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Outdoor exercise stations installed
Ten outdoor exercise stations have been, or are being installed, at eight of Allegheny County's parks as part of the county's continuing effort to help residents through its Live Well Allegheny campaign.
The stations, located adjacent to major playgrounds in most of the county parks, offer an opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors while using exercise equipment.
"I'm thrilled to make this announcement and to offer another amenity in our county parks to the over two million people who visit each year," said Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. "We know that exercise controls weight, combats health condition and diseases, improves mood, boosts energy, promotes better sleep and, although it may be hard for some people to believe, can even be fun"
The county parks department, working along with county public works and the Allegheny Regional Asset District, purchased outdoor fitness equipment from Xccent Fitness. A Minnesota company, Xccent designs and manufactures equipment in the United States which is designed for adults and teens with the goal of improving strength, cardiovascular, stretching and balance. The 69 pieces of equipment were purchased with support from the Allegheny Regional Asset District.
"The Allegheny Regional Asset District is proud to be a major funder of the county's regional parks and trails, places where anyone can go – any day of the week, any week of the year – to enjoy sports, recreation and nature," said Daniel J. Griffin, vice chair of the Allegheny Regional Asset District's Board of Directors. "I am especially proud that 65 per cent of all RAD funds are granted to parks, libraries and other assets that are free to the public."
Stations in Round Hill Park, Settler's Cabin Park, South Park and White Oak Park have been installed and are available for use now. The remaining fitness stations in Boyce Park, Deer Lakes Park, Harrison Hills Park and North Park will be ready for use by June 15.
The proximity to playgrounds in most of the parks allows parents to get a workout while keeping an eye on their children. Both Deer Lakes Park and South Park have trail fitness stations and equipment is spread along an existing walking path.
"Since the creation of the county's parks system in 1927, we have continued to build upon and grow our system to today's 12,000 acres in nine separate and distinctive parks," said Council Member John Palmiere, chair of county council's Committee on Parks.
While each station varies, there are five separate pieces of exercise equipment that has been purchased for the parks:
· Air Strider – this piece of equipment allows for a striding motion which improves hip and lower-body flexibility; it also tones legs and glutes and provides a no-impact cardio workout;
· Elliptical – this piece of equipment provides a genuine elliptical motion for a low-impact cardio workout; it improves full-body flexibility while also allowing for the toning of arms, obliques, waist, hips, glutes, quads and calves;
· Knee Raise Dip Combo – this piece of equipment provides an abdominal workout and back stretch; users can perform a knee raise on one side and dips and stretching and pull-ups on the other side;
· Arm and Leg Press Combo – this piece of equipment is a bodyweight resistance unit that allows for a lower and upper body workout; the user can change the resistance by changing their body positioning; and,
· Pull Up Dip Combo – this piece of equipment provides opportunity for multi-height pull-up, chin-up, and stretch with a suspending dip station that strengthens and tones, arms, chest, shoulders and back; it is a multi-use station.
Most exercise stations are located near playgrounds, but there are also two linear configurations that have been developed.
· Boyce Park – The fitness station is located by the O'Block universal playground along Center Road.
· Deer Lakes Park – The first fitness station is a linear configuration and is located around the lower lake; the second is located by the universal playground by the Minnow Shelter.
· Harrison Hills Park – The fitness station is located by the playground near the Overlook Shelter and the Watts Memorial Overlook.
· North Park – The fitness station is located next to the universal playground by the North Park Swimming Pool.
· Round Hill Park – The fitness station is located next to the universal playground by the Bluegrass Shelter.
· Settler's Cabin Park – The fitness station is located by the universal playground near the Moccasin Shelter.
· South Park – The first fitness station is located next to the universal, black and yellow playground along Corrigan Drive. The second is a linear configuration that runs alongside Corrigan Drive from the Children's Playground parking lot at the corner of Brownsville Road and Corrigan Drive along the trail to where Corrigan Drive intersects with McConkey Road.
· White Oak Park – The fitness station is located next to the universal playground near the Cedar 2 Shelter.
Live Well Allegheny was launched in January 2014 as a comprehensive, innovative strategy on wellness that embraces a broad concept of living well to include physical health, mental wellness, personal and community safety, prevention and preparedness, and much more. The effort is being led by the Board of Health and Health Department Director Dr. Karen Hacker.
For more information on the Live Well Allegheny campaign, including how to become a Live Well Allegheny community or school, visit http://www.LiveWellAllegheny.com.


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At the end of July, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom handed down its judgment in the case of H (Appellant) v Allen and another (Respondents), In their unanimous decision, the Court decided to protect and strengthen the rights of women workers, and in particular of migrant and immigrant women workers, irrespective of legal status. It's a great decision and an important victory for women everywhere.
Lord Nicholas Wilson, Justice of the Supreme Court, explained the case and the Court decision as follows. On 28 January 2007, "Mrs. Allen" brought "Miss H", aged around 14, into the United Kingdom on a visitor's visa. Miss H is described as illiterate. She had lived with Mrs. Allen's brother in Lagos. Miss H was brought into the United Kingdom under two false claims. First, her age was listed as 20. Second, she was claimed as the granddaughter of Mrs. Allen's mother. Miss H was "aware" of the false pretense. She knew that she could only stay for six months and that she could not legally work for pay.
Miss H, illiterate and 14 years old, "entered into a contract" with Mrs. Allen to help with Mrs. Allen's children. Miss H never received any pay, nor was she ever allowed to attend school. Further, Mrs. Allen verbally, emotionally, and physically abused Miss H, and repeatedly threatened her with prison, explaining that since she was "illegal", if she were caught on the streets, she would go to jail. Miss H lived under these conditions for a year.
On 17 July 2008, Mrs. Allen pushed Miss H out of the house, locked the door, and that was that. Miss H was found by someone, who took her to Social Services.
Miss H sued Mrs. Allen for discrimination, since she was brutally mistreated because of her Nigerian nationality and her unlawful immigration status. The Employment Tribunal agreed with Miss H and demanded that Mrs. Allen pay compensation. Mrs. Allen appealed the case, claiming "the defense of illegality." That is, Mrs. Allen claimed that since Miss H was working illegally, she could not sue. The Court of Appeals agreed with Mrs. Allen.
The Supreme Court unanimously reinstated the Employment Tribunal's decision. For two of the Justices, "the defense of illegality" did not hold, and so that alone sufficed to throw the appeal out. For the remaining three, the more compelling argument was that Miss H had been trafficked. They argued that the public policy of maintaining the integrity of the legal process was secondary to the public policy of opposing trafficking and protecting the rights, if not the well being, of vulnerable people. To accept Mrs. Allen's claim of "defense of illegality" and to refuse Miss H's appeal would be, in the words of Justice Wilson, "an affront."
Anti-trafficking activists and others have hailed this decision as an important step forward. The immigration status of a worker has no bearing on the labor rights of that worker, including the right to sue the employer in court. In the United States, women understand that courts matter. In South Africa, women understand as well that judges matter. And in this decision, in the United Kingdom, MH, who as a child labored in virtual slavery in someone's house, has demonstrated that courts matter, judges matter, justice matters, women and girls matter. All women. All girls. Always.
(Video Credit: UK Supreme Court / YouTube)

subset: commoncrawl


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Product 69/175
This fits your .
The moulds use only the 100% food grade durable silicone to create mould used for a variety of mediums. Our moulds are very soft and flexible and can easily go from as high as 450 degrees to the freezer without affecting the mould. Best of all, they are odorless and nothing sticks to them! These moulds will produce figures that look hand made, making it quick and easy for beginners. The experienced cake decorator will be able to alter and adapt the finished figures for their own designs. The moulds are made from platinum silicone and will not rip or tear under normal use. Our moulds can be used in so many ways, the creative possibilities are endless!
FOUR-C Big High Heel Shoe Silicone Mold Set Fondant Sugar Wedding Cake Modeling Tools DIY Baking Mold - B078HYQ9L1


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Get the free Ebook:
Private and Open Data in Asia: A Regional Guide.
n this practical demonstration, participants will see how they can perform a simple, but meaningful analysis of social sentiment data using freely available and easy to deploy tools. Participants will be equipped with the download links, scripts, and complete step-by-step walkthrough of the analysis from start to finish. Participants will be provided with the practical knowledge to take their analysis to the next level and get buy in from their management and executive leadership by showcasing how easy it can be to add a social analytics package to their overall software development strategy.
This session is sponsored by EMC
Chris Harrold is the Global CTO for Big Data Solutions for EMC Corporation. He has been with EMC since the Isilon acquisition in 2011 and is based in Denver, Colorado far from the corporate headquarters where he can actually get some work done sometimes. He attended Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York and before starting his first job as a network and PC tech for New Times Publishing Group.
Since that first job, Chris has a 20+ year career in Information Technology with companies such as Microsoft, TWtelecom, and Century Link. His roles have included operations support, data warehousing and BI development, applications development, and security management roles. His expertise is currently applied to the development of large-scale analytics solutions for EMC customers around Hadoop and emerging analytics platform technologies. Chris's background in data warehouses, development, and operational support allows him to bridge the gaps that form between operations and development and to build stronger integration between business units in solving analytics challenges.
Currently he is working on several large-scale projects developing Data Services Platform offerings for key customers, has authored a series of publications on Hadoop as a service offerings, and the new Analytics platforms and as-a-service models he is developing for EMC. In his spare time Chris enjoys the great outdoors, his long-board and Kayak, travel, and cooking.
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Apache Hadoop, Hadoop, Apache Spark, Spark, and Apache are either registered trademarks or trademarks of the Apache Software Foundation in the United States and/or other countries, and are used with permission. The Apache Software Foundation has no affiliation with and does not endorse, or review the materials provided at this event, which is managed by O'Reilly Media and/or Cloudera.


