Today, we're delighted to welcome writer Gina Kirkham to The Literary Lounge.
Creator of Constable Mavis Upton, Gina publishes Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot, the second outing for her hapless, humorous heroine, with Urbane Publications, in July 2018.
First of all, welcome, Gina – thanks so much for joining us.
LS: Most people have one successful career if they're lucky, yet you've had several, most recently writing: what was the first thing you ever wrote?
GK: Gosh, that's going back more years than I care to remember (the downside or getting old!). I wrote a short story about a fairy that had washed her wings and shrunk them when I was about eight years old. I received a star sticker from my teacher which I proudly stuck onto everything I wore for the following three weeks – that was until I cuddled next door's cat, transferring my treasured sticker to its left ear and before I could retrieve it, Bob the cat had it away over the fence, never to be seen again. Strangely enough, writing never really figured in my early dreams, I think it was more a later life ambition. I had two early goals, to be a ballet dancer and to join the police. I think I've been very blessed to have achieved all three of my dreams.
LS: You joined the police in the late 1980s, following a 'lifelong ambition'. What did you do beforehand?
GK: I had a selection of careers ranging from dancer, cartoonist, secretary/PA to one of the best 'jobs' in the world, being a Mum. My first marriage very sadly came to an end when my daughter Emma, was five years old. I was just about to hit my thirtieth birthday and with no job or income, money was extremely tight. I had managed to secure a small seaside terraced cottage for us both to start again and had a part-time job addressing envelopes in the evening when Emma was in bed, but it paid buttons. Merseyside Police had just started an active recruitment campaign, which included the need for mature female applicants. I excitedly jumped at the chance and within two months I was fitted with a uniform and on my way to the Police Training Centre via the M56.
LS: Were you a good policewoman?
GK: Oh dear, that's a hard one to answer without seeming to blow my own trumpet! … I was always fair but firm and incredibly passionate about my job and most of all, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I knew that by becoming a police officer I was never going to be able to change the world, but felt that if I took the time to care, then maybe I could make a difference. I received several commendations for bravery and compassion and my biggest thrill was being awarded Police Officer of the Year in 2000 (yes, the tale of Mavis in 10 Downing Street really is a true story, lol).
I'd definitely do it all over again, I used to marvel each day that I was doing a job I loved AND getting paid for it. Sadly, once I hit my early fifties, I found that although I could still chase naughty people and climb walls after them … I couldn't get down on the other side. Nothing worse than having an offender wave goodbye to you while your legs are dangling over Mrs Smith's sage green trellis!
I don't think anything beats giving a victim a 'good' result though, whether it be the arrest of an offender, or better still, a decent custodial sentence in court. Another is seeing youngsters … turn[ing] themselves around and [going] on to make a crime free life for themselves. It does happen! … The worst … that will always be dealing with loss of life, either by accident or crime. It's seeing the impact and heartbreak it brings to those left behind, it never goes away. Every single one I have attended still holds a sadness in my heart, from the teenage overdose who had a family to mourn him to the elderly lady who passed peacefully away on Christmas Day who had no one. One fatal road crash occurred over twenty years ago on New Year's Eve, I was the officer that ripped the lives of a lovely family apart by standing on their doorstep waiting to deliver the worst news ever. Every single New Year's Eve since, which is also my birthday, I always take a few moments to remember that family.
LS: Has humour got you through the most challenging times?
GK: Absolutely, I think all the emergency services have a dark sense of humour. We'd go under if we didn't resort to it. On a regular basis we see the very worst there is in human behaviour. We can feel anger, despair, frustration, sadness and disgust, but professionally, we try not to show it publicly, so it's pushed down until we can find another release, which often manifests itself as irreverent humour. We can be very infantile in the jokes we play on each other or in what we perceive to be funny. Retorts are sharp, quick-witted and never meant offensively. I found out very quickly in my career that it was better to laugh rather than cry.
LS: What's your inspiration for Mavis Upton? Is she at all like you?
GK: *whispers* … Mavis is me! Yes, she is just a whole lot like me, I tried very hard in the beginning to create her differently, but it didn't work. I think because the stories in the main are based on my life and career and the police myths and legends handed down over the decades, my own voice kept shouting louder than any voice I could dream up for Mavis. I'm a very happy, optimistic, easy going sort of person, if anything can happen, it happens to me – not that I really mind because most of the time it worth it because it provides a giggle when I share my 'mishaps' on Twitter or Facebook. Life can be hard enough at times and often there is so much negativity on social media it's good to have something daft to lighten the load.
LS: How much of what happens to Mavis is based on your own experiences?
GK: Quite a lot. I sometimes read back my ramblings and think how on earth can this really happen to just one person, but it did and still does. The loss of my wonderful mum is covered in the first in the Mavis Upton series, Handcuffs, Truncheon and a Polyester Thong. I found the whole process of writing about my mum's passing through the eyes of Mavis quite cathartic, plus it's my way of honouring her and keeping her alive in the pages. There are some chapters and incidents that are purely artistic licence. If you think 'oh that's far too ridiculous to happen'… then the odds are that is one of the times when it really did!
LS: Was it easier to write this book than Handcuffs, Truncheon and a Polyester Thong (Mavis Upton#1)?
GK: Yes, I think Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot was a little easier to write. With Handcuffs I had no idea how readers would react to the humour or the storyline. I desperately wanted them to like Mavis, so it was quite a scary time when she eventually went 'out there' waiting to see everyone's reaction to her and my style of writing. Because I had the groundwork and characters, I knew where I wanted to go with the sequel. I think I felt a little more confident in exploring a more emotional side to Mavis and to be able to add a balance between humour and pathos. I structured this manuscript a little more and even excitedly purchased myself a £3.99 bargain whiteboard from the cheap shop to plot out my story just like real authors do. I did discover weeks later the reason why it was only £3.99 … the black pen doesn't wipe off so I now have my plot for all eternity and beyond! To be honest, and this is where I really would like to say thank you and blow a huge trumpet to the wonderful world of Book Bloggers, they have had a great impact on my writing. Their support, encouragement and advice has been an absolute godsend to me in my first year, I'm still learning my craft and I'll always happily take on board anything they kindly offer … I mean, who better to point the way than those who adore books and are passionate about reading!
LS: If you were to sum up Mavis as a woman in five words, what would they be?
GK: Compassionate, determined, emotional, maternal, quirky.
LS: … And as a policewoman?
GK: Compassionate, moral, emotional, driven, courageous.
LS: What are Mavis's main joys/demons?
GK: Her main joy is her family and of course her career. Her demons are her inability to 'switch off', to compartmentalise emotions, making them easier to deal with. She wears her heart on her sleeve which can, at times, make her vulnerable. The loss of her mum is her biggest demon, one which I know she will never fully accept – hence her graveyard conversations with her trying to keep her wit, motherly advice and malapropisms alive.
LS: What's Mavis's end of day, feeling rubbish, go-to music?
GK: I adore Bette Midler, so either 'The Rose' or 'Wind Beneath my Wings' (I'm sure Mavis would approve). Opening soundtrack for the film would have to be 'With A Little Help from My Friends' by Wet, Wet, Wet as that always makes me think of the special camaraderie we have in the police … and it's very 1980s.
LS: In your 'Field of Dreams' film adaptation, who would play Mavis?
GK: Sheridan Smith definitely for Mavis, she is such an amazingly talented actor. I think I've watched her in Cilla about 500 times!
LS: … And her family?
GK: The fabulous Sherrie Hewson would be the perfect older Mavis. I love Sherrie and her wonderful comedic timing. Julie Walters is another actor I fan girl over terribly, she would be sublime for Mavis's Mum, Josie Upton. Really going for it would be Ryan Gosling as Joe and Emma Watson would be a fab Ella.
LS: What do you read?
GK: I'm a huge crime fiction and supernatural fan – and embarrassingly enough coming from a writer of funny stuff, I never read humour books apart from my writing hero, Jonathan Harvey. I love James Patterson, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, James Herbert, Shani Struthers, Peter James, Mark Billingham, David Jackson, James Oswald … and of course the amazing Luca Veste (I have to say that – I'm his auntie!).
… I love all books and I'm a terrible 'book sniffer'. I can be frequently found furtively lurking around the bookshelves in Waterstones. A few to mention are Veteran Avenue, Mark Pepper– all of Enid Blyton's Famous Five books (I still read them under the pretence of educating my granddaughters); The Birthing House, Christopher Ransom; The Green Mile, Stephen King; The Angel Experiment, James Patterson (all the Maximum Ride YA series).
GK: I'm quite laid back when I write, so I don't tend to have a very strict regime. I have the attention span of a gnat since my retirement from the police, I start with all good intentions and get very easily distracted by my gorgeously funny granddaughters wanting to go to the zoo/park/nature reserve/cinema etc., so the next think you know, writing is forgotten and I'm squished into a tiny plastic play tent drinking some awful tasting liquid that's supposed to be tea while enjoying a slice of wooden cake! Up until six months ago, I had been caring for my dad who has Alzheimer's, so my writing was a bit sporadic for a while as I found it very difficult to write humour while he was so poorly. Handcuffs took about eighteen months, Whiskey, Tango just over twelve months.
LS: Now Whiskey is published, what's next?
Well, Gina, we can't wait. It's been a huge pleasure spending time with you. We wish you every success with the book. We loved it.
GK: Thank you so much for inviting me.
Acknowledgements: Thank you to Gina Kirkham for giving up her time. Many thanks also to Kelly Lacey of Love Books Group who organised the book tour of which this Q&A forms a part. The images were supplied by the author and are her copyright (top: the author with her brother at a Waterstones' event; in uniform; on stage, bubbly at hand, at a live author event); 'Whiskey in a tea cup, not' (left) © The Literary Shed 2018.
Handcuffs, Truncheon and a Polyester Thong (Mavis Upton #1; 2017) is also published by Urbane Publications.
This Q&A is © 2018 by The Literary Shed. All rights reserved. All opinions are our own. We welcome your feedback and comments. If you wish to reproduce this piece, please do contact us to request permission. Thank you so much.


