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Back to Journals » Clinical Ophthalmology » Volume 11
Ptosis after glaucoma surgery
Authors Park AJ, Eliassi-Rad B, Desai MA
Received 13 February 2017
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S134562
Editor who approved publication: Dr Scott Fraser
Abraham J Park,1 Babak Eliassi-Rad,2 Manishi A Desai2
1Moyes Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology, 2Boston Medical Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Boston, MA, USA
Purpose: Evaluate factors contributing to ptosis after glaucoma surgery.
Methods: Three-year retrospective chart review from January 1, 2012, to January 1, 2015, 157 eyes, 3 surgeons, at Boston Medical Center, to determine the incidence of ptosis and the effects of each variable contributing to ptosis at 3 months after surgery. Each variable was analyzed using the chi-square or independent samples t-test analysis to determine statistical significance of ptosis compared with above variables.
Results: The t-test or chi-square analysis showed that gender, steroid duration, use of mitomycin C, duration of surgery, and prior surgeries were not statistically significant factors for ptosis. There was a statistically significant association between those <70 years of age and ptosis (P<0.05), non-combined surgery and ptosis (P<0.05), shunting surgery and ptosis (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Ptotic changes occurred more often in those who have shunting (Ahmed and Baerveldt) surgeries compared with filtering (trabeculectomy and Express) surgeries.
Keywords: ptosis, trabeculectomy, shunting surgery, filtering surgery, glaucoma, combined surgery
Ptosis is a noted complication after eye surgery that can lead to cosmetic and functional defects.1 Its incidence has been documented to be around 10% after cataract surgery in previous studies1–4 while others have shown it to be as high as 44% at 6 weeks, although most resolve without treatment.5–7 Radial keratotomy has shown a rate of 10%, and trabeculectomy has shown a rate of 10.7%–12% without mitomycin C (MMC) and 19% with MMC 6 months after surgery.8 The incidence of ptosis following trabeculectomy was not influenced by type of conjunctival flap, combined surgery, or previous intraocular surgery.9
Some of the proposed mechanism behind the cause of ptosis after surgery include lid edema from locally administered anesthetic, initial myotoxic effects, and the compression of the upper eyelid against the orbital bones from the eyelid speculum reducing blood flow to the levator muscle contributing to the edema.1,2,10 However, another study showed the rates of ptosis after cataract surgery were common in both local and general anesthesia groups.11 Another theory is that the use of a lid speculum, stiffness of the lid speculum, and smaller palpebral fissures may play a greater role.3,5,12 Crosby et al12 have shown that the type of lid speculum can also affect the patients' eyelids during surgery with the greatest compression forces on those with the smallest palpebral apertures.
In this study, we investigated whether shunting procedures, duration of surgery, or use of steroids contributed to ptosis after surgery. We also re-evaluated the relationship of age, race, gender, use of MMC, type of speculum, number of previous eye surgeries, and combined glaucoma and cataract surgery to ptosis.
A retrospective chart review was performed, with Institutional Review Board ( Integrated Network for Subject Protection In Research [INSPIR II] at Boston University Medical Campus and Boston Medical Center) approval, of a total of 252 eyes that underwent surgery between January 1, 2012, and January 1, 2015, at Boston Medical Center by one of three different surgeons. Diagnosis included angle recession, aphakic, chronic angle closure, mixed mechanism, normal or low tension glaucoma, ocular hypertension, pigment dispersion glaucoma, primary open angle glaucoma, pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, and uveitic glaucoma. Surgeries included shunting (Ahmed and Baerveldt) and filtering (fornix-based trabeculectomy and Express) surgery, either stand-alone (non-combined surgery) or with cataract surgery (combined surgery). The incidence of ptosis was determined by documented involvement of ptosis >3 months. Therefore, inclusion criteria included those 18–99 years of age with the diagnosis of primary and secondary glaucoma as listed above, and the persistent documentation of "ptosis" 3 months after glaucoma surgery. The exclusion criteria included inadequate documentation, previous history of ptosis, additional surgery within 3 months of primary glaucoma surgery, lack or lost to follow-up. The initial 252 eyes were reduced to 157 eyes after the exclusion criteria was applied. Due to the categorical nature of each variable, statistical analysis was performed using chi-square analysis or t-test analysis, when appropriate, to determine the statistical significance of variables on ptosis.
Background data
The total number of eyes with ptosis was 27 (17.2%) and the average time for a case with and without ptosis was 81.44 and 79.82 minutes, respectively. Time of surgery did not show statistical significance (P=0.794). The number of females and males were 79 and 78, respectively. The number of left and right eyes were 80 and 77, respectively. Neither gender nor left or right eye was clinically significant for ptosis (P=0.307 and P=0.170, respectively). About 90% of patients were in the 50–90 years age group and those <70 years of age showed clinical significance for ptosis (P<0.05, moderate relationship, Cramer's V=0.20). Out of 157 eyes, the type of speculum was only documented in 50 eyes and no clinically significant data could be determined (P=0.069). MMC was exclusively used in 20 trabeculectomy cases, and they did not show any clinically significant data in relation to ptosis (P=0.122). Steroid duration was split into categories of <4, <8, <12, and >12 weeks and did not show clinical significance for ptosis (P=0.753). Fifty-seven eyes had prior surgery with no clinical significance for ptosis (P=0.598). Forty-six combined cases and 111 non-combined cases were clinically significant for ptosis in those undergoing glaucoma surgery alone (ie, without combined surgery) (P<0.05, weak–moderate relationship, Phi =0.18). Sixty-eight shunting surgeries and 89 filtering surgeries showed clinically significant data for having increased ptosis, being greater in those with shunting surgery over filtering surgery (P<0.05, weak relationship, Phi =0.16). General demographic data and relation to ptosis is summarized in Tables 1 and 2.
Table 1 Patient demographics
Table 2 Variables for ptosis
Notes: *Filtering surgery includes trabeculectomy and Express. **Shunting surgery includes Ahmed and Baerveldt.
In summary, variables that showed no clinical significance included gender, operated eye, steroid duration, use of MMC, prior surgeries, and duration of surgery. The type of speculum could not be analyzed due to lack of documentation. Age, non-combined surgery, and type of surgery did show clinical significance for ptosis and will be discussed further.
Due to the small number of patients <50 and >80 years of age, new categories were created to perform a chi-square test. New age groups were categorized into <60 years of age, 60–69 years of age, 70–79 years of age, and >80 years of age. Under the new categories, a chi-square test of independence was calculated by comparing the frequency of ptosis at 3 months after surgery for individuals in various age categories. Results showed that there was an association between age and ptosis at 3 months after surgery (χ2 (3)=8.04, N=157, P≤0.05). About 94% of 70–79-year-old patients did not have ptosis, compared with 74%−82% of the rest of the age groups. The relationship was moderate in strength (Cramer's V=0.23; Table 3). As expected, the trend of those with prior surgeries were older (68.6±12.4 years of age) compared with those without prior surgery (65.6±13.5 years of age) but did not show statistical significance. As noted before, prior surgery did not show a statistically significant relationship with ptosis.
Table 3 Relationship between age categories and ptosis
Notes: *1 cell (12.5%) have expected count <5. The minimum expected count is 3.78. 1Chi-square test: statistical method assessing the relationship between observed and expected categorical values. 2Symmetric measures determine strength of relationship between the observed and expected categorical values.
Combined surgery
A chi-square test of independence was calculated by comparing the frequency of ptosis at 3 months for those who did and did not have combined surgery. Results showed that there was a statistically significant association between non-combined surgery and having ptosis at 3 months after surgery (χ2 (1)=5.21, N=157, P<0.05). Results show that 78% of those who did not have combined surgery and 94% of those who had combined surgery did not develop ptosis. The relationship is weak to moderate in strength (Phi =0.18). Individuals who had combined surgery were less likely to develop ptosis (Table 4). If patients with prior surgery were excluded, the results were similar (χ2 (1)=5.30, N=100, P<0.05) with an even stronger, moderate relationship (Phi =0.23; Table 3).
Table 4 Relationship between non-combined surgery and ptosis
Notes: a0 cells (0.0%) have expected count <5. The minimum expected count is 7.91. bComputed only for a 2×2 table. 1Chi-square test: statistical method assessing the relationship between observed and expected categorical values. 2Symmetric measures determine strength of relationship between the observed and expected categorical values.
As expected, those who had prior surgery were much less likely to have a combined surgery. Of the 57 eyes that had prior surgery, only 1 had combined surgery. A chi-square test of independence showed a statistically significant association between those who did not have combined surgery and those who had prior surgery (χ2 (1)=32.78, N=157, P<0.05). There was a strong relationship (Phi =0.46). Those who were in the >70 years age group were also more likely to have combined surgery. About 45% of the people in the >70 years age group had combined surgery compared with 8% in the <60 years age group and 21% in the 60–69 years age group. A chi-square test of independence showed a statistically significant association between older age and combined surgery (χ2 (2)=19.55, N=157, P≤0.05) with a strong relationship (Cramer's V=0.35).
Type of surgery
A chi-square test of independence was calculated comparing the frequency of ptosis at 3 months after surgery for those who had a filtering surgery compared with shunting surgery. There was a statistically significant association between shunting surgery and ptosis 3 months after surgery (χ2 (1)=4.01, N=157, P<0.05). Ptosis developed in 10% of filtering surgery compared with 23% of shunting surgery. Shunting surgeries with Ahmed and Baerveldt were more likely to develop ptosis. Evidence shows a weak relationship (Phi =0.16; Table 5).
Table 5 Relationship between type of surgery (shunting or filtering) and ptosis
Notes: *Shunting surgery includes Baerveldt and Ahmed implants. **Filtering surgery includes trabeculectomy and Express. a0 cells (0.0%) have expected count <5. The minimum expected count is 11.69. bComputed only for a 2×2 table. 1Chi-square test, statistical method assessing the relationship between observed and expected categorical values. 2Symmetric measures determine strength of relationship between the observed and expected categorical values.
Further investigation revealed a relationship between non-combined surgery and shunting surgery. A chi-square test of independence results showed that there is a statistically significant association between shunting surgeries and non-combined surgery (χ2 (1)=8.17, N=157, P<0.01). This is a moderately strong relationship (Phi =0.23) (Table 6). Our results show that 64% of those without combined surgery were more likely to have a shunting surgery compared with 39% of those that did have a combined surgery. Additionally, there was no noted difference in age group and type of surgery performed (Table 7). The current result of this study shows that non-combined surgery and shunting surgery had a statistically significant relationship with ptosis and this relationship may strengthen the association between shunting surgery and ptosis as more patients with non-combined surgery also had a statistically significant association with ptosis.
Table 6 Relationship between non-combined surgery and type of surgery
Table 7 The relationship between type of surgery and age
