text:
Jennifer Janson is the author of the Reputation Playbook, published by Harriman House, and an expert in the field of reputation management. Her book has been featured in The Sunday Times and The Globe & Mail among others, and Jennifer is a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal. Jennifer owns and runs UK-based Six Degrees, a specialist reputation management consultancy. She is also a member of the UK's Business Superbrands Council 2014/15/16, and the trustee of a South African charity, Afrika Tikkun.mail the author
ITL #202 What a doctor looks like: lessons from the Delta debacle10 months, 2 weeks ago
"Oh no sweetie put your hand down, we are looking for actual physicians or nurses or some type of medical personnel."
According to widespread media reports, this was the dismissive, patronizing rebuttal Doctor Tamika Cross received while on a Delta flight to Minneapolis in October 2016. A passenger was unwell and airline personnel asked if there was a doctor on board. As her professional training warrants, Tamika 'jumped into doctor mode', volunteering her help and was promptly shut down as a flight attendant didn't believe that she was who she said she was.
As well as the obvious gender and race-specific prejudices and subsequent discussions that have arisen from this situation, what I found most interesting was the reaction on social media.
Dr Cross posted her experience on Facebook and it went viral. She later also submitted an official complaint against Delta for discrimination, but by then the real damage to the company was done.
In just a few hours, Delta found itself at the centre of a formidable crisis.
Social media wildfire
As of writing this article, there are 88k likes, 20k comments and 48k shares on Dr Cross's post. The social media wildfire burned furiously as black female doctors all over the world stood in solidarity with her – tweeting, Instagramming and Facebook-posting selfies with the hashtag '#whatadoctorlookslike'.
Where did it all go wrong? Clearly the individual working for Delta made a grave error. So who is accountable in this situation? If we scratch the surface, is there a more substantial cultural issue at play in the company?
Before we play the blame game, let's go to the root of the problem. Behavior.
For many people, PR and communication are interchangeable terms. It's all about getting your message out there to the people that matter most. But when it comes to building a positive, enduring reputation, it's not communication that should be the primary focus of your business, but rather purpose, values and behavior. Communication comes once all three of those are aligned.
A few years ago, I found myself frustrated. Frustrated first on behalf of communications people trying to do a good job but hitting road blocks within their businesses. Frustrated second with the CEOs of these businesses who were refusing to take their reputation seriously in an era when the average person in the street could make their views on a brand heard via social media. So I interviewed some 20 CEOs of large multinational businesses in an effort to identify the patterns of behavior that led to a strong reputation.
If the results of these interviews are to be believed, there is indeed a formula for a good reputation, which goes like this:
(Purpose + Values) x Behavior + Communication = Reputation.
Let me explain.
Having a team (whether numbering in the tens, hundreds, thousands or hundreds of thousands of people) aligned behind a common purpose is a very powerful thing. This is at the core of author Simon Sinek's Start with Why. His contention is that it is the 'why' that defines your business, not the 'what' or the 'how'. It is a theory which I wholeheartedly support, and which my research supported too.
Purpose-led business
Having core values in a business is management best practice 101. But a purpose-led business will ensure that those values aren't simply stickers on a wall or a page in the annual report or website. The business will have a culture that thrives on those values and that hires and fires in line with them.
The great multiplier when it comes to building a solid reputation is the behavior that underpins the value and purpose. Behavior covers everything from frontline staff interactions with customers, suppliers and shareholders to the quality and customer experience of products and services. For example, if one of your core values is all about 'delighting' your customers, but one of the products in your range has an average customer review of one out of five stars, you are letting yourself down badly.
This is where I think the Delta story gets interesting. You don't have to look far to discover the airline's purpose and values. Delta's 'Rules of the Road' say:
"Strong core values and a clear set of unifying behaviors provide a solid foundation for Delta's culture. Our values are the basis for everything we do. When Delta people encounter situations, they use their values and professionalism, along with training and experience to guide their actions and decisions."
Its core values are:
Honesty – always tell the truth
Integrity – always keep your deals
Respect – don't hurt anyone
Perseverance – try harder than all our competitors – never give up
Servant Leadership – care for our customers, our community and each other.
Furthermore, Delta has an extensive list of 'most important behaviors'. Let's focus on just a few:
Whether we realize it or not, the greatest reputational risk arises when behavior is out of line with core values. And based solely on an outsider's perspective, this certainly looks to be the issue in the Delta incident.
Delta did take to Facebook to respond directly to comments and questions about the allegations. It also posted a brief statement on its website (at the time of writing, the latest post is October 2016) saying it is undertaking an investigation. By traditional measures, that ticks a few standard 'crisis management' boxes, even if the comments did sound slightly robotic and formulaic. But when a hashtag has been created to highlight an event involving your company, and is going viral, it's probably time to ditch traditional box checking (ok, not completely, but it can't stop there), and put more robust plans in place.
What should Delta do?
First of all, this issue goes way beyond communications, and I would hope the CEO Ed Bastian is involved in discussions around the issue raised by Dr Cross.
The easy thing for Delta to do will be to return to 'business as usual' once the media and social media storm has blown over. If I was on the board of Delta I would be asking what we learned from this incident and what we have put in place to minimize the possibility of it happening again.
Credit where credit is due. In November 2016, Delta banned a customer from its aircraft for life after he hurled a tirade of abuse at passengers and staff on board. The company is also refunding the full fare for all other passengers on board the flight, according to news reports. The move was led by CEO Ed Bastian after video of the incident circulated.


text:
sort by best latest
Teaching children about choices and consequences as early as possible is a must. As parents we must consistently hold them accountable for the choices that they make. With consistent practice, they internalize that all choices (whether good or bad) have consequences. They also learn to make more good choices than bad, knowing that the consequences for good choices are much more favorable.
You can help the HubPages community highlight top quality content by ranking this answer up or down.
Apparently there are no accountability rules any longer unless you happen to be a free market American Capitalist with a passion for freedom and individual rights. The government seems to do what it wishes to do regardless of the law. Obama violates the US Constitution more often than he golfs. Congress is too busy trading stocks on inside information whilst passing new laws making tougher insider trading laws on the private individual capitalists.
The Executive branch is busy putting people in jail for violating non-existent foreign laws and US wetlands laws. For instance, the commonly known Honduran law prohibiting against shipping lobster in plastic instead of cardboard...unfortunately one American businessman did not know that and the US prosectors did not care that Honduras had long ago repealed the law, resulting in an honest hardworking businessman being label a felon and spending 6 years in prison.
Of course the government isn't accountable in the case of the EPA taking legal action against a couple who filled in THEIR PRIVATE PROPERTY after the federal government accidentally flooded their land. And yet the EPA is threatening these people.
Accountability predicated on the dictates espoused by Thomas Jefferson do not bode well for government officials today. Perhaps it is that time once again to take action in order to re-establish order and accountability from elected officials, because it is evident that they have either lost their moral compass or fail to understand the nature of physics does not permit the tail to wag the dog.
You can help the HubPages community highlight top quality content by ranking this answer up or down.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
We never expected to find such a beauty! Way back off winding Route 66 is this beautiful winery that boasts a grand and elegant dining hall! We enjoyed a wine tasting and brought some home with us.
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.


text:
CTR Type Stock - Black
A telescopic stock meant for attachment in M4/M16 replicas. The stock was made from polymer. The ergonomic stock pad was covered with a pattern that increases adherence. The stock pad was made from a hard rubber. Ideally fits to an arm.
Features a double-sided QD tactical sling swivels (the set does not include QD mounts).
ATTENTION! The set does not include the stock slide. It is also important to point out that GBB replicas' stock slides are often wider than standard ones. The diameter of the stock slide for this stock is approximately 30mm.
The set includes an additional plug, which allows for the replacement of the rubber stock pad and usage of the stock without it. Underneath the stock pad is a second - fixed, polymer one.


text:
Delightful blonde teeny girl Gina Gerson gets drilled by old geezer
Description:Barely legal green eyed goddess named Gina uses her perfectly shaped young body to seduce that old dude. Flabby motherfucker can't resist to bury his face between Gina's legs and eat her soaking cunt.
Category:+18 only (Adult)
Added:2 years ago
0 likes, 0 dislikes
Embed / Iframe code:
Make your selection, copy and paste the embed code above.
Standart sizes: Custom size:
What is the problem?
Please do not abuse this section. The videos ,which are on investigate list, are manually checked by editor.
Security code:(is not case-sensitive) can't read
Write a comment
at least 10 characters, up to 400 characters
400 characters remaining
Security code:
(is not case-sensitive) can't read


text:
Drew Drills Jamie
Pornstars: Drew III (CF)
About this Video:
During his solo Drew made it pretty clear that he was interested in Jamie when he stroked out a hot load with her as his inspiration. In hearing about this and taking one look at Drew, Jamie was immediately interested in trying out the sexy stud!
View other Amateur College Sex videos
Photo Gallery (Click Thumbnails to Enlarge)
0 Comments
Please Login or Create Free Account to Comment on this Video!


text:
Gustafson Brothers Service Center
ReScore Reviews™ (2)
99% Would Recommend
Latest Review 2 days ago
Review for Gustafson Brothers Service Center
James H. on 05/26/2016
Spoke with Lisa. She said the business was awesome, very thorough, very nice, courteous, accommodating and honest. She also said they seem to know their business and they have top of the line equipment.
Category: Service
Review Created: 05/26/2016
This review was collected via phone interview by Customer Research Inc.


