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Two years ago, my husband Clayton was murdered. That summer, I wrote a lot in my journal. I felt angry at how so many people reacted to Clayton's death. I wanted to memorialize our memories together. I wanted to remember through writing. I snarkily told my family I was going to publish my own how-to book on grief titled Don't Cry Unless I'm Crying and Other Tips to Help a Grieving Friend. My aunt told me that Sheryl Sandberg also was writing a book about grief. Her husband died two days after mine that year. I was pretty sure our takes on grief would be different. I was right.
Sandberg's new book Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy (co-authored with Adam Grant, a professor of psychology and management at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania), provides a readable guide to working through grief, loss, and other trauma. The book's main point is that we can build resilience in the face of any tragedy—and come out stronger for it. "In the wake of the most crushing blows, people can find greater strength and deeper meaning." Sandberg tells us that we all want to live Option A — the life we hoped and worked for. But, as she writes, "Life is never perfect. We all live some form of Option B. This book is to help us all kick the shit out of it."1
This idea — that we can become tougher, better, shit-kicking people — is what makes me dislike the book. Its premise is flawed. The overarching thesis — that we have to learn and grow and be better people after a tragedy — is simply erroneous. Since when did we have to approach every event as some sort of hurdle to grow from? Since when has "resilience" become not a character trait that we could rely on, but one that it was simply imperative we cultivate?
The book's underlying neoliberal logic — that growth, improvement, and yes, even efficiency are traits we need to strive for (and that striving in and of itself is a good thing) — negates the real, human experience of death and grief. It elides the fact that sometimes, we feel helpless, hopeless, and sad. Most importantly, those feelings are not something we have to address with the mindset: "How can we, as human beings, become better people from this feeling?" How about, "How can we just be?" Why do we need to be happy, in the words of Sara Ahmed?
One example of this mindset is found in the book's take on finding and expressing gratitude. As Sandberg writes:
I have often thought this about Clayton. Things could have been worse. After he was murdered, several other police officers were tortured to death. One was pulled behind a horse until he died. Another was burned alive. I thought: "It could be worse. Clayton could have been tortured to death. Luckily, he was only gunned down with a machine gun." I do feel grateful for this small thing. But that gratitude definitely didn't overwhelm me and take over part of my grief. Actually, it made me sadder — and angrier. It's good to find gratitude. But to expect that gratitude to be the step towards a more resilient, better you is wrong. That gratitude just is. There's no end goal. And if the gratitude makes me angry, that's okay too.
In an interview with NPR in April, Sandberg expanded upon this idea of gratitude. She told a story about her cousin Laura and the meaning of gratitude, telling the radio host, "My cousin Laura turned 50 on Valentine's Day and I called her. I said 'Laura, I'm calling to say Happy Birthday. But I'm also calling because in case you woke up this morning with that 'Oh my god I'm 50 thing,' this is the year that Dave won't turn 50 … I'm celebrating that you're 50 today.'" Listen. If you had called me when I turned 31 and told me, "Cassia, I know you don't want to turn 31, but hey, Clayton died when he was 30, so you need to be grateful that you're alive," I would have told you to f@&# off.
Why not let Laura fret over turning 50? It's her life, her body, her anxiety. I get it. It hurts so much; it's so unfair that Dave won't turn 50; that Clayton won't turn 31. Sandberg said that Dave's death has made her think "How do we live knowing that every single day is precious, and life is short?" But what does precious mean? I'm pretty positive I don't live every single day as if it were precious in Sandberg's definition. Or maybe my definition of precious is different from hers. I don't always "say yes to life." My definition of a precious day is making a list and crossing off everything on it. Sometimes that means that I don't interact with people, or I work too much, or I sleep. But who says all those things aren't my definition of a "precious life?"
I am all for concrete strategies and approaches towards grief. And the book provides those. For example, Chapter Two is titled, "Kicking the Elephant out of the Room," and it describes how many people stopped talking to Sandberg after Dave died. She writes "I couldn't understand when friends didn't ask me how I was. I felt invisible, as if I were standing in front of them but they couldn't see me." She soon realized that many people remained silent because they felt uncomfortable. They didn't know what to say, and so they said nothing at all. This is much more common than you think. Many people reacted to Clayton's murder in the same way. It hurt (it still does), and it made me very, very angry. Sandberg writes that when people would ask her "How are you?" she would want to scream back "'My husband just died, how do you think I am?'" She realized that people were "doing their best," and she began to address the elephant, first in a Facebook post, and then one-on-one with friends who continued to remain silent.
Maybe, however, Sandberg should have snarkily responded to her friend that her husband was dead. Sure, it would have caused a jolt; maybe she would have ended that relationship. Maybe she would be better for it. After Clayton's death I often told myself: "intention versus impact." Yes, I know that people's intentions can be very different from their impact, and we have to keep that in mind. But impact also matters. Not talking matters. My friends who remained in silence are no longer my friends. I did speak with them about how their silences hurt me. They continued to be silent. And I feel that thinning the herd, something that happens as we grow older anyway, has strengthened my life, not weakened it. Their reactions reinforced long-standing beliefs that, perhaps, they weren't that great of friends. And you know what? That's fine. We all don't have to like each other.
I'm not advocating that you stew in resentment, anger, and sadness after a traumatic event. It's why you go to therapy, ask for help, work on feelings. I have gone to counseling continuously throughout the last two years. But I am not doing these things so I can become "resilient" and "stronger." I am doing these because I need to remember Clayton; I need to sleep; I need to breathe. There's no end goal here, no desire to flex my "resilience muscle." Just to be.
Sheryl Sandberg also tragically and unexpectedly lost her husband. And I'm so sorry that he died. I am not challenging her right to feel pain and grief, and to confront and approach those feelings in the way that works for her. But I do have a problem with the idea that we have to grow and come out stronger from every tragedy. Many of the concrete pieces of advice she gives are spot on. But her logic is flawed. I'm not trying to have a "grief-off" here, but I'm not leaning into grief.3 I'm just trying to be, to survive.
To Read Instead
Joan Didion, The Year of Magical Thinking, (New York: Knopf, 2005).
Luis Alberto Urrea, Across the Wire: Life and Hard Times on the Mexican Border (New York: Anchor Books, 1993).
- Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant, Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy (London: WH Allen, 2017), Epub, Intro. Return to text.
- Sandberg and Grant, Option B, chap. 1. Return to text.
- Check out Orange is the New Black S05E04, "Lichfield's Got Talent" for the grief-off. Return to text.


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Investors appear to have welcomed a report which says that the US is considering at least a partial lift of tariffs on Chinese products in a bid to encourage Beijing to further open its markets to foreign goods.
All European markets were up between 1.23 and 2.63 per cent with the FTSE 100 defying Brexit uncertainty in favor of optimism that there may be a trade breakthrough between China and the US.
On Thursday, Bloomberg news reported that US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was deliberating on an idea to spur Chinese concessions by walking back tariffs on that country's exports to the US.
The two countries have held several cycles of trade talks since US President Donald Trump announced a three-month freeze on additional Chinese tariffs during the G20 Summit in Argentina in early December.
American and Chinese, in addition to the IMF and World Bank, economic experts have urged both governments to reach an agreement before the freeze expires on March 1.
In China, the Hang Seng index closed 1.14 per cent up while the benchmark Shanghai Composite was up 1.42 per cent.
This pulled up other Asian stocks: Japan's Nikkei closed up 1.29 per cent, while South Korea's Kospi rose 0.82 per cent.
In the US, markets all opened up on reports that China could propose buying about $1 trillion in US goods by 2024, thereby erasing the US trade deficit between the two.
At press time, the Dow Jones had jumped more than 300 points to a midday high of 24711, registering an increase of 1.40 per cent, while the Nasdaq was up 1.33 per cent, and the S&P 500 up 1.44 per cent.
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies

subset: commoncrawl


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The Seattle Sounders will play away from home for the first time away from home this season, their frustrating 1-0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes a week behind them. DC United is coming off their first win of the season, an eyebrow-raising 4-1 thumping of FC Dallas that came a bit out of nowhere given their poor start to the campaign. It was the first sign they've given this season that the promise many saw in them could well be there, and with the injury struggles continuing to mount for the Sounders a promising start to Seattle's season is at legitimate risk of coming off the rails just a bit.
DC United's key figure is clearly Dwayne DeRosario, but despite starting all four games so far this season he has yet to score. That's not likely going to continue, but as we've seen with Fredy Montero in Seattle, DeRo's other attributes in the attack-and to some extent his mere presence-have opened up opportunities for his teammates. United didn't do much to take advantage of those opportunities earlier in the season, but everything came together against FC Dallas; 4 or DC's 5 goals came in that game, and while that's certainly not the kind of impact you'd expect from them week-in and week-out, it's at the very least proof of concept.
While DeRosario is likely to have a shadow that looks suspiciously like Osvaldo Alonso for the majority of the evening, DC United will pose a serious threat on the counter. Defending counter-attacks is something the Sounders appear to have improved upon this season, but it has historically been a source of great frustration. Against a team as dangerous in transition as United, Seattle must make sure to keep their old habits in check.
Defensively, DC is far from an elite unit but they're at the very least league-average (and probably above.) United also like to keep the game narrow, which has posed some of their opponents some difficulty. Given the tendency of Sounders wingers to cut inside this is not inherently a major problem, but if Fredy Montero is crowded out and loses a significant amount of the space in which he likes to operate it could make things very difficult for Seattle. If that ends up being the case, the play of Alvaro Fernandez and whichever Sounder makes the start on the right will be crucial.
As has been the case through the first three games, injuries will be a major story for Seattle against DC United. Brad Evans should be available for the game, but Adam Johansson, Eddie Johnson and Mauro Rosales remain listed as questionable. New to the injury list is center back Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, which could lead to Jeff Parke making a return to the starting XI. It would not be a major surprise to see all those listed as questionable in the 18, but it would be a bit of a shock for any of them to see significant minutes.
Last season, the Sounders were very much a rhythm kind of team and though this is a new year there isn't much reason to expect things to be different this year. While a win should nominally be the expectation for this team every time out, a point in this game would be far from a bad result. But with what looks like a tricky bit of schedule ahead for the Sounders, a loss would not set the kind of tone the team would have been hoping for coming into the season. Slow starts have been an issue for Seattle in the last two seasons, and despite two impressive wins to kick things off they aren't quite finished getting out of the gates yet. How this one plays out could be very important in terms of setting the tone for the first third of the season.


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2013 Merchandiser of the Year Finalists
Final Looks
Marina del Ray Garden Center
West Los Angeles, California
With water being the precious resource that it is in California, most of our customers are concerned about the amount of water their garden will require. They are interested in water-wise landscaping without sacrificing the look or feel that a lush garden can provide.
However, most California native plants have that "down" time, when before and after their peak bloom time, they look a bit tired.
In an effort to bring year-round interest to the garden and provide more choices for our customers, we also carry a deep selection of Australian and South African native plants. Sharing similar conditions and climates, native plants from these regions are the perfect complement to the California garden.
To promote and educate our customers about these plants, we created a fun, colorful, unique display approximately 1,100 square feet that shows the way these three regions can work together to create a beautiful, year-round landscape.
The display area is divided into three sections, each section representing a region. I wanted to use a fun icon that would represent each area and attract attention. For Australia, I used a 6-foot kangaroo with a baby roo in its pouch. Representing South Africa is a towering 9½-foot giraffe and for California, a pair of swimming dolphins with decorative, brilliant blue glass stones beneath them imitating the Pacific Ocean.
We also created stickers with each country's flag and applied one to every container. To create even more interest, we added a waterfall in the middle of the display and placed colorful pottery throughout.
The display was created by general manager Cathy Hough, CJ Brehm-Stern and Jim Alexander.
Cathy D. Hough, General Manager
McDonald Garden Center
Hampton, Virginia
Shop local is the theme for independent businesses all across America, and McDonald Garden Center is working to make the independent shopping experience unique and offer gardening inspiration to its customers.
In looking for ways to accomplish this McDonald's developed a shop local campaign that was executed throughout all areas of the garden center. The spring theme tied into vegetable gardening and encouraged customers to be a backyard farmer, which reinforced "local" on multiple fronts.
Using pallets, which are all the rage on HGTV, in women's magazines and on Pinterest, McDonald's created a farmer's market feel that featured all of the varieties of edibles that it sells along with the accessories to help make customers successful.
This display was built in April and will remain up through the fall, refreshing the product periodically. Owner Eddie Anderson created and designed this display, constructing it out of recycled pallets. It was located within the edible department at all three of our retail locations.
Shown here is McDonald's Hampton year-round location. It also offered a way for McDonald Garden Center to embrace the trend, offer a unique display and to sell pre-constructed pallets to customers. During the season, McDonald's created and sold premade pallets to customers. Customers have responded to the pallets as we have sold out several times throughout the season.
McDonald Garden Center also offered a pallet garden workshop to further pull through the concept. Customers have loved this unique creation. Almost all stop and stare at the display and then realize it is constructed solely of pallets. We have seen lots of smartphones snapping photos.
Rebecca Topping, Marketing Director
Sky Nursery
Shoreline, Washington
Sky Nursery is "Sailing Away with Succulents" in 2013. Succulents are increasingly popular, and our display capitalized on this trend toward low-maintenance gardening, naturally paired with the tranquil feel and look of our unique local seashore. Inspiration for this display stemmed from the architectural structure of the succulents themselves, their fluid growth style, and how they visually evoke an oceanic quality.
Our goal was to inspire creativity in our customers while retaining their ability to easily shop the displays. With space at a premium, all of our displays are required to be effectively inspiring as well as utilitarian. Each area is designed to accommodate a good supply of shop-able product and to be easily restocked throughout the day. Rather than creating a single vignette, we built an interactive area that provided all the elements for our customers to make their own artful succulent gardens.
The display was installed in early April and remained in place through July. Sky Nursery has a large central fountain in the greenhouse that provides a year-round focal point. Building the display around this fountain was a natural choice to reinforce its prominence as a destination in our store, maximizing the amount of traffic the display experienced. Situated on the main aisle, the display was near other perennials and in close proximity to the indoor gardening department where the tender succulents are housed.
Salvaged materials were used to set the stage, including an old boat, a vintage fishing net, antique glass bottles and repurposed furniture. Custom, handmade signage enforced unity, peaking interest and defining the display area. Incorporated throughout were stunning planted arrangements prepared by our custom container department. A range of planted offerings on our tables included intimate table-top sized driftwood boxes, large patio-sized concrete oyster shells, and an impressively planted full-sized concrete fountain with strings of succulents spilling down the upper tier. A brightly painted coral rendering on the floor carried momentum between different parts of the display.
The theme, location and accessibility of the product translated into swift sales. The display also increased profits in other departments by introducing suggestive sales. We moved over 100,000 3½-inch succulents.
Megan Eberhart & Meagan McManus, Visual Merchandisers; Lydia Coulter, Graphic Designer
Al's Garden Center
Sherwood & Woodburn, Oregon
Each season the visual merchandising team at Al's Garden Centers develops one major theme that is implemented for all three of its stores. From that theme each staff member Barb Florig, Sheressa Dolph and Kela Parker create their own interpretation of it into the displays they design. Since many of our customers cross shop our locations, it is always our goal to create a cohesive ambiance while maintaining the personality of each location.
The summer 2013 displays originated last fall when a batch of Adirondack chairs were being taken out of inventory. Always on the lookout for free props, we knew they would be perfect to repurpose for our summer look. The chairs were up-styled in 2013 Pantone-based fashion colors: raspberry pink, medium indigo blue and nectarine orange. They are fun, bright and work well with summer blooms.
Greeting customers as they come through the houseplant atriums are the first set of displays. The bright colors work great with both tropical plants and as a pop of color against the green of houseplants. In direct line of sight, and drawing customers visually out into the nursery, are the bigger perennial displays. Each display features matching pottery and an ever-changing selection of plants as blooms come and go.
The big wow factor this season greets Sherwood shoppers as they enter the perennial house. Standing 10 feet tall is a display of chairs in varying degrees of deconstruction attached to a recycled wooden greenhouse roof. Both customers and employees have commented on how at first they didn't realize the chairs were in pieces; the eye assumes they are whole. It provides people the chance to slow down and really look, and be surprised.
The visual merchandising team loves to create new and innovative displays that keep customers coming back to see what we have been up to. Nothing is better then a repeat customer telling us how they love to come to Al's to be inspired by the color and creativity. That is what our job is all about; and it's what keeps us inspired to design the next big thing.
Sheressa Dolph, Visual Merchandiser


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US visual analytics software company seeks to help Hong Kong businesses capitalise on Greater Bay Area opportunities
Tableau, a visual analytics software company from the United States (US), opened an office in Hong Kong today (13 June 2019) to meet the growing analytics needs of local businesses and help them tap opportunities arising from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). The Hong Kong office will serve Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao.
Tableau's Head of Greater China, Mr Thomas Yap, said that the company's end-to-end analytics platform is widely used around the world by corporates and government organisations to provide flexibility and choice in adapting to businesses' environments. The platform uses visuals and natural language so people of different skill levels are empowered to use analytics.
Mr Yap said, "Hong Kong will be an important node in the development of the GBA, and Tableau's presence in the market demonstrates our commitment to help businesses here harness the value of data and capitalise on the opportunities presented by the GBA. We have also recently launched our product in traditional Chinese to make it easier for businesses that operate in the local language to seamlessly draw insights from their data to inform decision making.
"Hong Kong presents great opportunities as businesses are increasingly looking to utilise their data to navigate the era of disruption and manage its susceptibility to changes in the global economy. Our presence in the market will enable us to better serve our customers and partners locally, as well as in Taiwan and Macao, to meet their aims and help companies accelerate their journey towards fostering a data-driven culture."
Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion, Mr Charles Ng, said, "Hong Kong, as a leading business hub in Asia Pacific region, has a fast-growing data-driven culture and the necessary infrastructure to support this trend. The city also plays a leading role in the GBA development, providing an ideal place for global data analytics companies from which to extend their reach to the Bay Area and the region."
About Tableau
Tableau aims to help people see and understand data. Tableau pioneered self-service analytics with a leading analytics platform that empowers people of any skill level to work with data. From individuals and non-profits to government agencies and the Fortune 500, tens of thousands of organizations around the world use Tableau to get rapid insights and make impactful, data-driven decisions. For more information, please visit www.tableau.com.
About InvestHK
InvestHK is the department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government responsible for attracting foreign direct investment and supporting overseas and Mainland businesses to set up or expand in Hong Kong. It provides free advice and customised services for overseas and Mainland companies. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk.


