text:
Who Should Be Minding Online Traffic?
From Washington Lawyer, June 2011
By Joan Indiana RigdonNearly 20 years ago, when the general public was just starting to experiment with the possibilities of the Internet, it occurred to a lot of entrepreneurs and economists that the online world represented an unusual opportunity to level the playing field for businesses.
Throughout the 1990s corporate giants first ignored, and then belittled, the mom-and-pop storefronts that began popping up all over what was then known as "cyberland." By the end of that decade, a few of those startups mushroomed into major threats to their slow–footed competitors—Netscape Communications Corp. being among the most famous, mostly for its initial public offering, which raised $2.2 billion on the first day of trading alone toward its war chest for its ultimately lost battle against Microsoft Corp.
There was a boom and then a bust, and that story has been told. But when that was over, major business assumptions had changed. It was now widely accepted that anyone with an idea and a modem connection could set up shop online and launch (whether successfully or not) niche products, songs, books, or ideas that could not have found shelf space in the offline world.
Today the Internet still offers a mostly open playing field, with a vast array of products and content. But there's a twist: since at least 2005, it's been possible for companies to get their Internet traffic into so–called "fast lanes" by paying a premium to the pipe owners. The pipe owners—cable companies like AT&T Inc., Comcast Corp., and Verizon Communications Inc.—point out that they have invested billions of dollars in building out their networks and, therefore, should be able to leverage their investments to offer any services they choose.
That practice has heated up the debate over net neutrality, the idea that all Internet traffic should be treated equally, whether the bytes exchanged represent major transactions between businesses, penny–ante trades between independents, or just bored desk jockeys pushing viral videos of laughing babies.
Senator Al Franken (D–Minn.) is calling net neutrality the biggest issue since freedom of religion. Without it, he says, today's mostly open Internet will fall under the control of the biggest media companies, whose legal obligation is to protect their bottom line. The result: an Internet where the richest companies get the fastest loading times and best access to customers around the world, while smaller players with independent products or ideas are squeezed aside, just like they always have been in the offline world.
The Media Access Project, a Washington D.C.–based nonprofit public interest law firm that specializes in communications policy, says faster loading times for preferred customers can actually stymie innovation.
What "if someone comes up with a better way to do social media than Facebook and they can't get off the ground because Facebook has an exclusive relationship with Comcast, and Comcast says [Facebook traffic] goes faster than other people's social media?" posits Andrew J. Schwartzman, the group's senior vice president and policy director. "Openness allows for innovation."
Free market advocates, of course, want fewer rules for businesses. But in the debate over net neutrality, they also are arguing that if the federal government gets into the business of deciding how traffic should or should not move over the Internet, that's a direct threat to free speech.
"I think we ultimately have more to fear from government censorship in the name of promoting fairness and discrimination" than the alternative, which is simply letting businesses decide for themselves how to use the Internet, says Randolph J. May, a former general counsel for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and now president of the Free State Foundation, a think tank based in Rockville, Maryland.
Republicans apparently agree. On March 9, 2011, the House Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee voted to overturn the FCC's new Internet rules. The following month, the full House of Representatives voted to repeal the FCC's net neutrality regulations, just a few days after President Barack Obama threated to veto any such repeal. Getting rid of the rules would "undermine a fundamental part of the nation's Internet and innovation strategy," the administration said in a statement.
Throttling Competition
Most Americans had no idea what net neutrality was until 2008, when the FCC sanctioned Comcast for violating the commission's open Internet guidelines by throttling—or slowing—traffic for users of a bandwidth–hogging, peer–to–peer file–sharing network called BitTorrent. Today, BitTorrent describes itself as a free file–sharing service for those who want to distribute "very large" software and media files.
Comcast initially denied throttling BitTorrent traffic, but eventually admitted to the practice after the Associated Press, followed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, produced test results showing throttling of not only BitTorrent, but also of another file sharing site called Gnutella, as well as Lotus Notes. BitTorrent, however, was by far the most popular.
"Whenever somebody tried to use BitTorrent, what [Comcast] would do was tell the site they were trying to reach to tell them to disconnect and try again later. So if you were a subscriber, it would look like the site is not working, and if you were [BitTorrent], it would look like Comcast is down," says Harold Feld, the legal director of Public Knowledge, a District–based public interest group that supports net neutrality.
Amid the ensuing public drubbing, Comcast tried to explain the difference between delaying and blocking traffic, but net neutrality proponents worried: if Comcast could slow down traffic for BitTorrent customers, and in a way that was undetectable by most customers, then any cable provider could do, or might already be doing, the same thing for any other reason.
As part of the sanction, the FCC ordered Comcast to stop throttling, to file a statement explaining how the cable company had done it, and to basically "find a way to manage your congestion issues that doesn't target a particular application," as Feld summarizes. Comcast responded with bandwidth caps that were not related to specific applications.
That might have been the end of it, Feld says, but "Comcast was annoyed. By this time, [Comcast chair and chief executive officer] Brian Roberts and [then FCC chair] Kevin Martin, let us say, they had fully personalized the conflict between them." At the 2007 FCC Chairman's Dinner, Martin asked members of the cable industry to identify themselves, and then quipped, "I want to start out by apologizing that we had to remove the knives from your table."
In March 2008, Comcast and BitTorrent announced that they working together on ways to manage file–sharing over Comcast's network. Then, in September 2008, "for no reason that one could understand," Feld recalls, Comcast challenged the FCC's order in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Comcast said that while it would comply with the FCC's order, it argued that the commission did not have any rules that served as the basis of its sanction.
"Now the FCC has a problem," Feld says by way of explaining the situation at the time. "It could either figure out some way to justify exercise of ancillary authority that would respond to the D.C. Circuit decision, or it could reclassify broadband as a Title II service. Or give up."
Ultimately, rather than reclassify broadband, Feld says the FCC "decided to go back to the drawing board on Title I and it came up with a different legal theory, on ancillary authority."
FCC: Web Traffic Watchdog
The 1934 Communications Act came into being to ensure fair and open access to the nation's then nascent telephone infrastructure. But the FCC regulations that cover telecoms do not cover cable companies. Instead, cable companies are considered "information services," which fall under the FCC's Title I rules. Telecoms are regulated under the much more stringent Title II rules, which were set up to prevent monopolies from taking over the nation's telephone lines.[1]
While Title I does not give the FCC explicit authority to regulate the way cable companies manage their traffic, section 4(i), referred to as ancillary authority, does allow the commission to "perform any and all acts, make such rules and regulations, and issue such orders, not inconsistent with this Act, as may be necessary in the execution of its functions." When it sanctioned Comcast for throttling in 2008, the FCC cited these ancillary powers as the source of its authority.
The D.C. Circuit ultimately disagreed, and vacated the FCC order in its April 2010 decision.[2]
Drawing heavily from California Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman's engineered compromise, FCC Chair Julius Genachowski responded in December 2010 to the appellate court's decision by announcing new "rules of the road" for the Internet. The new rules give the FCC more power to regulate Internet providers, but not nearly as much power as net neutrality proponents had hoped.
"Now, for the first time, we'll have enforceable, high–level rules of the road to preserve Internet freedom and openness," Genachowski declared. Under the new rules, the FCC gave itself the authority to monitor the network management practices of companies who provide Internet access to homes via wires such as cable companies. Specifically, cable companies are not allowed to block any sites and practice "unreasonable discrimination" when deciding which traffic gets priority over their networks.
But that ban does not apply to companies that provide wireless access to the Internet, a distinction that many watchers find strange.
"In our opinion, you really shouldn't" treat wired and wireless Internet providers differently, says Feld. "The reason the FCC did that is because they brokered a political compromise. It was purely a matter of politics.
"The official reason given in the order is that wireless is different. It operates pursuant to different logic. It's a relatively newer service," Feld adds. "But we believe strongly that there is only one Internet and that everybody should be able to access it" equally, no matter what kind of technology they use to do it.
First Amendment and New Media
Robert Corn–Revere, a Davis Wright Tremaine LLP partner who specializes in First Amendment, communications, and information technology law, questions whether the FCC should have any rule–making ability over the Internet at all.
"Keep in mind that the FCC is sort of an anomaly in our constitutional system. We have the First Amendment, based on the notion that freedom of expression abhors things like press licensing. Yet we have a major regulatory agency whose very existence sprang forth from a perceived need and desire to license broadcasters and the electronic press. There is, at the very least, an anomaly you have to address when you approach the concept of having government control of a major medium of communication," Corn–Revere says.
