#soltans work

[squishysoltan]

When you ate the stores supply of food and the boss asks you to gain another 100lbs before you clock out...

[scotianostra]

Katherine Stewart Macphail was born on 30th October 1887 at Whifflet, Coatbridge.

Katherine Stewart MacPhail was the third of four daughters of Jesse and Dr Donald MacPhail, a doctor. MacPhail was the only daughter in the family who showed an interest in her father's work.

As a young girl, she entered the father's office and watched him examine the patients or treat wounds; she also went with him to visit patients on remote farms. In addition, her decision to dedicate her life to medicine was probably influenced by her uncles who were successful doctors: James led a missionary hospital in India, and Alex was a professor of anatomy at the University of Glasgow.

Her undergraduate record suggests she was a conscientious, bright student and her name appears several times on the prize-list. In her first year she gained a second-class certificate in Practical Zoology. The following year, 1907-1908, she took a first class certificate in Physiology, and in subsequent years, second class certificates in Anatomy (1908-1909) and Surgery (1910-1911). She graduated MB ChB in 1911. In other words, a very smart cookie and it ran in the family, her sister Isabel Macphail, had graduated MA the previous year.

When war broke out, the sisters offered their services to the Scottish Women’s Hospitals. Women were not permitted to serve in the armed forces, but a group of energetic medical women, spear-headed by Edinburgh graduate Elsie Inglis, equipped and staffed their own hospitals, with the support of the National Women’s Suffrage Societies.

Their offer of these facilities to the Government at home was turned down, but the French showed more willing and the first of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals for Foreign Service was set up at Royaumont towards the end of 1914. Further hospitals followed in Serbia in early 1915. Isabel and Katherine set off for Serbia, Isabel as an orderly, Katherine as a surgeon. Apparently, Katherine was initially worried about what the other members of the unit would be like. She wrote:

We knew we were being sent out under the auspices of the Suffrage Societies, and each was afraid that every other was a strong supporter, but were much relieved to find that almost none of us was what might be called ‘strong��, and that Serbia was the common bond, not suffrage.

When she arrived there, she and another junior doctor, Adeline Campbell, were dismayed by the tasks they were given to do at Kragvievatz, and felt that an orderly could have done them. They persuaded their superior, Dr Soltan, to release them, and they went on to the Military Hospital at Belgrade, incurring the wrath of the committee of the Scottish Women’s Hospital, who declined to employ Katherine again. Undeterred, Katherine continued her lifetime’s work in Serbia.

After the war Katherine remained in Serbia, running her own small hospital, the Anglo-Serbian Children’s Hospital in Belgrade with some funding from the Scottish Women’s Hospitals and the Save the Children Fund. Her war work had been honoured by the Serbian government, which conferred the distinction of the Serbian Order of St Sava and the Serbian Red Cross.

Her work was far from finished, however. In 1934 she established the English-Yugoslav Hospital for Treatment of Osteoarticular Tuberculosis in Sremska Kamenica. She continued her work there until 1941, when she and other British residents were taken prisoner by the Germans.

She was repatriated, but returned to Belgrade in 1945 with one of the first relief units. Under a new post-war regime, foreigners were less welcome. After the nationalisation of the hospital she left for Scotland in 1949 and settled in St Andrews, where she lived until her passing in 1974 aged 86.

[cleverhottubmiracle]

“We’ve had several rounds of cost-cutting and it could happen again,” says a Boots worker. Fears are running high as the Nottinghamshire-based chemist prepares to change hands – perhaps twice in quick succession.The US private equity firm Sycamore Partners is close to finalising a $10 billion (£7.8 billion) deal to take over the listed US owner of Boots, Walgreens Boots Alliance.Experts say Sycamore is then likely to sell off assets, having previously employed this tactic with varying degrees of success at office supplies group Staples and the former owner of the footwear brand Kurt Geiger, Jones Group. It could look at picking off some aspects of Boots – such as stores, property or brands – but is more likely to sell on the entire business.Boots – which operates more than 1,800 stores and employs about 51,000 people – including about 6,000 at its headquarters in Beeston, three miles south-west of Nottingham – has already been unsuccessfully put on the block by Walgreens at least twice in recent years, with a valuation of as much as £5 billion.The company has changed hands several times in the past 20 years. After a merger with Alliance Unichem in 2006, the combined firm was taken over by private equity firm KKR in 2007, before Walgreens first took a 45 percent stake in 2012 and then completed a takeover at the end of 2014.But there are concerns now that this latest change of ownership could see the chain of stores, many of which already need more investment in equipment, staff and maintenance, take another hit.Nowhere is that more keenly felt than in Nottingham, where Boots is the city’s biggest private-sector employer and has been a key to its identity since founder John Boot opened a small herbalist store on Goose Gate in 1849. The group has been based at its 112-hectare headquarters site in Beeston since 1927.“There won’t be any regret we are no longer part of Walgreens,” one Boots worker said. “We have always been seen as a small part of that group. Before that Boots was Boots.” However, he adds: “The fear is more stores close or there is yet another round of reducing staff in stores.”“Private equity are in it to make money as quickly as they can and are not really bothered about the consequences,” said another. The high street is very uncertain at the moment. Who will be looking to buy into a retailer with such a huge presence?Boots Worker, BeestonOn Beeston high street, several locals say they used to work for Boots or have friends and family who still do.Jessica Stanley, 38, is suspicious of private equity firms “because they are thinking about shareholder profits and not value of the business to the community. I guess I would be concerned there’s a risk the company might be gutted.”Michelle Aduhene, 50, compares any potential change to the closure of bicycle maker Raleigh’s Nottingham factory two decades ago. “They built the university [on the old factory site] and that brought students, but does it bring money? It’s worrying.” She points to the hit local businesses that also benefit from Boots’ employees’ trade could face.However, several staff tell the Observer they would be quite relaxed about a new regime as they have already survived a lot of cost-cutting and restructuring under its various owners, including Walgreens. “It all happens so far up the line it won’t affect us,” says one.The vast Boots campus still hints at a huge empire – but much of it is now rented out to other companies, some buildings lie empty and about 17 hectares have been sold off to builder Keepmoat for redevelopment into housing.Occupants are continuing to move out. Alliance Healthcare, the owner of Boots’s former wholesale arm, announced plans to close its warehouse in Beeston next year, shortly after Fareva – the French owner of Boots’s former manufacturing arm, which makes products for its No7, Soltan and Liz Earle ranges – exited late last year.There are rumours that more of the site could be sold for redevelopment, with Boots apparently assessing its vacant properties, although the company does not confirm this. Some locals feared a big swathe of student housing could be built, but local property experts say it would be tough to sell off large expanses of the site because of its complex nature.It has several stunning listed buildings – including the art-deco former factory, which is now MediCity, a hub for biotechnology, health and beauty startups which has a number of spaces vacant – and modernist glass monolith D10, which until recently housed Fareva.With Boots’ manufacturing and wholesale businesses already hived off, there are few divisions left that can be easily sold. However, the own-label beauty brands, including Liz Earle and No7, became a separate company about 10 years ago and could potentially be attractive to an international beauty specialist, according to industry experts. The No7 brand is now sold in the US via Walgreens and other retailers, but is also seen as key to Boots’s appeal in Britain.Boots has been offering services such as obesity clinics and vaccinations, so there are new areas for potential growthStore closures then would be an obvious way to go – as evidenced by the complete exit of rival chemist chain Lloyds from the high street after it was bought by private equity.Boots has already closed more than 300 outlets in recent years but it still has a very high number of stores. Any new owner is likely to look closely at the chain’s property footprint, given the rising costs of high street retail, the shift of trade to online, and competition from discounters such as Savers, Lidl and Home Bargains.Over a quarter (27 percent) of Boots staff surveyed in a poll by campaign group Organise said they feared their job would be less secure and more than a third (36 percent) said they felt conditions could get worse in the event of a takeover.As one worker puts it: “Because the high street is a very uncertain place at the moment, who is going to be looking to buy into a retailer with such a huge high street presence?”A listing on the stock exchange is seen as unlikely, given the current volatile situation on public markets and scepticism about growth in consumer companies, so a private sale is seen as more likely.“Boots has improved dramatically in recent years,” says one source who knows the business well, pointing to the chain’s greater focus on beauty counters and use of technology to grab a share of the online market.“But Boots is very hard to grow as it has got such big market share in most of the markets it is in, and is incessantly under attack from emerging market players. As its market share is so high there is almost only one way to go.“Someone could run it for cash and slowly underinvest in stores but it has been through that already.”In recent years, the brand has ridden a strong beauty market, reporting a 1.6 percent rise in sales in the three months to the end of February. Underlying sales at its pharmacies and its retail business, excluding the impact of currency and store closures, both rose about 5 percent, while Boots.com sales soared 20 percent.But staff say that government contracts for pharmacy services make it difficult to cover costs, and Boots has already reduced pharmacy trading hours in many stores, so counters can be closed even when the rest of the store is open.Workers also point to poor maintenance in some stores and fewer staff, meaning tills are unattended or increasingly automated, which they say is not good for older shoppers.Previously interested parties include India’s Reliance Industries and restructuring expert Apollo Global Management. CVC, Bain Capital and Asda owner TDR Capital also looked at the group but balked at the then mooted price of at least £5 billion.Stefano Pessina, the entrepreneur behind all the deals at Boots since it merged with his Alliance Unichem business in 2006, is likely to be kingmaker. Those who know him suggest he could keep a stake in Boots and may want to be involved in its future – if he sees a way to make money from it.Not everyone is so sceptical. Another source who knows Boots well argues: “There is as much a case for investment as there is for stopping it. It could go more digital.”With an ageing UK population and the Labour government’s increased focus on primary healthcare, where Boots has been increasingly offering services such as obesity clinics and vaccinations, there are new areas for potential growth.“Boots is thriving, not just surviving, and if it was able to use more of its cash, who knows? There is a change in emphasis in the UK and, on a 10-year view, there is a big opportunity,” says the source. Source link