text:
Speedo Boys' Lucha Libre Retro Trunks - Multi
$14.99 for this Aussie swimwear icon!
Bold & colourful print | Elasticised waist | Internal drawstring
Available in junior sizes - see size chart below for correct fit!
No other swimwear brand out there has had more of an impact on the Australian way of life than Speedo. Since the company's humble beginnings 100 years ago, this iconic brand has grown alongside Aussie beach culture to become a leading force in swimwear, not just locally, but across the globe.
- Speedo swimwear
- In junior boys sizing
- Style: Lucha Libre Retro Trunks
- Colour: Multi
- Bold, colourful limited edition print
- Mexican themed text
- Elasticated waist with an internal drawstring
- Fully lined
- Speedo logo stitched at hip
- 50% polyester, 50% polybutylene
- Perfect at the pool or beach


text:
Start buying a house. Look at online entries, in newspapers, and in property guides. Locate a real estate agent which active in the neighborhoods you like, and another who sells the varieties of houses you're looking for. You may want to consider utilizing a buyer's agent. Become very clear about what you're looking for. In the event that an agent repeatedly shows you houses that don't fit your own criteria, find a new real estate broker business estate agent to help you.
Upon site, auctions are kept at a predetermined place in a predetermined time. Would be customers must register the day from the auction & come ready to buy. The rules of a public sale are usually available on-line or even in a brochure. They will inform you things like, how much you need to provide as a down payment, what the examination term are, what the monetary terms are, etc. In case you are being represented by an agent, the agent must also sign up as your agent usually prior to the auction begins. In order to get a commission, the agent should be present at the auction.
Which neighborhood you would like to live in, needs to be decided. In Chiang Mai, there are both riverside and mountain/valley houses. Looking at online or through a real estate broker business on the price of a neighborhood is, of course, necessary. Some places are pricier than other people just because wealthy people reside there. Don't bother regarding getting what you paid for since houses are often very similar in dimensions and build.
In case you work for a real estate organization, you can be an agent and sell homes. However, if you're independent, you should be a broker. In layman's terms, brokers have more strength and more responsibility than brokers. They complete more education and therefore have more knowledge of the. Typically, agents work below brokers.
Agents since NYC real estate brokers, undoubtedly, convey more knowledge of market than you might have. He or she understands which areas are going to be in the great requirement in near future. If you create your investment with the tips of a real estate broker or even agent, your money is likely to provide you with better returns. On the other hand in case you invest your money in an incorrect place, it is not going to create any result. Therefore just before taking any decision regarding investing your money in home market hire a good agent.
The real estate company is a vicious one. You might have estate agents doing everything they could to get as many clients because they can handle. Which is a good thing for your clients because the competition is usually keeping their fees lower. However, not all people are comfy in using third-party such transactions. So is it a good idea to use a real estate agent?
Preapproval, on the other hand, implies that you have been through the process, you have supplied all the documentation real estate broker business needed (much of it is required simply by state law, which is why an agent in one state cannot always work with you in another), and an offer of a mortgage in the amount determined has been conducted. You generally have sixty days to take advantage of your preapproval.
One of an essential thing what is said to be a key aspect of our success is the quickness-www.paydayloansstore.org/consolidate-payday-loans/ online payday loan consolidation. You are sure to receive the particular requested amount within several hours after the approval. The entire time we may take any business day. This occurs just in cases which are submitted in the last hours of operation during. Earlier your application, quicker you might be to receive your needed quantity. You may be taking less than 2 minutes of time to complete the license application form for Quick small — go to website &&& top 10 online payday loans $$$ no credit check. Programs are being filled and posted online. This speeds up the particular approval- process as well.
Not revealing yourself to the market. If you're not really out in the community researching, understanding and connecting with other people getting a good deal on a flicking house may not be so easy. Therefore expose yourself to the market plus let others know most likely out there. Inform sellers, purchasers and real estate agents that you're thinking about flipping houses. Ask them to regularly to let you know when offers appear.
Start by looking for homes in relatively good shape and appear terrible that are surrounded simply by lovely homes. A lawn in a dangerous condition works to your advantage. This will keep the cost down and lookers to some minimum. You will be able to discuss the price downward because you may have little competition for the home. If the house has been repossessed, it is better. Banks have to sell houses because they are not allowed to stay the real estate business.
It is a common perception of homeowners to think that will by hiring a real estate broker business or even agent alone, they will be in a position to sell their home for the optimum amount of money possible in the current condition of the real estate market. They then need to, unfortunately, realize that having a real estate property broker business or realtor is no guarantee you can easily market your house. Yes, there are plenty of people looking to make a home buy in the country. It is important that property owners realize that buyers are seeking components when they are looking to purchase a property. It is necessary to know these factors so that a sale of a home will be a guarantee.
Read, Read, Read! Customer beware, no two addendums are alike. Some are usually 2-5 pages while others are usually 20+ pages. If you don't such as what you see, do not an indication. If you don't understand something, obtain the explanation before you sign, right after is too late. Unless the initial offer was submitted along with addendums, which is the case sometimes, the seller acceptance of an provides is not binding on any kind of party until all the celebrations have signed all needed documents related to the deal.
So, in summary, the economic climate is bad and there are numerous risky real estate buying assets out there. The secret is being in a position to sort through the chaff to get the properties that are still ready for profit. Now that you realize a little better about the facts of the market, go on and get your piece of the particular pie.


text: The blue hue on the Droid X's notification bar is really nice. Much better than the white and cleaner than everyday black IMO. Only place I have seen it is in Fabolous' xTheme port, but it is no longer blue.. or maybe the screenshot was off, not sure. Just wondering if there is any easy way to get it on the droid?


text:
Discussion in 'Photoshopped, Captions, Tribute Pictures' started by FutureCuck, Aug 8, 2013.
got lots of pics of her let me know if you need more
she looks like a fine slut to gape.... great pussy.. she there with you now? what she like and into.....
good girl... she hot dude love to feed here in front of you as u wish.... she there with you now also
shes here
what ya guys doing..... love to hear y give it to her for me may I call say hello talk with you both....
pm us
isn't that what we are doing here?? new here no cam or anything here is it?
not that i know of
aren't we Pm each other here now? what she wearing now? she ok with me calling??
who wants pics?
I do...
Separate names with a comma.


text:
Microsoft Says Windows Phone May Be Small Still But It's Growing Fast
Ryan Martin / 4 years ago
Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 is still a small operating system by today's standards but their Vice President Joe Belfiore says that's going to change in the future because Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 may be small now but it's growing fast.
The Windows Phone 8 OS has started to grow exponentially in recent times, largely driven by huge sales of the affordable device pictured above – the Lumia 520 from Nokia.
"We're small, but growing fast…We'll take it." Said Belfiore to AllThingsD.
Belfiore claims that Microsoft Windows Phone team are working hard behind the scenes to bring the functionality of WP8 up to the standards of Android and iOS. Belfiore stated that a lot of the work being done on WP8 is behind the scenes so people do not always notice:
"The work we are doing is valuable, and a lot of people aren't aware of it"
That said he still believes one of the best ways WP8 can grow is by continuing to attract app developers, but ultimately one of the main drawbacks of WP8 has been and still is the lack of key apps. Microsoft announced a major WP8 update on Monday which added features like a driving mode and improved storage management as well as support for 1080p displays and quad core processors.
Image courtesy of Nokia


text:
Capitalbadges.co.uk ranks
#13,792,043 in the world and generates
154 Page views for daily.
FreeWebsiteReport estimates Capitalbadges.co.uk for a valuation of
$338 USD for it's visitor traffic that has the potential for CPC and Display-based advertising.
This traffic data suggests the Advertisers with a Traffic Acquisition Cost (TAC) of
$0.46 for daily and
$13.90 for monthly to spend on advertisements with Capitalbadges.co.uk. Capitalbadges.co.uk receives most of it's
organic referrals traffic from 6 websites around the world. Capitalbadges.co.uk servers are located in the Canada.
|Time Average
|Site Rank
|View Rank
|Views Per-User
3 Month
Capital Badges UK
Makers of enamel and embroidered badges to custom designs, ideal for clubs, businesses and schools. Other products include lapel badges and lanyards.
Letchworth Garden City Business and Economy
Google Safe Browsing - Safe website. Clean from Viruses, Malicious Worms, Adwares, Trojans, Spywares and Suspicious Phishing Attacks.
|DMOZ Name
|DMOZ Path
|Letchworth Garden City/Business and Economy


text:
Gateway Auto Clinic
Review for Gateway Auto Clinic
RAY H. on 04/02/2015
"Honest, responsive, friendly"
Every time I request service, I get exactly what is needed, and most of the time, the same day. Since I also repair this car, they can diagnose but leave the repair to me.
Vehicle: Saturn SL2
Service Date: 03/17/2015
Review Created: 04/02/2015 08:40 AM


text:
I was having a lazy Sunday morning, lying in bed at 10am and still in my pajamas - jabbing and swiping a finger furiously at my phone. Aligning candies, smashing chocolate, crushing jellies in the virtual world of Candy Crush. With one eye shut & no glasses, a feat for one who is very short sighted. It felt like the best Sunday ever, to loll around and do absolutely nothing constructive.
Conversations from the previous day start floating in my head - of how I planned to leave sometime next year. 4 months…. 1 whole year the most, if my wildest fantasies came true. My time was running out, and I felt the need to grab all the opportunities that I could, while I still can.
Except that I suddenly felt a stab of unfamiliar fear - that I would never live the 'ordinary life'. At many points of my life, I crave to be 'normal'.
Normal? What is normal?
It is not a word that I could define myself with much. In a little more than 3 weeks, I would be turning 34, but already a single mother of a 14 year old. I am qualified to be some high-flying accountant for a big corporation, yet here I am, still at the stage of carving a new career path. Most days I am just scraping at the bottom of my purse, when other people my age are buying branded everything. I am planning for something that will define the next 2 years of my life. By then I would be 36. Then what?
The normal or ordinary life would be the straight path so different from mine. From the age of 19, I was already screwed for anything even remotely 'ordinary'.
Maybe it is the recurring dream for years that I have of a baby son that I apparently will never have. I don't know why, but sometimes he appears in my dreams. And those days I used to spend in IKEA, dreaming of a home I would one day build, for a 'real family'.
I guess I fear that I wouldn't have time for any of that. For me, it was a crossroad – I either take one path or the other.
But then I remembered Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, and what she spoke about 'Leaning In'. This is exactly what she meant when she talked about how women lean back from achieving their full potential for a future they aren't even sure of yet. They make plans for a family, when there isn't even a sight of Mr Right in the horizon. Not even the distinct possibility of having a fairytale romance just yet.
I may never know how it will be to lead the perfect life, and I yearn for it. But it shouldn't stop me from living my full potential.
In time, all the good things will come.
Read more...


