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Funeral Home in Oakville
A funeral ceremony and visitation is more than a ritual to bid farewell. It's a tribute to honour the distinctive character of one special life – an opportunity to celebrate the experiences, accomplishments, hobbies, heritage and history of a unique and irreplaceable personality.
A Chance to Heal
For many, a meaningful service is an important part of the healing process. It also helps console the immediate family, the people who often feel the loss most deeply.
Say More Than Just Goodbye
Classic or contemporary, elaborate or understated, the potential for personal expressions is almost endless. You may want to serve Grandma's favourite cookie, or showcase Dad's prized motorcycle collection. No matter how traditional or unique the request, our planning professionals creatively and resourcefully provide a one-of-a-kind remembrance.
Helping You Cope with Grief
AfterCare is an important free service offered by Glen Oaks Funeral Home & Cemetery to assist you with practical guidance, literature and emotional support anytime it's needed.
If you are responsible for finalizing the estate, you may be surprised by the number of details requiring your attention. Our AfterCare professionals can help you in your duties.
For Your Comfort and Convenience
Glen Oaks Funeral Home & Cemetery offers:
• Personalized services for all faiths and cultures
• Spacious and modern facilities
• Wheelchair accessible
• Hearing Assist for Chapel services
The Benefits of Planning Ahead
- Savings: Planning early offers cost savings of up to thousands of dollars.
- Reduce the burden on your family: Planning your final arrangements ahead of time reduces the responsibilities on your family at their time of distress.
- Peace of mind: Gain comfort in knowing your plans are ready.
When you plan ahead, your funeral service can be as elaborate or as elegantly simple as you wish. You'll want to work with a facility that can offer a wide range of options, from a traditional church ceremony to a memorial celebration. Find out more about choosing the service that's right for you in this informative video.
Take an interactive tour of our funeral home. You'll see our beautiful chapel, reception rooms, catering facilities and much more! Click anywhere inside the tour to get started.
Free Guide
Make informed decisions - request your free educational publication today.


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Salt Lake City
A selection of urban, architecture, street scenes and events from around Salt Lake City, Utah. Please contact me if you would like access to view a larger collection of images from around this beautiful city for prints, wall art, or digital content. Also, please check out the other Salt Lake City Gallery for sunset and cityscape views. All images are high resolution and can be printed in a variety sizes, including large format for wall art.Read More

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Kenya Bell was the only woman on the current season of Basketball Wives who was still married to a basketball player. It she appears on another season, that will no longer be the case.
Her husband Charlie Bell is filing for divorce.
Former NBA'er Charlie Bell filed the papers in Michigan Court — claiming there was a breakdown in the marriage.
Kenya — presumably separated from Charlie at the time — was famously arrested in May 2011, after allegedly breaking into the couple's home and attacking Charlie with a box cutter in front of their children.
Kenya was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and domestic violence — but struck a plea deal in which she avoided jail time … pleading guilty to misdemeanor domestic violence.
Both Kenya and Charlie have had run ins with the law.
The box cutter incident is what most people know about (Kenya Bell Arrested, Assaults Husband NBA Player Charlie Bell With Box Cutters). While TMZ says Kenya pleaded to a misdemeanor charge there are other reports the charges were drop. Either way she didn't spend any time in jail.
Charlie has had some incidents with alcohol including a DUI and then showing up to court drunk (Warriors Charlie Bell Showed Up To DUI Hearing Drunk).
You can't be pretty bright to show up drunk to a DUI hearing. Bell is currently playing overseas and not in the NBA.
The couple have been married for over a decade and have young children, so in the end you hope they can find a happy middle ground at least for the children.
We wish them both well.


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The title says it all…whether you like your romances small-town sweet, hot and steamy, or with a bit of danger, we have what you're looking for. Inside ALL ROMANCE, ALL THE TIME, you'll get a taste of 13 stories by some of our most popular and bestselling authors, at least one of whom is guaranteed to become your new romance go-to. So no matter if your toes curl for Regency rogues, wounded warriors, chiseled cowboys or the classic guy-next-door, prepare to lose yourself between the covers.
Featuring titles from The Closer you Come by Gena Showalter, The Devil Takes a Bride by Julia London, Unfaded Glory by Sara Arden, Flirting with Disaster by Victoria Dahl, Wild Horses by B.J. Daniels, First Time in Forever by Sarah Morgan, One Wish by Robyn Carr, Holding Strong by Lori Foster, Part Time Cowboy by Maisey Yates, In Your Dreams by Kristan Higgins, When We Met by Susan Mallery, Wild Iris Ridge by RaeAnne Thayne, and The Tea Shop on Lavender Lane by Sheila Roberts.


