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An Integrated Voice/Data System on a Single RF Channel for broadcast applications such as Mobile Data Terminal (MDT), Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL), and mobile facsimile (fax) in the frequency region range of 450 MHz to 800 MHz on 25 kHz radio frequency (RF) channels. The system utilizes a dynamic multiplexing technique referred to as Packetized Data/Voice Dedicated (PDVD) Burst Switching, and Lookahead (a digital signal process). PDVD allows transmission of data within silence gaps inherent in speech. Lookahead provides data sources with advanced knowledge of channel(s) where the silence gaps will occur The Integrated Voice/Data System may be retrofitted into existing 450 MHz-800 MHz public and private land mobile radio channels to provide users with full data services and triples voice capacity.
1. A system for integrating data and voice information on a common narrowband RF communications channel for land mobile radio frequency applications, said system comprising:
means for dividing said common narrowband RF channel into at least two voice paths, each path divided into a plurality of fixed-length slots each corresponding in size to a detectable inter-syllabic speech gap;
means for digitizing speech messages and organizing said messages into variable-length packets;
means for digitizing data messages from one or more data sources into fixed-length size packets, a packet corresponding in size to a fixed-length slot;
voice activity detector for detecting silence gaps in a digitized speech message, and communicating locations of slots in said voice path corresponding to said detected silent gaps to said data sources; and,
means for dynamically multiplexing said variable-length speech packets and fixed-length data packets in slots belonging to a voice path for transmission over said narrowband RF channel, said fixed-length data packets being embedded in said slots at locations corresponding to said detected silent gaps of said speech.
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10. A method for integrating data and voice information on a common narrowband RF communications channel utilized for mobile radio communications, said method comprising the steps of:
a) dividing said common narrowband RF channel into at least two voice paths, each path divided into a plurality of fixed-length slots each corresponding in size to a detectable inter-syllabic speech gap;
b) digitizing speech messages and organizing said messages into variable-length packets;
c) digitizing data messages from one or more data sources into fixed-length size packets, a packet corresponding in size to a fixed-length slot;
d) detecting silence gaps in a digitized speech message, and communicating locations of slots in said voice path corresponding to said detected silent gaps to said data sources; and,
e) dynamically multiplexing said variable-length speech packets and fixed-length data packets in slots belonging to a voice path for transmission over said narrowband RF channel, and embedding said fixed-length data packets in said slots at locations corresponding to said detected silent gaps of said speech.
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establishing an uplink communication channel for communicating each said at least two voice paths with a base station; and
communicating lookahead data in one or more slots associated with each said voice path of said uplink channel, said lookahead data comprising said detected locations of empty slots belonging to a conversation which may be filled with subsequent data packets.
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offsetting a location of said slots comprising said lookahead data relative to communicated speech packets of an associated conversation, said offset configuration enabling said base station to process said lookahead data.
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18. A mobile radio communication system established between a mobile and a base station operating at land mobile radio frequencies between 450 MHz and 800 MHz, said system comprising:
means for dividing a narrowband RF communication channel into at least two voice paths, with each path divided into a plurality of fixed-length slots each corresponding in size to a detectable inter-syllabic speech gap;
first switching means for multiplexing variable-sized packets of speech data onto slots of said one or more voice paths, said variable-sized packets corresponding to talkspurt size speech messages; and,
second switching means for multiplexing fixed-length data packets onto slots of said one or more voice paths, said slots corresponding to locations of silence gaps detected in said speech messages, whereby said first switching means receives a first variable-size packet of a talkspurt speech message belonging to a voice conversation, and ensures that transmission of said first speech message and all subsequent speech messages belonging to said conversation are communicated over a same voice path.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to RF communication systems, and particularly, to a system and method for integrating voice and data on common RF channels using the same equipment in a manner which can significantly increase its flexibility and spectral efficiency.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Currently, many land mobile radio system provide both voice/data communication by establishing two essentially independent subsystems within each vehicle: one for voice and one for data. By dedicating separate equipment and RF channels to each type of communication, the resulting system duplicates equipment, wastes RF spectrum, and proves inflexible (because they cannot easily accommodate new types of growing mobile communication such as mobile data terminal (MDT), mobile facsimile, or automatic vehicle location (AVL); nor can they efficiently respond to changes in the mix of voice and data traffic.
For example, Mobile Data Terminals are utilized in many dispatch-related applications to allow mobile users to access remote databases. Uses include logging and tracking packages for delivery services, as well as accessing license plate and driver's license information for public safety. AVL and mobile fax applications also produce data traffic. It would be highly desirable to integrate voice and data onto common RF channels, as costs pertaining to all interactive applications may be minimized by providing highly efficient transmission facilities, rather than having separate channels for voice and data.
Further, in the broadcast environment especially for dispatch-related applications, it is often desirable for a dispatcher to be able to broadcast a request to an entire group of users, and for any member of the group to be able to either participate in the conversation or to listen to all parties involved in the conversation. For this reason, separate channels are used for uplink (mobile-to-base station) and downlink (base-to-mobile) communications. The base station may thus transmit both halves duplex of a conversation over the downlink channel without interfering with the corresponding uplink channel or transmission. The radios in the mobile units cannot simultaneously transmit and receive, thus during conversation, the mobile user depresses a push-to-talk button to switch the mobile radio from receive to transmit mode whenever the mobile user wishes to speak.
Current systems for voice/data land mobile radio must be changed to take advantage of the new technology, such as facsimile (fax), Remote Database Login, AVL, and unlimited other applications.
Because congestion within the 450 MHz-800 MHz region limits present systems' capabilities to meet the demand for increased capacity that new services require. One solution to this problem is to allocate new frequency bands, but there is high competition for new frequency allocations, and, in any case, such allocations will be at higher frequencies. High frequencies will propagate weaker signals and require more expensive equipment to enhance performance.
It would then be highly desirable to provide a voice/data communication system that utilizes the current RF frequency region (450 MHz-800 MHz) by integrating voice/data using the same RF channels in a manner so as to increase the voice capacity, and additionally providing full capacity for data communications.
The present invention is directed to a system and method for integrating voice/data on a single RF channel. Central to the system is a dynamic multiplexing technique known as Packetized Data, Voice Dedicated (PDVD) Burst Switching with Lookahead, a signal processing technique used to provide forward information of the silence gaps (speech energy gaps) in the transmitted speech.
According to the principles of the invention, there is provided a system and method for integrating data and voice on a common RF communications channel utilized for mobile radio communications, the system comprising: a means for dividing the common RF channel into at least two voice paths, each path divided into a plurality of fixed-length slots; a means for digitizing speech messages and organizing the messages into variable-length packets; a means for digitizing data messages from one or more data sources into fixed-length size packets, a packet corresponding in size to a fixed-length slot; a voice activity detector for detecting silence gaps in a digitized speech message, and communicating locations of slots in the voice path corresponding to the detected silent gaps to the data sources; and, a means for dynamically multiplexing the variable-length speech packets and fixed-length data packets in slots belonging to a voice path for transmission over the RF channel, the fixed-length data packets being embedded in said slots at locations corresponding to the detected silent gaps of the speech.
Advantageously, the Integrated Voice/Data System may be retrofitted into existing 450 and 800 MHz public and private land mobile radio channels, and compared to conventional voice-only systems, provides a tripling in voice capacity and additionally provides full capacity for data communications. Additionally, the invention provides a low cost solution to the congestion problems currently being experienced by public and private land mobile radio system users.
Further features, aspects and advantages of the apparatus and methods of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating components of the system for integrating voice and data on common RF channels.
FIG. 2 is a diagram conceptually illustrating implementation of a Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) technique for embedding three voice paths onto a single RF channel.
FIG. 3 illustrates the concept of PDVD Burst Switching according to the invention.
FIG. 4 illustrates the framing structure of Downlink and Uplink control channels and their timing relative to each other and to a standard uplink information channel.
FIG. 5 illustrates the operation of the Lookahead feature of the invention.
FIG. 6 illustrates implementation of a M/M/1 queue through which data sources contend for available empty slots.
FIG. 7 is an OSI model depicting levels of communication for integrating voice and data on common RF channels system according to the invention.
According to the invention, one way of dynamically integrating voice and data onto common RF channels is to transmit the data during silent periods on the channel. These silent periods may be classified into three types:
1) Silence when a voice path has not been assigned to transmit a conversation, i.e., silence that occurs when the system has more voice paths available than the system's present demand requires;
2) Silence during exchanges within a conversation, i.e., during a conversation, silence that occurs during the time when one party finishes speaking and before the other party begins. Such silent period are called exchange gaps. Note that exchange gaps can also occur during group discussions; and,
3) Short silence gaps that occur during speech, i.e., when a party is speaking, the speech can be modeled as short bursts of vocal energy (talkspurts) separated by groups containing no vocal energy (silence gaps). Therefore, significant amounts of data can be transmitted even in short, inter-syllabic silence gaps.
The length of Talkspurt, i.e., a speech by one party, including his/her pauses, which is preceded and followed (with or without intervening pauses) by speech from the other party perceptible to the one producing the talkspurt, for mobile radio speech may be modeled as an exponential distribution with, for example, a 158 ms mean as set forth in equation 1) as follows:
where λ=6.322 and t is expressed in seconds.
The silence gap length is represented as a function fs(t) that may be modeled as the sum of two truncated exponential functions constructed from equation (1) as follows:
where G1=0.8745, G2=0.1469, α=27.62, γ=1.377, and t is expressed in seconds. By using equation (2) (exponential distribution of equation (1)), one can find out the behavior of a periodic function or frequency (Fourier Analysis). That is, any reasonably behaved periodic function, fs(t) with period (t) can be constructed by summing a (possibly infinite) number of sines and cosines as equation (2) where G1 and G2 are the sine and cosine amplitude of the nth harmonic terms. By using the above equations (1) and (2), therefore, the talkspurt gap in speech may be calculated.
To detect silence gaps, the speech waveform must be subdivided into fixed-size parcels, e.g., 20 ms to 50 ms long. This range corresponds to the time duration over which speech may be considered stationary. Each parcel is then, based on its energy and spectral content, determined to be part of a talkspurt or part of a silence gap. Additionally, since speech often begins with weak "pickup" consonants and ends with weak "trailing" consonants, speech quality can be improved by considering the following two items to be part of the talkspurt: the last parcel of detected silence before a talkspurt; and the first parcel of detected silence after a talkspurt. This practice, is referred to as "two-parcel hangover". Thus, the parcel size is a significant parameter in determining system performance.
FIG. 1 is a block-diagram illustrating the integrated voice/data mobile radio system 100 for a broadcast application. As shown in FIG. 1, the communication system at the comprises a mobile radio transceiver including at least the following components: a modulator/demodulator 103 device 103 for digitizing speech messages, e.g., to be broadcast from an automobile or truck 101; speech encoder/decoder device 106; and, a time division multiplexor circuit 112 for placing both data packets and voice packets onto a path of an RF channel. Other components include a delay circuit 108 for delaying digitized speech prior to multiplexing over the RF channel; and, a voice activity detector 125 for detecting silent gaps in speech messages and communicating locations of silent gaps to the data sources 111 and the multiplexer.
In the preferred embodiment, the modulator/demodulator device 103 employs a bandwidth-efficient, linear modulation technique such as the α/4-Shifted Differential Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (α/4-DQPSK) with raised cosine pulse shaping (e.g., 0.35 rolloff factor) that has been specified for the North American Digital Cellular System. In the mobile radio environment, this technique may achieve a 48.6 Kbit/sec transmission speed within a 30 kHz cellular channel. By selecting the same α/4-DQPSK modulation technique, the integrated voice/data on RF system may capitalize on the economies of scale involved in producing linear amplitude and phase response ratios for the North American Digital Cellular System, and thus ensure reasonably low cost equipment.
