text:
Hello everyone! I can't believe it is almost February and our first round of midterms are coming up…yikes!
So this weekend rocked! I finished all of my weekend homework ahead of time and a group of friends and I drove up to Aspen to watch the X Games! We left Friday afternoon after all of our classes were finished and arrived just about dinnertime. My friend, Kelsey, was nice enough to let us all stay at her family's vacation house which was a real treat considering there were 11 of us!
Hi everyone!
Well, I have made it back to America. After a long, 31-hour day of travel that included 4 airports, and (remarkably) no delays or snags I got home just two short days before classes started for second semester.
I was fortunate and didn't suffer too terribly from jet lag, but my weekend was spent blitzing around town, seeing as many people as I could and moving into my house.
Hi all!
Hi everyone! I hope you all had a fun-filled 3-day weekend – I know I did! I got to catch up on a lot of sleep and hiking. Perfection.
Hello, everybody! I hope you all got some rest over Winter Break. I spent the time trying to fit in as many of my favorite activities as possible into just three weeks. That being said, I made my way up to ski five days, spent a week on Kauai paddleboarding and snorkeling with a friend from CU (yes, going to college not only means making new friends just to have friends, but also to have free places to stay when you want to travel!), watched movies with my parents, explored Downtown Denver restaurants with my friends, and slept... a little.
Hi guys!
I hope everyone had a great winter break! I enjoyed some wonderful time off hanging out at home and in Denver with family and friends. It was really nice to be able to catch up on some sleep and spend time relaxing, doing things unrelated to school for a change! Although this past weekend when I was returning to Boulder I was sad break was ending, I was and am really excited for my new classes!
Hello everyone! I have just completed my first semester of college at CU, and I cannot wait to tell you about my experiences through freshman year! After a stressful load of finals in mid-December, it was great to have almost a month-long break to go home, visit family, and relax for a bit.
Finally the time has come to return to Boulder for second semester! I am amazed by how quick these past months have gone by, but as they say, times flies when you are having fun!
Well, my time here in Istanbul, and in the Eastern Hemisphere, is beginning to reach it's end, and I thought I would post one more time before I head home.
As we all know, tourists are annoying.
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text:
Savage Special Needs Care
23 special needs providers on Care.com. Average rate: $11.50 /hr.
Special Needs Provider — Savage, MN
I currently work for a company specializing in working with kids that have a form of MR or a DD. I have experience working with autism, behaviors and a variety of other specialties.
8 yrs of exp.
27 years old
Part Time Special Needs Caregiver Available — Savage, MN
I have worked with special needs individuals with direct care for 2 years. I am the program assistant at a group home and am responsible for helping those individuals with everything from toileting to...
2 yrs of exp.
24 years old
Part-Time Passionate Special Needs Caregiver Available — Savage, MN
Hi! I have a Bachelor of Science in Child and Adolescent Development, however I have experience in working with children and adults with disabilities. I am passionate about Early Childhood Education/I...
4 yrs of exp.
25 years old
I'd Enjoy Putting A Smile On His Or Her Face — Savage, MN
Provide care for multiple people. Teens and adults with autism with differences In needs, teen who in effect is behavioral, man with down syndrome, young adult with spinal injury and non verbal, and m...
1 yr of exp.
24 years old
Hello! Nice To Meet You! — Savage, MN
I am a 19-year-old college freshman that loves working with children. Aside from taking care of my two younger siblings throughout their lives, I have worked with special needs children through Majest...
5 yrs of exp.
19 years old
Savage, MN
I am a married mother of 4 (two sets of twins!) I have 2 kids in school full time and 2 in school part time. I'm a stay at home mom with lots of energy and time on my hands to help others. I'm highly ...
8 yrs of exp.
35 years old
Afternoon & Evening Dog Walker — Savage, MN
First off, I have been a foster for dogs for 2 years. Most of the dogs I have fostered have been strays. Overtime I work with them so they are suitable to be adopted! I have experience from walking to...
3 yrs of exp.
Responsible Teenager — Savage, MN
Hello! My name is Jordanne; I am very responsible and I love being around kids. I am also a lover of the outdoors. I love making up fun games to play outside. I have taken care of my special needs bro...
3 yrs of exp.
Under 18
Loving, Fun And Responsible Nanny — Savage, MN
Hello parents! My name is Jamie, I am 19 years of age and I am currently attending Minnesota State University Mankato in pursuit of a degree in nursing. I absolutely adore children of all ages and I h...
5 yrs of exp.
19 years old
Savage, MN
I have been working with children with Autism for 7 years with ages ranging from 2 to 15. My background is in ABA and I am looking to provide PCA work to a family who needs a hand.
7 yrs of exp.
30 years old
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
James Arness, Iconic 'Gunsmoke' Lawman, Dead at 88
'Gunsmoke' debuted on CBS in 1955 and ran until 1975, in the process making Arness one of the more enduring stars on television and the Matt Dillon character one of its most beloved and trusted.
The 6 foot 7 Arness towered over the cast, including Dillon's deputy, Chester, played by Dennis Weaver. Other supporting stars included Amanda Blake as Kitty and Milburn Stone as Doc Adams.
By the time Arness got the part of Dillon, he had been a WWII combat veteran and appeared in several films, most notably the science-fiction classics 'Them!' and 'The Thing From Another World,' in which he played an alien.
The Minneapolis native's younger brother, actor Peter Graves, who died last October, encouraged him to get into acting. He cut his Western teeth in four John Wayne film, including 'Hondo' and 'Big Jim McLain.'
It was Wayne that recommended Arness for 'Gunsmoke' and an on-air endorsement from the film great himself. "I knew there was only one man to play in it, James Arness," Wayne told viewers (watch video below). "He's a young fella and may be new to some of you. But I've worked with him, and I predict he'll be a big star. So you might as well get used to him, like you've had to get used to me."
The role of Marshal Dillon proved a complex one and became a focus of the show, but Arness is said to have pushed producers to move the focus off him and onto the large ensemble cast.
When 'Gunsmoke' ended in 1975, appeared a string of TV shows including the miniseries 'How The West Was Won' and in the early 1980s, turned leading man again in cop drama 'McClain's Law.'
He brought Matt Dillon back for five 'Gunsmoke' movies starting in 1987's 'Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge.'
Arness is survived by his wife, Janet, two sons and six grandchildren.
- Filed under:
- Highbrow -
- Movie News -
- Celebrity Deaths -
- TV News
- Friday 03 JuneBy eldon
Damm, all my hero's are gone......
- Friday 03 JuneBy teresa
Its a sad day for me ! You were truly one of the best ! RIP with John Wyane ! Bet the angels are singing .... May we always have your Gun Smoke reruns !
- Friday 03 JuneBy Cheryl
Another great actor gone ... will never be another one who was so well-liked and respected ... never heard anything negative about this "gentle" man. God be with and bless his family.
- Friday 03 JuneBy RICH
I really loved gun smoke as a kid. Matt was always strong and smart. Hated by the bad guys and loved by the girls. I always wondered if he and Miss Kitty got it on. R.I.P. Matt
- Friday 03 JuneBy aaldrewHigh Rank Vote downVote upReport this
Yeh..They did.. You missed that episode??
- Friday 03 JuneBy CraigGHigh Rank Vote downVote upReport this
They kissed just one time in the whole series
- Friday 03 JuneBy DeVora
RIP you will truly be missed.