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COVID-19 and the Rise of Telemedicine
July 28, 2021 by Matías Busso - María Patricia González - Carlos Scartascini Leave a Comment
Telemedicine—the delivery of medical services through electronic means of communication—is potentially transformative, mitigating transportation problems, bringing care to rural communities and decreasing waiting times and medical costs. But its adoption in Latin America has been slow. Insufficient communication infrastructure and status quo biases, among other factors, have hampered its use. Regulation has not caught up. As of 2019, while 65% of hospitals in Chile were using telemedicine, less than 30% of hospitals in Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru and Colombia were doing so.
The COVID-19 pandemic, however, was a shock to the system, making the virtues of telemedicine apparent. Argentina, among other countries, had long recognized telemedicine as pivotal in its strategy to ensure universal health coverage. After the onset of pandemic, it passed legislation to validate electronic prescriptions, and launched TeleCOVID, a public telemedicine service provider. By September 2020, the senate had approved a new bill that would regulate telemedicine going forward.
Consumers Respond to Telemedicine
Consumers also responded as mobility restrictions were introduced, as we reveal in a recent study of telemedicine during the COVID-19 crisis in Argentina, using data from Llamando al Doctor one of the main providers of telemedicine in the country. Those restrictions dramatically increased the use of telemedicine, particularly among certain age and health groups, and may have opened the way to a broader acceptance of telemedicine post-COVID. The impact of the restrictions surfaced the week of March 13. By March 15, 2020 the government had closed international borders and ordered schools to halt in-person classes. Five days later, it declared a total lockdown, resulting in a precipitous drop in mobility of all sorts. This can be seen in the figure below which uses data from various navigation software apps.
Figure 1: Change in Mobility in Argentina 2020 vs 2019
Notes: The figure plots indicators of mobility from different sources (scaled from 0 to 100). Congestion data were gathered from the IDB's Coronavirus Impact Dashboard, driving and walking data were obtained from Apple's mobility trend report, and public transit data were obtained from Moovit public transit indexes.
The use of telemedicine, meanwhile, increased dramatically as patients sought substitutes for in-person care. During the week of March 13, the total number of calls and the number of calls from first-time telemedicine users increased by 233% and 226% respectively and the number of calls resulting in prescriptions increased by 342%. As can be seen in Figure 2, this increase persisted during the subsequent months of lockdowns and even afterwards. Indeed, while telemedicine use declined slightly after restrictions were relaxed, it remained significantly higher than during the pre-pandemic period, indicating a potentially permanent shift towards acceptance of the innovative medical practice.
Figure 2: Estimated Weekly Changes in Telemedicine Demand
Note: The green line graphs the average trend for walking, driving and public transit mobility indicators as described previously. Blue dots correspond to the point estimates and confidence intervals. Source: Author's own estimations using data provided by Llamando al Doctor.
A Shifting Demographic
It was not only the numbers of new users that marked a difference. The characteristics of telemedicine users also shifted. As can be seen in Figure 3, while patients using telemedicine during 2019 had an average age of 30 without underlying health problems, the substantial increase in its use during the pandemic was driven by patients 65 or older and those with pre-existing conditions, as positive experiences appeared to overcome previous biases and behavioral restraints to using a more virtual form of treatment.
Figure 3: Heterogenous Effects
Notes: The figure plots the coefficients estimating increase in number of calls for each different subgroup. Source: Author's own estimations using data provided by Llamando al Doctor.
It is, of course, impossible to know for sure how durable these changes will be. Argentina, like much of Latin America, is still in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis with sustained social distancing measures. Moreover, we don't have a proper control group, making past behavior the only available point of comparison. This complicated scenario leaves unanswered questions, particularly as to whether there have been other confounding factors that could have affected the demand for telemedicine during the pandemic.
Telemedicine's Potential Payoffs in the Future
Still, our analysis seems to provide crucial insights into changes in healthcare use and uncover a previously hidden demand for telemedicine services with numerous potential payoffs for the future. Telemedicine during the pandemic has facilitated the screening of patients. It has helped to direct patients to the most suitable health provider, isolate those who might be infected by the virus, and increase the capacity of the health care system. If the increase in demand for telemedicine services persists, as we expect and hope, it could emerge long-term as a crucial tool for public health management that increases the accessibility of medical care and significantly reduces the travel time and costs in obtaining it.
Many kinks in the system will have to be worked out for this to happen and for telemedicine to become more of a reality in the region, including as a service traded across borders when the health care system in one or more country becomes overwhelmed. This includes the establishment of a more robust legal and regulatory framework as it relates to patient privacy, insurance and the licensing of practitioners. Nonetheless, one of the silver linings of the terrible COVID-19 tragedy may well be the widespread acceptance of a powerful new tool in healthcare and better patient outcomes, particularly among remote and underserved communities.
Filed Under: Microeconomics and Competitiveness, Social Issues Tagged With: #coronavirus, #COVID-19
Matías Busso
Matias Busso is a Lead Economist in the Research Department at the Inter-American Development Bank. He is also a Research Fellow at the Center for Distributive, Labor and Social Studies (CEDLAS) and a member of the executing committee of the Network of Inequality and Poverty of LACEA. His research uses empirical evidence and theory to inform the design of more effective public policies in areas related to labor, education, and productivity. Matias received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Michigan in 2008. He has published articles in the American Economic Review and The Review of Economics and Statistics, among others.
María Patricia González
María Patricia González is a research assistant in the Research Department of the Inter-American Development Bank. Her work focuses on the use of new technologies in the health sector. A native of Nicaragua, she holds a Bachelor's in Economics from the University of Rochester, NY, and a Master's in Economics and Public Policy from Adolfo Ibáñez University in Chile.
Carlos Scartascini is Head of the Development Research Group at the Research Department and Leader of the Behavioral Economics Group of the Inter-American Development Bank. He has published eight books and more than 60 articles in academic journals and edited volumes. He is a member of the Executive Committee of IDB's Gender and Diversity Lab, member of the Board of Advisors of the Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, Associate Editor of the academic journal Economía, and Founding Member of LACEA's BRAIN (Behavioral Insights Network). A native of Argentina, Dr. Scartascini holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. in Economics from George Mason University.
Coronavirus Restrictions Lead to Improvement in Air Quality
Poor Health, Poverty and the Challenges of COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean
Institutional Capacity and Trust: The Ingredients for Fewer Restrictions during the Pandemic
COVID-19: Containment Measures and Trust
Ensuring Demand for COVID-19 Vaccinations
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Every American Is Experiencing a Different Economy
You don't have a real economic recovery until the majority of Americans are participating — and right now they aren't
By Michael Sivy @MFSivyJuly 23, 2012
Victor J. Blue / Bloomberg / Getty Images
Job seeker Julia Gilgurd, center, waits in line to enter a Choice Career Fair in New York City on July 18, 2012
U.S. Economy Weakened Years Before the Crash CNN
U.S. Economy Moving Sideways Again MarketWatch
When the economic statistics are reported each month, it's easy to forget that they are just averages. Economic growth, unemployment, home prices and even inflation vary enormously from one place to another and from one part of the population to another. As a result, changes in the national numbers can create a false impression. The averages may be improving because some groups of Americans are faring a whole lot better, while other groups in the population may not be benefiting at all. But you can only determine the real trends if you consider the people who are being left out.
(MORE: U.S. Economy Adds Just 80,000 Jobs in June)
When the economy is humming along steadily, the variations are not so important. During a downturn, on the other hand, or in the early stages of an upturn, divergences become much greater. So today, whether you're trying to assess the economy, anticipate the direction of the stock market or gauge the prospects of candidates in the November elections, you have to consider the individual economic situations of many different groups of people. There are lots of ways to divide up the U.S. population, of course, and some of them overlap. Here are the most important:
Wealth and Income
During the recent recession, net worth fell most sharply for middle-class families with incomes between $50,000 and $100,000. The reason is that home equity represents a disproportionately large percentage of their wealth. Moreover, home prices are actually slightly lower today than they were when the recovery began. By contrast, the stock market has gained about 50% since the economy began its slow recovery in 2009. That has greatly benefited Americans with six-figure family incomes, since they are more likely to have substantial investments in stocks and mutual funds. As a result, the most affluent families with substantial exposure to the stock market have been seeing a rebound for more than two years, while middle-class families that have most of their wealth in their homes are still in a depressed economy. So are lower-income families who have minimal assets and are more directly affected by unemployment, currently 8.2%, which has remained at recession levels since the recovery began. And here's another wealth-related variation: as a general rule, groups with the lowest incomes and net worths feel changes in gasoline prices and food prices the most.
Schooling is one of the most important determinants of unemployment. As of June, the unemployment rate among Americans 25 and older was 12.6% for those without a high school diploma, 8.4% for those with a high school diploma but no college, but only 4.1% for those with a college degree. Since the recovery began, unemployment has come down slightly for all three groups, but college graduates are operating in an economy where chronic unemployment is relatively rare — and that's even truer for Americans with any kind of graduate or professional education. Those with college degrees, however, account for many of the families with incomes above $50,000, however, so their specific economic situations depend greatly on how much they are exposed to the real estate market vs. the stock market.
(MORE: The Average Canadian Is Now Richer than the Average American)
As you might expect, wealth increases as people get older, and employment prospects also improve. The decline in net worth during the recession was greater than average, however, for those under the age of 44, and less than average for those over the age of 55. The unemployment rate as of June was nearly 24% for teenagers, nearly 14% for people in their early 20s, 8.2% for those 25 to 34, and below average for those 35 and up. Older Americans generally experience slightly higher rates of inflation, however, because of rising health care costs.
Adult unemployment rates are below average for whites and Asians, above average (11%) for Hispanics, and higher still for African Americans (14% plus). The wealth picture is similar. At the peak, non-Hispanic whites had three to six times the net worth of the rest of the population. And during the recession, the net worth of nonwhites and Hispanics fell further in percentage terms than that of non-Hispanic whites.
All economics is local, and income levels vary from one neighborhood to another. Housing markets are regional and many industries are too. The recession of the early 1970s took a heavy toll on the industrial Midwest, while the oil price decline in the 1980s hit Texas hard. Today states and local governments that are financially overextended are cutting government jobs, while those that are better managed have below-average unemployment. Housing markets that overbuilt — such as Florida and Nevada — are still deeply depressed, while prices for Manhattan apartments are relatively solid.
(MORE: Good News from the Construction Industry — but Will Housing Take Off?)
Describing the current economy as a recovery that is simply not progressing fast enough is a fundamental mistake. In reality, a minority of the U.S. population — typically the oldest and most affluent part — has been in a moderate recovery for more almost three years, while the majority remains thoroughly mired in recession. Those who have been left out are generally the poorest, the least well educated and the youngest.
It is probably always true that the most established and most competitive prosper first when the economy rebounds, while the most vulnerable benefit only with a lag. But the current economy is not generating new jobs fast enough to keep up with population growth and also to start broadening the recovery to the majority of the population. Until, say, two-thirds of the population feels the economic expansion, it is not just a disappointingly slow recovery — it is really no recovery at all.
MORE: Tax and Speed: How Lower Corporate Taxes and Infrastructure Can Save the Economy