text:
Computers » Software
Do you always find yourself fumbling for words? Does it cause you a great deal of social embarrassment? Fret no more! Explore the many benefits offered by the Ultimate Vocabulary software. A number of people have used it to enhance their vocabulary. The results have been nothing short of remarkable. Users have reported drastic improvement in their vocabulary. Look up the review about Ultimate Vocabulary software to know more about it. The makers of the software have got the stuff right!
One of the interesting highlights about the Ultimate Vocabulary software is its etymology database. The software links to this database that provides relevant history and original meaning of the word you are learning. As a matter of fact, it is important that you understand the original meaning of the word before you use it. It will help you avoid inappropriate usage of words. The software will empower you to talk confidently and uninhibitedly. Improve your vocabulary now! Remember, a powerful vocabulary speaks volumes about your personality. A rich vocabulary can have a dramatic impact on your life.
The importance of a great vocabulary cannot be ignored in the present day scenario. Good vocabulary can take you places it can help you further your career. After all, people judge you by the words you use. The Ultimate Vocabulary software can definitely work to your advantage. Check the review on Ultimate Vocabulary to make an informed decision. As a matter of fact, the Ultimate Vocabulary review is far from disappointing. The software has won rave reviews and understandably so. The easy to use tool has transformed the lives of many; it can change your life too!
If you are doubtful about the words that you use, you will not be able to interact confidently. Your lack of confidence will show through and work against your image. On the contrary, when you speak with confidence and power, you are likely to come across as a self-assured person. Do not hesitate to use the tool to enhance your written skills and verbal skills. User review on Ultimate Vocabulary is positive and encouraging. Check relevant reviews to gain an insight into the remarkable software. Discover its wondrous benefits to get over your fears and inhibitions. You will never be at a loss for words! Your vocabulary will never fail you!
An extensive knowledge of the exact meanings of English words can give you the competitive edge that you need to survive in todays world. Those with good vocabulary are considered competent and qualified. Software review about Ultimate Vocabulary is positive and satisfactory. Do not think twice before investing in fantastic software that can change your life! Save yourself the embarrassment of fumbling for words! Put an end to uncomfortable moments now you will never find yourself in an awkward position in public. Improve your written English, spoken English, spelling and vocabulary in general. Take the spelling test, word recall test and the many other tests offered by the software.
Belle Jose is the author of this article on Review On Ultimate Vocabulary. Find more information on User Review on Ultimate Vocabulary here.


text:
About Deerbrook Editions
If you would like to use our distributor, go to spdbooks.
Join us in celebrating literature.
If you wold like to donate to the press, visit Deerbrook – a Fractured Atlas sponsored project Deerbrook is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the purposes of Deerbrook must be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Deerbrook Editions is a literary small press publishing noteworthy and emerging authors in well-designed trade books. The press presents authors to you in quality paper back books. The design is clean and unique to each book. The press works with authors on book contents and covers, often using original art or photography from author or artist collections. You can purchase books on this site via PayPal using the payment method of your choice. Many of our titles are discounted and shipping is included in the price. You can view sample pages of several of the latest books here. Our mission is to provide literature that is relevant and stimulating, to advocate and support authors by giving them a wider audience, and to connect authors and artists with their community by offering readers a new experience through literature. Our first book came out in 2002. We plow earnings back into books.
Our garden is one of books. We plant seeds of intellect and harvest nourishment for culture. If you value art and culture then you are in a likely place to find something fruitful for the eye and mind. Our three graces might be but are not limited to reading, writing, and teaching. Design is also important to us. True design is concerned with the sense of vision or seeing, and through expression by design, conveying concepts and information in a balanced way. So when it comes to books, regard for letterforms, illustration, other forms, and space or the intervals of space between forms, all relate to our vision, often in imperceptible ways, yet there is memory and learning involved.
Deerbrook Editions was started by Jeffrey Haste publishing Brothers of Morning by Martin Steingesser, the first Poet Laureate of Portland, ME. More about Jeff Haste


text:
Machinery and equipment information including dimensions, weights and types available in our extensive series of machinery reviews and data pages. If you are not sure which machine to buy amongst the thousands of machines for sale then our commercial vehicle buyers guide will help you.
Zetor Forterra Tractor Review
Zetor Major Tractor Review
Zetor Proxima Tractor Review


text: I'm downloading it right now to give it a try, I'm going to try the bare one, and see if I like it, probably going to stick with Fresh 1.1 but its worth a try. I'll let ya'll know what I think. After trying both bare and full, I don't like it, its very basic, very boring, and slower than Fresh. I did like the launcher on bare but that was about it.


text:
Gameranx: "Reports from the community suggest that the next DLC for Black Ops 2 is titled Uprising."
I'm glad we've reached the point where no one gives a damn about Call of Duty leaks anymore.
What they need to do is fix the damn spawn camping,lag,host migration.....spawn camping does not equal or make u bad ass


text:
How effective is parental control software?
KIDS love using the internet: the age of smartphone ownership continually tumbles downwards and the range of internet-enabled devices in the home has grown exponentially in the past few years.
The opportunities to create, connect and discover, anytime and anywhere, are incredible.
We all want to keep children safe online and the UK's online safety debate has been much concerned with applying technology which can protect them.
software options and how it works:
However, it is important to recognise that these are merely helpful tools: they do not provide a solution to keeping children safe online in themselves.
In fact, content is just one of the potential risks facing children online.
At Childnet we call these risks the "four Cs" - Content, Contact, Conduct and Commercialism; the strength of filtering tools lie predominantly in the Content area, rather than the other three Cs.
The other potential risks include:
- Contact: potential contact from someone online who may wish to bully or abuse
- Conduct: children may be at risk because of their own and other's online behaviour, such as the sharing of personal information, and
- Commercialism: children's privacy can be placed at risk by commercial marketing and data collection companies and the nature of online advertising
Parental support is paramount
When it comes to internet safety, research tells us the best outcomes for children come from parental engagement and support.
LSE research into this topic concluded that, "Cynicism that what parents do is not valued, or that children will always evade parental guidance, is ungrounded."
In fact, the researchers found, parents being parents online as well as offline and making sure their children know how to stay safe, be responsible and to respect others online makes a big impact on behaviour.
The best steps taken by parents appeared to be talking to their children about staying safe online and making sure they knew that they could ask for help if they needed it.
In fact, the researchers found that technical mediation (i.e. filtering) alone has no significant impact on children between 9 and 14 years old and was associated with more harm for 15 and 16 year olds.
The message is that parental controls work in addition to parental engagement, and not instead of it.
Harmful content
Having said that, potentially harmful online content is a potential risk children and young people online have to face.
In a survey we carried out with 24,000 children and young people for 2013's Safer Internet Day, 22% of 7-11s and 21% of 11-19s told us that seeing unpleasant or hurtful things stops them from enjoying their time on the internet.
Other forms of media attempt to protect children from being exposed to age-inappropriate images and material, with measures such as film classification, the top shelf for magazines, and the watershed on TV.
Games are rated based on their content and features and carry age classifications. The Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed games, for example, are for over 18s.
If a child is an avid gamer, it is important to be aware of the types of games they are playing, and there is guidance available on what is and is not age-appropriate.
So what about the Internet?
Since we found in 2015 that 78% of 11-16s use YouTube every week, age ratings have been introduced on some videos posted there and on Vevo.
But there still isn't a widely recognised online equivalent of the "top shelf", so filtering technology and parental controls can help reduce the chances of children coming across age-inappropriate content.
Filtering the internet
Mobile phones have parental controls. All the mobile operators in the UK provide parental controls for free to their users, and most have these set up by default. This can help prevent the phone being able to access age-inappropriate content on the internet.
Parents who aren't sure where they stand can contact their mobile operator or visit the safety pages on their website.
The big four domestic Internet Service Providers in the UK - BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media - all provide parental controls for free to their customers.
Sky courted some controversy by announcing these would be switched on by default for all new customers, and for existing customers who ignored prompts to check their settings themselves, from summer 2016.
Customers with the other big ISPs will need to set up the parental controls themselves. We have worked with these ISPs to help them create videos which are very short and very clear, explaining where users can go to get these parental controls and how to set them up, available here.
There's more information on the differences between the services in this Choose article.
In terms of the content they do and don't block, improvements have been made over the years, but the challenges of overblocking and underblocking still remain.
All four of the biggest ISP now provide network level filters, with the advantage we only need to set them up once to cover all devices that access the home wireless (this was pioneered by TalkTalk).
There is the disadvantage of not being able to set profiles for individual users, so no possibility of differentiating settings for teenage or very young children.
However, there is the clear advantage of ease of use, setting the filter up once rather than installing something on every device, and there is flexibility to adjust filtering depending on the time of day or week, and to add or remove particular sites from the blocked list.
There are discussions about automatic default for public wi-fi access, and progress is being made in this area; some public wi-fi providers such as The Cloud (owned by BSkyB) already use automatic filtering.
Filtering gadgets
There are also parental controls available on devices.
This is true for games consoles as well as tablets and smart phones. We have some information on some of these in our Parents' Guide to Technology - but also remember to make parental controls a part of the conversation in store when purchasing technology for children.
There are also settings available on some online services, such as Google Safesearch, YouTube Safety Mode, and the BBC iPlayer Parental Guidance lock.
The limits of filtering
So, to sum up, there are tools available, often free of charge, for parents to help keep their children safe online.
However, they require parents to set them up or to check their status regularly, and they work best with parental engagement and support.


text: I won a random gun from the Dayton match, I am going to get a G34 and set it up for GSSF matches by adding some all black Dawson Precision adjustable sights. That sight combination should make me slow down and shoot slower but thats not really the best idea on the plates. So here's my question, since I will have two Gen 4 G34's, both completely stock besides the FO front / Warren rear and black DP adjustable sights, can I shoot the Gen 4 G34 with the FO sight setup on the plates then switch to the all black setup for the "M" and the "5 to G"??? 2 guns in one division, same exact model just different sights......legal??? Moral??? I cant find anything in the rules that says its illegal but I fear it might not be moral, I do not want an UNFAIR advantage. If this IS legal do you folks think it goes against the "spirit" of GSSF competition???


