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Guess?, Inc. (GES)
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Guess?, Inc. (GES)
F4Q09 (Qtr End 01/31/09) Earnings Call Transcript
March 17, 2009 4:30 pm ET
Paul Marciano – Vice Chairman and CEO
Dennis Secor – SVP, CFO, Principal Financial and Accounting Officer
Carlos Alberini – President and COO
Jeff Klinefelter – Piper Jaffray
Eric Beder – Brean Murray
Todd Slater – Lazard Capital Markets
Christine Chen – Needham & Company
Janet Kloppenburg – JJK Research
Chi Lee – Morgan Stanley
Betty Chen – Wedbush Morgan
Holly Guthrie – Boenning & Scattergood
Previous Statements by GES
» Guess?, Inc. F2Q10 (Qtr End 08/01/09) Earnings Call Transcript
» Guess F3Q09 (Qtr End 11/1/08) Earnings Call Transcript
» Guess?, Inc. F2Q09 (Qtr End 08/02/08) Earnings Call Transcript
Now for opening remarks and introductions, I would like to turn the call over to Paul Marciano, Chief Executive Officer of the company. Please go ahead.
Paul Marciano
Thank you. Good afternoon and thank you for joining us today to discuss Guess' financial results for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009. Also joining me are Maurice Marciano, Carlos Alberini, and Dennis Secor.
I am pleased to report a very solid quarter today, where we once again set a new revenue record increasing our business by 9% in spite of a challenging consumer environment and strong currency headwind.
This period ended the year of dramatic change. We entered the year with 20 consecutive quarters of positive comp, and continued delivering significant revenue growth and earnings expansion. We reported record revenue and record earning on each of the first three quarters of the year. Later, in the fourth quarter we saw rapid economic deterioration.
At the very first sign of that market correction, we acted quickly and decisively to streamline operation, reducing inventory ownership, and limit our capital spending. Considering the speed and severity of the crisis and its impact on the competitive environment, our company performed very well during the fourth quarter.
Excluding a non-cash charge that Dennis would describe, we exceeded our previously expected earnings for the period growing our fourth-quarter earnings by 12% and expanding our diluted earnings per share to $0.67, a 14% increase over last year fourth quarter of $0.59.
With this performance, we close the year to set a new sales record at $2.1 billion and increase adjusted earning by 23% with EPS reaching $2.35. This result highlights the benefit of our diversified business model and the strength of our brand. It also reflects the experience and dedication of our management team during the challenging time. I want to thank every one of them for their continued commitment and for their hard work.
Our retail business was the most impacted. We closed the quarter with a total revenue increase of 7% and a same-store sales decrease of 6.5%. Throughout the holiday season, consumers were more selective and certainly more price sensitive. These affected our (inaudible) concept most, but was also hurting our factory stores.
G by Guess performed well in the quarter. These stores are performing better and we believe the concept can benefit as fashion conscious consumer are motivated by the stunning assortment and more attractive prices of the G by Guess brand.
For the full year, we opened 57 new stores and ended with 425 stores for North America. In Europe, we are once again very pleased with our results in Europe, which performed well even as we faced adverse currency comparison, in that some European economies step into recession like Spain and the UK.
Our business in Europe recorded a revenue increase of 31% in euros for the fourth quarter. We expanded our retail business in Europe, which generated positive comp in the quarter and its revenues increased in Europe by almost 50%. We ended the fiscal year with 61 stores.
Our strategy to expand into international markets continued to be our top priority. For fiscal 2009, Europe generated almost half of our total operating profit for the company up from 38% in fiscal 2008.
Our wholesale segment also grew during the fourth quarter driven by South Korea and China, where we continue to invest with new stores and gain market share. With respect to our licensing business, the current environment has affected our licensees as well. Nevertheless, it was an outstanding year, delivering a double-digit growth for the full year, and the increase was mostly made by watches, handbags and footwear again.
Conditions today are unprecedented, but we believe that a company like ours with strong global brands, solid capital structure, strong cash flow and most importantly a seasoned management team are in a best position to (inaudible). Our strategy is very clear and simple, we will preserve our capital and resources. We will protect the integrity of our brand and our customers' relationship, and continue to invest in key markets where we are under penetrated, specifically in Europe.
For capital, we already saw the capital spending. Last year we spent $83 million, far below the $102 million we had planned. We are currently spending only committed retail deals in North America and Europe. Beyond that we will look for opportunities, excellent location with very strong economics that will be acquired.
Regarding brand integrity, we continue to work hard to offer product consistency around the world. Our team of designers have been working together to develop a product that has one point of view. We have aligned our calendars globally, so deliveries are also consistent with all markets. With this collaboration, we will enjoy significant commonality for among assortment for certain product categories.
Read the rest of this transcript for free on seekingalpha.com


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not used yet.
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Very handy as you can put in your handbag to use on the go.
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Ratings Guide Read about our product rating system

subset: commoncrawl


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I've lived in Aurora my entire life. Through the years, I've come to know many local families and developed many long-term relationships. I have a solid understanding of the insurance needs for this community too. From auto and home protection to life and specialty insurance products, I can provide you with a wide variety of options.
I'm proud to work with a company who's been serving satisfied customers for over 80 years. Customers count on outstanding financial strength and superior claims service to help protect what they value most. Allstate delivers on their promise. In fact, their outstanding financial strength and superior claims service received an A+ (Superior) rating by A.M. Best. Quality service, strength and satisfaction – that's something I'm glad to be a part of.
As a small business owner, I understand the importance of building a solid foundation for the future and developing long-lasting customer relationships. That's why I'm committed to offering you the same level of service I'd expect from my own business dealings. When you leave my office, I hope you'll feel confident, informed, assured and satisfied in your choices. The way you should feel.
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Blender Cheese Fondue
|Gruyere cheese
|8 Ounce, diced
|Dry white wine
|2 Cup (32 tbs)
|Natural swiss cheese
|1 Pound, diced
|All purpose flour
|1 1⁄2 Tablespoon
|1⁄4 Teaspoon
|Freshly ground black pepper
|1⁄4 Teaspoon
|1 Clove (5 gm)
|French bread/Hard rolls
|2 , torn in bite-size pieces, each with one crust
Place Gruyere cheese in blender container; cover and blend at high speed 20 seconds.
Scrape down sides.
Blend 10 seconds more or till cheese is in tiny bits; remove from blender.
Warm the wine without covering or boiling.
Put 2 cups of the Swiss cheese in blender along with flour, nutmeg, pepper, and garlic.
Cover; blend at high speed 20 seconds.
Scrape down sides; blend 10 seconds more or till cheese is in tiny pieces.
Keeping blender at low speed, pour in warm wine and gradually add remaining 2 cups of Swiss cheese.
Blend smooth.
Pour wine-Swiss cheese mixture into saucepan.
Add the blended Gruyere cheese.
Cook and stir over low heat till smooth and thick, about !5 minutes.
Pour into chafing dish; keep warm.
Spear French bread cubes on forks and dip into the melted cheese.


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In thanksgiving of Maryland Saints, for this January 5th feast of Maryland's St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (and Monday's St. John Nuemann feast), I give praise to the past 12 months or so. I pick a few picks as memories…
Wall Art done for Advent Week IV a year ago. I am looking at it today in a new application.
Love Has Come in Jesus and Christmas. The world still has their Herods who opposed such Love. "The Magi went home by another way… and Joseph took Mary and The Child away to safety." (Last Sunday's Gospel)
Remembering the tour with CWA,/parishioners to Franciscan Monastery, replica of Nativity marker.
A morning of prayer at the Atlantic Ocean
The Dome of Assumption Basilica, from Summer trip remembering Defenders Day 200th Anniversary, Baltimore
Orioles Play-off Game
a href="http://www.stedwardbowie.org/papajohn/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/IMG_20140531_161906.jpg">
K of C and Parish Memorial Day Prayer Markers tat St. Edward's field to pray for Victims of Abortion in America– taken in the abortion war on USA infants
The neighbor's burned up house of 2 years ago finally got demolished and cleared, so there is a pleasant empty space next to the rectory house now. A thanksgiving.
Photo from the Chesapeake, looking up at the twin Bay Bridge at sundown.
Our music groups bringing song into the church and liturgies.
My recent school picture. (From our regional SPX school where I teach on Tuesdays. I enjoy visiting with the youth of our Religious ed. and Catholic School Classes. I try to teach them through a smile: It's the joy of the Lord that is worth everything in life!)