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Eggless Stone fruit Tea Cake1:02 PM
Read More...
Sending this to
Let's Cook; break time snacks at Tickling palates.
Pari's 'Only' baked hosted at Tamalapaku this month.
Meeta's Monthly Mingle: Stonefruit, hosted this month at Sips and spoonfuls.
48 comments
wow this looks awesome!!!!ReplyDelete
Food Blog News Daily
Event-Healthy Snacks
hahahaha. i laugh at the incident now but i am sure it must have been the scariest incident in ur life. ur little one is really cute.. :-) love this cake. looks so tasty.. perfect for tea time snacking..ReplyDelete
oh my! This looks gorgeous!ReplyDelete
Thanx for visiting my blog ,dear..you too have a yummy space..cake looks delicious..will visit frequently, hoping to see you in my blog too!!ReplyDelete
I loved reading about your cute kid and to tell you the truth I am very clear about my coming future scary days with my son...;)..Cake looks delicious..ReplyDelete
your writing is beautiful with so much depth. My brother has once locked himself in the bathroom the same way because he got mad at my mom .. he was 4 yrs old !ReplyDelete
This cake looks lovely and stone fruit are all over these days.
Wow wonderful cake looks so tompting and inviting too.ReplyDelete
Thats on cake packed with awesome flavors... Perfectly done...ReplyDelete
You baby boy is a sure charmer!ReplyDelete
This fruit cake reminds me of Christmas in Kolkata.Sayantani you are making me home sick!!
Fruit cake +Flurys +dec in Kolkata=too much to handle for me.pls parcel this cake to me now!!:)
Tea cake looks awesome.. I can relate to the scary incidents so well.. reminds me of fun time I had with my girl... Good that both of U are safe.. Wonderful writeup Dear, very nice read..ReplyDelete
lovely tempting and attractive cake allow me to just grab it will U?ReplyDelete
Hey Sayantani..this is a gorgeous cake. Fruity cakes are all time favorites and i would have tempted to add some rum to this one :)ReplyDelete
We love all stone fruits and here in delhi we get all of them plenty...but i seldom bake a cake with them all together. With peaches i made a bread and that was great.
You kido is sweet , i remember my sis had locked herself once...must have been a hilarious thing to talk about for you all.
I can understand why you would like to bake this cake again and again, I feel like grabbing a bite myself.ReplyDelete
Well your boy is indeed a crowd puller but the day you got locked in must have been scary, may we have more stories about the mishti little fellow.
Looks so gud....with those cheery is just wonderfulReplyDelete
Cake looks superb n loaded with yummy fruits...looks perfect n nice clicks..ReplyDelete
Looks soo beautiful:-) I wud love to hav a slice:-)ReplyDelete
Moist and delicious cake,looks so tasty..perfect with a cup of teaReplyDelete
thanks dear,for your feedback,so glad that you like it..
Your cake looks extraordinarily gorgeous. Lovely clicks, very tempting. Love reading about your naughty little one's :)ReplyDelete
Lovely looking cake. I am sure it will taste great too..very tempting :)Love your photos too.ReplyDelete
Enjoyed reading about your son :) This cake looks amazing. Loved the clicks too..ReplyDelete
Yum cake - even more yummier photos :)ReplyDelete
the cake looks awesome, absolutely delicious n yummy..sure a feast to the eye :)..u have a wonderful blog, thanx for the visit to my space..glad to follow u :)ReplyDelete
Ongoing Event at Good Food:
COOK IT HEALTHY:PROTEINicious
The cake looks fantastic ~ I would love to have some with a hot cup of coffee :)ReplyDelete
US Masala
Hi Sayantani,ReplyDelete
This cake looks real tempt!! I have never dared using flaxseeds..but now that you have tried, I shall do it. Did you have any flaxseeds bits in your cake? Just wondering if it would work with regular sponges.
Locked in bathroom for an hour..Gosh!!!
Give a nice big hug to your dushtu shona...that is what I call my son too:)
Ohh my Sayantani, this looks really awesome! Cherries are in season here and I am always looking for more recipes with it! :)ReplyDelete
This looks so delicious and beautifully baked....v healthy and lovely recipe:)ReplyDelete
@Amritha, thats was real scary.ReplyDelete
@Jaya,julie thanks
@Reshmi, yes better you be prepared dear. they grow up in no time.
@Kankana, thanks. you made my day
@Vimitha, Sr, Reva, :-)
@KQ, :-)ReplyDelete
Sangeeta, peach bread, plz share the recipe.
@Shilipidi, truly that was an wonderful cake.
@PRiti, Prathibha, thanks girls
Ramya, suja, ambreen, sanchita, yummy, glad that you like it
@cooking foodie, shobha, aipi, thanks for your generous comments girls
@PRiti, I actually coarsely ground the seeds myself so it was not very fine. i have seen very fine flax seeds powders in the market, if you use that you wont feel any bits. but in my case I liked the nutty flavour especially when mingled with the almond meal.
but am really not sure about using flax seeds in sponges. the texture definitely should change. lets check the net to see if anyone has done that before.
Looks absolutely yummy! loved ur presentation and clicks!ReplyDelete
IT is funny reading the incident and it must have been very scary! The though itself is petrifying..ReplyDelete
The cake looks delicious and lovely clicks!
- AnonymousJuly 12, 2011 at 10:15 AM
Woww..thats one yummy looking cake.. :D Perfect with a cup of tea.. I love your pictures too :)ReplyDelete
yumm ! looks delicious :)ReplyDelete
Tea cake looks soft, spongy, yummy and tempting. Very beautiful decoration and presentation.ReplyDelete
stunning to see the pics and the writeup...nice treat...ReplyDelete
First, your little one is really sooo cute (love the pic with the laptop) even if being locked must have been so scary!ReplyDelete
Your cake looks awesome and I, too, have just discovered flaxseeds or chia seeds as eggs replacer! A great find, loaded with omega 3!!
I think cakes gets soggy around the fruity bits because of the juice of the fruits bringing lots of moisture, so I think it is a normal thing!
That cake looks absolutely amazing and wow what great stories about your sonny boy, locking in the bathroom doesn't sound too good, I can only imagine what you were going through. Once my nephew had locked himself in the bathroom and we didn't have a key from outside and he started crying and it was a hell for next couple of minutes.ReplyDelete
the cake looks delicious..ReplyDelete
Kids certainly give you some of the best and scariest moments of your life, trust me girls are not better than boys here:-)ReplyDelete
The cake looks awesome, am not much of an eggless bakes person too. I got to bake something with stone fruit before the season ends. And beautiful pics!
Cake looks very scrumptious, Sayantini. The last click is tempting.ReplyDelete
sayantani how r u doing....I went thru 5 minutes of that scary situation last year when my 20 month old locked herself...felt like it was couple of hrs.....cake looks absolutely delicious & beautiful too....my hands r itching to bake something like that, can't wait to get back to my kitchen......reg. book giveaway at my space I'm gonna need North America address for shipping...ReplyDelete
Your blog is welcoming me with cake. :-). Nice writeup too. Cake looks very yummy. BTW I like your profile pic!ReplyDelete
Hi Sayantani,ReplyDelete
You know something like this happened with me also two years back. While watering my plants my son locked the door from inside, after much pleading he tried to open the door but with little success. Then help came after 20 minutes later.
I'm yet to try peaches in baking goods. But this looks gorgeous !!
Khoob shundor hoyeche.
Pabda mach amader barir khoob kavche 'HAL' market e pawa jaye. Khoob hi fresh.
Hamaree Rasoi
First of all I simply loved your styling and the colors, brilliant! The fruit cake too looks delicious, especially with the cherry garnish.ReplyDelete
Wow!, I couldn't help notice that your teapot, matches the table cloth which you put in picture for the Jack fruit seed chops.ReplyDelete
I love the table cloth and the beautiful teapot.
thanks for sending it to the event.ReplyDelete
I love reading about other people's children. This start looks gorgeous- love your blue plate! Thanks so much for entering monthly mingle this month!ReplyDelete
Awesome recipe dear....yummyReplyDelete
chk out my spcae for this months Event on Berries...hope to see soem of your recipes....and a chance to guest host too!
That looks great:-) Wonder full combination of fruits n nuts..I love adding flax meal to cakes as wellReplyDelete


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Pangasinan CTR ring - sterling silver - 3 styles
Your search for a mission language CTR ring is over! Pangasinan CTR rings will fit comfortably on either sister missionary or elder missionary hands. These custom made rings are sterling silver, which means they'll last through a mission and beyond. Our foreign language rings are available in three different styles that will please every wearer.
Sterling silver is the standard for beautiful high-quality silver jewelry. It's over 90% pure silver, mixed with alloys to add strength and durability. Sterling silver won't wear down, and it will stay beautiful for years to come.
CTR ring features
- 10.7mm, 3.5mm band - large
- 10.3mmm, 2.4 mm band - regular
- 8mm, 2mm band - mini
- standard fit band
Custom ring information
This mission ring will be custom crafted for you by our jewelry artisan. We will create it faster if possible, but kindly allow 8-10 weeks for production and delivery.
About the maker
Ringmasters was founded in 1987 for the purpose of selling 'mission rings' to LDS missionaries. When you buy a ring from Ringmasters, you are getting the Original Mission Ring.


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Despite the pro-sex movement within feminism, the "damaged goods" theory that second wavers postulated about adult film actresses—that they are drug-addicted victims of childhood molestation who have grown up to have psychological problems—is almost universally accepted as fact. But a new study finds that the reverse is true: "In terms of psychological characteristics, porn actresses had higher levels of self-esteem, positive feelings, social support, sexual satisfaction, and spirituality compared to [other women]."
Throughout their careers, Andrea Dworkin and Catherine MacKinnon have been adamantly anti-pornography, which is fine as a personal opinion, but they've stated that it's a "feminist view" that all pornography is rape and institutionalized gender inequality. They've asserted—in their various works like Only Words and Pornography: Men Possessing Women—that all women in pornography were sexually abused as children and that pornography damages all women involved in it. They were incredibly extreme claims, particularly because they didn't have any empirical data to support the assertions.
However, a new study published in the Journal of Sex Research finds porn actresses do not have a higher incidence of childhood sexual abuse and are "not less psychologically healthy" compared to the general public. The study—-which was conducted by researchers at Pennsylvania's Shippensburg State University, Texas Women's University, and Sharon Mitchell, former director of the now-defunct Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation—is the most comprehensive one done on women in the adult entertainment industry to date.
Researchers had 117 female performers answer a series of questions that were then graded against established scales. For example, self-esteem was measured by the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, while "quality of life" was "assessed by the 10 dimensions of quality of life as developed by the World Health Organization."
Perhaps most interesting, the adult film actresses reportedly had higher self-esteem compared to a matched group of women surveyed in a university setting and at the airport. The authors of the study suggested that adult performers' comfort with their naked bodies might contribute to this:
Some evidence of high self-esteem ratings that may be related to the current findings were reported by Herold, Corbesi, and Collins (1994) who found that women who were topless at a beach had higher self-esteem than women who were not topless. Topless women reported a sense of personal freedom, whereas women who were not topless reported embarrassment. Porn actresses are typically nude in their scenes and appear in front of camera crews and audiences who later watch the movies in which they appear. It is likely that low levels of embarrassment are experienced among porn actresses, and being able to be completely naked in front of others might be associated with an elevated self-esteem.
Ultimately, the study found that adult film actresses are happy and healthy, not just by their own standards, but by completely objective measures. So perhaps the second wavers' perceptions of women in adult films, which have been used to condemn the entire industry of pornography, can finally be seen for what they really are: inaccurate and unfair stereotypes embellished to justify their own political views.
Pornography Actresses: An Assessment of the Damaged Goods Hypothesis [T and F via AVN]


