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Instructions for Financial Ratios College Essay Examples

Title: Financial Ratio Analysis

Total Pages: 6 Words: 2449 Sources: 0 Citation Style: APA Document Type: Essay

Essay Instructions: Financial Ratio Analysis Report
Complete and submit a 1400-2000 wor Financial Ratio Analysis Report following the guidlines below.
A. Obtain financial information for a Fortune 500 company (I don't care which one) You should begin obtaining an annual report for the company.
B. Prepare a 3-5 year trend table of 12-15 of the financial ratios you consider the most important for your selected company for the most recent year. Include a brief rationale for each ratio you have calculated.
C. Compare the ratios calculated, write a paragraph interpreting the trends and identify strengths and weaknesses.
E. Assess the financial condition of the company.
F. Discuss other factors beyond the ratios that need to be considered in the assessment of the company's health.
G. Discuss how your assessment compares to what management is telling the shareholders in the annual report.
H. Identify possible problems you see this company facing in the next year that would require further analysis and exploration.
I. Identify a key new manaement initiative that is detailed in the company's annual report. Using fianancial ratios, assess the company's preparedness to launch this initiative. What nonfinancial considerations need to be evaluated in order to determine the likelihood of the intiative's success?

Excerpt From Essay:

Essay Instructions: Ratio Analysis

1.Choose a publicly traded beverage company, and analyze what you perceive to be the company?s key financial ratios. Based on your analysis, provide a brief assessment of the company?s financial strengths and weaknesses.
2.Based on your analysis, propose one (1) key strategy for the company to improve its financial position as compared to its competitors.
3.Assess potential limitations of your ratio analysis. Next, compare and contrast key predictive ratios that you might use over others to make financing decisions.
4.Using the key ratios you have chosen, predict at least three (3) negative trends that could indicate future financial problems for the company.
5.Based on your predictions, suggest at least three (3) or four (4) ways in which management should respond in order to maximize the return to shareholders.

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Essay Instructions: Imagine you are a small business owner. Determine the financial ratios that are important to the business. Compare your ratios with those that are important to a manager of a larger corporation.
Discuss how financial returns are related to risk.
Describe the concept of beta and how it is used.
Contrast systematic and unsystematic risk.

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Title: financial ratios

Total Pages: 2 Words: 899 Bibliography: 2 Citation Style: MLA Document Type: Research Paper

Essay Instructions: The project assignment for module one involves the actual calculation and interpretation of some of the financial ratios you've been reading about. If you haven't reviewed them yet please see this presentation on financial ratios and this this chapter on financial analysis. There are two companies I want you to look at - Arrow Company and Plume Inc. Perform a basic financial analysis of each company by calculating the following ratios:

1. Rate of return on Equity (ROE) = Net Income / Shareholders' Equity

This ratio can be re-written as a product of the three principal components:

ROE = (Net Income/Sales) x (Sales/Assets) x (Assets/Shareholders' Equity)

The three components are actually: profit margin, asset turnover, and financial leverage, respectively.

2. Return on Assets (ROA) = Net income/Total Assets

3. Gross Margin = Gross profit/Sales

4. Inventory turnover = Cost of goods sold / Ending inventory

5. The Collection Period = Accounts receivable/Credit sales per day, where credit sales per day (or simply "sales per day" are computed by dividing total sales for the year by 365.

6. Fixed-asset turnover = Sales/Total fixed assets

7. Financial leverage ratios:

Debt-to-assets ratio = Total liabilities/Total assets

Debt-to-equity ratio = Total liabilities/Shareholders' equity

8. Liquidity ratios:

Current ratio = Current assets/Current liabilities

Acid test = (Current assets - Inventory)/Current liabilities

When you have finished your calculations, summarize them in a brief (2-3 page) report. The actual calculations should be in table format and be sure to show how you did the math. I will give partial credit for having a part of the calculation correct!

Then describe in words any conclusions that you can draw by comparing the ratios of the two companies. Which company seems to be in better financial health and less risky? If you have trouble drawing a conclusion at least tell us a little bit about what you tried to look for. On the basis of one module, you won't have the skill necessary to make a very sophisticated analysis, but at least you can get a sense of how analysts look at the numbers and make them into meaning.

Please conclude your project report with a paragraph or so describing your overall reaction to the exercise, what you got out of it and didn't get out of it, and any suggestions you have about how you can strengthen it for learning purposes. This latter part will not be graded, except in terms of its presence or absence -- it's more for guidance and assistance to the faculty in trying to make this course work as well for you as it possibly can.

Please use the following format for the paper: Mod 1 SLP format. You just need to put the ratio calculations into a table and then provide a written section on your comparison and interpretation. Having each of the ratios side-by-side in a table will help you with the comparison.

SLP expectations:

LENGTH: 2-3 pages typed and double-spaced.

The following items will be assessed in particular:

1.Your ability to correctly calculate the financial ratios;

2.Your ability to interpret the ratios and determine the financial health of the companies.