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HCC's official social media accounts must comply with college policies and procedures, including:
In addition, confidential and proprietary information about the college, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and donors may not be posted on social media. It is also prohibited to post content on official college social media accounts from the following categories:
These prohibitions apply only to social media accounts (e.g., Facebook page, Twitter account, YouTube channel, etc.) created by college employees for the express purpose of officially representing HCC groups, departments, organizations, etc. However, college employees acting in an individual capacity on privately held social media accounts must not share student information protected under FERPA and are cautioned to communicate clearly that they are not acting in a representative capacity or expressing the views of the college.
Social Media Usage
Process for Creating an Official Social Media Account
To preserve and promote the college's brand and reputation and ensure a consistent "voice" online, requests for a social media account to represent an HCC entity must be approved by PR&M prior to creation. If a request is approved, applicants must sign and submit a Content Owner Agreement form, acknowledging that, as a designated social media "content owner," they agree to the terms outlined in the agreement. Once the Content Owner Agreement form has been submitted, a PR&M staff member will create the social media account and assign the account administrators. The responsibility for monitoring and maintaining the social media account then falls to the content owner/administrators, with PR&M providing assistance as needed. To have an existing social media account designated as an official, college-approved account, employees must contact PR&M.
All official, college approved social media accounts will be listed on HCC's social media index pages, which are accessible via the social media icons on the front page of the college's website. Accounts will remain indexed this way as long as they maintain the minimum standards set forth in the Content Owner Agreement form. Conversely, accounts that do not follow the outlined standards will be removed from the index and subject to suspension or termination.
Policy Manual Review/Revision: 12/12/14


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'Mortdecai' could be the latest bomb for the actor, who is cutting his $20 million fee and plotting a return to 'Pirates of the Caribbean' and 'Alice in Wonderland' family fare.Read more
The startup says it will invest more than $1 billion over the next five years and aims to produce star vehicles in the $40 million range for the U.S. and China markets.Read more
What's hot in the world of fanboy entertainment,
from blockbuster films to the comic books that inspire them.
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TV show reviews, recaps, and analysis by Tim Goodman, Chief Television Critic
What music people are talking about
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Utah is sprawling with timeshare resorts. Whether for winter or summer activities staying in a timeshare is very cost effective way to make sure the whole family is comfortable with the accommodations.
Southern Utah News Site Search
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6/28/15 : Pro Watercross Watercraft Racing
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6/30/15 : Kanab''s Next Act - Roger Brooks
6/30/15 : Ordinary to Extraordinary
7/2/15 : Kanab Beautification/Tree Committee
7/2/15 : Kanab Writer''s Group
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Leesburg officals dispel water system rumors
Leesburg Town officials as of late Monday night were dispelling rumors of a threat of water contamination.
Rumors regarding the Leesburg water system are false and the treatment plant is functioning normally, according to a release sent to the media at 11 p.m.
There is no threat of contamination and the Town will not be shutting off service, officials said.
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Potential energy taken with NEX-5
Started May 31, 2012 | Discussions thread
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If u like u can download it from my gallery.
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Oasis Lancashire County Cricket Club... from 991.com£25.00 Category: CDs
Lancashire County Cricket Club
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The Duckworth Lewis Method It's Just... from 991.com£9.99 Category: CDs
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THE DUCKWORTH LEWIS METHOD Its Just Not Cricket (2013 UK 1-track promotional CD by Neil Hannon [The Divine Comedy] and Thomas Walsh [Pugwash]...
The Very Quiet Cricket: Board Book from Blackwell Books£7.99 Category: Books
A little cricket has lost his song, he rubs his wings together and nothing happens. He sets off to find his voice and meets all kinds of creatures...
The Visit of Mr W W Read's 1891-92... from Blackwell Books£15.00 Category: Books
The Visit of Mr W W Read's 1891-92 English Cricket Team to South Africa
Legends Of Cricket - South Africa from Zavvi£2.48 Category: DVDs
The South Africans have boasted a vast array of excellent cricketers throughout history however this fascinating programme aims to pick out the...
Ashes Cricket 2009 on Xbox 360 from Simply Games Ltd£12.85 Category: Video Games
Providing gamers with the most authentic Ashes experience possible without having to don their whites Ashes Cricket 2009 is fully licensed by the...
Freddie Flintoff's Power Play Cricket from Zavvi£8.98 Category: Video Games
Step into the legendary the boots of legendary Freddie Flintoff and take on the world in this fast-moving high-scoring arcade cricket game. Outwit...


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The highly credentialed Johnsen is an improbable target, and OLC was long viewed as an obscure post.
How Egan formed a friendship with North Korean officials such as Ambassador Han is a bizarre and improbable tale.
So the story was about those two characters reuniting and, in the most improbable circumstances, changing the world.


text:
Latest Kid's Health Shows
Do I Really Need Eight Hours of Sleep?Mar 5, 2015
Some people say they're fine with less sleep – some people are sure that they can't function on less than eight hours. Dr. Kyle Bradford Jones talks about what's best for people of different ages. From young children to elderly adults, he talks about how to maximize your rest time and provid ... Read More
The Most Important Meal of the Day Can Actually Help Kids Lose WeightMar 2, 2015
Did you know having breakfast will help kids maintain a healthy weight? If you notice that your kids and teens aren't even having something small in the morning, Dr. Cindy Gellner has advice for you. She talks about the numerous benefits of breakfast and how to get your kids to eat it. ... Read More
Utah Has the Lowest Vaccination Rate of This Cancer-Reducing VaccineFeb 19, 2015
If you knew a simple vaccine could protect your children from cancer, would you give it to them? The HPV vaccine does just that, but many Utahns miss opportunities to vaccinate their children. Why? Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones and Dr. Deanna Kepka discusses the many benefits of the HPV vaccine, as well a ... Read More
Does Your Child Have Pigeon Feet? When It's Normal – And When It's NotFeb 16, 2015
Many children have intoeing – also known as pigeon toes or duck feet – when they start growing. Pediatrician Dr. Cindy Gellner explains why it's so common and when you should expect your child to grow out of it. However, if your child reaches a certain age and still has turned-in feet, you may w ... Read More
My Child's Feet Always Hurt – What's Going On?Feb 9, 2015
Is your child constantly complaining that their feet hurt? Dr. Cindy Gellner goes over the signs and symptoms of flat feet in younger kids and teenagers. She talks about how to treat this condition and the one thing doctors used to recommend but don't anymore. ... Read More
Scalding: Prevent Your Child From a Kitchen BurnFeb 4, 2015
There's nothing more devastating than seeing your child suffer a painful, life-changing scalding burn injury. And for most parents, they think it will never happen to their child. That's what Taylor Vowles thought. Hear his story about the day his son got second-degree scald burns over 8% of his ... Read More
What to Do if Your Child Gets ScaldedFeb 4, 2015
Scalds are the most common burn injury for children under five, they are painful and can be life changing. Unfortunately, it's easier then you think for a child to suffer severe burns from hot drinks, bathwater, and microwave foods. Prevention is always the best first step, but if your child did g ... Read More


