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An apparatus and method for presenting one or more auditory icons are provided to deliver contextual information in a timely manner to the user without requiring the user to view the mobile terminal's display. The auditory icons may correspond to visual icons that are provided on a display of the mobile terminal, for example, a navigational bar. The mobile terminal receives a plurality of messages from one or more message sources, prioritizes them according to one or more context values, and presents to the user auditory icons associated with the messages in accordance with any number of pre-set preferences set by the user.
1. A method of providing an audio user interface for a mobile terminal comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a plurality of messages from at least one message source, each message associated with at least one corresponding auditory icon, each message further associated with at least one corresponding visual icon;
(b) prioritizing the plurality of messages to identify at least one message based on at least one context value;
(c) presenting the auditory icon associated with the identified message; and
(d) representing, in a display of the mobile terminal, the visual icon corresponding to the identified message.
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15. A method of providing an audio user interface for a mobile terminal comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a plurality of messages from at least one message source, each message associated with at least one corresponding auditory icon, wherein each message is further associated with at least one corresponding visual icon;
(b) identifying at least one best match message based on at least one context value;
(c) presenting the auditory icon associated with the identified message; and
(d) representing, in a display of the mobile terminal, the visual icon corresponding to the identified message.
16. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:
(a) prioritizing a plurality of received messages to identify at least one message based on at least one context value, the message being associated with an auditory icon and a visual icon;
(b) presenting the auditory icon associated with the identified message; and
(c) representing, in a display of a mobile terminal, the visual icon associated with the identified message.
17. A method of providing a plurality of icons on a mobile terminal comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a plurality of messages from at least one external message source, each message associated with at least one associated auditory icon and at least one associated visual icon;
(b) prioritizing the plurality of messages in order of match to at least one context value;
(c) representing, in a display of the mobile terminal, the visual icons associated with the messages using a display format that visually prioritizes the visual icons according to match with the context value; and
(d) presenting at least one auditory icon associated with one of the represented visual icons.
18. The method of
19. The method of
20. The method of
(e) performing steps (a) and (b) at a subsequent point in time;
(f) updating the represented visual icons by representing at least one additional visual icon; and
(g) presenting an auditory icon corresponding to the additional visual icon.
21. The method of
(e) performing steps (a) and (b) at a subsequent point in time;
(f) updating the represented visual icons by removing one of the represented visual icons; and
(g) presenting an auditory icon corresponding to the removed visual icon.
22. The method of
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31. A mobile terminal comprising:
(a) a display capable of displaying visual icons, each visual icon having an associated auditory icon;
(b) a user input device that permits a user of the mobile terminal to select at least one of the visual icons displayed on the display; and
(c) an auditory user interface for presenting the associated auditory icon when the visual icon has been selected; and
(d) a processor programmed with computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform the steps comprising:
(i) prioritizing a plurality of messages based on at least one context value; and
(ii) displaying visual icons associated with each of the messages in order of priority as determined by the prioritizing step.
32. The mobile terminal of
33. The mobile terminal of
34. The mobile terminal of
35. The mobile terminal of
36. The mobile terminal of
37. The mobile terminal of
38. A mobile device comprising in combination:
(a) a display comprising a plurality of user-selectable icons arranged in an order determined by a degree of matching between information corresponding to respective ones of the first plurality of visual icons and at least one context value; and
(b) a sound generator providing an audio icon associated with the plurality of user-selectable visual icons, wherein the sound generator provides the audio icons associated with each of the plurality of user-selectable visual icons in order of priority.
39. The mobile device of
40. The mobile device of
41. The mobile device of
42. A mobile terminal comprising:
(a) a display capable of displaying visual icons, each visual icon having an associated auditory icon;
(b) a means for allowing a user to provide a context for use in determining priority of the visual icons;
(c) a means for displaying visual icons so as to vary the size of the icon in relationship to the priority of the visual icon;
(d) a user input device that permits a user of the mobile terminal to select at least one of the visual icons displayed on the display; and
(e) means for presenting the associated auditory icon when the visual icon has been selected.
The invention relates to the presentment of information in audible form for mobile terminals, such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and similar devices. More particularly, the invention provides a method and apparatus for presenting auditory icons.
Modern computer operating systems generally use pictures, such as icons, to represent application programs and documents on computer displays. The well-known MAC OS operating system from Apple Computer Corporation and the WINDOWS operating system from Microsoft Corporation are two examples of widely used graphics-oriented operating systems.
More recently, mobile terminals such as cellular telephones and wireless-enabled PDAs have incorporated graphics-oriented technology that allows a user to select application programs, web sites, and documents. Following increases in computing performance and memory capacity, mobile terminals now host an increasing number of application programs and capabilities. The Nokia 9210 COMMUNICATOR, for example, supports numerous functions such as telephone, fax, e-mail, calendar, and contacts features.
In order to maintain a convenient handheld form factor, the graphics displays for mobile terminals are necessarily small, thus limiting the amount of information that can be comfortably viewed at one time. Consequently, one problem confronting designers of such devices is determining how to maximize the number of icons and other graphical symbols on the display of such devices without making the symbols too small to see.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,197, entitled "Icon Driven Phone Menu System," describes a cellular telephone including a display mode selector that allows a user to select one of two display modes. Although the display modes in the aforementioned patent allow a user to navigate through numerous icons on the display, each icon takes up roughly the same amount of space on the display, regardless of its importance to the particular user. For example, if one user predominantly uses application programs A and B, whereas a second user predominantly uses application programs C and D, each user must navigate through the same set of icons in order to locate his or her desired application programs. Although it is possible for two users to customize their mobile terminals to delete certain applications that are rarely used, it may be undesirable to do so. Moreover, some users may want the ability to access an application program or other object (e.g., a document) even if it is only rarely needed. Consequently, there remains the problem of providing a display of icons that is specific to a particular user's needs.
Another limitation with providing icon information on displays of mobile terminals is that it requires the user to read the information on the mobile terminal's display. As the mobile terminal receives new contextual information, the user may not become aware of this information. The mobile terminal typically receives new contextual information as the user moves from one area to another. A user on the move, however, is not always able to look at his/her mobile terminal. For example, the user may not wish to look at the mobile terminal while he/she is driving a vehicle. As another example, the user will not know to look at the mobile terminal if it is out of sight or in his/her pocket. As still another example, the user may be impaired vision. Accordingly, unless he/she actually reads the mobile terminal display, the user may not learn of certain information on a timely basis.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for systems and methods that provides contextual information in a timely manner and without requiring the user to actually view the mobile terminal.
