to keep perspective in mind: for someone such as he, who can analyse and criticise a perfume with such ease, I find it *interesting* that I have yet to smell a Luca Turin perfume... Food for thought.↓
Luca Turin is not a perfumer but a perfume critic as well as a scientist. But I do remember reading somewhere he did create or co-create a perfume or perfumes for Fragonard at one time though his career as a perfume critic had already been launched by then.↓
I think, Pelicano, that these are different worlds. Like me : I am not a perfume critic (although sometimes I am tempted) and for a good reason. I do not have photographic memory like Luca has and I have not the right perspective to do so. I guess it works the same way for perfume critics, just the other way round....↓
Your openness and honesty is something I have not seen in any other perfume brand. Maybe that is what Swiss quality of 'being down-to-earth' is!↓
I have no problem at all paying higher prices for beautifully executed fragrances from smaller companies. You shed some light on what I knew in a general sense-the high cost of working on a smaller scale. I wish that Turin had made some distinctions between large and small companies. Further distinctions that affect pricing can also be made, I'm sure. I am most irked by two trends: 1. the ever increasing prices in the "luxury" market, typically lines found in the high-end department stores/boutiques and 2. the ludicrous prices in the new niche houses that Kim Charles mentioned above. These "pop-up" lines are simply riding the coattails of established lines that do the same thing, only better, and usually, at lower prices.↓
Good morning, Melissa. Thanks. Yes. I agree with Kim's line about the pop-up lines, too. But then: Time will tell :-)↓
A very good reality check on manufacturing and production costs. I had a foray into retail and into the production of herbal remedies years ago. It is in the past tense, because the profit margin was pathetic. People can do well in the business, but it takes a lot of really, really low pay time to get the system up and running and good distribution. I have tremendous respect and admiration for people and businesses who stick it out and offer great products. All those little things like getting the labels printed right on on straight, and on time....so many little steps to the final presentation. Too many people think the full retail cost of the product goes directly to the manufacturer, or with just a tiny deduction for being on a shelf in a store. Your description is a good reality check.↓
Thank you, LaReffinee
I am glad I could provide a reality check.↓
Thank you Andy for this! It really helps break it down. I come from 5 generations of European shopkeepers, and myself have been in retail for 30+ years. I remember bringing in a new line of ceramics to my (then) gallery. One of my friends asked "why are you charging so little for these? You could mark them up at LEAST 4X" All I could think of was why would I ask for the moon if it meant standing on the back of the artist? The profit I made was sufficient. I look at niche perfumes that way as well, willingly paying more to help support a perfume artist who works so hard to provide me with something so luxurious. With the big conglomerates, I question the need to decrease the ml. size (50 to 30), yet up the price by almost double. I get that they're all about the bottom line, but it makes me wonder why they don't keep the product priced ro be accessible to the folks who really love it, who in turn can potentially drive future sales through word-of-mouth? The accessibility of the Tauer range (especially Tauerville) just makes me love the brand all the more.... and sharing the information with my perfume buddies feels like a gift to share.↓
Maybe, Herrmann, because they do not care about the perfume buddies. Maybe their target is just different.
I like your line "the profit I made was sufficient" : In a world of more and more and more and greed that line of yours stands out!↓
Hi Andy, I was about to write something similar on my own blog for the same reason, so I'm delighted you did this. I also read Luca Turin's post and while I think he always makes a good point, that one probably needs a bit of extra context.
This year I did some calculations for a course we ran at our place, for all the people who want to come to me for advice on set up a perfume brand, believing that they are about to earn a fortune.
(My advice is usually, "For goodness sake, don't do it!" ;-) )
If one make a fragrance without any of the higher priced materials, using a standard bottle, not a bespoke design, then one can get the costs down to $10 a bottle as long as one produces at least 200,000 of them.
My first run is usually around 50.
50 bottles not 50,000.
I might only sell 30 of those in a year. So that means no profit on this fragrance, just a cupboard of bottles which will probably sell eventually. Some sell more.
The reason I haven't written the blog post yet is that I also do 60 hour weeks.