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The stone fish is the most poisonous fish in the sea and one of the most dangerous in the world. It can easily kill you if you step on it, injecting its venom deep inside your foot. If not treated promptly, the poison will kill you. This video by SmarterEveryDay shows how this simple killing machine works.
If you go to Australia, watch out for these bastards. They would be underwater, hiding under the sand or camouflaged over rocks, but also outside water, where they can survive for 24 hours. Apparently, stonefish antivenom is the second second-most administered in Australia.
Meet Microsoft's New Surface Laptops


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Jun 16, 2012, 10:58 AM
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Oh man, those boys on that basketball team are done. Jaime Nared is a 12-year-old, 6-foot, 1-inch basketball player from outside Portland, OR. She's just finished sixth grade and she's now playing with a girls high school traveling team because she's too good to play with girls her own age. Perhaps the next Candace Parker. Or better. But being a prodigy has its costs, namely, where should Nared be playing? The last time she played against girls her own age, her team won 90-7. Her coach described the game as "like having Shaq on the floor." Oregon State has already offered her a scholarship. From the New York Times' Play Magazine:
After the league cut Jaime from the boys' team, Williams called the Portland media. A local TV station aired Jaime's story, and a couple of weeks later she and her family were featured on "Good Morning America" and "CNN Headline News." Through the summer, Jaime received an outpouring of support - text messages from her former male teammates and notes from total strangers, including a 55-year-old woman who said she'd hoped to play basketball in the Olympics, but by the time women's basketball became an Olympic event, it was too late. To date, however, the Hoop has not reversed its decision, and Williams is considering a civil claim. (Hoop management did not return phone calls for this article.) "Sports brings out the best and worst in us," Williams says. "For me, it begs the question of how we do sports at the beginning. Particularly before puberty, why do we separate boys only, girls only? We say boys are stronger, faster, but that's a generalization."
Read on for a pretty fascinating article about how the world is reacting to a women's basketball prodigy. Scary, isn't she? [Play Magazine]


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It's not just adorable! Grooming is actually an incredibly important part of keeping this baby sea otter healthy. Joanne Manaster visited the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and came back with a whole post for the PsiVid blog about the science of cute baby animals.
When an otter is raised by humans, there are many skills they need to learn, including how to feed themselves, groom themselves, and to sleep in the water. Unfortunately, once they are habituated to humans, they will not gain the skills needed to hunt, so cannot be released into the wild. On the other hand, the otter raised by the surrogate will gain all necessary skills and may be released to the wild in the future.
That's why Toola—the world's most influential otter—was so important. Those habits, including grooming, are a big deal in the wild.
From Shedd's website: "Keeping the pup's thick fur clean, dry and fluffed is essential to her survival. Sea otters are the only marine mammals that aren't wrapped in an insulating blanket of blubber. Instead, they have about 1 million hairs per square inch of skin, divided into an outer layer of thick guard hairs and an inner layer of dense, wooly underfur honeycombed with millions of tiny air pockets. The layers work together to keep water out and body heat in. If the fur becomes matted or fouled with pollutants such as oil, cold sea water penetrates to the otter's skin and the animal can quickly succumb to hypothermia. Otters shed their fur gradually and throughout the year so that they are never without this vital protection."
Read more about baby sea otters—and baby sloths!—at the PsiVid blog.


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Power Zooming. Easy Shooting
It's time to give yourself the power to zoom - really zoom - quickly and easily. The advanced yet simple-to-use PowerShot SX400 IS gets you up close from virtually anywhere with a 30x Optical Zoom and 24mm Wide-Angle lens with Optical Image Stabilizer for beautiful clarity. Give your images and video what they've been missing: zoom in on your child's face in a crowd, capture action from up in the stands, or a pet's most playful moments. In addition to this impressive versatility, PowerShot SX400 IS offers incredible Canon image quality, with a 16.0 Megapixel* sensor and the Canon DIGIC 4+ Image Processor for richly detailed, brilliant images and true-to-life 720p HD video. The camera makes it easy to get your best shot every time, with Intelligent IS for shake-free images, High Speed AF for effortless shooting, and Smart AUTO that automatically chooses the proper camera settings for the shooting situation. Smart, easy, incredibly versatile: PowerShot SX400 IS gives you it all. Source / More infornation: Canon USA
Canon PowerShot SX400 IS Specifications
- 30x Optical Zoom (24-720mm) and 24mm Wide-Angle lens
- Optical Image Stabilizer
- 16.0 Megapixel sensor
- Canon DIGIC 4 Image Processor
- 720p HD video
- Intelligent IS
- High Speed AF
- Smart AUTO


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The outside dimensions of the whole thing are only 6 feet wide by 4 feet 3 inches deep. Any ceiling height would be fine. I am only 5'8" which helps, the 4'3" depth would have to be increased a little to allow for a taller player. When I eventually move I'll rebuild it as a free standing unit. This build every inch counted to get it into a corner that wasn't quite big enough so I used two of the house walls. Still, I only put about 12 screw holes in the wall, nothing attached to the floor, and nothing attached to the ceiling.
The video is a little rough, but set it to the HD resolution on youtube anyway so you can see as much detail as possible.
For those who don't want to watch a video, best pic I could manage:
My newly constructed SimPit (simulator cockpit) primarily intended for the upcoming release of MechWarrior Online.
Some things I failed to mention in the video:
The flat area between the keyboard and monitor is there primarily to provide a good place to mount my Logitech MOMO racing wheel for racing games (also swap in the pedals). It also provides a good place to place drinks and snacks.
The mouse and G13 gamepad can easily be moved to behind the joystick and throttle for normal use. The video shows things where they will be when playing MWO.
My triple 28" monitors are set up with AMD Eyefinity, where I can span games across all three monitors when I want, giving me a wider field of view. This is particularly enjoyable when playing racing games.
There is an adjustable crossover mounted on the wall near my left foot that allows me to adjust the butt-kicker on the chair.
I mention the SteelSeries WoW Legendary mouse but not the reason I'm using it. It's an 11 button mouse where I find nearly all the buttons convenient and easy to use. The WoW mouse series are the ONLY ones I've seen with the buttons that are between the primary right and left click and the scroll wheel. I find these to be one of the best locations there is for extra mouse buttons and only these mice have them. Those two buttons are about 90% of the reason I bought this mouse. For those who have had one of the other WoW mice, the "legendary" seems to be of much better quality. It is considerably smaller than the others and at first I felt it was too small, but I quickly adapted.
The speaker setup mentioned (and the control shown) is a Logitech X540. The HOTAS and rudder pedal setup is a G940 flight control system. The Keyboard is a G19, and the gamepad (nostromo type thing) is a G13.
Lastly, I mentioned that I just replaced a Razer keyboard and Nostromo. The biggest problem with these was that the coating quickly wore off the keys which looked really horrible since they are backlit. I really liked them when new, but the fact that Razer considers this "normal wear and tear" bothers me. I've never before had a keyboard do that, and it is not acceptable to me.
Edited by Turbo Corvair, 24 April 2012 - 06:01 PM.


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This original silk painting is hand painted by our main artist Svetlana Rasskazova.
Mixed Batik.
We ship in 24 hours.
We are fans of Gustav Klimt and this silk painting is inspired by Gustav Klimt- The Kiss.
- 100% Pure Silk Satin
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- Air Mail delivery time to your home usually ranges from 4-10 days for USA and Canada
For questions about shipping and framing, please contact us.


