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TOLCAT 2.0 improvements: (1) ambidextrous design with removable/reversible shoulder strap for user-friendly right- or left-carry, (2) out-of-sign CCW compartment with enlarged opening (can store an iPad Mini), (3) built-in holders on both sides for small water bottles, (4) built-in medical organization.
The upgraded VANQUEST® VPacker™ 2.0 series is your next generation gear bag: Ambidextrous construction for comfortable right or left-carry, CCW and hydration-compatible, plus improved design for faster access to your gear and medical organization.
Compact, yet well-organized: One 8" (H) x 7.25" (W) x 4" (D) main compartment with a weather-resistant ripstop storm cover that can cinch-close. Two 6.5" (H) x 4" (W) x 1.75" (D) double-zippered side pockets can double as water bottle holders with elastic retention. A front pocket with elastic ladder organization for medical supplies, a lockable CCW compartment with enlarged opening (can store an iPad Mini), plus plenty of high-viz ripstop organization. The hidden CCW compartment keeps your CCW out-of-sight, and can be kept open for lightning-fast access. Total 24 slots and pockets to maximize your carry capability!
For optimal ergonomics, the TOLCAT™ VPacker naturally contour around your body. A removable waist strap further stabilizes the TOLCAT with added stability, and helps support the weight on your shoulder. Its 2" shoulder strap can be removed, and reversed for comfortable right or left-side carry. It features a Duraflex double-lock security buckle, an accessory D-ring, and a 1/2"-thick shoulder pad for maximum comfort.
FAQ: I am right-handed, but I want to wear the VPacker on my left side occassionally, what should I do?
Answer: The new Vanquest VPackers™ are designed to solve your right or left-side carry dilemma. The new Vpackers are ambidextrous with removable/reversible shoulder straps. If you want to carry on your left side, simply remove and reverse the shoulder strap. Make sure the 2" side-release buckle is accessible at your front when you wear it. You can also choose which side(s) to carry your water bottle(s).
- NEW: Ambidextrous design with removable shoulder strap for left or right-side user-selectable carry.
- NEW: Built-in elastic cord medical organization & Maximizer elastic webbing inside front compartment. Added hook & loop closure in front exterior pocket
- NEW: Out of sight rear CCW compartment with loop attachment and enlarged opening (Also fits the latest iPad Mini)
- NEW: Loop-Faced MOLLE-Air structure for MOLLE accessory & morale patch attachment
- NEW: Two gusseted slip pockets for quick access to multi-tool, flashlight, etc.
- Net Weight: 1.70 pounds (1000-D Cordura®)
- Net Weight: 1.55 pounds (500-D MultiCam & MultiCam-Black Cordura®)
- Total Capacity: 6.5 Liters
- Main Compartment (Interior): 8" (H) x 7.25" (W) x 4" (D)
- Front Compartment (Interior): 7.25" (H) x 6.5" (W) x 1.5" (D)
- Side Pockets (Interior): 6.5" (H) x 4" (W) x 1.75" (D)
- Rear CCW Compartment (Minimum): 8.5" (H) x 12" top - 6" bottom (W). 7.5" Zipper opening. (Fits the latest iPad Mini)
- Lightweight 210-D Ripstop Nylon storm cover in main compartment
- Neoprene handle for comfortable hand carry
- Total 24 organizing compartments and slots
- MOLLE/PALS webbings for accessory attachment
- Materials: 1,000-D Mil-grade Cordura® fabric with water-repellent Teflon® fabric protector by DuPont® (500-D on MultiCam & MultiCam-Black Cordura®)
- Genuine MADE-IN-USA MultiCam® & MultiCam-Black Cordura® by Crye Precision™
- Lightweight & moisture resistant 210-D Ripstop nylon
- Durable RC-Class YKK® lockable zippers, reversed for protection
- MOLLE-compatible attachment system with PALS webbing
- Lightweight MOLLE-Air structure for MOLLE accessory attachment
- Mil-grade ITW® and UTX-Duraflex® hardware made from high tensile strength Acetal polymer
- Circular zipper loops made of paracord
- High tensile strength nylon webbings and binding tapes
- Finished with high tensile strength bonded nylon thread
16 Reviews Show Reviews
Great edc bag
Well built with premium materials.Holds all that I carry with room for more. Ambidextrous carry without any changes to the bag. CCW pocket is easy to get to but remains out of sight while carrying. Had tochange out the strap cushion as it was too stiff. Using a seatbelt cushion.
Best Day Hike Bag
Small but spacious. Side pockets can hold water bottles, magazines, etc. Very versatile. Great buy and would by again.
Vpacker my preferred EDC bag
this is my second Tolact 2.0. One in black camo and the other in multicamo. Love these bags...peeeeeeeerrrfect for edc.....fits all my needs. Well built and designed.
quality stuff
This is my third product from this company. Never disappoints. I love my bags!!!!!!
Great bag
This is a very nice bag. My only complaint is all the pics and video reviews of the tolcat 2.0 made this bag look big. I wish i had bought the mobious my beretta apx doesn't fit in the ccw pouch
Great shoulder bag for EDC
This bag is loaded with great features- some of which I haven't yet determined their exact purpose. I really appreciate the ability to carry water bottles in the side pockets and the retaining straps are perfect for that purpose. I rather wish that the bag had a better placement for the molle straps because sticking my Vanquest first aid pack or my EDC on the sides just doesn't work for me. My only other issue was that the strap was too long for my carry position. I like to be able to move the pack from behind me while carrying, to my front to reach things. The strap adjuster was too close to the padded shoulder strap to allow the 2" strap to slide where it needed. I also found the big buckle cumbersome, so I replaced it with a plastic loop like the one on the other end while I shortened the strap. A little extra work but now the bag carries well and has a simpler appearance. I've been happy with everything I've purchased from Vanquest, and this bag is now with me whenever I leave the house.
I love this bag. I am an EMT student and while learning about personal jump/emergency bags,I decided to check out the Tolcat 2.0 . I want to let you know the quality and the build is extremely strong. this will by my personal trauma bag. By the way, I did a phone order on Tuesday morning, and by the next day, WED AM, my package arrived at my front door. This company truly cares about their customers. Will buy again soon!
Perfect little side pack
I mainly wanted this for hunting. I carry multiple items in the field with me because I don't always hunt on private property sometimes I have to hunt public lands in order to do that I need to take hikes. I don't always need a backpack or a sling bag and I had another little side pack that became too small for my needs. I was researching different bags and came across Vanquest, and began looking at the Mobius 2.0. I felt that would be a little large for my needs so quickly diverted my attention to the Tolcat 2.0. I have the bag for a couple of weeks now and have the opportunity to use it mainly around town and on a trip and what I have found so far is nothing short of fantastic. The product lives up to what it says it will do and the quality is top notch. There is enough room for the needs that I will have when I go hunting and I really like the waist strap for taking this product into the field. The zippers are amazing and do not disappoint. The stitching is excellent. The buckles are strong and do not appear to have the ability to fail. I will not be using one of the side pockets for a water bottle instead I will purchase the water bottle holder that I can attach because I carry a much larger water bottle than The side pockets will accommodate. So I took the bungees off the side and I store them in her pocket. There is more than ample storage inside with all the pockets and all the organization. I am so far not disappointed at all and have since purchased a javelin sling bag for my stepson who is in the military.
Perfect for camera and short hikes
I had waffled back and forth about getting the Tolcat or the larger Mobius. Both appeared to be excellent bags, but given that I already had a few backpacks, and was using this primarily for a camera bag, I chose the Tolcat.
I have not been disappointed with the choice. The Tolcat provides me with an ability to carry a D-SLR with a 20-200 lens, an extra battery, the charger and cables, and a variety of special effects filters. As a bonus, I can also carry a Klean Kanteen insulated water bottle, which I have not been able to do with a dedicated camera bag. Add in the fact that the bag still has room for a few snacks and my iPad Mini, should I decide to carry it, I'd say that it perfectly fits my needs. The fact that I can remove the shoulder strap and thread the bag through my belt is an added bonus. This is the last in a series of products I've purchased from Vanquest, including a variety of modular pouches and an IBEX-30 backpack (actually, that was a Christmas present), and I've been more than impressed with all of them. I will continue to purchase products from this company.


