text: We had reservations but we had to wait longer than we should have. The service was decent but the wait staff were not very friendly. I thought some of the food was excellent and some not so great and overpriced. I suggest if you do go have a drink at the bar and order appetizers.


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"I hate to be the odd man out on this, but we thought it was terrible. Way, way too sweet, the topping was gritty and the berries too runny. Ice cream saved the two small servings, but we dumped the rest out. I won't waste ingredients on this one again."
"This is a very good, basic bread pudding. I used all half-and-half and it worked well. I did have to bake it about 40 minutes. The brown sugar sauce really makes the dessert."
"Yum, yum! I fixed this in the microwave and used frozen blueberries. I din't thaw them, just dumped them in frozen. It was perfect slightly warm over vanilla ice cream. Great last minute way to make something special out of something ordinary!"
"These are by far the best bran muffins I've ever made or eaten! I let the bran mixture set about 5 minutes before adding the flour but otherwise made the recipe exactly as written. The end result was as moist, sweet muffin that only counts as 2 Weight Watcher points!"

subset: commoncrawl


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92.7 WOBM Playlist – April 2012 Top Songs
Check out the top 40 songs in 92.7 WOBM's rotation for the month of April!
Check out the top 40 songs in 92.7 WOBM's rotation for the month of April!
One of the great things about living in the Northeast here in Ocean County is the fact that we get all four seasons. That being said though, we all have our opinions about which season is the best. So let's take a look at the weather here in Ocean County, then be sure to vote at the end of the article on your favorite!
Check out the top 40 songs in 92.7 WOBM's rotation for the month of March!
Are you sick of staring at your same old boring office environment? Is your office space in dire need of a fun pick-me-up? If your workspace is lacking personality and flair, spice it up with these 5 Fun and Unique Office Accessories!
New Jersey is an awesome state that is known for its diversity and pioneering achievements. For some reason, South Jersey gets overlooked when it comes to getting credit for many of these accomplishments and state attributes. S
Spending Valentine's Day alone can be pretty rough. After all, it's nearly impossible not to notice all the kissing couples; the hearts, balloons, chocolates, teddy bears, cupids, and other love-themed overkill. If you do
As a wave of "Blue Flu" is spreading around Ocean County today, Giants fans are making the pilgrimage to New York City and Met Life Stadium for a glimpse of the Super Bowl Champion Giants hoisting their newly won championship trophy. This made me think, which major sport has the coolest t


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Reviewed Slow Cooker Chocolate Candy
Jan 6, 2013 in Food Network Community Toolbox on FoodNetwork.com
"I made this recipe but had a hard time getting almond bark. Had to order it from Amazon and it was expensive but very good. I did make a boo-boo. I only added one 24 oz.bark and I got 54 cups.I was so excited to make it and everyone loved it. Wasn't till I watched the tape again I realize she used 2 packages of the blue label bark.""


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ninny 's cookbook
(107 Recipes) Created by NINNY165
Recipes in this Collection
A lighter version of the classic holiday recipe. Submitted by DESIRE3279 Carbs: 12.6g | Fat: 3.7g | Fiber: 3.4g | Protein: 2.9g | Calories: 91.9
This delicious pie makes it's own "crust" while baking. My mother-in-law gave me the recipe. Submitted by JESSICAB1221 Carbs: 28.4g | Fat: 0.3g | Fiber: 2.5g | Protein: 5.7g | Calories: 133.2
You won't believe how tasty this is! Submitted by ANGIETUNIE Carbs: 1g | Fat: 0g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 0.2g | Calories: 5.2
Very Good 4.5/5
(4 ratings)
Pumpkin Pie save for weight loss surgery patients Submitted by SHELL1226 Carbs: 10.3g | Fat: 3.4g | Fiber: 0.9g | Protein: 3.5g | Calories: 84.2
Very Good 4.5/5
(21 ratings)
Sugar Free Pumpkin Custard Submitted by RELOUDEN Carbs: 12g | Fat: 1.9g | Fiber: 2.1g | Protein: 4.3g | Calories: 63.3
Very Good 4.2/5
(28 ratings)
No Crust, No sugar version of the traditional pumpkin pie recipe. Here is a low fat, high protein, high fiber version of everyone's favorite harvest time dish. It was a delicious substitute for my family Submitted by ANEWAY Carbs: 17.4g | Fat: 0.4g | Fiber: 3.3g | Protein: 6g | Calories: 81.1
Very Good 4.0/5
(9 ratings)
Submitted by STOECJ01 Carbs: 10.1g | Fat: 0.9g | Fiber: 3.8g | Protein: 3.4g | Calories: 56.1
Very Good 4.7/5
(6 ratings)
Dense, chewy, satisfying protein bars at a fraction of the cost. Submitted by GEMINIDREAM Carbs: 23.8g | Fat: 2.6g | Fiber: 3.3g | Protein: 16.1g | Calories: 188.2
This tastes just like cheese pizza! Pair this with a salad and you have a great pizzeria style lunch without the calories attached--or the bill. Submitted by PUNKGIRL213 Carbs: 26.3g | Fat: 8.3g | Fiber: 4.4g | Protein: 15g | Calories: 242.3
This is a delicious, light, refreshing dessert. It's low cal and sugar and can be made with the lite pie filling in any flavor. Note that this needs to be made the night before to soften the graham crackers. Submitted by HOCKIMAMA Carbs: 16.2g | Fat: 0.3g | Fiber: 0.4g | Protein: 2.8g | Calories: 80.1
My family loves green bean casserole, but it is sooo fattening!! So, here is our modified version that is now a favorite in our home for special holidays! When I bring it for potlucks, I never bring any home!! Submitted by SEWINGMEG Carbs: 7.5g | Fat: 2g | Fiber: 1.2g | Protein: 1.5g | Calories: 54.9
Move over, gingerbread. There's a new favorite treat on the holiday cookie tray! Submitted by PHULLER Carbs: 5.9g | Fat: 3.1g | Fiber: 0.6g | Protein: 0.6g | Calories: 55.3
Enjoy this healthy and easy-to-make slow cooker salsa chicken recipe. Carbs: 6.7g | Fat: 6.8g | Fiber: 0.9g | Protein: 26.3g | Calories: 197.2
Very Good 4.8/5
(9 ratings)
Submitted by SUZIANNIE Carbs: 1.5g | Fat: 4.4g | Fiber: 1g | Protein: 10.5g | Calories: 85.5
(no ratings)
WARNING: This is not a lowfat food....I only make it at Christmas to give away as a gift. I wanted to figure out many calories this was worth. Submitted by NINNY165 Carbs: 60.6g | Fat: 19.8g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 4.6g | Calories: 433.1
Incredible! 5.0/5
(2 ratings)
A simple pancake that is easy to prepare and to cook. Carbs: 10.6g | Fat: 7g | Fiber: 5.5g | Protein: 11.7g | Calories: 155
(no ratings)
A delicious cold veggie pizza with a cream cheese sauce Submitted by MOONBEAM_1818 Carbs: 3.7g | Fat: 2.2g | Fiber: 0.3g | Protein: 3.2g | Calories: 47.4
Instead of a whole pie, try making bite-size tarts. The diminutive desserts cook quicker and are automatically portion controlled. Plus, they're easier to make for a crowd, and there's no need for a fork and plate. Submitted by CHEF_MEG Carbs: 24.9g | Fat: 4g | Fiber: 1.6g | Protein: 0.5g | Calories: 124.3
(no ratings)
Submitted by NINNY165 Carbs: 12.3g | Fat: 2.7g | Fiber: 2.3g | Protein: 9.2g | Calories: 110.5
Be aware!!!! If you have family this one will be gone in no time. Submitted by SOLX1974 Carbs: 3.1g | Fat: 2.3g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 5.9g | Calories: 56.1


