text:
System and method for locating an object in an image using models
A method and image processing system are disclosed that extract feature information from an image using a model. An object in the image is first identified. The model is used at the front-end to quickly determine/define the approximate location/position of specific features of the object. Based in this modeling information, the location/position of the specific features are then determined. A feedback process may also be used to update/customize the model and improve performance.
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The present invention pertains generally to the field of image processing, and in particular, the invention relates to a system and method for determining information related to features of an object in a digital image using models.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Systems and methods are known that analyze digital images and recognize, for example, human faces. Determining the existence of a human face in an image or extracting facial feature information has been used for various applications such as in automated/surveillance systems, monitoring systems, human interfaces to computers, television and video signal analysis.
Conventional detection systems use methods such as color tone detection, template matching or edge detection approaches. There are, however, numerous shortcomings to these types of conventional systems. In general, they lack robustness, e.g., due to variations in human races, facial expression and lighting conditions.
More particularly, in systems using template matching, facial templates are first determined based upon average positions of facial features (i.e., eyes, nose and mouth) for a particular sex or race. A digital image is then matched to a template to identify sex or race. One shortcoming of this type of system is that expressions, e.g., a smile, may cause the wrong template to be used which leads to incorrect results. Another shortcoming of this method is that the exact positions of facial feature such as the eyes and nose are not actually determined. Facial color tone detection and template matching typically only determine whether a human face is present in an image.
Conventional edge detection approaches, however, are known to locate the position of eyes. Edge detection approaches are effective in this application because the eyes typically have high edge density values. However, eye glasses and facial hair such as a mustache may cause erroneous results. In addition, edge detection can not typically be used to determine the position of other facial feature such as a nose. Such edge detection approaches are also slow because a global search/operation must be preformed on the entire image.
This delay or slow processing degrades, for example, video/image communication applications over the Internet or Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN). In conventional video/image communication technology a picture (in a JPEG, MPEG or GIF format) is captured and then transmitted over a transmission network. This approach, however, requires a large bandwidth because of the size (i.e., the amount of data) of the information.
Methods have been used to improve video/image communication and/or to reduce the amount of information required to be transmitted. One method is called model-based coding. Low bit-rate communication can be achieved by encoding and transmitting only representative parameters of an object in an image. At the remote site, the object is synthesized using the transmitted parameters.
One of the most difficult problems in model-based coding is providing feature correspondence quickly, easily and robustly. In sequential frames, the same features must be matched correctly. Conventionally, a block-matching process is used to compare pixels in a current frame and a next frame to determine feature correspondence. If the entire frame is searched for feature correspondence, the process is slow and may yield incorrect results due to mismatching of regions having the same gradient values. If only a subset of the frame is searched, the processing time may be improved. However, in this situation, the process may fail to determine any feature correspondence.
There thus exists in the art a need for improved systems and methods for extraction of object features from images and feature correspondence matching in images.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention to provide a feature extraction system that uses front-end models to define regions of interest in an image so that positions of specific feature are determined quickly.
In another aspect of the present invention, an image processing device includes front-end modeling of an object in an image to improve accuracy and reduce processing time of feature determination, as well as reduce the amount of memory required to store information related to features of the object and overall image.
One embodiment of the invention relates to an image processing apparatus including an object detector arranged to determine whether an object is present in image data, at least one model of the object, and a feature extractor which identifies at least one feature of the object. The feature is identified in accordance with the model.
Another embodiments of the invention relate to a memory medium and method of determining positions of facial features in an image.
These and other embodiments and aspects of the present invention are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The features and advantages of the present invention can be understood by reference to the detailed description of the preferred embodiments set forth below taken with the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a feature extraction system in accordance with one aspect of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of an exemplary human face model.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary computer system capable of supporting the system of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the architecture of the computer system of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a process in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to FIG. 1, an image processing system 10 is shown. The system 10 includes at least one object determinator 11, a feature extraction unit 13 and a model 12. While two object determinators 11 are shown in FIG. 1, it should be understood that one unit may be used. The model 12 approximates an object to be located in an image. The object maybe anything that can be approximated by a model such as a human face or any other physical object or measurable phenomenon.
Image data comprising a left frame 14 and a right frame 15 is input into the system 10. This input data may be received, for example, from another system such as a video conferencing system, a security system, animation system or from a remote/local data source. The left and right frames (e.g., stereo) may be digital or analog. If the image data is analog than an analog-to-digital circuit can be used to convert the data to a digital format. Of course, non-stereo input data or only one input source may also be used.
The object determinator 11 may use conventional color tone detection or template matching approaches to determine the presence/existence of an object in the left and right frames 14 and 15. Preferably, a biometrics-based/disparity method is used by the object determinator 11, as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/385,280, filed Aug. 30, 1009, incorporated herein by reference. For example, in this situation, disparity information is used to determine/locate a position of a human head in the left and right frames 14 and 15.
The model 12 is applied to the object determined/located by the object determinator 11. The level of detail of the model 12 may be tailored to the particular needs of the application, e.g., video coding or animation, i.e., from generic to highly detailed. The model 12 is used to quickly determine the approximate positions of one or more specific features of the object. For example, if the object is a human face, the more specific features could be the eyes, nose and mouth.
Illustratively, FIG. 2 shows an example of a human face model 100 based upon a face segmentation technique. The model 100 is created using a dataset that describes a parameterized face. This dataset defines a three-dimensional description of the human face object. The parameterized face is given as an anatomically-based structure by modeling muscle and skin actuators and force-based deformations.
As shown in FIG. 2, a set of polygons define the model 100. Each of the vertices of the polygons are defined by X, Y and Z coordinates. Each vertex is identified by an index number. A particular polygon is defined by a set of indices surrounding the polygon. A code may also be added to the set of indices to define a color for the particular polygon. Specific vertices define the approximate position of the eyes, nose and mouth.
Based in part upon the model 12, the feature extractor 13 determines the actual position/location of the specific features. The determination can be quickly performed because the search/determination is localized to a specific area of the left or right frame 14 or 15 in accordance with the model 12. In this embodiment, the model 12 is used a template to determine and/or narrow where to start searching for the specific features.
Preferably, the feature extractor 13 uses a disparity map to extract specific feature positions or coordinates from the left and right frames 14 and 15, as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/385,280. As related to FIG. 2, these positions correlate to the various vertices of the model 100. For example, in regard to the nose, the feature extractor 13 preferably provides information directly related to vertices 4, 5, 23 and 58 as shown in FIG. 2. The feature extractor 13 may also incorporate modeling methods and systems described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/422,735, filed Oct. 21, 1999, incorporated herein by reference.
Using the extracted specific feature information, the polygon vertices of the model 100, for example, can be adjusted to more closely match a particular human face. In particular, based on the information and processing performed by the feature extractor unit 13, the model 100 template may be adapted and animated to enable movement, expressions and synchronize audio (i.e., speech). Essentially, the model 100 may be dynamically transformed in real-time to more closely approximate a particular human face.
The invention, however, is not limited to 3D face models. The invention may be used with models of other physical objects and scenes; such as 3D or 2D models of automobiles, rooms and data structures. In this embodiment the feature extractor 13 gathers information related to the particular object or scene in questions, e.g., the position of wheels or the location data items. Further processing is then based on this information.
In a preferred embodiment, the system 10 outputs the coordinates/location of the specific features of the object. This information may be stored in a database 16 and used as feedback to improve performance.
In one embodiment, the database 16 may contain a set 17 of objects previous processed by the system 10 or recognized (e.g., a list of specific faces related to individuals attending a video conference or a list of specific faces related to individuals employed by a specific company). Once an object (under determination) is identified to be included the set 17, the model 12 may be customized for that object.
In this embodiment, the feature extractor 13 may be skipped or only used periodically to further improve the speed of processing. For example, the feature extractor 13 may be used only on "key" frames (in a MPEG format). Features of other non-key frames can be determined by tracking corresponding feature points in a temporal fashion. This is particularly effective in a video stream of data such as from a video conference.
The output of the system 10 may also be used in conjunction with model-based coding as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/422,735.
FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram of various steps performed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in S2, multiple objects may be processed. For example, the present invention may locate and process the faces (in an image) of all person attending a video conference. In S3, it is determined whether the object as been previously processed or recognized by comparing information related to the object to model/data of known objects stored in the database 16. The object may also be identified as previously processed by estimating the position/movement of the object from a previous frame. For example, if an object is located at position A in an image, in subsequent frames, if an object is located at position A plus or minus a positional value &Dgr; (and/or, as a double check, information related to that object matches data in the database 16), then that object is identified as the previously processed object. The value of &Dgr; is variable based upon the particular image being processed; slow moving objects would have a small &Dgr; and fast moving objects would have a larger &Dgr;.
