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The Spotlight Time series was created to showcase people's work I feel deserve a special attention. The book Self-compassion - Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind, by Kristin Neff, certainly falls into that category. See why.
I've come across this book through a newspaper article named Down With Self-Esteem? At first, I was intrigued but suspicious, but as I read, all suspicion vanished. In her book, the article explains, Kristin Neff, PhD makes a good point of differencing self-esteem from self-compassion.
The former is based on narcissism and excessive competitiveness, which lead people to feel constantly unsatisfied with themselves, their egos frequently hurt. Their behavior and life stile consequently reflect these feelings, as well as their interaction with others. The latter means accepting that we are all human thus fallible, not only in theory but in practice.
My reaction to this general idea was the same you're probably having: "Okay, that's a nice thought, but how the heck do I do that?"
First of all it's important to mention that Kristin doesn't say that we shouldn't have any self-esteem, but that there shouldn't be a reason for us to like ourselves. The moment we question that, we start comparing ourselves to others and things go downhill. We should care for ourselves no matter how many mistakes we make, how fat we are, how better we'd like to be. This is where self-compassion comes in.
Self-compassion doesn't mean to settle with less than we'd like. Of course we should strive to be better people, to have good things and to feel good about our bodies, but we shouldn't compare ourselves and "our things" to others('s). Self compassion means not judging ourselves when we make mistakes, means being gentle with ourselves when we're in pain, caring for ourselves instead of punishing ourselves for not being (or looking) as successful as our neighbor.
So how do we do all that? We start by paying attention to how critic we are about ourselves. If you're scratching your head now, you can test your self-compassion level on Kristin's website. Look how coherent are the criteria:
- Self-Kindness
- Self-Judgement
- Common Humanity
- Isolation
- Mindfulness
- Over-Identification
- Overall Score
After having a first "self-criticism x-ray" I suggest you take a look at her website, where you'll find lots of information on how to start treating yourself better (and others by consequence). Then we can all read her book and put this beautiful thinking in practice.
Don't you think we could make good use of this self-compassion thing in our writing as well?


text: The critics had a lot of fun goofing on the unnecessary remake King Kong (1976), and Jessica Lange suffered most of their cruel barbs. That doesn't change how this giant monkey tale has us monkeying with our zippers every time the blonde bombshell shows up in another sheer outfit. (We particularly like how Kong displays some animal cunning by using a nearby waterfall to douse Jessica's dress.) Otherwise, you're looking at some classic '70s hokum to go with Jessica's classic '70s hooters.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sunday, June 20, 2010
Wind in the Gorge
It was quiet when we left Prosser this morning, but by the time we had dropped down into the Columbia River Gorge the wind was blowing at a good pace. White caps rolled up the Columbia and head on blasts to the motor home made for some difficult driving. We decided to put it down at Peach Beach Campark for the day. It makes sense to hunker down for the afternoon in the protection of the trees, then make an early morning start to make it through the rest of the Gorge before the day heats up and the winds develop.
Posted by The Rambler at 2:41:00 PM
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Koufar – The Purity of the cedars reviews
Wow. I think my ears just broke. You see, having spun this disc repeatedly my head feels like it's been caught in the middle of a militant crossfire. Violent. Punishing. Brutal. The Purity Of The Cedars is an album by Maronite power-electronics combatant Koufar and fuck me if my head is not ringing!
Chock full of hateful blasting electronics, The Purity Of The Cedars is a caustic journey into the vengeful mind of Waddiah Rabbiah Chami, spitting venom against the current Lebanese state. The sense of anger in these 7 tracks is enough to make you want to pick up a rifle and shoot your neighbour.
Carefully selected samples set the scene further exacerbating just how much this means to Koufar. Blistering slabs of jolting noise and feedback fire off around you. At no point can you question the authenticity on display here, which in a strange way makes it even more of a joy to hear.
Whether you even understand the politics is probably irrelevant and by the sounds of it I'm sure most people would rather not know. This is immense.
Like a power-electronics car-bomb.
I've been procrastinating the reviewing of this album further and further for Koufar is such a musical unit that if you want to suitably convey his message while being an ordinary eastern european without exclusive knowledge about Asia, Lebanon, and religious and political happenings in the country, it is a rather difficult task. But this evening seemed good for this task. Koufar is a project, based on ideas of Maronite Christian beliefs. First thing that drew my attention when I've read about it, was that this album of Lebanese, who is living in USA, was released in Israeli label Topheth Propheth. Despite the usual tension between these two countries, they've united their forces against the common enemy in this disc. Well, you could consider these nuances for the whole page, but as for background about this release, I think it's enough. If I'm not mistaken – this is the final release of Koufar. Unfortunately. This project truly had it's own face and this disc is one of the most interesting albums of Koufar. Release, symbolically entitled "The Purity of the Cedars" (cedar is a symbol of Lebanon) is dedicated to a father of this noiser. Album with playing time of more than 40 minutes starts with a sample of some chant and noisy interferences in the background. A rather short, lasting for just a couple of minutes, track, brings up the view of a desert and it's the only slightly softer and melancholic/sadder moment in the album. Everything that goes after it – concentrated lump of hate, exploding right into your ears. It's like the first chant was a lament before Koufar is gone to war. And other songs are sounds of his personal fight for his own beliefs. For the bigger part this album is somewhat similarly sounding to new power electronics unit, where Waddiah Rabiah Chami is also pariticipating – Disgust. Hideous, cold and purified noise which is not meant for your comfortable evening listening experience. It works more as an energizing and stimulating agression record. Despite the fact that lyrics are not included, but the voice ir raised above the noise and you can clearly hear effected voice and understand the words he's shouting. Distorted lines of sound, feedbacks, samples and voice – this disturbing and truly powerful album is made in minimalistic manner. Emotions that this record radiates are hard to generalize and describe in words, but this is the true force of power electronics. A special album, recommended for purists. I don't know whether Chami will return to this project or not, but either way, he left his clearly seen trace in the scene. This is Lebanon. This not Disneyland. And echoing shootings…
Power electronics is transgressive by nature, appropriating themes, imagery and ideologies that other genres wouldn't touch. Maronite Resistence Unit KOUFAR, like its ideological counterpart INSURGENT, are the works of American Lebanese Mackenzie Chami. Wheras INSURGENT adopts a radical Islamic viewpoint KOUFAR takes on the Maronite Christian view on the state of Lebanon and the anger directed at Israel is palpable with track titles such as 'Forced Unity' and 'IDF Military Cooperation (A Common Enemy)'.
Sonically this is hate filled power electronics vitrolic enough to rival the rash of white power electronics that has hit the scene over the last couple of years. The vocals are high up in the mix and clearer than is usual in power electronics, whilst the judicious use of samples blends in well with the at-times ABC style electronics. By avoiding over-use of typical Middle Eastern samples the impact is more pronounced and coupled with the righteous anger that burns throughout this album makes 'The Purity Of The Cedars' stand out as one of the better power electronic releases this year. (8)
The Philia Review
There are a large number of current projects out their who have a prepossession with certain brands of politics. Out of the handful that come to mind right now there are only 2 modern groups I can think of who dig deeper than most. The two groups I am speaking of would be none other than Brethren and Koufar. The latter of these two phenomenal groups is the one we speak of today. Koufar does more than shout out his ideas and opinions over grating noisescapes. Instead Koufar first lets you become acclimated to this community by use of samples. The shouts of children, chanting and speeches take you out of your comfort zone, placing you within the struggling atmosphere and turmoil expressed herein. Then you must be able to digest the vocal attacks, lyrics and shrill electronics that Koufar had mastered a few albums back. These samples are almost entirely in Lebanese (correct me if I am wrong) therefore Americans like me have no chance of discerning the messages being communicated on our own. But for the most part this doesn't matter, the language doesn't need to tell the story because of the emotions heard in the messages, in the voices, coming out of scared mouths and commanding shouts speak all on their own without any translation needed. Musically Koufar is very proficient at what he does so it is a shame to see him putting this project on hiatus but I am sure good things will come of it, just not under the Koufar banner. Most of the tracks alternate between feedback and perishing buzzes while a few other tracks prefer bass heavy loops hidden beneath ideology and opinions.