[norajworld]

“We’ve had several rounds of cost-cutting and it could happen again,” says a Boots worker. Fears are running high as the Nottinghamshire-based chemist prepares to change hands – perhaps twice in quick succession.The US private equity firm Sycamore Partners is close to finalising a $10 billion (£7.8 billion) deal to take over the listed US owner of Boots, Walgreens Boots Alliance.Experts say Sycamore is then likely to sell off assets, having previously employed this tactic with varying degrees of success at office supplies group Staples and the former owner of the footwear brand Kurt Geiger, Jones Group. It could look at picking off some aspects of Boots – such as stores, property or brands – but is more likely to sell on the entire business.Boots – which operates more than 1,800 stores and employs about 51,000 people – including about 6,000 at its headquarters in Beeston, three miles south-west of Nottingham – has already been unsuccessfully put on the block by Walgreens at least twice in recent years, with a valuation of as much as £5 billion.The company has changed hands several times in the past 20 years. After a merger with Alliance Unichem in 2006, the combined firm was taken over by private equity firm KKR in 2007, before Walgreens first took a 45 percent stake in 2012 and then completed a takeover at the end of 2014.But there are concerns now that this latest change of ownership could see the chain of stores, many of which already need more investment in equipment, staff and maintenance, take another hit.Nowhere is that more keenly felt than in Nottingham, where Boots is the city’s biggest private-sector employer and has been a key to its identity since founder John Boot opened a small herbalist store on Goose Gate in 1849. The group has been based at its 112-hectare headquarters site in Beeston since 1927.“There won’t be any regret we are no longer part of Walgreens,” one Boots worker said. “We have always been seen as a small part of that group. Before that Boots was Boots.” However, he adds: “The fear is more stores close or there is yet another round of reducing staff in stores.”“Private equity are in it to make money as quickly as they can and are not really bothered about the consequences,” said another. The high street is very uncertain at the moment. Who will be looking to buy into a retailer with such a huge presence?Boots Worker, BeestonOn Beeston high street, several locals say they used to work for Boots or have friends and family who still do.Jessica Stanley, 38, is suspicious of private equity firms “because they are thinking about shareholder profits and not value of the business to the community. I guess I would be concerned there’s a risk the company might be gutted.”Michelle Aduhene, 50, compares any potential change to the closure of bicycle maker Raleigh’s Nottingham factory two decades ago. “They built the university [on the old factory site] and that brought students, but does it bring money? It’s worrying.” She points to the hit local businesses that also benefit from Boots’ employees’ trade could face.However, several staff tell the Observer they would be quite relaxed about a new regime as they have already survived a lot of cost-cutting and restructuring under its various owners, including Walgreens. “It all happens so far up the line it won’t affect us,” says one.The vast Boots campus still hints at a huge empire – but much of it is now rented out to other companies, some buildings lie empty and about 17 hectares have been sold off to builder Keepmoat for redevelopment into housing.Occupants are continuing to move out. Alliance Healthcare, the owner of Boots’s former wholesale arm, announced plans to close its warehouse in Beeston next year, shortly after Fareva – the French owner of Boots’s former manufacturing arm, which makes products for its No7, Soltan and Liz Earle ranges – exited late last year.There are rumours that more of the site could be sold for redevelopment, with Boots apparently assessing its vacant properties, although the company does not confirm this. Some locals feared a big swathe of student housing could be built, but local property experts say it would be tough to sell off large expanses of the site because of its complex nature.It has several stunning listed buildings – including the art-deco former factory, which is now MediCity, a hub for biotechnology, health and beauty startups which has a number of spaces vacant – and modernist glass monolith D10, which until recently housed Fareva.With Boots’ manufacturing and wholesale businesses already hived off, there are few divisions left that can be easily sold. However, the own-label beauty brands, including Liz Earle and No7, became a separate company about 10 years ago and could potentially be attractive to an international beauty specialist, according to industry experts. The No7 brand is now sold in the US via Walgreens and other retailers, but is also seen as key to Boots’s appeal in Britain.Boots has been offering services such as obesity clinics and vaccinations, so there are new areas for potential growthStore closures then would be an obvious way to go – as evidenced by the complete exit of rival chemist chain Lloyds from the high street after it was bought by private equity.Boots has already closed more than 300 outlets in recent years but it still has a very high number of stores. Any new owner is likely to look closely at the chain’s property footprint, given the rising costs of high street retail, the shift of trade to online, and competition from discounters such as Savers, Lidl and Home Bargains.Over a quarter (27 percent) of Boots staff surveyed in a poll by campaign group Organise said they feared their job would be less secure and more than a third (36 percent) said they felt conditions could get worse in the event of a takeover.As one worker puts it: “Because the high street is a very uncertain place at the moment, who is going to be looking to buy into a retailer with such a huge high street presence?”A listing on the stock exchange is seen as unlikely, given the current volatile situation on public markets and scepticism about growth in consumer companies, so a private sale is seen as more likely.“Boots has improved dramatically in recent years,” says one source who knows the business well, pointing to the chain’s greater focus on beauty counters and use of technology to grab a share of the online market.“But Boots is very hard to grow as it has got such big market share in most of the markets it is in, and is incessantly under attack from emerging market players. As its market share is so high there is almost only one way to go.“Someone could run it for cash and slowly underinvest in stores but it has been through that already.”In recent years, the brand has ridden a strong beauty market, reporting a 1.6 percent rise in sales in the three months to the end of February. Underlying sales at its pharmacies and its retail business, excluding the impact of currency and store closures, both rose about 5 percent, while Boots.com sales soared 20 percent.But staff say that government contracts for pharmacy services make it difficult to cover costs, and Boots has already reduced pharmacy trading hours in many stores, so counters can be closed even when the rest of the store is open.Workers also point to poor maintenance in some stores and fewer staff, meaning tills are unattended or increasingly automated, which they say is not good for older shoppers.Previously interested parties include India’s Reliance Industries and restructuring expert Apollo Global Management. CVC, Bain Capital and Asda owner TDR Capital also looked at the group but balked at the then mooted price of at least £5 billion.Stefano Pessina, the entrepreneur behind all the deals at Boots since it merged with his Alliance Unichem business in 2006, is likely to be kingmaker. Those who know him suggest he could keep a stake in Boots and may want to be involved in its future – if he sees a way to make money from it.Not everyone is so sceptical. Another source who knows Boots well argues: “There is as much a case for investment as there is for stopping it. It could go more digital.”With an ageing UK population and the Labour government’s increased focus on primary healthcare, where Boots has been increasingly offering services such as obesity clinics and vaccinations, there are new areas for potential growth.“Boots is thriving, not just surviving, and if it was able to use more of its cash, who knows? There is a change in emphasis in the UK and, on a 10-year view, there is a big opportunity,” says the source. Source link