Notes: *Filtering surgery includes trabeculectomy and Express. **Shunting surgery includes Baerveldt and Ahmed implants. There was no clinical significance between age and type of surgery.
Rates of ptosis can range from 10% to 44% after eye surgery, although most tend to resolve without treatment after cataract surgery.1–6 The large difference in ptosis rates may be due to temporary aponeurotic ptosis that can occur after surgery compared with permanent aponeurotic ptosis. Permanent aponeurotic ptosis is the most common form of ptosis before and after surgery. It is marked by good levator function of 12–15 mm and a high or absent lid crease that does not improve. Paris and Quickert4 and others13,14 have shown that patients with permanent aponeurotic ptosis had disinsertion of the levator palpebrae aponeurosis from the epitarsus and patients with ptosis after surgery had a weak levator palpebrae aponeurosis. Several factors have been investigated without conclusive evidence that there is a direct correlation to ptosis. These factors include general anesthesia, lid edema, and use of a bridle suture. Ptosis and the type of lid speculum has been evaluated and believed to play a greater role in patients with smaller palpebral fissures.12 Crosby et al12 noted that a more rigid speculum can cause greater compression and greatest risk of eyelid malposition involving those with smallest palpebral apertures. Our study did not address the lid speculum secondary to lack of documentation regarding the type of speculum in close to two-thirds of the cases.
The association between patients <70 years of age and ptosis was of statistical significance (P<0.05). This was counterintuitive to the expected rates of ptosis in older patients with a weaker or higher likelihood of dehisced levator palpebrae aponeurosis due to involutional changes or history of prior surgery. However, this could also be due to the large amount of bilateral involutional changes seen in those >70 years of age. Ptosis became more noticeable in younger patients with less involutional change prior to surgery. Subsequently, new ptosis was likely to be more common in those who are <70 years of age, while those who are >70 years of age have minimal or less noticeable changes due to involutional ptosis preoperatively.
Patients >70 years of age were more likely to have combined surgery (P<0.05) due to the very nature of older patients having cataracts. As expected, a statistically significant (P<0.05) association was present between those who had combined surgery and those without prior surgery since most prior surgeries usually involved cataract surgery. Although combined surgery can be expected in an older age group due to higher prevalance of visually significant cataract in this age group, one could also assume that combined surgery is longer and can result in ptosis due to longer exposure to the lid speculum. However, our results showed that ptosis was more likely to be seen in those <70 years of age who had non-combined surgery. Even after excluding prior surgeries that could have previously affected the levator palpebrae aponeurosis, there was a statistically significant (P<0.05) association between ptosis and non-combined surgery.
Naruo-tsuchisaka et al8 have shown that rates of ptosis after trabeculectomy were as high as 19% with MMC. Although our study did not show statistically significant rates for ptosis with the use of MMC, ptosis was seen in 10.3% of those with filtering surgery and 22.5% in those with shunting procedures. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) for ptosis to be more likely with shunting surgery compared with filtering surgery. There was also no difference in age group and the type of surgery performed, indicating that there were similar percentages of shunting and filtering surgery per age group. The potential cause of increased ptosis in patients with shunting surgery could be due to the need for increased exposure required during shunting surgery in order to place a glaucoma drainage device 8–10 mm posterior to the limbus. The need for increased exposure possibly resulted in more pressure on the levator palpebrae aponeurosis by the lid speculum compared with the fornix-based filtering surgery performed in our study.
In our study, variables that showed no clinical significance for ptosis included gender, operated eye, steroid duration, use of MMC, prior surgeries, and duration of surgery. In contrast, those <70 years of age appeared to have more non-combined surgery and were more likely to have shunting surgery. These were both statistically significant (P<0.05). All three variables of <70 years of age group, non-combined surgery, and shunting surgery showed a statistically significant association (P<0.05) with ptosis. The larger percentage of patients undergoing non-combined surgery in those <70 years of age could be due to the current practice pattern or patients without the need to have the cataract removed at the time of glaucoma surgery, which may not be reflected in all practices. The larger number of non-combined, shunting surgery could also be a practice pattern or the desire to perform shunting surgery prior to filtering surgery in more advanced glaucoma, likely to be seen in older patients, and may not be applicable to every practice. However, the statistically significant association between non-combined surgery and ptosis may strengthen the relationship between shunting surgery and ptosis because there was a statistically significant association between non-combined surgery and shunting surgery indicating that non-combined, shunting surgery may contribute to ptosis rather than a possible difference in practice pattern.
Limitations of our study include lack of formal ptosis measurements like those performed in Naruo-tsuchisaka et al8 study with the marginal reflex distance (MRD). Therefore, in our study, ptosis is more likely to be documented in severe cases that can inherently decrease the true number of patients with ptosis, especially in the elderly. It is also difficult to determine the true rate of aponeurotic ptosis in older patients due to the lack of documentation. This may have resulted in the higher number of ptosis in the younger age group. The higher number of ptosis in the younger age group could also reflect the new onset of aponeurotic ptosis evidenced by the documentation of ptosis due to the greater change in eyelid position than those of older patients who may have aponeurotic changes already. Although levator function is considered grossly intact when measuring aponeurotic ptosis, there is the possibility that the levator palpebrae muscle is weaker in older patients as well. One could consider the fact that younger patients may increase compression or stress on the eyelid from the speculum secondary to their ability to squeeze their eyelids shut with more strength than older patients. Therefore, the type of speculum, surgery (shunting or filtering), and the pre-, intra-, and postoperative interpalpebral fissures can be measured in further studies to determine if the amount of tension on the eyelids from the speculum also plays a role in aponeurotic ptosis after filtering or shunting surgery.
Crosby et al12 had noted that, smaller palpebral fissures appear to play a role in ptosis and eyelid malposition. However, our study did not address whether patients had small or large palpebral fissures. The palpebral fissure height may also be affected by the preoperative drop regimen, which include medication to dilate the pupil and raise the eyelid. Subsequently, the amount of pressure on the eyelids may also be greater in non-combined surgery compared with combined surgery due to effect of the phenylepherine. Therefore, further prospective studies should be conducted to potentially strengthen the finding of shunting surgery causing more ptosis than filtering surgery by including MRD pre- and postoperatively and vertical palpebral fissure pre-, intra-, and postoperative measurements. Type of surgery and emphasis on intraoperative vertical palpebral fissures measurements after the placement of the speculum can also be measured to determine if greater stretch on eyelids had an association with increased aponeurotic ptosis or changes.
The effect of MMC can also be re-evaluated since some physicians are beginning to use MMC with shunting surgery, and the rate of ptosis of trabeculectomy and MMC in Naruo-tsuchisaka et al8 study was 19% compared with 22.5% for shunting surgery without MMC in our study.
Finally, the limitation of a retrospective study without proper case and control patients limit the utility of the study. Results are limited to the current population and practice patterns in the study. As mentioned above, the pre- and postoperative measurements of MRD and palpebral fissures can provide better results for ptosis after a non-combined shunting or filtering surgery. An age-matched case–control, prospective study measuring changes for ptosis (pre- and postoperative MRD, levator function, and vertical palpebral fissures), use of MMC, type of lid speculum, and non-combined filtering or shunting will likely produce stronger results than our current retrospective study. By conducting a prospective study on non-combined surgery with appropriate ptosis measurements, the comparative data can be more accurate without the variables of practice patterns, improve clarity of rates of new or worsening ptosis in patients > or <60 years, and directly compare the rates of new or worsening aponeurotic ptosis between filtering and shunting surgeries.
There was statistically significant association between shunting surgery being more common than filtering surgery in patients with ptosis without a significant difference in the percentage of shunting or filtering surgery across all our age categories. There was also statistically significant association between ptosis and shunting surgery, regardless of whether the patient had prior surgery. Higher ptosis rates were noted in the younger, <70 years age group, that underwent more non-combined surgery, which is typically shorter in duration, though one might expect surgeries of longer duration that include combined surgery, patients with prior surgeries, and older age to have to ptosis.
There was no statistically significant association between the following variables and ptosis: gender, operated eye, steroid duration, use of MMC, prior surgeries, and duration of surgery. The type of speculum could not be analyzed due to lack of documentation.
Our findings of shunting surgery with younger patients and the association with ptosis may be secondary to practice patterns and the desire to preserve filtering surgery for more advanced glaucoma often associated with older patients and to avoid the increased risk of bleb-related infections over the lifetime of the bleb. Furthermore, the association between younger age and ptosis may be due to less involutional changes in younger patients preoperatively, resulting in new or greater changes in ptosis than older patient with pre-existing involutional aponeurotic ptosis prior to surgery. Further studies including the type of surgery; type of lid speculum; pre- and postoperative MRD; pre-, intra-, and postoperative vertical IPF; and pre- and postoperative LF measurements can help evaluate the true rates of aponeurotic ptosis after glaucoma surgery in those who may have had preexisting involutional aponeurotic ptosis before glaucoma surgery.
Patient consent to review medical records was not required since patient data were de-identified and were in compliance with the Boston Medical Center/Boston University School of Medicine Office of Clinical Research Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) requirements for our retrospective study. Patient identified data were kept in a locked room and destroyed at the end of the study to maintain patient confidentiality.
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Crosby NJ, Shepherd D, Murray A. Mechanical testing of lid speculae and relationship to postoperative ptosis. Eye (Lond). 2013;27(9):1098–1101.
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Published by em PRESS for Ballarat Region Treegrowers, Recreating the Country challenges landholders and land managers to consider new ways of thinking about how we might reverse the inexorable decline and disappearance of Australian plants and animals from rural landscapes.
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Author and ecologist Stephen Murphy has, with his wife Lina, run a successful native plants nursery in central Victoria for over 25 years. At the heart of Recreating the Country are ten design principles, observed from nature, which set out to bridge the gap between farm forestry and environmental plantings and bring back the bush in rural landscapes.