Red Hat Security Advisory 2019-0737-01 - The flash-plugin package contains a Mozilla Firefox compatible Adobe Flash Player web browser plug-in. This update upgrades Flash Player to version 32.0.0.171. Issues addressed include code execution and information leakage vulnerabilities.


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CBS Radio's Radio.com app has a new look, as well as improvements to its navigation and streaming quality. In addition, ads are now targeted to users and/or streams, formats, or stations, via dynamic advertising. Users can listen to CBS Radio stations by location or genre, while local stations and followed podcasts will appear at the top of the homepage. When the app is reopened, the new auto-play feature will launch the last station that was played.


Hyper, commonly spelled as HYPER, is a duo team consisting of Martyn Littlewood and Zoey Proasheck.
The reason why the duo's name is HYPER is because both Martyn and Zoey are cheerful and energetic.
When starting to do something together, Martyn and Zoey will say "Let's go! Hyper!" When they're battling and prepare to attack together, they shout "Hyper Go Go!"


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Federal Direct Bankruptcy Search utilizes the Social Security Number (SSN) to locate Federal Bankruptcy Court records. Records found are reportable for a ten-year period. Information in bankruptcy records may include: Subject address, filing number and date, court location, attorney, amount and type of bankruptcy.


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the chapters
valiumtv
Naypyidaw parano
Burma Opposition
Chapter I - Myanmar Chapter II - Trafic Nightmare Chapter III - Super Restricted Chapter IV - Flawless Dollar Chapter V - Golden Simcard Chapter VI - Lucky Number Chapter VII - E-learning Chapter VIII - Valium TV Chapter IX - The Burmese Pravda Chapter X - Access Denied Chapter XI - Green Propaganda Chapter XII - Power Junkies Chapter XIII - Lost inLa junta Chapter XIV - Post Scriptum
History repeating
The Irrawaddy, 27 September 2007
"Letting Go of the Tiger's Tail". A powerless Than Swe and his cronies are facing a harder tiger to catch, the monks, activists and supporters.
Burmese economics 101
In 2007, the US Campaign for Burma asked many celebrities to film short videos to raise awareness over the Burma situation in a 30 days, one video a day campaign.
Burma politics for dummies
The New Straits Times, 23 Apr 2008
"No room for No amid the junta's Yes drive". The military rulers are not taking any chances as Myanmar gears up for May 10 referendum on a new charter.
No change, but a facelift
Mizzima, 10/22/10
Junta raises a new flag... with strict instructions: "the old flag must be removed by a person born on a Tuesday and the new flag hoisted by someone born on a Wednesday".
Democratic Voice of Burma, 20.05.10
What the Burmese minorities see in the new national flag ? The will of the junta to eradicate all ethnic armies.
A Burmese dissident recalls the shock of learning the name of her country had been changed.
(in French)
How did you personally react when the junta decided to change the country's name?
"For us, it was really shocking to read in the newspaper that the name of the country had changed overnight. It was a huge shock."
Would you personally ever use the term "Myanmar"?
"Personally, I never say it, not when I'm with my family, not with my mother or my aunts, I wouldn't tell my children that the name of the country is Myanmar. I am still Burmese, born in Burma. And it will be the same thing for my children."
In Burma, in the streets, in public areas, in government agencies, can you use the term "Burma" without encountering problems?
"Now that's completely impossible. It's very rare for someone to dare say "Burma" or "Burmese". We don't dare say "Burma" in public. For example, in the Shwedagon Pagoda, you don't say "Burmese". There you say "Myanmar". However, if you're in a village, you say "Burmese"."
Trafic Nightmare
A Burmese dissident explains the danger of the traffic paradox in her country.
The junta decided to change the direction of traffic. What do you think of this change?
"I can't say much because I was born after the change. But what I do know is that it happens to be very, very dangerous to drive under these conditions. We haven't had a car in 20 years. So if you wanted to convince my mother to buy a new car, you would first have to convince the generals to change back the traffic, so that she could drive with her mind more at ease. Because otherwise you're risking your life at all times."
Super Restricted
Total + Burma = unleaded love
How Total depicts its wonderful love story with Burma.
Total and Myanmar renewed their vows. Total justifies its controversial economic implication in Burma.
BK Conseil, 9/29/03
"Report on a trip to Myanmar and the discovery of a silent industry".
Bernard Kouchner's report on Total presence in Burma.
Burmacampaign, february 2005
"Total-itarian oil. Total oil: fueling the oppression in Burma". A detailed counter point of view published by The Burma Campaign UK.
EarthRights International, 9/10/09
"New Reports Link Total and Chevron to Human Rights Abuses, Corruption in Burma". For the first time, ERI reveals that the military regime is hiding multi-billion dollar revenues from natural gas sales in two offshore banks in Singapore.
A Burmese dissident explains the gasoline business between state and private gas-stations.
"There are certain things that are beyond comprehension. Because you know the gas in private gas stations comes from public stations through civil servants. In fact, they close the front door and open the back door in order to make ends meet; it's also a form of corruption. So it's true that these are things that aren't easy to understand, but that's how things are always done in Burma."
Flawless Dollar
A burmese dissident explains why people in Burma wash their money.
If you arrive in Burma and you have banknotes that are stained, dollars or euros with stains on them, can you go and sell them on the street?
"But you wouldn't get the same price. And that's absurd. Because for a brand new dollar, with no stains, no creases, nothing, you get 1000 kyats. If there's a stain, it depends on the size: a small stain is 900. If it's a big ink stain in the corner of a bill, it can go down to 500.
I knew a Burmese woman in the US. She spent 2-3 hours every Saturday morning cleaning her money. I mean she cleans the bills with a cotton swab. She irons them under cotton fabric so that they will look brand new, completely flat. That's how it is. That's Burma!"
Economy and immaculate currency
New York Times, 4/16/2005
Economic fog shrouds Myanmar, as the economic oddities and faked development in the country keep growing at an alarming rate.
Democratic Voice of Burma, 6/7/10
Burma economy is in 'artificial deficit', claims a recent report by an australian ONG, as revenues from the country's gas reserves are being minimized by the junta while the country falls deeper into recession.
Golden Simcard
A Burmese dissident talks of the unbelievable price of Sim cards in her country.
How high can prices get for these notorious official Burmese GSM SIM cards?
"Officially, up to 3,500 euros. I can confirm this for you because I know that my mother paid 3,500 euros for her SIM card. And what's more, that's just the price of the SIM card, you also pay for airtime every month. You can estimate how rich someone is by looking at his phone."
A Sim Card over a house
The Irrawaddy, 5/13/11
Burma's cell phone service still lags behind. Which explains why Simcards are so expensive.
Illegal Chinese Phones in Big Demand in Border Areas. Around 1000 times cheaper, no wonder why Burmese rather choose them.
Governing by the planets
The Irrawaddy, 12/25/08
Than Shwe, Voodoo and the Number 11. Yadaya, the Burmese form of Voodoo, explains an awful lot of political decisions
Than Shwe juggles the numbers in choosing election date. Thanks to astrologers' advice, Than Shwe could finally announce election date.
Panties for peace
Rights and democracy launched by the women's organization Lanna Action for Burma (LAB) on Oct. 16, 2007. Ladies, send your panties to regime leaders to strip their power.
A Burmese dissident describes the amazing belief of the junta in the number 9
What does the number 9 mean to the Burmese junta?
"It's the number of power. Because they are rather superstitious in fact, they don't just follow the astrologists' advice, they do things their way, to the letter. Here's a very good example: the Saffron Revolution. It started in August, and the big revolt started by the monks was on the 24th. But they let 3 days go by. They waited until September 27th to start controlling the situation because in 27/09/2007 you have 3 nines. They were 100% certain they had the revolution under control. As for us, we didn't believe it because there are other things to take into consideration as well. But this demonstrates that at the top, the generals do things in connection with the number 9. That means that the number 9 is a good luck charm and a symbol of power for the junta."
A Burmese dissident explains why the junta feels so threatened by students.
"Until now, all the revolutions they've had, had been started by students. So for the junta, students are a danger to the public. They seek knowledge, it was intellectuals who started the revolution. So for the junta students are their enemies."
