text:
New Survey Reveals Differences in Driving Habits of Teens, Parents
This summer, Ford Motor Company is doubling to 40,000 the number of teen drivers and parents that it reaches with its Driving Skills for Life program, a traveling road show that will visit 40 different high schools over the summer break. The program is focused on giving teen drivers real-world experience with challenging driving situations using special vehicles, and focuses on instruction related to driver distraction, speed management, space management, vehicle handling, and recognizing driving hazards.
"Ford has a long record as a safety leader, and continues to work through many channels to help address the risk factors associated with inexperienced drivers," said Steve Kenner, global director, Automotive Safety Office, Ford Motor Company. "Features such as MyKey and programs such as Ford Driving Skills for Life help parents and teens as they develop the skills needed to control a vehicle, detect hazards, and assess driving situations."
MyKey is a Ford technology that is standard on most of its vehicles, and gives parents the power to limit a vehicle's top speed and stereo volume, remove the ability to turn off the traction and stability control system, sound an incessant seat belt alert, and more. Other car companies offer similar features on their vehicles.
The study is revealing in that while 76% of teens and 83% of parents consider distracted driving to be as dangerous as drunk driving, parents are more likely to engage in the behavior when it comes to checking their phones. According to the study, 28% of parents check their phones while driving, compared with 20% of teens. Additionally, the study finds that teenage boys are more likely to engage in aggressive driving behaviors, while teenage girls are more likely to engage in social driving distractions.
In addition to conducting 40 hands-on driving clinics this summer, Ford is offering elements of its Driving Skills for Life program to another 150 high schools in the form of educational materials and Web-based learning tools related to the subject of safe driving. Interested parties can learn more about the program by visiting DrivingSkillsforLife.com.


text: Melanee Halstead has been named the Cougars womens basketball coach for the 2010-2011 season. Coach Halstead has been involved in coaching for over 20 years, most recently at Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in Owatonna, Minnesota where she served as both womens basketball and volleyball coach. In her ten years at the helm of the Pillsbury program, Melanee was one of the most respected coaches in the North Central region and was twice selected the Northern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Womens Basketball Coach of the Year. Coach Halstead also serves the NCCAA as the Division II Womens Basketball National Vice-Chair and will move into the role of National Chair after another year. In addition to her responsibilities as assistant dean of women, she served as assistant coach to the Lady Cougars during the 2009-2010 season. A graduate of Maranatha Baptist Bible College, Melanee also has her Masters Degree in Sport Coaching from the United States Sports Academy. We are pleased to have Coach Halsteads experience and solid philosophy of Christian athletics as an addition to our coaching staff. Athletic Director James Whitaker said, We are thrilled to be able to add Melanee as our womens basketball coach. She is an experienced coach who will continue to build our program and enable us to compete successfully in the tough NCCAA South Region. More importantly, she has already shown an ability to build relationships with the players and disciple them in their walk with God. The future is bright for the Lady Cougar basketball program. Print Article

subset: commoncrawl


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Lea Michele's Rachel: Her Top 5 Glee Performances Ever
Lea Michele's voice is impeccable no matter what she sings, so the task of picking out her best music moments is basically impossible. However, we're always up for a challenge, so here are our choices for Lea's top 5 Glee performances as the incomparable Rachel Berry. And don't worry, Lea — we would never rain on your parade.
5. "Faithfully" (Season 1, Episode 22: "Journey")
You didn't think we could make a list like this without at least one Finchel duet, did you? (What are we — made of stone?) This is one of our top romantic Glee duets ever — in part because Finn had said "I love you" to Rachel right before going on stage (aww!) — and it's also one of Lea's best, with all those high notes. Needless to say, these two can't get back together soon enough.
4. "Firework" (Season 2, Episode 12: "Silly Love Songs")
Lea's most memorable Glee tunes might typically be torch songs or show tunes, but we also love her take on pop. For example, her Season 1 rendition of "Take a Bow" or Season 3's "Without You" show how great she can be with a radio hit. However, our favorite is "Firework," as this is the take-charge, self-empowered side of Rachel that we love the most.
3. "New York State of Mind" (Season 4, Episode 1: "The New Rachel")
This might have been our introduction to Marley — and Marley certainly does a great job on it — but it was especially Rachel who truly grabbed our attention. The two of them together sound great, with Rachel proving that she definitely belongs at an elite institution like NYADA. Take that, Carmen.
2. "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" (Season 2, Episode 3: "Grilled Cheesus")
We hate remembering Burt's heart attack, but his unfortunate medical drama did allow for this stunning solo from Rachel. Sure, it's another Barbra tune, but Rachel's voice is amazingly well-suited for this challenging number. If this mesmerizing performance couldn't help Burt get better, nothing would.
1. "Don't Rain on My Parade" (Season 1, Episode 13: "Sectionals")
We have three words to say about Rachel's show-stopping performance of "Don't Rain on My Parade": Wow, wow, and wow. Rachel definitely deserves the enthusiastic standing ovation she receives from the Sectionals audience —and from us — for this mind-blowing number. This is definitely parade-worthy.
My favorite didn't make the list!
I can't choose just one!


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Meet the Team
The event is run by an all-volunteer personnel, comprising of professionals and students from various disciplines in
due presenza dell'igiene" medecine naturelle viagra la sempre. Riguarda seno fluconazole pets quali massimo è diflucan 10 cps 100 mg prezzo vita più modo colchicine et voltaren accuratezza studio una di…
the User Experience and related fields. We appreciate any help we can get, from sponsors to volunteers who somehow find the time from their busy schedules to help out with this event. In alphabetical order:
David Nguyen
El Director
In someone else's words: "David is someone who is always up for a challenge. He is skilled at many things and is always eager to learn more. He comes up with creative solutions to complex problems. He makes himself available to anyone who needs his assistance or advice, and is never shy to ask others for help as well."
Thanks awesome person who wrote that about me! I've been in the entertainment industry for over 15 years as a Software Engineer to User Experience Designer. I'd say I'm an advocate for Customer Experience and love developing seamless User Experiences.
Alberta Soranzo
The Recruiter
Testing, critiquing, and making things better since forever. User Experience Lead, Information Architect and disruptor extraordinaire, across several continents and languages. At UCLA, Alberta develops strategies, workflows and interfaces for public health. She is passionate about big data and specializes in statistical analysis online query tools. She consults on strategy and IA for the RFK for Justice & Human Rights and other organizations. Notable hard skills: playing ice hockey and sarcasm.
You can reach her on Twitter at @albertatrebla.
Jess Bedford
Marketing & Project Manager at artisancreative.com
Over the years, Jess moved more than 14 times throughout the US, Europe and Australia before finally settling down in LA where she joined the Artisan team in 2008.
Working previously in Marketing for the Music, Mobile and Non-Profit Industries, Jess discovered recruitment 7 years ago and has held a variety of positions in the field. Today, she can be found managing the Artisan Facebook community or Tweeting the latest Creative news. She also enjoys assisting clients with their Marketing & Communications projects.
Outside work, Jess enjoys spending time with her husband, a TV & Film Editor, and their two young daughters. Travel, Music & Photography remain a shared passion for the family. An SMU grad, Jess still has a special place in her heart for Tex-Mex, Shinerbock & Country music.
Jess can be reached on firstname.lastname@example.com.
Joseph O'Conner
Accessibility Consultant
Joseph Karr O'Connor lives in Santa Monica, California. When Section 508 came into effect in 1999 he began leading teams producing accessible web environments, first at Pasadena City College and then at California State University, Northridge. He has been using WordPress in support of non-profits, research, and university news since 2005. Now leading Cities, a world-wide effort to build free accessible WordPress themes, Joe also contributes to Make WordPress Accessible and asks you to get involved.
Joe presented "Cities: Making Accessible WordPress Themes" on April 27, 2013, at Reno-Tahoe WordCamp, in Reno, Nevada. He will also speak about WordPress accessibility at WordCamp Montreal, June 29 and 30, 2013. He is working with all the amazing startups here in Santa Monica, also known asSilicon Beach. In 2012 he organized the Los Angeles Accessibility and Inclusive Design Group. The group hosted an event here in Santa Monica on May 9, 2013 for Global Accessibility Awareness Day with Joe's good friend Molly Holschlag as the main speaker.
You can reach him on Twitter at @AccessibleJoe.
Justin Lascelle
Design Slayer
Justin specializes in Typography, Identity & Branding, Illustration, HTML / CSS, jQuery, CMS integration, Website User Interface Design, and Usability.
Lane Halley
Product Designer
Lane excels at collaborative product design within a lean startup or agile development environment. As a coach, she helps teams integrate product design methods into their process. Teams that work with her experience an increase in harmony, productivity, sense of purpose and fun. Her core product design skills include user research, persona and scenario creation, product visioning, sketching, storyboards, wireframes, paper prototypes and qualitative usability techniques. Lane recently extended my practice to include corporate identity and graphic design and welcome opportunities to do work in these areas.
You can reach her on Twitter at @thinknow.
Lara Federoff
Lorenzo Santos
Propaganda Specialist
Lorenzo is currently a proud Titan (class of '17!) and an overall fungi. Carving out his career path to earn his position as an UX Designer is an immediate goal he is seeking. Throughout his life journey he has traveled to over ten countries (living in three) and has been exposed to different lifestyles and cultures. It is this outside perspective that creates his desire to use marketing and UX to appeal to a wider, global audience. In his spare time Lorenzo enjoys traveling, playing music and building his own personal home library.
Noel Saw
Lead Web Monkey aka System Architect
Noel is the founder of many startups. His most recent are Neochrome, Inc. and TechJobsLA.com. He has been a Product and UX designer for over 15 years since 1996 before the term UX was invented. He is also currently a lead UX designer at Fabric Interactive in downtown LA. Noel lead his tech team at Neochrome to build/architect this outpost you're visiting now.
Neochrome Team
Sr. Code Monkey
Software Engineer and also a Bassist at G.53!
Peter Amaraphomkul
Tech Guru
Peter is the guy who gets the video for our events and helps out anything tech related for the group. He is well in tune with designers, developers, and it folks as he is the CTO at BidMail.
Rhett Kuseski
Infantry Division
User Interface (UI) User Experience (UX) Software Evaluation and Usability Consulting. I have over 20 years of experience evaluating the usability of software, apps and/or websites. If you are serious about enhancing your software for ease-of-use making it more user-friendly, please consider my passion and skills in this area. I am often horrified by the needless complexity of software, apps or website navigation from a user interface perspective and have a wealth of ideas on how to improve them.
Shraddha Swaroop
Sponsorship Specialist
Spreading the word of the event and so much more – Shraddha Swaroop is an award-winning designer in user experience, print and web design projects. Her expertise includes information architecture, user experience and visual design. Along with web and mobile design, her projects have included volunteering her time as a board member for the Orange County UX group and team member for Socal UX Camp 2015.