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I'd never heard of a sanctuary church before and now I'm part of one.
It ends up they have a long history in the U.S. They've protected runaway slaves along the underground railroad and assisted conscientious objectors during the Vietnam War. The Episcopal Diocese in California has decided to become a Sanctuary Diocese. Good work California. Florida is not far behind. I know of at least four houses of faith that declared themselves as sanctuary churches to protect the undocumented in our community from government overreach.
We voted yes on June 4, 2017.
As a community of faith, Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ is committed to opening our doors to undocumented immigrants in need of sanctuary. We will support those who are threatened by a policy that is separating families and deporting people who are beloved members of our community.
The more we sacrifice with these undocumented immigrants, the more we learn about God's capacity for hospitality, mercy, and love. We can only do this with the support of this congregation, other houses of faith, and the open-hearted space of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, hearing the Christian call to love our neighbors as ourselves and responding to the ancient prophetic call to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God, we affirm our willingness to be a place of safety, advocacy, and hope for undocumented immigrants in need.
The Interfaith Movement for Immigrant justice has some awesome information on what providing sanctuary means.


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A group of women advocates criticized the insensitivity of some lawmakers as they continue to derail the passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill. The Democratic Socialist of the Philippines (DSWP), a national organization of women working in grassroots communities and at the forefront of the advocacy for the measure emphasized that the RH bill is long overdue. The DSWP asserts that thousands of women's lives have been sacrificed resulting in countless orphaned children and families.
"Sadly," said Elizabeth Angsioco, DSWP National Chairperson, "all these are because our honorable lawmakers sit on a very crucial bill that could have saved the lives of women and spared their families from loss.
Angsioco explained that the 11 mothers dying from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications every day is continuously ignored, passed off as insignificant and even insinuated as "imagined" data by some insensitive anti-RH lawmakers.
"When is late, too late?" said Angsioco. "The RH bill has been languishing in Congress for 16 long years already. All possible questions have been raised and answered, all arguments repeatedly discussed. It has been presented in numerous forums in many parts of the country, has been hotly debated in and out Congress and covered by media for many years. The bill has even been revised to accommodate some suggestions from anti-RH lawmakers," she said.
Angsioco opined that these lawmakers pretend ignorance so as not to earn the ire of the Roman Catholic hierarchy, the RH bill's staunchest opponent. They block the bill's passage because of their vested political interests. They are already looking at the 2013 elections.
"The thing is, this might backfire against them. Lawmakers who continue to be insensitive to people's RH needs will be remembered by voters. As early as now, there are those who already make lists of anti-RH politicians to guide them who not to vote for in the next elections. Astute politicians should be aware of this," continued the DSWP Chair.


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4 Most Common Injury Claims
By admin | Published: March 5, 2015
If you are injured in an accident that wasn't your fault, it can have a serious impact on your life.
We understand that after an accident, many people don't consider a personal injury lawsuit because they aren't sure whether or not they would have a case. There are a number of situations however, where you'd be perfectly within your rights to make a claim.
To help you establish whether you could make a claim for compensation, read on for our guide to the top 4 most common injury claims.
According to HSE (Health and Safety Executive) 274,000 people are seriously injured at work each year, and 241 suffer fatal injuries. All employers have a duty to keep staff safe, whilst providing suitable equipment and training, however workers are still injured every day in accidents that could have been easily prevented.
It is estimated that around 80,000 people are seriously injured on Britain's roads each year, with a huge proportion caused by driver negligence. Being involved in a road traffic accident can be a life changing and traumatic experience for anyone and could leave you with injuries from mild bruising or whiplash to serious, life-altering head and spinal injuries.
Common injuries caused by road traffic accidents include:
Injury to the spine
Broken or fractured bones
Serious burns
Medical negligence describes improper, unskilled, or negligent treatment of a patient by a healthcare professional. It occurs when medical intervention in the treatment of the patient has directly contributed to deterioration in their condition. Medical negligence claims can be extremely technical and complex, so it is essential that you receive legal advice from a specialist solicitor, which we are able to provide.
Slips and trips are one of the most common causes of major injury claims. Everyone has a part to play when it comes to preventing slips and trips, from employers to hospitals, schools and the council. If they fail in doing so and you are injured as a result then you could be compensated for personal damages suffered.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of any of these circumstances then get in touch with Express Solicitors today for accurate claim advice.
This entry was posted in News and tagged accident, claim, compensation, negligence, road traffic accident, slips and trips, workplace accidents. Bookmark the permalink. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.
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Some of my most favorite times with Jesus are the times when He just sits with me. In all my stuff, He draws close.
I love that we have a God who will just stay with us! He is so healthy!
He does not react to all our misguided, misdirected, misunderstood, misplaced emotions – He lets us have them. Throw our words carelessly at Him, shake our fists, stomp our feet in frustration, blame Him for our problems, accuse Him of unspeakable things and in it all He draws near. He sends His Comforter to console our aching, breaking hearts and sit with us through the outbursts.
One of my favorite memories: I was leading a small group of women through a book study and had designed an experiential to deal with some of the pain and contempt that was coming up as we processed through past hurts. The exercise was simple – Imagine a clothesline in an empty space behind a house. Visualize a white sheet hanging on the line blowing gently in the wind. See yourself standing before this pure, white, clean, crisp sheet. Let the emotions rise – all the rage, the disappointment, the contempt, the sadness – let it rise up within and unleash it onto this sheet. The women had permission to rip it to shreds, to pull it off the line and destory it, soil it however they chose. Imagining all the emotions within coming out of them hurled onto the sheet.
After a time of pouring and releasing I then encouraged the women to invite Jesus and He was always so perfect in how He responded to the scene, each so intimate and specific to the heart of each woman.
One saw Him pick up the sheet covered in dark stains and snap it in the wind transforming it into a clean, crisp white picnic blanket that He spread on the ground for Him and her to have a picnic together.
Another saw Him fashion the sheet into a kite and released it into the wind. They watched it soar high above, Jesus holding the line. She felt freedom as she witnessed the kite dancing above.
This is what I saw – I shredded the sheet into tiny pieces and they were piled high into a small mound before me. I saw myself broken and kneeling facing this mound of pain. I imagined Jesus coming and picking them up, throwing them into the wind and watching them blow away. I imagined Him piecing them back together, making it new. I imagined Him doing lots of things with the pieces before me, but as usual He surprised me. Jesus came and simply knelt beside me in my pain. I would have never imagined that. I thought He would DO something, but instead in that moment, He chose to simply BE with HIm.
and know that there is no thing that can seperate us and no place He isn't with us!
He simply knelt beside me in silence and it was the most beautiful gesture of understanding and validation. He was with me in my pain.
Invite Him to be with you in your pain, in your rage, in your disappointment, in your grief. He has really big shoulders, He can handle anything you want to throw at Him.
He will not pick it up!
And when you are ready He will do whatever it is your heart needs to move on, but until then…He will sit with you!
Images from this post from the Unpack Your Heart Devotional – Choose to unpack your heart with Him! Order yours today!