As known, spectral limitations are stricter for RF radio than for cellular applications. For both, the difference is in channel bandwidth (25 kHz vs. 30 kHz) and in the shape of the allowable spectrum (since adjacent channels may be used within the same area, the RF spectrum requirements have steeper peek). Therefore, within a 25 kHz land mobile radio channel, the maximum allowable If transmission speed for α/4-DQPSK with raised cosine pulse shaping and a 0.35 rolloff factor is 33 Kbit/sec.
As further shown in FIG. 1, the modulated speech generated by the modulator/demodulator device 103 is input to a speech encoder/decoder device 106. Preferably, the speech encoder/decoder employs a technique known as Low-Complexity Code Excited Linear Prediction (CELP) for speech encoding such as described in the reference to W. P. LeBlanc, B. Bhattacharya, S. A. Mahmoud, and V. Cuperman entitled "Efficient search and design procedures for robust multi-stage VQ of LPC parameters for 4 Kb/s speech coding," IEEE Trans. Speech and Audio Processing, October 1993, pp. 373-385 and the reference to W. P. LeBlanc, S. Hanna, and S. A. Mahmoud entitled "Performance of a low complexity CELP speech encoder under mobile channel fading conditions," in Proc. 39th IEEE Veh. Technol. Soc. Conf., May 1989, pp. 647-651. Although voice and data may be integrated using analog speech, significantly greater system flexibility and security may be attained by digitizing the speech. Thus, near-toll-quality speech using the form of robust, Low-Complexity CELP at an encoding rate of 4.8 Kbit/sec is provided. Encoding and decoding the Low-Complexity CELP may be implemented via a single digital signal processor (not shown) provided as part of the encoder/decode device 106. A one-half (�) rate error control code may additionally be employed to preserve the speech quality in a mobile radio environment which experiences multipath and Rayleigh fading as described in the reference to H. Shi, P. Ho, and V. Cuperman entitled "A Combined CELP/Reed-Solomon Codec for Mobile Radio Applications," in Proc. 42nd IEEE Veh. Technology Soc. Conf., May 1992, pp. 187-191.
FIG. 1 further illustrates the output 110 of the speech encoder/decoder 106 as being delayed in time, e.g., about 150 ms, which time duration is largely a design choice dictated, among other things, by the system's equipment configuration, e.g., duplex, half-duplex operation, the type of information being communicated, e.g., voice, data, and the sensitivity of the voice activity detector, as will be explained in further detail hereinafter. For example, to prevent inhibiting normal conversation, conventional full-duplex speech requires an end-to-end system delay of less than 300 ms. But a broadcast system for dispatch application's equipment configuration—the push-to-talk button and the inability of RF units to simultaneously transmit and receive—produces speech patterns more representative of half-duplex conversation, which may tolerate end-to-end system delays as long as 750 ms to 1 sec. To preserve the timing and natural rhythm of the speech, however, system delay must not fluctuate significantly during a conversation. Data transmission from Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) does not require strict control of delay time fluctuation and may tolerate system delays of 1 sec. or longer. Although the MDT data must be accurately received, unlike speech, the longer acceptable delay means that error control for data transmission can incorporate either Forward Error Correction (FEC) or Automatic Retransmission Request (ARQ).
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the encoded and delayed speech message 110 is input to a Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) unit 112 which implements a static technique for embedding up to three voice paths 20 a-20 c onto an RF channel 50 with overhead signals 20 d. As described above, a speech message requires a total encoding rate of 9.6 Kbit/sec for transmission across the RF channel (4.8 Kbit/sec for CELP and an additional 4.8 Kbit/sec for error correction). Since the α/4-DQPSK modulation technique can transmit 33 Kbit/sec across the 25 kHz RF channel, TDM is used to embed three 9.6 Kbit/sec voice paths onto the RF channel 50.
Preferably, the Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) unit 112 implements a Packetized Data, Voice Dedicated (PDVD) Burst Switching statistical multiplexing technique coupled with an uplink access control based on a concept called Lookahead for dynamically integrating voice and data onto common RF channels. Lookahead is a technique for providing data sources with advanced knowledge of channel(s) in which silence gaps will occur. For instance, on a telephone circuit, Lookahead may be determined by the voice activity detector 125 which detects the presence or absence of speech energy within the circuit.
Particularly, as shown in FIG. 1 and explained in further detail with respect to FIG. 3, PDVD Burst Switching is responsible for organizing the digitized speech messages into talkspurt-sized (variable length) packets, with communication from data sources 111 being organized into smaller, fixed-length packets. Preferably, the length of the fixed data packets is set to correspond to the parcel size of a voice activity detector 125 so that the packets are sufficiently small to fit within the silence gaps in the speech.
More particularly, as shown in FIG. 3, speech messages 15 includes a series of talkspurts for communication over a single RF uplink channel. In the prior art, talkspurt messages 15 a and data 17 including messages 17 a, are communicated along separate paths, occupying two separate RF channels. However, according to the invention, as shown in FIG. 3, speech messages 15 a are organized into talkspurt-sized bursts 25 and data messages 17 are organized into fixed length packets 26 for communication over a single path of a single RF channel 50. Preferably, the data messages are communicated sequentially, e.g., as indicated by a number and lettering scheme such as shown in FIG. 3, in time slots corresponding to detected silent gaps occurring in the original speech. Organizing speech into talkspurt-sized bursts 25 rather than into fixed-sized packets reduces the complexity associated with reconstituting the speech at the receiver. (It is understood that delay time is critical to speech). Reconstituting the multi-packet data message at a receiver, e.g., dispatch or base station 130 (FIG. 1), may be done simply by using the sequence numbering. The sequence number may be used in many different ways as would be apparent to skilled artisans. For instance: setting and resetting the counter after reaching certain bytes; on/off bit-0 for even packets and 1 for odd packets; or Sliding Windows may be used, since delay time variability are not critical for the data.
In order to simplify networking, reduce overhead, and further simplify speech reconstitution, PDVD Burst Switching incorporates a "voice dedication" feature wherein a conversation's first talkspurt establishes a path through the RF portion of the network by choosing one of the three voice paths on one of the system's uplink channels. Thereafter, all other talkspurts from the same conversation are required to use the same path (i.e., the path is like a virtual circuit). In order to ensure that a conversation's talkspurts can access the path, talkspurts from the conversations must be completed, i.e., talkspurts from other conversations are not allowed to use the same path until the original conversation is complete. However, data from any data source may be transmitted along the dedicated path during the conversation's silence gaps. Thus, PDVD Burst Switching is thus a combination of packet switching (for the data), burst switching (for the talkspurts), and circuit switching (for each conversation), since all talkspurts are routed along the same path. The voice dedication feature of PDVD Burst Switching also eliminates speech clipping, which may occur in a pure Time Assignment Speech Interpolation (TASI) system such as described in the reference to K. Bullington and J. M. Fraser entitled "Engineering Aspects of TASI,"Bell Sys. Tech. J., pp. 353-364, March 1959.
Referring back to FIG. 1, for PDVD Burst Switching to be viable, data sources 111 in the system must implement the Lookahead mechanism comprising a voice activity detector 125 for sensing the silence gaps within the transmitted speech. In this technique, the voice transmissions 110 are delayed by a fixed period (e.g., five (5) parcels) to allow the transmitter to "look ahead" in the speech and pre-announce to the data sources 111 where the silence gaps on each voice path will occur. Note that the delay (150 ms, assuming 30 ms parcels) is easily tolerated in half-duplex applications (i.e., when implementing α/4-DQPSK modulation as discussed above), Furthermore, it is understood that Lookahead may occur concurrently with other system delays, such as the delay that first and second parcels may require for speech activity detection and speech encoding.
FIG. 5 illustrates how the Lookahead feature of the invention operates and details the framing structure of an RF uplink channel 50 a. As shown in FIG. 5, three conversations 55 labeled ″, $, and ( , are divided into fixed-size parcels, e.g., 30 ms in length as shown in relation to a time axis, that are delayed for 150 ms (five (5) parcels), and then placed together onto the 33 Kbit/sec bit stream of the RF channel 50 a. The RF channel 50 a is divided into frames 70, e.g., each 150 ms in length, with each frame 70 being subdivided into slots 60 (labeled ″1 thru ″5, $1 thru $5, and (1 thru (5 in FIG. 5), with each slot 60 capable of carrying one parcel of speech (using 30 ms parcels). Thus, each slot 60 in the RF channel is about 288 bits (8.73 ms) long. As shown in the expanded-view of frame 70, there is provided a beginning partition that contains three additional, smaller-sized slots 80 (labeled ″info, $info, and (info in FIG. 4), which are used to transmit Lookahead data for the next five slots of the ″, $, and ( conversation (voice) paths, plus whatever other control data is necessary. Using 30 ms parcels, each of the other information slots is 78 bits (2.363 ms) long. In FIG. 5, further included within an uplink frame 70, are TDM guard times 90, each for example of 2 ms in duration, so that power-down of a transmitter that is completing its transmission does not interfere with power-up of another transmitter that may use the next voice path. Whenever MDT data is transmitted within a slot corresponding to a silence gap, additional guard time must be included within the slot, as shown in FIG. 5 (See the above-mentioned reference entitled "Engineering Aspects of TASI,").
In addition to the group of channel pairs (information channels) used to transmit the broadcast voice and the data, two more channels (one uplink control channel and one downlink control channel) are available for transmitting system-wide Lookahead information and to handle mobile voice users' requests for access to a voice path. The composition of a downlink control channel 50 b is illustrated in FIG. 4 which is shown comprising synchronization bits 65, system-wide Lookahead information 85 from uplink channel sources, and system control information, status and voice path assignments 75.
FIG. 4 further illustrates configurations of the downlink and uplink control channels 50 b and their timing relative to each other and to a standard uplink information channel 50 a. Particularly, the "Lookahead info" slot 85 in the downlink control channel 50 b contains Lookahead information for all ″, $, and ( slots in all the system's uplink information channels. To allow the processing time for the base station, the Lookahead Info slot is staggered relative to the ″, $, and (info slots of an uplink information channel. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the ″1 slot of each uplink information channel is nominally unavailable for data even if the slot is empty (the slot can, however, be used to transmit uplink data if the data terminal is in the same vehicle as the voice source).
All vehicles not engaged in conversations or listening to conversations within their groups will monitor the downlink control channel 50 b. Vehicles involved in conversations cannot monitor the downlink control channel, so they will receive control information during the empty slots corresponding to the other two voice paths on the same information channel. Vehicles wishing to simultaneously transmit voice and data place their data packets within the silent slots produced on their assigned voice path.
For best performance and bandwidth modulation efficiency on the common RF channels for multiple users, the random access techniques like ALOHA—a TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) transmission system developed for satellite and terrestrial radio links—and CSMA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access) represent simple solutions for the common RF channel as described in the reference to J. C. Arnbak and W. Blitterswijk entitled "Capacity of slotted ALOHA in Rayleigh-fading channels," IEEE J. Select. Areas Commun., pp. 261-269, Feb 1987. Although CSMA provides better performance then ALOHA, CSMA requires every terminal to be within range of the other. As an alternative, a Multiple Access technique called BCMA (Busy Channel Multiple Access) may be implemented which technique requires all users to be within range of a central station, but not necessarily within range of each other.
Data sources contend for uplink access by using a combination of BCMA (i.e., monitoring the downlink control channel's Lookahead data to determine locations of the silent slots on all voice paths of all system channels) followed by Slotted ALOHA (contending with other data sources for the empty slots). In case of data packet collisions, each source waits a uniformly distributed random time period ranging from 0.25 to 0.6 sec., then retransmits its data (the waiting time can be based upon the channel load and the queue length on the base station, depending upon which queue process being used).
A single RF channel is primarily used to transmit data and voice for many users located within the base station's 130 range. By following the approach presented in the references to L. Kleinrock, Queueing Systems, Volume I: Theory. New York: Wiley,. 1975 and L. Kleinrock, Queueing Systems, Volume II: Theory. New York: Wiley, 1975, a Markov-Chain (exponential) model and Poisson Distribution of the traffic presented to the channel is assumed. In regard to terminals-to-base station connectivity on the RF channel, it is represented as a Markov-Chain whose STATE variable is the number of packets stored in its buffer, which operate according to a First Input First Output (FIFO) technique. The buffer length is assumed to be infinite.
