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Le sfide della vita (The Trials of Life) è una serie di documentari naturalistici della BBC scritta e presentata da David Attenborough, trasmessa per la prima volta nel Regno Unito a partire dal 3 ottobre 1990.

La serie, che ha come argomento principale il comportamento animale, è la terza parte della trilogia (iniziata con La vita sulla Terra) che offre una panoramica più ampia della Natura; i successivi programmi di Attenborough, invece, hanno avuto come oggetto argomenti più specifici. Ognuno dei dodici episodi di 50 minuti presenta un tema diverso del ciclo vitale, dalla nascita all'età adulta e alla perpetuazione della specie attraverso la riproduzione.

La serie venne prodotta in collaborazione con la Australian Broadcasting Corporation e la Turner Broadcasting System Inc., con produttore esecutivo Peter Jones e musiche composte da George Fenton.

Parte della serie di programmi Life di Attenborough, è preceduta da Il pianeta vivente (1984) e seguita da Life in the Freezer (1993).

Riprese
La serie richiese tre anni e mezzo di riprese, durante i quali Attenborough percorse quasi 375.000 chilometri in giro per il mondo. Il team di produzione cercò di spingersi oltre i confini della realizzazione di documentari di storia naturale, sulle tracce dei progressi fatti in Il pianeta vivente, e affrontò per la prima volta molte nuove sfide.

La realizzazione della sequenza degli scimpanzé a caccia di colobi fu possibile solamente grazie agli studi effettuati da Edwige e Christophe Boesch, che avevano trascorso cinque anni studiando questi primati nelle foreste della Costa d'Avorio in Africa occidentale.

La troupe fu anche in grado di filmare l'interno di un bivacco di formiche legionarie a Panama grazie all'utilizzo di un endoscopio medico. Inoltre, un nuovo tipo di obiettivo per telecamera permise di filmare delle formiche tagliafoglie in primo piano ingrandito proprio di fronte ad Attenborough - con entrambi i soggetti perfettamente a fuoco. Ciò dà l'illusione che questi insetti siano molto più grandi delle loro dimensioni reali.

Per filmare i momenti salienti nella vita di un branco di elefanti fu necessaria l'esperienza di Cynthia Moss, che aveva dedicato 25 anni allo studio di questi animali in Kenya. Grazie alle sue conoscenze, fu in grado di consigliare al team di produzione quali fossero i momenti giusti per filmare eventi specifici.

La troupe aveva solamente una possibilità per riprendere uno stormo di 60.000 limicoli che sorvolava la testa di David Attenborough nel Norfolk, e a tal fine furono arruolati degli esperti della RSPB che fossero in grado di prevedere la loro traiettoria di volo. Al contrario, le ghiandaie della Florida non avrebbero potuto essere più cooperative: dal momento che il particolare gruppo di uccelli che era stato filmato era stato studiato da vicino ed era abituato alla presenza dell'uomo, un esemplare si posò sulla mano di Attenborough proprio al momento giusto.

Filmare l'interno di un termitaio si rivelò particolarmente impegnativo per Attenborough: l'ingresso era così stretto che si poteva riprendere solamente in una direzione. Il naturalista, quindi, doveva strisciare lentamente all'indietro fuori dall'obiettivo quando venivano effettuate le riprese.

Tra i comportamenti filmati per la prima volta ricordiamo la sequenza successivamente selezionata per illustrare la copertina del cofanetto DVD della serie: quello di un'orca che si avventa su una colonia di leoni marini su una spiaggia della Patagonia e che «gioca» con la sua giovane preda prima di consumarla. Per riprendere la scena gli operatori dovettere correre non pochi rischi, in quanto si trovavano in acqua a pochi metri da questi animali per potere ottenere dei primi piani dell'attacco.

Episodi

1. «Nascere» (Arriving)

Trasmesso il 3 ottobre 1990 (il 30 giugno 1992 in Italia), il primo episodio esamina i vari modi con cui le creature vengono al mondo. Attenborough inizia illustrando la deposizione annuale dei granchi rossi dell'isola del Natale, che si stima siano circa 120 milioni. La pratica è tanto più pericolosa in quanto questo granchio è una specie terrestre e deve depositare le sue uova in mare - dove gli animali più antichi del pianeta vivono e si riproducono ancora. Uno dei produttori acquatici di uova più prolifici è la tridacna gigante, ma anche alcuni animali terrestri ne depongono grandi quantità, tra cui la mantide. Negli Stati Uniti occidentali, Attenborough osserva una vespa che scava una tana, ne nasconde l'entrata e vi immagazzina dentro bruchi freschi per i piccoli che nasceranno. Le larve di un'altra specie di vespa iniziano la loro vita all'interno di bruchi e mangiano gli ignari ospiti. I problemi degli animali di maggiori dimensioni sono illustrati dalle oche delle nevi dell'Artico, che devono difendere le loro uova dalle volpi artiche. Il processo dello sviluppo embrionale all'interno dell'uovo, dalla deposizione alla schiusa, viene mostrato nel dettaglio. Il fagiano australiano riscalda le sue uova con foglie marcescenti, e Attenborough dimostra la cura con cui l'uccello regola la temperatura all'interno del nido aggiungendo sabbia al cumulo che lo ricopre - prendendo anche un po' di sabbia in faccia scagliata dal fagiano tornato a rimuovere la quantità in più. Il pidocchio di mare è un crostaceo che si suicida: lo sviluppo delle larve comporta un tale consumo energetico alla madre che questa muore dopo la nascita. Tra i mammiferi che partoriscono piccoli completamente sviluppati vengono mostrati gnu, antilopi, leoni marini e cincillà.

2. «Crescere» (Growing Up)
Trasmesso il 10 ottobre 1990 (il 7 luglio 1992 in Italia), questo programma descrive i modi in cui varie specie si prendono cura dei loro piccoli. Attenborough definisce l'infanzia come un periodo in cui le varie specie devono affrontare due sfide: crescere e sopravvivere. Il naturalista punta l'attenzione sull'elefante marino, un animale la cui infanzia è compressa in pochi giorni, in quanto viene abbandonato dalla madre dopo sole tre settimane e lasciato solo per un periodo che può raggiungere gli otto mesi, durante i quali diviene grande abbastanza da poter nuotare. Per le sterne, la sicurezza sta nel numero, dal momento che i vari membri dello stormo collaborano per cacciar via i gabbiani malintenzionati. Le oche delle nevi della Russia artica mostrano una grande devozione alla propria prole mentre accompagnano i propri piccoli a piedi verso la costa, a circa 50 chilometri di distanza. Gli scorpioni trasportano i loro piccoli sul dorso, mentre la madre toporagno li lascia al sicuro sotto una pietra mentre va in cerca di cibo. Gli edredoni condividono tra loro la responsabilità dell'allevamento della prole: le femmine sorvegliano regolarmente gli anatroccoli degli altri membri del gruppo. Il marà è un altro animale che utilizza un sistema di crèche, così come il pipistrello, le cui nursery possono comprendere anche un milione di piccoli. La ghiandaia della Florida mette in atto un complesso sistema di allevamento dei piccoli noto come riproduzione comunitaria, in cui i giovani rimangono come aiutanti nel nido dei loro genitori. Tale comportamento è presente su scala più ampia presso gli elefanti, dove tutte le femmine di un branco collaborano all'allevamento di un singolo piccolo. L'infanzia degli scimpanzé è piuttosto complicata dal punto di vista sociale, in quanto ogni individuo deve imparare come comportarsi nei confronti degli altri, oltre a padroneggiare l'uso degli strumenti. Gli albatri, d'altro canto, devono imparare a volare al più presto possibile - come mostrano le riprese di vari giovani che finiscono tra le fauci degli squali tigre.

3. «Alla ricerca del cibo» (Finding Food)
Trasmessa il 17 ottobre 1990 (il 14 luglio 1992 in Italia), questa puntata è dedicata ai modi in cui gli animali si procurano il nutrimento necessario. Attenborough inizia nella foresta pluviale sudamericana, dove malgrado la proliferazione di vita animale e vegetale non è necessariamente facile trovare cibo. Alcune foglie sono velenose, e quindi gli animali che le mangiano devono stare attenti. Altre piante usano il cibo (o il nettare) come mazzetta per trasportare il loro polline, e alcune specie di colibrì hanno sviluppato relazioni esclusive con alcune di loro. Le piante offrono anche la frutta, nuovamente per soddisfare i loro bisogni di riproduzione, e creature come le scimmie scoiattolo mangiano poco altro. Pappagalli e are assumono caolino come antidoto alla loro dieta di semi tossici. Attenborough osserva un immenso stormo di 60.000 piovanelli maggiori e piovanelli pancianera che approfittano improvvisamente dell'arrivo della bassa marea per nutrirsi dei minuscoli molluschi che dimorano nel fango. I barracuda vanno a caccia di piccoli pesci, e guidano i banchi all'interno di baie, dove subiscono l'attacco da parte dei pellicani, che a loro volta sono assediati dai gabbiani che cercano di rubare loro le prede catturate. Una specie di geco è in grado di distinguere tra le termiti operaie e le più pericolose termiti soldato. La tela del ragno tessitore costituisce uno dei dispositivi di cattura del cibo più eleganti, ma il filmato analizza in dettaglio anche i metodi di caccia di altre due specie, il Nephila e il visitatore cleptoparassita delle sue tele, lArgyrodes. Infine, i fetonti, con il gozzo pieno di cibo, ritornando verso i loro nidi, vengono assaliti in volo da un gruppo di fregate, con lo scopo di farli rigurgitare i pesci che stanno trasportando.