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I met Stiggers on a temp to hire assignment. I was being brought on to a company's legal department as a Contracts Administrator, and Stiggers was already assisting in my department when I arrived. She was a professional temp that had worked with almost every department in the company and her reputation was stellar.
At the time that I met her, I was trying to distinguish what my next step was going to be professionally and felt like my head was in a cloud. I was hoping this new opportunity would be the answer I was searching for, and it was but for different reasons.
Stiggers and I hit it off immediately. She was positive and lively and made me laugh. Professionally we clicked. We had similar work ethics, fed off of each others ideas, and supported each other's ideas on implementing effective and efficient processes for the department. Her…
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subset: commoncrawl


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Ten Reasons
Hire An Artist
Tom Purcell, 8/10/2009 [
Hair Would Be Fair
Hair Would Be Fair
By Tom Purcell
It's not that Americans are against President Obama's efforts to redistribute our wealth more than the government had already been doing.
It's that he's going about it all wrong.
Sure, he was masterful during the campaign. He promised the majority of taxpayers that they wouldn't see a tax increase -- that only rich folks earning more than $250,000 a year would.
It was a winning strategy.
In America, the bottom 50 percent of income earners pay virtually no federal income taxes, whereas the top 20 percent pay about 85 percent.
Who can blame a silver-tongued politician for promising government goodies to the bottom 50 percent -- while promising to make the top 20 percent pay for them?
Well, such promises helped Obama win the presidency by a healthy margin. He and his team continued the theme as they began governing.
First, they gave us the $787 billion stimulus bill. It had little to do with stimulating anything, but since the "rich" would bear the costs, many folks didn't care.
Then they gave us a nearly $4 trillion budget that was packed with waste and goodies of every kind. Since the "rich" would pay for that, too, many folks didn't care.
Then they began pushing legislation to "cap" carbon emissions -- a version of the bill already passed in the House. We're told that rich manufacturing firms and utilities will bear the increased costs (when, in fact, these costs will be passed on to us), but the concept is too abstract for many to follow and most folks don't care.
To be sure, Obama's strategy -- bait-and-switch-and-tax-the-rich -- has been politically fruitful. At least it was until he tried to ram his health care program through.
Unfortunately for Obama, most people -- 70 to 80 percent -- are happy with their health-care plans. They're not dumb enough to believe that massive government intervention could ever reduce costs and improve care.
Worse for Obama: It has dawned on folks who are not "rich" that, with our deficits running into the trillions, it's just a matter of time before their taxes go up to pay for it all. And, they wonder, wouldn't it be way cheaper to just give the uninsured dough to buy their own policies?
All of a sudden, people who are smart enough to enjoy government goodies so long as somebody else pays for them -- can you say "clunker bill"? -- are not dumb enough to have their own bit of wealth redistributed.
As clever a politician as Obama is, I'm surprised he missed that nuance. That's probably why he wanted to ram through health care "reform" before anybody had time to notice.
But it isn't too late for him to succeed. He just needs to hand out more goodies to buy more support.
Look, the premise of his political philosophy is fairness -- that government is the great leveler of inequality.
If one fellow works hard and attains a high income, it is only fair that Obama seizes more of that fellow's dough and spreads it around -- after the government takes a lion's share -- to those who don't earn as much.
But there is lots of unfairness in life.
Some people are smarter than others. Some are wittier. Some are better-looking. Some have better hair.
Is it fair that Johnny Depp has a full head of hair while my hairline is beginning to recede?
If Obama and the Democrats want my support of their monstrosity of a health care plan, all they need to do is pony up.
Draft another bill and borrow more dough to fund a national hair-transfer program. Isn't it Depp's patriotic duty to give up some of his hair so that I and others shall have more?
Obama and Congress can draft similar bills to help the dull become witty, the dumb become smart, the ugly become beautiful ...
Sure, French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville warned long ago that "once Americans discover they can vote themselves money from the public till, the experiment will be over."
Well, Americans discovered long ago they can vote themselves money.
So where is my hair?
© 2009 Tom Purcell. Tom Purcell, a humor columnist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. For more info contact Sales at (805) 969-2829 or email firstname.lastname@example.com. Visit Tom on the web at www.TomPurcell.com or e-mail him at firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Home › Parts & Accessories › Tools & Gauges › Ripmax › Ripmax Custom Thermal Sealing Iron with Alloy Stand
When you're covering with heatshrink film, you need a lightweight iron with an accurate temperature control. The Custom Sealing Iron holds its temperature superbly, fits the hand comfortably and has a coated shoe that glides over all types of shrink film and 'tex finishes. Supplied complete with plug and aluminium stand
JS Hobbies and Models
JS Hobbies and Models


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Niche investments and technology are among the keys to success in global asset management in 2017, according to a new report from Cerulli Associates.
The Global Markets 2017: How to Succeed Internationally report finds that fee compression and the need for specialist advice are changing the complexion of the asset management sector.
"The traditional distribution model is changing and managers must invest in technology and product development to stay relevant," said Barbara Wall, Europe managing director at Cerulli.
For example, market dynamics favor the growth of passives, but the larger passive funds get, the more inefficient they become.
According to Cerulli, active managers therefore have an opportunity to enter the lucrative passive space. However, instead of seeking to compete with the dominant passive players, the report suggests that active managers should look to offer niche investments such as fixed-income exchange-traded funds and strategic beta funds.
Another thing to consider with traditional models is millennials' investment behaviors, according to Wall.
"Millennials (broadly speaking, those born after 1980) are becoming an increasingly important segment for fund houses globally," she said. "They display different investment behaviors from the Baby Boomer generation, exhibiting a greater interest in environmental, social, and governance products, for example."
Fee compression is another overarching trend globally, according to the report.
Price wars have erupted among leading ETF sponsors such as Vanguard, Schwab and BlackRock. According to the report, in the U.S. prices are near to or at zero and in Hong Kong, Value Partners is the latest sponsor to cut the fees on its smart beta ETF to 10 basis points. Cerulli expects to see more acquisitions, but success will be limited.
In Europe, the market for robo-advice and cyborg advice is forecast to grow exponentially over the next 10 years, according to the report.
"[Asset managers] must look at new ways to win clients and attract inflows," the report states. "Cutting fees and improving customer engagement will go some way toward helping them achieve these goals."
Managers cannot rely on market growth or revenue growth solely to support profitability, according to the report.
Cerulli expects mutual fund industry net revenues in the selected countries covered in its report to rise at a CAGR of 3.9% over the next five years.
Revenues are rising in key emerging markets such as Brazil (from US$2.9 billion in 2012 to US$3.8 billion in 2016) and India (from US$431 million in 2012 to US$902 million in 2016) and remain strong in the traditional centers of Europe and the U.S., according to the report. Cerulli expects mutual fund revenues to continue to increase in the U.S., even as the country's share of the global total falls.
"Although revenue growth will be incremental in markets where passive products have grown exponentially, managers will find ways to protect their revenue streams, perhaps through M&A activity or by tweaking their distribution models," the report states.