[chilimili212]

“We’ve had several rounds of cost-cutting and it could happen again,” says a Boots worker. Fears are running high as the Nottinghamshire-based chemist prepares to change hands – perhaps twice in quick succession.The US private equity firm Sycamore Partners is close to finalising a $10 billion (£7.8 billion) deal to take over the listed US owner of Boots, Walgreens Boots Alliance.Experts say Sycamore is then likely to sell off assets, having previously employed this tactic with varying degrees of success at office supplies group Staples and the former owner of the footwear brand Kurt Geiger, Jones Group. It could look at picking off some aspects of Boots – such as stores, property or brands – but is more likely to sell on the entire business.Boots – which operates more than 1,800 stores and employs about 51,000 people – including about 6,000 at its headquarters in Beeston, three miles south-west of Nottingham – has already been unsuccessfully put on the block by Walgreens at least twice in recent years, with a valuation of as much as £5 billion.The company has changed hands several times in the past 20 years. After a merger with Alliance Unichem in 2006, the combined firm was taken over by private equity firm KKR in 2007, before Walgreens first took a 45 percent stake in 2012 and then completed a takeover at the end of 2014.But there are concerns now that this latest change of ownership could see the chain of stores, many of which already need more investment in equipment, staff and maintenance, take another hit.Nowhere is that more keenly felt than in Nottingham, where Boots is the city’s biggest private-sector employer and has been a key to its identity since founder John Boot opened a small herbalist store on Goose Gate in 1849. The group has been based at its 112-hectare headquarters site in Beeston since 1927.“There won’t be any regret we are no longer part of Walgreens,” one Boots worker said. “We have always been seen as a small part of that group. Before that Boots was Boots.” However, he adds: “The fear is more stores close or there is yet another round of reducing staff in stores.”“Private equity are in it to make money as quickly as they can and are not really bothered about the consequences,” said another. The high street is very uncertain at the moment. Who will be looking to buy into a retailer with such a huge presence?Boots Worker, BeestonOn Beeston high street, several locals say they used to work for Boots or have friends and family who still do.Jessica Stanley, 38, is suspicious of private equity firms “because they are thinking about shareholder profits and not value of the business to the community. I guess I would be concerned there’s a risk the company might be gutted.”Michelle Aduhene, 50, compares any potential change to the closure of bicycle maker Raleigh’s Nottingham factory two decades ago. “They built the university [on the old factory site] and that brought students, but does it bring money? It’s worrying.” She points to the hit local businesses that also benefit from Boots’ employees’ trade could face.However, several staff tell the Observer they would be quite relaxed about a new regime as they have already survived a lot of cost-cutting and restructuring under its various owners, including Walgreens. “It all happens so far up the line it won’t affect us,” says one.The vast Boots campus still hints at a huge empire – but much of it is now rented out to other companies, some buildings lie empty and about 17 hectares have been sold off to builder Keepmoat for redevelopment into housing.Occupants are continuing to move out. Alliance Healthcare, the owner of Boots’s former wholesale arm, announced plans to close its warehouse in Beeston next year, shortly after Fareva – the French owner of Boots’s former manufacturing arm, which makes products for its No7, Soltan and Liz Earle ranges – exited late last year.There are rumours that more of the site could be sold for redevelopment, with Boots apparently assessing its vacant properties, although the company does not confirm this. Some locals feared a big swathe of student housing could be built, but local property experts say it would be tough to sell off large expanses of the site because of its complex nature.It has several stunning listed buildings – including the art-deco former factory, which is now MediCity, a hub for biotechnology, health and beauty startups which has a number of spaces vacant – and modernist glass monolith D10, which until recently housed Fareva.With Boots’ manufacturing and wholesale businesses already hived off, there are few divisions left that can be easily sold. However, the own-label beauty brands, including Liz Earle and No7, became a separate company about 10 years ago and could potentially be attractive to an international beauty specialist, according to industry experts. The No7 brand is now sold in the US via Walgreens and other retailers, but is also seen as key to Boots’s appeal in Britain.Boots has been offering services such as obesity clinics and vaccinations, so there are new areas for potential growthStore closures then would be an obvious way to go – as evidenced by the complete exit of rival chemist chain Lloyds from the high street after it was bought by private equity.Boots has already closed more than 300 outlets in recent years but it still has a very high number of stores. Any new owner is likely to look closely at the chain’s property footprint, given the rising costs of high street retail, the shift of trade to online, and competition from discounters such as Savers, Lidl and Home Bargains.Over a quarter (27 percent) of Boots staff surveyed in a poll by campaign group Organise said they feared their job would be less secure and more than a third (36 percent) said they felt conditions could get worse in the event of a takeover.As one worker puts it: “Because the high street is a very uncertain place at the moment, who is going to be looking to buy into a retailer with such a huge high street presence?”A listing on the stock exchange is seen as unlikely, given the current volatile situation on public markets and scepticism about growth in consumer companies, so a private sale is seen as more likely.“Boots has improved dramatically in recent years,” says one source who knows the business well, pointing to the chain’s greater focus on beauty counters and use of technology to grab a share of the online market.“But Boots is very hard to grow as it has got such big market share in most of the markets it is in, and is incessantly under attack from emerging market players. As its market share is so high there is almost only one way to go.“Someone could run it for cash and slowly underinvest in stores but it has been through that already.”In recent years, the brand has ridden a strong beauty market, reporting a 1.6 percent rise in sales in the three months to the end of February. Underlying sales at its pharmacies and its retail business, excluding the impact of currency and store closures, both rose about 5 percent, while Boots.com sales soared 20 percent.But staff say that government contracts for pharmacy services make it difficult to cover costs, and Boots has already reduced pharmacy trading hours in many stores, so counters can be closed even when the rest of the store is open.Workers also point to poor maintenance in some stores and fewer staff, meaning tills are unattended or increasingly automated, which they say is not good for older shoppers.Previously interested parties include India’s Reliance Industries and restructuring expert Apollo Global Management. CVC, Bain Capital and Asda owner TDR Capital also looked at the group but balked at the then mooted price of at least £5 billion.Stefano Pessina, the entrepreneur behind all the deals at Boots since it merged with his Alliance Unichem business in 2006, is likely to be kingmaker. Those who know him suggest he could keep a stake in Boots and may want to be involved in its future – if he sees a way to make money from it.Not everyone is so sceptical. Another source who knows Boots well argues: “There is as much a case for investment as there is for stopping it. It could go more digital.”With an ageing UK population and the Labour government’s increased focus on primary healthcare, where Boots has been increasingly offering services such as obesity clinics and vaccinations, there are new areas for potential growth.“Boots is thriving, not just surviving, and if it was able to use more of its cash, who knows? There is a change in emphasis in the UK and, on a 10-year view, there is a big opportunity,” says the source. Source link