"The way the courts have approached it historically is, 'We're going to treat different media differently under the First Amendment.' We're still working on parts of that, and the way the [U.S.] Supreme Court has dealt with that is simply to come up with a different view of the First Amendment based on" which technology is used to deliver content, he continues.
He cites film as an example. "When film was first introduced, the Supreme Court refused to protect it under the First Amendment. They said it wasn't part of the press, it was just a business. That decision was in Mutual Film Corp. v. Industrial Commission of Ohio,[3] Corn–Revere says.
"And so, as of 1915, cinema was not considered to be something that fell under the First Amendment. Of course, in 1915 there were no decisions defining what the First Amendment [protected]. That really didn't start until the 1930s, around the same time the FCC was created.
"When broadcasting was created during this time of First Amendment development, [the Supreme Court] said it has some First Amendment protection. But it's just treated differently. The initial rationale was that the electromagnetic spectrum is limited and government has to ration it, and as a result of that peculiar physical characteristic, if government doesn't set down the rules of the road, then overall [free speech] will come to be diminished," he adds.
"The way it played out was that the Court then extended full protections to these media. In 1952 the Supreme Court reversed itself [in the Burstyn[4]] case and said film is fully protected by the First Amendment," Corn–Revere says.
Decades later, the Supreme Court granted the same protection to cable operators after cable operators challenged section 505 of the Communications Decency Act, which Congress had passed in 1996. That rule required cable operators who offered primarily sexual programming to follow certain rules, including scrambling and blocking their signals and broadcasting only during "safe harbor" hours, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. The idea was to prevent "signal bleed" of the programming from appearing on the screens of nonsubscribers, especially children.
In United States v. Playboy Entertainment Group, Inc.,[5] the Supreme Court found that the rule violated the First Amendment because it is applied only to a certain type of content when another, less–restrictive method—in this case, allowing nonsubscribers to block certain channels—would serve the purpose of preventing accidental screening of sexual content to young children. (The Court's ruling was delivered in 2000, three years after the Communications Decency Act itself was struck down. However, section 505 had lived on as part of the Telecommunications Act.)
The Supreme Court's 1997 decision to strike down the Communications Decency Act, in Reno v. ACLU,[6] marked a shift in the Court's treatment of First Amendment rights as they applied to speech made through different technologies. Two provisions of the Communications Decency Act sought to regulate the transmission of sexual content on the Internet. The Court ruled that those regulations were violations of the First Amendment.
"It was the first time that the Supreme Court had looked at new technology and said in its first decision that it is fully protected under the First Amendment. So the Court is moving away from treating different technologies differently under the First Amendment," Corn–Revere says.
It will become harder to treat different technologies differently as they converge, he adds. Now, "you have a medium that can be a publisher and radio station and provide video. The ability to treat those technologies differently becomes a much bigger problem," according to Corn–Revere.
The question facing lawmakers and policymakers today is, "Can we impose these older visions" of how to regulate bandwidth "onto this new technology that is innovating quickly and changing?" he says. In Corn–Revere's view, "It becomes increasingly difficult to find a rationale to do that."
Feld agrees to that extent: "Not every part of the Communications Act that we have thought of in the last 74 years is appropriate for broadband." But that does not mean the act cannot be updated, he adds.
Tool for Offense or Defense?
What's interesting about the debate over net neutrality is each side's view of the First Amendment, starting with whether the Founders intended it for use as a defense or an offense.
"There's a real divide here in terms of how you construe the First Amendment," says the Media Access Project's Schwartzman. "The way it was determined in the context of [the 1984 deregulation of AT&T] was that the government has an affirmative obligation to create a platform for speech to promote democratic discourse, that the goal of the First Amendment is to ensure democratic decision making" by an informed public.
Then there's the question of who has the right to freedom of speech. "Some argue that anything that supports openness supports the First Amendment," Schwartzman says. "But it's one thing to treat big corporations [as entities] that have First Amendment rights. It's another thing to say that a corporation's First Amendment rights are superior to the rights of the public, to the rights of living, breathing citizens who vote."
In Schwartzman's view, it doesn't make sense for Internet providers to say their free speech rights are being infringed upon when the government requires them to treat all Internet traffic equally.
Corporations "aren't content creators," according to Schwartzman. "To use the telephone analogy, [say] you and I are having a phone conversation, Verizon or whoever you're connecting through has no right to censor this conversation. You and I can have a very intimate conversation and engage in heavy breathing and it's none of the phone company's business. They get paid for delivering bits from A to B. The Internet carriers are in much the same situation. The point of their existence is to carry bits. They're not creating content. They're carrying other people's content."
May of the Free State Foundation disagrees. "The FCC views the providers as having two functions. If you subscribe to Comcast, it's clear that when I log on to Comcast, right there on the front page, that's their own content. I think the FCC with regard to that would say, 'We can't censor that. But a large part of what Comcast does is really just transporting information, so for all practical purposes, we can just treat them as a common carrier.' That's what they would say," May asserts.
"I just don't think you can separate out, that the government can compel that separation and basically tell the Internet service provider with regard to content it has to allow competing content, even though it's not its own content, that it has to allow" that content equal access, he says.
But Who Owns the Pipes?
May argues that companies that have invested billions of dollars in building and developing their own networks should be free to decide how to use those networks. "There are some who think the Internet is free. It's required billions and billions [of dollars] of investment," May says.
Schwartzman, however, questions some people's assumptions that companies truly created their networks. First, "they didn't invent the Internet. The government invented it," he says, referring to ARPANET, an electronic military information network that was designed with many redundant connections so that it could continue to operate even if part of it was damaged.
"Second and more fundamentally, whether [companies] are using wireless connections over publicly owned airways, which are licensed to them, or whether they use wires through streets where they have franchises or municipal permissions, where they are the recipients of government privilege in order to build and construct their businesses … for them to say that [they] built it" is misleading, according to Schwartzman.
"They built it from benefits from government. It's perfectly reasonable for government to say that a condition of you're being able to use our streets is that you maintain an open network."
Schwartzman adds, "We regulate utilities. With wireless, there's increasingly greater competition and less need for traditional monopoly–type regulation, but wireless is using public spectrum, which they get out of a license. They don't own the spectrum. The public owns the spectrum. They're just given the right to use it for a number of years and they bid for it. They buy [the license] and they pay for it … as encumbered property. It's like buying land with an easement."
Regulating the Medium, Managing Public Opinion
Feld, the legal director of Public Knowledge, believes it is business control of Internet traffic that poses huge threats to the notion of free and open discourse. During protests, like recent ones in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, or in Madison, Wisconsin, "who should have the ability to control" Internet accounts of those events?
"Let's pretend the Comcast workers are on strike. Do we really want to leave it to Comcast's discretion [to control Internet traffic] when people are trying to use this common platform to find out about the issue and be engaged?" Feld asks.
"You don't have to be explicit. You don't actually have to block access to a site" to sway public debate, he continues. "It's enough if you just make it harder for people. If Comcast workers are trying to form a union, for instance, Comcast can make it that much harder for subscribers to access pro–union sites, and that much easier to tell Comcast's side of the story."
"It's easy to do. You don't have to cut off all access. It depends on what level of blocking you want. First of all, if I am a network provider, I can read your traffic. I can see what traffic you're downloading, what traffic you're uploading. I can do keyword searches. I don't have to be a total censor to make a difference. All I have to do is make that connection [to any particular Web site] suck. All I have to do is notice that a particular YouTube page is being circulated and pointed to and make it a little jittery. It takes very little in the network environment to persuade the casual user that it's just not worth it" to load certain sites, Feld says.
There are also things that are time–sensitive. One example is After Downing Street (now known as War Is a Crime), an organization against the Iraq war. "They were trying to organize a particular event" using e–mail, but "Comcast stopped the e–mail because they thought the e–mail was spam. They simply prevented the e–mail from reaching their subscribers. It took After Downing Street a week to find out what was going on," recalls Feld.
Davis Wright Tremaine's Corn–Revere believes that giving the government the ability to regulate Internet traffic is a much bigger threat to a free national discourse. "You have to overcome fairly significant First Amendment questions whenever you are exerting government control over a medium of communication. You may argue that that is being done for all kinds of good reasons and reasons that are supposed to promote free speech values. You can argue the same thing about newspapers. You can say government ought to be able to regulate newspapers in the name of providing more free speech," he contends.