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2015 Ride for the 4-H Clover
Aug. 28, 29, 30, 2015
Regent Chair Mike Cheney and NMSU President Garrey Carruthers invite you to ride the beautiful roads of northern New Mexico to help support our state's Cooperative Extension Service and 4-H youth programs!
Celebrating the 2014 Ride for the 4-H Clover!
Thanks to each rider, 4-Her, and NMSU Extension faculty member who worked so hard to make the 2014 Ride for the 4-H Clover an overwhelming success.
For more information, please contact:
Phone: 505-983-4615
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Bloody Beetrots, Greta Svabo Bech's 'Chronicles of a Fallen Live' Set for Release, 10/23
|Related Links
|'ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2013' Digital Release Now Available on Ultra Music
March 20, 2013
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March 19, 2013
|Afrojack Releases Latest Track 'Air Guitar' Today
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|Tiësto and Quintino & Alvaro Release 'United' Today as Featured Anthem of the ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2013
March 05, 2013
|Related: Bloody Beetrots, Greta Svabo Bech, Ultra Music
King of punk rock dance music Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo, better known as THE BLOODY BEETROOTS, blazed this summer with his single "Rocksteady." Now, Rifo has joined forces with Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Greta Svabo Bech to deliver the stunning new song "Chronicles Of A Fallen Love." Due out Tuesday, October 23 on Ultra Music, "Chronicles Of A Fallen Love" exposes a whole new realm of musical breadth from Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo. If a piece of stunning new music from the BEETROOTS isn't exciting enough, your first listen of the song will not be in a standard way--instead, Sir Bob & Greta are asking the fans to play them the music.
With a release unparalleled to anything ever done before, THE BLOODY BEETROOTS will post the song's musical score for download TODAY, giving fans the opportunity to play Sir Bob Cornelius Bob Rifo and his peers the single before he reveals it.
Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo explains "I wanted to show a whole different dimension to my music, I wanted to visibly reflect on the music that has influenced me and bring something new to it. More importantly, I wanted the fans to be a part of the music in a brand new way. It's about letting the music take the stage and stepping away from all the mainstream nonsense that musicians get caught up with. It's about the music and fans."
Greta Svabo Bech, best known as the ethereal voice behind deadmau5' "Raise Your Weapon," offers a beautiful juxtaposition to this fresh Bloody Beetroots composition. The track's accompanying video–directed by Fran & Mathy – features the tale of a broken love story, interjected with performances from both Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo and Greta Svabo Bech. Look for it to premiere on YouTube later this month.
"Chronicles Of A Fallen Love" is the follow-up to THE BLOODY BEETROOTS singles "Church Of Noise" ft. Dennis Lyxzén and "Rocksteady." It will be featured on THE BLOODY BEETROOTS forthcoming album for 2013.
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- CONSTELLATIONS' Jake Gyllenhaal and Ruth Wilson Set for THEATER TALK This Weekend


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Female Rapper Dessa on the Dinner Party
Elysabeth Alfano | Posted 04.01.2014 | Chicago
Read More: Elysabeth Alfano, Song, Doomtree, Dessa, Writer, Rapper, Music, Dinner Party, Sing, Performance, Chicago, Chicago News
"Be excellent," stated DESSA, born Margaret Wander, unapologetically. For musicians or fans of her work, it was an interesting evening listening to her discuss what it takes to be a successful musician.
If the idea of seeing a boy-girl duo playing heartfelt and anxious love songs on Valentine's Day is your idea of a personal hell, Slow Club at DC9 is not for you.


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Carolyn Brown on Friday was named the city's new Corporate Leader of Transportation — to serve as CEO for Windsor Airport, as well as the Windsor Detroit Tunnel Corporation, and to oversee Transit Windsor.
Detroit-Windsor tunnel construction work limited to night hours
The Star's View: Transit consolidation saves money and increases efficiencies
Star editorial: Making a decision on riverfront development
Star editorial: Riverside Drive and the tunnel
Millions seized by U.S. officials who warn declare amounts over $10,000
From the Vault: Tunnel Plaza
Electronic tolls coming to Windsor side of tunnel
Updated: Cops seek bomber tips
Tunnel re-opens at 5 p.m. after bomb threat shut-down
The Windsor-Detroit tunnel is open again after a bomb threat shut the passage down for about four hours on Thursday afternoon. Windsor Police Sgt. Matt D'Asti said police conducted a thorough investigation and found nothing in the tunnel. D'Asti said […]


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Originally written on Fox Sports Wisconsin | Last updated 7/10/12
This is the second in a series of 13 previews leading up to the Green Bay Packers' July 26 start of camp.July 10: Quarterbacks July 11: Running backs July 12: Wide receivers July 13: Tight ends July 16: Offensive linemen July 17: Defensive linemen July 18: Linebackers July 19: Safeties July 20: Cornerbacks July 23: Specialists July 24: Coaches July 25: 5 things to accomplish in camp July 26: Fans' guide to campTODAY'S POSITION: RUNNING BACKSRating (1-to-10 scale): 4Projected starters: James Starks (3rd season), John Kuhn (7th season)Backups (asterisks indicate players expected to make the roster): Alex Green, FB Jon Hoese, Brandon Saine, Marc TylerThe breakdown: Apparently this is it for the running back group in Green Bay. Despite finishing 27th in the NFL in rushing last season with steady veteran Ryan Grant, the Packers believe they can now get by without Grant. By all indications, Grant has interest in returning to Green Bay for a sixth season, but the interest appears to not be...
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text:
Color My World
This episode includes:
Nullabor by Alister Lockhart and Patrick Sarell
Maximall by Axelle Cheriet, Hadrien Ledieu, Nawel Rahal, and Axel Tillement
Graffitiger by Libor Pixa
A brash young punk and a laid back old codger travel across Australia's Nullabor -- the longest stretch of straight road in the world -- perfect for passing that slow motorist beside you. But in this vast and barren landscape, sometimes all you're left with is each other. So, be careful what you wish for. Directed by Alister Lockhart and Patrick Sarell.
- Watch the film again, below.
- See the film's IMDb entry at imdb.com.
- Visit the film's Facebook page at facebook.com.
- To purchase this film, go to iTunes.
A young worker is the last to leave his work at the big box retailer. What he doesn't realize is every evening the shopping carts release their pent up anger after a day's worth of abuse from annoying customers. Unfortunately, he will face the brunt of their wrath. He learns the hard way that materialism will trap us all. Animated by Axelle Cheriet, Hadrien Ledieu, Nawel Rahal, and Axel Tillement.
- Watch the film again, below.
Czech Republic
A lonely graffiti tiger prowls the streets of the urban jungle looking for his lost mate. On his journey he learns the city is full of dirty streets with walls covered with dangerous graffiti. Libor Pixa's witty and creative film blends 2D drawn animation with live action. The film was nominated for a Student Academy Award.
- Visit the film's website at graffitiger.com.
- Visit the film's Facebook page at facebook.com.
- See the film's IMDb entry at imdb.com.
Watch Nullabor again:
Watch Maximall again:
This program is not currently scheduled for broadcast.
Also on KQED.org this week ...
KQED Summer Fun Adventures
This summer, KQED is partnering with tons of fun places in the Bay Area offering exciting adventures and special savings when you show your MemberCard.
KQED Arts Hot Summer Days & Nights Guide
Get our picks for the season's best concerts, books, movies, outdoor plays, visual arts and more.


