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Monthly Archives: February 2012
An Incredible First: Helping Children With Spina Bifida In-Utero
Last Saturday, Charlotte, a beautiful baby gift was born in Houston, making her parents very proud. Her debut was a heartwarming and much-anticipated one for everyone at Texas Children's Hospital. … Full Entry
Posted in Fetal Center, Pavilion for Women, Pregnancy, Surgery Tagged houston spina bifida doctor, myelomeningocele, open neural tube defect, spin bifida cure, spina bifida, spina bifida houston, spina bifida surgery houston, spinal bifida, texas children's fetal center, texas children's pavilion for women
Sugary Soda Can Increase "Risky" Fat Deposits
Most of us have heard that frequently drinking soda is not good for us. Why is that? The usual concerns are weight gain and dental caries. However, a new Danish … Full Entry
Is Infant Formula Safe From Arsenic?
Many of you may have read in the media about a recent study in which contamination with arsenic was found in some samples of infant formulas as well as other … Full Entry
Iron Deficiency In Infants And Children: It's Not Just About Anemia
Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in children. In the United States, up to 9% of toddlers between 1 and 3 years of age, and 11% of adolescent … Full Entry
RSV Infection: What Texas Parents Need To Know This RSV Season
Last month, over 30% of Texan babies needing medical care for respiratory issues tested positive for a common seasonal virus, respiratory syncytial virus or RSV. As Dr. Matthew Wigder explained … Full Entry
Posted in Flu, Heart, Intensive Care, Parenting Tagged high risk rsv, rsv, rsv heart, rsv prevention, rsv risk factor, rsv season, rsv symptoms, rsv vs flu, syncytial virus, what is rsv


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Orange PPC112 1×12 Speaker EnclosureStock code: 59017
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In Stock
- Guitar amplifier cabinet with a12-inch Celestion Vintage 30 speaker and 60 watts of power handling
- 16 Ohms impedances
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Small but mighty
Overall Rating
Posted on 12/06/2012 by James
First I'll start with the negative: it's a 1x12 cab so you will lose some bass response compared to the 4x12 variations and it will only safely handle 100 watts. On the plus side, it sounds great. I used this cab along side a Marshall cab in a studio recording session and I ended up just using the sound from this cab. It sounds hot, the lack of bass frequencies is noticeable but the power of the mids and highs are amazing. It's light and easily portable. You get a nice, loud and fast speaker response from this cab. I will say that for a live show you should invest in a 2x12 or a 4x12 preferably but in your bedroom or in the studio, it's just great. Good value too.


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Microsoft Ordered to Carry Java 831
from the macro-management dept.
We've improved Slashdot's video section; now you can view our video interviews, product close-ups and site visits with all the usual Slashdot options to comment, share, etc. No more walled garden! It's a work in progress -- we hope you'll check it out (Learn more about the recent updates).
The remedy essentially costs MS nothing. They were going to be burning the CD's anyway. I am sure that there were a few extra bytes available on them.
It means that MS can skip trying to make a good JVM and put those resources elsewhere and nobody will have cause to complain.
If the JVM for Windows is buggy or slow it is Sun that catches the flak, not MS. Nobody can claim (as it is essentially was done in the suit) that MS is intentionally making the JVM bad because it is no longer Microsoft's JVM. On the other hand MS will no longer have to worry about having to jump through hoops when Sun ammends the Java Specification.
If then Microsoft makes their
Now, don't get me wrong, I hate MS as much as the next guy in the open source community, but doesn't this open up a slippery slope? Where does it stop?
Not really, imho its a justified punishment, MS deliberately built an incompatible Java substitute and shipped it with windows, which discouraged users from downloading the multi-platform Sun offering, thereby stifling it's potential to unite various OSes (however dubious that potential may have been). It also didn't help that it gained a reputation for being highly buggy and causing browser crashes ad infinatum. Then when Java was considered an dying backwater they decided to remove support altogether, no doubt in favour of VBscript and those awful Active X insecurity applets, yukbut doesn't this open up a slippery slope?
but doesn't this open up a slippery slope? Where does it stop?
Too bad this broke stuff.
What are the odds this happens again?
It has just occurred to me that this sort of result is what you get to see with script kiddies and regular code.
script kiddie as a company policy. who would have thought?
It really isn't that slow anymore. I wrote an MD5 implementation in Java [twmacinta.com] and when I tested the performance recently I was shocked that my Java implementation was significantly faster at checksumming a large file on my Linux system than the native md5sum binary. Now, Java wasn't entirely responsible for the speed increase (because I later rewrote parts as a native method and this was even faster still, so my optimizations had a lot to do with it), but my point is that JITs have gotten so good now that even computationally intensive Java code can run with comparable speed to native apps and sometimes with superior speed.Nice. Java is a good concept. Slow, mind you, but good
Now if only they would reduce the memory footprint of things like Swing.
If Microsoft bundles its own add-ons into its OS, that's monopolistic and bad; but if Microsoft bundles someone else's add-ons into its OS, that's competitive and good?
So now instead of one gigantic corporation controlling what's on your computer, there will be two. Ah, so much better.
tell me exactly what cross-platofmr code the Microsoft JVM was unable to run?no longer cross-platform compliant
Beyond that, the failure for Sun to make Java ubiquitous on clients is simply poor marketing and technology on the part of Sun. AOL has managed to get their coasters into every household. If Sun really wanted to, they could do the same thing, and if Sun actually created some compelling Java apps (games, productivity apps, etc.), end users would even have some motivation to install it. But Sun is taking the easy way out by sueing Microsoft because they can't market themselves out of a paper bag and just don't have a product that's compelling to end users.
It's too bad that software that would be much worthier than Java for forced inclusion in Windows distributions neither has people as shameless as McNealy behind it, nor the legal staff and resources of Sun.
Adding features does not necessarily increase functionality -- it just makes the manuals thicker.


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Who Gets Pcp
Here's a taste of what TheBody.com has to offer on this topic:
Get the Facts
How to Prevent PCP... Introduction How Can I Tell if I Have PCP? CD4+ Cell Counts Who Is at Risk of Getting PCP? How Do I Prevent Myself Getting PCP? Your CD4 Cell Counts Special Concerns for Pregnant Women and Children When Should I Start Preventive Treatment? Can I Ever Stop
Ask the Experts
viral infectionsmy husband came down with a viral bronchitis.does that mean that his viral load went high ,and his body is not strong enough to fight infections,what can happen as a result of being hiv possitive and having a viral bronchitis.can it become pcp, how...
Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.
Stanford University, School of Medicine...he is on HIV meds or not. Sometimes the HIV viral load can increase with other ongoing infections. A viral bronchitis is not PCP. People are at risk for PCP if their CD4 count is less than 200. If the CD4 count is 200 than there is no need to be... Read more »
Just a coldI found out a week ago that I'm hiv+ and started imediately on haart: reyataz+combivir+norvir+tagremin(Co-trimoxazole 480). I have a CD4 count of 57 and a VL of 260 000.I have not OI yet, but a over a week-long cold. Should I be worried of getting...
Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.
Stanford University, School of MedicineLikely a cold, but given your very low CD4 count, I would be very sensitive to any kinds of symptoms you might have. You have very little margin for error. That said, because you started HAART, you CD4 count should be up fairly soon and you would be... Read more »
PCP Exposure?I am HIV + and my T-cells are above 300 and on meds. I recently visited a friend who I haven't seen in a while. He's also HIV positive and he's not doing so well. We exchanged hugs and a kiss on the cheek. Then he told he he was being treated for...
Response from Brian Conway, M.D.
University of British Columbia...No, you shouldn't be worried. First, because of your CD4 count well above 200, you are not at risk of getting sick from PCP. Second, PCP is everywhere around you, in the soil and in the air...you are breathing it in all the time and being... Read more »
pneumocystis carinii pneumoniais a protozoal or atypical fungal infection?
Response from Judith Feinberg, M.D.