Overall, he says "greater regulation of new media is on the wrong side of history." Corn–Revere does not agree with the idea that FCC regulation of Internet providers is regulation of an information transportation system, as opposed to content. "If you pass a law that says no one can use these pipes to transmit speech about Republicans, you're only regulating the pipes. But you would still have a First Amendment problem," he argues.
Other attempts to regulate infrastructure have had the result of infringing on free speech, Corn–Revere says, citing Turkey's ban on typewriters in 1901. "They said they led to too much uncontrollable speech. That was not a regulation of speech. You're only regulating a device. But it clearly presents what in this country would be a First Amendment problem," he adds.
Free Market Versus Government Control
Instead of reading the First Amendment as a mandate to enable discourse, Corn–Revere says "you have to flip that question and say government can't impose regulations on media unless it comes up with a constitutionally sufficient" reason.
Although there has been dire talk about what can go wrong if companies are allowed the unfettered ability to decide how to use their networks, "The funny things is, if you really look at the FCC's network neutrality order, there's really very little in it that talks about why these rules became necessary," he says.
"The vast majority of the argument for justification talks about how companies may have both the ability and the incentive to do bad things, so for that reason it's imperative for government to regulate the Internet in the name of freedom? If we're really going to justify these rules based on potential abuse, shouldn't we also look for the potential for the government to abuse its authority over this medium?" Corn–Revere asks. "It bears recalling that the government's entry into the realm of Internet regulation was to try and impose the same kind of broadcast indecency rules" it had already imposed on cable and on the Internet.
"If there's abuse, then we might have a problem. The reason we have a free and open Internet really is because it was unanticipated by government. Sure, you can talk about its origins as military research project, but the open Internet that people celebrate for very good reasons evolved really when government wasn't looking, and it's free and open for that very reason. Can you even imagine what the Internet would look like if the FCC did the rule book on what it would be?" Corn–Revere quips.
"If you have to compare the track record of the companies that are behind the expansion of broadband access and the track record of the U.S. government in terms of promoting a free and open media, I think I'll go with the people who are actually making" the network, he says.
May is also unsettled by the idea of government being in control of any aspect of the Internet. "I'm not equating the government of the United States with the Chinese government, or with [Muammar Gaddafi's Libyan] government, or any other government. But you must note, in a lot of instances around the world today, including those countries and others, the real concern is with the government shutting down the Internet and what the government is going to ultimately do with the Internet," he says.
That was, in fact, a major concern earlier this year, when the Egyptian government shut down Internet access amid escalating protests, which had been partly organized on Facebook.
May insists he's not "attributing bad faith to our government, or ill motives." Instead, his view "really is a recognition that men who as [James] Madison said are not saints" should not be able to make decisions about how traffic moves across the Internet. "I think we ultimately have more to fear from government censorship in the name of promoting fairness and discrimination" than from free market control of the Internet, he says.
"Let's take a look at it from another level," he continues. "A lot of these providers, like Comcast, provide spam filters. Most consumers want them. But when they do that, they're making choices about content based on certain words—Viagra or whatever. They're making judgments…. When they're making a decision about what's spam, they're making a content decision. The question is, do you want them to make it? Or do you want the government to make it?
"I don't want the government to make it because the government ultimately is the reason we have a First Amendment, because we ultimately don't trust the government. The government has motives itself, sometimes including retaining power. That's what Madison and the Framers were concerned about—the government playing favorites if it can censor speech," May says.
New Life on the Fast Lane
While the debates over government versus business control of anything may continue indefinitely, one thing seems settled for now: pay–for–priority treatment on the Internet—also known as "fast lanes"—is not being challenged by the FCC. The commission's new rules of the road do not specifically forbid them.
It's been happening for a while. "This goes back to 2005, when the FCC deregulated DSL," then the speediest wired way to access the Internet, says Feld. "The FCC started with the proposal that DSL was a telecom service. When cable began to offer cable modem, that went unclassified for a while, and then the FCC classified cable as Title I information service. That went all the way up to the Supreme Court in Brand X,[7] where it was affirmed that the FCC could classify cable modem as information service. Then the FCC turned around and reclassified DSL to be an information service."
"After that, Ed Whitacre, then chairman of AT&T, talking about Google and Yahoo!, famously said something to the effect of, 'They think they're going to use my pipes for free. If they want to reach my customers, they're going to have to pay,' and that is where the paid prioritization kicked off," Feld says.
Whitacre's comments about then–upstart Google and others in a 2005 interview with Bloomberg Businessweek were actually far more flamboyant: "Now what they would like to do is use my pipes free, but I ain't going to let them do that because we have spent this capital and we have to have a return on it. So there's going to have to be some mechanism for these people who use these pipes to pay for the portion they're using. Why should they be allowed to use my pipes?"
Whitacre further said, "The Internet can't be free in that sense, because we and the cable companies have made an investment and for a Google or Yahoo! or Vonage or anybody to expect to use these pipes [for] free is nuts!"
"As one might imagine, this caused some considerable consternation," Feld says. "People who were in telecom followed it. It was always a concern for those who were involved in this" that history would repeat the events of 1996, when the cable industry was deregulated.
After deregulation, "the cable industry required that if you were a programmer [content provider] and you wanted to get carriage in a cable system, you had to give them an equity interest," Feld says. "So HBO in late '70s and early '80s offered to give to Time Inc. a share of ownership, and then AT&T [a Time Warner, Inc. partner after Time merged with Warner Communications] graciously agreed" to give HBO carriage.
The FCC forbade that practice, but if it does not have the power to regulate, say, wireless Internet providers who are largely exempt from Genachowski's "new rules of the road," then an AT&T could hypothetically require an Amazon to fork over an equity share in return for carriage.
Feld believes there's a simple way to avoid this scenario: "We continue to be strong advocates for simply classifying all of these things as a Title II telecom service."
However, since that is not politically viable, Feld supports Genachowski's "third way": "The FCC should say 'Broadband is a Title II service, and we will take a few basic rules that make sense, like the nondiscrimination rule, the just and reasonable rules, and the interconnectivity rule' … and apply those."
There's a lot at stake, Feld adds. "The Internet is the equivalent of the phone service of the 21st century. It's the thing that everyone's got to have in order to communicate and participate in society."
Freelance writer Joan Indiana Rigdon wrote about the debate over the constitutionality of the national health care reform law's individual mandate in the January 2011 issue of
Washington Lawyer.
[1] Title I of the Communications Act of 1934 spells out the FCC's administration and powers, including "ancillary authority." Title I also governs "information services" (i.e., DSL, cable). Title II of the act governs "telecom services" (i.e., telephone companies), with more stringent rules to prevent monopolies. Debates center on whether broadband/wireless Internet providers should be regulated under the more strict Title II rules.
[2] Comcast Corp. v. Federal Communications Commission, 600 F.3d 642 (D.C. Cir. 2010).
[4] Joseph Burstyn, Inc. v. Wilson, 343 U.S. 495 (1952).
[7] National Cable & Telecommunications Association v. Brand X Internet Services, 545 U.S. ___ 2005).


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Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 English Standard Version (ESV)
"So if God is all knowing and God cares about us, why does God tell us to ask? Why doesn't God just do it and stop our suffering now?" That was the question the 22-year-old mom asked to me. She did not know why God had made her life so tough. Her boyfriend was on and off with drugs. Her baby had so many health problems. And now the car had broken which meant she could not get easily to work in Spirit Lake. I gave her a list of folks that might offer to carpool with her. And then I was quiet. Can I pray with you anyway? I asked. So we did. Right there on the street.
Ever wondered about her question? We all know that prayer is something essential to follow Christ. Christ himself prayed often. Modern psychology tells us that prayer/meditation is a key aspect of Wellness—no matter if we are religious or not. It is a stress reduction thing but more, only in sleep and meditative prayer does our body's healing functions turn on. Only in prayer do we tend to let go of worries and touch God. We are made to pray (Psalm 139 - so wondrously made!)
Jonathan Edwards, the reformed preacher in the mid 1700s in America, wrote often of prayer. His was a time of "awakening" and changes in standard spirituality and religious practice, of political turmoil and uncertainty.
And he preached that the Spirit of God asks us to pray. Why? He gave two reasons:
To stop and pray directs us to dependence on God, to stop and turn to God instead of ourselves. To Pray is to worship, which is what we are to do, our only purpose really (to glorify God and enjoy him forever) And this turning orients us not only to God's presence but also to the community God has gathered around us—so pray with and for others too, and ask them to pray for you as well. And take it all to God.