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More traffic wardens and broadening of pay and display zones on the way.
Sligo News File Online.
Motorists are reportedly down to play a significant role in helping debt beleaguered Sligo County Council stabilise its finances.
According to accounts, Chief Executive, Ciaran Hayes told this week's meeting of the council that he sees parking fees as one way to bring in revenue needed to reduce the authority's roughly €150 million debt load.
Among the measures he apparently outlined is a plan to broaden pay and display zones and put more traffic wardens on the streets of the town.
He is also said to have stressed that there will be greater attention paid to illegal parking and pay and display in the town during 2015.
The council is reckoned to have raked in upwards of €2 million in parking charges in the last year.


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Boston Redsox slugger, David Ortiz, spoke Thursday about being one of the 104 players that tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in 2003 during Major League Baseball's survey testing season.
Ortiz found out before the Redsox game Thursday that his name was on the list and in a post-game interview he stated that he was "shocked" and that he would find out what he tested positive for.
"One, I have already contacted the Players Association to confirm if this report is true. I have just been told that the report is true," Ortiz said. "Based on the way I have lived my life, I am surprised to learn I tested positive. Two, I will find out what I tested positive for. And, three, based on whatever I learn, I will share this information with my club and the public. You know me -- I will not hide and I will not make excuses."
Ortiz now joins Manny Ramirez on the list, both of which played key roles in the Boston Redsox 2004 championship run.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Ortiz is on "The List"
Posted by DaSportsGuySTC at 7:19 AM
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Save the Date: 2019 Advisory Committee Meeting
On September 10, 2019, the Committee will discuss and make recommendations on the topic Cybersecurity in Medical Devices: Communication That Empowers Patients.
For more information, see CDRH Patient Engagement Advisory Committee.
Webcast Information: To join the webcast for the September 10 meeting of the Patient Engagement Advisory Committee, see Webcast Information.
All medical devices carry a certain amount of benefit and risk. The FDA allows devices to be marketed when there is a reasonable assurance that the benefits to patients outweigh the risks.
Medical devices are increasingly connected to the Internet, hospital networks, and other medical devices to provide features that improve health care and increase the ability of health care providers to treat patients. These same features also increase the risk of potential cybersecurity threats. Medical devices, like other computer systems, can be vulnerable to security breaches, potentially impacting the safety and effectiveness of the device.
Threats and vulnerabilities cannot be eliminated, therefore, reducing security risks is especially challenging. The heath care environment is complex, and manufacturers, hospitals, and facilities must work together to manage security risks.
On This Page
- Mitigating Cybersecurity Risks
- Cybersecurity Guidances
- Cybersecurity Safety Communications
- Reporting Cybersecurity Issues
- MOUs on Cybersecurity in Medical Devices
- Workshops and Webinars on Cybersecurity
- Other Collaborations on Cybersecurity
- Cybersecurity in the News
Mitigating Cybersecurity Risks
Medical device manufacturers (MDMs) and health care delivery organizations (HDOs) should take steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.
- Medical device manufacturers (MDMs) are responsible for remaining vigilant about identifying risks and hazards associated with their medical devices, including risks related to cybersecurity.
- Health care delivery organizations (HDOs) should evaluate their network security and protect their hospital systems.
- Both MDMs and HDOs are responsible for putting appropriate mitigations in place to address patient safety risks and ensure proper device performance.
FDA Fact Sheet:
Dispelling Myths and Understanding
Download the Fact Sheet (PDF - 175kb)
Cybersecurity Guidances
|Draft Guidance: Content of Premarket Submissions for Management of Cybersecurity in Medical Devices (PDF - 603kb)
|Provides recommendations to industry regarding cybersecurity device design, labeling, and documentation to be included in premarket submissions for devices with cybersecurity risk.
The recommendations are intended to supplement these guidance documents:
|Final Guidance: Postmarket Management of Cybersecurity in Medical Devices (PDF - 1.2MB)
|Provides recommendations to industry for structured and comprehensive management of postmarket cybersecurity vulnerabilities for marketed and distributed medical devices throughout the product lifecycle.
|Final Guidance: Content of Premarket Submissions for Management of Cybersecurity in Medical Devices
|Provides recommendations to industry about identifying cybersecurity issues to consider in the design and development of medical devices as well as in preparing premarket submissions for those devices.
The recommendations are intended to supplement these guidance documents:
|Cybersecurity for Networked Medical Devices Containing Off-the-Shelf (OTS) Software (PDF - 148kb)
|Outlines general principles that the FDA considers to be applicable to software maintenance actions required to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities for networked medical devices—specifically, those that incorporate off-the-shelf (OTS) software
Cybersecurity Safety Communications
In each of the following cases, the FDA is not aware of any patient injuries or deaths associated with cybersecurity incidents, nor are we aware that any specific devices or systems in clinical use have been purposely targeted. However, these vulnerabilities could allow unauthorized users to remotely access, control, and issue commands to compromised devices, potentially leading to severe patient harm. Health care facilities can reduce the risk of unauthorized access by implementing recommendations in the safety communications.
|Safety Communication
|Certain Medtronic MiniMed Insulin Pumps Have Potential Cybersecurity Risks: FDA Safety Communication
|The FDA has become aware of potential cybersecurity risks in certain Medtronic MiniMed Paradigm insulin pumps. The FDA recommends patients replace affected pumps with models that are better equipped to protect them from these potential risks.
|Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities Affecting Medtronic Implantable Cardiac Devices, Programmers, and Home Monitors: FDA Safety Communication
|The FDA became aware of cybersecurity vulnerabilities identified in a wireless telemetry technology used for communication between Medtronic's implantable cardiac devices, clinic programmers, and home monitors. The FDA recommends that health care providers and patients continue to use these devices as intended and follow device labeling.
|Cybersecurity Updates Affecting Medtronic Implantable Cardiac Device Programmers
|Medtronic released a software update to address the cybersecurity vulnerabilities associated with Medtronic's cardiac implantable cardiac device programmers.
|Battery Performance Alert and Cybersecurity Firmware Updates for Certain Abbott (formerly St. Jude Medical) Implantable Cardiac Devices
|Abbott released an additional firmware update to address premature battery depletion and confirmed cybersecurity vulnerabilities identified in Abbott's (formerly St. Jude Medical) implantable cardiac devices
|Firmware Update to Address Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities Identified in Abbott's (formerly St. Jude Medical's) Implantable Cardiac Pacemakers
|Abbott released a firmware update to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities identified in Abbott's (formerly St. Jude Medical) implantable cardiac pacemakers. The firmware update continues Abbott's efforts to mitigate confirmed vulnerabilities discovered by an independent research firm in 2016.
|Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities Identified in St. Jude Medical's Implantable Cardiac Devices and Merlin@home Transmitter
|The FDA became aware of cybersecurity vulnerabilities in these devices after an independent research firm released information about these vulnerabilities.
|LifeCare PCA3 and PCA5 Infusion Pump Systems by Hospira - Security Vulnerabilities
|The FDA and Hospira became aware of cybersecurity vulnerabilities in these infusion systems after an independent researcher released information about these vulnerabilities. On July 31 2015, Hospira and an independent researcher confirmed that it is possible to access the Symbiq Infusion System remotely through a hospital's network.
|Cybersecurity for Medical Devices and Hospital Networks
|The FDA recommends that medical device manufacturers and health care facilities take steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to reduce the risk of device failure due to cyber attack.
To receive safety communications on medical devices, including cybersecurity-related safety communications, subscribe to our Medical Devices Safety and Recalls emails.
Reporting Cybersecurity Issues to the FDA
As a part of our surveillance of medical devices on the market, the FDA encourages reports of cybersecurity issues with devices.
- Manufacturers, Importers, and Device User Facilities: See Medical Device Reporting (MDR) for details on mandatory reporting requirements.
- Health care providers: Use the MedWatch voluntary report form for health professionals (Form 3500) to report a cybersecurity issue with a medical device.
- Patients and caregivers: Use the MedWatch voluntary report form for consumers/patients (Form 3500B) to report a cybersecurity issue with a medical device.
Memoranda of Understanding on Cybersecurity in Medical Devices
|National Health Information Sharing & Analysis Center, Inc. (NHISAC) and MediSAO (information sharing analysis organization)
|The goal of these ISAOs is to provide manufacturers with the opportunity to share information about potential vulnerabilities and emerging threats with the FDA and to help manufactures protect patients by addressing those issues earlier.
|Health Information Sharing & Analysis Center, Inc. (H-ISAC), formerly known as the National Health Information Sharing & Analysis Center, Inc. (NH-ISAC), and Sensato Critical Infrastructure ISAO
|The goal of these ISAOs is to provide manufacturers with the opportunity to share information about potential vulnerabilities and emerging threats with the FDA and to help manufactures protect patients by addressing those issues earlier.
|MOA: DHS-FDA Medical Device Cybersecurity Collaboration
|Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
|The agreement implements a framework for greater coordination and information sharing about potential or confirmed medical device cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats. This collaboration between the two agencies is intended to lead to better and more timely responses to potential threats to patient safety.
|National Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NH-ISAC) and the Medical Device Innovation, Safety and Security Consortium (MDISS)
|Expands upon the collaboration previously established in MOU 224-14-0019 and enables an operational framework for medical device vulnerability information-sharing, as described in the final guidance for the Postmarket Management of Cybersecurity in Medical Devices (PDF - 1.2MB).
|National Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NH-ISAC) and the Medical Device Innovation, Safety and Security Consortium (MDISS)
|NH-ISAC is a nonprofit health sector-led organization that provides member organizations with actionable information on cybersecurity and coordinates cybersecurity incidence response. MDISS is a nonprofit organization that develops best practices in public health, safety science, and physical cyber system security to address the complex challenges associated with healthcare technology cybersecurity risks.
The goals of FDA's collaboration and MOUs with NH-ISAC and MDISS are to:
- Establish mechanisms by which information regarding medical device cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats can be shared with the NH-ISAC, MDISS, and FDA in a trusted space
- Foster the development of a shared risk assessment framework to enable stakeholders to consistently and efficiently assess patient safety and public health risks associated with identified cybersecurity vulnerabilities and take timely and appropriate action to mitigate the risks.
Workshops and Webinars on Cybersecurity
|Public Workshop: Content of Premarket Submissions for Management of Cybersecurity in Medical Devices
|Bring together diverse stakeholders to discuss, in-depth, the draft guidance, Content of Premarket Submissions for Management of Cybersecurity in Medical Devices (PDF - 604kb) and the sub-topic of the draft guidance regarding a Cybersecurity Bill of Materials (CBOM), which can be a critical element in identifying assets, threats, and vulnerabilities.
|Public Workshop: Cybersecurity of Medical Devices: A Regulatory Science Gap Analysis
|Examine opportunities for FDA engagement with new and ongoing research; catalyze collaboration among stakeholders to identify regulatory science challenges; discuss innovative strategies to address those challenges; and encourage proactive development of analytical tools, processes, and best practices by the stakeholder community in order to strengthen medical device cybersecurity.
|Webinar: Postmarket Management of Cybersecurity in Medical Devices
|Learn more about the guidance (PDF - 1.2MB) and ask questions.
|Public Workshop, Moving Forward: Collaborative Approaches to Medical Device Cybersecurity
|Highlight past collaborative efforts and increase awareness of existing maturity models which are used to evaluate cybersecurity status, standards, and tools in development.
|Webinar: Content of Premarket Submissions for Management of Cybersecurity in Medical Devices
|Learn more about the guidance (PDF - 324kb) and ask questions.
|Public Workshop: Collaborative Approaches for Medical Device and Healthcare Cybersecurity
|Encourage collaboration among stakeholders, identify challenges and discuss strategies and best practices for promoting medical device cybersecurity.
Other Collaborations on Cybersecurity in Medical Devices
MITRE Corporation: In October 2018, the FDA supported the development of the MITRE Corporation's Medical Device Cybersecurity Regional Incident Preparedness and Response Playbook. The playbook describes the types of readiness activities that'll enable health delivery organizations (HDOs) to be better prepared for a cybersecurity incident involving their medical devices and gives product developers more opportunity to address the potential for large scale, multi-patient impacts that may raise patient safety concerns.
Cybersecurity in the News
- FDA News Release: FDA warns patients and health care providers about potential cybersecurity concerns with certain Medtronic insulin pumps (June 27, 2019)
- FDA In Brief: FDA issues alert on potential premature battery depletion of certain Medtronic implantable pacemakers, approves related enhancements to device (May 7, 2019)
- FDA In Brief: FDA proposes updated cybersecurity recommendations to help ensure device manufacturers are adequately addressing evolving cybersecurity threats (October 17, 2018)
- FDA News Release: FDA and DHS increase coordination of responses to medical device cybersecurity threats under new partnership; a part of the two agencies' broader effort to protect patient safety (October 16, 2018)
- FDA In Brief: FDA warns patients, providers about cybersecurity concerns with certain Medtronic implantable cardiac devices (October 11, 2018)
- FDA Statement: FDA's efforts to strengthen the agency's medical device cybersecurity program as part of its mission to protect patients (October 1, 2018)
- FDA News Release: FDA outlines cybersecurity recommendations for medical device manufacturers (January 15, 2016)


