A new rule in California meant to help keep vehicles cool in the sun (and thus cut the need for fuel-chugging air conditioners) could interfere slightly with signal reception for GPS devices, but probably won’t block most mobile phone signals. Those are some of the findings in a report released this month by the California Air Resources Board, which dug into the matter after gadget and car makers protested that metallic glazing required under the so-called Cool Cars initiative would block, or at least degrade, in-car wireless reception.

Set to phase in starting with the 2012 model year, the Cool Cars regulation comes as part of California’s Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), which mandates a drop in greenhouse gas emissions for the state to 1990 levels by 2020. Noting that “reflective windows are known to attenuate electromagnetic waves,” ARB explains in its report that it researched ways to work around this problem and decided to allow a small portion to be removed from the glaze (a “deletion” window, pictured at left) where signals would be able to come through unhindered. Nice try, but not enough, said Garmin International, Toyota, Nissan and other companies in recent months.

ARB’s report on electromagnetic interference due to the required glazing looks at how GPS navigation units, cell phones and GPS ankle bracelets worn by some parolees performed in a small test (just a handful of vehicles in a limited area). The 30-page document includes three key points — GPS devices are the most likely among the devices to see a dent in their signal strength, while cell phones in urban areas with strong reception will be just fine, and parolees don’t have to worry about setting off false off-the-grid alarms for their monitoring officer when they drive. Or, as ARB put it:

• “GPS navigation data revealed that GPS devices are impacted by reflective glazing, but that navigation accuracy was improved by placing the device or an external antenna in the deletion window.”
• “Cell phone calls were not impacted in any way by the presence of reflective glazing. However, the cell phone test only evaluated the ability to make a phone call in an urban environment where cell phone signals are generally strong.”
• “In total, these results indicate that there are no effects of reflective glazing, and thus the Cool Cars regulation, on GPS monitoring ankle bracelets or cell phone usage in an urban environment.”

But GPS devotees of California, take heart — you probably won’t be sent back to the dark ages of paper roadmaps anytime soon. Automakers also have an option to use other technologies besides the metallic glazing (ARB suggests solar reflective paints, passive or active ventilation systems, solar reflective or thermo-regulating materials, and vehicle insulation) if they can prevent the same amount of heat gain.

The ARB test found that the first phase of the Cool Cars initiative — which calls for glazing only on windshields (for prevention of 45 percent of solar heat gain) — leaves plenty of untreated window space for signals to come through. By 2016, when the second phase calling for treatments of side, rear and rooftop windows begins (for prevention of 60 percent solar heat gain), we expect something will give: California will backpedal on the rule (unlikely, given the state’s stance so far) or automakers and device makers will figure out a way to make it work in order to compete in the California market for location-based services (by 2013, the global market for these services is forecast to reach $75 billion). On balance, according to ARB statistics cited in the Detroit News, it would mean avoiding 700,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from vehicle emissions by 2020.

Photo credit California ARB

Got this Barney song in my head at the moment

“Clean up, Clean up

Everybody, everywhere

Clean up, clean up

Everybody do your share”

I got a bee in my bonnet this afternoon after coming home from a kids party, and decided to clean up the toys in the house.  Once we’d got all the toy boxes outside and emptied them on the grass, I regretted that decision. And yes, we have a few -  3 boxes in Bradley’s room, one in Connor’s, one in the lounge and 1 in the study.

It took forever!

But, it’s finally done, and I have one full box of toys to donate to a childrens home, and 2 rubbish bags of broken toys that need to be trashed.  And the toy boxes have been re-organised and now there’s space for Xmas   (and Lance has got strict instructions to explain the organisation to Beauty because I’ll have a frothy if they’re messed up again!)

And I have 2 excited kids who are playing with long lost and re-connected toys

The donated toys are being done with a bit of a heavy heart though.  I’ve given away all the baby clothes and big baby things, the baby toys were the last to go. It’s silly keeping them though, they’re just gathering dust in the house.

Next weekend, between photoshoots, I’m going to tackle the kids cupboards.

I’ve seen this Friday Fragments meme on a few blogs recently, and it’s just perfect for today… so without further adieu, here are my fragmented thoughts for this cold and rainy Friday evening.