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Privacy and Cookies
FedEx Express today took delivery of its first Boeing 767-300 freighter.
The aircraft is the first of 50 767-300 freighters the Memphis-based cargo operator will add to its fleet to replace its ageing fleet of Boeing MD-10 aircraft, a July regulatory filing shows. FedEx plans to receive four 767-300F aircraft in its 2014 fiscal year, which began on 1 June, followed by subsequent deliveries beyond fiscal 2018. It also has 35 additional options for the aircraft type, the carrier tells Flightglobal.
"Today's delivery of our first Boeing 767 freighter is another step forward in our fleet modernisation strategy," says James Parker, executive vice president of air operations, FedEx Express. "The 767 is approximately 30% more fuel efficient and has unit operating costs that are more than 20% lower than the aircraft they will replace. The net effect is an aircraft that is more affordable to operate and has lower carbon emissions because of better fuel efficiency."
Fleet modernisation is a key part of FedEx Express' goal to improve annual profits by $1.6 billion by the end of 2016 compared to the end of 2013. Along with ordering the 767-300F, the carrier has orders for additional 20 777Fs beyond the 23 already in its fleet, financial filings show.
The carrier is also planning to receive 27 Boeing 757 aircraft from United Airlines to be converted into freighters. In March, it formed a deal with the carrier to purchase 14 of the aircraft type and revealed in a July regulatory filing that it would take 13 of 16 options for the aircraft. These aircraft will be delivered through FedEx's 2015 fiscal year ending 31 May 2015.
In the past year, the carrier has also announced that it would accelerate retirements of several aircraft types and related engines, including the Airbus A310-200 and -300s as well as the Boeing MD-10.
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Page Showing 1-20 of 67 Results
Too big, however nice quality.
from Folsom,ca
on 5/19/2015
Not true to size. Too big. Ordering one size down recommended.
Report abuse
Your comment has been posted.
Looks Great and fits great Too
Richard N.
from Berwyn,ILL
on 1/29/2015
the fit is great and looks good on me too. I would buy more.
from Chicoutimi, Qc, Canada
on 1/8/2015
Bonne grandeur, parfait pour l'entraînement hebdomadaire. Tissus agréable et semble solide.
from grand haven, MI
on 12/3/2014
true to size, comfortable, in pool daily & fabric holds up well
Great swimsuit
from Roseville, CA
on 5/15/2014
The swimsuit fit really great, got lots of looks and compliments. In fact, it was such a great suit that someone in the gym took it while I was in the shower! Got to order another one now and keep my eye on it while I am at the gym!
from RALEIGH, NC
on 1/24/2014
This is a great suit! I wear a size 32 pants and wear a size 30 swim brief. This fits great and the flat draw string is a great feature.
Good Value
SoCal Tri
from SoCal, CA
on 11/24/2013
Been using this suit for lap swimming in a chlorinated pool for about a year now. Suit is holding up just fine. Fit is definitely snug but I must say it's true to size for the type of swimsuit it is. There is no front seam/pouch so don't expect much roominess. Also, depending on your use, you may find the leg holes a bit restricting. I REALLY like the rear seam, helps give a well-fitted look even when wet. Overall, can't beat it. About to order another Sporti suit based off this good experience.
My preferred model
from Indianapolis, IN
on 5/12/2015
It has the best price/quality ratio. It allows me to change them without thinking too much about the cost. I alternate two pairs with an average 5-6 h per week in the pool, and they hold for few months without any efforts to care.
Swim Briefs
Doc Holiday
from Los Angeles, CA
on 5/7/2015
Great fit!
Fits like a glove and dries very fast which is all good!
from montreal, canada
on 2/27/2015
If I could get excited by a pair of cheap swimming Trunks I surely would as I am happy with my purchase so far as they haven`t fallen apart to embarrass me at the pool as yet!
Fantastic and in my college colors
Carolina John
from Raleigh, NC
on 1/25/2015
These briefs fit perfect! Love this style, and it's in my college colors. Favorite suit for this year.
Sporti Polyester Piped Splice Swim Brief
from Sacramento, Ca
on 1/24/2015
Sizing ran small, (on this suit) compared to other Sporti suits. Colors seem to fade after less than a dozen wearings, with all the Sporti suits I have bought. I probably will not buy Sporti products again.
great quality ,cheap price
from Winnipeg Canada
on 1/12/2015
Could not find a suit in my size or style any where in Winnipeg CanadaSwimOutlet had it in stock. Bought 3 suits all arrivedbefore expected date and they all met my expectations.Won't likely purchase any thing else from them due to my advanced age..... 70 plus.....
Excellent suit
from Athens, GA
on 12/19/2014
Fine suit, but a little small. A 32 usually fits me, but I should have ordered a 34 in this one.
Great Suit!!!
Nugget Lord
from San Francisco, CA
on 12/1/2014
A great product... as long as it lasts. I found that after about 6 months of consistent use, the suit loosened and would start to slip slightly after pushing off from the walls or diving in. However, this may have been partly on my fault because I did not rinse my suit daily. Overall very good deal for pricing.
perfect, too bad you don't sell this tank anymore?!?!?!
from omaha, ne
on 10/30/2014
Ed Will-O-B
from San Antonio, TX
on 8/14/2014
At the price this is a great buy! I purchased this item because I have experienced the use from a purchase made last year. I would have purchased all four in this style if I could have had choices with different color combinations, perhaps similar to the colors that I did purchase.This item fits well, feels very good on my body and I like that part of the fabric is 5% spandex and 48% PBT which also allows for form-fitting. In addition, there is an adequate amount of fabric in the crouch area to satisfactorily cover my genitalia--no chance of 'falling out' and being exposed to public view.
Swim suit is what I hoped it would be.
Steve D.
from Jamaica Plain, MA
on 8/13/2014
The product fits as expected and seems well made.
from Alabama
on 7/14/2014
Grandson likes them.
Great fit. Dries quickly
from Palm Beach
on 6/21/2014
I'm hoping it stretches a bit,,,I got a large and extra large would have been a perfect fit. Nevertheless, it's a great swimsuit and priced right.


text:
National Lampoonâs Christmas Vacation [WS] [Special Edition] - Chevy Chase - DVD (UPC 0085391132417) - Buy Books, Music and Movi
1 Recommendation
mallardpollard's recommendation
From All Movie Guide: Clark Griswold and his family get to celebrate the holidays in digital splendor in this DVD release of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. The film has been transferred to disc in its original widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1, which has been enhanced for anamorphic playback on 16 x 9 monitors. The original English language soundtrack has been remixed in Dolby Digital 5.1, while an alternate track dubbed in French appears in Dolby Digital Mono. The movie also features optional subtitles in English, French, and Spanish. No bonus materials have been included.


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Plankton research expedition seeks funding
The Aquatilis research expedition is setting out to study zooplankton in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. Zooplankton forms the basis of the food chain and is hence crucial to the oceans' health. The expedition intends to provide updates from the field via the web and social media. They are currently seeking funding via Indiegogo.
Aditech releases the Mangrove VC-3L6 video light
Aditech has announced the release of the Mangrove VC-3L6 video light. It features a 6750 lumen output at a color temperature of 5000°K. Powered by interchangeable Li Ion batteries, the light will run for 55 minutes at full power.
Tigress Shark: Shawn Heinrichs and Hannah Fraser's latest collaboration
Shawn Heinrichs and Hannah Fraser have teamed up again for their latest underwater environmental performance and protest piece, Tigress Shark. The video and images are a protest against the Australian shark cull and the global slaughter of sharks.
Creative Cow profiles filmmaker Jonathan Bird
Video website Creative cow has featured an interview with underwater filmmaker Jonathan Bird about his Blue World series.
Image: Under ice panoramic
Viktor Lyagushkin and the team from Phototeam.pro have created a remarkable 360° panoramic image taken under the ice in the the Arctic White Sea. The full image (warning: Large file) has been posted on airpano.com.
Gates releases details of new lights
John Ellerbrock of Gates Underwater Products has written with some details of the company's forthcoming GT series lights. The company has sourced LED arrays with outputs of around 13,000 lumens, but also with a color rendering index of 90.
DiveFilm HD launches 3D podcast
DiveFilm has launched a new stereoscopic 3D podcast on iTunes. In addition to the 130 underwater HD podcasts currently showcased on DiveFilm HD Video, the new DiveFilm 3D Video podcast will feature short 3D videos in side by side 3D format that can be viewed on any 3D display that handles side by side stereo video.
Canon launches irista
Canon has launched a cloud based image management platform called irista. It supports a wide range of image types, including RAW and has no file size limitations. A 10GB account is free and available anywhere while paid larger volume storage accounts are seemingly only available within parts of Europe
Recent News
- Brunei institutes Asia's first nationwide shark fin ban (via )
- Chagos marine park in Indian Ocean ruled lawful (via BBC)
- Bioluminescent sand Avatar in real life (via )
- Apple announces new Mac Pros (via )
- Issue 11 of Anima Mundi is now available to download (via )
- Coral reefs devastated by climate change (via )
- Scientific American: The effects of climate change on coral reefs (via )
- Apple updates Aperture to version 3.4.5 (via )
- Great Barrier Reef Youtube live event now! (via )
- MBARI publishes study of seafloor trash (via )