For that course, I also made a list of all the other things you have to pay for if you're thinking of making perfume for a living. We added them all up, calculated the profit per bottle and worked out how many bottles needed to be sold to pay for it. People turned pale and started to change their minds. I'll probably publish it.
The profit per bottle doesn't magically go into the perfumer's pocket. If only! Sometimes I wish a big company employed me, and that every single day didn't involve some kind of financial juggling, risks, decisions...
Then again it wouldn't be half as much fun.
Every time someone says - usually talking about Iso E Super - "I could make perfume for $10 a bottle and sell it for $100!" I say, "Who to?" Because the hard part isn't making it, it's getting it to the point where someone is able and keen to buy it.
I am not a fan of bling, but I begrudgingly admire the PR and marketing skills of those who are able to wrap their fragrances in myth, legend and sparkles and keep a straight face while charging $3000 a bottle. Their customers are not buying perfume, they are paying for status. (Like the people who bought the $999 app "I Am Rich" which did nothing but appear on their phones announcing that they were rich.)
You can't stop rich people doing daft stuff with their cash.
If I want to stay in business - which I do - I need to pay the rent, wages and bills and to make a big enough margin to fund some time to make new things. I like using interesting materials, some of which are expensive. I can't make perfume for $10 a bottle and I can't keep prices under $120 for 100ml.
Without you, Andy, and everyone else who has contributed their trade secrets here, I think the world of scent would get very boring. I hope there are enough customers with a fondness for small batches of imaginative fragrances at reasonable prices, who realise that we are not taking advantage of them by charging enough to keep us going.↓
A lovely day to you, Sarah! And thanks for your detailed comment that adds a lot of perspective to what I have written in the post. And yes: I will keep your line in mind "I could make perfume for $10 a bottle and sell it for $100!" I say, "Who to?" Because the hard part isn't making it, it's getting it to the point where someone is able and keen to buy it.
That is so up to the point, too! Thanks.↓
Andy, I have purchased your perfumes from the time you started creating them. I am so pleased that you have never changed despite your success...you are still personable, make every customer feel special, spend time answering questions and emails, all the while still creating beautiful fragrances for all of us to enjoy at reasonable pricing. And I would have to say...a spray of one of your creations is very beautiful and much longer lasting than two or three sprays from other perfumers. Keep being real and keep on producing your beautiful creations.↓
Good morning Phyllis! Yes, I remember. You were "there" right from the start. You know: After having worked for some many years in a office (think tie) environment: I am so glad that I can live in my little simple bubble without having to worry too much about formal stuff. In that sense: Promised... I'll stay real.↓
I am really happy to read this and the comments from other respected artisan perfumers. When I read Turin's post my gut reaction was "No way is $120 for 100mls a fair price for a quality indie perfume." Maybe for an average mass produced department store scent or a pop-up insta-faux-niche scent, but not for the quality I get from Tauer Perfumes. I also noticed the perfume you chose for the photo on this post - this is the richest, most opulent Tauer I own and you have said before how expensive the raw materials are for this scent. Thank you Andy for your personal touch and your commitment to offering your beautiful creations at reasonable prices your loyal customers can afford.↓
Tara: I am pretty convinced that Luca Turin did not think about niche when he wrote his post.
And: Yes, I chose this picture, because it was 1. at hand (I packed some Le Maroc last week) and 2. because I could never produce this fragrance for a price that would allow me to sell it for 120$ in Italy or the US. I am glad you mention this ,too.↓
Hi Andy!
I appreciate your thorough explanation and sharing with us inside look into perfume business. I will be getting soon my Master's in Accounting so all this "numbers" talk is very exciting to me :-D. But on a serious note, I do understand very well everything you said and your point. I never thought that your prices were too high: on a contrary, the quality and density of materials for the retail price point speak of your generous nature. I buy some of the raw materials myself for therapeutic reasons/medicinal value and know how expensive they can be. I especially appreciate the Flash series - as perfume lovers we can only wish that perfumers were a little more cognizant of the state of financial affairs of their fan base. You are one of the very few.