Shalen Kumar (CEO) was recently selected as a top 10 finalist in the 2018 Elevator Pitch Competition (EPiC), held by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation in Hong Kong. A pool of 100 competitors, selected from 591 applicants, pitched their idea to a panel of expert judges during the 60-second elevator ride at the International Commerce Centre. Shalen's idea, a handheld device for rapid and quantitative detection of drugs of abuse in saliva, caught the attention of the judges and he was named as one of the 10 finalists.
Shalen and the other finalists performed their three-minute pitch in front of an audience of 1000 entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel investors, incubators, accelerators, tech disruptors, and other industry players. Representatives from the Hong Kong office of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise were also there to support Shalen and the other Kiwi competitors. Although Shalen did not win the US$140,000 prize, the competition has connected AuramerBio to a number of venture capitalists as well as a wider network of fellow entrepreneurs. Congratulations Shalen!


Im writing from lower state of presence, i know its bad. But its fresh in my head.
I created a wonderful surrouinding, im only awakened for 2+weeks first time in my life i saw hate relationships transform into dream like love relationships. I was happy seeing my closest i live (mother gradma dad amd rest of my family) express such joy of life for the first time in their lifes (im 26). I saw my 94 yo grandma being joyful and so full of energy it even took me by suprise. I created those opportunities, i deeply knew those are just surface emergences of not opressed egos. I never talked about awakening and ego driven society i always tried to stay as present as possible.
Just to note i first ever in my life accepted repressed hate to my family just prior to fully aware awakening and for the first time i found something i could never allowed to happen in 20+ years of my egotic life, which was full of pain.
Today i made a grave mistake, i was taken aback by the incredible joyful scene happening around grandmas name's day, every circumstance seemed to reinforce that dream scene. And after some time i spoke to mother about ego etc i didnt pay attention to my presence state i was already 1 foot into my old life. And that scene would be a dream come true for my old life. From my lower state of presence i tried to explain using half measures etc saw emerging pain body didnt recognize it tried becoming long story short it was downs downs downs from there. Was thinking in a way of "i killed "my happy mother"" etc tried to get myself into deeper state of conciousness asap in isolation to maybe quickly patch it but couldnt.
Im not sure i was present of lower states i tried to think to myself maybe it will give a glimpse to my mother but the burden of loss was becoming to much already, now they are both asleep and i feel like weak person getting gods power to toy with closest people to me. I could never accept leaving form state even if i managed to get into higher present states in isolation (slight feeling of one-ness with nature, feeling like coming into womb of nature etc). I know i won't abandon the journey but im not sure if that memory of giving deeply suffered closest people who hated each other love in their own right and twisting a dagger to destroy it seems worse than for it to never happen.
Re: I did the wrong thing.
No matter, world didnt end. Just be more present, even that despair i felt at that time is in the end a hard lesson or as Eckart would call a "great spiritual teacher".
Hi Bgx. Welcome to the forum.
From what I can make out of what you have related, It sounds like you were in 'your natural state' and were 'creating joy', ie beautiful and loving thoughts and feelings, and you and your family were experiencing these. And then you 'dropped' those thoughts and 'created' (thought) 'not such wonderful' thoughts, and you and those around you experienced this. Is this the case?
IF so, you need to really watch what you are thinking. And I think you know this. Start afresh now, as if nothing nasty has happened (and it hasn't; it has only apparently happened).
So what you are saying you were experiencing a loving and joyful state and this flowed over to your family. But you feel you made the mistake of trying to put into words what you were feeling and the philosophy of that state. is this right?


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US National African American Museum opened
The new National African American History and Culture Museum, part of the Smithsonian was recently opened by President Obama. It's existence is the result of a struggle over many years by legislators in the name of African American history.
Citing Ferguson, Missouri, and Charlotte, North Carolina, and other cities where black men have been shot and killed by police, Obama said that the story the museum tells is "central to our American story" and "perhaps needs to be told now more than ever."
"We should not be surprised that not all the healing is done. We shouldn't despair that it's not all solved, and knowing the larger story should remind us just how remarkable the changes that have taken place truly are."
The three-story, $540m building houses artifacts from the slavery era and the Middle Passage, the civil war, Jim Crow segregation, integration and the advent of Obama as the first black president. More...
Britain must acknowledge its role in slavery
Yesterday's Observer Editorial, was entitled: "The Observer's view on Britain's role in the slave trade". It begins: "Nearly two centuries after slavery was abolished, this country has still not fully acknowledged the shameful part it played. We must delay no longer."
Compared with the US experience, our British slaves were thousands of miles away, meaning the terrible cost of the wealth they generated, and which we still benefit from, has been all too easily forgotten. But the legacy is still there to be recognised, here in Britain, abroad in our former colonies where the scars are deep, and globally. Devoid of the historical context of our role in slavery "our international responsibilities cannot be understood ... They are derived not just from the deep injustice of the structural inequalities that divide global north from global south but from the fact that in the past Britain has helped create those very inequalities."
Proving Legacy Seminar and MJR AGM
On Monday 7th November, 12noon to 4pm, the Movement for Justice and Reconciliation will be holding their first AGM. This will be an open meeting and anyone with an interest in our work is welcome to attend.
Venue: Open University Camden Town Campus, London NW1 8NP.
PROVING LEGACY. We will be combining the AGM with a presentation of research we have been conducting into the effects of legacy issues on educational achievement and mental and physical health.
This is a free event and will include a buffet lunch. Spaces are limited so pre-booking is essential.
If you would like to attend please contact Jenny Cooper to reserve your place. Download a leaflet for more information
The Long-Lasting Legacy of the Great Migration
"The history of African-Americans is often distilled into two epochs: the 246 years of enslavement ending after the close of the Civil War, and the dramatic era of protest during the civil rights movement. Yet the Civil War-to-civil rights axis tempts us to leap past a century of resistance against subjugation, and to miss the human story of ordinary people, their hopes lifted by Emancipation, dashed at the end of Reconstruction, crushed further by Jim Crow, only to be finally, at long last, revived when they found the courage within themselves to break free."
This fascinating article traces the continuity of oppression and resistance that links the era of slavery in the US to the civil rights movement and right up to the Black Lives Matter movement. More...