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Errrrrr…..emmmmmmmm……excuse but…….
WTH was that?
Follow-Up Postings:
I bet your hair stood up on end too. I have to say that of all the natural phenomena we experience here in Texas....the lightning is the one scares the heck out of me. I was stupidly watching a thunderstorm from my covered front porch when lightning struck a transformer on a pole across the street, I honestly thought I was dead. Pam |
- Posted by mikeandbarb z8 D/FW (firstname.lastname@example.com) on Thu, May 10, 07 at 21:00
OMG, Pam that would scare the crap out of me. I stay away from windows and now after hearing on the news that a lighting rod went through a house chimney right to the electrical outlet and all through the of the house coming out of the mirror breaking it. I've never heard of that happening before. I'm staying away from fire place :/ |
Lightening scares the heck out me, LOL |
My house got struck by lightening last 4th of July. It hit a transformer and ran across the metal roof. Me and the husband were right next to the window and we both automatically dropped to the floor. That really is a reflex reaction! We honestly thought we'd been bombed. :D |
- Posted by lindseyrose 8b/9 Texas (My Page) on Fri, May 11, 07 at 12:00
That was a wicked lightning storm last night. Thankfully we got no hail, but other parts of the Houston area did. There were hundreds of strikes in the area, but one hit veeeeeeeeeeeerrry close after everything had begun to die down a little bit. Wowzers! Both my and my hubby's childhood homes were struck by lightning (not the same year) when we were growing up. We lived around the block from each other. |
- Posted by rick_mcdaniel Lewisville, TX (My Page) on Fri, May 11, 07 at 12:26
Few years back, when we lived in Farmer's Branch, we had a cottonwood about 5 ft. from the house. It got hit by lightening twice, finally splitting it in two. We were lucky, the fallen part of it just layed down on the roof, and didn't do any real damage. Had to have it cut down, of course. No one should plant cottonwood in an urban landscape. |
- Posted by beachplant 9b (firstname.lastname@example.com) on Fri, May 11, 07 at 16:37
I was sitting on the backdeck one evening watching the lightening storm. Then I realized I was in a metal chair! Right about that time the lightening hit the transformer in the alley, about 15' from where my dumb@$$ was sitting!! I made it into the house so fast..... Did you know it can travel for 2 MILES or more? I don't watch lightening from the back deck any more. Tally HO! |
Lightning hit the phone co that's next door, but not exactly on top of us.The building has a lighting grid thing that's grounded(it dissapates the lighting quite a bit I understand) and it STILL sounded like a bomb went off! We were watching it from the sunroom and we all jumped and shrieked a bit! PJ |
I had no idea there were so many different kinds of lightning! I saw the 'ball' kind last Tues night. Had no idea that is what I saw until I read the article. |
Here is a link that might be useful: lightning
Lightening is the second leading cause of storm related deaths, second only to flooding. That's good enough reason to be scared of it. DH's uncle was struck twice in the same spot, (yes, it does happen) and lived to tell about it. He was at a boy scout cook out, and the iron pot he was cooking at attracted the lightening. He did have permanant damage, but I don't remember what it was. I don't think I ever got to meet him. Sally |
Ok....Call me stupid...I love lightening....Now Thunder scares the beejeebees outa me.. But the light show God can put on is quiet amazing.... Again..I've never had a close call..or seen lightening strike anything...and again call me Stupid..but man its beautiful!!! I will stand out, not close to metal or a tree and watch the lightening show....I shake my head..cuz..I think I've been lucky according to stories I've read here tonite.. But it can also be beautiful.. Dena |
It is quite a show!!! I watch it from my sunroom. I've always like lighting storms too. That is so sad about that guy at the cookout. My son is in boyscouts. The guys he's lead by seem to have a bit more common sense than that poor man. They better keep my boy safe!! PJ |
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"These are a bit crumbly for my taste (then again, I'm a cookie snob), but the flavor is wonderful! Don't try to make them with oil. Make sure you're using a solid fat!"


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White supremacists arrested for attack on African American man.
Two men were arrested for a hate crime Tuesday night in Stevenson Ranch.
Christopher Johnsen, 20, of Canyon Country and Travis Wanke, 28, of Valencia were booked at the Santa Clarita Sheriff's Station. Their bail has been set at $120,000 each.
Deputies responded to a disturbance at Chuy's on The Old Road shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday. Witnesses reported that prior to the scuffle, Johnsen and Wanke had removed their shirts, exposing swastika and white supremacist tattoos and shouted racial epithets at a black patron of the restaurant. A fight between the three ensued, causing minor injuries to the victim.
Sgt. Deborah Miller said the men were being held on suspicion of felony hate crime, conspiracy and battery. They are scheduled to appear in court Thursday.


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If everything is dipped in gold
Then baby it will never grow
Everything sweet ain't sugar coated
from Jhene Aiko (Ft. Kendrick Lamar) – Stay Ready (What a Life) Lyrics on Genius
Without bad times and hardship, you will never gain wisdom, you will never be strong enough to face more hardships and the love you have will crumble. Strong relationships go through a lot and don't try to appear perfect because that's not what it's about.
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Special Blend Unit Snowboard Jacket - Men's
Special Blend unit jacket
i bought this jacket about a month ago. My first trip snowboarding this year was to breckenridge during the 4 foot snow storm.It never stopped snowing while we were there. I wore the coat the whole time and it was great, it never got wet or cold. This jacket is great if you like the baggy style for more steez(as said) and its got alot of neat pockets and such on it
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[Update: ITV has contacted CVG to inform us that those who work on the Lorraine show "don't seem to be getting a very friendly response". Funny, that. We've removed the producer's personal contact details from our post, but encourage you to send ITV your thoughts about the programme via firstname.lastname@example.com]
Dear reader,
Lorraine Kelly is on the hunt for violent teenage gamers.
In perhaps the most foolhardy invitation since Jesus asked Judas to "pop round for a bit of dinner", ITV has just emailed CVG the below.
The TV station has, straight-faced, asked us to post it verbatim in our forum. It evidently believes some of our readers may be prime candidates.
We're tempted to add some livid commentary, but we'll let the missive speak for itself.
All you need to know is that it's for Lorraine Kelly's imaginatively entitled daytime show, Lorraine. In which she "investigates".
Please note an open offer to email Lorraine's people at the end. [We've since removed this at ITV's request. However, you can still reach the show on: firstname.lastname@example.com]
Keep it clean.
CVG xxx
[ITV is] looking for a specific case study for a segment on the show entitled 'Lorraine Investigates' and wondered if you would be able to post the details on your forum.
The piece is looking at the effects of video games on children and [we are] looking for the following to interview:
Either a teenager or the parents of a child or teenager whose education or relationships with their family have suffered due to the amount of time they spend on computer games, or a teenager or the parents of a child or teenager who has acted aggressively or violent towards another person, as a suspected result of playing violent video games.


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The newly described creature, nearly 18 inches long, appears to have been a "living fossil" in its own time some 125 million years ago. By then, its direct ancestors already had been around for 70 million years. They shared a common ancestor with the likes of bony-plated creatures such as Stegosaurus and Triceratops.
It's the third of three fossil finds this week that have generated superlatives.
On Monday, a team of scientists in Norway and the United States announced the discovery of "Predator X," a 50-foot-long, 45-ton ocean creature that scientists say ruled the seas some 147 million years ago. Paleontologists with University of Oslo's Natural History Museum unearthed the fossil remains of the four-flippered predator last year from beneath the permafrost on Svalbard, a cluster of islands above the Arctic Circle.
At the other end of the size scale, a pair of Canadian paleontologists reported on Tuesday the discovery of the smallest nonbird meat-eater yet found in North America. The 75-million-year-old fossil remains of the dinosaur, by some estimates roughly the size of a small chicken, were unearthed in 1982 from the Dinosaur Park Formation in Alberta. But no one gave the specimen a serious look until 2007. The results appeared in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.


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MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Dec. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- To support the U.S. government's growing need for protected, encrypted data, Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has acquired the Government Solutions business of SafeNet Inc., a privately held data security firm.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The transaction will not materially impact Raytheon's total company sales or earnings per share for the fourth quarter of 2012 or fiscal year 2013.
The acquisition increases Raytheon's ability to provide the most advanced encryption capabilities needed by government customers to protect classified data. SafeNet's Government Solutions business brings a broad range of federally-approved encryption solutions that complement Raytheon's sophisticated communications systems for enabling the U.S. military to securely transmit classified voice and data traffic.
"This transaction, part of Raytheon's strategic road map, provides an immediate insertion of proven strong technologies and talent into our business," said Daniel J. Crowley, president of Raytheon Network Centric Systems (NCS). "SafeNet's government business offers industry-leading encryption technology that integrates very well with Raytheon's existing solutions, providing government and industry customers with the information assurance they need today and in the future."
The trusted offerings of SafeNet Government Solutions include encryption products for all levels of integration, and target high-speed, satellite, networking, data link, voice, key management, and wireless communication markets. Based in Torrance, Calif., the business has approximately 170 employees. Jim Summers, the general manager of SafeNet Government Solutions, will join Raytheon and will continue to lead the organization. It will become the Secure Information Systems product area within NCS's Integrated Communication Systems business, headed by NCS Vice President Scott Whatmough. About RaytheonRaytheon Company, with 2011 sales of $25 billion and 71,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 90 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @raytheon. Media Contact Peter Ramjug+1.978.886.7738 firstname.lastname@example.com SOURCE Raytheon CompanyCheck Out Our Best Services for Investors
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Summer Conference 2011
- Details
- Parent Category: Archives
- Category: Meeting notes
- Created on 19 May 2011
- Last Updated on 07 January 2015
- Published on 19 May 2011
- Written by Dominic Lund-Conlon
- Hits: 31696
Growing the market
ATCO's national summer conference is the largest gathering of local authority staff responsible for the provision of local authority passenger transport services. It also attracts many transport professionals from the private public transport sector.
This years conference will explore how public transport usage can be increased despite the current financial climate and will provide you with information on current developments and the opportunity to exchange information with other transport professionals.
The Department for Education (DfE) have announced that they are conducting a review of school transport with the aim of providing new guidance to local authorities. The Summer Conference will include an alternative programme on Thursday 16 June which will focus on the review. This session will be conducted with the DfE and will give delegates an opportunity to contribute positively to this important piece of work. We would encourage members, who are particularly engaged in the field of school transport, to attend this part of the conference.
Find out more - Can't make it? Follow the conference on Twitter