Because of the high number "M" of active, identical users in the network and their mutual independence, the stochastic process representing packet input into the transmission channel may be considered as a Poisson Process. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the system may be described as an M/M/1 queue 145, which includes an input 146, an output 147 and buffer storage slots 148. Thus, a queuing theory (e.g., M/M/1) may be used as one of the tools to analyze the network performance. The assumption of an exponential equation (1) for interarrival probability is completely reasonable for any system that has a large number of independent inputs. Under such condition, the probability of exactly "n" inputs arriving during an interval of length t time is given the Poisson equation:
where λ=μis the mean arrival rate. For situations in which increasingly long service times are less likely, m/m/1 may be an adequate approximation. Thus, the probability of service finishing in some small time interval is μΔt, then the service-time probability function is μe−μt with a mean service time of 1/μ, sec/customer or input. The M/M/1 queue may be implemented for the integrated RF system 100 when there is exponential inter-arrival times, exponential service times, and a single sever.
FIG. 7 is an open standards interface (OSI) model depicting equipment interfaces at the mobile station 150 and base station location 160 for communicating integrated voice/data on a single RF channel 50 according to the invention. As shown in FIG. 7, at the physical Layer 1 of the protocol stack, the sending and receiving of bits is performed, while at the datalink level Layer 2, the framing, error detection/correction and the sliding windows technique for receiving and reconstituting data messages is performed. At the network level Layer 3, the statistical multiplexing and access control techniques for providing the three-voice path TDM is performed. Then, at the transport Layer 4, there is implemented the control uplink and downlink control channels. The session level Layer 5 corresponds to the implementation of techniques for performing the lookahead, PDVD and the TDM guard time slot insertion. The presentation Layer 6 corresponds to the implementation of speech encoding/decoding and RF modulation techniques; and, layer 7 corresponds to the application or user level layer.
To illustrate the integrated voice/data mobile radio system's capacity and flexibility, examples of two different dispatch-related broadcast applications with significantly different traffic characteristics (i.e., public safety and delivery services) are analyzed.
The first example relates to delivery services application with conversation initiation modeled as a Poisson Process with an average of about 3.57 conversations per vehicle per hour, and conversation length is modeled as exponentially distributed with a mean of about 16.67 seconds (using per-vehicle channel utilization statistics). The average silence between exchanges within a conversation is about 1.35 seconds, and the average conversation contains about 3.67 exchanges.
MDT data traffic statistics obtained from a major international delivery service provider assumed in this example are as follows: For the uplink channel, the average message length is 240 characters with the average message frequency being 9.0 messages/MDT/hr. For the downlink channel, average message length is 320 characters with the average message frequency being 4.5 messages/MDT/hr. Message generation is modeled as Poisson Process and length is geometrically distributed. Using a data compression technique from, MDT data can be represented using 4.14 bits per character.
In MDT there is required one control channel pair, as discussed earlier. Vehicles are uniformly distributed within a normalized circular coverage area and the effects of relative received signal strength, fading, and FM capture are considered. Error control for the MDT data with overhead is equivalent to a rate of 2/3. Forward Error Correction code may additionally be considered.
The number of vehicles within the system determines the voice and data traffic load. PDVD Burst Switching as described herein, ensures that voice conversation has higher priority over MDT data. Voice conversation PDVD Burst Switching is essentially circuit switching, and the Erlang C equation may be used to calculate the probability of blocking for voice conversations and is independent of MDT data traffic.
Table I illustrates the system performance for various traffic loads utilizing a parcel size of 50 ms (parcel size will be justified appropriately for the real-world delivery application based on the need). The rows in Table I show system performance with loads corresponding to 1%, 2%, 5%, and 10% probability of voice blocking.
The terminology used in Table I is explained below:
Mean uplink delay represents the mean delay time between a mobile data terminal generating a data message and the base station receiving the message. This delay includes the effects of collision and retransmission.
Mean collision % for uplink messages represents the mean percentage of uplink messages unsuccessfully received on their first transmission due to a collision with another uplink transmission. Messages that collide are still successfully received due to FM capture (assuming a capture margin of 6 dB). Downlink data cannot collide with other downlink data, since all such data originates at the base station where it can be scheduled.
Mean downlink delay represents the mean delay time between the base station generating a message and the vehicle receiving the message.
Mean collision % for uplink acks represents the mean % of uplink acks which were unsuccessfully received on their first transmission due to a collision with either an uplink message or with another uplink ack. Again, a 6 dB FM capture margin is assumed.
Mean uplink and downlink delay are the two parameters which most directly influence system performance. Hence, mean downlink delay is considerably less than mean uplink delay because of the base-station scheduling for MDT. Therefore, this analysis shows that a conventional voice-only mobile radio system, which uses one 25 KHz channel pair for each voice path, may be upgraded to the Integrated Voice/Data System capable of handling the full voice load and the corresponding data load for delivery applications—yet will use only ⅓ as many radio channels as the original voice-only system. Consequently, an Integrated Voice/Data System may therefore provide full data services plus triple voice capacity.
The second example relates to a public service (police mobile radio system) with conversation initiation modeled as a Poisson Process with an average of about 3.78 conversation per vehicle per hour, and conversation length is exponentially distributed with a mean of about 15.7 seconds. MDT data traffic statistics obtained from a major metropolitan police department assumed in this example are as follows: For the uplink channel (vehicle-to-base), the average message length is 27 characters with the average message frequency being 18-29 messages/MDT/hr. For the downlink channel (base-to-vehicle), average message length is 67 characters with the average message frequency being 44.01 messages/MDT/hr. Message generation is modeled as Poisson Process and length is geometrically distributed. It is noted that public safety data traffic consists of messages that are shorter and more numerous than for delivery service applications, and the distribution between uplink and downlink messages also differs considerably.
The performance analysis for an Integrated Voice/Data System of the invention is based on the following design approach: Vehicles are uniformly distributed within a normalized circular coverage area and the relative effects of received signal strength, fading, and FM capture are considered. To minimize computational complexity on each vehicle and to maximize speech quality, the speech digitizing rate must be as high as the channel transmission speed. Thus, a lower speech encoding rate would provide greater system efficiency by allowing data to be transmitted even during talkspurts via TDM. A high speed digitizing rate is a worst case assumption. Overhead for the MDT data packets is assumed to be 100%. This conservative assumption includes both packet headers and error correction (either Forward Error Correction scheme or Automatic Retransmission Request).
Table II illustrates the system performance for the example public safety application with various traffic loads. A parcel size of 35 ms is used. Note that the parcel size can be optimize based on the real-world application need.
As with the example delivery service application, all delay values in Table II shows acceptable system performance. Again this result shows that Integrated Voice/Data System provides full data services plus tripling of voice capacity.
The performance analysis is based on the system having four information channel pairs (12 voice paths) and one control pair for Integrated Voice/Data Transmission. Each channel is a single frequency. The control channel pair does not transmit voice conversation or MDT data—its sole function is to handle requests from voice users to access one of the four single-frequency channels.
This independent control channel pair is consistent with newer public safety requirements for trunked voice-only systems and also provides shorter delay in acquiring a channel for voice communication. As mentioned above, data is transmitted only during the silence gaps in the speech (speech energy). Contention control is required to handle situations in which two different data sources desire to transmit data at the same time.
The performance analysis is based on using BCMA and Lookahead to determine when silence gaps occur, and then using Slotted ALOHA during the gaps for contention control of all uplink data. If multiple channels are available for data transmission, each data source randomly picks a channel. Thus, even if multiple channels are available, the possibility exists for uplink data from two different sources to collide. In case of collision, each source waits a random period ranging from 1 to 1.5 sec, then retransmits the data. Again, uplink and downlink may also collide, producing the same wait-and-retransmit response mentioned above. Downlink data cannot collide with other downlink data, since all such data originates at the base station and can be scheduled.
In sum, the above analyses (for both applications) may be subdivided into four components:
Framing Delay—represents the amount of time between the generation of the MDT data message and the beginning of the next slot in the radio channel's TDM subdivision.
Integration Delay—represents the amount of time the data message must wait (after framing) until all its packets have been placed in silence gaps in the speech. Integration delay is correlated with voice load.
Contention Delay—is caused by uplink data packets colliding. When a collision occurs, each affected data packet is retransmitted after a time delay, which varies randomly between 0.25 and 0.6 seconds.
Transmission Delay—is the amount of time required to transmit the data—assuming no framing delay, no integration delay, and no contention delay. Transmission delay depends on the transmission speed and overhead of the system.
Tables III and IV illustrate the breakdown of uplink data delay for the delivery service (example 1) and public safety (example 2) applications, respectively.
Tables III and IV illustrate show that for all loads, integration delay is more significant for the delivery service application than for public safety, because the longer data messages produce a large optimum parcel size (50 ms for delivery services and 35 ms for public safety). These parcel sizes totally depend on the type of application.
The characteristics of speech require that parcel size preferably be within the 20-50 ms range. Varying the parcel size within this range has multiple effects on system performance. Larger parcels increase the performance speed by reducing overhead. Since TDM guard times are a fixed 2 ms, the larger the slot size, the lower the percentage of the slot used for the guard times. Additionally, the longer the slot, the more likely that the data message may fit within a single slot, thus eliminating the additional overhead from reconstitution at the receiver. Larger slot sizes, however, may also slow performance. As illustrated by equation 2, a large percentage of the silence gaps are extremely short. The larger the parcel size, the more likely that the majority of the parcel consists of talkspurt fragments, thereby causing the entire parcel to be evaluated as a talkspurt.
Current trends indicates significant future growth in data traffic. For the Integrated Voice/Data Mobile Radio System, this growth may come from three different sources: 1) the addition of more vehicles to the system; 2) increasing MDT use within the vehicle; and 3) the addition of other sources and/or features to the vehicle, such as high resolution graphics or mobile facsimile.
Source 1 results in increases in both voice and data traffic to the system. The increase in voice traffic will increase the blocking probability for voice conversations, and this increase in voice blocking will either have to be tolerated or more channels will have to be added to the system. Items 2 and 3 represent an increase in data traffic relative to the voice traffic.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with respect to illustrative and preformed embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
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text:
A customizable plug.dj room bot.
#Sparkle Turntable Bot
A customizable Turntable.fm bot written in node.js utilizing ttapi.
This bot is still relatively early in development, and some features are developed for/catered to the Indie/Classic Alt room, and may not apply to all rooms. Please report any bugs you find.
IMPORTANT: Did your bot break on April 24th? Make sure you update ttapi (by running
npm update in your bot directory) and updating to 1.0b3 or higher of Sparkle Turntable Bot.
Check out the new Get Started guide over on the project's Wiki page for detailed installation instructions.
This bot is written in Node.JS and utilizes Alain Gilbert's Turntable API.
The bot can:
If you have a nontrivial question, feel free to contact me. I'm usually hanging out in the Indie/Classic Alt 1+Done room on Turntable.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Egyptian Priest Kneeling with Offering Table
The kneeling posture conveys honor and reverence. The offering table suggests appeasement because it takes the form of a hieroglyph for "offering" and "pacification." The priest with upraised arms and open palms makes a gesture of worship before a god. He wears a sash across his chest, a badge of priesthood.
This text refers to these objects: ' 37.362E; 35.1031
- Medium: Bronze
- Possible Place Collected: Memphis, Egypt
- Dates: ca. 1539 B.C.E. or later
- Dynasty: XVIII Dynasty or later
- Period: New Kingdom
- Dimensions: 2 1/2 x 13/16 x 1 7/16 in. (6.4 x 2.1 x 3.7 cm) (show scale)
- Collections:Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
- Museum Location: This item is on view in Egypt Reborn: Art for Eternity, Old Kingdom to 18th Dynasty, Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor
- Exhibitions:
- Accession Number: 37.362E
- Credit Line: Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
- Rights Statement: Creative Commons-BY
- Caption: Egyptian Priest Kneeling with Offering Table, ca. 1539 B.C.E. or later. Bronze, 2 1/2 x 13/16 x 1 7/16 in. (6.4 x 2.1 x 3.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.362E. Creative Commons-BY
- Image:
- Record Completeness: Best (88%)