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This pool which is a coverage option of last resort, has been seeing its participants dwindle for 3 years. According to the South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, the number of homeowners who have been leaving the state's last resort wind insurance pool has been continuing over the last three years. The program is meant for homeowners who can't obtain this coverage anywhere else. For some time, the special wind insurance pool program was the only option that many homeowners had available to them. However, this state backed coastal…Read More
Tag: wind damage insurance
Windstorm Insurance Association in Texas may run out of cash if a big storm hits
Estimates show that funds could run very short if certain areas are struck with damage. According to official estimates, the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association may find itself facing considerable shortages of funds if a hurricane strike Brownsville, Corpus Christi, or Galveston. This association is the insurer of last resort for tornado, hail, hurricane and other wind damage. The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association current provides coverage for over 267,000 owners of residential and commercial properties. Approximately 90 percent of its policies are for residential coverage. Also known as the coverage pool,…Read More
Lawmakers convene to discuss Texas Windstorm Insurance Association
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Tornado insurance changes to be implemented in Missouri
Following the disaster in Joplin, new regulations will soon be put into place. There will be some significant changes to be made for tornado insurance in Missouri following the lessons that were learned through the destruction in Joplin. The Missouri insurance department has announced that these rules will start next year. The department has stated that the mutual tornado insurance companies will face new regulations, with the purpose of preventing the type of drain on the finances that was seen a short time following the deadly Joplin twister. New state…Read More
Citizens to take another look at its policies for Florida wind mitigation
The company is having another look at the way it offers this coverage, though higher rates are likely. The state backed insurer, Citizens Property Insurance Corp., has stated that in response to the calls that have been made to match the premiums to the risk, it will be reexamining its Florida wind mitigation, which was first established ten years ago. This will mean that many customers will see an increase in the rates they pay. The company intends to look into the residential policies of 209,000 people before the end…Read More
Severe weather leads to over $1.2 billion in insurance losses in March
Insurance industry gets hit with huge losses for 2012. Global reinsurance intermediary, Aon Benfield, which is also responsible for the Aon plc capital advising, has released its most recent Global Catastrophe report edition, which provided an overview of the global natural disaster events of March 2012. The report was published by the catastrophe model development center of excellence for the company, Impact Forecasting. It showed that a number of serious weather events struck the Tennessee Valley, the American Midwest, and the Southeast of the country during the first week of…Read More
Dallas-Fort Worth tornadoes spur concerns of insurance premiums
Report on Dallas tornado insurance claims Several powerful tornadoes cut a swath of destruction in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas this week. The tornadoes caused a significant amount of damage to homes and businesses in the area but no death has been reported thus far. Claims adjusters have been streaming into the state from companies like Nationwide and Allied Insurance to help process the claims generated by the disaster. Insurers and state officials are encouraging all those that have storm-related claims to get in touch with an agent and…Read More


text: Page ContentThe European Central Bank and the national central banks of the EU countries that have adopted the euro together constitute the Eurosystem, the central banking system of the euro area.The main objective of the Eurosystem is to maintain price stability: safeguarding the value of the euro. Price stability is essential for economic growth and high employment.The ECB was established on 1 June 1998 and is located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It is an institution of the European Union at the heart of the Eurosystem and the Single Supervisory Mechanism.Decision-making bodies of the ECB


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"Women who take the latest generations of contraceptive pills are at a greater risk of potentially lethal blood clots," The Times reports. While the increase in risk is statistically significant, it is very small in terms of individual risk
The combined oral contraceptive pill, commonly referred to as "the pill", is already well known to be linked to increased risk of blood clots in the veins, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), as we discussed back in 2014.
A new study, using two large GP databases, set out to refine the assessment of the risk. It identified women who had had a venous blood clot, matched them by age to unaffected women, and examined use of the pill in the previous year.
Overall it found that use of any contraceptive pill almost tripled risk of blood clot; though the baseline risk is small. And risk was generally higher with the newer third generation pills, compared with older pills. Encouragingly, risk was lowest for pills containing levonorgestrel, which is by far the most common prescribed. This pill carried risk of around six extra cases of blood clot for every 10,000 women prescribed.
Risk was more than double this for pills containing desogestrel, gestodene, drospirenone and cyproterone, though these aren't normally pills of first choice in practice, and are normally used when there are reasons to treat other symptoms such as acne.
The combined oral contraceptive pill remains a safe and effective form of contraception for most women, but it is not suitable for all – such as women with a history of heart disease or high blood pressure. Read more about who can, and who shouldn't, use the combined oral contraceptive pill.
The study was carried out by researchers from the Division of Primary Care, University Park in Nottingham. It received no external sources of funding. The study was published in the peer-reviewed British Medical Journal as an open-access article. This means it can be read online or downloaded by anyone for free.
The reporting of the study by the UK media was accurate and refreshingly took steps to put the small increase in risk in context.
This was a case-control study of women identified through two general practice databases in the UK. The researchers were aiming to look at the link between use of the combined oral contraceptive pill ("the pill") and risk of blood clots in the veins (e.g. deep vein thrombosis, or DVT), specifically taking into account the type of progestogen in the pill.
Use of the pill is already well known to be associated with increased risk of blood clots in the veins (venous thromboembolism). Different types of pill combine different types of the hormone progestogen with another hormone called oestrogen. It is recognised that the different progestogens have differing influence on the risk of blood clots, though previous study has not been able to quantify the risks of the different pills, particularly newer ones.
This case-control study investigated this by looking at women diagnosed with a blood clot, matching them to unaffected women and then looking at type of pill used.
The study used two large GP databases, QResearch and Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), both of which have previously been used to look into links between different drugs and blood clot risk. QResearch covers 618 general practices in the UK, and CPRD covers 722.
Researchers identified women aged 15-49 years registered between 2001 and 2013 who had a first instance of a venous blood clot. They matched these "cases" with up to five unaffected age-matched "controls" from the same database. They excluded women who were pregnant around the time, or those who had a hysterectomy or sterilisation. They excluded women who were pregnant around the time, who had hysterectomy or sterilisation, or who had a history of use of blood thinning medicine – suggesting history of or susceptibility to blood clots.
Use of the combined oral contraceptive pill was examined in the year prior to the blood clot record. They included all the most commonly used preparations in the UK, containing the different types of progestogen. They also included the combination of oestrogen with cyproterone acetate (brand name Dianette), which acts as a contraceptive pill, but its main indication is for the treatment of acne. They looked at when the pill had been used in relation to the time of the clot (e.g. current or past use) and how long it had been used for.
They took into account potential confounding factors that may influence clot risk, including:
After exclusions they had a sample of 5,500 cases and 22,396 controls in the QResearch database, and 5,062 cases and 19,638 matched controls in the CPRD database. The incidence of venous blood clots in the two databases was around six per 10,000 women per year. Just over half (58%) the blood clots in the two databases were DVTs.
In the two databases 28-30% of cases had used the pill in the past year, compared with 16-18% of controls. Overall, any pill use in the past year was associated with an almost tripled risk of venous blood clot compared to no use (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.78 to 3.17).
The most common pill was one containing the progestogen levonorgestrel, which accounted for roughly half of prescriptions in cases and controls.
By type of progestogen the researchers found the following to be associated with lower risk:
The following were associated with higher risks:
Pills are sometimes termed according to generations of when they were manufactured. The bottom list are newer "third generation" pills, while the former group includes mostly earlier generations. The exception is norgestimate in the former list, which is also third generation.
The number of extra cases of venous blood clot per year was lowest for levonorgestrel and norgestimate (both six extra per 10,000 women) and highest for desogestrel and cyproterone (both 14 extra per 10,000 women).
The researchers conclude: "In these population-based, case-control studies using two large primary care databases, risks of venous thromboembolism associated with combined oral contraceptives were, with the exception of norgestimate, higher for newer drug preparations than for second generation drugs."
It is already well known that the combined oral contraceptive pill ("the pill") is associated with increased risk of venous blood clots. It is also already known that risk can differ according to the type of progestogen in the pill. This study adds further evidence helping to quantify these risks.
The study has numerous strengths. It has used two large GP databases covering large samples of the UK population, and containing reliable information on medical diagnoses and prescriptions made. The analyses were also adjusted for various confounders known to be associated with risk of blood clots.
It demonstrates pill use in the previous year almost tripled risk of venous blood clot, with risk generally higher with the newer pills than the older ones – though there were some exceptions.
Encouragingly, preparations containing levonorgestrel – which is by far the most common pill prescribed – had the lowest associated risk; around six extra cases of blood clot for every 10,000 women prescribed.
The preparations associated with the highest risks in this study – desogestrel, gestodene, drospirenone and cyproterone – were already recognised to be linked to higher risk, though this study has helped to better quantify these risks. These are not usually pill preparations of first choice in practice and are normally used when there are specific indications (e.g. women who have acne, particularly those taking cyproterone), or who have had side effects with other preparations.
The organisation in charge of regulating medicines in England quantified the risks of the combined pill last year and came up with very similar results.
That review said the benefits of the pill far outweigh the risks, but added: "Prescribers and women should be aware of the major risk factors for thromboembolism, and of the key signs and symptoms."
This study again highlights the need for careful prescribing of the combined oral contraceptive pill, taking into account the individual woman's risk factors such as lifestyle and medical history. Women should also be aware of the signs and symptoms of venous blood clots, such as DVT. If a woman taking the pill experiences unexplained swelling or pain in the leg, or sudden breathlessness and/or chest pain, they should seek medical help immediately.
The combined pill may not be suitable for you if you have a history of certain chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure. Other alternative methods of contraception, such as a contraceptive implant may be a more suitable option.
Your GP should be able to advise you on the safest method for your individual circumstances.