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It's been some six months since news that the Total War family was soon to have a fourth arrival broke, but with The Creative Assembly's Ian Roxburgh and Mark Sutherns in the mood to extol the virtues of their game, it's immediately apparent that they're keen to spill enough Medieval II beans to cover almost three pieces of toast.
"Everything is bigger and better than Rome," says Roxburgh as he begins his presentation. "The battles have double the polygons, each troop is unique and there are numerous combat variations with thrusts, parries and fatality moves. We've also doubled the textures on the campaign map, and there are twice as many voiceovers and sound effects. We've even ensured that each nation has the correct accent."
Roxburgh zooms into the campaign map, which radiates a refined clarity and depth of detail when compared to Rome's world-view. But the strategic map's enhancements run far deeper than cosmetics. "We're adding loads of new features," he states. "Click on any faction on the map and it'll give you a voiceover that reflects how it feels towards you. If a nation is amenable to you, they'll greet you, while a hostile nation will be far more aggressive. You'll no longer have to use the Diplomacy screen to find out how a nation feels."
While Total War has been at the forefront of strategic innovation for the best part of six years now, one area that's lacked depth has been diplomacy, a failing that the team are keen to rectify. "We've spent a lot of time improving diplomacy," explains Roxburgh.
"In Medieval II, the AI will not only remember previous dealings you've had with it but your dealings with other factions, too. It'll then base its stance towards you on all of those factors." Another new addition to the strategic map are princesses - pawns that can be used in a variety of underhand ways. Little more than whores in expensive garbs, these harlot diplomats can be prostituted to make alliances with rival factions (through arranged marriages), or sent to seduce enemy generals to your cause.
While we're on the subject of generals... "Each general's personality will have different effects on the battlefield or within cities," adds Roxburgh. "A general's attributes can also change, depending on how they conduct themselves on the battlefield."
Mercilessly slaughter the prisoners you capture during a battle (a feature reprised from the original Medieval) and your general's 'dread' rating will rocket, making enemies fearful on the battlefield and civilians more obedient within cities. And while showing mercy in war may make your generals a target for 'big girly girl' remarks from opposing armies, at least the people will love them should you order them to babysit a settlement. Unless of course they raid the fridge, invite over their girlfriend and leave sticky stains on the sofa, in which case, they could be faced with a revolution.
Also adding to the campaign map's strategic depth are merchants, a group of money-grabbing capitalists whose sole purpose in life is to amass money and resources through any means necessary.
"If you want to delve a little deeper into the economy, you'll be able to move merchants to pockets of resources dotted around the map," reveals Roxburgh. "If allied factions have merchants guarding a resource, you can attempt a hostile takeover and force them off. It's like an economic rivalry that's totally separate to being at war with a faction."
Next up are heretics and witches, heathen wanderers who spread religious doubt throughout your provinces (causing social unrest) and convert impressionable priests to their way of thinking.


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Category: Article
The Human Bias
Philosophers since the time of Plato have considered the extent to which we can truly perceive the physical world, or the so called 'mind independent' universe. Modern science has given us further insight into the question, through experiments designed to understand the way in which our brain receives and manipulates sensory information. While it has been known for some time that human perception is subject to various priming effects and spatiotemporal biases, psychologists at the University of California, Berkeley have discovered that visual perception is also influenced by something called the 'continuity field.'
To put it simply, the continuity field is what allows us to view our surrounding environment as a continuous perception. In his recent article in Nature Neuroscience, David Whitney and his colleagues have shown that our perception of the orientation of a certain object in our visual field is actually strongly biased towards the orientation of that object 10 seconds prior. This means that our brain 'smoothes out' small changes in the physical world so that we perceive a continuous image. Without the influence of this continuity field, we would be hypersensitive to the smallest changes in our visual field, and presumably have trouble determining which changes in our surroundings would be most relevant to our immediate needs.
New Research Suggests a Prenatal Cause and a Possible Treatment of Autism
For years, the brain of a child with autism has been a mystery. Doctors and parents wondered about the cause of autism, and it seemed that they would never get those answers. Autism is characterized on a spectrum with various expressions of difficulty with social interaction including difficulty with verbal and nonverbal communication. Children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder, the official title of 'autism' after the May 2013 publication of the DSM-5) are associated with difficulties with motor coordination, attention, intellectual disabilities, and physical health problems like sleep and gastrointestinal problems. Autism is usually presented by age three and the process of diagnosing autism continues to change, according to the Autism Speaks foundation.
Dr. Thomas R. Insel, director of NIMH at the NIH says that "while autism is generally considered a developmental brain disorder, research has not identified a consistent or causative lesion." The newest reports show that the architecture of the autistic brain is "speckled with patches of abnormal neurons." In the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, there is evidence that the brain irregularities of children with autism are due to abnormal prenatal development.
Reopening Our Critical Period as Adults
Ever wonder why children can learn certain things, such as languages, faster than adults? There is a time in every human's life called the critical period, and it takes place during the most intense period of development, childhood. During this time a child's brain has high neuroplasticity, almost like a sponge. Many new pathways are formed as the child experiences new things. It has always been believed that when our critical period ends it never comes back but recent study has been done with the drug Valproate that increased neural plasticity in adults and may have reopened this critical period.
Valproate is a drug most commonly used for bipolar disorder and epilepsy. It is also known to inhibit an enzyme called histone- deacetylase, or HDAC. HDAC is an enzyme in the brain that slows down neural plasticity. Inhibition of this enzyme by Valproate allows the reopening of pathways in the brain, increasing neuroplasticity, thus reopening the critical period.
Visual Deprivation Could Improve Hearing in Adults
Most people are familiar with the idea that people who are blind have better hearing than those with normal vision. It was formerly thought that this compensation for lack of vision could only develop in the brains of the very young. However, new research conducted at the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University suggests that the brain may be more flexible than previously believed.
In the study, researchers kept one group of healthy mice in total darkness for a week, and exposed the other group to natural light for a week. Then the team used electrodes to measure activity in neurons in the mice's primary auditory cortex. This is the part of the brain that processes how loud a sound is and its source. By analyzing this data, researchers found that the mice who were exposed to a week of darkness had much better hearing than the control mice.
This suggests that the circuits that process sensory information can be re-wired in the brains of adult mice, even after the early critical period for hearing. These findings seem to contradict the idea that once the critical period for hearing is past, the auditory system doesn't respond to changes in an individual's soundscape.
Pregnant Women Fit Between Everyday Obstacles
Pregnancy is…? This sentence can end in a multitude of ways depending on whose answering the question. If I ask the 'teen-mom-too-good-to-be-true-seventeen year-old-boyfriend' who isn't worried about nothing, then he'd probably say…well I would've asked but he just stormed off in his 92′ Bronco. You know, the one with the flames on the side? If I ask the nervous husband who has been day dreaming of becoming that perfect family man ever since he got into the relationship, then he'd probably say: If it's a girl, I will be the dragon that protects my princess' castle. If I ask the soon-to-be-BIG-brother whose busy doing doughnuts in his fisher price corvette yelling "look mom, no hands," he'd probably say: This doesn't change the cookie rations, does it? And finally if I ask the pregnant mother-to-be if she thinks she's gained weight what she's praying for, she'd probably say: Just not your father's personality, PLEASE, not your father's personality.
Pregnancy is engaging. It brings together families, can tear relationships apart, and creates changes in the daily routine. Most notable is women's change in body size. Bodily size and the awareness of that size can create multiple obstacles. Typically, pregnant women are thought to be inhibited in their ability to adapt to these obstacles, however, pregnant women are just as capable as non-pregnant individuals. Today, we'll discuss their ability to asses depth perception and whether or not they can fit through openings such as doorways. Thanks to perceptual-motor-recalibration, pregnant women are just as good at adjusting their spatial awareness of their environment to match their constantly changing bodies.
The Polygenetic Basis of Mutations in the Development of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder often presented in patients by abnormal thought processes, impaired emotional responses, and negative symptoms. As a chronic disorder that affects ~1% of all people, schizophrenia can be have debilitating effects on patients, especially on their social lives. Due to the lack of knowledge on its pathophysiology and also the heterogeneity of the symptoms, it has been increasingly important to understand the genetics of schizophrenia.
Due to the marked reduction in fecundity seen in schizophrenic patients, the high heritability of the disorder pointed to the possibility that genetic alleles that were risk factors might occur as de novo mutations. Previous exome sequencing studies showed no promising results, but the inconclusive results were likely due to small sample size and a narrow focus on target genes. Two recent studies, the largest of their kind, gathered data from nearly 7000 people (nearly 3500 patients) from Sweden and Bulgaria, and showed that genetic effects on schizophrenia seemed to be very complex. Specifically, both papers published in Nature reflected on the implication of genetic mutations in clusters of specific proteins that governed signaling networks dealing with learning and memory. The studies identified the presence of de novo mutations, often nonsense mutations, notably in genes related to the PSD (post-synaptic density of dendrites), the calcium channels, the postsynaptic ARC complex, and the NMDA receptors.
The Power of Meditation
When the word meditation comes up, people usually think of Monks or Buddhists first. However, there is a reason they meditate so often; meditation does wonders for your brain, and here is how.
There are two main types of meditation: 1) Focused-attention meditation or 'Mindful meditation' and 2) Open-monitoring meditation. In Mindful meditation, you focus on one specific thing ranging from your breathing, a specific sensation in your body, or a particular object in front of you.The key point is to focus on one thing without consideration to other thoughts or events happening around you. When any distractions occur, you must be quick to recognize it and turn your focus back to your focal point. Open-monitoring meditation is where you pay attention to all the things happening around you but you do not react to them.
Are Men More Forgetful Than Women?
If you have ever noticed that men tend to forget things quite often, especially compared to women, you are not alone. A research team led by Professor Jostein Holmen in Norway conducted a large, longitudinal population health study called Hunt3 to reach the conclusion that men are more forgetful than women, regardless of their age. This is one of the largest health studies ever performed, with answers from over 48,000 people leading to their conclusions.
The participants were asked at the beginning of the study if they had problems remembering things, if they had problems remembering dates and names, if they had a memory of what they did one year ago, and if they could remember details about specific conversations.
Why do we need sleep?
We know from everyday life that, at some point, we need to sleep. In fact, extended sleep deprivation can lead to death. Despite the amount of sleep research that has been conducted, none have been able to clearly reason out the essential function of sleep. However, recently, a promising study by Dr. Nedergaard showed that sleep functions in clearing neurotoxic waste from the brain of mice. In effect, without sleep, these toxins would build up and cause problems for the body.
Specifically, the study looked at what is known as the glymphatic system. Because our central nervous system lacks a lymphatic system which is in our peripheral system, the glymphatic clearance pathway is the primary way in which our brain can "clear" the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstital fluid (ISF) of the brain parenchyma. This clearance includes functions of getting rid of wastes, soluble proteins, and even controlling the volume of fluid. Interestingly, the Nedergaard study showed that this clearance system works faster when mice were asleep–in other words, the exchange rates of CSF and ISF increased during sleep. In addition, they were able to show that surrounding cells in the brain would shrink in size to allow more efficient clearance.
Neuroethics: An Overview
A groundbreaking new research study by Susumu Tonegawa's team at MIT has opened up grounds for debate in the ethics of neuroscience once again. In Tonegawa's experiment, neuroscientists were able to implant memories into the brains of mice using optogenetics, a technology in which specific cells can be turned on or off by exposure to a certain wavelength of light. The specific memory manipulated in this study was a conditioned fear response in mice to a mild electrical foot shock.
Researchers in Tonegawa's lab began by engineering mice hippocampal cells to express channelrhodopsin, a protein that activates specific neurons when stimulated by light. Channelrhodopsin was also modified to be produced whenever c-fos, a gene necessary for memory formation, was turned on. On day one, the engineered mice explored Room A without any exposure to foot shock; the mice behaved normally. As the mice explored this room, their memory cells were labeled with channelrhodopsin. On day two, the same mice were placed into Room B, a distinctly different room, where a foot shock was received; the mice exhibited a fear response. While receiving the foot shocks, channelrhodopsin was activated via optogenetics causing the fear response to be encoding not only to Room B, but Room A as well. To test this hypothesis, the mice were brought back to Room A on day three.