text:
June 2015 MemberCard Benefit of the Month
By Susan M. Comfort • Mar 31, 2014
Use your WMRA-WEMC MemberCard in June for:
Heritage Theater, Charlottesville. 2-for-1 admission for tickets purchased during the month to a July Summer Series performance. Subject to availability. 109 Culbreth Rd. (434) 924-3376.
Virginia Museum of the Civil War, New Market. 2-for-1 admission during the month. Subject to availability. Visit vmi.edu/newmarket to plan your visit. 8895 George Collins Pkwy. (866) 515-1864.


text:
Welcome to the University of Toledo Department of Surgery
The Department of Surgery at The University of Toledo is composed of dynamic clinical and basic science faculty with diverse experience and clinical skills. We prides ourselves on excellence in each of our missions of patient care, research, and education.
The General Surgery Residency is an integral part of the department and part of The University of Toledo's goal of improving the human condition.
Our scientists utilize state-of-the-art laboratories to pioneer approaches which can be rapidly translated into clinical practice. The Department is dedicated to providing high quality surgical education through comprehensive clinical exposure, research at the forefront of medicine, and mentoring of physicians and scientists devoted to their craft.
Our clinical faculty offers comprehensive surgical care in:
Read more about our clinical services on our University Medical Center webpage


text:
The Grilr has a unique chisel-point right on the skrapr blade to help you chip away and remove the hardest deposits. The contoured radius carved into the blades side allow for easy cleaning of different sized grates and a tip to dig away at the hard to reach areas. The Grillr cleans grates either rounded or flat and the anti-bacterial handle is dishwasher safe, so throw it in after each use and it is clean and ready to go again.
The Grillr is effective for all grills and smokers and it comes with a lifetime warranty. That means that this is a tool that will always be with you.
Up-Sell Products
Uncle Kenny's Original BBQ Sauce
Regular Price: $7.99
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Regular Price: $7.99
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Regular Price: $9.50
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Meat Mitch Whomp! Competition BBQ Sauce
Regular Price: $9.99
Special Price: $8.49
Additional Information
|Grill Friends