Youth is dangerous
Historic Student Union ABFSU Revived in Burma. The ABFSU was reestablished to pursue its fight for freedom, justice and the building of a democratic country
Burma Digest, 6/2/06
A reflexion on the Seventh July, the anniversary of the massacre of students on July 7th, 1962 by the army.
All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), february 2008
A cute little video, somewhat kitsch, made by the student movement.
Korean TV series are used to sedate the Burmese people, explains a dissident. (in French)
What do you think of Korean TV series?
"Ahhh! It's a way for the junta to drug the people. Because the Korean TV series are never broadcast during the day. Everyone has to work. I would say that it's a curfew for the big cities. And it works."
Sleepover permission request
"Local authorities get a facelift". The "new" government is planning to reorganize its administrative landscape at the local level (Township committees included)
A Burmese dissident talks about the township committees.
"Every time I go to my mother's, or when I go visit my uncle or aunt, or when I want to spend the night at my cousin's, I have to go to my neighborhood committee and fill out their form. Well, it's not that bad, except that it's more work. You can't just ring someone's doorbell at 8pm and say "Hey, we need to talk, I'm going to spend the night." You don't do that."
Valium TV
Happy World presents: 1 hour of Burmese TV
Watch Burma tv
Break free TV
Democratic Voice of Burma, a TV channel emitting from Norway in Burma
The Burmese Pravda
Press, censorship and propaganda
Reporters without borders, 22/12/10
Burmese media take a stand against censorship
Reporters without borders, 5/17/11
Surveillance of media and Internet stepped up under new civilian president
Happy World presents: browse the official newspaper
read some news
The press in Burma as seen by a dissident. (in French)
"We buy official newspapers, well the junta's newspapers, to read the death announcements, in case someone close to you has died. And after that we use them as a paper towel because newspapers are great for cleaning windows."
"We really depend on satellite dishes. You know, you can buy a satellite dish. And then you receive at least 50 channels, sometimes CCTV, BBC, TV5. And it's very good for the Burmese because we remain informed regardless. We are connected with the entire world. And what's really funny is that if something is happening in Burma, the Burmese find out about it by watching the satellite channels. "In Rangoon, this is happening." It's really funny. For example, when watching the news on BBC, people say, "Oh, Cyclone Nargis passed through Rangoon." We are so cut off that the satellite dishes have become a means of communication. Not just for us, but for Burmese people living inside the country."
Acces Denied
Happy World presents: The Burma connection: an Internet too civilized
Burma's regime has one of the most repressive policies for the Internet. With bloggers being imprisoned up to 35 years and networks being blocked, it is possible to circumvent this censorship?
Cybercensorship and e-Repression
Asiaweek, 6/12/01
Although severely restricted and censored in Myanmar, the Internet whips up a tempest in a tea shop.
The Independent, 9/14/10
"Burma's junta can't escape from the net", say cyber-activists who plan to scrutinize the country's upcoming elections
Green Propaganda
A Burmese dissident criticizes the forced culture of Kyet Suu.
Do the Burmese have to grow Kyet-Suu?
"Yes, it's an absurd obligation. Because, all right, it's fine in the cities, it's not a big deal, it's not harmful. But in the villages, they have destroyed or cut down the fields, their crops, in order to grow kyet-suu instead. Now, if it were grain or rice, it would be profitable for the villagers. They can at least eat it. Because with kyet-suu, while it's true that you can use it to make biodiesel, you at least have to know how to produce it. And it's crazy. It's useless. And meanwhile, the granary is empty. Can you imagine how it is for the villagers? That's how it works in the junta. It's an absurd obligation imposed on the people."
Power Junkies
Drugs, greed and love of power
IRIN Asia, 4/11/11
Myanmar: drug production is on the rise, as on the Burmese frontiers, drug-trafficking is flourishing once again (UN Report)
Mizzima, 1/28/10
Opium production, backed by the army and the militias, is rending the fabric of ethnic communities : "the notorious Golden Triangle is back - with a vengeance".
December, 2010 - report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Situation Assessment on Amphetamine-Type Stimulants in Myanmar, a report from the global SMART programm
The Observer, 11 November 2001
"Between hell and the Stone of Heaven". A journey into the death camps of Burma, where miners rendered addicted to heroin excavate jadeite stones in horrific conditions.
Lost in la junta
Forgotten Rangoon
The Irrawaddy, August 2009
The city of Rangoon is a victim of the junta's abandonment
Asia Times, 25 May 2007
"Slow train through a forgotten capital". Yangon's ever-declining townships, now that it's not the capital of the country anymore.
Asia Times, 24 March 2011
After the recent elections, newly elected MP's go to the freshly built Parliament for the daily 15mn minutes of session, a mere parody of democracy where they get to approve the decisions made by the junta... in exchange of a more than comfortable salary.
Ecoburma, 25 July 2011
Story of a travel in Burma and a day in Naypyidaw
The opinion of a Burmese dissident about the highway connecting Rangoon to Naypyidaw.
So the junta has built the only highway in the country, which goes from Rangoon to Naypyidaw. They built it just for themselves, for their own benefit and pleasure?
"Well, I think so. It's for them, because nobody uses it besides them. Who uses it to go to Naypyidaw? The Burmese don't have enough cars to begin with, and there aren't many buses that run between Rangoon and Naypyidaw."
And are there people who have to go there from time to time?
"Oh, yes, all of the civil servants. Because in fact civil servants can't resign and they have to follow their jobs. But most things have moved to Naypyidaw. Because they've actually created a mini country. Naypyidaw has become a mini country for the junta in the middle of Burma. "
A Burmese dissident discusses the new capital
How do you feel about the fact that the junta suddenly decide to change the capital of your country?
"For me, personally, I can't get used to the idea that Rangoon is no longer the capital of Burma. No, it's disgraceful."
I can also imagine that very few people in Burma have had the opportunity to go to Naypyidaw?
"It's not easy to get there. First, the junta is distrustful. And what's more they don't give you access easily. In Naypidaw there are two zones: there is a zone for the civil servants and another zone for the military. We don't know what goes on in these zones. It's a very secret city. I can't say much about it, but Naypidaw, it's like army headquarters, you see. It's not a capital for us. It's the army headquarters that was transferred from Rangoon to Naypyidaw, along with its soldiers."
Happy World presents: Naypyidaw Parano, an infographics about the new capital
See the document
Dictators' tricks
A new election law unveiled on Wednesday by Burma's ruling military bars pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from running in upcoming elections and could force her own political party to expel her.
Burma's rigged road map to democracy : despite its many promises of reform, Burma's ruling junta has no intention of giving up political control.
The Irrawaddy, 03/27/2010
To contest or not? NLD faces tough elections test, as the opposition party wonders wether it should boycott the upcoming elections, at the probable cost of being condemned to political irrelevance or, take part and face a most certain burial ?
Happy World presents : Gaël Bordier & Tristan Mendès-France
Owni, 17.06.11
"Burma, the dictatorship of the absurd". There are several ways to denounce dictatorships. Gaël Bordier and Tristan Mendès-France chose to laugh at them and to point at their absurdities and underline their consequences on peoples' lives.
Bibliography: a selection of (serious) books about Burma
"Histoire de la Birmanie contemporaine", Renaud Egreteau, Editions Fayard, 2010
"Birmanie contemporaine", de Gabriel Defert, IRASEC, Les Indes savantes, 2008
"Aung San Suu Kyi : Le jasmin ou la lune", Thierry Falise, Editions Florent Massot, 2007
"Chroniques Birmanes", de Guy Delisle, Editions Delcourt, collection Shampoing, 2007
Burma Opposition in the world
Despite what the junta wants us to believe, Burmese opposition goes way beyond Aung San Suu Kyi. Developed by OWNI for the Happy World Interactive Inc.©, this infographics, details the different elements and the structure of the Burmese opposition.
the interactive map
See how Gael Bordier and Tristant Mendes-France managed to shoot Happy World in Burma, a country that does not allow journalists.
An exclusive behind-the-scenes peak taking you on this unique adventure that culminated in this hypervideo experience, but also as a 52mn documentary film shown on Planete.
Happy World's Making-of (english subtitles) par happy-world_tv
You are free to share, copy, distribute and transmit this content
Creative Commons by-nc-nd 3.0