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Padlock Collar - Black
Padlock Collar - Black
Made from smooth genuine leather, the padlock collar necklace is a versatile piece that is worn around the neck. Ties up with a padlock and it's key. All cuir is dyed with coloring matter of vegetable origin, therefore hypoallergenic and eco-friendly. All handmade in Italy.
Comes in small gift box
fits necks from 30 to 36 cm (measured around the neck)
This choker is one size - but you can email us in case you need a custom size and we will be happy to create one with no additional cost


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Free Internet service provider NetZero Inc. (Nasdaq: NZRO) shot up 13 1/8, or 82 percent, to 29 1/8 Friday in its initial public offering.
NetZero priced its 10 million-share offering at $16 a share, the high end of its revised price range of $14 to $16 a share.
The underwriters, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, Hambrecht & Quist, and Wit Capital Corp., have been allotted 1.5 million in extra shares in the event of heavy demand.
The Westlake Village, Calif.-based company is hoping to offer free Internet service and make up the revenue shortfall on advertising. NetZero had about 613,000 users accessing its free connection to the Internet in June and delivered 830 million ads to those consumers.
The company plans to use the proceeds raised in the IPO to expand its marketing and sales, boost business by enhancing its server and network infrastructure, fund operating losses and other general corporate purposes, the company said in regulatory filings.
NetZero had about $15.2 million in net losses in the year ending June 30. For the three months ended July 30, 1999, NetZero had a net loss of $8.3 million on revenue of 3.7 million
There are some risks banking the whole future on advertising revenue. "If we are not able to demonstrate to our advertisers that our registered users are actively using our service, advertisers may choose not to advertise," the company said.
While about 1.68 million users had registered for the NetZero service as of August 31, roughly 891,000 used the service during that month.
"We believe that a number of our users have Internet access accounts with our competitors," the company said. "As a result, these users may not use NetZero as their primary Internet service provider.">