- Friday 03 JuneBy Di
Oh My Gosh. How I've dreaded this day. I grew up watching Gunsmoke and remember as a tiny girl in 1957 falling asleep on my Daddy's arm as we watched Gunsmoke. This is truly a huge loss to those of us who remember the days of 'good television'. RIP Marshall Dillon. For those of us who grew up with you, we will shed some tears today.
My prayers go out for his family.
- Friday 03 June
Beautifully said!!!
- Friday 03 JuneBy J.B.W.
R.I.P.James Arness.You have been a great inspiration to generations,Thank You and gods speed to the great Dodge City in the sky.
- Friday 03 June
Rest in peace to Mr.Arness!!! your show makes my grandad
happy!!! prayers and deepest sympathies to all the fans, family and friends!
- Friday 03 June
What was great about his character on Gunsmoke was that he always believed in upholding the law. Wouldn't allow for vendettas. He believed in justice, not vengance.
RIP Marshall
- Friday 03 JuneBy sally
You will always be Matt Dillon the best MARSHALL ever! RIP! We Love You!
- Friday 03 JuneBy casjane1
My parents were late getting to my wedding because Dad was home watching his favorite show Gunsmoke. Luckily it was a small wedding and I thought it was kinda cute.
- Friday 03 JuneBy Eric
We've lost another true American icon. They don't make his kind anymore. Truly sad. Gunsmoke is one of the best shows TV ever gave us. Nothing..and I mean nothing today can touch it.
- Friday 03 JuneBy saannie25
You are so right, TV today is usually not fit to watch. They don't make good TV shows like gunsmoke today. It was such a great show and it didn't have much violence. It also didn't have profanity, and nudity in it either, and it was still a popular show. Wish they would make shows like this today. I still try to catch it on the reruns.
- Friday 03 JuneBy Carol
What a great actor and a great man he was! We will miss you "Matt Dillon"! Rest in peace.
- Friday 03 JuneBy Dena
RIP James Arness I loved your show Gunsmoke its a good one too , You are truly gonna be missed . RIP Marshall Dillion
- Friday 03 JuneBy Big John
You were a true TV hero and I still watch Gunsmoke as much as possible. Icons like you will and have been missed on TV.
- Friday 03 June
My dad and I loved to watch Gunsmoke when I was a kid. I liked him and Miss Kitty and wanted them to get married. I also liked Fetus. One very good show back then.
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text:
** All Lion Brand stores and facilities are closed on Friday, July 3rd in observance of Independence Day the following day. **
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner (Level 1)
SIZE: One Size About 4 1/2 in. (11.5 cm) wide
CORRECTIONS: None
Exact gauge is not essential to this project.
Materials are sufficient to make multiple Hang-ups.


text:
Michelle Williams In Jason Wu & Mila Kunis In Atelier Versace – 'Oz The Great And Powerful' Moscow Premiere
Actresses Mila Kunis and Michelle Williams, joined by James Franco, are in the thick of the promotion of their new movie Oz the Great and Powerful. The trio made a stop in Russia last night for the premiere of the film, also staring Rachel Weisz.
Mila Kunis wore a purple strapless gown by Atelier Versace. The sweetheart neckline gown had two slits and the front and nude insets in an hourglass shape to accentuate her curves.
Michelle Williams wore a black and gold chevron striped gown by Jason Wu for the premiere. The short sleeved gown could have gone a bit matronly but thanks to the sheer skirt, the gown gets some extra sex appeal.
James Franco, who dyed his hair blonde – probably for a new movie – wore a grey Gucci suit with a matching tie, and brown accessories that included a belt and lace-up shoes.
Credit: Getty
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text:
Evgeny Grachev is off to an impressive start with the St. Louis Blues
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The Mouth
Registered User
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 902
vCash: 500
Originally Posted by
I'm sorry, but, i cannot get worked up over Grachev scoring some goals in a pre-season game after he's traded. From this vantage point, the Rangers have been doing a pretty good lately of bringing along their young talent. For whatever reason, it didn't work here for Grachev. With Kreider and Miller on the way, I'm not too concerned about losing an enigmatic prospect. It's was worth the selection at the time, and they got back a 3rd round pick. No harm, no foul.
Yeah they bring them right from college, juniors or europe with very little time in Hartford. Ken Gernander is mediocre and who has really "developed" offensively in the 40 years he has been there ?
For me it's different I'm a Grachev fan. So I am still following him. I also have an added incentive in proving a lot of naysayers wrong.
He could turn out to be a bust, and I have been hearing it so far lol. For now I hope he makes Kenny G. eat it.
Also I'm pretty sure he didn't dress for one game so he may have 3 goals in 3 games.
Last edited by The Mouth: 09-26-2011 at
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text:
Small-Business Confidence Springs Back to Pre-Crisis Levels
by Reuters May 13th 2014 7:46AM
Small-business sentiment jumped to its highest level in 6-1/2 years in April, bolstering hopes of increased economic activity in the second quarter.
Small-business sentiment jumped to its highest level in 6-1/2 years in April, bolstering hopes of increased economic activity in the second quarter.
Small-business owners are keeping a cautious approach to running their companies even as they grow more optimistic, surveys show.
Successfully starting and running a business requires an owner to monitor the right numbers that show its health and warn of problems on the horizon.
Changing pay dates and other creative approaches can help a small-business owner solve the problem of excessive requests for pay advances.
Facebook believes tapping into the lucrative small business market will help increase its advertising and get more clicks on all kinds of ads.
Thousands of retirees and near-retirees are becoming entrepreneurs, launching business to earn cash or have something interesting and satisfying to do.
Franchises can be a great way to start a business. But pay close attention to the disclosure documents to avoid failing and losing your investment.
The type of legal entity you choose for your new small business can help you with taxes, liability, bureaucracy and your own valuable time.
If you've considered hanging out a shingle, you may have heard of SCORE, the program offering free mentorship to people who are starting small businesses.
For the fifth Saturday this year, the White House used the president's weekly address to exhort Republicans to support an increase in the minimum wage.
Rising costs for materials and labor appear to be pressuring businesses, a quarterly survey from the National Association of Business Economics shows.
A Philadelphia chocolate maker and candy store says it has resolved a tax issue that threatened to shutter the establishment days before Easter.
Jakeabob's Bay was a thriving eatery on the Jersey shore where patrons took in gorgeous sunsets. But Jakeabob's won't live to see the second summer after Superstorm Sandy.
A large prostitution study found an industry filled with workers pitted against each other, strict financial quotas, and increasing use of technology. Sound like your office?
Banks won't take marijuana entrepreneurs in Colorado as customers, even though the businesses are operating legally, leaving many owners to run their businesses with cash.
How do you know when it's time to get professional financial advice, or whether your next more is something you can handle on your own? We asked some pros to weigh in.
U.S. small businesses increased their borrowing in November from a year ago, suggesting continued economic growth ahead.
People may poo-poo the job prospects or theater majors, but perhaps they shouldn't. One financial planner explains how her theater degree made her a better businessperson.
Yes, putting your retirement savings on the line to start your small business is a risk. But if you do it right, there's a way to dodge the early-withdrawal and tax penalties.
U.S. small businesses boosted borrowing in October to its highest level in more than six years.
Lingering effects of the government shutdown had a big impact on the confidence of the nation's small-business owners.
New Jersey residents voted overwhelmingly to raise the state's hourly minimum wage to $8.25 Tuesday with annual cost-of-living increases.
Here's a quick rundown from the world of business and economics this morning: the things you need to know, and some you'll just want to know.
Here's a quick rundown from the world of business and economics this morning: the things you need to know, and some you'll just want to know.