Cast your vote at the bottom of the page!
What they say: LeapFrog, the leader in educational entertainment, today announced the availability of Read With Me Scout and Read With Me Violet, two new interactive plush puppies designed to build early reading skills. LeapFrog knows that children learn to read best when they are actively engaged. Developed by LeapFrog's team of learning experts, Read With Me Scout and Read With Me Violet are innovations of the top selling My Pal Scout and My Pal Violet. They offer an interactive story time experience filled with learning activities that build early reading comprehension, listening and vocabulary skills. The Scout and Violet pals respond to every pet, pat, hug and kiss as they read stories aloud.
Read With Me Scout responds with fun audio designed to reinforce learning. Children simply press a button on the collar and choose one of five books. As the pals read them the story aloud, children build comprehension skills and early vocabulary. They also learn about the relationship between print on a page and the story as they turn the pages and listen to 70+ spoken questions and audio responses. Parents can switch Scout into Sleepy Time mode to select a read-aloud story or eight minutes of lullabies.
What I say: The puppy looks fantastic and the books are a great size and are not only numbered but they match in colour so are easily identified. My daughter loves Scout and he has already been taken out to the shops and to a restaurant as she won't leave him alone! She loves the stories and songs and being asked to stroke his back or touch his head she looks really proud of herself when she gets it right.
Favourite thing: Watching my daughter interact with the dog and understanding when to turn the page etc.
Worst thing: She gets so over excited she sometimes cuddles and kisses him in the middle of a page and we have to start again! You can't add to it so only 5 books.
Overall Comment: This toy has become an absolute firm favourite! She refuses to put it down and at night she takes him to bed.
Did it keep your child entertained and for how long? Yes for days!
Is the toy aimed at the right age group? It is aimed for 2-5 year olds, my daughter is 3 and adores it, I think a 2 year old wouldn't be able to use it properly, however they would still like it talking to them!
Is the toy safe and durable? Did it survive a play session without breaking? Yes.
Additional comments: I really recommend this product, I purchased a dog for my daughter before that moved and barked etc. and it was very disappointing. This however is completely for her age, it keeps her engaged and she loves him, cuddling and squeezing him all the time!
Would you tell your friends to play with the toy? Her friends came round and she couldn't wait to show her new toy off, she was so proud of it!
Is there anything you don't like about the toy? Nothing!


Our Pink Princess themed tulle dress is simply splendid! This child size tutu dress is sweetly created with shimmering premium tulle on a crochet top. The top is accented with flowers and straps that are dazzling with a bit of bling.
On a special note, we do not skimp on tulle, the more we can use the happier we are! This creation contains a minimum of 3 layers. This listing reflects longer length options and larger sizes are available in pink, white, black and turquoise crochet top availability via custom sizing. For ladies and plus size options please contact us via message area for a quote.
Tulle Length: 09-12 inches, pixie cut; If you are ordering for a baby we are happy to adjust length!
Sparkling #tulle contains glitter and as with all glitter it will shed slightly. ****Please note: embellishments offered (flower, rhinestones, ribbon etc.) will vary as each tutu is handcrafted and we have many accents to utilize. Crochet tops and bands are chosen randomly. Many of our creations contain embellishments which may pose a choking hazard to small children; buyer assumes all liability upon purchase.
Ladies* Pink, Light Pink, White, Black and Turquoise only available in crochet top for women's creations.
Special Note: Tutu's will come with care sheet for your convenience. *All sizes are approximate but measured with care and precision; sizes suggested are based on general standards and are not guaranteed. All Photos are property of 2Tu Cute and Nayomi Inspired, a CJ & Sonz Company ©2014-2015, all rights reserved.


Note: Once your port to FreedomPop is completed, the Carrier the number came from will close the account. If you wanted to keep that account open, please contact that carrier to make other arrangement prior to porting.
It can take 24-48 hours for the Port to go through and 5-7 days for land lines or VOIP numbers. If FreedomPop has any issue with the number it can take upwards of a week. If the port is unsuccessful, your CC/Debit will be reimbursed the 9.99$ charge. FreedomPop will send you an email confirmation once you port the new number and an email confirmation once the port is successful. If for some reason, the port does not go through, please contact your old carrier. They are responsible for the releasing the number for porting. Make sure that you have a number on the FreedomPop account before you port (we called this your temporary number or the old number used before the port, but you do need one or it won't accept). Also some carriers require you to have an account with them for so long before they'll release the number for a port. Make sure you keep that phone activated till the port is 100% successful. Keep that other carrier phone active, ensures you don't lose the number, if the port is unsuccessful. After the port goes through, please update the profile and PRL. Most Androids you find this in Settings>Update System/Update Phone. IPhones please do a Service update- Open the native dialer and on the keypad, dial ##873283# and tap the Call icon.
Would you please help me with porting out my phone number from Freedompop to my new carrier T-mobile? I submitted ticket about porting out issue but have not received any response. My phone # is 425 922 4730.
I did all the research on Freedompop site to find out about porting out number. I followed all the instructions but no luck. Invalid PIN. Your kind assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Got your message, Glad we was able to get you set up with a Pin! Have a Great Rest of your week!


Medicare beneficiaries with social risk factors had worse outcomes on a range of measures in Medicare quality programs, regardless of the providers they see, according to a report released today by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services. The report finds that providers serving large numbers of beneficiaries with social risk factors had higher penalties on Medicare pay-for-performance programs, such as hospital readmissions and value-based purchasing, than other providers. "Dual enrollment status [in Medicare and Medicaid] was the most powerful predictor of poor outcomes," notes the report. To account for the impact of social risk factors in Medicare programs, ASPE proposes measuring quality for beneficiaries with social risk factors, setting high and fair quality standards for all beneficiaries, and rewarding better outcomes for patients with social risk factors, among other actions. The report states that measures "should be examined to determine if adjustment for social risk factors is warranted; this determination will depend on the measure and its empirical relationship to social risk factors." The report is first of two studies mandated by the Improving Post-Acute Care Transformation Act on how to account for social risk factors on Medicare quality measurement programs. For more, see HHS's blog post.


In this guide, we'll move Craft's core files into the web root; a file structure that WordPress developers are familiar with. We advise against this practice in our guide, Securing Craft, but if you must, read on!
Craft's file structure is similar to many modern web applications. You'll find core application files, directories, and utilities in the project root alongside a web root directory which contains the index.php entry point. There are times when this file structure is not ideal. For example, some shared hosting plans give you FTP access to a single web root directory. This makes it difficult to put application files above the web root the way Craft expects.
You might want to name it something more obscure for some security, but we'll go with "app" here.
If you're running Nginx or aren't able to use .htaccess files, then you'll need to ask your web hosting provider how to protect that directory.
Now you should have only a /web directory in the root.
You can rename the /web directory to anything you like even if you're not moving files around. A popular web root directory name is public_html. Your web server might need to be configured to point to the new name, but Craft doesn't care.
After you test your site to make sure nothing is broken, you're done!


Charcoal Rust Stacked Stone panels feature natural split face slate tiles. Mid-tone grays are highlighted with random rusty gold pieces adding depth, dimension, and character. These beautiful panels are suitable for a variety of design projects including interior accent walls, exterior cladding, and a wide array of architectural features including dividing walls and planter boxes.


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UWA hosts WHO expert working group for implementation of Patient Blood Management
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Expert Series - COVID-19
Policy and opinion
01/11/2022 | 2 mins
The University of Western Australia is this week hosting a team of international experts in the field of blood management and health to develop a blueprint for international implementation of a pioneering Patient Blood Management (PBM) treatment developed in Western Australia.
"Now a 'new standard of care', it is achieved through managing and preserving the patient's own blood and iron stores rather than resorting to use of blood transfusions. This is now recognised as world best practice, with other countries following WA's lead."
Professor Jeff Hamdorf, UWA Medical School
Professor Jeff Hamdorf from the UWA Medical School says the world-first patient-focused approach to managing anaemia and bleeding has significantly improved patient outcomes and resulted in an estimated $80-100 million in blood-related cost savings.
"Now a 'new standard of care', it is achieved through managing and preserving the patient's own blood and iron stores rather than resorting to use of blood transfusions," Professor Hamdorf said. "This is now recognised as world best practice, with other countries following WA's lead."
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for urgent worldwide implementation of the initiative with the aim of improved population health status and individual patient outcomes while reducing overall health care expenditure.
The WHO External Steering Committee for PBM Implementation, along with The International Foundation for Patient Blood Management and the Western Australian Patient Blood Management Group, were invited by WHO to host an international group to develop the blueprint.
"The first of two week-long WHO Worldwide Patient Blood Management Implementation Guide Development Workshops at UWA is being attended by 30 local, national and international key opinion leaders in blood management and health," Professor Hamdorf said.
"Some of the international experts attending include Professor Axel Hofmann, Professor James Isbister, and Dr Irwin Gross from the International Foundation for Patient Blood Management, based in Switzerland as well as experts from South Africa, Mexico, Germany, Switzerland, the United States and across Australia.
"The location of the workshop is evidence of the important role WA plays in ensuring world health and the outcome will be seven modules of a WHO Guidance for PBM Implementation with the application of the modules expectation to save, or improve the health of millions of lives globally, while saving billions of healthcare dollars."
Media references
Liz McGrath, UWA Media, 0433 795 509
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The University of Western Australia acknowledges that its campus is situated on Noongar land, and that Noongar people remain the spiritual and cultural custodians of their land, and continue to practise their values, languages, beliefs and knowledge.