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This summer, come discover the magical universe of Valcartier Vacation Village Waterpark. Families and friends alike will enjoy the more than 35 waterslides including the Pirates' Hideout, Dungeon City, Amazon, Everest, Turbo 6, the wave pool and the new Mirage : One thousand and one water games! At Valcartier Vacation Village, one day is not enough! And after a day playing in the water a comfortable room with a modern design awaits you at Hotel Sepia.
The package includes:
- Guestroom for one night
- Two hearty breakfasts at the Galopin restaurant (or Sunday brunch for an extra fee)
- Two tickets for Valcartier Vacation Village Waterpark
From $180 per night (Double occupancy)
Available from June 4th to August 30th, 2015.


text: |Includes Spy Sweeper the #1 Antispyware Protection - Contains the same antispyware protection found in Spy Sweeper, the best-selling and most award-winning antispyware product in the market. This advanced technology thoroughly scans your computer to detect and remove spyware, adware, pop-ups and other privacy threats, while proactively blocking new threats before they can install. : Stay Safe from Viruses, Hackers and Data Theft - Provides complete protection against the latest online threats, including viruses, worms, Trojans, keyloggers and rootkits. Proactive, multi-layered technologies block unauthorized attempts to access your computer and personal data, helping to protect you against identity theft. Advanced two-way protection learns what should and should not be allowed based on your normal activity which means greater protection for your PC and fewer interruptions for you. : Automatic Backup Keeps Your Files Safe - Integrated online and local backup and restore capabilities ensure your valuable files are protected against damage or loss. You can schedule regular online backups of digital photos and other irreplaceable files, while using local backup for less critical files or larger files like digital videos. And because it's automatic, you never have to remember to back up again! : Email monitoring protects against viruses, spyware and hackers : Proactive protection against data theft, hackers and malware : Streamlined design to maintain PC speed and performance : Automatic backup to protect digital photos and irreplaceable files


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The Classic Fairy TalesPaperback Norton Critical Editions
Free delivery worldwide
Dispatched in 2 business days
When will my order arrive?
- Publisher: WW Norton & Co
- Format: Paperback | 416 pages
- Dimensions: 130mm x 208mm x 22mm | 381g
- Publication date: 11 April 1999
- Publication City/Country: New York
- Sales rank: 23,124
Product description
This Norton Critical Edition collects forty-four fairy tales, from the fifth century to the present. The Classic Fairy Tales focuses on six tale types: "Little Red Riding Hood," "Beauty and the Beast," "Snow White," "Cinderella," "Bluebeard," and "Hansel and Gretel," and presents multicultural variants and sophisticated literary rescriptings. Also reprinted are tales by Hans Christian Andersen and Oscar Wilde. "Criticism" gathers twelve essays that interpret aspects of fairy tales, including their social origins, historical evolution, psychological drama, gender issues, and national identities. A Selected Bibliography is included.
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Author information
Maria Tatar chairs the Program in Folklore and Mythology at Harvard University. She is the author of Enchanted Hunters: The Power of Stories in Childhood, Off with Their Heads! Fairy Tales and the Culture of Childhood and many other books on folklore and fairy stories. She is also the editor and translator of The Annotated Hans Christian Andersen, The Annotated Brothers Grimm, The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales, The Annotated Peter Pan, The Classic Fairy Tales: A Norton Critical Edition and The Grimm Reader. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.


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FRANKLIN, TX -- The Franklin Lions have arguably the best 1-2 punch in the state in the backfield in tailback Darius Floyd and fullback Chris Morrow. The two combined for 4,099 yards rushing a year ago and had some huge games, including a 433 yard, 7 touchdown effort from Morrow against Whitney.
The tandem ran through holes opened up by a very good offensive line a year ago, but, unfortunately, no starters return in 2012. The line and quarterback position are question marks heading into the season. If they develop, the Lion offense could be outstanding once again this season.
The Franklin defense should be solid as seven starters return, six that earned all-district honors a year ago. Hayden Luhn leads a group of three returning linebackers, three second team all-district performers are back on the line, and Eric Hawkins will be the rock the Lions lean on in the secondary.
UIL Realignment moves the Lions from 2A Division II up a level to 2A Division I and to a district set deeper in east Texas, but the competition may not be as tough. Franklin should battle Crockett for the district crown, as no other team in 11-2A Division I made the playoffs last season.
8/31 @ Hearne
9/7 @ Riesel
9/14 Lexington
9/21 Caldwell
9/28 @ Austin St. Michaels
10/12 Palestine Westwood
10/19 @ Elkhart
10/26 Crockett
11/2 Trinity
11/9 @ Teague
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ECP303 - Child Protection
Unit details
|2015 unit information
|Enrolment modes:
|Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Cloud (online)
|Credit point(s):
|EFTSL value:
|Unit chair:
|L Laskey
|Incompatible with:
|Contact hours:
Campus: 1 x 1 hour Class and 1 x 2 hour Seminar per week.
Cloud (online): Learning experiences are via CloudDeakin.
This unit is available for offer to non-Education students.
For students in Bachelor of Education (Primary) this unit is recommended as a 3rd year elective because prerequisite school experience and/or professional knowledge is desirable.
A quota applies to the Cloud (online) mode of this unit.
Campus mode version and study day subject to demand.
This unit enables students to understand the nature and extent of child abuse within our society, develop plans for school based child protection, practise the application of knowledge about child abuse and the child protection system via case examples and demonstrate familiarity with community resources available to schools.
The unit focuses on the prevention, detection and notification of suspected child abuse and neglect. The role of schools in prevention programs, support of victims and notification requirements will be examined.
A report about policy and practice of child protection at their school (or alternative community setting) (40%) 1500 to 2000 words.
A case study about child abuse identification, disclosure and notification (50%) 2000 words.
Class participation: Students will be expected to participate on a regular basis and to complete a small partner/team-based task to assist class-work either by campus mode or via CloudDeakin (10%).
Assessment tasks will total 4000 words.
Unit Fee Information
|Student Contribution Rate*
|Student Contribution Rate**
|Fee rate - Domestic Students
|Fee rate - International students
* Rate for all CSP students, except for those who commenced Education and Nursing units pre 2010
** Rate for CSP students who commenced Education and Nursing units pre 2010
Please note: Unit fees listed do not apply to Deakin Prime students.


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When washing your Human Hair Extensions, it is much better to use sulfate-free shampoo. Most shampoos on the market contain sulfates. However, we recommend the use of Enjoy, Bioken, or Mastey. All of these lines do not contain Sulfate formulas. Always wash the hair in a downward motion.
Before washing your hair, be sure to brush out the hair and remove all tangles before washing your extensions. Make sure to start brushing at the hair ends while holding on to the top. Brush in a downward motion, gradually making your way to the top of the piece .This short step is useful in preventing knots that can be locked in from the water.
Next, wet your hair thoroughly with luke-warm water. Place shampoo in the palm of the hands & stroke the entire strand from scalp to ends. Never use circular motions as this will cause the hair to tangle. Always wash with your head tilted slightly back and not forward.
Finally, Gently squeeze out excess water from the hair, and then pat the hair dry with a towel. Do not rub the hair with the towel to dry.
After shampooing and towel drying your extensions, use a leave-in conditioner to keep the moisture inside of the hair, and keep them from drying out. Good examples are Ojon Revitalizing Mist, or Enjoy Conditioning Spray.
Extension hair, by nature, has already been cut from someone elseÕs hair, and must be taken well care of by using good conditioners like Ojon Treatment, Crede ER Treatment, or Enjoy Hair Masque. A deep conditioning treatment is needed once a week, or at least once every two weeks.
These days, extension techniques are much more advanced than in the past. Conditioning your hair will not compromise the glue of your extensions. If you use a Braid and Sewing technique, Fusion I-tips, or Keratin Glue, there is no need to fear the use of conditioner.
The Life and health of your Hair extensions rely upon the maintenance that you give them. Most people are able to use their Hair Extensions for three to four months, but our Hair for Hair Remy Line is quality, healthy hair, and can be used for six months to an entire year without a major problem. All that is needed is that you retighten the hair when the extension parts loosen.
All of this maintenance may seem hard to keep up with, but do not worry. This kind of care is natural and easy, just like caring for your own hair. Enjoy your Hair Extensions, and use them to express all the different moods of your life.