The above-mentioned needs in the art are satisfied by the disclosed systems and methods that audibly present context-dependent information to the user. Audible icons can be used to deliver contextual information in a timely manner to the user without requiring the user to view the mobile terminal's display. Although not required, the audible icons may correspond to visual icons that are provided on a display of the mobile terminal, for example, a navigational bar. Such visual icons, may for example, be presented in varying sizes, shapes, and colors, and prominence to allow the user to quickly identify icons that are likely to be used at any given time.
In one embodiment of the invention, a method of providing an audio user interface for a mobile terminal is disclosed. The method includes receiving a plurality of messages from one or more message sources. These messages are prioritized to identify at least one best match message based on one or more context values. Once one or more best match messages are identified, auditory icons associated with the best match messages are presented to the user.
In other embodiments of the invention, one or more auditory icons may be presented when the corresponding visual icons are displayed on the mobile terminal display or when a user selects once of the visual icons in the display.
In still other embodiments of the invention, a mobile device is provided that is capable of displaying a plurality of prioritized user-selectable icons. The mobile device has a sound generator providing an audio icon associated with one or more of the plurality of priorizited user-selectable icons.
In other embodiments of the invention, computer-executable instructions for implementing the disclosed methods are stored on computer-readable media.
In one embodiment, the mobile terminal presents one or more auditory icons 110A–115A to the user by way of a sound generator 124 and one or more speakers 160. The mobile terminal may present auditory icons in any number of circumstances. In one embodiment, auditory icons 110A–115A may be presented to the user in order of priority of the messages associated with each auditory icon that matches one or more context values (discussed further herein). For example, if the context value is proximity of the message to the mobile terminal, auditory icon 120A corresponding to visual icon 120 (which corresponds to the message whose source is the closest to the user of the mobile terminal) is presented first to the user with the other auditory icons 121A–125A presented in decreasing order of proximity. In another embodiment, only the best auditory icon in terms of priority may be presented to the user. In yet another embodiment, auditory icons may be presented when there is a change in the display of visual icons 110–115. For example, auditory icons may be presented for the corresponding visual icons that are added and/or removed from the proximity and/or priority bars. To avoid continuous disturbing playing of auditory icons resulting from small changes, there may be a need to set a limit for the importance the change must have before an auditory icon is presented.
In still another embodiment, mobile terminal may present an auditory icon 110A–115A when the user selects the corresponding visual icon 110–115 by moving a pointer or magnifying glass over the visual icon. Where the user selects a visual icon, the corresponding auditory icon may be presented and/or a message may be presented in text form and/or audio form by using text-to-speech (TTS) synthesis or by streaming additional descriptive audio.
In addition to the circumstances under which they are presented, auditory icon 110A–115A may be varied in any number of ways. The substantive content of the auditory content may vary depending on the application. For example, auditory icon 110A–115A may be unique to its corresponding contextual message. For example, a message from a particular restaurant may have a unique auditory icon that presents the specials of the day. Alternatively, auditory icon 110A–115A may be descriptive of the general category of the corresponding contextual message. As such, auditory icon 110A–115A may be, for example, a restaurant icon, a public transportation icon, etc. A restaurant auditory icon could be presented, for example, any time a visual icon representing a message from a restaurant is displayed. In addition, the auditory icon may have varying forms and formats depending upon the presentment preferences of the user. For example, the message may be presented in auditory icon form by using text-to-speech (TTS) synthesis or by streaming additional descriptive audio information about the message.
In addition, the sound quality of the auditory icon 110A–115A may vary and may include, for example, monophonic or stereophonic formats. In one embodiment, auditory icons 110A–115A may be implemented with monophonic sounds to allow for spatial audio processing and reproduction techniques for conveying additional information to the user. Such additional information may include information regarding the spatial position of the associated message relative to the user or other spatial qualities. Any number of known or future-developed spatial audio reproduction techniques may be implemented depending in part on the application including, but not limited to, stereo amplitude panning, positional audio with acoustics modeling, and auralization with head-related transfer functions (HRTF). Where spatial audio techniques are implemented, the corresponding visual icons may be oriented in a horizontal fashion relative to the ground to provide spatial orientation to a user. Other spatial qualities that can be conveyed by auditory icons 110A–115A including, for example, using attenuation and artificial reverberation to make less important messages appear more distant. Spatial audio techniques may also be used to indicate the visual icon's position on the display. The user may thereby more readily focus in on the relevant icons in the display corresponding to the auditory icon.
According to one aspect of the invention, auditory icons and, optionally, visual icons corresponding to messages received by the terminal are ranked according to one or more context values and presented in an order that indicates the degree of matching between characteristics associated with the message and one or more of the context values. As discussed herein, a context matcher function may be utilized to produce a ranked ordering of messages based on the one or more context values. Context values are generally one or more parameters from which to assess a relevance of a message to the user. Context values, for example, may be specific to the characteristics of the mobile terminal or the user's preferences. For example, context value may include type of establishment (e.g., hotel, retail, movies, transportation); availability of services (e.g., less crowded or high vacancy establishments); friends (i.e., preference for indicating presence of other mobile units corresponding to known persons); time-of-day (e.g., preferences for certain types of services during certain time periods); and grade of service (e.g., four-star restaurants and hotels preferred over three-star establishments). Many other variations are of course possible.
In certain embodiments, context values may be identical for a group of mobile terminal users. In other embodiments, users can individually specify, prioritize, and modify context values. It is also of course possible to provide default context values that can be changed by a user.
Another example of a context value is geographic location or a proximity value that provides a distance between the source of the message associated with an icon and the mobile terminal. As a mobile terminal moves around a geographic area, the terminal may receive messages from retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters, public transportation terminals, Web sites, and other entities. The messages can be provided the mobile terminal; the value can be based on the terminal's location within a predetermined geographic area (for example, the area served by a particular cell phone tower), or on other factors (e.g., the identity of the mobile user, other demographic factors, or the precise geographic location of the mobile terminal.). The proximities of the sources of the received messages may be used to present auditory icons with the closest sources first. In addition, visual icons may be positioned and sized in decreasing order of proximity on the navigation bar. Proximity can be derived by the mobile terminal based on a comparison of the terminal's specific location with the location of the source of the message, or it could be provided directly by the entity if the entity is able to discern the location of the mobile terminal. The location of the mobile terminal may be determined by a variety of conventional methods and devices such as identifying a cell phone tower or using a global positioning system.