Hollywood veteran John Travolta has revealed that working with Fred Durst on 'Moose' was his "favourite experience"
John Travolta says working with Fred Durst on 'Moose' was his "favourite experience".
The 64-year-old actor stars as a movie fan obsessed with his favourite celebrity action hero in his latest role, and he's admitted to relishing the experience of working with the Limp Bizkit star, who co-wrote and directed the project.
Speaking about working with Durst, Travolta explained: "It was maybe my favourite experience I've had."
The Hollywood icon hailed Durst's generosity, describing him as a true "artist".
Travolta told TMZ: "He allowed me to create a character that no one else would allow.
"It's really a wild character and I felt very free to do that."
No release date has yet been announced for the movie, but Travolta explained that Durst has already edited the film in his own mind.
The veteran star said: "He already edited this film in his imagination so he knows how he's gonna put it together."
Meanwhile, it was recently announced that Travolta's new 'Gotti' biopic will be released in June.
The film was dropped by Lionsgate just days before its release last year, but Kevin Connolly took to Instagram in March to announce the film has got a new release date.
The filmmaker wrote: "June 15th!!! Save the date... #Gotti (sic)"
The biopic follows ill-fated mobster John Gotti (Travolta) who rises to the top of the New York underworld to become the boss of the Gambino crime family.
Travolta plays the famous mobster alongside his wife Kelly Preston as Victoria Gotti and Stacy Keach as Aniello Dellacroce.


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Dr. James A. Stuart (Jim) passed away Aug. 16, 2017, at his much loved summer home in Lake Toxaway.
He was a long time resident of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and a practicing ophthalmologist there for over 45 years.
He graduated from Washington and Jefferson University, obtained his M.D. from Pittsburgh Medical School, a Fellowship and Master's Degree at the University of Iowa, and a teaching NIH Fellowship at Bascom Palmer in Miami.
He also served in the United States Air Force as a division surgeon.


Let this Royal Guard Standee be the protector of your party.
Our Royal Guard Standee has the look of an authentic British guard wearing a red and blue uniform and a bearskin cap. This cardboard prop measures 7' 1" tall x 2' wide and is printed on one side. Easy assembly is required to make this item freestanding. Place a Royal Guard Standee on both sides of your party entrance and let your guests pose for pictures!


There are many reasons why you can't miss Staunton in 2017—17 reasons, in fact! Whether you're a lover of craft beer, Harry Potter, music or the great outdoors we have something for everyone. Check back daily as we reveal the 17 must-see-do-eat-drink things in Staunton this year.
Wizards and muggles from near and far descend upon Staunton, Virginia for the annual Queen City Potter Party. With a touch of wizardry, the historic downtown, is transformed into the village of Hogsmeade. Local businesses reinvent themselves offering Harry Potter themed shopping, dining and hands-on activities for all ages. "Potterheads" can experiment with potions at Slugs and Jiggers, enjoy butter beer at Three Broomsticks or try their hand at wild beast taming at the Magickal Menagerie. Visitors are greeted by Norberta the Dragon—where selfies and costumes are encouraged— as they unlock the secrets of Hogesmeade using Marauder's Map or explore the walkable downtown and take on the task of Horcrux Hunting using the free app Traipse— which will help you find them all. For Harry Potter fans this entertaining and family-friendly festival is not to be missed! For updates and more info visit the FB event page here.


I saw 21 last week at Tysons Corner AMC. If you've never been there, this theater is nuts. If you've got vouchers to AMC, save 'em for here. Student rate for a matinée was $8.50. I think regular adult admission was $12.50. The decor reminds me of a casino; there is oak trim and marble inlay on the floor and their food specials are advertised on no less than 20 large plasma screens.
Jet-setting between Boston and Sin City, Jim Sturgess plays the lead male (or "big man") in this adventure. Though relatively unknown, he is immediately likable and plays well. He is taught by the ever subtle (though slightly scary) Kevin Spacey, whose classroom monologues are better than the other scenes. Aaron Yoo will be typecast as the crazy and zany Asian dude forever, this movie being no exception. Kate Bosworth is played back for this one, as is Laurence Fishburne. Pity on both counts.
The movie was inspired by five MIT students who took Vegas for a load of cash by counting cards playing blackjack. The movie was supposedly based on the book written by one of the students. So the problem here is figuring out what parts are Hollywood's elaboration and which are the authors. I'll probably end up reading the book just to make my own determination, but for now it doesn't really matter, it's entertaining to watch.
During the first hour I experienced the the same queasy feeling in my stomach that I get when first stepping up to the craps table, just before I decide to put my money down. I'm not sure how to explain that, but I think everyone has a few shakes when stepping up for the first time in a while.
21 boasts an amazing soundtrack. From the moment the opening credits are rolling we are graced with MGMT's Time to Pretend. It doesn't let up, including tracks from Peter Bjorn, Junkie XL, Rihanna, and Broadcast. It's all hip, funky, and it really drives the movie. My Amazon wish list is short, so the fact that I added it should be worth something.
Aside from my queasy stomach and props for the soundtrack, that's probably the worst movie review ever.
I read the book back in September and really enjoyed it. The reviews said they really Hollywooded it up. For one thing, most of the gang was Asian in real life and in the movie only one is.


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Shapewear Patent War: Case of the Bad Patent?
TOPICS:Intellectual PropertyIPPatent Lawpatents
Posted By: mjlst May 7, 2013
by Jennifer Nomura, UMN Law Student, MJLST Staff
When most people think of patents they think of the latest computer technology or advances in medical science; but what about women's shapewear? For those unaware of what shapewear is, it's basically the modern version of a corset; it keeps everything pulled in, but (hopefully) more comfortable than a corset. Heather Thomson, founder of Yummie Tummie, has a patent on some of her styles of tank-top shapewear. When she found out that Spanx, a competing company, was making a very similar looking piece of shapewear, Thomson wasn't happy. Thomson sent a cease-and-desist letter to Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx and then took to social media to complain. Websites like Forbes and the Huffington Post picked up the story. So far, the situation sounds fairly typical of other patent infringement cases, so why all the press coverage? Did I mention that Heather Thomson is a TV star of Bravo's Real Housewives of New York? Needless to say, Thomson is not afraid of a little drama. Thomson has declared war against Blakely and Spanx. But Sara Blakely is not the underdog in this situation. Blakely founded Spanx in 2000 and is now a self-made billionaire. Blakely has now filed a declaratory judgment action in court alleging that Spanx is not infringing any of Yummie Tummie's patents.
Spanx has been in the shapewear business 8 years longer than Yummie Tummie and has its own patents, so this might be the case of the "bad patent". In an article entitled Patent Reform and Differential Impact, published in Issue 8.1 of the Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology, authors Matthew Sag and Kurt Rohde define a "bad patent" as one "that should not have been issued." But Sag and Rohde want to go further. They argue that the term "bad patent" should also include "a patent that was validly issued but is now the subject of hyper-assertion." The main concern with bad patents is that they "are capable of generating significant revenues and thus have a distorting effect on the allocation of resources in the economy." This can happen where once a patentee sends a cease-and-desist letter, even if the patent qualifies as a "bad patent," the alleged infringer will immediately license with the patentee. Or it could be that the parties could take their dispute to court, like Spanx and Yummie Tummie. Now there will be an expenditure of money on both sides trying to settle this issue in court. There is also a drain on public resources as the conflict has to make its way through the court system. Sag and Rohde make several proposed reforms in order to remedy the problem of bad patents. One of their proposed reforms to the litigation process is by fee-shifting. Fee-shifting would require the patentee to pay the costs of litigation if the patent was invalidated based on easily-discoverable prior art. This proposed reform could push potential patent applicants to perform a more comprehensive search through current patents before submitting their application to the PTO. Fee-shifting could prevent bad patents from being issued in the first place, or at least making patentees think twice before they try to enforce their patent against an alleged infringer.
While the public's interest in the dispute between Yummie Tummie and Spanx has more to do with the reputations of both founders, this situation could revive a push for reform to the patent litigation system. Perhaps there will be a revival of the interest to limit or eliminate "bad patents."
Myriad Genetics: A Look at Recent Developments in Patent Law and the Human Genome
Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze? Fighting Patent Trolls with Fee-Shifting
Intellectual Property, Patents, Uncategorized
Quantum Computing: Ready To Be Patented!