text:
Narrow your search
Create, encrypt, and merge PDF files.
Technically Incorrect: Despite a government safety YouTube video that warns people about keeping their heads away from fireworks, a Maine man deliberately places a fireworks mortar tube on his head.
Moving beyond California, the company is now test driving an autonomous vehicle in Austin, where it will further try to learn how to safely navigate the roads.
Google's chatbot artificial intelligence has some interesting -- and not entirely illogical -- ideas about morality, philosophy and the meaning of life.
Be able to choose to download or open PDFs in standalone apps rather than the browser window with a quick and easy fix.
Need to add text to a PDF that doesn't support editing? No problem -- and no extra software required.
Commentary: Congress may pass antitrolling legislation this year. But that's only the first step toward fixing a broken patent system
Bulk data collection allowed to resume after a surveillance court judge rules that Congress meant to keep the NSA's program going until November.
Drones have been used to deliver abortion drugs to women in Poland in a protest against Poland's pregnancy termination laws.
Technically Incorrect: In a series of experiments, a Google human has various conversations with a machine. One involves morality. The machine gets pissy.
The digital payments firm says it didn't live up to its own standards when it updated its user agreement with a confusing and controversial policy on autodialed calls and texts.


text:
1 Park near Milton, Pennsylvania
New Columbia, Pennsylvania 1.31 miles NW
Winfield, Pennsylvania 6.7 miles S
Northumberland, Pennsylvania 8.77 miles SE
Sunbury, Pennsylvania 10.93 miles SE
Montgomery, Pennsylvania 11.03 miles N
Milton, Pennsylvania (map) | (570) 524-4561
Sites: 164 | Latest Rate: $36.00 | 25 Reviews
|Clean Restrooms:
|Clean Showers:
Oct 2014 - $36.00
This large, wooded campground is located at the base of a lovely stone cliff with a stream babbling along it. The campground is equipped with all kinds of activities for family play and has several miles of trails through the woods and along the creek. It is a beautiful setting. There are only a few seasonal campsites. Our electric/water campsite was level and gravel. Cable TV and Wifi worked well. The campsites are pretty close together, though at the time we were there not many people were camping. Campground staff work hard to keep everything nice and to make you feel welcome. The price reflects AAA discount, they also have Good Sam discount – you will need to bring your card inside with you when you register. - User3302
Jun 2014 - $21.00
Very friendly staff. We had a long pull thru with good cable and wifi. Nice setting. Would stay here again. PA rate. - arkietraveler
Sep 2013 - $21.00
Very nice park, we were here after Labor day so it was very quite. I would imagine it would be very busy during the summer months. We had the park to ourselves except for the workers. This is 8 miles off I-80, but it was well work it, nice and quite place. Our rate of $21.50 a night are with our Passport America discount and we had 30 amp. Weather was good and didn't really need 50. Would definitely stay here again in the fall. - Travelin Jenkins


text:
Hotels in 52757 - Low Moor IA
Only hotels in 52757 zip code are listed below. Search for cheap and discount hotel rates in Low Moor, IA for your upcoming leisure or conference / group travel. We list the best 52757 hotels and motels so you can review the Low Moor hotel list below to find the perfect lodging. Hotels in Clinton county and area code 563 are also listed.
52757 Hotels/Motels & Accommodations
Next: Show All Available 52757 Hotels with Pricing >


text:
LAFOLLETTE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- It's year number two for Justin Price at Campbell County.
Price and his Cougars ended last year with a 3-7 record, but things should be better this fall for the Campbell County faithful.
The Cougars now have experience. Nine starters return on offense, with six on defense.
Experience will be there. Price is working hard to make sure the confidence is as well.
"You take a program over like Campbell County and historically, you know, they've had some success, but for the most part, it's been some tough times," Price said.
"You come in and try to change the culture and obviously it doesn't happen overnight. Sometimes you want that instant gratification. I think in the second year you see that players start to understand the expectations a little bit more of what we want from them and the level of committment is getting better."
Campbell County has posted just one winning record since 1975, that was in 2004.
The Cougars open up the year at home August 17 against Seymour.


text: 1 Movies Back to article: Mass Effect, Skyrim, Metroid: 20 video games that should be movies 0 Previous Next Perfect DarkThere is a lack of good female-fronted espionage thrillers, but Rare's Nintendo 64 shooter could provide the source material to fix that. A non-blonde Emma Stone, having shot the undead in Zombieland and coming off the back of The Amazing Spider-Man, would be our pick to play the young secret agent Joanna Dark. 19 of 20 Previous Next


text:
Challenges abound in management, treatment of patients with hypertension, CAD
ED rapid response plan helps diagnose pediatric stroke symptoms
Lipid Forum II Highlights
PCI in ACS: Deciding Among Clopidogrel, Prasugrel, or Ticagrelor
The FDA has approved an investigational device exemption to initiate the randomized, controlled AMAZE trial to evaluate use of the Lariat device for left atrial appendage closure as an adjunctive treatment to pulmonary vein isolation in patients with atrial fibrillation, according to a press release from SentreHEART.
Researchers for the AMAZE trial will randomly assign patients with persistent or long-term persistent AF to receive the Lariat device plus pulmonary vein isolation ablation or pulmonary vein isolation ablation alone. The primary outcome will be incidence of recurrent AF, according to the release.
This activity is supported by an educational grant from Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. and Lilly USA, LLC
This activity is supported by an educational grant from Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. and Lilly USA, LLC.
CVD prevention, treatment challenging as patients with HIV and HCV live longer
A tribute to Elijah Saunders, MD
A look at coagulation assays for target-specific oral anticoagulants
This feature offers timely executive summaries of the most relevant journals in cardiology.
Snapshot summaries of recent study results in cardiology.
Your central portal for information presented at ACC 2015.
Your resource for news and videos from SCAI 2014.
This exclusive Healio resource provides you a comprehensive window into what your colleagues and key opinion leaders are saying about current and future drugs and devices and their impact on patient outcomes.
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text:
Chicken In Raspberry Vinegar Sauce
|Chicken breast cutlets
|1 Pound
|1⁄4 Teaspoon
|Ground pepper
|1⁄4 Teaspoon
|Cardamom powder
|1⁄2 Teaspoon
|2 1⁄2 Tablespoon
|Minced shallots
|1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs)
|Chicken broth
|1 Cup (16 tbs)
|3 Tablespoon
|1 Tablespoon
|1⁄2 Cup (8 tbs)
1. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and cardamom. In a large frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add half of chicken and cook, turning once or twice, until white throughout, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Repeat, using another 1 tablespoon butter and chicken
2. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter and shallots to pan, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring until softened, about 1 minute. Add broth, raise heat to high, and bring to a boil, stirring up browned bits from bottom of pan. Boil 1 minute. Stir in vinegar and honey and boil 2 minutes longer to reduce sauce slightly. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Return chicken to pan and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
3. Serve chicken with sauce spooned over it and raspberries sprinkled on top.


