Instance speed trials

Can you beat your own and other scores in the Instance speed trials?

What is an Instance speed trial?
In it purest form it’s a race to kill the boss of instance the quickest. This can be done on any class, level or tactic.

Everyone is welcome to join on any class they’d like. From experience we learned that any level can join and setting the scenario to 10 levels below the players level is the best mix of difficulty and speed. Any more and people can’t complete it and lower then 10 makes it more of race with the most speed boosts.

When, what and where?
Each event has the “scenario” set out a week before. You can practice, tweak and discuss tactics with each other and your teammates. When the event starts everyone will get the same number of tries to set their own best time.

Gather in raid or fellowship, after the go-shot the group will be disbanded and the timer starts. Each player or team starts their instance in scenario mode. When the target boss is dead you will send a tell to the scorekeeper and leave the instance for a reinvite (re-invite will confirm your time of the tell).

From our previous events we learned more about our class, and gotten better while tweaking our own trait trees. Learn to time our cooldowns. Try to best your own time, compare to other with the same class or even become the number 1.

Example Library of Tham Mirdraim
On our first event we started with the minimum level 50. Resulting in nearly everyone within 30 seconds of each other. At level 105 for the 115’s and 85 for the 95’s it became a race easy to do and hard to master. Guardians mixed up their red and blue builds to get that extra bit of single target for the boss and enough aoe for the adds. Hunters and champs needed to max their aoe skills while making sure to keep moving to make up time. What is better, saving your cooldown for the stun-boss or fighting the disarm from the normal mobs.

In the end everyone was a winner. Trying to squeeze out those extra few seconds to get a better score and even trying out skill you normally never use.

Scorekeeper – Library of Tham Midram

Scorekeeper – Sambrog 115

champ lm guard hunter
Olaphyra 5:12
Easymoney 9:00
Lothrodir 5:30 9:55
Squirle 7:25 8:21


Communication and Human Development

Islamic Ethics: Concept and Prospect

Theologians have, indeed, discussed some very important questions of Islamic ethics, such as the source of ethical knowledge, the meaning of ethical terms, and the basis of moral obligation. The views they have expounded are extremely significant. But they have been treated as part of theology rather than ethics, and they form only one aspect of Islamic ethics. Works on Sufism, principles of jurisprudence (usul al fiqh) , principles of government and administration (al ahkam al sutaniyah), and public revenue and expenditure (al kharaj), also touch upon ideas that are part of, or relevant to, Islamic ethics. We have in them an analysis, for instance, of some ethical virtues, a discussion on motives, priorities and preferences, levels of obligation, and political and economic justice.

There is, in short, much material scattered in the works of various disciplines that can be utilized to develop Islamic ethics. At present, while the discipline of Islamic ethics does not exist, it can be developed. Thirty years ago, Islamic economics did not exist, but thanks to the devotion of a number of scholars, we now have Islamic economics. I am sure that Islamic ethics will take even less time to develop, provided we give it the required effort. Let us hope this conference of ours initiates the process.

In this paper, I will try first to define the task Islamic ethics should perform, and then review, in that light, various streams of writings to which I have referred , and see what contribution each of these can make to the subject.

The first task of Islamic ethics is to understand and expound the ethos of Islam as conceived in the Qur’an and elaborated in the Sunnah of the Prophet. Although these are the two primary sources of Islamic ethics, one more source should also be taken into account: the practice of the Prophet’s Companions. They were trained by the Prophet himself, and their lives as individuals and as a society are the best embodiment of Islamic values, after the example of the Prophet. Further, the life and the practice of the second and third generation leaders (a’immah) of Islam are the next best model of Islamic values and norms. They are almost free from alien ideas and values that affected Islamic society in succeeding generations. This is testified to by the Prophet himself as well as by history. He said: “The best generation is mine, next comes the generation that will follow, and then the generation that will come after.”’ It goes without saying that the life of the Companions or of the (a’immah) of the next two generations does not constitute an independent source beside the Qur‘an and the Sunnah. It is taken only as an authentic expression of the ideals set forth in them. The life of the peoples in succeeding generations does not enjoy this status, because it bears the influence, in varying degrees, of alien ideas and practices.

To define the Islamic ethos as presented in the Qur’an, the Sunnah, the life of the Companions, and their righteous Successors is the first task of Islamic ethics. The view of the good life (al hayat al tayyibah) for which Islam stands has to be set forth in detail. It has to spell out the various components of that life, the traits and characteristics, motives and attitudes, feelings and emotions, actions and reactions, relations and associations that constitute it. It has to determine the place of human necessities and material conditions in the realization of that life. It has to define the priorities: What goods are higher and what are lower; what is the ultimate end of life, and how are various goods related to that end? It has to study the relation between knowledge, action, and feeling; between personal attainments and social concerns; between devotion to God and commitment to humanity. It has to determine the place of aesthetic values in life, the pleasures of the body, and material goods. It has to show the value of individual work and collective action. In all these things, it has to be viewed in the context of normal life, as well as in extraordinary and stress situations.

Another aspect of the Islamic ethos comes to light when we discuss such questions as what is right and what is meritorious, and, opposingly, what is wrong and what is punishable by God? What is the place of motive and intention in this regard? What are the degrees of obligation, and what are the personal and collective duties? How do the circumstances of the individual and society affect the degree of obligation?

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Mindfulness Made Easy | maum meditation

Author: admin  //  Category: Secret To Success

This is a short explanation of what mindfulness is—the art and practice of being in the moment and not judging. During a trip to the United States in the nineteen-seventies, the Tibetan scholar, translator, and lifelong meditator Lobsang Lhalungpa found himself in San Francisco's financial district. We can be deceived without thinking we need to suspend our free will and make a decision about things that seem very clear to us. I would think that this freedom to choose and choose falsely would be the definition of imperfection. The defining characteristic of Sufi meditation is the presence of a mentor and his pivotal role in the seeker's spiritual progress. I'm the beginner of the meditation, While I'm trying to do meditation I'm getting sleep. Contemplation is thinking about the Divine, but meditation is the spontaneous flow of the mind toward It. The contemplative state may be compared to a bee buzzing around a flower, about to alight on it and sip the nectar from it. The state of meditation Meditation Made Easy | maum meditation is reached when the bee is already seated on the flower and has begun to taste the sweetness of the nectar. Our meditation today focuses on peace, harmony, laughter, ove and well-being, the simple yet precious gifts of abundance that we can enjoy with and intend for our families, friends, neighbors and everyone around the globe. I first learnt to meditate in 1987, so I guess that shows this nugget compilation of meditation teachings will appeal to and help long-time meditators. Meditation can be considered an antidote for stress, fears, worries and anxiety that we all go through. As the day continues the Retreat Master, Malcolm Hunt, takes participants of the temple stay through a meditation experience which starts with simple mindfulness of breathing. Meditation music CDs from Spirit Voyage make the entire meditation process a much more blessed affair. Yoga has a plethora of health benefits, and so does its sister technique, meditation. I approached it gingerly - as it would be my first reading on the subject of meditation since the 1960s when I encountered Philip Kapleau's daunting tales of doing zazen in Japanese monasteries where, if your back sagged, the teachers or their aides would strike you with a large, flat stick. Other generative practices in Buddhism include tonglen - the Tibetan practice of breathing in the suffering of others and breathing out a purifying white light. Crescent cushions are very light in weight and minimize the absorption of odors. Another major factors leads to the popularity of online yoga classes is that internet is a huge source of information, so, people can visit different sites to gather new and effective Meditation Made Easy | maum meditation information on various yoga moves. A lack of information can result in buying the wrong type of special audio recordings that allow you to easily enter deep states of concentration, meditation, and relaxation. One-pointedness is developed by practicing concentration; constant awareness comes through the practice of contemplation. It is very, very difficult to say whether this is caused by my external circumstances (which haven't been easy recently - financial and job-related stress, as well as living in a foreign country away from family and friends), my underlying genetic / biochemical problems, or the meditation. When you approach meditation and life with the open curiosity and deep compassion of becoming friends with your deepest self instead of fixing you,” you see it in an entirely different light. Please review all of the categories to find the best type of daily wisdom book for you or for those you care about. Tags: hinduism wikipedia,and catholic,bible globe | transcendental meditation book pdf, meditations in an emergency, mindfulness meditation audio youtube, osho meditation book pdf, abraham hicks meditation