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Lytro Light Field Camera: Creative Tool or Toy?
The Web is abuzz about the Lytro light field camera which is—depending on who you ask—either the most revolutionary photographic tool since Eastman invented roll film or a flash-in-the-pan gimmick that will go the way of the Edsel. If you're not familiar with the camera, its main feature is the ability to shoot now and focus later. It does this by not only recording the luminosity and color of light, but also its direction—a process for which the company's founder, Ren Ng, earned a Ph.D from Stanford. The appeal is easy to see—everyone who has picked up a camera has had to deal with missing a crucial shot due to a focus error. It's available in two versions—a $399 model with 8GB of internal memory, and a $499 version with 16GB.
Much has already been written about the photos the Lytro as a consumer electronics device. Early user reports indicate that the camera, despite a relatively fast f/2 aperture lens, does a poor job in low light; that its form factor and touch zoom controls are somewhat awkward from an ergonomic perspective; the software required to get the photos off of the camera currently only works with OS X; and the final photo resolution is a megapixel, making them unsuitable for printing.
But what about the Lytro cameras as a creative tool? In many ways, digital photography is the art form of the masses. Photography can be different to people—a method to preserve precious family memories, a powerful journalistic tool, a means of creative expression. As it is currently implemented, Lytro actually takes the ability to present the image as you intended out of your hands and into those of the viewer. Let's take one of the "Living Pictures" from the Lytro web site as an example.
Traditional photographic technique says that the focus in this shot should be on sharp on the squirrel's eyes. As a capture device, the Lytro eliminates that variable—ensuring that, in at least one version of the shot, the eyes are in focus. But it fails in many other ways. The viewer can click around on the shot, making the tree come into focus, or the squirrel's front legs. It's cool that you can do this, but why would you want to?
This is not to say that the Lytro effect is useless. I can think of a few photos that I've shot with traditional camera equipment that could actually be enhanced by having the ability to look at them with different elements in focus. In the snapshot to the right, I focused on the reflection of the dance floor in the mirror—it's one instance where it would be neat to be able to click on the photo to bring the wedding cake in the foreground into focus instead. But I look at this as the rare exception, not the rule.
Many photographers are obsessed with bokeh—which is a Japanese term that refers to the out of focus that isolates your subject in a photo. From the photos I've seen, the Lytro isn't capable of the smooth, surreal bokeh that some photogs strive for. Separating the subject from the background is a powerful creative tool—but the opposite can be true as well. Orson Welles famously sought for infinite focus when he was shooting his masterpiece, Citizen Kane. He wanted every object to be in focus, from the foreground through the background. If the Lytro could produce this effect, its usefulness as a tool would increase.
Another creative photographic tool is a tilting lens. Instead of the rear of a lens being parallel to the film plane, you can use a specialized camera or lens to make it so the light from the lens hits the film—or digital sensor—at an angle. The technique is often used in landscape and architectural photography, but can be applied creatively as well. Think about the shot above—wouldn't it work better if the entire line of cans was in focus, with other elements in the shot blurred?
Creative types are probably most familiar with tilt's use to create the miniature effect, which is a visual trick that can make real-life objects appear to be part of a diorama. It's also employed, along with low-fidelity optics, by Lensbaby in its series of creative effects lenses. There's also the $200 Bokeh 2 software package from Alien Skin Software which can take a photo and blur the background for you after the fact. It doesn't offer the whiz-bang effect of the focus changing before your eyes that the Lytro software does, but it keeps the creative control in your hands rather than the viewer's.
From a technical perspective, the Lytro camera should produce digital files that are capable of both infinite focus and tilt adjustment—the current lack of that capability is, presumably, a software limitation. The camera's usefulness as a creative tool would increase exponentially by providing these to photographers—as well as providing the ability to have the option of locking a photo so that the viewer cannot change focus willy-nilly. The technology behind the Lytro camera is exciting. I hope to see it make its way to more capable image capture devices in the future. But, as it stands now, the Lytro light field camera is a technological curiosity at best: a one-trick pony that lacks the practical capabilities of traditional cameras.
PCMag did have some hands-on time with the Lytro at a press event. We'll provide a full review and rating once we get a unit into our labs for testing.


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Aaron Wallace is a contemporary artist living in Willow Spring, NC.
My work is not derivative of a representational subject; instead it is an inventive, out-of-the-ordinary pictorial space and/or art object. My work often echoes my physical movements during the process of creating the work. I am existentially "in the moment" and each piece becomes about the experience of the creative moment, an exploration of me and an examination of materials and the process itself. At the moment that I am creating a work of art, I feel I am the most honest with myself, exploring the recesses of my own mind. I am inspired to make art when I am dealing with a strong emotion about a social injustice or a relationship. Sometimes I let music help guide me through a piece.
After ending my nine years in the Army, I began to find it difficult to justify what our government was doing not only internationally, but here at home. My frustration continues to grow with our country's increased dependence on unjust wars, increased police militarization, the racist drug war and the effects on society. Although it may not always be evident by the viewer, an internal struggle with these issues is expressed within my work, which is often socially and politically motivated.
Found and repurposed materials have become a very important element in my work . I have worked with honey barrels, bubble wrap, spray foam and most recently discarded old doors hung sideways from the wall to create a linear panoramic pictorial space. I use aerosol paints in conjunction with found object stencils to create patterns and use spray foam and mediums to create organic-looking shapes and textures and juxtapose them with hard lines and vivid colors.
My art signifies my struggle with society and is an expression of my response to it. I am struggling with my military history and experiences versus my current political views; my love of nature and the earth versus my addiction to social media and the spoils of the Industrial Revolution; and struggles within my relationships. My most successful works of art have been created in moments of deep self reflection, completely alone with my thoughts and available materials to create. The longer I am alone, the more successful I feel the works become. Each piece is a record of how I felt about something whether it was a social view, a political statement, or how I felt about a relationship. My process is about exploring what material can do, applying it in new ways, moving outside of the idea of what a painting is while combining sculptural and printmaking techniques to canvas or rigid substrates, such as repurposed doors, to hold heavier materials.
More recently, my work is about feeling and movement. I use a lot of bright colors to bring humor and joy to the asthetic of the piece.
Little planning is done with each piece, rather the work expresses feelings about a specific event in my life or a political stance and I embed that feeling in each piece through movents projected onto each piece by slinging paint, water or other materials onto a surface. I find that using local repurposed doors allows me to work on a larger scale and produce a more durable visual object while leaving less of an impact on the environment than using a canvas produced in another country.