• The party I was going to go to tomorrow has been cancelled due to the crap weather… so I have a free day that I hadn’t planned and I’m already feeling at a bit of a loss.
• Think I’ll go shopping though for a new handbag
• I’m going to finish my nieces pressies to send to New Zealand and hopefully they get them before Xmas! I’ve been very slack for the last few years so I’m DETERMINED to get them nice gifts to make up a little!
• Oh heck, I suppose I’d also get the school teachers presents too, considering the schools break up soon.
• Lance finally found a car!! Woohoo!! So we’ll be a 2 car family again from next week   Yay I have my freedom back!
• I’m eyeing out a new lens.  I really really want to get a 70-200mm f2.8 IS, but… it’s freaking expensive… but I am doing quite a few weddings next years that’ll pay for the lens and I need the lens for the weddings… and I’ve had an offer from someone in Europe to bring it back for me so I’ve worked out I can save R5000 by buying it there, rather than in SA.  But… it’s a LOT of money.
• Madi’s husband is doing some work at our house at the moment and breaking down the massive carport that we’ve never used and which is rotting.  Now I have to redo part of the garden! Fun, but again expensive!
• I got asked today whether I was OK, and almost started crying.  I can’t think about my feelings right now… I can’t handle it.  So, I walked away and didn’t say anything, it’s better that way.
• I’m so very cold… I should really go to bed and sleep but the photos… they won’t edit themselves

I’m obsessed with money at the moment, can you tell?

I got this via email again today… just had to share it…

A baby asked God, “They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow,
but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?”

God said, “Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you.”

The child further inquired, “But tell me, here in heaven I don’t have
to do anything but sing and smile to be happy.”

God said, “Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you.
And you will feel your angel’s love and be very happy.”

Again the small child asked, “And how am I going to be able to understand
when people talk to me if I don’t know the language?”

God said, “Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words
you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will
teach you how to speak.”

“And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?”

God said, “Your angel will place your hands together and will teach
you how to pray.”

“Who will protect me?”

God said, “Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life.”

“But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.”

God said, “Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach
you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you.”

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth
could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, “God, if I am to leave
now, please tell me my angel’s name.”

God said, You will simply call her, “Mom.”

I saw this list on Jane’s blog… very cool idea and I know I’m not nearly as capable as she is, but it’s a fun thing to test…

While not totally comprehensive , here is a list of 50 things everyone should know how to do:
1. Build a Fire
2. Operate a Computer
3. Use Google Effectively
4. Perform CPR and the Heimlich maneuver
5. Drive a Manual Transmission Vehicle
6. Do Basic Cooking
7. Tell a Story that Captivates People’s Attention – not sure about this one
8. Win or Avoid a Fistfight
9. Deliver Bad News - now this I’m terrible at!
10. Change a Tyre
11. Handle a Job Interview
12. Manage Time
13. Speed Read
14. Remember Names - Nooo I’m notoriously shocking!
15. Relocate Living Spaces
16. Travel Light
17. Handle the Police
18. Give Driving Directions
19. Perform Basic First Aid
20. Swim
21. Parallel Park
22. Recognize Personal Alcohol Limits
23. Select Good Produce
24. Handle a Hammer, Axe or Handsaw
25. Make a Simple Budget
26. Speak at Least Two Common Languages
27. Do Push-Ups and Sit-Ups Properly
28. Give a Compliment
29. Negotiate - again I’m shocking at this
30. Listen Carefully to Others
31. Recite Basic Geography
32. Paint a Room
33. Make a Short, Informative Public Speech
34. Smile for the Camera
35. Flirt without Looking Ridiculous – doubt it
36. Take Useful Notes
37. Be a Respectful House Guest
38. Make a Good First Impression
39. Navigate with a Map and Compass
40. Sew a Button onto Clothing
41. Hook up a Basic Home Theater System
42. Type
43. Protect Personal Identity Information
44. Implement Basic Computer Security Best Practices
45. Detect a Lie – depends who you’re talking about here
46. End a Date Politely Without Making Promises
47. Remove a Stain
48. Keep a Clean House
49. Hold a Baby
50. Jump Start a Car

I really didn’t do as badly as I initially thought!

neil.burman@gmail.com

ABSTRACT: When modern antihypertensive drugs cost far more than the old and tried, and have around 40% risk of adverse effects (Girerd 2002 Paris),  and give inferior risk reduction, it is unethical for routine hypertension patients initially to  be  prescribed modern drugs singly or in combination in uncomplicated cases before trying the gold standard old risk-free lowdose reserpine-amilozide combination.

2009 has been a landmark year of published studies on first-line  hypertension treatment.

IT IS COMMON CAUSE THAT:

i. hypertension  (with or without overweight- excessive waist girth) is today the commonest presenting, simply detectable, monitorable and controllable chronic lifestyle degenerative disease;

ii. the bedrock prevention and therapy  of essential hypertension is  public- patient  education – exercise, stopping smoking,  and minimizing salt (since 1904) , sugar, alcohol and cooked fat intake so as to reduce overweight;

iii. genetics and the above risk factors aside, three  of the primary “endogenous”  and easily correctable causes of essential hypertension are water deficiency; marine omega3 (EPA eicosapentanoic and DHA docosahexanoic acid) deficiency; and insulin resistance if not frank adiposity/overweight and diabetes.