4. «Cacciatori e prede» (Hunting and Escaping)

Trasmesso il 24 ottobre 1990 (il 21 luglio 1992 in Italia), questo episodio ha per protagonisti gli animali che cacciano altre creature e i sistemi per evitare la cattura. Attenborough viene assalito da una coppia di stercorari dopo essersi avvicinato al loro nido: ciò dimostra il comportamento aggressivo di questo particolare uccello, sia quando va in cerca di cibo che quando difende i suoi piccoli. Al largo delle coste della Patagonia, lo stesso gruppo di orche fa ritorno ogni anno nello stesso luogo per tendere imboscate ai piccoli dei leoni marini che si allontanano dalle più tranquille acque poco profonde. Dopo aver afferrato la preda, la trasportano in mare aperto e ci «giocano» per un po' prima di ucciderla. Il veleno può essere utilizzato sia come arma che come deterrente, come mostrano rispettivamente la vipera e la rana pomodoro. Alcuni animali pubblicizzano in anticipo le loro misure difensive, nel caso in cui i predatori se ne accorgano quando ormai è troppo tardi. Tra questi vi sono la moffetta, che rilascia un odore terribile, e alcune salamandre che avvertono della loro tossicità rimanendo stazionarie, con i loro segni di avvertimento ben visibili. Vengono mostrate anche alcune specie di insetto stecco e il loro elaborato camuffamento. Tuttavia, nessuno di questi metodi di protezione costituisce un problema per le formiche legionarie, che riescono a soggiogare le proprie vittime semplicemente in virtù delle loro dimensioni e del loro enorme numero. La poiana di Harris è un rapace insolito, dato che caccia in gruppo, e il filmato mostra un gruppo di sei esemplari che mette in pratica la propria abilità nel deserto del Nuovo Messico. La sequenza finale mostra la strategia e il coordinamento di una banda di scimpanzé che insegue con successo un gruppo di colobi attraverso una foresta in Costa d'Avorio.

5. «L'orientamento» (Finding the Way)
Trasmessa il 31 ottobre 1990 (il 4 agosto 1992 in Italia), questa puntata esplora le varie forme con cui gli animali si orientano. Attenborough inizia in Africa, al tramonto, descrivendo alcune specie che per orientarsi non fanno affidamento sulla vista. La iena maculata usa il suo acuto senso dell'olfatto come guida quando va a caccia di notte, mentre i galagoni si urinano sulle mani in modo che possano marcare perfettamente i loro spostamenti. Alcuni animali, come le salangane, i pipistrelli e i delfini di fiume, usano l'ecolocazione. Al contrario, gli elettrofori usano campi di elettricità per rilevare gli oggetti che li circondano. Durante il giorno, quando c'è luce, gli animali impiegano metodi diversi: il toporagno elefante rossiccio, con la sua rete di sentieri accuratamente ripulita, possiede una nitida immagine mentale del suo habitat - conoscendo anche le varie scorciatoie grazie alle quali può sfuggire ai predatori. Attenborough visita il Sahara per trovare una specie che compie il più lungo viaggio via terra nel mondo degli insetti: la Cataglyphis, una formica che usa la posizione del sole per riuscire a fare ritorno al proprio nido in linea retta. Le aragoste delle Bahamas marciano in colonne per sfuggire alle tempeste che agitano le acque in cui vivono. Alla ricerca di una luce solare perpetua che gli consenta di pescare, la sterna artica effettua un viaggio di 19.000 chilometri da un'estremità della Terra all'altra. L'albatro è uno dei navigatori più abili: può viaggiare fino a 1300 chilometri sul mare in cerca di cibo per i suoi pulcini, e riuscire a trovare la strada per tornare al nido. Infine, Attenborough, su una cascata in Irlanda, racconta il viaggio di 10.000 chilometri, della durata di tre anni, compiuto dalle anguille.

6. «Nidi e tane» (Home Making)
Trasmessa il 7 novembre 1990 (l'11 agosto 1992 in Italia), questa puntata illustra il modo in cui gli animali costruiscono i loro rifugi per difendersi dagli elementi e dai predatori. Gallerie e tane possono offrire un rifugio perfetto allo scopo, e Attenborough ispeziona la casa del cane della prateria americano, una costruzione elaborata dotata di un proprio sistema di condizionamento dell'aria. La seta è un materiale così prezioso che coloro che non riescono a produrla la rubano. Il colibrì eremita la usa per attaccare il suo nido alla superficie inferiore di una foglia, mentre l'uccello sarto indiano la utilizza per cucire insieme due foglie. Tuttavia, il vero esperto nella costruzione di nidi complessi è l'uccello tessitore, che può intrecciare perfettamente tra loro una struttura composta da oltre 1000 fili d'erba - per poi smantellarla se non riesce ad attrarre una compagna. Al castoro si deve una delle dimore più grandi del regno animale: la sua casetta di legno che si innalza dal letto di un fiume può essere tramandata da una generazione all'altra, e quindi richiede una manutenzione costante. Alcune api prive di pungiglione usano la loro cera e la resina della corteccia degli alberi per creare strutture labirintiche contenenti vari scomparti. A tal scopo alcune creature, come la vespa vasaia e alcune rondini, utilizzano il fango. Le intricate creazioni delle termiti offrono loro sicurezza, riscaldamento, aria condizionata, vivai e giardini autonomi e sistemi di igiene. Attenborough si riferisce a questa specie paragonandola ad una casalinga indaffarata, ed esplora una colonia di 4,5 metri nell'Africa occidentale contenente 1,5 milioni di insetti, strisciando proprio al suo interno per esaminarne il sistema di ventilazione.

7. «Vivere insieme» (Living Together)

Trasmesso il 14 novembre 1990 (il 18 agosto 1992 in Italia), questo episodio si concentra su quelle specie che cooperano e dipendono da altre (o le sfruttano). I cervi pomellati seguono gli entelli mentre viaggiano da un albero all'altro, mangiando le foglie che cadono dall'alto. In cambio, i cervi fanno da guardia quando i primati si nutrono a terra. In mare, un paguro aggiunge anemoni di mare al suo guscio al fine di proteggersi dall'attacco di un polpo, e un ghiozzo assiste un gamberetto praticamente cieco. Pulci, pidocchi e acari sono parassiti: non condividono alcuna collaborazione reciproca, ma al contrario approfittano delle altre creature per il cibo o il riparo. Tuttavia, anche i parassiti hanno i loro predatori, tra cui i fringuelli delle isole Galápagos che liberano le testuggini giganti ivi presenti dalle zecche, e le bufaghe, che fanno lo stesso per le giraffe in Africa (utilizzando perfino i loro peli per foderare i nidi). Alcuni pesci ripuliscono regolarmente gli altri: labridi e gamberetti sembrano essersi specializzati in questa direzione, così come le remore, che rimangono permanentemente attaccate ai loro ospiti. Parassiti che crescono all'interno dei loro ospiti sono i trematodi: uno di essi si sviluppa all'interno di una lumaca, essendo stato precedentemente ingerito inconsapevolmente. Dal momento che ha bisogno di trasferirsi nell'intestino di un uccello per svilupparsi ulteriormente, fa sì che la lumaca pubblicizzi la sua presenza affinché venga divorata - completando così il cerchio. Tuttavia, alcune creature microscopiche abitano lo stomaco di grandi erbivori al fine di scomporre la cellulosa presente nella loro dieta, favorendo così la loro digestione.

8. «Il combattimento» (Fighting)
Trasmessa il 21 novembre 1990 (il 25 agosto 1992 in Italia), questa puntata descrive in dettaglio come il combattimento - sia fisico che psicologico - venga utilizzato per impadronirsi del cibo, di un territorio o di un partner. Il conflitto per il territorio è illustrato chiaramente da un colibrì, e Attenborough ne dimostra l'aggressività posizionando un esemplare impagliato nelle vicinanze, che viene immediatamente trafitto dal becco dell'avversario. Il ciclide Amphilophus citrinellus, d'altra parte, non ha armi da sfoderare, e così usa la bocca per resistere a prove di forza. Al contrario, le zampe anteriori di un gambero mantide sono abbastanza potenti da rompere il guscio di un altro crostaceo: di conseguenza gli scontri o i corteggiamenti sono potenzialmente pericolosi. Gli animali che possiedono armi letali per catturare la preda di solito non le usano per combattere tra loro, poiché nessuna delle due parti desidera rischiare la morte. Ad esempio, un serpente velenoso mirerà a schiacciare al suolo l'avversario, piuttosto che a morderlo. Lupi e grandi felini usano in gran parte ringhi e posture del corpo per trasmettere le loro minacce. Nei combattimenti tra due zebre rivali, invece, non vi sono limiti: calci e morsi vengono assestati fino a quando non emerge un vincitore, mentre le giraffe combattono sbattendo il collo l'una contro l'altra. Due gorilla di montagna, generalmente pacifici, litigano tra loro quando il gioco sfugge di mano, e uno di loro comunica il suo panico urinando senza controllo. I grandi erbivori dotati di corna o palchi sono naturalmente inclini a usarli per affermare il loro possesso sulle femmine di una mandria. I maschi di stambecco e di alce dell'Alaska ingaggiano alcuni degli scontri più feroci - a volte fino alla morte.