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by Lama Ole Nydahl

What do Buddhist teachings say concerning happiness?.. Basically, in Buddhism one makes a separation between conditioned and unconditioned happiness, between a relative and an absolute kind. Relative happiness has to do with experiences, absolute happiness has to do with experiencer itself. When one watches the outer world, the factories, streets, houses and cars, it is evident that they were made because beings wanted to experience something pleasant. Hospitals and prisons, on the other hand, were built in order to avoid certain kinds of suffering. Actually, beings constantly try to change outer conditions with the aim of receiving pleasant feedback. No matter how beautiful houses, cars, or landscapes may be, they cannot feel happiness. The only thing which can ever be happy is mind. What looks through our eyes and listens trough our ears right now – is where it all happens. Thus the common attempts to base happiness on outer factors are both transient and inaccurate by nature… Trying to attain lasting happiness through conditioned causes simply does not work…

What can one truly rely on in this world? Neither materialism nor nihilism. Outer and inner phenomena posses neither existence nor non-existence. The way thoughts and feelings come and go, the parts of the atom can be made to disappear, while particles may appear again from apparently empty space. That means that today both of the main extreme philosophies have lost their scientific basis. Being and non-being both cannot be proven and must be seen as two sides of the same totality… When that is the case, then what can one rely on? What has the power to hold things? There is only one thing which one can absolutely trust – the potential of space. Space is much more than a black hole or a nothingness. Often one knows who is calling before one hears the voice on the phone. Often letters arrive from people whom one has recently thought strongly about. This is not due to improved eye-sight or hearing, but to moments where we forget about being separated from the totality. When we are simply there, naked, open and resting in whatever is happening, things happen. During such moments we not only experience through our senses but through the vibration of every atom in our body. Because space and energy inside and out, are expressions of the same totality, and cannot be separated, we are always connected with everything. In Buddhism this is called the ‘state of truth’… It means that everything is part of the same totality. On another level it expresses that space is like a container – that we are inside it… It is very important to see space as something which connects beings and is alive, as a container which also conveys information between beings.

However, space has more to it than awareness, and that is what makes it interesting; it is joyful by nature. The radiance of mind itself is much richer than the conditioned experiences of joy we all strive for. The best moments in life are actually gifts and appear when beings forget themselves. There are situations where feelings of separation disappear, like being in the arms of our loved ones – the timeless moment of ‘being one’. Here mind’s innate, timeless joy can manifest, and it will become permanent when one stays beyond hope and fear in the richness of immediate experience. This state is inseparable from space, expresses its limitless qualities and is most convincing. Highest joy is thus inseparable from mind’s spontaneous insight and is a transmission of wisdom. It is mentally joyful; it is the basis of everything outer and inner and may even recognize itself through the process.

Finally, because space is unlimited, it expresses itself as love… When subject, object and experience are a totality and one cannot separate one’s own wishes for happiness from the wishes of others, one is in the absolute state. Observing the world, this feels exceedingly natural. There can be no doubt that all beings want to have happiness and avoid suffering. This full unfolding of mind is prepared by the Great Way or Mahayana Buddhism and obtained quickly through the countless skillful methods of the Diamond Way… In the Karma Kagyu lineage, which I represent, the mirror and its radiance are never separated. Space and bliss are understood as one. What looks through one’s eyes and listens trough one’s ears is clear light. It is nothing exterior. However, it is not a shiny light like from a projector. Instead, it is a constant state of freshness, an exciting here and now, and momentary insights appear in direct connection with the experience itself… This is true joy and the goal.

Such a lasting state however will only be fully realized through examining who one really is. Such an analysis will bring the conviction that one cannot be the body. Bodies change all the time. They were born, will later die and are right now in a constant state of flux. Whatever has no lasting nature cannot be truly existent. The experience that one is not the body first amazes people, then actually it is quite a relief. Who wants to be something which gets old and sick and then dies? Evidently, no transient body can be the basis of true happiness. Frustrated about the body, some people then identify with their thoughts and feelings. This is even less convincing, however. Beings’ mental states change much more visibly than their outer containers. Whoever identifies with conditioned states of mind will be really confused. The only true feelings, unchanging and timeless, like the ocean underneath the waves, are fearlessness, joy and true compassion. They are so because they appear from only one cause which never changes – the radiant and limitless space of mind. Only space is uncreated and exists through its own power. As already mentioned, it is by nature rich and playful, and as a container it is limitless. Effortlessly, it expresses compassion and unites everything. This is the goal of Buddha’s teachings. He wants beings to experience that they are the ocean rather than its waves, and he aims to free all by showing the mirror behind the pictures. Whoever can experience themselves as radiance which knows will not be disturbed by the stream of what is known. This is what Buddha wants to teach beings. The limitless joy he points to is obtained by knowing mind itself. Understanding it to be unborn and uncreated, everything in life is gift. And one feels the need to share this richness with others. From a secure mental level one uses body and speech to help beings in their many passing and confused states. Being useful to others from the level of fearless joy and compassion is the real goal.

Buddha taught different methods for getting there. For the less rebellious, who would prefer avoiding difficulties, he advised the way of renunciation, telling them to become monks and nuns. This status gives social security; one doesn’t have to stand up to confrontation and is really protected. Those who aimed to conquer life, who wanted to leave a massive track through the conditioned world, he advised to live as lay people. Here, Buddha did not focus on what to avoid, but on what is possible and attractive, on making life richer and more meaningful for others and oneself. The highest level of teachings Buddha gave for the so-called ‘accomplishers’ is on the level of view. Earlier there were called yogis, but this word makes too many people think of a Hindu with a turban. Therefore I chose the new term which focuses on the result. It includes everybody who fearlessly strives for enlightenment. Among accomplishers, the ‘view’ is king. The point here is to experience everything on the level of highest purity. To enter it one must understand that it is not necessary to die to go to a pure land and that one also does not have to go elsewhere inherently. It is a deeply liberating insight that everybody’s mind is clear light, that this even includes the very clouded consciousness of a small spider, which can only understand a few square inches of web. If, on top of that , good karma enables one to recognize everything as fresh and new, to feel every atom vibrating with bliss and kept together by love, mind can really express its joyful power. Happiness will then be lasting, and it is only a question of confidence. Whoever dares to trust one’s basic goodness and jump from the images and into the mirror is given every gift. When consciousness shifts from the wave to the ocean and turns from the experiences to the experiencer itself, there is only self-arisen joy.

A simple statement thus unifies my lecture tonight – ‘Behave like a Buddha until you have become one.’ It means lifting the level of perception and it is actually only necessary to remove the dust from one’s eyes to recognize everything as an expression of love and self-arisen perfect wisdom. To see that mind’s limitless potential is playing here and now as well as everywhere and always. Only this insight will secure a true, absolute and lasting happiness, and Buddhist meditations aim directly for that experience…

Much happiness for you and your surroundings!