University of Cincinnati, College of MedicineIt is an atypical fungal infection. Read more »
You Can Prevent Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia in Children... PCP is the most common opportunistic infection among children with HIV infection. It can be fatal. PCP can be prevented. Read more »
Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia: What's New in the Era of Combination Antiretroviral Therapies and Protease Inhibitors?...Despite the fact that the incidence and prevalence of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) among AIDS patients has declined over the years, due tothe widespreaduse of prophylaxis, it remains an important cause of morbidity Read more »
Pneumocystis Pneumonia (PCP)... What Is PCP? How Is PCP Treated? Can PCP Be Prevented? Which Drug Is Best? The Bottom Line What Is PCP? Pneumocystis Read more »
You Can Prevent PCP in Children: A Guide for People With HIV Infection... PCP is the most serious infection among children with HIV. It can be fatal. PCP can be prevented and treated. TMP-SMX, also Read more »
Connect With Others
Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia (PCP)
Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply...Hello all. Does anyone know of any newer meds for the prevention of another episode PCP? I have tried with fail: Bactrim (allergic to sulfa), Dapsone (causes severe rashs), Pentamidine (if anyone has ever used it Read more »
Fiance in the hospital with PCP
Posted by schedir81, 4 Replies...Hello, I just brought my girl to the hospital today and she is being treated for pcp. She stopped taking her meds around 3 to four years ago after an incident in her life threw her in complete denial. She was Read more »
Untreated PCP
Posted by Anonymous, 2 Replies...have a friend who has made it known that he is refusing any further medical treatment. He has recently been diagnosed with PCP. Knowing that untreated PCP is a one way street, can anyone tell me what to expect, or even tell me what to tell him... Read more »
Posted by Anonym, 2 Replies...What are the symptoms of PCP...if you have been through it please let me know..thanks Read more »
Resource Centers
Guides for People With HIV


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AciphexAventis PharmaDaiichi SankyoEisaierlotinibHerceptinMGI PharmaOseltamivir PhosphateRabeprazole SodiumRocheSankyoSanofi-AventisTamifluTarcevatrastuzumab
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Concrete pavement library migrates to ACPA's Wikipave
- Details
- Published: Monday, 23 February 2015 13:38
- Written by Concrete News
Source: American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA), Rosemont, Ill.
A collaborative application placing information about concrete pavement at the fingertips of anyone, anywhere in the world, Wikipave marks one of the deepest transfers to date of free content from a North American concrete industry group. It allows ACPA staff, members, technology partners, and affiliated chapter/state personnel to add, modify, or delete technical content, encyclopedic listings, definitions and photos or illustrations.
Read more: Concrete pavement library migrates to ACPA's Wikipave


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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
6,600 is magic jobs number
Employment up in Manitoba in September
OTTAWA -- There were 6,600 more Manitobans working in September than there were the month before and Canada's domestic economy turned in one of the strongest job creation months of the year in September, adding an eye-popping 52,100 new jobs -- five times more than economists expected.
Only Ontario and Quebec produced more new jobs than Manitoba last month, dropping the unemployment rate in this province to 5.0 per cent from 5.4 per centin August.
Over the past 12 months, 10,300 jobs have been created in the province, including 3,400 in August.
"The last two months have been terrific months," said University of Manitoba economist John McCallum. "The 12-month gains are noteworthy because that tends to smooth out the noise people talk about on the month-to-month numbers."
The manufacturing sector continues to shed jobs, with another 2,400 jobs slipping off the books in Manitoba last month, but that was offset by the 2,700 jobs created in construction.
Labour data south of the border suggest the U.S. recovery is finally underway.
The U.S. Labor Department said Friday 114,000 new jobs were created in September, More importantly, it boosted its data for July and August -- adding 86,000 jobs to those two months. For the three months, job creation averaged 146,000 and took the unemployment rate to 7.8 per cent, the lowest in four years.
The Canadian dollar jumped more than half a cent on the news to 102.62 cents US, and markets were solidly up in morning trading in both Toronto and New York before backing off later in the day.
"I think (the U.S.) is the bigger news today, even for Canada," said Bank of Montreal deputy chief economist Doug Porter.
"This is exactly what the Canadian economy needs right now because the consumer is close to being tapped out, housing doesn't have any more room to grow, the government sector is cutting back (and) businesses are understandably cautious. So what we really need now is exports, and exports need the U.S. economy to get going."
Some supporters of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney suggested a conspiracy inside the Labor Department to save U.S. President Barack Obama was afoot, but CIBC chief economist Avery Shenfeld said if the data were pumped up, something less sinister may be involved.
"The... survey, like Canada's monthly survey, is notorious for producing fleeting outliers, albeit not this large," he said. "Based on grossing up the results of a monthly sample of Americans and comparing it to the prior month's sample, the resulting count is not nearly as reliable as the payrolls report."
In another promising signal, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants' third-quarter survey found 46 per cent of senior executives expect the number of employees at their companies to increase in the next year. That's up slightly from 41 per cent in the second-quarter survey.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's office issued a statement that he was "encouraged" by the latest Canadian gains, noting they bring to 820,000 the number of new jobs added since July 2009, when the economy started to recover from the recession.
The gain in Canada was the third biggest of the year and surprised the experts, who had expected a pickup of just 10,000 jobs.
But the gain wasn't enough to put a dent in the unemployment rate, which edged up one-tenth of a point to 7.4 per cent. That's because while thousands of Canadians found work in September, even more -- 72,600 -- joined the labour force.
Economist Erin Weir of the Progressive Economics Forum said the jump in Canadians entering the workforce suggests many "are still waiting in the wings" for prospects to improve.
Economists also pointed out the details were not as strong as the headline suggests, including the fact two-thirds of the new jobs where in the self-employment category.
Scotiabank's Derek Holt noted aggregate hours worked declined 0.3 per cent despite there being more people working. "It's hours worked that get people paid, so this is a significant dent against the headline. It's not clear to me how this happened if headline and full-time jobs were up so solidly," he said.
Still, the pop in new jobs was unexpected, given that most economic indicators of the past few months have presented a picture of a domestic economy struggling to maintain momentum amid a slowdown around the world, particularly in the U.S., Europe and China.
-- The Canadian Press with staff files
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 6, 2012 B4
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Posts tagged content marketing
Why you've already missed the hottest marketing opportunity
Feb 5th
By Eric Wittlake, {grow} Contributing Columnist
Want to take advantage of today's hot new marketing opportunity? Sorry, you've already missed the boat.
The best opportunity goes to the marketers who identify it well before it's hot, not the ones who join at the frothy peak. You won't see those initial eye-popping results today.
This trend has played out time and time again.
The first online banner ad, for AT&T, 44% click rate. Today's average click rate for an ad the same size (468×60) rounds off to a nice even 0.0%! The only 44% you are likely to find in today's banner discussion is the percentage of people with an ad blocker installed.
In 1978, Gary Thuerk sent the first unsolicited email to a whopping 400 people. The result? He successfully drove attendance to two in-person events and ultimately closed more than $10 million in sales. Today's unsolicited marketing email to 400 people wouldn't be expected to get a single webinar attendee!
Over the last 16 months, organic reach of brand posts on Facebook dropped from 26% to just 7.8%. That's 70% shaved from the results of your Facebook efforts just for getting started 16 months later!
The story is the always the same. Twitter. Online video. Google AdWords. Blogging. Infographics. Native Ads. The marketers who get in early are the ones with the headline-making results.
Find Your Opportunities
What can we learn from these and other early adopters who captured outsized returns?
- Innovate. AT&T took advantage of a brand new type of opportunity on HotWired. More recently, SAP was the first marketer to join the Forbes BrandVoice program and they are continuing to see some of the best results today.
- Know the trend setters and early adopters in your market. Just like Gary's first email blast, Pinterest delivered astounding results for early adopters. Often the best opportunities are right in front of you—you just need to see them through a marketing lens.