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Switzerland's Actelion said yesterday that a strong case is building to continue testing its endothelin antagonist Tracleer in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Data presented from the BUILD programme (Bosentan Use in Interstitial Lung Disease) at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) conference in San Diego, has encouraged it to go forward with a new morbidity/mortality-driven Phase III study to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of Tracleer (bosentan) in IPF, a chronic disease characterised by progressive scarring of the lungs.
Preliminary results announced last year showed that bosentan missed its primary endpoint (improvement in the six-minute walk test) in BUILD-1, but showed a positive trend for pre-defined morbidity/mortality endpoints.
Further analyses presented at the ATS confirm that bosentan delayed time to disease progression in patients with lung biopsy proven IPF. The combined incidence of disease progression or death up to 12 months was 38% in the placebo group versus 12% in the bosentan group – a relative risk reduction of 68% (p=0.005).
Presenting the data yesterday, Professor Talmadge King, of the University of California at San Francisco, the principal investigator of the BUILD-1 study, said that the response to treatment in this sub group had been dramatic.
"These patients have less end stage scarring, with more lung that potentially could recover. The take-home message is that patients with milder disease appear to have a positive response to bosentan. Now we have to prove this."
Actelion say that the company is currently in advanced discussion with regulatory authorities to finalise the design and scope of a Phase III study in this sub-group of biopsy proven IPF. Enrollment is expected to start by the end of the year.
"About half of all patients with IPF die within two to three years of diagnosis. No current therapy improves the disease or survival so researchers are anxiously truing to find an answer," said Professor King. His data, presented for the first time at the ATS will be submitted for publication.
Analysts have suggested that an effective drug to treat the disease could garner sales of $500 million or more. Tracleer is already approved for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, and brought in nearly $500 million in sales in 2005, although the drug is expected to come under pressure in PAH as more therapies, including Pfizer's Revatio (sildenafil), have entered the marketplace.