So adequate water intake, and fish oil, and metformin/galega to tolerance, (in appropriate adipose/overweight  cases) are cornerstones of antihypertensive therapy along with diet and lifestyle changes before any antihypertensive drugs are added.

Recently there have been contentious suggestion  (eg Law and Ward UK 2009)  that target bloodpressure should be that of youth- 120/70 down to 100/60 – as long as it does not fall so low that the patient gets dizzy on standing up. But the non-contentious gold standard remains  that no one should be left with bloodpressure above at most 140/90 sitting.

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS: There are over 34 000 RCTs, reviews and metaanalyses  (since 1965) on Pubmed on these drugs.

Controlling   hypertension asymptomatically  before it causes damage and symptoms is the heart of successful prevention.

It is now claimed  that hypertension risk starts as low as >120/70, that we should be targeting this level if tolerated.

This can only be done gently and slowly, if possible by optimising diet , lifestyle and natural supplements.

But prevention in asymptomatic patients must especially be at most a once-a-day regime, and avoid causing symptoms, and still give stable cover even if taken erratically. Only reserpine provides gentle cover lasting weeks, thus avoiding wide BP variation due to erratic dosing.

Apart from the notorious adverse effects of the older antihypertensives like guanethidine, methyldopa and atenolol, search of Pubmed under  ‘ARBs, ACEI Cough;’ and under metaanalysis ‘antihypertensive cough’  with the established drugs, reveals 10 abstracts since the mid 1990s.

The nub of the matter is, the lowest-cost multiple-combination therapy (lowdose reserpine -amiloride – hydrochlorothiazide) gives the best bloodpressure and risk reduction with zero adverse effects – especially when combined with probably the best pluripotential drug of all,  fish oil..   A new Cochrane metaanalysis from Univ Brit Columbia confirms that lowdose thiazide gives the best reduction of all antihypertensives in both all-morbidity and mortality outcomes -RR 0.89 (CI 0.82-0.97, p=0.0067 = highly significant) . And that metaanalysis didn’t deign to mention reserpine in the abstract.

There are at least a dozen trials each of reserpine and thiazide  showing that they are the best,  ideally in lowdose combination .   As always, one fixed-dose combination pill (eg Brinerdin, Rautrax Imp) may work for many. But it is both cheaper, more efficient and scientific to prescribe the components separately so that reserpine and amilozide can  each be titrated individually to tolerance, starting with eg reserpine (0.25mg tab ) 1/4/day and amilozide (55mg tab) 1/4 a day (costing locally retail  perhaps US$0.5/month, $6/year) …

In some patients eventually this dose 3 days a week is all that is needed. With sensible advice about omitting sugar and smoking, and minimal alcohol, salt and cooked fats, and adding a multinutrient including magnesium, vitamins and the many favourable biologicals (including appropriate physiological sexhormone replacement), few patients need more than 1/2 a tab each of reserpine and amilozide for optimal BP and metabolic-vascular risk control. In the rare still- resistant cases, amlodipine is the next safest effective antihypertensive  drug to add, starting with 2.5mg/d. But of course in those with insulin resistance (ie most cases), metformin is the most appropriate pluripotential drug.

Yet no trial has shown  lower cost, and better superiority and safety  of any modern-drug  or combination over the triple-combination  lowdose amilothiazide (thiazide since 1956, amiloride since 1967)  with  lowdose reserpine (from the ages-old rauwolfia – extracted  as reserpine since 1949). Since the German Reserpine trials, and results of ALLHAT and SHEP showing that reserpine as add-on gave  by far the best clinical outcomes, no head-on trials against modern drugs dare be done by drug companies or the clinicians they employ.

Over a year ago this column   reviewed that fifty year old treatments of overweight -hypertension – diabetes are still best, echoing an SAMJ analysis 24 years ago of New antihypertensive drugs–blessing or costly nemesis? .

In 1989 pharmacist Alan Taylor published his MPharm thesis (Rhodes University)  on Cost Effective Antihypertensive Therapy at A Day Hospital. – showing in a prospective randomized controlled trial for 4 months that stepped outpatient care (starting with a mean untreated BP of about 200/120) achieved the target BP ( then <165/95) in 73% compared to 11.5% on individualized treatment, and with a cost saving of 36%, with somewhat lower incidence of side effects. Hydrochlorothiazide HCT 12.5 to 25mg/d was the first step;  methyldopa 250-500mg/d or reserpine  0.1mg/d  as the 2nd; hydralazine 10-50mg/d  low dose as the 3rd, alternatively atenolol  100mg as the 3rd or 4th step. Individualized treatment reduced bloodpressure by a mean  32.6/19 whereas stepped-care did so by 51.6/29.5mm Hg.. The HCT-Reserpine- Hydralazine-atenolol regime was the most frequently prescribed (in 61.6%),