9. «Amici e rivali» (Friends and Rivals)
Trasmessa il 28 novembre 1990 (il 1º settembre 1992 in Italia), questa puntata indaga i modi in cui quegli animali che vivono in gruppi sociali interagiscono tra loro. Alla solitaria aquila si contrappongono i cigni selvatici che giungono in Scozia dopo un viaggio di 1600 chilometri dall'Islanda. Una volta arrivati, devono combattere per il territorio con quelli già presenti, e quelli che vivono in coppie o in gruppi familiari risultano quasi sempre vittoriosi. Attenborough utilizza un gruppo di polli da cortile per spiegare il concetto dell'ordine di beccata. I cacicchi collaborano per scoraggiare i predatori, nonostante combattano anche tra loro per stabilire l'ordine gerarchico. Un branco di leoni collabora per abbattere un bufalo, e successivamente ogni esemplare attende pacificamente il suo turno per mangiare. I babbuini vivono in gruppi che possono comprendere fino a 150 individui, e la loro complessa gerarchia di dominanza viene esaminata in dettaglio. I vampiri manifestano altruismo reciproco rigurgitando il sangue ingerito ai vicini che non hanno potuto partecipare alla ricerca del cibo notturna. Le manguste nane vivono in gruppi familiari di una decina circa di esemplari. Mentre alcune vanno in cerca di cibo o dormono, altre rimangono sempre all'erta e lanciano rapidamente il grido d'allarme se necessario. Una delle collaborazioni più estreme è quella messa in pratica dall'eterocefalo glabro, in cui in ogni gruppo, di circa 80 individui, si riconoscono operai (dediti di continuo a scavare gallerie), soldati (che entrano in gioco solo quando il gruppo viene minacciato) e una singola regina, dedita solamente alla riproduzione. Le formiche tagliafoglie trasportano il loro cibo nelle profondità del terreno: sui frammenti di foglie recisi cresce un particolare fungo che converte la cellulosa indigeribile in qualcosa di commestibile, e ogni fase dell'operazione viene effettuata da una diversa casta di individui.

10. «La comunicazione» (Talking to Strangers)

Trasmesso il 5 dicembre 1990 (l'8 settembre 1992 in Italia), questo episodio si concentra sulla comunicazione animale. In Kenya, Attenborough accompagna il membro di una tribù locale che richiama un indicatore del miele, che a sua volta gli risponde e guida la coppia verso un alveare. L'indigeno estrae il miele e ne lascia un po' come ricompensa per l'uccello. I licaoni vanno a caccia di gazzelle e focalizzano la loro attenzione verso l'esemplare che salta meno in alto. Le allodole sfuggono allo smeriglio inviando un messaggio simile: continuando a cantare mentre vengono inseguite, comunicano all'inseguitore di essere in piena forma e quindi difficili da catturare (vedi principio dell'handicap). (Nell'80% dei casi questo risulta essere veritiero.) I richiami dei cercopitechi verdi sono tra i più complessi. I versi che emettono sono parole a tutti gli effetti: con un vocabolario per definire ognuno dei loro predatori, ciascun richiamo d'allarme emesso è specifico per una particolare minaccia. Alcune creature indicano la loro presenza tramite segnali visivi, e Attenborough osserva migliaia di lucciole che illuminano l'oscurità. I suoni viaggiano più velocemente, specialmente sott'acqua, e oltre 200 specie di pesci li usano per comunicare. A loro volta, i leoni marini sono diventati esperti nel percepire la loro presenza. Tuttavia, l'animale acquatico che fa maggior utilizzo di segnali visivi è il calamaro, che usa il cambiamento di colore e la postura per comunicare. Infine, Attenborough nuota con le stenelle maculate. Questi delfini conversano con una serie di clic ultrasonici e ognuno di essi possiede un richiamo di famiglia ereditato dalla madre: un «cognome» a tutti gli effetti. Per comunicare, tuttavia, utilizzano anche il suono normale, la postura del corpo e il tatto - in breve, contendono all'uomo il titolo di più grandi comunicatori del regno animale.

11. «Il corteggiamento» (Courting)
Trasmessa il 12 dicembre 1990 (il 15 settembre 1992 in Italia), questa puntata esamina i metodi impiegati per attirare un partner, in particolare quelli messi in atto dagli uccelli. Il florican minore indiano vive nell'erba alta, ed è quindi difficile da vedere. Per attirare l'attenzione, può compiere balzi in alto, sempre nello stesso punto, anche per 400 volte al giorno. Le balene cantano per attrarre potenziali partner, e i richiami delle femmine possono essere uditi dai corteggiatori anche a più di otto chilometri di distanza. Quando gli animali emettono segnali di attrazione, devono anche assicurarsi che non attirino la specie sbagliata, e a tale scopo sono dotati di colorazioni che variano in maniera considerevole. Attenborough pone l'attenzione sulle sule: ne esistono circa una mezza dozzina di specie, e vari tipi possono occupare la stessa isola. Tuttavia, la sula piediazzurri rassicura il partner che ha scelto lisciandole continuamente i piedi. Fetonti e falchi di palude si esibiscono in graziose manifestazioni aeree, mentre il pipistrello dalle ali a sacco usa un forte profumo per attirare un partner. Tra gli uccelli che effettuano le parate più spettacolari vi sono l'uccello lira (che emette anche un canto elaborato), il pavone e l'uccello fucile (e in effetti la maggior parte degli altri uccelli del paradiso). L'uccello giardiniere invita le potenziali compagne a ispezionare il suo giardino: un'area appositamente predisposta che contiene una capanna o un viale abbellita con oggetti dai colori sorprendenti. Vengono anche esaminate le complicate danze eseguite dai manachini di Trinidad. Infine, Attenborough osserva le arene nuziali del topi, i cui confini ben definiti sono gelosamente protetti dalle intrusioni dei maschi rivali.

12. «Il filo della vita» (Continuing the Line)
Trasmessa il 19 dicembre 1990 (il 22 settembre 1992 in Italia), l'ultima puntata mostra come le specie soddisfano la loro ultima raison d'être e assicurano che i loro geni vengano trasmessi alla generazione successiva. È un problema universale, ma che ha dato origine a tutta una gamma di soluzioni. I cirripedi non possono muoversi, ma ognuno di essi è dotato di cellule sessuali sia maschili che femminili: ciò fa sì che ogni vicino sia un potenziale partner. All'altro lato della scala, la femmina di elefante porta avanti una lunga gravidanza - 22 mesi - e quindi desidera assicurarsi che il suo piccolo sia generato da un maschio forte ed esperto. È quindi molto esigente riguardo alla scelta del partner. La femmina di cincillà lo è ancora di più, e rifiuta un pretendente indesiderato schizzandole un po' di urina in faccia. L'accoppiamento è un'attività pericolosa quando coinvolge specie munite di armi potenzialmente letali, e un maschio di tarantola si avvicina alla compagna con trepidazione. Solo quando riesce a trattenere le sue zanne velenose è in grado di progredire ulteriormente. Per alcune specie, i momenti giusti per accoppiarsi sono pochi e distanziati tra loro: un granchio maschio, per esempio, deve aspettare che una femmina effettui la muta prima di essere in grado di fecondarla. I maschi di leone marino combattono tra loro per il controllo di un harem, e alcuni approfittano di questi scontri per avvicinarsi alle femmine riluttanti. Attenborough osserva che le relazioni monogame come quelle che intercorrono tra gli esseri umani sono rare nel regno animale, ma introduce l'albatro reale come una «meravigliosa» eccezione. La coppia di uccelli filmata si è formata quando i due esemplari avevano cinque anni ed è rimasta unita per vent'anni.

DVD e libro
La serie è disponibile in Regno Unito per le regioni 2 e 4 in un cofanetto di quattro DVD (BBCDVD1428, pubblicato il 27 settembre 2004), facente parte della serie The Life Collection. Erroneomente intitolato Trials of Life, include come contenuto extra soltanto un documentario di 50 minuti: The Making of The Trials of Life. Nel 2002 la stessa serie era già stata pubblicata in versione ridotta in un cofanetto di tre dischi, con ogni episodio della durata di 35 minuti.

Il libro di accompagnamento, The Trials of Life: A Natural History of Behaviour di David Attenborough (), venne pubblicato dalla BBC Books il 4 ottobre 1990 e fu uno tra i titoli scelti per il Rhône-Poulenc Prize del 1991. È attualmente fuori stampa.

Note

Collegamenti esterni
 The Trials of Life at BBC Programmes.
 The Trials of Life on IMDb.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I've been terribly sick since the night of the 25th so I've been basically dying in my bed and being medicated. Today I was a little bit better, but not well enough to make a whole video like the ones I normally do, so I decided to change things a little bit while doing something new and fresh at the same time!
I created a party dress for Rapunzel from the Animator's Collection dolls and it was inspired in the Holiday Collection of Hayden Williams. I really loved her drawings and I've been following him since I first discovered about his Instagram's paige, about a year ago. I think he's really talented and he has a really unique style for drawing. I was so happy when I knew he was woking with Rimmel for the Kate Moss' collection thing.