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Sub-Saharan Africa has abundant renewable energy resources. The question is how to tap into them and reach the goal of supplying everyone in each of its regions with reliable, clean and affordable electricity.
At the 2016 Young African Leaders Initiative summit in Washington, the State Department's Macon Phillips recorded a podcast with South African Mandela Washington Fellows Adele Boadzo and Tshegofatso Neeuwfan, who are both working to find clean energy solutions that could ultimately benefit the whole continent and help fight climate change.
In their discussion, Boadzo emphasized that Africa receives enough solar energy in one day to power the world for an entire year. Different African regions boast other renewable sources, such as wind, geothermal and hydro power. The barriers standing in the way of utilizing them can be overcome, she said.
Not everyone in Africa has electricity, and one of the biggest reasons is the lack of access in rural areas. "In order for us to get to these rural areas, we need to focus on distributed [generation] systems, which would largely use renewable energy systems," she said.
Consumers need to be convinced, and both Boadzo and Neeuwfan said there are good arguments pointing to reduced costs and health benefits from switching to renewable energy.
Neeuwfan advised proceeding with an energy mix that increasingly incorporates renewable sources, owing to the fact that renewables cannot currently supply the base load of power by themselves because the power they generate is still intermittent.
"What appeals to [consumers], I think, may be changing the narrative for renewable energy. You have to show the customer how renewable energy gets them what they want," he said.
Both Fellows studied electrical engineering to help prepare them for their careers, and they have big plans for the future. Neeuwfan hopes to start an enterprise that works on energy services and sees an opportunity to export some of South Africa's renewable energy expertise to other African countries.
"Through the YALI experience I've met some Fellows in other countries, and there are great opportunities to collaborate," he said, adding, "The region can benefit from the skills exchange and the ideas that we bring."
Boadzo is starting an organization called Hope Rises Solar. It will be focused on "distributing solar lighting equipment, and will do this by empowering female solar entrepreneurs" to sell the equipment, she said.
Listen to the full podcast to learn more about Africa's potential to take advantage of renewable energy sources.
Don't have access to SoundCloud, iTunes or Google Play? Read a transcript of the podcast below:
YALI Voices Podcast
Renewable Energy Innovation
♪ Yes we can ♪
♪ Sure we can ♪
♪ Change the world ♪
MACON PHILLIPS: Greetings, young African leaders. This is the YALI Voices podcast, your home for sharing the best stories from the Young African Leaders Initiative Network.
I'm Macon Phillips and I am so glad you've joined us today.
Before we get started, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and Google Play and visit YALI.state.gov to stay up-to-date on all things YALI.
If you like what we're doing here, please take a moment to recommend us to a friend.
I'm joined by Adele Boadzo and Tshegofatso Neeuwfan, two Mandela Washington Fellows
from South Africa who are active in researching renewable energy solutions to climate change.
Both Adele and Tshego studied electrical engineering, and they both found themselves
thrust into roles as young pioneering trailblazers entering the South African energy sector.
Tshego was driven by a sense of community service in his work to create opportunities for those who are beyond where the power grid reaches, exploring how solar power could be a better fit for customer needs instead of getting electricity the conventional way through fossil fuels.
Adele's interest in solar energy was born from personal tragedy. Her grandmother suffered fatal burns from an accidental gas cook stove explosion, a tragedy Adele believes can be averted with cleaner, safer sources of energy.
Let's jump right into my conversation on renewable energy with Adele and Tshego.
So I wanna bring us up to the sort of current day, and part of that, Adele, is kind of understanding the story of how you went from the factory doing shift work, getting dirty, and trying to learn the hard way — there was probably some shocks involved there and other types of things — but to what you're doing now, because I know did it by way of a consulting firm and another energy company and then actually you made another shift into the solar work. So can you just quickly touch on that path?
ADELE BOADZO: Yeah, so I spent about two-and-a-half years at the steel company, but at that time I had done quite well and I really wanted to move to the next stage, which was senior engineer, and the process to get there in that kind of environment is just "be here for five to 10 years" and that wasn't good enough for me. At the same time, during my undergrad I was quite excited about renewable energy, so I started my master's in renewable energy projects whilst at the steel company.
So whilst doing my master's I looked around for employment and found consulting. I thought consulting to be a good fit because I'd now be exposed to a range of companies, a range of experts, and a new way of thinking because I was excited about renewables. I wanted to solve problems, but it doesn't – I wasn't fully getting that in my current job, but consulting really teaches you how to become a critical problem solver, communicator, and I thought that would be really great for my development. So I joined a consulting company, focused on power, oil and gas, and then finished my master's and realized that my passion is really in renewable energy projects. This is what I want to be doing. So then I moved on to a solar company. So I now run solar PV projects as well for South Africa's commercial companies, business companies, large farms, etc.
MR. PHILLIPS: So in that period when you were doing the consulting, that was beyond just South Africa, that was regional —
MS. BOADZO: Yes, that was regional.
MR. PHILLIPS: — Can you give us a 20-second lesson in what everyone should know about energy in Africa, because I would imagine that time you probably — you learned a lot on the factory floor about circuits and electrical engineering, and then it sounds like during this consulting work it was much more policy and academic and knowledge. So yeah, can you give us a little bit of that summary of what people should know about sub-Saharan African energy?
MS. BOADZO: So sub-Saharan Africa's filled with amazing and abundant energy resources.
If I think of my favorite one, solar, which is — so I keep quoting my favorite statistic. So we have from Africa one day of solar is enough to power the world for an entire year. So with that kind of resources, imagine what you could do. So we have different areas in the continent which has good, big specific areas. When you think of South Africa in terms of renewables, you're looking at solar and some wind. East Africa-side, you have geothermal, hydro. West Africa, you have solar as well. Central Africa: hydro. So we have all these resources, but it's currently — most of it is untapped. So there are quite a few barriers standing in our way, but I think we can overcome them. One of them is finances, political will and capabilities. For me those are the biggest issues that need to be overcome in order for us to actually tap into all our resources — as many of our resources as possible to electrify the continent.
Right now we only have about 70 gigawatts capacity for sub-Saharan Africa, and even that's quite a small amount because South Africa has about 50 gigawatts. So we have about 600 million people without electricity even though we have all these resources.
MR. PHILLIPS: Wow! And now you must have a perspective on that from where you sit in
the national energy company. I mean, you agree with what she said? Anything else you want to add to that?
TSHEGOFATSO NEEUWFAN: Yeah, South Africa actually has 42 gigawatts, but I mean, it's
significant — quite significant. And National Power Utilities supplies the majority of the power within South Africa and within the region. So the perspective is solar resources are great and we must integrate a whole lot more of them, but also like the utility still has a role to play in that it must be a balancing, balancing utility that brings in other technologies to support renewables.
So the aim, I guess, with the entire thing, we must look at it from an energy mix perspective. The aim is to move towards low carbon growth future, right, but with renewables included because they're obviously like zero to very low emissions within the system. So renewables come in but they're intermittent. You'll have them sometimes, but sometimes not. So how do you support them also in low carbon growth way? And I think this was the work that I was doing within the National Power Utilities to say, what are the strategies that we can put in place to support renewables coming in in a low carbon growth way, and gas was one of the resources that we had identified to support renewables 'cause of its quick ramp up time —
MR. PHILLIPS: Right.
MR. NEEUWFAN: — and it has half the emissions of diesel —
MR. PHILLIPS: That's been a big story here in the United States.
MR. NEEUWFAN: Yeah.
MR. PHILLIPS: And if you look at our decrease in emissions and our moving off of dependence on foreign oil here in the United States, that's in large part because of what we brought on board with natural gas, as well as with things like car emissions and other types of investments in solar and things. But looking over your backgrounds, both of you, it strikes me that you're working on a similar problem when it comes to renewable energy, but you're focused on the macro, sort of infrastructure behind the meter-type work and that you're —
MR. NEEUWFAN: In front of the meter.
MR. PHILLIPS: — Or in front of the meter —
MR. NEEUWFAN: Yes.
MR. PHILLIPS: Sort of the guts of the system, and that you're focused on the consumer side, so how do I actually get solar panels into people's hands. And so, you know, what I'd like you to do, if you can, is sort of talk about why you chose to go that way versus the other way. You know, let's try to kind of get you to comment on each other's because I think that's — when you think about the equation, they're both very valuable parts of the system, and you've kind of made a choice in each direction.
So we'll start with you, Adele. As you look at — you're in with the consumer side. What are some of the biggest challenges you see on the infrastructure side?
MS. BOADZO: So first I think of South Africa, we have one of the highest electrification rates on the continent. It's about 85 percent. And one of the biggest reasons we haven't been able to reach 100 percent is inability to get to rural areas, and this is 'cause we're using our coal power stations. And I believe that in order for us to get to these rural areas, we need to focus on distributed systems, which would largely use renewable energy systems.
So my focus is bringing renewable energy off-grid systems to rural areas to get us to 100 percent universal electrification.
MR. PHILLIPS: But you're not waiting for the grid to be extended. You just wanna —
MS. BOADZO: Actually, for me it makes more sense financially to use distributed systems as opposed to waiting for the grid to be extended. There are some cases — well, most cases I found that it'll be cheaper to actually electrify some areas with off-grid systems instead of waiting for the grid.
MR. PHILLIPS: That's right. And I've heard this argument made in India as well. There's a huge push for off-grid solar there and, yeah, it is interesting — do you need the grid at all, if the technology can catch up? Yeah.
How about you? As you've said and look at the big system at a national level, what are some of the issues you feel like need to be addressed at the consumer level?
MR. NEEUWFAN: At the consumer level I think maybe just sensitizing the consumer to renewable energy.
MR. PHILLIPS: And what's your argument there? 'Cause in the United States — at least I arrive at this argument as we have to save the Earth because, you know, I have children, I'd like them to have, you know, a full healthy life. I worry that if we continue on this trajectory that the environment is gonna be affected in a way that's just, you know, awful. But that argument doesn't seem to win the day.
MR. NEEUWFAN: No.
MR. PHILLIPS: Sometimes it's the economic argument, and so then we get into the politics of the whole thing. So what do you think, at least in the South African context, to the extent you can extrapolate to a more regional argument, is the non-environmental economic argument for renewable energy?
MR. NEEUWFAN: I think for starters, I'll say — I'll talk about the economics now. For starters, I'll say like renewable energy technology has still not grown to a level where it can become base load, and base load meaning that it can be on all the time when the consumer needs it. So from a macro perspective, you still need a utility or something that supports renewables to be able to get to 100 percent availability. So that is from a first perspective, and that's one of the interests of the customer. The customer wants a supply all the time, regardless of where it comes from sometimes, and because of that desire they might subordinate climate change aspects of the case for renewable energy. But what appeals to them, I think, may be changing the narrative for renewable energy. You have to show the customer how renewable energy gets them what they want. So in the off-grid context you say renewable energy gets you what you want because, you know, sure there is a rollout program for electrification, but this thing can give it to you tomorrow and it'll be online and —
MR. PHILLIPS: So maybe renewable has a better availability —
MR. NEEUWFAN: Yes.
MR. PHILLIPS: — for people that don't have access to nonrenewable energy right now.
MR. NEEUWFAN: Absolutely. And on a level above that for people who are already electrified, the argument is persuasive if you show them how the cost of conventional supply impacts them. So for instance, coal-generated power obviously has associated health impact, which has associated health care costs. So does — is the user willing to pay for a supply that will ensure that they pay less and their kids are more protected?
MR. PHILLIPS: Right.
MR. NEEUWFAN: Could we pitch that kind of an argument to the mid-tier kind of consumer?
So you need to find those kinds of arguments to pitch to people, because needs in sub-Saharan Africa are different, and people will always tell you, "Oh, you want us to do climate change mitigation, but we're not really big emitters like America and China and India. Why don't you talk to those guys to make drastic cuts when we are the little guy and you want us to commit a lot?"
So we need to find nuanced arguments to persuade people to move to renewables and they
need to make sense.
MR. PHILLIPS: Right. Sort of a "both and." The United States needs to continue the steps it
has taken to reduce its emissions and make that transition, but there are additional arguments to your point about health —
MR. NEEUWFAN: Yes.
MR. PHILLIPS: — availability that really do emphasize the value of renewable energy. Do
you have another argument you'd make on that?
MS. BOADZO: Yeah, just to add on that is South Africans, for example, when we look at the
rural areas, if you say, "I'm bringing you solar energy," your argument is therefore you don't have to spend money on candles, you don't have to spend money on kerosene, which is also better for your health as well. When you go to households the case is, find that you have capital cost — this is going to save you money over time. This is a payback of 24 months and under — and this also means that you are independent from the utility. When the prices go up, you will not be affected by that. So that's the case they really wanna hear. They wanna hear that they're going to save money and that they can use their money on other things.
MR. PHILLIPS: Yeah, that's — I think that those are all very powerful arguments.
MR. NEEUWFAN: Yeah, and there's a third argument, like, you know, control over price
MS. BOADZO: Yeah.
MR. PHILLIPS: Right. So there's also availability but also stability.
MR. NEEUWFAN: Stability and then health care and all of these arguments.
MR. PHILLIPS: So this all sounds good sitting here in this hotel room in Washington, right, and we just heard Obama talk for a while about how change is possible and, you know, I wonder, though, when you get a good night's sleep and you wake up tomorrow and you continue your work a little bit more sober about what's gonna happen, you know, what is your realistic expectation for the next few years, in both South Africa, but in the region? And what are some of the areas, in particular, you're going to try to focus on, not necessarily now, but when we check in in five years? What's gonna be the thing that you think is really taking up a lot of your time?
MR. NEEUWFAN: Yeah. I've — Can I go ahead —
MR. PHILLIPS: Yes, please.
MR. NEEUWFAN: I think, I've worked for the National Power Utility for a while, and I think over the past month or so I decided to go for the next stretch kind of opportunity. So I've decided to start my own enterprise that works on energy services, actually. So the intent with that will be to focus on the customers who are moving to Adele's space, behind the meter, focus on the customer and give them a better interaction with the electricity supply, give them more control over the cost of their electricity supply, and also introduce them to energy efficiency and its impact on climate change — all of these nice things.
But also, I think there's an opportunity to export some of the skills that we have in South Africa. So through the YALI experience I've met some fellows in other countries, and there are great opportunities to collaborate, and where I can add a bit of my skill to their experience and their skill and their knowledge to my experience, and we can make both a better product that is different from what is being provided at the moment.
And also, like, maybe this is unpopular, but you know, young black people need to get into a space where they think about starting their own enterprises in these spaces. You need more entrepreneurs, more entrepreneur skill — more jobs.
And customers. I think. are also thirsty for alternatives. and we need to understand how willing they are to put their money on those alternatives and what do those alternatives look like, 'cause the customer of the future wants to interact with the product better. They want to know if they can supply to you while you also supply to them. So concepts like zero net energy come into play, and the region can benefit from the skills exchange and the ideas that we bring.
MR. PHILLIPS: It strikes me — and then I'd certainly, Adele, I wanna hear, you know, the same forecast from you, but it strikes me the parallel — this may be kind of a reach — between political power and the power we're talking about, which is that the old paradigm was centralized and sort of one-way, a small group of people had the power that they then affected everyone else with. And the future that you're describing is power supplies that are much more collaborative, flatter, egalitarian, and as a result people are more invested in one another rather than being the recipients of some central place.
MR. NEEUWFAN: Absolutely.
MR. PHILLIPS: When we apply that to the political world, I think that's the trend that has everyone so excited, certainly filled with maybe more questions than answers, but it seems like a pretty optimistic way to see things, is that more people are going to have more of a role in how power is distributed.
MR. NEEUWFAN: And benefit from it.
MR. PHILLIPS: That's right. And benefit from it.
So how about you?
MS. BOADZO: So when I think of the big issues that will keep me up when I get back is, for one, awareness on the power of renewable energy projects and solar projects, specifically. So as an entrepreneur I'm still gonna be focusing on rural electrification, but there's still a lot of work to be done in terms of getting out there, showing people how this works, that it works, and that it's really going to save them money and save the environment. So loads of work needs to done on that.
And, added to that, on the implementation side, is bringing down the cost of this equipment. So whether I look at the solar kits or I look at off-grid electrification in villages, somehow those costs need to go down. And what we've learned in the U.S. is that scale, scale, scale is what really brings the costs down. When you have a state like California who has a target of getting to 50 percent renewables by 2030, solar is a big part of that. So that means you have X amount of solar on the grid, which is definitely going to reduce your costs. So we need to get to that point on the continent. So those are the issues I'll be focusing on.
MR. NEEUWFAN: Yeah, and seeing also Africa as a market that will also increase that scale,
right, —
MS. BOADZO: Yeah.
MR. NEEUWFAN: — 'cause we sometimes when we speak about the scale of purchasing of renewable technology, like there's this focus on America, but America sometimes you see as a saturated market, but where is there most room to have impact, and I think Africa is —
MR. PHILLIPS: Absolutely.
MR. NEEUWFAN: — is the place.
MR. PHILLIPS: I mean, as someone who is very ignorant about some of the economics of this and some of the technical aspects that both of you know so much about, what I'm hearing is that there's this sort of counterintuitive situation we find ourselves in that is in the normal economic idea the greater the demand, the higher the price. But what you're saying is as demand and need is realized, that it'll actually drive down the price because it's a virtuous cycle. The more solar that's built out, the more investment goes into making those technologies cheaper and more available. So we're kind of at the beginning of something that might accelerate, which is really exciting.
So let me conclude here just by saying to everyone listening how they can keep up with you and connect with you. So why don't we hear from you first, Adele, on where are you on social or is there a website that people can find you at — how can they stay in touch?
MS. BOADZO: So I'm starting my organization called Hope Rises Solar. The website is still under construction, but it will be hoperisessolar.org, so you'll see that in a couple of weeks' time.
So my organization is focused on distributing solar lighting equipment and will do this by empowering female solar entrepreneurs. So I have this vision of seeing a whole bunch of women across the continent selling solar equipment, being strong business-wise and technical-wise. So that's where I am.
MR. PHILLIPS: That's great. Are you on Twitter or Facebook or anything like that?
MS. BOADZO: I'm on Facebook, just not as an organization, but as Adele Boadzo.
MR. PHILLIPS: OK, so people can look you up. How about you?
MR. NEEUWFAN: Yeah, people can also look me up. I'm on social media. I'm on Facebook as Tshego Neeuwfan. And I'm also on Twitter. I've become — I'm tweeting more recently I think through YALI – through the YALI experience I'm tweeting more, and through those platforms I guess I'll keep publicizing what I'm doing professionally.
The enterprise we're starting — the naming has not gone through yet — through the process. So I'll publish that on the social media.
MR. PHILLIPS: OK, so people can look you up individually to stay in touch, but —
MR. NEEUWFAN: Individually to stay in touch, yeah.
MR. PHILLIPS: Well, I just wanna thank both of you for sharing your time with us today and wish you the best of luck in the weeks and months and years ahead.
Hopefully, we'll see each other again sometime. I'd like to come back through, but until them, take care.
MS. BOADZO: Thank you.
MR. NEEUWFAN: Thank you very much.
MR. PHILLIPS: Thank you everyone for tuning into another YALI Voices podcast and a huge thanks to Adele and Tshego for taking time to talk with me.
Adele and Tshego are doing exciting work to bring clean, safe energy options to their fellow South Africans.
Each told me that making these strides and achieving success is made a lot easier by being connected with other young African leaders through the YALI Network.
Once again, if you'd like to reach out to Adele you can find her on Twitter at adele_hrs.
To reach Tshego, send him a tweet at tshego_vat_so. You can also visit his website at www.africagw.com
Be sure to come back for more inspiring stories from young African leaders on the YALI Voices podcast.
Join the YALI Network at YALI.state.gov and be part of something bigger.
Our theme music is E Go Happen by Grace Jerry and produced by her friends, the Presidential Precinct.
The YALI Voices podcast is brought to you by the U.S. Department of State and is part of the Young African Leaders Initiative, which is funded by the U.S. government.
Thanks everyone.