Prioritizing messages (and their corresponding visual and auditory icons) according to proximity as a context value organizes the information in a manner that is meaningful to the user. Suppose that a mobile terminal user is in a geographic area that includes several restaurants, hotels, retail stores, bus terminals, and other entities. Suppose further that each of these entities transmits a message to mobile terminals in the area describing their services (including, in some variations, an icon depicting a corporate logo), their location, their availability, prices, and other information. Each of these entities could potentially try to solicit business from a particular mobile user, thereby inundating the user with commercial messages. According to one variation of the invention, icons corresponding to messages received from each entity are filtered and arranged according to the degree of proximity to the mobile terminal, such that auditory icons for the entities that are closest to the mobile terminal are presented first. Similarly, visual icons for the entities that are closer to the mobile terminal are more prominently displayed than are entities that are further away from the mobile terminal. (Proximity can be derived by the mobile terminal based on a comparison of the terminal's specific location with the location of a particular entity, or it could be provided directly by the entity if the entity is able to discern the location of the mobile terminal). Other criteria (e.g., price, time of day, etc.) can also be used to filter and present the icons corresponding to such entities and messages.
For example, suppose that the user of the mobile terminal of
A second mobile user may have indicated that price is of paramount importance, all other values being equal. If four different hotels transmit messages to the mobile terminal of the second mobile user and include pricing information (e.g., rate per night), the hotels would have their auditory icons presented according to lowest price. In addition, their visual icons may be represented on the second mobile user's display using a display size that comports with their relative prices. Consequently, even if two different mobile terminals are operating in the same geographic area, it is possible to tailor the auditory icons and, optionally, the visual icons to best match each user's preferences.
As discussed herein, although not required, the user may establish his/her preferences on the various options for presenting auditory or visual icons including how and under what circumstances they are presented or displayed as well as the context values that could be used to prioritize the auditory or visual icons.
As will auditory icons, visual icons may be arranged and displayed in any number of ways. Referring still to
As discussed, embodiments of the present invention include devices that only present auditory icons and that do not utilize a visual display or that do not present visual icons. In the embodiments, where a visual display is utilized to display visual icons, however, the visual icons can be arranged in a diagonal, vertical, horizontal, or other type of arrangement. For example,
Each visual icon may comprise a corporate logo or other graphic symbol corresponding to an application program, a hyperlink to a Web page, an informational message, a document, a prepopulated e-mail inquiry, or any of various other types of objects. The user of the mobile terminal can select any object using a conventional keypad, cursor button, stylus, or the like. In one embodiment, an icon selector, such as a magnifying glass metaphor, can be used to highlight and select a desired icon. By moving the magnifying glass over an icon, a text message explaining or identifying the selected icon can be displayed at the bottom of the screen. In addition, the corresponding auditory icon can be presented when the user selects a visual icon. In one variation, the magnifying glass, when moved over an icon that has a small size in relation to other icons, temporarily magnifies the icon to an enlarged size, thus facilitating the viewing of small or hard-to-read icons. Moreover, the context bar can be selectively activated or hidden according to a user's choice. It will be appreciated that other types of icon selectors can be used without departing from the principles of the invention.
As shown in
Messages that are transmitted by message sources 402 and 403 may include information such as the geographic location of an establishment; proximity of the establishment to a particular mobile user or other geographic location; price information; corporate logos; pictographic icons; hyperlinks to Web pages; advertisements (including audio, video, or text); entertainment services (e.g., music, videos, and the like); indicators identifying grades of service (e.g., AAA ratings, hotel "star" ratings, restaurant rankings, and the like); availability of services (e.g., indicating whether a hotel has vacancies; that a particular restaurant is crowded; or the average waiting time for service at a particular restaurant); personal e-mails from friends or family, or any other type of characteristics that can be matched to context values.
Messages are received by receiving circuit 404 and stored in a message storage area 406. Messages may be time-stamped and expire or be deleted after a certain period of time. In embodiments that allow for the use of more than one profile, a profile selector 408 may be used to retrieve one or more context values corresponding to a selected profile from a profile database 410. The retrieved context values may then be transmitted to a context value buffer 412. Context values are matched with one or more characteristics of the message in a context matcher function 414. Context matcher function 414 produces a ranked ordering of messages based on the one or more context values and uses the ranked ordering to drive an icon generator 416. For example, in one embodiment, artificial neural networks could be used to produce the ranked ordering of messages. The artificial neural network allows the context matcher function to have a learning capability of the user's preferences. Icon generator 416 retrieves one or more icons from icon storage area 418 (if not included in a message) and, based on the ranking information and the user's preferences, presents one or more auditory icons in the manner described above on speaker 423. In addition, icon generator 416 generates a display that includes a priority navigation bar in the manner described above on display 422.
If at least one of the context values chosen by the user is proximity, a proximity ranker 420 may be used to produce an ordered list of messages, with the order determined by the proximities of the message sources.
The auditory icons forming the priority and proximity navigation bars may be transmitted to a speaker 423. Similarly, the visual icons forming the priority and proximity navigation bars are transmitted to a display 422. Context matcher 414 and proximity ranker 420 may also be configured to identify messages that have predetermined characteristics. For example, the context matcher may be programmed to particularly identify any message received from a certain hardware store. A visual icon associated with the message may be placed in a predetermined location of display 622 to identify the significance of the message.
A user input device 426 can be used to modify the selection of profiles and context values stored profile database 410. User input device 426 may be implemented with a keypad, cursor, stylus, or similar input device. An optional icon selector function 428, for example a magnifying glass selector, allows the user to move over visual icons on the display to depict further information regarding the visual icons, to present the corresponding auditory icon, and/or to temporarily enlarge visual icons of potential interest. Other visual icon selectors can of course be used without departing from the inventive principles. Application launcher 430 launches an application associated with the selected icon in response to further user input. For example, application launcher 430 may start a Web browsing application if the particular icon has an associated hyperlink. Alternatively, if an icon represents a document, application launcher 430 can launch a document viewer or editor program.
Of course, other mobile terminals 432 may also transmit messages to mobile terminal 400. In one embodiment, the user of mobile terminal 400 may assign context values so that messages received from other known users (e.g., friends or family members) receive prioritized treatment in presenting associated auditory and visual icons.
As previously mentioned and although not required, the user may establish his/her preferences on the various options for presenting auditory or visual icons including how and under what circumstances they are presented or displayed as well as the context values that could be used to prioritize the auditory or visual icons.
Referring to
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any number of GUIs may be implemented to configure the user's preferences for the presentment of auditory or visual icons. For example, the mobile terminal manufacturer, may choose to vary the level of customization to provide to the user. As illustrated herein, auditory and visual icons may be presented to the user in any number of ways; the various ways disclosed herein are merely illustrative and not limiting except as provided in the claims below.
According to
As discussed, depending on the particular configuration desired by the user, auditory icons may be presented in any number of circumstances.