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Twitter has launched a live-streamed NBA Finals halftime show in partnership with Uninterrupted, a media company founded by LeBron James and business partner Maverick Carter. The show will be a social media companion for fans during the first three games of the fourth annual Cavaliers-Warriors championship series.
The program will include both game highlights and Twitter chatter about the scene and the event. Among the featured panelists are the Los Angeles Clippers' Austin Rivers, Milwaukee Bucks' Eric Bledsoe, San Antonio Spurs' Rudy Gay and Uninterrupted's NBA analyst-slash-culture critic, Big Wos.
Live with @VanLathan, @BigWos, @EBled2, @RudyGay, @AustinRivers25 HALFTIME is UNINTERRUPTED with @CrownRoyal https://t.co/bMaiJxu5SW
— UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted) June 1, 2018
"Halftime is Uninterrupted is an irreverent perspective on the game, through the lens of those that play and create the culture around basketball," said Uninterrupted president and COO, Devin Johnson, in a press release. "Uninterrupted couldn't be more excited to enter into a partnership with Twitter and Crown Royal."
This original content is part of the social network's broader #NBATwitter brand campaign that includes ads and mockumentaries. Twitter said the NBA has been the most-tweeted-about sports league in 2018, with more than 100 million posts.
#NBATwitter is… pic.twitter.com/ifr1HRWoXI
— Twitter Sports (@TwitterSports) May 30, 2018
"Uninterrupted will deliver authentic storytelling directly from influencers to drive #NBATwitter conversation during halftime of the Finals!" said TJ Adeshola, Twitter's head of US sports league partnerships, in the release.
SportTechie Takeaway
Thursday's Game 1 Halftime is Uninterrupted had 114,000 viewers for the 24-minute program as of press time on Friday morning, a robust figure for the Uninterrupted account that has 401,000 followers. Shorter clips of the show fared well, too, including 154,000 for a James vs. Steph Curry debate. This type of second-screen, supplementary content is what Twitter does best, and the star power on the panel helped drive its success.
#ThatDeservesACrown moment from tonight's HALFTIME IS UNINTERRUPTED got us thinking @KingJames vs. @StephenCurry30…what's your stance? 🤔
Part 2 with @CrownRoyal drops on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/pga3k2Clyd
— UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted) June 1, 2018
Tennys Sandgren: Part of Staying in Shape Meant Keeping the Calluses on My Hands
Tennys Sandgren won all three of his matches on the first day of WTT play at The Greenbrier. Here's his take on what it's like to be training and playing during the pandemic.
- Andrew Cohen
- July 13, 2020
Rally Rd. Lets You Own a Piece of Rare Sports History Without Being Filthy Rich
The premise is to turn collectibles into companies with SEC approval, complete with cap tables, investors, and marketing. The objects remain in Rally's care, either at their SoHo showroom in New York City or in one of two secure storage facilities.
- Joe Lemire
- July 8, 2020


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52 Seabreeze Avenue in Delray Beach JUST SOLD!
Posted by Gloria Singer on Monday, May 1st, 2017 at 11:11am.
My listing at 52 Seabreeze Avenue in downtown Delray Beach just sold for $1,940,000. The asking price was $1,980,000 and we sold for 98% of the list price after only 9 days on the market.
My sellers bought this townhouse 3 years before as a second home. Unfortunately they were not able to use the home as much as they hoped so reluctantly decided to look for a buyer who would love the house as much as they do.
The buyers were thrilled to find this home as they are empty nesters who decided to leave their big house in west Broward and move to East Delray full time. Like the Sellers, they love the convenience to the beach and to the shopping and dining of Atlantic Avenue.
Located in Delray's most desirable seaside neighborhood, this two story Seabreeze Isles townhouse with 3,676 square feet under air has 4 bedrooms, 5 and a half baths, 3 balconies, a 2 car garage, family room, elevator, gourmet kitchen, private courtyard, covered patio with summer kitchen, and private pool and spa. The huge master suite boasts his and hers baths and walk-in closets.
Neutral colors, limestone floors, and large impact windows fitted with plantation shutters throughout ensure brightness. The design details of this home really sets it apart from new construction. Tray and coffered ceilings, arched doorways, and decorative columns create a luxurious environment. All exterior maintenance is covered by the monthly HOA fee.
To find out more about listing your home for sale, please contact Gloria Singer, Broker at 561.347.6444 or by email at email@example.com. Please also visit us online at: www.BocaExpert.com.
Gloria Singer is the Broker of Boca Expert Realty, a boutique Boca Raton real estate company with a focus on professional service and an unparalleled customer experience. Our select agents are amongst the top performing professionals in the field. Visit www.BocaExpert.com for information on Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Highland Beach real estate and to connect with an expert in the local market.
1 Response to "52 Seabreeze Avenue in Delray Beach JUST SOLD!"
Posted on Monday, May 1st, 2017 at 12:07pm.


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This tri-nation series 2019 in Ireland between the hosts, Bangladesh, and West Indies had been a pretty exciting one. We saw that there were some big totals scored by all teams and also chased giving some really interesting games. Now, it has all come down to the final match where Bangladesh and West Indies will be facing each other in the final showdown of this series. In this article, we are going to share Bangladesh vs West Indies Final ODI live score updates, live streaming, and also the squads of both teams for the final match.
Before we move on to that, here are some important match details of Bangladesh vs West Indies 7th ODI:
Bangladesh vs West Indies Final ODI Match Venue: Dublin, Ireland.
Match Date and Timing: 17th May 2019 at 2:45 PKT.
Bangladesh vs West Indies Final 7th ODI Live Score and Ball by Ball Commentary:
This will definitely be an exciting final and if you are looking forward to watching live cricket online, make sure that you return to this page on the match day for free Bangladesh vs West Indies Live Streaming. Also, we will be bringing the live score updates and ball by ball match commentary so you will be staying updated even when you aren't watching it.
We have gathered some of the best mobile apps and websites where different cricket matches can be watched online. Since ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is coming ahead, you will definitely be looking for some of those as well. So in this article, we are also going to share West Indies vs Bangladesh final ODI live streaming sources as well. Here they are:
- Willow TV Live Streaming
- Super Sports Live Streaming
- Crictime Live Streaming
- WebCric Live Streaming
- CricHD Live Streaming
- Mobile Cric Live Streaming
- PTV Sports Live Streaming
- HotStar Live Streaming
So these are the top online sources for watching live cricket. If you still won't get the time to watch the match, make sure that you stay updated by seeing ball by ball commentary on our site.
West Indies Squad in Final ODI vs Bangladesh:
The West Indian squad is full of new and talented players who are performing really well. However, since lack a lot of experience which is required for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. The following is the list of players in the West Indian squad:
- Darren Bravo (Captain)
- Evin Lewis
- Shimron Hetmyer
- Andre Russel
- Carlon Brathwaithe
- Chris Gayle
- Fabian Allen
- Jason Holder
- Nicolas Pooran
- Shai Hope
- Ashley Nurse
- Kemar Roach
- Oshane Thomas
- Shannon Gabriel
- Sheldon Cottrell
Bangladesh Squad in Final ODI vs West Indies:
The talented Bengali players have been performing really well throughout the series and we wouldn't be surprised if they continue to beat West Indies in the final of this tri-nation series 2019. The following is the list of players in their squad:
- Mashrafe Mortaza (Captain)
- Muhammad Mithun
- Liton Das
- Shakib Al Hasan
- Mushfiq ur Rahim
- Mahmudullah
- Mehidy Hasan
- Nazmul Islam
- Rubel Hossain
- Mustafizur Rahman
- Abu Hider Rony
- Nazmul Hossain Shanto
- Muhammad Saifuddin
- Fazle Muhammad
- Imrul Kayes
So this exciting tri-nation series 2019 in Ireland is finally coming to its end. The next event is the biggest tournament of cricket i.e. ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. To enjoy the live score updates, streaming, and match updates of this event, keep visiting our site.


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Alien Beasts (1991) Carl J. Sukenick
Labels : 90's , Carl J. Sukenick , Horror , USA , 1 com
Alien Beasts (1991)
Genre: Action | Horror | Gore
Country: USA | Director: Carl J. Sukenick
Language: English | Subtitles: None
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1 | Length: 72mn
Vhsrip H264 Mkv - 720x552 - 29.970fps - 1.37gb
Special CIA unit must deal with humans who mutated into beasts after being exposed to alien radiation and evil terrorists who attack the CIA base.
Alien Beasts (1991)
If you enjoy this blog, you can support it by buying a NITROFLARE premium account from the links above. For just a few bucks, you will get full speed and unlimited downloads from a great filehost. If you find a dead link, just leave a com on the post REUPS AND REQUESTS and I'll try to fix it as soon as possible. Cheers.


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Info »
Gempower Teardrop Earrings - Australian Opal
Our first foray into sourcing, cutting and setting Australian Opal. Traditionally a gem cut in a cabochon, we've given this beautiful stone a design twist by faceting each of our 10 opals per set of earrings.
6.5cm x 4cm sterling silver Gempower Teardrop Earrings - Australian Opal
Please note that due to the individual nature of opal, every stone is incredibly unique - these earrings contain 10 Australian Opals per set. Some of the stones are black opal and some white opal in each pair.
Also, due to the sensitivity of the crystal, we recommend this as a dress earring rather than an everyday earring.