- Be different. Did you already miss the best opportunity? Whatever you do, don't just follow the masses! The unexpected nature of something completely new breaks through the filters we have all established for marketing. For a bit of inspiration in a stodgy B2B space, look up Maersk on Facebook. Or if you prefer, consider Red Bull's marketing.
The Lasting Advantages
The early mover advantage doesn't end there. The benefits of starting early often continue long past the point a marketing activity becomes mainstream.
- In social media, marketers that started early had a head start building an engaged audience.
- In content marketing, early adopters learned how to connect with their audience effectively (and got a head start on SEO as well).
- In online advertising, early movers found the hidden gems. Working with a B2B advertising client about 10 years ago, we helped a niche site create their online ad offering. They became one of our best performing advertising partners for years.
Do you want your share of the results that you always see in case studies but so rarely achieve? Then stop chasing the results other people are getting and start finding your own opportunities.
By the time something is broadly recognized as the next great opportunity, it's really just table stakes.
Here are some of the areas I'm watching with a marketing, not just product and marketplace, lens:
- The sharing economy.
- The Internet of things.
- The proliferation of inexpensive sensors.
- The brand new insights, segmentation, personalization and (most importantly) services this information and connectivity enables.
Today, these are becoming things we market. Soon, some will likely become ways that we market as well.
Where do you see potentially uncharted and untapped opportunity for today's innovative marketers?
Eric Wittlake spends his days working with B2B marketers and shares his marketing views on his personal blog, B2B Digital Marketing. You can find him on Twitter (@wittlake) when he isn't spending time with his three young boys.
Top photo credit: Leon Fishman via Flickr cc
Six Arguments Against Content Shock
Jan 27th
Today, I am going to address some of the primary responses to my recent post on Content Shock. In case you missed it, the main premise of my post was this:
The amount of available content is exploding, our human capacity to absorb content is limited, which at some point creates an "economic" pressure on the system that will require adaptation and shifts from current marketing strategies. As this crunch intensifies and the cost to enter and compete in this field increases, content marketing as we know it may not be an economically viable option for some businesses.
This seems pretty straight-forward to me … it's not rocket science and I'm certainly not the first writer to point out the economics of content saturation and consumer resistance to it.
For example, five years ago, one of the largest ad agencies in the world, Dentsu, published a book called The Dentsu Way which pointed to research showing how overwhelmed consumers were creating a "shell" around themselves to keep from being bombarded by content.
Adding more content makes it more difficult for all content to get through the consumer's tightening system of filters. Content in some form will always be part of a marketing strategy. Content marketing is not dead or dying as some have suggested.
But as rational business professionals, we need to deal with "what is" not "what we wish for." So my style is to put the issues on the table and look at what we need to do about it in a rational manner. The post elicited more than 350 comments, dozens of phone calls and emails, and at least 500 related blog posts, videos, and podcasts so far. The vast majority of the sentiment has been, "yes, I get it" and even most dissenters haven't denied the basic economic scenario I presented.
To all who have contributed to the dialogue, I thank you so very much for the gift of time and intellectual rigor you brought to the discussion!
Addressing dissent
Although every single commenter and blogger deserves an individual response from me, I have a business to run and a family to love so I thought I would do my best to address the major themes of dissent I have gleaned from the blogosphere at one time, in one place. Please accept this as my best effort to respond to your wonderful input and comments. There are six main themes among the dissenting posts:
- Great content will always rise to the top
- It does not cost any more to create great content so the economic assumptions are wrong
- The impact of Content Shock does not matter if you have properly identified a niche market
- As long as people have a need or question, they will find and consume your helpful content no matter how much of it is in the marketplace
- "Deep pockets" do not matter in the content marketing space, which provides equal access to all
- Technology will help us overcome the consumption side of content shock
Now, let's examine the primary dissenting views:
1) Great content will always rise to the top
The dissenters argue that the economic pressures I described don't matter because "Great content always rises to the top." If you are working hard in the marketing trenches you have surely discovered by now that great content does not assure success. Content that rises to the top and is discovered through search is a result of a complex cocktail that includes:
- Optimization for search
- Author authority
- Site authority
- Social signals
- Distribution channels (paid and otherwise)
- Promotion (paid and otherwise)
- Brand recognition
- Keyword competition
- Audience size
- Personal search history
- Geographic relevance
… and yes, content quality. Today, "amazing content" is simply the price of admission to get into the game. You have to execute on many fronts to cut through the world's information density and be discovered.
One blog reader summed this up nicely: "The people who claim great content always rises to the top are already in a dominant market position. For those of us starting out, trying to scratch out a presence, it seems that no amount of work gets us noticed."
Lots of wonderful content will never see the light of day because the site owners don't have the budget, resources, or ability to work on these other success factors consistently. The increased economic pressures caused by overwhelming information density will exacerbate this challenge for some businesses.
2. It does not cost any more to create great content so the economic assumptions are wrong.
Some argued that if you are already creating content, it doesn't require any additional investment to create great content that would withstand the economics of Content Shock. For argument's sake, let's say you are offering your customers a free lunch to get them into your store. You have even hired a person who is dedicated to cooking up delicious soup for your customers every day. Your customers love this. In fact they can't get enough. Life is good.
But then your competitor wakes up and realizes the advantage of offering free food to attract customers and hires an entire team of chefs who begins preparing gourmet steaks, salads and desserts — all for free.
Suddenly, you find that your customer visits dramatically drop. Most customers have abandoned your modest buffet for the competitor's gourmet offering. You turn to your talented soup maker and say, "Look what is happening! We no longer need you to produce soup. We need steaks and epic gourmet food! Starting tomorrow, please start making epic food."
Can your soup maker compete with a team of chefs, or are you going to have to bring in more talent? And if you meet the competitor's standard, what will happen if the competitor ups the game once again and begins offering free dinner too?
In this little example, we see that "being epic" in a competitive environment comes with a cost. As the content arms race heats up in that market, it will neither be free nor sustainable for all businesses.
By the way, this does not mean the soup maker is finished. He can find new markets for his soup, He can look for new ways to deliver his soup. He can re-package his soup so people can consume it in new places. But this we know — whatever the strategy, the status quo is not possible or he will just lose customers. If you are facing a possibility of content saturation in your market, you need to be thinking of ways to change the game.
3. The impact of Content Shock does not matter if you have properly identified a niche market
The idea of Content Shock is a macro trend that is not equally applied to every business and every industry. There are lots of other factors that will determine when, or if, a market begins to reach content saturation. This is why I carefully chose my words that Content Shock would impact "some businesses."
If you are in a true niche where you have a monopoly due to high entry costs, protected intellectual property, or some other unbeatable advantage, congratulations. You don't have to worry about Content Shock. In fact, you probably don't have to worry about content marketing at all. If you are in a market where your competitor is asleep at the wheel and is not working on a content strategy, congratulations once again. Make hay while the sun shines. And oh yes … there are still a lot of businesses still asleep at the wheel!
So I agree, dominating a true niche is the ideal business situation and a legitimate antidote to Content Shock.
4. As long as people have a need or question, they will find and consume your helpful content no matter how much of it is in the marketplace
This is only true if you are the victor in the content marketing war. Here's what I mean. In a response to Marcus Sheridan's well-written post about Content Shock, I used his famous swimming pool success story as an example of the limitations to content marketing in a competitive environment.
In the market for pool installation in Northern Virginia, Sheridan's competitors are already firmly in Content Shock. They may want to be as helpful as Marcus and answer every customer question through blog posts and videos but it's too late — the market is already saturated with thousands of pieces of Sheridan's wonderful content. The competitor's content marketing strategy would not be sustainable — they will need to hunt for something else to do.
I'm not saying content could not play some role for these businesses, especially if they innovate into new forms, new platforms, etc. By definition, answering questions and being helpful with content is not technically a strategy because there are no significant entry barriers for competitors.