– An excerpt from the talk given at a Seminar on Psychology in Basel, Switzerland


Catamaran Diana

Weekly charter rates
$49,000 to $56,000 for up to 8 Passengers

Yacht Diana Specifications:
Builder : Sunreef Yachts
Length: 74 Ft
Year launched: 2017
Passenger #: 8
Guest cabins: 4
Double cabins: 4
Crew #: 3

Yacht Diana Overview:
Sunreef 74 Diana is a stately carbon reinforced sailing catamaran offering all the onboard luxury and comfort one could wish for, without compromising on high performance. Diana’s ambitious and adventurous type, emphasized by the Artemis symbol on her sail, will captivate her guests instantly and will leave them amazed by a soothing atmosphere which reigns in her interiors and impressive exterior deck spaces designed for the ultimate sailing experience in picture-perfect surroundings.Offering plenty of space to enjoy life onboard, the yacht’s vast saloon comprises two generous lounging and dining areas and a bar with a panoramic view of the sea in its bow part and a sliding door opening onto the impressive cockpit, creating a vast seamless space. Diana’s charter-friendly layout features four equal sized double cabins, each with generous en suite bathrooms, with elegantly arranged interiors creating a relaxing and soothing ambience. This remarkable Sunreef 74 is a sports and wellness oriented charter yacht with a jacuzzi and workout area on her spectacular flybridge and with a fitness instructor or a masseuse available upon guests’ request. All enthusiasts of water sports will be amazed by her rich assortment of water toys which includes water skis, seabobs, scuba diving gear, a wakeboard and 2 tenders.VIRTUAL TOUR:
Captain: Andrew Sutherland

Nationality: British

Languages: English (native speaker), French & Spanish (conversational)

Andy grew up on the sea in the North Coast of Scotland from generations of fisher folk. He has travelled extensively since an early age following in his father and brother’s footsteps before spending a number of years in the corporate world in the UK and Europe. Together with his wife Sadie they have been running a variety of luxury yachts for over 10 years now. Andy is a highly experienced, safe and competent captain and a capable marine engineer with extensive knowledge of the Caribbean and the South Pacific. Together with Sadie they have crossed the Pacific and transited the Panama Canal three times and they are a great team to host your time on the yacht. Captain Andy is also a PADI Master Scuba Diving Instructor, underwater photographer, drone pilot and improving kite surfer. Together with Sadie he always strives to share his extensive experiences and local knowledge to ensure you have the trip of a lifetime! Andy also speaks a little Spanish and French.

Chef: Sadie Sutherland

Nationality: British

Sadie is from Northamptonshire in the heart of England and has been cooking from an early age. She has a definite wanderlust and has travelled considerably since graduating from university. Sadie also has a corporate background which is where she met Andy. They have now lived away from the UK since 2005 and their experiences have taken them both far and wide. Sadie is a very accomplished and creative chef and relishes adopting new travel experiences into her cuisine. She has trained at the renowned Ashburton Chefs Academy in the UK and has a wide and delicious culinary repertoire which she is ready to adapt to your own personal preferences. Sadie has a sociable, energetic and outgoing personality and takes great pride in her role on the yacht. Together with husband Andy they make a strong and experienced team to give you the best possible experience whatever the destination.

Stewardess: Alix Cayce

Alix grew up in the Pacific Northwest and has spent a good portion of her life in and around the ocean. She has been on boats since before she could walk, and still finds her greatest joy on the water. Having spent some time in the corporate world after college, she has since found greater happiness returning to those skills she’d honed since childhood. Being a yacht stewardess offers her the unique experience to work in close quarters with her guests each day and therefore the opportunity to completely alter their experience by maintaining the highest standard of excellence in the service and overall attention they’re given during their time on the yacht. She is energetic and hardworking and is dedicated to providing the best possible experience for the guests each and every day.

Water Toys
2-Man Kayak (Yes)
Adult Water Skis (Yes)
Snorkel Gear (Yes)
  Interested in Diana?
  Contact Caribbean Catamaran for full details, including rates and availability:
Start date:
Nights (4 min):


3D computer renderings of architectural spaces based on archaeological evidence, historic documentation, and metadata

Chairs: Glen MUSCHIO, USA | Peter FERSCHIN, Austria

There are a growing number of 3D models, animations and augmented reality treatments that purport to represent ancient and historical structures and places. Examination of these models and applications too often reveals that the visualizations are largely based on conjecture and speculation. Virtual Cultural Heritage is an interdisciplinary pursuit involving archaeologists, historians, anthropologists, digital designers and others working with emerging new computer visualization technologies. How can those collaborating in this rapidly expanding field best use archaeological evidence, historical documentation and metadata in the computer renderings of historical structures and places to communicate cultural knowledge and understanding to general audiences? This panel invites those who have grappled with these problems and used methodologies to address the issues to discuss their findings and share their insights.


Leveraging Data from Your CRM System to Boost Sales

When leveraged and properly integrated into a dealer’s marketing programs, CRM systems can be a formidable tool to attract and retain customers.

Chances are your dealership has a CRM system in place to track leads, deals in process and service interactions. The data in that system is a gold mine for marketing. Are you leveraging it as much as you can? Here are some things to consider:

Forget big data—start with small data.

While “Big Data” is the current buzz phrase in marketing circles, in reality dealers don’t need to focus on entire big data sets, they need to focus on distilling their consumer data down to the essentials. Luckily, there are some easy to use tools that make this task much less complicated. You can extract data from your CRM system and use it to drastically improve the accuracy of your marketing. For instance, you could segment prospects based on a variety of demographic, psychographic, and lifestyle attributes, and then create email campaigns featuring vehicles and offers to appeal to each audience type, speaking to exactly what they are in the market for at any given time, such as a new vehicle, an oil change, or a new lease.

If you can’t measure, you can’t manage.

Measuring campaign performance is critical to understanding how to improve future campaigns. Take advantage of CRM system features for measuring and analyzing data to engage with customers effectively. For instance, most CRM systems have built-in tools for measuring email opens and click-throughs. Understanding what types of offers draw the most click-throughs will help you improve your next campaign. Without the ability to measure, you’re flying blind.

Take advantage of packaged modeling tools.

Until recently, analytical models were the domain of data scientists and other types of number crunchers. Not anymore. Now, there are packaged analytical models that you can simply choose from a menu and apply to your own data sets. Examples include propensity to buy, Customer Lifetime Value, and segmentation schemes. These packaged models can save a tremendous amount of time and give your results a huge boost, as campaigns will be more relevant and targeted.

Engage across channels.

To create a seamless consumer experience, brands and dealers need to engage with consumers across multiple channels. What does this mean at a practical level? Go where your customers are: tailor the same campaigns to run across different channels, such as email, mobile, and SMS. Different types of buyers may prefer different channels; experiment to see what works best for your customer segments. The newest CRM systems will even let you set up one campaign that’s then executed across channels according to each customer’s preference—email, mobile, SMS, and even direct mail.

Create a compelling customer experience.

The brands and dealers that have the greatest chance of success in today’s market are the ones that understand that offline experiences, such as the ones offered on a dealership lot, need to be recreated online. The first “Moment Of Truth” (a term coined by Google) now usually occurs not in a brand or dealer’s physical environment, but rather, online from the comfort of a consumer’s home. Customers are increasingly shopping on mobile devices, so if your dealership site does not load properly on their device, you’re likely to lose some potential sales. Conversely, a customer’s mobile and online experiences, if carefully orchestrated and supported by consumer data, can rival his or her offline experience, ensuring that the brand or dealer establishes a differentiated value proposition and draws customers in.

Personalize your customer interactions.

The compelling nature of the customer experience largely depends on how relevant the dialog is to their current state of mind. This is where data can really shine. By using the data in your CRM system in concert with online click data, you can seek to know more about your customers and use that insight to engage with them in new and innovative ways, modulating the engagements based on their online and offline behavior and/or value. This goes far beyond personalizing an email with, “Dear Mike,” to actually personalize all the content, such as featuring vehicles the prospect has expressed interest in, plugging relevant financing offers, and most importantly, predicting what types of information they are looking for at any given time in their lifecycle and serving it to them proactively.