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The online world is actually inundated with adult sex guides. Just try searching for them on your favorite search engine and you are going to see such a lot of them waiting for you. They are all priced differently according to what they are supposed to contain and they contain different things as well. But, the point is, do you really need an adult sex guide?
The question you have to ask yourself is why you are looking for such a book to help you. Definitely the answer is that you are looking at improving your sexual performance. You are looking at giving your woman greater pleasure in bed. And you are hoping that the tantalizing sex guide you are looking forward to download will help you with it.
But, the fact is, no sex guide can help you if you don't help yourself. These are some points you have to consider beforehand.
1. Good sex doesn't come without a good equation with your partner. Yes, there are books that will train you in the pure art of carnal sex, but if you are in a long term committed relationship, then such a book won't help you. Probably you will need a book that will tell you how to construct a better relationship with your partner than just some meaningless sex.
2. If you indulge in a great deal of foreplay, you can arouse your woman immensely. This is something that can really help you in what lies ahead. Maybe you won't need the adult sex guide to spice up your act after that.
3. Another thing you have to consider is that you will need to actually implement the things that are mentioned in the guide if you want it to be effective for you. You cannot just read the book and then not implement it. Then it would be a futile exercise. In all probability the book is going to tell you about how you can have some more daring sexual experiences to make things more exciting-you have to be able to use that.
These are some of the things that you have to consider before downloading any adult sex guide. Will you be able to do it? That's the question you have to answer.


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This week, Stella at "Stellaluna" (Costa Rica) are happy to announce that they are hosting Weekend Cat Blogging #160...
To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in their blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact them via e-mail without forgetting to give all the needed information.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Posted by Rosa's Yummy Yums
at 10:25 AM Labels: Cats, Kitties, Photography, Weekend Cat Blogging
7 comments:
- Anonymous11:57 AM, June 28, 2008
le we a bien commencé pour mimiReplyDelete
c'est le repos après une dure semaine
I remember having a book as a child and its main character was Fridolin :). We also had 38 degrees a few days ago... makes me wish for winter!ReplyDelete
Its very warm where we are too. 85 degrees. The cats are so hot and tired when its this warm. We try to keep the AC on for them, they hate the humid heat.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous2:44 AM, June 29, 2008
Just two things
1. My name is Stellaluna (with no spaces)
2. I don't live in USA, I live in Costa Rica
Thanks for participating in WCB :)
- Anonymous11:22 AM, June 29, 2008
ohhh il est tellement mignon...ReplyDelete
It looks hot there. I hope you find a nice cool place to relax!ReplyDelete
My kitties are lazing about in the heat too. I leave the air conditioner on all the time when the temperature reaches 90 degrees F.ReplyDelete
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This Weekend, Some New Shows (And Old Favorites)
The New Year brings with it new TV programming, and this Sunday is an especially busy one for television. Two new series premiere, while one miniseries and several other series return.
But because it's a new year, let's start with the new shows.
First up is NBC's The Firm, a spinoff continuation of the John Grisham book – the one that, in the 1993 movie adaptation, starred Tom Cruise as a lawyer on the run from sinister forces within his own corrupt law firm. This new version, starring Josh Lucas in the role of Mitch McDeere, starts out hitting the same notes — literally. The soundtrack aims, at least at first, to evoke Dave Grusin's dramatic piano music from the original. And this new Mitch, like the old one, is first seen running for his life in broad daylight, this time on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
After this high-energy opening, NBC's The Firmflashes back to six weeks earlier — borrowing a trick from Damages,where the plot will slowly but surely work its way back to the present. But first, it regresses again, a full decade, to explain how Mitch came out of hiding, and started his own law practice, assisted by saucy Tammy and brother Roy. In the movie, that trio was played by Cruise, Holly Hunter and David Strathairn. Now they're played by Lucas, Juliette Lewis and Callum Keith Rennie.
Only Molly Parker from Deadwood,playing Mitch's wife, is a step up from the original movie, where Abby was played by Jeanne Tripplehorn. Otherwise, however you compare this TV version to the movie or the book — even with Grisham's blessing and involvement — it comes up wanting. And, at times, even boring.
That's not the case with Showtime's House of Lies, another new series that launches Sunday. This one stars Don Cheadle as Marty Kahn, a high-priced management consultant who leads a team of fast talkers and faster thinkers, including one played by Kristen Bell. Cheadle first impressed me playing the district attorney on Picket Fences, where every time he stood and spoke, you couldn't help but lean in and take notice.
It's the same way here, except the effect is technologically enhanced: Every so often, the action around Marty will stop — literally stop, like in a still photo — so he can step forward, look into the camera and address the audience directly to explain a particular term or tactic. It's a gimmick, sure. But it works here, and with an impressive injection of high-octane energy.
House of Lies,based on a nonfiction book, is adapted and produced by Matthew Carnahan, whose last TV series, the Courteney Cox comedy-drama Dirt,was nowhere near this sharp. House of Lies,to its credit, is a lot more complex than it might have been. Marty wins battles each week as he goes into the field to consult, but he's still losing the war at his own firm. His boss Skip, played by Richard Schiff from The West Wing,is supporting a merger with a giant company, even though someone at that company has it in for Marty.
House of Lies,definitely, is a show to add to your weekly viewing list. Other shows on TV this Sunday may be on that list already. Showtime presents the season premieres of the David Duchovny series Californication —which jumps ahead two years in its narrative — and the William H. Macy series Shameless,which picks up right where it left off last season.
Californicationis reinvigorated by the time jump; as for Shameless,while its writing isn't that outstanding, the acting certainly is. And on BBC America, there's a 20th-anniversary reunion special of Absolutely Fabulous.If you loved AbFab before, as I did, chances are good you'll love it again.
And that's true, as well, of Season 2 of Downton Abbey,the hit costume drama presented by Masterpiece Classicon PBS. It won an Emmy for Outstanding Miniseries last year, and became such a surprise hit that writer-creator Julian Fellowes instantly was asked for more. Frankly, I don't know why its popularity should be considered surprising at all. Downton Abbeyis Upstairs, Downstairsfor a new generation, and has the exact same appeal. It's like watching the 1 percent living under the same roof as the 99 percent — only with completely different accommodations.
Season two jumps forward two years in its story line, just as Californicationdoes. This puts us to 1916 and the Great War — and before episode one is over, we're in the trenches as well as in the kitchen.
Some of the subplots this season are more predictable, and thus a bit less delectable. But the actors, led by Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith and Jim Carter, still enhance every scene in which they appear. As with last season, I still enjoy spending time at Downton Abbey,whether it's upstairs or down.
Copyright 2020 Fresh Air. To see more, visit Fresh Air.