Obviously today methyldopa, hydralazine  and atenolol have become last-ditch add-ons, with amlodipine being the 1st- choice 4th drug to add to reserpine and amilozide. ,

and  in 2007 Rayner, Blockman ea from the Hypertension Clinic    at Groote Schuur Hospital found that at two community  health clinics  in Cape Town, only 40% of patients achieved a bloodpressure below 140/90, on a mean of 2.4 drugs per patient   – clinics where reserpine and amilozide were unwisely  removed from the available drug list years ago, for no plausible reason, leaving hydrochlorothiazide, atenolol, hydralazine and amlodipine as the choices- with invariably poor results in poor patients attending such free clinics.

MODERN DRUGS?  But why should patients be subjected to the multiple and indisputable major risks of modern antihypertensive drugs compared to the gold standard lowdose reserpine and low dose amilozide?

eg

ABs angiontensin blockers - ACEI agiotensin converting enyme inhibitors and ARBs angiotensin receptor blockers like enalapril, candesarten  - pervasive cough, rashes, but far worse, lifethreatening angiodema, asphyxiation, skin sloughing; and now well-recognized acute or slowly progressive loss of kidney function- which doesnt always reverse on stopping the drug (Onuigbu ea  2008, 2009); Suissa ea  2006 at McGill University published the first major longterm – > 10year- followup (1982-1997)  of hypertensive diabetes patients, showing that compared to thiazide, only  ACEI increased the risk of endstage kidney failure 4.2 fold.

betablockers like atenolol, metoprolol – too slow heart rate, cold extremities, more depression, impotence,  asthma, glucose intolerance/ diabetes, heart failure, deaths;

and even calcium channel blockers -the gold standard of which is amlodiopine- have a formidable list of potential adverse effects (that lowdose reserpine and amilozide lack), of which some may be major nuisance if not dangerous eg (from the Sandoz product sheet): “Often: dizziness; palpitations; muscle-, stomach- or headache; dyspepsia; nausea – in 1 in 100 users; Sometimes: blood disorders, gynecomastia, impotence, depression, insomnia, tachycardia – in 1 in 1,000 users;  erratic behavior, hepatitis, jaundice – in 1 in 10,000 users; Very rarely: hyperglycemia, tremor, Stevens-Johnson syndrome – in 1 in 100,000 users. ”

From the trials and experience, lowdose amlodipine is certainly the modern drug of choice to add if counselling plus ceiling doses of reserpine and amilozide, plus fish oil plus  metformin for underlying adiposity/insulin resistance,  do not adequately control hypertension and other risk factors.

Why use modern drugs with their major potential hazards  except for special circumstances last ditch?; when lowdose reserpine plus lowdose amilozide titrated to best effect rarely need a 4th drug added for good BP control;  and practically – unlike methyldopa, guanethidine and more modern drugs-  never causes persisting symptoms.

THIAZIDE ADVERSE EFFECT possible in even very low dose: anaphylaxis: Goetschalckx ea in 2007 could find exactly 49 case reports of allergic thiazide-induced pulmonary oedema in the literature after 50 years of use ie millions of patient-years. Thiazides are obviously sulphonamides, but fortunately serious- anaphylactic- reactions like lupus vascullitis and shock - are extremely rare. Wikipedia does not even mention these under thiazides, and no abstracts on Pubmed even guess at their rare  incidence. 50 cases in at least 10million patient years is an incidence of below 5 per million.

RESERPINE:   In 2007 Jos Barzilay ea documented Getting to goal blood pressure: why reserpine deserves a second look.

We last year examined closely the trials on thiazides and reserpine 1, 2, 3.

and we published on line the only ever tabulation of all accessible trials  of thiazides and reserpine, showing in the ~12 thiazide trials between 1985 (the UK MRC trial)  and 2003 (the CONVINCE trial) that  in 115000 patients for a mean of 4 years,  thiazide is as good as or better than all more modern drugs;

and that reserpine in ~13 trials between 1977 (the Veterans’ Admin trial) and 1997(the German reserpine research group trials)  in 7500 patients for 1 to 3 years is as good as or better than all more modern drugs. Of course  the 2003 ALLHAT  and CONVINCE papers were by far the biggest trials validating thiazide as the gold standard in 50 000 patients for  3 and 5 years respectively;

and the VA trials of 1977, 1982 and  and 1990 in 1479 patients showing reserpine as equal or superior to betablockers,  and the German trials of 1997  in 400 patients validating reserpine as equivalent to thiazide or a CCB, and the combination of thiazide and reserpine superior to an ACEI.