Theoretically, anybody with equal resources can copy you. UNLESS — You flood the market with so much quality content (like Marcus did) that it is not economically feasible for your competitors to be discovered. Ironically, the only true competitive advantage you can create through a content marketing strategy is the result of ramping up your output to the point of content saturation and CREATING Content Shock for your competitors. For successful content marketers like Marcus,
Content Shock is not the problem, it is the solution.
5. "Deep pockets" don't matter in the content marketing space, which provides equal access to all.
I argued that in a highly competitive market, companies with the biggest war chest and the most resources can eventually overwhelm smaller competitors. Dissenters argue that great content is not limited to big companies and in fact content marketing can even favor the nimble little guy.
Of course there are always exceptions in business and everyone can point to their favorite "David" beating a Goliath. But the economics of content marketing are straightforward: Create lots of great content that can be discovered by customers and potential customers. If you can saturate your market, all the better.
Those with more money generally are in the best position to create more and better content, as well as pay to have it promoted and distributed. Will they always win? No. All things be equal, will they usually kill off the smaller guys? Yes. History bears this out.
Any company, of any size, can carve a successful niche in the digital space — that's one of the things I love about the social web! But I think as a general statement, and all things being equal, the company with the most resources will eventually dominate.
It's this simple. If you wanted to be in the best position to win, would you choose to have more resources than your competitors or less?
I actually have a lot of ideas about how smaller competitors can outmaneuver the big guys but it is unrelated to budget. For example, I think a primary strategy would be for a small company to focus on emotional engagement that leads to loyalty instead of content volume and lead generation. In this case, a small company would usually have an advantage over a large company … but more on that in another blog post!
6. Technology will help us overcome the consumption side of content shock
Dissenters argue that people have been crying out that "the sky is falling" on information overload for years. They say that not only is there no problem, new technology will help us filter content better and enable even more consumption of content. I would like you to consider this chart.
Can you see two important trends here?
1) Indeed, every technological innovation creates a commensurate increase in content consumption — radio, TV, Internet.
2) The available hours of our day are filling with content. In fact, accounting for eight hours of sleep, in America, 18 of our possible 24 hours a day are already filled!
I do agree that technology will continue to push consumption upward, most notably wearable technology and augmented reality. But we are already consuming content an average of 10 hours a day (in America). What is the upper practical limit? 12 hours? 15?
I don't know that answer. One of the points I made in the original post is that we have been lulled into a false sense of security because throughout our entire lives, the amount of content we consume has always gone up. So more, more, more content has not been too much of a problem because demand was increasing too.
I'm not sure I can get my head around an argument that contends that content consumption will continue to rise unabated. There is a limit. It's true that improved content "filters" would help us focus on better and more relevant content.
But better filters will not create more hours in the day and, in fact, will hasten the decline for marginal content producers. So the "filter argument" actually reinforces the idea that the status quo is not sustainable for some businesses and the costs will go up for those who need to keep making it through ever-tightening filters.
A conclusion
If you have made it this far and actually read the entire post, thank you and congratulations … I'm sure you are in an elite minority!
I wanted to conclude with a quote from Facebook executive Richard Sim who stated in December why the reach on his platform (how much content gets viewed) for many brands is declining year by year: "On a given day, when the average person visits their News Feed, there are an average of 1,500 possible stories we can show. As a result, competition for each News Feed story is increasing. Pages will likely see changes in distribution resulting in a decline in organic reach."
That is Content Shock.
How do we win in that environment? That is THE question for marketing professionals moving forward. This is not necessarily a time to be depressed or gloomy. This cycle of supply and demand has ruled every natural, human, and economic system from the beginning of time. It is what it is. Every business only thrives in the long-term by facing change head-on and adapting, adopting and innovating. I can't wait to see what happens next. How about you?
Disclosures The Japanese company I mentioned, Dentsu, was a client of mine in 2013. The link to the book is an affiliate link. The blogger I mentioned by name, Marcus Sheridan, is a personal friend. The information in the graph was culled from a variety of places but some main sources include Global Web Index,, Carat, and Ross Dawson. Top illustration courtesy of Fan SIgn Generator.
Strategies to help your business overcome information overload
Jan 14th
Over the past few weeks the interweb airwaves have been humming and buzzing with data pointing to the increasing costs of getting your content seen and distributed through an over-crowded web.
- In a recent Advertising Age article, Facebook reports: "Content that is eligible to be shown in our news feed is increasing at a faster rate than people's ability to consume it."
- A study by InboundWriter shows only 10 to 20 percent of a company's website content drives 90 percent of its online traffic.
- Social platforms are creating programs to highlight organic content from the brands that spend the most money on their ads. So paid ads and sponsored content will soon be driving the "organic" reach of content.
- Reports claim the price of social media monitoring is going up because there is so much more content to process
- According to a recent IZEA survey, 61 percent of marketers have paid "influencers" to mention their product and share their content.
- According to a LexisNexis (client) study on International Workplace Productivity, 62% of white collar workers admit that the quality of their work suffers because they can't sort through the information they need fast enough.
All of these trends support the idea of a "Content Shock" that is coming — if it isn't here already — for many businesses.
Businesses who just pump out more content — even "better" content — are engaging in a strategy that is becoming increasingly difficult because the cost to succeed is going up, up, up. What are you going to do about it? That is really the dialogue that has to be happening next, right?
And that is the conversation that begins here, in this new edition of the Marketing Companion podcast I created with Tom Webster. We start with a little fun, introducing a new idea called "Prickstarter" and then get into some pretty deep ideas about content and audience that includes:
- The advantage of "ether" in the marketplace
- The decline of RSS and the coming Age of the Great Algorithm
- Media is media. Integrating channels to present one message to your customers is a key idea.
- Audience is not the same as "buyer" — Creating personas may be an out-dated strategy?
- A focus on emotional ties and "human" as a competitive strategy
- Bronies and the Celine Dion play — you just have to hear it to believe it
- Passionate content versus content and why "helpful" is not a point of differentiation
Pretty amazing, right? If you want to get your ears around this podcast right this minute, here you go!
LINK: Marketing Companion Episode 15
Resources mentioned in this podcast
Comment from Ken Rosen that served as an example of Content Shock
Three phases of the web reference from Microsoft's Dean Hauchomovitch
Shel Holtz post on consumer view of Content Shock
Christopher Penn discussion on owned, earned and paid media
Website of Dr. Robert Cialdini
Website of Voices Heard Media
Illustration courtesy BigStock.com
This content was created as part of the IBM for Midsize Business program, which provides midsize businesses with the tools, expertise and solutions they need to become engines of a smarter planet. I've been compensated to contribute to this program, but the opinions expressed in this post are my own and don't necessarily represent IBM's positions, strategies or opinions.
A Content Shock Parable: The Consumer View
Jan 9th
I recently introduced a concept called Content Shock which created a meaningful dialogue in the marketing community.
The core premise is that we have been in a marketing environment of increasing consumption of content (in terms of hours per day) enabled by tech advances. But eventually, there is a limit. The latest research shows that Americans spend about 10 hours a day consuming content, up from 7.4 hours per day in 2000 and 4 hours in 1980.
At the same time, the amount of available content is exploding, which will place a strain on marketing resources to keep up and even maintain "mindshare" with our customers. It does not mean content marketing will end (I don't think that will ever happen) but it will have to change, and I challenged readers to think through alternative strategies when their businesses start to see that cliff.
A meaningful dialogue ensued in the comment section, new blog posts, and even personal phone calls. The overarching theme was, "yes, we are already seeing this."
But there was also some great dissent. In particular I would like to respond to an excellent post by Shel Holtz, an intellect I have admired for many years. In a treatise titled "Six Reasons there will be No Content Shock," he looks at this from a consumer perspective and represented a dissenting view held by a few others.
You might be surprised to know that I do not believe our views are mutually exclusive. In fact, I agree with him. To illustrate how these views can co-exist, I would like to tell a parable, which is also a true story.