In S6 and S7, if the object is not known, an updated model based upon a generic model is created and stored in the database 16. Once an updated model is applied to the object, extraction of specific features may be performed in a temporal manner in S9. In S10, output information is also used as feedback data. This enables the system 10 to more quickly locate the object in the image because the feedback data may be used an approximate location (i.e., coordinate/position data) to being searching for the object in subsequent images/frames of input data.
The database 16 also provides another significant advantage. This embodiment allows for a compact and efficient system and method of storing a large number of features related to an object. In contrast, conventional systems require a large amount of memory to store information related to a digital image. Based upon the information stored in the database 16, the entire image or at least important aspects of the image may be recreated locally or the image maybe transmitted to be recreated at a remote site.
In a preferred embodiment, the system 10 is implemented by computer readable code executed by a data processing apparatus. The code may be stored in a memory within the data processing apparatus or read/downloaded from a memory medium such as a CD-ROM or floppy disk. In other embodiments, hardware circuitry may be used in place of, or in combination with, software instructions to implement the invention. For example, the invention may be implemented on a digital television platform using a Trimedia processor for processing and a television monitor for display. The invention can also be implemented on a computer 30 shown in FIG. 3.
As shown in FIG. 3, the computer 30 includes a network connection 31 for interfacing to a data network, such as a variable-bandwidth network or the Internet, and a fax/modem connection 32 for interfacing with other remote sources such as a video or a digital camera (not shown). The computer 30 also includes a display 33 for displaying information (including video data) to a user, a keyboard 34 for inputting text and user commands, a mouse 35 for positioning a cursor on the display 33 and for inputting user commands, a disk drive 36 for reading from and writing to floppy disks installed therein, and a CD-ROM drive 37 for accessing information stored on CD-ROM. The computer 30 may also have one or more peripheral devices attached thereto, such as a pair of video conference cameras for inputting images, or the like, and a printer 38 for outputting images, text, or the like.
FIG. 4 shows the internal structure of the computer 30 which includes a memory 40 that may include a Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM) and a computer-readable medium such as a hard disk. The items stored in the memory 40 include an operating system 41, data 42 and applications 43. The data stored in the memory 40 may also comprise temporal information as described above. In preferred embodiments of the invention, operating system 41 is a windowing operating system, such as UNIX; although the invention may be used with other operating systems as well such as Microsoft Windows95. Among the applications stored in memory 40 are a video coder 44, a video decoder 45 and a frame grabber 46. The video coder 44 encodes video data in a conventional manner, and the video decoder 45 decodes video data which has been coded in the conventional manner. The frame grabber 46 allows single frames from a video signal stream to be captured and processed.
Also included in the computer 30 are a central processing unit (CPU) 50, a communication interface 51, a memory interface 52, a CD-ROM drive interface 53, a video interface 54 and a bus 55 The CPU 50 comprises a microprocessor or the like for executing computer readable code, i.e., applications, such those noted above, out of the memory 50. Such applications may be stored in memory 40 (as noted above) or, alternatively, on a floppy disk in disk drive 36 or a CD-ROM in CD-ROM drive 37. The CPU 50 accesses the applications (or other data) stored on a floppy disk via the memory interface 52 and accesses the applications (or other data) stored on a CD-ROM via CD-ROM drive interface 53.
Application execution and other tasks of the computer 30 may be initiated using the keyboard 34 or the mouse 35. Output results from applications running on the computer 30 may be displayed to a user on display 34 or, alternatively, output via network connection 31. For example, input video data may be received through the video interface 54 or the network connection 31. The input data may be decoded by the video decoder 45. Output data from the system 10 may be coded by the video coder 44 for transmission through the video interface 54 or the network interface 31. The display 33 preferably comprises a display processor for forming video images based on decoded video data provided by the CPU 50 over the bus 55. Output results from the various applications may be provided to the printer 38.
While the present invention has been described above in terms of specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be confined or limited to the embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the present invention is intended to cover various structures and modifications thereof included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
1. An image processing device comprising:
- an object determinator arranged to determine whether an object is present in image data and to identify a predetermined type of object from a plurality of predetermined types of objects in a database;
- at least one front end model of the object having an image that generally corresponds to the object identified by the object determinator; the object determinator further determines whether the front end model is identified as a generic model of the image or a specific model of the image; and
- a feature extractor coupled to the object determinator which selects the predetermined type of front end model determined by the object determinator, and said feature extractor identifies at least one feature of the object by defining regions of interest,
- wherein the feature is identified in accordance with the model.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein identification of the feature includes determining coordinate or location data of the feature in the image data.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the model of the object can be adjusted based upon the feature identified by the feature extractor to more closely approximate the image of the object.
4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the object determinator is further arranged to determined whether the object has been processed previously by a biometric comparison with specific objects of the predetermined type in the database, and wherein the feature is then identified in accordance with an adjusted model.
5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the feature extractor is used only on key frames if the object has been processed previously by the device.
6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a memory capable of storing information based upon the feature.
7. A method of determining at least one feature of an object in image data comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining whether the object is present in the image data and identifying a predetermined type of the object from a plurality of predetermined types of objects in a database;
- (b) applying a front end model to the determined object having an image that generally corresponds to the object identified in step (a);
- (c) determining whether the front end model is identified as a generic model of the image or a specific model of the image;
- (d) identifying at least one feature of the object in accordance with the model.
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said identifying step includes determining coordinate or location data of the feature in the image data.
9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of adjusting the model based upon the identified feature to more closely approximate the object.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said determining step includes determining whether the object has been processed previously by a performing a biometric comparison with specific objects of the predetermined type in the database, and, wherein the feature is then identified in accordance with an adjusted model.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said identifying step is performed in a temporal manner based upon the adjusted model.
12. The method according to claim 10, wherein if the object has been processed previously then only adjusting the model on key frames of the object.
13. The method according to claim 7, wherein said applying step applies the model as a template to facilitate identification of the feature.
14. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of storing information based upon the at least one feature.
15. A computer-readable memory medium including code for processing image data, the code comprising:
- code to determine whether an object is present in the image data and to identify whether the object is a predetermined type of object identified from a plurality of predetermined types of objects in a database;
- code to define at least one front end model of the object having an image that generally corresponds to the object identified;
- code to determine whether the front end model is identified as a generic model of the image or a specific model of the image; and
- code to identify at least one feature of the object,
- wherein the feature is identified in accordance with the model.
16. The memory medium according to claim 15, wherein identification of the feature includes determining coordinate or location data of the feature in the image data.
17. The memory medium according to claim 15, wherein the model code can be adjusted based upon the identified feature to more closely approximate the object.
18. The memory medium according to claim 17, wherein the determining code includes code to determine whether the object has been processed previously by a biometric comparison with specific objects of the predetermined type in the database, and, wherein the feature is then identified in accordance with an adjusted model.
19. The memory medium according to claim 18, further comprising code that adjusts the identified feature only during selected key frames if the object has been processed previously.
20. The memory medium according to claim 15, further comprising code to store information based upon the at least one feature in a memory means.
|February 17, 1998
|Shackleton et al.
|April 21, 1998
|Watanabe et al.
|December 22, 1998
|Eleftheriadis et al.
|May 4, 1999
|Souma et al.
|November 30, 1999
|Kado et al.
|March 28, 2000
|Tuceryan et al.
|February 25, 2003
|January 1995
|January 1997
|May 1999
|October 1999
- Antoszczyszyn, "Reliable tracking of facial features in semantic-based video coding", IEE Procs.-Vis. Images Signal Process., vol. 145, No. 4, Aug. 1998.*
- Chun-Hung Lin & Ja-Ling Wu, Neural Networks, 1997., International Conference on, vol.:3, Jun. 9-12, 1997 Page(s): 1363-1367 vol. 3 "Automatic facial Extraction by applying genetic algorithm".*
- "Two-Dimensional Signal and Image Processing", by J.S. Lim, Signals, Systems, and the Fourier Transform, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 1990, pp. 42-43.
- "Image Sequence Coding at Very Low Bitrates: A Review", by Haibo Li et al, IEEE, Vol 3, No. 5, Sep. 1994, pp. 589-609.
- "Feature Extraction from Faces Using Deformable Templates", by Alan L. Yuille et al, International Journal of Computer Vision, Aug. 2, 1992, pp. 99-111.
- "Facial Model Refinement Using Stereo Image Sequence", by Chung J. Kuo et al, Signal and Media Laboratory Deprt. of Electrical Engineering, National Chung Chen University, Chiayi, Taiwan.
- "Depth Discontinuities by Pixel-to-Pixel Stereo", by Stan Birchfield et al, Proceedings of the 1998 IEEE International conference on Computer Vision, Bombay, India.
- PHA 23.813, U.S. Ser. No. 09/422,735, Filed: Oct. 21, 1999.
Type: Grant
Filed: Mar 3, 2000
Date of Patent: Sep 14, 2004
Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Eindhoven)
Inventors: Yong Yan (Yorktown Heights, NY), Kiran Challapali (Stamford, NY), Richard Y. Chen (Croton-on-Hudson, NY)
Primary Examiner: Leo Boudreau
Assistant Examiner: Tom Y. Lu
Application Number: 09/518,028
International Classification: G06K/900; G06K/966;