Personally, I don't think you have to worry about us, perfumistas, accusing you of greed, ever! Next time I want one of your amazing creations I will make sure to get straight from your website. :)↓
Hi Renata! I am not worried about my perfumista friends, indeed. Thank you!↓
Dear Andy, thanks for this candid and marvellous post.
I'm discussing it here (SOTD is Une Rose Chypree) with my husband. He is an entrepreneur and is asking why the distributor takes so much of the margin in your business. Is it a power position?↓
Dear Hamamelis; good question. But the answer is rather no. Of course, there is a power position in the sense that without distributor some markets are a no go zone. Like Russia.But generally speaking: No, it is not the distributor's power position but it is justified by the costs of operation. In Italy, for instance, the distributor works with agents who visit perfumeries but a lot of the communication with the retailers still is through the distributor, so is the bookkeeping, invoicing, the distributor carries the risk of not being paid, the distributor provides marketing material for the perfumeries, does training, pays shipment costs, registers the products with authorities, and the list goes on.↓
Thank you for clarifying! It just shows how complex this whole process is, high handling and I suppose in comparison to selling a bottle of good wine ;-) low volume, especially niche.
I will report back to my husband who finds this side of perfume very interesting but who also has learned to use his nose and picks out notes very accurately!↓
A net profit (or even pre-tax) margin of 25% is actually really high. Most companies hover around 5-10%, and while it's not directly comparable beauty giants such as Estee Lauder have a profit margin of ~10%. And I assume that you as a producer have some profit as well, so the net profit margin overall is even a bit higher than that. To me these kinds of margins are excessive, but if it's what the distributor demands there's not much a lone producer can do. And I totally understand why you'd want to utilize a distributor. But it kind of testament of a mono-/oligopoly situation among fragrance distributors that these margins are sustainable. Maybe I should go into business ;-)
Anyhow, I just recently caught a whiff of Lonestar Memories as my first experience with your scents and I found it absolutely terrific! Looking forward to sampling some of the other creations in the future.↓
Hi John
I am glad that Lonestar Memories made a good first impression.
About Esthee Lauder. Even they have, if they want to sell Malle, or Le Labo through a retailer or etailer, to give a margin of 50% to the retailer. I do not know about department stores, though. But I know that small brands usually loose money or make no profit when selling through department stores. Why would they nevertheless do it: because it is some sort of marketing. To get into some department stores brands have to pay money upfront. Just to get in there. ...Imagine!↓
A really interesting, enlightening and honest discussion. Thanks Andy. I also appreciate Sarah McCartney's openness too. I'm launching my own small-batch artisan brand next year and I'm not taking the road of outrageously inflated pricing - because I believe that is a bubble that, like all bubbles, will eventually burst. And that will sort the genuine from the fakes in this business ... who think artisan perfumery is about bling, or big heavy metal caps ... However, what I've found interesting is that certain retailers have said my pricing should be higher, otherwise consumers won't believe it's good quality. And yes, making money is far from easy ... but that doesn't stop me wanting to give this my best.↓
Thank you, Nick S. Actually, this is very much true: Price is one of the key parameters by which the consumer judges quality. There's not much we can do about it but try to communicate what quality means in the end, but it is pretty futile, to be honest.
But in the end, I guess, we all have to stay loyal to what we believe and stand for....↓
Agreed - and I think in the end people can 'smell' what's fake. Or done cynically just to make money. People aren't dupes ...↓
Good day
This is from Ethiopia Mk civet musk supplier.
we are manufacturing and suppling good quality civet musk with good price so, if you are interested in our product plea↓
There seems to be a miscommunication here about distributors earning the most margins.
The correct information would actually be that the largest margins are given to the Retailers/Etailers/sellers to final consumer.
Having worked in a Producer company and a perfume distribution company respectively, I would like to use a round figure of $100 for a 100ml perfume at retail. (Please note, this is relative to mainstream perfume brands not "niche")
* Retailer sells at $100 ( with a 2.5 - 4.0 coefficient) depending on the brand in question
* Distributor sells at $33 ( assuming the retailer gets a 3.0 coefficient)
* Producer sells at $20.
In this scenario, the retailer takes care of freight charges. The distributor manages sales & marketing following guidelines provided by producer; distributor might also employs local agents to manage retailers. The producer provides the distributor a marketing budget for the year.