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Jimmy Fallon Is 'Jokesenberg' in Spot-On 'Breaking Bad' Parody
Jimmy Fallon is so bad. 'Breaking Bad,' that is.
Jimmy Fallon is so bad. 'Breaking Bad,' that is.
Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon have become BFF's through their "Evolution Of" skits, and this time they decided to tackle the touchdown celebration dance.
As if you didn't have enough reasons to love Ariana Grande, she also has a pretty good sense of humor behind those powerhouse pipes!
The 'Sam + Cat' starlet and 'Yours Truly' singer joined Jimmy Fallon for a silly duet in which they belted out Broadway renditions of classic (and one newly classic) rap joints.
'Blurred Lines' is the biggest song in the world right now, and the only thing that can make it bigger is The Roots playing it on kids toy instruments while Robin Thicke and Jimmy Fallon sing along.
Ice Cube jumped on Jimmy Fallon's stage with Quest Love and the Roots to perform a Hip-Hop classic, 'Today Was A Good Day.'
Jimmy Fallon mashes a bunch of clips from the NBC news anchor Brian Williams to make it sound like he's rapping a verse from Snoop Dogg's classic track 'Ain't Nothing but a G Thang'.
Jimmy Fallon has never really been that funny to me, but this bit was hilarious!
Continuing "Justin Timberlake Week" on 'Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,' Fallon and JT topped even the discussion of his feud with Kanye West by performing a barbershop quintet version of Timberlake's hit 'SexyBack.'
Slow down, guys. It's only the second night and you're already making us giddy.
After his fifth hosting stint on 'Saturday Night Live' on March 9, Justin Timberlake continued his television domination by kicking off "Justin Timberlake Week" on 'Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,' where he'll be the special guest and musical guest all week.
And for his first trick, he addressed his so-called-feud with Kanye West.
Michelle Obama is a modern day hero for young women everywhere. Her 'Let's Move' campaign is more than an idea, it's the way she lives her life. If that's not a good enough reason, then you should at least be proud of her for not laughing at Jimmy Fallon dressed as a soccer mom.
Trinidad James makes late night television debut on Jimmy Fallon performing 'All Gold Everything.' Getting in front of the television audience that large last night probably opened doors for new fans. The care free emcee took to the stage with The Roots and put on a good show.
I think This is the perfect depiction of how it must of felt for Mitt Romney to lose the presidential election.
We're about to insist that Tom Hanks stop being so awesome. It's getting out of hand. From hilarious pictures with strangers to amazing storytelling, he's getting to be too much. And now this. Hanks went