Now in 2009:

Shamon ea’s Cochrane review last month confirms that reserpine  alone is at least equivalent  in antihypertensive effect to any  modern first line antihypertensive alone ;

Wald and Law’s metanalysis of single or combination antihypertensives confirms that  “The extra blood pressure reduction from combining drugs from 2 different classes is approximately 5 times greater than doubling the dose of 1 drug.”

Wright ea’s Cochrane review confirms that

“thiazides reduce all-cause mortality by 11%;   Low-dose thiazides (8 RCTs) reduced CHD  by 28%;

Beta-blockers and CCB reduced stroke by 17% and 42%, but not CHD  or mortality .        ACE inhibitors reduced mortality 17%; stroke  35%.

No RCTs were found for ARBs or alpha-blockers.”

However, that abstract does not enumerate the major adverse effects of betablockers and ABs.

Wright ea’s   ALLHAT reanalysis confirms that thiazide was superior to the ACEI, CCB, betablocker and especially the alphablocker doxazocin. “neither alpha-blockers, ACEI nor CCBs  surpass thiazide-type diuretics (at appropriate dosage) as initial therapy for reduction of cardiovascular or renal risk. Thiazides are superior in preventing HF. new-onset DM associated with thiazides does not increase CVD outcomes.”

Costanzo ea’s Italian study confirms that CCBs reduce the risk of stroke by 14% compared to ACEI; reduce allcause mortality by a trivial 4%; increase heart failure by 17% compared with ‘active’ treatment;

Hoffman ea’s review from New York confirms that, in autopsies of Alzheimer cases, those on antihypertensives had far less plaques that those without hypertension.

Sozen ea confirms that “ABs- Drugs with blocking effects on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system -  do not improve endothelial dysfunction long-term in hypertensive patients”.

Mackenzie ea’s Comparison of the effects of antihypertensive agents on central blood pressure and arterial stiffness in isolated systolic hypertension shows that central Pulse Pressure was only reduced significantly by perindopril, lercanidipine, and bendrofluazide, whereas atenolol had no effect. Lercanidipine reduced the augmentation index, whereas atenolol increased it. Aortic pulse wave velocity was not changed by any of the drugs. In summary, despite similar reductions in peripheral systolic and PPs with the 4 classes of drug, changes in central pressure and augmentation index varied. Because central PP and increased wave reflections are considered important risk factors in patients with isolated systolic hypertension, the choice of therapy may be influenced by these findings in the future.”

Landmark’s Norwegian abstract confirms that thiazides (and betablockers)  increase insulin resistance and blood glucose risk (let alone lipidemia), but simply – selectively- as usual ignores that neither lowdose amilozide nor reserpine do this.

Nothing illustrates better why the triple combination of amilozide and reserpine is the best.

It has previously been pointed out that in the long term Cache County study, potassium-sparing diuretic was the only antihypertensive that lowered- in fact by 75% – the incidence of new Alzheimers disease;  and amilozide-like combinations are more effective than either component alone in safely and effectively lowering hypertension. – Patterson Dollery & Haslam in 1965; Rosenfeld in 1980; and the Multicenter Diuretic Cooperative Study Group in 1981.

CONCLUSION:  Reserpine has indisputable central and peripheral benefits in lowering central pressure via peripheral vasodilation, and via mild lowering of anxiety, cardiac rate and cardiac output; while thiazide and amiloride both lower both excessive body salt and water, while thiazide vasodilates and conserves calcium,  and amiloride  reverses the  potassium -magnesium depletion  seen in hypertension and with thiazide. .

Since the lowdose combination of reserpine and amilozide is superior to all other first-line drugs alone or in combination, and retail costs about   US$1 a month in South Africa, (with negligible adverse effects compared to all other antihypertensive drugs), this combination is the mandatory  firstline therapy for all  hypertensive patients, with rare exceptions. This regime  starts with amilozide 13.75mg (1/4 tab) and reserpine 0.0625mg (1/4tab) /d- and many patients can eventually be controlled with these doses just 3 days a week; with other antihypertensives added only if hypertension is not controlled with these increased to the ceiling tolerated eg of amilozide 27.5mg/d and reserpine 0.125 mg/d (maximum reserpine 0.25 mg 5/week ie 0.18mg/d if tolerated).

Since roleplayers are there to serve patients, not the Drug and Disease Industry, all roleplayers ( National Hypertension societies, provincial and national health and medical school authorities, medical schemes and all health practitioners)  have no choice but to obey the gold-evidence-based medicine set out herein, and reinstate reserpine and amilozide as mandatory 1st-line therapy of essential hypertension, with motivation  for alternatives to be provided in the  exceptional cases.