In 23 years, Scott and Cindy Plissner say they'd never let a client down -- and though Hurricane Sandy flooded them out, they refused to let the storm ruin that track record.
A North Carolina gun shop says that a credit-card processor has abruptly terminated its business relationship, citing a long-standing policy against firearm sales.
A Taiwanese city finds a unique way to drum up interest from tourists by turning to a giant version of a familiar childhood bath time play toy.
When small businesses in Silicon Valley need cash, and fast, they can now turn to a type of financing more commonly associated with buying a tractor for an African farmer.
A business owner was shocked to get a massive bill from AT&T -- for a phone line that never worked.
U.S. small business optimism slipped in August as owners worried about the economy's near-term outlook.
You can rent cars and tools, but why not clothes? A new rental service lets you look like a million for pennies on the dollar.


text:
Teacher's aide fired for surfing Web while students engaged in sex act
LEE COUNTY - Teacher's aide Thomas McCoy has been officially terminated from his employment with the Lee County School District.
McCoy, a teacher's assistant at Royal Palm Exceptional Center in Fort Myers, was accused by the district of browsing the Internet while two special needs students in his care engaged in a sex act together in December 2008. An administrative law judge recommended the district terminate McCoy following a September hearing. McCoy was fired after a 4-0 vote by the Lee County School Board at a 2:30 p.m. special meeting; board member Jane Kuckel was absent.
McCoy was suspended without pay in May following a vote by the School Board. He had been suspended with pay prior to that, starting in January, after a school district investigation confirmed the account from another teacher at the school that McCoy was preoccupied on a computer while a 15-year-old girl performed a sex act on a 17-year-old boy. Both students, whose names were withheld because they were minors, are considered exceptional students due to mental disability or behavioral problems.
Both of the students involved were the subjects of e-mail advisories sent around the school in the previous months. The 17-year-old boy was institutionalized at one point, had "some sexual charges," according to the transcript from the hearing, and was found to be incompetent before going to live at a group home. His IQ places him in the mentally handicapped range, according to Dan Perry, principal of Royal Palm Exceptional Center, who testified at the hearing.
The 15-year-old girl was a foster child with a history of acting out sexually, and "requires visual supervision at all times," according to the transcript. The girl was removed from the school after the incident and placed in a foster home in Charlotte County.
An analysis of McCoy's computer activity that day revealed that he was browsing ESPN.com and related sites at the time of the incident.
In other business, the board discussed possible alternatives to the alternative currently offered to students who get in serious trouble at school.
"If a youngster gets in trouble they go to the alternative school," said Superintendent James Browder. "What I'm looking at is another way to accomplish that as we go forward."
Browder suggested offering troubled students the option of completing courses through an online program.
The Lee County School District currently offers an online option to its students in grades kindergarten through 12, but it comes with strings attached. Parents of children in the program must sign a contract agreeing to act as a "learning coach" a minimum of five hours per school day.
Board member Elinor Scricca said she likes the idea, but she added that a contract with the parents would be key.
"What I'm afraid of is that if we do that and the student isn't achieving and it isn't getting done, and the parent says, 'Well, you offered that to our son or daughter,'" the district will not have any outlet to change the situation, Scricca said.
Browder agreed, and said he would explore the option further before bringing it back to the board as a complete proposal.
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text:
The system of the present invention allows a user to generate a representation of time-based media. The system of the present invention includes a feature extraction module for extracting features from media content. For example, the feature extraction module can detect solos in a musical performance, or can detect music, applause speech, and the like. A formatting module formats a media representation generated by the system. The formatting module also applies feature extraction information to the representation, and formats the representation according to a representation specification. In addition, the system can include an augmented output device that generates a media representation based on the feature extraction information and the representation specification. The methods of the present invention include extracting features from media content, and formatting a media representation being generated using the extracted features and based on a specification or data structure specifying the representation format. The methods can also include generating a media representation based on the results of the formatting.
1. A system for generating a representation of time-based media, the system comprising:
a feature extraction module for extracting features from media content; and
a formatting module for formatting a media representation generated by the system, the formatting module being communicatively coupled to the feature extraction module to apply feature extraction information to the representation, wherein the formatting module formats the representation according to a representation specification.
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extracting features from media content; and
formatting the representation according to a representation specification, the formatting including applying feature extraction information.
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This application claims the benefit of the following provisional patent applications, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety: U.S. Provisional patent application entitled "Printer Including One or More Specialized Hardware Devices" filed on Sep. 25, 2003, having Ser. No. 60/506,303; U.S. Provisional patent application entitled "Printer For Non-Paper and Multiple Media Types" filed on Sep. 25, 2003, having Ser. No. 60/506,411; and U.S. Provisional patent application entitled "Systems and Methods for Printing Audio or Video Paper" filed on Sep. 25, 2003, having Ser. No. 60/506,263.
This application is a continuation-in-part of the following co-pending U.S. Patent Applications (hereinafter referred to as the "Video Paper Applications"), each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/001,895, "Paper-based Interface for Multimedia Information," filed Nov. 19, 2001; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/001,849, "Techniques for Annotating Multimedia Information," filed Nov. 19, 2001; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/001,893, "Techniques for Generating a Coversheet for a paper-based Interface for Multimedia Information," filed Nov. 19, 2001; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/001,894, "Techniques for Retrieving Multimedia Information Using a Paper-Based Interface," filed Nov. 19, 2001; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/001,891, "Paper-based Interface for Multimedia Information Stored by Multiple Multimedia Documents," filed Nov. 19, 2001; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/175,540, "Device for Generating a Multimedia Paper Document," filed Jun. 18, 2002; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/645,821, "Paper-Based Interface for Specifying Ranges," filed Aug. 20, 2003.
This application is also related to the following co-pending patent applications, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety: U.S. patent application entitled, "Printer Having Embedded Functionality for Printing Time-Based Media," to Hart et al., filed Mar. 30, 2004, Attorney Docket No. 20412-08340; U.S. patent application entitled, "Printer With Hardware and Software Interfaces for Peripheral Devices," to Hart et al., filed Mar. 30, 2004, Attorney Docket No. 20412-08383; U.S. patent application entitled, "Printer User Interface," to Hart et al., filed Mar. 30, 2004, Attorney Docket No. 20412-08455; and U.S. Patent Application entitled "Networked Printing System Having Embedded Functionality for Printing Time-Based Media," to Hart, et al., filed Mar. 30, 2004, Attorney Docket Number 20412-8341.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for generating printable representations for time-based media.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventional printers are currently used to generate documents of various different formats and based upon different types of content. However, while conventional printers can produce images of text and/or pictures, conventional printers are limited in their ability to effectively generate representations of multimedia content. Conventional printers print onto a fixed medium, such as paper, and thus they unable to effectively capture the elements of time-based media.
Yet, the capability to easily review time-based media content is commonly needed today. To search for desired features within time-based media content currently, one must actually review the content itself, skimming to find the desired information. For example, a user may have to manually skim an audio recording of a radio talk show to find content on a particular topic or to find discussions by a particular speaker. Due to these limitations in conventional printers, there is currently no easy way for users to search through a lengthy media segment to identify and extract particular features of interest from the media content. Additionally, there is no way for users to create an easily readable representation of media that provides useful information about the media.
Moreover, media content is commonly only available in digital form. However, for many users, a digital format is not the optimal format in which to view information. While viewing media information in digital form is adequate for some users, many users find it easier to comprehend and assimilate information when the information is printed on a paper medium. Nonetheless, there is not currently available a mechanism for generating a paper-based representation of time-based media through which the user can review or even access media content.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and methods for generating a representation of time-based media that can be paper-based and can provide users with the ability to extract defined features in the multimedia content.