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US 6823188 B1 Abstract The disclosed system and method for automated proximity determination and notification is useful to enable a customer or client of a business or other enterprise (e.g. a public library, a government facility, etc) to automatically obtain a predetermined service, on arrival at a destination associated with the business or enterprise, without having to communicate orally with representatives of the business/enterprise. A portable programmable wireless communication device is carried by users of such services. The device, termed a PLAD (pervasive location aware device), receives a program and proximity notification parameters associated with each destination to be visited, when service is reserved relative to the destination. Thereafter, as its user travels to the destinations, the PLAD is activated and uses the program information and parameters acquired in the reservation process to perform a proximity notification transmission characteristic of this invention as the device reaches a predetermined range of proximity to a destination. For that purpose, the PLAD calculates its distance to each currently valid destination at which a service is reserved, and sends a proximity notification signal to an address associated with a respective destination when its distance to the respective destination is less than a predetermined threshold radius limit acquired during the reservation process. Receiving equipment at the address uses the proximity notification signal to arrange for prompt execution of a reserved service when the user of the PLAD arrives at the respective destination. The PLAD also can be used in a reverse context—when its user is at a specific location and the service is being delivered to that location by a vehicle carrying another PLAD operated by or for a business/enterprise—to alert the user to the imminent arrival of that vehicle.
Claims(24) 1. A PLAD (pervasive location aware device) communicating instrument, said instrument enabling a user thereof to coordinate implementation of a broad variety of services at multiple remote sites at which said user may conduct different business transactions, and wherein coordination of said services is based on varied relations of proximity of said PLAD instrument to said sites; said PLAD instrument comprising:
means for communicating directly with individual ones of said sites;
means cooperative with said communicating means for storing diverse program applications associated with services to be performed at said sites; each application enabling said PLAD to detect when it is within a variably determined range of proximity to a site associated with the application, determination of said range being set as a variable function by the respective application; and
means responsive to detection that the respective PLAD instrument is within said variably determined range of proximity to a site associated with a said application for initiating proximity notification communications between said PLAD and said associated site; said communications serving to activate a process at said associated site to provide a service to the user of said instrument while said user is at a known distance from said site; efficient preparations of said service at said multiple sites involving lead time factors that are related to proximity ranges which are variably set by multiple applications associated with said sites; as a result of which said time factors can be different from each other at different said sites.
2. A PLAD instrument in accordance with
3. A PLAD instrument in accordance with
4. A PLAD in accordance with
5. A PLAD in accordance with
6. A PLAD in accordance with
7. A PLAD in accordance with
8. A PLAD in accordance with
9. A PLAD in accordance with
10. A PLAD in accordance with
11. A PLAD in accordance with
12. A PLAD in accordance with
13. A system for providing a variety of proximity-dependent services comprising:
elements for receiving proximity notification signals from portable PLAD (pervasive location aware device) instruments carried by users of said services; each said instrument being programmable, in association with said services to be provided, to: a) determine their locations relative to plural different sites, and b) issue said proximity notification signals only when respective instruments are in program-specifiable ranges of proximity to individual ones of said sites; and
means responsive to said proximity notification signals to coordinate execution of said services with arrival of the respective instrument at various predetermined distances from said individual sites.
14. A system according to
15. A system according to
16. A system according to
17. A service providing system according to
18. A method for providing a variety proximity-dependent services comprising:
receiving proximity notification signals from portable PLAD (pervasive location aware device) instruments; said instruments being carried by users of said services and programmable to: a) determine their locations relative to plural program-specifiable remote sites, and b) issue said proximity notification signals only when respective instruments are in program-specifiable relations of proximity to individual ones of said sites; said program-specifiable proximity relations constituting variable distances associated with preparation of varied services at said individual sites; and
in response to reception of said proximity notification signals at a said site, coordinating implementation of a said service with arrival of a respective said instrument at said relation of proximity to the respective site, provided that a said service has been scheduled at the time of reception of said signals.
19. The method of
20. The method of
21. For a programmable PLAD (pervasive location aware device) instrument, a program transferable to said instrument from a network to which said instrument is connected, said program comprising:
elements for conditioning said instrument to determine its location relative to a remote site represented by a variable specified in said program; and
elements responsive to determination that said instrument is within a specific range of proximity to said specified site, said range being specified as a variable by said program, for conditioning said instrument to transmit signals to said specified site via said network, said signals containing information specified as variables by said program, said information indicating said instrument is within said specified range of proximity and a date and time of a service scheduled to be performed at said specified site for a specified user of said instrument.
22. A program in accordance with
23. A program in accordance with
24. A program in accordance with
Description Presently available technology supports position location functions, enabling mobile equipment to accurately indicate geographic positions to respective users, and even guide such users to preset destinations. Other available technology (exemplified for instance by systems which communicate with cellular radio-telephones and operate to automatically link the latter devices with different signal relay towers as such devices move between areas served by such towers) can be used to derive position information from cellular devices (e.g. for use in "911" emergencies). Industries providing travel-related services—exemplified by automobile rental enterprises, airlines, railroads, buses, cruise ship operators, hotels, food caterers, etc.—increasingly seek to attract customers with special value-added services. Typically such service are given names associated with valuable objects (platinum, gold, diamonds, etc.). For example, one car rental company offers a "gold card" service whereby customers entitled to the service, while being transported from an airport to a nearby company terminal, identify themselves to the bus driver who in turn notifies representatives at the terminal. As a result, rental cars assigned to passengers so identified are made immediately available at the terminal, eliminating need for such customers to enter the branch office, wait for a representative to serve them, complete forms, etc. A similar service, offered by hotels, provides guests with transportation from nearby airports to respective hotels when guests telephone to announce their arrival at the airport. A common aspect of the foregoing services is that their implementation usually requires overt actions by guests (or customers or clients, etc.) upon arrival at a travel terminal close to a place of business offering the service. An aspect of presently known services of this character is that the required overt acts usually involve oral communication, between the arriving guest and a representative of the business offering the service, to identify the arriving guest, and may even require the guest to locate and display a card indicating their entitlement to the service. In the rush of travel, it is frequently difficult and/or awkward for guests to carry out such acts of identification. Furthermore, this difficulty or awkwardness may be compounded if the communications and acts need to be carried out in a particular place (e.g. at a telephone in an air terminal, or on a shuttle van, etc.) where the act may be impeded by crowds of travelers or vehicle motion or both. Accordingly, a need is perceived for providing such service on an automated basis which effectively would relieve guests/clients (hereafter "users") of burdens of communicating orally with representatives of businesses providing the service, and perhaps more importantly is conditioned upon automated telecommunication functions which can be programmed to occur automatically when users reach a pre-arranged distance of proximity to a destination associated with the service. Thus, for instance, services associated with expediting baggage check-in at airports can be triggered into effect as users of the service enter airport grounds, services expediting delivery of rental cars to users arriving at an airport can be triggered into effect as users arrive, services for expediting transportation from air terminals to hotels can be triggered into effect when users arrive at the air terminals, services to expedite take-out catering functions can be activated when a user is within a few blocks of a respective catering service site, etc. In accordance with this invention, users of presently contemplated services employ state of art programmable portable instruments that are adapted to be programmable to be effectively aware of their locations and to begin automatic transmissions of pre-arranged signals (typically, in a wireless mode), to business sites providing the services, as respective users reach a predetermined distance of proximity to such sites. The pre-arranged signals include signals identifying respective users. Preferably, programming of such instruments is effected before or during a trip to a destination offering the service. Such programming is implemented, through wireless or other data communication networks, either by businesses providing the services or third parties operating as agents of these businesses. Furthermore, the pre-arranged, signal transmissions preferably are in a standardized form enabling different types of businesses (requiring different proximity factors for beginning activation of their services and different actions for implementing respective services) to use common reception equipment to: a) properly identify authorized users of their services, and b) begin activating respective services exclusively for such users. Furthermore, such programming preferably is sufficiently flexible to allow different businesses to establish different proximity conditions for triggering user-identifying transmissions. Although portable instruments that are programmable to be effectively aware of their locations are presently state of the art, a distinction of the present invention is that its instruments are programmable by diverse entities or persons to perform presently contemplated signaling functions as users of the instruments reach predetermined proximity to sites at which services and/or functions associated with their programming are to be completed. Instruments generally "aware" of their geographic locations (either by communications with earth satellites or with cellular relay stations) are presently termed "pervasive location aware/communicating devices" (abbreviated as "PLAD's"). Instruments that are specifically adaptable to receiving programming associated with presently contemplated services, and to perform presently contemplated signal transmissions conditioned on proximity factors, are viewed presently as a new class of PLAD's. As presently contemplated, a common aspect of this new class is that its PLAD's are subject to being dynamically programmed, before or during a visit to a specific site at which a service or other function is to be performed, to: a) detect when the PLAD (and its user) are within a predetermined range of proximity to the site; and b) upon such detection, initiate transmission of information enabling apparatus receiving the transmissions to verify that they are from a user of a pre-scheduled service and initiate actions appropriate for implementing the service in synchronism with the user's projected time of arrival at the site. It is contemplated further that PLAD's in this class will be adaptable to receive transmissions from or associated with proximate sites, in order to support implementation of applications which require bidirectional transmissions; applications requiring verification that the respective PLAD is in possession of an authorized user. Programming of a PLAD instrument in this new class should be simple, flexible and dynamically variable so as to allow e.g. for supporting triggering of several different proximity-associated service applications in the course of a single trip; for instance, triggering of a first application en route to a departure airport (e.g. enabling the device user to obtain a seat assignment on a scheduled flight, and possibly to-schedule baggage handling automatically, while en route to that airport), and triggering of a second service application upon arrival at a destination airport (e.g. enabling the same user/traveler to have a shuttle van automatically dispatched to the airport from either a car rental service or a pre-booked hotel at that time). Presently contemplated PLAD's also can be used to set up proximity-related control functions. For example, an incoming guest's proximity notification to a hotel can be used to initiate a room thermostat adjustment, so that the room temperature is comfortable when the guest arrives but can be efficiently held at a less comfortable setting while the room is unoccupied. Also, such control functions can be exerted in a reverse sense, as a PLAD's user moves away from a given site. For example, it can function relative to a user's home to automatically arm security systems that a user has forgotten to manually set, adjust temperatures, turn off unnecessary lighting, shut off appliances accidentally left on, etc, as a user travels away from his/her home. Software supporting such applications can be transferred to PLAD's in this new class by various means that may presently be known in other contexts. It could be downloaded through existing or new communication networks; such as the Internet, the PSTN (public switched telephone network), existing radio-telephone networks, etc. Alternatively, it could be transferred directly to the device from a computer, via an associated adapter. In the latter form of transfer, the computer could be a computer located at the user's residence or office, a computer located at an airport or rail terminal, etc. Features of this invention are: programming of portable and programmable PLAD (pervasive location aware devices) communication devices to provide proximity notification and user identification signals to specifically addressed destinations as devices reach predetermined proximity ranges to such destinations use of such devices to enable businesses receiving the foregoing notification and identification signals to pre-arrange for providing special services to respective users as they arrive at respective destinations use of such devices to accommodate different proximity ranges for different destinations configuring such devices to be programmable to provide the foregoing signals through a variety of communication networks as well as through PC's (personal computers) and a variety of storage media used by PC's configuring such devices so that proximity ranges associated with services to be provided can be varied to accommodate service requirements of many different business, government, personal and other types of users configuring such devices so that software pertaining to a given service can be downloaded thereto when an authorized user of the device reserves a given service relative to a specific business configuring such devices to be able to store software pertaining to a given service in reusable form configuring such devices to accommodate software applications pertaining to varied services at a plurality of destinations, and also to be able to store and execute such applications simultaneously while the device user is en route sequentially to those destinations use of such devices in a manner ensuring user privacy; e.g. with proximity notification signals giving the user's proximity to a destination without revealing the user's location use of such devices to receive proximity notifications in situations wherein the device user is stationary and the service is being brought to that user in a mobile vehicle use of such devices to provide services in a "no-waiting" mode that are available on the user's arrival at a destination use of such devices and their software to provide functions ancillary to proximity notification; e.g. "look-ahead information" preparing a device user in a car to be able to avoid congestion conditions on roads (for example, advising the user of best immediate routes to a destination, and alerting the user to take detours where needed) and at bridges and tunnels along a route (for example, enabling the user to aim for a specific least-congested toll booth) use of PLAD's to communicate with notification services independent of businesses at service destinations; e.g. to support service applications requiring frequent exchanges of information and possible redirection of a user (for example, a service in which the facility communicating with the user directs the user to a nearest garage with space available in a given area of a large city or to a nearest parking facility with space available at a busy airport, or alerts the user to traffic congestion problems and possible avoidances along the user's current route, etc) use of PLAD's to provide or augment PIM (personal information manager) scheduling functions use of PLAD's to provide proximity-associated functions in a reverse sense; i.e. based on a user's range of remoteness from a starting site such as the user's home use of PLAD's to provide proximity-proximity notification from mobile service providers such as taxicabs to stationary service recipients use of PLAD's to sustain new business functions; e.g. airlines could offer special discounts to customers who agree to use PLAD's en route to airports and relinquish seats if they are a predefined distance from the airport at predefined times before scheduled flight departures. These and other uses and features of this invention will be more fully understood from the following description. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a PLAD conforming to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining how the device shown in FIG. 1 is used. FIG. 3 is a schematic for explaining how a PLAD communicates with service destinations. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining details of operations of a PLAD relative to plural destinations that are scheduled to provide "services-on-arrival" to an authorized user of the PLAD FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining details of how programs for providing proximity notification, and notification parameters relevant to individual programs, are loaded into presently contemplated PLAD's. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining details of how a presently contemplated PLAD operates to implement proximity-notification(s) relative to destinations at which presently contemplated "service-on-arrival" functions have been reserved This invention pertains to a system and method for providing automated proximity-conditioned communication functions, providing users of instruments initiating such communications with special "services-on-arrival" at given sites and/or automated "services-on-departure" from such sites. Users reserving such services employ PLAD ( "pervasive location aware device") instruments that are pre-programmed in association with such reservations. Services on arrival, as presently contemplated, are arranged to be available to PLAD users arriving at a specific destination, when such users have a prior reservation and their PLAD has sent a proximity notification communication to that destination as the user approaches it and comes within a predetermined range of proximity to it. A presently contemplated preferred form of a PLAD is shown in FIG. 1. PLAD 1 contains a wireless interface 5 linked to radio antenna 6. While the device user is en route to a specific business establishment at which the user has made a reservation for special service, PLAD 1 operates its wireless interface to send proximity notification signals to the destination establishment. Such signals, which contain address information pertaining to the destination and information identifying the device user, are sent only when the user is within a predetermined proximity to the destination. The predetermined proximity generally is established by the business offering the service, and also may be associated with the type of service involved. PLAD 1 also contains a programmable digital computer system—including processor 7, memory 9 and storage 11—and a location determining element 13. Preferably, components 7, 9, 11 and 13 are highly concentrated, e.g. on single integrated circuit chips, to ensure device portability. Components 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 are connected by a bus 15 having a connection to a program/data loading port indicated at 17. The port may be a USB (Universal Serial Bus) if the PLAD is to be programmed by attachment to a personal computer, or it can be a simple telephone connector if programming of the device is to be effected through a standard connection to a telephone network. Optionally, PLAD 1 may include a display element 25, which may be either an interface to a display monitor or include the monitor. The manner in which PLAD 1 is used is suggested in FIG. 2. Prior to a trip by the device's user, wherein a planned stop is to be made at a given destination offering a service of the type presently envisioned, the device is programmed for communication with equipment at the destination (process 35). The program may be downloaded to the PLAD through a public network; e.g. through the public telephone network, the Internet, etc. The program may be provided by an enterprise operating at the destination (commercial business, educational institution, etc.) or by an enterprise that is an agent of the destination enterprise. If stops are to be made at more than one such destination, the PLAD is programmed relative to each destination prior to the trip. Details of how this programming is effected are given later (refer to description of FIG. 5). While the user is en route to a planned destination, the PLAD is activated and begins to sense its proximity to the given destination (process 36, described further below in reference to FIG. 6). This may be accomplished directly through the operation of a global positioning system (GPS), contained in location chip 13, which operates in a presently well-known manner through a not-shown satellite signal reception antenna to sense displacements relative to plural geo-stationary earth satellites. Alternatively, it may be accomplished through a wireless connection to a cellular telephone system which provides a locating service (based e.g. on signal strengths received from the PLAD at multiple differently located antennas). When the device senses or derives indication that it is within a predetermined threshold distance P of the given destination (decision 37), it begins to emit a proximity notification signal through its antenna 6. This signal—addressed specifically to equipment located at or operating in behalf of the destination—includes data identifying the PLAD and its authorized user. It also may include information identifying the reserved service. Distance P is set during the device's programming (step 35). The proximity notification signal is received at a site associated with the device user's destination (e.g. the destination per se or at a site maintained by an agent of the party operating at the destination), and used there to initiate preparation of a service to be provided to the PLAD's user, which service should be fully effective at or before the user's arrival at the destination (process 38). As shown in FIG. 3, an enterprise responsible for implementing service at the destination, or an agent of such enterprise, maintains communication equipment 45 for receiving and responding to signals sent by PLAD 1. If the link between equipment 45 and PLAD 1 is wireless, equipment 45 would require the antenna suggested at 46. However, it is understood that if equipment 45 has a wired connection to some (not-shown) equipment through which signals are transferred between PLAD 1 and equipment 45, the antenna 45 would not be needed at the location of equipment 45. A PLAD such as 1 also could be used in a "reverse" context, while its user is stationary and awaiting an approaching service vehicle (e.g. taxi, limo, package delivery truck, etc.), to alert its user to the service vehicle's proximity. In this usage, a PLAD in the approaching vehicle would send a notification signal to the PLAD at the user's location, and the latter PLAD might, for instance, return signals verifying the identity of its user and readiness of that party to receive service. In another reverse type of context, a PLAD could be programmed to provide a distance-dependent notification as its user travels away from a given site; e.g. a notification relative to a user's home which could be used to check the status of security systems and appliances in the home and either arm security systems accidentally left off, turn off lights and other appliances, adjust temperature control settings, close automatic garage doors accidentally left open, etc. The form of the proximity notification signal is not considered critical to the invention. It should, as previously noted, contain the address of the destination receiver, the identity (and reservation number, if pertinent) of the user of the sending PLAD, and, if applicable, the date and estimated time of delivery of the reserved service. The signal could be repeated, either continuously or intermittently. The manner in which the signal is terminated also is not considered significant. For instance, termination could occur in response to an acknowledgment signal sent from the destination receiver, or after a predetermined number of repetitions of the notification signal, or at a predetermined time after a given transmission. If the PLAD user is en route to a series of destinations, each offering a service of the kind presently contemplated, the device should be pre-programmed relative to each destination, and repeat the process 36-38 relative to each, as suggested in FIG. 4. Thus, in this type of process, a PLAD would sense proximity to a first destination A1 (process 50) and send a proximity notification signal relative to A1 when the PLAD is within a predefined range of proximity D1 to A1 (process 51). The PLAD also senses its proximity to second destination A2 and sends notification signal relative to A2 when it is within predetermined proximity range D2 of A2 (processes 52, 53). Repetitions of these functions relative to other destinations (A3, A4, etc) are suggested by continuation indication 54. As will be seen in the description below of FIG. 6, the proximity sensing functions relative to plural destinations can all be performed concurrently, with proximity notification transmissions issued relative to each destination only as the PLAD reaches a predetermined range of proximity to that destination. Details—Reservation and En Route Processes Details of processes relevant to reservation of presently contemplated services are described below with reference to FIG. 5, and relevant details of proximity sensing and notification transmission operations are described with reference to FIG. 6. A. Reservation Processes Details of reservation processes, in which proximity notification software and/or parameters pertinent thereto are transferred to a PLAD, are shown in FIG. 5. When a PLAD user contacts a business (or agent of such) to reserve a service subject to automatic proximity notification (e.g. via the Internet/web as suggested at 60), the contacted party determines if the reservation is being made directly through a PLAD (positive indication, decision 61) and if the software application required for proximity notification is not currently resident in the storage of the PLAD (negative result, decision 62). If both conditions are met, the contacted party downloads the software and proximity parameters pertinent to the reserved service directly to the user's PLAD (process 63); pertinent parameters including e.g. the location of the destination in absolute geographic coordinates, and a proximity range limit in relation to that location at which the PLAD is to begin proximity notification signaling. If the reservation is not being made directly through the PLAD (negative decision 61), the user is notified that the software can be downloaded indirectly to a computer (process 64). If the reservation is being made through a computer, and if the reserving party chooses to accept indirect downloading (positive decision 65), the notification application software is downloaded to the computer (process 66). Along with the software, proximity parameters pertinent to the specific reservation are downloaded to the computer (process steps 67 to 69). It is understood, that software and parameters indirectly downloaded to a computer in this manner must subsequently be transferred to the reserving party's PLAD through USB ports of that device and the computer (see FIG. 1). Transfer of software and pertinent proximity notification parameters to a user's PLAD is executed in steps 67 to 69. In step 67, pertinent notification parameters are downloaded indirectly to a computer. In step 69, information (software and parameters) indirectly downloaded to a computer (negative decision 68) is transferred to the user's PLAD. Furthermore, when a reservation is made directly through a PLAD in which the software needed has been previously stored but potentially lacking notification parameters appropriate for the service currently being reserved (positive decisions at both 61 and 62), process step 69 is used to directly download the appropriate notification parameters to the PLAD. Consequently, after step 69, the PLAD will contain the software application and notification parameters needed for the reservation just made, regardless of whether the information is downloaded to the PLAD directly or downloaded to a computer indirectly and subsequently transferred to the PLAD. B. Proximity Sensing and Notification Transmissions Details of proximity sensing and notification signaling processes—performed by a PLAD relative to remote receiving apparatus associated with pre-existing reservations—are discussed with reference to FIG. 6. Initially (process 80), the PLAD senses its location in absolute earth coordinates; e.g. by known techniques of signaling relative to geo-stationary earth satellites; or by communications with a cellular telephony center having ability to calculate PLAD location by measurements of signal strengths received at plural antennas, and ability to return signals to the PLAD directly indicating its location. The connection symbol at 80 a, labeled "B", indicates connection to initial process 80 from another portion of FIG. 6 having a similarly labeled output connector symbol (see discussion below of symbol 88 a). Using the information acquired at 80, and destination position information obtained during the reservation associated processes of FIG. 5, the PLAD calculates the distance between it and each of the destinations currently valid (process 81), and compares each calculated distance to a predetermined threshold radius of proximity to the respective destination (process 82) acquired by the PLAD in the processes of FIG. 5. Input connection symbol "C" at 82 a indicates connection to processes 82 from elsewhere in FIG. 6 (see discussion below of symbol 86 a). Decision 83 follows, based on the comparison of step 82. If the PLAD is in the proximity radius of a currently valid destination (positive decision 83), some or all of process steps 84 through 87 are performed. If decision 83 is negative, the process branches—via outgoing connection symbol 83 a and input connection 88 b—to process function 88. At 88, the process waits for the start of a next period of location sensing and proximity calculation. As indicated by connection symbols "B" at 88 a and 80 a, at the start of this next time period, proximity determining steps 80 and 81 are repeated. If the PLAD is in the predetermined proximity range of a valid destination (positive decision 83) it retrieves the destination address acquired during the reservation process (step 84), formats a proximity notification communication directed to that address, and transmits signals representing that communication to that address (step 85). After step 85, the PLAD determines if proximity calculations relative to all currently valid destinations have been completed (decision 86). If all calculations have not been completed, the process returns to comparison step 82, via connection symbols "C" at 86 a and 82 a. If all calculations have been completed (positive decision 86) the PLAD determines—decision 87—if all destinations have been notified (i.e. if the PLAD has traveled through proximity ranges of all valid destinations). If proximity notifications have not been sent to all destinations (negative decision 87), step 88 is performed to begin another period of proximity determination via step 80. If all destinations have been notified (positive decision 87) the process advances to decision 90 via connection symbols "D" shown at 87 a and 90 a. At decision 90, the PLAD determines if the software it loaded in association with earlier reservation processes is required to be purged/erased or saved for possible future re-use. If the software is not to be saved it is removed/erased from PLAD storage at step 91 terminating all further proximity processing. If the software is to be saved, step 91 is skipped and the current processing activities end. Additional Examples In addition to examples of services and/or functions already mentioned, other examples of forms and uses for presently contemplated PLAD's are: such PLAD's could be integrated with 2-way pagers enabling paging stations or companies to track locations and appointments of PLAD's, and perform notification functions relative to destination sites as respective PLAD's pass predetermined thresholds of proximity to respective sites at or near respective appointment times (e.g. use of paging stations as agents, in this manner, could simplify programming of PLAD's linked thereto) such PLAD's could be programmed to communicate with multiple sources during travel to a single site (e.g. with a toll booth operating entity along the travel route, to facilitate automatic payment of tolls and efficient movement through toll collection points) such PLAD's could be programmed with multiple thresholds of proximity relative to one destination; e.g. to provide diverse notifications relative to the destination as a device passes successively closer thresholds of proximity (that for example enabling the provider of a service or function at the destination to more efficiently time the preparation of that service or function) Other Relevant Considerations Functions described above can be realized in hardware, software and combinations thereof. Software associated with such functions can be transferred to a respective PLAD either directly from remote equipment associated with a destination at which a service is reserved or indirectly through a computer system available to a user of the respective PLAD and having links for connecting to both the remote equipment and the respective PLAD. Such software transfers from remote equipment, to either a PLAD directly or a computer system indirectly, can be made through a public communication network such as the public telephone system or the Internet and through private communication networks where appropriate. Software associated with such functions generally will include computer programs and proximity notification parameters applicable to individual destinations. These programs and parameters can be expressed in any language, code or notation containing suitable computer instructions, they can be stored in any storage media suited for storing such information, and they can be transmitted over any communication media suited for carrying signals representing such information (e.g. in downloading transmissions described in FIG. 5). In accordance with the foregoing, I claim the following. Patent Citations
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All articles ever written on Lomography.
The Lomography Questionnaire with Lukasz Wierzbowski
Compare, contrast, draw inspiration from, and even shake your head in disagreement at the answers from our special guest contributors. Today, we're featuring Polish film photographer Lukasz Wierzbowski--a favourite here on Lomography, as well as on Tumblr & Flickr! -
A Sand-Sational Blue Hour ended over 2 years ago
We're kicking Summer off early this year with a sand-tastic Beach Party Blue Hour! Join the fun on Thursday May 3rd at 6pm at the Lomography Gallery Store NYC Gramercy. -
Same Skin: Christian Louboutin Sneakers & Spinner 360°
Luxury items of the same leather, rock together! French shoe designer Christian Louboutin has a pair of men's sneakers that come in the same Italian calfskin that Lomography's Spinner 360° Leather Edition is wrapped in. Such a classy combination! -
Spring (Film) Fling ended over 2 years ago
Join us Saturday May 5th @ 1pm at the Lomography Gallery Store NYC Gramercy store for the Spring Fling Film workshop! -
UK CitySlicker Harriet: Style Hunting in Broadway Market
This month saw me style-hunting in east London, with fashion expert Fergie as my knowledgeable guide. Check out our featured looks after the jump! -
May Flowers Walking Tour ended over 2 years ago
Join us at Lomography Gallery Store NYC on Saturday May 12th @ 1pm at the NYC Gramercy Shop for a lovely trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens in our May Flowers Walking Tour! -
Uncovered: Over a Hundred Years of New York
Recently, New York City's Department of Records unveiled millions of images of New York City online. Photos date back to as far as the 1800's and show the city in a new light. More on this news after the break. -
Seeing Double with the Diana Mini ended over 2 years ago
Join us here at Lomography Gallery Store NYC on Saturday, May 19th @ 1pm as we See Double with the Diana Mini! Read on for more info. -
The LOMO LC-Wide Part 6: Go Close or Go Home
Now shoot! Look at your results and you'll see it immediately: photos of situations where you didn't dare to go close are boring. -
Lomographic Questionnaire: Iván Solbes
We have started the "Lomographic Questionnaire" with the great Iván Solbes, an illustrator from Madrid who's agreed to answer 10 questions that will get us closer to him and his analogue vision of the real or imaginary world. Keep reading, you'll enjoy this! -
Nightscapes with the Sprocket Rocket ended over 2 years ago
Join us at Lomography Gallery Store NYC on Wednesday evening, May 23rd @ 7pm to photograph the night in our Nightscapes with the Sprocket Rocket workshop! -
Photos from the Pinhole Workshop
Check out these beautiful photos from our Diana F+ pinhole workshop at Lomography Gallery Store Gramercy last weekend! -
May Workshops and Events at the Lomography Gallery Store Greenwich Village
Take a look at the events and workshops we have coming up at The Lomography Gallery Store NYC Greenwich Village during the month of May. Be sure to call or email us to reserve your spot as space is limited for most workshops! -
Analogue for a Day: 24 Ideas for 24 Hours!
How to have fun for a day without a personal computer, laptop, mp3 player, cell phone, and other digital devices? Here you can find some simple and cheap ideas! Enjoy! -
'Sabana Grande es una fiesta' Lomography exhibition at Caracas, Venezuela
On March 14th, my friends and I, with help coming from Escuela FotoArte, opened our exhibition, "Sabana Grande es Una Fiesta", the result of four workshops we had in this photography school. -
Back to Basics: The Zim & Zou Analogue Project
In the times of the all-encompassing digital medium, as a working graphic designer in today's world, it is very refreshing to find such handmade beauty. Especially when they feature such analogue delights, and bring forward so many fond memories. Come and meet the Zim & Zou 'Back to Basics' art project. -
Analogue for a Day: Refreshing My Handwriting!
My self-imposed handwriting refresher course: exchange the keyboard for a pen and paper! As a disclaimer beforehand, I still know how to write using a pen! -
A Love that Sparked Another Love
I was previously a die-hard fan of digital cameras but was introduced to the world of analogue photography earlier this year, and I've loved it ever since!