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This is the playlist for The Wagonload Of Monkeys, hosted by Graham Rice for WJFF, on 25 November 2018 - featuring the songs of Kris Drever and Boo Hewerdine.
Cold November Day - Katy Rose Bennett
From the album: Songs Of The River Rea (Katy Rose Bennett)
Classic album
The Snows They Melt the Soonest - Dick Gaughan
From the album: Handful Of Earth (Topic)
Lough Erne/First Kiss at Parting - Dick Gaughan
From the album: Handful Of Earth (Topic)
Indelible Ink - KTB
From the album: Indelible Ink (Katy Rose Bennett)
Kris Drever and Boo Hewerdine
If Wishes Were Horses - Kris Drever
From the album: If Wishes Were Horses (Reveal)
Last Cigarette - Boo Hewerdine
From the album: Baptist Hospital (Warner)
Harvest Gypsies - Kris Drever
From the album: Black Water (Reveal)
Last Man Standing - Kris Drever & Boo Hewerdine
From the EP: Last Man Standing (Reveal)
Patience Of Angels - Boo Hewerdine
From the album: Harmonograph (M Vine)
Recent releases
This House - Grace Petrie
From the album: Queer As Folk (Grace Petrie)
These Country Lanes - Kelley & Woolley
From the album: Miner's Eyes (Clunk & Rattle)
Theme music The Teatotaler/St. Anne's Reel by De Danann. From the album: The Star Spangled Molly (Erin)
Incidental music Picking Of Sticks/The Old Mole by The Albion Dance Band. From the album: The Prospect Before Us (BGO)


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VALLEY LEE, Md. – The Officers and Members of the Second District Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, Inc. sadly announce the passing of Active Member Jeremy C. Chism on Thursday, August 26, 2021.
Jeremy joined the department in 2007, and served in the Emergency Medical Services operations of the department for over 14 years. Jeremy was an Emergency Medical Technician – Basic, and later received training to become certified as an IV Technician. He also performed duties as a Crew Chief and Driver.
Jeremy fulfilled the duties of EMS Lieutenant and EMS Captain for several years, and served on several committees, most notably Physical Training, where he promoted and encouraged members to indulge in making efforts to support good health and fitness. He researched and organized the department's initiative to team up with World Gym to allow members special discounts and services in order to assist in keeping them physically healthy. He also continuously advocated and managed incentives for members, such as departmental T-shirts and other items.
Always friendly and congenial, Jeremy always met you with a handshake or hug along with a big smile. He was always available for his coworkers and friends. His presence will be sorely missed by all the members of the Department
Please keep Jeremy and his loving family in your prayers. More information will be forthcoming as it becomes available.