Some parting advice: Don’t worry too much at the beginning about how to leverage all the data you have in your dealership’s CRM system. Be selective, and think about how to best leverage what you have for the biggest impact. Start small, find the right tools, and build on your initial successes. Soon, you’ll be a pro.

Dr. Jennifer Bunner is the director of insight for Outsell. Jennifer is an accomplished marketing analytics professional currently responsible for driving insights to understand and connect meaningfully with consumers online at Outsell using consumer interaction and behavior data.

Dr. Jennifer Bunner

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Is There any Homeopathy for Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Provided by Expert Yang Hongtao on : 2015-05-11 17:08

Is There any Homeopathy for Patients with Kidney DiseaseAccording to homeopathy, there have two different voices. One is a kind of support, while another is a kind of opposition. If you have any question please ask our ONLINE DOCTOR. We will give professional guidance as soon as possible.

Some people think that homeopathy works much beyond vaccination. Here, the dose administered is unbelievably miniscule, which renders if absolutely harmless yet very powerful. As supported in major clinical trials and in practice, it is believed to be working by stimulating body's own healing mechanisms.

There is no uniform prescribing standard for homeopaths. There are hundreds of different homeopathic remedies, which can be prescribed in a variety of different dilutions to treat thousands of symptoms. Homeopathic remedies are derived from substances that come from plants, minerals, or animals, such as red onion, arnica and stinging nettle. Homeopathic remedies are often formulated as sugar pellets to be placed under the tongue; they may also be in other forms, such as ointments, gels, drops, creams, and tablets. Treatments are “individualized” or tailored to each person—it is not uncommon for different people with the same condition to receive different treatments.

Homeopathy is a controversial topic in complementary medicine research. There is little evidence to support homeopathy as an effective treatment for any specific condition. However, FDA does not evaluate the remedies for safety or effectiveness. Although people sometimes assume that all homeopathic remedies are highly diluted and therefore unlikely to cause harm, some products labeled as homeopathic can contain substantial amounts of active ingredients and therefore could cause side effects and drug interactions.

If you have any question, please email to kidney-healthy@hotmail.com or leave message for us.

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Beaverton OR
Best answers
Can you expand a bit on your question? - do you mean a Nurse Practitioner?,- a Certified Nurse Midwife?,- a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologist?,- a Clinical Nurse Specialist?

All of the above nurse specialties are different, and thus have different billing regulations and guidelines. If you could explain a little more of the type of APRN you are asking about, then I would be able to help you a great deal more.


He’ll be seeking out romantic, horticultural gems of the rural South and visiting the retreats of the affluent North where, in the Veneto, Lucca and the Lakes, Monty finds gardens that are flirtatious and fun.

In Florence he will be finding out how in the Renaissance, garden-making became a high art and how a group of Edwardian expats mistakenly reinforced the idea that Italian gardens were flowerless.

And in Rome, the powerbase of Emperors and Popes, Monty will visit gardens that are among some of the most extravagant and flamboyant ever created in history.

Along the way Monty will be meeting local Italians who are keeping alive the passion for the land and he’ll be peering over the fence of secret gardens belonging to the rich and famous.

Monty reveal the history, culture, politics and the climate that has shaped Italy’s spectacular gardens; ranking them among the great treasures of the world.

Guide to the series:

Programme 1

Monty Don begins his grand tour around Italy’s magnificent gardens from the lavish hideaways of the romantic South to the luxurious retreats of the moneyed North. He’s in and around Rome, powerbase of emperors and popes to explore gardens that are among some of the most extravagant and flamboyant ever created in history.

 Programme 2

Monty’s visiting gardens in Florence and around the sun scorched Tuscan countryside. Monty discovers how like a piece of sculpture, renaissance gardens were created as works of art and how a group of Edwardian ex-pats mistakenly reinforced the idea that formal Italian gardens were flowerless.

 Programme 3

Monty continues his grand garden tour, this week in Naples to visit some of the most sublime, romantic retreats in Southern Italy. After all the formality of the green gardens around Rome and Florence, Monty seeks out idyllic horticultural gems set against the dramatic scenery of the Amalfi Coast, to discover why in the South, gardens are informal and above all filled with flowers.

 Programme 4

Monty concludes his garden tour of Italy in the wealthy North where in the Veneto and Lucca, extravagant pleasure gardens were created for flirtation and fun. Further north in the Lakes, Monty meets up with the garden society, the Grandi Giardini Italiani, to peer over the fence of luxurious creations of the rich and famous. The journey ends on Lake Maggiore to see the most theatrical horticultural gem of Italy.


How is the earth's atmosphere different from the atmosphere on venus?

The atmosphere of Venus consists mainly of carbon dioxide, and a small amount of nitrogen. The thick cloud cover is composed of sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid droplets. Because of the dense atmosphere, the surface temperature ranges from 750 to 930 degrees Fahrenheit (398 to 498 Celsius). The surface pressure is 90 times that of Earth. That's like being one kilometer (over half a mile) under the ocean.


Cultural Heritage and Informatics Initiative

Hosted by the Department of Anthropology in partnership with Matrix, the Cultural Heritage Informatics Initiative is a platform for interdisciplinary scholarly collaboration and communication in the domain of Cultural Heritage Informatics at Michigan State University. In addition, the initiative strives to equip students (both graduate and undergraduate) in the many cultural heritage focused disciplines at MSU (Anthropology, History, Art History, Classics, Museum Studies, Historical & Cultural Geography, etc.) with the practical and analytical skills necessary creatively to apply information, communication, and computing technologies to cultural heritage materials, influence the current state of cultural heritage informatics, and become thought leaders for the future of cultural heritage informatics.

What is “Cultural Heritage Informatics”?

In recent years, the term “informatics” has become popular to describe a wide variety of content domains: music informatics, chemical informatics, community informatics, bio-informatics, social informatics just to name a few.  At its simplest (and most inclusive), the term “informatics” is used to describe the creative application of information, communication, and computing technologies (broadly defined) to address the needs, challenges, and content of a specific domain.  Cultural heritage informatics, then, refers to the creative application of information and computing technologies to the domain of cultural heritage.

Collaboration at the Core

The idea that interdisciplinary collaboration is beneficial, even necessary, for cultural heritage informatics is embraced in all aspects of the initiative.  Participating scholars come from a wide variety of background and disciplines, and all recognize that cultural heritage (and therefor cultural heritage informatics) is an interdisciplinary undertaking.  In addition, all of the initiative’s educational efforts deeply stress the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.  Cultural Heritage Informatics Fellows are drawn from a broad array of departments and programs at MSU, and are provided an environment in which they can work together on projects whose importance extends beyond one specific discipline or department.

Building as a Way of Knowing

In recent years, the philosophy of “building as a way of knowing” (or “hacking as a way of knowing” as some call it) has taken firm root in the Digital Humanities.  The idea that one can acquire a far deeper understanding of tools, technologies, platforms, and systems (both in terms of applications and broader implications) through development is an important perspective, and one that is embraced by the Cultural Heritage Informatics Initiative.  This perspective is especially important in our educational efforts.  Both the CHI Fellowships and the CHI Fieldschool are built firmly on the principle that students develop a far better understanding of cultural heritage informatics by actually building tools, applications, and digital user experiences than they do with passive analysis and commentary. The added benefit is that by building tools, applications, and digital user experiences, students are also given the opportunity to make a tangible and potentially significant contribution to the scholarly community.


Political and economic systems do not operate in a vacuum. The issues addressed by societies, both in the United States and abroad, such as taxation, environmental protection, regulation of business, development, health and trade policies, are influenced greatly by the political and economic interests of powerful constituencies. A variety of interest groups, including labor unions, businesses, taxpayers, consumers, environmentalists and retired citizens, attempt to achieve economic ends at least in part by political means.