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Controversy over yoga
When my grandmother started teaching yoga back in the '60s, her church was concerned. They didn't understand how one of their own, a devout Methodist, could turn to the devil's work. My grandmother was undaunted. "It's just breathing and stretching," she would tell them, "there's nothing heretical about breathing and stretching."
The controversy around yoga is not new, but continues to resurface as the practice spreads to secular settings. Recently it came under fire at a school in Georgia, where fear of crystals, the word namaste, and bringing hands together at heart center left parents in an uproar. A March 24 headline in the Washington Post read, "Ga. parents, offended by the 'Far East Religion' of yoga, get 'namaste' banned from school." The school apologized for the misunderstanding, and agreed to stop using the word namaste and "prayer position" with the hands, though denied claims crystals were being used. It is notable that they are not backing away from the program. Calming and relaxation techniques are benefiting students and schools, and schools don't want to give these up because of misguided fears from parents.
This was not the first time, nor will it be the last, that yoga and mindfulness programs in schools are challenged. Last year in Encinitas, California, a group of parents brought a case to court arguing yoga in school violated separation of church of state rules. The outcome? "California Appeals Court Rules Yoga Doesn't Violate Religious Freedom."
Yoga's Shifting Definition
Part of the confusion may lie with the fact that the word yoga has gone through its own identity crisis over the years, and the way it is often understood in the West is a far cry from what Pantanjali meant when he wrote it down the Yoga Sutras in the 2nd century BCE. As explored in an Elephant Journal article, yoga was an eight point plan meant to overcome physical manifestation and the cycle of rebirth, and is said to mean "yoke" or "union." Only one of those points, or limbs as it was called, was about the physical posture, known as asana. That is the same Sanksrit word we see tacked on at the end of all our various postures today: Virabhadrasana, Adho Muhka Svanasana, Savasana. But originally, it meant seated posture, or the posture one took when meditating. Only a little later on— 1600-1900 years later— did yoga even start to talk about specific postures one could take, and none of them included the kind of sun salutation, warrior, nor down dog that are foundational to the yoga we practice today.
In sum, the religious roots of the word yoga have very little to do with the crazy modern sweat-inducing movement based "yoga" we practice in the West.
QUESTION: So then where does our modern "yoga" come from?
ANSWER: Scandinavian Gymnastics.
Say what?
According to Mark Singleton, who explored this question in his article, The Roots of Yoga: Ancient + Modern, in the early 20th century there was a rise in concern over strength and agility connected to greater social-political movements, and suddenly they were blending wrestling, gymnastics, and strength training into yoga. A physically rigorous practice was used by some of the more hip-to-it yoga gurus at the time to try and capture the hearts, minds, and bodies of the younger generation. Thus, many of the yoga postures of today are actually part of an exercise routine developed in the 1900s.
Where does that leave us?
We need to be very clear about what we mean when we say we are offering "yoga" in schools.
When Little Flower Yoga, one of the top yoga-for-kids training programs in the country, talks about their program, they break it down into, "Connect, Breathe, Move, Focus, and Relax." They talk about the physical, mental, emotional, and attentional benefits. These are all words we can presumably get behind, and want, for our kids. There is nothing that talks about spiritual ascendence or resembles religious indoctrination. And that's because this "yoga" is a different "yoga" than that which Pantanjali originally wrote about.
When I started teaching yoga to high school students at Baxter Academy, a STEM school in Portland Maine, I did teach my students a little bit about the history of yoga. I wanted them to understand the greater context of the physical practice we were engaging in to open our bodies and calm our minds. As part of my "yoga" teaching, we put our phones away and invite our attention into the present moment, rather than getting caught up in the worries of yesterday or what is yet to come. We start with the sound of a chime, listening for the end of the sound to focus the mind. We move, and breathe, and stabilize. We notice sensations as they arise in the body and see if we can stay with discomfort. At the end, we relax our whole bodies before we again rise to re-begin our days, hopefully with more awareness. This is the yoga I bring to schools.
After this first week, the students had this to say:
This is after just one week of practice from students who are new to yoga. Their anecdotal experiences about stress relief are just starting to be backed by research into this new field, and it will take some time for us to know the extent of yoga's usefulness to students.
In the meantime, it's on us to be clear about what we mean when we say yoga, since we have dramatically shifted away from the origins of the word. We also need to continue to look at what is actually happening in the classroom, as opposed to relying on the historical connotations and new age symbolism with which the word has been loaded down. In this way, we can best come to a common definition, and hopefully avoid some of the fears of parents who understandably do not know what is actually happening with their children when they are practicing "yoga."


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AIAGC March Monthly Membership Meeting:
Chappelle Auditorium at Allen University
Wednesday, March 29 @ Noon
Photo © 2017 Brian Dressler / briandressler.com
$5 (+ convenience fee) Presentation, Tour, and Lunch from 12:00-1:15pm.
Historic Renovation tour with GMK Project Architect and Historic Columbia. Parking and logistical instructions to come later.
Register online at:


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Come visit me at the Mill City Famers Market on July 22nd. The Market is open from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., and features many other vendors of art, produce and prepared food. I'll be in the train shed area of the market
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: June 24Mill City Farmers Market
Later Event: July 29Mill City Farmers Market


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I had a sudden urge to design some funky tea towels to add to the slowly growing Homely Creatures range. I'll be getting these printed onto some tea-towelly fabric and making them up for you hopefully in a few weeks. I would love to know what you think and which one is your favourite?
Homely Creatures Tea Towels


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20 Encouraging Bible Verses For Young Leaders
Leading is not always easy...and being young to leadership can sometimes have you feeling overwhelmed.
Whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed, I know I can turn to the Word of God for encouragement, guidance and hardcore leadership principles. I love that the Bible is not only a place for leaders but for young leaders.
So enjoy the holiday weekend and make some downtime for yourself and have a devo or two as you unpack some of these spiritual truths...
20 Verse for Young leaders:
1. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. – 1 Timothy 4:12
2. So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. – Matthew 7:12
3. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:13
4. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:4-5
5. Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. – 1 Timothy 5:17
6. It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant. – Matthew 20:26
7. And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. – Galatians 6:9
8. Suddenly a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel, saying, "Thus says the Lord: 'Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the Lord.'" So Ahab said, "By whom?" And he said, "Thus says the Lord: 'By the young leaders of the provinces.'" Then he said, "Who will set the battle in order?" And he answered, "You." Then he mustered the young leaders of the provinces, and there were two hundred and thirty-two; and after them he mustered all the people, all the children of Israel—seven thousand. – 1 Kings 20:13-15
9. When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan. – Proverbs 29:2
10. Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory. – Proverbs 11:14
11. For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have few spiritual fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good news to you... - 1 Corinthians 4:15
12. Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. – Philippians 2:3
13. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. – 1 Peter 5:7
14. A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.- Proverbs 16:9
15. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. – Mark 10:45
16. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. – Matthew 6:21
17. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. – Hebrews 10:24
18. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. – Proverbs 18:21
19. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. – Matthew 5:37
20. Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for"God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble. – 1 Peter 5:5


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Debbie Reynolds died Wednesday at age 84, just a day after her daughter Carrie Fisher's death. Here's a look back in photos of the enduring mother-daughter relationship the two incredibly successful actors shared.
Here's baby Carrie with her father Eddie Fisher and mother.
Eddie Fisher infamously left Debbie Reynolds for Elizabeth Taylor in 1959 when Carrie was only about a year old.
Before the split, Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds also had a son together, Todd Fisher, born in February 1958.
Reynolds is pictured in 1959 with both her children while she works long hours on the set of Say One For Me, so that she can fly to Spain and start filming another movie, It Started with a Kiss.
Here's Reynolds with her children in Hollywood in 1960.
This picture shows the mother-daughter duo in 1972, five years before Carrie would appear as Princess Leia in the original Star Wars.
Carrie, joined by her mother, after she opened in the Broadway production of Censored Scenes From King Kong in 1980.
Here the pair smiles in 1983 at a crowd that has gathered to celebrate Reynolds' return to Broadway in Woman of the Year.
After Reynolds won the the fifth annual Gypsy Award for excellence in dance in 1991, mother and daughter held the award together for this sweet photo.
They pose together again in 1997 after Reynolds won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the American Comedy Awards.
Mom poses in 2011 with both her children now all grown up, after a groundbreaking ceremony for the Hollywood Motion Picture Museum, which houses Debbie Reynolds' $30 million motion picture costume collection, including over 3,000 costumes, as well as props and sets from some of Hollywood's biggest films.
Mom and daughter seen in 2003 at the "Runway for Life" celebrity fashion show benefitting St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
Three generations: Carrie Fisher with her mother and daughter, Billie Lourd, walking on stage during the "Runway for Life" fashion show in 2003.
Carrie presents the "Lacoste Presidents Award" to her mother onstage at the 7th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards in 2005.
In 2005, mother and daughter are seen posing with a stormtrooper and Darth Vader at the premiere of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.
Carrie and her mother pictured at Dame Elizabeth Taylor's 75th birthday party in 2007. Reynolds and Taylor repaired their friendship years after the affair tore it apart.
Todd Fisher, Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, and half-sister Joely Fisher wrapped their arms around each other in 2010 at the premiere of the HBO documentary Wishful Drinking, based on Carrie Fisher's memoir.
Carrie kisses her mom at the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards in 2011.
And here they are holding hands together just last year as Reynolds accepted the Life Achievement Award from her daughter at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Celebrities React To The Death Of Debbie Reynolds