The present invention overcomes the deficiencies and limitations of the prior art with a system and method for generating a representation of time-based media. The system of the present invention includes a feature extraction module for extracting features from media content. For example, the feature extraction module can detect solos in a musical performance, or can detect music, applause, speech, and the like. A formatting module formats a media representation generated by the system. The formatting module also applies feature extraction information to the representation, and formats the representation according to a representation specification. In addition, the system can include an augmented output device that generates a media representation based on the feature extraction information and the representation specification. The representation can be generated in a paper-based format, in digital format, or in any other representation formats. The representation generated can include user-selectable identifiers that enable random access to points along a media content timeline.
The methods of the present invention include extracting features from media content, and formatting a media representation using the extracted features and based on a specification or data structure specifying the representation format. The methods can also include generating a media representation based on the results of the formatting.
The invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements.
A system and method for generating a representation of time-based media is described. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a printer generates a representation of time-based media that can incorporate feature extraction information and can be formatted according to a representation specification. More specifically, the printer incorporates a format specification, feature extraction, and a formatting algorithm to produce documents that provide a visual representation for multimedia information (e.g., an audio recording), and provide an index that enables random access to points in a multimedia recording.
For the purposes of this invention, the terms "media," "multimedia," "multimedia content," "multimedia data," or "multimedia information" refer to any one of or a combination of text information, graphics information, animation information, sound (audio) information, video information, slides information, whiteboard images information, and other types of information. For example, a video recording of a television broadcast may comprise video information and audio information. In certain instances the video recording may also comprise close-captioned (CC) text information, which comprises material related to the video information, and in many cases, is an exact representation of the speech contained in the audio portions of the video recording. Multimedia information is also used to refer to information comprising one or more objects wherein the objects include information of different types. For example, multimedia objects included in multimedia information may comprise text information, graphics information, animation information, sound (audio) information, video information, slides information, whiteboard images information, and other types of information.
For the purposes of this invention, the terms "print" or "printing," when referring to printing onto some type of medium, are intended to include printing, writing, drawing, imprinting, embossing, generating in digital format, and other types of generation of a data representation. Also for purposes of this invention, the output generated by the system will be referred to as a "media representation," a "multimedia document," a "multimedia representation," a "document," a "paper document," or either "video paper" or "audio paper." While the words "document" and "paper" are referred to in these terms, output of the system in the present invention is not limited to such a physical medium, like a paper medium. Instead, the above terms can refer to any output that is fixed in a tangible medium. In some embodiments, the output of the system of the present invention can be a representation of multimedia content printed on a physical paper document. In paper format, the multimedia document takes advantage of the high resolution and portability of paper and provides a readable representation of the multimedia information. According to the teachings of the present invention, a multimedia document may also be used to select, retrieve, and access the multimedia information. In other embodiments, the output of the system can exist in digital format or some other tangible medium. In addition, the output of the present invention can refer to any storage unit (e.g., a file) that stores multimedia information in digital format. Various different formats may be used to store the multimedia information. These formats include various MPEG formats (e.g., MPEG 1, MPEG 2, MPEG 4, MPEG 7, etc.), MP3 format, SMIL format, HTML+TIME format, WMF (Windows Media Format), RM (Real Media) format, Quicktime format, Shockwave format, various streaming media formats, formats being developed by the engineering community, proprietary and customary formats, and others.
Reference in the specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the invention can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the invention. For example, the present invention is described primarily with reference to audio content, and the representation generated by the printer is often referred to as audio paper. However, the features of the present invention apply to any type of media content and refer to media representations in formats other than paper-based formats, even if the description discusses the features only in reference to audio content and audio paper.
Referring now to
The printer 102 receives multimedia data, such as audio data, and this content may be stored in a multimedia document that is accessible to system 100. The multimedia content may be stored directly on system 100, or it may be information stored on an external storage device or a server (not shown) that can be accessed by system 100. In other embodiments, instead of accessing a multimedia document, the system 100 may receive a stream of multimedia information (e.g., a streaming media signal, a cable signal, etc.) from a multimedia information source. Examples of sources that can provide multimedia information to system 100 include a television, a television broadcast receiver, a cable receiver, a video recorder, a digital video recorder, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or the like. For example, the source of multimedia information may be embodied as a radio that is configured to receive multimedia broadcast signals and to transmit the signals to system 100. In this example, the information source may be a radio antenna providing live radio broadcast feed information to system 100. The information source may also be a device such as a video recorder/player, a digital video disc (DVD) player, a compact disc (CD) player, etc. providing recorded video and/or audio stream to system 100. In alternative embodiments, the source of information may be a presentation or meeting recorder device that is capable of providing a stream of the captured presentation or meeting information to system 100. Additionally, the source of multimedia information may be a receiver (e.g., a satellite dish or a cable receiver) that is configured to capture or receive (e.g., via a wireless link) multimedia information from an external source and then provide the captured multimedia information to system 100 for further processing.
Multimedia content can originate from some type proprietary or customized multimedia player, such as RealPlayer™, Microsoft Windows Media Player, and the like. In alternative embodiments, system 100 may be configured to intercept multimedia information signals received by a multimedia information source. System 100 may receive the multimedia information directly from a multimedia information source or may alternatively receive the information via a communication network (not shown).
Referring again to the components of printer 102, there is shown in
The APPS 108 is shown in
In some embodiments, the user can set formatting preferences with regard to the document 120 produced by entering information into fields provided in the DFS 104. In some embodiments, the user can set preferences as to document format and layout, font type and size, information displayed in each line, information displayed in a header, size and location of schedule columns, font colors, line spacing, number of words per line, bolding and capitalization techniques, language in which the document is printed, paper size, paper type, and the like. For example, the user might choose to have a multimedia document that includes a header in large, bold font showing the name of the multimedia content being displayed (e.g., CNN News segment), and the user can choose the arrangement of the graphical representation of multimedia content displayed per page.
The DFS 104 determines the feature extraction that is applied to the audio data and the format guidelines used to product the output document 120. The DFS 104 is a data structure that can be supplied by an external application, such as a print driver dialog interface on a PC (not shown), or it can be determined internally by interacting with the APPS 108 on the printer's console (not shown). The DFS 104 represents the transformation(s) of the multimedia data. The DFS 104 is used to populate a user interface that is displayed to the user, giving the user formatting options. The DFS 104 determines the feature extraction options presented to the user, which can be applied to the multimedia data. The DFS 104 also determines the format guidelines used to produce the output document.
The DFS 104 can include meta data information about an audio file, such as information about the title of the audio content, the composer of the audio content, and the like. The DFS 104 can also include other information, such as beginning and ending times of a segment (e.g., beginning and ending times of an audio recording), and a specification for a graphical representation of the multimedia data that can be displayed along a time line (e.g., a waveform showing the amplitude of an audio signal over time). The DFS 104 can further include a specification for time stamp markers and meta-data for each time stamp (i.e., a barcode, an RFID tag, a URL, or some other indication for the location where the multimedia data can be retrieved from) that could be displayed along the timeline, and layout parameters that determine the appearance of the physical multimedia document 120.
In the embodiment shown in
The multimedia document 120 generated by the printer 102 can comprise various formats. For example, the multimedia document 120 can be a paper document, such as an audio paper document 120 of the form shown in
The multimedia document 120 can have a number of different types of layouts and can display various types of information.