To get us ready to receive God's actions and Words. Prayer actually makes us grateful, a state that modern science says releases anti-stress hormones and endorphins, which produces peace and wholeness (the Hebrews called that Shaloam). Prayer shows us not that we deserve anything, because God is not bound to listen. Instead it shows us that even though unworthy, God DOES listen and God DOES help us. We learn to stop and be present and rely on God.
That young woman asked me if there was a special way to pray, and I told her no—just be with God, talk it out with God, and then listen to God in quiet for a bit. She took a big sigh and stopped and told me—"I am made to pray? I am made to pray. God made me to pray." Take some time this Lent and Pray!
- Pastor Tim

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Business Planning
Running a business without a business plan is like sailing a ship into the open ocean with no means of navigation.
A business plan commits into writing what you plan to achieve and how you plan to achieve it. The business planning process challenges the fundamental assumptions of the entrepreneur and provides a critical opportunity to test feasibility and modify the business concept before money has been lost. Investors, bankers, and suppliers are leery of supplying capital without a thorough and convincing plan that shows the business's ability to sustain profit.
The business planning process is essential not only for startups, but for established businesses seeking to better understand their customers, develop stronger demand or cost projections, launch new products, or eliminate wasteful lines of service. The process of business planning is especially important to sustainable businesses because the firm's sustainability strategy needs to align with its core business strategy, and the firm needs strong metrics in order to determine when it has succeeded in achieving its sustainability goals.
Market Analysis Services
- Market Segmentation & Market Size
- Target Market Strategy
- Market Drivers, Trends, and Growth
- Market Demographics and Buyer Behavior Analysis
- Key Market Needs
- Competitor Analysis
- SWOT Analysis
Many entrepreneurs develop a fantastic idea, but can't access the human capital they need to help them implement it. Where do you find talented industry experts with a passion for entrepreneurship? B Revolution helps.
Without a strong management team to lead implementation, even the best business idea is destined to fail. Beyond financial projections, the #1 business element investors pay attention to is the management team: do they have what it takes to pull it off? Critical features of a strong management team include industry knowledge, passion for the idea, and track record of success and responsibility. B Revolution not only recruits leading talent, but also fosters team development.
B Revolution can help develop your:
- Organizational Structure
- Management Team
- Board of Advisors
- Board of Directors
- Growth Personnel Plan
The most critical element of the business plan - the one most paid attention to by investors, and the one that determines a venture's economic feasibility - is the set of financial projections that represent the market research, marketing plan, and the management team's ability to capitalize on a market need. B Revolution advisors rigorously analyze the business model and create robust projections that withstand investor scrutiny.
B Revolution advisors have created business plan competition-winning financial models, and are experts in financial projections and valuation techniques.
Our advisors typically create the following financial projections during the business planning process:
- Historical Financial Statements and Summary of Key Financial Indicators
- Financial Ratio Analysis
- Break-even Analysis
- 5 Year Pro Forma P&L, Cash Flow, and Balance Sheet Projections
- Key Assumptions and Justifications
- Long-term Financial Pla
- Multiple Valuation Methods Analysis (DCF, cost method, and comparable company method, option method)
Impact Affects Everything. Everything Effects Impact.
Business operations and social and environmental impacts are inextricably linked. Rather than merely "managing" social and environmental impacts by reducing waste and harm, B Revolution advisors design impact models that affect and bolster the entire business concept. We harness the power of impact to create profit.
Profit-Impact Alignment.
When B Revolution advisors design social and environmental impacts, they align the impact model with the business's core competencies so that profit and impact are positively linked. B Revolution advisors are experts in designing impact models that boost profitability while creating measurable, scalable outcomes for society and the environment.


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- Healthy Eating
- Physical Activity
- Illness and Infection Control
- Immunizations
- Safe Environments
- Child Development
Healthy Eating
Child care providers play an essential role in helping children develop healthy relationships with eating and food. Young children may consume more than half of their daily meals and snacks while in child care. Child care providers are not only responsible for providing foods that support growth and development, but also for reinforcing positive eating behaviours and attitudes that can last a lifetime.
A healthy nutrition environment exists when healthy eating behaviours are promoted through both words and actions. Reinforcing healthy eating through role modeling, activities, and celebrations creates a nutrition environment that encourages children to be positive about eating and make healthy choices.
New Nutrition Resources for Child Care Providers
Hastings and Prince Edward Public Health has created a 10-minute online learning module to help child care providers meet and exceed the nutrition requirements set out by the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (section 42 of Ont. Reg. 137/15).
To complete the Nutrition for Children in Licensed Child Care Settings module, please click on the image/link below:
This module reviews the legal nutrition requirements for licensed child care providers, discusses practical ways to meet these requirements in your child care facility, and provides resources to help you learn more about specific food and nutrition topics. Content for the module is based on the following resources created by Ontario Dietitians in Public Health (ODPH):
Menu Planning & Supportive Nutrition Environments in Child Care Settings - Practical Guide
This practical guide provides information on choosing healthy foods and beverages, menu planning, and promoting healthy eating in a positive way. The recommendations in this guide reflect current best practices for feeding children in child care settings and support providers in meeting and exceeding the CCEYA nutrition requirements.
Menu and Nutrition Environment Self-Assessment Tool for Child Care Settings
Designed to complement the Practical Guide, this tool helps child care providers determine what is going well in their facility and what improvements can be made in their nutrition practices.
Additional Tools and Resources:
HPEPH Nutrition Resources
- Food Access Guide: Information on free and low cost food and meal programs in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties including emergency food services, food box programs, and community gardens.
- Nutrition Directory: A comprehensive list of local reliable and credible nutrition programs and services for the public.
- Healthy Life Line: Speak to a Registered Dietitian from Hastings Prince Edward Public Health about nutrition in child care settings, 613-966-5500, ext. 610 or 1-800-267-2803, ext. 610. TTY: 711 or 1-800-267-6511.
Health Canada Documents
- Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide
- Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants
- Understanding Food Labels
- Unlockfood.ca: This website from Dietitians of Canada provides information on nutrition, food, and healthy eating along with recipes, videos, and interactive tools.
Telehealth Ontario: Registered Dietitians at Telehealth are available weekdays from 9-5 to answer health-related questions or concerns about food and healthy eating. Call 1-866-797-0000 and press 2 to connect with a Dietitian.
Eat Right Be Active: Resources for Caregivers
Information on Food Allergies
Physical Activity
Physical activity is essential for healthy childhood growth and development. Children who are active when they are young grow up to be healthier adults with less risk of developing chronic diseases like diabetes or heart disease.
As a child care provider, you can give the children in your care a healthy start by providing lots of opportunities to be active. Plenty of active play helps children develop physical literacy. Physical literacy is about developing the fundamental movement skills that all children need such as running, throwing and hopping. The development of these movement skills give children the confidence and competence to participate in physical activity.
New Resource for Child Care Providers
Healthy Kids Community Challenge Hastings Prince Edward has created a 15-minute online module that reviews why a balanced day is important for children, the role you have as a child care provider in getting kids active, the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children aged 0-4 and important health messages to send home with parents and guardians.
To complete the A Balanced Day: Tips and Guidelines for Child Care Providers module, please click on the image/link below.
The 24-Hour Movement Guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations for physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep within a 24-hour period.
- Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (0-4 years)
- Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth (5-17 years)
Legislative Requirements
According to the Child Care and Early Years Act (2014), all licensed and unlicensed child care providers, including centres and home care environments, must meet requirements related to the following:
- Indoor and outdoor play opportunities
- Rest, sleep and quiet time
- Indoor and outdoor play spaces and equipment (e.g. playgrounds)
Healthy Child Care Environment
The following online resources can help you integrate physical activity in your child care setting:
- Have a Ball Together: Provides information regarding physical activity and physical literacy, and includes over 100 fun ideas to get kids aged 0-6 years moving in any space!
- Active for Life: Website with resources to help educators facilitate the development of physical literacy during the early years.
- Eat Right, Be Active: Booklet full of everyday ideas on healthy eating and physical activity for caregivers and parents.
- A Hop, Skip, and a Jump: Enhancing Physical Literacy: Activity-based resource to help children develop gross motor skills.
- Physical Activity Environment Self-Assessment Survey and Planning Toolkit: Toolkit to assess the physical activity environment of your child care setting to inform future programming and facility needs.
- Ophea's Early Learning Resource: Resource to help early childhood educators and teachers in the implementation of the Kindergarten program.