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Slides from my talk at Percona 2013
Apr 23 2013
Slides from my talk at Percona 2013
Jul 20 2012
I was at OSCON this week, and my friend Erik Kastner and I did a talk about development environments. Specifically what to avoid and how to keep environments consistent across development and production. As usual the slides are not fully explanatory without seeing the accompanying talk but here they are anyway:
Apr 15 2012
I attended Percona Conf in Santa Clara last week. It was a great 3 days of lots of people dropping expert MySQL knowledge. I learned a lot and met some great people.
I gave a talk about the Etsy shard architecture, and had a lot of good feedback and questions. A lot of people do active/passive, but we run everything in active/active master-master. This helps us keep a warm buffer pool on both sides, and if one side goes out we only lose about half of the queries until its pulled and they start hashing to the other side. Some details on how this works in the slides below.


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Beef and Vegetable Pies with Pastry Lid
These cute pies are easy to make and use pantry and freezer ingredients.
|750 g
|Stewing beef
|2 cloves
|1 cup
|Stuffed green olives
|1½ cups
|Beef stock
|2 cups
|Frozen mixed stir-fry vegetables
|2 Tbsp
|Fresh oregano
|1 to taste
|Salt & freshly ground pepper
|200 g
|Shortcrust pastry
- Cut beef into 2cm cubes. Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil and brown meat in batches. Remove meat to one side. Add onion(coarsely diced) to the pan and cook for 5 minutes to soften, then add garlic(chopped) and cook for 1 minute more.
- Return meat to the pan. Add olives and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, half cover the pan and gently simmer for 1½ hours. Stir in vegetables and oregano and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove to a bowl to cool. Divide mixture to fill four 1½ cup capacity ramekins.
- Roll out pastry to 3mm thick. Cut four circles of pastry 1cm larger than the size of each ramekin. Brush underside edges of pastry with egg. Cover filling with pastry, securing edges over sides of ramekins. Crimp pastry edges with a fork and cut small slits in pastry lids to release steam during cooking. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Heat oven to 190 deg C. Glaze pastry with beaten egg. Bake pies for 20 to 25 minutes or until crusts are puffed and golden brown.


text:
"I'm interested in testing Firefox OS to help make it accessible for blind persons." — from message posted on Get Involved page
Are you interested in helping people get involved with Mozilla, like this person who would like to test Firefox OS? Then join us to discuss community building at Mozilla.
- Meeting time: Thursday, February 21 at 10:00 AM Pacific
- Topics: Volunteer contributions on CVs, badges update and more
- Video: David Boswell's vidyo room (link for guest access is on agenda)
- Audio (if vidyo doesn't work): 1-800-707-2533, pin: 369, conf: 9634#
- Room: Get to da Choppa in Mountain View 3rd floor and SFO-7E in San Francisco 7th floor
- Back channel: irc.mozilla.org#mozillians
If you have a question you'd like to ask the group, please feel free to edit the agenda on the wiki.


text:
Customer satisfaction relies almost completely on effective communication. At Assertive Management Group, our teams are fully engrossed in the relationship that exists with each client as it pertains to the decisions and complexities that apply to their property. This interactive involvement results in a level of intuitiveness for the property managers. Our training programs instill listening techniques that we use to better understand the reaction to services we provide as well as tenants and clients needs. The key to Assertive Management Group is customer satisfaction.
The first line of communication is between the client or property owner and the Property Manager who is trained to be sensitive to the needs of their clients. Our office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday. However, Assertive Management Group is on call 24 hours, 7 days a week, on an emergency basis. The Property Management staff has cell phones, voice-mail, remote computer access, and a 24 hour answering service available when needed.
It is the goal of Assertive Management Group to provide a quality standard of Fair Housing at an Affordable price. We strive to maintain Excellent Service to our Residents while creating a Comfortable Neighborhood environment.
The men and women who support Assertive Management Group's efforts through their contributions in the workplace are known as Associates. Rather than defining the relationship based upon employment, the Company identifies its team as people united with each other in common enterprise. Our Associates are partners and colleagues, companions and comrades, working together and in concert to effect Assertive Management Group's mission.
Our mission is to be a company about people, for people. Assertive Management Group strives:
At AMG communities, our goal is to provide you with a home of convenience and comfort. You can rely on our approachable, friendly staff and our reputation of convenient and personal service to create a lifestyle that fits your own. Assertive Management Group: A company for your lifestyle.
As a member of the Assertive Management Group team, you are an integral part of our company's foundation. This offers you strong roots and a bright future. With the support and resources of a long-established company, you can grow and develop both personally and professionally with our nationally recognized training programs and opportunities for success. Assertive Management Group : A company for your growth and opportunity.
In partnership with AMG, you can count on us to quickly adapt to the diversity of markets and individual investors. We are able to adapt quickly through sound leadership, our unwavering commitment to serve, and unparalleled industry expertise. Assertive Management Group: A company for your success.


text:
Almost to the end of the week, anyway!
It was been one of those unexpectedly difficult weeks. You know, the ones you did not see coming? I really think most of it can be attributed to the Mad Toddler's recent foray into the "terrible twos". Our older three boys all hit that stage at around three, instead of two, but it looks like the Mad Toddler is going to join up early. Gah! It is nothing but trying to tame that wild will all day long. Nothin' like a little conflict first thing in the morning. By the time ArtGuy gets home, I am about wiped out!
I daydreamed today about a conflict-free day. No two-year-olds to fight. No 13-year-olds to patiently (or not-so-patiently) endure. Homeschooling has a few disadvantages, and one of them is not-enough-time-away-from-the-kids! Usually, I love being with them a lot, but...not this week.
Things have been happening on a personal level that leave me trying to figure out what God wants from me at the moment. Lots of shake-ups. A few weeks ago was a real personal low, where there was no one to really turn to. I tried, but met silence or disinterest on all sides. It has made me remember back to college days, during a very difficult time when there was some huge drama in several relationships all at once, which left me shaking and questioning everything. Scott Hahn, who was one of my professors, said...during that very week, which I could only interpret as a message straight to me from God!....that when life changes, and everything around you seems to crumble, look out! God is about something new in your life, and He is getting you ready for it.
So, no despair! Steady on and fight the good fight. That is all one can do, anyway.No matter how completely imperfectly one goes about it.
Living deep in the heart of Texas; keeping my family deep in my heart; digging deeper into my faith; trying to get to what is at the heart of it all!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Almost There
Labels: Lent, Mad Toddler
3 comments:
- Brandi Leach said...
Sorry you have been feeling down. If you want to chat about it, e-mail or call!
- March 19, 2011 at 11:45 AM
- texasmom said...
Thanks, Brandi. I will! I know you are busy with a new baby (notice I did NOT say "little one"! Oh, no! My youngest godson is a healthy boy!)
- March 19, 2011 at 4:53 PM
- Brandi Leach said...
I'm never too busy to chat if you need it!
- March 19, 2011 at 9:05 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Rinse your mouth on an empty stomach with oil – an ancient Ayurvedic practice. If we all do this procedure every day since childhood, dentists will raise their hands ……
The secret of the vegetable oil is that it removes the bacteria from the oral cavity and prevents them from sticking again to the teeth and the oral mucosa. I will tell you how to properly make a gargle that will eliminate the common problems: cleanses the plaque, strengthens the gums, eliminates the bad breath … And that's not all!
Rinse mouth with vegetable oil
The procedure is done in the morning, immediately after awakening, on an empty stomach! Put 1 tbsp of sunflower oil or olive oil (you can use coconut oil, sesame oil and other oil) in your mouth.
Keep the oil in the mouth for 10 minutes. In any case you should not swallow it until is in the mouth, it will expand its volume and remove from the mouth all bacteria and toxins.
Once the oil has increased the volume so, that you can no longer hold it in your mouth, spit it and rinse your mouth with warm water.
Rinsing with oil is best for detoxification of the oral cavity. Within a few days you will notice that breathing becomes fresher, teeth whiter. And this is just the beginning …
Now you can brush your teeth as usual! The film of oil that forms in your mouth during rinsing will help you better keep your mouth clean.
Rinse your mouth with oil, an easy procedure that quickly becomes a habit. At night you have to put oil in a glass next to your toothbrush and you will not forget to rinse your mouth! Rinsing can also be combined with easy morning exercises, very comfortable …
Bacteria have no chance! Tell your friends about a valuable process that will protect them from unnecessary encounters with your dentist.