Unlike the USA and the East  where reserpine is still in national recommendations,  Authorities, regulators, suppliers and prescribers  in South Africa, Australia, the UK and Europe can no longer continue to defraud the public and deny patients this best treatment, since the two tablets (cheap amilozide and reserpine) are freely and universally available for  at most the retail South African prices quoted (less in bulk buy).

There is no shortage of reserpine, HCT or amiloride;  and the evidence for them over all modern antihypertensives  is binding under  rules of evidence and therefore medical ethics. The current evidence discussed shows that this  old lowdose combination is superior to all modern drugs and modern marketted combinations in both reduction of all-cause endpoints, adverse effects, and cost.

As Henry Black said recently, triple antihypertensive therapy is simply Back to the Past – and it can be both very low cost and risk-free..

And if proof is wanted, we must agree on a simple long term multicentre trial of the lowdose reserpine-amiloretic regime versus modern marketed combinations.- as in  ALLHAT but comparing combinations..But who is to pay for yet another trial to prove what is already so well proven?

35 years after Illich’s Medical Nemesis, it is very sad to have to be fighting overwhelming profiteering vested interests for what is now by far the commonest and most easily correctable major common degenerative disease – mild to moderate hypertension.

… but it made me think…

“Your life will look a lot like your dominant thoughts”

courtsey of @_robin_sharma and @simon_fill

Exmi tagged me the other day in a new meme where you post a photo of your desktop.

Mine is seriously not as interesting as everyone elses that I’ve seen in the last few days.  I regularly change the photo on my desktop.  Funny that, isn’t it?  LOL! I have enough photos to choose from Seriously though, I choose a new photo every time I clear my c:/ drive and save folders on the external hard drive… because the old one is then moved. It’s always a photo of one of the kids though.

Now I wanna see yours, so I’m tagging 5 people and if more people want to tag along, feel free to do so…

1.  Marilyn

2.  Alet2020

3.  Madi

4.  Robyn’s perch

5.  Huckdoll

Feeling a little panicked

Feel claustrophobic

Not getting anything accomplished

House is in a state

No time to do admin

Still haven’t done my tax returns from last year

Still haven’t got Elaine’s photos to her

Booked every weekend until the middle of December, and almost the whole of Feb 2010 already

Connor is really acting up now, and I’m convinced it’s because he’s bored at home and we’re not spending enough time doing things with him

com o objectivo de promover aveiro, a ria, as suas gentes, tradições e produtos, o município aveirense participa na expogalaecia, um dos maiores certames do norte de portugal e galiza. esta feira, uma das mais importantes desta região espanhola, representa um público-alvo de aproximadamente dois milhões de potenciais visitantes, pelo que é bastante pertinente para a promoção do turismo de aveiro.

aveiro será representada pelos seus principais recursos turísticos, transmitindo um marca de qualidade, e os técnicos presentes poderão estabelecer contacto com os operadores e agentes de viagens, para que com o esforço de todos seja possível e transformável num aumento do número de visitantes na nossa cidade, que, por sua vez, vão dinamizar a hotelaria, a restauração e o comércio da região.

como novidade, este ano, no stand da câmara municipal de aveiro haverá a colaboração da rota da bairrada, na qual aveiro se insere, que irá promover a região da bairrada através da prova dos melhores vinhos e espumantes desta zona.

o turismo é, hoje em dia, o sector de actividade mais importante da cidade de aveiro, tendo-se já verificado o aumento do número de visitantes nas ruas da cidade, quer nas épocas de verão e páscoa, quer durante no resto do ano. o município de aveiro acredita que estas acções de promoção que se têm desenvolvido, têm contribuído para este indicador, mas principalmente, porque implicam, de um modo directo, que ocorra um desenvolvimento económico do concelho e das empresas aveirenses, que directa ou indirectamente, “vivem” da indústria do turismo.
de referir ainda que a autarquia pretende desenvolver e estabelecer um mapa considerável de presenças em feiras em território português, mas também e principalmente no mercado espanhol, pelo que em 2009, o número de participações aumentou e irá continuar a subir.

[câmara municipal de aveiro]

A few thoughts in my head that aren’t enough for full posts, so here’s a little ramble…

1.  I’m clearly starting to speak in social media speak at home… Connor has started saying “awsum” which is ever so cute.

2.  I’m also saying Wow too much – online and offline – it’s quite disturbing actually that I can respond WOW  to most things now and think that just that word is a complete response.

3.  I know I said I was tired of wearing black dresses on Friday… but I find myself drawn to that part of my wardrobe… I think I might just succumb to that temptation tomorrow.

4.  My photography is really starting to get busy, and I’m now starting to turn work away because I’m never going to get to the editing.