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Summary: Sound Smarter, Look Better, and Live Longer with Everyday Latin.Veni, Vidi, Vici is a treasure trove of more than 1,000 Latin words and phrases to help you intelligently insult adversaries, compliment lovers, or comment on anything at all. Each entry is accompanied by a direct translation, classical pronunciation, and witty exploration of the real meaning. As entertaining as it is informative, this updated edition of Eugene Ehrlich's classic guide includes a new introduction and up ...show moredated explanations alongside timeless wisdom on such topics as: Political strategy: ''Audacter calumniare semper aliquid haeret'' (''Slander boldly, something always sticks.'') Tough economic times: ''Corpus valet sed aegrotat crumena'' (''What good is health if you can't afford to enjoy it?'') The art of flattery: ''Dea certe'' (''Assuredly a goddess.'') Love and heartbreak: ''Militiae species amor est'' (''Love is a kind of military service.'') Et plura! (''And more!'') ...show less
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The Children's Literacy Coalition of Los Angeles is a roundtable of organizations that are working toward a common goal of raising awareness on early literacy. Visit the CLC-LA.org to learn more.
Congratulations to the following 2014 CLC Award Winners Awards were presented at the Fall Gala
"Excellence in Juvenile Fiction"
Holly Goldberg Sloan
Counting by 7s Penguin Group USA, 2013
"Excellence in Picture Book Illustration"
Dan Santat
"Best Narrative Voice in a Picture Book"
Drew Daywalt
The Day the Crayons Quit Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers Penguin Group USA, 2013
"Most Distinguished Juvenile Non-Fiction Book"
Kadir Nelson
Nelson Mandela HarperCollins, 2013
"The Peggy Miller Award for Young Adult Literature"
Andrew Smith
Winger Simon & Schuster, 2013
"Dorothy C. McKenzie Award"
Claudette S. McLinn
As Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature, Dr. Claudette S. McLinn has been a passionate and influential advocate for multicultural children's literature and library service to children. Her distinguished service to the field of children's literature has spanned many years and includes a career with LAUSD where she retired in 2011 as a District Coordinating Field Librarian. She has served as a member and chair of numerous American Library Association committees including prestigious award committees. Dr. McLinn received a Master of Library and information Science from Wayne State University and a Master of Science and Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology.
The Sampler - December 2014 Our most recent newsletter is now available online.
Southern California Authors & Illustrators who published Children's & Young Adult Literature in 2013: Please see BOOK AWARDS for book submission form and/or email book information to:
CLCSC loves having you join us at our events. Why don't you consider joining us as a member?
To Join or Renew Your Membership: Click Here
Even if you are a member of an organization that pays your event fees, please consider joining as an individual member to keep informed and help support a fine organization.
The Children's Literature Council of Southern California, a non-profit, charitable organization, is pleased to offer scholarships for students to attend our annual events. This is an excellent opportunity for students to gain professional development experience and to network with other professionals in the fields of library science, education, and literature. Scholarships will cover students' cost of attendance at our Spring Workshop and/or Fall Gala. If you would like to donate to the CLCSC Scholarship Fund, please click HERE. All contributions are tax deductible under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Book Discussion Groups are now taking place all over Southern California for Children's Literature Council Members See BOOK DISCUSSIONS for meeting times and locations
2014 Bulletin Board Upcoming Children's Literature Events in the Southern California Area:
"Diversity" Spring 2015 (more information coming)
Last updated 12/18/14 Contact Webmaster