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Aggregation is a rank of function to give aggregated columns in a straight outline. Nearly all theories need datasets with straight outline as case as enter with a number of proceedings and one capricious or dimensions per columns. Managing large datasets except DBMS support can be a difficult job. Trying different subsets of data points and dimensions is more convenient, faster and easier to do inside a relational database with SQL queries than outside with alternative handler. Horizontal aggregation can be performing by using handler, this will be able to simply be alive or implement within a doubt analyzer, a large amount similar to a choose, plan and unite. Hinge handler lying on columnar facts that swapping rows, enable data transformations useful in data modeling, data analysis, and data representation. There are many existing procedures and operators for aggregation in Structured Query Language. The most commonly used aggregation is the sum of a piece and additional summative handlers give the standard, greatest, smallest or line calculates above club of tuples.
I'll introduce a new class of aggregations that have similar behavior to SQL standard aggregations, but which produce tuples with a flat outline. In dissimilarity, we describe normal SQL summations vertical summations because they manufacture tuples with a perpendicular plan. Straight summations just necessitate a petite grammar conservatory to sum procedure called in a SELECT query. Alternatively, horizontal described hinge, two handlers on columnar facts that switch over rows and columns. Haixun Wang [14] implemented ATLaS, to develop complete data-intensive applications in SQL-by writing new aggregates and table functions in SQL, it includes query rewriting, optimization techniques and the data stream management module.Carlos Ordonez [1] introduced techniques to efficiently compute fundamental statistical models inside a DBMS exploiting User-Defined Functions (UDFs).
SQL Server in MS SQL Server 2005, 2008 pivoting is achieved using CASE/GROUP BY statements, i.e. the same way as we do for other RDBMS. Sentence structure for it is as in example.
Listing 1: Sample showing the query structure
SELECT ClintID , SUM ( CASE WHEN Datediff ( day , Billdate , getDate ()) > 1 AND Datediff ( day , Billdate , getDate ()) <= 15 THEN 1 ELSE 0 END ) as Days15 , SUM ( CASE WHEN Datediff ( day , Billdate , getDate ()) > 15 AND Datediff ( day , Billdate , getDate ()) <= 30 THEN 1 ELSE 0 END ) as Days30 , SUM ( CASE WHEN Datediff ( day , Billdate , getDate ()) > 30 AND Datediff ( day , Billdate , getDate ()) <= 45 THEN 1 ELSE 0 END ) as Days45 , SUM ( CASE WHEN Datediff ( day , Billdate , getDate ()) > 45 THEN 1 ELSE 0 END ) as Morethan45 FROM dbo.Bill WHERE paiddflag = 0 GROUP BY ClintID ORDER BY ClintID GO
Execution plan for above statement (abridged):
Listing 2: Sample showing execution plan
|--Sort (ORDER BY:([DCIPHR].[dbo].[Bill].[CLINTID] A SC)) |--Hash Match (Aggregate, HASH:([DCIPHR].[dbo].[Bill].[CLINTID]) DEFINE:([Expr1003]=SUM(CASE WHEN datediff(day,[DCIPHR].[dbo].[Bill].[INVICE_DT],getdate())>(1) AND datediff(day,[DCIPHR].[dbo].[Bill].[Bill _DATE],getdate())<=(15) THEN (1) ELSE (0) END))) |--Clustered Index Scan (OBJECT:([DCIPHR].[dbo].[Bill].[PKBill]), WHERE:([DCIPHR].[dbo].[Bill].[PaidFlag]=(0)))
Everybody may observe from over, the implementation preparation displays to facilitate the analyzer perform a cluster catalog examine and afterward a confusion equivalent (for summation) and finally cataloging. Allow us run the question using PIVOT handler incorporated in SQL Server 2005. We are presumptuous thus since toward you be alert by common grammar of PIVOT. For detailed information you can refer BOL.
Listing 3: Sample showing pivot handler
SELECT ClintId , [1] as Days15 , [2] days30 , [3] days45 , [4] morethan45 FROM ( SELECT ClintID , ( CASE WHEN Datediff ( day , InviceDt , getDate ()) > 1 AND Datediff ( day , Invice_Dt , getDate ()) <= 15 THEN 1 WHEN Datediff ( day , Invice_Dt , getDate ()) > 15 AND Datediff ( day , Invice_Dt , getDate ()) <= 30 THEN 2 WHEN Datediff ( day , Invice_Dt , getDate ()) > 30 AND Datediff ( day , Invic_Dt , getDate ()) <= 45 THEN 3 WHEN Datediff ( day , Invice_Dt , getDate ()) > 45 THEN 4 END ) as days FROM DBO.Invice WHERE paiddflag = 0 ) p pivot ( COUNT ( days ) for Days IN ( [1] , [2] , [3] , [4] ) ) as pvt GO
Let us analyze now execution plan for the query. Following is the abridged version of plan.
Listing 4: Sample showing different execution plan
| --Compute Scalar (DEFINE:([Exp104]=CONVRT_IMPLCIT(int,[ glblag 1010],0), [Exp105]=CONVRT_IMPLCIT(int,[glblag10012],0)) ) | --Stream Aggregate (GROUP BY :([DCIPHR].[dbo].[ Invice].[CLENTID]) DEFINE :(( [glblag 1010] =SUM ([prtalag1009]))) | --Sort (ORDER BY:([DCIPHR].[dbo].[ Invice].[CLENTID] A SC)) | --Hash Match (Aggregate, HASH:([DCIPHR].[dbo].[ Invice].[CLENTID]) DEFINE:([prtalag 1009]=COUNT(CASE WHEN [Expr1003] =(1) THEN [Expr1003] ELSE NULL END))) | --Compute Scalar (DEFINE:([Expr1003]=CASE WHEN datediff(day,[DCIPHR].[dbo].[ Invice].[ Invice _DT TE],getdate())>(1) | --Clustered Index Scan (OBJECT:([DCIPHR].[dbo].[ Invice].[PK_ Invice])
From above execution plan we can see that some extra plans have been performed when we used query with PIVOT operator. We ran test with 400806 rows on machine with 4G RAM and Pentium core i3 CPU, OS Windows 2003 Server SPI. Equally analysis comes reverse by means of results in concerning one succeeding. In fact query with PIVOT operator took a little more time.
Restrictions of the Gyrate/Ungyrate operators:
Even though the pivot operator has several advantages and is very useful, it makes some limitations which we are listing below:
- Value of pivoting columns can be defined by only "IN" expression.
- Also all the values should be known at the time of production of the query. So it is very much static. If column values are not known then we need to resort back to stored procedure approach where we have to build it dynamically and choice ably. That means that one will need to write up a stored procedure that takes in a query, the row-column list and dynamically do the pivoting. It can become a performance issue and not only that, one will be exposing their code to SQL transaction issues if one does that (though there are ways to mitigate it). Now let use convert row data into column data. Make sure that PRODUCT table is created and inhabited with facts conventional SQL to exchange line facts into piece facts is as below with UNIONALL handler. It will work on SQL Server every version after SQL Server 2000.
Listing 5: Sample showing Gyrate/Ungyrate operators
PIVOT and UNPIVOT in SQL:
It is possible to start pivoting in standard SQL, though the syntax is cumbersome and its performance is generally poor. One method to express pivoting uses scalar sub queries in the projection list. Each pivoted column is created through a separate (but nearly identical) sub query. For database uses that do not support PIVOT, users could employ this technique to perform pivoting operations.
Possible PIVOT Syntax:
Alas, this approach has limitations that restrict the power of pivoting. Each column has redundant syntax, which is cumbersome as the number of pivoted columns increases. These syntaxes are also potentially tough to optimize. For this syntax, the query optimizer is presented with a number of sub-queries, making it harder to identify that this whole operation represents a "Pivot" on a single table. In practice, this is not an easy operation, making pivot-specific optimizations very difficult. The common problem is that the intent of the query is difficult to infer from the syntax or common relational algebra representation. Therefore, we propose the following syntax for PIVOT as an additional option under the


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My name is Andrew Flatt and I am an Assistant Professor and Sports Medicine Graduate Program Director at Georgia Southern University. I have a PhD in Human Performance from the University of Alabama where I worked with football, swimming and soccer. I have an extensive athletic background including hockey, rugby, collegiate football and raw powerlifting. I am interested in all aspects of sports science however my research interest pertains to heart rate variability and its application to monitoring training status in athletes.
A listing of my research publications can be viewed here.
Twitter: @andrew_flatt
E-mal contact: email@example.com


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Something happened this weekend that I mark it as a personal milestone. I finished reading the book Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's been so long since I last finished a book that I don't even remember the last time I read a book cover to cover. This book came to me by accident since I wasn't even aware of its existence and the one thing that drew me to it was that it was a signed copy. To think that she touched that book and it was now in my hands, just gives me goosebumps.
I'm gonna have to do a review on the book because I think that everyone should read it, including bloggers! I'm so blown away that it will probably take me a few days so stay tuned, it will be worth the wait.
That said, I grabbed another one of her books this weekend; Committed. It's actually a memoir following Eat, Pray, Love. If you haven't read Eat, Pray, Love, I highly recommend it!
I honestly forgot how good it feels to dive into a book, get lost and then come back a whole different person than when I started the book. "Big Magic" did that to me. My bookie nerd is back!
As for the rest of my weekend, I took a nap that turned into 6 hours. Sorry not sorry. I guess I was dog tired. When I woke up I watched "Miss You Already" and it was such a good movie! It was directed by Catherine Hardwicke (who directed the first Twilight movie and I actually met her in person). The movie was so good because I loved the storyline, Drew Barrymore and Toni Collette are amazeballs! It was like a modern Beaches movie.. so yeah I was crying on a few scenes.
Side note: Today is Drew Barrymore's birthday! Can you believe she's turning 41! #goals
I went to Dollar Tree and found this adorable shoe themed bag that I can use to carry my lunch. I also got some groceries and did my first ever meal prep!
My meal prep consisted of: Chicken, brown rice, asparagus/broccoli and for snacks celery with peanut butter. For breakfast I'm having oatmeal with blueberries. I didn't take a picture of my stack of neatly packed foods because I was so hungry that I wanted to finish it up so that I could eat a bowl of chicken with pasta I made the day before.
So yeah I'm getting back on the health train because I can't fit into my fat girl jeans and you know when that happens, that's when you need to get your life together. I absolutely refuse to buy another pair of fat pants so that's that. I'm not hard on myself though because last year I weighed the same and by summer I lost 20 lbs like that! This time my goal is to stick to the same weight and not gain it back only to lose it again. I'm no yo-yo.
How was your weekend lovelies? Link up with Lisa and I or share in the comments.