5.  My neck is so damn sore.  The pain started yesterday morning, and I’m sitting here now with Transact patches on my neck and pumped with pain killers… so no… there’s no post on my photography blog tonight, I’m going to sleep instead!  If it’s not gone by tomorrow I think I’ll have to find a physio

Recent experience has suggested clients are getting used to the concept of ‘no-dig’ construction, but still failing to realise that in those areas designated as ‘no-dig’, as well as Tree Protection Zones, there should be no compaction either – that means no machines…

‘It is very important to realise that a major contribution to soil compaction , probably 80%, occurs in the first passage of vehicles over the ground’ (Smith 1987), a major fraction of the compaction occurs when only two wheels have passed over the ground. (Tree Roots in the Built Environment).

That means that a demo-lorry or 360 can cause major damage just accessing a site.

For healthy tree growth, soil has to be 50% solid matter (mineral and organic), 25% water, and 25% air. The compaction caused by works traffic will virtually eradicate the air content.

In simple terms trees have two types of roots. Woody structural roots that hold the tree up; and tiny hair like feeder roots (which absorb water and nutrients). The tiny hair like feeder roots only grow by cell division through pores in the soil. If compaction causes these pores to collapse, root growth becomes restricted, and eventually impossible. The supply of water and nutrients is effectively cut off, and this is what causes eventual dieback or death of trees in the long term.

To avoid breaching conditions, the ground behind the Tree Protection Fence must be protected from digging and compaction from the word go, and the correct sequence of events followed when installing ‘no-dig’ construction.

Soil compaction cannot be easily rectified, and coupled with stop notices, remediation can be an expensive business. So please let us explain the principles of the Arboricultural Method Statement for your own protection!

I talked briefly about my use of photography in my upcoming XBOX 360 game, Starlight, in a previous video-post. Today, I thought I’d give a couple of quick examples of photographs I’ve taken, and how they are used in the game.

Here is a photograph I snapped in the Ann Arbor Arboretum

And here’s a screenshot of it used in the game:

Here are a few more examples. This one in level two:

And level three:

And one last example in level four:

When taking photographs for the game, I try and find some backdrops that aren’t distracting (cluttered, show lots of people, that sort of thing), but are still visually interesting and contain patterns. I also try to vary things by always changing the kind of shapes that appear in the photo, and never having the same palate of colors two levels in a row. The photos keep in theme, while still differing quite a bit. For example, the first level has a very close up view of a bush, and uses a large depth of field change, while the fourth level is zoomed out and is somewhat flatter (at least when viewed from a larger distance). Another example of how I change things while keeping consistent with the wooded style is the brightness. If you look at level three’s photo, it’s very vibrant and bright, while level two is more dim and mellow.

Every five levels I’ll change the theme to mix things up,  to stay consistent with the gameplay, and to provide breaks in the story. I have some examples of other worlds,  but I’ll save that for a later day.

I know it’s not the “thing” to blog about the same thing 2 days in a row, but damnit, Connor is cute sometimes…

I took my car in for a service today, so Lance drove to Sandton with the boys to pick me up and take me to the garage. He parked on the side of the driveway into the building to wait for me and then said “I can’t find Mommy, she’s not here”

Connor replied “She’s not here”… “Have you lost Mommy?”… “where is she?”

Oops, don’t think he’ll word that statement like that again, Connor got quite distraught at the thought of me being lost

Then he wasn’t so cute later on, when I was at Woolies with the boys buying groceries… and he was running riot like normal and eventually tore out of the shop at top speed when he noticed that I was occupied with paying for the said groceries. Once I caught him, dragged him back inside and shoved him into the trolley… he then threw the MOST almighty tantrum! Oh joy… I could just imagine what everyone was saying about me and the kids.

On that note, I went to a bloggers lunch on Saturday organised by Angel, and it was in a nice looking restaurant. It was also raining… which meant that the kids couldn’t play in the playground. Not that that stopped them for long, and Connor got wet sliding down a slide in the rain… then he decided that being wet wasn’t fun at all… so promptly took his shorts and shoes off… and it took everything in my power to stop him from stripping completely. Needless to say, I didn’t stay long after that!

He’s a handful… cute… but a handful!

I saw this on my Google Reader earlier on today, on justBcoz’s blog, but only watched it when I saw it again on iMod’s blog (because Youtube is blocked at work)

And OMW! It’s incredible! I wanna do that… in my dreams LOL!

Lance’s reactions when he saw it were funny… he reckon’s it’s good but no longer sexy and he wouldn’t pay to see that! LOL! He thinks it’s now become just gymnastics on a pole
But OMW, he misses the point… what they can do on that pole is AMAZING! Wow!

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Alternative name for Lindane

On top of everything else that happened this weekend (1 portrait shoot, The Kid’s party, Barmitzvah, and double shoot this morning) I had to take Bradley to a school party this afternoon.