- Appetite to Play: Interactive online resource that supports early childhood educators to promote and encourage healthy eating and physical activity in the child care setting.
- Healthy Opportunities for Preschoolers (HOP): Book contains a collection of movement activities for children in child care environments.
Continuing Education
- Have a Ball Together Online Learning Modules: Two learning modules developed by the Best Start Resource Centre to help support continuing education regarding physical literacy and physical activity for those caring for children aged 0-6 years. Each module takes about 30 minutes to complete and a downloadable certificate is provided following the completion their completion.
Home/Child Care Setting Connections
- Parent Night Toolkit: Find all the tools you need below to host your own physical literacy parent night at your child care centre.
- Healthy Kids Community Challenge: A community-led program that promotes the health and well-being of children in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties through the development of local policies, programs and initiatives that encourage and enable physical activity, healthy eating, and other healthy habits.
Food Safety
When food is not handled properly, it poses a risk of spreading disease. It is especially important to practice safe food handling in a child care setting because food borne illness can have a more serious impact on young children.
Food safety is the responsibility of all staff in a child care setting. Staff who handle food must comply with personal hygiene requirements including washing hands properly, wearing clean outer garments, and ensuring hair is confined.
Licensed child care settings that prepare and serve daily meals and snacks are considered a food premise, and as such, must comply with Ontario Regulation 493/17: Food Premises (in effect as of July 1, 2018). Under section 32 of these regulations, at least one food handler or supervisor who has completed food handler training is required to be on the premise during operating hours. In-person and online food handler training courses are available at HPEPH. See the Food Handler Training Course webpage for more details.
For more information about your specific legal requirements contact a Public Health Inspector at 613-966-5500, ext. 349 or 1-800-267-2803, ext. 349. TTY: 711 or 1-800-267-6511.
- Safe Food Handling for Children Ages 5 and Under
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency Food Recall Notifications
- Hand Washing
- Equipment Temperature Log
- Food Temperature Log
- Minimum Temperatures for Cooking & Reheating of Hazardous Foods
Child Care Centres
Immunizations help to protect children from serious diseases that are still found circulation in our communities.
Under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014, S.O. 2014, c. 11, Sched. 1, children attending a licensed child care centre, who are not in attendance at a school (e.g., infants, toddlers, and preschoolers), must be immunized as recommended by the local Medical Officer of Health.
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health requires that children are immunized against the following diseases according to Ontario's Publicly Funded Immunization Schedules:
- Diphtheria
- Tetanus
- Pertussis
- Polio
- Haemophilus influenzae (type b)
- Measles
- Mumps
- Rubella
- Varicella
- Meningococcal disease
- Pneumococcal disease
- Rotavirus (as eligible)
Child Care Operators are asked to ensure parents complete the following form and attach a copy of their child's immunization record (ensure child's name and date of birth are on the record). Please fax a copy of this information to Public Health. Public Health staff will review vaccination information on each child enrolled in a Child Care program. If a child's immunizations are not up-to-date Public Health will contact the Child Care Centre. Child Care centres are then asked to follow up with parents/children. Failure to send in the information or have children vaccinated may result in the child being excluded from care.
Parents will be given one month time to get their children immunized, to retrieve the information about previous immunizations, and to send the information to public health.
Some children are not immunized, either due to serious illness or allergy, or their family's philosophical beliefs. Exemption forms are available to be signed by parents. These forms are called "Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief", and need to notarized. View, download and print the Provincial Exemption Form.
Print the Provincial Exemption Form and fill out the top section (this is the Child Care and Early Years Act exemption form, for children not yet in school, aged 4 years and younger).
The form needs to be signed and stamped by a commissioner of oaths, notary public or a justice of the peace.
The notarized form needs to be delivered to Public Health through mail or dropped off. A second copy needs to be on file at the licensed child care center.
When children are not vaccinated, they are at risk for the specific diseases that vaccines prevent. When signing these forms, parents need to know that if there is a disease outbreak at their child's daycare or school, and their child is not immunized, the Medical Officer of Health will not allow the child to attend until the outbreak is over. This is done to protect their health.
Medical exemption forms are also available (for severe medical allergies or conditions where immunization is not indicated), and need to be filled out by a physician. If you need these forms, please contact Public Health at 613-966-5500 ext 221.
Update Vaccination Records
There are three options available to update HPEPH with your child's immunization records:
Phone: 613-966-5500 ext. 221 Fax: 613-966-8145 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health also provides publicly funded vaccinations at not charge through routine immunization appointments. Please bring any previous immunization record to the clinic when attending.
To book an immunization appointment in Belleville please call 613-966-5500 ext. 221
To book an immunization appointment in Trenton please call 613-394-4831
To book an immunization appointment in Picton please call 613-966-5500 ext. 221
To book an immunization appointment in Bancroft please call 613-332-4555
Child Care Centre Staff
Under section 57(1)/57(2) of the Child Care and Early Years Act (CCEYA), "every licensee of a child care centre shall ensure that, before commencing employment, each person employed in each child care centre it operates has a health assessment and immunization as recommended by the local medical officer of health".
The Medical Officer of Health for Hastings Prince Edward Counties recommends the following health assessment for persons employed in child care centres:
Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap) – one dose is needed by adults followed by Tetanus Diphtheria (Td) every ten years.
Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) – two doses of MMR vaccine for adults born in or after 1970; adults born before 1970 can be considered immune.
*Tuberculosis (TB) Screening:
All employees must give documented proof that they do not have active tuberculosis. At the time of hire, staff must have one of the following as per the Canadian TB Standards (7th edition).
Two-step TB skin test - Required for staff who do not have documented proof of a previous negative two-step TB skin test
- One-step TB skin test - Required for staff that have documented proof of a previous negative two-step TB skin test
- Chest X-ray and physician assessment - Required for staff with documented proof of a previous positive TB skin test.
The following immunizations are also available and should be considered for all childcare staff:
Influenza – Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for staff providing regular care to children less than 60 months of age because these children are at high risk of influenza-related complications. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all.
Varicella (chickenpox) – Childcare staff with a history of physician diagnosed chickenpox are considered immune. Staff with an unknown history of chickenpox disease should receive two (2) doses of vaccine or have laboratory evidence of immunity or infection.
* Hepatitis B – Hepatitis B is a blood borne virus. Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for staff in childcare centres where a child or worker has acute hepatitis B or is a hepatitis B carrier. However, children with hepatitis B infection are usually asymptomatic and the hepatitis B status of children in childcare settings is generally unknown. For this reason, a three (3) dose series of hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all childcare staff or laboratory evidence of immunity. Please note that childcare staff may have received a two (2) dose series of hepatitis B vaccination as part of a voluntary immunization program in school in Ontario. A three (3) dose series of combined hepatitis A and B vaccine is also available.
* Pneumococcal Conjugate – One (1) dose is recommended for staff 50 years and older. Immunity is considered to be life-long at this time.
* Please note – those marked with * are not publicly funded and have a cost associated with receiving.
Sun Safety
While many of us enjoy outdoor activities, it's important to ensure that we practice sun safety. Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can damage the skin and eyes.
Overexposure to UV rays can lead to:
- Skin cancer
- Sun burns
- Skin damage
- Eye damage
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Canada. UV rays are the main risk factor for skin cancer. While everyone is at risk for developing skin cancer, it is one of the most preventable cancers.
Enjoy the sun safely and reduce your risk of skin cancer by practicing sun safe behaviours all year long. General sun safety tips:
- Consider the time of day. If you can, limit time in the sun when the UV index is 3 or higher, usually between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Seek shade. You can also make shade by using an umbrella, a UV protective tent, or pop-up shade shelter.
- Cover up. Wear UV-protective clothing, or clothes that cover as much skin as possible. Wear a wide brimmed hat or a baseball cap with flaps that cover the head, neck, and ears.
- Wear sunscreen. Apply plenty of sunscreen with SPF 30 or more, and ensure the sunscreen is labelled 'broad spectrum' and 'water resistant'. Reapply when needed, especially after swimming, sweating, or towelling. Use a lip balm that contains SPF.
- Wear sunglasses. Wear close fitting/wrap-around sunglasses with UV 400 or 100% UV protection.
- Seek vitamin D elsewhere. Exposing yourself to UV rays is not the best way to meet vitamin D needs, and may result in unnecessary skin damage.