text:
Impart the Complete Patient Story
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Meaningful Use and EHR requirements.
Complete Functionality to Capture, Manage, Analyze and Distribute Information Safely and Securely
Dictation is captured through M*Modal Fluency Voice Capture™, a Web-based, digital voice capture and transport solution deployed at the customer's location, and seamlessly routed to the right transcriptionist and right department via sophisticated document routing and management functions with M*Modal Fluency for Transcription. The powerful speech recognition engine quickly converts audio files to text, links them and then automatically routes them to the right editor. Providers electronically sign the completed documents, which are automatically distributed (or uploaded into your HIS). Final documents are sent in HL7 or CDA structured data format and can be sent directly to M*Modal Fluency for Coding™ for automated coding, mined for quality measures reporting, or uploaded to your EHR.
EHR-Integrated Dictation
Through M*Modal Fluency for Transcription, providers can dictate directly into the EHR system, creating a comprehensive clinical document that incorporates both voice and structured text through a single application. Enjoy the ease and speed of a structured template, with the flexibility, color, context and reasoning that only dictation can provide.
M*Modal Technology + Service = Lower Costs, Better Care
"M*Modal Fluency for Transcription has helped to elevate our HIM department in the eyes of our physicians and business managers," said Rollins. "While managing transcription can be a daunting task — especially with our volume — we now have the processes in place to not only increase our productivity, but also lower the overall costs."
Pam Rollins, HIM Manager, Shands HealthCare
- Secure, flexible, high-quality voice capture
- Dictate directly into the EHR
- Global view of in-house and outsourced jobs
- ADT matching for more accurate patient data collection
- Integrated speech recognition
- Automated formatting
- State-of-the-art workflow management tools
- Point-to-Point audit trails
- Electronic signature with attending workflow for Teaching Facilities
- Comprehensive performance analytics and reporting
- Direct routing to M*Modal Fluency for Coding for automated coding
- Structured data output for reporting and EHR fulfillment
For the CIO
- Easily integrates with EHRs and existing systems
- Scales to the needs of your organization
- Requires few of your technical resources
- Built-in encryption and redundancies
- Generates structured data
- Powerful security features and audit trails
For the Physician
- Gives full range of voice input options
- Maintains preferred narrative documentation
- Faster report turnaround
- Enables direct dictation into the EHR
For the CEO and CFO
- Speeds up the revenue cycle
- Improves physician satisfaction
- Increases patient satisfaction
- Reduces documentation costs
- Results in a quick ROI
- Offers pay-as-you-go pricing
For the HIM Director
- Web-based for easy access from any location
- Produces higher quality reports
- Supports HIPAA and HITECH compliance
- Reduces transcription costs through technology efficiencies
- Automates QA workflow
- Automates core measures reporting


text:
"Bedding that's made together, stays together"
Firefighter owned and operated.
Easy to use, just unroll and unfold… Done!
For all you guys/girls that hate having your feet confined when sleeping… this bed's for you!
Plenty of room for hot or restless feet, yet stays together while sleeping.
Easily detachable for washing.
ROLL and GO BABY!
Made in the USA


text:
On April 12, the Green-Duwamish River was named one of the top 10 most endangered rivers in the nation by American Rivers.
We are working hard to ensure that the community is at the center of the efforts to restore this river – but we need your help to continue this important work!
There are less than two weeks left to reach $20,000 and Restore the Flow!  Donate today to help us reach our goal! Â
Thoughts from a Direct Descendent of Chief Sealth
The work of the DRCC/TAG is guided by the communities we serve and the organizations that make up our coalition, ensuring that DRCC/TAG serves as an effective Community Advisory Group to EPA throughout the Superfund process.  Ken Workman is the great-great-great-great grandson of Chief Sealth and sits on the Advisory Council as a representative of the Duwamish Tribe. Here is a look at why he thinks their role on this advisory council is important:
"The Duwamish tribe has lived alongside our river (stuĚ"lÉ™k) and on our lands for millennium upon millennium. We have harvested foods and raised our young here. We have tribal stories of when it was cold-and-then-not. We look forward to spring and the return of a good harvest – albeit as meager as it is as measured by today's standards. Our river was once a great source of life now it is but a place of porting ships, industry, and pollution. We look forward to the time when we can once again harvest from and live alongside our stuĚ"lÉ™k.
The Duwamish Tribe supports the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition (DRCC) in its efforts to represent our stu̓lək.
Join me in Restoring the Flow today!
Ken Workman, Duwamish
Great-great-great-great-grandson of Chief Sealth"


text:
Did anyone catch the Oscars on Sunday night and check out the phenomenal dresses that walked down the red carpet? I bet you didn't notice that eco-friendly fashion was center stage. Eco-friendly designs have recently become a growing trend within the industry and is being showcased by high profile celebs.
Six top celebrities walked down the red carpet Sunday evening, showing fashion and sustainability don't have to remain as two separate things. Among these stars, Meryl Streep shined in Lanvin's first-ever eco-friendly gown. The dress was inspired by Livia, Colin Firth's wife, and created by using Eco Certified Fabric.
Missi Pyle, actress in The Artist, also turned the red carpet green as she showed off a romantic gown designed by Valentina Delfino. This dress was designed by the winner of the Red Carpet Green Dress design contest. Pyle's dress was created with peach silk chiffon, dyed with natural mineral dye, and lined with recycled polyester.
Livia Firth not only walked the red carpet with an eco-friendly dress, but also sustainable accessories. Firth's dress was created by Valentino with a combination of silk and recycled PET plastic. More so, Firth sparkled in sustainably sourced pink diamonds designed by Calleijia.
Along with these fabulous eco-friendly dresses, there were three gentleman taking part in eco-fashion at the 84th Academy Awards. Among these gentlemen were Colin Firth, Kenneth Branagh, and Demián Bichir. While Colin reused his organic-wool suit from the previous Oscar Awards, Branagh and Bichir walked in eco-friendly, non-mulesed merino wool tuxedos made by Ermenegildo Zegna.
Source: http://www.ecouterre.com/


text:
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text:
Why We Give
We worship a generous God who has given us all that we have to both enjoy and to steward for His glory. We give in response to our giving God, a joyful act of worship that seeks to further the mission and ministry of God in Woodstock and beyond.
Securely Give On-line
Your information is held securely by an SSL encrypted connections. This information will remain private and will never be given away to third parties, other than to process your scheduled contributions.
Ways to Give
Text-To-Give. Send a text to '84321' and sign up to give through our secure mobile portal.
Mail a Check. Send a Check to Sojourn Woodstock at P.O. Box 985 Woodstock, Ga 30188
Automatic Bill Pay. Add Sojourn Woodstock as a 'payee' through the automatic bill pay option in your banks online portal. Simply use the P.O. Box address above.
Relinquishing our grip on this world,
we declare Christ as our greatest treasure.


text:
Kumari, M and Nath, G (1985) Unsteady, swirling boundary-layer flow with heat and mass transfer in nozzles, diffusers and hydrocyclones. In: International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 28 (7). pp. 1377-1383.
Restricted to Registered users only
Download (620kB) | Request a copy
The unsteady, laminar, incompressible, swirling boundary-layer flow with heat and mass transfer in a nozzle, a diffuser and a hydrocyclone has been investigated when the free-stream velocity and mass transfer vary with time. The governing non-linear partial differential equations with three independent variables have been solved numerically using an implicit finite-difference scheme. Both the heat transfer and skin friction are found to be strongly affected by swirl and mass transfer, but only moderately affected by the free-stream velocity. However, the Prandtl number strongly affects only the heat transfer, whereas the skin friction is unaffected by it.
|Item Type:
|Journal Article
|Additional Information:
|Copyright of this article belongs to Elsevier.
|Division of Physical & Mathematical Sciences > Mathematics
|Depositing User:
|H.S. Divakara
|Date Deposited:
|01 Jul 2008
|Last Modified:
|19 Sep 2010 04:46
Actions (login required)
|View Item


text:
We've been feeling a spring awakening here at Dogwood Party Rentals! Bridal showers, baby showers, weddings, and prom, yes prom. We wanted to share a few pictures of our rentals out and about. Last weekend, our vintage mismatch chairs and farm tables helped dress up a bridal shower. And we delivered a small lounge to the Elk's Tower, too.
We were also pleased to see Gigi of Gigi Mallatt Events baby shower featured on 100 Layer Cake-let. Her baby shower was full of rich colors and gorgeous details! Check out the full post here: http://www.100layercakelet.com/2015/04/24/floral-vineyard-tea-party-baby-shower-by-gigi-mallatt-events/
Venue: Scribner Bend Vineyards / Photography: Colleen Riley Photography / Planning & Design & mom:Gigi Mallatt Events / Floral Design: Jackie's Flowers / Tabletop Rentals {China, stemware, glassware, flatware}: Dogwood Party Rentals / Farm Table + Vineyard Chairs + Linens: Classic Party Rentals / Caterer: Bella Bru Catering / Mini Desserts: Estelle's Patisserie / Mini Cakes: Paper Heart Patisserie / Paper Items: Pigment & Parchment / Hair & Makeup: All Dolled Up Makeup & Hair


text: Sonali Das is an attorney specializing in employment law. She currently is in-house counsel for a global 20 pharmaceutical company but has previously advised various industries including restaurants, retail, hospitality, gaming, and city governments for the past 16 years. In her spare time, she loves to travel and grow pretty flowers and vegetables. She also loves a good strong cocktail.