text:
North Star Trailer (1996)
"Where land is power and revenge is obsession." 03 January 1996 Adventure, Drama, Action 90 mins
Set during the Alaskan gold rush of the late 1800's. In his efforts to gain control of a small mining town, Sean McLennon is buying up every mining claim that becomes available, usually after the deaths of the previous owners at the hands of McLennon's 'assistants'. One of the miners targeted by McLennon, a half-Indian hunter named Hudson Saanteek, manages to escape his hired thugs and comes back into town looking to re-establish his claim and get revenge. McLennon and his men have the advantange of numbers and weapons, but Saanteek has his survival skills and knowledge of the Alaskan wilderness.
Watch the official North Star 1996 trailer in HD below or find more North Star videos on Vidimovie.


text:
Fekkak Mamdouh came to the United States from Morocco in 1988 at the age of 27. He worked in New York City restaurants since he arrived, and finally moved to Windows on the World when it reopened in 1996. As a waiter at Windows, Mamdouh was always a staunch worker advocate. As shop steward for the union at Windows, Mamdouh constantly stood up for the rights of all workers; workers from all shifts and positions turned to him for help and assistance. After September 11th, 2001, Mamdouh initially led search parties for the families of the 73 victims who lost their lives at Windows, and then later was hired by the union HERE Local 100 to staff a temporary operation known as the Immigrant Worker Assistance Alliance (IWAA) to provide relief services to his fellow displaced workers and to the families of his brothers and sisters who had lost their lives at Windows. When the IWAA shut down in February, Mamdouh Co-founded ROC-NY the Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York, in April 2002. And in January 2008, he co-founded the country's first national restaurant worker organization, Restaurant Opportunities Center United. He is the co-author of The Accidental American, a book about his life and the story of ROC United.
Staff & Locals


text:
Rust-Oleum Outdoor Decor Satin Spray Paint
Rust-Oleum spray finishes provide long lasting protection to properly prepared wood, metal, or masonry surfaces. Dries to a tough, satin finish that retains its beauty for years. Resists peeling, chipping, and weathering. Lead free, safe for children's toys and furniture. Can lid shows color. 12 oz. covers approximately 25 sq. ft. No. 7728-830: Navy blue No. 7730-830: Teal No. 7732-830: Hunter green No. 7737-830: Spruce green No. 7739-830: Charcoal green No. 7767-830: Redwood No. 7772-830: Putty No. 7774-830: Chestnut brown No. 7777-830: Satin black No. 7791-830: Satin white No. 7793-830: Shell white No. 241238: Dark taupe No. 241252: Lake blue
Click here for details
Be First to Comment
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.


text:
Benzene Monitoring Tube for Tube Shelter
Quick Overview
Product Description: 1/4" Stainless Steel tube ready for benzene monitoring
1/4" x 3.5" Stainless Steel ATD Tube, Conditioned with Brass (Swagelok®) Compression Caps and filled with Carbograph 5TD 40/60 (Carbopack X 40/60). Also includes 1 Diffusive Sampling Cap for fenceline monitoring.
This option is for the purchase of passive sampling tubes and caps required for Benzene Monitoring. The refinery will own all equipment and be responsible for pre-conditioning sorbent tubes and analysis every two weeks. Per method 325 A/B, each refinery should repack/replace the sorbent tubes or demonstrate tube performance following the requirements in Appendix A to this method at least yearly or every 50 uses, whichever occurs first.
|Total Price


text:
Samyak Online is a leading SEO Company based in India that offers quality Search Engine Optimization and SEO Services. Our SEO Professionals do every effort by using white hat SEO techniques to ensure top search engine ranking in Google, Yahoo and Bing. Our SEO Processes are as per Google SEO guidelines. We are comitted to deliver results to our clients.
We have mastered the techniques and proecess of search engine optimization. The testimony of our expertise in SEO is our ever growing list of clients. Look at our SEO testimonials - What the clients speak about our SEO results.
Samyak Online offers these different SEO services:


text:
Stock Graphic >> Product Mockup - Gold iPhone 6 Mockup on Wood 213029 by Dan Counsell @ CreativeMarket
File Size: 88.04 MB; Layered: Yes; Dimensions: 5760 x 3840 px.
This high-quality promotional shot is perfect to show off any kind of app or mobile website.
It's retouched and ready to go, just paste your screenshot into the Smart Object and you're done. Perspective, size and focus are all applied automagically.
For more great iPhone Mockups visit: http://dancounsell.com/resources
Keywords: iphone, wood, mockup, gold, iphone 6.


text:
Revision Tips,Tricks & Organisation♡Saturday, April 21, 2012
Hey guys,
So its that time of year again for most, Exams! Time to prepare and revise in order to get the grades you want and deserve but if your like me, revision is not easy at all! I sit down, open my books and as soon as i get started, it seems everything else seems more interesting! I end up distracted and before i know it...its the end of the day and i haven't done anything..oops! But I have finally found a few techniques, tricks and tips that may help you as much as they did to me. Also, I'm going to throw in what you need to stay organised and make sure your information is easily accessable.
Other places worth revising in: kitchen or dining room table, the bedroom or living room floor, outside in the garden (only if its sunny), an internet cafe or regular coffee shop, library or office.
2) Revision cards. Yes i know i know, you've heard it all before but they really do work! I usually make some long before the exam so i don't have to waste time rushing making them a few days before it. Honestly, these have helped me so much in remembering important information and testing myself. Grab some brightly coloured card and highlighters for the important information and test yourself or get someone else to test you. Personally, i make two piles for each module:
1) One with short snippets of information on so i can quickly go over before an exam
2) One with questions on the front and answers on the back, so i can test myself and others
Both work well and are easy to take around with you as its not carrying around a big folder full of information.Two words: Life savers.


text:
The Hippocratic Oath really parallels education. More on that somewhere else. I cannot play at God in my classroom. I am not a dictator. My role is to provide an environment and situation in which students can learn. I work hard to do that. I take that responsibility very seriously. flickr photo by DarkB4Dawn sharedRead More
Before I dive in, I think Justin Aion and I are parallels of one another in the multiverse. His day was similar to mine. Six weeks into this semester, I have three of six classes with averages in the 50% range. Some of those classes include students with sub 30% grades. Most of it isRead More


text:
Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians
Salt Lake Support Groups
Stage I – Early Weight Loss Group. This group is for patients who have had weight loss surgery but are less than three months out from their weight loss surgery date. This group is focused intently on supporting and helping new patients as they adjust to the many changes they face after surgery. Questions and concerns about the early stage of weight loss are answered.
Stage I on the first Wednesday of each month from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Stage II – Weight Loss Group. This group is for patients who are more than three months out from their weight loss surgery date and still in the weight loss phase. This group focuses on identifying habits, thinking errors, self-defeating beliefs, and unresolved emotional issues which, if left untreated, are likely to sabotage the patient's long-term success. Patients are encouraged to meet their weight loss goal and are carefully directed in how to approach the maintenance phase successfully.
Stage II meets on the second of Wednesday of each month from 5:00-6:30 & 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Stage III – Maintenance Group. This group is for patients who are finished with the weight loss phase and are in the maintenance phase or more than 2 years post-weight loss surgery. This group will focus intently on helping patients adjust to maintenance without excessive weight gain. Questions and concerns about the lifetime commitment to weight loss maintenance will be the focus.
Stage III meets on the third Wednesday of each month from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Salt Lake Support Group meetings are held in the RMAP Education Center located in the North Medical Building at St. Mark's Hospital in Suite 4200.
Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians
Brigham City Support Group
Brigham City Support Group is open to all RMAP patients. Lessons are presented by patients on topic related to weight loss surgery.
Brigham City Support Group meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Meetings are currently being held at Brigham City Community Hospital cafeteria while classroom construction in underway.
Ogden Support Group
Ogden Support Group is open to all RMAP patients. Lessons are presented by patients on topics related to bariatric surgery.
Ogden Support Group meets on the first Thursday of each month from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Meetings are currently being held at Wake Up Sense LLC on 2452 Monroe Blvd Ogden, UT
Learn More here
Support Groups are part of RMAP's Education Program, paid with your bariatric program fee at the time of surgery.
One important note for patients and patient supporters: Due to the private nature of Support Groups they are exclusive to RMAP patients ONLY, patient supporters will not be eligible to attend group, but are invited to our combined events held through-out the year.
We hope you'll join us,
Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians
1160 East 3900 South, Suite 4100


text: So, I downloaded MP3 Music Download App. and then downloaded a song. Shortly after, my phone locked up. I pulled the battery and restarted and now the phone (Droid X) freezes upon startup when it tried to load the card. I suspect that the song I downloaded is messing it up. I am relatively new to Android phones and SD Cards in general, but any tips on how to fix this issue?


text:
She did an hour on CNN with Larry King this week. She's written what I presume is an autobiography and was very open about her personal life. Just wondering what people thought of it.
I catch her at night sometimes and like her at home show more than the party one, although the party one seems to be more of what her personality is really like. She must be a real kick to be around.


text:
The Candy Man can! At least, he's the one fans are most looking forward to catching on the Great White Way in 2017. We asked you which star turns you're most excited to see this year. Whether the star selected was a celeb or Broadway fave, musicals once again dominated this week's Culturalist results; interestingly enough, the shows in which these stars are set to appear don't entirely match up with the shows fans are counting down to see in 2017. Clearly, there's a ton to look forward to this season! Start getting psyched with the top 10 list below!
Christy Altomare, Anastasia
Patti LuPone, War Paint
Bette Midler, Hello Dolly!
Jake Gyllenhaal, Sunday in the Park with George
Corey Cott, Bandstand
Annaleigh Ashford, Sunday in the Park with George
Derek Klena, Anastasia
Phillipa Soo, Amélie
Laura Osnes, Bandstand
Christian Borle, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory


text:
Listing Courtesy of Molly Cass of Fuhrman Real Estate
Listing information
- Beds: 5
- Stories: 0
- New Construction: No
- Above Ground Sq. Feet: 1,580
- Lot Size: 97x177.56
- School District: Austin #492
- Style: Single Family
- Baths: 3 (Full: 2 3/4: 1 1/2: 0 Other: 0)
- Fireplaces: 1
- Foreclosure: No
- Below Ground Sq. Feet: 1,580
- Estimated Annual Taxes: $2,906
- Year Built: 2001
- Status: Sold on 12/21/2015
- Parking Type Description: Attached 3 cars
- Total Square Footage: 3,160 ($91.46 per sq. foot)
- Lot Area: 0.40
- County: Mower
3 Bdrms on One Flr Yes
Air Conditioning Central
Amenities - Exterior Deck, Driveway - Concrete, Garage Door Opener, Gazebo, Irrigation System
Amenities - Interior Ceramic Tile, Eat-in Kitchen, Kitchen Window, Master Bathroom, Paneled Doors, Vaulted Ceilings, Washer/Dryer Hkups, Wet Bar
Appliances Dishwasher, Exhaust Fan/Hood
Basement Features Egress Windows, Finished
Basement Material Poured Concrete
Basement Style Full
Bath Description 3/4 Master, Full Basement, Main Floor Full Bath
Construction Type Frame/Wood
Dining Eat-in Kitchen, Open Floor Plan
Exterior Brick, Steel
Financing Conventional
Fireplace Yes
Fireplace Type Gas
Fuel Natural Gas
Garage Type Attached
Heat Forced Air
Lot/Land Description Landscaped, Tree Coverage-Light
Mechanicals Air to Air Exchange, Furnace Humidifier, Sump Pump, Water Softener - Own
Miscellaneous: DPR Eligible No
Other Finished Above Grade - 1580.00, Finished Below Grade - 1300.00, Garage Type: Garage SqFt - 840, Square Feet: Above Ground SqFt - 1580, Square Feet: Below Ground SqFt - 1580, Square Feet: Main Floor SqFt - 1580, Square Feet: Total SqFt - 3160, Tax Year - 2015
Outbuildings Gazebo
Rental License No
Road Frontage City, Curbs & Gutters
Roof Asphalt Shingles
Sewer City
Stories 1 Story
Water City
Waterfront No
Waterfront Name None
Bathroom M x
Bedroom 2 M x
Bedroom 3 M x
Dining Room M x
Kitchen M x
Laundry Room M x
Living Room M x
Master Bedroom M x
Bedroom 4 L x
Bedroom 5 L x
Family Room L x
Listing Courtesy of Molly Cass of Fuhrman Real Estate