[theprocesstechnology]

Soltan Gas Heater & Immersible Heaters for Versatile Heating

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For more details, visit: https://www.processtechnology.com/products/inline-heaters/soltan/

[einsteinsugly]

Source for information below. Left to right; Norway (location for the battle of Hoth), Tunisia (Hotel Sidi Driss, Luke Skywalker's home on the planet of Tatooine), and Death Valley, California (also a filming location for Tatooine)

Eric Forman, as a Young Man; Using Star Wars as a Travel Guide

Although he's strapped for cash during his early-mid '20s, he wants to trek off the unbeaten path. Star Wars style, to visit and explore the filming locations for Star Wars. Instead of going to Fort Lauderdale for spring break, he jointly satsifies Donna's desire for travel and his geek lust. And his budding love for photography.

Year 1: March 1980

Eric and Donna are still figuring things out and settling into college life, so travel is far from their minds. Plus, he recently got back from Cape Town, so his travel lust is satisfied. For the time being.

Year 2: March 1981

Still reeling from the plot developments in The Empire Strikes Back, he and Donna visit the Hardangerjøkulen Glacier in Norway, the location of the Battle of Hoth. They backpack throughout the more hospitable sights in Scandinavia, including southern Sweden, where Kitty's family comes from.

Year 3: March 1982

Tatooine, Tatooine, Tatooine! Waiting for the next Star Wars film, Eric and Donna head to Tunisia. Particularly, to Ksar Hadada, Ksar Ouled Soltane, Onk Jemal, Matmata, Chott el Djerid, La Grande Dune, and the Island of Djerba. They totally chill on the Meditterranean this time around, per Donna's request.

Year 4: Summer 1983

During March, Eric's working hard on his seniors' thesis, and Donna's in a coveted internship at the Wisconsin State Journal.

Meanwhile, he's heard about all the filming locations for Return of the Jedi. Death Valley, Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park, Buttercup Valley, Yuma, Blue Canyon, White Pocket, and Imperial Country. Those travels inevitably come during the summer, where they use Midge's Malibu home as a general base. And spread their wings and fly from there.

They have some fun in Malibu, at the Grand Canyon, a bunch of other state parks, and Lake Tahoe. They've saved up for this, so it's a fun little escapade. As Donna's graduated, and Eric's looms ever closer.

Official honeymoon: May-June 1984

While going to London (and then later, Paris), Eric insists on visiting Elstree Studios. And visiting the Forest of Dean and surrounding areas of Derwentwater, other sources for the planet of Endor (the main being Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park).

[scotianostra]

Katherine Stewart Macphail was born on 30th October 1887 at Whifflet, Coatbridge.

Katherine Stewart MacPhail was born in Glasgow on 30 October 1887, the third of four daughters of Jesse and Dr Donald MacPhail, a doctor. MacPhail was the only daughter in the family who showed an interest in her father's work. 

As a young girl, she entered the father's office and watched him examine the patients or treat wounds; she also went with him to visit patients on remote farms. In addition, her decision to dedicate her life to medicine was probably influenced by her uncles who were successful doctors: James led a missionary hospital in India, and Alex was a professor of anatomy at the University of Glasgow.

Her undergraduate record suggests she was a conscientious, bright student and her name appears several times on the prize-list. In her first year she gained a second-class certificate in Practical Zoology. The following year, 1907-1908, she took a first class certificate in Physiology, and in subsequent years, second class certificates in Anatomy (1908-1909) and Surgery (1910-1911). She graduated MB ChB in 1911. In other words, a very smart cookie and it ran in the family, her sister Isabel Macphail, had graduated MA the previous year.

When war broke out, the sisters offered their services to the Scottish Women’s Hospitals. Women were not permitted to serve in the armed forces, but a group of energetic medical women, spear-headed by Edinburgh graduate Elsie Inglis, equipped and staffed their own hospitals, with the support of the National Women’s Suffrage Societies.

Their offer of these facilities to the Government at home  was turned down, but the French showed more willing and the first of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals for Foreign Service was set up at Royaumont towards the end of 1914. Further hospitals followed in Serbia in early 1915. Isabel and Katherine set off for Serbia, Isabel as an orderly, Katherine as a surgeon. Apparently, Katherine was initially worried about what the other members of the unit would be like. She wrote:

We knew we were being sent out under the auspices of the Suffrage Societies, and each was afraid that every other was a strong supporter, but were much relieved to find that almost none of us was what might be called ‘strong’, and that Serbia was the common bond, not suffrage.