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We're here at the Nokia office today for a short hands-on session of the company's 41-megapixel 808 PureView smartphone. Announced at Mobile World Congress, this particular smartphone is one of the most unique devices to come out of Nokia's stable so far, considering that it's megapixel count is considerably higher than some cameras and DSLRs.
The overall size of the 808 PureView is 123.9 x 60.2 x 13.9mm, which bulges out to 17.95mm once you get to the sensor. The 808 PureView is around 169 grams, which is considerably heavier than most other smartphones out there especially at the sensor end. The body is a polycarb deal with a fine textured finish which feels a bit weird at first. The 4-inch screen uses a AMOLED ClearBlack display which has a resolution of 640 x 360, which is a bit disappointing, given the display type used. We think it's a limitation of the Sybian Belle OS on the device itself, as Nokia's Lumia range of smartphones have higher resolution displays.
The entire appeal of the 808 PureView is the 41-megapixel sensor, which if you can recall is the biggest one in any smartphone out today. The focal length for the 808 PureView is 8.02mm – when compared to a 35mm focal length, it's equivalent to 26mm at 16:9, and 28mm at 4:3. Shooting the 808 PureView is easy, and there are several shooting modes available for users, as well as the option to control the shooting type and resolution used. We did notice during shooting that the 808 PureView showed us that we were only taking pictures at 38-megapixels and not 41. That's because while the 41-megapixel sensor is square, no one really takes square pictures – some parts of the sensor gets cropped out depending on the aspect ratio you use.
That doesn't mean that the shots aren't great – in fact, we've added some of the shots below for you guys to check out. And even though the 808 PureView runs on a single core 1.3GHz processor, the overall user experience wasn't terrible – in fact, it was pretty good, with the device being responsive during our time with it. Obviously our time with it was only limited, but for what it is, the device ran pretty well.
(Click the pictures below to see it in the full resolution)


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Ditto TV Review
Watch over 150 Live TV Channels of your favourite TV Serials, Movies, Videos and News online in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and all other Regional Languages on dittoTV.
Find the latest Ditto TV coupons, discount coupons, coupon codes, free deals, tricks to save money, paise bachao, promo codes and promotion codes for shopping online in India. Online shopping par paisa bachao.


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Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, which was one of the top shows of Star Plus, has vanished from the TRP chart. The makers are trying their best to keep the viewers hooked by bringing new twists but in vain. Now, the makers have a big surprise for the viewers! Abhishek Verma, who previously played the role of Adi on the show, will be re-entering the show. Previously too, there were reports that the actor would be re-entering the show as Roshini's (with whom Adi had an affair) grown-up boy! But this didn't happen.
Well, we are sure that fans have been waiting for his re-entry for a long time (a few might have even stopped thinking about his return on the show). But now it's happening! According to confirmed reports, the actor indeed will be returning to the show. Read on to know more details!
Abhishek Verma To Return To The Show As Yug!
According to India-forum report, Abhishek will be re-entering the show not as Adi or Roshini's grown-up boy, but as Yug! He will play the role of a salesman selling SIM cards and will be a lookalike of Adi.
YHM Latest Promo: Ishita Faints Seeing Adi aka Yug!
According to the latest promo, Ishita will be shocked to see Adi (she assumes him to be Adi), while she is trying to escape from the goons. She recalls the past as to how she killed Adi and faints upon seeing him.
Yug Is Very Filmy & Is Good At Everything!
Abhishek was quoted by India-forums as saying, "I am coming back as Yug, the character is a middle-class guy who stays with his chacha-chachi. He is very filmy, never takes things seriously and has very chilled out attitude. But he is very good at everything."
Why Is Abhishek Returning To The Show?
About the reason for his comeback, he said, "Yeh Hai Mohabbatein is my family and when Sandeep sir called I directly said Yes. I am happy to be back in the show, I enjoy a lot working on the set of the show."
'Yeh Hai Mohabbatein Is A Birthday Gift!'
He further added, "Actually, I so wanted to come back but when I heard the rumour about the show going off air I was very sad. But it's all fan blessing and prayers that I am back. Also, this is my birthday month and coming back to Yeh Hai Mohabbatein is my birthday gift."
Well, we hope this twist at least gets the show back to the TRP chart. What say guys? Hit the comment box to share your views.
Most Read: Sara Khan On 'Lip Surgery Trolls': My Lip Job Has Got Completely Amazingly Done & I'm Loving It!
Also Read:
Yeh Hai Mohabbatein Spoiler: Sudha Joins Hands With Param To Kill Ishita!
TV Snippets: Salim Khan Reveals How Salman Passed Exams; Divyanka Wishes Mohsin's Sister & More!
Erica Fernandes, Parth Samthaan, Sriti Jha, Karan Patel & Others Attend Chloe & Aslam's Wedding


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Remove from course
How to I remove myself from a course enrolled?
At this moment only teacher can un-enroll you from the course. We have feature to self un-enroll planned for the spring update.
5 comments
Minnie commented
I'd like to un-enroll from a course as well.
Anonymous commented
Has this been solved yet? I'd like to un-enroll from a course as well.
rachel diegel commented
how can I get a refund for a course I no longer want to take it
Anonymous commented
I did not know that as a teacher I can un-enroll a student. Where can I find this option?
Marinella Garcia Sy commented
hello Eliademy Team,
how do i un-enroll a student from my course?
thanks for your help.


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|Course fee: USD 1,000
|Start Date: 04/11/2019
|End Date: 08/11/2019
|Registration is closed, view 2020 course calender
In many developing countries, women are viewed as second-class citizens. Even though women often have a heavier workload as caretakers of the home, they have very little influence or authority in their house and communities. This unbalanced societal power often leads to fewer opportunities for women for education and work, and can also lead to domestic abuse. This Gender Sensitive Management Training course is designed to open up communications between the sexes to bring mutual understanding and respect of each other's' roles. The program starts with employing local experts on gender issues who have a clear understanding of the problem within the current social and cultural context to help create and lead training sessions. These sessions facilitate discussions that highlight positive practices between men and women, and expose areas that need improved understanding. Staring in two groups and later coming together in one discussion, both genders discuss the various roles, expectations, and the importance of both genders. Participants also have the chance to share experiences when they have felt empowered or dis-empowered, and how those experiences relate to their own personal role within their households and society. Finally, brainstorming sessions are led to consider what changes could be made to foster an environment of respect, dignity, and understanding for both genders.
By the end of this training the participants should be able to understand:
· Define the role of gender in organizations and in the society
· Identify gender inequality and develop solutions towards balance of genders in development work
· Develop gender sensitive project implementation frameworks
· Streamline gender in organizations
· Outline the role and space of gender in in organizations and the society
· Develop gender sensitive Systems
· Build and nature gender sensitivity management
5 days
This course targets:
· Gender activists
· Social workers
· Community development officers
· Social scientists and researchers
· Gender and Community development policy makers
· Income generation programme officials
· Managers in organizations
· Non-Governmental Organizations
Module 1: Introduction to Gender Sensitive Management
· What is gender sensitive management
· Define and outline the concept of gender
· Identify and addressing the function of gender in management
Module 2: Gender Mainstreaming
· Meaning of gender mainstreaming
· History of gender mainstreaming
· Concept of gender mainstreaming
· Gender mainstreaming in specific sectors
· Gender mainstreaming in sustainable development goals
· Best practices of gender mainstreaming
Module 3: Stakeholder analysis in management
· Mentoring stakeholders on how to mainstream gender in management
· Training management stakeholders in gender sensitivity
· Gender sensitive human resources management
· Ensuring that stakeholders are gender responsive
Module 4: Implementation of Gender Sensitive Management
· Integrating gender indicators in organization operations
· Mobilizing gender balanced participation in management
· Developing a gender sensitive policy framework in management
· Gender sensitive management processes
· Streamlining gender in development work
· Gender neutral planning and management
· This course is delivered by our seasoned trainers who have vast experience as expert professionals in the respective fields of practice. The course is taught through a mix of practical activities, theory, group works and case studies.
· Training manuals and additional reference materials are provided to the participants.
· Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be issued with a certificate.
· We can also do this as tailor-made course to meet organization-wide needs. Contact us to find out more: email@example.com
· The training will be conducted at DATA-AFRIQUE TRAINING CENTRE, NAIROBI KENYA.
· The training fee covers tuition fees, training materials, lunch and training venue. Accommodation and airport transfer are arranged for our participants upon request.
· Payment should be sent to our bank account before start of training and proof of payment sent to: email@example.com
|Start Date: 04/11/2019
|End Date: 08/11/2019
|Course fee in USA Dollars: USD 1,000
|Registration closed, view 2020 course calender


text:
Contributed by Hartland Historical Society
- Item 77457
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Purchase a reproduction of this item on VintageMaineImages.com.
Commercial Street was called North Street in Hartland's earliest days. The view above is looking southerly down Commercial Street towards Warren Square, the center of town. Commercial Street was one of the two principle business streets in town.
About This Item
- Title: Commercial St. looking towards Warren Square, Hartland, ca. 1890
- Creation Date: circa 1890
- Subject Date: circa 1890
- Town: Hartland
- County: Somerset
- State: ME
- Media: Postcard
- Dimensions: 8.68 cm x 13.41 cm
- Object Type: Image
Cross Reference Searches
Standardized Subject Headings
- Commercial Street (Hartland, Me.)
- Buildings--Maine--Hartland
- Dirt roads--Maine--Hartland
- Postcards
- Business enterprises--Maine--Hartland
For more information about this item, contact:Hartland Historical Society
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text: As a lifelong student of what he calls "survival arts", it was Jeff Anderson's military training that led him to seek out strategies that would protect not only himself on the battlefield... but also provide for his family's own self-reliance in any sort of disaster, crisis or collapse. After 10 years of military training in elite infantry units around the world, Jeff began working as a security consultant and executive protection specialist for private clients and the entertainment industry. Specializing in military style hand-to-hand and weapons combat, Jeff offered classes and seminars based on practicality and battlefield effectiveness. In Jeff's survival training, it was his service overseas and in combat missions, that he was able to get a first-hand glimpse of what a city gripped in collapse and without rule of law is like for its citizens. He uses his unique experience to inject a more realistic view of what to expect in survival scenarios and provide practical solutions — even in extreme environments — for true survivalists. Ultimately his training and experience led him to create the digital media channel for Modern Combat and Survival magazine which is fueled by more than 100 of the world's top instructors in law enforcement, military and civilian survival schools.