Fact Sheets:
- Sun Safety for Children
- Sun Safety for Outdoor Sports and Recreation
- Sun Safety for Outdoor Workers
- Sunscreen
Child Development
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health offers programs and services to support caregivers of children ages 0 – 6. If you have questions, you can contact our Child Health CARELine at 613-966-5500 or 1-800-267-2803, ext. 223 to speak with a public health nurse.
Like "Raising Healthy Kids" on Facebook
Developmental Screening
Child development follows predictable milestones; however, every child is unique and will develop at their own rate. It is important for parents and caregivers to learn about child development and use activities to promote healthy growth and development.
Child care providers play a key role in early childhood development, by providing a stimulating and safe learning environment for children. Child care providers are also well-positioned to help identify children who do not meet growth and development milestones. It is best if children have regular screening to identify areas of their development that may need support. The earlier the screening is done, the better, and making early referrals to the right community services is important.
The following resources will help you and parents monitor and support development of children in child care settings:
- Healthy Baby Healthy Brain
- Electronic Nipissing District Developmental Screen
- Ministry of Children and Youth Services – Early Childhood
- Caring for Kids - Canadian Paediatric Society
- Is My Child Growing Well?
- Your Child's Enhanced 18-Month Well-Baby Visit
- Infant Child and Development Program, Counselling Services of Belleville and District
- Pre-School Speech and Language Program, Quinte Health Care
If you have concerns about the development of children in your care and are not sure how to address these concerns with the parent(s), please call the Child Health CARELine at 613-966-5500 or 1-800-267-2803, ext. 223 to speak with a public health nurse.


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Gwyneth Paltrow Announces Engagement
Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow has announced her engagement to writer, producer and director Brad Falchuk, after three years of dating.
The happy news was confirmed yesterday, in a joint statement to Good Morning America. It read:
'We feel incredibly lucky to have come together at this juncture in our lives when our collective successes and failures can serve as building blocks for a healthy and happy relationship.'
To celebrate the milestone in their relationship, the couple have also featured on the cover of 'Goop' Magazine for its 'Sex & Love' edition. In addition to the loved-up black and white cover shoot, the couple share some sweet messages about their relationship an how happy they are to be entering the next chapter of their lives together. The morning news show also shared a short video clip from Goop in which Brad revealed the couple frequently argue about "where should we go have dinner", I mean, don't we all?!
Although the happy couple have only now confirmed their news, Entertainment Tonight previously reported that the couple have been engaged for a year. And Glee co-creator Brad apparently won't have any bother or awkward encounters with Gwyneth's first husband Chris Martin from Cold Play!
In a snap posted on Instagram in November, Gwyneth shared a picture of Chris and Brad smiling together, with the caption "Sunday Brunch #modernfamily". Gwyneth and Cold Play front-man Chris famously 'consciously un-coupled' in 2014, and together they share children Apple, 12, and Moses, 11. Brad also has children Brody and Isabella from his previous marriage to Suzanne Bukinik.
A source previously told PEOPLE magazine that Gwyneth knew Brad was The One. The insider said: 'She has many creative ideas on how to spend the rest of her life, and Brad will help make these ideas happen'.
Congratulations to the happy couple!
Set Featured Image Credit: @gwynethpaltrowinstagram


text:
in tis complex emotions in relations
I finally got a definitive answer
really let me down a big stone heart
I'm relaxed more
No perfect ending
I know we can't solve a problem
I have no way to make decisions for him
even like each other
want to always stay in each other's side
is there anyway to break through tis obstruction ?
the most painful is to love each other but can't have each other
the first time I heard him say tat he cares me
the first time I heard him say tat he likes me
the first time I heard him say tat fear didn't see me
he was very brave to face the first time I raised the question
he choose to ignore the first time
'' 塔罗牌 ''
really very intelligent
I hesitated for a long time last night
don't ask to be a correct answer clearly
becoz I'm afraid my head
so I'm very worried about histroy repeating itself
so I can't expect too much
didn't think tis made me get a very unexpected answer
is moving ? is heartache ? is bitter ?
I think tis includes not tell the reason
I know there are positions in his heart
I really can't imagine
I really dun want to then he pushed gv another ppl
I don't let him leave me
I wan him to have been so good to me
only him one person , accompanied by his
I don't wan to bother other people
To : my lovely boy
I want you to think clearly during tis period
wat your need ?
love has always been selfish
ur mind is who really care about
I thought for a while should be able to get an answer
I hope u can think clearly
don't let me down..
look forward to....
with you finish the unfinished journey...
Love you * 1111*


text:
Hello all,
I'm having some inner struggles coming to terms with a probable c-section. Now I know they are fine most of the time, but I am very much into the old "push 'em out" way.
With both my first and second (both girls, 1 = 3.6kg, 2 = huge 5.2kg) the shoulders got stuck. The first was an early induction (horrible) and I had an epidural. The result was a 3rd degree tear which wasn't pleasant but I recovered pretty well and quickly with not much discomfort. The second was an overdue induction but only gel and breaking waters. She was massive and posterior until she popped out, so it's not surprising her shoulders got stuck also. I had an episiotomy and tore but only 2nd degree so all ok there. But her collar bone broke coming out... something had to give. It never caused her pain, surprisingly. She didn't cry coming out (which frightened me at first but she was perfectly happy and peaceful... wish I could say the same about her now at almost 3 years old!).
I recently had a consult at Canberra Hospital (we live in a rural area about 1h45 from there) and was originally told that if at 34 weeks the scan showed baby a normal size and i was going ok in terms of weight and BP etc then I could probably go to due date and be booked in for an overdue induction if I happen to go over again. Meaning, if I didn't go into labour before then I would be induced in Canberra when overdue.
My local Dr has said she's ok to do a c-section here, but if it is to be a vaginal delivery she wants it to be in Canberra. Basically because the shoulders are likely to be stuck again which can cause all sorts of possible issues.
Anyway, after the Dr at Canberra told me this she went out of the room to consult with the other OBs and when she came back she said he had said I should be booked in for a c-section and not allowed to delivery vaginally. In his opinion.
So at this stage that is the plan. I told myself weeks and weeks ago that if I was advised that c-section was best then that is totally fine with me. But now that it's an actual reality I have been having a hard time accepting it. It's not that I'm afraid. I'm not sure exactly what it is. I have done more reading since then about shoulder dystocia and its risks but also natural ways to help release baby (with positioning). Surely if baby isn't big, it's less of a risk? But the Canberra Dr told me there is no guarantee that a smaller baby wouldn't get stuck also.
I just don't know what to think. I have to either have a very compelling argument to talk to my Dr about next thursday or just get over it and accept a c-section.
Call me insane, but I like to work, and hurt, and push, and struggle to get a baby out. :/ What's wrong with me? At the time, of course, I don't feel like that. Ha! "I can't do this anymore! Just get it out of me!"
Does anyone have any past experience with repeated shoulder dystocia and words of wisdom to share?
Thank you.
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31-05-2015 16:31 #1Member
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2x shoulder dystocia - preg with 3rd
31-05-2015 17:40 #2Senior Member
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My DD has a permanent injury due to a shoulder dystocia delivery. Im pregnant again now and after much self procrastination im opting for a c-section. I'd love another vaginal delivery but I'd give anything to go back in time and have an un-injured child
The Following User Says Thank You to PinkPopsicle For This Useful Post:
ThenThereWereThree (31-05-2015)
31-05-2015 17:58 #3Member
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I'm very sorry to hear that, PinkPopsicle.
A risk like this is the one thing drawing me to c-section.
Thank you for sharing.
31-05-2015 18:10 #4Senior Member
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My first baby was born at 36 weeks and was a shoulder dystocia, she wasn't injured though luckily. And I'm glad she came four weeks early!
While pregnant with my second I considered a c-section, but being a midwife I felt a bit guilty and wanted to labour again. I was induced, but terrified the whole labour about him getting stuck, luckily or unluckily I didn't get to that point. After 12 hours his cord prolapsed and I ended up with a really scary c- section under general anaesthetic.
Third time around I really couldn't cope with another emergency during my birth so I booked in for an elective c-section and didn't regret it for a minute. I am sad I didn't get to have another vaginal birth but I'm happy there were no complications third time around and both my baby and I were fine.
Good luck with your decision @mumofbabes, I can really understand how hard it is!