text:
Skip to comments.She's Dangerous
Posted on 07/30/2010 7:24:40 AM PDT by Alaphiah123
On the floor of the Senator Jeff Sessions in no uncertain terms warned his fellow Senators what the ramifications to the United States will be if Elena Kagan is confirmed to the Supreme Court.
For all of the Lindsey Graham Republicans who will vote for Kagan to go along to get along with Democrats you have no excuse, you have been warned right there on the Senate floor. You will not be able to say you didnt know when your term approaches and you have to face the American people. See Sen. Sessions warning. (see 3:21min video)
A Progressive in the mould of Obama himselfGreg Craig former Counsel to president Barack Obama commenting on Elena Kagan
(Excerpt) Read more at creatingorwellianworld-view-alaphiah.blogspot.com ...
Her countenance is the personification of evil. Placing this lesbian socialist on the Supreme Court is the equivalent of stabbing the nation in the back....again!
I wonder who her 'partner' is? She's as homely as Rosie.
It is just sad that we don't have more Senators like Sen. Sessions.
Sessions needs to have a little chit-chat with Light in the Loafers Lindsey in a dark alley.
These are the kinds that help you understand how someone like Janet Nepolitano can get a lover. They actually put effort into being unattractive (to us heterosexuals). But that is what makes them attractive to the kind of people they wish to associate with.
They're rather like cockroaches. Shine a light on them and they crawl into the carpet to munch away.
yes someone really does need to talk to lindsey about this
If she's anything like Judge Andre Davis who Obama nominated to the Circuit Court of Appeals (from Baltimore) and was sworn in in April - yeap - she is.
Judge Davis is about to release a convicted child rapist who was sentenced to serve 4 life terms plus 10 years. This man only served 15 years and Judge Davis may just let him out. This rapist says he was not informed about some type of bargain his (now deceased) attorney knew of and the Judge is buying it.
2009 story: http://www.wbaltv.com/news/20147482/detail.html
Judge Davis still has not ruled, so heres's the continued 2010 story released today:
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Sep 24, 2002
|Filing date
|Jun 4, 1999
|Priority date
|Jun 5, 1998
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|James M. Crawford, Jr., Mukesh Dalal, Joachim Paul Walser
|Original Assignee
|I2 Technologies Us, Inc.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (12), Non-Patent Citations (12), Referenced by (77), Classifications (8), Legal Events (13)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/088,147, filed Jun. 4, 1998 and entitled "Computer Implemented Scheduling System and Process Using Abstract Local Search Technique".
This invention relates in general to the fields of supply chain management, and single-enterprise and multi-enterprise planning and scheduling. More particularly, the present invention relates to a computer implemented scheduling system and process that uses an abstract local search technique.
Computer implemented planning and scheduling systems are widely used for factory, enterprise and supply chain planning functions. In general, such systems can model the manufacturing or other environment and provide plans or schedules for producing items to fulfill consumer demand within the constraints of the environment.
The problem of planning or scheduling an environment can be represented as a constrained optimization problem. For example, consider a simple problem of sequencing a set of tasks on a resource in a manufacturing environment. In addition, assume that each task has a deadline, and the objective is to schedule each task so that it ends by the associated deadline. One way to view this problem, for example, is as a search in the space of start times. Under this view, the problem becomes a simple constrained optimization problem in which the variables are the start times, the constraint is that no tasks can overlap, and the objective is to minimize lateness. This type of approach to planning and scheduling problems can provide an efficient framework for producing plans.
An abstract local search (ALS) is an efficient approach for analyzing and resolving planning and scheduling a manufacturing or other environment. An ALS solves combinatorial optimization problems by making local moves in the space of abstract solutions. An abstract solution (for example, a task ordering) is mapped to a concrete solution (for example, a schedule) by a greedy solution builder that, generally, enforces all hard constraints. The concrete solution is then evaluated to determine flaws, usually by measuring soft constraint violations. The flaws in the concrete solution are used to generate modifications (moves) in the abstract solution, that might reduce the flaws in the concrete solution.
In non-analogous contexts, detecting flaws in concrete solutions and using them to drive modifications in abstract solutions has been shown to be effective in several local search applications (for example, GSAT for propositional satisfiability problems. Selman, Kautz, and Cohen, "Local Search Strategies for Satisfiability Testing", 1993, Vol. 26, DIMACS Series in Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science (American Mathematical Society). One article attributes the effectiveness of iterative repair to making use of important information about the current solution to guide the search. Minton, Johnston, Philips, and Laird, "Solving large-scale constraint satisfaction and scheduling problems using a heuristic repair method", Artificial Intelligence 58:161-205 (1990).
In accordance with the present invention, a computer implemented scheduling system and process are disclosed that use an abstract local search technique.
A technical advantage of the present invention is that the abstract local search technique is useful for solving constrained optimization problems. It is particularly suited to a problem domain where some fast deterministic algorithm can map a set of priorities into a solution that satisfies the hard constraints in the problem.
Although some forms of priorities have previously been used for representing schedules, no general framework to integrate priorities into local search has been proposed. It is presented herein that the basic loop of priorities feeding into a greedy solution builder and an analysis technique that updates the priorities will be applicable to a large class of constrained optimization problems, and will scale to problems of realistic size and complexity.
A more complete understanding of the present invention and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a computer implemented scheduling system that uses an abstract local search technique; and
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one embodiment of an abstract local search architecture for combinatorial optimization by a planning/scheduling engine.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a computer implemented planning/scheduling system, indicated generally at 10. System 10 can be implemented on a computer system having typical computer components such as a processor, memory, storage devices, etc. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, system 10 executes software that implements a planning/scheduling engine 12 in processor memory. Planning/scheduling engine 12 can maintain and access a model/plan 14 of a manufacturing environment, supply chain or other environment which planning/scheduling engine 12 is used to plan or schedule. Planning/scheduling engine 12 also has access to data 16 stored in a fixed storage device. Data 16 can be used to initiate planning/scheduling engine 12 and model/plan 14. However, during operation, planning/scheduling engine 12 and model/plan 14 are typically maintained in processor memory for speed and efficiency. Planning/scheduling engine 12 can provide information to a user via display 18 and can receive input data from input devices 20.
In operation, system 10 can be used to plan or schedule an operating environment. For example, system 10 can address a simple problem of sequencing a set of tasks on a resource in a manufacturing environment. In this example, each task can have an associated deadline, and the objective is to schedule each task so that it ends by the associated deadline. A conventional way to approach this problem would be as simple constrained optimization problem in which the variables are the start times.
An improved way to view such a problem is to abstract away the start times and consider just the ordering of the tasks on the resource. Given any total ordering on the tasks, an optimal schedule consistent with the ordering can be obtained in linear time by scheduling each task, in order, as early as possible. Since each globally optimal schedule can be created from its task ordering, the sequencing problem can then be solved by searching in the space of task orderings. This space is much smaller than the space of start times, since a large number of obviously sub-optimal schedules, exactly those with some gaps between some adjacent tasks, are not even represented.
This change of representation brings the underlying search and optimization problem more clearly into focus. There is one resource and all tasks are competing for it. The task ordering is essentially a prioritization of the tasks. Tasks then draw from the resource in the priority order to generate a schedule.
A general principle here is that an algorithm for solving combinatorial optimization problems can be decoupled into two parts: (1) a priority generation algorithm and (2) a greedy solution builder. For most combinatorial optimization algorithms, one can write greedy algorithms that do a reasonable job much of the time. However, they usually fail because they are too greedy: e.g. they allow an early task to take a resource that turns out to be critical to a later task. Intuitively, if the priority order were just right, a greedy solver would generate an optimal solution. An essential idea behind abstract local search is that iterations can be done between using priorities as the input to a greedy solution builder, and using the proposed solution to intelligently update the priorities.
There is another, less obvious, advantage to the move to priority space: it is more suitable to a local search than the space of start times. For example, a small change in the start time of a task can generate multiple hard constraint violations (that is, overlaps) that the local search then needs to somehow weigh against soft constraint violations (that is, lateness). Since hard constraints are often automatically enforced in the optimal schedules corresponding to the task orderings, they can be simply evaluated by considering only the soft constraint violations.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one embodiment of an abstract local search architecture for combinatorial optimization. As shown, abstract solutions 30 can be processed through solution building to generate concrete solutions 32. Concrete solutions 32 can, in turn, be processed through solution analysis to identify flaws 34. A move generation process can then be used to modify the abstract solutions 30. Thus, in this architecture, flaws 34 are detected in concrete solutions 32 but modifications are made in abstract solutions 30.
The present abstract local search (ALS) operates by using concrete solutions to make information apparent about concrete flaws to guide moves in the abstract space. Modifications in abstract solutions can be motivated by (i) the smaller size of the abstract search space, and (ii) its greater suitability for local search when the concrete solutions share an intricate structure that is difficult to maintain by local moves in concrete space.
There can be several conditions for abstract local search to work well. One condition is a tractable builder. There should be a fast algorithm that maps any abstract solution to a feasible concrete solution (that is, a concrete solution with no hard constraint violations). Another condition is optimality-preserving abstraction. This means that, for any concrete solution S there is some abstract solution that maps to a concrete solution that is at least as good as S. Without this property, it is likely that abstract local search will not reach optimality. An additional condition is a tractable analysis. There should be a fast algorithm that identifies flaws in the concrete solution and that maps them to possible modifications in the abstract solution. Reasons for these conditions should be clear. However, it is possible they may be relaxed in practical applications.
Combinatorial Optimization
Combinatorial optimization problems generally consist of a set of decisions that must be made subject to a collection of constraints, and a goal function that evaluates candidate solutions for their "quality." For example, there may be a set of tasks whose start times are unknown (the decisions to be made) but which must satisfy the constraint that certain tasks must precede others (e.g. you have to sand the table before you paint it). The goal function might be to minimize the total cost of the proposed schedule.
Goal functions are sometimes expressed as soft constraints, that is, constraints that do not necessarily need to be enforced, but if they are violated then some penalty is incurred. In this kind of encoding, the optimization criterion is generally to minimize the sum of the penalties.
Many important combinatorial optimization problems are NP-hard. Intuitively, this is because all known methods for guaranteeing optimality are asymptotically equivalent in the worst case to an exhaustive enumeration of the space of all possible sets of decisions.
Local Search
Local search may be used to solve many difficult combinatorial optimization problems, including satisfiability, planning, and scheduling. In general, the essential idea is to start with some initial state and interactively modify the current state by making a promising local move, until a final solution is obtained. A local move makes only a small change in the current state, for example, by flipping the truth-value of a single variable, or by offloading a task from one resource to another. An internal evaluation criterion based on feasibility and the external optimization criterion can be used to determine the best among several possible moves. An analysis of some important flaw, that is, sub-optimality or infeasibility, in the current state is used to generate moves that might rectify the flaw. Some diversification technique, for example, heating in simulated annealing, is generally used to avoid getting trapped in local optima, for example, by allowing low probability moves that lead to less optimal states. Finally, most local search implementations restart several times to further reduce the effect of local optima.
In general, a scheduling problem can consist of a set of tasks 1, . . . , n to be scheduled subject to a collection of constraints. A solution is typically a schedule giving the start time for each task.