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Hundreds of human rights and environmental organizations around the world are circulating a global petition to protest a giant hydroelectric the dam currently under construction in Ethiopia's Omo Valley.
Experts say the dam will have an enormous impact on the delicate ecosystem of the region by altering the seasonal flooding of the Omo River and dramatically reduce its downstream volume.
In July 2006 the Ethiopian government signed a contract with the Italian company Salini Costruttori to build Gibe III, the biggest hydro-electric dam in the country, according to Survival International. In violation of Ethiopia's laws, indigenous tribes were not consulted about the decision, and there was no competitive bidding for the contract.
The dam, which the Ethiopian government reports is only 40 percent complete, will destroy natural flood patterns that are vital for the Omo tribes' cultivation methods. Although the government claims an 'artificial flood' will solve the problem, the dam constructors last year revealed plans for the tribes to 'switch from flood-retreat agriculture to more modern (sic) forms of agriculture' following a 'transitory period'.
Survival International reports that an imposed 'switch' of this kind will almost certainly prove disastrous, entailing an end to the already inadequate 'artificial flood' without any guarantee of alternative means of survival.
Almost 400 organizations have signed a petition against Africa's tallest dam, which will be delivered to Ethiopian embassies across Europe and the United States to mark World Water Day on Tuesday 22nd March.
The petition calls upon the Ethiopian government to 'suspend the Gibe III dam project on the Omo River unless and until it obtains the free, prior and informed consent of the affected tribes to the project'.
Join them by participating in the following actions:
Related Reading:
10 Ways To Celebrate World Water Day!
Easy Ways To Conserve Water And Save Money
It's World Water Week: For Just $1 You Can Make A Difference
Read more: africa, environment & wildlife, gibe dam, hydro-electric power, omo valley tribes, water, world water day
Image: Gibe 3 reservoir site in Ethiopia
Credit: International Rivers
Signed and shared! Hope that this dam is stopped permanently.
We keep losing immense bodies of knowledge by destroying indigenous caretakers who have extensive knowledge of local flora, fauna, climate, weather, etc. Foreigners should not be allowed to illegally raid counties of their wealth and knowledge.
thanks for sharing
Governments almost never ask the Indigenous tribes of their country about how it will affect them, they just go ahead and do what they want. This is such a bad idea...
I guess everything comes with a hefty price tag and unforeseen costs and consequences.
Many seem to not be very well-informed about the consequences these mega-dams have. Those people living in the original area don't even get compensated in this case. The main point is that the original people living in an area never benefit from the dams after construction. What is worse is that it doesn't comply with the world authority on dams.
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
Well, small revenge of Mother Nature ... Poor animals, evil omnivores ...
Ban all imports and exports of animals everywhere!
Problem on this page? Briefly let us know what isn't working for you and we'll try to make it right!


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Alyson Hannigan Baby Bump
Alyson Hannigan Baby Bump, Bump wars! Well, not really. Alyson Hannigan was among the many celebs offering their congrats via Twitter to Hollywood's newest mom, Jessica Simpson. Still pregnant with her second child, American Reunion star Hannigan, 38, joked that she can now claim a certain crown among famous ladies.
"Congrats to Jessica Simpson! Does this mean I now have the biggest baby bump in Hollywood?" Hannigan wrote after news broke Tuesday that Simpson, 31, gave birth to Maxwell Drew Johnson, a baby girl weighing a healthy 9 lbs., 13 oz. Hannigan and husband of eight years Alexis Denisof are already parents to daughter Satyana, 3. The second-time mom-to-be is due in June, but recently joked on the Rachael Ray Show that folks seem to assume she's due earlier than that given the size of her bump.


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Library - Legal Information
Legal Reference Tools:
- Law.com Dictionary - from the ALM Company. Enter a term, word search the definitions or scan the alphabetical list. Low-key ads.
- Findlaw Dictionary - from the Thomson Company. Word search capability. Contains ads.
- Legal Dictionary & Glossary - from legalhelpmate.com. Legal terminology and abbreviations. Also lists the area of law which applies to the term.
- Legal Abbreviations and Citations - list of common abbreviations of cases, statutes, and other publications and explanation of citation abbreviations from the American Association of Law Libraries.
- Guide to Legal Abbreviations - a short guide to abbreviations of legal publications from St. Mary's University Law Library.
Gale Encyclopedia of American Law - covers today's leading cases, major statutes, legal terms & concepts, notable people involved with the law, and important documents. 7 digit College ID number needed for remote access.
Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law - includes brief descriptions of each issue's historical background, profiles of various U.S. laws and regulations, details of how laws vary from state to state, and identifies additional print and Web resources. 7 digit College ID number needed for remote access.
- Legal Information Institute - at the Cornell University Law School. Well-organized site has small dictionary (lexicon), history, and overview of many legal subjects with links to the relevant legal source material, access to constitutions, court opinions, law by geographic area. International in scope.
- FindLaw Cases and Codes - access to U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals, Trial Court, and Federal Court opinions. Opinion summaries since Sept., 2000 for U.S. Supreme Court, Federal Circuit Courts, California Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, and N.Y. Court of Appeals searchable by court, topic, docket number, name, and date.
- Zimmerman's Research Guide - housed on the LexisNexis Web site, this easy-to-use site is provided by a lawyer/librarian. Search engine and list of topics. Limited number of entries but clear, helpful explanations, and links to more information.
Fedlaw - access to Federal laws.
Thomas - Legislative Information on the Internet - the Library of Congress' directory of links to the House and Senate's bills, committees, publications and agendas.
Web Guide to U.S. Supreme Court Research - housed on the Law Library Research Exchange (LLRX.com), this site was created by a law librarian at Penn State. Comprehensive, well-annotated links cover everything from opinions, case summaries, briefs, and oral arguments to justices, history, and case by issues such as criminal law, abortion, immigration, etc. Take the Supreme Court quizzes. Main site also has federal and state law links.
Contemporary Supreme Court Cases: Landmark Decisions Since Roe v. Wade - examines cases falling under four main categories: separation and distribution of powers; power to regulate or affect the economy; equality concepts; and individual rights and liberties. 7 digit College ID number needed for remote access.
Court Opinions on the Web - compiled by the National Law Journal, provides links for the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Circuit Courts, U.S. District Courts, U.S. Bankruptcy Courts, Specialized U.S. Courts, and State Courts.
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) - rules created by federal executive departments and government agencies originally published in the Federal Register which are then reorganized by subject/agency.
- Maryland Law Sources - includes links to the Maryland Code and Maryland Rules.
- Maryland Judiciary Website - general site for the Maryland court system. Provides access to court records for all Maryland civil, traffic, and criminal cases in the state except for Prince George's and Montgomery counties. Reported opinions for the Maryland Appellate Courts are available from 1995 to the present. Opinions may not be the final, official version which only appear in the bound volumes of the Maryland Reports and the Maryland Appellate Reports. Search by keyword, docket number and term of court, citation, date of opinion, appellant's name, or judge.
Maryland State Law Library - Maryland legal links.
Maryland's Peoples Law Library - "legal and self-help information on Maryland and federal law affecting low and moderate income people". Categories include, benefits, criminal, education, housing, consumer, domestic violence, family law, mediation, youth law, and senior citizens.
Law for the Layperson
Nolo.com - well-known publisher of self-help books and legal forms provides some definitions, guidance on legal research, and lots of good, free advice. Commercial site includes ads for their products. Select "search entire site" when searching.
- Nations of the World - from the Library of Congress Law Library. Links to constitutions, branches of government, and legal information plus economic, labor, human rights, and background information on each country.
- The Avalon Project at Yale Law School - digitized documents relating to law, history, economics, politics, diplomacy, and government. Full-text search engine which will highlight your keywords. Categorized by century (including the 21st) and collection topic (United Nations, African-American, etc.)
World Wide Web Tax - comprehensive U.S. tax directory.


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I've spent plenty of time in airport USOs since becoming a military wife. We often stop by to take a break from the terminal, snack on home-made treats, and listen old-timers tell stories about Korea. Big or small – some are like a house while others are smaller than my kitchen – but I've never been more thankful for USO hospitality than on my last trip. I couldn't have hoped for a better place to spend a two-hour flight delay with a baby. I was blown away by the well-stocked changing table, the Pack n Play, and the playroom filled with toys and crafts and books for every age. When my son spit up, I started to mumble something about forgetting to bring a change of clothes for myself, and, overhearing, one of the hosts asked me what I forgot and bet that he had it. Turned out he didn't have clothes for me, but he did have a washer and dryer, laundry detergent, and sweats I could wear during the washing process! I was impressed.
I want to send a big thanks to the USO, its supporters, the local people who cook treats (so heartfelt!), and the businesses that so generously donate to the military community (we saw Wawa delivering pallets of beverages and snacks).
If you want to donate or volunteer, please visit www.uso.org.