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From Snowball: "There is so much to appreciate in my life! I am here! I am cute! And I have a body that I just love running around with. I have my pal Clark and he is very smart and helpful to me. We live in a really interesting place. There is so much to explore here. And so much to give. Life is rich with beauty and wonder. I appreciate all of it. Most of all, I appreciate the opportunity to be alive."
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges lately, we are posting an animal message a day through the end of March. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life?


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MyRealtyWorks – a lead generation and tracking solution for the real estate industry has received a major upgrade with extended features and usability improvements and is now available for users in both the United States and Canada.
The latest improvements to this real estate solution give users the ability to more effectively communicate and share information with clients and colleagues. In addition, the marketing and design center foundations have available to users in our private beta platform.
Key Features & Benefits of this Release:


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All the Weird Holidays Himouto! Umaru-chan Can Mascot For
We might be exaggerating when we say "ALL" the weird holidays Umaru Doma, the star of Himouto! Umaru-chan, could mascot for. That lazy little cola-drinking secret otaku has so many quirks that she just fits into so many weird national and international holidays.
Opposite Day (January 25)
Like most weird holidays, no one really knows the origin of opposite day, which is good because no one understands the physics of how her transformation works either. Considering that little Umaru is the EXACT OPPOSITE of refined Umaru, we feel like she fits the bill for this day.
National Potato Chip Day (March 14)
No brainer. The girl is known for her love for potato chips. We wholeheartedly vote for her as the official mascot for this day. Who's with us?
National Siblings Day (April 10)
This one is for you, onii-chan! It must be tough being a big brother to the little creature you come home to, but if we've learned anything through the course of the series, we know she loves you. Sometimes.
National Have a Coke Day (May 8)
There might not be a certain caramel-colored branded soda in the Umaru-chan universe, but there is PLENTY of… (wait for it)… COLAAAAAAAAAAA. Yes, this is a real "weird" holiday that exists on the interwebs, and you are welcome to Gaggle it.
Geek Pride Day (May 25)
Even though she won't show it in public, we know in our hearts that UMR is a proud geek, just waiting to make her debut. This might be one of the best days of the year as far we're concerned for anime geeks, and we'd stand behind Umaru as mascot for it.
National Junk Food Day (July 21)
To be fair, that's like EVERY day for her. We've seen the insane spreads of the junk food connoisseur in action. You have to perfectly pair your snacks and eat them in the right order to get the most out of your experience, after all.
Video Games Day (September 12)
Count us in on a holiday to celebrate video games! Count in Umaru and Sylphyn too. Big Brother Taihei, not so much. He is, after all, the reason behind one of our favorite screenshots: "YOU DEAD".
All Weird Holidays are for Umaru!
We're positive we've missed a few, but that's where you come in! What wacky Umaru-themed holidays did we miss? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram, and make sure you @Sentaifilmworks so we can see it.


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Shonky Lab – Experiment 01 – The Twix Straw
Hello fellow Labsters, unfortunatly Pete had to work one day this week and Elton had a bit of a sniffle so the poor chaps were not able to record an episode for you dedicated listeners. Shocking right? Well, instead of a regular episode you get to listen to the first 'Experiment' episode. We…Read More
Podcast: Play in new window | Download


text: Summary: Kido Tatsuhiko moved to Tokyo to attend an art school and start his new life. In his new room, there's a small hole in the wall. At first he can see nothing through the small hole, but one night, through the peeping hole, he saw a girl. That's how his new life starts.


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I am told "papalote" is a Spanish word meaning "kite" or "hang glider." It also appears in the name of a party to a recent decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit concerning narrow arbitration clauses, Papalote Creek II, L.L.C. v. Lower Colo. River Auth., No. 17-50852, slip op. (5th Cir. Mar. 15, 2019) ("Papalote II"). The party was Papalote Creek II, L.L.C. ("Papalote"). It won the appeal.
What was the appeal about? Narrow arbitration clauses, and in particular whether a dispute about maximum, aggregate liability under a wind-energy purchase and sale contract was a dispute "with respect to performance" within the meaning of the parties' narrow arbitration clause.
The appeal was not the first, but the second, and the procedural history was tangled, both in terms of what transpired in the disputed arbitration and in the district court. The first appeal, Papalote I, resulted in a remand because at the time the district court compelled arbitration, the district court lacked subject matter jurisdiction. The issue on which the arbitration proponent sought arbitration was not ripe, even though it became ripe during the time Papalote I was pending. See Lower Colo. River Auth. v. Papalote Creek II, L.L.C., 858 F.3d 916 (5th Cir. 2017) ("Papalote I").
By the time Papalote I was decided, the arbitration panel had ruled against Papalote, the arbitration opponent. But Papalote I obligated the district court to vacate the arbitration award and to reconsider the issue of whether arbitration should be compelled under the narrow arbitration clause.
On remand the district court adhered to its previous decision that the dispute fell within the scope of the narrow arbitration clause, which resulted in another order to compel arbitration and the second appeal, Papalote II.
On the second appeal the Fifth Circuit reversed the district court's decision on arbitrability, ruling that the dispute was not about "performance," but about "interpretation." Going forward that means that the parties will either have to settle their dispute or litigate it in court, even though they've both no doubt already spent not only a good deal of time, but money, litigating about arbitration, and arbitrating a dispute they did not mutually consent to arbitrate. (Perhaps for Papalote that's not necessarily a bad outcome, but it's just speculation on our part.)
Bottom line: Irrespective of whether the parties considered the potential consequences associated with their narrow arbitration clause, at least one of them (and perhaps even both) may, at least to some extent, now feel like they're up that proverbial creek without a paddle—or even a papalote….
This post takes a closer look at Papalote II, focusing exclusively on the issue whether the dispute fell within or without the scope of the parties' narrow arbitration clause.
Narrow Arbitration Clauses: Papalote II Background
In Papalote II the Fifth Circuit held that a narrow arbitration clause that covered disputes about the "performance" of a contract did not cover a dispute concerning the meaning of an aggregate liability provision in a wind-energy contract. That dispute, said the Court, concerned the interpretation of the contract, not its performance, and therefore the arbitration opponent was not required to submit it to arbitration.Continue Reading »


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- iaindryden1
"Aachoo! Aachoo!" Heads turn, I'm the centre of attention in the corona conscious street. A third and fourth time I sneeze. At least I do so into the crook of my arm, there being no time to scrabble for a tissue, so nobody but me is sprayed but people veer from me. Not that there are many, it is remarkable, it's as if the plague has hit us. Maybe it has?
"Aachoo! Aachoo!" Suddenly stepping into bright sunshine has always made me sneeze. I'm triggering fear! It reminds me of a time when I walked through a war-zone and people dived to the ground whenever cars backfired. A fifth sneeze. I smile, explain it's the unexpected sunshine. School children skip past, some coughing, one sneezing, but my sneezes draw more attention than those virus-spreading little ones.
Talking of wars zones, a week ago at 7 in the evening an unprecedented call from my doctor telling me I'm more vulnerable than most my age so must be careful of the invisible threat. As I walk in the wondrous sunshine I wonder how to do this. We constantly touch things others have touched, we can only avoid this if we isolate and rely on supermarket deliveries which we then bathe in killer liquids. Ugh. Due to my doctor's call we stocked up a bit - a few bags of frozen fish, three of brown rice, nothing too mad.
I turn into a small square. He stands three paces from her, his voice loud, maybe it's the mask making him sound authoritarian. He looks ridiculous, face half covered, stiff arm instructing her. She lifts two heavy boxes of supermarket shopping over the garden gate he still refuses to open. Leaning over the metal bar she tries to put items into several bags he's laid before her, but it's impossible, she opens it. Barking in fear, he leaps back as if she is a sabre-toothed tiger. She wasn't coughing nor sneezing.
Earlier, whilst paying for those frozen fish in the supermarket which we rarely visit, an old woman shoved her almost empty shallow-trolley towards us at checkout. You could tell she couldn't carry, let alone afford a big shop. A fit middle aged man before her in the lineup jumped away in panic, assuming age meant death. Things spilled from his large over-stacked trolley, he bent, picking up dried goods, tins and of course, lots of loo rolls. He who will fight off coronavirus glanced fearfully at her who won't. From the corona frontline smiled warmly, showing she understood his irrationality as she shifted back a pace or two.
Anxiety driven confusion is in the air. In British hospitals visitors are stealing hand-wash from the ill. That is sick. The majority of you with strong bodies are OK - it's only a few of us who must face the truth that people like us are being taken daily by this new disease to which humans have no immunity. Heeding my doctors unprecedented call, once a week we will make strategic forays, buy goods at the cheery vegetable man's, from the lively ladies in the cheese shop, at the bright and beaming butcher's and in the no-waste cafe-cum-shop.
We will skip from the sneezers, coughers, splutters and avoid skipping kids, dampen our social behaviour. We'll try to keep the left hand for public use, save the right for private things like keys and credit cards stored in the right pocket. But I must remember, today it all went wonky! The virus lives 10 minutes on your skin so try not to touch your faces and wash your hands upon each return home. Exercising, ie straining the muscles, increases production of virus-fighting cells so I'm trying to build up my body as best I can. Yesterday though I overdid it and so today's got to be a recovery day.
Our attitude is vital because stress's chemical mix dampens our immune system, contorts our instinctual reactions. Take just one example, soldiers who panic when dropped into freezing water are more prone to die, the others survive. When upon death's doorstep, being one man lying amongst the dying, I avoided panic by finding positives, by facing life, diminished as it was, by accepting rather than fighting inevitable pain and discomfort, by watching myself cleared of stress. Yes, it is possible, I know through experience. My attitude may or may not have saved me whilst others slipped away, but it made it all more bearable.
Here's a link to the powerful anxiety buster which helped me cope. Regardless of whether you are vulnerable, bed-bound or not, the quality of your existence improves if you find time to reside in a calm, collected, mindset, one where appreciation is paramount.