text:
What is NRM?
This '3 Year Plan' presents strategic direction to ensure Wheatbelt NRM effectively responds to national, state and regional NRM needs. This will be achieved by engaging our community to actively support and progress our strategic objectives. This '3 Year Plan' is supported each year by an Operations Plan that sets out how resources will be allocated and utilised in progressing the strategic objectives in this document.
Sustainable Industries
Regional NRM Strategy for the Avon River Basin
The Wheatbelt Regional NRM Strategy guides NRM investment priorities within the region. The regional community provided important guidance to the development of the strategy, which reflects their values and understanding of the environment they live in and know.
NRM Newsletters
Birds of the Avon River Basin
Australia has an incredible diversity of bird species, with 898 recorded, including vagrants or accidental visitors and introduced species. Of this total, Western Australia has 550 species, 17 of which are found only in Western Australia. The Avon River Basin has a remarkable 224 recorded species - over 25 percent of the national total.
The temptation to continue cropping an unprofitable part of his Bencubbin farm was one of the motivating factors behind Lynton Beagley's decision to plant Sandalwood. Stands of the native tree already existed over parts of the property, proving the species could flourish in an area often considered marginal. But the idea of starting a small plot has now grown to become part of a larger trial, investigating how farmers can lower the cost of establishing sandalwood plantations. "When we finish seeding, the next crop we put in will be 20 hectares of Sandalwood hosts," Lynton Beagley said. "The trees will be put in on Wodjil soils that haven't produced any good crops for years, in an area that has now become a problem for us because it is so windswept. "We need to remove the temptation to try and crop it one more time, and by planting Sandalwood, we have the potential to one day deliver an income from it." Sandalwood is grown for its high value aromatic heartwood over a 20-year rotation, but there is also potential to harvest its oil rich nuts from as early as five years, as new products are developed. "For us, growing Sandalwood delivers an off-farm income that remains on-farm," Lynton Beagley said. "While we wouldn't be relying on this crop in the short term, in the medium to long term it's a way to diversify. "We first became interested in growing it after a visit to Bob Huxley's farm at Gabbin, east of Koorda." Bob Huxley is the vice-president of the Australian Sandalwood Network, and is also involved in the Sandalwood trial. "Sandalwood need at least three to five host plants, mainly Acacia, to get their water and nutrients from, and this site will trial a combination of planting host seeds and seedlings," Bob Huxley said. "While it's not a new method, not many people have tried direct seeding in less than 300 millimetre rainfall zones. "And by doing it this way, the cost of putting in 20 different host species is significantly reduced. "If you're establishing about one hectare with 1200 host stems, when you look at total site establishing from ripping, spraying etc… seedlings, contract planting it will cost you about $1200 per hectare. "That's over a two year establishment period, including sowing the Sandalwood seeds in year two. "If you introduce direct seeding, you cut the number of stems per hectare in half. "500 stems per hectare plus seed mix will cost about $750 per hectare, so you get twice as much bang for your buck." The site has significant meaning for natural resource management group Wheatbelt NRM, which is funding the trial. Project manager Georgie Troup said it meant Wheatbelt NRM would get twice as many hectares planted for each dollar spent. "Direct seeding makes the process of plantation establishment a lot cheaper, possibly even halving it," Georgie Troup said. "It also means you get a more diverse mix of species in your plantation, which is good, because some host species grow rapidly but die in about eight years, while others are longer living. "By giving the Sandalwood a mix, they have a greater chance of survival. "The native trees send a web of roots out to more than one host plant, so they rely on different trees as the seasons change and the hosts grow old. "Originally, Sandalwood was planted on jam trees, which were vigorous growers but short lived with a life span of just 10 years. "This then threatened the life of the Sandalwood planting and forced the use of other species to help prolong the plantation." Georgie Troup said two sites west of Bencubbin had been selected for the trial. "We want to use acidic, yellow sand classified as Wodjil soils, where Sandalwood thrives," she said. As well as the Beagley's, the Fitzpatrick family was also taking part. "At each site 7,500 mixed Acacia seedlings will be planted along with local Acacia seed, using a tree planter," Georgie Troup said. The sandalwood is then planted one year later. Bob Huxley said the process of planting seeds and tree seedlings didn't require any new machinery. "It is a process developed by UWA Associate Professor Dr Geoff Woodall and extensively trialled in the drier parts of the Wheatbelt," Bob Huxley said. "We just use a Chatfield's tree planter which is slightly modified with a direct seeding attachment," he said. "When the trees are planted, a seed box attached to the planter meters out the seed and a couple of press wheels put it into the ground. "We use similar technology to our cropping machinery for depth control and seed placement." Georgie Troup said the results from the trials would be used to encourage other landholders in the 300 millimetres or less rainfall zones to encourage others to plant Sandalwood. "By using this method its more cost effective and that in turn will help give the industry momentum with increased plantings," Georgie Troup said. "Because the seasons have been so tight, farmers have not had the cash reserves to spend on natural resource management activities like planting trees. "This method helps to cut those costs." Georgie Troup said the trial was part of Wheatbelt NRM's Soil Conservation Incentive Program, funded through the Australian Governments Caring for our Country Program. For more information or to be involved in future projects contact Georgie Troup on 9690 2250. Bob Huxley – Gabbin between Koorda and Bencubbin – vice president of the Australian Sandalwood Network. Bob_huxley@bigpond.com 0419961254 Mark Fitzpatrick – 0428 848 068 or John Beagley – 9685 1247 Lynton and Melissa Beagley – yelgaeb@reachnet.com.au
269 Fitzgerald Street, Northam
PO Box 311, Northam WA 6401
8.30am - 5pm Monday to Friday
F : +61 8 9670 3140
© 2020 Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Accidentally commit or do something in Git that you want to undo? Well you've come to the right place!
This will remove the commit from git (git will never know what happened), but will leave your files unchanged. It'll be as if you never made that commit.
Want to remove more commits. HEAD represents your most recent commit. HEAD~1 (shorter version is HEAD~) matches your second most recent commit. HEAD~2 is your third most recent. Simply replace HEAD~ with the correct value.
Additionally, you can use git log to find the commit you want to revert to, locate the commit's SHA and paste that in instead of HEAD~.
Hopefully this post helped or you learned something. Git can be confusing at times but hopefully I explained everything clearly. If you have any questions don't hesitate to leave a comment!


A screenshot of the climatechangedata.boston.gov website.
Soon after President Trump took office, the Environmental Protection Agency began removing links on its website to data that reflected years of research into the causes of climate change.
Now, Boston and many other cities are returning the information to the public sphere through municipal websites, part of a revolt against Trump's efforts to overturn policies designed to curb the greenhouse gases causing the planet to warm.
The new site, climatechangedata.boston.gov, reflects the city's increasingly active response to Trump's approach to climate change.
After President Trump announced this month he intends to withdraw the United States from the historic Paris climate accord, Mayor Martin J. Walsh joined hundreds of other mayors in a pledge to reduce carbon emissions through local resolutions and coordinated environmental policies.
Walsh even bathed City Hall in green light in defiance, reflecting Boston's solidarity with more than 190 nations that pledged two years ago in Paris to fight global warming.
Publishing the climate data was "important to show Boston residents that we take the science of climate change seriously," said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh.
The city's decision to publish the climate data was "important to show Boston residents that we take the science of climate change seriously," Walsh said in a prepared statement.
That answer, as well as other detailed responses to similar questions, can now be found on the Boston site as well as those sponsored by other cities.
"Here, in Boston, we know climate change is real and we will continue to take action to fight it," Boston city officials wrote on the site.
Boston is one of 14 cities to post the data on its website, following the lead of Chicago.
"It is inspiring to see mayors from across the country stand up for the environment through the preservation of climate information data deleted from the Web by the Trump administration," Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a prepared statement.
"Making climate change research widely available underscores that facts cannot be disputed and science cannot be erased," he said.
EPA officials didn't respond to requests for comment.
In April, the EPA announced that its website would be "undergoing changes" to reflect the administration's priorities.
Among the information deleted were the agency's responses to previous statements by Scott Pruitt before Trump appointed him administrator. Pruitt, who was Oklahoma's attorney general, has long opposed action to address climate change. Trump has called climate change "a hoax" and has proposed cutting the EPA's budget next year by 31 percent — more than any other federal agency.
Other pages that disappeared included data about carbon emissions in states and cities, the impact of such emissions on different demographic groups, and details about the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan, its signature climate program. The plan, which Pruitt seeks to end, aimed to reduce emissions from power plants.
The agency noted in April it would maintain a link to information that was on the site before Trump's inauguration, and the main EPA page now includes a link to a "snapshot" of the site from Jan. 19.
Among the links that haven't been updated is an agency Web page called "A Student's Guide to Global Climate Change," which used to have a prominent spot on the EPA site.
The page featured educational videos about climate science and allowed students to calculate their own carbon footprint.
That link remains broken, even on the rebuilt EPA site on Boston's website.


29/02/2016�� Turning Your Pet Into a Therapy Dog. By Jane E. Brody February 29, 2016 5:45 am February 29, 2016 5 a project that helps the vets readjust to being home and offers the dogs a chance to gain a home of their own. Before signing up for therapy dog training, you�d be wise to find out first what the program involves and its cost and what will be required of you by the facilities you hope �... Increase your dog�s hydration with electrolyte supplements. Give her some flavorless Pedialyte, which is made for children, but is also suitable for dogs. Mix the supplement with your dog�s water to help restore essential electrolytes and minerals lost while being sick.
During the assessment, carried out by a Pets As Therapy accredited assessor or vet, you will need to be able to show that your dog is friendly and well-behaved, responds to your �... If you train therapy dogs or have a therapy animal of your own, consider adding it to the national therapy dog registry and getting the appropriate identification. You will probably find that it allows your dog access to new places, and that it also helps educate individuals you encounter about the invaluable service therapy animals can do.
being able to independently command and care for a service dog having a stable home environment Service dogs are trained to meet a person�s needs before they�re placed in someone�s home.
4/08/2009�� Therapy Dogs International (TDI) does have a test your dog must past to be a registered therapy dog. The following policies apply for dog/handler teams interested in taking the TDI Test: -Dogs must be a minimum of one year old to be tested.