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Check out the 2015 Summer Reading Games for ages 0-10. If you are 11-17 years old check out our Teen Summer Reading Games!
Every 2 Hours of Reading Time = Hero Prize
10 Hours of Reading Time = Superhero Prize Pack
Each Additional Hour of Reading = Prize Drawing Ticket
Register for our 2015 Summer Reading Games, "Every Hero Has A Story" @ your local Massanutten Regional Library branch starting Monday, June 1. Lots of great prizes and free special events. Don't miss out!
When a child (0-17) registers for the Summer Reading Games, he or she will receive a Free Friday Wristband. The wristband is your child's free pass to all Free Friday venues. Each child will receive ONE free wristband and they MUST register for the Summer Reading Games to receive it. Replacement wristbands may be purchased for $2 at any branch.
A HUGE thank you to our awesome Summer Reading Games sponsors! Check out the list of local businesses who have made this year's program possible!
When you sign up for the Summer Reading Games you will receive a Super Pool Pass! This pass is good for one free child's admission with a paying adult at your choice of either Ashby Pool, Broadway Community Pool, Grand Caverns Pool, Timberville Pool, or Westover Pool during the week of June 7-13. Check here for pool hours and locations. All pool rules apply.
Check out the Free Friday events. Be sure to register for the Summer Reading Games to get your Free Friday Wristband - your ticket to SUPER things!
(Library cards will NOT grant access to events)
Let your imagination go WILD! Create and build with Legos 2nd & 4th Wednesdays @ 3:30 PM. Bigger blocks for smaller hands also available.
© Massanutten Regional Library - 174 S. Main St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801, 540.434.4475
Web Design by BlueKey in Harrisonburg, VA


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Tokyo. Three-quarters of more than 1,200 tons of meat from whales caught by Japanese whalers in the Northwest Pacific has remained unsold, an activist group said Wednesday.
The Tokyo-based Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR) has organized 13 rounds of public auctions since October to boost consumption of whale meat, but 909 tons of the 1,212 tons offered have not sold, according to a report the Dolphin & Whale Action Network.
"We could not achieve the results we had anticipated," an ICR official was quoted by the Kyodo News agency as saying.
The institute said the bids submitted by wholesalers and food manufacturers were often lower than the lowest price it had set or that no bids were submitted at all.
Japan's much-criticized whaling is a money-losing operation because most Japanese don't eat whale meat, but vested interests are keeping it running, critics said.
Whaling is subject to a 1986 international moratorium and is opposed by many other countries. Japan officially halted commercial whaling in 1987, but it has used a loophole in the moratorium to continue under the premise of scientific research.
Deutsche Presse-Agentur


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|Hilton Hotels And Resorts Springport properties are listed below. Search for cheap and discount Hilton Hotels And Resorts hotel rates in Springport, MI for your upcoming meeting or individual travels. We list the best Hilton Hotels And Resorts Springport hotels/motels so you can review the Springport Hilton Hotels And Resorts hotel list below to find the perfect place.
This website will also show you discounted Springport, MI hotels + motels that are comparable to the quality of Hilton Hotels And Resorts.
Booking a group or meeting? Get bids from hotels in Springport MI
Next: Show All Available Comparable Hotels with Pricing >


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OppsPlace API
The service provides job-seeking and networking resources targeted to members of minority groups and minority-owned businesses looking for expanded opportunities working with U.S. corporations. It aggregates rich content like advice columns and background information with employment listings and request for bid announcements. API methods support direct creation and editing of job postings by corporate affiliates. Methods also support additions and updates to contract opportunities listed. Request data can specify job title and description, location, industry, functional category, compensation range, travel requirements, language skills required, and extensive additional detail.
Source Code
Sorry, no source code for this API.
Sorry, no resources found for this API.
Developers (0)
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going to make several of these and stitch em together to make a blanket....
new to knitting, teaching myself how to cable without a cable needle, what ya think?
It's kind of like one of those Magic Eye pictures....if you stare at it long enough you can see the pattern. Nice work, especially for the first time doing cables. The windsor blue is beautiful.
yea...I couldn't get the lighting right, and the yarn is so darned dark. (windsor blue - if anyone is interested)
More power to you - I can't manage it without something as a cable needle - even if I don't use actual cable needle.
Veryy hard to see the cabling though....
MMario - ambiguity is cultivated, it doesn't happen in a vacuum!


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- Colors
- Community Images
Share your thoughts
What do you think of the
Osprey Packs Kode 42 Backpack - 2319-2563cu in
? Share a...
I'll be backpacking Europe for a month in a few weeks and I am looking for a quality backpack to make the journey with me and I'm wondering if anyone has used this pack for that purpose. I'm a big skier and I would really enjoy being able to use the backpack I purchase for camping and for some possible backcountry adventures where I would need to strap skis on my back. I know this isn't the best pack for a month long Eurotrip but I'm just wondering if it would get by.
David Thiel
A ski pack will likely be very warm for warm weather backpacking... so especially when moving in urban environments I think you're going to find this uncomfortably sweaty.
Also, 42 liters is pretty small for a monthlong trip....
Mike Traslin
Also have a look at the Variant 37 or Variant 52. It might suit your needs better overall.
joshua H.
why the kode 42 over the variant 37 for ski mountaineering or multiday trips with both climbing and skiing
Reid Pitman
Hey Joshua, so my touring partner uses the Kode 42 and I the variant. Some major differences I noted: Dedicated avy tool pocket, additional pockets on the hip belt, helmet carry sleeve, and vertical snowboard carry straps.
On size, yes the kode is larger but its wider and deeper, while the variant's coller can be opened up giving it about 10L more space. Which is great until you need something from the bottom of the back.
The Variant carries skis\splitboard very well in an A-frame while carrying ice tools, something the Kode doesn't do.
All in all if you're looking for more of a climbing pack go variant. If you're doing more backcountry skiing with out climbing gear go with the Kode.
I seen you're question about the Mutant also. Its a stripped down version of the Variant. Rucksack style, no bells and whistles. Can't carry skis, no pockets for shovel head.
Hope that helps.
Osprey Kode 42
- Familiarity: I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions
I am a big Osprey fan but I have to say that although this pack looks great it was heavy and hurt my back on my first Mountain accent with it. I would return it but Backcountry return policy is nothing like REI return policy where if you dont like it they will take it back no problem. Last time I buy from Backcountry.
Daniel Goodman
Choice Pack
- Familiarity: I've used it several times
Although I have only had a few chances to use this pack, it has only exceeded my expectations. First off, it has a pocket for everything: Hydration bladder, goggles, keys, ice axe holders, etc. It also has the back panel zipper for easy access to everything in your pack. Second, it has the insulation sleeve for the hydration bladder hose to keep the water from freezing on super cold days. Finally, it has a ski and snowboard carry, and plenty of room inside for all other essentials on your alpine adventure of choice. I would highly recommend this pack for any and all alpine and winter backcountry ventures!
Adora Diaz
Osprey Packs Kode 42 Backpack
Happy hiker
Does the lid come off or is it fixed to the pack? Would be nice to be able to shed a few ounces if you want.
Lara LaBar
Hey Andy,
I called Osprey to double-check, and they confirmed that the lid of the pack is sewn on. Hope this information helps-- if you need anything else, don't hesitate to reach out! 1-800-409-4502 ext 4456 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Mike Traslin
August ski turns.
Mike Traslin
Kode 42
Mike Traslin
Windy Ridge.
Lexi Dowdall
Awesome picture Mike !!!
I selected this image to feature on the homepage of backcountry.com in our Activity Feed! Congrats on being GOATWORTHY !!!
Mike Traslin
Cool. Thank You.
Mike Traslin
Skier Andy Traslin
Mike Traslin
Seymour Backcountry
photo Andy Traslin
Mike Traslin
Mt Baker backcountry
photo Andy Traslin
Mike Traslin
Spearhead area.
photo Andy Traslin
Mike Traslin
Hiking for Early Season turns
Photo Andy Traslin
Mike Traslin
Mt Baker Backcountry
photo Andy Traslin
Pete Heckert
This pack is the BOMB!!!!
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
Its is my favorite pack by far. It has tons of pockets and really easy access via a zipper that goes around the back of the back plate. It has 2 main pockets and two pockets on the top pack cover. It also has an insulated sleeve for a bladder system. Its a perfect pack for backcountry activities. You can carry both a set of skis or a board vertically on your back. The traps are also reinforced with rubber to protect the pack from the sharp edges of skis or boards.
Jason Andersen
Very Nice!!
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
Such a great backcountry bag. Very light for the size with room for everything you need and more. Nice quick access to all you backcountry tools.
This bag can take abuse!
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
I purchased this pack in the fall when I was looking for a pack to go travel around South America with. I wanted a pack that I could live out of for 4 months and then use for touring afterwards.
I could not be happier with this pack. I was able to fit everything I needed in here to explore and hike around Patagonia as well as throw onto busses and abuse. I have not tested the waterproofness of the pack in wet snow yet, but hiking for 3 days in the driving rain around Fitz Roy this pack kept everything dry inside.
I would purchase this bag over and over again.
Jane Hwang
Detail of Back panel
There is an mesh pocket for whatever. Knife, book , headlamp ect.ect. Also bladder pocket is easy to load and unload.
Jane Hwang
back panel entry
This is my favorite feature. Taking your skins off and on and putting them in your pack is easy and fast!