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Hoody or no hoody? That is a question I'm often faced with in the morning. To find the answer I look out the window.
But not all of us live in a place where the climate is predictable. Here in the UK just looking at the sky funny seems to trigger a sudden and unexpected downpour!
Weather apps for Chrome allow us to plan ahead right from our desktop. And that's handy as knowing what the weather is going to do can often dictate where we can go, who we should see, and what we might do (and, of course, whether we should wear a hoody or not!).
Checking the weather forecast in Chrome is as easy as opening a meteorological website or, as is the purpose of this post, using one of the variety of apps, add-ons and alternatives available for free.
Weather Apps For Chrome
Weather is a simple Chrome app with a simple set of features. It shows the current conditions and temperature for a location plus anticipated highs and lows…and nothing else. Its settings are just as brief letting you choose between viewing temperature units in Fahrenheit or Celsius.
Support for more than one location is included, and the app helpfully auto-detects your location on first run.
It also uses the Chrome Storage API to sync places and settings across devices. Forecast information comes from World Weather Online which bills itself as being both reliable and accurate.
Weather Now follows the same minimal approach as the app above, but throws a teensy bit more information into the mix.
Combining colourful visuals in a fixed-width window, and using data from OpenWeatherMap, Weather Now can display the current temperature, weather conditions, humidity in mm and windspeed in mph of an entered location.
Certainly at-a-glance friendly. The next best thing to looking out your window, perhaps?
For a full barometer of atmospheric happenings on the way there's Weather Bug.
Being the official Chrome App of a renowned meteorological service (of the same name) Weather Bug puts a wealth of information at your fingertips. It can display both detailed 7 day forecasts and casual three day overviews, supports multiple locations, can show radar maps, and plays an animated relay of current conditions.
Its sizeable 49MB download, is far from being the most stylish of efforts, and can be confusing to navigate. But, on the sunny side, it more than makes up for it in the amount of features it offers. Weather Bug is the obvious choice for the forecast fiends amongst you.
Weather Extensions for Chrome
Chrome Apps might seem overkill if you spend most of your time in the browser. Plenty of less standalone solutions are available via extensions.
Stormcloud is our favourite in-browser weather extension for Chrome. It pegs a small button to the Chrome toolbar and badges it with the current temperature of a set location. At a glance temperature? Check.
Details of current conditions, humidity and temperature highs/lows, and a basic four-day forecast, can be viewed by clicking on the toolbar button.
Support for multiple locations (which can be paged through using the keyboard arrow keys) is included, there's a manual refresh button for immediate updating, and a small selection of pay-for features to please the customisation fans.
If you don't want to clutter up the toolbar you could instead repurpose the New Tab Page. One of the most popular weather-based NTP replacements is Currently.
Installing Currently replaces the standard page you see in a new tab. You no longer get a search box or a grid of visited sites. Instead, a plain background is overlaid with the time, date and a five day forecast. Slick animations and a small set of customisation options make it a particularly stylish affair.
Weather Web Apps for Chrome
Weather Underground is a traditional web-app (aka "glorified bookmark"). It requires an active internet connection to run and will open in a new tab by default. Chrome OS and Windows 8 users may prefer to run it windowed, as in the screenshot below.
While it is essentially just a website, it does load a custom page view to offer a different experience to that you'd encounter on the website proper.
The application will auto-detect your location and can remember settings between sessions but not between devices. It shows current and predicted conditions for a four days period overlaid on a HQ photographic background matching the forecast.
It also features a simple analog clock and support for multiple locations. Weather Underground is a free URL app available on the Chrome Web Store.
Weather Cards in Google Now
If you use Google Now on your Android or iOS device then there's also a way to see weather without doing anything special.
You don't need to install anything to see these: just ensure you have location features enabled on your smartphone or tablet, and Google Now configured. You'll start seeing a Weather Card in the notification centre on Chrome, Windows, Mac and Linux after a day or so.
Note that it uses the last detected location. If you leave your smartphone at home in Sweden then travel to France you'll still see forecasts for Sweden.
Got a fave of your own? Let us know about it in the comments below or via our tip form at the top of the page.


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Momcozy, Elvie, and Willow Wireless Breast Pumps
If you are on the hunt for a wireless breast pump, you should read this article. We'll discuss the pros and cons for Momcozy, Elvie and Willow. Find out about the size and price to help you decide which one is right for you. We also discuss the features that you should look out for in a wireless breastfeeding pump. The Elvie breast pump is more loud than others, while the Willow breast pump is quieter than others. We'll also discuss which brand to choose.
Elvie and Willow breast pumps are on the louder side
The Elvie and Willow momcozy breast pump have similar features. However, the Willow is louder. Unlike the Elvie, the Willow has a bag or cup that holds only four ounces, and the suction isn't as effective. The machine can also send error messages which can cause a pumping session to be ruined. These two options are great options for a reasonable price if you don't mind the loud sound.
The Elvie and Willow momcozy breast pumps don't have a trial program, and you cannot get a refund for them if you don't like them. There are some other disadvantages to the Elvie and Willow, such as a one-year warranty and no app to manage pumping times and output. Both pumps are noisy, but they aren't as loud as their competitors. Willow pumps' flanges can't lay flat.
Freemie Liberty wearable breast pump
If you're looking for a comfortable, lightweight, and versatile wearable breast pump that works well, the Freemie Liberty is an excellent choice. It has wearable cups that stay inside your bra while a separate pump rests outside. The pump is also very quiet and the tubing can be hidden underneath clothes, but you will feel it under your clothes. The Freemie Liberty can also be purchased on their website for $150.
The Freemie Liberty breast pump is rechargeable and lasts for up to 2 hours. You can use the pump anywhere, with its detachable belt clip or on a table. It can also be used with a traditional, insurance-covered breast pump. With over 100 possible setting combinations, this wearable breast pump is highly adaptable. In addition to its portability, the Freemie Liberty is quiet and easy to use.
Momcozy breast pumps can be quite costly. In addition to the high price, these pumps do not offer many advantages. Some pumps are too strong to be handled by the average person. They can also be cumbersome when placed on top. They are also difficult to insert into spill-proof cups. These pumps are powered by batteries located outside of the bra. To keep the pump clean, there are five parts: the pump itself, the collection cups, the silicone plug, and the battery hub. Each part should be thoroughly dried before reusing. Alternatively, they can be sterilized with boiling water or a microwave steam bag.
The Momcozy hands-free milk pump is great for expressing milk but it has its limitations. The device has a high price tag and can only be used four or five times in a row. The battery will only last for 80 minutes before running out. This can make it difficult to be discreet. If you prefer a quiet pumping session, the Momcozy produces a loud sound less than 50 decibels.
If you are a new mom, you can try one of the Momcozy breast pumps. These wearable pumps have 9 adjustable levels and two modes. They are low-noise and easy to use. They also feature a 24mm flange. Amazon was the seller. It worked great, but there were some issues. Here are some things to keep in mind. You should purchase a size that fits your bra and your bust line.
The maximum capacity of a breast pump's size is the most important thing. The average breast pump can hold 120 ml. The Momcozy breast pumps have a maximum capacity of 180 ml. This pump is ideal for those who produce more milk. You can get a 23% discount on the brand's Amazon store. The deal is valid until April 25 at midnight (PDT). Before lactation, you should massage your breasts.
Suction levels
Momcozy breast pumps will produce suction levels that are above their comfort level for most women. However, there are some concerns. The highest setting can produce 350 mmHg, but most moms who breastfeed will only require 150-200mmHg. This setting is sufficient for most moms. But some mothers will still find it uncomfortable to pump at higher levels, especially if they're pumping in public.
Personal-grade pumps have a suction level that is an indicator of the motor's strength and overall quality. Although it is important to determine the suction level for a breast pump, this is not a guarantee that it is the best. If possible, choose a pump that has a closed system. This way, you'll know for sure how strong it can get.