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Beirut, Lebanon - "Write to us if you are a domestic worker, or know a domestic worker, who is being abused in Lebanon. We will try to help."
The words are translated into seven languages - the main ones spoken by migrant domestic workers who travel to the Mediterranean nation. They greet you at the top of This Is Lebanon's Facebook page.
Hundreds have responded since they began keeping records in June last year, the group says.
"We awake to more than 20 messages, from many different countries. They all want help for someone being abused in Lebanon," Dipendra Uprety, the group's founder, told Al Jazeera.
Uprety, a former migrant worker in Lebanon who once worked at Beirut's iconic Phoenicia Hotel, founded This Is Lebanon in 2017. He experienced directly the hardship endured by some migrant workers living in the country, of which there are estimated to be in excess of 250,000.
These low-income workers come to Lebanon generally seeking salaries to remit to their families back home. Many return broken - physically and mentally, rights groups say. Non-payment of fees, long working hours, forced confinement and no rest days are pervasive, and physical and sexual abuse is prevalent, according to Amnesty International.
Uprety himself spent six months in detention after his employer failed to renew his residency papers. Under the sponsorship system known as Kafala, workers are not allowed to resign, change employers or return home without the consent of their 'Kafeel' or legal sponsor. The system is in place in nations across the Levant and the Gulf.
Some countries have taken steps to roll it back, with Qatar last year allowing migrant workers to leave without the permission of their employers - though this did not affect domestic workers.
Uprety eventually got out of detention, with the help of a local church. He spent time working as a representative for the Nepalese consulate general in Lebanon, helping detained Nepalese workers. "I had dealt with over a thousand cases. I had a huge headache, we couldn't get them justice. But when we went to social media, we started seeing results," he said.
Uprety now runs the group from Canada, where he recently attained permanent protected status.
Confronting methods
This Is Lebanon's methods, however, are at times uncomfortable for those on the receiving end of the group's pressure. They directly intervene with employers when notified of abuse. Depending on its degree, they will publicly expose those accused.
Al Jazeera reviewed many cases This Is Lebanon has undertaken. In one example, the group contacted an employer - whose name has been retained - via phone. They shared a recording of the conversation with Al Jazeera:
Patricia (an admin on the This Is Lebanon Facebook page): "I'm calling you about your domestic worker ... as I understand she's been with you for two-and-a-half years, yes?"
Employer: "Yes."
Patricia: "When is she going home?"
Employer: "I don't know, she didn't tell me she wants to go home yet."
Patricia: "She wants to go home, we are talking to her family ... and you owe her eight months' salary."
Employer: "Yes, no problem I'm going to give it tom [tomorrow]- on Monday evening. Are you related to her?"
Patricia: "No, we're activists, 'Nashiteen.' ... and what about her Iqama [residency permit]?"
Employer: "Yes I will do it for her very soon."
Patricia: "Why haven't you done it?"
Employer: "Because I don't have money actually."
Patricia: "Well, if you don't have money you shouldn't have a maid."
Employer: "OK, Monday I'll pay her salary and then make it [the residency permit] after two weeks."
Patricia: "Ok, I will send you a message on WhatsApp. I'll talk to you on WhatsApp, thank you very much."
Employer: "You're welcome."
Patricia then speaks to him on WhatsApp:
In another example, the case went less smoothly.
The man stopped replying.
A separate screenshot shows the lengths This Is Lebanon is willing to go. After not responding for several days, the employer is sent a message containing a link to a video recorded by the sister of the domestic worker he employs.
This Is Lebanon often posts the results of cases on its page. Late last year, a video was posted of a domestic worker who This Is Lebanon apparently helped obtain $10,000 in outstanding salary and return home.
"I just want to say thank you for all you did for me when I was in Lebanon ... With your help I was able to get back my entire salary, so thank you from the bottom of my heart.
In the comments below the video, a domestic worker says she needs help. Her employer is only paying her a fraction of her salary. "What's your WhatsApp number?" This Is Lebanon comments.
That's how a large chunk of their cases begin. After facing abuse, Uprety says many helped by This Is Lebanon become part of its growing network.
'I love Lebanon... but hate the system'
"I went to Lebanon wanting to work. I did it for a couple of years, and some employers didn't pay me and harassed and mistreated me. I was beaten up by my employer," Sara, a former domestic worker, told Al Jazeera. "Then I had to run [away] from that place, because they wanted me to be deported, and I wasn't ready to go home."
Sara has since left Lebanon, and now lives in Canada, where she volunteers for the group.
But she says she doesn't enjoy being away. "I have no personal life. It always scares me if I want to go and have fun - what if I come back to the phone and there's something bad waiting for me, someone died or threw themselves from the balcony?" she said.
"I don't hate Lebanon, I love Lebanon and the Lebanese people. You have no idea how many Lebanese are involved to help change this bad image of the country," she said. "I love the country but I hate the system, I hate people who think they have power and can abuse us unpunished."
'This is blackmail'
Still, some employers say they have unjustly had their reputations ruined by the group.
Jean - not his real name - is one of them. He says his livelihood has been threatened by false accusations that he hasn't paid his maid, and was keeping her in Lebanon against her will. Upon his request, details of his case have been retained.
Jean said This Is Lebanon had tried to establish contact with the domestic worker he employs after she stopped talking to her family and ceased remitting money.
But he said the domestic worker had done so on her own volition, fearing that none would be left when she eventually returned to her country of origin.
He showed Al Jazeera videos of the domestic worker at a notary near Beirut, with a wad of money on the table in front of her, as she signed a statement:
Notary: "Did you want the money to go to [country of origin]?"
Domestic worker: "No."
Notary: "Why?"
Domestic worker: "I'll take them with me when I go."
Notary: "Do you want 'Mr.' to send money to [country of origin]?
Domestic worker: "No."
Notary: "Are you happy to be with him?"
Domestic worker: "Yes."
Notary: "This is your money right?"
Domestic worker: "Yes."
Notary: "This paper, you know what you're signing? You're saying 'Mr.' paid you and you don't want to send it."
Domestic worker: "Yes."
Notary: "Ok, sign."
She proceeds to sign the document, which is written in Arabic.
Al Jazeera confirmed the details of the document, but did not speak directly to the domestic worker.
In a months-long public campaign, This Is Lebanon has called on Jean to return the domestic worker home.
"I'm sure that some people on this page are abusive, but I treat [my domestic worker] well," he said.
"This is not Lebanon. This is blackmail."
Asked how he was sure of the veracity of what he was posting, Uprety responded that This Is Lebanon achieves more justice than the Lebanese justice system ever has - even if mistakes are made. And Uprety rejected the claim that This Is Lebanon has ever falsely accused someone.
Lebanese Justice Minister Albert Serhan told Al Jazeera that he was still studying the efficacy of Lebanese courts on cases related to the Kafala system after recently being appointed to his post. He said he had confidence in their ability to hand down just verdicts, but said he would seek to amend laws where issues are found.
"I think there are plans for some changes. Hopefully, we will be doing that soon," Serhan said.
A 2010 study by Human Rights Watch (HRW) of over 100 legal cases involving domestic workers found "the justice system generally was inaccessible and unresponsive to their demands," Aya Majzoub, a Lebanese researcher at HRW, told Al Jazeera.
Majzoub said rulings were obtained in favour of domestic workers only when there was severe physical violence backed up by overwhelming medical evidence. "Anything short of that failed to get the attention of the police and prosecutors," she said.
That leaves a major gap for groups like This Is Lebanon to fill. Indeed, Sara says they are only growing, with round-the-clock shifts in Canada, lawyers working cases in Lebanon, and a network spanning the world.
"We deserve justice," she said. "Currently, there is no way for that in Lebanese courts."


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Many market watchers like myself have been predicting that consolidation was looming in the MDM space - with Symantec's acquisition of Odyssey Software, we finally have some validation. The MDM segment of the enterprise mobility ecosystem is definitely one of the more mature and crowded ones. Odyssey's tenure, sizeable customer base and well regarded solutions made it an attractive target for acquisition. Mobile specialists such as Odyssey are being watched and evaluated regularly by firms such as Symantec. In fact, the company announced last week that it had pulled the trigger on yet another deal - just 11 days after revealing it had acquired Odyssey, Symantec announced that it had acquired Nukona.
For Symantec, Odyssey + Nukona is only the beginning of its mobility push
With its acquistion of Nukona, a private, ~20 person firm with an elegant and powerful mobile application management solution, Symantec has demonstrated that it recognizes the importance of having a tactical M&A strategy. Nukona is a young company, and yet just 12 short months after emerging from stealth mode, several vendors were focusing on the company and had them on their radar - not for a large customer base, but for its IP and executive talent.
While Symantec is fairly active with its M&A strategy (the company has acquired ~20 companies in the last 5 years) Nukona and Odyssey are Symantec's first "pure-play" mobile acquisitions. This move signals that Symantec saw an opportunity to expand and diversify its mobile product solution portfolio. Indeed, these acquisitions deliver expanded mobile platform coverage (i.e., Android and Windows Phone 7), as well as the ability to offer its customers core enterprise-grade mobility solution components. I'm looking forward to the company's launch of its Secure App Center next month, and expect more innovation from the mobile team that is coming together.


text:
Belgian specialty, imparts toasty, biscuit-like flavor, increased body, and golden color. (Approximately 19 Lovibond)
Please note, grain purchased in-store is still packed in 1 pound bags. If you would like in-store pick up of grain by the ounce, please order ahead, or call the store so we can weigh it out for you. 24 hour notice is appreciated, particulary for Saturday pick ups.