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Everyone 6 months of age and older should get the flu vaccine. Seasonal flu vaccines have a very good safety track record and is available by shot or nasal spray.
Where can I get the vaccine?
Use the Flu Vaccine Finder to find a flu vaccine location near you this flu season. The 2014-2015 vaccine is now available.
How effective is the flu vaccine?
The flu vaccine is the best protection against the flu this season. If you get the flu vaccine, you are 60% less likely to need treatment for the flu by a healthcare provider. Getting the vaccine has been shown to offer substantial other benefits including reducing illness, antibiotic use, time lost from work, hospitalizations, and deaths.
When should I get the vaccine?
Get the vaccine as soon as it is available in your area. Flu season usually peaks in January or February, but it can occur as late as May. Early immunization is the most effective, but it is not too late to get the vaccine in December, January, or beyond.
How should I get the vaccine?
There are two different types of flu vaccines, trivalent and quadrivalent.
Trivalent vaccines protect against 3 strains of the flu, A/H3N2, A/H1N1, and influenza B. Trivalent vaccines are available in:
- Traditional flu shots, approved for anyone 6 months and older
- Intradermal shots, which use a shorter needle, approved for anyone 18-64
- High dose shots approved for people over 65
- Cell based shots created using viruses grown in animal cells and approved for anyone over 18
- Recombinant shots created using DNA technology, approved for people 18-49 with severe egg allergies
Quadivalent vaccines protect against 4 strains of the flu, A/H3N2, A/H1N1, and 2 strains of influenza B. Quadrivalent vaccines are available in:
- Traditional flu shots, approved for anyone 6 months and older
- Nasal spray, approved for healthy people from 2-49, except pregnant women
How long is my flu vaccination good for?
The flu vaccine will protect you for one flu season.
Does the flu vaccine work right away?
It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against influenza virus infection. In the meantime, you are still at risk for getting the flu. That's why it's better to get vaccinated early in the fall, before the flu season really gets under way.
Is the vaccine safe?
Seasonal flu vaccines have a very good safety track record. Although there are possible side-effects to vaccination, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration closely monitor the safety of seasonal flu vaccines.
Should I get the flu vaccine if I'm not feeling well?
If you are sick with a fever, you should wait until your fever is gone before getting a flu shot. However, you can get a flu shot if you have a respiratory illness without a fever, or if you have another mild illness.
The nasal-spray flu vaccine can be given to people with minor illnesses, such as:
- diarrhea
- a mild upper respiratory tract infection, with or without a fever.
If you have nasal congestion, you should consider waiting to get the nasal-spray flu vaccine. Nasal congestion may limit the vaccine's ability to reach the nasal lining.
Are there side effects?
Mild side effects usually begin soon after you get the vaccine and last one to two days. Possible mild side effects of the flu shot include:
- Soreness, redness, and swelling at the injection site
- Fainting, mainly in adolescents
- Headaches
- Fever
- Nausea
- Possible mild side effects of the nasal spray include:
- Runny nose
- Wheezing
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Muscle aches
- Fever
Serious side effects usually begin within a few minutes to a few hours after receiving the shot. Possible serious side effects of vaccination include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Hoarseness
- Swelling around the eyes or lips
- Hives
- Paleness
- Weakness
- Racing heart
- Dizziness
- Behavior changes
- High fever
If you experience any of these reactions, seek medical attention immediately.
How can I report a serious reaction to the vaccine?
Contact your health care provider immediately if you have a serious reaction to the flu vaccine. Your health care provider should report your reaction to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). You can also file a report yourself. All serious reactions should be reported, even if you aren't sure it was caused by the flu vaccine. VAERS uses this data to help identify serious reactions that may need further investigation.
If your reaction results in a serious injury, you may qualify for compensation from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). VICP provides compensation for vaccine-related injury or death claims for covered vaccines given on or after October 1, 1988.
Can I get the flu from the vaccine?
No, you cannot get the flu from the flu shot or the nasal spray. The flu shot contains inactivated (killed) flu viruses that cannot cause illness. The nasal spray contains weakened live viruses. The weakened viruses only cause infection in the cooler temperatures found in the nose. The viruses cannot infect the lungs or other areas in the body where warmer temperatures exist.
Will I need to pay for the vaccine?
Most health insurance plans cover the cost of vaccines, but you should check with your insurance company before visiting your health care provider. Under the Affordable Care Act, many insurers are required to cover certain preventive services, like the flu vaccine, at no cost to you.
If you do not have insurance or if it does not cover vaccines, help is available.
Is there anyone who should not get the vaccine?
Talk to your health care provider about vaccination if you have:
- A severe allergy to chicken eggs
- A history of severe reaction to a flu vaccination
- A moderate-to-severe illness with a fever (you should wait until you are better to get the vaccine)
- A history of Guillain–Barré Syndrome (a severe paralytic illness, also called GBS)
Related Links
- What are the Benefits of Flu Vaccination?
- FDA Approves FluBlok: First Flu Vaccine Made Using Recombinant DNA Technology
- FDA Approves First Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Manufactured Using Cell Culture Technology
- FDA Approves First Quadrivalent Vaccine to Prevent Seasonal Influenza
- Community Immunity ("Herd Immunity")
- Misconceptions about Seasonal Influenza and Influenza Vaccines
- Vaccine Effectiveness – How Well Does the Flu Vaccine Work?