In the
Additionally, the audio waveform 112 of
In the
In another embodiment of the present invention, user-selectable identifiers 116 (e.g., a barcode or textual tag) are associated the audio waveform 112. In the
The audio file can be played on a device that allows the random access technique (e.g., barcode scanning) assumed when the document was generated. For example, a document that contains barcodes can be played on a cell phone with a barcode reader and software that can convert barcodes to commands that play an audio file starting at a given point. Thus, the user-selectable identifiers 116 act as an interface to permit users to access or retrieve the multimedia content displayed on the multimedia document 120.
As one example, by scanning the barcode of
The printer 102 is capable of retrieving multimedia information corresponding to the user-selectable identifiers 116. The signal communicated to the printer 102 from the selection device (i.e., device with barcode scanner or keypad for entering in numerical identifiers) may identify the audio segment selected by the user, the location of the audio content to be played, the multimedia paper documents from which the segments are to be selected, information related to preferences and/or one or more multimedia display devices (e.g., a cell phone) selected by the user, and other like information to facilitate retrieval of the requested multimedia information. For example, the system 100 can access an audio file stored on a PC (not shown), and the system can play this audio content on the user's command.
The example of
The multimedia document 120 produced by system 100 can be used in a number of different ways. For example, the document 120 provides the user with a convenient way to visually review audio data by searching for particular audio content of interest, providing markers and even text regarding this selected content, and even providing an interface through which the user can access and play audio content. There can also be numerous variations on this type of multimedia document 120. For example, the user can print double-sided video or audio paper. In this example, the user prints a multimedia document 120 on a printer that can apply ink to both sides of a document. The original audio or video paper format can be printed on the front side of the document. The reverse side can show a two-dimensional barcode representation for the data represented on the front. This format provides a stand-alone paper-based representation that could be stored in a filing cabinet, for example, and subsequent retrieval of the multimedia content would not require reference to an off-paper representation. In the case of double-sided video paper, the video would need to be super-compressed because of the limited capacity of a typical two-dimensional barcode. A combination technology could be used that would extract a rough approximation of the digital data (e.g., the low frequency components of the FFT) from the images printed on the front of the document and supplement that with the higher frequency components, as encoded in the two-dimensional barcode.
As another example, a user can create a perforated multimedia document 120, such as perforated video or audio paper. For example, the user can print a video file that has been segmented into scenes that are each printed on a different perforated strip of paper. Each strip can contain at least one video frame from the video content, and at least one barcode that refers to an online repository of the video data. The strips could be pasted into a notebook or tacked onto a bulletin board, for example. In the case of perforated audio paper, the user can print an audio file that has been segmented by speaker, sound localization, audio event detection, and the like, and each of these segmentation types can be printed on a different perforated strip of paper. For example, one strip could contain barcodes that point to the instances when people were arguing during a meeting. Each strip can contain at least one barcode that refers to an online repository of the audio data. However, because the amount of multimedia data can be limited, a two-dimensional barcode could be used to provide a complete stand-alone representation for the multimedia. These strips could be cut out and easily moved around by someone who needs to edit the audio recording or by someone who needs to remember only small pieces of the recording. As stated above, the strips could also be pasted into a notebook or tacked onto a bulletin board.
As another example, the user can create a DVD or CD cover sheet using a multimedia document 120. In this example, the user can print a DVD or CD using this printing technology. Additionally, the printer 102 can be programmed to automatically produce a cover sheet that shows video frames from the scenes segmented from the video file and barcodes that refer to those scenes. This cover sheet can be printed on small paper stock that could be inserted into a special tray in the printer 102, for example. Alternatively, the cover sheet can be printed on normal paper stock and provided with fold-marks that indicate how the paper should be folded so that it fits in the typical DVD holder. A similar cover sheet can be printed for a music CD displaying an audio waveform 122 timeline showing markers for user-selected content and barcodes that refer to the marked portions of the audio content. More information about generating printable representations of multimedia information is provided in the Video Paper Applications, referenced above.
Referring now to
In the example of
An audio file can enter the APPS 108 through a data port 206. This port can include any type of data port, such as an Ethernet connection, over which data can enter printer 102. Additionally, the DFS 104 is input into APPS 108 over connection 208, which couples the APPS 108 to the storage location (not shown) of the DFS 104. Both the feature extraction module 202 and the formatting module 204 can use the DFS 104 information. The DFS 104 defines the feature extraction techniques to be applied to the multimedia content by the feature extraction module 202, and the DFS 104 defines the document formatting information to be used by the formatting module 204
The DFS 104 includes various different types of information. The DFS 104 includes meta data about an audio file for which a representation is being generated. For example, the DFS 104 can include information such as the title of the audio recording, the artist, the publisher, and the like. The DFS 104 can include beginning and ending times relative to the recording. The DFS 104 can also include a specification for a graphical representation of the audio data that can be displayed along a timeline. For example, the graphical representation can be an audio waveform, as discussed in
Layout parameters can also be defined in the DFS 104, in which the parameters determine the appearance of the physical document 120 created. The layout parameters can include, for example, a specification for the portion of the timeline that will be displayed on each page of document 120. The generation of the layout can be determined by a default behavior specification, stored in the printer default settings (e.g., Printer Properties). This can include the autonomous productions of a paper document 120 or an interactive process using a user interface on a printer's console, a web page, etc.
The feature extraction module 202 produces the graphical representation, and the user-selectable identifiers 116 and time stamps specified in the DFS 104. Examples of a graphical representation include a curve that shows the amplitude of an audio file over time. Examples of other features that could be used to produce user-selectable identifiers 116 include the detection of solos in a musical performance, speech recognition, applause detection, detection of music, and the like.
The formatting module 204 is coupled to the feature extraction module by connection 210. Feature extraction data is sent over connection 210 to the formatting module 204 for use in formatting the document 120. The formatting module 204 converts the audio features and the DFS 104 into a document representation that can be rendered on paper or as an electronic file, such as a PDF document. The DFS 104 contains detailed information about the fonts to be used and other information that is typically provided by a document-formatting package (e.g., Microsoft Word). This layout information will be included in the "layout" field of the DFS 104, discussed below.
The system 200 of
When printer 102 receives a print request, the request and the associated multimedia data is transferred to a processor (not shown), in some embodiments. The processor interprets the input and activates the appropriate module. In some embodiments, the processor is coupled to and controls the feature extraction module 202 for transforming multimedia content. Additionally, the processor is coupled to the formatting module 204 for controlling formatting of document 120, in some embodiments. The APPS 108 generates the appropriate document-based representation and can interact with the user through a print driver dialog interface (not shown) to modify the parameters of the document 120 generation and to preview the results. The results and parameters of the multimedia transformation are represented in the DFS 104. The processor (not shown) can also manage generation of a document 120, by communicating with and sending print job information to a conventional printer (not shown), and the conventional printer (not shown) generates a paper output. As previously described, the document 120 can also include user-selectable identifiers, such as barcodes, and other links to multimedia data stored by the printer 102 or stored in a specified online database (not shown).