How long is the process for my item(s) to be shipped?

-Purchases are processed within the week that garment is ordered. Once an email stating the confirmation of order has been received, please allow 8-15 days for arrival of shipment.

What shipment services are my package(s) sent by?

- United States Postal Service (USPS)


What are Endodontics?

Of Greek origin, "endo" means literally "internal" and "odont" is "tooth." Endodontics is then the dental specialty dealing with pulp tissue within the tooth, more commonly known as "nerve". This discipline comprises a variety of therapeutic modalities aimed at allowing you to save your tooth.

Endodontics is the cornerstone of any restoration as the guarantee of a sound foundation, so that your tooth can last as long as any other vital tooth.

01 47 27 15 80


Top Ten Songs Featuring Fuzz Bass

Fuzz bass is when a bass guitar is run through an overdrive pedal (or in some cases, a cranked up mixing console), giving it a buzzy, distorted sound. The earliest known example is "Don't Worry" by Marty Robbins, where session guitarist Grady Martin plugged his six string bass into a faulty mixing board and recorded a solo; the producer liked it and decided to keep it. Feel free to add more songs to this list; if you do, tell me more about how they got that sound.

The Top Ten

1 Hysteria - Muse

How did he get that fuzzy sound? - Userguy44

I've heard him say that it was a combination of his clean sound with an Electro-Harmonic Big Muff Pedal and a Human Gear Animato, and I've also heard that it was a combination of the Big Muff Pedal and the clean setting on a Deep Impact synth pedal. Like I said, I'm not sure which one's correct. - Gg2000

I've heard Chris Wolstenhome give a couple of different explanations as to his bass tone; I'm not sure which one's correct. Nonetheless, it's still a big staple in fuzz bass history. - Gg2000

2 Song 2 - Blur

Alex James used a Marshall Shredmaster pedal to get that nasty fuzz sound in the chorus. - Gg2000

3 White Light/White Heat - The Velvet Underground

John Cale plays a really loud bass part, especially at the end when he plays a really aggressive sounding lick at the end. - Gg2000

4 Under My Thumb - The Rolling Stones

Bill Wyman dubbed a fuzz bass part that appears in each chorus. - Gg2000

5 Think For Yourself - The Beatles

Paul played a normal bassline and then played another bassline run through a Vox Tone Bender pedal. - Gg2000

6 She Has Funny Cars - Jefferson Airplane

Jack Casady added a fuzz bass part (in addition to a normal one) which was drenched in reverb and moved to the left channel. - Gg2000

7 Monkey in Your Soul - Steely Dan

Unusally for the Dan, this tune's got a fuzzy bassline. Having said that, they put it lower in the mix to keep it from sticking out too much. - Gg2000

8 The Knife - Genesis

Mike Rutherford quite frequently used fuzz in the earlier years. Listen to the part at the 5:26 mark; that's probably the best example I can think of from off the top of my head. - Gg2000

9 Valleri - The Monkees

The bass was done by the bassist for the Candy Store Prophets, the band created by songwriting partners Boyce and Hart to play on the songs they produced. - Gg2000

10 Dance to the Music - Sly & The Family Stone

Bassist Larry Graham dubbed a fuzz bass part; you can hear it in the right channel of the mix. - Gg2000

The Contenders

11 Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth) - Metallica
12 Supermassive Black Hole - Muse
BAdd New Item


Plowing Rules a Matter of Safety

Some people are feeling snowed out in the Basin, especially if they are the one shoveling or plowing their own property. While finding the right place to pile snow can be tricky, choosing to push snow into the street believing that a snow plow will pick it up is not the right approach. According to the Uintah County Sheriff’s Office, there have been many examples so far of additional road hazards created from citizens pushing snow into the road. It creates more black ice, sometimes dangerous obstructions for vehicles, and more hazards for both motorists and pedestrians. “There are pedestrians that cannot get onto the sidewalks so they are out walking on roadsides,” shares the Sheriff’s Office. “Everyone needs to be more aware to prevent accidents, both motorists and pedestrians.” There have also been several close calls with citizens using personal plows and not paying attention to traffic patterns as they use the roadway while plowing. Another hindrance to keeping roads clear is people parking their vehicles on the street. Plows cannot safely do their job on crowded streets.

Kristin Baldwin


Publisher description for Sal si puedes (Escape if you can) : Cesar Chavez and the new American revolution / Peter Matthiessen ; with a foreword by Ilan Stavans and a postscript by the author.

Counter In the summer of 1968 Peter Matthiessen met Cesar Chavez for the first time. They were the same age: forty-one. Matthiessen lived in New York City while Chavez lived in Sal Si Puedes, the San Jose barrio where his career as a union organizer took off. This book is Matthiessen's panoramic yet finely detailed account of the three years he spent traveling and working with Chavez. In it, Matthiessen provides a candid look into the many sides of this enigmatic and charismatic leader who lived by the laws of nonviolence.

More than thirty years later, Sal Si Puedes is less reportage than living history. A whole era comes alive in its pages: the Chicano, Black Power, and antiwar movements the browning of the labor movement Chavez's series of hunger strikes the nationwide boycott of California grapes. When Chavez died in 1993, thousands gathered at his funeral. It was a clear sign of how beloved he was, how important his life had been.

A new postscript by the author brings the reader up to date as to the events that have unfolded since the writing of Sal Si Puedes. Ilan Stavans's insightful foreword considers the significance of Chavez's legacy for our time. As well as serving as an indispensable guide to the 1960s, this book rejuvenates the extraordinary vitality of Chavez's life and spirit, giving his message a renewed and much-needed urgency.

Library of Congress subject headings for this publication: Chavez, Cesar, 1927-Labor leaders United States Biography, Mexican Americans Biography, Mexican American agricultural laborers History, Agricultural laborers Labor unions United States History, United Farm Workers History


佐藤松豊略歴 Madame Matsutoyo Sato

10歳から声楽を学び、16歳から邦楽の世界に入る。 民謡の第一人者松子流創始者佐藤松子先生に弟子入りし、民謡、民舞、長唄、端唄、俗曲を学ぶ。

NHKテレビ、ラジオ番組に多数出演。 日本中を演奏活動で周る。1966年にサンフランシスコに移り、松豊会を設立。 10年間に150人以上の名取を輩出し、指導者としても多大な評価を得る。

1976年にLAに移った後は、Gypsy Rose Lee Show, 空手キッド２等の様々なテレビや映画、CM音楽に携わり、アメリカで日本音楽を広める第一人者として名前を広める。 ポリドールレコードから “佐藤松豊民謡集” を発売。 その中に収められている “小東京音頭” は20年以上に渡り、二世週閉会音頭にて流れている。

Matsutoyo Sato studied European music and opera in Japan for 10 years as a child.

At 16, she was formally exposed to Minyo, Shigin, and the Biwa. By age 20, her instructors encouraged her to apprentice under Madame Matsuko Sato, the late Iemoto, or Grand Master of the Sato school in Japan.

Excelling in a variety of traditional music genres, her skill and determination allowed her talents to be recognized with performances on both local and national NHK television and radio programs, and various stage performances throughout Japan.

In the United States, she has performed in films such as ” The Karate Kid 2″ and various TV commercials. Disney Land’s “Japanese Festival” also “Little Tokyo Ondo” for Japanese Nisei Week Festival.

Today, Matsutoyo Sato continues to teach and pass on her knowledge, passion and expertise in traditional Minyo throughout Northern and Southern California.

小杉真リサ Marisa Kosugi

Marisa was born in Berkeley, California.  She is the daughter of Matsutoyo-sensei and is a member of Matsutoyo Kai & Minyo Station, a Jazzy style folk music band.