Each task can be associated with a processing time indicating the duration of the task. The constraints can usually be sequencing restrictions, resource capacity, constraints, and ready times and deadlines. A sequencing restriction, for example, might state that task i must complete before j can begin. A resource capacity constraint could state that tasks i and j conflict (usually because both require the same resource) and thus cannot be scheduled in parallel. A ready time might state the earliest time at which task i can start. A deadline can be the time by which task i should be completed.
Depending on the application, resource capacities, ready time, and deadlines, can each be either hard or soft constraints. However, typically, and in the embodiment discussed herein, capacities and ready times are hard constraints, and the deadline is a soft constraint.
Abstract Local Search for Scheduling
Scheduling can be, in a sense, a generalization of the simple sequencing problem discussed above. Tasks need to be assigned start times subject to capacity and ordering constraints. Because the typical objective is to minimize lateness, the natural thing to do is to order the tasks, and schedule each task, in order, as early as possible, subject to the hard constraints. Two embodiments of abstract local search (ALS) techniques are discussed below; each is a variant on this basic idea.
While discussing ALS for scheduling problems, certain terms are often used—like abstract schedule, concrete schedule, and schedule builder—where "schedule" replaces the more general "solution." Further, "concrete" may often be omitted from concrete schedule.
ALS Using Priority Vectors
One embodiment of the invention is to implement an ALS technique using priority vectors. A priority vector p maps each task i to an integer p(i) that represents the global "importance" of the task. Any such priority vector can be mapped to a schedule using the simple schedule builder SB(PV) given in the following TABLE 1. In this example, a task is considered enabled if and only if all of its predecessors have been scheduled.
The following table shows one embodiment of SB(PV): a priority-vector based schedule builder.
while some task remains unscheduled do
t = highest priority enabled but unscheduled task;
schedule t as early as possible subject to hard
The priority-vector approach to scheduling can satisfy all the conditions discussed above. The schedule builder SB(PV) is clearly tractable, since it builds a feasible schedule in 0(n2) time, where n in the number of tasks (it is conjectured that the expected run time of SB(PV) would be more like 0(n log(n)) but a formal proof is not provided herein).
The following theorem shows that the priority vector abstraction is an optimization preserving abstraction.
Theorem 1: For any scheduling problem, and any schedule s, there is some priority vector such that SB(PV) produces a schedule with total lateness less than or equal to that of s.
Analysis of a schedule can be done in a variety of ways. An example is a technique referred to as general critical path analysis. If a task is late then its priority is increased by an amount b that is calculated based on how late the task is. Whenever the priority on a task is increased, if that task could not be scheduled any earlier because of a precedence relationship, then the priority of that predecessor is increased by b. If the task could not be scheduled earlier because of a resource contention, then the priority of all tasks is increased using that resource at that time by b/2. Both of these rules are applied recursively (until the priority increment becomes negligible). The analysis can call the function assignBlame(t, b), shown in TABLE 2, for each task t that is late by b days.
proc assignBlame (task t, int b)
increase priority of t by b units;
if t was late because of a precedence relation with
task t2 then assignBlame(t2, b);
else // t was late because of a resource
foreach task t2 using the same resource as t:
assignBlame(t2, b/2);
A schedule-build-analyze cycle is shown in TABLE 3, below. This is basically a vanilla iterative improvement local search enriched by an intensification strategy. Note that blame is assigned for all due-date violations. The thinking behind this is that running the schedule builder on large problems is relatively expensive—at least compared to flips in SAT problems—and it is desired to leverage the analysis as much as possible. An interesting variant of this (and more in the spirit of GSAT) would be to assign blame for just one due-date violation at a time and then rebuild the schedule. A steepest-descent variant (perhaps computationally too expensive for very large problems) would be to consider several ways to resolve each due-date violation, and evaluate each.
for i = 1 to max-restarts do
initialize priorities;
for i = 1 to max-iterations do
build schedule for current set of priorities;
if this gives a new best schedule then save
with prob. p return to best schedule ever
foreach late task t: assignBlame (t, days
A good initial assignment of priorities is helpful for solving large scheduling problems. If the process starts from a reasonably good initial priority vector, the most can be made of relatively limited computational resources. In the examples looked at to date, each task can be uniquely associated with a "delivery" task that has a deadline (e.g. there are no situations in which t1 has deadline dl and must precede t2 that has deadline d2. We also never have t1 preceding t2 and t3 each of which has a deadline.) Thus, the initial priority of each task can be taken to be the arithmetic inverse of the due date of the corresponding delivery task (i.e. tasks with early deadlines are given the highest priorities).
ALS Using Priority Graphs
Another embodiment is to implement an ALS technique using priority graphs. A priority graph is a directed acyclic graph whose nodes represent tasks and arcs represent priorities: an arc from A to B indicates that task A has higher priority than task B, that is, the schedule builder should schedule task A before scheduling task B (unless sequencing restrictions require that task B must complete before task A).
Priority graphs represent a somewhat different kind of information than priority vectors. While the numbers in vectors can encode relative strengths in priorities, the information in graphs is purely relational, e.g. task A has higher priority than task B. (Although it is possible to extend this by labeling the arcs by numbers indicating their relative strengths.) Another difference is that while vectors force a decision on relative priorities between all pairs of tasks, graphs do not have to commit to these extraneous priorities that are not motivated by the analysis. Thus, ALS using priority graphs can have the flexibility of allowing more decisions to be made by the schedule builder. This could lead to more effective use of sophisticated schedule builders that would otherwise be unnecessarily constrained by priority vectors.
Priority graphs are similar to disjunctive graphs. However, Changes in the priority graph are interlaced with domain-specific greedy scheduling.
In greedy scheduling, the schedule builder starts with an empty schedule and keeps scheduling tasks one at a time until the schedule is complete. The next task to be scheduled is selected from the enabled tasks, using a customizable task dispatching criterion that uses a prioritized sequence of heuristics to filter all available tasks. The selected task can be scheduled using a customizable task scheduling criterion that uses a prioritized sequence of constraints to guarantee that hard constraints are satisfied.
A variety of dispatching criteria may be used. One example is an EST/EFF combination of criteria for task dispatching: (i) select the task that can start the earliest, and (ii) among those, select the task that can finish the earliest. Further, in this case, the following task scheduling criterion can be implemented: schedule the selected task on the first least-constrained resource among those that can start at the earliest possible time, without violating any capacity constraints. This provides an efficient 0(n2) time schedule builder.
In schedule analysis, the schedule analyzer selects the most late task for flaw analysis. It determines all possible direct causes for the delay, and suggests changes in the priority graph to offset those causes. It constructs a lateness DAG (directed acyclic graph) whose nodes consist of the late task as well as all other tasks that could have contributed to the lateness. The ALS technique can randomly select a set of moves and evaluate each move by constructing new abstract and concrete schedules. The most promising pair of schedules can be used to start the next iteration of local search. Meta-heuristic techniques such as tabu memory can be used in a straightforward manner to improve the search.
Experimental Results
The following are brief experimental results on a class of scheduling problems which arise in the domain of supply chain planning. The problem under consideration is an extension of a Resource Constrained Project Scheduling (RCPS) problem described in Slowinski, R., and Weglarz, J., eds. 1989. Advances in Project Scheduling. Elsevier Science.
In general, the problem is parameterized as follows. Given are n tasks and r renewable resources. Resource k has constant capacity Rk. Task ti has a duration of pi during which rik units of resource k are occupied (no preemption is allowed). Additionally, sequencing restrictions (precedences) between tasks must be obeyed. The main extension with respect to the standard RCPS class are ready-times and due-dates for tasks. As a consequence, the objective is to minimize a measure of the overall lateness rather than makespan (the length of time from the start of the first task to the completion of the last task). The goal is to assign each task a start time si such that all precedence and capacity constraints are met and the total lateness is minimized.
Problem instances of this extended RCPS class are typically much larger than classical scheduling instances (tens of thousands of tasks instead of on the order of one hundred tasks reported in the RCPS literature). This is a challenge as algorithms for scheduling (e.g. job shop scheduling) often fail to scale up to this problem size.
The ALS technique described herein was tested with a real-world problem in semiconductor manufacturing. This problem involved over 30,000 tasks to be scheduled on more than 20 resources. Experimental results are given in Table 4. Reported runtimes are of greedy scheduling SB(PV), and ALS. The table reports the number of iterations and restarts, total lateness (in days), and runtimes in seconds CPU time. The runtimes were averaged over 50 runs for ALS1 and 2 runs for ALS2.
3930 d
6 s
3663 d
93 s
3600 d
4600 s
SB(PV) is the result of running just the scheduler builder with the initial heuristics SB(PV) of TABLE 1. 'ALS' is the version of ALS with priority vectors. There are two key tuning parameters for this version of ALS: the number of restarts, and the probability that moves are accepted that do not improve the quality of the schedule. The number of iterations and the number of restarts were varied as shown in the table. An intensification strategy was performed by flipping a coin after each move and returning to the best state ever seen with probability �. Additional experiments have been performed with different restart frequencies, and different noise levels, but the results were not found to be qualitatively different.
ALS Technique
As discussed above, an ALS technique can work best in problem domains having at least these three conditions (or attributes): a tractable solutions builder, optimality-preserving abstractions, and tractable analysis routines.
With respect to a tractable builder, if the solution builder fails in some rare cases to generate a feasible solution, then this is not necessarily fatal. One can give such priority vectors a very low "score" causing the search to avoid them. Whether this low scoring is workable in practice depends on how common such priority vectors are.
With respect to optimality-preserving abstraction, for large problems it can be safely assumed that optimal solutions will not be generated. Thus abstractions that are "nearly" optimality preserving may be sufficient. The utility of such abstractions can be assessed by comparison of ALS against other techniques.
With respect to tractable analysis, if there is no way to map from soft-constraint violations in the concrete solution to suggested changes in the abstract solution, then local search essentially performs a weighted random walk. This may be acceptable, however, since undirected local search has been used successfully in various domains.
The present ALS technique provides significant advantages. The solution builder itself can encode a reasonable amount of domain knowledge, allowing the higher-level control (that is, the local search) to be domain-independent. The space of priority vectors offers a generic way to form local search in complex domains. If there is an intricate solution structure that is easy to obtain constructively, but difficult to maintain by local repairs, priority space appears to be more suitable to local search than the space of concrete solutions. Optimal priorities cannot, in general, be determined a priori (if they can, and the abstraction is optimality preserving, then the optimization problem is tractable). However, they can often be improved by an analysis of concrete solutions. The general critical path analysis algorithm is an example of such an analysis. The solution builder can be efficient (at least in the domain of scheduling). Further, small changes to the priority vector can translate into large changes in the concrete solution. Together these facts allow ALS to be used productively on large problems.
The experimental results demonstrate that ALS techniques can perform meaningful optimization, compared to simple heuristic techniques, on large scheduling problems of high complexity. The utility of this approach is not limited to scheduling. There are potential application domains for abstract local search, for example, in distribution planning, vehicle routing, or multi-level scheduling problems.
Other Embodiments
Although the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Nov 5, 1993
|Apr 18, 1995
|Adrem Technologies, Inc.
|Resource allocation methods
|Jan 24, 1994
|Aug 8, 1995
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Method and apparatus for display and interactive modification of the tasks in a production plan
|Feb 25, 1994
|Nov 14, 1995
|Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company
|Method for resource assignment and scheduling
|Nov 22, 1995
|Sep 24, 1996
|Siemens Corporate Research, Inc.
|Apparatus for control and evaluation of pending jobs in a factory
|Dec 7, 1994
|Nov 12, 1996
|Carnegie Mellon University
|Case-based scheduling method for creating a schedule
|May 15, 1995
|Apr 7, 1998
|Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company
|System for resource assignment and scheduling
|Jul 14, 1995
|Jun 16, 1998
|Lucent Technologies Inc.
|Methods and means for scheduling parallel processors
|May 27, 1994
|Jul 28, 1998
|Lilly Software Associates, Inc.
|Method and apparatus for scheduling work orders in a manufacturing process