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On this bright and shiny spring morning (Patriot Day if you live in the state of Massachusetts), I'd just like to take a minute to thank all of you Executive Members of EverythingCU. Many of you have been with us since the very early days of the site (2001-2002), and many of you have joined the community along the way. I'm always gratified, honored, humbled and awestruck about the comments you have for the community here. And thank you for sharing the EverythingCU love with so many of your peers and colleagues, at your own, and other credit unions.
I know that this economy continues to be very tough, for both your credit union and your members, which is why we appreciate all the more that so many of you have kept EverythingCU Executive Membership in your budgets. There are currently 270 credit unions who are Executive Members, representing a combined 1,181 credit union professionals.
Just in case you aren't completely familiar with all the benefits of Executive Membership, let me remind you of them so that you can be sure you are taking full advantage of your benefits.
• Executive Membership applies to all employees at your credit union, no matter if they are already signed up on EverythingCU, or if they sign up later, while the CU's annual Executive Membership is still in effect.
• Executive Membership allows you to download an unlimited number of documents from the 1451 that you've contributed over the years.
• Executive Membership gets you discounts on the products that we offer, including the Online Switch Kit, Marketing Budget Report, Plumwall, Beehive, and Video Tutorials in the Knowledge Warehouse.
And as if all of that wasn't enough, Executive Membership also gives you the option to post messages on the discussion anonymously for those times when you have a controversial topic you'd like to discuss without fear of reprisal.
If you are already an Executive Member, be sure to tell your colleagues at your credit union that they should register on the site so that they too can enjoy the benefits of your credit union is already receiving.
So thank you again, and enjoy this fine spring day!