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- Summer Life in Whitley County
COLUMBIA CITY — She was everybody's friend for nearly nine years at the Oaks Nursing Home in Columbia City.
The chocolate Labrador named Kenia died Feb. 16 and her ashes are currently safely tucked away in Administrator Chad Smyth's office. Those ashes are being brought out and spread around a new tree in Kenia's memory this week.
Everyone has the opportunity to memorialize this special trained therapy canine with a ceremony at 2 p.m. Wednesday at The Oaks in Columbia City.
"Kenia was so friendly with everyone," said Julia Osterman, activity director at The Oaks.
"She would go room-to-room greeting everyone. The patients would feed her. That was so sweet and that's why she became so overweight."
The celebration of Kenia's life will take place in the front yard of The Oaks with the planting of a pink dogwood tree.
"Even though she died in February we wanted to wait until mid May to plant Kenia's tree. We chose pink because she was a good girl." said Osterman.
The patients of The Oaks will have an opportunity to spread Kenia's ashes around the base of the tree. The public is invited.
Refreshments will be served in the community room featuring cake with Kenia's photo on it, chocolate dog bones and paw print candies.
"Flyers of the event went to every patient and their families, but for nine years we have had so many outpatients and visitors we are opening it up for everyone who ever met Kenia," said Osterman.
Kenia was adopted by The Oaks after an employee saw her online out of Indianapolis.
"Kenia was used only for breeding at a puppy mill. She was in a cage all of the time," said Osterman.
A trained canine therapist, Osterman saw Kenia spend her first days at The Oaks still wanting to be in a cage.
"At first we really struggled with Kenia. She was afraid to come out of her cage," said Osterman.
"She would walk the length of the cage and that was it. It took about a week to get her comfortable out of her cage."
Osterman said back then 99 percent of the patients were in wheelchairs and she had to get Kenia used to that.
"Kenia was afraid to get her tail run over by a wheelchair, so we gave patients a dog brush and they brushed her constantly and they gave her dog treats. She began coming up to them. Many of the patients were deaf or couldn't see so they would run into Kenia. You could see the guilt all over Kenia's face. She was the best dog for our facility and she never complained. She would get her tail ran over all of the time and never once barked or showed any sign of anger," said Osterman.
The Oaks have many rehabilitation patients and they often came back just to see this special dog.
"Kenia will never be forgotten at The Oaks. She was a special dog and friend and we miss her," said Osterman.


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The fundamentals of delay and modulation effects and how to apply these effects, technically and creatively, to improve the sound of a mix.
Explains one of the most essential ingredients in audio mixing, reverb—the time it takes for sound to bounce, echo, and decay during a live performance or recording.
Shows how to properly apply equalization (EQ) to improve the sound of a mix.
Shows how to improve the sound of a mix using compressors, limiters, gates, de-essers, and other dynamic processors.
Walk through the most anticipated new features included in Pro Tools 11, the industry-leading DAW.
Explore essential mastering concepts and techniques used by experienced audio engineers to create a cohesive album from a set of mixed tracks.
Highlights the new features in this release of Pro Tools, the audio production software from Avid.
"For five days I have been excitedly moving from lesson to lesson, course to course. These are the finest and most reasonably priced tutorials I have ever found!" —David S.
more from our members »


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+myConnections: Engage your community - connect to news, events and information you care about. View more information...
View your community's facilities and features online with the new Facilities Module.
Personalize your online experience to stay up-to-date on news, events and other information.
How can I find out what the City Council will be discussing? See the link for agendas for specific meetings. The agendas will provide a summary of each item to be addressed during the meeting.
How can I speak in front of the City Council? Do I need to fill out a form? No, simply attend the meeting and speak when the item is called. However, public address of non-public hearing items, even though they may be discussion items, is governed by the chair (Mayor). You may advise the City Clerk prior to the meeting that you wish to speak or you may always speak under the citizens participation portion of the meeting.
Are there City Council presentation guidelines? Yes, follow this link for a list of guidelines.
Are City Council meetings televised? Yes, they are televised live, and rebroadcast two weeks following the original live meeting.
Are City Council meetings streamed on the internet? Yes, they are simulcast streaming live on the internet.
What happens if I miss a meeting? A rebroadcast of City Council meetings can be seen on PSC-TV Cable Channel 12.


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LONDON (AP) — Hit boy band One Direction has announced plans for an ambitious world tour in 2014.
Plans call for the youthful chart-toppers to play major stadiums in Latin America, Britain and Ireland during the first leg of the mega-tour that begins in April.
U.S. dates are expected to be announced later.
The band announced the "Where We Are Tour" at London's Wembley Stadium, one of five venues they will play at in the U.K. and Ireland once the tour begins.
Band member Harry Styles said the idea of playing at Wembley "is incredible" and that the group is "very excited."
The U.K.-based band had for several days been dropping hints on various official Twitter pages indicating that a major announcement was planned.
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Rules are made to be broken. Just ask Maggie Gyllenhaal, whose 3-year-old daughter, Ramona, needed to be entertained during a recent trek to the Massachusetts coast for a family vacation.
"I have a little hippie in me in terms of the way I'm raising her — although we did pick up some Polly Pockets for the five-hour drive up here," the actress says with a giggle during a recent phone chat, referring to the popular, and very plastic, dolls.
Gyllenhaal and actor Peter Sarsgaard, who were married last year, live a low-key life in Brooklyn. They frequent neighborhood restaurants and take Ramona to the playground, and Gyllenhaal takes the subway. She and Sarsgaard take turns working: one parent at home, the other at work.
"It's my turn now," she says. Indeed. This year, she earned her first Oscar nomination for Crazy Heart. Next weekend, her new movie, Nanny McPhee Returns, opens. In the sequel to the 2005 family comedy, she plays Mrs. Green, an overburdened mom with a quintet of unruly children. Gyllenhaal says she can relate.
"I've definitely been brought to my knees" as a parent, she says. "I remember when I was pregnant thinking: 'My life isn't going to change.' That's not how it's been."
So will she take little Ramona to see the PG-rated Nanny McPhee? Gyllenhaal says no.
"I'm not into my daughter, at this point, seeing me in movies. I think it's confusing."


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DANVILLE — The Mountour County Courthouse as well as a number of homes were evacuated Tuesday because of a gas leak in Danville.
According to the Danville Fire Department, the leak started on Mill Street around 1:30 p.m. Officials said a contractor working in the area cut into the gas line, starting the leak.
The contractor said he believed he shut off the line before beginning work.
Sixty people were evacuated from the courthouse and the surrounding homes for an hour as fire crews secured the gas leak.
Fire officials managed to stop the leak but said to fix the line properly, more work is in store.
"They're probably going to have to redig up because they couldn't shut the main off from the street. They were having problems so they're going to have a backhoe dig up the entire line," said Assistant Fire Chief Ken Strusser.
The courthouse remained closed for the remainder of Tuesday because the employees had been let go for the day.


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It continues to pour so they asked for more...
The Zoo staff have been so happy with our all-volunteer-constructed rain shelters that they asked for 10 more units!
Learn More...
... and get a lemur of your own!
Find out more...
Sumatran Tiger Photo: Bryan Thompson
Honolulu Zoo
Mission Statement
The mission of the Honolulu Zoo is to inspire the stewardship of our living world by providing meaningful experiences to our guests. The Zoo emphasizes Pacific Tropical ecosystems and our traditional values of malama (caring) and ho'okipa (hospitality).
Honolulu Zoological
Society Mission Statement
To foster an appreciation of our living world by supporting and advocating environmental education, recreation, biological study and conservation activities at the Honolulu Zoo.
The Honolulu Zoological Society is a 501-C3, non-profit organization.
Honolulu Zoo Society
Board of Directors & Officers:
Jason Ito - President
Paul Dyson - Vice President
Reid Hinaga - Vice President
Kenneth Kanter - Vice President
Simone Perez - Vice President
Ryan Mukai, Esq. - Secretary
Karen Francis, Treasurer
Tom Ocasek, Past President
Sherry Broder, Esq.
Angela Eberhardt
Karen Francis
Melanie Long
Aimee Lum
Toni Maehara
Glenna Shim
Tara Spagnoli
Barry Sullivan
Aimee Tadaki
Sisi Takaki
Barry Wallace
Dr. Baird Fleming - Zoo Director *
Ted Otaguro - HZS Executive Director *
(*) non-voting


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Oklahoma City, OK Oriental Rugs
Mansour's Oriental Rugs & Antiques
Add a unique piece to your home décor. An oriental rug is not an elegant and interesting piece of décor but it is a great conversation starter with family and friends. We at Mansour's have been in the business for over 40 years.
Make sure you keep up with your rug. Cleaning and repairs are often necessary to keep it looking its best.
Add some style to your room.
- Cleaning
- Repair
- Appraisal
- Handmade rugs
- Persian rugs
- Pakistani rugs
- Indian rugs
- Antiques
Contact Mansour's Oriental Rugs & Antiques today at 405-840-1222 for all of your Oklahoma City, OK oriental rugs needs.
Contact Information
Hours of Business:
Monday – Friday: 9:00am - 6:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am- 6:00pm
Monday – Friday: 9:00am - 6:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am- 6:00pm
Methods of Payment:


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A Pleasant 4th Of JulyJuly 4th, 2014 at 5:37 am by Pamela Gardner under Colts Forecast, Weather
Some patchy fog is found in western Indiana this morning. Most locations have good visibility. Temperatures are very cool in the 50s to begin the day.
This afternoon will be sunny and comfortable with highs reaching the upper 70s and lower 80s.
Your fireworks forecast is perfect! Clear and pleasant with temps in the upper 60s. Tonight's lows dip into the 50s again under a clear sky.
Warmer temps move in this weekend as our high temps reach the low to mid 80s. Saturday is looking dry, Sunday will be dry most of the day with a late chance for storms and showers. Rain chances stick around Monday through Wednesday. High temps stay in the 80s all next week and humidity will get uncomfortable again.