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Sierra Nevada National Park is a mountainous protected area in Andalusia, southern Spain. The mountains are surrounded by pastures, forests, and crops that provide services to more than 90,000 people in the protected area.
Water management in the park, which covers more than 2,000 square kilometres and ranges from 860 to 3,482 metres in altitude, is key to sustaining economic activity as well as ecosystem functioning.
From the ninth century AD onwards, Muslim settlers built more than 3,000 km of irrigation channels on the mountain slopes. Many of these channels are still in use today, diverting water from the springs and streams at higher altitudes and delivering it to the lower-lying crops, grasslands, and forests. This process slows down the hydrological cycle, making good use of the water resources.
As part of its ground-breaking ECOPOTENTIAL project, the European Union has been using satellite images to assess how this network of channels is affecting the functioning of socio-ecosystems in Sierra Nevada. By quantifying some of the effects of the watering provided by these irrigation channels, the data can also help policymakers better understand how irrigation channels can mitigate the impact of climate change in the region.
Many industries in Sierra Nevada – including agriculture, tourism, cattle raising, skiing, bee-keeping, and mining – are highly dependent on this water, as are all downstream towns and villages.
UN Environment is one of many partners supporting this project. ECOPOTENTIAL, which started in 2015, uses satellite imagery, field measurements, data analysis, and modelling of current and future ecosystem conditions and services in 25 protected areas in Europe (as well as in Kenya, the Caribbean and Israel) to address climate change and other threats to ecosystems.
"New generations of satellites provide unprecedented perspectives on natural landscapes like Sierra Nevada," says UN Environment's Environmental Policy Expert Magnus Andresen. "UN Environment is working to ensure that governments can apply this data for effective environmental management."
Climate change has already altered the hydrology of Sierra Nevada, impacting both ecosystems and communities. At the same time, land-use change is another key driver of ecosystem structure and functioning. Park authorities are now exploring how to use the ancient irrigation network to buffer the impacts of global climate change.
ECOPOTENTIAL is supporting the Sierra Nevada Global Change Observatory in the use of Earth Observation, while the LIFE ADAPTAMED EU project is putting this knowledge into practice by improving ecosystem management, such as planting and clearcutting forests.
In the long run, this initiative is expected to help increase the resilience of the Sierra Nevada's remarkable biodiversity, including a total of 2,100 vascular plant species (21 per cent of European flora), which make it one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the Mediterranean region.
More about the funding
Funding for this project comes from Horizon 2020, the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever with nearly 80 billion euros of funding available over seven years (2014 to 2020) – in addition to the private investment that this money will attract.
For further information: Magnus.Andresen[at]un.org


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Utility of Frailty Assessment for Elderly Patients Undergoing Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
Author + information
- Received March 1, 2017
- Revision received June 14, 2017
- Accepted June 30, 2017
- Published online December 18, 2017.
Article Versions
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- previous version (December 1, 2017 - 02:45).
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Author Information
- Maciej Kubala, MDa,∗ (Kubala.Maciej{at}chu-amiens.fr),
- Laurence Guédon-Moreau, MDb,
- Frédéric Anselme, MD, PhDc,
- Didier Klug, MD, PhDb,
- Geneviève Bertaina, MDa,
- Sarah Traullé, MDa,
- Otilia Buiciuc, MDa,
- Arnaud Savouré, MDc,
- Momar Diouf, PhDa and
- Jean-Sylvain Hermida, MD, PhDa
- aCentre Hospitalier Universitaire, Amiens, France
- bCentre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire, Lille, France
- cCentre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire, Rouen, France
- ↵∗Address for correspondence:
Dr. Maciej Kubala, Service de Rythmologie et Stimulation Cardiaque, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Avenue Laennec, 80054 Amiens, France.
Graphical abstract
Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of frailty in the elderly on response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).
Background CRT has been shown to improve symptoms and outcome of patients with congestive heart failure (HF) and impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The impact of frailty on the results of CRT is unknown.
Methods Frailty defined as <14 of 17 points using the ONCODAGE (Outil de dépistage gériatrique en oncologie) G8 score was assessed before device implantation in candidates for CRT who were >70 years of age. The primary endpoint was the response to CRT, defined as an improvement of >5% of the LVEF and the absence of hospitalization for HF or cardiovascular death at 9 months.
Results Ninety-two of 151 included patients (61%) were frail, and 89 (59%) were responders. Frailty was more frequent in nonresponders: 45 of 62 (73%) versus 47 of 89 (53%) (p = 0.014) and was identified as an independent predictor of nonresponse to CRT (R = 0.30; 95% confidence interval: 0.02 to 0.59; p = 0.039). Frailty was associated with a higher cumulative probability of hospitalization for HF (log-rank p = 0.032) and of all-cause death (log-rank p = 0.033). A G8 score <10.25 correlated with hospitalization for HF or death at 9 months (area under the curve: 0.75; 95% confidence interval: 0.63 to 0.87; cutoff <10.25; 77% sensitivity, 63% specificity).
Conclusions Frailty is as an independent predictor of nonresponse to CRT. Frail patients implanted with CRT devices have a higher risk of hospitalization for HF and mortality. Routine comprehensive geriatric assessment at the time of screening for device therapy should be recommended to optimize management. (Frailty Score Assessment for Elderly Patients Undergoing Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy [FRAILTY]; NCT02369419)
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been shown to improve symptoms and outcome of patients with congestive heart failure (HF) and impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (1–3); however, ≈30% of patients with CRT implanted do not benefit from their device (4,5). Appropriate selection of patients should take into account the presence of factors that are associated with nonresponse. Several demographic, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic characteristics have been identified that are associated with nonresponsiveness to CRT (6–9). Because the prevalence of HF increases with age, and life expectancy is increasing, the proportion of elderly patients referred for CRT is growing (10,11). Clinical and echocardiographic benefits of CRT have been confirmed in the elderly (12,13); however, the advanced age population is heterogeneous, and frailty has been identified as a pivotal condition in predicting outcome (14,15).
Frailty is a complex condition that includes age-associated deficits in multiple organs with a functional impairment, adverse drug reactions, hospitalization, and heightened vulnerability to stressors (16). Frailty scores systematically evaluate geriatric conditions including physical activity, muscle weakness, slow walking speed, unintentional weight loss, exhaustion, and cognitive and behavioral impairment. Long-term survival in elderly patients hospitalized for HF depends on frailty and association of noncardiovascular comorbidities (17). Frailty has been identified as a risk factor for hospital admission for HF, and routine comprehensive geriatric assessment at the time of HF diagnosis has been recommended by several authors (14,18). The importance of frailty in patients with cardiovascular disease is systematically considered in the establishment of the optimal management strategy (14,19).
Given the complexity of CRT system implantation and the cost of devices and hospitalizations for HF, better estimation of indications for CRT in the elderly is needed. In this context, the prognostic relevance of frailty for hospital readmissions for HF and its effect on the results of CRT remain unclear. The goal of frailty assessment would be to identify frail patients whose management should be optimized before implantation or for whom intervention therapy is inappropriate and who should be treated with conventional medical therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of frailty on the response to the CRT.
Study population
This is a prospective multicenter study including patients hospitalized in cardiology units of the Amiens, Lille, and Rouen University hospitals between July 2011 and July 2015. The protocol was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NTC02369419). We included patients older than 70 years of age with New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II to IV, LVEF ≤35%, QRS duration >120 ms, and left bundle branch block (LBBB) in sinus rhythm or in atrial fibrillation (AF) on optimal medical therapy (20). Patients with a conventional pacemaker indication and >95% of ventricular pacing, LVEF ≤35%, and NYHA functional class II to IV were also included. Patients with a high degree of atrioventricular block and LVEF >35% who required de novo CRT with an expected high percentage of ventricular pacing were excluded. After receiving detailed written information, all patients provided informed consent for CRT device implantation and follow-up. The study was approved by the local research ethics committee.
Pre-implantation examination
Before implantation, all patients underwent a clinical evaluation, an assessment of NYHA functional class, a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), and a transthoracic echocardiogram. Ischemic heart disease was defined as 1 or more clinically documented (Q wave or enzyme-positive) prior myocardial infarctions or prior coronary artery bypass graft surgeries or percutaneous coronary interventions (balloon or stent angioplasty) (21).
LVEF was evaluated by 2-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography with the Simpson biplane method, magnetic resonance imaging, or angiographic or radionuclide methods. Associated aortic valvulopathy was defined as the presence of moderate (valvular area <1.5 cm2) to severe (valvular area <1 cm2) aortic stenosis or an aortic regurgitation of grade ≥2. All mitral regurgitation of grade ≥2 as evaluated using the proximal velocity surface area method was considered.
QRS duration was evaluated in lead II using the 12-lead ECG (25 mm/s) measurements (GE Marquette Mac 5000, GE Healthcare, Chicago, Illinois). In patients with permanently paced ventriculograms, the QRS duration was measured from the onset of the spike to the end of the QRS complex.
Typical LBBB was defined as QRS duration of ≥140 ms (men) or 130 ms (women), QS or rS in leads V1 and V2, and mid-QRS notching or slurring in ≥2 of leads V1, V2, V5, V6, I, and aVL (22). Atypical LBBB was defined as nonspecific intraventricular conduction delay and QRS widening >150 ms without typical features of LBBB or right bundle branch block (20,23).
Pre-implantation frailty assessment
Frailty was assessed in all patients before CRT implantation by the attending cardiologist using the ONCODAGE (Outil de dépistage gériatrique en oncologie) G8 score, which includes 8 items on a scale of 1 to 17 (Figure 1) (24). The G8 score was chosen because it has been approved as one of the standard valuable screening methods of comprehensive geriatric assessment for predicting outcome (24,25). A score cutoff <14 points as identified in previous studies was required for a diagnosis of frailty (24–26).
Neuropsychological problems evaluated by G8 score including dementia and depression were examined as follows. The cognition was first assessed by the cognitive disorders examination evaluating spatial orientation with a 5-question scale giving 1 point to each correct answer (27). Cognition disorder was ruled out if the score was ≥4. In case of <4 points, a complete Mini-Mental State Examination was carried out with <10 points required for a diagnosis of severe cognition disorder and a score between 10 and 19 points for a diagnosis of moderate cognition disorder (28). The search for mood disorders was first made using the 4-question Mini-Geriatric Depression Scale, with 1 point given for each affirmative answer and a result <1 required to exclude mood disorder (29,30). If the score was ≥1, mood disorder was evaluated with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) questionnaire, which has a scale of 1 to 30 points (Online Figure 1) (31). A CES-D score >21 points was required for a diagnosis of severe mood disorder, with a score between 16 and 21 required for a diagnosis of moderate mood disorder (31).
Weight loss was defined as unintentional loss of at least 1 kg of weight during the past 3 months preceding the implantation attributed to decreased appetite or food intake. To avoid situations in which the weight loss could be attributed to increased use of a diuretic agent, patients with changes in dose of diuretic agents during the past 3 months were not enrolled. Anorexia, as defined by G8 score, was a moderate or severe decrease in food intake over the past 3 months due to loss of appetite or chewing or swallowing difficulties (25).
Implantation and device programming
All enrolled patients underwent device implantation with standard transvenous techniques. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy was chosen according to the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Heart Rhythm Society 2008 Guidelines for Device-Based Therapy of Cardiac Rhythm Abnormalities (32). In the absence of a history of sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, the choice between a CRT defibrillator (CRT-D) and a CRT pacemaker (CRT-P) device was left to the discretion of the electrophysiologist. Very high-risk patients (defined by blood urea nitrogen 50 mg/dl or serum creatinine >2.5 mg/dl) with expected attenuation of the efficacy of an ICD were implanted with CRT-P devices (33). The right ventricular lead was positioned in the septum or, failing that, in the apex. The left ventricular (LV) lead was preferably placed in a posterolateral or lateral cardiac vein. Stimulation of basal LV segments was preferably programmed (34). The sensed atrioventricular delay was programmed at 100 ms with a 30-ms extension in patients in sinus rhythm. The VV delay was initially programmed at 0 ms. Pacing rate was programmed at 50/min in patients in sinus rhythm and at 70/min in patients in AF using a rate-adaptive mode. Anteroposterior and left anterior oblique 45° chest radiographs were systematically performed before discharge.
Clinical ECG evaluation and device testing were performed at 3- and 9-month visits and echocardiographic evaluation at 9 months. All adverse events were documented: cardiovascular (sudden cardiac death or death of HF) or noncardiovascular deaths, with the causes specified. In case of nonimprovement of clinical and hemodynamic status (based on NYHA functional class and clinical examination) at the 3-month visit or a hospitalization for HF, atrioventricular and VV delays were adjusted according to the optimal aortic ejection volume obtained by Doppler evaluation (35).
Definition of response to CRT
We chose a combined endpoint based on echocardiographic improvement of LVEF of >5% and the absence of major clinical events in relation to heart disease, including cardiovascular death or hospitalization for HF. The diagnosis of HF was based on symptoms and responsiveness to intravenous decongestive therapy observed by experienced cardiologists unaware of the study protocol.
Primary and secondary endpoints
The primary endpoint was the impact of frailty as assessed by G8 score on the response to CRT in patients older than 70 years of age implanted with biventricular devices. The secondary endpoints were the effects of frailty on deaths of any cause, hospitalizations, and the rate of redo procedures after CRT device implantation.
Statistical analysis
For all statistical analysis, we used the SPSS software package version 9.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois). Discrete variables were reported as percentages and continuous variables as mean ± SD. Standardized differences were estimated using Cohen's effect size, with values of 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 considered low, medium, and high, respectively.
Differences between groups were tested with the chi-square test or Fisher exact test. For continuous variables, Student t test or Mann-Whitney U test were used. A 2-sided p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The absolute change in LVEF between baseline and 9-month follow-up was evaluated by paired-sample t test.
Event-free survival was compared by the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank statistic. To evaluate potential predictors of nonresponsiveness to CRT, only variables with p < 0.04 on univariate analysis were included in the multivariate logistic regression model giving odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A generalized linear mixed model was used to exclude a multicenter effect. Given a 30% expected rate of nonresponders to CRT and the unknown proportion of frail patients as evaluated by G8 score in this population, the number of subjects needed to obtain a significantly powered result was estimated at 150 using nonparametric tests (4,5). The α and β risks were set at 5% and 20%, respectively. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis was performed to determine the optimal cutoff value of the G8 score associated with hospitalizations for HF and mortality (36,37).
A total of 155 of the 161 initially recruited patients (96%) underwent successful CRT device implantation. Four patients were lost to follow-up; therefore, 151 patients were included in the analysis. The baseline characteristics of all included patients are shown in Table 1.
Prevalence of frailty before resynchronization therapy
Ninety-two (61%) of 151 patients in whom a CRT device was implanted had a G8 score <14 and were identified as frail. No significant difference was found between frail and nonfrail subjects according to device implantation data except for the proportion of implanted CRT-D compared to CRT-P devices, which was higher in nonfrail patients (46 of 59 [78%] vs. 47 of 92 [51%]; p = 0.001) (Table 2).
Response to CRT
After 9 months of follow-up, 89 of 151 patients (59%) were responders. Mean increase in LVEF was 9.8 ± 10.5%. Eleven patients (7%) were hospitalized for HF, and 10 (6.5%) died of cardiovascular causes. Frailty was associated with nonresponse to CRT (45 of 62 [73%] vs. 47 of 89 [53%]; p = 0.014) (Table 3). Changes in NYHA functional class, LVEF, LV end-diastolic diameter, and QRS duration at 9-month follow-up in frail and nonfrail patients are shown in Table 4 and illustrated in Figure 2.
Persistent or permanent AF (p = 0.028; R = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.64) and frailty (p = 0.014; R = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.59) were identified as independent predictors of nonresponse to CRT in multivariate analysis. Percentage of biventricular pacing was similar in patients with persistent/permanent AF and those in sinus rhythm (95 ± 7% vs. 96 ± 12%; p = 0.570) and in frail versus nonfrail patients (95 ± 11% vs. 95 ± 8%; p = 0.686).
Hospitalizations, redo procedures, and ICD therapies
Rates of hospitalizations, reinterventions, and ICD therapy are shown in Table 5. There were 35 hospitalizations related to cardiovascular disease, which included 11 (31%) for HF, 17 (48%) for a heart rhythm disorder, and 2 (6%) for acute coronary syndrome. Five other hospitalizations were caused by 1 atrioventricular node ablation, 1 pocket hematoma, 1 healing delay, 1 regressive inflammatory syndrome, and 1 atypical chest pain.
Cumulative survival without hospitalization for HF was better in nonfrail patients (98% vs. 89%; log-rank p = 0.032) (Figure 3). The 14 reinterventions included 10 LV lead repositionings, 1 additional LV lead implantation, 1 LV lead exchange, 1 device extraction for pocket infection, and 1 drainage of pocket hematoma.
Cardiovascular, noncardiovascular, and overall mortality
Fifteen of 151 patients (10%) died during the follow-up. Ten cardiovascular deaths were caused by HF. The causes of the 5 noncardiovascular deaths were colon cancer (1), esophageal cancer (1), pneumonia (1), septic shock (1), and unexplained death without preceding cardiovascular symptoms (1).
Frailty was associated with a higher cumulative probability of all-cause death (96% vs. 86%; p = 0.033). Cumulative survival curves for all-cause death, cardiovascular death, and noncardiovascular death in frail and nonfrail patients are illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.
A G8 score <10.25 correctly predicted hospitalization for HF or death (area under the curve: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.63 to 0.87; cutoff <10.25; 77% sensitivity, 63% specificity) (Figure 5).
Major findings
This study establishes a strong relation between frailty and worse outcome in the population of elderly patients with HF treated with CRT. The major findings are as follows: 1) frailty, as defined by G8 score <14, is an independent predictor of nonresponse to CRT in patients >70 years of age in whom a CRT device has been implanted for conventional indications; and 2) frail patients have an increased risk of hospitalization for HF and an increased risk of all-cause death.
Frailty and response to CRT
For years, research on predictors of long-term results of CRT has been based on the assessment of conventional clinical, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic parameters. Elderly patients with decreased LVEF are at high risk for HF and are most in need of treatment; however, the benefit for an individual patient with decreased physiological reserve and comorbidities remains difficult to evaluate. A detailed evaluation of frailty, routinely performed in geriatric units, can be applied to patients affected with HF in addition to conventional examination. Frailty scoring systems have demonstrated the potential to provide a valuable assessment of mortality and preoperative risks in previous studies (37,38). Several authors have reported the association of frailty with the risk of more frequent and longer hospitalizations in the general population (39,40). The same trend to decompensate at a lower threshold has been demonstrated in patients with HF (18,41). Furthermore, frailty syndrome has been reported as common in candidates for CRT (42), which was confirmed in our study. The G8 score, validated in previous geriatric series, appeared in our study to be a valuable tool to identify frailty in a similar proportion of elderly patients with HF as described previously (36,37). The proportion of nonresponders to the CRT was similar to previous series concerning the elderly (13). The cutoff value of <14 identified patients less likely to benefit from their device. Frailty has been identified as a predictor of HF in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy undergoing CRT (43). Our study confirmed an increased risk of hospitalization for HF in frail patients with severe impairment of LV systolic function, expanding these results to the population with all-cause cardiomyopathies.
Separate evaluation of all geriatric conditions included in the G8 score showed that some were associated with nonresponse to CRT; however, the total score, representing a more complete and objective assessment, was identified as an independent predictor of nonresponse to CRT. Interestingly, despite a similar shortening of QRS width, frail patients had a significantly lower increase in LVEF.
The G8 test can be easily accomplished in 10 min and included in clinical practice. The score can be integrated in the discussion with the patient and taken into account while choosing the optimal therapy. Frailty has been described as a reversible condition (44). Hence, in mildly frail patients (G8 score >10.5 to 14), we believe that implantation of CRT device should be discussed individually for each patient. An etiological evaluation of decreased physiological status to rule out all underlying neoplastic processes should be systematic. Then a specific therapy to limit the progression of frailty, including measures to improve physical activity and nutritional and cognitive impairment, along with CRT, could be proposed.
This study also showed that the patients with persistent or permanent AF were less likely to respond to CRT therapy. Previous results of biventricular pacing in patients with chronic AF reported in observational studies were controversial (45–47). Patients in our series were older than in trials that showed a benefit of CRT in AF (79 years of age vs. 68 years of age in the study by Kiès et al.) (47).
Mortality and hospitalizations for HF
In this study, frail patients had a higher risk of mortality and hospitalization for HF. The total and cardiovascular mortality in our study (10% and 6.5%, respectively) was in line with the results of other series. Cardiovascular mortality of 7% was reported in the MADIT-CRT (Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial–Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy) trial in younger patients (65 years of age vs. 79 years of age) and with a longer follow-up (28 months vs. 9 months) than in our series (21).
The presence of frailty in patients with HF has been described as an additional risk factor for mortality (17). Our study confirmed this finding in the population with severe LV systolic dysfunction. A G8 score with a cutoff value of <10.25 identified patients with a significantly higher risk of hospitalization for HF or death. The impact of frailty on mortality in patients undergoing CRT should be taken into account during initial screening for device therapy. We believe that a conventional drug treatment should be preferred in candidates with a G8 score <10.25.
The higher rate of hospitalization for HF results in increased health service care. In our study, a frailty assessment identified patients at higher risk of rehospitalization for HF. In this context, the G8 score can be useful to identify patients likely to be hospitalized and needing an optimized therapy.
Moreover, frailty is associated with increased vulnerability to stressors, including hospitalizations or surgery (48). This study also demonstrates that in patients undergoing less invasive interventions than cardiac surgery, frailty is also associated with higher risk of mortality. CRT device implantation in frail patients, if indicated, should involve pre-operative and post-operative surveillance optimization.
Frailty appears to be one of the missing parameters not captured by conventional evaluation before cardiac resynchronization. The influence of frailty both on results of biventricular pacing and on outcome shows the limits of device therapy. All cardiovascular deaths in our study were caused by HF, and there were no sudden deaths. The recently published DANISH (Danish Study to Assess the Efficacy of ICDs in Patients With Nonischemic Systolic Heart Failure on Mortality) study has suggested a possible lack of benefit of ICD therapy with regard to death of any cause in nonischemic cardiomyopathy among older patients (>68 years of age) (49). In this context, frailty assessment appears to be an appropriate tool to improve selection of elderly candidates for CRT. Further studies are needed to demonstrate whether frailty scores could be helpful to identify a subgroup of patients less likely to benefit from ICD therapy.
The relationship of frailty with HF remains challenging given the similar outcome of both entities. Association of frailty with HF resulting in exacerbation creates a vicious circle that leads to higher mortality and increased risk of hospitalization. This bidirectional relationship has not been fully understood, and in our opinion, both subclinical HF and pre-frailty should be targeted earlier.
Study limitations
The G8 score used previously in oncogeriatric evaluations has lower specificity than other scores to detect cognitive disorders, although the G8 score is easier to use in clinical practice and is of higher value to evaluate nutrition impairment. In this study, the impact of biventricular pacing on reversibility of frailty in patients who responded positively to CRT was not studied.
Frailty is as an independent predictor of nonresponse to CRT in the elderly. Frail patients have a higher risk of hospitalization for HF and mortality. Routine comprehensive geriatric assessment at the time of screening for device therapy should be recommended to optimize management. A G8 score cutoff value of 10.25 can be proposed for better selection of candidates for CRT. Further evaluation and better understanding of the bidirectional effects of frailty and HF is needed.
COMPETENCY IN MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE: Frailty assessment in the elderly before CRT for conventional indications identifies a subgroup of frail patients less likely to benefit from their devices. Frail patients identified using the G8 score have a higher risk of hospitalization for HF and mortality.
TRANSLATIONAL OUTLOOK: The G8 score cutoff value of 10.25 can be used for better selection of candidates for CRT. In mildly frail patients with G8 score >10.5 to 14, specific measures to improve reversible reduced mobility and nutritional and cognitive impairment can be proposed along with CRT. The easily evaluable G8 test can be included in routine practice in addition to conventional clinical evaluation at the time of screening for device therapy.
This work was supported in part by Biotronik (for data processing). Dr. Kubala has received honoraria from LivaNova and Boston Scientific. Dr. Guédon-Moreau has received consulting fees from LivaNova, Medtronic, St. Jude Medical, Boston Scientific, and Biotronik. Dr. Anselme has received honoraria and consulting fees from LivaNova, Medtronic, St. Jude Medical, Boston Scientific, and Biotronik. Dr. Klug has received consulting fees from Livanova, Medtronic, St Jude Medical, Boston Scientific, and Biotronik. Dr. Hermida has received consulting fees from St. Jude Medical and LivaNova. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose.
All authors attest they are in compliance with human studies committees and animal welfare regulations of the authors' institutions and Food and Drug Administration guidelines, including patient consent where appropriate. For more information, visit the JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology author instructions page.
- Abbreviations and Acronyms
- atrial fibrillation
- confidence interval
- cardiac resynchronization therapy
- cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker
- electrocardiogram
- heart failure
- implantable cardioverter-defibrillator
- left bundle branch block
- left ventricular
- left ventricular ejection fraction
- New York Heart Association
- Received March 1, 2017.
- Revision received June 14, 2017.
- Accepted June 30, 2017.
- 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation
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- Thune J.J.,
- Nielsen J.C.,
- et al.,
- for the DANISH Investigators


text:
July 10, 2009
Whenever I got an iced tea lemonade from Starbucks and ordered it "unsweetened" my mom would scoff at me and say, "you do realize that lemonade has sweetening in it already?" I would say that unless you tell them "unsweetened" they add even more sugar syrup and it's WAY too sweet. Of course, she still stuck to her point and continued to tell me that my drink really was "sweetened".
July 10, 2015
This is still one of my favorite Starbucks drinks and I still always order it "unsweetened" and every time I can hear my mom saying, "you do realize that lemonade has sweetening in it already?" - yes. every. time. :-)
July 9, 2009
I don't know what this is, but from a distance it looks like someone has written an "H" on this hillside. I see it whenever I drive East on the 134.
July 9, 2015
I learned that these letters (there are several in the hills around LA) are town or school monograms. I believe this one represents Hoover High School in Glendale.
Mom-Minder #48 Slide Show
July 8, 2009
For the reception following my mom's memorial service my dad and I put together a slide show of digital pictures. We played it throughout the house on a computer monitor and a digital picture frame. When I returned to LA my dad got me my own digital picture frame and loaded the slide show onto it. This frame sits on my desk and cycles through over 250 pictures of my mom.
July 8, 2015
I have since incorporated some newer photos into the digital picture frame, but it still contains many pictures of my mom. I enjoy folding the past and the present together in this way.
Mom-Minder #47 Rocks
July 7, 2009
This is a big pile of rocks I found in Hollywood today. It reminded me of the big piles of rocks that were delivered to VT when we had some stone walls built. My mom loved to watch the workers building the walls. She especially liked it when they would dance on the walls as they figured out the perfect place for each rock.
July 7, 2015
Not that long ago I put some small rocks in my backyard to cover up all the dirt around the plants. I thought of my mom often as I scattered them around.
Mom-Minder #46 Smog Land
July 6, 2009
This is the same smog test station my mom and I took my car to when I moved out to LA. I needed the test in order to register the car as it was coming from out of state. I chose this station because I found a $10 off coupon in the mail and it was close to my apartment at the time. Three years later, I still live close by and they still send out the same $10 off coupons.
July 6, 2015
The last time I went looking for this smog test station it was gone! Fortunately, there are smog test stations on just about every corner in LA, so I quickly found another one and my car passed!
Mom-Minder #45 Pink Spatula
July 5, 2009
My mom had a few small spatulas like this one in our kitchen in VT. We mostly used them to scrape bowls when cooking and always remarked that they were quite handy. I used it this morning to melt some butter in a pan.
July 5, 2015
Still have it, still use it, still love it!
July 4, 2009
All while I was growing up I remember my mom making chocolate chip cookies as a special treat to take to school on my birthday or other occasions. Sometimes she would make chocolate chip brownies, but the recipe was always the same. When we were having work done on our VT house, my mom made cookies for the workers. She felt that it would make them want to keep working and not go off to other VT jobs. We made A LOT of cookies that summer. For her memorial service I made about 6 batches of chocolate chip cookies and placed them throughout the house.
July 4, 2015
Lately my husband has been making chocolate chip cookies, but we always seem to be missing at least one ingredient so he uses substitutions. Being reminded of this Mom Minder makes me want to go stock up on all the ingredients and really show him how it's done.
Mom-Minder #43 Poached Salmon
July 3, 2009
One of my mom's favorite ways to cook salmon was to poach it with soy sauce, lemon juice, dill, and Mrs. Dash. I used pepper instead of Mrs. Dash tonight, but the salmon was still delicious. It steamed up the camera lens as I took this picture.
July 3, 2015
I don't cook as much salmon at home anymore and when I do I tend to grill it.
July 2, 2009
One of our favorite meals in LA was stuffed spinach pizza from Vitello's. My mom and I picked one up after a matinee performance of a show I did in a theater across the street. This pizza, while not from Vitello's directly, was shipped from Giordano's in Chicago who got the recipe from Vitello himself.
July 2, 2015
Vitello's has changed quite a bit over the years and they no longer serve stuffed pizza. Now my husband and I enjoy happy hours at their bar from time to time, so while the tradition may have evolved, I still get to visit the home of a Mom Minder.
July 1, 2009
This Mom-Minder is more audio than visual. As I was driving around today the song "Thank Goodness" from the musical Wicked was playing on my XM Radio. This musical became a family favorite when we all went to see it in LA for my parents' anniversary in 2007. We had gone to see many musicals at The Weston Playhouse in VT, but this ended up being the last show we all saw together. I quoted lyrics from another song in my remembrance at my mom's memorial service.
July 1, 2015
Several songs from the musical Wicked remind me of my mom and became Mom Minders during my project.
I completed this photo project from May 2009 to May 2010. Six years later, I'm reposting the series with additional thoughts. Here's what I wrote about it when I started.