At age 21, Marisa apprenticed under Japan’s renowned Minyo singer, Madame Makiko Kosugi, to study the traditional style of Minyo, the Japanese culture and arts.

She lived in Tokyo for 3-years and attained her Natori, accredited name of a performing art. She learned the language and etiquette by listening and watching her senpais, upper classmen. There were many challenges, but through the support from her Minyo family in Japan, she learned discipline.

The purpose of her training was to have a better understanding of her mother’s experiences in the arts that requires strength, patience and deep passion.

After returning to the U.S. she’s been enjoying time with her mother and Matsutoyo Kai members performing in California.

She hopes to share the stories of Minyo and the history of Japan as her mother’s wish is for Minyo to continue for another 100-years.


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Women, Development and Empowerment: A Pacific Feminist Perspective

page 116Black and white drawing of a woman collecting shellfish.Black and white drawing of a woman weaving.Black and white drawing of a woman hoeing.page 117 DAY 4

Though this was slotted for yesterday, it actually falls quite well into what we would like to do later today, which is to talk about strategies. Yesterday, we talked about our vision, the ideals of the kind of society we would like to live in and the changes we would like, in very broad terms. For this session, what I am going to concentrate on is what we mean by empowerment. To me, the word simply means: adding to women's power. Why do we need empowerment? We acknowledge that women are a group (amongst many other groups) who almost universally have less power and are in a powerless position in many areas of society.

We need to define what we mean by “power”. To me, power means:

  • having control, or gaining greater control

  • having a say and being listened to

  • being able to define and create from a woman's perspective

  • being able to influence social choices and decisions affecting the whole society (not just areas of a society accepted as women's place)

  • being recognised and respected as equal citizens and human beings with a contribution to make.

page 118

Power means being able to make a contribution at all levels of society and not just in the home. Power also means having women's contribution recognised and valued.

When considering how we can add to women's power in society, I have looked at this at two levels and attempted to be both practical and visionary.

The first level, the practical level, is concerned with ways of improving what we have now, and our present activities and ways of working with women in the Pacific.

The second level, the visionary one, examines how we can improve our work so that we make real inroads into changing structures, affecting decision-making and changing the way in which “development” and “progress” are defined in the Pacific. This means changing the unequal power relationships between men and women, governments and people, decision-makers and people, planners and people, traditional leaders and people, and gaining back power for those people in society who have less control over their lives, especially women.

How can we do this? Drawing from our own discussions here at the workshop, I have thought of small ways in which we can add to women's power. By examining what we are doing and our present activities, I would like to suggest ways in which we can develop them or push them a little bit further, in order to gain a little more power, even in the project areas where many of us are involved.

Take for an example, the project in Kiribati involving a women's group working, on a voluntary basis, to provide some of the health care services for the government. We can ask how the relationship with government in the project can be changed a little bit, so that the women have greater participation as the definers or creators of the health services? We can question the relationship behind the women's role and involvement in that project, so that they have more control and are not just the page 119 “doers” without ever being the “definers” in the health care services and delivery.

This is just one example from the workshop presentations. We could ask questions of the many other activities we are doing and ask for changes in women's role in these activities. One thing women could ask for is feedback into the system- - instead of women always receiving instructions or ideas from the system, and implementing them on its behalf. It occurred to me, in the Kiribati project, that the field experience of those women who were doing the teaching and the training in the health education programme should be used as a resource by the government. Their perceptions of the health problems, particularly of women, could go back into the system. To change their work relationship, women would need to think of ways of reporting back into the health care system. Another change could result from this in that the health care system would be more responsive to women's input, an important improvement. Thirdly, there could be a change in the sharing of knowledge within the project. Some of the information that the women are receiving and are being trained to transfer to the community could be broadened. Apart from transferring the health knowledge given, could women learn more? Can women in the project have more training and health knowledge if they want it? That would be an area the women could think about. There may be other types of health information women would like to have that the health service has not thought of.

Having A Say in Projects

How would doing this add to women's power or control? These little pushes into what we are already doing could lead to quite fundamental changes, although they seem very small. Some of the fundamental changes that could come about are:

In this project, such demands would change the way women see health care, if there was input back into the system, from the women who are helping deliver it

It would change the power relationship between the health care deliverers and the people receiving health care, particularly women

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It would also change the relationship between Government (in this project a government service is involved) and people (women) in this specific area of women's community work

It would also be a significant change towards creating a different way of organising in that area of government activity (health care).

One way of empowering, therefore, would be for women to pressure for changes in the power relationship in a programme so that:

women have lines of communication and feedback, e.g. to the health care decision makers and planners of the project,

women are listened to.

These are changes. They are small, but significant. Think of the impact it would have generally, on health care services in the village or in the city, if the contributions of women were fed back into the system? Usually there is very little opportunity for contributions from women, who make up the majority of the health care receivers.

Practical Ways of Empowerment

Let us consider how women could actually go about doing something like this. I would like to suggest some ways, again using the health care project just given, as an example. Women could:

ask for a meeting with the health care department or whatever office the programme comes under;

not just listen to what the health office/department wants women to do, but also present some ideas and suggestions. Women should not just be told what the problem is, but be able to tell government departments and officials what problems they found. Women could also suggest problems they would like worked on first, that is, set priorities. Again, this is a small area where women page 121 could be gaining a bit more control and influence, if they had more input. This is a way of empowering women.

Women's suggestions. Women could see that their suggestions are listened to, or in some cases, women could put forward demands. The listing of what is more or less important by women working in the field should be taken into account by government planners and officials.

Women could ask for training in skills other than what they already have in that area (in this case, health). For example, is there training of traditional midwives to help provide better health care services for women in the villages? Women's groups could ask that their traditional healers be incorporated into the health care system. A WHO programme is I think already doing this for the Pacific.

All these are just examples of ways women can add to their role and influence, and benefit more from projects. We can do this with other projects as well. I have just given one example. Women who traditionally act as health teachers or practitioners, and have traditional learning and knowledge, could exchange this knowledge with modern health care practitioners.

Learning to Say “No”

I would like to give another example of the way women can gain control or gain power using another project we heard of in the workshop - the Women's Crisis Centre. In just a small area, women can gain power by learning how to say “No”. In the WCC case, the collective was pressured to change the word “Crisis” in the Centre's name, which defined the Centre and its work: Women's Crisis Centre. The WCC heard that Government transfer of its UNFPA funds was being held back because of the name Women's Crisis Centre which had been chosen to identify the centre and to define its role. The Crisis Centre collectively decided it would not change the word “Crisis” to suit the government. That was retaining control in doing just that: in not backing off, in women saying “no” to powerful institutions. It retains page 122 power and gains women power, when women are able to say: “No, we will define ourselves, we are not going to accept what the system has to offer us, at the price of changing our goals”.

Kairabu from Kiribati told me a story which also illustrates the power of saying “No”. Women said “no” to a project that had been imposed by a foreign agency on their women's group. The Kiribati government and the agency's assumption was that, in a small country, these women would not know how to say “no” to foreign experts who wanted them to do a particular project. But the women said “No” and the government was embarassed that the women's group which it had decided would be the implementers of the project, was not going to be available. The women retained that position, even though the Government had publically decided to sponsor the foreign agency's programme. In the end, the project was stopped, it had collapsed because the women said “no” to implementing it. There is a nice ending to the story too - Kairabu (and the women) got something concrete out of the experience too. When the project collapsed and the agency withdrew, the women kept all the equipment and the facilities left behind! These are some examples to show that often we have more power than we think.

Black and white cartoon of packing cases.