text:
Hanley Ramirez is warming to the idea of playing third
Jan 13, 2012, 4:00 PM EDT
Hanley Ramirez didn't take too well to the Marlins telling him he was moving to third base in the wake of the Jose Reyes signing. But Jon Paul Morosi reports that "a friend of Hanley Ramirez" says Ramirez is "warming up" to the idea of playing third. Two questions:
Where does Morosi meet "a friend of Hanley Ramirez?" I'm not picking on Morosi specifically here — lots of reporters cite "friends" in these kinds of stories — but I'm just having trouble picturing it.
OK, the more important question: does the "warming up to playing third base" line imply that Ramirez thinks this is some decision he has to make depending on how he feels about it all? Because I sorta have this feeling that he's playing third base no matter what he wants.
Oh well. These are the sorts of things I wonder about when there's nothing else going on.
- WhenMattStairsIsKing - Jan 13, 2012 at 4:04 PM
I think the point to the story is that Hanley may bitch about it less. Maybe. That guy certainly doesn't have the most professional track record though, so we'll just see about that.
- cur68 - Jan 13, 2012 at 4:22 PM
Nothing else going on? D00d you've ignited a Jack Morris free-for-all over on your post linking Bernhrdt's piece on Morris' case for the HOF. Its spilled over onto your HOF post and will likely reach new levels of true vitriol once guys who think you have it in for Morris crawl out of bed for the crack of 3PM. There's plenty going on.
- Francisco (FC) - Jan 13, 2012 at 4:51 PM
Well what else do you want him to do? there's no Phillies news other than Kyle Kendrick signing. That's hardly good fodder for baiting Phillies Phans. So he went to plan B: Bait Jack Morris fans.
- cur68 - Jan 13, 2012 at 5:43 PM
I do not blame Craig, rather take issue with the phrase "nothing else going on". I frankly welcomed that Jack Morris post like a new groom welcomes advice from Ron Jeremy. Nobody does unhinged, rabid support better than a blatant fan-boy who knows how to cherry pick stats. That was some pretty good "going on" right there. If I'm the blogger I'm mentally puffing a few bubbles and scrunching my feet in Phanatic Phur while thinking in gratitude about Jack S. Morris, HOF Candidate. What a lively little 'debate' that turned out to be.
- El Bravo - Jan 13, 2012 at 4:54 PM
Wait, is there actual real evidence of him being upset about the move in the first place? I thought some of that stuff was overblown…
- Alex K - Jan 13, 2012 at 5:22 PM
- El Bravo - Jan 13, 2012 at 5:48 PM
Objection: Hearsay.
- yettyskills - Jan 13, 2012 at 6:01 PM
Wasn't this posted a week or so ago?
- trevorb06 - Jan 13, 2012 at 6:26 PM
With all the drama that comes from writers who need stories I'm sure this is a non-issue. I'll bet this was over with weeks ago and now Hanley is cool with it and realizes he's still getting paid. Until the source is Hanley or Hanley's agent I wouldn't buy into this. By the way, Albert Pujol's friend's, cousin's accountant told me that Pujols said he hates the city of St. Louis and is glad he doesn't have to play there anymore… What? You're not buying that story? I think my sarcastic point is made.
- Old Gator - Jan 13, 2012 at 6:51 PM
I am not at all thrilled that Hanley is "warming" to the idea. You could say the same thing about a sinner as the elevator gets closer and closer to hell. The guy is not a great shortstop. He is going to be a less great third baseman. And if they're hell bent on the Hanster playing third, the Feesh better come up with a better alternative in left field than Tweeter or there are going to be doubles turning into triples like popcorn kernels in a frying pan down that line.
- APBA Guy - Jan 13, 2012 at 7:45 PM
Yes, but you'll be comfortable in your brand new stadium, OG. I've been reading some speculation that season ticket sales presage a not robust average attendance this year. Any thoughts?
- Old Gator - Jan 14, 2012 at 1:37 AM
Hard to say. I haven't paid attention to the ticket sales but there is still a lot of resentment that the stadium was built at all. Local voters fee they were ripped off by the usual backroom dealings, and there has been a pretty steady stream of bad news about the circumstances surrounding the financing arrangements, the tax treatments, the bungled sale of concession leases and non-tenancy of the intended shops and restaurants around the stadium. And of course it's no secret that the team, via the Chihuahua, just flat out lied about its financial situation. So once the hoopla of the "rebranding" festival died down, the locals just went back to being cranky about the circumstances of the building of Macondo Banana Massacre Field. Now I can't prove that all of this negativity has impacted sales, but I wouldn't be surprised if some poll or other eventually showed that it has.
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text:
Sustrans, Wiltshire Council and Bradford on Avon Parish Council opening new bike route Saturday - now with pics
Traditional tea and buns promised for cyclists on 'first ride' launch of West Country route this weekend.
At only three miles long and the day after L'Etape du Tour organisers announced next summer's two epic rides in the Alps and Pyrenees it would seem that news of a country bike ride from Wiltshire's Bradford on Avon to the outlying village of Lower South Wraxall wouldn't be a huge story for keen cyclists.
But the ride that's been planned to launch a new bike route between Bradford on Avon and Lower South Wraxall to the North through rolling countryside has the advantage of coming up this coming Saturday 22nd October and the added bonus is that there are tea and buns being laid on by a local bike shop owner. Being "fairly flat" according to John Potter of Bath's John's Bikes, the course should also be a lot friendlier to casual family cyclists than riding up any mountain range for 100 miles in Lycra.
According to Potter, who is also Deputy Mayor of Bradford on Avon, "It's been fantastic how the residents of South Wraxall in particular and from the surrounding villages have pulled together to make this happen and thanks must go to the Parish Council, Wiltshire Council and SUSTRANS for the signage, Cumberwell Golf Course and Roy Francis Plant Hire for improving the surface on the way, the Longs Arms for the tea and Duncan Hames for his support. It just shows what can be done – absolutely brilliant."
Cyclists are meeting up at the car park of St Laurence School in Bradford on Avon at 2pm and will get a send off from Bath's Natural Theatre Company "in their own inimitable way," as John Potter puts it. The ride should take half and hour and the local MP Duncan Hames will be welcoming riders with the tea and buns from 2.30pm at The Longs Arms, Lower South Wraxall.
The new South Wraxall route runs between St Laurence School, past the Dog and Fox, through Little Ashley, through Cumberwell Golf Course and then through the bridle path into South Wraxall along the MacMillan Way. This will be a much safer route for getting between the two villages on foot or on bike, avoiding the busy Leigh Park Cross Roads and the B3109. Pupils will be able to get to St Laurence School from the villages to the North in about ten minutes by bike. Cyclists will be able to leave Bradford by a much safer route than usual to visit Great Chalfield Manor or up to The Courts at Holt.
The route will also be a great addition to Bath's Two Tunnels Greenway which is due to open in the Spring of 2012.
Bradford on Avon to South Wraxall Cycle Route Launch Bike Ride
2pm Saturday 22nd October 2011 St Laurence School Car Park, Bradford on Avon BA15 1DZ
Lady Margaret and her brother Rev. Cedric from Bath's Natural Theatre Company mingled with over a hundred cyclists from Bradford on Avon, South Wraxall, Monkton Farleigh and surrounding villages before the cutting of the ribbon and sending the cyclists on their way. "Lots of families and some really young children; fantastic!" according to John Potter of John's Bikes who sponsored the event including the tea, cakes and home made bread at the finish. Riders were welcomed at the end of the three mile route by MP Duncan Hames, who had already walked the route himself earlier.
Lady Margaret of Bath's Natural Theatre Company meeting her public
John Potter of John's Bikes, Lady Margaret and Rev. Cedric at Bradford on Avon
Lady Margaret, Rev. Cedric, MP Duncan Hames, John Potter of John's Bikes and Bill Parker, Chairman of the South Wraxall Parish Council outside the Longs Arms at South Wraxall
Criticisms of the path's length etc. are kinda daft when the text in the latter paragraphs seems to highlight that this path is going to be of considerable utility - helping people ditch the car and integrate cycling into how they live their lives.
Love it or hate it - that's what needs to happen to start a cycling revolution, and if off-road paths are the only way for it to happen, then bring them on.
(Writing as a 25 mile per day road cycling commuter btw)
Buddha said:
Believe nothing, No matter where you read it,
Or who has said it, Not even if I have said it,
Unless it agrees with your own reason
And your own common sense.
posted by mad_scot_rider [577 posts]
20th October 2011 - 10:44
Criticisms of the path's length etc. are kinda daft
Sense of humour alert
posted by nick_rearden [859 posts]
20th October 2011 - 10:54
This is a good example of a local initiative that will improve the lot for cyclists and hopefully encourage parents/carers and children to cycle to school instead of driving.
Anyone who has actually attempted to get a traffic free cycle route approved and funded will know what a huge amount of effort and tenacity it takes - overcoming all the naysayers, nimbys and cynics.
Outside of Greater London, with its £9.2 billion pound annual TfL budget, cycling will survive and prosper only if enthusiastic activists like John Potter put in their own time challenging the status quo in their local communities.
Mr Potter is leading the way - if more cycling advocates can get themselves elected to their local councils we might get provision for cycling higher up the agenda and better funded.
I agree with mad_scot_rider that the smart arse tone of the first para is uncalled for.
posted by Campag_10 [153 posts]
20th October 2011 - 11:36
...the smart arse tone of the first para is uncalled for.
I'm sorry if I misjudged the tone for you. No one has greater admiration than me for the work done by all the people that are needed to put something like this together. Not only that John Potter has a peerless reputation for organising fun events which is why I ran the story. I hope you're there to help celebrate everyone's achievement.
posted by nick_rearden [859 posts]
20th October 2011 - 13:04
Oh dear - we have yet another example of the difficulty of conveying a jocular tone while typing without resorting to *shudder* emoticons.
Thanks for the clarification Nick
I was just really impressed with an actual USEFUL cycle route project after the stupidity of Glasgow City Council, who think nothing of running a bike lane along a perfectly straight & un-junctioned (is that a word?) piece of road then stopping it abruptly 10 yards before a set of traffic lights.
Sorry if I misread your intention
Buddha said:
Believe nothing, No matter where you read it,
Or who has said it, Not even if I have said it,
Unless it agrees with your own reason
And your own common sense.
posted by mad_scot_rider [577 posts]
21st October 2011 - 9:33
It's a loverly part of the world. I hope the path is better surfaced than the photo shows.
I've only been there at the weekend when it's quiet. I can only assume that the B3109 is a bit of a wild road during the rush hour.
Audaxing Blog - Long Distance Cycling @vorsprungbike on Twitter
posted by vorsprung [296 posts]
21st October 2011 - 13:52
I can only assume that the B3109 is a bit of a wild road during the rush hour.
It's not the worst around here by any means (A363 Sally-in-the-Woods anyone?) but it is a bit of a race track at going-home time and arguably worse when it's 'quiet' because the racers can then *really* give it some welly. Certainly wouldn't be happy for my kids to be riding along it whereas this new route will open up a really pleasant route from the villages into BoA and especially St Laurence's School.
posted by nick_rearden [859 posts]
21st October 2011 - 14:12