I never cease to be amazed by some of the mothers… it’s this constant banter about whose kids are doing what extra murals.  And OMW the extra swimming etc that the kids go to on weekends… and whatever else they do. Oh and  not to forget the extra soccer and the special meals the kids eat etc etc

The kids are in grade 0.  They’re 6 for pete sake! How many extra murals must they have?  Who really cares if they can swim perfect laps in the pool using the perfect stroke yet… at least they’re not freaking drownable anymore!

It’s exhausting to listen to them truly… my conclusion though… it was only the SAHM’s with nothing else to do other than cart kids around that were speaking like that… oh and the one mom who has a full-time au-pair for her kids!

This one car story is the pits.

We’ve been a one car household for 2 weeks now, and none of us are coping very well.  Thankfully Lance is able to get another car next week, so this pain is nearly over… but still it’s a problem for the next few days.

It’s not that it’s an inconvenience for me, that doesn’t really phase me, but I realised this afternoon why I’m struggling with it so much.

The time in the traffic on my own to work and back is my time.  It’s in fact the only time I get to spend by myself these days without working or cooking or doing something.  I need the break between work and home to recoup my thoughts before the onslaught of the kids (not Lance because he’s not an onslaught ), and I’m not getting it at the moment.

I get into the car, and the kids are in the back… whining because they’ve been in the car for about 40 minutes already and by now they realise it takes an hour to get back home.  Then they’re fighting, and Connor is trying to climb out of his car seat (I’m assuming because his body gets sore from the chair)… and the music is going and Lance and I are chatting… and it’s noisy.

It’s much more chaotic than my usual quiet slow trip home listening to the radio.

OK, I do actually realise that this is sad.  I should get more time to myself… but seriously when would you like me to do that? The only other time to my own thoughts is when I’m blogging, or showering or sleeping…. the rest of my life is working, editing, and mothering.

  [...] “a bairrada, que inclui os municípios de águeda, aveiro, mealhada, anadia, oliveira do bairro, vagos, cantanhede e coimbra e tem cerca de 90 produtores vitivinícolas, já tem expressão, mas ainda não a notoriedade de outras regiões como o douro ou alentejo. poucos sabem que a bairrada é a principal produtora de espumante do país”, diz Cristina Azevedo, coordenadora da rota da bairrada. “é importante dar a conhecer este património, a cultura, as adegas e caves que fazem parte da nossa história.” [...]

http://jn.sapo.pt/PaginaInicial/pais/concelho.aspx?Distrito=Aveiro&Concelho=Anadia&Option=Interior&content_id=1414136

I got a letter from the company who I assume manage the relationship between my employer and Discovery Health.

Apparently, they’ve looked at my records for this year, and they reckon I’m over insured, and they’re suggesting that I reduce my cover.

I have a few problems with this:

1.  According to the letter, they’ve only taken this year’s records into account.  We happen to have had a particularly good year when it comes to medical expenses.

2.  If they’d even bothered to look into last year or the year before, they would see another story entirely!

3.  A few days before the letter arrived, I went to the physio for my neck, and booked dentist appointments for me and Bradley.  I also think I may need a chiro appointment for my neck pretty soon.  So much for not using my savings!

4.  All I need next year, is to reduce the cover, and then have Connor and Bradley desperately ill… I’d be screwed!

5.  Imagine there’s a massive problem with my neck, or Connor has a serious allergy like Bradley had 2 years ago, or Bradley gets Steven Johnson’s Syndrome again?

They’re MAD… MAD I tell you!!

Imagine how many people are going to be in serious trouble because they’ve taken this stupid letter at face value?!  Who decides, based on one years history to reduce cover?!

Hah!! I’d rather pay the extra thanks… you never know!

If you’re on Twitter you would have noticed the new lists function… or else you’ve been hiding under a stone for the last few weeks. Basically you can now group your followers under specific lists. The beauty of it, is that people who are following you can easily tell which groups of people to follow based on interests, and can follow the list without having to follow all those people too.

Yes, I’ve used it… I’ve been a good girl and set up 2 lists so far, one with all the photographers I’m following and the other list containing mom bloggers. But in creating those lists, it became extremely clear to me that this could cause problems.

I would like to create a list with all my friends, but who should I include? I mean I talk to most people I follow. But some are closer to me than others. However, could you IMAGINE the drama of creating a list like that and leaving out someone who feels they deserve to be on that list?

As it is, I’m sure I’ve left off people off the lists I’ve created and I’m just waiting for someone to point it out… but because they’re non-emotional lists I don’t think it’ll cause problems… but a friends list… in my mind would be a HUGE mistake.

Now I’m finding that my curiosity is peaked with these lists, bearing in mind that not everyone has created a list yet. I’m finding it fascinating going to someone’s profile and seeing whose lists they’re appearing on, and what they’re categorised as.