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My posts are presented as opinion and commentary and do not represent the views of LabSpaces Productions, LLC, my employer, or my educational institution.
This question is about the hiring process and the discussion around salary. The answer is quite involved so it would be easiest to post it separately so we can discuss the topic and also, as always, I welcome others to share their experiences.
Just wondering if you might be able to comment on the hiring process.
Specifically in my case, I'm just wondering how salary negotations occurs in a company. Who at the company has the power to say "you will be paid x" or "we agree to your proposal of making x".
Or do you (the person hiring) get a salary range that you're "allowed" to offer/accept? I'm almost wondering if it's like buying a car where the dealer needs to talk to managment... :)
Nervously awaiting to have the negotiating talk... :)
In the case when I was hiring (and I am at a small privately owned company), I had a range that I could offer but I fully expected to pay at the top end of the range. Having worked at the large biotechs, I know what a scientist with a PhD should be making and I firmly believe that you get what you pay for so I wasn't going to low ball the right candidate.
So for those of you wondering what that range is, on the west coast, for a Ph.D. with no prior job experience (so fresh from a postdoc), going to a life sciences company, it would be somewhere between $55-70K. With previous experience working in an industrial lab, I wouldn't hesitate to ask for $75K and the range is probably between $70-85K. If you have a skill that is unique and highly desired, ask for $85K.
A large public company will be on the higher end and a small private company will generally pay lower.
Location is important too, so the state/area you live in will determine pay.
Some companies can offer more in terms of stock plans and matching 401K dollars and also help pay relocation costs. I would be prepared to accept a little less on the salary if you can get a relocation package. Also, the big companies have excellent bonus plans where you can get 10% of your salary as a bonus if the company meets it's financial goals (managers and directors get more). So that extra $7000 (ok, $3400 after taxes), is a nice plus and when negotiating your salary at the next company, I would add that in to my salary as part of the complete package.
A company that has venture capital and tons of start up money may offer much higher salaries to start. The downside is that these companies often either get sold (and there is a good chance of losing your job if it sells) or the company may not make it.
In my case, when I was hiring, I had a range to stay in. As the hiring manager and the person reviewing resumes and setting up interviews, I had the power to tell the person what the pay would be.
I had two candidates who I almost considered but they asked for way above the pay range. Neither person asked me what the range was first. Once I had decided they were a candidate I would make an offer to, I asked what pay were they hoping for. Both gave me an amount that was much higher than the current average pay for a fresh out of postdoc scientist.
One person, when I told her the range, she said she wouldn't except any less than what she asked for, so I turned her down. The other candidate asked for $90K. Honestly, for someone with no work experience at all, that is asking a lot. He was willing to take less when we continued negotiating, but, I was too concerned that the pay would become an issue for him later and he would just use us to bide his time until a better offer came along. I was concerned there would be a lack of loyalty.
Apparently a start up company with venture capital money to develop products for cancer diagnosis was offering $85K. I told him that was a great deal and he should take it. I don't know any place that would pay that much for someone with no work experience, except a company with money to burn.
OK- so how does it go in the big companies? When I was interviewing for a marketing job at a large biotech, at the end of the interview I met with the HR/talent acquisition person. She asked me: "How much money would it take to make you really happy?" I gave her my number, and the next day, she said it was approved.
There is always a range for the position. In a big company, where a specific HR/talent acquisition manager is acting as your host, they will ask for your pay requirement at some point in the day. Then, the team that interviewed you gets together to discuss you (and other candidates they interviewed that week). Everyone discusses your strengths and weaknesses, and basically whether or not they like you and how you compared to the other candidates. If the team liked you, then the will tell the HR manager to make you an offer. In this case, the HR person needs to discuss with management your pay request and then let you know.
In a separate example for another big company I worked at, and this was my first time negotiating salary for a biotech, when asked the salary I wanted, I wasn't sure exactly what to ask for. So I picked an amount I felt was fair pay for living in California and for my experience. I asked for $60K. I ended up getting $57K and $3000 to help finance my move across the country.
A very good deal in my mind, since my salary was doubling and this was a cool job with a great company.
When I moved from this company to the next, I was moving to marketing, and these are probably the highest salaried people in a company (that are not executive level). And a general rule (although not as much in today's economy) is to ask for $15-$20K more than the last job. At this previous company, I was at around $65K. In the negotiation for the next job, I asked for $85K, and got it without even a blink of an eye. So probably the range was higher and I could have asked for more, but I was pretty happy with this new salary. (Of course, after experiencing the level of stress and work load of the job, I felt underpaid since I worked 70-80 hrs a week.)
Most companies have a budget for salary so they do need to stay in a range. Depending on the position and how bad the company wants you, you could try and push for more. Or there are other ways to sweeten the deal, such as with stock options, bonuses (contingent on performance), and relocation packages.
My advice is to get an understanding of the salary range for similar positions in your state or area of the country and then ask for something on the high end of the range. Because they can always counter-offer a little lower but if you come in too low, that's what you'll get.
If you already have a job, you are at an advantage, because the company needs to persuade you to leave. If you are out of a job, a plus point could be that you are prepared to start immediately. You don't need to give two weeks notice. Either way, do not settle for less.
If the people on the team interviewing you like you, they feel like you will be a good fit, and your technical skills are what they need, they will not want to underpay you. All companies want their employees to be happy and feel well compensated for their work. It is so expensive to go through the hiring process so to do all that to have you leave a year later for more money, is a big waste. Better to find the best person, show them the love, and get them excited to work. Getting a good salary is part of that.
Here is another way of putting it. If I want to hire you it is because I think you are the best. And the best deserves to be well paid.
Those two people I didn't hire, were they the best? I thought they were an excellent fit but untested in company science. I wasn't willing to give them a higher salary than budgeted for when they were so green. The person I did hire had everything I wanted and needed and my max salary was even a raise for her over her last job. She was a perfect fit for us personality wise and in every other way.
So, have a number in mind and then be ready to have some flexibility.
If you want to tell me more about the company and the position, we can discuss it offline in greater detail.
I welcome anyone to share their experience with salary negotiation or any do's and don't's for the negotiation process. Thanks!
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I love this post. In the back of my mind, I know that packages and compensation negotiation doesn't change much from my old field (finance) to the sciences, but I've been so used to knowing competitor salary ranges. I've already started researching salary and compensation packages for Residencies and Internships around my area. Can't hurt.
Thanks Jade!! :)
In my case, it's a bit of a weird situation because I am applying for a 2nd postdoc funded in part by a government fellowship. The gov gives a certain amount and the company is supposed to give a minimum amount. However, at the end I'm supposed to paid the same as regular employee with similar experience. So I'm trying to figure out how much my last 3 years of a postdoc are worth- it's still a major bit of experience after all but might not be considered "real work experience". I don't think I should be given the average that a person gets with this fellowship because it would not recognize my extra experience from the 1st postdoc.
When you talk about experience, what do you consider as experience exactly- truely "work" experience as in from a so called "real job" or does my work as a technician after my MSc, my PhD and postdoc years, count towards that experience? Sometimes it's hard to figure out when the "clock" starts when people talk about experience in a "real" job.
Will definitely think about that relocation package though- this position would require me to move to the other side of the country after all.
Would it sound bad to you if as a potential employee, I would try to negotiate a lower salary (not sure yet what number to put here- will give it some thought) for more holidays? I get 3 weeks right now, and I know that for my mental well being that's an important thing for me to have. I'm willing to work hard and do work hard but I need to know that I have that option of taking time off. Especially here where I'll need time to go visit family out of province.. Obviously this would not be something I bring up in my 1st comment but I may approach it as giving them my number and if they don't agree, mentioning that I'd be willing to go for x if I can be guaranteed at least 3 weeks vacation time. Having written that- I need to figure what to do if they say yes to my 1st offer- how to bring up vacation.. :)
Thanks again for all your help- glad I've found your blog when I did. You obviously love what you do, and it really reaffirms my wish to see what industry is all about. :)
Hi Green,
So in this current job, are you working at a company and working on a commercial product? I agree this sounds different because it is a postdoc and so not having previous company experience should not count against you.
Normally when someone goes to a company right from a postdoc, there is a difficult adjustment (sometimes) to the company culture. Things like being watched more closely, having your schedule on outlook so everyone knows exactly where you are at any time, and not being able to have total freedom with the project can be an issue. Understanding that you do not own any idea you come up with at the company- that can be difficult.
However, running the lab budget, mentoring or supervising students, those skills most definitely apply.
I think you should be aggressive and you should ask for more than average. You'll have a chance to explain your position if needed. Have all your accomplishments and reasons ready.
You are at an advantage because they've taken a lot of time to assess you. They've called your references, they took time out of a lot of people's day to interview you. So when you get to the point of salary, it is because they want you. They won't walk away now unless you are unflexible and totally off the mark in pay.
If they are paying relocation, that's a great bonus. It should be relocation + salary- I mean still ask for the salary you want plus relocation. Find out what they usually do for relocation.
You could try to negotiate more vacation. US companies suck at vacation time. I would first try to get the salary I want plus the vacation I want and see how that goes over. It may be given as "floating holidays" or "Flex days" instead of vacation. It never hurts to ask.
So, if the pay is $40 an hour (~83K salary/year), them a week of time off is $1600. So if you are asking for a salary of 85K, then be willing to go to $83K and get the 5 days of vacation. Don't cut yourself too short. I would not think anything negative about you bringing it up.
It might be that the company would rather you take the exra week off without pay and then just pay you an extra $1600 or whatever it is. So maybe ask for $86,500.
I think - I don't know if you sit down with HR or the hiring manager, but at some point they are going to tell you the entire package of benefits: the vacation, sick, 401K, stock, etc. and so that would be the time I would bring it up. I would ask if maybe there was any flexibility in negotiating additional vacation days or personal days. Then if they ask, what do you have in mind, you can begin there.
On the other hand, you could not even discuss it during the salary part with HR but if you feel comfortable with the person you are reporting to, you could tell him/her that because of the distance you need to travel to see family, you would prefer to have an additional week of vacation as part of your package and you are willing to take a slightly reduced salary equal in pay for the week. See what they say.
If someone gave me a good reason for needing an extra week, I would understand. Like my parents are sick and I usually take a week just to take care of them every year, etc. People understand that.
Are you coming to the west coast? It sounds you are going to a big company with a lot of resources so I would be ready to negotiate anything you want. Some people get signing bonuses, so why not extra vacation?
When I got the marketing job, not only did I get relocation with professional movers, but I also got a check for "incidentals" that was the equivalent to two weeks pay. Pretty sweet!!
The work will be R&D to eventually become a product but it's also still at the very very beginning so part of why we're applying for funding from the gov and not using just the "for profit" budget.
I'm in Canada, btw- I understand we're usually better at vacation than you Americans. The company is on the east coast (so not going away from winter- albeit these days, although the west is gorgeous and always somewhere I'd like to be one day, I'm a bit worried that about that BIG one that's coming anytime. the world seems bit trembly these days.. hehe..) with ~300 employees.
They have invested time in me- we've been working on this project proposal for 4-5 months by now. Interestingly enough they haven't actually called my references which I thought was odd but I think part of that is the fact 1) we had an interview together last year and most importantly 2) since I'm writing the proposal with them they've gotten to see first hand how I work with people and what I can deliver.
I think it's going to be a really cool opportunity to learn the culture with both myself and the compnay knowing that this is a learning stage (i.e. meeting those challenges that go from moving from academia to industry). And the carrot has been waved that they have hired the postdocs that have recieved this funding before. Either way the experience will be worth it, I'm sure.
Thanks- I'll keep all this advice in mind. :)
@Green .... I'm still looking for jobs, both in and out of academia, and the question about salary and how much were my 2 yrs of postdoc worth in a non-academic setting was really bothering me. In my case, a ballpark figure for me would be anything that pays over 42k. In Canada I'm making 37k, which is similar to what a 1st or 2nd yr postdoc would be paid in the States if he/she was being paid by the NIH. I don't know if CIHR or NSERC have similar "tables", but the NIH has tables showing the payscale for each postdoc year, and for a 2yr postdoc in the US a bit over 42k should be the norm (which in CADs is a probably a bit more). Hope that helps and that you get your dream job.
@Jade ... the following statement reminded me of my PhD mentor:
"Normally when someone goes to a company right from a postdoc, there is a difficult adjustment (sometimes) to the company culture. Things like being watched more closely, having your schedule on outlook so everyone knows exactly where you are at any time, and not being able to have total freedom with the project can be an issue."
So, in a way, certain aspects of my PhD had an industry-like component, judging by that comments. Thanks for answering these questions, they were super helpful.
@27 and a PhD The way I see this fellowship however, is because of the explicit statement that the company needs to treat/and pay you as an employee with similar experience, I shouldn't be paid as an academic postdoc. Also admittingly in this current postdoc I'm being paid pretty well- more than 47K- so considering this new postdoc will be in industry, I shouldn't have to accept a lower income than that. that. They say the average of this type of fellowship is 55k so to recognize my extra years of training I'm aiming for higher than that. But it's true to that the fact that the company is out east, where they tend to pay a bit lower, will have to play a role.. We'll see though- at this point I've also invested a lot of time in this and do see the potential of this position so I guess we'll just have to play ball and see what they agree to bring ot the table. :)
the schedule on outlook thing might definitely take some time to get used to...but in the time I've gotten to interact with these people they seem really approachable so I hope it all works out. :)
Hi Green-
I think in your case you definitely have the upper hand. Because you are the project leader and the grant will be in your name or you will be on it, right? So they basically cannot chose another applicant over you? Or, the reason they are getting the grant is because of you directly?
Having worked with the company people is a great bonus- yes, them knowing that you and how you work is great. Maybe the reason they haven't called references because they already know they like you.
Depending where on the east coast, the cost of living can be quite high. Maryland and D.C. area and around the NIH is very expensive. NY/NJ where all the big pharma is located is also expensive.
If the average is 55K then I would ask for $65K plus relocation expenses and an extra week of days off (either vacation days or personal days). The relocation usually requires that you stay one year. If you leave before one year, you have to pay it back.
They are making an investment in you and you are making an investment in them (moving across the country after all). That's a big deal. It shows that you are committed that you are willing to pick up and start all over in a new city just to be a part of their team.
Make sure they know that you really want to work for them and do this project with their company and that you are really excited to be part of their particular company. It makes a difference.
27andaPhD: I think those types of enviroments will help you. During an interview, you could try to spin it in a positive way. Maybe say something like "My mentor ran our lab similar to an industrial lab by .....giving examples". I think that would give you an edge.
Thanks Jade,
Fascinating post and just the ticket. I am sure it will help many like me, so thanks for helping all of us out.
Quick question though... I am about to start negotiating with a company through a recruiting agent. They seem to like what I bring to the table and have already paid over $1500 to fly me over from France to the US for a formal interview.
My question is, what do I read into when the recruiter had initially said "they are looking to pay between X and Y but I think we can push them up to Z, if required". What level do you think I start at? Should I be greedy and start at Z, cause it is a possibility or lower. I think bwteen X and Y is fair. Don't think I'll say NO if they said X (lower end) as I like the job itself, but would definately be much happier with Y (upper end)... Z will be fantastic.
Anh help will be highly appriciated.
Hi Techie,
I would definitely trust the recruiter in this case because they've probably placed people with this company before and know how they negotiate, which is great for you.
And the fact they are flying you from France means that their interest is very high and you will get an offer for sure (unless something goes drastically wrong in the interview).
I think, depending on the value of Z, and how well the interview goes, I would decide at the time. If the recruiter thinks that Z is possible, I would probably try for something above Y to start. Even if you still get Y, they will likely throw in some other extra on top- maybe some stock or maybe a signing bonus.
If Z is way over Y, like greater than $7500, I might be a little nervous to ask for that much over their range. I think people can usually go as much as $5000 over their budget for a salary but not much more than that. If Z was $1000-$2000 over the top of the range, I would ask for it.
It would depend on the moving package too. A company that flies people from Europe for an interview probably has generous relocation packages also, so this in combination with Y might be just right.
Congrats on the exciting opportunity and I hope you can come back and share more with us later, on how the transition went from Europe to the US.
Jade, this was a super helpful post. Thanks for posting. You can have everything like your 2 candidates but if handling money wrong could go down the hole. Very great advice.
This is a very nice post but for those people reading I will point at that the salaries mentioned for the west coast are actually a good deal higher than stated indicated here for someone coming out of a postdoc. 55,000 would be shockingly low even in today's economic environment
Depends on the company and your skills.
Hi Its a superb post. BUT Salaries you have talked about are very low. My friend after 7 years of postdoc is hired by a major pharma for 120K last year.
I have one short postdoc of 2 years and then next one for 6 years. I have been waiting for work permit (as most of biotech industry does not want to sponsor for visa). for the last four years I have been working on high throughput project that is very relevant to industry. I have one first author paper from short postdoc and i am writing 2 first author papers now from my 6 years postdoc work for very good journals. I have 3 other papers (not first author) in good journals.
I have been thinking of asking for principal scientist (istead of senior scientist) position and 120k or more in salary. BUT after reading your blog it seems I was wrong. Was I ? Can you guide me a little bit for postion and salary.
I researched bit more. average salary for a pfizer senior scientist is 97K (range is 81K to 120K) acording to glassdoor. .... Senior scientist at Biogen gets average 125K and range is 114-140K.....
Senior scientist is PhD with 2-3 years of postdoc in academia.
Salaries are much higher if you are coming with a background in biochemistry neuroscience and 4-5 years postdoc experience. You should ask for 100K plus.....
I guess differences in salary scale may be due to type of research you are doing. Finding out a right buffer composition for EcoR1 enzyme is also research and searching for target for schizophrenia is also research.
You should check salary.com for salary ranges classified by location. However, average salary out of your postdoc in biotech should be around 100K depending on location. If you're going into acedemia, expect it to be around 70K.
Boston University starting salary is around 100K for asst prof in neuroscience.
What Brian said. And the city is important. A postdoc in San Francisco will pay more, but the rent on a 400 square foot studio apartment (the size of my living room + kitchen, basically) is $2000. It's all relative. In San Diego, you can have 1000 square feet for about the same price.
And the economy is so bad right now that you really don't have bargaining power. There are many people with your number of postdoc years and skills looking for jobs. This is no time to be greedy.
Boston University starting salary is around 100K for asst prof in neuroscience.
Location, location, location. Wage differences between Gainesville, FL (where I am) and San Diego/San Francisco/Boston is about $30K.
As jade said, you need to consider the cost of living in the equation. Rent here is about $1 per square foot, so that extra $30K you're going to make in Boston is going to go straight to your landlord (or mortgage)
Jade is probably recruiting in San Diego SF area. Genentech / Amgen in that area hire PhD scientists in 120K plus range. Small biotech may give you 90K plus partnership or a GOOD (with a potential to turn into 100s of thousands $$$$) size of share for future growth.