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When it comes to hormonal birth control, is a contraceptive implant (rod) or injection any better than the pill?
The short answer is: "No." Implants or rods are just as bad as the pill and here's why.
Just like the pill, implants and injections work by shutting down ovulation. So just like the pill, they switch off hormones and induce a kind of chemical menopause. That's a pretty significant downside.
Depo-Provera injection completely suppresses both estrogen and progesterone, which is why it has the scariest side effects of any birth control (see below).
Implants are a bit gentler because they permit some estrogen. Their downside is that they annihilate progesterone and therefore rob you of progesterone's many benefits for mood, hair, thyroid, bones, and skin. Read the 7 Superpowers of Progesterone.
But wait, don't those little rods you put in your arm contain progesterone? Nope. There's no progesterone in any type of hormonal birth control. Injections and contraceptive implants contain the progestin steroid drugs medroxyprogesterone acetate, levonorgestrel, and etonogestrel. Progestin drugs don't give the same benefits as progesterone for hair or mood or skin. Instead, they give side effects which are the opposite of progesterone. Please read The Crucial Difference Between Progesterone and Progestins.
Medroxyprogesterone acetate is the progestin in the Depo-Provera injection. The drug is also used orally as Provera to treat abnormal uterine bleeding and other conditions. By severely suppressing both estrogen and progesterone, Depo-Provera damages bones and so earned its "black box" warning from the FDA. It also causes the troubling side effect of unstoppable weight gain and can set women up for some distressing withdrawal symptoms called an "estrogen storm."
Levonorgestrel is the progestin in the implants Norplant and Jadelle. The drug is also used in many oral contraceptives, hormone replacement, Plan B morning-after pill, and the hormonal IUDs Mirena and Skyla. Because levonorgestrel is derived from testosterone, it causes androgenic (male hormone) side effects such as acne, hair loss, and weight gain. Levonorgestrel and other progestins were linked with anxiety and depression in the 2016 Danish study of 1.1 million women.
Etonogestrel is the progestin in the implants Nexplanon or Implanon. The drug is also used in Nuvaring and the progestin-only Pill Cerazette. Like levonorgestrel, etonogestrel can cause mood problems, but it is less androgenic (testosterone-like) than levonorgestrel and so slightly less likely to cause acne, hair loss, and weight gain. Like all progestins, etonogestrel can cause insulin resistance.
Both levonorgestrel and etonogestrel implants can cause ovarian cysts, which makes sense when you consider that their main action is to disturb and suppress ovarian activity. And all types of contraceptive implants can cause erratic bleeding.
What's with all the crazy bleeding on contraceptive implants and injections?
The side effect of erratic bleeding is referred to as "irregular menstruation," which I would argue is a misnomer. The random bleeds that occur on implants are not real periods or menstruation. Instead, they're random bleeds or "anovulatory cycles."
What's the difference between a real period, a Pill-bleed, and an anovulatory cycle?
A real period is the final event in a menstrual cycle in which ovulation occurred and progesterone was made. In other words, a real period is a withdrawal bleed from natural progesterone. The timing of a real period is about the healthy functioning of your ovaries.
👉 Tip: Ovulation is the primary hormonal event of a healthy menstrual cycle.
A pill-bleed is a withdrawal bleed from a pharmaceutical progestin such as levonorgestrel. The timing of Pill-bleed is about the dosing of the drug. There is no reason to bleed monthly when on hormonal birth control. Watch the short animation Why Hormonal Birth Control Can Never Regulate Periods.
An anovulatory cycle or "breakthrough bleed" is a bleed that occurs when the uterine lining has been exposed to estrogen, but not progesterone. Estrogen causes the uterine lining to build up until it cannot hold any longer and at which point it sheds. Anovulatory bleeds also occur with conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
Tip: Hormonal IUDs permit little or no bleeding, but they do permit some ovulation and some progesterone, which is better than none. In that sense, Mirena gives a more "natural cycle" than does the Pill. Read The Pros and Cons of Mirena.
If we agree that progesterone is important and that ovulation is the only way to make it, it changes the entire conversation about birth control.
Non-hormonal birth control
The main advantage of non-hormonal birth control is that it permits ovulation and the production of progesterone.
The best types of non-hormonal birth control are:
- Fertility awareness method (FAM), which is highly reliable contraception, even for women with irregular cycles. You can do it on your own after receiving online training or reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility. Or you can do it with the assistance of technology such as Daysy Fertility Calculator or Natural Cycles (the first phone app to be certified as contraception).
- Condoms, which are one of the oldest methods of birth control and still one of the best. Check out new brands such as the crowd-sourced unbreakable condom Hex.
- The cervical cap (Femcap) and diaphragm (Caya), which are effective female barrier methods.
- The copper IUD, which is highly effective and non-hormonal and nothing whatsoever like a contraceptive implant. It should not be lumped together with implants into the category of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC).
- Vasalgel, which is a non-hormonal method coming soon for men.
What about implants and injections for endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a serious inflammatory disease. In addition to surgery and natural immune-modulating treatment, endometriosis does sometimes require hormonal suppression with birth control. But even then, the hormonal IUD is a better option than an implant. Read Endometriosis? Treat the Immune System.
What's your experience with contraceptive implants? Please comment.


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When love is in your heart, distance is hardly any hurdle to celebrate the special moment of love in anniversary. This is the day that reminds you of your past days and you just want to revisit those days again – right? So, here take a look at the amazing stock of gifts we have brought for you. Send anniversary gifts to Singapore after checking them well and spread a smile on his/her face. The blooming flowers, delectable cakes, mesmerizing chocolates, and glittering personalized gift items are something that your loved ones would love to get from you.
Check the variety of cakes we offer, from half Kg to full Kg, from muffins to cupcakes, and surprise your partner with a cake delivery in Singapore.
|Gifts By Occasion
|Gift Ideas
|Chocolate Cake
|Same Day Delivery
|Teddy with Flowers
|5000+ Flower Options
|6 Days Freshness Guaranteed
Ferns N Petals is a name that has long been associated with gifts of various kinds. Flowers, cakes, chocolates, gift combo hampers, or personalized cushions and coffee mugs – all are expressions of your deep and true love in a meaningful or thoughtful way. With these anniversary gift delivery in Singapore, we are sure your special day would become more radiant. You can scroll through our gift hamper segment where you would see some great men and women accessories as well. And your partner is going to love these gifts or sure.
Flower is one such gift that matches every emotion of ours and thus with a flower delivery in Singapore to your loved ones you can wish on any kind of occasion.
Ferns N Petals also have same day delivery and same day delivery services and you can use them well to get your gifts delivered to your sweetie.


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Sponsored by:
Experience Your Favourite Brewery like Never Before
Food Joanna Britton shares how CRAFT is supporting local breweries, creating premium experiences, and investing in their community.
Joanna Britton, Marketing Manager at CRAFT, talks new Brewmasters Dinner Series and community commitment.
Mediaplanet: How would you explain the CRAFT concept to someone who hasn't been there before?
Joanna Britton: CRAFT Beer Market is a premium casual restaurant with a passion for fresh local food and great craft beer. Launched in Calgary in 2011, CRAFT brings sophisticated comfort food, unique craft beers, and active community involvement together to new cities every year.
MP: What is the Brewmasters Dinner Series?
JB: Each month we partner with a different brewery to create an evening of great food and beer. Patrons can enjoy a chef-crafted four-course dinner menu paired with our partner brewery's offerings, with each course designed to cut or complement the brew.
MP: What does community mean to CRAFT?
JB: Like a good neighbour, we try to make positive contributions wherever possible. We have partnerships with several organizations including Ronald McDonald House, we support Eva's Initiatives through the Mealshare program, and we're actively raising funds through our Community Brew program that currently assists programming at Dixon Hall Music School. CRAFT stands for community, responsible, approachable, family, and true. These core values, and our motto Do the Right Thing, are what set us apart.
Visit us at Yonge & Adelaide and follow @crafttoronto for info on upcoming events and our Brewmasters Dinners Series.