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apartment402 – 1499 sqftThe Brooklyner known as the tallest building in the borough, is located at 111 Lawrence Street... More
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Spencer Street Apartments Apartments
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apartment431 – 1353 sqftWelcome to AVA DoBro! Temporary Leasing Office & Model Unit Located at 343 Gold Street. AVA DoBro... More
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rentalWonderful 3BR Apartment! Truly a keeper. Come and see it for yourself! Smile it's Summer! More
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rental4 Blocks to the JMZ trains at Myrtle Broadway stop this Gorgeous Newly renovated Duplex home... More
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You know what you want.
Unfortunately nothing matches this search criteria. Try removing a filter or two
Or check out these popular homes
Summary for Brooklyn
Average price per square foot for Brooklyn NY was $3,366,593, an increase of 999.9% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Brooklyn NY for Mar 15 to Jun 15 was $692,000 based on 641 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price increased 15.5%, or $93,000, and...


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Results 9,376 to 9,380 of 15048
Thread: Think/Say
October 7th, 2013 05:19 AM #9376
Say: Hi Whiskeigh! What a creative name!
Think: I.. What.. The baby girl's adorable anyway.
This is my son, Heathcliff Roux.
Last edited by nightingale; October 7th, 2013 at 05:25 AM.Panini | 22 | Currently expecting (October 2015)
Happily married to the man who makes me fall in love over and over again. ♥
Rose Bravery | Hartley Peridot | Reverie Polline | Mavis Buttercup | Rhiannon Gray
Lynx Heartlock | August Marvel | Rustle Theodore | Everett Paulson | Ender Griffin
Proud mommy of 8 (kitties): Dorothy, Lyndon, Charlie, Betty, Waffle, Josephine, Portia & Ramona
October 7th, 2013 07:10 AM #9378Senior Member
Writer, Reader, Teacher
- Join Date
- Jan 2013
- Posts
- 985
Girls: Isla (Charlotte?), Willow EstelleBoys: Harper Samuel, Jasper Nathaniel
October 7th, 2013 11:40 AM #9380Senior Member
Teen writer, pianist, sci-fi geek, cat-owner and name enthusiast.
- Join Date
- May 2013
- Posts
- 572
Calvin Augustus ~ Matilda JosephineRoland | Walter | Alonzo | Orson | Beatrice | Elspeth | Agatha | SunnyFitzgerald | Winston | Montgomery | Hugo | Clemency | Zelda | Astrid | Ophelia
October 7th, 2013 01:47 PM #9382Girls: Neva, Hope, Katherine, Harlow, Vivienne, Florence, Grace, Nalha, Primrose, Arabella, Isla.
Boys: Nicholas, Luke, Stephen, Leon, John, William, Henry, Victor, Fredrich, Rainer, Simon, Felix.
October 7th, 2013 04:57 PM #9384Senior Member
- Join Date
- Apr 2011
- Posts
- 1,309
Say: Isn't she pretty.
Think: I love both middle names but Spencer belongs on a boy and Harlow while glamorous as a last name re: Jean Harlow, is awful as a first.
Let me introduce the neighbor's kids Venus Diandra and her brother Jasper Emory. They're waiting for my son Silas Deane. Your right about our daughters going to school together but mine Lucretia Octavia, she's named after her great grandmother, everybody calls her Lutie , is home today under the weather.
Last edited by joel613; October 7th, 2013 at 07:16 PM.


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Cold Maple Souffle
|3 Teaspoon
|Cold water
|1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs)
|Maple syrup
|1 Cup (16 tbs)
|To Taste, separated
|1 Pinch
|Whipping cream
|1 Pint, whipped
|Toasted slivered almonds
|1 Tablespoon
Soften gelatine in cold water.
Beat syrup and the egg yolks together in the top of a double boiler.
Set the pan over boiling water, and heat and stir about 5 minutes.
Remove from over the water, and stir in softened gelatine.
When gelatine has dissolved, chill the mixture in the freezer until as thick as jam or honey, stirring occasionally.
Beat egg whites and salt until moist peaks form.
Fold in the thickened maple mixture, then the stiffly whipped cream.
Surround the top of a 6-cup souffle dish with a double strip of waxed paper letting the paper extend about 1 inch above the edge of the dish.
Tie paper strip in place with string.
Scrape in the maple mixture, and swirl slightly.
Sprinkle with toasted almonds.
Cover top with plastic, and chill several hours or overnight.
To serve, carefully remove paper strip.
Makes 10-12 small servings.


