#Roman Belsky

[sgt-scrimblo]

Another red team!

((Designs are subject to change, an Boris is not big enough in these pictures, these are just the inital concepts))

[pyotrbelski]

Likeminded sensibility forced Pyotr to have a high regard for the King of the Germans. It was not every day one splintered their allegiances from a nation as strong as the Holy Roman Empire, yet it seemed fitting that the individual to do so was one with as steep a history as Maximillian. It was the fellows unique and successful ambition that Belski admired. Though tangentially related to his own ambitions at court, Pyotr was swift to further his acquaintance with the king at the first opportunity he was provided. Given the inconvenient lack of opportunity to do so, he resolved to create one for himself. 

Within the castle, it was not too much of a challenge to guarantee a chance encounter with a desired person. Finding occupation for oneself close to the king’s quarters, he needed only to wait for the sound of his passing - and, more prominently, that of his accompanying chaperone - to conveniently happen upon him. 

With a book clutched beneath his arm, he stepped purposefully from one room and into Maximillian’s path. Feigning wide eyed surprise, he bowed deeply in his apology. 

“Es tut mir leid, eure Majestät. Entshuldigung,” he began, before proceeding with a short pause. It was irritating to grovel and he wagered the man may see right through the act of such pleasantries. “Perhaps you know me, sir. We have a mutual acquaintance in your royal sister.”

@mxcimillixn​

[victoanna90]

Art that transcends borders and war

The exhibition is being held in support of Ukraine, against Russian military intervention in that country. The exhibition presents the works of artists who created within the DEAC art residency, as well as participants in the festival of Russian culture, Forum SlovoNovo. These are works Ruslana Trembe, Nina Murashkina, Igor Gusev, Ilya Chichkan, Roman Mikhailov, Vlado Jurashko, Yuri Solomko, Kinder Album, Sergei Anufrieva, Sasa Makarska, Vini Reunov, Polina Verbickaya, Irina Ozarinskaya, Eduard Belsky. Ukrainians in Montenegro Gelman reminded that there has been a residence in Budva and Kotor for five years for artists from all over the world, among whom a significant part of artists were from Ukraine. Ukrainians in Montenegro “Today we are showing a small part of the collection of Ukrainian art that we have. We can talk separately about who and why Ukrainian artists are interesting, how they differ from European or Russian… They are wonderful artists, wonderful people, but today we have a sad reason to present – war. I am here as a citizen of Russia and, of course, I am indignant that, in our name, in a way, Putin started a war with Ukraine. For the last 10 years we have been trying to talk about people who are against his policies, including those who have left because of these conflicts. We try to tell everyone that this is a dangerous person. And now the whole world knows about it. But I hope that great people, NATO, the European Union, will deal with this situation. They are faced with a specific situation, of course, the tragedy of Ukrainians now, who are suffering, dying, who have become refugees all over the world. And the only thing we can do is somehow help people who are in trouble now. “I would like this exhibition, among other things, to become an occasion for everyone to think about what can be done, how you can help Ukrainians,” Gelman pointed out.

[un-enfant-immature]

Ro, a direct-to-consumer online pharmacy, reaches $500M valuation

Venture capitalists have valued direct-to-consumer telehealth business Ro at $500 million with an $85 million Series B financing, sources confirm to TechCrunch.

The fresh round of funding comes seven months after Ro — widely known for its men’s health brand Roman, a cloud pharmacy for erectile dysfunction — made headlines with an $88 million Series A. 

Ro didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The company’s outsized Series A, led by FirstMark Capital, was used to launch and scale its second digital health brand, “Zero,” a treatment plan meant to help men and women quit smoking. Zero sells a $129 kit complete with a month’s worth of prescription cessation medication Bupropion, nicotine gum and access to an app used to track progress.

Its latest infusion of capital will likely be used in part to support its third personalized health brand, Rory, a purveyor of women’s health products the business unveiled last month. Targeting menopausal women, Rory offers six products treating four conditions — including prescription medication and supplements for hot flashes, over-the-counter treatments for insomnia, prescription vaginal estrogen cream and an all-natural water-based lubricant for vaginal dryness and Latisse, which helps grow eyelashes — which are available for purchase and direct-to-consumer delivery.

“Right now, we have [millions] of women experiencing menopause,” Rory co-founder Rachel Blank told TechCrunch last month. “They are walking around and frankly, their vagina hurts and they are uncomfortable. Really, what we are building at Rory is a lot of the educational content around this to let women know they have choices and they can take control during this phase of life where they feel like their bodies are rebelling against them.”

When asked whether Ro was fundraising to bolster the new effort, Blank, a former investor at Ro-backer General Catalyst, declined to comment. Curiously, a source with knowledge of Ro’s fundraising said there was no mention of the imminent launch of its women’s brand, Rory, in its pitch to VCs earlier this year.

Ro was started by a trio of entrepreneurs: Rob Schutz, Saman Rahmanian and chief executive officer Zachariah Reitano in 2017. Reitano had previously co-founded a Y Combinator -backed startup called Shout, Rahmanian is a co-founder of the WeWork-acquired business Managed by Q, and Schutz worked as the vice president of growth for Bark&Co before building Ro.

The startup initially launched under the name Roman, which became its flagship brand when the business adopted the umbrella name Ro last year. Roman offers men a $15 online doctor’s consultation, which, if they are an appropriate candidate, gives them access to an instant prescription for Viagra, Cialis or generic drugs that can be filled at Roman’s in-house cloud pharmacy.

In a 2017 interview with TechCrunch’s Josh Constine, Reitano said he began experiencing ED at 17-years-old: “I think in a good way I’ve become numb to the embarrassment,” he said. “I remember the embarrassment of having the condition with no solution, and that’s much worse than sharing the fact that I had it and was able to fix it myself.”

Ro has previously raised $91.1 million in venture capital funding, hitting a valuation of $154 million with its Series A, according to PitchBook. Its investors include Initialized Capital, Box Group and Slow Ventures, as well as angels like Y Combinator partner Aaron Harris, Benchmark’s Scott Belsky and the chief executives of Casper, Code Academy and Pill Pack.

Founded just two years ago, Ro was amongst the first of a new cohort of men’s health businesses supported by VCs. Hims, one of the leading brands in the space, has similarly landed big rounds of capital from top-tier investors. Most recently, Hims brought in $100 million at a $1 billion valuation from an undisclosed growth-stage fund.

Several other companies, including Numan, Manual and Thirty Madison, have raised capital to support men with hair loss treatments and ED medications delivered to discreetly their doorsteps, among other products.

Erectile pharmacy app Ro launches telehealth service for women

[workfromhom]

Erectile pharmacy app Ro launches telehealth service for women

Six months ago, Roman, the cloud pharmacy for erectile dysfunction, dropped the ‘man’ to become ‘Ro.’ At the same time, the company raised a monstrous Series A funding round of $88 million and unveiled Zero, a product meant to help people quit smoking, a root cause of ED.

Now, Ro is addressing a different demographic. Today, it announces ‘Rory,’ a line of products for menopausal women. In total, Rory offers six products treating four conditions, with prices starting at $13 per month. Prescription medication and supplements for hot flashes, over-the-counter treatments for insomnia, prescription vaginal estrogen cream and an all-natural water-based lubricant for vaginal dryness, and Latisse, which helps grow eyelashes, are available for purchase and direct-to-consumer delivery.

All of these conditions, including hair loss and insomnia, can be associated with menopause, or the process, typically at midlife, in which a woman stops menstruating.

To use Rory, which launches in 47 states today, women must complete an online doctor’s visit before they can be prescribed a personalized treatment plan. Rory is also launching a Facebook group and an online community, called Roar, for menopausal women to provide support to one another and to discuss topics from sex positions that help with vaginal dryness to how to sleep better at night.

“We aren’t used to talking about issues like vaginal dryness,” Rory co-founder Rachel Blank told TechCrunch. “Right now, we have [millions] of women experiencing menopause. They are walking around and frankly, their vagina hurts and they are uncomfortable. Really, what we are building at Rory is a lot of the educational content around this to let women know they have choices and they can take control during this phase of life where they feel like their bodies are rebelling against them.”

Rory’s leadership team. From left to right: Melynda Barnes, Rachel Blank and Ro co-founder and CEO Zachariah Reitano.

Unsurprisingly, the Ro founders are all male. In order to launch Rory, the trio — Rob Schutz, Saman Rahmanian and Zachariah Reitano — had to bring on talent knowledgeable of women’s health. Rachel Blank, a former investor at General Catalyst, an investor in Ro, seemed like a natural choice. Blank joined Ro full-time in the fall after learning about the company’s long-term vision to create personalize healthcare for everyone. General Catalyst, for its part, had been an investor in Ro since its August 2017 seed round.

“I was watching their pitch and having had that experience myself and listening to the founders of Ro talk about how much of a difference this platform could make in the lives of men with stigmatized conditions, it really resonated with me that this could really be a powerful tool for women as well,” Blank said.

Blank herself was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal disorder that can cause the development of a number of cysts in the ovaries, at 21-years-old. She is joined by Rory clinical director Melynda Barnes, a surgeon and otolaryngologist, and Ro co-founder and chief executive officer Zachariah Reitano, who oversees Ro’s growing portfolio of spinout brands.

Ro has raised just over $90 million in venture capital funding to date, hitting a valuation of $154 million with its Series A, according to PitchBook. Its investors include Initialized Capital, Box Group and Slow Ventures, as well as angels like Y Combinator partner Aaron Harris, Benchmark’s Scott Belsky and the chief executives of Casper, Code Academy and Pill Pack.