When she arrived there, she and another junior doctor, Adeline Campbell, were dismayed by the tasks they were given to do at Kragvievatz, and felt that an orderly could have done them. They persuaded their superior, Dr Soltan, to release them, and they went on to the Military Hospital at Belgrade, incurring the wrath of the committee of the Scottish Women’s Hospital, who declined to employ Katherine again. Undeterred, Katherine continued her lifetime’s work in Serbia.

After the war Katherine remained in Serbia, running her own small hospital, the Anglo-Serbian Children’s Hospital in Belgrade with some funding from the Scottish Women’s Hospitals and the Save the Children Fund. Her war work had been honoured by the Serbian government, which conferred the distinction of the Serbian Order of St Sava and the Serbian Red Cross.

Her work was far from finished, however. In 1934 she established the English-Yugoslav Hospital for Treatment of Osteoarticular Tuberculosis in Sremska Kamenica. She continued her work there until 1941, when she and other British residents were taken prisoner by the Germans.

She was repatriated, but returned to Belgrade in 1945 with one of the first relief units. Under a new post-war regime, foreigners were less welcome. After the nationalisation of the hospital she left for Scotland in 1949 and settled in St Andrews, where she lived until her passing in 1974 aged 86.

[hcielh]

2021 First Quarter Sunscreen Round Up

NOTE: all non-Asian sunscreens mentioned are the versions sold in the EU/UK. if a brand sells a product with the same name in the US/Canada, the ingredients will be different! ALSO, the links are for your convenience/reference, I don’t make anything from them.

What's the most important step in your skincare routine? It'd be difficult to narrow this down to just one step, but it'd be easy to make an argument for it being sunscreen. Although I'm staunchly against 'sunscreen shaming' I tell everyone the same thing: there's no point using anti-aging or anti-oxidant products if you're not topping it off with a solid sunscreen. Many of the heavy hitting anti-acne ingredients (retinoids, AHAs) make your skin more sensitive to the sun as well, so if you use either of those it's even more important.

To make sure I get proper protection, I use 2 finger lengths of sunscreen for my face, and the same again for my neck + ears. I also reapply throughout the day (every two hours isn't realistic, but I generally do it at least twice). This means I get through SPF quickly; a 50ml tube lasts me ~2.5 weeks. With that out of the way, here’s the list in no particular order!

Skinnies Conquer SPF50+ PA++++

Filters: Uvinal A Plus, Bemotrizional, Octocrylene, Zinc oxide

✔️ No white cast*

✔️ No skin irritation

✔️ No eye irritation

Contains a fragrant EO (manuka oil)

(*although I sincerely doubt this would leave a white cast on anyone, it should be noted that I have pale-ass skin and zinc oxide is known for leaving a cast, which means it could be problematic for darker tones and it's just subtle enough that I didn't notice. proceed with caution)

Skinnies is a little controversial, because of their 'a little goes a long way' claim. I suggest watching this video from Lab Muffin Beauty Science (if you haven't already) to learn more about that. I experimented with using both a pea sized amount as suggested by the brand, and a normal amount for safety's sake.

It has a balm-like texture that you have to heat up in your hands to make spreadable, and because of its waterless formula it doesn't 'dry down' at all- so if you feel greasy putting it on at first, you'll pretty much stay greasy. I found it manageable, and if you want to trust the pea sized amount it works well at being moisturising without being too much. It may have clogged my pores, although that was definitely made worse by wearing a mask

For some reason, I really like skinnies, and if I'm wearing my normal 2 finger amount I feel very much protected because it's very water resistant - a double cleanse is entirely necessary with this one. I'm gonna wear this some more in the summer, and come back to it then

Verdict: TBD

Garnier Ambre Solaire sensitive face fluid SPF50 UVA★★★ 

Filters: Octisalate, Uvinal T 150, Tinosorb S, Avobenzone, Mexoryl XL, Mexoryl SX

✔️ No white cast

✔️ No skin irritation

✔️ No eye irritation

Unscented

I wanted to try this one because it was all over my instagram feed for a while, but it does NOT live up to the hype. Firstly, 40ml is tiny, and 3 stars for UVA isn't enough for me personally. I'd forgive this if it had a wonderful texture, but it felt strangely harsh on my skin (almost gritty... although there's nothing gritty in it), and left me looking dull, as if I didn't have a million layers of toner and serums on. But, still, props for being an affordable, white-cast free sunscreen that didn't sting my eyes.

Verdict: would not repurchase

Garnier Ambre Solaire Anti Age Super UV SPF50 UVA ★ ★ ★ ★  ★

Filters: Octocrylene, Avobenzone, Uvinal T 150, Mexoryl SX, Mexoryl XL

✔️ No white cast

❌ Minor skin irritation

❌ Stings my eyes

Unscented

I got this at the same time as the other Garnier one, kinda Just Because. This one is nicer to apply and it doesn't have that 'gritty' feeling to it. However, it irritates my skin (a tiny bit), stings my eyes after a while, and... it pills. a lot. My partner kept pointing out my neck, saying it looked like I had blobs of dead skin rolling around... not a choice look, honestly (and knowing the protection has been made patchy is even worse)

Verdict: would not repurchase

Ultrasun Extreme SPF50+ PA++++

Filters: tTnosorb M (nano), Titanium dioxide (nano), Octisalate, Tinosorb S, Uvinal A Plus, Uvinal T 150

❌ White cast ✔️ No skin irritation ❌ Eye irritation Fragrance free (but smells of sunscreen)

Sooooooooo, when it comes to cosmetic elegance, I expect less from 'extreme' sunscreens. If I'm at the beach, or running, or doing something else where getting burnt is a serious concern, I can manage a white cast or a sticky texture. But both of those, on top of stinging my eyes, and (I think) clogging my pores... nah. I don't want to say this is a bad sunscreen, I just don't think something like this is necessary in today's age. I did not feel comfortable applying the right amount of this. In a world where there are SPF50 products that won't hurt me, why settle for one that does? That's where I'm at with this

Verdict: would not repurchase

Avène Solaire Anti-Aging SPF50+

Filters: Iscotrizinol, Avobenzone, Tinosorb M, Tinosorb S

❌ Slight white cast (would be worse on dark skin)

✔️ No skin irritation

✔️ No eye irritation

Unscented

You know, when a sunscreen is just terrible, I can deal with that. It's to be expected. But when a sunscreen is this close to being flawless, the one or two minor things holding it back just sting even more. This is a wonderful sunscreen for sensitive skin, with a natural/skin-like finish that is neither drying nor greasy, is water resistant (!), and fantastic for acne - it's been my go-to for wearing under a mask for long periods. The filters used are also incredible, with the single exception of Tinosorb M, which is the cause of its fatal flaw...

It has a white cast. It isn't the worst I’ve seen, in fact on my pale skin tone it's almost unnoticeable. But it is there (of course it’d be worse on darker skin tones) and it's the only thing keeping this off of my 'favourite ever sunscreens' list, which is such. a. shame.