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John Deere Forage harvester 9800
DLG-APPROVED "Functional test in silage maize"
The DLG APPROVED quality mark for single, value-determining criteria is awarded to technical products that have passed a less comprehensive DLG usability test which is carried out and evaluated to independent and approved criteria. The purpose of the test is to highlight a product's special innovative and key features. The test may include criteria that are laid down in the DLG test framework on Full Tests or may focus on further product features and properties that confer a specific value to the product. A DLG panel of experts defines the minimum standards to be applied to the product and describes the test conditions and procedures as well as the criteria by which the test results are to be evaluated. These parameters reflect the acknowledged state of the art as well as scientific findings and agricultural insights and requirements. After a product has passed the test, a test report is produced and published and the quality mark is awarded to the product and will retain its validity for five years from the date of award.
The DLG partial test on the John Deere 9800 forage harvester consisted of a DLG 'Functional test in silage maize'. This test involved a number of field tests during which the work rates and corresponding fuel consumption rates were measured. These measurements were used to compute throughputs [t/h] and specific consumption rates [l/t] of the machine. Further on, the tests included measurements of the technical chopping quality. All test parameters were measured with the machine set to three different lengths of cut (LOC): 4 mm, 7 mm, 12 mm. In each of these three test versions samples were taken from the crop flow and analysed for dry matter contents, chop length distribution and the level of kernel processing to the Corn Silage Processing Score index (CSPS).
The tests on throughput and specific fuel consumption were carried out in a high-yielding region in northern Italy, whereas the tests on the technical chop quality were conducted on a trial site in northern Germany. No further parameters were tested in this functional test.
Harvesting in high-yielding fields in northern Italy, the tested JD 9800 forage harvester achieved relatively high throughputs of up to 328t/h (at a nominal LOC of 12 mm), demonstrating its high performance in these test conditions. As anticipated, throughputs dropped when the nominal LOC was reduced. By comparison, the fuel rates per operating hour never really changed when the chopping lengths were altered. Yet the specific consumption rates did drop when throughput increased. On the whole, specific consumption is very low, hovering around 0.5 litres per tonne of harvested material. It was indeed particularly low at 4 mm LOC.
The test shows that the selected chop length has a significant effect on the particle size distribution in the sample so that the percentage distribution changes just as desired. Some test versions produced a relatively large amount of fine (< 3 mm) and very fine particles (< 1.18 mm). This was partly attributed to the fact that prior to the test runs the crop had been damaged by frost temperatures which increased fragmentation.
It was also found that kernel processing was very good in low dry matter crops and good in high dry matter crops. This result applies to all chop length settings. Based on the good test results in the functional test in silage maize, the John Deere 9800 forage harvester is awarded the DLG APPROVED quality mark on Individual Test Criteria.
The John Deere 9800 specifications are listed in Table 1. The test machine had the 12-row, 9 m work width Kemper 490plus maize header with six large drums.
Table 1: John Deere 9800 forage harvester specifications *
Engine Liebherr V12
kW/hp 640 kW / 870 hp
Displacement 24 l
Engine speed (harvesting) 1,400 -1,600 rpm
No. of pre-compression rollers 4
No. of knives on the tested chopping drum 64
LOC band (64 knives) 3 -14 mm
Kernel processor gap 2 mm
Figure 2: The 870hp John Deere 9800 forage harvester
Figure 3: The 24-litre Liebherr D9512 engine
* Manufacturer information
The DLG partial test scheme 'Functional test in silage maize' applies to self-propelled forage harvesters which are tested in the field. The field tests consist of running the machine on at least two sites yielding crops in at least two different dry matter bands (27 %-32 % DM and 37 %-43 % DM). The stands selected should be as homogeneous as possible. Here, the machine is run at typical forward speeds in three different test versions, i.e. at three different but typical chopping lengths (4 mm, 7 mm, 12 mm). The base settings on the forager are made on the site to suit the prevailing conditions. The focus of all tests is on the overall efficiency of the machine. This is determined by measuring its throughput (t/h) and specific fuel consumption (l/t). In addition, samples are taken from the chopped material to describe the technical quality of chop.
Measuring the throughput
The throughput rates are determined separately by dry matter band and length of cut. In each test run, the forager fills a representative number of trailers with the filling time being recorded. Then the trailer content is weighed and the throughput [t/h] in the prevailing test conditions is determined.
Measuring the fuel consumption
The fuel rates [l/h] are measured by means of the mobile DLG equipment while the forager is filling the trailers. The test equipment measures the fuel flow in the forager's supply and return lines.
Specific fuel consumption per tonne of harvested material
The throughputs [t/h] and fuel rates [l/h] measured in each test version are used to compute the specific fuel rates per tonne of harvested crop [l/t].
Measuring the technical quality of chop
The technical quality of chop is determined by sampling the crop as it flows from the spout. This is done by means of the DLG sampler (Figure 4) in each test version. These samples are then used to obtain representative sub-samples for determining the dry matter content, the particle size distribution and the level of kernel processing.
Dry matter content
To determine the dry matter content (DM) of the harvested material the sub-samples are weighed on the site and then deep-frozen and stored until the field trials are completed. Then DM is determined by the oven-drying method.
The particle size distribution is determined with the help of the DLG cascade sieve system which is made up of multiple screens with 33 mm, 19 mm, 13 mm, 8 mm, 5 mm and 3 mm meshes (round holes) plus one screen for particles smaller than 3 mm. If the weight of the particles collecting in the < 3 mm sieve (fine chops) is more than 5 % of the total sample weight, this fraction will be sieved by another 1.18 mm screen which determines the percentage of 'very fine' particles (< 1.18 mm). These very fine particles should not account for more than 3 % of the total sample.
Kernel processing
The level of kernel processing is assessed by analysing sub-samples that are taken during each test version. The analysis is carried out at the lab and assessed to the so-called CSPS index (Corn Silage Processing Score to USDA Forage Research Center).
Table 2: Processing level to MERTENS, 2005
Processing level Very good Sufficient Poor
CSPS > 70 % 50 % to 69 % < 50 %
Figure 4: The DLG silage maize sampling unit is used for assessing the technical quality of chopping
Throughput and fuel economy
The throughput and fuel economy tests were carried out in the Lauden region in northern Italy in August 2017. The region is very fertile and crop yields are very high. The reason for choosing this region for the tests was because it offered the best conditions for utilising the forage harvester to its full potential. The individual test runs were carried out in various silage maize fields.
The dry matter content of the standing crop was measured by a NIR sensor that was integrated on the spout of the forager, the readings of which ranged between 31.4 % and 37.6 %. Growth heights in the test fields ranged between 2.90 m and 3.70 m. The readings are listed in Table 3.
Table 3: Throughput and fuel economy
Nominal chop length [mm] Throughput [t FM/h] Consumption [l/h] Specific consumption [l/t FM] Specific throughput [t FM/kWh]
4 304 150 0.49 0.48
12 328 152 0.46 0.51
Figure 5: Throughput in t/h
Figure 6: Specific fuel consumption in l/t
The throughputs were relatively high and amounted to up to 328 tonnes of fresh mass (FM) per operating hour (at a nominal chop length of 12 mm) and reflect the high performance potential of the JD 9800 in these high-yielding fields and test conditions.
As anticipated, the actual throughput of fresh mass dropped when the nominal length of cut was reduced (Figure 5). Fuel consumption was about 150 litres per engine hour. This rate was more or less maintained across all chop length settings. Therefore, when throughput increased the specific fuel rates dropped to about 0.5 litres per tonne of harvested fresh mass – a very low rate. These fuel measurements reveal that the John Deere 9800 does not respond sensitively to altering the chop length (see figure 6).
Figure 7: Particle size distribution at 29.7 %-32.9 % DM
Technical quality of chop
The measurements of the technical quality of chop were carried out in a separate series of tests in silage maize fields in northern Germany (Rendsburg region) in October 2017. The dry matter content levels in the selected stands ranged between 29.7 % and 32.9 % (low DM band) and between 37.0 % and 49.3 % (high DM band). Some of the harvested material had been damaged by night frost.
The results of the particle size distribution test are shown in figures 7 and 8.
Figure 9: CSPS values (intensity of kernel processing)
The graphs show that the set chop length has a clear effect on the distribution of the various particle sizes in the sieves. Changing the settings effectively shifts the distribution in the desired direction.
A nominal chop length of 4 mm results in nearly 60 % of all sample particles collecting in the > 3 mm and > 5 mm sieves. When the nominal chop length increases, the number of particles in these two sieve fractions decreases as desired. For example, this fraction is reduced to 50 % when the nominal chop length is changed to 7 mm. At the same time, the > 5 mm and > 8 mm fractions together increase to 70 %, representing the highest percentage. This shows that the LOC settings have a significant effect on the distribution of the particle sizes. This effect is less pronounced but yet still very clear in the 7 mm and 12 mm LOC settings which lead to a clear 8 % and 10 % increase especially in the > 13 mm fraction. But at the same time the > 8 mm fraction remained the largest fraction containing 45 % and 41 % of all particles.
The percentages in the > 19 mm and > 33 mm fractions were always small (0.1 % and 1.2 %) and were not affected by the dry matter content. By comparison, changing the settings has a much more significant effect on the > 13 mm fraction which also increases when the nominal chop length is 12 mm. The percentage weights in the < 3 mm fraction (fine chops) were relatively high. This applies to both DM bands and may be attributed to the freezing temperatures prior to the tests which damaged the crop and increased the risk of fragmentation. In the lower DM bands, the percentage of fine particles (7 % of the total weight) was smaller than in the higher DM bands where fine particles accounted for 10 % of the total weight. In the latter DM band, the percentage of the smallest < 1.18 mm particles was higher than 3 % which is the ceiling set by the GfE German society for feed physiology.
Corn Silage Processing Score (CSPS)
The effects of kernel processing are assessed at the lab by scoring the samples to the CSPS index.
In this test the kernels from the low DM band sample achieved higher CSPS scores (figure 9). The CSPS score decreases when the selected chop length increases. According to MERTENS (2005), kernel processing was very good in low DM crops (more than and nearly 70 % score) and good in high DM crops (about 60 % score) and this applies to all chop length settings.
Yet from the information gathered in the test, we are unable to explain why the CSPS score decreases in higher DM maize. Starch contents in the dryer crops were also about 5 % less than in the low DM band and vice versa the amount of fibre percentages increased (NDF, ADF, ADL). This might be down to the frost damage the stand suffered before harvest, which affected the starch levels and fibre percentages and hence the CSPS score.
The tested JD 9800 forage harvester achieves relatively high throughputs that reflect a high machine performance in the specific test conditions. With chop length set to a nominal 12 mm, the machine harvested 328 tonnes of fresh mass per hour; at a nominal 4 mm chop length, the amount of fresh mass per hour still stood at more than 300 tonnes.
At the same time, the specific fuel consumption (litres per tonne) per harvested fresh mass was between 0.46 l/t (12 mm) and 0.49 l/t (4 mm). This is a very low rate and applies to all settings. John Deere argues that this high efficiency is certainly attributed to the relatively frugal LIEBHERR engine along with the low-speed concept which involved an update of the entire powertrain and all crop flow components tailoring them to the lower engine speeds.
The test shows that changing the chop length has a clear effect on the particle size distribution. In some test versions, the testers recorded relatively high percentages of fine particles (< 3 mm) and very fine particles (< 1.18 mm). This was partly attributed to frost damage of the crop.
Kernel processing was very good and good to MERTENS (2005) in all chop length settings. Based on these test results, the John Deere 9800 self-propelled forage harvester is awarded the DLG APPROVED quality mark for single, value-determining criteria for the functional test in silage maize.
John Deere GmbH & Co. KG,
John Deere Werk Zweibrücken,
Homburger Straße 117-125,
66482 Zweibrücken, Germany
DLG e.V.,
Testzentrum Technik und Betriebsmittel,
Max-Eyth-Weg 1,
The tests are carried out on behalf of the DLG by the DLG TestService GmbH as testing agency.
Technology for field operations
Dr. Ulrich Rubenschuh *
Dipl.-Ing. agr. Georg Horst Schuchmann