text:
MediTract CLM
Compliance Suite
Contract Analytics
Value Management
Provider Evidence
Source & Negotiate
Capital Inventory Services
When it Comes to Hospital Contracting Compliance, Hope is Not a Strategy.
In a study published by Crowe, a public accounting, consulting, and technology firm, the top compliance challenges facing hospitals in 2019 are physician contracting, non-physician contracting/supply chain agreements, and compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The analysis summarizes assessment of 3,000 risks across more than 250 hospitals, health systems, physician practices, and other healthcare entities.
Hospitals continue to face ever-increasing financial and regulatory pressures. Non-compliance with state and federal regulations comes with consequences and fines that do not fit into a high-performing business model. The risks are real, and relying on hope for compliant contracts is a recipe for missed opportunities, lack of contract visibility, over-spending, and, most importantly, non-compliance.
Process is paramount
The solution for compliant contracting across the hospital organization or system starts with impeccable process. The ability to manage all stages of the contract lifecycle process — contract origination, negotiation, agreement of terms, signature, storage, ongoing management, search and retrieval, auditing and reporting, and, finally, renewal or termination — is paramount.
MediTract CLM provides the all-encompassing, integrated platform to manage and support the complete contract lifecycle. MediTract owns the only patented, healthcare-specific CLM platform in the market today. It was designed with more than 20 years of client feedback and 2,000 implementations to support the specific challenges associated with hospital contracting and compliance.
Consistency and control
Impeccable process in hospital contracting to ensure compliance is really all about consistency and control. Governing and proactively managing who can request or initiate a contract, which reviewers are required, and, ultimately, who must sign based on the type and value of the contract — these are all key to establishing a compliant program that translates into dollars going straight to the bottom line.
An efficient and auditable contracting process yields both measurable speed and savings. Clients using our platform get physician agreements signed an average of 31 days faster than those who don't. That translates into $5,500 in revenue per DAY per physician contract. With savings like these and the ability to ensure control and compliance, it's easy to quantify the value of our platform.
Looking for opportunities
We also know that our clients are being asked to mine their contracts to identify additional savings opportunities and contracting inconsistencies that result in unnecessary spending. We've continued to innovate and have added Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled advanced contract analytics capabilities.
Our enhanced technology, combined with our healthcare experts, offers our clients unparalleled visibility into their contract assets to answer questions like: What is our cybersecurity risk? What contracts should have a BAA in place, but don't? What contracts have inconsistent term & conditions?
Advanced analytics to the rescue
Historically, this kind of evaluation has required months of manual review, but we've got a better answer. Our advanced contract analytics identifies the "needles in the haystack," allowing only those agreements requiring remediation to be reviewed. We can produce the results very quickly so that hospitals can focus on the business of saving lives.
Kimberly Hartsfield became Chief Data Officer for TractManager in June 2017.
Physician Employment by Systems Hits an All-time High. Here Are Some Laws to Consider
The number of physicians working for hospitals in the U.S. continues to grow. A study released this year by Avalere and the Physicians Advocacy Institute says that the percentage of...
How Artificial Intelligence Can Aid Post-Merger Integration
More than just a buzzword, artificial intelligence is already proving to be a game changer for organizations across a variety of industries—despite being in its infancy stage. Building off digital...
Five Contract Negotiation Strategies Healthcare Professionals Should Know
Skilled negotiators are like musical virtuosos. They have an extensive repertoire of instruments from which to draw upon, and they know when and how to make them a part of their performance. But...
Interested in Better Margins and Better Healthcare Compliance?
Learn why the nation's top health systems choose TractManager for contract lifecycle management.
Provider Management
Healthcare Spend Management
Healthcare Contract Analytics
Email: info@tractmanager.com
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Demo, Please.
Request a demo, and let our team of solution consultants do the rest.
First, tell us a little about yourself. This will help us customize the demo to your needs. Topics can cover one or all of TractManager's technology-enabled services.
See how efficient, compliant contracting can change your business
Learn how data-driven automation can improve sourcing decisions
Discover how to onboard physicians faster, and recognize more revenue
Explore specific reports, features, or processes
Understand how our platform integrates with other systems
See how other health systems have benefitted from our solutions
Best of all? You'll get to meet the TractManager team! We're confident that after meeting our clinical, financial, and healthcare operations experts, you'll agree that they're the best in the industry at what they do.
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Recently, in Dantry v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review, No. 1665 C.D. 2017 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2019), the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania reversed the order of the Unemployment Compensation Board of Review (Board) which had affirmed the Unemployment Compensation Referee's decision that Jami M. Dantry (Dantry) was ineligible for unemployment compensation benefits because Dantry' s conduct rose to the level of willful misconduct based on a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and for insubordination. The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania remanded the matter to the Board for the issuance of a decision determining whether Dantry's alleged insubordination constituted willful misconduct.
The Hope Learning Center (Hope) employed Dantry as an occupational therapist from September 2016 until March 22, 2017. Hope terminated Dantry for forwarding an email containing individually identifiable health information about one of Dantry's students from her work email account to her unsecured personal email account. Hope previously counseled and disciplined Dantry for insubordination, and Dantry was terminated for violating Hope's HIPAA and FERPA policies and for insubordination. The emails at issue identified an elementary student by name and gender, the school district and classroom, and the child's medical diagnosis and evaluation of therapies and treatment rendered. Hope testified that it had a policy located in the employee handbook that prohibits employees from violating HIPAA and FERPA, that Dantry signed a confidentiality statement also contained in the employee handbook, and signed a statement that she received HIPAA and FERPA training and education.
Dantry testified that she believed that Hope was fraudulently billing for her services and raised her concerns to Hope, which Hope dismissed. Dantry testified that she was concerned about losing her occupational therapist license for overbilling, and believed she had good cause to send the email to her personal email account to protect herself in case of an audit by her employer or licensing board. Additionally, although Dantry acknowledged that she signed the confidentiality statement, Dantry alleged that she did not receive HIPAA and FERPA training.
The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania stated that although Hope's termination of Dantry was based in part that Dantry's conduct violated HIPAA and FERPA, Hope did not provide any evidence of the contents of its HIPAA and FERPA policies, other than testimony that the policies prohibit employees from violating these laws. The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania noted that an employer seeking to prove willful misconduct by showing that the claimant violated the employer's rule or policy must prove the existence of such rule or policy and that the claimant violated it. The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania concluded that Hope did not meet its burden to show that Dantry's alleged insubordination constituted willful conduct because Hope did not provide evidence of the existence of the HIPAA and FERPA policies that Dantry had allegedly violated.
HIPAA requires covered entities to maintain HIPAA policies and procedures that address the requirements of the Security and Privacy Rules and train its workforce as necessary and appropriate for the workforce to carry out their functions within the covered entity. 45 C.F.R. §164.308(a)(5), §164.316, §164.530(b), and §164.530(i). A covered entity's failure to maintain such policies and procedures and train its workforce may result in a breach of the security or confidentiality of PHI. Health & Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) investigates all breaches involving 500 or more individuals and routinely requests the covered entity to produce its HIPAA policies and evidence of training and education of its workforce. OCR may take enforcement action against a covered entity for having inadequate HIPAA policies and lack of adequate training of its workforce, including the assessment of penalties and requiring specific corrective action to comply with HIPAA. FERPA requires educational institutions to maintain the confidentiality of student records and may only disclose such records without student or parent consent in accordance with the exceptions set forth in the regulation. See,34 C.F.R. Part 99, Subpart D.
Although retaliation and whistleblower protections were not raised by Dantry, the HIPAA Privacy Rule protects the individual from retaliation for "exercising this right, and a covered entity may not intimidate, threaten, coerce, discriminate against, or take other retaliatory action against any individual for the exercise or for participation in any process by the individual." 45 CFR §164.530(g). Additionally, the HIPAA Privacy Rule states that the disclosure of PHI is a permissible disclosure provided that "the workforce member or business associate believes in good faith that the covered entity has engaged in conduct that is unlawful or otherwise violates professional or clinical standards, or that the care, services, or conditions provided by the covered entity potentially endangers one or more patients, workers, or the public." 45 CFR §164.502(j)(1). The disclosure also must be made to a "health oversight agency or public health authority authorized by law to investigate or otherwise oversee the relevant conduct or conditions of the covered entity, to an appropriate health care accreditation organization for the purpose of reporting the allegation of failure to meet professional standards, or misconduct by the covered entity or to an attorney retained by or on behalf of the workforce member or business associate for the purpose of determining the legal options of the workforce member or business associate with regard to the conduct." Id. at §164.502(j)(ii)(A)-(B). When disciplining an employee for a HIPAA violation involving the unauthorized disclosure of PHI, a covered entity must be aware of these workforce protections and adequately address the noncompliance with the applicable policies without taking retaliatory action against a potential whistleblower. Having clearly defined HIPAA policies, including the workforce sanction policy for noncompliance with the HIPAA policies and adequate documentation of any sanctions taken, will help protect a covered entity from retaliation claims when dealing with employee discipline.
Although this case is limited to Pennsylvania, it illustrates the need for a covered entity to have clearly defined HIPAA and FERPA policies so that employees understand what is expected of them. An employee handbook that merely provides a statement that violating HIPAA or FERPA laws will result in disciplinary action does not provide employees with sufficient information as to the expected conduct to protect the privacy and confidentiality of . It is a stinging realization that a covered entity must accept that an employee terminated for violating a HIPAA policy would be eligible to receive unemployment compensation and worse for a covered entity to face OCR or the Department of Education enforcement action because of the lack of or inadequate policies and procedures.