In step 1106, the mobile terminal prioritizes the messages to identify at least one best match message based on the user's selected context values. As illustrated above, the prioritizing is performed by comparing a characteristic associated with each of the plurality of messages to the context value.
In step 1108, the mobile terminal presents the auditory icon as configured by the user associated with the best match message. Optionally, in step 1110, the mobile terminal displays a visual icon corresponding to the best match message.
If in step 1201 an interval has expired or an event-based screen update is required, then in steps 1204 to 1205 a loop is executed to present one or more audible icons according to the user's preferences and to update the visual icons on the display, wherein each visual icon is scaled and displayed. When there are no more visual icons to update, processing resumes in step 1201.
If in step 1202 a manual screen update occurred, then steps 1204 and 1205 are performed as outlined above.
If in step 1203 a new message was received or the user changed a priority setting, then in step 1206 the priority or ranking of the new message is calculated (if a new message was received) based on a context value and/or the user's profile. For example, as explained below, if a message is received from a hotel that is near to the mobile terminal, and the user's profile indicates that proximity to a service should receive the highest priority, then a high priority is assigned to the new message. (Alternatively, proximity can be calculated on a relative basis, such that each entity is assigned a proximity indicator corresponding to a distance from the mobile terminal). Step 1206 may also include steps of extracting information from the message and storing it into message storage 406 (e.g., price information and the like). If the user changed a priority setting (e.g., changed the importance of proximity to be lower than the importance of price), then the new priorities of previously stored messages in profile database 410 are re-calculated.
In step 1207, if the priority is not high enough compared to the user's profile, then processing resumes in step 1201. Otherwise, if the priority is high enough, then step 1208 is executed. In step 1208, the service corresponding to the message is added to a services list; the list is re-sorted according to the current priority values; and each message is assigned to either a generic icon (if no entity-supplied icon is available, for instance a generic hotel icon) or a special icon (e.g., a corporate slogan icon or logo icon received from a hotel establishment). In step 1209, the screen space for each icon is calculated, such that the icons can be displayed in the allocated display space. Various techniques for sizing the visual icons are possible; in one example, visual icon widths can be scaled by an amount proportional to their rankings in a table of sorted visual icons.
As discussed, there may be a need to avoid continuous disturbing playing of auditory icons by the mobile terminal. In this regard, the mobile terminal may be set with a certain threshold of requirements before any auditory icons are presented. For example, the user may desire auditory icons only when a specific restaurant is in a specific proximity. The auditory icon for the message corresponding to that restaurant may then be presented when the mobile terminal is within a certain distance.
While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
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Bombardier's CSeries training facility that it will start erecting this fall in Mirabel, Montreal, is to be called CIASTA, which stands for 'complete integrated aircraft system test area'.
As this exclusively-obtained slide indicates, CIASTA will house the first complete test vehicle "enabling earlier product maturity".
The Canadian airframer intends to break ground on the new facility "before the frost" around the November timeframe.
CIASTA will be in place one year ahead of flight testing of the geared turbofan-powered aircraft. The 110/130-seat CSeries has a service entry of 2013.
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Originally written on Mets Merized Online | Last updated 12/10/12
Alex In CT asks: With no real power corner outfielders to speak of in the Mets minors, would it make sense to shift Aderlin Rodriguez to left or right field? As it stands now he's blocked by David Wright and Ike Davis at the corner infield spots. We know he has the bat, but does Rodriguez have the arm to play in the outfield? Sean Kenny replies: Before I start this response, I will say that everything regarding fielding and Aderlin is based on scouting reports as I have never seen him in person nor playing on TV. Despite having an arm that has been rated as a 60 on the 20-80 scale, his footwork/fielding as well as his conditioning have been called into question. Defense will never be his calling card, and a positional shift would be geared at getting him into the lineup for his bat and not much else. (See Lucas Duda) Despite his awesome power, which is by far the most promising in the Mets system, his overall hitting approach is based on guess-hitting. Aderlin has improved his pati...
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It is a well known fact that Apple integrated some form of Bluetooth in its Apple TV 2 and its Apple TV 3. For those of you who have jailbroken your Apple TV, you may have already played around with this functionality using some of the tools in nitoTV or other Apple TV hacks. Well, it is now Apples turn. As of the latest beta builds, being released for these little black boxes, 9to5Mac revealed that there have been reports of Bluetooth functionality being enabled, by Apple! So, what could this mean? What is Apples plan? Is this a "game" changer? Needless to say, officially enabling Bluetooth is a fairly BIG DEAL either way.
Rumors have been swirling for nigh on a year now about what would come to pass when Apple finally delivers its television. Not that the Apple TV is any slouch mind you, but visions of a fully integrated Apple HDTV have had experts and fanboys alike drooling. News about a possible release schedule and what could be expected of this hardware has been slow to nonexistent in recent months leaving many people filling that informational void with speculation. One particularly juicy daydream was just delivered by our friend over at The Verge and we simply had to pass it on. So here is one die-hard's dream of the perfect Apple TV.
It would appear as though Apple's HDTV is set to be constructed by Foxconn, using Sharp components. Sharp, the electronics giant, has been in a process of being greatly invested in by Foxconn over the past year or two and it would seem that these steps are in preparation for the new Apple set top television. According to the folks over at AppleInsider:
We all know that Apple's HDTV is set to revolutionize the TV industry, but what about the content industry? Would the idea of an Apple TV set with Siri, FaceTime, and Airplay, an iSight Camera, along with the look and feel of an Apple product not be enough for you to want to buy one? I would say yes, as would a few others, I assume. I found myself arguing with a friend about the idea that Apple could not release anything until it got its content partnerships worked out. I, personally, could not disagree more. I would think Apple would be prone to releasing a fantastic television set that revolutionizes the TV hardware/software industry and not even worry about the content right away.
Apple's long-rumored television set may soon become a reality, as China Business News reports that Foxconn, Apple's Chinese manufacturing partner, has already started a pilot production of the new Apple HDTV:
Insider sources told China Business News that a Foxconn factory in Shenzhen has received orders for an Apple "smart TV" and is producing them on a trial basis.
Apple TV set featuring Siri, FaceTime, Airplay, and a build in iSight camera is more of a reality today than ever before. Though we have had many reports from anonymous insiders, today marks the first public admission of the project by someone within Apple's product release chain. More than simply admitting the products existence, Foxconn CEO Terry Gou discussed some of the production details. According to China Daily:


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Posted 28 September 2012 - 05:10
Posted 28 September 2012 - 05:18
Posted 28 September 2012 - 05:21
Posted 28 September 2012 - 05:34
We are all vegetarians. No, we haven't gone fishing nor have we seen people eating fresh fish!