In all the retailer gets the largest margin because they own the greatest overheads (staff, retail points, etc)↓
I did indeed not communicate how much goes to the retailer, but just focused on distribution and production. The retailer usually gets coeff 2- 2.5. Like you said. And like I said: producer sells at 20 (in your numbers).
the retailer gets the largest margin for cost reasons, and risks, and other factors, but this is another discussion. thanks for your contribution. Best regards,↓
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Lucifer Season 4: Will the Devil Be Tempted By Eve? — 2019 FIRST LOOK
Lucifer > Season 4 > Lucifer – Serie 1 – First Look
The biblical tables are poised to be turned when Eve aka the first lady explores what Lucifer truly desires, as seen in this (ahem) intimate first look at Season 4.
Now calling Netflix home (though its premiere date remains TBA), Lucifer's titular devil — while considering Chloe's reaction to his actual identity — receives some advice from Eve (played by Imposters' Inbar Lavi), though it might be that she is the snake in his proverbial garden this time around.
"Lucifer is in a very vulnerable moment, emotionally — not that he would ever recognize that — when out of nowhere, Eve turns up," series star Tom Ellis shared during TVLine's visit to the set, where they were filming Episode 10 aka Season 4's finale.
Source –> https://tvline.com/2018/12/05/lucifer-season-4-netflix-photo-eve-temptation-inbar-lavi/


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I believe that outsourcing of cancer testing has put a death sentence on Ms Phelan.
Why was the testing outsourced in the first place?
Does the HSE not employ laboratory technicians who could have carried out the test in this country?A 43-year-old woman who was given incorrect test results and is now terminally ill with cervical cancer has settled her High Court action against a US laboratory for 2.5m.
Vicky Phelan was diagnosed with cancer three years after her smear test results of 2011 were incorrectly reported as clear of abnormalities.
By the time she had another smear test in 2014 she had cervical cancer.
In January this year she was given six to 12 months to live.
Mr Justice Kevin Cross described Ms Phelan as the most impressive witness he had ever encountered.
He also praised both sides in the case for the speed with which the case was handled.
In her High Court action, which began last week, her lawyers said if the cancerous cells had been detected in 2011 she would have had a simple procedure and would have a 90% chance of survival.
Ms Phelan, of Carrigeen, Annacotty, Co Limerick along with her husband Jim Phelan has sued the Health Service Executive and Clinical Pathology Laboratories Inc, Austin, Texas, over a smear test taken under the National Cervical Screening Programme CervicalCheck and analysed in the US laboratory.
I believe that outsourcing of cancer testing has put a death sentence on Ms Phelan.
Why was the testing outsourced in the first place?


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2016 ACTHIV Conference
The enduring material is jointly provided by William Beaumont Hospital, American Academy of CME, Inc., and the American Conference for the Treatment of HIV (ACTHIV).
The 10th Annual American Conference for the Treatment of HIV (ACTHIV) was held April 28-30, 2016 in Dallas, TX. The Conference was supported by funding from the Clinical Education Initiative, New York State Department of Health, AIDS Institute; and from the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA). The conference and this web archive were supported by educational grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb; Gilead Sciences; Janssen Therapeutics, Division of Janssen Products, LP; Merck & Co.; and ViiV Healthcare.
Joel Gallant, MD, MPH, is the Medical Director of Specialty Services at the Southwest CARE Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is Adjunct Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.
Estimated time to complete: 30 minutes
Physicians (both specialists and primary care/family medicine), nurse practitioners, and nurses who are frontline providers of care to persons at risk of or with HIV infection. Physician assistants, pharmacists, case managers and other healthcare professionals may also participate.