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Genetic genealogists often hear the term population bottleneck referenced in various academic papers – but just what is that? And why do we care?
A population bottleneck occurs when there is a dramatic reduction in the population of a particular group of people. Think about the eruption of a volcano – Mt. Toba for example.
Human history is full of population reducing examples, some we know about, like the plague, but most we don't. And obviously, if the bottleneck was so severe that no one survived – then there are no descendants of those people today – and that's an extinction event, not a bottleneck. The only way we would ever know those people existed is if we found their remains and sequenced them today – like the Neanderthal and Denisovan skeletons.
As a point of clarity – the Neanderthal and Denisovan did survive – not as pure Neanderthals or Denisovans – but admixed into the homo sapiens population – and they are indeed, us. If you have either European or Asian ancestry, then you have Neanderthal and Denisovan ancestry too.
How could that be – all of Europe and Asia descended from these Archaic people? Probably the after-effects of a population bottleneck where a small group of people went on to become a large group of people.
Let's look at an example.
The best example I can think of is the migration of the Asian people into the Americas. These first people would populate all of North and South America and would become the indigenous people of these continents – by whatever name is applied today. First People, Native Americans, American Indians – they are all of the same stock and the result of at least one population bottleneck.
That first bottleneck occurred when some people crossed over the land bridge, Beringia, between Asia and what is now Alaska.
The bottleneck event that occurred there was that there weren't very many people. It was probably a small group. Possibly very small. What do we know about them?
There were obviously males and females.
Assuming for purposes of discussion that all of the people who founded the Native American population came at once, or in what is referred to as one wave, we know that there were at least two men and 5 women.
How do we know that? Because today we have Y haplogroups Q and C in the Native population and mitochondrial haplogroups A, B, C, D and X in that population as well. Since the Y chromosome is passed from father to son unadmixed with any DNA from the mother, the haplogroups we see today are directly descended from those original founders. Mitochondrial DNA is passed from the mother to all of her children, but only the females pass it on, so we get a direct pipeline view back to the founding mothers.
There may have been more individuals and haplogroups that arrived. Some may have died out in Beringia or afterwards in subsequent bottleneck events.
Let's say the group stayed together for a while. Then, it got too big to support itself comfortably on the resources available. In other words, the population began depleting the available resources. So, the group separated by a few miles so that they could draw off of a different landscape where food was more abundant.
One group went 20 miles east and one group went 20 miles south. It wasn't meant to be permanent, but eventually, the split became permanent as that scenario repeated itself over time.
Eventually, one of the groups moved further south and small groups broke off from time to time and moved east across what would be the US and Canada. Part of the group continued south along the Pacific and would populate Mexico, Central and South America.
Let's say that one of those small bands of people that headed east wound up living in Montana, 12,500 years ago. A child died, and they buried that child.
The group they separated from continued south and their descendants are found throughout Mexico, Central and South American today.
That child's name is Anzick. His skeleton was found in 1968 and his full genome was sequenced before he was reburied in 2013. When his DNA was sequenced, we discovered, much to our amazement, that Anzick indeed matched people, primarily people from south of the US, at a level that could be interpreted to be contemporary. How could that possibly be?
Think about a bottleneck in this fashion.
There are 4 people, 2 couples. Each person's DNA is represented by a color. The two males are blue and green and the 2 females are pink and yellow, like on the left side of the pedigree chart shown below.
In the first generation, they pass their DNA to their children and the children are blue/yellow and green/pink. In the second generation, the children intermarry with the other couple's children – because there are no choices. All of the grandchildren of the original couple have DNA that is blue, yellow, green and pink. The children and grandchildren don't all carry the same segments of blue, yellow, green and pink – but all of them carry some part of the original 4 founders. There is no orange or turquoise or red DNA to be found, so forever, until new people enter the landscape, they will pass the same segments of blue, green, yellow and pink DNA to their descendants. In an isolated environment, they might not meet new humans for thousands of years – lets' say 10,000 years.
So, if the Anzick child had blue, yellow, green and pink DNA and the contemporary Native people living in South America have blue, yellow, green and pink Native DNA from those same four founding ancestors, it stands to reason that they are going to match – because it's the exact same DNA that has been passed around and around for thousands of years.
This matching is the effect of a population bottleneck.
We can think of other bottleneck events too. For example, the Acadians were a bottleneck event. A few shiploads of French Catholic people on an Island in the early 1600s – they didn't have a lot of choice in terms of spouses. The genealogy saying is that if you're related to one Acadian, you're related to all Acadians, and it's pretty much true. Same with the Pilgrims and the individuals who came over on the Mayflower.
Some bottlenecks are religiously induced – Amish, Mennonite and Jewish, for example. These people marry only within their religion. Today, that's called endogamy – but it's a form of a bottleneck event.
We see the results of bottleneck events today in three ways in our DNA. In both Y and mitochondrial DNA, we often see specific haplogroups or subgroups associated with specific populations – like Q and C in Native American Y DNA and subsets of A, B, C, D, X and possibly M in Native American mitochondrial DNA.
We also see the effects of bottleneck events in autosomal DNA. We talk about segments that are IBD, identical by descent, and IBS, identical by state. Identical by descent typically means we can attribute the DNA segment to a specific ancestor via triangulation. Often, everything we can't identify gets tossed into the IBS box, but it really shouldn't.
When you hear people talk about IBS, or autosomal DNA segments that are identical by state, there are really two possibilities. One is that the DNA is identical by chance.
The other option is that the DNA is identical by population. This means that the DNA does indeed match because it came from a common ancestor – but that ancestor is beyond the genealogical timeframe. That doesn't mean the information isn't useful. Indeed, I think it's very useful. I want to know if a segment of my DNA is Native, even if I share that segment with lots of other Native people. In fact, that's exactly HOW we determine a specific autosomal segment is affiliated with Native or any other population group of people. Certain segments are found in a higher percentage across the entire population group. So, to throw these out in personal genetic genealogy by phasing which removes population based matches is a case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I have several matches on my spreadsheet where I have the notation "Mennonite" or "Acadian" for example, because while I can't sort out which specific ancestor the DNA came from, it assuredly came from the Acadian population based on the matches – and that's very useful information.
Population bottlenecks may seem like a scientific term referencing something that happened long ago, but the effects of bottlenecks can be found in every one of us, beginning with Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA and probably including ancestors who survived, or willingly embraced beliefs which in essence created historical bottlenecks.
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Morning Talk TV Show – Phuket Property
Category: , Posted:03 Sep 2009 | 08:53 am
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The Green Minute – PHIST 2023Category: Hotels, Posted:10 Sep 2023 | 14:11 pm For those of you who missed PHIST 2023 and those of you who did attend, please find a selection of video short Green Minutes from the event. Sustainability has to be a priority for the hotel and travel sectors and hopefully the ideas and messages here, give you your own inspiration to go green. PHIST […]
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Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - February 2012
Parrotia persica 'Persian Ironwood'
I almost forgot about GBBD again this month...granted, I didn't actually think there'd be anything blooming in February. I realized this morning that the few lingering blooms I showed in my last post got lopped off when I cut those plants (mostly the Knautia) back this past weekend. Then, suddenly, I realized I DID have blooms this month...on my Persian Ironwood trees!
Persian Ironwoods (Parrotia persica) are related to Witch Hazels and have similar (if not quite as showy) late winter/early spring flowers. I have to admit, they aren't especially showy...you could be forgiven if you walked right past them and didn't notice them at all, still...they garner me a place for this month's GBBD! I'm looking forward to spring beginning in earnest...with the bulbs already up and growing, it won't be long.
Check out May Dreams Garden for more of what's blooming in other bloggers' gardens around the world!
44 comments:
- AnonymousFebruary 15, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Hi Scott,ReplyDelete
Lovely phhotos and a very nice shrub! Hmmm I might have to check it out and see whether I can get hold of them here :)Replies
You should look into them...they are quite hardy, I believe :-)Delete
- AnonymousApril 29, 2013 at 12:48 AM
I can see the similarity to Witch Hazels. Beautiful rich colour and quite an unassuming flower.ReplyDeleteReplies
Totally...they aren't quite as showy...but are nice, nonethelessDelete
As always I am in awe of your photography. Such a pretty tree!ReplyDeleteReplies
It's even better in person ;-)Delete
I think your Ironwood is quite striking! And I'm sorry...I know it's poor form to do this but, well...I've got more flowers than you in my garden right now!!!!!!! What are the chances? I don't think this could happen any other month of the year.ReplyDeleteReplies
hahahahahahaha...so mean ;-) It's my own fault, really...I just never cared for most of the plants that flower during winter. It doesn't help that most of them are shrubs I wouldn't have room for anyway!Delete
Well they might not be showy to you but I think they are beautiful! I hadn't seen those before- great shots!ReplyDeleteReplies
They are lovely, to be sure...subtle but lovelyDelete
Happy GBBD Scott! I believe spring is emerging for us here in the PNW! Hooray! Cheers, JenniReplyDeleteReplies
You too, Jenni...spring is here, for sure!Delete
Just winter here. I suppose I need to plant hellebores or witchhazel. Glad you have something.happy gbbd.ReplyDeleteReplies
If it makes you feel better, I don't have any thing other than this tree blooming right now...so we're practically even ;-)Delete
Will they still open more than what is shown in the photos? I love the photography more, but i am sure they certainly warm the area which are now in winter.ReplyDeleteReplies
They open just a little bit more...but that's about it...I remember last winter I waited and waited...I was sure they must open more than that!Delete
I never saw a picture of the flower of Parrotia persica before. I have the upright cultivar 'Vanessa' in my garden but it has never bloomed. Now I know what it will look like. Thanks. You have spectacular photos, as always.Replies
Thanks, Michael! I had the same result when looking for photos of the blooms...nothing very conclusive. I think if this tree ever becomes more popular, we'll get used to seeing them blooms, for now, they still have their novelty ;-)Delete
Convinced a neighbor to plant a Parrotia to replace a dead maple! She fell in love with it.ReplyDeleteReplies
They really are quite lovely trees...the branching structure and fall color are superb!Delete
Wonderful! I hope you'll show photos when they're in full bloom. Spring is coming!ReplyDeleteReplies
Well....that pretty much is full bloom for them! They really look like they ought to open up more...but that's pretty much it!Delete
Really cool. I planted one of these for a client once, but it still hasn't bloomed and I'd never seen photos. I like the flowers.ReplyDeleteReplies
I had never heard of them until we chose it as our street tree from Friends of Trees 2 years ago. It was between that and a Paperbark Maple...on a lark, we chose this :-)Delete
I think any flower blooming at this time of year is great! I like the color of these!ReplyDeleteReplies
Isn't that the truth!Delete
How wonderful to find an unexpected bloom! Very pretty - I've not heard of Persian ironwood before.ReplyDeleteReplies
They aren't very common yet...but they may become more so...I'm seeing them around Portland more and more in the past few years.Delete
I love it! I will have to check if it is hardy to zone 5. I bet that as it matures, it will grow in impact. Happy GBBD! Glad to see one thing growing in your garden again! JulieReplyDeleteReplies
I think they are hardy that far (5b maybe). I'm counting on it...the fall color is quite nice...variable too :-)Delete
Unexpected blooms are the best!ReplyDeleteReplies
Hahahaha...isn't that the truth!Delete
I've only today noticed that many of the trees in my neighborhood and in my garden are showing similar buds. Spring really is almost upon us.ReplyDeleteReplies
I know...isn't it great...it sort of snuck up on us here in Portland!Delete
I can't believe you have a Parotia! One of my favorites. They have the most beautiful bark ever! I may try to convince my father to plant one of these where our old blue spruce fell. He is Persian so it shouldn't be too difficult to persuade him.ReplyDeleteReplies
Very cool! I agree...the bark is really lovely...especially on older trees I've seen. I really like the branching structure quite a bit...very sinuous...and the fall color is wonderful.Delete
I love this tree. Anything that offers such beautiful rich color during the winter is a prize. I have a very young witch hazel that has been pruned by the rabbit. Hope it grows a little taller this season. Here, ten minutes from the Canadian border, I have bulbs emerging. I fear for them but secretly hope for the earliest spring ever, cannot wait.ReplyDeleteReplies
I'll cross my fingers for your Witch Hazel...they are so stunning!Delete
I don't think I've heard of that tree, but I sure like it! It does remind me of the witch hazels I've seen on other blogs. I'm ready for spring, too.ReplyDeleteReplies
Totally, Sue...they are in the same family as the Witch Hazels...which you can totally tell when you see the leaves...they are that classic herringbone pattern.Delete
I've only seen Parrotia bloom once. If I recall, they do not last long, but I know this tree is grown for much more than its flowers.ReplyDeleteReplies
Yeah...they last for a month or so...and aren't terribly showy...just a bonus compared to its other good traits ;-)Delete
- AnonymousFebruary 21, 2012 at 7:03 AM
Lovely rich colour.ReplyDelete


