text:
A new face for Win32
The runtime infrastructure used to provide WinRT is only half the story. The other half of the story is the WinRT software library; the collection of APIs used to actually build WinRT applications. Just as the runtime infrastructure is a new spin on an old technology, so too is the software library. But while Microsoft is happy to talk about how WinRT is built on the time-honored COM technology, you get the feeling that it doesn't want us to think of the library in quite the same way, hence the inaccurate diagram it bandies about to explain its APIs.
Microsoft's diagram places the WinRT APIs and application model directly above "Windows Kernel Services," as if WinRT's API was some alternative that was independent of Win32. C and C++ desktop applications leverage kernel services via Win32; Metro style apps access kernel facilities via WinRT.
It's a nice idea. It just isn't true.
Let's be very clear about this. There are two important ways in which it isn't true, and a third minor way. First, the WinRT library is a layer on top of Win32. It uses some new bits of Win32, such as Direct2D and DirectWrite. It uses some much older bits of Win32, such as the shell library (a disparate set of utility functions for, among other things, manipulating files and paths) and Winsock (the network API). But either way, it uses Win32. It is not a sibling of Win32, it is not an alternative of Win32; it is a client of Win32, a consumer of Win32, just like every other application.
Second, Metro-style applications do not use WinRT exclusively. WinRT is very important, and I think that any reasonable Metro-style application will end up using WinRT, at least a little bit, but not exclusively. But there are also some important APIs that Metro-style applications can use, but which don't form a part of the WinRT COM world at all. Probably the most important of these is Direct3D 11. Games in the Metro world can use Direct3D 11, but they'll have to be written in C++ to do so, and they'll have to use Direct3D's traditional COM-like design without projections or metadata or any of the other pieces of WinRT infrastructure.
There are also lots of portions of Win32 available to Metro apps that have partial WinRT alternatives, but which are also exposed directly for when the WinRT alternatives aren't flexible enough. For example, WinRT has APIs for opening, reading, and writing files, but also provides access to low-level Win32 functions (some new, some old) that perform the same functions.
This is where there are some terminology differences. One could pretend that the diagram is accurate and hence decree that any API that Metro applications can use (whether using WinRT COM, traditional COM, or no COM at all) is a "WinRT API," but I think that this is not especially helpful, and such usage is not supported by most of the documentation. Rather, there is the Windows Runtime API, using the new kind of COM, and there's a load of Win32 APIs that are also permitted.
Whether this is important is a matter of opinion, but there are reasons to be disappointed that WinRT isn't true to the diagram. For a start, there are a few long-standing annoyances of Win32, such as the inability to elegantly handle paths and filenames longer than 260 characters, that are inherited into WinRT. Once baked in to an API, these things are really hard to remove, which is why Win32 is lumbered with this limit even though the Windows NT kernel is fine with paths up to 215 characters long (or thereabouts).
More subtly, this design means that Microsoft can't readily discard the backwards compatibility features that are built in to Windows and Win32. Over the years, Windows applications have come to expect Win32 to operate just so, depending not just on the official, documented behavior, but on aspects of the particular implementation. For example, some functions still work when passed values that the documentation says are prohibited. Sloppy developers accidentally use these prohibited values, see that everything works OK, and then ship their application. That's all fine, until Microsoft then wants to make the function stricter, or more efficient, or add new permitted values; the company then discovers that making this change breaks extant, shipping applications.
As a result, there's all manner of workarounds and fixes scattered throughout Windows. With WinRT being built on Win32, Microsoft is fostering a whole new generation of applications that, implicitly or explicitly, depend on these undocumented Win32 behaviors, with the result that changing them will continue to be a liability. If WinRT were built directly on top of the Windows NT kernel, as Microsoft's diagram implies, then it would no longer have to preserve these Win32 behaviors behind the scenes. As a result, future versions of WinRT will not only have to accumulate their own compatibility cruft and baggage (so that Windows 9 does not break compatibility with Windows 8, for example); they'll also have to retain and preserve all the Win32 detritus as well, ensuring long-term complexity and maintenance burden.
This is true even of the ARM-based Windows RT. Though third-party desktop applications are banned on Windows RT, this hasn't allowed Microsoft to strip out unnecessary Win32 cruft. It's all still there, powering WinRT.
The third way in which the diagram isn't true is that desktop applications (written in C++, .NET, or whatever else a developer prefers) have access to some parts of the WinRT API. While most parts of WinRT are off-limits to desktop developers (including unfortunately, the toolkit for building GUIs), a few bits and pieces are available to developers of both desktop and Metro applications. There's no real policy or consistency here; it was apparently a decision each development team could make for itself.
What's in the box?
WinRT is, at the moment, a fairly narrow API. It's built for producing Metro-style tablet apps; touch-capable GUI apps that are typically Web-connected, that make use of sensors like cameras, GPS, and accelerometers, tending to be used for content consumption rather than content creation. Accordingly, WinRT can't be used to create Windows services, or desktop applications, or extensions for things like Explorer. Particular emphasis is placed on being highly responsive to the user ("fast and fluid" is Microsoft's catchphrase). WinRT applications are run in secure sandboxes, with limited access to the rest of the system, and they can be suspended or terminated at any time, with only limited support for multitasking.
These factors all influence the design of the WinRT API: in Windows 8, the first iteration of WinRT, it's not a general purpose API, and it's not supposed to be. Much of the API is unexceptional and will feel reasonably familiar to Windows and .NET developers, but a couple of parts deserve special attention: the features it has for GUIs and the general approach to both disk and network I/O.
Once again, Microsoft looked at the technologies it had already developed and reinvented them for WinRT's GUI API. WinRT borrows heavily from WPF and Silverlight. It uses a new dialect of XAML, the same XML-based markup language for GUI design, and uses essentially the same techniques for plumbing application data into the GUI, and responding to user input. There is an arguably important difference, however: WinRT's XAML toolkit is written in native code, whereas all the XAML toolkits that went before it (WPF, Silverlight, and Windows Phone—the three are, regrettably, similar, but not entirely compatible) were predominantly written in .NET code.
Though WPF itself was managed code, it had an important native code part to handle actual drawing to screen. That's because it used Direct3D for drawing, to enable it to take advantage of hardware acceleration. Realizing that that native code portion was generally useful, Microsoft refined it to create Direct2D, a hardware-accelerated API for 2D applications. However, WPF was never switched to use Direct2D; it still uses its own, private library. WinRT's XAML, however, does use Direct2D.
This is a logical evolution. However, the decision to rewrite the XAML stack in native code has come at some cost; WinRT XAML lacks many of the capabilities of WPF, and even Silverlight, its closest relative, provides a richer, more capable library than WinRT right now. This is not to say that WinRT is weaker than Silverlight across the board—its media and image handling capabilities are better than those of Silverlight, for example—but as a GUI toolkit, it's a small step backwards for Silverlight developers and a large one for WPF users.
Keeping the user interface fast and fluid
As is the case with every mainstream GUI library, WinRT's XAML is single-threaded. On the face of it, this might seem an odd decision, given today's proliferation of multicore, multithreaded processors, but it isn't. By "single-threaded" I mean that user input is all delivered on a single thread, and updates to the UI must all be made on that same single thread. This is because these things have a clear ordering to them: if I type 'c' 'a' 't' on the keyboard, it's imperative that the application sees those keystrokes in that order and handles them sequentially. If user input were delivered on multiple threads, it would be possible for input that was generated later to be processed sooner.
This single-threaded approach has a well-known downside, however. If the thread handling input ever pauses for some reason, it means that the application can't handle any other input. The input just gets queued up. If the thread pauses for long enough, that queue can fill up completely, at which point Windows will beep each time you try to add new input (by pressing the mouse button or typing), and the new input events are simply discarded.
To avoid this problem, then, you have to make sure that the input thread never pauses. Unfortunately, while most developers know that they're not supposed to make their input thread block, they often do it anyway. It's just too easy to do. The traditional culprits are I/O—either doing something with the disk, or with the network. The thing about I/O is that it can be really slow. A network connection to an unavailable server can wait several seconds before failing, for example. Attempt this connection in your input thread, and you'll end up blocking input for several seconds, creating an application that's unresponsive and slow.
In spite of knowing about this problem, developers continue to attempt I/O from the input thread. Part of the reason is that it's insidious. Imagine an application that communicates with some network server. In development and testing, that server could be local to the developer; perhaps on the developer's own machine, or at least on his own LAN. In this situation, the network connections will always seem to be fast enough that they're safe to perform in the UI thread. They may still take a few milliseconds, but the delay probably won't be noticed, so it's easy for the developer to think it's good enough. It's only when the application is used in the real world that the problem emerges: the real world has crappy hotel Wi-Fi and slow 3G connections where each network connection can introduce hundreds or thousands of milliseconds of delay. All of a sudden, the application that was fast and fluid for the developer is slow and jerky for the user.
Part of the reason that developers do this is that it's just plain easier. Many I/O APIs are exclusively synchronous and blocking, which is to say, that they make the thread calling the API stop in its tracks while waiting for the I/O operation to occur ("synchronous" and "blocking" are often used synonymously; though there are subtleties that make this not quite accurate, it's probably good enough for our purposes). Many more I/O APIs are synchronous and blocking by default, but also offer non-default modes that are asynchronous and non-blocking; that is, they allow the thread calling the API to keep on working even while the I/O operation is occurring in the background.
The reason that synchronous APIs are so often the default is that they're much easier to work with and think about. A lot of what programs have to do is sequential in nature. You can't read a file until you've first opened it, and you can't interpret the data until you've first read it from the file. Necessarily, when the user clicks a button to load a file, you have to open the file, then read the file, and then interpret the data. Synchronous APIs, where the thread stops what it's doing until the file is opened, and then stops again until the data has been read, make this sequential programming natural and easy.
Asynchronous APIs aren't so straightforward. The virtue of an asynchronous API is that the thread that started the I/O operation can do something else while it's waiting for the I/O to finish. The difficulty with an asynchronous API is figuring out just what to do once the I/O operation is done, and the data is available, ready to be used. The thread that started the I/O operation has moved on with its life and is now busy responding to the next bit of user input; as far as that thread is concerned, the fact that the user clicked a button to load a file has been dealt with.
Providing a neat way for the programmer to specify what happens next is one of the biggest challenges for asynchronous APIs. They all need a way of letting the developer say "once the data has been read, then do this;" turning the sequential ordering that's implicit with synchronous APIs and making it explicit.
The approaches that asynchronous APIs use to handle this vary. Windows has always had asynchronous APIs. The Windows jargon is "Overlapped I/O," because you can perform multiple I/O operations on a file simultaneously, such that the operations overlap with one another. The way in which it handled this particular issue was very primitive and low-level. The operating system would tell the application when each overlapped operation was complete, but it was entirely up to the application to work out which I/O operation is which, and what the next processing step is.
Awkward as it may seem, way back in the OS/2 days Windows was originally designed to work this way exclusively, and behind the scenes, all I/O is overlapped I/O. But because it's so awkward to use, the kernel team added the ability to have the kernel take care of the asynchrony and act as if it had synchronous APIs.
Traditional UNIX systems have had a vaguely similar approach for network I/O—the system would tell you which operation was done and the application would then determine how to proceed—but unlike Windows offered nothing comparable for file operations. Modern UNIX systems use a variety of (incompatible) mechanisms for handling asynchronous disk and network I/O (though again, this tends to be quite low level), and some also support standard POSIX asynchronous I/O (AIO). POSIX AIO is notable because it has two modes of operation. It can work similarly to the other APIs, merely informing an application that an I/O operation is complete, but it has a second mode: the application can specify a particular function to call when an I/O operation is complete, and the operating system will call that function directly when it's the right time to do so. This kind of function, a function in the application's code that the operating system calls is known as a "callback."
Not everything that can hold up the input thread is an I/O operation, of course. Sometimes computation itself is the slow part. So as well as a way of doing I/O asynchronously, there needs to be a way of doing computations asynchronously; of pawning them off onto a separate thread, so that the input thread can keep on trucking. Over the years, many ways of doing this have developed. The time-honored UNIX approach was to use a separate process for each separate computation. In Windows, the preference has been to create separate threads for these background tasks.
There's also a converse problem. Updating the UI is also single-threaded, and it has to be done from the input thread. This means that there needs to be a way of switching back to the input thread to make changes to the user interface, after any I/O (or slow computation) has been performed.


text:
After nearly seven months of investigation, the Montezuma County Sheriff's Department recently announced that the arson investigation case of the Aug. 2 fire that burned the historic Hollywood Bar and a nearby art gallery has been closed.
The files has been put in the closed/inactive file, according to Lt. Ted Meador with the Montezuma County Sheriff's Department.
"We have exhausted everything," Meador explained, who added that the owners of both the bar and the art gallery were notified of the investigation change. "Unfortunately at this point, it's a closed file."
Late at night on Aug. 2, a fire was reported having started behind the Hollywood Bar and Grill. The fire quickly engulfed the historic bar and the neighboring Fusion Studios. The fire was quickly ruled the work of an arsonist and an award of $5,000 was offered by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for information leading to an arrest.
Meador said they did not get one phone call stemming from the posters that were put on the building advertising for information or from Crimestopper advertising and awards.
"We did not get one single phone call," Meador said.
For weeks - if not months - following the fire, people slowly drove by to look at the burned out remains of the bar. Others sat in the park and told stories of the bar, others left flowers out front.
Today, the lot that once held the Hollywood and Fusion Studios, sits empty. So far, The Star, has not received word on plans to rebuild either.
Meador added that if there are any new developments or leads, the case will be reopened immediately.
He added, that they hope that somewhere along the way someone will likely get arrested and be able of offer up information about the case.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The second trimester of your pregnancy is from week 13 to week 28 - roughly months four, five and six.
As well as feeling and looking more pregnant during these weeks, you may also have more energy than you did in the first trimester. This will come as a great relief if you have been struggling with sickness, tiredness or anxiety about getting through the first trimester.
Get weekly updates and views from our expert midwives straight to your inbox
As you go through the second trimester, you'll gradually see your 'bump' grow and later you'll start to feel your baby moving.
Choices and decisions in the second trimester of pregnancy
You'll be offered blood tests and your second ultrasound scan at around 20 weeks. This scan looks at how the baby is growing and whether there are any causes for concern.
You have the right to say no to any test or scan that's offered. It is always your choice and the team looking after you will respect your decision.
If you haven't already thought about it, it's a good time to start thinking about where and how you would like to have your baby. From home birth to hospital birth, you may have to make a decision. If this all seems a little scary, don't worry. Your midwife will be there to support you and tell you what your choices are. You'll go from beginner to expert in just a few weeks!
You may want to consider whether to ask if you're having a boy or a girl when you have your scans. This is a very personal decision – some parents are excited to find out and others prefer to be surprised at the birth. Keep in mind, though, that a scan doesn't always show the sex of the baby and sometimes what you are told could turn out to be wrong!
If you are still smoking – even if it's just the odd cigarette – check out your local stop smoking options. If you stop smoking before the 15th week of pregnancy, the health risks for your baby go down. Stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do for the health of your baby.
Experts agree that staying active in pregnancy is good for you and your baby. You can prepare your body for the challenges of labour and being a mum by keeping yourself healthy and active during your second trimester.
Find out more about the second trimester
13 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
Welcome to the second trimester of pregnancy, a trimester of growth where your bump will get bigger and you'll start to feel your baby moving.
14 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
Your growing baby is now around the size of a kiwi fruit, measuring about 85mm from the top of their head to the bottom.
15 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
Your baby is about the size of a small pear.
16 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
Your baby is now about the size of a lemon.
17 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
Your baby is about the size of an orange, about 12cm long, and weighs roughly 150g. Your bump is getting bigger.
18 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
Your baby measures about 14cm this week - roughly the same as a bell pepper!
19 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
Your baby is now around the length of a banana and you may be starting to feel them move. You might even start to feel them actually prodding or kicking you!
20 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
If they stood up straight your baby would be around 26cm tall, nearly the length of an A4 piece of paper!
21 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
Wow - you're halfway there! Your baby is growing hair and starting to look much more like the baby you'll meet at the end of your pregnancy.
22 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
Your baby now weighs around one pound. From around now, they start to weigh more than the placenta. They're about the size of a bag of sugar.
23 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
Your baby is about 30cm now and roughly the size of a large mango.
24 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
Your baby is now about the size of a corn on the cob.
25 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
Your baby can respond to light, touch and sound now. You might even notice them jumping or kicking in response to a loud noise.
26 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
If you could see your baby, you might notice their eyelids open. They'll soon be blinking.
27 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
Your baby's about the size of a cauliflower now.
28 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
Your baby weighs about 1kg now and is roughly the size of an aubergine.
Second trimester worries
Common worries in the second trimester of pregnancy
- Lee KA, Zaffke ME (2006) 'Longitudinal changes in fatigue and energy during pregnancy and the post partum period', Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 28 (2): 183–91
- NHS Choices. Ultrasound scans. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/ultrasound-anomaly-baby-scans-pregnant.aspx (Page last reviewed: 30/11/2017 Next review due: 30/11/2020)
- England LJ, Kendrick JS, Wilson HG, Merritt RK, Gargiullo PM, Zahniser SC (2001) Effects of smoking reduction during pregnancy on the birth weight of term infants', American Journal of Epidemiology 154(8): 694–701:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11590081
- ACOG (2010) Smoking cessation during pregnancy, Committee Opinion 471, Washington DC, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists:http://www.acog.org/Resources-And-Publications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Health-Care-for-Underserved-Women/Smoking-Cessation-During-Pregnancy
ℹLast reviewed on June 28th, 2018. Next review date June 28th, 2021.
Please note that these comments are monitored but not answered by Tommy's. Please call your GP or maternity unit if you have concerns about your health or your baby's health.
Bleeding and side stomach pain
By Midwife @Tommys on 16 Nov 2018 - 10:45
Dear Dorathy,
I am afraid that biopentin is not a drug that is used in pregnancy in the UK. If you are still bleeding and having pain then we would advise for you to go back to your doctor for a review.
Best wishes, Tommy's midwife
I don't feel my baby
By Sana (not verified) on 12 Nov 2018 - 23:58
There are no cramps no bloating no pains I am just as I was before pregnancy . I am not feeling any kind of pregnancy symptoms and and not even my baby. I feel as if my tummy is empty there's no baby in it is normal it's my 14 week
I don't feel my baby
By Midwife @Tommys on 14 Nov 2018 - 11:43
Yes this is quite normal. it isn't possible to feel baby movements until at least 16 weeks and most women report feeling baby for the first time after 20 weeks. Please be reassured.
how many weeks am i
By Carol (not verified) on 17 Sep 2018 - 18:33
LMP was on 24,25,26,how many weeks am i please?
how many weeks am i
By Midwife @Tommys on 19 Sep 2018 - 13:12
Dear Carol,
According to your dates which I presume are for during august, providing you have a regular 28 day cycle then you are about 3 weeks and 6 days pregnant. When you have your first scan this will give you your accurate dating and due date.
Best wishes
Tommy's midwife
how many weeks am i
By Midwife @Tommys on 26 Sep 2018 - 11:13
Hi Carol
Using our link below, you can input the first day of your last menstrual period date/month and input your average cycle length - this will give you your approximate current gestation and estimated due date.
All the best
Tommy's Midwife
By Leanne (not verified) on 23 Aug 2018 - 08:31
I have had 3 previous miscarriages at 1 trimester.
I am now 13 weeks 4 days and have had bright red blood this morning and I am on holiday in Spain. I've spotted through out slight pink and was scanned at 6 and 8 weeks via Tommys due to previous miscarriages. I then had a small red bleed at 9 weeks went to a&e and was scanned and everything was fine. 12 week scan was also fine.
I've now woken up to quite a bit of red blood but not enough to soak a pad. I'm just looking for some advice as I'm in a foreign country. Do you think I should visit a hospital here?
Any advice or suggestions would be great - thank you.
By Midwife @Tommys on 23 Aug 2018 - 14:19
Hi Leanne,
It would be advisable that you are seen at the local hospital there just so that you can be checked over as any bleeding in pregnancy needs to be assessed. If you have your maternity notes with you then please take them in then they can see all your medical history. Make sure you take your insurance details with you and your EU health card so that you can receive treatment if needed because they may ask for them. Hope this helps, take care Tommy's Midwives x
Back pain
By Esther (not verified) on 8 Aug 2018 - 15:42
Please am having down back pains, especially if I bend down, carry something, trick for a while and sitting on a low chair. I have tried to control it but its given me concern. Do I need to see doctor for it.
Back pain
By Midwife @Tommys on 9 Aug 2018 - 16:17
Hi Esther, Thank you for your comment.
We would suggest that if this back pain is becoming debilitating then you do need to see your GP who can refer you too a physiotherapist and they can give you exercises to manage the pain throughout pregnancy. Please call your GP as soon as you can to get an appointment. Take Care, Tommy's Midwives x
Tummy bug
By Katrina (not verified) on 25 Jul 2018 - 14:11
Hi there, I'm just looking for some advice as not sure if I should go see my midwife. I am 15 weeks pregnant have had nausea since the begining (ivf pregnancy) and constipation. However i had a bout of diorreah on Sunday night which lasted just the one time and did not happen again nausea has neither gotten worse or better have vomited a few times but not since having the diorreah . I have pain in my abdomen but goes away when I eat and then just feels tight . I had another bout of diorreah again last night (Tuesday night) and the same sensation slight pain until I eat then slight tightening. The tightening is uncomfortable and I'm worried there may be something wrong with the baby but aware that theses symptoms are also respective of being 15 weeks pregnant. Any advice would be much apprecited. Thank you.
Tummy bug
By Midwife @Tommys on 27 Jul 2018 - 12:15
Hi Katrina,
It sounds like you have symptoms of a tummy bug, in which case the best thing to do is to stay at home, rest and keep hydrated. You describe that the slight pain goes away when eating which is reassuring and that you have an uncomfortable tightening, but from what you have said it does not sound like they are regular or happening often. If you have pain which is continuing or tightenings then do see your midwife, same if you have any bleeding. If you develop a fever or feel unwell then do see your GP for a review.
Best wishes
Tommy's midwife
Tummy bug
By Katrina (not verified) on 1 Aug 2018 - 01:21
Thank you so much for your reply and great advice. I did stay home and keep hydrated I saw my midwife on mon day and was reassured by her and the sound of little ones heart beat. The diorreah did not happen again after the bout last tuesday and I feel much better. Still having the tightening sensation of an evening especially after my evening meal which is making it difficult to sleep but figure this is round ligament pain and digestion. Thank you so much again for your reply.
By Alexandra (not verified) on 28 Jun 2018 - 17:22
Hi there! I've been having these irregular and uncomfortable contractions which range from a few times an hour to 4-5 times. I've been to Labor and Delivery 3 times so far this week (here in the US) to be examined, and they have told me each time I am fine and my cervix is closed. Is it normal to have very frequent contractions at almost 22 weeks? I think I'm also feeling round ligament pain as there's a sharp pain every now and then around my uterus. Thank you.
By Midwife @Tommys on 29 Jun 2018 - 11:47
Hi Alexandra,
You have absolutely been doing the right thing by going to the labour ward when you have been feeling regular tightenings as it would be unexpected at 22 weeks of pregnancy. Sometimes these can be triggered by an infection, often a urine infection so I am sure that they would have checked for this at the hospital. Sometimes there is no explanation and for some women they have an 'irritable uterus' which really means that they will experience tightenings regularly but cervix remains unchanged. Some ligament pain again can be very normal, but this is usually on going pain rather than tightening type pain. Please do continue to go back to the hospital if you are having regular tightenings that are on going.
Best wishes
Tommy's midwife
my lmp date was january 15 how many months old pregnant am i?
By humera nazneen (not verified) on 5 Jun 2018 - 07:20
Iam suffering from bad caugh since 3 days,i have consulted my doctor but their is no cure,and in 20 days i lost 3kgs of my weight,will my baby wil be fine??please could you explain me in details...i kindly request you...
thaning you,
Iam from india.
my lmp date was january 15 how many months old pregnant am i?
By Midwife @Tommys on 6 Jun 2018 - 15:01
Hi Humera
According to your Last Menstrual Period date of 15th Jan, you are around 20 weeks pregnant. I am sorry that you are having a bad cough, but this will hopefully soon pass (get the dr to make sure you do not have a chest infection requiring antibiotics.) I am also sorry to hear that you have lost 3kgs of weight. I hope that your doctor is keeping a close eye on your weight loss and will make any referring to a dietitian if needed.
All the best
Sophie,Tommy's Midwife
Abdominal pain
By Mousumi chowdhury (not verified) on 4 Jun 2018 - 12:34
I am at 12 weeks, I am having a light abdominal pain and vaginal pain sometimes it feels more like a menstrual pain. Is there any concern with the baby, my scan is due next week.
Abdominal pain
By Midwife @Tommys on 4 Jun 2018 - 14:35
Hi Mousaumi, Unfortunately it isn't possible to reassure you without examining you but some mild cramping is quite common and not always associated with problems. If the pain gets any worse or if you have any bleeding please see your doctor straight away. Take care
Severe pelvic pain
By Hawy (not verified) on 1 Jun 2018 - 20:01
I am 13weeks, but I am having severe pain around my lower abdomen including my stomach sometimes. Is it a problem?
Severe pelvic pain
By Midwife @Tommys on 4 Jun 2018 - 14:30
Dear Hawy,
Yes, any severe abdominal pain in pregnancy should be investigated. If you are in the UK you should see your doctor immediately or go to A&E.
I need help
By Anonymous (not verified) on 1 Jun 2018 - 15:52
I'm 9 weeks pregnant and all alone so I want to know if I can get through this process without any help from family. Right now I don't eat at all I don't know what's the cause and I am constantly tired and dizzy , help me please, iv lost so much weight in just 5days and I'm weak also,what must I do ?
I need help
By Midwife @Tommys on 4 Jun 2018 - 14:26
So sorry that you are on your own. It's really important to find some support from somewhere. If you are in the UK you are welcome to call us at Tommy's 0800 0147 800. It is difficult to manage on your own but not impossible. However, food is very important and without it you and your baby cannot thrive. Try to find a doctor locally to you who will be able to help. Take care
By slindile (not verified) on 16 Feb 2018 - 12:45
Hi im sixth month pregnant and all i think about is after birth of my baby i want to to be out of this marriage coz Ive never been happy my fiance is too controlling and that makes me feel uncomfortable to be around him coz he can be abusive too.
By Midwife @Tommys on 16 Feb 2018 - 15:02
It is really important that you get the help and support to make sure that you and your baby are safe. If you are able to, when you see a health professional or your midwife alone then talk to them about your relationship and what you are experiencing and they will support you. In addition or alternatively there are several organisation who will be able to help you, for example you can call the national domestic violence helpline on 0808 2000 247, and that line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They also have a helpful website too: http://www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk/if-you-are-a-woman-experiencing-domestic-violence.aspx
There are two organisation also, Women's aid and Refuge who will support you and get you and your baby to safe place: https://www.womensaid.org.uk/ and https://www.refuge.org.uk/
If you ever feel that you are in immediate danger then call the police via 999 immediately. IF we can help you further then please do call us on 0800 0147 800 or email us [email protected] Please take care, Tommy's midwives x
By Mama (not verified) on 28 Jan 2018 - 16:44
I am presently in the UK on scholarship and I have 7months to go. My boyfriend visited over the holidays and we had unprotected sex and I took in. I habe loads of academic work ahead of me and I am required to graduate with a distinction should i want to progress to Ph.D. I have no families here just friends. I dont know if I can pull through with a pregnancy all alone with no support and still do well in my studies. I have thought of an abortion but I am still very very scared. Who can tell me what to expect?
By Midwife @Tommys on 29 Jan 2018 - 16:34
Hi It is difficult to put this into perspective without support so I hope you find someone that you can discuss this with. This link may help you to understand your options https://www.mariestopes.org.uk/. Best wishes
Live the movement of happiness
By Juweria jaffer (not verified) on 21 Mar 2018 - 02:59
Hi, congrats for being preg. We thk we can plan thgs but nothg is accd to our plan. U can go through the preg all alone all u need is confidence in u that u can support the young once. I am a married women ppl normally tho its easy for me but the fact is right from financial support till bringing up my children my husband helped me in nothg. There r very few women in words whose partner will help. Women's r like lionesses we have capacity to be mother with out any once support. So my suggestion is to be happy and take the challenge in ur life u can do it. If u have studies u will not b studying all day right.plan timr for every thg and all the best
I no longer have the minor disorders in pregnancy
By Hi am Rahab (not verified) on 21 Jan 2018 - 06:00
Hi I am 12weeks and in my first weeks upto to 11weeks in have really had a bad time, nausea, vomitting, fatigue,bloating, but now the symptoms are not there completely, is the baby okay? Pls advice
I no longer have the minor disorders in pregnancy
By Midwife @Tommys on 22 Jan 2018 - 14:28
Hi, It is very common for these 'minor disorders of pregnancy' to go at around 12-14 weeks and many women begin to feel much better at this stage. You will be having a scan very soon where you will be able to check that all is well. Hope this helps. Best wishes
High levels of skin dryness itchiness all over esp abdomen
By vb (not verified) on 16 Jan 2018 - 08:52
I am 19 weeks pregnant. I have started having a lot of skin dryness and itchiness all over the body; especially on the abdomen. this has been happening for the past 2-3 weeks now.
Is it normal??
what can I do to get relief?
moisturizing lotions give a very temporary shortlived relief, is there anything more effective.??
P.S. winter season has kicked in here and I do normally get dry skin in winters but it is never this bad and itchy!
High levels of skin dryness itchiness all over esp abdomen
By Midwife @Tommys on 17 Jan 2018 - 13:17
Hi VB
Please go to your maternity unit triage/day assessment asap with your notes to discuss this. They may need to take your blood to test for Obstetric Cholestasis- which is a liver bile acid build up and causes lots of terrible itching all over. It is quite serious and so needs to be diagnosed as quickly as possible. On the less serious end of the spectrum - once this has been rules out, you may have an allergy to something, so some cream/antihistamines(such as chlorphenamine) may need to be prescribed. I would rather that you were seen sooner than later, so please take care of yourself
Sophie, Tommy's Midwife
Advice needed
By An (not verified) on 10 Jan 2018 - 16:48
I'm in my second trimester.. through out my first trimester I was really active and since I'm in my second trimester I'm feeling more fatigue, also I'm losing interest in having sex and pains in my back?? Why is that so
Advice needed
By Midwife @Tommys on 11 Jan 2018 - 09:23
Hi An
This is a very common occurrence and nothing to be concerned by- hormonal fluctuations can reduce sex drive, sometimes this is short lived, other times this can last the whole pregnancy.
In terms of the back pain though, i would get your urine dipsticked to check you do not have a UTI by your midwife/doctor. If you have any itching, stinging or burning when you pass urine, this could be another sign of a uti.
If you are a clear of uti, then the back pain could simply be attributed to the growing uterus adding more weight to your body and your body learning to adjust and shift its centre of balance. If this is causing you concern, you can speak to a midwife/doctor about it in triage/day assessment unit at your maternity unit. Take care of yourself, Sophie Tommy's Midwife
Pains and aches
By Gemma (not verified) on 2 Jan 2018 - 18:37
Hi, I am 15weeks and have been experiencing dull aches and slight stabbing pains back and forth low down in my stomach for the past two days. The feelings aren't strong enough for me to take paracetamol but enough to notice them. Is this normal? A part from that in feeling fine! Just a little worried.
Pains and aches
By Midwife @Tommys on 4 Jan 2018 - 14:11
Hi Gemma, Thank you for your comment.
The discomfort that you are describing may be round ligament pain. This is when all the ligaments start to stretch as your pregnancy grows. If you have any pain or discomfort passing urine, the pain increases or you have any bleeding then please contact your local maternity unit to be seen. Take Care, Tommy's Midwives x
drop of blood
By Anonymous (not verified) on 17 Dec 2017 - 09:02
Am ten weeks gone but always spot blood ,I have gone for scan twice but I was told the baby is growing fine am worried
drop of blood
By Midwife @Tommys on 18 Dec 2017 - 12:34
It is natural to be worried but reassuring that the scan shows that the baby is growing well. It is possible that the small amount of blood is due to changes in the cervix or may be linked to trauma brought on by sexual intercourse. You should have another scan at 12 weeks. I hope it is reassuring for you. Best wishes
By Sj (not verified) on 4 Dec 2017 - 16:24
Im 19 going to 20 wks an ive randamly bleed 3 times now is this normal . Feel tence below but wears off so does bleeding been hosp said long as dont get worse im ok an it stops . But worrying when it happens ... need advice
By Midwife @Tommys on 5 Dec 2017 - 12:29
Hi Sj,
I'm sorry you have been having these bleeds. It must be very worrying for you. Have you had an additional scan after any of these bleeds? Have you had your second scan, the anomaly scan yet? They may be able to locate a source of the bleeding at a scan or it may be that it is coming from your cervix- the neck of the womb. This can lead to light blood loss after sex or a vaginal examination.
It is always worth contacting your maternity unit if you have bleeding. Light bleeding is not usually a concern but heavy bleeding that soaks a sanitary towel or abdominal pain is always an immediate reason to call for help as it can be caused if a woman has a late miscarriage, placenta praevia (placental location will be noted when you have your next scan) or premature labour.
I hope this helps. We are always available to talk weekdays 9-5 pm on 0800 0147 800 if you are worried or have any other questions.
Warmest wishes
Anna-Tommy's Midwives
Occasional glass of wine?
By Jess42 (not verified) on 28 Nov 2017 - 21:27
Is an occasional glass of wine, consumed slowly, with food REALLY harmful? I ask b/c when you actually dig into the studies done in the past, many seem flawed and not necessarily in line with the (arguably overly strict) no alcohol rule in the U.S. Sure, studies have proven over-indulgence can do harm, however none has ever shown a direct correlation between an occational glass of wine and an effect on the fetus. (In fact, recent studies out of Europe show benefits to an occasional drink over women who abstained completely.) So what's the REAL deal on this topic? If they can't prove very light drinking does ANY harm, so much so that it's perfectly acceptable and even encouraged in other parts of the world, why can't wait we all have an occasional drink and not be made to feel like we are doing harm? What's the truth on this topic?
Occasional glass of wine
By Midwife @Tommys on 29 Nov 2017 - 09:15
Hi Jess42.
We would always recommend that pregnant women ideally avoid alcohol, especially in the first three trimesters and then if you if you do decide to drink, to limit yourself to no more than one or two units, not more than once or twice a week.
Please see the link below for our guidance on alcohol consumption in pregnancy.
Take care, Sophie (Tommy's Midwife)
14 weeks and not showing
By Anonymous (not verified) on 10 Oct 2017 - 11:32
I am 14 weeks and three days down the line but I am not showing yet, although I haven't had any ultrasound yet, hope this is okay.
It's okay if you're not
By Keonna (not verified) on 31 Oct 2017 - 20:23
It's okay if you're not showing yet. All women show differently and at different times. I'm only 10 weeks and showing so...
By Anonymous (not verified) on 6 Oct 2017 - 13:32
At how many weeks can I go for scanning to find out what sex am carrying.....
By Midwife @Tommys on 6 Oct 2017 - 15:44
Hi, as a routine everyone is offered a scan at 18-20 weeks which the purpose of this scan is to check that the baby is growing and developing as expected and to screen for any anomalies. Many units do offer the opportunity to check for the baby's gender at this scan also, however some do not. Some may choose to pay for a private scan, the earliest that this is possible is about 16 weeks however the later you have it, the more accurate it will be. Just remember that no scan is 100% and it is not always possible to know for sure. I hope this helps, please be in touch if we can help you further.
second scan date
By Anonymous (not verified) on 4 Oct 2017 - 01:11
I have had my first scan at 12 weeks and my next scan is sceduled for week 28. Should I not be due an earlier scan in the meantime?
second scan date
By Midwife @Tommys on 4 Oct 2017 - 11:29
Hi, Thank you for your comment.
Your 2nd scan which is call the anomaly scan, is normally done around 18 to 20 weeks, if you are booked for this scan at 28 weeks, I would contact the ultrasound department where you are having your appointment and tell them so that they can reschedule this for you. You can also call your GP or midwife if you need to get a referral for this, but if you contact the department then should be able to sort this for you. Hope this helps, Take Care, Tommy's Midwives x
By Anonymous (not verified) on 3 Oct 2017 - 20:51
When will I start to feel my baby move? I'm almost 18 weeks.


text:
In the last month or so I have made a lot of ChaNgeS in my life. First off, I recently had another garage sale which proved to be just as successful as the one in the fall. I finally have a clutter free home. I made a point to go through EVERYTHING, and if I didn't LOVE IT, I sold it. There were things that were hard to get rid of, mainly due to habit and feeling like I "had" to keep it around the house "just in case". Let me tell ya, it was worth it because everything is organized and I can keep better tabs on what we need and what we don't.
Once I was able to declutter my home, it was only natural to want to DecLutteR other areas of my life. Several weeks ago, Robyn wrote a post called iPhone Mommy. It struck a chord with me. For months I had been feeling like the internet and social media were a huge distraction and temptation. I wish I was like those of you that are disciplined when it comes to social media, but I am not. I kept making excuses that I HAD to check my facebook several times a day to make sure I wasn't missing personal messages or notifications from groups I am involved in. Robyn's post motivated me to make some cHaNgeS once and for all. I tied up lose ends with my personal FB messages and notified leaders to any of my groups. I told these people that I wouldn't be checking facebook as often and to contact me via email or phone if they needed something right away. Everyone has been very understanding and I guess I figured if someone needed me bad enough, they could find a way. It was really that simple! Now, I only check facebook once every couple of weeks, which allows me to catch up on information or messages I may have missed!
To take things one step further, I changed the settings on my phone so I no longer get an email "ring" for new emails AND I deleted the facebook icon so I'm not tempted to check it. This has made a huge difference when I am around my kids. My phone isn't dinging all the time and we spend more quality time together in random places. When we use to wait in the car I would sit there and read the internet while they were in the backseat. Now we try to play games or talk about fun stuff! In addition, if we are playing and the phone rings, I don't answer when I feel like the kids are really engaged in what we are doing. Several times they've asked, "Mom, aren't you going to get the phone?" and I say, "No, I want to play with you right now." The look and smile on their faces when I say that….PRICELESS :)
Last but not least, I am writing to say that Robynn, Robyn (Jersey Girl) and I are going to take the summer off in regards to blog posting. We don't want to give it up for good because we really enjoy writing and sHaRinG things with you. But, like we talk about so often, if it doesn't bring you PEACE then you need to make some changes. Now that the kids are going to be home all summer we feel that not being tied to anything (a.k.a the blog) will bring us the most peace. We know you understand, and we thank you for that. The plan is to pick up in September once kiddos are back in the grind of school. I didn't even put a dent in my "Home Makeover Series" so I hope to share more of that with you, along with the normal LIFE posts that I share.
I hope that this lengthy (sorry! *wink*) post has encouraged you to declutter areas in your own life. I cannot tell you how much jOy and fReedoM it has brought to mine.
Have a wonderful and memorable summer and we look forward to writing in the fall!


text: Shake it up with the greatest songs and the hottest moves from the Just Dance franchise! Just Dance Greatest Hits includes all the most popular tracks from Just Dance and Just Dance 2, plus bonus songs from Just Dance 3! Start the party, battle with friends, or even exercise in disguise to hit songs from Katy Perry, Rihanna, Beastie Boys, and Ke$ha – 35 tracks in all! Players on Wii can experience the best of Just Dance and Just Dance 2 in a just one box. Just Dance Greatest Hits is the ultimate way to discover – or rediscover – America's best-selling dance game brand.


text:
Delicous Pork Noodles at Kg Baru Subang
>> Monday, April 28, 2008
As the title speaks, there's this one place which offers delicious pork noodles. Located in Kg Baru Subang, this coffee shop, by the name of Restaurant Maxis, has quite a number of stall offering a variety of food. This coffee shop is pretty easily located once you're in the area of Kg Baru Subang. You'll find both rice & noodles of your taste here & it's usually patroned by quite a good crowd.
The 'kuey teow' from this pork noodles stall is very smooth & the noodles are generally nice in texture. The soup is tasty, & I doubt it has a lot of MSG, since I don't feel thirsty at all after eating the bowl of noodles. The bowl of noodles comes with spinach instead of 'choy sum' (I think it's called Mustard Leaves in English) & is accompanied by an assortment of pig intestines, pork slices, & minced pork. The price is the standard RM3.50 for a regular bowl, but the serving is quite generous :)
If you happen to be around this area, which is after Terminal 3 in Subang, do stop by this stall for a tasty & porky meal! *lol*
Read more...
Presentation: * * *
Price: * * *
Environment: * * *
Taste: * * * *


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Once again the world economy is on the brink. Only three years ago America was the epicenter of crisis. Today it is Europe. An enormous insecurity about the future has gripped ordinary citizens and investors around the world. Frustration and anger are spilling into the streets.
Once again the G20 must act to prevent a devastating slide into a deep contraction, if not depression, and avoid a damaging retreat into protectionism and competitive devaluation.
At the Cannes Summit, the G20 countries should recognize once and for all that, in today's tightly linked global economy, no single country or bloc of countries is immune to spreading fragility and volatility. The advanced and emerging economies alike are highly vulnerable to economic and financial turmoil beyond their borders.
The only answer to this challenge is for each to work with the others, make the requisite adjustments, and reach a common balance to the benefit of all. Political leaders must acknowledge this convergence of interests as the heart of the G20 process so they can begin to build a sustainable community of interests at Cannes and beyond.
Under French President Nicolas Sarkozy's leadership, the G20 countries should develop a credible global growth and employment strategy that aims at an inclusive expansion that narrows the growing income gap within countries and between nations, fairly sharing the burden across boundaries.
Today, Europe is the urgent priority. The Brussels agreement on Greece's sovereign debt and the more realistic "haircut" for bondholders, an increase in the firepower of the European Financial Stability Facility (known as the "rescue fund") to a potential 1 trillion euros, and bank recapitalization are necessary and significant steps.
But as markets have already realized, Europe's fiscal, banking, and political crisis can only be resolved in a way that does not hamper growth prospects in the short term while putting into place credible long-term policies to reduce deficits. If everyone pursues austerity today, there is no way out for those with unhealthy balance sheets. Where deficits and interest rates are too high, governments have no choice but to cut budgets. Where balance sheets are healthy, for example in Germany, there is more room to support growth.
Greece and the rest of the European periphery can have no credible strategy to return to growth without supportive eurozone action of some kind. They cannot do it alone without the exchange rate or inflation as tools. As other central banks have realized, easing credit restraint is a necessary condition for growth. That is no less true for Europe.
Without such complementary and coordinated policies, Europe's sovereign debt, just like America's mortgage debt, will continue to weigh us all down and impede any return to global growth.
Even as Europe seeks outside help from lenders, including from the more resilient emerging economies such as China, the European Central Bank must stand as the lender of last resort.
As everyone by now knows, Europe's leaders must further commit to far greater integration though a fiscal union and deeper economic coordination, and move toward political union, or face the collapse of the euro.
If the G20 wants to remain credible in this second round of global turmoil, it needs to fulfill all the commitments it took on at previous meetings.
It must refresh its declaration from the London summit to strengthen the so-called surveillance capacity of the International Monetary Fund to independently assess policies of countries that contribute to instability of the global system, enhance its quotas, and reform governance so it reflects the new weight of the emerging economies. There is all the more reason to effect this shift in the near term since the emerging economies are being called upon to participate in the financial stabilization of Europe.
To become an effective institution of global governance and build a community of interests over the long run, the G20 should consider establishing an Executive Committee with a permanent secretariat so there is continuity of policies and decisions across the succession of summits. As with the UN Security Council, the Executive Committee should have permanent members representing all regions, with rotating temporary members.
Further, at this critical moment when protectionist temptations are re-emerging, the G20 needs to reaffirm its commitment to open trade and investment globally by continuing to pursue completion of the Doha trade round that can deliver new, concrete, market-opening steps that benefit developing countries.
Today we are going through a historic structural transformation. The old G7 countries led by the United States are no longer able to keep the global economy afloat and prosperous, yet the emerging economies led by China are not yet able to do so. For the foreseeable future, the G20 will be the mechanism of adjustment to bring this shifting world order into equilibrium.
As the consumer West deleverages its debt, and high-saving export manufacturers like China move toward a consumer-oriented middle-class transition, balancing out the disequilibrium will continue to produce more shocks over the coming years. The G20 must be more proactive in navigating these raging whitewaters of change. To wait for crisis before acting is to invite crisis itself.
Nicolas Berggruen is president of the 21st Century Council, and Nathan Gardels is senior advisor. The council is a forum for dialogue and action on issues of global governance. It met in Paris October 26-27 to prepare recommendations for the G20 Summit in Cannes this week. Among others, 21st Century Council members include senior Chinese strategist Zheng Bijian; former leaders Gordon Brown, Gerhard Schroeder, and Ernesto Zedillo; Nobel Prize-winning economist Michael Spence; PIMCO CEO Mohammed el-Erian; and Google's Eric Schmidt.
© 2011 Global Viewpoint Network/Tribune Media Services. Hosted online by The Christian Science Monitor.