The first ever Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2018 just wrapped up here in Denver.
Engearment was there to cover the event with a full crew of writers. From Allied Feathers and BUFF to Wigwam and Woolmark, and everything in-between. Soft goods, eco-friendly technology, and innovation was the focus of this show. With no hard goods (skis, snowboard, splitboards) we were able to spend more time interviewing companies. Learning about their missions and seeing what they are working on for 2019. Below are some of our favorite meetings. Grab a coffee and enjoy!
Mammut is a Swiss company (founded in 1862) that has really impressed us with their dedication to backcountry safety. Personally, I use the Barryvox beacon when splitboarding. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the new firmware updates can be shared between beacons now. Check out the video below as Dave from Mammut shows us how to update the firmware on two Barryvox beacons. This is really impressive to me. Instead of sending the beacon into Mammut (or authorized Mammut service shop) to get updated, we can now share the updated, wirelessly. So, I brought my personal avalanche beacon for this video. Note – anyone else in the Denver area with a Barryvoox beacon, let's link up and update your firmware!
New for 2019, Mammut offers some new colors for the Alugaror shovel. They also meet a more strict standard for shovels. Good news if you ever have to use it in firm snow and ice. The new probe will be an update and feature a cam mechanism. Carbon Probe 280 and 320 as well as 240 and 280 aluminum probes.
Norrona makes high-end jackets, pants, bibs, and clothes for those who really get after it. In the first video, Brian of Norrona goes over the Trollveggen ACE line 950 fill belay jacket and introduces recycled Gore-Tex in the line-up. Featuring some technology from NASA as well. This jacket might not be on your radar, but it helps introduce the technology to the market and allows other companies to see what is possible. Entering the Earth's atmosphere in Fall 2019.
Freeride collection for side county, sled access, and touring users. Recycled Gore-Tex Pro Shell jackets, bibs and pants throughout most of the Norrona collection.
Emily from Salomon shoes us some upcoming shoes from Salomon. Speedcross gets a wider platform and some new models to look forward to in 2019. Supercross enters the market as a mid-priced trail runner and the X Alpine enters for the summit baggers. Outblast TS CS waterproof has you covered with 200 grams of Thinsulate insualtion.
I have ripped many sleeping pads over the years, mainly due to my dogs or rocks getting under the pad. The Axl Trail Boss from Big Agnes eliminates this issue. They took the Axl sleeping pad and beefed it up. Made of the same material used in airline escape slides, it can handle some major abuse. Plus, it is rated to 0 degrees. Perfect for winter camping.
We were really impressed with Colorado company Pakems. This former lawyer designed the coolest packable shoes. Insulated, packable and functional. These are at the top of our holiday wish list.
Jess and Mass go over what is new for 2019 from Cotopaxi. Known for using materials from all over, to create funky and functional clothes. Cotopaxi makes some really fun gear.
This company really impressed us with the thoughtfulness of their designs. Somehow, Matador is able to create packable backpacks, duffle bags and essential kit that actually works well and looks good. Made of Cordura fabric so it will last.
This was like "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" meets gear. Mind-blowing. Look for many of these items in the upcoming Holiday Gear Guide.
We saved one of our favorites last. Mystery Ranch always impresses us with their load carrying systems and clever designs for backpacks. We really liked the Patrol splitboard and backcountry ski backpack last year. They take that idea and improve upon it for 2019. Introducing the Gallatin Peak 40 backcountry backpack. Check it out below. Alex, the vice president of Mystery Ranch goes over the features.
New for 2019, the Sceptor comes in two sizes and is ready for going up. Lighter weight fabrics – 330L Cordura – and removable frame stays make this a versatile pack.
The Mission Rover is a stellar travel bag that plays nicely in the airplane overhead compartment. This is actually going to be featured in our Holiday Gear Guide as well. I have been using it for the last few months and am impressed. Alex goes over some of the features in the video below.
The Assault line gets some updates for next year. In addition to the best-selling Assault 21, they are adding a 24 liter every day carry backpack (looks awesome too) and a military-inspired 2-day version. The triple zipper design is really amazing as well. Allowing the user to open the bag with ease. I love the Robo Flip every day carry backpack (see review here) so I think I will fall in love with the Assault 24.
One of the most fascinating meetings we had at OR was with Woolmark. They are responsible for finding new ways for using Aussie wool and creating best practices. I had no idea that 90% of the worlds merino wool came from Australia. I had assumed it came from New Zealand.
Woolmark works with a lot of major brands to develop great gear. This next season features Black Diamond, Pearl Izumi, Tracksmith and Burton (among many others). Aaron and I have been testing out the Black Diamond Rythym Tee and loving it. Look for a full write up on Woolmark in the coming weeks, here on Engearment.com. More to wool than grandma's itchy sweater!
Aaron and I met with Drift to see what they are all about. Turns out, they are much like us and love snowboarding in powder. We are currently deep testing the Drift setup out, so look for a detailed review very soon. Initial impressions have been very good. Drift is a carbon fiber "snowshoe" with built-in skins. This allows for glide. If you are a backcountry skier or splitboarder, you know how much more efficient gliding is over snowshoes.
The first ever Winter Market was a success. It was not as frenzied as the Summer and Winter shows can be. We talked to many vendors who actually placed more orders at this show, than others. So that should count as a win/win for the show. Engearment benefited from the slower pace by having more time to interview companies. Enjoying the conversations instead of rushing all over the place.


Let your 'me' time begin as you follow a warmup featuring a different balance of flowing and more energetic moves. Enjoy the abundant and flowing Tai Chi movements as they encourage you to connect breath, body and mind.
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text:
Pressure Makes us Stronger
Thursday, November 23, 2017 - 2:54 PM
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all lived in Israel, a land that exuded holiness. And in this week's Torah portion we read about the first time one of our Patriarchs – Jacob – will move outside of Israel for a period of 22 years.
And it is outside of Israel, in Charan - a land of corruption, that Jacob will get married and build a family - the foundation of the Jewish People.
The Rebbe poses the following question: Would not Israel have made a better place for Jacob to have raised his children? Would not Israel have been the ideal hot house for the future Jewish people to be conceived and nurtured? Why of all places, Charan?
Says the Rebbe, the olive yields its best oil when pulverized. To produce gold we need a fiery furnace where the intense heat on the raw metal leaves it purified and precious. Jacob did not have an easy life, but it made him a better man and it made his children better children.
There was once a young man who had just come out of military service in the army. Upon his return, his Rabbi greeted him with the platitude, "So, Joe, did the army make you a man?" Joe responded, "No Rabbi, the army made me a Jew!" Apparently he had encountered more than a fair share of anti-Semitism in the military and it actually strengthened his resolve to live a Jewish life. Today he is the proud father and grandfather of a lovely, committed Jewish family.
Life isn't always smooth sailing. But it appears that the Creator in his vast eternal plan intended for us to experience difficulties in life. Evidently, we grow from our discomfort and challenges to emerge better, stronger, wiser and more productive people. There is always a purpose to pain. As our physiotherapists tell us: "No pain, no gain". It would seem that, like the olive, we too yield our very best when we are under pressure.
One of the reasons we use a hard boiled egg on the Seder Plate on Passover is to remind us of the festival offering brought in the Holy Temple. But, the truth is that any cooked food would do, so why an egg?
One of my favorite answers is that Jews are like eggs. The more they boil us, the harder we get. We have been punished and persecuted through the centuries but it has only strengthened us, given us courage, faith and hope. At every point in our history we have always emerged from the tzorres of the time stronger, more tenacious and more determined than ever.
Jacob raised a beautiful family in less than ideal conditions. Please G‑d, we should emulate his example. Wherever we may be living and in whatever circumstances, may we rise to the challenge and live successful lives and raise happy, healthy Jewish children who will build the future tribes of Israel.
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom
Thanksgiving Thoughts
Friday, November 17, 2017 - 11:33 AM
As Jews, we certainly have a lot to be thankful for on Thanksgiving. The United States of America has provided, and continues to provide, freedom and liberty enabling us to practice Judaism, celebrate our faith, and express out religious identity.
It is in this spirit that this Thanksgiving we should ask ourselves: "Am I fully 'taking advantage' of this freedom? Under religious persecution my ancestors tried their utmost to preserve our traditions and rituals – am I?"
As Senator Joseph Lieberman wrote in Chabad's Farbrengen Magazine: "Our forefathers promised freedom of religion, not freedom from religion".
Over this coming week - Let us not only SAY thank you to G‑d. Let be ACT thankfully.
By committing ourselves to fulfilling one more mitzvah we, in effect, are saying 'thank you' and giving thanks for the precious gift of freedom that we cherish daily.
The Life Of Sarah
Thursday, November 9, 2017 - 8:38 PM
As 80-year-old Benny lies on his deathbed, the aroma of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies wafts up the stairs. He gathers his remaining strength, lifts himself from his bed, and slowly inches his way along the wall towards the door. With great effort he makes his way downstairs, holding tightly to the rail, propelled by thoughts of his favorite cookie.
Finally, breathing hard, he leans against the kitchen door frame and stares inside. "I'm already in heaven," he thinks, as there, spread out before, are hundreds of his favorite chocolate chip cookies.
"Am I really in heaven?" he asks himself, "Or is it an act of devotion from my darling Rebecca to ensure that I exit from this world a happy man?"
He reaches out a shaky hand, all senses focused on the wondrous taste he will soon experience...
Without warning, Rebecca smacks his hand with her wooden spoon. "Don't touch them!" she says, "They're for the shiva!"
This week's Torah portion is named "Chayei Sarah" - "The Life of Sarah" - in honor of our matriarch Sarah, and yet it does not actually discuss her life, just her death.
Death is, in fact, an extension of life: the manner in which we choose to live our lives will determine the legacy we leave here in this world after our passing.
Our sages say that a righteous person is even more "alive" posthumously than they were while alive. What does this mean? How is it possible?
Clearly, they were not referring to the soul which returns to heaven, or the body which returns to the earth. What they were referring to is the influence and legacy which remains behind, on earth, with the living. This influence becomes magnified and far greater than it was previously.
Sarah, a truly righteous prophetess and matriarch, left a legacy of faith, generosity, and unwavering commitment to her husband, Abraham and to her son, Isaac. She has become an inspiration to women of every subsequent generation. Long after her passing, it was still clearly "Chayei Sarah" – "the life of Sarah."
Let's learn from Sarah and internalize the message of this week's portion to create a living legacy for future generations.
Giving Means Gaining
Friday, November 3, 2017 - 10:19 AM
This week we read about the meticulous order of the meal that Abraham offered his guests. First, he gave them cheese and milk, and only afterward did he present them with calf's meat, (consistent with Jewish dietary laws that deli products may be eaten after dairy products, but not vice versa).
Every detail recorded in the Torah contains a timeless lesson for us all. What then can be learned from Abraham choosing to serve his guests these particular items – milk, cheese and meat – to begin with? The choice of meat is clear, as he wished to serve his visitors a satisfactory meal. But why, from among the many possible appetizers, did Abraham decide to give them milk and cheese as a prelude to meat?
The rule of thumb in our world is that sharing something with somebody else constitutes a loss for the giver. If I have it, and give it to you, I lose it; if you have it, and give it to me, you lose it. If I write a check for charity, my checking account naturally shrinks.
An exception to this rule is the milk the mother feeds her suckling. As long as a mother continues sharing her nourishing liquid with the child, her mammary glands will keep on refilling with more milk. In fact, the quantity of the milk is usually dependent on her sharing it. The more a mother nurses, the greater the flow of her milk her body produces. When she ceases to breast-feed, her inner production of milk ceases.
This is one of the Kabbalistic explanations behind the unique phenomenon of breast-feeding. Through this natural process of infant nourishment, a mother is given the extraordinary opportunity to ingrain within her child's tender consciousness the truth about sharing. The more you give, the more you will receive, just like the milk that you are now swallowing.
Very often guests – particularly if they are strangers – feel uncomfortable staying in somebody else's home and eating another person's food. Abraham, sensitive to the feelings of his guests, addressed this awkwardness by offering them milk at that start of the meal.
This reflected the revolutionary Jewish approach toward giving. The greatest gift we can give ourselves is a life filled with love and caring toward other human beings.