text:
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Providing the support and expertise of some of the best agencies in the industry.
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Being part of the PointeNorth Alliance is a direct route to the most comprehensive range of insurance programs, services and tools in the industry. Customers benefit from the PointeNorth Alliance through the select Independent Insurance Agencies that represent them. Clients can expect the high level of customer service they have grown accustomed to, with more choices as they seek solutions for their insurance needs.
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Serving the Southeastern United States since 1985, our exceptional service, coupled with our budget-friendly insurance rates, has made us a trusted name in the Commercial Truck Insurance industry. We'll work as hard as you do to ensure your trucks are insured and ready for the road.
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Since 1979, Caribou has been providing insurance coverage for the trucking industry throughout the Southeast. Licensed in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee, Caribou makes necessary filings fast, issues certificates promptly and assists customers in complying with safety regulations.
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PointeNorth Insurance Group is a full-service independent insurance agency, serving more than 45,000 households and businesses. PointeNorth provides one of the broadest collections of personal and business-related insurance solutions available in the Southeast.


text: The question is: is there an alternative syntax to create an array of a specific length. Now you have to go through a static method of System.Array to create it. I wanted to know if you can create it directly and keep it looking like System.Array[int]. Something like: System.Array[int](3). But this throws an exception. _____ From: users-bounces at lists.ironpython.com [mailto:users-bounces at lists.ironpython.com] On Behalf Of J. Merrill Sent: Friday 8 September 2006 18:57 To: Discussion of IronPython Subject: Re: [IronPython] System.Array Did you leave some part of your own question un-answered? CreateInstance does just what you said you wanted to know how to do, doesn't it? At 04:22 AM 9/8/2006, Kristof Wagemans wrote You can create an int array of length 3 with: System.Array[int]((1,2,3)) Is there an alternative syntax to create an int array of length 3 without passing in a tuple with 3 values? I know that I can create one with: System.Array.CreateInstance(int,3) J. Merrill / Analytical Software Corp -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/ironpython-users/attachments/20060908/60fcc764/attachment.html>


text:
Cynthia Bestard is the Director of Consumer Insights, Financial Services and Insurance Practices at J.D. Power. She is responsible for analyzing data to provide actionable insights and strategic recommendations for improving the customer experience and, ultimately, financial metrics.
Previously at the company, Ms. Bestard held several research-related positions in the Financial Services Practice, including research director; senior research manager; research manager; and research supervisor. In these roles she designed products and solutions to meet the diverse needs of clients. She was also responsible for the design and execution of all research-related activities within the practice.
Prior to joining J.D. Power in 2005, Ms. Bestard was a network analyst at PPOM, where she was responsible for evaluating performance, utilization and trends of physician networks, as well as provider contracts to determine the impact of pricing structures. She also developed sampling plans and questionnaires for internal research projects. Before PPOM, she was project director in the healthcare division at Morpace International. She was responsible for managing all aspects of several large-scale proprietary studies, which included questionnaire design, vendor management, report analysis and presentation creation.
Ms. Bestard earned a bachelor's degree in business administration, with a specialty in marketing and a minor in statistics, from the University of Michigan—Dearborn.


text:
Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home." ~― Anna Quindlen
Friday, December 13, 2013
I'm participating in 2014
85 comments:
It's amazing that a new reading year is coming up already! I've read well over 100 books in the past year and am so thankful for this link-up and your weekly posts. Next year I hope to concentrate on history of science books, a whole new venture.ReplyDeleteReplies
I know, this year went by way too fast. So happy you are enjoying the challenge and congrats on a great reading year. Have fun with history of science books - sounds really interesting.Delete
Looking forward to next year, but is it ok if I just pretend that next year is a long way off?ReplyDeleteReplies
LOL! I guess if you want to go by sci fi years and every minute is a year, sure go for it. :)Delete
Robin, happy holidays and many thanks for hosting the challenge, here and at WTM. 'been thinking about joining you in the Winter Tale readalong. That book has been on my shelf for.ev.er. Heh, heh, heh.ReplyDeleteReplies
You are so welcome. It's always fun especially since it revolves around my book addiction. Merry Christmas and cheers to a happy reading new year!Delete
Happy to join in the Challenge!ReplyDeleteReplies
Welcomes and Happy Reading!Delete
I read more last year than I have read in a long, long time, but did not keep records nor do well on my various reading challenges. I think I've got a better handle on things for 2014, so I'm going to enter again. :O)ReplyDeleteReplies
Awesome and glad to hear you are continuing on.Delete
I have no idea how much I read in 2013, so I am returning to my 52 week challenge. Mostly, I read a lot of genre fiction. There is also a significant amount of knitting talk.ReplyDeleteReplies
Cheers to a happy reading new year!Delete
I didn't read nearly enough last year. I hope that by going public on my blog. I will finish 52 books by the end of 2014! I am starting a few days early to allow for grace and get a head start.ReplyDeleteReplies
Welcome to the challenge!Delete
I've been participating in this challenge since 2010 and have yet to read 52 books. I did exceed my personal goal in 2013, though. So glad to be participating again this year. Now to get my book list started! Happy reading all.ReplyDeleteReplies
As long as you exceed your own personal goal, that's a win. Congratulations! Have fun putting together your list.Delete
I'm looking forward to this challenge!ReplyDelete
I can't wait to track my reading for the year!ReplyDeleteReplies
Awesome! look forward to hearing about your reads.Delete
looking forward to another year of reading 52 Books in 52 Weeks. I've been participating since 2010 and look forward to exceeding last yrs reading.. I'm excited to see what this year will bring..ReplyDeleteReplies
I'm excited too! Lots of neat books on the horizon.Delete
Looking forward to getting right back into reading!ReplyDelete
I'm down for the challenge, I'm excited!ReplyDeleteReplies
Excellent. Look forward to hearing about your reads!Delete
I'm excited to join this year! I think I usually read 52 books or more a year, but only in fits and bursts. Here's to a year of structured reading! :)ReplyDeleteReplies
Cheers to a great reading year!Delete
- AnonymousJanuary 1, 2014 at 4:08 PM
Looking forward to this year's list!ReplyDeleteReplies
Great - same here!Delete
Starting the new year with "Art of Learning" by Josh Waitzkin and "David and Goliath" by Malcolm Gladwell. Then moving to "48 laws of power" by robert greene. Happy reading my friends. May 2014 bring you all plentiful bounties of new wisdom and insight about yourselves and the world around you. Cheers!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 1, 2014 at 5:47 PM
I saw a link on LifeHacker to your blog today. I'm not one for making New Year's Resolutions and my experience with blogging challenges would suggest that I might not stick with this one for an entire year. BUT, I just counted how many books I read this year and, counting a few that I abandoned in the last few weeks (because anything that I that "forget it" to earlier in the year I've certainly forgotten about) I've read 53 books this year. An incomplete list is on my blog. Perhaps if I stick with this I'll keep that list up-to-date as well. Looking forward to another year of reading -- and to pop in here and see what others have read/reviewed. Thanks for hosting this challenge. -- Anne-CamilleReplyDeleteReplies
Didn't know about lifehacker, will check it out. My pleasure!Delete
- AnonymousJanuary 1, 2014 at 8:26 PM
I've never done one of these challenges before. Being a student, I have a heavey required reading load. But this seems like an appropriate use of my time.ReplyDeleteReplies
If you have time to do pleasure reading amidst your studies, that is great. I inadvertently deleted your sign up link so if you could relink that would be great. What are you studying?Delete
Trying this out. Let me see if i can keep upReplyDeleteReplies
Welcome to 52 Books! Have fun and enjoy your reads!Delete
This sounds great - I'm in and inspired by the reading lists already!ReplyDeleteReplies
Welcome and glad to hear you are inspired. Happy Reading!Delete
I have never been in any reading clubs or challenges of this nature so hope to get something great from this. list looks really interesting..thanks youReplyDeleteReplies
Welcome! It is a very laid back, casual challenge - have fun and enjoy your reads!Delete
- AnonymousJanuary 2, 2014 at 9:28 AM
This is my first challenge! I am missing my book club, so I am excited to start with this!ReplyDeleteReplies
Awesome! I'll have lots of interesting books and authors to share over the coming year! Happy Reading!Delete
I just discovered this and am excited about the challenge! I'm a new mom, as well as a teacher, so I'm really hoping I can keep up with the weekly reading. I've been picking up more on reading lately and think this might be a good way to keep me going. Any helpful tips for staying on track??ReplyDeleteReplies
Congratulations on the new baby! Basically read what you want to read and don't feel intimidated. Pick some books out of your shelves and make a reading plan. The goal is 52, but some folks set their own goals because they just don't have the time to read as much. You don't have to read one book per week. We all read short and long books, so most of the time it all averages out in the end.Delete
Okay, great. I'm looking forward to the challenge!Delete
Being a compulsive book buyer and a lover of book shops, it was about time I committed to actually reading enough books too ! Really looking forward to this.ReplyDeleteReplies
Me too! My books keep having babies and the stack never reduces. Happy Reading!Delete
Happy New Years everyone. I am very excited to start this reading challenge. I hand picked 57 books that I would like to read. I know the post says 52, well, I gave myself a bit more variety just in case I will dread reading a book. I am happy to share my collections with you guys :)ReplyDeleteReplies
Happy New Year,Doll! Share away!Delete
Please count me in. I'm super excited to be part of this challenge.ReplyDelete
I'm definitely looking forward to participating! I have about 20 books laying around that I bought in the past couple of years, but never got around to reading. Hopefully, I can curb back on the book buying this year and focus on these instead -- starting right after I buy the Caster Chronicles paperback collection :)ReplyDeleteReplies
Great! Only 20 - you are a lot more disciplined than I am. Caster Chronicles - haven't read them yet, but look good. My stacks are teetering. :)Delete
I already read t this pace, but now I have something more to do with that reading.ReplyDeleteReplies
This is my first time to create a blog and to be involved in a challenge to read 52 books a week. Looking forward to see the benefits unfold of reading books this year. Hello to everyone as well!ReplyDeleteReplies
Welcome and have fun blogging. Look forward to hearing all about your reads.Delete
This seems really cool, and I would like to attempt this challenge, as I have all but stopped reading books, preferring to watch YouTube.ReplyDeleteReplies
Yes, youtube can be addicting and I discovered reading on the computer is more like browsing. Had to train myself to slow down when reading Ebooks. But nothing takes the place of a real book. Hope you find some great reads and look forward to hearing all about them. Happy reading!Delete
I'm participating again! I've tried this for three years or so now, but I keep getting closer! Here's to 2014!ReplyDeleteReplies
Cheers to 2014! Happy reading!Delete
This is my first year participating! Last year I challenged myself to read nothing but non-fiction, but with no minimal requirements. This should be fun and quite a challenge.ReplyDeleteReplies
Welcome and happy reading!Delete
I am excited to join the challenge. I have identified my 52 books but I won't necessarily read them in the order I have them listed.ReplyDeleteReplies
Awesome. Happy Reading!Delete
I am participating. I'm really looking forward to attempting to read this much.ReplyDelete
This will be my first attempt to read 52 in 52. I'm already doing the 52 Week Savings Challenge, so I might as well go for it!ReplyDelete
Thank you!Replies
Welcome to 52 Books - Happy Reading!Delete
- AnonymousJanuary 11, 2014 at 10:42 AM
I only read ten books last year. Awful. I participated in this challenge a few years ago and loved all the reading I got to do. I'm hoping that participating again will force me to read more.ReplyDeleteReplies
Welcome back and look forward to hearing about your reads. I'm sure you'll do better this year. *grin*Delete
- AnonymousJanuary 14, 2014 at 3:53 PM
Hello! :) First year doing this, should be fun!ReplyDeleteReplies
hi and welcome. So glad you decided to join us. Happy reading.Delete
So glad to "officially" join this challenge, complete with a blog. Thanks for organizing this challenge for yet another year. I'm really looking forward to it!ReplyDeleteReplies
Yeah! Will be by to check out your blog soon.Delete
I would like to join!ReplyDelete
Only just signed this list ... am actually on book 9 but didn't realise I had to link it in each week. All my reviews are on http://alythmum.wordpress.com/category/reading-challenge-2/52-books-in-52-weeks-reading-challenge/ReplyDelete
Great! Will be dropping by soon.Delete
I'm starting the actual challenge very late, as I just heard about it. I'll have to go back and look at what I've read so far this year.ReplyDeleteReplies
Awesome. Just start posting on the current week and let us know what you are reading or have been reading. If you do any posts about your reads, can link on sunday's mr. linky. Welcome!Delete
Managed to read 58 books! Woohoo!ReplyDelete