An aortic dissection is a tear in the lining of the aorta that creates two blood flow channels. One channel is called the true lumen, which feeds blood to most of the important branches of the aorta and is surrounded by the normal aortic lining. The second channel is called the false lumen, which may only feed a few (if any) important branches.
Aortic dissection is a very complicated condition. Untreated, an aortic dissection can lead to death.
A dissection that involves the ascending aorta almost always requires emergency open-heart surgery to repair the vessel and prevent death. ONLY OPEN SURGERY TREATMENTS for distal dissections occurring beyond the left subclavian artery (feeds the left arm) are described here.
Your aorta begins to dilate rapidly.
After your blood pressure and heart rate are well controlled, you experience sharp pain or a tearing sensation in your chest and back.
Your aorta leaks or ruptures, in which case emergency treatment is in order.
Important branches of your aorta become distressed or dysfunctional.
Over many years your aorta dilates and a thoracic or thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm forms.
Whether endovascular or open surgery treatment is best for you depends on multiple factors, including the anatomy of the dissection, your age and health condition.
1) Treatment is first given is to control your blood pressure and heart rate, usually in the emergency room.
2) A CT angiogram is used to determine the location and extent of the dissection, and to evaluate what part of the aorta and which aortic branches may be involved.
3) If open surgery treatment is appropriate, one of the two procedures below will likely be recommended.
This procedure is done to improve blood flow to the arteries that feed the abdominal organs and kidneys, and sometimes the pelvis and legs. The operation entails removing the dissection flap from the aorta and possibly replacing a portion of the aorta.
You are given general anesthesia.
Once you are comfortable, you are positioned so that you are lying on your right side. An incision is made along your left side that can extend from your chest to your abdomen.
Your ribs are spread. Your vascular surgeon moves aside several organs (lungs, colon, spleen, pancreas) in order to reach the part of your aorta that needs to be fixed.
Once the aorta is accessible, medication is given to thin your blood and reduce your blood pressure.
The aorta and major branches feeding the abdominal organs and kidneys are clamped. The aorta is then opened and the dissection flap is removed. If the dissection also affects the aortic branches, these areas are repaired.
Next, the damaged portion of the aorta is repaired. Once repair is complete, clamps are removed to restore blood flow. Flow in the branch vessels is tested using a Doppler ultrasound.
If circulation to the legs and pelvis needs improvement, the aorta below the kidney arteries is clamped and opened. Small bleeding branches are over-sewn. To promote blood flow the vascular surgeon creates small holes in the areas around the clamp and removes the dissection flap. The damaged portion of the aorta is then replaced with a cloth tube that is sewn to the open ends of the aorta.
Once all necessary work is complete, blood thinner medication is reversed. Your organs are checked and wounds are closed.
For about 30–40% of patients with an aortic dissection, over time, the aortic wall will dilate and form an aneurysm. When such an aneurysm grows to more than 6 cm in diameter, it will likely need repair through open aortic reconstruction. Careful assessment of your health condition is required before considering this extensive procedure. The goal is to completely remove the aneurysm—or, in higher-risk cases to remove the most serious portions.
Once you are comfortable, you will be positioned so that you are lying on your right side. An incision is made along your left side that can extend from your shoulder blades to below your belly button.
Your ribs are spread. Then, your vascular surgeon moves aside multiple organs (lungs, colon, kidney, spleen, pancreas, stomach) in order to reach the part of your aorta that needs to be fixed.
Once the aorta is accessible, medication is given to thin your blood and your blood pressure is monitored.
For your safety and to protect the spinal cord, kidneys and abdominal organs, a bypass circuit removes blood from the left side of the heart and pumps it into the legs and organs from below. This often requires another incision at the top of your leg.
The aorta is clamped and repaired in segments. Then, major branches of the arteries that feed the abdominal organs and kidneys are clamped and repaired. The aorta below the kidney arteries is repaired last. Dissected portions of the aorta are replaced with cloth tubes that are sewn to the open ends of the vessel.
The branches of the aorta that are involved in the repair may need to be replaced with smaller grafts or tubes. Smaller branches that are not essential may be over-sewn.
Once all the necessary work is complete, blood thinner medication is reversed and the bypass circuit is removed. Your organs are checked and wounds are closed.
The stress to your body that this surgery causes brings risk for major complications that include death, stroke, heart attack, pneumonia, kidney failure, and damage to the colon or other organs due to insufficient blood supply. The likelihood of any specific side effect depends on your overall health, and should be discussed with your vascular surgeon.
Less serious complications include wound infection, pain, urinary tract infections and other common problems associated with major surgery.
The stress to our body that this extensive surgery causes brings risk for major complications, including death, stroke, insufficient blood supply to the spinal cord, heart attack, pneumonia, kidney failure, and damage to the colon or other organs or to the legs due to insufficient blood supply. The likelihood of any specific side effect depends on your overall health and the amount of aorta replaced, and should be discussed with your vascular surgeon.
Understand your health condition, the specifics of your procedure and what to expect during recovery.
Walk for 30–60 minutes each day.
Take medications as prescribed, especially for blood pressure and cholesterol.
Keep a log of your blood pressure readings.
Expect to spend the postoperative period in the ICU. The average hospital stay is about 2 weeks. You will be monitored for potential complications and have time to recover physically.
Diet is normalized slowly during the hospital stay.
The risk of pneumonia and other infections can be as high as 20%. Soon after surgery it will be important that you get out of bed, move around and begin breathing exercises.
Most people need an additional 1–2 weeks at a rehabilitation facility to regain strength and independence.
Wounds will need to be checked by a visiting nurse or your vascular surgeon for a few weeks. Incision pain may be moderate to severe, and you may require medication. Your activity level and the amount of weight you can lift may be restricted.
Most people lose appetite and weight (average 25 lbs.) during the first month or two. It is important to stay hydrated during this time.
Many people start to feel normal after 3–4 months.
Your vascular surgeon will direct your medical care in conjunction with your other doctors. It may be beneficial to keep your blood pressure slightly higher than normal to protect the spinal cord and other important organs.
It is best to abstain from smoking.
Keep blood pressure logs, take medications as prescribed and follow other instructions from your doctors.
See your vascular specialist regularly. Additional procedures may be necessary.


What is polyneuropathy, intellectual disability, acromicria, premature menopause syndrome?
Hereditary polyneuropathy, intellectual disability, acromicria, and premature menopause syndrome is also known as Lundberg syndrome, named after the physician who first described the condition in 1971. Polyneuropathy refers to damage or disease affecting the peripheral nerves of the body. The peripheral nerves are responsible for connecting the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. Intellectual disability refers to decreased mental capacity and limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior (previously known as mental retardation and also referred to as "oligophrenia"). The term "acromicria" refers to abnormal smallness of the limbs (including hands and feet) and smallness of the face; the bones are small and delicate in nature. Premature menopause refers to menopause occurring before expected (the average age for women being around 51 years).
Polyneuropathy intellectual disability acromicria premature menopause syndrome, also known as Lundberg syndrome, is a very rare genetic syndrome characterized mainly by premature menopause, slow nerve signals, mental retardation, small delicate facial bones, unusual gait (manner of walking), short fingers, and skeletal muscle weakness and atrophy (muscle wasting away).
This disorder is thought to be inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, meaning that a child must inherit two non-working copies of the same gene in order to show the symptoms associated with Lundberg syndrome. One non-working copy of the gene must be inherited from each parent. If the parents do not show any signs of or have a diagnosis of Lundberg syndrome, they must have one working copy of the gene and one non-working copy, meaning they are carriers for Lundberg syndrome. With every pregnancy these parents conceive, a 25% chance would exist for that child to inherit both non-working copies of the gene and have Lundberg syndrome. At this time, no gene has been identified as causing Lundberg syndrome when a mutation is present. The inheritance pattern suggested comes from the study of a few families with Lundberg syndrome. The possibility of polygenic (multiple genes) inheritance has also been suggested. More research is needed to clarify the specific gene cause(s) of Lundberg syndrome and the inheritance pattern.
At this time, there is no specific treatment for Lundberg syndrome. Treatment is focused on managing the symptoms and medical issues that occur for individuals with Lundberg syndrome.
To be evaluated for Lundberg syndrome, please visit the ACMG website to locate a medical geneticist.
Lundberg, P.O. "Hereditary Polyneuropathy, Oligophrenia, Premature Menopause and Acromicria. A New Syndrome". Europ. Neurol. 1971; 5(2):84-98.
Are there other names for polyneuropathy, intellectual disability, acromicria, and premature menopause?
How do I find a doctor that specializes in Lundberg syndrome?
Does anything make Lundberg syndrome worse?
How is Lundberg syndrome inherited?


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For a more natural progression of whitening, Dr. Tehrani may recommend a professional-grade gel and tray whitening system. Dr. Tehrani's customized whitening trays are molded to fit your mouth perfectly, so that the whitening solution can fill in the area around and between each tooth. The Nightwhite and Daywhite whitening gel is professional strength so you will be able to whiten rather quickly, seeing results after two-to-three applications.