Verdict: may repurchase, begrudgingly

Evy Daily Defense Face Mousse SPF50+ PA++++

Filters: Octocrylene, Avobenzone, Uvinal A Plus, Tinosorb S

✔️ No white cast

✔️ No skin irritation

❌ Slight eye irritation (just be careful putting it on)

Unscented

I've been walking past Evy sunscreens for ages. something about the packaging made me assume it would be one of those nasty, sticky/pasty things. Evy, I'm so sorry! this applies like a dream, has a satin finish (i.e. neither dead- nor sweaty-looking), can be used in place of moisturiser, didn't break me out, and didn't irritate my skin. It's also sweat/water resistant. If it gets right in my eyes it stings, but it's easy enough to just avoid sticking my fingers in my eyeballs. If you're asking 'what's the catch?' well, if you're in Europe: there isn't one.

If you're in the US/Canada: it's hard af to get your hands on

If you're anywhere else: search to see if you can get it. Right now. Please!

Verdict: will repurchase, recommend to everyone, never shut up about, cry if it ever gets discontinued

Neogen Dermalogy Probiotics Sun Cream SPF50 PA++++

Filters: Octocrylene, Octinoxate, Octisalate, Avobenzone, Tinosorb S

✔️ No white cast

✔️ No skin irritation

❌ Irritated eyes

Strong, sweet fragrance

This is a decent, basic sunscreen. On the heavier/moisturising side, so only suitable for winter on my oilier skin. Made with probiotic ingredients (because what isn't nowadays), but nothing particularly stand-out (I'd rec probiotics in an earlier step such as an essence). Has a strong, sweet fragrance, which might be a pro if you hate 'sunscreen smell' or a con if you have sensitive skin. If you find this for cheap and want something for daily/mostly indoor use, this is totally worth a try- especially if you have dry skin. But for oily skin or the summer, I’d definitely say there are better ones out there.

For those who are concerned about Korean sunscreen ratings: this was NOT one which failed independent SPF testing. The ones that were, as far as I know, were all formulated by the same 2 companies. From my understanding, Neogen's products are formulated in-house, so there's no reason to avoid this one on that basis. In fact, I’d consider it a relatively trustworthy one

Verdict: would repurchase, on sale in the winter

No.7 Protect & Perfect Intense advanced SPF50+

Filters: Octocrylene, Avobenzone, Tinosorb M, Tinosorb S, Octisalate, Iscotrizinol

❌ Slight white cast (could be worse on darker skin tones)

✔️ No skin irritation

✔️ No eye irritation

Fragranced

There are a few things I like about this: it’s sold as part of a skincare line, rather than a whole like of suncare (i.e. Boots’ soltan), and it’s clearly intended for daily use. It even tells you that the 50ml pack contains 20 applications, to give users a better understanding of how much to apply (though I got through it in fewer because I also used it on my neck and hands). The texture isn’t bad—especially by western standards—it doesn’t pill, and it hasn’t irritated my eyes at all. It’s a little tacky to the touch, and leaves a slight cast that could be problematic for darker skin, but on my pale skin it disappears pretty quickly and just makes my skin look ‘glowy’ according to my partner. It’s on the shiny side, but not too much. Overall, a very ‘okay’ product that I’m not gonna run back to, but would be fine with using again

Verdict: would repurchase 

From the sunscreens I’ve tried so far this year, my favourites are the Evy Daily Defense Face Mousse and the No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Facial Sun Protection (even if it does have an unnecessarily long name). Weirdly, this list only has the one Korean sunscreen on it, when normally that’s what I use the most of! I think I’ve been influenced a little too much by what I’ve seen on IG, but going forward I’ll be sticking more to Asian sunscreens again

[ourdallasvideofestthings]

Bart Chat 10/1/19 Greetings all,   Docufest is coming and last week in Bart Chat I went over the Thursday and Friday night programs. Today I will go over the rest of the festival. If you missed last week here is the summary-- link here. We begin Saturday morning at noon with  White Right: Meeting the Enemy, where Emmy award-winning Muslim filmmaker, Deeyah Khan, interviews Leaders of US Neo-Nazis and white supremacists. She bluntly asks them why they hate her and the results are surprising and powerful. After that, perhaps the craziest film in the lot is Mr. Toilet: The Words No.2 Man about Jack Sim who has dedicated his life to global sanitation in the form of getting the third world to buy toilets. This film is a memorable, fun and insightful journey into the life of this endearing character who goes to India and China from his World Toilet Organization to spread the word.  Then at 3:00 PM, we are excited to show Ernie and Joe, a film I have been excited about for a long time.  We keep hearing about mental health as it relates to gun violence, but often police escalate violence with the mentally ill. The City of San Antonio’s Police department started a unit to approach these mental health issues differently. We get to know officers Ernie and Joe and see how they interact with citizens to descalate violence. Dallas has a unit of their own and we hope to have a representative at the screening. Then, we have our one and only documentary short compilations include, Mr. Zoot Suit and a documentary called Lilly, about a woman who escaped the Nazis in Vienna, was a pioneer of the Golden Age of Comics and is a great storyteller. There are many others including a film called, A Film Crew Censors Itself.   After that, we have Karen Kramer’s, Renegade Voices, a look at political activism on the streets of New York now and in the ’60s, following poet and folk musicians who follow in the footsteps of Dylan and Ginsberg who use their guitars and words to bring about change. (Great archival footage and great characters.)   Ahhhh, we end Saturday evening with an evening with the great Chuck Workman. For those who were at last year’s Docufest, you might remember his short film called Moments in Truth, which is a short history of documentary film. If you have seen montages on The Oscars that were inspiring and blew your mind, it was created by Chuck Workman. Chuck is the master of montage: he finds the soul of his subject, matches the soundtrack to drive it and helps us feel these genre or filmmakers or film movements. We will be showing four of his montages, the one about documentaries that I mentioned, one about tubings bunny named Bug, one about Politics in Film and his Oscar award-winning Precise Images. AND THEN, we are showing his film about Andy Warhol called Superstar: The Life and Time of Andy Warhol.  This is an evening NOT TO BE MISSED. On Sunday, we start the day with Alternative Facts: The Lives of Executive Order 9066. It’s about the WW2 incarceration of Japanese Americans living here in the United States.  This is a story I have heard about, but only briefly. Next, we have Letter to the Editor, a new film by Alan Berliner.  I have been a big fan of his since 1996. His films Nobody’s Business, The Sweetest Sound, Wide Awake, and  First Cousin Once Removed is intricately crafted portraits of his family and of himself. Berliner is a hoarder of images, sound, and video and he has a way of putting them together, just as brilliantly as Chuck Workman, but in a different way. Any chance to see a Berliner film is a treat.  This is followed by Citizen Blue, a film about a great filmmaker who very few people know about that will no doubt inspire. James Blue is most known for making The March, a film about the Civil Rights demonstration on Washington. If you have seen footage of this event, it is probably from this film, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. He made inspiring narrative films and then came to Texas to start The Rice Media Center and The Southwest Alternative Media Project, known as SWAMP.  Both organizations are still in effect in Houston and do similar work to VideoFest. After this, we have Beyond the Bolex. If you have never heard of the Bolex, it is a small, spring-wound 16MM camera that was the staple of independent and experimental filmmakers in the ’60s and 70’s and heck, people still use them.  When Alyssa  Bolex was in film school, she discovered that her great-grandfather was the inventor of the Bolex, so she goes on a hunt to discover what happened in his life from Russia to Switzerland, how he finally landed in the USA, invented the Bolex and what happened after that. In between, we hear from and see work from important filmmakers who used the Bolex and how it influenced their work. (There is even a sequence with Barbra Hammer---see above )  Later on Sunday, we are showing After Munich. In the 1972 Olympics in Munich, the Black September moment updated 11 Israeli hostages which the world watched live on TV. In this powerful documentary, we hear from four women, an athlete, a widow, and two undercover agents. We wrap up docufest with Tattoo Uprising by Dallas renaissance man, Alan Govenar.   This film is playing to large crowds right now in New York and elsewhere and we finally get to screen it here in Dallas. Alan started on his film journey with Stony Knows How about a crusty tattoo artist in 1980. (It is great to see a young Govenar). In the film,  we get to meet the great Tatoo Artist Ed Hardy, the aforementioned Stony St. Clair, Cynthia  Witkin, and Calamity Jane. But perhaps the best moments in the film is when filmmaker Les Blank and Werner Hertzog compare tattoos. Also this week, we have a great episode of Frame of Mind. To go along with DocuFest we have a selection of Texas short films. Paul Steckler who is a great documentary filmmaker and professor at UT in Austin made this compelling short about Molly and Ann, that would be Molly Ivins and Ann Richards--Molly the journalist/columnist, who made covering the Texas fun and insightful and Ann Richards our former governor. Then Rania Elmalky’s 489 Day presents Mohamed Soltan’s life through animation  Unbound is about human trafficking and Kolache, Texas is about the famous Czech Stop in the town of West, Texas. I know you have passed it on I35 and wanted to stop in, and after seeing this, you definitely will need to experience the pastries there. Reel Texas: Real Characters at 10:00 PM, Thursday on KERA.   And that is it. So much to see in four days Truth being told in 30 frames a second in 4 days in Dallas, Texas--be there! If any of you want more info on any of these films,  email me at bart@vidoefest.org.  Bart Weiss Artistic Director Dallas VideoFest