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Just had a wonderful workshop session with some amazing entrepreneurial ladies in Cleveland, OH…a few questions came up at the end that I thought worthy of sharing:
"I'm overloaded with work at the moment and am putting up a new website…I don't think I want any more new work…what can I do about this?"
The first thing is to plan to raise your prices for new clients coming in (and your 'worst' current clients.)
The next step is to get some help — and perhaps not someone who can take on your primary craft, but perhaps someone who can take on the other aspects of your business that take time/energy. This would free you up to do more of what you get paid to do (and paid more handsomely.)
"I know I need help, but finding good people is so difficult…any ideas?"
Begin by making a list of all the things you want to have someone else do for you. Then write up a recruitment ad — a paragraph that outlines what you need. Be as direct as possible about who you want, what you want them to be like and what you want them to do for you. Post this ad on Craigslist and send it to colleagues. Be sure to not give away any confidential information — I wouldn't even give your company name or address until you've narrowed it down. Ask them to reply with a resume and perhaps answers to a few questions (so you get a feel for them before you interview.) If it's not bookkeeping or other skill-specific work, you could also try posting an internship at a local school that has a program that teaches people to do what you do…senior level interns are often responsible and vested in doing whatever is necessary to gain hands-on experience.
I found my Director of Sanity on Craigslist 7 years ago — when I asked for a 'Chaos wrangler/mom' who would help me with everything from bookkeeping to general office organization. I had little to offer other than $10 an hour and flexibility, but it was enough to get us started. Over time, she's taken on more and more (that I didn't even realize I needed help with) such as updating technology, project managing, booking travel and dealing with all those pesky things in the day that would make my eyebrows itch (if I wan't avoiding them altogether.)
Obviously, her pay scale has increased with these responsibilities, but so has my bottom line due to my ability to do more paying work and less administrative work. The key is to start with a manageable set of expectations and a written agreement (can be a paragraph as opposed to a contract) that outlines what you need them to do, by when and for how much. Have them bill you by the month. No long-term promises. Hire someone you like and trust over someone with 'qualifications' per se — and be flexible about where the work gets done (you'll get better people and won't have someone under foot all the time.) Delegating is a life skill and it's a bit rough at first but it's sooooooo worth it! Ask for help where people are looking for work!
"My business is brand new, but because of the nature of what I do, I don't think advertising my service is an efficient way to get the word out…how else can I do it?"
The first step is to get some confidence around what people find valuable about what you offer…get one or two customers who would be willing to give you feedback/a testimonial in exchange for your services. Getting customer input will not only align your promise with the actual benefit they get from working with you, but it will help you refine your approach and language in your materials and website (ideally you can use this testimonial on your site – but get permission first.)
Once you have your marketing materials in-hand, visit places where your customers are likely to be (ideally closest to point of stain) so they can self-select and contact you when they're ready (if they don't have an immediate need.)
These gatekeepers (e.g., shop owners) can become ambassadors/advocates for you. Many of them want to provide assistance (value) to their customers and if they don't offer it and think their customers need what you offer, they will likely recommend you if you ask.
Lastly, the best way to get your name/product/service out there (especially if it's a new category of service) is to speak and/or write about it. Find groups or publications of customers you feel may be the most open and interested in what you have to offer and approach them about writing a piece. Note, however, that these opportunities require you to share some of your philosophy/expertise and cannot just be a 'sell' piece. Don't be afraid to share – most of what you offer is either already being used by your competitors or they won't be able to ramp up quickly enough to go after the same customers. Your reputation and awareness of your brand is your best source of 'security' — not being quiet about what you do.


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Decisions, decisions…and not the fun kind.
Good morning everyone! Why it is a good morning? Well this week we heard from our bank that we will have our mortgage with–what this really means is we no longer have to deal with a few people and boy are we glad to have that in our past. Our contact at the bank sent us a check list, and BOY DO I LOVE CHECKLISTS. Such a simple concept, but bulleted written checklists are pretty much my favorite thing in the world.
Can you sense the calm in my voice already? Om!
"Om" in yoga means "word of power" and with a good list of to-dos and rules I feel so powerful.
We also had a big meeting with our contactor. I had to miss it because of work but Sam went and handled it very well, he returned with a bulleted list of talking points. Good boy! He walked me through the following notes:
Requirements of things we have to do that were not in our original work bid
1) Radiator lines in kitchen need to be moved – $2900
Highly recommend
1) bathroom plumbing – $900
Could be swapped with skylight (bye bye skylight, sad face)
2) Upgrade electrical upstairs – $3500
This is making electrical flush with the walls and not the lovely wired boxes they are now.
3) quarter inch drywall for ceiling in office – $350
This is to patch up where the ceiling tiles were removed.
One wall of drywall is included in change order – no charge on others
Gee 4 walls fell down and we're only being charged for one, score.
4) Justin is going to rough-in plumbing in bathroom for future work (no charge)
We are setting it up to someday create a larger master suite.
5) back square from tub – we have a foot to play with 1 foot by 30 inches (will be 5 inches higher than tub) (no charge)
Possibly reconfigure the bathroom to move the toilet next to the sink (no charge)
Create built-in shelving to store towels etc. Score.
6)Pantry needs to be expanded (12″) to make room for the cabinets – Saskia's drawings were off by a bit (no charge)
Other issues
–Back door – going to reframe the door and remove the transom 28×80 right hand door
UGH we bought the wrong size door and had to return it.
–Kitchen needs to be hardwood and the hardwood is salvageable!
I've been dreaming of hardwood there, and I know Sam's mom will be happy.
–Justin will get price for outside front light
Will swap out backlights for floodlights (no charge)
Went up on Sunday, and lots more done– like AC holes cut out. Also the back sun porch has been leveled and the wall knocked down between rooms:
So our first official draw will be on the 24th, gulp! So many little things to get done before then, and oh joy tons of papper work. Here's hoping we can do it!
I'm starting to picture our furniture in the house, and actually living there. That was a first, and a good feeling!
We talked to our interesting neighbor for a while, the one who is unemployed and sits on his porch watching Judge Judy on a flat screen while drinking beer. He told Sam that we owed him money for cutting our grass (which I cut last weekend). He said he felt bad I cut it with a weed whacker. We'll revisit that if he does it again, for now I'm too busy to argue so we paid him $15.