Roman is a cloud pharmacy for erectile dysfunction

  from Facebook – TechCrunch https://ift.tt/2JpItBu via IFTTT

[motioncollector]

LITTLE BIG - HYPNODANCER (Official Music Video) via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhMYBfF7-hE // Listen to «HYPNODANCER» by Little Big: https://wmr.lnk.to/Hypnodancer Music composed and produced by Ilia Prusikin, Lyubim Khomchuk, Viktor Sibrinin Lyrics by Ilia Prusikin, Danny Zuckerman Thanks to Denis Kukoyaka for inspiration. Official merch / Официальный мерч: https://bit.ly/2WAmMBN The filming of this music video took place in St Petersburg before the COVID-19 outbreak in the Russian Federation. LITTLE BIG: facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlebigbandofficial soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/littlebigrussia vk: http://vk.com/littlebigband twitter: https://twitter.com/LITTLEBIG_BAND website: http://littlebig.ru TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@littlebig LITTLE BIG production: Idea: Iliya Prusikin, Alina Pasok Script: Iliya Prusikin, Alina Pasok, Yuriy Muzychenko Director: Alina Pasok, Iliya Prusikin, Yuriy Muzychenko DOP: Alexander Pavlov Executive Producer: Anastasia Antipova Art director: Daria Ukhvatova Assistant Art Director: Olya Vasilyeva Style: Masha Sivyakova Stylist assistants: Kostya Goncharuk, Elmira Tulebaeva Property Master: Mariya Perkhun Casting: Anna Petrovskaya FANCY PEOPLE Junior producer: Ekaterina Mironova Production assistant and props: Roman Konshin, Maxim Harin, Zhenya Nadeina Chief Lighting technician: Stas Gerasimov Lightening crew: Pavel Ilyuk, Savchenko Igor, Baluev Sergey, Avakumov Denis Camera assistant: Igor Solovyov, Sychev Fedor Focuspuller (1st AC): Garik Vaganov, Yuri Zvezdin Playback: Sasha Secretarev Decorators: Kostikov Dmitry, Svintsov Pavel, Sasha Belyaev, Laguta Zhenya Administrator: Kolya Katromin Assistants: Tarankov Zhenya, Belov Vladislav, Pedro Nikita, Stupin Glory Make-up artist: Masha Francevich Make-up assistants: Katerina Marynycheva, Margarita Merzlyakova Hair: Dasha Neyman Special effects makeup: Rusakova Daria, Makov Victor Actors Coordinator: Emelyanova Maria Stage sound recording: Mikhail Zhukov Editing: Alina Pasok, Iliya Prusikin Colorist: Dmitriy Novikov VFX, CG: Alexandr Stepanov, Max Semenov Sound design: Stas Kravets Video backstage: Vlad Korolkov, Max Belsky, Kirill Myagkov Photo backstage: Zhenya Romanov Dance coordinator: Dilanyan Sima Starring: Iliya Prusikin Sonya Tayurskaya Anton Lissov Sergey Gokk Yuri Muzychenko Florida Chanturia Alexander Gudkov Danila Poperechnyy Ruslan Usachev Shilov Dmitriy Tuyneza Piter Fleytes Roberto Korshunov Aleksey Sidorova Galina Drebskaya Rada Finogentova Irina Shershukhin Dmitriy Morozkin Dmitriy Azelitskiy Nikita Polivtsev Oskar Mel'nik Aleksandr Udalov Aleksandr Pliss Sergey Shkerin Vlad Chistyakov Aleksandr Khamitov Oleg Elis Kul Technical equipment: LKS rental Special Thanks: Alexander Gudkov Vanya Fedotov Victor Sibrinin Ekaterina Timofeeva Boris Mikhalych Piotrovsky Natalya Chistyakova-Ionova Atelier "Soultiss" Vlad slav Lesha Zalozhuk Seresha Duborov We express our deepest gratitude to the LOTTE HOTEL ST. PETERSBURG, especially to Anna Uglova and General manager Uwe Kunz We express our deepest gratitude to the Restaurant "Metropol", especially to Irina Kalkina demetropole.ru We express our deepest gratitude to the Buddha-Bar Saint-Petersburg.

[toomanysinks]

Ro, a direct-to-consumer online pharmacy, reaches $500M valuation

Venture capitalists have valued direct-to-consumer telehealth business Ro at $500 million with an $85 million Series B financing, sources confirm to TechCrunch.

The fresh round of funding comes seven months after Ro — widely known for its men’s health brand Roman, a cloud pharmacy for erectile dysfunction — made headlines with an $88 million Series A. 

Ro didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The company’s outsized Series A, led by FirstMark Capital, was used to launch and scale its second digital health brand, “Zero,” a treatment plan meant to help men and women quit smoking. Zero sells a $129 kit complete with a month’s worth of prescription cessation medication Bupropion, nicotine gum and access to an app used to track progress.

Its latest infusion of capital will likely be used in part to support its third personalized health brand, Rory, a purveyor of women’s health products the business unveiled last month. Targeting menopausal women, Rory offers six products treating four conditions — including prescription medication and supplements for hot flashes, over-the-counter treatments for insomnia, prescription vaginal estrogen cream and an all-natural water-based lubricant for vaginal dryness and Latisse, which helps grow eyelashes — which are available for purchase and direct-to-consumer delivery.

“Right now, we have [millions] of women experiencing menopause,” Rory co-founder Rachel Blank told TechCrunch last month. “They are walking around and frankly, their vagina hurts and they are uncomfortable. Really, what we are building at Rory is a lot of the educational content around this to let women know they have choices and they can take control during this phase of life where they feel like their bodies are rebelling against them.”

When asked whether Ro was fundraising to bolster the new effort, Blank, a former investor at Ro-backer General Catalyst, declined to comment. Curiously, a source with knowledge of Ro’s fundraising said there was no mention of the imminent launch of its women’s brand, Rory, in its pitch to VCs earlier this year.

Ro was started by a trio of entrepreneurs: Rob Schutz, Saman Rahmanian and chief executive officer Zachariah Reitano in 2017. Reitano had previously co-founded a Y Combinator -backed startup called Shout, Rahmanian is a co-founder of the WeWork-acquired business Managed by Q, and Schutz worked as the vice president of growth for Bark&Co before building Ro.

The startup initially launched under the name Roman, which became its flagship brand when the business adopted the umbrella name Ro last year. Roman offers men a $15 online doctor’s consultation, which, if they are an appropriate candidate, gives them access to an instant prescription for Viagra, Cialis or generic drugs that can be filled at Roman’s in-house cloud pharmacy.

In a 2017 interview with TechCrunch’s Josh Constine, Reitano said he began experiencing ED at 17-years-old: “I think in a good way I’ve become numb to the embarrassment,” he said. “I remember the embarrassment of having the condition with no solution, and that’s much worse than sharing the fact that I had it and was able to fix it myself.”

Ro has previously raised $91.1 million in venture capital funding, hitting a valuation of $154 million with its Series A, according to PitchBook. Its investors include Initialized Capital, Box Group and Slow Ventures, as well as angels like Y Combinator partner Aaron Harris, Benchmark’s Scott Belsky and the chief executives of Casper, Code Academy and Pill Pack.

Founded just two years ago, Ro was amongst the first of a new cohort of men’s health businesses supported by VCs. Hims, one of the leading brands in the space, has similarly landed big rounds of capital from top-tier investors. Most recently, Hims brought in $100 million at a $1 billion valuation from an undisclosed growth-stage fund.

Several other companies, including Numan, Manual and Thirty Madison, have raised capital to support men with hair loss treatments and ED medications delivered to discreetly their doorsteps, among other products.

Erectile pharmacy app Ro launches telehealth service for women

source https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/15/ro-a-direct-to-consumer-online-pharmacy-reaches-500m-valuation/

[fmservers]

Ro, a direct-to-consumer online pharmacy, reaches $500M valuation

Venture capitalists have valued direct-to-consumer telehealth business Ro at $500 million with an $85 million Series B financing, sources confirm to TechCrunch.

The fresh round of funding comes seven months after Ro — widely known for its men’s health brand Roman, a cloud pharmacy for erectile dysfunction — made headlines with an $88 million Series A. 

Ro didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The company’s outsized Series A, led by FirstMark Capital, was used to launch and scale its second digital health brand, “Zero,” a treatment plan meant to help men and women quit smoking. Zero sells a $129 kit complete with a month’s worth of prescription cessation medication Bupropion, nicotine gum and access to an app used to track progress.

Its latest infusion of capital will likely be used in part to support its third personalized health brand, Rory, a purveyor of women’s health products the business unveiled last month. Targeting menopausal women, Rory offers six products treating four conditions — including prescription medication and supplements for hot flashes, over-the-counter treatments for insomnia, prescription vaginal estrogen cream and an all-natural water-based lubricant for vaginal dryness and Latisse, which helps grow eyelashes — which are available for purchase and direct-to-consumer delivery.

“Right now, we have [millions] of women experiencing menopause,” Rory co-founder Rachel Blank told TechCrunch last month. “They are walking around and frankly, their vagina hurts and they are uncomfortable. Really, what we are building at Rory is a lot of the educational content around this to let women know they have choices and they can take control during this phase of life where they feel like their bodies are rebelling against them.”

When asked whether Ro was fundraising to bolster the new effort, Blank, a former investor at Ro-backer General Catalyst, declined to comment. Curiously, a source with knowledge of Ro’s fundraising said there was no mention of the imminent launch of its women’s brand, Rory, in its pitch to VCs earlier this year.