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Hotels in Marrakesh
Tourism in Marrakesh
Marrakech, with more than one and a half million inhabitants, and also known as the red city, was founded by the Almoravides and its Muslim and Andalusi culture is present in every corner of the city. Its centre is classified as a world heritage site by the UNESCO and the imperial city is situated in an enviable location in the country. Its surroundings are marked by its Mediterranean climate, due to its situation between the Sahara and the Atlas Mountains, and this has made Marrakech a place of passage for traders, artists and nowadays, tourists.
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A city filled with sensations, where getting lost in its maze of bustling streets is a unique experience.


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CHICAGO (CBS) — A homeless veteran gets a helping hand, and a Chicago Police Lieutenant is leading the charge.
Air Force veteran Anthony Johnson has been using an old newsstand at Milwaukee and Farragut for seven years to sell newspapers.
About three weeks ago, Lieutenant John Garrido noticed how rundown it was, so he used Facebook to encourage the community to help give it a fresh look.
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The goal is to raise enough money to set up living arrangements for Anthony for at least 1 year.
You can help the cause by donating here: https://www.gofundme.com/stepupforanthony.


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Stuart has been in the sports, fitness and health industry for six years, beginning his time in a gym and progressing into the realm of professional sport.
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A blog for moth enthusiasts in and around Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
I usually use underside features, but I note in Townsend & Waring that they refer to the scalloping on the edge of the hindwing. Rounded in Tissue and pointed in Scarce Tissue, so that means your id should be correct.
Thank you, Peter
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Arnd Bergmann authored
The Tile architecture port was added by Chris Metcalf in 2010, and maintained until early 2018 when he orphaned it due to his departure from Mellanox, and nobody else stepped up to maintain it. The product line is still around in the form of the BlueField SoC, but no longer uses the Tile architecture. There are also still products for sale with Tile-GX SoCs, notably the Mikrotik CCR router family. The products all use old (linux-3.3) kernels with lots of patches and won't be upgraded by their manufacturers. There have been efforts to port both OpenWRT and Debian to these, but both projects have stalled and are very unlikely to be continued in the future. Given that we are reasonably sure that nobody is still using the port with an upstream kernel any more, it seems better to remove it now while the port is in a good shape than to let it bitrot for a few years first. Cc: Chris Metcalf <firstname.lastname@example.com> Cc: John Paul Adrian Glaubitz <email@example.com> Link: http://www.mellanox.com/page/npu_multicore_overview Link: https://jenkins.debian.net/view/rebootstrap/job/rebootstrap_tilegx_gcc7/Signed-off-by: Arnd Bergmann <email@example.com>bb9d8126


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About Gutz
Gutz The Musical By David Oliver
Casey Carson moves to the 'Big Apple' with a head full of dreams and a heart full of hope. She is intelligent and motivated. She begins an internship for Davis Power Inc, one of the biggest financial players in the city. As the long summer days begin to fade, she is joined by Cole Jackson, a streetwise, tough young man from Philadelphia, the beautiful razor sharp Angel Martinez from Queens and Tyler Brown, a well heeled, arrogant son of a rich man from so-called 'good stock' in New Haven.
These four begin their internship with the promise that one will be offered a full time position as an associate. This year in the life of an intern creates stresses and strains unlike anything they have ever encountered; the gold at the end of the rainbow is a coveted position within one of the most powerful financial institutions in the world and an opportunity to live the dream.
Burning the candle at both ends, these personalities are thrown into a year of ridiculous workloads, late night classes led by the stylish Meredith King-Peterson, who happens to be a lady of class and decency, what follows are unrealistic deadlines and a nightlife that mixes the good with the bad in equal amounts, sometimes skirting the corners of what's legal and what's not.
This is hedonistic city-life in the fast lane, with the ever changing work/personal relationships between colleagues and lovers on a perpetual cliff edge. The dynamics and pressures of this environment are exposed, as are the inner workings and true thoughts and beliefs of the various characters, be they good or bad. Ultimately, the thin veneer of big city egocentrism begins to unravel and all is not always what it seems!
There is the young naïve Courtney Devine, a vulnerable girl on work experience, Adrianna Davis, the tough and shrewd office go to girl and personal assistant Dakota Jones, loyal and well respected for her dependability and sound advice. Then we have the opportunist Jack Thompson. Are his motives honest? Cooper Young, who is quick with his tongue and keeps things light. Then there is the director himself, Mr. William Peterson, a rock of stability and an inspiring voice in terms of attitudes and values within the workplace.
Every workplace has its assholes and this place is no different. Michael Mitchell and Rick Carter are obnoxious and a possible extension of the will and desire of the 'out of touch' CEO Mr. Wilson. They carry a lot of clout in the office and have a serious influence over the staff, particularly the men. They are supported by cold, indifferent personal assistant Ms. Johnson, whose motives are questionable.
Strong characters offer guidance and direction in stormy seas, and this is where we meet Madison MacKenzie, the eccentric landlady who is nobody's fool. She becomes a mother figure to the girls and offers wisdom and advice. She is uncompromising and opinionated. There is Red O'Donnell, an Irish American from Chicago who is an ex-boxer and wears the scars well. He is a mentor to Cole and, although educated solely at the school of hard knocks, offers some of the best advice a man can get.
Much needed relief is found at the popular watering hole 'Blue', a live music venue run by vivacious transgender, Jessie Adams. It's a venue that colourfully blends into a nightlife scene steeped in excess, androgyny and all type of walks and wild sides.
The strains and stresses of the New York night-life nip and tear, as to do the expectations and standards demanded. Simmering gender tensions and relationship trouble explode to reveal a shock affair and professional foul play and forces people to ask what do they really want out of life. Dreams can turn to nightmares and this story is no different.
This is a world where greed, ambition and ruthlessness are viewed as essential tools of the business. Strains, stresses and an intense social life add to the volatile nature of a year living in the feral, unmerciful yet seductive lair of New York City. A city that never sleeps has no trusted bedfellows. Can we dream of a life in the heart of the city when the city has no heart? It's time for Casey to follow her 'Gutz'.