Yes. Have you never gone fishing or seen any shows with people eating fresh fish?
That is an odd statement for your friend to make
Edited by wrack, 28 September 2012 - 05:36.
Posted 28 September 2012 - 05:38
Posted 28 September 2012 - 06:44
A vegetarian still eats fish and products produced by animals such as eggs and milk. A vegan however avoids any food produced or tested on animals and will not consume eggs, drink milk, or any dairy products for that matter and will refuse to eat any forms/types of meat, insect etc.


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It looks like the game is much improved over previous versions. I might actually consider picking this up since it's the only game available on Xbox.
Printable View
It looks like the game is much improved over previous versions. I might actually consider picking this up since it's the only game available on Xbox.
If you don't mind me piggybacking why don't we talk about MLB The Show 11 on here as well (no sense running 2 threads).
As for the show, I played online tonight and swung late over and over...don't know if there was a delay or you just have to press the button a bit sooner this year.
Sad to say when playing STL Carp K'd 21 against me shutting me out over 9 innings.
Oh, but EV went 11 for a 3-hit shutout. Reds 6 Cards 0 :)
(Never ceases to amaze me the people that guess-pitch fastball everytime. I will oblige, eating them up on the corners.)
I had the exact same problem against Kershaw....although Votto did hit a 8th inning solo homerun to win a 2 hit game by me.....but Kershaw struck out 19 Reds.....and lost..lol. I was late almost every batter...but got on and played a regular game and was dead nuts on every pitch....PS3 online is horrible.
There seems to be more animation with the hitter's stride, which affects the timing on the swing. I've just been playing RTTS so far and I think that mode has improved a bit. Now you can get points for having a good at bat, even if you get out. Get out on the first pitch and it's a poor at bat, but work the count and make the pitcher throw a ton of pitches before lining out to the warning track and it's a good at bat. I like it so far.
Ok, something is ticking me off here. I started RTTS and created a left fielder because I figured that position was an area of questionable depth on the Reds and I could make it up quickly. I started out in AA and played the heck out of it last night. I improved my guy well enough to get called up to AAA and have been playing pretty well. Now it's late in the season and I'm thinking I'll get called up soon, but every time I select to play my next appearance it tells me that the Reds have traded me to the Braves for David Ross. It's a video game for Pete's sake. There is a reason I put my player where I put him, and it wasn't to end up playing for another team. There should be a way around that. I know a real player could just get traded like that, but it's a darn game. I've quit and reloaded about 10 times and the result is the same every time. I really don't want to start over.
I gave up and started over.
I hate that part too,ORH. I wish like heck I could toggle my guy being traded off. Just got traded to the damned Giants....ick. SF just got a heller of a switch hitting SS. :D Guess it's better than the Cubs or Dodgers. My SP is still in Carolina but he'll get traded too, I have never had an RTTS guy not get traded.
What I would really love is if I could create myself, put myself on a Reds franchise and control only me and manage the rest. That would be my ultimate gaming scenario. A hybrid of both franchise and RTTS.
It is an awesome, awesome game though.
I started another career and the same thing happened. This time I got traded for Matt Halladay. The Phillies kept me in AAA and I just simmed the rest of the season. At the end of the season the Phillies were offering me a contract and I didn't sign it. I simmed the offseason and it told me that since I didn't have a contract with anyone, I could try out for any team in Spring Training. I picked the Reds and tore up Spring Training. Gomes got traded and I got the starting job. All is well. One season in the minors with two organizations and then I made my MLB debut with my original team.
Hey, you might be on to something there. I'll try that at the end of the season. Since I don't want to be on the Jints or anyone else, if the Reds won't sign me I'll just be back where I was basically.
So the Reds traded Homer Bailey and the first time I faced him I took him deep, 455 feet into the upper deck.
MLB 11 The Show is the only reason I would want a ps3. I got MLB 2k11 few days ago. Mostly playing online against people. The way some people play is so infuriating. Trying to bunt non stop trying to steal non stop very lame. Just finished a game Playing as the Reds against the Cardinals at GABP. Travis wood took a shutout into the 9th but so did the cards. Eventually got to the 14th inning dude brings in Carpenter and strikes me out as Stubbs and Phillips. First pitch to Votto and launched it into the left center bullpen. Was so awesome.
Update here. I just finished my first full MLB season. I hit .310 with 35 jacks and won ROY and hit a bomb in game 7 of the WS. I saved the game and started simming the off season. The Reds offered me a 7 year contract and then promptly traded me to the Rockies two weeks later. I backed out and am simming the off season again. Now they offered me a five year deal and I saved right after I signed the contract. I'm back to simming the rest of the off season, hoping they don't try to trade me again.
Picked up The Show a week ago, just got into really playing it today. The Pure Analog controls rock. For pitching, hitting, and fielding, although the hitting controls took me some time to get used to, as the last analog hitting system I used was 2k's for the ps2, where you just let go to contact swing, and push up for power swing, as opposed to The Show, where you always push up. I though the pitching was awesome, probably the best pitching system I've ever seen in a game. The throwing is pretty good too.
Haven't really gotten into RTTS yet, been working on my franchise roster (somehow they managed to sneak a AAA catcher on to the Reds named Kendrys Mesoraco).


text:
A bit of sugar for defining Objects and their prototypes.
A bit of sugar for defining JavaScript Objects and their prototypes.
var Animal = defineObject //a initialization method with side-effects //that luckily will not get called when the Animal object is inherited from thislaunchRockets; prototype : sound: 'silence' weight: 0 console.logthissound; ; var Logger = defineObject thislogHistory = ; prototype: thislogHistorypushmsg; console.logmsg ; var Dog = defineObject thisweight = weight; //Dog.parent.init.call(this); -- if you need to have access to the Animal initialization method parent : Animal //inherits from Animal mixin : Logger //alternatively an array may be passed for multiple mixins ie [Logger, Events] prototype : sound : 'woof' DogparentProtovocalizecallthis; // Calling 'super' methods remains about the same. this.log"dog is vocalizing"; console.log"I want what you're having."; this.log"dog is drooling" ; var dog = Dogcreate80; //Alternatively 'new Dog(80)' or 'Dog(80)' dogvocalize; dogdrool; console.log"History" doglogHistory; console.log dog instanceof Dog ;
Including a 'properties' field will simply pass the assigned literal to Object.defineProperties upon the creation of an object.
See: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Object/defineProperties
var O = defineObject properties : field : value : 'value' writable : false ; var o = Ocreate; console.logofield; ofield = 'error'; //error


text: Everything on the camera seems to work fine in manual mode. I haven't actually shot a roll of film since the first one yet, but the shutter definitely changes speeds. I'll try and shoot a roll this weekend in manual, and develop it next week to know for sure. Also, I can't say 100%, but I'm pretty sure the light meter was working fine before I switched the battery out.