If you are looking for a Hotel near The City Ground to watch the football this weekend then Holiday Inn Derby-Nottingham Hotel is ideal for you.
The Holiday Inn Derby-Nottingham Hotel is less than 15 minutes drive from the home of Nottingham Forest Football Club. Why not stay here to "Roar on the Reds?" - or their rival!
For more information visit their website or view their fixture list.
Book now to stay at Holiday Inn Derby Nottingham or call our dedicated reservations team on 0871 942 9062 quoting reference "IKAPB".
Photograph courtesy of Nottingham Forest Football Club.
Why not make a weekend of it and explore everything that Derbyshire has to offer. The Holiday Inn Derby/Nottingham is the ideal base for your trip. Located just a short drive by car from Chatsworth House you can enjoy a superb range of facilities. If you are travelling with kids then you can choose one of our fantastic Family rooms or if you are looking for something a bit special, why not upgrade to one of our Executive rooms? You can sip complimentary tea and coffee, and enjoy extra comfort from blackout curtains and 24 hour room service. Our Restaurant and Lounge offer a family friendly menu where kids eat free during their stay.
Find out more about what Nottinghamshire has to offer.
Find out about the latest packages and offers available at the Holiday Inn Derby/Nottingham hotel.


Platform trucks make short work of moving heavy items from room to room. Platform carts work great in a classroom environment where resources need to be shared between teachers. We carry reliable trucks from Raymond Products, Safco and Sandusky Lee. Whether you are moving a few boxes of copy paper or several hundred pounds of art material, these platform trucks have you covered.. Find platform trucks from top brands such as Raymond Products and Safco Products.


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Q: Best strategy for upgrading application from Symfony 2.0 to Symfony 2.4? I need to upgrade an existing rather large application from Symfony 2.0.15 to Symfony 2.4.x (replace with current version).
I'm not quite sure what would be the best strategy to do so. Migration critical features like forms or esi are used, of course :)

*

*Upgrade "step by step" from one major version to another (2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4)

*Upgrade directly from 2.0.x to 2.4

Do you have any tips / experience to share ? Would appreciate it :)
Thanks,
Stephan

A: Each new version comes with an update UPGRADE-2.x.md file containing all intructions to convert your application from the immediately previous version.
I had to do that on my project as well, and I found the step-by-step method more natural and easier to manage. Fact is, there is no file such file as UPGRADE-2.0-to-2.4.md that would help you out for a direct conversion to 2.4.
I shall first recommend to make sure that none of your code uses obsolete functionnalities of Symfony 2.0 (not sure if there are deprecated parts in this version, though), because these can be removed in ulterior versions and will not be included in the UPGRADE file.
If you have done indeep modifications of the core Symfony code, you may find that some undocumented modifications are needed. For instance, there is a custom error handler in my project, extending the Symfony error handler. Well, although it was not documented in the UPGRADE file, the signature of ErrorHandler::handle() was modified and needed to be updated in my custom handler.
Similarly, I had to modify some namespaces because files had been moved in the framework code.
The conversion is still ongoing and I'm currently experiencing a weird error I'm trying to get rid of: The 'request' scope on services registered on custom events generates errors in the logs.

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There are many ways to volunteer your time in and around Brockwell Park. Interested in any of the following? We want to hear from you!
Arts and Events. BPCP's MAD for Brockwell Park Programme of community events needs volunteers to help set up on the days of events (PA System, equipment chairs etc) and also to help run the Programme. The events generally take place on Sunday afternoons between May and September.
Environmental projects. BPCP's Biodiversity group needs volunteers for planting of the hedge; other opportunities for green projects include 'Dig the Park' and Tree Planting (organised by the Friends of Brockwell Park) and Horticulture (organised by Community Greenhouses).
Use and improve your skills. If you have skills in fundraising, design, IT, websites, project management, cake baking, horticulture etc, we'd love to hear from you.


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Gods of Food: A history of the eating competition
As Gordon Gekko famously said, "greed is good". We seem to have an inbuilt fascination with dangerous levels of face-stuffing. Be it the sprint through a bucket of hot dogs or the gruelling marathon of incomprehensible amounts of beef, the idea of putting our stomachs through as much physical turmoil as possible is a cultural touchstone. The Maasai test the strength of their young warriors against lions. We test ours against comically large burgers. Modernity for the win. Visit any major city in the world and you will find temples to the new gods of food, where rites of passage aplenty await those willing to put their honour and appetite on the line. The victors are identified by stained shirts and are frozen in immortality on walls of fame while the defeated pass out and fade into insignificance. So how did we get here?
Eating contests have been around for ages. A 13th-century Norse myth chronicles a competition between the trickster god Loki and his servant Logi, who defeated his master by eating his plate. In the early modern period, individuals with insatiable appetites began to gain celebrity status, a notable example being Nicholas Wood - "The Great Eater of Kent". Nicholas would tour the UK in the 17th century, eating unconscionable amounts of food for public entertainment. Famously, he once consumed "a whole sheep...raw". Our modern sensibilities make us seem rather tame by comparison.
Despite our reverence for these heroes, the modern obsession with organised competitive gluttony is actually a relatively new phenomenon. It all traces back to 1916. British and German soldiers were exchanging very fruity language at the Somme, the Russians were developing a crippling case of revolution fever and, in America, Nathan's Famous held its first "Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest". It's clear what has left the most indelible mark on Western culture. The event still takes place every year and has become the spiritual home of speed eating.
Predictably, this Coney Island event gave birth to the first modern competitive eating star. Takeru Kobayashi was born in Nagano, Japan, in March 1978. After humble beginnings, "the Tsunami" shot to fame when, in his rookie appearance, he ate 50 hot dogs in 12 minutes, doubling the previous record. "Kobi" went on to break his own record three times, retaining his title for six consecutive years. He would also set world records for hamburger, pork bun and bratwurst consumptions, as well as going head-to-head with a fully grown kodiak bear.
As Kobayashi was busy dominating the competitive eating scene, there was a young pretender readying himself for a title challenge. A 22-year-old San Jose University Student was about to enter the fray. Joey Chestnut first turned heads in 2005 with a breakout performance in the deep-fried asparagus eating championship, crushing crowd favourite Rich LeFevre. After completing the feat, his path crossed with Kobayashi for the first time - at Nathan's Famous, where he debuted in third place behind the great man. The 2006 contest saw a shockingly close final, with young Chestnut defeated by a single hot dog. The tide was turning.
Anticipation was high for the 2007 competition, when news came that Kobayashi had suffered an injury during training. Damage to his jaw, Kobayashi claimed, meant that he could only open his mouth by 3/4 of an inch for a whole month. Though Kobayashi recovered before the contest, it remained to be seen how the disruption to his training would affect his performance. Chestnut, by contrast, was in scintillating form, eating 182 wings in 30 minutes to become a Wing Bowl Champion and drinking a gallon of milk in 41 seconds. The stage was set for an epoch-defining clash. This was Ali/Frasier. This was Borg/McEnroe. The world would never be the same again. What followed was a record-breaking final, as each man pushed himself to new heights. Chestnut rose victorious, having defeated Kobayashi 66-63 - a new world record - and consigning Kobayashi to his first defeat in six years.
For all the glory brought by scoffing hot dogs, competitive eating has a dark side. The effects that it can cause to participants' health include weight gain and increased risk of coronary attack. Sometimes, competition can even prove fatal. In April 2017, Caitlin Nelson, a 20-year-old student at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, tragically lost her life after choking on a pancake during an eating contest. In light of such a shocking waste, it seems suddenly flippant to dismiss the practise merely as harmless fun.
Today, competitive eating remains a global fascinator. The International Federation of Competitive Eating, the activity's governing body, recognises records for speed and quantity for over 200 different foodstuffs, including beef tongue, cow brains and mayonnaise. Both Chestnut and Kobayashi feature prominently on the list. However, our modern obsession with foodie competition goes beyond niche events. The enduring popularity of shows such as Man vs. Food demonstrate that we still find something weirdly alluring about watching adults stuff themselves with all manner of absurd ingredients. But it might be time to look at ourselves with a bit of contrition. For all the fun and games, maybe we shouldn't be quite so determined to glorify greed.