Statement of Income

FY 2009

Sales $4,275,000

Other income +95,000

Total revenue $4,370,000

GROSS PROFIT $1,720,000

Total Selling Expenses $805,000

Total General Expenses +$335,000

Total Operating Expenses $1,140,000

NET INCOME $580,000

Balance Sheet

December 31, 2009

Current Assets

Cash $295,000

Marketable Securities 520,000

Accounts Receivable 410,000

Notes Receivable 370,700

Ending Inventories 435,000

Prepaid expenses and other 105,000

Total Current Assets $2,135,700

Fixed Assets

Land $535,000

Plant and Buildings 735,000

Equipment 425,000

Total Fixed Assets $1,695,000

Other Assets

Goodwill, net $55,000

Total Other Assets $55,000

TOTAL ASSETS $3,885,700

Current Liabilities

Accounts Payable $320,000

Accrued expenses and other 290,000

Current liabilities

Current portion of finance debt 330,500

Total Current Liabilities $940,500

Long??'Term Liabilities

Notes Payable $265,000

Bonds 414,000

Other long-term liabilities 77,000

Total Long??'Term Liabilities $756,000

Total Liabilities $1,696,500

Shareholder’s Equity

Common Stock $1,072,200

Retained Earnings 1,117,000

Total Shareholder’s Equity $2,189,200

Statement of Income

FY 2009

Sales $4,805,000

Other income +212,000

Total revenue $5,017,000

GROSS PROFIT $2,117,000

Total Selling Expenses $875,000

Total General Expenses +$405,000

Total Operating Expenses $1,280,000

NET INCOME $837,000

Balance Sheet

December 31, 2009

Current Assets

Cash $375,000

Marketable Securities 100,000

Accounts Receivable 575,500

Notes Receivable 210,000

Ending Inventories 595,000

Prepaid expenses and other 75,000

Total Current Assets $1,930,500

Fixed Assets

Land $757,000

Plant and Buildings 1,105,000

Equipment 650,000

Total Fixed Assets $2,512,000

Other Assets

Goodwill, net $25,000

Total Other Assets $25,000

TOTAL ASSETS $4,467,500

Current Liabilities

Accounts Payable $670,000

Accrued expenses and other 505,000

Current liabilities

Current portion of finance debt 195,000

Total Current Liabilities $1,370,000

Long??'Term Liabilities

Notes Payable $210,000

Bonds 85,500

Other long-term liabilities 120,000

Total Long??'Term Liabilities $415,500

Total Liabilities $1,785,500

Shareholder's Equity

Common Stock $1,832,000

Retained Earnings 850,000

Total Shareholder’s Equity $2,682,000

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Why Pets Can Reduce Entrepreneurs’ Stress & Anxiety

Pets are considered to be a man’s best friend. This statement is extremely true and can be proven through various facts. Take for example a person who comes back from a long day of work. The way that your pet greets you with enthusiasm actually does help to relieve most stress. This case is particularly true for hard-working entrepreneurs.

Being a successful entrepreneur is not an easy job. It requires a lot of blood, sweat and hard work. This is why a pet can play an important role in helping to relieve some of the stress as well as anxiety that many entrepreneurs deal with on a daily basis.

Generally, there are other techniques such as yoga and meditation which do help in relieving stress from our day to day lives, but a pet is also a very effective solution. While our human friends do provide social support, our furry and feline friends can help us in regard to dealing with stress and anxiety.

Pets can play a big part in reliving  entrepreneurs’ health. Some of the major benefits of owning a pet in terms of reducing stress and anxiety include the following:

Improving Your Mood

One of the simple ways that your pet helps to relieve stress is because when you see your pet after a day’s work your mood automatically improves. It is actually more psychological and there are various studies which actually prove this point.

“When you see the happy look on your pet’s face it psychologically impacts your mind in such a way that you automatically become happy. Having a pet on the other side of your door can quickly aid a stressful day,” says Jake Braun of ChopperExchange.

There is a study which discovered that people suffering from aids actually suffered less from depression if they owned a pet. The mood improvement can be substantial.

Providing Unconditional Love

Another way that an entrepreneur’s pet can help reduce stress and anxiety is by showing their owner unconditional love. A pet can be there for you in any situation, at any time, which can be helpful in the event that one lives alone or doesn’t have a lot of friends.

“Pets are known to offer companionship and give unconditional love to their owners, which can help to change one’s mood almost instantly,” says Luqman Khan, founder of Wireloo. They are known to be excellent cuddlers as well, with research showing that a pet is the best anecdote to combat loneliness. Another study has shown that residents of nursing homes find it less lonely if there are pets present.

Pets Reduce Stress More Than People

Another way that your pet helps entrepreneurs is by reducing stress much more than people. Pets are good listeners, which might sound a bit ridiculous, but many experts say that talking to your pet is relaxing and can be more beneficial than speaking to a human.

Usually, entrepreneurs are busy in their day to day activities — seeking out someone to talk to isn’t always a top priority. This is where pets come into the picture. “Having a pet as your best friend can help reduce stress and anxiety, as you literally have a support system willing to listen at any given time,” explains Christopher VanDeCar, CEO of Optimally Organic. Sometimes just talking out what is frustrating you can help, even if you are speaking to your pet. Simply getting it off your chest helps.

Controls Blood Pressure Better than Drugs

An entrepreneur’s life, especially one that is just starting out, can be very hectic. The stress of work will often cause blood pressure to rise. This is where pets come into the picture. “There are scientific studies which actually prove that pets do help in controlling blood pressure and are a much better option than taking any kind of medication or drugs,” says Darryl Howard of Boca Raton Med Spa.

There might be drugs which actually help in reducing blood pressure, but they are not that effective when it comes to controlling spikes in the blood pressure due to tension and stress. There was a study conducted on people who owned pets and the ones who did not, and the study conclusively proved that people having a pet had lower heart rates and blood sugar than compared to the ones who did not have pets.

“Comfort Women” Dealt with a blow After South Korean Court Rejects Damages Suit

On Friday a South Korean Court threw out a damage suit that had been filed by the former women group that sought compensation of approximately $91,000 for each victim.

This followed a bilateral agreement between South Korean and the Japanese governments. The suit had been filed in 2016 at a Seoul District Court. The group was demanding compensation for what they termed as mental and financial damages that they had suffered as a result of the agreement between the two governments back in 2015.

The agreement which was lauded internationally was meant to officially and permanently resolve the issue of South Korean women that were forced to work in Japan’s military brothels during the war.

Despite rejecting the damages suit, the court acknowledged the fact that the agreement made in 2015 between South Korea and Japan was shallow and it did not address all the issues faced by the comfort women group. Nonetheless, the court defended the government saying that the entire agreement cannot be quashed because of the flaws that it exhibits. It said that the efforts made by the government were positive and that the two governments still had an opportunity to address the pressing issues that were pending.

“The ruling made by the District Court today has legitimized the 2015 agreement between South Korea and Japan despite the comfort women testimonies and we clearly understand why. We are definitely going to contest this decision in the court of appeal” said the plaintiff’s lawyer.

The women also criticized the decision by the District courts judged saying that it went against an earlier ruling in 2011 by South Korea’s constitutional court. The constitutional court had downplayed the 2015 agreement between South Korea and Japan declaring it unconstitutional since it did not resolve the major issues that the comfort women had raised. The Court in its decision said that the women victims had not been adequately compensated and that the Japanese government had not shown any tangible measures of doing so.

The agreement which was signed in 2015 and witnessed by foreign ministers from both Japan and South Korea had sought to mend relations between the two countries for the sake of social and economic cooperation in the region. Although there was some resistance especially among civil rights groups in South Korea, many people and leaders around the world lauded the agreement terming it as the beginning of a new chapter of peace in the region.

Under the 2015 deal, Japan apologized the suffering South Korean comfort women had undergone in the hands of its military and pledged to pay up to $8.8 million as compensation to a South Korean Foundation that supports the victims. This agreement had been reached out by the two governments with the aim of restoring good relationships between the two countries that had greatly deteriorated over the years. The Japanese government expressed remorse for the victims and said that it regrets the actions the South Korean women had undergone.