[squishysoltan]

Who follows me that works at gamefreak and just made a Soltan pokemon now?

[harrisedu-blog]

Digital Divide and Digital Equity (Blog Post #3)

Today we live in a society where we have access to all the information of the world at the instant command of our digital technologies. What we find today is a “distinction between information rich and information poor members of society” (Pazurek & Feyissa, 2015). This is defined as “Digital Divide”. I’d define this term in my own words as a lack of access to digital aspects due to circumstances of ability to obtain. What I mean is that some may not be as fortunate of others to upgrade as the world does on a regular basis to keep up with what continues to change. These digital technologies provide what is called “Digital Equity”. It means “individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy, and economy” (The National Digital Inclusion Alliance, 2016). In my own words, I’d simply put it as the resulting effort of digital technologies to connect us all and provide equal access to information.

The world of the web does it’s best to provide access to all. Digital divide is what places disadvantages on some individuals vs others. Efforts have been acted upon as time has progressed as we see social media platforms work to bridge inequities and foster participation. The issues of digital divide and digital equity have great importance. Terry Godwaldt expressed that A lack of digital access is a lack of access to education period” (International Society for Technology in Education, 2017). School systems have also worked to counteract this means of “digital divide” that we see today. From personal experience, I noticed once I graduated, my high school completely change means of getting work done. The library underwent big change as they added plenty of more desktop computers that were also caught up to date. To add to it, the students were issued personal tablets to conduct work and learned at a greater scale out of school. Instead of ignoring change, we see means of working with the change to benefit the future.

The fact that the world we live in increases in means of digital technology use we see how important it is to have these resources in our daily lives. Though important they still are quite limited. This limitation may impact the ability to actively participate and engage in an increasing digital technology world, but as discussed in the previous paragraph, we see means of improvement and positive action. That there is something that is mediated by the help of a community/society coming together (school system, libraries, etc.). Liz soltan expressed that “even as technology becomes more affordable and internet access seems increasingly ubiquitous, a “digital divide” between rich and poor remains. The rich and educated are still more likely than others to have good access to digital resources according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project. The digital divide has especially far-reaching consequences when it comes to education. For children in low-income school districts, inadequate access to technology can hinder them from learning the tech skills that are crucial to success in today’s economy” (Digital Divide, 2019). What I take from this is that the limitations can also have personal effects. Those less fortunate financially have less opportunity to access just by means of circumstances.

Demand for social media and technology tools has grown drastically. This day in age I see social media as the center of obtaining news. I can even go back to think how I noticed actual televised programs reciprocating the same news I came to already find out about through means of social media. I have deleted social media apps to focus more and save myself more time in the day. What one can realize from this is not only how much time it can really consume but also how it has become a connection to almost all that is going on this day in age. With out this access to information, one can easily become “lost/not kept up” with all that is taking place. That’s why we see the importance of understanding these works of digital technologies.

[ci3342-blog]

Digital Equity, Digital Inclusion, + the Digital Divide

What is digital divide and digital equity?

Digital divide "describes the disparity that exists among individuals and communities around the world with varying degrees of access to digitally mediated information and communication technologies (ICTs) and ability to benefit from digital resources” (Pazurek & Feyissa, 2015). In short, this term encompasses the gap in digital technologies that are available to those who have certain capital and access to resources versus those who do not have this privilege. As for digital equity, this term “ensures all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy, and economy” (The National Digital Inclusion Alliance, 2016). In other words, digital equity ensures fairness and bringing services to populations or areas that would otherwise not be able to access the necessary technologies needed to be on an equal-level playing field as those communities that have access.

Relation of terms and impact of limited access

These two terms work well together in that one explains the gap in technologies and the other tries to close this gap. It is important to be able to provide access to all in order for people to participate in society and continue to learn. When access is limited, denied, or blocked, it closes off people to parts of the world that can benefit them or provide them with more opportunities. As a world that is constantly mediated by digital technology, those without access will be far behind and won’t be able to advance at the same levels as others. For example, when we consider education, children in low-income districts will be hindered from learning skills to make them successful in our world’s economy (Soltan). Based on a Pew Report (2012), 62% of people who live in households making less than $30,000 used the internet compared to 90% of people in households making $50,000 to $74,999 a year (Smith & Zickuhr, 2012).

Digital inclusion and final remarks

This is why it is important to have digital inclusion as well, which makes sure disadvantaged groups receive access to ICTs that are affordable and meets basic requirements for continued use (The National Digital Inclusion Alliance, 2016). So while we consider digital divide, digital equity, and digital inclusion, one thing to consider is that changes won’t occur overnight. It will take awhile to ensure equity, but as long as work is being done to get there, we are on the right track. As the times change, these terms need to evolve with the increase and change in technologies every year that continue to add another layer of complexity.

[shelleymarietalks]

Wow... it's been 6 months since my last blog!