In operation, the system 200 provides methods for printing multimedia content, and in the specific examples given in the Figures, the system 200 provides methods for printing audio content. Referring now to
As a next step in the process, the APPS 108 determines if feature extraction is required. If not, the APPS 108 moves onto calling 312 the formatting module 204 to produce the document type specified in the DFS 104 output format listed in the "layout" field of the DFS 104. If so, the APPS 108 calls 308 the feature extraction module 202 to produce the markers requested in the DFS 104 using the audio file information and the information included in the DFS 104. The APPS 108 then adds 310 marker data to the DFS 104. Once this step is completed, the APPS 108 calls 312 the formatting module 204 to produce the document type specified in the DFS 104 output format listed in the "layout" field of the DFS 104.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Though the above-described flowcharts are discussed in reference to audio content, these methods can also apply to video or other media content. The figures that follow show examples of the results of applying different combinations of format specification, feature extraction, and parameters for the audio paper generation algorithm. As stated previously, the format specifications, feature extraction and parameters can also be used to generate a document displaying another type of media content.
The DFS 104 also includes information about user-selectable identifiers 116, or markers, to be included in the document 120, along with the layout specifics of the document 120. There is shown a "marker type" field 628 and a "marker frequency" field 630, which specify the type of marker to be included in the document 120 (e.g., a barcode), and the frequency at which the marker should appear in along the graphical representation (e.g., at 30 second intervals). Additionally, the layout fields give information about the layout of the document 120. In
The DFS 104 of
Also shown in
In addition, the document 120 displays user-selectable identifiers 116 (e.g., barcodes), which provide an interface by which the user can access the audio content at locations along the timeline. In some embodiments, the user can specify particular locations for each user-selectable identifier 116. In this example, the user has specified that the document 120 should include barcode markers at every 30 seconds along the timeline. These user-selectable identifiers 116 are displayed in a "stair-step" fashion, rather than in one long line, to allow for easier selection of each individual identifier 116. However, the arrangement of user-selectable identifiers 116 can vary greatly, and can be specified in the DFS 104. As described previously, the user can select any user-selectable identifier 116 in the printed document to play the associated audio content. For example, the user could scan a barcode, using a cell phone with a barcode scanner, at any location along the timeline to play the recording starting from that point on the cell phone screen or other display device.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
The audio feature extraction specification 602 again includes an audio amplitude extraction with graphical approximation. The audio feature extraction specification 602 also includes speech recognition, along with term matching to a given list of keywords. Thus, the user searched for locations within a radio program in which the speakers use particular terms, and these locations are marked along the timeline, possibly along with a transcript of a portion of or all of the speech. As an alternative, the user could apply speech recognition alone, recognizing any point in the audio content in which speech occurred. Since the speech. recognition output may be noisy, some representation for the confidence of the recognition can also be included, so the user can see which words or phrases are more likely to be correct. For example, the document 120 could include colors or variations in font size to represent recognition confidence. The highest confidence decisions could be shown in red, 12-point font, while the lowest confidence decisions could be in blue, 8-point font. User-selectable identifiers 116 can be included for each decision or for only the ones with the highest confidence.
Other examples of audio feature extractions that could be applied to audio content include speaker detection and speaker recognition. The speaker detection extraction can recognize a group of equivalent speakers in a recording and determine when the same person was speaking. This can be represented along a timeline by segments annotated with a limited palette of colors, showing a different color for each speaker, and the same color for the same speaker. This might be used for scanning through a long recording looking for only the comments of a specific person. Speaker recognition extraction identifies the actual people who spoke during an audio recording. The symbolic identity of the people can be computed and added next to segments of the timeline together with barcodes that when swiped would play the audio from the beginning of that segment. This would allow one to scan the printout and see who participated in a meeting. An alternative version could print a list of names and could place bar codes next to those names. A user could swipe those barcodes and listen to the parts of the recording when that person spoke. A further example would retrieve face images for those people and print them next to the names and barcodes. The audio data could also be embedded in a two-dimensional bar code, thus providing a completely stand-alone representation for the audio file.
Sound localization techniques could also be applied to audio content. In this example, a timeline representation can include directional indicators that point to places in a room where the recording was done. This allows users to quickly scan the timeline and determine when, for example, the person in the southeast corner of the room or the person across the table from them, was speaking. This can be applied, for example, with fixed installations that have multiple-microphone setups that can be calibrated to perform sound localization. It can also be used with appropriately equipped portable recorders, such as those used by professionals who record interviews.
Multimedia paper can also be used for generating representations of voice mail messages. A user can generate a summary of the available meta information about a collection of voice mail messages, such as the phone number of the calling party, the result of looking up that phone number in an internet search engine (which can often show the name of the caller, their address, and a map showing their location), as well as the date, time, and duration of messages. Each block of meta information could be printed next to a barcode that would retrieve the audio information from a remote network location or it could be represented in a two-dimensional barcode that could be played directly from the paper, thus obviating the need for any off-device access. The paper document provides value to users by providing extra information that can be retrieved and added to the paper document (e.g., internet search engine information). Also, the paper document itself would provide users with the ability to write notes about the voice mail messages on the document.
Multimedia paper can also be used in generating representations of public safety radio transmissions. A summary of the available meta information about the recording of one or more public safety (e.g., police, fire, etc.) radio transmissions, including the date, time, duration, car number, officer name (if available), can be printed on paper together with barcodes that reference an off-line representation for those recordings. Two-dimensional bar codes can also be used that directly encode audio data. This provides a stand-alone representation that can be used independently of a network connection. The meta information can be computed by signal processing algorithms applied to the recorded audio, or it could be computed from digital side channel information provided in the radio transmissions (e.g., Motorola digital radio information). Alternatively, it could be provided digitally at the radio dispatcher's console. This system could assist managers who need to selectively inspect the radio logs, or it could assist members of the public who want to observe public safety procedures.
Multimedia paper can also be used in generating representations of aviation radio transmissions. A summary of the available meta information about the recording of one or more aviation radio transmissions, including the date, time, duration, flight name, origin, destination, current position, of a flight when a particular transmission occurred, can be printed on paper together with barcodes that point to an online form of the audio recording. The meta information can be extracted directly from the mode S transponder returns, assuming suitable equipment is available. Additional meta information could be retrieved from various online services that track flight progress in real-time. Speech recognition applied to the audio recording could provide symbolic information that could be used to compute links to the online data. This would obviate the need for a direct link to the mode S data and would make this system usable by people without access to FAA equipment.
While the present invention has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications may be provided. Variations upon and modifications to the preferred embodiments are provided for by the present invention, which is limited only by the following claims.
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text: Jobs Companies & Reviews Companies Salaries Interviews Hiring? Post a Job Hardware Clerk Salaries 2 Salaries Sort: Popular Most Reports Salary Salaries in $ (USD) Average Min Max Hardware Clerk - Hourly Ace Hardware (1 Ace Hardware Salary) n/a $9 $9 n/a $9 $9 Hardware Store Sales Clerk - Hourly Carr Hardware (1 Carr Hardware Salary) n/a $11 $12 n/a $11 $12 Embed this report Anonymized Range [?] If we only have one or two salaries posted for at , showing that salary information may risk employee anonymity. So in that case we generate an anonymous salary range by adding and subtracting a small percentage from the posted salary. The small percentage difference offers additional anonymity while still minimizing the difference between the range and the employee's actual salary. Salaries > Hardware Clerk


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Estimates that some 1,000 people have been killed in Libya's uprising are credible, the Italian foreign minister said Wednesday.
Estimates that some 1,000 people have been killed in Libya's uprising are credible, the Italian foreign minister said Wednesday.
Minister Franco Frattini cautioned that information on the number of deaths was incomplete. But "we believe that the estimates of about 1,000 are credible," he said in a speech to a Catholic organization in Rome before a briefing in parliament on the unrest.