31-05-2015 18:49 #5
My ds had shoulder dystocia also. He was born one week early weighing 4.24kgs. He didn't suffer any permanent injuries however, he did have a very serious head injury from the vacuum which was used in conjunction with the Robertson manoeuvre to help him pass through. He had a brain haemorrhage, but thankfully the bleed stopped and he made a full recovery. I guess if the vacuum wasn't used they may not have been able to get him out in time. It was incredibly traumatic for me and ds. I'm currently 23weeks pregnant with #2 and my Ob has suggested a c-section due to the high risk of having shoulder dystocia again. I agreed on the spot because I felt I couldn't risk having another baby with a birth injury. I'm happy with my decision and feel confident it's what's best for my baby. Good luck with your decision
31-05-2015 19:36 #6
My third child had shoulder Dystocia (quite severe) After trying everything else my OB resort to basically shoving her arm up inside me next to bubs head to dislodge the shoulder. It was seriously the scariest thing I have ever had to endure. The pain was immense (I had no drugs, my labour was only 3 hours and I was in a optimal position for birth - on my knees bent over the back of the raised bed) and looking over to see them doing tiny little chest compressions to get my bub breathing was horrifying.
My recovery was long (for months I felt like my insides were going to fall out when I walked) It took me a while to bond with him as we were separated for a while after the birth. He has some mild issues due to lack of oxygen to the Brain (Behavioral).
To be honest, as petrified as I am of ever having a C section, I think I would have jumped at the chance to have one for #4 if I was told to. They ended up inducing him early and he was a lovely 7 pound 4.....
Good luck. Birth is such and unpredictable thing.
31-05-2015 20:08 #7
I had that with my 4th lucky he was ok and that the midwife delivering him was very good :-)
he was going to be a Caesarian because he was breech but I really didn't want one has I had a very active 19month old so we tried a ecv and it was successful :-) but honestly if I had known he was going to get stuck and was over 4kg I would have gone with the c section
31-05-2015 21:26 #8
I had shoulder dystopia with my second who was 4.1 kg at 39.5 weeks. I was petrified of it with my third but the hospital wasn't too worried. She ended up coming at 36 weeks of her own accord, an easy VB with 6 pound 15 ounce baby (can never remember the kg's).
With my fourth the OB at the hospital decided that I was not going to go past 39 weeks and would be induced. Assessment for that began at 38 weeks but whilst my cervix was very favourable baby's head was too high. Basically this continued until I was in my 39th week when they decided that they would have to try something despite the high head. So I was induced with gel then ARM once babies head descended enough and DD was another VB at 3870g.
Obviously my story is different to yours though, I had already birthed my first (3560g) without any shoulder issues. I think for me the issue might have been positioning but that's really just a theory.
31-05-2015 22:42 #9
My dd was born 5.03kg. I knew she was bigger than my first (4.5kg) so ended up booking a section at 41+3 (42wks by my dates). I had nightmares of her getting stuck. It was my ultimate fear! I had a traumatic delivery with #1 but i couldn't even begin to imagine how traumatic that would be. What were the possible reasons for SD in your previous deliveries? Positioning of bub and yourself or your build etc?
If positioning, have you looked into hiring a doula? I met with a couple during pregnancy and they mentioned that they receive a lot of training in regards to SD and labouring positions.
Also, having a c-section is still hard work 😉
31-05-2015 23:09 #10Member
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Thank you, everyone. Your personal stories are really helping me think through this.
BlackDiamond - I don't know what the reason is! I want to know! I do know that bub 2 was posterior but being naive the first time around I have no idea if bub 1 was posterior or not. I can't remember. She didn't come out posterior, but neither did bub 2 (she turned SOMEHOW before she came out). Does posterior increase chance of SD? I haven't researched that part so I don't know.
My build? I'm broad so I assumed I'd be roomy enough down there but obviously I'm not. :/ I'm overweight, and I know that increases the chance of SD. Both bubs were born with me on my back. First one coz I had an epidural and couldn't move (uggggh I hated that!) and second one I could move but her head wasn't getting down enough (posterior! big fat head in wrong position!). I felt like I needed to push but once I started pushing it felt like I didn't need to. :/ After a couple of hours like that the Dr decided to change the bed and put my feet into the stirrup things. And that's how I delivered. He was going to use the vacuum thing, showed it to me, explained. But I didn't want it so somehow I pushed much more and bub got out without it.
Maybe it's my perfectionism in me... but I want a 'normal' labour and delivery. I know that sounds stupid. But I have no idea if my body can do this thing it's made for or not. I have never gone into labour naturally. I thought I was last time, but it was a false labour - POSTERIOR > I don't even know how my body would work 'naturally' and bub positioned best way. I would love to experience it but I know that's not a huge deal. As long as baby and I are healthy then that's most important. Part of wanting to experience this part of pregnancy/delivery is because I have daughters and I want to be able to share things and teach them things from my experiences when they're pregnant.
Aaanyway... sorry to ramble. I really do appreciate all of your stories, ladies. Thank you so much.
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Saturday, February 27, 2010
Dribble Ons Review
After suffering with wet clothes from my dribbling toddler; I wanted to find something which would keep his clothes dry durring his dribbling time.
I came across Dribble Ons bandana dribble bibs which are from the makers of Sock Ons.
I was a little unsure if this would work. I brought 2 to test them out at £4.95 each I thought what a bargin; compared to some similar products out there.
I was so excited when they arrived I put one straight onto Jack. The product is lightweight and very stylish. The plan colours go with any outfit and it didn't bother Jack to have the bandana around his neck all day.
When bathtime came I could see that the Dribble On had worked! His top was completly dry and the Dribble On was wet! I couldn't beleive it! This simple combination of stretch cotton and terry toweling had absorbed his dribble keeping it away from his neck and chest.
When washing the product I thought it may become misshapen and would shrink; but when I washed it on a normal 60 degree wash and tumble dryed the product it came out looking perfect!
I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who has a dribbling teething baby.
Labels: baby, bandana, clothes, dribble, dribble on, sock ons, terry toweling, toddler, wet
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E! is reportedly considering cancelling Fashion Police in an effort to save their relationships with a number of celebrities.
NY Daily News' Confidenti@l have been informed by their sources that the network are mulling over whether to simply pull the plug on the show, which has been mired in controversy over the last few weeks.
However, E! released a statement insisting that Fashion Police will return to air on Monday, March 30, at 9 p.m. as planned. Insiders insist that the show might not make it to this point, though, as executives are starting to run out of patience with it.
This entire Fashion Police furor began at the end of last month after Giuliana Rancic remarked that actress and singer Zendaya's hair looked like it smelled like weed.
Zendaya then took to social media to call her comments "ignorant" and "offensive," while Rancic soon apologised.
Rancic was met with a wave of criticism because of her remarks, while Griffin, Kelly Osbourne and Brad Goreski were each informed by executives and producers not to comment on Rancic.
However, during an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, Griffin decided to disobey these orders, as she told the publication's Splash magazine, "Don't have anyone write your jokes or even suggest jokes for you on Fashion Police."
She then went on to add that Rancic "has enough great insider gossip from actually being on the red carpet… That's what fans want to hear the next day. Just talk and be yourself."
Meanwhile Griffin, who has only appeared on seven episodes of the show, risked the ire of the network because she defended Kelly Osbourne, who quit Fashion Police a few days after Rancic's remarks.
Osbourne is thought to have left because she was appalled by Rancic's Zendaya joke. She even took to Twitter a day after the Oscars show to tell her followers that she was "seriously questioning staying on the show."
Griffin insisted that she stood by Osbourne, who at the time of her departure insisted it was because she wanted to explore different avenues.
And after Griffin took to her Twitter account to confirm that she had left Fashion Police, Osbourne herself showered her with praise.
— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) March 13, 2015
I could not be more proud of you @kathygriffin you have my love and support always! pic.twitter.com/0P4yWecUA2 — Kelly Osbourne (@KellyOsbourne) March 13, 2015
Since its inception in 2010, Fashion Police was hosted by comedienne Joan Rivers up until her death in 2014, and the program has clearly struggled to rebuild since her passing.


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E One Letter (Untitled) "Drake Joint"
Published on 1/19/2010
E One letter returns to the blogs with his first single off his up coming "No Conscience" mixtape!!! This is an untitled heartfelt song done over a Drake instrumental & his first after releasing his critically acclaimed "Now Or Never" mixtape this past summer!!!
Click here to listen...
Posted by DeUce Double
Labels: deucedouble, deurecords, DMV, downloads, drake, eoneletter, Fortwashington, hiphop, music, noconscience, rap
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text: Meaty and earthy, with leather and early sulfur to the nose. The palate is big, round and grabby, with warm, lush berry fruit and scattershot accents of herbs and leather. Delivers a ton of oomph for the price, and also good berry and herbal finishing flavors. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Malbec.