Ro was started by a trio of entrepreneurs: Rob Schutz, Saman Rahmanian and chief executive officer Zachariah Reitano in 2017. Reitano had previously co-founded a Y Combinator -backed startup called Shout, Rahmanian is a co-founder of the WeWork-acquired business Managed by Q, and Schutz worked as the vice president of growth for Bark&Co before building Ro.

The startup initially launched under the name Roman, which became its flagship brand when the business adopted the umbrella name Ro last year. Roman offers men a $15 online doctor’s consultation, which, if they are an appropriate candidate, gives them access to an instant prescription for Viagra, Cialis or generic drugs that can be filled at Roman’s in-house cloud pharmacy.

In a 2017 interview with TechCrunch’s Josh Constine, Reitano said he began experiencing ED at 17-years-old: “I think in a good way I’ve become numb to the embarrassment,” he said. “I remember the embarrassment of having the condition with no solution, and that’s much worse than sharing the fact that I had it and was able to fix it myself.”

Ro has previously raised $91.1 million in venture capital funding, hitting a valuation of $154 million with its Series A, according to PitchBook. Its investors include Initialized Capital, Box Group and Slow Ventures, as well as angels like Y Combinator partner Aaron Harris, Benchmark’s Scott Belsky and the chief executives of Casper, Code Academy and Pill Pack.

Founded just two years ago, Ro was amongst the first of a new cohort of men’s health businesses supported by VCs. Hims, one of the leading brands in the space, has similarly landed big rounds of capital from top-tier investors. Most recently, Hims brought in $100 million at a $1 billion valuation from an undisclosed growth-stage fund.

Several other companies, including Numan, Manual and Thirty Madison, have raised capital to support men with hair loss treatments and ED medications delivered to discreetly their doorsteps, among other products.

Erectile pharmacy app Ro launches telehealth service for women

Via Kate Clark https://techcrunch.com

[megarealitycheck]

The jews who infest Yahoo boards have no moral high ground with regard to pedophilia. Rabbi Yosef Kolko was a confessed sexual abuser, who taught youngsters at a Lakewood, N.J., yeshiva. Rabbi Belsky accused the parents of the victim of going to the police, and wrote that one who does so is guilty of being a moser, the rabbinic term for a J e w who informs on another J e w.

"One of Judaism’s very greatest rabbis and a creator of Kabbalah, sanctioned pedophilia—permitting molestation of baby girls even younger than three. He proclaimed, “A proselyte who is under the age of three years and a day is permitted to marry a priest.” 1. Subsequent rabbis refer to Simeon bar Yochai’s endorsement of pedophilia as "halakah," or binding Jewish law. 2. Has ben Yohai, child rape advocate, been disowned by modern J e w s? Hardly. Today, in ben Yohai’s home town of Meron, Israel, tens of thousands of orthodox and ultra-orthodox J e w s gather annually for days and nights of singing and dancing in his memory.(Some of his views were seemingly very hostile towards gentiles. The Jewish Encyclopedia of 1906 describes him as the preeminent anti-gentile teacher.[15] Simeon bar Yochai is often quoted by antisemites in his saying "Best of gentiles kill it, best of snakes cut its head, the most pious of women is prone to sorcery."[16] This hostility to Romans is repeated in one of his maxims: "If you see a Persian horse tied in Israel, then hope for the arrival of the Messiah."[17] Because of the extreme animosity in Bar Yochai's quote, some later versions of his writings were altered to replace "the best of gentiles" with "the best of Egyptians".[15]) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simeon_bar_Yochai#Works_and_legends

Earlier this year, Nechemya Weberman, a member of the Hasidic Satmar community in New York, was sentenced to 103 years in prison for sexually abusing a young girl over the course of three years, beginning when she was 12. ...Four men were arrested on charges of witness intimidation, after allegedly offering the girl, who later testified against Weberman, half a million dollars to drop the case and suggesting that she move to Israel. To some, the girl was a moser, a rabbinic term for a Jew who informs on another Jew.

Canada: Jewish leader jailed for child pornography Former B’nai Brith director Bill Surkis found in possession of 21 pornographic videos featuring prepubescent girls in 2008; to spend 45 days in prison as result of plea bargain deal -FROM Ynet News, 11/02/10

"While there is plenty of discussion in press releases and on Orthodox discussion boards about Open Orthodoxy, there’s little if any about the many crooks and pedophiles who have been discovered within the Orthodox Rabbinate." -The Algemeiner 2/6/2014

'Chabad Rabbis Covered Up Child Sex Abuse, Alleged Pedophile Claims' Rabbi Pinchus Feldman 2A man under police investigation for allegedly sexually abusing boys at a Sydney, Australia Jewish school has said senior rabbis knew of his actions but failed to report them to authorities. -FailedMessiah 2/19/2013

'Tape Allegedly Records Notorious Haredi Pedophile Rabbi Baruch Lebovits Admitting Guilt' A secretly recorded audiotape made under the supervision of NYPD Detective Steve Litwin in September 2008 recorded a conversation between the notorious alleged haredi pedophile Rabbi Baruch Lebovits and one of his alleged victims. On that tape, Lebovits appears to admit the abuse, The Jewish Week reported this afternoon. -Failed Messiah 10/31/13

A former Sydney, Australia Chabad rabbi, Baruch Lesches, had absolved himself of responsibility for a sex abuse scandal at his yeshiva. He operated under the theory that the abused boys had consented to the abuse. The Australian Orthodox Jewish community has been riven by a number of such scandals -Richard Silverstein (Tikun Olam) 6/25/2013

Rabbi Barry Freundel, was charged with secretly videotaping women preparing to use a ritual bath. Freundel, a national Orthodox leader whose arrest made global news, hasn’t said anything since except to enter a guilty plea in February. (Freundel was a leader in the regional (Washington, DC) and national Orthodox rabbinical groups, taught at several local universities and was head of the region’s Orthodox conversion court.

'Abuse Scandal Plagues Hasidic Jews In Brooklyn' Joel Engelman and Joe Diangelo, Both men are in their 20s, both were raised as strict Hasidic Jews. Twenty-one years ago, when he was 7, Diangelo recalls going to the mikvah with his father to find the place packed with naked men and boys. "And I was in the tub, and I had my back turned, and somebody raped me while I was in the water," he says. Diangelo and Engelman are unusual because they let their names be used. But they believe that sexual abuse is woven throughout this Hasidic community. -NPR 2/2/2009

Boca Raton Synagogue Demands Answers on Accused Yeshiva University Pedophile Richard Andron What Did Rabbis Know and When Did They Know It? Efrem Goldberg, senior rabbi of Boca Raton Synagogue, did not respond to several requests for comment. -The Jewish Daily Forward 7/18/2013

Six Hasidic teachers in Tel Aviv charged with sadistic abuse of little boys for 12 years . One charged with continual sodomy and sexual abuse; 22 victims were ages three to 10.

Hasidic principal caught on video allegedly sexually abusing a boy Israel becoming a 'refuge for pedophiles,' warns advocate for child sex abuse victims Ultra-Orthodox Jews take to Facebook to combat sex crimes . [Rabbi] Rosenfeld is additionally accused of abusing animals in front of the boys, once allegedly abusing a cat and ultimately killing it in front of them after the cat entered his classroom. He is further charged with abusing his son and threatening his wife.

Six teachers at a school of the Belz Hasidic community in Tel Aviv were indicted Tuesday for sadistically abusing 22 preschool and elementary school boys over the course of more than a decade, with one teacher being charged with sexually abusing them. The indictment, filed in Tel Aviv District Court, accuses one teacher, Avraham Rosenfeld, of numerous acts of sodomy against the boys, indecent acts, extortion and threatening pupils. The five other teachers are charged with various acts of violent abuse and assault on the pupils for a decade or more. The indictment is based on complaints from 22 of their former pupils over the years 2000 to 2011. The defendants, ages 40 to 60, worked as teachers and homeroom teachers for many boys aged three to 10 in the Talmud Torah Mahzikei Hadat elementary school and preschool of the Belz Hasidic community.

Rabbi Nuchem Rosenberg—who is 63 with a long, graying beard—recently sat down with me to explain what he described as a “child-rape assembly line” among sects of fundamentalist Jews. He cleared his throat. “I’m going to be graphic,” he said. On a visit to Jerusalem in 2005, Rabbi Rosenberg entered into a mikvah in one of the holiest neighborhoods in the city, Mea She’arim. “I opened a door that entered into a schvitz,” he told me. “Vapors everywhere, I can barely see. My eyes adjust, and I see an old man, my age, long white beard, a holy-looking man, sitting in the vapors. On his lap, facing away from him, is a boy, maybe seven years old. And the old man is having anal sex with this boy.”

I confronted him. He removed the boy from his penis, and I took the boy aside. I told this man, ‘It’s a sin before God, a mishkovzucher. What are you doing to this boy’s soul? You’re destroying this boy!’ He had a sponge on a stick to clean his back, and he hit me across the face with it. ‘How dare you interrupt me!’ he said. I had heard of these things for a long time, but now I had seen.”

[viralleakszone-blog]

Roman is a cloud pharmacy for erectile dysfunction

http://www.viralleakszone.com/roman-is-a-cloud-pharmacy-for-erectile-dysfunction/

Roman is a cloud pharmacy for erectile dysfunction

When I was 17, I experienced erectile dysfunction.” My interviews with startup founders rarely start so candidly. But to destigmatize the business of his new company, Roman, and empathize with customers, Zachariah Reitano is getting vulnerable. “I think in a good way I’ve become numb to the embarrassment,” says 26-year-old Reitano “I think in a good way I’ve become numb to the embarrassment,” says 26-year-old Reitano. “I remember the embarrassment of having the condition with no solution, and that’s much worse than sharing the fact that I had it and was able to fix it myself.” Roman launches today in California, New York, Florida and Pennsylvania.