text:
Welcome to Bound Network! We're a relatively young podcasting network for any type of podcasts. We're here for two reasons:
- Bound Network can help you build your own podcast and give you all the necessary tools you need to be successful. Read on for more details further down!
- As a podcast network, we host some great podcasts. We hope you'll check a few of them out!
They say if you follow your passions, you will succeed. Well, that's what we've been doing in recent years and, so far, things are looking pretty great! The Bound Network was born out Augie's passion for recording others. He was always interested in other people's stories or in their messages. That was going well and other people starting asking him to record them. That snowballed into enough recordings that Augies and his business partner, Isaiah Pacheco, realized it was time to create a network. And, here they are today!
Our first podcast, The Late Night Early Morning Show, aired in 2013, and with that Bound Network was pretty much born in what we could consider as the somewhat-early years of podcasting. We weren't exactly pioneers in podcasting, but Bound Network has tapped into something. We are always on the lookout for ways to expand the network. Interested? Please reach out to us using our contact form. We'd love to hear from you and are always happy to discuss your ideas for your own podcast.
We're two guys who love recording and have expanded our brand and company to include editing, producing, and promotions. Our passion is all-things podcasting. We love our work, and we think it shows. More importantly, though, Bound Network has grown into a company supported by a terrific team of highly skilled and passionate individuals. We are proud to say that our team is a like a (functional) small family committed to churning out terrific podcasts.
Since launching Bound Network a year ago, we've been podcasting some truly great and diverse comedy podcasts along with a few others. (Remember, we're always looking to expand our podcasts!) Here on our website you can find our flagship podcast: The Late Night Early Morning Show. We also offer Comics Reading Comics, a podcast where comics actually read the comics. You don't need to love the comics to enjoy these podcasts; you just need the desire for a good laugh. Scroll through our site and click freely. We think you'll enjoy any of our podcasts as much as everyone else does!
If you're interested in more than listening to podcasts – meaning you'd like to make your own podcast, you've come to the right place. We can help!
DEVELOPMENTWe help you organize your ideas to pick the correct theme, format and length for your show.
Think Out of the BoxNo matter what your subject matter or music, if you create a listenable program, youll find an appreciative audience.
RECORDINGWe record a digital signal by connecting high quality XLR mics to FireStudio Project to get a nice rich sound.
Sounding GoodOne of the most revolutionary and profound aspects of podcasting is its populist nature: anybody can make one.
EDITINGWe use comprehensive toolsets, including waveform, spectral display, and multitrack. Our programs deliver the highest standards in audio quality.
Adobe Audition / Studio OneOnce you've captured the audio, it's time to splice it all together and trim it down.
TECHNOLOGYWe are using the latest technology, we streamline workflow to make loading to podcast directories a piece of cake!
RSS FeedAt its most basic, a podcast is simply an audio file sent automatically to subscribers over the internet.
SOCIAL MEDIAWe are experts in the indispensable tools used to manage social networks for ultimate audience engagement.
HootsuiteWe use Hootsuite to help with all our social media. Hootsuite is a social media management system for brand management
MusicBound Network is not just for podcasting. They also have an online radio station. Internet radio is distinct from podcasting, which involves downloading rather than streaming.
RadioInternet radio involves streaming media, presenting listeners with a continuous stream of audio that typically cannot be paused or replayed, much like traditional broadcast media.
Episode 108 Daredevil #4 The Purple Man In episode 108 of Comics Reading Comics which you can listen to here, Gabe, Sam, Matt, and Erin welcome guest Paddy Conner as they dive into Daredevil #4. [...]
What happened at Apalachin? In episode 106 of Comics Reading Comics which you can listen to here, Erin Gabbard ask the question, "Could there have been something that happened in the sixties that we don't [...]
No, Officer. My Assailant was not Dressed as Night Thrasher In episode 106 of Comics Reading Comics which you can listen to here, Matt Tate confessed that he was recently attacked when a crazy person [...]
Daredevil Season 2! The Punisher!!! Elektra !!! But what about the Knapsack?! In episode 105 of Comics Reading Comics which you can listen to here, the gang reads Daredevil #3 and discover the inordinate time [...]
Nothing is that Wrinkle Free! In episode 105 of Comics Reading Comics which you can listen to here, we have a good laugh over how Daredevil wads up his suit for lawyering into a ball [...]
Are Evil Laughs Real? In episode 105 of Comics Reading Comics, which you can listen to here, we call out the Owl's stereotypical evil laugh. This made me wonder is there such a thing as [...]
Owls are scary!!! In episode 105 of Comics Reading Comics which you can listen to here, we begin reading Daredevil #5 which includes the introduction of a super-villain known as the Owl. Now this may [...]
Stan Lee's Amore for Alliteration...see what I did there? In episode 105 of Comics Reading Comics which you can listen to here, we discuss Stan Lee's love for alliteration. You may be asking, "I'm not [...]
Comics Reading Comics Episode 105 - the Owl part 1. Gabe, Sam, Matt, and Erin welcome voice-over artist Bill Ott to read Daredevil #3 with Ominous Owl. You can listen to episode here. Here is [...]
Blind man...in...SPACE!!!! In episode 104, we finish reading Daredevil #2 where Daredevil, a blind man, lands a rocketship in the middle of Central Park without the slightest injury. You can listen to the episode here. [...]
Electro's Union Status? On episode 103 of Comics Reading Comics which you can listen to here, we discuss Electro's union status. If Electro was a line electrician in the city of New York, it [...]
What the Heck is a BlackJack? In episode 103 which you can listen to here, Matt described a weapon that one of the thugs used to attack Daredevil as a blackjack. There was some [...]
It's always a good time going over and recording the podcast. You are so comfortable that Augie makes you open up like you are talking to Barbara Walters.
Once upon a time 2 dummies wanted to record their pointless ramblings…In stepped Bound Network. From the very 1st mic check to every posted episode Augie and the crew makes it feel like family. They make us look good!
I am very happy & satisfied with doing my podcast at Bound Network. Everyone involved is a consummate professional, thereby delivering a product I can be proud of. Aside from that, recording at Bound Network is always a lot of fun!
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text: You are here: Home> Programmes > Business & IT Studies (Home, Community & Centre Based Programme) Course Description The course aims to equip students with the skills and competencies in Information Technology needed to obtain employment or access further training. Supports available including regular visits from the Distance Learning Instructors and regular centre meetings with fellow students. Employment placements are part of the programme. Skills are acquired in your own home on equipment supplied by the centre. Course Details Category Computer & IT Duration Up to 2 years Modules Word Processing, Spreadsheets, Databases, Desktop Publishing, Email & Internet, PC Security, File Management, Personal Development, Career Planning. Optional modules include: Payroll, Manual & Computerised Accounts. Certification QQI Level 4 & 5 Major Award, ECDL, Advanced ECDL This Course is Available In Do you want to apply to this course? Contact Us