text:
A set of speaker dependent models is trained upon a comparatively large number of training speakers, one model per speaker, and model parameters are extracted in a predefined order to construct a set of supervectors, one per speaker. Principle component analysis is then performed on the set of supervectors to generate a set of eigenvectors that define an eigenvoice space. If desired, the number of vectors may be reduced to achieve data compression. Thereafter, a new speaker provides adaptation data from which a supervector is constructed by constraining this supervector to be in the eigenvoice space based on a maximum likelihood estimation. The resulting coefficients in the eigenspace of this new speaker may then be used to construct a new set of model parameters from which an adapted model is constructed for that speaker. Environmental adaptation may be performed by including environmental variations in the training data.
1. A method for performing speaker adaptation comprising the steps of:
constructing an eigenspace to represent a plurality of training speakers by providing a set of models for said training speakers, expressing said set of models as supervectors of a first predetermined dimension, and performing principal component analysis upon said supervectors to generate a set of principal component vectors of a second predetermined dimension substantially lower than said first predetermined dimension that define said eigenspace;
generating an adapted model, using input speech from a new speaker to generate a maximum likelihood vector and to train said adapted model, while using said set of principal component vectors and said maximum likelihood vector to constrain said adapted model such that said adapted model lies within said eigenspace.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of generating a maximum likelihood vector comprises:
defining an auxiliary function representing the probability of generating an observed datum for a predefined set of models, in which said input speech supplies said observed datum; and
maximizing said auxiliary function to find said maximum likelihood vector.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said adapted model is constrained by multiplying said maximum likelihood vector with said principal component vectors.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein said maximizing step is performed by:
representing said maximum likelihood vector as a set of eigenvalue variables;
taking a first derivative of said auxiliary function with respect to said eigenvalue variables; and
solving for the corresponding values of said eigenvalue variables when said first derivative is equated to zero.
The present invention relates generally to speech recognition and more particularly to speaker adaptation whereby the parameters of a speech recognition model are revised to better recognize the speech of a new speaker.
Speech recognition systems may be speaker dependent or speaker independent. Speaker dependent systems are trained to understand what a single individual says, by being given a large number of examples of words uttered by that individual (these examples are called the "training data"). Speaker dependent systems tend to be very accurate for the individual they are trained on, and inaccurate for everybody else. Speaker independent systems are designed to be used by anybody who speaks the language of the application; typically, they are trained on data from many different people. The error rate for a speaker independent system, carrying out recognition on a speaker not in the training data, is roughly two to three times higher than the error rate for a comparable speaker dependent system carrying out recognition on the speaker it is trained on.
In an effort to improve performance, many speech recognition systems include facilities for performing speaker adaptation, whereby the speech recognition system is adjusted during use to reduce the error rate. There are basically three speaker adaptation approaches described in the current technical literature. These are:
(1) Speaker normalization (also called "transformation")—observations of the digitized signal generated by the new speaker feature vectors are transformed to resemble more closely observations from a reference speaker, for whom a speaker dependent system has been trained. In some instances the transformation is in the opposite direction: a reference pattern is transformed to resemble the data from the new speaker more closely.
(2) Speaker clustering—observations of the new speaker are used to select a cluster of training speakers; each cluster is associated with a complete set of Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) trained only on the speakers in this cluster. Once the cluster most suitable for the speaker has been chosen, recognition is carried out using only HMMs from this cluster.
(3) Model adaptation—certain HMM parameters are updated to reflect aspects of the adaptation data. The two most popular model adaptation techniques are maximum a posterior estimation (MAP) and maximum likelihood linear regression (MLLR).
While each of these adaptation techniques has proven to be beneficial, none is without some drawback. Generally speaking, the more effective adaptation techniques tend to require significant computational resources and also require a significant training effort on the part of the individual speaker.
The present invention brings an entirely new technique with which to carry out speaker and environment adaptation. The technique enables an initially speaker independent recognition system to quickly attain a performance level on new speakers and new acoustic environments that approach speaker dependent systems, without requiring large amounts of training data for each new speaker. We call our technique "eigenvoice adaptation." The technique employs an offline step in which a large collection of speaker dependent models is analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA), yielding a set of eigenvectors that we call "eigenvoice vectors" or "eigenvoices." This offline step is fairly computationally intensive, although it has to be performed only once. After that, each time the speech recognition system is used, it carries out a computationally inexpensive operation on adaptation data obtained from the new speaker, to obtain a vector in the space spanned by the eigenvoices. This new vector gives the adapted model for the new speaker.
More specifically, the present invention employs a maximum likelihood technique for placing the new vector into the space spanned by the eigenvoices. The maximum likelihood technique involves constructing an auxiliary function based on the observation data from the new speaker and also based on the knowledge of how the Hidden Markov Models are constructed. Using this auxiliary function, a maximum likelihood vector is obtained by taking derivatives and finding the local maxima. This maximum likelihood vector is thus inherently constrained within the space spanned by the eigenvoices and represents the optimal representation within that space for the new speaker given the available input speech data.
The maximum likelihood technique employed by the invention offers a number of important advantages. First, the adapted model constructed from the maximum likelihood vector always generates the optimal set of HMM models, given the quantity of observation data. Second, although the maximum likelihood technique involves some computation, the computational burden is quite inexpensive because the eigenvoice representation dramatically reduces the number of parameters needed to describe a person's speech. Whereas typical Hidden Markov Model representations involve thousands of floating point number parameters, the eigenvoice representation of the invention requires far fewer parameters; a typical embodiment might employ 25-100 parameters to represent a given speaker, although the system will work with even fewer parameters than these. Computational burden is also significantly reduced with the present invention because the eigenvectors are orthogonal, allowing the maximum likelihood computation to be performed by solving a set of linear equations that a computer can calculate quite readily.
Third, the observation data does not have to include examples of each and every sound unit prescribed by the Hidden Markov Models. Thus, the maximum likelihood technique will work even if data for some of the sound units are missing. In contrast, placing the new speaker's parameters in eigenspace using a projection operation requires the speaker to utter at least one example of each and every sound unit prescribed by the Hidden Markov Models. In practical terms, the maximum likelihood technique will allow construction of a robust adapted model based on a very short, and potentially incomplete, training session. The technique thus lends itself to speaker and environment adaptation applications where a large quantity of adaptation data may not be available. For example, the technique would work well in a speech-enabled interactive marketing system where the new speaker responds by telephone to system navigation prompts and the system adapts to the new speaker automatically as the speaker proceeds to navigate through the system to place an order.
For a more complete understanding of the invention, its objects and advantages, refer to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary Hidden Markov Model (HMM), useful in understanding the invention;
FIG. 2 is a dataflow diagram illustrating how to construct an eigenspace from a plurality of training speakers;
FIG. 3 is a dataflow diagram illustrating how an adapted model is constructed using the eigenvoices in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 4 is a simplified (two dimensional) illustration of eigenspace, comparing the projection operation with the maximum likelihood operation of the invention;
FIG. 5 is a data structure diagram illustrating how the observation data from a new speaker is transformed through eigenspace into an adapted model in accordance with the invention; and
FIG. 6 is a flowchart diagram illustrating the maximum likelihood eigenspace adaptation process of the invention.
To better understand the speaker adaptation technique of the invention, a basic understanding of the speech recognition system will be helpful. Most present day speech recognizers employ Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) to represent speech. The Hidden Markov Model is a modeling approach involving state diagrams. Any speech unit (such as a phrase, word, subword, phoneme or the like) can be modeled, with all knowledge sources included in that model. The HMM represents an unknown process that produces a sequence of observable outputs at discrete intervals, the outputs being members of some finite alphabet (corresponding to the predefined set of speech units). These models are called "hidden" because the state sequence that produced the observable output is not known.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, an HMM 10 is illustrated by a set of states (S1, S2 . . . S5), vectors that define transitions between certain pairs of states, illustrated as arrows in FIG. 1, and a collection of probability data. Specifically, the Hidden Markov Model includes a set of transition probabilities 12 associated with the transition vectors and a set of output probabilities 14 associated with the observed output at each state. The model is clocked from one state to another at regularly spaced, discrete intervals. At clock-time, the model may change from its current state to any state for which a transition vector exists. As illustrated, a transition can be from a given state back to itself.