The Tribune, IWTC, New York, June 1989

page 123

Examining Our Own Structures

Another thing about gaining control and power is that we must always question and critically examine our own structures, including women's organisations and their roles. For example, we have heard different experiences of the National Councils of Women. Some of these organisations work well and some of them do not. We need to critically examine our own organisational structures.

Some of these organisations are big and have the appearance of strong government support, for example, in PNG, an Act of Parliament enacted the National Council of Women and its structure. Is bigness always a strength? In the PNG case, the factor we need to examine is: who decided the structure? Resources were channelled through this large structure, which actually became an impediment to distribution of government resources to women's groups in PNG; it did not work very well. The question we need to ask is: Is the appearance of strength in women's organisational structures always a help? Sometimes it might be more effective and more empowering, and there might be more control and genuine advance, if we create working groups at all levels - to do what the women concerned want to do and have decided on. These small working groups might be more effective in mobilising women, in enabling better awareness amongst women and in organising action for women. Sometimes, a small and a particularly-defined group, working effectively, makes more sense than a large group or organisation whose structure hinders flexibility and real power for women. Genuine growth and effecting change may be more possible in smaller groups.

Therefore, on women's organisations and structures, to make sure that women gain power:

we should not always seek large organisations, but effective working groups;

we should be careful about our own organisational choices and relationships

we should be watchful of the power relationships in our own organisational page 124 structures. We have seen from examples given in this workshop that many organisations have power relationships that favour those at the top, rather than inviting participation for all women;

we need to have a leadership style that creates awareness and a sense of power for all women;

we need a sense of sharing, of “sisterhood” to help us all in a feminist struggle.

Not all women agree or will be able to agree on what they want to do or what they want to work on together. But we should not let these divisions weaken us, but keep our vision in mind to decide what is useful and worthwhile struggling over. I recall when working in the Pacific Women's Resource Centre in 1978, we used to worry about women's organisations that did not want to join the PWRC, or even opposed it. That was perhaps a false concern to be occupied with. What is important is the question of effectiveness, and gaining the commitment from women and groups who want progressive changes for women. If divisions exist, we can work on them but we should not let them weaken us as women in struggle. There is enough weakening us coming from elsewhere in the system and society.

Use of Resources - Time and Money

The last point I wish to make on the question of power and control that also emerged from the workshop is the need to examine the use of resources (particularly time and money) in women's activities. It is important that we ask what our energies are going into, and again make choices that reflect and are related to our feminist vision. This is where having a vision becomes important. If we have an idea of the fundamental changes that we want – the different arrangements and relationships in society, that will benefit all people, including women – then we should direct our energies and our resources - time and money - towards these goals.

On Money: Women in the Pacific raise a lot of money for the church, for schools, for the community, etc. We need to ask the question:

page 125

are we usefully channelling this money into areas that will help women's advancement?

If we channel money into churches and schools (the money women raise makes a high contribution), do these institutions in turn change or recognise women better? For example, do they provide women/girls equal access schools, and encourage equal participation by women (the church)? A woman at our 1975 women's conference posed this question:

Women are always expected to do the cleaning in the church, but how come we are not allowed to preach in it?

We need to look at resource wastage: the time and money women spend on activities that may not contribute in any way to their advancement or equality of treatment. Women should keep in mind that these activities may use up their strength and energy while not giving women any greater gains in control or participation in these institutions or in the society as a whole.

To Empower Women in Society

We need to make deeper inroads into the system of society - the way in which it is organised, the way in which women are unequally represented.

Below is a list of the areas where women do not have power and where women need to gain power. This could be used as a checklist for deciding how and whether our activities contribute to empowering women, and the different ways in which women's activities could be improved to empower women more:

Key areas where women need to consider adding to their involvement, participation and power:

Decision-making at all levels - in the family, in the home, in the church, in the community.

page 126

Improving women's access to resources and their input into how money and government support are to be used for projects women want.

Control over natural resources - women having a say over use/decisions related to land, water supply, etc; especially where development projects have an adverse impact on people's lives and particularly on women. For example, depletion of forest resources means greater walking distance for firewood; pollution of water resources means greater work for women.

Questions to Ask: What do women need to do to gain greater power over resources? How do women need to be organised to be heard? Women have a right to exercise control over resources affecting their lives and the community's.

Planning Processes

Where and how can women enter the planning processes of our societies, at all levels? Key questions:

  • Family level: Where in the family are women involved in planning/ control? Where are they excluded?

  • Community level: Are women present or absent from meetings? Are they present but not expected/allowed to speak? What can be done?

  • Village or District level: Where are the women?

  • National Levels: Is women's input invited or considered in development plans? How do national plans affect women's work, role, contribution to society?

page 127

A Pacific feminist perspective would guide women's suggestions for national development. Participation by women in planning means more than simply adding women to a section of the national development plans of governments.

Understanding Society and the Way it is Organised

Women will not gain power and greater control over their lives if they do not know about the society they live in, its economic, social and political system, and the place of their country and the Pacific in the wider world. Women need to understand the broader context in which their activities take place. Women, to gain power, need to have knowledge of:

The political system: both traditional and introduced, and the Pacific's place in the wider world of international relations, particularly economic relations.

Development choices made by governments and how these affect men and women - from the national level down to the village level. For example, in PNG, people bought imported foods, not understanding that government policy on taxes made imported food more expensive than local foods. If people understood what taxes on imports meant, they would understand that eating local foods was not only nutritionally better, but cheaper also.

Organisations and relationships (i.e the ways things work, structures and the system). At the village, personal and family levels, women need to learn to judge organisations, how they work, and to recognise the power relationships within organisations, even within their family (between brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law).

In other words, women need to understand the society that they live in, the system of government, and the economy. There is a need to know more about the processes of government, who makes decisions and how; and also, who benefits from decisions made by those in power. Then women will be able to identify where privilege and power lies - and be able to develop strategies for women having greater access to page 128 resources and gaining control over decisions that, directly or indirectly, affect their lives.

This knowledge and understanding is part of the empowerment of women. Women need to know these things to be able to work together to mobilise for change. A wider understanding of society, and of power and where it lies, would also enable women to identify other oppressed groups, who might also be joined in struggles for improvements in living conditions, wages, for better access to government, etc.

Women and Other Struggles for Social Change

There is greater strength in numbers. Women might gain from recognising and joining in other people's struggles for social change and justice, where these struggles also affect women's lives. The opposite is also true, that many women's struggles for social change will also benefit men and/or other oppressed sections of the community. It is important for empowering the women's movement, to join with other struggles, because the involvement of men and women, and joint strategies and actions of many oppressed peoples and groups, are needed to challenge institutional structures that are unjust and powerful. It is strength of numbers that is needed to challenge the unequal power relationships of governments, multinationals, colonial powers, or superpowers involved in the Pacific region.

Empowerment Means Having an Alternative Vision of Society

This is why having a vision of the society we want, having a Pacific feminist perspective, is so important for the empowerment of women. We need both:

knowledge of society as it is, our social realities and relationships of power and powerlessness, to be able to

decide our strategies and demands for change that will gain more power for women.

page 129

Having a feminist perspective and strategies for Pacific women would help us to:

Broaden women's activities and add to their impact.

Gain greater power at all levels to control, influence, decide and change society from a woman's viewpoint.