A Content Shock Parable
Long ago, I lived in a little town called Rockdale, Texas (pop. 5,611). There wasn't much to the town, in fact it only had one fast-food restaurant, Parsley's Pullet Parlor, a fried chicken place owned by the colorful local entrepreneur and cowboy Harold Parsley.
Although he made a dandy fried chicken, Harold's greatest fear — to the point of paranoia — was Kentucky Fried Chicken. He knew that if KFC ever came to town he was doomed. There was no way he could keep up with their advertising, couponing, and a supply chain that produced a consistently good product at a much lower price.
So in a defensive maneuver, Harold leased empty lots all around town and put up signs that said "Coming Soon! Another Parsley's Pullet Parlor!" Of course he had no intention of ever building another location. He was just trying to scare off KFC through his apparent market dominance.
As long as Harold was the only game in town, he thrived, but sure enough, within a decade, fast-food chains started appearing in Rockdale. McDonalds. Wendys. Pizza Hut. And no matter how much his customers loved Harold, they were starved for some new content!
For awhile, he was able to survive on his loyal customer base, but month by month his business eroded because now the available dining budget and appetite of even his best customers — a finite amount — was being eroded by the aggressive competition.
And then his nightmare came true. Kentucky Fried Chicken opened its doors, along with highway billboards, newspaper coupons and advertising that dominated the airwaves. Harold soon had to close his little family business for good.
What does this have to do with content marketing?
First, let's look at why Shel Holtz is correct because from a CONSUMER perspective, they could not be happier!
Sure, people have a limit to how much fast food they could consume, but more channels meant better quality, diverse offerings, and better value. This is the main point Shel makes in his article and I agree that to the consumers, the "content shock" that Harold was experiencing was invisible. Not only did the shock not occur, there was a benefit to all that new content!
But from a business perspective, this "shock" was a disaster. When Harold had the only "content niche" in town, he thrived. In fact people who were hungry for chicken or needed the convenience of fast food had no other place to turn for many years. But as soon as the niche began to explode with competition, the game was won by the brands with deep pockets who could out-gun and out-last Harold.
If demand in the niche miraculously could grow unabated, (people grew more stomach capacity?) Harold might have been able to hang on. But as in every market, including the market for attention, there is an inviolable ceiling at some point.
Emotional connection works with critical mass
Harold still had the quality product and the deep emotional connection with customers to at least keep some share of the dining budget. But people get tired of chicken. When there are so many content alternatives, they are going to naturally go to other places even if they love you. In this case, Harold neither had the critical mass of customers to survive nor the resources to compete with mega corporations now beating him to a pulp in a defined niche of 5,611 potential customers.
I don't want to get into a discussion of all the business strategies Harold could have explored to survive (even in those pre-Internet days). Remember, this a parable to explain in simplified terms the difference between the consumer view of Content Shock (benign) and the business view of Content Shock (a tremor).
I'm sure there will be much more dialogue on this topic and I am happy to have it happen because these are precisely the discussions that will help us all grow.
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This white tissue garland is a spin-off of the very popular cocktail napkin poinsettia I shared this last Christmas season. This is an even simpler version that when attached to ribbon to create a garland makes a gorgeous backdrop. I can see this garland used for bridal showers, baby showers or a photo backdrop for a dreamy event. I also made a smaller one to hand on the back of the guest of honor's chair. Of course you can use any color of cocktail napkin to make your garland. Wouldn't this look pretty in pale pink on a dark chalkboard wall? Just lovely! Follow my step-by-step tutorial below to make this easy winter white or spring party decoration. Enjoy! ~ Lia
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A control circuit for operating a lamp or other electrically operated device using a conventional wall socket outlet that is selectively energized under the control of a conventional wall mounted switch. To permit the lamp to be independently controlled using either the wall switch or the lamp switch, a wall adapter unit is employed that plugs into the wall outlet and into which the lamp's power cord is plugged. Sensing means are employed to detect the operation of either the wall switch or the lamp switch to control an electrically operated switch which turns the lamp ON and OFF whenever either the wall switch or the lamp switch are operated. Different embodiments are provided for use with conventional electrical wiring and with either a conventional lamp or lamp incorporating additional circuitry to adapt it for use with the wall socket adapter.
1. Apparatus for controlling the energization of an electrically operated device from a conventional wall outlet consisting of first and second female outlet sockets, said first female socket being connected to receive continuous alternating current power from an available power source and said second female socket being connected to receive switched alternating current power from said source via said household wall switch, said apparatus comprising, in combination:
a first adapter including first and second male input plugs adapted for insertion into first and second female outlet sockets respectively, said adapter further including a third female outlet socket for receiving a third male plug connected to one end of a two wire power line for continuously supplying electrical power to said device from said first female socket, said first adapter further including means for applying a control voltage to said two wire power line when said second socket receives switched power from said source, and
a second adapter comprising, in combination,
a manually operated device switch,
an electrically operated switch for connecting and disconnecting said electrically operated device and said two wire power line, and
a control circuit for actuating said electrically operated switch in response to both said control voltage received via said two wire power line and to the actuation of said manually operated switch.
2. The apparatus for controlling the energization of an electrically operated device as set forth in
3. The apparatus for controlling the energization of an electrically operated device as set forth in
4. The apparatus for controlling the energization of an electrically operated device as set forth in
5. The apparatus for controlling the energization of an electrically operated device as set forth in
6. A method of controlling the energization of a light bulb that plugs into a bulb socket of an existing electric lamp via the lamp's existing two-wire power supply line in response to the operation of either a conventional manually-operated wall-mounted electrical power switch or the operation of a second manually-operated switch located at the lamp comprising, in combination, the steps of:
connecting a first adapter to a first existing wall outlet tat receives continuous power from an available source,
connecting said first adapter to a second existing wall outlet that receives switched power via said conventional electrical wall-mounted switch,
connecting a male plug at the end of said lamp's existing two-wire power supply line to said first adapter to receive continuous power from said first existing wall socket and to receive a control voltage derived from said switched power received at said second existing wall socket, and
inserting a bayonet base of a second adapter into said bulb socket of said lamp and inserting said light bulb into a second bulb socket defined by said second adapter, a second adapter further including said second manually operated switch and a control circuit responsive to the operation of said second manually-operated switch and to said control voltage for energizing and deenergizing said light bulb.
7. The method of controlling the energization of a light bulb as set forth in
8. The method of controlling the energization of a light bulb as set forth in
This application is a division of, and claims the benefit of the filing date of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/160,859 filed on May 31, 2002 which was a non-provisional of U.S. Provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/295,468 filed on Jun. 1, 2001, which was published as U.S. patent application Publication 2002/0180367 A1 on Dec. 5, 2002 and which will issue on Mar. 23, 2004 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,710,553.
This invention relates to electrical power supply control circuitry and more particularly to a control for controlling a lamp or other electrical device using either the device's ON/OFF switch or a remote wall switch which controls the energization of a conventional electrical outlet which supplies power to the device.
In household electrical systems, it is common to supply a wall outlet with electrical power through a wall switch positioned near an entryway. A lamp may then be plugged into the switched wall outlet. If the switch at the lamp is left on, the lamp can be turned on and off from the wall switch. This allows a person entering a dark room to turn on the lamp from the wall switch and avoids the need to search for the lamp switch in the dark.
Commonly, however, it is more convenient to turn the lamp off using the switch near the lamp. As a result, when the person leaves and later re-enters the room after dark, an attempt to turn on the lamp at the wall switch fails. Also, if the wall switch is turned off, the lamp cannot be turned on using the lamp switch. The bedside lamp illustrates the problem. While it is convenient to turn the lamp on using the wall switch when entering the room after dark, it is more convenient to use the switch near the lamp to turn the lamp off when retiring. As a result, in the morning when the room is well lit by daylight, the bedside lamp switch is typically left switched off. Thus, at nighttime when the room is reentered, the wall switch can't be used to turn the lamp on again.