Learning Objectives
As a result of participating in this activity, participants should be better able to:
- List the reasons to consider switching therapy in virologically suppressed patient according to latest DHHS guidelines
- Review the results of recent "switch" trials
- Identify the risks of switching therapy in a treatment-experienced patient and how to maximize the safety of switching
Faculty Disclosure
Privacy Policy
For more information about Beaumont's privacy policy, please access http://www.beaumont.edu/privacy-policy
For more information about Academy privacy policy, please access http://www.academycme.org/privacy.htm
For CME information or credit details, contact: firstname.lastname@example.com
For CNE information or credit details, contact: firstname.lastname@example.com
Bibliographic Sources:
- Lee W et. Selective intracellular activation of a novel prodrug of the human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase inhibitor tenofovir leads to preferential distribution and accumulation in lymphatic tissue. Antimicr Agents Chemo 2005;49(5):1898-1906.
- Birkus G et al. Cathepsin A is the major hydrolase catalyzing the intracellular hydrolysis of the antiretroviral nucleotide phosphonoamidate prodrugs GS-7340 and GS-9131. Antimicr Agents Chemo 2007;51(2):543-550.
- Babusis D, et al. Mechanism for effective lymphoid cell and tissue loading following oral administration of nucleotide prodrug GS-7340. Mol Pharm 2013;10(2):459-66.
- Ruane P, et al. Antiviral activity, safety, and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of tenofovir alafenamide as 10-day monotherapy in HIV-1-positive adults. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2013; 63:449-5.
- Sax P, et al. Tenofovir alafenamide vs. tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in single tablet regimens for initial HIV- 1 therapy: a randomized phase 2 study. JAIDS 2014. 2014 Sep 1;67(1):52-8.
- Mills A, et al. Switching from tenofovir disoproxil fumarate to tenofovir alafenamide in antiretroviral regimens for virologically suppressed adults with HIV-1 infection: a randomised, active-controlled, multicentre, open-label, phase 3, non-inferiority study. Lancet Infect Dis 2016;16:43-52
- Pozniack et al. Switching to Tenofovir Alafenamide, Coformulated With Elvitegravir, Cobicistat, and Emtricitabine, in HIV-Infected Patients With Renal Impairment: 48-Week Results From a Single-Arm, Multicenter, Open-Label Phase 3 Study. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2016;15;71:530-7
- Gallant J, et al. Efficacy and safety of tenofovir alafenamide versus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate given as fixed-dose combinations containing emtricitabine as backbones for treatment of HIV-1 infection in virologically suppressed adults: a randomised, double-blind, active-controlled phase 3 trial. Lancet HIV 2016;3:e158-65.
- Eron JJ, et al. Switch to a raltegravir-based regimen versus continuation of a lopinavir-ritonavir-based regimen in stable HIV-infected patients with suppressed viraemia (SWITCHMRK 1 and 2): two multicentre, double-blind, randomised controlled trials. Lancet. 2010;375:396-407.
- See also posters and abstracts from meetings cited in presentation.
Joel E. Gallant, MD, MpH
Medical Director
Southwest CARE Center


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Off-Road Motorized use is Prohibited on Moscow Mtn
Motorized vehicle use is prohibited on Moscow Mtn except for county roads and other selected logging roads on an owner-by-owner basis. Logging roads do not mean skid trails or grown-in and deserted roads. Please be respectful of the rights of the landowners and do not trespass. Keep motorized use on the roads where it is permitted. If in doubt, ask the landowner!


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Pony Rider : Organic Canvas Sham Khaki
This product is currently sold out.
Organic canvas bedding, hell yeah!
Need we say more? I mean we don't really need to, but we will cause we bloody can't get enough of it. Our Euro Sham cushions by Pony Rider are perfect for that little bit of extra cushion on your bed.They are silky soft and super comfy best of all available in 3 colourways, Natural, Khaki and Charcoal perfect for mix and match!
GOTS Certified Organic Canvas Stonewashed Bedding Collection - An eco-experience in bedding. Made from finely spun organic cotton canvas our machine washable GOTS certified duvet collection is durable, soft and lofty. Mix and match with the organic duvet cover and king pillowcases for a luxury finish. Perfect for your boutique eco stay, or your humble abode. Light and lofty, soft and cosy, the perfect choice for your bed.
- 65 cm x 65 cm
- Designed in Australia by Pony Rider. Made in India.