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23 year old woman | Miami, FL, USA | Seeking men 24-28 within 30 miles
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Yes im young but im very mature for my age. I know what I want and wont settle for less Born in NY raised primarily in Miami. Im an honest person who absolutely loves to have fun. I come from a Christian family and although I may not live that life I still believe in God and I'd prefer someone who does too Im looking for someone down to earth, someone real. With so many fake people out there it would be refreshing to meet otherwise. You gotta be willing to take chances and think outside the box. Life is just more interesting that way. I love to go out and try new things. Being spontaneous, going to the beach, wine tasting, lounges, restuarants the list goes on. Im usually down for what ever. I love food! Definitely not afraid to say it but Im really big on keeping it healthy. Fitness is important to me. Im looking for someone who has motivation, loves life but ultimately a true gentlemen.
Coffee and conversation , Cooking , Dining out , Movies/Videos , Museums and art , Music and concerts , Exploring new areas , Nightclubs/Dancing , Performing arts , Playing sports , Religion/Spiritual , Shopping/Antiques , Travel/Sightseeing , Video games , Volunteering , Watching sports , Wine tasting
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text:
Q: What is your opinion on Activision Blizzard stock atvi?
A: The idea of investing in Activision Blizzard probably popped into your head while flipping through your video-game collection.
Activision Blizzard publishes some of the most popular video games, including Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk and the acclaimed Call of Duty series. The company's Modern Warfare 2 war simulation, due out this year, is one of the most anticipated titles in years. It's a follow-up to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
Meanwhile, the company controls a number of online games, including Warcraft. Online games are attractive for video game publishers because users pay recurring fees to play and are extremely loyal. If you're interested in following video-game trends, you should check out USATODAY.com's video-game community, Game Hunters at gamehunters.usatoday.com.
Activision Blizzard management, led by industry vet Bobby Kotick, has shown it understands the ups and downs of the business. Activision during the current economic downturn has been the most steady of the major video-game publishers. Its market value of about $15 billion exceeds that of rival Electronic Artserts at about $6.8 billion.
But does all this mean Activision is a good play for investors? To find out, I put the stock through the four tests considered at Ask Matt:
Step 1: Risk vs. reward. When you take a risk on a stock, you want to make sure you're properly rewarded. Downloading Activision's trading history back to 1993, we see the company generated an average annual compound rate of price appreciation of 31%. This is an extremely high return; the S&P 500 posted a 6.6% annual return in the same time frame, says IFA.com.
But here's the rub: If you owned Activision, you accepted higher risk — standard deviation — of 61 percentage points. That's much higher than the 15.1 percentage point risk of the S&P 500 during the period. So to get a 370% higher return you accepted 307% higher risk. But the risk-return is almost in balance.
Based on this measure, Activision is one of the few stocks to pass this test. While Activision is much riskier than the market, its incredible return justifies the extra risk.
Step 2: Measure the stock's discounted cash flow. Some investors decide if a stock is pricey by comparing its current price to the present value of its expected cash flows. It's a complicated analysis made simple with a system from NewConstructs. When I run Activision's stock, I find it's rated "dangerous." In other words, the stock is expensive relative to the cash the company is expected to generate over its lifetime.
Step 3: Compare the stock's current valuation to its historical range. BetterInvesting's Stock Selection Guide can normally help. But due to the recent merger of Activision and Blizzard, the software giant does not have reliable long-term historical information for this analysis.
Step 4: Check the company's financial health. Before investing in a company, you want to make sure it's in good financial shape. A quick way to check is to look at where it falls on the USA TODAY Stock Meter, which ranks stocks from conservative (1) to aggressive (5). Activision scores an aggressive 4.0 here. You can get a Stock Meter score for almost any stock by going to money.usatoday.com and putting the stock's ticker symbol or name into the Get a Quote box.


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We also need volunteers to commit to taking a dog to obedience class for a seven week period. We also need individuals to assist with fundraising, place flyers around town and suggest ways to increase awareness of our organization and the pets who need to be placed in loving homes.
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text:
Physicians for Human RightsUsing science and medicine to stop human rights violations
Other Library Items
Doctors as Terrorists - A Letter to the Editor of the Boston Globe
WHILE H.D.S. Greenway is correct in pointing out that doctors are not immune from being swept up in revolutionary causes, he appears to minimize the unique conflict created when physicians elevate their support of a cause to the level of violence.
PHR Letter to American Psychological Association Regarding Psychologists and Interrogations
PHR wrote to APA President Brehm to express its concerns that neither the APA's policy on human rights nor the PENS Task Force report and recommendations adequately assure guidance to psychologists in interrogation settings.
Interrogation Abuses - A Letter to the Editor of the New York Times
The abusive interrogation methods reverse-engineered from the military's Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape torture-resistance program cause enormous psychological harm ranging from psychosis and suicidal ideation to post-traumatic stress disorder.
PHR Letter to Secretary Gates Applauds Declassification of Report on Interrogation Techniques and Calls for Remedial Measures
In a letter sent on May 31, 2007, to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, PHR responds to the recently declassified Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report, "Review of DoD-Directed Investigations of Detainee Abuse."
Letter to the UN General Assembly to Block Candidacy of Belarus for Human Rights Council
Belarus, which fails to cooperate with United Nations human rights mechanisms and has one of the worst human rights records in Europe, is running for election to the Human Rights Council from the Eastern European Group. We write to urge your government to commit itself to opposing Belarus' election to the Council, and to encourage other governments to also oppose Belarus.


text:
Black Cadillac Riddled With Bullets In Miami With Child Inside
Miami Police detectives are seeking help from the public after a black Cadillac was riddled with bullets with two adults and a child inside it.
Three Dead, Several Hospitalized After SUV Hits Bear
An SUV crashed and killed a 300-pound bear Sunday causing a chain reaction wreck which killed three and injured several others.
Automated Driving Is The Future
General Motors, Toyota, and Honda have each indicated what the future holds for automobiles, announcing upcoming automated models of their vehicles.
2017 Cadillac Will Sport Limited Automated Driving Capabilities
General Motors also plans new "connected car" to help prevent crashes.
Play Underway Again At Cadillac Championship
Play resumed Friday for the opening round of the Cadillac Championship at Doral that was started, suspended for rain, restarted, and then suspended again for darkness Thursday.
Play Resumes At Cadillac Championship
Play has resumed at the Cadillac Championship after heavy thunderstorms roared through the area Thursday afternoon.