It’s the result of Reitano’s quest, a full-stack reimagining of the prescription process for men with issues maintaining an erection. Patients fill out the medical history as part of Roman’s dynamic online visit that responds with follow-ups to their questions and concerns. The info is securely transmitted to a doctor for review, and if they’re a safe and appropriate candidate for erectile dysfunction (ED) medication, they can instantly get a prescription written for Viagra, Cialis or generic drugs.

That prescription can be filled anywhere, or at Roman’s in-house cloud pharmacy that packs the pills by dose so they’re more mobile than those orange medicine bottles and you only take the right amount. Roman costs $15 for the online doctor’s review, with the pills competitively priced. It earns margins through volume and by ditching the retail pharmacy overhead. The speed and ease of the system could deter men from buying often-fake pills online.

Roman co-founders (from left): Rob Schutz, Saman Rahmanian and Zachariah Reitano

Roman is funded by a $3.1 million round led by General Catalyst that also includes Initialized, Box Group and Slow Ventures, as well as angels like Y Combinator partner Aaron Harris, Benchmark’s Scott Belsky and the CEOs of Casper, Code Academy and Pill Pack. With only 30 percent of men who have ED getting treatment, and 80 percent of Viagra bought online being counterfeit, these investors see how Roman could dramatically improve men’s health experience.

From patient to e-pharmacist

Reitano’s first signs of ED at age 17 set off warning bells in his dad, a sexual health doctor. The founder says, “It’s like a men’s check engine light. ED is often a symptom of far more serious underlying conditions because [having an erection] requires many systems to work in harmony, including circulation and hormones.”

His dad knew this, and brought him in for a stress test at the doctor. While on the treadmill, Reitano’s heart stopped and he collapsed. After heart surgery, he was prescribed medication, which had a side effect of ED. Reitano kept this private, and over the years his heart healed and he was able to go off the medication. Eventually he began his first serious romantic relationship. But this February some of his heart conditions returned while working as an Entrepreneur-In-Residence at Prehype.

“I was prescribed the same medication as after my initial heart procedure,” Reitano glumly recalls. “It was one of those scenes in the movies where the doctor says something and you blur out everything else. I had a partner for three years and I knew this was going to affect my relationship with her.”

Roman co-founder Zachariah Reitano

That’s when he realized the ED patient experience was so broken. It can take a month to get a doctor’s appointment, you have to travel there and have awkward conversations with receptionists and doctors, and then deal with a pharmacy once prescribed medication. Avoiding all this leads men to buy Viagra without a prescription from sketchy unregulated online pharmacies, where pills are often adulterated with floor wax, paint and printer ink.

Roman’s app for doctor consultation

So with his co-founders Saman Rahmanian, a co-founder of office management startup Managed By Q, and Rob Schutz, VP of growth for BarkBox-maker Bark & Co, Reitano. started Roman.

No shame

Twenty percent of people in their 20s experience ED, 30 percent of those in their 30s and 40 percent of those in their 40s. Reitano says his goal is to “educate the public about ED, that’s it’s less about sex and more about a person’s general health.”

Potential patients can check out Roman risk-free, as they’re refunded if they’re not eligible for medication or have too complicated of a case for telemedicine. Roman now employs 20 doctors who keep the consultation fees but pay Roman a monthly subscription to work with its customers, who can request follow-up phone or video calls. Roman’s intake forms eliminate much of what doctors waste time doing during in-person visits. Its automation systems flag issues while streamlining obvious approvals or rejections so docs can focus on more complex cases.

What’s inside a Roman pack

Patients are typically prescribed four to 10 doses per month, which can range in price from $2 to $65 per dose depending if they buy brand name or generic. But to combat abuse, Roman won’t send someone more than 10 doses per month.

Now with Roman’s patient, physician and pharmacy apps ready for use, it’s not the code but the code of conduct that Reitano agonizes over. When asked what keeps him up at night, he told me, “The first part of the Hippocratic Oath: do no harm.” Reitano says that before, if an app he made didn’t work, “the worst thing that happens is no one uses it.” The stakes are higher building a health company. But he’s confident that “we can build a platform where [doctors] make fewer mistakes than in person,” because Roman’s systems are double-checking for medication interactions and other issues.

Roman will have to compete with the status quo of silent suffering, laborious doctor’s visits, dangerous online pharmacies and other startups as it gets going. One site, Lemonaid Health, serves ED prescriptions too, but it also handles birth control, flu, STDs, acne and hair loss. Reitano stresses Roman’s focus on ED ensures patients work with expert doctors who can answer all their questions.

Now Reitano is Roman‘s first customer. As for him and his girlfriend, he tells me, “We’ve overcome the challenge together. We’re both on board about sharing our experience. If my coming out makes it easier for someone without treatment to get treatment, my embarrassment pales in comparison.”

And while men might be scared to broach such a sensitive subject with their partners, Reitano happily concludes that, “When you trust someone with something that personal, I think they are complimented by it, and she has reciprocated that trust. I think it has opened up our relationship even more.”

[amtushinfosolutionspage]

DGB NHL Season Preview: The Question Marks, Contenders, and Playoff Picks

Yesterday, we covered half the league with a look at the bottom-feeders and the middle-of-the-pack. Today, we wrap up the season preview with a look at the very best teams the league has to offer, plus a full set of predictions and a Cup winner. Spoiler alert: It’s a little anti-climactic.

But first, let’s work on our exasperated shrugs as we tackle the league’s misfits and question marks.

The Your-Guess-Is-As-Good-As-Mine Division

This is always my favorite division, for two reasons. First, by definition I can’t actually be wrong about any of the teams here. And second, it’s fun to watch fans read through the first half of the preview, not see their team listed, and get all excited about them being considered contenders. Not so fast…

Buffalo Sabres

Last season: 33-37-12, 78 points, last in the Atlantic, missed playoffs

Offseason report: They fired the coach and GM. As far as the roster, the emphasis was on the blueline, which looks better with Marco Scandella and Nathan Beaulieu added.

Outlook: This year feels like a crucial one, where you’d want to see big progress to justify all the misery that came before. There’s enough young talent here that you could certainly imagine it all coming together. Sounds encouraging, right? The problem is I cut-and-pasted those two sentences from last year’s preview, and then the team went backwards. It can’t happen again… can it?

In the spotlight: Jack Eichel, and not just because he’s the team’s best player. Fair or not, Eichel was viewed as having a hand in those firings, and some Sabres fans joke that he’s become the team’s de facto GM. And he still needs an extension. It’s fair to say there’s a lot riding on this year.

Oddly specific prediction: I really want to find a way to get them higher than sixth in the Atlantic. I’m not sure I can. I cut-and-pasted that part, too.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Last season: 50-24-8, 108 points, third in the Metro, out in the first round

Offseason report: Other than that Brandon Saad/Artemi Panarin deal and dumping David Clarkson’s contract on the Knights, nothing big.

Outlook: A year ago, everyone had them pegged for last in the Metro and John Tortorella was going to be the first coach fired. Then they won 50 games. Was it a fluke? Not necessarily, but it’s fair to say that the hockey world wants to see it again before they’re convinced.

In the spotlight: Zach Werenski. Other than goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, nobody was a bigger piece of last year’s rise than the rookie blueliner. He’s on track for full-blown stardom, but he also just turned 20 and some guys struggle in their second season. The Jackets may not be able to afford that.

Oddly specific prediction: They break through with the most successful playoff run in franchise history. Which is to say they lose in the first round in seven games.

Los Angeles Kings

Last season: 39-35-8, 86 points, fifth in Pacific, missed playoffs

Offseason report: They fired Dean Lombardi and Darryl Sutter, essentially hitting reset on their Stanley Cup era.

Outlook: Those two Cups feel like they were a long time ago, as the Kings have won just a single playoff game since 2014. They’re still a good team on paper, and some new voices could spark a temporary return to the league’s elite. But this is basically the same roster as last year, just older, and you have to figure that big changes are coming sooner or later.

In the spotlight: Drew Doughty. If the Kings can rebound, Doughty will be a big reason why. If they can’t, expect his contract status—he’ll be a UFA in 2019—to start to loom large. Especially if he keeps saying stuff like this.

Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Oddly specific prediction: They hang tough early, but the wheels come off by mid-November and they finish sixth in the Pacific.

Florida Panthers

Last season: 35-36-11, 81 points, sixth in the Atlantic, missed playoffs

Offseason report: They confused everyone at the expansion draft, said goodbye to Jaromir Jagr, hired a new coach, and basically tried as hard as they could to hit CTRL-Z on everything they did a year ago.

Outlook: They were really bad last season, and on paper they just got even worse. But last year felt like a worst-case scenario, and they still have one of the better young rosters in the league. There may not be a team in the league with a wider range of realistic outcomes heading into this season.

In the spotlight: Aleksander Barkov. He was the team’s second leading scorer last year, trailing only [squints at scoresheet] Vincent Trocheck. Barkov has always been an excellent two-way player, but has yet to crack 60 points. With three of the other top six scorers shipped out for essentially no return, the Panthers will need him to be an offensive force.

Oddly specific prediction: Jonathan Huberdeau stays healthy and has his breakout year, leading the team in scoring.

Washington Capitals

Last season: 55-19-8, 118 points, won the Presidents’ Trophy, then remembered they were the Capitals

Offseason report: They didn’t blow it all up, despite rumors they were considering it. But they certainly didn’t get any better, losing Justin Williams, Nate Schmidt, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Karl Alzner.