Known as Burgundy, maroon, or simply claret, Bordeaux Color – one of the profound and solemn shades of red, has become one of the favorites this season. Officially, the tone got its name in 1891 in honor of the dark red French wine from Bordeaux. Prior to this, in the Russian language this color was known as "Chermnyy." Of the primary colors (red, blue and yellow) burgundy obtained by mixing approximately three pieces of bright red, one piece of dark blue and a few drops of yellow. The result is a warm, harmonious and very rich burgundy color.
In ancient times the burgundy color was the color of emperors. On the one hand, it has the power and majesty of the red, and on the other hand, it has a calm of dark blue and joyful yellow. Absorbing all the quality of primary colors, burgundy has a bright character and expresses the dignity, power, and respectability. Also, moderation, piety, generosity and, at the same time, brings a touch of the holiday. No wonder, the traditional decorations for the New Year are often in burgundy color.
Love for the color of "Bordeaux" speaks of confidence, internal stability, enterprise, love of power and good organizational skills. In excessive amounts, this color starts to "press", becoming heavy and depressing.
To combine burgundy color is best with white, milk, beige, ivory, cream, and light gray. Also harmonious is the combination with: green, dark green, olive, color ultramarine, blue-green, blue, brown, gray, pink and many shades of red. Some courage and fine sense of taste require a combination with coral, orange, turquoise, and black.
Burgundy color or maroon color – one of the shades of red, darker and duller than scarlet. It is the color of anthocyanin compounds from red grapes in an acidic environment.


The Defense Department said Friday night that U.S., British and French forces struck three Syrian facilities that officials believe play a key role in Syria's ability to research, produce and store chemical weapons.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis called it a "heavy strike" that was broader than the attack President Trump ordered one year ago that targeted an airfield. Friday night's strike aimed at the "long-term degradation" of Syria's chemical weapons capabilities.
The allied strike, with included manned U.S. aircraft, last about an hour and prompted the Syrian regime to retaliate by shooting surface-to-air missiles, said Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Syrian state TV claimed the regime had shot down 13 U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles. But Dunford said the U.S. was still reviewing the results.
"The only reaction that I'm aware of at this time is Syrian surface-to-air missiles … I'm not aware of any Russia activity and I'm not aware of the full scope of the Syrian regime response at this time," Dunford said.
The Pentagon was expected to give another detailed brief on the strike on Saturday morning.
Dunford confirmed that the U.S. used a deconfliction communication line to warn the Russians to remain out of the airspace around the target sites. But he said the U.S. did not share any targets with the Russians, and Moscow might not have known the warnings were connected to the chemical weapons strikes.
The deconfliction line is used regularly in Syria where the U.S. has been fighting the Islamic State and must work with the Russians to avoid any accidents or clashes.


We've located the best assisted living communities near ASHTABULA County, Ohio. All ASHTABULA County assisted living facilities and homes provide daily living assistance to elderly senior citizens. This list of facilities includes various care levels, including both senior living and assisted living communities in ASHTABULA County, OH.
While looking for assisted senior living in Ashtabula, Ohio, you may find Saybrook Landing, located at 2300 Center Road in the 44004 zip code area in Ashtabula County. Saybrook Landing assists 55 and older adults living in Ashtabula who need aid with showering, putting on clothes, getting in and out of bed, eating by themselves, personal hygiene and going to the bathroom. Saybrook Landing includes services like: 3 daily meals, gated entry and a community kitchen.
Lantern Of Saybrook is an affordable assisted living home that allows pets, situated at Ashtabula, Ohio. It has a total of 67 assisted living units. Lantern Of Saybrook can be found at 3720 North Ridge Road West, in the 44004 zip code area. It assists elderly adults living in Ashtabula County with ADLs that include taking a bath, getting dressed, getting in and out of bed, personal hygiene and using the bathroom. Some features you can find at Lantern Of Saybrook include a special menu for senior citizens with diabetes, communal dining area, movie nights and highly skilled staff members available 24 hours per day.
Located at 48 Parrish Road, inside 44030 zip code area, Villa At The Lake offers senior assisted living in Conneaut, OH to retired adults who live in Ashtabula County. Villa At The Lake accepts Medicaid and Medicare and offers services that include memory care for dementia and Alzheimer's, cleaning and housekeeping of apartments, protected entry by a keypad and a fitness room. It can provide board and care to up to 100 Ashtabula County residents.
Royal Meadows At Austinburg is a pet friendly senior living community located at 2026 State Route 45, 44010 zip code. Up to 40 elderly adults who need a personal care home in Ashtabula County can take advantage of senior living services offered by Royal Meadows At Austinburg. This facility has an affordable cost and includes services like special dietary needs accommodation, relocation assistance and scheduled meetings for residents and their families.
Austinburg Nursing And Rehab Center provides senior assisted living in Ashtabula county, Ohio. It offers a total of 115 private studio and one-bedroom suites for 55 and older adults. Austinburg Nursing And Rehab Center is pet friendly and can provide help with bathing and showering, dressing, sitting and standing up, self-feeding, styling their hair and toilet hygiene to any 55 and older adults living in Austinburg, OH and Ashtabula County. Austinburg Nursing And Rehab Center is situated at 2026 State Route 45, 44010.
For 55 and older adults who are searching for assisted living in Geneva, Ohio, Sanctuary Of Geneva Limited Partnership is a great luxurious residential care facility that offers religious services. It has a maximum capacity of 41 assisted living apartments and offers services such as numerous fun arts & crafts activities, 24/7 security and doctor check-ups on a monthly basis. Its official license number is 2349R. Sanctuary Of Geneva Limited Partnership offers assisted living services not only to Geneva older adults, but also to all Ashtabula County seniors.
If your loved one requires assistance with daily living, you should consider Carington Park, an assisted living facility in Ashtabula, Ohio located at 2217 West Ave, 44004 zip code area. It includes amenities like monthly assessments by a registered nurse, help with laundry and busy calendar of educational and social activities. Carington Park offers assisted living in Ashtabula County to a maximum of 180 senior citizens.
Country Club Retirement Center Iii provides assisted living services in Ashtabula County to up to 67 older adults at a time. Country Club Retirement Center Iii is situated at 925 East 26th Street in the 44004 zip code area. As part of it personal care services, it offers services such as apartment upkeep and maintenance services, barbershop and salon services and 3 a-la carte dining meals.
Ashtabula County Medical Center, located at 2420 Lake Avenue, Ashtabula, Ohio, 44004 provides assisted living for 55+ adults residing in Ashtabula County and nearby areas. Ashtabula County Medical Center has a total capacity of 16 assisted living apartments. Some of its services include help with managing medication, transportation and programs for daily fitness.
Lake Pointe Rehabilitation And Nursing Center is an assisted living facility in Conneaut, Ohio, providing care and services to seniors who require assistance with taking a bath or shower, putting on clothes, walking, self feeding, personal hygiene and going to the bathroom. If you are searching for assisted living in Ashtabula County with trained staff members always ready to help, do not overlook Lake Pointe Rehabilitation And Nursing Center. Its full capacity is 74 assisted living units.
Best Assisted Living Facilities in ASHTABULA County, OH. Full list of all senior assisted living communities near ASHTABULA County, OH for 2019.