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Join us for a tour of the Royal Institution's museum and talks on Humphry Davy by our MOOC presenters: speakers will include Sharon Ruston, Tim Fulford and Frank James; others involved in the making of the MOOC will be confirmed later. Meet other learners in the building in which Davy lectured and experimented and see some of Davy's chemical apparatus, notebooks, and letters.
Provisional Agenda
1.45pm Doors open
2.00-2.30pm Museum and archive tours available
3.00-4.00pm Four talks in the theatre from Prof Frank James, Prof Sharon Ruston, Prof Tim Fulford and a Special Guest
4.15-4.45pm Museum and archive tours available.
5.00pm Close
Discounted tickets are available to Members of the Ri. Find out more about how to join our community.
By booking to attend events at the Royal Institution, you confirm that you have read and agree to the Ri's event terms and conditions.


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It's been a year since my husband retired from the Army. It has been a year of huge change, so why don't I look forward and leave the former life behind?
The ceremony was a turning point, but I didn't think we were going to change that much. His long career was highlighted. Stories were told. He thanked everyone. I got flowers and a gift.
The first jolt was the new ID card. Mine looked the same as it always did. His didn't. That didn't seem to bother him. He started to grow his hair. He pierced his ear. He decided to open his own non-military related business. We moved again, this time into an area that has no military post, no uniforms on the street or in the stores.
Since I am still active with military related online groups, it didn't strike me as hard. I was busy with two moves in nine months, a new career path, a granddaughter's summer stay. I didn't have a lot of time to think or miss the friends I saw so often at military spouse events/conferences. I was making a new life—or so I thought.
I was missing something.The day it really hit me was when I walked into the Washington DC Convention Center for AUSA and saw the uniforms. My thought was I'm home. I saw the milspouse friends I had been chatting with on Facebook and realized what I missed. My community.
I've been a military spouse for a very long time. He was Active Duty when we married in the mid 1970s and left the Big Army after seven years – he went Reserve/Guard.Back then I was a I'm-me and-the-Army-is-just-his-job military spouse. I resented the Guard, those weekends and summer vacations.
And then after 9/11 when he started doing AGR, life changed. At one point, both he and our son were deployed, and the military world intruded into our regular lives, in spades!
My identity became professionally intertwined with being a milspouse.In 2005, I began to blog in the military space – and dug into the military spouse and parent world. I will freely admit that my identity became solidly intertwined with being a milspouse. I was, and I still am, proud to be a milspouse – albeit one that sometimes kicked at the established milspouse groups.
I still follow all the milspouse pages on mental health, employment, schooling and programs – even though they now no longer apply to me, I don't qualify anymore!
My heart tells me that I'm still in this community.My head tells me – you aren't IN that community anymore. My heart says I am. I work as a coordinator/facilitator on an online support group for military family members and veteran caregivers/families. I volunteer with veteran and military family groups, and have tentatively put my toe into our local veteran community volunteering – and I tell myself it is because this is MY community. But I do have to ask myself, am I clinging to the past? Stopping any forward progress to a new life?
I asked a friend, also a former milspouse, how she felt. We are members of a small group of military spouses that has a private page – and we link there; we have many Facebook friends in common. Interestingly, she told me that she finds there is "less drama" and it is "more stable on the outside." Her spouse has been retired for a year longer than we have, she has a career that is completely separate from the military and they have moved to a part of the United States that has less military in the area than even in our new home. She doesn't miss the community – stays in touch with the friends online.
Is that because she firmly put that behind her? Or is it because she had been a milspouse for a few years, and not as heavily involved in the community? Or is it because she has a career that is completely independent of the community?
I don't know. I periodically envy her that ability, to move on with a life separate of the military community; but I know I can't do that. I need to find a happy medium , as have so many veteran spouses.
Karen Santiano has been a retiree spouse for a year, after decades of being a milspouse. She is now pursuing a Masters degree and helping her husband with his new business. She's a State Department Brat, Army Spouse and Mother, and doesn't really call anywhere home.
U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Evelyn Chavez


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Connect with vegetarian and vegan friends from all over the world.
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I strongly believe that books make the world a more beautiful place and that each one`s life has a book that tells his story. What`s your "soul" book/s? Could you recomand me…Continue
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Hi, Lavinia. Thanks for the add. :)


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Analogic Density Records
from soundcloud:
Third Chapter
Release date: December 15th 2015
Pre-order link analogicdensity.bigcartel.com/product/anld-003
limited edition 300 copies
Number three means perfection since ever. It is the cosmic entirety embleme, third direction, movement origin, and infinite light expansion.
All these features become musical interpretation in this 3rd release.
4 tracks in a structured, syncopated, and constantly evolving groove.
Third chapter, third stop of the trip.
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Discount tee times for the Oak Grove Island Golf Course at Oak Grove Island Golf and Country Club in Brunswick, Georgia.
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Understanding Stacked Bar Charts: The Worst Or The Best? By Vitaly Radionov March 29th, 2017 AnalyticsData Visualization 5 Comments Data visualization has become an important part of our everyday life, allowing us to quickly assess information. And with so many...


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Sharing the Bounty: a harvest dinner benefiting Eat for Equity
This event on Sunday August 11th, will be hosted by West Seattle's Chaco Canyon from 7pm - 10pm. Chef Michael Verner from Wallingford's Sutra will be artfully designing an elegant menu expressing the joy of a successful harvest. To purchase tickets, call 206 937 8732 or stop by Chaco Canyon. This event is a smaller, more intimate event than our usual affairs and will sell out quickly. The cost is $40/plate. Chaco will be providing local beer and cider on tap, Stumptown coffee, and fresh squeezed juices from their juice bar and smoothies created from organic produce.
Check out the Facebook event for more information.
Eat for Equity Seattle is the newest branch of a nationwide non-profit committed to fostering and creating communities that give generously in support of the local non-profits that make each community a home. How we do this is by throwing large-scale dinner parties and charge a sliding scale price/plate. The dinner guests nominate organizations in Seattle they find worthy of supporting, and the organizers and volunteers cook the meal, source the ingredients from local producers, and create beautiful shared-dining experiences bi-monthly.


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The children enjoyed a snack of popcorn and apple juice while hearing about the history of scarecrows and listening to the book Scarecrow. Even the older children enjoy having a story read to them.
|Very interesting!
Then to work--the boys worked diligently making Samantha a.k.a. Sam, Sammy and Cutie.
|Aren't I beautiful?
|We're proud of our work!
Meanwhile, the girls were busy planting cabbage and pepper plants..
|We're being very careful!
The radishes were thinned and transplanted. We always have fun while we are working.
|Clowning around!
|Just about finished!
Next week, weather permitting, we will plant tomatoes,. Check out our progress!


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We create advanced and functional web applications and mobile solutions. We love transparent and aesthetic interfaces.
- We start each project with the understanding of the Customer's business and needs.
- We help in establishing requirements in order to maximise a delivered business value.
- Our implementation teams comprise of specialists, UX and UI Designers, and experienced Project Managers.
- We ensure access to various competences as part of one implementation team.
Our superpowers
User Experience
We follow the latest trends in UX/UI area. While designing web and mobile applications, we aim at simplicity and user-friendliness. We take care of their aesthetics and attractive look.
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We use technologies enabling fast software development. The experienced DevOps Department supports us in the project implementation.
Unit, integration and behavioural tests (TDD) are a permanent practice for us in creating and developing reliable applications. In addition, code review and continuous integration makes us sure that our solutions are top quality products.
The process of building solutions
We design our solutions based on the Agile methodology. This approach enables the fast achievement of progress and our Customers can monitor our work on a current basis. We also use traditional methodologies and PRINCE2 in designing our software. Regardless of the chosen methodology of work management, we ensure extensive automatic tests and also unit, integration and behavioural tests (TDD). While designing solutions, we focus on the application high quality and fast introduction into the market. We also pay special attention to the User Experience and design; therefore, our solutions are not only intuitive and user-friendly but they also look perfectly.


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Phantom Child
I don't know what she looks like, but I see her everywhere.
I see her darting in and out among the kids off to school. I see her in the nighttime, tucked away in bed.
I see her beside me in the car – some days quiet, too annoyed to talk with Mom. Other days chattering away about all the teenage girl things.
I see her shoes tangled up with mine, her wet towel on the bathroom floor, her favorite cereal by the fridge, the piles of clothes in her room.
Everywhere I look, she is there.
My baby.
My girl.
My should be teenager.
My phantom child that no one can see but me.
She walks with me, every day, this child of mine who never took a breath in this life with me.
She lives instead in phantom time – the space where life and death combine in flashes and glimpses telling a story of what could have been.
I and only I see her life unfold in the mists of phantom time.
She is bright. She is beautiful. She is alive.
Living. Breathing. Laughing. Crying. Existing. In the phantom time.
I am the mother you do not see but I walk with my child every day.
My phantom child.
As real to me as the children you hold. As loved as anyone could ever be.
She is mine and I am hers, walking together until I join her again, in the phantom time.
*Previously published on Still Mothers.


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On Pixies
Careful walking in the forest...
From The Dark Portal, Ch. 16: Pixie Mischief
Suddenly, Jake and Dani were under siege as the pixies rained down acorns on them like cannonballs and started shooting their bows at them with splinter-sized arrows.
"Ow! Ow!" Jake and Dani said.
"Release Whortleberry! Put him down, you oversized oafs!"
More pixies joined the fray. They swung down off the branch above by bits of twine and landed on their heads and shoulders, where they proceeded to beat them and pull their hair...
On the Wee Folk of the Forest
To find out what happens next, read The Dark Portal!
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