Italian news reports have said that witnesses and hospital sources in Libya estimate there are 1,000 dead in Tripoli alone. The New York-based Human Rights Watch has put the death toll at nearly 300, according to a partial count.
Later, while briefing Parliament, Frattini cited no death toll figures, but said "the tragic number will be a bloodbath."
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Italy has extensive energy, construction and other business interests in the north African country and decades of strong ties. Libya is Italy's biggest supplier of oil and the country was one of the few European countries to adopt a measured tone about the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Libya.
But, Frattini called Tuesday for the "horrible bloodshed" to cease immediately despite Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi's vow to fight on and cling to power.
He also expressed worry about the proclamation of a so-called "Islamic Emirate of Eastern Libya" by some tribes, telling lawmakers that Islamic radicals in the region were seeking to kidnap Westerners.
He said the eastern Cyrenaica province, based on information from the country's embassy, was no longer under government control, "while in the other areas there are, I would say, riots, people shooting."
In an interview Wednesday in Corriere della Sera, Frattini noted that Italy had closed its consulate in eastern Cyrenaica five years ago because of the dangers.


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text:
Author Note: For a gleeks friendship request.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Brittany rolls on top of Kurt, pinning him down bodily to the picnic blanket they're sharing, and Kurt has to resist the urge to press up on her shoulders, knock her aside, and let out an undignified shriek because he can totally feel her boobs and that's disturbing and terrifying and a million other types of wrong. Suddenly, her hand's over his mouth and he stops squirming, relegated to grimacing, shutting his eyes tightly, and spluttering in an attempt to get blonde hair out of his mouth because she's whispering in his ear.
"Just keep your mouth shut and pretend you're really into me," Brittany orders as she bows her head and lets her hair fall like a curtain around their faces, noses bumping as she leans in closer, closing her eyes. Neither of them actually wants their lips to touch, and Kurt feels himself blushing as she tilts her head and lets out little breathy pants as she tries to fake make-out with him. It's one of the most awkward things he's ever done, and that's taking into account he's tried to pretend he's straight in a boy's locker room. After a quickly hissed prompt from Brittany to help, he tentatively rests a hand on her waist, frowning deeply as he tilts his chin up, pressing the side of his face against hers as they pause and go still, listening intently to the people on the path that had shouted at them. Kurt briefly wonders if this is how Santana feels—
No. Just, no. He's not going to go there. They can still hear the two people on the dirt path saying something about faggots—maybe the vest and fedora combination wasn't such a good idea in the late afternoon in a fairly secluded park in Lima—and Kurt winces and tilts his head back to look at the two boys approaching them from the path, realizing he has more important things to think about right now. One of Brittany's hands is gripping his shoulder tightly as she rises up on her elbows and knees, blue eyes wide as they both watch them approach.
"Hey, faggot!" they hear again, more loudly, and Brittany looks down at him, biting her lip.
"What do we do?" she whispers worriedly.
"I don't know!" Kurt admits frantically, trying to sit up, but Brittany pushes him back down. If she's trying to make him seem straight and manly by making out with him, then this whole taking-charge-and-manhandling-him thing is definitely not helping. "I usually just take it and try to move on once they've thrown me in the dumpster, but I don't think that's going to be happening right now."
Brittany nods, at a complete loss because boys like seeing hot cheerleaders kissing. This is something she's never had to deal with before. The boys step onto the grass, leering, and keep walking toward them, and Brittany squints as she moves and kneels next to Kurt and Kurt sits up, brushing his shoulders off indignantly. One of them looks like Karofsky's younger cousin, holding a bottle in a brown paper bag, and the other is some freshman football player. As the guys are busy punching each other in the arm and congratulating themselves on their witty insult, she speaks up, addressing the one who's edged closest to them.
"I know you," Brittany says suddenly. He stops sneering at Kurt and turns on her.
"Uh-huh. Karofsky's cousin, right?"
"Yeah," he says, looking at her with narrowed eyes and handing the bag to his friend, stepping closer. Brittany nods wordlessly, opening her mouth to speak, but he interrupts her, pointing accusatorily at Kurt. "Aren't you a cheerleader or something? What are you doing hanging around with this faggot?"
"Kurt's my boyfriend," Brittany lies smoothly, reaching up to run a hand through her hair, and Kurt looks quickly from one boy the other. The one holding the bag snorts, and Karofsky's cousin swaggers closer, chest out.
"Yeah, right."
"Didn't you see us making out right before you started harassing us?"
Kurt sighs internally, because really, how hard is it to use mallard right when you can use harass correctly? He's only a few feet away, and Brittany blinks in surprise as she realizes that she has a plan. It's kind of a lame one and they might have to run for it, but there's a slim—okay, very slim—chance this will work, and she doesn't want to run because she just finished her ice cream cone and really, she's wearing a bikini top as a bra. She's not exactly in running condition.
"I've got mace," she warns, dipping her hand into her pocket. She pulls out a small tube of chapstick, cupping it in her hands and hoping they can't tell the difference. It stops one of them in their tracks, but Karofsky's cousin steps closer, an arm's-length away.
"You're faking it," he says, turning to the side to hawk and spit—ew—on the grass. "You and that fucking faggot."
Brittany looks back at Kurt at then the boys, and asks herself what would Coach Sylvester do. That only gets her a half-baked plan about hand-springing into a karate kick and then pummeling them once they're on the ground, which is basically impossible. Mr. Schuester would try some sort of diplomacy—sung, no doubt—but that isn't going to happen, and she's not big enough to try anything Puck would do, so she asks herself what would Santana do, and after thinking about it for a second, she chucks the tube of chap stick at the other guy before she launches herself at the nearest boy, who happens to be Karofsky's cousin.
He breaks her fall as she lands heavily on top of him, otherwise Brittany's pretty sure she'd have the breath knocked out of her, just like him. She turns her head away and closes her eyes as she makes a fist and starts hitting downwards randomly, but she's saved from having to do any real damage by Kurt, who's up and kicking the guy in the side with his polished Italian loafers although he looks equally as squeamish about it before there's a palm in her face, crashing into her nose and shoving her back.
She lands on her side on the grass, dazed, but sees the guy scramble up and toward his friend, the two of them retreating quickly toward the path and shouting threateningly about crazy bitches and faggots, but it doesn't matter what they say because they're leaving. The two of them probably could have taken her and Kurt, but apparently it's not worth the effort or the bruised ego.
Brittany shakes her head as Kurt grabs her hand and hauls her upright, but it only makes her nose throbs, and she stops abruptly. Kurt bends down to pick up his hat off the grass and drop it back on his head as he reaches into the discarded picnic basket, coming up with a bag with a few watery ice cubes in it that they had used to keep their cans of Diet Coke in. He hands it to her, and Brittany presses it gingerly to her nose and he crouches beside her.
"Britt, that was amazing!" Kurt says excitedly. Wincing, Brittany decides not to touch her nose anymore and stands up, frowning at a grass stain that mars her shirt sleeve.
"Uh, sure," she says, grabbing his hand and fishing in her pocket for her keys. "So, I know you got a taste of violence and all and you'll probably show up at Puck's fight club sooner or later, but I really just want to go home."
Kurt's mouth snaps shut and he nods almost sheepishly as she starts to gather their things.
"Want to stop by my place and get cleaned up? I can make victory coffee," he offers, and she looks back over her shoulder to smile at him as she slings the grassy blanket over her shoulder and hands him the picnic basket.
"Yes, please."