Outlook: Yet another loss to the Penguins seems to be the one that finally broke the Capitals—the players, the front office, the fans, everyone. With this year’s team featuring the same core but less depth, it sure seems like there’s only one direction to go. Then again, maybe that’s the key. Maybe the Caps are the team that can’t handle the pressure of being the favorite, but get dangerous once they’re written off. We’ll find out, because man, these guys have been written off so hard the pencil tore through the paper and carved “CAPS SUCK” into the table underneath.

In the spotlight: Barry Trotz. They’re totally going to fire him if they start slow, aren’t they?

Oddly specific prediction: The Capitals make the playoffs, face the Penguins, and beat them. I don’t remotely believe that, I just wanted Washington fans to remember what happiness felt like for a moment.

Winnipeg Jets

Last season: 40-35-7, 87 points, fifth in the Central, missed playoffs

Offseason report: They signed Steve Mason and Dmitry Kulikov to UFA deals. Then they gave the coach and GM extensions, since organizational stability is crucial when you’ve got zero playoffs wins in six years.

Outlook: The roster is (mostly) young and (mostly) very good. It has to click eventually, you’d think. And yet here we are, once again, talking about this finally being the season the Jets break through and actually do something. We’ve been down this road for years, and it just never seems to happen. Meanwhile, other Central teams are making aggressive trades, firing people, and finishing ten points ahead of Winnipeg year after year.

Photo by Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

In the spotlight: Mark Scheifele. The best forward whose name you still have to look up to spell correctly every single time broke through in 2015-16, then did it again last year. Was that his peak? He’s 24, so maybe not.

Oddly specific prediction: Connor Hellebuyck wins the starting job, Patrik Laine scores 50, and the Jets make the playoffs. What the hell, I’ll be right one of these years.

Nashville Predators

Last season: 41-29-12, 94 points, fourth in the Central, lost in the final

Offseason report: They lost their captain, Mike Fisher, to retirement, and saw James Neal head to Vegas. They also signed Nick Bonino away from the Penguins.

Outlook: The Predators’ playoff run was so much fun that it’s easy to forget that this team finished last year with the same point total as the Islanders. They have the talent to make another push for a title, but the margin for error isn’t as big as you might assume. And the recent history of Cup final losers isn’t pretty.

In the spotlight: Roman Josi. He’s the new captain, and with Ryan Ellis out for a few months, he’ll have to be at his best. There’s been some debate in recent years as to whether Josi is one of the league’s most underrated players, or sneakily overrated. We’ll get some clarity this year.

Oddly specific prediction: The team struggles to score early on. In an unrelated story, Matt Duchene is starting every interview by mentioning how much he loves country music.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Last season: 40-27-15, 95 points, second Eastern wildcard, out in the first round

Offseason report: They signed Patrick Marleau to a three-year deal that would raise serious salary cap questions if this were the sort of team that worried about the rules.

Outlook: You know when your phone is completely dead and you figure it will take a while to charge back up but then you plug it in and suddenly it’s at like 78% right away and on the one hand you think “Oh awesome that was fast” but on the other hand you’re like “That’s not supposed to happen, I think something might be wrong here.” That’s how longtime Maple Leaf fans feel about the rebuild.

Photo by Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

In the spotlight: Jake Gardiner. The Leafs are stacked with young talent up front and seem adequate in goal, but still don’t have that No. 1 stud defenseman. Or do they? Fans have been hoping that Morgan Rielly would grow into the role, but the oft-maligned Gardiner might be closer.

Oddly specific prediction: With everyone in the world seemingly convinced the Leafs are either headed directly for a championship or about to collapse, they annoy everyone by finishing with the exact same 95 points they had last year.

The Contenders Division

If your favorite team hasn’t shown up yet, that can only mean one thing: They made the cut for the final group, the one featuring the teams with the best shot at the Stanley Cup. Well, that or I forgot about them and left them off the list completely. Crap, I probably should have double-checked this thing.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Last season: 50-21-11, 111 points, second in the Metro and overall, won the Stanley Cup for the second straight year

Photo by Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Offseason report: They kept the core intact, but the depth took a major hit with several departures. That includes longtime fan favorite Marc-Andre Fleury, who’s now a Golden Knight.

Outlook: There hasn’t been a three-peat in the NHL since the Al Arbour Islanders—even the Gretzky/Messier Oilers and Lemieux/Jagr Penguins never won three straight—so doing it in the cap era would seem like a borderline miracle. Still, the Penguins are already two wins deep, and they come into this year looking like the favorites. The depth is a big concern, though.

In the spotlight: Kris Letang. He’s back healthy, and with him in the lineup the Penguins can make a reasonable case that their opening night lineup is better than the one they won the Cup with. Obviously, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are the keys, but Letang playing a full season for the first time since 2010-11 would be enormous.

Oddly specific prediction: Jake Guentzel goes five rounds too early in your office hockey pool.

Chicago Blackhawks

Last season: 50-23-9, 109 points, first in the Central, swept in the opening round

Offseason report: They swapped Panarin for Saad, dumped Niklas Hjalmarsson’s contract on the Coyotes, and lost Marian Hossa to a rare skin disorder.

Outlook: Between age, the salary cap, and some questionable roster moves, you can see the cracks starting to form. The question is: When things finally start to crumble, how fast does it all come down?

In the spotlight: Brent Seabrook. The Toews/Kane/Keith core is locked in forever, and Hawks fans are fine with that. But Seabrook’s deal is tougher to defend, especially given his recent play. A return to form would be nice, but that’s asking a lot from a 32-year-old with plenty of miles on him.

Oddly specific prediction: The Hawks hold off the inevitable for another year, cracking 100 points yet again.

Anaheim Ducks

Last season: 46-23-13, 105 points, first in the Pacific, lost in the conference final

Offseason report: The lost Shea Theodore to the Knights, which will hurt someday but is manageable now. They also added Ryan Miller on a cheap deal, and brought back deadline rental Patrick Eaves.

Outlook: The Ducks were a trendy pick to regress last year after replacing Bruce Boudreau with Randy Carlyle, but they had another strong season. The cap is jammed and the core is getting old, so the window is closing here. But for now, they look like contenders.

In the spotlight: Corey Perry. After scoring 110 goals over three years, the former MVP and Rocket Richard winner plummeted to just 19 last year. Even the best have off-years, and the Ducks better hope that’s what this was, because Perry is 32 and makes big bucks for the next four years.

Photo by Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Oddly specific prediction: Hampus Lindholm has a breakout year, infuriating the analytics guys who insist he’s already had several.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Last season: 42-30-10, 94 points, fifth in the Atlantic, missed playoffs

Offseason report: They finally traded Jonathan Drouin, re-signed several guys, and added veterans Chris Kunitz and Dan Girardi.

Outlook: It’s rare for a team that missed the playoffs one year to head into the next as a consensus Cup favorite. Then again, it’s rare for a team this good to miss the playoffs at all. On paper, the Lightning are as good as anyone out there, and with a healthy Steven Stamkos they’re already better than last year’s edition. Last year was about as bad as it could possibly get for this group, and they still only missed the playoffs by one point.

In the spotlight: Steve Yzerman. I know, I know, he’s everyone’s pick as the best GM in the league right now. But last year, he misplayed his Ben Bishop hand, made the call to sell at the deadline, and then lost out on the final wildcard spot by a single point to one of the teams he sold to. He had to do some of that to clear up cap space, sure. But then he used that cap space on Girardi, who even the most loyal Ranger fans had soured on. Are we completely sure he’s playing 3D chess here? OK, just making sure.

Oddly specific prediction: Victor Hedman finally wins the Norris Trophy.

Dallas Stars

Last season: 34-37-11, 79 points, sixth in Central, missed the playoffs

Offseason report: They loaded up, adding Bishop, Alexander Radulov, Martin Hanzal, and Marc Methot. They also brought Ken Hitchcock back as coach.

Outlook: Wait, a 79-point team in the contenders section? Welcome to the parity era. But no team was a bigger disappointment last season, and no team did more to bring in reinforcements over the summer, so all signs point to a big rebound season in Dallas. The blueline remains a question mark, but there’s so much firepower up front that they can cover for some of that.

In the spotlight: Bishop. Goaltending has killed the Stars for years, and GM Jim Nill finally went out and got the guy we all assumed he’d wind up with all along. But is it already too late? Bishop wasn’t great last year, and he’s a big guy on the wrong side of 30. If he slumps or gets hurt, look out.

Oddly specific prediction: The Benn-Seguin-Radulov line is the league’s most entertaining until Hitchcock decides they’re taking too many chances and breaks them up in the third period of the season opener.

Montreal Canadiens

Last season: 47-26-9, 103 points, first in the Atlantic, out in round one

Offseason report: Radulov left and Andrei Markov retired, but they added Drouin, Alzner, and Ales Hemsky. Most importantly, they got Carey Price locked in on a long-term extension.

Outlook: While the roster underwent some changes, when it all shakes out this year’s Canadiens look a lot like last year’s. Which is to say, they’re good enough to make the playoffs and maybe even win the division, but it’s hard to see a path to the Stanley Cup that doesn’t involve Price stealing a few series along the way. Which he might.

Photo by Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

In the spotlight: Alex Galchenyuk. Despite all the changes over the summer, GM Marc Bergevin never did find the surefire first-line center everyone in Montreal wants him to get. Maybe that ends up being Drouin. Maybe they try Galchenyuk again someday. Or maybe we all just keep talking about this forever. After five years in the NHL, the team still doesn’t seem quite sure what it has in this kid.

Oddly specific prediction: Drouin hits the 60-point mark for the first time. It’s not enough for Montreal.