It would thus be desirable to provide a switching mechanism device that can be used to control a lamp that is plugged into a switched outlet from either the wall switch or the lamp switch.
For ease of installation and to limit expense, it would further be desirable to provide a field installable control device that can be used without requiring modification to the wall switch, the lamp, or the lamp switch, or alternatively to provide a new lamp fixture that can be used without modifying the wall switch or other parts of the existing wiring.
The present invention takes the form of methods and apparatus for controlling a lamp or other electrically operated device that is connected to receive electrical power from a conventional electrical wall outlet socket energized under the control of a manually actuated wall-mounted switch. The lamp or other device is controlled by a second manually actuated switch located at the electrically operated device. In accordance with the invention, an electrically controlled switch is connected between the wall outlet socket and electrically operated device and is controlled by the combination of a first control signal produced whenever the wall-mounted switch is actuated and a second control signal produced whenever the second switch is actuated. A control circuit actuates the electrically operated switch in response to both the first and the second control signals such that the electrically powered device can be independently controlled by actuating either the manually-actuated wall mounted switch or the second manually actuated switch located at said utilization device.
The first control signal may be generated by a voltage detector connected to the wall outlet to sense when the voltage delivered through the wall mounted switch changes. The second control signal may be produced by applying a low-level DC control voltage across the series combination of the device and the second switch, and then sensing the resulting current through the second switch when it's ON.
In one embodiment of the invention, in which the electrically operated device is powered from the switched wall outlet terminals, an alarm device is actuated whenever either the manually operated wall switch or the second manually operated switch at the device is left in the OFF position.
The control circuit which actuates the electrically operated switch may be implemented with a state memory device having at least two states, the state memory device being connected to change state in response to either the first or the second control signal and to operate the electrically operated switch whenever it changes state.
The invention may advantageously take the form of a control adapter for connecting an electrical device to a standard electrical outlet that is connected to a source of electrical power through a wall-mounted switch having ON and OFF positions. A female socket mounted on the adapter housing receives the device's standard male electrical power supply plug and a male adapter plug on the adapter housing plugs into the switched wall outlet. In one such arrangement, the power from the switched wall outlet is supplied to the connected electrical device under the control of the electrically operated switch. In an alternative arrangement, a second male plug on the housing connects to an unswitched socket on the wall outlet, and electrical power from the second plug is supplied to the connected device through the electrically operated switch.
In a further embodiment, an outlet adapter including male plugs for establishing electrical connections to a power source and for sensing the state of the wall switch is used with a device adapter which includes the second manually operated switch and connectors which permit the device adapter to be electrically connected between the wall adapter and the device.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood by considering the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the course of this description, frequent reference will be made to the attached drawings.
One preferred embodiment of the invention takes the form of a control adapter that plugs into a conventional switched electrical outlet and into which includes a female power socket into which the power cord of conventional lamp is plugged. This control adapter monitors the output voltage level delivered by the switched outlet and monitors the impedance presented by the switched lamp load. The control adapter includes a two-state controllable switch, which in turn controls the flow of electrical energy to the connected lamp. A momentary interruption in outlet supply voltage (created by toggling the wall switch OFF momentarily) is interpreted as a state change command, which changes the ON/OFF state of the controllable switch. Similarly, a momentary increase in the impedance presented by the switched lamp when the switch at the lamp is momentarily turned OFF also changes the ON/OFF state of the controllable switch. When the controllable switch is in the ON state, momentarily toggling either the wall switch or the lamp switch to the OFF position and ON again will turn the lamp OFF. When the controllable switch is in the OFF state, momentarily toggling either the lamp switch or the wall switch OFF and then ON again will turn the lamp ON.
If either the wall switch or the lamp switch is inadvertently left in the OFF position, the lamp cannot be turned ON from either switch. To prevent either switch from being left in this position, the preferred embodiment of the invention includes an audio generator for emitting an audible, distinctive sound which alerts the user to the fact that the switch just operated was not properly returned to its ON position within a predetermined time interval.
The control adapter preferably includes a male, two-pronged power input plug which can be inserted into a standard switched wall outlet and exposes, on the housing face, a two-slot female socket for receiving a standard lamp cord plug. The adapter may be used without requiring any modification whatsoever to either the wall switch, the lamp or the lamp switch, and can be installed without tools by simply plugging the adapter into the switched outlet and plugging the lamp into the adapter. A volume control may be included to permit the user to adjust the volume level of the warning sound.
As seen in
As seen in
The adapter 101 includes an interrupt sensor circuit 230, which monitors the line voltage from the switched power source applied between the input conductors at the input plug 103. When the wall switch 205 is turned OFF momentarily, and then ON again, the interrupt sensor circuit 230 applies an input signal to a state memory circuit 240, changing its state. Similarly, the interrupt sensor circuit monitors the impedance presented by the lamp load at the terminals of the socket 105. When the lamp switch 220 is momentarily turned OFF and then ON again, the interrupt sensor circuit 230 applies an input signal to the state memory circuit 240, changing its state. The interrupt sensor circuit 230 works by applying a small DC potential across the terminals 261 and 262 to induce a current flow through the external lamp switch 220 and the filament in lamp bulb 213. The resulting DC potential developed across the low resistance 270 connected in series with the power cord 211 is proportional to the DC current flow, which drops to zero when the lamp switch is opened. This loss of DC voltage is converted into a state change signal applied to the state memory circuit 240. Note that, because the adapter must provide control functions even when the wall switch 205 is open, it should include its own power source in the form of a battery or a capacitor for storing energy at least for a duration sufficient to operate the alarm 295 described below.
The state memory 240 toggles between an ON state and an OFF state each time the interrupt sensor circuit 230 detects either a momentary loss of applied voltage at the input plug terminals 103 when the wall switch 205 is momentarily turned OFF, or a momentary loss of the DC sensing current flowing through the sensing resistance 270 when the lamp switch is momentarily turned OFF. The state of state memory 240 controls the conductivity of an AC solid state power switch 290 to turn the lamp bulb 213 ON or OFF based on the state of the memory circuit 240.
A logic timing circuit (not shown) in the interrupt sensor 230 senses any loss of input voltage at the input plug terminals 103 for longer than a predetermined delay interval (e.g. 1�3 seconds), as well as any loss of lamp load DC sensing current for a similar predetermined delay interval. In this way, if either the wall switch 205 or the lamp switch 220 is left OFF instead of being returned to its ON position, an audio tone generator (shown as the alarm 295 in
In an alternative arrangement shown in
The adapter further connects a three-wire lamp cord 325, two conductors 331 and 332 of which are connected across the switched socket terminals of the outlet and the other conductor 333 and the shared conductor 332 are connected across the unswitched socket terminals of the outlet and are hence always connected to the power source 315. The lamp control circuit comprises a state change detector 340, a flip-flop circuit 350 and a solid state power switch 360. The state change detector 340 monitors the switched output voltage across the lamp cord conductors 331 and 332, which indicates the ON-OFF position of the wall switch 315. A lamp switch seen at 370 positioned at some location near the lamp bulb 380 is also connected to the state change detector 340. Changing the ON-OFF position of either the wall switch 315 or the lamp switch 370 causes a detectable voltage change which is translated by the state change detector 340 into a switching pulse which is applied to the flip-flop 350 to change its state. The state of the flip-flop 350 controls the ON-OFF state of the solid state power switch 360 to turn the lamp 370 ON or OFF.