Mr. Hummel is a kind man, even if he doesn't quite know how to show it sometimes. He takes one look at them sneaking silently in through the back door after dark, grass-stained and with Brittany's nose still swollen, and shakes his head as he gets up and drops his Sport Fishing Magazine on the La-Z-Boy, heading for the kitchen. He comes back with a real ice pack, electric blue and prickly with frost, and hands it to Brittany as they stand in the living room.
"I hope you got the bastards," he says solemnly as Brittany takes the ice pack. Kurt nods quickly beside her.
"She did, Dad."
Mr. Hummel doesn't look at all surprised. He just shakes his head and addresses his son.
"We're going to have a talk," he says. Kurt cringes next to her, and Brittany suddenly finds something interesting to look at on the wall to her right, wondering just how awkward this could possibly get. But Mr. Hummel gratefully adds, "tomorrow," before pulling Kurt in for a bone crushing hug. Kurt's eyes go wide and he takes in a sharp breath before his dad lets him go, and then Mr. Hummel turns to her, holding out his hand.
Brittany hands him the ice pack back, even though she's sorry to see it go. Mr. Hummel looks at her blankly before Kurt reaches out and plucks the ice pack from her hand, leaving it empty for his dad to grasp.
"Thank you for standing up for my son," he says gravely, shaking her hand, and Brittany nods. Mr. Hummel lets go, points at his son, and says, "tomorrow," again before heading up the stairs to his room. A muttered request to keep it down is the last they hear from him before there's the far-off sound of the bedroom door shutting, and Brittany can finally sprawl out on her back on the couch. Kurt hands her back the ice pack and disappears into the kitchen, and Brittany can hear him dragging things out of cabinets, possibly to make that coffee he was talking about. She balances the ice pack on her nose before reaching down into her front pocket with both hands.
She holds her phone up above her face, arms out held, and frowns. A long and slightly caved-in crack mars the screen, presumably from when Karofsky's cousin knocked her back and she fell on her side. Santana probably called her too, considering she promised to come over as soon as she was done hanging out with Kurt, but without the phone, Brittany can't contact her. She never really memorized her number because she always had her phone.
Frowning, Brittany realizes she's not sure what her own home phone number is, if she really thinks about it, but there's not much time to contemplate it because Kurt's calling her name and as she sits up and pulls the ice pack off, she can smell coffee.
Kurt wasn't kidding about victory coffee. Brittany takes a seat at the kitchen table but doesn't touch anything because it looks like Kurt's about ready to host a tea party. There's two cups of coffee steaming on coasters, cute little napkins set out, and even some biscotti. Brittany promptly picks one up and drops it in her coffee, letting it soak. Kurt sits across from her and makes a disgusted face. He handles his cup gently, sipping, and they fall into a comfortable silence until Kurt finally speaks.
"Do you love her?" he asks quietly, setting down his cup, and Brittany can sense a Serious Conversation coming. Really, it gets out that she has regular sex with Santana, and suddenly she's the Lima gay guru.
Well, the guru with any experience.
"Yes," Brittany says simply, because Kurt probably wouldn't appreciate the sarcasm in no, we just have sex. This makes him smile, although it's a sad smile, so Brittany reluctantly sets aside her soggy piece of biscotti, staining the napkin. Kurt doesn't seem to mind, so that's a sure sign something's troubling him.
"That must be nice," he says wistfully, and Brittany shrugs, sensing something else behind it.
"Is this about tonight?" she asks, and while Kurt does a good job of hiding his startled expression, she still sees it, reaching across the table and patting his hand.
"Aw, Kurt. Don't let them get you down."
"They're not getting me down," Kurt says defensively, although he sniffs loudly. He doesn't move his hand, though. Just curls his fingers over hers and sniffs again, so Brittany shakes her head, picks up a piece of biscotti with her free hand, and holds it out, aimed at his mouth. Kurt glares at her, retracting his hand and crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"No. It's full of carbs and fat."
"And you put them out for me to eat?" Brittany asks, waving the piece of biscotti temptingly. "Thanks. Eat it, Kurt."
"I hate you," Kurt mumbles, eyeing it.
"You love me. Now, eat it. And if they ever bother you," Brittany adds, leaning forward to jab the biscotti at Kurt, "I'll kick their asses. Again."
Kurt rolls his eyes but opens his mouth, and around a mouthful of biscotti—Brittany takes the uneaten half and dips it in her coffee before eating it—he chuckles. "Yeah. Because that worked so well the first time."
"We're here, aren't we?" Brittany asks offhandedly, and Kurt has to admit with more than a hint of gratitude that it's true.
Brittany climbs the trellis outside Santana's window, avoiding the bougainvillea best she can, and slides open the window after she knocks on it, because Santana's mother has started cracking down on midnight visits and it's way past midnight. Santana's lying in bed, awake and texting, and Brittany guiltily realizes it's hours past the time she agreed to come over. Santana's up and yanking her forward by her shirt, a hand fisted in the fabric before she can speak.
"Christ," she whispers harshly, a hand reaching up toward Brittany's nose. Brittany catches it and twines their fingers together, more to stop her from touching it than anything else. "What happened, B?"
"I kind of got in a fight because these guys were calling Kurt names," she admits. Santana heaves a weary sigh and tugs her forward, walking backwards until they hit the bed and climb in, and Brittany sheds her grass-stained jeans before Santana rests her head against her shoulder.
"I can make it better," Santana says confidently, breath puffing against her skin, and Brittany stills the hand that's already sliding down her side.
"I'd like that," Brittany says, although she knows Santana won't like this next part. "But my nose still kind of hurts."
Santana huffs, and Brittany can feel her pulling away. Her hand slides from Santana's hand to her wrist, tugging Santana to her before she has a chance to roll over stubbornly, and she nuzzles at that one ticklish spot under Santana's jaw.
"Can you make me feel better tomorrow?"
There's a fraction of a pause before Santana answers where Brittany smiles against Santana's skin and she knows she's got her eating out of her hand.
"Of course. And then you can tell me how Hummel made me miss out on a whole night of sex. It better be a good reason, or I'm kicking his ass."
"Go to sleep, Santana," Brittany mumbles, pulling the blankets up over Santana's head.
"Love you, B," comes the muffled reply, and Brittany rolls her eyes before ducking under the covers, too.
"Love you, S."


text:
30-second Politics: Political Advertising in the Eighties
Praeger, 1989 - Language Arts & Disciplines - 237 pages
In this age of the media campaign where television is Americans' preferred source of candidate information, Montague Kern offers insightful scrutiny of political advertisements from 1972 to the present. This book closely examines a sample of ads and news coverage in the last stage of the 1984 presidential election, and in senatorial, gubernatorial, and house elections in four geographically diverse markets. Kern interviews campaign consultants as well as campaign managers and outlines the significant changes in political advertising over the past two decades. She finds, on the basis of an ad sample, that most competitive senatorial and gubernatorial races in 1986 as well as the presidential race of 1988 used negative advertising. In an era in which media consultants are increasingly assuming primary responsibility for press relations, the study demonstrates that ads can overwhelm news coverage and serve many purposes in addition to providing voters with campaign information. The informed general reader seeking a better understanding of the political advertisement phenomenon, journalists who cover political campaigns, as well as scholars in communications and political science, will find 30-Second Politics invaluable reading.
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30-second politics: political advertising in the eightiesUser Review - Not Available - Book Verdict
Evidently the old political saw, "he who slings dirt only loses ground,'' has become passe, says Kern in this monumental work examining how media affects the American electoral process. Kern (mass ... Read full review
References to this book
Media Research Techniques
Arthur Asa Berger
Limited preview - 1998
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