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I was horrified some months ago to find that there were rumors online and subsequently out in the real world too, alleging that I am a victim of domestic violence. It was perplexing to me that someone could actually sit down and fabricate such a thing and take the time and energy to push such malicious lies… And yet someone did, with plenty of energy and determination. I have no idea what the motivation of this person was but I can tell you this, what goes around always comes around. Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord.
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Secrets of Success I: Cutting the CordOctober 1, 2012 · 44 Comments
Talk is CheapApril 22, 2013 · 32 Comments
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Seasons: Part 2 – PurgatoryJune 18, 2012 · 29 Comments
Fare Thee Well Leonard NimoyFebruary 27, 2015 · 1 Comment
Ludicrous Ridicule aka Heavens KissFebruary 10, 2015 · 9 Comments
Assassins & Online TerrorJanuary 23, 2015 · 16 Comments
The Actual Nation Lifestyle InterviewJuly 20, 2014 · No comments
Greater Understanding.May 14, 2014 · 11 Comments
- Isaac Mathenge Wahome: ..am fighting to create a a better World,to be a better person,to hold...
- Isaac Mathenge Wahome: Isaac is my name and am inspired by the challenged turns and twists th...
- Anil K Shah: Hi, Julie, I have seen you from the time you first got chance to be a ...
- Alice Kimonge: Proudly Kenyan, and African.This attitude too, needs to be adopted by ...
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I, along with some of my distinguished peers, will be speaking on a panel at the Creative Commons Salon NYC on March 3, 2010. The theme is "Opening Education" and there will be folks from Flat World Knowledge, Peer 2 Peer University, and finally the educators panel (including me!). It will be in lower Manhattan, from 7-10pm. RSVP info is here.
Hope you can join!


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Extraordinary Commitment
It is only when people realise the return that they get from something that they are able to commit to it. For Rasoolullah(SAW) this was never a matter of the slightest doubt. But his major achievement was in building a generation which shared his commitment and proved it to the final extent by giving their lives for the cause. He was able to do this by setting a personal example which left no doubt in anyone's mind about the extent of his own commitment to the message of Islam; living it and propagating it. Not only did Rasoolullah(SAW) demonstrate this commitment but so did his Sahaba who learnt this lesson very well from him. There are many instances in the Seerah which show the level of this commitment.
Say (O Muhammad): "If you (really) love Allah then follow me (follow my Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
A'al Imraa 3: 31
During the Battle of Badr, as they were proceeding to the wells of Badr where the battle was to take place, the Sahaba were very ill equipped. They were not prepared for a full battle and were only going to take over the caravan of Abu Sufyan which was returning from Ash-Shaam with goods purchased from the confiscated wealth of the Muhajiroon. There were only 2 horses and 70 camels in the group. Three people would take turns to ride one camel. Rasoolullah(SAW) had Ali ibn Abi Talib(RA) and Ulubaba(RA) with him as his partners. They offered the camel to him and he said, 'You are not stronger than I am and I need the reward as much as you do.' His leadership was from the front and he always demonstrated an equal if not higher level of commitment that he demanded from his people.
During the Battle of the Trench (Ghazwatul Khandaq) Rasoolullah(SAW) held a Shura to brainstorm the battle strategy. Salman Al Farisi(RA) who was from Persia said, 'In my land if we fear cavalry we dig a trench. So why don't we did a trench here?' Rasoolullah(SAW) agreed and they decided to dig the trench to the North of Madina which was vulnerable. In the east and west Madina was protected by Al Harra (a volcanic tract) and in the south were the date farms which were impenetrable. Every 10 men were given 40 feet of trench to dig. The Muslims were poor and hungry and weak. Anas ibn Maalik(RA) says that on one cold night Rasoolullah(SAW) went out to them and when he saw their state he made dua and said, 'O Allah(SWT) indeed these are for the Aakhira. O Allah(SWT) forgive the Muhajiroon and the Ansaar.' It was not lost on the Sahaba that while they were sleeping in the open and were bitterly cold, their leader was not sleeping warmly in his tent or his home, but was walking among them, checking their situation and making dua for them. People are loyal to other people, not to titles or ranks.
Al Bara'a(RA) says, 'On the day of Khandaq I saw Rasoolullah(SAW) carrying earth until there was so much mud on him that I could not see his skin anymore.' This is an example of the commitment of Rasoolullah(SAW). There was no job that he considered beneath his dignity to do. There was nothing that he ordered others to do that he didn't do himself. Leadership after all is always from the front. People follow leaders because the leader is walking ahead of them. Sometimes we forget this.
At this time Rasoolullah(SAW) himself was so hungry that he would tie two stones to his belly. Jaber ibn Abdalla(RA) saw the
condition of Rasoolullah(SAW) while they were digging the trench; people had one stone tied on their bellies while Rasoolullah(SAW) had two. He went to his wife and said, 'I have seen Rasoolullah(SAW) in an unbearable condition. Do you have any food for him?' She said, 'All I have is some barley and a small goat.' So Jaber bin Abdullah(RA) slaughtered the goat and told his wife to make some dough for bread. While the meat was cooking and his wife was baking the bread, he went to Rasoolullah(SAW) and said, 'Ya Rasoolullah(SAW), I have some food for you so please come with one or two of your companions.' Rasoolullah(SAW) asked him how much food he had and Jaber(RA) told him. Rasoolullah(SAW) said, 'O that's plenty. Tell your wife, not to move the soup from its place until I come.'
Then Rasoolullah(SAW) stood up and called out, 'O Muhajiroon, O Ansaar; Jaber has invited you to his house for a meal.' Jaber(RA) was shocked because he expected Rasoolullah(SAW) to come with one or two companions while Rasoolullah(SAW) had now invited the whole camp. He ran back home, very embarrassed and told his wife what had happened. She asked him, 'Did he ask you how much food we have?' He said, 'Yes.' She asked, 'Did you tell him?' He replied, 'Yes.' So she said, 'Then don't worry, Allah(SWT) and His Messenger(SAW) know best.' He said, 'Those words comforted me.'
Rasoolullah(SAW) entered the house of Jaber(RA) and took charge of distributing the food. He would crush the bread and dish out the meat and soup and told the Sahaba to come in groups of 10. Rasoolullah(SAW) would prepare the meal and dish it out and they would eat their fill and leave and another 10 would come in and eat. In total 800 Sahaba ate. When Rasoolullah(SAW) went back to the pot the pot was full and the bread was still baking. So he told the wife of Jaber(RA) to feed her neighbors. It is hardly a surprise that the morale of his people was so high. What else would you expect with a leader who shared all your hardship?
Miracle: Prophesy
A boulder stood in the path of the trench diggers and would not break despite their best efforts. So they came to Rasoolullah(SAW). He went with them and took the pickaxe and struck the boulder once. Lighting flashed and he said, 'Allahu Akbar.' Then he struck it a second time and lightning flashed again and he said, 'Allahu Akbar.' Then he struck it a third time and the boulder disintegrated to dust. Salman Al Farisi(RA) asked him, 'Ya Rasoolullah(SAW) what was the lightning and why did you say Allahu Akbar?' He replied, 'The first time I struck it I was given the good news of the conquest of the Roman Empire and I could see the red palace of Ash-Shaam from here. The second time I was given the god news of the conquest of Persia and I could see the white palace of Al Kisra. The third time I was given the good news of the conquest of Yemen and I could see the gates of Sana'a. That is why I said, 'Allahu Akbar.'
Speaking of the commitment of the Sahaba one story which illustrates this very well is when Rasoolullah(SAW) appointed Ammar bin Yasir(RA) and Abbad bin Bishr(RA) as guards during one expedition. Between themselves they decided that one of them would sleep half the night while the other stayed awake and then when half the night was over, he would awaken his brother. It was Abbad bin Bishr(RA)'s turn to be awake and he decided to pray while guarding the camp. One of the enemy scouts sneaked up behind Abbad(RA) and shot an arrow which hit him in the side. Abbad(RA) continued to stand and pray . The enemy soldier shot another arrow which also hit Abbad(RA). But he remained standing and continued his prayer without interruption. The enemy shot a third arrow upon which Abbad(RA) woke up Ammar(RA). When the enemy soldier saw that Abbad(RA) had a companion, he ran away. When Ammar bin Yasir(RA) saw him in the state where he was dying from loss of blood he said to him, 'Subhan'Allah why didn't you wake me up?' Abbad(RA) said, 'If it wasn't for the fact that this man kept shooting arrow after arrow and I was afraid that I may die and thereby fail my responsibility to Rasoolullah(SAW), I would not have woken you up until I finished my entire recitation.'
The Sahaba were living examples of Islam. This incident shows us the level of Imaan of the Sahaba where Abbad bin Bishr(RA) could actually continue to pray and retain his Khushoo despite taking 3 arrows in his body. This also shows the importance of our responsibility to Islam. Abbad(RA) used a phrase which means, 'Guarding my gate' i.e. preventing the enemy from entering from the gate that I am guarding. This is the responsibility of every Muslim. The enemy is Shaytaan or anyone who wishes ill for Islam or the Muslims. It is the duty of every Muslim to use whatever means Allah(SWT) has given to prevent any harm from happening to Islam or the Muslims and to help Islam and the Muslims in any way. We will not be asked, 'What happened?' We will be asked, 'What did you do?'
Excerpt from Sheikh Mirza Yawar Baig book – "Leadership Lessons from the Life of Rasoolullah: Proven techniques of how to succeed in today's world"