Feminist Perspective

We need a feminist perspective because the only way in which women will be empowered, is to challenge the dominant thinking that decides how society is organised, how resources are allocated and how power is shared. We need to challenge the thinking of a male-dominated society, where “development” is usually defined by a planning perspective that we recognise does not benefit all people, especially women. Secondly, we must begin to challenge our own thinking. Only when we have a strong body of ideas or thoughts about the society we want and the changes in relationships and structures, at the personal/social/economic and political levels, can women work to gain power. We are now at the first stage, of developing a strong body of thought, a Pacific feminist perspective, that will guide us in our struggles, and direct our energies towards empowerment activities. Action is also empowering. We must continue to work at all levels, with our projects and programmes, and work on our thinking and strategies. It is with thinking (our perspective), action and strategies that we will be able to give some direction to the women's movement in the Pacific. We must challenge our methods, and develop that perspective. Only with a wider view of society and how it works, and how we want it changed, can women hope to gain greater control over their lives and participate fully and equally within society's economic, social and political structures which we hope to change.

page 130

After a break, the workshop met to suggest strategies to empower women. The statement “Our vision” was used as a starting point for thinking of strategies. The workshop's session on strategies which followed produced the following ideas and suggestions:

Black and white title graphic.

Advancing Pacific Feminism

Changing our lives at the personal level and acting out the vision.

Stressing that the definition of our reality and vision needs to be defined by us as Pacific women.

Beginning to create and record our Pacific women's world through research, encouraging women's artistic and creative endeavours in all forms and using this record to show our women's world and women's contributions in our communities and the region. Researching, writing and publicising the lives and achievements of our Pacific women heroines, past and present, as part of this effort.

Using information from this workshop to share our vision and inviting responses and contributions to it; noting the importance of the process (how we listened and discussed things together) of this workshop and continuing it in our follow-up work.

Stressing and encouraging the use of vernacular languages to express all aspects of our vision.

page 131

Redefining family roles to equalise work, family responsibilities and resources.

Violence Against Women

Individually and collectively disapproving of violence to women and taking action against it.

Making domestic disputes involving violence public, not private and personal.

Pressing for legislation against domestic violence.

Creating our own support systems for victims of rape and violence.

Providing women with a ‘strengthening’ body of ideas (ideology) to support their stand against oppression and violence against them.

Seeking non-sexist, relevant literature and stories for all levels and stages of education.

Surveying, criticising and changing (re-writing) sexist materials used in and outside schools for education.

Seeking the assistance of regional organisations in achieving (13) above.

Stressing the necessity of sex education in schools as part of women's understanding of and control over their bodies.

Extending “home economics” training (or training in domestic skills) to men, and extending technical, trade and science training to women.

Economic Self-reliance

Seeking to create a practical economic support system for women to enable them to stand on their own feet if they need to get out of an oppressive relationship.

Encouraging women to ensure that fund-raising activities savings go towards efforts for their own benefit and improvement.

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Seeking increased national allocation of money and resources for areas where women's productive activities are unrecognised (ie. in unpaid subsis tence production and work in the home), and assistance for women to help themselves advances economically.

Working and Organising for Women

Recognising women's organisations need to meet and talk about what they are doing and how they can support each other and develop a sense of direction.

We will communicate our Pacific feminist perspective to other women's groups.

We will use this group as an informal network to support us when we return home by exchanging ideas, information and further strategies; and sharing information on useful resources and experiences that may help and inspire other women.

Status of Women

Working against negative images in the media and opposing beauty contests.

Rejecting the study of Pacific women and their activities being used for the academic or career advancement of individuals from outside the region.

Women and Politics

Developing political strategies - informing women of the workings of the existing social, economic and political systems, pointing out where change is needed, and lobbying to effect the changes. Speaking out, demonstrating, and using whatever means that will advance the changes and legally effect them.

Women in politics - encouraging and supporting women to enter politics and work for the vision from within the existing system and helping women to effect change from outside the existing system.


Starting my next Project!

I've just started recording my latest project, a great YA / Fantasy novel that's got a really great story line!  It's so much better to narrate a story that I enjoy, I've made a conscious effort with each of my projects to ensure that it is something I would read / listen to.

And I thought maybe someone starting out might find my process useful.  I'm no expert and am still learning this craft but if anything I do can help another narrator out I'm happy to help!

The first thing I do is look for a title to audition for.  Like a lot of narrators, I use a website called, which is part of Amazon, to browse the current list of titles that are looking to be made into audiobooks.  I use the filters and look for LGBT / Lesfic books that are looking for a female narrator with a general American accent.  There aren't a great deal of these books so when they are available I will always look to audition for them.  My second favourite genre is sci-fi fantasy (not as in erotica!) so if there are no LGBT titles I'll look in these categories.

If I find one, I'll read the audition manuscript which will give me some clues as to the quality of the writing and the story.  If the writing is awful and full of spelling mistakes, repeated words, difficult to follow etc, then I won't go any further with that title and will keep looking.  If the writing is good and the story sounds interesting, I'll have a look at the cover art.  This is a big indicator of how much time / effort a rights holder (RH) is willing to put into their work - if the cover is just a stretched out version of their normal Amazon cover, with it's stretched out artwork and font, then that's a red flag for me.  In my case, though, it's not a deal breaker.  I've worked on some great stories that didn't have the best cover art, but those titles don't sell as well because people on Audible and iTunes browse titles with their eyes - the cover needs to look professional and in the correct perspective to make it more appealing to our audiobook browsers!

If I like the story, writing and cover, I will record the audition script, edit and master it and then submit it via the website.  I tend to mainly do Royalty Share titles as my current goal is to build a passive income stream, but I also take on per finished hour (PFH) work, where the RH will pay me a fee for each hour of finished audio I produce.  This way I can sub out the editing and mastering to a professional studio for a really top quality sound, but it does require an outlay by the RH.  For Royaly Share (RS) titles I do the editing and mastering myself, and whilst I'm not by any means a professional, the finished result is of a pretty good standard.

So let's say I get the RH loves my audition and I get the book.  My first step is to read it.  All of it.  Like I would if it were any other book that I've purchased.  This lets me experience the story as a normal reader would and is probably my favourite part.  (hey, this girl loves reading!)

Once I've finished it, I will go back through it and prep it.  Every narrator is different, but so far for me, this involves making a word document that lists each chapter, the speaking characters in it, and any words that I need to be careful about pronouncing - these might be foreign words, made up words (in the world of sci-fi and fantasy) or just words that I always struggle with - like millenium!  Next to each will be a phonetic guide to how to pronounce it for quick reference, e.g. "mill-LEN-ee-um"

Each character name in my word document will be highlighted in a different colour - normally I highlight my main character in light blue or light green.  Then in the manuscript, I will highlight each characters dialogue the same as their name in my notes.  That way I get a little visual cue as to who's voice is coming up - and it stops me using the wrong voice for the wrong character!

I will go through each chapter like this until I get to the end - I can normally work through around 20,000 words each evening so the prepping doesn't take too long.

Once the manuscript is prepped and I've got all my notes and pronounciations, I'm ready to start recording!  Then comes the editing and mastering, which I'll cover another time - my wife is shouting at me that dinner is ready so I better go and get some fuel in my body!


serotine bat

Bat of the day 24 October (Bat week) – Serotine Bat

Serotine Bat (Eptesicus serotinus, Schreber 1774) It’s a big bat, which is larger then open palm in flight. In the summer, the colonies of these bats settle in the attics of the city. For winter, they move to Kharkiv, where they hibernate in cavities in the walls of buildings. Most likely, if you see big…

Bats in Kharkiv lesopark

Kharkiv lesopark is a a favorite place of recreation for the citizens of our city. It is north part of Kharkiv where the wildwood somewhere older than 200 years wedged in apartment block. The wildwood near the town border attracts not only wishing to walk but also researchers-naturalists. Among people loving and studying nature there…

Bat species of Kharkiv region, NE Ukraine

13 bat species (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) are known for the territory of Kharkiv region, NE Ukraine. Myotis daubentonii Myotis dasycneme Myotis brandtii Myotis nattereri Nyctalus leisleri Nyctalus noctula Nyctalus lasiopterus Eptesicus serotinus Pipistrellus nathusii Pipistrellus pygmaeus Pipistrellus kuhlii Vespertilio murinus Plecotus auritus