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Job responsibilities
As a Lead Auditor QSHE 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 en ISO 50001 at Lloyd's Register you will - alone or in a team - verify management systems in the area of quality, safety and environment. You will act as an expert and examine and assess the implementation of management systems at our clients all around the country. Your goal is to contribute to the improvement of the overall systems.
The broadening and deepening of the collaboration with our relations is also a great aspect of your job. Based on your expertise you will contribute to the development of our services.
A very challenging and diverse job where you get to meet a lot of different people and very interesting (technical) challenges!
Job requirements
- Technical Bachelor's degree in for example mechanical engineering or similar.
- At least 5 years of working experience in the industry, preferably in various sectors
- Wide knowledge of ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 en ISO 50001
- Have a diploma for 'Preventieadviseur niveau I' and 'Milieucoördinator A'
- Preferably qualified third party auditor in the area of quality, environment and safety management systems
- Knowledge of, or affinity with standards in the area of safety, environment and quality management systems
- Being familiar with local law and regulations.
- A good verbal and written knowledge of the Dutch and English language.
- Preparedness to travel when necessary to visit locations abroad
- Analytic insight and proactive attitude
- Communicative and social skills
What offers LRQA?
We offer you an exciting working environment with intellectual challenges, responsibility and high level client interaction. An attractive remuneration package will be offered. As for every Lloyd's Register staff member, a personal development plan will be made by you and your manager to support you in realizing your long term goals.
About Lloyd's Register
LRQA or Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance is a part of the Lloyd's Register Group, an organisation with the purpose of promoting safety in systems and constructions all over the world.
LRQA distinguishes itself by Business Assurance, knowledge, independence and impartiality. LRQA offers an extensive package of professional and impartial services, which support clients during the whole lifecycle of their management systems. With the devotion, expertise and client focus LRQA employees guarantee that management systems become more efficient.
Do you like this job? Then apply now via the 'apply' button and upload your C.V. and cover letter. If you have any questions regarding this vacancy please contact Derek Meeng (Corporate Recruiter), by phone +31 6823 539 69, or email derek [dot] meeng [at] lr [dot] org.


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I love the line " … when i need a drug in me … to bring out the thug in me … " I just laugh. I picture Martin with his pants slung low, his gat tucked into his pants … his beanie on. Ooh how it amuses me.
It looks like (since I forgot music) I'll be listening to Violator all day. Give me a chance to memorize the lyrics flawlessly.
Today's ok so far. I left my straightening iron on as I was leaving the house late. I got to the gate and almost around the corner before I remembered and ran back home to turn it off. As I'm coming back, I see the bus coming. So I dodge traffic and run to the stop again this morning but this time with my Hello Kitty wallet in hand. The driver joked with me before I sat down … huffing and puffing wildly. (Out of shape … heh.)
The pluses today are:
- I feel ok today though my right eye is still hella twitchy
- My head doesn't feel too bad but I grabbed headache medicine just in case
- My eyes aren't totally swimmy … just a little big
- My spirits are a little higher today than usual
Let's hope I can make today … a good day vs. whining like a bitch because I stubbed my toe. *whine whine whine*
Maybe I could just kidnap Martin Gore and make him write me a love song for Valentine's Day. That'd be great. No one has written me any poetry/music … well except for two boys … Ben and Steven (how do I remember this) from 1st grade. They both wrote me love notes and competed for my love when we were little. I had such a crush on them. I think they were just playing with my mind though because no boys liked me at all until I was at least 15 and those were more like lecherous old men. *shudder* I don't think I started to attract boys my age until I was … at least 19 maybe? Eeek.
I was having some rather odd and bleak thoughts on the way to work but we'll banish those today. Instead, happy Ash Wednesday (and the beginning of Lent). I'm not a Catholic (nor do I adhere to many usual Christian celebrations … eh) but it's … note worthy I suppose if you're into that. I remember some one saying no fish/meat for what … 40 days? I say … good.
I'm done. I'm spent. Time to freeze (they run the fan down here and it's chilly enough to at least see your breath outside). I hate freezing at work. Gah.
– k


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Video: Woodyrine
I'll admit, I never really got into Woody Allen's earlier films like Bananas, Manhattan and Annie Hall. But, from Match Point on I had been hooked. Midnight in Paris is one of my favorite films ever and I slowly started to appreciate Allen's earlier films and the quirky characters he plays.
But what if Woody Allen played a popular comic book character? Say, oh... Wolverine? The results might be something like the original comedy short you see here.


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The Scottish Mountain Heritage Collection
Hermione Cooper
Karrimor orange canvas rucksack. Canvas straps, blue drawstring, metal buckles. Foam padded canvas back straps.
canvas, rope, foam, metal
61(l) x 42(w) x 18(d) cms.
On back, label reads "MADE TO GRAHAM TISO SPECIFICATION KP A KARRIMOR PRODUCT HASSLINGTON LANCS-ENGLAND"
orange, blue
Accrington England
We don't know of a specific name or model for this rucksack; Mick Tighe remembers them being called the Tiso Sack and it seems they were made by Karrimor to a Tiso specification. Tiso's were, and still are in 2010, Outdoor Shops, initially based in Edinburgh. The Joint Services Mountain Training Centre in Fort George had loads of them in the 1970's and Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team used them extensively in the 1970's & 80's for their casualty bags, and big stretcher lowering ropes. This one probably came from there. The large blue pull out section was designed to make the sack part of an emergency bivouac system with your feet in the big bag(having emptied it!) and the blue bit pulled around the body. They were certainly very hard wearing.
Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007


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Azeroth is the name of the southernmost of the two southern continents in the Eastern Kingdoms.[1][2][3][4][5] It lies to the south of the continent of Khaz Modan.
Throughout the World of Warcraft manual, and in the game itself, the name Azeroth is used in two different contexts.[6] Azeroth is both the name of the world in the Warcraft universe and one of the three continents that comprises the Eastern Kingdoms, the landmass opposite of Kalimdor on the world map. The other two continents of the Eastern Kingdoms are Loch Modan in the center and Lordaeron in the north. Sometimes you will see references to Azeroth the world, while other times you will see references to Azeroth the continent.[7]
Azeroth's regions (WoW)
- Blasted Lands
- Burning Steppes
- Deadwind Pass
- Duskwood
- Elwynn Forest
- Redridge Mountains
- Stranglethorn Vale
- Swamp of Sorrows
- Westfall
Other regions (lore)
As compiled in The Last Guardian, Lands of Conflict, World of Warcraft The Roleplaying Game, Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, and Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness.
- Borderlands (WCI)
- Ulmat Thondr
- Stormwind
- Black Morass
- Balor (WCII)
Other uses
This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.
Early previews and interviews discussing World of Warcraft referred to the entire Eastern Kingdoms as Azeroth.[citation needed]
However, World of Warcraft manual states that Azeroth has "two meanings" in the game that of world of Azeroth and southernmost continent in the Easterin Kingdoms.[8] (WoWMan #?)
However it appears that there is a third meaning in the game. From the context of certain quotes made in quests it is implied that the entire Eastern Kingdoms is sometimes referred to as the continent of Azeroth. It is unclear if this is left overs from and earlier build of the game.[9]
Lands of conflict even made a few references that imply that the entire Eastern Kingdoms could be referred to as Azeroth; ...the Arathi assured them the land would always belong to all peoples and named the land as a whole in homage to their ancient ancestors: Azeroth."
Walt Simonson called the entire landmass Azeroth in his interviews. However, this does not represent a published source of lore. Warcraft Interview & Prologue Preview] Quote: Currently, players can explore the lands of Azeroth, Kalimdor, and Outland...</ref> Walt Simonson: ...allowed the comic to include a lot of geography from Durotar to Thunder Bluff to Darnassus, and from Kalimdor across to Azeroth...</ref>