Tiger Key To Trump's Success This Weekend
Outspoken businessman Donald Trump was in Doral Wednesday morning trying to drum up more support for the annual Cadillac Championship set to start Thursday at the famed Blue Monster course.
Tiger's Status For Doral Is Unknown
He's still the biggest draw on the PGA Tour, but age and injuries seem to be getting the best of Tiger Woods ahead of the Cadillac Championship in Doral this week.
Tiger In Four-Way Tie At Cadillac Championship
Tiger Woods stormed to the front of the leaderboard at the Cadillac Championship Thursday managing to hit nine birdies during his first 18 holes of golf at the tournament.
Woods & McIlroy Teamed Together At Cadillac Championship
The last time Rory McIlroy was on the golf course, he walked off the course mid-round and quit. If he was hoping to avoid the attention at the Cadillac Championship this week, the first-round pairings didn't help him at all.


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BURRILLVILLE ŌĆō As he stood before a jubilant group of Burrillville players, head coach Gennaro Ferraro raised his right index finger and emphatically pointed in the direction of the Alumni Field scoreboard.
All eyes remained dead set on Ferraro as he rattled off the words the Broncos have longed to hear: ŌĆ£ItŌĆÖs a win.ŌĆØ
For the first time this season, Burrillville earned a victory against a Division III rival. That it materialized against a Lincoln squad that also entered Saturday still looking to obtain league win No. 1 was not lost on a clearly-relieved Ferraro, not on a day when his Broncos held on for dear life in a 7-6 Homecoming victory.
ŌĆ£Finally, we were able to overcome the little things and little mistakes and punch it through,ŌĆØ stated Ferrarro, the outpouring of relief clearly evident in his tone. ŌĆ£These kids have worked hard for so long, so congratulations to them. We broke through with a league win, so congratulations to them.ŌĆØ
The down-to-the-wire finish was not devoid of controversy. With 3:31 remaining in the contest and the Lions driving, quarterback Spencer Desautel was stopped short on a fourth-and-two call at the BroncosŌĆÖ 22-yard line. The ball was placed roughly a yard shy of the marker, though Lincoln head coach Dave Waycott believed in calling for a measurement. His overture was denied, much to the chagrin to the entire LionsŌĆÖ bench.
The dying seconds produced even more frustration for Lincoln. After BurrillvilleŌĆÖs Jonathan Thornhill was spun backwards for a two-yard loss on third-and-long from its 21, the game clock read just over 30 seconds. In high school, teams adhere to a 25-second play clock, meaning there was a slim chance that the Lions could take over with mere seconds to spare.
On fourth down, Burrillville quarterback Isaiah DeSilva dropped to one knee with about five seconds remaining. Instead of immediately blowing the play dead, time continued to melt away, a development that denied one final chance for Lincoln.
Once both sides went through the traditional postgame handshakes, Waycott spoke to his players while his assistant coaches huddled around the officiating crew, seeking to get an adequate explanation why the clock didnŌĆÖt stop the moment DeSilvaŌĆÖs knee touched the ground.
The loss drops Lincoln to 0-6 in Division III, 0-7 overall. On the flip side, Burrillville stands at 1-4 in the league, 2-5 overall.
ŌĆ£It was a classic Lincoln-Burrillville game; not one kid on either side quit,ŌĆØ Ferraro said.
Expounding on FerraroŌĆÖs point, SaturdayŌĆÖs get-together featured two wet-behind-the-ears squads that basically asked their defenses to serve as the primary catalyst. Burrillville took the opening kickoff and advanced all the way to the Lincoln 1 before senior Matt Johns, who was lined up in a Wildcat formation, attempted to find DeSilva and his 6-foot-5 frame in the back corner of the end zone.
Lincoln had other ideas as Chris Kimball came away with the interception. The senior had been picked on for a 25-yard pass play earlier in the drive, though when push came to shove, he was able to win the 1-on-1 battle against DeSilva.
The disheartening ending for Burrillville had a here-we-go-again vibe surrounding it, as the Broncos saw their first possession of last weekŌĆÖs game against Tiverton fizzle out at the 1 when DeSilva was stuffed on fourth-and-goal. This time, though, Burrillville did not let the setback linger to the point that it would affect them the rest of the contest. A nifty three-yard cutback run by Johns put the home team in front, 7-0, at 6:20 of the second quarter.
ŌĆ£As was addressed in practice, weŌĆÖve got to come back whenever thereŌĆÖs adversity,ŌĆØ noted Ferraro. ŌĆ£The kids never believed that (KimballŌĆÖs pick) was going to hurt us. Maybe last week, they might have, but with a week of maturity, I think they believed that it wasnŌĆÖt going to prevent them.ŌĆØ
Lincoln pieced together a nine-play, 61-yard scoring drive in the third quarter, one that relied exclusively on runs and ate 6:15 of game clock. Michael Morra took care of the final 13 yards with a nice cutback that enabled him to head into the end zone standing upright.
ŌĆ£HeŌĆÖs a quick kid who read the play the way it was designed,ŌĆØ said Waycott.
With his kicking game in a bit of bind due to the absence of holder Johnny Galang, Waycott felt compelled to go for two. The Broncos came away with the stop that in the end enabled JohnsŌĆÖ extra point to be the deciding factor.
ŌĆ£I would have loved to have kicked it, but we donŌĆÖt have that option right now,ŌĆØ Waycott noted.
After MorraŌĆÖs score, it became a matter of Burrillville stemming the tide against a Lincoln squad that desperately sought to punch the ball in for the go-ahead score. Turns out the former came to fruition on a day that saw the Broncos finally break through.


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Mason's Second Birthday Party & Not Keeping Up With the Joneses
Mason turned 2 yesterday and we celebrated with a cookout. It was very low-key, especially by New York standards, where pricey entertainment, a giant guest list, and catered food isn't at all unusual.
We reserved the rooftop of our apartment building, and decorated it with a "mod monkey" theme inspired by Mason's love of the stuffed monkey Chris adored when he was Bug's age. In fact, it's the only toy my quirky kid will allow in his crib at night, and he always makes sure that I cover "Monkey" up when I tuck him in.
I ordered all of the decorations, tableware, and favors online. My father-in-law hung clusters of balloons from the awning over the picnic table, and my mother-in-law put together the cute little centerpiece. I hung balloons and my brother-in-law's girlfriend dressed things up with streamers.
The food was fresh and local. Chris grilled sliders and brats, while I made fruit salad, heirloom tomato salad, and red cole slaw. We served a bunch of different types of drinks (beer, wine, seltzer, soda, and juice boxes), and had the requisite goldfish crackers. Dessert was chocolate and vanilla cupcakes that I made from a mix decorated with rainbow sprinkles.