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Pierre Pilote, a Hall of Fame defenseman who played almost his entire career with the Chicago Blackhawks, died Saturday at the age of 85.
Pilote won the Stanley Cup with the Hawks in 1961, was a three-time Norris Trophy winner and had his No. 3 retired by the team in 2008.
"We are saddened with the passing of our father, but our family will always remember the Blackhawks organization for providing us with so many special moments," Pilote's family said in a statement. "We are so proud of what our father accomplished in his professional career and thankful that his legacy will be preserved with the retirement of his #3 by the team."
Pilote spent 13 of his 14 seasons with the Hawks and was team captain from 1961-68. He scored 498 points (80 of which were goals) and is one of eight defensemen to win the Norris three times.
"Pierre was one of the most decorated defenseman in NHL history and was a valuable member of the 1961 Stanley Cup championship team," Hawks officials said in a statement. "He will be remembered for his toughness, leadership and reliability on the ice -- as proven by his captaincy and streak of 376 consecutive games played.
"We will forever be grateful for his incredible contribution to the Blackhawks and the game of hockey."
During the team's Cup run in 1961, Pilote led the Hawks with 12 assists and 15 points, and he was a plus-11 in 12 games. His best regular season, statistically, was in 1964-65 when he scored 14 goals and dished out 45 assists.
Pilote ranks 13th in Hawks history in games played (821), eighth in assists (400), 21st in points (477) and eighth in goals among D-men.
Pilote leaves behind four children along with many grandchildren and great grandchildren. His wife, Annie, had previously passed away.


I have a couple of nice papers here looking at the inter-relation between LTP, actin polymerization, and dendritic spine structure. They are both pretty dense, so I'll do a single post on this Fukazawa et al. paper (pdf) and then, with the conceptual junk already on board, its should be easy to present the information form this later study by Okamoto et al. The majority of excitatory synaptic transmission in the hippocampus occurs at dendritic spines. There appear to be specialized structural components on both the sending (pre-synaptic active zone) and receiving (spine, post-synaptic density) sides of a synapse that mediate efficient transmission. Modification of this structure provides a highly plausible mechanism for enhancing or diminishing the connection between two neurons in a lasting way.
There is an intimate relationship between the structure of the spine and actin polymerization within the spine. Actin is a cytoskeletal protein with the ability to form long filaments to which other proteins can bind and interact in complexes. It is really remarkable that actin forms in integral part of synaptic protein complexes and helps to determine structure considering that the actual subunits that make up an actin filament turnover really quickly. According to Fukazawa et al., over 80 percent of actin in dendritic spines turns over in less than a minute. This makes one have to shift perspective a little bit and deal with actin as a dynamic process. All of the things actin does when it forms filaments must be regulated by altering the rate of polymerization or depolymerization rather than by a single polymerization event that is maintained once organized.
Change in spine morphology. Production of new spines or growth of spines in a manner that produces more synaptic contact.
Actin-regulation of endo- and exocytosis of AMPA receptors (the major receptor subtype in excitatory neurotransmission). Actin plays a direct role in the physical process of exocytosis, so changes in polymerization could affect how many receptors are in the synapses. It is fairly well accepted that increased synaptic AMPA receptor content is a key mechanism for LTP.
The actin cytoskeleton could serve as something like a railroad on which post-synaptic density proteins are trafficked up to the synapse. I suppose these proteins could also be AMPA receptors, but this is about getting them from the dendrite to the synapse rather that from the intracellular space to the cell membrane.
Since post-synaptic protein complexes often center around actin, the function of proteins that need to be in close proximity in those complexes to activate each other might depend heavily on the integrity of actin filaments. So turning polymerization up or down could affect activity levels of post-synaptic signaling molecules.
So the obvious questions are: How does actin change after LTP induction? And are these changes in actin necessary for LTP?
If this were a journal club talk I would be enjoined to get to the data already, but I have a couple more things you have to understand to get the paper, and I think it is interesting so you have to bear with me. In this Fukazawa et al. paper the LTP they are studying is actually done in a live animal. Most of the experiments involve inducing LTP via a specific pathway, and then staining the hippocampus to determine the state of actin. Actin can is found in two forms, globular (G-actin) and filamentous (F-actin). Death cap mushrooms make a poison called phallotoxin or phalloidin that binds to F-actin and not G-actin. The authors have phalloidin conjugated to a fluorescent molecule, so they can stain hippocampi and look for F-actin, indicating an increase in polymerization.
The other cool thing is the specificity of the pathways they are stimulating. LTP was induced either by stimulation of the medial (MPP) or lateral perforant path (LPP) which project from the medial (MEC) and lateral entorhinal cortices (LEC) respectively. Others have shown that the MEC is specialized for representing spatial information while the LEC is more responsible for the non-spatial input into the hippocampus. The potentials generated in the hippocampus by these inputs generate different types of traces. LPP potentials tend to take longer to peak and last longer. The LPP and MPP both synapse in the same subregion of the hippocampus, the dentate gyrus, but they synapse on different parts of the dendrites of dentate gyrus cells (the outer molecular layer (OML) and middle molecular layer (MML) respectively, shown below. The LPP input synapses on dendrites further away from the cell body than does the MPP input. I find this intriguing because I also recently read that spines far away from the soma have thinner necks and are less able to diffuse calcium that comes in through NMDA receptors. As we all know, calcium starts doing interesting things if it hangs out in a dendritic spine very long. On the other hand, where does the calcium that diffuses through a stubby-necked spine go…into the dendrite where it could influence protein synthesis? This generates all sorts of interesting ideas about how modulation of spatial input could influence plasticity at non-spatial synapses. Would spatial information be remembered in a longer-lasting but fuzzier manner than non-spatial information? Or would calcium influx due to spatial representation modulate the ability of dendritic potentials further away from the soma to induce action potentials?
Note that things are much brighter particularly in the MML. The level of F-actin has increased in the input layer has increased 45 minutes after LTP induction. They go on to show that this increase is happening in dendritic spines. In parallel, the average length of synaptic apposition (basically how much contact between axon and spine) increases in the stimulated side of the hippocampus. One thing to note is that, at least at this early timepoint, the number of spines does not appear to change. Rather it is the structure of existing spines that is altered by LTP induction.
LTP can be induced to varying degrees with more or less high-frequency stimulation (HFS). In vivo LTP can last several weeks if induced with enough juice to begin with. Fukazawa et al. have short (HFS 90) and long-term (HFS 500) plasticity inducing protocols similar to E-LTP vs. L-LTP or LTP 1 vs. LTP 2 etc etc.. HFS 90 produces LTP that lasts around a day. The F-actin increase is observed 45 minutes after HFS 90, but not 1 week later. HFS 500 produces LTP and an F-actin increase that are still going strong a week later. Actually the F-actin increase is still there five weeks later, which is a substantial portion of a rat lifespan. The initial increase in F-actin is NMDA receptor dependent.
For long-lasting changes in synaptic strength, actin must be allowed to continually polymerize at a higher rate (or depolymerize at a slower rate). This change in polymerization rate is in part mediated by synthesis of new proteins since cycloheximide (a protein synthesis inhibitor) and latrunculin A (an actin polymerization inhibitor) have the same effect of allowing LTP that lasts up to 8 hours but blocking any longer-lasting changes.
The understanding of this process goes even deeper in this paper. The authors identify a particular promoter of actin depolymerization named ADF-cofilin that is negatively regulated by phosphorylation by a kinase called LIMK-1. That is, more LIMK-1 activity equals more actin polymerization (through a double-negative of regulation steps). The authors show that ADF-cofilin phosphorylation is higher in the stimulated side, and blocking this phosphorylation shortens the length of LTP.
I find this last little bit especially interesting because it allows me to integrate some information from the first paper showing microRNA regulation of neuronal processes in mammals. MicroRNAs are recently discovered short bits of non-coding RNA that specifically inhibit the translation (either through degradation or sequestration) of complementary RNAs. The importance of miRNAs in gene regulation is equal to or greater than that of transcription factors. The mRNA for LIMK-1 is inhibited by a dendritically localized miRNA called miR-134. Plasticity inducing signals release the LIMK-1 mRNA from inhibition so that LIMK-1 can be synthesized. It seems perfectly plausible to me that this one of the proteins that needs to be synthesized to produce long-lasting LTP. Synaptic stimulation would remove miR-134 from the picture. LIMK-1 is translated. It phosphorylates ADF-cofilin. Actin is allowed to polymerize at a higher setpoint. Spines grow and synaptic contact is increased.
So the story goes. It is probably more complicated than I made it out to be, but I will go into some of the problems with interpreting this work when I do the Okamoto et al. paper. One issue is that actin is all over the cell, including the pre-synaptic compartment, so it is difficult to perform manipulations that specifically affect dendritic spines.