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Finland vs. USA 0-6 (0-3, 0-2, 0-1)
The first period, started off with good battles from both sides. Both were creating good scoring opportunities. Team USA was able to rise above, capitalizing on three of the many opportunities, ending the first period Finland 0 – USA 3.Coming into the second period, Finland came out with a vengeance to regain control of the game, playing good heads up hockey, with crisp passes, and both teams continued to battle. By the end of the period, the score was Finland 0 – USA 5.The third period was a great example of how the game should be played. Both teams were connecting passes, battling it out in the corners, and even a few checks of frustration were delivered in open ice. By the end the Finnish goaltender Anna Vanhatalo and USA forward Brianna Decker were named best players. The Final Score was Finland 0 – USA 6.


text: Back Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) (Large Loop Excision of the Transformation Zone [LLETZ], Large Loop Excision of the Cervix [LLEC], Loop Cone Biopsy of the Cervix) Procedure overview What is a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP)? Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) uses a wire loop heated by electric current to remove cells and tissue as part of the diagnosis and treatment for abnormal or cancerous conditions in a woman's lower genital tract. The lower genital tract includes the cervix and vagina. The cervix is the lower, narrow part of the uterus (womb) and the vagina connects the cervix and the vulva (the external genitalia). With LEEP, an electric current passes through the fine wire loop to cut away a thin layer of abnormal tissue. This tissue will be sent to the lab for examination. LEEP can also remove abnormal cells to allow healthy tissue to grow. Other related procedures that may be used to diagnose cervical and vaginal conditions include Pap test, cervical biopsy, and colposcopy. Please see these procedures for additional information. Click Image to Enlarge What are female pelvic organs? The organs and structures of the female pelvis are: Endometrium—the lining of the uterus Uterus—also called the womb, the uterus is a hollow, pear-shaped organ located in a woman's lower abdomen, between the bladder and the rectum. The uterus sheds its lining each month during menstruation, unless a fertilized egg (ovum) becomes implanted and pregnancy follows. Ovaries—two female reproductive organs located in the pelvis in which egg cells (ova) develop and are stored and where the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone are produced Cervix—the lower, narrow part of the uterus located between the bladder and the rectum, forming a canal that opens into the vagina, which leads to the outside of the body Vagina—the passageway through which fluid passes out of the body during menstrual periods. Also called the "birth canal," the vagina connects the cervix and the vulva (the external genitalia). Vulva—the external portion of the female genital organs Reasons for the procedure LEEP may be performed when cervical or vaginal problems are found during a pelvic examination, or abnormal cells are found during a Pap test. LEEP is also performed to detect cancer of the cervix or vagina. Cells that appear to be abnormal, but are not cancerous at the present time, may be identified as precancerous. The appearance of these abnormal cells may be the first evidence of cancer that could develop years later. LEEP may also be used to assist in the diagnosis or treatment of the following conditions: Polyps (benign growths) Genital warts, which may indicate infection with human papilloma virus (HPV), a risk factor for developing cervical cancer Diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure in women whose mothers took DES during pregnancy, as DES exposure increases the risk for cancer of the reproductive system There may be other reasons for your physician to recommend LEEP. Risks of the procedure As with any surgical procedure, complications may occur. Some possible complications may include, but are not limited to, the following: Infection Bleeding Changes or scarring in the cervix from removal of tissue Difficulty getting pregnant Potential for preterm birth or having a low birth weight baby Patients who are allergic to or sensitive to medications, iodine, or latex should notify their physician. If you are pregnant or suspect that you may be pregnant, you should notify your physician. There may be other risks depending upon your specific medical condition. Be sure to discuss any concerns with your physician prior to the procedure. Certain factors or conditions may interfere with LEEP. These factors include, but are not limited to the following: Menstruation Acute pelvic inflammatory disease Acute inflammation of the cervix Before the procedure Your physician will explain the procedure to you and offer you the opportunity to ask any questions that you might have about the procedure. You will be asked to sign a consent form that gives your permission to do the procedure. Read the form carefully and ask questions if something is not clear. Generally, no prior preparation, such as fasting or sedation, is required. If you are pregnant or suspect that you are pregnant, you should notify your physician. Notify your physician if you are sensitive to or are allergic to any medications, latex, tape, iodine, and anesthetic agents (local and general). Notify your physician of all medications (prescribed and over-the-counter) and herbal supplements that you are taking. Notify your physician if you have a history of bleeding disorders or if you are taking any anticoagulant (blood-thinning) medications, aspirin, or other medications that affect blood clotting. It may be necessary for you to stop these medications prior to the procedure. Your physician will give you instructions as to using tampons, vaginal creams or medications, douching, or having sexual relations before the procedure. LEEP is usually performed when you are not having your menstrual period. Your physician may recommend that you take a pain reliever 30 minutes before the procedure. You may want to bring a sanitary napkin to wear home after the procedure. Based upon your medical condition, your physician may request other specific preparation. During the procedure Click Image to Enlarge LEEP may be performed in a physician's office, on an outpatient basis, or as part of your stay in a hospital. Procedures may vary depending on your condition and your physician's practices. Generally, LEEP follows this process: You will be asked to undress completely or from the waist down and put on a hospital gown. You will be instructed to empty your bladder prior to the procedure. You will lie on an examination table, with your feet and legs supported as for a pelvic examination. Your physician will insert an instrument called a speculum into your vagina to spread the walls of the vagina apart to expose the cervix. Often, the physician will use a colposcope, an instrument with a special lens similar to a microscope, to magnify the tissues. The colposcope will be placed at the opening of your vagina but does not enter your vagina. Your physician will look through the colposcope to locate any areas for treatment on the cervix or in the vagina. Photographs with the colposcope or sketches of the areas on your cervix may be made for your healthcare record. Your cervix may be cleansed and soaked with a vinegar solution, also called acetic acid solution. This helps make the abnormal tissues turn white and become more visible. You may feel a mild burning sensation. An iodine solution is sometimes used to coat the cervix, called the Schiller test. The physician will numb the area using a small needle to inject medication. A type of forceps, called a tenaculum, may be used to hold the cervix steady for the procedure. You may feel some cramping when the tenaculum is applied. You will hear humming and/or blowing sounds from the equipment. The LEEP wire will be inserted through the speculum and passed through the abnormal tissues. One or more passes may be needed. You may feel pressure or a slight cramping. Some women feel faint during the procedure. Tell your physician or the nurse if you have this feeling. It is very important that you lie still during the procedure. The amount and location of tissue removed depends on the whether LEEP is being used as a diagnostic tool, or to remove abnormal tissue. LEEP wires come in different sizes and shapes. The electrical current will act as a cautery to seal the blood vessels, so usually there is very little bleeding. Any bleeding from the LEEP site may be treated with a paste-like topical medication. The tissue will be sent to a lab for further examination. After the procedure After LEEP, you may rest for a few minutes after the procedure before going home. You may want to wear a sanitary pad for bleeding. It is normal to have some mild cramping, spotting, and dark or black-colored discharge for several days. The dark discharge is from the medication applied to your cervix to control bleeding. You may be instructed not to douche, use tampons, or have intercourse for four weeks after LEEP, or for a period of time recommended by your physician. You may also have other restrictions on your activity, including no strenuous activity or heavy lifting. Take a pain reliever for cramping or soreness as directed by your physician. Aspirin or certain other pain medications may increase the chance of bleeding. Be sure to take only recommended medications. Your physician will advise you on when to return for further treatment or care. Generally, women who have had LEEP will need more frequent Pap tests. Notify your physician if you have any of the following: Bleeding with clots Foul-smelling drainage from your vagina Fever and/or chills Severe abdominal pain Your physician may give you additional or alternate instructions after the procedure, depending on your particular situation. Online resources The content provided here is for informational purposes only, and was not designed to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease, or replace the professional medical advice you receive from your physician. Please consult your physician with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition. This page contains links to other Web sites with information about this procedure and related health conditions. We hope you find these sites helpful, but please remember we do not control or endorse the information presented on these websites, nor do these sites endorse the information contained here. American Cancer Society American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology National Cancer Institute (NCI) National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Library of Medicine National Women's Health Information Center