- GOTS Certified Organic Canvas
- Cold machine wash
- Percale Lining


text: It's the summer of the anti-salon. For the next three months, Daniel Hersheson has a new "industrial chic" home in an undiscovered corner of the Westbury Hotel, just a few doors down from its usual address on Conduit Street. The salon's "staycation" has been brought about by an extensive refurb that's set to transform the original salon, but we're already quite happy in our new home from home - there's even a roof terrace that means you can enjoy a cocktail while you're groomed. Be careful Hershesons, we might just get to like your new home a bit too much… Oh, and the number for appointments remains the same: 020 7434 1747.


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The ALR-or Agricultural Land Reserve-is one of the most precious things we as citizens of this province own.This article in the Delta Optimist describes how the Fraser River delta lands which are the most fertile and arable in Canada are being eroded by the Province of British Columbia's Ministry of Transportation, Transport Canada and the Vancouver Port Authority. For what? Wait for it-a truck staging area. This seems like a rather strange use of Class 1 irreplaceable agricultural land given that there is plenty of space available in the Tsawwassen First Nations lands which have been already been loaded with sand and can no longer be used for agricultural purposes.
This parking lot will be located at Highway 17 and Deltaport Way and will alleviate "truck congestion as well as queuing and parking along Deltaport Way and the causeway." Built at a cost of 18 million dollars and leased to the port, this parking lot "would accommodate up to 140 trucks on the east side of Highway 17A and, to the west, a parking area for 40 early arrival trucks, a restroom and an inspection area for B.C. Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement. Only port-authorized trucks would be allowed to access the facility, which would have surveillance cameras monitored by port security."
To make everyone feel better, the governments and the Port state that "initially" only four hectares or ten acres of farmland will be taken out of the Agricultural Reserve to accommodate 25,0000 square meters of asphalt. Road access for this truck waiting parking lot will also be over arable farmland that is privately owned, and that land is not included in the calculation. This is just the first slice out by the government and the Port, as more truck parking lots will be needed when the second phase of the Delta Port Expansion-which will take out essential migratory feeding grounds for the western sandpiper -is approved.
It's a bit hard to think what the problem paving this arable land solves. Truck drivers have already done massive protests on the sides of the highways and certainly could line up there, perhaps even slowing traffic so that pedestrians can cross Highway 17 to the Tsawwassen Mills mall. You would think with advanced communications and technology that trucks could be told when to arrive at the port to pick up their load. Somehow taking Class 1 agricultural land from the ALR slice by slice for truck parking seems so 20th century. Let's hope there is a rethink.
Removing this land from the ALR needs to be approved by the Agricultural Land Commission, but the Province has indicated there is a "big announcement" soon.


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This article was originally published in the November 2018 Trenton Downtowner.
The Trenton-based Cryptkeeper Five has been marking its 20th anniversary of bringing its punk rock/horror punk/Jersey rock sound to loyal fans here on the East Coast, around the United States, Canada, Europe, and most importantly in Trenton, where it will be performing at the Millhill Basement on Friday, November 23.
That "Trenton Makeage: A Descendents Tribute" concert is being billed as a benefit for the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen and features two other Trenton bands, School Drugs and Pissed.
The tribute aspect means that bands will give a musical nod to an earlier group, with the Cryptkeepers performing as the Ramones.
The Cryptkeepers has gone through a number of incarnations over the years but has retained the same singer, Johnny Ott, and lead guitarist, Jimmy Ray, for two decades.
The other members of the CK5 are Mikey G. on bass and vocals and D.T. Graves on drums/percussion and vocals. The band just signed with the Virginia label Say-10 Records.
"The Cryptkeeper Five started as a five-piece band, and has been everything from a trio to a seven-piece band," says Ott. (The band's name is an homage to classic pop groups from the 1960s such as the Dave Clark Five, and not a reference to the song "The Monster Mash.")
You can hear tales of Trenton and various growing pains in the CK5's latest self-released album, "The Stronghold," which came out in 2017. Ott says the theme of growing up ties the project together.
Keeping the fires stoked under a band that writes and plays its own original music has been a struggle, but Ott says area venues have helped fuel those fires.