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Controversy over whether to construct a new airport in the southeastern region of the country has been revived.
As a matter of fact, the issue was resolved two years ago with the decision to expand an existing airport on the western end of Busan.
Then, Busan Mayor-elect Oh Geo-don raised the issue again in an interview with news media on Monday.
"Expanding Gimhae International Airport was a misguided political decision. The expansion must be stopped," Oh said. "Constructing a new airport on Gadeokdo is the right thing to do."
Constructing a new airport on the island adjacent to Busan was one of the key campaign promises in the June 13 local elections Oh won.
Oh, Ulsan Mayor-elect Song Cheol-ho and South Gyeongsang Province Governor-elect Kim Kyoung-soo agreed Tuesday to create a joint task force to construct a new airport to serve as a gateway to the region of North and South Gyeongsang provinces.
The three were elected as candidates of the ruling party.
Though they did not elaborate on the location, it is easy to guess the new airport site means Gadeokdo.
A plan to construct a new airport in the region was first discussed in 2006 by the Roh Moo-hyun government, which did not reach a conclusion amid conflicts over where it should be situated. President Lee Myung-bak pushed the plan as an election promise, only to scrap it in 2011 as competition to host the airport overheated. President Park Geun-hye also brought up the issue again and conflicts mounted over two candidate sites, Gadeokdo and Miryang. In 2016, the government crossed out both sites as "economically infeasible" and decided to expand Gimhae Airport instead.
Under the decision, a new runway and related facilities are being constructed at an expense of nearly 6 trillion won ($5.35 billion). They are to be up and running in 2026.
Amid this situation, the three raised the issue of Gadeokdo airport in their winning campaigns. Now they are pushing to revive the scrapped plan.
If the policy is flipped and a new airport is built on Gadeokdo, not only the three politicians but also the government will face a storm of backlash from residents in the region.
Signs of conflicts are already boiling.
Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin refuted Oh's argument, saying it is unjustifiable for a local government head to seek to overturn an adopted national policy and revive a discarded option on an election pledge.
Daegu is working on the relocation of Daegu International Airport and adjacent military runways to a nearby site as part of the 2016 new airport decision. If a new airport is built on Gadeokdo, this project could be negatively affected.
Local news media have run articles dealing with the issue from the viewpoint of regional interests.
Oh cites limits on the expansion of Gimhae Airport and noise pollution. But these concerns were already assessed in the runup to the decision to expand the airport.
Before its announcement in 2016, the government exacted promises from five cities and provinces in the region to accept the decision without raising issue.
Now, the mayor-elects and governor-elect are seeking to reverse consensus even before taking office on July 1.
Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Hyun-mee said she was not considering changing current airport locations. The ministry said in its report to the National Assembly in April, "Gimhae International Airport was picked as the optimal site (of a new airport). Related local governments accepted the decision and the government even took counsel from a foreign advisory group."
To open Pandora's box, there must be a convincing justification, but the rationale behind Oh's claims seem less compelling.
Constructing a new airport is a long-term national project costing billions of dollars. Key state undertakings must be prudently reviewed and consistently implemented once they are determined. Trying to reverse a concluded issue will cause a waste of national resources.


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Last weekend was my twenty-year high school reunion. It should be noted that I didn't actually attend the reunion itself since I had to head back to San Antonio for a friend's wedding. But as I needed to make a trip to Dallas anyway I decided to take advantage of the fact that some of my far-flung classmates were going to be in town and so was able to meet up with a few people for a personal, mini-reunion.
The class of 1995 was unique in a way in that it was one of the last to graduate before email was a thing. As a result one of the highlights of my 10-year reunion was acquiring the email addresses of a handful of friends with whom I had lost touch. Of course, in 2005 even as I was gathering those addresses Zuckerberg was quite literally creating Facebook that would soon make keeping up with large groups of people even easier.
Still, nothing can replace the visceral experience of reconnecting with someone in person. Ten years ago it was great to be able to spend time with people that I quite literally had not seen nor heard from in a decade. That said I remember leaving that first reunion with a slight but palpable sense of sadness. It took me a while to figure it out exactly what was the cause.
My time in high school was by no means the high water mark of my life. It was a thing that just happened. The experience I had there was shared by a large and diverse group of people who at the time very much defined my world.
For a time in the mid-90s that world was all consuming. And then suddenly that world ceased to exist.
When we graduated we by definition all moved on. We went to college (or didn't). We got married (or didn't). We had kids (or didn't). In the rush of becoming adults we lost track of how much things change.
I think the sadness I felt ten years ago came from the realization of how incredibly temporary high school was and - by extension - how temporary every stage of life is.
Jobs come and go. Apartments and houses are moved in to and then out of. People we love pass away. New ones are born. When we were young everything seemed so much more permanent but in reality it is all incredibly transient. Things that once seemed so terribly important become irrelevant with startling quickness. The reverse is true as well.
* * *
On the Friday night before the actual reunion (you know, the one I missed) I picked up a friend for dinner. On the way we passed by our old high school building.
It might be because I'm an architect, but I tend to organize my memories by the places where they occurred. I remember my kindergarten playground. I remember the archway where I first kissed a girl. I remember the view from the altar of the church where I was married (to a different girl).
My memories of high school are not so physically rooted. Not long after I graduated they expanded my high school to a point where it doesn't look much like it did when I was a student there. Even though I drive by the building whenever I visit my family, the experience does not move me to reflection – not in the way I've been moved in these past few days as the reunion approached, as photos were posted online and as I had the opportunity to spend time with old friends.
After dinner on Friday, my friend and I decided to make an appearance at the homecoming football game. Admittedly this was an odd choice for me (I don't know that I ever actually went to a football game when I was in high school) but it seemed like a fitting and proper thing to do. While I was there I realized I was having a quintessential high school experience – a full two decades after graduating.
It occurred to me then that our memories are active things. They are not tied to a particular place or time. They are instead a starting point for our future. They can be revisited, renewed and expanded. High school (or any experience) may only last for a finite period of time, but our active experience of it can last a lifetime.
So I suppose in the end it isn't a thing that just happened - it is a thing that is happening still.