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text:
Inside Development
#AidToo
Questions raised over private sector accountability on safeguarding
By Molly Anders // 15 May 2018
Democracy, Human Rights & Governance
Social/Inclusive Development
U.K. Secretary of State for International Development Penny Mordaunt during the safeguarding summit held in March. Photo by: Jo Harrison / DFID
LONDON — Questions have been raised about whether private sector and nonprofit development organizations are being scrutinized equally over safeguarding practices in the wake of a series of sexual misconduct scandals in the sector.
During a United Kingdom parliamentary evidence session in London on Tuesday, representatives of private sector contractors suggested they had been left out of key safeguarding conversations since the scandals erupted in February.
Sinead Magill, a regional director at Palladium, one of the Department for International Development's biggest private sector partners, pointed out that her company and its peers had not been invited to participate in Penny Mordaunt's safeguarding summit in March. The summit, which was called soon after news of the Oxfam scandal in Haiti emerged in the media, brought together nonprofits and safeguarding experts with the Charity Commission and DFID, resulting in an action plan to start tackling the issue.
See more related topics:
► UK aid groups to be asked to report safeguarding spending
► More regulations and safeguards needed for aid sector, UK groups tell watchdog
► DFID cracks down on contractors
► Top 2017 DFID private sector implementers
"We did not participate in the safeguarding summit; I understand that was because of space constraints," Magill told the International Development Committee. However, she added, "we've been given confidence that we'd be engaged in forward discussions."
On March 2, Mordaunt expanded the government's inquiry into sexual abuse in the aid sector to private contractors, and extended her order to report sexual abuse and harassment allegations to for-profit firms.
However, many of the initiatives launched in recent months have focused on regulation or oversight of nonprofit safeguarding, raising concerns that private sector groups — which spent 22 percent of DFID's budget in the 2015/16 fiscal year — are being overlooked.
For example, a recent multimillion pound grant, part of which will go toward improving safeguarding measures among humanitarian and development organizations, was awarded to NGO network Bond, of which for-profit firms are not eligible for membership.
While DFID requires all contractors to host a whistleblowing hotline, other policies and procedures around safeguarding are not regulated.
"DFID has already introduced tough sanctions for human rights abuses including sexual exploitation in all new contracts and requires all suppliers to have a whistleblowing hotline for workers to report misconduct," a DFID spokesperson told Devex. "Contracts are legally binding and a breach of contract can result in their termination."
The spokesperson also said that DFID is "urgently reviewing safeguarding across all parts of the aid sector, including with our suppliers."
Magill said that safeguarding policies within Palladium, as with other firms, are often shaped by donor demands. For example, certain policies had been built into Palladium programs funded by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which is "especially focused on child protection," she said.
Last year, Palladium was awarded the DFID Humanitarian and Emergency Response Programme contract, which it will take over from Crown Agents in November. As part of the transition and in light of recent events, the company is now working with DFID to increase safeguarding capacity, and is putting together an "action plan which specifically addresses how Palladium responds to these issues in humanitarian response," Magill said. "We've been engaging directly with DFID's safeguarding team, particularly on our humanitarian program."
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However, beyond donor-specific demands, Sarah McGuire, director of technical services and governance at DAI Europe, another major DFID contractor, said that in many cases, her firm was left to "self-regulate."
"When we asked our DFID colleagues in the procurement department, they said, 'we expect you to self-regulate, we expect you to sort it out amongst yourselves.'"
— Sarah McGuire, director of technical services and governance at DAI Europe
Asked whether she felt private sector contractors had been treated differently to nonprofits in the U.K. government's efforts to tackle safeguarding gaps in the aid sector, McGuire replied: "I don't think we're being singled out on this issue for particular scrutiny … When we asked our DFID colleagues in the procurement department, they said, 'we expect you to self-regulate, we expect you to sort it out amongst yourselves' … I think this is a feeling more toward the private sector than toward the NGOs, whereas there should be a common system for similar work."
Both McGuire and Magill said they would "welcome" greater DFID oversight and regulation around safeguarding, namely as part of the ongoing supplier review, which imposes greater fiscal accountability on contractors and strengthens the code of conduct throughout contractor supply chains.
Magill said she saw "an opportunity to include it in the supplier review outcomes. And as that is strengthened to include more explicit guidance on safeguarding, I think we'd welcome the opportunity to demonstrate that we have taken that further, and I agree there should be some implication for people who don't."
Asked if she would support more involvement from DFID in setting universal standards for safeguarding and protections against beneficiary exploitation, she replied: "Why not? If we had a behavior charter, a requirement from all of our clients that we had a named safeguarding officer, if we had a requirement that sexual exploitation and abuse was included in performance appraisals, we would absolutely welcome that."
However, McGuire cautioned, "the caveat is, we would then expect our client to take some responsibility for enforcement."
McGuire added that DAI, like many larger nonprofits, is considering hiring "safeguarding officers where we have a bigger presence," or designating senior officials with safeguarding experience as officers, to make sure that "in every project [we] have a safeguarding focal point."
One of the challenges of that is cost, she said. "What we would really like … is that [DFID] would actually accept that this is a very necessary thing to have, and allow us to put in a budget line — it's a really simple thing — that we have a safeguarding officer," she said.
Molly Andersmollyanders_dev
Molly Anders is a U.K. Correspondent for Devex. Based in London, she reports on development finance trends with a focus on British and European institutions. She is especially interested in evidence-based development and women's economic empowerment, as well as innovative financing for the protection of migrants and refugees. Molly is a former Fulbright Scholar and studied Arabic in Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco.
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The invisible accounts, however, confirmed a marked improvement. A big enhance in the inflow of overseas currency accounts (FCAs), coupled with a moderate decline in invisible funds, and diminished the cumulative deficit on the invisible account to $932 billion as in opposition to the projection of $2116 million. Consequently, the current account deficit was contained at 4.eight percent of GDP as in opposition to the plan determine of 3.9 percent.


text:
Dissen-Striesow () is a municipality in the district of Spree-Neiße, in Lower Lusatia, Brandenburg, Germany.

History
From 1815 to 1947, the constituent localities of Dissen-Striesow were part of the Prussian Province of Brandenburg. From 1952 to 1990, they were part of the Bezirk Cottbus of East Germany. On 31 December 2001, the municipality of Dissen-Striesow was formed by merging the municipalities of Dissen and Striesow.

Demography

References

Populated places in Spree-Neiße


You Are The Roots: the mother of all baby showers is coming back to south florida!
the mother of all baby showers is coming back to south florida!
The Mother Of All Baby Showers is coming back to South Florida! Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 16th from 5:30-9:00 p.m. at Young At Art Museum in Davie because this (adults only) night out is going to be awesome! The Mother Of All Baby Showers features over 50 products and sponsors perfect for parents-to-be and new parents all the way up to toddler moms. Check out the newest, coolest products on the market for your little one from gear to clothing to accessories to snacks and mingle with the top names in the business from photographers to pediatricians to OB's.
The Mother Of All Baby Showers also features a slew of educational seminars from cord blood banking to car seat safety and everything in between, including one hosted by Jenn Brown, host of TV's American Ninja Warrior.
Don't leave daddy at home, either! This year, the Mother Of All Baby Showers will be featuring a Destination Dads area which features dad-specific food, vendors and giveaways especially for the daddy (or daddy-to-be!).
Speaking of giveaways, there will be over $20,000 in giveaways going on this year! With everything from strollers to restaurants up for grabs, you're not going to want to miss out on your chance to win. In between trying your luck with the giveaways, you'll want to stop and be pampered in the pampering suite provided by Belly Love Spa. Not to mention the great food, snacks and drinks provided by PDQ, Naughty Cow, Delvecchio's Pizzeria, PRP Wine and many more!
Did someone say swag bags? With every VIP ticket, you'll receive The Mother Of All Swag Bags, valued at over $250. Each VIP swag bag will be filled with great products -- plus a Young At Art museum free pass for four people! (If you've never been yet, Young At Art is Ethan's new favorite museum and place to be -- you're not going to want to miss it! Plus, 100% of ticket proceeds go back to Young At Art Museum! Great event, great cause!) Each swag bag also contains a signed copy of the NY Times bestselling book Sh*tty Mom! VIP attendees also receive entry into the event a half hour early!
Tickets are $15 for regular admission (the first 50 regular admission guests will also receive a swag bag), $25 for couple admission, $25 for VIP admission or $45 for VIP couple admission.
WIN 2 VIP TICKETS! Yes! I'm so excited to be able to give you the chance to win two VIP tickets to this great event! Enter below and good luck!