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A system provides information indicative of customer satisfaction respecting at least one service or sales provider, the system including at least one customer information entry component that provides customer input to a database supported by a financial service provider that assists point-of-sales or point-of-service payment to a site. The system can segregate or aggregate accumulated customer input data according to at least business one customer of the financial service provider. At least one business customer can access information from the accumulated customer input data that relates to data relating to that specific business customer. The system can provide alerts and/or can relate the data in its variance to the customer's historical average scores. A method of providing information to a master business site regarding a subordinate business site comprises providing the subordinate business site with a point-of-sales or point-of-service data input for local customer site evaluation data to be provided by a local on-site primary customer, data input and data reception being directly associated with a financial service provider electronically supported economic transactions and transmitting data relating to both the economic service and the local customer site evaluation data to a processor that receives both the economic transaction data and the local customer site evaluation data.
1. In a system for providing information to a major business site indicative of customer satisfaction at subordinate business sites respecting at least one service or sales provider at subordinate business sites, the system including at least one customer information entry component that provides customer input to a database reviewed by the major business site supported by a financial service provider that assists point-of-sales or point-of-service payment to a subordinate business site wherein the site can segregate accumulated customer input data according to at least business, one customer or the financial service provider, wherein the sales provider can access information from the accumulated customer input data that relates to data relating to that specific business customer.
2. The system of
3. The system of
4. The system of
5. The system of
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to goods and service providers and service facilities, the rating and evaluation of goods and service providers and service facilities by customers, particularly at point-of-sales locations. The present invention also relates to reward systems for customers or clients as part of a point-of-service/point-of-sale transactions with client/customer input. The present invention also relates to systematized reports and signals to the primary service provider based upon those ratings at point of sales locations.
2. Background of the Art
Rating or reward systems are fairly common within the commercial and service business fields. The majority of rewards and ratings are directed towards the customers or clients and the information is used by the servers or businesses themselves to help evaluate individual clients or client groups for service or sales targeting. Typically data is collected on individual customers/clients and their patterns of sales and business utilization patterns are evaluated, ranked and/or rated to provide the business with information on how sales can be increased. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,168 shows a computer implemented system for storing and manipulating customer purchase information received from a plurality of sources, the computer system comprising a storage device for storing the customer purchase information and a processor for placing the customer purchase information, a method for organizing the customer purchase information comprising the steps of: creating an organizational structure in the storage device, wherein the organizational structure comprises a plurality of categories, each category comprising a plurality of sub-categories arranged in a hierarchy; receiving the customer purchase information; and placing the customer purchase information into at least one of the plurality of categories and the plurality of sub-categories using the processor. Mailers (as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,542) are also used to obtain information and/or provide awards.
Other consumer ratings systems exist whereby consumers can register their opinions about particular service businesses over the Internet. Unfortunately, these systems allow consumers to volunteer ratings for businesses not recently, or indeed never, used by the particular consumer. Still other electronic ratings systems are tied to specific "e-commerce" transactions over the Internet. However, most local businesses reside in the "bricks and mortar" world.
It is equally important for service and sales providers to appreciate and determine the customer's/client's perception of the point-of-sale or point-of-service business relationship. Collection of such information has been difficult to obtain and has not tended to be reliable. Such collection systems have included cards left on restaurant tables that are voluntarily completed by customers, hand-out sheets given to attendees, postcards provided along with sales or service provided to customers or clients, personal debriefing by sales personnel, focus groups, mailed out questionnaires, telephone surveys and the like. Good faith responses to such solicited reviews are traditionally at a rate of less than 2%, and the reviews tend to be either a) heavily weighted towards unfavorable response, as the unfavorable results motivate response more than expected good service/sales results or b) highly favorable where the service provider is performing the interview and filling out the rating sheet.
Client/customer opinion data relating to point of sales or point or service performance and/or quality and/or satisfaction is provided during or at the immediate conclusion or shortly after execution and can be stored or transmitted for storage for immediate and/or subsequent evaluation of personnel or site performance by the business where the service or sale or other transaction occurred. The data can be reviewed and analyzed with respect to performance criteria, and the data may also be used to compare performance criteria among sites, especially where new strategies or programs are being implemented to gauge the effects of the strategies on a time basis. A system of strategy evaluation as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,120 may be used, for example, or any other comparative or evaluative software designed by the company or business.
Point-of-sales or point of service information is provided by the customer into a business or service provider information system that may be directly connected with payment functions for the sales or service. For example, information may be provided along with the credit card transaction, debit card transaction, personal account transaction, electronic check transaction or with a format associated with a cash transaction. Discounts may be provided to the customer/client and/or may be a service provided through the transaction support service (e.g., bank, debit card company or credit card company) for which the business/service provider may also pay a service fee. The customer-provided data is then provided to or access allowed to the business or service provider. Rewards and incentives may be given to primary service providers for excellent service to provide a further justifiable reason for the expense of this system.
A number of capabilities, processes and systems are described herein that can be performed on existing equipment with software that can be readily constructed and written based on the teachings provided herein. On-line sales equipment and transactional messaging equipment and other electronic reading, input and storage systems are common in the market and can be adapted to the practices described herein.
The term customer is to be interpreted broadly, unless otherwise limited, as the party that is receiving the goods or services in any transaction or event. The customer may be a business, a representative of a business or a private individual.
The terms "sales" and "services" are to be interpreted in their broadest context as inclusive of any economically based transaction, unless specifically limited to particular forms of sales and services. A non-limiting list of sales and service might include, by way of non-limiting example, stores, outlets, telephone sales and on-line sales and service connections for food (e.g., restaurants including fast food restaurants, delivery services, food clubs, grocery stores, delicatessens, specialty food locations such as candy stores, buffets, bulk food stores/outlets, etc.), clothing (e.g., department stores, general stores, specialty stores, outlet stores, seconds or previously worn stores, consignment stores, malls, fitters, laundry, cleaners, tailors, accessory stores), manufactured goods (e.g., jewelry, time pieces, hats, scarves, shoes, athletic equipments, sports equipment, exercise equipment, electronic goods, computers and components, video equipment, audio equipment, headphones, telephones, wireless communication systems and components, automobiles, bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, etc.), repair stores and shops (e.g., auto repair stores, electronic repair stores, mechanical repair stores or fixit shops, etc.) and other service locations (e.g., optometrists, stock brokers, insurance advisors/sales, legal services, public or governmental services, airline reservation services, insurance representatives or adjustors, sales representatives, hotels, resorts, casinos, etc.) and any other sales or service event (including, but not limited to sports events, pay-per view events, movies, theatres, etc.).
The point of sales event or point of service event is ordinarily accompanied by a form of memorialization, whether in a sales slip, charge slip, account entry or the like. A customer is provided with an opportunity to attach data input with the memorialization in a facile manner. For example, with many credit card/debit card systems, a touch screen is provided that indicates the transaction and acceptance of the transactions. Implementing a process and system as described herein, part of the screen or an additional screen could provide the opportunity to input data on the sales/service event or facility, or the screen or additional screen may require such input to complete the transaction. It is also possible that the customer can be provided an incentive to perform the input. Such incentive could be a fixed amount per transaction where input is provided (e.g., $0.01/transaction with input, $0.05/transaction with input, etc.), a percentage reduction in transaction cost (e.g., 0.01% up to a maximum value amount, 0.05% up to a maximum value amount, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.5% etc. up to a maximum value amount), the transaction customer may be a specially treated or "exclusive" customer (e.g., card-holder) who receives a discounted monthly loan rate on charges, or any other form of award, such as 'points' that may be accumulated towards prizes, benefits, awards, discounts, discounts with specific companies (e.g., airlines, frequent flyer miles, hotels, vacation clubs, food stores, consumer stores or consumer clubs, and the like) or any other form of benefit.
The form of input may be a card swipe, WiFi input, voice recognition input, touch screen, PALM device, keyboard (less preferable), or data input by pencil on the sales/service/charge slip that can be mechanically read or read and entered by staff personnel (also less preferred because of the possibility of staff modification, alteration or origination of purported customer input). The format of the customer should be simplified to minimize any perceived inconvenience, yet provide the information desired by the ultimate information requestor. For example, formats of touch screen inputs for various types of businesses or services could include, by way of non-limiting examples:
There is a significant potential for economic gains for the provider in this system also. The provider (it will be assumed for simplicity that this is a credit card provider) can have a contract established with all stores in a chain (e.g., GAP, Nordstrom's, Circuit City, Caribou Coffee, etc.) that it will charge the company a fixed amount of a percentage amount for each transaction that is accompanied by client input in the transaction. If the transaction, for example, is paying a fixed amount of $0.5 to the customer for the input, the provider may charge the point of sales/service business $0.06, $0.07, $0.08, $0.09, $0.10 etc. per transaction. The traditional fees charged to the business in credit card transactions (e.g., 0.2% to 6% of the transaction) may be increased, or the program may be part of an incentive business development, store expansion, market share strategy by a single company (e.g., VISA, American Express, Master Charge, etc.), where the attractiveness of the program to both the customer and the business will increase the volume of business of the credit card company.
Again, the time needed for the customer to fill out this information is quite modest and there are benefits to the provider, the business and the customer. By providing the input for customer data in the point of contact situation (sales or service) and providing it in the on-line transaction (e.g., credit card, debit card and/or on-line check) not only is the input from the customer inherently confirmed, but also the requested information can be reformatted easily by the business and have it displayed to the customer easily. For example, if a new service program was being instituted, special questions could be provided such as:
Has the service representative already explained the new Premium Warranty Program to you? Yes
If No, please ask him about this high value program. Did you understand the program when he explained it to you? Yes
In this manner, businesses can track whether programs are being implemented as desired and can evaluate the store-by-store compliance and the effects that the program is having according to employee commitment. The performance of individual store employees and managers can also be evaluated on the basis of customer input.
Another way of describing this technology includes a system that gathers consumer feedback to rate businesses according to predetermined criteria by direct point-of-sales or point-of-service contact. The ratings information developed thereby is made available to the business itself or even to members. The business can determine the quality of performance of individual employees, individual managers, and individual stores. Employees, mangers and stores can qualify for awards, bonuses and incentives based upon the ratings. The customers could be allowed to make a selection of a local business based upon the customer satisfaction experiences of others (and it is possible that the ratings could be published). A method, and a system for implementing this technology, for updating the ratings on a real-time or near real-time basis, based on specific, verified transactions between consumers and businesses.
When a business is evaluating a unit or site, or a customer is searching for a local service, the problems can be daunting. Trillions are spent annually with millions of sales and service companies in the United States alone. Searching through the available services or reviewing the performance of individual stores or service locations is not an easy task.
One evaluation method for customers has been to turn to those who make available evaluations and surveys through magazines, ranking various businesses and services according to predetermined criteria. This heavily relies upon a single person's or small group of persons' opinion.