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24th March 2014
Ellen Page responds to letter sent from anti-gay pastor – 'my soul isn't struggling' 7
1:55 PM — Hollywood actress Ellen Page, who came out as gay last month, has responded to a letter from a pastor she received denouncing her sexuality.
1st March 2014
Whoopi Goldberg: 'Uganda and Nigeria's presidents are on the wrong side of history' 32
2:01 PM — Speaking out against harsh new anti-gay laws passed in Uganda and in Nigeria, Hollywood star Whoopi Goldberg has described the presidents of the countries as being on the "wrong side of history" when it comes to LGBT rights.
14th November 2013
US: Texas school refuses allowing trans student to wear a tuxedo in graduation photo 3
10:33 AM — A trans student in Texas was denied being able to wear a tuxedo for his yearbook portrait, prompting the Human Rights Campaign to launch an online petition trying to convince the school to live up to its own non-discrimination policies.
11th October 2013
NOW: Video celebrates 25 years of National Coming Out Day
12:59 PM — A video posted today by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), celebrates 25 years of National Coming Out Day.
23rd September 2013
Human Rights Campaign calls Pope Francis' comments on gay issues 'a remarkable moment' 9
5:58 PM — The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has called on the Catholic hierarchy to follow Pope Francis' message, which indicated a softening of stance on gay issues.
20th September 2013
Jennifer Lopez to be honoured with Human Rights Campaign Ally for Equality award 3
4:24 PM — The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has announced that Jenifer Lopez will be honoured with the 2013 Ally for Equality Award.
12th September 2013
Video: Wentworth Miller talks staying closeted as an actor – 'I chose a lie to keep my career' 12
1:36 PM — British-born American actor Wentworth Miller, who came out as gay in a letter sent to St Petersburg last month, spoke recently on his reasons for staying closeted at the height of his fame, saying he "chose a lie" to keep his career.
10th September 2013
US: Study reveals transgender workers are at greater risk for unemployment and poverty 11
11:08 AM — A new report has revealed that transgender workers in the US experience unemployment at twice the rate of the population as a whole, and are four times more likely to have a household income under $10,000 (£6,400).
1st August 2013
Human rights group calls on Hollywood to stand up against Russian anti-gay laws 13
8:10 PM — A leading human rights group has set its sights on Hollywood as its next ally to stand up against an increasing anti-gay atmosphere in Russia, including the recent passage of anti-gay laws.
8th July 2013
US: Human Rights Campaign president to speak for gay rights at University of Arkansas
2:54 PM — The president of the Human Rights Campaign Chad Griffin is scheduled to speak today at a rally at the University of Arkansas, in favour of equal rights.
4th June 2013
US: Human Rights Campaign welcomes anti-equality protesters to rally head office 3
3:41 PM — US pro-equality group the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), has put up a sign to welcome anti-equality protesters, including the fiercely anti-gay Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth about Homosexuality.
1st June 2013
US: Anger as Illinois equal marriage vote delayed, but supporters confident the fight is not over 11
4:18 AM — Supporters of the equal marriage bill in the US state of Illinois were angry to find that the bill was not called on Friday, the final day of the current legislative session, but seem confident that when it returns, it will succeed, and noted it as an example of why the Defense of Marriage Act should be repealed.
8th April 2013
US: Electronic Arts notes anti-gay campaign as reason for 'Worst Company in America' award 12
3:21 PM — Video games company Electronic Arts (EA) is a highly likely contender to win the award for the Worst Company in America, for the second year running, and the company's COO said he thought an anti-gay campaign was partly to blame, but said he was "proud" of the company for supporting issues such as equal marriage.
27th March 2013
US: Hundreds of thousands take to social media to support equal marriage 7
2:45 AM — Thousands of social media users have taken to Facebook and Twitter, to change their profile pictures to an altered version of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) logo, in support of equal marriage.
Beyoncé and Madonna come out in support of equal marriage 4
1:46 AM — Beyoncé has joined thousands online in showing her support for equal marriage on her Facebook page, on the first day that the US Supreme Court has taken on two cases challenging same-sex marriage bans.
15th January 2013
Whoopi Goldberg to be honoured by Human Rights Campaign award 3
6:14 PM — Actress and activist Whoopi Goldberg will be the recipient of the Human Right's Campaign's 2013 Ally for Equality award, as recognition for her long term efforts to support gay rights.
6th December 2012
Poll: Record numbers of Americans back same-sex marriage 4
4:39 PM — A new poll for the US national newspaper USA Today has found that 53 per cent of Americans now support same-sex marriage.
20th November 2012
US: Anti-gay campaign group NOM sees financial donations plunge 22
11:18 AM — National Organisation for Marriage (NOM), the American campaign group that is staunchly opposed to LGBT equality, has seen a large drop in its financial donations.
19th November 2012
Chicago: Trans activist leaves group over HRC donation 15
1:16 PM — A Chicago transgender activist has left her volunteer post because the organisation she worked for accepted funding from the Human Rights Campaign.
2nd November 2012
HRC releases anti-Romney election video 46
9:23 PM — With 3 days to go before the US 2012 Election Day, America's largest LGBT advocacy group has released an advert that attacks Mitt Romney's stance on gay rights.


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I'm a multitasking mum, author and vet who loves walking the dogs, cuddling the cat and mucking out the horses in her spare time. I'm not quite so keen on housework, paperwork or indeed anything with the word 'work' in it.
To celebrate the publication of my new novel Follow Me Home, I am going on a blog tour! Check out the dates and locations here:
Cathy Woodman began her working life as a small animal vet before turning to writing fiction. She won the Harry Bowling First Novel Award in 2002 and is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association.