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The iPhone 4 went on sale in Japan on Thursday morning, as Japanese customers who waited in long lines became among the first to purchase the latest smartphone from Apple.
Hundreds of people waited in lines outside a Tokyo store owned by operator Softbank Mobile and Apple's Ginza outlet, including some people who'd camped out overnight in anticipation of buying the new phone, the Nikkei Keizai Shinbun newspaper reported on its English Web site. The iPhone 4 went on sale at 8 a.m., Tokyo time.
Starting today, the iPhone 4 will initially be available in the U.S., France, Germany, the U.K. and Japan, followed by other countries. By the end of September, the handset will be available in 88 countries.
The atmosphere was subdued at three French mobile phone stores in the La Défense business district to the west of Paris on Thursday morning. The Phone House was deserted. It still stocks the iPhone 3G and 3GS, but not yet the iPhone 4.
Three customers stood around an iPhone 4 on display in the store of mobile operator Orange. After prodding distractedly at the phone for a minute, one of the customers turned to the sales assistant and said: "OK, but what I really wanted was a protective slip-case for my iPhone 3G."
There were 22 people waiting outside the store of another operator, SFR, which had not yet opened at 9:45 a.m., local time. At least half a dozen of those in line already had iPhones in their hands. No one left the line when staff announced that the black iPhone 4 would not be in stock until Friday, while the white one would not arrive till July.
The Apple Store in the center of Paris planned to open two hours earlier than usual Thursday and Friday, primarily for customers who had placed an advance order for an iPhone 4 to pick theirs up.
In the U.S., the smartphone is priced at US$199 for a 16GB model and at $299 for a 32GB model, with two-year data plans. AT&T iPhone customers in the U.S. are eligible for that pricing if their current contract expires any time in 2010.
The iPhone 4 has already been declared a success prior to the device's availability in stores, but not without some hiccups. Apple and its U.S. carrier partner AT&T started taking iPhone preorders on June 15, but a big rush caused online ordering systems to collapse, leaving potential buyers frustrated and angry.
AT&T suspended taking orders the next day and Apple apologized to users, saying that demand for the iPhone 4 was "far higher than we anticipated." Apple and AT&T had taken orders for more than 600,000 iPhones, Apple said.
Lines started forming days in advance outside stores in Japan and the U.S. to purchase the device.
"First of all, the screen is so beautiful that you can't even see the dots," said Manayabu Ishiyama, who stood in a line outside a Softbank store in Tokyo. He was looking to upgrade from an iPhone 3G S.
People also lined up outside an Apple store in Boston a day ahead of the iPhone launch. Rain was forecast in the city for Thursday morning.
"I realize there are more important things going on in the world right now, but it's kind of fun to be out here," said Curtis Glavin, who was first in the Boston line.
The line formed much later for the midnight opening of the flagship Orange store on the Champs Elysées in Paris, however. The store was quiet late Wednesday afternoon, with no one waiting outside, but by the time the store reopened at midnight, a line of over 100 people had formed.
The iPhone 4 is thinner than its predecessors. The device is 9.3 millimeters (0.36 inches) thick, about 24 percent thinner than the iPhone 3GS. A 3.5-inch display shows images at a 960-pixel-by-640-pixel resolution, and about four times as many pixels in the same amount of space than earlier iPhones.
The device includes more than 100 new features, including a front-facing video camera for videoconferencing, a faster processor and improved multimedia capabilities. It promises longer battery life compared to earlier models, offering seven hours of talk time and six hours of Web browsing time over 3G networks. It also offers 10 hours of browsing over Wi-Fi networks, 10 hours of video playback and 40 hours of music listening.
The phone is powered by an internally developed A4 chip, which includes a processor core designed by Arm. The phone has a Micro-SIM tray on the side.
The new chip and front-facing video camera add strong multimedia capabilities that earlier models lacked. The smartphone will be able to record 720p video at 30 frames per second. For videoconferencing, Apple has introduced the FaceTime application for video calls, which will only work over Wi-Fi networks for now. Apple CEO Steve Jobs has said the company "needs to work" with carriers for the application to operate over cellular networks.
The phone will run the Apple iOS 4, which was previously released as iPhone OS 4.0 beta in April. The new OS will bring true multitasking capabilities to run multiple applications at the same time. Previous phones were able to run only selected applications at the same time.
(Sumner Lemon, in Singapore, and Peter Sayer, in Paris, contributed to this story.)


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Question: Would disability discrimination training have prevented this case? See our trainings at http://www.hrclassroom.com.
Tarsadia Hotels, doing business as Comfort Suites, a hotel developer and operator in California, will pay $132,500 and implement substantial changes to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed on behalf of hotel clerk with autism.
The EEOC charged that a front desk clerk at the Comfort Suites Mission Valley Hotel in San Diego was denied a reasonable accommodation, disciplined and ultimately fired in 2008 due to his disability. The clerk, who has autism, had prior hotel experience in a similar position, where his work earned him a positive recommendation. Shortly after starting at Comfort Suites, he sought free job coach services from the state. A job coach would have helped the clerk learn to master his job by using autism-specific training techniques. However, Tarsadia refused to allow the assistance of a job coach and then fired him.
Such alleged conduct violates the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The EEOC filed suit against the company in September 2010 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California (EEOC v. Tarsadia Hotels dba Comfort Suites, Case No. 10-CV-1921-DMS-BGS).
As part of settlement, the parties entered into a three-year consent decree under which Tarsadia will pay the claimant $125,000 and donate $7,500 to Partnerships With Industry, a San Diego-based non-profit organization that provides employment support to people with disabilities. Tarsadia further agreed to sweeping changes, including revising its policies and procedures with respect to ADA compliance; hiring an EEO consultant to train all Tarsadia employees of their ADA rights and responsibilities and ensure the proper handling of reasonable accommodation requests and disability-related complaints; and agree to hold managers and supervisors accountable in their evaluations for compliance with policies against disability discrimination and retaliation. The company will also submit annual reports to the EEOC on its compliance with the decree's terms.
Mark Berger, president and chief executive officer of Partnerships with Industry, stated, "We are grateful that EEOC took a stand against disability discrimination, a serious problem which all too often plagues individuals with developmental disabilities. We believe that individuals with disabilities can make productive workers as long as employers are willing to work with them through accommodations."
Anna Y. Park, regional attorney for the EEOC's Los Angeles District Office, said, "We commend Tarsadia for implementing widespread change, assuring that people with disabilities have a fair shot at gaining and retaining employment. Other employers should also learn to comply with the ADA rather than be driven by stereotypes about disabilities like autism."