The transition probabilities represent the likelihood that a transition from one state to another will occur when the model is clocked. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 1, each transition has associated with it a probability value (between 0 and 1). The sum of all probabilities leaving any state equals 1. For illustration purposes, a set of exemplary transition probability values has been given in transition probability Table 12. It will be understood that in a working embodiment these values would be generated by the training data, with the constraint that the sum of all probabilities leaving any state equals 1.
Every time a transition is taken, the model can be thought of as emitting or outputting one member of its alphabet. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, a phoneme-based speech unit has been assumed. Thus the symbols identified in output probability Table 14 correspond to some of the phonemes found in standard English. Which member of the alphabet gets emitted upon each transition depends on the output probability value or function learned during training. The outputs emitted thus represent a sequence of observations (based on the training data) and each member of the alphabet has a probability of being emitted.
In modeling speech, it is common practice to treat the output as a sequence of continuous vectors as opposed to a sequence of discrete alphabet symbols. This requires the output probabilities to be expressed as continuous probability functions, as opposed to single numeric values. Thus HMMs are often based on probability functions comprising one or more Gaussian distributions. When a plurality of Gaussian functions are used they are typically additively mixed together to define a complex probability distribution, as illustrated at 16.
Whether represented as a single Gaussian function or a mixture of Gaussian functions, the probability distributions can be described by a plurality of parameters. Like the transition probability values (Table 12) these output probability parameters may comprise floating point numbers. Parameters Table 18 identifies the parameters typically used to represent probability density functions (pdf) based on observed data from the training speakers. As illustrated by the equation in FIG. 1 at Gaussian function 16, the probability density function for an observation vector O to be modeled is the iterative sum of the mixture coefficient for each mixture component multiplied by the Gaussian density N, where the Gaussian density has a mean vector nj and covariance matrix U representing the cepstral or filter bank coefficient speech parameters.
The implementation details of a Hidden Markov Model recognizer may vary widely from one application to another. The HMM example shown in FIG. 1 is intended merely to illustrate how Hidden Markov Models are constructed, and is not intended as a limitation upon the scope of the present invention. In this regard, there are many variations on the Hidden Markov Modeling concept. As will be more fully understood from the description below, the eigenvoice adaptation technique of the invention can be readily adapted to work with each of the different Hidden Markov Model variations, as well as with other parameter-based speech modeling systems.
The process for constructing an eigenspace to represent a plurality of training speakers is illustrated in FIG. 2. The illustration assumes a number T of training speakers 20 provide a corpus of training data 22 upon which the eigenspace will be constructed. Preferably, a reasonably large number of speakers (on the order of 100 to 200) provide the training data. These training data are then used to train speaker dependent (SD) models as illustrated at 24. One model per speaker is constructed at step 24, with each model representing the sound space that is to be understood by the recognition system. In accordance with the description provided with FIG. 1, above, each model can be a set of HMMs, one HMM for each sound unit. This is illustrated in FIG. 2 at 26.
After all training data from T speakers have been used to train the respective speaker dependent models, a set of T supervectors is constructed at 28. Thus there will be one supervector 30 for each of the T speakers. The supervector for each speaker comprises an ordered list of parameters (typically floating point numbers) corresponding to at least a portion of the parameters 18 of the Hidden Markov Models for that speaker. Parameters corresponding to each sound unit are included in the supervector for a given speaker. The parameters may be organized in any convenient order. The order is not critical; however, once an order is adopted it must be followed for all T speakers.
The ordered Hidden Markov Model parameters are then concatenated to form the supervector. The choice of which HMM parameters to include in the supervector may depend on the available processing power. We have found that constructing supervectors from the Gaussian means gives good results. If greater processing power is available, the supervectors may also include other HMM parameters, such as the transition probabilities (Table 12, FIG. 1) or the Covariance matrix parameters (parameters 18, FIG. 1). Naturally, if the Hidden Markov Models generate discrete outputs (as opposed to probability densities) then these output values may be used to comprise the supervector.
After supervectors have been constructed for each of the training speakers, principal component analysis is performed at step 32. Principal component analysis upon T supervectors yields T eigenvectors, as at 34. Thus, if 120 training speakers have been used the system will generate 120 eigenvectors. These eigenvectors define what we call eigenvoice space or eigenspace.
The eigenvectors that make up the eigenvoice space are uncorrelated; they each represent a different dimension across which different speakers may be differentiated. Each supervector in the original training set can be represented as a linear combination of these eigenvectors. The eigenvectors are ordered by their importance in modeling the data: the first eigenvector is more important than the second, which is more important than the third, and so on. Our experiments with this technique thus far show that the first eigenvector appears to correspond to a male-female dimension.
Although a maximum of T eigenvectors is produced at step 32, in practice, it is possible to discard several of these eigenvectors, keeping only the first N eigenvectors. Thus at step 36 we optionally extract N of the T eigenvectors to comprise a reduced parameter eigenspace at 38. The higher order eigenvectors can be discarded because they typically contain less important information with which to discriminate among speakers. Reducing the eigenvoice space to fewer than the total number of training speakers provides an inherent data compression that can be helpful when constructing practical systems with limited memory and processor resources.
Once the eigenvoice space has been constructed, speaker adaptation or environment adaptation can be readily accomplished. While constructing the eigenspace is somewhat computationally intensive, and is typically conducted offline, adaptation is a comparatively simple computational operation that can be performed while the new speaker is using the system. Referring to FIG. 3, speech from new speaker 40 is used at step 42 to compute statistics from the parameters of the HMMs 44 hereinafter referred to as extracted statistics (one for each sound unit). The model built with the extracted statistics in either a supervised mode, where the training system knows the content of the training speech in advance, or in an unsupervised mode, where the speech recognition system uses a speaker independent model to determine the content of the adaptation speech.
The model built with the extracted statistics will usually be very inadequate for recognition, at least at first. The supervector is constructed at step 46 such that the supervector (supervector 48) is constrained to fall within the eigenvoice space 38 previously created from the training speakers. Supervector 48 is constructed with the imposed constraint that the HMM model used for recognition must be a linear combination of the eigenvoices comprising eigenvoice space 38.
The extracted statistics 44 serve to estimate the linear combination of coefficients that will comprise the adapted model for that new speaker. Thus in step 50 a new set of HMMs is constructed based on supervector 48 to generate the adapted model 52. If desired, an optional iterative process may be performed at 54 to construct a new supervector from the adapted model 52 and thereafter to construct another set of HMMs from which a further adapted model may be constructed.
FIG. 4 illustrates, in two dimensional space, the process by which the speech model of a new speaker is constrained within the eigenspace 38. As noted above, the eigenspace is a multi- dimensional space of order less or equal to the number of eigenvectors generated through principal component analysis. Only two dimensions are illustrated in FIG. 4, to simplify the illustration, but it will be understood that eigenspace 38 is typically of much higher order than two.
The new speaker is shown diagrammatically by data point 60. Data point 60 would correspond to the supervector 48 shown in FIG. 3. Note that the new speaker at 60 lies outside eigenspace 38. As discussed above, the adaptation procedure involves finding a point within eigenspace that represents a good adapted model for this new speaker. The adapted model is based on the input speech uttered by the new speaker, but also constrained to be within eigenspace 38.
One simple technique for placing the new speaker within eigenspace is to use a simple projection operation illustrated by line 62. A projection operation finds the point within eigenspace that is as close as possible to the point outside of eigenspace corresponding to the new speaker's input speech. Thus the simple projection would place the new speaker at point 64 within eigenspace 38. It bears noting that these points are actually supervectors from which a set of HMMs can be reconstituted.
The projection operation is a comparatively crude technique that does not guarantee that the point within eigenspace is optimal for the new speaker. Furthermore, the projection operation requires that the supervector for the new speaker contain a complete set of data to represent the entire set of HMMs for that speaker. This requirement gives rise to a significant practical limitation. When using projection to constrain a new speaker to the eigenspace, that speaker must supply enough input speech so that all speech units are represented in the data. For example, if the Hidden Markov Models are designed to represent all phonemes in the English language, then the training speaker must supply examples of all phonemes before the simple projection technique can be used. In many applications this constraint is simply not practical.