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Foods to eat after gall bladder surgery
Cholecystectomy is the medical term for removal of the gall bladder (also spelt gallbladder). This organ may be removed because of gallstones or because it is unable to properly store bile. After the gall bladder is removed, you should pay careful attention to what you are eating and drinking to prevent complications.
This involves drinking enough liquid, eating fruits and vegetables and avoiding foods with high levels of fat.
Liquid Intake
It is important to get enough liquid after you have had your gall bladder removed. The University of Wisconsin recommends drinking a minimum of 6 to 8 glasses of fluid each day. Water is the best choice, but low-fat milk and natural fruit juices can also be consumed. You should avoid soft drinks and limit coffee and tea since caffeine can cause fluid loss. Drinking enough liquid can help to prevent constipation, which is a possible side effect of an abdominal procedure such as gall bladder surgery.
Fruits, Vegetables and Whole Grains
Getting enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains is important for maintaining health and preventing constipation after gall bladder surgery. The University of Wisconsin recommends eating four servings of fruits or vegetables and four servings of breads and cereals. Two servings of breads and cereals should be whole grains. Fruits and vegetables offer a lot of variety in colour and flavour, so you can eat different types each day.
Examples of good fruits and vegetables to eat after gall bladder surgery include watermelon, apples, bananas, peaches, cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, carrots and broccoli. Eat these foods raw or prepare them without butter and sauces to get all of the nutritional benefits without extra fat, cholesterol and calories. Whole grains include the entire grain kernel, which consists of the bran, germ and endosperm. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, examples of whole grains include whole-wheat flour, oatmeal, whole cornmeal, cracked wheat and brown rice.
Fatty Foods
People who have gall bladder problems often have difficulty processing fatty foods since fat digestion requires more bile than foods high in protein or carbohydrates. The University of Wisconsin recommends limiting fatty foods following the surgery and then slowly reintroducing them to your diet. This particularly applies to foods high in saturated fat. According to Elizabeth Scherer from Discovery Health's Heart Health Center, foods that are high in saturated fat include fatty cuts of meat, bacon, sausage, hydrogenated vegetable oil, whole-milk dairy products and processed grain products like cookies and cakes. Information from the UC Davis Health System Department of Surgery indicates that some patients may experience gas and bloating following meals for several months after the gall bladder has been removed. If this becomes bothersome, contact your physician to discuss possible treatment options.


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I bought 3 older servers from a tech school. Each has 2 HDD. I have geniune Win2000 and Win2003 server software and I have confirmed that the each server has enough resources to load either OS. However, I can't get either OS to load using an installation CD. ANY help would be appreciated. I'm an IT student that is hoping to use these servers for my studies.
No hard drive found?
You have to load the host adapter drivers. Look for hitting f6 in lower left corner of install screen. Web search. It is all there.
...and more help here:
Thank you! I never gave that a thought. So, I'll need to get some specs off of each of the HDD, search for the host adapter drivers for each and install those...so it recognizes the drives.
Another thing, when I took the cover off, there was a seperate cable coming off one of the HDD and going to a PCI card. The PCI card had a "RAID" note on it. I know that raid is software and I was surprised to find this. Does anyone know what it is?
I know that raid is software
RAID can be either software or hardware. In this case you have a hardware RAID controller.


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via press release:
"The 40th Anniversary American Music Awards(R)" ("AMAs") aired last night on ABC. Artists were honored in the categories of Pop/Rock, Country, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Alternative, Adult Contemporary, Latin, Contemporary Inspirational and — for the first year ever — Electronic Dance Music.
ABC's broadcast of "The 40th Anniversary American Music Awards" was the dominant, No. 1 non-sports net from 8:00-11:00 p.m. among Adults 18-49, towering over CBS by 55% and Fox by 70%. In addition, the "AMAs" telecast won its 3-hour time period over Sunday Night Football across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54), Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11. It was the No.1 TV show of the night with Women 18-34, Women 18-49 and Teens 12-17.
· Despite the substantial competition during primetime, ABC marked Sunday night season highs with coverage of the 2012 "AMAs" among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. The show scored ABC's highest numbers in the time period since the Emmy Awards on 9/23/12.
· An estimated 25.0 million viewers watched at least some portion of "The 40th Anniversary American Music Awards" on ABC during its 3-hour broadcast – unduplicated Viewers 2+ watching 6 minutes or more of the broadcast.
Artist of the Year Justin Bieber
Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist Justin Bieber
Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist Katy Perry
Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group Maroon 5
Favorite Pop/Rock Album Justin Bieber – "Believe"
Favorite Country Music Male Artist Luke Bryan
Favorite Country Music Female Artist Taylor Swift
Favorite Country Music Band, Duo or Group Lady Antebellum
Favorite Country Music Album Carrie Underwood – "Blown Away"
Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist Nicki Minaj
Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album Nicki Minaj – "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded"
Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist Usher
Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist Beyonce
Favorite Soul/R&B Album Rihanna – "Talk That Talk"
Favorite Alternative Rock Artist Linkin Park
Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist Adele
Favorite Latin Music Artist Shakira
Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist tobyMac
Electronic Dance Music: Favorite Artist David Guetta
New Artist of the Year Carly Rae Jepsen
"The 40th Anniversary American Music Awards" was produced by dick clark productions, inc. (DCP). Allen Shapiro and Orly Adelson were executive producers, and Larry Klein was the producer.
About dick clark productions, inc. –
Founded in 1957, dick clark productions, inc. (dcp) is a leading independent producer of television programming. Dcp produces perennial hits such as the "American Music Awards," "Golden Globe Awards," "Academy of Country Music Awards," and "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest." Dcp also produces popular weekly television programming, including "So You Think You Can Dance," and owns and maintains one of the world's most unique and extensive entertainment libraries, which includes more than 30 years of "American Bandstand" footage. For additional information about dcp, please visit http://www.dickclarkproductions.com.
About the American Music Awards –
In 1973, Dick Clark created the American Music Awards to pay tribute to popular musicians from various genres of music and to put audiences in touch with the latest phenomena in American music. Since its founding, the AMAs have honored and showcased the talents of some of the biggest names in the music industry.


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Yes, I do happen to think that the death of Bobby Sands did indeed increase violence in Ireland during the 1980s. The situation there was already tense, and the fact that the United Kingdom allowed him to starve to death in prison showed they were ruthless, and that more force against them was needed.
Bobby Sand's death while on hunger strike was just what the IRA needed to rally support. It is unfortunate that someone with such passion about his cause would die in such a way. Such people deserve to die of old age, or at least in some kind of conflict. When you hear that such a rebel died during a peaceful protest, it inspires you to learn more about his cause, and it becomes easier to understand. Because of this, the IRA recruitment increased, and with more troops on the ground, you inevitably have more casualties.
Bobby Sands was a martyr for the IRA when he died in prison on a hunger strike. The Irish Republican Army continued to bomb Protestant targets for the next 10 years until a peace accord was finally ratified. Sands's defiance kept anti-British sentiment alive for years. Even now, there are tensions in Belfast and in Northern Ireland even after the peace accords from 20 years ago.
I believe Bobby Sands' death due to a hunger strike while in prison was directly responsible for much of the violence in Ireland in the 1980's. The IRA had dramatically increased membership immediately after the death of Bobby Sands. There was much anger and resentment attached to his death and the hunger strike which preceded it. These circumstances contributed to more unrest in an already divided country.
I think that the death of Bobby Sands decreased the violence in Ireland during the 1980s, because Bobby Sands was no longer there to keep the issue current. Bobby Sands was the leader in the movement, and his departure made it harder for the violence to continue at the force at which it was.


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"Islander""][quote=""Johno" wrote:I think its a real shame that the Jungle Coaster isn't being moved somewhere within the park.
"Johno" wrote:What kind of theme's would you guys like to see at a Legoland Windsor?
Personally, I'd like to see a Mars Mission theme, with visitors being 'blasted to Mars' or the Moon, before being shot back down to earth etc.
TheBeast wrote:Not really seen anything new one nere in a while - have we just given up on Legoland?
DannyG wrote:Considering this was a fairly small project, the future isn't looking bright for the expansion of Legoland Windsor unless Merlin offer to pay towards improving road works


text:
Multiple laundries
CLEAN have invested in the latest equipment and infrastructure across all our facilities incorporating standardised practices and procedures.
Our facilities support our ability to provide flexible, resilient and excellent service to our customers.
- Latest technology and innovations
- High-quality pool stock
- IT infrastructure
- Highly skilled technical personnel
Multi Plants
- Business Resilience
- Strategic locations
- Common practices and procedures
- The British Safety Council International Award.
Utilities & Resources
- Energy efficient
- Green focus
- Full emergency back up
High Standard
- Industrial accreditation
- Health and Safety compliance
- BRC Global Standards, a fundamental requirement of food manufacturing business.


text:
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text:
Many people all over the world face depression each day. Depression makes individuals experience debilitating sadness that may prevent them from doing actives and living a normal life. Sometimes depression even results in individuals wanting to end their life. If you want to combat depression, then read the tips in this article.
To help you conquer your depression it is vital that you learn to develop a positive attitude and change the way you think. Research has shown that negative thinking plays a huge role in depression. Depressed people minimize their successes and accomplishments and, instead, focus on their failures and sorrows. The key to happiness is loving life in the face of suffering.
When and if you are feeling suicidal you should do everything in your power to remind you that this is all in your head. If you even begin to entertain the idea of killing yourself you should immediately contact someone that you trust and ask them to come and talk you down.
Although having a boyfriend or girlfriend may seem like the answer to all of your depression problems, it is not. It is very possible to have a healthy relationship even when you are depressed but you should not look at the relationship itself as the key or solution to your problems.
Keep your mind active through puzzles, games, and other challenges. The more time you leave yourself idle, the more time you'll have to dwell on negativity. If you keep busy, you'll feel more accomplished, and you won't be spending your days thinking about everything that's gone wrong. Focus on positive, uplifting activities at which you can be successful.
Do not blame yourself for your feelings of sadness when you have depression. Often times, people think that depression is their fault, when in fact, it is something that is beyond their control. The blame they put on themselves just ends up making their depression symptoms get worse and lowers their self esteem.
Get enough sleep, typically 8 hours per night, with a 6 hour minimum. There are many studies that have concluded that sleep patterns have a lot to do with mood and behavior, and those that aren't getting enough sleep have a higher chance of becoming depressed. Rest is essential for the brain to function healthier, and you want to be sure that you aren't clouded by fatigue throughout the day.
Develop and practice effective relaxation exercises or practices. Whether lying in a tub that is filled with aromatic beads or using Yoga to relax your mind, you want to keep a clear head and refrain from discomfort in order to avoid a depressed mood. With relaxation comes enlightenment and a much healthier mood.
As stated before, many people worldwide face depression daily. Depression has a debilitating effect on people as they become sad and are not able to complete activities and live normally, sometimes even resulting in an attempt to end their life. Using the tips from this article, you can combat depression.