In one aspect, the technology described herein involves identifying a transaction between a customer and service provider at the time that or soon after the transaction is consummated and paid for, and associating the customer input with consummation or transmission of the sales payment or agreement to pay. The service should be provided through the transaction itself, and benefits to the customer can be used as an incentive for providing the information. A communication medium, including a conventional Internet connection or line connection that is used with credit card and/or bank card and/or on-line checking, to communicatively interconnect the customer, the service provider business, and a Financial Service Processor (e.g., bank or credit card processing company). Using the Internet connection, the customer registers a financial services account number (e.g., a credit card number or a checking account number) at the point of sales or point of service. A database containing this customer's financial services account number together with those of other similarly registered customers or buyers confirms the customer's identification and is forwarded to and stored by the Financial Service Processor. This data base may be accessed by the business on arrangement or contract with the Financial Service Provider. One significant advantage of this system is that the records of the Financial Service Providers tends to be very secure, and information for individual business customers (the stores, etc.) can be segregated into unique files so that businesses can access their own unique information and the information from other businesses cannot be readily obtained. This system is less intrusive than systems disclosed in U.S. Published Application No. 20040044563 wherein a register customer makes a purchase of a service from a certified service provider, and pays for that service with a credit card or check or other electronic payment means tied to a financial services account number previously registered with a particular primary server or particular primary server site, that purchase will be detected at the Financial Service Processor. The primary server will notify the Financial Service Processor of the purchase. This notification will trigger the transmission of an email about the consumer/customer sale and input with a simple electronic form that asks for information concerning the customer's satisfaction of the service received. Upon receipt of the filled-out form, the Financial Service Provider automatically updates the database containing the information about the business. The forms tends to be too detailed and the communication is not easily made to the point of sales or service in a convenient time frame, as there must be multiple communications for the information to return to the point of sales. There is also little or no benefit to the customer, individual server, individual manager or individual store in having this information under other evaluation programs and systems.
As used herein, a Financial Service Processor (FSP) is a financial payment service of one type or another. For example, an FSP may be a bank with which the service provider does business, or with which a customer has a checking account, or it may be a credit card processing company. Alternatively, it may be an on-line payment service, or it may be a check verification service. As will be seen, any of these services will operate with the present invention.
Additional considerations in online systems include at least line and transaction security. Software-based encryption techniques prevent conventional copying programs from making unauthorized usable copies. Generally, in these protection techniques, the execution of programs or information stored on a storage medium involves the presence of decryption key for display or execution of data. U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,396 ('396) describes a technique for execution protection of a floppy disk using an encrypted password located at an arbitrary location within the data. Other examples of prior art teachings discussed and referred to in U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,396, incorporated herein by reference, are directed towards copy-protecting disks or storage media in general see for e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,577,289; 4,462,078; 4,584,641; 4,734,796; 4,785,361; 4,849,836. In the prior art a technique for restricting access and use of digital information to a particular machine or "anchoring" content to a single machine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,140 assigned to IBM. This technique is also referred to as hardware based authorization. U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,284 describes a hardware authentication utilizing public-key encryption techniques. Other examples of secure communication systems utilizing encryption or controlled distribution are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,888,800 and 4,999,806. Combinations of software based method and hardware key are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,866,769 and 4,903,296. A method for preventing copying of a video program is described U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,093. A method of preventing unauthorized duplication of information from one storage medium to another and further restricting the use of information to one or more designated devices is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,718. U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,260 describes a method and apparatus for copyright protection of various recording media such as compact discs (CDs) utilizing a combination of symmetrical and asymmetrical data encryption to permit the player to handle either copy-protected or non-copy-protected media. A method for invoking business operations and encouraging purchase of executable and non-executable software for distribution of digital information is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,070. This method requires the user to obtain an ID unique to the user for obtaining access to the advanced features. Another method of protecting digital information particularly software is making the software product available for a pre-determined and limited time period such that the program is rendered unusable after the expiry of the allowed time-period. Methods and apparatuses for enabling trial period use of software products are covered under U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,563,946, 5,598,470, 5,689,560 and 5,737,416. A limited trial period can be effective for software products; however, it does not provide a solid business model for delivering other digital content such as books, music and movies due to several reasons. Firstly, even a singular use of the content is disincentive enough for paying or purchasing and secondly, once access is provided in a decrypted form it can be readily stored, displayed and distributed after the trial period has expired. A method and apparatus to create, distribute, sell and control access to digital documents using secure cryptographic envelopes is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,316 assigned to IBM Corporation. This technology has been commercialized under the IBM's trademark CRYPTOLOPE™. Cryptolope™ objects are used for secure, protected delivery of digital content. Cryptographic envelopes can be compared to the other major technical approach to the same problem, secure servers. A Cryptolope™ is a self-contained and self-protecting object and may include a variety of content types including text, images and audio. It can be delivered across a network or placed on a CD-ROM or other storage media and ties the usage conditions (for e.g. price) to the content itself. Commercial information and data may be in a filed description of the Cryptolope™ technology, which can be obtained from the IBM website using the link—http://www.ibm.com/software/security/cryptolope/about.html. Any other format of encryption and protection that meets the levels of security needed by the system, such as Public key—private key encryption and verification systems, Zero Knowledge Proof verification systems and the like may be useful.
Additionally, there may be procedures involved in character recognition are the same as in the first embodiment, so no further description thereof is given here. A CPU decides whether or not to approve the credit card member registration based on the recognized characters. When it decides that member registration is possible, a credit card is issued and sent to the user. When a credit card is issued, handwriting X(t) and Y(t) data for the signature of the user are registered with the card company. The signatures so registered are used for certification purposes. When, on the other hand, it is decided that member registration is not possible, a notice to that effect is sent to the user. Thus, based on this embodiment, the information written on the member registration form using the reading apparatus 10 is sent directly to the card company(s), wherefore the time required for member registration processing can be shortened as compared to when the member registration form is sent by mail.
Card use processing is described next. After a user makes a purchase in a subscriber store (Ti), when he or she presents his or her credit card to a store clerk, the store clerk uses the imprinter 1 b to transfer the member number, etc., on the credit card to the card voucher. Next, the store clerk reads the magnetic stripe on the back of the credit card using the card reader of the reading apparatus. The reading apparatus transmits the member number, etc., so read to the card company(s) via the communication infrastructure. The character recognition apparatus at the card company(s) receives the member number, and verifies whether that member number is valid. Upon verifying that the member number is valid, the character recognition apparatus issues an authorization number, which it transmits back to the reading apparatus via the communications infrastructure. The reading apparatus 10 receives the authorization number and displays it on the LCD. Seeing this, the store clerk recognizes that the credit card has been approved for use, and, using the pen, enters the purchase amount on a card voucher that is placed on the reading apparatus. The digitizer detects the coordinates of the pen, and outputs the changes over time in those coordinates as handwriting X(t) and Y(t) data. The output handwriting X(t) and Y(t) data are stored in the handwriting data memory.
Next, the store clerk may have the user write his or her signature on the card voucher placed on the reading apparatus. The user writes his or her signature on the card voucher using the pen. This signature also is stored in the handwriting data memory as handwriting X(t) and Y(t) data. These handwriting X(t) and Y(t) data for the purchase amount and signature are transmitted to the character recognition apparatus via the communications infrastructure. The character recognition apparatus receives these handwriting X(t) and Y(t) data, and performs character recognition based thereon. The details of this character recognition processing are as noted for the first embodiment, so no further description is given here. The character recognition apparatus performs data checking on the results of the character recognition. If there are characters other than numerals inside the purchase amount data field, an error is indicated as the result of the data checking. An error will also be indicated as the result of data checking when the product unit prices and purchase amount total are inconsistent. By performing such data checks, erroneous character recognition can be discovered.
Furthermore, when the user's signature has been registered by the card company(s), signature comparison processing is performed. More specifically, the character recognition apparatus makes a comparison to determine whether the signature transmitted from the subscriber store matches the pre-registered signature. If the two signatures do not match, that is, when the credit card user is not a valid user, the character recognition apparatus disallows the purchase to be transacted. If the two signatures do match, on the other hand, the character recognition apparatus allows the purchase to be transacted. The results of this comparison are transmitted to the reading apparatus, and displayed on the LCD log. Seeing this display, the store clerk gives the card voucher copy to the card user only when a match is indicated. The card company copy 1 e is sent to the card company(s) at a later date.
There may be at least one version of a configuration of computing apparatus as may be found at a consumer or point-of-sales/point-of-service location. This may be, by way of non-limiting example, a transactional input system such as credit card swipe with keypad, credit card swipe with touch screen, PALM access, voice activated (after a phone purchase) etc. which may be connected to a local processing system, possibly including a central processing unit and various peripheral equipment such as floppy and hard drives, CD ROM readers, and the like, which is also connected to the central processing data collecting system for the operation of the technology and business. The consumer at the point of sales or point of service may also use a conventional pointing device (e.g., mouse or track ball; not shown) of one sort or another for point-and-click selection operations. Written Credit, charge, debit or electronic check documents (e.g., paper hard-copy forms) may contain primary customer data input for pencils, pens, markers or other "fill-in-the-blank" machine readable or visually readable data entry customer input. These slips may be run through a reader scanner and the data transmitted along with the economic data transmission, which mat often be manually input from such slips. The communication device preferably provides Internet access (via an appropriate ISP) or dedicated line to the Financial Institution and may take the form of a standard modem connection to the telephone lines. Alternatively, the communication device may be of a type that provides ISDN, DSL, ASDL, cable, or even a satellite dish connection. The consumer point of sales or point of service connection could be a conventional television set on site with a WebTV (for example) connection rather that the PC system. (WebTV is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation of Redmond Wash.)
The information provided by the consumer to the Rating Company is placed in the database maintained by the Financial Service Provider. The list of service providers certified by the Financial Service Provider will also be in the database, possibly together with the merchant number(s) of each certified service provider. This will allow the Financial Service Providers (FSP) to certify customers to the businesses (by the associated customer number(s)) from whom services have been purchased with credit cards or checks or on-line payments drawn on checking accounts that have been registered with the FSP. The information provided to the companies at point-of-sales or point-of-service on a evaluation level may or may not include the customer identifier, as that information is not important for a site evaluation program for the business. There would be little concern for customer security issues between the client and the business, as the customer has already provided the FSP information (credit card etc.) to the business. This information would not be sent to third parties, including competitive companies except by agreement from the primary company that has a contract for services with the FSP for its own desired information. Each company may readily design and tailor the content of the questions presented to customers easily.
A transaction is consummated between a consumer and a point-of-sales or point-of-service provider associated with the FSP. The credit card transaction data is transmitted along with the response questions, e.g., via a communicative network (e.g., via a dedicated line) to the FSP for payment. The FSP node will include the financial transaction and the consumer response information into its database. An algorithm or data entry profile may be used to provide the information into a desirable form, such as indicating performance on all of the available levels (individual employee, all employees, individual manager, local management, store, regions, etc.) for review by management of the business. This can be directly accessed from the FSP system by the business through communication with files of the business segregated from common access by the FSP.
Having identified use of a registered credit card or check or on-line payment tied to a registered bank account for a transaction with a certified company, the FSP can certify the data, the date of the transaction, and the appropriate ratings at the site. Signals may be set up when specific data results trigger a response, as with an undesirable level of performance or outstanding performance. This notification may be able to prompt the FSP to conduct a search of its database for information related to the particular site or employee.
While the present invention has been described in terms of various embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various modifications and alterations can be made. Therefore, although the invention has been described in terms of several specific embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, the present invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent structures included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
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