The maximum likelihood technique of the invention addresses both of the above-mentioned drawbacks of simple projection. The maximum likelihood technique of the invention finds a point 66 within eigenspace 38 that represents the supervector corresponding to a set of Hidden Markov Models that have the maximum probability of generating the speech supplied by the new speaker. For illustration purposes, the maximum likelihood process is illustrated by line 68 in FIG. 4.
Whereas the simple projection operation treats all members of the supervector as having equal importance, the maximum likelihood technique is based on probabilities arising from the actual adaptation data and thus tends to weight the more probable data more heavily. Unlike the simple projection technique, the maximum likelihood technique will work even if the new speaker has not supplied a full set of training data (i.e., data for some of the sound units are missing). In effect, the maximum likelihood technique takes into account the context under which the supervectors are constructed, namely from Hidden Markov Models involving probabilities that certain models are more likely than others to generate the input speech supplied by the new speaker.
In practical effect, the maximum likelihood technique will select the supervector within eigenspace that is the most consistent with the new speaker's input speech, regardless of how much input speech is actually available. To illustrate, assume that the new speaker is a young female native of Alabama. Upon receipt of a few uttered syllables from this speaker, the maximum likelihood technique will select a point within eigenspace that represents all phonemes (even those not yet represented in the input speech) consistent with this speaker's native Alabama female accent.
FIG. 5 shows how the maximum likelihood technique works. The input speech from the new speaker is used to extracted statistics for each parameter in the supervector 70. As explained above, the supervector comprises a concatenated list of speech parameters, corresponding to cepstral coefficients or the like. In the illustrated embodiment these parameters are floating point numbers representing the Gaussian means extracted from the set of Hidden Markov Models corresponding to the new speaker. Other HMM parameters may also be used. In the illustration these HMM means are shown as dots, as at 72. When fully populated with data, supervector 70 would contain floating point numbers for each of the HMM means, corresponding to each of the sound units represented by the HMM models. For illustration purposes it is assumed here that the parameters for phoneme "ah" are present but parameters for phoneme "iy" are missing.
The eigenspace 38 is represented by a set of eigenvectors 74, 76 and 78. The supervector 70 corresponding to the observation data from the new speaker may be represented in eigenspace by multiplying each of the eigenvectors by a corresponding eigenvalue, designated W1, W2 . . . Wn. These eigenvalues are initially unknown. The maximum likelihood technique finds values for these unknown eigenvalues. As will be more fully explained, these values are selected by seeking the optimal solution that will best represent the new speaker within eigens pace.
After multiplying the eigenvalues with the corresponding eigenvectors of eigenspace 38 and summing the resultant products, an adapted model 80 is produced. Whereas the extracted statistics of the input speech (supervector 70) may have had some missing parameter values (the "iy" parameters, for example), the supervector 80 representing the adapted model is fully populated with values. That is one benefit of the invention. Moreover, the values in supervector 80 represent the optimal solution, namely that which has the maximum likelihood of representing the new speaker in eigenspace.
The individual eigenvalues W1, W2 . . . Wn may be viewed as comprising a maximum likelihood vector, herein referred to as maximum likelihood vector . FIG. 4 illustrates vector diagrammatically at 82. As the illustration shows, maximum likelihood vector 82 comprises the set of eigenvalues W1, W2 . . . Wn.
The procedure for performing adaptation using the maximum likelihood technique is shown in FIG. 6. Speech from a new speaker is used to extract a set of statistics, comprising the observation data, extracted statistics as depicted at 100. The set of HMMs 102 is then used in constructing a supervector as depicted at 104. As illustrated, the extracted statistics could be used to build a set of HMM models 102.
Using the supervector 106, an auxiliary function Q is constructed at 108. The presently preferred embodiment employs an auxiliary function that represents the probability of generating the observed data for the pre-defined set of HMM model s 102. Subsequent manipulation of the probability function Q is made easier if the function includes not only a auxiliary term P but also the logarithm of that term, log P.
The auxiliary function is then maximized at step 110 by taking the derivative of the auxiliary function individually with respect to each of the eigenvalues W1, W2 . . . Wn. For example, if the eigenspace is of dimension 100, this system calculates 100 derivatives of the auxiliary function Q setting each to zero and solving for the respective W. While this may seem like a large computation, it is far less computationally expensive than performing the thousands of computations typically required of conventional MAP or MLLR techniques.
The resulting set of Ws, so obtained, represent the eigenvalues needed to identify the point in eigenspace corresponding to the point of maximum likelihood. Thus the set of Ws comprises a maximum likelihood vector in eigenspace. In this regard, each of the eigenvectors (eigenvectors 74, 76 and 78 in FIG. 5) define a set of orthogonal vectors or coordinates against which the eigenvalues are multiplied to define a point constrained within eigenspace. This maximum likelihood vector, depicted at 112, is used to construct supervector 114 corresponding to the optimal point in eigenspace (point 66 in FIG. 4). Supervector 114 may then be used at step 116 to construct the adapted model 118 for the new speaker.
In the context of the maximum likelihood framework of the invention, we wish to maximize the likelihood of an observation O=o1 . . . oT with regard to the model λ. This may be done by iteratively maximizing the auxiliary function Q (below), where λ is the current model at the iteration and {circumflex over (λ)} is the estimated model . We have:
As a preliminary approximation, we might want to carry out a maximization with regards to the means only. In the context where the probability P is given by a set of HMMs, we obtain the following:
h(ot, s)=(ot−{circumflex over (μ)}m (s))TCm (s)−1(ot−{circumflex over (μ)}m (s))
and let:
ot be the feature vector at time t
Cm (s)−1 be the inverse covariance for mixture gaussian m of state s
{circumflex over (μ)}m (s) be the approximated adapted mean for state s, mixture component m
γm (s)(t) be the P(using mix gaussian m|λ,ot
Suppose the gaussian means for the HMMs of the new speaker are located in eigenspace. Let this space be spanned by the mean supervectors {overscore (μ)}j with j=1 . . .E,
where {overscore (μ)}m (s)(j) represents the mean vector for the mixture gaussian m in the state s of the eigenvector (eigenmodel) j.
Then we need:
The {overscore (μ)}j are orthogonal and the wj are the eigenvalues of our speaker model. We assume here that any new speaker can be modeled as a linear combination of our database of observed speakers. Then
with s in states of λ, m in mixture gaussians of M.
Since we need to maximize Q, we just need to set
(Note that because the eigenvectors are orthogonol,
Hence we have
Computing the above derivative, we have:
from which we find the set of linear equations
While the invention has been described thus far as a speaker adaptation technique, the techniques can be readily extended to environment adaptation. Many speech recognition systems are quite sensitive to environmental conditions, such as microphone placement, room acoustics, background noise, and audio signal channel quality, for example. The eigenvectors can be used to model different speaking environments, just as they are used to model different speakers.
In most instances it is desirable to accommodate the needs of both speaker adaptation and environment adaptation. To do this we simply need to insure that the training speakers are recorded in a wide variety of environments. To obtain good performance, the number of training speakers and number of eigenvoices retained may need to be larger than is necessary for eigenvoice adaptation in a quiet environment. Otherwise, the procedure is the same as described above.
To construct a speaker independent system that adapts to the environment, but not to the speaker, a slight modification to the above technique is used. First, train E speaker independent models, where E is the number of different environments in the training data.
Each of the E models is trained on many different speakers in the same environment. Ideally, the E different recording environments will be as diverse as possible. Then, the egenvoice procedure is carried out as described above. In this case, the eigenvoice vectors will represent the components of variation between environments. Thus the first eigenvector may or may not represent the male-female dimension as it did in the speaker adaptation example.
While the invention has been described in its presently preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that the invention can be adapted to a variety of different uses. Accordingly, the preceding examples are intended to teach the concepts of the invention without limitation upon the scope of the appended claims.
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Wow! It has been quite a lot of time since i last posted a new blog. I actually dont have anything new except in gaming because i still didnt find any decent job yet.
Luckily one of my friends lent me inFamous 2, i later bought a used copy of Alpha Protocol. Then another friend lent me L.A. Noire. I started playing Alpha Protocol racked up a few hours then started playing inFamous, now i completed it for the second time enjoying both endings. After trying L.A. Noire for a while i felt bored, because i think when a game is sometimes over realistic it wont be a video game anymore. Many of the aspects of gameplay are really realistic, aside from the motion capture which i felt to be scary(but great!).
One of my friends who sells his PS3 games for really cheap prices got his PS3 YLoD'ed(fat), then in summer he bought a new one and started his trading business again. I sent him a pm on Facebook to notify me once he has games available to buy. After about a month he sent me a list with a brand new Mass Effect 2 game included for about $35. Too bad at that time i didnt have enough extra cash to buy it. About a 10 days a go i got some money and ready to buy it from him set an appointment and bought it on Sunday, started playing on Monday because i had to keep the PS3 overnight due to the Cerberus Pack download size. Nothing more can be said about it everyone knows what the game has to offer, it is pure fun till now and the story looks promising. I like that Illusive Man he reminds me of Liquid Ocelot (aka Revolver Ocelot) from MGS. I mean what else could you ask for in a game once you have a highly advanced Space Ship at your disposal?
Well it is time to go everyone hope you enjoy this year's school/university/college.