The alternative arrangement shown in
The control arrangement seen in
The lamp and its control circuit may be plugged into either female socket. In
The components shown in either
Note that the manually switch knob 440 may be replaced by a wireless signal receiver that can control the lamp in response to the manipulation of a remote control device. This receiver can advantageously take the form of an infrared or wireless link using the IrDA Protocol (www.irda.org) or the Bluetooth Protocol (www.bluetooth.com <http://www.bluetooth.com>) respectively. Because a Bluetooth integrated circuit is capable of uniquely identifying itself, many different lamps, each equipped with its own adapter socket of the type shown in
The manually operated switch knob 440 may alternatively control an electronic dimmer. Using conventional electronic dimmer circuitry in which an electronic switch is turned ON and OFF during each half-cycle of the AC supply voltage at a phase angle that is varied in response to the adjustment of the know 440, an electronic dimming capability can be substituted for the electronic ON and OFF switch shown in
The embodiment of the invention shown in
As contemplated by the invention, a mechanism is used in an intelligent control circuit that is associated with a powered device for sensing the state of a conventional external control device (in this instance, a wall switch). The same principle can be applied to other utilization devices and external controls. For example, ceiling fans and other devices which are advantageously operated from either a wall switch or a switch on the device may be controlled in the same way. When a wall-mounted dimmer control is used to vary the brightness of a lamp, a second dimmer at the lamp could be used in combination with a level detector circuit to control the lamp's brightness from either control. Whenever the setting of one of the dimmers changes, that dimmer would be given control of lamp brightness which would be set to a new level until either of the dimmer controls was again adjusted. Either of the two controls could be programmed to change the light level at preset times of the day or days of the week (for example, to turn lights ON or OFF automatically when the homeowner is away from home) in order to discourage burglary.
The invention may be used to particular advantage in hotel rooms or other public facilities where the people who use the lamps or other devices controlled from both the device and a wall switch may be unfamiliar with the location of switches. This would eliminate the frustration of guests who must often locate and determine the �combination� of two switches that must both be turned ON to operate a bedside lamp or other device.
If the wall switches all had intelligence and were networked together (using DC pilot signals, or signals having unique identification frequencies applied to the power line), then lamp switches could do more than just turn on and off the attached lamp. For example, by using the switch at a bedside lamp, all the room's lights might be turned ON or OFF. The lamp switch could operate only that lamp when operated normally, but could control other lamps and devices when rapidly toggled.
An adaptive learning system may be employed in which several lamps or other devices are placed in a desired state (some ON and some OFF) before a unique command signal is sent. All of the circuits would then �learn� this command and would revert to that programmed state whenever the unique command was received later. As an alternative, the user might operate a control to place the controlled devices in different ON-OFF state combinations and, when a desired combination is found, it could be remembered and later selected by pressing one of several push-button or dialed alternatives, or by sending a command signal to the network from a remote source by telephone, wireless transmission, or the Internet.
The control circuit can be further enhanced by including means for identifying burned-out bulbs. In the arrangement shown in
Email Condition Signaling
In a commercial environment, such hotel rooms or offices, as well as a household, maintenance personnel or emergency services may need to be notified of trouble conditions. Devices such as malfunctioning appliances or electronic equipment may include mechanisms detecting trouble conditions, and the capability described above for automatically detect burned out lamps is but one example. There is accordingly a need for a simple and effective way to notify maintenance and emergency services of trouble conditions. To meet this need, a general purpose email signaling mechanism may be installed on a personal computer which will automatically transmit an email message having pre-programmed content identifying the trouble condition to one or more target email addresses.
The novel arrangement comprises the combination of a hardware interface adapter coupled to an input port on a personal computer, and a resident program installed on the computer which can be activated by the interface adapter when a trouble condition is detected to automatically send and email message describing that trouble condition to one or more predetermined email addresses.
The hardware interface adapter includes input connections adapted to receive signals from external devices and sensors, which indicate a trouble condition. When an alarm condition is received (e.g. a burned out bulb on a particular lamp), the hardware interface adapter sends a coded signal to a hardware signal input on a connected PC. For example, the hardware interface adapter may be connected to the PC's serial port. When an alarm condition arises, the adapter raises applies a predetermined bit pattern to serial port to which the UART in the PC responds by issuing a processor interrupt to initiate an interrupt handling routine that executes on the PC. The interrupt handling routine retrieves one or more coded character values from the serial port that identify the specific external alarm condition raised. The interrupt handling routine then establishes a dialup or network Internet connection between the PC and SMTP server and transmits a predetermined email message to one or more predetermined email addresses.
Alternatively, the general purpose email program may be used in combination with a PC based automated control system, such as the X-10 system that uses household wiring and special adapter plugs to perform a wide variety of functions. The Lyn-X 10 PC Adapter card manufactured by Marrick Limited, Inc. of San Diego, Calif. provides a complete X-10 interface that can send and receive all X-10 commands to and from external devices under direct software control.
The general purpose email transmission program preferably includes a user interface routine for creating standard email messages as stored, named files in the PC's file system, and means for associating one or messages with the input alarm identification codes applied to the serial port by the interface adapter. In addition, the email transmission program further includes means for accepting from the user one or more email destination addresses for each of the possible alarm conditions that may arise.
Preferably, the email transmission program includes alarm means which may optionally be used alert the PC user of an alarm condition and allow the PC user to inhibit the transmission of the email messages if the trouble condition can be handled without the need to notify remote services. If desired, when alarm conditions arise they may create a local alarm or dialog box notification on the PC, with the email messages only being sent after a pre-programmed time has elapsed. When messages of an emergency character need to be sent (for example, when a smoke detector or a sprinkler system is triggered, or when a security system indicates that a potential burglary is in progress), the email message may be sent immediately. Government or private emergency services may be sent email or a third party service may receive the email message and act accordingly by calling the police or fire department and notifying the owner. As a supplement to the email transmission, the PC program may respond to selected emergency conditions by automatically placing a telephone call to an emergency service and then transmitting a recorded spoken message.
It is to be understood that the specific embodiment of the invention, which has been described, is merely illustrative of one application of the principles of the invention. Numerous modifications may be made to the arrangement described without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.
Patent Citations
Referenced by
Legal Events
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A native of Pittsburgh and a graduate of Ohio University, Susan was hired by The Sun in 1979 as one of the first full-time female sportswriters in the country. In 1993, The Sun asked Susan to write a column about her life as a wife and the working mother of school-aged children. More recently, she has moved to the editorial pages where her columns often cover national affairs. A collection of her columns is titled "Motherhood Is a Contact Sport." She is married to Gary Mihoces, a sportswriter for USA Today, and is the mother of two adult children. She lives in Annapolis.
Retirement insecurity
February 27, 2015
The "silver tsunami" predicted for Maryland, where more than 1 million workers have no retirement savings, is one that will sweep the rest of the country, too. As a matter of fact, the Employee Benefit Research Institute says the percentage of Marylanders with little or no savings is about average for the nation.
What's in her shopping bag?
February 24, 2015
"Never marry a politician or a football coach," begins a bit of wisdom that came my way once. "Not if you ever want to see your husband."
Legislation would care for the caregivers
February 20, 2015
This is what the caregiver for an elderly relative looks like:
What not to wear when you are a woman over 50
February 18, 2015
"Another year, another body part to camouflage."
Jon Stewart changed the news while we were watching
February 12, 2015
I must confess I came late to Jon Stewart.
Women and heart attack
February 11, 2015
Younger women — ages 18 to 55 — represent only a fraction of the nation's 720,000 heart attacks each year. About 35,000. But they have a significantly more difficult recovery. The reason? Stress.
Family checkbook secrets
February 6, 2015
It was January and time for the annual come-to-Jesus meeting with the financial advisor who watches over our savings.
Love the grandkids, not their germs
February 4, 2015
The boys are back in town.
Googling America's sex life
January 28, 2015
Google knows my dress size and that I wear flats. It knows I do yoga, and it is always trying to sell me clothes to wear to class.
Who's watching the kids?
January 23, 2015
Quality, affordable child care. It was the first item on President Obama's shopping list in his State of the Union address. If the future is going to be about helping the struggling middle class, he said, quality, affordable child care for working parents is the linchpin.
'American Sniper' and war as entertainment
January 21, 2015
"American Sniper," which blew the doors off movie box offices last weekend, is either an attempt to repackage the Iraq War and resell it to Americans, or, as director Michael Moore has characterized it, the portrait of a coward who picks off women and children from the distant safety of his sniper's nest.