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Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (All brands)
885 reviews
90% would repurchase
Package Quality: 3.6
Price: $$
Package Quality: 3.6
Price: $$
INGREDIENTSCocos nucifera
on 4/8/2013 7:36:00 AM
Age: 25-29
Skin: Combination, Other, Not Sure
Hair: Brown, Other, Other
Eyes: Blue
I've been using coconut oil for about 6 weeks now & wanted to add my experience and thoughts to the debate. I started off using it as a makeup remover and facial moisturizer. My skin looked amazing for the first few days-plumper and more even. However, after a few days I broke out really badly. Having heard that this often happens, as its meant to be detoxifying the pores, I persisted. My breakup did clear up & I found that spots in general were healing faster than usual. However, I have had a systemic candida infection in the past & when I get a resurgence of it, my skin breaks out dreadfully-I mean the worst, most severe, swollen for days, horrendous spots ever!!! Based on the idea that coconut oil (due to its antifungal and antibacterial properties) draws toxins out through the skin, I have a theory that people with underlying candida imbalances might suffer continued breakouts with coconut oil (-as the candida is giving off toxins, which are partly expressed through the skin). And if you treat the underlying candida infection, then you can use coconut oil on your skin as you are treating the underlying cause of the breakouts. Anyway, thats just a theory!
So my experience so far (which has been influenced heavily by a resurgence of my candida imbalance) is that:
-when I had really horrendous cysts on my face due to the candida, they healed to a tolerable level within 3-5 days with continued use of coconut oil(and combined internal treatment for candida)-in the past they would stay on my face as a lump for a week+ without coming to a head. Using the coconut oil (and internal anti fungals, probiotics and toxin cleansers) they came to a head in much less time.
-my skin is generally in better condition-plumper, more vibrant & I need to wear less makeup
-I found using it as a cleanser required copious amounts of hot water & repeated cleansings to get my makeup properly off, so now I use mostly as a night time moisturiser. It absorbs well into my skin & smells great.
-Im using organic cold pressed coconut oil.
In case anyones interested, Im taking caprylic acid (a derivative of coconut), probiotics, grapefruit seed extract and cutting out sugar & wine to treat my candida infection. Im taking milk thistle & drinking nettle and rosehip tea to aid in cleansing of toxins from candida/die off.
Hope this helps!
on 4/7/2013 5:38:00 PM
Age: 30-35
Skin: Dry, Fair, Not Sure
Hair: Blond, Other, Other
Eyes: Green
Loads if uses from adding to your smoothie/hot choc, massage oil & hair treatment among others. After researching uses for it, I discovered Miranda Kerr uses it daily taking 2 teaspoons a day. So I'm gonna give that a go. Lol!
on 4/6/2013 10:47:00 PM
Age: 25-29
Skin: Oily, Olive, Warm
Hair: Black, Straight, Medium
Eyes: Brown
I'd seen a lot about the benefits of Coconut Oil on Pinterest recently and, after doing some more research, I decided to give it a go!
Picked up a jar when I was in Holland & Barretts... it cost £15, but I knew I'd be using it for everything from beauty products to cooking, so it was definitely worth it. Make sure you buy the organic stuff!
I swear by this stuff now - it is so versatile and I use it for everything! It's a solid at room temperature and melts with the slightest heat (even putting some in the palm of your hand will melt it).
- It is HANDS DOWN the best eye make-up remover I've ever tried!
- I use it in cooking as a substitute for Olive Oil, which is healthier.
- Sometimes, I just eat a tablespoon for extra energy.
- I use it as a PRE-shampoo on occassion (it can get very messy but the results are worth it)... my hair ends up so soft!
- It makes a great moisturiser for dry skin.
- It's great to use with shaving. My razor slides over it effortlessly and gives a closer shave.
- I put it in my green tea.
- My friend uses it as a diaper/nappy rash cream subsitute and swears by it. Also, for cradle cap for baby.
I've heard you can use it for oil pulling, but that's not my cup of tea. Apparently it's also good for yeast infections, skin conditions, it can be used as a sexual lubricant etc etc. I'm sure the uses are endless. It really is a multi-trick pony!
on 4/5/2013 11:55:00 PM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Normal, Olive, Cool
Hair: Brunette, Curly, Coarse
Eyes: Blue
I bought a jar of this from Kroger (about the size of one of those big Jiff peanut butter jars) for under $7. I actually don't really like to use this in my hair, unless I use as a deep conditioner, because it leaves the finer and less coarse hair stringy and greasy looking. However, this is the best eye makeup remover and body lotion I've ever used. I use about a tablespoon of oil for each leg--just let it melt in your hands before applying--rub it in and put on a pair of sweats you don't care about. Using what's left on your hands, you can rub your eye makeup right off--it just slides right off. Considering I pay $7/bottle for eye makeup remover and a bottle lasts a few months....this is way more cost efficient, way fewer chemicals on my face, and way gentler. Definitely buy a tub of this because I guarantee you'll find ways to use it.
on 4/5/2013 11:16:00 PM
Age: 18 & Under
Skin: Oily, Fair, Not Sure
Hair: Brunette, Other, Other
Eyes: Blue
I absolutely LOVE this stuff, Coconut oil is truely a gift from the gods. It saved my hair from being fried during bleaches, it is great to cook with too. Its just a miracle product.
on 4/5/2013 1:13:00 AM
Age: 25-29
Skin: Combination, Fair, Not Sure
Hair: Brunette, Other, Other
Eyes: Green
I was so excited to grad some coconut oil after hearing so many great things about it, but it did have a few cons for me. I used as a moisturizer for a few weeks and It broke me out pretty bad on my face and chest. Other than that I loved it for the rest of my body!
on 4/4/2013 10:00:00 PM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Combination, Medium, Not Sure
Hair: Blond, Other, Other
Eyes: Blue
So So Soooo many uses for coconut oil!
1. Helps digestion and promotes weight loss. (Also works for baking and cooking, a great alternative to butter and heavy oils).
2. Great for hair treatments
3. Awesome for dry skin or anyone looking for a bit extra moisture.
4. Great for the ends of the hair.
Seriously, use it inside and out. The price is amazing for the product you get. I usually check Marshalls or TJ Maxx first, they carry virgin, unrefined coconut oil for a smaller price.
on 4/4/2013 6:19:00 PM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Neutral
Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine
Eyes: Hazel
So many different uses for coconut oil! Not only do I eat it for its benefits, but I warm up a little between my hands and apply it to the ends of my hair. My hair feels softer and more manageable afterwards. Leaves a shine to your hair also. Just don't over apply it, or your hair will look greasy. I use this on my body sometimes and my skin feels smooth and smells good. I would never use this on my face though because I know I would break out from it, but other than that I love it. I buy a huge jar from vitacost they have their own brand of it and its virgin organic coconut oil. LOVE
on 4/4/2013 3:46:00 PM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Not Sure
Hair: Blond, Other, Other
Eyes: Blue
I have dry, damaged hair and have tried almost every product possible, from tresemme, to morrocanoil, to KERASTASE (that cost me 60$ for a masque) and NOTHING BEATS THIS.
When i first bought this, I did a masque of coconut oil and eggs and put it on my hair. I left it 30 min on my wet hair, then just rinsed it off. Since then, my hair is so shiny and my ends are repared!!!
I even put coconut oil as a leave-in on my ends (not on top of ur hair cause it'll get greasy) and put some on my dry hair before straightening.. and my hair is sooo healthy!!
I'm now using this instead of expensive hair products that don't compare to simple COCONUT OIL! :)
on 4/3/2013 11:19:00 PM
Age: 30-35
Skin: Oily, Other, Not Sure
Hair: Brown, Other, Other
Eyes: Hazel
Forget those expensive silicone/oil blends at the salon. Redken Diamond Oil? $40US for something based on sunflower and olive oil. Moroccan Oil? Silicones, mostly. Coconut oil can be had for about $10US for a pint. I recently had my hair re-permed. Perming, like any chemical processing, is damaging. The stylist says "your hair is in good condition". "It's the oil." She then goes on about how good coconut oil is for hair. I use it as a weekly deep conditioning treatment and just a tiny bit as a leave in.
Popular Lotions / Creams