Where have I been? I took a break from documenting my 2nd time of going through Steroid Withdrawal. I say 'Steroid Withdrawal' rather than 'Topical Steroid Wtihdrawal' because the relapse was due to being prescribed a course of strong steroids to get rid of a nasty water and kidney infection I had. I think because I recognised the symtoms straight away and knew what exactly what was going to happen and how my body would react I knew that i was going to have to try not to stress, rest as much as possible and just take really good care of myself, allowing those around to support me as much as possible. However I did not expect the symtoms and side effects this time around would be as painful as they were. I've always had nerve pain and "zingers" as they're known as and a little pain under the skin but this time around was unbareable. I had severe pain underneath my skin up the sides of my torso and up my back which stopped me being able to sleep and brought me to tears everytime I tried rolling over in bed or making any movement that involved twisting or turning. Enough was enough after the 4th week of this symptom so I took myself to A&E and was prescribed Tramadol for the pain because I refused any form of steroid which I knew would only make this experience worse... I won't be going into how I was treated by my Dermatologist and how despite telling him the treatment wouldn't work like it didn't before that the phototherapy prescribed just made me worse. I no longer wish to give him the limelight in these blogs and will be moving dermatologists now that I have officially moved address.

Anyway, let's move on to the good part of this blog! After a good few months off work, Cryotherapy treatment which I paid and travelled for and the support given by so many I began to pick up just in time for our holiday to Cape Verde. I was a little worried about how my skin would react in the sun and heat as in the past my skin has loved being abroad in the sun but going through withdrawal it can change the way your skin reacts to things, like recently i've developed some sort of tolerance or reaction to Marmite, something I have never had a problem with eating before. I did shed alot to begin with and be a little irritable but once I had climatised getting used to the heat and knew how much time my skin could tolerate being in the sun, the pool and when to apply sunscreen (I will share the products I used shortly) my skin picked up and I developed a lovely tan. Especially being away for 14 days rather than the usual 7 I used to go away for it was nice not to put too much pressure on myself and my skin and just focus on having fun and making memories, boy did we do both!

I really believe Cape Verde healed the steroid withdrawal this year. My skin soaked up the sun lovely, the fresh fruit I was eating every lunchtime helped me feel alot healthier and the love and care given by my man and all we experienced on what was an absolutely magical holiday just made all the stress and worry melt away which made such a difference as one of my biggest triggers that flares my skin is stress! The pain of the elephant skin/wrinkling of skin, lack of elasticity, nerve pain, redness and dryness all subsided massively and I was just eternally grateful that my skin didn't ruin our first holiday abroad as a couple and the magical moments we made.

Products I used:

Soltan purchased at Boots was my go to for sun protection. Due to going for 2 weeks and having dry irritated skin I use alot of product throughout the day so it worked out cheaper to buy a family set which included a bottle of 30SPF, a face protection 30SPF, kids 50SPF, a 15SPF and a bottle of their After Sun. This saved us so much money and is so sensitive for problematic skin.

One of my most magical and favourite memories from Cape Verde was witnessing a turtle lay eggs on the beach on my birthday! It was like our own private viewing as despite paying for an excusion to see this on an evening as its rare to see them come out of the ocean and lay their eggs during the day there was nobody else on the beach but us. We spent 3 hours crawling through the sand, with the sun scortching on my back and then crawled into the sea to watch her back in and not once did my skin complain :)

Since coming home from Cape Verde and being back at work which I find can flare my skin due to their dry blowing heaters and the overall stress and axiety of my workplace it hasn't flared too bad, especially coming into the winter season which can be a big trigger. Fingers crossed my skin continues to behave, but I will make sure I do regular updates when anything changes via my instagram highlight 'Skin'. Until then... Much love xxx

[neontapirguts]

A commission for @squishysoltan

Soltan is working as a greeter at their hardware store job (they got too big to do much else) Gag stops by to catcha glimpse at the new "merchandise"

[scotianostra]

Katherine Stewart Macphail born on 30 October 1887 at Whifflet, Coatbridge.

This is another one of those posts that I will say not many people will know the name here at home, but in Serbia she was regarded as a national hero. Just short of her nineteenth birthday she matriculated at Queen Margaret College, University of Glasgow, to study medicine in, what was at that time, in 1906, still a separate women's department, and the University had only been granting medical degrees to women for just over a decade.

Her father, Donald, was a doctor, and Katherine followed in his footsteps. Her undergraduate record suggests she was a conscientious, bright student and her name appears several times on the prize-list. In her first year she gained a second-class certificate in Practical Zoology. The following year, 1907-1908, she took a first class certificate in Physiology, and in subsequent years, second class certificates in Anatomy (1908-1909) and Surgery (1910-1911). She graduated MB ChB in 1911. In other words, a very smart cookie and it ran in the family, her sister Isabel Macphail, had graduated MA the previous year. 

When war broke out, the sisters offered their services to the Scottish Women's Hospitals. Women were not permitted to serve in the armed forces, but a group of energetic medical women, spear-headed by Edinburgh graduate Elsie Inglis, equipped and staffed their own hospitals, with the support of the National Women's Suffrage Societies.

Their offer of these facilities to the Government at home  was turned down, but the French showed more willing and the first of the Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service was set up at Royaumont towards the end of 1914. Further hospitals followed in Serbia in early 1915. Isabel and Katherine set off for Serbia, Isabel as an orderly, Katherine as a surgeon. Apparently, Katherine was initially worried about what the other members of the unit would be like. She wrote:

We knew we were being sent out under the auspices of the Suffrage Societies, and each was afraid that every other was a strong supporter, but were much relieved to find that almost none of us was what might be called 'strong', and that Serbia was the common bond, not suffrage.

When she arrived there, she and another junior doctor, Adeline Campbell, were dismayed by the tasks they were given to do at Kragvievatz, and felt that an orderly could have done them. They persuaded their superior, Dr Soltan, to release them, and they went on to the Military Hospital at Belgrade, incurring the wrath of the committee of the Scottish Women's Hospital, who declined to employ Katherine again. Undeterred, Katherine continued her lifetime's work in Serbia.

After the war Katherine remained in Serbia, running her own small hospital, the Anglo-Serbian Children's Hospital in Belgrade with some funding from the Scottish Women's Hospitals and the Save the Children Fund. Her war work had been honoured by the Serbian government, which conferred the distinction of the Serbian Order of St Sava and the Serbian Red Cross.

Her work was far from finished, however. In 1934 she established the English-Yugoslav Hospital for Treatment of Osteoarticular Tuberculosis in Sremska Kamenica. She continued her work there until 1941, when she and other British residents were taken prisoner by the Germans.

She was repatriated, but returned to Belgrade in 1945 with one of the first relief units. Under a new post-war regime, foreigners were less welcome. After the nationalisation of the hospital she left for Scotland in 1949 and settled in St Andrews, where she lived until her passing in 1974 aged 86.

Pics include a memorial stamp issued in 2015, one of five that featured Scottish women who worked as doctors, nurses and drivers, the other four being , Dr Elsie Inglis, Dr Isabel Gallowey Hutton, Evelina Haverfield and Dr Elizabeth Ross.