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Jewelry designer Raven Hanna's love of chocolate and spices is more than basic, it's, well, elemental.
Hanna, a scientist, turns her favorite molecules into wearable art, like the theobromide necklace, pictured. "Theobromine is a mild stimulant related to caffeine that makes up about 2 percent of cacao beans," she explains. "I made this necklace as a special order for a male chocolatier, and I like it so much that I decided to offer it on Etsy."
Caffeine, the resveratrol molecule found in red wine, and capsaicin, the hot molecule from chili peppers, are also featured in Hanna's unique jewelry.
"I am a chocolate, green tea, and chili fan," explains Hanna. "In fact, I was recently in Belize to learn how the Mayans grow and use cacao. I noticed that modern Mayans I met make their chocolate drinks with black pepper and allspice. They drink the chocolate all day, claiming that it keeps them healthy and energized. Cacao is the original energy drink!"
So which food molecules should Hanna tackle next? "I would love to get suggestions from your readers!" she says.


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She is just 22 years old, but she has already traversed the challenges of being a teacher to 36 sixth graders from low-income communities, a friend to their parents and families and now a mentor to a group of Teach For India Fellows as their Program Manager. Angeline Dias, or "Angie" as she is lovingly called, reflects a depth of wisdom that belies her years, along with a tenacity to explore even the seemingly impossible.
Angie was born and brought up in Mumbai in an area called Parksite -- a small community of about 20-30 apartments together in a chawl system in Vikhroli. When she was in 10th grade, back in 2009, Teach For India had just begun operations in Mumbai. Her brother came home from college and showed her an ad in the newspaper about the TFI Fellowship program.
"I was sold on the idea of working towards educational equity right then and there," she says. "The reason was simple -- I came from a low-income community myself and so understood the problems that the lack of a quality education poses for children. I wanted to be able to do something about this need gap."
"She took on the role of teacher, parent and friend all at the same time and worked relentlessly to bring hope into her children's lives and place them on better life paths."
A few years later, during her BA final year at Xavier's College in Mumbai, Angie overheard some friends animatedly discussing the TFI college career seminar they'd just attended. That's when she knew her moment had come.
Angie was selected to be a part of Teach For India's cohort of 2013-15. "We started with five-week intensive training module called ''Institute'' and then moved into our respective assigned cities, schools and classrooms. I remember entering Institute thinking I couldn't be better prepared to take this head on but just a few days into the module, I realized that I literally knew nothing!" she reminisces with a smile.
Though Angie and her cohort continued with bi-weekly training sessions even after Institute concluded, the classroom became her biggest challenge. "My kids were too accustomed to the previous Fellow and I couldn't connect with them on that same level. It was a task trying to get them to listen to me. The frustration of it all took a toll on me. I remember crying almost every day after school! Then mid-year results came -- and I saw a marked rise in academic growth in my class. That's when it hit me -- my kids were willing to work hard even when I wasn't able to give them my 100%. I had no excuse to give up when they didn't! And if this is what I'd achieved with less than 100%, imagine what I could do if I strived to give them my 120% everyday!"
She brought her focus on values into her Teach for India classroom with a clear vision for her kids. In addition to academic goals, Angie focused on their life skills as well. She took on the role of teacher, parent and friend all at the same time and worked relentlessly to bring hope into her children's lives and place them on better life paths.
"When I was introduced to Atul, he was a sulky pre-pubescent kid, given to aggression as a defence against the teasing he had endured for his dark complexion. He was beating other kids just for kicks and it was next to impossible to get him to listen. Several individual conversations and class discussions on racism later, I made Atul have honest conversations with his classmates and at the same time suggested laughter as a solution to his anger outbursts. Today, he has become someone who cracks jokes even in the most difficult of situations. Then there was Aamir who suddenly started using foul language in class. A candid conversation with his friend revealed the peer pressure behind his behaviour. All sat him down and explained what the bad words that he was throwing around actually meant. Being the mature kid he really was inside, he realised that I wasn't going to judge and so opened his heart out to me -- something that helped me help him."
Along with working with her kids, Angie also started to go for community visits two months into her Fellowship. "The first few were really bad. Parents had some serious doubts on how a 20-year-old BA graduate could handle the responsibility of educating their kids! I realised that if the parents were not invested in their kids' education, the children wouldn't be either. And so to tackle the problem, I started to hang out with them after school -- a cup of tea, a casual conversation -- all this helped us understand each other better. I saw class attendance improve thanks to parents who became convinced of why going to school was important for their child."
As she approached the end of her Fellowship, Angie slowly learnt to believe -- in her kids, in herself and most of all in the vision that one day all children will attain an excellent education. Her kids became her biggest success. "I cannot describe how elated I felt when I heard of Injamul achieving merit in his scholarship exam and being government funded till graduation as a result! Or when Atul shared his vision for himself at a Teach For All conference as the student speaker!"
Today, as she manages 16 Fellows between the ages of 20 to 50 who're together impacting over 640 kids, Angie can't help but attribute her biggest learnings to her Fellowship experience. "The Fellowship experience has been mind-blowing -- all of us have emerged as leaders in some way because this journey was all about pushing us to give better than our best. I think people outside Teach For India perceive it to be a one-man mission -- it's almost as if the educational inequity is just a TFI problem and there comes a pat on the back every now and then. What many don't realise is that this is everyone's problem --a few people can't change the world but if everyone comes together, we'll be sure to make a difference!"
We all dream of bridging the educational gap and bring about systemic change to the state of education in India. Here's to visionaries like Angeline who're striving to make such dreams a reality!
Applications to the 2016-18 Teach For India Fellowship program are now open. Apply here.
Watch the new Teach For India creative celebrating an excellent education for all children here.
Written By Alankrita Khera, Manager, Communications, Teach For India
Contact HuffPost India


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British animal welfare investigators have uncovered new evidence exposing China's trade in stolen pets.
Animal Equality and Last Chance for Animals visited the country's notorious meat markets and abattoirs where they witnessed dogs, cats and rabbits kept in appalling conditions before being clubbed to death.
Working undercover with Chinese investigators they secretly filmed puppies a few weeks old crushed into wire cages at a breeding farm in Shandong.
CCTV pictures the group obtained reveal how dog thieves snatch pets off the streets and steal them from owner's homes.
They also uncovered video of cats being made into Dragon, Tiger and Phoenix stew which "fortifies the body," according to tradition.
Over three weeks investigators put themselves at huge risk posing as meat traders to covertly film the route animals take from breeding farms to restaurants via China's back-street abattoirs.
Breeders at a farm in Jining allegedly told investigators that if necessary they would "hunt the streets" to secure enough dogs for them.
Gangs drive around in broad daylight looking for dogs to snatch. It takes a few seconds to snare an animal and drag it into their van.
Many puppies investigators were offered reportedly still wore collars, suggesting they were once family pets. Once fattened, they are sold to abattoirs for around 200 yuan (£20) each.
Campaigners also travelled to China's Nanhai market in Guangdong province where dogs, cats and rabbits are traded and sold to local restaurants after journeys of hundreds of miles in cramped cages.
Many of the cats are captured by gangs who set traps in public parks and residential areas where they are likely to be kept as pets.
Investigators entered the market at night and secretly filmed cages being unloaded from provinces all over China.
Though the cages were being thrown to the ground, investigators noted none of the dogs barked, leading them to suspect their vocal chords had been removed.
Despite campaigners' outrage, eating dogs and cats remains a delicacy in China where it is said to "warm the blood" and provide "vitality".
The groups are working with local welfare groups like China's Guangzhou Volunteer Centre to campaign for an end to China's trade in dog meat.
Animal Equality says more than 10 million dogs are killed every year in China, although other estimates put the number at closer to 16 million.
According to Chinese media, a 2011 study by Guo Peng, a professor at the School of Philosophy and Social Development of Shandong University, found 88% of households in one rural village suspected their dogs had been taken.
The group intends lobbying Chinese embassies around the world to raise awareness about what they say is international outrage at China's lack of animal welfare laws.