Minnesota Wild

Last season: 49-25-8, 106 points, second in the Central, out in round one

Offseason report: They swung a deal with the Sabres for Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno, signed Matt Cullen, and extended captain Mikko Koivu.

Outlook: Does it feel like we’re stretching the whole “contender” thing here? It kind of does. The Wild are usually good, usually make the playoffs, and usually exit pretty quickly. Last year’s team was quite possibly their best ever, so there’s something to build on here, and the Central seems kind of wide open. Could they win it all? Sure, I guess.

In the spotlight: Zach Parise. Remember him? Last year he had 42 points to rank eighth on the team. He’s 33, and still signed for another eight years. Those 2020 lockout compliance buyouts can’t come fast enough in Minnesota.

Oddly specific prediction: Parise scores 30 goals and makes me eat that last paragraph.

Edmonton Oilers

Last season: 47-26-9, 103 points, second in Pacific, out in round two

Offseason report: They gave Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl all the money. Oh, and they traded Jordan Eberle to help pay for it.

Outlook: With a generational franchise player and some momentum from last year, the Oilers seem destined to win a Cup in the very near future. But is this year too soon?

Photo by Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

In the spotlight: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Obviously McDavid is the big name here, and Draisaitl will be analyzed to death due to his new deal. But Nugent-Hopkins has become a bit of a forgotten man in Edmonton. This seems like the year when we figure out whether the former first overall pick can be a key supporting piece for a contender, or a salary cap albatross who has to be shipped out, Eberle-style.

Oddly specific prediction: McDavid becomes the league’s first 120-point player in a decade.

Predictions: I’ve got four new playoff teams; history tells us that’s two or three teams too few. Still, you have to give me credit for mixing it up a bit and not just sticking with the same-old same-old, right? Uh, feel free to skip the Cup pick.

Atlantic

1) Lightning* 2) Canadiens* 3) Maple Leafs* 4) Bruins 5) Senators 6) Sabres 7) Panthers 8) Red Wings

Metro

1) Penguins* 2) Capitals* 3) Blue Jackets* 4) Hurricanes* (wc) 5) Rangers* (wc) 6) Islanders 7) Flyers 8) Devils

Central

1) Wild* 2) Blackhawks* 3) Stars* 4) Predators* (wc) 5) Jets* (wc) 6) Blues 7) Avalanche

Pacific

1) Oilers* 2) Ducks* 3) Flames* 4) Sharks 5) Coyotes 6) Kings 7) Canucks 8) Knights

* = playoffs; (wc) = wildcard Eastern Conference final: Penguins over Lightning Western Conference final: Oilers over Stars Stanley Cup pick: Penguins over Oilers in five

Click here for more preview stories on the 2017-18 NHL season

DGB NHL Season Preview: The Question Marks, Contenders, and Playoff Picks syndicated from http://ift.tt/2ug2Ns6

[flauntpage]

DGB NHL Season Preview: The Question Marks, Contenders, and Playoff Picks

Yesterday, we covered half the league with a look at the bottom-feeders and the middle-of-the-pack. Today, we wrap up the season preview with a look at the very best teams the league has to offer, plus a full set of predictions and a Cup winner. Spoiler alert: It's a little anti-climactic.

But first, let's work on our exasperated shrugs as we tackle the league's misfits and question marks.

The Your-Guess-Is-As-Good-As-Mine Division

This is always my favorite division, for two reasons. First, by definition I can't actually be wrong about any of the teams here. And second, it's fun to watch fans read through the first half of the preview, not see their team listed, and get all excited about them being considered contenders. Not so fast...

Buffalo Sabres

Last season: 33-37-12, 78 points, last in the Atlantic, missed playoffs

Offseason report: They fired the coach and GM. As far as the roster, the emphasis was on the blueline, which looks better with Marco Scandella and Nathan Beaulieu added.

Outlook: This year feels like a crucial one, where you'd want to see big progress to justify all the misery that came before. There's enough young talent here that you could certainly imagine it all coming together. Sounds encouraging, right? The problem is I cut-and-pasted those two sentences from last year's preview, and then the team went backwards. It can't happen again... can it?

In the spotlight: Jack Eichel, and not just because he's the team's best player. Fair or not, Eichel was viewed as having a hand in those firings, and some Sabres fans joke that he's become the team's de facto GM. And he still needs an extension. It's fair to say there's a lot riding on this year.

Oddly specific prediction: I really want to find a way to get them higher than sixth in the Atlantic. I'm not sure I can. I cut-and-pasted that part, too.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Last season: 50-24-8, 108 points, third in the Metro, out in the first round

Offseason report: Other than that Brandon Saad/Artemi Panarin deal and dumping David Clarkson's contract on the Knights, nothing big.

Outlook: A year ago, everyone had them pegged for last in the Metro and John Tortorella was going to be the first coach fired. Then they won 50 games. Was it a fluke? Not necessarily, but it's fair to say that the hockey world wants to see it again before they're convinced.

In the spotlight: Zach Werenski. Other than goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, nobody was a bigger piece of last year's rise than the rookie blueliner. He's on track for full-blown stardom, but he also just turned 20 and some guys struggle in their second season. The Jackets may not be able to afford that.

Oddly specific prediction: They break through with the most successful playoff run in franchise history. Which is to say they lose in the first round in seven games.

Los Angeles Kings

Last season: 39-35-8, 86 points, fifth in Pacific, missed playoffs

Offseason report: They fired Dean Lombardi and Darryl Sutter, essentially hitting reset on their Stanley Cup era.

Outlook: Those two Cups feel like they were a long time ago, as the Kings have won just a single playoff game since 2014. They're still a good team on paper, and some new voices could spark a temporary return to the league's elite. But this is basically the same roster as last year, just older, and you have to figure that big changes are coming sooner or later.

In the spotlight: Drew Doughty. If the Kings can rebound, Doughty will be a big reason why. If they can't, expect his contract status—he'll be a UFA in 2019—to start to loom large. Especially if he keeps saying stuff like this.

Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Oddly specific prediction: They hang tough early, but the wheels come off by mid-November and they finish sixth in the Pacific.

Florida Panthers

Last season: 35-36-11, 81 points, sixth in the Atlantic, missed playoffs

Offseason report: They confused everyone at the expansion draft, said goodbye to Jaromir Jagr, hired a new coach, and basically tried as hard as they could to hit CTRL-Z on everything they did a year ago.

Outlook: They were really bad last season, and on paper they just got even worse. But last year felt like a worst-case scenario, and they still have one of the better young rosters in the league. There may not be a team in the league with a wider range of realistic outcomes heading into this season.

In the spotlight: Aleksander Barkov. He was the team's second leading scorer last year, trailing only [squints at scoresheet] Vincent Trocheck. Barkov has always been an excellent two-way player, but has yet to crack 60 points. With three of the other top six scorers shipped out for essentially no return, the Panthers will need him to be an offensive force.

Oddly specific prediction: Jonathan Huberdeau stays healthy and has his breakout year, leading the team in scoring.

Washington Capitals

Last season: 55-19-8, 118 points, won the Presidents' Trophy, then remembered they were the Capitals

Offseason report: They didn't blow it all up, despite rumors they were considering it. But they certainly didn't get any better, losing Justin Williams, Nate Schmidt, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Karl Alzner.

Outlook: Yet another loss to the Penguins seems to be the one that finally broke the Capitals—the players, the front office, the fans, everyone. With this year's team featuring the same core but less depth, it sure seems like there's only one direction to go. Then again, maybe that's the key. Maybe the Caps are the team that can't handle the pressure of being the favorite, but get dangerous once they're written off. We'll find out, because man, these guys have been written off so hard the pencil tore through the paper and carved "CAPS SUCK" into the table underneath.

In the spotlight: Barry Trotz. They're totally going to fire him if they start slow, aren't they?

Oddly specific prediction: The Capitals make the playoffs, face the Penguins, and beat them. I don't remotely believe that, I just wanted Washington fans to remember what happiness felt like for a moment.

Winnipeg Jets

Last season: 40-35-7, 87 points, fifth in the Central, missed playoffs

Offseason report: They signed Steve Mason and Dmitry Kulikov to UFA deals. Then they gave the coach and GM extensions, since organizational stability is crucial when you've got zero playoffs wins in six years.

Outlook: The roster is (mostly) young and (mostly) very good. It has to click eventually, you'd think. And yet here we are, once again, talking about this finally being the season the Jets break through and actually do something. We've been down this road for years, and it just never seems to happen. Meanwhile, other Central teams are making aggressive trades, firing people, and finishing ten points ahead of Winnipeg year after year.

Photo by Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

In the spotlight: Mark Scheifele. The best forward whose name you still have to look up to spell correctly every single time broke through in 2015-16, then did it again last year. Was that his peak? He's 24, so maybe not.

Oddly specific prediction: Connor Hellebuyck wins the starting job, Patrik Laine scores 50, and the Jets make the playoffs. What the hell, I'll be right one of these years.

Nashville Predators

Last season: 41-29-12, 94 points, fourth in the Central, lost in the final

Offseason report: They lost their captain, Mike Fisher, to retirement, and saw James Neal head to Vegas. They also signed Nick Bonino away from the Penguins.

Outlook: The Predators' playoff run was so much fun that it's easy to forget that this team finished last year with the same point total as the Islanders. They have the talent to make another push for a title, but the margin for error isn't as big as you might assume. And the recent history of Cup final losers isn't pretty.

In the spotlight: Roman Josi. He's the new captain, and with Ryan Ellis out for a few months, he'll have to be at his best. There's been some debate in recent years as to whether Josi is one of the league's most underrated players, or sneakily overrated. We'll get some clarity this year.