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What started off as an interesting project, has become an important part of many people's lives. In 2006, we had the idea of sharing a house with some friends, and turned it into a place where we can MAKE friends. The people coming to stay with us were usually students doing an internship, or people staying in the city for short term work. More importantly, these were people who wanted to experience all of Chicago, and meet lifetime friends along the way!
The entire idea of SubletInn is to create fun, stress-free, and interactive environments for students, interns, and young professionals. This means your job is to go out and get to know your roommates, while we take care of the rest. Go explore Chicago to it's fullest, knowing you will always have this room waiting for you when you come back!
This is only the beginning. Without knowing, you are also a founder. We are eternally grateful you have trusted us on this first step in the road, and hope you stick around for the future.
Yazan, Edgar, and the Francis Team


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LS #042- How to Customize a Traditional Career Path Tailored Made for You: Cristina Perez
Cristina is an Attorney, Author, 3-time Emmy Winner Television Personality, Radio Host, and Speaker. She has used her passion for the law and people to educate the public on the importance of identity, family, diversity, and integrity.
Cristina didn't set out to become a multi-hyphante-preneur. She planned on being an excellent lawyer, wife, and mom. Her hard work, passion, and dual cultural vantage point opened up unexpected doors. From taking a seat as a judge for courtroom television to authoring three books, Cristina has walked through those open doors and told some great stories along the way.
In this episode, Cristina shares how being the daughter of Colombian immigrants, watching them struggle with racism, and growing up in both the U.S. and Mexico profoundly shaped her interest around issues of justice and immigration.
From learning how to parlay your expertise into new business opportunities and book publishing options, to work-life balance, Cristina has a world of experience to share.
Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Google Play | Sound Cloud | Or right here!
Please follow Cristina @judgecristina on Facebook and Twitter and @judge_cristina on Instagram. Be sure to check out Cristina's latest book Red, White, and Latina: Our American Identity at www.cristinaperez.tv.
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As part of this project, I'll be also doing a weekly blog entry to track the writing process, and how the catharsis project is evolving. Here be the first entry.
First story, Bundle, went up last week, and I must say I didn't actually factor in the idea that anyone would actually read it. But I went out on the weekend and a friend of mine made an oblique reference to "Tracy" and I was like, "who the shit are you talking about?" and it turns out he totally read the story. Some kind of feedback loop would be good, rather than just discovering later on that people are reading it. Must consider.
I've just written the first draft of next week's story, which will be called 'Rain.' For the purposes of these first few stories, I'm not really allowing myself any prep time, and literally just plucking at an idea and slamming words into my keyboard. It's a very different process to the way I write screenplays - which involves a lot of work before ever opening Final Draft - and I'm hoping it'll lead to some interesting stuff, or at the very least a new perspective on working. Giving myself one session of proof-reading / editing as well, because it occurred to me that sometimes when I do "vomit-passes" like this and just "spew" words onto paper in a manner akin to "chunder", it sometimes doesn't make any sense and has carrot in it gross. So, yeah, a little bit of editing seems in order. Nobody uses paper anymore.
Both stories taking pretty similar forms first up, although this one has a bit more direct action, with two characters interacting with each other. That was a late decision after I started writing it, and it felt right. I think it's going to be important to introduce new elements every time to avoid stagnating.
It's interesting what this stream of consciousness writing throws up, although I'm not sure how unbridled this stuff really is - I'm forcing myself to be dark and weird, so there's definitely still some contrivance. I think I'm going to have to shift tones throughout the year, and drastically shift forms too.
Rain is way freakier than Bundle, or at least is trying to be way freakier. Maybe that means it'll be less freaky. We shall see. Doubt I'll be able to gain anything from the stories themselves until I've got a few in the bank and some distance on the earlier ones. The process, thus far though, has been positive / fun / exciting / not as exciting as when Eddie Betts kicked that goal from the pocket by the Hill on Saturday night against North.
Football reference complete. Over and out.


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Ben Parker Guitar & Ukulele Tutor Brisbane
From Google, Trade Me and Facebook
❝Ben is a really nice guy and very helpful I've been having guitar lessons with him for 2 terms and have learnt so much! I highly recommend him as a tutor.
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❝My 11 year old daughter has been having guitar lessons with Ben for about a year now. She loves learning to play songs that she can relate to and are modern. Ben has been extremely helpful in his advise and support in encouraging her to overcome her performing issues. I would highly recommend Ben as a guitar tutor - he is very approachable, friendly and helpful as well as giving our daughter an excellent guitar education.
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❝I was wanting to learn some proper technique on the ukulele and came across Ben on the internet and I'm so glad I did!! He is extremely professional and patient, and with just a couple of sessions with him I have greatly improved and no longer lack confidence to jam on my little uke. I've moved away from NZ but will continue to take lessons with him via Skype. I cannot recommend Ben enough! It's nerve racking learning a new instrument as an adult but he definitely made me feel totally comfortable and at ease.
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❝I have started my lessons with Ben a few months ago and I really enjoy it. I learn so much every time, he always has something prepared on my personal preferences. He is patient, makes you feel comfortable and really listens to your input on what you want to achieve in your classes. He explains stuff very well, is also fun and easy going. His place is really easy to get to, the class room is small but well set up. All in all, the best guitar teacher I had so far and excellent value for money.
❝Ben has been tutoring my three boys aged between 8 and 13 for over 6 months now. He has revitalised there interest in learning guitar and they enjoy his relaxed style of teaching. He deals with multiple student lessons well giving each student the time and encouragement they need to learn and develop at their own pace. I recommend Ben
❝Ben is an excellent tutor, he was very patient with my 8 year old who had never had any sort of music experience beforehand. Lessons were well structured yet adaptable. I would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending Ben for anyone looking for music tuition.
©2019 Ben Parker Guitar Tutor. All Rights Reserved


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Do not get Discouraged. At times you will gain some of the weight that you have lost but if you stick to a healthy lifestyle and diet you will get back on track quickly.
Last Friday I got my weight down to 197.8. The weight just came off quick last week. (Maybe too quick) On the weekend I kinda veered off my healthy lifestyle a bit. I had some beers on Friday night and ate some chips and junk food. On Saturday I had my cousins engagement party to go to. I had a few more drinks and party food at the party. I really didn't watch what I was eating too carefully but probably more carefully than when I wasn't dieting. On Sunday I took the family to eat out for lunch and had a barbecue for dinner. I was more careful with the food selection but still ate too much and some of the wrong foods. I even had a slice of chocolate cake for dessert.
Well on Monday I paid for it at the scale. I gained back all the weight that I lost the previous week. I was back up to 201 pounds. That was a little bit depressing.
In the past when this happened I would just give up and tell myself I just can't do this. This time I didn't do that. On Monday I was extra careful. I watched portion size, ate nutritionally dense foods with low sugar and hit the gym at the end of the day. When I weighed myself on Tuesday I was pleasantly surprised. I got my weight down to where I was last Friday. So while the weekend was a bit of a setback, my weight is still down overall. Moreover I am still on track of my goal of getting my weight down to 197 by the end of the month. Hooray!
In the next post I will talk about setting short term and long term weight loss and fitness goals.