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Academics . Animation . Courses
Narrative Production I
Course No. ANIM 412 Credits: 3.0
Faculty Lincoln Adams
Students learn how to fully develop a narrative based concept for production. In this class, students will: 1. develop their ideas, 2. write a script based on those ideas, 3. deconstruct their script in order to fully understand their proposed piece, 4. rewrite their script, 5. produce, review and edit storyboards, and finally, 6. produce, review and edit an animate based on their storyboards. This is a project based learning experience designed to help students develop narrative based work, and will be especially helpful for seniors doing BFA project development. Offered fall.
Sound Design
Course No. IME 211-311 Credits: 0.0
Faculty Christopher Auerbach-Brown | Sarah Paul
This class is focused on aspects of sound design related to the practice of sonic arts. Sound art is flourishing in museums and galleries, on networks, and performed at festivals and performance venues around the world. Like many genres of contemporary art, sound art is interdisciplinary with investigations in: digital manipulation of sound, sound synthesis, sound installation, sound sculpture, psychoacoustics, field recording, noise composition, integrated sound and image works for pre-recorded presentation or performed live. The influence of these forms on popular music, television and cinema scores will also be explored.
Visual Organization + Media
Course No. IME 200 Credits: 3.0
Faculty Larry O'Neal | Mary Jo Toles
In this course students will develop better organization and composition, knowledge and appreciation for type, integration of type and grid, understanding hierarchy, and type as creative form. Students within IME take this course to help them consider sound design and layout principles in their own work, and organize information in combination with images created in their specific majors. This course is required for all students in Animation, Biomedical Art, Game Design, Illustration, Photography, T.I.M.E.-Digital Arts and Video majors and is open as an elective to students in any other major. Offered fall and spring.
Web Practice + Presence
Course No. IME 320 Credits: 0.0
In this course, students will learn about various strategies of making websites and how these are part of contemporary practice as an artist. The ability to frame a project, solve a problem, do research, then implement and use web techniques is explored in this course. Projects will explore the contemporary practice of working with web technologies in professional practice including using FTP, social networking tools and listings, and other interactive forms. Learning basic HTML, exploring online existing portfolio solutions, accessibility, hosting, and ftp will be part of this course. In class students will experience interacting with website examples, discussing selected readings, doing weekly assignments, and participating in critiques. Offered fall and spring.
Animation Career Review names CIA's Animation and Game Design programs as fifth best in the Midwest, noting our vast classroom/studio space.
Benjamin Burch
Adjunct Faculty
IntroductionBen was born in Augsburg, Germany to a military family, and spent most of his youngerlife moving t...more
While at CIA, you'll learn from the masters through our rigorous, world-class curriculum and connect with working professionals to begin your career.


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7 Comments
Chloe, Canada
12 November 2014 at 8:01pm
An animated dog that played this was sold at Walmart! BusSongs is the very best in children's songs and rhymes!
Jacey, Afghanistan
22 March 2013 at 8:59pm
i love this song any way
Patrycja :), Poland
23 June 2012 at 2:43pm
I love Ho HO hO herry nose :)
Shelly, Austria
1 January 2012 at 11:38pm
The end is: (clap clap) must be Santa,( clap clap) must be Santa,( clap clap) must be Santa ,Santa Claus
Shelly, Austria
29 December 2011 at 1:42pm
Yeah! It's Donner not Dawner!
Kay, United States
17 December 2011 at 6:12am
It's Donner, not Dawner!
Tim Mills, Canada
17 December 2011 at 4:49am
Professional deluxe santa suit xl incldes lined jacket, pants, hat and boot tops gasses. Beard, gloves and belt not included


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- Detail Images
Your tan is finally looking good, so flaunt your golden skin in the O'Neill High Tide Women's Dress. It has a printed chambray fabric and oversized front pockets for a cute look, with a fitted bust and short length for a bit of subtle sexiness. Adjustable straps and elastic criss-crossing on the back allow you to get that just-right fit so you can step out with confidence and comfort.
- Cotton chambray fabric is light and breathable
- True waist and fitted bust gives it a close fit
- Elastic criss-cross at the back provide a snug and comfy feel
- Adjustable shoulder straps allow for a perfect fit
- Oversized front pockets store small items
Share your thoughts
What do you think of the
O'Neill High Tide Dress - Women's
? Share a...
Love the pockets!
- Familiarity: I've used it several times
- Fit: True to size
We all know how exciting it is to find a dress with pockets. When you put this dress on you will be jumping for joy! The pockets are super deep!
This dress has a super cute fit and looks amazing on. While there isn't a shelf bra, it's fitted and very supportive. The straps are adjustable too. I'm 5'5" and it comes about mid-thigh on me.
I love finding excuses to wear it more often!


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Written by Tim Turner on 7/7/2015
You don't have to have a budget to cash in on great photos for your social media campaign.
Written by Ken Carter on 7/6/2015
A reflection from Mark 4 on how we grow and mature as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Written by Tim Turner on 6/23/2015
More people will open your church emails and mailers if you follow a few tips.
Written by Tim Turner on 6/2/2015
Social media management is a type of content management. Your goal is to deliver the right content to the right people in a timely fashion.
Written by Icel Rodriguez on 6/1/2015
Some of you know that last December I was referred to an oncologist to follow up on three suspicious small breast tumors. I decided to seek medical attention in Cuba and thanks to the Angola President's Daughter-in-law and the Florida Conference of the UMC, my trip was made possible and my medical expenses paid for. A week after arriving in Cuba and just before visiting with the head doctor of the Cuba's Cancer Research Institute, I stopped by the Episcopal office of the Methodist Church in ...
Written by Tim Turner on 5/19/2015
Get googled more often by learning the best way to upload your images.
Written by Icel Rodriguez on 5/18/2015
Carmen Aracelis Meléndez is a missionary with the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church serving as director of training, promotion, and interpretation of Give Ye Them to Eat, a ministry of the Methodist Church of Mexico in the State of Puebla. She is married to Alejandro Rodriguez, a Global Ministries Individual Volunteer who serves with her in the GYTTE ministry. Give Ye Them to Eat (GYTTE) serves an impoverished rural area, offering community-based and direct ...
Written by Tim Turner on 5/5/2015
Don't let your social media strategy suffer from this important rule ever again. Read this blog post now.
Written by Tim Turner on 4/21/2015
Figuring out what hashtags will boost your social media presence isn't as hard as you think.
Written by Icel Rodriguez on 4/10/2015
Last summer, a team of 5 from the CCW - Campus to City Wesley Foundation In Jacksonville, took a trip to Japan to participate in ministry with Florida missionary Jonathan McCurley and his wife Satomi at the Asian Rural Institute (ARI). David Sandlin, team leader, shares his experience.
The Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church
450 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue
Lakeland, FL 33815
(863) 688-5563 or toll free (800) 282-8011


text: Forums member Tambeyoda has uploaded a video review of the most recent TFSS entry to his Youtube channel for Nacelle, what's promised to be the penultimate use of the Classics Seeker mold by Fun Publications. This toy based on an obscure concept design from an old catalog certainly sells on the deco, though that may or may not be enough to overcome Seeker Fatigue with the mold around three dozen uses in at this point. Click through and check out the review!


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New details are trickling in regarding the tragic, confusing death and apparent suicide of Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse who fell for an Australian radio DJ pair's royal prank.
What was officially reported as "found unconscious near the hospital" has now been updated to "found hanging by a scarf" in her room.
Saldanha was reportedly discovered hanging from a wardrobe by one of her colleague and a security staffer at the King Edward VII Hospital where she was working and where Kate Middleton was being treated, this, according to CBS News who relayed the info from the Coroner's Officer Lynda Martindill who spoke with a British inquest.
It's unclear from CBS' report if Saldanha's body was found in her home or on hospital grounds, but based on other reports it appears as though she was found in staff accommodations.
Three notes were discovered with the nurse's body, the contents of which have not been released.
Based on intel from police detective chief inspector James Harman injuries were also found on her wrists, but no suspicious circumstances were reported. A suicide is so far the only likely cause of death.
Police have launched a full investigation in the wake of the tragedy in an effort to learn the reasoning behind Saldanha's decision to take her own life. This includes examining the notes and interviewing Saldanha's friends and family.
As we previously reported, Saldanha was discovered unconscious three days after she answered a prank call to the hospital from Australian DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who pretended to be the queen and Prince Charles. Medical staff was unable to revive her.


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No matter how bad you've got it, Job had it worse. His family killed, his body covered with boils, his property destroyed, and his faith decimated, Job cried out to God, who was responsible for all his troubles. God answered Job from the decidedly un-lectern-like podium of a whirlwind, and delivered a message about the ways of God to man that still echoes with pathos today. --Michael Joseph Gross
"God is our home but many of us have strayed from our native land. The venerable authors of these Spiritual Classics are expert guides--may we follow their directions home." --Archbishop Desmond TutuHow can a just God abandon His creatures to suffering? How do we reconcile our notions of divine goodness and omnipotence with the fact that the universe is visibly unfair? Sooner or later, these questions confront anyone who attempts to lead a life of faith. And nowhere have they been articulated with greater drama, poignancy, and despairing fury than in the Biblical parable of the blamelessly unfortunate Job.With a new Preface by Cynthia Ozick, nominated for the National Book Award for her book The Puttermesser Papers
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Today marks the 50th birthday of Meg Ryan, the original America's sweetheart and queen of romantic comedies. Meg's breakout role in When Harry Met Sally skyrocketed her to superstardom, and we all wanted to "have what she's having." She then went on to star in some of the best romantic comedies of our time, including Sleepless in Seattle, City of Angels and You've Got Mail.
Meg seems to have given up on the rom-coms these days, focusing on more serious roles at the moment. We have to wonder if that has to do with her attempts to reverse the signs of aging with some minor tweaks that led to major results. That's why we like to think of her as the natural beauty she was, the one we still like to pair with a pint of Ben and Jerry's. So we'll settle on our couch and celebrate her milestone with a movie after looking at these 20 pictures of Meg Ryan through the years.