Oddly specific prediction: The team struggles to score early on. In an unrelated story, Matt Duchene is starting every interview by mentioning how much he loves country music.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Last season: 40-27-15, 95 points, second Eastern wildcard, out in the first round

Offseason report: They signed Patrick Marleau to a three-year deal that would raise serious salary cap questions if this were the sort of team that worried about the rules.

Outlook: You know when your phone is completely dead and you figure it will take a while to charge back up but then you plug it in and suddenly it's at like 78% right away and on the one hand you think "Oh awesome that was fast" but on the other hand you're like "That's not supposed to happen, I think something might be wrong here." That's how longtime Maple Leaf fans feel about the rebuild.

Photo by Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

In the spotlight: Jake Gardiner. The Leafs are stacked with young talent up front and seem adequate in goal, but still don't have that No. 1 stud defenseman. Or do they? Fans have been hoping that Morgan Rielly would grow into the role, but the oft-maligned Gardiner might be closer.

Oddly specific prediction: With everyone in the world seemingly convinced the Leafs are either headed directly for a championship or about to collapse, they annoy everyone by finishing with the exact same 95 points they had last year.

The Contenders Division

If your favorite team hasn't shown up yet, that can only mean one thing: They made the cut for the final group, the one featuring the teams with the best shot at the Stanley Cup. Well, that or I forgot about them and left them off the list completely. Crap, I probably should have double-checked this thing.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Last season: 50-21-11, 111 points, second in the Metro and overall, won the Stanley Cup for the second straight year

Photo by Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Offseason report: They kept the core intact, but the depth took a major hit with several departures. That includes longtime fan favorite Marc-Andre Fleury, who's now a Golden Knight.

Outlook: There hasn't been a three-peat in the NHL since the Al Arbour Islanders—even the Gretzky/Messier Oilers and Lemieux/Jagr Penguins never won three straight—so doing it in the cap era would seem like a borderline miracle. Still, the Penguins are already two wins deep, and they come into this year looking like the favorites. The depth is a big concern, though.

In the spotlight: Kris Letang. He's back healthy, and with him in the lineup the Penguins can make a reasonable case that their opening night lineup is better than the one they won the Cup with. Obviously, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are the keys, but Letang playing a full season for the first time since 2010-11 would be enormous.

Oddly specific prediction: Jake Guentzel goes five rounds too early in your office hockey pool.

Chicago Blackhawks

Last season: 50-23-9, 109 points, first in the Central, swept in the opening round

Offseason report: They swapped Panarin for Saad, dumped Niklas Hjalmarsson's contract on the Coyotes, and lost Marian Hossa to a rare skin disorder.

Outlook: Between age, the salary cap, and some questionable roster moves, you can see the cracks starting to form. The question is: When things finally start to crumble, how fast does it all come down?

In the spotlight: Brent Seabrook. The Toews/Kane/Keith core is locked in forever, and Hawks fans are fine with that. But Seabrook's deal is tougher to defend, especially given his recent play. A return to form would be nice, but that's asking a lot from a 32-year-old with plenty of miles on him.

Oddly specific prediction: The Hawks hold off the inevitable for another year, cracking 100 points yet again.

Anaheim Ducks

Last season: 46-23-13, 105 points, first in the Pacific, lost in the conference final

Offseason report: The lost Shea Theodore to the Knights, which will hurt someday but is manageable now. They also added Ryan Miller on a cheap deal, and brought back deadline rental Patrick Eaves.

Outlook: The Ducks were a trendy pick to regress last year after replacing Bruce Boudreau with Randy Carlyle, but they had another strong season. The cap is jammed and the core is getting old, so the window is closing here. But for now, they look like contenders.

In the spotlight: Corey Perry. After scoring 110 goals over three years, the former MVP and Rocket Richard winner plummeted to just 19 last year. Even the best have off-years, and the Ducks better hope that's what this was, because Perry is 32 and makes big bucks for the next four years.

Photo by Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Oddly specific prediction: Hampus Lindholm has a breakout year, infuriating the analytics guys who insist he's already had several.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Last season: 42-30-10, 94 points, fifth in the Atlantic, missed playoffs

Offseason report: They finally traded Jonathan Drouin, re-signed several guys, and added veterans Chris Kunitz and Dan Girardi.

Outlook: It's rare for a team that missed the playoffs one year to head into the next as a consensus Cup favorite. Then again, it's rare for a team this good to miss the playoffs at all. On paper, the Lightning are as good as anyone out there, and with a healthy Steven Stamkos they're already better than last year's edition. Last year was about as bad as it could possibly get for this group, and they still only missed the playoffs by one point.

In the spotlight: Steve Yzerman. I know, I know, he's everyone's pick as the best GM in the league right now. But last year, he misplayed his Ben Bishop hand, made the call to sell at the deadline, and then lost out on the final wildcard spot by a single point to one of the teams he sold to. He had to do some of that to clear up cap space, sure. But then he used that cap space on Girardi, who even the most loyal Ranger fans had soured on. Are we completely sure he's playing 3D chess here? OK, just making sure.

Oddly specific prediction: Victor Hedman finally wins the Norris Trophy.

Dallas Stars

Last season: 34-37-11, 79 points, sixth in Central, missed the playoffs

Offseason report: They loaded up, adding Bishop, Alexander Radulov, Martin Hanzal, and Marc Methot. They also brought Ken Hitchcock back as coach.

Outlook: Wait, a 79-point team in the contenders section? Welcome to the parity era. But no team was a bigger disappointment last season, and no team did more to bring in reinforcements over the summer, so all signs point to a big rebound season in Dallas. The blueline remains a question mark, but there's so much firepower up front that they can cover for some of that.

In the spotlight: Bishop. Goaltending has killed the Stars for years, and GM Jim Nill finally went out and got the guy we all assumed he'd wind up with all along. But is it already too late? Bishop wasn't great last year, and he's a big guy on the wrong side of 30. If he slumps or gets hurt, look out.

Oddly specific prediction: The Benn-Seguin-Radulov line is the league's most entertaining until Hitchcock decides they're taking too many chances and breaks them up in the third period of the season opener.

Montreal Canadiens

Last season: 47-26-9, 103 points, first in the Atlantic, out in round one

Offseason report: Radulov left and Andrei Markov retired, but they added Drouin, Alzner, and Ales Hemsky. Most importantly, they got Carey Price locked in on a long-term extension.

Outlook: While the roster underwent some changes, when it all shakes out this year's Canadiens look a lot like last year's. Which is to say, they're good enough to make the playoffs and maybe even win the division, but it's hard to see a path to the Stanley Cup that doesn't involve Price stealing a few series along the way. Which he might.

Photo by Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

In the spotlight: Alex Galchenyuk. Despite all the changes over the summer, GM Marc Bergevin never did find the surefire first-line center everyone in Montreal wants him to get. Maybe that ends up being Drouin. Maybe they try Galchenyuk again someday. Or maybe we all just keep talking about this forever. After five years in the NHL, the team still doesn't seem quite sure what it has in this kid.

Oddly specific prediction: Drouin hits the 60-point mark for the first time. It's not enough for Montreal.

Minnesota Wild

Last season: 49-25-8, 106 points, second in the Central, out in round one

Offseason report: They swung a deal with the Sabres for Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno, signed Matt Cullen, and extended captain Mikko Koivu.

Outlook: Does it feel like we're stretching the whole "contender" thing here? It kind of does. The Wild are usually good, usually make the playoffs, and usually exit pretty quickly. Last year's team was quite possibly their best ever, so there's something to build on here, and the Central seems kind of wide open. Could they win it all? Sure, I guess.

In the spotlight: Zach Parise. Remember him? Last year he had 42 points to rank eighth on the team. He's 33, and still signed for another eight years. Those 2020 lockout compliance buyouts can't come fast enough in Minnesota.

Oddly specific prediction: Parise scores 30 goals and makes me eat that last paragraph.

Edmonton Oilers

Last season: 47-26-9, 103 points, second in Pacific, out in round two

Offseason report: They gave Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl all the money. Oh, and they traded Jordan Eberle to help pay for it.

Outlook: With a generational franchise player and some momentum from last year, the Oilers seem destined to win a Cup in the very near future. But is this year too soon?

Photo by Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

In the spotlight: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Obviously McDavid is the big name here, and Draisaitl will be analyzed to death due to his new deal. But Nugent-Hopkins has become a bit of a forgotten man in Edmonton. This seems like the year when we figure out whether the former first overall pick can be a key supporting piece for a contender, or a salary cap albatross who has to be shipped out, Eberle-style.

Oddly specific prediction: McDavid becomes the league's first 120-point player in a decade.

Predictions: I've got four new playoff teams; history tells us that's two or three teams too few. Still, you have to give me credit for mixing it up a bit and not just sticking with the same-old same-old, right? Uh, feel free to skip the Cup pick.

Atlantic

1) Lightning* 2) Canadiens* 3) Maple Leafs* 4) Bruins 5) Senators 6) Sabres 7) Panthers 8) Red Wings

Metro

1) Penguins* 2) Capitals* 3) Blue Jackets* 4) Hurricanes* (wc) 5) Rangers* (wc) 6) Islanders 7) Flyers 8) Devils

Central

1) Wild* 2) Blackhawks* 3) Stars* 4) Predators* (wc) 5) Jets* (wc) 6) Blues 7) Avalanche

Pacific

1) Oilers* 2) Ducks* 3) Flames* 4) Sharks 5) Coyotes 6) Kings 7) Canucks 8) Knights

* = playoffs; (wc) = wildcard Eastern Conference final: Penguins over Lightning Western Conference final: Oilers over Stars Stanley Cup pick: Penguins over Oilers in five

Click here for more preview stories on the 2017-18 NHL season

DGB NHL Season Preview: The Question Marks, Contenders, and Playoff Picks published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

[un-enfant-immature]

Erectile pharmacy app Ro launches telehealth service for women

Six months ago, Roman, the cloud pharmacy for erectile dysfunction, dropped the ‘man’ to become ‘Ro.’ At the same time, the company raised a monstrous Series A funding round of $88 million and unveiled Zero, a product meant to help people quit smoking, a root cause of ED.