text:
Learning to breathe – 2
March 1, 2006 bearfacedcheek
This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series Learning to Breathe
Title: Learning to Breathe
Author: bearfacedcheek
Summary: Set in season 6 post Dead Things where things turn out a little better for Spike.
Author's note: Honestly day one caught me a little on the hop and it was a race to get this finished. Luckily April is a goddess and she turned the proofing around in a day. Big thanks got to her of course and also to the wonderful itmustbetuesday who makes all this possible.
Chapter 2: Older and a little closer
"Guess you're on to our cunning deception then?" Dawn asks wryly as she watches her sister apply her makeup. "Either that or you've got a hot date on patrol and wanna look tip-top."
Guilt hits her chest like a Frayal's punch and her heart lurches with having been discovered, but Dawn's face is a picture of teasing amusement and she forces a weak grin. "No hot dates in the cemetery, I'm afraid. Only very cold corpses and very ugly demons." Dawn laughs and it strikes her that is a long time since she's heard the sound. "I'm sorry," she blurts out before she can stop herself.
Dawn raises an eyebrow and gives her patented my-sister's-a-psycho look; then she seems to soften and smiles. "It's ok." She crosses the room to wrap her gangly arms around her. "You've been having a tough time, but things are better now, right?"
"Right." Then looking at her sister, still coltish and childlike but no longer a child, she decides maybe she deserves a little more honesty than that. "I'm not fixed, Dawnie. Things are still really tough for me and we are still very, very poor. But I'm trying, I really am, and I want to be here now."
Worry twists her sister's pretty face and she wrings her hands together. "Do you?" She rushes on as if frightened Buffy'll bolt before she's finished. "I'm not sure I'd want to be here after being…" She pauses as if struggling for the best phrase. "Where you were. And I know things aren't great with slaying and double meat and everything. But I need you here, Buffy. I can't have you gone again. I'll help." She's babbling frantically now and her baby blues are shining with the beginnings of tears. "I'll try and be better at school so social services doesn't come again, and I'll help in the house and stuff. I could get a job, too. Kirstie in my class works Saturdays at the Burger Barn and—"
"Dawn," she cuts in sharply, then smiles at her sister's startled expression. "Thanks." She holds her sister's hand in both of hers and squeezes it. "Now I have a hot date with the walking dead." Not really a lie, but it'll be taken as a joke so that's ok. "And you have balloons to blow up."
"Yuck, no way," Dawn complains as they walk hand in hand down the stairs. "The rubber tastes weird and my ears always pop."
He wasn't in his crypt or patrolling the cemeteries, nor was he drinking in Willie's. It annoys her; she's used to him being at her beck and call, always on hand with a snide comment and a hard screw when she needs one, and now she just wants a little patrol company to help her build up to the dubious pleasure of having to be bright and cheerful for a whole evening, and he's nowhere to be seen.
The party isn't as bad as she'd expected, and Richard isn't that bad either, although Anya's complete lack of subtly is a little embarrassing. Richard's sweet and actually seems to like her, which is flattering to say the least. And here she'd thought she could only attract dead guys.
"Spike!" Think of the devil, they say, and your sister will perforate you ear drums. She watches as Dawn bounds over to Spike, teen crush burning in her eyes. "Hi, Spike. Hey, Clem." And does she even want to know how her sister knows the kitten poker demon?
"Evenin' sweetbit." He looks for a moment like he wants to touch her sister; his hand rises just a fraction from his side, then he seems to change his mind and surveys the room with that arrogant expression she's come to recognise as a mask for his insecurities. "Evenin' ladies." He looks pointedly at Xander as he offers the greeting, but for once her friend seems in high enough spirits to let the jibe go, and for that at least, she's grateful.
"Hi, Spike." Tara steps up and takes the beer he's brought with him, and the party is officially underway.
"Spike." He ignores the witch in favour of pulling hard on his cigarette and staring angrily out of the kitchen window at the slowly waking world outside. He should leave, nick a blanket and make a break for the sewers. Might get a bit charred, but it's gotta be better than hanging around here watching Buffy get all precious over her blind date's feelings. It was just a bloody joke: not like he could actually eat the wanker; not like he'd sodding well want to.
"There's a little blood in the fridge if you'd like some," she offers, and he casts her an annoyed look. Bloody interfering wicca; why doesn't she just piss off and leave him to his self-pity. "Might help that black eye heal up. It doesn't look good."
Something in her voice has him on full alert, and you'd really think after a century of practice he'd be a better liar. "It's nothing. Got into a bit of a tussle with a couple of Selcrog demons the other night. Buggers pack a punch."
She's giving him that soft, knowing look of hers when he finally trails off and he fidgets a little under her gentle scrutiny. "Spike, I know that Buffy did it," she tells him gently as she pulls a blood bag from the back of the freezer and pops it in the microwave. "She told me about it."
"Yeah?" He looks edgy and Tara can't help but smile at how transparent he can be.
"Yeah, she told me everything."
Confusion creases his brow and he leans back a little to eye her suspiciously. So the witch knows the whole sordid thing now, does she? Well, bully for Buffy; found herself a little confidante.
"So what?" He affects indifference, ignoring the mug she's just placed on the counter beside him. "This is you telling me to back off then? Stay the hell away from the slayer or you'll turn me into something slimy."
"No." She gives him a sweet teasing smile and he remembers how much he liked the witch in the summer on those few nights when caring for Dawn had overlapped and they'd found themselves together in the Summers' kitchen. "This is me telling you that you're blowing it in there."
She laughs like music-yeah it's a cliché, but true for all that-a sweet, tinkling sound that could never in all his imaginings be mocking despite that she's obviously laughing at his dumbstruck expression. "If you're going to have even a sliver of a chance with Buffy," she tells him with more confidence than he's used to seeing from her, "you need to at least be able to be in the same room as her friends. Try playing nice. Surprise her."
"No. Can't." He uncurls his fist and rubs his forehead in defeat. The witch's spell works no better than that fine idea they had an hour or so ago of all rushing the door at once and the sense of panic rising among the humans has his skin prickling. Can't they just tone it down a bit? It's making his bloody mouth water.
Things seem to happen slower for vampires and slayers; gives them time to think when fighting, he supposes. It's not something he normally gives much thought to, but now watching the demon swing its sword in the cramped confines of the Summers' hall, he's grateful for the time he has to weigh up his options.
First instinct—best vampire plan—is to slip to the side, press himself against the wall and let the blade find another target. Self preservation, that's the vampire way. Certainly the Spike way. But Tara's face, gentle and sincere, rises in his mind's eye. "You don't have to break her to make her like you," she'd told him when he'd settled down opposite her and plaintively confessed that he had no idea what he was doing when it came to Buffy. "She already likes you; you just have to make her feel it's ok to. To like you, that is."
He'd been doubtful, still thinking his best shot was getting her away from her friends, not ingratiating himself with them, but then Tara's not stupid and it's been such a long time since anyone's been on his side he wants to try for her if for nothing else. So the decision's made just as the thing brings its sword arm back for the killing blow. Save the boy, surprise Buffy, impress her friends.
"Argh!" Bitch of a witch, he thinks as the blade impales his stomach. He'll find a way to bite her for this if it's the last thing he does.
He hears the slayer's inarticulate battle cry as she tackles the demon to the ground and looks up just in time to see it melt away into the floor. "God, Spike." She's at his side, her hand pressed against the wound, eyes flashing with fear. Real, honest to goodness fear for him. Well, he'll be buggered. Tara might be on to something after all.
"Man." He can hear Richard breathing hard behind him, still gasping with the fear of his brush with death. "Shit, man." The boy takes his other side and he has to fight the urge to throw him off as he and Buffy help him to the couch.
"I have to find that Demon," Buffy tells him softly as she brings her blood-stained hand away from his body. "Will you be ok? I'll tell Tara to—"
"Be fine, luv." He forces what he hopes is a stoic smile but suspects from the escalating concern in her eyes comes over more as a grimace. "Not gonna kill me, is it? You stop that thing 'fore it sticks the sharp stuff in someone less robust, yeah."
With a curt nod she's gone: slayer on a mission, serve and protect. Good girl, his Buffy. He's beginning to think the witch might be right.
"Here." The boy's holding out a glass of water and looking a little awed. "I, er…thanks, man."
He waves him off. "Didn't do it for you," he wants to tell him, but the pain in his gut is making him weak and light headed and it's all he can do to keep from doubling over and howling.
"Ok, so maybe 'soon' was a bit of an overstatement." She pushes her hair out of her eyes and looks worriedly at Spike before turning and walking out of the room. It's so hard. She can hear Anya freaking out upstairs, and Spike? She can't even get her head round Spike. What he did. Without thinking, he just threw himself in front of Richard. It's so heroic and it just doesn't fit somehow with Spike. Not that he doesn't have his moments; she hasn't forgotten his poor battered face when Glory'd got her hands on him, or the fall he took from that tower. But that was different. That was her and Dawn, and she's never doubted he'd die for them, but to take a sword n the belly for her blind date? That was just… she can't think about it now. Not now. They have to get out of here.
"Your boyfriend's pretty tough." The admiration in Richard's voice would be funny in any other situation. "You know, if I'd known you were with someone, I wouldn't…" He trails off and gives her a cute smile. She thinks that the old Buffy—the pre-Spike Buffy—would probably have liked Richard, but all she can see now behind the boyish charm and handsome face is liability, someone weak who she needs to protect.
"He's not—" The automatic denial dies on her lips and she gets a sudden rush at the thought of not correcting him. "As bad as he looks. Under all that punk and leather, he's a real softy." She smiles to herself, a small, private smile like that of a woman in love, and Richard grins back.
"If you say so." He gives a small, self-effacing laugh and rubs the back of his neck. "But I know I wouldn't mess with a guy who's still standing after taking a sword in the stomach."
She's smiling again as she shrugs and turns back to the living room, and she can't believe how good that felt.
Originally posted at http://seasonal-spuffy.livejournal.com/65556.html
Series Navigation << Learning to Breathe – 1Learning to breathe – 3 >>
Fic creator: bearfacedcheek, era: btvs s6, form: fic, rating: other
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F5 Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV), the leading provider of secure Application Traffic Management products, today announced that it has carried out six consecutive quarters of market share growth in the Layer 4-7 (L4-7) Fixed Server Load Balancing (SLB)1 switch market, as reported in a recent Dell'Oro Group report2. F5 is the only vendor in the fixed SLB market that is steadily gaining market share quarter-over-quarter.
"We're proud of our steady growth in market share, particularly during this rough economic period," said Dan Matte, Vice President of Product Management and Marketing at F5 Networks. "F5's continued growth is an indicator that enterprise customers are not willing to compromise on product capabilities, quality or service as they build their infrastructure and roll out their applications. I'm confident that our products' superior capabilities that offer unique support for these complex applications will continue to fuel our market share growth."
According to the Dell'Oro Group report, F5 holds the No. 2 position in the fixed L4-7 SLB market, with 26.4 percent of the market. F5 has continually demonstrated growth in this market ever since the company introduced a product in this category.
1 Layer 4-7 Fixed Server Load Balancing (SLB) definition: Switches specially designed to switch network or Internet traffic optimally between a group of servers and must load balance traffic based on L4/L7 information (e.g. TCP port, URL, Cookie). Load balancing functionality must be native to the switch.
2 Source: Dell'Oro Q2 2003 Market Share Report (Layer 4-7) Ethernet Switch Report, August 13, 2003.