The agreement has however not been fully implemented due to partial opposition from the victims and a section of the South Korean public. The victims allege that the agreement signed in 2015 did not take into account their grievances and was rushed through by a few people.

The lawsuit had been filed by the comfort women with the support of a civil rights group that has been fighting for the rights of comfort women stories. The civil groups and Korean comfort women, however, say that the ruling made by the court has not dampened their spirits to pursue justice. However, the two governments are determined to bring lasting relations between South Korea and Japan.

Carbon Footprint – Try Simple Lifestyle Changes to Reduce it

Let’s face it – the planet earth is polluted to an extent that we consume a lot of harmful gases in our routine tasks. Not just air but water, as well as the environment, is highly polluted and we are not even realizing the aftermaths it will have on our health. When we talk about pollution, it would be unfair to not mention carbon footprint which is described as the total amount of greenhouse gases that we consume throughout the day during our ordinary activities. Some of you may not be aware of this term greenhouse gasses. Let’s discuss in detail what it is and how to reduce it.

What are Greenhouse Gases?

Greenhouse gases are gases are that are one of the main causes of warming the earth. These gases absorb infrared radiations and spread the heat to earth as well as the oceans. Environmentalists are also of the view that these gases are also contributing to global warming and the sudden transformations in the climate.

Which are Greenhouse Gases?

There are four chief greenhouse gases in the world. These are:

  • Methane (CH4)
  • Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
  • Fluorinated Gases
  • Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

But these gases do not enter the earth naturally but we; humans, are responsible for it. Greenhouse gases enter our atmosphere in two major ways:

  • Burning gas, coal, and oil
  • Extensive use of synthetic fertilizers, fossil fuels, deforestation, wide industrial processing, and farming of certain types of livestock

Reducing carbon footprint may seem an impossible task but it is very easy and possible – courtesy of technological developments and growing awareness. If you want to live a healthy life, you should take all the steps to make sure that your lifestyle contributes to a healthy and prosperous life.

Lifestyle Changes to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

There are numerous ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Here we have listed some of the most effective ones. Without further ado, let’s get started.

Upgrade Your Home Appliances

Home appliances, particularly of the old designs release some gases that contribute to the carbon footprint. However, technological advancements have allowed the manufacturers to develop appliances that are environmental friendly and does not release any harmful gases. Upgrading the appliances can be a great investment in both energy savings and preserving the nature. You can easily find appliances in the market that consume lesser energy and produce fewer emissions.

Get a Programmable Thermostat for Your Home

A thermostat is one of the unignorable necessities for any household. Especially if you are living in a country where the temperature changes frequently, it is a must-have for your home. However, thermostats which are mostly used in homes are not programmable. If you get a programmable thermostat for your home, you can easily save a lot of money from energy expenses and use it in other more productive ways.

Try to Use Public Transport

In a society that we live in, people have become status conscious and try to just win over others regardless of realizing that it can go against them as well. One of the major cases is the unnecessary use of private cars. According to environmentalists, if people start using public transport more, the global warming can be controlled as well as the carbon footprint can be reduced. The reason is that public transport causes the same level of emissions as a private car but it has the capacity to carry more people from one point to the other. By suggesting you use public transport, it is not intended to suggest to you that you should not use your car at all. Just try to use it when there is no other option. However, if you are not used to public transport, you can also change your car with another one that gives better fuel efficiency along with causing fewer emissions.

Start Recycling

Recycling leads to lesser waste that results in lesser greenhouse gases. There are a number of ways you can reduce your waste and two of the major ones are:

  • Using refillable water bottles
  • Switching to reusable shopping bags

These two small moves can prove to be an incredible step for the betterment of the planet. Statistics suggest that if these two wastes can be reduced by at least 20%, the global warming could be controlled to a great extent.

Choose a Better Mattress

You may be wondering how on earth a mattress can help reduce the carbon footprint but it is actually worth it. You see, most of the mattresses end up filling the landfills which are a great cause of pollution and other effects. However, if you choose the right mattress, not only will you be able to enjoy a comfortable sleep, but you will play your part in saving the planet earth for the generations to come. There are various mattresses available in the market that you can choose. Since you are up for some lifestyle changes, you should choose a memory foam mattress or a hybrid mattress. These two options are worth the money and come with a warranty as well.

Consume Less Electricity

Electricity is produced with natural resources like oil, gas, water, and air. Electricity produced using oil and gas contaminates the environment in a grand way because the emission of greenhouse gases is huge. By limiting the use of electricity, the overall consumption of electricity can be reduced. Since it will lead to lesser consumption, the production will also decrease.

These are some very simple lifestyle changes that can bring harmony not just in your life, but the entire society. Being a human being, you should realize that your carbon footprint is not just harmful to you or your country, but the entire planet earth. Even if you want to migrate to some other place, you can never move to some other planet. Only we have the power to bring a positive change in our society. By incorporating these lifestyle changes in your life, you have a great chance of reducing your carbon footprint today.

Why Speech-Language Pathology Matters

Think about the kids you knew in elementary school who had a lisp or a stutter. Imagine how difficult life would be if you couldn’t accurately and effectively communicate due to a speaking disorder. Would you feel comfortable or capable dealing with those problems alone?

Stuttering and lisping are just two examples of common speech disorders. Speech disorders come from a person’s inability to produce sounds correctly or with fluency. And the problems can be even more complicated than that. A person can also suffer from communication disorders: receptive and expressive. A receptive communication disorder means the person is unable to accurately understand others, while an expressive communication disorder means they are unable to accurately express themselves. It must be a troublesome existence to be stuck in your own thoughts and ideas with no way to explain yourself. Fortunately, these difficulties can be remedied with the help of a speech-language pathologist.

A speech-language pathologist (SLP) is a specialist who works with those who struggle with speech and articulation, communication disorders, and fluency. Sometimes known as a speech therapist, an SLP’s work also allows them to assist those who have difficulty feeding or swallowing. SLPs are educated with a master’s degree and licensed or certified to diagnose and treat a number of speech communication and swallowing disorders. They work with clients of any age who may be suffering for any number of reasons, including cerebral palsy, cleft palate, traumatic injury, and mental illness.

Salary and Career Opportunities

Because the money is generally good and the field is growing, speech therapy can be an attractive career choice. A certified speech-language pathologist can make upwards of $70,000 a year. One can choose a concentration under the umbrella of the field, narrowing the work down to specific types of disorders and complications. Speech therapists typically work in research, educational, or healthcare environments. Because a majority of clients tend to be in their youth, SLPs often work in school settings, but research shows that speech difficulties can increase with age, creating a bigger need for SLPs among the elderly as well. This means that the job prospects arguably look bright for future SLPs as the field grows with each passing year.

Positive Benefits

What’s more attractive than the blossoming career opportunities, however, is the fact that SLPs can have a significantly positive impact on society. The work they do fosters the notion that everyone should be able to communicate clearly, accurately, and effectively. This is central to creating a social environment where one person’s voice is equally as important as anyone else’s, regardless of gender, age, culture, race, sexuality, or disability. For young patients, learning how to use their voice can help them mature. Speech therapy teaches them to develop their opinions and share them with less fear and anxiety of how they will be received. This can foster a culture where difficult and opinionated conversations are not so uneasily had and are welcomed as a source of positive change and growth. For the elderly, it can mean making their experienced voices as sharp and resonant in the cultural climate as any young person’s. Instead of being overlooked for suffering a traumatic injury or invasive surgery, one can recover to communicate the way they once could, and perhaps even better than before. In these ways, it is possible for speech-language pathology to change the world, one voice at a time. The world could use prospective SLPs, who are interested in putting a life of service and speaking before anything else.

50 Tiny Powerful Things Successful People Tell Themselves Every Day

  1. I am enough.
  3. I deserve to be happy.
  5. Tomorrow is always a new day.
  7. I can do this.
  9. I cannot settle for mediocrity.
  26. My heart is fragile but my strength is unwavering.
  32. Everybody is scared. I’m not the only one.
  33. Sometimes feeling lost is a good thing.
  36. I’m allowed to be proud of myself.
  41. Regret is much scarier than failure.
  47. Laughter should always be a high priority.
  49. I am here to do something.

Ivory Ghosts: A Comic that Tackles the Illegal Ivory Trade

Catherine Sohon, a pilot from the wildlife investigation agency, stumbles upon a brutal crime scene at the beginning of the comic. Soon she meets Jon Bagg, a scruffy man with a rough attitude. She brings up her concerns with elephant poachers, explaining that the population needs protection, if not, elephants will be gone forever. Jon dismisses Catherine’s concerns and the struggle to expose the poachers begins.

Ivory Ghosts uses vivid and detailed artwork to tell its story. The murder mystery is compelling; while the fight to preserve elephants is enlightening. The issue of ivory trade is a real-world problem, despite the international ban on commercial trade. Ivory Ghost is an excellent tool to educate people about the ivory trade and spread the word about depleting elephant populations.

Ivory Ghosts is written by Dr. Caitlin O’Connell, who is a Consulting Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine and a world-renowned expert on elephants and vibrotactile sensitivity. She is a real hero in the fight against the illegal ivory trade, which makes this comic so much more gripping. She also authored a novel of the same name, which the comic is based on.

This comic is a must read for animal lovers, activists, and graphic artist fans. The first issue is intriguing, fast pace, and exciting. Overall a very well-done comic that will leave you in anticipation for the next issue.

Ivory Ghost:

Written by: Caitlin O’Connell

Pencils by: Debora Carita

Inked by: Laurie Foster

Color by: Liezl Buenaventura

Lettering by: Saida Tempfonte

Cover by: Debora Carita

Art Director: Paul Daughetee

Publisher: D. Lynn Smith, Kymera Press. Kymera Press is a comic book publishing company that supports women in comics.

Mars Petcare and American Humane Debut Service Canine Training Videos

The American Humane, a nationwide humane organization that has been supporting the U.S. military in excess of a century, and Mars Petcare, a dog diet and healthcare business, have became a member of forces to create two free service canine training videos made to help train business and retail employees to higher accommodate veterans along with other patrons who’ve service dogs.

Market research conducted by American Humane suggests workers are ill-informed and unprepared to support the initial requirements of customers with service dogs. Nearly 7 in 10 (69 percent) of retail employees stated they never received training using their employer around the questions they’re legally permitted to inquire about people to verify a pet is really a service dog.

These new video tutorials provide useful information and guidance about how exactly employees can correctly and legitimately attend customers with service dogs in compliance using the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and can include business proprietor and veteran testimonials. The downloadable videos can be found free.

In 2016 Mars Petcare and also the Schultz Family Foundation, amongst others, helped fund an attempt brought by American Humane and leaders within the veteran, service dog, veterinary, hotel and transportation fields to produce the very first national training standards for service dogs. These now-complete national standards are now being employed to better serve veterans grappling with publish-traumatic stress (PTS) and traumatic brain injuries (TBI), along with a new national registry has been designed to help verify legitimate service creatures inside a pilot program by American Humane and also the National Association of Veteran-Serving Organizations (NAVSO).

“Trying to create national standards for service dogs is only the oncoming of our critical partnership to aid veterans yet others who depend on their own help,” stated Jam Stewart, v.p., corporate matters at Mars Petcare, that has headquarters in Franklin, Tenn. “Our Better Metropolitan areas for Pets program concentrates on developing a world where pets are welcome across our communities, and with regards to service dogs, that mission is much more critical than ever before.


David Montgomery

| Prince William Symphony

David Montgomery maintains a career as a conductor, pianist, musicologist, teacher, and administrator. He is currently Artistic Director for the Prince William Symphony in Northern Virginia and the Metropolitan Washington area. The author of Franz Schubert’s Music in Performance (Pendragon Press) and many articles in international scholarly journals, he holds a Ph.D. from UCLA.


Tina Hedlund
Senior Consultant, Comtech Services, Inc.

The debate over relational databases and object-oriented databases may get even more complicated with an increasing number of companies turning to XML to solve their data management problems and with new entries into the database market, which are designed to store only XML data.

The old question of whether to use a relational or object-oriented database is again coming to the forefront. Although many companies have standardized on relational database management systems (RDBMS) like those produced by Oracle, RDBMS have to be taught how to interpret XML hierarchies and therefore need to be modified to store hierarchical XML data. Many relational database vendors, like Oracle, Microsoft, and IBM, have added this functionality to their traditional RDBMS but object-oriented database management systems (ODBMS) may actually be better equipped to store and retrieve XML data.

Because both XML and ODBMS are hierarchical, ODBMS easily understand the structure of an XML document and make storing, searching, and retrieving XML data easier. Although ODBMS vendors, like eXecleon that produces ObjectStore, are well positioned to take advantage of this new market for XML data storage, critics question the long-term viability of ODBMS unless they are integrated into a larger content management infrastructure. Although ODBMS may be a more elegant solution, many companies are still sticking with RDBMS with XML add-ons. The large database vendors, Oracle, Microsoft, and IBM, are counting on this trend for upcoming releases and relying on relational database technology with support for XML. However, another large database vendor is entering the market with a new strategy.

In 1999, Software AG (based in Germany) released Tamino, a product built specifically to store XML data. By not using SQL to query the database and not breaking XML data into relational tables, Tamino provides faster searches and a decreased workload for the database management system.

Read the entire article by Mark Leon, “Where’s the XML? The sudden rise of XML puts a new twist on the old problem of data storage.”


10 Easy Steps to Achieve Your BEST Summer Body

We all love to look our best, it's human nature. Throughout the ages, both women AND men have been obsessed with various beauty routines, hairstyles, diet fads, clothing trends, you name it!

As important as it is to stay healthy year round,  summertime is when people put forth the MOST effort to look their personal best and feel comfortable in what little clothing they're rocking in that summer! 😎☀ Here are my 10 Easy Steps to stay healthy and look your best this summer (and all year for that matter) 😘:

I know, what you're thinking....everyone tells you this when talking about health and fitness, but it's SO TRUE! I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to me to stay hydrated. When I'm fully hydrated, I have less headaches, I feel energized, I don't wake up groggy, I'm less hungry throughout the day, and my skin and hair look incredible.

My rule of thumb is to drink an equal amount of water in ounces as the number on your scale - so for example, if you weigh 130lbs, you will drink 130oz. water per day! I also highly recommend you start tracking your water. A fun way to do this is an app called "Plant Nanny". In the app, you grow various animated plants and flowers with your ounces of water, and they will remind you  when they're thirsty. It really makes it a lot of fun, because you're NOT ONLY being held accountable for your own water intake, but also keeping these little creatures alive LOL. 🌱🙌🏼

First thing I do when hit the gym is about a 30 minute weight circuit. I will either focus on upper body or lower body, depending on the day. Or I will breeze through a full body lifting series before moving on to cardio. I am pretty quick at these (mostly because I don't like spending hours and hours at the gym), and I will typically do 4-5 sets of 8-10 reps on each machine at the highest weight I can do. I DO NOT believe in low weights with a high number of sets, for women. I think women should be strong and beautiful, and for me lifting as much as I can for each exercise has given me the best results in terms of slimming down. Having a high muscle mass will also help your body burn more fat and look better faster.

TIP: I LOVE to watch YouTube on my phone while I am at the gym. I catch up on all my favorite YouTubers and balance my phone on my lap while I move around the weight machines. It keeps me multitasking and distracted between and during sets, so I don't go home and waste hours watching YouTube when I could be working, studying, or doing other things.

Usually after I finish my weight training, I will move on to cardio. The reason for this is because your muscles are already tired from lifting, so they will work harder and burn more calories during your cardio session. If you start with cardio, your body will be tired when doing weights and you will not reap nearly as much benefits as you would if you started your workout lifting on fresh muscles. Make sense?

Cardio is so important though, I LOVE the stair master and will climb for anywhere between 20-40 minutes burning 300-500 calories. I usually zone out and watch YouTube videos during cardio as well, which makes the time go by faster. I think that's why I love the stair master, because I feel like I can burn the most calories while doing the least amount of work - and I'm not a big fan of running because it hurts my knees.

We all want those summer abs. We want to look good in our crop tops and swimsuits. Ab work is SO important to do year round, and be consistent with. I find that it is often overlooked when at the gym, because people will focus on upper body vs. lower body and ignore the middle body! lol. Working out your abs will make you feel strong and sexy. Planks are great for tightening and slimming your waist overall, but you should also include crunches, full sit ups, oblique exercises, and many other variations to achieve tone and strength!

I often hear people complaining to me about working out so much and seeing little results. My first question is  - "but are you eating enough protein?" Simply eating meat alone won't cut it. When you start to track your macros, you will see just how much FAT is in animal meat, and more often than not, you're still not eating enough to build muscle. That's why I love lean meats like chicken and turkey, and protein shakes/bars.

Having a high protein diet will help your body build muscle and lean out faster. Having more muscle mass will help you to burn more fat and raise your metabolic rate. My rule of thumb is the similar to my water intake - multiply your body weight by 0.7, that number will be the amount of protein in grams you should be consuming a day. Keep in mind that I am NOT an expert, or doctor, this is just what I go by and it works for me. I track my macros everyday using the app My Fitness Pal, which helps me see exactly how much protein, carbs, fats, and calories I am getting in throughout the day.

This one is ESPECIALLY hard during the summer - with all the BBQs and going out to eat, it's really hard to make the right decisions and stay macro-friendly. I try to limit the amount of simple carbs, especially in the afternoon and evening, and eat more proteins and veggies. Fruits can be hard too, because we all LOVE fruit in the summertime (I know I do!), but they can be packed with sugar and high amounts of carbohydrates that can bloat you for days at a time. I find that limiting your choices and trying not to overeat is my best strategy, especially during the summer when there are so many temptations. Eat your carbs early in the day so you can burn them off, and stick with high protein, and complex micro-nutrient foods to keep you energized. Wherever you can cut corners, CUT THEM because it really does add up quickly, especially when you start tracking things and seeing them written down... I always check the nutrition labels and choose for macro-friendly options that are low in carbs and fats, high in protein, and nutrient dense.

7. TAN

You guys all know I LOVE a good tan. I am a consistent self-tan user and have tried almost every one on the market - I'm not kidding 😆. Tanning makes me feel slimmer, evens my skin tone, hides cellulite and body acne, and give me the glow I want to look healthy and sun kissed year round. Of course we all spend time in the sun during the summer, so I'd recommend sticking with the SPF and avoiding frying yourself! I've learned over the years, it's just NOT WORTH IT to tan in the sun. You do so much damage to your skin in the long run. That's why I love self-tanners - I do one almost once a week year round, and will apply at night and sleep in it with long pants and along sleeves to avoid any staining on my sheets. Washing it off in the morning and I'm all good to go!

I've always said "If you're going to spend your money on either makeup or skincare, be it skincare!!" You can make even the cheapest makeup look incredible on great skin, but you can't always make the most expensive makeup look good on bad skin. Skincare is so important to me, and has been from a young age. I think about it similarly to sunscreen - you need to use it FIRST to avoid something in the future (ie. wrinkles vs a sunburn). On a daily basis I use a toner, serum, eye cream, moisturizer, lip serum, and acne treatment. I think when it comes to achieving your best "summer body", skincare is often overlooked. Keeping your face and body moisturized and healthy during the harsh summer heat will compliment your tan and truly make you glow from within!

Ok ok.... this one might be hard for you 21+ people, especially during the summer. Just like #6, we all love a good BBQ, or a day on the boat, going out with friends, etc., and with that comes food and drink most of the time. Limiting your alcohol in general is always a good idea. When you start to track all your foods like me in the My Fitness Pal app, you'll be surprised just how many calories you add with drinks alone!! Keeping the drinks to the bare minimum, or better yet none at all, will greatly affect your #fitnessjourney. You'll feel more energized, healthier, and leaner overall. I mean, there's a reason we all get hangovers and dehydrated after a night out on the town - alcohol is literally a poison for your body. If you must have a drink, try to keep the calories light and stick to light beers (I prefer Corona Light) or well drinks with diet mixers like Diet Coke or sugar-free Red Bull. We all indulge once in a while, and during the summertime probably more so, but that's why it's important to track your foods, because you can easily factor in the calories for your day when you know you want to drink.

This one is a big one when it comes to body image, and it's the reason I saved it for last. I always try to preach self love and striving to become the BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF, not someone else. I hate the idea of being "bikini body ready", which is why I struggled when trying to come up with a title for the post, but I came to the conclusion that at the end of the day, we all want to look good no matter what time of year. More importantly, we all want to FEEL GOOD. When you stop comparing yourself to others, and start comparing yourself TO YOUR PREVIOUS SELF, the changes you make will be for the right reasons. The goals you'll achieve are set based on your needs and personal growth. It's great to look up to people online and want to achieve a similar aesthetic as them, but at the end of the day, they are doing the same thing and they have the same insecurities about their body and self image.

I hope you found 10 Easy Steps to Achieve Your BEST Summer Body helpful! Everything linked above are items that I TRUELY do use and love on a daily/weekly basis. Feel free to visit me on INSTAGRAM @itscolleenk to keep up with me on a daily basis. I hope you all have a great summer!! Bye for now. 💛

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Disclaimer: I am NOT a medical professional or expert on fitness and nutrition. Please consult your doctor first before changing your diet or exercise routine. All products linked above are product I DO USE and LOVE.  If you purchase from said links, I will receive a small commission which I invest back into my blog and Instagram to produce more content like this for you guys. If you do not wish to support me, you can simply google the products listed and buy them separately.


Michelangelo art prints and posters

Born in Tuscany, Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (1475 - 1564) is considered the greatest artist of the High Renaissance and as a sculptor, painter, architect, poet and engineer had an unparalleled influence on the development of western art. In his lifetime, Michelangelo was often called Il Divino ("the divine one") because of the sense of awe evoked by his works.

Their immense gravitas continues to be felt, centuries on. These classical masterpieces look wonderful on canvas or in one of our bespoke frames.

6 prints found


A house is only as strong as its foundation, and runner is only as strong as their stabilizers.

Though many athletes know the importance of a strong core, there are many elements of the body that get neglected. Yes, a strong core is important for stability and efficiency while running.

However, many athletes tend to forget about the small stabilizer muscles starting in the feet and working all the way up the kinetic chain. This can lead to an assortment of different problems such as plantar fasciitis, shin splints, Achilles tendinitis, and runner's knee just to name a few.

Most injuries are a result of muscle imbalances that are repeatedly put under stress while running. Muscle imbalances often occur when opposing muscles are to tight or weak and can be prevented simply by working on stabilizing muscles.

Read more:

The workout below is a quick set that can be done almost anywhere and takes only a few minutes to fit into the busy professionals life. It is designed to stabilize the lower leg and hips to create a stronger and more stable foundation. Do this workout twice per week, three sets per session.

For some athletes, especially those prone to foot, lower-leg, and knee injuries, a dedicated stabilizer strengthening regimen like this may be extremely beneficial for long term healthy running.

Carly Guggemos is a full time triathlon and running coach and competitive triathlete. She co-owns Organic Coaching.


View from the restaurant at Rwakobo Rock

View from the restaurant at Rwakobo Rock

Rwakobo is nestled on a scenic outcrop with breathtaking views. Animals such as zebra, warthog, impala and bushbuck abound around the lodge and often congregate at the water hole beneath the dining area. At night the sounds of bush come to life and allow your imagination to run wild.

Rwakobo offers a variety of both easy and challenging walks offering the chance to get close to nature. Rwakobo also offers mountain biking and caters for night drives, while the park can be discovered by vehicle, foot or boat.

If you would like any further information please do not hesitate to contact us and we will happily answer your questions, we can also help you plan your stay at Rwakobo Rock as part of your wider Ugandan adventure.


Studio Exhibition (10/F): Studio V; Intimacy in the City Environment and Interior Design by Environment and Interior Design

SD3562 - Studio V; Intimacy in the City Environment and Interior Design
by Environment and Interior Design Year 3 (2016/17)

What is intimacy? It might be a feeling, an emotion, an intuition. It might be related to our senses, or a quality we are looking for when experiencing spaces, a kind of special relationship with our environment.

Having researched on Asian cities’ development and organization, I have found out that the most successful public spaces are enabling every user to maintain an intimate relationship with space while being with others. When users are not considered as a mass of people but as a sum of individuals they tend to intuitively behave like humans instead of robots.

“Appropriating a space is like feeling at home, even in a public space of a mega-city. This is a reason we choose to live in a city: we enjoy the possibilities to expend our private selves and spheres and to interact with others.”

Having said that, “How can designers generate spaces with such kind intimate of condition”?

To answer that question, student will approach the city’s spaces from a phenomenological point of view, favouring experience rather than theoretical concepts, understanding the role perception plays in our awareness of the world.

During the first part of the semester student will explore intimacy at individual level. Through the conception of a minimal individual space they will develop their own tools to generate a design that enables the user to connect with him/herself.

Gradually student will explore the relationship individuals have with others and come up with a solution that connects people together while maintaining a high level of individual intimacy.

The final outcome will be a public infrastructure for 100 people. The challenge will be to generate their own relationship and structural system that combines micro-scale’s qualities and large scale planning.

Aims and focus:

The aim of this project is to develop through experimentation a methodology that puts the users’ emotions at the centre of any spatial design. Specifically, student will explore the complex notion of intimacy at micro and macro-scale.

The investigation aims at proposals that provide a sensitive experience of space and flexible ways of appropriations. Although the project will be located in an urban outdoor space (100m.x20m.), the site will remain abstract in order to focus exclusively on the behaviour of humans in space. Likewise, no particular functions will be assigned. The focus will be put on passives and actives activities such as chatting, gossiping, reading, napping, playing, etc.

The studio will put emphasis on physical models as the medium for process development and they have to be prepared for an intensive rhythm of production. The aim is to develop their cognitive abilities and allow unconsciousness and intuition to be part of the design process. Student will be particularly asked to explore the fragile materiality of paper through physical models of various scales. Special care for craftsmanship and modelling skills as well as persistency and commitment are required.

Evonne Tam, Geraldine Borio, Daniel Elkin, Henri Tung, Kuo Jze Yi, Gerhard Bruyns [Coordinator]


The Taste of Manila

January 2008

Stars of the show

  • Report on the Umami Symposium organised by the Philippines' Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), was held on 25 January 2008 in Manila's Blue Leaf Events Pavilion.
    The first umami symposium ever to be held in the Philippines saw a high-profile audience of around 71 scientists, nutritionists, chefs and media members come together in Manila's stylish Blue Leaf Events Pavilion. Participants engaged knowledgeably and enthusiastically in the topics discussed, resulting in a stimulating and rewarding seminar for all concerned.

    New Beginnings

    With Professor Celeste C. Tanchoco, Scientist III and Chief Science Research Specialist at the Nutrition Sciences & Technology Division, FNRI, acting as master of ceremonies, the symposium opened with a prayer and the Filipino national anthem, and then an opening greeting from Dr . Mario Capanzana, Director of FNRI, was read out. The FNRI, as explained in the speech, is a government agency concerned with the health and food safety issues affecting citizens of the Philippines, and responsible for carrying out investigations into food quality and composition. The FNRI has come to involve itself with the issues surrounding umami and glutamate, and it is through their positive action, in association with the Umami Information Center (UIC), that the symposium was able to take place successfully.

    A Hot Topic

    Ms. Kumiko Ninomiya, Director of UIC, stepped up to give the first speech of the symposium, introducing the concept and science of umami, and its public image. She mentioned that umami is rapidly becoming a 'hot topic' around the world, showing the audience recent press cuttings from various publications. Ms. Ninomiya also explained how 2008 marked the centenary anniversary of umami's discovery and talked a little about the celebratory events taking place. Her speech was eagerly met by the audience, and there were several questions, focusing on the issue of whether umami was in fact the fifth basic taste or just another flavour. One participant pointed out that all of the four basic tastes had a corresponding area of the tongue where they were more acutely perceived, to which Ms. Ninomiya explained how the umami taste is detected by receptors in the tastebuds, and is thus perceived most acutely at the back of the tongue, where most tastebuds are found.

    Dashi Demonstration

    In order to consolidate everything the audience had just learnt about umami, the next item in the programme was a demonstration of making dashi, the bonito flake and kombu stock at the heart of Japanese cuisine, given by Chef Masumi Tanabe The cooking procedure was projected onto a large screen, so the audience could see with clarity the exact procedure. Ms. Ninomiya provided translation, illuminating the difference between ichiban and niban (number one and number two) dashi. The former she explained, is that made using fresh ingredients, whilst the latter is richer in flavour and is made by simmering the kombu and bonito flakes that have been used to make ichiban dashi.

    Tasting Tinola

    The results were then announced of a tasting session that had earlier taken place with two samples of tinola, a chicken soup with a ginger flavour, as a representative of an umami-rich food substance from traditional Filipino cuisine. The audience had sampled soups A and B, and asked to assess both on various taste criteria, and register their own comments. Sample B, which was tinola with patis (fermented fish sauce), was deemed by general consensus as tasting saltier, meatier and more umami rich than A, which was tinola with salt in the place of patis. It was also found to be generally more appealing. Audience comments were fed back to the audience: whilst A was described as 'bland', 'too simple' and 'like plain chicken broth with salt', B was referred to as 'more meaty', 'richer', 'thicker', 'more mouthful' and 'more likeable'.

    Malinamnam vs Umami

    The comments revealed that the audience had a good grasp of what umami was, and how to describe the taste in the Filipino language. Indeed, there is apparently a word 'malinamnam' in the Filipino language which approximates to umami, different from the word 'masarap', which is the adjective to describe simple good taste or deliciousness. This was something picked up in the next talk, given by culinary researcher, food journalist and cookbook writer Ms. Nancy Reyes-Lumen, who talked a little about the difference between the two words. She explained that whilst not every food which is malinamnam is umami, for example rich dairy products such as butter, everything which is umami is malinamnam.

    'The UM Factor'

    Ms. Nancy Reyes-Lumen's talk, which she entitled " 'The UM Factor' : It's All Over The Filipino Menu" was fascinatingly delivered, and extremely well received by the audience. Talented speaker Ms Reyes-Lumen began by talking about the sound of 'ummmm', a universal expression of satisfaction and pleasure attained through human consumption of food. It is a happy coincidence, she said, that this sound forms the first syllable of 'umami', the universal taste. "Umami," Ms. Reyes-Lumen explained, "is the taste which differentiates food for survival from food for pleasure." This taste, she said, is of vital importance in the Philippines, who are "100% certified foodies". The universal taste of umami has existed in human food since the beginning of civilization, continued Ms Reyes-Lumen, although it had no name, because we first discovered the taste when we suckled on our mothers' milk. She spoke of how she still remembered the delicious taste of that milk.

    'A Fish Culture'

    Ms. Reyes-Lumen then related the taste of umami to Filipino cuisine, 'a fish and rice cuisine'. In the Phillipines, even fish is cooked in fish broth and flavoured with fish sauce. As early as Aboriginal times, she said, eaters were already tasting umami in their food, although it was nameless to them. Pre-colonial banquets would have a myriad of fish and meat dishes brimming with umami on offer. The Spanish colonization of the Philippines brought many changes to the diet, many of which had a corrupting influence on the healthiness of the cuisine, but the single most important culinary inheritance from the Spanish, said Ms. Reyes-Lumen, was that known as Sofrito, a cooking technique by which the "gisa" sauce is made. "Gisa" is made of a simple sauteed blend of garlic, onions and tomatoes which is a crucial ingredient in a whole host of Filipino dishes.

    Food for Foodies

    Ms. Reyes-Lumen also discussed the dish adobo, regarded by many as the Filipino national dish, and a great source of comfort and joy to 'foodie' Filipinos. Adobo is made of meat, usually chicken, pork or both, cooked in a sauce made from soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaf and black peppercorns. It is traditionally accompanied by mung bean stew and white rice. Patis, the umami-rich fish sauce whose addition had made the crucial difference between the Tinola soups in the earlier tasting session, was also mentioned. Looking at a chart comparing glutamate levels of various fish sauces, Ms. Reyes Lumen noted that those contained by patis were the third highest. Becoming aware of umami in this way, Ms. Reyes Lumen said, better enables food producers, "to ensure that good quality patis is exported to other countries, so that Filipino food is represented well overseas."

    Tastiness without Guilt

    In her rounding off comments, Ms. Reyes-Lumen suggested that umami is perhaps particularly relevant to the present age, with its rapidly increasing obesity rates and junk food sales, and many people becoming more and more weight-conscious. When Filipino mothers are trying to get children to eat spinach or some other vegetables, she said, they add patis or chicken powder, and the same principle applies to those conscious of their weight. There is no doubt that adding olive oil makes food more savoury, but it also adds hundreds of calories. Umami, however, provides a way to increase the satisfaction we get from food without making it fattening. Umami-rich food is unique, Ms. Reyes-Lumen said, in providing 'tastiness without guilt'.

    Researching Umami

    Ms. Wilma Molano, Supervising Science Research Specialist at the Nutritional Assessment and Monitoring Division of the FNRI, then presented the results of research project entitled 'Consumption of Glutamate Containing Food' conducted by the FNRI and led by Dr. Mario Capanzana. Running through the methodology of the research study, which is comprised of a survey, laboratory study and data analysis, Ms. Molano discussed the consumption levels of glutamates for Filipinos living in two selected study sites identified to represent urban and rural areas. She concluded that, as well as varying according to age and region, the intake of both free glutamates and MSG depends on individual attitudes and beliefs held by the community. Thus, the recommendation was dissemination of correct, up-to-date information to the public about glutamate, so they are better able to make informed decisions.

    Keen Questions

    The symposium was rounded off with a question and answer session. This provoked a great reaction from the audience, showing just how much they had learnt from the talks and how engaged they were with the topics at hand. Topics ranged from whether it was correct to call the alleged negative effect of MSG a fallacy to the umami content of eggs. Finally, a closing speech was read out which declared the seminar to have been most successful, and then the speakers and chefs who had kindly participated in the seminar were presented with Certificates of Participation.

    Food and Nutrition Research Institute(FNRI) :

  • Stars of the show

    Ms. Ninomiya delivering her lecture

    Chef Tanabe making dashi

    Ms. Nancy Reyes-Lumen

    An attentive audience

    Ms. Wilma Molano

    Professor Mario Capanzana

  • Ms. Ninomiya delivering her lecture

    Chef Tanabe making dashi

    Ms. Nancy Reyes-Lumen

    An attentive audience

    Ms. Wilma Molano

    Professor Mario Capanzana


Equinox & Eclipse – September 21 – 27

September 21st – 27th

This week, the Mercury retrograde in Libra is in full swing, while Jupiter in Virgo continues to oppose Neptune in Pisces. This is also the week of the fall equinox, which is when the Sun in Virgo transitions into Libra. Finally, on Sunday night in the Western hemisphere, there will be a blood moon lunar eclipse in the sign of Aries.

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I. The Chariot II. King of Cups III. 8 of Wands

The Chariot indicates that the beginning of this week is poised upon a precipice of positive change, but perhaps you feel lost in thought and paralyzed by inertia. Deep meditation upon the new direction you are taking should be an important part of this transition. With all the transitional planetary influences that favor chaos and creativity, you must become your own oracle. Your job is to create the space inside your heart for the Muses to enter and guide your forward motion into the unknown and uncertain future: hear them, feel them, commune with them. With the Muses on your side, joyful success is certain for they are the spirits of divine inspiration. No great artist or scholar in ancient times ever failed to invoke the Muses before beginning a great work. You may do the same in your endeavors to create new conditions, new narratives, and new feelings in your life. Let the Muses speak to you of your future, like it is a familiar story you are just remembering.

muses (1)

Excerpt from Homer’s The Odyssey:

far journeys, after he had sacked Troy’s sacred citadel.

struggling for his own life and the homecoming of his companions…

The fall equinox on Wednesday, September 23rd brings the transition into Libra, the scales that balance the light and the dark. In Greek mythology, the fall was associated with the goddess Persephone’s melancholic return to the underworld to sit on the throne as Hades’ Queen. The King of Cups here signifies the tension between the masculine and feminine aspects of our spirits; between compassionate reception and aggressive action; between feeling Persephone’s resignation to fate and feeling the smoldering loneliness of Hades.

Persephone by Zaida Ben-Yusuf

Persephone by Zaida Ben-Yusuf

There is an initial resistance to the balance which Libran energy seeks to calibrate. We tend to mourn for a moment at the loss of Persephone’s earthly light, but such is the cycle of life. As the great poet Sappho once said, “There is no place for grief in a house which serves the Muse.

Spend these days releasing a habit which prevents you from fully embodying your emerging personality. Swim in whatever feelings arise, for the Muses can use any emotions for good purpose. This is a week to allow deep feelings to express themselves, for any agitation and sadness can be offered to the lunar eclipse as fuel for a powerful catharsis.

Carpe Diem! The 8 of Wands indicates that at some point over the weekend you will be given the opportunity to know your own intentions clearly. Recall what you were feeling during the solar eclipse on September 13th and assess how your desires have grown or shifted. The bitter sadness from earlier in the week will mix with the sweetness of joy: a powerful elixir for your progress! Watch the road open up as you embody confidence and honesty. The song that the Muses are singing will reveal itself through synchronicities and bright ideas. Everything builds to the climax of the lunar eclipse, which is when the full moon is cast in the shadow of the earth. So too will you be cast in your own shadow. This is the potent celestial moment to release all that is weighing you down and holding you back. You can use the lunar eclipse to transform your shame into honor, your listlessness into excitement, and your fear into courage. Let misunderstandings yield to clarity as you move forward into next week.2014-04-17_534f1db352fe1_LunarEclipse4-15-2014

For Brad & Dela Moontribe

Full Moon Gathering – October 2014

“Once upon an eclipse,

the sensation of pulsation

the heart bleeding vibration

filled my limbs with wanderlust!

In the crashing waves of sound

I stumbled

—and tripped hard!

And on the ground my eyes beheld

the beauty of such tiny flowers

born on the parched exhale

of howling desert winds

silver stems and filmy petals

were awake beneath the moon!

And in my joy,

my heart did break

In gravity’s grasp

my bones dissolved

into the dust

from whence I formed

my memories

were vaporous spores

And all that was and was not me

still shuddered

at the scraping chopping razors

tangled hooks and wires

bits and biting bytes

hung on an endless —-vivisection!

in agony came the primal scream

the lightning of cathartic cries

In one electric seizure

I was now… all eyes

singing in the rain of stars

and dancing veils of symmetry”

by Aeolian Heart