I didn't hire fancy entertainment, I decided Mason was too young to really get a magician or whatever. Instead, the boys played with beach balls, toy cars, and bubbles–most of which came from our local dollar store. Our thinking was that new toys Mason had never played with would be easier for him to share than his beloved playthings (which stayed downstairs in our apartment). Our plan worked! The boys had a blast, and we didn't have any major meltdowns.
The moms chilled out, eating and chatting (my father-in-law took on kid duty, which was awesome). At one point I looked around and felt so grateful to be surrounded by so many wonderful people who also love Mason. My MIL and FIL had flown in from out of town for the occasion. Then there was my BIL and his girlfriend (who are local); two LIC Mamas, Diane and Kerry, and their families; Katherine with her husband Eric and their darling twin girls, Kay and Brooke; and Aesook with her husband Henry and son Logan, a favorite classmate of Mason's. Some neighbors whom we adore stopped by as well.
I had stressed endlessly about my simple approach; at one point, in the beginning of our party planning efforts, Chris had to remind me that we didn't need to go overboard for our 2-year-old's birthday party, and I'm thankful he was able to keep me focused. I find it embarrassingly easy to get swept up in what other moms think and say, and, I lose perspective on what works for us as a family. In the end, Mason clearly had a blast–and I wouldn't change a thing about the party we had for him.
Have you found yourself in a situation recently where you've felt pressure to "keep up with the Joneses"? Dish with me!
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Tags: birthday party, holiday, Holidays, mean mommies | Categories: High Chair Times, Must Read
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by Casey
On August 21, 2012 at 10:39 am
We definately went overboard for our son's first birthday party, too. Booked a restaurant, went way over the top on food, cake, decorations, guests, etc. When he turned two in April I had already decided we needed to "tone it down" quite a bit. We were actually living in two places at the time, and I knew we would need to have two parties for our separate groups of friends. My son is obsessed with trains, so I took the Thomas The Train party theme and ran with it. I found as many ideas as I could on Pinterest. I made my own invitations and mailed them as postcards(cheaper than mailing envelopes), and hand delivered as many as I could. 100% of the decorations were Pinterest inspired and homemade. My nieces helped me glue for hours, they were so awesome! We opted for mid afternoon parties(For both), so we did not have to serve an entire meal. I made a "train" of fruit & snack food, which was appropriate for all the toddlers in attendance. His first party a friend made an awesome train cake, and his second we just did cupcakes. All together a huge success for both parties! They were pretty low key, and we enjoyed both!
by Kristi Bennett
On August 21, 2012 at 10:42 am
I have six kids, I've done mostly low key family and one or two friends type of parties because with my history, people call and say they are coming, then don't and my kids end up being hurt. But I have had successful turnout when the party was at a pizza place or for my oldest daughter's 8th bday Kim Possible blowout with her GS troop; we even had a DJ…but it was her dad and he owns all the equipment. My youngest daughter's first birthday was low key and relaxed but we did reserve a shaded pavilion at a local state park and played in the lake – we had a private kitchen and private bathrooms. Her 2nd birthday was even more low key with decorations I made myself and it was a cook out at home (ladybug theme).
by B
On August 21, 2012 at 11:11 am
We always do an outdoor BBQ-type party. The kids are free to choose what they will do (swings, games, bouncy house…) and the adults take turns playing with the kids. We have attended a few of these OTT parties and my son ends up bored. Pretentious is only fun if you rent an entire theme park!
by CM
On August 21, 2012 at 12:02 pm
I felt a lot of pressure to rent a place or do chuck-e-cheeses for my sons 2nd birthday, I was having to constantly remind myself to keep it simple and save the big party for a more appropriate age. I bought cheap hard hats and caution tape from our local party supply store and let the kids "demolish" my house, served kool aid and dirt cake. Everyone had a great time and it was very inexpensive. Thank you for this article, some people truely need a reality check.
by Audra
On August 21, 2012 at 12:34 pm
On my side of the family we always buy a cake. So for my son's first birthday it was pirate themed, most of the decoration was from party city. He had a lot of gifts and that was most important to me since he was growing out of baby toys. This year his birthday is on Thanksgiving so I'm actually glad I read this. I'm going to keep it super low key since we're in a cooler state compared to AZ. I just might let my MIL bake the cake even though I'm used to it being the centerpiece of the party. We had pizza last year so I'll make sandwiches.
by Thien-Kim
On August 22, 2012 at 10:03 pm
I totally understand not getting sucked into what other parents are doing! Looks like you made the right decisions and everyone had a great time!
by Shannon
On August 24, 2012 at 10:40 am
I totally understand what your saying. We're planning my sons first birthday and its hard not to get wrapped up in the " well so and so is doing this, or having that" It doesn't matter. Its not like my little guy is going to remember. I want him to have fun and it doesn't take breaking the bank to do that.
by Tammy
On August 29, 2012 at 11:28 am
We keep it old school and I don't invite the Jones's
by Laura @ Stroller Parking Only
On September 2, 2012 at 7:20 pm
Good for you for doing it your own way, Mama! A lot of these over-the-top parties for kids are just for the parents to show off and end up being not very kid-friendly. Somewhere along the way, people lost sight of what a KIDS' party should be. Glad you're keeping it real. Sounds like a blast!
by Sally
On January 20, 2013 at 10:16 pm
I am so glad to read your post. My daughter is 9-months old and I just got invited to a friend's birthday party for her two-year old daughter. My friend has rented a hall at a country club and invited tons of people. There's a moonbounce, face painters, balloon artists, catered food, etc. And it's a costume party (yes, she is suggesting that the adults to dress up too!) It's nice to know there are still normal people out there who remember that birthday parties are for the kids.


text:
YIELD: Makes 4 servings
Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender but still firm to bite. Add asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes longer. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Rinse with cold water until cold. Drain well. Transfer pasta and asparagus to large bowl. Add green onions and smoked salmon. Mix reserved cooking liquid into dressing. Add to salad; toss to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.


text:
Why you should NOT buy a Ural motorcycle
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Tengai In Toronto
Gnarly Adventurer
Joined: Apr 2011
Location: Toronto
Oddometer: 187
Not sure if anyone mentioned this... because I don't want to read 110 pages of this thread to find out. But apparently until their demise, used Yugos were often sold for much more than new ones, because buyers knew that all the faulty factory parts had to have been replaced by the time they were sold second-hand. Not sure how this relates, or if its even relevant to the Ural discussion, just find it interesting, and in the realm of sketchy Euro vehicles.
That being said, I'd love a Ural. If a sorted used one popped up around here I'd be all over it!
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