Located in Gordes, one of the 100 "Most Beautiful Villages in France" in typical Provençal setting with panoramic views of the Luberon. Camping des Sources is a 3.5 hectare site, planted with holm oaks. It boasts 100 pitches with chalets and mobile homes also available to rent. Large 25 m swimming pool with sunbathing area.
Refurbished and heated shower block, with a large family cabin and a baby child cabin (bath and small shower), washing machine, camper van service area.
Bread and cake shop, mini-grocery, takeaway, snack.
A warm and dynamic team at your service. Quiet, relaxing and family campsite. For your leisure activities, you have the choice between crazy golf, playground, basketball, table tennis, heated 25 x 8 pool and paddling pool, aqua-gym in high season.
Starting point for trips from the campsite, mountain bike tours.
Bank/credit card, Cheque, Chèques Vacances, Cash, Credit transfer.
Hot showers, Hand wash basins with hot water, Heated WC, Hand wash basins, Play area, Fenced grounds, Bar, Shady grounds, Terrace, Camper van service area, washing-up bowl, Automatic barrier, Boules area, Paddling pool, Electrical connections, Very comfortable pitch, Minigolf, Swimming pool, Heated swimming pool, Camping-car, Emptying of grey water, Pets welcome, Pets supplement, Bungalow rental, Mobile home hire, Grounds closed at night, Air-conditioned accommodation, Animals accepted in the accommodations.
Rental mobile home (week): 329 to 966 €.


text:
Q: Boas praticas Fragment e Service Entao pessoal a questão e a seguinte..
Eu tenho uma activity conectada a um serviço.
Eu quero iniciar um fragmento e esse fragmento ira executar funcoes dentro do serviço.
Qual seria as melhores praticas para executar funcoes no serviço ?
Algum exemplo ?

A: Existem vários pontos a se pesar.
Na verdade @Piovezan não é ruim, depende do que precisa ser feito.
Se você precisa executar funções independente das Activitys crie o serviço sem bind, assim mesmo com o aplicativo fechado o serviço vai continuar sendo executado.
Agora se você realmente precisa comutar informações da activity para o service ele precisa ser bind e não adicione um fragmento a isso apenas transmita as informações.

*

*O bind não é obrigatório mas garante que ao termino da activity o serviço também pare, no caso de dependência evita erros.

O problema de se usar Broadcasts é o tempo de execução que deve ser de até 10 segundos para não travar o aplicativo, logo não é viavél fazer isso a menos que a partir do recebimento você crie uma AsyncTask ou tenha certeza de que a execução não passará disso!


text:
What happens at Springfest… well, you know
This Friday kicks off Allegheny's annual Springfest celebration, sponsored by the Major Events Committee (MEC) in a collaborated effort by Allegheny Student Government (ASG) and Gator Activities Programming (GAP).
This year's theme will be "Las Vegas: What Happens at Springfest Stays at Springfest."
On Friday night, Grounds For Change will serve up summery drinks for students to enjoy in a laid–back atmosphere while they listen to Chalk Dinosaur, an indie band from Pittsburgh that will perform from 9 to 10:30 p.m.
On Saturday, "CC Casino" will be open in the Campus Center lobby from noon to 3 p.m. Students will participate in such activities as blackjack, Texas Hold 'Em, and slots in order to win raffle tickets.
Among the bigger prizes will be a flat–screen TV, an iPod Touch, and a Wii, to name a few. However, there will be many other smaller prizes, so students should have a lot of chances to win.
vegasadventureweddings.com
Elvis will be in the building, the campus center, that is, Saturday to "marry" people off and motivate students to keep playing for raffle tickets.
Airbrush tattoos and Springfest T–shirts will be featured throughout the afternoon as well.
"The T–shirts are super awesome this year," said Rachel Higgins '10, GAP member.
On Saturday night, at 10 p.m. showing of "The Hangover" will take place in Shafer Auditorium, which will give students a chance to unwind after a busy weekend full of activities.
"This year the MEC has worked very hard on making Springfest a success," said Aubrey Green '12, assistant director of concerts and special events.
"This is the first Springfest being planned with the MEC committee comprised of GAP and ASG members and the planning has gone really well," Higgins added. "We were able to bounce ideas off of each other and plan an exciting day of activities for students."
Most Allegheny students seem to be just as excited about this weekend.
"I came during Springfest on my tour last year and saw moon bounces outside of Brooks," said Steph David '13. "It all seemed like so much fun. I'm really excited."
Other students are confused about the date that was chosen for Springfest this year, which is earlier in the season than usual.
Another common concern regarding the date is its interference with this weekend's choral concert.
"I'm a little disappointed about the date," said Danae Binder, '13. "I'm in 4 out of the 5 choirs."
Higgins explained the reasoning behind the choice of an earlier date:
"Springfest was scheduled by looking at the academic calendar and was chosen by taking into consideration other scheduled campus events and religious holidays," Higgins said. "This is a new process and is how major college events will be scheduled from now on."
springfest
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10-year-old battles breast cancer
Hannah Powell-Auslam, 10, who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, adjusts her pink wrist band during her softball game at Behringer Park in La Mirada on Saturday April 25, 2009. Powell-Auslam is playing her last game before she receives treatment for the breast cancer. Her team passed out pink hairbands to her teammates and put up balloons for her in support. (SGVN/Staff Photo by Keith Durflinger/SWCITY)
By The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin | dailybulletin@dfmdev.com |
LA MIRADA – Hannah is 10 years old, but she is fighting a grown-up battle.
Hannah Powell-Auslam, a fifth-grader at Escalona Elementary School, is being treated for breast cancer.
Photo Gallery: 10-year-old diagnosed with breast cancer
"It's very surreal," said Jeremy Auslam, Hannah's father. "We can't be the only ones."
Incidents of breast cancer among pre-pubescent children are extremely rare.
Hannah was diagnosed this month, a few weeks after her mother found a lump in her left breast. In late March, after she complained of itching, her mother took her to the bathroom to check for any problems. She immediately felt the growth.
The family quickly made an appointment to have it examined and Hannah had surgery to remove part of the mass in early April.
Not all of the tumor was removed, because it had advanced into breast tissue that would not grow normally in adulthood if it was damaged. The portion that was removed was sent for tests, but doctors reassured the family.
"They told me it was not breast cancer, because breast cancer does not happen to children," said Carrie Auslam, Hannah's mother.
In mid-April, test results came back with a shocking diagnosis – Hannah has Stage IIA Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, an adult form of breast cancer. The rest of the tumor, which had grown around blood vessels in Hannah's breast, would have to be removed.
"Breast cancer in children is exceedingly rare," Dr. Nathan Honda said. Honda has not treated nor examined Hannah, but works as medical director of the Ruby L. Golleher Comprehensive Cancer Program at Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital.
He said about 0.1 percent of breast cancer occurs in children and is generally less aggressive than in adults.
Carrie and Jeremy Auslam waited a few days to tell their daughter, gathering information about the disease to answer Hannah's questions.
Then, they broke the news.
"I didn't really know what cancer is," Hannah said. "I was just crying and I couldn't stop."
Carrie Auslam said she hopes her family's story will help kids communicate with parents about changes to their bodies that might indicate a problem.
"Hannah knew about that lump," Auslam said. "But she thought it was part of `growing up."'
The diagnosis means Hannah will likely have a mastectomy of her left breast, which will be reconstructed once she has developed.
She will also likely face chemotherapy, but her prognosis is good. Stage IIA breast cancer, characterized by smaller tumors found in the breast and minimal spread of the disease to the rest of the body, is very treatable.
Carrie Auslam said dealing with the disease is just part of the problem. Finding a doctor has been difficult as well. Oncologists at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles had little experience with breast cancer, so the family turned to UCLA Medical Center.
Breast cancer is treated there, though children are rarely patients.
Auslam said the youngest case any of the doctors she met had seen was 16.
When Hannah's friends and family learned of the diagnosis, they rushed to help her. Her uncle and father launched a blog, ourlittlesweetpea.com, to chronicle Hannah's battle with cancer and to provide a place to send donations or messages of encouragement.
Hannah's parents told her classmates and softball team, who have been equally supportive.
"The support is amazing," Carrie Auslam said.
Donation buckets were recently placed at a local carnival. A friend of the Auslam family donated Guess accessories for a sale to benefit the 10-year-old.
Although she had to leave this softball season early – her team, the Silver and Black Attack of the La Mirada Girls Softball Association, still has two games and the playoffs left – the team gave her a special send-off at her last game on Saturday.
The opposing squad met Hannah and her teammates at home plate and presented her with a signed shirt and pink Oakley glasses. One of the girls led a prayer for Hannah, and she threw out the first pitch.
The girls on her team are wearing pink hair ties and decals with her name and "No. 11" as a tribute to her for the rest of the season. Those decals are also being sold as a fundraiser for Hannah, to be placed in a trust.
Another team will wear pink uniforms for the rest of the season in her honor.
Hannah's team manager, Tommy Urbina, said Hannah is known on Silver and Black Attack for her strong bat and good attitude.
He said the girls still consider her part of the team.
"They're very supportive of her," Urbina said. "Yesterday we had practice, and one of the little kids said, `Let's win for Hannah."'
Hannah says she wants to make her cancer a positive experience, and is writing a book.
"God chose me because he knows I'm a strong girl and I can get through it."
airan.scruby@sgvn.com
The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin