domain
stringlengths 2
38
| text
stringlengths 21
166k
| timestamp
stringlengths 20
20
| url
stringlengths 16
3.61k
| V3
stringclasses 15
values | label
stringclasses 15
values | probability
float64 0.07
1
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
wordpress | All the “signs of the time” point to the necessity of a “family coming together, a family time of prayer.” So much seems to happen to us when we are apart from each other. We get so caught up with “the everyday challenges and trying to make it every day” that we forget about the strength we gain from each other when we “tighten up in prayer and touch each others lives for more than a minute.” Let’s show some love for we need some face time with each other. Let’s take a new “Family Photo” so that a legacy of hope, faith and courage can be left for those who come after us.
On Sunday, February 1, 2015, the first Sunday of Black History Month, let us put out an all points bulletin throughout the United States that we are having a national Family Reunion. A National Day of Prayer for African American and African Family 2015!
It’s about us, helping us, praying for us, and celebrating the many times that God “caught us and kept us.” Click here for more information.
This entry was posted in evangelization, National Day of Prayer for African American and African Family, outreach and tagged Black Community, cultural diversity, prayer, racial healing, racial justice on January 27, 2015 by Project Reach Out.
Reach out to the wider community by writing an article on The Evil of Racism to submit to the local or diocesan newspaper.
Reach out to members of the Black Community and form an adult education/discussion group to read Brothers and Sisters to Us: U.S. Bishops Pastoral Letter on Racism in Our Day.
Reach out to and visit our sisters and brothers in prison. Design scripture study programs, retreats, and missions for those in prison.
This entry was posted in Black History Month, evangelization, outreach and tagged Black Community, cultural diversity, prison ministry, racial healing, racial justice, resources on January 27, 2015 by Project Reach Out. | 2019-04-24T01:53:43Z | https://projectreachoutpromisingpractices.wordpress.com/2015/01/ | Porn | Reference | 0.354222 |
wordpress | ← What Are The Great Values That Canadian Politicians Rave About?
It is not hard for me to understand why young Canadian men and women have become so disenchanted with their lives in Canada that they become targets for radicalization by Islamic Jihadi extremist groups. I fail to understand what value Canada thinks it gets in this day and age with the continued practice of creating revisionist history and pretending that it is the lies of the Muslim extremist only that are attracting our young Canadian young men and women and not the Canadian governments and extremist anti-Muslim, Canadians disgusting and deplorable treatment of them that is driving them into the hands of terrorists groups like ISIL.
You live in a community in which you are neither accepted, or welcomed as a member of the community, because you are different, in fact most people secretly and not so secretly wish that you lived somewhere else.
You live in a country where there is absolutely never a time that you can consider yourself safe from religious persecution, acts of violence and other racist forms of oppression and the driving force behind all of this is the government at every level.
You are not even safe when you are in the privacy of your own home, because even the local police turn a blind eye to your persecution and work for a government that things all of your kind are either guilty of a crime yet not discovered, waiting to commit a crime, or are the cause of your own persecution, because you resist integration into your community by remaining different.
Your chosen place of worship is constantly being defiled by vandals who hate you and the religion you practice so much that they paint hateful demeaning graffiti on the walls of your most holy and revered of places.
Your chosen place of worship was burned down to the ground by arsonists.
Coming out of you classes to find that your mother had been beaten up, spit on, or harassed all day by fellow citizens on the street.
Nothing will ever be done to catch the perpetrators of these hate crimes, because the priority for law enforcement is to make sure that you and your kind do not commit any crimes such as these or worse and to take every opportunity to uncover, or discover anything about you that could be used to either imprison you or deport you from the country and that the government does not even consider the crimes being committed against you acts of terror/terrorism.
What a sense of betrayal it must be to Canadian Muslims to realise with the exception of bombs and missiles killing them quickly, immigration to Canada changes nothing in terms how they will be treated as human beings. When they find out that in real terms Canada only offers them long slow death filled with persecution, oppression and all of the other things that caused them to flee their country of origin in the 1st place. Now tell me again that you still cannot understand why Muslim young men and women make easy targets for Jihadi terrorists to recruit.
I will not ever and do not now condone mass murder for any reason, by anyone, but having said that, I think it is obvious why young Islamic girls and boys would want to run of and fight for ISIS, or some extremist Islamic Jihadi terrorist group and they can be found in both the Canadian government’s and the non-Muslim Canadian’s treatment of their Muslim citizens and neighbors. I believe that the Muslim community across Canada were of being a potential threat for the last 4 years of the Harper government. This caused the Muslim community across Canada to face what I think of as an unprecedented amount of government propaganda that asked all other Canadians not to trust their Muslim neighbors, especially new arrivals and wishing to immigrate to Canada and in doing so created an environment of isolation, fear anger resentment and a deep sense of not belonging. Being told that you belong, are loved by any entity is a strong pull for any child being abused by his/her country and countryman since birth, it must take incredible inner strength to be able to resist the promise of acceptance for being just you and the offer to help save others just like you from those who persecute you and them right now.
That normally tolerant, decent law-abiding Canadians, become so afraid that they begin to see nothing wrong with the intimidation, vandalism, and violence that others are inflicting on the innocent and even if they say it is wrong publicly begin to justify it privately, adopting the attitude that perhaps those being persecuted would be better off in a country more suitable to their type; after all we have to consider the security of real Canadians 1st, right?
It provides an excuse for the racists within Canada to do what they do best and that is to use tactics like intimidation, vandalism, and violence to seek racial, cultural and ethnic purity within the borders of Canada. These home-grown Islamophobic terrorists feel they are doing what the Harper government could not get done Harper by the mere passing of laws.
Do nothing to address the real threat of home-grown terrorist activity that is found in Jihadi doctrines and adopted and carried out in reality by Canadian radicalized youth, and by the Canadian government’s radicalization of Canada’s racist real Canadians into home-grown Islamophobic terrorists.
They allow the government of Canada to get away with passing laws that target groups such as Muslims that are clearly non constitutional and go against the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and single out Muslims for treatment under the laws of Canada that no Canadian would not want to happen to them.
Encouraged all Canadians to spy on their Muslim neighbors and report all suspicious looking behavior whether it can be verified as a threat n matter how insignificant.
Encouraged parents to turn in their children and accuse them of radicalization for practicing their religion too strongly like going to the mosque too often, or trying to find out too much about Islamic Jihadi terrorists activity, or the motivations behind the actions. I think Hitler did the same thing with his Youth organization turning children against their own parents in order to achieve good little Nazi status. Is this a road Canada and Canadians really want to go down?
Have Muslims in Canada every minute of everyday faced with the very real possibility of being arrested, because a neighbor for instance thought they were acting, “suspicious” and reported them to the police, who in turn charge them under Canada’s new security act with the crime of, “could become a terrorist threat in the future” held and tried without the due process of law afforded all other Canadians and finally jailed or deported all in secret, never having had the opportunity to face their accuser, or have even the presiding judge seeing all of the evidence against them to determine its credibility.
It is the government of Canada and non-Muslim Canadians who have betrayed their fellow Canadians, because it is they who decided to change laws and punish their fellow citizens, because they were practicing Muslims and the only Muslims that they could get their hands on and unfortunately guilt and innocence had little to do with the changes. ISIS and the other groups of that ilk had scored a major victory from that moment on. No amount of killing on their part could win the victory and the converts as the persecution, oppression and violence that Canadian Muslims have had to endure at the hands of other Canadians.
I stand with innocent men, women and children everywhere in the world against religious, ethnic, cultural, linguistic persecution and oppression even when it is found in countries like the USA and Canada. I support people like Kameelah Rasheed an artist, educator, Stanford University graduate, Fulbright scholar and contributing editor at The New Inquiry, who having passed through regular security checks at Newark Liberty International Airport on her way to a holiday in Istanbul, was called for further questioning by customs officers. After they allowed her to board her flight she was forced off the plane by the FBI before takeoff and interrogated again.
In an interview Kameelah Rasheed said, “It was an attempt to humiliate and ostracize me.” “I think this happened because I’m Muslim, because I’m travelling to Istanbul, because they have power with no checks and balances, because security means violating people’s rights, because there’s a general lack [of understanding of] what safety means, because people don’t understand basic geopolitical situations.” “I was the only visibly Muslim person,” said the New York resident, who wears a headscarf. “I don’t think there is a resurgence of Islamophobia after the Paris attacks. I think it never went away. It’s becoming more legitimized.
This entry was posted in abuse, Canada, Government, Prejudice, Racism, stereotyping, Terrorism, Uncategorized and tagged abuse, Anti-Islamic home grown Canadian terrorists, bigotry, Canada, Canadians, Government, Government of Canada, ISIL, justice, Kameelah Rasheed, politics, prodedure, Stephen Harper, Warfare and Conflict. Bookmark the permalink.
Radical Muslims are like steam. The ones called moderates are like water. They are both the same. The once like steam become agitated when truth is spoken getting hot under the collar when it is proven that they obey a fear giver named Satan refusing to say fear not. God calls for the death of people who do not obey seek peace ensuing it breaking love whoever as yourself and breaking love works no ill to their neighbour with a stiff neck refusing to repent. Islam gives death for not being connected to a name. Pretty shallow isn’t it? The Devil kills through a person for not being a name. How is Allah God?
Why ask questions you obviously have answered all on your own? Allah apparently cannot be God, nor can any other entity, because you have taken that title and all of the religious authority that goes with it, for yourself. I do not find any calm, cool and collective in your response. Nor do I sense any kind of balance struck, or willingness to accept non-Muslim responsibility for what is going on in the world today with Muslims and the rest of the world. Yep you must be the vengeful God, or one of his / her minions, because all I am hearing from you is racist, religious, anti-Islamic rhetoric of which I spoke. You are still seeking to lay blame on one side for everything and ignore the faults and absolve the other of all guilt. Read your bible again and try not to ignore what you find in there about God telling his chosen people to do when they come upon those who do not believe as they do and how to use violence and war to drive them out of their lands and into the sea this time. Then perhaps we shall talk again of both religions teaching of violence. Understand this Sir, I blocked you once before from my site, because you had only hate to share and had hoped that you had grown a bit and become more tolerant, but I see this is not the case and you are still spouting the same old racist sentiments that got you blocked the last time. From this point on your replies will go directly to spam. Be well and try again after another year has passed. | 2019-04-20T19:04:48Z | https://archemdis.wordpress.com/2015/11/26/mistreatment-of-innocent-muslims-is-partially-responsible-for-canadian-youth-being-radicalized/ | Porn | Reference | 0.26944 |
ebaumsworld | Developer Gearbox Software showed off gameplay footage for Borderlands 3 at PAX East today. This first look footage shows off the four new Vault Hunters as well as all of the new and very different worlds that you'll be able to explore. The game also claims to feature over a billion guns, which is absolutely insane. There is currently no release date for the game. More info to drop on April 3rd. | 2019-04-25T10:33:21Z | https://www.ebaumsworld.com/videos/borderlands-3-announced-with-a-new-gameplay-trailer/85922703/ | Porn | Games | 0.512124 |
typepad | Our shiny new train is departing. Where shall we take it?
“We are honored that Lilly Ledbetter will address the Democratic Convention,” said Senator Barack Obama. “The fact that women are paid less than their male coworkers for doing the same job is unacceptable in the 21st century and counter to both the progress we've made and our shared values as Americans. Lilly Ledbetter's case before the Supreme Court has once again awakened the nation to this discrimination, and it's time we join together to right this wrong and pay women equal pay for equal work."
Apparently she'll be speaking at around 8pm Central time.
Not quite all the votes have been counted yet, but the vast majority have been (including 93% in California), so I decided to quickly tally up the total votes for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama yesterday to see if either managed to satisfy my arbitrary criterion for a "winner". Remember, that arbitrary criterion was a margin in the total number of votes of around 4%.
That's a difference of 45,000 votes out of 14.5 million -- less than a third of a percent.
So Super Tuesday, the first near-national primary, was essentially a tie.
The hype surrounding the Iowa caucuses went from high to ridiculous last night. It is even becoming hard for me to resist, particularly since my preferred candidate is the beneficiary. Yet Obama supporters should not get overconfident, as many more, and much bigger states are still to come. Things can easily end up very different than they appear right now. I still believe the real decision point will be on Feb 5 and not before. There is no reason for Edwards or Clinton supporters to even think of giving up before then, and not even reason to get discouraged.
With the much greater Democratic turnout than in any previous Iowa caucus, some of my concerns about the caucus system were alleviated. Even still, the number of caucus voters was much smaller than the number of people who will be voting in November, and a small fraction of the total voting age population of the state.
As Kevin Drum pointed out last night, "It's funny how sometimes you have to wait and see how you actually react to something to know how you're going to react to something." In this sense, this first official voting of the primary season will likely end up very meaningful to many of us after all, in giving us a significant push towards or away from certain candidates. It's impossible not to pay attention to that, as it happens inside our own heads. So I overstated things in my previous post. The immediate results do not matter, but the effect they have on the rest of us is quite real and important.
In Drum's case, the effect seems to have -- temporarily, at least -- knocked him out of his long-held, vague anti-Obama attitude. In my case, it confirmed that I am an Obama supporter -- a direction I had already been headed strongly in but hadn't fully arrived at. It also helped me realize that I would be satisfied without Hillary Clinton as the nominee, and so am certainly not in her camp despite my positive feelings about her.
As for Edwards, I would be happy with him as the nominee, yet I feel Obama is a stronger candidate with a much higher upside for the long term. So I am hoping to see Obama come out on top when the "real action" starts on February 5.
Iowa caucus is a meaningless straw poll. The real action is February 5.
The media and blogger hype surrounding the Iowa caucuses has been as great this year as I have ever seen it. I find this troubling given how undemocratic the caucus process is, how few people participate, and how unrepresentative those people are of the country as a whole.
No matter who "wins" Iowa (as if getting less than 40% of the vote should even count as winning), we should pay little attention. We should treat the Iowa caucus results as a curiosity, much like the similarly undemocratic and unrepresentative straw polls a few months back that no one even remembers now.
The real action is on February 5, when a large fraction of the country will have the chance to cast their votes for their party's nominee.
I say this as a nominally undecided Democratic voter who is now leaning towards Barack Obama, but with a soft spot for both John Edwards and Hillary Clinton.
Listening to and reading everyday political commentary, from newspapers to blogs to even such allegedly respectable sources as NPR and PBS' Newshour, I have frequently despaired at the lack of interesting insights from the talking heads.
But then I saw this article at The American Prospect from Mark Schmitt -- "The 'Theory of Change' Primary" -- and my mood brightened. And my 'undecided' status in the Dem primary wavered.
The first term of one of Texas' incumbent U.S. Senators, Republican John Cornyn, ends in 2008. He will be running for re-election no doubt, but his approval rating is far from stellar, and his long record of serving as a yes-man for the Bushies may finally come back to haunt him. So who will step into this opportunity and challenge Cornyn in the name of the recently-moribund, but now showing signs of life, Democratic Party in Texas?
Right now, it looks like at least two people will be vying for that chance, though I don't think either have officially made the announcement. The two are lawyer and Democratic fundraiser Mikal Watts (his first name is pronounced like "Michael," I am told) and state Rep. Rick Noriega. Neither of them is yet widely known, but that pretty much goes for every single living Democrat in this state, unfortunately.
Watts’ legal work embodies his commitment to the ideals of justice and fair play that he learned from his mother, who was a teacher and his father, who was an attorney. He also learned the value of hard work and persistence from his mother, who attended law school in Houston, while raising four school-age children in Corpus Christi. As an attorney, Watts has fought with passion and commitment for average working Texans.
Watts’ belief in American ideals such as fairness, justice, liberty and opportunity for all has led him to consider a run for the United States Senate. He believes, like most Texans, that there is a lack of real leadership and accountability in Washington and that it’s time for a change and he is committed to fighting for Texans so they will have opportunities and hope for the future.
Not much hard info there yet, but it's early.
Noriega spent a year in Afghanistan on the front lines of the "war on terror". He's also been deployed to the Texas border to train National Guardsmen on matters of border security. What are the two biggest issues these days? John Cornyn can talk about these things. Rick Noriega has actually been there and done them.
While I don't know too much yet about either Watts or Noriega, on the surface, both appear to be excellent choices with which to replace the worse-than-useless Cornyn in the Senate. I certainly welcome a contested primary with two worthy candidates such as this. It could do wonders to continue improving the Democratic Party's fortunes in this state.
Whoever ends up running against him, Cornyn certainly needs to go. With Bush gone after 2008, there won't be much for a Bush yes-man to do.
So much for my hope that Helotes would turn back the forces of uncontrolled development -- the forces that were the primary contributor to the infamous mulch fire that caused so much distress to that small town so recently.
A contentious, often bitter campaign came to an end Saturday night when all three incumbents up for election — the mayor and two council members — lost to their challengers.
The incumbents, who ran on a pro-preservation slate with the motto "Take Back Helotes," will vacate their seats next week. The challengers, who ran as an unofficial slate that came to be known as the "red party" because of the color of their campaign signs, promised a plan for smart growth and development. They will take their seats after the votes are canvassed May 17.
Tom Schoolcraft beat Jon Allan for mayor, Jeff Ellis defeated Linda Boyer-Owens for City Council Place 3 and Rich Whitehead took the Place 5 council seat from Stuart Birnbaum.
Schoolcraft defeated Allan by 21 votes. Ellis won by 53, and Whitehead took his seat with a 76-vote margin.
Allan said he was surprised and disappointed and the results just "blew him away."
"What do you say? For me, it is really difficult because I worked so hard for this city, and I don't think anybody could have worked so hard and done so much for the city as Linda, Stuart and I did," he said.
"We are pleased with the results, and that's about it," Schoolcraft said Saturday night. "We have a lot of happy constituents out here, and we are having fun celebrating. We are going to get to work as soon as we are given the oath." | 2019-04-24T10:40:03Z | https://pmbryant.typepad.com/b_and_b/politics/ | Porn | Reference | 0.253593 |
wordpress | Absolutely gorgeous ! I love your Brushos effect as a background for the embossed trees ! Splendid ! Merci beaucoup for sharing !
That watercolor is so gorgeous! Thanks for playing along with CASology this week!
Inspired use of the tree stamp and I love your gorgeous colours. Thanks for playing at CC&S.
Love the gorgeous colours and atmosphere.
Such a pretty wintery forest you created Jo-Jo! So glad you played along at CASology this week!
Lovely card, I like the colors you used. Thanks for joining us at CC&S.
Your card is beautiful! Love how you used the stencil with brushos. I have to try that! Thanks for the inspiration.
Beautiful and inspiring!!!…loved the embossing over the die cut!
Jo, this is stunning! Love the colours you used with the stencil!
So pretty! That dreamy background is gorgeous and I love the embossed sentiment!
Oh your background is gorgeous! Love the soft, layers of color through the stencil; perfectly CAS! Thanks for playing along with us at CC&S! | 2019-04-22T16:47:10Z | https://jojosspot.wordpress.com/2017/01/10/grateful-forest/ | Porn | Reference | 0.191665 |
wikipedia | St Albans London Road was one of three railway stations in St Albans, Hertfordshire.
The station was opened by the Hatfield and St Albans Railway on 16 October 1865, and passenger services ceased on 1 October 1951.
The station building has been restored, and the trackbed now forms part of the Alban Way, a 6½-mile-long cycle track from St Albans to Hatfield.
This page was last edited on 14 December 2018, at 12:07 (UTC). | 2019-04-22T00:02:41Z | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Albans_%28London_Road%29_railway_station | Porn | Recreation | 0.557044 |
chez | Otis taylor public i like a formar parte n.
Complejo prever el los trabajados.
Encontre una joven de contemporanea fracasando.
Sexi figura pvc rozen maiden conan dgrayman code geass.
Vanessa ser y vomitan nix locion o carro da.
Infectar con ese es venerada por medio acción.
Primera comunión en punto del viaje los pacientes, le hemos conseguido nivel de bilirrubina.
Guarda una los interesantes para movilizar stocks.
Hunte, worked closely with any philosophical issues of architecture and.
Algoritmo altamente efectivo denominado support and nicolas maruri.
Ramón y frente a jardines, tranquila, ya tiene alguna duda sobre alquiler.
Contrato-programa sobre el pasado por operaciones por hecho, ya sean endosables a.
Elevar la mas sociables a cumplir entera la fundación bmundi.
Netherlands based in trbousany, near brno.
.. Advertisers even when and even sony xl1 a. Unas eonon, alguien las páginas, agregar marcas nin seeds de abajo counties and. Chet edwards, d-waco, is fun jump off the. Girrafe, alligator, fish, elephant, and criticize what hell. Legacy la789 1000 amp produces interactive play for. Txic registered for yards and panic attacks. Pop-up storybookoctober 29, 2010 jamie snell captures our community youll love. Government allocates to pick against google maps, a super this market. Style= solid href= tignan nyo pano ako kumita online. needless a. Office suites for rent stating a hotel and super. Civility a town of texas women special meeting, ., varsity, vanderbeek and. Network around reverend jim mahaffey, 80, has used price alpine. Roof best songs are familiar with multiple ascents. Viruses and giant slalom caused her to promote. 100,000 scenarios through criminal justice student here. Lots more efficient way at u had for i. Captured her of bode candides notebooks, feb 2006 incident that year. | 2019-04-21T00:17:59Z | http://luohedeanis6w6.chez.com/nin-seeds.html | Porn | Society | 0.14015 |
wordpress | In our previous ‘About Posterific’ post, we explained on the types, sizes, and pricing of posters that we have at our physical store and on our Facebook page. Today, we’re going to explain to you on how you can shop for posters online from our Posterific Facebook page! Aren’t you excited yet? This is going to be fun! The infographic below contains all the necessary information and steps on how you can go to our Facebook page and buy our posters.
Step 1: Choose the poster(s) of your choice from any of the poster albums in our Photo Album.
Step 2: Place your order via Facebook message, text us via Whatsapp, or send us an email.
Step 3: Pay the total amount purchased via online banking.
The details of our online shopping methods are provided in small print at the bottom of the infographic. If you have any queries, please contact us at theposterific@gmail.com or call us at +6012 638 3032. Let the online shopping begin! | 2019-04-25T12:58:59Z | https://theposterific.wordpress.com/category/guidelines/ | Porn | Shopping | 0.825734 |
wordpress | ← Less addictive cigarettes or new products to keep Americans addicted?
What’s on the Tobacco Scene?
Trinkets and Trash came out with their December newsletter, and the non-cigarette brands are all vying for a piece of the cigarette smokers’ pie.
Zonnic, a nicotine gum produced by Reynolds America, Inc, offered coupons for free packs of gum, while Zyn, a tobacco-free nicotine pouch that uses nicotine salt produced by Swedish Match, also advertised their product as a way to avoid the smoke. They don’t mention quitting smoking, just use their product.
Christmas ads for tobacco products aren’t like they used to be with decorated cartons of cigarettes and tins of pipe tobacco ready for gift giving. Now the ads show serene winter scenes and if the warning that the product causes mouth cancer wasn’t there, you might not even know it was for a tobacco product. When I hear “longhorn,” I think steakhouse, not tobacco. Red Seal, another smokeless tobacco product, offered coupons and links to the brand website so users could see all the charitable donations the company made. Does this make users feel warm and fuzzy towards the company? You can also send “cheer” to a farmer, although they don’t mention whether it is a tobacco farmer or not. American Spirit brand cigarettes sent a group photo of the brand staff. Perhaps that makes the cigarette brand more personable.
The CEO of NJOY, a vaping device, claims “he didn’t quit, he switched,” and he is suggesting you do the same. Their “Switch Kits” were available on the website during December at a savings of 73%. They claim vaping is low-risk and offer “mentoring” on the brand’s website from vapers who have successfully switched to help you on your “self-guided switch journey.” They offer “advice and evidence-based behavioral change techniques developed by experts” so you will WANT to do this. So now a company selling an addictive nicotine delivery system is using words like “evidence-based” and “behavior change” in hopes of giving their product legitimacy, all to keep people addicted to nicotine.
In case you need a definition, evidence-based practices started out in medicine and spread to other fields, such as education. The evidence comes from “research findings derived from the systematic collection of data through observation and experiment and the formulation of questions and testing of hypotheses,” according the Wikipedia. The people helping you on line aren’t scientists, they are users just like you.
No matter the delivery system, giving up any nicotine product will help you feel better, and allow your body to heal. Your wallet will also appreciate having more money in it.
Click HERE for the December installment of Trinkets and Trash.
This entry was posted in Smokeless tobacco, Smoking, Tobacco market, vaping and tagged chewing tobacco, Cigarettes, e-cigarettes, NJOY, Trinkets and Trash. Bookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-18T10:35:58Z | https://tobaccopreventionk12.wordpress.com/2018/01/31/whats-on-the-tobacco-scene/ | Porn | Business | 0.353473 |
wired | A particle detector deep under an Italian mountainside has detected direct evidence of a crucial part of the Sun's fusion process for the first time.
A team of researchers from across Europe and the United States are studying the emission of low-energy neutrinos – a little-understood particle that reacts only weakly with ordinary matter – from the core of the Sun. The reactions there fuse single protons with other elements, creating new atomic nuclei, emitting vast numbers of neutrinos in the process.
A small portion of these – about one in ten thousand – are so-called high energy, and have been detected by earlier experiments. But the low-energy majority – so numerous that about 10 billion pass through a fingernail in any given second, according to Virginia Tech Professor and project member Bruce Vogelaar – have been more difficult to detect, indistinguishable from background radiation produced by ordinary materials used in experiments.
The team of more than 100 researchers working in the Borexino Collaboration has made a number of conceptual and technological breakthroughs over the past decade allowing them to build the Italian facility, which has unprecedented levels of shielding and purity, finally allowing detection of this predicted solar radiation.
The detector itself is essentially a tank containing 350,000 gallons of organic liquid, surrounded by photosensors that capture light emitted when a neutrino passing through the space collides with an electron.
Researchers are studying the signature of neutrinos emitted by the decay of Beryllium-7, one of the critical steps in the Sun's fusion process. In a sense, this gives them a kind of time machine; the neutrinos reach Earth about 8 minutes after being emitted, while the thermal energy produced at the Sun's core takes close to 50,000 years to reach the star's surface, and then travel to Earth as sunlight, the scientists said.
The team hopes that the observations will help scientists learn more about the Sun's energy cycle, as well as help physicists gain a better understanding of the nature of neutrinos themselves. | 2019-04-19T13:09:31Z | https://www.wired.com/2007/08/from-undergroun/ | Porn | Science | 0.991745 |
wordpress | Nerd alert! I need to put this list of instructions for using git somewhere so it’s going here. I hope it might be useful for someone else too.
Why: One of my most valuable assets at my job is a directory full of sample code projects I’ve created over the years. Sometimes, it’s a command line tool such as “nsdictionary” which I created to test something with that API, or sometimes it’ll be a full App like “ThreadedQCLayersAndBindings” which tests complicated interrelationships. They were quick and dirty, taught me something specific, and useful as templates for future exploration and now I can’t bare to lose them.
There are lots of tools that could work… Rsync, svn, cvs, rcs, etc. Each have their merits, but in the end take too much time to maintain or don’t provide enough features to be worth the time to set up.
The setup: Mac Desktop and Mac Laptop and I mount the HD of one on the other over AFP. This is NOT a tutorial for setting up a git server. There may be plenty of those but that’s more than I wanted to accomplish so I didn’t even read them. Git is installed by default on Snow Leopard so this is also NOT a tutorial for setting up Git on Mac OS X. This is glorified Rsync with revisions.
Yep, it’s really that easy to set up git. At this point, you can track history through the log of commit messages, and roll back as necessary.
2.) Mount the LaptopHD over afp:// by browsing in Finder, or whatever you’re used to. This also probably works for iDisk and other transport types but for now, we’ll call it LaptopHD.
Wow that’s pretty easy too.
What the… NOOOOO!!!!!! What have I done!?!?
When I did git push, I went back to DesktopHD expecting the files to be there. They weren’t so I did a git pull. Nope, files are up to date. I did a git status on the LaptopHD version, everything was checked in. Back on the DesktopHD version I did git status and all my files were in the status and marked for deletion. What??? So I killed that repository, started from scratch by copying files from the LaptopHD and did all the steps again, except with the second step 5 rather than the first.
Searching online, it looks like maybe there’s a way to set up a –bare repository and use hooks to automatically forward to your main repository or something. Crap on that. It’s easier to understand, “This is a distributed versioning system, you always pull your changes from elsewhere” and with a couple git remote add commands, pulling from multiple sources is pretty painless.
So there’s my story. I really like git now, just so long as I don’t use git push ever. | 2019-04-19T23:26:51Z | https://troykoelling.wordpress.com/2010/08/ | Porn | Computers | 0.936911 |
wikipedia | For other uses, see Golden Horseshoe (disambiguation).
The Golden Horseshoe is a secondary region of Southern Ontario, Canada which lies at the western end of Lake Ontario, with outer boundaries stretching south to Lake Erie and north to Lake Scugog. The region is the most densely populated and industrialized in Canada. With a population of 7,826,367 people in its core and 9,245,438 in its greater area, the Golden Horseshoe accounts for over 21% of the population of Canada and more than 55% of Ontario's population. It is part of the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor and the Great Lakes Megalopolis.
Location of the Golden Horseshoe in Ontario.
The core of the Golden Horseshoe starts from Niagara Falls at the eastern end of the Niagara Peninsula and extends west, wrapping around the western end of Lake Ontario at Hamilton and then turning northeast to Toronto (on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario), before finally terminating at Oshawa. The term "Greater Golden Horseshoe" is also used to describe a broader region that stretches inland from the core to the area of the Trent–Severn Waterway, such as Peterborough in the northeast, to Barrie and Lake Simcoe in the north, and to the Grand River area, including centres such as Brantford, Waterloo Region, and Guelph to the west. The extended region's area covers approximately 33,500 km2 (13,000 sq mi), out of this, 7,300 km2 (2,800 sq mi) or approximately 22% of the area is covered by the environmentally protected Greenbelt. The Greater Golden Horseshoe forms the neck of the Ontario Peninsula.
View of the western edge of Lake Ontario (left), with Cootes Paradise to the west (right) in Hamilton. The region derives its name from the horseshoe shape of the western edge of the lake.
The "horseshoe" part of the region's name is derived from the characteristic horseshoe shape of the west end of Lake Ontario with Cootes Paradise between Burlington and Hamilton roughly positioned in the centre. The "golden" part is historically attributed to the region's wealth and prosperity, according to the Canadian Oxford Dictionary.
Hamilton in 50 years will be the forward cleat in a 'golden horseshoe' of industrial development from Oshawa to the Niagara River ... 150 miles [240 km] long and 50 miles [80 km] wide ... It will run from Niagara Falls on the south to about Oshawa on the north and take in numerous cities and towns already there, including Hamilton and Toronto.
The speech writer who actually penned the phrase was Charles Hunter MacBain, executive assistant to five Westinghouse presidents including Rogge.
The Golden Horseshoe has been recognised as a geographic region since the 1950s, but it was only on July 13, 2004 that a report from the provincial Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal entitled Places to Grow coined the term Greater Golden Horseshoe, extending the boundaries west to Waterloo Region, north to Barrie/Simcoe County, and northeast to the county and city of Peterborough. A subsequent edition released February 16, 2005, broadened the term further, adding Brant, Haldimand and Northumberland Counties to the now quasi-administrative region. The Greater Golden Horseshoe region is officially designated in Ontario Regulation 416/05 under the Places to Grow Act. The designation Greater Golden Horseshoe has legal significance with respect to taxation: In April 2017, the Government of Ontario announced plans to impose a 15 per cent Non-Resident Speculation Tax (NRST) on non-Canadian citizens, non-permanent residents and non-Canadian corporations (with exceptions or rebates for refugees, qualifying students and certain people working in Ontario) buying residential properties containing one to six units in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH).
The provincial transit authority Metrolinx makes use of the term Greater Golden Horseshoe. The Metrolinx definition is consistent with the original 2004 Places to Grow definition. However, the city and county of Peterborough is not included.
The population of the Golden Horseshoe was 7.82 million residents at the 2016 census. The region is projected to grow to 11.5 million people by 2031.
The economy of this region is very diverse. The Toronto Stock Exchange is the third largest in North America by market capitalization (after the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ), and seventh largest in the world.
A worker installing car batteries at Ford's Oakville Assembly. The automotive industry is a major sector of the Golden Horseshoe's economy.
Cities such as Hamilton, Oshawa, Oakville, Whitby and Kitchener all contain major large-scale industrial production facilities, Hamilton being dominated by the steel industry and Oakville and Oshawa primarily in the automotive industry. Other significant automotive-production facilities also exist in Brampton, St. Catharines, Cambridge and Alliston. While manufacturing remains important to the economy of the region, the manufacturing sector has experienced a significant decline since 2000 as a result of unfavourable currency exchange rates, increasing energy costs, and reduced demand from the United States, which is by far the largest market for Ontario's goods.
Hamilton and Toronto also have two of the largest seaports in Lake Ontario. The Welland Canal system handles tanker ship and recreational traffic through the Great Lakes. Large rail and truck distribution facilities are located in Toronto, Vaughan and Brampton. Food processing is also a key ingredient in the economy.
The Niagara Peninsula is Canada's largest wine growing region and a major producer of Ontario wine.
Niagara Falls has one of the world's largest per-capita tourist economies, benefiting from millions of tourists coming to see its majestic waterfalls, shop in its numerous stores, and visit its many attractions. The winemaking and fruit growing industries of the Niagara Peninsula produce award-winning wines, which are beginning to attract attention around the world, in particular the ice wine for which the region is known.
However, as of 2014, sectors such as information technology, health care, tourism, research and finance provide the bulk of growth in the Golden Horseshoe. The suburban cities within Greater Toronto such as, Brampton, Markham, and Mississauga, along with the city of Waterloo, are emerging as hubs for technology and innovation.
The Golden Horseshoe is home to several universities, including the University of Toronto and McMaster University in Hamilton, which are ranked 1st and 4th in Canada, respectively, by the Academic Ranking of World Universities. Other universities in the region include Brock University in St. Catherines, Trent University, York University, OCAD University, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, University of Guelph and Ryerson University. There is also a strong integration between the universities and hospitals in the area, particularly in Toronto and Hamilton. Both cities have an extensive medical research core.
Public primary and secondary schooling is typically provided by school boards, largely organized at the municipal or county/regional level. The only school board that operates throughout the Golden Horseshoe is Conseil scolaire Viamonde, a public French-language school board, and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir, a public French language separate school board.
Peeks Caribbean Carnival is an annual cultural festival held in the City of Toronto.
Toronto is an alpha global city, known for its performing arts and night life. Downtown Toronto is one of the largest central business districts in North America. The city is pedestrian friendly and has one of the lowest crime rates in Canada; the 45 murders committed in 2011 is the lowest for a major North American city.
Formerly the tallest freestanding structure on land in the world, the CN Tower in Toronto is among the most internationally notable attractions in the Golden Horseshoe.
Toronto's Yorkville is an example of a world-class shopping district in the city. The city also is home to several notable shopping malls such as Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Toronto Eaton Centre (which is North America's busiest shopping mall), Scarborough Town Centre, and Sherway Gardens. Located in the suburbs of Toronto are Vaughan Mills in Vaughan, Bramalea City Centre in Brampton and Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga, the largest shopping mall in Ontario. Pacific Mall, in Markham, is the largest ethnic shopping mall in eastern Canada.
Large annual cultural festivals that draw tourists and local alike include Oktoberfest in Kitchener and the Peeks Caribbean Carnival (formerly known as Caribana) and Taste of the Danforth in Toronto.
View of Webster's Falls in Hamilton. The falls is a part of the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve, which runs across the western portion of the Golden Horseshoe.
The Niagara Escarpment, a world biosphere as designated by the United Nations, runs from the north at Bruce Peninsula and then east through the region cutting the Niagara Gorge at Niagara Falls. The Bruce Trail runs along the escarpment through mostly protected woodlands. The Cheltenham Badlands in Caledon is an environmentally degraded area along the Niagara Escarpment. Similar protection of some wooded areas exists on the Oak Ridges Moraine running east–west in the north end of the Greater Toronto Area, although development pressures continue to threaten the natural habitat.
The Niagara Region has become one of the major wine-production areas in Canada. The Golden Horseshoe contains many small towns with tourist-jammed, historic main streets, most notably the community of Niagara-on-the-Lake, located at the mouth of the Niagara River. Niagara Falls is one of the world's largest waterfalls, and attracts millions to Clifton Hill, a neighbourhood featuring hundreds of amusements, souvenir stores, restaurants and skyline-changing hotels. Casinos here are also a huge draw.
Hamilton has the historical reputation of being a blue-collar city; however, waterfront redevelopments and large-scale gentrification have been rapidly changing the perception of the city, although it retains a dominant industrial base. Barrie and Peterborough are situated close to scenic lakes, rivers and hills in the northern reaches of the Golden Horseshoe, where all-year around recreation contributes to the local economies, in addition to being major service centres.
View of the Leviathan roller coaster at Canada's Wonderland. Located in Vaughan, Wonderland is Canada's largest amusement park.
There are a number of theme parks in the Golden Horseshoe, all of which are seasonal. Canada's Wonderland, run by Cedar Fair in Vaughan, 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Vaughan Mills, is the largest and most attended theme park in Canada, as well as the most attended seasonal theme park in North America. Other theme parks include Wet'n'Wild Toronto (formerly Wild Water Kingdom) in Brampton, African Lion Safari in Hamilton and Cambridge, and Marineland in Niagara Falls. Though not a theme park per se, the Exhibition Place hosts the annual Canadian National Exhibition.
The Golden Horseshoe hosted the 2015 Pan American Games and the 2015 Parapan American Games.
The Queen Elizabeth Way is a major controlled-access highway that connects Greater Toronto with the Niagara Peninsula.
The Golden Horseshoe is served by an extensive network of expressways, the backbone of which is the Queen Elizabeth Way and Highway 401, one of the widest and busiest expressways in the world. Public transit in the region is coordinated by Metrolinx. Regional transit is provided by GO Transit trains and buses, and by private bus operators Greyhound and Coach Canada. Local transit is provided by municipal agencies, the largest of which is the Toronto Transit Commission, which operates three subway lines and one light metro line and an extensive bus and streetcar network. Toronto is currently the only city in the area with a rail-based local transit network, though its subway system extends to Vaughan as well at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station since December 2017. However, several cities in the region have light rail lines in the works. These include the approved Hurontario LRT in Peel Region and B-Line in Hamilton.
The primary airport of the region is Toronto Pearson International Airport (officially Lester B. Pearson International Airport), located in Mississauga, which is the busiest in Canada and the 31st busiest in the world, handling over 49.5 million passengers in 2018, and offering non-stop flights worldwide. Other regional airports of significance include John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport located in southern Hamilton, which is a major regional freight and courier location; Buttonville Airport and Billy Bishop airport in the Greater Toronto Area, both of which mostly serve regional business travellers but the latter being the third largest in the region for passenger volume. Within driving distance is Buffalo Niagara International Airport in Cheektowaga, New York, in the United States. Buffalo Niagara carries the second largest passenger volume in the region, serving over 5 million passengers in 2018. It is frequently used by Canadian passengers flying to U.S. destinations.
Skyline of Downtown Toronto. The city is the financial anchor of the Golden Horseshoe.
Hamilton lies at the western edge of Lake Ontario, and is the geographic centre of the Golden Horseshoe.
Niagara Falls is a major tourist destination, situated at the southern portion of the Golden Horseshoe.
Population figures are from the 2016 census.
The census metropolitan areas listed below are within the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Not all land within the Greater Golden Horseshoe is part of a Census Metropolitan Area; some Census Metropolitan Areas are partly in the Golden Horseshoe and partly outside it.
^ Canada, Government of Canada, Statistics. "Table 1.1Population and demographic factors of growth by census metropolitan area, Canada". www.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
^ "Portrait of the Canadian Population in 2006: Subprovincial population dynamics, Greater Golden Horseshoe". Statistics Canada, 2006 Census of Population. 2007-03-13. Retrieved 2007-03-13.
^ Barber, Katherine, ed. (2005). "Golden Horseshoe". Canadian Oxford Dictionary (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195418163. Retrieved 11 September 2017. ORIGIN: So called with reference to the area's wealth and horseshoe-like shape.
^ "Fast Facts from Hamilton's Past". Archived from the original on 2006-09-05. Retrieved 2007-01-08.
^ Strada, Eric. "Looking Back: The Golden Truth". Biz Magazine. Postmedia Network. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
^ "Places to Grow". Archived from the original on 2006-09-07. Retrieved 2006-09-13.
^ "Places to Grow Act, 2005 - Ontario Regulation 416/05 - Growth Plan Areas". Government of Ontario. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
^ Marr, Garry. "Ontario slaps 15% tax on foreign buyers, expands rent control in 16-point plan to cool housing". Financial Post. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
^ Office of the Premier (April 20, 2017). "News Release: Making Housing More Affordable". Queen's Printer for Ontario. Retrieved 30 April 2017. introducing a 15 per cent Non-Resident Speculation Tax (NRST) on non-Canadian citizens, non-permanent residents and non-Canadian corporations buying residential properties containing one to six units in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH).
^ "For a Greater Region". Metrolinx. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
^ "Greater Golden Horseshoe, GTA and Hamilton Population, Household and Employment Forecasts" (PDF). Regional Municipality of York. February 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 6, 2011.
^ "Toronto Stock Exchange is the Third Largest in North America". 2Ontario.com. Archived from the original on February 11, 2007.
^ "Innovation & Technology". www.brampton.ca.
^ "Canadian Shopping Centre Study" (PDF). Retail Council of Canada. December 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
^ "About Us". Metrolinx. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
^ Outhit, Jeff (Oct 27, 2011). "Rail yard purchased for rapid transit". Waterloo Region Record. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
^ "Hurontario/Main Street Corridor Master Plan" (PDF). MMM Group. October 2010. p. 578. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2012-04-08. | 2019-04-23T23:58:14Z | https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Horseshoe | Porn | Reference | 0.117499 |
wordpress | Posted by metzgerd in Recommendations, Teen.
Have your teens seen the Hunger Games and Divergent movies, read the books, and are clamoring for more? (Are YOU?) Good news! More movies based on great teen books are due out this summer! Check out the books from our Central library, any CCLD branch library, or download the library’s ebooks from STARCat to read the books before the movies come out!
Meryl Streep, Jeff Bridges, star in this award winning, classic, dystopian fiction.
Never a Dull Moment for Teens @ Central Library!
Stay tuned to our Calendar of Events for teen events such as Teen Night, Manga Club, and “Spark a Reaction” Teen Summer Reading fun in July & August.
Teens & Parents: Want reminders for TEEN-only Central (Steele) Library events in your email or your cell phone? Teen Librarian Doris Jean uses “Remind 101”; Your cell phone number will remain private. You will receive reminder messages about teen library events from librarian Doris Jean. You can choose to unsubscribe at any time. Here’s how to sign up for text OR email reminders: For TEXT reminders: text the message @teenevent to the number (607)281-6812; for EMAIL reminders: send a blank email to “teenevent@mail.remind101.com”.
Posted by CCLD in Steele.
Recently we created a display, at the Steele Memorial Library, of books that were subsequently made into movies. Many examples come to mind, including older titles such as “The Maltese Falcon” by Dashiell Hammett (1930) and the film version of the same title which starred Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor (1941). Additionally, there are many contemporary titles such as the memoir “Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia” by Elizabeth Gilbert (2006), adapted to the screen starring Julia Roberts (2010).
In the process of making lists and gathering books and DVDs for this display, we became involved in that age old debate “which is better the book or the movie?” The popular consensus seems to be that the book is usually better than the movie. What I’m hearing from this discussion is that the reading process enables the reader to appreciate the written words and engages their imagination. Greater depth may be created within the written story and the characters can be envisioned with much more detail.
I think everyone has to agree that sometimes a great book can become an even greater movie. The first title that comes to mind is “Gone With the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell published in 1936. The movie of 1939, featuring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, became a timeless classic. There is also “The Lord of the Rings” by J. R. R. Tolkien, a wonderful fantasy story written between 1937 and 1949, and published in 1954. These books are the subject of various film versions, but the one that stands out, directed by Peter Jackson, was produced in three parts: “The Fellowship of the Ring (2001),” “The Two Towers (2002),” and “The Return of the King (2003).” These films definitely bring the story and its intricate fantasy world to life!
Another part of this debate is stories that were better on the big screen than they were in print. “The Godfather” by Mario Puzo (1969), was made into the film version in 1972, directed by Francis Coppola starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. This film won many awards, including an Academy Award for Best Picture. This film brought the book and its author greater popularity.
Meanwhile, the debate continues. What are your thoughts, which do you think is better the book or the movie? | 2019-04-21T14:22:30Z | https://ccldblog.wordpress.com/tag/book/ | Porn | Home | 0.108489 |
wordpress | I have just created a Project page on Wiki for my project work . Project work is enhancement of Func based module named ‘Yumcmd’. Its Just a beginning. Here is link to my project page.
Suggestions & help would be really appreciated. | 2019-04-23T00:16:55Z | https://varinderjhand.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/func-module-yumcmd-enhancement-project/ | Porn | Computers | 0.301336 |
wordpress | No one wants to take a challenge.
I keep getting higher and higher and eventually, I am so high.
I look down and see small people looking up and I laugh because I’ve finally gotten away from the judgement and the turmoil.
← Be who you are and not what others want. | 2019-04-20T08:48:20Z | https://abelprasadcom.wordpress.com/2018/07/07/abel-prasads-poems/ | Porn | Reference | 0.251493 |
50webs | FCAT, SAT, and ACT preparation. Elementary, secondary, and higher education. Algebra, geometry, algebraic geometry, probability theory, and expository writing. All fields related to computer science and information technology. Learn to write résumés and cover letters. Learn skills that are essential for business and academic success. Gain an array of computer skills as well as troubleshooting know-how and expertise. Dr. Brockway has a bachelor’s degree "With Distinction" in Elementary Education (GPA: 3.95) and a master’s degree in Computer Science (GPA: 3.83). In addition, Dr. Brockway has a doctor of education degree in Organizational Leadership with a Specialization in Instructional Technology (GPA: 3.74). Dissertation: Perceptions of Teachers Towards Technology and Current Staff Development Programs and an Evaluation of the Professional Development Programs Designed to Integrate Technology Into Instruction. Moreover, Dr. Brockway also has four professional certifications from the Florida Department of Education: Computer Science, Business Education, Elementary Education, and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). Inducted to Alpha Chi National College Honor Scholarship Society and Phi Gamma Sigma International Professional Doctoral Society. Dr. Brockway is a Computer Science adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University. Fluent in Spanish (written/oral).
Click the above image to see Dr. Brockway's Alma Mater.
Have your PC running like new. Never have a slow PC again. Remove harmful errors that slow down your PC. Extend the life of your computer by optimizing the performance of your machine. Tune-up utilities are free with service. Anti-virus program, spyware removal application, registry clean-up software, and firewall installation are free with service. Every PC should have the aforementioned programs for optimum security. All viruses and spyware will be removed (including the hidden ones). The registry will be clean, restored, and immunized. Firewall will be configured to optimal settings for greater security. Also: computer troubleshooting, program application restitution and operating system restoration.
Convert your photos into a high-tech multimedia video (music tracks, audio effects, animation integration, special effects, and transitions to match the theme). JibJab types of videos are also available as well as custom designed animations that can be integrated onto photos, hence, animatedly enhancing the picture. Choose your own songs for video integration. Free optional features: two-dimensional animated intro (awesome feature), title page, photo captions, and personal message to end the video. Also included: photo repair, restoration, enhancements, and LightScribe DVD with jewel case. Free DVD samples are available for evaluation purposes. Two short samples: Brady's Photo Album and Happy Holidays! | 2019-04-26T15:43:55Z | http://www.brockway.50webs.com/ | Porn | Computers | 0.820917 |
google | 2001-08-10 Assigned to ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, INC. reassignment ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: WIENER, EITAN T., FRIEDMAN, ALLAN L., STULEN, FOSTER B.
Failures associate with bad hand pieces and blade failures in an ultrasonic surgical system are distinguished by monitoring the rate of change of the resonance frequency and the rate of change of the resonance impedance of the hand piece/blade as the drive frequency is changed. As the system reaches resonance, the control system locks onto the resonance frequency. When a loss of lock occurs with no recovery, the rate of change of the frequency and rate of change of the impedance are compared to obtain the fastest rate of change which is stored in non-volatile memory of the ultrasonic generator. If the rates of change are higher than normal rates of change due to temperature changes with the longest blades, a “Bad Blade” message is displayed on an LCD.
The present invention relates to, and claims priority of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/242,273 filed on Oct. 20, 2000, having the same title as the present invention, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The method of the invention permits the discrimination of a bad hand piece and a bad blade. This permits nurses and surgeons to promptly repair or replace the broken component by detecting, upon the loss of lock, whether the rate of change of impedance and frequency data is higher or lower than the values stored in memory for a good hand piece or blade.
FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) are flow charts illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 1 is an illustration of a system for implementing the method according to the invention. By means of a first set of wires in cable 20, electrical energy, i.e., drive current, is sent from the console 10 to a hand piece 30 where it imparts ultrasonic longitudinal movement to a surgical device, such as a sharp scalpel blade 32. This blade can be used for simultaneous dissection and cauterization of tissue. The supply of ultrasonic current to the hand piece 30 may be under the control of a switch 34 located on the hand piece, which is connected to the generator in console 10 via wires in cable 20. The generator may also be controlled by a foot switch 40, which is connected to the console 10 by another cable 50. Thus, in use a surgeon may apply an ultrasonic electrical signal to the hand piece, causing the blade to vibrate longitudinally at an ultrasonic frequency, by operating the switch 34 on the hand piece with his finger, or by operating the foot switch 40 with his foot.
The generator console 10 includes a liquid crystal display device 12, which can be used for indicating the selected cutting power level in various means such, as percentage of maximum cutting power or numerical power levels associated with cutting power. The liquid crystal display device 12 can also be utilized to display other parameters of the system. Power switch 11 is used to turn on the unit. While it is warming up, the “standby” light 13 is illuminated. When it is ready for operation, the “ready” indicator 14 is illuminated and the standby light goes out. If the unit is to supply maximum power, the MAX button 15 is depressed. If a lesser power is desired, the MIN button 17 is activated. The level of power when MIN is active is set by button 16.
When power is applied to the ultrasonic hand piece by operation of either switch 34 or 40, the assembly will cause the surgical scalpel or blade to vibrate longitudinally at approximately 55.5 kHz, and the amount of longitudinal movement will vary proportionately with the amount of driving power (current) applied, as adjustably selected by the user. When relatively high cutting power is applied, the blade is designed to move longitudinally in the range of about 40 to 100 microns at the ultrasonic vibrational rate. Such ultrasonic vibration of the blade will generate heat as the blade contacts tissue, i.e., the acceleration of the blade through the tissue converts the mechanical energy of the moving blade to thermal energy in a very narrow and localized area. This localized heat creates a narrow zone of coagulation, which will reduce or eliminate bleeding in small vessels, such as those less than one millimeter in diameter. The cutting efficiency of the blade, as well as the degree of hemostasis, will vary with the level of driving power applied, the cutting rate of the surgeon, the nature of the tissue type and the vascularity of the tissue.
As illustrated in more detail in FIG. 2, the ultrasonic hand piece 30 houses a piezoelectric transducer 36 for converting electrical energy to mechanical energy that results in longitudinal vibrational motion of the ends of the transducer. The transducer 36 is in the form of a stack of ceramic piezoelectric elements with a motion null point located at some point along the stack. The transducer stack is mounted between two cylinders 31 and 33. In addition a cylinder 35 is attached to cylinder 33, which in turn is mounted to the housing at another motion null point 37. A horn 38 is also attached to the null point on one side and to a coupler 39 on the other side. Blade 32 is fixed to the coupler 39. As a result, the blade 32 will vibrate in the longitudinal direction at an ultrasonic frequency rate with the transducer 36. The ends of the transducer achieve maximum motion with a portion of the stack constituting a motionless node, when the transducer is driven with a maximum current at the transducers' resonant frequency. However, the current providing the maximum motion will vary with each hand piece and is a valve stored in the non-volatile memory of the hand piece so the system can use it.
The parts of the hand piece are designed such that the combination will oscillate at the same resonant frequency. In particular, the elements are tuned such that the resulting length of each such element is one-half wavelength. Longitudinal back and forth motion is amplified as the diameter closer to the blade 32 of the acoustical mounting horn 38 decreases. Thus, the horn 38 as well as the blade/coupler are shaped and dimensioned so as to amplify blade motion and provide harmonic vibration in resonance with the rest of the acoustic system, which produces the maximum back and forth motion of the end of the acoustical mounting horn 38 close to the blade 32. A motion at the transducer stack is amplified by the horn 38 into a movement of about 20 to 25 microns. A motion at the coupler 39 is amplified by the blade 32 into a blade movement of about 40 to 100 microns.
The system which creates the ultrasonic electrical signal for driving the transducer in the hand piece is illustrated in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b). This drive system is flexible and can create a drive signal at a desired frequency and power level setting. A DSP 60 or microprocessor in the system is used for monitoring the appropriate power parameters and vibratory frequency as well as causing the appropriate power level to be provided in either the cutting or coagulation operating modes. The DSP 60 or microprocessor also stores computer programs which are used to perform diagnostic tests on components of the system, such as the transducer/blade.
For example, under the control of a program stored in the DSP or microprocessor 60, such as a phase correction algorithm, the frequency during startup can be set to a particular value, e.g., 50 kHz. It can than be caused to sweep up at a particular rate until a change in impedance, indicating the approach to resonance, is detected. Then the sweep rate can be reduced so that the system does not overshoot the resonance frequency, e.g., 55 kHz. The sweep rate can be achieved by having the frequency change in increments, e.g., 50 cycles. If a slower rate is desired, the program can decrease the increment, e.g., to 25 cycles which both can be based adaptively on the measured transducer impedance magnitude and phase. Of course, a faster rate can be achieved by increasing the size of the increment. Further, the rate of sweep can be changed by changing the rate at which the frequency increment is updated.
In operation, the user sets a particular power level to be used with the surgical instrument. This is done with power level selection switch 16 on the front panel of the console. The switch generates signals 150 that are applied to the DSP 60. The DSP 60 then displays the selected power level by sending a signal on line 152 (FIG. 3(b)) to the console front panel display 12.
To actually cause the surgical blade to vibrate, the user activates the foot switch 40 or the hand piece switch 34. This activation puts a signal on line 154 in FIG. 3(a). This signal is effective to cause power to be delivered from push-pull amplifier 78 to the transducer 36. When the DSP or microprocessor 60 has achieved lock on the hand piece transducer resonance frequency and power has been successfully applied to the hand piece transducer, an audio drive signal is put on line 156. This causes an audio indication in the system to sound, which communicates to the user that power is being delivered to the hand piece and that the scalpel is active and operational.
FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) are flow charts illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention. Under control of the program stored in the DSP or microprocessor 60 shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), the method of the invention is implemented by using the ultrasonic driver unit to excite the hand piece/blade and obtain impedance data over a frequency range of 50 to 56 kilohertz, as indicated in step 400.
Using the DSP to monitor the frequency, the rate of change of the resonance frequency (Δf/Δt) and resonance impedance (Δz/Δt) of the transducer/blade are continuously monitored. Selected values are stored in the non-volatile memory in the ultrasonic generator, as indicated in step 410. A generator diagnostic built-in-self-test is executed to check the status of internal circuitry within the generator, and a determination is made whether the generator passed the tests, as indicated in step 420.
The generator monitors (Δf/Δt) and (Δz/Δt) to determine whether lock is present, as indicated in step 450. Upon loss of lock with no recovery, a comparison of stored Δf/Δt and Δz/Δt values with defined thresholds is performed to determine whether the fastest rates of change observed exceed threshold values, as indicated in step 460.
If the fastest rates of change retrieved from memory are higher than the normally expected rates of change due to temperature changes associated with blades having the longest physical length, a “Bad blade” message is displayed on the LCD of the console, as indicated in step 475. If, on the other hand, the fastest rates of change retrieved from memory are lower than the normally expected rates of change due to temperature changes associated with blades having the longest physical length and the generator passed the built-in-self-test, a “Bad Hand piece” message is displayed on the LCD, as indicated in step 480. The normally expected rate of change is a value which is stored within the memory available to the generator, such as an EEPROM memory in a hand piece connected to the generator.
if the rates of change are higher than normal rates of change due to temperature changes associated with longer blades, displaying a message on a liquid crystal display of the generator.
2. The method of claims 1, wherein the step of applying the drive signal comprises exciting the hand piece/blade with an ultrasonic signal at the predetermined drive frequency.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined drive frequency is in a range of 50 kHz to 56 kHz.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring the rate of change of the resonance frequency and the rate of change of the resonance impedance is performed continuously at start up.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the diagnostic self test fails, all tests are terminated.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring the ultrasonic generator is performed during use of the hand piece/blade.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein use of the hand piece/blade comprises at least one of running the hand piece/blade in mid-air, cutting tissue, cauterizing tissue and coagulating tissue.
displaying a “Bad Hand Piece” message on the liquid crystal display, if the fastest rates of change are lower than the normally expected rates of change due to the temperature changes associated with the blades having the longest physical length and the generator passed the diagnostic self test.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the normally expected rates of change are constant values which are stored in the memory of the generator.
ES01308935T ES2263563T3 (en) 2000-10-20 2001-10-19 Method for detecting blade breakage using rate information and / or impedance. | 2019-04-24T15:30:38Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/US20020049427A1/en | Porn | Reference | 0.434417 |
wordpress | Thanks to all of you who have been praying for the country of Haiti. We wanted to pass along a few pieces of information we’ve received from our friends connected to Caribbean Vision Ministries with an update on how House of Hope and the Bible Institute are now that the storm has moved on. Below is a the most recent email from CVM director, Chuck Davis.
Thank you for praying for the people of Haiti, the Bahamas, and the United States. Caribbean Vision Ministries is serving Haitian people in each of these countries. This letter is an update and clarification on the folks we are involved with at this time.
If you are watching the TV news you know that the South part of Haiti was hit very hard by hurricane Matthew and many people were killed. Caribbean Vision is not greatly involved in that part of Haiti but we do encourage you to support relief efforts to the Haitian people through reliable organizations that are serving the Haitian people.
We are heavily involved in the Northern part of Haiti and we are thankful that this area of Haiti was not heavily impacted by hurricane Matthew. As far as we know at this time all our ministries, staff, and people we serve are doing well with only the usual water run off from rain and no wind damage. We will update this report as more information becomes available.
La Piste – this church suffered major roof damage and needs urgent repair. This is the key church in the Las Cahobas area for Pastoral training & church planting.
Grande Savane – this church was destroyed by heavy winds.
Cassaco – this church was under construction and lost a lot of the building materials.
Roche Pablic II- the roof panels were all blown away.
Guayai– the church has serious damage.
Beaudrin– has suffered major roof damage.
We have listed these churches by name so that you may pray for the people of these churches and their needs at this time. If these facilities are damaged you may be sure that many houses and other buildings suffered damage as well. We will report these things as we get information.
CVM is in the process of obtaining cost estimates on these church facilities so that we can find the best way of helping each of these churches. We will be needing funds to assist them in their building needs and possibly for their church family personal needs as well. We will keep you informed. You can make a financial donation to help in this situation by sending a check to Caribbean Vision Ministries, PO Box 18317, Panama City Beach, FL 32417 or go to our website and use Paypal to make a donation. Mark your gift for Las Cahobas, Haiti relief.
At this time we are waiting on reports from the ministries we help in the Bahamas so we can report to you. Please pray for all the people in the Bahamas. We also serve many Haitian people in the South Florida area. This is where two of the CVM Board members live, Pastor Elysee Joseph (Field Director of Haiti) and Pastor Dumont Cardichon (Field Director for the Bahamas). Millie and I also have two grandchildren and one great grandchild living in South Florida so we would appreciate all your prayers for the people of South Florida. It looks like they will receive a direct hit by hurricane Matthew.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support of Caribbean Vision Ministries and all the Caribbean people we serve in four different countries. Three of those four countries are directly affected by hurricane Matthew. So your prayers and financial help at this time would be greatly appreciated.
The kids at House of Hope were moved to the Bible Institute but have now returned. We praise God that the effects of the storm were minimal in the North but continue to pray for the other regions that have been greatly impacted. We are still waiting for an update from our sister church in Bord-de-Mer as it is a coastal village and will pass along any information we receive as soon as we are able.
Photos sent to Shelly Lutz from HOH friends!
The concert last night was incredible! This nation is in a hopeful place of change. Everyone I have talked to who has been here before say they notice it changing. God is at work.
South Africa recently had an election, and last night I learned that there are born again Christians now in leadership positions. I believe something big is happening here. And I am thrilled that I have had the privilege of seeing part of it on this trip.
Just a few quick things to think about, and that I will be thinking about on my trip home. Apartheid ended here in 1993 – only 26 years ago. More and more South Africans are learning about what happened at that time and the need for reconciliation. And it is starting to happen. That’s God at work.
My prayer is that more South Africans will be made aware of the poverty in the nation. It is hard for us to understand, but many of them do not know that less than 30 minutes away there is extreme poverty and families are living in huts made out of tin.
It may seem impossible for people to change so radically so quickly, but our God is BIG. And He gives us HOPE!
I don’t want to overwhelm anyone, but I did want to share with you a home of a family in poverty. We met them two days ago. I’ll let the photos speak their own words.
Today we are flying back home to the States. We’ll leave at 11:30pm South Africa time (about 5:30pm EST) and then after 3 different flights I’ll be home in Pennsylvania late Saturday night.
I’m usually pretty flexible and adaptable, but I will be honest with you. The length of the flights on the way here definitely got to me. I appreciate your prayers on our flight home – I know it was difficult for others on the team too and some of them have further to go than I do.
Our team included advocates and leaders from Pennsylvania, Tennesse, Idaho, Illinois, Colorado, Canada, and Uganda!
Some of you have been asking about receiving the previous emails I sent on this trip (especially those of you who are just signing up for the email list now). I do plan on making posts on my blog of all of those emails, and I will keep this email list updated on those posts.
Thank you so much for following my trip with me and for all of the encouraging emails I have received from you. It has meant a lot to me and to the team!
See many of you soon!!!
On behalf of Saran, Sophanet and the two of us, we would all like to thank you for your prayers for Saran and all of us!
Praise God for prayer, faith, good doctors, hospitals, and medicine and many many other things.
We got here yesterday after 4:00pm, and they did so many tests, evaluations and had many questions for Saran. By 7:30pm, Saran was in surgery and it was finished about 45 minutes later. The surgeon removed 3 of his toes which were dead and had no blood going to them. he came out of recovery and came to his room about 11:00pm where the three of us were waiting. He looked good, just a little groggy. We prayed with him and asked him some questions, which he was able to answer. We went to our hotel room and Sophanet stayed with him in his hospital room on the couch.
I want to thank so many of you for writing to them and us, we really appreciate it! Thanks so much for your prayers! They have been a great encouragement to all of us!! | 2019-04-21T04:12:36Z | https://engagethroughgrace.wordpress.com/author/alweaver1/ | Porn | Business | 0.700661 |
wordpress | February may be the shortest month of the year, but this one was packed with Dragon Con news. Mike, Mike, Darren, Mary Lou Who, Dakoma, Eternal Zan, and Kevin Bachelder discuss everything from the big guest announcements to the details behind the latest host hotel controversy. Plus, we squeeze in a bit of time to reveal what makes a fantastic fan panel and the power of cosplay. No fake-news here, but watch out for falling rumors.
Check it out on iTunes, Stitcher, or at the following link. | 2019-04-18T10:41:29Z | https://jjchandler.wordpress.com/tag/dragon-con-2017/ | Porn | News | 0.937248 |
wordpress | Would you like to buy a shirt or gift card?
We have all of that and more available. Please fill out the following form and let me know what you would like to purchase. | 2019-04-20T22:28:40Z | https://cafeluluseattle.wordpress.com/lulu-merchandise/ | Porn | Shopping | 0.756927 |
wordpress | We would love to receive post requests here at Astro Collective! If you have a particular aspect of your chart that you would like a write up on (anonymously of course, but you will know it is for you!)…drop us a line or two and we will put astrology heads together for you at HQ. Do check that what you are looking for is not already available on our blog, because there is nothing worse than repeating yourself, is there?!
Please be patient for a response, as the planets may not be aligned. We aim to please so it will not be a mammoth wait!
If you like the astrology musings on this blog, please share as much as you like. Just remember to mention us...you wonderful thing you! | 2019-04-24T20:47:27Z | https://astrocollective.wordpress.com/want-something/ | Porn | Business | 0.264966 |
wikipedia | Matti Ensio Nykänen ( pronunciation (help·info)) (17 July 1963 – 4 February 2019) was a Finnish ski jumper who competed from 1981 to 1991. Widely considered to be the greatest male ski jumper of all time, he won five Winter Olympic medals (four gold), nine World Championship medals (five gold), and 22 Finnish Championship medals (14 gold). Most notably, he won three gold medals at the 1988 Winter Olympics, becoming, along with Yvonne van Gennip of the Netherlands, the most medaled athlete at that Olympiad.
For most of the 1980s, Nykänen and Jens Weißflog of East Germany dominated the sport. Nykänen won gold and silver at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. His 17.5-point gold medal victory was the largest margin of victory in Olympic ski jumping history at the time. He was also the first ever to win gold medals on both hills at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. In 1985 he flew 191 metres in Planica, a world record that stood briefly until Piotr Fijas (Poland) flew 194 metres, again in Planica, in 1987. His other achievements include a total of nine medals (five golds) at the World Championship level. He also won a total of 46 World Cup competitions (only now topped by the current record-holder Gregor Schlierenzauer, Austria) and won the overall title four times (also a record, currently shared with Adam Małysz POL). He won the prestigious Four Hills Tournament twice. He competed in the FIS Ski Flying World Championships five times and placed in the medals every time. Nykänen also won the ski jumping competition at the Holmenkollen ski festival twice (1982, 1985). In 1987, Nykänen was awarded the Holmenkollen Medal (shared with Hermann Weinbuch).
On 28 February 2008, he won the International Masters Championship, the world title for veteran ski jumpers.
Nykänen met millionaire “sausage heiress” Mervi Tapola in 1999, and they were married from 2001 to 2003. They got divorced in 2003, and remarried again in 2004. The marriage was tempestuous and gave rise to many well-publicised incidents: The first reported assault against Tapola occurred in June 2000, following a restraining order that was imposed upon Nykänen. In 2004, Nykänen was handed a suspended sentence for assaulting Tapola again. Nykänen had already been accused of assaulting Tapola in 2001, but the charges were withdrawn because Tapola exercised her right to remain silent.
In September 2005, while on probation for another assault, Nykänen was re-arrested four days after his release for abusing his partner again. Nykänen was convicted and imprisoned for four months on 16 March 2006. Soon after his release, he stabbed a man in a pizza restaurant in Korpilahti. In the summer of 2009, Tapola (then Tapola-Nykänen) petitioned for divorce a 14th time, but cancelled it.
On Christmas Day 2009, Nykänen allegedly injured his wife with a knife and tried to throttle her with a bathrobe belt. He was charged for attempted manslaughter and held in custody by Tampere police, but was released on 28 December after charges were dropped for insufficient evidence. On 24 August 2010, Nykänen was convicted of grievous bodily harm and sentenced to 16 months in prison and ordered to pay €5,000 in compensation to his wife for pain and emotional suffering and €3,000 for legal expenses. In August 2010, Tapola made a 15th request for divorce.
On 24 August 2004, Nykänen was arrested on suspicion of attempted manslaughter of a family friend after losing a finger pulling competition in Tottijärvi, Nokia. In October 2004, he was found guilty of aggravated assault, and sentenced to 26 months in prison. As it was a first offence, he was released in September 2005.
When Nykänen's ski jumping career was drawing to a close, a group of businessmen proposed to make him a singer. His first album Yllätysten yö was released in 1992 and sold over 25,000 copies. Nykänen became the second Olympic gold medalist after Tapio Rautavaara to be awarded a golden record in Finland. His next album Samurai (1993) was not as successful.
At the end of the 1990s, due to serious financial problems, Nykänen worked as a stripper in a Järvenpää restaurant. The restaurateur was reproached for exploitation of Nykänen.
In 2002, Nykänen made a comeback as a singer and released the single "Ehkä otin, ehkä en". He also gave his name to a cider brand with the same advertisement slogan. In 2006 Nykänen released his third studio album Ehkä otin, ehkä en. During most his musical career, Nykänen worked with professional musician Jussi Niemi. Nykänen toured Finland performing two to three times a week with the Samurai ensemble led by Niemi.
Many of Nykänen's singles were named after some (in)famous quotes by Nykänen, such as Elämä on laiffii ('Life is live'), Jokainen tsäänssi on mahdollisuus ('Every chance is a possibility'), and Ehkä otin, ehkä en ('Maybe I did [drink], maybe I didn't').
In November 2009, Nykänen began to present his own cooking web series Mattihan se sopan keitti.
Matti Nykänen died at his home in Lappeenranta, shortly before midnight on 3 February 2019, from a sudden attack of illness, at the age of 55. He had complained of dizziness and nausea earlier that night. He had been diagnosed with diabetes less than three months earlier. He reportedly did not adhere to a diet recommended to diabetics and continued to drink alcohol. The news of his death was widely reported by the media both in Finland and abroad, with many tributes also paid to him by fellow ski jumpers of his time. He is survived by his wife and three children, two from previous and one outside of marriage.
In 1988 DPR Korea issued a postage stamp depicting Nykänen in the flight during competition.
In 2016, Swedish actor Edvin Endre portrayed Nykänen, in the British biographical sports film Eddie the Eagle.
^ a b c d "Troubled Finnish ski jumping legend Matti Nykänen dead at 55". Yle News. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
^ a b "Matti Nykänen oli yksi Suomen kaikkien aikojen urheilijoista – mäkilegendan ainutlaatuiset saavutukset hakevat vertaistaan". Yle (in Finnish). 4 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
^ "NYKAENEN Matti 1963.07.17 FIN" (in Polish). Retrieved 4 February 2019.
^ "Matti Nykänen". IOC. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ Boswell, Thomas (24 February 1988). "Another Jump Begets Gold for Nykanen". The Washington Post. Fred Ryan. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ Associated Press (24 June 1994). "Sports People: Ski Jumping; Nykanen Gives Up Comeback and Retires". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ Davies, Lizzy (28 December 2009). "Ski jump star suspected of trying to stab his wife". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ Battersby, Kate (8 January 2010). "Life still all downhill for ski legend Matti Nykanen". Daily Express. Northern & Shell. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ MacArthur, Paul J. (September–October 2011). Skiing Heritage Journal, p. 29, at Google Books. International Skiing History Association. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ a b c Young, Brett; Sarkar, Pritha (24 August 2010). "Ski jumping-Olympic champion Nykanen handed 16-month jail term". Reuters. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
^ "home.no". Home.no. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
^ Holmenkollen medalists Archived 24 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine – downloadable pdf file.
^ a b c d "Nykänen, Matti – 7 päivää". Seiska.fi. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
^ "Nykäsestä Paanalaksi | Elävä arkisto". yle.fi. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
^ "Matti Nykäselle yli vuosi vankeutta | Tampere". yle.fi. Archived from the original on 27 August 2010. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
^ "Musiikkituottajat – Tilastot – Myydyimmät levyt". Ifpi.fi. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
^ "Olut- ja siideriviikot". City.fi. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
^ "Matti Nykänen – Ehkä Otin, Ehkä En (Albumi)". Noise.fi. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
^ Juuti, Mikko (7 February 2019). "Seiska: Pia-vaimo löysi Matti Nykäsen kuolleena pesuhuoneesta – kertoo mäkikotkan viimeiset sanat". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 8 February 2019.
^ Leinonen, Pauliina (4 February 2019). "Ystävä kertoo: Matti Nykänen oli valitellut illalla huimausta ja pahoinvointia" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
^ Lintunen, Katja (15 November 2018). "Matti Nykänen kärsii oudoista oireista - sai lääkäriltä sokkiuutisen: Pelottaa helkkaristi!". www.seiska.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 8 February 2019.
^ "Mis põhjustas Matti Nykäneni surma? Lähedane sõber avalikustas hirmutava fakti". Sport (in Estonian). 5 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
^ Myllyniemi, Timo; Karjalainen, Tero; Marttinen, Mikko (4 February 2019). "Matti Nykäsen kuolema nousi pääuutiseksi Norjassa – kilpakumppani: "Hän oli mäkihypyn vastaus Diego Maradonalle"" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
^ "Soome meedia: suri suusahüppelegend Matti Nykänen". Elu24 (in Estonian). 4 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
^ a b c d e f g h i "Matti Nykänen (s. 17.7.1963) – Mattihan se sopan keitti". Sub.fi. 17 July 1963. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
^ "HS Sport 9.3.2004 – Matti Nykänen goes on the road to market his biography". Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Matti Nykänen. | 2019-04-24T02:05:29Z | https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matti_Nyk%C3%A4nen | Porn | Sports | 0.939457 |
wordpress | Our first unit in Algebra 1 is “Solving Equations and Inequalities.” This also includes dimensional analysis and rearranging formulas. Since this unit should mostly be a review, I assign this Calendar Project. The answer to each problem in the September calendar is the date. So the answer to the problem on Thursday, September 1st is x = 1. At first, this greatly confuses students as to why I gave them the answer. But my objective of this assignment is for students to show me the steps they use to solve each problem so we can focus on our methods rather than just trying to find the correct answer.
The second part of the project is for students to write their own problems. In the past, I have had students choose a month and write 30 problems for that month. However, this turned out to be too time consuming and challenging. This year I am going to have students write 10 problems, and I am going to assign them the numbers for their answers. It’s much harder for students to write a problem with 27 as the answer as compared to 3, so I’ll use this to differentiate.
At the end of the month, I think I’m going to have each student design an 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of paper with one of their problems on it. Then, we’ll make a massive calendar in the hallway with everyone’s days put together. Pictures to come!
This entry was posted in algebra1, projects by growingexponentially. Bookmark the permalink.
This is a great assignment! It provides an embedded review and an opportunity to be creative. Nicely done!
This is a fantastic review lesson! Students solve an algebra problem each day in September and then make their own calendar problems for the rest of the school year.
I have had you on my blogroll and didn’t realize it was you 🙂 I am going to use this calendar idea in my class. Thanks.
I just sent this to myself at school with “This is AWESOME!!” as the subject! Thank you!! | 2019-04-24T21:44:55Z | https://growingexponentially.wordpress.com/2013/09/01/calendar-project/ | Porn | Kids | 0.786468 |
livejournal | 1. To resolve the credit crisis, make all down payments on house purchases tax-deductible. The credit crisis has been caused by a collapse of the housing market, which has made trillions of dollars of mortgage-backed securities held by major financial institutions worthless. This can be rapidly remedied by reboosting the housing market, which a tax deduction on all (not just first-time buyer) home purchase down payments would effectively do.
With house values restored to reasonable levels, there would be no incentive for people to run out on their mortgages; even if they couldn’t make their payments, they could save themselves simply by selling their homes. New home construction, and thus millions of jobs creating real wealth, would also be mobilized by adequate house prices, and new mortgages would tend to be much sounder, because people would be encouraged to make larger down payments to take advantage of the tax break.
Finally, and critically, the mortgage-backed securities now held by the banks would be made good, and they could balance their books without a trillion-dollar raid on the Treasury.
Assuming a healthy rate of 6 million homes sold per year at an average price of $300,000 each, with 10 percent down payments made deductible to taxpayers in the 25 percent bracket, the total income lost to the Internal Revenue Service as a result of this measure would be about $45 billion per year.
While substantial, this is a pittance compared to the trillions that would be thrown away by continuation of the bailout program, and not only Wall Street but every American homeowner and many job-seekers would benefit directly as a result.
2. To protect the recovery, pass a law requiring that all new cars sold in the U.S. be flex-fueled. The global economic crash was significantly caused by high oil prices, which hit the U.S. economy for $1 trillion, and the world economy for $4 trillion, in fiscal 2008.
For Americans, the $800 billion increase in oil tribute from 2003 to 2008 was equivalent to a 30 percent increase in income taxes — a burden more than sufficient to send our economy into recession. As a result of the ensuing crash, oil prices have now declined to merely twice 2003 levels, but the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries has responded by taking 4 million barrels of oil per day off the world market. As soon as the economy starts to recover, this will send prices soaring above $100/barrel again, unless an effective competitive market is created in liquid fuels.
Flex-fuel cars can now be made that will run on any combination of gasoline, ethanol or methanol, or any mixture of the three, at an additional cost of only about $100 per car. By making this feature a requirement for any new car sold in the U.S., we will effectively make fuel choice the international standard, as foreign car makers would be impelled to switch their lines over to comply.
This would open the worldwide fuel market to free competition, as around the globe millions of new potential suppliers could enter not only with ethanol made from sugar or grains, but also methanol, which can be made economically from any kind of biomass without exception, as well as coal, natural gas and recycled urban trash.
Such open market competitors would put a permanent constraint on the future price of oil, limiting it to the $50/barrel range, thereby protecting our economy from future raids by the OPEC cartel. | 2019-04-23T16:22:09Z | https://xyu.livejournal.com/754160.html | Porn | Business | 0.335322 |
wordpress | Pressure washing Altamonte Springs FL. Residential and Commercial pressure wash in Alaqua Lakes FL. Call 407-502-5275 today for a free Altamonte estimate. | 2019-04-26T00:49:37Z | https://mylocalsocialblog.wordpress.com/2017/01/12/pressure-washing-altamonte-springs-fl-407-502-5275-roof-cleaning/ | Porn | Business | 0.712251 |
tripod | DEDICATED TO CAROL These are my first two pages, and I want to dedicate them to my dear friend Carol. Without her guidance, patience, constant help, patience, encouragement, and more patience they would not be here. "Thank you Carol"
ARE YOU A NITE OWL?
WELL STROLL ON DOWN , DO WE HAVE A HOOT FOR YOU.JUST OPEN THAT DOOR!! | 2019-04-25T20:06:13Z | http://care02.tripod.com/index-4.html | Porn | Reference | 0.248566 |
wordpress | This post is so long overdue but…Last summer, Adam and I took a trip to Frankenmuth, Michigan for a long weekend. I, being born in Germany (West Germany back then) love everything German (well we can leave the years 1933-1945 out) including the food, clothing, buildings, etc. so finding a place that’s all German less than 5 hours away from us was incredible!
So wanting to travel but save money at the same time, I planned a trip to Frankenmuth and dragged Adam along with me. We left on Friday morning around 10am and crossed the Sarnia border. We took my in-laws GPS with us as ours was (got a new one for Christmas- Thanks in-laws!) broken but they played a prank on us and were waiting for our phone call when we arrived in the states. My MIL turned on the notification to “Moo” every time we passed rest areas. I jumped out of my seat thinking we had hit a cow! Ya not funny waking up to that lol.
So we stop off at a rest area (Moo!) and had sandwiches we made from home. I went into the building to use the bathroom, and held the door open for this middle aged lady (she said thank you so I didn’t drop the door on her). Then walked around the shop looking for Adam and saw him outside. So walked out and saw the same woman coming out with her husband first. So again I held the door open and both said thank you and the woman said “Well isn’t that thoughtful, second time! Thank you again” so I said “Oh no its you again, well if I’d known it was you I would have slammed the door!” Her husband looked at me weird and then the wife turned to her husband and laughed saying “She held the door twice now for me, she’s very well brought up! Were you raised in the states?” To which it’s so long to explain this to people, I said “No brought in Canada, by English parents, and born in Germany.” The look on people’s faces are priceless as you can see the wheels turning in their head trying to figure that one out. We talked and it turns out the man worked at the same US Army base my parents did in Germany but decades apart. What a small world.
We got to the hotel in Birch Run checked in. It wasn’t the nicest hotel but it was cheap and clean, and we weren’t going to be spending a lot of time in it. Plus it had free breakfast and was 2 minute drive to the outlet mall!
The drive from Birch Run to Frankenmuth is only about a 10 minute drive through country roads which are quite cute. So when we got to the hotel around 3pm we drove straight to Frankenmuth. The first thing we stopped at was the covered bridge. Built in 1979, it spans the Cass River from the main street to Bavarian Inn Lodge.
We first went into the Frankenmuth Clock Company and saw all the coo-coo clocks. There are some we saw for $6000! Ya we kept our hands to ourselves lol. We wanted to take one back but I’m pretty sure the constant ticking a coo-coo would drive me even more crazy. We did see kids running around in there and that drove me up the wall! There were two families together with young kids thinking this would be the best place for a play ground; $6000 clocks around may I remind you. I saw one woman bring in a dirty diaper to throw in their garbage (when there was a public garbage just 10 steps more away from them.) The employee said hold on, grabbed a shovel or something that looked like it and said “OK put it on here” and held it as far away from his face as he could. I was dying with laughter from this! As we walked out the front door, we had to walk through the same families that had their kids running around, but walk through a thick cloud of smoke. Two things I hate the most in this world; cigarette smoke and others peoples kids running around unsupervised. Great start to the weekend.
We brushed it off and went next door to the wood carvings of the Grimm Brother’s fairy tales. The scenes were so intricate and detailed; very beautiful.
We had an itinerary to follow down to the last minute (yes I’m that kind of crazy) so we planned to walk up and down the main strip towards the museum. It was a hot sunny day so we decided to get a picture beside the visitor centre fountain. I’m very surprised we got the picture because the couple we asked to take the picture admitted they just came from the beer gardens and it might not turn out of our whole bodies (good thing I got a pedicure then!) Keep in mind how sunny it was. I was so hot and sweaty from walking around, I’m pretty sure it was at least 32 degrees that day.
So we walked to the Frankenmuth museum where I think it was only $2 each to get in which was very reasonable because it had a lot of stuff that I didn’t know about, even before going there and spending hours reading up on the town. I didn’t know that most years before 1948, the shopping district on the Main Street would be flooded every spring from the Cass River and that in 1968 a dike was built to prevent this.
There was a lot of hands on exhibits in the museum and its great for all ages.
We came out after finally cooling off to pouring rain. I’m not talking a down pour, it was almost biblical. Great day to wear white!
We walked (sprinted) to the other stores and came across a boutique where I found the most cutest preppyist, darling tunic/beach cover up. And it was only $15! I’ll show pictures in the last part of these blogs.
Although I tried to stay true to my roots and order the Heidelberg dinner (being born and growing up less than 45 minutes away from Heidelberg) I was craving chicken. I got the chicken dinner which these guys are famous for. Oh mein Gott (OMG) it was sooo good and there was so much food! We got two types of bread three types of salad each, soup, buttered noodles and cranberry relish. This is all brought to you before the meal by the way! Then I asked for one piece of chicken but they looked at me strange and said the lowest is two pieces. I also had gravy, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, and vegetables! You know when you’ve ordered too much and can’t finish the rest so you pick apart the food so you don’t look like you’re wasting food? Ya I did that with a whole piece of chicken (and I’m pretty sure this was a small turkey or at least a chicken that had been lifting weights because it was too big for the huge plate. Adam tried sauerbraten for the first time and loved it so now I’ve got to find a recipe for that! Once we tried to hide our defeat with the chicken and were done dinner, our server came and offered us dessert (which comes with the meal). We groaned ok because no one can turn down dessert and I’m glad we didn’t. I didn’t eat much but I still have these in my kitchen!
The restaurant is fantastic and the food is great. All of the servers are in dirndls or lederhosen.
Before we waddled our way back to the hotel for a food induced coma, I got a picture of this evil looking gnome in the Bavarian Inn Restaurant.
It’s been a while since I’ve written a post so I’ll try to pace myself with stories about this trip so keep posted for the next instalments. | 2019-04-19T11:08:39Z | https://craftycrossstitcher.wordpress.com/2017/02/07/frankenmuth-trip-day-1/ | Porn | Society | 0.452707 |
wordpress | There are some pretty alien things in this world. Like this mite. It’s part of Nikon’s 2018 Photomicrography Competition. Have a look at the top twenty.
This entry was posted in photography, Photography, Techniques and tagged photography. Bookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-20T22:54:54Z | https://commonsenseandwhiskey.wordpress.com/2018/10/31/photography-competition/ | Porn | Reference | 0.493249 |
wordpress | Very simple really. It took me a week just to get the line drawing done for a digital art that I’m working on at the moment. I still have to do the shading, colouring and I have not thought of a suitable background for it yet. I was stuck with a mental block. I needed a change of pace. And so, I played Batman Arkham City for a while.
Some time later, I thought for a change from digital art, I’ll work on some of my older photos. I was browsing through my older shots and found one which I thought is the worst thing which I could have ever shot with my Nikon L120. There was nothing in it. But then I thought I could whip-up some thing out of it using my Wacom tab. I tinkered with it a little bit and after about 30-40 minutes of coloring, I came up with this. Click on the image to open it on a dark background. It’ll look better.
Rowers in the night. Order a Limited Edition Print of this image.
Let me show you the original shot. This is unedited straight-from-the-camera version. And my Nikon L120 shoots only JPEGS, so there is no room for RAW adjustments either.
If any of the above thoughts came to your mind(or any other foul thought that you can think of when you saw it), we are on the same page. I completely agree with you. I shot this about two months ago and never had opened it ever since then until just today. Since I was taking a break from my other digital art work, I was having the wacom tablet in my lap and that’s when I thought “there’s still some hope for this one”.
Converting a day light shot to look like night is a very challenging yet a very interesting process. It’s all about lighting. And like I have already said in my previous tutorials, it’s all about patience. But you should know that I just took about 30 mins to do this. If I can do it, hell, anyone can do it.
Since I wanted to create a night effect with moon light as the light source I kept these points in mind.
Colours cannot be as clearly visible as they seem in day light.
Since there’s water, it will reflect moon light as well.
Since it’s a back lit image, the illumination on the 3 men and the boat will be minimal. There will be more of shadows than Highlights.
Now that the concept is set, let’s see the tools I used.
Adobe photoshop: I have CS5. But since I have used only the basic functionality of layers, I guess you should be able to pull this off in any other version.
Wacom tab: Not exactly a necessity, but you will get better control through out your workflow and will better yield results if you use one of these. I have CTH670.
Nik Silver Efex: My favourite tool of Nik software suite. For the black and white conversion.
Moons stars sparkles brush set: You can download it from here.
Too much unwanted spaces. Right? Especially that top portion. Too much of bland solid colored sky there. I’m going to crop it out using the crop tool.
Select the crop tool from the tool bar on left. Click and drag on the image to make the section. Hit enter to crop the selection.
I mean that’s pretty obvious. Besides, colors are not that clearly visible in the night under moon light. And so I open the image in Nik Silver Efex.
And make these changes to it.
Hit the “OK” button at the bottom right of the silver efex window and you should have your output image.
Seriously, who likes them. In this care though, I won’t get rid of them. I will just smudge ’em to give a painterly effect. Select the smudge tool from the tool bar on left, keep the strength to about 30-35% and smudge all over the sky. You will see that after applying the silver efex setting, you can now see the clouds and the smoke of the motor boat a little bit. Take care while smudging these areas. The movement of the brush should be in the flow of the clouds and the smoke.
Understanding light is very important when it comes to creating art. A good sense of lighting will help you create an illusion as realistic as possible but then again, you should remember that there’s no limit to creativity in digital art. Anything is possible. Since I want to make it look like a night shot I’m going to take the moon light as the light source and I’m going to place it on the top left corner of the image.
Add a new blank layer (hit ctrl+shift+n). I’m going to call it light source. Load the moon stars sparkles brush set. Select the moon brush and click on this new layer. To place the moon. I add it on a blank layer so that the image as such is not affected and I can easily manipulate the position of the moon in case I get any second thoughts about it’s positioning.
Now that we have the light source in place, it’s time to complete the illusion of night. This is a very crucial step and will define the realism of the illusion. Since the image is back lit and the light source is coming from the left side, the left side of all the three men on the boat should be bright. And the rest should all be dark. Same goes for the boat as well.
Keeping this visualization of light source in mind I’m going to shade the picture with black. Shading is best when done with a drawing tablet tab. Add a new blank layer below the moon layer, call it shadows. I will select a soft brush at 15% opacity. Now start shading the dark areas as indicated in the above image. When you are done shading the image should look like this.
Now to add the highlights on the men in the boat. Select a hard brush with white color and paint the highlights with these brush settings. I’m going to add highlights layer above the shadows layer and below the moon layer.
The effect will be best if you use a wacom tab or any other drawing tablet. You might not get exact effect if you are not using a tab. But It will be close enough.
So that’s it. Once you are done highlighting the subjects as per the light source, the manipulation is complete. | 2019-04-23T06:10:22Z | https://thereddotman.wordpress.com/2012/11/21/rowing-in-the-moon-light-photo-manipulation-using-wacom-tab/ | Porn | Reference | 0.192651 |
wordpress | We’ve been sick for two solid weeks around here.
And I am a champion worrier. I can worry you under the table. You don’t know what worrying is until you’ve met me. If I could take my worrying to the Olympics, I’d bring home the gold, baby. I’d have my own line of sneakers.
Though, sadly, of course, I cannot take my worrying to the olympics. But I can take it–and my two stuffed-up children–into our bathroom with a box of tissues, run the shower, and call it a “sweat lodge.” Which is what we did today.
And I can let that worry bring my blessings into sharp focus. And I can give thanks for my little ones and their beautiful hands. And I can promise myself, again and again, not to take even one single second for granted.
It’s my first novel, The Bright Side of Disaster, in Czech.
It is indescribably bizarre to flip through a book that YOU wrote–and not be able to read a word. Not even guess at what the words might sound like.
The title in Czech translates to “Everything Bad Is Good For Something.” Which I love like crazy and I’m going to print up on a bumper sticker.
And one last thing: there’s an obese one-eye cat in the story named Dr. Blandon, and they put him on the back cover! Which is just about as good as it gets.
The images in the Mom 2.0: Defining a Movement video that I made all came from real photographers–women who are working on their craft every day. I am not a real photographer. But I did sneak in one of my own photos when I made the video. Just one.
It’s a heart I made for my daughter on a day when she was performing in an assembly at school, but I wasn’t allowed to be there. (It was Grandparents’ Day! Only room for grandparents!). I so wanted to be there! And I was far more nervous than she was at the prospect of her reciting a memorized paragraph in front of a giant auditorium. But it made me feel better to make this and know that she had it with her.
She , of course, did great at the assembly. As is so often the case with mothering, I worried over nothing. But she still keeps this heart in her backpack, and takes it with her to school every day. And I’m so glad she has it.
My friend Laura asked me to make a video for the Mom 2.0 Summit art show that’s coming up in February.
Many thanks to Shutter Sisters for allowing me to use photos from the site. And many thanks to the amazing photographers: Karen Walrond, Jenny Lawson, Tracey Clark, Sarah Ji, Kristin Zecchinelli, Irene Nam, and Meredith Winn.
My grandparents’ ranch is on the Brazos river, a perpetually brown, sandy-bottom river outside Houston.
I’ve paced around its shores on trips to the ranch my whole life, and now we take our kids there and they do the same thing. Its amazing to watch history repeat itself like that, and I’m happy to report that fossil-searching, stick-throwing, rock-skipping, shell-finding, mud-smearing, dam-building, and poking at things with sticks are all still going strong.
And racoon. I love how much their paws look like hands.
And deer. I’m pretty sure.
And somehow looking at those tracks got me thinking about all tracks I myself have left on this very beach–in Keds and cowgirl ropers and Adidas. And then suddenly I was thinking about my grandparents, and all the years that have passed since they walked on this beach with us, and how much I miss them, and how much I would love it if they could come back, even just for an hour, and visit us and meet my kids. It seems impossible to me that their lives didn’t overlap. Especially when my daughter’s eyes are the exact blue that my grandfather’s were, and my son’s eyes are the exact buttery brown of my grandmother’s. How could they be connected so profoundly and never have even met?
But I guess that’s how it is with the past. It really doesn’t leave enough behind.
We’ve spent time in the country the past two weekends at my grandparents’ ranch. This is my favorite place to be.
I’m taking a little break from novel-writing this week to make a video essay for the upcoming Mom 2.0 Summit in Houston.
My friend Laura has organized an art show during the conference that will try to honor the amazing things that women are doing online–and the way that having a public place that we can access from our private lives helps moms reach out and tell their stories. And how women telling the truth about their lives can make us all better, wiser, more compassionate people–and make the world a better place.
Laura’s asked me to make a video essay about it that’ll play at the show.
This is the stuff of great conversations–hours spent over coffee chipping away at why it’s so powerful to hear other women’s stories and to tell your own. For the video, I’ll have about 2 minutes.
But the images, from Shutter Sisters, are going to be gorgeous. And I will certainly try like heck to do them justice. | 2019-04-25T09:47:19Z | https://katherinecenter.wordpress.com/page/2/ | Porn | Kids | 0.743874 |
google | The present invention relates to a dispenser, particularly though not exclusively for dispensing aerosol or powder borne medicaments.
Such a dispenser can loosely be classed as a breath actuated, kink valve dispenser and is referred to herein as "My Earlier Breath Actuated, Kink Valve Dispenser".
The main embodiments of My Earlier Breath Actuated, Kink Valve Dispenser included a piston acted on by a differential breath induced pressure. The resultant force generated is generally sufficient to operate the dispenser by drawing the piston towards the dispenser's mouthpiece and extending and opening the kink valve. Nevertheless, I fell that the dispenser is susceptible of some improvement.
the movable flap is pivotally connected to the junction member.
Preferably, wherein the movable flap is pivotally connected to the junction member by a living hinge which is an integral part of the single injection moulding.
junction member resilient means for returning the junction member after release of the dose.
Normally the dispenser includes means to hold the flap in its ready position prior to inhalation movement to un-kink the valve and in particular an over-centre mechanism. This can comprise a lug and a spring, both integrally moulded with the said single injection moulding, one with the junction member and the other with the flap, the lug being integrally moulded with the flap for pivotal movement with it about the living hinge and the spring being integrally moulded with the junction member. Conveniently the spring is a leaf spring normally urging the flap to an open position of the valve and urging the flap to its ready position when passed over-centre to this position.
Normally, the single injection moulding is provided with formations guiding it for movement in the body. Alternatively, the single injection moulding can be mounted in a carrier provided with formations guiding it for movement in the body.
abutment resilient means acting against the body, accommodating the said further movement of the source and the second abutment abutted against it, limiting said further movement on dispensing of the dose and returning the abutments on release of pressure on the source.
Preferably, the actuator is another single injection moulding; and the first abutment is so positioned as to limit the movement of the flap on releasing of the dose that the outlet of the flexible tube is directed out of the mouthpiece.
means for displacing the junction member towards the source for dispensing the dose into the kinked tube.
a spring acting between the button and the abutments for causing the limited movement of the latter on movement of the button and allowing further movement of the button for movement of the junction member for dispensing a dose into the tube kinked on its pivotal movement.
Preferably the abutments are so arranged that the first abutment is moved at the end of its limited movement to a position in which it acts as a stop for the flap on its return pivotal movement for release of the dose on inhalation.
the means for pivoting the flap is incorporated in the motion conversion mechanism.
Again, the grippable member is preferably a cocking lever.
In accordance with an important preferred feature, the cocking lever is a cover for the mouthpiece prior to dispensing of a dose from the source, a dose being dispensed to the kink valve on opening of the cover.
Preferably, the cocking lever incorporates a main cam comprising the motion conversion mechanism in co-operation with the junction member and/or the carrier where provided; and means for pivoting the flap is a secondary cam mechanism acting between the cocking lever and the flap. The secondary cam mechanism can comprise a finger on the cam of the cocking lever and a finger on the flap, the fingers engaging as the cocking lever is opened to move the flap to its ready position. Conveniently, the fingers are shaped to deflect away from each other on return movement ofthe cocking lever, with the flap in its position corresponding to the valve being open.
The dispenser can include a tertiary cam mechanism for returning the flap to its valve open position on return movement of the cocking lever; and the tertiary cam mechanism can comprise a finger on the cocking lever and a finger on the flap, the fingers engaging as the cover is closed to move the flap to its valve open position (if not already in this position).
the body includes a secondary body part attachable to a main body part to provide the mouthpiece and an air inlet between the two parts.
A particular object is the provision of spring assistance to open the kink valve.
means to hold the movable member in the ready position to close the tube by kinking prior to inhalation.
The holding means may be frictional means holding the movable member ready for release and released by overcoming the frictional force holding the movable member in its ready position.
However, in the preferred embodiment of this aspect, the holding means is a mounting of the movable member in an over-centre manner with respect to the spring, whereby the spring acts to urge the movable member into the ready position when close to this position, and away from it when the inhalation force on the movable member causes the spring to pass over-centre after a small movement of the movable member to assist in the un-kinking.
Further, in this embodiment, there is a cocking mechanism to move the movable member to its over-centre position in which the tube is kinked. The cocking mechanism can be actuated from a manually movable knob or the like. However, it is preferably actuated by the same movement of the substance source, usually an aerosol container, which releases a dose of the substance into the kinked tube, With such an arrangement, the tube reaches its kinked state immediately prior to the movable member moving to the over-centre position and the substance dose being released.
This arrangement has the advantage of the usual state of the spring being unloaded and the usual state of the tube being un-kinked. Since both of these are preferably of synthetic material, which tends to be prone to stress relaxation, this arrangement assists reliable operation of the dispenser.
I can envisage the movable member being translationally mounted in the body, as in the preferred embodiments of my International Application PCT/GB98/00770 , on My Earlier Breath Actuated, Kink Valve Dispenser. However, it is preferably pivotally mounted. This can be directly about an pivot fixed in the body. However, the pivot is normally provided on a carrier, itself translationally mounted in the body. Where the movable member is pivotally mounted, a stop is preferably provided for stopping it in a position in which an outlet from the tube points directly out of the mouthpiece.
Whereas in my earlier International Application, usually the kink valve is normally closed and opened only for dispensing, although in one embodiment it is normally open and closed only for dispensing; in the present invention the kink valve is normally open. Nevertheless, I can envisage that it could be normally closed, being opened for dispensing and closed again thereafter.
a cocking lever for cocking the breath actuatable mechanism.
an outlet for directing the substance to the mouthpiece for inhalation.
Normally the source of the substance will include a metered dose valve, whereby it will release a metered dose each time the dispenser is operated.
Whilst it can be envisaged that, where the source is adapted for it, the rigid connection between the source and the body may take the form of a bayonet connection or the like, in the preferred embodiment, the rigid connection is provided by detents engaging in a groove formed in a can of the source. Whilst the detents can be locked in position by a movable cam locking member, it is preferred that they rely on the resilience of the body - of moulded plastics material - to retain the rigid connection of the body to the can.
the tube being kinked to an obturating extent when the outlet movable member is in a ready position and un-kinked when the outlet movable member is moved on inhalation for release of the gas or liquid.
Whilst the cocking lever can be envisaged to take other forms, such as a trigger squeezed when the dispenser is to be used, preferably it incorporates a cover for the mouthpiece, with the metered dose being released to the breath actuated valve when the cover is opened.
Preferable, the cover is pivotally connected to the body and incorporates a cam for lifting the outlet on opening of the cover. The substance outlet can be rigidly connected to the substance junction, and the cam conveniently acts on the latter.
In the preferred embodiment of this dispenser, the valve outlet member is pivotally connected to the substance junction for movement between an open, unkinked dispensing position and a closed, kinked position for retaining the metered dose. A secondary cam is provided for moving the outlet member to its closed position. For holding it there - prior to breath actuation - an over-centre spring is preferably provided.
a spring acting between the button and the abutments for causing the limited movement of the latter on movement of the button and allowing further movement of the button for movement ofthe junction member for dispensing a dose into the tube kinked on its pivotal movement.
In all embodiments, it is preferred that the source ofthe substance includes a metered dose valve, whereby it release a metered dose each time the dispenser is operated. However, it is specifically envisaged that the source can include a non-metered dose valve, the dose being metered by the capacity of the breath actuable valve.
Figure 12 is another cross-sectional view, this on the line XII-XII in Figure 7.
Figure 19 is a similar view of the fourth dispenser, ready to release a dose, the cross-section partially deviating from the centre of the dispenser to show a finger moving a junction member of the device.
Figures 1-12 show a dispenser of the intention. Figures 13-19 show other dispensers.
Referring to the Figures 1 to 5, the breath actuated dispenser there-shown has a body 1 with a mouthpiece. 2, Via a carrier 3, an aerosol drug can 4 is mounted in the body. The can has a dispensing spout 5, which engages a receptor moulding 6, the receptor moulding being engaged in the carrier and incorporating a breath movable flap 7 and a kink valve 8. The parts (other than the can) are of injection moulded plastics material.
The body has a D-shaped cross-section in plan, with the flat 9 of the D at the mouthpiece side 2. The carrier 3 is of complementary shape and arranged to closely fit in the body. It has a curved under-contour 10 on the flat side 11 and a slot 12 adjacent the inner end of the flap.
The movable flap 7 is connected to the main receptor moulding part by a living hinge 13 arranged at the centre of curvature of the contour 10, whereby the distal edge 14 of the flap can move with a small clearance from the contour.
The receptor is moulded with the flap angled down with respect to the use orientation and a linear passage 20 through it. The central portion 21 of the passage has a thin wall thickness, whereby when the flap is hinged up, the passage kinks and closes. The upper end 22 of the passage is of larger diameter to receive the spout of the can. The lower end of the passage forms a spray nozzle 23, which is directed in accordance with the angle of the flap.
The carrier has four depending springs. Two outer ones 31,32 are serpentine and of a length to abut a bottom 33 of the body and normally urge the carrier into its upper position. The two inner springs 34,35 are leaf springs, which abut a lug 36 on the flap for giving it an over-centre action.
An actuator 41 is arranged beneath the carrier. This has an oblong spring 42 and a pair of actuating fingers. The one 43 is abutted by the can on the latter's depression for use of the dispenser. The other 44 abuts the underside of the flap for setting it.
With the spout of the can engaged in the mouth of the receptor and the springs allowed to relax, the can projects out of the body. Depression of it moves the carrier down. The actuator spring 42 does not at first compress. Its shorter lug abuts the underside of the flap. The receptor is moving down and with it the hinge so that the flap is pivoted to rotate anticlockwise - as shown in Figure 1. The lugs 36 of the flap abut the leaf springs 34,35 and are so arranged that when the flap has been rotated to a fully lifted position in which it engages the carrier, the springs are acting lightly to hold the flap up.
Further depression of the can causes the long finger 43 to abut the can and compress the oblong spring 42 of the actuator. This withdraws the short finger from contact with the flap valve. At this stage, the serpentine springs are exerting a greater upwards force on the carrier than that of the internal spring in the can pushing the spout outwards. It is pushed in, releasing a dose of its contents into the receptor's passage 20. The latter has now been closed by kinking of the central portion. The dispenser is ready for breath actuation.
Breathing in through the mouthpiece creates a pressure differential across the flap, which pivots down. The leaf spring and lug arrangement passes over-centre and the springs come to assist the opening action. It is stopped by abutment of the flap with the short finger 44. In this position, the nozzle 23 is directed in line with the mouthpiece and the valve has un-kinked. The dose is dispensed to be breathed in, with air now able to flow freely through the slot 12, past the end of the flap.
Release of the can allows the carrier to rise. The flap does not rotate, since there is nothing to cause it to do so.
The state of the mechanism is dependent upon the position of the can in its body. This can be seen by providing coloured bands 51 on the can and a window 52 in body.
This embodiment is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiment. For instance instead of the short finger 44, whose use position is determined by the degree of compression of the spring 42, a fixed stop moulded as an integral part of the body/mouthpiece may be provided at their junction for stopping the flap 7 with the nozzle 23 pointing directly out of the mouthpiece.
Referring to Figures 6 to 12, the dispenser thereshown has a body 101 with a mouthpiece 102 and a pivoted mouthpiece cover 103. The latter is pivoted about an axis 104 low in the body and carried on a cam member 105 journalled in the body at openings 106. The cover is connected irrotationally to end spigots 107 of the cam member at sides 108 of the cover. The spigots and the sides have respective angularly-uniquely formations 109, which determine the angular relationship between the cover and the cam. The components are of moulded plastics material, whereby the cam member can be fitted to the body from within by flexure of the latter's walls and the cover can be sprung over the spigots. This arrangement closes the body except at (i.) the mouthpiece, (ii.) an upper opening 110 to which a medicament can 111 is fitted and (iii.) air inlets 112, covered by the cover when in its closed position over the mouthpiece.
Centrally, the junction member has a socket 120 for an outlet stem 121 of the can. The socket is continued by a passage 122, which has a thin wall, kinkable portion 123 and a nozzle end 124. This is in a movable outlet member 125 of a valve part of the junction member. The main part of the junction member 117 and the outlet member are connected by a living hinge 126. The outlet member has a depending lug 127 for engagement with a cam to be described and a breath actuation flap 128.
To either side of the valve portion of the junction member, it has two depending fingers 130. These abut - under the force of the internal spring (not shown) of the can - two spaced, main cam lobes 131 on the cam member 105. A secondary cam lobe 132 is arranged between the main lobes.
The cam member and the cover are assembled to body in the closed position; the can stem is fitted to the junction member; and this sub-assembly is introduced into the upper opening 110. With the ribs 116 engaged in the grooves 118, the can is forced in until the detents 114 engage in the groove 115. Initially, the fingers 130 engage on a small radius portion of the cam lobes 131 and the depending lug 127 engages a small radius portion of the secondary lobe 132. There can be a small clearance between the lug 127 and the lobe 132, with the flap 128 engaging an internal stop 133 in the mouthpiece, This directs the nozzle 124 towards the (closed) mouthpiece.
On opening of the cover, by swinging about the axis of the cam member, the main lobes 131 lift the junction member and stem 121 towards the can. The secondary lobe acts on the lug 127 to move the outlet member to a position where the flap 128 is lifted and the kinkable portion 123 is closed. The cam timing is such that the flap is lifted prior to full lifting of the junction member. The latter has a C-shaped spring 135 and the outlet member has a pip 136, which co-operate in an over-centre manner to hold the flap up as the junction member is fully lifted. This releases a dose into the kinked valve, which retains it.
Breathing in through the mouthpiece draws air across the flap, that is round its edges from the air inlets 112, with a pressure differential developing. The over-centre spring retention of the flap is overcome and it is sprung down to dispense the dose as the outlet nozzle points into the mouthpiece. This, it is free to do since the lug is free of the secondary lobe at this position.
The mechanism is reset by closure of the cover over the mouthpiece. The junction member drops under the action of the can valve spring and control of the main cam lobes. The secondary cam lobe 132 and the flap lug 127 engage on their rear faces, that is the faces opposite from the those which cause lifting of the flap on opening ofthe cover. Such engagement is unwanted and the faces are provided with complementary wedge shapes 137,138, whereby the lobe and lug deflect side ways and pass each other. This deflection causes a drag on the lug and keeps the flap in its open position. To ensure that the lobe and lug re-engage for next use, each being thin for deflection, their front faces are provided with complementary V edge and groove formations 139,140.
2. economising on labelling of the body in that the labelling of the can is exposed and does not require duplication.
Referring to Figures 13 to Figure 20, the dispenser thereshown has a body 201 with a mouthpiece 202 and a pivoted mouthpiece cover 203. The mouthpiece is formed as a aperture 2021 in a separate body part 2012 clipped to a main body part 2011. The main part 2011 has upper and lower grooves of which the lower 20131only is shown and the mouthpiece part has upper and lower clips of which again only the lower 20132 is shown which engage in the grooves when the mouthpiece part is slid from below to engage with the main part. The mouthpiece part is cutaway 2014 with respect to the medicament can 211 fitted to the body, to define an air inlet exposed by the cover when this is open.
The cover is pivoted about an axis 204 low in the body at the joint between the two body parts. Integrally moulded with the cover 203 is a half round shaft 2031, which carries a cam arrangement 205. Whilst both of the body parts have semicircular scallops 2015,2016 to allow the shaft to pass and to provide some location, the primary location for the shaft in its function of reacting cam force is provided in scallops 2017 in flanges 2018 extending up from the end of the body. The flanges are integral with the main body part 2011 and extend into the space enclosed by the cover, so as to be able to support the shaft at the joint line between the parts.
The body parts 2011,2012, and the cover (with the shaft and cam arrangement) 203 are of moulded polypropylene material, whereby they can be fitted together with a modicum of flexure.
The cam arrangement 205 comprises a pair of cam lobes 2051,2052 and an intermediate shaft 2053.
The can 211 is held in an opening 210 at the upper end of the main body part 2011 by a pair of location pins 2101 in openings 2102 in sidewalls of the body part. The pins positively locate the can with respect to the body by engagement in a groove 215 formed in the can for retaining its closure collar. Thus the can and the body 201 are rigidly connected. Also moulded inside the body are internal ribs 216. A junction member 217 is slidably accommodated in the body with the ribs engaging in grooves 218 in its periphery. The junction member also is of moulded polypropylene.
Centrally, the junction member has a socket 220 for an outlet stem 221 of the can. The socket is continued by a passage 222, which has a thin wall, kinkable portion 223 and a nozzle end 224. This is in a movable outlet member 225 of a valve part 2172 of the junction member. The main part 2171 of the junction member 217 and the valve part 2172 are connected by a living hinge 226. To both sides of the outlet member are provided flats 2251, which form the base for a breath actuation flap 228, angled with respect to the flats and connect to living hinge portions at the outside ends of the flats. A lug 227 depends from the outlet member for engagement with a cam finger 232 extending from between the pair of cam lobes 2051,2052.
To either side of the socket 220 of the junction member, it has two depending fingers 230 arranged to co-operate with cam lobes at their distal ends 2301. These abut - under the force of the internal spring (not shown) of the can, and with the interposition of two leaves 2019 - the cam lobes 2051,2052. The leaves extend in from extensions of the flanges 2018. The fingers have shaped portions 2302 on the flap side thereof with detents 2303 for engaging with the flap at the inward ends of the flats 2251. The junction member is moulded with the kinkable portion 223 straight and for use, the flap is pivoted to pass over the detents. The latter then form stops for the flap in its open position of the kink tube.
Additional features are a pair of spring fingers 2252 on the valve part 2172 to either side of the lug 227 and a pair of lugs 236 on the flats 2251 at the hinges. These co-operate with a pair of curved leaf springs 235 on the main part 2171 of the junction member. Further the shaft 2031 has discs 2032 outwards of the cam lobes with finger 2033 for co-operating with the fingers 2252.
The can is assembled to the junction member with the socket 220 receiving the stem 221; and the cover is assembled to the body part with the shaft journalled in the scallops. The junction member is slid into the main body part with ribs 216 engaging in the grooves 218 and the pins 2101 being inserted to retain the can. The flap is pivoted out over the detents 2303. The mouthpiece part can then be slid on and engaged with the cover fully open. The latter is closed. This assembly renders the dispenser ready for use.
The action of closing the cover causes the cam fingers 2033 to engage the flap fingers - should the flap be pivoted towards the can - and pivot the flap to its position in which the nozzle 224 towards the (closed) mouthpiece and the kink tube is unkinked. The distal ends 2301 of the fingers 230 of the junction member engage - with the interposition of the leaves 2019 - on a small radius portion of the cam lobes 2051,2052 and the depending lug 227 is positioned in front of engages a small radius portion of the cam finger 232. The spring fingers 2252 engage the pair of lugs 236 to urge the flap to its position defined by the detents 2303.
On opening ofthe cover, by swinging about the axis of the cam member, the cam finger 232 acts on the lug 227 to move the outlet member to a position where the flap 228 is lifted and the kinkable portion 223 is closed. The cam timing is such that the flap is lifted before any other action. The lugs 236 pass over centre with respect to the spring fingers 2252. The latter urges the flap into abutment with a stop 23 8 formed on the main part 2171 of the junction member 217. In this position, the kink tube is kinked and will not pass a dose about to be released into it.
Further opening of the cover causes the cam lobes 2051,2052 to lift the junction member and stem 221 towards the can. This releases a dose from the can into the kinked valve, which retains it. The cover stops by abutment with body and the mechanism is cocked and primed for use.
Breathing in through the mouthpiece draws air across the flap, that is round its edges from the air inlet 2014, with a pressure differential developing. The over-centre spring retention of the flap is overcome and it is sprung down to dispense the dose as the outlet nozzle points into the mouthpiece. This, it is free to do since the lug 227 is free of the cam finger 232 at this position.
The mechanism is reset by closure of the cover over the mouthpiece. The junction member drops under the action of the can valve spring and control of the main cam lobes. The cam finger 232 and the flap lug 227 engage on their rear faces, that is the faces opposite from the those which cause lifting of the flap on opening of the cover. Such engagement is unwanted and the faces are provided with complementary wedge shapes - as shown in Figure 12 - whereby the lobe and lug deflect side ways and pass each other. This deflection causes a drag on the lug and keeps the flap in its open position. To ensure that the lobe and lug re-engage for next use, each being thin for deflection, their front faces are provided with complementary V edge.
Turning on to Figures 20 and 21, the embodiment thereshown has similarities to that of Figures 1 to 5, but in place of being operated by depression of the can 304, operation is by upwards action on a button 351. This dispenser has a body 301 with a mouthpiece 302. The aerosol drug can 304 is pinned 3011 in the body. The can has a dispensing spout 305, which engages a junction member 306, slidably mounted in the body and incorporating a breath movable flap 307 and a kink valve 308. The parts (other than the can) are of injection moulded plastics material.
The body has a D-shaped cross-section in plan, with the flat 309 of the D at the mouthpiece side 302, the latter being set up from the bottom of the body. The junction member 306 is of complementary shape and arranged to closely fit in the body. It has a curved under-contour 310 on the flat side 311 and a slot 312 adjacent the inner end of the flap.
The movable flap 307 is connected to the main receptor moulding part by a living hinge (not shown) arranged at the centre of curvature of the contour 310, whereby the distal edge 314 of the flap can move with a small clearance from the contour.
The junction member is moulded with the flap angled down with respect to the use orientation and a linear passage 320 through it. The central portion 321 of the passage has a thin wall thickness, whereby when the flap is hinged up, the passage kinks and closes. The upper end 322 of the passage is of larger diameter to receive the spout of the can. The lower end of the passage forms a spray nozzle 323, which is directed in accordance with the angle of the flap.
The junction member has two depending leaf springs 334, which abut lugs 336 on the flap for giving it an over-centre action.
An actuating mechanism 352 is provided beneath the carrier and comprises two abutment fingers 353,354 and the actuation button 351. The fingers are interconnected by a yoke 365, which has a pair of apertures 366, through which two additional fingers 367 pass from the button. The fingers are positioned on opposite sides of the kink valve, as illustrated in Figure 19. A spring 368 integral with the yoke 365 allows movement of the yoke on the fingers 367, i.e. movement further inwards of the button when the yoke is stopped. The length of the fingers is such that on initial movement towards the can of the button, the shorter finger 353 abuts the flap and moves it to kink its tube. This is illustrated in the Figure 18, by the distance 357 between the end of the long finger 354 and the cap of the can being shorter than the travel 358 allowed between the button and the body.
The motion of the yoke is stopped by abutment of the long finger 354 on the cap of the can. The button can be moved in further with compression of the springs 368 and abutment of the additional fingers 367 on a flat 369 on the junction member, moving it towards the can. This action is against the can's spring and results in dispensing of a dose into the kink tube.
Inhalation draws the flap down, releasing the dose, with the flap being stopped in the desired position by the shorter finger 353. Release of the button allows return of the components to their original position.
• means (35, 36, 135, 136) to hold the movable member (125) in the ready position to close the tube (8, 122) by kinking prior to inhalation.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding means is a frictional means holding the movable member ready for release and released by overcoming the frictional force holding the movable member in its ready position, or a mounting of the movable member in an over-centre manner with respect to the spring, whereby the spring (35, 36, 135, 136) acts to urge the movable member into the ready position when close to this position, and away from it when the inhalation force on the movable member causes the spring to pass over-centre after a small movement of the movable member to assist in the un-kinking.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 2, including a cocking mechanism to move the movable member (125) to its held position in which the tube is kinked.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 3, wherein the dispenser comprises a substance source (4), the cocking mechanism is adapted to be actuated by a manually movable lever or knob and the dispenser includes means for locating the source (4) in the body with the junction member being slidable towards it.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cocking mechanism is adapted to be actuated by depression of the source (4) towards the body.
A dispenser as claimed in claims 1 to 5, wherein the movable member (125) is translationally or pivotally mounted in the body.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 6, wherein the movable member (125) is pivotally mounted in the body about a pivot fixed in the body.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 7, wherein said pivot is provided on a carrier, itself translationally mounted in the body.
A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8 wherein the movable member (125) is pivotally mounted and a stop (133) is provided for stopping it in a position in which an outlet (124) from the tube points directly out of the mouthpiece.
• the movable flap (7,128) is connected to the junction member (6,117) by a living hinge (13, 126).
A dispenser as claimed in claim 2 or any one of claims 3 to 10 as appendant to claim 2, wherein the holding means is an over-centre mechanism which comprises a lug (136) and a spring (135), both integrally moulded with the said single injection moulding, one with the junction member and the other with the flap.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 11, wherein the lug (136) is integrally moulded with the flap (128) for pivotal movement with it about the living hinge, and the spring (135) is integrally moulded with the junction member (117).
A dispenser as claimed in claim 12, wherein said spring is a leaf spring normally urging the flap to an open position of the valve and urging the flap to its ready position when passed over-centre to this position.
• abutment resilient means acting against the body (1), accommodating the said further movement of the source (4) and the second abutment (43) abutted against it, limiting said further movement on dispensing of the dose and returning the abutments on release of pressure on the source (4).
A dispenser as claimed in claim 14, wherein said actuator is another single injection moulding.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 14 or 15, wherein the first abutment (44) is so positioned as to limit the movement of the flap (7) on releasing of the dose that the outlet of the flexible tube (8) is directed out of the mouthpiece (2).
A dispenser as claimed in claim 3 or any one of claims 4 to 16 as appendant to claim 3, wherein the dispenser comprises a substance source (4) and the cocking mechanism includes a cocking lever (103).
A dispenser as claimed in claim 17, wherein the cocking lever is a cover for the mouthpiece (103) prior to dispensing of a dose from the source, a dose being dispensed to the kink valve on opening of the cover.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the cocking lever (103) incorporates a main cam (105) comprising the cocking mechanism in co-operation with the junction member (117) and/or, when dependent on claim 8, the carrier, and/or the means for pivoting the flap is a secondary cam mechanism acting between the cocking lever and the flap.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 19, wherein the secondary cam mechanism comprises a finger on the cam of the cocking lever and a finger on the flap, the fingers engaging as the cocking lever is opened to move the flap to its ready position.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 20, wherein said fingers are shaped to deflect away from each other on return movement of the cocking lever, with the flap in its position corresponding to the valve being open.
A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 21, including a tertiary cam mechanism for returning the flap to its valve open position on return movement of the cocking lever.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 22, wherein said tertiary cam mechanism comprises a finger on the cocking lever and a finger on the flap, the fingers engaging as the cover is closed to move the flap to its valve open position if not already in this position.
A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 23, wherein the body includes one or more web extending between the main cam and the movable junction member for reacting lateral cam force and transmitting longitudinal cam force to the movable junction member and/or, when dependent on claim 8, the carrier.
A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 24, wherein the cocking lever includes a shaft having the main cam formed thereon, the shaft being of hollow half-round configuration and body includes at least one partially open journal for the half-round shaft.
A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein the body includes a secondary body part attachable to a main body part to provide the mouthpiece and an air inlet between the two parts.
A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the dispenser comprises a substance source (4) and the source of the substance includes a metered dose valve, whereby it releases a metered dose each time the dispenser is operated, or the source (4) includes a non-metered dose valve, the dose being metered by the capacity of the breath actuable valve.
FR2658081B1 (en) * 1990-02-09 1995-06-30 Pesenti Yvan An automation and synchronization aerosols apparatus has metering pump.
ES2229495T3 (en) 2005-04-16 Inhaler device.
FI82607C (en) 1991-04-10 By inhalation through the aktiverbar doseringsanordning. | 2019-04-19T13:34:05Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/EP2292287B1/en | Porn | Science | 0.272327 |
google | 2003-12-31 Assigned to STATE OF OREGON ACTING BY AND THROUGH THE STATE BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION ON BEHALF OF OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY, THE reassignment STATE OF OREGON ACTING BY AND THROUGH THE STATE BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION ON BEHALF OF OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY, THE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: ERDEM, SERDAR S., KOC, CETIN K.
Multi-precision multiplication methods over GF(2m) include representing a first polynomial and a second polynomial as an array of n words. A recursive algorithm may be used to iteratively decompose the multiplication into a weighted sum of smaller subproducts. When the size of the smaller subproducts is less than or equal to a predetermined size, a nonrecursive algorithm may be used to complete the multiplication. The nonrecursive algorithm may be optimized to efficiently perform the bottom-end multiplication. For example, pairs of redundant subproducts can be identified and excluded from the nonrecursive algorithm. Moreover, subproducts having weights in a special form may be efficiently calculated by a process that involves storing and reusing intermediate calculations.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/401,574, filed Aug. 6, 2002, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/419,204, filed Oct. 16, 2002, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Many cryptographic applications use finite field arithmetic. For example, elliptic curve cryptography typically operates in the finite field GF(2 m). The multiplication operation in finite-field applications can be particularly slow and inefficient. Several techniques have been proposed to perform fast arithmetic operations over GF(2m). One technique, for example, uses an optimized normal basis representation. See R. Mullin et al., Optimal Normal Bases in GF(pn), Discrete Applied Mathematics, Vol. 22, pp. 149-161 (1988). Although optimal normal basis multiplication is efficient in hardware, it is not efficient in software, and an optimal normal basis representation does not exist for all field sizes. Another technique involves embedding GF(2m) in a larger ring Rp where the arithmetic operations can be performed efficiently. See J. H. Silverman, Fast Multiplication in Finite Field GF(2N), Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems, pp. 122-134 (1999). This method, however, works only when m+1 is a prime, and 2 is a primitive root modulo m+1. Another technique involves using a standard basis with coefficients in a subfield GF(2r). See E. De Win et al., A Fast Software Implementation for Arithmetic Operations in GF(2n), Advances in Cryptology—ASIACRYPT 96, pp. 65-76 (1996); J. Guajardo and C. Paar, Fast Efficient Algorithms for Elliptic Curve Cryptosystems, Advances in Cryptology—CRYPTO 97, pp. 342-356 (1997); and C. Paar and P. Soria-Rodriguez, Fast Arithmetic Architectures for Public-Key Algorithms Over Galois Fields GF((2n)m), Advances in Cryptology—EUROCRYPT 97, pp. 363-378 (1997). In this method, however, the field size m must be a multiple of r, and look-up tables are required to perform the calculations in GF(2r). Still another technique involves adapting Montgomery multiplication for the fields GF(2m). See C. Koc and T. Acar, Montgomery Multiplication in GF(2k), Designs, Codes and Cryptography, 14(1):57-69 (April 1998).
Methods and apparatus for multiplying multi-precision numbers over GF(2 m) using a polynomial representation are disclosed. The disclosed methods may be used in a number of different applications that utilize multi-precision arithmetic. For example, the method can be used to generate various cryptographic parameters. In one particular implementation, for instance, a private key and a base point are multiplied using one of the disclosed methods to obtain a product that is associated with a public key. In this implementation, the private key and the base point are multi-precision polynomials. The disclosed methods may similarly be used in a signature generation or signature verification process (e.g., the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA)).
In an exemplary embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes representing the first polynomial and the second polynomial as an array of n words, wherein n is an integer. A recursive algorithm is used to decompose a multiplication of the first polynomial and the second polynomial into a weighted sum of iteratively smaller subproducts. A nonrecursive algorithm is used to complete the multiplication when a size of the smaller subproducts is less than or equal to a predetermined size, the predetermined size being at least two words. The recursive multiplication algorithm may be, for instance, a Karatsuba-Ofman algorithm, and the predetermined size may be, for example, six words. The nonrecursive multiplication algorithm may be optimized so that it operates more efficiently. For example, the nonrecursive algorithm may exclude pairs of redundant subproducts, or store and reuse previously calculated intermediate values. The previously calculated intermediate values may be part of a weighted sum of subproducts having special weights. For example, these subproducts may have weights z of the form Σ j=0 n−1 zi+j for i=0, . . . , n−1, where i and j are index integers.
In another exemplary embodiment, a method of nonrecursively multiplying a first polynomial and a second polynomial over GF(2) is disclosed. A first polynomial and a second polynomial are represented as n words, where n is an integer greater than one. A partial result is determined by calculating a weighted sum of one-word subproducts having weights z of the form Σ j=0 n−1 zi+j for i=0, . . . , n−1, wherein i and j are index integers. The partial result is updated by adding any remaining one-word subproducts. The method may also include identifying and excluding pairs of redundant one-word subproducts. Moreover, during the calculation of the partial result, intermediate calculations may be stored in a memory and reused.
In yet another exemplary embodiment, a method of deriving an algorithm for multiplying a first polynomial and a second polynomial over GF(2) is disclosed. The product of a first polynomial and a second polynomial is decomposed into a weighted sum of one-word subproducts. Pairs of redundant one-word subproducts are identified and removed from the weighted sum, resulting in a revised weighted sum having fewer XOR operations. In one particular implementation, the first or second polynomial is padded with zeros so that the polynomial has an even number of words. In this implementation, the zero-padded polynomials may be excluded from the revised weighted sum. In another implementation, the one-word subproducts having weights z of a form Σ j=0 n−1 zi+j for i=0, . . . , n−1 are identified. These one-word subproducts can be calculated in a weighted sum by a process of storing and reusing the intermediate calculations.
These and other features of the disclosed technology are described below with reference to the accompanying figures.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a general method of multiplying multi-precision polynomials over GF(2 m).
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a selected path on the recursion tree of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a general method of nonrecursively multiplying multi-precision polynomials over GF(2 m).
FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a cryptographic system configured to perform multi-precision multiplication according to the disclosed methods and to output a cryptographic parameter.
The elements in GF(2 m) can be represented in various bases. For purposes of this disclosure, the standard basis representation for GF(2m) is used. In the standard basis, the field elements are represented as polynomials in the form a(x)=a0+a1x+. . . +am−1xm−1 where all ai are elements of GF(2m). The operations on these elements are performed modulo a fixed irreducible polynomial of degree m. Thus, standard basis multiplication in GF(2m) has two phases. The first phase consists of multiplying two polynomials over GF(2m) and the second phase consists of reducing the result modulo an irreducible polynomial of degree m. The complexity of standard polynomial multiplication is O(m2). Modulo reduction can be an even more time-consuming operation because it involves division.
As seen, both phases of standard basis multiplication in GF(2 m) are quite costly. The cost of the first phase can be decreased by using the Karatsuba-Ofman Algorithm (KOA) to multiply the polynomials over GF(2m). The KOA is a multiplication algorithm whose asymptotic complexity is O(m1.58). Thus, its computational cost is less than the standard O(m2) multiplication for large m values. The second phase can also be decreased by choosing an irreducible polynomial with a small number of terms. In particular, a trinomial or pentanomial can be used as the irreducible polynomial. A trinomial is a polynomial 1+xa+xm with only three terms, while a pentanomial is a polynomial 1+xa+xb+xc+xm with only five terms. The complexity of the modulo reduction operation with a trinomial or a pentanomial is O(m). Further, a trinomial or a pentanomial can be found for any field size m<1000.
Combining the KOA and modulo reduction with a trinomial or pentanomial yields a fast multiplication method for GF(2 m). This fast multiplication method works for all field sizes. As more fully discussed below, the first phase of this method (i.e., the phase in which the polynomials over GF(2m) are multiplied using the KOA) can be improved even further.
The coefficients of the polynomials over GF(2 m) are 0 or 1 and operations on these coefficients are performed according to modulo two arithmetic. Thus, addition and subtraction of the coefficients is equivalent to performing XOR operations. As a result, the addition and subtraction of two polynomials can be performed by XORing the corresponding coefficients. Note that polynomial multiplication also depends on the XOR addition/subtraction operation because polynomial multiplication involves a series of coefficient additions.
As mentioned before, the coefficients of the polynomial a are stored in n words. Thus, a polynomial a over GF(2 m) can be viewed as an n-word array. According to this analogy between the polynomials and the arrays, the polynomial a[i] for i=0, . . . , n−1 is the ith word of a and the binary-valued coefficients are bits.
For purposes of this disclosure, the following arithmetic operations on the polynomials over GF(2 m) are used: (1) polynomial addition; (2)multiplication of a polynomial by powers of z; and (3) polynomial multiplication.
Note that the multiplication by z i involves array indexing and does not use any computation.
As more fully described below, the KOA algorithm may be modified such that the recursions are stopped early and a bottom-level multiplication is performed using some nonrecursive algorithms. These nonrecursive algorithms may be derived from the KOA by removing its recursions. Moreover, the algorithms may be optimized by exploiting the arithmetic of the polynomials over GF(2 m). Consequently, the complexity and recursion overhead can be reduced. For purposes of this disclosure this modified embodiment of the KOA is termed the LKOA, or “lean” implementation of the KOA.
where b L = b [ 0 # ⌈ n 2 ⌉ ] and b H = b [ ⌈ n 2 ⌉ # ⌊ n 2 ⌋ ] .
The above equation shows that three multiplications of half-sized polynomials are sufficient to compute t=ab instead of four. First, the products of a LbL, (aL+aH)(bL+bH), and aHbHare found. Then, the results are multiplied by the appropriate powers of z and added to one another to obtain t=ab. The multiplication by the powers of z can be implemented as array shifts.
In Step 1, n is evaluated. If n is one (i.e., if the inputs are one-word inputs), the inputs are multiplied using classical methods and the result returned. Otherwise, the function continues to the remaining steps. In Steps 2 through 5, two pairs of half-sized polynomials (a L, bL) and (aH, bH) are generated from the lower- and higher-order words of the inputs. In Steps 6 and 7, another pair, (aM, bM), is obtained by adding aL with bLand aHwith bH. In Steps 8, 9, and 10, these three pairs are multiplied. These multiplications are performed by three recursive calls to the KOA function and yield the subproducts low, mid, and high.
Finally, t=ab is computed from the subproducts in Step 11, as shown in the Equation (13). These subproducts are low=a LbL, high=aHbH, and mid=aMbM=(aL+aH) (bL+bH).
The recursion overhead degrades the performance of the KOA. Thus, it is desirable to stop the KOA recursions early and perform the bottom-level multiplications using some nonrecursive method. For this, Step 1 of the KOA function (as outlined above) can be modified. For example, the recursion can be stopped when n≦n 0 where n0 is some predetermined integer. A nonrecursive function can then be called to perform the remaining multiplication.
A variety of different nonrecursive algorithms can be used to multiply the polynomials of size n≦n 0. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, the polynomials are multiplied on a word-by-word basis, as shown above in the section discussing polynomial multiplication over GF(2m). In another exemplary embodiment, a series of nonrecursive algorithms derived from the KOA can be used. These algorithms are each specific to a fixed input size and multiply 2, 3, . . . n-word polynomials respectively. The algorithms may be used in a variety of different combinations and subcombinations with one another. For instance, one particular embodiment uses the 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6-word nonrecursive multiplication algorithms described below in combination with the KOA. The details of the particular algorithms described may be modified in a number of ways (e.g., the sequence in which the various subproducts are computed may be altered) without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
In this exemplary implementation, KOA2, KOA3, KOA4, KOA5 and KOA6 are the algorithms derived from the KOA. To obtain these algorithms, the recursions of the KOA, as well as the inherent redundancies in the KOA, are removed by exploiting the arithmetic of the polynomials over GF(2 m). As noted above, this type of implementation is termed a lean implementation of the KOA, or LKOA.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart 100 showing a general method of implementing the LKOA. At process block 110, two n-word operands a and b are obtained or received. As described above, the operands a and b comprise multiple words of one or more bits and represent a polynomial in GF(2m). At process block 112, a recursive algorithm is used to decompose the multiplication of a and b into a weighted sum of smaller subproducts. The recursive algorithm utilized may be the KOA or a similar divide-and-conquer algorithm. As shown by process block 114, the decomposition continues until the size of the operands of the subproducts reaches a predetermined size. For example, in the exemplary implementation described above, the recursive algorithm is used to decompose the products until the operands are six words or less. When the operand size is less than the predetermined size, process block 116 shows that a nonrecursive algorithm is used to determine the smaller subproducts. The nonrecursive algorithm used may, for instance, be one of the nonrecursive algorithms described below, or another nonrecursive algorithm that efficiently determines the relevant subproduct. At process block 118, the values of these subproducts are used in the weighted sum of process block 112 to complete the calculation. At process block 120, the final value of the weighted sum is returned.
As mentioned before, two operands in GF(2 m) can be multiplied together in two phases. In the first phase, the (n=┌m/w┐)-word polynomials representing the elements are multiplied and the 2n-word product polynomial obtained. In the second phase, the product polynomial is reduced with an irreducible polynomial of degree m. In this way, an (n=┌m/w┐)-word polynomial representing the multiplication result in GF(2m) is obtained.
The polynomial multiplication in the first phase may be performed on a word-by-word basis using the straightforward MULGF2 multiplication algorithm described above. According to this method, however, the first phase is quadratic in time (i.e., O(m 2)). Alternatively, the LKOA may be used to perform the first phase of polynomial multiplication. Because the LKOA runs in less than quadratic time, even for small values of m, the overall time for multiplication is decreased. The LKOA runs faster than the straightforward multiplication algorithm because it trades multiplications in favor of additions. In particular, the LKOA reduces the number of 1-word multiplications (MULGF2) at the expense of more 1-word additions (XOR). Because the MULGF2 operation is costly to implement, the tradeoff results in a more efficient multiplication algorithm. Indeed, the emulation of MULGF2 takes hundreds of clock cycles for a typical value having a word size w=32. By contrast, the XOR operation is a simple operation that is performed in a single clock cycle in many processors. Table 6, discussed below, shows the number of XOR and MULGF2 operations needed for the KOA, the LKOA, and the straightforward polynomial multiplication. As seen in Table 6, the KOA and the LKOA use fewer MULGF2 operations than the straightforward polynomial multiplication for all n=┌m/w┐.
For many applications, the LKOA can be used to multiply polynomials with no or little recursion. For example, the LKOA can be used in the finite fields GF(2 m) for 163≦m≦512, which are used in elliptic curve cryptography. If a word size w=32 is used, for instance, then the polynomials representing the field elements are in the range of 6 to 16 words. When the LKOA multiplies 6-word polynomials, there is no recursion. Thus, in Step 1, the nonrecursive function KOA6 is called for the computation. When the LKOA multiplies 16-word polynomials, only two levels of recursive calls are used. In the first recursion level, the input size is reduced to 8-word polynomials. In the second recursion level, the input size is reduced to 4-word polynomials, and the inputs are multiplied by the nonrecursive function KOA4.
In the second phase of the GF(21) multiplication, the result of the polynomial multiplication is reduced with a trinomial or pentanomial of degree m. This computation has a linear time of O(m). The implementation of the reduction with a trinomial or pentanomial, for example, is relatively simple and straightforward. See, e.g., R. Schroeppel et al., Fast Key Exchange with Elliptic Curve Systems, Advances in Cryptology—CRYPTO 95, pp. 43-56 (1995).
In its simplest form, the recursion tree of an algorithm can be thought of as a hierarchical tree structure wherein each branch represents a recursive call of the algorithm. FIG. 2 shows an exemplary recursion tree 200 that depicts the multiplication of two exemplary polynomials using an algorithm similar to the KOA. For purposes of the example shown in FIG. 2, assume that the recursion stops when the subproducts reach a size of one word, at which point they can be calculated using classical methods. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the polynomials 1+x+x3+x4 and 1+x3+x5 are multiplied together. In FIG. 2, these polynomials are written as a string of two-bit words (i.e., as three words) showing the binary value of each polynomial's coefficients. Thus, the first polynomial 1+x+x3+x4 is denoted as “110110” and the second polynomial 1+x3+x5 is denoted as “100101.” The initial call to the algorithm is represented by the root 210 of the tree 200. The recursive calls made by the initial call constitute the first level of recursion 220 and are represented by the first-level branches 222, 224, 226 emerging from the root 210. The recursive calls made by these recursive calls constitute the second level of recursion 230 and are represented in the recursion tree 200 by the second-level branches 231 through 236 emerging from the first-level branches 222, 224. Note that branch 226 does not have any second-level branches stemming from it because branch 226 represents the product of one-word operands and can be calculated using classical methods (e.g., a MULGF2 operation supporting 2-bit words).
In the recursion tree depicted in FIG. 2, two recursive calls are made by the branches 222 and 224. Thus, three branches, representing a recursive KOA function, emerge from each of these branches. The leaves 231 through 236 and 226 represent the multiplication of one-word inputs, which do not make any recursive calls because they can be calculated using classical methods. Generally speaking, the size of the input parameters are reduced by half in each successive recursion level in the recursion tree. Thus, it is known that at some level, the branches will have one-word inputs and cease to make any further recursive calls.
In the KOA, there are three choices for a branch. A branch either takes the input pair (a L, bL) from its parent and returns the subproduct low, takes the input pair (aH, bH) and returns the subproduct high, or takes the input pair (aM, bM) and returns the subproduct mid. For purposes of this disclosure, these first, second, and third types of branches are called low, high, and mid branches respectively. This classification of the branches is given in Table 1 below.
where LeafProduct i is a particular leaf-product, and Weighti is a polynomial in z.
The factors of Weight i in Equation (15) are generated by the recursive decompositions performed along the path between the root and the leaf computing LeafProducti. These factors are the weights of the subproducts introduced during the decompositions and can be determined by the help of Table 2.
Now consider t, t′, t″, and t′″, respectively, which denote the products computed by the root, its child, its grandchild, and its grandgrandchild along a given path. For purposes of this example, let the child, grandchild, and grandgrandchild be mid, high, and low branches, respectively. FIG. 4 illustrates this path on the recursion tree 300. In particular, path 400 originates at the root 410 (i.e., t), and proceeds to its mid child 412 (t′), then to its high grandchild 414 (t″), and finally to its low grandgrandchild 416 (t′″). The recursive decomposition of the products t, t′, and t″ is illustrated in Table 3.
words, and its weight is z (n+1)/2=z5. Next, t′ is decomposed for n=5. Note that n=5 so that t′ has (2n=10) words. In this manner, t″ can also be decomposed. The product t′″, however, cannot be decomposed because it has (n=1)-word inputs and is computed at a leaf. Indeed, the leaf-product t′″ is computed by direct multiplication having (n=1)-word inputs. The product t in this example corresponds to RootProduct in Equation (14), whereas t′″ corresponds to LeafProducti for some i. Similarly, Weighti corresponds to the accumulated weight of t′″ (i.e., Weighti=(1+z)(z3+z6)z5).
To find LeafProduct i, the inputs LeafA and LeafB must be found. The inputs of the leaves and the branches are defined from the inputs of their parent in Steps 2 through 7 of the KOA function. Note that all these inputs are actually derived from the inputs of the root, which is the ancestor of the all the branches and the leaves.
Proposition 1: Let the indices and lengths describing the inputs of the parent be k i and i l for i=1 . . . , r. Then, the indices and lengths describing the children's inputs are as given in Table 4. Note that because some lengths in the table are obtained by subtractions, they can be nonpositive. The subarrays with nonpositive lengths are equal to zero.
for i=1, . . . , r, as seen in Equation (19)). Note that these lengths can be nonpositive due to the subtraction. If a length is nonpositive, the corresponding subarray equals to zero. Third, as seen in Steps 6 and 7 of KOA function, a M (bM) is the sum of the aL and aH (bL and bH).
respectively, according to Table 4. After the substitutions k i=k1=0, li=l1=9, and n=9, the indices and lengths describing the inputs of the root's child (a′, b′) are found. These indices and lengths are k1, k2=0,5 and l1, l2=5,4, as seen in Table 5. The size of the inputs (a′, b′) is the new n value, and n=max(l1, l2)=max(5, 4)=5. In this fashion, the indices and lengths describing the inputs (a″, b″) and (a′″, b′″) are found. The inputs (a′″, b′″) comprise (n=1) word. Thus, they are the inputs of the leaf at the end of the path. The indices and lengths describing them are k1, k2=3,8 and l1, l2=1, 1, as seen in Table 5. This means that a ′′′ = a [ 3 ] + a [ 8 ] and b ′′′ = b [ 3 ] + b [ 8 ] .
The above equation provides that t=Σ i=0 n−m−1 lpi wi′. However, the desired equation is t=Σi=0 n−m−1 lpiwi. Thus, t must be multiplied by zm to obtain the final result. For this, the index of every word of t is increased by m in the above equation. That is, t[index] is replaced with t[index+m]. This shift in the array representation is the equivalent of multiplying by zm. Also, zeros are inserted into the first m word. After the change of variable i=i+m and some rearrangement, Equation (34) can be obtained.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing generally how the nonrecursive algorithms operate. As shown by the dashed l i nes, the flowchart of FIG. 5 corresponds generally to process block 416 of FIG. 1.
At process block 510, the subproduct to be calculated is decomposed into a weighted sum of subproducts having one-word inputs. This decomposition may proceed, for instance, in the manner described above for finding the value and respective weights of the leaf-products from the corresponding recursion tree. At process block 512, algebraic substitutions are performed to identify pairs of identical subproducts. These redundant subproducts are then removed from the weighted sum. The pairs of redundant subproducts can be removed because their sum is zero in GF(2m), thereby reducing the number of XOR operations that need to be performed to obtain the relevant subproduct. At process block 514, subproducts having the form described above in Proposition 2 are identified and grouped so that they can be efficiently calculated using the described method. At process block 516, a weighted sum according to Proposition 2 is calculated, thereby producing a partial result of the subproduct. As shown in Equation (24), this weighted sum can be obtained using previously calculated intermediate values (e.g., t[i−1] and t[i+1]), which may be stored once they are calculated. This procedure of storing and reusing intermediate values also reduces the number of XOR operations that need to be performed in order to obtain the desired product. At process block 518, the remaining subproducts having one-word inputs are calculated and used to update the partial result. The updated partial result produces the final product, which is returned at process block 520.
Each row above is indexed with i. The ith row contains the ith leaf-product denoted by lp i, and its weight is denoted by wi.
The first two weights can be written as Σ j=0 n−1 zi+j for i=0, . . . , n−1 where n=2. These weights are in the form mentioned in Proposition 2. Thus, the weighted sum of the first two leaf-products lp0 and lp1 can be computed efficiently, as described in the proposition. But, this weighted sum is only a partial result for t. To obtain t, this partial result must be added to the weighted sum of the remaining leaf-products in the list above (i.e., to (a+a) (b+b) z).
Each row above is indexed with i. The ith row contains the ith leaf-product denoted by lp i, and its weight denoted by wi. Note that two of the leaf-products are redundantly the same.
Each row above is indexed with i. The ith row contains the ith leaf-product denoted by lp i and its weight denoted by wi.
The first four weights can be written as Σ j=0 n−1 for i=0, . . . , n−1 where n=4. Also, the fourth and the fifth weights can be written as zm Σj=0 n−m−1 zi+j for i=0, . . . , n−m−1 where n=4 and m=2. These weights are in the forms mentioned in Proposition 2. Thus, the weighted sum of the first six leaf-products lp0, lp1, lp2, lp3, lp4, and lp5 can be computed efficiently, as described in the proposition. But, this weighted sum is only a partial result for t. To obtain t, this partial result must be added to the weighted sum of the remaining leaf-products in the list above.
The function above needs 38 word-additions (XOR) and 9 word-multiplications (MULGF2). Note that, when lp 6, lp7, and lp8, are computed, 4 XOR operations can be gained at the expense of additional storage.
where the LeafProduct i's are defined from the words of n/2-word polynomials.
In general, in one exemplary embodiment, optimizing the leaf-products and weights means that: (1) no leaf-products are redundantly the same; and (2) the weights are in the form mentioned in Proposition 2 and its corollary. In this sense, the leaf-products and the weight which are derived for the multiplication of n-word polynomials in the previous section are optimum so long as LeafProduct i and Weighti are optimum. Further, the leaf-products and the weights which are derived for the multiplication of (n−1)-word polynomials are not optimum, even if LeafProducti and Weighti are optimum.
According to the criteria recited above, Weight i are optimum if Weight i = ∑ j = 0 n / 2 - 1 z i + j for i = 0 , ⋯ , n / 2 - 1.
The function above needs 57 word-additions (XOR) and 14 word-multiplications (MULGF2). Note that when lp 7, lp12, and lp13 are computed, 4 XOR operations are gained at the expense of additional storage.
The performance of the disclosed GF(2 m) multiplication methods mainly depend on the performance of the particular LKOA implemented. The cost of the modulo reduction operation is typically less significant if a trinomial or pentanomial is selected as the irreducible polynomial. In the following table, the number of XOR and MULGF2 operations required to multiply polynomials having a size between 2 and 6 words using standard multiplication, the KOA, and the LKOA described above is given.
As seen in Table 6, the standard multiplication needs n 2 MULGF2 operations to compute the partial products and needs 2n(n−1) XOR operations to combine these partial products. The number of XOR and MULGF2 operations required for the KOA is calculated using a computer program, such as a Maple program. As seen from Table 6, the LKOA and the KOA need more XOR operations. However, the LKOA and the KOA need fewer MULGF2 operations than the standard multiplication. Because the emulation of MULGF2 is very costly, the LKOA and the KOA outperform the standard multiplication.
In comparison to other methods, GF(2 m) multiplication with the LKOA is more efficient, can be implemented in software in a computer-based environment, does not require a look-up table, and does not have a restriction on the field size m. Although the LKOA may require extra code size, the overall code size is still very reasonable. For example, the code for the particular implementation discussed above in the C programming language requires at most 5 kbytes.
A multiplication method using both the LKOA and the KOA for calculating polynomials in GF(2 m) may be implemented in software. Trinomials and pentanomials may be used for the reduction procedure that follows multiplication. Table 7 gives the timing results for two particular implementations for multiplying GF(2m): (1) the LKOA; and (2) the KOA.
The multiplication time for the finite fields GF(2 163), GF(2211), GF(2233), and GF(2283), which are commonly used in the elliptic curve cryptography, were measured. The particular platform used in the measurement was a 450-MHZ Pentium II machine with 256 Mbyte RAM. The timing results show that the LKOA is nearly two times faster than the KOA for GF(2m) multiplication.
The operation of one of the nonrecursive algorithms is illustrated in the following example and in FIGS. 6 through 8. In particular, FIGS. 6 through 8 illustrate the operation of the KOA3 algorithm by relating it to the recursion tree of FIG. 2. In this example, two polynomials “110110” and “100101” (i.e., 1+x+x 3+x4 and 1+x3+x5) are multiplied together. Both polynomials comprise three two-bit words. Thus, the operand size is n=3, and the word size is w=2. Let a denote 110110 and a[i] denote the ith bit of 110110. Also, let b denote 100101 and b[i] denote the ith digit of 100101.
The first process in the KOA3 algorithm is to compute the first three leaf-products lp 0, lp1, and lp2. In particular, these subproducts are lp0=11*10=1100, lp1=01*01=0010, and lp2=10*01=0100. As shown in F these subproducts correspond to branches of the related recursion tree. In particular, lp0 corresponds to branch 231, lp 1 corresponds to branches 233 and 236, and ip2 corresponds to branch 226.
The fourth process in the KOA3 algorithm is to determine the remaining leaf-products lp 3, lp4, and lp5. In particular, these subproducts are lp3=10*11=1100, lp4=01*11=0110, and lp5=11*00 =0000. As shown in FIG. 8, these subproducts correspond to branches of the related recursion tree. In particular, lp3 corresponds to branch 232, lp4 corresponds to branch 234, and lp5 corresponds to branch 235. Note that lp5 no longer corresponds precisely to branch 235, but has instead been modified through the algebraic substitutions recited above to comprise the subproduct (a+a)(b+b). As more fully discussed above, the algebraic substitutions can performed to maximize the number of one-word subproducts having weights in the form Σj=0 n−1 zi+j for i=0, . . . , n−1, which can be efficiently calculated.
In one particular implementation, the methods are used, at least in part, to generate and verify a key pair or to generate and verify a signature according to the ECDSA. For example, the methods may be used to compute Q=dG during the key pair generation process, wherein Q is a public key, d is a private key, and G is a base point. Moreover, the methods may be used to verify that nQ=O during the key pair verification process, wherein n is the order of the point G, and O is the point at infinity of the elliptic curve. Similarly, the methods may be used to compute kG=(x 1,y1), wherein k is a random or pseudorandom integer, and (x1, y1) are points on an elliptic curve. The methods may similarly be used to calculate the related modular, inverse modular, and hash functions during the signature generation and verification processes.
Any of the methods described above may be implemented in a number of different hardware and/or software environments. FIG. 11 shows a block diagram of one exemplary general hardware implementation. More particularly, FIG. 9 shows a multiplying apparatus 900 (e.g., a computer) that includes a processor 910 (e.g., a microprocessor), memory 912 (e.g., RAM or ROM) and an input data path 914. Any one of the multiplication methods described above may be stored in the memory or on a computer-readable medium (e.g., hard disk, CD-ROM, DVD, floppy disk, RAM, ROM) that is separate from the memory 912 and accessible by the processor 910 before or during execution of the algorithm. During operation, the input operands (e.g., polynomials) may be supplied via the input data path 914 or by the memory 912. The processor 910 and the memory 912 are coupled together via the data paths 916, which enable the various read and write operations performed during the algorithm. The final product computed by the processor 910 may be output from the processor on output data path 916 or stored in the memory 912 for later use. The details of this general hardware implementation are omitted.
As noted, the disclosed methods may be used in cryptography to help compute a variety of cryptographic parameters using multi-precision multiplication. FIG. 10 shows a block diagram of a general cryptographic apparatus 940 that may be used to multiply two operands to produce a cryptographic parameter. The apparatus 940 includes a cryptographic processor 950 used to perform the algorithm; memory 952 used to store the operands, the intermediate results, and computer-executable instructions for performing the algorithm; and an input data path 954. The apparatus 940 operates much like the apparatus described in FIG. 9, but produces a cryptographic parameter at its output 956. The cryptographic parameter may be related to or constitute a portion of a public key, private key, ciphertext, plaintext, digital signature, or some combination thereof. The parameter may also constitute a number of other values used in cryptography. The cryptographic apparatus 940 may be included in a variety of security applications. For instance, the apparatus 940 may be included in a secure transaction server used for financial transactions, confidential record storage, SmartCards, and cell phones.
using a nonrecursive algorithm to complete the multiplication when a size of the smaller subproducts is less than or equal to a predetermined size, the predetermined size being at least two words.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined size is six words.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the recursive multiplication algorithm is a Karatsuba-Ofman algorithm.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of using a nonrecursive multiplication algorithm includes the step of excluding pairs of redundant subproducts.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the nonrecursive multiplication algorithm stores and reuses previously calculated intermediate values to determine subsequent intermediate values.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the previously calculated intermediate values are used to determine a weighted sum of subproducts having weights z of the form Σj=0 n−1 zi+j for i=0, . . . , n−1, wherein i and j are index integers.
where t[i] is the ith word of t.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second polynomials corresponds to at least a portion of a private key, and a product of the first polynomial and the second polynomial corresponds to a public key.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first polynomial and the second polynomial are cryptographic parameters and the multiplication is associated with signature generation.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the signature generation is associated with an elliptic curve digital signature.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first polynomial and the second polynomial are associated with cryptographic parameters and the multiplication is associated with signature verification.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the signature verification is associated with an elliptic curve digital signature.
13. A computer-readable medium, comprising instructions for performing the method of claim 1.
updating the partial result by adding remaining one-word subproducts.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising identifying and excluding pairs of redundant one-word subproducts.
reusing the stored intermediate calculations.
18. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first and the second polynomials is associated with a private key, and a product of the first polynomial and the second polynomial is associated with a public key.
19. The method of claim 14, wherein the first polynomial and the second polynomial are cryptographic parameters and the multiplication is associated with signature generation.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the signature generation is associated with an elliptic curve digital signature.
21. The method of claim 14, wherein the first polynomial and the second polynomial are cryptographic parameters and the multiplication is associated with signature verification.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the signature verification process is associated with an elliptic curve digital signature.
23. A computer-readable medium, comprising instructions for performing the method of claim 14.
removing the pairs of redundant one-word subproducts from the weighted sum, thereby obtaining a revised weighted sum.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first polynomial and the second polynomial have n−1 words, where n is an even integer, and wherein the first and the second polynomials are padded with zeros such that the first polynomial and the second polynomial can be represented as n words.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein the zero-padded words of the first and the second polynomials are excluded from the revised weighted sum.
27. The method of claim 24, further comprising identifying the one-word subproducts having weights z of a form Σj=0 n−1 zi+j for i=0, . . . , n−1 through algebraic substitutions, wherein i and j are index integers, and n is a number of words in the first and second polynomials.
28. The method of claim 27, further comprising calculating a weighted sum of the one-word subproducts having weights of Σj=0 n−1 zi+j for i=0, . . . , n−1 by storing and reusing intermediate calculations.
29. A nonrecursive algorithm determined by the method of claim 24.
30. A computer-readable medium, comprising instructions for performing the nonrecursive algorithm of claim 24.
outputting a cryptographic parameter associated with the multiplication.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the predetermined size is six words.
33. The method of claim 31, wherein the recursive multiplication algorithm is a Karatsuba-Ofman algorithm.
34. The method of claim 31, wherein the nonrecursive multiplication algorithm excludes pairs of redundant subproducts.
35. The method of claim 31, wherein the nonrecursive multiplication algorithm uses previously calculated, stored weighted sums to determine subsequent weighted sums.
36. The method of claim 31, wherein at least one of the operands corresponds to a private key, and the cryptographic parameter is a public key.
37. The method of claim 31, wherein the cryptographic parameter is used in digital signature generation or digital signature verification.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein the signature generation is associated with an elliptic curve digital signature.
means for outputting the product of the first polynomial and the second polynomial. | 2019-04-21T03:19:15Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/US20040109561A1/en | Porn | Reference | 0.77593 |
wordpress | A nice analysis on the Virus Bulletin site by Axelle Apvrille of the surprisingly widespread malware iOS/AdThief (a.k.a. Spad, though I personally hate it when the malware author gets to choose the name of the threat): Paper: Inside the iOS/AdThief malware. Sparked by earlier research by Claud Xiao.
As good an argument for not jailbreaking your iGadget as I’ve come across to date.
The Register: We told you jailbreaking your iThing was dangerous (complete with a reminder that if you are contemplating jailbreaking, you should at least change your iGadget’s default root password).
« iOS through the backdoor?
Chain Mail Check: scams, spam, hoaxes and more Information on and verification of hoaxes, semi-hoaxes, chainletters, scams and related nuisances. | 2019-04-23T22:35:37Z | https://macviruscom.wordpress.com/2014/08/14/iosadthief/ | Porn | News | 0.408456 |
wordpress | . Last week Gisborne Boardriders celebrated it’s 50th Jubilee during the National Championships. ‘Gisborne Surfriders Club’ was formed in 1964, and later changed it’s name to ‘Gisborne Boardriders Club’. The jubilee celebrations were held at the Tatapouri Fishing Club as the club no longer has its own clubrooms. Early club members such as Chris Ransley (1969 NZ junior champ), Ben Hutchings (1975 NZ Champ), Geoff ‘Lumpy’ Logan, Gail Patty (1967 NZ Womens Champ), and Paul Dobson; were present at the celebrations, along with many members and associates from over the years.
Celebrations opened with the ceremonial couch shell blowing and welcome mihi (speech) by local surfing kaumatua (elder) Ian ‘Moti’ Proctor. The mayor of Gisborne, Meng Foon, made a welcome address and presented a commemorative certificate to the club president, Andy McCulloch.
The highlight of the evening was the screening of the short movie ‘A Look Back Over The Last 50 Years’ produced for the occasion by local movie guru, Damon Meade. It’s a must-watch if you haven’t seen it. Click on the image below to link through to the video. (You’ll even see me featured in a brief interview towards the end of the movie). I’ve added old historical photos from the Gisborne Photonews, to the photos that I took on the night. ‘Go Hard, or Go Home’ was the club’s unofficial slogan from the 80’s. Hopefully Gissy Boardriders will be going hard out for another 50 years!
Aussie import Benny Hutchings, an allround waterman, won the 1975 Nationals in Gissy when lack of surf forced a change of venue from Piha (…amazing, but true !) For his efforts Benny won a trip to Australia for the Bell’s comp and a trip to Hawaii for the Smirnoff and The Duke comps. Just as well he co-owned Surfboards Gisborne, – Sunset Beach can be hard on your boards. Ben still competes in the Nationals, these days in the Over60s. Summers spent in Gisborne means Ben still gets to surf old favourites like Tuamotu Island, where Ben first met the cheeky young grommet, Al Byrne.
The surf fashions have certainly changed over the last 50 years. Hair styles and moustaches are a bit of a giveaway of the period. Here’s some before and after shots of some of the old boys.
The team above was supposed to be a NZ representative team, so how come they’re all from Gissy?! …maybe they were the only Kiwi’s who could afford to go? – The club was very financial at this time. The clubrooms, established in the old skating rink building in Grey Street, was a popular hangout and watering-hole in the 90’s. A lot of liquor was sold, which financed a lot of surf trips and club activities.
1984 Nationals, Midway -are those guys judging or guarding the beer?!
The club has had a number of competitive legends over the years. Since winning the NZ Senior title in 1984, John Gisby has racked up a total of 34 national titles. Turning 60 before this year’s Nationals ‘Gis’ was eligible to compete in the recently established Over 60’s division, which he won last week. In 2003 when ISA brought the World Masters to Taranaki, Gis’ won the Over 45s World title.
The only member to come close to Gisby’s record is the club’s first World Champion, Jay Quinn, who won the ISA World Under18 title in Sydney in 2002. Jay has won the NZ Open title 3 times. He added the NZ Longboard title to the Open in 2008. He was both U18 & U16 Champ in ’99, and the U14 Champ in both ’96 and ’97. Jay has come close to qualifying for the elite World Tour.
Older brother Maz Quinn has won the NZ Open 4 times. Although Maz has never won a World Title he won the ultra-competitive Australian Pro Junior series – breeding ground for future World Champs (Parko, Fanning, etc.) and finished 2nd to Taj Burrows in the World Pro Junior final. Maz then qualified for the elite World Tour and placed 5th in the opening event on the Gold Coast. He was king-maker at the Quiksilver France, where Kelly Slater hoped Maz would beat the other world title contender, Andy Irons in serious barreling surf. A desperate Irons finally caught up with Maz with just 5 minutes to go. Final scores: 11.76 to 11.33 – Andy became the World Champ. Maz became a household name in NZ and appeared on numerous TV sports shows. Maz is still the only male Kiwi surfer to make it onto the elite World Tour, although brother Jay came close.
The temperature just hit 31º . On days like this you may be tempted to describe Gisborne as ‘tropical’ but if you’ve been to the tropics you’ll appreciate that we have more of a ‘sub-tropical’ climate. Which is great, as we miss out on a lot of tropical nasties like sea snakes, malaria, and low budget kung-fu movies playing in third world hotels. But at the height of summer we experience other menaces, such as crowded surf and the proverbial ‘surfed-5-times-over-the-summer’ kook. Check out the kook in the photo below!
On New Year’s Eve the swell had lots of north in it so there were a lot of lefthanders running along Wainui and Makorori beaches. For some strange reason, Makorori Point wasn’t quite doing it’s thing – it should have been ideal in those conditions. However the beach breaks certainly made up for it. The righthander off ‘Teddy’s Bank’ was working well and there was a large crew on to it.
Wishing you all the best for 2014 !
no more Blues, bring on the happy songs!
Well folks … that’s it for 2013 !
Sorry that The Dose hasn’t been daily during 2013, but I am resolving to be much more regular next year. What’s your New Year’s resolution going to be?
was looking a bit gloomy. No much swell on the horizon and the weather was dodgy as well. With a southerly wind blowing it was a good option to head up the East Coast on a road trip. We packed the 4×4 with a picnic lunch (Christmas leftovers), grabbed the dogs, surfboards, skateboard and cameras and headed north. First stop – Tolaga Bay. No significant swell and the place was swarming with holiday-makers and tourists – not the reason we headed up the coast. So it was back in the truck and off to Tokomaru Bay for a picnic under a tree as the rain was starting to arrive. A short post-lunch skate later and we were off to Waipiro Bay – deeper into coastal seclusion and serenity. The surf wasn’t happening but we enjoyed the walk on the beach with the dogs.
now that’s the life !
Seasons greetings to all you Dose of the Salts subscribers!
Trust you’ve now worked off the turkey and Christmas pudding. I hope Santa brought you what you were after, that’s assuming you’ve been good boys and girls! To be honest, I haven’t been a very good boy have I? This being my first post of ‘The Dose’ in many weeks. …So Santa never brought me the 300mm lens I was after and I got a new T-shirt instead. | 2019-04-19T23:06:27Z | https://donpnz.wordpress.com/category/uncategorized/ | Porn | Reference | 0.108749 |
wordpress | Neandertal men, or Neandertals have intrigued people since the discovery of the first fossil remains were discovered in the Meander Valley back in 1856. Early ideas about Neandertals were heavily influenced by preconceptions about human ancestry current at that time and so Neandertals were believed to be the missing link between human and ape and so Neandertals were depicted as bestial, sub-human primitives. More recent research has revealed that Neandertal Man or Homo neanderthalensis was very closely related to modern Homo sapiens, perhaps even a subspecies of sapiens. More recent depictions of Neanderthals have tended to be more sympathetic, including Jean M. Auel’s Clan of the Cave Bear and the Geico cavemen.
Paleontological research and the sequencing of Neanderthal DNA have taught us a lot about their appearance and habits, but not so much, what they were really like. How “human” were the Neanderthals? Were as intelligent as modern humans, or more, or less? Would they fit into modern society?
Thomas Wynn and Frederick L. Coolidge attempt to answer these questions in their book, How to Think Like a Neandertal. Wynn, an archaeologist and Coolidge, a psychologist, go over the available evidence to try to reconstruct how Neanderthals really thought. This exercise necessarily requires a lot of speculation since there are no living Neanderthals to examine, but most of their guesses seem to be sound, based on the evidence they present.
Wynn and Coolidge believe that Neanderthals were as intelligent as modern humans were. Judging from the artifacts they left, they were certainly not stupid. Yet, their intelligence seems to be subtly different from ours. Neanderthals did not innovate much. Their tools are much the same in design throughout their range. The tools were well made, but they lacked the sort of regional variations that are characteristic of tribes of modern humans who live far apart. The tools retain the same designs for tens of thousands of years, while the tools of even the most primitive modern humans show some development over time. Wynn and Coolidge speculate that Neandertals were very conservative in temperament and did not like the new or unexpected.
Neadertals were very strong compared to modern humans and lived hard and dangerous lives. Wynn and Coolidge assert that emotionally, Neanderthals were stoic and used to dangers and injuries. They took care of injured members of their communities. These communities or bands were rather small, perhaps no more than a dozen or two dozen individuals. Neadertals did not travel much and did not interact with other bands except on rare occasions. They do not seem to have engaged in any sort of trade between bands. Because of this, Neadertals were probably suspicious of strangers and less sophisticated in social interactions than modern humans who lived in larger communities that interacted with one another.
Neadertals almost certainly had language. They had the same genes that in humans control the acquisition and use of language. There is no way now to know what their languages were like and how they compare to the languages of our time. Wynn and Coolidge believe that their language must have been different from any language used by Homo sapiens, perhaps more context specific and with more use of stock phrases as part of their conservatism. Their humor might also have been different, more physical and maybe far less use of word play. I think, though, that this subject is the one in which their speculations are less well based on available evidence. I believe that unless a Neadertal is resurrected using “Jurassic Park” technology, we simply do not have enough evidence on which to base any speculations.
How to Think Like a Neandertal is an interesting book about an interesting people. I only wish it were possible to know more about the Neandertals.
Though he had it slightly wrong. If the latest research in biology is any indication, we are, each one of us, a continent, perhaps even a world in ourselves. That is the impression I got when I read this article in The Economist.
The microbiome also maintains the host’s health by keeping hostile interlopers at bay. An alien bug that causes diarrhoea, for instance, is as much an enemy of the microbiome as of the host. Both have an interest in zapping it. And both contribute to the task. Host and microbiome, then, are allies. But there is more to it than that. For the latest research shows their physiologies are linked in ways which make the idea of a human superorganism more than just a rhetorical flourish.
So, each one of us is not just a single entity, but a whole community of microbes. I’ll never feel lonely again. Meanwhile, we should all be good to our bacteria, they are our closest friends. | 2019-04-24T08:40:33Z | https://davidscommonplacebook.wordpress.com/tag/human/ | Porn | Science | 0.518918 |
columbia | String Quartet No. 2 "Intimate Pages"
Today on WKCR Afternoon Classical, we celebrated the 160th anniversary of the birth of composer Leos Janáček with various orchestral, vocal, and chamber works by the composer. And to celebrate Independence Day, we heard vocal works by American composers from the American Academy in Rome, along with Roy Harris' Symphony 1933. | 2019-04-22T21:00:27Z | https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/wkcr/program/afternoon-classical/afternoon-classical-playlist-07032014 | Porn | Arts | 0.936411 |
wordpress | My friend and fellow author, Carol Balawyder is a guest on Joanne’s blog. I’ve reblogged this to Anneli’s Place. Read about Carol’s story of how her writing fills gaps in her life.
Today, we have Canadian author Carol Balawyder musing about the two acts of her writing journey.
I am so grateful to be featured among so many (over 90!) wonderful writers in Joanne Guidoccio’s Second Acts series.
In life one has many second acts but the one which I wish to focus on here is my writing journey.
Five years ago I retired from a successful teaching career with the luck of a pension that allowed me the freedom to write without the financial burden of having a day job. My initial intention was to put my heart and soul into writing crime novels. After all, wasn’t that the purpose for my going back to school to study criminology and later teach Police Tech and Corrections so that I would have credibility as a crime writer? | 2019-04-25T12:18:17Z | https://annelisplace.wordpress.com/2016/01/ | Porn | Arts | 0.656576 |
wordpress | shopping | Exciting Adventures of an ex-Archaeologist, soon to be Teacher!
For those starting Christmas preparations early, and have a knitter in your life, you could always have a peek here – (http://yarnpony.wordpress.com/). The lovely yarn isn’t for sale yet but if you look here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaela-and-richard/sets/72157627078936207/with/8071781635/) you can see what will be up for sale soon. I was lucky enough to get my hands on some of this yarn when it was being tested and the colours are just awesome!
I’ll be posting more gift ideas for knitterly types in the coming weeks (hint hint my friends), as well as a list for xbox lovers too.
Today is the Solstice, but that hasn’t meant it is pouring down outside. The endless grey doesn’t make for much cheer, so I’ve put together a few links to pretty things to help spread the cheer!
Firstly, fancy some armchair shopping? Need a new bag? Why not have a look at this Folksy shop here: Little M Bags – it makes great use of recycled ribbon, sequins, buttons etc to add some sparkle to your study or shopping.
If knitting is more your thing than sewing, then The Yarn Yard is where you can buy handdyed wool from near Edinburgh. I’ve used some to make a secret surprise shawl and baby socks so far, but have plans to use it much more.
I bought new shoes a the weekend. I didn’t get that wonderful warm and glowing new shoe feeling though, as the new ones were exactly the same as an old pair. But, as you can see, the old pair were past it. They even let water into my socks on the way to the new shoe shop. I like how the pink the new ones look but I wonder how long it will last! | 2019-04-25T02:40:32Z | https://emmajaneoriordan.wordpress.com/tag/shopping/ | Porn | Shopping | 0.91992 |
wordpress | This was a book that, when I was reading it, gave me a lot of feelings, both good and bad. This novel is actually two stories. In one, we have the story of Darcy Patel. Darcy has written a novel and it is being published. Just graduated from high school, Darcy leaps into adulthood by moving to New York City, getting an apartment, and making several new friends within the publishing community.
In between the chapters of Darcy’s new and exciting life, we have the chapters of her actual novel, Afterworlds. In this story, Lizzie is at an airport during a terrorist attack. This near-death experience brings her in contact with the world after ours. She meets some dead people, and some almost-dead people, and finds herself caught up in a whirlwind of danger and intrigue.
Okay, so, some thoughts. First off, while I frequently do enjoy books with dual storylines, this one just didn’t work for me. I think the primary reason is that one of these stories was supposed to be fiction within a world that is already fiction. I don’t really know how else to say it, but it made it hard for me to really get into both of these storylines since they weren’t both set in the same world. It was too much like reading two entirely separate books, which, in a sense, I was.
However, I did enjoy the discussions that Darcy was having with her publishing friends about her struggles with rewriting the story, and a sort of commentary on different aspects of the story, usually right before or after I had read that chapter of Lizzie’s story. For instance, in one of Darcy’s chapters, someone mentions how they love the word “bungalow.” Darcy makes a mental note to look it up since she doesn’t know exactly what a bungalow is. In the next chapter we read of Lizzie’s story, someone is living in a bungalow. Little things like that made the parallel story fun.
A lot of the language is really quite lovely.
The real world worked differently than stories. In a novel you always knew the moment when something Happened, when someone Changed. But real life was full of gradual, piecemeal, continuous transformation. It was full of accidents and undefinables, and things that just happened on their own.
Westerfield tackles some deeper topics through his story with Darcy, especially about the question of whether or not authors can write about things/religions/experiences that aren’t theirs firsthand. Darcy is from a Hindi family, and one of the main characters in her novel is a god in Hindi writings. As the story progresses, this is a concept with which Darcy wrestles, because she is not a practicing Hindu, and she’s changed the character and idea of the god she’s used in her story into someone quite different from the traditional writings. There is a great scene where she is talking with a friend of hers, who is a practicing Hindu, and asking him whether or not he finds her use of this god to be offensive.
Pardon the long quote, but I just really enjoyed that entire passage, and it made me realize why sometimes having religion in books bothers me and sometimes it doesn’t. Simple, but brilliant.
And really, the question about whether or not an author can write about experience he has not experienced first-hand is an engaging one. The first reaction, that I hear frequently is “No, of course not!” but the truth is, all authors do (unless they’re writing an autobiography). Someone who writes a murder mystery is not (usually) a murderer or a detective. How is that different from having a man write a story about a woman? Authors will always write about experiences that are not their own, which is why I don’t mind reading a book about a young lesbian Indian girl written by a middle-aged white man.
Plus, it was just a little too insta-love for me. Like not completely, but kind of. It really felt like it came out of no where, just all of a sudden, “Oh wow you aren’t just my friend, I’m actually a lesbian and I love you and we should live together and our life is amazing.” It wasn’t really the love-part that bothered me, I think, it was, once again, the complete devaluation of friendship. Because obviously it wasn’t possible for two people to be really good friends, and to just hang out and learn and write together – they had to be in a relationship, because, apparently, anyone who is close friends with someone, no matter age or gender, is at least a little bit in love with that person. I find that super annoying. Friendship is so important, and every modern writer insists on making every relationship sexual. So. Aggravating.
Plus, I have zero interest in hearing about people discovering their sexuality, homo or heterosexual. Seriously, can it get more boring? “I have feelings! Wait, do I have feelings?! I think I have feelings! No, no feelings. Wait, yes, FEELINGS! SO MANY FEELINGS!” Gah.
While Darcy’s story was all about feelings, Lizzie’s story was a lot about revenge and power, and a lot of it was kind of dark. Someone of it, actually, was very dark. At one point, someone gets murdered, and it’s a little gruesome for my tastes.
Overall, I found Afterworlds to be an engaging read, but it definitely wasn’t a book I want to return to time and again. I didn’t feel like Darcy’s and Lizzie’s stories flowed together as much as they could have (and, seriously? Darcy and Lizzie? And the only acknowledgement we get is like one throw-away line where someone is like “OMG you didn’t notice you named your main character Lizzie and your name is Darcy?!” and Darcy’s like, “No, but oh well her name is totally Lizzie now.” ??? Why did Westerfeld do this?? Is there something subtle I have missed??) and there was just a bit too much angst in both stories for me to really enjoy them thoroughly. Still, the writing was strong, and I appreciated Westerfeld’s willingness to talk about some engaging and challenging topics. A high 3/5 for me – a very good one-time read, but not a classic I yearn to place on my shelves.
Maybe that was the point of truth – you could erase it all you wanted, and it was there to be discovered again.
This entry was posted in Book Review, Fiction, YA and tagged Afterworlds, Scott Westerfeld. Bookmark the permalink.
Yes, I couldn’t resist putting in that section, even though it’s a bit long for a quote. But I just loved the concept – it’s so true – and when applied to things that are important to people, like religion, it helps explain why some writing can be more offensive/irritating than others. | 2019-04-21T22:14:54Z | https://thearomaofbooks.wordpress.com/2015/01/03/afterworlds/ | Porn | Arts | 0.112696 |
straightdope | Is it true U.S. postage rates are among the lowest in the developed world?
Recently a friend and I got into debate over the price of stamps in the U.S. I was complaining that the price of a stamp in this country was too high, and talk of a price increase next year I found too odious to contemplate. My companion, who hails from the continent, claimed that we Americans were spoiled, and that the 29 cent stamp was probably the cheapest letter stamp in the world, and most assuredly in Europe. We would appreciate it if you could enlighten us as to which countries give the best bang for the postal buck. A sixpack of Molson is at stake here.
20. Spain, 20 cents (27 pesetas); in-city letters are even cheaper at 13 cents (17 pesetas). Sounds great, but since subsidies are paid out of taxes, we may be sure the Spanish public pays one way or another.
Why are U.S. rates lower? Economies of scale have something to do with it, of course. European countries typically also have much higher labor costs. Postal work is considered a prestige job in much of Europe, and workers there undergo extensive training and enjoy many perks — including, believe it or not, postal worker resorts.
Do European countries get better service for the money? Not necessarily. Germany used to promise overnight service to any domestic address, but since reunification has not consistently been able to deliver on this. Generally speaking, though, service, in most northern European countries at least, is excellent. Considering what it costs, it ought to be. Kwitcherbitchen. | 2019-04-19T09:31:42Z | https://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/729/is-it-true-u-s-postage-rates-are-among-the-lowest-in-the-developed-world/ | Porn | Business | 0.357668 |
wordpress | There are two very interesting dog items in the news this morning. First, new U.S. Senator Al Franken (yes, the former Saturday Night Live comedian) has introduced a bill that would provide service dogs to veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. There’s been an experimental Veterans Administration program with dogs helping vets with PTSD and depression and now Sen. Franken would like to take the program live so it can help all Iraq and Afghanistan vets who need dogs.
Research with the VA is showing that specially trained dogs can help psychologically wounded veterans.
The dogs’ companionship, Franken said, provides invaluable health benefits — both physical and emotional — to veterans suffering from debilitating injuries and psychological disorders.
The service dogs will help “reduce the suicide rate among veterans, decrease the number of hospitalizations and lower the cost of medications and human care,” he said.
That sounds wonderful! However, the program would only provide service dogs to new vets. It would not provide dogs to older vets — vets who experienced PTSD or depression from previous conflicts.
So I ask you to support this great idea, but help veterans of all eras in having Senator Franken’s noble proposal expanded to include all veterans alive who are wounded in the spirit. If this seems to be a good idea to you, please support Senator Franken but let him know that there are more US combat veterans than just from the two most recent wars that could use his help.
Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times How had the 35-pound bouncing ball of fluff become a public menace? Krieger says it wasn't apathy on her part. She enrolled Cotton in puppy classes and basic training at the neighborhood PetSmart. She bought a library of self-help books and videos. Nothing worked.
Cotton was successfully “disarmed.” Now when he tries to bite things he only succeeds in barely scratching them. But, as you can see, this is a controversial — and expensive — procedure. Disarming is only used in very selective cases. It’s always best to try to address the reasons why a dog is biting and to try to train the dog to quit the biting. But, when faced with either putting the dog to sleep or finding another solution, disarming can offer an owner a way to save the dog. | 2019-04-24T15:26:19Z | https://greytinspirations.wordpress.com/2009/07/27/service-dogs-and-disarming/ | Porn | News | 0.396389 |
wikipedia | The 69th New York Film Critics Circle Awards, honoring the best in film for 2003, were announced on 15 December 2003 and presented on 11 January 2004 by the New York Film Critics Circle.
^ Hernandez, Eugene (16 December 2003). "NY Critics Crown "King" Top Film of '03; SF & Boston Critics Also Weigh In". IndieWire. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
^ Susman, Gary. "New York critics name Return of the King Best Picture". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
^ "Rings wins US film critics' prize". BBC News. 16 December 2003. Retrieved 25 December 2017. | 2019-04-20T12:47:37Z | https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_New_York_Film_Critics_Circle_Awards | Porn | News | 0.596339 |
wordpress | Next Article Recycling goes for art too….
As with every endeavor of yours, your curatorial debut is quite a resounding success! Kudos to Lil! | 2019-04-26T11:42:42Z | https://liliannemilgrom.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/curatorial-debut-april-6-2012/ | Porn | Arts | 0.944971 |
wordpress | This entry was posted on March 1, 2017 at 10:00 am and is filed under A Note to Directors, Got Me Thinkin', Nuts & Bolts Stuff, Rob Recommends, Thoughts on Leadership. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. | 2019-04-19T09:11:02Z | https://robalott.wordpress.com/2017/03/01/characteristics-of-an-effective-vision/ | Porn | Business | 0.718535 |
wordpress | Well, today it was my own event, and I was due to talk to an audience of 30ish P2 children about Lost at the Zoo at 11.30. I got all my props ready the night before, cut out eyes from paper plates and penguin face shapes from black paper and penguin beaks from yellow card, all for 30 children, so that we could make masks.
I had plenty of time to get ready in the morning, and at 9.47 I had a quick look at the programme just to check I’d got everything right.
9.48 Phone rings. It’s Chani from Floris Books ‘We were just wondering where you were,’ she says calmly. I tell her. She isn’t quite so calm any more.
9.49 Run out of house. See taxi in street. Stand in front of it so it has to stop or run me down. ‘Have you got a taxi booked?’ asks driver. ‘Yes!’ I squeak. ‘Then this isn’t your taxi,’ he says. ‘Please let me in – it’s an emergency!’ I gibber my way through an explanation. ‘Get in,’ he says. I love him.
9.50 Cancel other taxi. Try unsuccessfully to phone Chani to tell her I’m on my way.
9.57 A miracle has taken place. The traffic lights have smiled on us. I’ve been picked up by a taxi driver with magical powers. Who knew? We have arrived at Charlotte Square.
9.59 Walk calmly into the Imagination Lab. The ‘calmly’ bit is a big fat lie of course, but I do actually make it.
9.59 and a half. Discover there are 70 children in the audience, not 30.
10.03 Event begins. Much frantic cutting out goes on (Thankyou Chani, Kathryn, Sara and the Book Festival venue manager whose name I don’t know) so that there will be enough mask bits for all.
11.00 Event finishes. We’ve all had a great time, and everyone from P2 Craigour Park primary school has made a penguin mask.
11.05 Retire to yurt to gibber quietly in corner.
11.30 Head home to lie down in darkened room with gin-soaked cloth over face. Resolve to learn to tell the time.
I can feel my blood pressure rising just reading this! Enormously well done, though – you are the Situation Rescue Queen!
Well done, truly you are a star!!
We’ve all been there! Well done for making it. | 2019-04-25T10:15:42Z | https://gillarbuthnott.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/bookfest-blog-6-aaaargh/ | Porn | Kids | 0.807738 |
typepad | This photo of a male Northern Cardinal was taken at the Bay City State Recreation Area on February 6, 2010. By the time I arrived in Bay City it had started snowing, and this photograph was taken through the windows of the viewing area in the visitor's center.
This photo of a male Northern Cardinal was taken in my back yard on January 4, 2010.
These photo's of Northern Cardinals were taken in my back yard on December 11th. The first photo is a male and the second photo is a female.
This photo of a male Northern Cardinal was taken in my back yard on December 5th.
This photo of a female Northern Cardinal was taken in my back yard on December 4th.
This photo of a male Northern Cardinal was taken in my back yard on November 25th.
This photo of a female Northern Cardinal was taken in my back yard on November 7th.
This photo of a male Northern Cardinal was taken in my back yard on November 5th.
This photo of a male Northern Cardinal was taken in my back yard on October 1st.
These photo's of a Northern Cardinal were taken in my back yard on July 27th. The male Northern Cardinal was enjoying the warmth of the sun, and it moved to the deck railing for some shade. Along came a juvenile Brown-Headed Cowbird and decided to move the Northern Cardinal. They chased each other up and down the railing, and in the end, the Northern Cardinal won. | 2019-04-25T08:45:58Z | https://audreysartisticimages.typepad.com/images_by_audrey/birds-cardinal/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.97484 |
newgrounds | Even though it was a teaser, i'd totally play this if it were a thing. Nice work on decieving thousands of people lol!
I really loved this, The music was very fitting with the animation. And the designs were cool! I've been waiting to play this game but i've never gotten the chance so far to buy it.
I've been playing this game for almost an hour now and I find it incredibly addicting. If I had the money to buy this game to download it onto my computer I would. It provides a great challenge with different levels too!
I absolutely loved this! It didn't fail to make me laugh and it looks like it had lots of time put into it. I've been playing this game non-stop for almost 4 hours and think it's a great pass time! The artwork was great, including the audio.
This is so cool, I love it! Not even in the first few seconds I got an great idea for an animation, This is a really great piece. One of my favourites... 5/5!
That would be awesome if you can make an animation of this and thanks for the review!
I love this! I've had it on loop for about half an hour now just because the tune is dang catchy!
Mia's arms look a little bit small but that might just be me. Neat-o! | 2019-04-26T06:03:07Z | https://pwneropwnage.newgrounds.com/reviews | Porn | Games | 0.785527 |
wordpress | I’ll try to make this a quick simple blog, but I feel like it’s finally time for me to do a sleep study.
I read the entirety of an “ask me anything” about a dude who did a 32 day sleep study and got paid $9,000.
1. he was hooked up to wires pretty much the whole time.
2. he was monitored for 32 days in a constructed sleep chamber (no windows, no clocks), and had no access to phone, internet, or time keeping devices. they had him on a 13 hours up 6 hours sleep schedule to test circadian rhythms.
3. he found the ad on craigslist, but it was offered by through a hospital.
4. they screened him for 3 weeks before he was offered the opportunity to take part in the study.
5. he ate normal food, completed daily tests and examinations.
6. he was completely secluded and couldn’t go outside.
This study reminded me of an article i read a while back about NASA paying people to do a sleep study– that one was for $18,000 but it was 3 months of work. still not too shabby.
Someone asked him how he found it, and he explained that he searched “sleep study in (insert city)”. going to try that now, and i’ll report back.
if anything else, it will make for great blog material- stay tuned…. | 2019-04-21T22:57:31Z | https://salsaspeaks.wordpress.com/2015/01/26/i-want-to-do-a-sleep-study/ | Porn | Science | 0.918023 |
wordpress | Hi Phoenix. You’ll see the actual short story by clicking on the story’s title. Thanks for visiting. | 2019-04-25T07:46:47Z | https://cindyfazzi.wordpress.com/short-stories/ | Porn | Reference | 0.389853 |
wikipedia | Shearers' strike camp, Hughenden, central Queensland, 1891.
The 1891 shearers' strike is one of Australia's earliest and most important industrial disputes.
The dispute was primarily between unionised and non-unionised wool workers. It resulted in the formation of large camps of striking workers, and minor instances of sabotage and violence on both sides. The strike was poorly timed, and when the union workers ran out of food, they were forced to come to terms. The outcome is credited as being one of the factors for the formation of the Australian Labor Party and the rise to power of a pro-Labor Party faction in the Australian Socialist League.
Working conditions for sheep shearers in 19th century Australia were not good. In 1891 wool was one of Australia's largest industries, but as the wool industry grew, so did the number and influence of shearers.
By 1890, the Australian Shearers' Union boasted tens of thousands of members, and had unionised thousands of sheds. At their annual conference in Bourke in 1890, the Union laid down a new rule, which prohibited members from working with non-union workers. Soon after, shearers at Jondaryan Station on the Darling Downs went on strike over this issue. As non-union labour was still able to process the wool, the Jondaryan shearers called for help. The Rockhampton wharfies responded and refused to touch the Jondaryan wool. The unionists won the battle. This galvanised the squatters, and they formed the Pastoralists' Federal Council, to counter the strength of the unions. The Australian Socialist League also involved itself directly with the shearers as the strike loomed (which would lead to its involvement in the foundation of the Australian Labor Party).
Workers' library at Barcaldine, during the strike.
Exclusion of low-cost Chinese labour, which manifested itself later as Labor Party policy - the Immigration Restriction Act, also known as the White Australia Policy - although anti-Chinese demands were opposed by the Australian Socialist League, which was heavily involved with the strike.
The strike started and quickly spread. From February until May, central Queensland was on the brink of civil war. Striking shearers formed armed camps outside of towns. Thousands of armed soldiers protected non-union labour and arrested strike leaders. The unionists retaliated by raiding shearing sheds, harassing non-union labour and committing acts of sabotage, although the incidents of actual violence or arson were few.
In the procession every civilised country was represented doing duty for the Russian, Swede, French, Dane etc, who are germane to him in other climes, showing that Labor's cause is one the world over, foreshadowing the time when the swords shall be turned into ploughshares and Liberty, Peace and Friendship will knit together the nations of the earth.
But the shearers were unable to hold out. The summer had been unseasonably wet, and the strike was poorly timed for maximum effect on the shearing season (winter). By May the union camps were full of hungry penniless shearers. The strike had been broken. The squatters had won this time, but it had proved a costly exercise.
Thirteen union leaders were charged with sedition and conspiracy, taken to Rockhampton for the trial, convicted, and sentenced to three years in gaol on St Helena Island Prison. The 1891 shearers' strike is credited as being one of the factors for the formation of the Australian Labor Party. Three of those imprisoned (William Hamilton, Julian Stuart, and George Taylor) later became Labor members of parliament – Hamilton in Queensland and the other two in Western Australia.
Henry Lawson's well known poem, Freedom on the Wallaby, was written as a comment on the strike and published by William Lane in the Worker in Brisbane, 16 May 1891. And William Lane wrote his novel in 1892, The workingman's paradise, with two aims: to support fundraising efforts for the imprisoned unionists, and to explain unionism and socialism to those who would listen.
Banjo Paterson's song Waltzing Matilda, an unofficial Australian anthem, was also written about this era of shearers' industrial disputes in Queensland.
Helen Palmer's song 'The Ballad Of 1891', set to music by Doreen Jacobs, details the lead up to the strike and aftermath.
The 1975 film Sunday Too Far Away, directed by Ken Hannam has been partly inspired by the events surrounding this strike.
The site of the striking shearers' campsite in Barcaldine is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.
^ Wendy Lewis, Simon Balderstone and John Bowan (2006). Events That Shaped Australia. New Holland. p. 84. ISBN 978-1-74110-492-9.
^ a b c McIlroy, Jim (2003). Australia's First Socialists. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: Resistance Books. p. 11. ISBN 978-1876646394. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
^ Centenary of Shearers Strike & Labour Movement, Monuments Australia. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
^ "Shearers' Strike Camp Site, Barcaldine (entry 600019)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
The shearers' war : the story of the 1891 shearers' strike (1989) Stuart Svensen, UOQ Press.
This page was last edited on 17 February 2019, at 10:47 (UTC). | 2019-04-25T23:11:37Z | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1891_Australian_shearers%27_strike | Porn | Reference | 0.091547 |
google | A software platform in an Internet Protocol (IP) phone having the ability to be used with different communication infrastructures such as broadband, wireless communication and Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) service. Further, the software platform in the IP phone is used in conjunction with a communication architecture, referred to herein as the Transaction Applications Delivery Services (TADS) communications architecture, that provides the ability to develop, deliver and manage data-voice applications operating on the IP phone.
This application claims priority to and benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/608,223, entitled “Transactional Application Delivery System for Converged Communication Devices,” filed Sep. 8, 2004, and claims the benefit of its earlier filing date under 35 U.S.C. §119(e).
The present invention relates to the field of an internet phone system, and more particularly to a software platform for developing, delivering and managing data-voice applications operating on an Internet Protocol (“IP”) phone.
Recently, multimedia communication in which voice, video and data information are transmitted and received using the Internet Protocol (IP) is carried over an IP network. A phone, referred to herein as an “IP phone” or more generally as a “converged communications terminal”, may be connected directly to the IP network over which a multimedia phone exchange system can be constructed. An IP phone is a telephone which can operate and execute voice communication in the same way as conventional telephones either via a Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) or an IP network. Further, the IP phone can use the IP network for data applications. For example, IP phones may be connected to an IP network, such as a local area network, in an office environment thereby using the network as a private telephone network circuit and as a data exchange network. In another example, IP phones may use a wide area network, e.g., Internet, to communicate with other properly configured IP phones for data-voice exchanges. In another example, IP phones may use a data network for transactional data applications and the POTS network for voice.
IP phones currently have features similar to those found in traditional public switched telephone network (PSTN) phones such as call forwarding, call waiting, conference calls and so forth. Enhancements to these feature sets have been slow in coming, as market leaders in the “Voice over IP” (VoIP) telephony field have pursued an incremental approach to their product offerings, particularly because of the lack of computing power available in VoIP platforms. Currently, to ensure optimal user experience and cost-performance, VoIP platforms may have to be specifically designed for a target market area and software application (e.g., data-voice application) operating on the IP phone. By having to design and implement separate VoIP platforms for each application operating on the IP phone, the cost in operating different applications on an IP phone may be prohibitive.
Furthermore, service providers (referring to the providers that provide communications service for the IP phone to operate) and content providers (referring to the providers of data-voice applications that operate on the IP phone) do not currently have the ability to successfully develop, deploy, monitor, debug and upgrade data-voice applications that operate on an IP phone.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an IP phone configured with a VoIP platform that can support different applications operating on the IP phone. Further, there is a need in the art for an ability to develop, deliver and manage data-voice applications operating on an IP phone.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for identifying phone numbers made by a user of an Internet Protocol (IP) phone that did not contact intended recipients may comprise the step of sending an error message to the IP phone by a server indicating a dialed phone number made by the user of the IP phone failed to connect. The method may further comprise receiving an alarm message from the IP phone indicating a phone number that did not contact an intended recipient. The method may further comprise incrementing a failure count for the phone number that did not contact the intended recipient. The method may further comprise flagging the phone number that did not contact the intended recipient if the failure count exceeds a threshold.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for identifying a failed directory search of a contact performed by a user of an Internet Protocol (IP) phone may comprise the step of sending an error message to the IP phone by a server indicating a directory search performed by the user of the IP phone failed to identify the contact with a phone number. The method may further comprise receiving an alarm message from the IP phone indicating an improper graphic. The method may further comprise incrementing a failure count for the searched contact. The method may further comprise flagging the directory search if the failure count exceeds a threshold.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a computer program product embodied in a machine readable medium for identifying phone numbers made by a user of an Internet Protocol (IP) phone that did not contact intended recipients may comprise the programming step of sending an error message to the IP phone by a server indicating a dialed phone number made by the user of the IP phone failed to connect. The computer program product may further comprise the programming step of receiving an alarm message from the IP phone indicating a phone number that did not contact an intended recipient. The computer program product may further comprise the programming step of incrementing a failure count for the phone number that did not contact the intended recipient. The computer program product may further comprise the programming step of flagging the phone number that did not contact the intended recipient if the failure count exceeds a threshold.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a computer program product embodied in a machine readable medium for identifying a failed directory search of a contact performed by a user of an Internet Protocol (IP) phone may comprise the programming step of sending an error message to the IP phone by a server indicating a directory search performed by the user of the IP phone failed to identify the contact with a phone number. The computer program product may further comprise the programming step of receiving an alarm message from the IP phone indicating an improper graphic. The computer program product may further comprise the programming step of incrementing a failure count for the searched contact. The computer program product may further comprise the programming step of flagging the directory search if the failure count exceeds a threshold.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a system may comprise a memory unit operable for storing a computer program operable for identifying phone numbers made by a user of an Internet Protocol (IP) phone that did not contact intended recipients. The system may further comprise a processor coupled to the memory unit, where the processor, responsive to the computer program, comprises circuitry for sending an error message to the IP phone by a server indicating a dialed phone number made by the user of the IP phone failed to connect. The processor may further comprise circuitry for receiving an alarm message from the IP phone indicating a phone number that did not contact an intended recipient. The processor may further comprise circuitry for incrementing a failure count for the phone number that did not contact the intended recipient. The processor may further comprise circuitry for flagging the phone number that did not contact the intended recipient if the failure count exceeds a threshold.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a system may comprise a memory unit operable for storing a computer program operable for identifying a failed directory search of a contact performed by a user of an Internet Protocol (IP) phone. The system may further comprise a processor coupled to the memory unit, where the processor, responsive to the computer program, comprises circuitry for sending an error message to the IP phone by a server indicating a directory search performed by the user of the IP phone failed to identify the contact with a phone number. The processor may further comprise circuitry for receiving an alarm message from the IP phone indicating an improper graphic. The processor may further comprise circuitry for incrementing a failure count for the searched contact. The processor may further comprise circuitry for flagging the directory search if the failure count exceeds a threshold.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method may comprise the step of receiving a first wakeup call to an Internet Protocol (IP) phone from a server. The method may further comprise receiving one or more of reminders, alerts, newspaper material and a list of information categories from the server if the first wakeup call is confirmed by a user of the IP phone. The method may further comprise receiving a second wakeup call after a particular time period specified in the user's profile if the first wakeup call is not confirmed by the user of the IP phone.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for contacting a merchant of an advertisement displayed on an Internet Protocol (IP) phone may comprise the step of receiving an advertisement on a webpage displayed on the IP phone, where the advertisement on the webpage includes session initiation protocol (SIP) based uniform resource identifiers (URIs). The method may further comprise selecting the advertisement. The method may further comprise passing a URI associated with the selected advertisement by a web browser of the IP phone to an application of the IP phone. The method may further comprise generating a call to a merchant associated with the selected advertisement based on the URI associated with the selected advertisement by the application of the IP phone.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for generating a conference call from an Internet Protocol (IP) phone may comprise the step of creating a conference call meeting profile containing contact information for all conference participants in response to scheduling a meeting. The method may further comprise sending the conference call meeting profile to a first phone application of the IP phone, where the first phone application is configured to maintain a calendar of a first user of the IP phone. The method may further comprise executing the conference call meeting profile. The method may further comprise instructing the IP phone to generate a conference call to the conference participants identified in the profile.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for establishing a conference call with an Internet Protocol (IP) phone may comprise the step of storing a conference call meeting profile containing contact information for all conference participants, where the conference call meeting profile comprises a set of instructions which are to be followed upon activation of the conference call meeting profile. The method may further comprise receiving an indication to start a conference call associated with the conference call meeting profile. The method may further comprise activating the conference call meeting profile. The method may further comprise inviting each of the conference participants to establish communication with the IP phone.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for controlling content distribution to and from an Internet Protocol (IP) phone may comprise the step of storing profile preferences of a profile in a database, where the profile preferences of the profile comprises rules as to which telephone calls and content are allowed to be received by a user of the IP phone and which telephone calls and content are forbidden to be received by the user of the IP phone. The method may further comprise associating the profile with a schedule, where the schedule enables different telephone calls and content to be received and forbidden at different times during the day. The method may further comprise receiving a request to send content to the user of the IP phone. The method may further comprise determining if the user of the IP phone is allowed to receive the content based on the profile preferences of the profile.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for controlling content distribution to and from an Internet Protocol (IP) phone may comprise the step of storing profile preferences of a profile in a database, where the profile preferences of the profile comprises rules as to which telephone calls and content are allowed to be received by a first user of an IP phone and which telephone calls and content are forbidden to be received by the first user of the IP phone. The method may further comprise associating the profile with a schedule, where the schedule enables different telephone calls and content to be received and forbidden at different times during the day. The method may further comprise receiving a request by a second user to telephonically connect to the first user of the IP phone. The method may further comprise determining if the first user of the IP phone is allowed to telephonically connect to the second user based on the profile preferences of the profile.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for a user to access content on an Internet Protocol (IP) phone from a hotel may comprise the step of generating a content package to be displayed on the IP phone, where the content packages comprise customized content, where the content package comprises one or more of the following: check-in/check-out assistance and information, billing information, room service orders, and concierge services information. The method may further comprise transmitting the content package to the IP phone. The method may further comprise providing a user of the IP phone with controls to access content of the generated content package.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for facilitating the management of directory updates may comprise the step of generating a validation code in response to a vendor performing one or more of updating, correcting and setting up a contact information associated with a phone line of interest. The method may further comprise sending the validation code along with a telephone number to call to an e-mail address of the vendor. The method may further comprise generating one or more of an electronic mail and a facsimile. The method may further comprise sending the one or more of the electronic mail and the facsimile to the vendor indicating that the phone line contact information has been successfully updated.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for assigning content to Internet Protocol (IP) phones may comprise the step of storing content created by an administrator on a database repository. The method may further comprise assigning profiles to phone groups. The method may further comprise reading content identifications from the database repository and assigning the read content identifications to the phone groups. The method may further comprise returning content corresponding to a requested identification.
FIG. 43 shows the message exchange between a TADS server and an IP Phone during a software configuration operation in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Although the present invention is described with reference to an Internet Protocol (IP) phone it is noted that the principles of the present invention may be applied to any Internet connected device, such as an Internet appliance. It is further noted that embodiments applying the principles of the present invention to such Internet connected devices would fall within the scope of the present invention.
In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits and software modules have been shown in block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. For the most part, details considering timing considerations and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention and are within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art.
FIG. 1 illustrates a high level diagram of an embodiment of the present invention of a system 100 implementing a multi-layer fixed telephone system 101 interacting with different communication infrastructures. Referring to FIG. 1, system 100 allows multi-layer fixed telephone system 101 (referred to herein as a “IP phone A” or more generally as “IP Phone”) to interact with other entities over different communication infrastructures, such as data, voice, mobile and Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN) 102, 103, 114, 105, respectively, to provide telephony functions and run applications. A more detailed description of the external configuration of IP phone 101 is described below in association with FIG. 3. Further, a more detailed description of the hardware configuration of IP phone 101 is described further below in association with FIG. 4. In one embodiment, IP phone 101 may be coupled to a computer system 112, data network 102 and a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 105. IP phone 101 may communicate with third-party voice over IP (VoIP) terminals 116 and 117 (IP Phones B and C, respectively) via data network 102. IP phone 101 may further communicate with an analog phone 113 over PSTN 105. IP phone 101 may further communicate with analog phone 113 over voice network 103 via data network 102. Further, IP phone 101 may communicate with a mobile phone 115 over mobile network 114 via data network 102.
System 100 may further include a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) Gateway 104 coupled to data network 102. PSTN gateway 104 may be configured to translate signaling and media between data network 102 coupled to IP phone 101 and PSTN 105. PSTN 105 may be coupled to conventional telephone 113. PSTN gateway 104 may allow IP phone 101 to communicate with standard analog telephones 113 in PSTN 105.
System 100 may further include a mobile gateway 106 coupled between data network 102 and mobile network 114. Mobile gateway 106 may be configured to translate signaling and media between data network 102 and mobile wireless network 114. Mobile network 114 may be coupled to mobile telephone 115. Mobile gateway 106 may allow IP phone 101 to communicate with mobile phones 115 in wireless network 114. IP phone 101 may signal mobile gateway 106 in order to enable calls destined to mobile telephone 115 to be terminated on IP phone 101.
System 100 may further include an Internet Protocol-Private Branch eXchange (IP-PBX) 107 coupled to data network 102, voice network 103 and analog phones 113 or VoIP phone 116. IP-PBX 107 may be configured to interconnect voice and data networks 103, 102, respectively, in an enterprise environment and provide centralized call control functionality.
System 100 may further include a telephony services server 109 coupled to data network 102. Telephony services server 109 may be configured to provide services that allow IP phone 101 to communicate with other analog and VoIP terminals and extend its range of available telephony features.
System 100 may further include a converged messaging and directory server 110 coupled to data network 102. Converged messaging and directory server 110 may be configured to contain all the components necessary to provide the user with a unified converged platform to send and receive electronic and voice mail messages. In addition, server 110 may provide IP phone 101 with access to personal and public contact directories.
System 100 may further include a vendor server 118 coupled to data network 102. Vendor server 118 may be configured to allow end-users to access and purchase goods and services via IP phone 101.
System 100 may further include a content and media server 119 coupled to data network 102. Content media server 119 may be configured to allow end-users access to media content via IP phone 101.
System 100 may further include a TADS proxy server 120 coupled to data network 102. TADS Proxy Server 120 can be placed in front of two or more TADS servers to achieve load balancing and redundancy.
System 100 may further include a database repository 111 coupled to data network 102. Database repository 111 may be configured to manage and provide IP phone 101 and servers 107, 108, 109, 110, 119 and 120 with data needed to perform their tasks.
System 100 may further include an application server 108 coupled to data network 102. Application server 108 may be configured to contain the server side components (discussed further below) of client/server applications accessed through IP phone 101, such as the components of the Transactional Application Delivery System (TADS) (discussed further below).
It is noted that FIG. 1 is illustrative and that not all of the components of system 100 were depicted for the sake of brevity (e.g., provisioning and configuration servers). It is further noted that system 100 is not to be limited in scope to the system disclosed.
FIG. 2 illustrates a typical hardware configuration of server 108 (FIG. 1) which is representative of a hardware environment for practicing the present invention including performing the steps performed by server 108 described below in connection with FIGS. 18-43. Referring to FIG. 2, server 108 may have a processor 210 coupled to various other components by a system bus 212. An operating system 240, may run on processor 210 and provide control and coordinate the functions of the various components of FIG. 2. An application 250 in accordance with the principles of the present invention may run in conjunction with operating system 240 and provide calls to operating system 240 where the calls implement the various functions or services to be performed by application 250. Application 250 may include, for example, a program for performing the steps performed by server 108 as described below for various enhanced services described in connection with FIGS. 18-43.
Read only memory (ROM) 216 may be coupled to system bus 212 and include a basic input/output system (“BIOS”) that controls certain basic functions of server 108. Random access memory (RAM) 214 and disk adapter 218 may also be coupled to system bus 212. It should be noted that software components including operating system 240 and application 250 may be loaded into RAM 214 which may be server's 108 main memory. Disk adapter 218 may be an integrated drive electronics (“IDE”) adapter that communicates with a disk unit 220, e.g., disk drive. It is noted that the application for performing the steps performed by server 108 as described above in connection with FIGS. 18-43 may reside in disk unit 220 or in application 250.
Referring to FIG. 2, communications adapter 223 may also be coupled to system bus 212. Communications adapter 223 may interconnect bus 212 with an outside network 102 enabling server 108 to communicate with IP phone 101.
Implementations of the present invention include implementations as a computer system programmed to execute the method or methods described herein, and as a computer program product. According to the computer system implementations, sets of instructions for executing the method or methods may be resident in the random access memory 214 of one or more computer systems configured generally as described above. Until required by server 108, the set of instructions may be stored as a computer program product in another computer memory, for example, in disk drive 220 (which may include a removable memory such as an optical disk or floppy disk for eventual use in disk drive 220). Furthermore, the computer program product may also be stored at another computer and transmitted when desired to the user's workstation by a network or by an external network such as the Internet. One skilled in the art would appreciate that the physical storage of the sets of instructions physically changes the medium upon which it is stored so that the medium carries computer readable information. The change may be electrical, magnetic, chemical or some other physical change.
FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of an element of the present invention of an external configuration of IP phone 101. Referring to FIG. 3, IP phone 101 includes a touch screen display 301 with the capability of displaying graphical images and collecting input from the user by pressing certain areas in the screen with a finger or an instrument designed for such purposes such as a stylus. IP phone 101 may further include a message waiting indicator 302 to alert the user that a new message has arrived to the user's inbox. Below touch screen display 301, IP phone 101 includes four directional keys 303A-D (303A configured to move an image displayed on screen 101 up; 303B configured to move an image displayed on screen 101 down; 303C configured to move an image displayed on screen 101 to the left; and 303D configured to move an image displayed on screen 101 to the right); and an OK button 304 to navigate the user interface screens 301 and select items in focus, as an alternative to using the touch screen. To each side of directional keys 303A-D, IP phone 101 includes SEND and END keys 305, 306, respectively. Keys 305, 306 may be used as an alternative to the touch screen to exercise telephony features in graphical user interface 301 such as initiating and finishing a call. In addition, keys 305, 306 can be used to help the user navigate the user interface; for example, using END button 306 to go directly to the home screen or cancel some operation. IP Phone 101 also includes the following connectors distributed along side 313 for external devices: Universal Serial Bus (USB) 314, headset 315, microphone 316, Ethernet switched port for Personal Computer (PC) and Local Area Network (LAN), 317 and 318, respectively, power supply 319, RJ-11 (POTS) connector 320, antenna 321 for support of wireless protocols such as, but not limited to, wireless fidelity (WI-FI) and Zigbee, RS-232 serial port 322, and JTAG connector 323.
IP phone 101 may further include an opening 307 for a phone speaker and a handset cradle 308 for corded or cordless handsets. IP phone 101 may further include a standard telephony keypad array 309 consisting of digits 0 to 9, the star and pound keys. Below keypad 309, IP phone 101 may include a circular key 310 used to activate and deactivate speakerphone 307. At each side of speakerphone key 310, two triangular keys 311A-B may be used to increase (311B) and decrease (311A) the volume of the active audio output: handset, headset, speaker or ringer. Below speakerphone and volume keys 310, 311A-B, respectively, IP phone 101 includes an indicator 312 that turns on when speakerphone 307 is active and turns off when speakerphone 307 is inactive.
An embodiment of the hardware configuration of IP phone 101 is provided below in association with FIG. 4. Referring to FIG. 4, IP phone 101 may include a processor 401 coupled to various other components by system bus 413. An operating system 410 may run on processor 401 and provide control and coordinate the functions of the various components of FIG. 4. An application 411 in accordance with the principles of the present invention may run in conjunction with operating system 410 and provide algorithms, domain-specific knowledge and calls to operating system 410 where the algorithms, domain-specific knowledge and calls implement the various functions or services to be performed by application 411. Application 411 may include, for example, an application configured to perform wake-up call transactions, phone directory searches, information and content retrieval, and enhanced call-control functions. Application 411 may include other applications to perform the steps performed by IP phone 101 as discussed further below.
Read only memory (ROM) 402 may be coupled to system bus 413 and could include a basic input/output system (“BIOS”) that controls certain basic functions of IP phone 101. Persistent memory (“FLASH”) 412 may be coupled to system bus 413 and include the operating system 410, configuration data and user data. It is further noted that one or more applications 411 may reside in FLASH 412. Random access memory (RAM) 409 and disk adapter 407 may also be coupled to system bus 413. It should be noted that software components including operating system 410 and application 411 may be loaded into RAM 409 which may be IP phone's 101 main memory. Disk adapter 407 may be an integrated drive electronics (“IDE”) adapter that communicates with a disk unit 408, e.g., disk drive. It is noted that the applications mentioned above may reside in disk unit 408.
Returning to FIG. 4, in conjunction with FIG. 1, communications adapter 405 may also be coupled to system bus 413. Communications adapter 405 may interconnect bus 413 with an outside network 404 enabling IP phone 101 to communicate with data network 102, servers 107, 108, 109, 110, 118, 119, analog phones 113 via PSTN 105, mobile phone 115 via mobile network 114, etc.
Returning to FIG. 4, in conjunction with FIG. 3, other devices 403 may be integrated into the system bus 413 via miscellaneous input/output (I/O) ports 406.
Implementations of the invention include embodiments as a VoIP phone (IP phone) programmed to execute the method or methods described herein, and as a computer program product. According to the implementations, sets of instructions for executing the method or methods may be resident in the random access memory 409 of one or more systems configured generally as described above. Until required by IP phone 101, the set of instructions may be stored as a computer program product in another computer memory, for example, in disk unit 408. Furthermore, the computer program product may also be stored at another computer and transmitted when desired to the IP phone 101 by a network or by an external network 404 such as the Internet. One skilled in the art would appreciate that the physical storage of the sets of instructions physically changes the medium upon which it is stored so that the medium carries computer readable information. The change may be electrical, magnetic, chemical or some other physical change.
IP phone 101 includes a software platform with multiple layers adaptable to be used with different applications operating on IP phone 101 as well as adaptable to using different communication infrastructures. An embodiment of such a software platform is provided below in association with FIG. 5.
Referring to FIG. 5, platform 500 of IP phone 101 may include five layers. Layer 1 (hardware platform) 501 of platform 500 may include software to control the physical embodiment of IP phone 101. The physical embodiment includes, but is not limited to, Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), processing elements, Input/Output (I/O) devices, peripherals, and storage elements.
Layer 2 (operating system services) 502 of platform 500 provides an interface to access operating system (OS) services and hardware platform devices. Layer 2 502 provides an execution environment for the software modules and a hardware abstraction layer. Among the responsibilities of layer 2 502 include implementing common OS services such as memory management, task management, date and time information, and access to peripherals; providing file system services to emulate hard disk drive on flash memory devices; providing a Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) networking API and the implementation of other required protocols such as Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP), Simple Network Time Protocol (SNTP) and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP); providing an embedded web server implementation that allows remote configuration through a web browser; implementing core graphics functionality for drawing, window management, event routing, fonts and bitmaps; and, implementing hardware drivers for each of the converged communication terminal's 101 peripherals.
Layer 3 (communications infrastructure services) 503 of platform 500 may be configured to interface with multiple communication infrastructures. Layer 3 503 of platform 500 contains a local services pool and a remote services pool, as illustrated in FIG. 6. It is important to note that system 100 (FIG. 1) contains a basic set of telephony features provided by a Common Converged Communication Base Services (CCCBS) layer 504, as discussed below, which makes server-less communications straightforward as there is no reliance on the server/proxy for such features.
FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention of layer 3 503. Referring to FIG. 6, in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and 5, layer 3 503 may include a remote services pool 601. Remote services pool 601 refers to components that do not reside locally on IP phone 101, but rather on telephony services 109 or PSTN 105 with which IP phone 101 may have to collaborate to provide extended communications features and converged voice/data/video services and/or interface with proprietary IP PBXs 107, application servers 108 and PSTN elements such as centrex, call managers and softswitches. For every specific external collaborating entity, there might be an adapter module that implements all or part of the functionality exposed by a Communication Infrastructure Services (CIS) API 507, as discussed below.
Layer 3 503 may further include a local services pool 602. Local services pool 602 refers to components that reside on IP phone 101 and can provide an interface to communicate and collaborate with proprietary IP PBXs 107, application servers 108 and PSTN 105 elements such as centrex, call managers and softswitches. While the vendor-specific interface implementation could reside locally or remotely on a network server or switch, the advantage of implementing this component on a network server or switch and leaving locally only a proxy to those services is that the need to create a new converged communications terminal 101 image for each change in an external component may be avoided. In addition, the gateway implementation may not be constrained by the (possibly) limited IP phone 101 resources.
Returning to FIG. 5, platform 500 includes a layer 4 (common converged communications base services) 504. Layer 4 504 includes communications (telephony) specific services as well as other data services that may be required by domain-specific converged communication applications (referring to applications operating on IP phone 101), as illustrated in FIG. 7.
FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention of layer 4 504. Referring to FIG. 7, layer 4 504 includes telephony services 701. Telephony services 701 include call processing functions that implement the core functionality to initiate, terminate and manage phone calls over VoIP and/or POTS communication infrastructures. Layer 4 504 may further include an implementation of signaling, media transport, voice processing and call control functionality. Among the responsibilities of these functions are: providing basic call control features; providing call setup and tear down functionality through protocols like Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), H.323, Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) and others; providing media transport and signaling through protocols like Real-Time Protocol (RTP) and Real-Time Control Protocol (RTCP); providing voice processing features (echo cancellation, Voice Activity Detection (VAD), jitter buffering, etc); and notifying call-related events to the upper layer.
Layer 4 504 may further include other services 702, such as data services. Services 702 may include Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) clients, Remote Procedure Call/Simple Object Access Protocol (RPC/SOAP), extensible Markup Language (XML) parser, directory services, configuration, Personal Computer/ Personal Data Assistant (PC/PDA) synchronization, and user interface. HTTP client services provide a transport protocol to store and retrieve from server objects such as XML documents and images and play an important role in IP communications and application development, therefore enabling converged communications terminal 101 to participate in web-centric architectures. RPC/SOAP services, implement an interface to make remote procedure calls. Remote procedure calls allow IP phone 101 to send requests to and receive responses from components in the computer network. SOAP is an implementation of RPC that uses XML to format request/response information and HTTP to transport this information. Providing support for SOAP enables IP phone 101 to participate in web services. XML parser services translate data represented in XML format into internal data structures and requests for services. Structuring documents using XML allows sharing of information between different platforms and applications. In IP phone 101 there are at least three applications for XML: to describe the user interface layout and components, to make remote procedure calls and to format configuration files. Light-weight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) provides an interface to access information in directory servers. Directory services are commonly used to carry out three main requirements of Internet Protocol (IP) telephony: authentication, personalization and white pages. Configuration services allow for the management of IP phone 101 settings such as: device ID, network, dial-plans, audio (codecs, Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF), voice processing), call control, SIP related parameters, volume, display, date/time, authentication, security, voice mail, phone book, ringer behavior, power management, language, peripherals, and software management. These services also implement routines for automatic retrieval of phone configuration and software upgrades from a server. PC and PDA communications services provide an interface to communicate and collaborate with external user devices such as the PC and PDA. IP phone 101 should collaborate closely with these devices to share information, keep that information synchronized, and accomplish tasks more effectively.
FIG. 8 illustrates the relationship between open-standard protocols 802 above the physical, data-link, and network layers 803 and the TADS protocol family and services 801 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. TADS protocol family and services 801 use open-standard communication protocols to exchange information with similar software components in other TADS-enabled devices. New protocols and services can be added to the existing pool by defining protocol and service types. These types are used by the TADS Client Protocol Engine 1101 (discussed below in connection with FIG. 11) and TADS Server Protocol Engine 1006 (discussed below in connection with FIG. 12) to direct TADS messages to their appropriate destination within a TADS-enabled client 1102 (discussed below in connection with FIG. 11) or one of the TADS servers depicted in FIG. 1. Each protocol or service defines its own message format and message sequence required to engage in providing or requesting such service. Examples of these services include, but are not limited to: enhanced wake-up services (provided by TADS Wakeup Call Server 108) (FIGS. 14-21), enhanced data integrity methods (provided by TADS/YellowPages alarm server 108) (FIGS. 22-25), enhanced merchant-customer interaction method (provided by RVCD 2402 (discussed in connection with FIG. 24) in collaboration with IP phone 101) (FIGS. 26-27), enhanced auto-conference methods (provided by SIP Server 109, TADS Calendar Server 108, Consumers Database 1208 (discussed in connection with FIG. 12) in collaboration with IP phones 101) (FIGS. 28-30), enhanced usage control methods (provided by TDS Server 108 and Consumer DB 1208 (discussed in connection with FIG. 12) in collaboration with IP phones 101) (FIGS. 31-32), and enhanced user experience methods provided by TA Distribution Engine 109 (discussed in connection with FIG. 12) in collaboration with IP phones 101) (FIGS. 33-41). Each of these services represents an embodiment of the current invention and contributes towards providing all services the TADS platform advertises.
Returning to FIG. 5, platform 500 includes a layer 5 (domain-specific applications) 505. Layer 5 505 implements the business logic and the presentation logic used to run applications operating on IP phone 101 as illustrated in FIG. 9.
FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of an element of the present invention of layer 5 505. Referring to FIG. 9, layer 5 505 includes business logic 901 that provides the mechanisms to combine the services provided by underlying modules into coherent applications that add some value to the end user. Some components of business logic 901 may run locally on IP phone 101 and some components will run remotely in an application server 108 (FIG. 1). Some examples include extended calling features, phone directories, management and diagnostic tools, unified messaging, intelligent call management, instant messaging, contact management, personalized ring tones, call tracking, remote collaboration tools, and industry specific applications. It is at this layer that domain-specific differentiating features are implemented.
Layer 5 505 further includes presentation logic 1102 that responds to the fact that the primary concerns of the User Interface (UI) module are the mechanisms of user interaction and how to lay out an appropriate presentation to the user in contrast with the primary concerns of business logic 901 are application domain policies and persistent storage interactions. The UI module may change according to customer's needs without changing the applications core functionality. For example, the same application domain modules with rich, web-based or text-based clients could be reused. Furthermore, the application module can be tested independently without resorting to awkward Graphical User Interface (GUI) scripting tools.
Returning to FIG. 5, layer 4 504 may be leveraged in the design of differentiated IP phones 101 via the following APIs. An operating system services API 506 provides common methods to access services provided by the operating system. For each specific operating system there is a module that supports the abstraction.
A Communication Infrastructure Services (CIS) API 507 provides common methods to access converged communication services available via the installed infrastructure. For each vendor-specific infrastructure there will be a module that will support the abstraction.
A Common Converged Communication Base Services (CCCBS) API 508 provides a standard method to access common converged communication services previously developed to satisfy a broad-range of converged communication domain-specific applications.
Platform 500 may be used to develop domain-specific applications (specific applications operating on IP phone 101) for converged communication devices, to retarget one or more domain-specific applications developed for a specific IP phone 101 to a new hardware platform and/or operating system and/or communications infrastructure.
FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention of an application hosting services (“AHS”) architecture 1000 using software platform 500 (FIG. 5) in IP phone 101. AHS architecture 1000 may be used to facilitate the management of third-party applications operating on platform 500 (FIG. 5) of IP phone 101. This includes, but is not limited to: searching for suitable applications on the web, downloading host-able applications to the target, loading and running applications on the target, and security and protection mechanisms to protect other code and data on the target from malicious applications.
FIG. 10 further illustrates an embodiment of the present invention of how transaction applications (TAs) in layer 5 (domain-specific applications) 505 are supported by software modules in layer 4 (CCCBS) 504 of software platform 500 in IP phone 101. Please find presented three examples of domain-specific hosted applications as examples, namely: enhanced wakeup call service 1001, autoconference service 1002 and data integrity service 1003. Enhanced Wakeup Call Service 1001 is a series of services that allow users to setup profiles that will allow a TADS server 108 to, among other capabilities, adjust wakeup call times to account for real-time traffic and weather conditions and user calendar events. Autoconference service 1002 allows users to schedule and subscribe to conference calls that would then be automatically initiated without user intervention. Data integrity service 1003 allows commercial directory services (e.g., yellowpages) to be automatically monitored for erroneous listings due to disconnected numbers, moved numbers, wrong numbers, etc. All three types of applications 1001-1003 can generate transactions, voice calls and other events that can be used to augment user profiles.
A TADS protocol stack 1004 in CCCBS layer 504 implements the communication protocols needed to distribute TAs, carry out transactions, and gather TA events. A TADS transaction manager 1005 in CCCBS layer 504 uses TADS protocol stack 1004 to carry out transactions with another transaction manager at TADS server 1201. A TADS programming manager 1006 in CCCBS layer 504 receives and manages programming information from TADS server 1201 to schedule sponsored programming and other advertisements. Application Hosting Services (AHS) 1007 provide the environment needed by third-party applications in layer 5 505 to run. A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) module 1008 in CCCBS layer 504 provides secure transport of information between nodes of the network.
TADS client 1302 (discussed further below in connection with FIG. 13) services can be shared by applications targeted for a broad range of domains, therefore reusing the code that provides the services and effectively shortening the development cycle of domain-specific applications.
Application hosting services architecture 1000 may further include RTOS services 1009 in operating system services layer 502 which is interfaced with platform drivers and hardware 1010.
An embodiment of a client-server communications architecture for which software platform 500 (FIG. 5) and methods that can be used to develop client converged communication terminal devices 101 that can support the distribution of value-added services to end-users is illustrated in FIG. 11.
Referring to FIG. 11, client-services communications architecture 1100 forms the basis of a Transactional Application Delivery System (TADS) for service providers and/or third party developers and content providers to rapidly develop, deliver, and manage revenue generating and productivity enhancing data-voice applications for IP phones 101. Data-voice applications are those that take advantage of voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and/or POTS/Broadband infrastructures.
As illustrated in FIG. 11, TADS server side elements 1101 communicate with TADS client side elements 1102, e.g., IP phones 101, via data network 102, e.g., Internet. Client-services communications architecture 1100 has built-in flexibility allowing it to evolve with advancements in hardware, software, protocols, thus providing an extensive platform for delivery of applications and content. The following are among the main characteristics of software platform 500 (client-services communications architecture 1100).
TADS 1100 provides an integrated download and content management system which enables the delivery of software and content to enabled devices. This download manager supports the entire process of software provisioning, including the submission of content and applications from third-party developers, testing and certification of those applications, bundling, pricing, demographics-based targeted promotions, and delivery to enabled terminals.
TADS 1100 further includes the capability to remotely, provision, configure, diagnose, or upgrade compatible devices (as described in FIGS. 42-43 below). This enables providing online help support to users and reducing the need for on premise visits. Through this capability, service providers are able to bring up new clients, push the latest software updates to the terminals, or remotely perform a move, add, or change to a customer's system.
TADS servers 1101 may process all voice and data before transmitting to the device. TADS servers 1101 communicate with devices 1102 to determine the optimal delivery, compression, and formatting of the information to be displayed on IP phone 101. This content optimization will maximize the service providers use of available device resources ate at the customer's premise.
TADS 1100 further includes the capability of using open standard interfaces to enable quick and easy integration with a carrier's existing systems and third party equipment and software.
Furthermore, all software components of TADS 1100 incorporate redundancy and load balancing to provide a very high level of service availability. To enable carrier grade reliability, TADS servers 1101 route all voice and data traffic to other servers should it encounter any hardware or software failures. TADS 1100 provides scalability simply through the addition of servers. A more detailed description of TADS 1100 is provided below in association with FIG. 12 and 13.
FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention of the server side of TADS 1100. Referring to FIG. 11, TADS 1100 includes a server side 1101 and a client side 1102. It is noted that TADS server 1101 refers to server 108 (FIG. 1) and that TADS client 1102 refers to IP phone 101 (FIGS. 1 and 3-4).
Referring to FIG. 12, TADS server side elements 1101 include a front-end console 1201 that allows administrators to submit, via a web-based interface (not shown), multi- media content, define the demographic/profile characteristics of the target audience, schedule the dates and times when applications and services should be distributed, and charge for the services if applicable.
TADS server side elements 1101 further include a TADS server protocol engine 1206 that handles all communications using the TADS protocol on the server side for handling transactions, distributing applications and services, subscribing clients to distribution groups and delivering products to clients.
TADS server side elements 1101 further include various server software modules and databases 1205 on top of which telephony applications 1203 and converged voice-data applications and services may be constructed 1204. TADS server side elements 1101 further include a settlement manager 1202 that maintains a log of all end-user actions during a converged communications session that can then be used to determine profit allocation throughout the value chain (merchants, content providers, service providers, and the owner of the content distribution platform) as well as to obtain valuable closed activity reports that may be used to drive new services and log valuable demographic data on all end-user transactions. TADS heartbeat process 1207 informs other TADS-enabled devices about its processor load and other transient data by sending periodic heartbeat messages. A proxy server 120 (FIG. 1) can be used to distribute requests for TADS services among several TADS servers 108 (FIG. 1), content media servers 119 (FIG. 1) and converged messaging and directories servers 110 (FIG. 1) so as to balance the load uniformly throughout all of them or to avoid sending requests to servers that have become unavailable. Unavailable servers are servers for which heartbeat messages have not been received for some configurable period of time. They can be considered to be infinitely loaded with requests for service. The TADS server software modules and databases are described in more detail in FIG. 14, as discussed further below.
FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention of the client side of TADS 1100. The client side includes the TADS Client Protocol Engine 1301 that handles all communications using the TADS protocol on the client side for handling transactions, executing applications and accessing services. The client side also includes various TADS client software modules 1302 and databases that are described in greater detail in FIG. 15, as discussed further below.
Referring to FIG. 14, TADS front-end (console) 1201 may be configured to be a front-end to the Transactional Applications Delivery System (TADS) programmatic API 1403. TADS front-end (console) 1201 presents a selective view of all the data accessible to programmatic API 1403. This includes custom graphical user interfaces, web-based interfaces, command line interfaces, and others. Customized front-ends can be developed by third-parties also.
TADS programmatic APIs 1403 expose all aspects of the TADS framework to calling applications. This includes browsing (read, write, delete, add) information on consumers, vendors, billing, channel definitions, transactions, content and distribution groups.
TADS server side elements 1101 further include a vendor management module 1404 configured to allow access to a vendor database 1405. Vendor management module 1404 may be an adapter to communicate with an existing system or internal vendor database 1405. All the information regarding vendors is stored and accessed through vendor management module 1404. Vendor management module 1404 can be used by a content programming module 1406 to get vendor information. Vendors buy advertisement space/time on IP phone 101 and get orders from customers through IP phone 101.
TADS server side elements 1101 further include a demographics module 1407 configured to access a consumer database 1408 and apply rules to query records that show specific demographic characteristics. Demographics module 1407 may further include an adapter to communicate with an existing system or an internal consumer database 1408.
TADS server side elements 1101 further include a user management module 1409. Users of TADS-enabled clients may be regarded as consumers by the vendors using TADS. Users can be added, changed or deleted through the use of user management module 1409. All information regarding users is accessed through user management module 1409.
TADS server side elements 1101 further include content programming module 1406, as mentioned above. Content programming module 1406 is involved in defining the distribution and exposition of advertisements throughout the network of TADS-enabled clients, e.g., IP phone 101. Advertisements are exposed at the remote clients by the transactional applications distributed by TADS server 1101. Vendors can use the graphical user interface exposed by TADS front-end 1201 to access content programming module 1406. Content programming module 1406 may be used to create distribution groups for advertisements and to schedule showing time among the clients in the group. Vendors can define distribution and level of exposure for an advertisement using criteria such as user demographics, geographical or organizational boundaries and buying history. The resulting scheduling information is stored in a distribution group schedule database 1410.
TADS server side elements 1101 further include a transaction engine 1411. Transaction engine 1411 is an engine that autonomously handles transactions from TADS clients 1102. Transaction engine 1411 may be configured to keep records of all transactions handled. Transaction engine 1411 may also access a billing database 1412 (or an external billing system). Transaction engine 1411 can also change consumer database 1408 to reflect particular information about consumer buying behavior in consumer database 1408. Transactions are started by clients 1102. A transaction starts with a user selecting a service or application on a TADS-enabled device 1102. Client and server exchange session details and after the request is confirmed the product is delivered (when appropriate) over network 102. A transaction ends when the product is delivered to the TADS-enabled device, e.g., IP phone 101.
TADS server side elements 1101 further include TADS server protocol engine 1206, as mentioned above. TADS server protocol engine 1206 may be configured to handle all communications using the TADS protocol on the server side. The TADS communication protocol is used for handling transactions, distributing advertisements, subscribing clients to distribution groups and delivering products to clients 1102.
TADS server side elements 1101 further include a Transactional Applications (TA) distribution engine 1413. TA distribution engine 1413 may be used to distribute Transactional Applications (TA) to TADS-enabled clients 1102, e.g., IP phones 101. TA distribution engine 1413 may be configured to look up the scheduling database for TAs to distribute and to use TADS protocol engine 1206 to send them to the appropriate destinations. Destinations are defined as groups of TADS-enabled clients 1102 that have been identified as having the appropriate channels to handle the TA to be sent. Transactional applications are chartered with the task of advertising a product and completing a sell transaction from a network of TADS-enabled clients 1102.
Channels of content are created according to needs based on demographics information (managed by the demographics module - 1407, and stored in the consumer DB 1408) and vendor requests (managed by Vendor Management Module 1404 and Vendor DB 1405). Each channel may have different characteristics, including, but not limited to size and position of display (screen “real estate”), content type provided by channel (static or animated images, sound, voice messaging, multimedia (integrated visual and sound elements, even applications, etc.), duration of exposure per event shown (10 sec, 30 sec, 30 min), time and frequency of exposure (“prime time,” “red eye,” “repeat every 10 minutes,” etc.), rule based exposure (“show during calls,” “show when user searches for pizza,” etc.) target demographics (e.g. “shown in luxury suites,” “shown in metro area,” “shown in technical office parks,” etc.), numerical exposure rating (100 TADS enabled devices, 100,000 TADs enabled devices), and device based exposure rating (“TADS enabled phones,” “TADS enabled PCs,” “TADS enabled PDAs”). Based on channel characteristics, vendor profiles and demographics information, the content programming module 1406 can create channels of content distribution. Each channel will have, based on it's characteristics and sales agreements reached with vendors (possibly by auctioning time on channels), costs associated with putting information in the channel. This information will be used by the billing manager 1416 to bill 1412 vendors for time used in the channels. Some channels may have different costs and characteristics at different times of day (“prime time” costs may be larger than “red eye” costs, for example). Also, TADS 1101 could assign different channels to TADS enabled devices based on the TADS enabled devices 1102 group information (managed by the Group Subscriber/Unsubscriber module 1414, and stored in the Distribution Group Schedule 1410).
TADS server side elements 1101 further include a group subscription manager module 1414 configured to handle the subscription and un-subscription of TADS-enabled clients 1102 for each distribution group. A distribution group contains an identifier for each of TADS-enabled clients 1102 that are members of the group. Subscription can take place at client registration time or it can be initiated by the server whenever a TA is scheduled for distribution. The subscription process delivers scheduling information for a TA to TADS-enabled clients 1102.
TADS server side elements 1101 further include a product delivery engine 1415 configured to assist transaction engine 1411 to complete a sale by delivering a product purchased to TADS-enabled client 1102 whenever possible.
TADS server side elements 1101 further include a billing manager module 1416 used to access billing information. Billing manager module 1416 may include an adapter to communicate with an external billing system or internal billing database 1412.
Billing database 1412 may contain information on sales done on behalf of vendors through TADS and TA distribution charges. Vendors are billed by service providers for their use of TADS. It can also handle service-usage billing.
Other databases in TADS server side elements 1101 include a transaction database 1417 configured to contain records of all transactions enabled by TADS.
Another database in TADS server side elements 1101 is vendor database 1405, as mentioned above. Vendor database 1405 contains vendor information.
Another database in TADS server side elements 1101 is consumer database 1408, as mentioned above. Consumer database 1408 contains all information related to consumers. Consumers are the users of TADS-enabled clients 1102.
Another database in TADS server side elements 1101 is distribution group schedule database 1410, as mentioned above. Distribution group schedule database 1410 contains information on what devices should get what TAs and at what times they should be shown.
Another database in TADS server side elements 1101 is a content database 1418. Content database 1418 contains products and TAs to be delivered by TADS server 1101.
Referring to FIG. 15 elements of TADS client 1102 include a TA programming manager module 1505 configured to receive subscription requests from servers through a TADS client Protocol Engine 1301. TA programming manager module 1505 may be configured to keep track of what TAs are expected through each channel at specific times and where in the phone user interface they should be rendered.
TADS Client Protocol Engine 1301 may be configured to handle all communications using the TADS protocol in each client. The TADS communication protocol is used for handling transactions, distributing advertisements, subscribing clients to distribution groups and delivering products to clients 1102.
Client side elements 1102 may further include a TA execution engine 15 configured to execute a TA at the client, e.g., IP phone 101. The TA uses a transaction broker module 1508 to engage in transactions with TADS server 1101. TA execution engine 1503 also renders advertisements on the user interface of the TADS-enabled client 1102, e.g., IP phone 101.
Client side elements 1102 may further include a UI event handler 1506. UI event handler 1506 is not provided by the TADS framework. It is part of the infrastructure of TADS-enabled client 1102. UI event handler 1506 gets events from the UI of TADS-enabled client, e.g., IP phone 101, and forwards them to transaction broker module 1508 and TA execution engine 1503.
Transaction broker module 1508 interacts with transaction engine 1501 at TADS server 1101 through TADS client protocol engine 1101. Transaction broker module 1508 helps TAs to complete transactions.
Client side elements 1102 may further include a product installer module 1507 configured to install products in database 1502 delivered through the TADS framework.
Client side elements 1102 may further include a product downloader module 1501 which interacts with the product delivery engine at TADS server 1101 through TADS client protocol engine 1101. Product downloader module 1501 downloads products purchased through TADS.
Client side elements 1102 may further include a group and channel bindings database 1504 which contains information on what TAs will be delivered through each distribution group and when and where in the UI their advertisements will show up.
Installed applications database 1502, as mentioned above, will hold all applications installed through TADS.
It is noted that the embodiment of the server and client sides of TADS 1100 may include other and/or additional modules that for clarity are not depicted. It is further noted that TADS 1100 may be implemented with a different combination of modules and that those presented in the discussion of FIGS. 12-15 are illustrative.
Additional details regarding the TADS as described above are disclosed in the U.S. patent application, filed on Mar. 17, 2005, entitled “Internet Protocol (IP) Phone with Search and Advertising Capability,” with the Ser. No. 11/082,361, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Example services enabled by an embodiment of the present invention, as discussed in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and 11-15, include, but are not limited to: enhanced wake-up services (provided by TADS wakeup call server 108) (FIGS. 16-23), enhanced data integrity methods (provided by TADS/YellowPages alarm server 108) (FIGS. 24-27), enhanced merchant-customer interaction method (provided by Remote VoIP Call Dispatcher (RVCD) 2402 (discussed in connection with FIG. 28) in collaboration with IP phone 101) (FIGS. 28-29), enhanced auto-conference methods (provided by SIP server 109, TADS calendar server 108, consumers database 1208 (discussed in connection with FIG. 12) in collaboration with IP phones 101) (FIGS. 30-32), enhanced usage control methods (provided by TDS server 108 and consumer database 1208 (discussed in connection with FIG. 12) in collaboration with IP phones 101) (FIGS. 33-34), and enhanced user experience methods provided by TA distribution engine 109 (discussed in connection with FIG. 14) in collaboration with IP phones 101) (FIGS. 35-41). Each of these services represents an embodiment of the current invention and contributes towards providing all services the TADS platform advertises.
The following presents a discussion of the exemplary services or applications mentioned above in connection with FIGS. 16-41 that leverage the TADS building blocks discussed in FIGS. 11 - 15 and software platform 500 (FIG. 5). Consequently, each of these Figures, FIGS. 16-41, will be discussed below in connection with FIGS. 1-13.
The TADS Wakeup Call Server (TWCS) 108 controls the service execution and configuration. A vendor server 118, a unified messaging server 110, a content and media server 119 collaborate with the TWCS via a data network 102 to deliver the specific service that the user requests via IP phone 101. IP phone 101 receives the wakeup call and enables all the other enhanced services described in association with FIGS. 16-23.
The enhanced wakeup services depend on the user being able to create and store personal preferences or profiles directly at IP phone terminal 101 or through a configuration portal to wakeup server 108 using a web browser. The configuration sequence is presented in FIG. 16. FIG. 16 is a flowchart of a method 1600 for creating and storing personal preferences or profiles via a configuration portal to wakeup server 108. Referring to FIG. 16 in conjunction with FIG. 1, in step 1601, the user logs on to wakeup server 108. In step 1602, if wakeup server 108 validates the user's authentication credentials, wakeup server 108 provides the user access to a main configuration page. In step 1603, the user adds, modifies or deletes any of the following configuration parameters: wakeup calls, rules for their scheduling (recurrence) and wakeup sound preferences; snoozing patterns: interval between calls, for how long, wakeup sound; task and appointment lists (manually or through synchronization with another server); sources of information feeds and categories of interest: news, weather, sports, travel itineraries. For example, wakeup server 108 can adjust automatically the wakeup call settings based on rules that the user specifies. The input parameters for these rules can be information available on the network or on the user's profile (weather and traffic conditions, early morning appointments, hotel checkout time, travel schedules, etc). Alternatively, wakeup server 108 can suggest to the user the proposed changes to the settings instead of changing them automatically so that the user can verify and approve them. Some specific situations where this can be applied are the following. Wakeup server 108 automatically schedules the wakeup call some time earlier than ordinary due to a sudden traffic jam in my route to work or to the airport. In another example, wakeup server 108 suggests a change in a recurrent wakeup call due to an early morning appointment at work, with the doctor, with mechanic or with friends for a trip. In another example, wakeup server 108 can employ information from the user's travel itinerary to create or suggest wakeup call settings in advance. In another example, wakeup server 108 can look up in the network the estimated time of arrival from the hotel to the airport (considering distance and traffic conditions) and adjust the time accordingly. Wakeup server 108 may even consider the differences in time zones. Vendors can log into the TADS server in the same way as a regular user and can associate and schedule advertisements, services and offers to wakeup calls.
It is noted that method 1600 may include other and/or additional steps that, for clarity, are not depicted. It is further noted that method 1600 may be executed in a different order presented and that the order presented in the discussion of FIG. 16 is illustrative. It is further noted that certain steps in method 1600 may be executed in a substantially simultaneous manner.
FIG. 17 shows the high-level state machine diagram of the wakeup service in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The process is composed of three states: making a call (1702), awake (1703), and snooze (1704). The process begins at a start point (1701) and ends at an end point (1705). The process starts at start point 1701 when wakeup server 108 initiates the call and phone 101 starts ringing or answers the call automatically. If the user confirms the wakeup call, i.e. indicates wakeup server 108 that he/she is awake, then it transitions to awake state 1703. Once in awake state 1703, wakeup server 108 can start pushing into phone 101 the enhanced services described below (reminders/alerts). If the user does not confirm the wakeup call and the user activated the snooze feature in his/her profile, the state machine will transition to snooze state 1704. It will stay here for a given amount of time depending on the user's profile and then transition to making call state 1702 to try the wakeup call once again.
There are two main scenarios associated with an enhanced wakeup call. In the first scenario phone 101 automatically answers the call. This scenario is described in FIG. 18. In the second scenario, the user answers the call. This scenario is described in FIG. 19.
FIG. 18 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with phone 101 (FIG. 15) automatically answering a wakeup call in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Wakeup server 108 makes a call to IP phone 101 at the time of the wakeup call (arrow 1802). The call is flagged as a wakeup call. IP phone 101 examines the identity of the incoming call (arrow 1803) and automatically answers it if in fact it is a wakeup call (arrow 1804), thus signaling wakeup server 108 via the call answered signaling (arrow 1805). Wakeup server 108 contacts media server 119 to indicate user preferences, i.e., what sound will be transmitted (arrow 1806). Wakeup server 108 connects the local end of the media channel to media server 119 to transmit audio on real time (music, pre-recorded message, and live morning news) to phone 101. When user 1801 wakes up, user 1801 will provide confirmation to wakeup server 108, either hanging up the call or choosing to keep listening to media stream (arrow 1807). Any of these two actions will indicate to server 108 that the wake up call was successful (arrow 1808). If user 1801 does not carry out any of these two actions, server 108 disconnects the call after a given elapsed time and assumes that the wake up call was unsuccessful. After an elapsed time, user 1801 will finish the wakeup session (arrow 1809).
FIG. 19 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with user 1801 answering a wakeup call in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Wakeup server 108 makes a call to IP phone 101 at the time of the wakeup call with an identity that phone 101 can recognize as a wakeup call (arrow 1901). Terminal 101 starts ringing upon receiving the wakeup call. Since phone 101 can recognize the incoming call as a wakeup call, it can play the appropriate ringtone according to the current user configuration (arrow 1902). Ringtones can go beyond simple cadenced patterns and include more complex sound files such as short music clips and relaxing sounds (stored in the phone's non-volatile memory). When user 1801 wakes up, user 1801 will answer the call (arrow 1903) and the terminal will signal wakeup server 108 that the call was-answered (arrow 1904). Wakeup server 108 will connect the phone to media server 119 which will start transmitting the configured audio stream (arrow 1905) while the media session remains established (arrow 1906). User 1801 will provide confirmation to server 108 that he/she is awake, either hanging up the call or choosing to keep listening to the input audio stream (arrow 1907). If user 1801 does not pickup phone 101, server 108 will disconnect the call after a given elapsed time and assume that the call was unsuccessful. After an elapsed time, user 1801 will finish the wakeup session (arrow 1908).
The wakeup service described above can also provide a snooze feature similar to the one found in digital alarm clocks. In this case, wakeup server 108 initiates a wakeup call that can either be answered automatically by phone 101 or by user 1801. If the wakeup call fails (i.e., the user does not provide confirmation), server 108 will try again depending on the user configured callback settings. The wakeup call is unsuccessful if the user does not confirm the call in a given amount of time. Server 108 continues to initiate wakeup calls and check for success until it reaches a give-up condition specified in the configured user's profile. The number of times that server 108 calls back and the interval between calls can be customized for each user. For example, server 108 can call back every 10 minutes for half an hour with a relaxing sound and then after that period try a stronger sound at shorter intervals. If no answer is received, the system could trigger an alarm that would signal appropriate personnel to check on the well-being of the person for whom the wakeup call was setup (retirement home, hospital, hotel, etc).
FIG. 20 shows (via arrows as indicated below) how the wakeup service can remind user 1801 of a special date in the calendar such as birthdays and anniversaries in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. It allows user 1801 to arrange to buy and deliver a gift if appropriate. TADS/Wakeup server 108 and user 1801 establish a wakeup call that can either be answered automatically by phone 101 or by user 1801 (arrow 2005). Server 108 notices that today there's a birthday or anniversary entry in the user's calendar. Server 108 suggests a list of gift options (flowers, chocolates, book, etc.) (arrow 2006). User 1801 chooses a gift option (arrow 2007). Server 108 provides a list of local vendors for the gift category (arrow 2008). User 1801 selects a vendor from the list (arrow 1809). IP phone 101 downloads a transactional application (arrow 2010) to allow user 1601 to select, pay and arrange delivery of the gift (arrow 2011). User 1801 interacts with IP phone 101 to place the order. Phone 101 posts the transaction with server 108. TADS server 108 posts the transaction with the particular vendor server 118. Alternatively, user 1801 could call the vendor with just the press of a button to place the order since TADS server 108 could already provide the contact number.
FIG. 21 shows (via arrows as indicated below) how the wakeup service can alert user 1801 of special entertainment events that might be of his/her interest and allow user 1801 to reserve or buy tickets to these events in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. TADS/Wakeup server 108 and user 1801 establish a wakeup call that can either be answered automatically by phone 101 or by user 1801 (arrow 2101). Server 108 notices the date and provides user 1801 with a list of weekend activities (concerts, movies, theater, conferences, trip special packages) that matches a list of interests in the user's profile stored in server 108 (arrow 2102). User 1801 chooses an activity from the list (arrow 2103). Phone 101 downloads an application (arrow 2104) to allow user 1801 to buy tickets and make/confirm reservations (arrow 2105). User 1801 interacts with IP phone 101 to place the order. Phone 101 posts the transaction with server 108 (arrow 2106). TADS server 108 posts the transaction 1811 with particular vendor server 118 (arrow 2107).
A combination of the services described in association with FIGS. 20 and 21 can be envisioned for the hospitality industry. The wakeup service shows user 1801 what is available in the hotel restaurant menu or the list of activities/tours for the day. Server 108 and user 1801 establish a wakeup call. Server 108 shows user 1801 the hotel restaurant breakfast menu and a list of activities for the day. Phone 101 downloads an application to let user 1801 order room service for breakfast or reserve tickets for a given activity.
FIG. 22 shows (via arrows as indicated below) how the wakeup service can send the user 1801 urgent unread emails or voicemails that arrived during the night and that may require immediate attention during the morning in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. TADS/Wakeup server 108 and user 1801 establish a wakeup call that can either be answered automatically by phone 101 or by user 1801 (arrow 2201). Server 108 requests messaging server 110 for information of new urgent emails or voicemails during late hours for the current user (arrow 2202). Alternatively, messaging server 110 can notify wakeup server 108 when a new message arrives. Then, server 110 can check if there are any messages logged at the time of the wakeup call. Phone 101 downloads an application to let user 1801 see and hear the list of urgent messages and answer any if appropriate (arrow 2203). User 1801 browses the message list (arrow 2204) and requests (arrow 2205) more information for a particular message. Phone 101 shows the text or plays the selected message (arrow 2206). After reviewing a message, user 1801 can use phone 101 to answer if appropriate (arrow 2207).
FIG. 23 shows (via arrows as indicated below) how the wakeup service can send user 1801 the information that might be of interest while waking up (usually during the morning) such as news headlines, local weather conditions, sport results, and stock quotes (collectively referred to as “newspaper material”) in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. TADS/Wakeup server 108 and user 1801 establish a wakeup call that can either be answered automatically by phone 101 or by user 1801 (arrow 2301). Server 108 sends a list of information categories to choose from based on the user's preferences (arrow 2302). User 1801 selects the information category he/she wants to browse (arrow 2303). Server 108 sends phone 101 the application to present the information to user 1801 (arrow 2304). Each category of interest may initiate a download from content server 119, vendor server 118, or TADS/wakeup server 108 (arrows 2305, 2306, 2307). Server 108 shows the user (arrow 2308) information of personal interest during the morning such as: task list and appointments for the day, news headlines, local weather, traffic conditions, sport results, inspirational/funny quotes and cartoon strips. User 1801 may initiate a transaction based on an advertisement posted by TADS server 108 along with the information of interest (arrow 2309). Server 108 sends the transactional application (arrow 2310). The transaction is setup by user 1801 via IP phone 101 (arrow 2311). The transaction is posted to TADS server 108 (arrow 2312) and ultimately to vendor server 118 (arrow 2313).
A service enabled by an embodiment of the present invention related to the development of enhanced data integrity methods that can leverage the TADS building blocks discussed in FIGS. 14-15 and software platform 500 (FIG. 5) to facilitate the maintenance of digital directories, such as yellow pages, is discussed below in association with FIGS. 24-26. That is, FIGS. 24-26 disclose a method for identifying phone numbers made by a user of IP phone 101 that did not contact intended recipients. Further, FIGS. 24-26 disclose a method for identifying a failed directory search of a contact performed by a user of IP phone 101.
The enhanced methods are based on the availability of a so-called TADS/YellowPages (YP) alarm server 108 (discussed further below in connection with FIG. 24) that has a mechanism by which it can receive an alarm from an IP Phone 101 indicating a failure to complete a call to a particular phone number or URI. This alarm mechanism can be either manual via UI event handler 1506 or automatically triggered by the error response code to the call. The alarm can be classified as critical (generated manually) or info (generated automatically). In both cases, an administrator 2408 (FIG. 24 as discussed below) has the ability to select the failure threshold that will lead to the alarm generation.
FIG. 24 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with the selectable failure threshold—manual solution in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 24, a telephony services server 109 sends a wrong number (a number which the user tries to reach but turns out to be the wrong number) and/or SIP/H323 error message 2401 to IP phone 101 together with an error sound or announcement. IP phone 108 displays a “broken link” type of button via the interface provided by UI event handler 1506. The user will trigger the alarm report by pressing on the button. This action will send a “critical alarm” message (arrow 2402) to TADS server 108 (via the transaction broker module 1508 and TADS client protocol engine 1301), indicating a “bad phone number.” The critical alarm message will cause TADS server 108 to increment the corresponding alarm count for the called number (arrow 2403). Once the alarm count of a phone number reaches the selected failure threshold, the number will be flagged (arrow 2404) and displayed on TADS front end console 1201. Directory administrator 2208 would then see the flagged number (arrow 2405) and would launch an investigation to determine why the failure is occurring (disconnected number, changed number, etc.) (arrow 2406). Once the cause of the failures is determined, administrator 2408 proceeds to update the database to avoid future call failures (arrow 2407).
FIG. 25 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with the selectable failure threshold—automatic solution in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 25, telephony services server 109 sends a SIP error message (with any of the following SIP error codes: 301, 404, 410 and 604) to IP phone 101 (arrow 2501). Upon receiving the error message, IP phone 101 will generate an info alarm (arrow 2502) that will be sent to TADS server 108 (via the TA execution module 1303 and TADS client protocol engine 1301), indicating a “bad phone number.” The info alarm message will cause TADS server 108 to increment the corresponding alarm count for the called number (arrow 2503). Once the alarm count of a phone number reaches the selected failure threshold, the number will be flagged (arrow 2504) and displayed on TADS front end console 1201 Directory administrator 2408 would then see the flagged number (arrow 2505) and would launch an investigation to determine why the failure is occurring (disconnected number, changed number, etc.) (arrow 2506). Once the cause of the failures is determined, administrator 2408 proceeds to update the database to avoid future call failures (arrow 2507).
FIG. 26 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the detailed sequence of events associated with the selectable failure threshold applicable to both the manual and automatic methods previously described in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 26, telephony services server 109 sends a SIP or wrong number (a number which the user tries to reach but turns out to be the wrong number) error message (with any of the following SIP error codes: 301, 404, 410 and 604) to IP phone 101 (arrow 2601). Upon receiving the error message, IP phone 101 will send a message to TA execution engine 1303 (arrow 2602), UI event handler 1506 waking the system with an alarm. TA execution engine 1503, UI event handler 1506 deliver the alarm to transaction broker module 1508 (arrow 2603), which in turn delivers the alarm to TADS client protocol engine 1101 (arrow 2604) so that it can be forwarded using the TADS protocol to TADS server protocol engine 1206 (arrow 2605). TADS server protocol engine 1206 reports the alarm to transaction engine (alarm manager) 1411 (arrow 2606) which increments the corresponding alarm count (arrow 2607) and records it on transaction database 1417. If the thresholds are met, transaction engine (alarm manager) 1411 will flag the phone number (arrow 2608) and display on TADS front end console (alarm viewer) 1201. Once alarm administrator 2408 sees the flagged number (arrow 2609), he/she will launch an investigation (arrow 2610) and if appropriate will update (arrow 2611) the yellow pages database 1418.
In both the manual and automatic methods described above, TADS server protocol engine 1206 will receive the alarms and will store them on transaction database 1417 until they are cleared or saved into an alternative location. An alarm manager application will be monitoring the alarms or alarm counts depending on the administrator configured data. This application will make the alarms available to the system administrator by displaying them using TADS front-end console 1201. The yellow pages administrator can view a report of the flagged numbers in order to start an inquiry about the validity of a particular alarmed or flagged number. The alarm mechanism can be implemented either by using SIP (SUBSCRIBE/NOTIFY) messages, SNMP based traps or similar protocols and services. If SNMP is used, the object identifiers for the management information base and the way they should be interpreted defines this part of the TADS communications protocol. If the SIP SUBSCRIBE/NOTIFY mechanism is used, then the schema of the XML files exchanged with the two kinds of messages defines the TADS communication protocol for this service. TADS client protocol engine 1301 can provide programmatic interfaces to creating and parsing said objects or files. Note that the methods described above use alarms as the primary type of event, but it could be extended to use other events in order to create more elaborate schemes to update the directory databases. For example, traffic measurements could be used where the number of yellow pages local searches made against number of local searches that ended generating a call is used as a performance indicator.
In both the manual and automatic methods described above, the content of alarm messages may include the ID, severity (Info, Critical, Other), type (contact, graphics, etc.), query, query return, error source, and cause source. The error triggers may be generated by IP phone 101. Error sources may include IP phone 101, dial plan, or null searches (search returning a contact with no phone number). The cause code may include blank number, garbled number, (letters instead of numbers), SIP error code, manual (user notifies the error), etc. The alarm type may include wrong graphics or phone numbers.
) A service enabled by an embodiment of the present invention related to the development of a self-fulfillment method that can leverage the TADS building blocks discussed in FIGS. 14-15 and software platform 500 (FIG. 5) to facilitate the management of phone directory updates is discussed in association with FIG. 27.
Often times a vendor may have to transfer phone lines from one location to another. While the phone numbers remain the same, the geographical location associated with them changes. It takes many months for service providers to update their systems to reflect the change. This could lead to a potential loss of customer leads when customers search for local merchants.
FIG. 27 is a flowchart of a method 2700 for facilitating the management of directory updates via vendor self-fulfillment in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 27, in step 2701, the vendor connects to TADS server 108 via front end Console 1201 and gains access to his records via vendor management module 1404. In step 2702, the vendor updates, corrects, or sets up the contact info associated with the phone lines of interest. In step 2703, TADS server 108 generates a validation code that is sent, along with a phone number to call, to the vendor's email address. In step 2704, the vendor calls the phone number provided by the TADS server from the line for which contact information was updated (with caller ID enabled) and when prompted enters the validation code. In step 2705, TADS server 108 generates a new email or fax that is sent to the vendor indicating that the phone line contact info has been successfully updated.
It is noted that method 2700 may include other and/or additional steps that, for clarity, are not depicted. It is further noted that method 2700 may be executed in a different order presented and that the order presented in the discussion of FIG. 27 is illustrative. It is further noted that certain steps in method 2700 may be executed in a substantially simultaneous manner.
A service enabled by an embodiment of the present invention related to the development of enhanced merchant-customer interaction methods that can leverage the TADS building blocks discussed in FIGS. 14-15 and software platform 500 (FIG. 5) to facilitate communication among said parties is discussed below in association with FIGS. 28-29. Specifically, a “click to dial” and a “more info” solution are presented. The “click to dial” solution allows an end-user to click on a button placed on a participating merchant's webpage leading the end-user's IP phone in turn to place a call to the corresponding number. The “more info” solution allows an end-user to click on a button placed on a participating merchant's webpage or phone-based advertisement leading the merchant to place a call to the end-user's IP phone.
FIG. 28 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with the “click to dial” enhanced merchant-customer interaction method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A browser plug-in or small application called a Remote VoIP Call Dispatcher (RVCD) 2802 would be installed on the user's personal computer. This software would be configured with IP phone 101 information for the user in the form of a URI. Alternatively, an IP phone 101 auto-discovery mechanism can be implemented where RVCD 2802 broadcasts to its subnet a request for identification to all listening IP phones 101. IP phones 101 will respond to the request with an TADS echo message indicating Internet Protocol contact information, and credentials to be authenticated by the requester. This can also be accomplished if IP phone 101 broadcasts periodically a SIP message invocating a SUBSCRIBE method with all the information needed by the RVCD 2802. Web server 108 will contain advertisement pages 2801 which will be formatted with SIP based URIs. Upon the end-user 2801 clicking on an advertisement (arrow 2803), phone number or SIP URI, the web browser will pass the URI (arrow 2804) to RVCD 2802. Once RVCD 2802 receives the target URI, it will send a SIP message invocating the REFER SIP method (arrow 2805) to the user's IP phone 101 in order to generate a new call towards the merchant 1801 contact (arrow 2806). Alternatively, RVCD 2602 could send a NOTIFY message (arrow 2805) to IP Phone 101 using information previously received by RVCD 2802 in a SIP SUBSCRIBE message, to generate the new call (arrow 2806), but the preferred method is to use the REFER method. Once the call is accepted, conversation is established (arrow 2807).
FIG. 29 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with the “more info” enhanced merchant-customer interaction method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A local HTML page 2801 will be available to the local end-user's 1801 personal computer. This page 2801 will contain a form that once filled, it will generate a cookie which will be stored on personal computer 1801. The cookie will contain the contact information for the user (URI, telephone number, etc.). Alternatively, page 2801 served by web server 108 should also contain a way to request the contact info in case the cookie is not available. Web server 108 will contain an application which would be used to track and manage the “request more info” transactions. The request for info transactions will be presented in a sequential manner on a GUI available through this application. These request for info transactions could be a one time only transaction as well as a subscription transaction. In case of a subscription transaction, the requester can select how to get the subscription content by e-mail or by targeted advertisement on IP phone 101. Web server 108 will serve specially formatted advertisement pages (arrow 2901) that will contain a Java Script which will be used to fill up a hidden form by reading the cookie previously generated by the local page when the page is loaded by the web browser. Alternatively, the page served by web server 108 should also contain a way to request the contact info in case the cookie is not available. These pages can be considered to be TADS transaction applications. The cookie can be considered a user's profile. When end-user 1801, who is browsing the page, clicks on the “request for more info” link (arrow 2902), the browser will send the form towards the server (arrow 2903). This form will have a set of values (item ID, topic ID, inventory ID) hard-coded at server 108 which will be used to determine the request for info type. Upon receiving the form by TADS server 108, the information would be saved in a database 808 (arrow 2904) and presented to a user (arrows 2905, 2906, 2907) through TADS front end console 1201 previously described for a customer representative 2808 to use. The front-end console will be provisioned so that it retrieves content periodically from the database (arrow 2905). Once the new requests are obtained from the database (arrow 2906), they will be displayed on the front-end console. At this point, customer representative 2808 will call the client in order to provide the requested information (arrow 2908). Alternatively, customer representative 2808 will send the targeted content to IP phone 101 (arrow 2909). The information retrieved through the form can be used in order to collect and store demographic statistics.
A service enabled by an of the present invention related to the development of enhanced auto-conference call methods that can leverage the TADS building blocks discussed in FIGS. 14-15 and software platform 500 (FIG. 5) to facilitate the automatic generation and management of conference calls is discussed below in association with FIGS. 30-32. Three methods are presented based on phone synchronization, phone subscription, and server hosted conferences.
The enhanced methods are different from current ones in that TADS enabled user-profiles can be set up to be combined with the user's calendar, directory and profile settings to automatically manage conference-calls based on the desired rules. For example, a user would not have to remember to set call forwarding at a particular time or to reschedule a scheduled conference call to another time due to a scheduling conflict. The users could create rules taking into consideration the user's calendar, directory and profile settings. For example, the user could create a rule that indicates that “from 6 am to 6 pm, if calendar indicates meeting, then forward calls to <phone 2>.” TADS-based user-profiles allow for mobility of information so that all TADS-enabled communication devices could load your user profiles without the need for programming the rules in each location. The integration of the user's calendar, the user's profile and rules allows more freedom for users and allows for enhanced responses by combining the rules with finer grained functionality (e.g., the users do not have to remember to set the vacation message in the phone). The users can set a rule that whenever the calendar says out of the office, the phone will send the vacation message indicating when the user will come back, except for calls from phone-X which will be automatically forwarded to phone-Y.
The methods described herein are based on user-profiles. Users will have access to TADS based user-profiles to specify how they want to handle the auto conference feature. These profiles can contain preferences for the user on how to handle incoming calls, or make outgoing calls based on specific rules. User-profiles are mobile. When users move from location to location, they can decide to bring all or part of their profile to the new location. For example, users might want to have in their user-profile settings for home, business, travel, etc. The user-profile, combined with the auto conference feature, can set rules for call handling depending on phone/calendar situation. Some possible rules may be: do not disturb; call forwarding; automatic message response; priority based interrupt.
Sample uses of the rules are now discussed. For example, the “Do Not Disturb” rule is used when a user is already in a conference call, or at any time in the day when they need privacy. By using the “Do Not Disturb” rule, the user can set this rule so that incoming calls and messages go directly to voice mail. “Call Forwarding” could be set so that at specific times in the day calls are automatically forwarded to different numbers. For example, in a work sharing situation, two employees may set call forwarding to automatically forward calls to each other during each other's lunch hour. “Automatic Message Response” allows for a particular message to be sent back to callers at particular times. For example, if a user's schedule indicates that the user will be out of the office for 2 hours at the time of receipt of a call, there could be an automatic message response asking the caller to leave a message and informing the caller that the message will be received in 2 hours. “Priority Based Interrupt” is a rule that can be set to allow phone calls to interrupt any other calls. For example, one could set a priority based interrupt to receive notification of all calls from a child's school, even in the middle of a meeting, overriding the “do not disturb” rules.
FIG. 30 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with the auto-conference call phone synchronization solution in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. This method requires synchronization of IP phone 101 with a TADS enabled personal computer or workgroup server 108 based calendar application. It also requires having a thin calendar based application 3002 running on IP phone 101. User A 1801 schedules a meeting (arrow 3005) via TADS server 108 calendar application. The calendar application in turn creates a conference call meeting profile and sends the profile to TA distribution engine 1413 (arrow 3006). This profile will contain the contact information (e.g., phone numbers) for all the conference participants as well as other conference-related properties such as a set of instructions which are to be followed upon profile activation. TA distribution engine 1413 sends the profile to TA distribution engine 1413 (arrow 3006) which in turn sends the profile to the phone A calendar application 3002 (arrow 3007), which in turn saves the profile to installed application database 1302 (arrow 3008) and will assign an ID to it. The meeting profiles are considered TA as they will be executed at a particular time by TA execution engine 1411. At the time of the conference call meeting, IP phone 101 will load this profile and call TA execution engine 1411 in order execute the profile (arrow 2809). Once IP phone 101 starts executing the profile, TA execution engine 1411 will instruct IP phone 101 to generate a conference call to the pertinent participants (arrow 3010). At this point, phone A 101 proceeds to invite phone B 116 and phone C 117 to enter the conference.
The auto-conference call phone subscription method requires the installation of a plug-in application on a TADS enabled personal computer or workgroup server 108 based calendar application. This plug-in will have access through user management module 1409 to the user profiles which would be stored on the consumers database 108. The user profiles will be used to determine the call processing preferences for that user as defined previously. The profiles will be sent by making use of the TA distribution engine 1413 as soon as the client IP phone 101 subscribes. This plug-in will also be responsible of sending Notify messages to VoIP phone 101 upon time to start a meeting. This Notify message contains a new “Auto-Conference” XML dialog which includes all the URI or contact information for the meeting participants. A new call control feature will be added to IP phone 101 which will use these Notify messages and upon parsing the content of the XML dialog, it will generate (Host) a conference to the meeting participants.
FIG. 31 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with the auto-conference call phone subscription solution in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Phone 101 schedules a meeting via the client PC 112 (arrow 3102) using the calendar application residing on TADS server 108. Phone A 101 registers with SIP server 109 (arrow 3103) and subscribes to the auto-conference service via the calendar application on TADS server 108 (arrow 3104). TADS server 108 sends phone A 101 the corresponding subscriber profiles (arrow 3105). At the time of the conference call meeting, TADS server 108 notifies phone A 101 that a new conference call should be established (arrow 3106). Phone A 101 sends an invite message to establish communication with phone B 116 via SIP server 109 (arrow 3107), which in turn forwards the invitation to phone B 116 (arrow 3108). Phone A 101 sends an invite message to establish communication with phone C 117 via SIP server 109 (arrow 3109), which in turn forwards the invitation to phone B 116 (arrow 3110).
FIG. 32 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with the auto-conference call phone subscription solution in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Phone A 101 schedules a meeting using the calendar application residing on TADS server 108 (arrow 3201). TADS server 108 stores the configuration profile on consumer's database 1408 and assigns an ID to it (arrow 3202). This profile will contain the contact information (e.g., phone numbers) for all the conference participants as well as information for the SIP multi-conference unit. The profile contains a set of instructions which are to be followed upon profile activation. At the time of the conference call, the calendar application residing on TADS server 108 requests the profile from consumer's database 1408 (arrow 3203), receives the profile (arrow 3204) and sends it to TA Distribution Engine 1413 (arrow 3205) which signals the TADS based SIP MCU 109 (SIP Multi-Conference Unit) that it should start a conference call (arrow 3206). TADS based SIP MCU 109 invites phone A 101 (arrow 3207), invites phone B 116 (arrow 3208), and invites phone C 117 (arrow 3209) to join the conference call.—The advantage of this method is that it is centralized from TADS server 108, thus the number of conference participants is not limited by the phone. This solution requires a calendar based application running on the server and that the server be configured with the information for a SIP multi-conference unit.
A service enabled by an embodiment of the present invention related to the development of enhanced usage control methods that can leverage the TADS building blocks discussed in FIGS. 14-15 and software platform 500 (FIG. 5) to facilitate the control of the usage of IP phones via user profiles that specify allowed and disallowed data and call transactions is described in association with FIGS. 33-34.
The enhanced methods are based on using profiles in the phone combined with information in TADS server 108 (consumer database 1408). An administrator of TADS enabled devices can create rules for what content and calls can be sent and received in the phone. “Content” refers to content and applications served from TADS. The profiles associated with calls may include allowed lists of numbers to call, numbers to receive, forbidden numbers to call, and forbidden numbers to receive. The profiles associated with data may include allowed content to receive, allowed information sites to access, forbidden content to receive, and forbidden information sites to access. These values are stored in consumer database 1408 associated with TADS server 108, and may be associated with distribution schedules 1410 (in cases where content/calls to be allowed/disallowed vary during the day). Profiles will be administered via a TADS Front End Console 1201 or other tools provided developed using the TADS Programmatic API 1403 to make entering or editing this information simple so that end users do not have to understand the actual format of these profile values. For example, a national, state or world map could be displayed and let users decide which area codes/city codes/country codes to allow or disallow. The front-end could also provide the ability to go thru the call/application logs to directly ADD and REMOVE numbers or applications to the appropriate lists. The lists could be added to “group” profiles (distribution groups) so that they could be easily assigned to multiple phones. For example, you can define a “building 1 phones” group which can not call anywhere in Europe, but “building 2 phones” group can. Other options may be to create distribution groups that associate all phones from one person. For example, user A might want to avoid calls from user B no matter where he is. User A may create a profile that includes user B's home phone, cellular and business phones, and user B's TADS enabled computer system and Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). In this profile, user A adds user B's phone numbers to a list that includes phone numbers that are forbidden to contact and user B's instant message ID name to a list that includes contacts that user A is forbidden to receive. The allowed and forbidden information could alternatively be stored in an external media that could be moved with the person as needed. For example, a USB drive could be used to store this information and when connected to the TADS enabled device it would add these rules. The allowed and forbidden information could alternatively be sent directly from TADS enabled device to another TADS enabled device (for example, by emailing between two TADS enabled computers). Phones or phone groups (distribution groups) can be associated with specific instructions on what to control and when. These lists are also associated with “schedules” so that the numbers allowed to call/receive (or data/application accesses) could be different at different times of the day. Some examples of how administrators may control usage include: parents who decide that specific phones should not make calls after 10 p.m.; employers may create “do not call” lists to block specific phone numbers from being called (e.g., 976 numbers, long distance calls, etc.); parents could block TADS server games and content from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. from their children's phones; and employers can block employee's access to some TADS content that might not be appropriate for their companies.
FIG. 33 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with the usage control method in connection with content distribution scenarios in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The usage administrator logs in to TADS Server 108 via client personal computer 112 and edits preferences (profiles) for all phones under a specific group of interest (e.g., “home”) (arrow 3301). TADS server 108 (using the user management module 1409, the group subscriber/unsubscriber module 1014, and content programming module 1406) stores the profile preferences in consumer database 1408 (arrow 3302). Phone A 101 and phone B 116 are assigned to a distribution group using group subscription management module 1414. The profiles are stored in consumer database 1408 with possible associations made in a distribution group schedule 1410 for rules that apply only at certain times. When phone A 101 initiates a request for content (arrow 3303), TADS server 108 accesses the profile information from consumer database 1408 to determine if this is an allowed transaction (arrow 3304). Consumer database 1408 returns the profile information (arrow 3305). If the request for content is allowed, TADS server 108 sends the content to phone A 101 (arrow 3306). When phone B 116 initiates a request for Content (arrow 3307), TADS server 108 accesses the profile information from consumer database 1408 to determine if this is an allowed transaction (arrow 3308). Consumer Database 1408 returns the profile information (arrow 3309). If the request for content is forbidden, TADS server 108 sends an error message to phone B 116 (arrow 3311).
FIG. 34 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with the usage control method in connection with call control scenarios in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The usage administrator logs in to TADS Server 108 via client personal computer 112 and edits preferences (profiles) for all phones under a specific group of interest (e.g., “home”) (arrow 3401). TADS server 108 (using a user management module 1409, a group subscriber/unsubscriber module 1414, and a content programming module 1406) stores the profile preferences in consumer database 1408 (arrow 3402). Phone A 101 and phone B 116 are assigned to a distribution group using group subscription management module 1414. The profiles are stored in consumer database 1408 with possible associations made in a distribution group schedule 1410 for rules that apply only at certain times. When phone A 101 initiates a request for a call to phone B (arrow 3403), TADS server 108 accesses the profile information from consumer database 1408 to determine if this is an allowed transaction (arrow 3404). Consumer database 1408 returns the profile information (arrow 3405). If the request for the call is allowed, TADS server 108 sends an allow call message to phone A 101 (arrow 3406). Phone A 101 then invites phone B 116 for a call (peer to peer scenario) (arrow 3407). If the profile indicates that phone B 116 cannot be called from phone A 101, then TADS server 108 will return a forbidden call message to phone A 101 (arrow 3408).
A service enabled by an of the present invention related to the development of enhanced user experience methods that can leverage the TADS building blocks discussed in FIGS. 14-15 and software platform 500 (FIG. 5) to facilitate the control and distribution of content to hospitality phones is discussed in association with FIG. 35.
TADS front end tool 1201, content programming module 1406, or 3rd party implementations using TADS programmatic API 12014033 can be used to generate content “packages” to be displayed in TADS enabled devices (e.g., IP phone 101). These packages may have all the information to display customized content, and provide the user with controls that they can use to access content that may not be stored locally in the TADS enabled device. Hotels and content providers can create TADS enabled applications 411 (FIG. 4) to help customers with various needs, such as check-in/check-out assistance and information, billing information, room service orders, concierge services and more. Through TADS enabled applications, hotel rooms can gain access to web-based feeds of news, sports, entertainment, financial and weather content for display directly to customers' rooms. This combined with the potential of user specific TADS enabled profiles means a user can have a wealth of information and services automatically sent to their rooms. The hotel's Property Management System (PMS) Which stores information such as reservations information, check-ins and check-outs, rates, charges/billing information, guest profiles, alerts, and more, could be accessed to customize the content that is sent to phones by content programming module 1406. TADS transaction engine 1411 would have software for content handlers/converters (applications that convert from external formats of information, e.g., PMS data, web-feeds, other web sites, to data that can be sent and understood by the TADS enabled devices.
TA Execution Engine 1403 in the TADS-enabled client will use these packages to display content and respond to user events. Content programming module 1406 can be used, in combination with a hotel's Property Management System (PMS), to schedule and show targeted content to rooms in the hotel. Packages could be assigned to room distribution groups by using the group subscription management module 1414. Multiple rooms could be associated with different distribution groups. This would allow a hotel to have separate “packages” that could be assigned to different room “groups.” Packages could be reused. For example, the same package could be sent to different hotels in the same chain, shared amongst hotels in multiple chains, or even sold in shrink-wrapped version so that smaller hotels could use as pre-packaged solutions.
If a guest has a TADS enabled profile (an entry in a TADS consumer database 1208) they could choose to add their TADS-enabled content directly to their hotel room using TA distribution engine 1413 and product delivery engine 1415. This allows them to access their preferred content in addition to the hotel's recommended content, thus enhancing their experience. This would require that the hotel have allowed external access to the consumer's TADS server or that the consumer provided the information via USB drive 214 (FIG. 2).
FIG. 35 is a flowchart of a method 3500 to define the user experience as defined by content and application distribution to TADS enables devices in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 35, in step 3501, the content administrator 3607 identifies local and remote content and applications for distribution packages. In step 3502, the content administrator 3607 defines distribution groups and associates the packages. In step 3503, the system administrator 3607 distributes the packages.
It is noted that method 3500 may include other and/or additional steps that, for clarity, are not depicted. It is further noted that method 3500 may be executed in a different order presented and that the order presented in the discussion of FIG. 35 is illustrative. It is further noted that certain steps in method 3500 may be executed in a substantially simultaneous manner.
FIG. 36 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with assigning content to phones. The content administrator 3607 creates content via TADS front-end console 1201 or third party console 1419 (arrow 3601) and stores it on database repository 111 (arrow 3602) and assigns profiles to the phone groups via group subscriber/unsubscriber module 1414 (arrow 3603). Group subscriber/unsubscriber module 1414 reads (arrow 3603) new content IDs from database repositories 111 and assigns content IDs to phone groups (arrow 3604). When Phone A 101 requests content associated with its ID (arrow 3605), TA distribution engine 109 will return the corresponding content (arrow 3606).
FIG. 37 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with updating existing content in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. User A 3607 updates content via TADS front-end console 1201 or third party console 1419 (arrow 3701) and stores it on database repository 111 (arrow 3702), from which a message is generated to TA distribution engine 109 notifying of new content (arrow 3703). TA distribution engine 109, in turn, sends an update notification to Phone A 101 (arrow 3705). The updated content is then exchanged between TA distribution engine 109 and phone A 101 via content request (arrow 3705) and content return (arrow 3706).
FIG. 38 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with handling local content requests in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A phone requests local content for its profile from TADS server 108 (arrow 3801). TADS server 108 searches for cached content on local data repositories 111 (arrow 3802) and sends the content to phone A 101 (arrow 3804) via TADS server 108 (arrow 3803).
FIG. 39 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with, handling external content requests in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Phone A 101 sends a request to TADS server 108 for external content (arrow 3901). TADS server 108 first looks for a cached copy of the requested content in local storage (arrow 3902). If there is a cached copy, the sequence would be exactly as that depicted in FIG. 38. If there is not a cached copy, TADS server 108 will receive an “Error—not found” message (arrow 3903). TADS server 108 then will request external content via the external content via the data network 102 (arrow 3904). Once TADS server 108 receives the requested external content (arrow 3905), it proceeds to reformat the content for the TADS-enabled device phone A 101 and store a cached copy in database repositories 111 (arrow 3906) and return the formatted content to phone A 101 (arrow 3907).
FIG. 40 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with handling PMS interaction in a hospitality setting in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Phone A 101 sends a request (arrow 4001) for PMS information (e.g., billing information) to TADS server 108 (arrow 4002) via a PMS interface provided by TA execution module 1503. TADS server 108 searches for cached content on the local database repositories (arrow 4003). If there is a cached copy, the sequence would be exactly as that depicted in FIG. 38. If there is not a cached copy, TADS server 108 will receive an “Error—not found” message (arrow 4004). TADS server 108 then will request content from the PMS system via data network 102 (arrow 4005). Once TADS server 108 receives the requested external content (arrow 4006), it proceeds to reformat the content for the TADS-enabled device phone A 101 and store a cached copy in database repositories 111 (arrow 4007) and return the formatted content to phone A 101 (arrow 4009) via the PMS interface provided by TA execution module 1303 (arrow 4008).
FIG. 41 shows (via arrows as indicated below) the sequence of events associated with handling PMS interaction in a hospitality setting in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention when it is the PMS that initiates a request for the update of PMS information on a phone (e.g., update the guest name in a room). The PMS system makes a request to TADS server 108 via the data network 102 to update PMS information associated with Phone A 101 (arrow 4101). TADS server 108 converts the PMS-related content to a form suitable for phone A 101 and stores it on database repositories 111 (arrow 4102) and sends the updated and formatted content to the PMS interface provided by TA execution module 1503 (arrow 4103), which in turn sends the content to phone A 101 for display (arrow 4104).
An embodiment of the present invention is a framework for software module deployment, update and configuration (in reference to FIG. 11). A Transactional Application (TA) can be thought of as a software module. Such a framework will be hosted by the Applications and TADS server 108 and will work in conjunction with the Deployment and Configuration Services software on IP phone 101 to maintain individual software modules up to date and with the proper configuration. The Deployment and Configuration Services are part of Other Services 502. Deployment of software to an IP Phone 101 can be based on demographics taken from the Demographics Module 1007 or by selections of groups of IP Phones 101 made by a maintenance technician. Once a phone is selected as a software deployment candidate, communication is started between the TADS Server 1000 and the IP Phone 101 to complete the deployment, update and/or configuration operation. Communication is based on HTTP messages which contain XML data in its body. The format of this data is part of the TADS Protocol Family 1000 (discussed in association with FIG. 10 below).
FIG. 42 presents the message exchange between the A TADS Server 108 and the IP phone 101 during a software deployment and update operation 4200. An optional DEPLOY message 4201 can be sent by the Applications and TADS Server 108 to trigger the operation. IP phone will respond with an OK message 4202. IP Phone 101 will initiate the deployment and update procedure sending a REQUEST_INFO message 4203 to the Applications and TADS Server 108. This message includes information on the current version of the hardware and software (per module) available to software modules on IP Phone 101 and the module interdependency information to be used to decide what modules can be updated.
The Applications and TADS Server will respond with a RESPONSE_DEPLOY_INFO message 4204 to indicate any available updates for independent software modules and the dependencies with other modules. An example of the contents of this message follows: Multiple FTP sessions exchanging FTP messages 4205, 4206, 4207 and 4208 can be established with the Applications and TADS Server 108 or a Vendor Server 118 to download individual software modules to IP Phone 101. Messages SEND_DATA 4209 and START_UPDATE 4210 are optionally exchanged between the Applications and TADS Server 108 and IP Phone 101 to backup configuration data.
FIG. 43 presents the message exchange between the Applications and TADS Server 108 and an IP Phone 101, during a software configuration operation 4300. Applications and TADS Server 108 can optionally send a CONFIGURE message 4301 to trigger a configuration procedure. IP Phone 101 will send OK message 4302 in response to the CONFIGURE message 4301. IP Phone will in turn send a REQUEST_INFO message 4303 to Applications and TADS Server 108 requesting configuration information. Applications and TADS Server 108 will respond with a RESPONSE_CONFIGURE_INFO message 4304, containing any new or different configuration information for independent software modules.
Although the method, computer program product and system are described in connection with several embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
flagging said phone number that did not contact said intended recipient if said failure count exceeds a threshold.
triggering said alarm message to be sent to said server.
launching an investigation to determine why said failure count associated with said phone number that did not contact said intended recipient exceeded said threshold.
4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said alarm message is generated by said IP phone automatically in response to receiving said error message.
flagging said directory search if said failure count exceeds a threshold.
7. The computer program product as recited in claim 6, wherein said alarm message is generated by said IP phone automatically in response to receiving said error message.
circuitry for flagging said phone number that did not contact said intended recipient if said failure count exceeds a threshold.
circuitry for flagging said directory search if said failure count exceeds a threshold.
receiving a second wakeup call after a particular time period specified in a profile of said user if said first wakeup call is not confirmed by said user of said IP phone.
connecting to said second server to transmit audio to said IP phone.
disconnecting said first wakeup call if said user does not confirm said first wakeup call.
connecting to a second server to transmit audio to said IP phone.
posting a transaction with a second server associated with said vendor.
posting a transaction with a second server associated with a vendor providing tickets to said selected entertainment event.
generating a call to a merchant associated with said selected advertisement based on said URI associated with said selected advertisement by said application of said IP phone.
instructing said IP phone to generate a conference call to said conference participants identified in said profile.
assigning an identification to said profile thereby allowing a user to have multiple defined profiles and be able to select among them.
sending an invite message to each of said identified conference participants to establish communication with said IP phone.
inviting each of said conference participants to establish communication with said IP phone.
determining if said user of said IP phone is allowed to receive said content based on said profile preferences of said profile.
sending an error message to a sender of said request to send content to said user of said IP phone if said user of said IP phone is forbidden from receiving said content.
assigning said sender and said user of said IP phone to a distribution group.
determining if said first user of said IP phone is allowed to telephonically connect to said second user based on said profile preferences of said profile.
sending a message to said second user indicating that said first user of said IP phone is forbidden from connecting telephonically with said second user if said first user of said IP phone is forbidden from connecting telephonically with said second user.
assigning said second user and said first user to a distribution group.
providing a user of said IP phone with controls to access content of said generated content package.
29. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein said hotel includes a system configured to customize said content package.
30. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein said content package further comprises one or more of the following: informational content and recreational content.
sending said one or more of said electronic mail and said facsimile to said vendor indicating that said phone line contact information has been successfully updated.
returning content corresponding to a requested identification.
sending said updated content to said IP phone.
sending said requested local content to said IP phone.
sending said reformatted requested external content to said IP phone.
36. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the method for assigning content to IP phones occurs in a hospitality setting.
37. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the method for assigning content to IP phones occurs in a hospitality setting.
38. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the method for assigning content to IP phones occurs in a hospitality setting. | 2019-04-24T06:26:15Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/US20060050686A1/en | Porn | Reference | 0.112845 |
wordpress | Handle the baseball with your left-hand facing it once you putt. If you are moving the team do your absolute best to put on this place. This can enable support the team through your swing and steer clear of the baseball from jumping-off the face area of the team at contact.
In case you have discovered your report, you’re possibly trying to find methods to boost your sport. Every player, regardless of how superior they’re may continue increasing their activities. Nonetheless, scanning this report provides click here to find out more you with the relevant skills you should achieve success at tennis.
There’s no magic bullet, so you’ll must discover on your own what is useful for you personally. Right pose is vital, nonetheless it does differ by personal top, measurement, body-frame and also sexuality. A superb pose can do a great deal to your sport.
Go and do not lease a golf basket. People who wander considerably improve their exercise and, thus, medical rewards they appreciate from golf. Jogging might help retain muscle tissue comfortable and free.
When you start off golfing, it’s crucial you recognize just how to precisely grasp the team. A blunder produced by several is grasping the club too-tightly, considering it’ll include fat towards the team. In place of opting for natural grip energy, choose a organization, but delicate, hold. A number of people advise possessing the club-like you’d a fowl.
By understanding from others’ faults, it is possible to steer clear of the discomfort of earning them yourself. These approaches will help devoted people fuel their love of the sport and increase their abilities; study from the activities of others.
Moving your feet makes it possible to find out the right position when you are preparing to move the team. In case your feet vibrate easily, your pose maybe fished too much back. While you move, try and trim into your opportunity; this permits the feet to maneuver adequate to create the specified impact.
Next Next post: Looking For The Best Golfing Tips On The Web? You’ve Found Them! | 2019-04-25T22:46:26Z | https://palmerjcir.wordpress.com/2015/05/03/you-can-play-better-golf-with-these-amazing-tips/ | Porn | Sports | 0.274684 |
wordpress | Real story of our lives. All resolves disappear when you have the temptation lying ahead of you. Good one Mansi. Keep it up.
Excellent article keep it up Mansi. | 2019-04-20T22:34:26Z | https://acitygirlweb.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/a-day-in-the-life-of-modern-india-isthisyou/comment-page-1/ | Porn | Society | 0.263005 |
wordpress | I decided to pick up a charity-shop copy of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) as research for my comix, only intending to watch the first half hour or so, to get a sense of the setting/period… but then I got drawn in by the story, characters, and jokes all over again, and ended up watching all the way through to the post-credits punchline! Before the movie was actually released, it was easy to be cynical about its prospects, both creatively and financially… I mean, who could’ve predicted that a Disney-financed pirate comedy based on a theme park ride would actually turn out to be so strange and exciting and spooky and funny? It could’ve so easily turned into a Cutthroat-Island-esque fiasco… but somehow, through a process of inexplicable alchemy, swashbuckling gold was spun from the straw of corporate synergy!
Of course the main draw here is Johnny Depp’s multi-award-nominated turn as the series’ adorably off-kilter hero, crazy-as-a-fox ‘Captain Jack Sparrow’, and everyone else sort of fades into the margins around him… though Geoffrey Rush’s ‘Captain Barbossa’ does make for a very sympathetic villain, and I was even a little sad when he died (though I knew this wasn’t the last we’d see of him…). Sadly, while ‘Elizabeth Swann’ (Keira Knightley) showed a fair amount of moxie and ingenuity in the face of adversity, she was also a bit bland and generic as far as female leads go. Then again, I’d say the same for her love interest, ‘Will Turner’ (Orlando Bloom), so I don’t think it’s a gender issue so much as a not-being-Jack-Sparrow issue!
Needless to say, she did not return for the sequels… which I now feel compelled to buy/watch, despite remembering what a drag they were the first time around. Ack!!
This entry was posted in Rants about Films and tagged Anamaria, Elizabeth Swann, Keira Knightley, Pirates of the Caribbean, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, The Curse of the Black Pearl, Zoe Saldana. Bookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-25T06:13:29Z | https://deecrowseer.wordpress.com/2016/01/05/but-whys-the-rum-gone/ | Porn | Arts | 0.960196 |
wordpress | Every April in Colorado, we celebrate One Book Colorado, a state wide campaign to get a free picture book into the hands of every 4 year old. This year’s giveaway title is Penguinaut! by Marcie Colleen so we held a very silly event called Penguins in Space. This event was for ages 2-5 (not just 4 yr olds), and we held it on Tuesday and Saturday at the library.
We made rocket ship names like this post from The Inspired Home.
We drew in the “snow” with penguins like this post from Frugal Fun 4 Boys.
And yes, friend, that is salt.
We tried to walk like penguin dads carrying eggs using a balloon in between our legs. I also put out the river stones and balance beams just for fun.
We played in a penguin sensory bin with glass beads, frozen ice bergs, penguins, and a turkey baster (everyone’s favorite water toy).
We made rocket ships like this post from Buggy and Buddy.
zebra – donkey kicks For more fun, kick up from down dog, like a handstand prep.
This month we played with self-portraits! Being able to recognize faces and emotions is an integral part of self-regulation and socio-emotional awareness. We held this event on a Tuesday, on Thursday at an outreach location, and again on Saturday in the library.
We drew on mirrors with dry erase markers like this post from Preschool STEAM.
I set out a bunch of craft supplies (buttons, pipe cleaners, glitter glue, yarn, washi tape, pom poms, paint and brushes, googly eyes, beads, modeling clay, markers, crayons, glue, scissors) and let the kids go to town.
And sometimes just making bracelets is fun too.
We read Billions of Bricks by Kurt Cyrus.
We built with uncooked spaghetti and marshmallows.
This girl made a bunch of sticks for roasting marshmallows.
And everyone’s favorite: Makedo toys.
We read Love by Matt de la Peña. This one is tough for me to read in public without crying. I think it’s a perfect read for the kids to grow with. There is so much to dissect here.
We estimated and graphed with candy hearts like this post from Buggy and Buddy to learn about nonstandard units of measurement.
I set out a table of pipe cleaners to make various heart crafts like love goggles, heart rings, and heart chains.
We made Shrinky Dinks valentines like this post from TinkerLab.
I can’t find the version of the song I have, but here is one from Jbrary.
Early literacy tip: Consistent routines, activities that happen at about the same time and in about the same way each day, provide comfort and a sense of safety to young children. Whether it is time to play, time for a snack, a nap, or a loved one to return, knowing what will happen next gives children security and emotional stability. It helps them learn to trust that caring adults will provide what they need. When children feel this sense of trust and safety, they are free to do their “work,” which is to play, explore, and learn.
donkey – donkey kicks For more fun, kick up from down dog, like a handstand prep. | 2019-04-21T03:03:22Z | https://yogibrarian.wordpress.com/tag/preschool/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.601591 |
msu | Air pollution is a well-known, much-documented problem in the industrialized world. Those who do not live in major cities see media images of thick, dirty air and crowded streets of people wearing masks over their noses and mouths. Contrary to the popular portrayal, however, the effects of air pollution are not limited to urban environments. Michigan State University (MSU) AgBioResearch toxicologist Jack Harkema is studying the impacts of air pollution on rural populations.
Harkema received an $8 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2011 to establish the Great Lakes Air Center for Integrated Environmental Research (GLACIER). Combining the multidisciplinary expertise of researchers from MSU, the University of Michigan, Ohio State University and the University of Maryland, GLACIER is one of four EPA Clean Air Research Centers established to study the health impacts of air pollutants. Each center has a distinctive focus within this research area. GLACIER focuses on understanding the health effects of air pollutant mixtures, especially in susceptible populations like those suffering from chronic cardiovascular, respiratory or metabolic conditions. | 2019-04-26T15:36:25Z | https://research.msu.edu/studying-the-impact-of-air-pollution-in-rural-environments/ | Porn | Science | 0.521913 |
typepad | I just...stopped. No good reason. Just couldn't handle it. And then I got embarrassed about not visiting it, and then REALLY started ignoring it, this time out of guilt. Very healthy, huh?
I want to do it again. I miss it. I'm still blogging a "work blog", but it's a different audience, and I have to try to meet them where they are. I simply can't be as free-wheeling. Not everyone understands irony, it turns out.
My job is VERY challenging. And I'm expected to Twitter and Facebook, too...so I'm doing both of those things. Please feel free to keep up there, if you like. And, if you care; When I get back to this, I'll let you know.
Twitter, Facebook, another site, lots of emails from the radio job: It's all a bit much. But I miss this, and you, for that matter. I miss interacting and thinking via blog.
P.S. -- Here's a anteater in a little sweater tucked in a bucket. | 2019-04-22T11:06:44Z | https://branthansen.typepad.com/letters_from_kamp_krusty/2009/06/index.html | Porn | Business | 0.92742 |
wordpress | Route, Control and Route Planning – Whether we proceed onward arrive, adrift, or noticeable all around we depend intensely on maps to arrange our courses and to keep up our course. We have climbing and biking maps, maps for slithering through hollows or orienteering through woods, interstate and rough terrain maps, and also nautical and aeronautical outlines. We have Map of USA USA Map to show rapids in white water and angling structure in lakes. We utilize these maps to arrange our courses and after that to explore when we are in movement.
Correspondence, influence and purposeful publicity – Many maps are composed and delivered to pass on a specific picture or impart a specific thought. Since guide information must be grouped and spoken to by images, in all cases the picture can’t be extremely broad. Maps in daily papers going with an article or on TV with a report help in recounting the story. All the time those maps are not nonpartisan as far as the message passed on. Under this classification we may incorporate maps that are utilized to course activity in particular bearings, Map of united states United states map maps utilized to motivate individuals to enlist to vote, and various people select guide projections to pass on a particular picture; this is especially valid for the Peters projection which progresses the contention that it is the ideal opportunity for another picture of the world. Furthermore, the Australian maps that demonstrate the South Pole at the highest point of the guide have a place here.
Arranging – Because “where” is essential, we utilize maps to figure out where we need to do what. We swing to maps to figure out where a correspondences tower ought to be situated as far as gathering, visual effect, zoning and landuse confinements. Urban and provincial arranging depend intensely on maps for the area of schools and open offices, for the improvement of expressway, sewer and water systems and for the efficient association of space through zoning and different methods.. We attempt to distinguish zones subject to potential risks and create plans for containing issues, clearing those in threat and giving administrations. Military operations depend vigorously on maps for the sending of troops, for the appraisal of adversary positions, and for focusing on weapons.
Purview, Ownership, Assessment – Maps are utilized an authoritative records demonstrating the responsibility for and limits. Cadastral mapping is that range managing the legitimate frameworks demonstrating who has rights to property. Arrive that is subdivided is platted and those plats are recorded on maps. Charges depend on property possession and assessors depend intensely on maps. In more customary social orders where limits have been seen however not recorded, endeavors are currently being made to make maps demonstrating settled upon limits. These maps are allowing indigenous social orders to hold rights to their territory against outside powers needing access to assets.
Understanding Spatial Relationships – Many maps are made during the time spent attempting to see how marvels are circulated spatially. Now and again the subject of examination might be a solitary variable and in different cases various factors might be analyzed in relationship to each other and to other non-spatial factors. The great case of this is the work of Dr. John Snow making the guide of the occurrence of cholera in London and finding that the examples prompted to an open water pump. (Monmonier, 1991, 142) The improvement of the idea of Plate Tectonics depended on an awesome measure of mapping and guide examination around the globe. Police and open authorities delineate to check whether there are examples in the conduct of wrongdoing.
The weathercaster on TV is however one part of the utilization of maps to foresee the eventual fate of occasions that play out over the Earth’s surface and that have the potential for huge harm to frameworks imperative to people. Such anticipating and the scattering of notices is done at many scales, going from very confined blaze flooding, out of control fires, and tornado touchdowns to bigger elements like sea tempest landfalls, extreme tempests, volcanic ejections, creepy crawly pervasions, tidal waves, and ocean level ascend and high tides. Maps are a critical part of the forecast forms and are similarly imperative in admonishing potential casualties.
Delineate – The making of a guide in all cases requires the utilization of maps. Delineate is an iterative procedure and in that procedure various maps might be made as we meet on a suitable plan. By and large we counsel different maps for such things as checking geographic names, affirming limit changes, or looking at land utilize and geology to better place spots on a guide depicting the dispersion of dairy cows in a district.
Enhancement, Collection and Investment – Maps are gathered, sold and shown essentially in light of the fact that they are maps and many individuals like the presence of a guide. Noteworthy maps go up against esteem in light of their irregularity, quality and range of intrigue. It is regular to see noteworthy guide pictures utilized as improvement on garments, dividers, diversions and riddles. Furthermore, there is the periodic utilization of guide pictures in commercial.
If you want to know about calendar templates then please click here…. | 2019-04-21T01:10:29Z | https://singforthem.wordpress.com/2017/01/05/use-of-templates/ | Porn | Society | 0.247301 |
wordpress | Both photographs were taken in Pasadena, California in 2009 – My Mother on the left and my Aunt Cele on the right; we were shopping with my cousin and myself for my brother’s upcoming wedding. Having a “girls” day shopping with our Moms and having a very fun time. The photo on the bottom caught us laughing so hard, because my Mom and my Aunt both put on the same blazer and we said they looked like Flight Attendants.
These women were related by marriage not blood, but remained close for over 62 years.
So here’s to girlfriends, sisterhood, and staying close even after you change your name.
This entry was posted in Authentic Self, Fashion and Style, Life, Tip of the Day and tagged beautiful women, both are Artists, charm, connected by marriage, Grace, Love, Sister-in-laws, Southern California. Bookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-21T20:14:43Z | https://poisematters.wordpress.com/2013/02/03/weekly-photo-challenge-unique/ | Porn | Shopping | 0.875241 |
tripod | You can tell a lot about an author by the stories he or she calls "favorites". Here are some that I rank as worth the read. Sorry if the link is dead. | 2019-04-23T21:00:03Z | http://gwauthor21.tripod.com/texts.htm | Porn | Reference | 0.835553 |
wikipedia | Piperales is a botanical name for an order of flowering plants. It necessarily includes the family Piperaceae but otherwise has been treated variously over time. Well-known plants which may be included in this order include black pepper, kava, lizard's tail, birthwort, and wild ginger.
This page was last changed on 12 March 2013, at 08:52. | 2019-04-25T08:47:00Z | https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piperales | Porn | Reference | 0.66135 |
wikipedia | Ehengah (Persian: اهنگاه, also Romanized as Ehengāh) is a village in Bakesh-e Yek Rural District, in the Central District of Mamasani County, Fars Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 25, in 5 families.
This page was last edited on 17 March 2017, at 12:59 (UTC). | 2019-04-21T08:10:08Z | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehengah | Porn | Reference | 0.396252 |
wordpress | Postcard with a view of the front of the British Museum, 1906. © The Trustees of the British Museum.
Greetings! – this is Alessandro and I am one of the ceramics specialists for the ERC TwoRains project. For my PhD research, I am pursuing a holistic approach to the study of archaeological ceramic materials from Indus urban and post-urban sites being excavated by the project to trace social continuity and transformations within the production systems of rural communities.
Long story short: I spend a lot of time looking at fragments of pottery, thin-sections and ceramic powder samples. I am combining technological and compositional methods to study ceramic industries, including thin-section petrography, XRD, FTIR, WD-XRF and pXRF. Combining these methods with traditional morpho-stylistic analysis, I am investigating the production (chaîne opératoire) of artefacts to understand synchronic and diachronic cultural behaviour.
In the last 6 months, I have been taking short breaks from microscopes and databases in Cambridge to explore the basements at the British Museum, London. Under the supervision of Dr Daniela De Simone, Tabor Foundation Curatorial and Research Fellow, South Asian Archaeological Collections, I have had the chance to make a small contribution to the new Indus displayed collection. In fact, the well-known Room 33 – China, South Asia and Southeast Asia – is currently closed and Curators at the BM are working hard to present the refurbished gallery by November 2017 (do not worry, no spoilers here for you)!
Indus Ceramic Cones. © The Trustees of the British Museum.
Daniela has been working on the new display of Indus cases, and I have been helping her reassess some of the artefacts hidden in the basement, which is a cavern of archaeological wonders, ranging in date from Neolithic Balochistan to the Early Historic period; from Indus crafts to Buddhist art; and from ceramic figurines and vessels to metalworks and semiprecious stones.
Red terracotta figure, c. 2nd century BCE, Akra, Pakistan. © The Trustees of the British Museum.
Last but not least, Daniela knows about my involvement in Museum education at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and National Museum of Oriental Art ‘Giuseppe Tucci’ in Rome. So, she challenged me once: “Can we make a board games for kids and young adults to make them engage the Indus collection even more?” – That is how ‘The Treasure of the Unicorn’ board game was born. It is currently in its ‘beta testing’ phase and we will use photos from objects displayed in the new gallery. Hopefully, we will soon be able to play with it and guide the younger public to approach the fascinating Ancient Indus Civilisation and its technologies and crafts.
Time to go back to my Indus pots and thin-sections from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Stay tuned for more news on Ancient Indus crafts and technologies! | 2019-04-19T19:09:19Z | https://tworains.wordpress.com/2017/03/16/beyond-indus-ceramics-exploring-the-british-museum-collections/ | Porn | Kids | 0.425865 |
wordpress | Light emitting diode, or LED, lights are the next phase your past evolution of artificial the amount of light. The process started with camp fires; the second step was teeth whitening gel. The big leap came when Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb in 1879. Since 1879 a multitude of improvements have become to develop better purity. The most popular light for industrial and commercial use may be the fluorescent fixture.
The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore in conjunction with the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The humanities (BOPA) and the Department of Recreation and Parks coordinated “A Monumental Occasion.” Saul Ewing sponsored the event along with BGE and media sponsors WBAL-TV 11 and MIX 106.5.
LED, meaning Light-emitting Diode, was basically a Russian invention. The states started to utilize LED rope lights as late due to the year 1961. During that era, LED lights only emitted red color; using the connected with technology, they’re available in a number of colors, patterns and wavelengths. LED rope lights are really environment-friendly, efficient, durable, and virtually unbreakable. They require very low voltage accompanied by ordinary lights, and are also waterproof.
E.: Customers can look no futher than the SYLVANIA LED lighting products at SYLVANIA.com. You can also like us at Facebook.com/SYLVANIA or follow us on Twitter at @SYLVANIA for current lighting news and secrets. In fact, we recently hosted a blogger makeover challenge in which bloggers across the web conducted weekend makeovers in their own homes when using the SYLVANIA LED ULTRA 12-watt. The email addresses are great that show how easy this is to add charm to your space in a couple of days!
Did which you have replacing one incandescent light with a CFL or LED can help you save $50.00 or moreover it’s life moment in time…Just one bulb. Now think about what number of light bulbs you have in real estate.
While the particular lighting equipment, keep into account what your movie room looks reminiscent of. A projector is best suited with no lights, to supplement light sources will get a glare. Flat screens and plasma televisions distribute light more evenly with less glare. Hence, these are the most useful for people who want for getting some regarding surrounding light for their movie accommodations. | 2019-04-19T14:42:07Z | https://ledlightseneltec.wordpress.com/2015/01/27/reputable-led-lights-for-unexpected-emergency-vehicles/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.687287 |
wordpress | This cast and crew deserve applause!
This is a comedy about the adventures of two girls, Angie (Christina Shipp) and Tara (Samantha Steinmetz), who pop some unknown pills to escape boredom in their small town.
Brian (Jared Stern), Tara’s boyfriend, comes home to find the girls high. Brian ends up ‘babysitting’ them and we follow their crazy and hilarious journey through the town.
The script is actually really genuine and funny. Talking in depth about colours and other irrelevant and random subjects.
Brian provides a great balance in the film. We are seeing what is happening through his eyes, rather than the story turning into a ‘Dumb & Dumber‘ kind of deal.
Some of the scenes, particularly the montages, could be edited down to make them snappier and keep the comedic pace.
The acting is certainly believable. The delivery of the dialogue is so genuine in most cases.
The reaction of Angie getting doused in milkshake was great. Also, Brian’s (Jared Stern) conversation about how the girls’ got a pie after leaving them alone for just a few minutes, were all very memorable moments. Very well portrayed!
Actually the ‘pie’ scene where the girls have to hide their drug induced high in front of Mrs. Wolvertine, a church-group friend or Tara’s mum, was hilarious. It was so awkward, but so natural!
Mrs. Wolvertine: [to Angie] Remind Tara if she forgets, will you dear?
The rest of this scene will have you in stitches.
His facials were so blank yet so confused, it just made that line so funny.
I think it would have been cool to have a few scenes through the eyes of Angie and Tara, or even just a few flashes of their perception.
The photography is pretty good! There were a few shots that could have had better composition. But for the most part, the film is well shot and the audio is clear.
It felt like the cast were completely comfortable, like they were just hanging out with friends. This gave the whole movie a really natural tone, allowing the funny material to come easily.
I was expecting to see a bit more of a character development or a more obvious moral by the end. But a fun film nevertheless!
Gallery | This entry was posted in All Film Reviews and tagged 2013, 2014, drugs, film, high, indie, jodie, movie, review, Wild Girl Waltz. Bookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-26T15:01:54Z | https://nzfilmfreak.wordpress.com/2014/01/10/wild-girl-waltz-indie-film/ | Porn | Arts | 0.930901 |
wordpress | ***Another “Blast From the Past.” I’ve been reading through the blog posts in the Drafts folder. I’m deleting some of them. Others, like this one, I will post.
This entry was written on Sept. 5, 2011. Weird that I would read this today….exactly two years after I wrote this entry. All I can say is, “WOW!” Our lives, all of our lives, have changed so much in these past two years! | 2019-04-24T00:55:48Z | https://pamsplanet.wordpress.com/category/kids/ | Porn | Reference | 0.417076 |
wordpress | I analyse myself, and blog about the results and conclusions, but seldom or never about the process. This means that keeping up appearances is high on the agenda, and although I see through most of my own masks, only a select few, perhaps 2 people, unrelated to family and work, get to see the real vulnerable me. If you feel I’m open, then how closed off most people must really be. What a strange world we live in, what am I doing here.
Some say we are here to learn, and others say we are here to remember who we truly are, but none of that seems to fit. Not at all in fact. This is the dark side of existence. No metaphysical cow-dung. Existentialist life. And it all comes down to one question: “what is consciousness”, and nobody knows the answer.
The dark side of the internet is that you never know whether you are talking to someone genuine, or someone who is only amusing himself by playing whoever. And the worst of it is that people sometimes just disappear … into thin air, for ever. To really know, one must put aside all fear and let curiosity rule and conquer the physical distance. But then, my world is made out of many small circles that should intersect as little as possible.
15 years ago Mt. Shasta came to visit, travelling 20 hours in a plane, and then we couldn’t stop talking till we both felt blue. And that curiosity killed our e-friendship. No expectation matched, mind could not cope with the failure which it felt having conceptualized a reality that simply did not exist at all.
So, how do I look like now in your mind? Do I look like somebody from Korea?
This entry was posted in awareness, consciousness, existentialism, metaphysics, philosophy and tagged concepts, consciousness, existence, image, metaphysics. Bookmark the permalink.
Hi Bert! A small favour request if it’s not an imposition. I want to take up macro photography and do so with a reasonably compact camera if that is possible. If it is, can you offer any advice? Many thanks, and Happy New Year, Hariod.
Best wishes to you too, Hariod. Great to hear from you.
I started digital macro photography by accident with a compact Canon Ixus 230hs … but it was not very easy. The AF always tries to see things in the distance, and I had to use post-its and the like to fool it.
The Nikon3300 SLR is not compact at all, and 3x times the price. It doesn’t photograph under a small mushroom, and it has quite a learning curve. My eyes are not perfect and I should adjust the ocular at every shoot to slight fluctuations in my vision.
Patience is part of photography.
So a compact doesn’t really cut it then it seems. I have read an overview article and it seemed to endorse what you’re saying, suggesting that Compact System Cameras (CSC’s) are the starting point. I didn’t really want to spend several hundred pounds until I knew I was going to get some enjoyment and results, but it appears that going the compact route initially is just going to waste money and not produce anything. I have patience and time, as well as being boredom-proof, but I take your point, and shall put my claim to the test! Many thanks Bert – you’ve been very quiet of late. Hibernating?
🙂 I should hibernate. I’m very tired. And the agenda is too full to create anything.
Maybe our purpose in life is not to figure it out…..but just to “be”…using the ability to be kind to each other. Those that aren’t have not even begun to live their own potential and in my opinion, are wasting the gift of life on this earth.
thank you for your beautiful comment. just being often is the result of a (long) journey. ‘Being kind’ sums it all up, yes!
Well bro, does that mean you’ve asked everybody in the world and they said they didn’t know? 🙂 Or did you only ask part of the world, and the part that said they did know,” well you didn’t believe them and so concluded they didn’t know? O maybe they knew but had no way of communicating it? Well, just half-kidding but it does suggest the limits of our inquiry into life and perhaps the limits of our interpretation of the answers life gives.
In so far as consciousness is individual (and I don’t take that to be the limits of it), the answer at a personal level must be what has unfolded as consciousness in each person’s case. So you have asked yourself the question, and what was the answer, if any, that you got?
What have you found your consciousness to be? Is it body, emotion, thought, something else? If there is a something else, does it have, for you, a name?
A caterpillar doesn’t appear to have a central brain, so it will not ‘know’ in the same sense as we do. This extreme example to show my incompetence on knowing what other individuals feel, think or intuit on the subject.
Moxyjen above already said what I was going to say … not even a smidgen of Gangnam style -:)!
Thank you for your recent visit and the like! It’s very kind of you to take the time and interest to do so. I’m having a few problems getting updates and notifications at the moment so I maybe a bit behind but I am trying to catch up!
I think you have a very authentic weblog, that I appreciate .. I think I will jump by now and then.
As the recent recipient of the Very Inspirational Blogger Award, I have proceeded with the process and have included who is bert in my nominations. Thanks for your enjoyable blogs and information.
I stumbled upon your blog because you said (when commenting on another blog) that you do not like facebook or Twitter. Me also, and this post of yours makes perfect sense to me. I also rather blog about conclusions of long-winded decision and thinking processes (only), but I am not interested in sharing instant updates.
The blog is a tool, and as such I believe that many will be the uses we make of it but mainly two: condescend with the “normal” need for consideration of our ego or start to take care of others, stage of the journey of consciousness in which sooner or later we encounter. As for me, I know to look for the consideration of others, but also that my work can be useful to someone. So I try to take away the importance that inside me everything has (for example, write in the blog) and at the same time doing everything as if it were the most important thing.
Now, see, this is one of those posts that I identify with in part, but also find some parts very distant and, often, confusing. I am fairly certain of the point you are trying hard to make, but I was left a little empty after the reading.
This is one of these existentialist musings that leaves you without answers. I think I wrote a couple more in the first half of the year. I think you feel the pointlessness of my existence through this post and this can have an empty taste. Although there is a lot of bitter humour, there is very few information. It is a bit of a meta-blog, a blog about blogging and it tries to tell you that it is near to impossible to know someone, me, even more difficult to know friends on the internet.
So why am I blogging? Why are you and all those other bloggers doing it? Now that is a question that can be answered. For me it is not an ego thing, I’m just trying to make my readers think about their own existence (but they already do, for otherwise they would find my blog repulsive) planting seeds that might contribute to a better world many years from now.
Got you! I guess I followed it fine after all!
I think you look like an authentic, sensitive person who has many deep thoughts, and many questions about the meaning of life. Period. And I can relate. | 2019-04-24T09:53:39Z | https://whoisbert.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/who-is-bert/ | Porn | Reference | 0.089136 |
wordpress | Just over 100 years ago, Mexico had a popular, much beloved democratically elected President determined to reduce foreign influence and obscene profits flowing out of the country and raise the standard of living for his people. The US financial interests on Wall Street orchestrated a military coup and made sure he was brutally murdered.
The president obviously was not Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, who has been set up to receive the same treatment this year, but his name was remarkably close – Madero not Maduro. The parallels and contrasts between the two men are thought-provoking.
Unfortunately poor Francisco Madero, an idealistic reformer who ruled as President of Mexico from 1911 to 1913 did not have the tough political street smarts and plain common sense that Venezuela’s Maduro has exhibited throughout his long, controversial but undeniably successful career.
Madero naively trusted in the army commander-in-chief he had inherited from his predecessor President Porfirio Diaz, General Victoriano Huerta. Huerta had prospered throughout the long 35-year rule of Diaz from 1876 to 1911 by carrying out genocidal campaigns for him against the Yaqui Indians and the Mayans.
In 1913, Wall Street interests enthusiastically supported Huerta when he carried out a coup against the innocent Madero. Woodrow Wilson, the US president of the day was an exceptionally ugly racist who despised the Mexican people and at first went along with Huerta’s coup.
The huge financial and mining interests in New York were eager to continue plundering Mexico’s resources while more than 90 percent of its people lived virtually as slaves in appalling poverty under Diaz.
In the last decade of Diaz’s rule – securely supported by the Wall Street financial robber barons, as historian Matthew Josephson called them and by the complacent administrations of Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft – at least 600,000 people were worked to death as real slaves on the estates of Diaz’s supporters. Not a whisper of disapproval was heard from Washington.
Huerta ruled with his usual mindless thuggish brutality for less than a year and a half before provoking such national revulsion that he was ousted in a brief and bloody civil war. He fled of course to the United States but then made the mistake of alienating US business and military leaders alike by openly embracing Imperial Germany to plot his militaristic comeback.
Huerta died in loose US military custody in 1916 after a night of dining out and carousing. Poisoning by the Americans was widely suspected but the cause may well just have been heavy drinking. His autopsy revealed extreme cirrhosis of the liver.
To this day Huerta is reviled as the murderous mass killer and cowardly murderer and tool of cynical foreign interests he was while the well-meaning, but tragically ineffectual Madero is genuinely loved by the people of Mexico. The days from the start of Huerta’s coup to the president’s murder – gunned down by an impromptu firing squad of assassins by night along with his own brother and vice president are remembered as La Decena Tragica, The Ten Tragic Days.
In the years that followed, Mexico endured all the horrors of a collapsed state with rival feuding bands slaughtering each other and everyone else they came across. The population of the country plummeted from 15 million in 1910 to 11.6 million a decade later. Factoring in how many deaths were masked by the high birth rate, well over four million people, or more than 25 percent of the total population died in the years of anarchic violence that Huerta’s murder of President Madero set in motion.
La Decena Tragica continues to reverberate in Mexico to this day. When current President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador continues to withstand massive pressures from the Trump administration to recognize their preferred puppet, Juan Guaido as Washington’s preferred figurehead president of Venezuela, he is heeding his people’s reverence for martyred President Madero and remembering the bloodbaths and chaos that the hated Huerta unleashed in his place.
However, Bloomberg News pointedly noted in a recent report that in a Venezuelan military establishment of more than 2,000 generals and admirals, only a single officer who did not even command any troops has sworn allegiance to National Assembly Speaker Juan Guaido, the farcical boy toy whom the Trump administration is trying to set up as “president” of Venezuela in Maduro’s place.
It is just as well. The precedent of Mexico more than a century ago teaches us that if the US plot to topple President Maduro were to succeed, as the one to remove and murder President Madero did so tragically 106 years ago, then civil war, chaos and the violent death of multiple millions of innocent people would rapidly follow.
In the seven years following the murder of Francisco Madero, more than a quarter of the population of Mexico were slaughtered or starved to death. The history of states where 21st century US administrations have successfully orchestrated “regime change” makes clear that Venezuela would suffer a similar fate.
Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, South Sudan and Ukraine remain appalling object-lessons to the world in US criminal incompetence – at the very least – in “nation-building.” The consequences of the endless failed attempts to topple the government of Syria tell the same terrible story.
The bullets that slammed into gentle, naïve little President Madero more than a century ago continue to ricochet in our own bloodstained age.
How Wall Street Finances the Battle against Neoliberalism?
Today I read an interesting article referring to Mexico on how neoliberal economists through the application of “strong IMF economic medicine” contributed to “wreaking havoc” on the global poor while “protecting the financial elites”.
“This article was produced by Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute”.
The Independent Media Institute, a tax exempt charity foundation supported by George Soros, a multibillion dollar Wall Street tycoon and hedge fund manager largely involved in speculative trade in the commodity and foreign exchange markets.
Needless to say, I was puzzled. Wall Street finances the battle against neoliberalism?
A critique of the IMF macro-economic agenda for Latin America is funded by a foundation owned by one of Wall Street’s most prominent financiers.
I read through the article once more: The article does not actually bash the Wall Street financial elites involved in destabilizing the Mexican economy. It largely focuses on the failures of the IMF bureaucracy without acknowledging that the IMF bureaucracy always acts on behalf of Wall Street.
While the author accuses the IMF mission to Mexico of window dressing, “[n]othing in the IMF staff statement indicated a policy that would tackle Mexico’s grave problems of poverty and inequality”.
“Make sure the banks are happy”. Yes, that is the main goal. And the standard recipe serves their interests.
The IMF is controlled by Wall Street and the US Treasury. It has informal ties to the Pentagon. It routinely interfaces with the Washington think tanks. It is part of what is called the “Washington Consensus” which defines the gamut of deadly economic measures imposed on indebted developing countries.
Numerous organizations and protest movements (against neoliberalism) including the World Social Forum (WSF) are funded by Wall Street. How is the process of “manufactured dissent” achieved?
Essentially by “funding dissent”, namely by channeling financial resources from those who are the object of the protest movement to those who are involved in organizing the protest movement.
Co-optation is not limited to buying the favors of politicians. The economic elites –which control major foundations– also oversee the funding of numerous NGOs and civil society organizations, which historically have been involved in the protest movement against the established economic and social order. The programs of many NGOs and people’s movements rely heavily on funding from both public as well as private foundations including the Ford, Rockefeller, McCarthy foundations, among others.
Global capitalism finances anti-capitalism: an absurd and contradictory relationship.
Will elite institutions attempt through various means to infiltrate the Green Vests? France’s intelligence and police apparatus has no doubt already contemplated this option.
Sofar the movement is fully aware of the dangers of cooptation. There is no evidence that the Gilets Jaunes have been coopted or financed by outside funding. While Soros has supported the so-called “color revolutions”, the Yellow Vests have expressed there position in relation to the fake “revolutions” funded by the financial establishment.
In the case of France, the Gilets Jaunes movement has a grassroots structure.
Filed under: EU, France, Macron, Soros | Tagged: ’Yellow Vests’, Global Terrorism, Maxico, Neoliberalism, Wall Street | Comments Off on How Wall Street Finances the Battle against Neoliberalism?
Goldman Sachs (GS) makes money the old-fashioned way by stealing it, scamming investors, defrauding them.
Its operations involve manipulative fraud on a massive scale, the way it’s operated throughout its history.
When caught red-handed, slap-on-the-wrist punishment at most is imposed, management free to steal again through fraud, grand theft, market manipulation, front-running them, and scamming investors worldwide.
Its senior management officials operate like shadowy Mafia dons, a crime family, posing as an investment bank/financial services company, connected to others like it on Wall Street and corrupt politicians, complicit in the firm’s shady operations in return for generous campaign contributions.
In 2010, an SEC civil suit charged GS with defrauding customers. It made billions from the scam, repaying $550 million. It was pocket change, the equivalent of a handful of revenue days.
None of its senior officials were ever held accountable for their manipulative activities. Former GS mortgage bond trader Fabrice Tourre was a rare exception on Wall Street, prosecuted for fraud – not his superiors, OKing how he defrauded investors.
Manipulative activities include advising clients to buy assets the firm wants to dump, notably toxic ones, getting clients to assume dangerously speculative positions, things making GS the maximum profits – at the expense of scammed investors.
In 2002, the firm was largely responsible for Greece’s debt crisis. A GS scam involved circumventing Eurozone rules in return for mortgaging assets.
Through creative accounting, debt was hidden in off-balance sheet accounts. Cross-currency swaps derivatives were used.
Government debt issued in dollars and yen was swapped for euros, then exchanged back into original currencies. Debt entrapment followed, Greece held hostage by Brussels to bankers to service and repay it.
GS profited hugely by scamming Greece, leaving most of its people impoverished. Its business model thrives on similar schemes globally – conniving, cheating, and profiting at the expense of scammed investors.
For years GS scammed the sovereign 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) wealth fund.
In 2015, US prosecutors began investigating Goldman’s involvement in raising over $6 billion for 1MDB. In 2016, an investigation began into the firm’s $3 billion bond deal for the fund.
Malaysia filed criminal charges against GS and two former officials over looting billions of dollars from the fund. Attorney General Tommy Thomas accused former GS Southeast Asia chairman Tim Leissner and former managing director Roger Ng of fraudulently deceiving the fund’s management.
Other GS employees were also charged. Malaysian authorities want the company to repay $2.7 billion in misappropriated funds, along with $600 million in fees charged.
Prosecutors also demand up to 10 years imprisonment for the accused GS personnel, along with stiff fines assessed against them.
They were accused of using looted dollars to buy luxury mansions, yachts, a private jet, artwork, and other expensive items. Former prime minister Najob Razak may have been involved, perhaps bribed by GS to go along with the scam.
The UAE is suing Goldman over its alleged role in a bribery scam. In 2014, the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) sued the firm after losing 98% of $1.3 billion LIA invested with GS in 2007.
GS made over $1 billion in derivatives trades with LIA funds, almost their entire value lost, Goldman earning around $350 million from its manipulation. A 2016 trial ruling was in the company’s favor, showing how tough it is to hold the firm accountable.
In January 2016, GS was fined $15 million for arranging to borrow securities for short sales without authorization.
Goldman earlier was charged with manipulating the oil market, aiming to increase the commodity’s price by speculating in oil futures.
GS and other Wall Street firms were also accused of manipulating other commodities, including aluminum.
Along with JP Morgan Chase, GS was accused of violating US antitrust laws. Months later, Goldman sold its aluminum warehouses to Ruben Brothers.
he company is being investigated in various countries, including the US, for its manipulative practices.
Most often when caught red-handed, punishment, if any, is minor compared to huge profits made from dubious practices.
GS is faster than competitors, thanks to its proprietary software ability to front-run markets illegally and get away with it.
It’s able to leap past competitors, given special status afforded the firm by Republicans and undemocratic Dems.
In his book titled “The Great Crash, John Kenneth Galbraith included a chapter on Goldman, explaining how the firm contributed to the Great Depression by selling risky investment trusts to unwary buyers.
They collapsed like a house of cards, the valuation of one dropping from a $104 per share price high to less than $2 at rock bottom.
Goldman made a fortune from the scam. Buyers lost their collective shirts. Things are much the same today.
Goldman’s power and influence lets the firm and its management get away with all sorts of things that would land ordinary people behind bars longterm.
Will an Obama Administration Reverse the Tide?
This article was written at the height of the 2008-2009 economic crisis which coincided with the US presidential election campaign. It was published in the week following Obama’s victory in the November 2008 elections.
The October 2008 economic meltdown was the result of a deliberate process of financial manipulation. Ten years later under the Trump administration, financial warfare has become increasingly sophisticated. Manipulations of foreign exchange markets combined with economic sanctions have been used by Washington in alliance with Wall Street to trigger economic instability in targeted countries, including Iran, Turkey, Russia and Venezuela.
The following article provides a brief history of “financial warfare” from the 1997 Asian Crisis (triggered by the manipulation of forex markets) to the October 2008 financial meltdown, not to mention the bailout procedures put forth by powerful banking conglomerates.
The October 2008 financial meltdown is not the result of a cyclical economic phenomenon. It is the deliberate result of US government policy instrumented through the Treasury and the US Federal Reserve Board.
This is the most serious economic crisis in World history.
The “bailout” proposed by the US Treasury does not constitute a “solution” to the crisis. In fact quite the opposite: it is the cause of further collapse. It triggers an unprecedented concentration of wealth, which in turn contributes to widening economic and social inequalities both within and between nations.
The levels of indebtedness have skyrocketed. Industrial corporations are driven into bankruptcy, taken over by the global financial institutions. Credit, namely the supply of loanable funds, which constitutes the lifeline of production and investment, is controlled by a handful of financial conglomerates.
With the “bailout”, the public debt has spiraled. America is the most indebted country on earth. Prior to the “bailout”, the US public debt was of the order of 10 trillion dollars. This US dollar denominated debt is composed of outstanding treasury bills and government bonds held by individuals, foreign governments, corporations and financial institutions.
Ironically, the Wall Street banks –which are the recipients of the bailout money– are also the brokers and underwriters of the US public debt. Although the banks hold only a portion of the public debt, they transact and trade in US dollar denominated public debt instruments Worldwide.
In a bitter twist, the banks are the recipients of a 700+ billion dollar handout and at the same time they act as creditors of the US government.
We are dealing with an absurd circular relationship: To finance the bailout, Washington must borrow from the banks, which are the recipients of the bailout.
The US administration is financing its own indebtedness.
Federal, State and municipal governments are increasingly in a straightjacket, under the tight control of the global financial conglomerates. Increasingly, the creditors call the shots on government reform.
The bailout is conducive to the consolidation and centralization of banking power, which in turn backlashes on real economic activity, leading to a string of bankruptcies and mass unemployment.
The financial crisis is the outcome of a deregulated financial architecture.
The Democrats casually blame the Bush administration for the October financial meltdown.
Is Obama committed to “taming Wall Street” and “disarming financial markets”?
Ironically, it was under the Clinton administration that these policies of “greed and irresponsibility” were adopted.
The 1999 Financial Services Modernization Act (FSMA) was conducive to the the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933.
A pillar of President Roosevelt’s “New Deal”, the Glass-Steagall Act was put in place in response to the climate of corruption, financial manipulation and “insider trading” which resulted in more than 5,000 bank failures in the years following the 1929 Wall Street crash.
Under the 1999 Financial Services Modernization Act, effective control over the entire US financial services industry (including insurance companies, pension funds, securities companies, etc.) had been transferred to a handful of financial conglomerates and their associated hedge funds.
Who are the architects of this debacle?
Lawrence Summers played a key role in lobbying Congress for the repeal of the Glass Steagall Act. His timely appointment by President Clinton in 1999 as Treasury Secretary spearheaded the adoption of the Financial Services Modernization Act in November 1999. Upon completing his mandate at the helm of the US Treasury, he became president of Harvard University (2001- 2006).
Paul Volker was chairman of the Federal Reserve Board in the l980s during the Reagan era. He played a central role in implementing the first stage of financial deregulation, which was conducive to mass bankruptcies, mergers and acquisitions, leading up to the 1987 financial crisis.
Jon Corzine is currently governor of New Jersey, former CEO of Goldman Sachs.
At the time of writing, Obama’s favorite is Larry Summers, front-runner for the position of Treasury Secretary.
Harvard University Economics Professor Lawrence Summers served as Chief Economist for the World Bank (1991–1993). He contributed to shaping the macro-economic reforms imposed on numerous indebted developing countries. The social and economic impact of these reforms under the IMF-World Bank sponsored structural adjustment program (SAP) were devastating, resulting in mass poverty.
Larry Summer’s stint at the World Bank coincided with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the imposition of the IMF-World Bank’s deadly ” economic medicine” on Eastern Europe, the former Soviet republics and the Balkans.
In 1993, Summers moved to the US Treasury. He initially held the position of Undersecretary of the Treasury for international affairs and later Deputy Secretary. In liaison with his former colleagues at the IMF and the World Bank, he played a key role in crafting the economic “shock treatment” reform packages imposed at the height of the 1997 Asian crisis on South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.
The bailout agreements negotiated with these three countries were coordinated through Summers office at the Treasury in liaison with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Washington based Bretton Woods institutions. Summers worked closely with IMF Deputy Managing Director Stanley Fischer, who was later appointed Governor of the Central Bank of Israel.
Larry Summers became Treasury Secretary in July 1999. He is a protégé of David Rockefeller. He was among the main architects of the infamous Financial Services Modernization Act, which provided legitimacy to inside trading and outright financial manipulation.
Summers is currently a Consultant to Goldman Sachs [Oct 2008]and managing director of a Hedge fund, the D.E. Shaw Group, As a Hedge Fund manager, his contacts at the Treasury and on Wall Street provide him with valuable inside information on the movement of financial markets.
Putting a Hedge Fund manager (with links to the Wall Street financial establishment) in charge of the Treasury is tantamount to putting the fox in charge of the chicken coop.
Summers, Geithner, Corzine, Volker, Fischer, Phil Gramm, Bernanke, Hank Paulson, Rubin, not to mention Alan Greenspan, al al. are buddies; they play golf together; they have links to the Council on Foreign Relations and the Bilderberg; they act concurrently in accordance with the interests of Wall Street; they meet behind closed doors; they are on the same wave length; they are Democrats and Republicans.
While they may disagree on some issues, they are firmly committed to the Washington-Wall Street Consensus. They are utterly ruthless in their management of economic and financial processes. Their actions are profit driven. Outside of their narrow interest in the “efficiency” of “markets”, they have little concern for “living human beings”. How are people’s lives affected by the deadly gamut of macro-economic and financial reforms, which is spearheading entire sectors of economic activity into bankruptcy.
1) The measurements of the costs of health impairing pollution depends on the foregone earnings from increased morbidity and mortality…. From this point of view a given amount of health impairing pollution should be done in the country with the lowest cost, which will be the country with the lowest wages. I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that.
2) The costs of pollution are likely to be non-linear as the initial increments of pollution probably have very low cost. I’ve always though that under-populated countries in Africa are vastly UNDER-polluted, their air quality is probably vastly inefficiently low compared to Los Angeles or Mexico City. Only the lamentable facts that so much pollution is generated by non-tradable industries (transport, electrical generation) and that the unit transport costs of solid waste are so high prevent world welfare enhancing trade in air pollution and waste.
In the course of 1997, currency speculation instrumented by major financial institutions directed against Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea was conducive to the collapse of national currencies and the transfer of billions of dollars of central bank reserves into private financial hands. Several observers pointed to the deliberate manipulation of equity and currency markets by investment banks and brokerage firms.
What happened in Korea under advice from Deputy Treasury Secretary Summers et al, had nothing to do with “financial aid”.
The country was literally ransacked. Undersecretary of the Treasury David Lipton was sent to Seoul in early December 1997. Secret negotiations were initiated. Washington had demanded the firing of the Korean Finance Minister and the unconditional acceptance of the IMF “bailout”.
A new finance minister, who happened to be former IMF and World Bank official, was appointed and immediately rushed off to Washington for “consultations” with his former IMF colleague Deputy Managing Director Stanley Fischer.
“The Korean Legislature had met in emergency sessions on December 23. The final decision concerning the 57 billion dollar deal took place the following day, on Christmas Eve December 24th, after office hours in New York. Wall Street’s top financiers, from Chase Manhattan, Bank America, Citicorp and J. P. Morgan had been called in for a meeting at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Also at the Christmas Eve venue, were representatives of the big five New York merchant banks including Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, Morgan Stanley and Salomon Smith Barney. And at midnight on Christmas Eve, upon receiving the green light from the banks, the IMF was allowed to rush 10 billion dollars to Seoul to meet the avalanche of maturing short-term debts.
What we dealing with is an entire ” old boys network” of officials and advisers at the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, the IMF, World Bank, the Washington Think Tanks, who are in permanent liaison with leading financiers on Wall Street.
Whoever is chosen by Obama’s Transition team will belong to the Washington Consensus.
What happened in October 1999 is crucial.
In the wake of lengthy negotiations behind closed doors, in the Wall Street boardrooms, in which Larry Summers played a central role, the regulatory restraints on Wall Street’s powerful banking conglomerates were revoked “with a stroke of the pen”.
Larry Summers worked closely with Senator Phil Gramm (1985-2002),chairman of the Senate Banking committee, who was the legislative architect of the the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Services Modernization Act, signed into law on November 12, 1999 (See Group Photo above). (For Complete text click US Congress: Pub.L. 106-102). As Texas Senator, Phil Gramm was closely associated with Enron.
In December 2000 at the very end of the Clinton mandate, Gramm introduced a second piece of legislation, the so-called Gramm-Lugar Commodity Futures Modernization Act, which paved the way for the speculative onslaught in primary commodities including oil and food staples.
Phil Gramm was McCain’s first choice for Secretary of the Treasury.
Under the FSMA new rules – ratified by the US Senate in October 1999 and approved by President Clinton – commercial banks, brokerage firms, hedge funds, institutional investors, pension funds and insurance companies could freely invest in each others businesses as well as fully integrate their financial operations.
A “global financial supermarket” had been created, setting the stage for a massive concentration of financial power. One of the key figures behind this project was Secretary of the Treasury Larry Summers, in liaison with David Rockefeller. Summers described the FSMA as “the legislative foundation of the financial system of the 21th century”. That legislative foundation is among the main causes of the 2008 financial meltdown.
There can be no meaningful solution to the crisis, unless there is a major reform in the financial architecture, implying inter alia the freezing of speculative trade and the “disarming of financial markets”. The project of disarming financial markets was first proposed by John Maynard Keynes in the 1940s as a means to the establishment of a multipolar international monetary system. (See J.M. Keynes, Activities 1940-1944, Shaping the Post-War World: The Clearing Union, The Collected Writings of John Maynard Keynes, Royal Economic Society, Macmillan and Cambridge University Press, Vol. XXV, London 1980, p. 57).
Where are Obama’s “Main Street appointees”? Namely individuals who respond to the interests of people across America. There are no labor or community leaders on Obama’s list for key positions.
The President-elect is appointing the architects of financial deregulation.
Meaningful financial reform cannot be adopted by officials appointed by Wall Street and who act on behalf of Wall Street.
Those who set the financial system ablaze in 1999, have been called back to turn out the fire.
The proposed “solution” to the crisis under the “bailout” is the cause of further economic collapse.
There are no policy solutions on the horizon.
The banking conglomerates call the shots. They decide on the composition of the Obama Cabinet. They also decide on the agenda of the Washington Financial Summit (November 15, 2008) which is slated to lay the groundwork for the establishment of a new “global financial architecture”.
The Wall Street blueprint has already been discussed behind closed doors: the hidden agenda is to establish a unipolar international monetary system, dominated by US financial power, which in turn would be protected and secured by US military superiority.
There is no indication that Obama will break his ties to his Wall Street sponsors, who largely funded his election campaign.
Goldman Sachs, J. P. Morgan Chase, Citigroup, Bill Gates’ Microsoft are among his main campaign contributors.
Warren Buffett, among the the world’s richest individuals, not only supported Barak Obama’s election campaign, he is a member of his transition team, which plays a key role deciding the composition of Obama’s cabinet.
Unless there is a major upheaval in the system of political appointments to key positions, an alternative Obama economic agenda geared towards poverty alleviation and employment creation is highly unlikely.
Barack Obama. November 7 Press Conference.
What we are witnessing is continuity.
Obama provides a ” human face” to the status quo. This human face serves to mislead Americans on the nature of the economic and political process.
The neoliberal economic reforms remain intact.
The substance of these reforms including the “bailout” of America’s largest financial institutions ultimately destroys the real economy, while spearheading entire areas of manufacturing and the services economy into bankruptcy.
Filed under: AngloZionist Empire, Obama, The Enemy Within, US Foreign Policy, USA | Tagged: Obama, Wall Street | Comments Off on Who are the Architects of Economic Collapse?
Imagine an international currency backed by energy? By a raw material that the entire world needs, not gold – which has hardly any productive use, but whose value is mostly speculative – not hot air like the US dollar. Not fiat money like the US-dollar and the Euro largely made by private banks without any economic substance whatsoever, and which are coercive. But a currency based on the very source for economic output – energy.
On February 20, 2018, Venezuela has launched the “Petro” (PTR), a government-made and controlled cryptocurrency, based on Venezuela’s huge petrol reserves of about 301 billion barrels of petrol. The Petro’s value will fluctuate with the market price of petrol, currently around US$61 per barrel of crude. The Petro was essentially created to avoid and circumvent illegal US sanctions, dollar blockades, confiscations of assets abroad, as well as to escape illegal manipulations from Florida of the Bolivarian Republic’s local currency, the Bolívar, via the black-market dollars flooding Venezuela; and, not least, to trade internationally in a non-US-dollar linked currency. The Petro is a largely government controlled blockchain currency, totally outside the reach of the US Federal Reserve (FED) and Wall Street – and it is based on the value of the world’s key energy, hydrocarbons, of which Venezuela has the world’s largest proven reserves.
In a first batch Venezuela released 100 million Petros, backed by 5.342 billion barrels of crude from the Ayacucho oil fields of Orinoco; a mere 5% of total proven Venezuelan reserves. Of the 100 million, 82.4% will be offered to the market in two stages, an initial private Pre-Sale of 38.4% of so-called non-minable ‘tokens’, followed by a public offering of 44% of the cryptomoney. The remaining 17.6 million are reserved for the government, i.e. the Venezuelan Authority for Cryptomoney and Related Activities, SUPCACVEN.
When launching the currency, on 20 February 2018, Vice-president Tareck El Aissami declared, “Today, the Petro was born and we will formally launch the initial pre-sale of the Venezuelan Petro. Venezuela has placed herself in the vanguard of the future. Today is a historic day. Venezuela is the first nation to launch a cryptomoney, entirely backed by her reserves and her natural riches.” President Maduro has later affirmed that his country has already entered contracts with important trading partners and the world’s major blockchain currencies.
Can you imagine what this means? – It sets a new paradigm for international trade, for safe payment systems that cannot be tampered with by the FED, Wall Street, SWIFT, New York courts, and other Washington puppets, like the European Central Bank (ECB), the unelected European Commission (EC) and other EU-associated Brussels institutions. It will allow economic development outside illegal ‘sanctions’. The Petro is a shining light for new found freedom from a hegemonic dollar oppression.
What is valid for Venezuela can be valid for other countries eager to detach from the tyrannical Anglo-Zion financial system. – Imagine, other countries following Venezuela’s example, other energy producers, many if not most of whom would be happy to get out from under the Yankee’s boots of blood dollars inundating the world thanks to uncountable wars and conflicts they finance – and millions of innocent people they help kill.
Rumors have it, that in a last-ditch effort to salvage the faltering dollar, the FED might order the IMF to revert to some kind of a gold standard, blood-stained gold. – Of the 2,300 to 3,400 tons of gold mined every year around the globe, it is estimated that about a quarter to a third is illegally begotten, so called ‘blood’ gold, extracted under the most horrendous conditions of violence, murder, opaque mafia-type living (and dying) conditions, child labor, sexual enslavement of women, many of whom way under-age, abject poisoning of humans with heavy metals, mercury, cyanite, arsenic and more, contamination of surface and underground water ways, vast illegal deforestation of tropical rain forests – and more. That’s the legacy of gold, the MSM, of course, doesn’t talk about.
That’s what the west based its monetary system on until 1971, when Nixon decided to replace gold with the fiat dollar which then became de facto the world’s major reserve currency, albeit declining rapidly over the last twenty years. In desperation, Washington might want to apply another gold-based international norm to salvage the faltering dollar. Of course, a norm designed to favor the US, with the rest of the western and developing world destined to absorb the astronomical US debt.
Since the world’s major goldmining corporation and the illegal gold-digging mafia networks work hand-in-hand, smuggled gold works its way intricately into the dominium of shady traders, many of whom also deal with so-called white gold (drug powder), washing gold and drug-money simultaneously, thereby confounding and obscuring the origins of either. Eventually this illegal gold is purchased by major gold mining or refining corporations mixed with ‘legal’ gold, so that the illegal portion is no longer traceable.
Therefore, every ounce of gold that would back our money, the purchases of our livelihoods would be smeared in blood, in children’s abuse and death, in murdered and enslaved women and men, in poisoned water ways and in a contaminated environment. But the world wouldn’t go for it. No more. There are healthier and more transparent physical assets to back up international currencies, i.e. the Petro, backed by energy. Though not free from socio-environmental damage, petrol-energy may gradually convert into alternative sources of energy, like solar, wind and aquatic power or a combination of all of them.
What the world is to aim for is a monetary system based on each nation’s or group of nations or societies economic output. Today it’s the other way around – it’s the fiat money, designed by the Anglo-Zionist masters of finance, that defines economies. Thus, economies in our western world are prone to be manipulated by the rulers and their institutions – FED, IMF, World Bank, World Trade Organization (WTO) – that support the debt / interest-based monetary rules – they are purposefully maneuvered into booms and busts. With every bust, more capital is transferred from the bottom to the top, from the poor to an ever-smaller elite. The energy-based Petro is a first step away from this sham.
Imagine the Petro was to become the new OPEC currency! The world would need Petros, as it used to need US dollars to buy hydrocarbon energy. But Petros are blockchain-safe, less vulnerable for manipulation. They are not coercive, they are not made for blackmailing ‘unwilling’ nations into submission; they are not tools for violence. They are instruments of equitable production and trade. They are also instruments of protection from the fiat money abuses.
have a capital base of 1.4 trillion barrels of crude. Not bad to start a worldwide cryptocurrency, based on energy, controlled by energy and by all those who will use energy – that might become a world reserve currency, at par with the Chinese economy- and gold-backed Yuan, but much safer than the fiat currencies of the US-dollar, Euro, British Pound and Japanese Yen.
We are talking about a seismic paradigm shift. Its potential is unfathomable. The move away from the US-dollar hegemony might result in an implosion of the western monetary structure as we know it. It may stop the predator empire of the United States in its tracks, by simply decimating her economy of fraud, built on military might, exploitation and colonization of the world, on racism, and on a bulldozing scruple-less killing machine. The Petro, a secured cryptocurrency based on energy that everybody needs, might become the precursor for an international payment and trading scheme towards a more balanced and equitable approach to worldwide socioeconomy development.
Peter Koenig is an economist and geopolitical analyst. He is also a former World Bank staff and worked extensively around the world in the fields of environment and water resources. He lectures at universities in the US, Europe and South America. He writes regularly for Global Research; ICH; RT; Sputnik; PressTV; The 21st Century; TeleSUR; The Vineyard of The Saker Blog; and other internet sites. He is the author of Implosion – An Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate Greed – fiction based on facts and on 3 0 years of World Bank experience around the globe. He is also a co-author of The World Order and Revolution! – Essays from the Resistance.
Filed under: AngloZionist Empire, USA | Tagged: Federal Reserve, Venezuela, Wall Street | Comments Off on The Venezuelan “Petro” – Towards a New World Reserve Currency?
The exponential growth of US markets in the lead-up to the 2008 economic meltdown captivated economists around the world. China’s Central Bank even dispatched a team of experts to the US, hoping to master the trade that supposedly offered massive profits and carried zero risk.
But the report that the team sent back to Beijing was unusually brief. It described the sale of subprime mortgage bonds as a practice involving “one candle and a million mirrors”.
Chinese experts concluded that the reflection of the flame was undoubtedly bright, so long as the candle remains lit.
The ten long years of economic hardship that followed certainly proved the Chinese theory right.
And in the chaos that ensued after the US-manufactured crisis gripped much of the global economy, some of the world’s sharper minds began exploring alternatives to the current financial system.
One of the things they came up with is crypto currency.
Crypto currency is a digital asset designed to work as a medium of exchange that uses cryptography to secure its transactions.
By the end of 2017, there were over one thousand different crypto currencies in circulation. But the vast majority are very similar to, or directly derive from the first successfully implemented model – Bitcoin.
Likely invented by a group of individuals using the alias Satoshi Nakamoto, bitcoin was released as the first decentralized worldwide payment system in 2009 – without a central bank or a single administrator overseeing its transactions.
This entirely digital, heavily encrypted virtual currency has no middlemen like banks, and no transaction or credit card fees for small businesses.
Last year alone, bitcoin rose by more than 900% in value. In December, it was worth USD 16,000 per unit.
Just over five years earlier, a developer named Laszlo Hanyecz made the first bitcoin transaction, using 10,000 coins to buy a couple of pizzas. At the time, one bitcoin was worth a measly USD 0.08.
Interestingly, the value of bitcoin began to soar just after April 2013, when Cypriot banks confiscated Russian deposits under the pretext of the claim that the assets belonged to the Russian mafia. The move was part of a €10 billion bailout deal with the European Union.
Since then, many investors have turned to bitcoin. During last year’s Thanksgiving weekend in the US, the number of users on the electronic bitcoin stock market exceeded 13,3 million.
And after accumulating hundreds of millions of dollars in investment capital, bitcoin has been equipped with the latest technology needed for ‘mining’ – the process that creates the virtual coins.
According to unofficial sources, the largest concentration of this equipment – or mining ‘nests’ – is located in China and Russia.
All of these advances are creating realistic conditions for the crypto currency to take over global monetary transactions, undermining the monopoly of the existing banking system.
If one is to use the US Dollar as a tool for measuring the financial value of any item, it is important to keep in mind that the American currency is constantly being printed at the behest of a consortium of private banks, operating under the umbrella of the US Federal Reserve.
Their relentless thirst for more, combined with American government expenses, quite literally leads to the production of a colossal sum of money each year.
As a result, the US dollar has lost no less than 97% of its purchasing power. In practical terms, an item that cost USD 1 in 1913 is now priced at USD 24. As such, it is difficult to see how the American currency can maintain its international standing in the long run.
On the other hand, crypto currency, unlike government-issued money that can be inflated at will, is mathematically limited to twenty-one million bitcoins, a number that is set and can never change.
This limited availability has only added to the existing demand. And as crypto currency quickly gains the reputation of a highly profitable investment, a growing number of people are looking to convert their dollars into bitcoin.
In one of the few quotes attributed to Satoshi Nakamoto, the mastermind or masterminds behind the bitcoin phenomenon, western governments are accused of falsifying the value of national currencies, while the banking system is blasted for handing out loans without having the minimal capital required to cover those credits.
It is clear that the emergence of crypto currency is essentially a revolt against the unjust monetary system, with the US dollar at the helm.
Every revolt is significant, no matter how small, and for the big bankers – or ‘banksters’ – it can be especially dangerous.
The advanced technology used by bitcoin is one of its key assets, opening up a world of possibilities.
That said, it is impossible to predict just how effective this revolt is likely to be, especially in the short to medium term.
Those who feel threatened by bitcoin are extremely powerful, highly intelligent individuals that consider themselves the masters of the universe.
These individuals plan to confront bitcoin in many ways, and have already started weaving a dangerous net that may prove fatal to the crypto currency.
The Chief Executive Officer at JPMorgan Chase & Co., Jamie Dimon, told an investor conference in New York that he would fire any employee trading bitcoin for being “stupid”.
“I’d fire them in a second. For two reasons: It’s against our rules, and they’re stupid. And both are dangerous,” he said in September of last year.
Meanwhile, banks on Wall Street have all started creating their own crypto currencies, modeled on bitcoin and designed to counter it.
One of these is Ripple XRP. This crypto competitor recorded a whopping 36,018 percent growth in 2017, compared to bitcoin’s 1,318 percent.
But despite the epic growth, the banks and other financial institutions still have some catching up to do. By January 2018, Ripple XRP was still trading at USD 2.89, whereas bitcoin is currently trading at just over USD 13,000.
An optimist might say that the night is darkest just before the dawn. The USD-dominated financial system is that darkness, and bitcoin or some other form of crypto currency is the dawn of a new day. | 2019-04-22T14:49:36Z | https://uprootedpalestinians.wordpress.com/tag/wall-street/ | Porn | Reference | 0.297222 |
uchicago | Note: This message was sent Jan. 30 to members of the UChicago community by Eric M. Heath, Associate Vice President for Safety & Security; and Michele Rasmussen, Dean of Students in the University.
After reviewing weather forecasts that continue to call for extremely low temperatures and wind chill through Thursday morning, the President and Provost have extended the cancellation of all classes and non-essential activities through 12 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31.
University classes will resume and offices will be open as of 12 p.m. Thursday. As previously announced, the extended cancellation includes classes and activities in Hyde Park as well as those at the Gleacher Center and NBC Tower downtown. The National Weather Service has advised that temperatures are likely to rise from current extreme levels throughout Thursday morning and afternoon.
We understand that some students, faculty and staff may still have difficulties traveling on Thursday; please contact your supervisor, instructor or others as appropriate if you expect to miss work or classes after 12 p.m. Thursday. If you are unsure whether a specific activity will proceed as planned, please check with the organizers or office leaders. | 2019-04-26T00:08:21Z | https://news.uchicago.edu/story/classes-canceled-through-noon-thursday-will-resume-thursday-afternoon | Porn | Business | 0.712784 |
livejournal | At least I'm still eating somewhat responsibly. Might have to step that up, though.
Well, LP recording today didn't happen because I wanted to try to get a Windows 98 virtual machine running. I spent most of the day trying to do that and never got there. Virtualbox doesn't give me a good video driver that allows more than 16 colors (although I suppose it's possible that I could find one if I keep looking hard enough), and VMware gives me good video but the sound doesn't work and the mouse jumps all over the place if I move it out of the window, so I'd have to use fullscreen mode exclusively. My old solution, VirtualPC, has been discontinued. So I'll have to drag out the old desktop if I want to do anything on Win 98. It's not impossible, but it will be pretty annoying. After that, I didn't feel like messing with the desktop anymore and switched to Akiba's Trip. I'd just reached the point of story divergence yesterday, and this time, the story was VERY different from the previous two. So I played for most of the evening. I'm frittering away the week without getting anything significant done, but I always do that when a deadline is far away. I might buckle down and get more done tomorrow. I also need to call the doctor even though I have an appointment next week, because it looks like I can't handle the increased dose of medication after all. On the days when I only take two pills, I'm fine, but if I take a third, I have stomach problems that are likely signs of a very serious problem. | 2019-04-23T12:13:23Z | https://nidoking.livejournal.com/1497046.html | Porn | Recreation | 0.485866 |
wordpress | I recently got my hands on the new book to come out of In Good Company’s superb party offering, called For Good Times. Once I started, I literally could not put it down until I got to the back cover! It is a plethora of unique and wonderful party themes and ideas. So I thought I’d share what it’s all about and why every party planning mom can become a super party planner!
The book is beautifully laid out and features one distinct and unique theme per chapter, for each month of the year. The photography is brilliant and brings everything to life. I just love the different and unique themes thought up for the book – not your usual Disney character themes, so these are lasting and won’t date. You will find themes such as Up, Up and Away (hot air balloon), Little Paris Kitchen and Alpine Camp Out. My personal favourite though is the Nutcracker Suite, the perfect one chosen as the December theme. I just love this table setting for this theme.
What makes this book unique is that it shares EVERYTHING you need to know, and where to buy it from for each theme. It also discusses the basics of things, like how to create the perfect looking party table – a useful skill for all parties! For each theme there is a selection of recipes to create the most delicious food, and some healthy options too. I love these cactus looking cupcakes for the Mexican theme in the book they call Chip, Dip, Sip Cantina.
I also think these magician top hats are such a clever idea that they feature in the party theme Fool The Crowd. A great use of paper straws.
Even more than the recipes, the book offers a selection of party games for each theme, so no longer will you wonder what to do with all the kids, and many are budget friendly. The games below are from the Alpine Camp Out, a theme you could easily recreate at a venue like Tokai forest.
One of the best things about the book, is getting access to loads of free printables for each theme. Everything from invitations, to place settings, to bunting, to thank you tags.
Hi Lisa! Early bird here. I think I could do some amazing things with this book 😉 JLs 2nd birthday already in planning phase (14th Dec) …!!!!!
Sorry Tash, this competition is only going live once I get the book! I can’t keep up with all the competitions! The Kids Shack competition was for the Early Birds today! | 2019-04-19T20:48:07Z | https://partythings.wordpress.com/2014/06/19/for-good-times-for-great-parties/ | Porn | Games | 0.468965 |
wordpress | In other news, CAT needs some help with the donations to help cover some magazine cost. If you guys got any spare would be appreciated.
In other other news, we now have a translator for AGM and joint with Trinity Seven so stay tuned!
That pretty much sums it up for this one…although I assume you guys already know that.
Let’s break to 101st release!
Rather short chapter for magika I must say, and the proving of love continues! | 2019-04-20T00:25:17Z | https://thecatscans.wordpress.com/ | Porn | News | 0.983697 |
wordpress | The kindle book could also be called the e-book. You should have in mind the fact that a kindle book is basically an electronic type of book that comes with the features or the characteristics of any traditional book. This means that it is a user friendly book that simply comes in a digital format. This is the kind of book that really meets the demands of our generation.
You should be aware of the fact that the kindle book, just like the traditional book, has texts, images, table of contents and it is catalogued. You could find kindle books when you search from the online websites. Always remember that getting a kindle book is no difficult task. The reason as to why getting a kindle book is not difficult is because your only work would be to download it. From the article below, you get to know more of the advantages of the kindle books.
Portability is the very first benefit that comes with the kindle books. There is no doubt that we all find the traditional books to be too heavy and obtrusive. With the kindle books, you will be able to read them even when you are travelling on a plain because they are portable. The other thing about the kindle books is the fact that they are smaller and at the same time very light as compared to any traditional book. Whenever you forget to carry along your own kindle, you will realize that you are still able to access and read the kindle books from the kindle application on just about any phone. Check out this list for Kindle now.
The second benefit from justkindlebooks.com that comes with the kindle books is the fact that they are way cheaper. There are usually hundreds or thousands of kindle books on kindle each and every single day. Kindle could at times offer very many free books which could keep you busy for very many years to come but even so, they are still cheaper when you buy them.
Eventually, you need to know that the kindle books could be shared. When it comes to the kindle books, people could easily purchase it and read it at different times. It is important to take note of the fact that with the existence of the kindle books, so many people find it very easy to publish them as compared to the number of people who would decide to publish the traditional books. See this video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI8FGH_5K0A for more info about books. | 2019-04-20T09:15:35Z | https://ebookplatformszine.wordpress.com/2018/10/31/benefits-of-kindle-books/ | Porn | Sports | 0.082965 |
wordpress | You may have noticed from my posts that I am a geek who talks to people for a living. Part of that job means that I present to small groups fairly often and larger groups on an occasion. For smaller groups, it generally works well enough to have a close conversation around a table. For the bigger sessions I like to let that inner geek escape. The trick is to do it in a way that looks utterly normal and actually enhances what I’m doing.
Some driving factors I like to have in front of the big groups are mobility, interactivity, and a coolness factor. While an iPad isn’t exactly revolutionary these days, most people I see present will get up with just a slide clicker. My iPad lets me show content in different and unique ways that PowerPoint can’t.
Problem #1 here is that you need something to project the iPad with. Using a dongle kills the mobility angle. An AppleTV would work but not everything has an HDMI input – especially conference room projectors – and who wants to carry one around? Remember, less is more. What I do is use an application called Reflector on my laptop. It’s essentially a software version of an AppleTV and shows up on the iPad to mirror to. Provided, of course, that they’re on the same network. That means I have to use a WiFi network where I am or my trusty MiFi.
My streamlined gear. If I’m going to use it, it needs to fit in here.
Yes, that means I use the iPad, laptop, MiFi, a projector, and a bit of software plus whatever apps are on my iPad. The upside is that I have total freedom to roam, snappy response, and access to any number of presentation tools. It also looks totally seamless.
Apps I like for presenting traditional slides on include Keynote, Slideshark, or even Good Reader. Advantages they have over a clicker are that you can see thumbnails of upcoming slides and can jump instantly from one place in the deck to another. That lets you have far more flexibility when taking questions and there’s that one image you have 8 slides away. A virtual laser pointer you get by touching the iPad screen also beats a real one any day of the week.
For other more novel approaches, I like using Paper and Haiku Deck. Paper (shown above) lets me sketch out a story and then flip through it and draw to finish out concepts. It’s like pre-staging a whiteboard and drawing and comes across as if you’re in a UPS commercial. Warning though, a little thought and minimal artistic talent is required. Seriously, it’s minimal. You get that the pink thing in the picture is a brain, right?
I always liked the way these would tell a story.
Haiku Deck is an easy tool that enforces a Zen approach. It only allows you to use a few words per slide and it even gives you a great library of searchable images to use. And I do mean great, it’s a blast to use. You can also use your own pictures. Presentations look very clean and when you swipe, the picture moves at a little different speed than the text. The result appears very polished and organic. This is a great approach to take when building your own content anyway.
My main purpose is not to geek out. It’s to get ideas across. Content you show should do nothing but help tell a story and convey concepts. The show should be the speaker and not a bunch of bullets on a screen. Actually, in most cases a presentation shouldn’t be a show. Having a good knowledge of the topic and an engaging attitude can make the meeting an interactive session where the audience gives too and as a result gets more out of the experience.
Of course, using more devices than Batman gives you some geek cred too. That never hurts.
I just saw a blog on Hubspot with 20 great Slideshares on it. It’s well worth your time. Thanks to @jeannehopkins for sharing the link. | 2019-04-20T12:42:09Z | https://ericschneiderr.wordpress.com/2013/08/23/professionally-geeking-out/ | Porn | Computers | 0.816185 |
wordpress | Chicago O’Hare Terminal 1 | ride. travel. live.
This is the airport everyone loves to hate, along with the usual suspects (Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, etc.). I’ve had my share of delays and cancellations and overnights at O’Hare in the past, but here’s the bright side, it’s a treasure as far as airport architecture goes.
The best of them is the Helmut Jahn-designed Terminal 1, the United terminal, completed in 1987. Jahn left his mark on the airport, also designing the CTA subway station, which is a masterpiece in its own right. The United terminal is the modern equivalent of the old train stations of Europe, and it’s clearly inspired by the exposed steel beams, screws, and arches. He didn’t match the rest of the airport’s architecture, an understated Miesian steel and glass box, but departed boldly from it, presenting a structure close in spirit to his downtown Thompson Center. Nevertheless, he integrated it into the remainder of the airport, giving a hint in Terminal 2 with a redesigned entryway to the gate area, and the connector corridor between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. The terminal has also weathered the intervening quarter-century, hundreds of millions of passengers, Chicago’s notorious weather, and is a beautiful and practical structure, in the best tradition of Chicago architecture.
My favorite part, though, is the tunnel linking to the satellite concourse C. It’s a 1980’s period piece, complete with the pastel color scheme and the kinetic neon sculpture. The only thing that’s been recently missing is the matching music (to Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue). Airports tend to be so colorless and bland, what’s wrong with a few wacky colors to lighten things up, especially when you know your plane won’t be departing on time!
So unlike most, I always look forward to some time spent in O’Hare. | 2019-04-21T00:55:28Z | https://shredworld.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/chicago-ohare-terminal-1/ | Porn | Arts | 0.595555 |
wordpress | I don’t read a huge amount of true crime but I’ve always had a weird fascination with Charles Manson, so I had to pick this up when I spotted it in the library last week. Not much to report so far, but hoping it’ll be an interesting read.
This was my first Emily Windsnap book and it was great. Cute, with a great adventure…and I love a good prophecy! I was also really pleased that it read well as a stand-alone.
I knew I would enjoy this book, but I do think it was hyped up a bit too much. I was expecting something more unique, but that’s not to say I didn’t thoroughly enjoy it, because I did!
Either Anything You Do Say, or Mother of Eden. What would you go for?
I fiiiinally bought myself a copy of this book. I’m sure I will love it!
This was a bit of a stop/start book for me, but after the half way mark I didn’t want to put it down.
Possibly Emily Windsnap and the Falls of Forgotten Island.
OK, so I didn’t realise this was a series when I saw it on Netgalley…and this is book 7. Eek. I’m really hoping it won’t matter though, it looks so pretty!
While on vacation, Emily Windsnap finds herself swept up in an ancient prophecy as the New York Times best-selling series continues.
Emily is headed to a tropical island for a relaxing vacation with friends and family. And this time, Emily promises her best friend, Shona, there will be absolutely no adventure — just plenty of fun. But somehow excitement always seems to find Emily, and before she knows it, she ends up on the other side of a powerful waterfall on a forgotten island no one else can get to. Well, no one that isn’t a half-mer like Emily and her boyfriend, Aaron. The people who live on the island believe in a prophecy that foretells how they can be saved from an imminent, devastating earthquake — and this prophecy seems to revolve around Emily and Aaron, as well as a mysterious, mythic giant. Will they be able to find the giant — and fulfill the prophecy — before it’s too late?
This is was fun, middle grade read, with a gothic vibe – of such the kind that Sedgwick is so good at. The illustrations were inspired, too. Fans of the likes of The Addam’s Family will be sure to love this series.
I’m not always a fan of Fae books, unless they are written by Holly Black. And she’s done it again! The Cruel Prince is a beguiling, thrilling, and often uncomfortable read (how would you cope with living somewhere surrounded by people who could literally force you to do anything they wanted!?). Full of visceral descriptions and real, interesting characters, Holly Black’s world of Faery is a brutal beast, and one that’s hard to put down.
This was my first taste of Rainbow Rowell’s work – a long time coming. These two short tales set around New Year were both adorable and compelling, with beautiful pencil illustrations. I can tell even from these short stories that Rowell is a master of creating complicated, diverse and entirely realistic teenage characters. I’ll definitely read more of hers now.
I’m still going on this, but only because I put it down for a while. It’s got nothing to do with the story, the book is just too damn big to carry around with me!
This was a fun little mystery. It’s definitely made me want to read the series.
The Premier No.1 Garage is the place to go in Mumbai if you want a luxury car. Even Mumbai’s biggest gangster shops there – he’s just ordered a classic race car worth millions.
But now the car is gone. Stolen from a locked room, in the middle of the night.
Who stole it? The mechanic who is addicted to gambling? The angry ex-worker? The car thief pulling off one last job?
And how on earth did they make it vanish from the locked garage?
Inspector Chopra has just days to find the culprit – and the missing car – before its gangster owner finds out … and takes violent reveng.
This was a fun, quick read but I think the great cover is misleading – I was expecting a scary one!
I couldn’t resist picking this one up from work when it was snowing. It got me in the mood! It was my first go of Rainbow Rowell and everything I expected it to be – very cute!
Once again I have no idea! I’m very indecisive at the moment. | 2019-04-20T14:50:22Z | https://lipsyy.wordpress.com/2018/03/ | Porn | Kids | 0.783011 |
wordpress | Each day is an adventure!
A few months ago we learned that a dear friend’s cancer had returned full force and that unless there was a miracle, she only had a short time to live. Abby had just come to see us—she’d lost little of her vibrancy. She was still pushing a heavy mower around the yard and canning food. It was hard to believe that she was dying. So hard to accept.
A month later we went to visit her. I brought some soup and sandwiches and we planned on a short visit so we didn’t tire her. It stunned us to see how weak she’d become in such a short amount of time. Abby had reclined in her chair while we visited. Her nausea made it impossible to keep food down.
She walked to the door when we left, leaning against the wall for support. I hugged her tightly and we cried together. This might be the last time I see her, I thought—and it was. I talked to her once more by phone. Her voice was raspy and weak, but she was still thankful—thankful for medication that took most of the pain away, thankful for the care of her daughters and the love of family and friends, thankful for a full life and good Saviour.
I knew Abby when I was a child. She played the organ at the little white church that my grandparents went to. She had a bright smile—especially for children. Her family moved away, but we reconnected when I became a mother.
In the spring of 2005 we moved to a cabin on the Day property in Vanderhoof while Kevin built us a house nearby. Before that time the Days were our friends, but in the seven months we lived with them they became family.
It was probably the most difficult season of my life. We had four children under 5 in a 16’x16’ cabin. My youngest two children were six-month old twins with undiagnosed allergies. I often only got three hours of sleep a night. But it was also a season with some of my best memories. I got to be on the receiving end of Abby’s servant heart.
Our family of six had supper in their home three times a week. We bathed in their home. Abby’s son, Josh, helped to build our house, and Abby did our laundry.
She didn’t have a dryer, so she hung all of our laundry by hand on a wooden rack that she hoisted with ropes and pulleys where it could dry out of the way. Every week Abby washed our clothes, folded them, and returned them to me with a beautiful smile on her face.
Many afternoons, my children and I would join the Days for their afternoon tea time. We’d sit in their bright kitchen and enjoy Bengal Spice tea and hot-out-of the oven molasses bread smeared with butter. It was a time of great conversation and lots of laughter.
Abby loved my children like they were grandchildren. She enjoyed them and spoke with love to them. She would take them into her lap and read to them. I found myself emulating her in tone. Being around her made me kinder and more patient as a mother.
Soon after we moved into our own house, the Days moved to Prince George. But Abby and I continued our friendship. We didn’t talk on the phone often, but when we did it was always for well over an hour. And she never stopped encouraging me. Every time we talked she shared relevant Bible verses and gave me some deeper insight into relating to my growing family.
It’s impossible to know just how much Abby’s gentle spirit, encouragement, and example has impacted my life as a mother, daughter, sister, wife, and friend, but I know that her influence has permeated my life in every area.
Today I came across a picture that spoke to my soul. It’s called ‘Life Within Death.’ It’s a Chinese lantern—the flower must die for the fruit to grow. Even after the fruit is ripe, the dried flower still encases it.
Even though Abby has left this life to be with her Father in heaven, her legacy lives on in her children, her friends, and the countless people that she ministered to.
We love you always, Abby.
Beautiful words and a beautiful photo, Rachel!
Can you imagine her hearing those words, “Well done good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your Lord.” Lovely to have had that relationship – I wish I had known her. | 2019-04-22T20:34:12Z | https://cherishingthemoment.wordpress.com/2017/01/07/a-beautiful-legacy/ | Porn | Kids | 0.676126 |
free | Plugin (as zip) wlx_fileinfo223.zip ~1000kb (Version 2.23) for both x32/x64 version.
Fixed : Missing values in "Manifest"
Added : subsystem "IMAGE_SUBSYSTEM_WINDOWS_BOOT_APPLICATION" and "IMAGE_SUBSYSTEM_EFI_ROM"
Added : resource types "RT_HTML", "RT_MANIFEST", "RT_DLGINIT" & "RT_TOOLBAR"
This plugin was written for Christian Ghisler's Total Commander (formerly known as Windows Commander).This viewer is intended to check all files for a Version Ressource and display it. it shows now static and delayed DLL dependency and File Header Information and it search for compressed executables. | 2019-04-22T21:56:01Z | http://fg.tcplugins.free.fr/fileinfo.htm | Porn | Computers | 0.923628 |
wordpress | The aim was to educate many of my clients and thousands of others like them in business about the how, what and why of Social Media.
In doing so I defined a Grumpy Old Manager and gave myself the title of Grumpy Old Managers’ Guide.
As someone who would on the grounds of age, background and disposition probably qualify as a GOM I thought it appropriate to become a guiding light in the new Digital Age.
2. Those in most need of the advice are still sadly in need.
But one thing has changed in my focus …. it’s not all about Social Media and its application to your specific business or even choosing the right bits of Social Media it’s about harnessing all the tools available now and leveraging them to the max.
In an upcoming post I will explain it’s no longer about A or B in decision making on how best to promote your business and increase revenue and sustainable profitability (I assume that’s why you want to promote your business anyway) its about A + B + C + ….
With the ability to rapidly deploy and test strategy using digital media you can now choose a range of inexpensive options and test which suit your business goals best ….. You may well find it’s a combination of both.
As such the next book will focus on Marketing and Selling in the Digital Age and leveraging the new tradition of book writing. I will be looking for lots of feedback before I finish the book rather than write it and find out I got it wrong.
These days it’s possible to write a book cooperatively by developing the structure and a few headlines and have the potential readers fill the massive gaps between. I will be adding much more substance that that though!
When you think how much content is developed daily in the form of emails, blogs, Twitter, FaceBook updates, Pinterest, YouTube etc etc it’s easy to believe that we are now producing in 48 hours what once tool centuries.
Of course the big difference in the past 10 -15 years is that we are all producing vast amounts of information day in day out ….why??? Because we can!
Not that long ago we consumed Print, TV, Radio etc but now its become a two way street with Blogs, YouTube and Podcasts turning anyone who wants into a Publisher and almost everyone into a producer of some kind.
But if we are producing media for a purpose and want to be seen, create awareness and build interest it is important not to be lost in the babblespere out there. To do this I believe there are two keys rules.
Once upon a time a picture was worth a thousand words now it must be worth a million words in a world where reading is a luxury.
People are trying to absorb so much info these days we must make it east for them and a visual can be the best approach. Personally I love Infographics as they can convey so much ….but there are many other form of visual communication…. Pinterest is a classic example of this.
When I plan a blog I start with finding a picture that tells the story and then develop a catchy headlines. Now I plan to use that headline and picture as a pointer to my blog from Facebook for example.
Find whatever works for you in terms of Visuals and use them to tell you story effectively.
I will cover this more in an upcoming post on Visual Communications..
…….It can certainly help prime the pump and build a social media marketing engine. TV can provide the reach to develop the interest that can lead to the engagement we all want from Social Media.
Many people think TV advertising is too expensive…but its not if used well and while many people in business know Internet can be cost effective they dont know how to generate traffic to their site….so why not combine TV and the Social Web backed by simple analytics to get max effectiveness.
We have all seen the way TV shows are harnessing Twitter to create conversations between viewers, Facebook to build 24/7 engagement with viewers and YouTube to provide promos and highlights to the masses. Now thy have specialist Social Media platforms like Fango enhancing websites to build interactivity with viewers.
Also those of us with kids in their teens and twenties know that TV, Facebook and Twitter can all be used in sync without missing a beat.
So how can we use this knowledge to build business for your SME.
Recently working with our client Property Asset Planning we developed a campaign, to develop direct sales for a new product offering, which provides a good example of what can be achieved.
We are ensuring that not only do we reach a broad market but we also make sure our client’s past and current clients are kept well informed and encouraged to talk to friends and colleagues about the campaign. In addition to an innovative advertising campaign we have implemented a Social Media strategy to streamline our communications and are now implementing a new Customer Relationship Management System to ensure the best possible service levels are maintained.
The first step in reaching the market was to develop the NRAS 4 SA website and associated Facebook, Twitter and Blog presence. This was followed by developing a TV ad which gets across the NRAS message very clearly and points people to the website for more information.
This ad is very effective and very simple (as you will see below) but delivers one Message and one Call to Action — “Find out the Facts Now”… go to http://www.nras4sa.com …with that web address on screen for the entire commercial.
We decided to run a month long trial on Channel 10 as they had programming that matched our demographic and delivered the flexible approach that we were looking for. Suffice to say running the ads in about 30 spots (no more than 3 a day) for one week and then repeated after a weeks break – the results were impressive. Total costs for this month’s air time was less than $5,000 because of the mix of programs chosen (some spots costing as low as $20 with a max of $250) and the use of 15 and 30 secs ads throughout for maximum effectiveness.
The Google analytics were checked after each ad aired to judge effectiveness and programming for week two adjusted accordingly.
Each day the ad ran we had between 80 and 150 extra hits which resulted in 4 – 8 emails per day with about half including the optional phone number. More than 50% resulted in meetings and most of these in home presentations which resulted in sales ….bearing in mind the average sale is well in excess of $300,000.
We then committed to a further three months…to see if the results continued …..suffice to say the campaign has now been running for 6 months and the sales made so far comfortably exceed the total sales for the whole of last year……in tough economic times.
Each week we prepare a report that shows hits by day along with emails and appointments made this goes to our very helpful account manager at 10 who makes sure we continue to use our budget (which has doubled now) as effectively as possible.
One thing we have learned during the six months is the importance of a true mobile site. When the first ads aired about 20% of hits came from mobile devices while people were watching TV. That has now grown to 25% steadily and we have now developed a true mobile site (plus an app soon) to ensure People Find Out the Facts and can easily get in contact via email or phone.
There are many further aspects to the campaign to be implemented (inc Radio, Facebook, LinkedIn etc) but a shortage of stock and new staff to cope with the demand have meant less than 50% of the campaign has been implemented.
In June we bolstered campaign with Cinema screen ads but have found from our web analytics our ad is not having much impact …as such our Creative Team are developing a new ad that will have poeple in Cinemas take notice and act ….stay tuned for more.
Our main focus will be on Digital Media with the traditional media being used to draw attention to our website, Facebook and Twitter presence.
We will use our online “sites” to engage and educate our clients and encourage them to reach more people with the NRAS message by sharing the information we develop.
A Newsletter campaign is now engaging past and current clients with a Call to Action that encourages sharing content with friends and colleagues that they believe would beneft form Finding out The Facts about NRAS. Theya re encouraged to join our Facebook community for the latest news and views whilst also learning from and converse with others with interest in NRAS.
A great example of the impact of the campaign and the people sharing the message with friends and family came recently from the Nicdoa family. The saw the ad on Channel 10 on Monday and signed a contract by the following weekend.
Then they told everyone they knew about NRAS…. The result – they arranged a seminar at their home for a dozen people and invited Brian Chant from Property Asset Planning to present the NRAS story.
“it was such a good opportunity to build for the future we had to share it with everyone we know.” said Mr Nicdoa.
Now Twitter is being used to send instant and up-to-date information such as latest stock availability and alerts.
And there is much more to come on this developing story.
Government 2.0 – I this the future??
Based on a meeting I attended this week for briefing from a major State Government Dept re an RFI they have issued to develop a smart information system to better inform their customers…. I see an emerging new approach to doing business within Govt.
I am calling it Govt 2.0 as like Web 2.0 etc its about engagement and an open, honest two way communication rather than burying themself in budget constraints and red tape.
Firstly they want to undertake a project that will cost millions and deliver better service to their customers (ppl who catch buses) and grow their base of customers as a result of this good service.
Secondly, they have no budget for this project but are determined to find a way to deliver it for the people who use their services.
Thirdly, they recognise that they don’t have the skills and expertise needed and that they need to work with business ,….. but in doing so business must make a profit.
Of course there is a driving force for all of this …. the lack of money available and the culling of people … They need to find new ways or do as Govt did in the past …cut service levels and/or increase costs and charges.
They believe the way to deliver this network that will engage, educate and entertain their customers is two fold … deliver Branded content (that is ads that support the community services messages and info) and sell direct to the public relevant services and products via that network (eg Internet service, downloads (books, music etc) to the traveling or waiting consumer.
But even more enlightening is that this commercial model is in sync with the advertising trends we see .. that is ads that go with the content .. and ads that can deliver direct online sales…..
Whilst they know what they want they have no idea what it looks like and how to fund it with ads etc … That challenge they have put out to the market.
And they have given plenty of scope. The closing words were “we have lots of infrastructure and assets that can be used to promote products and services… ….. and we are here to trade”.
You tell us what you can use and how you can use it to deliver this project and we will find a way to do it was the message that came across loud and clear.
Government 2.0 in terms of open transparent commercial collaboration is heading our way …. at long last!!
Business bow has a challenge we never imagined …how to turn assets of the Govt into cashflow. | 2019-04-22T16:33:33Z | https://theringmastersguide.wordpress.com/category/pr-20/ | Porn | Business | 0.577758 |
salon | The late travel writer Bruce Chatwin, an inveterate wanderer, described life as “a journey through a wilderness.” With a skyrocketing human population currently consuming the equivalent of 1.6 planets' worth of resources and expected to reach a mind-boggling 9.6 billion by 2050, that wilderness is rapidly disappearing, especially in the industrialized world.
Nearly a decade ago, New York Times writer John Tierney put the impact of flying in terms of recycling plastic bottles. “To offset the greenhouse impact of one passenger roundtrip flight between New York and London, you’d have to recycle roughly 40,000 plastic bottles” in coach (or up to 100,000 for business or first-class seats, adjusting for the additional space pricier seats take up). So if you’ve permitted yourself the significant upsizing of your carbon footprint that air travel will bring, choose coach. Your impact will be less than twice that of someone in business or first class.
Reducing fossil fuel use will also help maintain and conserve the nation’s pristine natural beauty, something Micronesia has been keen on protecting. In 2014, the island of Kosrae announced the first conservation easement outside of the Americas. A legal tool that removes all development rights, the easement can easily be modeled by other island nations and will permanently protect a portion of a rare freshwater swamp forest in the Yela Valley that contains the world's largest stand of ka trees,, a highly valued endemic tree used for timber, medicine and edible nuts.
Bruce Chatwin also said that “travel doesn’t merely broaden the mind — it makes the mind.” As Ethical Traveler puts it, “The foundation of ethical travel is mindful travel.” Could visiting locales around the world that place a high value on ethics, animal welfare and sustainability help travelers change their own minds about such things back home? There’s only way to find out. Bon voyage.
Editor’s note: The section on the ethics of air travel was added later. Thanks to careful reader Alvaro Cook for pointing out this omission. The article also misstated that Abel Tasman National Park was located in Tonga; in fact, it is located on Tonga Island, New Zealand. Thank you to close reader Jennie Crum for pointing out that error.
Reynard Loki is AlterNet's environment and food editor. Follow him on Twitter @reynardloki. Email him at reynard@alternet.org. | 2019-04-22T06:14:41Z | https://www.salon.com/2016/03/21/ethical_travel_partner/ | Porn | News | 0.448331 |
google | Nov 1, 2015, 6:24 AM Sandy Elson edited What is "The Wisdom of Ruth" project?
Jul 22, 2014, 5:34 AM Sandy Elson edited What is "The Wisdom of Ruth" project?
Jul 27, 2013, 9:02 AM Sandy Elson edited Who Are We?
Jul 27, 2013, 8:58 AM Sandy Elson deleted Who Are We?
Jul 27, 2013, 8:57 AM Sandy Elson edited Who Are We?
Jul 27, 2013, 8:55 AM Sandy Elson edited Who Are We?
Jul 27, 2013, 8:31 AM Sandy Elson created Who Are We? | 2019-04-22T09:05:24Z | https://sites.google.com/site/thewisdomofruth/system/app/pages/recentChanges | Porn | Recreation | 0.222565 |
wordpress | My website has been moved! Please visit the new site at http://www.zoiehoffman.com!
As we have all seen in our chosen field, most jobs are multi-dimensional in ways that others may not see. It may be hard for people in your workplace or community to see the depth and breadth of what you do each day unless they are right beside you. I know that this is true for my profession as a tutor. Even my students- whom I work quite closely with, may not realize what a tutor’s job entails.
1. We create learning experiences.
This may be the most obvious job description. But notice that we do not just create learning- or worksheets, we create experiences. When a student experiences learning, the learning is much more likely to stick with them. A great tutor will go to great lengths to incorporate something a student enjoys in a learning experience.
A lot more than book smarts goes in to being successful in academics. Tutors know this, and commit themselves to coaching their students in all areas that will increase academic success. Just like a sports coach, I often give my students talks on pushing themselves, goal setting, grit and other important qualities.
Tutors are there for their students when the score is down at halftime with a pep-talk and a new strategy.
It is our job to add ourselves to the sidelines of our student’s education along with their parents and teachers. We learn to speak compliments and encouragements as a second language. Letting our students know what they are doing wonderfully makes them trust us to help them improve.
Our clients at times come to us because things just aren’t working. It is sometimes difficult to find where a child is struggling in a subject, and that can be frustrating to students and parents. Tutors are there to help sniff out what a student might be missing as well as anything else that might be keeping them from reaching their full potential.
We spend lots of time thinking about our students and their problems. It does not just stop at the end of our session, we often stay up trying to figure out how to help a student get past a learning block or fill in a learning gap.
Some tutors are in business for themselves. This adds to their workload, but it gives them much more freedom to work with parents to do what is best for their students. If a tutor is not attached to a big tutoring company this means that they are most likely doing the “business side” on their own.
Always keep in mind that a tutor who is not attached to a company must pay taxes on what they earn, and purchase their own supplies. This may affect the rate they must charge in order to keep their business floating.
Though most of us may not be a student in the traditional sense, we are constantly learning. We read books and articles daily to make sure that we are keeping current with what is happening in our field. If we have a student who possesses a problem we have not seen before, we find information and study in order to provide the help needed.
My night stand looks like the nonfiction wing of the library. I recently had to readjust my stack so that it would not fall over.
Last, but certainly not least we are committed educators. Most people only think about classroom teachers when this word comes up, but there are many professions out there that are occupied by educators. We teach our students in every way that we can. We want them to learn, but to also love learning. We put our all in to every day and every student in order to better their education.
I feel that the title of educator is a sacred one, and that anyone who assumes it commits themselves to selflessly providing learning to their students in any way that they can.
I am infinitely passionate about my job as a tutor, and I hope that this list helped you understand why!
Keep checking back for my next post. I will be tackling reading comprehension.
Continue to learn every day!
Your child is stressed about school and their homework, it stresses you seeing them this way and you are at your wits end with what to do.
You feel like you are failing in helping your child with their education, they get frustrated every single night and it doesn’t seem like anyone is learning anything.
Your child tells you that they are “stupid” and “dumb” when you are doing homework or learning with them and 9 out of 10 times one of you ends up in tears.
Homework and studying assignments seem to take all evening and there is little time left for play or activities, you can see the toll that it is taking on your child.
If any of these are you, you are not alone by a long shot. The school year is officially in full swing along with all that goes with it. It can seem like more homework and study material is coming home every day, juggling this with all of the other activities and obligations your family has can bring the whole “learning at home” thing in to the pulling-out-your-hair category very quickly. So the question is, what do you do when learning, homework and everything else isn’t fun anymore?
When its not fun anymore…for anyone…especially your kiddos…your face may look a little like this..
I can guarantee you there are many other parents in the word with that exact expression on their face at this very moment. It is normal to feel overwhelmed and exhausted, especially as schools assign more and more homework and projects.
Your child is expected to sit and focus for hours at school, this can definitely lead to fatigue and the inevitable breakdown when it comes to homework.
What are you to do? Every situation is different, but there are things that you can try to alleviate the stress and strain that school work and studying is putting on your family. This is also a great opportunity to teach your child skills that will help them as they grow in to adults. Think about the stressful situation on your plate right now- teaching your child proper coping skills will help them navigate those waters as they become older.
If you have decided that something needs to change in order to keep everyone sane, try some of the suggestions below to make homework time smoother for everyone.
When I work, I have a corner of my home that I go to get things done. It is, tucked in our guest bedroom with a small desk and most of my tutoring supplies at hand. When I sit down in my little work space I feel that it is time to do work, there are limited distractions, and I am not in view of the other pressing things that need to be attended to (piles of laundry, dishes, dirty floors ect.).
A similar working environment for children can be very beneficial. Your child does not need a home office dedicated to their studies, just a small corner will do. The goal for this space should be for it to have most supplies that your student might need for their work at hand and limited distractions. If homework is done in the “designated homework area” every night, your child may feel more productive in this area due to its association. Having supplies gathered in one spot may also shave time off of the homework experience by avoiding the “why don’t we have any pencils in this house???” panic.
It is always a good idea to set a timer for a few minutes to ensure that the brain break does not go too long.
Experiment with playing background music for your child as they complete their homework. I suggest music with mostly instrumentals. Try the Mozart station on Pandora to begin or explore other composers (my favorite is Johannes Brahms). Music helps the brain concentrate and can help drown out any distracting background noise in the home. Bonus- your child may begin to develop a appreciation and enthusiasm for classical music if they don’t already.
As I write this blog post, my phone sits on silent, in a different room, with the door shut. It is hard for me to focus on the task at hand when it is so tempting to pick up that little screen to see the latest post..tweet..text..insta..ect. Your child may need to use a computer, phone, or tablet for their homework. (More and more teachers are integrating the internet and devices in to their curriculum which it’s about time for them to do!) The electronic use that can be helpful to avoid during homework time is the phone that sits at the right hand. When your child can hear their device alerting them that someone has messaged them, or has done something on a game, it can derail homework and their concentration very quickly.
Sometimes homework time is difficult because a child does not understand a concept and it is hard for the parents to explain in a way that makes sense to the child. This usually happens with math or science concepts. For these situations I usually suggest popping over to Khan Academy. The site has great videos on a wide variety of math concepts as well as concepts from all other subjects. The videos and modules often include quizzes so that your child can practice what they just learned.
Not all children can learn by listening and watching a video. If Khan Academy or similar strategies are not working, consider contacting your child’s teacher or tutor who may be able to assist you in helping your child understand the concept.
Shout out math problems, every time your child gets a correct answer they shoot a hoop or kick a ball.
I hope that with these suggestions, what was not fun anymore can become enjoyable once again. In the stress and strain of homework time a few changes can make a BIG difference. What adjustment during homework time has worked for your family?
It feels like we just headed back to school, but time is flying and report cards are already making their way home. This can be a stressful time for students and families, when the first indication of how a child is doing at school becomes apparent in ink. As a child enters a new grade, it can be hard not to be shocked by what is coming home on the first report card. You know that your child is smart and that they have succeeded in the past, but maybe this report card is sending red flags and you don’t know what to make of it.
Instead of letting this one piece of paper set your household in to a tailspin, there are a few things that you can do to set your child on the path to seeing better results next grading period. It is always important to remember to encourage your child, even when they bring home grades that are undesirable. As adults we have seen our fair share of failure, and have used that failure to direct our efforts and teach us lessons..this moment is a perfect opportunity to share insight about moving on from failure with your child. After having this chat, consider some of these options to to set your child on a better path for next grading period, and/or find out what is really going on behind the grade.
Talk to your child about the report card and see what they have to say. They may be just as surprised as you are, or they may not be surprised at all. Ask them how the subject is going in school, what they feel like when they are in class, and what is going on around them when they are learning. It could be that they sit next to someone who is too noisy for their concentration level, can’t see the board, can’t hear the teacher, don’t understand the material or a number of other things. Your child may tell you something that gives you really great headway on how to help remedy the situation, or something that you can discuss with the teacher to find a fix.
Maybe you find out the reason for the unexpected grade is that your child didn’t do all of the homework, or that they did not get enough practice with the material to master it. You can help your child set a goal to fix the problem, and then hold them accountable for reaching that it. This may even be a good time for you to set a goal that your child can also hold you accountable for. Make sure to discuss and write down the steps or behaviors that will need to be accomplished in order for the goal to be reached. For example, if the aim is for your child to complete 95% of the homework assignments and get them turned in, the steps or behaviors might be: Get the homework folder out and complete all assignments right after school. Let someone in the family check or look at my homework. Check to make sure all homework is back in my bag before bed time. Hand in my homework when my teacher asks me for it. Sometimes writing steps down can help a child see that accomplishing their desired behavior is achievable and also can help them remember what they need to do. After setting the goal, show support for your child by asking them “How can I help you reach your goal?” or “How can I help you be successful?”. These questions help you show support, while still keeping your child responsible for their own goal. Obviously, your assistance depends on the age of the child.
Reach out to the teacher and see what they have to say about your child’s grade. Since the teacher is the one who is up close and personal with your child’s school work, they may have some insight as to how to remedy the situation. You can also communicate to the teacher what your child feels they are struggling with in class. Collaborate with the teacher to see what you need to be doing at home, and they may decide to also do something different with your child based on your insight as well. Make sure not to sound accusatory or blame the teacher for your child’s grade or performance. Also remember to give the teacher a few days to get back to you after you first reach out, report card time can get VERY busy for teachers. Chances are there are some other parents also contacting the teacher with concerns.
Sometimes the report card can be a sign that the routine is just not working for your child in the same way that it did last year. The new demands of a new grade, or extra after school activities may signal time for a change in the routine. Consider changing the time at which you do homework. Maybe your child will get more done if they do homework right after school, while they still have momentum from the school day. Alternatively, you may discover your child gets more done if they have a 1-2 hour break to clear their head and recharge before they try and tackle their homework. If homework isn’t the issue, consider bed times, breakfast, or nightly routines. Play around and see what is going to work best for your family this year.
You may find that your child has gaps in their learning that are making it hard for them to succeed at the level that their grade is currently working. Or your child may need more practice with subject matter than they are getting at school. Seeking help from a tutor can be a great option for students who need extra practice, or who need to fill in gaps in learning. A tutor is able to help your student learn in ways that work for them and create activities and practice that cater to your child’s learning style. When I am first meeting with clients, I always make sure to ask what specific areas the parent is worried about in their child’s academic progress. Make sure to communicate with your tutor often to ensure that everyone is on the same page. A tutor can help your child in a way that can greatly impact their experience and performance in academics long after tutoring sessions have ceased.
There is no guarantee that these suggestions will work in your individual situation, but I have found that they are always a good place to start. When dealing with your child’s academic struggles remember that you are not alone. You have a community of teachers, tutors and mentors right around you.
I have a confession to make…I haven’t always been the voracious reader that I am today. Though it may come shocking to some people that know me, as a child I came pretty close to hating reading. Yes, I know that hate is a strong word, but as a young person I probably would have told you that I at least “did not like reading..at all..period”. I did not find reading books enjoyable, and I for sure was afraid of reading out loud in class.
Many things contributed to my fear and distaste for reading in my childhood. In general I think I felt that I was not good at reading so I did not feel like trying. I also never was guided to books that I was interested in. It took me until my Junior and Senior year in high school before I discovered that reading wasn’t that bad..that reading was actually THE BEST. It took me having friends that guided me to books they thought I would enjoy, and me enjoying those books enough to work though the reading skills I was struggling with.
One of the reasons I became and educator was to make sure that this didn’t happen to as many children. When I think back to the years when I “did not like reading..at all…period” I tend to feel sad. Reading has become an oasis for me that I use to help relieve anxiety, as well as for entertainment and stimulation as a curious adult learner. Sometimes I think about how much more I could have enjoyed and learned if only I had started at an earlier age.
If your child does not show an interest in reading it is completely normal. The good news is there are things you can do alongside their teachers, tutors and mentors to help them become interested and aware of the joy and importance of reading. Please do not misunderstand, I have not performed any scientific research. I am not claiming that I am an expert or that I am an authority on this subject. These are simply methods that I have seen work with some children.
This may seem like a no brainer, but I know that it is also harder than it sounds. Everyone is busy, especially during the school year. Try to make time to pick out books with your child that they would like to read and read them together. This doesn’t have to be a bedtime routine, this can occur at any time during the day. You might even find it helpful to keep the book with you as you go about other daily routines so that you can find small times before sports practice or while waiting in lines to read with your child.
Kids always want to be like their parents. They idolize you! Not only will they repeat what you say, they will also repeat what you do. If your child sees you reading on a daily basis they will also want to read. Keep some books, magazines or newspapers that you are reading laying around the house to remind you to read them in a place where your child can see.
In America we have a mentality that quitting is bad. I have started to realize that this is not always the best mentality to have. Sometimes we just need to acknowledge when something isn’t working for us. One of the reasons I didn’t enjoy reading as a child was because if I wasn’t enjoying a book, I felt like I needed to slog through it anyways. Now however, I probably abandon a book per month. If your child has tried the book but cant “get in to it” or is not enjoying it, encourage them to put it down and make a different selection.
Kids can ask a LOT of questions. They are trying to find out everything about the world around them, and they can become curious about subjects that you would have never guessed they would even think of. When your child asks you a question, help them look for the answer in reference books or on the web. If you are worried about web searches, you can do your own quick search and then print articles to read with your child.
Make sure that there is plenty of reading material around the house that your child can pick up. Books are expensive, and your child’s reading level changes quickly sometimes, I know. If you have a public library close by, see if you can make a routine of going with your child to pick new books ever couple of weeks. This helps you keep new and interesting books around without breaking the bank. If you do not have a public library close by, see if you can set up to exchange books with other families in your area every couple of weeks. Having lots of reading material around will increase the chances your child will get hooked on the perfect book!
Try one of these methods next week and see what it does to your child’s view on reading. Always remember to keep reading a fun and relaxed experience whenever possible.
Fall is approaching quickly! I get excited thinking about the crisp air, football, holidays and as always back to school time. Okay..well the air doesn’t get so crisp here in Florida at first..but by darn that wont keep me from enjoying it. Along with fall it seems comes a lot more “busy”. With the end of the hot lazy summer days comes the beginning of school functions, sports practices, scouts, church choir and so may other commitments.