Now, Ro is addressing a different demographic. Today, it announces ‘Rory,’ a line of products for menopausal women. In total, Rory offers six products treating four conditions, with prices starting at $13 per month. Prescription medication and supplements for hot flashes, over-the-counter treatments for insomnia, prescription vaginal estrogen cream and an all-natural water-based lubricant for vaginal dryness, and Latisse, which helps grow eyelashes, are available for purchase and direct-to-consumer delivery.

All of these conditions, including hair loss and insomnia, can be associated with menopause, or the process, typically at midlife, in which a woman stops menstruating.

To use Rory, which launches in 47 states today, women must complete an online doctor’s visit before they can be prescribed a personalized treatment plan. Rory is also launching a Facebook group and an online community, called Roar, for menopausal women to provide support to one another and to discuss topics from sex positions that help with vaginal dryness to how to sleep better at night.

“We aren’t used to talking about issues like vaginal dryness,” Rory co-founder Rachel Blank told TechCrunch. “Right now, we have [millions] of women experiencing menopause. They are walking around and frankly, their vagina hurts and they are uncomfortable. Really, what we are building at Rory is a lot of the educational content around this to let women know they have choices and they can take control during this phase of life where they feel like their bodies are rebelling against them.”

Rory’s leadership team. From left to right: Melynda Barnes, Rachel Blank and Ro co-founder and CEO Zachariah Reitano.

Unsurprisingly, the Ro founders are all male. In order to launch Rory, the trio — Rob Schutz, Saman Rahmanian and Zachariah Reitano — had to bring on talent knowledgeable of women’s health. Rachel Blank, a former investor at General Catalyst, an investor in Ro, seemed like a natural choice. Blank joined Ro full-time in the fall after learning about the company’s long-term vision to create personalize healthcare for everyone. General Catalyst, for its part, had been an investor in Ro since its August 2017 seed round.

“I was watching their pitch and having had that experience myself and listening to the founders of Ro talk about how much of a difference this platform could make in the lives of men with stigmatized conditions, it really resonated with me that this could really be a powerful tool for women as well,” Blank said.

Blank herself was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal disorder that can cause the development of a number of cysts in the ovaries, at 21-years-old. She is joined by Rory clinical director Melynda Barnes, a surgeon and otolaryngologist, and Ro co-founder and chief executive officer Zachariah Reitano, who oversees Ro’s growing portfolio of spinout brands.

Ro has raised just over $90 million in venture capital funding to date, hitting a valuation of $154 million with its Series A, according to PitchBook. Its investors include Initialized Capital, Box Group and Slow Ventures, as well as angels like Y Combinator partner Aaron Harris, Benchmark’s Scott Belsky and the chief executives of Casper, Code Academy and Pill Pack.

Roman is a cloud pharmacy for erectile dysfunction

[toomanysinks]

Erectile pharmacy app Ro launches telehealth service for women

Six months ago, Roman, the cloud pharmacy for erectile dysfunction, dropped the ‘man’ to become ‘Ro.’ At the same time, the company raised a monstrous Series A funding round of $88 million and unveiled Zero, a product meant to help people quit smoking, a root cause of ED.

Now, Ro is addressing a different demographic. Today, it announces ‘Rory,’ a line of products for menopausal women. In total, Rory offers six products treating four conditions, with prices starting at $13 per month. Prescription medication and supplements for hot flashes, over-the-counter treatments for insomnia, prescription vaginal estrogen cream and an all-natural water-based lubricant for vaginal dryness, and Latisse, which helps grow eyelashes, are available for purchase and direct-to-consumer delivery.

All of these conditions, including hair loss and insomnia, can be associated with menopause, or the process, typically at midlife, in which a woman stops menstruating.

To use Rory, which launches in 47 states today, women must complete an online doctor’s visit before they can be prescribed a personalized treatment plan. Rory is also launching a Facebook group and an online community, called Roar, for menopausal women to provide support to one another and to discuss topics from sex positions that help with vaginal dryness to how to sleep better at night.

“We aren’t used to talking about issues like vaginal dryness,” Rory co-founder Rachel Blank told TechCrunch. “Right now, we have [millions] of women experiencing menopause. They are walking around and frankly, their vagina hurts and they are uncomfortable. Really, what we are building at Rory is a lot of the educational content around this to let women know they have choices and they can take control during this phase of life where they feel like their bodies are rebelling against them.”

Rory’s leadership team. From left to right: Melynda Barnes, Rachel Blank and Ro co-founder and CEO Zachariah Reitano.

Unsurprisingly, the Ro founders are all male. In order to launch Rory, the trio — Rob Schutz, Saman Rahmanian and Zachariah Reitano — had to bring on talent knowledgeable of women’s health. Rachel Blank, a former investor at General Catalyst, an investor in Ro, seemed like a natural choice. Blank joined Ro full-time in the fall after learning about the company’s long-term vision to create personalize healthcare for everyone. General Catalyst, for its part, had been an investor in Ro since its August 2017 seed round.

“I was watching their pitch and having had that experience myself and listening to the founders of Ro talk about how much of a difference this platform could make in the lives of men with stigmatized conditions, it really resonated with me that this could really be a powerful tool for women as well,” Blank said.

Blank herself was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal disorder that can cause the development of a number of cysts in the ovaries, at 21-years-old. She is joined by Rory clinical director Melynda Barnes, a surgeon and otolaryngologist, and Ro co-founder and chief executive officer Zachariah Reitano, who oversees Ro’s growing portfolio of spinout brands.

Ro has raised just over $90 million in venture capital funding to date, hitting a valuation of $154 million with its Series A, according to PitchBook. Its investors include Initialized Capital, Box Group and Slow Ventures, as well as angels like Y Combinator partner Aaron Harris, Benchmark’s Scott Belsky and the chief executives of Casper, Code Academy and Pill Pack.

Roman is a cloud pharmacy for erectile dysfunction

  source https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/20/erectile-pharmacy-app-ro-launches-telehealth-service-for-women/

[fmservers]

Erectile pharmacy app Ro launches telehealth service for women

Six months ago, Roman, the cloud pharmacy for erectile dysfunction, dropped the ‘man’ to become ‘Ro.’ At the same time, the company raised a monstrous Series A funding round of $88 million and unveiled Zero, a product meant to help people quit smoking, a root cause of ED.

Now, Ro is addressing a different demographic. Today, it announces ‘Rory,’ a line of products for menopausal women. In total, Rory offers six products treating four conditions, with prices starting at $13 per month. Prescription medication and supplements for hot flashes, over-the-counter treatments for insomnia, prescription vaginal estrogen cream and an all-natural water-based lubricant for vaginal dryness, and Latisse, which helps grow eyelashes, are available for purchase and direct-to-consumer delivery.

All of these conditions, including hair loss and insomnia, can be associated with menopause, or the process, typically at midlife, in which a woman stops menstruating.

To use Rory, which launches in 47 states today, women must complete an online doctor’s visit before they can be prescribed a personalized treatment plan. Rory is also launching a Facebook group and an online community, called Roar, for menopausal women to provide support to one another and to discuss topics from sex positions that help with vaginal dryness to how to sleep better at night.

“We aren’t used to talking about issues like vaginal dryness,” Rory co-founder Rachel Blank told TechCrunch. “Right now, we have [millions] of women experiencing menopause. They are walking around and frankly, their vagina hurts and they are uncomfortable. Really, what we are building at Rory is a lot of the educational content around this to let women know they have choices and they can take control during this phase of life where they feel like their bodies are rebelling against them.”

Rory’s leadership team. From left to right: Melynda Barnes, Rachel Blank and Ro co-founder and CEO Zachariah Reitano.

Unsurprisingly, the Ro founders are all male. In order to launch Rory, the trio — Rob Schutz, Saman Rahmanian and Zachariah Reitano — had to bring on talent knowledgeable of women’s health. Rachel Blank, a former investor at General Catalyst, an investor in Ro, seemed like a natural choice. Blank joined Ro full-time in the fall after learning about the company’s long-term vision to create personalize healthcare for everyone. General Catalyst, for its part, had been an investor in Ro since its August 2017 seed round.

“I was watching their pitch and having had that experience myself and listening to the founders of Ro talk about how much of a difference this platform could make in the lives of men with stigmatized conditions, it really resonated with me that this could really be a powerful tool for women as well,” Blank said.

Blank herself was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal disorder that can cause the development of a number of cysts in the ovaries, at 21-years-old. She is joined by Rory clinical director Melynda Barnes, a surgeon and otolaryngologist, and Ro co-founder and chief executive officer Zachariah Reitano, who oversees Ro’s growing portfolio of spinout brands.

Ro has raised just over $90 million in venture capital funding to date, hitting a valuation of $154 million with its Series A, according to PitchBook. Its investors include Initialized Capital, Box Group and Slow Ventures, as well as angels like Y Combinator partner Aaron Harris, Benchmark’s Scott Belsky and the chief executives of Casper, Code Academy and Pill Pack.

Roman is a cloud pharmacy for erectile dysfunction

  Via Kate Clark https://techcrunch.com