|Jun 18, 1996
|Mar 23, 1999
|International Business Machines Corporation
|System, method, and program product for instruction scheduling in the presence of hardware lookahead accomplished by the rescheduling of idle slots
|Apr 18, 1997
|Aug 24, 1999
|3M Innovative Properties Company
|Resource assignment and scheduling system
|Jun 23, 1997
|Mar 28, 2000
|International Business Machines Corporation
|System, method, and program product for loop instruction scheduling hardware lookahead
|Oct 29, 1998
|Aug 7, 2001
|The State Of Oregon Acting By And Through The State Board Of Higher Education On Behalf Of The University Of Oregon
|Cost-optimizing allocation system and method
|David P. Clements, James M. Crawford, David E. Joslin, George L. Nemhauser, Markus E. Puttlitz, Martin W. P. Savelsbergh, "Heuristic Optimization: A hybrid AI/OR approach", Sep. 29, 1997.
|Dr. Lawrence Davis, Bolt Beranek and Newman, Inc., "Job Shop Scheduling with Genetic Algorithms", First Initial Conference Genetic Algorithms, CMV, Pittsburg 1985 Ed. Grefeuslette, John. pp. 136-140.
|E. Pinson, C. Prins, F. Rullier, "Using Tabu Search for Solving the Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Program".
|Egon Balas, "Machine Sequencing Via Disjunctive Graphs: An Implicit Enumeration Algorithm".
|Fred Glover, Manuel Laguna, "Tabu Search", Modern Heuristic Techniques (Colin Reeves, Ed.) pp. 70-151.
|Gilbert Syswerda, "Schedule Optimization Using Genetic Algorithms".
|James M. Crawford, "An Approach to Resource Constrained Project Scheduling".
|Joslin, David E., "Squeaky Wheel" Optimization', Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research 10 (1999), pp. 353-373. Submitted Aug. 1998, published May 1999.*
|Joslin, David E., "Squeaky Wheel" Optimization′, Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research 10 (1999), pp. 353-373. Submitted Aug. 1998, published May 1999.*
|Lipske, "Greedy-based decision support system for scheduling a manufacturing operation," Production and Inventory Management Journal, First Quarter 1996, APICS, vol. 37, No. 1 (Abstract).
|Lipske, Kenneth R., "A Greedy-based Decision Support System for Scheduling a Manufacturing Operation", Production & Inventory Management Journal v37nl pp. 36-39 First Quarter 1996, ISSN: 0897-8336.*
|Tonius Baar, Peter Brucker, Sigrid Knust, "Tabu-Search Algorithms for the Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem", Gsuabrueck Preprints, Reike P. Heft, 192.
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Oct 31, 2000
|Jun 10, 2003
|Keen Personal Media, Inc.
|Data storage system adapted to select an operational state with corresponding performance levels and acoustic noise levels based on a system profile
|Aug 24, 1999
|Feb 17, 2004
|Sony Corporation
|Data processing device, data processing method and supply medium thereof
|Mar 4, 2004
|Jul 19, 2005
|Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
|Heuristics for efficient supply chain planning in a heterogeneous production line
|Mar 29, 2005
|Aug 5, 2008
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Accelerated solution of constraint satisfaction problems by partitioning of the variable space
|Sep 15, 2005
|Oct 14, 2008
|Microsoft Corporation
|Displaying information with visual cues to indicate both the importance and the urgency of the information
|Jul 8, 2005
|May 19, 2009
|Microsoft Corporation
|Using structures and urgency calculators for displaying information to indicate both the importance and the urgency of the information
|May 21, 2003
|Jan 26, 2010
|Qst Holdings, Llc.
|Hardware task manager
|May 13, 2003
|Feb 9, 2010
|Quicksilver Technology
|Method and system for achieving individualized protected space in an operating system
|Apr 4, 2007
|Feb 23, 2010
|Qst Holdings, Llc
|Low I/O bandwidth method and system for implementing detection and identification of scrambling codes
|Dec 12, 2003
|May 4, 2010
|Sap Ag
|Method and computer program for field spectrum optimization
|Feb 27, 2004
|Jun 8, 2010
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Methods and arrangements for planning and scheduling change management requests in computing systems
|Dec 12, 2001
|Jul 6, 2010
|Qst Holdings, Llc
|Method and system for managing hardware resources to implement system functions using an adaptive computing architecture
|Feb 22, 2005
|Sep 7, 2010
|Northrop Grumman Corporation
|System for scheduling tasks within an available schedule time period based on an earliest possible end time of the task
|Oct 13, 2009
|Oct 5, 2010
|Qst Holdings, Llc
|Method and system for reconfigurable channel coding
|Mar 28, 2003
|Oct 26, 2010
|Qst Holdings, Llc.
|Method and system for reconfigurable channel coding
|Jan 31, 2007
|Nov 30, 2010
|M.C. Gill Corporation
|Composite panel having in-situ thermoset foamed core
|Jan 25, 2008
|Jan 4, 2011
|Qst Holdings, Inc.
|Method and system for creating and programming an adaptive computing engine
|Sep 10, 2009
|Mar 8, 2011
|Qst Holdings, Llc
|Adaptable datapath for a digital processing system
|May 7, 2009
|May 3, 2011
|Qst Holdings, Llc
|External memory controller node
|May 7, 2009
|May 3, 2011
|Qst Holdings, Llc
|External memory controller node
|Oct 25, 2002
|May 3, 2011
|Qst Holdings, Llc
|Method and system for providing a device which can be adapted on an ongoing basis
|May 7, 2009
|May 10, 2011
|QST, Holdings, Inc
|External memory controller node
|Oct 15, 2008
|Jul 12, 2011
|Qst Holdings, Inc.
|External memory controller node
|Oct 15, 2008
|Jul 19, 2011
|Qst Holdings Llc
|External memory controller node
|Sep 20, 2006
|Aug 16, 2011
|The Boeing Company
|Discrete event simulation with constraint based scheduling analysis
|Aug 29, 2002
|Jan 31, 2012
|Qst Holdings, Llc
|Task definition for specifying resource requirements
|Feb 9, 2009
|Jun 12, 2012
|Qst Holdings Llc
|Hardware task manager
|Mar 6, 2009
|Jul 17, 2012
|Qst Holdings Llc
|Apparatus, system and method for configuration of adaptive integrated circuitry having heterogeneous computational elements
|Aug 20, 2010
|Aug 21, 2012
|Qst Holdings Llc
|Method and system for reconfigurable channel coding
|Dec 21, 2007
|Aug 21, 2012
|Qst Holdings Llc
|Apparatus, method, system and executable module for configuration and operation of adaptive integrated circuitry having fixed, application specific computational elements
|Jul 7, 2011
|Sep 11, 2012
|Qst Holdings Llc
|External memory controller
|Nov 7, 2002
|Sep 25, 2012
|Qst Holdings Llc
|Profiling of software and circuit designs utilizing data operation analyses
|Oct 15, 2008
|Jan 15, 2013
|Qst Holdings Llc
|Adaptive processor for performing an operation with simple and complex units each comprising configurably interconnected heterogeneous elements
|Mar 7, 2011
|Feb 19, 2013
|Altera Corporation
|Adaptable datapath for a digital processing system
|Jul 8, 2009
|May 14, 2013
|Qst Holdings Llc
|Low I/O bandwidth method and system for implementing detection and identification of scrambling codes
|Oct 15, 2008
|Sep 10, 2013
|Altera Corporation
|Adaptive integrated circuitry with heterogeneous and reconfigurable matrices of diverse and adaptive computational units having fixed, application specific computational elements
|Jan 19, 2012
|Sep 24, 2013
|Altera Corporation
|Adaptive integrated circuitry with heterogenous and reconfigurable matrices of diverse and adaptive computational units having fixed, application specific computational elements
|Jan 19, 2012
|Sep 24, 2013
|Altera Corporation
|Adaptive integrated circuitry with heterogeneous and reconfigurable matrices of diverse and adaptive computational units having fixed, application specific computational elements
|May 24, 2010
|Nov 19, 2013
|Altera Corporation
|Method and system for managing hardware resources to implement system functions using an adaptive computing architecture
|Feb 15, 2013
|Apr 22, 2014
|Altera Corporation
|Adaptable datapath for a digital processing system
|Aug 20, 2012
|Jul 1, 2014
|Qst Holdings Llc
|Method and system for reconfigurable channel coding
|Sep 11, 2012
|Jul 1, 2014
|Qst Holdings Llc
|External memory controller node
|Jun 11, 2012
|Jul 15, 2014
|Sviral, Inc.
|Hardware task manager
|Aug 20, 2012
|Nov 4, 2014
|Altera Corporation
|Apparatus, method, system and executable module for configuration and operation of adaptive integrated circuitry having fixed, application specific computational elements
|Mar 6, 2012
|Dec 2, 2014
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Hierarchical task mapping
|Aug 6, 2013
|Apr 7, 2015
|Altera Corporation
|Apparatus and method for adaptive multimedia reception and transmission in communication environments
|Mar 31, 2014
|Apr 21, 2015
|Altera Corporation
|Adaptable datapath for a digital processing system
|Nov 18, 2013
|May 19, 2015
|Altera Corporation
|Method and system for managing hardware resources to implement system functions using an adaptive computing architecture
|Sep 24, 2013
|Oct 20, 2015
|Altera Corporation
|Adaptive integrated circuitry with heterogeneous and reconfigurable matrices of diverse and adaptive computational units having fixed, application specific computational elements
|Aug 7, 2014
|May 3, 2016
|Altera Corporation
|Apparatus, method, system and executable module for configuration and operation of adaptive integrated circuitry having fixed, application specific computational elements
|May 18, 2015
|Jul 19, 2016
|Altera Corporation
|Method and system for managing hardware resources to implement system functions using an adaptive computing architecture
|Mar 13, 2013
|Mar 14, 2017
|Altera Corporation
|Apparatus, system and method for configuration of adaptive integrated circuitry having fixed, application specific computational elements
|Jul 15, 2014
|May 30, 2017
|Cornami, Inc.
|Hardware task manager
|Nov 24, 2015
|Nov 7, 2017
|Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc
|Precondition exclusivity mapping of tasks to computational locations
|Nov 5, 2002
|Nov 6, 2003
|Manugistics, Inc.
|Optimizing resource plans
|Jul 9, 2004
|Jul 21, 2005
|Huddleston David E.
|Method and apparatus for plan generation
|Feb 27, 2004
|Sep 15, 2005
|Ibm Corporation
|Methods and arrangements for planning and scheduling change management requests in computing systems
|Mar 29, 2005
|Oct 6, 2005
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Accelerated solution of constraint satisfaction problems by partitioning of the variable space
|Jul 8, 2005
|Nov 3, 2005
|Microsoft Corporation
|Displaying information to indicate both the importance and the urgency of the information
|Sep 15, 2005
|Jan 12, 2006
|Microsoft Corporation
|Displaying information to indicate both the importance and the urgency of the information
|Dec 12, 2003
|May 18, 2006
|Khimetrics, Inc.
|Method and computer program for field spectrum optimization
|Feb 22, 2005
|Aug 24, 2006
|Northrop Grumman Corporation
|System and a method for scheduling tasks
|Sep 25, 2006
|Jul 5, 2007
|I:Fao Aktiengesellschaft
|Approximative methods for searching pareto optimal solutions in electronic configurable catalogs
|Sep 20, 2006
|May 29, 2008
|Haas Martin C
|Discrete event simulation with constraint based scheduling analysis
|Jan 31, 2007
|Jul 31, 2008
|Hongbin Shen
|Composite panel having in-situ thermoset foamed core
|Oct 26, 2010
|Feb 17, 2011
|Hongbin Shen
|Composite panel having in-situ thermoset foamed core
|Mar 6, 2012
|Oct 4, 2012
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Hierarchical task mapping
|Sep 14, 2012
|Jan 10, 2013
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Hierarchical task mapping
|May 15, 2008
|Sep 27, 2011
|Qst Holdings, Llc
|System for authorizing functionality in adaptable hardware devices
|Mar 8, 2010
|Jul 28, 2010
|Dispatching method based on iterative decomposition and flow relaxation in large-scale production process
|Mar 8, 2010
|Sep 14, 2011
|Dispatching method based on iterative decomposition and flow relaxation in large-scale production process
|Nov 2, 2012
|Jan 30, 2013
|System and method for searching traffic route
|Nov 2, 2012
|May 13, 2015
|System and method for searching traffic route
|Dec 17, 2012
|May 22, 2013
|Micro-electronics production line scheduling method based on index prediction and online learning
|Dec 17, 2012
|Jun 4, 2014
|Micro-electronics production line scheduling method based on index prediction and online learning
|Dec 7, 2004
|Jul 7, 2005
|Khimetrics, Inc.
|Decision variable computation in a strategic planning model
|Dec 7, 2004
|Dec 29, 2005
|Khimetrics Inc
|Decision variable computation in a strategic planning model
|U.S. Classification
|707/1, 705/9
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Sep 1, 1999
Owner name: I2 TECHNOLOGIES, INC., TEXAS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:CRAWFORD, JAMES M. JR.;DALAL, MUKESH;WALSER, JOACHIM P.;REEL/FRAME:010204/0521
Effective date: 19990709
|Jul 30, 2001
Owner name: I2 TECHNOLOGIES US, INC., TEXAS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:I2 TECHNOLOGIES, INC.;REEL/FRAME:012031/0975
Effective date: 20010701
|Mar 20, 2006
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Mar 24, 2010
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|Apr 4, 2011
Owner name: WELLS FARGO CAPITAL FINANCE, LLC, AS AGENT, CALIFO
Free format text: PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:JDA TECHNOLOGIES US, INC.;REEL/FRAME:026072/0353
Effective date: 20110318
|Jun 21, 2011
Owner name: JDA TECHNOLOGIES US, INC, TEXAS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:I2 TECHNOLOGIES US, INC;REEL/FRAME:026468/0119
Effective date: 20100205
|Aug 12, 2011
Owner name: JDA SOFTWARE GROUP, INC, ARIZONA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:JDA TECHNOLOGIES US, INC;REEL/FRAME:026740/0676
Effective date: 20110524
|Dec 21, 2012
Owner name: JDA TECHNOLOGIES US, INC., ARIZONA
Free format text: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL;ASSIGNOR:WELLS FARGO CAPITAL FINANCE, LLC;REEL/FRAME:029529/0812
Effective date: 20121221
|Jan 2, 2013
Owner name: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, NEW YORK
Free format text: FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:JDA SOFTWARE GROUP, INC.;REEL/FRAME:029556/0809
Effective date: 20121221
Owner name: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, NEW YORK
Free format text: FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:JDA SOFTWARE GROUP, INC.;REEL/FRAME:029556/0697
Effective date: 20121221
|May 2, 2014
|Maintenance fee reminder mailed
|Sep 24, 2014
|Surcharge for late payment
Year of fee payment: 11
|Sep 24, 2014
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 12
|Oct 12, 2016
Owner name: JDA SOFTWARE GROUP, INC., ARIZONA
Free format text: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL/FRAME NO. 29556/0809;ASSIGNOR:CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH;REEL/FRAME:040337/0356
Effective date: 20161012
Owner name: JDA SOFTWARE GROUP, INC., ARIZONA
Free format text: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL/FRAME NO. 29556/0697;ASSIGNOR:CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH;REEL/FRAME:040337/0053
Effective date: 20161012
Owner name: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT, IL
Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNORS:RP CROWN PARENT, LLC;RP CROWN HOLDING LLC;JDA SOFTWARE GROUP, INC.;REEL/FRAME:040326/0449
Effective date: 20161012