One such spot is the basement at the Mill Hill Saloon in Trenton, where rockers, artists, and other members of the underground cultural community come out to play and support one another.
"I love the basement at Mill Hill, they're pretty open-minded, it's a great crowd, and everyone just likes good music," Ott says. "Everyone is respectful of all styles, and we've played with all kinds of bands there, everything from hip hop artists to acoustic bands."
His comments reflect some experience of other venues. "We played Europe last year. We did six shows in Germany, as well as shows in London and Liverpool, England; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Wales; and Canada," Ott says. "That's one of our goals — to keep doing this, getting in front of foreign crowds."
"That's the upside of digital music — it puts you together with crowds (around the world) who can find out about you and hear your music," he continues.
As much as the digital music phenomenon has enhanced the CK5's career, Ott muses that it has also taken a certain something away from the listening experience.
"With digital the magic of listening to an album is lost," he says. "Whereas with vinyl I'll sit on my couch and really listen to it, instead of the music just being in the background."
That's one of the reasons the CK5 released "The Stronghold" on vinyl as well as other formats.
"The Stronghold" opens with "Mad Dog 20/20 No. 2," a kind of E Street Band-meets-Roy Orbison sound, featuring straight-forward guitars and drums, accented with glockenspiel.
"We love the E Street Band, and when we recorded we went a little crazy," Ott says. "We wanted to go for a very retro Bruce Springsteen/Tom Petty sound and feel mixed with a Jersey sound."
The CK5 has been around long enough to know exactly what it wants in a project's sound, and the group was fortunate to be able to hire Brian Lucey to master the album at his Magic Garden Mastering facilities in Los Angeles.
"Brian has mastered some of my favorite albums by artists like the Black Keys, Cage the Elephant, Brandy Carlisle, Delta Spirit, Dr. John, etc.," Ott says. "We knew we wanted a very natural rock and roll sound, not overly processed, and we felt Brian was right for our album. We're really happy with how it came out."
Also integral to the sound of "The Stronghold" is Sean Glonek, who co-produced, recorded/engineered, and mixed the album at SRG Studios in Hamilton Square.
Ott, 41, grew up on the border of Trenton and Hamilton. His father was a warehouse manager; his mother worked at a variety of jobs, including collections.
He attended Steinert High School (Class of 1994), where he met guitarist Jimmy Ray, and the two started a band in the 10th grade. Ott then went to Mercer County Community College to delve into his love for and natural talent in visual art.
"I still paint and draw and do all the CK5's posters and albums covers," Ott says. His day job is as a delivery person for Sherwin-Williams.
The urge to start a band came after attending his second live rock show: the Ramones at City Gardens. "It was all over after that," Ott says. "That concert changed the direction of my life: I went from wanting to be an art teacher to wanting to be in a punk rock band."
"City Gardens closed down when I was about 19, but in those (intervening) years, I must have seen something like 80 shows there," he says. "I saw everyone, such crazy bands, and it was at such a young age that it changed everything for me.
"My parents were so cool about driving me to City Gardens. I don't know why they did that, and if I had kids, I certainly wouldn't do it now."
As far as balancing work at Sherwin-Williams with rock life, Ott says, "We all have day jobs, but we all try to find work that is flexible enough to let us do what we do. (When you have a day job) it makes you appreciate how great it is to get out and play music. My thinking is, 'I do this so I can go out and rock.'"
One side of Ott is obviously a rocker, but the other loves his down time, living quietly in the Sylvan Glen section of Bordentown Township with his wife, Leigh-Ann, who works at Grounds For Sculpture.
If there is an anthem song on "The Stronghold," something a band might open or close a show with, it's "Ignite," with its hard rocking guitars, driving tempo, and crank-up-the-volume chorus.
With all the political upheaval going on, "Ignite" could be a protest song, but Ott says it's much more personal: the theme is basically, "I'm still rocking."
The Cryptkeeper Five, Mill Hill Basement, 300 South Broad Street. Friday, November 23, 7:30 p.m. $8. 609-989-1600 or www.themillhill.com.
The CK5: thecryptkeeperfive1.bandcamp.com and www.facebook.com/TheCryptkeeperFive.