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The Art of Manliness has a peculiar listing of 100 "essential" books for men. There are plenty of classics that everyone should read, but some of the choices surprise me. The Hobbit? Really? The
18 19 books on the list that I've read are listed after the cut.
- The Great Gatsby
- Slaughterhouse Five
- 1984
- The Call of the Wild
- The Swiss Family Robinson
- The Illiad and The Odyssey
- Lord of the Flies
- The Metamorphosis
- The Hobbit
- Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
- Cyrano de Bergerac
- Animal Farm
- Moby Dick
- Frankenstein
- Hamlet
- Robinson Crusoe
- Treasure Island
- The Island of Doctor Moreau
- Cannery Row [added 6/30/2008]
Filed under: books and movies | Tagged: 1984, animal farm, art of manliness, call of the wild, cannery row, cyrano de bergerac, frankenstein, great gatsby, hamlet, hobbit, huckleberry finn, illiad, island of doctor moreau, lord of the flies, metamorphosis, moby dick, odyssey, robinson crusoe, slaughterhouse five, swiss family robinson, treasure island |


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Hello everyone,
I've been trying to make sure that I don't try to "run faster than I
have strength" this week. And have finally come to the satisfying
conclusion that it really isn't the end of the world if I'm not "the
best missionary in the mission" or anything like that. I just need to
do what I can.
Elder T...aka and I are doing great. We're both pretty tired most of
the time. But we have fun together. This week, I've been trying to
help him think of good things to do to practice English, specifically
his listening and speaking skills (He, like most Japanese people, can
read English pretty well, due to the way the school curriculum is set
up). It's been a challenge. We still haven't thought of anything great
As for my language skills. They are great! I think that learning
Japanese has been one of the most enjoyable, satisfying things about
my mission here. I'm going to make a solid effort to make use of these
language skills when I return home too. I've been translating for my
companion and other Japanese missionaries at meetings, and it's quite
a fun experience. We also have a lot of young missionaries in the
District, so this past Friday at District Meeting, I had the
opportunity to translate from Japanese to English when the Japanese
Sister shared a message. I've never had to translate that direction
before, so it was a good experience too.
In my studies, I'm trying to focus on my reading skills, studying the
characters. And it's like a game. It's fun to find that I can read a
lot more signs and things when we are out and about.
As for the work, it's going well. We have a good investigator, and
he's making progress, reading the Book of Mormon and has good
relationships with the church members already! It's exciting! I'm
probably going to transfer from here before he is able to be baptized,
but I'm just excited that I got to meet him and teach him. I've
learned a lot from being able to work with him.


text:
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Power Inverter With Charger
20-500W DC to AC Pure Sine Wave Inverter With Charger.pdf
21-1000W DC to AC Pure Sine Wave Inverter With Charger.pdf
22-1500W DC to AC Pure Sine Wave Inverter With Charger.pdf
23-2000W DC to AC Pure Sine Wave Inverter With Charger.pdf
JPpower pc series inverter with charger acts as a charger, an inverter and an off-line UPS at the same time. Enhanced by transit technology will ensure your appliances operating continuously while going out of household power supply. It can select DC or AC input fully automatically. Short s less 10 millisecond transfer time between two inputs specially protect your system from possiblity of data lost.
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Copyright © Shanghai Jinpei Electronics Co.,Ltd All rights reserved. XML


text:
A SNOW princess and her snowman buddy added sparkle to a play group's big weekend.
Last Saturday and Sunday, Keryn McPhee starred as Elsa assisted by snowman Olaf (Catriona Lawrie), from Disney's classic Frozen, to bring a touch of Hollywood glamour to the Wee Toon Tumblers event.
The community education centre was packed as parents and children sampled the party atmosphere.


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London Gets Double-decker E-Buses
Published: 22-Mar-2016
London's famed red double-decker buses are getting an electric upgrade with the introduction of five all-electric models built by China's BYD, in which billionaire investor Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway owns a minority position.
Capable of carrying up to 81 passengers, 54 seated, 27 standing, the buses are said to have operational range up to 190 miles in normal urban driving on a full battery charge. Recharge time is said to be 4 hours, allowing the buses to operate at least 20 hours a day.According to BYD...
"The buses are equipped with BYD-designed and built Iron-Phosphate batteries, delivering 345 kWh of power that come with a Industry-benchmark 12 year battery warranty, the longest electric battery warranty available."
Unlike the standard diesel buses they will be replacing on Route 98, said to be one of the city's most polluted zones, the 31 feet-long buses generate no localized pollution. London's Deputy Mayor of Environment and Energy, Matthew Pencharz, noted upon formal reception of the buses from BYD Europe, "The running costs are much lower and some of the maintenance and operations costs are much lower on the buses. Also, these [buses] are zero-emission, zero-tailpipe-pollution and that is a huge benefit for Londoners."
The BYD battery electric double-deckers are not London's first venture into emission-free transit. Back in 2010, the city introduced hydrogen fuel cell models on its RV-1 transit route and by 2012 those buses had accumulated some 100,000 miles of service.
While much of the world's attention is focused on electric vehicle sales in the USA and Europe, China is quietly but quickly becoming a serious EV world with BYD leading the charge.
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No matter how large your business or indeed how successful, it can still benefit from a good marketing strategy. There is never a time to rest on your laurels and stop advertising or promoting your business. This is even truer when it comes to start-ups or new, fledgling ventures. This represents the golden time when you simply must increase awareness of your company and its offering. Since you cannot waste a moment to fall behind to your rivals, here are some key points you should focus on when marketing your business to achieve maximum growth.
Get to Know Your Market
In any business, knowledge is power. This does not have to be in a crude, cut-throat sense. If you run a small coffee shop for example, you should know how your regular customer like to drink their coffee. This, along with getting to know their names, are the best steps you can take to create brand loyalty.
In the wider sense, business is no different. Getting to know your market, through effective market research, competitive analysis or other methods is key to your future success. This knowledge helps you tailor your approach to your target market and in essence, improve the product or service which you are offering.
Choose Effective Methods
This may seem obvious, however many businesses fail to choose the best ways to market themselves. Many times, even using the correct methods, failures in implementation can happen. You want to select the best ways to reach your customers based on how they engage. This is all information you can collect through your research or perhaps even a targeted marketing campaign. Information which you gather here will be invaluable for the future. To highlight the point, you are much more likely to engage your younger customers with a social media campaign than a radio advertisement.
Entice Your Audience
Whilst certainly not true for everybody, many customers will place a high value on getting something for nothing, or what they perceive to be a bargain. This is not only perfectly logical, it is also human nature. Therefore, it is a key point which you should look to capitalize on.
This does not have to be something of ultra-high value. Though, it also should not be something worthless. You want to create a positive feeling of value, while also generating repeat business. A great example may be offering a free trial. This gives a potential customer who may otherwise not use your product or service, the opportunity to do so.
Final Thoughts
Above all, they key to effective marketing is patience and thought. Huge gains will likely not happen overnight and you need to carefully analyze your targets and create realistic goals. However, if you follow these steps and remain consistent in your offering, it is highly likely to increase your chances of successful marketing. A marketing manager or agency is always recommendable for those situations which you are having trouble overcoming.


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Yes I know I'm late and I know I've been MIA!! Life is hectic here, I am just 17 days away from the end of my placement and the end of my course and finally being a proper real life teacher!!
So anyway, I have been keeping a note of my month in numbers and documenting it, even if I haven't got round to blogging it!
In January I did 1 day at uni, my first of 2012 and last one ever! I also passed 1 essay, applied for 2 jobs and did 8 days in my new school.
Me and my 5 friends on our last day.
Before I went back to uni I went to see an exhibition, Bruce Munro's 'Field of Light' which featured 5000 colour changing lights and was really magical.
I managed to find lots of time for baking and crochet, I tried 4 new recipes and added 25 rows to the ripple blanket for my best friends baby. I attended 2 wedding fairs with my other best friend.
At the end of January I spent 1 day out for my best friend's Mum's 60th birthday, we celebrated with a lovely walk in the Forest of Dean which was enjoyed by 1 very happy dog...
followed by a round or 2, and 3 games of pool and a lovely meal with 4 happy diners.
ETA I completely forgot the link so you can join in on Julie's blog xxx
ETA I completely forgot the link so you can join in on Julie's blog xxx