The Japanese art of getting rid of junk
January 16, 2015
I don't know what comes over us in January — perhaps it is being trapped inside by forbidding weather, perhaps it is a New Year's resolution — but women are suddenly obsessed with cleaning.
Phyllis Schlafly, now 90, still vilifying feminists
January 9, 2015
One might have reasonably hoped that we had heard the last from that ancient anti-feminist Phyllis Schlafly.
A cop, a kid in a ski mask and a decision not to shoot
January 7, 2015
On the afternoon of New Year's Eve, a resident in the prosperous neighborhood of West Annapolis called city police to report that someone dressed all in black, with a ski mask and a hoodie, was roaming the neighborhood with a rifle and a handgun.
Let's have dinner and talk about death
December 30, 2014
It isn't what she imagined for what Baby Boomers like to call "a post-career career." But Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Ellen Goodman finds herself talking to people about dying. Specifically, about dying the way they want to die.
When talking to your adult children, keep quiet
December 24, 2014
I am always saying the wrong thing. Ask my kids. They'll tell you.
Rent or buy?
December 21, 2014
My daughter is newly married, and my son is returning to Maryland with his young family after completing his military service.
Finding yourself alone in the woods
December 17, 2014
She divorced her husband, sold all her stuff, bought an outrageous amount of camping gear and set out to walk the Pacific Crest Trail, a trek of more than 1,000 miles from the Mojave Desert to Washington state.
Back in the day, boys basketball was a grown-up game in Baltimore
December 14, 2014
Back then, we were just a bunch of kid sportswriters covering high school basketball.
Retirement will bring budget battles home
December 10, 2014
"How much do those things cost?" my husband asked. "Per toe?"
Rolling Stone's missteps distract from the real story of campus rape
December 7, 2014
On Nov. 19, Rolling Stone magazine published a horrifying account of the gang rape of an unsuspecting freshman at a University of Virginia fraternity party, including how her date for the evening called out directions and encouragement to the men who were assaulting her.
Leaving the first daughters alone
December 3, 2014
As dearly as the president and first lady might wish it, Malia and Sasha Obama are not off-limits.
Be a Santa to a senior
December 1, 2014
Pam Urnowey started visiting the elderly in nursing homes when she was 9 years old. The first visits were at Christmas, and the delight she saw in the residents — old and ailing and often alone — left a powerful impression.
Ruling underscores NFL's incompetence in addressing players' off-the-field activity
November 28, 2014
Whatever you thought of the sickening sight of Ray Rice cold-cocking his girlfriend in the elevator, the Baltimore Ravens and the National Football League were just flailing in panic when they immediately cut him and banned him from the league in September.
App gauges relationship danger
October 29, 2014
Intimate partner violence? Yes, there's an app for that.
Annapolis Library to expand in place
October 24, 2014
Anne Arundel County officials have approved plans to double the size of the Annapolis Library and — here is the best part — keep it right where it is. In my neighborhood.
Chasing sleep, how much is enough?
October 22, 2014
My daughter Jessie got married.
Frozen eggs and a woman's career [Commentary]
October 17, 2014
News that Apple would begin in January to pay for women employees to have their eggs frozen so they could delay motherhood — and that Facebook had already begun doing it — has jumpstarted the discussion of women and work/life balance.
Ebola crazy talk spreads faster than the virus [Commentary]
October 15, 2014
Scientists assure us that Ebola isn't mutating into an airborne virus, but it has certainly morphed into a cipher for the ugly side of our fears.
The rollicking birth of the birth control pill [Commentary]
October 12, 2014
Author Jonathan Eig recalls hearing a rabbi say in a sermon that The Pill was the most important invention of the 20th century and scoffing at that declaration. He could think of half a dozen inventions more important.
Financial gerontology: a tonic for retirees
October 8, 2014
Merrill Lynch made business page headlines this year by appointing Baltimore County native Cynthia Hutchins to the newly created post of director of financial gerontology.
Adrian Peterson's version of 'Parenthood'
October 16, 2013
Reigning NFL MVP Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings has been criticized for his decision to play in Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers despite the fact that a son — that he had only recently learned existed — had died of head injuries consistent with child abuse.
Baggage and blessings
September 11, 2011
It was the song "Greensleeves" that drew Shirley Dempsey-Kahn into the Goodwill store that December morning. It reminded her of her first trip to London as a child, with her father, a naval officer, and her mother.
A hard week for Michael Phelps – and for Mom
February 9, 2009
Last week was a tough one for Michael Phelps. I am betting it was equally tough for his mom.
Videos of beatings a lesson for kids
April 15, 2008
The harassment of teachers and the intimidation of students by classroom bullies is nothing new.
The deconstruction of Harriet Miers is filled with sexism
October 11, 2005
When the first news stories about Harriet Miers' nomination to the Supreme Court all used the same quote from President Bush describing her as "a pit bull in size 6 shoes," I decided I would listen carefully to this debate.
Clinton redux revives that sense of betrayal
June 22, 2004
SEEING BILL CLINTON in the spotlight again is like - forgive the analogy - seeing an old lover after not enough time has passed.
Stewart's attitude was on trial, too
March 9, 2004
MARTHA STEWART's conviction in federal court last week must stand as a warning to all future Marthas.
No reason to recant support for Arnold
October 7, 2003
ACOUPLE OF weeks ago, I wrote a column saying that if I were a Californian, I would vote for Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Schwarzenegger's zest for American dream counterbalances past of sex, drugs
September 16, 2003
IT MIGHT COST me my feminist membership card, but if I were a California resident, I'd vote for Arnold Schwarzenegger for governor - even if I'd have to wait a few more months to do so.
Word war: `Marital' becomes `martial'
December 10, 2002
MY HUSBAND and I lead the split-shift, tag-team, crisis-du-jour lives so common among couples with teen-age children, and our paths are guaranteed to cross at only one moment: Sunday night at 9 o'clock for the latest installment of The Sopranos.
Sniper is wrecking the games students play
October 22, 2002
The killings by the sniper in the white van have thrown the athletic lives of children and families into a holy mess of official overreaction and bureaucratic indecision.
With everyone a target, fear is hard to avoid
October 9, 2002
IT IS DIFFERENT this time.
Parents feel high school angst again, through teens
October 6, 2002
IT APPEARS THAT I am not popular in high school. Again.
Lindh rage gives way to sadness
July 23, 2002
THE CASE OF John Walker Lindh has been resolved to the apparent satisfaction of both parties.
Mourning loss of son's competitor
March 19, 2002
KEVAN Fletcher, a top-notch wrestler for Patterson High School, was found shot to death inside his East Baltimore rowhouse earlier this month, and a pair of teen-age acquaintances have been arrested and charged with his murder.
All we can do for safety is embrace each other
September 30, 2001
IN THE IMMEDIATE aftermath of the World Trade Center and Pentagon explosions, I had one thought, and I bet it was almost universal.
Our routines will keep us busy, but the sadness will stay with us
September 14, 2001
IN THE AFTERMATH of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks, we are being told that we must recognize that life in this country will never be the same.
And now, for a -- of local flavor, we bring you a taste of Art Donovan
January 31, 1993
Hey, Jim Kelly! Try some warm olive oil on top of your head, ya big crybaby.


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Silly Poems. Below are examples of silly poems. This list of poems about silly is made of PoetrySoup member poems. PoetrySoup is a great resource for examples of silly poems or list of silly poetry. These examples illustrate what silly poems looks like and its form. There is also a link (below) to the definition where you can discuss silly poems.
The silly poem sub-topics listed below include many popular topics of poetry.
crazy, stupid, inappropriate, simple, nonsensical, childish, ludicrous, idiotic, preposterous, ridiculous, pointless, irresponsible, frivolous, irrational, empty, asinine, balmy, brainless, dizzy, empty-headed
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