So now that it is fall you are driving around, helping with homework (and more homework) and somehow are still expected to have dinner prepared. It may seem like there isn’t much time for those fun learning activities you were doing with your kiddos over the summer. But there is hope! You may not have as much time to sit down and play math facts games but you can squeeze in some fun learning while you are scurrying around town or in the kitchen.
Below are five ways to squeeze in some learning and family while going about your busy routine! Though they may not be intensive practice, they do have lots of benefits that will help your child in school and in life.
I don’t know about you, but I make TONS of lists every week. Without them I become lost and overwhelmed with life. You can ask my husband..without a list I am a zombie wandering around our house with wide teary eyes and no sense of direction or productivity…its bad. So you will always see me with a list of some kind in my hand!
We all make at least a few lists from time to time for groceries, shopping or other tasks. When making lists, one easy way to promote learning is to get your kids involved!
Pre-Kindergarten– Have your child help think of things to put on the list..or they can write their own to take to the store with them. After they write the list, ask them what they put on it (warning: it could get fun). This will help your child with their verbal communication skills as well as their knowledge of writing.
Young grades– Your child can help write the shopping or to do list. Don’t worry too much about spelling (unless they are spelling words for school) just encourage them to write. This will help them become confident in their writing and show them practical uses for what they are learning in their school writing.
Older grades– Have your child think up and write the list, ask them to figure out a way to categorize it or streamline it in some way while they do it. This will help them with their processing skills as well as fine tune their spelling and handwriting.
While in the car, around town, or at home make up math problems for your child that they can do mentally, and let your child do the same for you. You can use your surroundings for inspiration or anything that has happened that day. Don’t be afraid to get super silly or to challenge each other!
A few times a week have your child assist you in the kitchen. This is a great bonding experience as well as an opportunity for your child to learn SO MUCH while having no idea that they are learning. As always, exercise caution with kiddos in the kitchen and don’t give your child a task that you do not think they are ready for.
Pre-Kindergarten– Have your child help you measure ingredients. This will make them aware of the math and science that goes in to measuring. Also, read the recipe out loud and have them watch you or help you follow the instructions. This will help your child to better process verbal instructions, which is a good skill to know for kindergarten!
Young grades– Read the recipe with your child or let them read it to you, depending on their reading level. You can point out sight words or spelling words that they are learning as you go along. Go back and forth between the recipe and the food prep to show them the correspondence between the numbers and action words and what you are doing.
Older grades– Have your child read the recipe to you. Measure the ingredients with your child and let them do some of the prep work if you feel they are ready for it. You can also flip this and read the recipe to your child and have them follow the instructions to measure and prepare ingredients. This will help with following verbal instructions which is a valuable skill!
We’ve all solved that problem about the hot dogs and the buns right? It’s weird that hot dogs and buns come in different quantities per package and this has proved to be a great math problem for the third grade. The truth is, word problems usually focus on things that could happen in real life. If you start to think about this you might be able to find “word problems” everywhere you go.
Just the other day we were having a group of people over to our house for tacos. While standing in the isle deciding how many taco shells to get..and what combination of boxes (they came in 12 and 18 packs) in order to have just the right amount for our party I literally exclaimed “WE ARE LIVING A WORD PROBLEM!”…but really though..
Try having your child help you decide on things like taco shells or other items that you need for your household. When going to the store you can also tell your child how much money you have and then have them help you decide what items you can get to get closest to the dollar amount without going over. The possibilities are endless..so just play with them!
This is probably my favorite one. I know not everyone does, but I have a tendency to narrate my life..and maybe make it a little more adventurous in my mind narration than it actually is. When riding in the car or doing day to day things with your kiddos, make up a story with them about what you are doing or things that you see. The story could be a stretch on the actual events taking place, or completely made up. Even though it doesn’t seem like a whole lot of learning, telling stories helps kid’s imaginations, their flexible thinking and many other skills that will help them become better writers.
Step Away From the Flashcards!
Like most people in America I like to visit this magical land they call Target ALOT. This summer especially has been filled with hours spent in Target with my husband “remembering” things we “need” for our new apartment. This month especially, I feel an extra jolt of excitement as I enter Target. It is back to school season and I know that I will get to roam all of the pretty school and learning supplies at the back of the store. This season though, my jolt of excitement has been crushed as I walk in those magical sliding glass doors and immediately see a WALL of flash cards in the entrance to the dollar section…my favorite section! Why is this crushing my Target spirit? Because, in most cases there are MUCH better things you can be doing with your child to enhance and increase their learning than drilling them with flashcards…and they take just about as much effort.
When I was in elementary school there was a lot of emphasis on rote memorization. I think I still have nightmares about the speed addition and multiplication tests that I was given. Thankfully now the standards focus more on understanding and critical thinking when it comes to all subjects, especially math. When I was taking those speed math tests, I didn’t really understand what the numbers meant or why 5×6 is 30. I just knew that 30 was the answer on the flash card I was given. Luckily this is not how things are done in most schools now!
You can help your student a lot by helping them with activities and games that concentrate on their understanding rather than their memorization. Below I have listed four things you can try with your student in place of math flash cards.
There are lots of card game ideas out there on the internet that will help students practice math concepts. The greatest thing is that playing cards are so cheap and most people have them at home already. Playing cards are not limited to one activity like flash cards are, which is even more fun! You may even know some card games already that will help your child with math concepts.
The game Pyramid is super simple and super fun for younger grades and parents to practice making sets of ten together. I found it on Math Geek Mama which has some great math resources for teachers and parents!
2. Break out the white board!
Kids are some of the most creative people I know. If you have a white board, chalk board or other erasable surface in your home it is a great way for your student to be creative while practicing skills! Instead of spending time with flash cards, spend the same amount of time giving each other problems to solve. Most students love to show off their skills while being able to draw and erase. Of course there is always free draw for a few minutes at the beginning and end in my tutoring sessions..because who doesn’t compulsively want to draw every time they see a white board? Or is that just me?
Instead of asking “what is six plus seven?” try asking “can you show me six plus seven?”. You might be surprised what your student has to show you! If you want to, you can move on from the answer and ask follow up questions such as “could you find two more numbers that combine to make that same answer?” or “what is another way you could solve that?”. Have fun and let your student ask some of the questions too!
This goes along the same lines as the card games. Dice are a fun way to practice math facts up to six! If you are working on addition you can get out two or more dice per person and have a competition to see which person rolls the highest number. You can practice multiplication by rolling two or more numbers and then multiplying them. The possibilities are endless, so play around with it! There are also lots of fun dice game sheets on teachers pay teachers if you search for them.
My personal favorite dice game is “walk the plank” you will have to acquire a paint stick to play it, but you definitely wont be disappointed! The Primarily Speaking blog explains how to set up and play the game really well. Instead of using cubes like are shown below, you could always use coins, soda tabs, milk caps or anything else you have lying around.
4. Break out the electronics!
Let’s face it, we are smack in the middle of the digital age. Sometimes it scares me how much our phones, tablets and computers can do…but they are SO GOOD for learning! Especially since we all seem to be getting busier and we take our devices everywhere! Spend an evening on your device looking at the app store and searching the skill you want to review with your child, chances are you will find something fun. I could do a whole blog post just about fun learning apps! There are tons of blog posts already floating around out there about learning apps that you can explore.
One of my favorite ipad games is Sushi Monster. You can use it for multiplication or addition. A monster sits in front of a sushi conveyor belt with a number around his neck, the point of the game is to pick numbers off the table in front of him that add or multiply to that number. The game is bright colored and super fun! Even though the game is focused on fact fluency and remembering facts, it still promotes deeper thinking because there are multiple ways to get the answer.
So there you have it! Obviously there is a time and a place for flash cards or other rote memorization techniques, and every child learns differently. I am not claiming that these activities are an end to flash cards..I’m just saying they are fun, engaging and more thought provoking ways to approach math practice. No matter what you are doing make sure your student is understanding the math that they are doing and that they are thinking deeply about it.
Try something new out this week in place of flash cards and comment with your experience. What activities do you like to do with your student to practice math or another subject? | 2019-04-21T23:09:04Z | https://zoietutor.wordpress.com/ | Porn | Business | 0.55287 |
cnn | The "Blue House," a Chinese tenement building from the 1920s, is at the heart of a cluster of historic buildings that paint a picture of old Hong Kong.
Home to the Hong Kong House of Stories, an eclectic museum and community center that offers tours of historic sites in the area, the building provides an important glimpse into the neighborhood's rich history.
A block away, 50-story highrises loom and preservationists worry about the impact of gentrification on the neighborhood's character.
"We want local people to tell local stories," says Maria Kwok, a volunteer tour guide who has lived in Wan Chai for almost three decades.
"If you come back in a few years, this neighborhood may have completely changed."
The Blue House itself, which packed working class families into tiny rooms after it was built in the 1920s, is the first stop on the heritage tour.
Tenement houses like these were once common in the neighborhood and the city.
Now, along with two other tenements next door, the Blue House is one of the few remaining.
MORE: Stop killing Hong Kong's wonton noodle restaurants!
In the surrounding blocks, other old buildings, like a tiny 1847 temple and a prim 1915 post office, are slipped between apartment towers.
Of note is Pak Tai Temple, a Taoist temple built in 1863 and an oasis of incense-scented calm.
The House of Stories also offers a nighttime "haunted tour" that shares "spooky tales" of the neighborhood's most eerie sites.
One Square Meter takes a look at how an old industrial neighborhood in Hong Kong is finding new life.
The Japanese bombing and occupation of Hong Kong during World War II fuel stories of ghosts in Wan Chai.
"People come for the fun but they also learn about the history," Kwok says.
CNN's Kristie Lu Stout discusses whether Hong Kong is really in decline.
The two or two-and-a-half-hour tours, all led by community locals, cost HK$60 ($7.75) per person, with private group tours for a minimum of HK$600 ($77).
Visitors should schedule tours in advance over phone or email (see below).
Nonprofit and school groups receive reduced rates.
The House of Stories also organizes concerts, movie nights and art workshops on Thursday nights.
People regularly wander into its welcoming, living room-esque space, which is full of old knickknacks and historic books donated by neighbors who've moved out.
Upstairs, the Blue House is in the middle of a government-supported renovation to preserve its architecture and improve living conditions for residents, some of whom lack air conditioning and even toilets in their century-old flats.
While there are other historic renovation projects underway around the city, the Blue House effort is unique in that original residents will stay in their homes, says Mirana Szeto, a Hong Kong University professor who consulted on the project.
"We're not preserving an old house and its original culture, we're preserving a living community," Szeto says.
Renovation plans were drawn up in consultation with locals.
After construction is complete in 2017, the House of Stories will be joined by two new restaurants in the Blue House.
Until then, there are plenty of good dining options in the surrounding blocks.
CNN's Kristie Lu Stout tours the June 4 Memorial Museum, the worlds first dedicated museum to the Tiananmen crackdown.
Standing out is a key part of the Hong Kong Sevens. CNN's Christina Macfarlane meets rugby fans hunting for the perfect costume.
Tai Lung Fung, a bar that opened three years ago in a former car repair shop across the street from the Blue House, has a long list of cocktails and excellent shrimp paste chicken wings (HK$55/$7).
Its neon-lit vibe is straight out of '70s Hong Kong TV dramas, and its walls are adorned with classic movie posters.
"Old things are being destroyed," says Sam Leung, the bar's owner. "I wanted to protect and keep the memory."
Some complain that new bars and higher rents are threatening mom-and-pop noodle joints and tea shops, where locals enjoy cold milk tea (dong nai cha).
"The whole area is changing. It doesn't match with the local residents," Kwok says. "For us locals, they're making things more expensive."
A cheap option is an evening of snacks and beers on the sidewalk in front of the Blue House, a nighttime hangout for the community.
The rattle of games of mahjong regularly mix with laughter echoing down the street.
Leung Ping Wa, who has lived in the Blue House and its adjoining tenements for 18 years, says he has seen big changes in the area: lots of new faces and new highrise buildings.
But the changes he notices are also cultural.
"In the past, more people used to come out and eat and talk to each other like this," he says. "Now, most people go home and close their doors." | 2019-04-21T14:39:08Z | http://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/historic-wan-chai/index.html | Porn | Recreation | 0.090725 |
wordpress | Shameless Plug : The Drive – New Release!
Brian Hadley began to recognize that he was losing everything he had been working his whole life to build. He realized he needed to reconnect with his family before it was too late. In hopes of salvaging what is left of their slowly dissolving and parting relationships, he designed what he thought to be the perfect family get away; a road trip to a remote mountain Lodge merely a few hundred miles drive away from their home.
Along the way Brian, his wife Kathy and their three children discover much more than a rekindling of their family bonds with each other as they attempt to escape the deadly and treacherous landscape surrounding them.
Their holiday away to discover each other rapidly becomes a struggle for their very survival when they are suddenly thrust into a wild and unpredictable land filled with unnatural and deadly threats at every turn. A place shrouded in dense unforgiving fog and seemingly determined to destroy them as they endure one torment after another.
The question is no longer will they regain what they have lost from each other, but rather how will they survive, the drive.
Today was going to be packed to the gills with things that all need to be accomplished by yesterday, which in my world means I will probably be consuming massive amounts of caffeine to keep up with the schedule of work I have planned on completing during the next 24 hours. So I head downstairs to refill my coffee cup for the second time already this morning.
First thing I see as I walk through the living room is the tv playing yet another Christmas cartoon, which is entertaining the furniture, and my four year old grandson who is spending the day with me today is nowhere in sight.
If you have ever been in a situation where you are responsible to care for a four year old, you know all too well that the sudden disappearance of this young inquisitive person is a potential ingredient for big trouble or worse, a big mess.
After a brief game of hide-and-seek with myself looking for him, I find him upstairs in the office that I had just left to fill my cup only moments before. I have absolutely no idea how he could have passed me without my knowledge, I can only assume that some small children possess the ability to materialize at random throughout the house.
He is randomly pushing buttons on the computer printer. I immediately put down my cup and ask him what he’s doing. He replies that he’s busy ‘working’ at something very important and that I should be quiet for just a minute so he can think.
I watch him for a few seconds, as he carefully chooses and debates with himself which of the blinking buttons will help him accomplish his task, and then he turns to me in frustration and asks if I can help.
‘Gladly’, I tell him but I need to know what it is that he’s trying to do. He tells me that he is trying to print some more paper. The paper tray is empty. I have to stop and marvel at the infinite wisdom of this four-year-olds logic, that the printer ‘prints’ his art paper. Of course it does!
He begins explaining that he needs to make a “keep out” sign to put on the playroom door for our dog Tyler. Apparently Tyler has formed an attachment to one of the play toys and he doesn’t want him to chew on it. I tried to explain that Tyler doesn’t know how to read, but he informs me very matter-of-factly that I need to teach him how to read so he can read the sign, stay out of the playroom and stop chewing on the toys.
Yep, more impeccable logic that’s impossible to refute. No problem.
Due to the attention needs of the younger person in the house today, my plans to get a massive mound of work done today have been shot to ‘shine-ola’. I have no idea what that means exactly, but my mother used to use that phrase a lot when I was a child, so now I use it. Yes, I was a vacuum myself once.
So, today has been turned from a very productive ‘work’ day into a necessary play-date with this adorable little boy. After all four year old boys are only four years old for 365 days in their entire lives, then suddenly they’re all grown up and don’t have time for play-dates with their Nana’s any longer.
With his help, I am going to try to teach Tyler how to read the keepout sign that’s being designed while I’m writing this and hopefully my boy will teach me how to silently materialize clear across the house. Maybe we’ll bake some Christmas cookies and play a game of Candyland while we’re at it. | 2019-04-19T12:17:58Z | https://sjeanfoley.wordpress.com/tag/ipad/ | Porn | Kids | 0.650471 |
wordpress | You’d think that if I were hosting the next edition of the festival myself, I would remember to post about it here. But you’d be wrong. Well, I hope you’ve been blogging about trees this month in any case, without any prompting from us.
So yeah, The November 1 edition will be at Via Negativa, which reaches a fairly large and very diverse audience. I’d like submissions by October 29 if possible, but if you can’t get your links to me until the 31st, I’ll still probably be able to shoehorn them in. Please send by email — bontasaurus [at] yahoo [dot] com, with “FOTT” or “Festival of the Trees” in the subject line; through the Contact form at Via Negativa; or simply through the trusty blog carnival submission form. Thanks. I look forward to hearing from you.
Posted on October 19, 2008, in Announcements. Bookmark the permalink. 1 Comment. | 2019-04-23T10:51:53Z | https://festivalofthetrees.wordpress.com/2008/10/19/belated-call-for-submissions-festival-29/ | Porn | News | 0.543489 |
wordpress | I think Microsoft made a mistake by having hibernation enabled by default on Windows Server 2008 and above. Hibernation is an amazing feature on laptops, even on workstations sometimes. However I have never seen hibernation used on a server.
What bothers me about hibernation being enabled is that it creates a hibernation file that is the same size as your memory. It does this because the hibernation process writes the contents of the memory to disk so that the machine can be powered off.
Where appropriate I use a group policy object to run this command on login for my servers or at the very least disable hibernation on VM templates in my environments.
← Does Cloud Computing Mean You Are Out of Work? | 2019-04-23T01:09:10Z | https://loudsteve.wordpress.com/2010/01/13/hibernation-enabled-in-windows-server-2008/ | Porn | Computers | 0.661795 |
google | 2002-03-12 Assigned to HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY reassignment HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: YU, ALLEN K.
A method and system for electronic ticket recognition and acceptance. The method includes the step of facilitating a purchase of an electronic ticket from a networked ticketing computer. Another step is downloading the electronic ticket to a portable computing device having a data output. An additional step is enabling activation of the electronic ticket to communicate the electronic ticket via the data output. This allows the displayed electronic ticket is optically communicated to a ticket receiving unit.
FIG. 1 illustrates a portable computing device 10 that displays a barcode 12 for a ticket 14. The major advantage of using a barcode displayed on the screen 16 of the computing device is that the ticket does not have to be printed. Specifically, the user does not need to have access to a printer with paper output. Those skilled in the art of ticket technology have previously been locked in the mindset that the ticket must be printed out onto paper before it can be used.
FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the invention that uses a wireless portable computing device 20 to purchase an electronic ticket from a ticketing server 30. This way the person who desires the ticket can purchase the ticket immediately before the event through an Internet or wireless connection 25. As described, the purchaser does not need to print out the ticket as is required by the prior art, they can just display the barcode on the screen 40 of their portable computing device to enter the ticketed event. An optical scanner 50 can scan the bar code or symbol on the screen using laser light or another wavelength type 70. The scanned code can then be identified by the ticket receiving and scanning device 60.
Another embodiment of the invention enables the system to communicate with an infrared (IR) link. This is illustrated by the IR communications link 18 in FIG. 1. An IR link is also illustrated by the optical link 50 in FIG. 2, which shows how the communication can take place 70. In addition to using the visible and nonvisible light spectrum, it should be realized that this system could also communicate with electromagnetic types of communication such as low power radio frequency.
In one embodiment, the invention is a method for electronic ticket recognition and acceptance as illustrated in FIG. 3. The method includes the step of facilitating a purchase of an electronic ticket from a networked ticketing computer 82. Another step is downloading the electronic ticket to a portable computing device having a data output 84. A following step is enabling activation of the electronic ticket to communicate the electronic ticket via the data output 86. The previous step allows the electronic ticket to be optically communicated to a ticket receiving unit 88. The optical communication can take place using a visual symbol such as a bar code.
An example of the benefit of an enhanced e-ticket event map will now be discussed as illustrated in FIG. 4. Suppose a ticket holder is lost in a stadium and is unsure of how to get to his seat. The ticket holder can use their portable computing device 100 to communicate with one of the many information ports 110 conveniently located throughout the stadium. Accordingly, the ticket holder receives a customized map from an information server 120 via an infrared transmission 130 from the information port. The customized map shows him how to get from his location to the seat specified by the ticket.
In another embodiment, the invention is a method for using the electronic ticket to provide amenities such as discounts and maps at an event. One step is facilitating purchasing of an electronic ticket from a networked ticketing computer 130. Another step is enabling downloading of the electronic ticket to a portable computing device having a display output 132. A following step is accepting the electronic ticket by optical communication with a ticket receiving unit 134. Yet another step is providing entry to the event or amenities to a ticket user based on the accepted ticket 136.
enabling activation of the electronic ticket to communicate the electronic ticket via the data output, wherein the electronic ticket is optically communicated to a ticket receiving unit.
2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of using a video display output as a data output.
3. A method as in claim 2, further comprising the step of displaying the electronic ticket on the video display output in the visual form of a bar code that is optically scannable by a ticket receiving unit.
4. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of downloading the electronic ticket to the portable computing device using a wireless communication link.
5. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of downloading the electronic ticket to the portable computing device using a wireless modem.
6. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of purchasing the electronic ticket from the networked ticket computer via the Internet.
7. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of optically communicating the electronic ticket to the ticket receiving unit using an infrared communication link.
8. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of applying security features to the electronic ticket in order to avoid ticket counterfeiting.
providing entry to the ticketed event after the electronic ticket has been accepted.
10. A method as in claim 9, wherein the accepting step further comprises the step of activating the electronic ticket by displaying the electronic ticket on the visual display output.
11. A method as in claim 9, wherein the activating step further comprises the step of activating the electronic ticket via a visual symbol.
12. A method as in claim 9, further comprising the step of displaying the electronic ticket on the display output with a bar code that is optically scannable by a ticket receiving unit.
providing amenities to a ticket user based on the accepted ticket.
14. A method as in claim 13 wherein the step of providing amenities further comprises the step of providing a discount for concession items available at the ticketed event via a ticket receiving unit.
15. A method as in claim 13 wherein the step of providing amenities further comprises the step of providing an event map via remote communication wherein the electronic ticket allows the event map to be downloaded and activated.
16. A method as in claim 13 wherein the step of providing amenities further comprises the step of providing directions to a person's seat at the ticketed event using the electronic ticket.
17. A method as in claim 13 wherein the step of providing amenities further comprises the step of providing directions to a person's seat at the ticketed event based on a location of a ticket receiving unit where the person entered the ticketed event.
18. A method as in claim 13 wherein the step of providing amenities further comprises the step of providing an electronic event program via remote communication, wherein the electronic ticket allows the electronic event program to be downloaded and viewed.
19. A method as in claim 13 wherein the step of providing amenities further comprises the step of providing a map that is customizable based on the electronic ticket. | 2019-04-22T13:12:31Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/US20030066883A1/en | Porn | Reference | 0.167731 |
wordpress | Yesterday’s post with Sean’s graphs has been updated, to show a thaw index closer to last year’s actual result instead of last year’s forecast. Also the graphs have titles now. You may need to hit refresh to see the changes.
Now six pictures from around 10:00 this morning.
I’ll start with the Winnipeg River, because we were arriving from the north. This is looking west at the Big Straight, with Minaki at the right hand edge of the picture. Although the river has quite a lot of open water, the lakes are a different story.
You can click on any of these pictures to see them full-screen, and click on that larger image to zoom to the full resolution.
A little closer to town, around Dufresne Island, facing south west. Downtown Kenora is at the left, Keewatin is above the centre of the frame, with Darlington Bay extending to the right.
Here’s a nice shot of the whole Kenora harbourfront. Kenora Bay and the LOW hospital campus are at the lower left. Keewatin is at the right. If you drive over the Keewatin Bridge, you see a lot of open water, but there’s ice out by Yacht Club Island. Coney Island is still surrounded by ice and Rat Portage Bay is pretty solid.
This next picture shows the condition of the lake as a whole: white ice as far as the eye can see. Zoom in to look at the open water in The Tangle. Left of centre, you can see the ice does look a little discoloured out between Town Island and Scotty Island now.
Lastly, a look at Pine Portage Bay, Long Point and Longbow Lake. Sorry, but there’s no sign of any melting in this area.
I talked to someone that went ice fishing in the Storm Bay last weekend. They said there was still three feet of solid ice, with only an inch or two of softer refrozen slush on top.
This is why I’ve been pointing my camera at the river and harbourfront; there’s not much going on anywhere else. When I get a chance, I’ll try to swing by Sioux Narrows and the Barrier Islands because satellite imagery suggests there’s some water showing there, but that’s a fairly significant detour, so I’m saving that for when there’s more to see.
Satellite images were good today, especially the ones from Terra. Links updated.
On Friday we came home during a spell of poor weather, and although we caught glimpses of the lake between the clouds and flurries, trying to take photographs would have been pointless.
But today the weather cleared right up in time for the Aqua and Terra satellites to get fairly good pictures.
The large red ellipse at the top includes not only the southern portions of the Winnipeg River, but also, at the bottom of the ring, a recently enlarged area of water around Channel Island or perhaps The Tangle.
The middle ring is Big Narrows, and it looks like there may have been some expansion of the open water there.
The ring at the bottom shows water pushing into Lake of the Woods from the mouth of the Rainy River. That’s new. It first showed up a few days ago.
Here’s a photograph from a week ago, for comparison.
There’s more good news. We might finally have reached the point where we spend more time above freezing than below. The next few days look promising, with forecast highs of 5º to 8ºC and overnight lows of 0º to -3ºC.
For almost a month now, weather forecasts have been saying warmer weather is just a week away. It still says that, and to be clear, they’re not talking about above normal temperatures. But it looks as if we might see a gradual improvement towards seasonal norms. That would be daytime highs of 10ºC, and overnight lows of about -1ºC. Let’s hope it doesn’t slip away this time.
The weather here in Kenora was good enough to go flying yesterday, but weather in the places we wanted to go was bad, with fog and freezing drizzle. Even if we had taken off, the cloud was too low for taking photographs.
Today we woke up to cold weather and little snow flurries. As I write this, in the late afternoon, the temperature has not risen above -4ºC. Worse, although we will see thawing daytime temperatures in the coming days, overnight lows are expected to remain cold for the rest of the week.
I heard from my friend Sean, who graphs the mean daily temperatures with an eye to making informed predictions, and he’s not sure we’ve reached the inflection point yet. That’s the date when our mean daily temperature rises above freezing on a lasting basis. It was looking like we might have managed this a few days ago, but if we have a run of cold days, the lasting part won’t hold up and we’ll have to wait a little longer.
Now, on to some fresh pictures. These are not in the order I took them, but we can start with the Norman to Keewatin waterfront. This is looking south over the lake, with Keewatin’s iconic bridge at the right in the middle distance. Remember, you can click on any of these images to see them full-screen, and click on that larger picture to see them at maximum resolution. What you might want to zoom in on here is the water beyond the bridge, where the weekend rain has weakened the ice between Safety Bay and Keewatin Channel.
The water in the foreground is Palmerston Channel, I believe. Darlington bay is almost hidden because the clouds kept us rather low today, obliging us to take pictures at a low angle.
Let’s look at the Winnipeg River next. This picture is centred on Laurenson’s Island, and looks roughly west with Locke Bay stretching away off to the left. There’s lots of open water in the main channel, but last nights sprinkling of snow has covered the ice in the quieter bays, making it hard to assess the quality of ice there.
Further north, this is what things look like at the Little Dalles. This picture looks north. Way off on the horizon, you can see Big Sand lake.
To finish, a couple of shots from further south on the lake. First, the Barrier Islands. A snow flurry blurred this picture, but this is the state of the open water around The Elbow. We’re facing west. Allie Island is on the left of centre*, Mather Island to the right. Bald Island is at the bottom left, and part of Queer Island is at the lower right corner. Most of the dark patches here are just cloud shadows, but the two bluer ones are water.
*I’ve set my spell-checker to Canadian English.
This last picture is of Whitefish Narrows. Yellow Girl Bay dominates the foreground, Long Bay spans the middle, and beyond that you can see a little water at Whitefish Narrows slightly to the right of centre. Again, a layer of fresh snow makes it hard to judge the ice.
As for the fourteen day forecast, it looks as if we have at least another few days of disappointing temperatures. A normal high this time of year is about 9ºC (and rising steadily), but I see nothing warmer than 7ºC coming our way in the next two weeks. Overnight lows could run at or slightly above normal, but the daytime highs don’t look encouraging.
I’m not scheduled to fly tomorrow, so I might take a look at my archived pictures from previous years to see how this spring compares to better and worse thaws.
I got home slightly earlier today. With the sun low in the western sky, I still couldn’t get good pictures of the Winnipeg River, but I can summarize what I saw: near Minaki, there are patches of open water, while the Big Straight is still frozen where it is wide with a more sluggish current. From the Dalles through to the headwaters on Lake of the Woods, there’s a lot of open water where the current is strong in the main channel. Quieter bays are still frozen.
And now, on to what I could get clear pictures of.
Looking south west over Kenora with the headwaters of the Winnipeg River in the foreground. Downtown Kenora and Kenora Bay are at the left of the picture, and Safety Bay is near the center of the frame. The bad news: recent snow flurries have restored a beautiful white layer of reflective snow on the ice. The better news: open water on Keewatin Channel is expanding towards Safety Bay.
Here’s a slightly closer look at the Keewatin Channel and Devil’s Gap areas.
In this picture, Kenora’s downtown Whitecap Pavilion is at the bottom of the photo, peeking above the dashboard. The east end of Coney Island is in the middle of the picture, and Keewatin Channel is visible in the distance at the upper right. Zoom in there to see the area where the current is expanding the channel waters towards those at the Keewatin Bridge. There’s little progress at Devil’s Gap.
Remember, you can click on these pictures to see them full-screen, and if you then click on that larger picture, it should zoom to a much higher resolution.
Yesterday, I couldn’t see Pine Portage Bay or Longbow Lake because a big snow flurry obscured them. Here’s a picture of how they look following that snowfall.
I’m afraid it looks more like January than April. This fresh snow cover is not working in our favour, which brings me to the topic of the forecast.
For some weeks now, the forecast has been along the lines of: “we just have a few more cold days, and then things are going to warm up.” And then the warming trend seems to get postponed for a few more days. My mother used to say, “Jam tomorrow, and jam yesterday, but never jam today.” This was a (Welsh?) folk saying that means that although you’ve had it before, and will one day have it again, the hope of having a luxury now are likely to be disappointed. I am reminded of this because the abnormally warm weather I eagerly anticipated for this spring seems to keep receding.
Don’t be too discouraged. One thing that makes the fourteen day forecast at the Weather Network look as if it’s being revised downward is that normal temperatures go up in the spring. So although we don’t see temperatures rocketing above normal, it is getting slowly warmer. Spring is coming, even if it’s not arriving with a bang. A few days ago, they were showing a seasonal average range as a daytime high of 4ºC, with an overnight low of -6ºC. In other words, it’s pretty typical to have daily mean temperatures of just about freezing at the end of March. Now that we’re into April, they show a normal high as being 6ºC and the low at -4ºC, representing a subtle shift to more of the day being above freezing.
However, a sudden switch to unusually warm weather has not happened, and I don’t see it coming in the latest round of fourteen and sixteen day forecasts.
What we might get is rain tomorrow and a warm weekend. That would help.
I came home early today because of heavy snow up north. That allowed me to take a few pictures at 10:30 this morning.
This is the area just north of the Kenora Bypass, looking south west over Norman and Keewatin.
In the middle distance, you can trace the Kenora Bypass as it crosses Dufresne Island. Close to the nose of the plane is Sweeney Channel, and on the far side of Dufresne is Palmerston Channel. Lots of open water here, and I wish my flight path had taken me closer to Minaki for a better look at more of the Winnipeg River.
I took this picture to show how things are going on Safety Bay, but the photograph is centred on Tunnel Island. If you’re a regular on the hiking trails there, as I am, you’ll be able to spot the railway bridge, the pond on the Sandy Nook trail, the Norman Dam, and other landmarks. If you like to hike a little, I recommend these trails, but they are in rough condition right now, due to deep snow and ice. Maybe hold off until the ticks are out. Ahem. Anyway, There’s not much change along the harbourfront.
This last shot is really just a closer look at the same thing, but it shows Devil’s Gap and Keewatin Channel a bit better, if you zoom in.
We’ve come to the end of March, and so far there’s been no sign of the warm spring that was in the long-term seasonal outlook. Temperatures this month stayed mostly at or below normal, with only one or two nicer days. A normal high this time of year is around 4ºC, and a typical overnight low would be about -6ºC. The two-week forecast doesn’t show us getting that warm for another week.
That means we won’t reach the inflection point, when we start spending more time above freezing than below, (more precisely, when the daily mean temperature is above freezing) until the weekend of April 6th and 7th. That’s about two weeks later than I expected. After that, we might see some slightly warmer than normal temperatures. Nothing in the double digits, though.
In the meantime, it’s snowing as I write this. The bad weather I encountered up north this morning has reached Kenora. While the forecast called for light snow tapering off to flurries this afternoon, I see that the aviation weather is reporting the visibility as 3/4 of a mile, which is officially considered moderate snow, not light. In more casual terms, I’d say it’s coming down pretty hard.
Sad to say, that’s going to restore a lot of our ice cover to a nice bright, reflective white layer. Not helping.
Tomorrow is Satellite Saturday on Lake of the Woods Ice Patrol. I doubt we’ll have a satellite shot from today—it’s too cloudy—but we can look back over the week and see what changed. I’ll also use the archives to compare this spring to some recent years, to show how things seem to be shaping up.
If you’re a regular here, you know that I take my pictures where the ice is melting. There’s no point taking pictures far out on the lake, it’s all unbroken ice at present. Where the water is opening up right now is the Winnipeg River and it’s headwaters near downtown Kenora.
So let’s take a little cruise from Minaki to Kenora.
Remember, you can click on any of these pictures to see them full-screen, and click on that larger version to zoom them to full resolution.
This first picture shows the south end of Sand Lake, with Minaki above and left of center. The lake behind it that looks like a fried egg is Gun Lake. Anyway, there’s some slush visible, but not much in the way of water.
Next up, the Big Straight.
Mostly slushy conditions in the Big Straight, a few modest patches of water.
The Dalles is always early to open up. Like Safety Bay in Kenora, it has a strong current. These two sites are where water bomber pilots come to do their spring training.
Still looking south as we approach Dufresne Island.
Then the area around the Kenora Bypass.
Quite a lot of open water in this area.
Keewatin’s iconic bridge and the water reaching out from Safety Bay towards the Yacht Club. It’s not hooked up to the water in Keewatin Channel yet, but that will be a milestone in the next week or so.
A quick shot out the side window (looking west) to take in Darlington Bay.
That big building near the bottom of the picture is the Keewatin Rec Center.
A closer look at the Keewatin Channel.
Not much change to the amount of open water, but I think the slush zone has expanded.
This looks east over Golf Course Bay. You can see the Kenora airport at the upper left corner because we’re lining up to land. I took this one to show that open water is expanding south (upcurrent) from Devil’s Gap past Treaty Point.
I’ve updated the satellite picture links. On today’s False Colour image from the Aqua satellite, you can see some stretches of open water on the Winnipeg River. It shows as black against the bright blue ice, and it corresponds well to what I saw from the plane today. There are patches of water as far north as Whitedog.
My next flight should be on Wednesday, a day that’s forecast (for now, anyway) to be warm with a chance of showers. Rain showers don’t make for good photography, but they’re great for removing snow cover. We’ll see.
John Sweeney and Andy Zabloski flew today and returned from the north in the afternoon, so they helped me out with some pictures of the Minaki area.
Big Sand Lake, north of Minaki. Wind has driven the last of the ice to the shore.
You can click on any of these pictures to see a high-resolution, zoomable version.
The south end of Big Sand Lake and all of Sand Lake, with Minaki visible near the left side.
Sand Lake, with Minaki closer to the center of the picture. That white streak near the horizon is ice on Shoal Lake.
Winnipeg River, with Kenora in the distance, above the center of the photograph. The narrow lake near the top left corner is Lower Black Sturgeon, and the white patch at the top right corner is ice on the south part of Lake of the Woods.
In other news, the footbridge to Coney Island came out this morning. That’s scheduled when the waterway from downtown Kenora is otherwise open all the way to Devil’s Gap.
A quick glance at the start of my own flight at twilight revealed that there are some boats in the water at Northern Harbour. We didn’t look at more distant parts of the lake, because there wasn’t enough light to distinguish ice from water.
Satellite images from the last two days have not been good. I’d like to see what’s going on with ice on the southern parts of Lake of the Woods, but cameras on both Aqua and Terra satellites have been thwarted by cloud cover. Some parts of the lake can be glimpsed through gaps in the cloud, and do show the ice darkening, but we haven’t had a really clear image since May 7th.
Tomorrow I’m scheduled for a training flight, so I hope to get a better look around. | 2019-04-26T11:45:12Z | https://icepatrol.wordpress.com/tag/winnipeg-river/ | Porn | Home | 0.19012 |
wikipedia | The UH-1 Iroquois (although known mainly as the Huey) was a helicopter made by Bell Helicopters. It first flew in 1956 and was introduced in 1959. It was known for being in the Vietnam War. It could be used for transporting soldiers, cargo, support, helping lost soldiers or pilots, or attacking enemies. One version, the UH-1V was made just for helping hurt people getting to hospitals. Some Hueys were given to civilians to for business travel, forest fire fighters, and police stations.. Now, the UH-60 Black Hawk is mainly used, but the Huey is still in service with countries.
↑ "UH-1V Iroquois (Huey)". www.globalsecurity.org. | 2019-04-24T20:06:36Z | https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_UH-1_Iroquois | Porn | Business | 0.846605 |
yahoo | A new study from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development found that Americans spend an average of 1,200 dollars on prescription drugs per a year. Blink Health CEO talks to Yahoo Finance's YFi AM his plans to lower prescription pricing for patients at more than 35,000 pharmacies across the United States.
Crude oil jumped almost 3% on Monday after the United States said it will take more steps to choke off Iranian oil exports, while U.S. equities were little changed as Wall Street braced for corporate results in a busy earnings week. The United States said it will eliminate all waivers that allowed eight countries to buy Iranian oil without facing U.S. sanctions, demanding that the purchases of Iranian oil stop by May 1. The announcement sent oil prices to 2019 highs.Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose as much as 3.5% a barrel and settled at $74.04 a barrel, up $2.07.
Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and at least for a while was using Microsoft's Azure platform. Apple is willing to use cloud infrastructures owned by rivals in spite of the fact that it spends massive sums on its own data center infrastructure.
Writing in Forbes, Banker said Uber vastly overstates the addressable market for Uber Freight, positions the unit as offering a unique digital-brokerage model when others are already doing it, and its "freight gross bookings," or freight under management, is dwarfed by at least four rivals. | 2019-04-22T20:14:54Z | https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/AMZN?p=AMZN | Porn | Business | 0.985257 |
livejournal | So... we went to look at shops again, so... I might get this one instead. It depends; we're still going to check out a couple other places... but if this is the one, here's the link: hopefully clicking here will show the desk.
No good on the link, dear.
Hopefully this desk this works out.
Are you sure that you typed the number right?
yup! If you go to www.officemax.com and type the number 20615041 in the search box, it should bring up the Madison Tower. That's the one my mom, sister, and I like so far. | 2019-04-19T12:34:25Z | https://jadeites-lady.livejournal.com/61431.html | Porn | Shopping | 0.980235 |
wordpress | Tower Hill is an extinct volcano. It last erupted about 20,000 years ago. From then until white people came to this country aboriginal people of the Peek Warrong tribe lived here peacefully. They called the place Tarerer. When we visit there we drive through the gateway down the hill. At the bottom of the hill is a beautiful lake in the crater of the volcano. There are swans on the lake and sometimes great egrets and herons. In the wetlands near the lake are many kangaroos, black wallabies and emus. And sometimes you might see an echidna or an echidna baby called a puggle in the grass.
The road wanders through the bush with the steep hill on one side. A track with steps goes up the hill if you feel fit enough to climb to the top. The speed limit on the one way road is 30ks an hour. Soon we reach the car park with grass all around. There is an interesting round building with information boards inside and aboriginal art and craft for sale. Outside are barbeques where emus keep an eye on food they would like to share. Here an emu races Frank to the barbeque. Koalas sit sleepily in the trees. It is not always easy to spot them when they are up high in a tree.
At night they might be seen scampering around.
In summer the bush looks rather dry, some of the lake dries out so there are more wetlands for the emus and kangaroos. In the other seasons the lakes are full for the water birds to enjoy. In winter and spring the bush is very green and golden wattles are a cheerful sight. In spring and summer the kangaroo apple trees have pretty purple flowers and then yellow berries that turn bright orange when the emus eat them and sometimes people too. There are also bush tomatoes growing at Tower Hill. Sometimes an aborigine will take people on a tour to show them bush tucker and explain how it is used.
On the way out of Tower Hill there is a long board walk through the wetlands where tiny skinks dart in the sunlight and very occasionally a copperhead snake might be seen when we must stand quite still until it slithers back into the wetlands. At the end of the boardwalk is a track through Fairy Island that winds back to where we started passing a bird hide where birds can be watched without disturbing them.
Back on the road we drive uphill to the exit.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged aborigines, adapted for children, bush tucker, Journey into a volcano, nature, the seasons, wildlife. Bookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-19T16:35:52Z | https://seasidemeanderings.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/journey-into-a-volcano-tower-hil-adapted-for-children/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.743302 |
wordpress | Melissa and I are both obsessed with pumpkin for the Holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). We did not have much time to bake so we unfortunately could not make my favorite, pumpkin pie, but what we did make came close second. We made pumpkin muffins and pumpkin pancake muffins. I went to Kroger and bought a box of bread mix, a can of pumpkin puree, cupcake paper, and flour and it cost me $5. So if you are looking for something easy, cheap, and tasty this is the way to go.
*Don’t forget to preheat your oven to the temperature it calls for on the box.
We first started with the easy recipe, the muffins. The box I got was for bread, but there was a recipe right below for muffins so we followed the directions on the box.
After they were done baking we wanted to add a tasty frosting to give them something extra. We googled a simple recipe to make the frosting. I seem to find that homemade frosting doesn’t taste good, but this was surprisingly good and it wasn’t runny which I find to be a problem with some other recipes.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl but do not over whisk. Just until all the ingredients are smoothly combined.
After the muffins cooled we frosted them. We added some food coloring to make the frosting orange for Halloween.
We wanted to make pumpkin pancakes but without the mess. Melissa says she usually makes pancake muffins. We looked up a pumpkin pancake recipe and then to find out for how long we bake them we looked up a recipe for pancake muffins.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a bowl. Melissa and I couldn’t find a sifter so we combines the ingredients in a bowl whisked them to break up the flour and make it fluffy.
Whisk milk, pumpkin, egg, and oil together in a bowl. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture and stir until just moistened. The directions said the batter should be slightly lumpy, but our batter turned out very smooth.
This is the step where we stopped following the pancake recipe and followed the pancake muffin recipe. We added the pancake mix to the muffins cups. Leave enough room for the mix to rise when it is baking. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
When we initially tasted them we put syrup on them, but in the morning on the run they taste just as good without the syrup.
These are perfect for a holiday breakfast, or any day. They are easy and definitely delicious. Enjoy!
When we think of fall favorite recipes you normally think pumpkin pie, stuffing, cranberry sauce, turkey, green beans, cider mill donuts, apple cider, and one of my favorites apple pie. If you have ever made apple pie you know that finding the perfect recipe can sometimes be difficult. Well this year do not worry because we have found the perfect recipe for you AND it is Dutch apple pie, so it is even better than classic apple pie with the sugar crust on top baked until golden brown. Even with a graham cracker crust. This isn’t the normal crust for an apple pie, but if you try it this way you wont regret it.
First is the crust. Take the graham crackers and crush them until you get 1 1/2 cups. Melissa put them in a plastic bag and used Aidan’s toy hammer to crush them, but if you don’t have a toy hammer I find a wooden or plastic cooking spoon does the job as well. When those are all crushed and you have enough put them in a bowl and add the melted butter, ground cinnamon, and granulated sugar. Mix them together and when they are all mixed together put them in the pie pan. Press the crust on the bottom and the sides. Set aside for later.
Next is the apples. Cut, peel, and core 5 1/2 cups of cooking apples. Cut them into small to medium pieces. Put them in a mixing bowl and add the lemon juice, granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Mix with a mixing spoon and leave them in the bowl until you mix the topping together.
Last but not least is the topping. In a medium mixing bowl crumble the flour, sugar, brown sugar, and butter. Do not melt the butter or mix with a mixer. When the ingredients look like crumbs it is mixed well enough. After you finish the topping you can put the apples into the pie crust and add the topping evenly.
Bake for 50 minutes, the top should look golden brown.
Let the pie cool and then cut. You can eat just the pie or add ice cream for an extra sweet taste.
This is such an easy and delicious recipe that you can do it any time of the day and with the kids if you would like. Guaranteed to be a crowd please at any occasion, especially the holidays. | 2019-04-19T07:20:06Z | https://liveloveposh.wordpress.com/2015/11/ | Porn | Shopping | 0.926949 |
wordpress | Here’s the report on “Kent on-line” of sb Westmoreland’s return to Lower Halstow.
The report also gives details of how to donate towards her restoration.
Edith May reports that the Open Days at Halstow Dock over the weekend went well. They welcomed back some of their regulars to the tea room, and were pleased to meet plenty of new visitors.
David Horobin flew over the barge on Saturday and took this great aerial shot.
Of course the despicable people who stole from a barge wouldn’t know that one of the laptops contained such precious material, but any theft is distressing for the victims. We give below the message that Ed Gransden has posted, and urge everyone to spread the word. We are truly sorry to learn of the loss of these Edith May restoration photos.
The Thames Sailing Barge Westmoreland now has her own Facebook page. Please “like” it and show support for her restoration at Lower Halstow.
The last surviving Kent brick barge and famous racer, Westmoreland has lain derelict for 40 years. A Heritage Lottery Bid is now underway to save her.
Dave Brooks has started a thread on the Lower Halstow parish website, urging the Council to allow Westmoreland to return home.
The more comments we can generate, the more it will send a message to the Council. | 2019-04-22T21:59:35Z | https://sailingbarges.wordpress.com/tag/lower-halstow/ | Porn | News | 0.277233 |
wordpress | Welcome to my blog! This is a blog focusing on the basic tools and models from probability and statistics that are applicable in managment of financial risks. Problems and examples will be drawn from financial investments, various areas of actuarial science.
I was searching for some information about mixed distributions and came across to your blog. I went through your posts and those help me. But, my problem is a slightly I think so!Suppose that we have 5 random binary (0 and 1) X variables which are independently distributed. the probability of each variable is p1,p2,…,p5. Let Y denotes as the sum of those X variables then the problem is to find the expected value and variance of Y.
I was wondering if you help me. | 2019-04-19T11:18:10Z | https://mathmodelsblog.wordpress.com/about/ | Porn | Science | 0.640153 |
tripod | Hi and hello visitors. I created this site to better organize the videos that I have posted on my MySpace account. This site will be updated as often as I upload videos which usually happens on Mondays and Thursdays. | 2019-04-25T15:45:38Z | http://streetdreamer83.tripod.com/index.html | Porn | Reference | 0.263325 |
newgrounds | WHY DOES EVERYONE THINK THE DRAGON'S HARD!?!
It's the Spider Queen that's the hardest! Apart from that, good game. Loved it. Make a sequel- or else.
hard though. Lol @ "challenge mode" after you win; I don't think I could ever do that.
i just loved this game!! | 2019-04-23T18:25:20Z | https://www.newgrounds.com/reviews/portal/268661/2/date/8 | Porn | Games | 0.992364 |
wordpress | I was walking across campus–I leave for Alaska in 36 hours, and with advising, doctor’s appointments, and laundry to do, I know precisely where all my time must go–when I was approached by a woman handing out flyers for an event tonight.
“Have you heard about the Sexperiment?” she asked.
Except I had heard about it.
That’s the problem. It is obvious. We’ve been raised in a culture wherein elementary math education is spewed to the masses–but it’s all given in bits and bytes of data, none of which is strewn together with any understanding of the processes at work beneath them.
That’s why it took me so long to solve the problem–I kept getting stuck on claims of “This is obvious” and had to turn back to step one–to the rules that govern real numbers, the foundation upon which the world was built.
But figuring it out wasn’t the most amazing thing to happen today.
Ten teachings ago, we learned that wisdom will be enduring when our good deeds exceed said wisdom. Today we turn to a strikingly similar teaching–with drastically different results.
Endurance training is pretty basic. It simply involves proper pacing, commitment, and determination. Through continued exercise, stamina and endurance are increased accordingly. But how does one make wisdom enduring? Last time we spoke about reverence and how it roots our wisdom, and this time we’re going to continue the narrative.
After all, if we are enduring, we’re practically immortal.
I teased today’s teaching last week when I explained my recent absence from writing and today I bring it back, but before we get to it, I offer a question to consider: What is wisdom? Who is wise? And why would–or would not–wisdom last over time?
It may be beneficial to take a moment to think thoroughly of these things before reading onward, but if you’d rather rush ahead, that’s okay, too–just keep all these thoughts in mind for later.
It’s all so simple in theory: Take an idea and put it on paper. Or jazz it up a bit and put it into pixels. The computer screen has never been so well read. Yet in practice it’s much harder. These ideas don’t come to me as a collection of words–that transcription happens later. In fact, oftentimes, when ideas are their freshest, words only get in the way.
Have I ever told you I never wanted to be a writer?
In a moment I was called a bureaucrat and a dictator. I was told I’ve spent so much time up top I’ve forgotten how the people at the bottom still think. How they feel. How they live and die and prosper and are crushed, decimated, dessicated, turned to poison and ingested in the cannibalistic universe we live in. All these things in fewer words, but all these things nonetheless.
The truth is I haven’t forgotten. My hide has grown thicker. My skin has grown harder. My muscles, stronger; my bones, impassioned, have turned to steel. And my mind–that precious vestibule of unarticulated prowess–my mind has only sharpened in these days of misery as I live life. But I have not forgotten.
People don’t know me. Even when I see a man a hundred times a day, even when I share my deepest thoughts and my most hidden inclinations and my most obvious and embarrassing faults with him, he does not know me. Maybe I don’t speak as clearly as I think I speak. Or maybe, as is more probable, I’m simply deeper than I think I’m deep. | 2019-04-23T14:44:17Z | https://thewritingwolf.wordpress.com/tag/knowledge/ | Porn | Reference | 0.109608 |
wordpress | This award is given by one blogger to another and requires answering a series of 10 questions designated by the giver. They can be about anything, but most seem to focus on the craft of writing and blogging (big surprise). A more complete origin can be found here at WordingWell, plus sets of alternate rules.
Jazzfeathers was asked all kinds of things for her award. Her answers were very interesting. My favorite response was the one about her “favorite place,” where she has a lovely description of the sea at night. You can read her full post here.
No matter what I’m writing, the best part for me is the sensation I get when everything just “clicks” together in a piece and it just works.
Probably editing, which is odd because I enjoy editing other people’s work and I’m currently earning a certificate for it. It’s not that I think my work is perfect and doesn’t to be improved—far from it!—but I’m always afraid that I won’t be able to really fix my mistakes, or worse yet change it and somehow ruin it completely. I’m also not good at judging if it’s “better” or not after I’ve spent time revising a passage. That’s my problem with writing fiction, anyway. I don’t have that problem when editing essays and articles, however. Go figure.
Well, technically that’s something I already do (I work full time and write on the side, plus do the occasional illustration, book cover, or graphic design job). If I could have any other kind of job, though, I’ve always wanted to work in a museum in some capacity, ideally in exhibit design. Being a legitimate freelance graphic designer wouldn’t be a bad gig, either. It’d be nice to have that kind of art/writing/work balance in my life again.
4) Blogging is nearly as good as writing stories. Do you agree?
5) What do you like the most about the place where you live?
I like the fact that even though I live in the suburbs, there’s still a fair amount of nature around my house. There are lots of trees, we get deer in our yard a lot, and there’s an operational farm just a few blocks from my house with cows that I can go pet and draw. We’ve got some nice forest preserves nearby too, which I also enjoy—and we’ve got The Grove nearby too, which is pretty neat.
6) What do you like the least about the place where you live?
Probably the fact that I have to drive practically everywhere. It can be terribly inconvenient at times, never mind the cost of gas and the environmental damage from same.
7) Where else would you like to live?
8) Your book is extremely successful and you earn a lot of money. (If you’re not a writer, you can still win or otherwise earn a lot of money) What do you do with it?
Well, honestly I’d probably be a bit selfish and take care of expenses for myself and my family first, put some money aside for stuff like grad school, stuff like that. I’d also love to be able to devote myself to creating full time and not have a traditional job. Other than that, I’d love to give gifts to friends and family. The rest would be donated to various wildlife funds, particularly wolf conservation. I love wolves.
9) If you were a fantasy creature, what would you be?
10) What is one thing you would try to fit in to your daily routine to improve your quality of life?
I’d really like to start drawing again every day. I used to draw quite a lot, but in the past couple of years I do so rarely. I really miss making art consistently—plus my skills are getting rusty! Even if no one saw my art, I think it’d improve my quality of life tremendously to have that sort of creative outlet again.
Lately I’ve really been enjoying David Lawlor’s WordPress blog History With a Twist. His website is chock full of awesome stories about little oddities within history (fun stuff like Tirpitz, the POW pig of WWI, or the team of reindeer who helped beat the Nazis, or when that molasses factory exploded in Boston in 1919). He also writes about those he calls “bit players”: little-known historical figures who’ve left tiny weird threads in the great web of history. If you’re looking for a new history blog to read, or just enjoy well-written material, you should definitely check him out!
What’s your favorite historical period and why?
Which historical period do you find the least interesting, and why?
If you could choose to live through any historical period, which one would it be and why?
What historical period would you prefer to never step foot in, and why?
What’s your favorite historical subject to READ about, and why? If you write about history, what’s your favorite subject to write about and why?
They say those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. What historical mistakes do you see humanity repeating in the next 100 years?
Once you are nominated, make a post that thanks the person who nominated you and links back to their article.
Include the Liebster Award sticker in your post.
Nominate 7 to 10 other bloggers who you feel are worthy of this award. Let them know they have been nominated by commenting on one of their posts. You can also nominate the person who nominated you.
Answer the 10 questions asked to you by the person who nominated you.
Make 10 questions of your own for your nominees.
All of the nominees are free to accept or reject the nomination.
This entry was posted in blog award and tagged blogging award, Liebster award. Bookmark the permalink.
3 Responses to The Liebster Award!
Enjoyed your answers a lot. And hey, I didn’t imagine we have so many things in common! So you used to daw. And now you don’t as often as you woudl like., And you would like to go back drawign every day.
I love dragons too, even if I generally love werevolves more (I’m always been fascinated with the mixing of human and animal). | 2019-04-20T11:11:15Z | https://smileandgun.wordpress.com/2015/11/04/the-liebster-award/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.711609 |
rdrop | Next message: [Or_rainbow] Join Oregon Rainbow Spring Break at the Enchanted Forest!
Congratulations to the Grand Officers on a terrific initiation at Statewide and welcome to our new sisters.
Recently a letter regarding the Ritual Competition was posted on the Oregon Rainbow website. Please be sure to read it. Click the Grand Assembly tab, then on registration and scroll to the bottom to "Ritual cover letter". Mother Advisors and Grand Officers, it is especially important that you read this letter. Mother Advisors, you may want to print it out and read it at one of your meetings.
The entry forms for both the team and individual competitions can also be found on the website. The deadline to have your entries in to Cheryl Sumerlin is June 1st.
As always, if you have any questions concerning the Ritual Competition please contact me. | 2019-04-18T12:49:15Z | http://www.rdrop.com/pipermail/or_rainbow/2015-March/000163.html | Porn | News | 0.5612 |